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.

Handing out $100 bills to strangers during the holiday season evokes an unforgettable feeing, Amy Calder writes.

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.

Who knew that mailing square Christmas cards poses a problem for the U.S. Post Office? Amy Calder writes.

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.

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.

Ashley Noel suffered from addiction, loss and post-traumatic stress but ultimately found hope and healing, Amy Calder writes.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Robin Bartholf operates Ephphatha Community Farm where the horses and other animals can have a therapeutic effect on people with physical, developmental or emotional challenges, Amy Calder writes.

Rebecca Green, Sue Barre and Teresa McKinney are launching a pilot program to gauge interest in whether people want a music school serving the greater Waterville area, Amy Calder writes.

Kevin Horton, 64, who is physically and intellectually disabled, has lived in his apartment 25 years and has always paid his rent on time, but he got a notice 30 days ago that he has to leave, Amy Calder writes.

Born with only one kidney that is now failing, Mike Snow, 60, is asking folks to get screened to see if they can be a living donor, not only for himself but for others waiting for an organ transplant, Amy Calder writes.

At Anam Cara Farm in Canaan, Pamela Rickenbach takes in and cares for disabled, retired and homeless working horses, Amy Calder writes.

The Skowhegan State Fair arrives Thursday, bringing with it a reminder that the end of summer is in the not-so-distant future, Amy Calder writes.

A group of homeless people who hang out near the old Waterville Boys and Girls Club on Main Place in Waterville, waiting for the nearby soup kitchen to open, say finding a place to live is difficult, and out of reach financially, Amy Calder writes.

The death of a boy years ago on the Kennebec River in Skowhegan remains a regular reminder of how water can be powerful and unforgiving, Amy Calder writes.

The letter sent years ago by U.S. Sen. Margaret Chase Smith of Skowhegan was a reminder of what she stood for: respect, integrity and the courage to stand up for what is right, Amy Calder writes.

As the July 4 holiday week approaches, we'd do well to watch for wrong-way drivers, Amy Calder writes.

Gil Roy has hosted more than two-dozen foreign exchange students from around the world in the last 14 years and has two more coming this summer, Amy Calder writes.