Our days are getting a little shorter and our leaves a little oranger…and pumpkin spice is popping up all over! It’s hard to imagine that kids are back in school and our wonderful Maine summer is drawing to a close.
The first day my son Wyatt and I met our husky/shepherd dog Dexter at the Houlton Humane Society, the shelter manager told us that he was infamous for running away from home for miles, venturing into people’s yards, and killing small animals.
I am aging and eroding anxiously and rapidly, but the lunar timelessness of Tranquility Base remains inviolate. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin trod across that timelessness and brought back to planet Earth the “Year Zero”, the reality of greatness within everyday American life and every American heart.
To the editor:
Since time immemorial the Penobscot and Maliseet have shared an inherent connection to the environment. We have a responsibility, passed down from our ancestors, to care for the land, water, air, and all life that depends upon a healthy ecosystem to thrive.
The opioid epidemic continues to claim the lives of far too many people, with record numbers of both Mainers and Americans lost in 2021. While many perceive the face of opioid addiction as young, the epidemic harms older adults as well. In Maine, more than 10 percent of drug overdose deaths last year were among residents 60 and older.
One of my favorite activities on the planet is hiking mountains. A month after I brought Dexter home, Wyatt and I took him on his first official hike up Mt. Chase in late October. Dexter towed me up the mountain as he navigated the roots, rocks, and incline with the athleticism of a parkour athlete.
Presque Isle is a beautiful city. In addition to breathtaking nature vistas, our street scenes are pleasant to look at as well. Much of this has to do with the architecture of the homes.
Did your ancestors emigrate to the U.S. in the 19th century through New York City? The first name that comes to most genealogists’ minds is Ellis Island. But prior to 1893, Ellis Island as a port of entry didn’t exist. If your ancestor came into New York between 1820 and 1892, they would have entered through a port of entry known then as Castle Garden.
Have you ever seen the website BrownieLocks with its listing of weird, unusual and bizarre holidays? Well, according to that site, this is “ARRRR-gust,” or International Pirate Month, which always brings to mind one of my favorite historical stories from Presque Isle. That is the story of Sidney Cook.
August is back-to-school season, when Maine families adjust to new schedules, new spending on school supplies and new household budgets. National Financial Awareness Day is Aug. 14, which reminds families to be more aware of money coming in and going out.
