Western Maine Neighborhood News, February 12, 2026
Happy Valentine’s week! In this issue, the Locke’s Mills, Newry, and Woodstock columns are free to all readers. Upgrade to a paid subscription to read this week’s Andover, Bethel, East Bethel, and Gilead columns.
Locke’s Mills News
Amy Wight Chapman
The Greenwood Budget Committee, Board of Selectmen, and Town Manager Kim Sparks met on Tuesday to complete their work on the proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins on July 1, 2026. Like everything else, municipal costs have continued to rise, an inescapable fact that will be reflected in an increase in the budget. We are fortunate, however, that mindful management over the years has meant that the town has been able to build up a healthy surplus that exceeds the amount our auditors recommend keeping in reserve. This year, voters will be asked to take $150,000 from that surplus to reduce the impact on our tax bills. Please mark your calendars for Saturday, May 16, at 9 a.m. and plan to attend the annual Town Meeting at the Legion Hall on the Gore Road.
I’ve attended the first two Sunday afternoon live readings of The Age of Homespun, by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, and I’m really enjoying the opportunity to slow down, sit down, and work on a knitting project for a couple of hours while learning something new.
Ulrich’s book is organized around detailed descriptions of 14 domestic items from pre-industrial America and how the objects, which range from a spinning wheel to an unfinished stocking, fit into the culture and history of the ordinary people who made or used them.
Last Sunday, we heard about Molly Ockett and her life and times from the chapter that describes a pocketbook created more than 200 years ago from fabric she wove and decorated with dyed moose hairs. It was given to her friend Eli Twitchell of Bethel (who, incidentally, was the brother of my fourth great-grandfather, Eleazer Twitchell, making Eli—I think—my fourth great-grand-uncle) and it is now in the collection of the Maine Historical Society.
The reading and discussion, led by Jessica Jolly, continues each Sunday in February, from 3-5 p.m. in the Reading Room of the Robinson House at MBHS. Please join us! Bring along a handcraft to work on, or just come and listen.
Some other upcoming events to chase away the late-winter doldrums:
Saturday, February 21, from 2-3:30 p.m. at the Mason House of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society: “Ghosts of Centennials Past.” MBHS Executive Director Will Chapman will present a program on how the American Centennial of 1876 and Bicentennial of 1976 were celebrated in the Bethel area. (Having been in on some of the planning of his program, I can guarantee that it’s going to be both engaging and fun.) This program is just one of many events taking place in 2026 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence. Click here to visit the website 250bethel.org to learn more and see the full list of events, exhibits, and book discussions.
Wednesdays, February 25, March 4, and March 11, from noon to 1 p.m. at West Parish Congregational Church: Lenten Lunches. This simple meal of soup and bread is an opportunity for people of different faiths to gather and reflect together on the journey to Easter. The meal is free. Each church is invited to bring the food for the three lenten lunches.
Thursday, March 5, from 4-5:30 p.m. at the West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel: “Caring for Your Heart,” a free wellness program sponsored by To Your Health and presented by Dr. Daniel van Buren, a resident of Bethel and a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.
Each month, the Bethel Area Age-Friendly Community Initiative (AFCI) creates a calendar of community-wide events and activities that older people can attend to stay healthy. All are social activities that are mostly free and address emotional, mental, physical, and sometimes spiritual needs. Here’s February’s.
I made a late-afternoon solo trek up to Buck’s Ledge, and Eli the Wonder Pup and I enjoyed a couple more hikes in the McCoy-Chapman Forest this past week. On Saturday afternoon we hiked the Chapman Brook/Sam’s Trail loop in the still-falling snow, and had the place to ourselves after meeting one cross-country skier with his dog, also a Golden, near the start of our hike. Then on Monday we set off to hike to the scenic overlook on the McCoy-Gray Birch Trail. Most of the trail was pretty firmly packed, but we turned around about three-quarters of the way up, as soon as we got beyond the better-traveled sections, when my boots threatened to poke holes in the trail. As I’m sure you’ll agree if you’ve ever been on a snowy trail that someone hiked in bare boots when they should have used snowshoes, there’s a special place in hell reserved for “post-holers.”
While Eli was hiking with me on Saturday, Will and Rosemary were hiking the Flume Gorge in Lincoln, N.H. I’ve only been there once myself, and even though I was a sulky teenager at the time, it has always had a special significance for me. My mom took me there one summer, because she and my dad had hiked it on their honeymoon, in early April of 1942, and she wanted me to see it. I’ve always planned to go back again, and someday I will.
My mom was almost a Valentine’s Day baby, having been born on February 13, 1920. The 13th fell on a Friday that year; she always said that the 13th was her lucky day, especially when her birthday happened to fall on a Friday. This year, in her honor, I’ll donate blood on her birthday at the Red Cross Blood Drive, which is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel. As of Wednesday evening, there were still a few appointment spots left, in case you’d like to join me!
This online newsletter is intended to keep our communities informed, so if you have news, events, or photos you’d like to have included here, I hope you’ll share them with me! You can reach me by email at amy.w.chapman@gmail.com or by phone or text at 207-890-4812.
“Winter is not a season, it’s an occupation.” – Sinclair Lewis
Newry News
Amy Henley
I’m still waiting for temperatures to get above the freezing mark but it looks like it could happen fairly soon. The blue sky and sunshine have given me hope that spring is headed our way.
I did make it out to snowshoe one afternoon during the week and one morning on the weekend. It sure was beautiful but my glasses getting foggy did make it challenging at times. At one point I just stopped and stood there closing my eyes taking in all the sounds of nature and the birds singing. Sometimes you just have to stop and enjoy the little things.
Filled cupcakes is still on the list of things to bake but it didn’t make the cut this week.
After searching the freezer three times I struggled to locate the pumpkin I had spent hours processing and putting up. I sure would love to have a walk-in freezer so I could organize things a bit better. Turns out a few packages of carrots had covered up my pumpkin but it was located and a pie was made.
Chocolate chip cookies are a big hit in this house, so I whipped up some of those as well as some cranberry orange muffins. Corn chowder with biscuits was a weekend lunch. I do enjoy winter as I can have the oven going and it warms the house up nicely.
Basketball at Crescent Park is coming to an end and it has been great. Kudos to Ms. Gould and Ms. Deiulio for coaching the 4th and 5th grade as they had lots of kids who participated. Also, thank you to the volunteers who helped referee the game, both middle and high school kids. It was fun to watch and I’m sure some of these kids are just beginning their basketball career and we’ll be watching them right up through high school.
The Newry Planning Board is still looking to fill a vacant seat for an alternate; if interested, please contact the Newry Town office or attend a meeting to see if it is something you may like to join. The next meeting is Wednesday, February 18 at 6pm. An agenda can be viewed on the town’s website: newrymaine.org.
Just a reminder that the Town Office will be closed on Monday for Presidents’ Day.
Please send me your news to contribute to my column: newrynews24@gmail.com.
Woodstock News
Linda Stowell
Greetings! Today (Tuesday) has been a rather decent winter’s day, with lots of sun and melting. Of course, it’s the calm before the storm, as we’re getting snow tonight, not sure of the amount. The daylight is lengthening, and it’s less than a month until we spring ahead.
While looking through piles of paper for a particular item (still not found), I came across a paper which had a record of Fanny Hayes talking about my mother. I will mention that my mother attended Gould Academy, and stayed in the dorm, due to the generosity of Mrs. Hayes. Fanny or Frances, was the daughter of President Rutherford B. Hayes, and owned property in Bryant Pond, right on the lake. I believe the connection began with my mother’s parents. Nevertheless, Fanny saw promise in my mother, and sent her off to Gould. After my mother graduated, she went to work for Mrs. Hayes. She was her chauffeur, cook, maid, you name it! Here is what I found:
On July 5, 1934, Fanny Hayes wrote a friend: Life pokes along calmly, and there is not much to tell, Barbara continues to live up to the reputation I have given her, and I don’t believe I could find anyone more satisfactory, if I hunted high and low.
On August 10, 1934, Fanny Hayes wrote that on a trip to Bryant Pond: …there was a furious storm after leaving Detroit which cooled the air and it rained all the way from Montreal to Bryant Pond. Several friends met me, and Parker Allen brought me home. Barbara had the house all set and dinner a-cooking…Barbara is going to take this to the post office right away, or it will not get off on the afternoon train.
I love reading these words about my mother, written so many years ago, And yes, my mother’s name was Barbara. Next Tuesday would be her birthday.
I’ve been watching a steady dose of the Olympics. I so admire the dedication and determination of the athletes. There was a brief pause on the Olympics due to the Super Bowl, which I find no need to discuss.
On Monday, Susan, Dave, and I went to Conway, NH, to surprise brother Michael at Casamigo’s at lunch. He and Penny, their children, Brian and Brenda, and a friend, Lori, met us at the restaurant. Mike was very surprised (thanks to Brenda), and it was a great meal and time to celebrate his birthday, which is the 10th.
I am very happy to report that my son-in-law Tim and my grandson Josh are right now in Japan, on the big ski trip. They left very early Saturday from Portland, on to Newark, and then the 14-hour flight to Tokyo. That’s when they encountered a problem. The weather caused their next flight to be canceled. Rachel had dealt with many of the issues from home, so she got them a flight out, and arranged transport to the ski resort. It was quite a task, but they made it. Of course, they had arrangements made, but due to the cancelled flight, it was like they were back at square 1. But, they had a van waiting for them when they got off their flight. Phew. I think Josh must be having the time of his life, skiing in deep powder, and eating sushi! They have a guide for a couple of days to show them around the ski area (Niseka) and take Josh to the wooded trails in powder. The guide has been great at taking photos and videos, which then get shared to a group photo album on our phones. They return home on the 16th, if the weather allows!
I do have the dates for the Lenten luncheons, which will be on Wednesdays, from noon to 1:00 this year. The dates are February 25, March 4, and March 11. This simple meal of soup and bread is an opportunity for people of different faiths to gather and reflect together on the journey to Easter. The meal is free. Each church is invited to bring the food for the three Lenten luncheons.
The West Parish Congregational church is sponsoring an American Red Cross blood drive on Friday, Feb. 13, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. There is a critical shortage of blood right now. Your pint of blood or platelets can save someone’s life.
Send me any news or events: lstowell@roadrunner.com
Andover News
Diana Nadeau
It was very exciting to see Bethel’s own Frank Del Duca in the opening ceremonies of the 2026 Winter Olympics carrying the American flag. He also had a little time in the spotlight being interviewed by Snoop Dog! I’m hoping to tune in and watch him compete.
I was really hoping to see my New England Patriots bring home a Super Bowl win on Sunday, but alas it wasn’t meant to be. At least my snacks were good!
