2010 Maine Crime round-up

Fans of weird crime coverage will be pleased to find that the Maine Edge has done a bang-up job of compiling the cream of the crop from 2010's Maine crime blotters for our enjoyment. My favorite?

Catfight? Not exactly

OLD TOWN - Police responded to a 911 hang-up call that turned out to be quite innocuous.

On Feb. 17, around 8:30 a.m., dispatch received a hang-up call that also sounded like someone struggling. When the officer arrived at the address, he saw a woman talking on the cell phone. She was speaking with another officer on the phone and police learned that she had called dispatch in order to contact the fire department because three cats were stuck in a tree. While she was on the phone, one of the felines jumped on her head, causing her to drop the phone.

Source: http://www.themaineedge.com/content/19610/2010_Crimees/

Portland Citywide Snowball Fight!

SNOWBALL FIGHT!!! Whoever has the day off or gets sent home early because of the snow, meet at the bridge in Deering Oaks Park at 3:00PM. If you have goggles, wear them. INVITE YOUR FRIENDS! Dress Warm!!!! If you can make it, or if you can't make it, please repost this, let's see how many people we can get!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=170836926293080

And while you're at it, someone should bring a big kettle of hot chocolate!!!

Ragged Isle makes a splash

A couple of weeks ago the Press Herald published a pretty great teaser of an article by Dennis Perkins for a new Maine supernatural mystery show, Ragged Isle. The cool thing? It's completely homegrown, being put together by two very talented locals Barry and Karen Dodd.

The long-gestating brainchild of Mainers Barry and Karen Dodd, "Ragged Isle" is a Web series about a young woman who accepts a job as photographer for the titular island's lone newspaper and finds, amongst Ragged Isle's small and secretive population and isolated yet beautiful scenery, that things are not what they seem.

While decidedly not an amateur (he's been working in local broadcast TV for 17 years) Barry Dodd has certainly embodied the DIY spirit in bringing "Ragged Isle" to life. Originally conceived as a "Dark Shadows"-style soap opera for a contest for Soap Net, some years ago, "Ragged Isle" lay fallow for years. But, you might say, it continued to haunt Dodd, until last year, when he gathered everyone together again, brought in new talent and added elements of series like "Twin Peaks" and "The X Files."
Source: http://www.pressherald.com/life/go/ragged-isle-web-series-blends-beauty-with-spooky_2010-12-23.html

Sounds good to me.
For more info, and to stay updated, check out the website at http://www.raggedisle.com/, and treat yourself to a look at the very slick trailer for the series, below. It's all we have to tide us over until a projected February release for the first episode's final edit! I suspect you'll find yourself wanting more, as soon as possible.

Ragged Isle Season One Trailer from Barry Dodd on Vimeo.

Rent-a-haunt

I ran across a listing for a vacation rental located in China, Maine. Interestingly enough, under the amenities is listed "paranormal activity." That's a new one on me!

Under "Other Activities," the listing goes into more detail:

The Old Maine Farmhouse is nearly 300 years old and it is not unusual to experience paranormal activity. Doors that open and close by themselves, footsteps in the attic, lights coming on or turning off, the television changing channels...scents and fragrances......are all things we have come to consider 'normal' for the Old Maine Farm. If you are bothered by this kind of unexplainable phenomonon [sic] we suggest you book the cabin. It has over 2200 sq feet of contemporary living space. It was built 5 years ago and doesn't yet have the rich history or the 'aura' of a building that has been around for nearly three centuries.

Well, even if it is all a ploy to get you to rent from them, it does look like a pleasant place to stay if the photos are any indication.

Here's the site listing the house as a rental: http://www.vrbo.com/335986