GARDINER -- The Gardiner Rotary Club is sponsoring a 4-mile walk along the Kennebec River Rail Trail today to benefit its scholarship fund.

Participants will meet at Hannaford's in Gardiner at 9:30 a.m. A bus will take walkers to Hallowell at 10:30 a.m.

Donations are being accepted with a request of $20. The first 100 pledgers will get a small prize.

China announcesno-fee day at facility

CHINA -- The annual fee-free day at the transfer station -- when disposal fees are waived for items such as furniture, tires and appliances -- is scheduled for Saturday, June 14.

A list of acceptable items, limits and restrictions is posted on the town's Web site. Copies may also be obtained at the Town Office.

Transfer station hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The station is open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Whitefield, Gardiner men get police honors

AUGUSTA -- A State Police Colonel's Award was presented Friday to Douglas Kinney, of Whitefield, for following a drunken driver for miles until police could catch up with the vehicle in West Gardiner.

A Colonel's Award also was presented to Steven Bolduc, of Gardiner, for his role in reporting an armed man in South Gardiner in December 2007.

Four police officers were honored for their response to that incident: Maine State Police Troopers Jonathan Leach and Christopher Rogers, Gardiner Police Officer James Gioia and Richmond Police Detective O'Neill LaPlante were presented with State Police Meritorious Service Awards.

Lucas Hare, a five-year veteran of the state police, was named Trooper of the Year.

All the honors were handed out at the annual Maine State Police awards ceremony, held Friday in Augusta.

State will clamp downif you're not buckled up

AUGUSTA -- The Maine Bureau of Highway Safety will launch a two-week seat belt enforcement effort today in Augusta.

More than 70 police departments across the state will take part in the "Click It or Ticket It" campaign, which runs through June 1.

The campaign is part of a national effort coinciding with many police department traffic-safety efforts that begin with Memorial Day weekend, according the Maine Department of Public Safety.

Vassalboro reviewsconsolidation Tuesday

VASSALBORO -- School Committee members will get the latest news on two regional consolidation plans at Tuesday's meeting, 6 p.m. in the library at Vassalboro Community School.

Vassalboro, China and Winslow, the current members of School Union 52, are considering two options to meet the state requirement to form a new regional school unit. One plan would have the three towns convert from a union to a regional unit; the other would join the Union 52 towns with School Administrative District 47, Belgrade, Oakland, Rome and Sidney.

Also on Tuesday's agenda is continued review of school policies.

Compiled from staff reports