Area students named to All-Maine Academic Team (2025)

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Five area Maine community college students have been named to the All-Maine Academic Team in recognition of their outstanding academic achievement, leadership, and service.

Area students receiving the award and a $500 scholarship from the MCCS Board of Trustees are:

Stephanie Wright, Oakland, Eastern Maine Community College.
Skye Havey, Somerville, Kennebec Valley Community College, in Fairfield/Hinckley.
Andrea King, Unity, Kennebec Valley Community College.
Jaikari Rada-Gonzalez, Palermo, Kennebec Valley Community College.
Jasmine Sanders, Augusta, Kennebec Valley Community College.

LETTERS: Somerville adrift

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To the editor:

The letter (The Town Line, January 2, 2025) portraying Somerville as a ship cast into chaos after a “mutiny” overlooks some critical truths. There was no mutiny. There was a vote – and the so-called “captain” wasn’t tossed overboard; he was removed by the will of the people. He didn’t even choose to stand on the ballot. Instead, he opted for a last-minute, clandestine write-in campaign – one seemingly aimed less at public service and more at undermining a fellow Somerville resident who had the integrity to run openly and transparently.

Let’s not rewrite history.

The chaos we now face wasn’t born in recent months but was the product of years of miscommunication, deflection, and carefully cultivated confusion. Under the former officeholder’s watch, Somerville was not led – it was slowly destabilized, and left in a financially precarious position that the current administration is now working diligently to correct.

To romanticize his time in office as a noble command at sea is misleading. If anything, the town’s former “captain” was more of a ship’s biscuit – dry, hard, and ultimately a liability in any true storm.

As residents look toward future leadership, we should not confuse experience with effectiveness, nor deception with strategy. What Somerville needs now is not a return to quiet dysfunction, but a commitment to honest, capable governance.

Michael Cox
Somerville Resident

LETTERS: Where is the town of Somerville heading?

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To the editor:

The township is floundering and there is no clear direction or leadership for Somerville residents. The captain was tossed overboard during a mutiny election. The executive officer resigned and the staff petty officers abandoned ship, save for one remaining in a lifeboat doing her best to keep the ship off the rocks awaiting new recruits. In an upcoming election on January 7, 2025, a new XO will be elected to back up the captain who deposed the mutinied captain. The mutinied captain had managerial experience, municipal knowledge and boatloads of government bureaucratic insight. Though deposed of official duties while in attendance in war room meetings, his knowledge and expertise were volunteered and solicited to chart course directions. With unknowns seeking the open XO slot, perhaps the township folks may be wise to write in the name of the deposed captain on the election ballot to get the ship upright and sailing forward again.

Joe LaMacchia
Somerville

LETTERS: Advice to local senior citizens

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To the editor:

An open letter to senior citizens living in the South China, Windsor, Weeks Mills and Somerville area.

If you’re thinking of selling your home, moving south to live with a child, be very careful as this is what happened to me.

I got to Florida and my daughter took control of my finances of six figures and opened up a joint bank account in both our names. Paid for a nice sports car, Mercedez Benz, no less, and started shopping for a horse farm for her. As I saw my finances quickly go down, I told her the bank is closed.

This infuriated her when she found out I went to the bank and transfered what was left to Maine. I decided to move back to Maine, and not to worry, the VA has cabins in the woods for homeless veterans.When I got here I was told there was nothing available.

I spent two weeks and $2,000 looking for an apartment while staying at a motel. I ended up in a Catch 22 dilemma. I had too much cash and too low Social Security income. I was told Social Security must be equal to or more than one month rent. So this 91-year-old veteran ended up in a VA sanctioned Bread of Life Ministries homeless shelter for two months while looking for a rent.

Luckily, I was able to find a new studio apartment – don’t ask how. I pray for my brother vets who aren’t as well off as I am and spent many months at Bread of Life hoping to find a home. Most stay there while applying for a low income voucher. I was told if I had a voucher I could have been accepted.

So, senior citizens, before you’re thinking of doing what I did, suggest you fly down and spend a month to see if you get along. As for me, I made the mistake of moving in with my daughter, a 63-plus year-old cat woman who has lived alone for the last 15 years.

Lastly, she put the cats way above me. I had no choice but to leave.

Frank Slason
Augusta

CAMPAIGN 2024: Candidates address issues concerning Maine voters (Part 4)

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LETTERS: Swift has deep roots in Maine

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To the editor:

I urge you to vote for Pam Swift in House District 62, China, Windsor, Somerville and Hibberts Gore.

Pam trusts you. She knows you and your doctor will make the best decisions for you and your health. She knows that you can prepare for your children’s futures by helping them understand what they find in their school libraries, public libraries and on the Internet.

As a retired physician, Pam knows how important it is for you to have access to healthcare and affordable medicine. As a farmer she knows how important locally produced healthy food is to your family and how much small farms matter to your community.

Pam has deep roots in Maine and will fight for what Maine a great place to live.

Please vote for Pam Swift, candidate for House District #62.

Kathy Kellison
Windsor

CAMPAIGN 2024: Candidates address issues concerning Maine voters (Part 3)

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PUBLIC NOTICES for Thursday, September 12, 2024

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TOWN OF CHINA

Notice of Public Hearing

The Municipal Officers of the Town of China will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, September 23, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., in person or via Zoom regarding the November municipal ballot. For the link to the Zoom meeting, go to www.chinamaine.org.

Article 1. To choose a moderator to preside at said meeting.

Article 2. To elect all necessary Municipal Officials – three Select Board members who also serve as Municipal Assessors (two-year term), one RSU 18 Director (three-year term), and four Budget Committee members (two-year term) – using the secret ballot, as directed, and provided by statute.

Article 3. To see if the Town will vote to adopt the Third Amended Central Maine Power/China Lake Tax Increment Financing District Development Program and the Findings, Terms and Provisions Relating to that Program.

Select Board Recommends: YES with a vote of 5 ayes / 0 nays
Budget Committee Recommends: YES with a vote of 5 ayes / 0 nays

Copies are available from the town office or at www.chinamaine.org.

Article 4. Shall the voters of the town repeal the ordinance entitled “Budget Committee Ordinance” revised June 13, 2006, and enact an ordinance entitled “Town of China Budget Committee Ordinance”?

Select Board Recommends: YES with a vote of 5 ayes / 0 nays

Article 5. Shall the voters of the town adopt an amendment to the Land Use Map entitled the “Development District Map?”

Select Board Recommends: YES with a vote of 5 ayes / 0 nays
Planning Board Recommends: YES with a vote of 4 ayes / 0 nays

Article 6. Shall amendments to the ordinance entitled “Town of China Land Development Code, Chapter 2. Land Use Ordinance and Chapter 11.
Definitions” be enacted?

Select Board Recommends: YES with a vote of 5 ayes / 0 nays
Planning Board Recommends: YES with a vote of 4 ayes / 0 nays

Article 7. Shall an ordinance entitled “Town of China High Impact Electric Transmission Line Moratorium Ordinance” be enacted?

Select Board Recommends: YES with a vote of 5 ayes / 0 nays

Notice of Public Hearing
Town of China

The Municipal Officers of the Town of China will hold a public hearing regarding the State General Assistance Ordinance Appendices at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, September 23, 2024 in the meeting room. The link to the public hearing is posted on the calendar on the town’s website www.chinamaine.org. Any comments or questions prior to the meeting can be sent to info@chinamaine.org.

TOWN OF CHINA, MAINE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Regarding Third Amended Central Maine Power/China Lake Tax Increment Financing District and Development Program Notice is hereby given that the Town of China will hold a public hearing on Monday, September 23, 2024 at 571 Lakeview Drive, China, Maine 04358 For The Public, Remote Participation Will Be Available Via Zoom.The Public Hearing will begin at 6:00 p.m.

The purpose of the public hearing is to receive public comments on the Third Amended Central Maine Power/China Lake Tax Increment Financing District Development Program (the “Third Amended Program”) pursuant to 30-A MRSA §5221 through §5235, being Subchapter 1 of Chapter 206 of Title 30-A of the Maine Revised Statutes, as amended. The proposed Third Amended Program provides (i) modified descriptions and TIF Revenue spending projections for seven (7) ongoing projects, (ii) descriptions of, and TIF Revenue spending projections for, two (2) new projects, (iii) discontinuance of four (4) prior projects and iv) revision of the “Tax Increment Revenue and Tax Shift Calculations” which are included in the Third Amended Program.

The Third Amended Program is the proposed development program for the Central Maine Power/China Lake Tax Increment Financing District which was established in 2015, was enlarged in 2017 and now consists of approximately 29 lots having a total area of approximately 380 acres.

Such 29 lots are located generally (a) from north to south along or adjacent to Lakeview Drive (US Route 202 and State Route 9) and China Lake beginning at the northerly end of the east basin of the Lake to the intersection of Lakeview Drive and the Augusta-Belfast Road (State Route 3), (b) from west to east along Route 3 beginning at the CMP Substation (Map 17, Lot 47-F) approximately 1.5 miles to a point adjacent to Route 3 (665 Route 3, Map 28, Lot 001-A), (c) beginning at a point in the line between Windsor and China northerly more than 10 miles along a strip of land approximately 80 feet wide on which has been erected CMP’s 345 KV transmission line to a point in the line between China and Albion and (d) along Branch Mills Road in the Branch Pond area.

Copies of (a) the Warrant, dated August 26, 2024, for the November 5, 2024 municipal election which includes Article 3 related to the Third Amended Program, (b) certain Findings, Terms and Provisions related to Article 3 and (c) the proposed Third Amended Program (collectively, the “Ballot Materials”) are on file at the Town office and available for review during normal business hours in advance of the public hearing.

The Ballot Materials are also available at https://chinamaine.org and can also be obtained by calling 207-445-2014, option 3 during normal business hours and requesting that a copy be mailed to you. Normal business hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 7:30 am until 4:30 pm and first and last Saturday of each month, 8:00 am until 11:00 am.

All interested persons are invited to participate in the public hearing and will be given an opportunity to be heard. The Town will be conducting the hearing via Zoom. To access the hearing, please use the following internet or telephone information:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82423752385?pwd=M0R1bldEbDdhc2NyOG0yeVM4L3liZz09
Meeting ID: 824 2375 2385, Passcode: 187277
or call +1 929 436 2866 and enter Meeting ID: 824 2375 2385 followed by Passcode: 187277

Public comments will be taken at the hearing and written comments should be identified as “Ballot Questions – TIF” and submitted by email to info@chinamaine.org or by U.S. mail or hand delivery to the Town Office, 571 Lakeview Drive, China, Maine 04358. Written comments will be accepted until 4:00 pm, Monday, September 23, 2024.

Town of China, Maine

/s/Angela Nelson
By: Angela Nelson
Town Clerk,
Duly Authorized
Dated September 9, 2024

Town of Somerville Public Hearing

The Municipal Officers of the Town of Somerville will hold a public hearing to hear public comments on state amendments to:

What: General Assistance Model Ordinance & Appendices 2024-2025
When: October 2, 2024 @ 6:00PM
Where: Town Office 72 Sand Hill Road Somerville ME

All interested citizens are invited to participate and comment

LETTERS: In support of candidate Katrina Smith

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To the editor:

Katrina Smith is the real deal. As the representative of District #62, Katrina has proven she truly cares about her constituents by keeping them informed about upcoming bills that affect not only the citizens of Maine but the nation as well.

She makes her viewpoints heard with untiring energy. She cares about the indoctrination of our young children, and about the addiction problems facing our older children and young adults in Maine.

She shows her care for working families, veterans and retirees facing high costs of energy, taxes, food, housing and health care by informing us of upcoming bills and trying her hardest to fight for all of us.

I am proud and confident of her and wish there were more people like her in the legislature. I am supporting her for re-election to the House of Representatives for District #62 and hope you will too.

Shirley Derrico
Somerville

Katrina Smith announces re-election bid campaign

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Katrina Smith

Maine State Representative Katrina Smith, District #62, has announced the launch of her re-election campaign to the Maine State House. Elected in 2022, Rep. Smith has served the last session on the Inno­vation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee overseeing Economic development, licensing and growth initiatives for the state of Maine.

“I will continue to be a voice for the people of my district and have been so grateful for their ongoing support and encouragement. I am always available to my constituents and no matter the political party will continue to tackle the problems that are important to them,” Smith said.

“I look forward to continuing to represent the towns of China, Palermo, Somerville, Windsor and Hibberts Gore and hope to talk to as many people as possible during the campaign season!”

Katrina can be reached at katrinaformaine@gmail.com, at 207-230-9583 or on her facebook page: Representative Katrina Smith.