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Your Community Newspaper Serving: ARUNDEL, BERWICK, CAPE NEDDICK, ELIOT, KENNEBUNK, KENNEBUNKPORT, KITTERY, KITTERY POINT, LEBANON, MOODY, NO. BERWICK, OGUNQUIT, SO. BERWICK, WELLS, YORK & YORK HARBOR
Friday, December 6, 2013
Volume 9 • Issue No. 49
Eliot Looks to the Sun for Power, Savings and Sustainability By Heikki Perry ELIOT On a brightly sunny Saturday morning, the town of Eliot showcased the new solar panel system that sits atop the town garage roof and powers the garage, the transfer station and half of the police department’s electricity. The town of Eliot has taken a big step toward becoming more sustainable, and over the course of several decades, that effort will also save the town hundreds of thousands of dollars. ReVision Energy, a renewable energy contractor serving Northern New England, installed the system, and on Nov. 2, the town held an informational tour about it for a small number
The solar panels atop the Eliot town garage has helped the town save on costs of 51,700 hours of kilowatt energy.
of Eliot residents, members of the Eliot Energy Committee and the Board of Selectmen, and the town public works staff. ReVision representative Josh Barton was on hand to answer questions and help with the tour. Attendees came away im-
pressed by the 150-solar panel system on the roof of the town garage, which is located on Dow Highway south of Marshwood Junior High School. The tour started in the front of the garage with an overview of cost and energy savings the solar array
York’s Holiday Festival Shines on Saturday
Grand Marshals, Lynne and Russsel Osgood. Sarah Francke, York Park and Recreations Assistant Director, has played a crucial role in organizing the Festival of Lights and notes how well the event brings the community together. “I think this is one of the favorite events in York because it kicks off the Holiday Season and it’s beautiful, and because it brings the community together in so many ways,” said Francke. “York has many, many things to celebrate and I think this event brings a little bit of all of it together. From business who host events, to the families and individuals who participate in them, and the groups and organizations who plan, make and enter parade floats, to the York School music groups who entertain on the church steps. There really is something for everyone. It’s an event for the community put on by the community.” The committee charged with putting on the Festival of Lights consists of representatives from the York Parks and Recreation Department, York Hospital, The Museums of
YORK The town of York’s annual Festival of Lights celebration will light up York Village on Dec. 7. While many of the usual
Index
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Arts & Entertainment 11 Business & Finance 17-18 Calendar of Events 19 Computer Lady 19 Home & Business 34-35 Pets 30 Puzzles 33 Sports 32 Real Estate 28-29 Where To Dine 20-27
Local Average Tide Chart
Date
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Low
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7
1:59
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Mon 9
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Tue 10
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Wed 11
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Thu 12
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Fri 13
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Sat
Sun Rise Sat
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Sun 8
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Mon 9
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Tue 10
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Wed 11
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Thu 12
7:04
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Fri 13
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Festival of Lights activities and traditions will take place, the first annual Festival of Lights Scavenger Hunt has been added to this year’s slate. The free event is open to anyone who would like to participate and visit 15 out of the 20 businesses and organizations in York Village to seek the answers to specified questions. All eligible entries will be put into a drawing to win a Kindle Fire HD donated by the York Rotary Club. The Scavenger Hunt will take place between noon and 6 p.m. on Dec. 7. Furthermore, some changes and additions have been made to this year’s parade route. Christmas lights have been extended to cover more of the parade route and will continue to light the Village throughout the holiday season. Additionally, the Girl Scout Troop lead by Marty Schofield and her daughters Abby and Maggie will pass the torch of “flipping the switches” to turn on the Christmas lights to former Citizens of the Year and
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will afford the town. With the south-facing solar panels in view, attendees learned about the solar array and about other equipment in and on the building. Attendees were shown how the power meter works, and they learned about the logistics of CMP pro-
ducing power when the solar panels are not and when the reverse occurs. “ReVision did a great job installing the solar panels, an extremely good job,” Charlie Case, a member of the Eliot Energy Committee, said after the tour. “And they did it in a week and a half. “ Case has personal experience with the particulars and benefits of solar power. In 2008, Barrington, N.H.-based Seacoast Energy Alternatives installed six panels on a house Case owns in Kittery, and that experience informs Case’s role on the Energy Committee. “They did a great job, too,” See SOLAR page 3...
South Berwick Celebrates Home for the Holidays
Residents and visitors fill the streets and stores for the annual Home for the Holidays celebration in South Berwick , which this year will be on Friday, Dec. 6 and Saturday Dec. 7.
SOUTH BERWICK Pharmacist and town resident Richard Currier was not too optimistic when a group of citizens approached him a decade ago about staying open Friday night during the holiday season. After all, South Berwick rolls up the carpet by 6 p.m. But in the years since the first Home for the Holidays in 2004, Currier has become a believer. He has seen the “delightful” effect of games, sweets, songs
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and a good dose of holiday spirit on downtown commerce. This year the streets of South Berwick will come alive Friday evening, Dec. 6 and all day Saturday, Dec. 7. “Delightfully, this event has become one of the biggest days of the year for local residents celebrating together,” said Currier, who has since sold South Berwick Pharmacy but continues to See HOME page 4...
Along with York’s and South Berwick’s festivities this weekend, don’t forget Ogunquit’s, Kennebunk’s and Kennebunkport’s celebrations as well!