Issue for March 13, 2025
3rd annual Mothers-to-be Tea returns in Vassalboro
The 3rd Annual Mothers-to-Be Tea is set for Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 1-3 p.m., at the St. Bridget Center, in Vassalboro. This heartwarming event, hosted by the dedicated volunteers of Sew for a Cause, aims to provide a supportive and celebratory space for expectant mothers to relax, connect, and enjoy an afternoon of tea, treats, and community… by Eric W. Austin
Augusta native serves with Navy Helicopter Strike Force
Petty Officer 3rd Class Theodore Mahaleris, a native of Augusta, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 35…
Town News
Select board discusses upcoming work at Webber Pond dam
VASSALBORO – Vassalboro select board members’ March 6 meeting included updates on several ongoing issues and continued review of the proposed 2025-26 municipal budget, now in draft number four. A joint meeting between the select board and the budget committee is scheduled for Tuesday, March 18…
Getchell’s Corner folks object to planned solar farm
VASSALBORO – A dozen residents of the Getchell’s Corner area in western Vassalboro came to the March 4 Vassalboro Planning Board meeting, mostly to voice opposition to a planned solar farm in the area…
School board gets first look at 2025-26 budget
VASSALBORO – Vassalboro School Board members got their first look at sections of the proposed 2025-26 school budget request at a March 4 special meeting. Finance Director Paula Pooler, Transportation Director Ashley Pooler, Technology Director Will Backman and Superintendent Alan Pfeiffer explained parts of the draft…
China select board tightens social service funding, advances budget to committee
CHINA – At their March 10 meeting, China select board members put their draft 2025-26 municipal budget in near-enough final form to forward to the town budget committee. Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood hoped to be able to schedule a budget committee meeting the week of March 17…
Repair work taking place at Lithgow Library
AUGUSTA — Please note that starting March 11, there will be ongoing repair work taking place in the library’s historic wing. The first phase of work will start with the Reading Room, which will be partially closed, and then will shift to the West side where the dvds, magazines and newspapers are housed…
Outback Beauty owner retires
CHINA — To all my customers: It is with a heavy heart that as of March 7, 2025, I have retired. Becky will be there to carry on…
TEAM PHOTO: Maine Moose 12U Tier II team wins state championship
CENTRAL ME — The Maine Moose 12U Tier II hockey team has been crowned the 2024-2025 Maine Amateur Hockey Association State Champions after an outstanding performance in the state tournament…
TEAM PHOTO: 2025 SVAC champions
VASSALBORO — The Vassalboro Community School girls basketball team rolled through an undefeated season to claim the Sheepscot Valley Athletic Conference championship for 2025.
Desmond Robinson receives MPA Principal’s Award
No.ANSON — Desmond Robinson, son of Daniel and Stacey Robinson, of Solon, a senior at Carrabec High School, in North Anson, has been selected to receive the 2025 Principal’s Award, according to Principal Peter Campbell. The award, sponsored by the Maine Principals’ Association, is given in recognition of a high school senior’s academic achievement, citizenship and leadership…
ICE OUT 2025? Take a guess. Win a prize!
CHINA — Write down your best guess (one per person) and send it to The Town Line, PO Box 89, South China, ME 04358, or email us at townline@townline.org with the subject “ICE OUT 2025“. If more than one person guesses the correct date, a drawing will be held to determine the winner. Get your guess to The Town Line office by noon, Friday, March 21, 2025…
Name that film!
Identify the film in which this famous line originated and qualify to win FREE passes to The Maine Film Center, in Waterville: “Yo, Adrian!” Email us at townline@townline.org with subject “Name that film!” Deadline for submission is April 3, 2025.
Local happenings
EVENTS: Battle of Maine on tap March 22
WATERVILLE – The 43rd Battle of Maine Martial Arts Championships will be taking place on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at Champions, in Waterville…
EVENTS: Benefit supper to help defray costs as family deals with cancer for second time
PALERMO – Local community members will be hosting a benefit spaghetti supper, raffle and auction for Heather Bragg and her family. This will be held on Saturday, March 22, from 4 – 6 p.m., at the Palermo Consolidated School…
EVENTS: Palermo planning board to meet
PALERMO – The Palermo Planning Board will meet Thursday, March 13, 2025, at the Palermo Town Office, at 6 pm. Purpose is to conduct official review of plans for the proposed Pine Hill subdivision on Hostile Valley Road, Tax Map R11, Lot 27C…
EVENTS: St. Patrick’s public supper at Vassalboro Methodist Church
VASSALBORO – Vassalboro Methodist Church will re-start their regular monthly public suppers on Saturday, March 15, with an “Old Fashioned New England Boiled dinner with an Irish Twist.” The meal will be served 4:30 – 6 p.m., at 614 Main Street…
Obituaries
BELGRADE – Gordon R. Pow, 80, passed away on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at the Alfond Center for Health, in Augusta. He was born in Manchester, New Hampshire, on June 8, 1944. A son of the late Bruce and Fredrica (Burnham) Pow grew up in a family of five siblings…
CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Celebrate National Pi Day – with a pie
PALERMO – Friday, March 14 , is National Pi Day. So, the Palermo Community Center is having a pie sale from 2 to 6 p.m. Order your choice of fruit, cream, meringue, pumpkin, or savory meat pies by calling Connie at 993-2294 or emailing pwhitehawk@fairpoint.net… and many other local events!
EVENTS: Local central Maine Town Meetings schedule for 2025
CENTRAL ME – List of area town meetings. To be included in this list, visit our Contact Us page or send an email to The Town Line at townline@townline.org…
Up and Down the Kennebec Valley: Windsor High Schools (new)
WINDSOR HISTORY — Last week’s story covered primary schooling in the Town of Windsor, south of China and Vassalboro and east of Augusta in the Kennebec Valley. This week’s article will add a bit of information on Windsor high schools, plus a biographical sketch of an early area settler who was Windsor’s first primary-school teacher…. by Mary Grow
Up and Down the Kennebec Valley: Windsor Primary Schools
WINDSOR HISTORY — The area was first settled in the 1780s, mostly by people moving inland from Bristol and Damariscotta via the Sheepscot River. Organized around 1790 as New Waterford Plantation, it became Malta on March 3, 1809, Gerry in 1820 and Windsor in 1822…. by Mary Grow
Up and Down the Kennebec Valley: Palermo residents – Part 2
PALERMO HISTORY — In case readers have not had enough genealogical confusion, this article continues with information about Palermo’s first three school committee members, elected in January 1805, and their families. Christopher Erskine, Stephen Marden and Samuel (or Samual) Longfellow were leaders among Palermo’s early settlers…. by Mary Grow
Up and Down the Kennebec Valley: Palermo early settlers
PALERMO HISTORY — As a break from trying to figure out which schoolhouse was in which end of town, your writer decided to profile some of the people mentioned in last week’s article about Palermo schools, starting with a sampling of the town’s first residents. The result is the following tantalizing tangle of contradictions and unanswered questions…. by Mary Grow
Common Ground: Win a $10 gift certificate!
DEADLINE: Wednesday, March 13, 2025
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: Valoree Martin, So. China
Town Line Original Columnists
SCORES & OUTDOORS
by Roland D. Hallee | You must, at sometime, heard a rooster crow in the morning. It’s pretty cool. Roosters are often portrayed as crowing at the break of dawn and will almost start crowing before the age of four months…
MAINE-LY GARDENING
by Jude Hsiang | A group of residents of China are forming a community garden to be ready for planting this spring. It will join the list of community gardens around Maine. There are several types of cooperative gardens just as there are several reasons that bring people together to garden…
REVIEW POTPOURRI
by Peter Cates | Gene Hackman won an Oscar for best actor in 1971’s The French Connection yet interestingly was almost the last choice for the role of NYC Detective Popeye Doyle after it was turned down by Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, Charles Bronson, Lee Marvin, Robert Mitchum, Steve McQueen, Peter Boyle, James Caan, etc…
FOR YOUR HEALTH
HEALTH | Over 12.5 million Americans are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, but many don’t realize this and could be missing out on some valuable benefits. People who qualify for both health care programs can enroll in a type of Medicare Advantage plan called a Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP), offered by Aetna® and other health care companies…