Place to thrive
Bustle in the streets
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Monarch’s lifecycle unfolds at Butterfly Pavilion at Mark’s Lawn & Garden
Runners and walkers hit the streets in Sebago and Lovell to take part in ‘Days’ races
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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 147, No. 29
32 PAGES - 4 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
July 21, 2016
(USPS 065-020)
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 5D
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Liquor license not tied to debts By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — There is no ordinance tying the issuing of liquor licenses and special amusement permits to the payment of taxes — either the real estate or the personal property tax. In other words, nothing is on the books requiring the payment of taxes before a license is issued in the Town of Naples. This topic has been brought up repeatedly in the past eight months during Naples Board of Selectmen meetings. It was discussed most recently during the July 11 meeting. During that July meeting there were references to the June 27 meeting as well. On June 27, the selectmen held the public hearings for a liquor license and a special amusement permit for the business Captain Jack’s, which is located at the Naples Marina on Brandy Pond. Chairman Bob Caron MAKING A LOT OF FRIENDS ALONG THE PARADE ROUTE were Jean Hunter, Deb Mullen and Diane II included business owner Caracciolo, who tossed handful upon handful of candy to youngsters lining the Lovell Old Home Days parade route Jimmy Allen in the discussion. “I know at a lot of our Saturday morning. More parade photos appear on Page 7D. (Rivet Photo) other public hearings, we have
had individuals with questions about property taxes being up to date,” Caron said. “From a legal standpoint, there is nothing the town can do,” he said, adding the town does not have a policy that would allow it to withhold a liquor license if the business owner has a tax debt with the town. “There are certain restrictions that we have to follow with the State of Maine,” he said. Caron asked Allen about an outstanding property tax debt that is “a couple years behind.” “Any idea about that?” Caron asked. Allen answered, “That would be not to do with Captain Jack’s. That would be to do with the property owner, which is Allen Lund Company. They are working on that.” According to its website, the Allen Lund Company is a transportation brokering company with an office in Boston. Allen Lund Co. employs more than 400 people nationwide, the website said. Decades ago, Brandy Pond LICENSE, Page 3A
Student makes successful case to keep ‘Molly’
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer FRYEBURG — Everywhere Luke SekeraFlanders looked, he could see change. As the new elementary school and Molly Ockett Middle School slowly take shape, the idea was floated that a name change could be in order for the new K-8 facility. SAD 72 Superintendent of Schools Jay Robinson proposed a “Name the School” contest.
Luke, however, wants to keep the name the same, and penned a convincing argument in early June to keep “Molly Ockett.” SAD 72 directors agreed. Last week, board members decided to call the new school facility, “The Molly Ockett School.” Luke’s effort didn’t go unnoticed. He was recently acknowledged for his work during Molly Ockett Days in Bethel. The MESA seventh-grader’s piece, entitled “Molly
Ockett Rededication — 200 Year Anniversary,” follows: Fryeburg is a small rural town in western Maine, well-known for its annual Fryeburg Fair each fall season. Long before this centerpiece event put Fryeburg “on the map” of rural New England, is our very rich and interesting history. One of the most exceptional and intriguing pieces of local history is the story of Molly Ockett and the Abenaki extirpation. Before the white settlers came to the area now known
as Fryeburg, it was once a major Abenaki Indian village known as Pequawket which meant “crooked place,” as this place is where the Saco River makes a significant change of direction. The Native people who lived here were of the local Sokokis tribe. This story began in May, 1725, when a group of scalp hunters came into the Pequawket area, planning to raid a nearby village. However, the historical battle of Lovewell Pond resulted.
LEA receives watershed acres
Lakes Environmental Association is excited to announce that the David and Carol Hancock Charitable Trust has just gifted the Association 325 acres of land on Highland Lake. According to LEA Executive Director, Peter Lowell, “the land is a superb addition to LEA’s conservation, education and recreation lands. This generous gift will assure protection of a significant portion of Highland Lake’s watershed and will provide researchers with a rich variety of study sites for a range of work.” Dr. Rick Van de Poll, an ecosystem management consultant, noted that, “The Hancock land on Highland Lake contains a regionally significant wetland complex that includes and exten-
sive beaver marsh, lowland spruce-fir forest, vernal pools, a pocket swamp, and a nearly pristine sub-watershed above the lake. Wildlife species abound, especially beaver, mink, otter, and moose. Exceptional hard mast areas are supplying bear, turkey, and deer with much of their winter fat reserve needs. The critical marsh and shrub habitat currently supports regionally rare breeding birds such as American bittern, black duck, and Canada warbler. He added, “Water quality remediation and flood storage function are among the highest values of this property immediately above one of the most popular swimming lakes in the region.” Dr. Van de Poll had worked for LEA on the Holt
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — It only takes a seed for the invasive plant Japanese Knotweed to take root and then take over natural habitat with its rapid, thicketlike growth. The elected public officials in Casco are willing to provide more than seed money to bid “Sayonara” to the Japanese Knotweed within the town’s borders. The Casco Board of Selectmen on July 12 voted to allocate $2,500 to hire the
company Vegetation Control Services, Inc., of Athol, Mass., to eradicate the invasive weed and to provide followup services next summer. The funding will come from the Road Maintenance Account. Conservation Committee member Rona Fried, who is a lifelong summer resident, recommended that the town follow in Falmouth’s footsteps and hire professionals to deal with the growing problem of Japanese Knotweed, also called Mexican bamboo. Already, Fried has contact-
The battle began when a Native hunter was killed near the pond. A chaplain named John Frye, whose surname the town is named for, was the one who took the “honor” of scalping the Native. This was considered very immoral at the time, because the scalping took place on a Sunday and killing on the Sabbath was forbidden (not that killing in general isn’t wrong). Furthermore, it is interesting to note, they retrospectively AN IMAGE of Molly changed the date of the battle Ockett — artwork by Arla MOLLY, Page 7A Patch for Bethel’s Molly Ockett Day celebration.
Casco delays land buy
GIFTED — Carol Hancock is shown presenting the deed to 325 acres of land on Highland Lake to Lakes Environmental Association President, Orrin Shane, as LEA Executive Director Peter Lowell and LEA Treasurer Julie McQueen look on. Pond Ecosystem Study in and its conservation lands 2002, so his perspective well. is particularly valuable as The gift will enhance the someone who knows LEA work of LEA’s Maine Lake
Science Center in its efforts to define water quality threats and study watershed land uses that affect lake health.
ed Vegetation Control staff and discussed removal of the invasive weeds in Casco Village. Although the company could not give an exact price without seeing the infestation, she was given an estimate of $1,000 for the removal of Japanese Knotweed in the village. She suggested putting together a list of the worst infestations, contacting landowners willing to participate in the eradication, and touching base with the Town of Falmouth to coordinate dates. The eradication services
It doesn’t look like Maine anymore,” she said. Fried and others said that the Japanese Knotweed has started to take hold in PLANT, Page 7A
Casco allocates $2,500 for plant fight would be less expensive if Vegetation Control did the job in Casco while a crew was in Maine, Fried said. For the past few years, Fried has come before the board to request permission to remove the invasive vine Asiatic bittersweet from public property in the village. “I personally have no method of killing Japanese Knotweed. We (the Conservation Committee) spoke to you last year and the year before. Meanwhile, that knotweed is really advancing.
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — Renters living on a piece of land that is being sold to the Town of Casco might be breathing a sigh of relief. The land purchase, which has been a topic of discussion by residents, has been delayed until the autumn. The town will not officially own the parcel until September or November. When the town finally does own the land, a housing management firm will be hired to deal directly with the tenants. Those tenants will enter into a month-to-month rental agreement. Additionally, the Casco Board of Selectmen voted in favor of giving the renters a 90-day notice. Such an eviction notice would not occur until the future of the land DELAYS, Page 5A
The Bridgton News Established 1870
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