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Sam Wheeler is a Staff Writer for the Bethel Citizen. He has worked there since June of 2018 and has spent his entire life in Greenwood. He covers a wide array of topics including town government, human interest, business and sports. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Maine at Orono in May of 2018. In his spare time he loves going on spontaneous adventures, taking photos, hiking and cheering on his New England sports teams. He also enjoys riding snowmobiles, refinishing old wood products and body surfing in the ocean. A fun fact about Sam is that he recently traveled to Ghana, Africa, to help conduct Malaria tests in the city of Koforidua.

Latest
  • Published
    March 4, 2021

    COVID closes Butcher Burger

    BETHEL — Last Thursday, Butcher Burger Restaurant announced on its Facebook account that it will be closed until further notice following a positive case of coronavirus. “Employees will be receiving tests and we will be following all guidelines for cleaning and getting Butcher Burger safe to re-open,” it said in the Facebook post.

  • Published
    March 4, 2021

    New trail section already drawing hikers

    WOODSTOCK — A new section of trail was recently added to the Bucks and Lapham Ledge Trail network thanks to the work of Woodstock resident Jurgen Marks, who designed and built the new, 1.5 mile backcountry “JnJ” trail, with his wife, Janice. The new section will connect Bucks Ledge to Moody Mountain before coming back […]

  • Published
    March 4, 2021

    Selectmen hear about mural project

    BETHEL — Bethel residents Wade Kavanaugh and Cathy Lane briefed town officials Monday, about an upcoming Bethel Mural Project at the Gem Theater. The Bethel Mural Project and Bethel Area Arts and Music have jointly raised near $30,000 to commission Maine mural artist Ryan Adams to make a community-based mural at the Gem Theater. The […]

  • Published
    February 25, 2021

    West Paris town meeting March 6

    WEST PARIS — On Saturday, March 6, at 10 a.m. the West Paris annual town meeting will take place at the town fire station at 25 Kingsbury Street. Incumbent Selectman Mike Grass will not be seeking re-election for a three-year term and as of now there is no one else running for the soon to […]

  • Published
    February 25, 2021

    A winter without sports

    Not having winter sports has been difficult for some Telstar athletes, especially for seniors, who have largely missed out on their final year of high school athletics, but Telstar Principal Mark Kenney said there is hope for spring athletics.

  • Published
    February 25, 2021

    Selectmen eye food ordinance, future ice rink

    BETHEL — Last week, selectmen approved putting a proposed Food Sovereignty Ordinance on the town meeting warrant. The ordinance will be voted on in June at the annual town meeting. Bethel resident Alyssa Howe brought the proposed ordinance to the town and briefly highlighted some of its details. The purpose of the ordinance is to: […]

  • Published
    February 18, 2021

    State funding down for district

    REGION — At a February 8 board meeting, Superintendent Dave Murphy informed members that the school is expected to lose roughly 40 percent of its entire state funding. Murphy learned this when the district received its preliminary ED279s, which is information provided by the state that gives SAD 44 an overview of what it can […]

  • Published
    February 18, 2021

    Rural police departments confront pandemic challenges

    REGION — In recent years recruitment and retention for police departments in Maine and across the U.S. has become more and more of a challenge. In Franklin and Oxford counties, local forces have fared a little better than more urban communities. But the pandemic has stalled high school and college law enforcement education, as well […]

  • Published
    February 18, 2021

    Greenwood agrees to invest in broadband

    GREENWOOD — Town officials agreed Feb. 16, on allocating $2,500 toward improving the town’s broadband internet service. The initial work will include contracted broadband mapping and a cost analysis of the work that will need to be done. Multiple members of the Mahoosuc Area Broadband Committee spoke at Tuesday’s board meeting regarding internet service in […]

  • Published
    February 11, 2021

    SAD 44 nomination papers available

    REGION — Candidate nomination papers are now available for the MSAD 44 School Board, with eight members up for re-election this year. One three-year term seat is open in Woodstock, two Bethel three-year term seats, two Greenwood three- and two-year term seats and three Newry three-, two- and one-year term seats. Papers are available at […]