Patti Brochu elected president of MTCCA
October 27, 2006
By Greta Sproul
Old Town city clerk Patty Brochu has been elected president of the Maine
Town and City Clerk’s Association. Brochu is the first association member
north of Skowhegan to hold the position in the last 25 years. The last
"northerner" to act as association president was Brewer city clerk Archie
Verrow. ...more
Governor Baldacci announces signing of mill agreement
October 12, 2006
By Greta Sproul
Governor John Baldacci visited Old Town last week to announce the signing of the
purchase and sale agreement with Georgia-Pacific for the company’s Old Town mill
site. The signing of the agreement took place on Thursday morning at the Public
Safety Building on Brunswick Street.
“The future of the mill site is in good hands,” the Governor said. “I want to
thank Georgia-Pacific for all they have done to get to this point. Tamarack
Energy, Hallowell International, LLC.Red Shield Energy and Lamtec Inc. all have
put forward plans for the future that will benefit the community and the state.
We are witnessing a very exciting time for the city of Old Town. “
...more
NAACP and students rally against hate crimes
October 12,
2006
By Greta Sproul
Close to 100
people turned out for an anti-hate rally on the UMaine campus last Wednesday.
The focus of the rally was the racist attack on Trenton resident Sarah Norris
last month. Norris, who is a 21-year-old African-American woman, was pulling
into a parking spot outside the Tideway Market in Trenton when Robert Dow, 59,
of Franklin attacked her. Dow reportedly shouted racial slurs at Norris before
throwing a beer can at her and then kicking her in the stomach. Norris was seven
months pregnant at the time, and following the attack, began having
contractions. She was able to drive herself to the hospital where the
contractions finally subsided and she was allowed to go home. Earlier this
month, Norris gave birth to a healthy baby girl whom she named Jasmine. Her
attacker was arrested at the time of the incident and will go on trial later
this year. ...more
City council
discusses draft landfill ordinance, overnight parking fees
October 5, 2006
By Greta
Sproul
A draft landfill ordinance and a
proposed hike in downtown parking fees were the main topics at a regular meeting
of the Old Town city council Monday night. Discussion regarding the draft
landfill ordinance centered on a request from the Juniper Ridge Landfill
Advisory Committee that the Council proceed with a new zoning ordinance
regarding expansion of the landfill. Casella recently began construction on a
section of the landfill identified as “cell 3-B’, which is expected to be
completed sometime in November. The portion of the landfill currently in use has
almost reached its capacity, although spokesmen for Casella say that there
should be more than enough room for additional deposits through the rest of the
year. ...more
Landfill
construction like a “piece of cake”
October 5, 2006
By Greta Sproul
Officials
at the Juniper Ridge Landfill announced last month that they are in the process
of expanding the site off Route 16 in Alton. In order to make space for
additional deposits to the landfill, Casella Waste Systems, Inc has begun
construction on a 6-acre section of land designated as “cell 3-B.” The
construction process is beginning just as the available space in the 4-acre
section of the landfill known as “cell 3-A” is nearing its capacity to hold more
waste deposits. Construction of the new cell won’t be completed and operational
until the first of next year, but Casella spokesman Don Meagher says that cell
3-A still has enough space to hold additional deposits of waste until then.
...more
Gov.
Baldacci announces redevelopment plans for G-P mill
September 28, 2006
After months of uncertainty
regarding the future of the G-P mill in Old Town, Governor Baldacci has
announced that the facility will be turned into a state of the art “energy
facility” with at least four or five different manufacturers employing 1000-plus
workers. The governor made the announcement at a press conference held at the
Old Town Public Library early Monday morning.
“You don’t need a cup
of coffee to get excited this morning,” he said. “This transformation will bring
the mill into the twenty-first century. One door has closed, but another one has
opened.” ...more
New Water
Man Comes Clean On "The Silent Service"
September 28, 2006
By Greta Sproul
If bread is the
staff of life, as ancient sages once proclaimed, then water can surely be called
nature's lifeblood. For Old Town's new water district
superintendent Frank Kearney Sr, water is not only one of nature's most basic
elements, but something worth getting passionate about.
"It's what we put in our mouths," he says. "I'm passionate about
water and about my job as a whole. I want people to know what we do here. And
it's not just me. It's the eight other people who work for the Water District. "
...more
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