Spinach dishes rumble stomachs at fair

FRYEBURG — The most difficult part of being an attendant at the Fryeburg Fair's Agricultural Exhibition Center may well be the tempting smells of contest entries.

"You'd kind of like to try them all, but we can't," said Jean Curtis, who has worked at the center for 28 years.

Landowners compete for cars near fairgrounds

FRYEBURG — What does a retired superintendent of schools do with his time?

Park cars of course.

"I'm trying to maximize my real estate," said George Cunningham, SAD 72 superintendent from 1993 to 2005.

Cunningham is one of the fortunate, or unfortunate landowners depending on who you talk to, who lives within walking distance of the Fryeburg Fairgrounds on Route 5. He has about five acres of barren land and has been been working the Fryeburg Fair crowd for the past seven or eight years.

Two women charged with assault

BROWNFIELD — Two women were arrested Tuesday on charges related to an assault last month.

Jane Darby, 23, of Hillside Avenue in Parsonsfield, and Jona L. Olson, 19, of Bridge Street in Westbrook, were each charged with aggravated assault and criminal mischief. In addition, Darby was charged with assault and Olson with violation of conditions of release.

Manager search begins in Paris

PARIS — Selectmen voted Thursday to begin a search for a new town manager.

The board approved a motion by Selectman Troy Ripley to advertise the position. Ripley also asked that the selectmen individually review applications every Friday and schedule board interviews for the following week if any selectman wants to interview an applicant.

Michael Thorne, a former town manager of Raymond and Harrison, has been serving as the interim manager in Paris since July. He said he plans to retire on Feb. 1 and will not seek full-time appointment.

Pair make cross-country bike trek

BUCKFIELD — From snow in Montana to a missile silo in North Dakota, two men have plenty of memories from the cross-country bicycle journey they recently completed.

Art Hladik, of Buckfield, and Jonathan Potter, of Norway, rolled back into the Oxford Hills last month after setting out from Anacortes, Wash., in June.

Hladik has worked with His Place Teen Center in Oxford since 1995 offering week-long bike treks, and Potter suggested last year that they take a transcontinental route.

4-Hers prepare animals for show at Fryeburg Fair

FRYEBURG — Some curious things can be heard when one enters the 4-H barn in the Fryeburg Fair.

"I'm training her hair," said Tom Kimball, a 14-year-old student from Arundel, when asked why he was combing a cow's hair upward.

Kimball is one of scores of youngsters at the 4-H barn this week preparing their cows, goats, sheep and other livestock for show.

Along with his brother Jared, 9, Kimball is following in the footsteps of his father who used to show steer at the Fryeburg Fair in the 1980s.

Community rallies to build Beth's House

WEST PARIS — A 24-year-old West Paris woman, who wasn't supposed to live beyond two years, spends a lot of time laughing with her family.

"I have an extremely strong will," Beth Coffin said as she sat in a wheelchair in the kitchen of her High Street home. "My doctor tells me I'm stubborn."

But beneath all the laughter is the stark reality of the family's situation.

Buckfield board discusses ball field lights

BUCKFIELD — Recreation Committee Chairman Chris Reed told selectmen Tuesday night about plans for moving the lights at Bessey Memorial Field on Paris Hill Road to the ball field behind the Municipal Building.

 The move was prompted by beekeeper Tony Bachelder, who said in June that his hives were disturbed by the bright lights at night games held across the road from his operation. He has raised bees for 35 years and has one of the largest beekeeping operations in Maine, with up to 800 hives at times.

North Conway wins Fryeburg Fair Firemen's Muster

FRYEBURG — North Conway, N.H., put together a consistent effort Sunday to capture the 36th Firemen's Muster at the Fryeburg Fair this week.

The team from just across the border combined a second in the Rescue Drag along with a pair of thirds in the Dry and Wet Hose events to take home the overall championship among 17 teams competing, including a team from Rhode Island. They were presented with the Bob Butters trophy on which they will have their name engraved alongside past winners.

Norway Grange Hall to celebrate centennial

NORWAY — Next week's centennial celebration of the Norway Grange #45 hall on Whitman Street is expected to draw scores of people to Norway from as far away as Ohio.

"We've invited several special people," said Grange secretary Ethel Lacourse of the celebration on Oct. 18 that begins at 1 p.m. with an open house at the building and a program following at 2 p.m.

Get a load of this: Horse teams pull together at fair

FRYEBURG — Pitted against a sledge full of stone weights, several teams of horses seemed almost impatient to prove their strength on Wednesday.

Fourteen pairs were signed up for the horse pulling distance sweepstakes at the Fryeburg Fair. No sooner had the drivers hitched them up to the sledges than they were off, back legs kicking hard at the dirt of the pulling ring. The drivers gave the horses frequent stops to catch their breath, and often had to discourage them from resuming their efforts too soon.

Citizen recommends wind energy moratorium in Buckfield

BUCKFIELD — Selectmen on Tuesday learned of a citizens' petition calling for a 180-day moratorium on wind power development in town.

Kirk Nadeau, president of Kean Engineering of Turner, has proposed erecting three, 1.5 megawatt turbines on Streaked Mountain but said he will not proceed without the town's support.

Swap shop expanding

Submitted photo

The swap shop at the Buckfield-Sumner transfer station is getting an addition, thanks to a recent grant of $2,000 from the Maine Community Foundation. Donations are being used to complete the project to enclose the two containers. This will provide a warmer place for volunteers to work and residents to choose needed items in the winter. It also will enable passage from one container to another without having to go outside. Buckfield resident and addition builder Fred Horsfall is pictured on the roof.

 

Quilting popular at Fryeburg Fair

Leslie H. Dixon/Sun Journal

Marion Amos of Dedham, Mass., right, and her friend Bonnie Kenyon of South Royalton, Vt., watch Chris Murphy of Portage hand sew a quilt Tuesday at the Fryeburg Fair's farm museum.

More options sought to fix leaky roof at fire station

BETHEL — Bandages aren't a solution to a long-term problem, like the leaking roof of a more than $1 million fire station built in 2004, according to Town Manager Jim Doar.

At Monday night's selectmen meeting, Doar told the board the fire department continues to experience facility problems specifically related to a leaking roof. The back half of the roof is in the worst condition.

After being solicited for a quote, Hahnel Bros. offered to fix the problem for more than $128,000, Doar said.

Special meeting set by Paris selectmen

PARIS — A special selectmen's meeting has been scheduled for Thursday to discuss hiring a new town manager. The meeting will take place at 5 p.m. at the town office.

The meeting will also include an item seeking to ratify the termination of former town manager Sharon Jackson's contract, an action selectmen approved in a 3-2 vote on June 22.

Newry falls filmed for virtual windows, skylights

NEWRY — Filmmaker Bill Witherspoon and his associate Radim Schriben found Screw Auger Falls on Route 26 a picturesque subject for Witherspoon's virtual skylight and window business.

As autumn leaves fell into the falls and water plunged into the basin, a microphone captured the sounds of the water and the camera picked up the sights.

Witherspoon said his Sky Factory virtual windows and skylights are an aid to hospitals, waiting rooms and offices. His films give the illusion of viewing nature.

Records broken at Woodsmen's Day

Bill Haynes photo

Fryeburg Fair President Roy Andrews presented Gloria Hadley of West Paris with special award commemorating her 30 years of showing at the fair. Hadley was competing in the Ladies Pony Cart Class first thing Tuesday morning.

Board to hear appeal from police chief

BETHEL — Selectmen will hear an appeal from “currently unavailable” police Chief Alan Carr at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, in the town office.

But just what the nature of that appeal is remained unknown as of Tuesday.

World's "Fittest Man" will compete in North American Wife Carrying Championships at Sunday River

NEWRY —  Among the 30 competitors already registered for the 10th Annual North American Wife Carrying Championships Saturday at Sunday River is Joe Decker, the 2000 Guinness Book of World Record's, 24 Hour Physical Fitness Challenge winner.

Harrison students still drinking bottled water

OXFORD — Harrison Elementary School students are continuing to drink bottled water for the sixth week as officials continue to try to find and treat the source of coliform bacteria discovered in the school well.

Facilities Director Dave Marshall told the Oxford Hills School District Board of Directors at its Monday meeting that the Harrison school's 400-foot deep well was shocked with chlorine Friday and will be retested Wednesday if the chlorine residues are at a low enough level.

"We're hoping to get all negative results in on our tests," he said.

Oxford County arrest log

PARIS — The following arrests were recorded at the Oxford County Jail:

Derek T. Morrison, 35, of Norway, Sept. 28, refusing to sign a uniform traffic ticket, bail unavailable, Norway Police Department.

Amy L. Howes, 27, of Mexico, Sept. 29, violation of bail conditions, no bail listed as of Oct. 5, Rumford Police Department.

Patrick Tyson Hentschel, 41, of Peru, Sept. 29, domestic terrorizing, $500 unsecured bail, Oxford County Sheriff's Office.

Municipal agenda

Tuesday

Buckfield: Selectmen, 6:30 p.m., Municipal Center

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

Sumner: Ordinance Committee, 6 p.m., Town Office

Sumner: Planning Board, 7 p.m., Town Office

Sumner: CERT, 7 p.m., Town Office

 

Wednesday

Casco: Recreation Committee, 6:30 p.m., Central Fire Station

 

Thursday

Hebron: Planning Board, 7 p.m., Town Office

Naples: Casco-Naples Transfer Station Council, 7 p.m., Town Office 

Cause unknown in Hartford fire

HARTFORD — No cause has been determined in the early Sunday morning fire that destroyed a home on Cary Hill Road,  homeowner Ken Schuler said Monday.

Fire ripped through the farmhouse at 198 Cary Hill Road around 3 a.m. Sunday, destroying it. The property had been struck by a tornado in early August, demolishing the adjacent barn.

Skillets sail at Fryeburg Fair

FRYEBURG — After a brief passing of raindrops at the Fryeburg Fair on Monday, visitors saw much more unusual items falling through the sky: steel skillets.

Drawing a large crowd from the already enormous numbers attending the fair on Woodsmen's Day, the traditional skillet throw has been running for at least 20 years. Meryl Malloy, the event's organizer, said it may have started even earlier.

"Most of these names, you know them, because they're always there," Malloy said. "It's too much fun."