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A D AY W I T H T H E

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March 2017

U.S. BORDER

PATROL

BY JOSH ARCHER

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CONTENTS

MARCH 2017

FEATURES 26 TRAVIS CYR Shaking up music in northern Maine 36 BORDER CONTROL Spending time with U.S. Border Patrol agents 44 THE LOBSTER CAPITAL A visit to Rockland, the lobster capital

IN EVERY ISSUE 08 WHAT’S HAPPENING Local news & sightings

26

TRAVIS CYR

36

BORDER CONTROL

24 Q&A Meet Noah Carver, a 13-year-old DJ 64 HOME Landscaping by the season 70 TRANSITIONS Building strength and camaraderie

Page 26

2 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

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U.S. BORDER

PATROL

BY JOSH ARCHER

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BY JOY

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March 2017

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PHOTOS: (TOP) COURTESY OF TRAVIS CYR; (BELOW) JOSH ARCHER

Travis Cyr is making music in The County.

A D AY W I T H T H E

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ON THE COVER

BANGOR • HOULTON • MONROE • TRENTON • BLUE HILL • DAMARISCOTTA • SOUTH PORTLAND • CAMDEN • WINTERPORT • HAMPDEN • BRADLEY • ORON

72 LAST WORD Chris Quimby’s a daydream believer

PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) ROBIN CLIFFORD WOOD; RIDOFRANZ/ THINKSTOCK; LINDA COAN O’KRESIK; MATT CHABE; SCOTT HINDS; JODI HERSEY

BUSINESS

HEALTH

FOOD & DRINK

16 FAMOUS POTATOES Tasty new spud takes hold in Maine

20 SKIN DEEP Taking care of your skin during winter

50 IN SEASON NOW: POTATOES A tasty recipe for potato carrot hash

18 70 YEARS’ GROWTH Sprague’s Nursery celebrates seven decades of business

22 DANCERS AGAINST CANCERS Medway native pens inspirational children’s book

52 WHAT’S FOR SUPPER Get a home-cooked meal, delivered

ARTS & MUSIC

OUTDOORS

FAMILY

56 SEEING THE UNSEEN Finding beauty in the familiar

60 DRIVEN TO CAST OFF Hooking the big championship

66 LEARNING CURVE Meet Hermon’s Junior Ski Patrol

58 PERSPECTIVES The photography of Dave Cox

62 MOOSE TRACKS Hunters legal questions are answered

68 BONDING TIME The bond between grandparents and kids benefits everyone www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 3

EDITOR’S NOTE

When I first met Travis Cyr at the photo shoot for this month’s cover story, he was gracious, humble and effusive: “Thank you so much for this opportunity,” he said upfront with a hearty handshake.

“I don’t normally do things like this, because it’s all about the music.

But I couldn’t pass this up.”

Later, while interviewing Rebecca Krupke, the focus of this month’s Arts & Music feature, in her Bangor studio, I received a similar vibe—surprise and delight that we’d think to do a story about her and her work. “Thank you,” she said, “for coming out to do a story about me.”

I’M NOT OFTEN TAKEN ABACK, BUT THESE INSTANCES DID IT. From my perspective, I should be the one thanking them. As I see it, my job here is to bring us all a little closer, to shed light on the people that move the gears, on the stuff that makes our communities tick. (Ideally, we do it with a little pizazz, as well.)

Krupke, Cyr and the rest of our feature subjects—this month and all months—are real people doing real, impactful things. Sometimes, “real and impactful” means protecting our Canadian border while the rest of the nation looks to the Mexican one. Other times, it means giving us a different way of looking at life’s details.

Most anyone here in Maine can tell you we’ve got our own little version of “the six degrees of separation.” To you, the people we feature could be friends, friends-of-friends, neighbors, or simply strangers passing in the night. But after reading about them in Bangor Metro, I hope you’ve been brought just a little bit closer than you were before.

MATT CHABE, SENIOR EDITOR

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE COVER PHOTO SHOOT WITH TRAVIS CYR AT STILL WATERS STUDIOS IN LITTLETON. 4 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

www.bangormetro.com P.O. Box 1329 Bangor, Maine 04402-1329 Phone: 207.990.8000

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Richard J. Warren

SENIOR EDITOR

Matt Chabe mchabe@bangordailynews.com

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6 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS

Joshua Archer

Emily Burnham

Sarah Walker Caron

Bob Duchesne

Anne Gabianelli

Jodi Hersey

Joy Hollowell

Jeff Kirlin

Chris Quimby

Richard Shaw

Robin Clifford Wood

Bangor Metro Magazine. March 2017, Vol. 13, No. 3.

Copyright Š Bangor Publishing Company.

Bangor Metro is published 12 times annually by Bangor Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

This magazine may not be reproduced in whole or part in any form without the written permission of the Publisher.

Bangor Metro is mailed at standard rates from Portland, Maine.

Opinions expressed in either the editorial or advertisements do not represent the opinions of the staff or publisher of Bangor Metro magazine. Advertisers and event sponsors or their agents are responsible for copyrights and accuracy of all material they submit.

Bangor Metro magazine to the best of its ability ensures the acuracy of information printed in the publication.

Inquiries and suggestions are welcome and encouraged. Letters to the editor, story suggestions, and other reader input will be subject to Bangor Metro’s unrestricted right to edit and publish in the magazine both in print and online.

Editorial: Queries should be sent to Matt Chabe at mchabe@bangordailynews.com.

Advertising: For advertising questions, please call the Print Sales Manager Todd Johnston at 207-990-8134.

Subscriptions/Address Change: A one year subscription cost is $24.95. Address changes: to ensure delivery, subscribers must notify the magazine of address changes one month in advance of the cover date. Please contact Fred Stewart at 207-990-8075.

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COVER PHOTO: Gary Farnham/Still Waters Studio

Looking for

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Find Ideas on our online

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

MARCH 2-7 Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Race

MARCH MARCH 1-12 MAINE RESTAURANT WEEK

Maine Restaurant Week is your annual opportunity to try out one of Maine’s countless amazing restaurants for a reasonable price.

Restaurants all over the state (though clustered in southern Maine) offer three-course meal deals at several price tiers — from super fancy to casual. For a full list of participating restaurants as well as other special events, visit mainerestaurantweek.com. mainerestaurantweek.com

MARCH 4 EMMC WINTER BEACH BALL CROSS INSURANCE CENTER

One of the most fun and fancy events held each year in the Queen City is the Eastern Maine Medical Center Auxiliary’s annual Winter Beach Ball, a little slice of summer near the end of a long cold winter. Tickets for this party — which benefits the many good things going on at the hospital, and features venerable Maine cover band Motor Booty Affair — are available via the EMMC Auxiliary website, emmc.org/Auxiliary. emmc.org/auxiliary 8 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

MARCH 4 THE SWEETBACK SISTERS AND GIRLS, GUNS AND GLORY STRAND THEATRE, ROCKLAND

Two wonderful rockabilly and Americana bands take over the Strand Theatre stage in early March. Sweetback Sisters Emily Miller and Zara Bode may not be blood relations, but their precise, family-style harmonies recall the best of rock and country music from the 1950s and 60s. Girls, Guns and Glory members Ward Hayden (vocals/ guitar), Paul Dilley (bass/piano), Josh Kiggans (percussion), and Chris Hersch (guitar/ banjo) find musical inspiration from ’50s rock ‘n’ roll icons such as Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran, and Buddy Holly, as well as country greats like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash.

MARCH 10-11 AND MARCH 24-25 MAINE DRAMA FESTIVAL

Just as the basketball tournaments are a big deal for athletes, so is the Maine Drama Festival for actors and artists. Each year, schools all over the state host drama departments, which bring their one-act play productions to compete in both regional and state levels competitions. It’s also a

great opportunity to see a lot of theater, all in one place. Google the Maine Drama Festival to see where performances take place.

MARCH 2-7 CAN-AM CROWN INTERNATIONAL SLED DOG RACE MUSH! Each year, hundreds of sled dogs and their mushers descend on Fort Kent for the Can-Am Crown, a series of three-dog sled races — 30, 100 and 250 miles — that tests the mettle of dog and human alike. Races start and end in Fort Kent, and there are lots of other festivities in the community around the races. It’s the race’s 25th anniversary this year, too, so expect some extra celebration.

For more information, can-am-crown.net. can-am-crown.net

MARCH 4 AND 5 BANGOR SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS THE MUSIC OF STAR WARS COLLINS CENTER FOR THE ARTS

The Bangor Symphony Orchestra presents music from “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” with The Music of Star Wars.

It’s the music you love from the movies that

PHOTOS: BDN FILE

EVENTS

continue to inspire generations of devoted fans. The program includes fan favorites with Lucas Richman leading audiences on a journey through John Williams’ iconic scores. Tickets and $19 to $39 for youth, $29 to $49 for adults; available online at collinscenterforthearts.com. collinscenterforthearts.com

MARCH 16-APRIL 2 PENOBSCOT THEATRE’S “PAPERMAKER” BANGOR OPERA HOUSE

During a paper mill strike in a small Maine town, the lives of two families collide and tensions rise around a company CEO and a man building a wooden ark in his yard. Criss-crossing the lines between workers and management, Maine novelist Monica Wood’s first play is a revealing drama about family, loyalty, and the dignity and tragedy of mill-town life.

MARCH 10 TALK BY AUTHOR MICHAEL FINKEL BANGOR PUBLIC LIBRARY

MARCH 1-12 Maine Restaurant Week

The Bangor Daily News’ latest Dirigo Speaks event is a panel discussion with

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 9

EVENTS

WHAT’S HAPPENING

MARCH 17-19 Maine Science Festival

MARCH 11 AND 12 PROFESSIONAL BULL RIDERS BLUDEF TOUR CROSS INSURANCE CENTER

For two nights, the best up and coming bull riders in the world will be battling the fiercest bovine athletes the sport has to offer, who weigh nearly 2,000 pounds each, more than 10 times their cowboy counterparts. Tickets for each of these two nights of rodeo-style fun starts at $17 and go up to $57; for information, visit crossinsurancecenter.com. crossinsurancecenter.com

MARCH 17 CALADH NUA COLLINS CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, Irish band 10 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

Caladh Nua is set for the Collins Center. Collectively, the band is a tightly-knit, vibrant, and staggeringly talented group of musicians with their origins deeply rooted in the Southern counties of Ireland. Comprising of five versatile musicians and singers playing a wide selection of instruments – from banjo to fiddle, guitar to bodhran and tin whistle to button accordion – the band has captured the essential qualities of traditional Irish music and balanced them finely with an innovative styling. Tickets are available online at collinscenterforthearts.com. collinscenterforthearts.com

MARCH 17-19 MAINE SCIENCE FESTIVAL CROSS INSURANCE CENTER

The Maine Science Festival (MSF) is a celebration of science and technology, designed to capture the excitement and energy found at art and film festivals. It takes place throughout Bangor, providing a weekend of events, exhibits, hands-on activities, lectures, and facilitated discussions with broadly accessible themes designed to engage and excite. The keynote event for the weekend is a live broadcast of NPR’s comedy podcast “You’re the Expert,” set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 18 at Hampden Academy.

MARCH 24-26 BDN MAINE GARDEN SHOW CROSS INSURANCE CENTER

The fifth annual BDN Maine Garden Show, once again at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, is bigger and better than ever.

Expect lots of vendors, demonstrations, tasty food, live music, and, of course, beautiful flowers. Admission is $8, free for kids 12 and under; for information, visit bdnmainegardenshow.com. bdnmainegardenshow.com

MARCH 25 BAR HARBOR COMIC-CON ATLANTIC OCEANSIDE EVENTS CENTER, BAR HARBOR

Featuring live music, artists, authors, illustrators, gaming, vendors, cosplay and more. This event is a fundraiser for the Park Street Playground Project. Admittance fee is a cash/check donation to the Park Street Playground Project, a suggestion of $5 per person or $15 per family (only a suggestion, not adhered prices - give what you can). There will also be a raffle and silent auction to benefit the playground.

For more information, like Bar Harbor Comic Con on Facebook.

PHOTO: JEFF KIRLIN/THE THING OF THE MOMENT

author Michael Finkel, who has written a book about the man better known as the North Pond Hermit. In 1986, 20-yearold Christopher Knight left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the woods. He would not have a conversation with another human being until nearly three decades later when he was arrested for stealing food. Finkel’s talk is set for 5:30 p.m.; tickets are available on Event Brite.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 11

EVENTS

SIGHTINGS

HERE’S A LOOK AT JUST A FEW SPECIAL EVENTS FROM THE PAST MONTH...

PHOTOS BY JEFF KIRLIN, THE THING OF THE MOMENT

1 1 & 2: Amanda Marie Thomas and Amy Blackstone (photo 1) and others yuk it up at the Winter Wigout Dance Party at 58 Main in downtown Bangor.

3: Pious Ali, Bangor Mayor Joe Baldacci, and Jim Lysen

2 3

12 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

4

at the Maine People’s Alliance Maine Immigration Unity Rally at the Franco Center in Lewiston recently.

4: The crowd at the Maine Immigration Unity Rally in Lewiston.

Stroke of Genius!

It’s our Arts & Culture issue!

Take our Pop Quiz online for your chance to win a free subscription to Bangor Metro.

1 2

1: Sheri Burns Bryant, Dan Bryant and their family attend Brewer Kiwanis Make a Wish Under The Stars Gala recently.

2: The Brewer Kiwanis have presented MakeA-Wish Maine with $91,000 over the past 4 years. The event is corporately sponsored by Machias Savings Bank, The Darlings Family

of Dealerships, Bernatche Autobody, Maher Heating, and Bangor Air Inc. 3: Patrick Gaetani, Tori Gaetani, Betty-Jo Moulton, Joe Oliver, Novilla Hayward Rollins and Joe B. Rollins enjoy the Brewer Kiwanis Make a Wish Under The Stars Gala.

3

Visit our Bangor Metro Facebook page to play online! www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 13

BUSINESS

BIZ BUZZ

ON THE MOVE Rudman Winchell, Counselors at Law in Bangor, Maine is proud to announce that ALLISON A. ECONOMY has been elected as a Partner at the firm.

Allison focuses her practice on litigation and creditors’ rights matters. She has handled a wide variety of cases in state, federal, and bankruptcy courts, ranging from disagreements between business partners to complex construction disputes.

Prior to joining Rudman Winchell, she practiced with Stites & Harbison, PLLC in Nashville, Tennessee. She has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star for 2013-2016.

PETER SULLIVAN, MBA, RN-BC, Birch Bay Retirement Village’s Director of Health & Resident Services, has been awarded board certification in Gerontological Nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the country’s leading agency in nurse certification. As with physicians, board certification is the “gold standard” of quality, and recognizes a high level of knowledge, skill, and professional achievement in a specialty area of nursing.

ANNE MARIE L. STOREY, a partner at the Bangor Law firm Rudman Winchell, was recently announced as the incoming Board President of the Bangor YMCA. She succeeds Rich Armstrong of Snowman Printing in the position.

JEANNA DETOUR has joined the CES, Inc., team as Senior Engineering Technician in their Brewer office. Jeanna brings nearly 30 years of experience in site layout, building design, traffic analysis, and environmental, site, and building permitting on local, state and federal levels. A native of Mapleton, she has worked in the greater Bangor region for her professional career assisting both private and public clients.

COURSESTORM, INC., featured in Bangor Metro’s Feb. 2017 issue, was recently selected as one of five “Breakthrough” companies in the latest LearnLaunch accelerator program in Boston. CourseStorm was selected as one of more than 400 companies vying for the opportunity to join the accelerator.

14 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

CATHERINE HAMEL, Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Bangor and JASON PARENT, Executive Director of the Aroostook County Action Program, were recently named fellows along with ten others in the The John T. Gorman Foundation’s second class of the John T. Gorman Fellowship, a leadership program in Maine for exceptional nonprofit and public sector professionals.

MADISON TAYLOR of Maranacook Community High School has been accepted into the prestigious Normandy: Sacrifice for Freedom Albert H. Small Student & Teacher Institute. Along with Maranacook Community High School teacher SHANE GOWER, Taylor will embark on a yearlong course of study that concludes with a journey to Normandy, France to honor a WWII Silent Hero who died during or after the D-Day landings.

The BUCKSPORT ARTS FESTIVAL has partnered with the new non-profit MAIN STREET BUCKSPORT, whose mission is to promote a vibrant downtown Bucksport by supporting existing businesses, attracting new businesses, and supporting cultural arts events.

AWARDS Bangor Police Officer JASON MCAMBLEY was recently announced as the 2016 recipient of the Chief Don Winslow Community Service Award.

The 22-year veteran officer has served the citizens of Bangor, Maine for the last 16 years. McAmbley is the Bangor Police Department’s community relations officer and is currently assigned to the Special Response Team.

The Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce, Presque Isle Elks Lodge, Presque Isle Kiwanis Club and Presque Isle Rotary Clubs recently recognized local residents and organizations at their Annual Awards Dinner recently. RICHARD “DICK” HALLETT received the Lifetime Achievement Award; Deborah Gray, owner of Life By Design, received the Citizen of the Year award; Governor’s Restaurant & Bakery was recognized as Business of the Year as they celebrate their 20th anniversary of opening the Presque Isle

location; and Jim McKenney received The President’s Award. The awards recognize individuals, groups and businesses who have contributed significantly to improving lives of others in the area.

DAVE’S WORLD, a Maine business selling and installing heat pumps with locations in Dover-Foxcroft, Windham, and Scarborough, recently received Mitsubishi Electric’s first Three Diamonds Award. The award was given to Dave’s World during Mitsubishi’s national Diamond Contractor Conference in Connecticut. A Mitsubishi Electric Heat Pump dealer servicing the entire state, it is the only recipient of the Three Diamonds Award.

LYLE AND JO-ANN MERRIFIELD, owners of Merrifield Farm and Sugar Shack in Gorham, received the Commissioner’s Distinguished Service Award recently at the 76th Annual Maine Agricultural Trades Show Commissioner’s Luncheon. Governor Paul R. LePage joined Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Commissioner Walt Whitcomb to present them with the award in recognition of their many contributions to Maine agriculture, particularly the maple syrup industry. In similar news, Commissioner Whitcomb announced six Agricultural Development Grant Program awards totaling $248,375 at the Trades Show. The recipients were Maine Aquaculture Co-Op of Tenants Harbor ($46,000); Maine Cap N Stem, LLC of Gardiner ($32,600); Maine Landscape and Nursery Association of Augusta ($50,000); The Hop Yard, LLC of Portland ($19,775); Undine Marine,

LLC of Damariscotta ($50,000); and Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine of Orono ($50,000).

UNITED WAY OF KENNEBEC VALLEY (UWKV) recently announced that the nonprofit raised $1,536,171 during its 2016 fundraising campaign, exceeding a $1.5 million goal. In similar news, UWKV leaders presented Community Partner Awards at the annual Campaign Wrap-Up Celebration, recognizing leading organizations for their enduring partnership with United Way. Awards went to Charlie's Family of Dealerships, Dairy Queen, Family Violence Project, Gibson LeClair, LLC, and Performance Food Group - NorthCenter. Several organizations were also acknowledged for achieving full staff participation in giving.

GRANTS The MAINE GIRLS’ ACADEMY (MGA), Maine’s only all-girl high school, recently reported three major gifts. They have received The J. Eileen and Anne C. Conroy Scholarship Funds totalling close to $600,000 from the estate of J. Eileen Conroy, Cathedral High School 1950 alumna and longtime supporter, the largest gift in the history of the MGA; a gift of $50,000 from The Wildflower Fund to support tuition assistance; and a gift from The Maine Community Foundation (MCF) and Leadership Learning Collaborative totalling $15,000 to expand MGA’s signature girls’ leadership and empowerment opportunities.

Lyle and Jo-Ann Merrifield, owners of Merrifield Farm and Sugar Shack in Gorham, received the Commissioner’s Distinguished Service Award.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 15

BUSINESS

F A M O U S

POTATOES

BY ROBIN CLIFFORD WOOD

STOP US IF you’ve heard this one before: Q: WHY DO POTATOES MAKE GOOD DETECTIVES? A: BECAUSE THEY KEEP THEIR EYES PEELED. We kid, we kid. All jokes aside, there’s a new potato in town taking parts of Maine by storm.

It’s called the Caribou Russet, a new variety of potato produced through the University of Maine’s breeding program. Now, after a long journey to the top of the heap, it’s exceeding expectations on its first release into the market.

“They’ve been flying out of here,” said Brenda (no last name given), a cook at Tradewinds Market in Brewer, one of 11 local markets now selling the new potato. “We just can’t keep them in here. I’ve tried them. They’re great for baking, mashed, fried, you name it.”

“We’re very happy campers,” said Don Flannery, the executive director of Maine’s Potato Board. “All potatoes have something that isn’t ideal, and certain characteristics everybody wants.” Those involved in the potato business are constantly seeking the perfect potato, he said—one that stands up to all kinds of cooking, grows well, is resistant to disease, and is consistently, aesthetically appealing.

The Caribou Russet is the result of at least 10 years of a research and development cycle that goes something like this: The UMaine breeding program begins with upwards of 200,000 potato crosses. Over the course of seven to nine years, the numbers are whittled down to a few promising varieties. Those are sent to breeding programs around the country to see how they grow in different regions. Two or three finalists are chosen, from which investigators build up a seed supply and start growing trials in small, two- to three-foot plots. Finally, one variety is chosen for planting in 10- to 15-acre commercial trials.

The Caribou Russet potato is the most recent champion in this lengthy competition.

Now, it’s going to market in open celebration of its Maine roots—today’s consumers like to know where a product is coming from, said Flannery: “They’re more apt to buy it if they can find it again.”

Now in its first retail run, you can find it at Tradewinds Markets in Blue Hill, Ellsworth, Clinton, Milo, Calais, Brewer, Eddington, Norridgewock, and Veazie; Whitney’s Family Supermarket in Corinth; and Danforth’s Down Home Supermarket in Hermon. Look for the five-pound brown paper bags with a vent on one side and bold, green lettering on the other that says CARIBOU RUSSET. According to Flannery, you’ll begin to see them in larger supermarkets next fall.

For now, join the throng and find them in your local market, where they’re selling like crazy. “I don’t know how they’re getting advertised,” said Brenda, “but we have people coming in here just for the potatoes.”

16 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

PHOTO: (TOP) DEVONYU/THINKSTOCK; (LEFT) ROBIN CLIFFORD WOOD

A spectacular new species takes hold in Maine.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 17

BUSINESS

Staff members at Sprague's Nursery in Bangor unload geraniums from a cart into a greenhouse.

70 YEARS’ Sprague’s Nursery celebrates seven decades.

BY MATT CHABE

18 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

WAY BACK IN 1947, when Roswell, New Mexico, was experiencing UFO trouble and a postage stamp cost three cents, Harvey Sprague, Sr., opened the doors on his eponymous business in Bangor. Initially focusing on car sales, the business started mowing lawns on the side to make a little extra money. That developed into planting services, which in turn grew into a greenhouse and expanded services.

Now, 70 years down the line, Sprague’s Nursery & Garden Center has become a full-service garden center incorporating 17 greenhouses, retail and wholesale facilities. It’s known for providing locally grown seedlings, annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs, according to Melissa Higgins, Sprague’s wholesale manager, but there’s bigger inventory at play—much bigger.

“One of the things that makes [Sprague’s] unique is we provide large trees and shrubs that you'd never find at a big box store,” she said. “You’d

need machinery to move these things around. When we got that big oil spike a few years ago, many mom and pop stores had to close because they couldn’t afford to run a greenhouse all winter. We’re one of the only greenhouses that is still growing and propagating their own plant material.”

To celebrate its 70th anniversary, Sprague’s is holding a Shrub Crawl & Spring Plant Preview April 7-9 based on the success of a similar, more intimate event last year. Attendees can expect an expanded garden show-style event, said Higgins, featuring many of the vendors Sprague’s works with directly.

“People can come and check out who we buy from, and why we buy from them,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity for people to come and learn, ask questions from the real experts in the industry.”

For more information, visit spraguesnursery.com.

PHOTO: KEVIN BENNETT

GROWTH

Mercedes-Benz

at Quirk Auto Park of Bangor 327 Hogan Road, Bangor, Maine quirk.mercedesdealer.com 941-1017 or 1-800-564-8100

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 19

HEALTH

SKIN Taking care of your skin during a long winter.

BY ANNE GABBIANELLI

20 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

IT’S THAT TIME of year when we start looking at the other side of winter and glimpse hints of spring. It’s still a ways off, though. For some of us, winter spurs concerns about our skin—the dry air and longer hours of darkness can really start to take a toll.

We’ve all heard the saying, “Beauty is only skin deep.” But in reality, our skin is so much more than beauty, said Dr. Orville Hartford, a Bangor dermatologist.

“Our skin is really the major interface we have with our environment,” he said. “It protects us, but it also gives us a window of what is going on inside of us.”

Dr. Debra Baker, a chiropractor in Hampden, concurs.

“Our skin is a reflection of what is going on inside of our body,” she said. “It’s the largest organ of our body, and people don’t realize this.”

This is perhaps why we run into problems in the winter months with our skin. “Dryness can lead to itchiness, and then the itch/scratch cycle begins,” said Hartford, “causing the skin to break and become damaged, cracked, itchy. An infection can be introduced. That’s what brings people to our office.”

He said that at this point, medication may be needed to calm the resulting pain and irritation. An appointment with a health care professional can be prevented, however, with preventive care including careful moisturizing and hydrating. According to Baker, however, some caution is prudent. “[Our skin is] the largest absorbent of our body,” she said. “By lathering up with creams that have chemicals, we’re adding toxins, bombarding our bodies with colors, dyes and fragrances. These toxins accumulate and stay in the fat cells in our body.”

Even skin exfoliation to scrub away dead skin cells should not be considered a winter skin remedy, according to Hartford.

“Our skin is vulnerable, and once the skin becomes damaged, it cannot protect us from the environment,” he said. “If skin is broken, we have chance for infection, and adding some chemicals found in over-the-counter products can cause a more irritating shift.”

Dani Dow, a licensed esthetician in Bangor, said winter is a good time to start repairing summer damage. Lack of sunscreen or using sunscreen void of zinc, oil and plant-based ingredients creates damage. In the winter, that damage becomes more noticeable.

“When it’s cold, then mild, then cold again, skin gets confused and does not know how much moisture to produce on its own,” said Dow. Hartford concurs: “As we get older, into our 40s and 50s, we don’t produce many natural oils in our skin, and while drinking a lot of water is good for you, you’re not going to be able to drink enough to repair skin damage.”

“In the winter, we need to wear gloves, mittens and hats…forget about your hair looking nice; it’s more important for your head and hands to be warm,” said Dow. In fact, Hartford says to put on gloves to protect your hands before you head out, even if it’s just to start the car.

PHOTOS: IMAGEHUB88, RIDOFRANZ/THINKSTOCK

D E E P

Your scalp requires attention, too.

“When it comes to your scalp, hair colorings can be an irritant, so use an oil on your scalp before you color,” said Hartford.

Good oils for your scalp and, indeed, all of your skin include olive, coconut, tea tree, jojoba, fish and shea butter.

When it comes to your feet, “you can soak [them] in Epsom salts mixed with water, or a mix of apple cider vinegar and water,” said Baker. “This will help balance your overall pH.” Creams, not lotions, are ideal for winter use. “Creams are denser, and that is what our skin needs to defend us from the harsh winter weather,” said Hartford.

He added that there is a simple product that we all should embrace. “There’s an ingredient that has a horrible name— ‘petroleum jelly’ (commonly referred to by its trade name, Vaseline)—but it’s one of the most inert, non-reactive compounds, and it’s a very good skin protector.” He admits that it’s a greasy fix and cannot be absorbed—but it can seal in the moisture our skin needs.

Finally, we need to remember to care for our lips. Hartford said waxy ChapStick works to prevent damage, and if your lips are damaged, then Vaseline is the best.

Ultimately, our skin care is a look into the future. Baker said we have a choice as to how we care for our skin through the weather and years. “Natural products always cost more,” she said, “but in the long run you can look like a wrinkled up old prune, or you can look like a gently aging prune.” www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 21

DANCERS a g a i n s t

CANCERS Medway native pens inspirational children’s book and puts the fun in fundraiser.

BY JOSHUA ARCHER

Children’s book author Canaan York with his new book “What’s Up With Blaire’s Hair?”

WEAVING HEAVY THEMES into his children’s books, Canaan York’s goal is to inspire kids to follow their dreams and teach them the importance of caring for one another.

His most recent book “What’s Up With Blaire’s Hair?”, released last September, tackles the subject of cancer. The story follows Blaire, a young girl who loses her hair as she undergoes chemotherapy. In the end, her classmates and teachers come out to support her as she tries to reclaim her identity after the loss of her hair.

“It gets the conversation started in classrooms about what’s going on with her situation, and then on the other side of it reaffirming the importance of empathy between other students and just accepting people and supporting them as who they are and what they’re going through,” York said.

He could write his books, chill out with his parents, and call it a day (“That’s the excitement of my life,” he said), but the idea of doing good has helped him find ways to give life to his stories beyond the written page.

He visits classrooms and hospital rooms, reading his book to young students and children around the state. While working on his latest story, he hatched a plan, one that could possibly lead to the formation of a nonprofit to benefit cancer awareness and research. His big idea: Dancers Against Cancers.

“After I go into a school and read the story, we organize events where kids have the chance to come out and let loose a little bit,” he said.

Last October, students at Medway Middle School held the first Dancers Against Cancers school dance and raised close to $1,800 for the organization Wigs for Kids.

Local school children participate in a Dancers Against Cancers fundraiser.

22 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

“I want to put the ‘fun’ in Fundraising,” said York. “I think if you look at a group of people who are doing something good, and they look like they’re having a blast, I think it’s more contagious that way.”

A week after the first dance, he got a call from John Bapst students looking to replicate the dance in their area.

This month, students from John Bapst, Bangor High School, Brewer High School and Hampden Academy will hold the second Dancers Against Cancers dance at the Spectacular Event Center in Bangor, to benefit cancer care and research for Brewer’s LaFayette Center.

“I think it’s important to develop the dances, because they are events that touch any community,” he said. “Any community is going to deal with people that they love that have cancer.”

With his latest story, York has created the first branch of what could lead to a larger tree of children’s books, set out to bring awareness of kids in tough situations.

“Regardless of what the factor is, or whatever it is, that a specific child or children in our schools are going through, we can use it in a way to reaffirm the importance of showing support for people that have things going on in their lives that are beyond the realm of their control,” said York.

When his stories resonate with kids, he says it’s a pretty magical feeling and that he doesn’t take what he puts out into the universe lightly.

“I think one thing that’s important for kids to learn,” he said, “is just to be conscientious, good human beings that care about other human beings.”

PHOTOS: (WIG) HEMERA TECHNOLOGIES/THINKSTOCK; COURTESY OF CANAAN YORK

HEALTH

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 23

Q+A Q+A

Q + A With Noah Carver, 13-year-old DJ at WUMM 91.1 Machias.

BY JODI HERSEY

THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD Noah Carver was born blind, but that hasn’t stopped the Beals Elementary School 7th grader from seeing his true talents. Carver, a tech savvy youngster who loves radio, began working as a DJ on his very own radio show on the University of Maine Machias’ campus radio station, WUMM 91.1, last year. His confidence, quick wit and impeccable timing make him sound well beyond his years. Listeners tune in every Friday to hear what he has to say, and if Carver has his way, he’ll be entertaining audiences for many more years to come.

WHEN DID YOU START YOUR RADIO SHOW ON WUMM? I started on Saint Patty’s Day 2016.

HOW DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO DO RADIO? I started listening to some of the greats—Dan Ingram at WABC and Harry Harrison, just a whole bunch of people from the 60s, 70s and 80s, and said, ‘This is what I want to do.’

DO YOU KNOW ANY OTHER 13 YEAR OLDS WHO HAVE A JOB LIKE YOURS? No, I’m not aware of any. I am aware of other blind and visually impaired disc jockeys and some people my age who do podcasts and radio internet streams, but not true terrestrial radio.

WHAT’S THE HARDEST PART OF YOUR JOB AS A DJ? Timing. You have to keep an eye on how far you’ve gotten into your radio show.

The immediate concern is how long you have until the end of a song. Does this song breeze into the next song in a way that I can go on and say, ‘WUMM 91.1 Machias is the NTC Super Mix on Golden Friday’ or something like that? There are other factors, too, like how many songs do you have left? How long are they?

HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE LEFT? I use my computer for all that with a screen reader called NVDA. With one keystroke it’ll say 5:45 p.m.

ANY BANDS GOT YOUR TOES TAPPING LATELY? I can’t pick a favorite, but one of the recents I’ve heard is Voctave. It’s a very good group that reminds me a lot of Pentatonix.

WHAT’S YOUR DREAM JOB? To be the first blind TV newscaster on one of the major TV networks.

DO YOU WANT TO DO THAT IN ADDITION TO BEING A DJ? I’m going to attempt to.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME? I’m the nerdiest nerd you have ever seen or will ever meet. I’m very proud of my nerdiness. I do play some audio games. I like to read. I’m very tech savvy. I work on the computer a lot. I also practice guitar and piano and play drums. I ski, horseback ride and run cross-country with my school.

(Top) Noah Carver at the controls on WUMM 91.1.

(Below) Noah out lobster fishing in Beals.

24 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ACCOMPLISH MORE IN A WEEK THAN A LOT OF ADULTS. Maybe. The thing is, you can walk through life with your head down or you can stand up tall and strong and put your nose to the grindstone. If you freak out about things or doubt yourself, your doubting is going to put you back.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF SUZANNE CARVER

IF YOU COULD DO ANY OTHER JOB FOR A DAY WHAT WOULD IT BE? I’m a lobster fisherman right now and I have 50 traps, so probably that.

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PHOTO: GARY FARNHAM/STILL WATERS STUDIO

FEATURE

26 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

music

He’s shaking up

in northern Maine Just who is this TRAVIS CYR guy?

BY JOY HOLLOWELL

HE’S BEEN CALLED a one-man music scene.

Three days a week, almost relentlessly, you’ll find him gigging from Madawaska to Portland. At last count, he’s played over 900 shows and broken over 5,396 guitar strings (he says). He’s got five albums under his belt now, and another coming down the pike.

For the past 10 years, he’s helmed the popular Arootsakoostik music festival in northern Maine and manages acts for a local venue there.

This guy, Travis Cyr, he’s just a guy when you get down to it—but one who’s making an indelible mark on the Maine music scene, one for whom music has always been a part of life.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 27

PHOTO: KATHRYN OLMSTEAD

FEATURE

28 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

Festival organizer Travis Cyr (second from right) plays with the Dark Hollow Bottling Company band during the 10th Arootsakoostik Music Festival in New Sweden.

“FOR THE LAST five years, I’ve been averaging about 150 shows a year,” said Cyr. “Music is the bread and butter at this point, so I just really have to work for it.”

He trades in original, folk-based roots music, with songs like “Sabertooth,” “Bag of Rain” and “Bob Dylan’s Canadian Wife.” There are also nods to his County callings with the tunes “Allagash” and “Yellow Rose of Maine.” He occasionally partners with another Aroostook County native, Matt Beaulieu, who plays mandolin and harmonica. But most of the time, he’s a one-man band.

“I’ve heard it called ‘cerebral folk music,’ ‘acoustical funky folk-grass’... there’ve been all kinds of labels,” Cyr said.

“It’s just poetry and pure emotion, and I try to keep it all as organic as possible.”

Last July marked the 10th anniversary of Cyr’s other passion, the popular acoustic music-based festival Arootsakoostik.

“It all started because I knew my friends were doing great things, and I wanted to try and bring some of that culture up north,” he said of the festival, which began in 2006 as Gardenstock. “[I wanted to] expose people up here that may not get a chance to get down to Portland and hear some of these bands.”

In that first year, he said, about 40 people came to hear three local singers and songwriters. The next year, organizers changed the name to Arootsakoostik.

That year, eight musical acts performed to a crowd of 80. And each year since, the number of musicians and attendees has continued to grow.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 29

FEATURE

30 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

FEATURE

PHOTOS: (OPPOSITE PAGE) BY DYLAN VERNER; (THIS PAGE) COURTESY OF JODI DEVOST

The most recent event drew about 18 performers from all over Maine with about 700 attendees. Cyr said he makes a conscious effort to try and book bands that include musicians native to northern Maine.

Today, the festival features multiple genres of music (“Pretty much everything except heavy metal or rap,” said Cyr). Money raised at Arootsakoostik events is donated to a different, local charity each year.

“Every year we manage to put a few more seats and a few more interesting twists to the day,” said Cyr. “I remember two years ago, looking around at the great crowd we had and realizing, ‘Wow, we have an identity now. We actually mean something to this community.’ I mean, there are families that time vacations to come to Arootsakoostik. So it taught me that we’re doing something right and we mean something to people here.”

GROWING UP on Long Lake in northern Maine, the folksy sounds of Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and the Grateful Dead foreshadowed his future. “My dad had a pretty wide variety of music,” he said.

“Music was always a dear friend to me. I just didn’t know how much until probably a little later on in life.”

At Van Buren High School, Cyr first picked up the guitar. “Just a bunch of us friends would hang out on the soccer field, strumming guitars.” He was also writing a lot—poetry and verse at first, then chords from his guitar to embellish the words.

“It was just a hobby,” he said.

“Something we all enjoyed doing for fun.”

After graduating high school in 1993, Cyr attended the University of Maine at Farmington for a bit. To make ends meet, he dabbled in a plethora of odd jobs. “Geez, I worked in a Scholastic Book Fair warehouse down in Portland for a while,” said Cyr, running down the list. “I lived just south of Burlington, Vermont, and worked at a plant

nursery and organic farm out there. I’ve made pizza, I’ve bar tended, I’ve coached girls’ tennis. I mean, I did all kinds of things until I just couldn’t find anything that would give me the satisfaction that playing music did.

And it was at that point I just figured, ‘Hey, you gotta be happy with what you’re doing.’”

During that period, Cyr was immersed in multiple music scenes. “I enjoyed the Old Port. I enjoyed the open mics, I enjoyed the variety of bands you could catch,” he said.

“When I was living in Vermont, I was seeing bands four, five nights a week. I loved the culture and the community.”

But he also loved his roots. In 2001, he made the move back to Aroostook County.

“Honestly, it was just the sparseness of the area and the nothingness of it up here,” he said. “I enjoy the solitude and the rural way of life.” www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 31

FEATURE

“

“IN MY HEART, I JUST FELT LIKE,

But the Aroostook County music scene, he found, was also sparse. “There were no open mics in The County at the time,” said Cyr. “There were some great players in northern Maine, but they were all playing AC/DC-type cover music on the weekends, and there was karaoke. There was a void for small acoustic solo or duo acts and there was certainly a void for original material.”

Cyr started bartending to pay the bills.

He admits there were times he thought twice about his decision to move back north.

“I had so many friends in the music scene that went on to become some of the great bands that we love to hear in Maine today,” he said. “I know good things would have happened [if I’d have stayed south].

It was hard to wrestle with that decision for awhile. But ultimately, in my heart, I just felt like, ‘Why not try to bring some of what’s down there, up here.’ I thought there was a need...that I could fulfill up here. And that kind of encouraged me, pushed me to storm ahead blindly.”

In 2001, he got his first break. “I heard of a bar somewhere near Fort Kent or Madawaska that was looking for some acoustic entertainment,” said Cyr. “I gave them a call and ended up getting paid to go play music for a couple of hours.”

That was all it took. Now, nearly 17 years later, Cyr has found plenty of places to play all over Maine. In addition to his County stomping grounds, he travels regularly to the coast in the summer, Maine’s ski slopes come winter, and his old stomping grounds in Portland when he can.

‘WHY NOT TRY TO BRING SOME OF

WHAT’S DOWN THERE, UP HERE.’

”

I THOUGHT THERE WAS A NEED...

THAT I COULD FULFILL UP HERE. AND

THAT KIND OF ENCOURAGED ME, PUSHED ME TO STORM AHEAD BLINDLY.”

32 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

—Travis Cyr

PHOTOS: (TOP) COURTESY OF JODI DEVOST; (BELOW) COURTESY OF TRAVIS CYR

Performers and staff gather on the stage at Arootsakoostik 2016.

IN THE MEANTIME, Cyr is excited about his other venture—Eureka Hall in Stockholm.

The two-story business boasts fine dining upstairs and a tavern downstairs. Owners George Pappa and Danielle Mazerolle took over the place in 2010. They’re now transitioning the name to Eureka Restaurant and Tavern.

About six years ago, Cyr was first booked to perform there.

“He’s an amazing songwriter, and his playing style—it’s a little bit different than everybody else,” said Pappa. “The minute we heard him, we were big fans.”

Afterward, Cyr approached Pappa and Mazerolle about bringing other musicians to the tavern. They agreed. “He said he had been waiting quite a long time to find a place in The County that he would want to bring bands to,” said Pappa.

“Other businesses weren’t willing to take a chance on an original bluegrass band,” added Cyr. “The Eureka became an extension of the original musical community in northern Maine. Now, I can bring bands up every month rather than once a year.”

FEATURE Bands are booked for both Friday and Saturday nights. “We do original music only at the Eureka,” said Cyr. “And we still pack the place.”

“It’s been pretty cool to see the relationship between Arootsakoostik and Eureka, and the musical acts that have heard of both of us,” said Pappa.

“We had a guy here last spring that was from Alaska. We had another guy up here that tours the country, he was on his third national tour. He was out of Texas.

We’ve pulled bands in from the Midwest, all over. These are mostly musicians that don’t really care whether they’re making a million dollars or just paying the bills.

They just want to make music.”

HE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT being a professional musician has its risks.

“Let’s face it, there’s not much job security in what I do. I hustle any gig I can take. I did a whole bunch of private parties for hospitals and things

34 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

like that during the holidays, I do a lot of restaurant and lounge work. I do a lot of driving,” said Cyr. “This is a labor of love.”

His persistence has paid off in other ways. Cyr humbly accepts his role

in putting The County on Maine’s musical map. “I feel like I definitely caused some havoc up here with the music scene, for sure,” he said with a chuckle. “I definitely shook the cage.”

And as word about Cyr’s music continues to spread, so does his fan base—something the 41-year-old is genuinely surprised to hear.

“That’s actually been unknown to me until you brought it to my attention,” he said. “It’s always just been

something that I feel I need to do, and I feel a pure love to do so. I feel blessed, immensely blessed to be able to play music for people...or put on a music festival that people have come to enjoy. It’s very nice to be acknowledged for something that you love doing.”

PHOTO: GARY FARNHAM/STILL WATERS STUDIO

For more info on Travis Cyr, his performance schedule and his music (including his forthcoming release “Stay Glad”), visit traviscyrmusic.wix.com. For more information on Arootsakoostik, follow it on Facebook.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 35

FEATURE

36 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

BORDER

Control

BY JOSHUA ARCHER

PHOTO: JOSH ARCHER

THE U.S. BORDER PATROL maintains one training academy, in Artesia, New Mexico. It’s where every newly-hired Border Patrol agent goes for basic training before being assigned elsewhere.

It’s typical for an agent, fresh out of the academy, to be assigned to the southern U.S. border. Someone attempting to cross into the U.S. may have just spent days walking through the desert, and the first face he’ll probably see is an agent, ready and waiting for him. One of the first things an agent learns is how to ask, “Tienes hambre? Tienes sed?” “Are you hungry, or thirsty?” in Spanish.

IT’S A COLD JANUARY morning in northern Maine. There’s a few feet of snow on the ground, and the wind is blowing the top layer of powder into the roads, making parts difficult to see. Often driving alone, and not far from what agents call “The Slash,” a clearcut, 611-mile path that wraps around Maine, the third longest border in the nation’s 20 sectors, Fort Fairfield Border Patrol Agent Tyler Libby watches the line, looking for any sign of human activity.

“Growing up here, I would ride dirt bikes and snowmobiles on the international boundary, and back then—the boundary—it was there, but to us it didn’t exist. We would go into Canada, get gas, then come

A vigilant eye: Agent Tyler Libby on recon at Maine's northern border. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 37

FEATURE

38 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

PHOTO: JOSH ARCHER

back straight across, and it didn’t really mean anything…and now…you wouldn’t be able to get away with that.”

He’s one of the guys in green who protects everything in between the legal ports of entry into the United States. Winter can be a busier time of year for agents.

What was once a water border in the summer has frozen over, becoming a land border. Potato fields only a tractor could cross become wide open express lanes for snowmobiles. And Libby spends his time piloting a pickup, ATVs, snowmobiles and occasionally snowshoes, always keeping his eyes on The Slash.

He’s been with Border Patrol for the past eight years since leaving the Air Force. He says it’s been a while since he’s had to arrest someone for crossing into the U.S. illegally. The U.S./Canadian border isn’t as active as America’s southern border with Mexico, mostly because of Canada’s economic stability, according to Border Patrol.

“It’s kind of random up here,” John Krause, deputy patrol agent in charge, said. “It’s infrequent enough you can’t put a finger on a pattern. Sometimes you can see activity and start to see a trend…we’ve interrupted and disrupted lots of Hells Angels hydroponic marijuana smuggling rings and ecstasy pills and meth, guns going north, money going back and forth.

We’ve disrupted serious organized crime rings. Stuff happens here, it’s just not so often you can say ‘two times a month.’ You can’t really put a number on it.”

It’s important for an agent to get to know the community near the border he’s sworn to protect. The better a relationship an agent has with the flock he’s trying to keep safe, the easier his job becomes. Calls come in from locals who trust the men in green when they spot the unusual taking place in their backyard.

Agent Tyler Libby patrols the northern Maine border from the comfort of his white Chevy Silverado.

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FEATURE

“A lot of people on this road, they see us every day, all day, to and from, so if they see something they’ll let us know,” Libby said.

“Getting involved with the community on a one-on-one basis is extremely important to them and to me,” said Daniel Hiebert, the chief patrol agent for the Houlton sector, “so that the people of the state of Maine, and anywhere in the country, have respect for the border patrol, the border patrol agents. They know who to call, they trust them, they know they don’t have to worry about going to bed tonight.”

“That they’re accepted by the community, and that they accept the community, just gives them that heightened sense of responsibility and dedication to go out and make sure the job is done right every day.”

One day, Libby recalls, “There was an elderly man…he was coming out to get his mail, and as I was driving by he fell. He was trying to get to his mail and his driveway wasn’t plowed, so I stopped, helped him out and made sure he was alright, and then I called three other guys who came out and we shoveled his driveway.”

What makes an agent successful is the heightened state of awareness of his surroundings. A sense that begins forming at the academy spreads through every fiber of his being after his first 10 month stint on the southern border.

“Now it’s just become a habit, any vehicle that passes I try to read their license plate. Go to a restaurant, I have to sit facing the entryway,” said Libby. “To me, being prior military and now Border Patrol, that’s how it’s been instilled. Never put your back to the door.”

AGENT JASON BRADSTEET PREPARES TO PATROL "THE SLASH."

40 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

PHOTO: JOSH ARCHER

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 41

The Border Patrol station in Fort Fairfield, Maine.

42 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

PHOTO: JOSH ARCHER

Don’t mistake an agent’s quick glances at license plates or him facing the entrance when he’s out to lunch as paranoia—it’s his job to be ready. He now lives in a world of possibility, as opposed to the world of probability many of us live in (a law enforcement philosophy discussed in depth

by Dr. Kevin Gilmartin, a name an agent might drop when discussing deep questions on the emotional survival of their vocation).

“If it’s possible, I’ve got to be prepared for it,” Richard Funke, a border patrol agent, said. “I always approach an arrest the same way. I approach this arrest as if this person is Osama bin Laden, and he’s here to kill me.

And once I determine that’s not the case, we can start changing our hats.”

“That guy that’s been walking through the desert for four days [at the southern U.S. border], often times they would be crossing Mexico, walking for days. I’ll arrest him. I have a job to do. I’m going to enforce the law,” he said. “But I’m also an EMT, so I’m going to...provide you with necessary medical care. I’m going to make sure you get everything you need because we’re all human. Even though I have a job to do—I have a job to enforce the law, because that’s what makes us a nation is our laws— that’s what makes the United States special around the world.”

Today, Libby’s assigned to the north route of The Slash. Tomorrow, he’ll head south. He doesn’t find the long drives lonely and he’s developed the uncanny ability, as all agents have, to shoulder the weight of responsibility that comes with protecting the boundaries between each port of entry.

He knows anything can happen and that there are those out there who are up to no good. You can bet he won’t be caught with his back to the border when the bad guys try to get in.

“I give the best I can for 10 hours,” he said. “I know every day I’m not going to come to work and catch somebody. Just driving up and down and making sure nothing’s come across, I did the best I could possibly do. I gave it my all.”

PHOTOS: (LEFT) COURTESY OF U.S. BORDER PATROL; (RIGHT) TROY R. BENNETT

FEATURE

A post and a cleared swath through The Slash marks the Canadian border in Oxbow Township during a warmer season.

The border was finally set by the Webster– Ashburton Treaty, signed August 9, 1842, 22 years after Maine became a state.

A snowy view of The Slash, marking the Maine/Canada border.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 43

THEN & NOW

ROCKLAND

THE LOBSTER

CAPITAL

(Above) Main Street circa 1952 and (top left) today.

(Left) The view of Rockland from the boardwalk.

44 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

A visit to Rockland, the lobster capital-turned-tourist-town, is well worth it any time of year.

ARTICLE BY RICHARD SHAW | PHOTOS BY RICHARD SHAW, BRIAN SWARTZ AND ROCKLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY HISTORIC PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF MAINE FOGLER LIBRARY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND ROCKLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY

HAVE YOU VISITED Rockland lately?

Knox County’s only city boasts a delightful potpourri of galleries, festivals, museums and harbor views worthy of an Andrew Wyeth seascape. Year-round shopping and dining are always a treat on a historic main street that escaped urban renewal’s wrecking ball. The gritty lobster capital-turnedtourist-town has seen its economic ups and downs, but thanks to its reputation as Route 1’s midcoast jewel, its future looks bright.

“You can’t write about Rockland without coming for coffee at Rock City or supper at Rustica Cucina Italiana,” said Ann Morris, curator of the Rockland Historical Society, “or visiting the Farnsworth Art Museum or the Sail Power and Steam Museum, or walking along the

boardwalk or the Rockland Breakwater.”

March may be off-season in the tourist trade, but there is still plenty to do here.

The Strand Theatre offers high-definition Metropolitan Opera broadcasts and four live performances, highlighted by an appearance by Cape Breton fiddle virtuoso Natalie MacMaster. Across the street, at the Farnsworth, a Rockland mainstay for more than 65 years, among several exhibits is “Art of Disaster,” featuring paintings of natural and manmade disasters.

The Center for Maine Contemporary Art, opened in 2016, has three exhibition galleries, a gift shop, an art laboratory classroom and a spacious courtyard.

Current exhibits include artwork by David Driskell and Sam Cady, and a life-sized www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 45

THEN & NOW

ROCKLAND

A 1951 photo of Hotel Rockland, at the corner of Main and Park streets, which burned in the million-dollar fire on Dec. 12, 1952.

Five-masted schooner Rebecca Palmer before launching at Cobb, Butler Co. Shipyard on March 5, 1901.

46 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

model of a Piper Cub aircraft designed by Mark Wethli. Just a 10 minute drive from downtown Rockland, the Owls Head Transportation Museum is open daily.

“What makes Rockland unique is its ability to adapt,” said historian and former mayor Brian Harden. “You often hear people talk about a renaissance when writing about the city, but actually we adapt. We have progressed from lime manufacturing and shipbuilding to commercial fishing and now to creative gallery-based art and cultural activity.”

Harden cites the Rockland Historical Society museum, based in the public library, and the 1976 book “The Shore Village Story” as history sources. There is also The Courier-Gazette, published

by Village Soup. The original village of Lermond’s Cove, first settled around 1769, was renamed Shore Village in 1777 when Thomaston was incorporated. It was set off as the town of East Thomaston

(Right) The Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse now, and (below) surrounded by ice in the early 1900s.

TOWN STATS Incorporated: July 28, 1848, as a town;

Notable people:

Landmarks: Rockland Breakwater Light;

as a city, 1854

• Edna St. Vincent Millay, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet • Lucy Farnsworth, philanthropist • Kosti Ruohomaa, photographer • Louise Nevelson, artist • Alton Hall Blackington, radio broadcaster • Walter Piston, composer • Abbie Burgess Grant, lighthouse keeper • Maxine Eliot, actress • David Emery, U.S. congressman • Todd Field, filmmaker • Polly Saltonstall, writer and editor

Samoset Resort; Farnsworth Art Museum;

Named for: High-quality lime rock quarries Mottos: The Lime City; God gives a reward to industry Population: 7,237 (2015 estimate) Elevation: 23 feet Area: 15.07 square miles

Knox County Courthouse; Rockland Public Library and Historical Society museum; Strand Theatre; Sail, Power and Steam Museum; Maine Lighthouse Museum; Victory Chimes schooner; Rankin Block; railroad station; Lincoln Street Center for Arts and Education; Security Trust Building

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 47

THEN & NOW

ROCKLAND

A historic photo of the Samoset Hotel on the Rockland Breakwater. (Below) The Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse today.

in 1848, renamed Rockland in 1850, and chartered as a city in 1854. Lime kilns, ships, hotels and a Coast Guard base put the place on the map.

“This past year [the Historical Society] did something daring and different,” Morris said. “With the help of philanthropist Roxanne Quimby, we purchased the birthplace of poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, to save it from destruction. We are restoring the landmark and plan to foster a literary arts organization to operate from the Millay House to bring school curricula and field trips, writing workshops, publishing help, and an annual poetry festival to children and adults along the midcoast.”

Should you want to spend the night, one choice is the new $2.9 million five-story 250 Main Hotel. The “boutique hotel,”

LIME KILNS, SHIPS, HOTELS AND A COAST GUARD BASE PUT THE PLACE ON THE MAP. housed in the city’s tallest building, has 26 rooms overlooking Rockland Harbor and the downtown. Other inns and motels also offer accommodations.

Returning for a warm-weather visit has its own rewards, such as a visit to the Samoset Resort and Breakwater Lighthouse, a stop at the Maine Lighthouse Museum, and a ferry ride out to Vinalhaven, North Haven and Matinicus islands.

The North Atlantic Blues Festival, held July 15 and 16, and the 70th Annual Maine Lobster Festival, Aug. 2-6, are family-friendly events. The Owls Head Museum’s Wings and Wheels Spectacular, Aug. 5 and 6, and the Maine Antiques Festival at Union Fairgrounds, Aug. 4-6, also draw crowds.

The Lime City, Lobster Capital of the World—whatever name you choose to call Rockland, it will always await your visit.

48 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

(Above) The Knox County Courthouse.

(Left) The children’s lobster eating contest at the 2010 Maine Lobster Festival.

(Below) A historic photo of the Rockland Public Library.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 49

FOOD & DRINK

IN SEASON NOW

In Season Now:

POTATOES STORY & PHOTOS BY SARAH WALKER CARON

SPUDS, TUBERS, TATERS. Whatever you call them, potatoes are an all-purpose vegetable (and yes, they are actually a vegetable) that folks love. Potatoes can be double fried into crispy French fries, boiled for salads and mashed potatoes, baked for baked potatoes and so much more.

They’re also the thing of child’s play. Who didn’t toss a bean bag around in a game of hot potato as a kid? And who hasn’t moved around the arms, legs, feet and eyes of a Mr. or Mrs. Potato Head?

And, as we sit on the cusp of growing season, starchy potatoes are among the cold storage crops available now in Maine farmers markets. From Kennebec potatoes (good for potato chips) to Katahdin (good for potato salad) to the newest potato, the Caribou

Potato Carrot Hash Serves 4 3 medium Maine potatoes (about ¾ lb), variety of your choice 1 large (or 1 small) carrots, peeled if desired 1 tbsp olive oil 3-4 shallots, peeled and chopped Salt and pepper, to taste Dice the potatoes and carrots to a ¼-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and boil until just tender—about 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the stove and drain.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat.

Add the shallots, potatoes and carrots to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned—8-10 minutes.

Serve. This is great with eggs over easy.

50 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

From Kennebec potatoes (good for potato chips) to Katahdin (good for potato salad) to the newest potato, the Caribou Russet, there are so many varieties grown in Maine.

Russet (also featured in this issue!—Ed.), there are so many varieties grown in Maine. What varieties are available now in your area?

According to the Maine Potato Board, a medium potato with the skin has about 18 percent of the recommended daily value of potassium, a nutrient that’s good for cell health, maintaining normal blood pressure and more. They’re also an excellent source of vitamin C, with about 45 percent of the recommended daily value in a medium potato. This antioxidant is good for the immune system and can help with iron absorption, the prevention of cell damage and the production of collagen. And potatoes—again, with the skin—also have some fiber, vitamin B6 and iron.

Do make sure you eat the skin.

SARAH WALKER CARON is a Bangor-based food writer and a senior editor for the Bangor Daily News. Her weekly food column, Maine Course, appears in the BDN every Wednesday and she is also author of Sarah’s Cucina Bella food blog (www.sarahscucinabella.com) and a cookbook: “Grains as Mains: Modern Recipes Using Ancient Grains.”

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 51

FOOD & DRINK

What's for SUPPER? The Maine-based, ready-made dinner services.

BY EMILY BURNHAM

WHAT TO MAKE for dinner? Though it’s a seemingly innocuous question, it can quickly become a major consumer of time if a suitable answer isn’t found quickly.

Some people are kings and queens of the kitchen and plan meals all week; some subscribe to popular meal prep kits such as Blue Apron and Plated; some just grab takeout.

There’s another way to make sure hot, fresh food is on the table, and it’s an even easier alternative to getting takeout or doing meal prep: call-ahead dinner services.

“It’s really grown in just the three months that we’ve been around,” said Rose Lowell, who with her friend chef Annie Mahle started What’s Cookin’ With Rose

Customers order what they want, and on a specific day, the freshly prepared dishes are delivered to the customer, who now has enough food for between one and three meals for the week.

Sponsored by

qualeygranite.com

52 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

and Annie last autumn out of her commercial kitchen in Lincolnville. “And we haven’t even started in with the summer crowd. The idea of having fresh cooked food, delivered, where you don’t have to worry about cooking for two or three days, has had a lot of response.”

These small businesses are as simple as they sound. A menu is posted offering a selection of entrees, side dishes and desserts. Customers order what they want, and on a specific day, the freshly prepared dishes are delivered to the customer, who now has enough food for between one and three meals for the week.

Mahle, who with her husband, Jon, owns the Schooner J & E Riggin out of Rockland, on which she operates culinary cruises in the summer, wanted an opportunity to cook outside of the tourist season, and starting a dinner

PHOTO: LINDA COAN O’KRESIK

Kathy Flynn prepares homemade meals to order as part of her business, Kathy’s Kitchen, at a commercial kitchen at the Thompson Community Center in Union.

service business with her chef friend fit that bill perfectly.

“I’ve got the cooking bug,” said Mahle.

“Here, it’s all about logistics, and making sure there’s something for everyone. You have to be very efficient, and very aware of people’s dietary needs, and make sure you offer several different things for people to choose from each week. It’s not like being a personal chef, where everything is so personalized.”

Mahle and Lowell each Tuesday post a menu online, and customers have until the end of the week to phone or email their orders in. The following Monday, they cook, and on Monday afternoon and evening, they deliver to customers between Belfast and Rockland. Sample dishes include chicken pot pie, Italian wedding soup, roasted chicken with lemon and crusty peasant bread, made in Lowell’s brick oven. Prices vary depending on number of servings.

Lowell has her own commercial kitchen—in addition to her dinner service

business with Mahle, she has a bakery called La Dolce Vita—but not all dinner service businesses own their own kitchen.

Some, such as Kathy Flynn, who operates Kathy’s Kitchen, use a rental commercial kitchen, such as the one at the Thompson Community Center in Union.

“I’ve been a home cook for 30 years, and my dream was always to open a restaurant.

But that wasn’t really in the cards, so I thought, ‘Let’s try something different from a restaurant. Let’s try making some really good food, healthy food, for people here in the Union area, so they don’t have to go to Rockland,” said Flynn. “People get tired of pizza. It’s not healthy. They want variety.

There’s no Chinese restaurant in Union.

There’s no Mexican.”

In January, Flynn began offering Chinese dishes, including Mandarin chicken, garlic sesame green beans and wonton soup, with prices ranging from $5 for four egg rolls, to $14 for a quart of Szechuan beef with rice.

She offers free delivery within 15 miles of Union, including surrounding towns such

as Appleton and Jefferson. In February, she offered Mexican food.

“Eventually, I’d like to have a trailer so I can have my own kitchen and have some more flexibility, but for now, working out of the community center has been great,” said Flynn. “I wanted to have my own business.

I wanted to do something other that sit in front of a computer.”

Access to a commercial kitchen is one of the main hurdles for those who want to start a pre-made dinner service or other small-scale food business. There are several commercial kitchens available to rent across Maine, including the one in Union, as well as kitchens at the Halcyon Grange in Blue Hill, the Orland Community Center and Food Forge in Whitefield. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension also offers limited use of its commercial kitchen at its Bangor office.

Dinner takeout isn’t an entirely new concept—some restaurants and other eateries also offer pre-made meals, such as Frank’s Bakery in Bangor, which has offered daily www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 53

FOOD & DRINK pre-made dinner specials for many years.

The Daily Soup in Belfast began as a strictly lunch and dinner service establishment, but it has grown to offer limited seating in addition to its daily soup and entree menu for pre-made dinner service.

Both Mahle, Lowell and Flynn have noticed that their clientele span a few different demographics. Some are retired or elderly folks that appreciate having a meal brought to them once per week. Others are busy families or professionals that simply don’t have time to cook—while others are people that just don’t want to cook, period, whether it’s from scratch or with the help of a meal kit service such as Blue Apron.

Liz Warfel has operated Liz’s Kitchen, a Falmouth-based pre-made dinner service, since 2014, offering local, organic dishes such as chicken with black beans and apple salsa and wheat berry salad with roasted beets and fennel. She’s found that her clientele spans that full, aforementioned gamut.

“It’s a lot of very busy people, and some retired folks, too, but a lot of people are just not interested in cooking—but they still want that home-cooked, personal touch,” said Warfel. “I see a lot of the same people every week. It’s nice to keep in touch with them.”

Mahle said many of her and Lowell’s customers also want that home-cooked feel.

“If you have the disposable income, for some families and couples, it’s just important to them to have good, local, warm to my heart, family-style food,” she said.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF WHAT’S COOKIN’ WITH ROSE AND ANNIE

Morrocan Sesame Bread, part of a recent delivery from What’s Cookin’ With Rose and Annie.

This story originally appeared in the Bangor Daily News, Jan. 31, 2017.

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54 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

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www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 55

ARTS & MUSIC

SEEING THE

UNSEEN

Bangor artist harnesses the hidden in the familiar.

BY MATT CHABE

REBECCA KRUPKE TALKS to me in the kitchen of her parents’ home, for which she provided directions via Facebook Messenger thus: It’s a big white farmhouse

With an apple tree and NO porch

Krupke works in her Bangor studio recently.

56 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

It’s details like these that abound in the Bangor-based artist’s work. Where most see an old farmhouse, Krupke sees moments lost in time; a windowpane affords a peek to lonely vistas; a dusty staircase becomes busy with stories. They’re full of bright colors, with undertones of melancholy and solitude.

“I try to capture [little moments] because they will soon pass,” she said. “I go into that with my landscapes and I definitely go into it with my old home pieces. It’s what I’m attracted to, this moment in time, catching little glimpses of things that are so beautiful but they’re not going to be here forever.”

She attributes her fervor for detail, to the greys between a story’s poles, to time spent with her grandfather, Edward Bailey.

PHOTOS: MATT CHABE

The one beside us is identical with a porch.

1905 the guy built the first house wife didn’t like the layout, he built one identical with a few changes inside and she left him.

“Dawn back in time.”

He displayed work in the first art exhibit at the then newly-opened Rockefeller Center in New York, said Krupke. She still lives among his work in her Bangor apartment today. “[My grandfather] instilled it in me, that love of paying attention to things around you,” she said. “I grew up…[going] into the woods with him and noticing things, and he’d show me what to notice, too. I just started getting into it more.”

She said Bailey gave up his art career to raise a family, and later harbored regret about the decision: “He told me at 15 to never let anyone or anything come between me and my art.”

It was advice that stuck. In 8th grade, a guidance counselor told Krupke to skip high school art classes unless she planned on being an artist full-time. Directionless, she took the advice only to realize later the void was too great to ignore.

“The absence of art is when I first realized I was an artist,” she said. “I had this deep desire to create. It was the first time it was taken away from me. When it was missing, that’s when I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, this is what I need to do. This is my goal in life, my drive.’”

That year, she took private art lessons with Kal Elmore, a teacher at Bangor High School. “She nurtured me,” she said. “I needed her to be there to help guide me.” She’d go on to major in studio art and art history at UMaine on a full scholarship. Later still, she enjoyed residencies in Canada, Italy, and various points around her home base.

A typical painting day for Krupke begins with mental prep: “As a painter, you’re isolated, you’re working by yourself, you’re not getting feedback,” she said. “You have to get into the right mental state.”

“Familiar ascent.”

Sometimes that means spending an hour walking through the Bangor City Forest “just to clear my head and get it ready for working,” she said. Some days are productive, while others are spent fighting whatever’s still rattling in the brain. Oftentimes, she said, listening to a book on tape or music helps, but you have to be careful—what you listen to translates into the painting. Sometimes, she’ll listen to the same song on repeat for the entire painting in order for it to maintain the same feel.

“I love classical music. I like Chopin,” she said. “Someone I listened to recently was Pat Metheny, because I saw him recently in Orono. It’s amazing how connected music and art really are.

They’re pretty close friends there.”

She works predominantly in oils, because they’re easier to manipulate and less quick to dry. She doesn’t use solvents or toxic solutions. For fine detail work, she said, she uses oil-based colored pencils, a trick developed years ago when she was painting with her fingers and struggling to create detail. It imbues her work with a lifelike quality that’s ephemeral and idyllic. She said she has no intentions to stray far from her chosen subject matter.

“One of my professors told me that it’s pretty natural to get stuck on a subject,” she said, “and until that subject feels like it’s been completed and you’ve told the story that you need to tell, then you won’t move on. So I don’t know if I’ve told it yet.

I want to make sure everyone understands where I’m trying to go with this. Once I feel like that’s been accomplished, then I’ll organically move forward.”

For more about Rebecca Krupke, visit rebeccakrupke.com. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 57

ARTS & MUSIC

PERSPECTIVES

“I GREW UP IN LOS ANGELES and even though I love Maine, I really miss the city. Whenever I go home, I always take pictures of my neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley and the downtown L.A. area. Since the recovery started, there’s been an explosion in growth in the city. While that’s good, it means that a lot has been lost.

Even though I embrace the future, I miss the places I knew when I was younger. So, I shoot pictures. I shoot pictures of places that I fear might be changed forever or even removed completely.

I like architecture and my love for my hometown has taught me to appreciate the details of the buildings that surround us. I love to photograph the old buildings in Bangor and Montreal and compare them to the old buildings in Los Angeles. I love the intricacies that no one else sees, like the terrazzo in Main Street in Bangor or the gargoyles high on a building in Montreal.

Lastly, I like the power and form of the human body. I use the camera to capture the human form and the work it can do, whether on a football field, in a fighting ring, or just relaxing. Our bodies are capable of so much and I like to catch that forever on film.

I shoot on film because it makes me consider every frame before I press the shutter button. It has a consistent quality that I’ve known and appreciated all my life.”

—DAVE COX

58 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

DAVE COX

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 59

OUTDOORS

Driven TO CAST OFF Orrington native looking to hook elite bass fishing title.

BY ANNE GABBIANELLI

“I’VE FISHED MY whole life,” says one-time kindergarten teacher Jon Carter. The Orrington native fondly recalls fishing at his grandfather’s camp on Ambajejus Lake in Millinocket. “I often remember being the last one of the kids to come in, rain or shine, day or night because I always fished for anything I could catch.”

Today, the 34-year-old casts off for feisty bass fish and financial security as a pro fisherman, but he credits his mother with supporting his interests in those early days.

“As I got older, I saved money for a canoe and my mom would drive me to local ponds to fish after school and on weekends,” he said. “We’d load the canoe on top of our old Nissan and strap it down for the ride. Then my mom would either paddle me around while I fished or she’d sit in the car and read and beeped the horn when it was time to come back to shore.”

Carter graduated from his canoe to a tipsy aluminum boat and then a fiberglass boat, which he admits he spent more time repairing than operating. While in high school, Carter experienced his first bass fishing tournament. That’s when he got hooked on bass fishing.

He’d fish anywhere, including China Lake and Cobbosseecontee Lake, typically from late April through September.

“I’ve always liked the feeling of when they initially bite and pull back,” says Carter, noting Maine’s bass weigh up to nine pounds, where warmer waters produce bass upwards of 20 pounds, making for a challenge requiring finesse and technique.

The 2005 UMaine grad taught in Winterport, all while casting off on weekends and summer. In 2012, he qualified for Maine’s state team and went on to fish the regional

PHOTOS: RONNIE MOORE, B.A.S.S./ BASSMASTER PHOTOGRAPHER

Jon Carter wrestles with a catch during a recent competition.

60 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

PHOTOS: (TOP) AMBER HORELICK; (BOTTOM) SCOTT HINDS

event in Massachusetts, which advanced him even further to the B.A.S.S. (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society) National Championship. He won the Eastern Division, which qualified him for the 2013 Bassmaster Classic (the top championship for professional bass fishing in the world) in Oklahoma. “The Bassmaster Classic is like the Super Bowl of fishing,” says Carter, admitting he finished 17th after three days of fishing but learned strategy and techniques from his mistakes while being captured on ESPN. “I still have the drive to be a full time Elite Series angler [the highest level of professional bass fishing] almost four years after starting this journey, and I can’t think of a single career that I’d be happier doing,” says Carter. Because of this quest, Carter has made pro fishing his career. It can be a healthy paying one, at that. However, many pro fishermen still supplement their fishing career with other monetary sources. Some get support through sponsorships.

Sponsorships are hard to come by, said Carter, but working part-time jobs— from waiting tables at local eateries to conducting geological surveys in Jamaica— has him chugging along to pay the national tournament entry fee of $1,500. His eye is on the chance to win a $40,000 boat and cash. The 2016 winner of the Bassmaster Classic claimed a $300,000 prize, and the yearly winner also earns points to move to other ranks. If Carter can earn top points, he qualifies to fish in the Elite series, which consists of nine tournaments.

To do so, he needs to requalify in his division, which began with winning the 2016 State Championship on Sebasticook Lake in Newport. Then it’s on to the regional tournament in June on Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, all while navigating his 18-foot Triton vessel. Winning this tournament will return Carter to the B.A.S.S. National Championship for 2018.

“I love every part of fishing. The research I do before an event, teaching people about techniques, helping people learn local ponds, sitting in the rain trying to learn something myself, or just talking about fishing. Sometimes, people think I’m crazy for trying to make this my career. I even question myself, but I can’t imagine doing anything else when I still have such a passion for the sport.”

Jon Carter on stage at the Bassmaster Northern Opens on Oneida Lake in 2016.

A day on Androscroggin Lake, showing off the fruits of a new lure.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 61

OUTDOORS

WOODS & WATERS

MOOSE TRACKS

With Maine’s abundant wildlife and many hunters, some topics have become perennial issues for lawmakers.

STORY & PHOTO BY BOB DUCHESNE

WHEN I WAS first elected to the Maine House of Representatives, I thought the legislative process would be “one thing after another.” I quickly discovered it’s “the same thing over and over.” Fast forward to today. Now in my sixth term, I am House Chair of the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, and I now know how Bill Murray felt in the film “Groundhog Day.” The legislature is currently halfway through the 2017 session, and the IFW Committee is midway through its workload. The session started with 81 bills slated for hearing by the committee. Most looked very, very familiar. Maine is the most forested state in the nation, and it boasts abundant wildlife. Mainers treasure this abundance and want to maintain it.

On the other hand, many Mainers also want to put a few critters in the freezer. As a result, there are a handful of perennial issues for lawmakers. Here they are: WHY DOES EVERYONE GET TO HUNT A MOOSE EXCEPT ME? There aren’t nearly enough moose permits to go around, so the chance to hunt one is determined by a lottery where everyone gets an equal chance. Naturally, nobody wants an equal chance. Everybody

MAINE IS THE MOST FORESTED STATE IN THE NATION, AND IT BOASTS ABUNDANT WILDLIFE. MAINERS TREASURE THIS ABUNDANCE AND WANT TO MAINTAIN IT. ON THE OTHER HAND, MANY MAINERS ALSO WANT TO PUT A FEW CRITTERS IN THE FREEZER. wants improved odds. So Maine has developed a complex system that allocates points for previous disappointments, allows sub-permittees to hunt on the same permit, and sets aside a certain number of permits for special classes, such as disabled veterans and sporting camps. Out-of-state hunters can pay big bucks to get multiple chances. A few permits are simply auctioned off to the highest bidder. Every session, there are numerous bills to change the allocation formula. Gaming the system has become its own sport.

62 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

GOT YOUR DEER YET? Everyone wants that trophy buck. But bucks don’t grow to be trophy-sized by being stupid. When autumn passes without venison in the freezer, thoughts turn to other deer. A limited number of any-deer permits are allocated by the department every year, and the urge to settle for a doe stirs up nearly as much desire to game the system as the moose lottery does. The allocation lottery is so complicated, it takes place in four stages. We dole out permits first to special license holders, then to qualified landowners, then to junior hunters, and finally to all remaining hunters. If not all available permits are distributed in certain Wildlife Management Districts, the extras are handed out as bonus permits. The percentage of permits distributed within each of these groups is always subject to tinkering by legislators.

WHY CAN’T I HUNT ON SUNDAY? On February 28, 1883, Maine prohibited Sunday hunting. For 134 years, hunters have been trying to get that day back.

The case for doing so is strong. Only

four states have a complete ban. Seasons are short, and the loss of a weekend day hurts Maine’s guides and lodges. It puts Maine at a competitive disadvantage with neighboring states that allow Sunday hunting. It leaves many working people with only one day in the woods.

Every year, there are multiple bills designed to chip away at the ban.

Lawmakers propose limited hunts, perhaps targeting specific species or in certain areas.

Many recommend Sunday hunting only on one’s own property. One bill this year would open up Sunday hunting solely to shotguns. But the Sunday prohibition is so ingrained in Maine’s psyche that these efforts always fail. Most landowners and even many sportsmen oppose the slightest erosion of the ban.

WHY WON’T THEY LEAVE US ALONE? In the last dozen years, Maine has endured two citizens’ initiatives to restrict bear hunting, plus one referendum to tighten background checks on firearms. After each battle, the next legislative session fills with bills to curtail citizen-sponsored

legislation. There are bills to change the Maine Constitution, establishing a right to hunt and fish. Some bills would change the initiative process to exempt hunting. A few would change how petition signatures are gathered. It all amounts to the same thing. Hunters want to be left alone.

WHY DON’T YOU LET ME RUN THE DEPARTMENT? The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is in charge of snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle and boating safety. Perhaps 20% of the bills each year seek to change these laws. But the biggest category of bills in a session is directed at how the department manages wildlife resources. Everybody likes to second-guess the department on how, when, and where to hunt and fish. It almost goes without saying: Maine sportsmen and women have an opinion about everything.

BOB DUCHESNE is a local radio personality, Maine guide, and columnist. He lives on Pushaw Lake with his wife, Sandi.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 63

HOME

APPEAL Landscaping needs vary by season.

BY METRO NEWS SERVICE

SPRING Spring is a season of renewal when plants and trees will begin to look fresh and green once more. Spring maintenance includes applying fertilizer to lawns, replenishing mulch in planting beds, creating more pronounced edges around the lawn and garden beds, and testing soil. Some homeowners like to apply a weed-prevention product in the spring as well. Spring is a good time to plant annuals that will add a pop of color to the landscape.

For those concerned about permanent planting, container gardening allows homeowners to move around planters in a configuration that works best for them.

SUMMER Summer landscaping is all about maintaining what was established in the spring. Regular mowing, weeding and trimming can keep a landscape manicured. Other than drought, weeds are perhaps the biggest lawn and garden nuisance to a landscape in the summertime.

Black medic, carpetweed, knotweed, mallow and prostate spurge are some of the weeds that will crop up during the summer. Seeds begin to germinate as soil warms up. According to the University of Maryland Extension, control with a broadleaf postemergent herbicide applied when the weed is actively growing will help prevent weeds from suffocating lawns.

64 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

PHOTOS: ALEXRATHS, WELCOMIA, TIM_ LESCINSKI, XIXINXING/THINKSTOCK

CURB

JUDGING A HOME by its appearance is often par for the home-buying course. In fact, according to the National Association of RealtorsÂŽ, 49 percent of buying decisions are made from the street.

An appealing home exterior suggests the homeowner takes pride in his or her home and wants to make every effort to maintain that home. Curb appeal involves various components a home’s exterior, but beautiful landscaping can make a home stand out. While maintaining a lawn is something many homeowners may think is exclusive to spring and summer, lawn maintenance is really a year-round endeavor. The following steps can help anyone maintain curb appeal no matter the season.

AUTUMN Autumn is often a forgotten season when it comes to maintaining a landscape. However, fall is a key time to keep landscapes in order. According to the landscaping resource LoveYourLandscape.com, fall is the ideal time to tend to a lawn that just endured summer heat. Seeding and fertilizing can ensure a stronger lawn come next spring. Perennials should be pruned and cut back. Raking leaves will help keep the property looking presentable.

WINTER One of the ways to maintain an attractive landscape throughout winter is to install plants that can survive the colder temperatures. Winterberry is a cousin of holly, but loses its leaves in the fall. The bright red berries can be a stark contrast to the white of winter snowfall. Camellia is an evergreen that blooms from fall to early spring and looks like pink roses. Heather is a popular plant in the United Kingdom, but is growing in popularity on this side of the Atlantic as well. The Home Depot says this plant blooms all year and offers beautiful flowers in summer and fall. In winter, the thick foliage makes for an appealing contrast to the more delicate blooms of other winter plants.

Maintaining a landscape through the seasons makes a home attractive all year long.

INSURANCE

Your listing could be on this page

Sell it faster. Advertise in Bangor Metro’s Home section.

Call 941-1300.

Sell it faster. Advertise in Bangor Metro’s Home section. Call 941-1300.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 65

FAMILY

LEARNING CURVE Preteens get ski patrol training through Junior Ski Patrol program at Hermon Mountain.

STORY & PHOTOS BY JODI HERSEY

66 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

AT 11 YEARS old, Emily Rutherford already has her heart set on becoming a doctor, and she’s not waiting until college to begin her studies. This middle schooler is getting a jump start on her medical training now, thanks to her involvement with the Junior Ski Patrol at Hermon Mountain. The all-volunteer group meets every weekend to sharpen their skiing skills and practice being first responders in an emergency situation on the mountain.

“I want to be some kind of doctor some day, and I really like getting my CPR certification and first aid,” she said.

This is the second year the Bangor resident has participated in Junior Ski Patrol. It’s a program that Hermon Mountain Ski Patrol Director Robert Bakker admits was formed by sheer coincidence.

“Four or five years ago, we ended up with a couple of kids that needed a little help or direction. They were causing trouble on the mountain and we said, ‘Let them ski with the ski patrol for a bit.’ At the time we weren’t really calling it a Junior Ski Patrol, but it reminded us that there are kids that really do want to do this. For these kids, it started out almost as a punishment, but it worked out. They had fun and they learned a lot,” explained Bakker.

Since then, Hermon Mountain has seen a tremendous amount of interest in the program from kids as young as 10 years old. The group, which meets from 1-4:30 p.m. every Sunday, is limited to 20 participants holding a season pass. Participants are also required to pay $105 for the course, and at the end of the eight-week session, Junior Ski Patrollers earn their first aid and CPR certification.

“The kids on the Junior Ski Patrol don’t really patrol at all,” said Jonnathan Busko, the medical director for Hermon Ski Patrol. “They are there for training. The students do their medical class work online during the week. Then on Sunday all they are doing are skills. They will either be in a formal ski lesson or they’ll be in the medical skill session for the first hour and a half. Then in the second hour and a quarter, they’ll either be with a ski patroller to learn how patrollers are always observing what’s going on, looking for hazards, and listening to the wheels on the lift or they’ll be in a skills session where we’ll be doing toboggan handling. We’ll eventually have them participate in a mock lift evacuation.”

Katrina Rutherford, Emily’s mom, is amazed at the commitment and time management skills these youngsters exhibit to participate in the program.

“They’re giving up their own free time at home and they’re studying, learning and taking exams. It just shows their dedication and love of being here,” said Rutherford.

While the medical training is interesting, lots of the participants admit it is harder than they thought, while others bask in the extra time the program gives them to be on the slopes.

“It’s very important we keep it fun for them. Their job is not to go out and save lives,” explained Bakker, “it’s that they have fun so they continue to do this when they get older.”

Hermon Mountain believes its Junior Ski Patrol program will continue to attract youngsters with each passing winter.

“One of the things the kids absolutely love is participating in what we call ‘sweep,’ where we close the mountain. At 4 p.m., the last riders go up the lift and then after that all the participants and patrollers go up and we’re the last ones down the hill,” said Busko.

It’s one of the many reasons Emily keeps coming back; to enjoy all the exercise and education the slopes have to offer.

“Living in Maine, you’ve got to find your thing, and Emily has an incredible capacity to want to help other people,” said her mother. “This is just a great venue for her to try out some of that and learn some skills. Her confidence has gone way up, too, being part of the group, which is always nice.”

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 67

BONDING

TIME

Bond between grandparents and grandkids benefits both.

BY METRO NEWS SERVICE

WHAT USED TO be the “golden years” of life for seniors is now turning into any opportunity to spend even more time with their youngest family members. Nowadays, a growing number of grandparents are called on to provide child care for their grandkids, many of whom are growing up in two-income households. Others are helping to raise grandkids while providing financial assistance for adult children who may not be able to live on their own.

This trend has been corroborated in a few recent studies.

Information from the Pew Research Center showed 7.7 million children in the United States were living in the same household as one of their grandparents in 2011. A University of Chicago analysis of a decade of data based on interviews with 13,614 grandparents, ages 50 and older, found that 61 percent of grandparents provided at least 50 hours of care for their grandchildren during any given year between 1998 and 2008. And an April 2012 study for the MetLife Mature Market Institute and the nonprofit Generations United, an intergenerational policy group, found that 74 percent of respondents provided weekly child care or babysitting service for grandkids.

Grandparents often cite helping their own children financially as well as staying in touch with grandchildren as motivating factors behind providing care. According to Generations United, staying in touch with grandkids can give seniors a feeling of self-worth and improve their overall health.

When spending so much time together, grandparents may develop special relationships with their grandchildren, who may benefit from the knowledge and wisdom offered by their elders. The following are some lessons grandparents can share with youngsters.

• EMPATHY: By sharing stories of how things were when they were younger, when opportunities may have been more scarce, grandparents can help teach grandchildren empathy. Grandchildren

68 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

PHOTOS: MONKEYBUSINESSIMAGES/THINKSTOCK

FAMILY

may learn to be grateful for the things they have and the people around them, rather than taking what they have for granted.

• FAMILY HISTORY: Grandparents can tell grandchildren about family members, including youngsters’ own parents, and shed light on the generations that came before them. Looking through photos or watching old movies can provide the avenue by which to start conversations about family history and give children opportunities to ask questions.

• INTERESTS: Children may be excited about learning new skills or hobbies taught to them by their grandparents.

Anything from gardening to woodworking can be shared.

• RESPECT: Children who grow up respecting their grandparents may have an increased tendency to respect authority figures outside their homes, which may help kids grow up to be more courteous and kind.

Grandchildren also offer benefits to their grandparents. Companionship, new experiences and conversation can help keep grandparents’ minds sharp and bodies active well into their golden years. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 69

TRANSITIONS

B O N E Older Mainers build bone strength and camaraderie in free program.

BY MEG HASKELL

Sponsored by

Serving Hancock & Penobscot counties

Bangor office: 990.1995 Ellsworth office: 667.1900 lovingtouchinhomecare.com

70 / BANGOR METRO March 2017

WHEN MARY JO Tozier of Bucksport semi-retired a few years ago from her family’s grocery store business, the active then-60-year-old was surprised to find herself with too much time on her hands.

“It turns out you don’t really want that much time to yourself when you retire,” she said. “Right after I retired, I thought, ‘OK, now I’ve got to do something. I can’t just sit around and organize my house all day.’”

In the local paper, she found a short notice about an exercise program for seniors. She felt too young and healthy to join as a participant, but the story also indicated the program was looking for volunteers to lead the classes. Intrigued, she signed up for training, which included enrolling in a class. Within a few months, she was asked to co-lead the group.

So now, a little before 9 a.m. every Wednesday and Friday, Tozier arrives at The Heritage, a property of the Brewer Housing Authority, and starts setting up for the Bone Builders workout class that meets in the big community room there.

On a recent Wednesday, she was joined by co-leader Linda Hedman, who helped arrange straight-back chairs in a big circle and set out hand and ankle weights. Pretty soon, the class members start filtering in–—about a dozen men and women in their 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, laughing, cracking jokes and catching up on news as they settled in and got ready for a surprisingly challenging workout.

A leisurely warm-up loosened stiff necks and shoulders, stretched arms in slow, swimlike strokes and limbered up rigid backbones and rib cages. The warm-up was followed by a series of slow, controlled, rhythmic exercises–—squats, leg-lifts, abdominal crunches and more–—modified for safety and using graduated weights to increase the challenge and the benefit. Tozier and Hedman took turns leading the exercises, but participants were clearly familiar with them all and counted out the repetitions and holds in cheerful unison. There were short breaks for rest and water, but everyone seemed to appreciate the good workout.

PHOTOS: GABOR DEGRE | BDN

BUILDERS

Former fighter pilot Ed Hendrickson, 96, of Brewer said he has been relying on Bone Builders for the past 11 years to help keep him in shape for downhill skiing.

He hasn’t skied yet this winter, but hopes conditions will improve so he can.

“If I weren’t doing this, I probably wouldn’t be able to go,” he said, strapping on an ankle weight for the “slow Rockettes” leg lifts.

Across the circle, 70-year-old retired librarian Judy Leighton of Orrington, who suffers from osteoarthritis, said the program has improved her balance, mobility and strength.

“I retired two-and-a-half years ago and was doing a whole lot of nothing,” she said. After a friend brought her to Bone Builders, she said, “I was amazed to see how weak I was.”

Since she started coming regularly, she has seen a lot of improvement, even after breaking her leg in a fall last year.

Bone Builders classes are free and open to anyone 50 and older, with permission from a physician. Leaders, who are all volunteers, must be 55 or older. The program is offered

by RSVP, or the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, a federal program housed at the Maine Center on Aging at the University of Maine in Orono. RSVP volunteers here serve a four-county area, leading Bone Builders classes, working on reading skills with preschoolers, building science and math skills with elementary students, and, in partnership with veterans organizations, supporting military veterans and their families.

But Bone Builders has been around the longest of these programs and has the greatest reach, according to RSVP director Paula Burnett at the Maine Center on Aging.

There are about 26 volunteer Bone Builder leaders staffing 10 sites in Penobscot, Piscataquis, Hancock and Washington counties, reaching a total enrollment of about 150 participants.

“The goal is to increase muscle strength, build bone density, become more flexible and prevent falls,” Burnett said. In the process, leaders and class members alike enjoy regular socialization, affiliation with a group of peers and a greater sense of overall well-being.

“It works both ways,” Burnett said.

“The [volunteer] leaders get as much out of it as the participants.”

Mary Jo Tozier (left) is one of the volunteer co-leaders of the Bone Builders class exercise at the The Heritage apartments in Brewer.

96-year-old Ed Hendrickson (center) participates in the Bone Builders class exercise.

This story originally appeared in the Bangor Daily News, Jan. 16, 2017. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 71

LAST WORD

Daydream BELIEVER Fighting crime by the gallon and slam dunking watermelon are all fair game for dreamtime.

BY CHRIS QUIMBY

I SAT NEARBY two conversing men a few weeks ago, taking in a confession by one of them that he, now in his sixties, has for years enjoyed a regularlyoccurring dream. In it, he is called upon to participate in a high school basketball game as he did in real life some 50 years ago. Only in this dream he’s the grayhaired senior of the present, hoping to not hurt his back coming down from a fictitious lay-up while those in the crowd suffer confusion as to why somebody’s grandfather is even on the court.

I don’t think this is ridiculous. In fact, every few months I awaken from the fantasy that I’m called upon to rescue the fortunes of my school’s basketball team.

Oftentimes I dunk, which I have never done in my life because the basket is 10 feet high and there’s no way for me to get up there.

In one dream, I was playing defense against my cousin Adrianne. And to complicate the issue, the basketball was a watermelon. As if in slow motion, I awaited her attempt to raise the melon above her head. With great force and concentration in an effort to steal the fruit I slammed my right hand down against her efforts, immediately awakening me from my sleep to the realization that I had punched my Real Life Wife in the back.

Strange explanations and apologies followed.

I’m not sure if this is largely a phenomenon with men or if women also have these fantasies.

And they are not only relegated to nightly dreaming.

In fact, oftentimes when ducking into a convenience store at night I play out scenarios in my head in which I rescue somebody from harm.

The most common one has me quietly approaching the checkout line with a full gallon of milk in each hand. The customer in front of me has a gun pointed at the clerk while I forcefully slam both gallons together on either side of the criminal’s head, saving the teller and creating a massive dairy spill near aisle two.

It’s not likely that I will ever find myself in that situation, but if I do I’ll be prepared. That is, if the physics even work out. There’s a strong possibility that that two gallons of milk compressing a human head might not even deliver a felon a concussion, but might instead prompt him to turn around and exclaim in confusion, “Hey, man!

That’s really cold!”

Not all fantasies have me as hero. Some just offer me the opportunity to be noticed for being special. For example, in many of my dreams I can float by concentrating very hard. I have not yet been able to do this in real life yet. In fact, it takes equal amounts of concentration in my life to even enjoy the possibility of holding in flatulence.

But when I float in my dreams, everyone is amazed. And I act like it’s no big deal—like they should be able to do it, too.

And honestly, I would love to be able to do this. I have no idea of the practical benefit, but in situations around others when the conversation dies down or the party starts to get dull, it would be very nice to be able to rise a few feet up into the ground to everyone’s amazement.

Come to think of it, this might be a desire shared by women, who tend to wear boots and shoes with big heels, raising their bodies in the air at enviable levels that I will never achieve.

For now, I will have to find contentment in reality, instead living my life through the NBA players I follow on television and resisting the urge to commit violence against melons in the supermarket produce section.

CHRIS QUIMBY is a Christian comedian, speaker and writer, morning news anchor and host of Soup du Jour on VStv, and owner of Chris Quimby iPhone Repair. He resides in Brooks with his wife and two children.

72 / BANGOR METRO March 2017