ANSWER: You are correct. According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, washing raw meat (of any kind, actually) prior to cooking is not recommended. This is primarily because of the danger that rinsing the meat will cause cross-contamination by creating splashing onto other surfaces of the kitchen. Without proper sanitizing of those now-contaminated […]

Cycling for healthy air for more than 31 years, the Trek Across Maine attracts nearly 2,000 cyclists and 750 volunteers. This three-day trek takes cyclists 180 miles from Sunday River to the sea in Belfast. The Trek Across Maine is the largest fundraiser of its kind for the American Lung Association nationwide. Join us for […]

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I have an abundance of costume, 10k and 14k gold jewelry that I would like to sell on consignment. Do you know of any places that do that? Thanks. — No Name, Auburn. ANSWER: A few of the clothing consignment shops around, like Juliet’s Clothing and Accessories at 120 Center St. in […]

ANSWER: Each fourth Sunday of March, dozens of farms across the state, many of which are members of the Maine Maple Producers Association, host their share of more than 100,000 visitors eager for their first taste of the season’s maple goodness. The annual event began in 1984 as way to promote Maine’s more than $48 […]

DEAR SUN SPOTS and People of the Great State of Maine: Hello! I’m a fourth grade student in North Carolina. In fourth grade, we do state reports and I have chosen your state. I am very excited to learn more about the great state of Maine as I work on my report. Most of the […]

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I was recently driving by the Catholic church on Elm Street in Mechanic Falls and saw that the building was gone. The sign is still there, but no church. Do you know what happened to it? Are Masses being held somewhere else? Thank you for your help. — No Name, Auburn. ANSWER: […]

ANSWER: If you heard it on the radio, then it must be true. That’s really not always the case, but in this instance, Sun Spots suspects it is. Actually, according to Reader’s Digest, researchers at the University of Arizona did, in fact, find that the average cutting board has 200 times more fecal bacteria on […]

ANSWER: It must be spring cleaning time when Sun Spots receives a request such as this. It sounds like you are in need of the services of a professional organizer or a general cleaner. There are many services around, but some of the cleaning companies focus on removing the dust and grime from your home […]

DEAR SUN SPOTS: On Sunday, March 13, I attended Holy Family’s 2 p.m. service. My hearing aid battery started beeping. Not to disturb anyone, I put it in my pocket. When I got home, I checked my pocket to take it out, but it was not in there. If anyone, by chance, finds it, could […]

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Years ago, I heard a song about a train, “The Wreck of Old No. 9.” It’s supposed to be a true story, starting something like, “On a dark, stormy night, not a star was in sight, and the north wind was howling down the line.” I would like to know the rest […]