Dodgeball, basketball tourneys to benefit Jacob Seigars

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Jacob Seigars

The Whitefield Elementary School’s National Junior Honor Society will host its 2nd annual Dodgeball Tournament on Friday, March 2, in the gym, beginning at 2:45 p.m. All proceeds from the tourney will help defray medical expenses for Jacob Seigars, a 13-year-old eighth graders who attends Palermo Consolidated School. He is an honor roll student and a multi-sport athlete, who is currently being treated for leukemia at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, in Portland.

Divisions will be grade 2-5 (2:45 – 4 p.m.; grades 6-8 (4 – 6 p.m.; adult and high school (7-9 p.m.)

Students in grades 6-8 can also join the adult bracket for an additional fee if they wish. The adult bracket includes all high school students and adults.

The cost to participate is $5 per person. Suggested spectator donations are $3 for adults and $2 students.

Registrations are accepted in advance or may be made at the door. Concessions will be available.

Also, a three-on-three basketball tournament will be held to benefit Jacob, on Sunday, March 4. Four member teams will also be accepted. Registration is $50 per team.The tournament will be open to middle school, high school and adult teams.

To simplify the registration process, they are now accepting registration donations at the door. Teams must be registered no later than February 25. If you email prayforjacob18@gmail.com, they will send you a simple registration form that you can complete and email right back. This form will allow them to get you added to the teams list as quickly as possible. There will prizes for teams with more donations raised, most creative uniforms, half court point competition. Each team is guaranteed three 15-minute games. Raffle, bake sale and concessions will also be available.

Palermo residents speak up about Sheepscot fishway

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Submitted by Lynda Pound, member of the Sheepscot Lake Association.

Alewives

Although a major snow storm was bearing down on Palermo, over a hundred town residents assembled in Augusta for a hearing on the bill L.D. 922 on February 7, before the Marine Resources Committee, in Augusta. This bill proposed that Marine Resources would take control of the dam on Sheepscot Lake from the Maine Department of Inland Fish and Wildlife in order to open the fishway to migratory fishes during the spawning season from April 15 to June 30. The fishes that would come up through the fishway would be alewives (to be used as bait fish for the lobster industry), Sea Lamprey, and American Eels. According the Andy Goode, of the Atlantic Salmon Federation, there would be no Salmon.

Testifying before the Marine Resources Committee were members of the Sheepscot Lake Association, a representative from the Palermo Select Board, many concerned citizens of Palermo, legislators and residents of Long Pond, and other concerned Maine citizens….most all in opposition to this bill.

The Sheepscot Lake Association and Palermo residents wanted legislators to know that they are profoundly against this opening for multiple reasons. These include threatened biosecurity of the fish rearing station from alewives entering the lake during spawning season, damage to the valuable self sustaining wild togue (lake trout) population, parasitic sea lamprey entering the lake during spawning season, and potential negative impact on the tax base of Palermo from fluctuating water levels.

Vehement opposition to this controversial bill was in clear evidence. Proponents of L.D. 922 made it clear that they did not think that there would be any problems with opening the fishway during spawning season. During testimony, it emerged that there have been no recent environmental impact studies done for Sheepscot Lake. Thus, it is not known how damaging this proposed opening would be, to either the lake or the fish rearing station. After hearing the lengthy testimony presented to them, the Marine Resources Committee members adjourned, having set a date for an upcoming workshop to vote on the bill.

On February 14, the committee reconvened to discuss L.D. 922. Much written testimony had been given to each legislator and a lively debate ensued. Proponents of the bill felt that opening the fishway during spawning season would not pose a significant risk to the fish rearing station, nor would it negatively impact the deep water fishery or the recreational use of the lake. Written testimony from the opposing side, the citizens of Palermo, contained specific information about past history with the fishway having been opened during spawning season in the era of the late ‘60s, and ‘70s. A proliferation of sea lamprey, who were unable to get out of the lake after spawning, attacked both salmon and togue. According to a written document from Inland Fish and Wildlife, deep water fish caught during this time were scarred with multiple wounds from sea lamprey. More information from Inland Fish and Wildlife outlined the high cost of equipment that would have to be installed in order to protect the rearing station from potential viruses and pathogens, if the alewives and sea lamprey were allowed to enter the lake. After much deliberation, the committee voted 8 – 4, ought to pass. At this point, the bill will be forwarded to the legislature for more debate and a vote.

It should be noted that the Maine Governor, Paul LePage, has written a letter to the Commissioners of Marine Resources and Inland Fish and Game asking them to keep the fishway as it is now, requesting that other bodies of water could be used for raising and harvesting alewives.

Two area boys meet “Gronk” at Barbara Bush Hospital

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by Mark Huard

Thirteen-year-old Jacob Seigars, of Palermo, attended China schools until October 2017 when he transferred to Palermo Consolidated School. He continues to attend Palermo Consolidated via robot generously provided by Grahamtastic.org

Jacob’s mother is Heather Seigars, his father is Joseph (Joe) Seigars and his bonus mother is Natasha Seigars. Jacob has a 15-year-old brother named Shawn, as well as three younger siblings, Achiva (10), Joe joe (7) and Isabella (3). He also has two pets: a yellow lab named Honey and a cat named Shade.

Jacob Seigars, of Palermo, with New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, in Portland. Photos courtesy of Mark Huard

As many know Jacob has a fantastic sense of humor. He can take any situation and find humor, even when it’s a situation that is as debilitating as being diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. After being sick with numerous illnesses for about six consecutive weeks, including colds and pneumonia, Jacob was diagnosed with AML on January 15, 2018, and admitted to Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, in Portland, that same day. He has remained an inpatient at Barbara Bush since then and will remain in the hospital for at least a few more months. Jacob completed his second round of chemo­therapy on Feb­ruary 18. He continues to fight Leukemia and is determined to beat the disease.

Jacob is a phenomenal athlete and whatever sport he plays he puts his whole heart into it! He stands out by his skill and his positive nature. Jacob started playing soccer at the age of three, and started playing basketball at the age of four. Jacob started baseball at five years of age with tee-ball and played up through Little League through sixth grade. Jacob joined track and field in sixth grade and continued to compete in seventh grade, also. His best events are discus and hurdles.

Jacob has received a lot of recognition over the years because of his athletic ability and been an integral part of many teams. His middle school soccer team has won the SVAC championship the last two years. His middle school basketball team last season, China Clippers, placed second in the 2017 SVAC championship. Last season Jacob placed first in hurdles at the invitational meet. Jacob recently earned a spot to the Dirigo U14 Premier soccer team and is hoping to get back on the field soon! This season Jacob played for the Palermo varsity basketball team. He was struggling health wise this season but still managed to dominate the court and end each game with “double-doubles” while he was still able to play.

Not only does Jacob love playing sports but he loves watching them as well! Jacob loves watching the New England Patriots play football. His favorite players are Chris Hogan, Deion Lewis, and Gronk. Jacob got a surprise on February 13, when Rob Gronkowski along with his father and two brothers visited the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital to deliver a $25,000 donation to the hospital from Gronk Nation! Jacob’s counts were so low he was unable to attend the gathering and the ball spiking lesson with Gronk, so Gronk and his dad were kind enough to stop by and visit in Jacob’s room!

For more updates on Jacob’s fight and upcoming events please follow www.facebook.com/PrayforJacob18.

A dodgeball tournament has been scheduled by Whitefield Elementary for March 2 and 3v3 basketball tournament for March 4 has been scheduled by Mike Roderick and Becky and Chris Young to be held at Erskine Academy. A donation account has been established at Bar Harbor Bank and Trust. The family’s address is: The Seigars Family, 888 Route 3, Palermo, ME 04354.

William Alger, of Winslow, is pictured with New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, in Portland. Photos courtesy of Mark Huard

William Alger, 12, of Winslow has Cystic Fibrosis. CF is a genetic disorder that causes complications in the respiratory and digestive systems. He typically visits the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, in Portland, for a “clean-out,” which is a 14-day course of antibiotics administered through an IV, once every year or two.

William has been in the hospital since January 31 and recently returned home on February 20. The goals of this admission were to improve his lung function and to gain weight. Healthy weight has a direct correlation to higher lung function in CF patients. William has been busy working through his treatments, with his tutor, keeping caught up on his academics. He has been working hard in physical therapy also – getting lots of exercise to stay strong. He also gets to have some fun with the Playroom staff and other kiddos.

William’s mom Esther Bullard is quoted as saying, “Our time here is filled with sleepless nights, busy days, and an enormous effort to improve William’s overall health outcomes. One of the blessings here at Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital is that special guests come and meet with the kids, providing much needed encouragement. Today William got to meet New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski! It was an incredible, unforgettable surprise.”

Gronk was so kind and humble. He took time to talk with William. They chatted about the Super Bowl game, and he asked, “so what’s your favorite sport?” William responded, “well it’s lacrosse,” which was so funny! Gronk wasn’t expecting that answer (obviously), and he said, “that’s cool, I’ve never played lacrosse!” And, of course, William said Gronk was his favorite football player, and that the Patriots are his favorite team.

William got two autographs and some amazing photos. It was a wonderful day for William that will be forever remembered.

William Alger, of Winslow, gets an autograph from New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, in Portland. Photos courtesy of Mark Huard

Start seeds at the Palermo Community Center

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Photo courtesy of Emily Cates

Whether you are a patio container gardener or have a vast vegetable garden, getting those seeds going indoors is a fun and productive way to kickstart your growing season. Grab some seeds and growing trays on Friday, February 23, and we’ll get down and dirty with a hands-on sowing session following a delicious Pot Luck Supper at 6 p.m.

Master Gardener Connie Bellet and friends will help you choose what to plant, when to plant it, where to locate plants and their friends, how long you can keep seeds, needs of specific plants, how and what to feed your plants, and how much to water. Hint: the focus will be on cold-weather crops like parsley, kale, onions, and cabbage. If you have other areas of interest or specific gardening questions, Bellet can either answer them or direct you to appropriate experts in the field.

The supper is free, but a donation of $5 or more is requested to cover the expense of planting supplies, sample mediums, and organic plant foods and fertilizers. Bring a winter dish to share, or donate to the Food Pantry. For information or directions, please contact Connie Bellet at 993-2294 or pwhitehawk@fairpoint.net.

Palermo Food Pantry to reschedule when schools close

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For safety’s sake, the Good Shepherd Food Bank, which contracts with local food pantries, has issued a policy that when schools are closed due to weather and road conditions, many of the area food pantries will also close. The Palermo Food Pantry, which is open every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to noon, will try to reschedule to Wednesday at the same time, at the Palermo Community Center. School closings are shown on the “crawler” at the bottom of the TV screen on the morning news on channels 5 and 8. If in doubt, please call Connie at 993-2294 or June at 993-2225 before 10 a.m.

The winter months are very hard on all of us, particularly when hungry children are involved. All of the food pantries are extremely grateful for donations of food and money, and appreciate your support of our friends and neighbors. The Palermo Food Pantry accepts donations of food on Tuesday mornings from 8 to 10 a.m., and monetary donations may be made out to the Living Communities Foundation, P.O. Box 151, Palermo 04354. Thank you so very much!

Community Commentary: Palermo Commissioners to work together to manage dam

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Sheepscot dam

Community Commentary

by Rep. Jeffrey K. Pierce

Re: Legislative hearing scheduled Sheepscot Dam Issue:

I am a life-long fisherman and have spent many afternoons by a lake or pond, fishing for brook trout or togue. Having healthy populations of fish and access to fish for them is very important to me and my family. As the executive director of Alewife Harvesters of Maine, I am committed to restoring all river fish species, not just alewives, to promote healthy and vital fisheries throughout our state. As you said in your article, healthy fisheries are a vibrant part our communities and homes.

My bill, LD 922, An Act Directing the Commissioner of Marine Resources To Investigate the Conditions of Sheepscot Pond Related to a Management Plan for Anadromous Fish Species, prompts “The Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shall cooperate with the commissioner [Department of Marine Resources] in carrying out the provisions of section 6171 for the management of anadromous fish species and habitat.” Thus, the commissioner of IFW and DMR are prompted to work together to manage the Sheepscot Dam. The Sheepscott Dam is currently open ten out of twelve months of the year, so my proposal suggests that the dam should have free fish passage in the two months that the dam is currently closed. This will not negatively impact water levels of the pond or river since the dam is open almost year-round.

This bill also states that the conditions of Sheepscot Pond will be monitored should the dam be opened in the spring. This monitoring will prevent any negative effects on current populations of fish that are landlocked during the springtime. To date there are no cases of alewives carrying VEN so that is not a concern for other fish populations. About four miles downstream from Sheepscot Pond at Coopers Mills Dam there is an active alewife fishery and they have had no problems with alewives effecting water quality or fish populations. I would encourage anyone to speak with residents of nearby Webber Pond. Alewives were introduced there a number of years ago and they currently have very clean water and an active alewife harvest that benefits the local community.

The Aqua, Animal, and Health Technical Committee is a committee comprised of individuals from the Department of Marine Resources, Inland Fish and Wildlife, NOAA, US Fish and Wildlife Service, along with other science-based organizations. In 2017, they reviewed “the question of increased disease risk associated with opening passage to alewives and river herring” and they recommended “that the opening of the Sheepscot Pond fishway did not constitute a significant added risk over current practices.”

Time change on LD 922 legislative hearing

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Sheepscot dam

On Wednesday, February 7, at 10 a.m., (NOTE: time change) the Maine State Legislature will hold a hearing regarding LD 922. This legislation, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Pierce, (Dresden) proposes giving control of the dam on Sheepscot Pond to the Dept. Of Marine Resources after decades of successful management by the Dept. Of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. It also mandates opening the dam at Sheepscot Pond to alewives, sea lamprey, and other migratory anadromous fish without regard to the historical problems of such a move. The hearing will be in Room 206 at the Burton M Cross Building, 111 Sewall Street, Augusta. The Sheepscot Lake Association, the Palermo Town Select Board, and a large percentage of Palermo residents oppose this legislation for several reasons. See the cover story of the January 25, 2018, issue of The Town Line.

Tucker Leonard earns Eagle Scout rank

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Eagle Scout Tucker Leonard stands with the completed project behind the Palermo Grammar School.
Photo courtesy of Ron Emery

On October 8, 2017, Tucker Leonard completed his Eagle Project at the Palermo Grammar School. As a member of China Boy Scout Troop #479, Tucker’s project was to select a space on the trails in back of the school to clear an area for an outdoor class. He selected the area after meeting a teacher from the school, marked the trees to cut. Trees were cut and the firewood was carried out to donate while the brush was dragged into the woods. The location of the tables were selected and raked. The many pieces of the tables were carried into the selected locations across the rough trail. The five tables were then built and placed on pads. Thanks to all the Scouts, leaders and parents that came early in the morning to work in a light rain under his leadership. The school, students, town residents and parents should be very pleased with the results, according to Ron Emery, advancement chairman for Troop #479.

Palermo & Montville: Voters weigh-in on state referendum questions

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The unofficial results of the November 7 state referendum questions for both the Town of Palermo and the Town of Montville, as reported by town clerk Sandi Devaney.

Statewide Referendum Election Results

Town of Palermo

Question #1:

Yes – 56
No – 299

Question #2:

Yes – 163
No – 190

Question #3:

Yes – 255
No – 128

Question #4:

Yes – 203
No – 142

Town of Montville

Question #1:

Yes – 26
No – 221

Question #2:

Yes – 160
No – 89

Question #3:

Yes – 166
No – 73

Question #4:

Yes – 147
No – 86

Memories of the Mill at Palermo Historical meeting

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The Palermo Historical Society will show a short documentary “Memories of the Mill” on Tuesday, October 24, at 7 p.m., at the Worthing House, 54 No. Palermo Road in Palermo. There will be a brief business meeting at 6:30 pm.

Dinsmore Grain Company Mill

The Dinsmore Grain Company Mill was a historic early 20th-century mill building on Branch Mills Road in China. Built in 1914 on the site with nearly 100 years of industrial use.

The Dinsmore Mill was located just west of the village center of Palermo, across the town line in China. It sat astride the West Branch Sheepscot River, which drains Branch Pond to the north and was impounded by the dam located beneath the mill structure. The mill was a 2-1/2 story frame structure, rectangular in shape, covered by a gabled roof and wooden shingle siding. A three-story tower rose near the center of the southern (street-facing) facade; it was also capped by a gabled roof. The ground floor of the building housed the main works, which included a water-driven turbine and the milling equipment. A conveyor belt provided access to the upper floor, which was historically used for the storage of grain.

The first documented mill at this site was in operation in 1817 but was destroyed by a fire in 1908. Rebuilt in 1914 and at first just a grist mill, it was expanded in 1935 to also function as a sawmill and operated until 1960.

Structural instability due to the building’s deteriorated condition made repair work difficult and potentially dangerous and the mill was razed in the summer of 2017.

The presentation is free and open to the public. For additional information, please contact Noreen Golden at 207-873-4134.