SCORES & OUTDOORS: Hunter Praul’s love of nature involves slimy and scaly creatures

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Hunter Praul

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

This came across my desk last week, and I thought it would make a good story for this week’s column.

Growing up in China, Maine, Hunter Praul said he always had an interest in exploring the outdoors, especially for reptiles and amphibians. He became an Eagle Scout, but even outside of his troop outings, he would find himself in forests, lakes and stream banks looking for frogs, toads, turtles and anything else he could find.

As a student researcher at the University of Maine, Praul has taken his love for nature’s slimy and scaly creatures and applied it to the mission of conservation in Maine.

When Praul graduated from high school, he was named to the Maine Top Scholars program, which provides full tuition and research opportunities for the highest achieving high schoolers in the state to attend the University of Maine.

Since early spring 2022, Praul has worked on a variety of turtle conservation research projects in the lab of Matthew Chatfield, assistant professor at the School of Biology and Ecology. Praul’s primary project aims to record the musk turtle population on the nearby Pushaw Lake, which is thought to be one of most northern (if not the northernmost) parts of the species’ habitat range.

“It would be interesting to get data and information on the most northern population to see if there are differences from the southern ones or even just more southern in the state, although there hasn’t been much research on them, especially in Maine,” Praul says.

Every month for the past couple months, Chatfield and Praul have headed out to three different plots near Gould’s Landing to lay six sardine-baited traps at each, strategically placing them at different levels of vegetation and depths along the shore. For that week, they return every morning to check the traps, repair any damage wrought by hungry raccoons or snapping turtles, and record their observations.

“I have worked with thousands of students in the classroom and dozens in a field or mentoring capacity and I have to say Hunter [Praul] is probably the most meticulous student I have ever met,” Chatfield says. “Every word and number on the data sheet gets recorded exactly right. He’s definitely one of the strongest undergraduate researchers I have come across.”

Praul admits, though, that he hasn’t had much luck finding musk turtles this summer. He has only found one, though he has seen plenty of the common painted turtles throughout the course of his study.

“We might be in the wrong spot in the lake, but there also might not be as many in the lake as we originally thought,” Praul says. “We’re taking a little break and we’re going to try again at the end of this summer to see if there’s a seasonal change in numbers.”

Praul is still hoping to use the musk turtle project for his senior capstone project, but if doesn’t find enough musk turtles to draw any substantive conclusions about the Pushaw Lake population, he will use data from a graduate project in Chatfield’s lab about wood turtles. Praul has been assisting graduate students with fieldwork using radiotelemetry to observe and record the nesting behavior of wood turtles, a heavily trafficked and internationally listed endangered species that purportedly has a stronghold in Maine.

Almost every week, Praul will join a graduate student researcher at their streamside site; the exact location is confidential, to protect the highly-trafficked turtles. They use a receiver to find the turtles observed for that study, which are tagged with radio telemeters, and record environmental and behavioral data about their subjects.

Turtles aren’t the only animal that Praul interacts with for this research, either.

“To help with finding wood turtles, there is a dog that has been trained to find them,” Praul says. “Sometimes her handler [Lindsay Ware of Science Dogs of New England] and I take her out to go sniffing through the grass and stream. If she finds a different species, she’ll pass on it, and if she finds a wood turtle, she’ll just stand over until we get there.”

The dog’s name is Chili Bean, Chili for short. Some of the wood turtles have names, too, like Crowley, Outlaw and Jennifer Lawrence — to make them easier to identify in the field, of course.

Outside of his herpetology projects, Praul also works at the UMaine Environmental DNA Laboratory conducting lab procedures. He said it’s “very interesting” and “cool to do,” but he prefers studying the natural world on a larger scale.

Praul plans to graduate this spring after his third year at the University of Maine. He isn’t exactly sure what he will do after that, but one thing is for sure: he wants to work with animals.

“I definitely still say herpetology is my main interest, but I also basically have an interest in all animals,” Praul says. “It makes it a little bit harder to choose something if there are so many options.”

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Which pitcher is the all-time saves leader for the Boston Red Sox?

Answer can be found here.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Three Summer Tips To Get You Fitter Now

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Good news, there are lots of summer gym deals to help you get fit.

(NAPSI)—Summer is here, and Floridians seeking the best deals to help them get beach-ready and fit for swimming, surfing, biking, or family travel adventures have a variety of options to get active and fit. Here are three ways to take your fitness to a new level while saving some dough:

1.Take advantage of summer gym savings.

Many gyms are offering summer discounts to help you start a new fitness program or maintain your current one at a more affordable rate. You can search for individual deals at your favorite gym or fitness studio. Or, if you’re thinking about switching gyms but aren’t sure which gym is best for your needs, visit an “online market” or gym aggregator site that offers thousands of gym choices for one price, with no long-term contracts. For example, the Active&Fit Now™ program offers a fitness membership that lets you choose from more than 7,900 gyms for $29/month. Programs like this allow you to try multiple gyms and cancel at any time to find the one that suits your fitness goals without long-term contracts or any hidden fees.

2.Explore boutique fitness studios.

(NAPSI)—Summer is here, and Floridians seeking the best deals to help them get beach-ready and fit for swimming, surfing, biking, or family travel adventures have a variety of options to get active and fit. Here are three ways to take your fitness to a new level while saving some dough:

1.Take advantage of summer gym savings.

Many gyms are offering summer discounts to help you start a new fitness program or maintain your current one at a more affordable rate. You can search for individual deals at your favorite gym or fitness studio. Or, if you’re thinking about switching gyms but aren’t sure which gym is best for your needs, visit an “online market” or gym aggregator site that offers thousands of gym choices for one price, with no long-term contracts. For example, the Active&Fit Now™ program offers a fitness membership that lets you choose from more than 7,900 gyms for $29/month. Programs like this allow you to try multiple gyms and cancel at any time to find the one that suits your fitness goals without long-term contracts or any hidden fees.

2.Explore boutique fitness studios.

If you’re more motivated by the idea of joining a smaller, more specialized, and personal gym, a boutique studio may be the perfect option. Boutique studios tend to offer a more tailored fitness experience with like-minded people who want a focused approach. These studios are surging in popularity and offer specialties like Pilates, or yoga, or even spinning. Others focus on dance, barre, or strength training. The point is, a boutique studio can help you find your fitness vibe and maybe even your workout “tribe.”

If you think you can’t afford a boutique studio, shop around for summer discounts. Or check whether fitness membership programs include studios, too. If you shop around, you’ll likely find a program that offers the right boutique option for you with discounted rates ranging from 20%-70% off. Be sure to look for no long-term contracts, or initiation or cancellation fees. You’ll want the flexibility to find the focused fitness activity that meets your needs.

3.Train in the cool comfort of home with online classes.

Sometimes you just don’t have time to make it to the gym, but you don’t want to skimp on your workout routine—so, let technology be your workout buddy. Many fitness programs allow you to train in the comfort of your home with on demand workout videos you can tailor to your needs. Some programs even offer free workout classes on streaming platforms like YouTube. Simply go to YouTube and put in your gym or program’s name to see if they offer a workout playlist. The Active&Fit® family of programs, for example, offers hundreds of free YouTube classes, including dance, cardio, strength training, and yoga. By joining one of the Active&Fit programs, like Active&Fit Now, you can gain access to more than 5,500 videos from top video workout producers like Les Mills, Shift, and Cycling Fusion.

It’s not too late to get active and fit for summer fun. Take the first step today by exploring the many gym and fitness program offerings and summer deals in your area.

Always remember to consult with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine and to discuss what types of exercises are safest for you. Persons depicted are not Active&Fit program members.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: So many uses

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by Debbie Walker

There are so many uses for simple, everyday products, why do we need the “newest, high-priced chemicals”? Would you have dreamed of the other uses of vinegar? Wait, unless you are from the older generation that used these products before the chemical ones came out! Confusing?

Apple cider vinegar: Sore throat, tenderizing meat, dog’s coat, freshen feet, revive yellow plants, what do these all have in common? Vinegar fixes them.

Sore throat: Mix 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar with /14 cup of water for 15 seconds. Repeat every hour.

Tenderize meat: Blend 2 cups of the vinegar, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh garlic. Marinate in the liquid for three hours before cooking.

Dog’s coat: Dull looking. 1/4 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to his water bowl daily, gradually building up to 1 teaspoon of vinegar for every 15 pounds of body weight.

Freshen feet: Soak feet in a mix of 1/3 cup of vinegar and 1/2 cup of warm water for 30 minutes. Daily.

Revive yellow plants: hydrate plants with 2 tablespoons vinegar to 1 quart of water. Repeat once weekly for three weeks.

How about we try something different. Bubble Wrap. It can be used for things other than packaging. Snow proofing, hanger bumps, and winter proof windows.

Snow proofing your windshield: Use bubble wrap on windshield and back window to cover. In the morning pull it off. Much easier than scrapping.

Hanger bumps: Roll bubble wrap around hanger. It won’t leave bumps in your hanging clothing.

Winter proof windows: Spray the inside of each window with water then press the bubble side of the wrap against the frame. Keeps warmth inside and cold outside.

Back to food uses such as oatmeal: clean cast iron, Perk up houseplants and soothe aches and pains.

Clean cast iron: If cookware is looking shabby toss in 2 tablespoons oatmeal, rub with a dish rag. It absorbs grease and scrub away small food particles without ruining the cookware’s seasoning.

Perk up houseplants: Instead of commercial plant food try oatmeal. Mix 2 tablespoons dry oatmeal into the soil. Do this once a month.

Soothe aches and pains: Fill a tube sock with 1 cup oatmeal, tie closed and heat in microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. (Microwave in 30 second intervals so sock doesn’t overheat.)

Time for a chat? I got a new book the other day. It’s The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present. I have only begun reading it but it has me interested. I remember a lot of the situations. Such as the beginning of it being okay for woman to wear pants in certain situations.

Thank you for reading. Have a great week.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: William Henry Harrison

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William H. Harrison

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

William Henry Harrison

Former President #9, William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) achieved renown as an army captain in command at Fort Washington, Ohio, when he was in his 20s; as a governor in the Indiana Territory during the early 1800s; and being promoted to Major General after defeating the Indians in a battle at Tippecanoe which was a Wabash River settlement in Indiana (Hence his nickname: 1840 presidential campaign slogan with vice-presidential running mate John Tyler – “Tippecanoe and Tyler, too.”) – and his success in a number of other War of 1812 battles, including the defeat of the formidable Indian Chief Tecumseh.

After resigning from the military in 1814, Harrison served in the Ohio state senate, as Congressional representative from the Buckeye state and finally U.S. Senator.

Anna Harrison

Harrison’s wife Anna Symmes Harrison (1775-1864) was born in New Jersey; her father was then serving in the American army. When her mother died, her father returned home, disguised himself as a Brtish officer and took his year-old daughter through enemy lines to live with her maternal grandparents on Long Island for the duration of the Revolutionary War.

After the war ended, her father had become a judge on the New Jersey Supreme Court, and then moved to Ohio where he accumulated 100,000 acres of land while Anna attended private schools on Long Island and in New York City.

Judge Symmes came east to remarry and took Anna, her stepmother and other settlers back to Ohio to live on his acreage. Shortly after arriving, Anna met her future husband who in­stantly fell in love with her but Papa considered Captain Harrison a poor prospect due to his low salary and refused his consent.

Anna was undeterred and, when her father was away, the couple married on November 22, 1795, exactly 168 years before tragedy struck a later president, in Dallas, Texas. By 1804, the couple was living in the Indiana Territory in a spacious log house which she and her husband built themselves, not long after he became governor.

The couple gave hospitality to many passing through, especially preachers, and spearheaded the building of schools, churches and libraries throughout the Territory.

When her husband won the White House, other family members traveled east with him but she was too ill at that point. D.C. was quite chilly while the inaugural festivities were going on, the president participating fully and throwing all caution aside. His March 4 inauguration speech clocked in at 75 minutes as he delivered it without any winter coat and hat.

The following day, already developing a cold, the president went shopping for groceries at an outdoor market and the cold worsened into pneumonia within a couple of days. He died a month later at the age of 68 and, on his deathbed, reciting one of the Psalms from memory.

Meanwhile Anna had recovered from her own illness back home in Ohio and had finished packing for the move when she received word of her husband’s death.

Congress gave her a $25,000 pension, which was the equivalent of the presidential annual salary and which would be granted to future presidential widows for several years.

She outlived her husband by 23 years, and nine of their ten children. Three of her grandsons, including the 22nd president Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901, who served from 1889 to 1893), fought on the Union side during the Civil War, a commitment she took much pride in even though she abhorred war as a general principle.

Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Waterville historic district – Part 1

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Waterville City Hall

by Mary Grow

As sources cited in this and the following articles say, Waterville’s downtown business district was in the 19th and 20th centuries (and still is in the 21st century) an important regional commercial center. Buildings from the 1830s still stand; the majority of the commercial buildings lining Main Street date from the last quarter of the 19th century. Hence the interest in recognizing and protecting the area’s historic value by listing it on the National Register of Historic Places.

Waterville’s original downtown historic district, according to the initial application for historic listing in 2012, includes 22 historic buildings and three others too new to count as historic; two “objects” (in Castonguay Square) one “structure” (the information kiosk in the square, too modern to count) and two public parks, Castonguay Square and the Pocket Park on the north side of the Federal Trust Bank building.

The district runs from the intersection of Temple and Main streets south to the connector to Water Street at the south end of Main Street, covering both sides of Main Street. It includes both sides of Common Street, encompassing the Opera House and City Hall building that had been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1976.

In 2016, the district was extended northward on the east side of Main Street for another block, from Temple Street to Appleton Street. This additional section of the historic district will be described in a later article.

The 2012 application for historic register listing was prepared by Matthew Corbett and Scott Hanson, of Sutherland Conservation and Consulting, in Augusta. The document lists Main Street buildings from north to south on the east (river) side of the street, with a detour down Common Street, and from south to north on the west side. The names of some of the businesses will be familiar to those who knew Waterville 11 years ago and earlier.

Almost all the buildings share common walls to form a solid façade. Most extend directly to the sidewalk, creating what the application describes as a “canyon effect” that was destroyed north of Temple Street by the demolition of west-side buildings in a 1960s urban renewal project.

Because so many of the street-level entrances have been modernized over the years, the more historically interesting parts of the building facades are from the second floor upward. Corbett and Hanson listed details of windows, trim and other features for each building.

Arnold-Boutelle-Elden Block

On the east side of Main Street, the northernmost building in the original district, on the south corner of Main and Temple streets, is the Arnold-Boutelle-Elden Blocks (103-115 Main Street, according to the application). It consists of six store fronts with common walls, the first four built in 1886 and 1887 and the last two in 1893. The application describes the three-story buildings as Queen Anne style and describes in detail the decorative elements in granite and brick. Names and dates are carved in granite plaques “in the pediments of the second, third, and fifth blocks.”

Next south was what was in 1912 the Hanson, Webber & Dunham Hardware store, built in 1894. Four stories high, brick with granite sills and brick arches, topped by a “decorative cornice flanked by two small corbelled brick piers,” the application says it was once owned by Central Maine Power Company.

In 1902, according to Frank Redington’s chapter on businesses in Edwin Carey Whittemore’s Waterville history, the blocks from Arnold to Hanson, Webber & Dunham, inclusive, had been remodeled to form “an unbroken front.” From there to Castonguay Square there were only wooden buildings in 1902.

The wooden buildings were succeeded by the three-story brick Montgomery Ward Department Store building at the corner of Main Street and Castonguay Square, originally built in 1938 and expanded northward in 1967 (when it took over what the application calls the Stearns commercial block and your writer remembers as Sterns department store). The building is Georgian Revival style; Corbett and Hanson’s application says Montgomery Ward used it from 1933 to 1948.

Montgomery-Ward

Corbett and Hanson wrote that what is now Castonguay Square was part of a parcel deeded in 1796 from Winslow (which until 1802 included Waterville) “to be used for church/meetinghouse and school house.” Both buildings were put up, and the meeting house later became the town hall, with an adjoining area of open space with trees, “at one point, bounded by a wooden fence.”

Redington wrote that local boys used to call the square “the hay scales.” He did not explain.

In the early 20th century the town hall became City Hall and the park became City Hall Park. It became Castonguay Square in 1921 to honor First Sergeant Arthur L. Castonguay, killed in World War I.

Stephen Plocher wrote in his on-line Waterville history that more than 500 men from Waterville served in World War I, and Castonguay was the first to die. Another on-line source suggested that he was among National Guard members who became part of the 103rd infantry, a unit that fought in major battles in France.

The two historic objects in the square are unrelated. An inscription on a round boulder, a 1917 gift from Silence Howard Hayden Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, commemorates Benedict Arnold’s 1775 march to Québec. A “German 15 cm heavy field howitzer model 1893” is probably one of the captured weapons distributed nation-wide by the United States Department of Defense in the 1920s.

* * * * * *

On the north side of the square stands the combined Opera House and City Hall, with an address of 1 Common Street. This building has been on the National Register of Historic Places since the beginning of 1976; the application for listing was prepared in October 1975 by Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr., and Frank Beard of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission.

The application calls the building “a good representative example of the multi-purpose civic buildings erected in Maine at the turn of the century.” The idea came from a May 1896 citizens’ petition to the Waterville mayor and board of aldermen.

City officials chose George G. Adams, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, as architect, and in February 1897 signed a building contract with another Massachusetts firm, Kelly Brothers, of Haverhill.

The building was supposed to be finished by July 1, 1898, but it was delayed until early 1902, “partially due to litigation with the architect over fees,” Shettleworth and Beard wrote.

Apparently the builder changed, because in William Abbott Smith’s chapter in Whittemore’s history the builder is Horace Purinton and Company and its spokesman referred to construction contracts signed July 12, 1901. The June 13, 1890, issue of the Waterville Mail, found on line, has a front-page ad for Horace Purinton & Co., contractors and builders specializing in brickwork and stonework, with headquarters in Waterville and brickyards in Waterville, Winslow and Augusta.

The 1975 application for historic recognition calls the building’s architectural style Colonial Revival. The basement and lower floor are stone, the two upper stories “brick with wood and stone trim.” The front features arched doorways and windows, Doric columns and decorative brick features and is topped by “an elaborate wooden cornice composed of a dentil molding, a series of modillions and an ornamental crest at the center bearing the inscription ‘City Hall.'”

Smith quoted from Horace Purinton’s remarks at the June 23, 1902, dedication of the new city hall. Purinton told his audience that material for the building came from as far away as Michigan and Indiana, with two exceptions. Some of the wood was logged and milled in Maine; and “The material for the brick was in its natural state in the clay banks within our borders.” (From the context, Purinton probably meant the borders of Maine, not of Waterville.)

The building’s interior is in two sections, Shettleworth and Beard wrote. City offices occupy the first two floors, with a main entrance on the south (Castonguay Square) side and another entrance on the east (Front Street) side. The upper part of the building is the large auditorium, originally called the “Assembly Rooms.”

The applicants described the auditorium in 1975 as still looking much as it did in 1902. They wrote that “The balcony and proscenium arch are ornamented with elaborate Baroque style plasterwork,” and the “original painted curtain bearing a large scenic landscape” was still there.

The first event in the Opera House was a dairymen’s exhibition, Shettleworth and Beard found – they gave no date. Later it hosted amateur shows and touring acting companies. Well-known artists who performed there included Australian actress Judith Anderson, American contralto Marion Anderson, singer and actor Rudy Vallee and cowboy actor Tom Mix, whose horse was “hauled up the outside of the building” to join him on stage.

After World War II, movies displaced live shows and the auditorium served as a movie theater. Beginning in 1960, Shettleworth and Beard found the venue resumed live productions – “plays, musicals, and recitals.”

“This kind of activity carried on in a 1900 theatre in a relatively small city is extremely unusual in this day and age,” they commented.

* * * * * *

Alas, your writer has, as so often happens, run out of space before she ran out of information. She hopes readers will find this description of a small part of Waterville’s history interesting enough to look for continuations in following weeks.

Main sources

Corbett, Matthew, and Scott Hanson, National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, Waterville Main Street Historic District, Aug. 28, 2012, supplied by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission.
Plocher, Stephen, Colby College Class of 2007, A Short History of Waterville, Maine, Found on the web at Waterville-maine.gov.
Shettleworth, Earle G., Jr., and Frank A Beard, National Register of Historic Places inventory – Nomination Form, Waterville Opera House and City Hall, October 1975.
Whittemore, Rev. Edwin Carey, Centennial History of Waterville 1802-1902 (1902).

Websites, miscellaneous.

Cubs learn about outdoors

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by Chuck Mahaleris

Warden Service Sgt. Josh Bubier shows Scouts the pelt of an animal that lives in Maine’s woods while parent Chris Vincent and Cub Scout Hunter Brown listen. (photo courtesy of Chuck Mahaleris)

Cub Scouts in Vassalboro Pack #410 enjoyed meeting with members of the Maine Warden Service recently. Sgt. Josh Bubier and Warden Jake Voter took time the first week of August to discuss with the Cub Scouts the important role the Warden Service plays in protecting Maine’s unique natural outdoor heritage. According to Cub Master Christopher Santiago, the pair spent time talking about a day in the life of a game warden, what it takes to become a warden, introducing us to K-9 Koda, and showing the Cubs many different animals found here in Maine including: bobcat, red fox, raccoon, moose, black bear, otter, muskrat, possum, weasel, and fishers.

The Cubs enjoyed the entire presentation but were especially fond of meeting Game Warden K9 Koda – a four-legged hero. In May, Koda and Voter located a missing person, rescuing a 77-year-old woman who likely had spent two nights in the woods in Bremen just a few days after Koda and Voter found an 11-year old girl who had gone missing.

Santiago said, “What a great night for our Pack! A huge thank you to Sgt. Bubier and Warden Voter. Thanks to all our den leaders and parents who got the majority of our boys out to this event. We have a recruiting event at the Vassalboro family movie night which is on Saturday, August 20. I will be there around 7 p.m., and we have a recruitment event at the Vassalboro Community School open house on Tuesday, August 30 at 6 p.m.”

Vassalboro Pack welcomes parents and families of boys grades K-5.

Interested in Joining Scout Pack #410? Please contact via email: VassalboroCubScoutPack410@gmail.com.

All photos courtesy of Chuck Mahaleris.

Koda

LIFE ON THE PLAINS – The South End Arena: The era’s teen hotspot

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Arthur Gagne, right, and son Carl, standing in the South End Arena location. Note the boards around the area. (contributed photo)

by Roland D. Hallee

This week, we’re going to take a closer look at a teen hotspot during those years, 1950s and 1960s.

The South End Arena was founded by a Waterville police captain, Arthur Gagne. He had a vision to provide a place for local teens to gather in a safe and family-friendly environment.

But, the venue was not just used for winter ice sports. Prior to that, it was the site of many boxing matches held in the city. But, that was before my time.

My first experience at “Art’s”, which is what we called it, was to participate in public skating, usually on the weekends. When you first arrived, you would go into a warming shack to pay the admission fee, usually minimal – I want to say 25-cents, but my memory doesn’t quite cooperate. It was a tar-paper shack with wood shavings on the ground so your skates wouldn’t make contact with the dirt floor. There was a wood-burning stove, and the aroma of that was mesmerizing. You could smell it for blocks.

You would put on your skates, maybe socialized a bit, then go out the door onto the ice surface. The rink was Olympic size, larger than your average ice surface today. So, there was plenty of room for experienced skaters, and beginners.

Beginners would usually gather in a corner, and fall more times than they moved. The more experienced would skate around the rest of the rink. Sometimes, when Arthur wasn’t looking, we would form a human-whip. That was a blast, especially the further out you were on the line. Arthur didn’t care for us doing that because of the risk of injuries. But, we were young, enthusiastic, and maybe a little naïve as to what could happen.

Of course, later at night, after public skating ended, we would organize a pick-up hockey game. Some of Waterville’s finest hockey players came from the “South End,” affectionally known as the “Rink Rats.” We would take on all comers, and would usually prevail against challenging teams from other parts of the city. There were no bleachers around the rink. Spectators had to stand in the snowbanks, with no screens nor glass to protect them from errant pucks. You had to keep your eyes on the action.

Once the hockey was done, it was time to get down to work. In order to get in to public skating for free, you would join the scraping gang. You would grab a scraper, most of which were fabricated from old street/traffic signs with a wooden handle attached. The steel made for very thorough clearing of the snow that had accumulated from the night’s skating. Then, out came the fire hoses and the beginning to lay a fresh layer of ice, sometimes causing it to be at the arena into the early morning hours. Some would nap on the counter, and the benches in the warming shack until it was their turn to take over.

But Arthur wanted to offer more to the local teens. So, later, he constructed a building more like a ski lodge, with a small concession stand, juke box, a pool table, and, of course, a place to put on your skates to hit the ice.

You were also expected to be on your best behavior. Arthur had a zero tolerance for unacceptable conduct. I don’t quite recall what the punishment was, because we all knew what was expected of us. Not many were reprimanded.

As the years went by, and Arthur became unable to continue with what we called the “Youth Center,” until his passing, his son Carl took over. Carl had a history of playing hockey, having been the goaltender for the Waterville High School hockey team in the late 1950s.

But it was now the 1970s and times were changing. The arena soon began to deteriorate, and funding to keep it going was eliminated. Unable to continue with the financial responsibilities, the arena was closed, and passed into history.

Whenever I drive by the site of the old rink, I always think I would like to stop to take a look, to reminisce the days of my youth, but that would mean trespassing on someone’s property. To access the rink back in those days, you actually went up Arthur’s driveway to get to the shack and the rink, which were located behind his home.

For some of us, memories are all we have left of the old South End Arena.

Read more from this series here.

PHOTO: The Central Maine Youth Football Junior Camp (2022)

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The Central Maine Football Junior Camp, directed by Lawrence High School head football coach John Hersom, and Lawrence Bulldogs players, took place on July 25-27 at the Fairfield PAL Football field. (photo by Cameron Dyer, Central Maine Photography staff)

Roland’s Trivia Question for Thursday, August 18, 2022

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Trivia QuestionsWhich pitcher is the all-time saves leader for the Boston Red Sox?

Answer:

Jonathan Papelbon, 219.

OBITUARIES for Thursday, August 18, 2022

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GEORGE H. PRENTISS JR.

WINSLOW – George H. Prentiss, Jr., 99, passed away, in Waterville, on July 29, 2022. He was born in Morristown, New Jersey, on March 23, 1923, the son of the late George H. and Edna R. (Koelsch) Prentiss Sr.

Following his schooling, George served with the U.S. Navy during World War II. His employment included working at Wyndotte-Worsted Woolen Mill, in Waterville, for 10 years and retired from the Winslow school system as a custodian. He also worked part time delivering kitchens for Waterville Custom Kitchens.

George was a lifetime member of the MacCrillis-Rousseau VFW Post #8835, in Winslow, and was a member of the Clinton American Legion Post #66, in Clinton.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Sally; his second wife, Leona (Crummett) Prentiss; and his sisters, Edna Cutler, and Beatrice Abrahams.

George is survived by his sons, George T. Prentiss, and Gary R. Prentiss; his stepchildren, Lorraine Sullivan, Lawrence Hall, and Kenneth Saucier; and two grandchildren.

A graveside service with military honors was held on Tuesday, August 16, at Pine Grove Cemetery, in Belgrade.

Arrangements are in the care of Wheeler Funeral Home, 26 Church Street, Oakland, where condolences, memories, and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the website at http://www.lawrybrothers.com.

DORA L. BORAWA

ROME – Dora Leah Borawa, 92, of Rome, died peacefully on Friday, July 29, 2022. Dora was born on May 17, 1930, in Ipswich, Massachusetts, the only daughter of Donald Edward Comeau and Alice Evelyn Lee.

She was predeceased by her brothers Donald, Douglass, and Philip.

Dora moved a lot as a child and young adult, eventually moving to upstate New York as an adult. Dora married her first husband, John VanDerwerken (who survives her) on January 1, 1954, and together they had three children. After their divorce, Dora married her second husband, Chester Borawa, on October 10, 1968. They shared 43 years together until his death in 2011.

Dora never graduated from high school but was an extremely hard working woman all of her life. She retired from a long career at General Electric Company, in Schenectady, New York. After retirement, Dora and Chester moved to Sun City Center, Florida, and lived there for over 20 years – spending their summers in Maine. Dora enjoyed retirement and spent a lot of time traveling around the country and world, volunteering at South Bay Hospital and Southeastern Guide Dogs.

After Chester’s death, Dora moved to Maine to be closer to family. She spent several winters in California with her son to escape the cold Maine winter. One time she enjoyed a three week cross country trip with Roger and Jacque in their RV and another time enjoying a train ride across the country with Mark. In Maine, she loved her log cabin which was conveniently across the road from her daughter and son-in-law’s farm. Dora could be seen walking or riding her golf cart around the farm, hulling berries, peeling garlic, feeding the donkeys, and other farm jobs. She was a regular fixture at the Belgrade Lakes Farmers Market and many art/craft shows. Dora also enjoyed lighthouses, dogs, bird watching, visiting with friends, and going out to eat. Dora worshipped with her daughter at the Union Church in Belgrade Lakes, strongly reminding her that she was a Catholic!

Dora is survived by her daughter, Alice VanDerwerken (David Sprague), of Rome; her sons, Roger (Jacque) VanDerwerken, of Escondido, California, and Mark VanDerwerken, of Central Bridge, New York; daughter-in-law, Anna Vanderwerken, of Central Bridge, New York; three granddaughters, Christina (James) Fuller, of Oceanside, California, Rebecca (Ryan) O’Hare, of Albany, New York, Beth (Blad) Hernandez of Valley Center, California; three grandsons, Jordan (Manuela) VanDerwerken of New Orleans, Louisiana, Robert VanDerwerken and John (Mattea) VanDerwerken, all of Central Bridge, New York; six great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Jackie Comeau, of St. George, Utah; many nieces, nephews;

Friends and family are invited to a Memorial Service, on Saturday, August 27, 2022, at 3 p.m., at the Union Church, Main St., Belgrade Lakes, Maine.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Dan & Scott’s Cremation & Funeral Service, 488 Farmington Falls Rd., Farmington, Maine, 04938.

JOSEPH E. BOUDREAU

WATERVILLE – Joseph Edgar Aurele Boudreau, 89, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 29, 2022, in Waterville. He was born August 11, 1924, in Maria, Québec, to Edgar and Julia (Guite) Boudreau.

He worked at Maine Central Railroad until his retirement. An avid outdoorsman who loved hunting and fishing, he was presented with the very first Lifetime Outdoor Achievement Award from the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. He raised and trained Labrador retrievers, earning many trophies, medals and ribbons. He was a hunter and gatherer who loved his dogs and his gardens. If you played ice hockey in the 1970s, he most likely sharpened your skates. He was a long time member of B.P.O.E. Lodge #905, (The Elks Club), in Waterville. He loved telling the stories of his countless adventures and experiences … a life well lived.

He is survived by his children, Paul (Lucille Poulin), of Waterville, Mark (Patricia Michaud), of Waterville, Gerard (Joline St. Pierre), of Waterville, Jeanne Otis (Thomas) Waterville, David (Teresa Michaud), of Fairfield, Daniel (Cherie Murphy), of Deerfield, New Hampshire, Donald (Tina Boulette), of Sidney, Julie Capponi (David), of Fairfield, Susan Inman (Kevin), of Topsfield, Massachusetts; brother Gerard; sisters Doris, Rita, Huguette and Louise, all from Canada; many nieces and nephews; 26 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by two wives, Theresa (Roy) Boudreau and Pauline (Couture) Boudreau; sons, James and Ronald; sisters Laurette and Claire; and brother Renald.

A graveside service was held on Thursday, August 11, at St. Francis Catholic Cemetery, 78 Grove Street, Waterville.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Veilleux and Redington Funeral Home 8 Elm St., Waterville, Maine 04901.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Humane Society Waterville Area, 100 Webb Road, Waterville, 04901 or The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, 101 Silver Street, Waterville, Maine, 04901.

ROBERT YORK

BENTON – Robert York, 69, passed away on Saturday, July 30, 2022. Bob was born August 14, 1952, in Waterville, the son of William “Bill” and Nancy York.

Bob was a boy and a man full of life and love for all. He loved fiercely, his family and friends.

Bob spent his childhood years in Caratunk alongside Pleasant Pond stream and wonderful summers at Pleasant Pond.

His first jobs were washing dishes at Martin Pond Diner, in The Forks, and then working alongside his dad and brother in Bill’s sawmill.

He graduated KVMHS, the class of 1971. Bob then enlisted in the U.S. Navy, “to see the world”. He actively served from 1971-1975 and served in the Army National Guard from 1975 until retirement. From 1977 to 1979 Bob attended Washington County Vocational Technical Institute, in Calais.

His early years were spent as a lumberman cutting for Herb Haines, then in construction as a heavy equipment operator. But his greatest passion was the several years spent in his 18-wheeler providing cross country shipping throughout the United States. His great memories and stories told were that of his sons, Kenny and Walter, doing cross country trips with him.

Bob is survived by his parents, Bill and Nancy York, of Skowhegan; his children, Kenneth York, of Calais, and Walter York, of Bangor; mother to his children Joy Mercier York, of Calais; brother Walter and wife Maggie, of Skowhegan; and sister Betty and husband Jon Giguere, of Liberty.

He was predeceased by paternal grandparents, Walter and Leona York, maternal grandparents, Edwin Towne and Lillian Adams, several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Funeral services are set for Thurssday, August 18, 2022, 11 a.m., at the Federated Church, in Skowhegan. Immediately following there will be a celebration of life gathering in fellowship hall. And burial of military honors will then follow in the Webster Cemetery, at Caratunk.

LUCILLE E. ROBERGE

WATERVILLE – Lucille Evangeline (Bolduc) Roberge, 91, passed away onSunday, July 31, 2022. Born March 17, 1931, Lucille was the fourth daughter of Joseph V. Bolduc and Lucille Emily (Letourneau) Bolduc.

Lucille attended Notre Dame Catholic School, in Waterville, for eight years, four years at Waterville High School and was on the cheerleading squad. She graduated while receiving The Becker College Key for having the highest point average in the secretarial science course.

She took a job at Colby College working for the vice president and attended college courses in English and accounting. After two years at Colby College, Lucille took a job in Washington D.C. After returning home she worked for the president of WTVL radio station, in Waterville, for 26 years. Following the closing of WTVL, Lucille was hired by Mid-Maine Medical Center, in Waterville, as an administrative assistant to the chief of staff and the chairman of the various hospital departments. In 1987 she passed the exam to be the first certified medical staff coordinator in the state of Maine and retired in 1993 at the age of 62.

Lucille married James T. Roberge in 1956 and had four children.

She is survived by Melissa Hartman, of Williamsburg, John Roberge, of Mt. Vernon, James F. Roberge, of Waterville, and Andrea Daigle, of Rome; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Wednesday, August 17 at Notre Dame Church, Silver Street, in Waterville.

Lucille will be buried at Maine Veterans Cemetery at a later date.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Veilleux and Redington Funeral Home, http://www.VeilleuxFuneralHome.com.

RUSSELL CUMMINGS

SIDNEY – Russell Cummings passed away unexpectedly on Monday, August 1, 2022, at his home in Sidney.

Rusty graduated from Williams High School, in Oakland. He married his high school sweetheart, Janice M. Stevens, on February 24, 1967. Together they raised three children, Angela, Brook, and Chad.

Throughout his lifetime Rusty embarked on multiple occupations. Out of high school he worked for Hazard Shoe Shop, in Augusta. Then went on to work for Mobil, in Waterville, as an attendant. Rusty was also a boxing promoter and manager. Rusty wheeled-and-dealed as a livestock dealer for many years. His family never knew what he would unload from the truck to add to the farm.

Rusty loved his volunteer work as a basketball and baseball coach to many youngsters in the community. They had many years of undefeated seasons. Rusty and Janice took over ownership of Cummings Boarding Home for adults with special needs during the ‘70s.

He was an avid hunter, trapper and became a Registered Master Maine Guide. He guided many hunters in successful hunts through his company, Big Country Guide Services. Over the years many of those hunters became like family. Rusty loved his hunting hounds, Queenie being one of his favorites and later his spoiled beagle, Foxie, whom he took with him everywhere. At his orders, she will be buried with him.

He then went on to start Cummings Bait Shop, and Cummings Greenhouse and Vegetables with his wife Janice. During this time, he also bought a hot dog stand “Boss Hogg’s Dogs”, in Oakland. Which was coincidentally one of his favorite foods along with lobster.

In his retirement years, Rusty enjoyed going to the fairs and shows during the summer with his grandchildren and prize show goats.

Rusty lived his life his way!

He was predeceased by his parents Russell and Marilyn (Keene) Cummings, grandson Zachary Cummings, and a brother Ronnie Cummings.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Janice; daughter, Angela and husband Nathan Philbrick; sons, Brook and wife Laurie Cummings, and Chad Cummings and partner Heather Doucette, all of Sidney; his grandchildren Nicholas and wife Jessica Cummings, Blake and wife Lydia Philbrick, Brady and wife Hope Philbrick, Noah, Hannah, and Logan Cummings, Dylan Gagne, and Avery Redlevske, all of Sidney, and Samantha Veilleux, of Mercer; great-grandchildren Nathan, Drew, and Maisey Philbrick, and Madelyn Cummings, all of Sidney, and Clayton, Gabrielle and Everett Vielleux, of Mercer; his brother, Richard Cummings, of Rome; many nieces, nephews, cousins.

A graveside memorial will be held at Reynolds Hill Cemetery, in Sidney, Sunday, August 21, 2022, at 2 p.m.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at directcremationofmaine.com.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Ronald McDonald House of Maine in memory of Rusty.

EMILY L. GOOD

ALEXANDRIA, Louisiana – Emily Louise Good, 95, passed away on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, at the home of her son, Stephen H. Good, in Alexandria, Louisiana. Emily was born July 24, 1927, in Newport, to Harold and Ernena ( Cornforth) Huse.

She graduated from Newport High school in 1946. After graduating from the University of Maine in 1950, Emily started her career as a dietitian at the Sister’s Hospital, in Waterville.

Emily married Charles Richard Good on Oct. 7, 1950. Jim was born in 1951; Steve in 1953. She worked part-time until her husband passed away in 1962. At that time, she went to work as a dietitian at Thayer Hospital, in Waterville.

Emily met her dear friend, George Leavitt, in the late ‘60s. The were close companions and spend a great deal of time with family at George’s camp.

Emily would rarely go right home after work. She was famous for visiting her loved ones in her hospital uniform bringing vegetables from the local farm stand and toy and goodies to the little ones.

Emily loved animals. She always had at least one cat and a dog, but usually more. She had a bird feeder in her backyard and loved watching the birds and other wildlife.

She loved her work, but eventually retired at 68. Even after retirement, she maintained the friendships she had developed over her working years,

Emily was such a cheerful, up-beat person; people wanted to be around her. She was genuinely interested and inquisitive about others. It didn’t matter if you were family or a stranger.

Emily was predeceased by her husband, Charles Richard Good in 1962.

Emily is survived by her two sons, James Good and wife Darcey, of Winslow, and Stephen Good and his wife Debbie, of Boyce, Louisiana; three granddaughters, Charlie Good, of Alexandria, Louisiana, Serena Good, of Winslow, and Stevie Fowlkes, of Boyce, Louisiana; four great- grandchildren, Benjamin and Dianne Good of Alexandria, Louisiana, and Henderson and Corbin Fowlkes, of Boyce, Louisiana.; a sister, Marilyn McDowell, of Roca, Nebraska; and two nieces, Patty Rabbass, of Hickman, Nebraaska and Peggy Bugaring of Broomfield, Colorado.

Visitation will be held Saturday August 20, from 10 a.m. to noon, with a burial to follow at Pine Grove Cemetery, in Waterville.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Veilleux and Redington Funeral Home 8 Elm St. Waterville ME 04901.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Emily’s name to the Kennebec Humane Shelter.

ADAM T. ZIBURA

WINDSOR – Adam Thomas Zibura, 33, passed away on Thursday, August 4, 2022. Adam was born on March, 25, 1989, in Portland, to Hope Marx Zibura and Paul Zibura.

He received his associates degree from Kennebec Valley Community College, in Fairfield, in 2010, and graduated from Thomas College, in Waterville, in 2013, with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. He worked at the Kennebec County Correctional Facility as a corrections officer for several years before taking a position as a Public Safety Communications Specialist (dispatcher) for the Maine State Police.

As a dispatcher, Adam truly found his calling in life. He had a natural talent for helping people and he saved countless lives through his work. His selflessness continued in his efforts as a volunteer firefighter with the Windsor Fire Department. Adam loved listening to his police scanner to stay up to date on any emergencies in the area that required assistance. He was always the first person on the scene to a car crash, fire, or other emergency and he never hesitated to be there – in any weather, and any time of night. His passion for helping others and improving his community will be remembered forever.

Adam was also known for his wonderful sense of humor and ability to make people laugh in any setting or situation. He had a passion for Boston sports, pickup trucks, first responder vehicles with lights and sirens, and animals. He loved caring for his horse, Beamer, and was adamant about having rescue pets to ensure those animals had a wonderful home. Adam will be remembered for his eternal optimism, jokes and lighthearted pranks, and unique ability to spread his joy and happiness everywhere he went.

Adam is survived by his wife, Angelia “Lia”; his twin sister, Ashley; his brother-in-law, Brad; his parents, Hope and Paul, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

A funeral service was held on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, at 11 a.m., at Plummer Funeral Home, 983 Ridge Road, Windsor, Maine 04363.

Condolences, stories, and photos may be shared by visiting http://www.plummerfh.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the following charities in Adam’s honor: the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society, The Pixel Fund, and the Kennebec Valley Humane Society.

CARLTON R. CAREY

WATERVILLE – Carlton R. Carey, 87, of Waterville, passed away unexpectedly at a local hospital on Thursday, August 4, 2022. He was born in Albion on June 21, 1935, to Louis J. Carey and Eva Mae (Libby) Carey.

Following his high school graduation he married the love of his life Carolyn Duplessis, of Fairfield. They shared 64 years of marriage and raised four children together.

In 1953 Carl’s father Louis purchased Kennebec Building Supply, in Waterville. Carl and his father worked closely together until 1988 when Louis passed away. Carl continued working there with his son until 2012 when he retired.

Carl was a life time member of the Waterville Elks Lodge #905. He served on a number of committees and looked forward to working at the Bingo games when he could.

He was an avid outdoorsman and loved hunting and fishing. He would look forward to the moose drawing every year even though he’d been picked three times in the past 20 years. He couldn’t wait for spring fishing and enjoyed the trips to Moosehead Lake. But most of all he looked forward to family gatherings at home where he loved to barbeque and spend time with his grandchildren.

He was kind, generous, and friendly to everyone he met. Carl had a great sense of humor and will be missed by all.

Carl was predeceased by his wife, Carolyn, his brothers, Alan Carey, Dan Carey and David Carey, and his sister Mary Carey.

He is survived by his son Carl (Casey) Carey and his wife Alice Schlosser, of Vassalboro; three daughters, Eva Goulette, of Waterville, Gale Mahoney, of Willimantic, Connecticut, and Lynne Boyd, of Saco; five grandchildren and their families, Geoff Boyd, Jamie Beaulieu, Chelsea Boyd, Casey Mahoney and Sarah Mahoney; his sister Margaret Soucy and her husband Lester; his brother Paul Carey and his wife Patty; his companion Laurali Bonney; as well as several nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, August 22, at Notre Dame Church, 116 Silver St., Waterville. Burial will follow at Saint Francis Cemetery, 78 Grove Street, Waterville, Maine. A reception will be held at Notre Dame Church after the burial.

Arrangements are under the direction and care of Gallant Funeral Home, 10 Elm Street, Waterville.

An online guestbook may be signed, condolences and memories shared at http://www.gallantfh.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Humane Society Waterville Area, 100 Webb Rd., Waterville, ME 04901, http://www.hswa.org

ROGER B. GAGNON

OAKLAND – Roger B. Gagnon, of Oakland, passed away at his home on Tuesday, August 9, 2022. Roger was born on December 30, 1939, in Etchemin, Québec, Canada, the son of Leo Gagnon and Camille Chabot.

In 1958, Roger came to the United States to play semi-pro hockey for the Waterville Exchange Club Bruins. After the Bruins he played for the Lewiston semi-pro hockey team. He played until the age of 61.

He also worked for various contractors before going to school at Eastern Maine Vocational Technical Institute, in Bangor, in 1965-1966 to become a machinist. He graduated from Eastern Maine Vocational-Technical Center (EMVTI), with highest honors and was his class Valedictorian. He later went to work for Keyes Fibre Company (now Huhtamaki), in Waterville, where he was employed for 35 years, retiring in 2012.

Roger was predeceased by his parents, Leo Gagnon and Camille Chabot; and his brother, Gervais Gagnon, all of Etchemin.

He is survived by his wife, Mae Landry; his two sons, Sean Gagnon and Stephen Gagnon; three grandchildren, Devin, Dylan, and Hunter Gagnon; his two sisters, Roberte, of Lac Etchemin, and Annine Vachon, of Winslow; many nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 20, 2022, at Lewis Cemetery, in Oakland.

Arrangements are in the care of Mid Maine Cremation Services (207)453-6006.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Roger’s memory may be made to New England Division, American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701.