“Above the Fold”
(An introduction to each week’s newsletter from the editor of WMNN)
Hi, Neighbors! In this week’s Western Maine Neighborhood News, the Bethel, Newry, and Woodstock columns are free to all subscribers (no Gilead column this week). Upgrade to a paid subscription ($5/month or $50/year) to read this week’s Andover, East Bethel, Locke’s Mills, and West Paris columns (and all the town columns every week).
Happy Halloween! When Halloween occurs on a weekend, our communities go all out with holiday events! Here’s a roundup of some of the fun:
Friday, October 30
Crescent Park School’s Halloween Parade begins at 1 p.m. Grab a spot on Main Street to watch this much-loved annual tradition.
In Andover, help light up Halloween by bringing your carved pumpkins to the Common gazebo after school on Friday for the annual lighted pumpkin display.
From 3 to 6:30 p.m., the West Bethel Makerspace will host a Halloween Spooktacular at their Fourth Friday Family Craft Night, with homemade chili and biscuits, fresh-pressed cider, and a pumpkin-carving contest. Then head to The Gem Theater for “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at 8 p.m., presented by BAAM (Bethel Area Arts & Music).
Saturday, October 31
The Newry Fall Festival takes place from 9 a.m to 2 p.m. at the former Bear River Grange hall, 71 Bear River Road. Proceeds from the bake sale and raffles will benefit the Crescent Park School fifth grade trip to Boston in May.
At 3:45, line up to join the Andover Common Folk for the Andover Halloween parade. Following the parade, Trunk or Treat will be held on the Common. Then go trick-or-treating, and be sure to stop by the second annual “Creepy Candy Store” at the Andover Historical Society building, starting at 4 p.m.
In Bethel, celebrate Halloween at the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum, with free admission from 4 to 8 p.m., goodie bags, and a hunt around the museum for glowing dinosaurs! In the evening, there will be a Trunk or Treat event on Main Street, across from Mainely Provisions, and from 5 to 7 p.m. the Bethel Library and Museums of the Bethel Historical Society will host Trick-or-Treat Broad Street, passing out candy and welcoming trick-or-treaters to a haunted house in the Twitchell Building.
West Paris will have a community Trunk or Treat from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the fire station, ad trick-or-treating at the West Paris Library from 5 to 7 p.m.
Local band The Fossils will be playing for listening and dancing this Saturday from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Locke’s Mills Legion Hall on the Gore Road. This is a family-friendly event with no alcohol. Pizza, chips, and non-alcoholic beverages will be for sale. Costumes are encouraged, with judging around 7 p.m. and $40 cash prizes for funniest, scariest, and most original. Donations are always appreciated.
And, just for fun, here’s a look back at some of my family’s vintage Halloween scenes.
Andover News
Diana Nadeau
Hello, Faithful readers.
The weather is certainly feeling fallish, with morning temps in the low 30’s. Quite a few leaves are still hanging on, although the color has faded quite a bit. I decided
Bethel News
Linda Howe
The upcoming weekend brings the end to Daylight Saving time and we set the clocks back one hour. Lighter in the morning but darker in the evening.
This coming Saturday, October 31st, is Halloween. In Bethel the Street to visit is Broad Street. There are three places for kids to visit that will be in the Halloween Tradition. The Bethel Library and the Bethel Historical Society invite all the kids to visit them from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Further up the street, stop by 53 Broad Street for a “Haunted” Halloween tradition. Bryan and Cindy Adams will transform their house into a “haunted” house, welcoming neighborhood children. This has been a tradition going on for about 4 decades. Broad Street in Bethel is the place to visit on Halloween evening.
The following weekend there are two events taking place in Bethel. On Friday, November 6th, the West Parish Congregational Church on Church Street will have a potluck supper (bring a dish to share) starting at 5 p.m. followed by a guest speaker at 6 p.m. Have you ever wondered what becomes of old railroad lines? Well...they become trails. Cindi Wight recently biked some of northern Maine’s converted rail beds and brings photos and the stories along with other rail trails she has biked on. How interesting that old railroad lines can still serve a purpose. Cindi’s talk will be interesting and is open to all in our community.
The second event takes place at Telstar High School on Saturday, November 7th, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Telstar Alumni Association will be hosting a Craft Fair in the school’s cafeteria. Cathy Davis Autrey will be there with her snowmen and Debbie Wight with her cake pops. There will be many other crafters as well for folks to get a jump on their holiday shopping. Craft fairs are always a treat to see what folks can create. Nice to purchase something as a gift that is not made in China but by a local community member. This Craft Fair is open to everyone and the Telstar Alumni would appreciate your support.
Deer hunting season is in full swing so remember to wear blaze orange when walking in the woods. The Howe family have been hunting deer for many generations. One tradition is to eat deer tenderloin on Christmas morning. My granddaughter Willow tagged out on youth day. She hunts with her father and loves to go hunting. This is the second year in a row where she has tagged out. I may change her name to Annie Oakley! There will be plenty of meat in the freezer for her family to enjoy.
Folks can send news and events to lhowe7273@gmail.com
East Bethel News
Hayli Tuttle
Hello Neighbors!
This week has been very busy. Yesterday we carved our pumpkins and decorated
Locke’s Mills News
Amy Wight Chapman
About 45 people attended a public hearing Tuesday evening at the American Legion on the Gore Road to hear Rob Prue of Pine Tree Engineering describe three potential highway projects in the town of Greenwood.
Newry News
Amy Henley
As I mistakenly took out a package of pumpkin with only one cup not two, I found a recipe online for pumpkin muffins. I also made banana muffins and a banana bread with the abundance of bananas I had in the freezer. Trying to make more space in the freezer, I also took out some blackberries and made a cobbler. It really is great to have some of these products in the off season. I think it makes them taste even more incredible.
I definitely need to replenish my pumpkin supply. So that is on my list for the week as well as more buttercup squash. I did process two pumpkins and managed to get 11 cups of pumpkin.
The full moon sure was beautiful. One morning we watched it go behind the mountain with tree silhouettes in the moon viewed through the binoculars. I wish I had a good way to capture that photo.
Don’t forget the Newry Fall Festival is taking place on Saturday, October 31st, from 9 to 2. The proceeds from the bake sale and raffles will benefit the 5th grade trip to Boston in May. Please stop by and show your support. And if you would like to volunteer to help or bake something, contact me and I’ll add you to the list.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3rd and the polls will be open at the Newry Town Office from 8-8. If you would like to see the ballot ahead of time, it can be viewed on the town’s website or on the bulletin board in the hallway at the Town Office.
All dogs over six months are required to be licensed by December 31st with a $25 late fee being imposed after January 31st. Dog tags for 2027 are now available. Proof of rabies vaccination is required if we do not have it on file. There are rabies clinics taking place monthly at Tractor Supply.
The Planning Board Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, November 4th, has been cancelled. They are still looking for an alternate member. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact the Town Office.
That is all for this week. Send me your news to newrynews24@gmail.com and I’ll be happy to add it to next week’s column.
West Paris News
Stephanie Emery
Greetings from West Paris!
Where did October go? It’s hard to believe I’ve been contributing to these newsletters for a month already. So far I am enjoying the gig and learning a lot about what is going on in the West Paris Community, and I hope you are too. If
Woodstock News
Linda Stowell
It’s Halloweek! I’m not feeling a Halloween vibe, though I do have some pumpkin lights in the window. This is quite a week, with a full moon, the holiday, time change coming, etc. It all makes for a challenging time for teachers! I’m still wondering how October went by so quickly.
What becomes of old railroad lines? They become trails. Cindi Wight recently biked some of Northern Maine’s converted rail beds and brings the photos and the stories to West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel on Friday, November 6 along with other rail trails she has biked on. Potluck supper at 5 PM (bring a dish to share), illustrated talk at 6 PM.
I will add that the rail trails are a great thing. My daughter Sarah, lives in Farmingdale, and there is a rail trail directly behind her house. It’s a wonderful way to get out and move.
The Mahoosuc Land Trust recently shared this Stewardship Update from the Buck’s Ledge Community Forest:
A couple of Thursdays ago, Mike Richards of the Maine Forest Service joined the Woodstock Conservation Commission and MLT at the Buck’s Ledge Community Forest to take inventory of the black ash swamp.
Why black ash? These trees hold cultural significance for Wabanaki basketmakers, who use their sapwood to weave traditional baskets. The inventory will be shared with Wabanaki basketmakers in Maine, helping connect knowledge of this special forest with the people who have long relied on it for their craft.
We’re grateful for the opportunity to learn more about this unique habitat and support the continued practice of Wabanaki basketmaking.
The First Universalist Church of West Paris is planning its annual Thanksgiving dessert pie fundraiser. Those interested in purchasing a dessert pie(s) please place your orders by Thursday, November 19, by contacting Marta Clements at 207-674-2143, or email mclements96894@roadrunner.com. Pick-up is on Wednesday, November 25, between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. at the church, 208 Main St., West Paris. The price is $18 per pie, and the selection includes apple, pumpkin, and blueberry. For more information, please contact Marta.
It was a big night at the museum last week. We arrived at the Maine State Museum shortly before 5:00 last Thursday. We received a warm greeting upon entering, found our name tags, and had refreshments. We found our friend Laurie LaBar, who was working at the museum at the time the switchboards were moved there. She has since retired, but was brought back to assist in the quilt exhibit. At 6:00, after the speakers finished, we were released into the museum to see it for ourselves. It didn’t take long to find what we had come for—the exhibit with the switchboards that used to be in my living room.
Even though not all floors are yet open, this museum is a treasure! Admission is free through December.
There was one other thing that occurred on our way home. When we got to the intersection in Turner, there were all kinds of flashing lights, and backed up traffic. Once we could see what was happening, we realized it was one of those big generators that are on the move—very slowly. We didn’t have to wait too long, and it was quite a procession!
I’m very happy to report that all my wood is stacked—the woodshed is full and the rest is stacked outside the back shed door. My grandsons Josh and Zack (along with Josh’s girlfriend Molly), came over to get it done. They are excellent workers, and took care of every detail, including clean-up. They also enjoyed a meal from KFC. It’s such a good feeling to know that I’m set for winter—well, mostly. The garage needs re-arranging for me to get my car in.
The chili and chowder meal at the Locke Mills Union Church was delicious. There wasn’t as large a crowd as there was last time, and there was a lot of food!
Coming up this week:
Hope to see you there at the opening!
Dave, Louise, and I took a ride up to Aroma Joe’s on Sunday, where they were holding a community day. We could try any drink for free, so I got myself a cappuccino, which was delicious. WOXO was broadcasting, and the Southern Spoon had a table set up with all kinds of yummy goodies. We were given raffle tickets for the several prizes available. This morning I had a text telling me I had won a prize! I’ll pick it up later today. I’m happy to know that I still have some luck on my side!
Please send me your news/events! lalalindastowell@gmail.com
AFCI News
No column from Melinda this week, but here’s a note about “Walk the Gym” the cold-weather indoor walking program at the Gould Academy fieldhouse.
Do you turn into a bear when you can’t walk outside because it’s too icy? Thanks to Gould Academy the 2026-27 AFCI Walking Program will begin Tuesday, November 3, in the Gould Field House from 1-2. The program runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays through April.
And don’t forget tonight’s (Thursday) “To Your Health” program at 4 p.m. in the Telstar Library!
