Issue for August 19, 2021

Celebrating 33 years of local news

Central Maine youth ballplayers meet the big leaguers

Thanks to the generosity of Ray Haskell, the youth in Maine have had the opportunity to attend a baseball clinic working with the Alfond Youth and Community Center, at Maine’s Fenway Park, in Oakland, and Purnell Wrigley Field, in Waterville… by Mark Huard

Your Local News

Selectmen put tax rate at 14.48 mil

VASSALBORO — Vassalboro selectmen have set the 2021-22 tax rate: 14.48 mil, or $14.48 for each $1,000 of valuation. The town website says the 2019-2020 rate was $14.35 for each $1,000, so the new rate is an increase of 13 cents for each $1,000…

WPA elects new president, vice president; votes down membership restrictions

VASSALBORO — The Webber Pond Association annual meeting was held on August 14, at the Vassalboro Community School with 88 association members present. There were several controversial items on the agenda at this year’s meeting, including the drawdown, association membership, and ownership of the Webber Pond Dam…

Selectmen set tax rate at 14.40 mil

CHINA — China selectmen have set the tax rate for the current fiscal year, after a presentation by Tax Assessor William Van Tuinen at the Aug. 16 Selectboard meeting. The new rate Van Tuinen recommended and selectmen approved is 14.40 mil, or $14.40 for each $1,000 of taxation…

New transfer station visioning subcommittee begins work

CHINA — Four members of China’s new Transfer Station Visioning Subcommittee defined their job and planned how to start doing it at their initial meeting Aug. 11. Chairman Chris Diesch, of Palermo, said the group needs to develop two documents…

Please take our new Reader Survey!

We love to hear from our readers. Please take this brief survey about The Town Line newspaper. Everyone who fills it out will be entered in a raffle to win a Hannaford’s gift card!

Vassalboro Sestercentennial Scavenger Hunt
Item #18:

Five business cards from five different Vassalboro businesses.

Glen Campbell Alzheimer’s concert planned in Windsor

WINDSOR — There will be a free public concert and fundraiser for the Maine Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association on Friday night, August 27, at 7 p.m., in the Windsor Town Hall auditorium…

School supplies drive at VCS

VASSALBORO — Help Our VCS Kids, the 3rd annual school supplies drop off, hosted by Don and Lisa Breton, will take place at the North Vassalboro Fire Station, Rte. 32, on Saturday, August 28, from 10 a.m. – noon. For more information, contact Don at 207-313-3505, or dlbreton@roadrunner.com

DEP’s Basic and Advanced Erosion Control Practices training offered

UNION — Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District and Maine DEP are co-sponsoring an in-person day-long training in Basic and Advanced Erosion Control Practices Certification for Contractors on Thursday, September 16, 2021, at Union Town Office, 567 Common Road, Union…

Volunteer firefighters to hold Picnic in Palermo

PALERMO — The Palermo Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) will be holding a fundraiser on Sunday, August 22, from noon – 4 p.m., in the Branch Mills Village field opposite the old Dowe General Store (2 N. Palermo Rd). You invited to join in fellowship and see old friends, welcome new residents, celebrate the community, and raise important funds…

Prize Vegetable Contest & Children’s Best-Decorated Fruit or Vegetable Award

BRANCH MILLS — The Branch Mills Grange (20 Branch Mills Road) is hosting two agricultural contests during the Palermo VFD’s picnic, a Prize Vegetable Award and Children’s Best-Decorated Fruit or Vegetable Award, each with cash prizes. Registration is on Friday, August 20, and Saturday, August 21…

Second vaccines available in China

CHINA — People who got their first Covid-19 vaccination at the pop-up clinic in China on Saturday, July 24, are reminded to return for a second shot on Tuesday, Aug. 24, from 8 to 9 a.m., at the same site, the portable building behind the town office…

Vassalboro Library to host animal events

VASSALBORO — Chewonki – Owls of Maine – August 24, at the Vassalboro Recreation Fields – 800 Bog Road; First program 2 p.m., second program 3:15 p.m…

China to hold WindowDressers workshop this fall

CHINA — CHINA — As the workshop will take place during the first week of November, orders should be placed no later than October 1 … Measurers need to complete their task and submit data to WindowDressers by mid-October, so to avoid “crunch time”, please make sure to get your order in and set up a measuring appointment as soon as possible…

PHOTO: Youth Conservation Corps at work

CHINA — Members of the 2021 Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) work on a China LakeSmart project….

Pauleys celebrate 65th anniversary

CHINA — Don and Christa Pauley, of South China, are celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary on August 19, 2021. They were married in Raymond on August 19, 1956, and moved to South China in 1958 after Don’s active duty in the U.S. Army. They bought their home on China Lake in 1960…

Sheri Brunner on Peru State College dean’s list

MADISON — Sheri Brunner, of Madison, has been named to the Peru State College’s dean’s list for the Spring 2021 semester, in Peru, Nebraska. To make the Dean’s List students must have a grade point average between 3.50 and 3.99 for the semester…

LETTERS: Just a reminder

from Frank Slason (Somerville) — Just a reminder as nothing much was mentioned about this historic event. On August 6, 1945, Colonel Tibbetts dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later, Major Charles W. Sweeney dropped the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki…

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Tiffany Hill Chapel (new)

SIDNEY HISTORY — Remaining to be described is Tiffany Chapel, sometimes called Tiffany Hill Chapel, at 544 Tiffany Road, in Sidney. It was built as a Methodist church in 1881 and added to the National Register on Oct. 4, 2018… by Mary Grow [1868 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Samuel F. Smith – Composer of America

CENTRAL ME HISTORY — Samuel Francis Smith (Oct. 21, 1808 – Nov. 16, 1895) is best known as the man who in 1831 wrote America, also called My Country ‘Tis of Thee. The song was one of the United States’ unofficial national anthems, especially popular during the Civil War as “a rallying hymn for the north”… by Mary Grow [1850 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Churches – Part 6

CENTRAL ME HISTORY — The Asa Bates Memorial Chapel, also called the Ten Lots Chapel, in the southwestern part of Fairfield, was built between 1916 and 1918 and added to the National Register of Historic Places on Oct. 31, 2002… by Mary Grow [2189 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Coburn Classical Institute

CENTRAL ME HISTORY — The school that in 1883 became Coburn Classical Institute started in 1821 as the first of what later became four (according to Ernest Cummings Marriner) or five (according to an anonymous website author) college preparatory schools (also called grammar schools, academies, or institutes) associated with what is now Colby College… by Mary Grow [3828 words]

Lake Association Annual Meetings 2021

CENTRAL ME — Listing of local area Lake Association meetings. (To include your town in this listing, please email us at townline@townline.org)…

Give Us Your Best Shot!

The best recent photos from our readers…

Become a member: An open letter to our readers

Dear Reader: For the past 33 years, The Town Line has pledged a mission statement to “create a vibrant rural community connecting our towns, organizations and individuals through communication, education and public dialogue.” It’s all part of The Town Line’s mission to be a positive force in our community…

Obituaries

BENTON – Phyllis M. Hunter, 97, of Benton, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 10, 2021. Phyllis was born January 22, 1924, in Benton, the oldest daughter of the late Albert E. and Ruby M. (Ranlett) Rowe in the home of her late grandparents, Bernard and Vesta (Hall) Ranlett… and remembering 9 others.

Common Ground: Win a $10 gift certificate!

DEADLINE: Friday, September 10, 2021

Identify the people in these three photos, and tell us what they have in common. You could win a $10 gift certificate to Retail Therapy Boutique in Waterville! 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: Ben Pinette, Sidney.

Town Line Original Columnists

Roland D. HalleeSCORES & OUTDOORS

by Roland D. Hallee | A little while back, while we were sitting with neighbors at camp, we noticed a bug walking along the floor of the porch. Strange looking thing…really ugly! They asked what it was. That was easy. It was a longhorn beetle…

POETRY CORNER

by Marilou Suchar | Memories, thoughts – bits of wisdom/Come and goes like/Waves on the tides of the sea –/Comes flowing back – time after time…

Peter CatesREVIEW POTPOURRI

by Peter Cates | Baritone Oscar Seagle (1877-1945) was one of the best selling recording stars for Columbia records during the post World War I years of the acoustic era. He recorded two hymns for the label on a 10-inch shellac in 1921 – I Love to Tell the Story and Nearer My God to Thee

I’M JUST CURIOUS

by Debbie Walker | If you have answered the question, “Are you a lefty?” more than once or twice in your life you probably are left-handed. I imagine you have also heard some interesting comments. Well, here comes a few more. I just had to share them. This info I found in a book titled The Natural Superiority of The Left-Hander, by James T. de Kay. The info follows…

Marilyn Rogers-Bull & PercySOLON & BEYOND

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy | In last week’s paper I mentioned that I had upset some people with my way of writing the truth. One of the many papers that I have written for was The Carney Brook Chronicle, out of Bingham, back in 1997…

FOR YOUR HEALTH

(NAPSI) | As life returns to normal following an impossibly difficult year, one aspect of the pandemic likely to remain is the understanding that clean, germ-free environments are important—especially when it comes to children…