Stories by Staff Pioneer Times

By Paul Harrison

The passage of the Brady Bill in 1994 mandated that all firearm sales by federally licensed gun dealers to individuals be verified by an FBI approved background check. There are a few exceptions such as a holder of an approved concealed weapons permit is exempt from the background check and obviously police officers for departmental use but for the most part every sale must include a check no matter where it occurs, if the individual already owns seven guns, or just bought one this morning. Despite the misleading reports, all sales by licensed dealers at a gun show or any other off site event are subject to background checks just as if they were at their store. There is no “Gun show loophole.”

By Emily Cain

Aroostook County showcases the pride we have in our heritage and the opportunities we have for our future.

Growing up in a close-knit Catholic family, Sundays were special. We went to church, where I sang in the choir. The rest of the day was family time — lunch, chores, homework, and dinner together. Sunday night my dad would pack his bags to head out on the road for the week selling shoes. My mom juggled three daughters, while working as a teacher and sign language interpreter.

When I spied “The Alice Behind Wonderland” as a new volume in Cary Library, I was intrigued as I remembered reading the book as a child before the movies took away some of the magic.

Author Simon Winchester is not one of my favorite authors, much as he is acclaimed by many reviews. His style of hopping hither and yon over time periods, backtracking or jumping ahead with “insights” or promises to explain later is disconcerting.