Issue for January 11, 2024
Erskine Academy Renaissance Awards
On Friday, December 15, 2023, Erskine Academy, in South China, students and staff attended a Renaissance Assembly to honor their peers with Renaissance Awards…
After Six Years: Library move partially complete
On Saturday morning, January 6, 2024, The South China Public Library opened its new building, at 27 Jones Road, to borrowers for the first time. While not the conclusion of this lengthy and often frustrating project, this occasion marked the the most significant event yet in the continuing attempt to bring this effort to fruition… by Bob Bennett
Town News
Delta Ambulance requests increase in per person charge
CHINA – In October 2022, Timothy Beals, who was then head of Delta Ambulance, asked China select board members to ask voters to approve funding the service in 2023-24 at $15 per resident, or a little less than $66,000 for the fiscal year…
Transfer station group begins redesign project
VASSALBORO – Vassalboro’s transfer station task force members had two projects on their Jan. 4 meeting agenda. The first is the beginning of a redesign of the transfer station facility on Lombard Dam Road, involving outside expertise. The second is an update of the town’s Transfer Station Ordinance, an in-house project…
Delta Ambulance chief gives select board presentation
WINDSOR – At their December 5, 2023, meeting, the Windsor Select Board heard Chris Mitchell, interim executive director for Delta Ambulance, speak about a variety of topics on behalf of the board of directors for Delta Ambulance…
Public works director applauds work crew
WINDSOR – The Windsor Board Selectmen, at their meeting of December 19, 2023, heard Keith Hall, Public Works Director, report on the storm of December 18, 2023. He said truck #6 is still out of service…
Webber’s Pond
Webber’s Pond is a comic drawn by an anonymous central Maine resident (click thumbnail to enlarge)…
Waterville Creates welcomes new employees
WATERVILLE – Waterville Creates announces the arrival of five new fulltime staff members. Since moving into the Paul J. Schupf Art Center, on Main Street, in Waterville, in December 2022, Waterville Creates has consolidated the operations of the Waterville Opera House, Maine Film Center, and Ticonic Gallery + Studios…
Another successful year at Kringleville
WATERVILLE – Throughout December, Downtown Waterville welcomed over 2000 families who gathered to meet Santa in his Kringleville cabin. Over 700 cups of hot chocolate with cookies and other baked goods were served, and 1200 candy canes and over 1000 books were given to children…
Debbie Walker: a dear friend
by Peg Pellerin – Like many of you readers, I was so surprised and shocked to read that we lost one of our fellow writers. Debbie Walker was such an inspiration to me to start writing and thankfully be able to submit my writings to this paper…
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’re here!” Email us at townline@townline.org with subject “Name that film!” Deadline for submission is February 8, 2024…
Husson University announces fall honors
CENTRAL ME – Husson University, in Bangor, has announced the academic achievements of students recently named to the president’s list, dean’s list and honors list for the Fall 2023 semester of the 2023-2024 academic year…
Erskine Academy first trimester honor roll
CHINA – List of honor roll students at Erskine Academy for the first trimester…
Rachel Turi set to graduate from University of Georgia
WATERVILLE – Rachel Faith Turi, of Waterville, is among the more than 2,900 candidates for graduation in the University of Georgia’s Class of 2023 was be celebrated during commencement exercises. Rachel is a candidate for an AB Advertising…
Husson University Online celebrates term 2 academic award recipients
CENTRAL ME – Husson University Online, in Bangor, celebrates the academic achievements of students recently named to the president’s list, dean’s list and honors list for Term 2 of the 2023-2024 academic year…
Local happenings
EVENTS: AARP Tax-Aide program available in central Maine
CENTRAL ME – The AARP Tax-Aide program provides free federal and state income tax preparation and electronic filing to low-and moderate-income individuals. Returns are prepared by IRS-certified volunteers. The program is funded by the AARP Foundation, a tax-exempt charitable organization, and the IRS…
EVENTS: UMaine Extension offers backyard maple sugaring workshop February 3
AUGUSTA – University of Maine Cooperative Extension will offer an in-person maple syrup production workshop for beginners and enthusiasts interested in making it in their own backyard from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Feb. 3…
CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Norridgewock library to host author/artist talk
NORRIDGEWOCK – Norridgewock Public Library will hold a free author/artist talk on Saturday, January 20, 2024, at 10:30 a.m., with Ret and Karen Talbot. Ret Talbot is an award winning journalist and co-author of Chasing Shadows; My Life Tracking the Great White Shark. Karen Talbot is a scientific illustrator and artist who drew the illustrations for Chasing Shadows… and many other local events!
Obituaries
FAIRFIELD – Terry W. Michaud, 68, passed away of natural causes at his home, in Fairfield, on Wednesday, December 20, 2023. Terry was born October 31, 1955, in Fort Fairfield, to Wilbert and Maxine Michaud… and remembering 14 others.
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Streams of northern Winslow (new)
CENTRAL ME HISTORY — As promised last year, this article finishes the story of mills and dams in 19th-century Winslow, or as much of the story as your writer has found, before moving south to Vassalboro’s Seven Mile Stream… by Mary Grow
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Winslow, Hollingsworth & Whitney
CENTRAL ME HISTORY — In addition to the historic mills on Outlet Stream and smaller flowages in Winslow, Kingsbury mentioned two larger mills on the east bank of the Kennebec in the 1890s. One he described as a new “large steam saw mill…on the historic grounds of Fort Point,” covering most of the “palisade enclosure of old Fort Halifax”… by Mary Grow
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Sebasticook dams & Josiah Hayden
CENTRAL ME HISTORY — An on-line map of Winslow, Maine (which readers might find helpful), shows the Kennebec River, running roughly north-south, as the town’s western boundary. The Sebasticook River joins the Kennebec from the east about halfway between the town’s north and south lines… by Mary Grow
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Dams and Mills
VASSALBORO HISTORY — The list of old dams on China Lake’s Outlet Stream started last week with dams in Vassalboro, as far downstream as the North Vassalboro dams described below… by Mary Grow
Common Ground: Win a $10 gift certificate!
DEADLINE: Wednesday, January 11, 2024
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: Don Eldridge, China
Town Line Original Columnists
SCORES & OUTDOORS
by Roland D. Hallee | On our way home to Waterville driving along Rte. 201 recently, during the recent unseasonable warm spell, my wife and I observed a raccoon walking along the roadside in Winslow. My first thought: “A raccoon out during the day is not normal, and could mean it is are rabid”…
REVIEW POTPOURRI
by Peter Cates | When I woke up this morning at 2:30 a.m., the temperature was 9 degrees Fahrenheit. In that context, I find these following sentences from a story written more than 100 years ago quite pertinent, powerful, thought provoking and eerily poetic…
FOR YOUR HEALTH
(NAPSI) —If you’ve ever tried to make a healthy lifestyle change, you may have found that your initial excitement fades quickly, and you return to your old habits. Well, you’re not alone…