Issue for June 15, 2023
Golden Agers seniors enjoy Wednesday gatherings
Wednesday mornings from 10 a.m. to noon, parking spaces are limited at the China town office even though the town office is closed on Wednesdays. Once used basically for voting, now on Wednesday mornings the accessible portable building behind the town office is where some people go for fun… by Roberta R. Barnes
Town News
China and Vassalboro voting results from June 13
CHINA/VASSALBORO – Election results for the towns of China and Vassalboro…
Redmond thanked for many years of service on select board
VASSALBORO – Vassalboro select board members discussed a variety of items at their June 8 meeting, the last for retiring board chairman Barbara Redmond…
Planners approve two site review applications
VASSALBORO – Vassalboro planning board members approved both site review applications on their June 6 agenda. Kassandra Lopes has a permit to run a retail store in one of two existing buildings Raymond Breton owns on the east side of Main Street, in North Vassalboro; and the Oak Grove School Foundation has a permit for a new building behind the historic Oak Grove Chapel, on Oak Grove Road, near the Riverside Drive (Route 201) intersection…
Select board discusses how other town board members should be chosen
CHINA – China select board members’ main discussion topics at their June 5 meeting were how members of other major town boards should be chosen and how two sections of town road should be repaved…
More discussion on use – and misuse — of transfer station
CHINA – China transfer station committee members held another long and lively discussion at their June 6 meeting about the best way to make sure only people entitled to use the town’s transfer station do so…
Inland Hospital and Purdue Global collaborate on new Simulation Center
WATERVILLE – A unique healthcare education collaboration kicked off in Waterville on June 6, 2023 as Northern Light Inland Hospital and Purdue Global officially opened the new Simulation Center for Healthcare Education and Excellence…
PHOTO: Spirit of America award recipients
VASSABORO – Don and Lisa Breton, of Vassalboro, were recently presented with the Spirit of America award for their volunteer work…
Vassalboro volunteer receives thanks badge from Girl Scouts of Maine
VASSALBORO – Jessica Prentiss, a troop leader and Product Sales Supervisor within the Arnold Service Unit, was recently awarded the Thanks Badge from the Girl Scouts of Maine (GSME)…
Whitefield Lions recognized local students
WHITEFIELD – The Whitefield Lions Club is recognizing five local students. These students will receive a $1,000 scholarship towards furthering their education. Each year the Whitefield Lions Club Scholarship Committee chooses among deserving applicants based on hard work, perseverance, leadership, community service and career goals…
Local happenings
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: “May the Force be with you.” Email us at townline@townline.org with subject “Name that film!” Deadline for submission is July 6, 2023…
Listing of local town meetings
CENTRAL ME — Listing of 2023 local town meetings in central Maine. To have your town listed, please email us at townline@townline.org…
CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Great Bean cookoff in Madison
MADISON — Madison American Legion Great Bean Cook Off–American Legion Hall, 20 S. Maple Street, Saturday, July 15, 2023. Bring in your best bean dish!… and many other local events!
2022-’23 Real Estate Tax Due Dates
Real estate tax due dates for the towns of Albion, China, Fairfield, Oakland, Palermo, Sidney, Vassalboro, Waterville, Windsor and Winslow…
Obituaries
FAIRFIELD – Kayla May Stewart, 28, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. She was born on March 4, 1995… and remembering 10 others.
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Taking care of paupers (new)
KV HISTORY — The earliest settlers in the Kennebec Valley, as elsewhere in New England, were for the most part able-bodied and self-supporting. But within a generation or two, a settlement would be likely to have residents who were unable to support themselves… by Mary Grow
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Windsor’s Colburn family
WINDSOR HISTORY — Exceptionally attentive readers with exceptionally good memories might remember that Francisco Colburn was one of the commanders of Windsor’s Marcellus Vining GAR Post in the 1880s. Marcellus is not a typical Maine name, to be sure – presumably his classically-educated parents named him after the Roman Marcus Claudius Marcellus (42 – 23 B.C.). But for some reason, your writer was struck by Francisco, and began wondering why a couple in Windsor, Maine, in the 1830s would choose that name for their son… by Mary Grow
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: GAR and Togus
MAINE HISTORY — The Grand Army of the Republic, or GAR, was responsible for more than organizing the local Posts and Memorial Day observances described in previous articles in this series. Additional information on this Civil War veterans’ organization, from various sources, says it assisted veterans in many ways, including advocating for legislation and policies, providing financial support to needy members and helping them stay in touch with each other… by Mary Grow
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Memorial Day – Part 3
MAINE HISTORY — Continuing with central Kennebec Valley GAR Posts in the order of their formation, the next after Billings Post #88, in Clinton, was Fairfield’s E. P. Pratt Post #90 (in Somerset County, therefore not on the Kennebec County list in Henry Kingsbury’s history). According to Barbara Gunvaldsen, of the Fairfield Historical Society, this Post was organized Oct. 18, 1883… by Mary Grow
Common Ground: Win a $10 gift certificate!
DEADLINE: Wednesday, June 15, 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: Sarah Cunningham, Waterville
Town Line Original Columnists
SCORES & OUTDOORS
by Roland D. Hallee | I have an idea: let’s play a game! Everybody likes a game. We’ll call it – get a load of this ingenious title – Fact or Fiction! Many of us have pets, and we also like to watch animals. Let’s ask some questions and see if you can tell if it is fact or fiction…
LAKE LIFE TODAY
by Elaine Philbrook | Lake Life Today is a series of articles that it is hoped will inspire you to see how, by taking just a few steps, you can make a difference and help preserve the quality of water in our lakes for future generations…
THE BEST VIEW
by Norma Best Boucher | I keep coming across information that interests me and I am hoping you will find some of it useful, too. You would think with all the information I find and pass along to you that my mind would be overflowing. It might if my memory worked at all! That is not the case!…
REVIEW POTPOURRI
by Peter Cates | Having for so long equated actor George Raft (1901-1980) with his role as the Saint Valentine’s Day killer/bootlegger Spats Columbo in the 1958 comedy Some Like It Hot, I found it interesting to see him in a good guy role in the 1952 film noir Loan Shark…
FOR YOUR HEALTH
Those who have lived long lives often swear by a particular habit or food that’s kept them healthy. But there are real secrets that may help you live a longer, healthier life – and they don’t involve drinking from the Fountain of Youth…
MY POINT OF VIEW
by Gary Kennedy | There is a new kid in town as of last year. I didn’t mention it as I originally thought it would just fade away. However, that isn’t going to happen as it has been around since 1910. I really had no idea. I have never even heard of it. For those in the know it is called Juneteenth Day…