Category Archives: News

|Jim Keithly, Reporter, WMTW|
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Dramatic video shows a man coming to the rescue of another man trapped in a truck after it rolled over in a crash.

The crash happened on Route 231 in New Gloucester on Wednesday. The road was still messy after Tuesday’s snowstorm. Keep reading

| Joanne Cole, NGX |

Pineland Farms’ possible interest in solar energy development was evident at the Land Management Planning Committee’s November 26 meeting, as was concern about solar projects’ impact on New Gloucester’s landscape.  Paul Pietropaoli, general counsel and vice president of Libra Foundation, whose holding company owns Pineland, had several comments and questions about LMPC’s draft solar energy system ordinance.  He was particularly concerned about its requirement of a decommissioning plan and financial guarantee to ensure that large solar arrays be removed at the end of their useful life. 

Also commenting on the draft ordinance was New Gloucester resident Terry DeWan, whose landscape architecture and planning firm has extensive experience with large-scale energy projects and how to site them appropriately.  DeWan urged LMPC to be more specific about where projects should and perhaps should not go, and to “dovetail” its work with that of the Comprehensive Plan Update Committee, which is identifying areas of particular natural and scenic importance in the town. 

|Jane Vaughn, Lakes Region Weekly|
NEW GLOUCESTER — The Fire/Rescue Department’s loss of seven members in recent months has nothing to do with the department “being torn apart by leadership,” Chief Toby Martin says, and instead is due to a trend of decreasing membership as a result of fewer people entering the profession and low pay.

But former Capt. Scott Doyle said Martin’s and former Town Manager Carrie Castonguay’s leadership are why he’s no longer with the department. He said he was dismissed in October “for not having dedication to the town and the department.” He had worked for the town’s Fire/Rescue for more than 23 years. Keep reading

Paul First will work three days a week until a permanent replacement is found for Carrie Castonguay, who resigned.

| by Jane Vaughan, Lakes Region Weekly |

NEW GLOUCESTER — The Selectboard has appointed former Town Manager Paul First to serve on an interim basis while the town continues its search for a permanent manager.

First worked for New Gloucester from 2009 until 2017. He worked as town planner for five years and as town manager for three.

“It’s wonderful to be back. It’s a great team of employees,” he said. Keep reading

|Amy Whitmore, Morrison Center Director of Development|

Morrison Center Opportunity Farm on Gloucester Hill Road is making great strides towards its vision of providing services to some of the most vulnerable children in the State of Maine. The agency has launched a $14M Capital Campaign to build out about 30 acres of the property to provide residential, educational and therapy services to children from all over the state. The vision can be seen in this short video that provides the architectural rendering and narrative of the campus.

Once built, the campus will be sustainable from both a financial and environmental perspective.

The town office is open today til 4 PM. The library is closed.
Stay warm and safe!

|Anne Maurice|
On November 13, Scott Hastings, Town Planner, began the CPUC monthly meeting by welcoming Jess Maurer, Executive Director of the Maine Council on Aging (MCOA).  Jess was invited to address the Committee about the ongoing research and actions regarding healthy aging in Maine. Committee members were very engaged and had a lively conversation after the presentation.

Jess referred to the report she provided which was written by the ‘Maine Council on Aging Task Force on Healthy Aging in Communities (Phase 1, 10/16/2019).  The report was the work of a multi-stakeholder task force of municipal officials and others with support from the Maine Municipal Association.  Maurer focused her remarks on what municipalities should be paying attention to and what to do at the local level.  A copy of the report can be found at the end of this article.

| from “The Wrap” – Meredith Goad, Press Herald |

Erik Desjarlais, former chef/owner of Portland restaurants Bandol, Ladle, and Evangeline, left restaurant work a few years ago to start making knife rolls and aprons for chefs. His business, Weft and Warp in Freeport, did well, but he eventually sold the store, and later his knife roll business, too. He still makes the occasional apron, under the business name Fitswell, but only by request, and when he has the time. “I don’t want to let it go completely because I know people still rely on it,” he said. But running his own business “got to be a little overwhelming, honestly. It’s the ownership part I got tired of.”

Then Desjarlais got a job offer he couldn’t refuse. A business he loves, and that is within walking distance of his home – the New Gloucester Village Store at 405 Intervale Road – offered him a full-time position as baker. “It’s always been my favorite place,” he said. “It’s wonderful. And they were hiring a baker, so I said, ‘why not?’” Keep reading in the Press Herald

In his late November newsletter, Senator Claxton writes about visiting students at Poland Community School, honoring Veterans and getting out and about to learn from businesses how the legislature can help them prosper.

Arden Kirkpatrick and Bonnie Kirkpatrick were transported to Maine Medical Center in Portland with non-life threatening injuries.

| Jon Bolduc, Sun Journal |

NEW GLOUCESTER — A two-car crash on Route 100 sent two people to the hospital Monday afternoon and caused traffic to back up for more than a mile, according to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.

Patrol Sgt. Patrick Ferriter said a Ford Ranger driven by Karen Spano hit a 2012 Toyota Prius driven by Arden Kirkpatrick, who had just pulled onto Route 100 from Morse Road. Keep reading in the Sun Journal