Asbury Shorts
Opportunity lost
Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center to host concerts, short films
Lakers see chance to cement football playoff spot slip through their fingers
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Inside News Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 3D Classifieds . . . . . . 4D-5D Country Living 2B-3B, 5B
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Directory . . . . . . . . . . 2D Obituaries . . . . . . . . . 4B Opinions . 1D-2D, 5D-6D Police/Court . . . . . . . . 4A Sports . . . . . . . . . 1C-8C Student News . . . . . . 6A Games . . . . . . . . . . . . 5C
Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 144, No. 42
28 PAGES - 4 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
October 17, 2013
(USPS 065-020)
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 5D
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Digital archives up & running By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Thanks to a grant from the Ham Foundation, the Bridgton Public Library’s website, www.bridgton.lib. me.us now contains a searchable database of back issues of The Bridgton News. Genealogy researchers and history buffs will be able to read back issues at home or at the library and easily print out copies of obituaries and news articles, thanks to the $6,500 grant, said Librarian Holly Hancock. Hancock wrote the grant nine months ago when the library’s microfilm reader broke down. The funds paid for the digitization of microfilm of the newspaper from 1870 to 2012, with the exception of the years 1963-1987, which were not placed on microfilm. Within the next two weeks, the database will be updated to also include the first eight months of 2013. The library plans to continue updating back issues so that, on an ongoing basis, all but the previous month’s editions of The News will be accessible through the database,
Hancock said. “This is a huge resource for the community,” Hancock said. “The next step is to write a grant to get those missing years.” She said all that she needs to do to keep the service updated is to mail a DVD to the company she chose to provide the service, Advantage Preservation. The database company is also being used by libraries to archive local newspapers in Presque Isle and Damariscotta, she said. The database is provided on Adobe Acrobat software, enabling the user to search by year or keyword, and allows a “snapshot” of the article to be copied with a click of the mouse button for later printing. Digital archiving offers two major advantages over the old microfilm technol- HERE STOOD A GENERAL STORE — Since the first of its three structures was built in 1837 in Lovell Village, ogy for archiving newspa- this building, destroyed by fire in February, has seen many owners and served many uses. But there was always one per articles, she said. One, in constant, at least until the mid-1980s — here stood a general store. transferring from microfilm, the images have been cleaned up by the company by adjusting the contrast and lighting; and two, users no longer have to come into the library to use it, scrolling painstakDIGITAL, Page A
Rising from the ashes
Sebago summit: peak experience
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer STANDISH — Danielle Loring, the code enforcement administrative assistant for the Town of Raymond, knew that on Tuesday she was going to put in a long day on her feet. So, she donned her athletic shoes: silver and gray with hot pink laces. “I knew I was going to be on my feet for eight hours today,” she said, of her executive decision to skip the high heels and pair more comfortable shoes with her black slacks and a stylish floral shirt. Loring was among those Raymond town employees who manned an informational booth at the Sebago Summit Trade Show, which was coordinated by Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce. Then, later that evening — keeping with the topic of the day, Loring facilitated the first meeting of the Raymond Economic Development Task Force.
Tuesday’s business summit, which was held at Saint Joseph’s College, offered a chance to network. More than forty businesses were represented at the trade show as well as the towns of Raymond, Casco, Naples, Standish, Windham, Gray and New Gloucester. “It was a diverse group of people,” Loring said. “I met people who are successful in their positions and learned why and how I could model something similar in Raymond,” she said. “I spoke with some people in the medical profession. I learned about ways to entice medical practices to Raymond,” she said, adding there are vacant buildings that would be suitable for that type of business. “It is all about finding the right mix for Raymond, balancing residential and community needs with future businesses,” she said. “I am enthusiastic and excited” to be part of the SUMMIT, Page A
A GIFT — Bridgton resident Bob Casimiro presents $1,000 to Loon Echo Land Trust’s Volunteer and Stewardship Coordinator Jon Evans. The monetary gift is for the Perley Mills Community Forest fundraising campaign. (Photo courtesy of Loon Echo Land Trust)
New office building brings eye appeal
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer CENTER LOVELL — It was the last link to a time past, when a single building served as the centerpiece of Lovell’s business and social life. When the old Kimball & Walker General Store in Lovell Village burned down in February, it tore a hole in the town’s identity that left the whole town grieving, and wondering what, if anything, could ever take its place. Well, now they know. And by all accounts, residents of this 1,000-member year round community couldn’t be happier. With startling speed, the gaping cellar hole that was all that was left of the group of three connected buildings five months after the fire is no more a sad reminder of loss. In its place, on the small lot across from the library where the two-and-a-half story structure once stood, stands something gained: a modern, one-story, two-unit office building, tastefully set back from Route 5, with striped parking on two sides. “It looks like it belongs here,” said Stan Tupaj, owner of Kezar Realty, who will move into the right-hand office by the end of October.
A BETTER BLEND — Developer John P. Smith took great care to create eye appeal in constructing the two-unit office building that has replaced the historic building in Lovell Village that burned in February. He used architectural shingles on the eightpitch roof, cedar clapboard siding with reduced weather exposure at the bottom, round windows on each gable end, and shutters framing six-over-six window panes. All exterior elements are designed in keeping with other structures in the village. Phil Allen, who happened to be driving by, slowed to a stop. “It’s actually a better blend” with surrounding historic homes than the old general store, he said. All of which is music to the ears to the building’s developer, John P. Smith of Sweden, who knew well, from his daily breakfast visits to Rosie’s, how central the building had been to the
life of the town. One day in mid-June, he walked over to the site and noticed a “For Sale” sign had been put up by the former building’s five owners. “It was an eyesore, let me tell you,” he said. But Smith saw the possibilities instead, and a way to put his 30 years of experience as a landlord specializing in saving distressed properties to work. The Lovell building
is his 17th such project. Three days later, Smith bought the property for $33,500 from the owners, who, at the time of the fire, were Tupaj, Steven and Martha Goldsmith of Lovell, Sam Nesbit of Stow, Nathan Goff of Scarborough and Ian Austin. Acting as clerk of the works and using almost all ASHES, Page A
are trying to do,” he said. “It was more imperative after that experience,” he said, of his decision to donate $1,000 toward the campaign. Casimiro was first smitten by the Perley Mills Community Forest campaign after a trek on the land with the Denmark Conservation Committee members and Jon Evans, Loon Echo Land Trust (LELT) volunteer and stewardship coordinator. LELT — along with the Towns of Denmark, Bridgton and Sebago — has embarked on a campaign to purchase 1,600 acres to set aside as a community forest. Loon Echo already maintains an easement; and Denmark would own the majority of the parcel — pending voter approval by that town’s citizens. This campaign is approaching the last few months to meet an agreement of December 2013 to
purchase the land from K&W Timberlands. The remaining sum to be raised is $200,000. “Fortunately Bob’s gift will be instantly doubled, as an anonymous family foundation has offered a challenge grant to Loon Echo and will match every dollar donated to the project through 2013, the deadline of the purchase agreement with seller K& W Timberlands,” Evans said. “The campaign is nearing 90% of its $1.4 million goal,” he said. “The last 10% is always hard to fundraise,” he said. Casimiro made his dona-
tion known in order to bring additional public awareness to the community forest project. “Well, I am a city boy. I have lived in cities most of my life. I moved here five years ago. I compare Bridgton to the places where I have lived. It is really a special place here. It has more (amenities) than the surrounding towns,” “It has the simpler life, less crowded. From where I live, I can walk down the hill and go to the bank, Renys, the post office, or the library,” he ACREAGE, Page A
‘A grand toward grand acreage’
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer Bridgton resident, Bob Casimiro, walks Pondicherry Park almost daily. He appreciates that the land has been set aside as a trail system that crosses paths with the old railroad tracks. The first time he set foot on the trail system that could soon become the Perley Mills Community Forest, the Narrow Gauge trail was a particularly fascinating historical point for Casimiro. So grand was the land, the history of the train, and the weather on the day he took that hike, he decided to donate a grand toward the purchase of the parcel. “Part of the trail is where the old railroad had been. It was the history of it. It was a beautiful day when I took that walk. The pond, and the railroad — all of those things came together with what they
The Bridgton News Established 1870
P.O. Box 244, 118 Main St. Bridgton, ME 04009 207-647-2851 Fax: 207-647-5001 bnews@roadrunner.com