John Edar (R-Waterboro) is working to ensure that Maine schools never repeat the dangerous precedent set during the COVID-19 pandemic again with a bill to prohibit schools from adopting mask mandates [RELATED: Maine AG Frey Sues HHS Secretary Kennedy Over Termination of $11 Billion in COVID-Era Federal Grants…] “While masks were implemented with good intentions to protect the health and safety of our students and staff It’s essential to recognize the negative effects they brought to our educational environments,” said Rep “One of the most significant challenges masks pose is their impact on communication and social interactions especially for younger students and those with hearing impairments who rely on lip-reading and facial expressions,” he added The proposed legislation, LD 1461, which did not draw any co-sponsors, was considered in the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs, with a public hearing held on Wednesday. During his testimony, Edar focused on the negative impact of masks on the ability of students to learn and socialize, as well as their adverse effect on students’ mental health. “Many students reported feelings of anxiety, discomfort, and social disconnection because of wearing masks. A survey conducted by the American Psychological Association found that a significant number of students felt isolated, stressed, due to the requirement of wearing masks,” said Edar. He also cited information showing that 43 percent of students experienced mental health challenges during the pandemic, and the nation saw a significant uptick in depression and teen suicides. Edar’s testimony highlighted the faulty evidence on the efficacy of masking in actually preventing virus transmission and infection. He argued that the questionable case in favor of masks must be weighed against the well-documented negative impact on learning caused by masks. “While masks were intended to promote health, excessive focus on these measures can detract from the core mission of education. The emphasis on health protocols, including mask mandates, may shift attention away from essential academic goals and support systems of students recovering from disruptions caused by the pandemic,” said Edar. The bill prohibits a school board from implementing or enforcing any requirements for students to wear face masks. Edar clarified that his draft legislation would not impact any mandates handed down by the state and would simply bar school boards from implementing their own local mandates. Students and teachers who choose to wear masks will be permitted to continue doing so. The Maine Department of Education (MDOE) is tasked with enforcing the law and will have discretion over penalties for violations. The bill specifies that the withholding of state education funds may be used as a penalty by the MDOE. No one appeared to testify on the bill in person, but it did draw multiple written testimonies. Multiple education groups, including the Maine Principals Association (MPA), submitted testimony against the bill. “Local School Boards–elected by their communities–have long held the authorities to make decisions that best serve the health and safety needs of their students and staff. Stripping them of the ability to respond to evolving health circumstances no only erodes that local authority, but also removes a critical tool that may be necessary in the event of future public health emergencies,” said the MPA. Notably, none of the educational groups opposing the bill addressed Edar’s concerns about the negative effects of masks or the questionable evidence of their efficacy. Only Harris Van Pate of the Maine Policy Institute submitted testimony in favor of the bill. “LD 1461 aligns with the principles of individual liberty, personal responsibility, and transparent governance by ensuring that school boards do not infringe on the fundamental rights of students, parents, and staff, and by not mandating the use of face masks within individual educational environments,” said Van Pate. “Allowing school boards the authority to mandate masks normalizes the idea that temporary public health concerns can justify permanent erosion of personal freedom. We must guard against the expansion of government control into deeply personal areas of life, especially in matters of bodily autonomy and parental authority,” he added The bill appears unlikely to pass through the Democrat-controlled legislature, especially given that it garnered no co-sponsors from either party. Disclosure: The Maine Wire is a project of the Maine Policy Institute Seamus Othot is a reporter for The Maine Wire. He grew up in New Hampshire, and graduated from The Thomas More College of Liberal Arts, where he was able to spend his time reading the great works of Western Civilization. He can be reached at seamus@themainewire.com Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have misspelled John Eder’s name. ” a bill to prohibit schools from adopting mask mandates.” You don’t need anymore laws/mandates, you need Leadership and Courage. Pretty sure it’s spelled Eder not Edar President Donald Trump delivers the commencement address at the University of Alabama on Thursday evening. Gorham man pleads guilty to using gun during Waterboro bank robberyby Cameron Deniso Maine (WGME) -- A Maine man pleaded guilty on Monday to bank robbery brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person Timothy Riley of Gorham showed a gun and demanded money from a bank teller at a Gorham Savings Bank on Sokokis Trail in Waterboro in June 2024 York County Sheriff’s Office deputies spotted the bike leading them on a chase until he went off-road and authorities could no longer follow Investigators were able to recover a handgun and dark-color baseball cap which Riley was seen with during the robbery Riley was arrested later that evening and admitted to the robbery and said he was in debt Authorities say Riley has past convictions for burglary and robbery and a federal conviction for interfering with commerce by robbery His criminal history prohibits him from possessing a firearm Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More A barred owl was rescued by York County sheriff’s deputies in Waterboro.  Community member Carl Landry called police after finding the owl injured on the side of the road Tuesday at around 8 p.m Deputies Levi Johnson and Cody Frazier responded and brought the owl to the home of Game Warden Steven Thistlewood The owl was given over to a wildlife conflict agent who delivered the bird to Avian Haven in Freedom This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page by Ariana St Pierre Maine (WGME) -- A Massachusetts man is facing drug trafficking charges after authorities say he tried to throw away a bag of crack while running from police The York County Sheriff’s Office says deputies went to a home on Preston Way in Waterboro on Sunday to find 39-year-old Anthony Foglio of Waterboro later identified as 23-year-old Wilquel Andres Sanchez Lara of Lawrence Lara allegedly threw away a bag while running from deputies The bag reportedly contained 52.6 grams of crack cocaine Deputies arrested Lara a short distance away from the home and charged him with trafficking in a schedule W drug Foglio was arrested on the warrants and for violation of condition of release Deputies say they searched the home and found a small amount of drugs AUGUSTA — A former engineer for Elon Musk’s SpaceX has filed paperwork to challenge Sen Phillip Rench of Waterboro registered as an independent candidate with the Federal Election Commission earlier this month he said he is not yet doing media interviews Rench and his wife Gwendolyn own Ossipee Hill Farm and Observatory in Waterboro a venture they began after he left the SpaceX Boca Chica Launch site in Texas in late 2019 The purchased the land for the farm in March 2020 just as the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread in the U.S.  “The events of the pandemic made us more aware of food security and the supply chain,” according to the website “We decided that we needed to learn how to grow food ourselves Then we decided we needed to grow food for our community too The website says he is originally from southern Maine Rench is the first person to file to run against Collins who will be seeking her sixth term to the Senate she defeated former Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon with Gideon at 42% and Savage earning 5%.  Rench spent just over five years as a former senior engineer at SpaceX and currently serves as a board member for the Maine Space Corporation The corporation was created by state law to help develop a space industry in Maine focusing on “launching small vehicles and small satellites into polar orbit.” Janet Mills told the Portland Press Herald in December that she had not ruled out a challenge to Collins.  A Dominican national who was arrested on drug trafficking charges after allegedly attempting to hide a bag of crack cocaine from York County Sheriff’s deputies is now in the custody of U.S Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) [RELATED: 30 Inmates at Maine Jail in ICE Custody or Held on ICE Detainers, Some Facing State Charges for Violent Crimes…] York County Sheriff’s deputies searched a residence on Preston Way in Waterboro as part of their search for 39-year-old Anthony Foglio who was wanted on outstanding warrants for theft another male subject fled out of the back door of the residence and appeared to hide something before continuing to attempt to flee from the deputies the male subject initially provided a false name but was later identified as Wilquel Andres Sanchez Lara a 23-year-old the Sheriff’s Office described as being from Lawrence A deputy and K-9 found a baggy of 52.6 grams of cocaine base (crack cocaine) in the area which the Sheriff’s Office believed to be hidden by Sanchez Lara [RELATED: No Hablo Inglés: Maine Sheriff Busts Illegal Alien with Over 100 grams of Fentanyl, Crack Cocaine During Traffic Stop…] Sanchez Lara was arrested and charged with trafficking in a schedule W drug and was transported to the York County Jail where he was held on a $25,000 cash bail Sanchez Lara was booked at the Cumberland County Jail by ICE Sanchez Lara’s booking records show that he was arrested by ICE, and has a judicial status of “INS” (U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service), which a jail administrator previously told the Maine Wire indicates that the inmate is in the custody of ICE this judicial status means that the inmate is in ongoing removal or other immigration proceedings or is subject to an ICE immigration detainer due to the agency believing the inmate is a noncitizen who is in the U.S [RELATED: ‘We work very well with ICE’: Cumberland County Sheriff Defends Decision Not to Honor Immigration Detainers…] ICE’s inmate locator tool confirmed that Sanchez Lara is in custody of the federal agency Sanchez Lara’s country of birth is listed as the Dominican Republic Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce has told the Maine Wire that while it has been his policy not to comply with ICE detainers since 2017 Joyce asks ICE agents to come to the jail to take the suspected illegal aliens into custody themselves in order to ensure ICE has probable cause for the detainment The Maine Wire has reached out to an ICE spokesperson for confirmation on Sanchez Lara’s immigration status and whether he is now in removal proceedings Edward Tomic is a reporter for The Maine Wire based in Southern Maine Massachusetts and is a graduate of Boston University He can be reached at tomic@themainewire.com Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" No wonder the State of Maine is going a billion dollars into debt: Keeping all of the NJ was burned to death in NYC train by an Illegal A man died after he was shot by police on Rosemont Ave according to the York County Sheriff’s Office Maine (WGME) -- An independent panel says a deputy should have called for backup before a deadly shooting in North Waterboro that was ruled justified by the Maine Attorney General's Office York County Sheriff's Deputy Levi Johnson responded to a home on Rosemont Avenue in North Waterboro near Lake Arrowhead for report of a disturbance got into a struggle with Johnson and tried to pull the gun out of his holster more than once Frey says two women who were at the home tried to help the deputy One of the women reportedly pulled Woodburn’s shirt over his head and the other tried to pin his arm Woodburn again lunged at Deputy Johnson in what he believed was another attempt to get his gun Deputy Johnson then drew his gun and shot Woodburn twice in the chest Deputy Johnson estimated that he was about two feet away from Woodburn when he shot him Deputy Johnson reasonably believed Woodburn was posing an imminent threat of serious bodily injury or death when he shot him Woodburn had allegedly tried to take another officer’s gun just days before this incident The state's Deadly Force Review Panel released recently several findings including questioning the need for immediate intervention at the home to begin with and that Johnson’s decision to enter the home without backup may have been misguided WATERBORO (WGME) -- A Maine man is accused of intentionally crashing his car into a side-by-side ATV in Waterboro that had three people onboard The York County Sheriff’s Office responded on Saturday around 5 p.m to a reported disturbance at the intersection of Buff Brook Road and Lake Sherburne Road in Waterboro Deputies say 50-year-old Jason Campbell of Waterboro intentionally crashed his car into a side-by-side ATV There were two passengers on board as well All three complained of minor injuries but refused medical attention who is responsible for maintaining the grade on the road reportedly got upset because they were "ripping up the road." Campbell was arrested and charged with aggravated reckless conduct He was taken to the York County Jail where he was released on $500 bail by Brad Rogers NORTH WATERBORO (WGME) -- A York County teenager knows how lucky he is after being badly injured while riding his dirt bike He was on a trail in North Waterboro used by a number of ATV and trail riders His family says the trail was clear this weekend and the teen's neck ran right into the cable "I feel pretty lucky that worse things didn't happen," teenager Shamus Bryce said Shamus Bryce and his dad were riding their dirt bikes Tuesday evening when his neck hit a cable blocking the trail which he says wasn't there two days earlier I got up and started trying to get to my dad," Shamus Bryce said "I saw my son with a cable wrapped around his neck If he didn't break the cable and he was going fast enough it'd probably took his head off," father Ron Bryce said He and his son say there was nothing on the cable to warn riders "It's messed up that they didn't have it with a sign on it or anything to show me that it was there," Shamus Bryce said "There was nothing on the chain," mother Lou Ann Bryce said "That's why I want to warn people I just don't want anybody else hurt." Doctors told them there's no permanent damage to their son's neck "They said I was pretty lucky," Shamus Bryce said He won't move his neck very much," Lou Ann Bryce said They say it was dangerous to put the cable up without a warning but authorities told them it is not against the law says it could be considered reckless conduct CBS13 went to the landowner's address and told him what happened He said he owned land in North Waterboro but did not confirm it was his land He also didn't know a teen had gotten hurt put a sign up to warn somebody so this doesn't happen to somebody else's kid Luckily my son didn't get killed or hurt severely As for whether any laws were broken by not making the cable more visible to people or putting up warning signs The parents spoke to a sheriff's deputy and game warden who told them since it is private property the owner has a right to put up a barrier to keep people out we don't know who put the chain up or why by Brandon Whitlock UPDATE: Maine State Police say72-year-old Mary Choiniere of North Waterboro has been found and she is safe --------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTH WATERBORO (WGME) -The York County Sheriff's Office has issued a Silver Alert for a woman from North Waterboro 72-year-old Mary Choiniere was last seen at 5:30 p.m on Saturday at her home onLazy Brook Lane in North Waterboro Maine State Police say Choiniere suffers from cognitive issues Choiniere drives a 2015 brown Honda CRV with Maine Registration 5468VA She was last seen wearing jeans and a blue and white polka dot patterned fleece Maine State Police say Choiniere does not have her cell phone with her you're asked to callthe York County Sheriff’s Office at (207) 324-1111 by Mal Meyer, WGME SANFORD (WGME) – A man was recently cut off from addressing Sanford's city council over an issue at a local cemetery. Families have been upset over upkeep at Oakdale Cemetery, with open grave plots and long grass. Because the cemetery issues weren't on the agenda, one man tried to speak during a public comment period, but he was told that wasn't allowed because he doesn't live in the city. “They died for us, they served for us,” Waterboro resident Michael Sabine said. Sabine is upset over conditions at Sanford's Oakdale Cemetery, especially when it comes to veteran burial plots. “When I found stones that you couldn't even read the names, there was that much grass on it, it was very, very concerning,” Sabine said. Sabine says he's tried to contact city leaders about it but didn't hear back. Whether I’m a city resident or not, these veterans deserve absolute respect,” Sabine said. So he went to the Sanford City Council meeting and waited an hour for the public comment period. He wanted to tell them about what he thinks is required for upkeep at the cemetery and his ideas to get that done. “It was a very easy solution, and they just don't want to hear it,” Sabine said. “Thank you. Those are the rules. I just have to follow the rules,” Brink said. CBS13 found nothing that says that in the city council rules. “Across the region, there have been attempts to limit comment to only the residents of that particular town or municipality,” New England First Amendment Coalition Executive Director Justin Silverman said. Silverman says generally, something like this restriction does violate the First Amendment. “In that they're discriminating based on one's viewpoint, being a non-resident and having that perspective,” Silverman said. He says if there is time for people to talk and it relates to a local issue, there's no reason not to allow others a chance to speak. “I would think it's unreasonable to not only deprive them of that opportunity, but to also deprive the residents of this city the opportunity to hear their opinions,” Silverman said. CBS13 repeatedly reached out to the city manager, mayor and other officials about this issue for days but got no response. CBS13 and FOX23's annual Shred-A-Thon is Friday 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at our studios at 81 Northport Drive in Portland. York County Sheriff's Deputies help rescue injured owl in Waterboroby Matthew Bourgault, WGME YORK COUNTY (WGME) -- The York County Sheriff's Office says it received a report about an injured owl on the side of a road in Waterboro around 8 p.m. Tuesday. Deputy Levi Johnson used his police jacket to pick up the owl, and he delivered it to Game Warden Steven Thistlewood’s house. Thistlewood kept the owl overnight before it was finally taken to Avian Haven in Freedom. Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Car crash leads to power outages and road closure in Waterboroby WGME Staff WATERBORO (WGME) - A car crashed into a utility pole early Saturday morning in Waterboro The York County Sheriff's Office says just after midnight 21-year-old Tyler Rancourt drove off the roadway on Townhouse Road and hit a utility pole Rancourt was brought to Maine Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries Townhouse Road was closed Saturday morning while crews worked to repair the utility pole The road has since re-opened and power has been restored WATERBORO (WGME) – Students at Massabesic High School in Waterboro were sent home for the day after officials discovered a propane leak the leak was discovered before students arrived they were evacuated into the gym of Massabesic Middle School The Waterboro Fire Department and the school fuel vendor are investigating the cause of the leak School officials relied on buses instead of parents to send the students back home Authorities have arrested a Maine man in connection with a store robbery in Buxton and a bank robbery in Waterboro The York County Sheriff's Office says a man entered Main Street Variety on Main Street in Buxton last Friday approached the clerk while showing a handgun The suspect then fled in a Nissan Frontier the vehicle was found on an abandoned railroad bed off River Road The vehicle had reportedly been stolen from Gorham deputies say an armed man robbed the Gorham Savings Bank on Sokokis Trail in Waterboro There were several employees and one customer in the bank at the time Deputies say they identified 41-year-old Timothy Riley of Westbrook as a suspect in both robberies deputies say they spotted the suspect on Plains Road in Hollis deputies say a Buxton police officer spotted the vehicle The vehicle eventually crashed on Mary Jane Road in Buxton Deputies say the two people in the vehicle then ran away He has been charged with two counts of robbery is wanted in connection with the robberies Match Expires at Midnight GIVE NOW Just 25 miles southwest of Portland, this serene woodland preserve is home to the state’s best example of a boreal pine barrens. Up to 90 feet of nutrient-poor sandy soils filter water into groundwater aquifers and pristine ponds, streams and bogs. The pitch pine and scrub oak community is adapted to thrive after periodic fires, which keep fire-intolerant trees and woody shrubs from taking over the barrens. The preserve was established in the early 1990’s when TNC purchased the land from a developer who had planned a large recreational-residential complex. From Waterboro, take West Road 6 miles north to Ross Corner. Turn right on Newfield Road and continue one mile to Round Pond Road. Turn right on Round Pond Road and in 0.2 miles the parking area is on the left. Trails are located on old woods roads and range from easy to moderately strenuous. Ticks are common, so please dress accordingly and check yourself after leaving the preserve. The strange and beautiful forests of this preserve are primarily pitch pine and scrub oak underlain by lowbush blueberry and woodland sedge. As many as 11 species of rare butterflies and moths that feed on the barrens vegetation have been documented on the preserve, including the pine barrens buckmoth. Whip-poor-will and common nighthawk, both ground-nesting birds in decline throughout their range, nest in open areas within the pine barrens. The topography of Waterboro Barrens originates from glacial outwash and features debris left behind by retreating glacial ice resulting in kettlehole heaths, hillsides covered in towering old-growth pitch pines, and moraines (glacial hills) covered in dense stands of scrub oak. There is also a leatherleaf bog, a small gorge, black spruce swamps, and miles of frontage on three ponds and the Little Ossipee River. The Nature Conservancy has recently initiated a prescribed burning program at Waterboro Barrens as a management and restoration tool. Visitors may encounter recently burned areas that likely result from our management program. In addition, some areas have recently been thinned to reduce flammable fuels and provide firebreaks between the preserve and neighboring communities. highly curated editorial content brings attention to hidden gems From the iconic streets of New York to the sunny shores of Florida the jagged coast of Maine to the rugged terrain of Montana she's been fortunate to call some of America's most beautiful states home Michelle's wanderlust has taken her on a motorcycle journey through India Michelle graduated with a communications degree from the S Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and in addition to a career in advertising has worked with OnlyInYourState since 2016 where her love for travel and storytelling converges and time with her family.\r\n\r\nFor questions Share Link11 Christmas Light Displays In Maine That Are Pure MagicDiscover the seven best Christmas light displays in Maine to brighten your holiday season which are sure to make your season very merry and bright If you've ever wondered about Christmas lights near me in Maine the town flips a switch and performs a little holiday magic with over 25,000 lights illuminating this beautiful area 74 Mayfair Way becomes "The Waterboro North Pole" (complete with Frosty the Snowman and The Man in Red himself) - and it's a fun and wonderful holiday tradition in the Pine Tree State that you won't want to miss All proceeds from this festive event support Toys for Tots Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens / FacebookThis is the largest holiday light display in all of Maine Gardens Aglow lights up the Boothbay peninsula in a dazzling display of color and holiday cheer Take a trip through 14 acres of gardens covered in no less than 150,000 lights Stick around for dinner at the on-site cafe which has a seasonal menu as well as live music This tradition of experiencing the lights of Gardens Aglow is one you won't want to miss and then pop down to the Old Port and take a look at the lights that spread throughout the streets on a leisurely Christmas lights walk in ME They're some of our favorites and always end in hot chocolate Norton Lights Wells Me / FacebookThe tradition of the Norton Lights began 2006 when two brothers created their own Crazy Christmas Contest to see who could install more lights in their yard the reaction received from friends and family was enough to keep them hooked The Christmas light show begins the first weekend of December and runs through Christmas night The operation has grown so much that they've now partnered with Make-A-Wish of Maine You'll find a donation box at the end of the driveway for those who would like to donate and help this amazing organization spread cheer one light at a time at this amazing light show in ME From an amazing synchronized show with music and visual effects to fun events happening all around the L.L there really is something for everyone at this amazing Christmas event in Maine Our favorite part of this experience is the Night Sky Dome a geodesic dome featuring a simulation of the Northern Lights -- definitely make a point of checking it out Learn more about this year's dates and attractions at the L.L Portland Downtown/FacebookWhile not an entire light show, the lighting of the Monument Square tree indicates the true start of the season in Portland folks come en masse to visit with Santa Claus enjoy live music and free horse and wagon rides through town Be sure to visit the City of Portland website (linked above) for details regarding this year's event hosted by the Hilton Family & InterFix Communications The lights are animated by computer and synchronized with music The music can be heard by tuning your car radio to 96.9 FM when you are nearby Preparation for the display begins as soon as the after Christmas sales start the previous year and continues through the summer The animation sequence programming is done throughout the year This is truly a family project which requires a lot of careful planning This is truly one of the most unique holiday events in Maine a spectacular Christmas event that's so totally Maine If you've never experienced the pure joy of seeing ships decked to the nines in holiday lights and decor This is an only-in-Maine event sure to put you in the proper holiday spirit.You can get a glimpse of this holiday spectacle in this YouTube video from Brenda Arsenault: What Christmas lights in Maine are you most excited about this year? Did your favorite event make the list? If not, give it a shout-out by nominating the event or town to be included in an upcoming feature on Only In Maine There is plenty of holiday spirit flowing through this amazing winter wonderland! Choose your stateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasNorthern CaliforniaSouthern CaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingSubscribe... This Airbnb with a fishing pond in Louisiana is an angler's paradise. The two-acre, catch-and-release oasis is stocked with bass, bream, and catfish. Thanks for subscribing. We’ll see you in your inbox! WATERBORO (WGME) - Our crews describe a large fire scene for a structure fire on May Street in Waterboro Sunday night ALSO READ:Oxford home badly damaged in fire, pet dies Waterboro Fire Captain Chris Carpenter says they got the call shortly after 8 p.m Carpenter says the home was unoccupied while the owners were remodeling it Arrowheads found on the Waterboro Hill Road farm of Gilbert’s grandfather LAKEWOOD — From the moment one enters Roger Gilbert’s Lakewood home they are immersed in history The first thing one notices is a grandfather clock made in 1941 by his maternal grandfather Karl E who resided and owned many businesses in Conewango The most unique part of the clock is the face Two intricately detailed pieces of the same artisan’s work are displayed inside a lighted cabinet a few feet away in the living room The first is a 3-mast ship with cannons and crew The other is a model of an Erie Railroad engine with a coal car attached Gilbert’s paternal grandparents’ first phone from their Waterboro Hill farm Incoming calls rang into each home at the same time which was differentiated by the length and number of rings “My parents instilled in me a great love of family and local history They took our family on vacations to visit historical sites when we were young,” says the 87-year-old “My history teachers at Randolph Central School furthered my interest in history.” Two of his wife’s grandfather’s oil paintings one of a water wheel and the other of a light house The china closet is filled with his great-grandmother’s set of china Gilbert still uses these beautiful heirlooms for special occasions This clock was made by Gilbert’s grandfather Both of his parents could trace their lineage to the Mayflower William Brewster from his mother’s side of the family and who Gilbert says was the reputed leader of the Pilgrims when they came to Plymouth in 1620 Samuel Fuller from the Gilbert side of his family was on the ship and was the settlement’s first doctor The museum continues in Gilbert’s basement family room where his ration stamp books can be found in the WWII area The stamps were issued by the government and used to buy certain items that were in limited supply during the war His mother’s Air Warning System pin is on display as well The pin was given to her at the time she was an airplane observer or spotter During World War 2 spotters waited in observation towers to identify the airplanes that flew over their area They were able to identify the planes by comparing them with picture cards Gilbert and another woman would call Buffalo to report any enemy planes that were spotted in the Ellington area Her son has knocked on doors on Wade Hill Road in an effort to find someone with information or the location of the observation tower his mother had climbed many decades ago He did meet a woman in another area whose mother set up the spotters Memorabilia from the Bemus School House on Waterboro Hill is found in the area set aside for education a list of the teachers that taught there from 1865-1879 and several student lists from the late 1800s are part of the display His mother was the last teacher at the school when the state required it to centralize with either Falconer or Randolph Gilbert still has a one-dollar bill given to him by a neighbor at the time of his birth in 1936 The framed silver certificate hangs on the wall near a pencil drawing of his grandmother The drawing was done on the morning of her wedding by an itinerant person who stopped by her parents’ house saying he understood their daughter was getting married that day The young bride was not thrilled with the outcome of the drawing beneath the picture of a horse in a frame in her attic her grandson found what he believed to be the drawing along with those of other family members and stories about their lives is a round tiger paw table that belonged to his Grandparents Gilbert He also displays small flags from every country he has visited a candle mold and a washboard are on or near the hearth is a miniature version of the grain cradle Gilbert’s great-grandfather It was used to remove grain heads at harvest time The smaller model was used to promote the full-size version A spinning wheel and another apparatus used for winding yarn is nearby All of these items were found in the attics of various family member’s homes His mother taught elementary students in Randolph in the 1930s until a regulation was passed allowing only men and single women to hold teaching positions during the Great Depression Married women were considered only if men or single women weren’t available while they were both studying at Fredonia to become teachers Gilbert was a sixth grade teacher at Samuel G where he was later hired to “get Love School ready for a new principal” after theirs had passed away That principal happened to be his father-in-law some of the Board Members insisted he apply for the position even though he had no intention of doing so He became the principal at Love School at the age of 27 He later became the principal at CV Bush and at Washington when it first became a K-8 school retiring after a 34 year career in education who battled Multiple Sclerosis for over 30 years before her death in 2001 Marian co-founded the Chautauqua Region MS Society “She fought MS for 34 years,” says her husband five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren He is proud of all of his family members and likes to tell about an adventure his granddaughter Ally had with her future husband flew a classic plane to an air show in Oshkosh the plane lost ninety percent of its power while flying over Chicago it was necessary to fly under a pedestrian bridge that crossed over Lakeshore Drive “Even though the incident took place during rush hour commuters saw what was happening and were able to make an opening down the middle of the roadway,” the proud grandfather explains He likes to show his guests a clip of the story that ran on every major television network on that day in July 2018 His granddaughter now instructs others how to fly at Ohio State University titled A Simpler Time was published in 2003 and was given to family members where he writes about the history and stories of the town and its people The proceeds from that book were donated to Ellington’s Farman Library The History of the Land and Building-9 West Summit Avenue is the story of the Quonset Hut-like building which served many uses over the years I’m really attracted to the tiny house scene but maybe it’s because when I was a little .. Copyright © 2025 Ogden Newspapers of New York | https://www.post-journal.com | PO Box 3386 All she wants is a card - let's get her a ton of cards Lena is Katie Wheeler's great aunt and wants to celebrate her turning 100 June 16th in a big way Lena doesn't want any anything but a card for her birthday...so let's send her a ton of cards Lena was also one of the first women barbers in Maine She also was the first woman barber to own her own shop right in Waterboro and also had an ice cream shop Lee's on Route 5 They are hoping for 100 cards - but I bet we could flood her!  Congrats Lena on an incredible life Lena is turning 100 years old in June. All she wants is a card - let's get her a ton of cards!\nRead More They are hoping for 100 cards - but I bet we could flood her!  Congrats Lena on an incredible life!