YESTERDAY …
10 years ago — July 24, 2004
(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)
NEWBURGH — As the sun beat down on steamy New Hampshire international Speedway, K.K. Craven was cradled in her husband Ricky’s arms in a tender embrace as they enjoyed watching Nextel cup qualifying atop the PPI Motorsports Tide no. 32 transporter.
It was less than 24 hours after it was announced Craven and PPI motorsports would part company after this season.
The 38-year-old Craven didn’t let the decision bother him as he drove 130.981 mph to qualify 10th for the Siemens 300 Nextel Cup race. It was his best qualifying effort in 30 races dating back to last year when he qualified eighth for the Mountain Dew Southern 500 at Darlington.
25 years ago — July 24, 1989
OLD TOWN — The forest fire danger level throughout Maine has reached levels that make the state’s lands ripe for burning, according to the ranger at the Regional Fire Control Center in Old Town.
Ranger Kendall Allen said that most zones in the state had reached three on a scale of five on the Class Days index, which, by gauging wind and dryness, measures the level of fire danger. The higher the number, the higher is the danger of fire. The only exception was Zone Five, in the Greenville area, which registered a four, he said.
Whereas in the spring, plans change from brown to green and lower the chance of fire, that has changed with the recent hot weather, he said, and the forest floor was beginning to dry out.
50 years ago — July 24, 1964
BANGOR — A1C Franklin D. Bothwick of Bangor has been awarded the Airman’s Medal following his rescue of a Vietnamese civilian under harrowing circumstances, according to Air Force officials.
The incident occurred while Bothwick was on weekend leave in Vung Tau, south of Saigon. Upon being informed that a civilian was caught in an undertow, Bothwick entered the water and swam 300 feet to rescue the man, an Air Force statement disclosed. This feat was performed despite the fact that Bothwick had a broken and swollen toe.
The Bangor airman, now visiting relatives here [in Bangor], is attached to the 917th Helicopter Detachment. He is a 10-year veteran of the Air Force.
HAMPDEN — The Hampden Garden Club will sponsor a children’s Penny Flower Show in connection with the Senior Penny Flower Show to be held at Harmony Hall. All children 12 years and under are invited to enter arrangements in one or all of the following classes: kitchen, wildflower, dining room and living room.
The committee for the junior show includes Sally Taylor, Heidi Rawcliffe, Mary Beth Condon and Tami Rawcliffe.
BANGOR — Teddy Higgins is an industrious lad of 12 years who is studying these summer months for a Life Scout badge in Dow The AFB Troop Five.
Teddy, who lives with his parents, Maj. and Mrs. Preston Higgins, at 94 Randolph Drive, Capehart, took time out from his busy schedule to relax on the shores of Kenduskeag Stream just above Bull’s Eye Bridge. Having little luck with the fish, Ted’s eyes began to roam and he spotted two small wires, one red, the other green, sticking out from the rocks. He gave little thought to the wires at the time.
Later, while glancing through his book on safety he noticed pictures of wires similar to those he had seen at the stream. He identified them as detonator wires for dynamite.Ted told his mother that the police should be called.
Sgt. John Welch and patrolman Bernard Welch and Roger Bryce went to the scene and with careful probing discovered near the wires four sticks of dynamite.
Demolition crews from Dow AFB were called to the scene and the dynamite was exploded.
BANGOR — Bangor senior police officer patrolman John H. Kennedy, 65, badge number 101, turned over his number to the department’s new senior member after 34 years on the force, 20 of them patroling Pickering Square.
A native of Bangor, Kennedy attended the Abraham Lincoln School and Bangor High School where he played football, basketball and baseball.
He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1918 and served on the transport USS Willemina bringing troops back from France until 1919. Before joining the police force he was a railway express clerk in Bangor.
Kennedy’s badge number 101 now will passed to the senior man on the list, who is patrolman James H. Kelleher.
ORONO — 50 unique collector’s items of graphic arts by Pablo Picasso are now on exhibit at the University of Maine Art Gallery in Carnegie Hall on the Orono campus. This literal giant of modern art is one of the few still living who pioneered the advance of modern trends in the early decades of the 20th century. Although this world renowned master is now 83, Picasso still produces works at a rate which never ceases to amaze those who have followed his long career.
The show is being held in connection with the Summer Arts Festival at the university this month.
100 years ago — July 24, 1914
OLD TOWN — Two years ago this month, Maine was made famous in athletics by Andrew Sockalexis, the Old Town Indian runner. Although he finished in fourth position, he received more cheering along the course and at the finish than any other runner in the race.
One fatality occurred in this race, the man representing Portugal dying the next morning.
Sockalexis finished strong at the time but the strain told on his wonderful constitution as shown in his last race, attempted at Maplewood Park, Memorial Day, 1913, when he fell three times and had to be carried from the field.
The game man made a game attempt in his last run and is making that same game attempt to recover his health in the sanitarium at Hebron.
The Sockalexis committee intend to interview the merchants of Bangor and vicinity today [about holding a benefit for Sockalexis]. It is a good cause. Help it along.
ORONO — Mike Driscoll, the University of Maine pitcher, who figured in a no-hit, no run game against Winthrop gave notice to the management of the Gardiner baseball team yesterday that he will probably not be seen on the diamond again this season. He has been a sufferer from indigestion for some time and desires to get into condition again. The team is fortunate in having one or two other box men.
BREWER — What might have been a sad accident was averted by the prompt action of Mr. Joseph Ronco who happened to be in the vicinity and responded quickly to the cry for help. Some small boys were playing in the Segeunkdunk stream just above the cement dam, when Frank Brean got into deep water and, not being able to swim, sank. The other children could not render the assistance needed and ran for help. Mr. Ronco, living nearby, hearing the cry, ran and plunged into the stream, grasping the lad as he was going down for the third time. This should be a warning to small boys to keep away from the water unless older ones accompany them.
BREWER — A big auto truck painted yellow in advertising Armour and Co. has been attracting considerable attention in town this week as it visited the different grocery stores.
Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin