Wednesday Walkers

Forum on marijuana policies slated for March 22

A public forum on town policy issues pertaining to marijuana, such as zoning districts, will be held by the Land Management Planning Committee beginning at 6:30 p.m. March 22 at AMVETS Post 6, 1095 Lewiston Road.

In the meantime, citizens are encouraged to fill out an anonymous Marijuana Interest Survey online at tinyurl.com/ngmarijuana. The survey will be open until 4 p.m. March 31. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the town planner at townplanner@newgloucester.com.

Library birthday party

You’re invited to a party to celebrate the New Gloucester Public Library’s 134th birthday at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 12.

Did you know the library has cake pans you can borrow? Let a librarian know if you’d like to check one out to bake a cake to bring to the party.

Additionally, donations will be collected for the purpose of purchasing new books, with a goal of buying 134. Attendees are also asked to bring a library-related memory to share. For more information, call 926-4840.

Textile donations

Since the Apparel Impact bin was brought to the town’s transfer station at 264 Bald Hill Road last month, 250 pounds of textiles have been collected for recycling, according to the Environmental Resources Committee.

Acceptable donations, in addition to all types of clothing, include accessories such as purses/bags, ties, scarves and hats; shoes, from heels to flip flops; and sheets and towels. This new recycling program is unlike the Salvation Army collection bin in that worn and torn apparel is accepted.

Did you know that nearly 10% of all trash thrown in the hopper is textiles? Apparel Impact provides towns the opportunity to reduce their household waste of textiles and recover them, creating more local jobs, reducing waste and saving taxpayer dollars.

Book talk

“On the Road Again,” a book about the memoirs of the New Gloucester Highway Department, will be the subject of a program by New Gloucester Historical Society trustee Phil Blake and curator Tom Blake on Thursday, March 17.

Phil served as an assistant foreman and will share recollections from his 21 years in the department. Tom has assembled several photos for an accompanying slide show.

The presentation takes place at 7 p.m. at the New Gloucester Meetinghouse, 389 Intervale Road. Refreshments will be served.

New local GOP leader

Karen Gilles has taken over the reins of the New Gloucester Republican Party as its newly elected chairperson. She has resided in New Gloucester since early childhood and returned after she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Maine, Orono.

Gilles resides in New Gloucester with her husband, Brian Gilles, and their two daughters, Hannah and Alexis. She serves as the administrator of New Gloucester-based Pine Tree Home Health Care Inc. She has served three years on the New Gloucester Select Board, one of those years as chairperson, and served on professional boards that included the Maine Council on Aging and the New Gloucester Development Corporation.

“I am excited and honored for the opportunity to lead and support the NG GOP,” Gilles said.

She can be reached by email at mrskgilles@gmail.com. Contact her if you would like to be added to the distribution email list.

Patti Mikkelsen can be contacted at mikks@maine.rr.com.