January
John L’Hote, 106 and the newest recipient of Waterford’s Boston Post Cane, is the embodiment of the American Dream, from his upbringing to the chance circumstances that led him to true love and a marriage that lasted 80 years, his service in World War II and a commitment to life-long learning that continues today.
“My father is one of the few people to live through two pandemics,” daughter Gertrude “Tru” Hilarides said. “He was born in 1917, during World War I. Both of his parents were sick from the Spanish flu, but survived.”

John L’Hote of Waterford examines the Boston Post Cane the town presented to him last week. “He is very proud of it,” said L’Hote’s son-in-law Kurt Hilarides. Courtesy John Bell
Ryan Adams, custodian for Otisfield Community School, is a model example of staff within the Oxford Hills School District who are as devoted to educating students as its educators and administrators.
He began teaching the students the basics of blacksmithing in 2023 and introduced lessons in old-fashioned Yankee ingenuity to his group of students by designing adaptive tools so one of them could fully participate with his classmates.
West Paris Fire Chief Kevin Davis was terminated Jan. 9 for insubordination, not following clear orders and dishonesty. He was fired from both the fire and highway departments by Town Manager Joy Downing. Member of the fire department showed their support at a select board meeting. Deputy Chief Scott Cassidy said their department morale, employee retention, skill sets, and relationships with other towns had all improved under Davis’ leadership.
“He has been doing everything to make the town better because of this safer department,” Cassidy said.
The Oxford Select Board voted unanimously to demolish a dangerous building at 260 King St. The house has been the source of code violation citations and neighbor complaints for at least a decade.
February
A 52-year-old man was shot and killed by police after allegedly leading several departments on a chase and crashing several times before approaching an officer with a knife on Main Street in Fryeburg.
Police said 52-year-old Kenneth Ellis, whose last known address was in Hyannis, Mass., was shot after approaching Fryeburg Police Officer Michael St. Laurent after Ellis had crashed his pickup truck.
Agnes Gray Elementary School in West Paris has been deemed uninhabitable due to multiple safety failures: lack of adequate fire protection and functional emergency exits, outdated and poorly functioning plumbing and electrical systems, exterior degradation, including its roof which sheds decayed shingles during any poor weather, exterior and interior stairwells that are not up to code, and boiler years beyond its serviceable life.

Connor Walsh of Dixfield, center, catches a yellow perch at the second annual Pennesseewassee Lake Ice Fishing Derby on Sunday. Looking on are Rylee Childs and Skylar Rhodes. The derby started as an Oxford Hills senior project for Travis Turgeon who has decided to continue the event annually. This year, nearly 400 people participated and over $12,000 was raised for prizes and a sizabler donation to Traps for Kids which donates ice fishing traps to kids who need them. Brewster Burns
Amid anonymous phone, text and email messages to the Advertiser Democrat, tight-lipped officials and social media rumors, it has been at least 10 weeks since the school resource officer assigned to Guy E. Rowe Elementary School in Norway has been allowed to enter the school.
Natalie Andrews of West Paris was hired as town manager of Paris and started in March. Andrews has significant experience working for government agencies in Oxford County. She was a tax assessor for Norway for about six years. She was chairwoman of the board of directors of Maine School Administrative District 17, which includes Paris, Norway, Waterford, Otisfield, West Paris, Hebron, Harrison and Oxford.
March
West Paris voters approved the $2.48 million budget and nearly all 46 warrant articles, including a site plan review ordinance, during the annual town meeting.
Incumbent Shawn Boutilier was elected for a three-year term as selectman, Donna Marshall for a three-year term as director of School Administrative District 17 and Bill Grover to a one-year term as a water district trustee. A three-year term on the water district board went unfilled.
Parallel parking, raised and wider crosswalks, partially raised concrete and curb extensions could be coming to Main Street in Norway by 2030.
About 60 residents and business owners attended a public meeting Tuesday evening in the Forum at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in Paris to hear preliminary details about the plan to make the street safer. The goal of the project is to slow traffic and make the area safer for drivers and pedestrians.

Cars and pedestrians make their way across and down Main Street in downtown Norway. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Oxford’s planning board approved a redevelopment plan to turn the former Woolen Mill into 77-units of affordable senior housing, following a public hearing attended by about 50 residents. The Caleb Group purchased the mill in November 2023 with plans to bring the affordable housing options to the Oxford Hills area. The nonprofit owns and operates 30 similar properties throughout New England, including seven in Maine.
Calling it an offer he could not refuse, Town Manager Jeffrey Wilson was appointed by Gov. Janet Mills to serve as a District Court judge. Wilson had served as Norway’s town manager for just three months.
“It’s bittersweet, but I’m honored,” Wilson said. ” It’s something you can’t pass up in life.”
April
With Congress’ approval of the federal budget in March came the announcement Norway Downtown and The Norway Opera House Corp. has been hoping for the last two years: a $1.79 million grant that will enable the opera house auditorium’s restoration to transition from engineering and planning to execution of the plan.

The Norway Opera House’s restoration is on track to continue later this year, thanks to a $1.78 million HUD grant. Nicole Carter / Advertiser Democrat
Monday brought a sunny, blue-sky day, the perfect welcome for hoards of travelers from across the country and beyond who filled Maine roads north and eastward to view the total solar eclipse. The favored path curved from Jackman to Presque Isle, but with a projected 98% totality, the viewing around Oxford Hills was not too shabby.
Fifteen months after a school transportation dispute spiraled into a nightmare for a Paris mother, her name has been cleared. A Class C felony terrorizing charge against Aranka Matolcsy was dropped by the Oxford County district attorney’s office, the case closed for good.
“This was a mother who was tired and understandably upset,” Matolcsy’s defense lawyer Nicholas Worden said. “I think clearer heads prevailed … I’m very happy the district attorney acted appropriately.”
Eight months after being appointed as Norway’s police chief, Jeffrey Campbell was named interim town manager for the town. A member of the Norway Police Department since 2010, Campbell rose through the ranks to investigator before replacing Chief Robert Federico in August 2023.
May
West Paris residents have been following a boil water order that began April 18. As of April 29, there was no clear answer to test results allegedly performed on Wednesday, April 24. A West Paris Maine Rural Water District employee was referring customers to the Maine Drinking Water Program. An employee there referred customers to West Paris Water Technician Wayne Kennedy, who said he was not authorized to comment. He said to call the trustees at the West Paris Maine Rural Water District.
Once upon a time, the dispatching of police, fire and rescue happened at the Oxford County Jail. Terri Littlehale, 64, of Newry, began her 27-year career there as a dispatcher in 1996. She ended it May 2, as a shift supervisor at the state-of-the-art Oxford County Regional Communications Center, next door to the jail.

Dispatcher Terri Littlehale takes a call minutes before she hangs up the phone for the last time. A.M. Sheehan/Advertiser Democrat
The Norway-based Center for an Ecology-Based Economy has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations to begin awarding negotiations for $2.9 million through the Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas program.
With locally owned cooperatives, residents in western Maine will see reduced energy costs from community systems producing their power.
Maine School Administrative School District 17’s proposed $51.6 million budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year and a separate request to fund its capital improvement account with $2 million from the local share was validated Monday during a public hearing held at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School’s Forum.
The budget as validated represents a 7.5% increase from the current year. But adding in the extra capital reserve funding brings the total projected spending next year to $53.6 million, which means the total budget will increase by 11.7%.
Oxford Hills school district directors got their first review of air quality tests conducted at Agnes Gray Elementary School in West Paris. Results showed some level of mold contamination in every area of the school, which is expected given the dilapidated condition of the school’s roof and a December 2022 flood that damaged the gymnasium and surrounding area, but only six of 23 samples taken indicated unsatisfactory levels.
June
Maine School Administrative District 17 directors unanimously voted to hire Elizabeth King as the district’s new director of special education. King replaces outgoing special ed director Jan Neureuther, effective July 1.
King has served in the same role at Regional School Unit 23 in Old Orchard Beach for the last six years. Before that she worked at OOB High School as its IEP coordinator and as a middle school special ed teacher.
The Norway Select Board approved the Norway Wastewater Department’s budget and an increase in base rates during its regular meeting Thursday.
“Everything seems to be going up, as we all know. Power, insurance, labor, chemicals, seems to be going up,” wastewater department superintendent Shawn Brown said.
Director for Oxford County’s Emergency Management Agency, Allyson Hill, has been recognized by her peers with not one but two awards during the Annual Emergency Preparedness Conference in Augusta last month.

Allyson Hill, director of Oxford County’s Emergency Management Agency, was honored last month with service awards from the Maine Association of Emergency Managers and the Oxford County Emergency Management Agency during Maine’s annual Emergency Preparedness Conference in Augusta. Submitted photo
One is from the Maine Association of Emergency Managers. The plaque reads “in recognition for putting service ahead of self in the field of emergency management in Maine, for bringing new ideas, strategies and approaches to her position, and for creating positive impacts for her community.”
The second award is for Outstanding Emergency Manager of the Year, from the Oxford County Emergency Management Agency.
Oxford Plains Speedway owner Mike Mayberry addressed concerns of selectmen and other town officials Thursday night about crowd size and public safety for the new Celebration of America 300 race July 2-3 at the track on Route 26.
The 300-lap race includes NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, NASCAR Cup Series driver Daniel Hemric and previous Oxford 250 winner Bubba Pollard, among others.
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