The Town Line Community Newspaper

The Town Line Community Newspaper The Town Line is a reader supported, non-profit newspaper covering 20+ towns across central Maine.

The Town Line is a non-profit, community newspaper located in South China, Me covering towns across Central Maine between Waterville and Augusta.

Dear readers and supporters of The Town Line:At The Town Line, we aren’t just reporting news—we’re telling the stories t...
09/06/2026

Dear readers and supporters of The Town Line:

At The Town Line, we aren’t just reporting news—we’re telling the stories that shape our community. Written by locals, for locals, our paper reflects the heart and soul of central Maine. We exist because of you, our readers and local businesses, and we believe that when our community thrives, so does The Town Line.

But times are tough for local newspapers. In fact, since 2005, one-quarter of U.S. newspapers have shut down. Local papers like The Town Line—dedicated to covering the unique issues in our rural towns—are feeling this strain the hardest.

Despite these challenges, we remain committed to unbiased, grassroots reporting, keeping the voices and stories of central Maine alive. But we need your help to continue this vital work. While big tech companies have made it harder for small publications like ours to survive, we know that with community support, we can continue to tell the stories that matter most to you.

Here’s how you can make a difference:

• Become a member. For just $95 a year, you’ll get exclusive mailings and updates. Plus, your membership helps ensure that we can continue serving our community year after year.
• Support local advertising. Encourage local businesses to advertise with us. When they do, their dollars stay local, supporting both their business and The Town Line. Don’t forget to mention you saw their ad in our paper—it helps prove their investment is making an impact.
• Spread the word on social media & the web. Visit our website at townline.org. Like, share, and follow us at Facebook.com/townline.org. Help us reach more people in central Maine by amplifying our stories.
• Make a donation. Every dollar, no matter the size, helps us continue providing high-quality local journalism. As a nonprofit, your contributions are tax-deductible.

These are challenging times, but together, we can ensure that The Town Line continues to thrive as the voice of central Maine. With your support, we’ll keep connecting our rural towns, fostering community dialogue, and shining a light on the stories that matter.

Join us in our mission to preserve local journalism and build a stronger future for our community. Become a member today, and let’s keep central Maine’s stories alive.

Thank you for being a part of our journey!

Warmly,

The Town Line Board of Directors:
Joann Austin, president; Eric Austin, secretary; Emily Cates, treasurer; Neil Farrington, Dan L’Heureux, Jeanne Marquis and Gillian Lalime.

Donate securely online here or mail your check to:

The Town Line newspaper
PO Box 89
South China, ME 04358

PHOTO: The Town Line Board of Directors, from left to right, Joann Austin, president, Dan L’Heureux, Neil Farrington, Eric Austin, and Emily Cates, treasurer (absent from photo: Gillian Lalime).

Webber’s Pond is a comic drawn by an anonymous central Maine resident.
09/05/2026

Webber’s Pond is a comic drawn by an anonymous central Maine resident.

Lawrence Hall of Fame omissionIn the article in the August 13 issue, of The Town Line, about the Lawrence High School Ha...
09/05/2026

Lawrence Hall of Fame omission

In the article in the August 13 issue, of The Town Line, about the Lawrence High School Hall of Fame, a name was inadvertently omitted:

Danielle Batey, Lawrence High School Class of ‘93, is among this year’s 2026 Lawrence High School Hall of Fame inductees. She will be recognized for her contribution to the Lady Bulldogs basketball program at the awards banquet at the O’Brien Event Center, in Waterville, on September 27.

Local fire department receives grantFour volunteer fire departments in Maine were among 150 nationwide recipients of a $...
09/04/2026

Local fire department receives grant

Four volunteer fire departments in Maine were among 150 nationwide recipients of a $10,000 grant through the State Farm® Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program. The program, in collaboration with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), helps local fire departments purchase needed equipment to enhance responder safety and better protect their communities.

Eighty-two percent of U.S. fire departments are comprised entirely or mostly of volunteer firefighters. Many of these departments operate on limited budgets that leave them struggling to fund equipment that enables them to more effectively and safely do their jobs. Recognizing this need, State Farm and the NVFC teamed up to provide $1.5 million to local fire departments in 2026. Since the program began in 2024, a total of $4 million has been distributed to support volunteer fire departments with their equipment needs.

One of the departments in Maine to receive a grant this year is the Norridgewock Fire Department.

PHOTO: Lt Josh Corson (cq), left, and Firefighter Andrew Dexter of the Norridgewock Fire Department. (Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel)

AARP NEWS YOU CAN USE: Fall political scene is upon usby Joyce Bucciantini Whether we like it or not, the fall political...
09/04/2026

AARP NEWS YOU CAN USE: Fall political scene is upon us

by Joyce Bucciantini

Whether we like it or not, the fall political season is upon us. There will be more political ads than we can count between now and Election Day, Tuesday, November 3. Maine voters take their voting responsibility seriously, giving Maine the distinction of having one of the highest voting participation rates in our country. We truly live up to our state’s motto, “Dirigo,” or “I lead.”

However difficult it might be to choose whom to vote for, the first step toward casting your vote begins by registering to vote. Maine voters must be: a United States citizen, an established resident in the town where they intend to vote, and at least 18 years old. People registering for the first time in Maine must provide identity documents that show they have established a voting residence in Maine

The Maine League of Women Voters website, (https:// www.lwvme. org/VoteInMaine), and the Maine Secretary of State website, (https://www.maine.g ov/sos/elections), explain where and how to register to vote in Maine. Both websites list acceptable documents, such as a Maine driver’s license or birth certificate, which can be used for proof of identification for voter registration. Other acceptable forms of ID and information about voting for college students are included on the Secretary of State website.

Maine residents can register to vote in person, by mail or online. You can register in person at your town office any time right up to Election Day. Voters can also register online using the Maine Secretary of State website voter registration form(https://registertovote.sos.maine.gov/). Residents can pick up printed registration forms at their town office or nearest Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) office to register by mail. Online and mail registration forms need to be completed at least three weeks before Election Day in order to give town clerks time to process the applications.

Many Mainers are already registered to vote. However, name or address changes will necessitate an update to your voter registration. This is easily done at a Maine BMV office, online, or in person at your town office.

Maine leads the nation with our high voter turnout, but that doesn’t happen just by accident. Taking the time to register to vote or update your voter registration before Election Day enables all eligible voters to cast their votes and make their voices heard.

As always, check out the AARP website for an AARP event near you. I also urge you to visit www.aarp.org/votesME, our voter engagement hub, where you’ll find helpful information about our priority issues as well as upcoming events such as our educational workshops with the Secretary of State’s Office in September and October.

Joyce Bucciantini is a retired middle school educator. She currently coordinates Delta Kappa Gamma’s Read to Me program, is a tutor with Literacy Volunteers-Androscoggin, and is an active AARP Maine volunteer. She enjoys her gardens, being outdoors and traveling.

Scenes from woodsmen’s field day competition at the 138th Windsor Fair | PhotosCrosscut saws, springboard chops and flyi...
09/04/2026

Scenes from woodsmen’s field day competition at the 138th Windsor Fair | Photos

Crosscut saws, springboard chops and flying axes: photographer Gary Mazoki was at the woodsmen’s field day competition at the 138th Windsor Fair… Photos by Gary Mazoki

China assessors lower tax rate to 10.85 milAt a very brief special meeting on Aug. 27, China select board members, in th...
09/03/2026

China assessors lower tax rate to 10.85 mil

At a very brief special meeting on Aug. 27, China select board members, in their capacity as assessors, revised the 2026-27 tax rate down to 10.85 mils ($10.85 for each $1,000 of valuation).

Their original rate, set Aug. 24, was 11.1 mils. The 2025-26 rate was 11.7.

The 2026-27 property taxes will be based on an across-the-board 12 percent valuation increase, so taxes will be higher despite the lower rate. Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood calculated that if there have been no changes to a property that would affect its value, the tax increase for 2026-27 should be a little under four percent.

The manager said the assessors changed the tax rate because the previous rate had been based on incorrect information.

By vote at the June 9 town business meeting, the first half payment of 2026-27 taxes is due at the town office by the close of business Tuesday, Sept. 29.

EVENTS: Garage sale to benefit Searsmont fire victimsKen Quirion has continued to show tremendous generosity to the Town...
09/03/2026

EVENTS: Garage sale to benefit Searsmont fire victims

Ken Quirion has continued to show tremendous generosity to the Town of Searsmont following the tragic Robbins Mill fire. After donating a 2018 Honda Accord for a benefit raffle, Quirion is now opening his Winslow property for a huge three-bay garage sale over Labor Day weekend.

The sale will be held Friday, September 4, and Saturday, September 5, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 242 Morrill Road, in Winslow. Proceeds will benefit the Searsmont Fire and Rescue departments.

The three bays will be packed with merchandise, including tools, toolboxes, unopened appliances and cookware, medical supplies, coolers, Lane cedar hope chests, artwork and much more.

Community members are encouraged to stop by, find a bargain and support Searsmont’s fire and rescue services.

EVENTS: Opening reception for artist Loughridge Sept. 4 at Whitefield LibrarySouth Bristol artist Sally Loughridge will ...
09/03/2026

EVENTS: Opening reception for artist Loughridge Sept. 4 at Whitefield Library

South Bristol artist Sally Loughridge will have a reception and art show called “Intersect – Land, Sea, and Sky” at the Whitefield Library on Friday, September 4, at 6 p.m.

A year-round resident of South Bristol, Loughridge loves to paint Maine’s rugged, organic beauty, especially along the coast. The intersections of the natural elements – sky, water, and land – inspire her to portray emotional responses to change, whether sudden or seasonal. Rich contrasts in hue, relative light or darkness, and texture bring a brush or pastel stick to her hand almost daily.

Painting inspires, energizes, and fulfills her. Loughridge says “it is humbling and deeply satisfying. I hope to stir the viewer’s memory, feeling, curiosity, and commitment to respecting the natural world.” She said that in this age of technology and screens, she knows that art can help children and adults weather the stress of daily life, especially amid our deep national and world chaos.

Art has also provided a restorative process for her. She has confronted serious health issues in the last 15 years; cancer, stroke, and a devastating automobile accident. She wrote and illustrated two books as a result of these experiences: Rad Art: A Journey Through Radiation Treatment and Daniel and His Starry Night Blanket: A Story of Illness and Sibling Love.

A Cornell University graduate with a Ph.D., Loughridge has studied art with various well-known artists and has shown her work at many juried shows along the Midcoast. When she is not painting, she enjoys visiting with friends, reading, cooking, and walking.

A selection of Loughridge’s paintings will be available for sale at the library with a percentage of sales benefiting the library. The Whitefield Library is located at 1 Arlington Lane, Whitefield, and can be found online at whitefieldlibrary.org or by following us on Facebook and Instagram. This event is free, but donations are welcome and help support future programming. For more information, email us at: [email protected].

The online edition of The Town Line newspaper for Thursday, September 3, is now available on our website!Web edition is ...
09/02/2026

The online edition of The Town Line newspaper for Thursday, September 3, is now available on our website!

Web edition is available at: https://townline.org/issue-for-september-3-2026/

Print edition can be found at your favorite local business: https://townline.org/distribution-drops/

We are Reader Supported. Want to become a member? Only $25/year! The need for local reporting hasn’t lessened, and your support makes a big impact! Any amount helps. Mail subscriptions are also available for a yearly $95 donation, delivered to your door by first class mail. Best of all, since we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, your donation is completely tax deductible!

If you would like to donate by check, please mail your donation to: The Town Line Newspaper, PO Box 89, South China, ME 04358.

Or make your donation via credit card or PayPal at this secure link: https://donorbox.org/donate-townline/

Address

575 Lakeview Drive
China, ME
04358

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 3pm
Tuesday 9am - 3pm
Wednesday 9am - 3pm

Telephone

(207) 445-2234

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