POLAND – Many Poland parents want a full-day kindergarten and some want a tougher overall curriculum.

Those were some of the conclusions drawn from a survey of Poland Community School parents presented to the School Committee .

Carolyn Johnson, Poland Community School principal, told committee members the overwhelming majority of respondents were quite happy with the school.

Johnson said about 180 questionnaires were turned in. There are 400 students at the school.

The survey asked such things as whether parents felt welcome in their child’s school, whether the school has a good learning environment, and whether parents respect the school’s teachers.

On a scale of one to five, most of the results landed in the four range.

Lewiston:

Alleged shooter of two indicted

LEWISTON – A man accused of shooting two people as they sat in a car on Lexington Street last month was indicted by an Androscoggin County grand jury.

Michael Heon, 46, remained at the Androscoggin County Jail on charges including aggravated attempted murder and elevated aggravated assault.

Police said Heon fired at the man and woman with a shotgun Nov. 1 after he was spurned by a lady friend and fired from his job.

Heon fired a single shot at the couple as they sat in a car at Lexington and Westminster streets, according to a police affidavit.

Both victims later recovered from their injuries. Police said Heon fled in his pickup truck after firing the shot.

While Lewiston police investigators say they have enough evidence to convict Heon, the shotgun has not been recovered.

The grand jury indicted Heon on eight counts: two counts each of aggravated attempted murder, elevated aggravated assault, attempted murder and aggravated assault.

Lewiston:

Contract could open new talks

LEWISTON – A new labor contract with firefighters could open discussions about creating a city-based ambulance service.

The contract, set to go before city councilors mid-December, would set wages and costs for a city-based emergency medical service.

Actually creating an EMS service is a policy decision that remains to be made, said City Administrator Jim Bennett.

“If the community and the council decide that is something they want to pursue, that’s a decision that will come down the road,” he said.

“This just sets the costs so we can discuss it.”

Livermore Falls:

Selectman resigns in seventh year

LIVERMORE FALLS – Clayton Putnam, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, resigned from the board Dec. 2.

Town Manager Alan Gove said Putnam called him about noon that day to tender his resignation.

Gove said Putnam said he had “run out of energy.”

“It was a surprise,” Gove said. “He put an effort in.”

Putnam was in his seventh year, Gove said, and he was recently elected to serve as chairman when Selectmen Bill Demaray resigned from the leadership position.

Wilton:

$2,500 water survey approved

WILTON – Selectmen gave Water and Sewer Department Superintendent Russ Mathers the go-ahead to include $2,500 in next year’s Water Department budget for a water rate survey.

At last year’s town meeting, taxpayers questioned why they have to pay $144,000 for the rental of water hydrants. The town turned to the Maine Rural Water Association for legal advice about what would happen if taxpayers didn’t want to raise that amount and how the amount could be lowered.

The hydrant rental fees are a percentage of the rates those who use town water pay and is regulated by the Public Utilities Commission. Those rates have not gone up for several years in Wilton. Mathers said the town could be sued for not meeting its obligation if it did not come up with the funds for hydrant rental.

Wilton:

Draft sex-offender policy reviewed

WILTON – Town officials reviewed a draft of a policy regarding public notification of sex offenders living here. Residents who attended the public hearing gave their input as well.

Town Manager Peter Nielsen said policies from the towns of Bangor, Farmington and Lincolnville, as well as the Maine Chiefs of Police Association were gathered and a half -page draft was drawn up for selectmen to consider.

Former Department of Human Services Child Protective Services Worker Sandra Wyman told officials she thinks they need to find out when the state notifies towns of the presence of a sex offender and how much time the offender has to register as such.

Wyman, who was a Child Protective Services worker for 10 years, said she feels notification should be made within 24 hours rather than the seven days spelled out in the policy draft.

Farmington:

Madrid bridge estimates reviewed

FARMINGTON – County commissioners reviewed estimates to fix the decaying Beech Hill Bridge in Madrid.

County road agent Paul McKeen closed the bridge in early November due to safety concerns. Corroded bridge abutments are falling into Saddleback Stream, which flows into the Sandy River, making the bridge impassable, McKeen has said.

Located less than a mile off of Route 4 from the center of Madrid on Beech Hill Road, the one-lane bridge has an upper and lower deck.

Mark Rafford of Rafford Bridges Inc. in Ashland estimated that it would cost $28,000 for materials and manpower to fix the bridge. That bridge would be 40 feet long and have a 16-foot-wide roadway.

Rumford:

Several sign up for metals course

RUMFORD – A fifth group of displaced workers and others are signed up to begin a course in the precision metal trades.

Diane Dostie, Central Maine Community College’s liaison with the River Valley Technology Center board, said that several have signed up for the no-charge course, and a few openings still exist.

With classes offered at several sites in the River Valley area, students can complete the one-year certificate program in about nine months. This round of classes begins on Jan. 14.

Scholarships are available to assist students in completing an associate’s degree from the Maine Metal Products Association, as well, said Lisa Martin, director of the trade association.

Rumford:

Baseball coach bound for Iraq

RUMFORD – The war in Iraq has caused the resignation of a Mountain Valley Middle School baseball coach.

SAD 43 Superintendent James Hodgkin said the resignation of Anthony Mazza from the position was announced at Monday’s board meeting. Mazza is also a full-time educational technician in the district. That position will be held for him until he returns from an 18-month tour of active duty.

Hodgkin said Mazza’s call-up is the first for the district.

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