Amid the police scanner's squawks, spits and squeaks, a message will come forth to drop everything and hit the road — in this case for a boy sliding down a hole, writes Amy Calder.

Having suffered the pain of two major mishaps on ice and endured the lengthy recovery that came with them, Amy Calder issues a word of caution about what may be underfoot.

Candy treats, mixed nuts, the Sears catalog, watching our father haul a tree out of the woods to decorate in the living room, the Christmas day feast and memories of our family members still warm the heart, writes Amy Calder.

Don't run yourself so ragged that you miss enjoying the holidays; take a break, sit down and read a book, Amy Calder writes.

That late Thanksgiving night out shopping may well be an experience, but it sure can leave you bleary-eyed, writes Amy Calder.

In a year marked by hatred, anger and fear, Amy Calder writes that education is fundamental to changing a person's life — and the world — for the better.

Pittsfield woman's great-great-grandmother tended to wounded soldiers on the battlefield, beginning at the Battle of Bull Run, writes Amy Calder.

For a few precious days we got to remember it wasn't so long ago that we were in a saner world, enjoying a tradition our country loves and cherishes, Amy Calder writes.

Shapiro, 91, was recognized for his service to his constituents, which really translates to making other people's lives better — and that's no small tomatoes, writes Amy Calder.

Lorelei Kelley's home town in Florida suffered a devastating hit from Hurricane Michael, and now the mother of three is organizing a relief effort to help out, writes Amy Calder.

Scott McAdoo reveals his own experiences with bullying and how demeaning it can be, but he didn't cave into it, and his public service has given him the courage to address it, writes Amy Calder.

While store-bought snowballs, devil dogs and creme pastries were childhood delights that lost their luster, home-baked apple pie, applesauce cake and apple crisp came with flavor, ingenuity and love.

When lung cancer took Nina Rose Mitchell's father, his pledge to build her a tree house fell to a contractor salesman and a carpenter who thought she was a sweetheart.

The 18 cases presented to the pardon board recently were felons' presentations of life lessons painfully learned, Amy Calder writes.

Amanda Brown has made the most of her own experience to help others deal with postpartum anxiety and depression.

Former high school history teacher David Harville details the stories of two Skowhegan men who fought and died in the Battle of Chateau-Thierry in France, one of the first actions of the American Expeditionary Force.

Luxy and Marie LeClair devote hours on end volunteering to support families in need, including stocking the service's resale shop, which funds its work.

The passing of a friend's mother will bring our families back together, awaken memories, and renew friendship in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Amy Calder writes.

The first "first responders," the men and women who take the calls, collect vital information that police and firefighters deal with, from whether a threatening spouse is armed or intoxicated to the details of a woman giving birth.

Funny, unpredictable, romantic, a sure way to make a husband or boyfriend disappear, the prime-time show may be just the antidote when the divisiveness and depressing events in the world get to be too much, writes Amy Calder.

In the midst of today's volatility, Elizabeth LaBua gets up in the morning and goes to a job where people are actually making a difference. It's rewarding, she tells writer Amy Calder.

Although Clifford Perkins works hard, he leaves when he gets stressed out and now sleeps in the woods at Head of Falls; but he does know the first thing he needs: insurance, writes Amy Calder.

While the comedian was talkative enough, he talked about what he wanted to talk about, whether it had any relation to what I was asking or not, writes Amy Calder.

Sometimes prodding from a youthful colleague is just the ticket to writing a column — and coming up with a list to check off in the future.

The 69-year-old was born and bred in the city and has been walking and biking here all his 69 years, writes Amy Calder.