It was a  tale of two forums this week as residents of Hebron and Paris reacted skeptically to news shaping their town’s future. The best of times? Definitely not: To the concern of many residents, the Maine DEP announced it will hold off removing that the majority of oil leaked into wetlands surrounding Hebron Station School until the spring as ice and snow are hampering the clean up efforts. The worst of times? It depends who you ask: some folks in Paris say a proposed zoning infringes on their freedom. Revolution? Not even close.

Not everything’s dark and gloomy; students from Guy E. Rowe shined by brightening the halls of Stephens Memorial Hospital with murals of the heavens which they hope will raise patients’ spirits.

Down the earth it’s grittier: Sumner is searching for a new salt and sand storage facility and Hebron is upping offerings of sand to make it easier to traverse the slippery slopes around the solid waste facility.

Market Square restaurant in Paris says “goodbye” to Mike Gilbert, only to say, “hello” to brother Scott. Just across the road, selectmen say they want to meet with their Norway counterparts to discuss the future of Norway-Paris Community TV’s board of directors, which according to some board members has been in a state of disarray.

We ask your neighbors about President Obama’s State of the Union address, go green with Real People, and witness a spelling bee that proves the word “charioteer” can still make headlines millennia after the Roman Circus Maximus.

All this and more in this weeks’ edition of the Advertiser Democrat.