DEAR SUN SPOTS: Nick Picerno of Virginia will speak about Civil War Gen. George Nye of Lewiston, who enlisted 100 men from Bates Mill into his regiment, at Museum L-A on May 27 from 6-8 p.m.

Anyone in the Lewiston-Auburn area who is a Civil War descendant from the 1st, 10th, or 29th Maine Civil War regiments may be especially interested in attending. For more information, contact me at 216-3573.

— Glenn, no town

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Where can I cash in Canadian coins? My financial institution won’t take them and neither does Coinstar. I have over $50 worth.

— No name, no town

ANSWER: A friend who just came back from Canada said she took her Canadian money to the Portland Jetport to be exchanged. The Old Port Foreign Exchange is near the escalators and is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Monday through Friday. Tthey take a lunch break from noon to 12:30 p.m. On the weekends they are open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can call them at 618-5333 if you have questions.

Most major banks, such as Bank of America and Wells Fargo, will exchange your U.S. dollars for foreign currency if you have a checking, savings, or credit card account with the institution. In some cases, there is a fee for this service.

I’m surprised your financial institution didn’t offer a recommendation on where to do this bit of business.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: On Feb. 19, Sun Spots ran a letter regarding a snowblower stolen from the Old Greene Road in Lewiston. The Lewiston police checked Craig’s List daily to see if the thief was trying to sell it that way. Sure enough, when the next storm came on Feb. 12, the snowblower was for sale. The detective made the connection. The person lived a short distance away and admitted to the incident. The snowblower was returned to me. A date with the judge awaits him.

— Don, Lewiston

ANSWER: I’m so glad your possession was returned to you and that justice is being served. Thanks for letting us know the outcome.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: In the Feb. 26 Sun Spots, a reader asked about bananas ripening too quickly. A couple months ago the internet gave a helpful hint and it works. Wrap a piece of aluminum foil around the stem ends and the bananas last at least a week longer without turning brown.

— Les, no town

ANSWER: How did we ever get through life without the internet? The idea Les is referring to reads: “Bananas, like many fruits, release ethylene gas naturally, which controls enzymatic browning and ripening of not the bananas, but other fruits nearby with much of that off-gassing taking place at the stem— or the crown — of the banana. By wrapping the crown of a bunch, you slow down the ripening process a bit.”

I have also read that storing bananas away from other produce helps keep them from ripening too fast as well. Since bananas are such an economical, healthy snack with so many applications in the kitchen, I encourage you to have them on hand and enjoy them.

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.

 

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