ANSWER: Sun Spots spoke to John Elie, highway division operations manager at Lewiston Public Works, who noted that the amount of snow the city has received in January and February has been challenging especially since the large bulldozer the crew usually uses is down and they are renting one. The crews haul snow to the snow dumps at 190 River Rd. which is the operations center for LPW. The crews are working almost 24 hours a day: 11 hours at night and 8 hours during the day. Snow removal on downtown streets is done at night with a blower and a hauler. The crews also cut down high snow banks and clear tight alleys and dead ends.

Sun Spots then spoke to John’s counterpart in Auburn, Kevin Doyle, public service operations manager. He noted that Auburn operates a little differently than Lewiston in that it has three snow dump sites and its crews work 24 hours a day as needed. The three dump sites allow the Auburn crews to work efficiently by hauling snow to the nearest dump site. One of the dump sites is across from its Gracelawn Rd. base of operations. The other two dump sites are at the former Great Falls School and Edward Little High School. If you visit Auburn Public Services facebook page you can watch a video of its big blower in action. The big blower can move 1,500 tons of snow an hour.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: A few days ago you published a query from someone looking for instruction on how to use a sock knitting machine. There is a group which calls itself “Nor’Eastern Crankers” and which has members from the New England states and Atlantic Canada. More information can be found at www.ravelry.com/groups/csmanchors. — Anonymous in Lewiston.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: You’ve been so helpful in the past. Now I have a question for your readers. A month or two ago, a bureau drawer fell out of a truck between Auburn and South Paris. The finish was a grayish wood. Is there anyone out there who either saw it or has it? Thank you in advance for any information you can provide. — A Faithful Reader, No Town.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Rebuilding Together Lewiston-Auburn is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to repairing the homes of those who due to financial hardship, age and/or disability, cannot do the work themselves. RTLA is supported entirely by contributions of time, labor, material and money.

Skilled and unskilled volunteers, along with able-bodied members of the recipient’s family and friends, complete the repairs at no cost to the homeowner. The work is conducted on one weekend in April.

Lewiston-Auburn residents who are having trouble keeping their homes safe and warm and meet the criteria can fill out an application. RTLA usually repairs six to 10 houses.

RTLA house applications can be found at Keller Williams Auburn, 195 Center St., 207-344-3300. — Todd Gagne, tgagne@nasonmechanical.com

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com or tweeted @SJ_SunSpots. This column can also be read online at sunjournal.com/sunspots.

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