Issue for March 31, 2022

Celebrating 34 years of local news

Somerville dream of owning high speed fiber-optic broadband internet network coming true

The Town of Somerville will receive grant funding from the US National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA), an arm of the federal Department of Commerce, along with additional funding and support from the state’s ConnectMaine authority, to construct a municipally-owned broadband internet system able to connect to every home and business in town… Submitted by Samantha Peaslee

Albion voters pass most of 57 articles: Reject marijuana licensing ordinance

On Saturday, March 19, in the Albion Fire and Rescue Building, the town government held its annual town meeting. There were 76 voting residents attending the meeting. Fifty-Seven Articles were decided. At the front of the meeting were the Selectmen; Brent Brockway, Board of Selectmen Chairman; Michael Gardner, 3-year term, and recently appointed Scott Cyrway, 2-year term. The moderator, Richard Thompson, called the meeting to order at ten o’clock… by Steve Ball

Your Local News

Albion, Palermo, Windsor, China talk merger

CENTRAL ME — By 2024, central Maine might have a new town named Alpawich, combining the present towns of Albion, Palermo, Windsor and China. The new town would have an area of 179.41 square miles, Maine’s largest town by far. Its population will be less than Augusta’s or Waterville’s, however. The impetus for combining the four towns came from Palermo, as a proposal to merge with China to form a town to be named Chipal. Palermo officials had two motives… by Mary Grow

CORRECTED: Residents approve 33 articles at town meeting

PALERMO — The following is a summary of the Windsor town meeting, which was held last Saturday, March 12. We had a great town meeting on Saturday, thanks to all our residents and guests who attended. Moderator Dick Thompson presided over three hours of respectful questions and insightful dialogue… submitted by Will Armstrong

School board begins budget review

VASSALBORO — Vassalboro School Board members began reviewing sections of the 2022-23 school budget at their March 22 meeting, hearing proposals for funding technology, health, ELL (English Language Learners’ programs), certification and maintenance…

KWD asks planners for changes to treatment plant

VASSALBORO — The Kennebec Water District (KWD) is asking the Vassalboro Planning Board’s approval to make changes at its water treatment plant at 462 Main Street (Route 32), a little north of East Vassalboro Village. Planning board members will hear the application at their Tuesday, April 5, meeting, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the town office meeting room…

Budget committee, town manager review non-final budget

CHINA — China Budget Committee members and Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood spent two hours March 24 reviewing a non-final draft of the 2022-23 municipal budget…

Planners shift gears on ordinance amendments

CHINA — China Planning Board members have abandoned their plan to have three ordinance amendments presented to voters at the June 14 town business meeting…

Select board continues town meeting preparations

CHINA — China Select Board members continued town meeting preparations at their March 28 meeting, discussing at length three topics: asking voters to approve a moratorium on commercial solar development; the proposed 2022-23 municipal budget, with a focus on town employees’ pay; and 2022-23 expenditures of federal ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds, which need voter approval…

Name that film!

Identify the film in which this line originated and qualify to win FREE passes to Railroad Square Cinema in Waterville: “What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate.” Email us at townline@townline.org with subject “Name that film!” Deadline for submission is April 8, 2022…

LETTERS: Energy bill could have dire consequences

from Carl Bucciantini – With utility rates skyrocketing, many Mainers are struggling to keep the heat and lights on. Unfortunately, LD 318, “An Act to Provide More Options to Maine Electric Service Customers and Support Maine’s Climate Goals,” passed through the Maine Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee and will be voted on this week…

LETTERS: Thanks to supporters

from John M. Glowa, Sr. (China) – I’m writing to thank The Town Line and area residents, especially those in China, Windsor, Palermo, and Winslow where I focused my signature gathering efforts for my recent gubernatorial campaign. I especially thank folks who graciously signed my petition and those who invited me into their homes to chat…

LETTERS: Who needs broadband? What can you do?

by Amy Davidoff (Vassalboro) – Who needs broadband? We all do. Do we all have it? Undoubtedly not, but we don’t know and need to find out. A town broadband committee can encourage speed testing and get us the information we need…

King Foundation grants extrication equipment to FD

NORRIDGEWOCK The Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation awarded $40,000 to the Norridgewock Fire Department for the purchase of vehicle extrication equipment. The four pieces of equipment – spreader, cutter, ram, and stabilization struts will support a more efficient process of freeing patients from life-threatening conditions, most usually as the result of a motor vehicle accident…

Hanson, Blaney big winners at Battle of Maine

WATERVILLE The 40th Battle of Maine Martial Arts Championships took place at Champions Fitness Club, in Waterville, on Saturday March 26, and helped support the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals here in Central and Northern Maine… by Mark Huard

Welch receives MPA principal’s award at Carrabec H.S.

NORTH ANSON Brooke Welch, daughter of Dereck and Aaron Welch of North Anson, a senior at Carrabec High School, has been selected to receive the 2022 Principal’s Award, according to Prin­cipal Timothy Richards…

BBBS to hold plane pull fundraiser

WATERVILLE Local businesses and organizations are lining up to see who can pull a CRJ-200 Jet Aircraft 20 feet in the fastest time, all to raise critical funding for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine youth mentoring programs…

Maine K-12 students invited to submit short films

WATERVILLE The 44th annual Maine Student Film + Video Festival (MSFVF) is currently accepting submissions until June 15. All Maine students grades K-12 are eligible to enter for free. Films will be judged by category: Narrative, Documentary, and Creative (animated, experimental, etc.), and by age group: Grades K-5; Grades 6-8; Grades 9-12…

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Wars – Part 13 (new)

MAINE HISTORY — Henry Kingsbury lists four men who served in “the late war” in the personal paragraphs in his chapter on Benton in the 1892 Kennebec County history. Stephen H. Abbott enlisted from Winslow and served six months with the 19th Maine; he moved to Benton in 1872 and served as postmaster from 1890 and for three years as a selectman… by Mary Grow [1983 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Wars – Part 12

MAINE HISTORY — The United States Civil War, which began when the Confederates shelled Fort Sumter, South Carolina, on April 12, 1861, and ended with General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox, Virginia, on April 9, 1865, had the most impact on Maine, including the central Kennebec Valley, of any 17th or 18th century war… by Mary Grow [2191 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Wars – Part 11

MAINE HISTORY — Many historians don’t take the Aroostook War seriously. Several sources call it the Pork and Beans War; Wikipedia says the nickname is based on either the local lumbermen’s or the British soldiers’ staple food. Some of the local histories cited earlier in this series don’t even mention the war… by Mary Grow [1958 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Wars – Part 10

MAINE HISTORY — According to an on-line genealogy, Thaddeus Bailey (Nov. 28, 1759 – March 4, 1849) was born in Newbury, Massachusetts, served in the Revolutionary War from Lincoln County, lived in Palermo for some years and served in the War of 1812 while living in Albion… by Mary Grow [1819 words]

Town Meetings Schedule for 2022

A list of local town meetings for Albion, China, Fairfield, Palermo, Sidney, Solon, Vassalboro and Windsor…

Webber’s Pond

Webber’s Pond is a comic drawn by an anonymous central Maine resident (click thumbnail to enlarge)…

CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Stamp club to hold show

WINSLOW — The MUDPEX 2022 spring show is scheduled for Saturday, April 9, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., at the MacCrillis-Rousseau VFW Post #8835, on Veterans Drive, in Winslow. For more information, contact the Waterville Stamp Club at cantdog1@gmail.com… and many other local events!

Obituaries

VASSALBORO – Keith Norman Peaslee, 86, of Vassalboro, passed away on Monday, March 14, 2022. Keith was born, in Windsor, on May 18, 1935, to George and Gwendolyn Peaslee… and remembering 7 others.

Common Ground: Win a $10 gift certificate!

DEADLINE: Friday, April 12, 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: Diane Gardner, Windsor

Town Line Original Columnists

Roland D. HalleeSCORES & OUTDOORS

by Roland D. Hallee | Recently, a regular contributor to The Town Line, Gary Kennedy, of Chelsea, and his wife Julie witnessed a battle between an osprey and a bald eagle, probably over territorial rites – or food. I could relate to the story as my wife and I witnessed the same a few years ago while fishing on Webber Pond…

Peter CatesREVIEW POTPOURRI

by Peter Cates | Back during the last century old days of my adolescent youth, I was quite enamored by the Mercury dollar cut out LPs of the Chad Mitchell Trio that I bought at downtown Waterville Center’s Department Store. The group’s brand of folk music making thrilled me…

I’M JUST CURIOUS

by Debbie Walker | Are you planning a downsizing or just want to clean up a little like maybe spring cleaning? Did you put away all your Christmas decorations? Come now, haven’t you found one or two things you forgot? In the Woman’s World magazine dated March March 28, 2022, there is an article Surprising Down Sizing Tricks. I am sharing some of it in this column…

FOR YOUR HEALTH

(NAPSI)—Running was Rob Smith’s passion. He ran every day, ate healthy foods, and had good sleep habits. Because of his healthy lifestyle, Smith believed that it was very unlikely COVID-19 would have a serious effect on his health. In September 2020, at the age of 22, Smith contracted the virus, and his life changed forever…