Dear Readers,

Happy birthday to the U.S.A. Another year has passed and our grand experiment in self-government survives. Long may we live in peace and harmony.

Here in small town Maine, we celebrated with a few fireworks, a few more than last year, after the Maine lawmakers got rid of the statewide ban on fireworks. Boothbay agreed to the change, while Boothbay Harbor voters decided they liked it the way it was. Most folks believe the local ban will have little effect.

Two events crossed my desk last week that I thought you might be interested in. The first involved noted Boothbay Harbor artist Kathleen Billis. You remember her: she was injured after being mugged in Portland April 5 in a shopping center parking lot.

Yes, she is doing just fine and recovering from her injuries. Yes, suspects have been caught and are awaiting trial. The latest news is that she says she is just dazzled at the number of friends and even some strangers who offered their concerns and best wishes.

She told me of an unusual incident, this one involving a total stranger.

“I answered a call from someone who had dialed my number in error,” the artist said. “When I told the caller it was the Billis residence and not the person she thought she was dialing, she said, ‘Is this Kathleen Billis?’ When I said yes, she said she was so sorry about my injury.”

“Imagine, a total stranger offering me her condolences. This is a wonderful, wonderful community,” she said.

The second incident also involved art. This time it was music.

A week ago, master jazz guitarist Frank Vignola and his sidekick Vinny Raniolo played the Opera House. As advertised, they dazzled the crowd with their precise technique, exquisite musicality and warm stage presence.

A few hours before the performance, I was doing a Saturday afternoon chore at the dump when I ran into one of Boothbay’s finest guitarists, Paul Johnson. He was doing his Saturday chores, too.

Paul and his wife Wendy are the owners of the Red Cup Café in the heart of the Harbor. They are known for their fine coffee, yummy sandwiches and their open mic evenings where anyone can jump up and play a few tunes.

As we dumped our trash and recycled our recyclables, we chatted about clips on the Internet showing examples of Vignola’s tunes. Both of us were impressed. I asked if I was going to see him at the performance and he said he would try to get there. Well I did, and he didn’t.

The day after the performance, Vignola and Raniolo popped in to Johnson’s Red Cup Café. They brought their instruments along. For about an hour, Johnson not only got to listen to Vignola and Raniolo, they asked him to join in and jam.

Three days later, Johnson was still bubbling about the encounter. I wish I had stopped in at the Red Cup for that session. It doesn’t get much better than that in guitar land. Don’t forget to ask Johnson about the session.

FYI: Opera House Executive Director Cathy Sherrill says she will try to bring Vignola back to the Region next year. Hope so.

Joe Gelarden

P.S. On Windjammer Days, I noticed Boothbay Harbor’s Police Chief Bob Hasch driving around in an old and very run down squad car. To be blunt, it is a junker. It is a rust bucket. It looked to be one notch away from what my sons used to call “a death sled.”
I know we all want to husband tax dollars, but don’t you think it is time we retired that junker and bought another police car for the Harbor’s finest? I do.