Garden Scene Tips for spring planting; Gardens and bird safety; Introducing the kids to dirt Page 4A-5A
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Raider softball rolls to big win; Lake and Bass named Players of the Week
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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 148, No. 19
28 PAGES - 4 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
May 11, 2017
(USPS 065-020)
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 5D
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Selectmen join citizen drive against rumble strip
GRAPES CAPTURED IN GLASS — Barbara Crummett holds the stained glass art that she designed for the owners of Vivo’s Italian Restaurant, Joanie Wilson and Jimmy Burke. Crummett said it was the first big piece that she had done in almost 16 years. (De Busk Photo)
Cure for blues
Sebago artist brings stained glass to life in light
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer SEBAGO — Barbara Crummett sees the potential in glass. She envisions the rise and fall of the ocean in blue glass. She visualizes an orange poppy or a blazing sunset in those warm hues of glass. She once made the tail on a fox so realistic that people thought she had painted the lay of its fur onto the glass. “I see things in glass that other people don’t,” she said, adding her artist friends have often asked her if they can tag along when she shops for her material. More than 15 years ago, when her second husband Sterling Crummett died, Barbara took down the sign for her stained glass business in Northern Maine, and she stopped doing her art. With the exception of some palm-sized stained glass ornaments, Barbara quit doing stained glass art. “Sterling was my inspiration and my support so I had no reason to continue doing it,” she said. “He was always proud of my work.” After his death, Barbara packed up her belongings and sold the cabins the couple operated in Ellsworth. She moved to a halffinished log cabin in Sebago. She enlisted Sterling’s brother to help her finish the home where she now lives. The seasons passed and the years went by. Barbara earned an income cleaning a few private residences in the region. She stayed busy with seasonal chores: mowing her own lawn, putting in a modest garden and stacking her firewood. Two winters ago, Barbara fell into a funk. She got blue as some people do following a major surgery. She was 81 years old then, and she knew she needed something to keep herself productive and mentally occupied.
Meanwhile, her daughter Laurie Crummett-Tranten became her cheerleader and her agent. “Last winter (in 2015-16) I encouraged mom to maybe make some glass again,” Tranten said. It was an idea that sat quietly at first and then sprang into action. “I’ve done glass for years. I didn’t want all those boxes of glass to go to waste,” Barbara said. “Instead of wasting my life, saying, ‘Ho, hum, this is it,’ I decided why not do something creative? In the winter it gets dull, so why not get creative?” Making stained glass art in the old-fashioned way is a challenge, she said. So, two winters ago, Barbara took on the challenge of creating stained glass pieces again. “I had not done it for years. I had three pieces to repair. I hate repairs. I cleaned the bench. I found a picture that got my fancy and I started cutting glass again,” Barbara explained. “It unburns your mind,” she said. Word got out much faster than the Sebago resident could finish the artistic window hangings. After all, stained glass art is a very time-consuming project. Secondly, her daughter was posting photos of the pieces on Facebook. “Laurie is my agent. She wants to keep mommy busy,” Barbara laughed. “Mom has created so many beautiful pieces, from large windows to smaller pieces which are now on display in the Sugarloaf area. She designed a mountain piece with the Carrabassett River running through it and a night moon at the top,” Tranten said. “She is gifted in that she can always look at a piece of glass and know instantly ARTIST, Page 6A
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer Incy and Bill Muir thoroughly enjoy the tranquility and beauty they experience every day living at 2 Brewster Circle. Moose Pond is a special gem, in their minds. The gem, however, is under attack in the form of noise pollution. Last October, the couple heard “milling” from road construction work along Route 302 at the Moose Pond Causeway. The Maine Department of Transportation
(MDOT) installed a rumble strip along the eastbound shoulder lane While the Muirs understand the importance of “safety,” both having had careers in the medical field, they became very concerned regarding the noise created by vehicles traveling across the rumble strip, which at some points extend into the travel way. The noise was “intolerable” from their home’s deck. When the pond froze over, they took a walk to find out just how far noise from the
rumble strip traveled. It truly carried. The couple could even hear the noise at the summit of Pleasant Mountain. So, they brought their concerns to MDOT, which controls Route 302. Conversations with the project manager have been professional, responsive and productive. The Muirs also reached out to neighbors and the general public by posting a survey, which was answered by 115 people. “Ninety-seven percent felt RUMBLE, Page 2A
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — The local Lions Club leapt at the chance to take charge of the playground project at the Naples Town Beach. Naples Lions Club member Carol Thompson talked about the group’s plans to add an improvement for local children to the Town Beach, also known as Kent’s Landing. She spoke about the club’s upcoming Legacy Project at the end of the Naples Board of Selectmen meeting on
Monday. Before she had finished her pitch, town officials were willing to hand over the tools and the instruction manual to the local club. “We wanted to put up a swing or a swing set on the beach so kids wouldn’t have to cross the road to go to the playground,” Thompson said. At first, her request was met with laughter. That is because the town purchased used playground equipment from a former campground owner when Derik Goodine was still town manager.
Since that time about four years ago, the playground equipment sat idle until last autumn, when selectmen volunteered time from their busy schedules to take it apart and move it into storage. “It’s already in the plans,” Chairman Bob Caron II told Thompson. She asked about the size of the playground equipment that the town already owns. “About 25 pieces,” Selectman Dana Watson said. Thompson nodded. “Our intention is to have PROJECT, Page 7A
Naples Lions leap at town beach playground project
Closing draws trashy attitude
Enjoying the Scales & Tails: Amazing Reptiles live presentation put on by the Chewonki Wildlife Rescue Center at the Raymond Village Library on Wednesday, April 19, as part of its Maine Wildlife Week.
Ironing out differences; new life for train? By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer As rain pelted tents at times Saturday, there was still a sense of exuberance as the Bridgton Farmers Market opened for a new season. Patrons pelted selectmen Tuesday night with a variety of questions regarding the town’s perceived attempt to run the popular market, as well as the need for regulations and unnecessary charges, including seeking a fee from the Farmers Market for the music and EBT tents. Several spoke about their enjoyment talking with farmers and vendors while shopping for fresh produce and interesting items. “The selectmen’s discussions are puzzling,” one market patron said. “This asset is being treated as a problem. What problems are you trying
to fix? I can’t find them.” Bridgton Town Manager Bob Peabody informed the public that a productive meeting had been held with Market spokeswoman Brenna Mae Thomas-Googins regarding issues that have been raised, such as vendor parking and tent locations on town-owned property. Peabody noted that the Bridgton Outdoor Market encompasses three pieces: the Bridgton Farmers Market falls under the umbrella as does two other “spots” which the town can assign to vendors not associated with the Farmers Market. He added that all vendors will be required to show proof of insurance and be subject to the same space rental fees. Selectmen asked when Peabody and Thomas-Googins might have the new rules and
regulations completed for their review? The two will meet again in June. “We want to get a couple of Saturdays under our belt so we can realize all issues that may exist, as well as points brought by the public tonight,” Peabody said. “We want to do this right (creation of rules and regulations), not year after year. We want to put this to bed for awhile.” In other business, Another chance at railroad? When the two rail cars were removed from the tracks on the Chamber of Commerce lot and shipped off to Gray, it appeared the final Narrow Gauge Railroad chapter had been written in Bridgton. Maybe not. When Gray voters rejected a $500,000 bond to help develop the new railroad museum site, the door became
slightly open for another relocation. Peter Lowell contacted the train preservation organization in Portland and asked if there was even a “remote” chance that the group might look at other options following the Gray “no” vote. Executive Director Donnie Carroll said the group meets May 25 and other options could be discussed. “The Narrow Gauge Railroad has been the Holy Grail of Bridgton for a long time,” Lowell told Bridgton selectmen Tuesday night. “Many people felt badly when it left. There may be an opening now. It may be the last one.” Lowell brought the topic to selectmen to see if any interest exists for him to engage in some preliminary conversations with the Narrow Gauge board.
“I will help in any way that I can,” he said. “There are a lot of pieces and parts. If the town is lucky enough to pursue it, there will be a lot of fundraising (multiple sources will be needed, not for the townsfolk to fund) and a lot of work involved.” Town Manager Bob Peabody said conversations he has had with SAD 61 regarding taking over the Bridgton Memorial School site have centered on what the town BRIDGTON, Page 8A
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — In an effort to save money from the cost of overtime pay, the CascoNaples Transfer Station and Bulky Waste Facility reduced its hours. For example, since the transfer site and bulky waste facility are only open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and during the weekend, a Tuesday after Easter would turn into closure. The holiday closures must have caught some area residents by surprise. It can be annoying to load up all the household trash in the vehicle, only to find the gate locked at the transfer station. “We got complaints about the closures,” Casco Town Manager Dave Morton said. “People were upset and some people, who were ignorant, were throwing trash on the ground there,” he said. “The upset people we can deal with. But, the ignorant people’s” actions left staff with a big mess to clean up. The issue of closures came up during the meeting of the Casco-Naples Transfer Station Council, which met twice in April. “We changed the hours to make it easier for folks,” Morton said. “We changed that so that we can pay overtime to staff and make sure STATION, Page 7A
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