By the numbers

By the numbers
Barbecuing
69: Percent of people who barbecue on July 4
16.7 million : Number of new grills and smokers shipped in 2008
58: Percent of grill owners use their grills year-round
82: Percent of people who grill burgers, making it the most popular food for barbecuing
Source: Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association

As good as it gets: Tax collectors say they’re surprised to find tax bills paid at the same pace as last year.

In this economy, it's so unlikely it sounds like the start of a fairy tale: Western Maine and the happy tax collectors.
After bracing all winter for piles of unpaid bills in the wake of job losses and shrinking investments, tax collectors looking at property tax rolls and new liens say they've been surprised to find that the bad news didn't come. Many homeowners are paying their taxes as well as they always have, if not better.
"I was really a little skeptical at the beginning of the year," said Betty Griebel in Auburn.

Turner cars burglarized

A half dozen cars have been burglarized in Turner, causing the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Department to warn area residents to lock their vehicles and to report any suspicious activity.
Police say overnight and into the early morning Friday, someone stole purses, wallets, keys and other items from several cars in Turner. All of the vehicles had been left unlocked.
The sheriff's department is asking anyone with information on these burglaries to call Deputy Delbert Mason or Deputy Jon Guay at 784-7361.
ltice@sunjournal.com

 

Motoring maids

There are no pre-defined gender roles for these leather-clad women on wheels.  Not for these Motor Maids.

America’s first all-women motorcycling club, Motor Maids Inc., was chartered in 1940 by pioneering female motorcyclists Linda Dugeau and Dot Robinson. Hundreds of the Maids will be in Lewiston in the coming week for the club's annual national convention.

This sisterhood on wheels is 1,200 members strong, which New England District Director Yolie Donley said she feels "incredibly empowering."

Lewiston woman killed in N.H. car crash

A Lewiston woman was killed and a Lewiston man and two young children were seriously injured Friday when their car collided head-on with another car on Route 2 in Randolph, N.H.
Rachel Metivier, 26, a passenger in the vehicle, was killed. Christopher Caron, 27, the driver, was seriously injured and was listed in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, N.H., state police said. Two children in the car, a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old, were also seriously injured. They were listed in fair condition Saturday, police said.

Storm causes destruction in Bridgton

A severe thunderstorm wreaked havoc in Bridgton Saturday afternoon, knocking down trees and power lines and damaging at least one house.

Police log

Charges
Lewiston
• John F. McKinney, 48, of 1905 Lisbon St., disorderly conduct and assault, 12:22 a.m. Friday at 339 Lisbon St.
• Tracy Michelle Wilhelm, 21, of 265 Blake St., warrant, 9:30 a.m. Friday at that address.
• James Thibault, 24, of 17 Randall Road, domestic violence assault and criminal mischief, 6:20 p.m. Friday at that address.
• Alicia Lee Noddin, 22, of 126 Sabattus St., warrant, 1:33 a.m. Saturday at 480 Main St.
Auburn

Lightning sears man's shoes

POLAND — A 25-year-old Poland man was shaken up Saturday when lightning hit near him as he sought refuge from a thunderstorm at Tripp Lake.
Both of Paul Parker's sneakers had holes burned in them in their insteps after lightning struck the ground near where he was standing about 2 p.m., said Androscoggin County Deputy Dennis Sampson. Sampson said emergency workers told him that Parker "seemed all right, just very shaken up" after the incident.

Rain-dampened Liberty Fest goes on

LEWISTON — Rain showers dampened Liberty Fest, but they couldn't stop the celebration.

By early evening, a few hundred people had turned out for the Fourth of July festivities, braving showers and sporadic thunderstorms to munch on hot dogs, listen to the bands and wait for the evening fireworks.

"It rains and stops, rains and stops, rains and stops," said 8-year-old Donny Schomaker of Greene, jumping up and down to emphasize.

Durham election Tuesday for open seat

DURHAM - Four candidates will vie for an unexpired term on the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, July 7.
Christine Charette resigned, leaving a term that runs through town meeting 2011.
Candidates are Philip Gilikson, Troy Planche, Malcolm Shove and Michelle Thibeault.
Voting will take place at the elementary school gymnasium from 3 to 7 p.m.

Police log

Charges

Lewiston

• Benjamin Ayer, 18, of 27 Thorne Ave., on a warrant, 12:12 p.m. Thursday at College and Russell streets.
• Andrew Cramer, 20, of 50 Fairmount St., on a probation hold, 5:55 p.m. Thursday at that address.

Auburn

• Janette Rich, 21, of 15 High St., on a charge of violating conditions of release, 11:05 a.m. Thursday at that address.
• Roger Cornell, 67, of 250 Hackett Road, on a charge of violating bail, 8:26 p.m. Thursday at the police station.

Androscoggin County

Canoe race highlights land trust's efforts

LISBON - An annual six-mile canoe race on the Androscoggin River during the annual Moxie Festival is a new opportunity to highlight the work of the Androscoggin Land Trust's conservation work, the trust's executive director Jonathan LaBonte said.
This is the first year the trust will coordinate the race, which is in its 11th year. About 180 paddlers participated in the race last year, which is a highlight of Lisbon's annual Moxie Festival. This year the race will be held Sunday, July 12, starting at 11 a.m.

Boy hit by car in Lewiston

LEWISTON - A 6-year-old boy was being examined for a possible head injury late Friday after he was struck by a car on Bates Street.
The driver of the car told police that he did not see the boy in time to stop after the child darted out into the road about 9:30 p.m.
When police and rescue crews arrived, the boy was dazed but conscious and able to speak with paramedics, according to Lewiston police Sgt. Danny LaChance.

Pyrotechnicians ready if the fireworks show goes on

AUBURN — Fireworks and water just don't mix.
"You can't shoot fireworks in the rain, for a couple of reasons," said Jeff Zduniak, pyrotechnician for New Hampshire's RS Fireworks.That's the group scheduled to present the display Saturday night over the Twin Cities' Great Falls.
"Obviously, you can't shoot in the rain because the product just won't go off," Zduniak said. ""But also, if you do get it to go off, it might go off low and be too close to people. Somebody might get hurt, and you can't let that happen."

CITnumbers0704

The Liberty Bell
2080: Weight of the bell in pounds
12 feet: Circumference at the lip
70: Percent of the bell that is copper
1751: Year the bell was ordered
24.5 inches: Approximate length of the crack
Source: www.ushistory.org

 

50,000 seashells. Dust Bowl dust. Everything in between. Welcome to the old (new) Turner Natural History Club Museum

TURNER — Maxine Hinkley tugged open two drawers she'd never opened before and gasped.
Stacks of bird bodies piled one on top of another. Feathers as fluffy as the day they dropped out of the sky a century ago.
And around each ankle, a little ID tag: Pine Siskin, 1892. Bay-breasted warbler, 1890.
The unexpected drawer of birds joined a dozen-plus stuffed animals displayed around the room. And a pine cone collection. A bird nest collection. A snake and snakeskin collection. A dirt collection in carefully labeled glass bottles, one with Dust Bowl dust.

Proud to be an American

On the 4th of July, millions of Americans celebrate what it means to be an American. Some have been here for generations. Others have just become citizens.

For this year's Independence Day, we talked to a few of those new Americans. Why did they come to the United States? Why did they want to stay? What does earning their citizenship mean to them?

The answers are as diverse as the people who come here. 

Heavy rainfall floods basements

LEWISTON — It was bound to happen.
After days of constant rain, a slow moving thunderstorm Thursday night caused problems in all varieties as a steady downpour settled over the area and stayed there.
It was particularly bad in Lewiston.
"We've got flooded streets, roads washed out and alarms going off like crazy," said Lewiston police Sgt. Danny LaChance. "We've got reports of power out, basements flooding and a manhole completely off."