Issue for June 9, 2022

Celebrating 34 years of local news

Brown, Levasseur honored for service at Vassalboro town meeting

Vassalboro voters quickly approve 39 articles

Vassalboro voters chose Richard Thompson to moderate their annual town meeting Monday evening, June 6, for more than the dozenth time, Thompson said. But for the first half hour after his election, his role was more master of ceremonies…

Your Local News

China town meeting ballot a long one

CHINA — China voters coming to the polls on Tuesday, June 14, might want to bring at least a water bottle for sustenance. Balloting will take a while. In addition to the 38-article warrant for the annual town business meeting, each voter will be handed two more pieces of paper. Those enrolled in the Republican or Democratic party will get a fourth ballot…

VCS names three new staff

VASSALBORO — At a short special meeting June 6, Vassalboro School Board members hired three new staff members, Chairman Kevin Levasseur reported…

LETTERS: Tuminaro would be huge asset in District #62

from Sherri (Dowe) Gamble (China) – My name is Sherri “Dowe” Gamble and I am writing in regards to Jennifer Tuminaro’s bid for the House Seat in District 62. I was the manager of the China Dine-ah from 2007-2014. This is where I met Jennifer…

Name that film!

Identify the film in which this line originated and qualify to win FREE passes to Railroad Square Cinema in Waterville: “You don’t understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender.” Email us at townline@townline.org with subject “Name that film!” Deadline for submission is July 8, 2022…

Erskine Academy announces top ten seniors, class of 2022

CHINA – Erskine Academy, in South China, has announced the Class of 2022 Top Ten Seniors…

Free dental care for veterans

CENTRAL ME On Saturday, June 11, from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Aspen Dental locations nationwide will open their doors to provide free care to military veterans across the country…

Davidoff announces for District #61 seat

VASSALBORO Amy Davidoff has announced a bid for House District #61 (Vassalboro and most of Sidney). She retired in 2019 as a Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine after a productive and fulfilling research and teaching career. She moved to Vassalboro with her partner Mary, where they built a high efficiency home with numerous solar panels…

Bishop Deeley announces priest assignment

AUGUSTA Bishop Robert Deeley has announced priest assignments. The three appointments include one assignment to St. Michael Parish, in Augusta. Effective September 1, 2022, Fr. Anthony F. Kuzia, CM, is appointed as parochial vicar at St. Michael Parish (St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Augusta…

Beware of energy saving scammers

CENTRAL ME – Summer is coming, and rising temperatures mean high air conditioning bills. Scammers have devised a new con that claims to “save you money.” Con artists, posing as local government and utility company representatives, are offering phony home energy audits and services. Here’s what you need to know to spot the scam…

Friends of Razorville Chapel begin fundraising for refurbishing

WASHINGTON – After a long idle time, Razorville Chapel will have crucially needed refurbishments when the Friends of Razorville Chapel succeed in raising the needed funds. The familiar building was acquired from The International Society of Christian Endeavor after a years’ long search to ferret out the legal owner of the property…

EVENTS: Augusta group to host June 15 fundraiser showing of Martha Ballard film

AUGUSTA – The Mayor’s Committee for Martha Ballard, a city group planning a memorial celebrating the famed early American midwife and diarist, is organizing a June 15 presentation of the 1997 documentary film A Midwife’s Tale

EVENTS: Spectrum Generations offering early morning “Savvy at Sunrise” class for caregivers

CENTRAL ME – Spectrum Generations is offering an evidence-based class, “Savvy Caregiver,” via Zoom, Tuesdays 6:30 to 8:30 a.m., from July 19 to August 23…

PHOTO: Fields of lupines in bloom

WINDSOR – Gary Mazoki photographed this field of lupines, in Windsor.

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Native Americans – Part 2 (new)

CENTRAL ME HISTORY — Earlier articles in this series have identified the Kennebec River Valley as a throughway connecting the coast and the St. Lawrence River, used by, among others, Benedict Arnold going north to attack Québec in 1775 and Canadians coming south to find jobs in Maine in the 19th century… by Mary Grow [1891 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Native Americans – Part 1

CENTRAL ME HISTORY — Logically, your writer should have started this series on the history of the central Kennebec Valley with the first human inhabitants, the groups once called Indians and now more commonly called Native Americans. Your writer is a coward. She did not want to take on a topic about which there is no contemporary written evidence and limited later evidence… by Mary Grow [2029 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Immigrants

CENTRAL ME HISTORY — The French-Canadians and the Irish were not the only groups coming to the central Kennebec Valley from other countries. Stephen Plocher wrote in his Waterville history (found on line) that in the 1860s, people he called “Syrian-Lebanese” from Syria (Lebanon and Syria were French mandates until 1943, when they became two separate countries) began arriving… by Mary Grow [1807 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: French-Canadians – Part 2

CENTRAL ME HISTORY — The story of French-Canadian immigrants in the Augusta and Waterville area, as presented by the writers cited, is partly a story of separateness and discrimination evolving into cooperation and mutual respect… by Mary Grow [2066 words]

CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Walk ‘n Talk on Invasive Plant Species slated

ROCKPORT — Join Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District (KLSWCD) on Thursday, June 16, from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m., at Merryspring Nature Center, located at 30 Conway Road, in Camden, for a walk to identify invasive plant species… and many other local events!

Obituaries

VASSALBORO – Spc. Jeremy L. Gilley, 37, died unexpectedly Monday, May 30, 2022, at his home. He was born in Waterville on December 22, 1984, son of Thomas V. and Tammy A. (Green) Gilley… and remembering 13 others.

Common Ground: Win a $10 gift certificate!

DEADLINE: Wednesday, June 17, 2022

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: Frank Hersey, Winslow

Town Line Original Columnists

Roland D. HalleeSCORES & OUTDOORS

by Roland D. Hallee | Well, today we have an interesting question. A supporter sent an email to me stating they had seen a wolverine crossing the Bog Road, in Vassalboro, on their way home from the Vassalboro town meeting last Monday night. After looking online, this person is sure it was a wolverine…

Peter CatesREVIEW POTPOURRI

by Peter Cates | Back during eighth grade in 1964, I was hungrily eager to hear every record of classical music that I could beg, borrow, buy, barter for; and one neighbor was kind enough to loan the Arturo Toscanini/NBC Symphony RCA Victor Red Seal LP of Beethoven’s 5th and 8th symphonies…

LIFE ON THE PLAINS

by Roland D. Hallee | Just north of The Plains, at the most southern end of Main St., stood an iconic landmark known, pretty much, nation wide – The Levine’s Store for Men and Boys…