DEAR SUN SPOTS: Do you know of a reputable place to have a silverware set appraised? Thank you for all you do for the community. — Marianne, no town.

ANSWER: If you own items that you believe have significant value, it’s a good idea to have them appraised for insurance purposes, estate settlement or planning purposes, or even if you’re just curious about their value and may wish to sell them. There are several antique and personal property appraisers in Maine. Here are a few who appraise silver:

• Daniel Buck Auctions, 501 Lisbon St. in Lisbon Falls, 207-407-1444 or through their website danielbuckauctions.com;
• G.W. Bell Antiques, 124 Gray Road in Falmouth, 207-797-9386 or by emailing gbell23@maine.rr.com; and
• Bruce A. Buxton, Appraiser of Fine Art & Antiques, Portland, 207-772-6979 or send a message through his website, bruceabuxton.com.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Rangeley Economic Opportunity Committee, the Opportunity Center of North Franklin County Inc. and a collaboration of partners are seeking input from the broader community on their current concerns as well as their dreams and hopes for faster, affordable and more reliable broadband services for their homes, businesses and mobile devices. The Opportunity Center will hold a meeting March 15 at 6 p.m. at Rangeley Lakes Regional School with guest speakers from some of the providers and broadband consultants serving the Franklin County region.

The Opportunity Center has held planning meetings that have brought together chambers, economic development organizations, businesses, educational and medical institutions, towns, state, county and federal politicians, and interested residents to participate in a broadband infrastructure effort for all of Franklin County. It will take an organized effort with the many community groups, businesses and residents alike to move this endeavor forward.

Evidence shows that broadband connectivity encourages many positive outcomes for a community which includes, but is not limited to, helping our local businesses stay and grow, attracting new businesses and enabling workers to telecommute to distant places. It also makes a community a more attractive place to live, especially for young people. High-speed internet can enable cost-effective distant learning and telehealth medical assistance for the elderly.

The meeting on March 15 is a call to get involved with expanding broadband (high-speed) internet in the Franklin County region. Please plan to attend this meeting to learn about what is being worked on, how you can help, and to voice your concerns. To aid in this effort, please also complete the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FD8LF2T.

For more information, contact the Rangeley Economic Opportunity Committee at 207-864-3326 or email reoc@rangeleyme.org, the Opportunity Center, the Greater Franklin Development Council, or the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce.

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