Western Maine Neighborhood News, July 16, 2026
Hi, Neighbors! Welcome to this week’s edition of Western Maine Neighborhood News! This week, be sure to check out information about the Molly Ockett Day Medallion Hunt! In this issue, everyone can read the news from Locke’s Mills, Newry, and Woodstock for free. Upgrade to a paid subscription to read this week’s Andover, Bethel, East Bethel, and Gilead columns. News from the AFCI—the Age-Friendly Community Initiative—is always free to all.
The Medallion Hunt is On!
As many readers will fondly remember, for many years the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce and the Bethel Citizen teamed up to sponsor an annual medallion hunt with the search running for several weeks leading up to Molly Ockett Day.
It’s been several summers now since a medallion hunt competition took place, but this year, the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society has partnered with the Bethel Area Business Association (BABA) to bring the medallion hunt contest back with an extra-special Independence 250 medallion hunt in commemoration of the United States 250th anniversary!
If you’ve been following MBHS or BABA on social media or listening to WOXO, you may have seen or heard the first two clues, but for those who missed it, here they are:
Clue #1:
Everyone loves a good story;
We know one that could hold your attention.
Clue #2:
We’ll begin with the end:
A great separation, made official, at last.
(Six decades later, another—
This one a much less bloody affair!)
Stay tuned for Clue #3, which will be announced on the morning of Monday, July 20, on WOXO radio and posted to the BABA and MBHS Facebook pages on Wednesday, July 22. Happy hunting!
Please review the rules below before setting out, and especially take care to be safe and respect property.
Rules
The Medallion Hunt will help commemorate America’s 250th anniversary and bring back a beloved Bethel tradition. The Bethel Area Business Association and MBHS will be offering a $599.99 cash prize (generously donated by Western Maine Supply & Clean Cut Painting Company) to the person who finds the medallion.
The object of the hunt is to decipher a series of clues and locate the medallion hidden on public land within the town lines of Albany, Andover, Bethel, Gilead, Greenwood, Grafton, Hanover, Mason, Newry, Riley Plantation (Sunday River area), and Woodstock.
The finder of the medallion may claim the cash prize on Molly Ockett Day.
Clues:
· Clues, each different and more revealing, will be published once a week for five weeks leading up to Molly Ockett Day on August 8, 2026.
· The first clue will be revealed at MBHS’s July 4th Celebration.
· All clues will be announced on WOXO radio on Monday mornings, starting July 6th, and then published on the Bethel Area Business Associations & Museums of the Bethel Historical Society Facebook pages on Wednesday mornings at 8:15am, starting on July 8th.
· If the medallion is not found by the fireworks on Molly Ockett Day, the hunt will be terminated.
Treasure Hunt Rules
· Anyone is eligible to join the thrilling hunt for $599.99 except for MBHS staff, trustees, Independence 250 committee members, and their immediate family, as well as Bethel Area Business Association Officers and immediate family members.
· To claim the prize money, you must be 18 years or older or accompanied by a parent/guardian.
· The finder of the Molly Ockett Treasure Hunt medallion must immediately return the medallion to Bethel Area Business Association by calling 207-890-3617.
· The finder will receive the cash prize of $599.99 on Molly Ockett Day August 8th.
· BABA reserves the right to discontinue the hunt if public property is destroyed, or if reports of private property trespassing are discovered.
· The medallion will be in a clear container, and is generally hidden in or attached to something else. The medallion is not buried below ground and as the rules state, searchers do not need to destroy property to find it, this includes digging up the ground.
· Searchers also do not need to risk personal injury to find the medallion.
· All contestants agree that BABA, MBHS and WOXO will have no liability whatsoever and will be held harmless of any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly from acceptance, possession, misuse, or use of the prize or participation in this contest.
· The winner grants permission for Bethel Area Business Association (BABA) and Museums of the Bethel Historical Society (MBHS) to use his or her name and photograph.
AFCI News
Melinda Remington
Hello Folks,
These summer days sure are beautiful! I have been out and about these last couple of weeks and will share my pics of my adventures of being with my friends and neighbors. I hope you will consider sending me some pics and captions of what you have been up to this summer. In the family, I did send happy birthday wishes to my granddaughter Elizabeth’s cat.
Do any of you have a special pet? Amy Chapman joined our Tuesday morning walk at Buck’s Ledge Trail for All with her black Lab puppy, Lena. She was on a leash and very well behaved (Lena, not Amy…just a little joke). Amy was joining some of her family members whom you might recognize in the pics. Ed Rosenberg, a trail enthusiast and historian of the area, frequently regales us with interesting stories of people and nature in the area.
I recently attended one of the Andover Summer Concerts. Normally they are held outdoors at the Gazebo on the Common but this time they held it in the iconic Andover Congregational Church. The church was full and everyone was encouraged to sing along. The Andover folks and visitors were enthusiastic participants, singing easily remembered tunes from the 60s, 70s, and 80s! My friends and I did share delicious fried haddock, clams and scallops at Mills’ Market beforehand and then stopped at Katy’s Cones before heading home. My friends had never been to Andover so it was fun to introduce them to this beautiful and serene setting.
I hope you are enjoying your own garden or the ones dotted around your area towns. I spied volunteers Moriah McDonough and Bob Elliott beautifying Bethel last Sunday afternoon. Moriah watered thirsty plants while Bob picked up rocks that were strewn on the sidewalk. Thank you to all the folks who volunteer to make our world a better place in which to live and thrive.
Please do check out the AFCI July Events Handout that was published here last week. I hope to see you around!
Melinda Remington
AFCI Community Connector
Locke’s Mills News
Amy Wight Chapman
All of the weather sites I follow seemed to agree that western Maine was in for some extreme weather on Tuesday night. Most warned of the possibility of severe thunderstorms, wind gusts up to 75 mph, golf ball-sized hail, and maybe even tornadoes. By early evening, however, the threat seemed to have abated and, oddly enough, it seems that we have the presence of Canadian wildfire smoke to thank for that. Apparently the combination of more clouds than expected and a thick layer of smoke from more than 800 wildfires currently burning across Canada prevented the development of instability in the atmosphere that leads to thunderstorms.
The maps I’ve seen show the smoke that has made its way to Maine as “light,” but it’s been enough to turn the sun red in the late afternoon and evening (when I could actually see the sun through the smoke and clouds). However, the color-coded maps show the smoke in Connecticut, where I grew up and where my brother Andy still lives, as “very heavy,” with unhealthy air quality.
Harry Orcutt and Susan Vacca of Greenwood celebrated their 50th anniversary on the Fourth of July, America’s 250th birthday, which means that they were married on the day of the nation’s Bicentennial. They celebrated in grand style, by riding up Main Street in Bethel in an open Jeep in the Fourth of July parade, dressed in their Revolutionary War costumes.
Tony and I attended the Greenwood Historical Society program, “Greenwood 101,” last week and very much enjoyed Andrew Wheeler’s informative presentation. We also appreciated the air conditioning in the Legion Hall!
With the passing of Beth Brough on July 11, our town has lost the holder of its Boston Post cane, and I have lost a dear friend. All of the words I can think of to describe Beth fall far short of conveying what an absolutely magnificent, loving, generous, and joyous person she was. I can only say that I will miss her so much, and I will always count myself blessed to have known her. Perhaps more than anyone I have ever known, Beth embodied the advice that if you love someone, you should let them know. There will be a service to celebrate her wonderful life at the West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel on Saturday, July 25, at 11 a.m. I love you, Beth.
Here are some upcoming events you may want to attend:
Saturday, July 18, and every Saturday through August 29, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Open House at the Greenwood Historical Society museums on Main Street in Locke’s Mills. Stop by to visit and see the exhibits!
Monday, July 20, at 6:00 p.m. at the West Paris Historical Society, 221 Main Street in West Paris: “The Poland Spring Resort; Its Stories, Guests, and Facilities.” Guest speaker Laura Brown from the Poland Spring Museums will tell stories about the facilities and its guests. Poland Spring Resort has a legendary place in the history of Maine dating back to 1794. A 5,000-acre resort attracted vacationers who were the economic and social elite of the country. The Ricker family purchased the Maine State Building of the 1893 Columbian Exposition, dismantled it, and rebuilt it at Poland Spring. Other features are the golf course, the Chapel, and of course the bottling plant. Light refreshments will be served. Parking available behind the West Paris Library.
Wednesday, August 5, at 7 p.m. at the Locke’s Mills Legion Hall, Greenwood Historical Society program, “How it used to be,” will feature a panel of some of Greenwood’s oldest residents telling stories about “how life used to be in Greenwood.” It will be a great chance for newer residents to learn how life used to be here in our community.
Friday and Saturday, August 7 and 8, on the lawn of the Bethel Library: Annual Used Book Sale. The sale begins at noon on Friday and continues all day on Saturday. This much-anticipated event will take place rain or shine. For more information, call 207-824-2520.
Saturday, August 8, is Molly Ockett Day in Bethel, beginning with the parade at 10:30 a.m., continuing all day with kids’ activities, food, vendors, and entertainment on the Common, and culminating in fireworks at 9 p.m. You can find the full schedule of events on the Bethel Area Business Association Facebook page, as well as the first two weekly clues for the Molly Ockett Day Medallion Hunt.
Here’s a memory from Molly Ockett Day in 2016, when the Greenwood Historical Society booth offered delicious baked goods made with recipes from some of Greenwood’s best cooks—Diddy Johnson’s blueberry cake, Phyllis Coolidge’s raisin cookies, Elsie Bennett’s molasses crinkles, and Gram Nellie Martin’s toffee squares.
Saturday, August 15, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the West Paris Historical Society, 221 Main Street in West Paris: Indoor Yard Sale. Items include books, home decor, dishes, tools, games, and other treasures! Proceeds benefit the West Paris Historical Society. Parking available behind the West Paris Library.
Saturday, August 15, at 6:30 p.m. at the West Paris Library: Amy Wight Chapman (hey, that’s me!) will read from and discuss her family memoir. Published by the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, Just Like Glass is the story of an indomitable family and how a strong matriarch, the stillness of a small pond in western Maine, and one unexpected addition set them on a path to healing from tragedy and redefining themselves as a family unit.
Pupdate: Lena has had a busy week! On Saturday, Tony and I took her for a short hike on the Chapman Brook Trail, where she got to play in the brook a bit as well as hike. She behaved very well on the “out” part of our out-and-back hike, but as soon as we turned around, she was up to her old tricks, jumping on us, grabbing our clothing in her teeth, and refusing to make any forward progress whatsoever.
This has been a persistent problem since she was less than three months old, although, thankfully, it’s happening much less often now and usually only lasts for a couple of minutes. I used to be able to just pick her up and carry her for a short distance, until she got over it, but now that she’s over five months and weighs close to 40 pounds, that’s no longer an option.
Since the behavior only seems to occur when we turn around to retrace our steps, we decided that maybe the solution was to find loop trails to walk with her. On Sunday, we went back to the same trailhead on the North Road, but instead of the Chapman Brook Trail, we walked the Esker Loop, across the road…and it worked! She was pretty much a model puppy for the whole hike; I was so busy marveling that my clothes weren’t being shredded that I forgot to take a single photo.
Monday was playdate with Puck day, and both dogs wore themselves out with an hour of chase games, in and out of the lake. Puck seems to have decided that Lena is big enough now to handle somewhat rougher play, so there was a lot of wrestling involved. Five minutes after Puck left, Lena was sound asleep on the couch.
On Tuesday morning, Lena and I met my sister-in-law Louise and niece Alison at the Buck’s Ledge Community Forest and joined a group who regularly walk the Trail for All on Tuesday mornings, part of the Western Maine Hikes for All Ages program started by Sue Radway. There were eight humans on the walk, and Lena, who needs a lot more socialization than we’ve exposed her to so far (mainly because we’re pretty sure other people won’t take kindly to having their clothes shredded) behaved much better than I would have predicted. Once she had greeted everyone (somewhat boisterously) she was more interested in chasing bugs and sniffing her way along the trail than in jumping on them. Life with Lena is finally beginning to get a little easier!
I picked the first of this year’s wild highbush blueberries at camp on Monday morning, and made a batch of blueberry muffins. My family has been picking berries from those bushes, which grow close to the pond, since 1955!
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.
“You’ll never regret eating blueberries or working up a sweat.” — Jacquelyn Mitchard
Newry News
Amy Henley
School vacation is half over at this point and it really has gone quickly.
The garden continues to do well despite limited rain. We have watered it at night as it is quite dry. The beans are recovering from their haircut by Betty the hen and hopefully we’ll have some. The squash plants have quickly doubled in size and hopefully we’ll have plenty of those as well. My Instant Pot is ready for processing. I’m waiting on cucumbers as my lettuce is ready. It was excellent in my sandwich as well as salads. I’ll have to add this to the seed list again for next year.
I took a break from baking and stopped at Mandy B’s Bakery and picked up some cinnamon buns which were excellent. It is hard to get motivated to bake in the warm weather. I did make some hard boiled eggs and have them pickling as this was a request from the boys. My hens are laying at least a dozen eggs a day right now. We had egg salad sandwiches as well as potato salad which are a perfect summer supper. The Instant Pot makes the peeling process so much easier. If only I had known this years ago. Steaming is the best way to make hard boiled eggs and have them easily peel.
I have been enjoying the pool after blowing up some new chair floats. The temperature has been perfect; even adding water as the level had dropped did not cool it down too much.
A little bit of hay was done on Saturday and Sunday we made the trip to Mercer to pick up our bull River who had been hanging out at a turkey farm. I was disappointed that the bakery was closed but so happy for Blake, the main baker, as she got engaged. We’ll definitely have to make a trip over again to grab some donuts or whatever other goodies she has whipped up.
The Comprehensive Plan Committee met on Monday and great progress is being made. The next chapter is Agriculture and Foresty which are quite limited in this area now compared to what they used to be.
The Planning Board continues to look for an alternate member. If you are interested, please contact the Town Office.
A big thank you to Heather Vail who keeps our planters and hanging baskets at the Town Office looking spectacular. The colors this year are beautiful.
All day Tuesday it looked like rain and I waited for thunderstorms and rain which I never saw. There was some light rumbling in the evening but unless I slept through it, the weather reports were extremely wrong for this area, but that is nothing new. It did however rain Wednesday morning. I was out for a run and it started to sprinkle but the sky didn’t look any different than it did 24 hours before so I kept going. The drops increased and I looked up at the sky laughed and told Mother Nature to “Bring it on!” Well, she did and I was a mile away. I still laughed and picked up my pace heading home. I got wet but wasn’t soaked and it was still a great start to the day.
Send me your news to newrynews24@gmail.com and I’ll add it to my column. Have a great week and stay cool.
Woodstock News
Linda Stowell
Hello! I am home from a wonderful family vacation. On Friday, July 3, 20 of us (16 family plus four extras) set forth on an epic trip. DMC Livery picked us all up and dropped us at the gate for Turkish Air. We flew out after 9 pm, arriving in Istanbul after a long flight. After a brief layover, we then went on to Athens.
A shuttle from the hotel where we would spend that night met us with a sign saying GLINES. We piled in, and finally arrived. We survived the night, and had a lovely breakfast on the top floor, where the Acropolis stood in the distance. A mini-bus took us to the port. When I saw the size of it, and then looked at all of us, plus a good amount of large luggage, I seriously questioned how it was going to happen. Miraculously, it did happen, though it was like being in a clown car! Next move was boarding the Norwegian Pearl.
We made it onto the ship, and then a bit later, to our rooms. I think we all slept pretty well that night.
We left the port of Piraeus, and arrived in Santorini the next day. The weather for the week was quite hot, and it seemed to be the hottest on that first full day. We headed out on an excursion, which involved taking a tender to the pier, and then a larger boat to Santorini. Santorini is the result of a volcanic explosion, and we were sailing in the crater.
It was all uphill, of course. Walking was not easy; uneven ground and sidewalks, slanted steps, and narrow passageways. Add to that the extreme heat, and the pressure of trying to keep up with a group. Needless to say, a cold beverage or two was enjoyed during the trek. I am very happy to say that my “new” knees held up very well!
With so many of us traveling together, we were not all together on outside excursions. Often there were groups of four or five, who chose to do something specific. Those of us who walked around in Santorini were pretty wiped by the time we got back. The heat really does make it tough. We took water with us when we were out and about—an absolute necessity.
Our next day was Olympia (Katakolon). Some of us had no excursion planned, so we took a walk into a shopping area. It was busy, but there was no hurry. There were gelato shops on nearly every corner, so we took advantage of the opportunity to sit down and cool off a bit.
While on the ship, there was a group that made it to many trivia contests, karaoke, and other things happening. There were 80s dances, contests, and game shows.
On to Corfu—after watching The Durrells of Corfu, I was eager to see these views. It did not disappoint.
We went on a tour which stopped at a place where we sampled kumquat liqueur, cookies, and other goodies. They sold a variety of foods made of kumquats, as well as olive oil, and olive oil soap. We continued on to a restaurant (where we had this amazing view) and sampled traditional Greek foods, such as olives, yogurt, cheeses, and bread. It was there that I had the misfortune to lock myself in the WC. The lock was on the handle, and it was unlike any I’d ever seen. When I tried to unlock it, the door wouldn’t open, no matter which way I turned it. I then did what anyone would have done—I knocked on the door, and said “Help!” I didn’t shout, but did want to be heard. Fortunately, my niece Brenda and her daughter Maddie were very close by, and came to my assistance. After a few turns and pulls, I was free! If you know my sister, then you know it was good for some laughs!
We took the day off while in Dubrovnik. I later found out that there were nearby locations that were used in Game of Thrones, like King’s Landing and the Walk of Shame.
Friday evening on the ship, we had a special event planned. My nephew Brian turns 60 this week, and what better way to celebrate than on a cruise! We sat at three tables in the main dining room, all wearing our Hawaiian shirts (Brian has many of these shirts, so we all honored him by wearing one!), and waiting for him to arrive with his parents, Mike and Penny. When he appeared in the entrance, we burst into song with “Happy Birthday.” Then we all held up our sticks that had his face on it. It was a hilarious moment!
He took it well, and when the waiters brought his cake to him, “Happy Birthday” was sung again. One waiter took a photo and held it to his own face, and had quite a good time doing that!
Saturday put us in Koper, Slovenia. Several of us did a tour that day that took us to a wine fountain, and different locations where we could sample a variety of wines and foods for a small price.
On this day, Sarah and Colin left the ship and met up with Colin’s son, Gareth. Gareth left in January of this year, traveling to Bulgaria first. He has worked and traveled and had amazing adventures. Because we were “in the area,” they made arrangements to meet up for the day. They had a wonderful visit, and it was very hard to say good-bye that evening. Colin’s other son, Carrick, is currently on tour in Europe with American singer-rapper, Audrey Nuna. The two brothers have plans to meet up in Czechoslovakia in July.
On Sunday we began the long journey home. A bus took us from the ship to Marco Polo airport in Venice—nearly a three-hour ride. We had hours at the airport to wait, but the gate wasn’t posted until nearly time to board, so that was frustrating. Iceland Air was no frills, so if you wanted a meal, you had to purchase it. Coffee, water, and pillows—that was all that was offered. Brief stop in Reykjavik to change planes, then finally on to Boston. I got home around 2 am.
Everyone had an incredible time, and made memories to last a lifetime.
Here are some upcoming events:
A Greenwood Historical Society program on Wednesday, August 5, at 7:00 pm, at the Legion Hall in Locke Mills will be a panel of some of Greenwood’s oldest residents telling stories about “How life used to be” from people who grew up in Greenwood. It will be a great chance for new residents to learn “how it used to be.”
The Greenwood Historical Society Museums are open on Saturday mornings, from 10:00-1:00, July 18 through August 29.
Plans will soon be finalized for the annual Book/Craft/Bake Contest Event at the Whitman Library in Bryant Pond on August 15th, so stay tuned for further info.
If you have zany news or events to share, please send them to: lalalindastowell@gmail.com
Andover News
Diana Nadeau
Well, well, it has been quite a week for the Nadeau family. On July 4th the hubs was mowing the lawn before our cookout. His truck was parked with all the windows down as it was so hot that day, and you guessed it, a rock got kicked up. As the windows were down the rock entered through the driver’s side window and struck the windshield on the inside passenger side! Now that takes some skill! We had Safelite come right to the house to fix the windshield later that week...highly recommend them.
On Monday the 6th we traveled to Portland so he could undergo a heart procedure that we have waited quite some time for. All went well with that, thankfully. The day he was finally given permission to take a shower we woke up to no water, poor guy. Trying to get someone to come and check it out was no easy feat...one company was two weeks out! We went a couple days before someone was able to come. It was a wire on the pump down in the well. We had three things fixed—heart, windshield, and the well. Let us hope that is it for quite some time.
Sincere condolences go out to the entire Mills family on the passing of Mike Mills.
