Do you like to talk trash?

If you are a Gray resident and appreciate the good work being done at the Gray Transfer Station, you can contribute ideas to improve it even further by joining the Gray Solid Waste & Recycling Committee. Members talk trash, their time is spent wastefully, and they have a good time to boot! And they do serious work, too! If you are interested in joining the committee, you can fill out an application form online at www.graymaine.org/Pages/index and click on the “Applications and Forms” link or pick up an application at the Gray Town Hall. If you would like more information about the committee, contact Pete Thoits at petethoits@maine.rr.com or call 657-4184.

Fiddlehead news

What if Fiddlehead Center for the Arts did not exist in our community?

Perhaps you have attended one of its cultural events, clapping to the Spanish beat of Flamenco or gathered at one of the free evenings of First Friday Art. Maybe you were one of the 1,000-plus people who watched the community children’s production of “The Jungle Book” or come daily bringing your child (or yourself) to one of the many enrichment classes in the arts and sciences.

You may not realize this, but the center offers all of its classes below cost and truly depends on individuals, businesses and fundraisers to raise the money needed to sustain the programs.

With a $35 contribution you will receive a decal with its new logo on it. With a $75 contribution you will receive a Fiddlehead baseball cap, while gifts of $150 or more will receive an artisan-made clay mug.

Family Science Night, by Orbit with Corbet, will be held Jan. 8 from 6-7:30 p.m. Learn about earthquakes, volcanoes and the Boston Molasses Disaster! A suggested $5 donation goes toward the scholarship fund. The event is sponsored in part by Key Bank.

Dog licenses

All dogs aged 6 months or older must be licensed in the state of Maine. If the dog has been spayed or neutered, a certificate of neutering must be presented at the time of the first registration.

To register your dog, you will need to show a current rabies certificate. Dogs can be licensed at the Gray Town Office in person or online at www10.informe.org/dog_license/. Fees for neutered/spayed dogs are $6 per year. Non-neutered/non-spayed dogs are $11 per year.

All dogs must be licensed no later than Dec. 31 of each year. Gray Town Hall hours are Monday-Wednesday 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Thursday 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Holiday closures

The Gray Town Office and transfer station will close at noon on Thursday, Dec. 24, and will be closed all day on Friday, Dec. 25. They will also be closed at noon Thursday, Dec. 31, and closed all day Friday, Jan. 1.

Library news

The Gray Public Library will close at noon on Thursday, Dec. 24, and will be closed all day on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 25 and 26. It will be closed on Friday, Jan. 1, Saturday, Jan. 2, and will reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 5.

Starting Jan. 5, due to staff and budget constraints, the library will be opening at 10 a.m. Closing times will not be affected. Also, there will be no longer be story time on Tuesdays.

If you have any questions or feedback, contact the library at 657-4110 or graylib@gray.lib.me.us.

Historical society to meet

The Gray Historical Society will be meeting with the Gray Town Council on Monday, Jan. 11, at 7 p.m. in Stimson Hall to discuss its future. All who are interested are welcome to attend.

The society still has two books available for sale. One is George Hill’s “History of Gray.” The other is “Images of America, Gray, Maine.” To obtain one, contact Karen Taylor at 657-4783.

Gray Republicans feature Paul LePage

The featured speaker for December’s meeting of the Gray Republicans was the mayor of Waterville, Paul LePage, who has announced his candidacy for governor and is now actively campaigning. LePage is also the general manager of Marden’s Corporation, the discount chain, which operates 15 stores in Maine.

In his remarks to the audience, the mayor briefly described his early life growing up in Lewiston, leaving home at age 11 to go to work, completing high school and graduating from Husson College.

LePage went on to outline his objectives if he becomes governor. He said he would support a voucher system, which would allow parents to choose schools for their children. LePage said he would also give welfare reform a high priority, noting that today there is no waiting period for those who arrive in Maine looking for welfare, and those who would like to earn their way off the welfare rolls are discouraged by the present law which penalizes them for working. LePage also said he would stimulate the Maine economy, thus creating jobs, by relieving businesses of unnecessary regulation and burdensome taxes.

Many in the audience had questions for the mayor and comments on the state of the economy.

Committee Chairman Gary Foster announced that the Gray Republican Caucus will be held on Saturday morning, Feb. 6, at a location to be announced. For further information, contact Jack Wibby at 657-7737 or jwibby@maine.rr.com.

Community members learn some new dance steps at a recent event at Fiddlehead Center for the Arts. (Courtesy photo)