Week of February 11, 2021

Celebrating 32 years of local news

Augusta educator named Maine Catholic schools teacher of the year

“In January of 2019, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer for the second time. This would require a major surgery and brutal treatments which would last at least two years,” said Kevin Cullen, principal of St. Michael School, in Augusta. “Someone needed to step up, and for us at St. Michael School, it was Jennifer Hoffman…”

Your Local News

Selectmen approve firefighters Cost Recovery contract plan

VASSALBORO — Vassalboro Fire Chief Walker Thompson and semi-retired lieutenant / board of directors vice-president Michael Vashon joined town selectmen at their Feb. 4 virtual meeting to discuss a proposal to contract with Cost Recovery, a firm that seeks compensation for firefighters’ expenses from insurance companies…

TIF committee has more financial recommendations to complete

CHINA — As their Jan. 27 meeting ended, China’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Committee members scheduled another one for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3, because they still have financial recommendations to complete…

Rep. Nadeau appointed to DIF&W committee

WINSLOW — Representative Cathy Nadeau has been appointed to the Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, where she has already started briefings with department heads…

Congratulations to local sports teams

CENTRAL ME — Good luck to local central Maine sports teams…

Disc golf fundraising tourney set for Feb. 27

SIDNEY — Get your family and friends involved in some winter fun, that will help raise money for an important cause. A disc golf fundraising tournament will be held on Saturday, February 27, 2021, to benefit Chiari Malformation…

Listing of local town meetings

CENTRAL ME — Listing of local town meetings in central Maine. To have your town listed, please email us at townline@townline.org…

Area students give to those in need

AUGUSTA — Part of the mission of Maine Catholic schools is to accentuate the importance of service with the hope of building a lifelong commitment and appreciation in each student to give back to those in need…

Conservation district offers backyard composting equipment

ROCKPORT — Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD), in cooperation with Maine Resource and Recovery Association, is again offering local residents the opportunity to improve soil and conserve water right in their own backyards at deep discount prices…

Valentine’s Day is a day of caring for people we care about in all the ways of love

by Gary Kennedy — Valentine’s Day or St. Valentine’s Day is referenced as the feast of St. Valentine and is celebrated on February 14. This is a day set aside for the acknowledgement of love and affection. But it wasn’t always that way…

Drive thru sock hop in Madison

MADISON — Madison American Legion Auxiliary is sponsoring a Drive Thru Sock Hop, at Madison American Legion at the back entrance facing Reny’s, on Saturday, February 27, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m…

China Middle School honor roll

CHINA — List of honor roll students at China Middle School…

Sheepscot Lake association launches new website

PALERMO — The Sheepscot Lake Association (SLA) has recently launched a new website to update members and the community of the SLA’s programs and activities, as well as general information about the lake and the association…

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Historic listings, Augusta Part 6 (New)

AUGUSTA HISTORY — Last week’s exploration of Augusta’s Water Street Historic District talked about the designated historic buildings on the northern half of the east (river) side of the street. This article will continue south along the river… by Mary Grow [1635 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Historic listings, Augusta Part 5

AUGUSTA HISTORY — The City of Augusta’s list of designated historic places includes four districts. The Water Street district, supplemented by recognition of individual buildings, covers a good part of the main business street that parallels the Kennebec River on the west bank… by Mary Grow [1580 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Historic listings – Winslow

AUGUSTA HISTORY — The final place along the central Kennebec River that is listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and as a National Historic Landmark is Fort Halifax, in Winslow. It was built in 1754, the same year as Fort Western, in Augusta, and for the same purpose, to protect British interests against Natives and against the French in Canada… by Mary Grow [1811 words]

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Historic listings – Part 3

AUGUSTA HISTORY — The previous articles in this series on historic places talked about some early Augusta sites and buildings. Two more…are on both the National Register of Historic Places and the list of National Historic Landmarks. They are the Kennebec Arsenal on the east bank of the Kennebec and the Blaine House on the west bank, beside the state capitol building… by Mary Grow [1600 words]

Give Us Your Best Shot!

The best recent photos from our readers…

Webber’s Pond

Webber’s Pond is a comic drawn by an anonymous central Maine resident…

Obituaries

CHINA – Irma Wilcox Jones Simon, 92, passed away from natural causes on Saturday, January 30, 2021, at the Oak Grove Center, in Waterville… and remembering 9 others.

2020-’21 Real Estate Tax Due Dates

Real Estate tax due dates for the following towns: CHINA, VASSALBORO, WATERVILLE and WINDSOR…

Common Ground: Win a $10 gift certificate!

DEADLINE: Friday, March 5, 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: Donald Eldridge, South China.

Town Line Original Columnists

Roland D. HalleeSCORES & OUTDOORS

by Roland D. Hallee | Well, it looks like the brown-tail moth caterpillar is back in the news in 2021 with news that they are abundant in the central Maine area, including Waterville, Vassalboro, China, Albion and Winslow, according to a Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry report. In all, 54 Maine communities were on the list…

POETRY CORNER

by Mary R. Freeman | Of course, I like to eat –
I have three meals square –
Then I usually take naps –
“Like a hibernating bear!”…

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

by Dan Beaulieu| How often do you ask yourself that question? How often to you ask you customers that question? Think about that as a different approach to your messaging and your advertising strategy. The true purpose of any business is to find a need and fill it. No less but often a lot more…

Peter CatesREVIEW POTPOURRI

by Peter Cates | In 1846, a slim volume, Poems by Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell, was published in Great Britain, sold two copies and generated three unsigned, but very positive reviews…

I’M JUST CURIOUS

by Debbie Walker | Well, I’ve been reading again. That, of course, means I have some tidbits to share with you tonight. These are all coming from the 2021 Farmer’s Almanac. I love those little books! They are loaded with ideas and information, not just the weather or gardening. So much more…

Marilyn Rogers-Bull & PercySOLON & BEYOND

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull | It brought back many memories of what was happening in Flagstaff and the Dead River area way back then! It is taken from a very old paper, probably almost 50 years ago; yellow with age and ripped in places…

FOR YOUR HEALTH

(NAPSI) | People are increasingly concerned about dirt and germs these pandemic days, but many are neglecting an unseen area where airborne contaminants can lurk: the air ducts…