Road Race Nets $400 For Parks Fund

(Lamoine) - The road race in memory of Bill Pinkham of Lamoine raised $400 for the town's parks fund. Pinkham's daughter, Connie Wallace, turned over the donation to the town office shortly after the first running of the Flattop 5K on April 1st.

Over 250 runners from all over the nation turned out for the first of what's hoped to become an annual event. Lamoine resident Robin Emery worked with Wallace, the Lamoine Parks Commission and Tom Kirby to pull off the race.

Student & Teacher

Joey Luchini finishes 3rd, just ahead of his former Ellsworth High cross country coach Andy Beardsley in the 1st annual Flattop 5K

Selectmen Thank Volunteers, Staff

(Lamoine) - A lot of people go into making a small town like Lamoine operate well. Invitations went out to all volunteer board members, firefighters, school volunteers and town and school staff to a get together at the school in May. Several dozen showed up to receive a sincere thank-you for their service to the town. Selectman chair Jo Cooper and School Committee chair Faith Perkins addressed the group, recognizing the many employees and boards who keep the town functioning.

Blueberry Hill Dairy Bar donated a tub of ice cream and toppings for thank-you sundaes.

Jina's Gym Fund Passes $120,000 Mark

(Lamoine) - More than a year has passed since 14-year old Jina Haslam was struck and killed on Lamoine Beach Road while sitting on her bicycle. Her parents, grandparents and large extended family and friends in Lamoine set out on a mission to raise money to build a new school gym in her memory. The tireless effort is reaping huge benefits. Yard sales, bottle drives, a steel drum band concert, dances, and good will donations have raised over $120,000 as of mid-June.

On June 20th, over 150-people gathered at Lamoine State Park to walk to Lamoine Beach and back in memory of Jina. Her mom, Patti, says the support has been fantastic and participating in the various fundraising events is similar to participating in activities she would have shared with her daughter.

Up next are a yard sale at the Lamoine School put on by the staff on July 22nd. Donations are being accepted—contact Betty Anderson at the school (667-8578)

One Year Later

Patti & Bob Haslam are interviewed by a Bangor TV Station at the walk commemorating the anniversary of the death of their daughter Jina.

Courtesy of Ellsworth American

Parks Commission Seeks Donations

(Lamoine) -Coming in July, Lamoine property owners can expect a letter from the Parks Commission. The letter thanks people for support at the annual town meeting and encourages donations for future projects at the three town parks, Lamoine Beach, Bloomfield Park (Blunt's Pond), and Marlboro Beach. Donations will be collected at the town hall and placed into the Parks Fund.

Lamoine Students “Get Wet”

By Robert Pulver

(Lamoine) — Students from Lamoine Consolidated School and Ellsworth High School have became research assistants for the George Mitchell Center for Environment and Watershed Research at the University of Maine, Orono. Mitchell Center researchers, John Peckenham and Teresa Thornton, are studying ground water in the communities of Lamoine, Ellsworth, and Hancock.

The opportunity to be part of a University research team has provided the students with important insights as to how scientific techniques are used in a research study. The long term nature of the project will enable some Lamoine students to take an active part in future projects at both the elementary and high school levels. Support for this project has been provided by a grant from Healthy Acadia, a Healthy Maine Partnership and volunteers from the Lamoine Conservation Commission. The grant enabled our school to purchase a microscope, a screen for calculators, and a GPS device.

Students from both schools and their Mitchell Center colleagues presented a report at on May 17 at the Lamoine Consolidated School to the Lamoine Conservation Commission and to the Lamoine School Committee.

Parks Commission Looks At Boat Ramp

(Lamoine) - The launching ramp at Lamoine Beach Park is relatively useless in its present state. Sand Covers the cement pieces and corrosion over the years has cause the cement to fall apart and expose rebar steel, presenting a potential hazard to vehicles trying to launch a boat.

The Lamoine Parks Commission got permission from the Selectmen to start to study the ramp and what possibilities exist for funding a repair, replacement or removal. Several grant programs exist that might help with such a project. The town asked the Maine Department of Transportation for engineering assistance several years ago so that an alternative launch site to the State Park could be re-established. The DOT opted to not fund that request.

Parks Commission members are welcome to input from anyone willing to help out with the boat ramp study project. Anyone interested can contact the Town Office or chairman Christa Brey. Once the parks commission develops a plan of action for the ramp it will be presented to the Selectmen and possibly to Town Meeting for further action and/or funding.

New Roads Named

(Lamoine) — Lobster Lane is the newest road in Lamoine, even though it's existed for quite some time. The road leads from Seal Point Road to the Seal Point Lobster Pound and the two residences that have been built in the past decade. Selectmen originally named the road Lobster Pound Road, but the name was objected to by one of the residents, so Selectmen rescinded that vote and removed the word “Pound” from the name.

Also named were the three roads that make up the Pine Grove Estates subdivision. Paradise Drive (see picture, page 2) is the main entrance to the subdivision. Two spurs are named Jessie Way and Simon Way.

Rhododendron Moved

(Lamoine) - Selectmen said it was kind of Junior Tracy to ask if he could move the rhododendron from the former Anderson property instead of just going ahead and digging it up. The Board approved of the move to Tracy's property on Shore Road. The flowering plant had been in back of the Anderson home. While approving the move, the Board of Selectmen also agreed that no other items would be sold or given away without first offering it to the general public in proposal form first.

Illegal Dump Removed

(Lamoine) - A landowner on Gully Brook Road reported that someone had dumped a refrigerator and couch alongside the road. In what's become an increasing problem in many communities, the back road dumping was apparently to avoid paying for disposal at an approved facility. The town contracted Rusty Boynton to clean up the mess properly.

Town Land Boundary Revived

(Lamoine) - Selectmen have asked town attorney Tony Beardsley to look into clearing up ownership issues of two pieces of land presently on the tax records in the town's name. One Shore Road lot was donated many years back by Allen Hodgkins, the other was an unknown lot across from the landfill/gravel pit. Initial work started in the 1990's but was set on the back burner. Selectmen hope to possibly reach a line agreement with abutting owners.