Maine

Henry, A Dog’s Life in Maine

Published

2 years ago

July 18, 2024

Tuckerman shows off his cone. (Courtesy photo)

It all started one fine summer afternoon. My mom has a couple of doggie clients that she lets out to run around and do their “business” several days a week while their people are at work. One particular set are the duo of Tuckerman, a year-old retriever and his very opinionated bud Piper, (affectionately called Pipes by my mom, who has said she loves this guy way too much) a 15-year-old Pug.

The adventure started with a text from Tuc’s mom informing her that he had been tutored. Excuse me, I heard that wrong, he had been neutered. (I have some experience with that, although it is a vague memory now.) Tuc would be wearing a cone. This is where the fun started.

Mom arrived to find the very excited and happy duo. The cone was a large plastic piece and Tuc, in his excitement was doing his very best to navigate around. He crashed into the wall, the doorway, the kitchen counter, Piper, (who rolled with it, literally,) and eventually my mom. She managed to get them both outside, but not without waiting for Tuc who tried several times to pick up one of his toys. If you have ever had a dog that needed to wear a cone, you know how difficult it is for them to pick up anything off the floor. Now, while all this was going on, he was blocking the door. Piper was not having it and very vocally let my mom know. Tuc finally was able to snag his toy and out they went.

Once outside, the adventure of Tuc and the cone began. It happened rather quickly, and to this day Mom says she is still both perplexed and in awe of the physicality of said event. Tuc ran around the lawn in circles. The speed was most incredible. If you have ever watched a plane take off, you can get the idea of the combination of the speed and liftoff; this was Tuc.

The lawn has a hill and he rolled down it with the exuberance typical of a puppy. In this case, a very large puppy – all legs and tail. Mom watched him come bounding back up, happy, cone flapping up and down, fazing him not in the least.

What happened next, she says, will be forever burned in her memory. She had a bit of difficulty explaining the event because it seemed quite surreal.

On his final roll of the afternoon, Tuc went down the hill backward. Mom described it as a whirlwind of dog butt, legs, and tail lifted in the air as if he were taking off, disappearing momentarily down the hill. Worried he was hurt, she ran down to check him and was met with a bounding, racing, (with the cone faced inside out and backward) blur of fur, grass, and dirt. Yes, a sight unlike Mom has ever seen, and to this day is still in wonderment.

As she went to fix said cone, Tuc took this as an invitation to play bet you can’t catch me. He was right.

Tuckerman, a 1-year-old retriever (Courtesy photo)

While all this mayhem was happening, Piper sat on the sidelines, commenting loudly on Mom’s ineptitude to cease running around and dispense with her treats. If you have you have ever owned a pug, you know how that is. Tuc decided that he would now be rid of this large bulky plastic appendage, shaking his head until it became loose. Somehow, he stepped on it, pried it off, leaving it dangling by the string that was attached to his collar.

All the while, mom was chasing him around the lawn to no avail. She decided to give up and grabbed the treat container. Thinking that if she shook it, he would come to her. Well, this gave Piper more ammunition and gave Mom a real “what for.”

Tuc, who seemed exhausted at this point, finally caved and came crashing into the house. The cone was torn in half, dangling and tripping Tuc as he ran up the step, crashing into Piper who, once again, literally rolled with it.

Mom managed to untie the string and yanked what was left of the cone off Tuc’s head. She texted his mom to inform her of the series of events. She said she was laughing so hard it took her a few attempts to text. Luckily there was duct tape in a drawer in the kitchen. Dad refers to duct tape as a divine gift to the universe.

Mom was able to tape the sad remains of the collar and somehow tackle Tuc, hold him in place with her knees, and return the plastic appendage to its former state on his head. Treats were dispensed and all was well. Tuc was not exactly thrilled, but luckily seemed super tired out and went crashing on to the sun porch for a nap, Piper at his side snoring away.

Mom laughingly drove home, dignity intact, ever grateful these two are in her life.

Mom read somewhere that dogs are sent without wings so that no one will know they are angels. She believes this with her whole heart.

Hugs and love to all, and please remember if we can’t go into stores with you, leave us home. A car can heat up fast, up to 10 degrees higher.

XOXOXO Henry.

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Maine

Maine competition gives creative entrepreneurs the chance to win money

Published

8 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Maine competition gives creative entrepreneurs the chance to win money

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – If you’ve ever wondered what goes into pitching a good business idea, you might want to stop by a Big Gig event.

The Big Gig Entrepreneurship Pitch Off brings professionals from across the state together to network and pitch their early-stage business ideas for a chance to win $500.

Tuesday’s competition was held at the Salty Brick Market in Bangor, and it drew a lot of spectators.

“The winners of each semifinal event get $500 and the opportunity to compete for $5,000, so that can make a huge impact on a business that’s just getting off the ground,” said Renee Kelly, a Big Gig organizer.

The winner of the competition, Colin McGuire, was also grateful for the opportunity to showcase his idea “Art on Tap,” which would connect local artists with local venues trying to put on events.

“The support tonight is huge, and it’s just giving me more enthusiasm for running with the idea,” he said.

The season finale of the competition will be held May 19th.

The location is yet to be determined.

If you’d like to apply to compete in the contest, you can go to biggig.org.

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Maine

This Monster Burrito Challenge in Waterville, Maine, Is Not for the Weak

Published

20 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

This Monster Burrito Challenge in Waterville, Maine, Is Not for the Weak

Are you up for a Maine food challenge, or are your eyes bigger than your stomach?

A Waterville staple, Buen Apetito has a monster burrito just waiting for someone to eat it down to the very last bite.

This thing is a beast, literally called La Bestia, and it’s definitely a mighty task for a fearless foodie.

Take on the Buen Apetito La Bestia Food Challenge in Waterville, Maine

According to Buen Apetito, if you can finish a super-sized burrito in 30 minutes or less, you’ll get the $60 meal for free, a La Bestia champion shirt, and a picture on the wall of fame. That’s not to mention the bragging rights of dominating a task few will be able to conquer.

Wondering what’s in the burrito?

The Mexican restaurant shared in a Facebook comment on a post that the burrito is filled with “grilled chicken, chorizo, and tender shredded beef or pork. Built on a layer of seasoned rice, refried beans, and French fries, it’s melted together with a shredded Mexican cheese blend and a drizzle of creamy cheese sauce, sautéed peppers and onions, green salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, creamy guacamole, and a bed of shredded lettuce all wrapped in three extra-large tortillas fused into one epic wrap.”

Let’s just say that this thing is packed full.

The first La Bestia contender took up his fork and knife in December 2025, but despite coming close, he couldn’t come out with the win.

As of March 2026, the challenge has remained undefeated. But you never know, someone is bound to come out victorious.

Just note that you can only try your hand at this food challenge on Wednesday and Thursday.

Buen Apetito Has Been a Longstanding Waterville, Maine, Restaurant

First opened in 1999, Buen Apeitito has been around for nearly 30 years.

Centralmaine.com reported that the Mexican restaurant was originally located at the Railroad Square complex off Chaplin Street before moving to 99 West River Road in 2023.

A little over a year later, in 2024, Buen Apetito shared on Facebook that it was passing on the torch to new owners, including Dalia, “the heart and soul of [the] kitchen for twenty years,” her daughter, Norma, and Norma’s husband, Shawn.

READ MORE: Famous Maine Restaurant Buen Apetito Adds Powerhouse New Owner to Crew

And it seems like not only are things still going strong, but new additions like La Bestia food challenge are only enhancing the spirit of big flavor and delicious Mexican food at the Waterville staple.

So, you think you’re up for the task of taking down a beast of a burrito at Buen Apetito? Good luck.

You Know You’re From Maine If You’ve Tried All 19 of These Foods

Here’s a number of foods associated with Maine. How many of them have you had?

Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna

The New York Time’s Best Restaurant Lists Feature These 7 Maine Spots

Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna

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Maine

How the Good Neighbor Day of Giving telethon is impacting Maine’s communities

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

How the Good Neighbor Day of Giving telethon is impacting Maine’s communities

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – Monday’s telethon held by WABI in partnership with Penquis and Heart of Maine United Way Monday raised money for the heating of homes, something so basic, yet so significant in a state like Maine.

Danielle Hewes, Penquis contributor and volunteer, says some people might not even know that they qualify for heating assistance.

“I think there’s this misconception that you can’t get that if you’re working. Like that’s just for people on general assistance. The truth of the matter is this is for the people that are maybe not able to work, but also for the people that are working. They’re making ends meet,” she said.

For Danielle, that’s what makes events like the telethon so special: it’s making a real difference in the community with people who need the help the most.

Speaking about Penquis in particular, she said, “You learn about all of the other things they do and how they help the community and you can’t help but want to be a part of that.”

If you weren’t able to donate Monday, donations are still being accepted.

You can go to homeunitedway.org/heat.

You can also call 941-2800.

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