The Maine International Film Festival is back with its 26^th annual edition, which runs from Friday, July 7 to Sunday, July 16. Although MIFF has departed Railroad Square Cinema for new, swankier quarters a few blocks away, organizers still boast that the festival will offer 100 movies (features + shorts) in ten days and the “best popcorn in the known universe.” More…

Beside the opening night feature Hangdog, six other Maine feature films will be shown at this year’s MIFF. They include four dramas and two documentaries. Most of these presentations are world premieres. More…

A core tenant of working with any animal is to avoid anthropomorphizing it, but when I see a loon giving me a serious side-eye before diving underwater, or hooting softly to its mate as they travel the coastline, or sending off a warning call as a plane flies overhead, I can’t help but assign them human experiences and emotions. More…

We’re starting summer this week with our pond water levels way above where we would like them to be. As I pen this week’s column, we’re having another downpour. Weather forcecasters predicted 0.27″ of precipitation for the day, and by midafternoon, we had already received 0.98″. More…

Lots of local color in language and pizza orders and those yummy Italian subs at Lucy’s in Lucy’s in the Neighborhood, Waterville novel by David M. Carew. The daily visit from the postman and weekly orders repeat and repeat along with those beasties from Abanaki Camp who devour everything in sight. More…

There was a lot of rain last week, but during breaks in the weather, the boat ramps were busy as family groups fishing, swimming, tubing, etc. As the water in the lakes has been warming, the shallow areas are being taken over by kids of all ages, including lots of grandkids. More…