Chilly first thing in #Royden. More fungi, some from the nearby cemetery.

On July 10, 1970, three Cape Breton teenagers—Kenny Novak (15), David Burrows (17), and Terry Burt (20)—were struck and killed by a train while sleeping on railroad tracks near Houlton, Maine. The incident occurred after the group deviated from their planned camping trip in Cape Breton Highlands National Park and crossed into the U.S. illegally from Woodstock, New Brunswick. According to eyewitness Royden Hunt, who last spoke with the trio at a dairy bar in Houlton, they asked to be dropped off near railroad tracks to avoid being seen while hitchhiking. Hunt recalled that the youths were heading to Island Falls, Maine, but opted to walk along the tracks instead. The train, carrying 19 cars weighing 725 tonnes, struck the teenagers around 7 a.m. as they lay on the tracks. The deaths were ruled accidental, with the Aroostook County Sheriff's Department concluding the teens likely chose the tracks as a dry sleeping area after rain. However, Richard Novak, brother of Kenny Novak, believes the case involves foul play and has been advocating for a reopening of the investigation. He argues that the investigation was insufficient and that the bodies were placed on the tracks to cover up a murder. The case has resurfaced in recent years, with a Facebook page dedicated to the case and a petition calling for a reinvestigation. David Sjoberg, an 18-year-old who transported the bodies back to Cape Breton, recalled the incident as a routine part of his summer job at a funeral home but noted that the story had largely faded from public memory until recently. The Aroostook County Sheriff's Department has stated it no longer possesses case files from 1970, making further investigation difficult. Despite the passage of time, Richard Novak continues to seek justice for his brother and the two other victims, stating, 'Justice has not been served,' and emphasizing that the deaths were not accidental.