January

Staff at Agnes Gray got an unwelcome gift over the Christmas break when overhead pipes froze, causing a sprinkler head pipe to burst and flood the school’s gymnasium and cafeteria.

The damage was discovered in the form of at least eight inches of water covering the floor of the cafeteria. Part of the ceiling in the gym had given way, with water flowing down the steps leading from the gym to the cafeteria.

Despite water damage from frozen pipes, the West Paris school was able to open as planned Jan. 3.

The Victorian on Main opened at 230 Main Street in Norway as an events venue, available for private functions but also for experience entertainment and classes hosted by owner Lana Whittmore. The Victorian on Main launched a spate of independently owned specialty businesses that continued throughout the year.

The first 2024 baby born at Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway did not arrive until Jan. 6. Gabriel and Chelsie St. Laurent welcomed Rowan Gabriel to their family, which also includes his older sister Adaline.

Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School senior Eli Soehren was honored with the James J. Fitzpatrick trophy and named Maine’s top high school football player. As the school’s varsity quarterback, Soehren led his team to the state championship game in both 2021 and 2022, losing to Thornton Academy one year but coming out on top the next.

In Oxford selectmen approved Recreation Director Kayla Laird’s proposal to launch a kids’ day camp program that would be run at Pismo Beach and the Station House Community Center on King Street. Laird’s projected that a summer rec program would attract around 100 participants and become a revenue generator for the town.

February

Otisfield voters approved a solar ordinance during a special town meeting held January 6, following a moratorium that stretched out for close to a year. The ordinance limits future solar development to arrays up to 20 acres, with a maximum capacity of 100 acres in town.

The town of Oxford’s revenue share from Oxford Casino Hotel for 2022 came to $2.16 million, according to the Maine Gambling Control Board, demonstrating a full recovery from the economy-stumping COVID-19 pandemic. Other beneficiaries of casino are Maine’s Department of Education, the University of Maine System, Maine Maritime Academy, and the state’s community college system. In 2022 those institutions’ shared take totaled about $28.8 million.

Maine School Administrative District 17 appointed Heather Manchester as its new superintendent Feb. 6. Manchester had served as acting superintendent for just over a year, taking the post from former superintendent Monica Henson. Within six months of her hiring, Henson was placed on administrative leave after she was accused and investigated for improper physical restraint of a student, as well as intimidating and retaliating against SAD 17 staff in an attempt to cover up her misconduct.

One of Norway’s Main Street staples, Hair & Company, reopened in a new location in South Paris. The salon had been doing business at 248 Main Street since 1985.

Continuing its streak of sports championships, Oxford Hills’ varsity cheerleading team won the state Class A title for the first time since 2000, beating out defending 2022 champion Lewiston and Noble high schools.

Western Maine Health and Stephens Memorial Hospital physician Lisa Miller talked with the Advertiser Democrat about completing a year-long followship in addiction medicine and the importance of understanding the needs of patients with substance use disorder as a comorbidity. Miller became board-certified in addiction medicine seven years after making it a focus of her practice at Western Maine Health.

Norway resident Anthony Aldrich was arrested and charged with burglary, stalking, theft and possession of a schedule “W” drug after being investigated for following a teenage girl in Oxford and following her into a home, and then coming into close proximity with her the following day during her sports practice.

Merton Weed Jr., of Norway was arrested after being indicted for taking out fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans and a fraudulent application for a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured mortgage.

March

Oxford Hills Tech School was awarded a $2.1 million grant through the federal Maine Jobs and Recovery Act to build a specialized two-story classroom for career and technical education

programs in the electrical and plumbing fields. Three other schools were also awarded funds through the program: Region 9 School of Applied Technology in Mexico, Northern III in Lincoln and Biddeford Regional Center of Technology.

Maine Governor Janet Mills visited Guy E. Rowe Elementary School in Norway as part of Oxford Hills’ school district Read Across America week.

On March 6 the Vikings girls’ basketball team beat Gorham High School 62-25 to win the Class AA state championship at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland. It was Oxford Hills’ third title since 2019.

Tensions on SAD 17’s school board reached a new high when Paris Director Robert Jewell attempted to share documents about an Oxford parent’s potential lawsuit against the district with the entire board of directors ahead of its March 6 business meeting. Jewell’s move was potentially illegal, according to School

Board Chair Judy Green of Waterford, who shut down his attempt to introduce his information and demand for an executive session during the meeting. Had Jewell successfully released legal documents, the entire board would have had to recuse itself from investigating the parent’s claims.

Jewell later shared the parent’s contact information with the Advertiser Democrat and Sun Journal.

Alivia Deabler, a fourth grader at Agnes Gray Elementary School in West Paris, received a Maine 4-H Camp scholarship for her winning essay about what attending the camp at Bryant Pond would mean to her. The scholarship was founded by the family of Kathryn F. Daniels, who had been involved with 4-H programming for 40 years.

Todd Tilley of Paris pleaded guilty to federal crimes after participating in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the federal Capital Building in Washington, D.C. Tilley pleaded to misdemeanor charges of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capital building.

Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School seniors (and twins) Julia and Ashlee Gay raised over $9,000 to benefit Honor Flight Maine as their senior project, the first students at OHCHS to support the program that flies American veterans to tour war memorials in Washington D.C.

One of Norway’s long vacant buildings, the iconic Odd Fellows Hall at 389 Min Street, received planning board approval to move forward with restoration that will bring 16 affordable housing rental units to the downtown neighborhood. Developer Michael Hanes utilized funds through a pilot program offered by Maine Housing Authority.

April

Frann Bird, a 92-year-old volunteer with Stephens Memorial Hospital, sat down with the Advertiser Democrat to share stories of her remarkable life, which includes flying in propellor planes and helicopters, skydiving, and studying neuroscience so she can “talk shop” with her grandson who does research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Bird is also an avid genealogist who has traced her roots to the 11^th century and the Crusades of King Richard I.

Girls on the Run, a national youth program that provides girls with tools to develop confidence, kindness and decision-making skills, established a foothold in Oxford Hills, with 60 girls from Rowe School, Paris Elementary School and Oxford Elementary School participating in 2023. PES educator launched the program locally in 2020 with seven participants.

The 1823 Roberts Farmhouse was disassembled and razed starting in 2021, but lumber salvaged from its frame, sheathing and interior is being used to feed the local economy. Furniture designer Megan Smith of Norway and woodworker Andy Pinkham of Paris utilize its wood to craft one-of-a-kind custom furniture that Smith features in her online store and Brick & Mortar in Norway sells at retail.

Students at Otisfield Elementary School learned about history and the public speaking and performance skills necessary to historical reenactments during a unit about the American Revolution. Pamela Marshall’s fifth grade class built their own replica of Valley Forge and demonstrated what life was like for American soldiers who survived cold, hunger and lack of warm uniforms and supplies during the winter of 1777 in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

Thrust into limbo when Oxford sold its old town office on Pleasant Street, Helping Hands Food Pantry found new headquarters at Polly’s Variety on King Street. After former Oxford Police Chief Michael Ward was appointed president of Helping Hands’ board of directors, he arranged for the pantry to use the former ice cream shop at 115 King Street for food storage and weekly distribution of food to area residents in need.

May

Artists Peter Herley of Norway and Colby Martel of Paris made the news with their partnering art exhibit, featured throughout the month of May at the Western Maine Art Group in Norway. Martel is following in the footsteps of his maternal grandfather Lajos Matolcsy, an artist who fled his native Hungary for the United States at the start of World War II and settled in western Maine before founding the organization.

SAD 17 school board directors approved the district’s proposed $47.4 million dollar budget to be presented at referendum for voter approval during state elections in June. District plans also included a federal grant through the American Recovery Act to replace its aging portable classroom at Roberts Farm in Norway.

Oxford County Commissioners declined to remove Sheriff Christopher Wainwright, under investigation for alleged misconduct, stating that according to Maine statute 30A-441, only the state governor has the authority to remove an elected official. Among other complaints, Wainwright allegedly asked a deputy sheriff to be lenient with an acquaintance who was cited for consuming alcohol in a vehicle, asserting that it was in his authority to rip up tickets. Wainwright was also the subject of a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit brought by a former county employee.

Two Paris selectmen, Scott McElravy and Peter Kilgore, opposed placing Oxford Hills 2023-24 school budget on its annual warrant for residents. McElravy reported to the board that he had attended a public forum on the $47.4 million budget and urged board members to consider hardships placed on local taxpayers already struggling in a high-inflation economy. Three selectmen, Chair Christopher Summers, Carlton Sprague and Michael Baily voted in favor of putting the school budget on the town warrant.

Oxford taxpayers and a Paris resident paid the price when a disagreement between Code Officer Kingston Brown and Planning Board Chair Keith Morris instigated a round of attorney consultations that reached $13,000 in charged fees. Property owner Amelia Dow of Paris applied to Oxford’s planning board to rebuild her Thompson Lake camp after it was destroyed during a microburst.

Even though she worked with Brown to make sure new construction as required by her insurer complied with Oxford’s shoreland zoning ordinance, Morris opposed using the original, grandfathered footprint and later trespassed on the property as he tried to conduct an unauthorized survey.

Following the altercation between Brown and Morris, Dow felt her property rights were under attack and sought legal advice. She was left with a $9,600 lawyer’s bill, while Oxford was on the hook to its town attorney for about $3,400.

June

Oxford voters passed all articles on the annual town meeting warrant, including a request to increase the fire department’s budget by $134,000 to fund per diem fire department staff during weekends. The total budget for the fiscal year that began on July 1 was $5,733,843, a 4.2% increase over the 2022-23 budget.

Maren Pinkham and Silas Timm, class marshals for OHCHS Class of ‘24, led their classmates to commencement ceremonies on June 10. It was the first graduation under first-year Principal Paul Bickford’s tenure. The keynote speech was presented by Stephanie McCoy Mulligan, Class of 2004, a children’s author who founded the children’s publishing house McSea Books in 2019.

Harrison residents passed 36 of 40 warrant articles while heckling town officials and moderator Vern Maxfield during annual town meeting on June 14. Voters balked at adding an assistant public services director position that would have cost taxpayers almost $100,000, a full-time fire department chief for $74,000 more than the part-time position pays and staffing the department seven days a week at a cost of $210,000 annually.

Citing poor behavior on the part of certain Paris residents, Angela Packard resigned from her position as deputy clerk, deputy tax collector and treasurer and deputy registrar. Board Chairman Christopher Summers lamented the loss of an exemplary employee and the black eye caused to Paris by disrespectful townspeople.

Otisfield residents passed all articles on the annual town meeting warrant, including a measure that will expand the selectboard from three to five members in 2024. Related discussion centered around whether to continue open town meeting, or transition to private ballot voting. Selectboard Chair Hal Ferguson advised voters to establish a larger governing board before making any other changes to the town’s form of government.

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