News Notes

Layton Elledge, from the University of New England College of Dental Medicine

Photo: Nasson Health Care

Compiled by Carolyn Cadigan

Nasson welcomes new dental student extern: Nasson Health Care recently welcomed a new member of the dental team. Layton Elledge, a fourth-year student extern from the University of New England College of Dental Medicine, will provide dental care to patients this fall and winter along with Nasson’s dental team. Elledge will gain valuable experience as he prepares for a career in dental medicine.

New Orange Line schedule in effect: YCCAC Transportation issued a new fall schedule, effective Oct. 14, for the Orange Line. See the schedule here.

Road work and paving scheduled Oct. 23 – Nov. 1: Grading and paving of certain streets and roads will take place over the next two weeks. Fine Grading: Bowdoin, Bates, Harvard Streets – Oct. 23 and 24; Goodwin Bridges Road – Oct. 25. Paving – Base: Bowdoin, Bates, Harvard Streets – Oct. 24 and 25; Goodwin Bridges Road – Oct. 28. Paving – Surface: Emery Street (shim/3/4” overlay) – Oct. 30; Goodwin Bridges Road – Oct. 29; Bowdoin, Bates, Harvard Streets – Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Please plan for delays and drive with caution in these areas. Thank you for your patience!

Gagné-Holmes confirmed as Maine DHHS commissioner: The Maine Senate voted 24 to 8 on Oct. 10 to confirm Sara Gagné-Holmes as commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Gagné-Holmes, who grew up in Sanford, served as DHHS deputy commissioner for the past five years, and has led the department in an acting capacity since June 1, following the departure of Jeanne Lambrew. As deputy commissioner, Gagné-Holmes was an integral member of the executive leadership team responsible for management, operations, budget, policy and human resources for the department’s more than 3,500 employees across eight offices and two psychiatric hospitals.

Boxing up Christmas joy for impoverished children: On Oct. 6, the parishes of St. Thérèse of Lisieux in Sanford and St. Matthew Church in Limerick kicked off the Box of Joy Christmas project, a shoebox gift ministry that aims to help children suffering from extreme poverty. Last year, the parishes participated for the first time and blessed over 30 children with gifts. Members of the parishes filled boxes with toys and other gifts. This year, the goal is to fill 300 boxes for children suffering from poverty in developing countries. For those who wish to participate, materials will be available after every Mass. The deadline for returning each packed Box of Joy is Nov. 2. A donation of $9 is requested to help cover the cost of shipping. FMI, contact Monica or Kim at 207-324-2420.

Improving the quality of life for individuals with special needs: Waypoint Maine recently broke ground on a fully accessible home at 12 Riverview St. in Sanford designed to accommodate individuals with intellectual disabilities and complex medical needs, according to a press release. The home’s design will offer a modern, supportive environment that will improve the quality of life for its residents and enable them to be part of the community. With an anticipated May 2025 completion date, the home will feature six bedrooms, three bathrooms, air conditioning, smart lighting, multiple outdoor access points, and both communal and quiet spaces designed for relaxation and socialization.

Local dealership donation supports YMCA: Marc Motors Nissan recently donated $2,400 to the Sanford-Springvale YMCA as part of the dealership’s Community Spotlight Program, which has been supporting local non-profit organizations since 2010. The donation will go directly into serving the community through scholarships, events and programs at the YMCA.

Photo: sarcifilippo from Pixabay

SMAA launches new website to ease navigation: A new and improved website for the Southern Maine Agency on Aging (SMAA) aims to improve how the agency communicates and interacts with its users. Along with making navigation easier so visitors can quickly find the information they need, the new site will allow SMAA to keep content fresh and relevant so its audience can stay up to date on the agency’s programming and the issues that affect older Mainers and their caregivers. Visit the new website here.

Celebrating a quarter century of service to the city: Brian Watkins of the Sanford Fire Department recently celebrated 25 years of service with the City of Sanford. The city commended Watkins’ hard work and exceptional dedication to serving the community.

Don’t worry! No bears will be harmed during this program: Children ages 2 to 6, along with their teddy bear or stuffed animal, are invited to a Teddy Bear Clinic at Springvale Library on Oct. 25 from 10 am to 11 am. The Community Room will be set up like a clinic to provide some fun activities to introduce bear and stuffed animal owners to what they can expect at a doctor’s visit.

YCSP Food Pantry needs your help: The Food Pantry at York County Shelter Programs in Alfred needs volunteers. If you can help, even just a few hours a week, it would be greatly appreciated. FMI, contact Scott Davis at scottd@ycspi.org or call 207-324-1137, ext. 116.

Annual Appeal donations for Springvale Library pack twice the punch this year: For the last eight years, Springvale Library’s funding from the City of Sanford has remained flat. As a result, member donations during the Annual Appeal are especially important for the library to conduct its business, such as buying new books, providing van service, offering children’s programs, paying staff, and much more. This year, Annual Appeal donations will go twice as far because an anonymous donor has pledged to match every contribution to the Annual Appeal with an equal donation to the library endowment fund. To donate, go here or stop by the library to use one of the Annual Appeal envelopes.

Sorry, pups, it’s just for your humans: For all dog owners who bring their pups to the Sanford Dog Park, a new Facebook chat group has been set up so people can talk about their pups and set up play groups with other dogs. To access the chat, go here.

Latest phase of Joint Land Use Study plans to tackle local challenges: Seacoast community leaders and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard officials met earlier this month to plan next steps for the Joint Land Use Study, the blueprint designed to ensure military readiness while addressing local challenges. According to Stephanie Carver, executive director of Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission, the next phase of the study will tackle emergency preparation; housing and traffic; parking and transit connections to the shipyard, and identification of additional funding sources. Key action items from Phase 3 include the launch of a micro-transit system from Sanford, which is in the final preparation stages. The pilot micro-transit project has been funded and is waiting on the delivery of vehicles to implement. Carver says there will soon be a confidential survey of shipyard workers to understand their housing and transportation preferences. FMI, go here.