Summer has been unusually absent of outdoor adventure so when a friend invited me to float the Kennebec River in West Forks on a weekday afternoon, I excitedly confirmed. I’ve whitewater rafted the upper Kennebec and have tubed a popular stretch further downriver but I had never played on the stretch in between. I […]
Franklin Journal Columns
Used for Franklin Journal content
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, The Bethel Citizen, The Franklin Journal
Movie Review: The Tax Collector
Somebody thought they had a franchise on their hands with “The Tax Collector,” most likely writer/director/producer David Ayer. Ayer was once a top talent in Hollywood with works like “End of Watch” and “Fury.” Then he had a huge commercial hit with the critically-panned “Suicide Squad.” “Bright” for Netflix found similar success with big viewership […]
advertisement
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, The Bethel Citizen, The Franklin Journal
Movie Review: The Secret Garden
It’s been a while since I reviewed a kids’ movie. “Scoob!” was the last one, all the way back in May. There’s a pleasantness to these movies that I missed. Obviously, kids’ movies can get into dark subject matter the same way movies for grown-ups can be light, and indeed this movie is heavy on […]
Posted inThe Franklin Journal
Pets of the Week
The Franklin County Animal Shelter is doing their part to control the spread of COVID-19 and will be closed to walk-ins and limiting community contact until further notice. They will continue offering adoptions by appointment. Please call them at 207-778-2638 during our office hours to schedule an appointment. Leona, 1 to 3 Years, Female: Oh, […]
Posted inThe Franklin Journal
Energy Matters: How to not lie with statistics
Back in the 70’s there was a popular Statistics textbook called “How to Lie with Statistics.” It took the angle of exploring how perfectly true numbers can be manipulated to tell a perfectly false story, so it was an engaging and light-hearted text. We feel like it is time to re-explore this concept, because these […]
Posted inThe Franklin Journal
Wandering/Wild Flowers
In late May, as I was pushing vegetable seeds into the warming soil of my garden, I planted a straight line of sunflowers in an empty row. My thought was the bright late-summer color would draw attention away from plants that would be nearing the end of their useful life. Wildflowers will always be prominent […]
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, The Bethel Citizen, The Franklin Journal
Movie Review: The Rental
“The Rental” is a thriller set at, what else, a rental house. Rental houses like the one in this movie are essentially hotels, and horror has a long proud history with hotels. There was “Psycho” back in 1960, “The Shining” in 1980, and a season of “American Horror Story” that won Lady Gaga a Golden […]
Posted inThe Franklin Journal
Pets of the week
Dash, 3 years, Male, Walker Hound, Hello, my name is Dash. I am your typical large hound dog… I like to eat, talk, sleep on couches, and cuddle. I need an owner who is hound savvy, and willing to work with me… I can be guardy with my toys and food until I trust you. […]