Amy Calder has been a Morning Sentinel reporter for 34 years and has received two dozen writing awards. Her column appears here Saturdays. She may be reached at acalder@centralmaine.com.
Latest columns
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Josh Schleier, 34, of East Madison, started collecting returnable cans and bottles from the side of the road when he was 5 and has continued the hobby to this day.
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This early spring weather is a boon, but we shouldn't get too complacent as it could change at any time, Amy Calder writes.
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The person found dead Feb. 26 in a school bus at Waterville Junior High School was transgender and struggled with mental health and other issues, according to friends and former co-workers.
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As a family pet approaches the end of its life, it is wiser to focus on the present rather than dwell on what is to come, Amy Calder writes.
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When appetizers for Super Bowl Sunday bomb, it can mean only one thing: the cook has little interest in football, Amy Calder writes.
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That Peter Bruun is putting his heart and soul into a months long community art initiative was palpable Monday as he worked with a homeless mother and son on an art project at the Waterville Area Soup Kitchen's warming center, Amy Calder writes.
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As the cloudy days wear on, with little sunshine, there are things we can do to help ward off the winter doldrums, Amy Calder writes.
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Police officers should not have to face deadly mass shootings, Amy Calder writes.
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The Lighthouse Waterville Area Soup Kitchen on Monday opened an afternoon warming center and has launched a new fundraising campaign, the $100 Club, seeking 1,800 people to donate $100 each to fund the kitchen for a year.
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James Lynds has turned a passion for hard work into a business cutting clothing into rags to sell to auto mechanics, dealerships and other businesses, Amy Calder writes.
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While I could tout my hopes for the new year, I thought it would be infinitely more interesting to hear from Waterville area leaders about theirs, Amy Calder writes.
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Losing power the first day of Christmas vacation didn't portend well for what would become a four-day-long outage in Waterville, Amy Calder writes.
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Handing out $100 bills to strangers during the holiday season evokes an unforgettable feeing, Amy Calder writes.
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Having gone through the publishing process makes one appreciate even more what a gift it is to hold a book in one's hands and travel its pages, Amy Calder writes.
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Who knew that mailing square Christmas cards poses a problem for the U.S. Post Office? Amy Calder writes.
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Members of the Waterville Wednesday Spinners group meet weekly in the lobby of the Paul J. Schupf Art Center and do more than spin: they knit, quilt, weave, crochet, sew and also chat a lot, Amy Calder writes.
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A woman who lives adjacent to the Kennebec River in Waterville says sturdier tents, propane heaters, mini generators, bottled water and batteries are among the top needs of her homeless neighbors as winter takes hold, Amy Calder writes.
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Ashley Noel suffered from addiction, loss and post-traumatic stress but ultimately found hope and healing, Amy Calder writes.
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An innocuous recent column on lessons to be learned from the Amish way of life, which ran along with a photo of a horse munching on hay at Home Depot, generated a flurry of opinions from readers on the condition of the horse, Amy Calder writes.
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Danielle Doyon, who teaches baking classes to both children and adults, learned to love sweets while growing up in Fairfield near Hillman's Bakery where she would stop to buy a Bismarck and coconut macaroon.
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An Amish man directed his horse and buggy through Waterville traffic this week while on the way to Home Depot, and his journey was a lesson on the importance of slowing down, Amy Calder writes.
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The Waterville community has been generous and empathetic when it comes to helping a growing number of homeless people living in encampments, but it is becoming increasingly apparent that the city can't do it alone and should seek state or federal intervention, Amy Calder writes.
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We might do well to slow down, prep the garden for the cold ahead and take a long breath before the holidays are at our doorsteps, Amy Calder writes.
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The Waterville Chess Club and Spectrum Generations invite people of all ages to play chess at Spectrum's Muskie Community Center in Waterville and at other venues as well, Amy Calder writes.
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Ryan Sirois, 39, was leaving the Waterville Area Soup Kitchen, where he's seen as vital to its operations, when he sustained serious injuries after falling from his bicycle, Amy Calder writes.