Lakes Region Weekly - Portland Press Herald

Boys Lacrosse: Gorham routs Bonny Eagle to open season

by Adam Birt [email protected] @CurrentSportsME April 29, 2015March 15, 2016

A battery of Gorham Rams looked sharp in the team’s first bout of the year, including Abraham Eaton, Cam Wright and Tristan Brunet, each of whom piled several goals on the Bonny Eagle Scots Thursday afternoon for a 22-2 final. “We played a decent game,” said Gorham head coach Dan Soule, “given our first opportunity […]

Lakes Region Weekly

Especially for Seniors: Sometimes, it pays to be older

by Kay Soldier April 27, 2015March 14, 2016

So many readers have asked about senior discounts, we went hunting. Although we all know the Internet is not always right, it is a place to start. Here is one of the latest (2014) lists we’ve found of restaurants and retail stores in Maine (not necessarily your town’s stores) that offer a senior discount. You […]

Lakes Region Weekly

It Happened in Windham: The man named ‘Grasshopper’

by Kay Soldier One of the longest-lived names in Windham is “Mains” and one of them played professional baseball – in addition to making baseball bats. Now that it’s baseball season, we’ll take a look at one of Windham’s professional athletes. They called him “Grasshopper” or “Willie,” and his image on a baseball card recently sold for more than $2,600. A Windham relative has been collecting newspaper clippings and other “Mains” ephemerae for a long time and shared it with the Windham Historical Society. In a 2010 interview with Jim Mains, the then-newly elected head of the Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, Lakes Region Weekly editor John Balentine asked him about his ties to the area. Mains responded: “My grandfather, Willard Eben Mains, was born in North Windham in 1868. He was a professional baseball player, played with the 1888 Chicago White Stockings. He made baseball bats in the off-season. He made them in Sandy Creek, Harrison, and even a few in the Fryeburg area. And he sold those all over the country. My father was also a Major League Baseball player and he returned in the late ’40s, took up the bat business and established a woodturning business. My father was James R. (Bud) Mains.” At the age of 19, Willard “Grasshopper” Mains started his career with the Chicago White Stockings in 1888, and played two games – winning one and losing the other. He went to the minor leagues and played 545 games – winning 318 and losing 179. He returned to the major leagues in 1891, pitching in 30 games. Teams he played for included the Boston Beaneaters, Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Kelly’s Killers. His son, Jim, pitched one game in the majors for the 1943 Philadelphia Athletics. After his baseball days were over, Willard Mains returned to Maine, worked at the baseball bat business and died on May 23, 1923. He is buried in Bridgton. Information for this article from the Windham Historical Society, Phil Kennard Wikipedia and Find-a-Grave. April 27, 2015March 17, 2016

One of the longest-lived names in Windham is “Mains” and one of them played professional baseball – in addition to making baseball bats. Now that it’s baseball season, we’ll take a look at one of Windham’s professional athletes. They called him “Grasshopper” or “Willie,” and his image on a baseball card recently sold for more […]

Lakes Region Weekly

Inside Raymond: 4/24/2014

by Beth Gaudet Contact her at: [email protected] 807-7405 April 27, 2015March 13, 2016

Public Hearing There will be a public hearing on April 28 at Raymond Elementary School beginning at 6:30 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss whether Raymond should continue to discuss if research should continue about staying within RSU 14. Dancing Finale The fifth annual Dancing with the Staff to support the class […]

Lakes Region Weekly

Inside Windham: 4/24/2015

by Kay Soldier Contact her at: [email protected] (207) 892-5381 April 27, 2015March 14, 2016

Music with a Mission On Friday, May 1, at 7 p.m., the University of Southern Maine Chamber Singers, under the direction of Dr. Robert Russell, will perform in concert at the North Windham Union Church. This concert is the 24th in the Music with a Mission series sponsored by the North Windham Union Church. The […]

Lakes Region Weekly

Inside Windham: 4/24/2015

by Kay Soldier Contact her at: [email protected] (207) 892-5381 April 27, 2015March 14, 2016

Lakes Region Weekly

Sebago Lakes chamber launches new charity fundraiser

by Current Publishing April 27, 2015March 13, 2016

In 2012, Sheri Huff, CEO of Lee’s Family Trailer Sales and Director on the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors initiated the Community Coin Challenge: a 10-week fundraiser to raise money for 13 food pantries in the 10 towns of the Lakes Region. Since that time, the effort has raised more than […]

Lakes Region Weekly

The Center Road: Better save than borrow in Gray

by Mark D. Grover April 27, 2015March 14, 2016

In my last column, I voiced concerns about unrealistic municipal capital plans. I described a gradual shift from saving to borrowing as a means of funding large expenses such as bridges, vehicles, building improvements and major road paving projects. My experience is with the situation in the town of Gray, although it wouldn’t surprise me […]

Lakes Region Weekly

Meth lab discovered in Standish

by Staff reports April 27, 2015March 15, 2016

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency says a methamphetamine lab was discovered Saturday at a home in Standish and a couple living there was charged with manufacturing the drug. Arrested were Timothy Schoubroek, 32, and Tressa Sprague, 35, both of Standish, on charges of Class B unlawful trafficking in methamphetamine and Class E violation of conditional […]

Lakes Region Weekly

?Bridgton: Seasonal turnaround? – at last

by Ezra Silk [email protected] April 27, 2015March 15, 2016

Every spring, on the first rainy night above 40 degrees, frogs and salamanders migrate en masse from the woods to the wetlands in a phenomenon known as “Big Night.” This year, dozens of Lakes Region residents took to the streets and the vernal pools to the north and south of Sebago Lake to both witness […]