Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: Tourists seek out rail trail

Kennebec Journal Staff

RICHMOND: Happy trails

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EDITOR'S NOTE

The Reporter's Notebook is a new regular feature of the Kennebec Journal where we'll offer the best news, oddities and tidbits from around the community. Know something the Notebook should mention? Call 623-3811, e-mail kjedit@kjonline.com or find us on Facebook or Twitter @kj_online.

The cheerleaders for the Kennebec River Rail Trail say the 3-year-old trail that stretches from Augusta to Gardiner is becoming a tourist draw.

So the Merrymeeting Trail Initiative is looking to add to that with a southward extension of the recreational trail.

With their respective towns' blessings, the group of trail enthusiasts have been at work since 2008 planning a trail to extend south from Gardiner, through Richmond and Bowdoinham, and into Topsham.

Richmond, apparently, just got beyond the planning, according to the Merrymeeting Trail Initiative's most recent newsletter. The town has taken an early step to secure trail construction funds by applying to the Maine Department of Transportation's Quality Community Program.

It's the latest development in an ongoing multistep, multiyear initiative.

Meanwhile, a group of towns west of Augusta are starting to plan a connecting trail that heads out from Hallowell, through Manchester and Winthrop, into Monmouth.

AUGUSTA: A Rooster crows

Time for the Ground Round in Augusta is rounding down.

The restaurant attached to the Holiday Inn on Civic Center Drive is closing for a few weeks for its transformation into a Rooster's, which features coal-fired pizza and a selection of beers on tap, according to its website.

Roosters is a Maine-owned brand -- one of its principals is a well-known Midcoast restaurateur -- and the Augusta site will be one of two opening this year. The other is located in Key West, Fla.

FAYETTE: Speedy delivery

Police are pulling over more speedy drivers here, and selectmen are happy about it.

That's because they see a $6,000 investment in additional speed patrols paying off. The Kennebec County Sheriff's office has been setting up those speed outposts this summer, after residents voted in the additional $6,000 for patrols at their town meeting in June.

Town Manager Mark Robinson and Selectman Ken Morrison said the patrolling deputies have issues dozens of tickets and even arrested a few drivers operating after a license suspension.

"It's money well spent," Selectman David Pollock said at a recent meeting.

WINTHROP: On the bus

The Fire Department here will soon be the owner of a school bus.

With the town's School Department replacing two school buses, it needed a way to dispose of the vehicles.

The Fire Department will take one of them, using it for training exercises.

The price tag? $1, for the title transfer.

Winthrop schools Superintendent Briane Coulthard said he made a $5 donation to the department -- from his pocket -- to cover the cost.

AUGUSTA: Green for green

Capital Area Technical Center's greenhouse program is getting some green to help it grow.

The Oak Grove School Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant to the greenhouse program at the regional center in Augusta.

CATC Director Scott Phair said the greenhouse program helped place three special needs students in jobs.

Phair said CATC will add a hydroponics program this year, in which students will grow tomatoes and lettuce which will be used to help supply the schools' food service program.

AUGUSTA: Bus routes online

City schools' bus routes are posted online at the school system's website at www.augustaschools.org, available by clicking the link for bus routes.

Parents unhappy with the location of bus stops may file appeals, through Superintendent Cornelia Brown's office, in writing. Brown said each questioned stop will be evaluated by the superintendent's office. If parents wish to appeal the superintendent's office decision, they may request to be put on the Sept. 7 Finance Committee agenda to make their case to committee members.

Brown said the routes and stops did not undergo major revisions this year. Last year, numerous parents complained after many bus stops were consolidated.