Issue for September 29, 2022

Celebrating 34 years of local news

Vassalboro community supper returns to the grange

For many years grangers in Vassalboro celebrated fall’s bounty with a harvest supper featuring food items such as a pig roast, international foods, homemade bread, and seasonal pies. Since the start of 2020 in-person programming has been limited and in some cases, completely ceased. This October the East Vassalboro grange once again opens its doors and will host a Fall harvest supper with help from a local chef. The menu will use all locally sourced ingredients, from wheat and apples to dairy, vegetables and meat all grown or raised on nearby farms… by Gillian Lalime

Your Local News

Select board adopts temporary amnesty on all unpermitted property changes

CHINA – At their Sept. 26 meeting, China select board members unanimously adopted a temporary amnesty program for residents, permanent and seasonal, who made changes on their property without getting a required permit…

School board members receive favorable reports on school opening

VASSALBORO – Vassalboro school board members got positive reports on the opening of school and the financial situation at their Sept. 20 meeting…

City of Waterville awarded Brownfield Assessment grant

WATERVILLE – The city of Waterville is pleased to announce its successful application to the EPA’s Brownfields grant program, a federal initiative that provides direct funding for brownfields assessment, supports future cleanup activities, technical assistance, and research…

EVENTS: Race in to give blood or platelets this fall

CENTRAL ME – Now that fall is upon us, the American Red Cross is asking the public to start the season off with a lifesaving blood or platelet donation. While the leaves turn, the need for blood never changes…

EVENTS: Blessing of the Animals events scheduled

CENTRAL ME – In celebration of the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, known for his love of all of God’s creatures, over 20 churches around Maine will hold Blessing of the Animals prayer services…

EVENTS: 2nd Annual Veteran Christmas Stockings

VASSALBORO – Members of Vassalboro American Legion Post #126 plan to donate 200 Christmas stockings to veterans at Togus, in Augusta. Sew for a Cause made and donated 200 Christmas stockings for this project…

EVENTS: AYCC to host Cornhole Cornucopia benefitting the Unified Champions Club

WATERVILLE – Alfond Youth & Community Center will host a fundraiser for The Unified Champions Club on Friday, October 14, at Purnell-Wrigley Field, in Waterville. Unified Champions Club serves adults with disabilities by providing them with sporting and recreational activities, events, and clubs in a fully inclusive community-based format. This will be Unified’s third-annual cornhole tournament fundraiser…

EVENTS: Harvest season at the Ecology Center in Unity

UNITY – Grounded in Maine’s landscapes, we oriented our first 4-year cohort with trips across the state. Engaged in learning, we involve students in preparing and serving all meals. Focused on interdisciplinary learning, we tackle the complicated reality of our food system from all angles…

Name that film!

Identify the film in which this famous line originated and qualify to win FREE passes to Railroad Square Cinema in Waterville: “My momma always said life was like a box of chocolates.” Email us at townline@townline.org with subject “Name that film!” Deadline for submission is October 6, 2022…

Central Maine scouts attend camporee in Cobscook/Moosehorn

CENTRAL ME – Scouts from all over Maine – with the largest contingent from Kennebec Valley District – garbed as brave knights, powerful wizards, elven maidens and stealthy rogues descended upon Cobscook Bay State Park, in Edmunds, for the 60th anniversary Cobscook/Moosehorn International Camporee on the weekend of September 16-18… by Chuck Mahaleris

Connor Files earns Eagle Scout rank

SKOWHEGAN – Skowhegan has one new Eagle Scout after Connor Files received Scouting’s highest rank during a ceremony at the Skowhegan Federated Church, on Sunday, September 25… by Chuck Mahaleris

Monument Trail at Thurston Park improved by Eagle service project

CHINA – Samuel Boynton, from Boy Scout Troop #479, recently completed his Eagle Service Project. The goal was to recover a poorly kept trail in Thurston Park, in China. Thurston Park is nearly 400 acres of forest with streams and waterfalls, diverse wildlife, and cultural and historical landmarks with 5.2 miles of trails in the northeast corner of the town of China… by Chuck Mahaleris

Slasons observe 66th anniversary

SOMERVILLE – Frank D. and Diane E. Slason, of Somerville, recently celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary. A small celebration was held at the Heritage Rehab & Nursing Center, in Winthrop, where Mrs. Slason is a resident…

Empower your financial future with a Credit Union

WATERVILLE – On October 20, 2022, New Dimensions FCU will join over 56,000 credit unions worldwide to celebrate International Credit Union (ICU) Day®. The theme of ICU Day 2022 is “Empower Your Financial Future with a Credit Union”…

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

CENTRAL MAINE – 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…

PHOTO: U14 Winslow girls travel soccer

WINSLOW – The 2022 U14 Winslow girls soccer team photo, by Central Maine Photography…

PHOTO: Waterville rookie 1-2 team

WATERVILLE – The 2022 Waterville Youth football rookie 1-2 team photo, by Central Maine Photography…

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Waterville historic district – Part 5 (new)

WATERVILLE HISTORY – Returning to the 2016 enlargement of Waterville’s Main Street Historic District, the final two buildings included are the four-story Cyr Building/Professional Building, on the northeast corner of Main and Appleton streets at 177-179 Main Street; and the Elks Club, on the north side of Appleton Street… by Mary Grow [1727 words]

The story behind the creation of M*A*S*H

MAINE HISTORY – The show was based on the movie of the same name, which came out in 1970; and the movie was based on the novel MASH, written by Richard Hooker and published in 1968 by William Morrow & Company… by Mary Grow

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Waterville historic district – Part 4

WATERVILLE HISTORY — This article continues the description of Waterville’s Main Street Historic District, going northward on the west side of Main Street between Silver and Temple streets, and adds most of the buildings in the 2016 expansion of the district… by Mary Grow [1826 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Waterville historic district – Part 3

WATERVILLE HISTORY — After two weeks’ digressions, your writer returns to Waterville history, beginning with the C. F. Hathaway Shirt Company, described in Roger Reed and Christie Mitchell’s Lockwood Mill Historic District application as “an internationally known firm that originated in Waterville.” The application adds that Mill Number 2 “is the only intact industrial facility in Waterville associated with the important shirt maker”… by Mary Grow [1674 words]

CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Senior Day in China

CHINA — Senior Day is held every Wednesday, from 10 a.m. – noon, in the portable building at the China Town Office… and many other local events!

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…

Obituaries

WINSLOW – Leonard Douglas Poulin, Sr., 81, passed away in his workshop on Wednesday, September 14, 2022. Leonard was born on December 15, 1940, and lived in Winslow his entire life… and remembering 9 others.

Common Ground: Win a $10 gift certificate!

DEADLINE: Wednesday, October 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 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: Jackie Leach, Whitefield

Town Line Original Columnists

Roland D. HalleeSCORES & OUTDOORS

by Roland D. Hallee | Last Thursday night my wife woke me from a sound sleep to listen to something outside our camp. Well, being somewhat groggy, I didn’t hear anything, and went back to sleep. It wasn’t long afterwards that she woke me again…

SMALL SPACE GARDENING

by Melinda Myers | Don’t toss those imperfect lettuce leaves, onion tops and strawberry tops into the trash. Instead, convert them into compost right in the garden…

CRITTER CHATTER

by Jayne Winters | I stopped in to see Don at the Duck Pond Wildlife Rehab Center recently and was surprised to find only one critter in the house: a young gray squirrel which likely had been injured by a cat. It was able to move and use its front paws for eating from the food dish, so Don doesn’t think there’s been a spinal injury, but he’ll keep it for a day or two for observation and assessment before transfer to a rehabber in Bowdoin, who has more volunteers to help with wildlife care…

FOR YOUR HEALTH

(NAPSI) | As you get older, your body can become more susceptible to chronic diseases, so it can be helpful to eat a healthy diet filled with essential nutrients. If you’re looking for an easy yet impactful way to be proactive in your health journey, try introducing seafood into your diet…

Peter CatesREVIEW POTPOURRI

by Peter Cates | Not too long before his death in 1962, Boston Globe music critic Cyrus W. Durgin wrote the fascinating liner notes on the RCA Victor LP recording session for the Schumann Spring Symphony and Manfred Overture featuring Charles Munch(1891-1968) conducting the Boston Symphony…

I’M JUST CURIOUS

by Debbie Walker | It’s hard for me to wrap my head around the idea of fall. To me, since I am back in Florida, I am still in summer weather. When I got my e-mailed newsletter from Farmer’s Almanac last week, it was about birds. It told about what we could do to help them in the cooler months…

LIFE ON THE PLAINS

by Roland D. Hallee | This week we continue our trip down the west side of Water St., and buildings that are no longer there…