Issue for May 6, 2021

Celebrating 33 years of local news

Vassalboro holds 250th anniversary commemoration and Civil War monument re-dedication

On a blustery Monday morning, April 26, around 50 people gathered in Vassalboro’s Monument Park to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the town’s founding and rededication of its Civil War memorial…

Your Local News

Employee manual updated to include better explanation of PTO

WINDSOR — At their March 30 meeting, Town Manager Theresa Haskell presented the board of selectmen a better explanation of Paid Time Off (PTO) and how it works. She also asked for the employee manual to be updated. The unanimously approved the update…

Broadband costs big unknown at this point

CHINA — After two more hours April 27 revising their explanatory document for China Community Broadband, China Broadband Committee (CBC) members presented it to the selectboard at a joint virtual meeting April 29…

Road committee discusses paving plans

CHINA — China Road Committee members, plus Town Manager Becky Hapgood and Selectman Wayne Chadwick, discussed 2021 paving plans at an April 23 meeting…

Planners postpone request for solar permit extension

CHINA — China Planning Board members postponed a request for a permit extension for SunRaise Investments’ planned Route 3 solar project to their May 11 meeting, before continuing their April 27 discussion of the proposed Solar Energy Systems Ordinance that will regulate such applications in the future…

Committee sets rules for field uses

CHINA — China Planning Board members postponed a request for a permit extension for SunRaise Investments’ planned Route 3 solar project to their May 11 meeting, before continuing their April 27 discussion of the proposed Solar Energy Systems Ordinance that will regulate such applications in the future…

No comments during marijuana ordinance hearing

VASSALBORO — A dozen residents attended the Vassalboro selectmen’s April 29 public hearing and board meeting, but not to talk about the proposed “Town of Vassalboro Marijuana Business Ordinance” that was the hearing topic…

EVENTS: St. Michael Walk-a-Thon rescheduled

AUGUSTA — Due to unforeseen circumstances, the annual St. Michael School and Travis Mills Walk-A-Thon, originally scheduled for May 5, will now be held on Wednesday, May 19. Pledges and donations will continue to be accepted through May 19…

EVENTS: Permaculture in the Park begins new season

UNITY — Plant Giveaway and Permaculture Bed Building will kick off the Permaculture in the Park series at the Ecology Learning Center CommUNITY programming in partnership with the Unity Barn Raisers. The initial session will be held on Sunday, May 16, at 11 a.m., at Triplet Park, Wood Lane, in Unity…

EVENTS: Branch Mills flea market opens May 15

CHINA — Plant Giveaway and Permaculture Bed Building will kick off the Permaculture in the Park series at the Ecology Learning Center CommUNITY programming in partnership with the Unity Barn Raisers. The initial session will be held on Sunday, May 16, at 11 a.m., at Triplet Park, Wood Lane, in Unity…

EVENTS: Bird migration walk set for May 15

UNITY — Enjoy a walk through the Unity wetlands along the raised esker at the Pine Preserve, in Unity, in conjunction with the Sebasticook Regional Land Trust, on Saturday, May 15, from 7 – 9:30 a.m…

Carrabec High School announces top 10 seniors

ANSON — Sarah Olson, Carrabec’s Valedictorian, is a student who is a role model in our school. With a grade point average of 101.18 she has completed four advanced placement classes, seven honors classes and five dual enrollment classes…

Vassalboro Sestercentennial Scavenger Hunt

Item #3: An item from the original Oak Grove-Coburn School..

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Granges – Part 5 (New)

MAINE HISTORY — In addition to the East Vassalboro Grange discussed last week, Vassalboro had two other Grange organizations. According to Henry Kingsbury’s Kennebec County history, the earliest of the three was Oak Grove Grange #167, organized in North Vassalboro on May 11, 1875… by Mary Grow [1567 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Granges – Part 4

MAINE HISTORY — Historical records show the Town of Vassalboro has had three separate Grange organizations, of which the newest, East Vassalboro, is still active in its 126th year… by Mary Grow and Bernie Welch [1371 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Granges – Part 3

MAINE HISTORY — Palermo had two Granges for which multiple records exist, and Milton Dowe found an earlier third one in his research for his 1954 History Town of Palermo. Dowe gives one paragraph to “Recreation Grange” – the quotation marks are his, and he did not add a number – in North Palermo, organized in 1875 and therefore among Maine’s first Granges… by Mary Grow [1969 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Granges – Part 2

MAINE HISTORY — The 1915 hall that serves Benton Grange No. 458 is one of 16 Maine Grange halls listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and one of two individually listed in Kennebec County. It was added to the register April 28, 2004… by Mary Grow [1640 words]

Mother’s Day observance in its 113th year

by Gary Kennedy — Sunday, May 9, is the day we set aside for the favorite lady in our life, Mother. There isn’t a lot of history regarding Mother’s Day but I will share what I know. Mother’s Day in the U.S.A. is held on the second Sunday in May. Internationally this holiday varies based upon lent and other variables…

LETTERS: Easy way to save for retirement

from Pat Pinto — It is a distressing fact that on average, working households in Maine have just $2,500 in retirement savings. This is due in part because many Maine workers have no way to save for retirement through their employer…

Webber’s Pond

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

Obituaries

WINSLOW – Bradley (Brad) Alton Soule, 39, of Winslow passed away unexpectedly on April 14, 2021. Brad was born in Waterville to David and Jody Soule, on July 5, 1981… and remembering 12 others.

Common Ground: Win a $10 gift certificate!

DEADLINE: Friday, May 7, 2021

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 | Like an idiot, I decided to stop into the office on my way to camp on Sunday. However, every chore has its rewards. On our way to camp afterwards, I noticed a small vernal pool in its customary spot on the Cross Hill Road, in Vassalboro, It’s always there, but it’s usually dried up during the summer. Vernal pools are a very important occurrence in our ecosystem. Let’s take a look at what actually happens there…

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

by Dan Beaulieu | The very best way to grow your business is to get other people talking about you in a good way. Your customers bragging about your products and services to their friends, neighbors and family is the very best way to gain new customers, without a doubt…

POETRY CORNER

by the late Milt Huntington (Augusta) | Jet planes streaking through the sky/Leave their contrails there to die./We who watch them from below/Can only wonder where they go….

MAINE MEMORIES

by Evangeline T. | Spring has sprung, and the weather is much milder. Keep your fingers crossed that snow season is finally behind us…there’s always something interesting going on outside when May flowers bloom. For this installment, here’s a true story about some old crows and how they’ve been paying me regular daily visits…

Peter CatesREVIEW POTPOURRI

by Peter Cates | Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943), Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) and Dimitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) are, for me, the three most outstanding 20th century composers to have emerged from Russia…

I’M JUST CURIOUS

by Debbie Walker | Yes, today let’s start with “Firsts”. First such as diets (shoot that guy), first electric car (it wasn’t recently), First bottled water, First 911 call, and First UFO sighting (my grandmother had her theories)…

Marilyn Rogers-Bull & PercySOLON & BEYOND

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull | I was very pleased to receive the Solon School newspaper for this week’s column, with a pretty picture of a flower and the words HAPPY SPRING; it made my day…

FOR YOUR HEALTH

(NAPSI) | Home health aides are professionals who can help with self-care, housework, cooking and more. They might also perform some basic medical tasks…