JAY — Government officials, business owners and residents reacted with surprise, concern and resolve to Thursday’s announcement that the local paper mill is curbing production and laying off about 300 workers. The number represents about a third of the workforce, which was 860 in October 2014. Mill Manager Everett O’Neill called Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere […]
Franklin
News and information about Franklin County from the Sun Journal.
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, Franklin, Lewiston-Auburn, Oxford Hills, River Valley
Finny discovers blackberries
Finny has found a new love — half-ripened blackberries! Who knew geese liked berries? I knew, from trying to feed my favorite feathered friends citrus and apple peelings and other fruity things, that they didn’t like anything sweet. That is, until Finny tried an almost-ripe blackberry. His big, orange beak carefully took the berry from […]
advertisement
Posted inFranklin
Wilton plant upgrade needs $4.16 million more
WILTON — The Board of Selectpersons on Tuesday held off awarding a contract for construction at the Wilton Wastewater Treatment Plant because $4.16 million is still needed. Bids were opened Aug. 7 and the lowest was $9.55 million from Penta Corp. of Moultonborough, N.H., William Olver of Olver Associates of Winterport, told the board. The […]
Posted inFranklin
Franklin County schools to use emergency alert system
FARMINGTON — A $14,000 Homeland Security grant will pay for the first year of an emergency alert system to be implemented in Franklin County schools. The Punch Alert System will allow school staff who have the application installed on computers, tablets, mobile phones and other mobile devices to press a button to alert law enforcement, […]
Posted inFranklin
Judge sets $25,000 cash bail for Wilton arson suspect
FARMINGTON —Judge Susan Oram set bail Wednesday at $25,000 cash for D’Kota Rowe, one of three men charged with burning homes in Carthage and Wilton in June. Rowe, 20, is charged with four felony counts of arson involving an unoccupied home on Sewall Street in Wilton being burned June 27, followed nearly an hour later […]
Posted inFranklin, Livermore Falls Advertiser
Livermore Fire station plan moves forward
LIVERMORE FALLS — The Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 Tuesday night to have a site plan review and a preliminary design done for a fire station. Up to $20,000 for the work will come from the Fire Department budget. The vote followed a special town meeting where voters narrowly rejected spending up to $750,000 to build […]
Posted inFranklin, Livermore Falls Advertiser
Pre-schoolers participate in early-learning technology research at UMF
FARMINGTON — Preschool children gathered around a multi-table Tuesday to hunt for animals as part of a research project on how the new technology supports early learning and teaching. Children at the Sweatt-Winter Child Care Center at the University of Maine at Farmington are using the Engage-2 multi-touch table developed by Kaplan Early Learning Company, […]
Posted inFranklin
New Sharon town clerk resigns, another appointed to fill term
NEW SHARON — The Board of Selectmen appointed Pamela Griswold as town clerk/tax collector because she was the only candidate with experience, Chairwoman Lorna Nichols said. The former deputy clerk and tax collector will serve until town elections in March, Nichols said. Griswold succeeds Susan Anneley. “Anneley accepted a similar position which offered an increase […]
Posted inFranklin, Livermore Falls Advertiser
Wilton apartment building was target in arson case
FARMINGTON — Gene and Andrea Casey of Mexico thanked investigators Tuesday for working together to solve a case of arson that destroyed their summer and future retirement home in Carthage in June. Andrea Casey said she couldn’t believe it had been solved so fast. Three men are in state custody charged with this crime and […]
Posted inFranklin
Franklin County to get two new police cruisers
FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted Monday to accept two new police cruiser bids from Quirk Ford in Augusta for $42,721, after factoring a trade-in value of $20,300. Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. said they received bids from two dealerships. Commissioners opened them at the meeting. The cruisers to be traded in are a 2010 pickup […]