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. <

WHS basketball coach Pulkkinen to be enshrined in SJC Athletics Hall of Fame

By Matt Pascarella

Over the last few years, Windham High varsity boys’ basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen and his team have made quite a bit of news. Pulkkinen’s team won back-to-back State Championships in 2024 and 2025, and he achieved his 100th career win. If that wasn’t enough, Pulkkinen was notified on June 10 by his former Saint Joseph’s College basketball coach Rob Sanicola that he will be inducted into the 2025 Saint Joseph’s College Athletics Hall of Fame at the Stone Barn at Saint Joseph’s College on Oct. 17.

Windham High School varsity boys'
basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen is 
shown during a college basketball game
during the 2006-2007 season. He will
be enshrined in the Saint Joseph's
College Athletics Hall of Fame during
a ceremony at the college in October.
PHOTO BY SAINT JOSEPH'S 
COLLEGE ATHLETICS  

“To be able to deliver the news to someone who gave so much to the program and the college, was truly special,” said Sanicola. “He poured his heart into Saint Joseph’s College; to be the one to tell him he was getting this well-deserved recognition was an honor. He embodied what it meant to represent Saint Joseph's College, and it wasn't about just how he played, but how he carried himself every day. What made Chad special was the impact he had on the people around him. From day one, Chad cared deeply about leaving the program better than he found it, and he absolutely did that; he made it better for everyone who came after him.”

After suffering possible season-ending injuries twice while playing for the Monks, Pulkkinen battled back and was a three-season captain. He set records and achieved major accomplishments including becoming a member of the 1,000-point club, he helped lead the Monks to the 2007 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Northeast Region Independent Championship and a slot in the Eastern College Athletic Conference playoffs, as well as a 2007 All-State honoree.

“I grew up about three miles away from Saint Joseph’s College, so I lived in the gym there; watching, playing and dreaming about one day playing there,” said Pulkkinen. “My parents Bruce and Denise would take me, my brother and sister to the Chamber of Horrors to watch games in a packed gym. I was hooked. I idolized John Wassenbergh, Carl Howell, Steve Schuler, Rob Sanicola, Erbie Mitchell, and all the great teams that I was fortunate to follow. As a kid I wanted to be a Monk, to wear the jersey of the players I looked up to back then. To be inducted into the Hall of Fame just validates the work and the unseen hours, the long days and the tough times where I was able to persevere. To me the honor is shared with my family, teammates, and coaches who helped put me in the best position for success.”

To truly understand Pulkkinen’s success at Saint Joseph’s College, you only need to look at his determination. He tore his Anterior Cruciate Ligament during a Christmas break tournament in his freshman year. He tore the same ACL again less than a year later; and was devastated as the rehabilitation process was physically and mentally challenging. It would be extremely difficult to return to the player he once was. A lot of people questioned whether he would be able to continue to play.

Pulkkinen took that skepticism and used it to motivate himself; he told himself he would return better than he was when he was healthy. He was granted a fifth year and a medical redshirt because of the lack of games he played in after his second injury. He returned a year later and had his strongest season in his graduate year.

“Through my injuries I really started to understand the game from a coach’s perspective as I was able to participate more with the coaches on that side of things since I was not able to play,” said Pulkkinen. I learned a ton in my freshman year about the game through (coach) Rick Simonds. My sophomore season I found myself studying film and scouting opponents, something that I became really interested in and felt I brought value to the team and eventually helped me as a player when I returned. I became a more intelligent player and more aware on the court. Off the court my friendships with my teammates and the small knit community of Saint Joseph’s College was memorable and something that has carried over to today, with connections and mentors to reach out to. I was also able to meet my wife Ramsey at school which made my decision to go there even more special.”

During his high school career playing for Windham, he thought playing professionally overseas would be a realistic goal because someone he knew, John Wassenbergh was playing over there. It motivated Pulkkinen to try to get to that point. He became friends with Wassenbergh who would send him gear from overseas. Once healthy, Pulkkinen’s dream seemed attainable again.

“Overcoming two serious knee injuries during one's college career is almost unheard of and coming back from one is impressive,” said Saint Joseph’s College Hall of Fame Committee Chairman Corey McCarthy. “Having it happen again and battling through the rehab again is incredibly difficult and certainly speaks to Chad's character. His time at Saint Joseph’s College coincided with a time frame during which Saint Joseph's College competed as an NCAA DIII Independent meaning conference championships and/or accolades were not available for him to attain. His play helped the Monks go about as far as they could, NCAA Independent Tournament and ECAC Tournament championship game appearances, achievements that absolutely played a major role in the program's success as a new member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference the following year.”

In 2007, having obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in business, Pulkkinen played in the European Basketball League for the Northampton Neptunes, where he, along with his team helped mentor and coach 400 kids within the community, teaching them the fundamentals of the game.

Since leaving Saint Joseph’s College, Pulkkinen has continued to give back to the school. His family company, Windham Millworks, has been involved in several campus projects, including the redesign of the Hall of Fame Room and the finishing work for Baggot Street, their student union.

“I think there is no better role model,” said Windham assistant coach George McCrillis, who’s coached alongside him for 11 years. “He took the lessons he learned at Saint Joe’s and converted them into running a super successful business. There’s his commitment to his community; he would not be coaching someplace else. He has a basketball intellect where he could easily coach at the collegiate level, but this is his community, he’s tied to Windham, he loves Windham. He wants the best for Windham.”

Pulkkinen says he would like to thank his mom, Denise, his agent, trainer and coach. She took him to every gym possible as a kid and fostered his love of the game. He would also like to thank his dad, Bruce, as well as his wife, Ramsey, who has shown him all the love and support in the world. He also thanks his family, teammates, his friend John Wassenbergh, Coaches Kevin Millington, Simonds and Sanicola and past Monks players who inspired an 8-year-old kid to dream big and chase it with everything he had. <

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. <