10 years ago – Dec. 28, 1996

(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)

BANGOR – It appears that voters may choose from three candidates in the Feb. 25 special election to fill the unexpired term of former City Councilor Marshall Frankel, who resigned in September.

Returning nomination petitions with 150-200 signatures were Nichi Farnham, Richard Gwinn and Harold Cook.

Also likely on the City Council agenda in the coming year are decisions about the future of the riverfront, where the city recently purchased 28.8 acres from Maine Central Railroad.

The land along the river is set to be turned into park space.

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BANGOR – A regional waste disposal solution created a decade ago in the form of the Penobscot Energy Recovery Co. may be threatened as Bangor Hydro-Electric fights for its financial survival.

Bangor Hydro says the price it pays PERC for trash-generated electricity is too high and has asked for a lower rate. The electric company would like to buy out the contract completely.

PERC officials say cuts in the power rate will reduce revenue and mean higher disposal fees.

Town officials say higher disposal fees will increase local property taxes.

25 years ago – Dec. 28, 1981

BANGOR – Host Bangor High and Hampden Academy will meet in the final of the Bangor High Boosters Club Holiday Classic basketball games after both girls teams advanced with comeback wins at the Bangor High gym.

Bangor, down 10-0 early in the game, rallied for a 62-52 victory over Old Town, while Hampden, down at all the period breaks, nipped Brewer’s girls, 50-49.

In the tourney opener, the Witches, led by Karen Tate’s scoring, held period leads of 16-10, 30-28 and 40-38 before the nip-and-tuck final period saw the Broncos wind up on top in the squeaker.

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ORONO – University of Maine hockey Coach Jack Semler led his Black Bears through their paces after giving his players a couple of weeks off for exams and the holidays. The Bears are prepping for their appearance in the Auld Lang Syne Classic against a Vermont team which had the same 3-6-0 overall record as the Bears, but is 2-3-0 in the division.

50 years ago – Dec. 28, 1956

BANGOR – James S. Stanley was elected temporary chairman of an organization which will work for the preservation of the Old Auditorium.

More than 100 area citizens gathered at the NEWS auditorium to set the ball rolling for the formation of an organization to find a way to save and restore the old structure.

Among those attending were bankers, lawyers, doctors, businessmen, musicians, teachers, social workers, engineers, scientists, group workers, housewives, journalists and public office holders. All were agreed on two points – the old auditorium should be saved and they are willing to work to save it.

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BANGOR – Leopold Stokowski wired Wilfrid Tremblay from New York City that it is “most important for the future cultural life of Bangor to preserve the old wooden hall, which has excellent acoustics.”

The telegram from the world-famed conductor was read at a meeting of interested citizens in the NEWS auditorium.

Mr. Tremblay pointed out that Mr. Stokowski has spent summers in Seal Harbor, and in the days of the music festival had become acquainted with the old auditorium.

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BREWER – Forty-year-old Richard Whittemore of Brewer is scheduled to take off for New York City to pick up 50,000 Blue Crutches to kick off the 1957 March of Dimes campaign.

Whittemore, who incurred a paralyzing attack of polio in 1950, will fly his own plane to New York and return the crutches to waiting Legionnaires.

Whittemore is scheduled to depart La Guardia Field in New York on Jan. 1, then fly to Portland to be met by 10 planes piloted by members of the Lewiston and Auburn Maine Aero Club. From there he will fly to Bangor, where eight planes piloted by members of the Eastern Maine Aero Association will be stationed. These planes will cover approximately 30 fields in the state.

The blue plastic crutches will be sold on the streets of virtually every town and city in Maine by members of the Maine Department, American Legion, and its auxiliary.

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BANGOR – A graduate of John Bapst High School and the University of Maine has been named manager of a new 40-acre plant in Tuscola, Ill., being built by Cabot Carbon Co. in Boston.

Edward J. Holland Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Holland of 356 French St., who has been employed by this company since his graduation from the University of Maine College of Technology, has just received this promotion. He is at present living in Milledgeville, Ga., where he has been in charge of the company’s clay mine production process.

The new plant, which will be complete by fall, will produce metallic oxide pigments marketed under the name “Cab-o-sil.”

The white fluxuant material has a wide variety of industrial uses, including reinforcement of rubber and plastic. It is used as an anti-settling agent in paint and as a flattener for varnish, makes up the body of printer’s ink, serves as a jelling material for lubricants and is a non-slipping agent for floor wax. It is used extensively in the manufacture of insulation for electrical equipment.

100 years ago – Dec. 28, 1906

BUCKSPORT – George H. Kitchen of Waltham and Miss Jessie Newell Eastman of Bucksport were married in the Methodist Episcopal parsonage Dec. 20 by the Rev. J.W. Price. The young people are known in this vicinity and their many friends extend congratulations.

Mr. Kitchen is a valued employee of the Knickerbocker Steam Towage Co. Mrs. Kitchen is loved and respected in the neighborhood where she was reared. It will be remembered that her mother was taken suddenly from her home by lightning last May and that she has administered to the wants of the family, kindly caring for younger members. Owing to the recent bereavement, the bride was dressed in a gray and white suit, white hat with black plume.

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OLD TOWN – Sabatis Shay and Newell Ranco, composing the firm of Shay and Ranco, purchased of William Quinn, through the agency of W.H. Waterhouse, the plot of land situated on the easterly side of Fourth Street, known as the Wadleigh boom lot. This fact is interesting taking into consideration that it is the first time in the history of Old Town that Indians have purchased land on the mainland for any purpose.

Shay and Ranco intend to build a small mill for the manufacture of paddles and cant dogs, and it is understood that the work of construction will begin as soon as a few minor details of business are completed.

The mill will be furnished with electricity to run the machines and will on the whole be a model mill for the purposes for which it is to be used. A large quantity of maple has already been purchased by the firm and is now stored up. This lumber will be used for the manufacture of paddles and cant dogs.

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BUCKSPORT – Lewis H. Hopkins and Mel Gray are cultivating an ice field at Silver Lake and will commence cutting as soon as they have 15 inches of ice, for the local trade. They now have 12 inches of clear, blue ice.

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BUCKSPORT – The arrangements for the grand ball to be given by the Deluge and Torrent Engine companies are in the hands of the general committee made up as follows: for the Deluge company, Otto Partridge, Lester O. Wardwell, Lawriston G. Leach and Leo Hayward; for the Torrent company, Chandler Wilson, Calvin Sweet, George Stover and Daniel Coursey Jr.

The dance will be free to all. No invitations are sent out; all are invited to attend. Good music and a fine list of dances will be offered and the fire laddies will make every effort to make this ball the most enjoyable of any ever given by them.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin