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The former Mexico police station building on Recreation Drive will house Mountain Valley Middle School sixth grade students who switched to online learning Oct. 15.
The town’s highway department staff consists of Road Commissioner Per Tripp and crew member Jeff Cannell who both began working for the town in November.
After loading vehicles at the DDF office on Rt. 2, Houghton said they started at the Rumford Public Library with the Rumford Elementary School gifts, then headed to Meroby and unloaded countless bags.
Turner said that for the Christmas season, the 454 River Road business will take 10 percent off any Strong Spa. Strong is the only brand spa Coulthard's is currently selling.
Town Manager George O’Keefe recommends ending the Jan. 8, 1915, agreement between the Rumford Falls Village Corp. and the Rumford and Mexico Water Districts.
The RSU 10 board of directors received the draft lease Monday afternoon from the town of Mexico for the district’s use of the former Mexico police station on Recreation Drive for its sixth grade students.
On Oct. 8, the Mountain Valley Middle School, which housed 366 students in grades 5 to 8, abruptly closed its doors when an air quality test conducted by an industrial hygienist deemed the school is no longer a safe and healthy place to work and learn.
Theriault, a former county sheriff and Mexico police chief, was hired Aug. 19 by the town for a year as chief administrator of records, evidence and inventory, shortly after the police department suspended operations due to a shortage of officers.
The library reopened after an extended closure for the removal of asbestos and renovations this fall, and the party will celebrate its grand reopening.
In addition to free admission, the first 50 fans who donate to the Toy Drive at each game will receive a special ugly sweater MV t-shirt made this year by Hot Colors Screen Printing out of Norway.
2024 American Honey Princess Lainey Bell told fourth-grade students at Meroby Elementary School and Rumford Elementary School that her job “is to travel around the entire country and talk to people about honey and about honeybees.”
Jerry Cohen, chair of the Library Board of Trustees, said Thursday they've moved all new shelves to create wider aisles to make it easier for wheelchair access anywhere in the building.
The Carthage woman loves preparing all kinds of food. She attributes much of her success and happiness to being sober from alcohol, which she and her husband, Steve, became on Jan. 1, 2023.
Rumford had maintained a tax rate of $22.18 per $1000 of assessed value for the past two years, but O'Keefe noted that that was based on old assessed values.
Dirigo Elementary School in Peru held its annual Veterans Day breakfast and assembly to honor veteran family members and friends of students and staff.
The majority of those remaining funds, estimated around $48,000, will be spent to replace an obsolete electronic sign by the library that was donated to the town.
Meroby has been joined in the outdoor learning program by Rumford Elementary School as both schools now have the same principal in Jodi Ellis.It was a busy Oct. 11 afternoon as Meroby fourth graders visited the apiary while RES fourth graders were at the outdoor learning program.
It will be located at the corner of Hancock Street and Rumford Avenue, the site of a massive fire where three apartment buildings were destroyed on Feb. 9, 2020.
Located just off 58 Highland Terrace where the new K-8 school is being constructed, the public is invited to see the MV Beekeepers at the apiary on the first Saturday of every month beginning around noon.
Steve McGinty, a vice-president of the Regional School Unit 10 Western Foothills Education Association, said that fixing the problem of dangerous student behavior should continue to be a group effort and that the district must prioritize it, “and make sure there's no harm being done to students or staff.”
If the eight-acre project on Roxbury Road is approved by the planning board during their meeting on Monday, construction will likely begin sometime next year, Planning Board Chairman Sidney Pew said.
The plan for the seventh and eighth grade Mountain Valley Middle School students to return to in-person learning includes using space at Mountain Valley High School in Rumford.
Maine Bureau of Highway Safety sponsored a free two-hour event at the 290 Highland Terrace, where parents and caregivers learned how to properly install their child's car seat and have their seat checked by certified child passenger safety technicians.
Thee seven images are postcards depict the future, inspired by local kids' responses to questions such as -- If you lent a hand, if you had your way, what would Rumford's future gain? If you wore a hat that said 'civic leader, what might Rumford's future feature?
Ricky Davis, who was elected to the Select Board in June 2023, resigned his position in September as he moved to Rumford. An ordinance in Dixfield says select board members must all reside in Dixfield.
At a previous meeting on May 14th, Andy Hamilton of Eaton Peabody, senior legal counsel for the water district, said RWD is proposing to withdraw and sell up to 75 million gallons per year of spring water to Blue Triton Brands, Inc., dba Poland Spring Bottling Company.
"This is certainly a good day for our community and the town of Rumford. For the last hundred years, our fire station has been located on the Island of Congress Street. As of this moment, we are officially opening the new fire station here in Rumford."
Corey Perreault, child passenger safety instructor, said, We find that about 80% of car seats are misused on a regular basis. In some cases, that misuse could be harmful to the child should there be an accident."
Rob Walker, the town’s Med-Care Ambulance representative, said that the 2025 budget includes a $3 subsidy increase per capita, which means that the town will pay $48,375 in 2025, up from $45,000 for its share this year.
The former Mexico Police Department building on Recreation Drive and the basement of the Apostolic Church in Mexico will have air quality testing and architectural studies done in the possibility of having Mountain Valley Middle School classrooms in the buildings.
Roger Arsenault, chairman of the Black Mountain of Maine board of directors, said the opportunity for a longer season would add to the bottom line and 'change our financial picture. We'll be more stable.'
He also noted that the public works one-ton truck should be here by mid-November. "I called down to Viking and their equipping that Western Star that we bought to replace the '09. Should be up and ready by Dec. 1."
The Walk to Remember aims to support parents who have lost babies through still birth, miscarriage and infant death. The event coincides with October being National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.
Summer Outdoor Learning program leader Kate O’Connor said Dirigo High School students learned how to control their emotions and be more confident in their choices.
Rumford Pumpkin Fest organizer Kris Howes said, "After this festival, I will withdraw all of my community involvement for this town until (Select board members Theresa Sax and Frank DiConzo) are both gone.”
The event included two live owls which are native to Maine: our smallest owl species, a Northern saw-whet named Caribou and a great horned owl, the largest owl species in Maine, named Archie.
Fire Chief Scott Dennett is proposing an addition to the Dixfield Fire Company station at 38 Main St. to provide an emergency operations center during natural disasters and warming and cooling space.
The changes mean that the district will have an assistant building, grounds and transportation director and a transportation specialist, thereby eliminating a coordinator position in the Buckfield and Rumford areas.
The Healthy Meals Incentive Grant has provided the nutrition staff at Mountain Valley High School and Buckfield Junior-Senior High School with multiple resources.
Canton resident Jody Larrivee complained that the Canton Water District and its Superintendent Shawn Goodrow displayed an “unwillingness to be transparent and forthcoming with ratepayers,” among other complaints, he said during the Select Board meeting on Tuesday.
With $3,000 grant money from a Whole Kids Garden Grant, four Andover Elementary School staff members and community volunteers are creating a garden project and mini homestead at the school to teach their 22 prekindergarten through fifth grade students gardening and homesteading skills.
In a letter to the RSU 10 board of directors, Sumner selectmen requested that the annual budget meeting venue rotate locations to accommodate more voters.
The two women are Community Health Outreach workers for Strengthen ME Storm Response, a free and anonymous program to help people suffering the aftereffects of the December 2023 flood.
The package was x-rayed and revealed wires, tools, a stapler and components that could carry the possibility of an explosive device within, said Rumford Fire Chief Chris Reed.
“Ladder 47 will fill a multi-role service from being used on firefighter scenes for the aerial ladder rescue operations, venting and fire suppression as well as for vehicle accidents,” Fire Chief Jim Adler said.
Residents had plenty of questions for Mexico officials, who described hiring difficulties and staff stress as leading causes for 'idling' the police department.
Voters will decide on four articles relating to: storm clean up funds, recreation park work, a property maintenance ordinance and a food sovereignty ordinance.
The Select Board approved spending up to $85,000 to purchase a 2024 Ford F550 for the town’s Highway Department during their meeting in the Town Office meeting room on Wednesday.
Sewer District Superintendent Roland Arsenault said the grant will "ensure that the district is able to help protect the Androscoggin River’s water quality and environment."
Cohen plans to present her latest thriller at the American Legion in Rumford on Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. and at Back Cove Books in Portland on Aug. 22 at 7 p.m., where she’ll also have her books for sale.
Ripping out all the carpets at Mountain Valley Middle School in Mexico due to asbestos and mold issues is one project adding to the district’s 2024-25 unexpected budget needs.
Rumford police have been publicizing the final results of criminal cases on Facebook, causing some to question why so many cases are dropped in court system.
The library’s summer reading program for children had its fourth presentation about animals and nature last week. The library's next presentation on July 31 is about making soap.
The RSU 56 SRO position is funded through a bipartisan Stronger Connections Grant for $250,000 and covers three years of salary/benefits of the SRO in RSU 56, said Superintendent Pam Doyen in an email response to the Rumford Falls Times.
As a Maine native, Thompson is glad to be back and she's “really looking forward to hearing from the staff and community and seeing what they need for support.”
Firefighters Jacob Cunningham, Troy Swett and Hunter Bradbury received this year's George Downs Memorial Firefighter of the Year Award due to actions shown during the devastating December floods.
Twenty-eight Dirigo Elementary School students read books over four weeks to win new bikes during their school assembly on Monday. The bikes were donated by the Masons of King Hiram Lodge 57 of Mexico.
The Harold Alfond Foundation is investing $8.2 million in additional money into the original $1 million grant obtained by the Maine Math and Science Alliance in 2021, allowing the district to extend the computer science program an additional five years.
"Sacrifice is not evenly distributed. It's a burden that some carry in a much deeper way than others do. But it is something that is given for all of us." — George O'Keefe Jr.
Class of 2024 senior Logan Timberlake and Class Advisor Jillian Bryant told the RSU 56 board of directors that project graduation events in Auburn and Portland will follow the class’s graduation ceremony at the high school.
Regional School Unit 56 board director Don Whittemore said he objects to the proposed 2024-25 budget because of administrators’ high salary increases. He was the only board director to vote against the budget proposal approved by the board on April 23.
Elizabeth Ledesma received the award during a ceremony on May 9 at the state capitol, where she and 15 other Maine teachers received the 2024 award for their counties.
Hartford resident Dave Bowen said there were “seven other property owners that own the other half of Pine Shores (Hartford ATV trail area) that you should ask (permission for trail use).”
The Regional School Unit 56 board of directors hired Kaelyne Thompson as Dirigo High School principal and Sara Thurston as athletics and activities director for the district, both to begin their positions July 1.
To achieve a 5% increase from this year’s budget of $13.56 million, a reduction of $64,437, the district might cut middle and high school Nordic skiing, middle school clubs such as Speech and Debate, Technology Club, winter cheering teams, discontinue online streaming of board directors’ meetings, and cut an athletic director assistant position, among other cuts.
Michelle Williams is presented with the Mexico Spirit of America tribute by her son, Select Board chair TJ Williams during the April 2 meeting of the Select Board.
Mexico Fire Chief Mat Theriault said he was hoping not to take from the fire reserve account because they have two fire apparatus that are 22 and 19 years old, with one needing to be replaced soon.
Rumford Fire Department Deputy Chief Sam Cote, Lt. Corey Mills, firefighter Justin Tibbetts, Deputy Chief Mike Arsenault and firefighter Dan Carrier responded.
During a traffic stop Tuesday night, a Rumford police drug-detection K9 was used to conduct an open-air sniff of the vehicle for the presence of illegal drugs.
Included in the long list of cuts throughout the district are the golf and math teams at Mountain Valley High School, and the alpine/Nordic ski team at Mountain Valley Middle School, among others.
More than 100 people participated in a 1-mile march through several streets Saturday to draw attention to the challenges of those suffering from substance abuse.
The cost to operate and maintain the district infrastructure has become a costly expenditure to the users of the system, according to Roland Arsenault, superintendent for the Rumford-Mexico Sewer District.
Region 9 School of Applied Technology students and instructors hosted the ice fishing event for about 90 T.W. Kelly Dirigo Middle School students on Friday morning.
The historic Mountain Spring Farm at 473 Andover Road was destroyed in a wind-driven fire late Wednesday afternoon. Rumford Fire Deputy Chief Mike Arsenault was able to save a book written by a slave.
Canton is one of 81 communities in the state eligible for some of the $10 million awarded to the state by the Swift Current grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The deadline to apply for the assistance program is March 15.
The project, which is around $6 million, consists of a new construction, pre-engineered metal building structure at the bay, with a wood-framed structure at the offices and living quarters.
Town Clerk Angela Varnum said that 34 cats were collected from the River Road property. According to new laws of the state’s Animal Welfare Program, the state won’t pay for any of the cleanup needed on the property.
“We’re looking at the week of February vacation (Feb. 19-23) only because we’re really worried about the parking up there, so we really need to not have school in session,” Superintendent Deb Alden said.
After six months without a children’s librarian at the Rumford Public Library, new employee Samantha Conwell is working on a number of ideas she’d like to bring to the position.
In April 2023, the board voted to rescind its March 21 vote to build private bathroom stalls at the high school, citing a lack of support and negative responses from the community.
Currently, there is one solar farm on Edmunds Road in Canton, but there are “at least three other possible (solar farms)” interested in having their businesses in town, Selectman Chair Brian Keene said at a board meeting in December.
Chicoine has been teaching Special Education classes at the middle school “and working on his certification in administration over the last three years,” said RSU 10 Superintendent Deb Alden on Tuesday.
The meeting was postponed because the board was unable to meet to prepare the warrant for the meeting last week because of flooded roads from the Dec. 18 storm.
January 14Asked what the ingredients were to her longevity, Lillian said, 'I start every morning with a prayer, and I do my crosswords and jumble everyday.'