Issue for September 2, 2021

Celebrating 33 years of local news

See the yellow shirts? Please stop and give a donation

This is a story of a group of people who saw a need in Kennebec County and are rising to the challenge to create their own solution. The local chapter of Young People In Recovery (YPR) have long felt a need for a community recovery center within the county. In Maine, not every county has a recovery community center and Kennebec County, despite being the seat of our state’s capitol, is one of those counties (CRLA)… by Jeanne Marquis [637 words]

Your Local News

Town receives two bids on Lakeview Drive lot

CHINA — China selectmen had two bids on the town’s Lakeview Drive property to review at their Aug. 30 meeting…

TIF committee spends lots of time on legal issue of remote meeting policy

CHINA — Members of China’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Committee spent much of their Aug. 23 meeting trying to understand the state-required policy on board and committee meetings that are not entirely in-person…

Demolition debris fees to be raised at transfer station

CHINA — A majority of China Transfer Station Committee members recommended at the Aug. 24 meeting that selectmen increase fees for disposal of demolition debris, and selectmen agreed at their Aug. 30 meeting…

Windsor selectmen set tax rate at 13.0 mil

WINDSOR — The board of selectmen, on August 17, opened the meeting by convening as the board of assessors, to listen to Vern Ziegler, who remotely presented the tax assessment for the 2021-22 fiscal year…

Sheepscot Lake Fish & Game Association: Nonprofit Spotlight

PALERMO — Back in the early 1940s, a group of young men in Palermo, who often fished and hunted in the area, talked about how they wanted to form a fish and game club, and build a clubhouse. But, Pearl Harbor was bombed and soon these men went off to war. When they returned, their families came first, but soon that clubhouse dream was back… by Martha Sullivan

Vassalboro Sestercentennial Scavenger Hunt
Item #20:

A dollar bill with “2021” located within the serial number.

Veterans Memorial to be dedicated on Saturday, September 11, 2021

WINDSOR — In 2017, the Windsor Board of Selectmen approved to start raising funds for a new Veterans Memorial Monument for the town of Windsor’s residents who have enlisted to join the Armed Forces…

Skowhegan legion to hold September events

SKOWHEGAN — Skowhegan American Legion Post #16, will hold two events during the month of September: Luck of Draw Auction on Sept. 11, and Stuff the Cruiser on Sept. 18 & 19…

Share the Road with Carol bicycle ride set for September 19

WINDSOR — The fifth annual Share the Road with Carol memorial bike ride will take place on Sunday, September 19. Share the Road with Carol is an all ages commemorative bike ride planned for Sunday, September 19, 2021, in Windsor and Whitefield. The ride, which has 12-mile and 27-mile options, starts and ends at the Windsor Town Office…

Mosaic workshop to be held on Sept. 13 for grieving children

WATERVILLE — Hope’s Place for grieving children, a program of Hospice Volunteers of Waterville Area, will be offering the art workshop: Create a Mosaic, geared towards children ages 6 to 18. This activity will give children the opportunity to express their feelings of grief and remember their loved one while creating a beautiful piece of art…

WHY WE OBSERVE: Labor Day celebrated in many nations in respect of the workforce

by Gary Kennedy — Labor Day is celebrated in many nations in respect of the labor initiative in these countries. Respect for the hard work and the gain a country receives because of it, has never gone unnoticed. There are several people and events that have garnished notoriety because of their place in societies, great events…

FISHY PHOTO: First fish a whopper!

CHINA — Lincoln, age 3, visiting China Lake in July, from Louisiana, caught his first fish with a little help from daddy. Domenic, age 3, was very interested in what his brother caught! The bass was 17 inches long and weighed between 2 -3 pounds…

PHOTO: Opening day of soccer season

WINSLOW — Winslow U13 travel soccer team member Bode Carlson during opening day on August 29, in Winslow. Winslow defeated Dirigo, 8-1. (photo by Kevin Giguere, Central Maine Photography staff)…

Please take our new Reader Survey!

Please take a few minutes to complete this survey, and help us produce a better product. Everyone who fills it out will be entered in a raffle to win a Hannaford’s gift card!

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Cony Flat Iron Building (new)

AUGUSTA HISTORY — One more former school in the central Kennebec Valley is on the National Register of Historic Places: the original Cony High School, in Augusta, often referred to as Old Cony High School, to avoid confusion with present-day Cony High School, or as Cony Flatiron, for its unusual shape… by Mary Grow [1860 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Schools – Part 1

CENTRAL ME HISTORY — There are four school buildings in the central Kennebec Valley that are on the National Register of Historic Places, two in Augusta and one each in Winslow and Waterville… by Mary Grow [2000 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Tiffany Hill Chapel

SIDNEY HISTORY — Remaining to be described is Tiffany Chapel, sometimes called Tiffany Hill Chapel, at 544 Tiffany Road, in Sidney. It was built as a Methodist church in 1881 and added to the National Register on Oct. 4, 2018… by Mary Grow [1868 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Samuel F. Smith – Composer of America

CENTRAL ME HISTORY — Samuel Francis Smith (Oct. 21, 1808 – Nov. 16, 1895) is best known as the man who in 1831 wrote America, also called My Country ‘Tis of Thee. The song was one of the United States’ unofficial national anthems, especially popular during the Civil War as “a rallying hymn for the north”… by Mary Grow [1850 words]

Webber’s Pond

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

Give Us Your Best Shot!

The best recent photos from our readers!

Lake Association Annual Meetings 2021

CENTRAL ME — Listing of local area Lake Association meetings. (To include your town in this listing, please email us at townline@townline.org)…

Obituaries

CHINA – Rebecca “Becky” Theriault, 64 of China, passed away on Friday, August 20, 2021, at the Andros­coggin Hospice House, following a brief illness. Rebecca was born in Augusta on May 17, 1957, to Ralph and Pauline Marceau… and remembering 10 others.

Common Ground: Win a $10 gift certificate!

DEADLINE: Friday, September 10, 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: Ben Pinette, Sidney.

Town Line Original Columnists

Roland D. HalleeSCORES & OUTDOORS

by Roland D. Hallee | Here is something quite interesting. At least I think so. Last Sunday, while I was talking with a neighbor, we were standing near one of my wife’s hummingbird feeders. She uses a mixture of sugar and water to lure, and watch, the hummingbirds. Well, as sometimes happens, bees take over the feeder…

CRITTER CHATTER

by Jayne Winters | This month’s column about the Wildlife Care Center in Vassalboro was going to be about fox releases, but before we got too far into the conversation, caretaker Don Cote mentioned he had three bobcat kittens on site. I “pounced” on the idea of writing about the bobcats, so we’ll address critter releases later…

Peter CatesREVIEW POTPOURRI

by Peter Cates | A ten-inch acoustically recorded shellac, Columbia A2179, featured singer and banjo player Harry C. Browne (1878-1954) performing Balm of Gilead , while side two contained another banjoist Fred Van Epps (1878-1960) playing Southern Medley, comprised of such quaint tunes as Old Folks at Home, Jordan Is a Hard Road to Travel, Kentucky Home, Clime Up Chillern and Carve that Possum

I’M JUST CURIOUS

by Debbie Walker | I found this information on Facebook, and I have no idea who originally wrote it, but I applaud them. The title is 40 Old-Fashioned Skills That Kids Need to Know Today! I was pleased when I realized Kathy and I taught some of these to our little first graders. They are not in any particular order, but I wish I had seen this when I was raising my daughter. A check list for parents to go by would have been helpful…

Marilyn Rogers-Bull & PercySOLON & BEYOND

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy | This is also recent news: On Saturday, August 28, Lief and I attended the annual club picnic at the North Anson Pines Field. Some of the ones that attended were from both clubs: Kennebec Valley Model Aviators, from Sidney, and Franklin County Aircraft Modelers, who sponsored the picnic and fly in at their field…

FOR YOUR HEALTH

(NAPSI) | Whatever happens with the new phase of the pandemic, and the glimmers of normalcy that bring joy and hope to many, the light at the end of the tunnel is difficult to see for many. This is particularly true of the loved ones of the nearly 4,000 U.S. healthcare workers who have died from COVID-related illness…