Issue for August 17, 2023
Local scouts attend national event
The Boy Scouts of America Jamboree attracted over 13,000 scouts from around the world and over 5,000 visitors to the 10-day event in July including Scouts from Maine. Over the course of the Jamboree, which takes place every four years, the BSA gathers together. Scouts and Scouters explored all kinds of adventures – stadium shows, pioneer village, Mount Jack hikes, adventure sports and more – in the heart of one of nature’s greatest playgrounds… submitted by Chuck Mahaleris
Local author publishes book of spiritual poems
Inspiring words that flow in a rhythm urge you to look deep within you. Jim Morris, of South China, has lived in Maine since 1980. This year he was prompted to put his collection of poems into a book by his grandson saying he should write a book. Inside Out, by Jim Morris, is a collection of his 158 spiritual poems that gently urge readers to look within themselves… by Roberta Barnes
Town News
CMP rep explains need to upgrade transmission lines
WINSLOW – More than 30 residents gathered at the Winslow Public Library to attend the monthly town council meeting on Monday, August 14. After a roll call vote and approval of the minutes from the July meeting, the first order of business was to award the 2023 Spirit of America award to Wallace “Wally” LaFountain. LaFountain served as a teacher at Winslow High School throughout the 1950s and ‘60s before going to work for the Department of Education, in Augusta… by Jonathan Strieff
Committee discusses rude behavior at transfer station
CHINA – China transfer station committee members continued to discuss rude behavior by a few users of China’s transfer station at their Aug. 8 meeting. Committee chairman Paul Lucas witnessed one instance. He was 30 yards away, but could plainly hear a man who was “yelling” at station manager Tom Maraggio…
Town appoints new codes officer; rec. committee member
CHINA – China select board members faced a long and varied agenda for their Aug. 14 meeting. They settled some items and postponed others for more discussion. They unanimously approved the appointment of Zachary Gosselin, of China, as the new codes enforcement officer and health officer…
Board finishes review of proposed town solar ordinance
CHINA – China Planning Board members finished review of the proposed town solar ordinance at their Aug. 8 meeting, so co-chairman Toni Wall could send it to select board members before that board’s Aug. 14 meeting…
Broadband committee set to present request to select board
CHINA – China Broadband Committee (CBC) members held a short meeting Aug. 10, primarily to approve a request to select board members before that board’s Aug. 14 meeting…
Nomination papers available for November election
CHINA – China’s municipal elections for members of the select board, planning board and budget committee will be held Tuesday, Nov. 7. Nomination papers are now available at the town office; Friday, Sept. 8, is the deadline for returning signed papers to be on the local ballot…
OPINIONS: No more property tax stabilization program
by Katrina Smith (State Representative, District #62) – The popular state tax assistance for seniors entitled the “Property Tax Stabilization Program”, which allowed those over the age of 65 to freeze their property taxes, has been eliminated during this past legislative session. (A vote for the budget was a vote for this program to be eliminated…
Vassalboro Business Association announces scholarship winner
VASSALBORO – Vassalboro Business Association announced the 2023 scholarship winner as Morgan Fortin, of Vassalboro. Morgan is a graduate of Winslow High School in 2023, and will be pursuing higher education in contemporary and popular music with a concentration in audio engineering…
PHOTO: Group earns new martial arts ranks
CENTRAL ME – Earning new ranks are: Lane Irish, of Corrina, green belt; Brody Robbins, of Skowhegan, green belt; Lucia Lacroix, of Skowhegan, second level brown belt; Carlie Bertrand, of Troy, second level brown belt; Izzy Citro, of Waterville, first level brown belt…
PHOTO: Learning the ropes
WATERVILLE – Landon Belisle, 12, of Waterville and Waterville Police Patrol Sgt. Jason Longley, during the Badges for Baseball Clinic, at Mini Fenway Park, in Oakland, on Thursday, July 27…
Central Maine Eagles seeks players
CENTRAL ME — The Central Maine Eagles football team that plays out of China at the rec fields, is seeking players. The JV team which host kids from sixth to eighth grades needs more players. Numbers usually increase during the start of school, but the team has its first game coming up in three weeks and they are a few players short…
Waterville voted Maine’s best ‘hidden’ live music scene, according to poll
WATERVILLE — The U.S. is celebrated for its iconic music cities like Nashville, the heartland of country music, New Orleans, the cradle of Jazz, and Austin, Texas, fittingly known as ‘The Live Music Capital of the World’. Yet, there’s a trove of less-known, hidden gems across the country that pulse with riveting live music experiences that many have yet to discover…
HealthReach welcomes podiatrist, Dr. Daniel J. Keane
CENTRAL ME — This September, HealthReach staff in Albion, Belgrade, Coopers Mills, and Richmond welcome Dr. Daniel J. Keane, Podiatrist, to their team…
Sam Voter named to St. Lawrence University’s Spring 2023 dean’s list
CORNVILLE — Sam Voter, from Cornville, has been named to St. Lawrence University’s dean’s list for achieving academic excellence during the Spring 2023 semester., in Canton, New York. Voter is a member of the Class of 2025 and is majoring in digital media and film. Voter attended Skowhegan Area High School….
Webber’s Pond
Webber’s Pond is a comic drawn by an anonymous central Maine resident (click thumbnail to enlarge)…
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: “They call me Mister Tibbs!” Email us at townline@townline.org with subject “Name that film!” Deadline for submission is September 7, 2023…
Local happenings
EVENTS: Coronation Mass to be presented
CENTRAL ME – A favorite of audiences and performers alike, the Coronation Mass will be performed with professional soloists and an orchestra on Friday, August 18 and Sunday, August 20, at 7:30 p.m., at the Congregational Church, of Boothbay Harbor…
EVENTS: St. Cecelia Choir auditions to be held
NEWCASTLE – St. Cecilia Chamber Choir is holding auditions for all voice parts as they begin preparing our December Ceremony of Lessons and Carols concert. Rehearsals are Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m., starting on September 13, at St. Andrew’s Church, Glidden St. in Newcastle…
CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Vassalboro Historical Society Museum open house
VASSALBORO — Stop by the Vassalboro Historical Society Museum on Sunday, August 27, from 1 – 4 p.m., for a visit. Check out our displays, do some research, browse our photo albums or scrapbooks (most of them are indexed)… and many other local events.
Obituaries
FAIRFIELD – Kelly Jean Spaulding, of Fairfield, passed away on Thursday, August 3, 2023, at MaineGeneral Medical Center, in Augusta, following a prolonged illness. Born October 3, 1970, in Waterville, Kelly was the daughter of Loyal Spaulding and the late Marilyn (Quimby) Spaulding… and remembering 13 others.
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Slave trade in Vassalboro (new)
VASSALBORO HISTORY — Maine, including to some extent small inland towns like Vassalboro, was more heavily involved in the international slave trade than many residents realize, both before and after slave-trading was made illegal in the United States in 1808… by Mary Grow
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Music in the Kennebec Valley – Part 3
KV HISTORY — Another type of music in the central Kennebec Valley from early days of European settlement was band music. It was often, but especially in later years not inevitably, associated with military organizations; and like other forms of music, got limited attention in most local histories… by Mary Grow
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Music in the Kennebec Valley – Part 2
KV HISTORY — In his Music and Musicians of Maine, George Thornton Edwards’ list of “principal musical centers in Maine” in the late 18th and early 19th centuries included the Augusta-Hallowell-Gardiner complex, China and “some of the towns in the Kennebec Valley,” in addition to Portland and other, mostly coastal or more southern, towns… by Mary Grow
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Music in the central Kennebec Valley
KV HISTORY — After the frustration of finding only scanty and random information from local historians on how central Kennebec Valley residents cared for their destitute neighbors, your writer decided to continue frustrating herself on a more cheerful topic: music… by Mary Grow
Common Ground: Win a $10 gift certificate!
DEADLINE: Wednesday, August 17, 2023
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: James Vigue, Winslow
Town Line Original Columnists
SCORES & OUTDOORS
by Roland D. Hallee | One evening, earlier this summer, we heard something mysterious. It was after dark, and from a distance, we heard a wailing, lamenting siren-like shriek. Everyone around was wondering what was making that noise. At first we thought it was a small, yiping dog. But it continued almost uninterrupted…
LAKE LIFE TODAY
by Elaine Philbrook | Infiltration Steps is yet another way to slow the flow of stormwater from entering our waterbodies. Infiltration steps can be used where foot traffic is causing erosion to take place, and are used where there is a moderate slope, usually less than 45 degrees…
REVIEW POTPOURRI
by Peter Cates | One of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s finest poems is My Lost Youth, originally published in his 1858 volume, The Courtship of Miles Standish. Having been raised in Portland, the poet wrote some verses that evoked what must have been for him the then unspoiled beauty of the Pine Tree State’s city by the sea…
I’M JUST CURIOUS
by Debbie Walker | It was a wonderful idea to go to lunch with Ms. Gloria, and for a bigger treat her husband Russ came, too. The two of them are very entertaining. I worked with them both, well…. Maybe more years ago than I am willing to admit, but there was never a dull moment…
VETERANS CORNER
by Gary Kennedy | I become more and more surprised at how many Veterans in their 80’ and 90s who believe they aren’t qualified to use the V.A. system. I have hooked up with two such vets recently and many over time. The two veterans that I refer to were convinced by the system more than 50 years ago that they were not qualified for V.A. benefits…
FOR YOUR HEALTH
(NAPSI) — Lips are one of the most sensitive organs in the body, composed of more than a million nerves, yet they are often neglected and not treated properly. Without healthy, fully functioning lips, your everyday life would look very different—which is why it’s so important to take the necessary steps to protect them…