Beyond the South End

 

By TED SYLVESTER

 

(This column appeared in the BDN on May 26, 1972.

 We include excerpts from that edition of Fish and Chips.)

 

 

ROCKLAND—Not only is it illegal under the ordinance of the City of Rockland to sleep in campers anywhere in the city on either private or public lands. It is also a violation to allow the kids to sleep in a backyard tent. This interpretation was made this week by the city code enforcement officer.

It was stated that according to city laws, camping of any kind is prohibited within the city limits. Gerry Hall, the code officer, admitted that he wasn’t going to be traveling around the city inspecting every camper and tent to see if anyone is sleeping in them. He did say, however, that he was bound by the ordinance to investigate any complaints received.

Also, under the provisions of the ordinances, Hall has the power to inspect premises for suspected violations of the codes. Refusal to let him on one’s property can bring about a fine for each day he is refused entry.

CLASS MOTTO VOTED OUT

After the Camden-Rockport High School graduating class’ selection of a class motto of “keep on trucking” was disallowed, a subsequent election was held with the class then deciding not to have a motto at all.

The “keep on truckin’” motto was voted in by class members via a write-in on a ballot with several other selections. A student-faculty committee then rejected the selection by a 7-4 vote. According to reports six of the negative votes were cast by teachers.

Following the rejection, a committee was formed to draw up a list of new choices—one of which was to have no motto. This was what the students decided to do.

A school official said that the motto controversy now appears to be a dead issue. It was stated that the “no motto” vote of the students appeared to be a protest against the rejection of their first choice.

THE TREES ARE COMING

To the school children in Knox and Waldo counties who have been promised one or more of the approximated 12,000 trees by the Maine State Forest Service, they are on the way.

Bob Umberger, State Service Forester for the two counties, said that up until Monday young seedlings at the State Nursery at Greenbush had still been frozen into the ground. He said it was hard to believe that with temperatures into the 80’s in some sections of the state that the ground could still be frozen, but this was the case. The Greenbush Nursery is located about 18 miles North of Old Town.

In all, Umberger said, he has ordered approximately 800,000 trees, and up until this year the latest date he has seen for delivery has been May 23 in his 21 years with the service.

Except for the free trees to school children the state sells the seedlings to any land owner wishing to plant an acre or more for $22 per 1,000 trees.

Most of the seedlings are three-year old pine, some are spruce.

Umberger said that with luck the trees to school children can be delivered by the end of the week. He assured us that every child who has been promised a tree will receive one.

HEY! WE WON

An exuberant Thomaston mother called us one night this week to proclaim that the Georges Valley High School Softball Team had won its first game of the year, and she thought it ought to be in the paper.

So here it is…Georges Valley Girls 18, Wiscasset Girls, 17. Congratulations!

COMMERCIAL FISH CATCH UP IN 1971

The following is from the National Marine Fisheries Service concerning the 1971 commercial fish catch in the U.S.

Commercial fishermen in the U.S. caught 5 billion pounds of fish, shellfish, and other aquatic animals and plants in 1971. The total catch was valued at $643 million at dockside—the highest dollar value in history. The value is up five per cent from last year, and the volume increased one per cent.

Landings for human food were 2.4 billion pounds in 1971. A decline of four per cent from a year ago. Landings of fish used for industrial purposes, such as fish meal, increased by seven per cent and reached 2.6 billion pounds.

POOR CHOICES

A 37-year old man, who gives his address as Damariscotta and San Diego, Calif., didn’t exactly pick the right place to take a nap—the back seat of Sheriff Carlton Thurston’s car.

The sheriff, answering an emergency call early Wednesday morning, found the gentleman in his car which was parked next to the county jail. Sheriff’s deputies escorted the man to different quarters, a jail cell.

Later Wednesday he appeared before Judge MacDonald and was found guilty of being found intoxicated in an auto. He won’t have to hunt for a place to sleep at least for the next four days.