February 15, 2007: Storm pounds region

I hate to keep posting someone else's writing here instead of my own, but I love the Morning Sentinel! They write about everything so well! I promise I'll get to my news in my words, but meanwhile, this was a heckuva lot of snow for this Texas girl. MRM and RBF think it was at least 2 feet of snow in our yard. Meanwhile, here's the news story from the early morning edition of The Morning Sentinel:

Storm pounds region
By DOUG HARLOW
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel Thursday, February 15, 2007

People started calling it the St. Valentine's Day Blizzard by noontime Wednesday, just an hour or so after the governor's office declared a state of emergency.

Heavy snow and driving winds reduced visibility to near zero on central Maine roads as the first major storm of the winter plowed into the state, dumping nearly 10 inches of snow by 2 p.m. with a lot more to come.

Officials warned residents to stay off the roads and let highway crews do their jobs, and by and large they did.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning, effective until 5 a.m. today.

The storm eased for a period in the Waterville area at about 3 p.m., giving commuters hope that the storm was ending early, but it was just getting its second wind.

"That's just a dry slot moving through, the heavy stuff will be coming through shortly," Jim Brown at the National Weather Service said of the lull. "For inland locations like where you are, there will be one to two feet."

An hour later it was snowing again, driving out of the northeast with a ferocity.

The jackpot for snowfall is expected across the western mountains and foothills -- Maine's ski areas -- before the storm ends Thursday morning.

"Before today, the total was very little -- 10 to 20 inches, if that," said meteorologist John Cannon. "This one is basically going to double totals for some communities for the season."

Traffic slowed to a crawl and schools never opened for the day. Cars and tractor trailers slid off the roads, but no serious injuries were reported.

"We have had a few vehicles sliding off the road, but nothing serious," a state police dispatcher said. "It's very bad visibility."

By mid-afternoon Wednesday, Skowhegan Police Chief Butch Asselin said he had seen few problems with the all-day snow event.

"We're having a flurry of snowmobile-related complaints, you know, people operating on the roadway. These people have been waiting all year for this," Asselin said with a laugh.

State workers were ordered to go home at 12:30 p.m. Airlines canceled all flights at the Bangor International Airport, and most flights at Portland International Jetport were canceled as well.

Waterville City Hall was closed and city trucks worked to keep streets clear, but it was largely a losing battle.

Quentin Hardy, a delivery driver for the Waterville House of Pizza, said he had nearly 30 deliveries by 2 p.m. The restaurant itself was empty.

"The main roads aren't too bad, but the side roads are treacherous -- they can't get a chance to plow them," he said. "Even Main Street. They're just trying to get the main ones open and they can't keep up with it. There's just too much snow."

Over at The Center building on Main Street, a sad song by Carole King rose from The Forum, where Diana Cochran had prepared an open house for the homeless. There were chocolates and bears and hearts and candles and pizza, but no people.

"I have heart for the homeless," she said. "I can't believe nobody's come. It was advertised on the radio and I told the taxi people to bring people in."

In Franklin County, motorists were generally staying off the roads unless they were heading to the ski areas up north or had snow plowing businesses.

Local weather watcher Dennis Pike, who is also the Franklin County Sheriff, said he saw the first snowflake at his home on Fairbanks Road in Farmington at 4:17 a.m. and, as of 3:30 p.m., 9.8 inches had accumulated.

The Public Works Department in Farmington had plows out by 5 a.m. Wednesday, and they will stay out as long as they are needed, said mechanic Greg Soule, the only one left at the maintenance garage.

"We have nine pieces of equipment out and they are all doing what they are supposed to be doing. We live in Maine -- we're supposed to be able to handle this," he said.

Brian Caverly, dispatcher at Richard A. Carrier Trucking Inc. in Skowhegan, said the snow was slowing down business.

"It makes it real hard on business," Caverly said. "Seventy-five percent of our trucks are off the road today. It's too dangerous, hard going, and more accidents, more off the road."

Caverly said the less-experienced drivers are not sent out and the ones with more experience do the most necessary trucking to the sawmills.

"Everything we do is with sawmills, so we try to move what we can to keep them going," Caverly said.

Charles Robbins Jr. at Charlie & Son Auto Sales in Skowhegan said his towing and plowing service had been busy all day.

"It's all light snow, but there's lots of it," Robbins said. "My father is plowing on the road and I've been towing. There have been quite a few accidents -- eight, nine or 10."

Asselin said some of the Skowhegan Police cruisers were having trouble moving in the deepening snow, especially on Main Street hill. He had told officers to stay off the road until they were called into service.

As early as noontime, bigger trucks were having difficulty in the gathering snow. In Madison a tractor trailer could not make Thurston Hill. Police everywhere were scrambling to help mired cars.

Among the accidents police responded to were a rollover on U.S. Route 201 in Solon shortly after 1 p.m. that caused no serious injuries, a car that slid off the U.S. Route 2 in Norridgewock about 10 minutes later, and the breakdown of a truck on U.S. Route 2 in Mercer at about 12:30 p.m.

Maine State Trooper Hugh Landry, who patrols in Somerset County, said the truck was driving east when it apparently broke down after failing to make a hill near the Norridgewock border. Both the truck and the trailer were towed.

In Pittsfield, Crystal Bradbury, shoveling snow from the sidewalk in front of her Middle Street home, took it all in stride.

"It's Maine. It's winter," she said. "You live in Maine, you kind of expect snow."

Bradbury was sent home early from work, but more than six inches of snow had already fallen by the time she grabbed her shovel.

"It's packed down a bit because the kids were out here earlier," she said. Her children had since run off to go sliding. "And who gets stuck shoveling? Me."

Steven Emery, Pittsfield Police Chief, said as of 12:45 p.m. the only accident in town was a minor fender-bender in a parking lot.

"Visibility is terrible," he said. "The plows can't keep up with it. Roads will not be sanded until they have been plowed. They're out and about, but they can't keep up with it."

Tammy Higgins, co-owner of Hocus Pocus Cafe on Main Street, downtown, said she drove to Newport on the back roads and had no problems.

"It's just been so mild for so many years that people freak out," she said. "I love (the snow)."

Doug Harlow -- 861-9244

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Staff Writers Darla L. Pickett, Alan Crowell, Betty Jespersen and Craig Crosby contributed this report.

Police Log February 14, 2007

Tee Hee! You're gonna love this one. It's all the news that's fit to print AND it's about ice fishing! There were 20 more items in the police log but this one was the top of the list and none of the others got as much coverage. Read carefully . . . how much about ice fishing can you learn from this one police log entry?

Police Log
Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel Wednesday, February 14, 2007

WILTON -- Police issued a summons Tuesday to a Wilton man who allegedly set fire to an acquaintance's ice shack around midnight Saturday.

Michael Cook, 23, is charged with aggravated criminal mischief, a felony. Cook became a suspect after Wilton Police Chief Dennis Brown collected evidence at the scene and interviewed him Tuesday, according to Brown.

Loss of the ice shack and fishing gear inside is estimated at about $2,000.

Brown said some residents saw the fire, but no one reported it to the fire department. The shack's owner, James Boivin, of Wilton, notified police the following morning.

Feb. 14, 2007: Donkey Update

At least now I know I'm not the only one who is following this story. Check out today's article. All that made the front page was a little picture down by the table of contents and a reference to the article which was on the front of the LOCAL section. But it's still big news (and actually, pretty interesting):

Media herd trots to donkey dilemma
By CRAIG CROSBY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel Wednesday, February 14, 2007


PITTSFIELD -- Jenny the runaway donkey is proving to be the most famous fugitive on four legs since Bonnie and Clyde.

As Jenny's walk on the wild side entered its 26th day on Tuesday, the couple from whom the donkey made her great escape fielded telephone calls from media outlets throughout the country looking for an update.

Fox News and CNN have joined a throng of local media in broadcasting the movements of the delinquent donkey, according to Joe Varricchio, who owns Mary's Garden with Mary Gaeta. Varricchio received interview requests from news stations in Boston and California.

"It's more exciting around here, that's for sure," Varricchio said as he awaited the arrival of an Associated Press reporter.

The news coverage could help bring Jenny's saga to a happy conclusion. Gail Lever of Princeton, Mass., first read of Jenny's plight on Tuesday, and Lever just may hold the key to reining Jenny in. Equine experts who have worked to capture Jenny believe the donkey is searching for a partner that was sold separately at an auction last fall. Lever believes her mule, Isabella, is that partner.

"I think we have her buddy," Lever said Tuesday. "When I saw this picture today, (Jenny's) the spitting image of Isabella."

Both donkeys -- Lever believes both are actually mules, the product of a jackass stud and a female horse -- were purchased at Tilton's Auction in East Corinth. Both were considered too ornery to handle and were passed off to another owner. Isabella went to Lever, who, with two friends, runs Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue, an informal donkey and mule rescue league. Jenny went to live with Varricchio and Gaeta, who hoped the animal would ward off the foxes, coyotes and raccoons that make off with about 60 chickens every year. Lever and Gaeta had both heard that the donkeys had been separated from partners.

"We could be wrong about this, but there are so many clues here that make me think this could be the long lost buddy of Isabella," Lever said.

Jenny escaped Jan. 18 and has been running in the fields and woods around Mary's Garden ever since. Varricchio and the Gaetas have gotten countless suggestions and offers of assistance, but all attempts to capture Jenny, even with tranquilizers, have proven futile.

Isabella, whose nickname is "Bellybutton," was sent to a farm in Acworth, N.H. She has made tremendous progress, Lever said, and is already eating out of outstretched hands. Lever believes Jenny can make the same progress.

"We're thinking of trailering Isabella over there and seeing if we could lure Jenny to her," Lever said. "We don't want to force her. We want her to come to us."

Karina Lewis, who specializes in equine behavior modification, returned to Mary's Garden for a second time on Tuesday. Lewis believes Isabella's arrival would hasten Jenny's capture.

"Karina said she'd go pick (Isabella) up if she had to," Varricchio said. "This is going to be something."

Lever believes Jenny and Isabella, who were likely lifelong companions and probably even sisters, have been heartbroken since the auction.

"These animals bond and they become such close friends," Lever said.

Lewis, who planned to return to Mary's Garden today, hopes Jenny will be captured before Isabella's arrival. Lewis and Jenny had just 10 minutes of what Lewis described as "contact" on Sunday during Lewis' first visit. That time of trust-building extended two hours on Tuesday.

"We're making definite progress," Lewis said. "I liked what I saw today. We're building rapport and that takes time. We're going to do this in increments and today was a huge step forward."

Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2007: the storm's a comin'

To: All Students, Faculty and Staff
From: Edward J. Blais, Director of Public Safety
Regarding: Storm Warning

This is a message to advise our campus community of a winter storm. The Regional Emergency Management Office of Franklin County informed us that they received this weather message:

The National Weather Service in Gray advises that Franklin County will receive 12+ inches of snow from Wednesday into Thursday. We will also experience very windy conditions to create blowing and drifting snow.

Please remember that if you are parked in a “daytime only” parking lot, overnight, your car will be towed for snow removal.

Also a small reminder of the town of Farmington winter parking policy, which states:

Winter Parking Ordinance

No person shall park a vehicle from 12:00 A.M. (midnight) to 6:00 A.M. on any street, public way, or Town owned or leased parking lot (i.e. Bjorn Parking Lot, Park Street Parking Lot, Park-N-Ride Parking Lot (except the front 11 spaces), Town Office Parking Lot, Community Center Parking Lot and Broadway Municipal “Kyes Square” Parking Lot), from the fifteenth (15th) day of November to the fifteenth (15th) day of April of each year or during any part of the day which would block the removal of snow. The decision to remove snow at times other than 12:00 A.M. (midnight) to 6:00 A.M. rests solely with the Public Works Director or his designee. The owner of said vehicle shall be subject to a penalty of $10.00 and/or be subject to having their vehicle towed at the owner’s expense.

Thank you for your cooperation.

donkey story moving up in headlines

Monday, February 12, 2007
Top headline on the front page of today's Morning Sentinel: "Elusive donkey still on lam" with color photo!

By AMY CALDER
Staff Writer

PITTSFIELD -- An effort to catch an elusive donkey turned sophisticated Sunday as a woman skilled in the psychology of horses tried her hand at the challenge.

Karina Lewis saddled her horse, Beauty, and headed out over a snowy field off Higgins Road toward Jenny, the yellow donkey that has evaded captors since Jan. 18.

"Some people call me a horse whisperer; some people call me an equine psychologist," Lewis, of Benton, said. "I like to call myself a problem-solver of people and horses."

Lewis' partner, Kirk Stanley, rode beside her atop Jasper, a dark bay mule. Jenny frolicked in the snow at a distance, approaching the riders and then backing off.

"We'll be part of the herd" Lewis said. "Jenny is on every level willing to communicate. It's going to be a little bit of a pursuit there in the woods because that's where she feels superior."

Lewis and Stanley came to Mary Gaeta and Joe Varricchio's farm Sunday, eager to help like lots of others who have become sympathetic with their plight.

The couple bought Jenny just before the new year to help guard the farm from foxes, coyotes and raccoons that make off with about 60 chickens a year, according to Gaeta. Jenny escaped Jan. 18 and has been wandering around the property and neighboring fields ever since, returning daily for food -- but just out of human grasp.

"I'm worried about her running into the road and getting hit or somebody else getting hurt," Varricchio said. "I've had so many suggestions and so many people that want to come with their animals to help draw her out. It's unbelievable. Everybody wants to help."

One person who tried Sunday was Kevin Hall of TK Ranch in Newport, which specializes in miniature horses and donkeys.

Hall led his donkey, Jackson, around the field on a leash, pursuing Jenny in the snow until he returned, exhausted and breathless.

"I've never had such a hard time getting a donkey a date in my life," he said.

Lewis took a slower, gentler approach with Jenny, which she called a "hinny," a female donkey crossed with a stallion. A mule is a jackass stud crossed with a female horse, she said.

Lewis' business is called The Mirror Effect, in which she has helped people from all over the world with problems including a horse's resistance to taking a bit, to one that constantly bucked its rider off.

Lewis has a master's degree in psychology. She grew up on a ranch in Montana, where her grandfather and uncle are professional cowboys and where she spent years developing a special ability to "read" horses, mules and donkeys. She recently moved to Maine from Colorado with Stanley, who grew up in central Maine.

"She has a unique gift that's just not a learnable thing," Stanley said.

Lewis was confident they would capture Jenny Sunday. But about 30 acres of woods thick with brush and fallen trees -- and open fields with snow drifts sometimes three feet deep -- impeded their efforts. And the aloof Jenny was anything but willing to submit.

"You know, it's kind of like chasing a 700-pound rabbit," Lewis said after about three hours of coaxing. "She's about 650 to 700 pounds and she can move just like a rabbit, in and out of the brush."

But she and Stanley said they would return Tuesday to pick up where they left off. "I'm going to come back several times," Lewis said. "I'm not going to give up on this situation."

The farm, called "Mary's Gardens," was abuzz with activity Sunday morning. Two baby lambs were born in the barn, Smokey the dog trotted around the barnyard with the hens, ducks and geese, and curious spectators who had heard about the donkey on television and in newspaper reports drove in and out, taking photos and offering recommendations for capture.

Jenny seemed to enjoy the hunt, lingering near the trees and showing herself only so much to onlookers before disappearing into the woods for long periods.

"She's a smart donkey -- that's all I can say," Varricchio said.

Lewis said Jenny may be searching for her mate, from which she was separated after someone who bought the donkeys at Tilton's Auction in East Corinth sold it. Lewis said having that mate would help draw Jenny out, and she asked anyone knowing its whereabouts to contact Gaeta at the farm.

Amy Calder -- 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com

urgent winter weather message from the national weather service: February 10, 2007

I think this means it's long coat time. Basically it's predicting wind chills as low as 25 below and maybe 6" of snow Wednesday night/Thursday morning. Some say if we really get all the snow they're predicting that the University might be closed. Love those snow days! But we had 10" the day before the first day of classes and we weren't closed. We'll see what happens. I wonder if their weather predictions are as unpredictable as the ones back in Texas.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Wind Chill Warning
Southern Franklin (Maine)

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
258 AM EST MON FEB 12 2007
...GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL USHER IN VERY COLD AIR CREATING
DANGEROUSLY COLD WIND CHILLS TONIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING. THIS
WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A STORM SYSTEM MOVING UP THE COAST WEDNESDAY
AND THURSDAY WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY SNOWFALL...
.AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TODAY. BEHIND
THIS FRONT GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BRING IN MORE COLD AIR LATER
TODAY AND TONIGHT. TEMPERATURES WILL DROP BELOW ZERO OVER MOST OF
THE REGION TONIGHT, EXCEPT NEAR THE COAST WHERE LOWS WILL LIKELY
STAY NEAR OR JUST ABOVE ZERO.
THE COMBINATION OF WIND AND COLD TEMPERATURES WILL LEAD TO
DANGEROUSLY COLD WIND CHILLS OF 20 BELOW TO 25 BELOW ZERO OVER
SOUTHERN, CENTRAL AND COASTAL AREAS OF MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE AND
30 BELOW TO 35 BELOW ZERO OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS OF
WESTERN MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE.
IN ADDITION...A MAJOR STORM SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE REGION
TUESDAY NIGHT...THEN TRACK NORTHEAST ALONG THE COAST WEDNESDAY
AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WHILE THE EXACT TRACK REMAINS A BIT IN
QUESTION...IT DOES APPEAR THAT A SIGNIFICANT WINTER WEATHER SYSTEM
WILL IMPACT THE AREA FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR MORE THAN 6 INCHES OF SNOWFALL ACROSS THE
ENTIRE AREA. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS
FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCERNING THE EVOLUTION AND
TRACK OF THIS STORM SYSTEM.

glomitts

At the Epiphany Party that the choir gave in my honor before I left, one of the gifts I received was a pair of glomitts. They look like knit woolen gloves but with the tips of the fingers cut off. Attached to the back of the glove is a flat, knit, cup-shaped appendage that can quickly be put over the top of the gloves and instantly you have a mitten. It can be secured shut with the attached velcro. There's a miniature version of it over the thumb without the velcro. So they're half glove/half mitten, hence the name glomitt. I was enthralled with the gift from Jane and Lyndon. I wasn't quite sure when I would need them, but I knew that I would at least wear them as mittens (since mittens are so much warmer than gloves) and would enjoy them. They were also soft and in a pretty shade of tan and beige . . . and I do love those autumn colors. Since both my long coat and my short coat are brown, they'd match whatever I was wearing.

One day in early January, I was taking my photos of the creek (see the "Diary of a Creek" photo journal on my website . . . still under construction for now) and had to take off my right glove to be able to push all the right buttons to take the photo. As my right hand got very cold taking the photo, it dawned on me that indeed, I had the perfect use for glomitts! Every time I know I'm going to take photographs outdoors, I make sure I have glomitts in my coat pockets (they're usually in "the other coat" . . . whichever one I'm not planning to wear). I wear the glomitts in their mitten phase while walking around, then when it's time to take a picture, I flip the mitt cover off the right hand and have my fingertips "at my fingertips" for all the detail work required for photo-taking. As soon as I push the off button on the camera (a tiny button next to the shutter button . . . so if taking photos with regular gloves on, I often get photo of the inside sleeve of my coat or something else equally deletable), I flip the mitt back on and I'm toasty warm yet again. :-)

On a recent cold day, I was walking to school with my big coat on and was wearing my leather gloves that Mom W. had given me for Christmas. They're very nice but on this day, they were not warm enough. I shoved the hand that wasn't holding my bookbag into the big coat pocket and realized that the glomitt was down in the bottom of that pocket. Aha! Since the glomitt is knit, it's a little stretchier than my leather gloves, so I put the glomitt on over the leather glove. The difference in comfort was immediately noticable so I switched the book bag to the other arm and did the same to the other hand. Aaaaah. Warmth. So "dress in layers" applies to your hands as well and glomitts make a perfect second layer.

Thank you Jane and Lyndon!!

It's cold, but there are good things about it

from The Morning Sentinel, Friday, February 9, 2007, Section B (Local and State News), front page:

It's cold, but there are good things about it

We asked for it. Maine's prodigal winter has returned, and it seems to be making iself pretty comfortable. It dropped to 7 degrees in Portland Thursday morning/ 20 below at Moosehead Lake.

Forecasters say we should expect more of the same, along with icy breezes, for the next several days.

Ready for spring yet?

Well, remember, frigid weather can be your friend. Here are our top 10 reasons you should embrace the cold:

10. It takes your mind off global warming for a few days.
9. Wind chills put you in touch with your inner Inuit.
8. Because you haven't lived until you've driven a half-ton pickup across a frozen lake.
7. Biting cold vs. biting insects? It's better to be numb than stung.
6. Picking up after Fido's never been easier.
5. There's no shortage of parking spaces at the beach.
4. Cold weather encourages people from away to stay away.
3. As cold as it is here, there's a whole country north of us where it's colder.
2. Frozen "morning hair" can be easy to maintain.
1. The Sox on Opening Day will be that much sweeter.

~*~*~*~*~*~
No author was given on this. It just said "Blethen Maine Newspapers" where the byline would be if there was one. Did no one want to take credit? :-)

Of course, I love the reference to "people from away" in #4.

MRM said that frozen morning hair is a reality if you go outside with your hair damp. How have I missed that? I'll have to try that. ;-)

How cold is it?

I think this chart I've been keeping says it all. :-)
Click on the graphic below and you'll get a larger image that you can actually read.
Note that there have only been 6 days since I've been here that the high temperature was above freezing. And look at all those negative numbers! Gotta love it.

LL Bean's sole returns to Maine: February 8, 2007

check out this article from the Morning Sentinel. I love it on two counts: 1. What a great boon to the Maine economy and a great decision by LL Bean. 2. Check out the use of "from away". They really do use that phrase around here. :-) It's in the newspaper, so it must be true!

By TREVOR MAXWELL

Blethen Maine Newspapers

Ever since Leon Leonwood Bean hired a factory in Boston to make rubber soles, outsourcing has been the little secret of the legendary Maine Hunting Shoe.

For most of the past century, the soles of L.L. Bean's boots were -- as a native might put it -- from away.

Except for a short stint in Lewiston, the soles were manufactured in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and most recently in Arkansas. They are shipped to the Bean factory in Brunswick, to be joined with the leather upper of the famous boots.

Later this year, though, the entire process will return to Maine.

L.L. Bean is spending about $1 million on equipment to make the rubber soles, and the company expects to sign a lease soon for manufacturing space in southern Maine. When the new shop becomes operational this fall, it will employ eight or 10 shoemakers, producing thousands of soles for several Bean boot designs.

The decision runs counter to the trend of manufacturing moving out of Maine. "It is a huge statement on their part to do something like this," said Tom Yake, a retail analyst from Kennebunk. "They could have left it in a number of other states, or even taken it offshore."

Because L.L. Bean is a private company, it has more leeway to make decisions that might not look good from an immediate financial standpoint, but could have benefits down the road, Yake said. He said the change is smart marketing from a social perspective.

"Companies that have such folklore and tradition, they need to do everything they can to maintain that image," Yake said. "This may also relate to some underlying psychology that they want to get back to the basics."

Company officials said the change is a small bright spot in Maine manufacturing, a sector that shed more than 10,000 jobs between 2001 and 2005, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Having the rubber sole shop in Maine will give Bean a higher level of quality control than it has over the contract operation in Arkansas, said Carolyn Beem, manager of public affairs.

The move is also definitely about pride, Beem said. L.L. Bean ranks high on the short list of images and brands associated with Maine -- think lobster, Poland Spring and Portland Head Light -- and the Bean boot is still the company's best-known commodity.

"It means a lot to us," to make the boots in Maine, Beem said. "It is a signature product for us, so we have always been protective of the quality. It has also become a signature product for the state."

Company chairman Leon Gorman, president Chris McCormick and other top officials made the decision in November to manufacture the soles in Maine, Beem said. That news was shared with employees a few weeks ago.

"They are extremely excited," said Jack Samson, who heads up Bean's manufacturing division at Brunswick. "The fact that the soles are going to be made by L.L. Bean employees, that is the best part. To see jobs come back to Maine, to see a heritage product like this come back, is incredible."

Samson and others within the manufacturing division proposed the changes several months ago.

"We just felt it was the right thing for us, from the standpoint of quality, and keeping the brand and the boot here in Maine," Samson said. "It is great to see it come home."

The company is still trying to find the right location for the new shop, Samson said. He hopes to lease space near Brunswick, so the two components of boot construction will be close to one another.

Smaller pieces of the boot, such as the laces and eyelets, are purchased from firms in California and Rhode Island. Bean employs about 400 people in its manufacturing division, and about 3,800 year-round employees overall.

L.L. Bean markets 24 styles of Bean boot on its Web site, ranging in price from $59 for the low-cut rubber mocs, to $159 for the 10-inch insulated hunting boots.

There have been a handful of technological changes to the classic Bean boot over the years, including a new leather coating and steel shank added in 1999. But the basic design remains as it was in 1912, when L.L. Bean made the first pairs in the basement of his brother's apparel shop.

Company lore has it that Bean sold 100 pairs of boots that first year, with his personal guarantee. Ninety pairs were returned after the soles separated from the leather uppers.

The story goes that Bean refunded the purchases, corrected the problem and borrowed more money to make more boots. He contracted with a factory outside of Boston that could produce high quality rubber soles at a reasonable price, Beem said. The return of those 90 boots set the foundation of a liberal returns policy that remains a hallmark of the company.

For competitive reasons, Beem would not say how many pairs of Bean boots are produced or sold annually. She also would not name the contracting firm in Arkansas, or discuss how the relocation to the Maine shop will affect the company's finances.

"Sales are significant enough for us to make this investment," she said.

the kindness of strangers: February 7, 2007

I was walking to the Post Office, more focused on staying warm (even with my long coat on) and watching the beautiful sunset at 4:45 than I was on my surroundings. Suddenly, a car is slowing down next to me, and a lady is calling out the open passenger window, "Ma'am, your scarf!" I turn to look at her and she's pointing behind her, down the street. I look down the sidewalk and there is my purple cashmere muffler, lying in a heap on the sidewalk. How nice was that?!

the case of the reverse disappearing footprints

This might be good for an episode of CSI.

I came home one night and started heading upstairs when I suddenly realized I still had my snowboots on. I quickly took them off and went back to the entry door. I put the boots in the pile by the door and got a paper towel to wipe up my muddy footprints that I had left. I went back to where I had taken off the boots and wiped up those footprints and then worked my way back to the door. As I approached the door, the footprints were lighter in color and smaller . . . less water. That's weird. They should've done that as I walked away from the door and eventually all the mud came off. Why were they disappearing as I approached the door and in fact, there were none by the door??

I wish I had a little flap under which I could hide the answer. Oh well, here it is: When I first got home, the dirt and snow were still frozen on the bottom of my boots. So the first few steps, everything was still stuck to the boot. As I walked further into the house, the ice and snow started to melt and left the little boot prints. The further into the house I got, the longer I'd been in the warmth of the house and the more the muck melted, leaving bigger and wetter prints.

Did you figure it out?? Congratulations! You are a either good detective for a person from away, or a Mainer (or Mainiac) who's laughing that I had to figure that out.

cigar box under the counter

The local movie theatre here is a very nice multi-plex cinema. I went to see Dream Girls and was impressed with the comfortable seats and the generous leg room. The sound system was good. It was really nice. MRM had told me ahead of time that the thing to do was buy the gift certificate. For the same price as just going to the movie, you get a certificate for admission plus free popcorn and a drink. You can buy the gift certificate at the theatre or at the local Hallmark store. So I stopped in at the Hallmark store earlier that day to buy my gift certificate. "I think I have one left," the lady behind the counter said. And she reached down underneath the counter and pulled out a cigar box. In it were the certificates and an envelope. I gave her a $5 bill [note: first run movies are only $5] and she proceeded to put it inside the envelope. Then she gave me my certificate, wrapped a big rubber band around the cigar box and put it back under the counter.

That is my kind of accounting system!

the long and the short of it

Let's go back in time to December 5, 6, and 7 when I came to visit UMF for the first time. I observed classes, met with the Dept. Chair and the Dean, visited with my future teammates, met with a realtor, and just got a feel for the place in general. I arrived on Monday night, Dec. 4, spent the night in Portland, and drove to UMF in the morning on Dec. 5. The high on that Tuesday was 26 degrees (low = 17). I had my silk long underwear that I had ordered on the Internet at the suggestion of Mary S. (and the reaffirmation of Julie D.) and was wearing my big furry long coat with the hood that Mother had given to me for Christmas 2005 for all my trips to New York. I was toasty warm. On the 6th, the temp went up to 37 for a high (low = 12). I even risked running across the street from Franklin Hall to the Student Union without my coat (but with long underwear and several other layers). By Thursday, I was stumped. I had tried to pay particular attention to what people were wearing so I could get a feel for how casual people dressed, what was considered professional attire, etc. But what I noticed most was that no one was wearing long coats. So I finally asked, "Is this a fashion faux pas to wear a long coat? I only see ski jackets and short coats." The reply was, "Oh no. We all have long coats. We wear them when it gets cold."

Oh.

So when I was in Albuquerque for Christmas, I bought a short wool coat on sale. (TIP: Don't buy coats in Dallas . . . they're only fashionably warm-looking. Buy coats for warmth in a city that really has cold weather. Hence, I buy coats in Albuquerque.) But when I got here, it was cold! So I was wearing my long coat. But nobody else was wearing long coats. In the entire month of January, the high temperature in Farmington has been above freezing only 4 days. But no one is wearing long coats. So I've actually worn my short coat many days. I've been surprised, but it's actually been warm enough (as long as there are 3 layers underneath it . . . long underwear top, sweater, pants suit jacket; long underwear pants, pants, sock liners, socks, snow boots). The disadvantage to a long coat is: it's big and bulky. Where do you put it when you get inside. In my office, I can just hang it on the back of my door. When MRM and I went to a stage production by the local high school improv group, I was sitting 3 inches higher than anyone else because I was sitting on my coat. So only when the low is below zero, or when the wind blows (oooh, that wind chill stuff is so true), do I wear my long coat. Otherwise, I've joined the natives and am wearing a short coat.

all the news that's fit to print: January 30, 2007

The Morning Sentinel, founded in 1904, is a newspaper "Serving Northern Kennebec, Waldo, Somerset and Franklin County Communities." Good for them, they really only carry local news. So here's the contents of today's front page:

Top headline, article and photo stretch all the way across the front of the page: "Ripe for the plucking: Madison greenhouse begins selling 1st batch of tomatoes" (small inset photo on right) It's a story about a company that has a 25-acre greenhouse and is staking "its futre on the premise that vine-ripened tomatoes will taste better than those picked early and shipped thousands of miles." Amen to that! And it's good for the local economy.

Above the fold, directly under prior article, 3/4 of the way across the page:"Riding with some of the best: Oakland-based school district bus system nationally recognized" (big photo, 3 columns wide, above the article showing all the bus drivers in a bus) This is a clever photo and a great story. That should be front page news when your bus fleet gets national recognition.

Above the fold, 1/4 of the page, to the right of the prior article: "N.C. sex offender charged with rape." Sad but true, a registered sex offender from North Caroline is charged with raping a local woman Sunday morning. There's a small mug shot of the guy flush in the article.

Bottom third of the page, with table of contents, weather, and 2 news briefs in the middle: to the left: "Commission backs mandated insurance, cigarette tax increase."

And in the lower right hand corner of the front page, my all-time favorite: "Runaway donkey stays a step ahead of owner, police." The article is long enough it's even carried over to page 6. "A donkey that escaped its pen more than a week ago is stubbornly clinging to her freedom. Jenny, a 5 year old, has apparently not traveled far from Mary Gaeta's Higgins Road farm since escaping Jan. 18, but she is still on the lam despite numerous attempts to bring her in. 'We can't catch up with it,' said Chief Steve Emery of the Pittsfield Police Department. Gaeta, owner of Mary's Farms, had the donkey less than a month when she tried to coax the animal from its pen into the barn. Gaeta erected a barricade to guide Jenny, but she managed to slip underneath and ran into the road. 'It's been on the loose ever since,' Emery said. 'It sneaks in every once in a while to get a bite to eat.' Jenny has spent much of her time in a backyard just three houses down the street, Gaeta said.

and the story goes on from there. But isn't that a hoot? :-)