Historian to relate spooky ghost stories at Raymond-Casco Historical Museum

By Ed Pierce

Did a prominent 19th century Raymond resident predict how he would die years before a tragic accident claimed his life? This tale and other eerie ghost stories will be part of a free community presentation to be held at the Raymond-Casco Historical Museum later this month.

Eerie and spooky tales from the Lakes Region of Maine
will be related by historian Mike Davis from 4 to 5 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 25 at the Raymond-Casco Historical Museum
during a presentation called 'Ghost Stories and Unusual
Happenings.'  COURTESY PHOTO 

Historian Mike Davis of Bridgton will relate spooky tales from the Lakes Region of Maine from 4 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25 at the museum while surrounded by historical artifacts during a presentation called “Ghost Stories and Unusual Happenings.”

Raymond-Casco Historical Society’s Sue Pride says with Halloween nearing, this will be an event sure to interest many in the area.

“Mike’s storytelling brings together history, mystery, and local lore – perfect for the Halloween season,” Pride said. “These historical tales of curious happenings, scary ghosts and unusual circumstances will be sure to entertain everyone in attendance.”

Among the tales to be told by Davis is one about Edgar Welch, whose story was originally contained in the book “Historical Gems of Raymond and Casco” written by the late Ernest H. Knight, one of the founders of the Raymond-Casco Historical Society.

Welch was born close to the Raymond/Casco line on the County Road to Otisfield (Route 85) in Raymond in 1849. His grandfather, James Welch was born in 1765 and came to Raymond from Cape Elizabeth as an early pioneer settler. Edgar’s father was born in 1819 and taught his son how to farm.

For years Edgar farmed and eventually worked for a neighbor, David McLellan, whose barn and part of his house are still in use, the main house having burned in 1954.

According to Knight, Edgar was a bright, pleasant person though inclined toward strange ideas on work and physical activity, which were extreme to say the least.

“Besides hard work, running was his pastime for which the urge seized him after a week or so of labor,” Knight wrote about Welch in his book. “Dropping whatever he was doing at the time, winter or summer, he would be off running to Portland, Norway or wherever fancy directed, and on his return, he’d pick up where he left off.”

He wrote that on frequent occasions Welch’s route was through the White Mountains and once a year he would run to the top of Mount Washington, an event to which proprietors and guests looked forward to with anticipation. 

“For this event he wore a suit, boots and a tall beaver hat where on his ordinary runs his garb was his overalls with woolen socks in the winter and barefoot in the summer,” Knight wrote. “On one occasion he ran to Boston, circled through Tremont Street and Boston Common and then headed for home. Once an owner of a nice span of driving horses challenged Edgar to a race to Portland. Starting from Raymond Village, the team soon left him far behind, but when the team reached its destination on Congress Street, Edgar was there waiting for them.”

Knight said that Edgar had unique ideas about labor and benefits to mankind.

“An astute observation that the McLellan farm, being on the easterly slope of Rattlesnake Mountain, had the sun set much earlier than farms to the north or south, set him on a mission,” Knight wrote. “To correct this fact of nature, he worked for many years off and on as time permitted, day or night, rolling boulders from the top of the mountain to reduce this bothersome interference. In the stillness of the night, people would awaken to the sound of crashing on the mountain, and remark that Edgar was at it again, and go back to sleep.”

While piling logs on the ice at Crescent Lake (then Great Rattlesnake Pond) to be floated to Sebago when the ice melted, Knight said that Edgar would get hot feet, take off his boots and run on the ice or snow until he could go back to work in comfort.

“He was a great conversationalist and interested in the politics of the day. As a composer of rhymes and ballads, with a good voice always in true pitch, he would sing on picnic occasions accompanied by Carrie McLellan on her portable melodeon,” Knight wrote. “His physical make-up baffled doctors, though he never had need of their services as he never even had so much as a cold. With all his work and running, Edgar never perspired, which the doctors said should have killed him.”

But Edgar Welch is said to have had one more attribute which will be part of the presentation by Davis and that is clairvoyance, or a sixth sense.

Reportedly when Welch was young, a man named Eastman Bean of Otisfield fell from a haymow while holding a pitchfork, and he impaled on the pitchfork’s tines and died.

Knight said that bizarre accident was on Welch’s mind for all of his life, and over the years, he was overheard muttering some sort of rhyme or reference to Eastman Bean.

On Dec. 23, 1903, Edgar was working in the McLellan barn, which is still standing on the easterly side of Route 85 not far from the Raymond-Casco line, when he slid from the mow while pitching hay down for cattle. He was impaled on his pitchfork and died in the same manner as Eastman Bean.

His funeral was conducted from the old Village School at Webb’s Mills, now Crescent Lake Village, and it was attended by so many people that the overflow stood outside near the windows which were left open so they could hear the orations honoring their friend who may have predicted the manner of his death years before.

The “Ghost Stories and Unusual Happenings” presentation welcomes families to the event, although some of the tales in the presentation may be a bit spooky for the littlest ones. Participants are encouraged to wear a costume and enjoy trick or treat refreshments that will be available.

Admission is free, but donations that night would be greatly appreciated by the Raymond-Casco Historical Society to continue bringing these events to the community.

To learn more about the Raymond-Casco Historical Society visit raymondcascohistoricalsociety.org or find them on Facebook. <

Varney's Bridge reopens in Windham following replacement

By Ed Pierce

The contractor replacing Varney's Bridge in Windham has completed work about three weeks ahead of schedule and the bridge has been reopened.

Construction to replace Varney's Bridge on
William Knight Road over the Pleasant River
in Windham has been completed three weeks
ahead of schedule and the bridge has been
reopened. Work to demolish and replace the
aging 26-foot steel girder bridge began there
on June 15. PHOTO BY KEITH MANK

Wyman & Simpson, Inc. started work to demolish and replace the 26-foot steel girder bridge on William Knight Road over the Pleasant River on June 15. Work on the bridge was expected to last until Oct. 13 but was finished last week.

While making repairs on the bridge in 2015, engineers from the Maine Department of Transportation recommended that the town explore options for closing or replacing the bridge because of ongoing structural deterioration. MaineDOT engineers reported that capacity issues and faster and heavier loads stressed this type of bridge past its original design parameters.

Typically, steel girder bridges can be more expensive than other types of bridges because of the rising cost of materials and for construction and this type of bridge may not be suitable for very heavy loads and may not be able to support the weight of heavy vehicles. MaineDOT engineers found issues with the bridge’s concrete abutments and reduced the allowable load to three tons.

That made it not possible for construction trucks, dump trucks, garbage trucks, and other large vehicles to cross the bridge because of the weight limitation. Town snowplows had to stop, turn around and go the other way due to their weight.

With concrete abutments supporting the old steel bridge structure, scouring from the river caused erosion where the concrete touched the Pleasant River water degraded the bridge’s safety. There was also rusting on the steel supports which need to be replaced.

Varney’s Bridge was originally built in 1950 and it had been upgraded and repaired many times over the past three decades with its structural issues persisting and continuing to worsen. In 2021 members of the Windham Town Council voted to replace the existing bridge with the most cost-effective method to ensure the safety of the community upon the recommendation of the town manager. At the Annual Windham Town Meeting in June 2021, Windham residents approved spending $25,000 for a study at the Annual Town Meeting about how to best move forward to replace the aging structure.

The study was completed in the summer of 2022, and the results were forwarded to the MaineDOT. Using the MaineDOT Bridge Program Design Guide, a preliminary design report was created and mandated that any other survey work needed to define right-of-way and bridge layout and alignment be performed and any geotechnical engineering evaluations required to design a new bridge support structure be initiated.

In January 2023, the new Maine DOT Three-Year Plan for upcoming projects by state crews was released. MaineDOT authorized $1.5 million in funding for the $2.2 million project with the town picking up the remaining $700,000 for the project.

The Town of Windham then developed preliminary and final design plans in accordance with MaineDOT standards and requirements. Those design plans included a specific plan for the project, a bridge profile including cross-sections and geometry for approach design, design computations, load ratings, and evaluation information for the new structure meeting MaineDOT specifications. All of that included development of an engineering estimate of construction costs and creating a final plan for review by the state. 

At Windham’s Annual Town Meeting in June 2023, a warrant item was approved by voters to contribute $700,000 to complete the bridge replacement project. MaineDOT also conducted and documented quality control design checks and provided engineering support during the competitive bidding process and any other additional services as was requested by the town.

Windham Town Councilors put the project out to bidding in November 2025 and awarded the project to Wyman & Simpson, Inc. for the town’s portion of costs in general obligation bond funding for replacing Varney’s Bridge. Seven bids had been submitted to replace the bridge.

When the bridge work started in June 2026 it was estimated at the time it could take up to 120 days to complete. The reconstruction work required a full road closure on William Knight Road and local detours were put in place for traffic and emergency vehicles.

The bridge was reopened to the public on Sept. 17. <

Windham Business Gathering to discuss sewers, Route 302 project and proposed community center

By Ed Pierce

A Windham Business Gathering hosted by the Windham Economic Development Corporation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30 at Erik’s Church in Windham.

A MaineDOT map shows improvements planned for a 
portion of Routes 302, 35 and 115 in North Windham.
It is one of three topics to be discussed at a Windham 
Business Gathering at Erik's Church on Sept. 30
hosted by the Windham Economic Development
Corporation. COURTESY PHOTO 

Among items of interest to be discussed at the gathering are the new sewer project in Windham, the Route 302 Project, and the proposed community center complex at Windham Middle School.

A cash bar and hot and cold hors d’oeuvres will be available.

Eric Gigure, WEDC president, Mark Morrison, Windham Town Council chair, and Robert Burns, Windham Town Manager will make remarks about the projects.

There will also be a Question-and-Answer session with members of the Windham Town Council and Windham Economic Development Corporation members.

ROUTE 302 PROJECT

According to the Maine Department of Transportation, the planned Route 302 Project in North Windham will improve a dangerous and inefficient highway bottleneck, improve safety and efficiency for motorists and active transportation users in Windham and provide more uniform accessibility to employment and retail as well as tourism and recreation critical to Maine’s economy.

It involves redesigning about 9,000 feet of Route 302 from River Road to White’s Bridge Road in Windham to improve safety, mobility, and efficiency. The project will add three new connector routes behind the town’s commerce center in North Windham to ease congestion on Route 302 while also making improvements to Routes 35 and 115 to improve safety, mobility, and efficiency.

The work will replace aging traffic signals with new smart signals and make road improvements aimed at benefiting pedestrians and bicyclists by constructing 11,700 feet of new multi-use pathways. All work is expected to be completed by 2030.

MaineDOT first entered into a working partnership in 2019 with the Town of Windham to alleviate traffic congestion on Route 302. In 2022, the state and the town collaborated on a transportation planning and feasibility study called North Windham Moves: Regional Mobility, Local Access.

State transportation officials obtained a RAISE grant in 2023 of $25 million for the project. The total project cost, including design, engineering, right of way and construction costs is $31.25 million. MaineDOT and the Town of Windham will equally split the 20 percent total project cost match of $6.25 million.

Besides congestion, the project area had seven high-crash locations (HCLs) in the three-year period from 2018 to 2020 alone and MaineDOT staff say the project will assist in reducing crashes and injuries in a commercial area that has grown rapidly around outdated safety features or no safety features at all.

The East Connector Road will be a total of .67 miles and consists of building a local roadway at the eastern terminal of Franklin Drive and extending south to Route 115. It includes intersection connections with Veterans Memorial Drive and Sandbar Road. 

The West Connector Road will be a total of 1.01 miles and consists of building a local roadway beginning at the north terminus of Manchester Drive and extending North about .55 miles to Whites Bridge Road. It includes intersection connections with Landing Road, Amato Drive and Trails End Road.

The existing intersection of Manchester Drive and Route 35 will receive improvements, including a new traffic signal.

The Middle Connector Road will be .14 miles and consists of building a local roadway beginning at the Franklin Drive and the Route 302 intersections and extending southwesterly to Landing Road about 755 feet.

SEWER PROJECT

Plans were approved by Windham voters in a special referendum in June 2022 for a new sewer project that included construction of a public wastewater system and the removal of about 100 septic systems that were discharging into the North Windham aquifer. Because of the lack of an effective sewer system in North Windham, over the years contaminants have continued to pollute the aquifer, threatening surrounding ponds and lakes, and stifling economic growth.

In addition, for the past two decades increasing nitrate levels have been observed in the underlying aquifer that threatened local water resources including Sebago Lake. Current levels of nitrates in the groundwater have exceeded drinking water standards. Septic system pollution entering the aquifer directly impacts surrounding valuable water resources, and this new wastewater treatment plant addresses the issue before the problem escalated and became irreversible.

The wastewater treatment plant is expected to remove 25,000 pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants each year being dumped by septic systems into the aquifer and watershed. The installation of sewers is expected to stimulate significant economic growth in Windham and lead to development in the area by industries and businesses not willing to locate here because of associated septic system issues and costs.

COMMUNITY CENTER REFERENDUM

Windham voters will be asked on Nov. 3 to approve issuing general obligation bonds up to $19.5 million in a referendum to finance the costs of rehabilitating the Windham Middle School for use as a community center and moving the Windham Public Library and Town of Windham municipal offices there. It includes the costs of design, engineering, professional services, site preparation, construction, renovation, operating costs, and other improvements and furnishings as may be required in connection with the project. The proposal includes appropriating up to $2 million of the town’s fund balance as the Town Council deems reasonable and necessary to reduce the borrowing amount and directly pay for costs of the project.

As part of the referendum to obtain $131.7 million in state funding to build a new middle school for students in Windham and Raymond, RSU 14 voters agreed in 2023 that the existing Windham Middle School could not be used as a school again, since the state had already contributed funding for substantial repair costs over decades of the building’s use. In formulating the proposal as to how best to repurpose the WMS building, WMS Repurpose Advisory worked with an architect and design team and toured the Westbrook and Gorham Community Centers to see how those towns adapted old school buildings for community center facilities.

Determining that the basic structure of the school was sound and that it offered 80,000 square feet of available space, the committee looked at the existing town buildings with long-term replacement costs and short-term maintenance, parking improvements and repair costs and decided that a number of municipal services could be relocated to the site for a fraction of the cost of renovating or replacing current buildings.

To RSVP to attend the Windham Business Gathering, send an email to [email protected] <

25th anniversary tribute recalls 9-11 accounts of heroism

By Ed Pierce

It’s been a quarter of a century since the terrorist attacks on America on 9-11, but it’s something that continues to haunt many people locally and led American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 to create an anniversary tribute and day of remembrance in Windham on Friday, Sept. 11.

Yvonne Johnson of American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 was
the emcee and organizer of an event recalling the tragic events
of 9-11, lives lost during the terrorist attacks on America and 
the bravery of first responders held at the Windham Veterans
Center on Friday, Sept. 11. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

Created and organized by Post 148 Second Vice Commander Yvonne Johnson, the gathering at the Windham Veterans Center featured guest speakers, Windham public safety leaders and emotional stories of canine rescues and lost lives.

Johnson introduced Post 148 Commander Tom Theriault who described in detail events that led to nearly 3,000 Americans perishing in terrorist-hijacked flights used as guided missiles to strike the World Trade Center Towers in New York City and at The Pentagon in Washington, D.C. while another hijacked flight crashed after passengers fought back over the skies of Pennsylvania.

Windham Fire-Rescue Chief Brent Libby and Windham Police Captain Jason Burke discussed firefighters and police officers who gave their lives attempting to save those trapped in buildings struck by the terrorists.

In all a total of six Mainers died on 9-11 including one serving in the military at The Pentagon and five who were aboard planes that were hijacked that day.

During the tribute, K-9 officers and their police handlers from Windham, Gorham and Westbrook stood by while Johnson related to the audience the story of K-9 Trakr, a German Shepherd police dog from Canada who helped search for survivors at Ground Zero after the 9-11 attacks.

“Trakr was handled by Canadian police officer James Symington and helped locate Genelle Guzman-McMillan, who was trapped under the rubble as the last living survivor from the South Tower 27 hours after the towers fell,” Johnson said.

In 2008, seven years after the tragedy, Symington won a contest to clone the dog, resulting in the birth of five puppy Trakr clones in 2009, Johnson said.

She then presented pins and medals for the local K-9 and their handlers in memory of K-9 Trakr and New York Port Authority K-9 Sirius, whose remains were found in 2002 in the wreckage of the World Trade Center’s South Tower after his handler had been injured and hospitalized in the collapse of the North Tower.

“The valor of K-9 Sirius reminds us he will never be forgotten,” Johnson said.

Freeport Deputy Fire Chief Luke Vashon told the story of how the town applied for and was able to obtain steel beams from the collapse of the World Trade Center towers.

Vashon said it took three years from the time Freeport applied to a dedication ceremony once the beams were transported to the town in September 2011.

The 9-11 memorial is at the Public Safety Building in Freeport, and everyone is welcome to visit, he said.

Major General Bill Libby of Old Orchard Beach was serving as commander of the Maine National Guard on Sept. 11, 2001, when the governor at the time, now U.S. Senator Angus King, sought his guidance about how to best keep the state safe on 9-11.

“Gov. King took swift action and closed the capitol,” General Libby told the audience at the 9-11 tribute event. “He activated the state’s Emergency Operations Center.”

He shared a story about the Maine Air Guard, who happened to be flying a mission that day over the New Jersey coast. After the attacks, the crew was ordered to help refuel military aircraft over New York City. 

“Our lives have changed significantly in reaction to the events of that day,” the general said. “During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we lost 56 Mainers.”

He said that with each passing year following the terrorist attacks on 9-11, he has come to realize that the aftermath was equally as important as the attacks themselves when Americans unified as one to overcome the tragedies and rebuild their lives.

“I commemorate 9-11 every year but celebrate 9-12,” General Libby said. “We need to find the spirit of 9-12 again in this country.”

Windham Police Chief Kevin Schofield and Windham Fire-Rescue Chief Brent Libby placed a wreath in the Windham Veterans Center garden for the observance.

Members of Legion Post 148’s Honor Guard fired a 21-gun salute, and it was followed by the playing of “Taps” by Post 148 bugler Randy Kitano and a benediction by Chaplain Cheryl Guddy of the Department of Maine American Legion. <

    

Committee recommends council rename recreation sites as ‘Windham Community Forest’

By Ed Pierce

The steering committee overseeing the East Windham Conservation Area and Lowell Preserve has recommended to the Windham Town Council that the sites be renamed as the Windham Community Forest.

Two conserved outdoor recreation properties in Windham,
including the East Windham Conservation Area and
Lowell Preserve, are expected to be renamed as the
Windham Community Forest by the Windham Town
Council during a meeting on Sept. 22.
COURTESY PHOTO
   

In January, town councilors established the East Windham Steering Committee to guide the process of creating a vision and management plan for the combined parcels of the East Windham Conservation Area (700 acres) and the Lowell Preserve (300 acres) and to provide ongoing oversight of the maintenance of operation of the sites. One of the tasks of the committee was to “seek public input and recommend a new name that unifies the shared character and use of property” which is jointly managed by the Town of Windham and Presumpscot Regional Land Trust.

The East Windham Conservation Area opened to the public in 2024, and Lowell Preserve opened in 2000. Committee members brainstormed potential names and included them in a FlashVote survey for Windham residents in August with Windham Community Forest receiving the most votes.

The preserved site is part of a 2,000-acre conservation corridor and larger than any state park in Southern Maine. A connecting 30-mile trail network links the Windham outdoor recreational sites with the North Falmouth Community Forest and Blackstrap Hill Preserve owned and maintained by Falmouth Land Trust. It is also the largest wildlife habitat, clean water, and recreational trail corridor in Greater Portland.

The Windham Town Council is expected to approve the new Windham Community Forest name for the sites during its meeting on Sept. 22.

East Windham Conservation Area

With nearly 10 miles of multi-use trails and hilly and forested terrain, the East Windham Conservation Area is a mix of hardwood trees and offers scenic views of the White Mountains and Little Duck Pond with three main trails running throughout the property.

Funding to create the area was about $3.7 million and included a $1 million grant from the Land for Maine’s Future initiative. In 2021, voters from Windham approved a $1.8 million conservation bond using open space impact fees and another $400,000 raised privately from public donations. A Land and Water Conservation Fund federal grant for $500,000 was obtained to pay for the infrastructure improvements at the site.

In June 2022, Windham residents voted during the Annual Town Meeting to allow the town to enter a partnership with Presumpscot Regional Land Trust to purchase and conserve 661 acres near Little Duck Pond in East Windham. The project acquired the forested acreage for recreational opportunities in Windham while also adding 1,545 feet of undeveloped water frontage on Little Duck Pond, the 150-acre Deer Wintering Area for hunting, and Atherton Hill.

The site includes Atherton Hill, which at nearly 600 feet, is the largest hill in Windham. It also features 2,000 feet of frontage along Little Duck Pond and 1,500 feet of pristine headwater streams that lead to Forest Lake, Highland Lake, and onto the Presumpscot River and an excellent wild brook trout habitat. Lowell Preserve, a 300-acre site owned by the town and for which the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust holds a conservation easement, is adjacent and includes an additional five miles of multi-use trails. The area offers programming opportunities for school and afterschool groups and creates an accessible one-mile trail for people of all ages to walk, push a stroller, and bike to visit Little Duck Pond.

Lowell Preserve

With eight miles of trails, ranging from moderate to difficult, through scenic forest, Lowell Preserve offers 308 acres to explore with interesting forest views, topography, and geology. The views change with the seasons as some areas are dominated by evergreen hemlock while beech, maple, or oak are more prevalent in others. There are both permanent and intermittent streams within the preserve that run in the valleys of the gradual hills. Unlike many other preserves, rocks are plentiful ranging from exposed ledges to smaller exposed stones to large glacial boulders in interesting granite formations near the trails.

It is a diverse network that accommodates multiple outdoor recreational activities, from hiking and mountain biking to horseback riding and use by ATVs.

The McIntosh Brook runs through the preserve and there are many areas with gradual inclines. <

Windham racer fulfills dream of winning Oxford 250

By Ed Pierce

Since he was a small child, Brandon Barker of Windham has been dreaming about winning the Oxford 250 auto race and he made that dream a reality by winning the 53rd annual Nitro Trailers Oxford 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway on Aug. 30.

Brandon Barker of Windham, 29, won the 53rd
annual Nitro Trailers Oxford 250 auto race at
Oxford Plains Speedway on Aug. 30, fulfilling
a dream he had held of winning that title since 
he was a small child. COURTESY PHOTO 

Following a near three-hour rain delay Barker, 29, in his Super Late Model Car No. 88, outlasted second-place finisher Johnny Clark and Joey Doiron in third place to claim the prestigious Oxford 250 title.

“We have focused on Oxford this year to prepare for the bigger races like the Oxford 250,” Barker said. “To win the Oxford 250 took a great car, a good strategy and a great team.”

This was Barker’s ninth attempt to win the Oxford 250, and through the years, he’s described the race as similar to winning the Daytona 500 for drivers from New England.

Barker started this year’s Oxford 250 race in fifth position and slowly moved up to second before rain forced a lengthy delay at about the race’s mid-point. He took over first place when leader Gabe Brown made a pit stop and held the lead for the next 50 laps. With just 65 laps left, DJ Shaw seized the lead, but taking a pit stop for fresh tires with 45 laps left to go, Barker made up ground on a restart and went wide moving from ninth to third. He held strong and was able to take the lead for good and hold off Clark and Doiron down the stretch.

His start in racing came when Barker was 5 years old and about to turn 6 in 2003 at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway’s go-karting series in Scarborough. His grandfather obtained a couple of go-karts for Barker and his cousin to race there, and it prompted Barker to go on and pursue an auto racing career outside of his day job working for the Maine Turnpike Authority.

Taking the checkered flag in the Oxford 250 is another accomplishment in Barker’s career. Back in 2023, he joined the late Dale Earnhardt and DJ Kennington as being the only racers to win in their first American Canadian Tour start when he came in first in the Governor’s Cup 150 race at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, New Hampshire, beating 24 other racers.

This year alone, Barker has won five different races but winning the Oxford 250 stands out for him because it’s a flat track.

‘I think flat tracks are the toughest tracks to get a handle on and if you do, you go to places with banking because it helps your car’s handling,” he said. “If you’re good at the flat tracks you can usually go anywhere and be competitive.”

To reach this point in his racing career, Barker is grateful for support he’s had from other Windham racers such as Brad Babb and Bobby Timmons.

“They’re all older than me so they were always a step ahead and I looked up to them and asked advice from them,” he said. “Whether it was good advice or not seems to have worked out.”

Barker can be found nearly every weekend racing Super Late Models at events in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina and his sponsors include Landshark Performance, Sam Snow Construction, GoFas Racing with Archie, Maietta Towing, DLM Excavation, NLM Custom Homes, and RPM racing engines.

“I race on the Pro All Star series for Sam Snow, the Granite State Pro stock series, and the NASCAR weekly series Pro stocks at Lee USA Speedway for Archie St. Hilare and a few American Canadian Tour Late Models for Chad Sullivan,” he said. 

Among his biggest fans are his wife, Sara, who has a brother and father who also race cars, and she is used to the competitive aspect of the sport and tries to attend as many of Barker’s races whenever possible, and the couple’s 21-month-old son Bentley.

Winning the Oxford 250 checks off one of Barker’s long-standing goals and is especially meaningful to him.

“It’s something I had hoped to accomplish in my racing career before I am finished,” he said. “It’s one of my favorite races and one of the biggest races in the country. <

Town of Windham to receive $80K Community Action Grant

By Ed Pierce

Windham will receive an $80,000 Community Action Grant from the Community Resilience Partnership to support a residential preparedness program focused on emergency readiness, energy efficiency and connecting residents with services.

Windham will receive an $80,000 Community Action Grant
from the Community Resilience Partnership of Maine to
support a residential preparedness program focused on
emergency readiness, energy efficiency and connecting
residents with resources during severe storms and flooding.
PHOTO BY KEITH MANK  

The Community Resilience Partnership, administered by the Maine Office of Community Affairs, helps Maine communities to lower energy costs, reduce emissions and prepare for climate effects such as severe storms, flooding, extreme temperatures and public health risks.

Starting in 2024, Maine kicked off awarding $69 million in climate resilience grants, funded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Resilience Regional Challenge. The grants represent one of the largest investments in climate resilience ever in Maine history. Maine was one of 10 states to share a total of $575 million in Federal funding for climate resilience authorized through the Inflation Reduction Act.

Over the next five years, Maine will implement three integrated climate resilience-building strategies that advance the recommendations outlined in Maine Won't Wait (PDF), Maine’s Climate Action Plan, and collectively build the capacity of underserved, rural, and Tribal communities. Strategies include building enduring community resiliency, reducing climate impacts through nature-based solutions and investments in green infrastructure and strengthening the resilience of working waterfronts.

Windham’s Residential Preparedness Program was developed in conjunction with Age-Friendly Windham and is intended to connect residents with energy and emergency preparedness coaches and other services that can address immediate needs and strengthen long-term resilience.

In announcing that Windham would receive the Community Action Grant, State Senator Tim Nangle of Windham pointed out that preparation before an emergency can make all the difference.

“This grant will give Windham residents practical, trusted help to address immediate needs, find ways to make their homes more energy efficient and prepare for severe weather,” Nangle said. “I’m grateful to the town, Age-Friendly Windham and all the local partners who worked together to build a program around what residents actually need.”

He said that funding for this initiative comes from both state and federal sources, including state general funds authorized by the Maine Legislature and a five-year Climate Resilience Regional Challenge grant awarded to the State of Maine by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration two years ago.

The Community Action Grants were made available through the Community Resilience Partnership, a program established by Gov. Janet Mills in 2021 to support local governments in undertaking projects that increase resilience to climate effects and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Community Resilience Partnership has grown to include 308 towns, cities, and tribal governments representing 81 percent of Maine’s population. So far, the program has funded more than $29 million for projects in 305 different communities across the state.

“Investing in stronger infrastructure and energy efficiency helps communities withstand and recover faster from severe storms, saving money and easing pressure on local property taxpayers,” Mills said. “I’m proud that my Administration’s Community Resilience Partnership has invested more than $29 million to empower hundreds of Maine communities to strengthen their resilience and secure a strong future for generations of future residents.”

Samantha Horn, the Director of the Maine Office of Community Affairs, says the Community Action Grants are making a difference.

“Maine communities are proposing innovative and forward-looking projects that will increase their resilience and save tax dollars in the future,” Horn said. “The Maine Office of Community Affairs is pleased to be able to offer this easy-to-access funding to support them.”

Municipal officials greatly appreciate the Community Resilience Partnership’s commitment to supporting and investing in initiatives that advance the State’s policy priorities,” said Catherine Conlow, Executive Director of the Maine Municipal Association.

“The fact that the most recent round of Community Action Grants will support 26 projects submitted by first-time municipal applicants demonstrates the Office’s dedication to making this valuable program accessible to communities of all sizes and capacities across Maine, and its willingness to meet municipal leaders and residents where they are,” Conlow said.

Celina Cunningham, Acting Commissioner of the Department of Energy Resources, says that investments such as these in energy efficiency, local clean energy projects, and community resilience can help lower energy costs and make taxpayer dollars go further.

“At a time when global energy prices have been volatile, these grants are helping towns and municipalities reduce energy use, strengthen critical facilities, and deliver savings for local residents and businesses,” Cunningham said. <

North Windham Wastewater Treatment Plant launches operations

By Ed Pierce

It’s been four years since Windham voters first approved creating the North Windham Wastewater Treatment project to the new plant becoming fully operational, but late last month that milestone event took place.

The new North Windham Wastewater Treatment Plant is now
fully operational on the grounds of Manchester School in
Windham. It is designed to remove 25,000 pounds of
nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants each year being
dumped by septic systems into the aquifer and watershed.
COURTESY PHOTO  

Windham Town Engineer Mark Arienti has informed members of the Windham Town Council and the Windham Town Manager that the wastewater treatment facility, located on the Manchester School grounds, is now up and running.

Plans were approved by Windham voters in a special referendum in June 2022 that included construction of a public wastewater system, and it will result in the removal of about 100 septic systems that were discharging into the North Windham aquifer. Because of the lack of an effective sewer system in North Windham, over the years contaminants have continued to pollute the aquifer, threatening surrounding ponds and lakes, and stifling economic growth.

In addition, for the past two decades increasing nitrate levels have been observed in the underlying aquifer that threatened local water resources including Sebago Lake. Current levels of nitrates in the groundwater have exceeded drinking water standards. Septic system pollution entering the aquifer directly impacts surrounding valuable water resources, and this new wastewater treatment plant addresses the issue before the problem escalated and became irreversible.

The wastewater treatment plant is expected to remove 25,000 pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants each year being dumped by septic systems into the aquifer and watershed. The installation of sewers is expected to stimulate significant economic growth in Windham and lead to development in the area by industries and businesses not willing to locate here because of associated septic system issues and costs.

Through an agreement reached between RSU 14 and the Town of Windham, in exchange for locating the new wastewater treatment site at Manchester School, the town has created four new playing fields for youth sports at the school. RSU 14 will also be able to shift its wastewater treatment operations at Windham High School to the new facility.

The new plant uses Membrane Bio-Reactor technology with innovative drip dispersal and will be the first system to use drip dispersal of this scale in Maine. This technology is designed to improve the quality of local groundwater and local waterways, and was chosen for its reliability, flexibility, and overall cost effectiveness for operation.

The contractor building the plant installed influent screens and bubble diffuser equipment for the biological nutrient removal (BNR) and sludge tanks. MBR, BNR and sludge blowers were completed in December and the installation of the membranes that will be used to remove the suspended solids was completed in February. Construction crews also built a control shed for the Manchester Drive pump station with a wet well, valve vault and pumps all having been installed, as well as concrete pads for the shed.

Last December, the sewer rate for the new North Windham Sewer District was established by the Windham Town Council at $16 per 100 cubic feet.

Earlier this year, Windham Town Manager Robert Burns said that because the entire sewer system and wastewater treatment plant will operate at first far below capacity, Windham will use TIF funds to buy down the sewer rate, preventing early users, mostly businesses initially, from bearing the full operational cost. He said Windham expects to raise $1.3 million with a TIF subsidy during the first year of operation for the wastewater treatment plant and sewer system.

The cost of the project was $48 million for the new wastewater treatment plant, new sewer lines and connections to individual properties and businesses around Boody’s Corner as well as to some multi-family residential buildings and a few single-family homes in the area. The new Windham Raymond Middle School will connect to the treatment plant when the school opens.

A Clean Water State Revolving Fund subsidized loan, including $3.25 million in grant capacity will be used to pay for the project, according to Portland Water District Engineering & Asset Management Services. The project also received several million dollars in grants from Environmental Prevention Agency Congressional-directed spending, as well as from Cumberland County and town American Rescue Plan Act funding. 

According to Burns, residential property taxes will not be used to pay back the loan. Instead, he said, it will be paid back using Tax Increment Finance District funds.

Now that the wastewater plant is fully operational, the town has sent out information packages to businesses within the collection system corridor including sewer connection applications, access agreements to allow installation of piping and pumps on the properties, and guidance on what can and can’t be discharged to the sewer

Windham Economic Development Company Executive Director Tom Bartell said the new wastewater treatment plant in North Windham will benefit the town substantially.

“This investment is a foundational step in supporting increased residential and commercial density, improving environmental compliance, and enabling future development in the Route 302 corridor, which will strengthen the tax base and expand options for residents and businesses,” he said.

The plant began operations on Aug. 19.

Businesses that are discharging to the collection system right now include Shaws Plaza (Shaws, Staples, CVS, Town Fair Tire, and Pet Warehouse), Reny’s, Portland Pie, Hannaford, Windham Mall and Manchester School.

All of the businesses currently using the new system, except Manchester School, are discharging to the gravity collection lines that flow to the Portland Water District pumping station at corner of Manchester Drive and Route 35, which pumps it over to the treatment plant.

Manchester School discharges directly to the 15-inch sewer line that flows to the plant.

During the rest of this fall, the Town of Windham will be working to add more North Windham businesses to the sewer and wastewater treatment system. <

A blind date in 1950 leads to Windham couple celebrating 75th anniversary

By Ed Pierce

It takes a special type of loving relationship for married couples to reach their 75th wedding anniversary, but whatever it is, Arthur and Joan Wickham of Windham found it and have reached that important milestone.

Arthur and Joan Wickham of Windham are celebrating
their 75th wedding anniversary during a party with
their family on Sunday. They were married on Aug. 
18, 1951 at Holy cross Church in South Portland and
have five children, eight grandchildren, 10 great-
grandchildren and a great-great grandchild.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

The couple will celebrate 75 years of marriage with a party with their family on Sunday afternoon and remain together living in their home on Collinwood Circle in Windham. Arthur is 94 and shows no signs of slowing down. Joan will turn 94 in December and has trouble seeing and hearing. One thing is certain though – their deep and lasting love and commitment to each other is still there despite the passing of time.

Arthur Wickham was born in Portland and a graduate of Cheverus High School when by chance went out on a blind date with a girl named Joan Sincyr who had just moved to South Portland from Skowhegan in 1950. Something clicked on that blind date between the two teenagers, and as they continued to date over the next year-and-a-half they fell in love and Arthur decided he was going to propose marriage to Joan, who attended South Portland High School.

She accepted his proposal and the couple were married on Aug. 18, 1951, at Holy Cross Catholic Church in South Portland, and are still happily together today.

Arthur worked as a medical supply and medical devices salesman and later as an executive for the George C. Frye Company in Portland, and he also served in the U.S. Army Reserves, rising to the rank of Colonel before retiring in 1992.

He attended Casco Bay College and graduated with a degree in business administration and management and has been active in many fraternal and veterans’ organizations through the years. He served as a department commander for the American Veterans in Maine (AMVETS), as the state president of the Association of the United States Army and the Reserve Officer’s Association, and he also completed studies at the U.S. Army Command and General College and the Air War College.

Yard work and gardening occupy much of Arthur’s time these days and he still mows his own grass and maintains the couple’s property as he has done for all the years that the couple has lived in Windham. He’s still interested in issues that affect military veterans.

Joan worked for the Portland Housing Authority as a secretary before her retirement. At home, she has always been a baker and loves to cook. She used to make her own quilts and enjoyed going out to play bingo whenever she could find the time to do so. She was also active when her children were young in the Campfire Girls organization.

The couple purchased a home on Collinwood Circle in Windham decades ago, and they raised a family there of five children including Rick, Deb, Bobbi, Cindi and Mike. Over the decades the Wickham family has grown and prospered and now includes additional generations including eight grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and a new great-great-grandchild.

To mark the occasion of their 75th wedding anniversary, the entire family will gather in Windham for a special meal on Sunday and possibly a surprise pontoon boat cruise on Sebago Lake. A lake cruise has become a cherished summer tradition for the Wickham Family and an annual way for family members to get together and celebrate Arthur and Joan’s wedding anniversary.

For many years Arthur and Joan Wickham would take the entire family to Bradbury Mountain State Park near Pownal for a fun-filled summer getaway and that gathering included a huge cookout, but that annual event has now shifted to the pontoon boat excursions on the lake.

Christmas celebrations at the couple’s Windham home were always meaningful for Arthur and Joan and their children because Joan’s birthday is Dec. 23, so they combine events and throw a huge holiday party every year because of the proximity of Christmas to Joan’s birthday.

Both Arthur and Joan Wickham say that the secret to sustaining a long and happy marriage isn’t complicated and is as important today as when they first said their vows in 1951.

“It’s all about communication and listening to each other,” they said. <   

Seeing double: Raymond twins savor trip to Ohio for ‘Twins Day Festival’

By Ed Pierce

Twins may be God’s way of saying “buy one, get one free” but for Brian and Brandon Mank of Raymond, being a twin has always been a special unique experience.

Identical twins, from left, Brian and Brandon Mank of
Raymond, 20, traveled to attend the 'Twins Day Festival'
in Twinsville, Ohio earlier his month. COURTESY PHOTO 

To that end, the Mank brothers, 20, who are roommates at the University of Maine Orono studying engineering, flew to Ohio earlier this month to participate in the annual Twins Day Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio. Since its creation in 1976, the festival has had more than 91,021 sets of twins and multiples attend and it’s been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “Largest Annual Gathering of Twins in the World.”

Organizers of the festival say it provides a way for celebrating the uniqueness of twins and others of multiple birth and is a centralized location for the multitude of twin-related information including but not limited to researchers, studies, photos of twins and associated details.

Brian Mank said when he learned about the “Twins Day Festival” he knew that he had to go.

“I first heard about the festival three years ago from a Facebook pop-up and have been wanting to see what it was like ever since,” he said.

The festival itself is crammed with events such as a “Double Take Parade” with twins marching in themed costumes and multiple-birth military veterans. There’s also a mass portrait session for an Official Group Photo, a Saturday Night Fireworks display, and a “Twins Days 5K & Fun Run.”

“My personal favorite part of the festival was the Twin sync game show” Brian Mank said. “This game show is split into three parts with three teams of twins. The first and second are practically the same; they split the twins up from their counterparts and ask them questions about one another. If the other twin answers correctly then they get points. The third part of the show involves putting a barrier between the twins and asking them to make poses; if the two twins do the same exact pose, then they get points. The twin team with the most points at the end wins, and each gets a $25 gift card to the Twins Day Festival gift shop.”

Just like his identical twin brother, Brandon Mank said he also enjoyed the Twins Day Festival game show.“It was fun and showed how in sync other twins were with each other,” he said.

Brandon Mank said over the years he’s learned to live with being constantly mixed up with his twin brother.

“When people mix us up now, it's less annoying and more like a funny joke that we get to tell them,” he said. “That doesn't mean that there wasn't a time in the beginning when it was annoying. We used to get so annoyed when someone mixed us up.”

The downside to being a twin, according to Brian Mank, is that no matter what, there is no privacy or secrets between you and a twin.

He said something he personally learned about other twins that he didn't know before this trip is a commonly held belief that connections between twins allow them to sense things they experience individually.

“A larger number than I thought of twins don't actually have a connection between each other that allows them to sense each other,” he said.

The Mank twins were among 20,085 twins attending this year’s Twins Day Festival, and they returned to Maine having confirmed that their lifelong bond as twins and dealing with deep emotional closeness, shared milestones, and constant comparison is shared by thousands of other twins.

They came away from the experience being more appreciative of what they share.

Brian Mank says he admires his twin’s ability to look at something and perfectly create it in his engineering studies, whether that be in a CAD program or a drawing on a piece of paper.

Brandon Mank says he believes he is more creative and his twin more analytical.

He suggests simple advice to younger twins.

“Make sure you get along with your twin because you're never sure when you're going to need their help,” Brandon Mank said. <

Murray prepares to lead Windham Chamber Singers as director

By Ed Pierce

He’s stepping into huge shoes to fill, but Ryan Murray is ready to take on one of the most prominent and influential positions in the RSU 14 School district.

Ryan Murray is the new director of choral
activities at Windham High School andc will
lead the Windham Chamber Singers.
COURTESY PHOTO  

Murray has been named by the RSU 14 Board of Directors to succeed Dr. Richard Nickerson as director of choral activities at Windham High School. That position includes serving as the director of the Windham Chamber Singers, a role that Nickerson held for 39 years before his retirement in June after an illustrious career with RSU 14.

During his time at Windham High School, Nickerson led the Windham Chamber Singers as the choral performed at the White House and at Carnegie Hall and won the Prize of Vienna at the 25th International Youth and Music Festival in Vienna, Austria in 1996.

Murray is from Scarborough and after graduating from high school at Thornton Academy, he attended the University of Maine where he earned a bachelor’s degree in music education. He was a recipient of a Tri-City Community Chorus Music Scholarship for college music education studies.

His experiences at UMaine helped prepare him for his new challenge teaching music at Windham High School and touring with the Windham Chamber Singers.

During college, Murray successfully auditioned as a freshman to become a member of the University Singers, a choir in which both of his parents had sung. As a college senior, Murray served as one of two assistant conductors for the University Singers. In March 2025, he was able to conduct the fourth movement of Johannes Brahms’ “Ein Deutsches Requiem” for the University Singers’ spring concerts and annual spring tour, which was part of a group tour across Maine and into Quebec.

As a college junior and senior, Murray also served as music director for The Maine Steiners, an all-male a capella music group that is part of UMaine University Singers. During that experience, he chose what music the group would perform, handled scheduling and rehearsals and teaching proper vocal technique.

Beside his involvement with the University Singers and The Maine Steiners while attending college, Murray also was a participant in Camerata Dirigo, a chamber octet based in Orono. In 2024 he conducted Gabriel Fauré’s “Requiem,” one of the best-known pieces of all choral music, during a full-length concert.

As a UMaine student, Murray also found time to work with choral students in a classroom setting at Orono Middle School. There he put into practice education skills that he learned and was able to inspire his students and give them confidence to meet greater challenges in music.

In his new position working with Windham High School students, Murray will direct the school choirs and teach elective courses in music. He will also be responsible for conducting the Windham Chamber Singers, scheduling group performances and coordinating logistics for music festivals and other events. Murray also will serve as the Music Director for the school musical.

During a Windham Chamber Singers reunion concert in June, Murray said he admires Nickerson and intends to continue the existing music program at the high school while also starting some new ones. Both of his parents are music teachers and at one point, his mother taught alongside Nickerson after she graduated from college.

The future is wide open for Murray and although he is replacing a legendary music educator in his new job, he is confident and excited to make the job his own.

Murray says that he also plans to work on obtaining a master’s degree in music so he can further his skills and enhance his musical knowledge so that he can offer an outstanding educational experience for his students at Windham High School. <

Voters to determine fate of Windham Middle School repurpose proposal

By Ed Pierce

The Windham Town Council has approved placing a referendum question on the ballot in November for purchasing Windham Middle School for $1 once it is vacant in the fall of 2027 and repurposing the facility into a Community Center and housing town offices and the Windham Public Library.

Windham Town Councilors have approved placing a 
referendum before voters on Nov. 3 to approve issuing 
general obligation bonds of up to $19.5 million to
finance the costs of repurposing Windham Middle School
for use as a community center and moving town offices and
Windham Public Library there. This is an artist's depiction
of the completed project. COURTESY PHOTO     

A motion was passed unanimously during Tuesday evening’s town council meeting to ask Windham voters on Nov. 3 to approve issuing general obligation bonds up to $19.5 million to finance the costs of rehabilitating the Windham Middle School for use as a community center, including the costs of design, engineering, professional services, site preparation, construction, renovation, operating costs, and other improvements and furnishings as may be required in connection with the project. The proposal includes appropriating up to $2 million of the town’s fund balance as the Town Council deems reasonable and necessary to reduce the borrowing amount and directly pay for costs of the project.

Councilors will conduct a Special Town Meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19 to answer questions the public may have about the proposal, which addresses shortfalls in the current municipal buildings, each of which carries long-term replacement costs and short-term maintenance and repair costs. The project was developed over the past two years by the WMS Repurpose Advisory Committee and would consolidate town hall offices, parks and recreation, social services, the food pantry, clothing and medical closets and the library to the building, which RSU 14 is vacating upon opening of the new Windham Raymond Middle School in August 2027.

An amendment to the motion advancing the referendum was made by Windham Town Councilor Katie Cook for the council to recommend approval of the referendum.

The existing Windham Middle School building first opened in 1974 and was intended for a capacity of 483 students. That number has grown in the past 52 years to 650 students and some sixth graders being housed for classes at the adjacent Field Allen School, which was built in 1949.

In November 2023, a plurality of voters in the school district, which encompasses Windham and Raymond, approved a referendum to build the new Windham Raymond Middle School with about 77 percent of construction costs paid by the Maine Department of Education’s Major Capital Construction Program. The total project budget to construct the new school is estimated at about $171.5 million, with the state funding $131.7 million of that expense and residents of Windham and Raymond paying the remaining $39.8 million.

As part of the referendum to obtain $131.7 million in state funding for the new middle school, RSU 14 voters agreed that the existing Windham Middle School could not be used as a school again, since the state had already contributed funding for substantial repair costs over decades of the building’s use.

In formulating the proposal as to how best to repurpose the WMS building, WMS Repurpose Advisory worked with an architect and design team and toured the Westbrook and Gorham Community Centers to see how those towns adapted old school buildings for community center facilities.

Determining that the basic structure of the school was sound and that it offered 80,000 square feet of available space, the committee looked at the existing town buildings with long-term replacement costs and short-term maintenance, parking improvements and repair costs and decided that a number of municipal services could be relocated to the site for a fraction of the cost of renovating or replacing current buildings.

Committee members also reviewed the community center engagement results from August 2019 which identified multigenerational flexible spaces for a range of activities. Members determined the building can accommodate those identified spaces within the current structure and/or future spaces around the facility. They will also further determine any new spaces not in the current building and the phasing opportunities and costs.

The intent of the August 2019 study was to identify the need to create a multi-generational facility for all Windham residents that enhances the quality of life for Windham, provides flexible spaces for a range of activities, and is a self-sustaining site that fosters fun for residents. The 20-member Middle School Repurpose Advisory Committee serves as an advisory body to the Town Council and was used to analyze the potential re-uses for the school and a potential benefit as a community center or municipal offices.

Windham Town Manager Robert Burns said the WMS Repurpose Advisory Committee also received guidance from Great Falls Construction, which has assisted the town in other projects, such as reconfiguring and expanding Windham’s Public Safety Building in 2022.

Burns said although the benefits of the Windham Middle School Repurposing Project come with a cost, in the long run it will be cost-effective for the town.

“This building represents an opportunity for us to move forward,” Burns said. “This is still the best way forward for us.” 

He said Windham’s Social Services Office, which houses the Windham Food Pantry, requires more room, as does Windham Public Library. Windham’s Medical Loan Closet was moved temporarily last fall to the East Windham Fire Station stemming from structural issues with its building near the library on Windham Center Road.

Councilor Maggie Terry said she read comments about the WMS Repurpose Project posted on social media earlier this week and said residents need to understand that the cost to maintain municipal buildings continues to grow. She said she doesn’t like spending, but realizes the long-term savings offered by this repurposing project are the lowest costs the town will see.

“This is an opportunity for us we’ll never see at this value again,” Terry said.

The proposal does not include a community swimming pool, but the option is there should future phases of the repurposing project arise. It does include reconfiguring access for residents entering the site from Route 202 (Gray Road) and first-floor access to the Windham Town Clerk’s Office for conducting transactions such as automobile and boat registration, obtaining dog licenses, hunting and fishing licenses, registering to vote, property tax collection, notary service and marriage licenses.

It also would construct pickle ball courts, a redo of property sidewalks and fencing. <

Tribute to Fallen Soldiers Memorial Torch Motorcycle Ride salutes Maine reservist

By Ed Pierce

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Dennis J. Dix Jr. spent his military career helping his fellow soldiers and so it was only fitting that his efforts are not forgotten following his death last fall. To remember Dix for his contributions to the nation, members of the 17th Annual Tribute to Fallen Soldiers Memorial Torch Motorcycle Ride conducted a special ceremony for his family in Windham last Friday as part of the group’s Northern Tier ride.

Carl Coleman of American Legion Post 148 holds the Legion
flag at a ceremony conducted by the 17th Annual Tribute to
Fallen Soldiers Memorial Torch Motorcycle Ride
participants for the family of the late Lt. Col. Dennis J.
Dix, Jr. of Maine at the Windham Veterans Center on
Friday, July 24. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE  

The 17th Annual Tribute to Fallen Soldiers Memorial Torch Motorcycle Ride is a 24-day, cross-country motorcycle journey running from July 11 to Aug. 2, and is traveling from Eugene, Oregon, to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia to honor post-9/11 fallen service members. At Arlington, a cart carrying a memorial flame is escorted inside the cemetery and formally extinguished in recognition of every service member honored along the journey.

According to Warren Williamson, the Executive Director of the Tribute to Fallen Soldiers Memorial Torch Motorcycle Ride, the group makes scheduled visits to honor 52 different fallen service members along the way every year and this ceremony held at the Windham Veterans Center was one of those.

“At these Fallen Soldier visits, they present surviving family members with their Memorial Plaque of Distinguished Service to graciously recognize the service members’ sacrifice and to remind each family that their fallen hero hasn’t been forgotten,” Williamson said.

The Tribute to Fallen Soldiers Memorial Torch Motorcycle Ride has been doing this for nearly two decades with 15 riders among the group that arrived in Windham to pay tribute to Dix and his family.

“It’s a mission of love; it’s a mission of dedication and support,” Williamson said.

Dix graduated from Hall-Dale High School in Farmingdale and earned a double major in Psychology and Communication from the University of Southern Maine. He went on to graduate from the University of Maine School of Social Work and worked as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. He was the Director of the Access Center at Kennebec Behavioral Health and served as a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve Medical Corps.

He was awarded the Achievement Award as the Combat Stress Team Officer in Charge during Operation Pac-Warrior in 2009 and was honored with the Army Achievement Medal for Access to Behavioral Health Care at Fort Drum Medical Department Activity (MEDDAC) in 2001.

At the time of his death last fall at the age of 58, Dix lived with his family in Hallowell. His wife Michelle Dix and four children, Anthony Dix, Kaylee Bickford, Aiden Dix, and Brianna Dix all made the trip to Windham to attend the ceremony along with other family members.

“There is a cost to serve this country if you wear the uniform of the United States,” Williamson told the Dix Family. “The flame is a promise to the family that we have not forgotten Dennis, and it burns 24 hours a day.”

During the ceremony, Williamson read aloud the obituary for Dix and presented the family with a memorial plaque in recognition of his military service and a framed photograph of him.

Williamson pointed out that all the motorcycle riders on this year’s ride are wearing a patch commemorating the ride honoring Dix and he gave a patch to the family so they too can remember the event.

“We hope you will wear it with pride,” he said. “As everyday Americans, we graciously extend our heartfelt gratitude to the families of every fallen soldier, and it’s our pledge to let them know their fallen hero will never be forgotten.”

The Tribute to Fallen Soldiers Memorial Torch Motorcycle Ride was originally created in 2009 to honor the sacrifices of 125 military members from Oregon who have been killed in action through the years defending America. It later expanded to pay tribute to all American military members who gave unselfishly so that all Americans can live in freedom.

“We wanted to do something to make a difference,” Williamson said.

According to Williamson, Windham was the 14th day of 24 planned visits across America culminating the trip with a final stop at Arlington National Cemetery. A memorial bell will be rung at Arlington for each of the 52 fallen servicemen with their names read aloud. The event concludes with riders from the 17th Annual Tribute to Fallen Soldiers Memorial Torch Motorcycle Ride laying a wreath along with the sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Members of Windham VFW Post 10643 and the American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 also participated in the ceremony for Dix. <

Windham High pitcher continues on path to major league baseball

By Ed Pierce

Brady Afthim’s first full season of minor league baseball has accelerated and now that he’s been promoted from Low-A Daytona in the Florida State League to the High-A Dayton Dragons of the Midwest League, he’s expecting even better results.

Brady Afthim of Windham pitches for the Dayton Dragons in 
a Midwest League minor league baseball game against the
Lansing Lugnuts on July 3. Afthim, a 13th round draft pick
of the Cincinnati Reds a year ago, was promoted from
low-A Daytona Beach to high-A Dayton by the Reds on
July 2. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE    

Afthim, a 2021 graduate of Windham High School, started playing baseball in the Windham Little League, and was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 13th round of the 2025 Major League Baseball draft. He briefly appeared in two games last September for Daytona Beach after four years of pitching in college baseball for the University of Connecticut Huskies.

His first appearance for Dayton came on July 3 against the Lansing Lugnuts where he pitched 2.2 innings in relief and was awarded the victory as Dayton won, 6-3. So far, Afthim has gotten into two games for the Dragons, pitching 5.2 innings and striking out five Midwest League opposing batters.

A right-handed hurler, Afthim closed out his college career ranking second overall in University of Connecticut history with 92 appearances over four seasons. He is tied for 8th place overall in UConn team history with 17 career saves and posted the lowest opponent batting average in Huskies’ history at just .211.

The Reds drafted Afthim for his blazing fastball which has been timed in the range of 93 to 95 mph, and he has touched 97 mph at times. Besides throwing a fastball, he also mixes in a changeup and a slider that he uses to offset his fastball.

His parents, Shelly and Phil Afthim, are well-known around Windham for their support of both Brady and his older brother Bryce, who also pitched for Windham High School and played in college for the University of Southern Maine.

According to Brady though, he’s expecting batters that he will face while on the mound at High-A Dayton to be much tougher than those he pitched to in the Florida State League.

“In Low-A hitters generally are aggressive so pitchers can use that to their advantage by expanding the strike zone, but I imagine they will be more selective meaning that pitchers have to be in the zone more,” he said.

Afthim says he’s not exactly sure why he was promoted to Dayton after he appeared in 17 games there this season compiling a record of 1-3 with a 2.33 ERA (Earned Run Average) but is happy to be moving up to another level in professional baseball.

“Whoever makes the final decision on that doesn’t give up all the details, but I’d imagine it came down to strike throwing,” Afthim said. “I did a good job in Daytona consistently being in the zone and being efficient.”

He said he’s unsure how he will be used by Manager Julio Morillo while pitching for Dayton.

“Earlier this year I was doing the high-leverage late inning role but then started to stretch my outings out so I’m not totally sure,” Afthim said. “I’d guess maybe a little of bit of both, but I’m cool with whatever. I like being in at the end when the game is on the line, but I also don’t mind being out there and pitching a little bit too.”

At Dayton, Afthim also will benefit from working with the Dragon’s pitching coach Willie Blair, who pitched for 12 seasons and nine different major league teams during his career.

Under the WHS varsity baseball coach at the time, Cody Dube, who also had grown up in Windham, was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles and played minor league baseball, Afthim said he learned valuable insights about the game and made the most of his opportunities while in high school.

He was honored as Maine Gatorade Player of the Year, was selected as the USA Today Player of the Year in Maine and was recognized as First Team All-Southern Maine Athletic Association as both a pitcher and a catcher. Afthim also won the John Winkin Award designating him as the top senior high school baseball player in Maine in 2021 and he was named as the recipient of the 2021 Mr. Baseball in Maine Award.

His 2026 season started for Afthim back in February when he joined the Reds for spring training in Arizona and made an appearance during a spring training game for Cincinnati against the Cleveland Guardians on March 22. <

Town of Windham to create Pine Grove pocket park

By Ed Pierce

If everything goes as expected, Windham could have a new pocket park by this fall.

A depiction is shown of the new Pine Grove Park to be built
on a vacant town lot between the Forbes Lane and Misty
Drive neighborhoods off Varney Mill Road in Windham 
with a Community Development Block Grant awarded
to the town by Cumberland County. COURTESY PHOTO

In January 2025, the Windham Town Council endorsed an application for Community Development Block Grant funding from Cumberland County to create a pocket park for the Forbes Lane and Misty Drive neighborhoods on a town-owned vacant lot off Varney Mill Road. That was followed in April 2025 by the county awarding Windham $40,000 in CDBG funds with a funding match of $10,000 for the grant approved by town councilors and then voters as part of the 2026-2027 municipal budget during the Annual Town Meeting in June.

A pocket park is defined as a small park accessible to residents and the public which can be used for recreational purposes including picnic tables, benches, flower beds and greenery.

Councilors then established an ad hoc community committee to research and explore the development of a pocket park in the Forbes Lane and Misty Drive area. Committee members were asked to develop a concept plan for the 1.33-acre parcel with trails suitable for walking and biking to serve area residents and the public as well as optional picnic benches and recreational amenities suitably sized for the lot.

The CDBG funding from Cumberland County was subject to an environmental review to ensure compliance with the State Historic Preservation Office, local Historic Preservation Ordinances and other environmental regulations. Community Development Block Grants support community development activities to build stronger and more resilient communities. Activities may address needs such as infrastructure, economic development projects, public facilities installation, community centers, housing rehabilitation, public services, clearance/acquisition, microenterprise assistance, code enforcement, and homeowner assistance.

During a Windham Town Council meeting in May, committee members made recommendations to the town council for the project including a walking and biking path connecting surrounding neighborhoods, a small wooden playground area for children, picnic tables and benches, and open space for gathering and informal recreation.

Committee Chair Lindsay Conrad told the council that an online survey was conducted in February distributed door-to-door and publicized through social media and on the Town and Parks and Recreation Department's websites. That was followed by a community forum held that same month at Windham Town Hall. Feedback from those community tools along with discussions held by the committee resulted in the formulation of a concept plan for the new pocket park.

The committee was made up of six members who reside on Forbes Lane or Misty Drive; two Windham staff members; and a member of the Windham Town Council. Members included Conrad, Amie Earley, David Joy, Megan Potter, Steve Clauson, Tena Linsbeck-Perron, Windham employees Linda Brooks and Jason Hanken, and Windham Town Council Chair Mark Morrison.

Conrad thanked committee members for serving and helping to create recommendations for the new park. 

“It was really important for us, the residents, to develop what this would look like,” Conrad said.

Windham Parks and Recreation Director Linda Brooks said the new pocket park will be a great addition for both the town and the Misty Drive and Forbes Lane neighborhoods.

“This project was definitely considered part of the Open Space Plan, and a goal of the Open Space Plan is to start developing these neighborhood parks,” Brooks said. “This is a great model to follow because these people are so invested in what’s coming into their neighborhood. I think we can already see they will be great stewards of what gets developed there.”

According to Conrad, the biggest issues that committee members tackled in creating recommendations for the park are a lack of privacy for neighbors whose property borders the park site, a desire to retain the wooded nature of the lot, and a lack of available parking.

She said to address that committee members recommended creating a 10-foot buffer around the property and determined that parking won’t be a significant problem because the park will be mostly used by people who live nearby and can walk there. As many trees as possible will be kept while installing the park.

Windham Assistant Town Manager Amanda Lessard said the development of Pine Grove Park does not exceed the threshold to require a Windham Planning Board site plan review.

“The Board of Appeals will need to review a conditional use application for the outdoor recreation facility prior to the installation of the play structure, hopefully at a ZBA meeting in August,” Lessard said. “The materials and equipment as recommended by the Committee have been ordered with installation expected in the fall. A grand opening celebration will be scheduled after installation.”

Once completed, the park will be maintained by the Windham Parks and Recreation Department. <