Amusement Parks of the 1960s By Leo Racicot Canobie Lake Park in Salem, New Hampshire, was a favorite getaway for families seeking escape from city life, the daily grind, especially on weekends. Marie took us there many times over the years in her Rambler. It was a quick trip over…

A weekly report on things I’ve read, heard and seen since last Wednesday.  Book Review: Rasputin: The Downfall of the Romanovs by Antony Beevor (2026). Earlier this year a glowing review of this book caught my attention and, since I’m already a big Antony Beevor fan (he’s a military historian…

Forest Fires – PIP #110 By Louise Peloquin     American media have largely covered the unprecedented inferno consuming southern Europe. From January to the end of July, wildfires destroyed approximately 287,000 acres in France. In the Gironde region, over 220,000 people were forced to evacuate. Mayor Thomas Cazenave of Bordeaux,…

Here’s another tribute to the late David Daniel (1945-2026) from longtime friend Bill Crawford. He and Dave met long ago as fellow US Army soldiers and remained in close contact until Dave’s recent passing. Bill, a writer and photojournalist, composed this poem while on a road trip from Death Valley…

The Lowell City Council met on Tuesday (July 28, 2026). I don’t watch council meetings live. Instead, I catch them Wednesday morning from the YouTube recording. It’s always interesting to open that app and discover how long the meeting took, although in summer when there are just two meetings per…

A weekly report on things I’ve read, heard and seen since last Wednesday.  Event: Lowell Folk Festival – The folk festival happened in Lowell this weekend for the 39th time. As has been my habit recently, I visited on Saturday afternoon. Our first stop was the Market Street Stage to…

On the wall of my home office is a small sign that proclaims, “Love Where You Live” which highlights the importance of community in each of our lives. Stories about “place” and how individuals interact with it have had a constant presence on this site. Last fall, through the efforts…

WHY DO IT? A hiker’s confession By Jerry Bisantz OK, so this is the newest in my “try to figure out why Jerry does stupid stuff all the time” writings. And this one will be about my passion for climbing. I must blame my buddy Steve for this one.  I…

Fading Impressions By Leo Racicot I first noticed ghost signs around town about twenty years ago; I was sitting at the depot when I noticed the faded Hood’s ads on the side of the old Thorndike Factory Outlet building: Hood’s Vegetable Pills, Hood’s Ointment. There were names of other Hood…

Have a Joyous Vacation! – PIP #109 By Louise Peloquin      At a time when a great many Lowellians were actively engaged in World War II,  L’Etoile maintained daily detailed coverage of the conflict and of those involved in the thick of it. While extending happy summer vacation wishes to…