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    • Mixed-age busing works across state

      Feb 17, 2011 12:01 am

      OXFORD HILLS — Parents who are concerned to hear that SAD 17 is considering a move to mixed-age busing may be interested to hear how the system is working in other districts.

      "I've heard from a few community members about the busing already," said Superintendent Rick Colpitts.

      SAD 17 is considering the move, which would put pre-k students on the same bus as high school seniors, so that the cash-strapped district could save an estimated $400,000 annually.

    • Swap shop surges

      Feb 10, 2011 12:03 am

      BUCKFIELD — A local recycling program has nearly doubled over the last two years by taking tons of trash out of the waste stream.

      Mary Standard of the Swap Shop told the Board of Selectmen that the year 2010 saw 78,545 pounds of recycled material leave the shop, a 24 percent boost over the 63,000 pounds recycled the previous year.

      Two years ago, the shop processed fewer than 40,000 pounds of material.

      Standard said that the success of the program goes beyond the number of pounds.

    • Students to clean up Nezinscot River

      Feb 10, 2011 12:03 am

      BUCKFIELD — A hunter's idea has led to a plan for a group of high school seniors to clean up a stretch of the Nezinscot River.

      Students from Buckfield Junior Senior High School will be asked to participate in what organizers hope will be the first of many annual trash removal efforts.

      Town Manager Glen Holmes told the board of selectmen that the idea had been suggested by resident Tony Bachelder.

    • Buckfield Board to stay at three members

      Feb 10, 2011 12:03 am

      BUCKFIELD — The Board of Selectmen declined to increase the number of board members from three to five, sparking a lively discussion among members and citizens in attendance.

      Resident Tony Bachelder submitted a written request to the board, asking that the number of selectmen be increased.

      "I'm not for bigger government, so don't get me wrong," said Bachelder. "I think we had two other good selectmen [candidates] that ran, and I would have liked to see all five of you be on the board."

    • Old fishing spot may be revived

      Feb 10, 2011 12:03 am
       Barry Matulaitis/LFA
      A PLETHORA OF JEWELRY… Bruce Peary, the owner of Pearls in the Pines, designs a necklace at his store in the Bank Building in downtown Livermore Falls.

    • Norway will pursue $600K grant

      Feb 10, 2011 12:03 am

      NORWAY — At a recent meeting, Norway's board of selectmen agreed to begin pursuing a $600,000 downtown revitalization grant. 

      The grant could be used to help with several different downtown projects.  The most significant of those would be the Opera House, which the town is currently looking to sell.

      Board Chairwoman Irene Millet started off by warning the board that pursuing the grant would take a great deal of time and effort.  To use the Opera House as a main component of the proposal would require that the town not sell it in that time.

    • Board vows to pinch pennies

      Feb 10, 2011 12:03 am

      BUCKFIELD — Citizens in Buckfield have begun making noise about municipal taxes, causing town leaders to pledge to hold the line on spending.

      "Trust me," said John Lowell, chair of the board of selectmen, "we're going to be squeezing pennies like you read about."

      Brian Bennett read a written statement to the board of selectmen, in which he blasted the town for a lack of employee efficiency.

    • High, elementary school buses may be combined

      Feb 10, 2011 12:03 am

      AREA — In an effort to address a looming budget gap, the SAD 17 school board agreed to explore the idea of combining children of all ages into a single bus run for the district.

      If approved, buses would pick up children from Pre-K to high school.

      Currently, the district conducts one run for middle and high school students, which ends at about 7:30 a.m., and a separate run for elementary school students.

    • District nabs grant for student-run farm

      Feb 10, 2011 12:03 am

      OXFORD HILLS — Schoolchildren will soon be growing food for needy families, thanks to a state grant that was awarded to SAD 17.

      Students from local elementary schools, the middle school, and the high school will come together to found and work a four-acre farm, with a goal of raising produce for local families that don't have consistent access to food.

      "Everyone is really cognizant of the fact that one in five Oxford Hills families has food security issues," said Pat Carson, the district's health coordinator.

    • Norway may be forced to eye tax increase

      Feb 10, 2011 12:03 am

      NORWAY — Times are tough and tough choices may have to be made, says Norway Town Manager David Holt. With decreases in revenue accompanying increases in local obligations, he is concerned that the town might need to raise the local tax rate for the first time in four years. 

      "There may have to be a tax rate increase this year," Holt said at the meeting of the select board Thursday, February 3. "Either that or we may have to find a way to do without things that we have always had."

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