REVIEW POTPOURRI: How Music Grew in Brooklyn

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Maurice Edwards

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

How Music Grew in Brooklyn

Maurice Edwards; Lanham, Maryland; Scarecrow Press; published 2006; 380 pages.

This hefty book of at least 10 pounds could rightfully be considered a coffee table book. A history of the Brooklyn, New York, Philharmonic, it was also a labor of love for its author Maurice Edwards (1922-2020) who had been involved with the Phil­har­monic since its official beginning in 1954, later becoming executive director before retiring during the mid ‘90s.

His successor in the executive position suggested that Edwards write a history of the orchestra, its connection with the Brooklyn Academy of Music and its impact on the lives of so many music lovers in the surrounding communities. He responded as follows:

“Not being a musicologist, a historian, or even a music journalist, I was flattered but a bit humbled by the very idea. Was I qualified for the job? Would that be true retirement? Was I not rather ready for a respite?

“Yet, realizing that I could never fully sever all relations with the orchestra I had lived with for so many years and indeed helped develop, I decided that maybe it was not such a bad idea after all, and I accepted the challenge.

“I soon found myself turning into a veritable ‘Phantom of the Orchestra’, haunting the Brooklyn Academy of Orchestra where the Philharmonic was housed until seven years ago [1999], plowing through the orchestra’s irregularly kept archives (often mixed up with the Academy’s), refreshing my memory through the perusal of old programs, board meeting minutes, newspaper minutes, newspaper articles and reviews, and interviewing some of the survivors of the rocky journey of this nonprofit arts organization through the wiles, guiles, and hazards of the for-profit business world. All of this began to tell its own story to me, namely, How Music Grew in Brooklyn: A Biography of the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra, and so I proceeded to record it.”

Prior to 1954, the classical concerts in Brooklyn were happening as early as the 1850s with the arrival of immigrants from Europe who were gifted performers needing a livelihood, the listeners who were eager to hear music and the wealthy patrons who bankrolled the concerts. Early conductors included the very colorful charletan Louis Antoine Jullien (1812-1860) and his protegé Theodore Thomas (1835-1905).

Jullien went to debtor’s prison after his return to France and rightfully for swindling would-be investors but was gifted as an orchestra trainer. Thomas was simultaneously music director of one of the earlier Brooklyn Philharmonics, the New York Philharmonic across the East River, and his own Theodore Thomas Orchestra; he provided ample work for his core players in all three groups, developed adventurous programs of works both old and knew and courted wealthy investors before he left for the Chicago Symphony position in 1890.

After 1954, the orchestra’s Music Directors were Siegfried Landau until 1971, Lukas Foss from 1971 to 1990, Dennis Russell Davies through 1996, and Robert Spano to 2004, each one of these Maestros gifted musicians and adventurous programmers who didn’t believe in playing it safe, unlike too many conductors of major orchestras in recent years who program the same 50 works over and over. From 2004 to when the orchestra disbanded , due to much less financial support, in 2012, its conductors were Michael Christie and Alan Piersen whose work I am unfamiliar with.

Edwards was not a great writer but he was thorough in his documentation of programs, the ups and downs of its history, and the almost ad nauseam quoting of media coverage. In conclusion the book depicted an important orchestra which contributed much to the appreciation of live classical music concerts among all age groups, not just those over 60.

Edwards was married to the wonderful Romanian poet Nina Cassian (1924-2014).

From RPT’S essay Kennebec Crystals

“Tramps, even, were coming. And all the black sheep of a hundred faraway pastures, beyond Maine, were swinging off the sides of freight cars in the chill gray of the morning. Drifters from far beyond New England.”

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Immature bald eagles sometimes mistaken for golden eagles

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Bald eagle, left, and golden eagle.

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Sitting with friends around a camp fire a while back, one of the neighbors said, that while kayaking that afternoon, she had seen a Golden eagle. I immediately chimed in that they were an endangered species, and were not known to exist in Maine (according to something I had read years ago).

The following day, while taking a boat ride around Webber Pond with some friends who are year-round residents on the pond, he asked if we had seen the Golden eagles. That did it.

Was it possible for Golden eagles to exist on Webber Pond. My friend went on to say he had witnessed them on the ice during the winter, actually devouring some fish that had been left on the ice by fishermen.

To prove his point, he steered the party boat toward the west shore of Webber Pond, where, high in the top of a tree, was this large nest, occupied by some rather large birds. We were not able to discern what was occupying the nest from that distance. Bald eagles were circling in the area. I was still not sold.

Well, research taught me that Golden eagles, one of the largest and fastest of raptors in North America, do exist in Maine, although a rarity, mainly to the west and north of Moosehead Lake. So, now are they moving east in our state? Maine hosts golden eagles in all seasons, but is currently on the edge of both the breeding and wintering range in the East. Most migrants in the East pass west of Maine. Very few golden eagles are in the state at any time of year.

Golden eagles, Equila chrysaetos, can be found throughout the northern hemisphere. A large population exists in the western Rockies and north into Alaska. In the east, a small breeding population occurs in Maine, Labrador and Québec Province, although its range is greatly reduced from its former extent down the Appalachians to North Carolina.

According to Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, Golden eagle populations appear to have been stable between 1966 and 2014. Partners in Flight estimates their global breeding population to be 300,000, with 35 percent spending some part of the year in the U.S.

Golden eagles are listed as an endangered species in Maine. The decline in their numbers is directly attributed to environmental contaminants, especially DDT, that caused reproductive impairment during the post World War II era. Although these contaminants are now banned, they still persist in the birds’ bodies. Maine’s golden eagles depend heavily on wading birds as prey, which had high levels of contaminants. Five dead golden eagles have been found since 1985. Golden eagle eggs recovered from a nest in 1996 showed high levels of DDE, a variant of DDT.

Golden eagle populations have declined in the east throughout the 20th century, and were extirpated 20-40 years ago in the eastern states. Only 10 nesting territories have been documented with certainty, but at least 18 more locations are suspected. Six successful nesting attempts were recorded at three Maine eyries [nests of birds of prey] from 1955-1967. Goldens disappeared from Oxford, Franklin and Somerset counties during the 1980s. The last known nesting pair in Maine existed until 1999, then disappeared completely. That pair was heavily contaminated and had not produced young since 1986.

Today, Golden eagles can fall prey to collisions with automobiles, wind turbines, and other structures or from electrocution at power poles. Urbanization, agricultural development and changes in wildfire regimes have compromised nesting and hunting grounds.

There have been sporadic sightings of Golden eagles in recent years, and it is hoped that individual eagles from Canada may be moving into previously unoccupied eyries. Counts at hawk watch sites seem to indicate the Eastern population is slowly recovering. Golden eagles still nest in Québec and Labrador. As a result, they are spotted annually in Maine during migration season.

Adults may live 15 – 20 years in the wild, although they have been known to live 46 years in captivity. The oldest recorded Golden eagle in the wild was at least 31 years, 8 months old when it was found in Utah in 2012.

Once I was almost convinced the two friends thought they had seen golden eagles, I asked if they had misidentified immature bald eagles, which resemble each other. Both told me the birds they saw were much larger than bald eagles. My skepticism continues. Golden eagle wingspans can extend up to six feet, with a 40-inch body, and can weigh 8 – 13 pounds. Bald eagles have a body length of up to 40 inches, with wingspans of 6 – 7.5 feet, and a body weight of between 6.5 – 14 pounds. Many sources say the bald eagle has sometimes been considered the largest true raptor in North America, outsizing the Golden eagle. I summary, Bald eagles are larger than Golden eagles.

Golden eagles are uniformly brown throughout their lives. They get their name from amber or golden highlights on the head and neck. Golden eagles have shorter hawk-like bills, their lower legs are feathered to the ankles, and they soar with slightly uplifted wings, whereas a bald eagle flies with its wings stretched straight out so you can see their “fingers.” Golden eagles remain with the same mate for life. The female is larger than the male, otherwise, they look identical.

Sightseers and photographers should stay away from the nest during the nesting season, which is February through August. Like bald eagles, golden eagles are disturbed by human activities near the nests. Humans should avoid the nests during the nesting period.

Wintering areas for Maine golden eagles can stretch to the Maritime Provinces, depending on the availability of food. Their normal diet consists of ground squirrels, marmots, ptarmigan and seabirds.

I’m still not convinced they saw Golden eagles on Webber Pond.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Who holds the Boston Red Sox career record for being hit by a pitch, Mo Vaughn, Kevin Youkilis or Jim Rice?

Answer can be found here.

Reaction to announcement of possible closing of Albion Elementary School

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COMMUNITY COMMENTARY

by Katrina Dumont, Kara Kugelmeyer, Billy-Jo Woods

Dear Fellow Albion Resident(s),

Our town has had its own school(s) since its founding in 1804.

Today, we are faced with the reality that the MSAD #49 School Board has decided to close the Albion Elementary School, as part of the MSAD #49 new school construction project.

Closing our only school will have many impacts (listed below) on our town both socially and economically.

Fortunately, as citizens of Albion, we have many options that we can explore and take action on in response to this decision (options below). The purpose of this letter is to inform fellow residents of our options, and invite all Albion residents to join future discussions on what option(s) the town should pursue.

After discussion with the Albion Selectboard, the residents (listed below) have started a committee that has been exploring:

  • What realistic options does the town have in response to the school closing: keep school, close school, school choice, etc. (see options below).
  • What would be the impacts (positive and negative) on the students, residents, and town with the closing of the Albion Elementary school.

An overview of the information that we have gathered to date is below. Detailed information can be found at https://albionschoolfutures.squarespace.com/ Also sometime in the next few months there will be a special public meeting to discuss our options (to be scheduled).

Below is more about the school closing and options:

On March 18, 2021, the MSAD #49 School Board accepted the recommendation of the new school building committee to close the Fairfield Primary building, consolidate the elementary schools, and close the Albion and Clinton Elementary Schools. While the purpose of the new building has not been fully envisioned, it will house some if not all of the elementary grades.

The vote on the motion passed 10-2-1, with the Albion School Board members voting against the motion. The closing of our school, which does not need or have to happen, will be tied to a vote to fund the new school. The final vote to try and close our school, which is a district wide vote (so even if Albion votes no the school can still be closed), will most likely be held in June of 2022 (next year).

It is fair to say that receiving state funding for a new school can be seen as a win for MSAD49, yet it is equally true that closing the Albion elementary school will have many harmful and long term negative impacts on our residents, young students, and our town.

While the location of the new school has not been posted on the district’s school consolidation webpage, all evidence points to that it will not be in Albion or in Clinton. Also while a large part of the cost of the new school will be paid for by the state, the towns in the district will need to pay the remaining costs to build the new school. Finally, while our current school building in Albion is older, it’s still an adequate building for our students, even by the state’s ratings and standards.

So what does closing our school mean for our town?

Sadly the vast majority of studies (educational, social, and economic) on rural school closings conducted across the U.S., including in Maine, show that when a rural town loses its only school to consolidation, especially an elementary school, even when residents have access to a new school in a nearby town, the following negative outcomes occur.

  • For young children, longer bus rides and larger class size, often negatively impacts their overall academic performance, (reading, writing, and math), and lessens their connection to the people in their local community
  • The sense of community and town identity is hugely diminished for all residents and many people stop wanting to move to the town
  • For students and families who don’t live near the school, the ability to easily participate in school related extracurricular activities, like sports, becomes much harder
  • The future of the town as a inviting place to live and raise a family is hugely diminished, and the town’s population decreases, increasing the tax burden on the remaining citizens (you still have to pay school taxes no matter what)
  • In rural towns the farther a residence is from a school, the value homes and property decreases, as does the ability to attract future buyers for homes
  • Taxes increase as home and property values decrease
  • Local school related taxes (the biggest part of tax bills) increase regardless of cost savings with a new
    building, as the major portion of the school budget is salaries
    Fortunately, as citizens of Albion, we have options that we can explore and take action on. It is fair to say that all of these
    options have some upsides and downsides. Our options include:

    • Vote NO! When the district wide vote to close the school(s) happens next year, vote against closing the school(s). *This a district wide vote so all towns in the district get to vote on closing our school, so if Albion votes no and the rest of the towns vote yes, the school still closes.
    • Withdraw from the MSAD #49 district with three different possible options:
    1. Keep our elementary school (home rule) and have school choice (children can go to any schools in the area) for middle and high school. The school would have different leadership. Children could still go to Lawrence or Benton elementary. We can afford to do this at the current tax rate.
    2. Close our elementary school but have school choice (can go to any schools in the area, including MSAD #49) for all grades. Children can still go to Lawrence or Benton elementary. We can afford to do this at the current tax rate.
    3. Join another district and negotiate to keep our elementary school and school choice.
    • Stay in the district and support the closing of our elementary school.

You can learn more details about the options, the impacts, and the new school project at https://albionschoolfutures.squarespace.com/ If you wish to join the committee looking at the options, have questions etc. please email: albionschoolfutures@gmail.com.

Community Commentary is a forum The Town Line makes available for citizens to express their opinions on subjects of interest to our readers, and is not necessarily the views of the staff or the board of directors. The Town Line welcomes, and encourages, supportive comments, differing opinions, counterpoints or opposing views. Keep the rebuttals positive, and informative. Submissions containing personal attacks will be rejected.

FOR YOUR HEALTH – NervGen Pharma: A“Blockbuster Drug” in the Making?

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(NAPSI)—More than 6 million people in the U.S. live with Alzheimer’s, and that number continues to increase each year. In 2021, Alzheimer’s and other dementias will cost the nation $355 billion. The Alzheimer’s Association predicts those costs will rise to $1.1 trillion by 2050.

A Canadian-headquartered biotech startup, NervGen Pharma Corp. (TSX.V: NGEN) (OTCQX: NGENF) has just entered into a research agreement to study its NVG-291 drug in Alzheimer’s disease models in animals as it prepares for its Phase 1b clinical trial in Alzheimer’s patients slated to start in 2022.

This development comes on the heels of pharmaceutical heavyweight Biogen being granted FDA approval to commercialize aducanumab – a drug that removes amyloid-beta plaques from the brain as a means of slowing the onset of Alzheimer’s disease in patients. This approval is in spite of the fact that aducanumab’s effectiveness has been questioned by many Alzheimer’s experts.

The sceptics include Dr. George Perry, the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, the University Chair in Neurobiology at the University of Texas, San Antonio and one of the most published and cited researchers in the Alzheimer’s field.

He believes that NervGen’s potential for NVG-291 is a far more “exciting” and potentially effective treatment for Alzheimer’s than Biogen’s controversial new drug. “NervGen’s drug candidate leverages a unique and powerful multimodal mechanism of action that has been shown in preclinical studies to increase both autophagy and plasticity while also reducing microglia inflammatory expression, representing an exciting new approach to treating Alzheimer’s,” says Dr. Perry.

It has the potential to be one of the most disruptive pharmaceutical drug therapies of the modern era, especially for treating Alzheimer’s disease. And that gives it considerable “blockbuster drug” potential – a tantalizing opportunity that is only now just becoming apparent.

This is due to the fact that NVG- 291 is designed to heal nerve damage by unleashing the body’s natural ability to repair itself. Besides treating Alzheimer’s disease, this new therapy has also shown considerable promise in preclinical studies in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury.

According to Paul Brennan, NervGen’s President & CEO, “NVG-291 has the potential to redefine how nervous system damage is treated across multiple indications, whether caused by trauma or chronic disease. This is an important first step to bringing this therapy to patients, and we look forward to completing our ongoing Phase 1 study and moving quickly to treating Alzheimer’s patients.”

A Breakthrough Therapy: How NVG-291 Works

Any time there is damage to the nervous system – whether via trauma such as spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury, or a neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s, MS or ALS – scar tissue is formed. The body releases chemicals called CSPGs (chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans) within the scar in order to reduce the damage.
They are initially helpful and play a protective role, but there is also a down- side to these CSPGs as over time they actually go from helping to obstructing the body’s ability to repair itself.

NervGen’s drug, NVG-291, releases this molecular inhibition, resulting in the initiation of multiple repair mechanisms including neuron regeneration, increased plasticity and “remyelination” – the process of replacing myelin, the tissue that often surrounds and protects neurons and which is often damaged as a result of diseases such as MS.
As a revolutionary treatment for Alzheimer’s disease alone, NVG-291, has the potential to make NervGen a future star of the biotech sector. For instance, consider that Wall Street analysts are now estimating peak annual sales for Biogen’s new drug will range from $10 billion to $50 billion.

It is well worth reiterating that no drugs have been approved anywhere in the world for nerve regeneration and remyelination, as well as improved plasticity in damaged nerves. Existing treatments for these diseases are often targeting the symptoms, not the underlying disease progression itself. NervGen is addressing a significant unmet medical need for the treatment of nervous system damage due to trauma and diseases.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: Thoughts and ideas

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by Debbie Walker

Every year I try to think of a unique Christmas gift for my grandchildren who are both now adults with their own families. However, I am still Nana Daffy (they named me that when Blake was learning to talk) just as when they were children. I see no reason to change either the name nor this tradition.

When the kids got old enough to have a preference in clothes, music, games, etc., I didn’t want to try to please them. It was easier to dream up something different or unique.

I started out first sending them on day trips to places like Museum of Science, in Tampa, (MOSI), Weeky Wache, in Spring Hill, or Silver Springs Attraction, in Ocala, all in Florida. Then things got too expensive, so, again, I switched.

Next, I bought them things they were going to need for their dorm or their future homes. I started with the small things I find handy in my kitchen, like my favorite spatula or my little knife. From there it went to the bigger stuff like a toaster. Oh yeah, and kitchen gifts from me were always wrapped with aluminum foil. There really was a reason for it the first year but don’t have a clue why I did it. The aluminum foil was gathered and rolled into a ball that would last them all year until the next Christmas.

Blake went off to college and his first apartment and pleased his roommates with a good amount of their kitchen needs being supplied by him. Tristin, my granddaughter, started out in her first home with a partially established kitchen, also.

There has now come a time when they really don’t need anything I can afford, so now I am working on weird stuff. This year will be my best so far, I hope. Previously, I have found things that aren’t really common, so we have a guessing game. Whoever guesses the use gets to keep it. So far this year I haven’t found anything.

Do you know what a loofah is? I knew it was a sponge, but I thought they were like the ones they dive for in Tarpon Springs

Did you know that a loofah sponge starts out as a vegetable/gourd? I wrote vegetable because you can eat the young plant but allowed to grow it is a gourd. (Did you know that even a watermelon is from a gourd family?)

I explained to my neighbor, Glen, what I would like to do. I wanted to plant the seeds and document the process traveled. I looked for seeds and couldn’t find them locally. Glen got on the computer, and found and ordered the seeds. When received he proceeded to plant and care for my (?) plant. The vines have grown so they are a lot taller than me.

So now I have to continue to take pictures and the information about the process, all into a little booklet to go with each sponge on Christmas morning. I can’t wait to tell them the whole story! I will let you know how I make out with peeling off the outside of the plant to find the fibrous and seeded center. The seeds must come out. From what I have read there are a lot of seeds. We will have to get them all out and hang on an outside line in the sun to dry and for the sun to bleach the sponge.

The kids will get a laugh about the gift. I will let you know as the process continues.

I am curious how many of you knew it started out as a veggie. Questions or comments contact me at DebbieWalker@townline.org. Thanks again for reading and have a great week.

REVIEW POTPOURRI – Singer: Petula Clark; the Cates Country Store

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Petula Clark

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Petula Clark

I Know a Place
Jack and John. Warner Brothers 5612, seven inch 45 vinyl disc, recorded 1965.

Now 88, singer Petula Clark achieved fame in England and Europe before hitting paydirt over here. Downtown, This Is My Song, and Don’t Sleep in the Subway are megahits for the best reasons-they are beautiful songs beautifully sung. She had producer Tony Hatch working the arrangements enhancing her singing numerous times. In fact, if she ever made a bad record, I don’t know of it.

I Know a Place may be my favorite of the group with its spirited rhythms and upbeat musicality. It took a few hearings to like the B side, Jack and John, but it too exudes charm.

In 1968, she hosted a tv special and sang a duet with Harry Belafonte during which she locked arms with him. A representative of the sponsor Chrysler wanted another take used in which Clark stood at a distance from Belafonte because he feared a backlash in the Deep South. Clark refused, she destroyed all other takes of the duet, and the special made television history , receiving an Emmy nomination.

Continuing with Coffin’s Kennebec Crystals:

“In the clear dawn next day, along a hundred roads that led down to the Kennebec, farmers were trudging, mustaches hanging down to the woolen mufflers like the tusks on the walrus. Brown mustaches, golden ones, black ones, gray ones and white. But every one in front of a man. And behind them steamed their wealth, on its own feet. Tall, sinewy sons, out of school for good and on the doorstep of manhood and marriage, horses with hides like scrubbed horse chestnuts, big of hoof and billowy of muscle, fattened on corn, sharp shod, with long calks of steel that bit into the frozen ground. Here you could reckon up a man’s prosperity in solid tangible things, as in the days of Jacob and Laban. Goods with the breath of life in them. Like Job’s. The richest man was one who had nine or ten strong men to follow the swing of his creasing trousers in ringing ironed shoes. Or three or four spans of horses with the morning star in their forehead and the music of steel under their feet. So the wealth of the Kennebec came down to the harvest of Maine’s best winter crop in the eighties.”

More next week.

* * * * * * *

A note on Vassalboro, Maine, history, the Cates Country Store (which was in family hands from when it was built in 1824 to when it was sold in 1971 to new owners) had ice deliveries from a horse drawn wagon well into the 1920’s. A gentleman, who drove such a wagon and knew my grandfather, Harold Cates (1881-1953), his father George Henry Cates (1852-1938) who ran the store for 65 years from 1873 until he died and other relatives employed in the store, used to park his car down by the Civil War monument during the early 1960’s to read his newspaper and I made his acquaintance. His name was Oscar Tubbs, he lived on the Cushman Road in Winslow in an old house with a long driveway and he told some fascinating stories about those years.

SOLON & BEYOND: Zander’s story

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Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, my friends. Don’t worry, be happy.

Percy started out as a stray kitten and was rescued by a family on Route 43. They called and told me about this sweet little female kitten that needed a home and it was love at first sight. I named her Faith, but as luck would have it, on the first trip to the vet, I found out that a boys name was needed instead. After a short time this little kitten started his true personality and hence Perseverance, or Percy for short. Percy has many talents besides being a good cuddler, he is always at the door to welcome me home loves to sing, (Amazing Grace) is his favorite song). He has become famous and much loved for his good advice in the columns I have written. As you can see from his picture, he is very intelligent and he’s promoting this book of meditation-for-cat lovers.

Don’t know how many of you may have seen my grandson, Zander Walz in the commercial on TV promoting education and its importance, and I admit I’m really proud of him and perhaps a trifle biased. Anyway, he showed me this true story he wrote, and I thought it was so good that it should be shared.

Zander’s story:

Many moons ago in a time far away, I was studying in the library minding my own business when I saw it. It descended from the sky, a spider hanging from the sky, a spider hanging from its web so massive, so enormous, that it would put fear in the lives of most mortal men. But I am no ordinary mortal man. As I looked at the creature, and it looked into my eyes, it saw for the first time what fear was! In the battle that would take place, it was truly a battle of the titans. As I swiftly made my move, I came onto the spider delivering the first blow with a rolled up piece of paper that sent this foul creature flying in the other direction. As the spider went hurling through the air, it was strong enough to hold on to its web, and like an arrow launched from a bow, it came back at me at full speed with a vengeance. If it wasn’t for my cat-like reflexes and my ability to move like the wind it surely would’ve been a deathblow toward me. As I parried and deflected, I gave the spider a second blow. At this time it hurled the spider towards the floor, and to its favor, it was suddenly camouflaged in the carpet. I was now fighting an unseen foe. All too soon, it became apparent to both of us that the battle had become a game of wits. As I searched for the beast it was unknown to me that it stealthily was creeping on towards me with venomous intent.

Thanks to a witness who was observing the battle at a safe distance, she pointed out to me where the spider was. As I looked at the spider, it knew that the end of its life had come. But that did not stop it from trying to take me with him. I placed the paper over his body and delivered a decisive blow which would have killed any ordinary spider…… but as you can tell by now, this was no ordinary spider. The infuriated spider struggled and fought and, my friend, I must say it wasn’t until the third blow that the spider was finally done in.

The spider’s body broken and the legs still quivering it knew the end was coming. Looking at me I heard the last words coming from his last breath. “I will shrink in size so no one will know how massive I really was and no one will believe the battle that took place here in the library. And with that, the brave spider died. Honoring my opponent, I took his lifeless body and placed it in a garbage can right next to some very stale French fries. I can only imagine it is there to this very day.

(I really think that when I finally retire from writing, Zander would be a good one to take my place!)

There is an invitation to a very special event in our area. The bridge between Solon and Embden on Route 201-A will be renamed the Jotham and Emma Stevens Bridge, commemorating the service of Mr. and Mrs. Stevens in operating the last ferry service between the two towns. Please join us for this special event honoring the Stevens family. Please share with others who would like to attend. The date is July 23, at 2 p.m.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Browntail moth produces one generation per year; timing is important

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A browntail moth nest.

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

The browntail moth continues to be in a lot of conversations. Now that the caterpillar is all but gone, the moth is abundant, and is the carrier of the next generation. That is why experts say they need to be dealt with now before the next round of caterpillars are hatched.

After they were sighted in all 16 Maine counties, and countless Mainers itching the blistery rash, it appears the worst may be over for the year’s browntail moth caterpillar infestation.

In April, experts predicted this summer would be the worst for browntail moth caterpillar infestations since the invasive insect arrived in Maine 100 years ago. They were right.

The browntail moth is an invasive species found only on the coast of Maine and Cape Cod. Over the last few years, it has been moving inland. This moth is an insect of both forest and human health concern.

The browntail moth caterpillar has tiny poisonous hairs that cause dermatitis similar to poison ivy on sensitive individuals. People may develop dermatitis from direct contact with the caterpillar or indirectly from contact with airborne hairs. The hairs become airborne from either being dislodged from the living or dead caterpillar or they come from cast skins with the caterpillar molts. Most people affected by the hairs develop a localized rash that will last for a few hours up to several days but on some sensitive individuals the rash can be severe and last for several weeks. The rash results from both a chemical reaction to a toxin in the hairs and a physical irritation as the barbed hairs become embedded in the skin. Resp­iratory distress from inhaling the hairs can be serious.

One of The Town Line’s supporters, while out for his daily walk, picked up this leaf from the side of the road. It is two browntail moths with the egg sacks attached. Inside each of those sacks are around 400 eggs.

Caterpillars are active from April to late June. Hairs remain toxic throughout the summer but get washed into the soil and are less of a problem over time.

Pursuant to Maine Statute Title 22, §1444, the Director of Maine CDC can declare an infestation of browntail moths (BTM) as a public health nuisance. The declaration may be made on the director’s initiative or upon petition by municipal officers.

I’ve spoken with folks who believe there will be another round of browntail moth caterpillars and their toxic hairs this fall.

Usually, when I write about certain creatures of the forest, I rarely go into great detail on the reproductive cycle, mostly because of space. But I’m making an ex­ception this week so we can see why now is the time to act on browntail moths.

The brown-tail moth produces one generation a year. It has four life stages; egg, larval, pupal, and adult. Eggs are laid in July and hatch in August. The annual cycle is approximately one month as eggs, nine months as larvae, one month as pupae, and one month as winged, sexually mature adults.

Eggs are preferentially laid on oak trees.

Pre-diapausing larvae (caterpillar): Emerge and feed gregariously starting in August after about three weeks of egg incubation.

Diapausing larvae: As a response to shortened periods of daylight, larvae build communal winter nests in the fall, inside of which they overwinter. These involve webbing, binding leaves together at tree-top branch tips. Distinct from other communal moth larvae such as eastern tent caterpillar which over-winter as eggs, then create webbed nests in branch crotches during spring and summer. Should you see a nest, cut it down and, preferably, burn it.

Post-diapausing gregarious larvae: The emerging larvae, approximately three-eighths of an inch long, resume feeding in early April synchronized with bud break, and still inhabit the winter nests as their resting places, or else make communal web-nests. These small larvae will also detach from trees and fall to the ground, then search for new trees.

Post-diapausing dispersive larvae: Once larvae reach late instars, colonies break up and larvae start feeding independently.

Pupation: Larvae pupate in June after six to eight instars.

Emergence: Imagoes (winged, sexually mature adults) appear about one month later; mate, lay eggs and die.

One of the remedies going around right now calls to fill a bucket with Dawn dishsoap (only Dawn will do) and water. Place a light near the bucket to attract the moth, which is nocturnal but attracted to light. The moths will fall in the bucket, and the soap will prevent the moth from taking flight. In the morning, dig a hole and bury the moths. Some friends have tried it and they say it works.

CICAEDA PREDICTS FIRST FROST

Well, it’s July and guess what usually happens: the cicaeda made its first appearance of the year on Saturday, July 17. We only heard it twice, but it was there. You know the old folklore, when you first hear the cicaeda’s call, the first killing frost will occur 90 days later, following the full moon, which this year, puts that date at October 20.

Isn’t it awful to be talking about frost already.

MOUNTAIN LION SIGHTING

Last week, I received another email from a reader reporting a Mountain Lion sighting. The email stated: “This week, a large cat was creeping across our property as my wife was letting out our [German] shepherd. The shepherd doesn’t chase deer but gave a hard chase of what I assumed [at first] was a bobcat. My wife said the cat was tawny [in color], had a long tail and was the same size as our shepherd (75-80 lbs.).”

It seems there have been more frequent sightings recently, but the “experts” continue to dispel their existence in Maine.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Which Red Sox pitcher has recorded the most wins at Fenway Park?

Answer can be found here.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: Open minded?

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by Debbie Walker

How open minded are you? Maybe you have done things one particular way for years, can you try something else at least once? Ooops, maybe twice. Foggy mirrors in your bathroom are a nuisance. I am offering you two ways to maybe prevent the problem.

Number 1 is to clean your mirror with regular shaving cream. Spray it on, wipe it off. Try that for a few days. Number 2, make sure you use a second mirror. Rub cucumber flesh over the mirror. This will leave a thin film that repels water droplets. The two mirrors allow you to compare the results.

Okay, you made it through two examples of difference, how about some oldies but goodies? Medicinal, that is. The information came from my June issue of First magazine, and I have no idea who the author is but the name of the article is The Best Oldie-Goodie Cures. I hope they don’t mind my sharing it with you. As always with anything medical, check with your doctor with any questions.

Remove warts with aspirin: Rub a crushed aspirin on a wart before bed and cover with duct tape: remove in the morning. Repeat daily until gone. (Or apply daily with nail polish. You could scrub well once a day and then apply more, etc).

Avoid poison ivy rash, use dish washing liquid like Palmolive if you brush up against poison ivy. When rinsed, rub a little Palmolive on your skin.

Nail fungus is no fun, even though the first three letters spell fun! According to this article you make a solution of equal parts mouthwash and white vinegar and soak for 15 minutes. Repeat three times a week.

Heal skin with lavender. To do mix 3 drops essential oil to 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil or another carrier oil. It treats minor injures kills germs, reduces swelling and speeds new collagen and skin cells to reduce healing time.

Relieve a minor burn with baking soda. Pour one teaspoon of baking soda into a small bowl, then add enough water to make a paste. Use your fingers to gently apply paste, let dry.

Eliminate dandruff with mouthwash. Pour 1/4 cup of thymol-containing mouthwash like Listerine Cool Mint onto damp hair and massage into scalp. Wait five minutes then shampoo as usual. Repeat daily until flaking disappears.

Soften calluses with castor oil. Dampen a few cotton balls with castor oil, place them on rough spots and cover with bandage before slipping socks on your feet. In the morning, wash feet, then gently buff with pumice stone and moisturize.

Treat canker sores. Dab the sores with aloe vera gel from the plant’s leaves or product three times daily.

Shrink varicose veins. Dabbing witch hazel on mild varicose veins twice a day can reduce their appearance ­– and soothe vein related pain in as little as seven days. Keep the witch hazel in the refrigerator if your varicose veins tend to itch, applying the liquid chilled provides immediate relief.

Long after I desperately needed relief from super glue I found what follows: Nail polish remover, either acetone or non-acetone, nail polish remover can be used to clean up messes around the house. Try it on coffee or tea stained mugs, stains on upholstery from ink or permanent marker (test first on fabric) or super glue that stuck on hands!

I am just curious what you will use and what you already use. Contact me at DebbieWalker@townline.org. Thank you for reading and have a great week!

REVIEW POTPOURRI: 29 Classics You Should Know

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

29 Classics You Should Know

Various orchestras; RCA Camden CFL-103, six lps of reissues from Victor 78s.

This bargain priced mid-’50s set contained very good performances and, for their day, quite decently recorded sound. The list of orchestras on the record labels contain the actual names for some pieces, and pseudonyms, due to strange contractual considerations, for other orchestras. Information on each item will be provided as concisely as possible.

Pseudonyms with real names in parentheses:

Cromwell Symphony (Cincinatti Symphony conducted by Eugene Goosens) – Richard Strauss Rosenkavalier Waltzes and Grieg 1st Peer Gynt Suite.

Warwick Symphony (Philadelphia Orchestra with Leopold Stokowski for Sibelius Finlandia, Moussorgsky Night on Bald Mountain, Dukas’ Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Johann Strauss Tales from the Vienna Woods, R. Strauss Salome’s Dance of the Seven Veils and Saint-Saens Dance Macabre; and Eugene Ormandy conducting Liszt Les Preludes.).

Star Symphony (Hollywood Bowl Symphony with Stokowski) – Tchaikovsky Marche Slav.

Carlyle Symphony (Czech Philharmonic/Vaclav Talich) – Dvorak Opus 46 Slavonic Dances.

The other items:

Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops – Rossini William Tell Overture; Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture and Capriccio Italien; Bizet 2nd L’Arlesienne Suite; and Rimsky-Korsakov Capriccio Espagnol.

Hans Kindler, National Symphony of Washington, D.C, – Liszt 6rh Hungarian Rhapsody; Smetana Moldau; and Humperdinck Hansel and Gretel Dream Pantomine.

Fabien Sevitzky, Indianapolis Symphony- Grieg 2nd Peer Gynt Suite.T

Serge Koussevitzky, Boston Symphony- Liszt Mephisto Waltz.

Constant Lambert, London Philharmonic – Offenbach Orpheus in Hades Overture.

Tig Notaro

In summary, the album gave immense pleasure and some of these recordings may be on YouTube.

I highly recommend the Amazon Prime show, One Missi­ssippi, a semi-autobiographical comedy starring Tig Notaro.

Continuing with RPT Coffin’s Kennebec Crystals:

“The preachers and everybody else in Gardiner and Richmond, Hallowell and Dresden, went to bed that night praying for the snow to hold up and the red blood in the glass to stay down in the ball where it belonged. The river of Henry Hudson was still liquid as it went under the Catskills and down by the walls of the Palisades. God was in His heaven!”

More next week.