A New King of Horror

By Chip Schrader
Book Review Editor

MAINE —

Maine born Joe Hill’s stab at the exploding Graphic Novel genre follows up his chilling debut novel Heart Shaped Box. Locke and Key: Welcome to Lovecraft follows a family’s return to a small town that is haunted by its own past. It has all of the elements of Gothic tale: a Giant house, a tragic family story, unfinished business, portals to other worlds, and of course, demons.
Following the violent death of their father, the Locke kids (Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode) move from San Francisco into a creepy old coastal New England mansion that every town seems to have. Tyler lives with the great guilt of having befriended the kid who would eventually murder his father.
Meanwhile, the youngest child, Bode, finds a doorway in the house that functions as a portal to the other side that knocks his soul out of his body. During these out of body experiences, Bode finds comfort in experiencing what it’s like to be a ghost as he watches his siblings from the other side and notices his own body looks like “a sock with no foot in it.” One day while playing outside, Bode meets a voice at the bottom of a well he calls “Echo” who is looking for a way out. As we can assume, Bode is in for a world of trouble.
Tyler and Kinsey are wrapped up in their own issues with grieving their father’s death, teen angst, peer pressure, and a new community and school to really pay much attention to what is going on with Bode. Adding to this, the kid who killed their father takes a bloody cross-country trek to eventually find himself in Lovecraft, Massachusetts where he can finish his job.
As the story proceeds, the many threads and characters intertwine into a stunning climax where the pages cannot be turned quickly enough. Hill creates intricate ties within a deceptively complex story. The characters and the story line are far more complex than the typical tale of terror, but with Hill’s masterful pacing and writing, it reads smoothly and logically.
Coupled with Hill’s sharp prose are the amazing full color illustrations of Gabriel Rodriguez. He doesn’t need to rely on blood and gore to render strange and terrifying imagery, although there are some pretty gruesome scenes. The characters are drawn with lifelike expression and detail, and the landscapes and architectures keep with the tone of the writing. The colors are vivid and they pop off of the page, and his use of angles gives the reader a more cinematic experience. Once the story is memorized after several readings, the illustrations are worth revisiting again and again.
This graphic novel hit the shelves last October, and has spawned a monthly series of comic books early this year. Graphic novels and comic books are immediately dismissed as kid’s stuff, but be warned, this book is not for children. It is a dark, brooding occult masterpiece that echoes the works of Alastair Crowley and H.P. Lovecraft, as the fictitious town is in reference to. The series will become a monthly habit for me to drop by the comic book shop to pick up the latest issue.
As far as the author, Joe Hill was born Joseph Hillstrom King, and grew up in Bangor. Anyone keeping track of the mythos of Maine authors knows that Stephen King resides in Bangor part of the year and happens to be the father of Joe Hill. According to Wikipedia, Hill chose to use this pseudonym so that he could earn readership upon his own merits, rather than as “the son of Stephen King.” Heart Shaped Box and Locke and Key are the work of rare talent. Joe Hill has easily earned his right to be at the helm of contemporary horror. Locke and Key is a must read.
Photo caption: Maine Author Joe Hill’s new graphic novel Locke and Key. (Courtesy photo)

York Middle School Students PresentService Learning Project In Augusta

YORK —

Eighteen schools across Maine gathered at the State. Capitol building on Thursday, April 30th to share, and recognize service learning achievements. Service learning combines citizenship, community, and curriculum to give students the opportunity to work as a team, problem solve, get hands on experience, and make an impact in their community.
Service learning stems from something students learn in class that broaches a problem in their community or a need. This year when students learned about how much waste could be decreased through composting (1/3 of our trash is compostable), students in Ms. Renfrew and Mr. Webster’s fifth grade classes at York MIddle School decided that they wanted to do something about it. They researched methods of composting and contacted local businesses that already compost. They also discovered residential methods of composting. To maximize their efforts, they designed an expo to bring together resources for residents and businesses to start a composting system.
At the ninth annual Hall of Flags ceremony in Augusta, six students from York Middle School represented their CompostKids service learning project.
They explained the process of the project, and informed participants about composting. They also learned what other students across Maine are doing in and out of the classroom to make a difference in their community.
“One project we saw was about tobacco and smoking and how bad it is for you. The students had replicas of lungs when you smoke and healthy lungs. They had a year’s worth of tar from smoking daily in a jar. They taught other classes and schools about the harmful effects of smoking cigarettes,” recalled Kelsey Cole.
Teacher Kelly Renfrew noted, “All the students learned a lot from that project, we’re going to see if that group can come to York classrooms to teach us more.”
“I liked teaching people there what kind of worms are used for worm composting bins, and answering questions about our project,” commented Shannon Todd. Spencer Cribby’s favorite part of the day was “...learning what other schools have accomplished and feeling good about helping the Earth.” Cori Galante enjoyed “...the awards ceremony, receiving the plaque, and getting our picture taken with Mrs. Baldacci.”
With new state standards incorporating service learning into the Social Studies curriculum, our community and students will have an increase in these types of learning experiences. Service learning is an unforgettable experience because it increases the level of involvement of students and ignites their desire to be part of change in how we live and learn.
Photo caption: Grade 5 teacher Kelly Renfrew; YMS students Spencer Cribby, Kelsey Cole, Shannon Todd, Cori Galante; Mrs. Karen Baldacci; students Kevin Wade, Michael Monz. (Courtesy photo)

A Look Inside the White House

By Devin Beliveau
Staff Columnist
Washington D.C.—
The nation’s capital is a great place to visit in the spring. Especially when you have a sibling who can give you a private tour of the West Wing of the White House.
Emmett Beliveau is the Director of Advance for the Obama White House, and he is also my older brother. As President Obama closed in on the symbolic 100-day milestone of his historic presidency, I was lucky enough to get an insider’s look at the halls of the legendary West Wing.
The tour began at the side entrance of the West Wing, the center of operations in the White House. On the hallways inside, there is an array of large framed photographs primarily documenting the early international travels of the 44th President. The locations of the photos are wide-ranging, including Iraq, France, Germany, England, Turkey, Canada, Mexico, and the Czech Republic to name a few. These photos continue through most of the hallways and bring a lively feel to the West Wing atmosphere.
Next the tour passed the Situation Room. As this room is restricted to the public, one can only imagine the high-tech communications gadgetry that must be available to the President in emergency situations. Across the hall from the Situation Room is the White House “Mess,” the private West Wing dining room run by the US Navy. Here the President can meet with elected officials and other important guests over dinner without the media present.
After climbing some stairs to the next level of the West Wing, it was out to the Rose Garden. The Rose Garden is often used for outdoor press conferences, but President Obama has yet to hold one there due to uncooperative weather. From the Rose Garden, one can look left towards the residence of the First Family. The residence is the most recognizable part of the complex, with its grand columns on both the north and south porticos. To the right is the outdoor entrance to the Oval Office. The mere 50 yards between the residence and the Oval Office makes for an easy Presidential commute. This covered outside area was made famous in part by the photographs of President John F. Kennedy and his brother Attorney General Robert Kennedy troubling over the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.
On the way to the Oval Office the tour passes the Cabinet Room. Images of an exhausted President Lyndon B. Johnson sitting at the middle of that large conference room table come to mind, from the turbulent days of the Vietnam War. President Obama has not yet held his first cabinet meeting, as his choice for Department of Health and Human Services, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, was only confirmed by the Senate on April 28, 2009.
The public is not allowed into the Oval Office, but most of it is visible from standing just outside the door. While President Obama has not yet changed the carpet and drapes used by President George W. Bush, he has added two busts of President Abraham Lincoln and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In addition, a playground has been added behind the Oval Office, so President Obama can keep an eye on his daughters, Sasha and Malia, while they play outside with their new dog, Bo.
The Roosevelt Room comes near the end of the tour. President Richard Nixon gave the room its name in honor of related Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The Nobel Peace Prize won by Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt is prominently displayed, which he earned by negotiating the peace process in the Russo-Japanese War, a process that took place in Portsmouth, N.H.
No matter its occupant, the West Wing is an impressive sight to see. And seeing it by way of your older brother makes it a very special experience indeed.
Photo caption: Columnist Devin Beliveau toured the West Wing of the White House during April school vacation. This is a view of the rose garden from outside the oval office. (Weekly Sentinel photo)

Fort Bragg General Allyn, BerwickNative, Receives Second Star

BERWICK /
FORT BRAGG, N.C.—
Berwick native Brigadier General Daniel B. Allyn, deputy commanding general, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, was promoted to Major General during a ceremony at the Fort Bragg Main Post Flag Pole on April 27.
The ceremony started off with an 11-gun salute in honor of Allyn, during which, Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Burpee, first sergeant of the salute battery from Klamath Falls, Ore. presented Allyn with a brass shell casing inscribed with his name and the date of his promotion. Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, commanding general, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, deferred the gun-salute to Allyn in honor of his promotion.
Shortly following, Allyn joined by his family on the field, smiled with pride as his wife, Debbie pinned on his new rank. His children also participated in the ceremony by placing their father’s new rank on his beret.
“[Allyn] is the kind of leader who knows how to build winning teams,” said Austin. “He uses creative ways to get more with less. He is always forward thinking and mission focused.”
“It has been extremely clear to the Army, and to anyone who has ever served with General Allyn, that he leaves excellence in his wake,” said Austin. “Dan has led men and women through savage combat. He has experienced the limits of war. And he has stood tall in the face of adversity.”
Austin concluded by congratulating Allyn on his promotion. “It has been an honor for me to serve with you,” Austin said, “and I certainly look forward to continuing to serve with you in the future.”
Allyn then took his place at the lectern, addressing the friends and family that supported him throughout his military career.
“Thank you all for joining us today, thank you all for honoring Debbie, Danielle, Josh and I,” said Allyn. “We look forward to paying back your sacrifice and your service with service from us in the future.”
Allyn’s promotion to Major General was announced Sept. 2, 2008, while he was deployed to Iraq with the XVIII Airborne Corps Headquarters. He served as the chief of staff for the Multi-National Corps -Iraq. During the 15-month deployment, the XVIII Airborne Corps saw unprecedented security gains throughout the country.
Prior to his current position, Allyn completed joint assignments with the Joint IED Defeat Organizations and the Joint Operations Directorate, J-3 of the Joint Staff. He also served as commander of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), culminating with service during Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as two tours of duty with the 82nd Airborne Division; two years with 2nd Infantry Division, and three tours of duty with the 75th Ranger Regiment.
Allyn, a 1981 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, went on to graduate from the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses at Fort Benning, Ga.; the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.; and the Naval War College at Newport, R.I., where he earned a Master of Arts degree in Strategic and National Security Studies.
Article by Spc. Crystal Abbott, 10th Press Camp Headquarters.
Photo caption: Debbie Allyn pins her husband, Maj. Gen. Daniel B. Allyn, deputy commanding general, XVIII Airborne Corps, with his new rank during a promotion ceremony at the Fort Bragg Main Post Flag Pole on April27. (Spc. Crystal Abbott, 10th Press Camp Headquarters photo)

Two WHS Seniors Recognizedfor their Citizenship

WELLS—
Wells High School students Hope Beisswanger and Molly Burgess have been selected by officials of Wells High School to receive the Western Maine Conference’s Citizenship Award for 2009.
“It’s such a huge surprise, I never really thought I did anything out of the ordinary while I was at Wells High School,” commented Burgess in an e-mail. “It’s a huge honor to be selected for doing what I thought was expected of me.”
Each year, two seniors are picked from schools in the Western Maine Conference area which includes the counties of York, Cumberland, Oxford, and Androscoggin. Students are selected by their own schools based upon their contributions in academics, athletics, leadership, attitude, and good deeds for others.
Beisswanger and Burgess have received high honors in academics and are involved in numerous extracurricular activities at school. For example, both are members of the National Honor Society.
“It was a great honor to be selected for the WMC Citizenship Award,” wrote Beisswanger in an e-mail. “Just the other day my dad told me that both of my older sisters had received this distinction when they were seniors; knowing that made it even more special for me.” Beisswanger is referring to her sisters Jess (WHS Class of 2003) and Laura (WHS Class of 2006) who were honored by WHS and the WMC for their display of good citizenship.
On May 5, Beisswanger and Burgess, along with many other good citizens from other schools, will be honored at the Western Maine Conference’s annual banquet at Verillo’s Conference Center in Westbrook.
Article by Reg Bennett, Public Information Officer of the Wells-Ogunquit Community School District.
Photo caption: Recognized by the Western Maine Conference for their demonstration of good citizenship are WHS Seniors Molly Burgess (left) and Hope Beisswanger. (Reg Bennett photo)

20th Annual Decorator Show House

By Larry Favinger
Staff Columnist
YORK —
The 20th Annual Decorator Show House of The Old York Historical Society sits atop a hill overlooking a huge meadow and the York River.
It is a 1920s farmhouse on the historic McIntire Farm on Cider Hill Road, one of York’s most historic sites.
Over the next weeks more than 20 professional decorators from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New York will bring their own specific ideas to assigned areas of the house. Working alone or in teams they will transform the house into a show place to be displayed to the public from July 18 through Aug. 15th.
To be selected as a show house, the property must be “of particular interest to Old York,” Marianne Bauman, chairwoman of the Publicity Committee said this week. “It has to have some kind of historic value.”
This site clearly fits those criteria.
The McIntire Homestead, which has been in the same family for over 300 years, located in the Scotland District of York, dates to the late 1600s.
Next to the farmhouse is the McIntire Garrison that was built in 1707 and is the oldest documented house in Maine. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Much of the surrounding property is protected by conservation easements held by the York Land Trust and the Museums of Old York.
According to Old York officials there are no deeds to help identify the exact date of the original structure. By 1872 the York County Atlas identified a second house on the Homestead property.
Where this structure was located and in what style it was built is unknown as it burned in 1922 and again in 1942.
Following the 1922 fire, a Portsmouth architect was hired to build a house there, resulting in an intriguing combination of Greek Revival architecture and 1920s stylistic flair.
While the mantles surrounding the fireplaces are modeled after Greek columns, the interior woodwork was stained instead of painted, a stylish choice typical of a 1920s home.
The event, the largest single fund-raising event for Old York, is made possible by the work of dedicated designers and visual artists, a corps of more than 300 volunteers, and the support of museum members and the community.
McIntire Farm will be open for a “Before Tour” May 2-3 from 11 AM to 4 PM On-site parking is available and a donation of $5 is requested.
The annual Preview Gala will be July 17. The event will feature a live band, food and an open bar. Tickets are $75 and may be purchased by calling (207) 363-4974. Patrons who donate $250 will receive two tickets to the event, reserved seating at the Patrons’ Table and special recognition.
The Show House will be open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM, Thursday to 7 PM and Sunday from 1 to 4 PM It is closed on Tuesdays.
On-site parking is available and admission is $20. Tickets to the Show House are good for $2 off the cost of admission to the Museums of Old York.
Photo caption: The McIntire farm on Cider Hill Road is this year’s Decorator Show House of the Old York Historical Society. (Courtesy photo)

Ogunquit Welcomes the Season withits Patriots Day Celebration

By Jim Kanak

Staff Columnist

OGUNQUIT —
The crowds were out in Ogunquit this weekend as the Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Patriots Day festival. The event, which celebrates the midnight ride of Paul Revere and also the return of good weather, has activities that offer something for everyone. Saturday served as a case in point, highlighted by the craft bazaar on the grounds of the Ogunquit Playhouse, the Taste of the Town at the Dunaway Center, and a treasure hunt that led interested scavenger hunters all across town.
Denise Sopchyk and Carole Aaron spent Saturday staffing the chamber’s concession stand at the bazaar. They had a firsthand look at how things went in the crowded tent, where visitors had their choices of jewelry, photography, massage, clothes, and basket crafts to name just a few of the attractions.
“Things are going great this morning,” Sopchyk said. “We have not been able to keep up with coffee and the vendors are happy. That’s a good sign.”
Tammy Heon staffed the Ogunquit Playhouse’s table, stocked with copies of the written history of the Playhouse as well as schedules of the coming season’s plays. “We just cast Lorenzo Lamas as Zack in ‘A Chorus Line’,” Heon said. “He just loved it here (when he starred in ‘The King and I’ two years ago) and has been wanting to come back. And Sally Struthers will be back in ‘All Shook Up’, playing the mayor – the resident bad girl.”
Ken Bartuka of the Names Project, the group that brings the AIDS Quilt to town each spring, manned a table as well. “We have had quite a lot of people coming through,” he said. “I was surprised. I didn’t know what to expect, but it’s been a good crowd so far this morning. I think the free trolley is helping.”
At one end of the tent, members of Cub Scout Troop 357 were selling rubber ducks for Sunday morning’s duck race. Three kids, Ryan Shackford, Marcus Tufts and Sarah Shackford, worked the booth with their moms, Beth Tufts and Pam Shackford. They were nothing if not enthusiastic in their sales pitch.
“You can get an adorable little duck and win $1, 000,” Ryan told passers-by. And all for just $10 a chance.
By late morning, the Dunaway Center was abuzz as staff from the nine participants and the chamber set up in the Great Hall for the taste test.
But, there was additional action, as well. The treasure hunt ended there. Joe Scicchitano and his kids Dominic and Nadia, in town from Berwick, Penn., had traced the clues across town to find the final in a series of lanterns that had been hidden.
“We got everything,” the elder Scicchitano said. “The kids went like crazy, starting at Veterans Park. There was one color of each paper lantern placed in shops.”
“Each one gave a clue for where the next color was,” said Nadia.
Scicchitano said the family frequently visited Ogunquit. “It’s our home away from home,” he said.
As noon approached, the line for the taste of the town event swelled. Visitors could choose among a great variety of treats from chowders to black beans and sausages to vegetable spring rolls to pulled pork sandwiches to spinach salad. There were desserts as well, including chocolate truffles, gelato, and fudge.
Vera and Tom Scolastico of Wilmington, Mass. tried some clam chowder. “The chowder is delicious,” Tom said. “We’re having a lovely time.”
For Bernice and Robert McNichols of Foxborough, Mass. the pulled pork was a treat but so was the entire event.
“The pulled pork is very good,” Robert said. “It has cole slaw on top. We try to make this weekend every year.”
Photo caption: Pack 357 of the Cub Scouts sold rubber ducks for the Patriots Day weekend Duck Race in Ogunquit. Proceeds went to the Cub Scouts. Front, L to R: Sarah Shackford, Marcus Tufts, and Ryan Shackford. Back, Beth Tufts (l) and Pam Shackford. (Weekly Sentinel photo)