Mexico police log

MEXICO – The following incidents were handled recently by the Mexico Police Department.

Arrest

Hearings set on water rate increase, sale of town property, road bond issue

MEXICO — Selectmen on Wednesday set public hearings on two issues residents will decide at next month's election, as well as learned of plans to hike quarterly water rates by an average of 15 percent.

In addition to seven state articles, Mexico residents will decide whether to sell the former SAD 43 central office and determine whether the town should take out a bond for up to $2.9 million that would be used to repair or rebuild some of the town's roads.

The public hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m., Oct. 21, at the town hall.

Rumford crime bulletin

RUMFORD — Police officers responded to 83 complaints from 6 a.m. Sept. 27 to 6 a.m. Oct. 4. Basic traffic stops are not included.

Arrests/summonses

 

Sept. 27 at 5 p.m.: Roger Fleury, 46, of Rumford was summoned by Patrolman Michael Belanger on River Street on a charge of operating after suspension. Fleury is scheduled to appear in Rumford District Court on Dec. 8.

New performing arts series to begin

RUMFORD — A tradition that once brought hundreds of people to the downtown area is being revived by the newly formed Rumford Performing Arts Committee.

The historic, century-old Municipal Auditorium will become the site for a variety of musical and other performances, just as it was decades ago.

The initial kickoff, set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, will be a free concert by the 22-piece U.S. Air Force Liberty Jazz Band.

Blasting starts Wednesday on wind farm project

ROXBURY — At Tuesday night's nearly two-hour informational meeting, about 70 people learned that blasting begins Wednesday morning on Record Hill Wind LLC's $120 million, 22-turbine wind farm project.

South Portland tactical team trains in Rumford

Terry Karkos/Sun Journal

During training exercises on Tuesday morning in Rumford across from the Hannaford grocery store, members of the South Portland Police Special Reaction or "tactical" Team enter a vacant, three-story apartment building at 438 Waldo St. Rumford Police officers also participated in the training on the town property. The tactical team is used to stabilize and resolve high-risk calls.

Municipal agenda

Tuesday

 

Wednesday

Hanover: Planning Board, 6 p.m., Town Office

Mexico: Region 9 School of Applied Technology Finance Committee, 2 p.m., River Road school

Mexico: Selectmen, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall

Rumford: Planning Board, 7 p.m., Municipal Building

Upton: Selectmen, 7 p.m., Town Office

 

Thursday

Hanover: Public hearing on proposed comprehensive plan, 6 p.m., Town House

Wind farm proposals multiply

RUMFORD – With dozens of wind turbines proposed in a half-dozen towns in various stages of planning, the Wind Farm Development Committee of Rumford is planning a panel discussion on the pros and cons of such development.

The forum begins at 6 p.m. Oct. 13 in Muskie Auditorium of Mountain Valley High School.

Pottle brings Giggle Poetry to Meroby

MEXICO — Robert Pottle turned what he called his short attention span into something positive when he became a poet.

On Monday, Pottle, a poet from Eastbrook in Hancock County, brought his sense of humor and knowledge of writing children's poetry to youngsters at Meroby Elementary School.

"Poetry is a great fit for what I write. I like working on lots of ideas at the same time. That matches the way I write," he told the third-graders who attended his "Giggle Poetry" presentation Monday afternoon.

Centenarian wants a ride in a 1929 packard

CANTON – Clara MacIsaac Thibault remembers the great times she had driving her first car, a 1929 Packard.

On Oct. 8, she will be 100 years old and she'd love to have a chance to ride around Canton in another 1929 Packard.

Hanover library celebrates second fall festival

HANOVER — The Gardner Roberts Memorial Library may be small, but that doesn't mean it will have a small autumn festival.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, rain or shine, visitors to the Victorian-era library will have a chance to sip cider and munch on doughnuts, buy books as well as trash and treasures, and take a chance on one of seven filled baskets, or pick up pies, bars, cookies or quick breads for dessert.

Rumford to get Babe the Blue Ox statue Thursday

RUMFORD — Grab your cameras, bring the kids, Babe the Blue Ox is arriving at noon Thursday, Oct. 8, on upper Congress Street on the Rite-Aid Pharmacy lot.

Rumford's 6-foot-tall, 10-foot-long economic-development bovine from a Wisconsin factory will be traveling east on Route 2 atop a flatbed trailer from Bethel on Thursday morning, according to Jim Rinaldo, an Economic Development Committee member.

"He'll be a little bigger than the oxen at the Fryeburg Fair," Rinaldo said on Tuesday of Babe, the mythical sidekick of Paul Bunyan.

Plans afoot to possibly move library

RUMFORD — Selectmen on Thursday urged members of the Rumford Public Library Growth Committee to share with residents their future plans to possibly move the library onto the former Stephens High School lot between Penobscot and York streets.

At a scheduled 5:15 p.m. joint workshop, moderator Joe Sirois said selectmen and the committee had met earlier that day in an apparent unannounced meeting to discuss library expansion options.

Board OK's engineering study bid to solve water leaks into sewer system

RUMFORD — Faced with the possibility of fines for allowing excess water to enter the sewer system, selectmen at Thursday night's meeting awarded a contract for an engineering study to a Portland firm.

Wright-Pierce, a New England engineering firm providing water, wastewater and infrastructure services to public and private clients, was one of four bidders on the inflow and infiltration project.

Officials seek cause of Dixfield fire

DIXFIELD — Firefighters called Friday night to the second fire at Denise Letalien's vacant house in exactly six months found the second floor interior and attic ablaze, fire Chief Scott Dennett said.

An interior attack — delayed by boarded-up doors and windows broken from the first fire on May 3 — knocked the fire down in about 10 minutes, Dennett said Saturday morning at the 20 Park Ave. property.

South Portland Police tactical team to train on Waldo Street

RUMFORD — Members of the South Portland Police Special Reaction or "tactical" Team will be conducting a training exercise sometime on the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 6, at the end of Waldo Street, according to Rumford police Chief Stacy Carter.

Carter told selectmen at Thursday night's meeting about the exercise, to alert the public and alleviate fears and concerns people may have on seeing people running around or near buildings while outfitted in military and tactical gear and armed with simulated weaponry.

Second fire in six months hits vacant Dixfield house

DIXFIELD — Firefighters from Dixfield, Mexico, and Peru responded to a structure fire late Friday night in a vacant house at 20 Park Ave.

Gilead selectmen to meet

GILEAD — Selectmen will hold an emergency meeting at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, at the town office to respond to a call from the Oxford County Commission for snowblowing bids for a stretch of Bog Road.

Wrong vote tally

RUMFORD — A story on Page B2 of Thursday's River Valley edition should have reported that Rumford selectmen voted 3-1against calling a special town meeting to let voters decide on a petition-initiated moratorium on wind power development. The information was incorrectly reported by the Sun Journal.

 

Wrong rank

RUMFORD — A story on Page B1 of Thursday's River Valley edition should have identified Rumford detective Daniel Garbarini as a captain. The information was incorrectly reported by the Sun Journal.

Library grant benefits students, families

RUMFORD — Thanks to a federal literacy grant given to the former SAD 43, students can do research and get additional help most days until 5:30 p.m. in the library.

Logan McDonald, a freshman at Mountain Valley High School, and Levi Rajaniemi, a senior, are taking advantage of the resource. 

"I can come in to do my work," Logan said.

Rajaniemi said the after-school access to reference books and other library materials is particularly helpful when he doesn't have a study hall during the school day.

Vigil remembers survivors, victims of domestic abuse

MEXICO — A small gathering of teens and adults at the Mexico gazebo Thursday night remember those who have lost their lives to domestic violence honored survivors.

The vigil, the second time it's been held in a River Valley town, also aims to raise awareness of domestic violence in the community. October is domestic violence awareness month.

Goal set to conserve 10 percent from budget to lessen 2010-11 tax burden

RUMFORD — Selectmen at Thursday night's meeting set a goal of cutting 10 percent from Rumford's $6 million budget to alleviate the decrease in town valuation.

The conserved money would be used to decrease next year's tax rate.

"I think we all agree, we've got to do something," Selectman Robert Cameron said. "I'm concerned that if we set a goal of 5 percent and get there, we'll be successful, but it will only be 5 percent."

Cost-saving goals, storm-water runoff project top board agenda

RUMFORD — Figuring out how to save costs for the remainder of the fiscal year to lessen next year's tax burden will be discussed at the Board of Selectmen meeting at 7 p.m. in the town hall auditorium.

Chairman Brad Adley said on Wednesday that the board will set goals for Town Manager Carlo Puiia and department heads to achieve.

"Whether it's 1 percent, 2 percent, 3 percent, 6 percent, or 10 percent, obviously, we've got to tighten our budgets," Adley said, referring to a 22½-percent jump in taxes realized at Monday night's special selectmen meeting.

Wind power project contractors to hold informational meeting

ROXBURY — With road construction under way to a 22-turbine wind farm atop Roxbury hills, project backers will hold a meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, in the Roxbury town office to introduce people and companies involved. Dessert and refreshments will be served earlier.

Record Hill Wind Project general contractor Reed and Reed will also present information on subcontracting opportunities for local firms, because it is determined to hire local people as much as possible, according to a Monday letter to Roxbury residents from Record Hill Wind LLC principal Robert Gardiner.