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The Phillips Area Vitalizer: February happenings
Dick Matthews, Editor
Local band Down the Dirt Road at the PACC
February will be off to a fine start with award-winning country band, Down the Dirt Road, from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at the Phillips Area Community Center. Hailing from the Jay/Wilton area, the band features Travis Pinkham on lead guitar and vocals, guitarist Hal Burhoe, and drummer Diane Hanscom. Sara Barker, the youngest member at age 14, shines on vocals and guitar.
Pinkham, Hanscom, and Barker have all won awards in Nashville, and Pinkham won second place in modern country at the Pine Tree State Country Music Associations awards ceremony last year. There is an admission fee. Refreshments available for purchase. The hall will be set up with tables and chairs around a small dance floor. For more information, call 207-639-2630.
East Pointers at the PACC Feb. 14
February music gets another boost with the band The East Pointers, from Prince Edward Island. Made up of guitarist Jake Charron, fiddler Tim Chaisson, and banjoist Koady Chaisson, vocalists all, they make traditional music hip. Touring world wide, theyre stopping in Phillips on their way to the American Folk Festival. The band will play from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14, Valentines Day, at the PACC. There is an admission fee. Refreshments available for purchase. For more info, call 207-639-2630.
Phillips sidewalk construction slated for 2018
An informational meeting on the Phillips sidewalk project, held Thursday, Jan. 26, was attended by about 25 people. Those in attendance learned from engineers working for the Department of Transportation that the installation of the villages sidewalks is slated for spring or summer of 2018. Current plans call for a five-foot wide asphalt sidewalk running on the river-side of the street from the intersection of Pleasant and Main Streets to Blake Hill Road. On the other side of Main Street, the sidewalk will run from the same downtown intersection to Depot Street.
While the engineers suggested that all they could give about cost at this point was a best guess estimate, they thought the total would run about $325,000, though depending on unforeseen difficulties might run as high $425,000. Phillips share of that cost will be 20 percent. The town currently has $60,521 set aside in a special sidewalk account. The engineers suggested the cost could be reduced (or increased) by changes requested by the town. They also indicated another informational meeting will be held sometime in the future to allow more input by town officials and residents.
News briefs & updates
Community Potluck: For the second year, the church is organizing a Valentine Community Potluck at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Phillips Community House. Admission is free and all are welcome. Please RSVP Barb Gardiner at 207-684-3394 and let her know what you are bringing.
Library Tea: Phillips Public Library will host the annual Valentines Tea beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Library. The public is invited to attend; fancy dress encouraged.
Freedom Summer Film: Freedom Summer, or the Mississippi Summer Project, was a volunteer campaign in the United States launched in June 1964 to attempt to register as many African-American voters as possible in Mississippi. This film, shown as part of Black History Month, documents that drive to register voters. Presented at Phillips Public Library by Doug Dunlap, the hour-and-a-half film will be shown at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22, and is free; donations optional. Discussion to follow.
Narrow Gauge String Band: On Sunday, Feb. 26, this well-known and popular group will play at the PACC. Time has tentatively been set for 3 p.m., but watch for possible changes.
Community Fiber Gatherings: Since May 2016, a group of fiber crafters has met on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at the Phillips Community House from 1 to 3 p.m. Anyone who knits, crochets, spins, weaves, quilts, makes lace or engages in another handcraft is welcome to join the group. Kate Dunham said, We have fun and learn from each other. For more information, call Kate at 207-639-2012.
Volunteer Firefighters Needed: For information, call the Phillips Fire Department at 207-639-FIRE or apply Tuesdays at 6 p.m., at the Phillips Fire Station.
Issue 100: Originally established from an idea discussed at the Phillips Revitalization Committee in 2011, The Phillips Area Vitalizer marks its 100th issue with this publication. Its small editorial staff originally included Dick Stovall, who has since passed away.
Meeting and event schedule
Feb. 4 Down the Dirt Road, Saturday, 7 p.m., Phillips Area Community Center
Feb. 7 Phillips Area Community Center board meets, Tuesday, 4:30 p.m., at the school
Feb. 9 Chamber of Commerce meets, Thursday, 6 p.m., Town Office
Feb. 11 Library Tea, Saturday, 11 a.m., Phillips Public Library
Feb. 11 Community House Valentines Potluck, Saturday, 5:30 pm
Feb. 13 Phillips Planning Board meets, second Monday of the month. 6 p.m., Town Office
Feb. 14 Selectmen meet, Tuesday, 6 p.m., Town Office
Feb. 14 The East Pointers, Tuesday, 7 p.m., Phillips Area Community Center
Feb. 15 Sandy River Business Association meets, Wednesday, 6 p.m., Shadagee Common Room
Feb. 22 Film Freedom Summer, Wednesday, 4 p.m., Phillips Library
Feb. 28 Selectmen meet, Tuesday, 6 p.m., Town Office
