A Viet Nam veteran honors the memory of those who died in warby John Maguire
Coastal Journal staff

The weather broke on the day hundreds gathered on the sidewalks and in Library Park to remember those who have served and those who have died in war while in service to the United States military. This year marks the 10th anniversary of "We Remember," a memorial service, "dedicated to all the loved ones of those who have fallen."

The glare of hot sun flashed off the surfaces of cars and the musical instruments of band players as the parade marched through the cheering crowds, onward toward the Library Park Gazebo. A field of flags representing those who died in service to the country stood in the still air, which was touched by the solemnity of those who gathered there.

THOMASTON — Hard-headed behavior could keep Mid Coast kids out of trouble.

Since 1999, Maine law has mandated that "...a person under 16 years of age who is an operator or a passenger on a bicycle on a public roadway or a public bikeway shall wear a helmet of good fit, positioned properly and fastened securely upon the head by helmet straps."

Thanks to Kiwanis clubs all over Maine, families have been getting an annual reminder of the law, and the education to help kids learn the rules of the road for cyclists. The Kiwanis Club of Rockland has been conducting bicycle safety rodeos for Knox County children for nearly 20 years. The Rodeo is comprised of a marked and measured course of nine separate stations, that teach children between the ages of 3 and 13 techniques to remain safe when riding alone or in groups.

Photo by Arlene L. Whitneyby John Maguire
Coastal Journal staff

WOOLWICH— On Sunday, May 22, the Woolwich Fire Dept. burned a house on Sylvester Drive near Bath Subaru and Route One. According to Bath resident Diane Longley, the fire department had warning signs up and traffic cones, but there was one automobile accident in which someone was taken to a nearby hospital.

Dick McElman, owner of the Bath Subaru car dealership, donated the house to the fire department for the training exercise.

"They were pretty well organized," McElman said. "They did a good job."

By Larz F. Neilson
Coastal Journal contributor

"Under the heaviest fire, when men and officers were being struck down around him, he would sit on his horse, apparently unmoved by singing rifle balls, shrieking shot or bursting shells, and quietly give his orders."

This description of Gen. Adelbert Ames was written by an aide, Col. Henry Lockwood, after the siege of Fort Fisher near Wilmington, N.C. in 1865.

The capture of Fort Fisher was a significant victory, planned and executed by Ames after others had failed. The fort guarded the port of Wilmington, N.C., the last supply port of the Confederacy. Its capture sealed the fate of the Confederate States of America.

A native of Rockland, Ames compiled a truly magnificent record in the Civil War. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor and was highly regarded for his bravery and skill.

Ames, the son of a sea captain, went to sea as a young man. He entered West Point in 1856 and graduated fifth in his class, less than a month after the onset of the Civil War.