Crime tracker

Kayla Hutchinson of Turner recently was awarded the State Police Special Award from Col. Robert Williams.

In January, Hutchinson witnessed a drunken driver weaving up the turnpike. After it struck another vehicle and kept going, Hutchinson called state police with the vehicle information. She followed the driver to his residence in Gray, all the while keeping troopers updated. Way to go, Kayla.

— Bonnie Washuk

Story envy in the newsroom.

Tuesday was a tough day in the newsroom. There I was, working on a story about a new teacher evaluation in Lewiston. A good story, yes. Sexy, no.

Lindsay Tice was working on a health care story. Scott Taylor was up to his eyeballs, per usual, on all things municipal Lewiston-Auburn. Chris Williams was on the court beat.

Meanwhile Kathryn Skelton discovered that bride-to-be Susan Collins, U.S. senator from Maine, had registered at Crate & Barrell, Williams-Sonoma and Sur La Table. When Skelton told us, we all stopped what we were doing to look at the registries. Why, it was like looking in Collins closet!

I admired her blue and white dishware, marveled she was asking for a mixer and practical items such as candle holders. The behavior seemed too normal for an U.S. senator. And after that, it was tough to focus on the teacher evaluation. We had story envy.

— Bonnie Washuk

Eat 10 lobsters in 10 minutes?

Speaking of U.S. senators, Olympia Snowe is to serve as a judge during the Great Maine Lobster Eating contest at the fourth annual Portland LobsterFest.

According to Snowe’s office, she’ll watch as contestants try to out-eat each other.

The contest lasts 10 minutes. Contestants must shuck and eat the lobster tail and both claws. Last year’s winner finished 10 lobsters. That’s one per minute. Wow. 

— Bonnie Washuk