Dear Sun Spots: I was just wondering what the policy is for homeowners and business owners shoveling the sidewalks in front of their homes and businesses, especially on busy streets such as Main, Lisbon and Sabattus.

You have all the senior citizens walking on the side of the road because the sidewalks are not clear. That’s a shame, especially where the cars are always going fast on these streets. I guess the city of Lewiston will wake up when someone gets killed. Thanks. – Sandra in Lewiston.

Answer: According to the Lewiston city ordinance regarding clearing sidewalks, www.municode.com, Sec. 66-12:

“The tenant and occupant, and in case there shall be no tenant, the owner, agent or person having the care of any lot of land on which buildings are erected, bordering upon any public highway within the city, when there is any footway or sidewalk shall, after the ceasing to fall of any snow, if in the daytime, within four hours, and if in the nighttime, before 10 a.m. succeeding, cause such snow to be removed therefrom. This provision shall be construed to extend to the removing of snow falling from the roof of any building upon such footway or sidewalk. Such tenant, occupant, owner or agent, whenever ice shall have formed upon the footway or sidewalk as aforesaid, shall cause the ice to be removed, or otherwise rendered safe and convenient for foot passengers.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to remove snow from private premises and deposit such snow in and upon any street or sidewalk.

(c) Snow and ice may be windrowed on public roadways incident to the cleaning thereof or windrowed on curbs incident to the cleaning of public sidewalks.

And according to Sec. 66-71, “…. no person, organization or other entity shall pile, deposit or place or cause or permit to be piled, deposited or placed any rubbish, wood, coal, merchandise, dirt, impediment or obstruction of any kind, upon or over any sidewalk; nor to occupy or obstruct any sidewalk so as to interfere with the convenient use of the sidewalk by all pedestrians.

(b) The prohibition set out in subsection (a) of this section shall not extend to any goods and articles or merchandise that may be exposed or exhibited for sale in front of any shop; provided, that the articles do not extend more than one foot from the building into or upon the sidewalk.”

You might also check out the Highway Division, Department of Public Works postings online at www.ci. lewiston.me.us/publicworks/winteroperations.htm. for more on the city’s procedure for snow plowing and clearing.

Dear Sun Spots: I have items bought with Woolworth’s labels and price tags on them. Also, items from other stores such as Grants, Ames and more that are no longer open. Where can I write to see if these are of any value? Thanks. – No Name, South Paris.

Answer: Hopefully readers will be able to assist you here in locating an appraiser for these items. In the meantime, you might consider eBay as a possible resource or market for your items.

Dear Sun Spots: I would like to thank the following people for taking the time to send me the yearbook information I had requested in your column recently:

Monique Gagnon for the jpeg of the yearbook picture, Romeo Bosse Jr. for a copy of the picture and graduation booklet, Joane Labonte for copies of yearbook photos and James Connors who e-mailed me and said that he would send the 1975 and 1978 yearbooks.

I am very blessed. May you all have many blessings in the New Year. Thank you. – Brenda Divver, Sterling, Va.

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