CRITTER CHATTER: Update on center releases

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A fawn at the Duck Pond Wildlife Center. (photo by Jayne Winters)

by Jayne Winters

Although spring always brings admissions of injured, sick and newly-orphaned wildlife to the Wildlife Care Center, May and June are also the months that find Don and his volunteers releasing rehabbed critters back to the fields and woods where they belong. The animals have depended upon human assistance to regain their health or simply mature to an age where they can face the world on their own. Release sites are selected in advance and must meet Don’s criteria: a good distance from houses and highways and readily available water sources.

Seven of nine deer have been successfully released, all together in one area. Assistants with a couple of blankets – and nets on hand if necessary – helped Don herd them toward the transport trailer and seven happened to run in as a group. Don returned home to get the remaining buck who readily entered the trailer, but was unwilling to leave it at the release site. Not wanting to stress it any further, Don left the trailer door open and upon returning a couple hours later, found the deer had come out but was lying on the ground, apparently unable to get up. Sadly, the buck had to be euthanized, likely due to an unknown injury. One more deer remains to be captured and released.

The three bobcat kittens, now a little over a year old, will be released next week individually and at different locations. Despite eating well and thriving last summer, they were too small to survive on their own in the fall, so were kept over the winter and are now ready to venture out into their natural habitat. Although somewhat accustomed to human interaction, the kittens have maintained their defensive characteristics and continue to be cautious. It shouldn’t take them long to adapt to life away from the Care Center. The female weighs about 20 pounds while her two brothers are a little heavier at probably 25 Pounds. They’re lean, mean fighting machines!

Two opossums and two flying squirrels have also been released, all in one area. This was an unusual year for flying squirrels as there were only two admissions, not the usual 40-50. Of course, there are many months ahead of us! The three remaining foxes will be released within the next couple of weeks. All raccoons have been transferred to another rehabber, so the focus will be on the expected summer and fall admissions.

The day I was visiting with Don, he asked if I had my camera – he had a young weasel in the incubator, so of course, I had to get some photos! It’s being fed formula several times a day and is probably only a couple of weeks old as its eyes aren’t open yet. When I returned later in the afternoon, four 1-2 days-old mice or rats (so small it’s hard to be sure) had been admitted. Never a dull moment at the Wildlife Care Center.

Don continues to keep admissions and long-term residents at a limited number by transferring many rescued critters to other rehabbers who have generously offered to assist in their care. Please check these websites to see if there is a rehabber closer to you to help keep critter care at Duck Pond more manageable: https://www.mainevetmed.org/wildlife-rehabilitation or https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/wildlife/living-with-wildlife/orphaned-injured-wildlife/index.html.

– Donald Cote operates Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center on Rte. 3 in Vassalboro. It is a non-profit state permitted rehab facility supported by his own resources & outside donations. Mailing address: 1787 North Belfast Ave., Vassalboro ME 04989 TEL: (207) 445-4326. PLEASE NOTE THE PRIOR wildlifecarecenter EMAIL ADDRESS IS NOT BEING MONITORED AT THIS TIME.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: “Tis the season for ‘giant mosquitoes’

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Crane fly

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Have you ever gone to bed on a warm summer night, and seen this thing flying around that resembles a large mosquito?

It happens to me all the time at camp.

Sitting up in bed, grabbing the book I’m reading, or possibly a magazine for some light and quick reading. And, there it is, buzzing around the light, and becoming extremely annoying. It looks like a giant mosquito.

One of my relatives recently posted a photo on Facebook of that exact same insect on her arm. In the posting, she notes, “it’s a good thing I’m not afraid of spiders.” Wait a minute, this insect has six legs. All arachnids have eight legs. That is not a spider.

Well, I quickly fired off an email to my biologist contact at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, along with the photo. It didn’t take long to receive a reply.

His response was, “this is a cranefly, a true fly in the order Diptera, and probably from the family Tipulidae. There are over 1,500 species of Craneflies in North America and possibly several hundred in Maine. The adults are harmless, some species not feeding at all, and some species feeding predominantly on nectar.”

In colloquial speech, the cranefly is sometimes called Daddy Longlegs, a term also used to describe opiliones, or harvestmen, both of which are arachnids. The larvae of the cranefly are known commonly as leatherjackets.

Craneflies are found worldwide, though individual species usually have limited ranges.

The adult crane fly, like mentioned earlier, resembles an oversized mosquito, and has stilt-like legs that are deciduous, easily coming off the body.

The adult female usually contains mature eggs as she emerges from her pupa, and often mates immediately if a male is available. Adult craneflies have a lifespan of 10 – 15 days. Cranefly larvae (leatherjackets) have been observed in many habitat types on dry land and in water. They are cylindrical in shape, but taper toward the front end, and the head capsule is often retracted into the thorax. Larvae may eat algae, microflora, and living or decomposing plant matter, including wood. Some are predatory.

The sole purpose of the adult crane fly is to mate and, for the females, to lay eggs for next spring’s crop of flies. Crane flies are harmless to handle, so the next time one makes its way indoors, simply cup it gently to release outdoors. Think of it as a romantic gesture.

Some lavae species consume some living aquatic insects and invertabrates, which could potentially include mosquito larvae. Many, however, because of their short lifespan, never eat at all.

Numerous other common names have been applied to the crane fly. Many of the names are more or less regional in the U.S., including mosquito hawk, mosquito eater, gallinipper, and gollywhopper.

There are other misconceptions about the crane fly.

There is an enduring urban legend that crane flies are the most venomous insects in the world, but have no ability to administer the venom; this is not true. The myth likely arose due to their being confused with the cellar spider as they are also informally called “daddy longlegs”, and although the arachnid does possess venom, it is not especially potent.

Despite widely held beliefs that adult crane flies prey on mosquito populations, the adult crane fly is anatomically incapable of killing or consuming other insects.

Crane flies are generally thought as agricultural pests. Since the late 1900s they have become invasive in the United States. The larvae have been observed on many crops, including vegetables, fruits, cereals, pasture, lawn grasses and ornamental plants.

Should you kill crane flies? Adult crane flies are harmless and do not feed on blood. However, crane fly larva, known as leatherjackets, can cause damage to your lawn. You can kill the flies immediately with an insecticide or you can take preventative measures by killing their larva.

First, you must use home remedies with essential oils to prevent adult crane flies. It will also prevent them from laying their eggs in your garden or lawn. There are many essential oils that you can use to make your treatment, the most common being lavender, and peppermint oil.

It is harmless to humans, can be a nuisance to agriculture, but I wish it would stop reading over my shoulder.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

How many Major League baseball teams are there in California?

Answer can be found here.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Restoring Plasticity Could Be The Secret To Reversing Brain Damage

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White matter refers to areas of the central nervous system that are mainly made up of myelinated axons, also called tracts.Long thought to be passive tissue, white matter affects learning and brain functions, modulating the distribution of action potentials, acting as a relay and coordinating communication between different brain regions.

Your brain may be better able to heal itself than was once thought.

(NAPSI)—For the world’s leading neuroscientists, unlocking the brain’s capacity to stimulate neural plasticity has become something of a Holy Grail.

That’s because enhancing plasticity is perhaps the most important step towards repairing central nervous system (CNS) damage. In fact, it can have a profound impact across multiple neurological functions, including improving motor, sensory and cognitive abilities such as memory.

People marvel at how children are able to learn things so quickly and easily. This ability is mediated by their brains’ nimble neural plasticity. Neuroscientists once believed that neuroplasticity manifested predominately during childhood. However, research in the mid-20th century demonstrated that many aspects of the brain can be altered, even in adulthood. Still, the developing brain has a significantly higher degree of plasticity than the adult brain.

The human brain consists of enormous networks of neurons. They act as messengers that use electrical impulses and chemical signals to transmit information between different areas of the brain, and between the brain and the nervous system. Even a very simple task, such as standing or sitting, typically involves millions of interconnected neurons. Damage to these interconnected systems can be catastrophic.

Enhancing plasticity could be a potential treatment option for any condition where there is extensive damage to CNS tissue. Enhancing plasticity results in ‘axonal sprouting’ – a process where surviving neurons produce fine collateral sprouts from the intact remaining axons. In other words, healthy surviving neurons become fortified and form new connections in areas of the brain or spinal cord where most neurons are damaged or have died.

“Regeneration of damaged neurons, along with sprouting, together lead to plasticity,” says Dr. Jerry Silver, a professor in the Department of Neurosciences at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine and co-inventor and advisor at NervGen Pharma. “Medical science already knows how to promote axonal regeneration, which involves getting neurons to grow across an injury site. But what’s also needed to ensure significant recovery is sprouting.”

Dr. Silver discovered the novel peptide—NVG-291—which has been shown in animal studies to promote plasticity.

NervGen is developing NVG-291, the novel drug candidate that could revolutionize treatment for conditions associated with central nervous system damage, including Alzheimer’s disease. It promises to be a world’s first—a drug candidate that appears to be able to unlock the central nervous system’s ability to repair itself. Medical science will learn if NVG-291 is a prospective wonder drug by 2023 when Phase 2 clinical trials are expected to be well underway.

Existing drugs can only limit or contain the extent of the damage that is the root cause of the world’s hardest to treat neurodegenerative diseases. For instance, existing drug therapies that target Alzheimer’s disease – the most pervasive of them all – have only succeeded in marginally decelerating its progression. This offers little comfort to the afflicted or to their loved ones.

“NVG-291 presents a new paradigm for treating Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. George Perry, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and member of NervGen’s Alzheimer’s Clinical Advisory Board. “Nobody else in medical research is taking this same approach. It is essentially enabling the brain to repair itself.”

LIFE ON THE PLAINS: A tour of The Plains – part 2

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Water St., circa 1940s, looking north. The Esso sign is where Bilodeau’s Garage was located. (photo courtesy of colby.edu/mapping-waterville/)

by Roland D. Hallee

(Read part 1 here.)

This week we will continue our tour of The Plains. Last week we left off at Gold Street. From this point on it gets pretty simple.

One of the first buildings you will come across on the east side of Water St. is the original home of Jean Baptiste Mathieu, presumably the first permanent FrenchCanadian settler in Waterville and his wife, Sarah Dostie, who came here from Beauceville, Québec, in 1827, and settled in their Water Street home in 1831. The rest of the street on that side is made up of single family homes and many duplex and apartment buildings.

However, on the west side, from Gold St., there was Bilodeau’s Service Station where you could buy your gas, and have your car repaired (That building is now part of KVCAP’s campus).

Next , setting a little ways back, was the Notre Dame Church, on the second floor of the building, and Notre Dame Parochial School on the ground floor and basement.

Next came the South End Café. That establishment was famous for their fried clams. My dad would sometimes come home from working the 3 – 11 shift at Hollingsworth & Whitney Paper mill, in Winslow, later Scott Paper Co., with some clams. We could only watch, if we were still awake at that hour.

Next door to the café was Gabe’s Barber Shop. Back when I was in the sixth and seventh grades, I attended St. Joseph’s School for Boys on Summer St., between Kimball and Preston streets (where the Notre Dame Church now stands). It was either every week, or every other week, on Wednesday, my father would give me 25-cents, and I would walk to Gabe’s Barber Shop during lunch, for a haircut. A couple of times, when I felt I didn’t need a haircut, I would skip the trip and pocket the quarter. My dad, somehow, would always know.

Another thing about Gabe Giroux, who was a large, rotund man, was that he was the only Republican, that I can remember, who was ever elected to the Waterville Board of Aldermen, from Ward 7. That was before Waterville went to a council form of government.

A little further down was Dick’s Market, now closed, but still stands, with the sign in front, but is actually the location of Stripes-A-Lot.

From there, on the corner of Halde St., was a house that was rumored to have an active still in the basement during Prohibition. That was proved to be true when the home was demolished and a “secret” room was discovered in the basement.

Next to the house, was a Waterville Fire Department substation. Across the street was the Second Baptist Church, which is still there today. More homes lined the street until the corner of Grove St. At the corner of the south side of Grove St., was LaVerdiere’s Market, a little larger store than the small markets.

Museum In The Street plaque of the South End Arena.

Now we’re going to return to Gold St., and the old Notre Dame Church, which is now KVCAP. Looking west, and across King St., was the South End Arena, an Olympic-size outside ice skating and hockey rink, where many of Waterville High School’s star hockey players honed their skills. We were affectionally – or not – known as the South End Rink Rats. Many varsity games were also played there before the construction of the Alfond Arena on the Colby College campus.

Many days and nights were spent at that arena. During the winter, it wasn’t unusual for me to come home from school, drop the books, grab the hockey equipment, and head out to the rink. The two years I attended St. Joseph’s School, it was common for me to bring my hockey equipment to school, and go directly to the rink after school, and not return home until after dark.

During my high school years, many evenings were spent, after hockey, to participate in public skating with the girls, after which we scraped the ice surface by hand, and “flooded” the rink after it closed at 10 p.m.

The founder, and caretaker of the rink, which was on his property, was Waterville Police Captain Arthur Gagne. To those of us who took advantage of the facility, it wasn’t South End Arena, it was “Art’s.” Gagne took care of the rink, mostly from his own money, with the assistance of a small stipend from the city. He also was the chaperone, and he had a zero tolerance policy for any unacceptable behavior. We all loved “Art”.

We have now seen an overview of what it looked like on Water Street in the 1950s and 1960s. Now, I must confess: we are talking about 60-plus years ago. The mind doesn’t quite remember everything, so I’m sure I have omitted some places. My apologies to those I missed.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: First Lady Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams and John Adams

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Louisa Adams

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Louisa Adams

The sixth former First Lady, Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams (1775-1852) was born in London, England, and was one of only two first ladies not born in the U.S., the other being Melania Trump who entered the world in 1970 in Yugoslavia.

Louisa was also born illegitimately; her mother was referred to by her grandson, the noted historian and cynic Henry Adams (1838-1918), as “one of the deeper mysteries of metaphysical theology.”

In America’s First Ladies, Christine Sadler describes Louisa as having “the delightful chore of making a parlor out of the vast East Room of the White House in which her mother-in-law had strung the family wash to dry 24 years earlier.”

Like Dolly Madison, she was quite the gracious hostess (although not the very bubbly social butterfly that Dolly was) and married to a president who preferred to be left alone in his study, more about his personality coming soon.

At first Louisa was not accepted by her mother-in-law Abigail Adams, but the older woman soon found they both had a lot in common, especially having very strong opinions which the gentlemen around them found at times unbearable, and they got along quite well.

Unlike her mother-in-law, Louisa was prone to depression and suffered from frail health.

J. Quincy Adams

I now shift the focus to Louisa’s husband John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) who served one term as president from 1825 to 1829.

By many scholars, including his detractors, Quincy Adams is considered one of the smartest to hold office with a very high IQ. Several of his predecessors recognized these qualities and he served at diplomatic posts in England, France, the Nether­lands, Prussia and Russia. In addition he was fluent in Latin, Greek, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Russian.

Socially, he could be a stiff arrogant prig and really did not enjoy being with most people, much like James Madison .

Interestingly, after leaving the White House, Q was elected by his home state of Massachusetts to the House of Representatives where his popularity was far greater than as chief executive. His arguably finest moment, as one of the handful of leaders unwaveringly opposed to slavery, was giving a speech defending the slaves who took over the Amistad ship transporting them from Africa to the United States and getting them acquitted and allowed to return to their homeland.

He served in Congress for the remainder of his life where in 1848, at the age of 81, he suffered a stroke while giving a speech in the chamber.

Q was carried into his private office where he died in the presence of his wife and others, including the Illinois Representative Abraham Lincoln.

Louisa outlived her husband by four years and died of a heart attack in 1852 at the age of 77.

A few other facts:

Q and Louisa were believed to have married on the rebound, as both had suffered broken hearts in a previous relationship.

Q amassed a collection of different translations of the Bible.

While president, he bathed naked every morning at 5 a.m. in the Potomac River no matter what season of the year.

The above-mentioned grandson recounts an incident in his autobiography The Education of Henry Adams when, in sixth grade, he told his mother that he didn’t feel like going to school; whereupon grandfather, who was referred to by all his grandchildren as the President, took the lad firmly by the hand, walked him two miles to the schoolhouse never saying a word, escorted him into the classroom and sat him down at his desk.

The President then returned in the afternoon and repeated the procedure. Grandson never complained again.

Ironically, Quincy’s vice-president was South Carolina Senator John C. Calhoun (1782-1850) who was an unwavering supporter of slavery and a “White South.”

SCORES & OUTDOORS: The return of the red-bellied woodpecker

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Red-bellied woodpecker, left, and Red-headed woodpecker, right.

by Roland D. Hallee

It has been a while since I’ve seen one, but last week, on a couple of occasions, I saw a red-bellied woodpecker at one of our bird feeders. One had made an appearance a couple of years ago, but I hadn’t seen one recently. Of course, if you know what a red-bellied woodpecker looks like, it is one of the most misnamed creatures on the planet.

The red-bellied woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus, is a medium-sized woodpecker. It breeds mainly in the eastern United States, ranging as far south as Florida and as far north as Canada. Though it has a vivid orange-red crown and nape it is not to be confused with the red-headed woodpecker, a separate species of woodpecker with an entirely red head and neck that sports a solid black back and white belly. The red-bellied earns its name from the pale reddish blush of its lower underside.

Adults are mainly light gray on the face and underparts; they have black and white barred patterns on their back, wings and tail. Adult males have a red cap going from the bill to the nape; females have a red patch on the nape and another above the bill. The reddish tinge on the belly that gives the bird its name is difficult to see in field identification.

Males tend to call and drum more frequently than females, but both sexes call. The drum sounds like 6 taps. Often, these woodpeckers “drum” to attract mates. They tap on hollow trees, and even on aluminum roofs, metal guttering and transformer boxes in urban environments, to communicate with potential partners.

These birds mainly search out arthropods on tree trunks. They may also catch insects in flight. They are omnivores, eating insects, fruits, nuts and seeds. Their breeding habitat is usually deciduous forests. They nest in the decayed cavities of dead trees, old stumps, or in live trees that have softer wood such as elms, maples, or willows; both sexes assist in digging nesting cavities. Areas around nest sites are marked with drilling holes to warn others away.

Though the species is not globally threatened, it depends on large trees for nesting. In areas that are extensively deforested, the birds will sometimes utilize gardens, but for the most part they simply will not be present in any numbers.

In early May, the red-bellied woodpeckers begin breeding activities by drumming patterns; such as, slow taps followed by short rapid drumming. The red-bellied woodpeckers use vocal signals to at­tract and communicate with potential mates. The red-bellied woodpeckers are known to be in monogamous relationships. They have been known to rapidly peck on aluminum gutters of houses to produce a loud noise in order to attract females.

Woodpeckers depend on dead and drying wood for nesting purposes. The male red-bellied woodpecker takes the initiative in locating a nest hole. He will then seek approval from his female mate by mutual tapping. The red-bellied woodpecker excavates holes in trees for nesting and roosting. By excavating cavities, they play an important role in the forest communities for other species as well. For example, species such as squirrels and bats use these cavities as shelter. The female red-bellied woodpecker accepts the nesting hole by completing the excavation and entering the nest hole.

Researchers have documented that red-bellied woodpeckers have the tendency to nest in clear areas with only few trees. Studies have indicated that close canopy areas do not impact the bird’s nesting behavior; however, further studies are needed and are in progress. Red-bellied woodpeckers are territorial during the nesting season and they breed once per year. A pair-breeding woodpecker begins nesting in April or May.

The woodpecker uses its bill for foraging as a chisel drilling into bark or probing cracks on trunk of trees. In this manner, the red-bellied woodpecker is able to pull out beetles and other insects from the tree with the help of its long tongue.

Here’s an important fact. The red-bellied woodpecker is a major predator of the invasive emerald ash borer in the U.S., which has been spotted in Maine, removing up to 85 percent of borer larvae in a single infested ash tree. The red-bellied woodpecker has also been observed, on occasions, foraging on the ground amongst groups of Northern Flicker woodpeckers.

Predators of adult red-bellied woodpeckers include birds of prey such as sharp-shinned hawks and Cooper’s hawks, black rat snake and house cats. Known predators of nestlings and eggs include red-headed woodpeckers, owls, pileated woodpeckers, eastern gray squirrels, fox squirrels, gray rat snakes and black rat snakes. When approached by a predator, red-bellied woodpeckers either hide from the predator, or harass it with alarm calls. They defend their nests and young aggressively, and may directly attack predators that come near the nest.

My red-bellied woodpecker just shows up at the feeders and helps himself.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

What NHL team last won three Stanley Cups in a row?

Answer can be found here.

Give Us Your Best Shot! for Thursday, June 23, 2022

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To submit a photo for this section, please visit our contact page or email us at townline@townline.org!

HMM HMM GOOD: Emily Poulin, of South China, photographed this hummingbird enjoying the nectar.

AM I SCARING YOU?: Eli Cates, of China, caught this bald eagle acting aggressively toward the camera while on the Priest Hill Rd., in Vassalboro.

IT’S ALL MINE: This bald eagle was snapped by Val Baker, of China, as it seems to be protecting its fare.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Experiencing a Higher Level of Fatigue May Predict Death in Older Adults

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Study finds older people reporting feeling run down were more likely to die within the following 3 years.

by Becky Upham

Fatigue may be a sign of an underlying health issue if it does not improve with rest and good nutrition.

How fatigued activities like walking, light housework, or heavy gardening make an older person feel may be a predictor of how likely they are to die in the next few years, according to a new study.

The research, published on January 24 in The Journal of Gerontology, is the first to establish higher levels of perceived physical fatigability as an indicator of earlier death, said lead author Nancy W. Glynn, PhD, associate professor in the department of epidemiology at Pitt’s Graduate School of Public Health, in Pittsburgh, in a release. “Conversely, lower scores indicate greater energy and more longevity.”

What Exactly Does Fatigue Mean?

Fatigue is different than feeling sleepy. Instead, it’s a feeling of tiredness or lack of energy and motivation. However, drowsiness and apathy can sometimes accompany fatigue, according to StatPearls.

Although fatigue can be a perfectly normal response to stress or a hard day of work or play, it may be a sign of an underlying health issue if it’s not improved by getting plenty of rest or good nutrition.

Participants Reported How Fatigued They Would Be From Walking, Gardening, or Watching TV

Historically, measuring fatigue has been challenging for researchers. It could be costly and require an in-person visit and dedicated space and staff.

In an effort to standardize the definition of fatigue and make it less costly, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh developed the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale in 2011. The 10-item scale has been validated in many subsequent studies as a way to accurately capture physical and mental tiredness.

To find out if there was a relationship between reported fatigue and mortality, investigators recruited a total of 2,906 people who were enrolled in the Long Life Family Study, an international study that follows family members across two generations. The mean age of participants was 73.5 years old, 54.2 percent were women, and 99.7 percent were white.

Participants completed the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale, which asked them to rate how much physical and mental fatigue they would experience as a result of participating in activities such as walking, light housework, watching television, hiking or biking, and hosting a social event, with 0 being no fatigue and 5 being extreme fatigue. Scores could range from 0 to 50, with a higher score indicating greater fatigability.

Subjects were followed for an average of 2.7 years until the end of 2019, thereby avoiding any increased mortality as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. After controlling for several factors that could contribute to the likelihood of death, including depression, preexisting or underlying terminal illness, age, and gender, investigators found that participants with the highest level of reported fatigue (with a score of 25 or higher) were over twice as likely to die during the follow-up period compared with people who had less fatigue (with a score below 25).

“There has been research showing that people who increase their physical activity can decrease their fatigability score,” said Dr. Glynn, a physical activity epidemiologist. “And one of the best ways to increase physical activity — which simply means moving more — is by setting manageable goals and starting a routine, like a regular walk or scheduled exercise,” she added.
Glynn points out that this time of year is known to be the time when people make and break resolutions to be more active. “I hope our findings provide some encouragement to stick with exercise goals,” she said.

It’s Never Too Late to Start Exercising

Most adults over the age of 65 can safely exercise, even if they have a chronic illness, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). If you haven’t been physically active in a while or if you aren’t sure if exercise would be recommended for someone with your health conditions, check in with your doctor first.

When it comes to which type of exercise is best, experts recommend including all four types:

  • Endurance activities, such as walking or dancing;
  • Strength training, which can be done with body weight or a resistance band;
  • Balance moves, like standing on one foot;
  • Flexibility, which can be improved with yoga or stretching.

Current guidelines recommend that people ages 65 and older get at least 2.5 hours of moderate aerobic exercise (like walking) or 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous exercise (like jogging) every week. Include strength training at least two days a week and practice short bouts of balance and flexibility moves every day.

LIFE ON THE PLAINS: A tour of ‘The Plains’ – Part 1

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The Plains, circa 1930, with one of the three- story apartment houses that lined the west bank of the Kennebec River, on the left. (photo courtesy of Roland D. Hallee)

by Roland D. Hallee

Before we go into the era of growing up on The Plains, in Waterville, maybe we should take a tour of the area in our “way back machine”. This will take a little time, so plan on a couple of weeks.

Let’s start at the northern end of the south end, if that makes sense?

If we start along the river, there is the massive complex of the Lockwood-Dutchess Textile Mill, commonly called the cotton mill. It consisted of three large buildings, one on top of the hill was three stories, and the larger one at the bottom of the hill, five stories. In between, stood a smaller one story building, all three constructed of brick. The mill went “nonprofit” in the early 1950s. My grandfather worked there until his retirement in 1952. My grandmother also worked there for a short period before she married my grandfather, a story for later.

Across the street, was a building that contained the Pine View Furniture Store, and the famous “round house” behind it.

Proceeding on the west side of the street, next was a parking lot with a large barn. From what I recollect, the barn was used for storage, although I never did see the inside. The barn was eventually razed to make way for the new “Kentucky Fried Chicken” store.

Next, was an up-and-down duplex, and four unit tenement building, both owned by the Busque family. Alongside that was another apartment building, with many garages that spanned from Water St. to Green St.

Rodrigue’s Market was next in line, where you could buy everything from cigarettes to meat. The market had upstairs apartments. Ma Roy’s Tavern stood next door. (One thing I remember well is that her son was named Roy Roy.) I can still remember going there with my dad, enjoying an orange soda while he indulged in a “beverage”.

A three story apartment building was next, although it sat back aways from the street, followed by Pete’s Market, another mom and pop-style store. Why it was called Pete’s I don’t know. The owner’s name was not Pete. It was Bob Coté.

Some more houses were next, with another small market before a three story multi-unit tenement, before ascending on the world-reknowned, Chez Parée, a very popular watering hole on the weekends with live music. On the corner, where there is a parking lot now, was Leighteau’s Market.

Cross Sherwin Street, and there stood Dot’s Market. Can you believe, back then, within a 150 – 200 yard span there were five markets? Not to mention a sixth on top of Sherwin Hill, named Veilleux’s Market. Ah, but we’re not done yet.

Next to Dot’s Market was Red Star Laundry, now a parking lot near Scotty’s, which was earlier known as Dot’s. Scotty’s Pizza began its run across the street from Dot’s in the 1960s, in a building that was so small, it could not accommodate more than two customers at once. Otherwise, you had -to go outside. Across Redington St., was the Redington Street School, now the Forrest J. Pare VFW.

Then came a string of houses and apartment buildings, especially on the east side of Water St., where there was a string of three-story apartment buildings, all the way to Gold St. These apartment buildings stood on stilts that hovered over the Kennebec River. All of those tenement buildings are now gone from the river bank, razed back in the ‘60s. Out of site, some of the foundations are still there today. There, at the end of the row of apartment buildings, was Picher’s Furniture Store, directly across from Gold St.

On the east side of the street, almost diagnolly across from Scotty’s, stood the home of Edgar and Yvonne Poulin, Edgar being a well-known radio celebrity in Waterville (WTVL), whose Sunday radio program was called La Melodie Francais, and maternal grandparents to The Town Line’s business manager, Claire Breton. Edgar would play French music from Canada, to which my grandfather would dance while sitting in his chair.

Let’s go back across the street, to the west side. Not far from the Redington St. School, was, you guessed it, another market. I don’t recall the name of that one. Then, a few more houses before we hit the part where the Maine State Theater stood, and Daviau’s Drug Store on the corner of Gray St. It was the forerunner of LaVerdiere’s Drug Stores, and pretty much carried everything you will find in a CVS or Walgreen’s today.

Then, there were more houses and apartments to the corner of Gold St. Most of these dwellings are now gone.

So, we’ve traveled a ways this week along the northern stretch of The Plains. The Gold Street area is about the halfway point.

This part of Waterville, one of the oldest settled areas, was mostly occupied by the Franco-American community. People who immigrated from Canada to work in the mills, in search of a better life. As you can tell so far, and will learn more next week, this section of Waterville was pretty much self-sufficient. In those days, there was no need to venture “downtown”, unless you were going to a clothing store. Pretty much all you needed was right there on The Plains.

And, besides, not many had cars back then.

Next week: From Bilodeau’s Garage, to LaVerdiere’s Market.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Was it a little early for fireflies in May?

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Firefly

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

A reader recently told me they saw some fireflies recently, and asked whether it is early for them.

I guess it all depends on a number of factors.

Most people associate fireflies with soft summer evenings, but late in February and into March it is possible to see winter dark fireflies glowing in the woods. The larvae and pupae have the ability to bioluminescence, but lose the necessary organs as they become adults during their two-year lifespan.

But the adults emerge out in the warmer late spring, early summer, when it’s warm and humid. And that’s when we usually see the flashing with the adults, the nocturnal species; we’re probably more aware of those. It’s usually June and July when they’re mating and very active as adults.

Larvae are predators and can be found in decaying logs, especially pine; they tend to live in colonies because the habitat is good. So keep a look out and you may see the glow high up on trees or lower down on fallen snags.

Fireflies are attracted to high grasses and shrubbery, and they rest on tall blades of grass during the day. Mowing too often can actually reduce the number of fireflies in your yard in general.

While some fireflies produce larvae that glows, called a glow worm, the fireflies in Maine do not. Technically, Maine fireflies are called a Big Dipper Fireflies. Fireflies use their blinking lights to attract a mate, but they also communicate other messages, like claiming a territory.

Do adult fireflies eat mosquitoes or other insects? Well, the eating habits of fireflies generally differ from those of the predatory larvae. Most of the adult fireflies feed on dew droplets, pollen, or nectar from flowers, but there are some exceptions. Some of the species are known to eat smaller insects

As a child, when we visited family in Canada, we used to go to a camp on the lake. Coming from a generation that believed “children should be seen, and not heard,” we were relegated to “go find something to do,” when the adults got together. We would go catch fireflies. Catch fireflies carefully, treat them gently and release them into the wild again when you’re done, and you’ll be able to enjoy these fascinating creatures without causing any harm.

These fireflies are a family of insects in the beetle order, with more than 2,000 described species, many of which are light-emitting. They are soft-bodied beetles commonly called fireflies, glowworms, or lightning bugs for their conspicuous production of light, mainly during twilight, to attract mates. Light production originated as an honest warning signal that the larvae were distasteful; this was co-opted in evolution as a mating signal in the adults. In a further development, female fireflies mimic the flash pattern of other species to trap their males as prey.

Fireflies are found in temperate and tropical climates. Many live in marshes or in wet, wooded areas where their larvae have abundant sources of food. While all known fireflies glow as larvae, only some adults produce light, and the location of the light organ varies among species and between sexes of the same species. Fireflies have attracted human attention since classical antiquity; their presence has been taken to signify a wide variety of conditions in different cultures, and is especially appreciated aesthetically in Japan, where parks are set aside for this specific purpose.

Most fireflies are distasteful to vertebrate predators, as they contain a steroid similar to the those found in some poisonous toads.

In the United States, one of the most famous sightings of fireflies blinking in unison occurs annually near Elkmont, Tennessee, in the Great Smoky Mountains, during the first weeks of June. Tourists from all over the U.S. make the annual pilgrimage there to witness this marvelous natural display.

With all this, what are their interactions with humans?

While fireflies do contain toxins, they are harmless to humans unless eaten in massive quantities. Whether you know them as Lightning Bugs or Fireflies, these are beneficial insects. They don’t bite, they have no pincers, they don’t attack, they don’t carry disease, they are not poisonous, they don’t even fly very fast.

Throughout history, fireflies have put on some spectacular shows for humans to watch. Unfortunately, their numbers are in decline. So, if you should be privileged enough to witness a nighttime performance, enjoy!

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Who was the last Boston Red Sox pitcher to hurl a no-hitter?

Answer can be found here.