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Good morning, Hallowell!
I'm a Spotify user. Not ashamed to admit it. And every year, Spotify comes out with Wrapped — a synopsis of what you listened to that year with your most played songs, your most streamed artists and which genres you went back to the most.
According to traditional understanding, this is the week of the year that Spotify stops tracking your listening to create that report, which comes out around the start of December each year. Naturally, Spotify users try to curate that Wrapped to perfectly resemble their musical aesthetic and not the embarrassing things they listen to — a process that requires playing songs on repeat to *make sure* they show up on that report, which most of my generation posts on social media.
So, I'll be listening to the music I do want to show up a little bit too repetitively this week. Noah Kahan, get ready to have your songs streamed.
Got music suggestions? Send them my way. I'm always looking for new things to listen to — especially during the months where I don't have to worry about the Wrapped social pressure.
See y'all next week,
- Ethan Horton |
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MORE NEWS |
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Alex Bell, left, and Eddie Beaule repackage audiobook CDs Wednesday during Day of Caring at Hubbard Free Library in Hallowell. The duo were part of a group that was repackaging the audio book CDs from old, frayed cardboard boxes into plastic boxes. They also cut up the old packages and used them as covers on the plastic box albums.
Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal |
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PROPERTY TAX INCREASE |
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Hallowell's four most recent mayors wrote a letter late last week detailing their dissatisfaction with the city's budget process and the 20% tax increase residents saw as a result.
Mayors Charlotte Warren, Mark Walker, Tony Masciadri and Andy McPherson — who led Hallowell from 2007–2021, when current Mayor George Lapointe took over — said they were dismayed that the City Council approved the budget in July without knowing for certain the tax increase it would cause.
"The budget snafu isn’t the only issue facing Hallowell," the letter ends. "We are calling on the Hallowell mayor and city councilors to do better by restoring successful management of our city."
Read the letter here.
We want to hear what you think about this letter and the city's budgeting process, too — the property tax increase falls on Hallowell residents, after all. Send me your thoughts.
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LIBRARY CARDS |
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If you feel like you haven't quite gotten your voting fix this election season, the Hubbard Free Library is holding a competition during the month of November on its next library card.
The finalist designs come from two students at Stepping Stones Montessori School in Chelsea — where the arts teacher gave the card design competition as an assignment — and a Hallowell native studying design at Wheaton College in Massachusetts.
See the designs and how to cast your vote. |
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Your subscription supports Hallowell Now and Maine Trust for Local News. Thanks. |
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VOTING |
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There are just a few days left to cast your ballot in the 2024 presidential election. Scary, I know — but having a plan to vote is better than not.
Some things to know if you haven't voted already:
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If you prefer to vote on Election Day, the Hall-Dale Elementary School polling place will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Every resident in Hallowell is assigned to vote at that polling place.
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Our lovely city clerks can't issue absentee ballots after Thursday — which is Halloween, fittingly. That means you can't vote early in-person after Thursday at 5 p.m. and you can't request an absentee ballot after that time, either. (There are some rare exceptions, which you can read about on the city's website.)
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Absentee ballots are due back to the clerk by 8 p.m. on Nov. 5. Yes, even the ones being sent through the mail. If you're still waiting on your ballot to come through the mail, check the status of your request here.
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If you're new to Hallowell and/or haven't registered to vote yet, you can do so at City Hall during regular office hours and at the polling place on Election Day. You'll need to bring proof of identity and residency — reach out if you have questions about what counts and we can help you figure it out.
Read all of our election coverage at centralmaine.com. |
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THINGS TO DO |
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Vote early!
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The Cox Memorial United Methodist Church will host a display of hundreds of presidential campaign buttons from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3, dating back as far as the 1892 campaign including some memorabilia for President Grover Cleveland, whom I named my first car after. (Reach out if you want to hear that story.) Stop by at 29 Middle St. to take a look. Admission is free, but the church encourages attendees to bring non-perishable items for the Hallowell Food Pantry. For more information, email corleybyras@gmail.com.
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2022 American Idol finalist and Mainer Julia Gagnon will be performing Halloween-themed music with local musicians at the Johnson Hall Opera House on Friday, Nov. 1. Tickets are on sale.
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THE WAY IT WAS IN HALLOWELL |
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Oct. 28, 1903: Well-known Hallowell man picks 15 barrels of apples from tree in his front yard
Click here to read more on this story from 1903 from our archives on Newspapers.com. |
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SEND ME YOUR EVENTS AND SUGGESTIONS! |
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I am always looking for more things to throw in the newsletter — so send everything you've got my way. Events, travel ideas, restaurant suggestions and everything else. I'm all ears.
Hallowell Now is your newsletter.
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Ethan Horton is a reporter for the Kennebec Journal and the editor of this newsletter. Send feedback and suggestions to Ethan. You can support this newsletter by encouraging friends and family to subscribe here. Read more news at centralmaine.com. |
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