The January 10th Issue of The American

“Smoking or non-smoking” is this week’s Page 1 feature. The state of Maine Department of Corrections has withdrawn its 10-year ban on inmates smoking. Seems they were getting their cigarettes anyway — either black market or roll your own — and, as a result, getting trouble and adding to their time inside. Read all about it. Page 1

Newtown, Conn., is very much on all of our minds — especially police and school authorities. Ellsworth Elementary-Middle School was the scene Monday of security drill involving 20 police officers. Learn how it played out. Page 1.

“Obamacare Made Simple.” Just kidding. Some 80 area businesspeople and employers turned out Tuesday morning for a session on the Affordable Care Act. It’s complicated. It’s also the law of the land. Page 1.
And we have a couple of upbeat stories about some Orland Boy Scouts who came to the rescue of a freezing young lady and a trio of Weight Watchers who have trained themselves into marathon condition. Serious: they’re running a marathon on Sunday. Read all about it.

All this plus high school track and basketball, big doings in court, the biggest gravel pit in the county, a beloved mailman hangs up the letter bag, lobster landings, high school sailing and ... most important of all ... wait a minute ... here it comes ... THE ELLSWORTH AMERICAN’S SNOWMAN CONTEST.

All in The American ... The Ellsworth American ... serving the public since 1851, the very year the first Australian mining laws were enacted. Before 1851, ownership of minerals and petroleum passed to those who were granted title to land by the colonial governors. From 1855 on, ownership of minerals was retained by the Crown.