Windsor 10-year-old is cancer survivor

Owen and family at a Celtics game. (contributed photo)

by Mark Huard

Owen Gosselin is a 10-year-old boy from Windsor. He is a little league player, a beloved son and brother and a student. Owen is also a survivor of cancer. Over the last year, Owen and his family have been fighting a battle.

Owen Gosselin ready for the game. (contributed photo)

In December, Owen was diagnosed with Ependymoma grade 3, a cancerous brain tumor. He had a successful resection surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital this past January, followed by six weeks of radiation. The surgeon was able to successfully remove the whole tumor. Owen has worked hard to recover and regain his strength. He resumed playing sports this spring for the Capital Area Little League.

Owen’s mother, Melissa, reached out to someone she knew that helps raise funds for this cause. She became connected to Kelly’s Cause for Brain Tumor Fundraising. Kelly’s dad died from brain cancer shortly after she graduated high school. She went to college for occupational therapy, and after she graduated and got a job, she wanted to do more. She began fundraising for the national brain tumor society by hosting a 5k, which then evolved into multiple events a year along with the 5k. In 11 years they have raised $184,000 for the national brain tumor society and the last few years have been donating to local families as well.

Three years into fundraising, Kelly started a small committee of family and friends committed to helping. All of the members are in the Augusta area and the only group of people in Maine to raise money for this cause. Over the years, Kelly’s Cause has gone to Washington, DC, to advocate to congress about funding NIH for cancer research, and to share a lot of information with the community about brain cancer.

It is no surprise this disease tears into families emotionally, physically and financially. Knowing this, the group provided Owen’s family with support. They hosted an event for their family to provide funds for the family and all of their travel to treatment. They had to stop working quickly, so this support was done to try to reduce the financial stress.

Kelly’s Cause has raised $184,000 for local families and The National Brain Tumor Society. Kelly’s Cause was recognized at Augusta’s Little League opening. Coach Ryan Conrad asked the board if they would allow Owen to throw out the first pitch on opening day May 11, 2024. Everyone is so proud of Owen and so thankful for Kelly and her cause.

Kelly’s Cause for Brain Tumors has upcoming events including a golf event at Natanis Golf Course, in Vassalboro, on Friday, June 21, and a 5k on Sunday, July 21, at the Augusta rail trail. More detailed information for these events are on Kelly’s cause for brain tumors Facebook page.

Issue for June 13, 2024

Issue for June 13, 2024

Celebrating 36 years of local news

Law enforcement memorial service held in Augusta

Maine’s law enforcement members who lost their lives in the line of duty were honored on Tuesday, May 14. The annual observance at the Maine Law Enforcement Officers Memorial was held in Augusta at the granite memorial near the State Capitol, and dedicated to the fallen officers that were killed in the line of duty… by Mark Huard

Town News

Unofficial results of contested races in China, Vassalboro, Fairfield & Waterville

CENTRAL ME – Preliminary election results for voting in China, Vassalboro, Fairfield & Waterville…

Sidereal Farm approved for expansion with conditions

VASSALBORO – After a long discussion at their June 4 meeting, Vassalboro select board members unanimously approved all but one piece of an expansion plan for Sidereal Farm Brewery, at 772 Cross Hill Road. They added two conditions to the approval, based on neighbors’ concerns…

Town building issues dominate select board agenda

CHINA – The China select board’s June 3 meeting was mostly spent on building-related issues. Board members totally redesigned the plan for their long-discussed storage vault at the town office, and awarded bids for other town projects…

Support The Town Line: An open letter to our readers

For the past 33 years, The Town Line has pledged a mission statement to “create a vibrant rural community connecting our towns, organizations and individuals through communication, education and public dialogue.” It’s all part of The Town Line’s mission to be a positive force in our community and bring together the rural towns of central Maine by promoting better understanding of our surroundings…

Name that film!

Identify the film in which this famous line originated and qualify to win FREE passes to The Maine Film Center, in Waterville: “Badges? We don’t need no stinkin’ badges!” Email us at townline@townline.org with subject “Name that film!” Deadline for submission is July 5, 2024.

Albion gold cane presented to Donna Bessey

ALBION – On May 31, 2024, Donna Bessey received the Town of Albion’s Boston Post Cane, recognizing her as its oldest citizen at age 95. Albion Selectman Paul Flynn gave a brief history of the Boston Post Cane before presenting her with the cane and a plaque. Also representing the town were Selectmen Michael Gardner and Jason Dow, as well as State Senator Scott Cyrway and Town Clerk Jeannie Doore. Many friends were also present to celebrate the occasion…

PHOTOS: Oakland American Legion busy with official ceremonies

OAKLAND – Photos and commentary from Oakland’s American Legion Memorial Day ceremonies…

Sheepscot Lake Association newsletter

PALERMO – Happy Summer 2024! Sheepscot Lake is shimmering and calling out for many adventures ahead, and the Lake Association looks forward to enjoying the season to its fullest with you all, with the health of the lake in mind. This newsletter will update you on our programs and events planned for 2024!… by Maria O’Rourke, President

Anna Lakey named to Elmhurst University’s dean’s list

WINSLOW – Anna Lakey, of Winslow, was among more than 975 students named to Elmhurst University’s Spring 2024 dean’s list, in Elmhurst, Illinois.

ShineOnCass Foundation 2024 scholarship recipients

CENTRAL ME – The ShineOnCass Foundation recently presented three scholarships, totaling $6,000, to local seniors who make service and kindness part of their everyday life… by Monica Charette

Local happenings

EVENTS: Select board to hold public hearing

VASSALBORO – The Vassalboro select board will hold a public hearing at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 13, in the town office meeting room, to discuss allocating Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds to the Vassalboro Sanitary District…

EVENTS: Rotary District Conference coming to Waterville June 21–23

WATERVILLE – This year Rotary District #7790 will host the three-day district conference in Waterville. The conference will bring many first-time visitors to the city, all to support District Governor Tina Chapman. Waterville supports two Rotary clubs, the Waterville Sunrise Club and the Waterville Noon Club, which is Tina’s home club…

EVENTS: Upcoming Vassalboro Library play in search of actors

VASSALBORO – The Vassalboro Public Library is planning to present a play as part of a library fundraiser on October 19 and 20. The play, entitled Murder by the Book, is written by Canadian playwright, Laura Teasdale, and it is inspired by the books by Louise Penny…Opportunities to join the cast of the production are open to people of all ages…

EVENTS: Drawing is a skill, not magic! Classes with Connie Bellet

PALERMO – If you can hold a pencil or pen, you can draw. A lot of people say, “I can’t draw a straight line.” Well, that’s what rulers are for. Join Connie Bellet at the Palermo Community Center, on Turner Ridge Road, across from the ball field, on Saturday, June 15, and Sunday, June 16, at 2 p.m., for a fun adventure in learning how to draw…

CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Program on WW&F planned in Windsor

WINDSOR – Robert Wallace and Phil Dow, of the Albion Historical Society, will provide a talk about the original WW&F (Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington) Railroad at the Windsor Historical Society, on Wednesday, June 12, at 6:30 p.m., at the Malta Room, on the Windsor Historical Society Grounds, Route 32, Windsor, Me… and many other local events!

Obituaries

SIDNEY – Joshua Thomas Nelson, “Big Country”, 35, of Sidney, passed away on June 5, 2024, as a result of an automobile accident… and remembering 4 others.

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Benton (new)

BENTON HISTORY — Continuing north on the east side of the Kennebec River, the next town after Winslow is Benton. Next north of Benton is Clinton… by Mary Grow

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Vassalboro – Winslow

CENTRAL ME HISTORY — Going north from Augusta on Route 201 on the east bank of the Kennebec River, one follows the approximate route of Massachusetts Governor William Shirley’s 1754 military road between Fort Western, in present-day Augusta, and Fort Halifax, in present-day Winslow… by Mary Grow

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: City of Augusta

AUGUSTA HISTORY — The City of Augusta began its legal existence as part of Hallowell, and has been named Augusta since June 9, 1797. It became the state capital in 1827, and transitioned from a town to a city in 1849. It is the only municipality in this part of the Kennebec River Valley that is still on both sides of the river… by Mary Grow

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Towns and cities’ names – Part 1

CENTRAL ME HISTORY — This series has been geographically grounded, mostly, in specific places: 12 municipalities in the central Kennebec Valley. Your writer’s next topic is how each of these got its name. As usual, there will be preliminaries, the first of which have taken up this entire introductory essay. They are a short detour along the coast and a summary of British settlement… by Mary Grow

Common Ground: Win a $10 gift certificate!

DEADLINE: Wednesday, June 13, 2024

Identify the people in these three photos, and tell us what they have in common. You could win a $10 gift certificate to Hannaford Supermarket! Email your answer to townline@townline.org or through our Contact page. Include your name and address with your answer. Use “Common Ground” in the subject!

Previous winner: Brian Plato, China

Town Line Original Columnists

Roland D. HalleeSCORES & OUTDOORS

by Roland D. Hallee | Well, it’s the middle of June and I have yet to see a June bug this year. Generally, June bugs, Phyllophaga, make their appearance in mid- to late-May. So why are they called June bugs? It all depends on what you want to call them. They are also known as May beetles and June beetles. But, the name is derived from the fact that adult June bugs emerge from the soil at the end of spring or the beginning of summer…

ERIC’S TECH TALK

by Eric W. Austin | In the lead-up to the 2024 elections, the problem of misinformation looms larger than ever before. The information landscape has changed drastically over recent decades, and many of us have not developed the tools to discern good information from bad quickly enough to keep pace with these changes. Let’s explore how things were in the past, how they have evolved, and what we can do to navigate this new terrain…

MY POINT OF VIEW

by Gary Kennedy | In the year 1966 President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first Presidential Proclamation honoring Fathers Day and designated the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day. The Bible gives us an intimate view of the relationship between Christ, the Son, and God the father. (Yahweh, Jehovah) Jesus, by example, showed the relationship between himself and his father. We all know what that relationship was/is…

Peter CatesPLATTER PERSPECTIVE

by Peter Cates | Bradley Cooper’s Maestro gave a somewhat superficial depiction of the marriage of Leonard and Felicia Bernstein while biographies of David Ewen, John Gruen and Joan Peyser filled in some facts and personal, at times biased observations, Gruen providing fascinating interviews as well…

PLATTER PERSPECTIVE – Composer: Leonard Bernstein

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Leonard Bernstein

Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper’s Maestro gave a somewhat superficial depiction of the marriage of Leonard and Felicia Bernstein while biographies of David Ewen, John Gruen and Joan Peyser filled in some facts and personal, at times biased observations, Gruen providing fascinating interviews as well.

I am going to provide a list of recommended recordings from the great man and leave biography and anecdotes for another day.

To begin:

1958 – Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet coupled with Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite, his first studio recording with the New York Philharmonic, had an extraordinary combination of savage excitement, highly controlled discipline and exquisite beauty.

1962 – Beethoven’s 5th Symphony received a performance that, to this day, has been equalled by such conductors as Karel Ancerl, Wilhelm Furtwangler, Otto Klemperer, Fritz Reiner, Bruno Walter, Arturo Toscanini, Herbert von Karajan, Eugene Ormandy, Andre Cluytens and a few others but never surpassed for rehearings over the last 50 years and is, for me, the best record he ever did of any Beethoven Symphony, although the 1972 Boston Symphony youtube and the 1980 ones Bernstein conducted of the same composer’s Pastoral Symphony scored some very lovely points. Bernstein achieved in the 5th a breathing spaciousness and gripping intensity that was exquisitely forged.

1963 – Bernstein recorded Dvorak’s 7th Symphony, which is my favorite of all his 9 magnificent Symphonies, and gave a performance in which his wild, frantic, very sentimental side, qualities that ruined other recordings of various works, came off very well and during the past 60 years, I have worn out two or three copies of the LP.

1965 – Bernstein recorded Mahler’s intensely emotional 5th Symphony and mastered its manic/depressive moods to an extraordinary degree. It is my favorite of all his Mahler recordings, although his 1966 London Symphony set of the composer’s 8th with a thousand voices and huge orchestra is one always worth getting to know. Plus the New York Philharmonic Mahler 4th with soprano Reri Grist is a gem.

Finally the 1961 soundtrack of his musical West Side Story with Marni Nixon’s exquisite soprano dubbed in for Natalie Wood’s Maria and the vibrant ensemble work of others is, by a narrow margin over the original 1957 Broadway cast recording, an album that stands the test of time.

All the above are on YouTube.

Robert Patrick

Actor Robert Patrick portrayed a very convincing Homeland Security government agent of upright integrity and supportiveness on the 4 seasons of Scorpion and a deadly corrupt chief of security on the current 8 episode season of Reacher.

From Rumford native Tom Fallon’s poem Work Piece:

“Noise continuous: keep
the machine running:
what time is it:
what time is it
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Noon, sandwiches. Eat.”

A very powerful depiction of the grueling paper mills of Maine’s industrial age.

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Benton

Benton map

by Mary Grow

Continuing north on the east side of the Kennebec River, the next town after Winslow is Benton. Next north of Benton is Clinton.

These two towns share with Winslow not just the Kennebec, but the Sebasticook River as well. The Sebasticook meanders a bit west of south through Clinton’s town center, and past two of Benton’s once-four villages, on its way to join the Kennebec in Winslow.

Unlike Augusta, Vassalboro and Winslow, neither Benton nor Clinton ever included land on the west bank of the Kennebec.

Your writer intended to write about both towns this week. As usual, she found too much information; Clinton’s story will be postponed.

* * * * * *

What is now Benton began as the southern part of Clinton. It was part of the Kennebec Purchase. A summary history on the Town of Benton website says the area was surveyed in 1769.

The history section of Benton’s 2018 comprehensive plan names the earliest European settler as Ebenezer Heald, who in 1763 built the required cabin and cleared the necessary land to get a grant from Gershom Flagg. (Flagg was mentioned in the May 30 history article as a 1764 grantee on the west side of the Kennebec in Augusta.)

The first Benton settlers Henry Kingsbury listed in his Kennebec County history were Irish emigres George FitzGerald and David Gray, who settled on the Kennebec about a mile north of Benton Station. He gave no date, but said elsewhere the first settlers arrived in 1775, later than the Benton website and comprehensive plan say. Kingsbury named Flagg as an early settler on the Sebasticook around 1783, on a Plymouth Company grant that was “fifteen miles long by half a mile wide.”

It was not until 1842 that southern Clinton became a separate town. The Benton website credits the area that became Benton with the first sawmill on the Sebasticook, in 1773; the first doctor in town (Ezekiel Brown, Jr., at Benton Station on the Kennebec, in 1789); the first Clinton post office (at Flagg’s store in Benton Village on the Sebasticook, on July 29, 1811); and the first church building in town (the Congregational Meeting House at Benton Falls, also on the Sebasticook, in 1828).

Kingsbury wrote that Benton town records start with a March 16, 1842, Maine legislative act (Maine had become a separate state on March 15, 1820). This act divided Clinton and incorporated “the town of Sebasticook.”

A Historical Society slideshow on the Town of Clinton’s website illustrates the separation. It describes the line of demarcation beginning on the Kennebec, going east-southeast to the Sebasticook and up the middle of the Sebasticook to Clinton’s east boundary. It appears that Sebasticook took almost half Clinton’s land area.

Sebasticook, the comprehensive plan says, is an Anglicization of “Chebattiscook or Chebattis, meaning John Batstiste’s [Baptiste’s?] Place.” A Maine education website calls it a Penobscot word meaning “‘almost through place’ or ‘short passage river,’ referring to the short portage to the Souadabscook Stream, which connects the Penobscot and Kennebec rivers.”

At a March 4, 1850, town meeting, Kingsbury said, Sebasticook voters directed their selectmen to propose a new name. Selectmen chose Benton, which was approved by the legislature and first used at a September 1850 town meeting.

Sources your writer found are, for once, unanimous on the origin of the name: it honors Democratic U. S. Senator Thomas Hart Benton (March 14, 1782 – April 10, 1858). Benton served in the Senate from Aug. 10, 1821 to March 3, 1851; Wikipedia says he was the first person to serve five terms.

What else he was noted for depends on the source. Kingsbury mentioned only his 1854-1856 two-volume book, Thirty Years in the United States Senate (cited elsewhere as Thirty Years View).

Benton was a lieutenant colonel in the War of 1812, serving as Andrew Jackson’s aide, seeing no combat.

He fought several duels (an unlikely reason to name a town after him).

Wikipedia calls him “an architect and champion of [United States] westward expansion,” the movement also called Manifest Destiny.

He was a slave-owner, but opposed extending slavery into new territories.

The Encyclopedia Britannica says Benton insisted that public lands be distributed to people planning to settle on them; his political base in the 1820s was “small farmers and traders.”

Several sources mention Benton’s support of hard currency (“gold and silver coins instead of paper money and bank notes”), for which he was nicknamed “Old Bullion.”

It would be interesting to know which of these policies impressed the Benton selectmen, or what other choices, if any, they debated. Your writer notes two advantages of the new name: it’s closer to the top of alphabetical lists, and it’s shorter and quicker to say and write.

A Wikipedia article lists more than a dozen United States counties and towns named in Senator Benton’s honor, including Benton, Maine.

* * * * * *

Although Benton did not exist legally until March 16, 1842, Kingsbury and others begin their histories of the town decades earlier. Readers should remember that the name “Benton” in the following paragraphs is used retroactively until incorporation.

Kingsbury, finishing his history in 1892, named four villages in the Town of Benton: Benton Falls, Benton Village, East Benton and Benton Station (originally Brown’s Corner, where Dr. Brown settled). If these population centers began life as Clinton Falls, etc., your writer has found no historian who mentioned it.

Benton Falls and Benton Village were both on the Sebasticook, adjacent to waterfalls that provided water power. Benton Falls was and is on the east bank, on what is now Falls Road, running along the river from Route 139 south to the Winslow town line.

Your writer has been unable to find a definitive location for Benton Village, which no longer exists under that name. More intensive research in 19th-century land deeds should provide the information: Kingsbury identified the village, and other locations, by names of nearby pre-1892 residents.

There were two notable “falls” in the Sebasticook in the late 1700s and early 1800s, called upper falls and lower falls. Several sources, including Benton’s comprehensive plan and the town website, say Benton Falls was/is on the upper – upriver, or more northerly – falls.

The website lists, between 1769 and 1773, “First dam built at the upper falls (in now Benton Falls).” The plan says, “The first dam, erected at the upper falls in Benton Falls[,] was built before the Revolutionary War.”

Kingsbury, however, said the mills and shops at the upper falls were in Benton Village. He wrote that around 1800, Captain Andrew Richardson built an early sawmill on the east bank “at the upper falls (now Benton village).”

After much reading and map study, your writer sides with Kingsbury: as the Sebasticook flows toward the Kennebec, Benton (Village) is upriver, or north, of Benton Falls. This opinion is strengthened by the map in the 1879 Kennebec County atlas, which shows Benton P. O. (post office) on the west bank, upstream of Benton Falls P. O. on the east bank.

(The map in the 1856 atlas shows a densely populated area from south of Benton Falls to north of Benton Village on both sides of the Sebasticook and along roads paralleling it. This combined population center is labeled Sebasticook Corner on the east bank and Benton on the west bank.)

The present bridge where Route 139 crosses the Sebasticook, the Benton town office on the west bank a short distance downriver and nearby residences and commercial buildings are now in the area labeled Benton or Benton Village.

“Before 1800 a toll bridge was built and carried away several times by high water,” the Benton website says. Whether the river was bridged first at Benton Falls or Benton Village is unspecified. The 1856 map appears to show a bridge at each place.

East Benton and Benton Station are easier to locate.

East Benton was south of Fifteen Mile (or Fifteenmile) Stream, along today’s East Benton Road, in the southeastern part of town. Kingsbury listed two sawmills on Fifteen Mile Stream before 1840. They burned around 1855, were rebuilt and burned again sometime after 1870, he wrote.

The East Benton post office opened Aug. 5, 1858, Kingsbury said. The 1879 map shows an area labeled East Benton P. O. on the East Benton Road around the intersections with Richards, Hanscomb and Bog roads, on the west side of Fifteen Mile Stream.

On Dec. 28, 1887, Kingsbury said, the post office name was changed to Preston Corner; Daniel Preston had been postmaster since March 22 of that year, and served until Nov. 20, 1889. The name became East Benton again on May 29, 1891.

Benton Station was and is on the bank of the Kennebec, extending along the river both ways from the bridges between Benton and Fairfield. The 1879 map shows Maine Central railroad tracks through the village. The comprehensive plan says as of 2018, the former railbed was part of Benton’s Kennebec River Walking Trail.

Kingsbury said the first Benton Station post office was not established until May 31, 1878.

Going back to the Sebasticook, the comprehensive plan says a second dam was built at the lower falls in 1809, but it had no fish passage and therefore “so hindered the fishing that six years later the selectmen had it removed.” (But if the lower falls is really at Benton Falls, it must have been soon replaced to provide water power.)

The plan emphasizes the importance of fishing to early settlers, for food and as an “industry.” Main catches were alewives and shad; there were some salmon.

In 1817, the plan says, “fishing privileges were auctioned off so that sections of the river were sold to individuals.” Kingsbury added that people brought wagons from 40 miles around to collect fish, “which were thrown into the carts literally by the shovelful.” Alewives cost 25 cents per 100, shad four cents each.

The Sebasticook was a better fishery than the Kennebec because the Sebasticook was bridged and “could be spanned easily by weirs,” letting residents use both banks, the plan explained. The west bank of the Kennebec was and is in the Town of Fairfield.

Damming the Kennebec at Augusta in 1836 ended the fisheries.

Kingsbury said an early sawmill was built at the Sebasticook’s upper falls about 1800, and listed three mills and a tannery there in the 1820s.

Around the same time, he mentioned a blacksmith shop and Gershom Flagg’s grist mill at Benton Falls. Benton Falls, he said, had its first tavern by 1818, and by 1823 another tavern “where the pulp mill boarding house now [1892] stands.”

The comprehensive plan calls Benton Falls “the hub of the community” in the first half of the 19th century. The writer listed “at least three (3) sawmills, a tannery, carding and dye mill, grist mill and shingle mill.”

By the 1860s, “a brush and block-handle factory was run in the same building that wooden shoe sole shoes were manufactured. In 1872, a potato planter was invented and manufactured at the Benton Falls.”

The plan adds that Benton’s large pine trees were another economic resource. It says the masts for the USS Constitution (launched Oct. 21, 1797) were cut in Unity by a team of six men, mostly from Benton; hauled to the Sebasticook behind 20 oxen; and floated downriver through Benton.

Kingsbury listed early stores at Benton Falls (from 1808), Benton Station (from before 1810), Benton Village (from 1828) and East Benton (not until the 1870s). The East Benton store, “on the west corner of the road to Clinton,” began life as a smithy (no date), was enlarged and converted about 1878, and burned six days after it opened, he wrote.

The comprehensive plan says the “first frame house north of Augusta” was built on Benton’s Eames Road in 1772. (Eames Road runs southeast off Falls Road at the southern end of Benton Falls.) The builder’s name is omitted.

Main sources

Kingsbury, Henry D., ed., Illustrated History of Kennebec County Maine 1625-1892 (1892).
Town of Benton, 2018 Comprehensive Plan (found on line).

Websites, miscellaneous.

Correction and apology

For the article (above) on the Town of Benton, which was separated from Clinton in 1842, your writer reviewed multiple sources’ differing locations for the upper falls and the lower falls on the Sebasticook River.

She concluded the village of Benton Falls, on the east bank of the river, was founded at the lower falls. Having since had time to visit Clinton’s Brown Memorial Library and read part of Major General Carleton Edward Fisher’s admirably researched 1970 history of Clinton, she now believes she was wrong: Benton Falls, a mill village in the 19th century and a residential area today, was and is at the upper falls.

Fisher wrote that the lower falls were only about half a mile north of the Winslow town line. The upper falls were about half a mile farther upriver.

Another mile upriver, about where today’s highway bridge carries Route 139 across the Sebasticook a little north of the Benton town office, and where your writer erroneously located the upper falls, is what Fisher labeled Nine Mile Rips, a third stretch where the river drops comparatively rapidly.

The apology is to the writers of the Town of Benton’s website and comprehensive plan histories, who said, correctly, that Benton Falls was and is at the upper falls.

Oakland American Legion busy with official ceremonies (2024)

Paying tribute

Oakland American Legion Post #51 paying tribute to the brave men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country, at Memorial Hall, during the Memorial Day parade on May 27. From left to right, Patrick Linehan, Colin Clifford, Brian King, Jeff Stevens, John Palmer and Sgt. at Arms Dave Germain.
(photo by Galen Neal, Central Maine Photography)

New flag & pole dedication

On May 14, members of American Legion Decker-Simmons Post #51 gathered with Legion Riders to dedicate a new flag and pole at veteran Brian Danforth’s home, on Fairfield St., in Oakland. The veterans who live there had lost their flag and pole during a windstorm this past winter. Legion Riders were notified, took action and replaced both the pole and flag. (photo by Wally McKenney)

Memorial Day observance

The rain stopped just in time for the American Legion Decker-Simmons Post #51 parade to get underway. With a ceremony to honor all who gave their lives at Lakeview Cemetery, Commander Jeffrey Flye gave a speech that was followed by the honor guard performing a rifle salute to the fallen. Left to right, Mark Spencer, Winslow VFW Commander Mike Dumont, Tina Zelberek, John Palmer, Jeff Stevens, Brian King, Colin Clifford, Jeffrey Flye, Patric Linehan, Winslow VFW Quartermaster Chris Soucy and Tom Dechaine. (photo by Wally McKenney)

Fundraiser

American Legion Riders of Post #51, in Oakland, recently held a fundraiser, hosting a Pebble Art class. There were 25 students who managed to raise $385 for veterans through donations and a 50/50 raffle. The members of Legion Riders were very pleased with the turnout. Overall, it was well-received, and everyone enjoyed themselves. Numerous attendees inquired about the next class, so they are looking into organizing another one soon. (photo by Wally McKenney)

Flag retirement

Photo by Wally McKenney

American Legion Decker-Simmons Post #51 Oakland, with Grover-Hinckley Post #14, held a ceremony retiring many U.S. flags. A moment of silence was observed for the 80th anniversary of the 153,000 men who lost their lives on D-Day. Above, Post #51 Commander Jeffrey Flye begins disposal process.

Photo by Wally McKenney

If anyone has a flag that is faded, tattered, or torn you can bring the flag to any American Legion Post to have it properly disposed.

ShineOnCass Foundation 2024 scholarship recipients

by Monica Charette

The ShineOnCass Foundation recently presented three scholarships, totaling $6,000, to local seniors who make service and kindness part of their everyday life.

The 9th Annual ShineOnCass Memorial Scholarship in Memory of Cassidy Jean Charette was presented to Brayden Perry of Oakland. Perry will receive a $4,000 scholarship to Merrimack College, where he is pursuing a career in nursing. The scholarship, started by Charette’s Messlaonskee Class of 2016, is open to only Messalonskee High School students. Funding is dispersed annually after recipients demonstrate completion of 20 hours of service work each year.

The first ShineOnCass Community Scholarship, created to recognize service-focused seniors living in Winslow, Waterville, Lawrence, or Messalonskee school districts, was determined by the selection committee to be a tie, so the Foundation decided to present two, $1,000 awards. Scholarships were presented to Hallie Firmage, Lawrence High School senior, who will attend Brigham Young University; and to Emma Jane-Parsons, from Messalonskee High School, who will be attending Wheaton College.

Both scholarships were created in honor and memory of Cassidy Charette, a longtime volunteer in the central Maine community and former Messalonskee student, who died in a hayride accident in 2014. The ShineOnCass Foundation awards over $10,000 in local scholarships every year supporting higher education, aspiring young violinists, youth soccer, children attending summer farm camps, and other awards recognizing youth service and kindness.

To learn more about scholarship opportunities offered by the ShineOnCass Foundation, visit shineoncass.org.

ERIC’S TECH TALK: The new misinformation landscape

by Eric W. Austin

In the lead-up to the 2024 elections, the problem of misinformation looms larger than ever before. The information landscape has changed drastically over recent decades, and many of us have not developed the tools to discern good information from bad quickly enough to keep pace with these changes. Let’s explore how things were in the past, how they have evolved, and what we can do to navigate this new terrain.

In the past, our information was filtered through a series of gatekeepers, such as teachers, librarians, publishers, newspapers, and the major news broadcasters. These gatekeepers, equipped with the skills to discern reliable information, ensured that the public received mostly accurate news and information. This system fostered a relatively unified understanding of the world, which was particularly valuable in times of crisis. However, it also meant that a small group decided which narratives were worthy of dissemination, limiting the diversity of perspectives.

The landscape began to shift in the late 1980s with the elimination of the Fairness Doctrine, a policy that required broadcasters to present contrasting viewpoints on controversial issues. Whether one views this as a positive change or not, its repeal allowed for the rise of ideologically driven news stations catering to specific segments of the population, leading to the ideological drift and “information bubbles” we see today.

The advent of the internet further transformed the information landscape. Traditional gatekeepers were bypassed, and information became ubiquitous and accessible to all. This democratization of information had its benefits, allowing for a greater diversity of viewpoints and giving voice to previously suppressed perspectives. However, it also meant that anyone, regardless of their expertise or intentions, could disseminate information widely. This led to a reliance on emotional responses and confirmation bias to determine the value of information rather than its truthfulness or societal benefit.

Social media platforms, particularly with the introduction of Facebook’s “Like” button in 2009, exacerbated the problem. These platforms reward content that generates engagement, often prioritizing sensational or misleading information. The lack of accountability for false or harmful content has allowed misinformation to flourish, with creators incentivized by the prospect of financial gain through ad revenue sharing on platforms like YouTube and Twitter (now X).

The influence of social media influencers has further complicated the landscape. Individuals can amass millions of followers based on content like pranks or lifestyle posts, and then leverage that influence to spread conspiracies or misinformation. This unchecked power can be exploited by political, criminal, or foreign entities for nefarious purposes.

New Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies have made the situation even more perilous. AI can create photorealistic images, simulate voices, and generate realistic videos, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between real and fake content. This technological advancement, combined with the breakdown of traditional gatekeeping, has created a breeding ground for misinformation.

So, what can we do about it? First, we must recognize the need to develop new skills for discerning good information from bad. Many of us overestimate our ability to identify reliable information. To counter this, we should seek out media literacy classes, read books on detecting fake information, and educate ourselves about common biases and fallacies. Media literacy education should also be integrated into school curriculums to prepare future generations for this new information environment.

Here are a few practical tips to navigate the current landscape:

• Find Trusted Sources: Identify credible sources from across the political spectrum. Research them thoroughly and use them as a benchmark to evaluate new information.
• Be Aware of Bias: Acknowledge your own biases and be cautious of information that confirms your preconceptions.
• Verify Information: Be skeptical of information from unknown sources, especially screenshots of articles or headlines shared on social media.
• Research Your Sources Thoroughly: Check the credibility of new sources using tools like AllSides, MediaBiasFactCheck, and Ground News. Scan a source’s Wikipedia page and do a Google search to identify any red flags. Also, look for funding transparency from websites and news organizations.

Ultimately, we must remain vigilant and humble. Overconfidence in our ability to discern truth from falsehood makes us more susceptible to deception. By staying informed and critically evaluating the information we consume, we can better navigate this complex information landscape and make informed decisions, especially as we approach the crucial 2024 elections.

MY POINT OF VIEW: A day to honor all fathers

by Gary Kennedy

In the year 1966 President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first Presidential Proclamation honoring Fathers Day and designated the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day. The Bible gives us an intimate view of the relationship between Christ, the Son, and God the father. (Yahweh, Jehovah) Jesus, by example, showed the relationship between himself and his father. We all know what that relationship was/is. The love and respect was like no other. However, this example gave us something to strive for. Although we could never achieve the love and respect that emanated from this relationship but the example was easy to see and to reach for. It’s an example that will live in our hearts forever.

Father’s Day goes back to the middle ages. It actually began as a Catholic holiday, which was a celebration of fatherhood. This celebration goes back to the Catholic churches celebration of the feast of St. Joseph. Father’s Day has been observed for hundreds of years but was not celebrated in the USA until the 20th century and that was most likely because of Mothers Day.

A young lady by the name of Anne Jarvis began lobbying in the very early 1900s. She did this primarily because she felt it was unfair to have a Mothers Day while overlooking ones father who was an important parent as well. He played an extremely important role in the family.

A point of interest would be that both of these holidays had their official celebrations in West Virginia. Mothers Day was first celebrated in Grafton, West Virginia, and the first Father’s Day took place in Fairmont, West Virginia, on the 5th of July 1908. An important point brought father’s to the front by a mining disaster. The “Mononagh Mining Disaster”, which inspired Father’s Day, took the lives of 361 miners of which 250 were fathers. A woman named Grace Golden Clayton lost her father that day. It was taken very hard by this young lady. She spoke with her minister and asked if a special service could be held to honor all the fathers that lost their lives that day. Unfortunately, the first Father’s Day ceremony didn’t lead to the Father’s Day holiday. The reasons were the town was celebrating its Independence Day festival and the event was not advertised outside of the town. Communication in these times was very limited.

Three years later (1911), after the Fairmont tragedy, a Chicago social activist, Jane Addams sought recognition of Father’s Day but her attempt at this holiday failed as well.

The reality of Father’s Day eventually was founded by Sonora Smart Dodd on June 19, 1910, in Spokane, Washington. Sonora Dodd’s father was William Jackson Smart who raised six children and also fought in the Civil War. He was a single parent.

In 1972 President Richard Nixon signed into law a permanent recognition of Father’s Day. From this point on Father’s Day was a holiday which showed reverence to the father of the family. He would now be held at an even level with his significant other. It became as it should be, love and respect for one’s father. According to Hallmark, the premier in card production, the Father’s Day card sending even reached 72 million. In 2020 card sales exceeded $17 billion. That is one super sales event.

Long story short is Father’s Day, as with Mother’s Day, is about love and respect for ones parents. Parents spend their lives working and saving to afford us a better life. It seems with the birth of a child the purpose in life is no longer that new gun, fishing pole, vacation, cottage on the lake and other fanciful things that dreams are made of. With the advent of a new addition to the home the entire outlook gets turned off and a new game plan begins.

The new game plan is centered on the baby. Now father will take on more work, become very frugal and buy that life insurance policy, begin the educational plan for the entity he knows will be a genius. This takes many years, and loving sacrifices. Before he knows it, time has left him with gray hair and a wrinkled face. However, he probably has accomplished his goal. The child has reaped the benefit of a father’s hard work and love. All this was done with a loving heart. So this is a father that deserved to be celebrated at least once a year, don’t you agree? Happy Father’s Day Dad and God bless you.

Sheepscot Lake Association newsletter (June 2024)

PALERMO SUNRISE: Ashley Wills, of Palermo, photographed this sunrise over Sheepscot Lake, in Palermo.

by Maria O’Rourke, President
Sheepscot Lake Association

Happy Summer 2024! Sheepscot Lake is shimmering and calling out for many adventures ahead, and the Lake Association looks forward to enjoying the season to its fullest with you all, with the health of the lake in mind. This newsletter will update you on our programs and events planned for 2024!

Again this year, two Courtesy Boat Inspectors will be stationed at the Fish and Game boat launch each weekend throughout the summer. They will be inspecting boats and trailers for invasive species and plants. Inspectors are eager to show boaters how to conduct their own inspections for when inspectors are not on duty. Please remove all plants from boats, motors, fishing gear, and trailers to avoid invasives from entering the lake. Let’s keep our healthy lake free from these devastating species that have affected surrounding lakes in the area!

Our Annual 4th of July Boat Parade will be held on July 4, leaving the Fish and Game at 11 a.m. The rain date will be the same time on July 5. This year the Grand Marshall will be Eileen Kirby, of Bald Head Island, the former treasurer of SLA. Last year, despite the intermittent raindrops, 26 boats participated. Let’s aim for more this year, and better weather as well! If you’re enjoying the parade from the shore, please cheer us on and wave to us from your docks and decks!

This year we are happy to co-sponsor some live music on the lake on July 6 from 2 – 5 p.m. Stealing Sunday will be performing on shore for boaters to enjoy from the lake at Bald Head Island East across from Bear Island. Last year the band played in the cove of Iron Ore Point on Labor Day Weekend, and it was so well received that we wanted to help sponsor a repeat performance! So, mark your calendars and anchor your boats off Bald Head Island East for some music and fun on the lake! Thank you to the BHI sponsors (Gary & Tanya Parshley, Kristin and Jack Forbush, Anna and Eric Miller, and Carolyn and Erik Viens) for coordinating, and co-sponsoring the concert!

The annual Loon Count, sponsored by the Maine Audubon Society, will be held on July 20. It is conducted on the same day throughout the state and helps keep track of the health of the population. A healthy loon population is an indication of a healthy lake! Please safely discard any old lead-based fishing gear, keep used fishing line from falling into the lake, and remain a safe distance from both loons and their nests when boating. If you are interested in helping us count loons on July 20, please email us at sheepscotlakeassoc@gmail.com

Please mark your calendars for the annual general membership meeting on Thursday, July 25, at 6:30 p.m., location to be determined. Since it was such a success last year, the meeting will be a “dessert potluck” again, so please bring something sweet to share. Last year the speaker gave information about Palermo’s new mooring ordinance, which went into effect this spring, as well as background on the Harbormaster program. This year we will have yet another informative speaker, as well as information on our programs, samples of our merchandise to view, a chance to meet your neighbors and sample some yummy treats! Please join us and look to your email and our Facebook page for specifics closer to the date.

The Sheepscot Lake Association LakeSmart Team is looking for anyone interested in joining us. LakeSmart is an educational outreach program run by the Maine Lakes Society. The program helps waterfront property owners create “lake-friendly” spaces that are free from erosion. LakeSmart gives homeowners advice on how to avoid erosion, which over time does damage to the lake by increasing phosphorous levels. Learn how to combat erosion by scheduling an evaluation with us or join our team of evaluators. For more information, please email us at sheepscotlakeassoc@gmail.com

The online merchandise store has been doing brisk business, even during the off season! Please visit the site and view the various styles of short and long sleeved tees, sweatshirts, a tote bag and more. It’s never too late to order for the season, shipping is quite speedy! Wear your Sheepscot Lake garb with pride out there in the world.

You can keep up with all that SLA is up to by visiting our web page at sheepscotlakeassociation.com. Here you can find out about our programs, find the links to our merchandise store and our Facebook page, and renew your membership for 2024. If you are not yet a member, please consider joining us. We would not be able to provide what we do without your support! Our dues have not increased since our inception, which can’t be said of much else these days! Individual – $20, Family – $30, Patron – $50. Keep an eye out for a flyer the lake association will be sending out, with lots of great advice for protecting the health of Sheepscot lake.

OBITUARIES for Thursday, June 13, 2024

JOSHUA T. NELSON

SIDNEY – Joshua Thomas Nelson, “Big Country”, 35, of Sidney, passed away on June 5, 2024, as a result of an automobile accident.

Josh was a hard­working, fun loving family guy. He spent most of his time working on building his business. He was the one you could count on! He had strong beliefs and enjoyed discussions whether you agreed with him or was on the opposing side. His love of ribbing and joking had no bounds. Josh had a tough exterior, but he was a selfless teddy bear.

Josh was a graduate of St. Augustine Catholic School, in Augusta, and graduated in 2008 from Messalonskee High School, in Oakland. Josh was a communicant of St. Augustine Church.

Joshua obtained his CDL license then began work for Pat Jackson and Dube Environmental before venturing out to establish his own successful business, JT Nelson Sewer & Drain LLC.

Josh “Big Country” enjoyed camping, hunting, fishing, and riding his Harley. He took pride in his country, talking history and politics. He loved spending time in Jackman. Josh had a big heart, was always willing to help others and was fiercely loyal. His love of family was evident at Sunday dinners at his parents’ home in Sidney and he never missed a family event.

The world was a better place having had Josh in it, he will be missed greatly by all who knew him.

Joshua is survived by his parents, John and Donna Nelson; his sister, Renee Nelson; and niece, Arianna Dube; several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Josh was predeceased by his maternal grandparents, Jude and Dora Brunelle; great-grandmother, Ida Toussaint; as well as his paternal grandparents, great-grammy Doris Knight, and grandmother, Beatrice Sproul.

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, June 15, 2024, at 1 p.m., at the Augusta Civic Center, North room.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Plummer Funeral Home, 16 Pleasant St., Augusta, ME 04330. Condolences, stories and photos may be shared by visiting http://www.plummerfh.com.

ALISON MIZNER

WATERVILLE – Alison “Mickey” Mizner, 88, died peacefully at her home, in Waterville on January 14, 2024. The cause was cancer. Born on Staten Island, New York, in 1935, Mickey was the daughter of Henry Bamford Parkes, a historian, and Mollie Brown, a psychologist.

Mickey moved to Waterville with her husband, John Mizner, in 1963 after he got a job teaching English at Colby College, in Waterville, and they lived on West Court with their children Sarah and David. She had an older sister, Nancy, who she would stay close to throughout her life. When Mickey was three, the family moved to Yorktown on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

Her parents pulled her out of public school and enrolled her in Walden, a private school on the Upper West Side. Most of the students there came from wealthy families, and Mickey felt out of step with her classmates.

Mickey lived at home while attending New York University and graduated as an English major. For her first salaried job, she worked as a case manager with the Bureau of Child Welfare. The experience was formative for Mickey, who would later write that the people she visited never had a real chance in life due to “racism, poverty, and bureaucratic intransigence.”

On a blind date, she met John, who was working toward a PhD in English at the University of Pennsylvania. They were an ideal match. John, having endured a traumatic childhood as a Holocaust refugee, needed a caretaker, a role that came naturally to Mickey. John, meanwhile, was the dependable, stabilizing force that Mickey needed.

John took a job at Colby, which was in a state neither he nor Mickey had visited. In 1967, shortly before Sarah was born, they moved to West Court. David was born two years later.

Mickey and John took enormous pleasure in food, travel, day trips to Great Pond and the coast, movies at Railroad Square Cinema, and the many friends they made through Colby.

In the late ‘70s, Mickey earned a degree in speech therapy at the University of Maine Orono and started working in the elementary schools, helping students overcome stutters and other impediments.

Mickey enjoyed watching her children play sports and might have even felt a bit of “Panther Pride” when David’s basketball team won the state championship in 1985. She and John loved to travel. They took many trips to Europe, first with the children then without. Perhaps their favorite destination was the French Riviera, where John’s father lived. The family often went to New York City, because both grandmothers lived there, and in later years John and Mickey continued to visit, eventually buying an apartment in the city with the idea they would spend time there after John retired.

But it was not to be. In 1998, shortly before his retirement, John was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Mickey immersed herself in the task of caring for him. The cancer progressed rapidly in the fall, and he died at home in December at the age of 66.

It was after John’s death that Mickey, trying to process her enormous grief, began to write, first about his sickness, then about her childhood and her family. Having read thousands of books in her life, Mickey discovered that she herself was a writer.

She read for hours every day, doted on her cats, did yoga, researched and supported animal welfare efforts, kept up on both local and national politics, volunteered in a senior companion program, and met friends for movies and meals.

Friends cared for Mickey throughout her seven-year sickness. They took her to medical appointments, brought her dinner, slept over, shopped for her, sat with her, and ultimately enabled her to die as she wanted, at home.

Mickey lived mindfully, taking little for granted. Even during chemo cycles, she took joy in her many pleasures, whether it was her daily phone call with Nancy, an episode of All Creatures Great and Small, or one of the mini-Butterfingers she kept in the fridge.

Mickey is survived by her children, Sarah, her husband Josh, David, his wife Miri; her grandchildren Anna, Sophie, Nate, Milo, Gideon and Izzy; her sister Nancy; and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 22, at 10 a.m., at Lorimer Chapel, at Colby, with a luncheon reception to follow at 2 West Court, in Waterville.

Services

BARBARA W. PINKHAM

OAKLAND – A Celebration of LIfe will be held for Barbara Wilson Pinkham, at the Oakland-Sidney United Methodist Church, School Street, Oakland, on Saturday June 15, 2024, at 11 a.m. Lunch will follow in the Social Hall.

Those who wish are invited to visit The Lexington Center Cemetery, in Lexington, and join a tour of the Lexington/Highland History House, a museum project initiated by Barbara Pinkham.

DAVID S, CAMPBELL

 

 

AUGUSTA – David S. Campbell passed away September 1, 2023.

A grave­­side service will be held on Sunday, June 23, 2024, at 11 a.m., at the Resthaven Cemetery, Route 32, Windsor. with military honors for his 20 years of service in the United States Air Force. He was also a member of the American Legion Post #2, the Elks Lodge #964, both in Augusta, a Mason and had nine years of voluntary service to the Maine State Credit Union.

There will be no gathering after the services. Please bring memories and stories to share.

RICHARD STAPLES

Please join the family as they come together to honor and celebrate the life of Richard Staples on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at 3 p.m., at the home of Forrest Staples, 930 Colby Road, Palermo, Maine.