This week, H. Ross Perot, the enigmatic Texas billionaire, two-time presidential candidate and reform party founder, passed away at the age of 89.

Have you found that as you grow older the things that are special to you become even more special with the passing years? For me, one of these has been what our family fondly calls “the shack.” Visiting it the other day for the first time in too many months, it began talking to me as soon as it came within sight from the trail that leads to its back door.

Baxter State Park was established with a goal of the land remaining “forever wild,” and one of the benefits of that focus is the wide variety of native animals a visitor might see on the park’s more than 200,000 acres. But one particular species -- the black bear -- has been a bit overly active this summer, prompting park officials to put a cautionary message up on its Facebook page.

On July 4 three area residents took part in the 39th annual Walter Hunt Memorial 4th of July 3K from Brewer to Bangor.

A hike to Little Wilson Falls will be Saturday, July 13 with a July 20 rain date. Meet at the Monson Appalachian Trail Visitor Center at 12:30 p.m. Advance registration is required.

Al Harris of Hampden and his brother-in-law, Joe Vachon of Toronto, spent a few days fishing together last week, landing an unlikely fish story in the process.

Thirty years ago I was assistant District Attorney responsible for Piscataquis County. At that time, we had a process known as “filing” a case. This meant a case was postponed for a period of time on a promise of good behavior. It worked well with petty crimes, but we never “filed” an operating under the influence (OUI) charge. It would have been wrong then and it is now.

Republicans are facing a self-inflicted calamity with a lawsuit that puts at risk the health care coverage for millions of Americans. And they are doing it just in time for a contentious US Senate race in Maine and a presidential election.

A Bath man is facing charges that he allegedly attempted to kill a distant relative who was shot and wounded and then beaten with the butt of a gun after he waited hours for her to arrive at a horse barn in Shirley.

Around 400 teenagers and adults will arrive in Dexter on Sunday, July 21 to work on and improve the homes of elderly, disabled and other area residents. The volunteers will work on various projects from July 22-26.