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Seized

Shameful display

Inside News

Motor vehicle stop in Naples nets drugs and cash; three people arrested

Viewpoint on last week’s riot at the Capitol, and a look at a Maine uprising

Classifieds . . . . . . . . 10A

Page 4A

Country Living . . . . . . 5A Directory . . . . . . . . . 10A Obituaries . . . . . . . . . 9A

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Opinions . . . . . . . 7A-9A Police . . . . . . . . . . 4A, 6A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Student News . . . . . 11A Games . . . . . . . . . . . . 8A Legal Notices . . . . . . . 8A

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

Vol. 151, No. 2

12 PAGES - 1 Section

Bridgton, Maine

January 14, 2021

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Appeals Board backs planners’ Hotel ruling

By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer Hotel Bridgton is headed back to Superior Court review, but this time, the project has two stamps of town approval.

The Appeals Board voted 4-1 last Thursday to uphold the Planning Board’s 3-0 decision in early November that proposed excavation work in the Stream Protection Zone does not constitute filling.

The Planning Board decision was a response to a remand order from Superior Court Justice Thomas R. McKeon, who agreed on appeal by Kennard Street abutters in August, to send the project back to the Planning Board to determine whether any of the work in the Stream Protection Zone is “filling.”

Abutters Susan Hatch along with Sigvard and Judy Von Sicard (“Neighbors”) filed a Rule 59 motion asking Justice McKeon to reconsider his June 6 decision, affirming the Bridgton Planning Board decision to approve the hotel project proposed by local developer

Justin McIver.

Abutters argued that the Stream Protection Ordinance prohibits “filling” and the hotel project could not be completed without the use of fill.

“The provision in Item 27 of the Table in Section 14, including a ban on ‘filling’ presents a different problem. Neither side, however, points the court to anywhere in the record that construction of essential services in this project requires ‘filling’ as something distinct from ‘earthmoving’ or soil and water conservation,” the judge wrote in his Aug. 4 decision. “Unlike the term ‘earthmoving,’ the term ‘filling’ is not included exception for ‘earthmoving’ in Item 34. The Planning Board recognized that possibility by indicating that a condition of no ‘filling’ is in effect if the court finds it to be banned. The court, however, has not been presented with any definition of ‘filling’ or any specific activity to determine whether ‘filling’ will occur.”

APPEALS, Page 3A

Demolition to lead to five Casco Village homes

By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — A pod of five single-family homes is being proposed in the Casco Village, in the space where two abandoned commercial buildings exist.

Hancock Lumber is proposing Old Mill Farms Project, which includes demolishing its old office and the Spurwink building, constructing five homes with 40 feet between them, turning two parking lots into greenspace and improving the Edes Falls Road entrance, and installing a dock on Pleasant Lake for homeowners that will allow only swimmers and non-motorized boats. Additionally, there will be two or three moorings 100 feet from the shore.

The Casco Planning Board on Monday voted that the application was deemed complete, but did not approve the site plan at this juncture. Next, the site plan goes to a joint meeting of the planning board and the Casco Board of Selectmen. Most likely, that will happen in February.

The first time this residential-development project came before the planning board was autumn 2019. Initially, the idea

was to use the same footprint as the multistory commercial buildings — that formerly housed Spurwink and a Hancock Lumber office. At the request of the planning board, the height of the homes was downsized and the exterior was redesigned to better harmonize with the building in the village.

On Monday, Kevin Hancock presented the revised site plan as something that would revitalize Casco Village. He listed the five benefits of the proposal, and wrapped up with a personal connection to the village.

“It is a simple act of stewardship. The company Hancock Lumber operated on that site for decades. The village is part of the company’s history. The people of the village have been good to the company for decades,” he said. “The company is not interested in walking away from that site or leaving the Spurwink site abandoned.

Instead, we want to leave the community with something fresh and modern.”

The concerns of the planning board were expressed later during the meeting.

Planning board member Ray Grant said HANCOCK LUMBER, Page 2A

Writing, a way to cope Healthy outlet to grieve a deep loss

By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer Payton Baumgardner misses her dad.

“Dada went to his favorite place in the sky and became a star. He is the star right next to the moon,” Payton wrote in her book, Bye Bye Dada. “I try to see him every night. Sometimes, there are no stars and I feel sad.”

When she feels down, she can always flip through the pages of her book, which she wrote with Life Therapist Kimberly Leighton of Play Warriors.

The book contains some of Payton’s favorite memories along with photos of her “Dada,” Ronnie James Baumgardner, who passed away suddenly in March 2018.

“The family reached out to me because I deal with grief and loss,” said Leighton, whose office is located on Main Street in Bridgton. “The kids were preschool and elementary age — one, it was her biological father, the other, his stepfather. Both were experiencing loss in differ-

WORKING THROUGH A LOSS — Play Warriors Kimberly Leighton, a Child Life Specialist, helped Payton Baumgardner cope with the loss of her father by writing a book. Her brother, Kirby, also penned a book, “The Magic Balloon.” ent ways. One child was feeling overwhelmed by the experience of going to the hospital, not sure about things that were happening (seeing restraints on the dad’s hands as medication was received). There were

lots of questions, should I see him or not see him in this state? Parents wondering what was best for the child?”

Through play, Leighton helps children work through WRITING, Page 3A

GOING UP — Two skiers get on the lift at Shawnee Peak last Wednesday.

(De Busk Photo)

Covid adjustments Shawnee keeps skiers on move during pandemic

By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer A face mask is something that is already worn while downhill skiing.

That one familiarity comes into play during the pandemic.

But, there are plenty of new adjustments that ski resorts have had to make in order to offer a safer skiing experience. Skiers, too, have altered their habits.

At Shawnee Peak, changes have been put in place to be in-line with state mandates, and to avoid bottleneck areas where skiers might not be able to socially distance, according to the Director of Skier Experience Rachael Wilkinson.

Wilkinson’s strongest piece of advice is: Purchase tickets and/or rental equipment before taking the trip to the resort.

“It is highly recommended that people purchase Online in advance of arriving,” she said.

This mantra will be especially helpful for skiers who must pre-register Online for the discounted night skiing programs, such as Monday Night Madness and LL Bean Family Friday Night, since the number of skiers has been capped — a decision made by resort management, according to Wilkinson.

People who love to ski don’t need to shy away from Shawnee Peak. Just be aware of how the flow of things goes from picking up lift-ticket card to the locations of new outdoors restrooms.

The resort had already begun to implement the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cards that eliminated waiting in line. Last year, the resort made the transition to the technology that has been available to the ski resort industry for several years.

“One of the things that makes a huge difference is people are able to purchase their tickets, use the kiosk and go directly to the lift,” Wilkinson said. “People

LIFT TICKET CARD — Shawnee Peak’s Director of Skier Experience Rachael Wilkinson demonstrates how to get a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) card from the kiosk outside of the Guest Services area.

(De Busk Photo) love them. It’s a very quick transaction.”

People purchase tickets by going to the website, shawneepeak.com. Then, once they get to the mountain, they use a kiosk at Guest Services. The kiosk reads the code off the customer’s cell phone and then spits out a RFID card or downloads the ticket to an existing card.

“We have obviously had to put caps [on the number of people] in certain areas.

On rentals, you can only go through when someone at the door lets you through,” Wilkinson said.

The rental area is twice as big and the configuration was redesigned so customers go in only one direction, she said.

Group sessions where people learn how to ski or snowboard have been downsized.

Children’s group classes are no longer offered.

SHAWNEE, Page 2A

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Page 2A, The Bridgton News, January 14, 2021

Area news

Shawnee Peak adjusts to keep skiers on hill

(Continued from Page 1A) “A lot of the instruction has turned to one-on one,” she said.

The restaurant has expanded outdoors seating because some indoor seating was eliminated to ensure social distancing. An existing deck has a new plexiglass wall. A new patio was built prior to this ski season as well.

The restaurant is still working on offering Online ordering and pick up.

Additionally, a mobile food wagon has been set up.

“Inside the lodge, we have a no bag, no backpack policy,” Wilkinson said.

“People can come in and put on their ski boots or use the bathroom, and then take their personal belongings with them. So, they are not basing themselves inside at any point.”

“There are lot of outside

LIFT TICKET on a RFID card is one of the technologies that has reduced lines during the pandemic. (Photo courtesy of Shawnee Peak) bathrooms, too, There is a heated bathroom , a porta-potty so people have the ability to remain outside if that is their wish,” she said.

Many people are mak-

MASKED CREW — While waiting for family members who are taking snowboard lessons, these moms and their young children enjoy the mild temperatures at Shawnee Peak.

(De Busk Photo)

ing the conscious decision to avoid trips inside the lodge, using outdoors picnic tables or personal vehicles as a place to hang out between runs.

Wilkinson said COVID19 has changed the habits of people on the mountain.

“It is very interesting watching the natural flow of what is happening. The majority of people are remaining outside.

They are not coming in by choice. Also, people are basing themselves outside in their cars, sitting in their trucks, eating a sandwich and going back out skiing,” she said.

Meanwhile, the resort is voluntarily keeping numbers down, especially during the popular ski times when the cost of a lift ticket is reduced, Wilkinson said.

“There isn’t a mandate on the mountain. However, we have decided to put mandates on what would be our busiest times: Monday Night Madness, LL Bean’s Friday Family Ski Night, and Sneak-A-Peak Sunday Afternoon. Those are all discounted tickets. We will be capping the number of tickets. We will be requesting that people buy Online and we will be capping them,” she said.

On one hand, the numbers of skiers that usually go to resorts has dropped.

On the other hand, skiing is something that does provide social distancing, once a person is on the slope.

“The numbers are certainly impacted by COVID. That’s across the ski industry and not specific to us. A lot of that [drop in numbers] has to do with Massachusetts skiers not being able to come and go as freely anymore,” Wilkinson said, referring to the 14-day quarantine.

“We draw a lot of our ski visits from Massachusetts,” she said.

She talked about the

ON THE MOVE — Skiers make smooth transition to the ski lift. (De Busk Photo) turnout during the twoweek Christmas vacation, and the fact that warm temperatures caused the ski season to start later.

“We were still pleasantly surprised with the number of folks that came out.

There are people who are desperate to get out and have some sort of normalcy. We were pleasantly surprised at those numbers,” she said.

“I think people are reacting differently with COVID. It is my hypothesis that with COVID, some people have just stayed away,” she said.

The number of season passes purchased have not been noticably impacted by the pandemic, she said.

“Actually, we have just looked at the numbers and believe it or not, there hasn’t been an impact at all,” she said.

Season passes will not be refunded if there is a stay-at-home mandate or if the ski resort is closed by the state. Shawnee Peak won’t give out any refunds to season pass holder sthis year. However, if the resort is closed, there will be a pro-rated discount on the cost of next winter’s season pass.

The 2021-22 season pass would be pro-rated, if the

WARM YOUR BUNS — People have more choices for eating outdoors, including this newly built patio with outdoor heaters.

(De Busk Photo) state closes the resort this winter, she said.

Given the rules laid down at the resort and the tendency to stay as socially distanced as possible,

downhill skiing is definitely an appropriate activity.

“Once you’re out and skiing, it’s quite similar to last year, before the pandemic,” Wilkinson said.

Hancock Lumber to build five-home Village pod (Continued from Page 1A) he would be more comfortable with four homes in that space.

“The density is too great for that piece of land. I think it would be a great thing for the town, but one house less or one lot less,” he said.

Grant also asked for an exact location of the moorings. Make certain the moorings are not close to the fish hatchery intake pipes,

he said.

Stan Buchanan asked for more details in the plan.

“The lack of details concerns me. The application needs to be more detailed because we cannot push it down the road all the time and say to be worked out later,” he said. “I would suggest you look through your materials you submitted, and include as many details as you can.”

Earlier, Hancock had talked about the benefits: revitalizing the village, reducing the square footage, decreasing the density compared to when the lumber office and Spurwink were operating, increasing the tax base and adding value to the town.

“First and foremost, this is a village regeneration project. The development would anchor the

north end of Casco Village.

The proposal is to replace two abandoned, dilapidated commercial buildings with five new, small homes that fit the design of the village,” Hancock said.

“The second thing that is quite interesting about this

proposal is that we are proposing a significant density reduction. This is a densityreducing project. Quite literally, we will reduce the square footage of buildings on the site,” he said.

When both Hancock Lumber and Spurwink were

operational, there was more density that what is being proposed, he said. Hancock Lumber had 20 people coming to work every day and an average of 10 visitors a day. That adds up to 30 people on the site per day.

HANCOCK, Page 3A

Manager job advertised, again

By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — This week marks the fourth month since Casco Town Manager Courtney O’Donnell resigned after about a year on the job.

This week marks the third time the town manager position will be advertised.

Late last year, the Casco Board of Selectmen decided to advertise the job for the third time. Also, the board agreed to wait until after the holidays had passed before posting this latest advertisement.

“We haven’t re-advertised. We waited a little bit to get through the holidays,” Casco’s Interim Town Manager Don Gerrish said.

The job vacancy will be advertised on the same

online job search sites as before, Gerrish said. Those include Maine Municipal Association (MMA), the International City Managers Association (ICMA) and the Maine Job Bank. The job bank does not cost anything for employers to post job vacancies, Gerrish said. The town’s website is another place that the job will be posted.

The board had discussed advertising with other municipal associations throughout New England, such as ones in Massachusetts or New Hampshire, but decided against it because the international association would be used by job seekers from the New England states, Gerrish said.

“We’ve talked about it with the board. Anyone looking for a manager’s job, they would look at ICMA,” he said. “That’s the whole United States so anyone looking for or considering a job, there are listings throughout the country. All they have to do is put in Maine for their job search.”

Cost was another drawback to advertising with other municipal associations in New England. The Town of Casco is a member of MMA, and already pays annual fee for that membership.

The town manager job will be advertised for three to four weeks.

“If we can get 20 applications, that would be good,” Gerrish said.

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Area news

January 14, 2021 The Bridgton News, Page 3A

Writing, way to cope with grief

(Continued from Page 1A) emotions and behavioral issues. In the case of family loss, she decided to encourage the children — Payton and her brother, Kirby Vaughn — to tell their story about their “Dada” and stepdad.

“The more times they tell their story and the more comfortable they get with the facts of the story, they are able to get through it in a healthy way,” Leighton said.

While attending a Child Life conference, Leighton met a vendor from Books that Heal, which works with youngsters with different diagnoses to tell their stories and create books, which are sold on Amazon. Part of book sale proceeds go to a charity of the author’s choice. In this case, both children wanted to include their own illustrations (Kirby was assisted by his grandmother), along with photos of their dad/stepdad.

The book projects allowed the children to talk about their loss and their feelings.

“Many times, we simply look to fill the void and try to distract them as much as possible from feelings, because if that happens, we too have to feel. Sometimes, it is hard for a parent to do these types of activities with their kids because it brings up their own feelings of loss.

This (Play Warriors) is a place they can express their feelings and have support,”

Leighton said. “They will express themselves through their play. They know why they are coming to see me.

This is a place they can share and express their feelings. Sometimes, they come in there is no word about dad, sometimes they might be painting and say, ‘I had a hard night because I miss daddy.’

It comes up naturally. When you give children permission and space to express themselves, it percolates up and out. It’s what my job is — to provide the safety and allow for it to happen. Sometimes, the book took several sessions over a long time to do.”

Mom Alexa Baumgardner could see both hurt and confusion in her children’s eyes as they came to grips with the loss.

“No one ever expects or hopes to lose someone close to them. Let alone children, the most delicate, kind hearted, little humans on the planet. The loss of their dad/ stepdad was the worst day of their entire lives. I remember the moment when I looked into Kirby and Payton’s eyes and it was like my whole world was crashing on top of me. They experienced this loss with their older sisters/ stepsisters and I’m so beyond thankful for the strength they all had together. It’s a hurt, a pain, an emotion that you just can’t fix or take away,” she said. “We all went through

moments of anger, depression, sadness, hopelessness and tried so hard to remember and hold onto the little moments that we had together and will forever cherish.

Kirby and Payton didn’t fully understand their feelings, their mom said. They didn’t know why it couldn’t be fixed or taken away. Their behaviors changed and what used to cause happiness and cheer caused pain. A pain that couldn’t be explained, Alexa said.

“We worked closely with the Center of Grieving Children and that’s when we found Kim. Kim is truly, undoubtedly, our angel sent from heaven! She gave Kirby and Payton a safe, loving space to heal and understand.

Kim gave them their smiles back and helped our family grow into our new norm. We

will forever be thankful for her,” Alexa said. “Writing their books gave Kirby and Payton the opportunity to express their feelings, their memories, and share their stories so other kiddos that have experienced loss know they are not alone. Their books made them feel proud and gave them a sense of closure.”

What did Payton and Kirby enjoy most about putting their books together?

“Both of them loved looking for and drawing the photos for their books. It allowed them to remember times spent with their dad/ stepdad,” Alexa said. “They also both enjoyed working with Kim, Books That Heal and Family & Friends to put it all together.”

The kids were most proud of finishing their books and

HOW YOU CAN HELP People would like to donate to a special Play Warriors, Inc. fund for children in our community who are grieving the loss of a parent, they can send checks to: Play Warriors, Inc., 82 Main Street, Bridgton, ME 04009, subject line: “Grieving Children Fund” In lieu of monetary donations, Play Warriors, Inc. is starting a volunteer branch where people can donate their time by running errands, doing housework, or providing drop-in child care for a PW family.

Telephone: 207-387-7366. being able to share them with those who have experienced loss, as well.

“They also both know that Ronnie is extremely proud of how strong they have become,” Alexa added.

And, how did she react when she read the books for the first time?

“When the kids read

their books to the family for the first time, we were all uncontrollably crying. The books showed their hurt and their prospective but also the strength and power they had within them,” Alexa said. “We were all incredibly proud of them and at awe of the Warriors they have GRIEF, Page 6A

Appeals Board backs planners’ Hotel ruling (Continued from Page 1A) Justice McKeon reviewed the Planning Board’s “Finding of Facts” regarding “fill” and found no mention of the term.

The judge found that planners approved “grading, earthmoving and revegetation” to install the stormwater management system as part of soil and water conservation efforts.

The judge felt planners should determine whether the hotel project contains impermissible fill, “not the court.”

Attorney Lourie, representing Hatch and the Von Sicards, said the “essential object” of the Stream Protection Ordinance is to protect Stevens Brook. “No disturbance or limited disturbance of soil in

the area, and no filling are allowed,” he said. “Mr. Bower says it is okay because it is an improvement. One man’s view of improvement not necessarily beyond dispute, like urban renewal, it may be good, but is it consistent with the ordinance?”

Lourie said the point of contention is not whether the work is an “essential service” but rather whether action includes filling. “If it includes fill, it is not allowed under the ordinance,” Lourie said.

Attorney Mark Bower, representing developer Justin McIver, countered that work such as grading, adding material and new vegetation are elements of the project’s

soil and water conservation plan. He said the measures are to stabilize soils, help direct stormwater away from the brook to improve water quality, and to prevent erosion — all of which, Bower said, is “the goal of Stream Protection in the first place.”

He added, “Previous findings of the board were sound and should be upheld.”

Planning Board Chairwoman Deb Brusini responded, “We’re charged with determining what filling is. It needs to be reasonable. My experience, filling a waterbody, filling a wetland is prohibited. Webster’s meaning — act of doing it. Mr. Lourie mentioned filling a low spot. It is not a depression area, it’s almost flat, there’s some slope, but not a depression being filled. Depression (Continued from Page 2A) example I saw in the dictionMeanwhile, Spurwink had 32 residents and staff on site, ary is something surrounded and between 20 and 30 visitors a day. The daily potential by higher ground, vernal pool, total is 60 people. An average of 90 humans a day parked dried up vernal pool. I can’t somewhere and used the wastewater or septic system. see that on any contour of the “We are taking that site from two commercial enterprises to one residents’ pod. That is going to be a significant reduction in humans and vehicles,” Hancock said.

“If you look at economic value to the town: Spurwink

By Dawn De Busk was a non-profit so there was no property tax revenue to Staff Writer the town,” he said, adding that when the non-profit tried to CASCO — It really sell the building, there was a public auction but no bidders, stinks. he said.

Septic issues slowed “The Hancock building is a crazy nonconforming building that is literally sinking into the ground. Neither one of down the ability to go forthese have much value,” Hancock said. “When this project ward with an addition to is done with five small houses, there will be $2.5 million of a senior living facility in South Casco. real estate value.”

The Casco Planning An environmental benefit is the plan to turn parking areas with asphalt into green space on both sides of Edes Board tabled approval of Fall Road. Lastly, there is the benefit of having a known the site plan for the Casco Inn because the paperwork plan versus an unknown future for the site.

“If we don’t develop the site, how long will the build- lacked a soils study and a ings stand there abandoned? Or what would eventually go design for the leach field.

On Monday, four memthere,” Hancock said.

Casco Town Planner Tom DuBois explained what the bers of the planning board met and heard presentations board should do next.

“We need to formalize a complete application. on two site plans. The first Secondarily, you are entering into an agreement. Inform was a revised site plan for the applicant what you are agreeing to. Inform the applicant single-family housing in the village. The second was what is expected,” he said.

“This agreement doesn’t stop tonight. You go to select- an addition to the back of board, and you can add things to that. Then, to a public the assisted living facility, hearing and you can add to that if there are things that the Casco Inn, which is located off Roosevelt Trail in South board forgot to consider,” DuBois said.

Hancock project

map.”

Brusini crafted a summary as to how she felt the board was leaning: “I think where we are, general consensus that operations of recontouring and grading, laying pipes, digging essential services, hearing board dig trench lay pipe cover it not filling. Direct water away from hotel, lower phosphorus concentration, falls to soils and water conservation practices; filling and earth moving refers to filling in wetland stream or other waterbody, dumping or depositing into the ground or into the water, no dumping of any materials into water or into the ground; earth moving done to regrade area and provide proper runoff from the hotel.”

Ultimately, the Planning Board defined what they believe “filling” is; they don’t believe work proposed is filling; and found in terms of material used for recontouring and back filling pipes should be best management practices

and use proper type of materials.

Last week, the Appeals Board faced one task — did planners make an error in interpreting the ordinance?

Attorney James Katsiaficas, representing the town, reminded AB members their focus was a narrow one — no new evidence would be considered, and they were to simply decide if planners’ ruling follows the ordinance.

The board opened the session voting 4-0 to accept statements Bower filed after a specified deadline.

“It’s my opinion that we give them a little leeway on that; we could contest it, but we should keep it as fair as possible and let both parties present their case,” AB Chairman John Schuettinger said.

AB member Kevin Raday agreed, noting that the town’s attorney urged the board to err on the side of getting everything in and be heard.

As part of the public hearing, the Appeals Board heard short presentations by the opposing attorneys, Lourie and Bower.

Attorney Lourie opened saying the Planning Board “didn’t do what court asked them to do.” Lourie targeted the developer’s plan to recontour the property to achieve certain elevations.

“You have to put something in to get those grades up,” he said. “The judge instructed the Planning Board to give credence to ordinance’s ban on filling in the Stream Protection Zone. The lengthy decision by the Planning Board circumvents prohibition on fill in…The Planning Board took the word ‘filling’ out of context… if grading and moving existing soils, that is not filling? The Planning Board concluded filling of depression does not constitute filling or earth moving; if you follow that, you are doing better APPEALS, Page 6A

Casco.

The entire lot is 19 acres, but only an acre will be used for the addition to the building, the septic system and leach field and the landscaping.

It was discovered that despite the detail of the site plan, a waste water disposal design was also required.

Casco Town Planner Tom DuBois spoke.

“Most of the application was well put together.

The biggest issue that is unknown is waste water disposal. We have a feasibility study but no formal plans

for leach field designs. They need soil study,” DuBois said.

Representing the interests of Casco Inn, Landscape Architect Sashie Misner, of Gawron Turgeon Architects, P.C., spoke to the board.

She said the investors did not want to pay the expense of the design without knowing whether or not the town would approve it.

“We do have soils information that didn’t get put into the plan,” Misner said.

“We didn’t want to do the full design and spend the

cost to do that, if we weren’t sure the project was going forward. Wouldn’t it be a condition of approval, that we would submit a full septic design?”

DuBois said the siteplan application calls for a design.

“The site plan must show wastewater disposal.

It requires that the wastewater disposal system has a design,” he said. “It’s a fairly critical piece to make sure the site works, to show flows at each of those leach fields.”

SENIOR, Page 12A

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Police news

Page 4A, The Bridgton News, January 14, 2021

Teen charged after crash

SEIZED following a motor vehicle stop in Naples early Sunday. (CCSO Photo)

Stop nets drugs, cash; three people arrested NAPLES — A vehicle stop early Sunday morning on Route 302 in Naples resulted in law enforcement uncovering a “significant amount of illegal narcotics.”

At about 12:04 a.m., a Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped a vehicle on Roosevelt Trail for a suspended registration. During the inventory of the vehicle, the deputies located illegal narcotics, a firearm and cash. In total, 253 grams of suspected fentanyl, 177 grams of suspected cocaine and 4.8 grams of suspected cocaine base, “crack,” were seized, CCSO reported.

The operator, Ray Atkisson Jr., 37, of Norway, was charged with operating with a suspended license, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended registration, aggravated trafficking of fentanyl, aggravated trafficking of cocaine and trafficking of cocaine base.

The passengers, Jared Mcclure, 29, of

Bath, and Molly Farrington, 40, of Norway, were charged with aggravated trafficking of fentanyl, aggravated trafficking of cocaine and trafficking of cocaine base.

An additional aggravating factor was the possession of a firearm while trafficking illegal drugs.

The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.

This investigation is ongoing and more charges are likely.

“This case represents the second significant fentanyl seizure in recent weeks.

This case also reflects the extent of the drug problem in the Sebago Lake area. The CCSO will continue to collaborate with public health officials, substance abuse programs, and our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to protect our communities from drug-related crimes,” the CCSO press release added.

RAYMOND — A Westbrook teen was charged with operating while under the influence following a two-vehicle crash on Route 302 in Raymond last Wednesday night.

The collision occurred at 9:23 p.m. just west of the Raymond Fire Station.

Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office deputies were on scene quickly and found both vehicles had gone off the road. Both vehicles were deemed total losses. Upon investigation, it was determined that Quincey Lyden, 18, of Westbrook was operating a 2007 Infinity, traveling eastbound. Lyden crossed the center line and struck a 2017 GMC Terrain, operated by Jeffrey Richards, 75, of Bridgton, who was traveling westbound. Raymond Fire and Rescue responded and treated Ms. Lyden and Mr.

Richards for minor injuries.

As a result of the investigation Lyden was charged with Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol.

“The State of Maine has a Zero Tolerance law for drivers under the age of 21 consuming alcohol. In this

case, Lyden’s results were greater than a .08% BR.AC., and she would have been charged even if she had attained 21 years of age,” according to a press release by the CCSO. Lyden will have to appear in Bridgton District Court in February.

These items appeared on the Fryeburg Police Department log (this is a partial listing): Friday, January 1 5:55 a.m. Assist agency on South Chatham Road.

12:27 p.m. Harassment complaint on Cottage Street.

12:55 p.m. Traffic complaint at intersection of Oxford and Warren Streets.

1:16 p.m. Assist citizen on Leach Road.

1:30 p.m. Noise complaint on Island Road.

2:06 p.m. Theft complaint at Main Street resi-

tion determined that Mahdi Ali and Ajoung Malual were involved in the kidnapping and shooting. The victim was treated at a local hospital for injuries sustained during this incident. He underwent surgery to remove bullet fragments from his leg.

The CCSO investigation was aided by law enforcement officials from Maine Drug Enforcement and the U.S. Secret Service. The case was prosecuted by the Maine Attorney General’s Office. A thorough investigation that included handwriting samples, translation of specific phone calls, and DNA and ballistics analysis lead to successful convictions of all.

Convictions and sentences include:

• Samson Samson, 23, of Minneapolis, Minn. was convicted of Unlawful Possession of Scheduled Drugs and was sentenced to 90 days in jail. He was immediately extradited back to Minnesota, where he faced probation violations as he was on probaCASE, Page 6A

dence.

2:14 p.m. Auto theft on Island Road.

6:12 p.m. Suspicious activity on Porter Road.

Saturday, January 2 12:28 p.m. Peace officer detail on Smith Street.

3:27 p.m. Suspicious activity at former Snow School on Pine Street.

Sunday, January 3 2:40 p.m. Radar detail on Main and Portland Streets.

Monday, January 4 11 a.m. Civil matter at Wiley Drive residence.

11:50 a.m. 9-1-1 hang-up call at Lovewell Pond Road residence investigated.

7:16 p.m. Assist Fryeburg Rescue at a Smith Street apartment.

FRYEBURG, Page 6A

TOTAL LOSSES — A crash involving a Westbrook teen resulted in significant damage to her vehicle (above) and a GMC Terrain operated by a Bridgton resident.

(CCSO Photos)

On Fryeburg Police log

Sentences handed down in kidnapping case

CASCO — Last week, a fourth and final co-defendant involved in a violent 2019 incident in Casco pled guilty in Cumberland County Unified Court. These convictions stem from drugmotivated kidnapping and shooting that occurred in September 2019.

During the early morning hours of Sept. 23, 2019, a 41-year old Naples man was confronted at his home by two men, whom he owed a drug debt to. After firing several rounds into the ceiling, the suspects forced the man from his home at gunpoint and into an awaiting vehicle.

The victim was then ordered to provide directions to the home of a Casco man, who also reportedly owed a drug

debt. As the men arrived at the Casco address, the victim was locked in the trunk of the vehicle, while the armed suspects quietly entered the Casco man’s home. The suspects searched the home using light from their cell phones, all while the occupants, including children, were sleeping. Unable to find who they were looking for the suspects left.

After leaving the residence, the suspects drove to a remote location on Tenney Hill Road in Casco, where they allowed the Naples man to exit the locked trunk.

The suspects forced him to remove all of his clothing and then told him to “run.”

The suspects then fired weapons at him as he was

running away.

At that time, a neighbor reported hearing gunshots and called 9-1-1. The victim was found by responding deputies running naked down the road. He provided a description of the suspect vehicle, which was eventually stopped in the Town of Windham. Mahdi Ali, Ajoung Malual, Samson Samson and Noh Okubazghi were the occupants of the vehicle. A firearm, which matched shell casings found at the scene, was located inside the car, along with various drugs. All four men were arrested and transported to the Cumberland County Jail, where they were booked on numerous charges.

The ensuing investiga-

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Country Living

January 14, 2021 The Bridgton News, Page 5A

Recipe: The Best Pea Soup ...ever!

By Nancy Tripp Bridgton Farmers’ Market Post-Christmas and New Year’s and all that is left in the fridge are the odds and ends left from our wee-little holiday celebrations.

We had the traditional Christmas ham this year. It was a very special fresh ham I purchased at the Bridgton Farmers’ Market. Luckily, it was small for the two of us, but after we carved off all the meat, I had a most lovely bone left. What to do? Ham and beans or pea soup. What else. I have the most delicious recipe for Pea Soup that is basically a vegetarian soup recipe. It is full bodied and so tasty I never miss the ham.

But, given the chance to cook the peas or beans with a ham bone, I will do it every time.

This recipe is from one of the early Moosewood Cookbooks and I never tire of it. Loaded with fresh veggies (I always add more than called for) and flavored with herbs, spices and a touch of toasted sesame oil, you will love this recipe with or without a hambone.

BEST PEA SOUP EVER — adapted from Mollie Katzen (Ham Bone if you have one) 3 cups of dry split peas About 7 cups of water (more as needed) 1 bay leaf 2 teaspoons of salt ½ to 1 teaspoon dry mustard 2 cups of minced onion 4 to 5 cloves of garlic crushed 3 stalks of celery, minced 2 medium carrots sliced or diced 1 small potato, thinly sliced Lots of freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup red wine 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar Toasted sesame oil Chopped fresh parsley (I love to use a lot!)

Place the split peas, bayleaf, salt and dry mustard in a kettle or Dutch oven. If you have a ham bone add it now.

Add the 7 cups of water or as much needed to cover peas and the hambone. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat as much as possible and simmer for about 20 minutes partially covered.

While the peas are cooking in your soup pot, add a glug of olive oil to a sauté pan and cook the onions, celery, carrots and potatoes until just tender. Add the veggie mix to the pot of peas after the 20 minutes and add more water if needed. Partially cover the pot and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Add the red wine, cider vinegar and a good drizzle of sesame oil and let cook about 10 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Sprinkle the parsley just before serving and enjoy!

Attention: At this time, due to concern for the health and wellbeing of our customers and families, we will be implementing a Pre-Order Curbside Delivery ONLY format at the Bridgton Farmers’ Market until the Covid-19 surge has died down.

The Bridgton Farmers’ Market is located at The All Roads Hub (the old Macdonald Motor Building) at 4 Nulty Street and runs every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon, to the end of April.

Please use designated parking spaces adjacent The Hub to pick up your order.

For a full list of vendors and information on ordering from BFM vendors, visit https://www.facebook.com/ BridgtonFarmersMarket/ To see What’s Happening at The Hub check out @allroadshub for updates on the BFM new space.

Staying in shape despite Covid-19

Naples Rec Fitness classes led by Pauline Webb, a certified health coach-integrative nutrition ACE certified fitness instructor, are still going strong despite Covid-19.

“When the gym closed down last March, we moved the class outside. When outdoor classes were closed down, we went online. We were able to resume outdoor classes for the summer and continued into the fall until the weather was too cold,” Webb said.

“Participants could also follow via recorded classes if they weren’t ready to join us at the Naples Greens or in the Naples gym. Everyone has stayed healthy through it all thus far.”

A few fitness class mem-

bers finished 2020 with a fun Santa Hustle 5K in which all registration fees supported “Trees for Troops.”

“We stopped to see Santa

on the way at the Augustus Bove House and did some Christmas caroling to a few members who live at the condos on the Causeway,” Webb added. “Being able

Covid-19 memorial event

SWEDEN — Over 22 million cases and nearly 400,000 deaths nationwide, almost 30,000 cases and 432 deaths right here in Maine — that’s too many.

The coronavirus pandemic has hit hard and impacted all of us in one way or another. Some have lost jobs, others have lost loved ones; schools and education have been severely disrupted and things are predicted to get worse before they get better.

To acknowledge the tragedy and perhaps ease some of the pain, the town

of Sweden will join a national moment of unity and remembrance to honor the lives lost to Covid-19 in cities and towns across the country on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021 at 5:30 p.m.

A brief ceremony will be held at the Sweden Community Church with the ringing of the church bell, candle lighting, and sharing stories of people who have died from Covid19. Face masks and social distancing will be strictly enforced. All are welcome to attend and participate.

This local event coincides with a ceremony in Washington, D.C. featuring for the first time lighting around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to memorialize American lives lost.

Woodland Owners to hold online forum Jan. 21 Maine Woodland Owners will be hosting its annual Forestry Forum on Thursday, Jan. 21, and for the first time, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the organization’s largest indoor event of the year will be held completely online!

The in-person version of

this annual event has drawn over 300 attendees in the past, and the expectation is that attendance of the online program could be similar.

The program is open to the public and geared to woodland owners, forestry professionals, government officials, and conservationists.

On the Dean’s List

Area birth

Rowan Ainsley Hutchins, daughter of Dianna and Eli Hutchins of Lovell, was born on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021 at 10:15 a.m. at Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway.

Rowan weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces. She joins sister, Grace, age 2.

Maternal grandparents: Patti Turcotte of Bridgton and Ron DeBie of Brownfield.

Paternal grandparents: Price and Ann Hutchins of Lovell.

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Melody Millett of Naples achieved Dean’s List status for the fall 2020 semester at Nichols College (Dudley, Mass.), which ended in December. In order to be included on the Dean’s List, a student must have a minimum average of 3.5 for at least 12 undergraduate credit-hours and must have received no grades below B-minus during the semester.

Jessica Meyer and Calum Murray, both of Raymond have been named to the Dean’s List for the 2020 fall semester at the University of New England. Dean’s List students have attained a grade point average of 3.3 or better out of a possible 4.0 at the end of the semester.

The program will start with a brief member meeting at 8 a.m. and will be followed by a series of informative presentations throughout the day. The morning will offer presentations on wood markets, forestry management, the history of axes and toolmaking, and forest pest and disease

to stay active and stay connected has helped us get through such a challenging year.”

Classes are still meeting three times a week in person at the Naples Town Gym or members can follow classes online. For more information, check out the website at: www. health-webb.com

Police & area news

Page 6A, The Bridgton News, January 14, 2021

On Fryeburg Police log

EASY RIDERS work on a bridge at ITS 80. (Photo courtesy of Bill Preis)

(Continued from Page 4A) 8:05 to 8:48 p.m. Three motor vehicle stops on Portland Road; warnings issued.

9:59 p.m. Traffic complaint on Lovell Road.

Tuesday, January 5 12:02 a.m. 9-1-1 hang-up call on Island Road investigated.

12:13 p.m. Welfare check at Wicks Road apartment.

7:14 p.m. Assist Oxford County Sheriff’s deputy on Pequawket Trail.

8:52 to 9:49 p.m. Two motor vehicle stops on Portland Street; warnings issued.

Wednesday, January 6 4:16 a.m. Unwanted juveniles on Island Road; peace restored.

6:17 a.m. Motor vehicle crash on Haley Town Road.

11:59 a.m. Criminal trespass complaint at Main Street residence.

8:21 to 11:06 p.m. Three motor vehicle stops (two on Main Street, one on Portland Street); warnings issued.

Thursday, January 7 7:15 a.m. Assist agency at Molly Ockett Drive.

9:10 a.m. Motor vehicle crash on Portland Street (near First Church of Christ).

11:56 a.m. Traffic hazard on Portland Street.

1:57 p.m. Traffic control (crosswalk) on Bridgton Road.

1:58 p.m. 9-1-1 hangup call on Oxen Pull Road investigated.

6:45 p.m. Juvenile

offense on Haley Town Road.

7:43 p.m. Responding to a suspicious activity report at the Maine Visitor Information Center on Main Street, police charged Edward McInnis, 47, of Fryeburg with sale/use of drug paraphernalia, unlawful possession of methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a scheduled drug.

8:57 p.m. Suspicious activity report on Fairview Drive.

Friday, January 8 7:53 a.m. Motor vehicle stop at Bridgton Road school zone; warning issued.

1:55 p.m. Motor vehicle stop on Harbor Road; warning issued.

(Continued from Page 3A) than me, I’m not following it.

A clear finding, the Planning Board gave no credence that filling is not allowed in the Stream Protection Zone. If it was vegetating or resurfacing, we wouldn’t be here today.”

Attorney Bower suggested to AB members the case was not complicated — “site work is not filling.” Based on the definition of “filling” that planners decided to use, such work is not in the proposed hotel project, Bowers said.

He then pointed that the purpose of the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance is to prevent and control water pollution. By recontouring the property and creating a stormwater collection system, the hotel project achieves those two goals unlike the existing mill.

Developer Justin McIver chimed in, “In simple terms, what we are doing here is protecting water quality than it is in the current site condition, isn’t that was the opposition wants, better water quality? This project improves the water quality, who can argue it makes this site better. We’re

reducing phosphorus by a significant amount; everyone can agree we want to improve the water quality; it is very simple.”

“I’ve read through this four times today,” AB member Bruce Hancock said. “It’s pretty clear. Fill and filling, not filling a hole; contouring the land, which is allowed in the ordinance; it’s pretty simple,” he said.

“To achieve recontouring, it seems like they have to bring in additional fill?”

Schuettinger wondered. “The Planning Board decided that’s okay.”

Raday reminded the board what their charge is in this matter. “(Attorney) James Katsiaficas schooled us on the idea not to substitute our view for the Planning Board’s.

We’re not to parse their words, or give another opinion. Our job is to see if the Planning Board went beyond their powers.”

AB member Mark Harmon said Raday was right on the button. The Appeals Board denied Hotel Bridgton the first

time the project landed on their table, but this time, the court is asking town officials to clarify one word — “fill.” Harmon made the motion that, “I don’t see legally no option than agree with Planning Board at this time” in regards to the description of “fill” planners used.

Katsiaficas added to the motion, that planners did not make an error in interpreting the ordinance.

AB member Danis disagreed with the position.

“What I’ve heard, Mark, the definition of fill, I can see where the Planning Board decision is in error because no matter how we look at it, some kind of earth will be trucked in (to affect elevation). The motion to support the PB decision passed 4-1, Danis against.

Katsiaficas will draft the decision within seven days, and then the Appeals Board will hold a brief meeting to read the Finding of Facts and Conclusion of Law via a Zoom meeting. Schuettinger will sign the document.

The decisions will be appealed to Superior Court.

Working for a better ride Appeals Board decision

The Bridgton Easy Riders (BER) membership is still very strong, with 105 members so far, and that speaks well for the dedication of our members! Thank you for your support!

Our MSA Super Raffle ticket sales totaled close to $900 dollars, pretty remarkable since, because of Covid-19, we were not able to set up a table in town.

BER work parties have been awesome with about a dozen or more volunteers showing up on Sunday mornings. The work crews have done a lot of brushing

on ITS 80, and have also reset a bridge on ITS 80 that was partially washed out.

With the large size of the crews, BER was able to get most of the signing done in one work detail.

The Tuckers are in great condition and are waiting snow.

A couple of trail changes should be noted. In West Bridgton, due to a trail interruption, snowmobilers will have to ride a short distance on the side of Route 302 before resuming the trail.

There is also a small reroute on the South Bridgton trail

near Narramissic. BER would like to thank Loon Echo Land Trust (LELT) for rerouting this trail.

The Bridgton Board of Selectmen approved the Highland Lake Water Level Policy that officially sets the lake level at 5.4 feet for the winter months and 6.2 feet for the summer months.

This will go a long way to eliminating the bridge issues BER has faced for several years, with high water level that causes the ice pack to fluctuate and the bridge to buckle. This new policy EASY RIDERS, Page 12A

(Continued from Page 4A) tion for Aggravated Robbery and Assault with Deadly Weapon.

• Noh Okubagzhi, 21, of Boston, Mass. was convicted of Possession of Schedule Drugs and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

• Mahdi Ali, 25, of Boston, Mass. plead guilty to Kidnapping, Aggravated

Assault, Felon in Possession of Firearm and two counts of Reckless Conduct with a Firearm. Ali was sentenced to 16 years in prison, with all but six years suspended, and four years of probation.

• Ajoung Malual, 23, of Westbrook plead guilty last week to Kidnapping and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, with all but five

years suspended, and four years of probation. Malual also plead guilty and was sentenced to five years concurrent for Burglary, Aggravated Assault and two counts of Reckless Conduct with a firearm.

“This incident captures some of the many dangers that exist with drug addiction. It should come as no surprise that the potential for drug-related violence exists in many towns and cities, and is not exclusive to larger metropolitan areas,” law enforcement officials said in a press release prepared

by Captain Donald Foss of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. “This case, along with many others like it, continues to outline a prevalent drug problem in our rural communities. The CCSO and its law enforcement partners remain committed to the safety of our residents and are driven to remove dangerous criminals from our communities.”

Kidnapping case sentences

Coping with grief become while working with Kim.” The kids also suffered the loss of their grandfather, “Papa Jim” Hathaway in June 2019. Kirby talked about both in his book, “The Magic Balloon.”

I can still see Ronnie in my mind and in nature. Like a dragonfly that I saw that was green and black, which were Ronnie and Papa Jim’s favorite colors…If I could write on a balloon that he could catch up in the sky, I would say, ‘I miss you and you were a really good stepdad — Kirby.

Payton and Kirby had hoped to follow in the footsteps of other published authors by holding a book signing with balloons at Bridgton Books. But, Covid-19 derailed the idea.

Meanwhile, Leighton has had conversations with funeral home directors, including Eric Nelson of Hall Funeral Home in Casco, about having books on hand for children to read and hopefully assist them in coping with their loss.

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Opinion & Comment

January 14, 2021 The Bridgton News, Page 7A

Viewpoint

A shameful display

By Mike Davis Guest Columnist Hello neighbors.

I wanted to write in today, to speak to you and comment on the late riots at our nation’s Capitol. I felt it appropriate to do this given my daily work and study of our history, and also the fact that, following my bid in our recent local election, I am known politically to many of you as well. However you know Mike Davis me, whether you are a supporter, a friend of local history, or simply a reader of this newspaper, today it does not matter. If you are an American, and you love our nation as I do, then these words are for you.

I am distraught over the events in Washington, D.C. last Wednesday night. I am deeply concerned for the direction our nation is going. I needed to tell you, if you feel this way as well, that we can still find a path through it. For such things, as reprehensible as the thought is, have happened here before, and today the message which I look to history for, and which I find in its lessons, is one of endurance.

The idea of political furor over ‘stolen’ elections is not a modern concept, nor is a foreign one. Here in Maine, in January of 1880, a similar drama played out in our capital.

The Election of 1880, amid cries of poor management and vote buying, had ended in a draw after no candidate received a majority of the vote, as the law required at the time. Under these circumstances, the current policy was to send the election to the state legislature, which would vote for a winner. The Legislature selected the Republican candidate, Daniel Davis, and declared him the new Governor of Maine. Immediately, this was called illegitimate by the Democrats, who charged fraud and bribery. The outgoing governor, a Democrat named Alonzo Garcelon, led a committee to investigate and recount, which produced the verdict that their coalition’s candidate Joseph Smith was the winner.

At this point, with a disputed election, Senator James G. Blaine determined to save Maine for the Republicans and began drawing up lists of supporters and assembling an ad hoc militia on the grounds of his estate in Augusta. Just a few days after, a throng of over 2,000 protestors descended on the State House, driving out the legislature with cries of fraud.

Soon, a crowd of counterprotestors assembled outJoshua Chamberlain side. Outgoing Governor Garcelon called out the State Militia, led by non-other than former Governor, President of Bowdoin College, and Hero of Little Round Top, General Joshua Chamberlain himself. Declaring “I am determined that Maine should not become a South American State,” Chamberlain stationed the militia outside Augusta and marched in alone to the occupied capital. A Republican himself, the protestors there expected he would side with them. Appointed by a Democrat, their opposition likewise claimed him for their own, and pressed him to declare for their side. Chamberlain, in his wisdom, did neither. Instead he called on both sides to disperse, and placed himself in the state house under the protection of the capital police. Once it was realized that he was not there to declare a winner, threats against him rose on both sides, each calling him a traitor to their cause. At the end of things, a crowd of men assembled outside the capital building, and he went out to face them alone. They were armed.

He was not. They attempted to sully his honor by bribery, by claiming that whichever side he chose would repay him, as a base of supporters to propel him to the U.S. Senate in the next election. He refused. As tensions rose, they began to shout and threaten. To their threats, and the guns now aimed against him, he threw open his coat to expose his heart and declared; “Men, you wish to kill me, I hear. Killing is no new thing to me. I have offered myself to be killed many times, when I no more deserved it than I do now. Some of you, I think, have been with me in those days. You understand what you want, do you? I am here to preserve the peace and honor of this state, until the rightful government is seated — whichever it may be, it is not for me to say. But it is for me to see that the laws of this state are put into effect, without fraud, without force, but with calm thought and purpose. I am here for that, and I shall do it. If anyone wants to kill me for it, here I am. Let Him Kill!”

The mob’s spirit broke to hear their hero say this, and reason came again to them. They dispersed in shame, whereafter Chamberlain sent the matter to the Supreme Court of Maine which ruled, after little deliberation, that the rule of law be maintained with the original vote of the legislature. Daniel Davis became our next governor; Joseph Smith, still claiming victory, faded into a deserved obscurity; and General Chamberlain returned to Bowdoin, having won what was perhaps his dearest victory for our state, and the Union.

So too in Washington, D.C., when the British came in 1814 to burn it to the ground, were there men who appeared in this same spirit, who cast aside their fear and all thought of personal safety for the sake of the Republic. And one need not be a war hero or beloved public figure to do this; a true patriot can come from anywhere. For while many of you likely know, the name of Chamberlain, I’d suppose far fewer recall Dr. William Thornton, that humble member of the U.S. Patent Office who, when the British drew their forces around it intending to loot and burn its records, did not flee as others might, but instead walked to its doorstep, stood before their very cannons, and pleaded to their humanity, saying, “Are you Englishmen or only Goths and Vandals? This is the Patent Office, a depository of the ingenuity of the American nation, in which the whole civilized world is interested. Would you destroy it? If so, fire away, and let the charge pass through my body.” They did not, and the Patent Office survived.

Even here in Bridgton, far from any capital, can this this SHAMEFUL, Page 8A

STUNNING — Christina Metcalf, 26, of West Baldwin painted this mural of the American flag this summer in the veterans’ section of the Naples Historical Society Museum. Christina is currently teaching art to students at Cheverus High School. The Naples Museum is located on Route 302 near the Naples Post Office. Although the museum was closed in 2020 due to Covid-19, a grand re-opening is planned for June 2021 with all new displays!

Presently, museum officials are collecting donations of any military artifacts that have a connection to Naples. The museum manager, Katie Cash-Staley, may be contacted at naplesmainehistoricalsociety@gmail.com

Front Row: Disgraceful behavior

Appalled by the president’s behavior last Wednesday, I banged this out Thursday morning and published it on my weblog.

As a result, about a dozen regular readers (so far) have asked to be removed from my mailing list.

Here it is: My friend Seth Lipsky, editor and publisher of the New York Sun, had the best response to what President Trump did yesterday: he should resign and turn the office over to Vice President Mike Pence for the remainder of his term.

That presupposes there’s any honor in Mr. Trump to

salvage. Maybe there isn’t.

Maybe there never was. It would be a mea culpa and would require humility, as well as honor. Never have I observed any semblance of humility in him, but perhaps he could summon some honor as his final presidential action.

Lipsky twice endorsed Mr. Trump for president, in 2016 and again in 2020, and said it was heartbreaking to write that editorial.

As I echo his recommendation however, I do not feel any heartache. I voted twice for Trump, but without enthusiasm. I couldn’t vote for Hillary or Biden

Front Row Seat

by Tom McLaughlin BN Columnist so I voted against each of them, and that meant voting for Trump. Never did I feel any affection for him. He simply didn’t engender that.

We e k s before Wednesday’s events, I was appalled at what Trump said when he encouraged

his followers to come to the Capitol and protest the election on Jan. 6. “Be there, will be wild,” he said. He claimed a report by his assistant would be “more than sufficient” to swing the election over to FRONT ROW, Page 9A

Stay steady while weathering storm

State government cannot be all things to all people all the time. Nor can it solve all the problems or address all the needs of the people of the state. But during emergencies such as the current pandemic, the people need to depend on us in state government to protect children, to secure health care, to safeguard educational and vocational opportunities and protect the most vulnerable of our citizens.

At the outset of the coronavirus pandemic, we responded with fiscal pragmatism to immediately stabilize the state budget and to

curtail spending.

I am pleased to report that those fiscally responsible steps, combined with federal coronavirus relief funds, will allow us to fulfil our remaining commitments for this fiscal year and to carry over resources to cover the shortfall in the upcoming biennium.

In light of these developments, this week I have presented a balanced supplemental budget for the current fiscal year and a balanced biennial budget proposal to the Legislature to maintain the critical services that we restored in the last

Views from Augusta

by Janet Mills Governor of Maine biennium and to bolster our response to the still raging pandemic, while tightening our belts and maximizing savings.

These budgets balance any increases in departmental spending with reductions elsewhere, while avoiding

Letters to the Editor How do we heal?

To The Editor: The events of Jan. 6 have shocked and saddened our nation. An angry mob waged an assault on our Capitol and our democracy and desecrated the seat of our government. How has our country become so divided, so angry, so convinced that one side is right and the other side is not only wrong, but evil and unamerican? How can we heal our country?

Our polarization started long before Donald Trump’s inauguration. Like many populists and demagogues in history, Trump tapped into our fears that America was changing in ways that left many Americans behind. He fed the fires of fear, ignorance and anger and fostered a distrust of science and facts. But Trump did not accomplish this alone. For years, we have elected politicians who represent the political extremes, people who see collaboration and compromise as weakness rather than fundamental to democracy. Our national

media has accelerated this extremism, showcasing sensationalism for their own profit and blurring the lines between news and entertainment. State politicians engage in “gerrymandering,” remaking political boundaries to benefit one party, thereby depriving citizens of a vote that matters.

Cash has become king, with fortunes spent by corporations and special interests to promote their own financial and policy goals. Our political primaries are dominated by the fringes, ensuring that the most ideologically extreme candidates become nominees.

What can we do to reclaim our democracy?

Clearly, we must prosecute those who have taken up arms against their country or who promote violence.

But the vast majority of Americans are not domestic terrorists. The vast majority of our neighbors and fellow citizens are decent, caring people even if our politics differ. We share the same basic desires in life: the opportunity to live happy, free lives, to earn a decent living, to raise our fami-

lies, to see that our children are educated and have a chance to succeed in the future. We believe in hard work. We pray to the same God. We love our families and our country. Our differences pale in comparison to the values we share as Americans. Let’s focus on the goodness in one another and not on the things on which we disagree. Each of us must turn down the volume and turn up the decency.

We must also resist the forces in the media, online and among our politicians and foreign adversaries that try to turn us against one another for their own financial or political goals.

Their tools are disinformation, conspiracy theories and outright lies. They offer us an apple poisoned with hate and distortion, hoping we will bite. We must renew our faith in science, in facts and in truth.

Let us also open our minds to different opinions and challenge our own assumptions, rather than listening only to those voices that reinforce our own political views. I recently

layoffs and ensuring vital services.

The proposals do not change tax rates and they don’t create new programs.

They not only preserve the State’s Budget Stabilization Fund or Rainy Day Fund, MILLS, Page 11A ran for office and met many of my neighbors going door to door. I found that if I listened respectfully to people who have different political views and tried to understand why they believe what they do, I gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for them. It always made me think and reevaluate my own views, and I was better for it.

We can be more kind, thoughtful people and treat our political opponents like the decent people they almost always are. But there is much more at stake.

The forces tearing us apart challenge the very heart of our democratic republic. Our essential institutions are under attack: our Constitution, our independent judicial system, our scientists, our free press, and our freedom to choose our elected officials and have faith in our democracy. Benjamin Franklin, when leaving the convention of delegates that wrote our Constitution, was asked what the framers had created, a republic or a monarchy. Franklin famously responded: “A republic, if you can keep it.” We have the longest surviving and most stable democratic govLETTERS, Page 8A

Page 8A, The Bridgton News, January 14, 2021

Letters

Opinion

yes, political, that make this such a wonderful, dynamic country.

Patrick Scully Naples

Not so, his column of Jan. 7, 2021. At best, it was meanspirited and irresponsible, at worst dangerous.

It is too soon to be rat(Continued from Page 7A) ing 2020 as the worst year ernment in the world. But of the century. The issue democracy is fragile. We under discussion is the panneed to nurture and protect demic and Trump’s disasit. We do so by turning away trous response. The United from hate and division and Stats is rapidly approachtreasuring what we have, To The Editor: including all of the differWhen I read him, I ing 400,000 deaths and over ences among us, racial, eth- often disagree with Tom 22 million infections, the nic, religious, cultural and, McLaughlin and let it pass. worst record on the face of the earth. The CDC speculates that actual cases could be four times this number.

PUBLIC NOTICE Bridgton Storage will be having an online auction Facts must not be minimized. Doing so since the for units 120 and 320 on January 16, 2021. initial days of the pandemic Contact has contributed to our curBridgton Storage at rent tragic state. Add the absence of a national plan, 803-8497 millions without healthcare for more information. coverage, a weak public health system and an enormous, longstanding misinTOWN OF BRIDGTON formation campaign lead 3 CHASE STREET, SUITE 1 by the President, all variBRIDGTON, MAINE 04009 ables that brought us today’s heartbreak.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Mr. McLaughlin further

Rebutting McLaughlin

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SPECIAL AMUSEMENT PERMIT

The Municipal Officers of the Town of Bridgton will hold a Public Hearing at 6:00 P.M. on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, to accept oral and written comments on a Special Amusement Permit Application from Stella’s on the Square (6 North High Street) for live music and entertainment.

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implies that most fatalities are older individuals and thus somehow are acceptable. Tell this to the children, grandchildren and others who loved the dead.

Make this argument with the healthcare workers who are struggling to save lives while sometimes losing their own. Justify this argument with a prolife ideology.

Our country has an intergenerational compact central to a moral, civilized society. It’s the reason that current workers support the retirement and medical benefits for seniors. Conversely, older taxpayers fund education and services for children and youth. The agreement sends an important message that as a community we value, need and care for each other regardless of age.

The best way to reopen schools and the greater society is, and has always been, to effectively contain the virus and keep community

TOWN OF BRIDGTON 3 CHASE STREET, SUITE 1 BRIDGTON, MAINE 04009

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING LIQUOR LICENSE

PUBLIC NOTICE

Town of Bridgton 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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Public Notice

TOWN OF DENMARK Special Referendum Absentee Ballots

Absentee Ballots will be available on January 27, 2021, for the February 26, 2021, Special Referendum to vote on the following:

The Municipal Officers of the Town of Bridgton will hold a Public Hearing at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, to accept oral and written comments on a new liquor license application from Stella’s on the Square (6 North High Street).

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Public Notice

TOWN OF NAPLES Board of Selectmen Meeting

The Naples Board of Selectmen will be holding a Public Hearing on Monday, January 25, 2021 at 6:00 pm. On the following: Automobile Graveyard or Junkyard Permit Renewal for Scott and Kendra Kimball, located Old County Road, Naples This meeting will take place on zoom and live on LRTV. To join the meeting via zoom, go to www.zoom.com or call (929) 205-6099. Zoom Meeting ID: 856 4926 4747

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Shall the Town adopt the Revised Section 8.8 titled Board of Appeals of the “Zoning Ordinance of the Municipality of Denmark, Maine”?

Shall the Town adopt the New Section 5.16 titled Solar Energy Systems to the “Zoning Ordinance of the Municipality of Denmark, Maine”?

Shall the Town appropriate and transfer $90,000.00 from Unassigned Fund Balance and allocate it to Moose Pond Dam repairs?

Voters may make a written request for the voter’s own ballot, or that of an immediate family member by mail, in person or via fax.

To request an absentee ballot: please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at (207) 452-2163; Mail requests to: Town Clerk, ATTN: Absentee Ballot Request, 62 E. Main Street, Denmark, ME 04022; or Fax to (207) 452-2333. Please include your name, telephone number, residence address, signature and the address that you wish the ballot to be sent to.

Absentee ballots may be turned in any time prior to the closing of the polls on Friday, February 26, 2021.

Polls will be opened, from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. at the Municipal Building on February 26, 2021, for people wishing to vote in person.

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Bridgton Historical Society Virtual annual Meeting Sunday January 24, 2021 Meeting begins at 4 p.m.

Please join us in celebrating Ned Allen’s years of service and to welcome our new Director Kerry Cushing.

All members are encouraged to join us via Zoom.

Please reach out to Kristine Karlsson (kkarlsson@chalmersinsurancegroup.com) for details and the meeting link.

Thank you!

transmission rates as low as possible. Having failed to do so, our economy is struggling, unemployment is high, children are not being educated, our health and mental health are suffering, and countless other aspects of our lives are negatively impacted. Devastation on this scale was not unavoidable.

McLaughlin makes political claims and takes cheap shots at Joe Biden while a sitting president is guilty of gross mismanagement and reckless behavior to advance his personal agenda. He made opposition to the simple, low-cost public health intervention of mask wearing a symbol of loyalty to Trump. He became infected himself, as did his family, staff, supporters and countless others. He repeatedly hosted super-spreader events. He promoted bizarre treatments and disregarded the advice of expert scientists and epidemiologists.

Today, Arizona, a state without a mask mandate and home to many seniors, has the worst infection rate in the entire world. Personality did not lose the election for

Trump. His colossal pandemic failure was his downfall. Once he lost, he totally ceased doing his job, opting instead to golf, whine and lie. After months of silence or support from his party’s leaders, it is little wonder so many deny the election outcome. Now, we await a spike in Covid-19 infections and other terrible outcomes of the insurrection he incited last week.

In contrast, Biden modeled adult behavior running a confidence inspiring campaign that upheld public health measures, protecting himself and respecting the safety of others. He filled the presidential leadership void with truthful, well spoken, messages. Finally, the truth is, Joe Biden won the election.

Therese Johnson Bridgton

The Corridor

To The Editor: “The Corridor,” NECEC, Clean Energy Connect, CMP corridor, all names for the same project that will conLETTERS, Page 9A

A shameful display

(Continued from Page 7A) American spirit be found; as in 1834 when the abolitionist minister Joseph Fessenden of South Bridgton found himself at the mercy of a pro-slavery mob who’d gathered at his house, in the shadow of the very church, intent to tar and feather him, to hang him, for having preached his message of freedom. What did Parson Joe do? He went out to meet them, unarmed, and began to talk of common life, and ask questions of the mob, and name those he recognized amongst it. He beat down their threats of violence with only words; words of brotherhood, patriotism and honor. Again, the mob dispersed.

I longed for this to happen last Wednesday. Don’t be mistaken, American heroes were there and made their presence known; I expect that very soon we’ll all know the name of the Senate page who, as rioters beat down the doors of that sacred chamber, took up the boxes of electoral votes and fled with them, as securely as Dolly Madison saving the portrait of Washington from the Royal Navy. He deserves a medal of the highest honor for his role in protecting our American cause from those who would destroy it. Likewise, I must praise our legislators, who continued their count in defiance of force and barbarism, and so too all the capital police who did, at the end of the day, manage to quell the riot.

Sadly, the mob was not dispersed without violence, as might have been done had the wisdom of Chamberlain been manifest. Blood has indeed been shed. Americans are now dead. Even during the Civil War, the Confederate flag never got half as close to our capital as it did Jan. 6. This was a monstrous abomination. Where was the one who might have rose in the spirit of Chamberlain? Where was perhaps the only one who could have quelled the anger which drove the mob to invade the capital? Where was the leader who should have taken up that role; the man who ought to have been there, to stand against the mob and lay their passions with words of reason? He was not there. He did not do that. Far from it, he had in fact just hours earlier, actually encouraged the very mob which later acted in his name. As an American, a historian, and politically a conservative, I am disgusted.

Those of you who see me around town will know that I have, for the past five years, taken to wearing a cockade in our national colors to honor our country and the spirit of the revolution which won us our many freedoms. These are freedoms for which I would lay down my life, in an instant, to preserve. Today, for the first time, I am now wearing a black one, as a sign of mourning. I grieve not only for what has happened, but for what we have become. If America is to continue as she was, triumphant and unsullied, let us look to our history and learn its lessons while there is yet time.

Let us have Chamberlains again.

This week’s puzzle theme:

The Grammy Awards

ACROSS 1. Nothing-but-net in basketball 6. “Zip it!”

9. The ____ in Switzerland 13. Ann Patchett’s novel “Bel ____” 14. “Mele Kalikimaka” wreath 15. Ten million, in India 16. Fire in one’s soul 17. Crematorium jar 18. Trail follower 19. *Artist with most 2021 Grammy nominations 21. *Powerhouse Award 2020 winner with six 2021 nominations 23. *____ Sayer’s “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” 24. Pettifoggery 25. Lending letters 28. “Through” in text 30. Butcher’s discards 35. Fortune-telling coffee remnant 37. Crew equipment 39. Asian goat antelope 40. “Polar Express” roof rider 41. Toughness 43. *Two-time Grammy winner Kelly 44. Watch word?

46. *Best New Artist nominee Cyrus 47. “Clueless” catch phrase 48. *Black Pumas’ nominated record 50. Hand-me-down 52. NYC time zone 53. *____ Loaf, winner of one Grammy

55. Nirvana’s “Come as You ____” 57. *Post Malone’s twicenominated work 61. *Venue of 2021 Grammy Awards 65. Dig, so to speak 66. Reunion bunch 68. Silk-patterned fabric 69. On Elsa of Arendelle’s head 70. Historical period 71. Join the cast of, two words 72. Balkan native 73. Dog’s greeting 74. Bed cover DOWN 1. Union foe 2. Stuff for sale, sing.

3. Capital of Indiana, for short 4. Counter seat 5. “The Green ______” 6. Swerve 7. *”I Can’t Breathe” artist 8. Delhi language 9. Seed coat 10. Trickster in Norse mythology 11. Like “Dead Poets Society” school 12. Blood fluids 15. Winnowing remains, pl.

20. Salmon variety, pl.

22. Flying saucer acronym 24. Event attendance 25. Kind of committee, two words 26. Movie trailer, e.g.

27. He had no cause?

29. *”____ on Me” by Lady Gaga and Ariana

Grande 31. Cheese on Peloponnese 32. “...when out on the lawn there ____ such a clatter...”

33. Large-eyed lemur 34. *”Folklore” nominee and recipient of 10 Grammys 36. Nancy Sinatra’s boots

38. Sinbad’s seven 42. Semolina source 45. Cloth armband 49. Get the picture 51. Movie genre, pl.

54. Off kilter 56. Longer than #70 Across 57. A and B, e.g.

58. Doing nothing 59. *Katy Perry’s 2013

Grammy-nominated song 60. Stewie Griffin’s bed 61. Unforeseen obstacle 62. Low-cal

63. One of Great Lakes 64. Email folder 67. Composer Gershwin

Solutions on Page 11A

Opinion

Obituaries Beatrice Asken HARRISON – Beatrice Asken, 91, died on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020 of Covi-19.

Beatrice was an accomplished musician, and was an active participant in her communities in Connecticut and Maine, both musically and as a volunteer.

She is remembered by her family and many friends as someone who accepted everyone for who they were, and spread love and kindness wherever she went.

Beatrice is survived by five children; six grandchildren; her ex-husband; and a loving extended family.

A celebration of her life will be held later this year.

A memorial website has been created for her at http://www. mykeeper.com/profile/BeatriceAsken. You can honor her by making a donation in her name to your favorite arts organization.

Thelma Centurino Thelma May Groom Centurino, 98, passed away peacefully in North Carolina on Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020.

Born on Aug. 19, 1922, Thelma had a long life, enjoyed traveling with friends and family and spending summers at Sebago Lake. She will be sorely missed by family and friends.

Surviving family include William H. Shanley; daughters, Doris Shanley Bridgers and Lee Ann Centurino of Sebago; three grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and two greatgreat grandchildren.

A funeral Mass was held on Monday, Jan. 4 in the Immaculate Conception Church in Everett, Mass. A graveside service followed at Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett.

David Gray

David Gray, 88, of Lambertville, Mich., entered heaven on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020, three days before his birthday, caused by infection of the Covid-19 virus.

Born and raised in Bridgton and Harrison, he graduated from Bridgton High School, married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Proctor, and served for four years in the Air Force during the Korean War. Upon his discharge, he returned to Maine with his growing family to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maine. Moving his family to Connecticut, he was employed by Pratt & Whitney Aircraft for seven years as a material engineer in the aircraft jet engine industry, where he was instrumental in the development of a state-of-the-art jet engine turbine blade of composite materials. In 1972, he joined Consolidated Aviation Engineers, of Toledo, Ohio, also a jet engine manufacturer, where he worked until he retired in 1993.

He and his family, resided in Lambertville, Mich., a suburb of Toledo, for almost 50 years.

Surviving David are four sons, Mark Gray of Augusta, Michael Gray of Huntingtown, Md., Scott Gray of Nashville, Tenn. and Patrick Gray of Lambertville, Mich.; nine grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his mother, Beatrice; his father, Lawrence; his wife, Dorothy; his brother, Donald; and his sisters, Mary Lyons and Florence Cooper.

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January 14, 2021 The Bridgton News, Page 9A

Robert J. Champagne Robert J. Champagne, 74, of Bridgton, passed away on Sunday January 3, 2021, at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. He was born February 20, 1946, in Saco, a son of the late Lee and Bertha (Lambert) Champagne. He was the husband of Marjy (Harmon) Champagne.

Robert served in the United States Coast Guard for six years.

Robert ran his own painting business in the Bridgton area for years. In his time painting he had painted anything from a submarine, to houses to furniture. His proudest accomplishment was teaching painting to Veterans for the VNCV in Bridgton and produced 13 paint contractors.

He was predeceased by his parents Lee Champagne and Bertha Caldwell, and his infant daughter, Mary Champagne.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years Marjy Champagne, his daughter Lisa Hill and her husband Craig, his two granddaughters, Cassandra and Merrissa Hill; an Uncle Norman Champagne, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews Due to the Covid-19 pandemic there will be a Graveside service that will take place in at the Forest Hill Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers those wishing to, may make a donation in Robert’s memory to Harvest Hills Animal Shelter, 1389 Bridgton Rd., Fryeburg, ME 04037. Arrangements are under the care of Chandlers Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 8 Elm Street, Bridgton. To make an online condolence please visit www. chandlersfuneralhome.com

Frank Bartlett III HARRISON — Frank “Dana” Bartlett III, 90, died Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020 in Harrison.

He was born on Nov. 3, 1930 in Sharon, Mass.

Dana attended the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Husbandry, and graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana, where he earned his Master of Science and pursued his doctorate, as well. Dana was in the Air Force and retired as a captain. After college, Dana taught Reproductive Endocrinology for three years at the Boston University School of Medicine, worked briefly as a salesman for Pfizer Corp., and was ultimately hired by an upand-coming ultra-filtration company, Millipore Corp. in Bedford Mass. Millipore was a great choice as Dana would be instrumental in their becoming a multi-million corporation.

After retiring at an early age, Dana and his wife, Edith, moved to Cape Cod where he sold residential and commercial real estate.

Three years later, they moved to a farm in Harrison, where they raised sheep, built residential housing and opened Deerwood Gardens, where they sold field-grown daylilies and perennials for 11 years.

Dana will be remembered by his family, friends and the many who knew him for his sense of humor, great advice and willingness to help others. “Grampie” will be sorely missed by his family who loved and valued him more than anything else in the Brown world.

In Loving Memory Of Dana is survived by his wife of 66 years, Edith, and blessed to have three children, Lizz, Barbara and Jane; five granddaughters; and six great grandchildren.

LEA P. (VALADE) BROWN

Jan. 14, 1919 - Oct. 21, 2001 TIME Time is but a fleeting moment.

The first time you met the woman who was to become your wife.

The time she said “Yes” and you watched this beautiful, wonderful lady walk down the aisle and we took our vows to become one.

The time we worked together to make a life for ourselves.

The time she bore me a priceless son.

The time she gave me the confidence to go on and that we can make it in our business.

The times she told me she “Loved me forever.”

The time this lady made a home for our family.

The time she became ill, but had the strength to carry on.

This lady did not know the word “quit.”

She fought right up to the end.

Do you wonder why this beautiful, wonderful, loving lady became my wife, lover, soulmate and right arm? I loved her for fifty-seven years and I promise to love her forever and a day. This I promised her from the day I first met her.

Lea, I will alway love you as I said forever and a day and the day after. You are my girl and you will also be my girl and you will always be my girl until the end of time. You are missed so very much!!!

Your ever loving husband IRL

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Front Row

(Continued from Page 7A) him (it wasn’t). He didn’t seem to realize how volatile divisions in America had become, or if he did realize it, he didn’t care enough.

He couldn’t or wouldn’t see beyond himself, so pervasive was his narcissism.

Hundreds of thousands came. Crowd estimates vary, but perhaps as many as 500,000, and Trump spoke to them for over an hour about election abuses (some possibly real) before they marched up Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol.

Early on, he started firing them up.

At 02:44 (mark of the speech) he said: “We have hundreds of thousands of people here, and I just want them to be recognized by the fake news media. Turn your cameras please and show what’s really happening out here because these people are not going to take it any longer. They’re not going to take it any longer.”

At 06:08 he said: “We will not let them silence your voices. We’re not going to let it happen. Not going to let it happen.”

At 07:11 the crowd began chanting: “Fight for Trump!

Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump!”

At 16:25 he said: “After this, we’re going to walk down and I’ll be there with you.”

But Trump didn’t go. He stayed behind in the White House. If he had, perhaps he could have prevented what happened.

He continued, saying: “We’re going to walk down… [incoherent]. We’re going walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators, and congressmen and women. …you’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show FRONT ROW, Page 10A

Letters

(Continued from Page 8A) nect Hydro-Quebec’s network of hydro-power dams to Massachusetts. The reason for the development of this system of dams is to increase the income of the provincially owned power producer. The reason for the need to cut a new 300-foot wide, 54-mile long swath of land and install high tension power lines through the Maine woods is to fulfill Massachusetts’ decision to require 100% renewable electricity by 2035. And to make millions of dollars for Hydro-Quebec and CMP/ Avangird/Iberdrola (CMP is not a Maine owned company but a subsidiary of Avangrid based in Massachusetts which is owned by Iberdrola and international conglomerate based in Spain).

Since early last year, hundreds of volunteers, Mainers, your neighbors, were out collecting signatures at transfer stations, in public parking lots and at events in almost every town in Maine. The petitions that were circulated were to put the question of allowing the building of the corridor on the November ballot. But just a month before the election, the Maine Supreme Court determined that the question, which was pushed through the courts by the corporate entities at the cost of millions of dollars (https://www.wbur. org/earthwhile/2020/08/14/ maine-supreme-courtballot-powerline-unconstitutional), as written, is unconstitutional per the Maine Constitution. So, the same group of people, all Mainers, who fought the battle once decided to try one more time. Many of the very same people, including myself, who gathered signatures the first time were at it again. This time, under much more difficult circumstance because of Covid-19.

There is much to understand about this proposal.

There are positives on both sides. The negatives to building it seem much stronger on the Mainers’ side of the ledger. To me, the question hinges on two things. First, do the people of the State of Maine want to allow a massive corporate entity and a utility from Canada to cut a, 300-foot wide corridor through the 12,000 acres of the Maine’s portion of the White Mountain National Forest, under the Kennebec River at the sight of some of the best white-water rafting on the river, across the Appalachian Trail, close to many very small communities who have voted that they do not want The Corridor. Second, are the people sufficiently compensated by $280 million worth of fractured “benefits” to the us. Oh, one more thing, that amount will be over 40 years. When compared to 10s of millions of dollars a month that HydroQuebec and CMP/Avangrid/ Iberdrola will be making it is a pittance and insult to the people of Maine, a pathetic deal agreed to by our governor.

There is so much more to understand which can be found at many places on the Internet (https://www. mainepublic.org/post/cmppowerline-facts-and-documents). That is the reason that the sites are listed.

They are but a few. Look here and at all of the other sources that are out there.

Be aware that some sources are completely funded by Hydro-Quebec, some are supported by natural gas or oil electrical power producers and other funding sources, some by CMP/Avangrid/ Iberdrola.

If you had not figured it out, I am opposed to allowing the building of this project.

Leslie McAllister Bridgton

The Riot

To The Editor: My first impression of the mob Trump incited to attack the nation’s Capitol building — in joint session at the time — was the

Visigoths sacking of Rome, but as the day of infamy unfolded, it was more reminiscent of Adolph Hitler’s attempted power grab in 1923 known as the Beer Hall Putsch. In both cases, would-be dictators and hordes of malcontent fascists stormed buildings, where elected leaders were meeting in attempts to stage a putsch or “coup.” Both were unsuccessful, and Hitler was imprisoned for his sedition as our sittingfor-two-weeks-more president should be, as well.

At the time of the “sacking” of the Capitol building, which had not occurred since the War of 1812, a seditious and dishonorable coup was going on within simultaneously. It was staged by Republican lawmakers, who sought to overturn the certified electoral votes of the state of Arizona. To hell with that vote count that saw Biden prevailing — let’s invoke some arcane legal loophole from 1876 to stage a procedural putsch and make Trump a dictator. Seven senators and 140 House members signed on to this crazy endeavor to overthrow an election.

They should not be seated in the 117th Congress, and as for the Visigoths? They must be tracked down and imprisoned until the guy who said he loves them issues their pardons.

Jon St. Laurent North Bridgton

Thanks

To The Editor: The Bridgton Center Village Firemen’s Association would like to thank everyone for making this year’s Christmas Tree fundraiser successful!

Thank you: To Roger Callnan of Callnan Family Trees in Houlton for supplying us with a beautiful selection of Christmas trees to sell; To Food City for allowing us to set up in their parking lot and for also advertising for us on their billboard; To Sue Mercer at the Greater Bridgton Chamber of Commerce for helping get the word out for us; And finally, to all our wonderful customers who purchased trees, t-shirts, 50/50 tickets or made donations.

All of your support was greatly appreciated!

We would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and safe 2021!

Thanks again, Larry Scholz, President BCVFA

True reflections

To The Editor: I walk into town each and every day. My opinion is that it is, for the most part, a caring town where people still greet you on the street and hold the door for you going into a store or restaurant. This town does many positive things such as putting on a lights parade and making meals for the needy at the Community Center.

There is a sense of peace and tranquility living close to the lakes, rivers and mountains.

A woman walking ahead of me on the sidewalk told me to be careful that a patch of ice was ahead.

A pharmacist and assistants seem to work overtime during this pandemic to help people in need — always a kind word given.

In restaurants, they seek to greet people asking how they are — it helps to lighten their load.

Stores stock everything from bird feeders to seeds so that we may look at our feeders and see God’s radiance.

Churches struggle to stay afloat with sermons of spiritual awakening that are heart stoppers.

Neighbors help the needy.

I received a call the other day to be sure I was okay and that the cat had LETTERS, Page 10A

Opinion

Page 10A, The Bridgton News, January 14, 2021

Front Row: Disgraceful behavior

Classified Advertising

(Continued from Page 9A) strength, and you have to be cord any amount. 124 State Park 12-ACRE LOT — for sale. Mil- strong.”

HELP WANTED At 23:21 he referred to Rd. Naples, ME 04055. 207-615- brook Rd., Bridgton. Rock walls. A ARE YOU LOOKING — for a 6342. Philmorton57@gmail.com. town road. 647-2047.

10t50x Tuesday’s’ Georgia elecfun place to work? Do you want to Campfire wood bundled or by the VEHI­CLES FOR SALE tion defeats saying: “… be more involved in your commu- truckload. Delivery available. tf3 it’s much more important nity? The MSAD 72 School District JESUS IS LORD — new and in Fryeburg, Maine, has a variety BRIDGTON — Two 1997 used auto parts. National locator. today than it was 24 hours of anticipated and current positions E-Touring Ski-Doos in excellent Most parts 2 days. Good used cars. ago,” [referring to two available! We are an E.O.E. See our condition with electric start and Ovide’s Used Cars, Inc., Rte. 302 Democrat senatorial victowebsite www.msad72.org for specif- many features. Snow Pro 2 sled, Bridg­ton, 207-647-5477. tf30 ries in Georgia] “We have ics and to learn how to apply. tf12 clam shell trailer included. 6473412. 4t51x no back line anymore. The FOR RENT CREW LEADERS — Do you LITTLE GUYS FIREWOOD have leader abilities? Are you lookCASCO — Rooms for rent. Start- only back line, the only line ing for health insurance benefits, — Cut, split, delivered. Prompt ing at $140 per week furnished with of demarcation, the only 401k, employee ownership and delivery. 603-960-2537 or 935- Internet and laundry onsite. Call line that we have is the much, much more? Visit: Q-Team. 6302. Fryeburg area $210 cord, over Tommy at 207-595-4946. 26t38x veto of the president of the 52t2x com/Benefits today. tf51 20 miles add $10.

COZY — One bedroom apartment, United States.”

D&G SNOWMOBILERS — 3 miles from downtown Bridgton WORK WANTED After more than an hour Discount. New and used parts. 9 on Route 93. Private country setLADY WITH A TRUCK ­— Week- a.m.-7 p.m. Closed Wednesdays. ting. First floor, heat, electricity, of listening to Trump, most ly household garbage pickup (Bridg- Masks required. Harrison. 583- garbage removal, snow removal all of the crowd dispersed, but ton Only). Housekeeping & property 2312. 6t49x included. Ideal for a couple or one a few thousand marched management. Snowblowing path to person. $1200.00 a month, deposit, to the Capitol and we all oil tank. 207-595-9537.

2t2x $5 FOR TATTERED — U.S. first month and references required. watched what happened.

Flag when purchasing new U.S. 2t2 LOOKING FOR — Interior paint- Flag 3’x5’ or larger. Maine Flag & Call 207-595-9537 The conservative movement ing jobs. 31 years experience. Fully- Banner, Windham, 893-0339. tf46 BUSINESS SERVICES was severely damaged by insured. Free estimates. Dirigo Custom Painting. 743-9889.

24t37x DRIED FIREWOOD — Dried SNOWPLOWING — Bridgton/ what many in that fired-up twelve months. Selling seasoned Denmark areas. Call 207-400- group did. At this writing, LICENSED MASTER PLUMBER hardwood year-round. One cord 1040. 12t42x some conservative pundits ­— Service, new construction. Call $260, cut, split, delivered. Call 207-744-4025 4t2x 207-595-5029; 207-583-4113. DENMARK HOUSE PAINTING are claiming that Antifa — Since 1980. Interior and exte- agitators donned MAGA maineseasonedfirewood.com FOR SALE 52t32x rior painting. Free estimates. Call hats, broke windows at the REDS FIREWOOD — by the REAL ESTATE FOR SALE John Mathews 452-2781. tf40x Capitol and entered the

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THE BRIDGTON NEWS

To The Editor: Our thanks to Mike Davis on what passed for winter road maintenance a century and a quarter or so ago (“The Snow Rollers,” BN, Jan. 7). It would be interesting to learn what Mike could tell us of Thaw Time in those days, as a couple of feet of ice s-l-o-w-l-y melted. Mud season must have lasted until August.

Steve Collins Bridgton

DENMARK SELF-STORAGE

The Town of Bridgton is seeking to fill the full-time position of Deputy Town Clerk. The rate of pay for this position is commensurate with experience and offers paid vacation, holidays, and health insurance. This position includes greeting and assisting the public, registering vehicles, selling recreational licenses, coordinating elections, maintaining the voter list, issuing vital records, administering the general assistance program, other duties as assigned.

Attention to detail is important as majority of the work is dictated by federal, state, and local laws/ordinances.

The Town of Bridgton is an equal opportunity employer.

Applications will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE?

Tell us more

Deputy Town Clerk

FULL-TIME POSITION

Applications and a full job description may be picked up at the Bridgton Town Office at 3 Chase Street, Suite 1, Bridgton, ME 04009 or by visiting www.bridgtonmaine.org. Please submit application, along with resume and references to: Town Clerk, 3 Chase Street, Suite 1, Bridgton, ME 04009 or by e-mail to lchadbourne@bridgtonmaine.org.

NEED A

bring out the best in you!

Sue Parent Bridgton

(Continued from Page 9A) been fed. Another neighbor said she would pick up groceries for me for free.

Some bow their heads and say why has God failed me, why am I suffering internally. Look inside yourself and be grateful for what you have and strive to be a better person.

Take the example at the bird feeder; they are all different colors and they appear to take their turn to feed. They seem to know and trust you for another visit. They are out there in the cold, but still putting on a show to make us smile without belly aching.

Yes, give a smile and a little hello. Hard times may

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those riots were called “mostly peaceful protests” or only weakly condemned by a few Democrats, that doesn’t excuse what happened Wednesday. Even if there were disguised Antifa rioters in the mob, they were outnumbered by Trump supporters from the rally at the White House.

Terrible damage has been done to our cause. We can expect Democrats and the leftist media will exploit it for all it’s worth in the weeks, months, and years to come.

Trump owns what happened. His behavior was disgraceful and he should resign immediately. Will he though? I doubt it.

More letters

TF49

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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.

building. (Editor’s note, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said there is no indication, at this time, that Antifa infiltrated the mob and there’s no indication that Antifa disguised themselves as Trump supporters to join the ranks of the mob.) Evidence for that so far is thin. One guy dressed up like a Viking or a Sioux Indian chief, had been photographed at Antifa riots last summer and again Wednesday among the crowd at the Capitol.

While it’s true that hundreds of leftist riots perpetrated by Antifa and BLM over the summer were far worse than what happened at the Capitol, and it’s true

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

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

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SURVEYORS

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

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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

Area news

Opinion On My Corner

by Bob Casimiro Contributing Writer

Time to lose

The USDA has extended the Summer Free Meals Program for the entire 20202021 school year.

It means all children, 18 years of age and under, can get a free breakfast and/or lunch daily, Monday through Friday at the following SAD 61 school sites: Lake Region High School, Stevens Brook Elementary School in Bridgton and Songo Locks Elementary School in Naples from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

100% remote students

and/or students that are home on “non in-person day,” as well as any child 18 years or younger can get a free breakfast/lunch at a drive-through mobile site at the above mentioned schools.

Please note: On school vacations and snow days, mobile meal sites will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

For more information, contact the SAD 61 Food Service Office at 693-6467 or 647-5343.

Extension programming

A heads-up to check out the Lake Region-Fryeburg Area Adult Education website for the winter/spring catalog, at lakeregion-fryeburg.maineadulted.org.

The cover page is beautiful – makes waiting for spring enticing! The catalog is packed with great opportunities for academic, career, college and enrichment classes in both in-person and virtual formats. There are many links embedded within the online version to help you navigate more easily and register quickly. Take a look and help Adult Ed spread the word of this change in distributing its catalog.

Reminders are being sent out to as many e-mails as Adult Ed has with a PDF attachment.

If you want to receive an e-mail with the PDF, give Adult Ed a call at 627-4291 or e-mail adulted@lakeregionschools.org

Mills: Stay steady

(Continued from Page 7A) but bring it to a record high level to maintain the state’s solid financial footing and allow us to be prepared for any financial crises.

You can read the details of my proposals at maine.gov/ governor/mills I take seriously my obligation to be a responsible steward of taxpayers’ dollars. But I am also not going to walk away from Maine families in their time of greatest need.

For almost a year, teachers and school staff have shepherded our children through hybrid, remote and in-person classes while protecting their health and safety; health care clinicians have worked around the clock to test and treat Maine people for a new and deadly disease; long-term care providers and direct care workers have risked their own health to take care of older Mainers and those with disabilities; children have learned and parents have worked remotely to keep themselves and others safe; and families have struggled to survive job losses and losses of income caused by a pandemic not of their making.

With the pandemic still raging, we can’t and won’t abandon these people now. We need to keep the ship of state steady as we weather this storm.

These budgets are a blueprint for common sense, compassion and community during our time of greatest need.

They hold onto the vision of Maine as the safest, healthiest and most beautiful state in the nation. May it be so.

home gardeners will discuss the different properties of light, how plants use it, and how artificial light can improve indoor growing conditions. UNH Extension field specialist Jonathan Ebba will lead the workshop.

Registration is required; a $5 donation is optional.

Register on the event webpage to attend live or receive a link to the recording. This is the second in a six-part winter gardening webinar series offered every other Wednesday through March.

For more information, contact Pamela Hargest at (207) 781-6099 or e-mail pamela. hargest@maine.edu.

Accounting workshop for farms University of Maine Cooperative Extension and SCORE Maine will offer a four-session online accounting workshop for small farms and agricultural businesses using QuickBooks from 6 to 8:30 p.m. starting Feb. 15.

The remaining dates for the webinar series are Feb. 17, Feb. 22 and Feb. 24.

“QuickBooks for Farms” includes basic principles of accounting; tracking sales, invoicing, payments and expenses; and reporting functions. Access to a desktop personal computer or laptop capable of running the software, made available to participants for the duration of the workshop, is required.

SCORE Maine volunteer Michael Fortin will lead the workshop.

The workshop is free; registration is required by Feb. 12. Register and find more information on the SCORE Maine website. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Chris Howard at (207) 570-2868 or e-mail christina. howard@maine.edu.

Hubka Construction, Inc. Building Contractor

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#112

l i n e es n i F TELL ‘EM You’re bringing it to Finelines.

HAD AN ACCIDENT? er! mb e m Re

Maine State Law Let’s YOU Decide who’s fixing your vehicle!

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TF30

By Stan Cohen Medicare Volunteer Counselor It is not common, but you could someday find that your Medicare Part D plan no longer covers a drug that you have been taking. If that happens, Medicare rules requires the plan to offer you a transition refill: a onetime, 30-day supply of the drug. Transition fills only apply to a drug you were taking before the plan stopped covering it or changed the way that it is covered.

You have up to 90 days to request a transition fill.

This timeframe also applies to beneficiaries whose plans added new restrictions to the drugs they take, such as prior authorization, quantity limits, or step therapy.

Similarly, if you join a new plan and need a transition fill, you have up to 90 days after the first day you joined the plan to request and receive the transition fill.

To access your transition fill, your pharmacist may need to call your Part D plan. Once you get your transition fill, you should speak with your doctor about switching to a drug that is on your plan’s formulary. If there is no other drug that will work for you, you and your doctor can request an exception to your plan’s formulary.

By the way, if you request an exception and a determination is not made by the end of your transition fill period, your plan must provide more temporary refills until the exception request is addressed.

Need help? Get some unbiased advice by calling 1-800-427-7411.

Catalog online

Master Gardener Volunteer training to be offered University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Oxford County is accepting applications for the 2021 online Master Gardener Volunteer training that begins in March.

The 2021 online Master Gardener Volunteer training includes self-paced learning modules coupled with live virtual sessions, Tuesdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m., where participants will have direct access to dozens of horticultural experts.

The course, designed to train volunteers for horticulture and food system related community service projects, will cover vegetable and fruit production, plants for the Maine landscape, soil health, composting, pesticide safety, food security, and more.

Participants will be expected to volunteer at least 40 hours on a community project in 2021 to complete certification. Service opportunities and expectations will be adjusted based on public health safety guidelines.

The $250 course fee includes all materials, and financial assistance is available. The full schedule and information available online.

Applications, available online, will be due, by mail or e-mail, Sunday Jan. 24. For more information, contact 207-5813188 or e-mail Extension. mastergardeners@maine.edu.

Lighting options for indoor growing webinar University of Maine Cooperative Extension and University of New Hampshire Extension will offer a webinar about lighting options for growing indoor plants and seedlings from 6 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 27.

“Optimizing Plant Growth with Indoor Lighting” for

TF23

to be true, as it is nearly impossible to lose weight if you snack at night. My new food cutoff time is now 8 p.m., thank you, Dr. Greger.

The most intriguing, and useful discussions in the book, are the concept of “mindfulness,” and How to Deal with Cravings.

Dr. Greger introduces the “mindbus’ metaphor, in which people are taught to imagine themselves as the driver of a bus and their thoughts as mere passengers. You visualize yourself taking control as you stop the bus and let off the negative passengers. Thanks for the feedback folks, but this is my bus.

Try it; it works.

Nutrition is best when you prepare your meals “from scratch,” and a whole lot cheaper. An 8-ounce serving of my beans, rice and spinach soup has 165 calories, 7 grams of fiber, and 8 grams of protein, at a cost of $0.49 per serving.

My oatmeal is supercharged with wheat germ, wheat bran, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds, topped off with frozen blueberries, and is 210 calories, with 10 grams of fiber, and 8 grams of protein, at a cost of $0.61 per serving.

MY CORNER, Page 12A

Medicare Nugget

This week’s game solutions

Free school meals until June

TF26

By Bob Casimiro Co​ntributing Columnist Hey, fellow Pluggers, did you overindulge over the holidays? Anyone who didn’t – did not overindulge – please raise your hand. As suspected, none, myself included. My weight ZOOM’ed to a stratospheric 174 1/2 pounds, nearly 10 pounds above my “fighting weight.” Alarm bells went off, the cry went out: “All hands on deck!” My first response in these situations, as in times past, is to – read – read – about nutrition. Fortunately, I was saved by the timely arrival at the Bridgton Library of a new book, How Not to Diet,

by Michael Greger, M.D. Forty years ago, when I first turned to diet, nutrition and physical fitness, the popular authors were Adelle Davis – Let’s Eat Right to Keep Fit – and David Reuben, M.D. — Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Nutrition. Reuben also wrote Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex. I figured what little I knew was enough, or so I was told by the nuns at St. Michael the Archangel Elementary school in South Providence, R.I., where I grew up.

Dr. Greger’s book is a weighty 570 pages, with much nutrition information, and some important recommendations, prominent of which are a 7 p.m. eating curfew, and twice daily weight checks. I weigh myself every morning, and my food cutoff time is 9 p.m. In Dr. Greger’s words: “Food eaten at night is more fattening than the exact same food eaten earlier in the day.” I have found this

January 14, 2021 The Bridgton News, Page 11A

News & continuations

January 14, 2021 The Bridgton News, Page 12A

GLLT wraps up two major projects LOVELL — Greater Lovell Land Trust (GLLT) finalized two important projects that conserve nearly 300 acres in western Maine at the end of 2020.

The Dec. 28 closing for both projects made for a busy and upbeat end to the year.

A successful year of fundraising made possible the purchase of 107 acres of land with immense ecological value and scenic beauty on Charles Pond, a nearly undeveloped 124-acre pond at the mouth of Cold River. The property, located on both sides of the StowFryeburg town line, has over 3,300 feet of water frontage on the pond and river, hosts a silver maple floodplain forest and other state-recLEDGES along the shore of Charles Pond at the 107 ognized plant communiacres purchased by Greater Lovell Land Trust on Dec. ties, and is part of a large 28, 2020.

(Photo courtesy GLLT) wetland complex identified as important inland wading

A SECTION of the Cold River corridor conserved by the Greater Lovell Land Trust as part of a 107-acre land purchase on Charles Pond.

(Photo courtesy GLLT) bird and waterfowl habitat

by Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.

Landowners Susan and Mark Keenan recognized the special setting and were

Land Use nears public hearing

By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — The Town of Naples is making its Land Use Ordinance more user friendly.

Now, the project is a

few steps away from its first public hearing.

Making the Land-Use Ordinance more ‘user friendly’ means it will be easier for people to find the ordinance in one

Easy Rider projects

(Continued from Page 6A) should make east shore access to Highland Lake much safer for snowmobiles.

The new Snowmobile Trail maps have been printed and are available around town. BER decided not to charge businesses for their ads this year. A “Big Thank You” to businesses for supporting the Easy Riders over the years! Please remember to support our local businesses!

Since there is not likely to be a Club Snowmobile Trip up North this year, BER will make every effort to organize small-group local rides. If you are interested, just sign up at www.bridgtoneasyriders.com. We’d love to meet you! Please join the Easy Riders on Facebook.

Club Membership Packets will be sent to members soon.

Because of the Covid Pandemic, BER will not hold any meetings or special events until things change and it is safe to do so. Please do your part — wear your mask and use proper distancing. We WILL get through this. Happy Holidays to all, and hope for a better 2021! — Bill Preis, Bridgton Easy Riders SC Club Correspondent

spot, according to Naples Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) Renee Carter.

“We are working on reformatting the current Land-use Ordinance so that it is user friendly. We are pulling all the ordinances together in one place,” Carter said.

She stressed that this process does not change the meaning of any ordinance.

“We are not changing any addressed allowance in a zone,” she said, saying except for solar energy which was never an addressed allowance until last summer.

The town is reformatting the Land Use Ordinance, Carter repeated.

The new format, the proposed Land-Use Ordinance, requires the approval of the voting residents at Annual Town Meeting, Carter said.

For the committee members involved in

YOUR FAMILY IS GROWING, SO WE GREW OURS, TOO.

reviewing the land use ordinance — it has meant a lot of elbow grease. For the about past six months, the Naples Ordinance Review Committee (ORC) has been working with the town planner to organize Land Use Ordinances so that people can more easily find what they are seeking, Carter said.

“What is happening is that our contract Planner Ben Smith and his assistant Sarah” DelGizzo, both of North Star Planning, are putting together what we’ve talked about. We are hoping this one last piece will go into place so that we can do a public hearing,” Carter said.

The town is aiming for a public hearing in mid-February and March, she said.

“The more we let people know about the public hearing, the more likely we’ll get someone there— either by Zoom or in-person,” she said.

The ORC will hold its next meeting in late January. The time and date are not on the town’s website yet.

The ORC has been working under the deadline of trying to have the reformatted Land Use Ordinance done in time for annual town meeting, which could be held in April.

The committee has been reviewing the Solar Energy Ordinance, she said. Additionally, it will be looking at the town’s marijuana moratorium, which was passed by the selectmen a few months ago.

“The ORC looks at all of this stuff before it goes to the town,” she said.

“We already have the solar ordinance. We voted on it last year. We are tweaking it so it could go in better zone. They are deciding where solar energy projects can go and the language,” Carter said.

“In land use, if it is not spelled out specifically, if it doesn’t say it is permitted, it is automatically prohibited. If it is not permitted, you cannot do it. That is land use 101,” Carter said.

If the town does not say where solar energy projects could possibly go, those sites would be off limits to solar energy developers.

eager to see a conservation outcome for this remarkable property, and a multitude of generous individual donors contributed significantly to the success of the project.

The project began in the summer of 2019 with a kayak paddle on Charles Pond and up the Cold River.

Erika Rowland, GLLT executive director, was “immediately struck” both by the sense of solitude and by the valuable ecological resources offered by the property.

She notes that, “The stately cow moose ripping leaves off the alders at the river’s edge that first day was a huge selling point, too.”

Several grants from foundations and state and federal sources were instrumental in securing the conservation of this outstanding property at the mouth of the Cold River. Two major grants, in particular, recognized the wildlife and public access values of Charles Pond. The Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, which funds wildlife and conservation groups through lottery ticket sales, offered its support for the project early on. The Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program, which uses state and federal mitigation funds for land protection and restoration of wetlands, awarded GLLT $120,000 toward the property’s purchase and longterm management.

Excited to visit? GLLT will be offering numerous opportunities to get to know its new Charles Pond Reserve, beginning in 2021.

Watch for announcements in upcoming months.

Protecting a single pristine setting was not enough for one day. Less than an hour later, three-peat conservation easement donor, Peter Rohr, added 180 acres of undeveloped forest land along West Lovell Road to 113 acres already protected with two conservation easements. The property, located in the Kezar Lake water-

shed in Lovell, has a small pond and tributary stream that flows into Sucker Brook and Kezar Lake’s Lower Bay. Properties protected with conservation easements remain in private ownership and typically do not allow for open public access. The 180 acres will, however, remain undeveloped and add to a large block of conserved wildlife habitat that includes other GLLT properties and lands owned by Maine Woodland Owners (https:// www.mainewoodlandowners.org/) and the White Mountain National Forest.

Intact upland forests are also critical to watershed health. Combined with the Maine Woodland Owners’ lands, Peter Rohr’s string of conservation easements will ensure that we all will forever enjoy a forested view for over two miles along the west side of the West Lovell Road and will be a significant element for maintaining water quality in the area.

Jill Rundle, GLLT board president, is “gratified at the generosity of friends, neighbors, and foundations and funding agencies amidst the disruption of the pandemic,” and suggests that it reveals a renewed appreciation for the outdoors and support for public access to the natural world where social distance is easily maintained.

The Greater Lovell Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land conservation organization established in 1985 to protect the ecosystems of the Kezar Lake, Kezar River, and Cold River watersheds for the benefit of the natural and human communities today and as a legacy for the future. The land trust now conserves more than 5,000 acres and offers recreational access and trail systems on many properties for all to enjoy.

Learn more at the GLLT website (gllt.org) or follow on Facebook and Instagram @greaterlovelllandtrust.

(Continued from Page 3A) Planning board member Stan Buchanan spoke directly to “You understand we cannot give a vote to you until you finish,” he said.

The board voted unanimously to table the approval vote until the next meeting, which is on the calendar for Feb. 8.

Some of the other details provided during the presentation included that the Casco Inn owners had decided to replace

one of three septic drain fields.

“Waste water disposal — the site is served by three leach fields. One is failing so they were proposing replacing one anyway. The project will have three. One will be the brand new one,” Misner said.

“The packet explains where that is located.

It has all the setback to wells and property buildings. We are waiting to get approval before doing the design.”

The plan does not call for any changes to the storm water system, she said.

“We are not changing the storm water patterns within the site. It’s all flowing downhill. The storm-water engineer has proposed a small treatment site to catch the stormwater before it leaves the property,” Misner explained.

“In addition to the building, there will some site amenities,” she said.

Currently there is a split-rail fence. That will be replaced by a taller aluminum fence, which will be more secure for residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease.

Outdoors, there will be a narrow paved walking path for residents. On the grounds, a few additional trees will be planted for shade.

Senior housing

My Corner column

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(Continued from Page 11A) “Sadly,” Dr. Greger comments, “only about 6 percent of Americans are eating oatmeal on any given day.”

According to a 20152016 study by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 71.6 % of adults in this country are overweight, which includes obesity.

This is very distressing, and very personal, as I had a problem several years ago when I weighed in at 212 pounds — easily remembered because that is the boiling point of water (I have fallen off the wagon so many times, I have collected frequent flyer miles).

Anyway, I got boiling

mad, “sick and tired of being sick and tired” and started on a weight loss program, losing 47 pounds over nine months. My approach, as with many things, was to start reading – in this case re-reading nutrition books, which got me back on track.

My considered expectation is I will be able to keep things under control with Dr. Greger’s “mindfulness” approach; it is also my heartfelt desire that some who read this can use these ideas to become more weight conscious. It delivers a more rewarding, and fulfilling life.

Robert Casimiro is a resident of Bridgton.