Sports championships. Local restaurants closing while new ones open. A school district mired in dysfunction. Local faces sharing big dreams. Community stalwarts departing public life. And puppies! Oxford Hills headlines from 2022, part II, below:

July

Popular Norway restaurant Smokin’ Dave’s Backyard BBQ Grill announced that the building it had operated from on Main Street had been sold and August 14 would be its last day open. Owners Dave and Marcia decided to switch to serving its smoked specialties from a food truck in Oxford, as they had during their first couple years in business. Their catering business would continue as well.

A Hebron home on Ramsdell Road went up in flames on July 5. Its residents were able to get out before fire crews arrived at 3 a.m. The home was leveled by the blaze. Firefighters were called back four hours later when the fire reignited.

Despite the Maine Department of Human Services issuing a finding of abuse in its investigation of that former Oxford Hills school district’s superintendent Monica Henson had improperly physically restrained a child, the District Attorney’s office for Prosecutorial District Three (Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties) declined to press charges.

Franklin County District Attorney James Andrews told the Advertiser Democrat that the assault did not meeting the standard of Maine Statute Title 17-A, 106. Andrews was the fifth prosecutor to review the case within the district attorney’s office. The first DA recused himself, the second resigned when appointed to the Maine Supreme Court, the third resigned from his office a week after accepting the position, and the fourth, Acting District Attorney Alexandra Winter, assigned Andrews to the case.

OHCHS graduate and basketball standout Tianna Sugars announced she had signed a contract to play with The L.A. Maples, a start-up team in the Women’s American Basketball Association. Sugars, who has played overseas, plans to pursue a career in coaching in the NBA.

Lights Out Gallery and Lights Out Consulting purchased the old Tubbs Factory on Cannery Street in Norway, a site where snowshoes had been manufactured for years. The building is undergoing renovations to provide space to artists, craftsmen and small businesses.

Buckfield Town Manager Lorna Nichols resigned after just nine months on the job. Cameron Hinkley was quickly appointed to acting town manager by the board of selectmen, becoming the sixth person is less than two years to lead Buckfield’s municipal operations. Nichols had been hired to replace former town manager John Andrews; his six-month tenure included mass town office staff resignations and what he cited as a “toxic environment.”

August
SAD 17 began replacing administrative leaders who had left the district during former superintendent Monica Henson’s time in her position. Jill Bartash was hired to step into the role of acting curriculum director, filling a position that acting

superintendent Heather Manchester had been holding down. Bartash had previously worked for RSU 10 as Rumford Elementary School’s principal.

Stephens Memorial Hospital announced that U.S. Rep Jared Golden secured $1.6 million in federal earmarks to upgrade the aging and outgrown PACE Ambulance Service facility. With the grant secured, SMH launched a $4 million capital campaign to build a facility equipped to handle a staff of 44.

Longtime Oxford employee Patty Hess retired after working for the town’s EMT department for 32 years and then three years as its recreation director. Hess moved to Arizona to be closer to family. She was replaced by Kayla Laird, who had previously worked as Harrison’s recreation director.

Oxford Hills’ Babe Ruth League baseball team won the Cal Ripken 12U World Series. During the seven-game run leading up to the championship game, Oxford Hills outscored its opponents by a margin of 72-8. The team beat its World Series opponents from Weymouth, Massachusetts 12-4 August 13.

Paris Hill Historical Society welcomed the Beaver, also known child television star Jerry Mathers, as a special guest as it celebrated former U.S. Vice President Hannibal Hamlin’s 213^th birthday. Hamlin served in President Abraham Lincoln’s administration from 1861-1865 during the Civil War. Mathers conceded that until acting as the historical society’s guest of honor during its birthday bash, he knew very little about Hamlin, who grew up on Paris Hill.

September
MaineHealth Chief Health Improvement Officer Dr. Dora Mills announced that the state’s largest healthcare system received a $1 million dollar grant, renewable over four years, to expand rural maternal healthcare. The grant was provided by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Alongside Mills, HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson said that the funds are to build infrastructure that supports telehealth, installing updated technology, with a focus to treat underlying health conditions like diabetes and hypertension.

Responsible Pet Care Rescue in South Paris was one of 10 animal welfare organizations in Maine to accept some of 4,000 Beagles that were seized from Envigo RMS LLC, a Virginia based business that bred and sold them to laboratories for use in animal experimentation. One hundred of the dogs were flown to Maine by Wings of Rescue, a nonprofit pet transport agency, on Sept. 4, and six of them made their way to the RPC shelter to be assessed and vetted before becoming available for adoption.

The Western Maine Addiction Recovery Initiative (WMARI) held its sixth annual recovery rally on Sept. 8, providing an opportunity for Oxford Hills communities to gather as a force of support for people struggling with substance use disorder. Organizers and advocates said the Western Maine Recovery Rally is just one of many ways to destigmatize addiction and inform the public that it is a disease that requires treatment and support, not just for those afflicted but also their loved ones and friends.

All Mallard Mart stores changed hands in September, as founding owners Ed and Nancy Michaud sold their four stores in West Paris, Bethel, Livermore and Norway to Rusty Lantern Markets, a local chain based in Brunswick. Among the changes to its products and services were Irving rewards for gasoline discounts and availability of Coffee by Design beverages, another Maine-based retailer.

Maine School Administrative District 17 got welcome news when the Maine State School Board announced that two schools in need of replacing had been assigned to the state’s list of approved projects. The designation meant that state funds would be available to build a new elementary school in West Paris to replace Agnes Gray (built in the 19^th century) and Oxford Hills Middle School in Paris which the district has outgrown to the point that it had to open a second campus in Oxford in 2013.

Oxford officially closed the book on its long-term municipal headquarters saga when it moved from its Pleasant Street location to new offices at 127 Pottle Road. Officials were prepared to invest more than $3 million dollars for a new building in a to-be-determined location, but were able to secure the 6,500 square foot office building from Stephens Memorial Hospital for $750,000, with another $300,000 in a dedicated account to use for renovations.

Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School students were treated to a live legal education when the Maine Supreme Court scheduled three hearings to be held at The Forum on Oct. 4. The project was coordinated by State Rep. Sawin Millett of Waterford and OHCHS Social Studies Education Chair John Pinto. The cases presented at the Forum involved domestic abuse, a civil dispute between an employee and employer, and a gross sexual assault case between a teacher and student.

As Norway faced the inevitable: finding replacements for seven retiring municipal leaders, the Advertiser Democrat published profiles of each, honoring their decades of service. Town Clerk Shirley Boyce, Fire Chief Dennis Yates, Town Manager Dennis Lajoie, Highway Foreman Art Chappell, Police Chief Rob Federico, Head Mechanic Donnie Upton and Parks & Recreation Director Debra Partridge all phased out of their roles over the course of 2022.

When the first reading of a student gender identification policy was approved by SAD 17’s school board responses varied from supportive to concerned to hostile throughout the Oxford Hills community. Many people applauded the policy that would support LGBTQIA+ youth who are often mistreated at home and struggle with mental health. Others felt that some of the policy’s provisions, including one that would required school and district staff to maintain student confidentiality over the wishes of parents and another that added confusion and safety questions with bathroom use. Other groups used the policy as a means to further conservative America First agendas and disrupt school board business.

Katherine’s Bakery & Café, which opened on Main Street in Norway in September hit the mother lode sweet tooths when Abbot Laboratories placed an order for 3,200 whoopie pies for its entire workforces. Owner Katherine Olinkiewicz and her staff worked around the clock for three days to fulfill the order, and rented a box truck to make two deliveries of chocolatey goodness.

November
About 300 people attended a public forum held by SAD 17’s school board on Nov. 1 to speak about and listen to viewpoints about the district’s controversial proposed gender identity policy. As with regular school board meetings, statements were mixed and ranged from legitimate to extreme. Some opponents incorrectly asserted that the school board had acted in a covert manner to push the policy through. Others noted that the language of the policy put pressure on school staff, citing 34 uses of the phrase “shall,” leaving them with little flexibility to approach student gender identity issues such as parental rights.

Students at Guy E. Rowe Elementary School in Norway invited active and retired military members to participate in a Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 10. Sixth-graders Corley Sunday, Victoria Sessions and Elise Knapp each spoke during school assembly about the history of Armistice Day and how it evolved to become an annual holiday in celebration of all U.S. veterans.

Another sports season, another state championship. The Vikings’ football team scored its first ever gold ball by beating rival Thornton Academy by 21-7 during Maine’s Class A state championship game on Nov. 19. Led by Coach Mark Soehren, the Vikings avenged their 2021 loss to Thornton Academy, with several players earning regional and state awards during a stellar season with a perfect record.

December
In response to SAD 17 school board directors approving the first reading of Student Gender Identity Policy ACAAA, residents of Paris who stood in opposition signed petitions to hold a recall election to strip two directors of that town, Julia Lester and Sarah Otterson, who had voted for ACAAA. The petition was launched by Armand Norton and garnered about 650 signatures.

Paris town attorney Philip Saucier of Bernstein Shur advised the board of selectmen that accepting the petition could lead to legal challenges. Paris School Board Director Robert Jewell signed the petition and spoke against the policy. Lester resigned from her seat on Dec. 4; Paris selectmen appointed former board director Troy Ripley to replace her. Lester had defeated Ripley for the seat in 2021.

Two more school board directors, Stacia Cordwell and Shauna Broyer, both of Oxford, also resigned, citing board misconduct and disruptions of school board business as major reasons. Board Chairwoman Natalie Andrews of West Paris announced she, too, would step down from her post effective Jan. 17 and not seek reelection when her term ends in March.

The board voted to table consideration of Student Gender Identity Policy ACAA indefinitely to give the board’s policy committee time to review and amend it.

Voc Region 11 Oxford Hills Technical High School was awarded with a $2.1 million grant to build a new facility that would house its burgeoning electrical trades program. The program is currently held in hybrid locations between the tech school and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ headquarters in Lewiston. The new building is set to be completed by 2024. It also will provide the means to expand its building trades and plumbing trades programs.

Stephens Memorial Hospital President Andrea Patstone left the hospital after five years in leadership positions to take a new role as MaineHealth’s Coastal Region Regional division, overseeing the healthcare system’s hospitals and ambulatory facilities in Rockport, Belfast, Boothbay, Damariscotta and Brunswick. MaineHealth also announced that SMH and Western MaineHealth would be integrated into its new Mountain Region along with sites in Farmington and North Conway, NH.

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