9 my kind of town In York, we start them young By JENNIFER L. SAUNDERS For the Independent Giving...thanks! My cupboards are barebut at this time of year, that is actually a good thing. You see, my 12-year-old daughter and her class- mates at York Middle School are very busy right now because, in addition to all those projects and homework assignments, they are gathering nonperishable food items to bring into school to help those in need dur- ing this holiday season. So, when I walked into the kitchen to find Katie filling a large, two-handled shop- ping bag with most of the soups, pastas and other savories I had purchased in recent weeks, all I could do was smile. We start them young, here in York, because this tradition of giving began way back when she was a wee one at Bertha Rocrays Jack and Jill Nursery School and has continued through her years at Village and Coastal Ridge. I have a dear friend who carries on the tradition with her own children, selling raffle tickets and gathering monetary and culinary donations for the York Food Pan- try. And she volunteers there, too, making a difference, one bag of groceries at a time. There are other ways of giving here in our community as well. This weekend, while packing our car full of clothing, books and housewares to donate, one of my neighbors came strolling up the road with her foster puppy, saved from a kill shelter in the South. We chatted for a while, because my family is now caring for our Emma, also known as foster puppy six, two other dear friends are fostering their second sweet dogs in need. Now, if only my cats would let me foster a few more of those... With the Thanksgiving holiday so close at hand, I am thankful for such small things as the willingness of people to give, whether to each other, to animals in need or to organizations that help the community. With so much hurt, sadness and need in headlines day in and day out, such simple gifts can define a community. Giving...joy! In this season of Thanksgiving, we are lucky to be a part of a community that will be gearing up to give something back to each of us, through festivals of lights, gingerbread and trees to celebrate the holidays. It is hard to believe that November is more than half over, and our Festival of Lights will be here during the first week- end of December with performance, tasty treats, craft fairs and, of course, the peren- nial favorite, the Festival of Lights Parade along York Street. And it is not too early to be planning your festive tree for the Fifth Annual Festi- val of Fostering Trees or your gingerbread creation for the York Public Librarys Sixth Annual Festival of Gingerbread Houses. The York Public Library has announces that Gingerbread Festival entries must arrive on Thursday, Dec. 2, between noon and 5 p.m., and will remain on display from Saturday, Dec. 4, through Friday, Dec. 17. You dont have to be a chef or baker to participatethough many culinary experts doas anyone and, and many do, take part, from children to seniors, from families to community organizations to businesses, as long as theyre residents of York. And any and all types of architectural structuresrealistic, historic or imagina- tiveare eligible for inclusion, with the simpler requirements that the finished piece must be attached to a base no larger than 14 by 17 inches, and all components, except that base, must be edibleincluding the glue that holds it all together. Library volunteers note, In the spirit of the holidays, all entries will be accepted; however, please note that entries con- structed with non-edible materials will be disqualified from prizes. If youre going for one of those prizes, entry categories include Families with Children; Individual Youth; Community Organizations for Children; Community Organizations for Adults; Inspired by a Book, and Businesses, and each category will be awarded a special recognition, chosen by a team of volunteer judges from York Hospital. As part of the Festival of Lights Celebra- tion going on all around the library on Sat- urday, Dec. 4, winners will be announced at the library at 11 a.m., while visitors to the library will have the opportunity to vote for a Peoples Choice award during the time the exhibit is open, with that winner to be announced on Friday, Dec. 17. All the details on this and other library events are available by calling 363-2818 and www. york.lib.me.us. Several gingerbread houses will be raffled off to benefit the York Community Food Pantry, and local business Bragdon Realty has again pledged to match the amount raised by ticket sales, while R.A. Peterson Associates, York Hospital and other donors have signed on to offer match- ing funds based on tickets sold, with $1 for every $5 in sales. The Festival of Fostering Trees gives you your chance to decorate your own artificial tree in any theme of your choos- ing for a wonderful cause, and then we all get the chance to tour the winter wonder- land that the American Legion Function Hall becomes when it is filled with trees in every imaginable style during Festival of Lights weekend. For more on how to donate a tree for this event, or for all the details on being a part of the fun to help children in foster care and support the York Food Pantry, contact local resident Janalee Moquin at janaleemoquin8yahoo.co or 423-4281. In the spirit of the season, lets celebrate all we have to be thankful for by taking part in these and the other special events that will highlight the weeks ahead. Tis almost the season, after all, so lets all go out and enjoy our local festivities while helping all these wonderful causes. Happy Thanksgiving, neighbors, friends and fellow York residents! JEFF RAPSIS PHOTO York School District No. 5 was served by this former one-room school house, which stands at the corner of Cider Hill Road (Route 91) and Birch Hill Road, and which more recently has served as a garage. Starting in 1911 or so, W.L. Grant was the teacher at Agamenticus for about 20 years, Wallis recalls. One long-time resident with whom shes spoken, Avis Briley, has some not-so-fond memories of Mr. Grant, Wallis says. She used to say that Mr. Grant would fall asleep after lunch every day, and then hed wake up and throw things at the stu- dents, Wallis says. She didnt like him at all. You can imagine what must have went on in these schools. On the market again Memories like that may live on in some York residents, but they grow fewer and fewer as the years pass. The building in which they were created, however, endures. For Wallis, who moved next door about 25 years ago, the structure is as much a part of the landscape as any boulder or tree. But in recent years, the simple necessity of business threatens the aging school- house as much as any heavy sleet storm ever has. In 2009, property owner Michael Gene- wicz decided to sell the land, which meant tearing down the dilapidated structure. To do that, he got town officials to rescind the buildings status as a historical structure not a controversial matter considering the state of the structure. when Wallis learned of the plans, she went into high gear to see what could be done. That prompted the now two-year effort to rally support for keeping the building from being demolished. Wallis says Genewicz, who did not return calls for comment for this story, has been very cooperative with the group, even to the point of shoring up the struc- ture so that it doesnt collapse while its fate is decided. I understand he has an investment in it, and hes tried to work with us, Wallis says. The effort to save the school, however, has turned into a prolonged and compli- cated battle to put the $200,000 question before voters. The town government itself cannot take on the building, in part because its uninsurable in its current state. And the petition for a warrant article to put to vot- ers, possibly at town meeting next May, has recently run afoul of legal issues such as home rule and budget authority that seem more complicated than any algebra problem ever tackled in the school itself. Its a long story and difficult to fol- low, observes Town Manager Rob Yan- dow, who has run interference between school supporters and selectmen and others involved in the effort. Its difficult to get a two-minute version. In the meantime, after a period of inactivity, Genewicz is again actively marketing the property through Bragdon Real Estate in York. The .21 acre parcel is being offered at $79,000; realtor Jean Scott said buyers have been viewing the property, which is being sold as land only, without the old school, which would have to be torn down or removed prior to a sale. The lot, located at 301 Old Mountain Road, is only 9,120 square feet, but is large enough to be used for a residence, Scott said. One alternative is to take the school apart and store it somewhere until plans are more firm. But with the status of the warrant article in doubt, and the property now on the market, no one is sure if the school can survive, even if we have a mild winter. But supporters, whove collected more than 1,200 signatures of residents, arent giving up. I feel like some respect should be paid to this old schoolhouse thats been sitting here for 50 years, and bless its heart, is still standing, Wallis says. Were still working on it, but there have been a lot of obstacles. But we have a great deal of heart, and we havent given up yet. Rolde believes that in the final analysis, what happens to a structure such as the Old Agamenticus Schoolhouse says a lot about a community. This is probably not the most impor- tant building in the state of Maine, he says. But its just like anything else. Whenever you bulldoze a historic monu- ment, you lose a little bit of yourself. Cyan Magenta Yellow Black 9 9 November 19 - December 2, 2010 The York Independent
1 York The Independent The hometown voice of the greater York region FREE Nov. 19 Dec. 2, 2009 Volume 11 Issue 23 April 10 - - April 23, 2010 Volume 13 Issue 7 Cyan Magenta Yellow Black dont miss this editions Local Flavors centerfold! PAGES 12-13 Free www.yorkindependent.net York Teachers Associa
2 Publishers Note COMMUNITY BRIEFS Still teaching after all these years By JEFF RAPSIS The York Independent My family owns a piece of land in backwoods New Hampshire on which sits a dilapidated one-room hunting cabin built by my grandfather during the Great Depression. Its interior walls and floorin
3 yorkme.org. More information about the market and which vendors will be attending on each date will be available soon at www. gatewayfarmersmarket.co Festival of Fostering Trees to be held again this year Yorks 5 th Annual Festival of Fostering Trees will take place from Friday, Dec. 3 to Sunday,
4 4 FRED CHELLIS Q&A THE CHAIRMAKER By Taryn Plumb The York Independent Hes certainly not the La-Z-Boy type. Unless were talking 18th century La-Z-Boys: Fred Chellis of Berwick is an old-fashioned chairmaker. Delicately, laboriously, the former mechanical engineer handcrafts Windsor chairs with a to
5 ally thousands of years old. The Wind- sor chair, its believedalthough theres nothing concrete to verify itoriginated somewhere around Windsor, England, hence the name. But theres no actual written history. The American Windsor is a variation of the English Windsor, and re- ally took off after the
6 Cover Story 6 Cyan Magenta Yellow Black Does the Old Agamenticus School still have anything to teach us? By JEFF RAPSIS The York Independent Whenever York gets some weather, Pamela Wallis wonders. Just across the road from her home, the Old Agamen- ticus school building stands among overgrown tree
7 A heartfelt story I was walking along York Beach when I started having chest pains. I remember think- ing, Im a firefighter. Im in shape. I cant be having a heart attack. I was planning to work the next morning. My son had a differ- ent idea, so I checked into York Hospital and met with Dr. Petrov
8 Continued from page 6 Agamenticus Village began fading a century ago, as logging waned and rural farming life became less attractive com- pared to opportunities in larger cities, or even closer to the coast right in York. The village became a backwater that didnt even get electricity or paved road
9 my kind of town In York, we start them young By JENNIFER L. SAUNDERS For the Independent Giving...thanks! My cupboards are barebut at this time of year, that is actually a good thing. You see, my 12-year-old daughter and her class- mates at York Middle School are very busy right now because, in ad
10 Visual Arts Listings Send us your listings! Got a gallery exhibit coming up? Send the info to yorkindependent gmail.com. Listings run on a space available basis Holidays Past: Sixth An- nual Festival of Trees, Friday, Nov. 26, 5 p.m. through Friday, Dec. 31, at The Dyer Library/ Saco Museum, 371
11 Eat here A weekly column about local food By SARAH GRANT The York Independent Where to pick up pies: If you just cant face making your own pies, or you are simply exhausted from reading the two articles on Thanksgiving pie making in this York Independent, here are a few establishments that will b
12 Join us for Dinner on Friday Nights! D ine n a D ime Every Friday Night Opening at 5PM Featuring fresh homemade desserts, baked goods. soups and fresh salads! L ocal FOOD Comfort Food Done Right! All Entrees Only $10 B.Y.O.B! Due to limited seating call ahead for reservations. The Rowan Tree is
13 Cannot be combined with any other offer. Coupon has no cash value. Must be presented at time of purchase. F lavor s Enjoy your Thanksgiving Dinner served at the Hayloft from 11 am to 7 pm. Reservations recommended but walk-ins also welcomed! 065681 Breakfast Lunch Sandwich Sandwich 50 Off $1 Off
14 Continued from page 13 paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. To combine in a food processor Place flour and salt in a food processor; process to combine. Cut butter into table- spoon sized or smaller pieces. Add butter, and pulse three or four times until mixture resembles coarse meal
15 FOOD A pair of apple pies Two holiday baking projects that bear fruit By SARAH GRANT The York Independent It has been said repeatedly that there is nothing more American than apple pie. This is especially true at Thanksgiving when cold stored apples are still seasonal, local and abundant. And who
16 Listings Send us your listings! List your event in the York Independent for free! Listings are run on a space available basis. Send complete information about your event, including exactly when and where it takes place, any admission charges, and anything else necessary for readers to take action
17 smoking, if you are a Maine resident, is to call the free Maine Tobacco Helpline at 1-800-207-1230. The program offers confidential phone support; you wont need to leave the house! In addition to coaching, the Helpline offers free nicotine replace- ment therapy (the patch or gum) to make quitting
18 CAR TALK BY TOM AND RAY MAGLIOZZI Theres such a thing as taking frugality too far to save a few bucks, Naomi. But at some point, the obsession with saving money can override normal human behavior. RAY: And Im afraid your husband is pushing right up against that line. Whats next? Is he going to in
19 FILM REVIEWS hurdles in the forward-momentum category. This is the last book but this isnt The End so we know we wont be getting the big final fireworks. Some people could die, and do, and plot points are met that will help push us on to the end, but theres also the feeling of much waiting. Yes,
20 THE PET CONNECTION Looking for a home On Saturday, Nov. 20 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., The Senior Canines from the Animal Welfare Society will be kicking up their paws as they showcase that age is only a state of mind when they visit Pet Quarters in Scarborough for National Adopt a Senior Pet Month.
21 NEWS OF RECORD OBITUARIES Kathleen Faye Carpenter Carpenter, Kathleen Katie Faye, 91, of 3 Huntington Common Drive, Ken- nebunk and a long time resident of York, died Friday, November 12, 2010. She was born July 4, 1919 in Lincoln, a daughter of the late Lloyd L. and Har- riet Mae (Smith) Ludden.
$8.00 per 15 words. Payment is due when ad is placed. We accept cash, check and all major credit cards. ADVERTISING DEADLINE Monday by 5:00 p.m. prior to publication date. KEY ROOFING: Gut leaks,repair special- ist. Slate, shingles, rub- ber. Stay Dry! 30 years experience. Call NOW! 603-661-9480. Cl
23 DEMOCRATS SAY THANK YOU The Seacoast Democrats and York Democratic Town Committee wish to thank our donors for their generosity and our volunteers for their hard work and many hours on the phone and at the door talking to voters about the candidates and the issues they care about. Thank you to vo
24 Realty One Office: 439 US Route One York, ME 03909 84 School St (intersection of RT 1) Ogunquit, ME 03907 Each offi ce independently owned & operated & 207.363.2497 Toll Free: 800.272.4366 207.646.4546 Happy Thanksgiving KITTERY Remember to support your local food pantry in this and every season
