Made in Maine vests keep dogs visible during hunting season

Ann Bryant/Sun Journal

Dog safety products made in Maine, Dog Not Gone, keep pets and hunting dogs visible during hunting season. Julie Swain was given a design and asked to create the bright orange vests. Swain and her husband, Bill, operate the growing, part-time, visibility products business from their home in Kingfield. Julie, above, along with her daughter, Maggie, display vest model, Max on Monday.

UMF seeks to raise awareness about human trafficking

FARMINGTON — A four-event program on human trafficking and slavery began at the University of Maine Farmington Monday night with a concert presented by the group, "The Wrecking."

Some members of the group are UMF alumni and presented a program on Love 146, said Katherine Thompson, a UMF Intervarsity Christian Fellowship member.

Furnace problems closes schools

FAYETTE — Fayette Central School in Fayette announced Sunday that the elementary school will be closed Monday due to problems with the building's furnace. All classes have been canceled for the day.

This week's agenda

Franklin

Livermore Falls: Selectmen, 6:30 p.m., Town Office

Oxford Hills

Buckfield: Planning Board, 6:30 p.m., Municipal Center

Casco: Open Space Commission, 7 p.m., Casco Library

Hartford: Ordinance Committee, 6 p.m., Town Hall

Newry: Selectmen, 4 p.m., Town Office

Oxford: SAD 17 Board of Directors, 7 p.m., Central Office

Paris: Norway-Paris Solid Waste, 8 p.m., Town Office

River Valley

Dixfield: Selectmen, 5 p.m., Town Office

Franklin County arrest log

FARMINGTON — The following arrests were recently logged at Franklin County Detention Center:

• Vincent Harris, 48, Farmington, domestic violation assault, criminal mischief, Nov. 11, $2,500 unsecured bail, court appearance Dec. 17, Farmington Police Department.

• Kenneth Gray, 28, Jay, probation violation, Nov. 12, no bail listed, Franklin County Sheriff's Department.

Students experience life in a wheelchair

FARMINGTON —  Students in a recreational therapy class at the University of Maine at Farmington didn't let Friday morning's freezing temperatures faze them as they experienced playing tennis from wheelchairs.

Thinking of others, students pass food items to food pantry

WILTON — With high energy and enthusiasm about 200 students from Academy Hill School lined Main Street Friday morning passing bags of food items.

A long line of students and teachers stretched from the Cushing School driveway to the Wilton Area Food Pantry located at the Wilton United Methodist Church.

As an annual community service project, the third- through sixth-grade students collected a variety of food items, said teacher organizer Kim Alexander.

Local authors to read from their fictional stories

FARMINGTON — Maine short story writers, John Clark of Hartford and Woody Hanstein of Farmington, will each read from their works included in the recently published collection of New England crime fiction, "Quarry," at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, at the Farmington Public Library.

Public shows strong opposition to low-flying aircraft

FARMINGTON — A public comment session was held Saturday at the University of Maine at Farmington to hear citizens' opinions on the Environmental Impact Statement released by the Air National Guard concerning their proposal to lower flight training altitude over western Maine.

Cutting Casablanca

DALLAS PLANTATION — Armed only with chain saws and gusto, a small band of young sawyers — bonded by their passion for skiing and snowboarding, love of place and sense of adventure — have, over the past few weeks, created on Saddleback Mountain what aims to be the largest ski-able forest glade in New England.

"There are other glades out there," says Conrad Klefos, the resort's director of marketing. "But this is big."

Flu shot clinics postponed

FARMINGTON — The Healthy Community Coalition has added three more postponements to its flu shot clinics in Livermore, Livermore Falls and Kingfield, originally scheduled to take place from Nov. 16 to 18.

According to registered nurse Jennifer McCormack, there has been an overwhelming demand for the seasonal flu vaccine in the towns where the coalition has had clinics, and the organization has depleted its supply. As more vaccine becomes available in the coming weeks, McCormack hopes to reschedule the clinics.

Livermore Falls, Androscoggin County prepare for dispatch switchover

LIVERMORE FALLS — Come Monday, Nov. 23, Androscoggin County Dispatch Center dispatchers will be dispatching for the Livermore Falls Police Department and Fire Department, and Livermore Fire Department.

The center will handle all 911 emergency calls.

Students learn three Rs – reduce, reuse and recycle

WILTON — Academy Hill schoolchildren learned how to reduce, recycle and reuse Thursday and got a lot of exercise and fresh air while they were at it.

The students took a field trip to the Wilton Transfer Station as part of the Maine Community Foundation's grant to the town for a Recycle and Share Project. The project's purpose is to educate the community about recycling and to create a place where people can share reusable items with other community members.

Livermore Falls school directors approve $8,669.49 for mold cleanup

LIVERMORE — School directors voted Thursday to transfer $8,669 from the middle school contingency fund to pay for mold cleanup in the basement of Livermore Falls Middle School.

The total cost of cleanup and air-quality testing came to $11,184, Regional School Unit 36 Superintendent Judith Harvey said. The testing was paid for with stimulus money, she said.

Brann moves from Farmington to county patrol

Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal
Matthew Brann
New Franklin County Sheriff's deputy

Veterans, followers pay tribute to those who fought for freedom

A veterans honor guard led the way across the Livermore Falls Memorial Bridge before stopping to recognize those who served in the military and were lost at sea during Veterans Day services Wednesday.

The sound of their shoes touching the pavement and the Androscoggin River was all that could be heard as they walked to the middle of the bridge after World War II veteran, Don LeSuer issued a quiet order.

Arrest log

FARMINGTON — The following arrests were recently logged at Franklin County Detention Center:

Kurt Hawes, 47, Jay, criminal threatening, Nov. 9, $3,000 unsecured bail, court appearance Dec. 17, Jay Police Department.

Desiree A. Therrien, 18, Chesterville, violating conditions of release, Nov. 10, no bail listed, Maine State Police.

Evan R. Gordon, 25, Farmington, violating condition of release-Wiscasset failure to appear for theft by unauthorized taking/transfer, Nov. 10, no bail listed, Farmington Police Department.

Farmington board delays accepting new road

FARMINGTON — Action on a request to turn Deerfield Lane over to the town was delayed by selectmen on Tuesday.

The short piece of road, roughly 300 feet at the end of Galilee Road in the Cascade Leisure Park area, was created as part of Community Concepts' Head Start building, Town Manager Richard Davis told the board.

They would like to now make it a town way, meaning the town would accept responsibility for it forever, he said.

Jay man accused of seriously injuring woman

JAY — A Jay man is being held on $25,000 cash bail after police say he assaulted a woman at his home and threatened her with a handgun late Tuesday afternoon.

The woman received serious facial injuries and was taken by ambulance to Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, police Chief Larry White Sr. said Wednesday.

World War II veteran honored during Wilton service

WILTON — A World War II veteran from Wilton who inspired two grandsons to serve their country was honored Wednesday during a well attended Veterans Day service at the monument on Main Street.

Rudy Toothaker, who will turn 85 this month, was surprised when grandson Lt. Col. Michael Backus called him forward to receive a certificate of service signed by the governor along with a commemorative coin, a replica of the State House Hall of Flags.

Remembering those who served

FARMINGTON — Veterans, family members and Young Marines gathered Wednesday around the flagpole at Wal-Mart to remember and honor members of the armed forces.

"Veterans come from all walks of life," Lt. Col. Michael Backus told the Veterans Day gathering. "Pray for them and reach out to veterans. Say hello, send a card, say, 'Thank you for your service.'"

Hearing on grant applications set

LIVERMORE FALLS — Selectmen will hold a public hearing Monday on applications for two Community Development Block Grants targeting sewer improvements and road enhancements.

The hearing will be held at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Town Office.

Woman injured after truck hits tree

FARMINGTON — A North Jay woman was injured Tuesday morning after she swerved her pickup truck to avoid hitting a cat on Morrison Hill Road and hit a tree, police officer Matthew Brann said.

Nicole Toothaker, 33, complained of neck and chest pain and was taken by ambulance to Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, he said.

Farmington firefighters assisted NorthStar Emergency Medical Services with putting Toothaker on a backboard. She was standing outside her truck when they arrived.

Selectmen discuss defeated police station vote

FARMINGTON — Selectmen on Tuesday discussed what to do in the wake of last week's defeat of the referendum on building a new police station and decided to revisit the issue at their Dec. 8 meeting.

Town office to move

PHILLIPS — The Phillips Town Office will move to its new location at the former primary school at 15 Russell St. as of 8:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 16.

Russell Street is located off Main Street between the current town office and the library on the same side of the road.