YESTERDAY …

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(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)

10 years ago – April 3, 1998

GLENBURN – It sounds like an overblown slogan from a commercial shown between soap operas: “I lost 65 lbs. – without dieting!”

But a Glenburn woman is the real deal. She’s got the unflattering “before” pictures and the old pants – the ones that look impossibly huge now – to prove it.

She hasn’t subsisted on diet shakes, or taken up cross-country skiing, or submitted to surgery. She did what all of us, at one time or another, say we’re going to do: revamp our lifestyles to be more healthy. Phrased that way, it sounds overwhelming. But when you boil down what she did, it sounds simple. Take walks. Read labels on food. Eat more fruit.

25 years ago – April 3, 1983

MILFORD – Residents of Milford rejected a motion to buy a computer for the town office during the annual town meeting. Since they rejected the motion, residents voted that Deputy Clerk Betty Cormier, a part-time employee, will earn $5,800 yearly. Cormier would have been a full-time deputy clerk working on the computer. Officials say the computer would have paid for itself and Cormier’s salary within three years.

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ORONO – Bob Bridgham of Bangor High School won the state invitational championship at the University of Maine’s Memorial Union to conclude three weekends of state chess championships.

Bridgham scored 3.5 of a possible 4.0 points to top the field of 10 contestants. Teammate Mike Grant took second on a tiebreaker.

Bangor won the high school team championship over 15 competitors by winning all four of matches. In fact, team members Grant, Bridgham, Ben Diebold and Tom Diebold won 15 and lost only one game.

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HERMON – Dale Douglas, superintendent of schools at Hermon, presented a GED diploma to the first female recipient in the Hermon GED program, Carolyn McAlpine of Levant.

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BUCKSPORT – A small group of Bucksport High School students staged their version of a “Kane Mutiny” in a parade through the streets in support of former varsity basketball coach Jerry Kane.

A group of about 30 students, joined by several adults, gathered in the school parking lot during a break between classes. Ignoring the resumption of school and carrying homemade signs, which bore such slogans as “Support Kane,” “We want Jerry” and “Ask the school board why,” they left the school grounds and marched through the streets of Bucksport to the office of the superintendent of schools on Main Street.

The procession was the first public demonstration of support for Kane since the school committee voted not to renew his coaching contract.

50 years ago – April 3, 1958

BANGOR – Employees of Sandler Moccasin Co. Inc. were told by their foreman that they should start looking for new jobs because the plant may cease operations in about 12 days. A shutdown would affect some 125 workers now employed by the company, which has as its main product hand-sewn moccasins. A reliable source said the reason for the shutdown is that the company has had very few orders for the type of footwear it produces.

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BANGOR – Darling’s, one of Maine’s leading automotive dealers for more than two decades, added another chapter to a long history of service and progress by accepting the Bangor area franchise for Rambler, American Motor’s economy automobile.

The Rambler, the only car to provide a family size capacity with the economy and handling ease of European sports cars, is rapidly becoming one of America’s most popular automobiles.

Darling’s was founded in Bangor in 1937 by Owen H. Darling. A major expansion was carried out in 1948 when the company moved to its present location on Oak Street. The new building, since enlarged, provides a spacious, pleasant showroom, service department and engine rebuilding shop among the largest in the state.

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BANGOR – The Bangor-Brewer Travelers Aid Society met to hear reports for February and March when information and directions were given to 264 people.

Mrs. Nelle Banton, executive secretary, reported that the staff has been making a survey which showed that although the majority of people lived in Maine who visited Travelers Aid, others come from Florida, Tennessee, Maryland, Missouri, California, Canada and even as far away as England.

The society returned three runaways to their homes during the past two months.

100 years ago – April 3, 1908

BANGOR – The Penobscot River was open to navigation early Thursday morning. The last of the ice jam between High Head and the mills of the Eastern Manufacturing Co. have gone down on the last ebb tide between 2 and 3 o’clock.

There were no arrivals in port during the day, but undoubtedly something will be up this morning or afternoon. The first Boston steamer will arrive Saturday – the Bay State on her last run for the so-called winter season.

The water is fairly quick, but little ice is running – not enough to interfere in any way with navigation.

The eastern freight market is apparently lifeless and there doesn’t seem to be much for the small coasters to do. A few vessels and barges are bound here with coal, but Bangor as a port, according to all indications, will not commence to wake up before May, or perhaps June.

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BREWER – Loren H. Thompson has added to the equipment of his printing office a large new Prouty press, one of the best-used in the business in the two cities. Mr. Thompson is doing some fine work in the line of business printing and a large part of the town’s patronage seems assured.

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EAST EDDINGTON – Martin Laughlin’s teams are making daily trips to Holden station, where he is loading a car with potatoes for shipment.

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ORONO – The McPheters Bros. have been engaged this week changing the doors on a number of the schoolhouses so they swing out.

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BUCKSPORT – The owners of fishing privileges in this town and Verona are at work getting their salmon weirs built and are much encouraged to learn that fish are in the river. A number of those on the island have their weirs ready and as soon as the ice comes down from Bangor, the dam at the head of the island will be built.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin