YESTERDAY …
10 years ago — Sept. 11, 2004
(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)
BREWER — A unique partnership between working union members, farmers and the Greater Bangor Area Central Labor Council has formed this year and is one reason why locally grown fresh vegetables are on the tables of displaced union workers.
In the spring, several local unions and at least one person contributed $250 each for one share of locally grown produce. Each share provides enough fresh vegetables to feed two or three people a week.
INDIAN ISLAND — Federal, regional and local housing officials met with members of the Penobscot Nation as part of an outreach tour to learn about the needs and successes of Maine American Indians when it comes to housing.
Chief Barry Dana, members of the tribal council, Indian Island Housing Authority Director Craig Sanborn and members of the island’s housing committee told Michael Liu, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development assistant secretary for public and Indian housing, and regional and local HUD officials about housing projects in the works and shared their needs and concerns for a future gathering.
During the visit, HUD officials said they were impressed with the tribe’s assisted-living facility, which is being built across the road from the Indian Island Elementary School.
25 years ago — Sept. 11, 1989
BANGOR — Knowing John Rice’s strong dislike for lawn ornaments, his family arranged for the yard of the Rice residence in Bangor to be thick with such artifacts on the occasion of Rice’s 40th birthday. The ornaments were put into place on Mount Desert Drive under cover of darkness to provide the morning surprise.
OLD TOWN — James W. Sewall Co. in Old Town will soon move into its $1.5 million addition, scheduled to be completed Dec. 1. Joseph Sewall, chairman of the board of the company, said that although the engineering firm was not expanding its services, it had outgrown its current facility. As a result, Sewall said, company space has expanded with the purchase of the old Temple Israel Synagogue building and the construction of the 10,000-square-foot addition.
BANGOR — The 12th annual Bangor Gun Show drew a large crowd, according to the coordinator of the event.
Donna Fransen said the number of people at the show was not a record, but that approximately 3,200 people attended the event at the Bangor Auditorium.
Among the 250 tables were some new dealers and some that Fransen said surprised her. Some younger people have become dealers and many brought their families.
The show, sponsored by the Bangor Daily News Charities Inc., provides funds for charities in the NEWS circulation area, including Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics and many others.
HAMPDEN — Town Manager Marie Baker said that town officials were doing their best to notify residents of the new firearms discharge ordinance that restricts areas where shooting may be done.
The area in which discharge is prohibited is the more densely populated section of town bounded by the Penobscot River the length of the shoreline and beginning at Route 1A at Hopkins Road in the south section, going up Kennebec Road to the railroad tracks and along the tracks to Route 9. From Route 9 and the railroad tracks, the boundary goes east to Route 202 to the Bangor city line.
50 years ago — Sept. 11, 1964
BANGOR — Bangor Mayor Nicholas P. Brountas announced he would be a candidate for a second three-year term on the Bangor City Council. Brountas is completing his first term on the council after being elected in 1961.
Brountas has served as council chairman the past year. He is a Bangor attorney in a local law firm.
He was educated in Bangor public schools and graduated from the University of Maine and Yale Law School.
He served in the Pacific and Far East Theaters with the Fifth Air Force during World War II.
BANGOR — If the summer’s voter registration efforts are an indication of what will happen in the November election, the Democrats will have a little the better of it in Bangor.
From May through August the Democrats registered nine more voters than the Republicans, 249 to 240. At the same time, 101 non-preference voters registered.
As of the June primary Bangor had 13,349 voters on its voter list. Republicans outnumbered the Democrats, 7901 to 4,204. Non-preference voters numbers 1,244.
100 years ago — Sept. 11, 1914
BREWER — The foot path on the bridge finally has been completed and is open to pedestrians who are most highly appreciative of the fact they no longer are obliged to wade through the “slough of despond” at the end of the bridge.
Persons wishing to take a car [trolley] for South Brewer still have use for their water wings because of a law of nature that determines that drainage of water only is possible where an outlet is furnished.
As it is now, there are only a few days out of each month when navigation is at all safe on any part other than the foot path.
ORONO — Two striking and equally impressive announcements were made at the largest Republican rally ever held in the town of Orono. One of them was given by Col. F.H. Parkhurst, chairman of the Republican State committee, and the other by former Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks of Indiana.
At the conclusion of his remarks, Col. Parkhurst declared that a careful canvass of the state of Maine showed that the Republicans would elect their governor, a majority in the Legislature, three congressmen, and had more than an even chance of replacing McGillicuddy with Sewall in the Second District. He said victory for the Republicans is assured.
Sen. Fairbanks declared, among other things, that the very foundations of republican government in this country are threatened by the conduct of the present administration. Never before in the history of the Nation has a chief executive exercised such powers over legislation and held such dictatorial sway over Congress than President Wilson.
BREWER — M.M. Kelley, the proprietor of the millinery business in North Main Street, is closing out the business and is to hold an auction sale. A millinery college was carried on as part of the business of which Mrs. Kelley was the instructor.
Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin