Issue for November 3, 2022

Celebrating 34 years of local news

Communities come to the aid of a neighbor

Kim Emerson is on a long journey through cancers, kidney failure, organ transplants and long recuperations. The 39-year-old Washington wife of Travis and mother of Kandace is now in line for a second kidney transplant. Kim is exceptional. As a teenager, she had eighteen months of chemotherapy to treat a tumor on her rib. She made it into recovery and went on with her life… by Charlotte Henderson

Town News

Town seeks ideas for use of ARPA funds

VASSALBORO – At their Oct. 27 meeting, Vassalboro select board members planned for a December discussion of ways to use federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds…

Solar facilities moratorium extended by 180-days

WINDSOR – The October 11 Windsor Select Board meeting opened with a short public hearing concerning a 180-day extension of the Utility Scale Solar Facilities Moratorium Ordinance…

Planners postpone action on solventless hash lab

CHINA – At their Oct. 25 meeting, China planning board members postponed action on Bryan Mason’s application, and scheduled a public hearing when they return to it on Nov. 22. They approved Angela Glidden’s application…

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…

Elections

Local candidates present their respective position on issues

CENTRAL ME – The Town Line asked local candidates how they would confront the biggest challenges facing Maine. Here is their responses, in their own words…

Six referendum questions on ballot deal with ARPA funds

CHINA – At the polls on Nov. 8, China voters will express their opinions on state elections, including choice of town representatives to the state legislature; local elections for select board, planning board, budget committee and Regional School Unit #18 director; and eight local referendum questions…

Voters to decide local and state elections

CHINA – China voters have local elections on Nov. 8, as well as the state elections. There are several contests for state offices; on the local ballot, there are more vacancies (which can be filled by writing in a name) than contests…

Letters & Opinions

LETTERS: Smith has strong commitment

from Michael Smith (Palermo) Thank you for including my letter in support of my wife, Katrina Smith, for State Representative for District #62. While this is not an unbiased letter I think you should know the level of commitment she has to the people of Maine from a personal perspective…

LETTERS: Smith will stand for us

from Wendy Lee MacDowell – It is unusual to find a political candidate with the courage and conviction to stand up in public for the Bill of Rights and our Constitution…

Local happenings

Scouts enjoy Halloween at Camp Bomazeen

BELGRADE – The public is advised that ghouls and skeletons were spotted skulking through the woods of Belgrade on Saturday, October 1. The public is further warned that aliens and Imperial Storm Troopers were also spotted in the vicinity of Great Pond at that same time. Reports have also come in of princesses, cartoon characters and dinosaurs at the same location… by Chuck Mahaleris

PHOTO: Thomas College sports center named for Sukeforths

WATERVILLE – Recently, Thomas College dedicated its new sports center to the Sukeforth family…

PHOTO: Local radio personalities get up close at concert

AUGUSTA – Randy McCoy and Rebecca Pushard, of the radio morning show “McCoy & Co.” True Country 93.5, had a back stage visit with headliner Trace Adkins, at a concert on Saturday, October 8, at the Augusta Civic Center…

Maine students among the most likely to drive the country’s tech future, reveals data

CENTRAL ME – CodeWizardsHQ, a provider of coding classes for kids and teens, has carried out a comprehensive study and identified the most and least progressive states when it comes to access and enrollment to computer science courses…

Madison Legion Auxiliary collects school supplies

MADISON – Over the years, the Madison American Legion Auxiliary, Unit #39 has supported community programs such as Children and Youth. In recent years the organization has sponsored a school supplies collection box which included backpacks, pens, pencils, markers, notebooks, binders, crayons, colored pencils, water bottles etc…

Whitefield Lions announce poster contest winners

WHITEFIELD – For over three decades, Lions clubs around the globe have been sponsoring a very special art contest in schools and youth groups. Creating peace posters gives children everywhere the chance to express their visions of peace and inspire the world through art and creativity. The Whitefield Lions Club has announced this year’s winners of their annual Peace Poster Contest…

Scouts fill kayak for Feed-A-Neighbor program

AUGUSTA – Scouts from Augusta Cub Scout Pack 603 took part in their annual “Scouting for Food” Drive with a twist. This year they sought to collect enough canned and other non-perishable foods for the Feed-A-Neighbor program. Shaw’s Supermarket, in Augusta, hosted the event on Saturday, October 15, and shoppers were eager to generously help those in need during these difficult times… by Chuck Mahaleris

Lovejoy Health Center welcomes Ashley Rancourt

ALBION – This October, staff at Lovejoy Health Center, in Albion, are pleased to welcome Ashley Rancourt, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. Ashley has experience in both inpatient and outpatient counseling environments…

Lauren Emery joins Madison Area Health Center

MADISON – This October, staff at Madison Area Health Center are pleased to welcome Lauren Emery, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. Lauren has experience in both inpatient and outpatient counseling…

HealthReach welcomes Nancy Johnson

ALBION – This September, staff at HealthReach Community Health Centers welcomed Nancy Johnson, Connector. The two practices Nancy joins include Belgrade Regional Health Center, and Lovejoy Health Center, in Albion…

EVENTS: Veterans Day: Change in parade route

WATERVILLE – Due to the construction on Main St., in downtown Waterville, the Veterans Day parade route and ceremony location have been changed. The lineup will begin at 10 a.m., Friday, November 11, at The Elm, on College Ave. The parade will proceed down Elm Street and the ceremony will be at Veterans’ Park, located on Elm Street, across from the Waterville Public Library…

Veterans day discounts

WATERVILLE/WINSLOW – Aroma Joe’s, located on Kennedy Memorial Drive, in Waterville, and Bay Street, in Winslow, will be offering a FREE 24 oz. drink for all Veterans on November 11. Also, on Veterans Day, November 11, Hannaford Supermarkets will be offering 10 percent off all purchases, excluding alcohol, tobacco and pharmacy purchases, that day for all veterans, active duty or family member…

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Augusta fires & fire departments – Part 2 (new)

AUGUSTA HISTORY – Another fire Augusta historian James North described was the one that destroyed Augusta’s bridge across the Kennebec River the night of April 2, 1827. It was spotted a little after 11 p.m. and spread so fast that the “citizens [who] rushed to the scene of conflagration with fire engine and buckets” could do nothing… by Mary Grow [1881 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Augusta fires & fire departments – Part 1

AUGUSTA HISTORY – James North’s year by year history of Augusta, published in 1870, records several fires before the 1865 disaster. The first he knew of was in 1785 (when Augusta was still the northern part of Hallowell): “Elias Craig’s Hatter’s shop” burned on Dec. 1… by Mary Grow [1736 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Waterville historic district – Part 8

WATERVILLE HISTORY – This concluding article on prominent Waterville residents features William Thomas Haines, mentioned briefly in several August and September articles and last week; Frank Redington, mentioned almost weekly; and a minister, none other than Rev. Edwin Carey Whittemore, chief editor of the 1902 Waterville centennial history. All were born in the 1850s and lived into the 20th century… by Mary Grow [1564 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Waterville historic district – Part 7

WATERVILLE HISTORY – The subseries on 19th-century Waterville businessmen continues in this article, beginning with Aaron Plaisted, born in 1831, and his family, and ending with Luther Soper, born in 1852. For variety, your writer added a medical professional (who was also a businessman)… by Mary Grow [1609 words]

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 Railroad Square Cinema in Waterville: “There’s no crying in baseball.” Email us at townline@townline.org with subject “Name that film!” Deadline for submission is November 3, 2022…

CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Toys for Tots fundraising train ride

CHINA — The Golden Ages, the senior citizens group in China, founded and supported by the town of China, is planning a trip on the Belfast & Moosehead Railroad for the Toys for Tots train ride on Saturday, November 5… and many other local events!

Obituaries

SIDNEY – Raymond A. Senechal, 87, passed away Monday, October 24, 2022, at MaineGeneral Medical Center, in Augusta. He was born in Saint Jean Port Joli, Québec, Canada, on July 31, 1935, a son of Francois and Florida (Caron) Senechal… and remembering 5 others.

Common Ground: Win a $10 gift certificate!

DEADLINE: Wednesday, November 9, 2022

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: Donald Eldridge, China

Town Line Original Columnists

Roland D. HalleeSCORES & OUTDOORS

by Roland D. Hallee | The question has been asked: Was this past October the warmest on record? To come to any conclusion, I did much research and came up with the same answer everywhere I went looking. October 2022 was the warmest October on record…

CRITTER CHATTER

by Jayne Winters | While visiting Don at the Wildlife Center the other day, awaiting the arrival of a family of six baby opossums whose mother had likely been the victim of a car accident, we got to talking about one of the whitetail bucks that is a permanent resident at Duck Pond. I’d only seen him from a distance and was curious about his antler. Yes, you read that correctly. One. Antler…

Peter CatesREVIEW POTPOURRI

by Peter Cates | The 14th President Franklin Pierce came from New Hampshire, was born with a silver spoon in his mouth having a father who was a big wig in state politics, started practicing law at 22, won a seat in the State House at 24, and became its Speaker of the House at 26…

SMALL SPACE GARDENING

by Melinda Myers | As you transition your gardens from fall to winter, you may be contemplating a bit of garden clean up. Before reaching for the pruners and rakes, consider all the benefits and beauty of leaving healthy perennials stand for winter…

FOR YOUR HEALTH

(NAPSI) | Chest pains. Ventilators. Collapsed lungs. Life support. Young people are warning each other about the dangerous and painful effects of vaping by doing what they do best – sharing their personal stories on TikTok. One 23-year-old TikToker went viral in July 2022 after posting a video about her painful experience from lung surgery after her lung collapsed…

LIFE ON THE PLAINS

by Roland D. Hallee | This week we are going to take a hiatus from the pictorial walk down Water St., on The Plains, and look at some other things we did growing up in the 1950s and ‘60s…