Opinion - The County

Opinion

Let light shine

We are now entering the period of greatest darkness, where days are short and dark nights are long.

Woodland Cemetery turns 100

A friend of mine took a walk the other day. Things being as they are with the COVID-19 virus, a walk in the great Maine outdoors is probably a healthy thing to do. What was interesting to me was that he took his walk in the Woodland Cemetery.

Planting seeds for Blossom Fest

As director of the Maine Potato Blossom Festival, I'm excited to announce that we have been awarded $10,000 in grant funding from the Maine Office of Tourism.

E.A. Williams cartoon – Week of December 7, 2020

Waiting for ice fishing

Thank you, Aroostook County

Now that the dust has settled on the election, I want to say that it’s truly an honor to represent the good people of northern Aroostook County in the Maine Senate. I know I say this often but it’s because election after election I’m just blown away by your support.

Helpful website

You may have heard of Pinterest. It’s an online free virtual bulletin board website that’s generated a lot of talk. Because I really don’t want to add another online site to my life I’ve more or less ignored it. In fact, to be honest, I dismissed it as a great place to share recipes or craft patterns.

Maintaining air service despite COVID-19

While the airline industry continues to face significant challenges in the COVID-19 environment, Presque Isle International Airport is in the enviable position of having nonstop service to two large hubs. This has not happened since the early 1990s and never with jet service.

One for the books

In each of the past two months, November and December, both Houlton and Caribou recorded their warmest high temperature on record for each of those months. First, on Nov. 10, Caribou reached a jaw-dropping 75 degrees.

Working from home is not for everyone

Daily routines may be viewed as mundane for some people, but for others they are an essential part of their very lives. I fear that I fall into the latter category.

Suitable trees for the area

To the editor: This summer, 15 volunteers attended a short training before conducting street tree surveys in different neighborhoods in Houlton. One volunteer noted, “I can no longer walk or drive in town without assessing the street trees.”

Growing our agricultural economy

Having been born and raised in Aroostook County, I know how essential agriculture is to our state’s economy and our way of life. Supporting Maine’s dairy, potato and special crop industries -- such as our wild blueberry growers -- has always been one of my top priorities in the Senate.

What happens if the moose mutiny?

Aroostook County’s declining population, economic woes and attitude crisis have reached a fever pitch in recent years. While the U.S. economy has boomed and rural areas have benefitted from an influx of “cottagecore” Instagram influencers seeking rustic photo backdrops, The County has largely been overlooked.

Patois, dictons, metaphores: lettre B, 2e partie

As you probably already know, many years ago, more specifically, until 1967, most St. John Valley students were punished for speaking French on school grounds.

More bipartisanship, please

To the editor: I have lived in Maine for 32 years, Castle Hill and then Presque Isle. I was once head selectman in Castle Hill. This is my home and my children’s birthplace, and you are my neighbors. I am a conservative Democrat, but this in no way affects my love of my town, my county, my state or my neighbors.

E. A. Williams cartoon – Week of November 23, 2020

Happy Thanksgiving, you turkeys

It’s been an honor to serve you in the statehouse

Serving in the Maine Legislature has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I was first elected to the Maine House of Representatives back in 1974, and I served there and in the Senate until 1986.

Sharing ancestors

If you’re new to genealogy you may expect to find uncomplicated paths to your ancestors with new grandparents in each generation. As you research further back in time you’ll almost certainly find your ancestral trees cross, intermarry, and so on and on.

Still plenty to be thankful for

Thanksgiving marks the official start to the holiday season and it could not come at a better time. It has been a year to remember, or maybe to forget, for most of us as the COVID-19 pandemic has dominated headlines nationwide.

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