Other than a few smarty-pants who have their Christmas shopping all done, most of us are still at it, trying to figure out what to get for those on our list who pose a challenge.In the days…

Oh my! It’s Christmastime!

Here comes the busiest time of the year for many folks. There’s the shopping, decorating, getting and putting up the tree, wrapping gifts, going to events and…

I am thankful for my family and friends every day of the year but on this Thanksgiving week, I would like to thank some other people (some are friends, too!) who contribute very much to getting…

My mother has told me over the years about a train ride to Boston when she was 10, for my Uncle Charlie’s college graduation. Riders seeing television antennae on the roofs of tar-paper shacks in…

On this Thanksgiving holiday, as we sit down with family and friends to share both good food and conversation, let’s not forget the thousands all over the world who are less fortunate.…

While writing this column, the clock was ticking toward the end of another year of my existence. Yes, I turned 61 this week. Not a memorable number, for sure, but birthdays tend to not only creep…

Wiscasset voters elected the school committee and selectmen. Property owners and fee-payers fund the school and town services out of their paychecks, savings and any other means they can. Two…

Two recent wind storms brought down a tremendous number of trees. Maine is the most heavily forested state in the nation, with an estimated 24.3 billion.Even before the latest blow, we…

Arguably the biggest election night surprise in Wiscasset didn’t come at the polls at Wiscasset Community Center. Selectmen delivered it down the road, in their majority vote to go to court over…

I’ve noticed it for years in Wiscasset and if anything, it seems to only get more so: Whether visitors or residents, when people are here, they enjoy engaging one another.

I was taking…

Last night I found myself looking at the shadows on the walls and ceilings of my house, cast from the light of four candles glowing in the kitchen, dining room, computer nook and living room. As…

It appears we may finally be on a path toward curbing the growing drug problem in our country. It will be a long and rocky road and it could take years to make significant progress but we…

Not us, apparently, if you need a ghost.

This was year two of Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce’s scarecrow contest for businesses and organizations. The Wiscasset Newspaper signed up…

It’s easy to get in financial trouble. Ask thousands of families who have had to struggle on occasion to keep their heads above water. For some, it’s a never-ending battle. It’s not just…

I would like to commend my colleague, Lisa Kristoff, who has led the charge at the newspaper for over a decade to inform the public about domestic violence (DV). In years past (pre-website), she…

When something puts a strain on your household budget, you tend to get nervous — sometimes very nervous. We can’t help but think our country should be feeling that same pressure…

Few good things happen at 2 a.m. 

When the clock strikes 2 on Nov. 5, daylight savings time ends again, hastening Mother Nature’s bringing of the dark to afternoon. If that just seems…

Last week’s tragedy in Las Vegas has political leaders and others turning their attention once again to gun control. It becomes a hot topic whenever we have a horrendous incident where lives…

We are all about local news, events and people. As a weekly and a 24-7 website in a region that has towns not cities, we know you have an array of other sources for as much or as little national…

Every so often, I like to remind people how this operation (newspaper) works. This week, I will give you a few facts about getting coverage of your event and tips on getting your submissions in on…

Americans are weighing in on the growing trend by National Football League players to take the knee during the playing of the National Anthem as a means of protesting racism in our country.…

In our towns and all around in October, purple is the color of caring. It’s National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. And like all the causes that have colors throughout the year, it’s important…

Another Tuesday night and I'm thinking about what to write about.

OK, I've got it. Let's review my week, starting with Wednesday, Sept. 20.

There was a new moon on Sept. 20. The…

Hurricanes, earthquakes, nuclear threats, riots, Obamacare debate … As the world churns, we always have sports to turn to take our minds off of the tragedies and political disagreements happening…

What’s more annoying than a telemarketer? Their phone calls usually come at an inopportune time.  You’re just started eating. You’re watching something on TV you really want to…

Not a lot of jobs carry the risk of a horrible incident like the one a Wiscasset officer experienced last week, getting stuck with a syringe Police Chief Jeff Lange said had allegedly been used…

Road construction projects, especially on a main thoroughfare such as Route 27, are a pain to motorists. Long waits, driving on uneven pavement and impatient drivers drive up the stress. Some…

Devastating. Mind-boggling. Heartbreaking. Unimaginable. There are plenty of words to describe Hurricane Irma. After watching Hurricane Harvey wreak havoc on Texas, with barely a break in…

Kudos to our fire departments for coming together on fires big and little over Labor Day weekend. Even the smaller emergencies take multiple hands, for the firefighters’ safety and everyone else’s…

September: Schools are back in session; the grass grows a little slower; and the last vestiges of summer activities continue for about three more weeks.

One of those activities – actually…

I still am liking the traffic lights the state put in last year at 1 and 27 in Wiscasset. I still wish whoever is peeping at me to turn left onto 27 would realize the green light doesn’t mean you…

We’re counting our blessings this week as we share in the sorrow of thousands of Texas residents who have suffered damage to or loss of their homes and businesses, or have been forced to…

Over my “staycation” last week, which was a mixture of fun on the town and work at home projects, I somewhat kept up with the local news. Some loser(s) spread KKK fliers in the region, stirring…

The waning days of August mean school is getting ready to roll, and so are the buses. John Merry has given us the Wiscasset runs you’ll find on page 6 this week. Even if you have no kiddos to get…

We haven’t seen any of the statistics yet, but it appears that Clear the Shelters Day last Saturday was successful in finding permanent homes for many dogs, cats and other shelter animals.…

Instead of the usual editing of copy on Tuesday, I did some editing of a different kind – a bit of home downsizing.

Taking advantage of our week off together, my wife and I tackled our…

I got onto westportisland.us Friday to see if the town website had the dimensions or other interesting facts on the new salt and sand shed. News Contributor Jane Carpenter’s photo we ran on this…

Every week, we know some of the news that’s going to happen – an election, a selectmen’s meeting, or a concert or other event to cover. It’s news people need to know or will enjoy reading about.…

Some folks who live near Old Orchard Beach, as well as visitors, have been complaining recently to Town Fathers that the beach lacks easily accessible rest room facilities. They maintain…

So we don’t have the Mason Station peninsula cleaned up yet and the state’s downtown plans continue to draw criticism and concern along with praise and hope. I’m an optimist on both projects,…

I didn't celebrate National Ice Cream Day on July 16. Did you? But there's still a few days left to celebrate National Ice Cream Month, July, designated as such by…

It’s always refreshing to read about folks who think outside the box, and while they’re certainly not the first to do it, we found ourselves intrigued by a San Francisco couple’s decision on…

Word that Ben Averill has moved on from his Wiscasset planner job was not a large surprise. Voters may bring back the job sooner or later, or never, and maybes don’t pay the bills.

If…

What news? Sun Media Group has agreed to sell its assets to RFB Holdings. Reade Brower, owner of Maine Today Media, as of Aug. 1, will assume ownership of many more newspapers in Maine, including…

Remember the old TV show, “Truth or Consequences?” Well, under Maine’s new laws, the truth is, lobstermen and others who break the rules will face consequences — severe consequences…

Signs are like milk. They should go away when outdated. The “Maine’s Prettiest Village” sign on Route 1 and Flood Avenue had a Sheepscot River Race announcement next to it ahead of the July 4 race…

Not long ago we began hearing and reading about the strong opposition to public buildings in the south flying a confederate flag.  Some were adamant that they come…

Events like last week’s art walk and concert and Tuesday’s July Fourth celebration underscore a truth about Maine’s prettiest village. People like it here.

In this week’s pages, we meet a…

Took a 15-minute break from work Tuesday afternoon, around 1:45, to check out the activity around town on one of the "more active" Windjammer Days. I thought there were many people around and, if…

As we celebrate the wonderful days of summer here on the Maine coast, Washington and the political world seem far, far away but unfortunately the only way to escape what’s happening – or isn…