Sat, May 25, 2013

    News

    • Woodstock awards dam repair bid

      Mar 07, 2013 12:00 am

      WOODSTOCK — Woodstock selectmen Tuesday awarded a bid for dam reconstruction, wrapped up work on the town’s proposed 2013 budget and voted to support an effort to return rail service to the region.

      The board unanimously chose Cross Excavation’s bid of $71,000 to rebuild the Lake Christopher dam. Other bids included Korhonen Land Care ($49,200), Andre’s Construction ($109,000); Bancroft ($109,750), and Wyman & Simpson ($123,364).

    • Property rights vs property maintenance in Woodstock

      Mar 07, 2013 12:00 am

      WOODSTOCK — A public hearing last week on proposed changes to Woodstock’s property maintenance ordinance generated some heated debate over property rights and property protection.

      The ordinance, in place since 2008, sets minimum standards for maintenance in order to protect public health and safety and to prevent nuisance conditions, according to its stated purpose.

    • Ceremony opens Opera House

      Mar 07, 2013 12:00 am

      NORWAY — More than five years after a partial roof collapse threatened its very existence, the Norway Opera House was officially reopened during a ribbon-cutting ceremony last Friday.

      More than 100 people filled one of the building's five recently renovated storefronts to share in the celebration.

      Members of the Norway Opera House Corporation, town officials, representatives from Norway Savings Bank, architects and contractors spoke about their role in the project and its significance.

      "It's really a community effort," said NOHC member Bruce Cook.

    • Cracking down on underage drinking: anonymous tips can save lives

      Mar 07, 2013 12:00 am

      COUNTY —  Anonymous tips are helping local law enforcement and other community members crack down on underage drinking, reports Chris Davis, facilitator of Healthy Oxford Hills, a project of Stephens Memorial Hospital. 

      Calling in an anonymous tip to police for situations involving teens and alcohol only takes a minute and may, in the end, save someone's life, Davis suggests. 

      "We do intervene in certain circumstances," confirmed Oxford County Sheriff Chief Deputy Hart Daley. 

    • Maintenance ordinance questioned

      Mar 07, 2013 12:00 am

      WEST PARIS — An ordinance which aims at protecting public health, public safety, property values and preventing nuisance conditions, was questioned by residents at a February 28 public hearing (and defeated by voters at town meeting March 2). 

      Six residents attended the hearing last Thursday. 

      Drafted by the town's planning board, the property maintenance ordinance is modeled after an ordinance passed in Woodstock, selectmen said.

    • Owner of destroyed gas station plans to rebuild

      Mar 07, 2013 12:00 am

      DESTROYED — The owner of the Waterford Mallard Mart, which was destroyed in a February 21 fire, plans to rebuild the gas station and convenience store.

    • Scholarships available for working adults

      Mar 07, 2013 12:00 am

      STATE —  Next Step Maine, a project of the Maine Employers Initiative (MEI), is offering thousands of dollars in scholarships to help working adults and other non-traditional students in Maine further their education.

      "We're very excited," said Carol Taylor, interim program director of the Maine Development Foundation, who explained the scholarship program, "Employees of Promise," on behalf of MDF. 

      MDF is a private, non-profit organization based in Augusta that works to drive sustainable, long-term economic growth in the state.

    • Committee recommends leasing Madison Ave. school

      Mar 07, 2013 12:00 am

      OXFORD —  Moving some middle school classrooms to leased space at a building on Madison Avenue in Oxford, rather than invest in portables or renovations, is the choice preferred by the board of directors' operations committee.

      During its meeting February 25, the committee voted to recommend the school board lease space in the building, reported Committee Chair Nick DiConzo at the school board meeting Monday.

      "It was pretty much unanimous in the committee that we didn't want to spend any more money on portables," he told fellow board members.

    • Businesses urged to use single-sort recycle program

      Mar 07, 2013 12:00 am

      WEST PARIS —  West paris selectmen, during the February 28 meeting, said they would like to see local businesses take advantage of the town's single-sort recycling program. 

      Selectman Wade Rainey said commercial solid waste collection in town has become an issue. He said the town is currently paying to haul off at least 15 commercial waste containers which costs approximately $12,000 per year.

      "We need to address this situation," Rainey said.

    • Native American learning circle in Norway

      Mar 07, 2013 12:00 am

      LEARNING CIRCLE — Suzy Bottomley, third from left, sprinkles tobacco on a Native American drum to bless the instrument and to send her prayers heavenward before drummers, from left, Rick Dobson, Roger Lame Owl Simmons, Grandmother Prairie Walker, Bill Windwalker Wentsworth, Jennifer Dobson and Vickie Dobson performed a healing song during the first Learning Circle in Norway Sunday. "The learning circle is where elders speak and tell about the customs of their tribe," said Simmons, who was teaching attendees about the Native American flute.

    Syndicate content
    Copyright 2013 Sun Media Group