A Few Thoughts From the Week

Winter can't be far off. We've had a few minor storms recently and the temps are dropping very close to the single digits during the overnight. Watched the neighbor put his banking on the house today through my window. He topped it off with fir boughs. My other neighbor added straw bales. Both say their way conserves the most heat....Signs are appearing around Town for the High Schools upcoming play. In recent years, Houlton High plays and musicals have been can't miss events....Rotary Radio Action is this week. Some good items to bid on. One way to get some Christmas shopping done....The Elm Tree Diner has once again closed for the Winter. It can't be good for business to only be open 6 or 7 months a year.....One more week of hunting season left.....A sure sign of Winter, local High School basketball tryouts start Monday...Why is gas so much cheaper in Oakfield and Island Falls?......A tragic accident in Maryland, claimed the life of a young Monticello man this week. My prayers go out to his family.....There is a buzz about a housing development taking place on the back side of Hillview Avenue. Someone bought a large tract of land and has cut most of the wood off it and subdivided it into many lots....Will the Chamber have a Holiday Light Parade again this year? People seem to enjoy it, but I haven't heard anything this year yet.....Thanksgiving is this Thursday. I hope you have a nice one with your friends and family...That's the View From My Couch.

Aerial View of Houlton

A Few More Memories of Days Gone By

A few of my childhood friends got together today and we took the time to recall some of our memories of growing up in the area. Houlton used to be a thriving town, with a much greater population than it now has.

One of the things we can recall was a trip to the park to watch the horse races in the old grandstand. Sadly, it burned down and was never replaced. I can even recall watching snowmobile races there at one time, although they couldn't have been too fast in those days. I never really remember them(snowmobiles) too much before 1965.

I can remember taking a trip to Gallops Animal Ranch on the Calais Road. It is really amazing if you stop and think about it now, but we really had a zoo in the area in those days. I saw my only live giraffe there. It's a really shame that they could not have continued to keep that going.

As youngsters we all took swimming lessons through the Rec Center. We would get on the Rec Bus and head out to the Public Landing and Nickerson Lake where the lessons were held. It didn't matter how cold the water was , you were going in. Those bus rides were fun and we all learned to swim in those summers. Some of our best lessons however were learned on the bus rides to and from the Lake.

As we got older and cars became a big part of our lives, so did the Borderland Drive- In Theater. Everyone in Town , it seemed, would head up there at dusk. You would get your car parked just at the right angle on the small inclines to get a good view, and grab a speaker off the pole and put in your window. A great place to take a date or go with your friends. We used to make a game of it by trying to see how many people we could sneak in by putting them in the trunk. Our group even had a car with hinges on the rear seat, for easy access to the trunk. Those were the days of our youth.

Some evenings we used to hang out at Hats Diner, which later became Applebees, and is now Howland Construction offices. I had my first "Italian Sandwich" there.

Other nights we used to drive up to the top of the hill to Drakes Dairy Bar and get an ice cream or one of thier famous hot dogs and hit a few golf balls on their driving range.

On winter nights, the Rec used to keep the outdoor rink open for our skating pleasure. Good music, over what today would be called a poor sound system, made our nights enjoyable. On weekends we would ride the old Rec bus out to Hovey Hill to the Ski Slopes. It really wasn't much of a hill, but it was good enough for us. It was near the back of the airport. I doubt there is much left up there now as it is another thing that has gone by the wayside in Houlton.

Growing up in Houlton, we always seemed to have lots to do. It just doesn't seem to be that way anymore as the times have changed.

That's the View From My Couch.

Local Elections

The Election is just a few days away. It is important to vote. In Houlton, there will be three openings on the Town Council. Retiring Councilors John Fitzpatrick and Mike Blanchard will have to be replaced. Council Chairman Gerald "Jerry" Adams, is running for re election. There are six candidates, including Adams, running for these three seats.

I will be watching with great interest, and you should be too, as the new members could very well dictate the way the Council moves forward. As a general rule of thumb, the two members that are leaving, usually voted together, along with Councilor Paul Cleary ( progressively). Councilors Phil Bernaichie and Carl Lord Jr, usually vote the opposite way( conservatively). Dr Paul Romanelli isn't quite as predictable, but usually sides with Lord and Bernaiche. This often leaves the Chairman to break the tie, and Adams nine times out of ten will side with Romanelli. Now I'm not saying this is good or bad, this is just the makeup, in general, of the present council.

Here is my take on the six candidates. They all have served in public offices in Houlton, so therefore, they should be established enough for you ( the voter ) to make a reasonable decision as you cast your ballot.

Jerry Adams: Present Council Chairman. Outspoken individual and a well spoken individual. You either love him or hate him. There is no middle ground. He has grown as a councilor, this year in particular. Whether you like him or not, you have to notice that he has tried very hard to be fair. He listens and is not rigid with his opinions. There are worse options than him. Personally, I say re elect him; and trust me, I would not have said that before. He has PROVEN to be an effective leader.

Dale Flewelling: Has served twice before for a total of six years. Former Chairman. Well respected Businesman. Tends to be conservative at times, other times not. He uses his head and then makes a decision, whether it is popular or not. He has experience. He can work with others and be effective. He deserves your vote.

Stanley Ginish: The most controversial candidate by far. He does not live in Houlton, but rents an apartment so that he has a residence, thereby making himself eligible for election. This is the one man I would NOT want to see elected. He has made a spectacle of himself by protesting in front of the Greater Houlton Christian Academy when he didn't like something that the Christian Civic league was supporting. Recently he has been in front of the Military Street Baptist Church with a sign saying their pastor is preaching HATE. His commercials have been extremely negative, bordering on slander at times. I would be very surprised if his opinions were share by a majority of Houlton voters. I could go on, but I won't.

Kent Good: Another former councilor. A soft spoken man. Often times people wonder what his opinions are because he plays his cards close to his vest. Not afraid to to spend your tax dollar, but seems to do so wisely. A fairly popular man, who deserves your consideration and may very well win a seat.

Walter Goodrich: A businessman for over thirty years. He has served on many boards and has donated to many charitable organizations over the years. Well respected in the community. Has the reputation of a quiet man, who thinks things through. I have seen enough of this man over the past twenty years or so to know that he not only deserves your consideration - but also deserves your vote. He will be receiving mine.

Galen Wilde: Another local businessman and former councilor. He will garner many votes too. He will not be getting mine. He just comes off to me as more of a follower than a leader. That is my impression. He will always seems to vote along with Romanelli, Lord, and Bernaiche: while this is not always a bad thing. In his last term, he just didn't impress me as a man of his own opinion. He hasn't yet said or done anything to make me think it would be different this time. I just don't want a "Rubber Stamp" councilor.

These are just my opinions, and may not be yours. I see four quality candidates and five quality people. There are only three seats. Like you, I will be interested to see the new Town Council's make up, as Houlton heads into the new year with some tough decisions to make.

Vote Tuesday. It's your right!

That's the view From My Couch.