Issue for April 10, 2025
Volunteers needed for watershed survey
What is a watershed survey? Watershed surveys are field surveys conducted by trained volunteers in the community to determine the extent of pollution in a particular lake watershed. Volunteers are trained to identify erosion problems because soil erosion is the largest source of phosphorus and sediment — the major pollutants — to lakes. Soil erosion is also easy to identify and solutions are generally simple and inexpensive…
Town News
Budget committee, select board meet over 2025-26 budget
CHINA – The article in the warrant for China’s June 10, 2025, annual town business meeting that was not recommended by the budget committee on April 2 came back at April 7 meetings of the budget committee and the select board…
Budget committee makes final recommendations
CHINA – Despite the draft 2025-26 China budget and the warrant for the June 10 annual town business meeting changing as they met, China Budget Committee members made their final recommendations at their April 2 meeting – they thought…
Plans being set for June town meeting
VASSALBORO – Vassalboro select board members discussed multiple on-going issues at their April 3 meeting, many related to plans for the June 2 and June 10 annual town meeting…
Planners review Novel Energy’s proposal, again
VASSALBORO – Vassalboro Planning Board members again reviewed Novel Energy’s proposed community solar farm at 2235 Riverside Drive at their April 1 meeting…
Water main replacement on Summer, Grove streets
WATERVILLE – Beginning April 7, Kennebec Water District will be replacing the water mains on Summer Street and Grove Street (between St. Francis Catholic Cemetery’s main entrance and Clark Street), in Waterville…
Ice Out Winners: April 3, 2025
VASSALBORO — It is the ruling of the judge that ice officially went out of China Lake on Thursday, April 3, 2025. Jenna Barnes and Terry Lynn Colligan came the closest with each guessing April 4. Congratulations to this year’s winners!
Chamber names new director of marketing
WATERVILLE — The Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce located, in Waterville, welcomes Sabrina Gormley as its new Marketing and Membership Director. Sabrina replaces Jennifer Poudrier-Pepe in this role…
Vidalia onions coming to Palermo
PALERMO — Spring has sprung, and it’s time to order Vidalia onions! There hasn’t been a shipment since Covid struck, but now they are back, and as sweet and juicy as ever. A 25 lb. bag costs $30.00 and can be ordered by calling Connie Bellet at the Palermo Community Foundation, where they will arrive around Mother’s Day…
Local happenings
EVENTS: Community Meal of Unity public supper planned
VASSALBORO – As part of Holy Week, South China Community Church (SCCC) offers several special services: Palm Sunday (April 13, at 10 a.m.), Maundy Thursday (April 17, at 6 p.m.), Good Friday (April 18, at 6 p.m.), and of course, Easter (April 20, at 10 a.m.). This year, for the first time, Pastor Paul Harwath is providing a copy of the Shroud of Turin for viewing and contemplation…
EVENTS: Holy week schedule at SCCC
CHINA – As part of Holy Week, South China Community Church (SCCC) offers several special services: Palm Sunday (April 13, at 10 a.m.), Maundy Thursday (April 17, at 6 p.m.), Good Friday (April 18, at 6 p.m.), and of course, Easter (April 20, at 10 a.m.). This year, for the first time, Pastor Paul Harwath is providing a copy of the Shroud of Turin for viewing and contemplation…
EVENTS: 100 Women Who Give event will award $10,000 to local charity
WATERVILLE — Waterville Area Women’s Club will host its second annual “100 Women Who Give” event Thursday, April 10, at 6 p.m., at Snow Pond Center for the Arts, in Sidney, where attendees will cast live voting to select one local nonprofit to receive a $10,000 unrestricted gift…
EVENTS: ShineOnCass animal baby shower & PJ party
ALBION – Children dressed in their pajamas will welcome baby lambs, goats, calves and other newborn animals also wearing pajamas, on Sunday, May 4, at the ShineOnCass Animal Baby Shower & PJ Party at Hart-to-Hart Farm & Education Center, in Albion…
Obituaries
CLINTON – Robert “Bob” Bossie, 86, a longtime resident of Clinton, died on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at Northern Light Inland Hospital, in Waterville. Bob was born on February 18, 1939, in Bingham, and was one of eight children born to Wallace and Estelle (Lagasse) Bossie…
CALENDAR OF EVENTS: China Community Garden to hold workshops
CHINA – On Saturday, April 12, the China Community Garden invites you to its first of many biweekly talks and hands-on workshops at the portable building next to the China Town Office, 571 Lakeview Drive, from 10 a.m. and noon. You will be provided with seeds and starting materials for your first plantings of this year. Free to those who have registered for space as members of the China Community Garden, and $25 for nonmembers. Limit 20 participants. Register at chinaforalifetime@gmail.com by Thursday, April 10… and many other local events!
EVENTS: Local central Maine Town Meetings schedule for 2025
CENTRAL ME – List of area town meetings. To be included in this list, visit our Contact Us page or send an email to The Town Line at townline@townline.org…
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: “Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here, this is the war room.” Email us at townline@townline.org with subject “Name that film!” Deadline for submission is May 8, 2025.
Up and Down the Kennebec Valley: Courts – Part 3 (new)
CENTRAL ME HISTORY — Remembering that Maine’s early population centers were along the coast, and mostly from Portland south, it is not surprising that three of Maine’s first four state Supreme Court chief justices came from that area… by Mary Grow
Up and Down the Kennebec Valley: Lower courts & Augusta Courthouse
CENTRAL ME HISTORY — Last week’s article summarized part of the origin of Maine’s court system, including the 1820 creation of the state Supreme Court. The next level below the Supreme Court, according to William Penn Whitehouse’s information in Henry Kingsbury’s 1892 Kennebec County history, was the court of common pleas… by Mary Grow
Up and Down the Kennebec Valley: Courts
CENTRAL ME HISTORY — One of the chapters in Henry Kingsbury’s 1892 Kennebec County history is about the courts. The next chapter is titled The Kennebec Bar and names members of the Kennebec Bar who practiced as lawyers and/or held judgeships or other legal positions… by Mary Grow
Up and Down the Kennebec Valley: Vassalboro Ctr./Getchell’s Corner
VASSALBORO HISTORY — When Henry Kingsbury started his detailed description of the Town of Vassalboro in his 1892 Kennebec County history, he named six “post hamlets” and five “prominent localities.” Each post village was also a “manufacturing and mercantile” center, he said… by Mary Grow
Common Ground: Win a $10 gift certificate!
DEADLINE: Wednesday, April 10, 2025
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: Robin Marchesi, Vassalboro
Town Line Original Columnists
SCORES & OUTDOORS
by Roland D. Hallee | A couple of weeks ago a friend asked me about the songbird, Bobolink, and are there any in Maine. Well, bobolinks and other grassland birds are true agricultural allies to central Maine farmers – they eat large quantities of insects that damage crops…
MAINE-LY GARDENING
by Jude Hsiang | Between snowstorms and several mud seasons, we’re beginning to see a few signs of spring. Spring will bring warm weather, bird song, wildflowers, and, for many of us, lawncare…
REVIEW POTPOURRI
by Peter Cates | A new Paramount series MobLand depicts the activities of Conrad Harrigan, a gentlemanly head of a crime family in London and his calculating, slightly shrewish wife Maeve, both portrayed with consummate persuasion by Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren. The gentlemanly quality masks a ruthless cold-blooded evil and greed as he decides that fentanyl is far more profitable than heroin and guns…
FOR YOUR HEALTH
HEALTH | You may know sugar-sweetened beverages are bad for your teeth, but did you know carbonated beverages can also be harmful to your smile in other ways?…