DEAR SUN SPOTS: If you are culling your Christmas decorations , both indoor and outdoor, The Fairbanks Church is willing to accept these items for the Christmas Decorations Sale in November 2023. We will pick up these items within a 20-mile radius of Farmington, or we will set a time for you to deliver them.

Our Christmas Sale monies go to missions and outreach in the community.  Please call 778-3808 or 778-4349. We thank you for your wonderful outreach. — Cynthia, Farmington

ANSWER: What a wonderful idea to request these items while people have their holiday storage boxes within reach and may be contemplating whether they want to store these items for another year.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Will the city of Auburn conduct a spring cleanup in 2023? Thank you for all you do! — David, Auburn

ANSWER: According to the city’s website, it does look like there will be a bulky waste collection this spring. The city tries to do this every other year so it will be time. As winter fades away and you want to be sure this event is happening, check the website at https://www.auburnmaine.gov/Pages/Government/Public-Works  or call 333-6670 between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I just read about the lady who was looking for an easy coffee maker (Dec. 29 Sun Spots). I am 79 and I love my Keurig single cup coffee maker. I buy Hannaford brand coffee by the box; there are different blends to try and it’s easy to keep clean. I hope she finds one she loves as much as I love this one. — Karen, Hebron

ANSWER: Our reader mentioned that she wasn’t interested in a Keurig machine but perhaps someone else will like this recommendation. I don’t have a Keurig, but plenty of people who I know do and they seem to really enjoy them. They are easy and you don’t waste coffee that you decide not to drink. Some coffee drinkers have a concern about the disposal of the pods and feel it’s wasteful though. I’d love to get some opinions on this.

I have a 2-cup Bialetti Moka stainless steel espresso pot that I use on the stove-top. It makes great coffee and comes in various sizes. Most kitchen supply stores have them and I’ve also seen them at Target, TJ Maxx and Walmart.

If I have a bunch of people over, I get out my stainless steel electric percolator. I bought it at Reny’s quite some time ago but the store still carries them in 6- and 12-cup sizes.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Does the Sun Journal have obituaries archived from 1949 and/or 1973? — Tina, no town

ANSWER: Go to https://stage.sunjournal.com/obituaries/ and plug in the name and date. If you don’t know the exact date, start with the name and year.

There are many other ways you can find a person’s obituary but keep in mind that not everyone who has died has an one.

Other sites you can try are:  https://www.genealogybank.com/explore/obituaries/all/usa/maine/lewiston/sun-journal , https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/local/maine/lewiston , and https://www.ancestry.com/.

If you know the town where the person lived, you could also check the town’s records.

Recently, a reader asked for help locating someone who had died, and another Sun Spotter was able to help them immediately.

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name. We won’t use it if you ask us not to. Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.