WRMS construction running smoothly and under budget

By Ed Pierce

Significant progress has been made on the construction of the new Windham Raymond Middle School on Windham Center Road, including moving the horse barn on the property for future use as an outdoor classroom.

Construction on the new Windham Raymond Middle School
is on schedule and remains about $16 million under budget,
according to RSU 14 Superintendent of Schools Christopher
Howell. Steel building framework and enclosed student
stairwells are going up and work to move an existing
horse barn at the site has been completed.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

Christopher Howell, RSU 14 Superintendent of Schools, says that construction costs for the school have remained constant and the project continues to be on schedule for a planned opening of September 2027. The new school will be a free-standing multi-story building with more than 260,000 gross square feet of new construction for learning space, an auditorium, gymnasium, and dining facilities.

Howell said that the new school will use a team-teaching concept where students will be divided into 12 teams to provide personal connection and then broken up into smaller instructional teams. It will incorporate Integrative Project Based Learning through team teaching, a method of instruction where a group of teachers work together to plan, conduct, and evaluate learning activities for the same group of students and the school’s design takes all of that into account with the team areas of the building allowing for a science teacher, math teacher, social studies teacher, and an English teacher to be in the same teaming area.

Classrooms will be on the new school’s upper floors and will not have any outside stairs or hallways, with administration and guidance offices housed on the ground level. The school grounds also feature a protected wetland area that students will cross by an aluminum boardwalk for outdoor learning opportunities and a school garden. The cooling and heating system will be designed for long-term cost savings and adaptability for the future. State-of-the-art drainage will protect the site’s surrounding environment and a 600-seat performing arts auditorium will be built as part of the new school.

“It’s just been an amazing process to watch and see the large precision of this process,” Howell said. “We are $16 million under the original budget and expect things to remain that way.”

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

The original Windham Middle School opened in 1977 and was intended for a capacity of 483 students. That number has grown in the past years to 650 students and some sixth graders being housed for classes at the adjacent Field Allen School, which was built in 1949. Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond opened in 1962.

“The new school will open with a little more than 1,000 students, and has a capacity for 1,200 students, so there’s some room built in taking future growth into account,” Howell said. “Kids in Grade 3 to 6 right now will be the first to use the new school.”

The school site will also include the creation of three new athletic fields and an existing soccer field near Windham Center Road.

Once open, the new Windham Raymond Middle School will provide instruction for students currently attending Windham Middle School, Jordan-Small Middle School and fifth graders at Manchester School in Windham. The current Windham Middle School and Jordan-Small Middle School will be closed and turned over to their respective municipalities for repurposing.

RSU 14 first applied for the Maine Department of Education’s Major Capital Construction Program in 2016 for funding for construction and was ranked as the fifth-highest priority among 74 proposed school construction projects statewide each year before eventually gaining approval in March 2021. Once a district applies for funding, Maine Department of Education reviews and rates the projects based upon need. The State Board of Education then funds as many projects from the list as available debt limit funds allow. Working with the State Board of Education, Maine DOE establishes both size and financial limits on projects.

Local school districts may exceed these limits at local expense through municipal bonds, but the state bears the major financial burden of capital costs for approved school construction projects. As such, Maine DOE first looks at the possibility of renovations or renovations with additions and new school construction projects are only considered in instances in which renovation projects are not economically or educationally feasible, which was the case with Windham Middle School and Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond.

Construction at the site is being led by Shaw Brothers and Landry French.

Because of the steady construction progress to date, Howell said he believes by next August 50 to 60 percent of the school construction will be completed.

“It’s a once in a career thing to do and watch this process all the way through,” Howell said. “Everything we planned on paper is coming to fruition and it’s so exciting.” <

Candidate field set in Windham for November election

By Ed Pierce

Voters in Windham will have a large field of candidates to choose from on Tuesday, Nov. 4 in races for two RSU 14 Board of Directors positions and three different Windham Town Council seats.

The field of candidates for the Nov. 4 election has been set
in Windham. Three non-partisan town council seats and
two non-partisan RSU 14 Board of Directors positions
will be filled following the election. FILE PHOTO  

Windham Town Clerk Linda S. Morell said candidates successfully submitted paperwork to qualify for the general election ballot by last week’s deadline.

For RSU 14 Board of Directors, the top two candidates receiving the most votes will be elected for three-year terms representing Windham on the board. The positions are non-partisan.

Candidates include Matthew S. Irving, Destiny J. Johnson, Megan N. Potter, incumbent Christina R. Small, Bradley M. Youngs and Adam G. Zajac. Small currently serves as RSU 14 Board Chair and Caitlyn Downs is not seeking re-election to the board.

The RSU 14 Board of Directors concerns itself primarily with broad questions of policy rather than with administrative details. The application of policies is an administrative task to be performed by the Superintendent of Schools and his/her staff, who shall be held responsible for the effective administration and supervision of the entire school system.

Members of the RSU 14 board have authority only when acting as a board legally in session. Board members are involved in policy making, choosing the schools superintendent, planning, setting goals and appraising results, approving and adopting financial resources, negotiating and approving collective bargaining agreements.

RSU 14 Board members also set clear expectations/standards and adopt policies regarding instructional programs; determine school building needs; communicate with various constituencies; advocate for the needs of the students; establish procedures for the operation of the board; review and evaluate board operations and performance; choose board officers; approve the annual school calendar; establish and maintain effective board-superintendent relations; and work along with authorizing school administration to work with town, county, and other government and non-government officials and agencies.

For Windham Town Council, three positions, including the North District, South District and At-Large, will be elected for three-year terms.

Town Council North District candidates are Deborah L. DeVou and Margaret A. Terry. Incumbent Jarrod Maxfield is not seeking re-election.

Town Council South District candidates are Douglas R. Fortier and Michael R. Russin. Incumbent Nicholas Kaleogerakis is not seeking re-election.

Town Council At-Large candidates are Joseph A. Campbell, Katie P. Cook and Clayton W. Haskell. Incumbent John Henry is not seeking re-election.

As outlined in the Windham Town Charter, all town council positions are non-partisan.

The Windham Town Council has seven members, three are elected at-large and four are elected from the four defined geographic areas of the town (north, south, east, and west). Voters throughout the town elect all members of the Town Council, both At-Large and by district.

A town councilor’s responsibilities are varied and include:

* Legislative and policy making in setting town policies.

* Budget and Finance in approving the annual budget and setting the town's tax rates.

* Planning and development by approving, rejecting, or modifying plans proposed by the Windham Planning Board.

* Directing the Town Manager by providing oversight for the Windham Town Manager and town staff.

* Making appointments by choosing members and residents to serve on various town committees and boards.

* Conducting investigations into the affairs of the town and its departments.

* Exercising statutory powers concerning legislative, financial, borrowing, and other powers given by state statutes to town officers.

To be fair to everyone concerned, here are the rules that The Windham Eagle newspaper is setting forth for election coverage this fall.

Letters to the Editor supporting candidates will be accepted up to seven days prior to Election Day on Tuesday, Oct. 28. The letters should be sent to editor@thewindhameagle.com and be no more than 300 words in length. The deadline for submitting letters is noon on Tuesdays for that week’s newspaper edition.

The newspaper will print no more than two letters supporting a candidate per edition. Readers may only submit one letter supporting a candidate during an election cycle. The letters will be published in the order they are received by the newspaper.

Candidate endorsement letters must focus on reasons why the writer supports the candidate and are not used as an attack against an opposing candidate. Organized letter-writing campaigns are not allowed by the newspaper and letters deemed to be part of an organized campaign will not be published.

Because of space limitations in the print edition of the newspaper, letters will only be published from Windham residents.

The Windham Eagle newspaper does not endorse candidates. All Letters to the Editor are reviewed for factual information and edited accordingly for spelling and grammar issues before publication.

A questionnaire will be sent to election candidates by email and candidates are asked to complete it in a timely manner and send it back to the newspaper editor to compile into a candidate preview for publication. The candidate preview will appear in the Oct. 10 edition of The Windham Eagle. Should a candidate not return the questionnaire, their space in the candidate preview will indicate that they did not respond to questions posed by the newspaper.

Issues and statewide referendum items will be profiled for readers in an upcoming edition of The Windham Eagle newspaper prior to the election on Nov. 4. <

Doctorate degree launches civilian Navy career for WHS grad

By Ed Pierce

Sierra Yost is following her dreams and is surely bound for bigger things in life but right now she’s relaxing with her family in Windham and enjoying some well-deserved time off before starting a new job in three weeks working as a Material Engineer for the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in China Lake, California.

Sierra Yost, a 2016 graduate of Windham High School and
the 2020 Valedictorian of the University of Maine Orono's
College of Engineering, has earned a doctorate in Chemical
Engineering at Penn State University  She will soon start a
job as a Material Engineer for the Naval Air Warfare Center
Weapons Division in China Lake, California.
COURTESY PHOTO
   

A 2016 graduate of Windham High School, Yost, 27, graduated as the 2020 College of Engineering’s valedictorian at the University of Maine at Orono and then went on to earn a doctorate degree in chemical engineering at Penn State University. She was inspired to study chemical engineering after taking the AP Chemistry class there taught by former WHS teacher Lisa McClellan.

“I knew I wanted to do research and development as a chemical engineer, and a PhD makes you much more qualified to do so,” Yost said. “I was able to take a lot of AP classes at Windham High, which prepared me for studying and understanding the material in my chemical engineering classes at UMaine and Penn State.”

Yost said that while she was at UMaine, she was able to work at a paper mill co-op, focusing on Research and Development, which led her to decide that she wanted to get her doctorate degree.

“Additionally, I was able to do a research-based honors thesis while there, which taught me the basics of research in an academic setting.” she said.

In 2021, Yost was awarded the Department of Defense Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation Scholarship. Recipients of the SMART award receive full tuition for up to five years, summer internships, a stipend and full-time employment with the Department of Defense after graduation. It was a unique opportunity which provided her with hands-on experience at one of the nation’s most innovative Department of Defense laboratories and working under an experienced mentor while gaining valuable technical skills.

“SMART is a scholarship-for-service program, so I owe four years as a DoD civilian to the Navy,” she said.

According to Yost, the biggest difference between her undergraduate studies at UMaine and her doctorate studies at Penn State were the things she learned about researching.

“I was on the pulp and paper scholarship at UMaine, so my time was very paper focused, but at Penn State I focused on the sustainability of common consumer plastics by optimizing them for 3D printing after they have been used and chemical recycling,” she said.

While at home in Windham, Yost has been working on a few papers with her advisor and colleagues from Penn State and she also went on a four-day trip to Iceland.

Yost says that she misses being close to friends and family here and says her all-time favorite teacher she had during all her time attending Windham schools is Jen Breton at Manchester School.

“She made learning really fun, even when we were doing more difficult work,” Yost said.

Her initial interest in science began at Windham High School.

“I loved the challenges the science classes offered, and I loved how much they loved science, it was contagious, so I have kept searching for positions and opportunities where I can do science that I am that excited about as well,” she said.

Yost’s eventual career objective would be to work in Research and Development in the pulp and paper industry.

“I did some of that during my time at UMaine, and really loved it,” she said. “Beyond that, I would like to end up in New England, preferably Maine, with enough land for a small garden and some chickens and bees.”

In her free time, Yost is an avid runner, likes spending time outdoors and enjoys hiking, skiing, fishing and kayaking.

She is grateful for the role that her father, Rick Yost of Windham, and her mother, Marla Pettinelli of Lewiston, have played in encouraging her success. <

Diamond leaves a legacy of exceptional public service to community

By Ed Pierce

There’s an old saying that “to live in hearts we leave behind is not to die” and for Windham’s beloved state legislator, educator and businessman Bill Diamond, that expression rings true.

Bill Diamond of Windham, a longtime legislator, educator,
business owner and child welfare advocate, has died at the 
age of 80. He co-founded Windham Neighbors Helping
Neighbors to provide heat assistance to those in need and
the Walk A Mile In Their Shoes Foundation to end 
child homicide in Maine.  FILE PHOTO  

Diamond, 80, passed away Sunday, Aug. 31 after a hard-fought battle with cancer and the outpouring of kind words and sentiment for him and his family has been non-stop. Having spent more than 40 years in politics and service as Maine’s Secretary of State from 1989 to 1997, Diamond leaves behind a legacy few will equal.

A lifelong Democrat, Diamond first ran for the Maine House of Representatives in 1976 as a write-in candidate and defeated Republican Barbara Strong. He won re-election for the seat in 1978 by defeating Republican Carole Bean. He won a third term in the Maine House in 1980 while running unopposed. In 1982, he beat Republican David Huber to win a Maine State Senate seat representing Windham, and he then defeated Republican Ken Cole in 1984 to win re-election before stepping down from the legislature at that time.

He grew up on his grandfather’s farm in West Gardiner and came to Southern Maine to study to become a teacher at Gorham State Teacher’s College, earning a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in education. He married his wife Jane in 1968, and the couple raised two daughters, Kristin and Karyn, in Windham and now have eight grandchildren. His actual first name was George but preferred to be known by his middle name, William.

Many students in Windham and Raymond will recall Diamond as their school principal or teacher. He taught from 1968 to 1986 in Windham schools and was the first principal of Windham’s Manchester School. He went on to lead Field-Allen Junior High School and Windham Middle School as principal and was Superintendent of Schools for Raymond. Diamond also served as superintendent and director of governmental relations for the controversial Elan School in Poland.

His interests varied outside of politics and education. He earned a brown belt in karate and was the owner of the now-closed Windham Independent newspaper. He was also a long-time co-owner of All-Med Medical Staffing in Windham and owned a security business for many years in town.

Before becoming Maine’s 45th Secretary of State in 1989, Diamond threw his hat into the ring in a bid to become governor in 1986 and then campaigned for the 1st Congressional District position in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994, losing in the Democratic Primary.

In 2004, Diamond defeated Republican Joe Bruno of Raymond to win the Maine Senate District 12 seat and won re-election in 2006, 2008 and 2010 before being term limited. Four years later in 2014, Diamond defeated Republican Kaile Warren to win the Maine Senate District 26 seat and subsequently won re-election to that position in 2016, 2018, and 2020.

As the cost of heating homes rose in the early 2000s, Diamond co-founded and served as president of Windham Neighbors Helping Neighbors in 2007, an all-volunteer effort which raised money to provide emergency heating oil to community residents in need. He also served as a board member for the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals in Windham and Hospice of Southern Maine.

Before leaving political office in 2022, Diamond was known statewide as a staunch advocate for children and led Maine Senate investigations into prominent deaths of abused children whose families were relegated to the state’s child welfare system. In 2014, Diamond wrote a book about the subject called “The Evil and the Innocent.”

In 2023, Diamond launched the “Walk A Mile In Their Shoes Foundation,” a non-profit dedicated to preventing child homicides and the abuse of children who are under the supervision or direct care of the State of Maine or who are or have been associated with the state’s Child Protective System.

“Children associated with state care have been dying at record levels, in fact, as recently as 2021 a record number of children died, many were victims of child homicides,” Diamond said at the time. “The chilling question is: How many more children must die before we make meaningful changes?”

He said he was first made aware of the issues affecting child homicide in Maine and the state’s child protection system in 2001.

“The problem has continued to persist over the past 22 years under four different gubernatorial administrations, Independent, Republican, and Democrat,” he said in launching the foundation. “The problems are not partisan based. They are the concern of all of us. This is the most important thing I’ve ever been able to do, nothing comes close.”

One of the purposes of the foundation is to bring people from a variety of interests and backgrounds together to develop meaningful strategies for positive changes to protect children who are the innocent victims of a broken system and to work with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Child and Family Services in a joint effort to improve the state’s child safety policies and practices and truly make a difference.

“We really don’t want to think about these children because it cuts deeply into our souls,” Diamond said earlier this year. “But we must if we want to help.”

In June, Diamond made his final public appearance at the 2025 Windham Summerfest Parade as he was honored as the Modern Woodmen of America’s Hometown Hero for 2025.

Funeral arrangements are pending. <

Classes back in session for Windham and Raymond students

By Ed Pierce

And just like that, summer vacation is officially over for students in Windham and Raymond as classes are back in session.

RSU 14's sch0ol schedule started on Wednesday, Aug.27 for
Grade 1 through 9 and Thursday, Aug. 28 for students in
Grade 10 through 12. Half of the RSU 14's Pre-K and
kindergarten classes start on Tuesday, Sept. 2 with the 
other half starting on Wednesday, Sept. 3. 
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE  

All RSU 14 schools, teachers, staff members and administrators have been carefully preparing for the new 2025-2026 school year and remind the community that with children out and about on their way to classes, motorists need to be careful and pay attention in school zones and around school buses transporting students to and from school.

After registering children for another year of school, purchasing new clothing and footwear, gathering school supplies, planning lunches for school, coordinating after-school care and arranging for student transportation, parents can finally sit back and rejoice that the start of the school year has arrived.

RSU 14’s school schedule started on Wednesday, Aug. 27 for Grades 1 through 9, and Thursday, Aug. 28 for students in Grades 10 through 12. Half of the RSU 14’s Pre-K and kindergarten classes start on Tuesday, Sept. 2 with the other half starting on Wednesday, Sept. 3.

Christopher Howell has led RSU 14 as Superintendent of Schools since 2019. Christine Frost-Bertinet is the RSU 14 assistant superintendent and Christine Hesler is RSU 14’s Director of Curriculum.

In Windham, students in kindergarten through Grade 3 attend Windham Primary School. Grade 4 and Grade 5 Windham students attend Manchester School, while students in Grades 6 to Grade 8 attend Windham Middle School. High school students in Grades 9 to Grade 12 in both Raymond and Windham attend Windham High School.

Dr. Kyle Rhoads leads Windham Primary School as its principal and has served in that role there for 18 years. Danielle Donnini is entering her 29th year of working at Manchester School and she has led the school as its principal since 2015.

Windham Middle School Principal Greg Applestein is entering his third year of leading WMS. He formerly spent three years as the principal at Bonny Eagle High School.

Ryan Caron is entering his eighth year as the principal at Windham High School and formerly served as the principal at South Portland High School.

This year in Raymond, elementary and middle school students will attend either Raymond Elementary School or Jordan-Small Middle School. Raymond students in Grade 1 to Grade 4 attend Raymond Elementary, while students in Grade 5 through Grade 8 attend Jordan-Small Middle School.

Beth Peavey is entering her sixth year as the principal at Raymond Elementary School and was the school’s assistant principal for three years prior to becoming its principal. Raymond Elementary, which houses students from Pre-K through fourth grade, has 258 students registered for the fall. Forty-four students are registered in the three classes of Pre-K at RES.

Jordan-Small Middle School will be led once again by Michelle Brann, who is entering her fourth year as the JSMS principal. Brann formerly served as the assistant principal at Lake Region Middle School. Some 180 Raymond students are registered for Grade 5 through Grade 8 at JSMS this fall.

For parents, RSU 14 uses Parent Square for school-to-home communications including mass notifications and urgent alerts, language translation for multilingual families, and to schedule parent-teacher conferences. The district also uses the Ride 360 app to view a student’s transportation assignment or to request changes to a student’s scheduled transportation. The Ride 360 app may be downloaded by visiting https://MERSU14.myridek12.tylerapp.com/.

Aaron Gant and Sharon Leeman serve as co-directors of transportation for RSU 14, while Jeanne Reilly is the RSU 14 Director of School Nutrition.

Windham Christian Academy

All students attending Windham Christian Academy in kindergarten through Grade 12 will return to classes on Tuesday, Sept. 2. The school offers non-denominational Christian education for students in PreK4 through Grade 12.

Jackie Sands is now in her 13th year of working for Windham Christian Academy and has served as the school’s principal since 2018. <

Windham attorney wins National United States Mrs. 2025 Pageant

By Ed Pierce

It’s hard to stop Katie Winchenbach. After winning the title of United States of America’s Mrs. Maine for 2024, the Windham resident was crowned National United States Mrs. 2025 at the National United States Pageant, held in Hershey, Pennsylvania from July 28 to Aug. 1.

Windham resident Katie Winchenbach, a
corporate attorney, has won the National
United States Mrs. 2025 Pageant and was
honored with the pageant's 'Diamond Crowns
Making An Impact ™ Award' for
outstanding community service work. 

Winchenbach is corporate attorney for a Fortune 500 company, a fashion designer, an international speaker and hosts her own podcast. She is widely recognized for her mission to empower and inspire rising women leaders of all ages and through her work, she blends professional expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, and heartfelt advocacy for women’s leadership and confidence-building.

“In 2024 I competed for the United States of America (USOA) pageant system. This time I competed in the National United States pageant,” Winchenbach said. “I chose to switch to National United States because the pageant has a significant community service focus through the ‘Crowns Making an Impact’ initiative and I felt that it was more closely aligned with my personal values and goals.”

Beside winning the national title, Winchenbach was honored at the pageant with the Diamond Crowns Making an Impact ™ Award for her dedication to volunteering and community service. She is passionate about advancing women’s leadership, breaking barriers, and inspiring confidence in women of all ages.

Winchenbach is the founder of Lead Fearlessly, a movement and podcast dedicated to elevating women’s voices, sharing stories of resilience, and providing actionable strategies for personal and professional growth. She is also the designer behind a new clothing line created to inspire confidence through bold, empowering designs.

Beyond her professional achievements, Winchenbach is deeply involved in numerous community organizations. She actively volunteers her time and expertise to initiatives that promote leadership development, mentorship, and education for women and girls. As National United States Mrs. 2025, she said that she looks forward to traveling nationwide to speak, mentor, and collaborate with organizations committed to empowering women.

“This title means more than a crown and sash. To me, it’s a platform to encourage women to embrace their full potential, trust their intuition, and step boldly into leadership,” Winchenbach said. “I’m honored to represent the National United States Pageant system and to connect with women across the country who are ready to lead fearlessly.”

She says that deciding to compete for the National United States Mrs. title gave her the opportunity to evaluate the impact I was making on my community and challenged her to find new ways to tap into my passion for supporting rising women leaders.

“As a result, I created a podcast titled Lead Fearlessly in which I invite women leaders from all over the world to share their stories, their struggles, and their tips,” Winchenbach said. “My goal is to give women all over the world the leadership support that I once needed. This podcast has opened so many doors for me including giving me the opportunity to present my first TEDx talk on leadership and confidence next year and partnering with Supermodels Unlimited for New York Fashion Week and Miami Swim Week events and a clothing line titled Fearless by Katie Winchenbach.”

Along with her husband Jared, she moved to Windham in 2021. She was born in Maine and grew up in the small town of Milford, near the University of Maine Orono. She earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Maine, a Juris Doctorate law degree from Quinnipiac University School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hofstra University.

According to Winchenbach, she is humbled to have the support of her family, friends, and community and she loves to stay busy, so she doesn't have a lot of downtime.

“When I do get down time, I love being out on the water on my paddleboard,” she said. “My husband got me an inflatable one a couple of years ago and I love it. I try to get out on the Presumpscot River on the weekends, do paddle board yoga in Casco Bay, and every once and a while bring my rescue pup out for a ride. My family and friends have been incredibly supportive of my pageant journey.”

By competing in pageants such as the National United States Mrs. 2025, Winchenbach is following the footsteps of her late mother.

“My mom competed in a Mrs. pageant when she and my dad were just married,” she said. “She passed away from cancer in November 2022, so this is a really nice way for my family to be able to come together again. They cheered her on over 30 years ago and now they get to cheer me on.”

Her husband has been so incredibly supportive, not just of her pageant participation, but of all the things that have stemmed from that.

“He was front row in Miami when I launched my clothing line, he holds down the fort at home when I travel for appearances and events, and of course, he was right there in the audience when I won this national title,” she said. “I've poured a lot of time and effort into my podcast, my service work, and my pageant preparation. I wouldn't be able to do that without knowing he has my back.”

Winchenbach is optimistic about the future and where it will take her.

“This is a really difficult question because if you asked me even 5 years ago if I thought I would be a national titleholder I would've said no. I just wasn't thinking boldly enough,” she said. “I do know that I want to keep supporting inspiring women leaders. I was fortunate enough to be the keynote speaker for the Maine Department of Corrections Women's Summit and I'm looking forward to more speaking engagements and leading more workshops. I'm also excited to continue serving as President of Women Standing Together Maine and to grow our flagship event, the Leadership Intensive. My goal is to launch a second Leadership Intensive in the central Maine area and to expand the reach of Women Standing Together to all of New England and maybe even the whole United States. And I definitely plan to continue growing my podcast. I know there are so many inspirational women out there who want to share their story and even more women who will benefit from hearing those stories.”

As far as what she’s learned about herself by competing in pageants, Winchenbach says that she feels empowered.

“I didn't realize that I had put myself in a box. I think when you are in a male-dominated field like the legal profession it's easy to get caught up with trying to fit in and I definitely did that,” she said. “It wasn't until I started competing in pageants that I realized I wasn't being my full, authentic self. I have always loved fashion, modeling, and design. I actually went to undergrad with the goal of becoming a fashion writer. When I joined the legal profession, I felt like I had to leave that part of me behind, but pageantry made me see that wasn't the case. I finally found the confidence to show up as who I was meant to be. Now I'm proud to be a successful attorney and a podcast host, model, designer, and advocate for women.”

The National United States Mrs. Pageant celebrates women of all ages for their achievements, leadership, and contributions to their communities, providing a platform for personal growth and public service and Winchenbach said she admires the qualities that the pageant stands for.

​“I am honored to hold the title of National United States Mrs. 2025, using my platform to advocate for women leaders, raise awareness of my podcast, and share the knowledge I have learned throughout my career,” she said. “Every woman has the potential to achieve great things, and my mission is to help them unlock it.” <

Triumph over Tragedy: Windham family copes with devastating adversity

By Ed Pierce

Faith can provide the foundation for resilience and hope and teach us lessons about life when the future seems impossible. That’s something that a Windham family discovered over the past year while undergoing a personal ordeal that tested their faith and strengthened their resolve.

Ethan March who grew up with his parents
Brian and Kathleen March in Windham,
became paralyzed from the waist down 
when he fell off a roof in a workplace
accident a year ago. He is learning to
cope with his injury and with the help
of his parents and others he is hoping
to become a pilot someday.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

Brian and Kathleen March of Windham were going about their lives last summer when their son, Ethan, 22 at the time, was working as an electrician and was installing solar panels off grid on a roof in Kingfield on July 30, 2024 when he suddenly fell 20 feet to the ground. He sustained multiple breaks in his T-11 vertebrae which smashed and put pressure on his spinal cord.

Trying to understand the seriousness of what had happened devastated the family. Ethan, who was less than a year into starting his career, was left paralyzed and struggling to cope while his parents did their best to lift his spirits and motivate him to go on.

“One of the hardest things for me is not being able to make things better for him,” said his mother, Kathleen March. “I can't heal his broken heart. I can't promise or even tell him he will get better because it's an unknown of time and faith. It's been hard to see our son who was just beginning his life in his chosen career, enjoying it and doing well to lose it all, including the possibility to be able to return to that job as he did it.”

Brian March said that the most challenging aspect of the situation for him as a father was watching his son suffer.

“Not just the struggles with getting in and out of the car and our house but thinking he may never walk again therefore not experiencing the feeling of sand under his feet or the snow under his skis or even just standing up to give me a hug,” he said.

And for Ethan, he says coming to terms with his injury and its implications was tough.

“The mental anguish of recognizing I'm going to be like this in this condition for the rest of my life is difficult,” he said.

As parishioners at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Windham, Brian and Kathleeen March prayed and placed their faith in God to help their son overcome the trauma and give them strength and hope.

Just before Thanksgiving, Ethan moved into an extended stay hotel in Portland in a handicapped suite with a tiny kitchenette.

“It’s far from ideal and there are still challenges with the layout of this suite for functioning with his wheelchair,” his mother said. “It’s difficult such as not being able to roll under the counters or the stove, not being able to reach most of the cabinet shelves, and in general just tight quarters for movement. The staff at the hotel have been great at trying to work with him to accommodate his individual needs. They treat Ethan and us like family and with kindness and generosity.”

In late December, American Legion Post Adjutant Dave Tanguay attended a coffee social after church with Kathleen March, and she updated him about Ethan.

“We were shocked to hear that Ethan had fallen earlier from a roof while installing solar panels and sustained severe back injuries requiring multiple surgeries and months of rehab,” Tanguay said. “Kathleen mentioned that Ethan was now in a handicapped-accessible hotel in Portland and was still undergoing therapy. The Windham Field-Allen Legion Post 148 had a small collection of support items for veterans including a motorized wheelchair.”

Tanguay said the equipment is normally held to support a veteran in need, but in this case, it was a local veteran family who needed support for their son.

“I asked if she might be interested in a particular chair that had the ability not only for mobility but allowed the user to stand and remain mobile,” he said. “I checked with Post Commander Tom Theriault to see if the chair was still available and the March family made plans to pick the chair up on Jan. 2. By the end of the day, Ethan had the chair and was actively checking out its capabilities with his physical therapist.”

Kathleen March said that the donation of the motorized wheelchair was provided at the perfect time.

“It was early into Ethan's time being back in Maine and being the winter season, the motorized chair helped Ethan to get through some snowy weather,” she said. “Portland is full of hills, so trying to manually wheel himself up those hills was exhausting and difficult. “The motorized chair meant he could meet up with friends at the coffee shop on his own without needing to transfer to a car and back again or need to be pushed by someone else. The motorized chair provided more independence in some ways. This chair also allowed for Ethan to rise to a somewhat standing position, which could help him reach some things up high a little easier in the hotel.”

Eventually, Ethan’s physical therapists advocated for a non-moving standing apparatus for exercise and strength development and the family returned the motorized wheelchair to the American Legion to provide the opportunity to another veteran family in need.

“It was an incredibly generous gift of kindness. We are very grateful to have had the opportunity to have had such a valuable gift to be able to have the freedom of independence that it provided at a prominent point in Ethan's recovery,” Kathleen March said. “As an active 22-year-old that had only recently left his daily rehab facility to be able to feel more independent was simply amazing. There is nothing that would come close to reciprocating the value of what this gift was at the time that we received it. We are very grateful to the American Legion, and ‘Thank You’ doesn't seem big enough.”

Now a year after his accident, there has been no change regarding Ethan’s physical situation, but his spirits are unusually amazing. His parents say he does pretty good navigating the challenges of everyday life and tries not to let things get him down, although there are certainly moments that come and go.

“Spinal cord injuries affect so many aspects of how our bodies can function,” his mother said. “Unless you experience life in a wheelchair yourself or care for a person who is handicapped in this way, most people never really understand the magnitude of the situation day to day and how many obstacles there are to navigate out in public and how many limitations are set before you.”

Both Brian and Kathleen are doing OK and in a better place today.

“Life is full of ups and downs. Brian and I are people of strong faith and trust in God,” Kathleen March said. “In this difficult situation, God has already shown us his grace through our brothers and sisters in Christ and their prayers. We have seen the face of Jesus in neighbors as well as strangers through their kindness. There are still many challenges to work through both for us and especially for Ethan and we know that we are in God's hands. If we allow him, by continuing to trust in our relationship with him, God will make a way for the road to be less bumpy leading us to a beautiful place.”

She said the hardest part as parents is having patience as they navigate the critical aspects of what Ethan still needs like his adapted vehicle and their home revamped to meet all their needs as their son continues to visit with his siblings for all occasions.

“There are still so many other devices and things to navigate in his life including re-education to find a new life career and exploring his previous interests from a new perspective,” Brian March said.

Ethan says he’s grateful for everything his parents have done to help him, and that he is determined to forge a new life for himself.

“My new career plan is to do everything I can to become a commercial pilot," he said. <

RSU 14 music teachers attend four-day workshop at Carnegie Hall

By Ed Pierce

The distance between Windham and New York City is about 300 miles, but it was a trip worth taking this summer for some local music educators.

Four music teachers from RSU 14 recently attended the
Summer Music Education Workshop at the Weill Music
Institute of Carnegie Hall in New York City. From left
are Simon Roussel, Dr. Richard Nickerson, Mary Reed and 
Morgan Riley. They spent four days in New York City with
educators from around the world exploring the theme of
'Joy in the Music Classroom' through community, 
empowerment, innovation and process.
COURTESY PHOTO   

Four RSU 14 music teachers, Simon Roussel, Dr. Richard Nickerson, Mary Reed and Morgan Riley, joined educators from around the world participating in the Summer Music Educators Workshop at the Weill Music Institute of Carnegie Hall from June 28 to July 1. The theme for the event was “Joy in the Music Classroom” through community, empowerment, innovation, and process.

The four-day workshop was held at Carnegie Hall’s Resnick Education Wing and provided music teachers with the opportunity to expand the impact and breadth of their work with young musicians. Sessions for participants explored how can music educators create joyful learning environments that inspire and sustain a lifelong love of music among their students and how can expressions of joy in the classroom empower deeper learning and discovering what joy looks and sounds like in a music classroom.

RSU teachers joined Carnegie Hall faculty members and guest professional musicians in a series of musical and professional training activities while engaging in workshops with student ensembles, visiting faculty and attending Carnegie Hall concerts. The workshop’s purpose is to reinvigorate the individual artistry of teachers, strengthening their teaching practice and fostering connections with peers.

“This was my fourth time attending the Weill Institute at Carnegie Hall and each time I have found it to be inspiring and informative,” said Dr. Richard Nickerson, Windham High School’s Director of Choral Activities. “This year, I wrote a grant which enabled several other RSU 14 music staff members to attend. We spent four days networking and sharing ideas with other music educators from across the world. We also took classes and participated in music making activities with distinguished faculty members. To top it all off, we were in a space that is one of the most historically significant places in American musical history.”

Nickerson said each time he attends the Summer Music Educators Workshop at the Weill Music Institute of Carnegie Hall, he returns feeling energized and excited about starting a new school year.

Morgan Riley, Windham Middle School’s band and orchestra teacher, said that workshop sessions were well-organized and the presenters were all highly qualified music educators and included some Broadway performers.

“The workshop focused on how to improve students and teachers sense of joy in their instrument playing, singing, movement, composing and improvising,” Riley said. “One session was presented by Dr. Janet Kim, conductor of the University of Connecticut Symphonic Wind Ensemble geared toward rehearsal techniques to encourage student's music listening skills, guiding students to detect what needs improvement themselves instead of always being told by the conductor.”

She said that session brought to light the way teachers talk about music with students and how it could be less conductor-centered and more music-centered.

“We were encouraged to ask more questions like ‘What is the music asking for in this section’ and ‘Where are the dynamics leading us?’ All of these things encourage a ‘shift from control to curiosity.’ I learned many things in this session I will use in my rehearsals at Windham Middle School.

Riley said another excellent session she attended was led by Alysia Lee, director of the Sister Cities Girlchoir in Philadelphia, Camden, and Baltimore and it focused on movement and simple dance as a way for students to connect with one another and bring joy to the classroom.

“I attended a session led by Sbongiseni Duma and Tshidi Manye, two performers from the Zulu nation who have been performing as part of "The Lion King" Broadway cast for many years,” Riley said. “We learned a traditional Zulu song and were taught how to sing along in a traditional manner. The call and response type song in many cultures includes one singer demonstrating and the group singing back the exact same musical line. In the Zulu tradition, one singer demonstrates the melody, and all the responses are in harmony. That takes great listening skills, and it didn't take long before we were responding in beautiful harmonies together.”

Another fantastic session featured Brian Drye, an award-winning jazz trombonist, pianist and educator based in New York City. Riley said that his session required everyone to bring a musical instrument, and he took us through the very beginning of teaching improvisation.

“Many classically trained musicians like me are used to having to play exactly what's on the page and that improvisation is intimidating,” she said. “Brian showed us a step-by-step low-stress approach that had us all playing improvised solos with ease by the end of the session.”

According to Riley, all of the RSU 14 music educators took something positive away from attending the workshop.

“Every good teacher knows that they are never finished learning,” she said. “I was thrilled to learn a great amount and my students will have a better learning experience because I went to the Summer Music Educators Workshop. I hope to attend next year and beyond.” <

Young boat builder realizes dream of creating first vessel

By Ed Pierce

If dreams are the touchstone of our character, then Brysen Sheridan, 10, has a very bright future ahead of him and because of his persistence and determination, his dream of building a boat and taking it out on the water has come true.

Brysen Sheridan of Raymond, 10, right. takes his younger
brother Benny, 5, fishing on his boat 'the unsinkable' in a
small cove near Jordan Bay. He conceived the idea and built
his own boat after working shoveling snow and mowing
lawns to earn enough to buy materials to make the boat.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

Brysen just completed fourth grade at Raymond Elementary School and will be in fifth grade at Jordan-Small Middle School this fall. He has spent much of the past 10 months designing his own boat and working to pay for materials to build it.

The son of Rob and Chanelle Sheridan of Raymond, Brysen came up with the idea for a small boat last fall.

“I just had the idea and wanted to make it happen,” he said. “I thought of the idea before bed one night and I drew it out and started making it the next day.”

The first obstacle he had to overcome in his plan was figuring out how to pay for the building materials he needed to construct the boat and then saving up to purchase them.

Throughout the winter, Brysen shoveled snow from driveways and sidewalks for his neighbors and helped them with yard work. As the weather slowly warmed up this spring, he earned some additional money from mowing lawns and stacking firewood.

After school officially ended for the summer in June, Brysen discovered that he finally had saved enough money to purchase the materials he needed for the boat.

“We went to the store I bought them with my money,” he said.

Working steadily in his family’s garage and outside in his yard from his initial design, the boat project began to take shape.

“I needed some help with the circular saw, and then I had some leaks when I first put it in the water, but I used Flex Seal to fix that,” Brysen said.

The project was wrapped up on July 11 and resulted in a vessel measuring about 6 feet by 2 feet.

He named his new boat “the unsinkable” and tested it out with his family watching to ensure it was safe to be out on the water.

“I am very proud, and it was so worth it,” Brysen said. “I’d like to build a larger boat sometime or my mom wants me to build a console table for her.”

His mother, Chanelle Sheridan, says the entire family is amazed at what Brysen was able to accomplish with his design and a dream.

“We are so excited,” she said. “He was so determined and worked so hard to finish this.”

During the summer, Brysen has taken his younger brother Bennett (Benny), 5, out on the water for a fishing trip on “the unsinkable” on a small cove near Jordan Bay in Raymond.

He says that looking back at everything regarding his boat project, the hardest aspect of building the boat for him was all the work that he had to do and all of the hours that he put in around his neighborhood to earn the money for the parts and materials.

According to Brysen, his favorite subject in school is writing and he says he would eventually like to become a game warden when he grows up.

But having realized his dream of building a practical vessel, he says he now knows what needs to be done to see a project through from start to finish.

As far as something that he’s learned from building his first boat, Brysen says that’s simple to answer.

“You can do whatever you put your mind to,” he said. “I’d tell other kids wanting to build a boat to stick with it even if it’s hard.” <

Great Falls Bridge Project in Windham nears start date

By Ed Pierce

After appearing on Maine Department of Transportation’s annual Three-Year Plan list for the past few years, work on the Great Falls Bridge connecting Windham and Gorham will be starting in a few weeks.

Crews will start work on the Great Falls Bridge connecting
Windham and Gorham on Aug. 18. The project involves
350 feet of approach work, replacing guardrail transitions,
flare terminals and expansion joint modification. A light pole
will also be removed. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE    

The project was first unveiled on MDOT’s list of road and bridge projects in its annual Three-Year Plan in January 2023.

MDOT Commissioner Bruce A. Van Note says that the preliminary scope of work for this bridge project consists of replacing the wearing surfaces on both Great Falls Bridges. The east and west bridges span the Presumpscot River between North Gorham and Dundee Ponds.

Van Note says that replacing the wearing surfaces will preserve the longevity of the bridges’ existing decks and superstructure.

Bridge wearing surface replacement involves 350 feet of approach work, guardrail transitions and flare terminals, and expansion joint modification. Workers will also install concrete coring connect to bridge beams and remove a light pole that conflicts with a new guardrail.

The reason MDOT cites for the project is to improve the condition of the existing structure while preserving the existing deck and superstructure longevity of the bridges. The project intends to minimize impacts to the traveling public and minimize impacts to adjacent properties and utilities during the project and implement a cost-effective solution to fixing the bridge’s wearing problem.

An MDOT study reveals that the average daily traffic crossing the Great Falls Bridges between Windham and Gorham is 1,910 vehicles per day with about 8 percent of that traffic consisting of heavy trucks.

Maintenance of traffic during construction will be achieved either by using a closure and detour or by using staged construction. The closure and detour alternatives would require all traffic to detour around the site on by using an alternate route.

Van Note said that the staged construction alternative would have one-half of the bridge under construction at a time, while a single lane of alternating one-way traffic would use the other half of the bridge. But it is possible that North Gorham Road and Windham Center Road at the project site may be closed to all traffic for a maximum of 45 consecutive days.

This project shall be performed in accordance with erosion control measures conforming to the latest version of State of Maine Department of Transportation Standard Specifications for Highways and Bridges and the Department of Transportation’s Best Management Practices for Erosion and Sediment Control.

The Great Falls Bridges are located on Windham Center Road over the Presumpscot River and connect Windham to North Gorham.

Both bridges were constructed in 1970 and following recent MDOT inspections, they both show signs of cracking and rutting on deck and surfaces.

The bridge site is located near the Great Falls Dam, which was one of the first sources of hydroelectric power in the Lakes region of Maine. Use of hydroelectric power was implemented by early settler Zebulon Trickey, who constructed bridges and mills on both sides of the Presumpscot River in Great Falls.

When a fire swept through the Great Falls area in 1872, it destroyed the mills and a bridge built by Trickey, and settlement of the Great Falls site has declined since then.

The estimated funding for the Great Falls Bridges Wearing Replacement Project is $500,000.

Scott Construction Corporation of Portland will perform the bridge wearing replacement work and distribute bridge closure notifications when needed. Both the Gorham and Windham Public Works Departments will also post notifications on social media accounts regarding project updates and bridge closures.

Work on the Great Falls Bridges project will start on Monday, Aug. 18 with traffic control devices put in place by Aug. 19. Soon thereafter the bridge may be closed temporarily to allow workers to remove all the bridge guardrails for both the east and west Great Falls bridges.

The project is expected to be completed by Oct. 31 Van Note said. <

Local student first winner of Design Your Dream Money Contest

By Ed Pierce

Mason Hall is not your typical 11-year-old enjoying the summer before entering sixth grade next month. He’s also a skilled artist who has been honored as the first-ever winner of the Finance Authority of Maine’s (FAME) “Design Your Dream Money Contest.”

Mason Hall, 11, who will be a sixth-grade
student this fall at Jordan-Small Middle
School in Raymond, shows off his 
winning design of a $500 bill as the
first-ever winner of Finance Authority
of Maine's (FAME) 'Design Your
Dream Money Contest.'
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

The contest was created this spring and intended to help raise awareness of the importance of teaching financial skills to younger students in partnership with the Alfond Scholarship Foundation. Students in first grade through sixth grade were invited to create their own $500 bill using a template created by FAME.

Hall was a student in Lynne Latham’s fifth-grade classroom at Jordan-Small Middle School this past spring and he joined his classmates in learning about basic financial education, capped off by the students entering FAME’s “Design Your Dream Money Contest.”

He started his design work during school hours and then took it home to finish it. While at home, Hall added specific elements related to Maine to his $500 bill design including the ocean, a harbor, farms, the Maine countryside, and lobster boats with a village situated in the middle.

Between working on it in class and later at home, Hall says that he spent about an hour and a half working on his design for a $500 bill.

"I showed it to my mom who is a teacher, and she thought it was really good,” he said. “My classmates told me I did a good job too when I showed it to them.”

The design was submitted in April and Mason said that he forgot all about it.

But on Memorial Day Weekend in May, school administrators received a phone call informing them that Mason was the winner of the statewide contest.

“My teacher announced it to our class in early June,” he said. “I never had any expectation to win. I just did it because it was something that our class was doing.”

During a school assembly before classes let out for the summer in June, Jordan-Small Middle School students cheered when Hall was announced as this year’s “Design Your Dream Money” contest winner. His parents were thrilled to learn he had won too.

“When it comes to money skills, parents and caregivers are the most important influence in a child’s life,” said Mary Dyer, FAME’s Financial Education Programs Manager. “Our goal is to make teaching about money fun and easy, and we have created a variety of programs that do just that. Through Invest in ME Reads, families will find extensive games, activities, and conversation starters to help them begin the money conversation at home. The ‘Design Your Dream Money Contest’ is just another way to inspire young people to learn about money and to dream about their future.”

For his winning design, Hall received an Amazon gift card and a box of prizes including a T-shirt with his $500 bill design printed on it.

“I was really surprised by winning,” he said. “I truly felt like I accomplished something.”

Despite being recognized for his artistic design, Hall says art and drawing is just a hobby for him and he thinks of it as merely a way to pass time when he’s not doing something else. He says he likes art and plans to take the subject when he goes to high school, but other topics also interest him.

He participates in school in track and field, cross country and lacrosse and he also helps at his father’s business when he can.

“When I finish school, I want to own my own business someday,” Hall said. “I want to own a septic tank company because they make a lot of money. Or maybe own a landscaping business.”

Hall thinks he won the “Design Your Dream Money Contest” because of one thing he always tries to do, no matter what he is involved with.

“I pay attention to detail,” he said. “I think I won because I tried hard, paid attention to detail and thought about it when I worked on it at home. The aspects of Maine pointed out the differences between our state and other places. Maine is our state, and people should take pride in it.” <

Windham inventor creates innovative new ‘Snow Sling’

By Ed Pierce

A Windham inventor is back at it and optimistic that his latest innovation will find a use in the world.

Inventor Michael Lyons shows a prototype of his 'Snow
Sling' creation  which he is selling the patent rights to. 
The device uses a foot lever to toss snow for you
without wrecking your back. COURTESY PHOTO 

Michael Lyons grew up in Windham and graduated from Windham High School in 1977. He is the founder of Rogue Industries in Standish and known for his patent and design of the front pocket wallet but now he’s at it again, this time focusing on making the tough task of snow removal easier.

He’s created a new type of snow sling which with the push of a foot lever tosses the snow for you without wrecking your back.

According to Lyons, the idea for the snow sling came to him years ago as he worked late into the night through a Nor’easter snowstorm.

“Nothin’ special,” Lyons said. “Maybe 8 to 10 inches of wet snow.”

His plow guy had blown a hydraulic hose and couldn’t show up to plow for him, so, Lyons grabbed a snow shovel and went at it.

“I knew enough to take frequent breaks from the shoveling,” Lyons said.

It ended up taking more than two long hours to clear the entire driveway and parking lot before he could make it home.

He had also forgotten to bring his snow boots, so he shoveled the entire time wearing wingtip shoes.

“Not having boots may have added to my cumulative effort, but something fortuitous happened after the first hour,” Lyons said. “The shoveling was exhausting, and I started imagining that there had to be a better way to do this without electricity or gas.”

After finding himself straining while working with a small, traditional snow shovel, Lyons thought that the snow scoop had originally been invented for storms exactly like this. Yet that scoop was heavy, cumbersome and not ergonomic.

“I thought to myself what if a snow scoop could be designed which had a mechanism so that the snow could be flung without having to lift it,” he said.

That idea launched an eight-year journey involving testing, creating a prototype and finally building what he named as a “Snow Sling.”

Lyons says coming up with the idea for the device was the easy part.

“The testing of it was actually fun. But the design iterations took the talents of no less than three engineers, each with a different skill set,” he said.

Before starting Rogue Industries, Lyons ran a small publishing company and had injured his back. His doctor told him that his back issues were attributed to him sitting on his bulky wallet, causing problems with his spine. With that, Lyons then set out to find a wallet that would comfortably fit in his front pocket but had no luck. So, he decided to design his own wallet, one that was curved and would comfortably fit in his front pocket.

“We kind of accidentally went into the design world of leather goods,” says Lyons. “Our original design was one wallet and one collar; now, we have more than 100 stock keeping units. We went into women’s tote bags, belts, crossbody clutches, coasters, and many more high-quality designs.”

Through the years Rogue Industries has developed a stellar reputation for its products and last year his company was asked by designer Ralph Lauren to produce 3,000 leather belts for Team USA for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Rogue Industries now produces products for 500 stores, including LL Bean, The Vermont Country Store, and Hammacher-Schlemmer.

Now with his latest “Snow Sling” invention tested and proven, Lyons says the next step will be to find someone with both the vision and resources to take this new product from a proven prototype to full-on production.

Recognizing the uniqueness of this design, the Maine Technology Institute became one of the early backers of this new creation, he said.

“Many companies originally started with a simple idea and then built from that,” Lyons said. “LL Bean created their iconic boots, Singer with an automated sewing machine, Orvis with a novel fly-fishing reel. This snow scoop has the very real potential of being that seed concept for an entirely new business venture. It won't be easy, but it could be an interesting and rewarding journey.”

Lyons and his fiancé, Mary Anne Hildreth, currently run two companies together, Rogue Industries and Tower Publishing, and they have decided that adding a third business into the mix would take too much time away from their family. So, the patent for Lyons’ new invention, the “Snow Sling,” is now available for either an outright purchase or a license.

He says it’s an opportunity to introduce an innovative new product to the market and that doesn’t happen often. To discuss this further, call Lyons at Rogue Industries, 1-800-786-1768. <

Dream fulfilled: Afthim hears name called in 2025 MLB draft

By Ed Pierce

Ever since he was a young player and competing in Windham Little League games, Brady Afthim has clung to his dream of someday playing Major League Baseball. The next step in his quest became a reality on Monday when the Cincinnati Reds selected him in the 13th round of the 2025 MLB Draft with the 384th pick.

2021 Windham High grad Brady Afthim, who pitched in
college for the University of Connecticut, was drafted
in the 13th round by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2025
MLB Draft on Monday. He is now in Arizona to start
his professional career pitching for Cincinnati's
Rookie League team in Goodyear, Arizona.
PHOTO BY COLBY RUSH

A right-handed pitcher who dominated opponents while playing for Windham High School, Afthim, 22, was the closer for the University of Connecticut Huskies after graduating from WHS in 2021. He earned a baseball scholarship at UConn through hard work and dedication to improving his skills while playing at Windham High.

Under the tutelage of then-WHS Coach Cody Dube, who also had grown up in Windham been drafted and played in baseball’s minor leagues, Afthim made the most of his opportunity in high school. He was honored as Maine Gatorade Player of the Year, was 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. He 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.

A landscape architect major at UConn, Afthim showed promise as a freshman in 2022. He appeared in 22 games out of the bullpen for the Huskies and didn’t allow a run in 15 of his 22 outings while stranding 11 of 14 inherited runners. As a sophomore, Afthim held opponents to .205 batting average while making 26 appearances for UConn, including retiring all six batters that he faced to clinch the Big East Conference regular season title at Creighton University and then pitching a scoreless inning against Georgetown in the Big East Conference Championship Game.

By the time his junior college season arrived in 2024, Afthim drew the attention of professional scouts and was honored as a First Team All-Big East selection. He finished second in the Big East Conference with 8 saves and struck out 27 batters in 25 1/3 innings pitched. His 2.29 Earned Run Average was fifth overall in the Big East that season and he was credited with a save in the NCAA Norman Regional at No. 9 Oklahoma and then pitched a career-high 3.2 innings at No. 8 Florida State in the NCAA Super Regionals.

This year as a senior, Afthim closed out his college career as second in UConn history with 92 appearances. He was tied for 8th place overall in team history with 17 career saves and he posted the lowest opponent batting average in Huskies’ history at just .211. Afthim also had a career-low 2.45 ERA, earned nine saves and had two wins as the team’s closer. In 22 appearances, he racked up 53 strikeouts.

Signing a contract with the Reds, Afthim left Wednesday to join Cincinnati's Rookie League team in Goodyear, Arizona, and the first step on his road to the major leagues.

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

His parents, Shelly and Phil Afthim, are well-known around town 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.

“We are all incredibly proud of Brady’s accomplishment in being drafted,” said Shelly Afthim, Brady’s mother. “He has put in a lot of time and effort to reach this goal, and it hasn’t been without sacrifices and challenges along the way. To watch him not only set a goal, work toward that goal for years, then to watch him negotiate for himself and knowing his worth on the day of the draft was really amazing to watch as a parent. He has a lot of support from family, friends and coaches, but he earned this through his own efforts.” <

MSSPA breaks ground on new intake barn in Windham

By Ed Pierce

Tuesday morning was a dream realized for everyone associated with the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals in Windham as the non-profit organization officially broke ground a new intake barn for abused and neglected horses.

Donors Laurie Hooker, left, and her father, Dave McCulloch,
center, join Kathy Woodbrey, Executive Director of the
Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals during
a groundbreaking at the Windham facility for a new intake barn
for abused and neglected horses on Tuesday. The McCulloch
Family donated $500,000 to the 'A Safe Place to Land'
campaign to help build a new barn at the site.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE    

For 152 years, the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals (MSSPA) has been a sanctuary for Maine’s most vulnerable horses including those rescued from abuse, neglect, and heartbreaking circumstances. Its mission is to provide refuge, rehabilitation, and placement of seized equines and the idea to build a new intake barn at the facility on River Road in Windham was proposed more than three years ago.

Over the past five years, the number of horses arriving at MSSPA has grown with many coming from cases of severe neglect, abuse, or with significant medical challenges. As the complexity of these cases surged, so did the urgency for a dedicated space where incoming horses can receive the care they desperately need.

Earlier this year, MSSPA announced a $1.5 million fundraising campaign for a new “A Safe Place to Land” intake barn and with more than four-fifths of the way toward that goal now accomplished, staff, volunteers, donors, sponsors, and board members gathered at the site to celebrate starting construction for the new facility.

“It’s taken a group of individuals who have come together to make this barn possible, and it’s been a group effort,” said Kathy Woodbrey, MSSPA’s Executive Director.

The 3,000-square-foot intake barn will be situated on the other side of the MSSPA property from where other MSSPA horses are being cared for. It will include dedicated stalls for each new equine arrival, reducing potential disease transmission and offering a dry, warm space for horses to heal. Its secure paddock areas and improved footing will allow horses to slowly acclimate to their new surroundings and room for veterinarians to perform health assessments.

Because of its location away from the MSSPA herd, the new barn also will have separate grain and medication stations to prevent cross-contamination of food and medicine and help to streamline operations for MSSPA staff. The new barn will feature additional space for equipment and the project includes the installation of an electronic security gate at the MSSPA property.

Donors attending Tuesday’s groundbreaking festivities included members of the McCulloch family who provided a gift to MSSPA of $500,000 for the new “Safe Place to Land” intake barn. As a result of their generosity, the barn will be known as the “McCulloch Family Barn, A Safe Place to Land.”

Dave McCulloch of Scarborough and his daughter, Laurie Hooker of Alton, New Hampshire, each spoke during the groundbreaking event and they both expressed what a great and caring organization that MSSPA is.

“MSSPA has found a way to rescue horses who had nowhere to go,” McCulloch said. “It shows their devotion and that people do choose to care. And it says a lot about the resilience of horses.”

Hooker said that after visiting MSSPA in Windham for the first time, she knew this is a great cause to contribute to.

“The work they do here truly moved me deeply,” she said. “It’s more than a facility, it’s a sanctuary.”

MSSPA Board Chair John Lescure told the gathering that the new barn has been carefully planned and will provide the foundation for recovery of every new horse placed into the care of the organization.

“All around it’s such a great thing,” Lescure said.

The MSSPA does not charge for its shelter services and seeks no reimbursement from any public source. Horses cared for by the MSSPA come from Maine law enforcement officials and most of them have been abused or neglected.

Peg Keyser, MSSPA Advancement Director, said MSSPA also wishes to thank all donors of the “Safe Place to Land” campaign and that the society also is grateful to receive thousands of feet of donated fencing and run-in sheds from the Dyke Horse Farm site in Windham and RSU 14 now that the school district is building the new Windham Raymond Middle School at the old Dyke farm site.

She said MSSPA’s goal for each horse they take in is rehabilitation and to find them a new home, but emphasized that if no suitable adoption is found, horses may live out their natural lives at the organization’s farm.

The new intake barn site will be located on 7 acres of MSSPA’s 124-acre property.

To make a donation online, visit msspa.org/asafeplace or in person at MSSPA, 279 River Road in Windham. <

Annual Christmas in July Boat Parade nearing in Naples

By Ed Pierce

The calendar may say July, but for participants and spectators of the 6th Annual Christmas in July Boat Parade in Naples next weekend, the holiday season arrives early this year.

The 6th Annual Christmas in July Boat Parade in Naples will
be held on Saturday evening July 19 at the Naples Causeway.
Boats in the parade will be decorated with Christmas lights
and line up on Long Lake and proceed down the west
shore toward the causeway and continue down the east
shore of Brandy Pond.  COURTESY PHOTO     

The popular parade will be held on Saturday evening July 19 at the Naples Causeway. Boats will line up on Long Lake at 8 p.m. and proceed down the west shore toward the causeway and continue down the east shore of Brandy Pond. Boats will be decorated with Christmas lights, and it makes for a spectacular summertime show.

Some children on the causeway will spot Santa and his helpers handing out foam glow sticks to wave in the boats and donations will be accepted for the glow sticks for the Raise the Roof fund to benefit the Cross Walk Community Outreach program.

One of the organizers of the 6th Annual Christmas in July Boat Parade is Joanne Jordan and she said that some of the event sponsors will be collecting donations for Naples Christmas4Kids where the Community Resource Council of Naples provides each child with pajamas, socks, underwear, a new toy and a holiday meal for the family.

“Donation jars can be located at Gary's Olde Towne Tavern, Beacon Bar & Bistro, Sun Sports +, and Captain Jack's,” Jordan said. “Boats can register for free to be eligible for great prizes.”

Created during the pandemic by the Naples Marine Safety Association, the boat parade has taken on a life of its own. In its first year in 2020 a total of 65 boats participated, and the parade has grown every year since.

“This event is unique for this area. There are other boat parades around the country, but the Naples Causeway provides a unique opportunity for this to happen in fresh water with a beautiful viewing area that allows the boats to get up close to the crowds when going under the causeway or visiting one of the waterfront businesses,” Jordan said. “The event is free for boaters to participate and free to watch. It creates a feeling of joy for both groups. We have been lucky to have talented music producers create a fun atmosphere for the crowd while waiting for the boats to arrive and when the boats reach the crowd, everyone is excited, and everyone feels like a kid at Christmas.”

Jordan said that buzz is already building in the community about the event.

“Many of our marina sponsors compete for the best decorated marina boat and some of the local shops and restaurants have started decorating their businesses with lights and trees and blow-up characters,” she said. “Safety is key for this event so much of the committee's time is spent on route and boater safety.”

Staging a parade on the water always presents new and interesting challenges.

“Standard parades are able to close the streets and keep spectators in a safe viewing area,” she said. “We cannot close the waterway and the people who watch from their boats can create a challenge. We have not had any serious issues and have designated people along the route communicating with boat spectators.”

Community feedback about the parade remains positive and enthusiastic.

“After the parade some of the local kids will come up to me and tell me about their favorite boats,” Jordan said. “Ice cream shops will tell me they had lines down the causeway while waiting for the parade. Restaurant owners on the waterfront say their patrons enjoy having prime seating for the parade while we have one restaurant sponsor not on the water who has sponsored every year just to support the community.”

She said the Christmas in July Boat Parade welcomes everyone of all ages to the fun family event, which is sponsored by the Naples Events Committee.

“In some way we hope you can participate, whether it be from the Causeway, shoreline on the parade route, or even participating in the parade on a boat we certainly hope to see you there,” Jordan said.

For more details about the parade, call 207-671-2368. <