(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)

10 years ago – May 17, 1997

BANGOR – The proposed expansion of the Bangor Mall moves to the approval stage this week as owner Kravco Co. seeks an OK from the planning board on site development.

Plans call for building another wing on the mall in 1998 to house a Filene’s department store and several shops. The addition will cover some 170,000 square feet.

This year Kravco will renovate the interior of the current mall. It also hopes to enlarge the parking lot and do other site work to the parcel between the main entrance and the Front Row Video building on Stillwater Avenue.

25 years ago – May 17, 1982

ORONO – If the nation is to thrive, Americans are going to have to embrace the philosophy expressed by John F. Kennedy in his inaugural address in 1961, James Russell Wiggins, publisher and editor of The Ellsworth American, told 1,800 candidates for degrees at the 164th commencement of the University of Maine.

Wiggins, a U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during the Johnson Administration and a former executive vice president of the Washington Post and Times Herald, said escalating demands from special interest groups for federal subsidies and grants threaten the survival of the nation.

University officials said the 1,800 degree candidates made this year’s graduating class one of the largest, if not the largest, graduation ceremony in the university’s history.

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ORONO – University of Maine baseball coach John Winkin was a very happy man, but in a business-like manner after his Bears had upended Vermont, 9-6, for their third straight ECAC-New England title and the fourth in the seven-year history of the ECAC New England tournament.

Winkin’s Bears have won nine of their last 10 ECAC-New England playoff games. The coach hopes that the NCAA will choose Orono for its Northeast Regional site. Navy, located in Annapolis, Md., also is being considered.

50 years ago – May 17, 1957

ORONO – Kay DeWitt, soprano soloist, Brewer, will be the guest artist at a concert to be presented by the combined bands of Mexico High School and Orono High School.

Mrs. DeWitt will sing selections from “The King and I” to be played by the Orono High School orchestra.

The Mexico High School band will be directed by Miss Anna Crouse.

The Orono High School band will be directed by Gerald Chamberland. A trumpet solo will be played by George Hamilton. Majorettes from both high schools will be featured in one number.

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BANGOR – Like any other progressive cities, Bangor and Brewer like favorable publicity. They seek it at every turn. From it comes the prestige that makes a city great – a desirable place in which to live. Some cities spend millions in their search for this national recognition.

Bangor and Brewer have it within their grasp to win even more national prestige – and all for something like $188,161. That’s the amount the YMCA needs to complete its expansion program.

Here’s just one way in which that expanded program will make it possible for all of Bangor and Brewer to reap rich dividends from the new facilities:

Part of the expanded program will be a modern full-sized swimming pool. Such a pool means unlimited healthful swimming opportunities for thousands of Bangor and Brewer youngsters.

Already, swimming has meant a lot of favorable publicity for Bangor and Brewer. The famed Dolphins – a girls’ synchronized swimming squad – have made public appearances all over Maine. Synchronized swimming is a comparatively new sport in Bangor, but at least two of the girls who competed for the Dolphins have made national reputations in AAU swim meets.

100 years ago – May 17, 1907

CASTINE – F.P. Wood has begun work on the property recently purchased by him at the corner of Pleasant and Water streets. He has a crew of men at work demolishing the old ell and barn connected to the house and will at once go to work repairing and enlarging the main house. This will greatly add to the appearance of the street at that place, as well as make a fine location for Mr. Wood.

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ETNA – Among the recent arrivals at Camp Etna Hotel were Perry Furbush and son, with a fine span of horses purchased from C.W. Morse of Bangor.

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LEVANT – An interesting lecture and magic lantern exhibit was given at the Grange Hall by representatives of the New England Telephone Co.

After the lecture, free [long distance] telephone service was given to any part of the New England states, and many calls were made.

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ORRINGTON – Mrs. Alfreda Strout lost a heifer last week, which in some way got poisoned in the pasture.

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NORTH BREWER – William Murray has improved his buildings with a coat of paint.

George Brimmer is at work with his team for S.D. Copeland, who is tearing down the old station in Bangor.

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SOUTH BREWER – W.R. Edes of South Main Street has started building his new house near Dyer’s Cove on the lot he recently bought of F.W. Ayer.

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BUCKSPORT – The schooner Sunnyside, Capt. J.P. Barber, sailed Thursday noon for Stonington with a cargo of salt for Fred Eaton shipped by T.M. Nicholson.

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BUCKSPORT – The Italian bark Jeanne, Captain Coco, which arrived here from Irepani, Sicily, with a cargo of salt for Capt. T.M. Nicholson, commenced discharging her cargo.

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BUCKSPORT – All the farmers as well as the merchants in the town are complaining of the dull, damp and foggy weather. No fish are running in the river and the farmers cannot do any planting. All this helps make business poor for the merchants.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin