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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870.

Vol. 151, No. 1

12 PAGES - 1 Section

Bridgton, Maine

January 7, 2021

www.bridgton.com

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2021: Officials take look ahead

By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — During the first week of 2021, most town officials view countering Covid-19’s spread and balancing the budget among the top five New Year’s goals for their municipalities.

Then, there are goals that express the individual needs of each town. For example, Casco will be reviewing the employee pay scale and benefits packages that might be a bit behind the times. Raymond is seeking to attract more volunteers and employees to its public safety department for the long haul. Naples is collaborating with other towns on Long Lake — the towns of Bridgton and Harrison — to resolve safety issues on the waterways by hiring a full-time inland fisheries warden for extra enforcment.

INSIDE the Lovell United Church of Christ, Lovell, Maine – the view of their Covid-19 remembrance exhibit.

TOWN OF NAPLES (Photo by Jenny Michaux Dotson) Naples Town Manager John Hawley ranked Covid-19 concerns on the top of his list, and some of this year’s goals are inter-related to the pandemic.

“Certainly navigating Covid is high on the list for this year,” he said before mentioning the budget.

“The challenge is getting the budget approved. Normally,

By Rachel Andrews plies from Vicki Royer of says Jenny Michaux Dotson, Lois Boysen made 1,600 we have our town meeting during the last week of April.

Damon Lovell, began assembling a trustee of the LUCC. “The amongst the three of them.

With stricter meeting requirements, that is not likely to hapSpecial to The News handmade paper cranes — individual cranes are beauti- LUCC masks have been pen. That is up in the air,” he said.

LOVELL — Members of each one memorializing a ful, and bring on very strong donated and delivered localThe Naples Budget Committee begins meeting the Lovell United Church Mainer taken too soon by emotions when seen in per- ly and to four medical faciliWednesday, Jan. 13. of Christ are supporting Covid-19. The cranes hang son.” ties and over 15 states.

Goal No. 3 is to set up the shared services of a full-time families of Maine’s victims in the church in a loving and A dozen church members The Lovell United game warden with the towns of Bridgton and Harrison to of Covid-19 with remem- striking dedication. With the have handmade over 2,000 Church of Christ is closed resolve problems with public safety on the water. In 2020, brances. number of victims rising, face masks to contribute to at this time due to Covid-19 more recreational boaters was a trend that occurred because Pastor Lois Amidon the congregation continues Covid-19 efforts. Dotson precautions. Information on of the social distancing that was being required by the CDC wanted to do something to add to their tribute each started the mask project at the LUCC reopening and during the pandemic. More boats meant more people, often to let families know their week. the LUCC at the beginning viewing their remembrance first-time boaters, out on the already popular lakes. loved one is not forgotten.

“These individuals had of April. With sewing pro- display will be announced “People who took advantage of water activities this year The LUCC family, with ori- friends, families, loves, joys, duction in high gear, Elsa on their website at www.

— it was kind of unmanageable. The improper behavior gami instruction and sup- emotions and full lives,” Newhouse, Pat Stearns and lovellucc.org. was unmanageable,” Hawley said.

“The towns of Bridgton, Harrison and Naples have agreed to enter into a contract with a dedicated game warden. The town managers have agreed. We just have to get it approved through our budget. Naples already has the funding so I already have the green light from my board to do this,” he said.

Goal No. 4 is figuring out how to attract people to eat and shop at local businesses while the festivals and events that draw large crowds may be cancelled, Hawley said. Like the town meeting, events such as the Maine Blues Festival and the Independence Day fireworks, are still up in the air.

“The lack of festival and fireworks” has driven down sales and hurt local businesses, Hawley said.

“We will be looking for alternative ways to promote the community and the businesses during a time when the CONTRIBUTING to Covid-19 efforts from the Lovell United Church of Christ are (left to right) Pastor Lois Amidon, economy is negatively impacted by Covid,” he said.

(Photos by Rachel Andrews Damon) Also, Naples residents are looking toward the future: A Jenny Michaux Dotson, Elsa Newhouse, Pat Stearns and Vicki Royer. new community center that won’t be ready to face voters for financial approval for two years or more.

“In the coming year, a committee will be looking into the potential development of a community center and town office,” Hawley said.

TOWN OF BRIDGTON

By Wayne E. Rivet Developers Mark Lopez The Bridgton Planning Board total 11,600 square feet, and Bridgton Town Manager Robert “Bob” Peabody, Jr., did Staff Writer and Keith Harnum appar- Tuesday night via Zoom also include 80 outdoor stornot hesitate to put Covid-19 concerns in the No. 1 spot.

Every homeowner knows ently agree. Both propose to deemed Lopez’s Mountain age spaces that can be used Also, Peabody talked about the importance and the logis- there is simply never enough construct storage facilities off Road Storage application for boat and RV parking storage space.

Route 302 in West Bridgton. complete, and scheduled a in the offseason. The main LOOK AHEAD, Page 12A public hearing on the plan for drive aisles are proposed to Jan. 19. be paved while the parking Meanwhile, the board felt spaces (ranging in size from some items were missing in 14-feet by 35-feet to 14-feet Harnum’s application, which by 45-feet) will mainly fearepresentative Dustin Roma, ture a gravel surface, but PE, of DM Roma Consulting 18 of the large spaces will Engineers of Windham plans be paved. The development to submit immediately, thus will be enclosed by a black placing the project back in chain-link fence and a lockfront of planners this month. able gate.

Jeff Amos, PE, of • A series of 13 trees will Terradyn Consultants of be planted along the street New Gloucester outlined the frontage and to the west of Mountain Road Storage proj- the proposed buildings to ect as follows: break up the view.

• The project site is about • There will be no rental 19.7 acres, located adjacent to office onsite, so no water or Sportshaus, bordering North sewage facilities will be needHigh Street and Mountain ed. The facility will be run Road. The site is located as part of Lopez’s Bridgton in the “mixed use corridor Storage and Consignment, district,” which allows self- located at 293 Portland Road storage facilities. in Bridgton.

• Lopez is proposing to Fire Chief Tom Harriman create a commercial subdivicalled for inclusion of a Knox READY TO ROLL — Sanborn family team, which operated to clear the Ridge neighborhood and Chadbourne’s sion that will include a selfbox for codes or keys to any Hill down to North Bridgton for generations.. storage/outdoor storage facil- gated areas for emergency ity on the largest lot. There 24-hour access to the storage is no specific development complex, and fire extinguishplan for the outparcel, but ers be mounted and accesthe developer plans to create sible for each storage unit.

Hello Neighbor! until April, perhaps lona shared stormwater system.

Planners unanimously Today, we are taking a ger if the snow was wellby Michael Davis • The storage facility will ruled the application comrare glimpse back to win- packed down. This was be accessed by a new drive- plete, but then debated ters of a century ago or because in the early days, BHS Assistant Director way off North High Street. whether a public hearing more, in the days when the before mechanization, it The four storage units will STORAGE, Page 2A coming of the snow meant simply wasn’t possible to it was time to retire your plow the streets and actu- of oxen, deputized by the tlements. George Fitch of carriage to the carriage- ally remove the snow from selectmen to go out after South Bridgton was one house and take out your them; all that could be each storm and ‘break’ such farmer in the 1830s, sleigh, the only vehicle done was to simply pack through the drifts, tram- and for an entire winEstablished 1870 capable of making it over it down into a dense crust pling the snow back and ter’s labor of breaking the P.O. Box 244, 118 Main St. the snow-bound streets. thick enough to bear up a forth. This was a difficult drifts in South Bridgton he There was commonly horse. From the times of and rough job, and we can’t charged the town only $70; Bridgton, ME 04009 enough snow on the ground the first settlers up through imagine it was all that suc- a fee which the selectmen 207-647-2851 to sleigh from around the 1870s, this was done by cessful along the stretches actually contested and took Fax: 207-647-5001 December or early January local farmers with teams of highway between setROLERS, Page 3A bnews@roadrunner.com

Tribute to those lost from Covid

Storage unit projects proposed

The snow rollers

In Ye Olden Times

The Bridgton News

Area news

Page 2A, The Bridgton News, January 7, 2021

Casco officials work on goals

By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO —Before the new calendar year started, the Casco Board of Selectmen engaged in some goal-setting.

The selectmen discovered that they had common concerns and similar hopes after they listed the top goals for the town.

Casco Interim Town Manager Don Gerrish prompted the discussion, putting it on the agendas for Dec. 1 and Dec. 15 after asking board members to write down what they thought the town most needed.

Going forward, at each selectmen’s meeting, there will be updates on these four areas: the comprehensive plan, roads management and maintenance, town employee pay and benefits review, and the planning board process as well as keeping and finding volunteers for town committees.

The next regular meeting is Jan. 19. The meetings are listed on the Town of Casco website’s homepage since it has yet to be decided whether the meeting will be via Zoom or in person at the Casco Community Center.

In 2021, the meeting time will be earlier. The selectmen start at 6 p.m.

In December, Gerrish talked about the importance of having a Capital Improvement Plan, which incorporates budgeting and staying ahead of big-ticket items that need to replaced periodically. The Town of Casco would benefit from a good Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to budget for new roofs, new boilers, and the salt-sand shed, he said.

The CIP will put aside money for bigger projects so that taxpayers don’t take a hit all at once. Also, it puts down on paper that this or that item that will need to be replaced in the near future.

“The CIP is a living document that changes,” Gerrish said.

On Dec. 1, the selectmen took turns talking about what topped their list and why.

Holly Hancock shared her list, which included environmental items such as solar panels and LED streetlights with an upfront expense and down-the-road savings.

Hancock also expressed her concerns that not enough people volunteered for boards and committees in town.

Robert MacDonald addressed the Route 302 corridor, estimating the 75% to 90% of the folks who visit Casco see it from Route 302.

“We need to have something more than a garage every 50 feet and one or two convenience stores. We want to present to people going through our town that this is a nice place to come to,” MacDonald said.

He said that economic development could bring in more businesses and make the town more inviting as a place to live.

Like Hancock, MacDonald talked about the importance of volunteerism.

“Community involvement — make it exciting! Make it something people want to do. Not like: I don’t want to look at milfoil on the lake. Make it exciting. If you take away Sebago Lake, Pleasant Lake, Thompson Lake, what do we have to draw people here? Those are our diamonds in the rough,” he said.

“Create jobs to get people to stay in town. I am fortunate. I have a job three miles from my home. Let’s create more jobs for residents,” MacDonald said.

Selectman Scott Avery agreed about putting an emphasis on new businesses.

“We need to really look at businesses. If there are people in town who want to open a business, we should be able to help them do that,” Avery said, adding that the town should promote economic development, especially in the Route 302 corridor.

“Casco is a bedroom community. It is going to get to the point that we cannot afford to be a bedroom community and our elderly cannot afford to be here anymore,” Avery said.

Everybody mentioned the lack of affordable housing in the region.

MacDonald said it was on his list.

“Elderly and low-income housing: We need to make sure we can take care of our people who cannot any longer afford their houses because taxed out,” he said.

Chairman Thomas Peaslee also talked about creating affordable housing for community members.

“My dream is that this town has affordable housing for veterans,” he said.

He started out by explaining his list.

“I did not put these in any necessarily order. A lot of this list that I have one thing affects another,” he said.

Peaslee favored creating a roads supervisor as opposed to having the town manager be the roads commissioner GOAL SETTING, Page 3A Catherine J. , RDH Independent Dental Hygienist Accepting New Patients

PROPOSED STORAGE FACILITY at the property bordering Mountain Road and North High Street would include three units, as well as gated parking spaces. A public hearing on the proposed Mountain Road Storage project will be held on Jan. 19 via Zoom.

Storage unit facilities proposed (Continued from Page 1A) should be held.

“Given how public hearings have gone,” Greg Watkins felt a hearing isn’t necessary. Planners Ken Gibbs and Mike Figoli felt a hearing enabled the town to cover all its bases. Gibbs said interested citizens could learn more about the project, while Figoli felt that since a second public notifica-

tion wasn’t done regarding Tuesday’s project consideration (certified notification to abutters were sent prior to the pre-application meeting, and a second notice is not required), he felt a publicized hearing could prevent issues down the road.

Planners voted 4-1 (Watkins a no vote) on holding the public hearing, Jan. 19 at 5 p.m. viz Zoom (link

available on the town’s website).

Planners did credit Lopez and Amos with a “well done application” which was “easy to comprehend and thorough.”

Lopez appreciated planners “keeping things rolling especially in this environment.”

Storage units, phase 1 Keith Harnum could pos-

sibly pursue a two-phase development plan for the 24-acre lot, located at the intersection of North High Street and Knights Hill Road, directly across from Mountain Road.

Phase 1 calls for construction of about 30,800 square feet of self-storage units on five acres, while Phase 2 calls for development of a 10-unit STORAGE, Page 3A

HARRISON — A Bridgton man has been charged with unauthorized use of property in connection with the theft of a truck on New Year’s Day in Harrison.

Anthony J. Redfield, 34, was also charged with violation of conditions of release.

At press time, he was being held at the Cumberland County Jail.

Through helpful tips from the public and efforts of investigators, the stolen truck was recovered and an arrest made. The investigation into the series of crimes during the early morning hours of New Year’s Day

continues, CCSO reported.

During the course of the investigation, a Jayco towbehind pop-up camper was collected. The owner of the camper is unknown at this time. The Sheriff’s Office is asking again for the public’s help in identifying the camper’s owner. Anyone with information relative to the camper is asked to contact the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office at: 207-8932810.

Last Friday, Jan. 1, at approximately 4:51 a.m., a homeowner on Plains Road in Harrison reported that a male subject attempted to take his ATV out of his

garage. The homeowner confronted the male, who fled on foot. Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area and a Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit was deployed to attempt to track the suspect.

At approximately 7 a.m., a homeowner on Bolster’s Mills Road reported a male suspect had attempted to steal a generator from his yard. A short time later, another homeowner reported the theft of his red 2008 GMC Sierra pick-up truck.

At about this same time, the clerk at Bolster’s Mill’s Country Store (just over the county line in Otisfield) reported a male came into the store, stole an item and left in the stolen truck on Jess Mill Road in Otisfield.

A deputy later located

the vehicle in Harrison and the suspect failed to stop when signaled. A pursuit was terminated near the intersection of Maple Ridge Road and Edes Falls Road.

The stolen truck continued toward Naples.

Truck recovered, man charged

THE BRIDGTON NEWS (BRIDGTON NEWS CORPORATION) Established 1870

P.O. BOX 244 • BRIDGTON, ME 04009 207-647-2851 207-647-8166 Fax: 207-647-5001

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January 7, 2021 The Bridgton News, Page 3A

Snow rollers (Continued from Page 1A) to court, on the grounds that it was too high! (He ended up winning the money.)

Starting in the 1880s, a new technology came into being throughout New England. In the years before, sometimes the road-breaking teams would affix great logs on chains to drag behind their oxen teams until a new, specialized machine had been invented — the Snow Roller. These were great, barrel-shaped machines consisting of two large wooden drums, slid together on their sides and mounted on a central axle of between 8 to 10-feet wide, and suspended between a pair of stays which would be dragged behind a team of horses. These barrels would be weighted down with rocks, gravel, scrap iron; anything heavy would do.

As the team of horses dragged this machine along, the wheels would rotate, packing down the snow before them into a dense layer like rolling pins. These were used in conjunction with specialized ‘snow fences,’ rolls of wire and picket fences like those used to prevent erosion along ocean beaches, which would be set up along the edges of major highways to prevent the wind-swept drifting of snow back into a freshly rolled road.

Strangely enough, as far as we have seen, no one is sure where the Snow Roller was first invented, but it was a regional tradition unique to northern New England, seeming to have begun in Vermont and never made it much further west than upstate New York. Beyond, in Pennsylvania and Ohio, heavy blocks of logs were used instead of dedicated rollers, and below Massachusetts it was more common to find teams just dragging sleds piled up with stones.

In our immediate region, all of our surrounding towns had constructed snow rollers by 1900, but in Bridgton, we find record of their operation as early as 1885, when the selectmen voted to appropriate almost $100 toward the construction of one for the use in the Center Village.

There was no dedicated supplier of these things; while design schematics existed, each was different and most commonly the village blacksmith or carriage maker would construct them. This initial experiment proved wildly successful, and by 1890 roughly a dozen of these machines had been built for use throughout town. Three or four in the Center Village, one in South Bridgton, a couple in North Bridgton, one on the Ridge, one in Hio, and surely many others in the smaller and more distant neighborhoods.

Some were housed in specially built snow roller sheds, others were simply stored in the barns of whichever family was charged with the upkeep of the roads in their section, for just as in earlier days the selectmen of Bridgton contracted this work out to local farmers.

The photograph which opened this article is of the Sanborn family team, which operated to clear the Ridge neighborhood and Chadbourne’s Hill down to North Bridgton for generations. That photograph was taken over the winter of 1923-24 opposite their home on Ingalls Road, now the vicinity of the Dragonfly Barn. The driver is Arthur Sanborn, and the man standing behind him is his father-in-law Owen Ingalls. At least one of the teams of horses shown belonged to Forrest Abbott, one of the men who rolled the roads in the Center Village. This photograph is one of three images of the old snow rollers in the collections of the Bridgton Historical Society, the others being of Mr. Abbott’s own equipage and the three-team roller used by Harold Morrison.

However, an exciting new development has recently taken place, courtesy of Tom Doviak of Tom’s Homestead Restaurant, with the discovery of a new photograph of a snow-rolling team captured in action here in the Center Village. Believed to have been taken over the winter of 1902-03, we reproduce it here for our readers for the first time.

The scene depicted ought to be well-familiar to anyone from these parts, being of the old Rev. Ball homestead, now Tom’s Restaurant, at the head of the North High Street corridor beside the Soldiers Monument and opposite the Bridgton House. This photograph, reproduced from a glass plate negative, is believed to be the team led by Myron Libby, who commanded snow rolling operations in the Center Village at this time, together with his assistant Bob Fields.

The annals of Bridgton are replete with accounts of

UNCOVERED — The recent discovery of a new photograph of a snow-rolling team captured in action here in the Center Village. It is believed to have been taken over the winter of 1902-03. The Bridgton Historical Society reproduced it here for readers for the first time. The scene depicted ought to be well-familiar to anyone from these parts, being of the old Rev. Ball homestead and former Tom’s Restaurant, at the head of the North High Street corridor beside the Soldiers Monument and opposite the Bridgton House. the old snow rollers, from the romantic stories of all the awe-struck children who watched them rumble by, the grumbling reminiscences of the drivers themselves, always frozen through and trying not to run down mailboxes, and the stories of the countless passengers in the sleighs whose travel these brave men made possible. It was hard work, it paid very little, and as one operator memorably wrote, “It was the fastest way to kill a horse,” but it was necessary work all the same, and for almost half a century whenever the snow flew, the teams rolled in Bridgton.

But, as these articles regularly make all too clear, progress ends all things, and before long the snow rollers passed into history. A new thing had come with the twentieth century called ‘horseless carriages,’ and though for some years the fledgling automobile was still forced to give way to sleighs in winter-time, the 1920s saw better engines, heavier cars, and proper balloon tires take over.

With the Model T came after-market attachments for a new thing called ‘snow plows,’ and by 1927 Bridgton had made the switch. It was the birth of our modern Public Works Department, with a new fleet of dedicated snow plows, and this change spelled the end of the days of snow rolling just as they had once before ended the days of breaking the snow by cattle. Soon the rollers fell into disrepair, and were scrapped. Those in the old snow rolling sheds lasted

a little longer; we hear that during the Great Depression a favorite Halloween prank of the South Bridgton boys was to take the old snow roller and its miles of wire fencing out from the shed on Ingalls Road and run it up against the door of the old Parsonage, trapping the minister inside on the following morning. By the coming of the Second World War, we hear no more of this, and the snow rollers of Bridgton vanished from the record alongside the vast majority of those once used throughout our region.

For the curious, an excellent specimen once used in our neighboring Naples is preserved in the collections of the Naples Historical Society, and during Fair season a snow roller from Denmark can be seen in the expo halls of the Fryeburg Fairgrounds. Also, the villages of Limerick and Bartlett, N.H. each have snow rollers placed as monuments on their Town Commons, but these are modern reproductions.

If anyone among our readers has any photographs, memories or anything else relating to the old snow rollers of Bridgton that they’d like to share, please write in or stop by the Bridgton Historical Society this winter. We would love to hear from you!

Till next time!

Mike Davis is the assistant executive director of the Bridgton Historical Society.

(Continued from Page 1A) residential condominium project on the remaining 19 acres.

Roma was before planners Tuesday to talk about Phase 1 only. In the Stark Storage Facility application, Roma outlined: • The storage units will be fenced and include an automated gate. The project calls for construction of four buildings, totaling about 30,800 square feet, along with outdoor parking area measuring 40-feet by 530-feet for seasonal storage parking (trailers, boats, RVs). The site will be accessed from North High Street, via a new 24-foot wide paved driveway. The units will be single-story with rollup overhead doors. Siding will be tan/stanstone color while roof trim and doors will be dark green. “This

standing sign adjacent to the driveway.

• Construction schedule, spring 2021 and completed within six months of building start.

Planners deemed the application “incomplete” and gave Roma a grocery list of information they would like to see including: • Stormwater report.

Chairwoman Deb Brusini noted that the plan is headed for DEP for a permit, but customarily, planners also receive a copy of the plan to include in their review.

Planner Dee Miller echoed Brusini’s request, “I do think it is helpful to see how things might be graded, how water will flow. So, I’ve always depended on seeing the extent of how things will be done.”

• Pictures or sketches of

Storage unit facilities proposed color scheme and stone-base course (a stone veneer along the bottom of the building at the end portions that face North High Street) blends into the natural surroundings well and provides a pleasant view from the street and abutting properties,” the application states.

• Lighting will be mounted on the buildings, along with a small light at the keypad entry. The site will be secured via a chain-link fence.

• The front 75 feet along Route 302 will be landscaped and/or maintained as natural forested area.

• The project will require a stormwater permit from Maine DEP. “At this time, we do not anticipate that the project will impact any wetland areas,” the application states.

• There will be a free-

proposed sign and storage units. Roma said the West Bridgton facility will be like the applicant’s existing storage complex in Windham.

Planners also want a clearer description regarding lighting features.

• How ADA guidelines are addressed, comment on whether septic use is needed.

If missing items are submitted immediately, the project could be on the next agenda, Jan. 19 or land on the Feb. 2 agenda.

In his impact statement, Fire Chief Tom Harriman called for installation of a Knox box for codes or keys to any gated areas for emergency 24-hour access to the storage complex, and fire extinguishers be mounted and accessible for each storage unit.

Casco more stringent after Covid case

By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — Some of the time that the Casco Town Hall was closed by Covid were days that the office was going to be closed anyway.

The week before Christmas, an employee for the Town of Casco tested positive for the Coronavirus and the office was closed down for 14 days, according to Casco Interim Town Manager Don Gerrish.

(Continued from Page 2A) supervisor.

“I think asking our new town manager to go out and do that work will take the time away from the master plan,” he said. “Public works startup is a good idea.

How? When? We need to start looking at this for the future. Private roads — we still haven’t resolved it.”

Mary-Vienessa Fernandes said that road management, road maintenance, and private road (public easement) plowing should be addressed.

She suggested reviewing

and updating the pay and benefits packages for Town of Casco employees. She was shocked to learn a staff member was not qualified for a vacation.

Fernandes also sees a need for affordable housing.

“Housing for the elderly.

We have no housing here. It is just that simple,” Fernades said.

Goal setting exercise

The incident has resulted in tougher policies. The employees are taking extra steps to avoid exposing one another or themselves or the public to the virus.

“We have opened up again. We are even more stringent now,” Gerrish said.

“Only two people [customers] at a time in the office.

Many people are not in the office. Some work from home. We hold staff meetings on Zoom.”

“We take the temperature of all employees” who come into the office to work, he said.

Additionally, the positive test of a town employee created some caution in the Casco selectmen, who

decided to cancel Tuesday’s meeting and wait until Jan. 19 to meet again, Gerrish said.

It was the week before Christmas that an employee with flu-like symptoms received a positive test results after getting tested for Covid-19.

The timing was such that the two-week closure was broken up by Christmas Day, a holiday when the office was scheduled to be closed.

“We had an employee who tested positive,” Gerrish said. “We found out about on it on Thursday (Dec. 17) after closing the office because of the snowCOVID, Page 12A

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Page 4A, The Bridgton News, January 7, 2021

Police news

Bridgton Police Department These items appeared on the Bridgton Police Department blotter (this is a partial listing): Monday, December 21 6:40 a.m. Unattended death at Cody’s Way. 9:18 a.m. Citizen dispute (property owner and excavation company) at Plummer’s Landing Road.

11:21 a.m. Officer went to a Swamp Road residence to issue a court summons for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.

11:30 a.m. Three BPD officers and a state trooper responded to a report of an armed subject threatening personal harm at a Briar Road residence.

12:04 p.m. Caller reported that car’s paint was scratched while parked at Bridgton Hospital.

4:05 p.m.

Officer attempted to serve a criminal summons for operating while under the influence at a North Bridgton Road residence.

7:30 p.m. Citizen assist regarding a “stuck” bag at a bank’s night deposit box.

7:44 p.m. Juvenile problem at Dyvonne Terrace.

Tuesday, December 22 9:51 a.m. Issue criminal trespass notice at a Portland Road location.

10:35 a.m. Report of skis stolen at Shawnee Peak on Monday.

11:57 a.m. Caller notified police that someone was using his credit card at Shawnee Peak.

12:11 p.m. Caller reported that her vehicle’s window had been smashed while parked at Shawnee Peak.

3:49 p.m. Citizen claimed she was being harassed by a tenant, and alleged the sub-

ject had failed to pay rent, stole cash and used her credit card without authorization to make a purchase.

5:20 p.m. Criminal trespass incident at David’s View.

11 p.m. Suspicious voicemail (upset, older woman) left at a Sawyer Circle residence.

Wednesday, December 23 12 p.m. Citizen dispute (obscene gesture by a neighbor) on Kennard Street.

8:22 p.m. Disturbance (female screaming and swearing) at a Holly Loop residence.

Thursday, December 24 12:46 a.m. Caller alleged subject stole $600 from her credit card.

11:33 a.m. Mental health check on North High Street.

1 p.m. Suspicious activity (letter and package delivered to home) on Swamp Road.

4:04 p.m. Police checked security of Bridgton Memorial School after a report of a walker seeing a back window “pushed in.”

Building secure.

Friday, December 25 12:05 a.m. Officer responded to burglary (gifts missing) at a North High Street residence. A cell phone, not belonging to anyone at the home, was found in the living room. “There was no forced entry, and it appears to be an isolated incident,” BPD Chief Phil Jones said. Officer George is investigating the incident.

1:57 p.m. Officers responded to a report of shots fired (by a neighbor) on South High Street.

Saturday, December 26 1:51 a.m. Receiving an attempt to locate alert from

the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office regarding a white sedan headed toward Bridgton from Harrison, BPD spotted the vehicle at the intersection of Dugway and Harrison Roads. The driver was issued a summons for illegal attachment of license plates. The vehicle was towed.

10:32 a.m. Motor vehicle crash on Mountain Road.

10:42 a.m. Motor vehicle collision in the Hannaford parking lot.

3:47 p.m. Theft reported at a Main Street location.

4:21 p.m. Bag, containing wallet, state ID and credit cards, stolen at Shawnee Peak lodge.

Sunday, December 27 4:22 a.m. Suspicious activity (subject knocking on doors and windows) on Portland Road.

5:15 a.m. Assist agency with uncooperative subject at a Lake House Road residence in Naples.

2:42 p.m. Juvenile problem on Green Street.

5:59 p.m. Theft of a snow blower and video games from a Church Street residence.

9:04 p.m. Agency assist (subject fell off a skateboard, injured) area of Chase and Main Streets.

Tuesday, December 29 3:20 a.m. A Kansas Road resident reported that a neighbor’s vehicle was idling, and exhaust fumes were filtering into her home.

10:02 a.m. Report of motor vehicle theft on Maplewood Drive in Naples.

5:50 p.m. Fraud complaint regarding online purchase of a television.

11:01 p.m. Suspicious person on Highland Road.

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11:47 p.m. Controlled substance problem at a Portland Road location.

Wednesday, December 30 2:34 a.m. Possible chimney fire on Sanborn’s Grove Road.

4:52 p.m. Police attempted to locate a U-Haul truck, which was reportedly “all over the road” on Portland Road.

6:45 p.m. Juvenile problem (Vaseline placed on door handle) on Main Street.

9:02 p.m. Possible breakin at Norman Lane home.

Thursday, December 31 8:56 a.m. Police responded to a report of an individual refusing to wear a mask at Hannaford.

10:07 a.m. Criminal mischief (eggs tossed) to a Main Street building.

10:36 a.m. Local store asked police to issue subject a criminal trespass order.

2:05 p.m. Delivery driver reported that while leaving a package at a Frost Farm Road residence, he noticed that the front door was wide open and no one to be found at the property.

2:08 p.m. Mental health check at South Bridgton Road apartment.

2:13 p.m. A caller questioned if Covid-19 protocol was being followed at a local store, which appeared to be at full occupancy capacity.

2:39 p.m. Juvenile problem (kids left home alone) at a Main Street residence.

5:15 p.m. Caller asked police to check the wellbeing of a child left alone in a vehicle “for some time” at a local store.

5:28 p.m. Motor vehicle crash (car/deer) at intersection of Harrison and Middle Ridge Roads.

5:32 p.m. Speeding complaint on Kansas Road.

Friday, January 1 1:58 a.m. Domestic situation at Main Street residence.

9:25 a.m. Attempt to locate male subject, who left family residence in Limington and may have spent the night on a dirt road in Bridgton.

9:49 a.m. Parking problem (vehicle parked in a handicapped parking spot without authorization) at Food City. Officer located vehicle’s owner, who confirmed he had forgotten to display his handicap placard.

6:54 p.m. Fireworks complaint in area of Washington View Lane and South Bridgton Road.

11:09 p.m. State Trooper sought back-up following a traffic stop of a suspicious vehicle at the intersection of South High Street and South Bridgton Road.

Saturday, January 2 2:37 a.m. Parking problem on Main Street; Honda CRV towed.

3:40 a.m. Parking problem on Main Street; Toyota Tacoma towed.

9:06 a.m. Subject sought to dispose medications.

Monday, January 3 9:03 a.m. Theft of a snowboard at Shawnee Peak.

1:48 p.m. Custody issue; one parent claimed valid Covid-19 concern with child’s transfer to the other parent.

4:20 p.m. Prescription drug disposal at BPD. 7:11 p.m. Criminal mischief (vehicle damaged) in the Hannaford parking lot.

CONFISCATED — Drugs, weapons and cash.

(Photos courtesy CCSO)

Drug arrests; room searched

GRAY — A motor vehicle stop in Gray on Sunday, Dec. 27 lead Cumberland County Sheriff’s deputies to arrest three subjects for drug trafficking and later a fourth individual was taken into custody at a Naples motel on charges of possession of schedule drugs.

The vehicle was stopped on Main Street in Gray for a traffic violation at 3:25 a.m. During the course of the traffic stop, the deputy suspected illegal drug activity and continued to investigate. A search of the vehicle and its three occupants netted 500 grams of a powdered substance, later determined to be the drug Fentanyl, CCSO reported.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80 to 100 times stronger than morphine. Pharmaceutical Fentanyl was developed for pain management treatment of cancer patients, applied in a patch on the skin. Because of its powerful opioid properties, Fentanyl is also diverted for abuse. Fentanyl is added to heroin to increase its potency, or be disguised as highly potent heroin. Many users believe that they are purchasing heroin and actually don’t know that they are purchasing Fentanyl – which often results in overdose deaths, CCSO reported. Used illegally, Fentanyl produces an intense, short-term high, along with temporary feelings of euphoria.

Also seized from the vehicle and its three occupants was over $1,200 cash, drug paraphernalia, a 9mm firearm, along with two toy replica guns. Arrested during the traffic stop was: Trisha Tansey, 36, of Waterville; Thomas Caswell, 28, of Falmouth; and Shawn Lebel, 29, of Springvale. All three were transported to the Cumberland County Jail.

Tansey was charged with Aggravated Trafficking of Scheduled Drugs and Violation of Conditions of Release. Tansey is currently on bail conditions from a prior OUI drug charge in York County.

Caswell was charged with Aggravated Trafficking of Scheduled Drugs.

Lebel was charged with Aggravated Trafficking of Schedule Drugs and Violation of Conditions of Release.

Lebel is currently on bail conditions from a prior drug charge in York County.

As a result of the motor vehicle stop and with the assistance of Maine Drug Enforcement, a subsequent search warrant was executed at a Naples motel room.

Additional firearms, along with a variety of other illegal drugs was located in the room rented by the suspects, CCSO reported. A presumptive chemical test performed at the motel identified the presence of Carfentanil.

Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid that is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than Fentanyl, which itself is 50 times more potent than heroin. DEA, local law enforcement and first responders have recently seen the presence of Carfentanil, which has been linked to a significant number of overdose deaths in various parts of the country, CCSO reported.

A fourth suspect — identified as Jasmine-Marie Moore, 33, of Portland — was arrested at the motel room and transported to the Cumberland County Jail, where she was charged with Possession of Schedule Drugs.

“This case represents a significant Fentanyl seizure.

To provide an example of its magnitude, it is a felony in Maine to possess 200 milligrams of Fentanyl. In this case, the suspects had 500 grams. This case also reflects the extent of the drug problem in the Sebago Lake area. Fentanyl, and drugs like them, are extremely dangerous and have accounted for a large percentage of overdoses and overdose deaths across Maine and the United States,” said CCSO Captain Donald Foss. “We do anticipate that the impact of this seizure will prevent several overdoses and overdose-related deaths in the coming days and weeks. Unfortunately, we also know that this relief is temporary and a new flow of drugs will soon follow.”

Truck located, man charged

NAPLES — A Naples man faces four charges in connection with the theft of a truck on Tuesday, Dec. 29.

Jesse Riggleman, 34, was arrested without incident and charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, operating after license suspension habitual status, theft and criminal mischief.

He was transported to the county jail.

At about 10 a.m. on Dec. 29, the Cumberland County Regional Communication Center received a report of a stolen truck that had just occurred from the driveway of #7 Maplewood Drive in Naples. The truck belonged to Casella Waste and was

described as a white 2019 Ford F-150.

Sheriff’s deputies, as well as a Bridgton Police unit, responded to the area. A short time later, a Bridgton police officer spot-

ted the truck on Roosevelt Trail by Songo School Road in Naples. The stolen truck was stopped and the operator, Jesse Riggleman of Naples, was arrested without incident.

Casco crash CASCO — A Casco man suffered non-life threatening injuries following a crash on Quaker Ridge Road in Casco early last Thursday morning.

The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office responded with Casco Fire and EMS to Quaker Ridge Road in Casco at 12:25 a.m. for initially what was reported as a suspicious male in the area yelling and screaming. Upon arrival in the area, Sheriff’s deputies discovered Nathan Locke, 26. He had been operating a black 1996 Dodge Ram on Quaker CRASH, Page 8A

Country Living

January 7, 2021 The Bridgton News, Page 5A

DONATION — Bridgton-Lakes Region Rotarian Aaron Hagan delivers a donation to Bridgton Public Library Director Amy Stone surrounded by Library Trustees and Friends, (left to right) Sally Dunning, Mary Hubka, Debbie Szok, Therese Johnson and Carol Bibeau.

Rotary supports Food for Thought program

The Bridgton-Lakes Region Rotary Club recently contributed $500 to the Friends of the Bridgton Public Library.

Rotarian Aaron Hagan (president-elect 2022-23) from Key Bank presented the ceremonial check to Library Director Amy Stone on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020.

The library was unable to hold its annual July Book Sale in 2020 due to Covid-19. With the loss of FIRST BABY OF 2021 – Josephine Grace Tucker, the daughter of Sarah and John this important fundraiser, Tucker, was the first baby born at Bridgton Hospital in 2021. The couple’s first child, BPL Friends conceived of Josephine was born on Friday, Jan. 1 at 6:22 p.m., weighing 8 pounds, 9 ounces, donating books to local and measuring 20.75 inches. “Mom, Dad, Josie – we’re all doing good,” Sarah said.

“She likes to burp. She likes to cuddle. She has a little head of (blonde) hair, chubby cheeks. She has Daddy’s little chin and maybe my lips.” Both parents serve in the U.S. Coast Guard and are stationed in South Portland, Sarah as a yeoman and John WATERFORD — All as a machinery technician.

About Books — a virtual Maine author Zoom event with Rowland Creitz — will be hosted by the Waterford Library on Tuesday, Jan. 12 at Tyberius (Ty) Steel, son was born on Friday, Jan. 1, in Norway. William weighed 6:30 p.m.

E-mail waterfordmeliof Bruce Whittemore and 2021 at Bridgton Hospital 6 pounds, 9 ounces.

Tammy Taketa of Norway at 6:22 p.m. Josephine Grandparents: Jean brary@gmail.com for link.

All About Books offers was born on Thursday, weighed 8 pounds, 9 ounces and Joseph Dmytruk of Dec. 31, 2020 at Stephens and was 20 ¾ inches.

Cumberland; John Bateman new and established authors Memorial Hospital in Grandparents: Don and of Casco; Terri Templeton a platform to talk about their evolving journey as a writer.

Norway at 11:31 a.m. Terri Tucker of Cortland, of Windsor, Vt. Tyberius weighed 6 pounds, Ohio; Steve and Theresa Leo Van Stone Challenges of the past year 9 ounces.

Hilliard of Bear Lake, Mich. Valeriani, son of Rebecca Grandparents: Fred and William Aiden Taylor and Shawn Valeriani Karen King of Harrison; Bateman, son of Bradley of Harrison, was born at Danny and Barbara C. Bateman and Jazylin N. Bridgton Hospital on Whittemore of South Paris. Dmytruk of South Paris, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020.

Josephine Grace was born on Monday, Dec. Grandparents: Melissa 103 Main St., Bridgton Tucker, daughter of John 14, 2020 at 3:03 a.m. at Labbe of Norway and Sherry (207) 647-3672 and Sarah Tucker of Greene, Stephens Memorial Hospital Valeriani of Harrison.

food pantries. Rotary’s donation of $500 allowed the library to donate over 725 books in several genres to be offered free of charge at the Harrison Food Bank. Especially appreciated by HFB clients were children’s books.

Inspired by the Rotary’s donations of Health & Wellness packets to local food pantries, Food-forThought addressed the need for books during the pandemic. The BridgtonLake Region Rotary Club found the project very much in line with its own

goals aimed at literacy and support of food pantries.

“If you care about helping people the BridgtonLake Region Rotary Club and the Friends of Bridgton Library are two great organizations which would appreciate your support,” said Rotary Club President Julie Forbes.

For more information about Rotary projects, check out the website at LakeRegionRotary.com.

For more information about the Bridgton Public Library, check the website BridgtonLibrary.org.

All About Books Jan. 12

Birth announcements

a variety of great styles

LOVELL — Though Greater Lovell Land Trust has postponed the annual First Day Hike and Winter Weeds Hike until 2022, GLLT is coming up with other ways to engage you.

• Late December through Early January: Wish Tree 2021. Help GLLT decorate a tree located beside Heald and Bradley Ponds Reserve parking lot #2 on Slab City Road (just past the boat launch).

GLLT will leave some pieces of jute and a permanent marker at the parking lot kiosk. You may write your wish for 2021 on the jute and then whisper it as you tie the ribbon to the tree. This idea comes from Katherine Applegate’s delightful story: wishtree. Listen to the first three chapters here and you’ll better understand the concept: wishtree video. (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=KQiU90Y8QE0) • Thursday, Jan. 28, 5 to 6 p.m.: Pond Life: Under the Ice. Do you ever wonder what hides under the ice of a frozen Maine pond? Have you ever witnessed close up the spring-

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have made these conversations especially poignant.

To Touch the Earth Again is New Jersey born Rowland Creitz’s first novel. He was a primary grade teacher in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine, and national educational consultant for years before becoming a full-time writer of fiction and non-fiction. He now lives in Stow.

Synopsis: Only weeks out of medical school, Dr. Philip Springer sees disaster coming, but the wrong kind. He

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Join Maine Master Naturalist and photographer Edwin Barkdoll, V.M.D. for an hour of exploring life under the ice culminating in the annual amphibian emergence and migration.

This will be a remote pro-

gram. Registration limited to 25 participants. Preregister: leigh.hayes@gllt.org • Wednesday, Feb. 17, 7 to 8 p.m.: Maine Damselflies and Dragonflies. Step into summer with GLLT as Dr. Ron Butler of UMaine Farmington and a leader with the Maine GLLT, Page 6A

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Page 6A, The Bridgton News, January 7, 2021

Country living

Learn to play Ukulele for free NORWAY — The Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine is happy to announce a new free course opportunity

by Dana Reed (aka, Capt’n Uke) of Windham titled, “The Joy of Uke: Beginner Ukulele Lessons.”

This will be a free, sixweek online class beginning Tuesday, Jan. 19 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and continuing weekly until Tuesday, Feb. 23. Dana starts at the very beginning and says he will have everyone playing dozens of songs in a

couples of weeks.

To register for this class or any class offered by the Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine, go to the website, www.crcofwm.org.

Anyone registering for the first time is asked to e-mail dmadden@crcofwm.org or call 207-890-0329.

Dana encourages those interested in learning how to play the ukulele to check out his website, www.captnuke.com, and scroll down the home page to find the beginner section titled, “Want

To Play The Ukulele.” Once clicking on, Dana offers videos and lessons that are easily accessible and entertaining.

Dana, Capt’n Uke, is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass. and leads approximately 100 former students in online Zoom uke sessions and socially distanced uke jam events during the warmer months. Besides his website, he may be found on the SL’ukes (Sebago Lakes Ukulele Society) Facebook page.

The Cancer Resource

Center of Western Maine (CRCofWM) is located at 199 Main Street, Norway in the Stephens Memorial Hospital Specialty Clinic building. An appointment may be made by calling 8900329 or e-mailing dmadden@crcofwm.org. CRC offers a variety of programs as well as comfort items, free to anyone impacted by cancer. Check the website, www.crcofwm.org, for more information, and find CRC on Facebook or call 8900329.

DANA REED, also known as Capt’n Uke, leads a group RAYMOND – The boyof ukulele fans at an earlier sing-a-long. hood home of the legendary author of The Scarlet Letter— listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1969—has received a $5,000 individual donation toward Although it is closed to in-person visits and meetings, urgently-needed repairs from Lake Region Recovery Centers remains committed to con- David Flanagan, executive necting with members through online meetings via Zoom. chairman of the Board of Please call the Recovery Line at 207-803-8709 if you need Directors of Central Maine of support.

Power, from his stipend as a Follow LRRC on Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/LRRCBridgton Send an e-mail: info.lrrcbridgton.org@gmail.com For the most current information on when online meetings are, please check the calendar on the website: https:// www.lrrcbridgton.org Stay connected. Be well. Be safe.

LRRC has free Naloxone. Please contact LRRC at 207803-8707 to arrange for this life-saving medicine.

member of the Harold Alfond Foundation Board.

Located in Raymond and affectionately dubbed “The Hawthorne House” by locals, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s boyhood home is at risk of serious structural damage if major repairs are not made soon. This has spurred an urgent “Save the Hawthorne House” fundraising drive,

which seeks to raise $75,000 to make critical repairs to the house’s foundation, structural support, roof and siding, as identified by a professional

structural engineer hired by The Hawthorne Community Association. Mr. Flanagan’s $5,000 donation is a deeplyHOUSE, Page 12A

Donation to repair Hawthorne House

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IMAGE of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Boyhood Home.

Pencil drawing courtesy of the Hawthorne Community Association.

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Ice is still thin!

The winter season is off to a late start in Maine, as well as here in the Bridgton area. We now have a 5 or 6-inch snow cover, which might make you think that it would be safe to ice skate, snow shoe or cross-country ski on one of our local lakes. Do Not Do It! According to the Maine Snowmobile Association website (https://www.mesnow.com), there is not one lake in the entire state that has more than one inch of ice. We will need several days and nights of very cold weather before the ice gets thick enough to support a person or any of our favorite winter sports.

Indeed, the snow cover insulates and hinders the formation of ice. When the time comes, be sure to measure the thickness of the ice with a chainsaw, auger or even a drill before you venture out on any lake. Stay safe and don’t become a statistic! — Bill Preis, Bridgton

Still time to join King night

LOVELL — It’s not too late to join the Friends of the Charlotte Hobbs Library and get a chance to spend a Winter Evening with Stephen King.

The event will be held on Thursday, Jan. 28. This one is invitation only for those who have donated to the library in 2020. It’s not too late. Join the Friends for $25 by Jan. 21 and you’ll get an invitation. If you have a question for Stephen King, you may e-mail that question to moirastevejanuary2021@gmail.com any time before the event. The interviewer will collect your questions from this e-mail.

• The Book Cellar is presently holding a January Clearance Event! Everything is half price for the month of January, so get ready to snuggle up with a warm book on a cold night! The Book Cellar has puzzles, games, educational materials, fiction and non-fiction books, audio books, CDs and more! The Book Cellar is in the basement of the library and open whenever the library is open.

• The Taste of Lovell Calendar Raffle — The famous Taste of Lovell is back! This year’s version is a Covid-19 friendly calendar raffle. The area’s finest cooks and local businesses have banded together to bring a month’s worth of goodies your way. Every day is a new chance to win. Each raffle ticket is $10. Buy as many as you want. Each winner’s name goes back into the barrel for more chances to win.

You’ll find the calendar included with this newsletter. To buy a raffle ticket, come into the library or call 925-3177.

• Story Swap — “JUSTICE” and “DREAMS” at the Hobbs Story Swap on Monday, Jan. 18 from 1:30, to 3 p.m. In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – and of two topics that have been in various ways crucial this past year – the Story Swap will welcome up-to-five-minute stories on either or both of the themes of the month: JUSTICE and/ or DREAMS. You may, as always, interpret or include the theme(s) in any way you choose. Stories need not be on a national or historical topic; a personal reminiscence or a folktale, a serious piece or a funny one – all are welcome.

Contact Jo Radner at jradner@american.edu for information or for the link to the online story swap.

• Pick Up Service — CHL is more than happy to deliver your books to the curb. Call 207-925-3177.

Author series

(Continued from Page 5A) is forced to substitute for the only doctor in Possum Run, Tenn., a tiny coal town isolated high in the rugged Appalachian Mountains. To the doctor’s surprise, Possum Run defies many mining stereotypes. It is peaceful and harmonious and — despite the Depression — offers full employment. But, trouble is brewing in paradise. A politically-connected miner is endangering the mine, and the huge slag dam high above the town is leaking badly. Even so, under the masterful guidance of his faithful nurse, Philip learns to be a doctor and part of the town.

Then one day, he and Possum Run face a danger far beyond anyone’s wildest imagination.

GLLT events

(Continued from Page 5A) Damselfly and Dragonfly Survey, discusses general odonate evolution and biology, a survey of Maine odonates, ecological significance, recent findings and conservation issues.

This will be a remote program. Registration limited to 25 participants. Pre-register: leigh.hayes@gllt.org For more information about other programs, visit www.gllt. org, and click on “Out and About with GLLT.” Most GLLT trails are open this winter and you can access maps in the dropdown menu under “Properties” on the website.

Finally, through the generosity of a grant and board member, GLLT has four backpacks filled with naturalist gear and 12 pairs of snowshoes for loan at Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library.

Special Note: Greater Lovell Land Trust has been there through these wild and uncertain times by offering new environmental education activities, carrying out familiar programs with a compliant twist, and working hard to maintain trails and lands for all to enjoy and find renewal. Please consider supporting GLLT’s efforts: https://www.gllt.org/become-a-memberdonate

Opinion & Comment

January 7, 2021 The Bridgton News, Page 7A

Viewpoints

Better year ahead

To The Editor How can we increase the odds that our lives will get better in 2021?

I firmly believe in the law of attraction. Simply, this law states that we attract into our lives whatever we focus on the most. Basically, this universal law is the manipulation of the subconscious mind, which will believe anything we tell it, positive or negative. So, if we can focus on positive thoughts and positive vibes, we will attract more positivity in our lives.

In the coming year, if you focus on being positive, enthusiastic and happy, you will have a very good chance of seeing the same reflected in your life.

Conversely though, if you enter 2021 with a negative attitude, chances are that negativity will almost certainly cloud your life.

To sum up, if you focus on positive thoughts, you will attract positivity. If you focus on negative thoughts you will attract negativity. Believe me this mental attitude works.

Always walk on the sunny side of the street. If you can’t, always carry an umbrella.

Michael Corthell Bridgton

Vampires & Dems

To The Editor: What do vampires and Democrats have in common?

Neither, apparently, ever look into a mirror. I was reminded of that when that herald of peace, love, acceptance and understanding, Rev. Plaisted, asked the question in these pages, “How do you want to spend the next four years – binding up our nation’s wounds or fighting each other and tearing at the fabric of our national life.” Obviously, they not only don’t look in the mirror, but they don’t read what they write either.

Another writer talked about “gaslighting,” saying “it is done slowly so the victim doesn’t realize how much they’ve been brainwashed.” He was referring to Trump. But, I was certain he was referring to the never-ending Russian collusion story the Democrats pushed, and never found proof of, for four years.

A third talked about an “attempted” coup d’etat by Trump supporters to nullify the 2020 election results using the court system. The court system. I was sure he was talking about the Democrat-controlled House of Representative and their impeachment process, the planning of which started before President Trump was even inaugurated, and was an attempt to nullify the results of the 2016 election.

There’s a Michael Jackson song with the lyrics: “I’m talking to the man in the mirror…if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change.” Yes, look in the mirror. If you can only talk of binding wounds, getting along, accepting election results, when your side wins, then you’re basically a fraud.

Victor Detmer Harrison

Reply to Rich

To The Editor: It has been just over a year since I last read a Bridgton News. It will probably be many months before I see another, but what I saw in the Dec. 24 edition is needful of response. I do have a main point to make, but want to make a few short comments first.

• If Reagan was active in politics today, I fear he would be shunned by the Republican Party and the Conservative movement for being a RINO. • Mr. Cebra apparently does not consider the freedom and liberty to seek a larger, more active government to be a form of freedom at all.

• Over 200,000 hand-written pages of political content were produced by the Founders and Framers. For every quote used by the Republicans to indicate the Conservative nature of our founding, there is an equal and opposite sentiment expressed that could be used by Progressives in making their case. On this count, it is the fault of Progressives that they have not kept pace with the Republicans in drawing out substantiating content from the body of period writings. I would like to drive this point home by paraphrasing a letter from John Adams to Thomas Jefferson when they were old men reminiscing on their respective place in the formation of America. Adams said, “You were always afraid that a monarchy would arise and take control of the government and I was afraid of an aristocracy.” This statement was made with 20/20 hindsight by a man recognizing that there are several things we should seek freedom from and that we must be diligent about all of these causes for fear.

I could write a book detailing the flaws in Mr. Cebra’s thinking, but I will spare the Bridgton News as they are not book publishers. That said, I will move on to my main point. The title of Mr. Cebra’s editorial is “Republic, if you can keep it.” The quote is correctly attributed to Ben Franklin. But to fully understand the implications we need to discuss James Madison. It is important to recognize that Franklin was an old man at the time of his quote and he was from the first generation of Founding Fathers who inspired the Declaration of Independence. Madison, at the time of the quote, was a young man from the second generation of Founding Fathers, who led the creation of our Constitution.

I believe we should be more aware that it took two generations to fully form our Nation. That the writings and statements of the first generation apply to a different context than the second.

While Franklin was a statesman, Madison was a political theorist. That brings me to the point and Madison’s Theory on the Survival of Republics. Yes, you read that correctly folks the architect of the Constitution put down in writing his theories on the survival of Republics and I believe this theory is pertinent to the discussion initiated by Mr. Cebra.

Prior to Madison, the prevailing theory was that a Republic could only exist over a small geographic area with one single economic driving force. The classic example was a group of islands all dependent on fishing. Madison turned this theory upside down. He hypothesized that a Republic could only survive when applied to a large geographic area and under conditions where diversity was unlimited.

It comes down to statistics. With limited diversity such as under a two-party system, each party will attempt to gain 51% and use majority to subjugate the 49%. Madison theorized that with infinite diversity and representative Republicanism it becomes almost imposable for any one faction to subjugate all the other factions. So, if the people of Maine and America want to save our Republic the course of action we should take is to turn our backs on both the Republican and Democratic parties. Base consolidation by the two parties is exactly what Madison suggested leads to REPLY TO RICH, Page 11A

REFLECTION of the face of Pleasant Mountain in Moose Pond. (Photo by Pam Ward)

2021: Health, hope, happiness

A year ago, we counted down from 10 and watched the ball drop, fireworks explode, and confetti fall. We wished our closest friends and family Happy New Year and, with great expectations, we welcomed in the year 2020.

We end this year grieving — grieving the loss of loved ones, the loss of jobs, the loss of income, the loss of friends; milestones missed, weddings postposed, graduations online, birthdays alone. Holidays smaller.

We grieve the lives we were living, and the ones we wanted to live, before we ever heard of Covid-19.

At the same time, the pandemic has further revealed the character of Maine people: tough and kind; resilient and compassionate. Steadfast.

So, we are also grateful – for our strengths, for the people who sacrificed so much to keep us safe.

We are grateful to the nurses and doctors, custodians and clinicians who worked around the clock to keep our hospitals open and to save as many lives as possible.

We are grateful to the teachers, education techs, school bus drivers and school staff who educate our kids in creative ways while keeping them all healthy.

We are grateful to the first respond-

Views from Augusta

by Janet Mills

ers — EMS, firefighters, police, dispatchers — protecting and serving us all amid a pandemic.

We are grateful to the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for their round the clock work running tests, reporting results, tracing contacts, containing outbreaks, and keeping people informed and safe as much as possible.

We are grateful to small business owners, who have adapted in so many ways to uncommon conditions, serving our state by manufacturing PPE, hand sanitizer, face coverings, ballot drop boxes and face coverings, and installing plexiglass and outdoor tents.

We are grateful to the grocery store clerks, gas station attendants, restaurant workers, fast food cashiers, delivery drivers, utility crews and plow drivers — people who never stopped making sure that we had food to eat, warm homes and safe roads.

Grief and gratitude.

Like people all across the world, I am reflecting on last year and making resolutions for the next year.

As of this weekend, more than 27,000 people have been vaccinated for Covid-19 in Maine. For the first time, we have more people who have been

We need to find sense of balance

It’s not the problem; it’s how you react to it. So, goes the aphorism and 2020 exemplifies it. All the sumups of the year past proclaimed that Covid-19 made it the worst year of the century, and maybe it was. If so, it wasn’t because of the virus; it was because of government reaction to it — shutting down virtually everything. Many now contend the shutdowns have caused more suffering and death than the virus has.

By the end of last year, evidence to support that contention multiplied, but not enough for government or its mainstream media spokespeople to acknowledge it. Instead, they’ve doubled down on fear hype.

Recent widespread testing indicates that perhaps half the population has already been infected and has immunity. While more deadly than the seasonal flu, chances of dying from

By Mary Jewett Guest Columnist Eight years and one week ago, I made a New Year’s resolution to take a photo every day and share it with friends online. At that point, I was a casual photo taker and would rarely share what I was seeing with the world. I determined that some of my friends would appreciate at least a few of the pictures I was taking.

In the beginning, I had a small point-and-shoot camera with limited zoom capabilities. Each day, I would wander around Bridgton, searching for something special and new to share. The project defined every day of my life for a year. The challenge of seeing and capturing beauty deter-

vaccinated than people who have had Covid-19, a positive milestone. We are distributing vaccines as quickly, equitably and efficiently as possible. We will continue well into the New Year until every eligible person in our state is vaccinated.

In the meantime, the next few weeks and months will be so difficult as the pandemic rages across our state and our nation. The holiday season is bound to have an impact on transmission. But, we also have hope. Hope for a better and brighter New Year, if we can protect our own health and the health of one another by following the precautions we know will keep people safe while we all wait to be vaccinated.

Please, wear your mask everywhere, indoors and outdoors, watch your distance, wash your hands, and avoid gatherings — in homes, cars, bars and stores — with any people outside your “bubble,” or immediate household. If you do visit with other people, keep it brief and outdoors where there is a lower risk of transmission. This virus is still raging.

Remember too that even in normal times, the holidays can be a difficult time for many. So, let’s check on our 2021, Page 12A

Front Row Seat

by Tom McLaughlin

Covid-19 are low.

In September, the CDC reported that the under-69 population of those infected had more than a 99.5% chance of surviving it. So why the continued shutdowns?

Why did teachers’ unions insist that schools remain closed when the CDC reports that children aged 0 to 19 survive Covid-19 at a rate of 99.997%? Surely, it’s not to protect children. Why did blue-state governors and superintendents acquiesce?

Teachers’ unions wield enormous influence with Democrats because they’re among the party’s biggest contributors.

After next Tuesday’s Georgia election, Democrats could control the entire federal government, but is our country uniting behind them? A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll demonstrates that

Seeing world daily by a lense

Governor of Maine

BN Columnist although most Americans accept that Joe Biden won the 2020 election, 39% think the election was rigged.

That points to a seriously divided country.

Is this division a recent phenomenon? Many of us first became aware of roiling discontent within the electorate when the Tea Party emerged 10 years ago. Most agree it was a grassroots conservative movement, but when a large contingent of early Tea Party activists first made their presence known at the 2010 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Republicans were wary. Nobody in the Tea Party was part of the Republican power structure. CPAC’s three-day conference program that year didn’t even mention them.

FRONT ROW, Page 8A

Earth Notes

“Earth Notes” is an outgrowth of a deep ecology discussion group. Writers reflect a delight in, and concern for, the earth and are individually responsible for opinions and information.

Community members are invited to submit articles.

mined where I would go each day and opened up new and frustrating questions.

How would I adjust for bad weather?

What if I worked a long day and never got outside? What about those terribly short, brown days in early December? At the end of the year, I had acquired a critical eye, an obscene number of digital photos, and three new cameras and a tripod. I had run into several roadblocks with my little point-and-shoot and was forced to graduate to a DSLR camera when I wanted to capture the stars.

After that project ended, on Dec. 31, 2013, I decided I would take a year off and start up again in 2015.

The project had been successful.

I expanded my photography skills, improved my naturalist’s eye, and made a few people in my life smile when seeing my photos.

2021 will be my fifth year celebrating life with a daily photograph, and I feel that this is a much-needed distraction for me. The project forces me to get outside, to strive for excellence every day, to accept disappointment when I don’t get the perfect shot, and to wake up each day ready to see.

I have decided to share one of my daily photos from my original New EARTH NOTES, Page 8A

Page 8A, The Bridgton News, January 7, 2021

Opinion

From Front Row Seat

(Continued from Page 7A) When I walked into the hotel lobby at CPAC 2010 in Washington, the first thing I noticed was a man dressed as an original 1773 Massachusetts patriot complete with tricorne hat and waving a yellow “Don’t Tread On Me” flag. That was it though. No one mentioned the Tea Party in any of the sessions I attended. It was as if they didn’t exist. Democrats were certainly not going to welcome them given the Tea Party first coalesced following the narrow passage of government-expanding Obamacare with not a single Republican vote.

Here was an amorphous throng of citizens dead-set against big government and deficit spending — and shunned by both major parties. Mitt Romney ignored the Tea Party in his 2012 presidential run and lost.

Looking back now, nobody should have been surprised that a complete outsider

with zero political experience and promising to “drain the swamp” came out of nowhere and won the presidency in 2016.

If it weren’t for his personality, he would likely have won a second term.

Instead, he was toppled by an aged, career politician, who stayed in his basement throughout the campaign in fear of either Covid-19 or making a gaffe, or both.

After the first two weeks, many Americans opposed government’s massive response to Covid-19.

Shutting down the economy and triggering a near depression, it created trillions of dollars out of thin air and distributed them to citizens, businesses, as well as various institutions and organizations large and small. The federal deficit, already atrocious, went out of control.

Governors, most of them in blue states, have extended shutdowns over and over — and into 2021. All but 13 states have ordered all their

Public Notice

TOWN OF NAPLES Budget Committee Meeting

The Town of Naples will conduct its first Budget Committee meeting for the 2021-2022 fiscal year on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. The meeting format/ location has not yet been determined due to restrictions related to COVID-19. For details, please visit townofnaples.org or call 207-693-6364, ext. 109, beginning Jan. 4, 2021. Thank you.

1T52,1

PUBLIC NOTICE

AGENDA PUBLIC HEARING CASCO PLANNING BOARD JANUARY 11, 2021 CASCO COMMUNITY CENTER 940 MEADOW ROAD 7:00 P.M.

citizens to wear masks.

When governors’ authority to shut down their states is challenged in court, judges have so far ruled it unconstitutional. However, states do have authority to deal with infectious disease and Anthony Fauci objects to that, claiming that federalism is undermining the U.S. response to the disease. Evidence that shutdowns at any level are effective in controlling spread is conflicting at best.

States also report Covid19 statistics, and according to Just The News, most conflate patients hospitalized “with Covid” and “due to Covid.” As more people are tested and found to have antibodies, it’s inevitable that more hospitalized patients will too. However, hospitals are not being overfilled with patients “due to Covid,” but “with Covid.” That’s an important distinction that few Americans appreciate.

Covid-19 is a problem, yes, but are government and media stoking Covid fear to justify seizure of power over the day-to-day lives of Americans? That’s dangerous, and it’s further dividing our country. President Andrew Jackson advised Americans to: “Never take counsel of your fears,” yet that’s exactly what we’re doing.

PHOTO OF THE DAY — Cliffs of Moher by Earth Notes writer Mary Jewett.

Earth Notes: Photo project

(Continued from Page 7A) Year’s resolution project in 2013. This photo was not taken while wandering around the Maine countryside. On day number 168, I was wandering around the countryside of Western Ireland, a trip I took on a whim which provided a week’s worth of fabulous

Casco crash

(Continued from Page 4A) Ridge Road when the vehicle went off the roadway and struck a utility pole, causing the truck to roll over.

Locke was reported as a suspicious male screaming for help in the area when Sheriff deputies located him a short distance away from the crash scene. Locke was transported to Bridgton Hospital by Casco EMS. CCSO reported that alcohol and speed appear to be factors in this crash, which remains under investigation at this time.

TOWN OF LOVELL

Old Business: • Minutes from the November Meeting not Complete at this time New Business: • Review of Revise Site Plan for Contract Zoning Application In Response to the Planning Board Comments Received at the November 9th Meeting – Hancock Leasing LLC, Old Mill Farms, Map 23, Lot 23-B, 24-C, Meadow Road and Edes Falls Road.

• Site Plan Application – Casco Inn, Assisted Living Home – 434 Roosevelt Trail/Rt. 302, Map 2, Lot 21-A, The Applicant Proposes to Construct an Addition with 9 Beds.

Additions: Next Meeting: • February 8, 2021 1T1

Town of Lovell is inviting you to a scheduled Budget Committee Zoom meeting.

207-647-8441 • 800-834-8407

JOIN ZOOM MEETING https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81807036348?pwd=Tm0vazg0U WZHb3hwL0JuNkprRm0ydz09

TF32

PUBLIC NOTICE

Meeting ID: 818 0703 6348 Passcode: 170277

Town of Bridgton

ONE TAP MOBILE +13017158592,,81807036348#,,,,*170277# US (Washington DC) +13126266799,,81807036348#,,,,*170277# US (Chicago) DIAL BY YOUR LOCATION +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 818 0703 6348 Passcode: 170277

Warren’s Florist 39 Depot Street, Bridgton, ME 04009

Topic: My Meeting Time: Jan. 19, 2021, 7 p.m. Eastern Time (US and Canada)

1T1

Adjourn

lucky to live in a place where it isn’t too difficult to see the natural world every day. If you have Facebook or Instagram you can use the hashtag #bnewsearthnotes to help add a little more beauty to the world. You can also add the Bridgton News as your location, to recognize the role our small-town newspaper plays in keeping us all connected. And, if you are lucky enough not to be connected through social media, I still encourage you to go in search of something beautiful each day.

Also: wear a mask.

Mary Jewett of Bridgton is an educator and CBI coordinator at Lakes Environmental Association.

~ Always Fabulous Florals ~ ~ Fruit & Gift Baskets ~ ~ Ganz Plush Animals ~ Balloons ~

BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING

First Order of Business: • Call Meeting to Order • Determine a Quorum • Appoint Alternate Ryan McAllister as Acting Member for Tonight’s Meeting

daily photos. No matter where I was, or how tired, I would always post a photo online to share my day.

This day, I explored the famed Cliffs of Moher and was rewarded with one of my favorite daily photos.

The most remarkable thing about this project is that, when I look at each picture, I can remember the moment I took it. From the most mundane spring crocus photo to the cliffs and castles of Ireland, each photo represents an intention I set to find this one moment to capture.

These days most people have a camera with them all the time. I want to encourage readers to share their favorite nature photos with others. We are very

The Planning Board for the Town of Bridgton will hold a Virtual Public Hearing at 5:00 P.M. on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Public comments will be heard for Mountain Road Storage regarding a proposed Self-Storage/Outside Storage Facility.

A copy of the application can be viewed at the Town office by appointment. Agenda and instructions for Virtual Public Hearing will be posted at a later date.

Please direct any questions or make an appointment with Erin O’Connor, Administrative Assistant at eoconnor@bridgtonmaine.org or 207-803-9952

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This week’s puzzle theme:

Famous Duos

ACROSS 1. *Timothy Q. Mouse’s friend, in Disney classic 6. River in Germany 9. Bridle parts 13. Whatsoever 14. Like tuna tartare 15. Forearm bones 16. Plural of #3 Down 17. Hardware store 18. “Gladiator” setting 19. *Ferb Fletcher’s stepbrother 21. *Mr. White’s unfortunate student 23. Welcome spot for weary traveler 24. It shall, for short 25. Cul de ____ 28. Young herring 30. Dieter’s cuisine, for short 35. Gator’s cousin 37. French “place” 39. Chunk of iceberg 40. St. Louis monument 41. Like new TV set 43. Front of ship 44. Singular of loci 46. Additional 47. Reality TV’s Spelling 48. *Assistant to regional manager Michael Scott 50. Missing a limb 52. More, in Madrid 53. Like acne-prone skin 55. Pimple fluid 57. *Shirley’s roommate

and fellow bottlecapper 61. *Rory Gilmore’s mom 65. Make an effort 66. Legal org.

68. Long stories 69. Scottish valleys 70. Doctor Dolittle, e.g.

71. *One of The Carpenters duo 72. Bone-dry 73. Opposite of WSW 74. Red or orange announcement DOWN 1. Slightly wet 2. *Malone and Stockton of the ____ Jazz 3. Skirt length 4. Shrovetide dish 5. *Mary-Kate and Ashley 6. Geologists’ studies 7. *____ and cheese 8. Moved under the rug 9. “All ____, no bite” 10. Footnote word 11. *Amy Poehler’s comedic partner 12. Welsh alternative to Siobh·n 15. Was almost out of gas, e.g.

20. Source of indigo dye, pl.

22. “____ Be Home For Christmas” 24. In the best possible way

25. Coffee burn, e.g.

26. *Bow and ____ 27. Spherical bacteria 29. *Corona’s main squeeze?

31. What willow did 32. Read-only chip 33. Greek bazaar 34. *Clark’s fellow traveler 36. College party chant

38. Celestial bear 42. Dancer’s beat 45. Daisy dukes, e.g.

49. “Wizard of Oz” man 51. Archimedes’ exclamation 54. Furlough 56. Flower part 57. Frog delicacy 58. Wheel shaft

59. Swerve 60. European sea eagle 61. *David and Paul on the “____ Show” 62. Italian currency, pl.

63. Maple genus

64. Negative contraction 67. *Jerry’s fellow treatmaker

Solutions on Page 12A

Obituaries

January 7, 2021 The Bridgton News, Page 9A

Carin Douglass Wilson

Gordon Weymouth

Donald Chadwell

Carin Wilson, 46, passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 26, 2020.

She was born on June 28, 1974, the youngest daughter of Philip and Peggy Douglass from Bridgton. She graduated from Lake Region High School in 1992, then from Plymouth State College in 1996 where she earned her BS Degree in Elementary Education.

On July 2, 2000, Carin married her high school sweetheart, Gary Wilson. Together they built a beautiful home in North Yarmouth and raised the loves of her life, their boys, Keegan Jayce and Tucker James Wilson. She loved spending time with her family camping, boating, fishing, four-wheeling, and especially being on the sidelines cheering on her sons’ teams. Carin was extremely active in spearheading fundraisers and events for their lacrosse, football, and baseball teams, as well as participating in Greely’s Booster Club.

Carin loved athletics, from competing on the field hockey and basketball teams at Lake Region, to coaching youth soccer, LRMS summer field hockey program, and Greely MS field hockey. During her high school and college summers, Carin was a WSI Swimming Instructor and Life Guard for the towns of Harrison and Bridgton. Many of her students whom she taught swimming lessons, coached, or were her classroom students have sent lovely notes and messages. Carin touched so many young people during her short stay on earth. She truly earned her angel wings many times over.

Carin began her twenty-four year teaching career as a kindergarten teacher at Harrison Elementary School. From there she was a grades K-3 multi-age teacher at Chebeague Island Elementary. During the ten years at Mabel I. Wilson Elementary School, in Cumberland, she taught kindergarten, second grade, and was a Title I Literacy Teacher. Her true love was teaching reading and writing to struggling students. Carin attained her Master’s Degree through the University of New England while teaching full time and raising her family.

For the past eleven years, Carin has been teaching at Canal Elementary School in Westbrook, beginning as a Title I Literacy Teacher, teaching first grade and second grade students, her favorite class. In addition to teaching her classes, she also trained and taught the staff Reading and Writing Units of Study. Often, Carin had a student teacher training under her guidance and expertise. She was nominated for the Cumberland County Teacher of the Year Award for 2018-2019 school year.

Carin was a kind and loving daughter, granddaughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt and lifelong friend to many. She always gave endlessly of herself to others. Carin loved hosting family and friend gatherings, and created the most unique and awesome birthday parties.

Carin was predeceased by her father Philip, her grandparents Everett and Lillian Douglass, and Claude and Linda Heath. Her beautiful life, dimmed too soon, will forever be cherished, honored, and remembered by her husband, Gary Wilson, sons Tucker and Keegan, companion Rachel, her mother Peggy, brother Jeffrey and wife Melissa, sister Rebecca and partner Bill, her in-laws Linda and Rick Stout and Gary Wilson Sr. as well as many beloved aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins and treasured friends.

Her friend MaryKate wrote, “You’ll always be in my heart, and the good that you’ve done will live on in your children, husband, family, friends and the vast number of students whose lives you’ve made better.”

Due to the COVID virus, a Celebration of Carin’s Life is planned for later this spring or summer. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes donations be made to a program that was dear to Carin’s heart, The Canal School Families in Need Program, 102 Glenwood Ave, Westbrook, ME 04092.

Online condolences may be shared with her family at www.chandlerfunerals.com .

Gordon Weymouth, 93, a lifelong resident of Bridgton passed away at home on December 23, 2020. His loving companion, Dorothy Morency was with him.

He was born on May 25, 1927, in Portland, Maine, to Charles H. and Jean Crook Weymouth. He attended local schools. He married the love of his life, Selma Porter on June 16, 1945.

He was drafted into the Army on Sept. 25, 1945, and was stationed in Japan. There he witnessed the devastation Nagasaki endured from the atom bomb.

After being honorably discharged from the Army, he returned home and worked on road construction. In 1961, Gordon and Selma opened the Vicki-Lin Camping Area on Long Lake.

Together, in a real team effort, they planned, developed and managed the campground until the time of death. He was predeceased by his wife of 63 years.

He is survived by his daughter, Vicki Bedor of Bridgton, grandson Samuel Thurston and partner Jessica Townsend, great-granddaughters, Hannah and Elizabeth Thurston of Gorham. He is also survived by daughter Linda Ruksznis and husband Larry, granddaughter Amanda MacLeod-Killer and husband Jeffry; great-granddaughter Aurora Killer of Bridgton; step-grandsons Trystin and Ethan Killer of Alfred, grandson Jared MacLeod and partner Bailey Schendell, grandsons, Aiden and Kaelan MacLeod, and step-granddaughter Francy Hayes all of Kennebunk. His family meant the world to him.

Gordon was a Special Deputy Sheriff for Cumberland County 1965 to 1968 and served on the Board of Selectman in Bridgton.

Gordon was passionate about Long Lake and knew it like the back of his hand. He was also a fan of going “backroading” looking for deer, turkeys or some other wild animal to observe. He was also passionate about construction equipment and would almost drive off the road looking at a new backhoe or excavator he spotted parked at a dealership. He was known for his quick wit and spoke with the art of using cliché.

On his 93rd birthday, his cousin’s grandson, Liam Opie, visited with members of the American Legion to honor his World War II service and Liam read an article to him that he had written about his father, Charles, who was a World War I veteran. He really enjoyed their visit. He also enjoyed spending winters in Bonita Springs, Fla., with Selma. Later on in life he visited Brundidge, Ala., where his daughter Vicki lived. It was a farming community and he would watch the cattle that was pastured on her land.

Every dog he met wanted to be his friend. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Harvest Hills Animal Shelter, 1389 Bridgton Road, Fryeburg, ME 04037.

A Celebration of Gordon and Selma’s lives will be announced at a later time. Arrangements are with Chandler Funeral Home, 8 Elm Street, Bridgton. Online condolences may be shared with his family at www.chandlerfunerals.com

HARRISON — Donald Chadwell, 81, of Harrison died peacefully at home on Dec. 29, 2020, with loved ones by his side. He was born on Feb. 3, 1939, in Stanford, Ky., the son of James and Elizabeth Stoner Chadwell. He graduated high school in 1957 in Brookville, Ohio. He served in the United States Air Force. Don worked as the production manager at various manufactured housing plants, in numerous states around the country.

Don came to Maine in 1986 to work at Burlington Homes in Oxford and decided to stay in the State of Maine, retiring from Burlington Homes in 2003.

After retiring he fulfilled a dream of raising longhorn cattle at the home that he and his wife Barbara built in North Bridgton.

He married Barbara Bishop on October 3, 1991.

Don was a member of the American Legion Post #155 in Naples.

Don was an avid hunter and fisherman in both Maine and Texas, bagging moose and bear in Maine and deer in Texas with his daughter Tracy Ross, her husband Rex and grandson Colton, as well as fishing in both Maine and Texas with his wife, family and friends.

Don also enjoyed restoring many antique and vintage cars over the year, the latest was his 1950 “baby blue” Ford and 1970 military jeep.

Don is survived by his wife Barbara Chadwell of 29 years; his children Tracy (Chadwell) Ross, and Rex Ross of Temple, Tex., Kimberly (Chadwell) Schizas, Andy Schizas of Cedar Park, Tex., their children and numerous grandchildren; stepdaughter Tami Bishop Harriman, Tom Harriman of Bridgton, and stepson Keith Bishop of Naples. Grandchildren Ashley Mallinger of California, Zayne Schizas of Cedar Park, Tex., Colton Ross of Temple, Tex., and Whitney Harriman of Naples.

He was predeceased by his parents; a brother Wendall Chadwell; and a sister Julia (Chadwell) Christy.

At Donald’s request there will be no services at this time.

Online condolences may be shared with his family at www.chandlerfunerals.com. Arrangements are under the care of Chandler Funeral Homes & Cremation Service, 8 Elm St., Bridgton. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital.

James E. Murt NAPLES – James E. Murt, 59, passed away on Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 at his home.

He was born in Wyandotte, Mich., a son of the late Richard and Mary (Strasser) Murt.

He proudly served in the U.S. Navy with two honorable discharges and went on to work and retire from the United States Postal Service in Detroit, Mich. as a Stewart.

James will always be remembered as “Coach” for the enjoyment he had coaching Little League, fishing, hunting, bowling, fixing cars, building, grilling and cooking.

He is predeceased by his beloved wife, Cynthia (Skillings) Murt in 2019; and an infant daughter.

James is survived by a son, James Murt II of Naples; stepchildren, Bruce, Chris and Pamela; six grandchildren; brother, Rick; sister, Tammy; nieces and nephew.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday Jan. 7 at 2 p.m. at the Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service Chapel, 498 Long Plains Road (Route 22) in Buxton. Please be mindful of Covid19 restrictions including mask wearing both inside and outside the funeral home. Online condolence messages can be submitted at http://www.mainefuneral.com

Eric Nelson, Owner and Funeral Director TF43

165 QUAKER RIDGE RD., CASCO, ME 04015 207-627-4538 • HALLFUNERALHOME.NET

Wayne R. Holmquist RAYMOND – Wayne R. Holmquist, 89, of Raymond passed away on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020.

The son of Radcliffe and Verna Holmquist, he was the third of nine children and was born on Sept. 14, 1931, and raised on a potato farm in Westmanland in Aroostook County.

Wayne realized picking potatoes wasn’t his bag and at the early age of 16 he showed his entrepreneurial spirit becoming a licensed barber and opening his own shop in New Sweden.

When he was old enough, he enlisted in the Navy, as did his three brothers, and was stationed in Alaska as a corpsman. After the service, he took advantage of the G.I. Bill and graduated with a B.S. degree in Business from Husson College. During his college days, he formed lifelong friendships with several classmates and an interest in educating others. It was at this time he got introduced to Anita and they hit it off on the dance floor, doing the Jitter Bug and all the other dances of the day.

He and Anita continued to light up the dance floor taking center stage with grace and flow even into his eighties at every wedding they attended. Wayne and Anita’s fascination with people and cultures inspired them to travel throughout Europe, Scandinavia, China, Bermuda, Hawaii and the United States and Canada always with friends or family members sharing the experience.

After graduation, he’d go on to own or run more than 20 businesses ranging from clothes pin manufacturing, leather tanning, Western tack sales, heritage metal craft production and sales, snowmobiles and lawnmowers to real estate. He was motivated to pull people together to better their community, and while living in Gray, he served on numerous town boards and committees and was a founding member of the Gray JC’s, co-founder of United Maine Craftsman, idea man of Gray Community Endowment and Libby Hill Forest.

When he and Anita moved to their beautiful home in Raymond, he jumped right into the community spearheading the restoration of the Raymond Village Community UCC Church helping to raise over $100,000 to restore the church to its past

beauty. He also served on a board to revitalize Raymond and create a more attractive and productive business district. One of his final efforts was collaborating to establish a permanent location for the Raymond/Casco Historical Society Museum, where the many local artifacts could be on display for the public to view and reflect back in time.

Wayne’s lifelong pursuit of education was near and dear to him. For years, he offered his formula on how to make it rich in real estate through Adult Ed classes. Many of his students applied that formula successfully to make their own fortunes in real estate and would often thank him for his mentorship.

Even in his late 70s and early 80s, he obtained a grant from the University of Southern Maine to develop a 3-D Printing Lab for the community of Raymond, where both businesses and interested people could utilize the equipment. Up until the last couple weeks, his keen interest in learning kept him busy buying books online with subject matter ranging from alternative energy to the planets of our solar system. Wayne was a true entrepreneur and had the courage to bring ideas into reality and was always looking for opportunities to invest and make a profit.

Aside from his business and

Edmund D. Lipson NAPLES — Edmund D. Lipson, 75, originally from Lynn, Mass., passed away on December 27, 2020, at his home in Naples, where he resided for the past 31 years. He was born on Sept. 18, 1945, to parents Edmund and Sophie (Hincman) Lipson in Salem, Mass.

Edmund graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Lynn, Mass., in 1963 and went on to attend Boston College, where in 1966 he became the football team captain before graduating in 1967.

After college, Edmund served six years in the Army reserves as an Army Green Beret. He was on the board of directors at Unified Federal Credit Union for ten years and worked for 33 years at Osram Sylvania in Danvers, Mass., before retirement in 2001. Edmund dedicated many hours organizing beano at Sacred Heart Church in Lynn and Bishop Fenwick High School in Peabody, Mass. He devoted his retirement years volunteering in local food pantries.

Edmund leaves behind his beloved wife of 52 years, Patricia Wiswall Lipson. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children: Edmund, and his wife Theresa Lipson of Cape Elizabeth, Lynda and her husband Brian Blutreich of Phoenix, Ariz.; grandchildren, Jeremy and Chelsea Thacker of Raymond, Brock of North Conway, N.H.; granddaughters, Brooke and Logan Blutreich of Phoenix, Ariz. Edmund also leaves behind six greatgrandchildren; his sister, Dorothy Owen and her husband, John of Wakefield, Mass.; special niece, Sara Owen Kasper and her husband, Dr. Isaac Kasper of Beverly, Mass., and special nephew, Jonathan Owen and his wife, Maggie of Kennebunk, as well as several other nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews and many several dear friends.

To express condolences or to participate in Edmund’s online tribute please visit http://www.DolbyBlaisSegee.com. philanthropic pursuits, he was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend to many. Family meant everything to him and he was always interested in how everyone was doing in their lives and willing to help in any way he could. Both he and Anita loved having people come to the lake and enjoy it and not only with their own friends but the many friends of their kids and grandkids. It was always the more the merrier in the truest sense. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Anita J. Holmquist; their sons William and Carl Holmquist; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; his brother, Judson (Leona); and sisters, Linda Sharp, Fern Counes and Clarice Rossignol.

Unfortunately due to Covid19, we will not be able to hold a service at this time but once the world gets back on its axis, we will hold a celebration of life gathering at the lake where he and Anita will be in the middle of it all enjoying everyone’s company.

Poitras, Neal & York Funeral Home Cremation Full Services Burials Proudly serving Oxford, Cumberland and York Counties 71 Maple St. Cornish 625-3221 www.mainefuneral.com

FOM

Always Improving We just completed a major renovation to be more comfortable and up-to-date for today’s families. And Chandler Funeral Homes is constantly advancing and offering more services than any other funeral homes in the area.

Family and friends attending services now have a stunning reception area to share a meal after the service. Also, our casket selection is now online for your convenience.

Improvements all done with our families in mind to give quality service above and beyond the rest at affordable prices.

While we are adding more, we are still committed to keeping our prices fair. That’s one important reason we are the most preferred funeral home and we won’t ever forget that.

Family Owned and Operated

TF25

8 Elm St., Bridgton (207) 647-5502

45 Main St. • South Paris (207) 743-8402 Fax: (207) 743-0497

Greenleaf Chapel 37 Vernon St. • Bethel (207) 824-2100

26 W. Dwinal St. Mechanic Falls (207) 345-5691

Oxford Hills Funeral Svc. 1037 Main St. • Oxford (207) 743-0270

www.ChandlerFunerals.com

Wood Funeral Home 9 Warren St. • Fryeburg (207) 935-2325

©2019 MKJ Marketing

Area news

Page 10A, The Bridgton News, January 7, 2021

Classified Advertising Classified line ads are now posted on our website at NO EXTRA CHARGE! www.bridgton.com

HELP WANTED

ARE YOU LOOKING — for a fun place to work? Do you want to be more involved in your community? The MSAD 72 School District in Fryeburg, Maine, has a variety of anticipated and current positions available! We are an E.O.E. See our website www.msad72.org for specifics and to learn how to apply.

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CREW LEADERS — Do you have leader abilities? Are you looking for health insurance benefits, 401k, employee ownership and much, much more? Visit: Q-Team. com/Benefits today. tf51

truckload. Delivery available.

LOOKING FOR — Interior painting jobs. 31 years experience. Fullyinsured. Free estimates. Dirigo Custom Painting. 743-9889.

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D&G SNOWMOBILERS — Discount. New and used parts. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Closed Wednesdays.

Masks required. Harrison. 5832312.

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WORK WANTED

FOR SALE

REDS FIREWOOD — by the cord any amount. 124 State Park Rd. Naples, ME 04055. 207-6156342. Philmorton57@gmail.com.

Campfire wood bundled or by the

DENMARK SELF-STORAGE

$5 FOR TATTERED — U.S. Flag when purchasing new U.S. Flag 3’x5’ or larger. Maine Flag & Banner, Windham, 893-0339. tf46

DRIED FIREWOOD — Dried twelve months. Selling seasoned hardwood year-round. One cord $260, cut, split, delivered. Call 207-595-5029; 207-583-4113. maineseasonedfirewood.com

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REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

12-ACRE LOT — for sale. Milbrook Rd., Bridgton. Rock walls. A town road. 647-2047.

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10' x 10' Unit – $75/mo.

10' x 20' Unit – $125/mo.

VEHI­CLES FOR SALE

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207-452-2157

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BRIDGTON — Two 1997 E-Touring Ski-Doos in excellent condition with electric start and many features. Snow Pro 2 sled, clam shell trailer included. 6473412.

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JESUS IS LORD — new and

BRIDGTON — furnished 3-bedroom, 3-bath, 4-season house.

Wood and electric heat. Right-ofway to private dock. Washer/dryer, no smoking, no pets. $1,500 plus expenses. 1-year lease minimum.

Call: 1-951-285-9797. tf12

BUSINESS SERVICES

SNOWPLOWING — Bridgton/ Denmark areas. Call 207-4001040.

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DENMARK HOUSE PAINTING — Since 1980. Interior and exterior painting. Free estimates. Call John Mathews 452-2781. tf40x

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Also Old Plaster Restoration & Painting NO JOB TOO SMALL s OVER 35 YEARS EXP.

Discriminatory Advertising under the Fair Housing Act

PREMIUM HARDWOOD MIX

GREEN: $200/cord SEMI-SEASONED:

$275/cord

Help Wanted!

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2 cord minimum

Pick up applications store Must beinside 18 years old Spring hours Sun-Sat 7 a.m. -8 p.m. Summer hours Sun-Sat 7 a.m.-9 p.m.

SEBAGO — One-bedroom, all new. First floor with small deck and views. Private and peaceful. Suitable for single or retired person. $825 monthly plus security. Call Bob at 305-970-6653.

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Call Joel at Cell 207-256-0352

at Bridgton Public Library for a Library Clerk.

When You’re Away Property Care & Management TF49

The Umbrella Factory Supermarket in Naples, Maine is looking for these positions.

• Grocery Manager • Full Time Meat Cutter Full-time Produce Manager • Part Time General Help • Pizza Maker* *- *Day * * *or* *Night ******* • Bakery or Deli Part Time Nights Part-time Pizza Maker • Cashiers - Nights One yearorexperience preferred • Produce - Day Night

FOR RENT

CASCO — Rooms for rent. Starting at $140 per week furnished with Internet and laundry onsite. Call Tommy at 207-595-4946. 26t38x

Professional Drywall

JOB OPENING

Full posting at our main desk or on our website: www.bridgtonlibrary.org.

used auto parts. National locator.

Most parts 2 days. Good used cars.

Ovide’s Used Cars, Inc., Rte. 302 Bridg­ton, 207-647-5477. tf30

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ATTENTION

SERVICES

The Fair Housing Act of 1968 at 42 U.S.C. 3604(c) makes it unlawful “to make, print, or publish, or cause to be made, printed, or published any notice, statement, or advertisement, with respect to the sale, or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.

Richard Lewis Storm Damage • Security Heat • Lights • Plants Home Check E-mail: Ricklewis2011@hotmail.com Cell: 207-415-4476

639 Roosevelt Trail, Naples Maine

Green Firewood $225 per Cord Minimum two cords for delivery.

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Order online at westernmainetimberlands.com or call 207-925-1138

NEED A

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE? THE BRIDGTON NEWS

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

CONSULT OUR LISTING OF BUSINESS SERVICES AND LET AN EXPERT DO THE JOB!

HEATING Bass Heating Oil Burner Service Sales and Installations Waterford (207) 595-8829

INSURANCE

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BARN RAISING — Andy Buck and his crew raised this timber frame barn on New Year’s Eve day on Moose Pond in Denmark.

College notes President’s List at Plymouth State University Emily Wallace of Harrison and Ellery Hunt of Bridgton have been named to the Plymouth State University President’s List for the fall 2020 semester. To be named to the President’s List, a student must achieve a grade point average of 3.7 or better for the fall 2020 semester and must have attempted at least 12 credit hours during the semester.

Named to UVM Dean’s List Maeve Gurnis of Fryeburg, Class of 2022, has been named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2020 semester at the University of Vermont. Maeve is in the College of Arts and Sciences. To be named to the Dean’s List, students must have a grade-point average of 3.0 or better and rank in the top 20 percent of their class in their respective college or school.

President’s List at Bob Jones University Kaitlyn McNally, a junior Journalism and Mass Communication major from Raymond, was among approximately 600 Bob Jones University (Greenville, S.C.) students named to the fall 2020 President’s List.

The President’s List recognizes students who earn a 3.75 or higher grade point average for the semester. Bob Jones University provides an outstanding regionally accredited Christian liberal arts education purposely designed to inspire a lifelong pursuit of learning, loving and leading.

Bridgton 4 on Fourth signups open Jan. 15 Race Director Bill Graham announces that registration for the 45th Annual Bridgton 4 on the Fourth Road Race and Kids’Fun Run will open at midnight on Friday, Jan. 15.

Registration links can be accessed on the website at https://fouronthefourth.com. Last year’s successful virtual race took place on the original course from 1977, however, the 45th Annual Race will return to its certified four-mile course, which starts on lower Main Street and finishes on Depot Street. All race proceeds benefit the Bridgton Public Library and local non-profits.

Despite Covid-19 limitations, the Race Committee has been active making preparations for this year’s race.

Any updates will be shared over the course of the next several months on the website, social media and via e-mail. The committee has also welcomed three new members from the Lakes Region: Acadia Gantz, Jess Gyger and Bridgette Fuller.

The Race Committee hopes that with the continued roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines, the 45th “4 on the Fourth” will be both safe and competitive. The Race Committee looks forward to seeing you on Sunday, July 4!

PLUMBING & HEATING

SEPTIC TANK PUMPING

Collins Plumbing & Heating Inc. Specializing in repair service in The Lake Region 647-4436

Dyer Septic Septic systems installed & repaired Site work-emergency service-ecofriendly 1-877-250-4546 207-583-4546

Ken Karpowich Plumbing Repairs/Installation/Remodeling Master Plumber in ME & NH Over 20 years experience 207-925-1423

SURVEYORS

GARAGE DOORS

CHIMNEY LINING

The Clean Sweep LLC Chimney Cleaning Service Supaflu and Stainless Steel Chimney lining and relining Dana Richardson 935-2501

Bridgton Dental Hygiene Care, PA Family & Periodontal Dental Hygiene Svcs.

Infants, Toddlers, Teens and Adults InNetwork; N.E. Delta Dental & MaineCare 207-647-4125 bdhc@myfairpoint.net

Roberts Overhead Doors Commercial/residential – free estimates Now offering Master Card & Visa 207-595-2311

SELF-STORAGE

THIS SPACE CAN BE YOURS Call 647-2851 for JB Self Storage details or e-mail Rt. 5, Lovell, Maine bnews@roadrunner.com Monthly/yearly secure storage 207-925-3045

JAN 2021

F. Jonathan Bliss, P.L.S. Bliss & Associates PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Surveying, Land Planning 693 Main St., Lovell 207-925-1468 Mountain View Dentistry CLEANING SERVICES ACCOUNTANTS Oberg Insurance Clement Bros. Lawn and Landscape blissinc@fairpoint.net Dr. Shilo Annis, DMD Organic lawn & garden maintenance Chandel Associates Cosmetic/restorative & Family Dentistry Auto, Home, Business, Life Servicemaster Maine Survey Consultants, Inc. 132 Main St., Bridgton Shoreline restoration Accounting, Taxes Prof. Carpet Cleaning – Home/Office 207-647-3628 Tel. 647-5551, 888-400-9858 Audits, Full Service Payroll Creative stonework, property watch Land info services – Surveys MountainViewDentistryMaine.com Fire/Smoke Damage Restoration Boundary/Topographic/Flood elevation 3 Elm St., Bridgton Southern Maine Retirement Services Snowplowing & sanding 1-800-244-7630 207-539-4452 PO Box 485, Harrison, Maine Office 647-5711 207-693-6646 www.clementbros.com Medicare Supplements & Prescription Plans Off: 583-6159 ELECTRICIANS TLC Home Maintenance Co. Life and Senior Dental Insurance D. A. Maxfield Jr. PLS Jones & Matthews, PA Professional Cleaning and REAL ESTATE 150 Main St., Bridgton 207-647-2900 Over 10,000 surveys on file D. M. Electric Inc. & Sons Certified Public Accountants Property Management Accounting and taxes Dennis McIver, Electrical Contractor Chalmers Real Estate Housekeeping and much more Roosevelt Trail Prof. Bldg.

INTERIOR DESIGN Residential/Commercial/Industrial TREE SERVICE 100 Main St., Bridgton 583-4314 Route 302, Bridgton Licensed in Maine & New Hampshire Tel. 647-3311 647-3668 cpas@maine.com Universal Designz Q-Team & Cook’s Tree Service Bridgton 207-647-5012 COMPUTERS Consulting – Design Removal-pruning-cabling-chipping Kezar Realty Decorating – Aging in Place ATTORNEYS J.P. Gallinari Electric Co. Stump grinding-bucket work-bobcat Homes, Land & Vacation Rentals Grammy Geek Crane-licensed & fully-insured Residential - Commercial - Industrial www.UniversalDesignzMaine.com Lovell Village 207-925-1500 Shelley P. Carter, Attorney 207-754-0730 Q Team 693-3831 or Cook’s 647-4051 Tech support for seniors (jr.’s too) Aerial - Auger - Lifting Service KezarRealty.com Law Office of Shelley P. Carter, PA 1-1 support at your home Toll free 207-693-3831 www.Q-Team.com Bridgton 647-9435 110 Portland St., Fryeburg, ME 04037 Malware & virus removal/PC repair INVESTMENT MANAGERS 935-1950 www.spcarterlaw.com Oberg Agency Rice Tree Service – Sheldon Rice Free pick-up & delivery 207-310-0289 McIver Electric Residential, Business, Lake Shore Complete tree service – free estimates “Your on time every time electricians” Daniels D’Amelio Group Michael G. Friedman, Esq., PA Property Removal-prune-chipping-stump grinding Naples Computer Services Donald M. Daniels 207-803-8389 221 Portland Rd., Bridgton 132 Main St. 132 Main St., Bridgton Licensed and insured Donald Daniels Jr. 561-427-5857 PC repair/upgrades – on-site service 647-3664 P.O. Box 10, Bridgton, ME 04009 Tel. 647-5551, 888-400-9858 Utility and Landscape Arborist www.ddimg.org (5320x) Virus and spy-ware removal www.mciverelectric.net (5320x) 647-8360 Waterford ME – 583-2474 Home and business networking R.W. Merrill Electrical Contractor Hastings Malia, PA RUBBISH SERVICE Video security systems OIL DEALERS 376 Main Street – PO Box 290 24 hour Emergency Service VETERINARY 71 Harrison Rd., Naples 207-693-3746 Fryeburg, ME 04037 Residential & Commercial Dead River Co. ABC Rubbish 935-2061 www.hastingsmalia.com Fryeburg Veterinary Hospital Harrison 583-2986 Fax 583-4882 Range & Fuel Oil DANCE INSTRUCTION Weekly Pick-up Small Animal Medicine & Surgery Oil Burner Service Container Service Route 302, Fryeburg CARPENTRY Tel. 647-2882, Bridgton The Ballroom FLOORING Tel. 743-5417 207-935-2244 Dance - Exercise - Yoga - Aikido Robert E. Guy PAINTING CONTRACTORS Worsters Rubbish Removal Bolsters Decorating Center Main St., Harrison, Maine General Carpentry – Additions WINDOW TREATMENTS Trash hauling Carpet – vinyl – ceramic 207-583-6964 Repairs – Remodeling Redo Properties.com Docks – Demolition Always free decorating consulting www.bobguy@myfairpoint.net Bolsters Decorating Center Interior/Exterior painting & repairs Snowplowing/Sanding bolsters@megalink.net DENTAL SERVICES Harrison 743-5120 239-4804 (cell) Custom window treatments Harrison 207-583-6914 9 Market Sq., So. Paris 207-743-9202 Local, experienced & professional Always free decorating consulting Call/text 207-693-4663 (Home) (5320x) Bridgton Dental Associates CARPETING bolsters@megalink.net Dr. Paul Cloutier SELF-STORAGE FOUNDATIONS 9 Market Sq., So. Paris 207-743-9202 PAINTING CONTRACTORS Thurlow’s Carpet & Home Center Complete dental care Bridgton Storage 138 Harrison Rd., Bridgton Henry’s Concrete Construction Universal Designz Carpet and Flooring Webber Painting & Restoration 409 Portland Rd. Window Treatments – Upholstery Sales and Installation www.bridgtondental.com Foundations, Slabs, Floors Interior/exterior painting & repairs 21 Sandy Creek Rd., Bridgton 28 units & 4000’ open barn Slip Covers – 207-754-0730 207-647-8052 Harrison Tel. 583-4896 Waterfront specialists – Free estimates Bridgton 272-8085 647-5562 800-310-5563 www.UniversalDesignzMaine.com Fully insured – References 207-831-8354 DENTAL SERVICES Chalmers Ins. Agency 100 Main St., Bridgton Tel. 647-3311

Opinions Viewpoints Reply to Rich

(Continued from Page 7A) the failure of Republics. What we need to save the Republic is more political parties. Unfortunately, as things stand, all third parties are either to the Left of the Democratic Party or to the Right of the Republican Party. As such, the third parties are spoilers during elections. What we need is a centrist third party that draws voters away from both the Republican and Democratic Parties equally.

Mr. Cebra suggests the time to choose has come. That means the time to let the Republic die has come. I would rather uphold the Constitution as required by Mr. Cebra’s oath of office. To uphold the Constitution, one must start with the Preamble.

“We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union…” this opening line does not suggest we choose as Reagan and now Cebra suggest. The Constitution does not choose sides. It has no agenda and or ideology. It is a system for reducing the chances of one faction subjugating other factions. The separation of powers and the system of checks and balances are the means to obstruct any faction that becomes too radical and begins to pose a threat to other factions. At this time, we have two political parties each radicalized to the point where they both represent a threat, as such both sides are obstructed at every turn. This is proof, of the wisdom of James Madison, proof that his theory on the survival of Republics is more than just a theory.

The Constitution is in fact working and it will continue to empower those who feel the need to obstruct radicalism from either side until such time as we give up on the idea of choosing and we readopt the idea of the more perfect union.

Scott Hatch, Formerly of Harrison, Now residing on a remote mountain in western North Carolina

Elites vs. The People

To The Editor: Establishment Elites have picked up and taken as their own, the techniques of socialist revolutionaries. Taking Rahm Emanuel’s motto, “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste....” and its corollary — if you don’t have a crisis, create one — the Establishment Elites have created a yearlong perfect storm of crisis (actual or created): • The Establishment Elites were able to deflect attention from their corruption by attacking the leader of a populist movement that exposed their corruption (created crisis).

• Academe and the media trashing law based on the Constitution and replacing it with the transitory law of Social Justice (created crisis).

• Antifa/Black Lives Matter movement spreading destruction of middleclass property and fear of bodily harm (created crisis).

• A politicized CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus used by Establishment Elites to shut down middle class shopkeepers, entrepreneurs and skilled workers while allowing big businesses to stay open (actual crisis).

The reasons why the Establishment Elites favor big business and big donors over middle-class shopkeepers, entrepreneurs and skilled workers are quite simple. It is easier to deal with a relatively few big businesses and big donors than millions of independent property (in all its forms) owning shopkeepers, entrepreneurs and skilled workers. It is, also, much easier to control people who are dependent on government for their needs: housing, food, education, healthcare, etc. When shopkeepers, entrepreneurs and skilled workers’ efforts produce what they and their families need, these independent, deplorable folks are the bane of the Establishment Elites existence.

The middle class shows the Establishment’s egalitarian con job for what it really is: a method to keep the Establishment Elites comfortable and rich. The Establishment Elites promise things to get votes. Unfortunately, this is just a variation of Ponzi’s scam. The Establishment Elites produce nothing and everything they give to one has to be taken from another. Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus. No, Virginia there is no free lunch. The Establishment Elites and their business cronies have one overriding interest. No, Virginia it is not doing the people’s business. Yes, Virginia it is the Establishment Elites maintaining and enriching their power, period.

Jock MacGregor Sebago

Community at its best

To The Editor: I hope that everyone was able to end 2020 with a great Christmas season, and a very Happy New Year.

This letter is overdue, but I wanted to start off the year with a thank you to all across Bridgton, Lake Region, and Northern New England, who supported the cause of placing a Civil War union veterans’ monument in the Ridge Cemetery, which was finally erected almost two months ago. This project started in November of 2018, and was finished in November of 2020. On behalf of myself, and the rest of our Sons of Union Veterans camp of South Paris, we thank the following businesses, individuals and organizations who made this project possible: Bridgton Lions Club, Bridgton Storage and Consignment, Mr. Wayne Rivet and the Bridgton News, Collins Plumbing, Depot Street Arts Center, Gagnon Heating, Mark and Bob Hatch of Hatch Excavation, Mike Larrabee, Lake Region Television, Lopeman Potts Post 67 American Legion in Bridgton, Tim Barry Concrete, Mr. Tim Mei of Ruby Food, Leavitt Electrical Contractors of Dover, N.H., Terradyn Consultants of New Gloucester and the Caswell Conservancy Center in Harrison.

And, the many individual contributors who generously donated toward these Union veterans having new stones and a new monument.

Beyond Lake Region, our camp would like to thank Collette Monuments of Lewiston, which did the wonderful stonemasonry for the gravestones and the monument, which look fantastic at their spots in the cemetery. Their work ethic and dedication to honoring veterans is known throughout western Maine, and their work in this project has been crucial for remembering these soldiers.

Furthermore, on behalf of the author, I would like to thank the Bridgton Selectmen and our Town Manager, for their time during my presentations and conversations with them. Over the course of the project, let it be known that their support and commentary was of great value.

Finally, we thank all those who attended the dedication.

Despite all worldly circumstances, your attendance showed that you would not be stopped in honoring our history, and all went safely and well.

The cause of promoting, protecting, and honoring history is one that never ceases. So long as other local organizations and ours are around, we will do everything in our power to make sure that our collective American memory, local and

nationwide, is preserved and treated with dignity.

In Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty, Liam Opie, Bridgton and members of Joshua L. Chamberlain Camp No. 69, SUVCW

Humbled & Grateful

To The Editor: As some people who know me know, I suffered a major heart attack on Dec. 16. I would like to start by saying a huge “Thank You” to staff at the Emergency Department at Bridgton Hospital; they were absolutely amazing in what they do and the reason I am able to write this letter. Their quick actions and response were the best I have seen. And to the staff at CMMC, again thank you.

To my family and friends, I am grateful to be here with you all. My Campfire Grille friends and family that stepped up to help me out while I was in the hospital is truly something I will never be able to repay you for (even the damaged truck). The outpouring of support from everyone is truly humbling, the food, the phone calls, text messages to those who came to my house and cleaned before I came home was amazing. You are all part of what makes living in small towns truly great. The support you have all given to me, my wife and my family is something I will never forget.

Here’s to saying good riddance to 2020, Happy New Year to each and every one of you.

Dan Harden Bridgton

Try different approach

To The Editor: With the Year of Covid” barely behind us, we look forward to the New Year and the customary resolutions: reduce personal weight, reduce time on social media, and reduce consumption of animal foods.

Yes, that. Nearly 40% of Americans are already eating more plant-based foods. Hundreds of school, college and corporate cafeterias have embraced Meatless Monday. Even fast-food chains like McDonald’s, Burger King, Carl’s Jr, Chipotle, Denny’s, Dunkin’, Starbucks, Subway, Taco Bell and White Castle offer plant-based options.

Dozens of start-ups, led by Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, are producing plant-based meats, milks, cheeses and ice creams. Every ice cream manufacturer boasts nut-based flavors. Even meat industry giants Tyson Foods, Perdue, Hormel, and Canada’s Maple Leaf Foods have rolled out their own plant-based meat products.

The reasons for the skyrocketing popularity of plantbased meat and milk products are compelling: they are more convenient, healthier, more eco-friendly and more compassionate than their animal-based counterparts. The resolution to explore plant-based foods requires no sweat or deprivation — just some fun visits to our favorite supermarket and food websites.

Booker Niland Bridgton

Accept responsibility

To The Editor: He rarely leaves his den these days, alternately silent or muttering, “I won. I won.” Now and then, he shuffles forth like a grumpy bear leaving hibernation, his face set in a scowl, to make a video appearance filled with lies, half-truths and unsubstantiated accusations. “He” is Donald Trump, but you already knew that.

Meanwhile, the Covid-19 pandemic rages out of control.

People die by the thousands every day and our national death toll has exceeded 350,000. The distinguished presidential historian Michael Beschloss stated recently, “Donald Trump is not going to change the record. He was largely responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans who did not need to die…This is really Nero’s fiddling while Rome burns.” By the time he’s gone, Trump’s hands will be stained with as much American blood as was spilled in World War II. Trump, of course, never will accept responsibility for his criminal negligence — the worst dereliction of duty in American presidential history. He will not shoulder the blame for any of his unethical and criminal acts. In his corrupt value system, that’s what subordinates are for. So, as the sun sinks slowly on Trumpist tyranny, I thought I’d compose a parody of a Vietnam War protest song. With apologies to Country Joe and the Fish, here’s my tribute to Mad King Donald and his Republican enablers.

Well, it’s one, two, three, what are they fighting for?

Don’t ask them; they don’t give a damn. They’re worse than Vietnam. And it’s five, six, seven, open up the Pearly Gates. They won’t even wonder why. They’re just gonna let people die.

Here are some questions for dead-end Trumpists. What are you fighting for? The Constitution? Hell, no. You’ve trashed that document, 10 times over. One nation, under God, indivisible? Be serious. Why would you support a godless man who has spent four years dividing our “indivisible” nation? Government of, by and for the people? Pffft!

Then, why have you spent every day since the election trying to overthrow the will of the 81 million people who voted Trump out of office? If you can answer with something better than more hollow accusations, we might actually listen to you.

Rev. Robert Plaisted Bath Formerly of Bridgton

Get to work

To The Editor: Happy New Year! As the New Year begins, it’s time to focus on this New Year and the work ahead to get done in the Maine Legislature, U.S. Congress etc. Much was ignored or “tabled” to a later time, after the Maine Legislature adjourned in March during the pandemic’s quick outbreak. In the meantime, many issues and matters of concern came about from these difficult situations and past year we’ve endured.

It is time for the Maine Legislature and for both parties to buckle down, address, fix and resolve many unresolved issues, and helping constituents in respective House and Senate Districts.

Dysfunction and lackluster help and responsiveness from state departments and their bureaus must be addressed and resolved, including but not limited to unemployment benefits and other entitlements for eligible recipients and other social services. The unemployment system is a great example of that, with lackluster assistance and untimely payments for weekly claims, with excess “red-tape!” Concurrently, no services to very minimal services provided by Department of Labor’s Career Centers needs addressing and resolving.

Enough already of these challenging issues! In addition, more reliable Internet services are needed in western Maine and beyond for communities. This is an important and worthy issue to be assertively addressed and dealt with for all of Maine. “Just do it.”

Additionally, state government needs to be address, correct and resolve all unresolved past and recent issues, including all unpaid unemployment claims, non-disbursed

January 7, 2021 The Bridgton News, Page 11A

Bird Watch

by Jean Preis BN Columnist

Christmas Bird Count

The tradition of the Christmas Bird Count is well known among bird watchers, and is a story told every year around December. It begins back in the 1800s, when teams of hunters in some parts of the country divided themselves into sides, and competed to see who could shoot the most birds and animals on Christmas Day. Frank Chapman, an ornithologist from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City wanted to stop that practice, so in 1900 he organized 27 conservationists around the country to see how many birds they could count, rather than kill, on Christmas Day. That year, they conducted 25 Bird Counts, from Toronto, Ontario to Pacific Grove, California, and on Christmas Day, they found a total of about 90 species of birds.

The idea caught on and grew. From that first Christmas Bird Count, the CBC has expanded to involve tens of thousands of bird watchers. Each local Count operates within a 15-mile wide circle registered with National Audubon Society, on one day between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5. There are CBC Circles throughout North America, Central America, South America, the West Indies, Bermuda and Pacific Islands. Birds are counted from Arctic Bay, Canada to Drake Passage off the southern tip of South America.

There are CBC Circles from eastern Newfoundland south to Recife, Brazil, and as far west in the Pacific as South Guam. A map of registered Circles can be found on audubon.org.

Our local Circle, the Sweden Maine CBC, was first organized and registered in 1972 by Penny Richards, a skilled local naturalist and birder. Centered near the west end of the Moose Pond causeway, the Circle covers parts of Bridgton, Denmark, Fryeburg, Lovell, Sweden, Waterford and Harrison. We schedule the Count on or near Dec. 28, and on that day recently, 20 bird watchers covered assigned sec-

tions of the Circle, while an additional 16 people, who lived within the Circle, stayed home and counted birds at their feeders. The morning of the Count was overcast, in the low 30s, but by the middle of the day it was raining in much of the Circle, and in the western portion it was snowing too hard to continue birding. In spite of complications from the weather, our intrepid group of birders found a total of 42 species of birds, one of our highest counts, and a total of 2,688 individual birds, which may be the most we have ever tallied. At this point, all figures must be considered unofficial, until our formal report has been reviewed by National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count.

Here is what we reported: 25 Canada Geese, 7 American Black Ducks, 133 Mallards, 11 Common Goldeneye, 11 Hooded Mergansers, 7 Common Mergansers, 3 Ring-necked Pheasants, 1 Ruffed Grouse, 91 Wild Turkeys, 3 Bald Eagles, 1 Broad-winged Hawk, 75 Rock Pigeons, 95 Mourning Doves, 2 Barred Owls, 9 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, 75 Downy Woodpeckers, 68 Hairy Woodpeckers, 6 Pileated Woodpeckers, 492 Blue Jays, 132 American Crows, 32 Common Ravens, 837 Black-capped Chickadees, 114 Tufted Titmice, 99 Redbreasted Nuthatches, 125 White-breasted Nuthatches, 10 Brown Creepers, 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 3 Eastern Bluebirds, 15 American Robins, 108 European Starlings, 3 American Tree Sparrows, 1 White-throated Sparrow, 13 Dark-eyed Juncos, 2 Snow Buntings, 13 Northern Cardinals, 3 Pine Grosbeaks, 2 Purple Finch, 8 House Finch, 30 Common Redpoll, 21 American Goldfinch.

We also added Sharpshinned Hawk and Greathorned Owl during Count Week, the three days before and after Count Day when we can add additional species but not additional numbers of birds.

SNAP/food stamp benefits to those needing and qualifying for them, and helping job seekers get better work, improving Maine’s economy and business climate, improving Maine’s infrastructure, including but not limited to bridges, roads, among others. The Maine Legislature’s representatives and senators must work collaboratively and cohesively to address, fix and resolve many unresolved issues and matters from this year or earlier on, with improved services and responsiveness to the people and to all communities here in western and southern Maine and beyond. All legislative committees need to be getting to work shortly after the New Year to address and cure the recent to present challenges, ills and woes we endure in Maine. Let’s get cracking and get on these issues.

Concurrently, Congress appears to have done little for this country and has kicked the can repeatedly on annual budget matters and passing continuing resolutions. The recent $600 “offer” to the people seems meaningless and a slight of hand, yet, they (Congress) pass and appropriate multiple millions in foreign aid and continue to be very tardy in completing annual budgets. Why is this okay or acceptable? It’s not acceptable at all, especially when we have so many issues and problems here in this country to be addressed, fixed and resolved, including struggling communities, etc. It shouldn’t be acceptable or okay for we Mainers! Also, in this current budget stalemate, I’m recalling and reminded of the following: “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem” — Ronald Reagan, circa 1981. This quote is from Jan. 20, 1981. Apropos back then during the economic ills of the time. Very apropos today, with ongoing issues with economic challenges, with bloated and late federal budgets, with less than efficient and functional government at the national level. History is repeating itself, so it appears or seems. May better improvements and reforms come about in the New Year.

Happy New Year and good riddance to this challenging and difficult year.

David Hall Cornish

Watch for RAA posts

To The Editor: A letter from the Raymond Arts Alliance: Hi Everyone, I hope this find you and your every loved one safe and well. It has been a long time since we have held an event and we are certainly missing all of you who have participated in our offerings and supported us through the years.

In light of the continuing need to physically distance, RAA activities remain pared down to a minimum. Our next newsletter will be out the Summer of 2021. We encourage the public to watch both the Raymond Village Library RAA POSTS, Page 12A

Continuations

Area officials look ahead to 2021

(Continued from Page 1A) tics of wrapping up infrastructure projects that will improve the town.

“Right at the top is dealing with Covid. It has been a challenge. As folks know, we closed down this spring for a period of time. We had to close this fall because two employees tested positive. It is a challenge to keep the town moving forward and offering services under the umbrella of this pandemic,” Peabody said.

Goal No. 2 is “keeping our three major infrastructure projects going. The streetscape project is winding down. We are down to the final punch list. The lower Main Street reconstruction project — that shut down during the winter and that will start up this spring.

The wastewater expansion has another year and a half” before it is finished, Peabody said.

“I have staff who are overlooking the projects.

It all blends together with keeping the town operational during the pandemic. Just because I have to close the

office doesn’t mean that construction bills don’t get paid.

It doesn’t mean that I don’t put out to bid other parts of the project. And, it doesn’t mean I don’t meet with the contractor,” Peabody said.

“We have to provide oversight management. We have to hold monthly meetings with the contractor.”

Goal No. 3 has to do with regionalizing services and promoting public safety on the water. Bridgton’s two neighboring towns are planning to combine financial forces and together contract one full-time warden from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

“One the challenges that we share with Harrison and Naples is people abusing their right to use Long Lake in a respectful manner — respectful to other boaters and respectful to our property-owners along the lake,” Peabody said.

The warden’s contract is going to be part of the budget process discussion, he said. He will pitch the idea to the selectmen and hopefully

Hawthorne House

(Continued from Page 6A) appreciated contribution to that collective effort.

The Hawthorne Community Association, which has cared for the historic house since 1921, is actively seeking donations of any size from individuals, businesses and other organizations. To help save Nathaniel Hawthorne’s boyhood home, please consider a much-appreciated check or online donation. Please make checks payable to: Hawthorne Community Association, PO Box 185, South Casco, ME 04077. PayPal donations may be made online at: https://www.hawthorneassoc.com.

A better 2021

(Continued from Page 7A) neighbors, help those who are struggling, and extend a hand in kindness. Simple things can make a difference in the lives of others.

Emily Dickinson wrote: “Hope is the thing with feathers – That perches in the soul – And sings the tune without the words – And never stops – at all.”

With grief for so much that we have lost and gratitude for those we love and those who serve the state, we say goodbye to 2020.

With hope for a New Year that will bring health and happiness, we welcome in the year 2021.

Please stay safe. We will get through this together. We are Maine Strong.

they will be agreeable to put it in the budget for residents’ approval.

Budget development is goal No. 4.

“I recognize that it has been difficult year financially for many of our businesses and our citizens,” Peabody said. “So, my challenge and goal is to develop a responsible budget with services people have come to expect while being mindful of the financial impact on the businesses and citizens.”

“We had a zero budget increase last year and we hope to do that again this year,” he said.

Peabody’s final goal covers the unexpected, the wild card.

“The overall thing is keeping the town moving forward and adapting to circumstances as they present themselves,” he said.

TOWN OF RAYMOND Raymond Town Manager Don Willard had high hopes that 2021 will bring opportunities to improve the parks and recreation department.

After all, recreation programs took a hit from the pandemic’s restrictions. That happened after the town hired a new recreation director in February.

First, Willard addressed the pandemic and the budget process.

“Off the top of my head, the No. 1 goal is to provide effective, safe services as we work through the pandemic That is the overall goal: To

get through this pandemic safely,” Willard said.

“The town is in great financial condition, great shape going into the new year. The (Raymond) Board of Selectmen presented a budget that provides the level of services that we’ve been providing. On average, Raymond generally has a lower tax rate than our neighboring communities,” Willard said. “The highest number of services and a low tax rate— that is a goal.”

“Goal No. 3 is to continue to go forward with road construction work. We have a long standing commitment to road construction,” he said.

Goal No. 4 is the development of Raymond’s new recreation department.

“We hired a new director, Joseph “Joe” Crocker, right at the beginning of the pandemic. We hired him in February. We didn’t get to roll out the programs that we had envisioned,” Willard said. “I am hopeful that we will be able to do more with the recreation director, to integrate the recreation department with our private recreation association.”

Goal No. 5 is similar to one expressed by the Casco Board of Selectmen: Drawing in and retaining volunteers.

“One of the challenges is to attract more volunteers, both volunteers and fulltime employees, especially in public safety. Our H.R.

This week’s game solutions

Watch for RAA posts

(Continued from Page 11A) Newsletter and website as we do plan to schedule live streaming events from time to time. We will post these announcements on our Raymond Arts Alliance FB page, as well.

We look forward to being in social connection with you all when possible.

Wishing you and yours a very healthy, holiday season and a hopeful welcome of the New Year.

Mary-Therese Duffy Chair, RAA

January 7, 2021 The Bridgton News, Page 12A [human resources] person has been working on strategies, incentives, to attract both volunteers and full-time employees, especially in public safety. There is a high turnover in that area. People come to us and then move to bigger departments, not just in bigger towns in Maine but also in other states like Georgia, New Hampshire, Florida. They move to bigger departments,” Willard said.

He ended on a positive note.

“I am optimistic that the Town of Raymond will move forward positively and safely. It’s business as usual in Raymond,” Willard concluded.

TOWN OF CASCO Interim Casco Town Manager Don Gerrish has a different take on what is and what is not a goal.

While balancing the budget and trying to keep staff and the public safe from the Coronavirus are necessary objectives, these are not goals in his eyes.

“I look at goals as things you’ve wanted to do but haven’t been able to do,” Gerrish said.

“Hiring a town manager is just something that has to be done. They have to do a budget because they do it every year. That is something that has to be done.

Covid-19 — it’s here. It’s something they have to deal with,” he said.

For that reason, Gerrish did not place the coronavirus and its ramifications or doing a budget that pleases the taxpayers on the goal’s list.

Serving as interim manager since September, Gerrish does have some insight into the goals that would be most suitable for Casco. More than a month ago, Gerrish asked the selectmen to write down the goals for their town. From this discussion, he was able to determine common goals for the town to work on first. Another important tip for goal setting: Limit the number of goals.

“Goals are good. You cannot have too many of them or you’ll never do them,” he said. “You cannot do everything at once. You have to do a study to know what the next step is.”

For example, one goal of the selectmen was to get a handle on how to approach road maintenance and road paving. First, the town awarded a bid to a firm to do a roads-condition survey.

Once the board has the information, it will better be able to figure out which roads need to be improved in what order.

“Sometimes, it is just gathering information to make good decisions for now and in the future,” Gerrish said.

“What I try to do for goals is: There are a lot of things the select board had thought of and that they wanted focus on. I asked them what their goals for the year were.

Then I took all their goals and put them together where there was consensus. Then, I set out a plan for specifically doing those types of goals,” he said.

The goals for the Town of Casco, as determined by the selectmen’s comments, are in no particular order: 1.) Doing an updated comprehensive plan, 2.) Reviewing and possibly readjusting employee pay-scale and benefits packages, 3.) Addressing road management and road maintenance, including the plowing of public easements, 4.) Streamlining the planning board process, and 5.)

Attracting and maintaining volunteers on boards and committees.

Covid

(Continued from Page 3A) storm. An employee had not felt well. We asked them to be tested. The test results came back Thursday.”

“We were closed on that day because of the snowstorm. We closed that Friday and the whole next week,” he said. “We had the offices cleaned thoroughly cleaned.”

“All the employees were tested to make sure that we knew if anyone else had come down with it. Everyone was tested.

Everyone’s test came back negative,” he said.

During this time period, some residents still had to register vehicles with the Town of Casco. Therefore, the Town of Naples offered to do that service for three days, Dec. 21, 22, and 23 — the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Christmas.

“What happens is you go through the state, and the state allows another community to do registrations I talked to the town manager in Naples {John Hawley} and he said they could do that,” Gerrish said.

“For three-and-a-half days, anyone who needed to do a vehicle registration went to the Naples Town Hall,” he said, adding that Naples got to keep the administrative fee, but essentially collected the excise tax for the Town of Casco.

“The excise tax — they collected it and will send us a check,” Gerrish said.

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