Issue for March 16, 2023
Waterville scout leader presented with highest honor
Garth Smith, of Waterville, a leader in Scouting programs in Winslow, on Saturday received the highest award a local Scouting district can bestow on a volunteer – the District Award of Merit… by Chuck Mahaleris
Eagle scout remembered
Rémy Pettengill was honored posthumously with the Spirit of the Eagle Award during the Kennebec Valley District Scout Leaders’ Recognition Dinner held on March 11, 2023, at the Winslow MacCrillis-Rousseau VFW Post #8835, with his fellow Scouts on hand to receive the award. The award was presented by Luanne Chesley, chairman of Vassalboro, Kennebec Valley District Advancement… by Chuck Mahaleris
Town News
Without quorum, TIF committee goes ahead with meeting
CHINA – With only four of eight members present (there used to be nine members, but chairman Brent Chesley said Trishea Story had resigned), China’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Committee lacked a quorum for the March 8 meeting. Members decided since their decisions are advisory only, they could go ahead without a quorum…
Appeals board agrees with CEO French’s ruling
CHINA – The China Board of Appeals met Friday afternoon, March 10, to hear an appeal of a building permit issued by codes enforcement officer Nicholas French. Board members upheld French’s decision…
Select board makes plans for annual business meeting
CHINA – China select board members spent most of their March 13 meeting on plans for the June 13 annual town business meeting. Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood gave them a first draft of the town meeting warrant articles, which will be decided by written ballot…
Broadband committee to try again for grant
CHINA – China Broadband Committee (CBC) members will try again to get a grant to expand broadband service to China residents who are currently underserved or not served at all…
Transfer station committee reconsiders utility vehicle recommendation
CHINA – Members of China’s transfer station committee are going to reconsider their recommendation that the town buy a Polaris Ranger 500 utility vehicle for transfer station staff use…
Planners send long-discussed solar ordinance amendment to select board
VASSALBORO – Vassalboro planning board members have sent to the town select board the long-discussed ordinance amendment that has for convenience been referred to as a solar ordinance. After another two hours’ review at their March 7 meeting, planning board members decided they are satisfied with the draft they have worked on for months and voted unanimously to forward it…
Select board recommendations ready for budget committee
VASSALBORO – After a March 9 budget workshop, Vassalboro select board members had their recommendations for 2023-24 municipal expenditures ready to go to the budget committee for its members’ review and recommendations. The budget committee’s 2023 organizational meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., Thursday, March 16, following a 6 p.m. select board meeting…
School board begins budget review
VASSALBORO – Vassalboro School Board members began review of the 2023-24 school budget at a special meeting March 7, with information on four cost centers…
ICE OUT 2023? Take a guess. Win a prize!
CHINA — Write down your best guess (one per person) and send it to The Town Line, PO Box 89, South China, ME 04358, or email us at townline@townline.org with the subject “ICE OUT 2023“. If more than one person guesses the correct date, a drawing will be held to determine the winner. Get your guess to The Town Line office by noon, Friday, March 17, 2023…
Name that film!
Identify the film in which this famous line originated and qualify to win FREE passes to Railroad Square Cinema in Waterville: “Hasta la vista, baby.” Email us at townline@townline.org with subject “Name that film!” Deadline for submission is March 9, 2023…
Local happenings
EVENTS: Battle of Maine slated for March 25
WATERVILLE – The 41st Battle of Maine Martial Arts Championships will be taking place at Champions Fitness Club, in Waterville, on Saturday, March 25, 2023. The competition and demonstrations kickoff at 8 a.m., and will last throughout the day until about 5 p.m…
EVENTS: Resource fair aims to advance the local workforce
FAIRFIELD – On Wednesday, March 29, Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) in partnership with Kennebec Savings Bank will host the Central Maine Career Resource Fair. This free event is open to the public and will feature multiple local businesses and community organizations…
EVENTS: Gibbs Library presents – Art Teacher as Creator
WASHINGTON – The Gibbs Library presents Art Teacher As Creator, an exhibit of works of art by six area art educators. This is a special show, as it reflects the artistic expression of the professionals who give our children opportunity, encouragement, and guidance in their own creative outpourings…
EVENTS: Golf Fore Kids Sake to be held at Samoset Resort in May
ROCKPORT – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine’s 2023 Golf Fore Kids’ Sake, at Samoset Resort, presented by Dover Ford and Union Fair Auto, welcomes teams to participate in its May 26 tournament to support one-to-one youth mentoring…
EVENTS: SKILLS, Inc. announces two new programs: community membership and career planning
ST ALBANS – SKILLS, Inc. has expanded its Community-based Services offerings to include Community Membership and its Employment Services line to include Career Planning. These two new services will help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism explore their talents and interests, become actively involved in the community, and reach their full potential. SKILLS is now accepting referrals for both programs…
EVENTS: Reps. to provide update to Lincoln County Dems
LINCOLN COUNTY – The Lincoln County Democratic Committee (LCDC) will hold its next meeting at 6:30 p.m., on Thursday, March 23, via Zoom. The agenda will feature State Sen. Cameron Reny (SD #13) and State Rep. Lydia Crafts (HD #46), who will provide updates on their priority bills and how people can get involved in helping to pass the legislation…
SCHOOL NEWS
Area Bryant University students named to fall dean’s list
OAKLAND/WINSLOW – Bryant University, in Smithfield, Rhode Island, is pleased to recognize the students who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to academic excellence and achievement and have been named to the fall 2022 deans’ list. The include: Jonathan Christopher, of Oakland, Samuel Schmitt and Carly Warn, both of Winslow….
Emerson College student Ella Conway earns dean’s list
SKOWHEGAN – Emerson College, in Boston, Massachusetts, has announced that student Ella Conway, of Skowhegan, earned dean’s list honors for the Fall 2022 Semester. Ella is majoring in Media Arts Production and is a member of the class of 2026….
Local residents named to Clark University’s fall 2022 dean’s list
CHINA/WINSLOW – Following are names of local students whose outstanding academic performance earned them a spot on Clark University’s Fall 2022 dean’s list, in Worcester, Massachusetts: Anna Pellerin, of Winslow, was named to first honors, and Sam N. Golden, of South China, was named to second honors…
Olivia Bourque makes fall 2022 dean’s list
VASSALBORO – Eastern Connecticut State University, in Willimantic, Connecticut, recently released its dean’s list for the fall 2022 semester. Among them is full-time student Olivia Bourque, of Vassalboro, who majors in psychology and biology…
King named to dean’s list for fall 2022 semester
SIDNEY – Saint Anselm College, in Manchester, New Hampshire, has released the dean’s list of high academic achievers for the first semester of the 2022-2023 school year. Christopher King, a natural sciences major in the class of 2024, from Sidney, was named to the dean’s list for the fall 2022 semester…
Area residents named to dean’s list at UNE
CENTRAL ME – The following students have been named to the dean’s list for the 2022 fall semester at the University of New England, in Biddeford…
Oakland students make fall 2022 president’s list at Coastal Carolina University
OAKLAND – More than 1,100 students earned a spot on the President’s List for the Fall 2022 semester at Coastal Carolina University, in Conway, South Carolina. Area students named to the president’s list include, Delaney Johnston, and Katelyn Robertson, both of Oakland…
FICTION: The House, part 8: The Conclusion – part 1
A couple days went by to rest up from the ‘adventures’ as well as to go into town for some fun and grocery shopping. “Two more rooms to go through and hopefully we can be rid of Ian,” exclaimed Jake… by Peg Pellerin
Webber’s Pond
Webber’s Pond is a comic drawn by an anonymous central Maine resident (click thumbnail to enlarge)…
Legislative Report as of Friday, March 10, 2023
CENTRAL ME – List of legislative bills sponsored by local senators and representatives…
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Plagues (new)
MAINE HISTORY – Since this historical series started in the spring of 2020 as a way to distract writer and readers from the Covid-19 pandemic, part of the plan has always been a survey of past local disease outbreaks. Someone at the Maine State Museum had the same idea. The museum has a one-page document uploaded in 2020 and headed Maine’s Historic Pandemics… by Mary Grow [1970 words]
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Augusta families – Part 5
AUGUSTA HISTORY – Last week’s article on Henry Sewall (Oct. 24, 1752 – Sept. 4, 1845) omitted (or rather postponed) an important aspect of his life: he was a deeply religious man. James North, in his history of Augusta, summarized: “He was upright, conscientious, pious and rigidly orthodox in his religious views. Towards the close of his life his religious rigor was much softened…” by Mary Grow [1892 words]
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Augusta families – Part 4
AUGUSTA HISTORY – The fourth early Augusta settler, prominent citizen and diarist your writer promised to introduce was Henry Sewall (Oct. 24, 1752 – Sept. 4, 1845). His diary poses a puzzle. James North, whose history of Augusta was published in 1870, relied heavily on it from the 1780s through the late 1790s, and mentioned it in footnotes to events in 1820 and 1828, but not thereafter… by Mary Grow [2042 words]
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Augusta families – Part 3
AUGUSTA HISTORY – Daniel Cony (Aug. 3, 1752 – Jan. 21, 1842) has been mentioned in previous articles in this series in various contexts, including as the founder of Augusta’s Cony Female Academy and the man after whom Cony High School is named… by Mary Grow [2162 words]
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…
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…
CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Wabanaki stories & song program, in Clinton
CLINTON — A program themed, Wabanaki Stories and Song, will be presented by John Bear Mitchell, of the Penobscot Nation, on Saturday, March 18, at 1 p.m., at the Brown Memorial Library, at 53 Railroad St., in Clinton. His singing and storytelling can be heard on many Maine PBS stations. The phone number is 426-8686 for any questions…. and many other local events!
Obituaries
CONCORD, Massachusetts – William “Bill” Reckling Cotter, 87, died peacefully at his Concord home on his 87th birthday, Thursday, March 9, 2023. Bill was born on March 9, 1936, in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Fred J. and Esther (Reckling) Cotter, and lived with his older brother, Fred C., near a large extended family… and remembering 7 others.
Town Line Original Columnists
SCORES & OUTDOORS
by Roland D. Hallee | One of the educational things I do for myself every day is read the comics in the daily newspaper. It kind of sets the tone for the rest of the day for me. I have my favorites: Snoopy, Hi and Lois, Beetle Bailey, Garfield, etc. I even like to read Mark Trail just to see what kind of adventure he sets out on, and invariably, brings to a successful and happy ending…
REVIEW POTPOURRI
by Peter Cates | The 23rd former President Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901) was the grandson of the 9th former President William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) and great-grandson of Benjamin Harrison (1726-1791), one of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence…
LIFE ON THE PLAINS
by Roland D. Hallee | Even though The Plains was a self-sustaining community of its own, there were times when we had to go downtown to get some necessities. Now, that brings up a question because people called it differently. Some people would say “I’m going downtown,” while others would say, “I’m going uptown.” I never did find out why, but I guess everyone was talking about the same place…
FOR YOUR HEALTH
Kidney disease is often referred to as a “silent disease” because there are usually no symptoms during its early stages. In fact, as many as 90% of Americans who have chronic kidney disease (CKD) don’t know they have the disease until it is advanced…