SOLON & BEYOND, Week of June 30, 2016

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Solon and Beyond

 

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
643-5805
grams29@tds.net
390 South Solon Rd.,
Solon, Maine 04979

 

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

The East Madison Historical Association  will be having a yard sale on Saturday, July 2, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Happyknits, LLC, will be celebrating its second birthday on Friday, July 1, and continuing the celebration on Saturday, July 2, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

This year’s reunion day of Solon Alumni is on July 16 at the Solon Elementary School. 9:30 a.m., starts registration and coffee hour with the business hour starting at 10:30 a.m. The auction will follow the business hour. Please remember your auction item. Last year we made $628 on the auction. Then Murry Bubar sent a check to match the auction funds so we ended up with $1,256. Thank you Murry. Dianne Oliver Poulin was the auctioneer.

Lunch will begin at 1:00 p.m.,  and will be catered by the Solon 4-H Club.

The class of 1966 will celebrate its 50th reunion. Members are Linda Baiko Lomastro, Terry Cahill, Glenda Foss Atmandi, Alden Mayhew, Richard Poulin, Mark Rogers, Ellery Witham and Gary Withers. So class of 1966, we would like to see you here.

Sixty-two  alumni and guests attended last year. The class of ’65 celebrated  their 50th with four members, Ann French Jackson, David Heald, Robert Meader and George Dube. Brenda Padham was elected as the new treasurer. Kaitlyn LaCroix received a check from the scholarship fund $1,100. Deaths reported were Harold Tewskbury, class of 1942, Freda Chase Merry, 1945, Beverly Thompson Carter, 1947, Dassie Andrews Jackson ,1947, Jean Hilton Dickey, 1949, Joyce Bubar Dillon, 1953, Paul Savage, 1957, Anne Withers Burkhart, 1959, William Tolman, 1961, Walter Jones, 1969, Mark Myers, 1973, from Carrabec and Herbert Hayden. (The above is the letter sent out to alumni from Linda French, secretary)

In my continuing efforts of getting what I want to save out of my house on Ferry Street, I keep coming across old Dirigo year books. I have quite a few, and will take them to the reunion for anyone who might want one. The oldest is 1954 and had only two graduates, Patricia McCarty and Joseph V. Dore. In this year book there was a column written by Malon P. Whipple, 1903 entitled “A Look at the Future.” Very heartwarming and inspiring. On that same page is this, 1904-1954 written by Ivan M. Dyer, “On this, the 50th anniversary of the Solon High School graduating class of 1904, may I, the only surviving member of that class, have the honor of congratulating the class of 1954 in having reached one of the most important milestones in the making of American citizens. May you go on to greater accomplishments and may each and every one of you always be proud to say, ” I am an American.”

Was given the choice of writing two columns this week or taking a vacation next week, decided I should listen to those who care about me, and say, “You should slow down!” My column won’t be in the July 7 paper.

And, my heartfelt love goes out to all of you who say you love this column, it reminds me that my goal to bring love and sometimes humor, to all that read it each week, is working!

Percy’s memoir: “You have to color outside the lines once in a while if you want to make your life a masterpiece. (words by Albert Enstein.)

Poster contest winners announced

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The China Lake Association sponsored its fifth annual poster contest for the fifth and sixth graders at China Middle School. They learned about alewives. Until the Dams in Vassalboro were built about 100 years ago, the alewives could naturally swim up the rivers to China Lake and stay for the summer months. In the fall, they swim out of the lake taking with them the phosphorous that fosters algae blooms, to return to the ocean. Alewives were a very important fish for our lake’s balance of nature.

In May, the students went by bus to see the alewives swim up the Webber Pond fish ladder. Nate Gray, a biologist from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and Frank Richards, president of the Webber Pond Association, were there to teach the students and answer their questions. After learning about alewives, they were given poster paper to illustrate a theme about alewives. Some of the topics were:  Alewives life cycle, advantages to have alewives in China Lake, alewives migration from the ocean to the lake or how dams are preventing them from coming into China Lake and what we are doing to fix that barrier.  They were free to draw a picture, do poetry, write a slogan or write a story on the poster paper. Completed posters were judged according to the student’s imagination and presentation.

Winner for the fifth grade were: first prize, Lauren Tyler, second prizes went to Maddie Pacholski and Alexis Rancourt, third prizes went to Alivia Gower, Angel Bonilla, Cuden Clark and Reiana Gonzalez.

Winners for the sixth grade were: first prize to Cameron Speck, second prize Madison Lully, third prizes went to Julia Barber,  Emily Clark, Alonzo Michaud, Jacob William Fisher, Mackenzie Roderick and Cailee Elsasser.

Monetary awards will be presented at the China Lake Association’s annual meeting at the China Primary School 9 a.m., Saturday, July 23.

Winslow Family 4th of July Celebration 2016 Schedule of Events

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Winslow Family 4th of July Celebration 2016Saturday July 2: Family Fun Kids Day and Golden Oldies

Noon – 1 p.m. – Michael Krapovicky-Acoustic performer.

1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.m – Adam Laverdiere – acoustic performer.

2:30 – 3:45 p.m. – Rfactor 13 – Classic Rock.

4:15 – 5:45 p.m. – Borderline Express – Country.

6:15 – 7:30 p.m. – 4th of July Idol Competition.

8 – 9:30 p.m. – Radio Thieves – Classic Rock.

Sunday July 3

Noon – -1:30 p.m. – Dance Yourself Clean –

Pop Rock ‘60s to today’s music.

2 – 3:30 p.m. – The Resistance – Rock/Alternative.

4 – 5:30 p.m. – Right Amount of Wrong – Classic Rock.

6 – 7:30 p.m. —Tina Kelly Band – Country.

7:45 – 10:00 p.m. – Chris Rush, DJ.

8: – 10:00 p.m. – Street Dance in the Park – Out of the Blue – ‘70s and Early ‘80’ – Arena Rock and one hit wonders.

Monday July 4

Parade 10 a.m. – noon.

Noon – 1:15 p.m. – Cold Blue Steel – Country.

1:30 – 3 p.m. -J uke Rocket Blues – Up Tempo Blues Band.page7pict1

3:30 – 5 p.m. – Illusion – Classic Rock.

5:15 – 6:30 p.m. – Diem Store Heroes – Country/Rock.

6:45 – 7 p.m. – Pizza Eating Contest, Sponsored by It’s a Good Pizza , of Winslow.

7:30 – 9 p.m. – Scarab – Journey Tribute Band.

9 p.m. – Maine State Police Bag Pipers /God Bless America – Crowd & Committee.

National Anthem – Sung by Idol winner.

9:30 p.m. – Central Maine’s largest fireworks show.

Shuttle Buses to run all day July 3 and 4.

Albion Neighborhood News – Week of June 30, 2016

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by Mary Lee Rounds

Albion 2016 Field Day events  July 28-July 30.

July 28, 2016 will be a fun filled search for a Queen or Princess of the Field Day. Girls age 7-12  (need minimum of five contestants); or girls 7-9 for Princess and 10-12 for Queen. Dressy casual clothes,( please no gowns) must have a minimum of three contestants in each category  Must be  Albion residents or attend Albion Elementary School.  Please remember this is not a beauty contest but is based on stage presence, public speaking and talent. There will be prizes.  More information can be obtained from Sue Stevens at 649-4293 or stevens129@ roadrunner.com.  Deadline for participants to sign up is July 4.

Field Day begins with the Albion Lion’s Club Fun Run at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, behind the elementary school.  One mile walk or run; Free T-shirts to all who register before July 10. Trophies  for male and female K-8. First place for male and female – overall. Ribbons to all participants.  Entry fee is $8 per runner. Checks made out to the Albion Lion’s Club need to be sent to Cindy Drake, 116 Crosby Rd., Albion, ME 04910. Please arrive early. Registration forms  can be obtained from Cindy at 437-2445.

The parade begins at 10:30 a.m. on the Hussey Road and will proceed down Main Street. The field behind the Besse Building and beside the fire station will have its activities following the parade at approximately 11 a.m.

Activities will consist of: a cash raffle, chicken barbecue, hot dogs, fries ,an auction, beano, white elephant tables and whoopie pies, children’s games. There will be a white elephant table and the Lion’s Club auction.

Come see what else there is this year. If you have items for the auction and need a pick up of the items; call Hilton Drake 437 -2445, Leonard Dow 437-4151 or Gail Drake 437-4461;100 percent proceeds to charity.

No air conditioners, dehumidifiers, appliances, tires, propane tanks, TVs, computer monitors, paint, etc.  If you can not get rid of it, neither can we!  The auction begins at 11:30 a.m.

The Albion Highway department is doing a good job and should be commended for their work.  The East Benton Road is much better than it had been and I understand other roads have also had some repairs done.  Thumbs up!

There will be no column from me the week of July 4. I hope you all have a great day celebrating the independence of this country.

School budget winding down for FY ‘15-’16

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by Mary Grow

Vassalboro school officials, like town officials, are winding up the 2015-16 fiscal year and preparing for 2016-17, a process AOS (Alternative Organizational Structure) #92 Facilities Director Shelley Phillips described to the school board as “like two worlds colliding.”

Phillips’ tasks for Vassalboro Community School, she reported at the June 21 school board meeting, include getting the new equipment shed built, the diesel fuel tank repaired (a job that requires state permits) and roof repairs planned.

Finance Director Paula Pooler said the year is ending about as anticipated.  With more bills, but no big ones, expected before the fiscal year ends June 30, she said the books ought to balance without dipping into the $78,000 allocated from the undesignated fund balance.  However, she does not expect a surplus at the end of the year to add to the balance.

The undesignated balance now stands at more than $198,000, Pooler said, with $132,000 allocated for the 2016-17 budget if necessary.  She commented that the figure is small, considering the total budget voters approved at the Vassalboro town meeting is almost $7.4 million.

Assistant Superintendent Peter Thiboutot reported on the new teacher evaluation plan that had just won preliminary state approval, conditional on school board endorsement.  The system has been three years in development, he said; it is based on the Marzano model, which he called “a leading teacher effectiveness training model.”

The school board unanimously approved.  New board member Elizabeth Mitchell commended the plan as based on stakeholder involvement, rather than dictated from the top down.

On Superintendent Eric Haley’s and Principal Dianna Gram’s recommendations, board members approved hiring three new teachers: Crystal Uleau for second grade, Traci Norwood for fifth grade and Jill Ouellette (who did her student teaching in Vassalboro, Gram said) for seventh and eighth grade social studies.

They accepted with regret the resignation of Educational Technician II Judith Whitley.      They unanimously authorized Haley to issue contracts to new staff in July and August, since the board is not scheduled to meet again until Aug. 16.   Without the authorization, Haley said, he might lose a good teacher to another school system while waiting for the board meeting.

Selectmen rehash past issues at meeting

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by Mary Grow

China selectmen discussed multiple issues during their three-hour meeting June 27, most of them rehashing past events.

The major new topic was the Snow Pond Arts Academy (SPAA), a charter school opening in September at the New England Music Camp in Sidney.

Dean of Students David Holinger said the school presents a free alternative to the high schools currently available to China students.  It will provide a traditional high school education plus a focus on dance, music (instrumental and vocal) and theater (dramatic and musical).
Holinger said SPAA is the eighth charter school in Maine and the first based on the performing arts.  Students in grades nine through eleven will begin in September; school officials will apply to add grade twelve for the following year.

Buses will be provided within a 15-mile radius of the campus, and the school is seeking host families for students who live too far away to go home every night. Two China eighth-graders have already enrolled at SPAA, Holinger said.

More information on SPAA is available by calling 844-476-6976 or viewing www.snowpondartsacademy.org.

China selectmen spent more than an hour June 27 on forestry issues.  District Forester Morten Moesswilde, invited at Tim Basham’s suggestion, recommended an approach to town-owned land, especially Thurston Park: visit other towns’ forests to get ideas, develop long-term (20 to 50 years) goals and form a relationship with a licensed forester to help set and implement the goals.

Basham, a member of the town Forestry Committee, and several spokespeople for the Thurston Park Committee seemed to disagree over whether there are inter-committee disagreements that require a new plan.  Judy Stone and Philip DeMaynadier, Thurston Park Committee members, said the existing plan calls for developing roughly half the park for recreation and managing the other half for revenue-producing timber-cutting.

The second goal has been less emphasized recently, they said, because so much time and energy have gone into recreational development and because in 2007 forester Vite Vitale recommended delaying cutting for five to 10 years, due to heavy losses after the 1998 ice storm.

Robert MacFarland, chairman of the selectmen, closed the discussion by encouraging the two committees to work together and to report back to the selectmen.  Selectmen also revisited the issue of transfer station charges.  After another 20 minutes’ argument, they voted 3-2 to accept the Transfer Station Committee’s recommendation to leave the fee charged to local haulers who go over the scales at two cents a pound.   The fee increases approved May 2 for demolition and debris will still be implemented July 1.

Transfer Station Committee members have not yet made a recommendation on the other issue selectmen referred to them, where to relocate the swap shop to alleviate traffic congestion near the hopper.

Town Manager Daniel L’Heureux said Palermo selectmen expect to know by the end of the month when they will stop using the Tri-County transfer station and begin sharing China’s.  China selectmen are invited to the Palermo selectmen’s next meeting, he said.

In other business, selectmen voted unanimously to ask voters in November to approve two purchases, a lot adjoining the town office lot and the portable classroom beside China Primary School.  They did not make a decision on whether to recommend buying the former Fairpoint building on Route 3.  They made five appointments: Adam Ellis as superintendent of cemeteries, Frank Soares as a member of the Tax Increment Financing Committee, Sheri Wilkens and Christian Wilkens as members of the Thurston Park Committee and Brian Plato as a member of the recreation committee.

Selectman Irene Belanger said she did not know the town had a superintendent of cemeteries.  L’Heureux said Ellis’s job will be to make sure people are buried in the right plots.

Selectmen unanimously rejected two bids to replace the handicapped access ramps to the old town house and the former portable classroom on the town office lot.  The lower bid was $19,000, a figure selectmen considered too high

They unanimously approved the manager’s plan to have the new access driveway from Alder Park Road to the town office parking lot paved.  L’Heureux expects the work to be done within a few days.

Following up on the June 13 discussion of making China more friendly to senior citizens, they voted unanimously to spend up to $500 for a demographic survey.

Items tentatively on the agenda for the selectmen’s July 11 meeting include a recommendation from the TIF committee on recreational development at the causeway at the head of China Lake, continued discussion of solid waste issues and draft ordinance amendments from the planning board dealing with shoreland zoning, seasonal conversions and signs.

Masse lumber mill to be dismantled as part of plan to restore migratory fish

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by Landis Hudson

Using trucks to move thousands of fish into a lake isn’t exactly the way nature intended it, but sometimes that’s what it takes.  In the spring of 2014 Maine’s Department of Marine Resources stocked 21,000 adult alewives into China Lake as an important first step in the Alewife Restoration Initiative. Another important step in the works  is to dismantle the Masse saw mill in East Vassalboro. The mill’s owner,  East Vassalboro Water Co., LLC, supports the project. Donald Robbins (co-owner)  has given presentations to members of the community at the Vassalboro Grange and the Vassalboro Historical Society. Plans to remove the dilapidated saw mill and leaking Masse Dam will benefit the water company customers.  The project calls for water pipes to be relocated, they are currently at risk of damage and contamination if the dam breaches or if the mill collapses into the stream.  Masse lumber mill

While this part of the project will benefit customers of the East Vassalboro Water Company, the overall goal is to reconnect Outlet Stream’s historic alewife habitat. Alewives are native to Outlet Stream and China Lake but haven’t been seen there for generations, not since mills and dams were built hundreds of years ago.

A migratory species, adult alewives (also known as river herring or by their Latin name, Alosa pseudoharengus) migrate every spring from the ocean to lakes and ponds to reproduce before migrating back to the ocean.  They are a ten-inch long silvery fish, known as the “fish that feed all” because of the great number of creatures eat them – from whales, eagles and osprey to turtles, brook trout, otter and mink.

In assessing the options at the Masse site, project partners determined that a dam removal was the best option but two other dams on the Outlet Stream will remain. The China Lake Outlet Dam will remain because it regulates the water level of China Lake. The Ladd Dam will also remain and a technical fishway will be installed to keep the swimming hole, protect sanitary sewer pipes and so that alewife harvesting can take place there. The site of the Masse Dam would be very challenging and expensive for installation of a technical or rockramp fishway because of the naturally occurring curve of the stream, the nearby road and the gradient of the slope fish would need to swim up in order to make their way up in the stream.

Removing the Masse Dam will not dry up the Outlet Stream. The level of the water in China Lake is regulated by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and controlled by the Outlet Dam that is owned by the Town of Vassalboro. The minimum flow rate for Outlet Stream, also set by DEP, is 10 cubic feet per second (10 cfs).

page1pict2Dismantling the Masse saw mill is a considerable undertaking. The history of the site is being fully documented according to precise specifications of the Maine Historic Preservation Office.  Efforts are being made to find homes for as much of the historic equipment as possible. Volunteers and staff from the Maine Forest and Logging Museum, in Bradley, will be visiting the site soon. As Sherry Davis, director of the Museum writes, “It will be nice if there is potential for us to help save some part of the Masse heritage.”

While the saw mill and dam will be dismantled, the historic “grist mill” building will remain on the site, with the Outlet Stream flowing by. “We’ve got a lot of work to do this summer and in the coming seasons to complete the project, but I look forward standing on the stream banks with my kids, watching alewives swim by the Masse grist mill,” says Jennifer Irving, executive director of Sebasticook Regional Land Trust, a project partner. As Richard Behr, Vassalboro resident and Registered Maine Guide says, “These are complicated projects to take on but the successes are so important.”

The Alewife Restoration Initiative is a collaborative undertaking with state, federal and nonprofit organizations working together, with the towns of Vassalboro and China offering their support.

Starters on U16 Seacoast Mariners

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Michael Wildes, left, and Jake Warn, both of Winslow, are starters on the U16 Seacoast Mariners premier soccer team. On June 12 they defeated GPS Phoenix, 7-0, to win the State Cup for the third consecutive year. Photo courtesy of Central Maine Photography

Michael Wildes, left, and Jake Warn, both of Winslow, are starters on the U16 Seacoast Mariners premier soccer team. On June 12 they defeated GPS Phoenix, 7-0, to win the State Cup for the third consecutive year. Photo courtesy of Central Maine Photography

Sheepscot Valley champs

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A combined team of players from St. Michael School, in Augusta, and Chelsea Middle School won the Sheepscot Valley Athletic Conference championship on June 8. St. Michael/Chelsea defeated Vassalboro, 6-0. The winning pitcher was Mitchell Tarrio, striking out 17 batters. He also led the offense with a triple and single, Kyle Douin and Bryton Kieltyka each had a double for the winners. The team is coached by David Tarrio and Jason Douin. Contributed photo

A combined team of players from St. Michael School, in Augusta, and Chelsea Middle School won the Sheepscot Valley Athletic Conference championship on June 8. St. Michael/Chelsea defeated Vassalboro, 6-0. The winning pitcher was Mitchell Tarrio, striking out 17 batters. He also led the offense with a triple and single, Kyle Douin and Bryton Kieltyka each had a double for the winners. The team is coached by David Tarrio and Jason Douin. Contributed photo

 

Area residents graduate from Colby

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Area residents were among 504 seniors who graduated from Colby College, in Waterville, Maine, on May 22, receiving bachelor of arts degrees.

James R. Cornell, of Jefferson,  attended Laguna Blanca School and is the son of Martha Elliott, of Jefferson, and James Cornell, of Unionville, Pennsylvania. Cornell majored in studio art.

Ethan F. Johnson, of Skowhegan, attended Skowhegan Area High School and is the son of Jeffrey Johnson, of Skowhegan, and Patricia Gower of East Madison. Johnson majored in environmental policy.

Ethan F. Johnson, of Skowhegan, attended Skowhegan Area High School and is the son of Jeffrey Johnson, of Skowhegan, and Patricia Gower of East Madison. Johnson majored in environmental policy.

Olivia S. Thurston,of Waterville, attended Waterville Senior High School and is the daughter of James and Deborah Thurston, of Waterville. Thurston majored in psychology and art.

C. William Qualey, IV of Norridgewock, attended Skowhegan Area High School and is the son of Charles and Patricia Qualey, of Norridgewock. Qualey majored in history and German studies.