Come Tuesday, June 23, we'll be seeing visiting SchoonersAmerican Eagle, Heritage, Alert and Bowdoin, along with local schooners Eastwind, Lazy Jack sailing in Linekin Bay for Windjammer Days 2015.

At the Jan. 13 Friends of Windjammer Days meeting, Pete Ripley announced that he had received confirmation from the schooner captains.

The Ernestina-Morrissey, at the Boothbay Harbor Shipyard for repairs, will not be excluded from the festival. As Ripley said in a phone conversation post meeting, “She won't be in the parade of sail, but she will be part of the party.”

Following the parade of sail, the Bowdoin will be at the town dock and available for tours. Ripley is also working on setting up tours aboard the Ernestina-Morrissey during the Windjammer Days Festival week, June 21-27.

Mark Gimbel, head of sponsorship, said sponsors for the ships, and other festival events, continue to come in.

Regarding the new cross-the-harbor tug-of-war event, Gimbel said representatives from Leighton & Associates and Knickerbocker Group met with event coordinator Korey Lewis and Gimbel early in the new year to assess where the tug would be held.

The location has been determined to be on the inside the footbridge, from the town lot across to the lawn on the other side, a distance of 684 feet.

The Friends committee already has the approval needed to use properties on both sides of the harbor.

Groups or individuals interested in sponsoring one of the two teams, with 10-20 people on each, should contact Mark at markgimbel.mg@gmail.com.

New ideas are flowing among members of the parade committee, led by Stephanie Hawke, Boothbay’s new representative in Augusta. Parade committee member Michelle Davis reported on Hawke's behalf.

Items thrown out for consideration were: creating a permanent “captain of the parade” in addition to the traditional Grand Marshal designation; a dog parade, and extending an invitation to Old St. Nick to join in the fun. You can't help but wonder what he'll wear. Think about it: It'll be a bit warm for his classic fur-trimmed suit. Perhaps red shorts, a white shirt and lots of jingling bells?

Antique Boat Parade coordinators Doug Goldhirsch and Bruce White said they would like to see the reception following the parade at Rocktide better attended — by members of the public.

This reception is a great way for festival goers to see the vintage boats at Rocktide's dock, meet the owners and learn a bit about Lymans, for example.

The 2015 festival marks the second year the Friends of Windjammer Days, a 501(c) group since summer of 2014, has produced the Boothbay region's most longstanding event.

The Friends of Windjammer Days meet at 5 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at the Boathouse Bistro. Anyone interested in volunteering in the production of the festival is encouraged to attend.

For more information, visit the official Windjammer Days website, www.windjammerdays.org.

During school vacation week, Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association will offer a Nature Journal Workshop at the Sheepscot General, 98 Townhouse Road in Whitefield on Tuesday, Feb. 17 from 3-5 pm.  A snow date is scheduled for the following day, Feb. 18.

As part of SVCA’s Art & Nature year, we will be introducing this fun family activity as a way of further appreciating the natural world around us. Keeping a nature journal is a great way to stay connected to the natural world through a combination of art, writing and science.

And keeping a field journal develops and reinforces the most important science process skills — observation, questioning and documentation.  Recording the seasons, the coming and goings of birds and other animals, keeping track of weather (like how much snow fell during the last snow storm), watching the leaves change color or the buds burst are just some examples of fun things to keep track of in a nature journal.

You don’t have to be an artist or a writer to have fun observing the natural world. Also, during school vacation week on April 22, we’ll have an outdoor Nature Journaling Walk at the Bass Falls Preserve in Alna. You can bring the journal you made, or bring one you already have!

This workshop is designed for all ages and families are encouraged to join in the fun together. We’ll spend a bit of time talking about the benefits of nature journaling, playing some drawing and observation games, and then making journals to be taken home.  Supplies for making a journal will be provided, but if you have favorite drawing utensils, please bring them along.

Children 7 and under should be accompanied by an adult or older sibling. Registration is required through the SVCA (svca@sheepscot.org or 207-586-5616) and numbers are limited. Please sign up by February 10 to help us plan supplies.

For more information, call the office at 207-586-5616, visit our website at www.sheepscot.org or like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/sheepscot.

In a game that came down to the final seconds, the Searsport Vikings girls basketball team was able to hold on and win against the Woolwich Central School Wildcats, 32-25, on Thursday, Jan. 29.

The win cemented Searsport's Busline League small school championship and capped a perfect 15-0 season.

For Woolwich, the loss was the Wildcats’ first in a successful 14-1 season that saw the team take the top spot in the Busline Small School South League.

The two teams went into the final game with identical 14-0 records, and almost a week off, due to the game being twice rescheduled due to snowstorms.

When play did begin, it featured a flurry of low-post moves as both teams relied on post players to fuel the scoring.

Woolwich struck first, when Hannah Card delivered on a lay-up, and didn't stop there. She scored 12 of Woolwich's 15 first-half points, with the rest coming from fellow forward Delaney Young.

With two minutes and 50 seconds remaining in the first half, Searsport had built itself a sizable 18-9 lead and appeared poised to add to it when Card struck. Searsport couldn't contain Woolwich's top scorer, as Card scored six unanswered points in 25 seconds to trim the lead to 18-15.

Searsport was able to net a couple of insurance buckets and went into the second half holding a 22-15 lead.

For all the offense of the first half, the second half turned the game into a defensive battle, with both teams swapping steals and blocked shots.

The fun didn't really begin until the game wound down to its final minute.

With Searsport up by nine points, it was again Card who attempted to will her team to the win; she scored four more points in the closing frames to tighten the game into a 30-25 affair with 20 seconds left. But Searsport was able to make its foul shots and Woolwich's final three-pointer just missed.

Searsport's Mikaela Alley and Mackenzie Alley led the way with 10 points apiece, while fellow Vikings Ashton Wells (eight) and Morgan Ireland (four) joined in on the fun.

For Woolwich, it was Card (22 points) and Young (three points) who did the scoring.

Nobleboro wins big

Nobleboro didn't waste time in its boys Busline League championship game against Searsport on Thursday, Jan. 29.

The Lions roared out to an early 21-7 lead and never looked back. By halftime the score was 40-17 and when it was all said and done, Nobleboro was crowned the champion of the small school league behind a 69-37 victory.

Joel Hatch (25 points) and Bryce York (22 points) led the way in scoring for the Lions, while Isaiah Runci (10 points) and Charlie Spiegel (12 points) did most of the damage for Searsport.

With the season winding down, the Wiscasset High School swim team was able to kick things into high gear when it swam at home on Friday, Jan. 23 against Cony and Hyde Academy.

Both the boys and girls teams featured several individual wins.

In the girls 200-yard medley relay, the Wiscasset team of Maeve Carlson, Amanda Marcus, Julia West and Jenna Bickford finished third behind two of Cony's top teams. That same team was first in the girls 200-yard freestyle relay.

In the boys 200-yard medley relay, Wiscasset (Ridge Barnes, Sam Storer, Ryan Medina and Kyle Viele) finished fourth behind two Cony squads and Hyde Academy. The relay team finished third in the boys 200-yard freestyle relay.

Marcus finished third in the girls 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:52.09,

West was first in the girls 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:34.81, first in the girls 100-yard breaststroke (1:16.31).

Carlson finished third in the girls 50-yard freestyle with a time of 32.30 seconds and was third 100-yard freestyle (1:13.72).

Bickford was fourth in the girls 50-yard freestyle with a time of 35.66 seconds, and second by only .48 seconds in the 100-yard backstroke (1:25.68).

Barnes was fourth in the boys 50-yard freestyle with a time of 31.35 seconds, and third in the 100-yard freestyle (1:10.34).

Medina was fifth in the boys 50-yard freestyle with a time of 32.69 seconds, and fourth in the 100-yard freestyle (1:14.34).

Kyle Viele was sixth in the boys 50-yard freestyle with a time of 37.30 seconds, fifth in the 100-yard freestyle (1:27).

Storer was first in the boys 100-yard butterfly when he finished in 1:02.42, and second in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:18.17).

The team was scheduled to swim on Friday, Jan. 30 at the PenBay YMCA in Camden, but the snowstorm forced a postponement. Instead, the meet is tentatively scheduled for Friday, Feb. 6 at the Wiscasset Rec Center.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Despite trailing for a fair portion of the second half, and almost losing the game in the final minute of the game, the Patriots defeated the defending champion Seattle Seahawks 28-24 to win Super Bowl 49. 

It was the eighth overall Super Bowl appearance for the New England Patriots and the second straight for the Seattle Seahawks. 

With about a minute to go in the game, the Seahawks’ Jermaine Kearse had a remarkable catch, but it was not enough for Seattle as the Patriots’ Malcolm Butler intercepted a pass from Russell Wilson to seal the victory for New England.

But, the game didn’t end there. 

Bruce Irvin of the Seahawks started a shoving match, which turned into a brawl among the on-field players when the Patriots took a knee to officially end the game. After order was restored, Irvin was ejected and the Patriots took a knee one more time to run the clock out. 

Coming into the game, the Seahawks were 1-1 in Super Bowl appearances, while the Patriots sported a 3-4 record. 

Patriot quarterback Tom Brady set two records in the contest, the first being player with the most touchdown passes in Super Bowl games. Brady broke Joe Montana’s previous record 11 when he scored his 12th Super Bowl touchdown early in the fourth quarter. The second record was for most complete passes in a Super Bowl game with 37.

Brady, who was the game’s Most Valuable Player, finished the night by completing 37 passes out of 50 attempts, 328 passing yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. LeGarrette Blount finished the night with 14 carries for 40 yards and Shane Vereen ended with four carries and 13 rushing yards and 11 receptions for 64 yards. Julian Edelman finished with nine receptions for 109 yards and one touchdown, while Rob Gronkowski ended with six receptions for 68 yards and one touchdown. 

On the Seattle side of the ball, Wilson completed 12 of 21 pass attempts for 247 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Marshawn Lynch rushed 24 times for 102 yards and a touchdown. Chris Matthews had four receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown.

According to a CNBC report, each player on this year’s Super Bowl championship team will receive a bonus of $97,000, while each player on the losing team will get a bonus of $49,000. That money is in addition to the $44,000 each player already made for winning their respective conference championships two weeks ago and another $24,000 for winning respective divisional playoff contests. 

In the first quarter of Sunday’s game, neither team was able to get on the board despite Jeremy Lane of the Seahawks intercepting a Brady pass towards the end of the quarter. 

With 9:47 to go in the second, Brandon LaFell caught an 11 yard touchdown pass from Brady and Stephen Gostkowski hit the extra point to put the Patriots up 7-0. 

Then, with 2:16 to go, Marshawn Lynch had a three yard touchdown run, followed by a Steven Hauschka extra point kick to tie the game at seven. 

With 31 seconds until the half, Rob Gronkowski caught a 22 yard touchdown pass from Brady and a Gostkowsi extra point put the New England boys up 14-7. 

But, with two seconds remaining, Chris Matthews of the Seahawks caught an 11 yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson, followed by a Hauschka extra point to tie the game at 14 heading into the halftime break. 

In the third quarter, the Seahawks took a 17-14 lead at 11:09 on a Hauschka 27 yard field goal and then a 24-14 lead at 4:54 on a Doug Baldwin three yard touchdown catch from Wilson, followed by a Hauschka kick. 

In the fourth, the Patriots cut the lead to 24-21 at 7:55 when Danny Amendola caught a four yard pass from Brady, followed by a Gostkowski extra point.

At 2:02, the Patriots scored again when Julian Edelman caught a three yard pass from Brady to take a 28-24 advantage, followed by a Gostkowski kick. 

In the week prior to the big event, national media outlets were quick to talk about not only the approaching game, but also topics such as the Patriots’ ball deflating scandal and Marshawn Lynch’s refusal to answer questions Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, which really is something everyone should be used to by now. (And, no, I didn't just write this article to avoid a fine.)

Click here to view all of the Super Bowl commercials. 

SUPER BOWL XLIX FAST FACTS

Who: Seattle Seahawks (NFC Champion) versus New England Patriots (AFC Champion)

What: 49th Edition of the Super Bowl

Where: University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona

Why: To crown the best team of the 2014-15 NFL season

Commentators: Al Michaels (Play-by-Play), Chris Collinsworth (Analyst), Michele Tafoya (Sidelines)

National Anthem Performer: Idina Menzel (Yes, the “Let it Go” singer from Disney’s “Frozen”)

America the Beautiful Performer: John Legend

Halftime Performance: Katy Perry featuring Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott. 

Other Host Cities Considered: Kansas City, Missouri (initially awarded the contest but had too many hurdles), Tampa, Florida (other option if the NFL passed over Glendale), and Miami

Cost of a 30 second commercial: $4.5 million

Seattle in the Super Bowl: The Seahawks appeared in its third Super Bowl, including its second straight. They previously appeared in Super Bowls 40 and 48.

New England in the Super Bowl: The Patriots appeared in its eighth Super Bowl, which ties for the most appearances with the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers. They previously appeared in Super Bowls 20, 31, 36, 38, 39, 42 and 46. 

Related Story:

Patriots dominate Colts, advance to Super Bowl; Seahawks shock Packers in OT

Reach George Harvey and the sports department at: sports@penbaypilot.com. 

Only a few weeks ago, Hidden Valley Nature Center's annual Liberal Cup Biathlon was postponed due to a lack of snow.

That likely won't be the case this week, when the biathlon finally does kick off, and the rest of the region finally digs out from under the series of snowstorms that have struck the Midcoast.

In other words, it’s good news for people who like snow — like the 150 people who came out to Hidden Valley on Saturday, Jan. 31 to ski in Jefferson, Director Andy McEvoy said in an email.

“We have two-plus feet right now with a very stable base (and) another 10-ish inches coming in (Monday),” he said. “With all that we have about 15 miles of groomed trails. The skiing is fantastic.”

Hidden Valley will host its final kids ski clinic this Saturday starting at 9:30 a.m., then that will be followed by the biathlon on Sunday, Feb. 8.

“This will be the first year we've ever had real snow,” McEvoy said. “We have a bunch of routes laid out and should be finalizing them this week. We have 150 racers, which means we're full up and won't be taking walk-ons. We're looking forward to a great event.”

And soon the entirety of the Pine Tree State will be encouraged to head outdoors and enjoy the freshly-fallen snow in an annual event aimed at getting Mainers outdoors.

It won’t just be outdoor activities in Jefferson, either: The Great Maine Outdoor Weekend will feature events up and down the coast and inland as well.

Hidden Valley will feature a tracking class on Saturday, Feb. 14 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and then a guided ski and snowshoe with the Natural Resources Council of Maine on Sunday, Feb. 15 starting at 10 a.m.

On the Boothbay peninsula, there will also be activities arranged for the weekend, as the Boothbay Region Land Trust kicks off the Great Maine Outdoor Weekend with a Friday, Feb. 13 owl prowl starting at 7 p.m. at Penny Lake Preserve. That event is free but it best suited for adults and older children as the terrain can be uneven and snowshoes may be required.

For more information on the owl prowl, contact Environmental Educator Tracey Hall at thall@bbrlt.org or call BRLT at 207-633-4818.

For those who want to head outside near the Twin Villages, the Damariscotta River Association is hosting a public skate from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14 at Round Top Farm in Damariscotta. The trails will be open, weather permitting, although skiers and snowshoers are encouraged to bring their own equipment. The warming hut will be open, and there will be hot chocolate.

For more information on the rink, visit the Damariscotta River Association's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/damariscottariver).

The Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association will meet up at the Stetser Preserve in Jefferson beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14 for some education and fun in the outdoors.

For full listings, or to find out more about the Great Maine Outdoor Weekend, visit www.greatmaineoutdoorweekend.org.

Winter is a special time of year during which we get to observe the patterns and habits of our animal neighbors as they hunt, breed, nest and struggle to meet the demands of winter.

Their tracks give us a better sense of who else shares a place like Hidden Valley Nature Center (HVNC) and what they’ve been up to. Join HVNC for a class entitled “Animal Signs and Tracks in Winter” on Saturday, Feb. 14, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The class will be led by experienced tracker Meg Gilmartin. Meg started tracking seven winters ago, and since then has completed two in-depth courses in Yellowstone, a 9-month long tracking intensive, and logged countless hours in the woods alone and with friends. She has worked with various tracking clubs, school groups and adult education groups.

Meg will introduce participants to tracking with the help of field guides, drawings, and examples of animal feet, bones and more. Some portion of the class will be spent indoors, but most of the class will be out in the woods at HVNC as students familiarize themselves with descriptors for gait, stride pattern, track shape and other characteristics.

For more information about the class visit www.hvnc.org/registration. The cost of the class is $12 for HVNC members, and $15 for non-members. Participants should dress warmly, and bring a hot drink and lunch. Plan to meet Meg at HI-Hut, which is the small cabin 1/3 of a mile from the parking lot following the main service road.

For more information: wwww.hvnc.org, info@hvnc.org, or 207-200-8840.

Recently, the CLC YMCA Gymnastics Team, Level 2's and 3’s, traveled to Rumford and took top honors against teams from Greater Rumford Community Center and Lewiston/Auburn YMCA.

“We had gymnasts 5 to 10 years old do extremely well, and I was very proud that our gymnasts competed with grace, style and strength,” Coach Janice Cormier-Hay said.

The level 2 & 3 gymnasts perform compulsory routines and are judged based on their recall, artistry with the music and perform on all four events that include gymnastics skills of kickovers, turns, cartwheels and leaps. The level 3 gymnastics compulsory routines build on the level 2 skills and add a more difficult a round off connected to a back handspring.

Kadence Rogers of Nobleboro - Level 3, Age 7 & 8, 1st on vault with an 8.8, 1st on bars with an 8.7, 1st on beam with a 9.15 PB, 1st on floor with a 9.2, placing 1st all around.

Sarah Goldrup of Waldoboro - Level 3, Age 7 & 8, tied for 3rd on vault with a 7.8, 3rd on bars with a 7.6, 2nd on beam with an 8.85 PB, 2nd on floor with a 9.05 PB, placing 2nd all around.

Jhordaynia Ebanks of Damariscotta - Level 3, Age 7 & 8, 2nd on vault with an 8.75, 4th on bars with a 7.1, 3rd on beam with a 7.55, 3rd on floor with an 8.55 PB, placing 3rd all around.

Makenna Dunstan of Nobleboro - Level 3, Age 7 & 8, tied for 3rd on vault with a 7.8, 2nd on bars with an 8.1, 4th on beam with a 7.45, 4th on floor with a 7.6, placing 4th all around.

Kayla Reardon of South Thomaston, Level 3, Age 9 & up, tied for 4th on vault with an 8.6, 2nd with a 9.15 on bars, 1st on beam with a 9.0, 1st on floor with an 8.85, placing 1st place all around. 

Reece Instasi of Waldoboro, Level 3, Age 9 & up, tied for 4th on vault with an 8.6, 3rd with an 8.55 on bars, 2nd on beam with an 8.8, 1st on floor with a 9.3 PB, placing 2nd place all around.  

Madalyn Mercer, Level 3 - Age 9 & up, tied for 4th on vault with an 8.9, 1st with a 9.2 on bars, 3rd on beam with an 8.4, 6th on floor with a 7.55, placing 3rd all around.  

Nicole Hammond, Level 3 – Age 9 & up, came in 2nd on vault with a 9.0, tied for 5th on bars with a 7.0, 5th on beam with an 8.1, 4th on floor with an 8.0, placing 5th all around.

Level 2

London Hunter - Level 2, Age 5 & 6, 1st on vault with a 6.9, 2nd on bars with a 7.45, 1st on beam with an 8.9 PB, 3rd on floor with an 8.4, placing 1st all around.

Abby Harrington of Nobleboro - Level 2, Age 5 & 6, 3rd on vault with a 6.0, 1st on bars with a 7.8 PB, 2nd on beam with a 7.6, 1st on floor with an 8.8, placing 2nd all around.

Eliza Wood-Orff – Level 2 - Age 7 & 8, 2nd on vault with an 8.3, 1st on bars with a 9.0 PB, 2nd on beam with a 7.6, tied for 1st on floor with an 8.4 placing 1st all around.

Makayla Pinkham – Level 2 - Age 7 & 8, 3rd on vault with a 7.3, 3rd on bars with a 7.6, tied for 3rd on beam with a 7.25, tied for 1st on floor with an 8.4 placing 3rd all around.

Morgan Bathgate - Level 2, Age 9 & up, 1st on vault with an 8.4, 2nd on bars with a 7.6, 1st on beam with a 9.35 (PB), 1st on floor with a 9.15 (PB) and placed 1st all around.

Kate Campbell - Level 2, Age 9 & up, 6th on vault with a 6.85, 1st on bars with an 8.65, tied for 3rd on beam with an 8.5, 2nd on floor with an 8.75 and placed 2nd all around.

Grace Campbell - Level 2, Age 9 & up, 4th on vault with a 7.4, 4th on bars with a 6.7, 2nd on beam with an 8.7, 5th on floor with a 7.8 and placed 3rd all around.

Emory Shadis - Level 2, Age 9 & up, 3rd on vault with a 7.5, 5th on bars with a 5.7, 4th on beam with an 8.0 PB, 4th on floor with a 7.95, placing 4th all around.

We’ve been thinking lately about the idea of habitat.

Maybe because the recent onslaught of winter storms has left most of us confined to the small habitat inside and near our homes. Birders often use the term “habitat” as they describe where a certain species of bird is typically found.

For example, we would say that black-throated green warblers nest in forested habitats with lots of coniferous trees and that song sparrows prefer brushy, non-forested habitats.

Some species are even more specific, like the pine warbler that rarely is found away from a pine tree during its summer breeding season.

But if we delve into the question of what habitats birds occur in and why, the complexities of what exactly we mean when we say “habitat” quickly become apparent. Most birds use completely different habitats across the seasons.

Even when they have a staked out breeding territory in summer, they use different components of the habitat within their territory in different ways. Sometimes males and females use the habitat differently.

In the oak and maple dominated woodlands in much of Maine, you can commonly find a number of species of warblers including the black-and-white warbler, the American redstart, and the ovenbird. Each uses the habitat in a different way. The black-and-white warbler creeps along the trunk and branches of the tree as it searches for food.

The American redstart darts about, fanning its tail and snatching insects quickly from the air and off the surfaces of leaves and bark.

The ovenbird uses its oversized feet to walk around on the ground, flipping leaves and probing in nooks and crannies. Each species nests in a different location within the habitat as well. The ovenbird builds its covered nest on the ground, covered with dry leaves forming what looks like a tiny Dutch oven, hence its name.

The American redstart builds an open cup nest in the fork of a low branch of a small tree or shrub while the black-and-white warbler builds its open cup nest on or near the ground at the base of a tree or stump.

One of the classic ecological studies looking at how a community of birds used the same habitat in different ways was carried out in part right on the Maine coast on Mount Desert Island in the 1950s.

Ecologist Robert MacArthur studied warblers that preferred coniferous woodland habitats and found that black-throated green warblers tended to forage in the mid to high sections of the trees, yellow-rumped warblers tended to forage in the lower sections of the trees, and blackburnian warblers almost always in the highest parts of the trees.

Scientists have tried to develop ways to predict whether a species will be in a particular area based on information on the types and density of vegetation and other features as a way to help make decisions on land use and to manage bird populations.

Understanding the features of habitat that birds require and that attract them to a particular spot is often critical when conservationists are trying to restore habitat to increase bird populations.

Wetland restoration is one major area of habitat based conservation work that attempts to make up for the fact that perhaps as many as half of original wetlands have been lost in the U.S. over the last few hundred years.

For the time being, we are enjoying the “habitat” provided by the top of our composter, and watching as a dozen or so different species use it for the same purpose: feeding on the seeds we put out to give them some respite during these particularly snowy days!

The Boothbay Region Y in partnership with the Central Lincoln County (CLC) YMCA are offering a combined and expanded summer camp experience, with transportation, to give kids and teens in Lincoln County an adventurous, active and healthy summer.

Our YMCA camp programs offer youth fun and unique experiences with an opportunity to explore the outdoors, meet new friends, discover new interests and create memories that last a lifetime.

“Over the course of several months in 2014, Boothbay Region and CLC Y staff, board and other community volunteers participated on a task force to develop a Summer Camp strategic plan for the Boothbay Region YMCA,” BRYMCA Executive Director Andy Hamblett said.

“Summer is the ideal time for kids to get up, get out and explore. But, for some kids summer means no access to recreational and educational activities to help them learn, grow and thrive during out-of-school time. As a result, some kids can experience learning loss and gain weight twice as fast than during the school year. Attending any of our combined summer camps this summer is a wonderful opportunity for kids and teens to keep their minds and bodies active,” CLC YMCA CEO Meagan Hamblett said.

There are five reasons why youth should attend summer camp:

1. Adventure: Summer camp is all about a wide variety of fun adventures and new experiences, and especially exploring the outdoors. YMCA camps have a new adventure for every child and teen. Read through this comprehensive summer guide for details.

2. Healthy Fun: Both full and half day camp experiences offer fun, stimulating activities that engage the body and mind, and also help children and teens learn the importance of nutrition to help improve their healthy eating habits.

3. Personal Growth: While being away from the routine back home, youth have a chance to learn new skills, and develop confidence and independence by taking on new responsibilities and challenges. Camps offer cognitive learning and social-emotional development opportunities for achievement.

4. New Friendships: Amidst the fun of camp games, songs, swimming, canoeing and talent shows, campers meet new friends and strengthen existing friendships. The relationships formed at camp are important and lasting for many youth. This summer, combining several different communities allows children to meet new friends outside of their own school experiences.

5. Memories: Summer camp is an unforgettable experience that will give each camper memories (and camp traditions) that will last a lifetime. Youth return to school with plenty of camp stories to share.

Through a partnership with Healthy Lincoln County and the USDA, the CLC YMCA is able to offer s Summer Food Service Program which provides free breakfast and/or lunch during the summer months to our campers. Since 2012, Healthy Lincoln County has worked to serve 20,000 meals from 7 site locations.

In partnership, the Boothbay Region and the CLC YMCAs are offering: transportation to YMCA Camp Knickerbocker daily; free, healthy breakfast and/or lunch daily; Camp Knickerbocker Day Camp located on 65 acres in Boothbay adjacent to beautiful, Lake Knickerbocker; half day camps with morning and evening option; YArts Camps (Theater, Dance, Creative Art); Adventure Camps for Explorers and Navigators; Sport Camps and Specialty Camps in both Boothbay and Damariscotta; Sailing Camp in Round Pond.

And, to ensure that all youth have the chance to experience camp, both YMCAs offer financial assistance to those in need. Those registering in the Boothbay Region should apply for financial assistance through the Boothbay Region YMCA. Likewise, those from the CLC YMCA should apply at the CLC YMCA.

To learn more about summer camp programs through the Y, download a comprehensive 2015 Summer Camp guide Summer Camp guide at www.boothbayregionymca.org and www.clcymca.org.

The Boothbay Region Y and CLC Y, in partnership, have now increased the potential to give youth an enriching, safe experience with caring staff and volunteers who model positive values that help build their kids’ character.

Feb. 20 kicks off the winter Open Mic series at the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor.

New to the Opera House board of directors, high school student Sam Betts will be organizing this year's open mics.

"Each year we see a different mix of singers, songwriters, poets, guitarists, fiddlers and more,” said Betts. “Almost every Open Mic is a unique experience with both new and past participants creating special performances."

"All great shows have two things in common: incredible performers and an encouraging audience,” said Betts. “So come and join us whether you play or simply just enjoy the show.”

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. open mic. Performers should sign up for a performance slot as soon as they arrive. Each performer will  have 10 minutes to set-up and perform on the main stage.

Refreshments are available for sale. No food or drink may be brought into the Opera House.

Open mic nights end at 9 p.m.

“There's nothing better in the long days of winter than bringing people together to make music and have fun,” said Betts.

All attendees and participants are encouraged to make a $5 donation at the door to help defray the cost of the evening.

The Opera House at Boothbay Harbor is located at 86 Townsend Avenue in Boothbay Harbor.

In what Coach Patrick Quinn called a close contest, the Madison Bulldogs were able to escape a Tuesday, Feb. 3 match-up with the Wiscasset High School with a 45-40 victory.

Quinn, the Wolverines coach, said the game was evenly played and neither team led by more than eight points.

Madison (8-8, 10th in Western Class C) jumped out to a 14-8 lead after one quarter, but Wiscasset (4-13, 14in Western Class C) made it up with sharp-shooting in the second quarter to tie the game at 22 at halftime.

Madison was able to squeak out a small lead in the third quarter, but Wiscasset kept the game close, in large part thanks to the Wolverines' perfect seven on seven mark on the free-throw line.

But, led by Madeline Wood and her 15 points, the Bulldogs were able to withstand Wiscasset's late charge: The Madison lead was down to a point in the fourth quarter, before the Bulldogs closed out the victory.

For Wiscasset, senior Alecia Faulkingham scored 14 points, including two three-pointers and fellow senior Kayla Gordon netted 13.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine is inviting businesses, organizations and individuals to participate in its annual Bowl For Kids’ Sake (BFKS) event presented by Camden National Bank, Hannaford, Emera Maine, and A-Copi. Bowlers on each team raise pledge money to support youth mentoring in Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Penobscot, Somerset and Waldo counties. This year the agency will hold four separate BFKS events throughout the six counties.

The first event will be held in Penobscot County from March 28-April 2 at Family Fun Entertainment Center, Bangor, and Bangor-Brewer Lanes, Brewer.

From April 4-14, the second event will be held in the Midcoast at Oakland Park Lanes in Rockport, All-Play Family Entertainment Center in Belfast and Waldoboro, and Point Lookout Lanes in Northport.

On April 11 and 17, a special “Bowl For Cassidy’s Sake” event will be held to honor the memory of 17-year old Cassidy Charette of Oakland, a passionate BBBS volunteer who was within weeks of becoming a Big Sister when she lost her life in a tragic hay ride accident last October.

Bowling teams from Messalonskee High School, where Cassidy went to school, and other high schools in Kennebec Valley will bowl on April 11 and members of the Central Maine United (CMU) soccer teams will bowl on April 17. Hammond Lumber and New Balance are the major sponsors of this important community event.

The final BFKS event will take place in Kennebec and Somerset counties at Sparetime Recreation Center in Waterville and Augusta, and at Central Maine Family Fun Center in Skowhegan from April 28-May 9. Both weeknight and weekend dates and times are available in all regions.

Bowl for Kids’ Sake is the agency’s largest fundraising event of the year and involves hundreds of teams raising pledges to support Big Brothers Big Sisters’ 1-to-1 youth mentoring program. Last year’s event raised approximately $210,000 for the agency.

Event coordinator Cathy Hardy said the agency hopes to top that figure this year and engage more than 550 teams.

“Bowlers can go to our website (bbbsmidmaine.org) to select their bowling date and time, and create their team roster sheet. They can also set up an online pledge page so friends and supporters can make online donations to sponsor them,” she said. “We’re encouraging everyone to join us. Businesses, service and community organizations, public health and safety workers, sports teams, school clubs, teachers — we welcome them all.

“This is a fun way to support Big Brothers Big Sisters by raising pledges and bowling for an hour.”

Local businesses can also support the event by becoming event and lane sponsors, donating prizes for the event, and encouraging their employees to form a team. Bowlers then raise money by soliciting pledges from people they know. Each team is encouraged to raise a minimum of $300 in pledges; individual bowlers who raise $100 or more are automatically entered in raffle drawings to win prizes. Teams that reach the $300 goal will also receive Bowl For Kids’ Sake T-shirts.

Costumes, clever team names, and friendly competition are also encouraged. Business teams will be joined by Big/Little matches who participate in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring program, so bowlers can meet some of the children who benefit from the program.

“This event is so important to our agency,” Alex Gaeth, CEO for BBBSMM said. “Each Big/Little match we create and support costs about $1,000 annually, and there is no cost for children to be in Big Brothers Big Sisters, so money raised from this event plays a huge role in supporting these matches.”

He also reminds prospective bowlers that they don’t have to be good bowlers to participate.

“It’s not a bowling competition — it’s a way to help our agency provide caring mentors for local children who need them,” he said.

Gaeth encourages anyone who wants to bowl to register a team at bbbsmidmaine.org, or to call Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine at 207-236-BBBS (2227) if they would prefer to receive a BFKS packet.

On Sunday, Feb. 1, the CLC USAG Junior Olympic gymnastics team traveled along with their coach, Janice Cormier Hay, to the Alfond Center in Waterville and competed against gymnasts from Leaps n Bounds gymnastics of Fairfield, Gymnation of Kennebunk, Springers of Ellsworth, Western Maine Gymnastics and Dance, North Atlantic Gymnastics Academy of Rockport and the Waterville Gymnastics team.

Highlights of the meet were: Erica Johnson placing first all around for level 4; Maddy Russ placing 1st on floor and uneven bars for level 7; Reed Gulden placing 1st on the balance beam for level 7; Emma Hall placing 2nd on the floor exercise for level 7; Kadence Rogers came in 3rd on vault; and Katie Colomb, Xcel Platinum, placing 2nd on both the floor exercise and the bars.

Erica Johnson of Nobleboro, Level 4, Age 10: came in 2nd on vault with an 8.6, 1st on bars with a 9.15, 3rd on beam with an 8.3, 2nd floor with a 9.2, placing 1st all around.

Reed Gulden of Walpole, Age group 9-11, Level 7 — 3rd on vault with an 8.55, 3rd on bars with an 8.75, 1st on beam with an 8.6, 3rd on floor with an 8.525, placing 3rd all around.

Maddy Russ of Damariscotta, Age group 9-11, Level 7 — came in 2nd on vault with an 8.65, 1st on bars with a 9.275 PB, 3rd on beam with a 7.35, 1st on floor with a 9.3, placing 2nd all around.

Emma Hall of Damariscotta, Age group 12-13, Level 7 — came in 6th on vault with an 8.3, tird for 4th on bars with an 8.4, 6th on beam with a 7.25 and 2nd on floor with a 9.1 placing 6th all around.

Katie Colomb of Alna, Age 14, Xcel Platinum — came in 6th on vault with an 8.4, 2nd on bars with an 8.45, 6th on beam with a 6.625, 2nd on floor with an 8.9 placing 4th all around.

Kadence Rogers, Age group 6-8, Level 3 — came in 3rd on vault with a 9.05, 10th on bars with an 8.225, 7th on beam with an 8.625, 6th on floor with an 8.65 placing 7th all around.

Lincoln Academy joined 10 other school swim teams on Friday, Feb. 6 for the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference at the YMCA in Bath.

The competition was fierce, especially from some of the top area teams such as Camden High Regional, Belfast Area, and Morse high schools.

The Eagles made a strong showing, and were ranked at fifth place out of nine in the woman’s rankings and fourth out of 10 in the men's.

The loudest cheer of the night from Lincoln Academy fans went to Noah Jordan, who came in first in the 100 yard breaststroke with a time of 1:07.46 against 13 other boys.

Finishing in fourth place were Whitman Vaughn in the 50 yard freestyle (out of 33), Camden Gulden in the 100 yard butterfly (out of 13), and the boys 200 yard freestyle relay team.

Finishing in fifth place was the girls and boys 400 freestyle relay teams, and the girls 200 medley relay team.

Finishing in sixth place were Sammy Ober in the 100 yard breaststroke (out of 20), Elise Dumont in the 100 yard butterfly (out of 16), Whitman Vaughn in the 100 yard freestyle (out of 22), the girls 200 yard freestyle relay team and the boys 200 yard medley team.

Finishing in seventh place were Camden Gulden in the 200 yard freestyle (out of 19) and Noah Jordan in the 100 yard freestyle (out of 22).

Finishing in eighth place were Abe Steinberger in the 100 yard breaststroke (out of 14) and Anna Sirois in the 100 yard backstroke (out of 21).

Finishing in ninth place were Elise Dumont in the 200 yard IM (out of 19), Kate Laemmle in the 50 yard freestyle (out of 44) and 100 yard freestyle (out of 23), and Anna Sirois in the 100 yard butterfly (out of 16).

Finishing in tenth place were Camden Reiss in the 200 yard IM (out of 12), Essie Martin in the 500 yard freestyle (out of 20), and Camden Reiss in the 100 yard backstroke (out of 17).

“The kids did a great job it went really well,” Coach Don Strout said. “And Noah winning the 100 yard breaststroke, KVAC champ. Noah's a freshman who beat two seniors who each had six inches on him!”

According to Strout, all the swimmers “dropped time,” which means they cut addition seconds off their best times.

“Matches are synced up with best times,” Strout said. “Which means the kids always swim next to people who are just as fast as them, and it encourages them to go faster. These championship are a meet they really get psyched up for.”

Two Eagles qualified for states during the meet, Anna Sirois in the 100 yard freestyle and Sammy Ober in the 100 yard breaststroke.

At the end of the meet, Strout was honored by the other coaches as “Coach of the Year” for both boys and girls.

“I was totally taken aback, never had an inkling,” Strout said. “All those coaches recognized how hard these kids have worked and to recognize how it all came together. It's pretty special.”

Other schools participating in the KVAC championship were Camden Hills Regional High School, Morse High School, Belfast Area High School, Waterville Senior High School, Winslow High School, Gardiner High School, Erskine Academy, Maine Central Institute, Oceanside High School and Medomak Valley High School.

There will be plenty of Wolverines in the pool when the Maine Class B state finals commence in Orono.

Wiscasset will send three individuals and three relay teams to compete for a state title at the University of Maine campus in Orono beginning Feb. 14, when the boys have their state meet. The girls teams will have their meet at UMO as well, on Feb. 16.

Wiscasset's Julia West qualified for four events at the state meet. The senior's time of 2:34.81, which was recorded Jan. 23 against Cony, was the 34th-best time in the 200-yard individual medley.

West also holds the 14th-best time in the 100-yard breast stroke for her mark of 1:16.16, which was set Jan. 6 in Gardiner; the 17th-best time in the 50-yard free (27.32 seconds) from Jan. 9 against Lincoln Academy; and the 44th-best time in the 100-yard butterfly (1:14.34) which was also set at the Jan. 9 meet against Lincoln Academy.

But West wasn't alone: Two of Wiscasset's girls relay teams also made the cut.

In the 200-yard freestyle relay, the team of Maeve Carlson, West, Jenna Bickford and Amanda Marcus recorded the 24th-fastest time (2:08.67) during the Jan. 9 meet. The 200-yard individual medley team of Marcus, West, Carlson and Bickford was 25th overall with a time of 2:29.58, which was recorded Dec. 5 against Erskine.

The boys team also had a number of qualifying times, including five from one swimmer alone.

Junior Sam Storer not only qualified for five individual events, he also qualified with two of the relay teams.

Storer's 2:34.02 finish Dec. 5 against Erskine in the 200-yard individual medley was the 69th-best time recorded this year; he finished the 50-yard freestyle in 26.22 Jan. 9 against Lincoln Academy which was 75th; his 1:02.42 in the 100-yard butterfly Jan. 23 against Cony places him at 25. Storer also picked up a 64th-place qualifying time of 58.34 seconds in the 100-yard freestyle Jan. 6 against Gardiner and a 39th-place qualifying time Jan. 9 against Lincoln Academy when he swam the 100-yard backstroke in 1:07.94.

Also qualifying for the boys team was sophomore Colin Viele, who qualified in both the 200-yard freestyle (37th-place) with a time of 2:07.79 recorded Dec. 5 against Erskine, and the 100-yard butterfly, also against Erskine on Dec. 5. Viele's time of 1:04.35 in the butterfly places him at 34th in qualifying.

The 200-yard freestyle relay team consisting of Ridge Barnes, Aidan Carlson, Ryan Medina and Storer qualified for the state meet with a time of 2:04.72 at the Jan. 6 meet in Gardiner. Their time places them at 22.

The 200-yard medley relay team of Colin Viele, Storer, Barnes and Kyle Viele also qualified for the state meet, with a 2:13.85 finish in the the Dec. 5 meet against Erskine. Their time placed them at 20th.

Hunters can apply for the 2015 Maine Moose Permit Lottery at: bit.ly/mainemooselottery.

The deadline for online applications is May 14, 2015. 

If you applied for a moose permit last year or the year before, all of your information is pre-filled into this year's online application.

To start, type in your first name, last name and date of birth the same way as in 2014 or 2013. The computer will look up your information. Please review your personal data and make any necessary changes.

Once you've filled out and paid for your application, you'll be able to print out a confirmation page. An email confirmation will also be sent to you.

Bonus points are awarded for each consecutive year the applicant has applied for the lottery since 1998 without being selected and each bonus point gives the applicant an additional chance in the drawing.

Bonus points are earned at the rate of one per year for years one to five, two per year for years six to 10, three per year for years 11 to 15 and 10 per year for years 16 and beyond.

Applicants can skip a year and not lose their bonus points. So if you applied in 2013 but not in 2014, you still have your points if you apply in 2015.

The moose permit drawing drawing will take place on June 13, 2015 at the Moose Festival in Bethel. To learn more about the three-day festival, please visit www.bethelmainemoosefest.com.

With one snowstorm after another, the complaints about the piles on our roofs, the shoveling of walks, and the time we're spending cleaning off cars have become tiresome. We're all in the same boat (or sled).

So enough about snow.

Cooking and eating good hot food is something that comforts and sustains us while we wait for sunshine and warmer temperatures.

During the latest snowstorm that lasted for two days, Feb. 8-9, a lot of us were cheering ourselves and loved ones up by cooking some of our favorite foods.

Here are some of the meals that people in the Boothbay area, and others from as far away as England, (who have family and loved ones who are dealing with the snow, and are therefore empathetic) were cooking for dinner on Feb. 9:

Patricia Moroz in Boothbay had a tri-tip roast simmering in a Crock-Pot with French onion soup and veggies. There were also carrot cakes baking in the oven, but Boothbay's favorite cake lady said those were for a customer.

Julie Hoskeer's kitchen in Boothbay Harbor was warm and aromatic with the apple pie bread and lemon loaf she was baking.

In Wiscasset, Holly Hargrove was enjoying a warm grilled Fluffernutter (peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich). She said it was awesome.

Pat Schmid said her husband Matt had a roast beef cooking slowly in a Crock-Pot in broth and seasonings “till it fell apart.”

In Edgecomb, Anya Heyl was cooking up a hearty pot of sweet Italian sausage with roasted tomatoes, colored peppers, red onion and jalapeño, with a cilantro cream sauce, over penne pasta.

Katrina Clark of Boothbay Harbor was cooking a rotisserie pork roast with vegetables. She said it came out great.

One of the area's favorite lobster chefs, Margaret McLellan, was in her kitchen whipping up an aromatic blend of essential oils, organic sugars and sea salt to make scrubs for her new business, Salt Works. Making scrubs like Maine blueberry, sea lavender, lemongrass, fresh coconut and key lime, dark chocolate and blood orange, she said her home smelled like a feast of exotic fragrances. “After that, it's gonna be Progresso Light soup and spinach.”

Marie Cooper in Edgecomb was making a big pot of minestrone soup, laden with fresh vegetables and pasta, for a neighbor who had just had surgery. Born and raised in New Mexico, Cooper had also fried some tortilla chips with chili pepper, and baked a huge pan of enchiladas. She said the enchiladas had burned “while she was out (expletive) shoveling!”

Boothbay Harbor resident Sue Witt was preparing a gourmet Italian dish for herself and her husband Tom: pasta with prosciutto, tomatoes, garlic and basil.

Witt's sister, Jenn Chipman, who grew up in Boothbay Harbor and lives in Rockland with her husband Ken, was making a taco salad. “It was yummy, with fresh tomatoes, avocado, and all the fixings,” Chipman said.

In Cushing, Richard Provonchee said that after enjoying an “Oscar Meyer jalapeño sandwich (or three) on this dark and stormy Sunday” for lunch, he was preparing chicken wings with olive oil, a little garlic, cayenne pepper and soy sauce for dinner.

The only down side? “I'm eating alone,” he said.

Up the road at Ida and Gary Clarke's there were Swedish meatballs cooking slowly in a Crock-Pot.

In Farmingdale, Susan Colfer had a bacon meatloaf in the oven. It was a bacon-lover’s delight, with a cup of chopped bacon mixed in, then wrapped in bacon strips. She said the family loved it.

Julie Johnson and her grandson, Mason, in Augusta, were being warmed and comforted with shepherd's pie and roast chicken while trying to ignore the latest storm.

South of Boothbay, in Saco, Kelly Thayer was making one of her husband, Oliver’s, favorites, carnitas, described by her as “delicious slow-cooked (five hours in the oven) pork butt in all kinds of goodness … including lard.”

Susan Bauer was relaxing in her cozy home in Bath watching movies, while a pork roast sent out irresistible aromas from the oven. She said she was having a problem getting the sauce for the roast right until she remembered her father had used apricot jam.

In Portland, Teresa LeGrange was making a snowy day staple, homemade chicken soup (with chocolate cream pie for dessert), for her husband Jim and their kids, Gracie and Jack.

While the snow was piling up outside, Mercedes Thayer and her daughter Elloise were feasting on chicken with gravy, mashed potatoes, corn, green beens and rolls. Elloise was more excited about the homemade chocolate chip cookies they had for dessert.

At Bates College in Lewiston, a freshman named Sophia was having a typical college freshman meal: a bowl of noodles.

Down in Cohassett, Massachusetts, where the snow was piling up as quickly as it was in Maine, Mary Ellen Pecci, who used to own a restaurant in Bath, was baking a broccoli and cheddar cheese quiche with chive cottage cheese and Greek yogurt.

Over on the other coast, Amy Provonchee was in Portland, Oregon, making donuts with her kids and husband, Joshua, while feeling sorry for her in-laws in coastal Maine. She felt sorry for them because of the snow, and because she couldn't share the warm donuts with them.

In San Francisco, where Heidi Snead said it was a wild and woolly night with wind gusts up to 40 mph, (“But, OK,” she said, “at least I'm not shoveling!”) there was a big pot of autumn vegetable soup on the stove, and whole wheat bread toasting, to be “smothered with butter.”

Jeanne Casey was commiserating with us, having lived at Sugarloaf for many years. While we were comforting ourselves with good food, she was in North Palm Beach, Florida, where she lives now, enjoying temps in the 80s and cooking turkey chili with avocado cream.

Also in Florida, in Port St. Lucie, Elizabeth Petersen, originally from Maine, was barbecuing chicken on the grill. She said it would be a “summertime menu,” with corn on the cob and potato salad.

And across the ocean in Shrewsbury, England, where Chuck Provonchee, from Cushing and Augusta, was visiting with his daughter Christienne, her husband Tom, and their daughter Gwendolyn, dinner on Sunday night was a meatball casserole from Marks & Spencer.

With another snowstorm on the way, get to the supermarket and stock up on ingredients for something hot and delicious to ward off the cold and those unwanted snowflakes.

And pick up a pint of cream for Marie Cooper's favorite dessert (chances are you'll already have the other ingredients), perfect for a snowy day — snow ice cream. 

The recipe: 4 cups snow, packed; 1 cup cream; ¼ cup sugar; 1 tsp. vanilla.

Stir and eat!

ROCKLAND —The National Weather Service at noon Sunday, Feb. 15, canceled its blizzard warning for all but southern Maine and points northeast of Hancock County and Downeast, though wind gusts still prevail in the Midcoast and wind chills remains below zero.

In a 3:31 a.m. weather update, the NWS said that while there would be less total snow accumulation than originally predicted, but that the combination of snow and strong winds would create blizzard conditions at times Sunday and overnight in Monday.

But the revised forecast at noon reported better conditions, with an advisory for blowing snow until midnight Sunday. A wind chill advisory has also been issued, through noon Monday, and though any additional snow accumulation will be minimal, residents are urged to stay off the roads due to snow covered roads caused by the sustained and gusting winds.

In addition, people are being urged to stay indoors, and to make sure pets are protected and safe, as wind chill values of minus-20 to minus-30 will allow frostbite to occur quickly without proper protection or due to prolonged exposure.

Winds remain north to northwest at 20 to 30 mph, according to the NWS, and gusts will be as high as 50 mph at times. Current temperatures in the teens will begin dropping by 3 p.m. and remain at zero or below zero through 8 a.m. Monday, Washington’s birthday, also known as President’s Day and a federal holiday.

Temperatures Monday, will be similar to Sunday, and there are less than 1 inch of snow showers in the forecast for Tuesday, and 1-3 inches of snow coming Tuesday. At this stage, a few more inches of snow isn’t that big of a deal, right?

For information about closings, cancellations and postponements sent to PenBayPilot.com thus far, click this link. To submit a storm-related notice of a closure or postponement, email news@penbaypilot.com.

Related links:

• National Weather Service

• Weather Underground - Camden weather station

• Weather Underground - Belfast weather station

• Weather Underground - Boothbay weather station

• Weather Underground - Wiscasset weather station

• Weather Underground - Damariscotta weather station

Reach Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com

With the near record snowfall Maine has had this winter, it’s no wonder that news stations have been warning people about roofs collapsing under all that weight. One news station stated that a square foot of dry snow weighs seven pounds or more.

On Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, with weather forecasters predicting another foot or two of snow for the Midcoast, two young entrepreneurs were spending their day alleviating peoples’ concerns about their roofs collapsing.

Paul Davis Jr. of Boothbay Harbor and his friend, Reggie Perrault of Warren, spent their Valentine’s Day shoveling piles of snow off roofs in Edgecomb and Bristol. Davis is the proprietor of Odds N' Ends, a business that offers everything from shoveling roofs to washing windows.

Odds N' Ends has been in business for five years.

“We’ve usually just worked summers, but we’re slowly starting to do more in the winter,” Davis said. “Summers we do mostly roofing and painting.”

Davis, who is 25, said he has been doing this type of work since he was 14.

“I’ve worked for Davis Roofing and for my grandfather’s business, Leigh Davis Contractor Builder,” he said.

The roof shoveling has been going on for two weeks, Davis said. “I’m not sure how many we’ve done, but we’ve done them in Bristol, Damariscotta, Edgecomb, Newcastle, Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor.”

With more snow predicted for the next day, Davis said if he needed more help he would get his brothers to help out. We now know that the forecast for one or two feet of snow didn’t happen.

Shoveling over a foot of snow from a roof in Edgecomb on Saturday, the duo worked quickly and efficiently. At one point Perrault decided he needed a break for some fun. He did a back-flip off the roof, landing in a big pile of snow.

“Getting off a roof 101,” he said.

After his hard, cold labor on Valentine’s Day, Davis said he was going to spend the evening doing whatever his fiancée, Kasey Doolan, wanted to do.

“We’re going to see ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’,” he said.

Besides roofing and painting in the summer months, Odds N' Ends also offers remodeling, yard, lawn and tree work, carpentry and pressure washing. Davis can be reached at 207-315-5002.

Six months before the third annual Wings Over Wiscasset at Wiscasset Municipal Airport, this year’s installment is taking shaping to again honor veterans and entertain event-goers with an airshow and more. In one change this year, on the day of the airshow, Saturday, Aug. 15, admission will no longer be free, Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce board member Pat Cloutier said.

The committee planning “Wings” for the chamber is still determining what the fees will be; veterans will get in free, as always, Cloutier said on Feb. 15. A kids’ day on Thursday, Aug. 13, geared toward day camps and other children’s groups that preregister, will remain free of charge this year.

Cloutier said organizers do not believe charging admission Saturday will deter attendance, which last year hit a new record of 7,500 over two days.

Other events and attractions like Wiscasset Speedway charge to get in and, in turn, people expect to be entertained, Cloutier said. “When you look at other events, there are costs associated with them. It’s extremely expensive to put on an event like this,” she said.

Negotiations are under way with three prospective performers for the airshow, Cloutier said. In addition, a Maine Forestry Service firefighting helicopter will be part of the airshow, along with Mark Simmons with a TBM Avenger and, back for a third year, Mark Murphy piloting a P-51D Mustang.

“I think it’s going to be terrific.”

Military reenactment groups will be returning to Wings, along with Compaq Big Band which has been lined up for its second year of performing at a swing dance. Last year’s dance happened on the eve of the airshow. This year’s is set for Saturday night after the airshow, Cloutier said.

Plans call for the event’s name to grow this year. It’s being called the “2015 Wings Over Wiscasset Veterans Appreciation Day and Airshow,” Cloutier said. The airshow and the focus on veterans have been key parts of the event since its inception; the new name will make clear what Wings is about, she said.

A question-and-answer session with veterans will be on the schedule.

Anyone interested in being a volunteer or a vendor at Wings may contact the chamber at 207-882-9600 or info@wiscassetchamber.com.

The Damariscotta River Association (DRA) has issued an invitation for applications for the Midcoast Stewards Program.

Coordinated by the DRA, co-sponsored by the Maine Coastal Program and maintained through partnerships with many area conservation organizations and state agencies, the Midcoast Stewards Program offers participants the opportunity to learn natural and cultural history from a variety of professionals in the field and a chance to serve local conservation organizations as a volunteer.

The program provides citizens with the knowledge they need to protect and conserve the coastal environment, and also creates a network of educated and committed volunteers working together to protect the natural and cultural resources of Midcoast Maine.

DRA Education Director Sarah Gladu has coordinated the program for 10 years.

“Many people come to the program committed to making a difference to local conservation organizations and in the process, they are welcomed into a community of individuals with similar intellectual curiosity and the social component of the experience is highly rewarding,” Gladu said.

The 40-hour curriculum includes coastal ecology, Wabanaki culture, geologic history, sustainable fisheries management, seabird restoration, water quality monitoring, lake functions, lobster biology, estuarine studies, a bog walk and much more. The course finishes with a trip to Monhegan Island for a natural history tour.

“The Midcoast Stewardship program was an amazing experience, opening up to me the deep culture and history of the area, as well as the plants and animals that thrive in the Damariscotta estuary and beyond,” Midcoast Steward Alumnus Bob Barkalow said. “The ‘classroom’ for most of the course was the outdoors, from Damariscotta Lake to a Jefferson gravel pit to Monhegan Island. A tremendous bargain that truly deepened my understanding and appreciation for the Midcoast environment.”

Following the program, Barkalow began volunteering for DRA and recently became a board member of the organization.

This year, the Midcoast Stewards program will meet April 14 through May 26 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 8 p.m., as well as a few Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Class format includes lectures and discussions as well as many field trips and hands-on experiences. Classes meet at the DRA Heritage Center in Damariscotta though there are a number of field trips that meet from Washington to South Bristol.

Participants will learn directly from professionals in a variety of organizations including local land trusts, scientists from the Darling Marine Center, the Maine Natural Areas Program and the Maine Geological Survey.

Many local conservation organizations come together to enrich the Midcoast Stewards program including Boothbay Regional Land Trust, Damariscotta Lake Watershed Association, Hidden Valley Nature Center, Medomak Valley Land Trust, Pemaquid Watershed Association, and Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association.

After completing the course, participants commit to a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer service over the next year with a conservation organization of their choice.

The program application deadline is April 3. The materials fee for the 40-hour course is $100 payable to the Damariscotta River Association. Limited scholarships are available. Applications and the program brochure can be obtained by contacting the DRA and they are available on the DRA website.

For more information call 207-563-1393, email dra@damariscottariver.org, or go to www.damariscottariver.org.

As Wiscasset continues to grapple with winter, some Wiscasset grapplers finished their winter.

Four Wiscasset wrestlers who made the trip to Bucksport for the Class C wrestling championship Saturday, Feb. 14 also ended up wrestling in the consolation rounds.

Those strong finishes allowed a smaller Wiscasset squad to finish 12th in the final meet of the year.

In the 120-pound class consolation round, Wiscasset senior Tyler Flavin was pinned at the 4:41 mark by Dexter's Tyler Beem. Dirigo's Griffyn Smith took the top spot when he pinned Penobscot Valley High School wrestler Chris Saucier in 1:10.

In the 170-pound weight class, Wiscasset's Alex Strozier was pinned by Dexter's Alex Hesseltine in 1:29. Dirigo's Spencer Vaughn was the state champion after he pinned Madison's John Boardman in 5:15.

Madison's Ryan Cass was able to pin Wiscasset's Conlon Ranta in 2:17 in the consolation round; Dirigo's Dalton Berry defeated Dexter's Daniel Wallace, 3-1, to take home top honors.

In the 195-pound class, Bucksport's Tucker Boynton was able to pin Wiscasset's Andrew Hendrickson in 52 seconds. The 195-pound class' top wrestler was Dexter's Matthew Mower, who took down Dirigo's Lucas McDonald with a final tally of 5-2.

In the end, it was Dexter versus Dirigo for the top spot and Dirigo (211.5 points) was able to leave Bucksport with the state title.

The Damariscotta River Association (DRA) will be celebrating winter on Saturday, Feb. 28 with the second annual Winter Fest. The event will still be held from noon to 3 p.m. at Round Top Farm in Damariscotta. The event will feature snowshoeing, sledding, a dog sledding demonstration, a campfire with hot dogs and marshmallows, ice skating, and an animal tracks craft in the warming hut which will be open.

The snowshoes which are available to borrow are made possible through Maine Winter Sports Center, the Healthy Hometowns program. Numerous pairs of loaner skates are available to borrow at no cost and the warming hut will be open. Bring your own sleds for sledding. All activities are free of charge. The hot dogs will cost $1.

For more information call 207-563-1393, email dra@damariscottariver.org, or go to www.damariscottariver.org.

The state swim meets were held at the University of Maine at Orono on Feb. 14 for the boys, and Feb. 16 for the girls. The Lincoln Academy boys placed 15th out of 24, and the girls placed 23rd out of 26.

The boys team of Camden Reiss, Noah Jordan, Camden Gulden and Whitman Vaughn came in 12th out of 18 in the 200 yard medley relay, and 9th out of 16 in the 200 yard freestyle relay.

Camden Gulden took 18th in the boys 50 yard freestyle (out of 41). Also competing in the 50 yard freestyle were Whitman Vaughn (26th) and Noah Jordan (29th). Gulden also took 19th in the boys 100 yard butterfly (out of 30).

Noah Jordan placed 11th out of 30 in the boys 100 yard breaststroke, Whitman Vaughn took 20th out of 30 in the 100 yard freestyle, and Camden Reiss took 34th in the 100 yard backstroke.

The girls relay team of Anna Sirois, Sammy Ober, Elise Dumont and Kate Laemmle placed 18th out of 25 in the 200 yard medley relay. The second relay team (Kate Laemmle, Sammy Ober, Annie Farnsworth and Essie Martin) took 14th out of 26 for the 200 yard freestyle and 15th out of 22 for the 400 yard freestyle relay.

Elise Dumont finished 32nd (out of 35) in the 200 yard IM and 24th out of 28 in the 100 yard butterfly. Essie Martin took 22nd in the 50 yard freestyle (last place, but by just .02 seconds) and 24th out of 28 in the 500 yard freestyle. Anna Sirois took 38th of of 39 in the 100 yard backstroke, and Sammy Ober took 23rd out of 24 in the 100 yard breaststroke.

“They had a bit of a rough time, but never gave up,” Coach Don Strout said. “We'll be keeping most of our swimmers next year and they'll have the chance to get ever better.”

Both Wiscasset High Schools boys and girls swim teams were able to rack up some points with four top-15 finishes at the state meets.

Wiscasset senior Julia West placed in two events during the Monday, Feb. 16 Maine Class B state championships at the University of Maine in Orono. Wiscasset junior Sam Storer placed in two events during the Saturday,  Feb. 14 boys Class B state championships, also at UMO.

West finished seventh in the girls 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:13.85 and finished 12th in the girls 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:28.77.

Behind West's strong finishes, Wiscasset was able to finish in 20th place, in front of several larger schools. Greely High School (350.5 points) was able to edge-out Mount Desert (350 points) by the narrowest of margins for the state title.

Storer was 11th in the boys 100-yard butterfly with a time of 1:02.32, and was 14th overall in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:06.25.

Like the girls team, the boys team finished 20th. The state champion this year is Cape Elizabeth, which racked up 275.5 points.

Central Lincoln County YMCA tennis pro Cinda Holbach arrived in Camaroon, Africa bringing with her all of the donated rackets, tennis shoes and clothing for these very deserving players. This is made possible through Tennis Without Borders and Cinda's devotion and dedication.

Cinda Holbach is affiliated with Tennis Without Borders which is a not-for-profit organization that collects gear and equipment for kids around the world. Tennis Without Borders provides opportunities for children in need both on and off the tennis court. Donations came in from members and friends of the Y for Holbach to take to the kids. 

Jordan Friedland, a two time high school singles champion, Stanford University sophomore, and Lincoln Academy graduate, has headed his own racket drive while at college helped Holbach get the rackets ready with new strings.

Holbach looks forward to her adventure and thanks everyone for their support in donations for the kids.

For more information on how the Y is giving back every day, please visit www.clcymca.org or stop by the Y.

The 2015 Wiscasset High School Winter Carnival ended on Feb. 13 with the seniors, as usual, winning the trophy and title.

Every year the carnival pits the four classes of the high school against each other, with each class creating a theme and name which they design T-shirts for. These themes are often used in events such as snow sculpting building, lip sync routines and poster making.

This year the four teams were the Senior Circus, the Jamaican Juniors, Seaside Sophomores and Formal Freshmen.

A total of 51 events throughout the week (with the vast majority on Friday) earned each team points. Winners got 100 points, then 75, 50 and 25 for teams in second, third and fourth places for each event. Some of the events included male cheerleading routines and a whole-school limbo competition (the freshmen won), floor hockey and sailboat races (the sophomores won), sled races and ping-pong (the juniors won), and tug-of-war and pie-eating (the seniors won).

Seniors won with 3,925 points. Sophomores came in with a strong second at 3,400 points, juniors were third with 2,650 points and the freshmen a close fourth with 2,600 points.

One of the most important challenges was the sportsmanship one, which the seniors won.

“Seniors almost always win because they know what it takes,” teacher and student council advisor Deb Pooler said. “This is their fourth year doing the carnival and they know which events are really important and where to put their biggest efforts.”

Most of all, the day is filled with fun. Seniors enjoy a lunch catered by KFC with a choice of pizza and homemade cookies, while the rest of the classes got a sandwich and salad bar in the school cafeteria.

“It gives both students and the staff an opportunity to see each other in a different light, and fosters a real feeling of community and school spirit,” Pooler said. “I absolutely love Winter Carnival and working to make sure the kids have an amazing time.”

This year, the Winter Carnival was put together by not just the student council, but a team of volunteer students who spent part of their “exploratory week” helping plan the events.

Knox-Lincoln Soil Water Conservation District, Merryspring Nature Center, and Knox-Lincoln Cooperative Extension are sponsoring a free workshop and training on Invasive Forest Insect Outreach on March 18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Knox-Lincoln Cooperative Extension office at 377 Manktown Road, Waldoboro.

This workshop, presented by the Forest Pest Outreach Project of the Maine Forest Service, is designed to train participants to recognize, report, and spread awareness about the threats posed by Asian longhorned beetle (ALB); emerald ash borer (EAB) (now just 35 miles from the Maine/New Hampshireborder); hemlock wooly adelgid (HWA), which has been identified at many sites in the Midcoast; and other invasive tree pests.

Training topics will include the potential impact of ALB, EAB and HWA in the state of Maine, current management activities, pest and infestation identification, pest life cycles, infestation reporting, host tree identification and Community Response Planning.

Participants will also learn how to effectively disseminate information to the public to help spread awareness. All information, materials and guidance will be provided by Forest Pest Outreach Project coordinators Loraine Taft, Karen Coluzzi and Allison Kanoti. Board of Pesticide Control and Society of American Foresters are each offering three continuing education credits to participants.

Anyone interested in learning how to recognize invasive tree pests and who is interested in protecting our natural resources should consider attending this training: naturalists, outdoor enthusiasts, wood products industry workers, loggers and foresters, tree wardens, conservation commissions, landscape and nursery professionals, etc. Light refreshments will be provided.

For more information or to register for this free workshop, contact Hildy at 207-596-2040 or hildy@knox-lincoln.org.

Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District is once again sponsoring an annual trout stocking sale for your home or farm pond. We offer rainbow and brook trout from Mountain Spring Hatchery in two sizes, 5-6 inches and 6-7 inches, as well as Floating Trout Food in 44-pound bags and Clear Pond, a non-toxic bacterial treatment to reduce phosphorous and control algae.

Fish orders may be split between species and sizes to meet the 50 fish minimum. All orders must be accompanied by a current stocking permit from the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Permit applications and trout order forms are available on the Knox-Lincoln SWCD website at www.knox-lincoln.org/trout-sale or contact us to receive one by mail.

Pre-order deadline is April 29 for pick-up at noon on Sunday, May 2 at Union Fairgrounds. For more information, visit www.knox-lincoln.org/trout-sale, or call 207-596-2040.

On these bitterly cold days this February we often find our minds drifting to the warm places where so many of “our” summer birds are currently in residence. Take the fire-orange-throated Blackburnian warbler, whose high-pitched song one can hear drifting down from the tall spruces on a warm June day at the Botanical Gardens, Ocean Point Preserve, and many other spots in our area. At this time of year the Blackburnian warbler is hopping around the mid-elevational rain forest of the northern Andes in places like Mindo in Ecuador. There, it shares habitat with wonderfully named tropical birds like the booted racket-tail, the black-tailed trainbearer, and the brown inca, just to name a few.

Another of our common summer warblers, the black-throated green warbler with its bright yellow face and buzzy zee-zee-zee-zoo-zee song, also likes spruces and other coniferous trees when it is here with us in Maine. But in the winter it goes to an entirely different part of the world than the blackburnian warbler. The black-throated green warbler winters farther north than the Blackburnian, preferring the mountain forests of Mexico and northern Central America and the dry tropical forests and mountain forests of the Greater Antilles. A few make it down into northern South America as well. Black-throated green warblers from Maine are probably right now hobnobbing in warm places with incredible birds like trogons and macaws.

One of our favorite places to see some of our summer birds in winter is on Aruba and its neighboring islands of Curaçao and Bonaire, where we have spent a great deal of time. It is so much fun to see flocks of our familiar blue-winged teal consorting with the more exotic, resident white-cheeked pintails. Or northern waterthrushes, whose loud song echoes from many a Maine wet forest in summer, bobbing about the mangroves in company with the resident bananaquits.

Some of our summer birds spend the winter in the same area where a great many New Englanders do as well — Florida. Clouds of tree swallows, hordes of American goldfinches, and swarms of cedar waxwings are among Maine’s summer birds that can be seen in the Sunshine State in winter. We have great memories of a massive flock of American goldfinches that frequented a feeder near where we stayed one early April visit. The birds were clearly massing up and preparing for their northern flight home, with the males loudly working on their songs. With about a hundred birds in the flock the sound was almost deafening, like a school orchestra loudly warming up!

A few of our summer birds are in places unimaginably far away. The common terns that nest on some of our outer islands may be on the coast of southern Brazil. The Arctic terns that nest on some of the islands off the coast are down in the subantarctic! That location may not conjure up images of warmth for you, but pick one of the birds that does and see if an imaginary visit can warm those icy toes. Or better, yet plan a trip and join those smart warm birds, wherever they are!

Sign ups for Lincoln Little League baseball and softball will be held at the Wiscasset Community Center on Tuesday, March 10, 5 to 7:30 p.m., and Tuesday, March 17, 5 to 7 p.m.

Both new and returning players, ages 9 to 12, should register at the Community Center. The registration fee is $35. Additional siblings are $15, with a family maximum of $65. There will be a mandatory fundraising fee of $20 per player, payable at sign-ups. Raffle tickets will be distributed to be sold by participants.

Information regarding tryouts for Little League baseball and softball will be available at sign ups. For more information, please contact Jamey Roy at 207-380-4827.

The Boothbay Fire Department recently hosted an event for firefighters at the fire station in Boothbay.

Roger Audette of Pine Point Fire Training & Consulting came to Boothbay on Jan. 21 for a training session focusing on attic and basement fires.

Boothbay Fire Chief Dick Spofford said 85 firefighters from all over Lincoln County came to participate in what he said was an important safety training session.

“It was a great class,” he said. “There's some new technology on fighting fires. It's almost going back to the old ways, kind of reversing back — trying to cool the fire down before you enter the building.

“We're always rushing in to do this and that, but things may be different on the back side that we don't see from the front.

“Firefighters are getting killed by going in and dropping down to the basement, so we really need to pay attention to to what's going on.”

According to Spofford, basement fires are difficult because it can be hard to vent them. Attic fires are problematic too.

“Most of the people who have died this year have been in attics or bedrooms above where there's no way to get out,” he said.

Spofford said the way to cool down the fire is to put a hose line through a window or door and blasting cold water in. “It can knock the temperature right down from 1,200 degrees to 600.”

He said the circumstances have to be right to do it, but it's a safer way for firefighters to enter a building.

Spofford said firefighters came for the training session from Bath, Westport, Bristol, South Bristol, Nobleboro, Topsham, Newcastle, Waldoboro, Somerville, Alna, Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor.

The flier describing the session stated: “In response to over 20 years of research new protocols have been developed to educate firefighters on a much safer approach to structure fires.”

The training session lasted for three hours, and Spofford said that aside from getting life saving lessons, it was great just getting together with fellow firefighters and talking shop.

With clocks a few weeks away from springing forward, Wiscasset High School recently took a look back over its winter sports season.

The Wiscasset High School sports awards were Wednesday, Feb. 25, and not only were the different teams honored, four Wolverines were given league honors, as well.

For the swim team, the season ended in Orono, at the University of Maine, with several swimmers picking up solid finishes.

The coaches award for the girls swim team went to senior Maeve Carlson, while the most improved award went to Julia West, who recorded a pair of top-20 finishes at the state meet.

The sportsmanship award was given to Amanda Marcus.

For the boys, Ridge Barnes was selected for the coaches award, and Ryan Medina picked up the most improved award. Sam Storer, who represented the boys team at Orono, was chosen for the sportsmanship award.

The boys wrestling team sent four wrestlers into the consolation rounds during the Feb. 14 state championship meet in Bucksport. Senior Tyler Flavin was given the coaches award, while freshman Zac Hodgdon was the winner of the sportsman award. Freshman Sam Strozier earned the most improved wrestler award, while sophomore Alex Strozier was named the most valuable wrestler.

For the girls varsity basketball team, the season ended with a 4-14 record. The most valuable player was senior Kayla Gordon, who was also picked for the Mountain Valley Conference honorable mention team. Fellow senior Alecia Faulkingham was also named to the honorable mention team, and was picked as the girls varsity basketball's coaches award recipient. Senior Tylan Onorato was selected as the most improved player, and senior Miranda McIntire won the sportsmanship award.

On the junior varsity squad, Hayhlee Craig was named the most valuable player and freshman Grace Webber was picked for the coaches award.

The boys varsity basketball team finished 4-14. Nate Woodman received the coaches award, while Kevin Lynch was named most valuable player. Logan Orr earned the most improved award while Ethan James was given the sportsmanship award. James and Brandon Sprague were also named to the Mountain Valley Conference's honorable mention team.

The boys junior varsity team picked Russell Marr as the most improved player, Zack Reed as the most valuable player and Kobe Carrier as the winner of the sportsmanship award. Brycson Grover was selected as the coaches award winner.

Hannah Welborn, the manager for the girls varsity basketball team, was named to the Academic All-Stars, as was Carlson, McIntire, Barnes and Gordon.

Neal Verge has volunteered for nearly three decades at the Rotary International/YMCA basketball Classic in Boothbay Harbor. During those years, Verge has seen his share of great seventh and eighth grade teams. He saw Riverton, of Portland, win the boys’ division five straight years from 1980-84.

He has also seen his share of great players like Nik Caner-Medley, of Portland, who played for the University of Maryland and professionally in Russia. Verge also saw former University of Maine women’s basketball coach Joanne Palombo-McCallie play for Brunswick in the Classic. Palombo-McCallie now coaches the Duke University women’s basketball team.

A new group of stars and teams will compete in the Rotary International/YMCA Basketball Classic on March 6, 7 and 8. The boys’ tournament is being held at the Boothbay Harbor YMCA. The girls’ tournament is at the Boothbay Regional Elementary School.

For Verge — who started as a volunteer and now oversees the tournament — the Classic is an opportunity to watch basketball players in the Boothbay region and others from around the state grow as basketball players.

“It’s fun to watch these kids play now, and then see them play in high school,” Verge said. “We’ve seen some incredibly talented players and teams over the years. The tournament usually has a very strong field. It’s developed a bit of a reputation, too. The teams that come, think they’re pretty good and believe they are going to win the tournament.”

This year’s field has drawn 10 boys’ teams: Boothbay Region YMCA, Central Lincoln County YMCA, China, Gray-New Gloucester, Richmond, Skowhegan, Hall-Dale, Medomak 7, Medomak 8  and Oceanside.

The girls’ field has six teams: Boothbay Region YMCA, Central Lincoln County YMCA, Medomak, Oceanside, Wiscasset and Winterport. Last year, Boothbay entered two girls teams. One finished second and the other third.

Verge credits the tournament’s success to a hardworking group of volunteers. During the weekend, Verge said his main duty is running the clock and keeping score during games.

But volunteer Tim Rice disagrees. He said Verge has been the driving force behind the tournament for the past 25 years.

“He’s the brains of the tournament and makes everything go,” Rice said. “He’s the biggest advocate of the tournament, and all the volunteers know to follow his lead.”

In recent years, Verge said Eddie Crocker has taken a great role in organizing the tournament.

“Eddie used to work for the Y and he does a lot of the organizing,” Verge said. “He’s responsible for contacting the teams and getting the board officials.”

This year’s tournament follows the same format as past years. It’s double elimination. Individual trophies are given to players on teams who place first, second and third. The Classic also features two shooting competitions: NBA 2ball and Hot Shots. Each competition features two players. The team with the highest combined score is the winner. Each team’s shooters will compete prior to their first game.

The Boothbay Region boys’ first game is Friday, at 8:30 p.m. against Medomak 7. The girls play Friday versus Medomak at 6:15 p.m.

The boys tournament begins at 4 p.m. on Friday in the Boothbay Region YMCA gymnasium. The first boys’ contest pits Central Lincoln County YMCA versus China. The girls tournament begins at 5:30 p.m. with Central Lincoln YMCA  versus Oceanside at the Boothbay Region Elementary School gymnasium

The tournament resumes at both locations on Saturday. The boys games start at 8 a.m. and girls at 9:30 a.m. The girls’ championship game is at 4 p.m. on March 7.

The boys’ tournament continues on March 8 at 9 a.m. The boys championship game is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Both the Boothbay Region High School Seahawks and Lincoln Academy Eagles attended the swim team awards night and ice cream buffet held at the Boothbay Region YMCA on Feb. 26.

Coach Don Strout (who coaches both the Eagles and Seahawks) recognized swimmers from both teams, including brand new freshmen, graduating seniors, and international students on the Lincoln Academy team.

Strout also handed out Most Improved and Coach's awards to a boy and girl from each team. Strout said he does not hand out a Most Valuable Player award because swimming is an individual sport, and it's not just points scored that makes a swimmer good.

For the Seahawks, the most improved swimmer awards went to Chris Groneng and Genevieve Taylor. Coach's awards went to Nicole LaBrecque and Karl Alamo.

For the Lincoln Academy Eagles, the most improved swimmer awards were given to Alejandro Ramos and Jordan Farrin. Coach's awards went to Cassie Leeman and Noah Jordan.

When Strout called up Alejandro for his award, he played Lady Gaga's “Alejandro,” which he said he'd been waiting to do all season long.

Strout also praised many members of both teams, including all the swimmers who made states and the Eagles who did especially well at the KVAC tournament. He joked about this being Kate Laemmle's third season on the swim team for the Eagles, and the first year he pronounced her name right all season. He spoke about spotting Camden Reiss on the highway driving himself up to states at UMO, and the heart attack it caused (going on your own is not OK), but that they got everything sorted out.

He also congratulated Eagle swimmer Cassie Leeman for making the KVAC all-academic team, and Seahawk swimmers Brenna Alley, Nicole LaBrecque and Karl Alamo for being selected for the national all-academic, all-state Maine swim team. In order to qualify, they needed to have qualified for states and hold a GPA of 3.7 or higher.

Strout also said a goodbye to the senior swimmers on both teams. He said how much he would miss having them on the team. For the Seahawks, these swimmers include Karl Alamo, Brenna Alley, Chris Groneng and Nicole LaBrecque. For the Eagles, these swimmers included Nathan Osborne, Kristyna Skyvova, Cassie Leeman, Camden Reiss, Billy Seaman, Rowan Carroll-Christopher and Martin Kuccera.

Strout also thanked his wife and co-coach, Linda Strout.

“She keeps me in line,” Don Strout said. “When the kids start to frustrate me, she calms me down, and I don't know what I'd do without her.”

Strout also thanked Cindy Young, who he has worked with for eight years. Young did a lot of coaching with the swimmers who were new to the sport, helping them learn the different strokes and getting them used to the differences between regular and competitive swimming. Lastly, he thanked parents Mrs. Dumont and Mrs. Carter for all their help with the swimsuits for both teams.

As more of us struggle at this time of year with colds and the flu, it made us think about illnesses and disease in birds and how this might have an impact on their population numbers.

Recently someone posted a photo to the MaineBirds Listserve of a bohemian waxwing with a strange, tumor-like growth under the bill. We’re not trained in diagnosing bird disease, but this could be a case of a bird with avian pox, a common viral infection in birds that causes abnormal, often tumor-like growths on the legs, feet, bill, and eyes. This is just one of many diseases and illnesses that can strike birds.

Although the bohemian waxwing in the recently posted photo appeared to still be able to eat, avian pox growths can eventually cause severe problems that prevent birds from eating, seeing, or escaping predators. Just like in humans, most of the illnesses that affect birds are spread by close contact with infected individuals. Winter is when survival conditions in our area are the most harsh and when many birds gather into large flocks and are more likely to become infected.

Most of us rarely see sick wild birds, let alone those that die of sickness, but some illnesses and diseases strike down immense numbers of birds. The so-called house finch eye disease, mycoplasmal conjunctivitis, is actually a version of a common disease of commercial poultry that was first detected in wild bird populations (in house finches) in 1994.

The disease spread rapidly, apparently because infected liquids from the eyes of stricken birds may have been smeared on bird feeders and other surfaces and passed to other individuals in house finch flocks. Birds would not immediately die of the disease but could move around and spread the disease to other areas over time. It is thought that hundreds of millions of house finches died in the initial early years of the epidemic.

Many of us will remember the first discovery of West Nile virus in the U.S. in 1999 and the subsequent spread of the disease across the U.S. Although of concern to us humans, West Nile virus is especially dangerous for birds, having killed millions of them, with crows seeming to be one of the species that has shown a high rate of mortality from the disease. Spread by mosquitoes, West Nile is one disease that isn’t a problem during our cold Maine winter.

There are a number of fungal and bacterial illnesses birds can pick up in and near our backyard bird feeding stations including salmonellosis and aspergillosis. Regularly cleaning bird feeders by soaking them for a few minutes in a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water and then letting them air dry helps keep their surfaces clean. Raking up old seed hulls and food remnants from under the feeder can prevent the growth of fungi and bacteria that ground feeders could pick up. And when conditions are already as harsh as they have been this winter for birds (and humans!), anything we can do to make it less likely that our neighborhood birds don’t get sick is worth doing.

Tens of thousands of outdoors-minded folks will gather for an entire weekend of everything outdoors March 27, 28 and 29. The 35th Annual State of Maine Sportsman’s Show is not to be missed. This huge event is held at the Augusta Civic Center, 76 Community Drive, Augusta.

This year’s seminar schedule is jam-packed with favorites like, “Hunting Dog Training” with NAVHDA, “Trophy Measuring with MASTC”, and “Q&A with DIF&W Commissioner Chandler Woodcock” New seminars include, “Trapping Basics” with SAM’s Deer Management Network, a “Kids Turkey Calling Contest,” and several new seminars on waterfowling with Big Woods Bucks!

The number one question asked of show staff every year is, “Where is the taxidermy?” This year we welcome The Maine Association of Taxidermists back with an expansive display on the main floor of the auditorium, sure to delight young and old alike.

L.L.Bean is cruising up in the Bootmobile and don’t forget to deposit ticket stubs in the brand new kayak donated by the longtime major show sponsor.

Bring the kids and let them catch dinner from the children’s indoor trout fishing pond, learn to shoot a bow and get their picture taken with their favorite warden from “Northwoods Law.”

Artists from all over New England enter amazing photos, paintings and carvings in the ever-popular art contest. Come view the talent of people right in your backyard and vote for “Sportsman’s Choice,” in each category. Many artists sell their artwork at the show, so come pick up a painting to hang at camp. Artist of the Year, Sharon Fiedler is bringing a beautiful display of wildlife photography.

The second Miss Maine Sportsman contest draws sportswomen from all over Maine vying for the coveted deer antler crown and bragging rights for the next year as Maine’s most versatile outdoorswoman.

From shooting trophy Maine moose to Becoming an Outdoors Woman, this show has it all. Throw on your best camo, grab that turkey call you promised yourself you’d learn to use, pack up the spouse and kids and spend a day, or the entire weekend, at this show.

For more information, including advanced sale tickets, exhibitor and seminar information, visit http://www.mainesportsman.com/the-me-sportsmans-show/ or our Facebook page: State of Maine Sportsman’s Show.

Ben Jacobs, a student at Carrabassett Valley Academy in Sugarloaf, Maine, won the State U14 Giant Slalom at Shawnee Peak, Maine, on March 1.

Jacobs is an eighth grade student at CVA and is the son of Sara Plummer and Dean Jacobs of Damariscotta.

The weekend races were very successful for CVA student-athletes in the U14 age group, with many top-10 finishes.

“Ben has had a great season,” U14 Head Coach Andy Willihan said. “He continues to grow as an athlete and find his strength in all disciplines. One of Ben's biggest strengths is his ability to connect with the snow and his strong desire to be the best skier he can be.

“Ben has the potential to be a successful alpine skier in the future. He has qualified first seed to the U14 Eastern Championships at Stowe, Vermont."

The spring chorus of frogs will be a welcome sound this year. After months of deep snow and cold, ponds and wetlands will come to life with croaking, singing amphibians.

If you’re fascinated by frogs, then come to the FrogWatch USA training on Saturday, March 28 at Hidden Valley Nature Center (HVNC) in Jefferson. From 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. expert naturalist Chloe Chunn will present some basic information about amphibian ecology and current threats posed to their populations. Then she’ll bring everyone up to speed on how they can help by becoming a citizen scientist.

FrogWatch volunteers will collect information about the calls of local frogs and toads during spring and into late summer. The information can be submitted online, and will used in regional and national studies focused on measuring changes in amphibian populations. Volunteers have been contributing data for more than 15 years.

To sign up for this free workshop, please visit www.hvnc.org/registration. Preregistration is recommended. All ages are encouraged. The workshop will be held in HVNC’s new education space, the Barn. It is one third of a mile from the parking area following the main ski trail. Appropriate footwear based on weather is advised.

For more information, visit www.hvnc.org, email info@hvnc.org, or call 207-200-8840.

Who wouldn’t want to visit Ireland and stay in an early Victorian guesthouse? Oh, did we mention there's $1,000 travel money, to boot? The Ireland guesthouse is just one of six fabulous destinations in Heartwood Theater’s 2015 Vacation Raffle.

The Currarevagh Guesthouse, one of Ireland’s Blue Book Country House Hotels, is located by the shores of Lough Corrib in Oughterard, County Galway. An oasis of privacy awaits you, in this idyllic, undisturbed natural environment from owners who provide exceptional personal service with old-fashioned, traditional character. While there, you'll be served lavish Edwardian breakfasts, afternoon teas, and four-course evening meals!

Or maybe New York City is more your style? How about three nights in a 2,000 sq. ft. condo on 7th Avenue in Manhattan, located in the Chelsea Mercantile Building? This gorgeous space could be home base, while you take in the theater, museums, restaurants and all that the city has to offer. The condo is within one block of three subway lines. If you drive, there is parking available in the basement, but not included with the stay. With $1,000 in fun money as part of the winning package, you could get a nice head start on a whirlwind NYC vacation.

Then there's this sweet chalet in the French Alps, a luxury guesthouse in Italy, a guest room in the posh College Club of Boston on Commonwealth Avenue, and a lovely apartment on Massachusetts Avenue right in Washington, D.C.

Raffle tickets for the Boston trip are $25, all other trip tickets are $50. A maximum of 200 tickets will be sold, through April 3, for each property. The drawing will be held at Heartwood’s office at 18 Biscay Road in Damariscotta on Wednesday, April 8 at 5:30 p.m. Winners will be notified immediately and need not be present to win.

Tickets may be purchased by check, accompanied by the downloadable registration form on Heartwood's website: www.heartwoodtheater.org. Mail checks to Heartwood’s office, or hand-deliver it to the Skidompha Library on Main Street in Damariscotta.

For more information, visit Heartwood’s website, call 207-563-1373 or send an email: info@heartwoodtheater.org

The 2015 Vacation Raffle is sponsored this season by Marianmade Farm, located in Wiscasset — weddings, events and flowers — a beautiful destination, right here in Midcoast Maine. Visit www.marianmadefarm.com.

On Saturday, March 7, the CLC YMCA gymnastics team hosted the Lewiston/Auburn YMCA for the team’s first home meet of the season. Chris Lincoln and his basketball players, along with many gymnastics parents, were on hand Friday night to handle the daunting tasks of moving the vaulting table and “fat” mats along with two balance beam down the stairs to be set up on the main floor. The floor mats have come from the Boothbay Y and were set up as well for the younger gymnasts to compete upon. Twenty-three CLC gymnasts were on hand to compete and there were eight first place finishes out of nine age groups.

“We had 200 people in attendance today and all our gymnasts presented their routines with confidence; no one held back, which was very exciting,” Coach Janice Cormier-Hay said.

Abby Harrington of Nobleboro, Level 2, Age 5-7, came in 1st on vault with an 8.9, 1st on bars with an 8.15, 1st on beam with an 8.9, 2nd on floor with an 8.45, placing 1st all around.

Madeline Burt-Weeks, Level 2, Age 5-7, came in 2nd on vault with an 8.4, 3rd on bars with a 7.4, 2nd on beam with an 8.1, tied for 3rd on floor with an 8.4, placing 2nd all around.

London Hunter, Level 2, Age 5-7, came in 3rd on vault with an 8.0, 4th on bars with a 6.6, 4th on beam with a 7.8, 1st on floor with an 8.5, placing 3rd all around.

Eliza Wood-Orff, Level 2, Age 8 - came in 2nd on vault with an 8.35, 2nd on floor with a 7.9, 4th on beam with an 8.0, 3rd on floor with a 7.9, placing 2nd all around with a score.

Makayla Pinkham of Boothbay, Level 2, Age 8, came in 3rd on vault with a 7.9, 3rd on bars with a 7.35, 1st on beam with an 8.8 (PB), 4th on floor with a 7.8, placing 3rd all around.

Charlotte Hilton, Level 2, Age 9, came in 1st on vault with an 8.3, 2nd on bars with an 8.2, 1st on beam with an 8.65, 3rd on floor with an 8.2, placing 1st all around.

Kate Campbell of Boothbay, Level 2, Age 9, came in 4th on vault with a 7.4, 1st on bars with an 8.25, 2nd on beam with an 8.45, 1st on floor with an 8.7 (PB), placing 2nd all around.

Emory Shadis of Damariscotta, Level 2, Age 9, came in 5th on vault with a 7.0, 5th on bars with a 5.2, 4th on beam with an 8.2, 6th on floor with a 6.95, placing 6th all around.

Morgan Bathgate, Level 2, Age 10+, came in 1st on vault with an 8.3, 1st on bars with an 8.65, 1st on beam with an 8.7, 1st on floor with a 9.25 placing 1st all around.

Grace Campbell of Boothbay, Level 2, Age 10, came in 1st on vault with an 8.3, 2nd on bars with a 7.7, 2nd on beam with an 8.0, 3rd on floor with a 7.5, placing 2nd all around.

Kadence Rogers, Level 3, Age 7-9, came in 2nd on vault with a 9.1, 1st on bars with an 8.85, 3rd on beam with an 8.85, 3rd on floor with an 8.9, placing 1st all around with a score that qualifies her for the Northeast Regional Meet .

Sarah Goldrup of Waldoboro, Level 3, Age 7-9, came in 1st on vault with a 9.2, 3rd on bars with a 7.8, 1st on beam with a 9.1, 4th on floor with an 8.7, placing 2nd all around with a score that qualifies her for the Northeast Regional Meet.

Jhordaynia Ebanks, Level 3, Age 7-9 came in 3rd on vault with a 9.0, 6th on bars with a 7.0, 2nd on beam with a 9.0, 2nd on floor with a 9.0, placing 3rd all around with a (PB) score that qualifies her for the Northeast Regional Meet.

Reece Instasi of Waldoboro, Level 3 Age 7-9:  came in 4th on vault with an 8.7, 4th with a 7.2 on bars, 4th on beam with an 8.6, 1st on floor with a 9.1, placing 4th place all around. 

MaKenna Dunstan, Level 3 Age 7-9:  came in 7th on vault with an 8.1, 5th with a 7.1 on bars, 5th on beam with an 8.5, 5th on floor with an 8.0, placing 6th place all around.

Nicole Hammond, Level 3 Age 7-9:  came in 5th on vault with an 8.5, 4th with a 7.2 on bars, 7th on beam with a 7.1, 7th on floor with a 7.2, placing 7th place all around.

Kayla Reardon of South Thomaston, Level 3 Age 10+: came in 3rd on vault with an 8.6, 1st on bars with a 9.0, 1st on beam with a 9.15, 1st on floor with an 8.8, placing 1st all around with a score that qualifies her for the Northeast Regional meet.

Madalyn Mercer, Level 3 Age 10+: came in 1st on vault with a 9.0, 2nd on bars with an 8.75, 4th on beam with an 8.0, 2nd on floor with an 8.6, placing 2nd all around with a score that qualifies her for the Northeast Regional meet.

Emma Markowitz, Level 3 Age 10+: came in 4th on vault with an 8.4, 3rd on bars with an 8.2, 3rd on beam with an 8.6, 3rd on floor with an 8.35, placing 4th all around.

Ava Carmolli of Edgecomb, Level 4, came in 1st on vault with a 7.9, 3rd on bars with an 8.2 PB, 1st on beam with an 8.7, 2nd on floor with an 8.5 (PB), placing 2nd all around with a score that qualifies her for the Northeast Regional Meet.

Erica Johnson of Nobleboro, Level 4, Age 8-9: came in 2nd on vault with a 7.8, 1st on bars with a 9.35, 2nd on beam with an 8.55, 1st on floor with an 8.8, placing 1stall around with a score that qualifies her for the Northeast Regional Meet.

Maddy Russ of Damariscotta, Level 7, came in first on all events; vault - 8.9, bars - 9.0, beam -8.3, floor with a 9.5, with a score that qualifies her for the Northeast Regional Meet.

Reed Gulden of Walpole,  Level 7, came in 2nd on vault with an 8.65, 2nd on bars with an 8.4, 2nd on beam with a 7.8, 3rd on floor with an 8.6, placing 2nd all around, with a score that qualifies her for the Northeast Regional Meet.

Emma Hall of Damariscotta, Level 7 came in 3rd on vault with an 8.4, 3rd on bars with an 8.0, 3rd on beam with a 7.1 and 2nd on floor with an 8.7 placing 3rd all around with a score that qualifies her for the Northeast Regional Meet.

Katie Colomb of Alna, Xcel Platinum, came in 1st on all events. vault – 8.3, bars -8.85 PB, beam -7.15, floor - 9.1, with an all around score that qualifies her for the Northeast Regional Meet.

When it comes to children, especially those who are less fortunate, people’s hearts come alive with the spirit of giving – and that’s exactly what happened at the Karl’s Kids 8th annual fundraiser Ski Day at Sugarloaf.

The annual fundraiser, which was held on Saturday, February 28 at Sugarloaf, is the organization’s largest fundraiser. The festivities began on Friday, February 27 at the Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel with a welcome reception and preview of silent auction items. The wide variety of auction items included many choices for dining, entertainment, and gifts, including Red Sox tickets, sailing trips, and lobster bakes.

A busload of local kids from Lincoln Academy arrived Saturday morning ready to volunteer. Some worked at the hotel getting the auction items ready for the reception, while others hit the slopes and handed out fliers letting other skiers know about Karl’s Kids, the afternoon race on the Boardwalk race course, and the evening’s festivities and silent auction.

That afternoon, more than 50 racers gave a small donation to participate in the fun race for a chance to win prizes for fastest run, slowest run and the craziest dressed skier.

By 4:30, the closing reception at the Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel was abuzz with people making their silent auction bids while enjoying refreshments and hors d’ oeuvres. People who were staying at the resort enjoying a weekend of skiing stopped by the auction – some opened their wallets and gave a donation after learning more about Karl’s Kids. Children came by with their parents and handed over money they had saved to purchase a balloon that came with a secret surprise. One mother, who lost her 23-year-old son to cancer, created and donated two beautiful quilts for the silent auction, knowing the true mission of Karl’s Kids. The common thread that was woven throughout was a genuine love for children, and belief that every child should have an opportunity to participate in sports.

Karl’s Kids and the Damariscotta/Newcastle Rotary Club thank all local businesses, organizations, Sugarloaf Mountain staff, and individuals who supported the event with sponsorships, auction items, and participation in events.

According to Rotarian Mike Hall, “We want every child in Lincoln County to enjoy the benefits of sports, which in turn helps develop self-discipline, create goals, and develop an understanding of what it means to be a part of a team, sharing a common objective. Karl’s Kids relies on the generosity of sponsors and donations from the community and is grateful for the outpouring of support, which contributed to a successful event.”

Karl’s Kids is dedicated to the memory of long-time Rotarian, Karl F. Berger. Karl’s widow, Mary Berger added, “Karl would be delighted to have this event to benefit kids. Last year alone, the organization helped nearly 350 children in Lincoln County with sports-related support totaling more than $11,000. I am humbled by the love, support, and generous contributions that will go a long way in making dreams real for children in Lincoln County.”

Karl’s Kids is a Damariscotta/Newcastle, Maine Rotary Club community outreach program dedicated to removing the financial barriers that stand in the way of some kids having an opportunity to be involved in sports – whether team sports, collaborative outdoor activities, or individual pursuits.

If you are a parent, coach, teacher, mentor or friend of a child in need, please visit www.karlskids.org and complete the grant application. Information is kept strictly confidential and not released to the general public. If you have additional questions, please contact Charleen Foley at 522‐4369.

Snowshoeing is an ideal winter turning to spring sport because nearly everyone can do it. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. Snowshoeing is so simple, absolute beginners often learn in a matter of minutes. So ready, set, learn how to snowshoe in the wild on March 25 at 1 p.m. Sugarloaf ski instructor and outdoor sports enthusiast Lori LaRochelle will be waiting for snowshoers (or if there's no snow winter hikers) in the parking lot at the Damariscotta River Associations (DRA) Dodge Point Preserve on the River Road in Newcastle (http://www.damariscottariver.org/trail/dodge-point-public-reserved-land/).

Snowshoeing is a great aerobic exercise, it's cheap, and it puts the entire winter wilderness at the snowshoer's footsteps. Lori's workshop will offer those who are new to the sport, the novice and more advanced snowshoer the opportunity to make sure their gear is properly fitted and that they understand how to remain safe on a trail and in the woods.

This is an intergenerational program open to everyone who has a pair of snowshoes and poles and who registers in advance. To register call 563-1363. A $5 donation is suggested

Remember to dress in layers and bring your water bottle so that you can stay hydrated during your workshop and walk.

Hidden Valley Nature Center (HVNC) is deeply appreciative for the support of more than fifty individual donors in the past year who helped make possible the construction of two new buildings. The first is a large education and community gathering space dubbed The Barn. The second is a new cabin on the shore of Little Dyer Pond to be used for any number of gatherings and for overnight rentals.

The campaign to fund and build these additions was initiated one year ago with the first check coming from Sierra Morgan, an 8-year-old neighbor and HVNC regular. She says, “I like that there’s a nature center so close to my house, and I don’t want it to go away.”

Sierra and her family have been enjoying and exploring HVNC since the very beginning. She and her classmates have been among the many students that visit HVNC on a regular basis, and she can often be found out there skiing with her parents and younger sister.

“We were impressed and touched by the level of community support in general,” says HVNC’s Director Andy McEvoy. “But, that first check from Sierra was especially important. It indicates to us that we’re engaging local kids and making strong connections. That feels really good.”

Both buildings are essentially complete. McEvoy admits that they both need some finishing touches, but nothing that will affect their use in the near term. “Whether it’s renters in the Little Dyer Cabin, or skiers and school groups using The Barn these buildings are both in regular use.”

The classroom hosts at least one school group a week in addition to HVNC’s own weekly workshops and events. The pavilion attached to the classroom has hosted celebrations, concerts and workshops. The new Little Dyer Cabin has been booked every weekend in March with families and groups.

For more information: wwww.hvnc.org, info@hvnc.org, or 207-200-8840.

This spring Timber Frame Construction workshops are returning to Hidden Valley Nature Center (HVNC). The first class of the year will be held Thursday to Sunday, April 23-26. These perennially popular workshops are designed for students of different backgrounds and experience levels.

Students spend the four days working intimately with professional instructors and graduates of previous timber frame workshops. The group is usually limited to eight students so that there is plenty of hands-on time for everyone. Each student will help transform the building from un-milled logs to a finished, raised frame on the final day.

Most of the workshop is dedicated to the work of cutting beams, but students will also have opportunities to learn about sustainable forestry, saw mill operation, and building design. The last day of the workshop students will raise the frame at a local farm and celebrate their work.

“These classes are a product of our sustainable forestry mission at HVNC,” says HVNC Director Andy McEvoy. “Timber frames are a great way to utilize wood that traditional markets don’t value highly. Plus, they make beautiful structures.” This notion of creative material use permeates HVNC’s programs like Home Firewood Production and Chainsaw Safety trainings.

For more information about Timber Frame Construction and other forestry related classes visit www.hvnc.org/registration/, or write to info@hvnc.org. The cost for this workshop is $450 for HVNC, PWA, DLWA, SVCA, SWLA, and MOFGA members. $500 for all non-members. Scholarship assistance may be available upon request.

Timber Frame workshops at HVNC are supported by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Assoc., Hancock Lumber, and Woodmizer Sawmills.

Spring arrives on March 20 and staff from the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association will be leading a search along the trails of the Marsh River Preserve on Thursday, March 26 at 10 a.m. to find evidence that spring is truly around the corner. SVCA’s Program Manager and naturalist, Lynne Flaccus, will lead participants along the trails to the Marsh exploring the early signs of spring and sharing information about ways citizen scientists can become involved in documenting seasonal changes or phenology - periodic biological phenomena (such as bird migration or plant flowering) that are correlated with climatic conditions.

The 70-acre Marsh River Preserve located off the Osprey Point Road in Newcastle includes upland forest, including 5,500 feet of frontage on Marsh River and a large area of salt marsh north of Route 1. The river and marshes provide important shorebird feeding and roosting habitat, as well as providing the northern most habitat for native oysters. The Marsh River Preserve was purchased in 2003 with funding from Land for Maine’s Future and private foundations, and is part of the River~Link Project, a partnership of SVCA, Damariscotta River Association, Boothbay Region Land Trust, Maine Coast Heritage Trust, the state and surrounding towns, to link the Damariscotta and Sheepscot Rivers by way of wildlife corridors and walking trails.

For more information visit our website at www.sheepscot.org or call the office at 207-586-5616.

The Alaska Marine Safety Education Association (AMSEA) is conducting a six-day Marine Safety Instructor Training (MSIT) at the Newcastle Fire Department in Newcastle from June 1 to June 6. This workshop is free to commercial fishermen thanks to scholarships provided by the U.S. Coast Guard. The cost for all others is $995.

The MSIT is an intensive train-the-trainer course that prepares individuals to effectively teach cold-water survival procedures, use of marine safety equipment, and vessel safety drills. Upon completion of the course, participants will be prepared to teach AMSEA’s U.S. Coast Guard approved Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor training, pending authorization from the Coast Guard. Participants may elect to co-teach a Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor workshop in Newcastle on June 7.

Topics covered during the course will include preparation for emergencies, cold-water near drowning, hypothermia, cold-water survival, survival equipment, procedures and onboard drills, risk assessment, ergonomics, and methods of instructions.

For more information or to register call AMSEA at 907-747-3287 or visit the AMSEA website at www.amsea.org.

The golf course, like much of Maine, may still be blanketed by snow, but golfers can get a glimpse of summer with a few clicks of their mouse as Boothbay Harbor Country Club launches its new website.

The website, www.boothbayharborcc.com, like the course itself, offers a number of new features for members and visitors, including: hole-by-hole flyover video of the challenging and scenic Bruce Hepner championship course; a private area for club members to make reservations for tee times and dining, review their membership information, and more; information about BHCC’s premier practice facility and instruction from its team of PGA professionals; information and reservations for BHCC’s dining options, which feature the best in contemporary casual fare featuring the freshest local and organic ingredients, as well as an extensive wine and craft beer list; membership information for those who want to make BHCC their home club; and updates on new amenities, including construction of a new member clubhouse, scheduled to open in time for the 2016 season.

Originally opened as a nine-hole course in 1921, the Boothbay Harbor Country Club has undergone a renaissance over the past year and emerged as one of Maine’s premier golfing destinations for local residents and visitors alike. Combining the amenities of a private club with the accessibility of public links, BHCC welcomes golfers of all abilities to test their skills on the brand new 18-hole championship course, completely redesigned in 2014 by Bruce Hepner as part of a multi-million dollar renovation by new owner, businessman and philanthropist Paul Coulombe.

Lincoln Little League is pleased to announce the addition of Wiscasset and the Boothbay Region to its existing league. Lincoln Little League has a long history of serving children ages 4-12, offering baseball, softball and tee ball.

Little League baseball and softball (ages 9-12) offer a 12-game regular season in addition to playoffs and a championship game.

Registration is ongoing and it is not too late to sign up for all levels of play. All interested boys and girls, ages 4-12, are encouraged to come out and play!

For more information, please contact:

Boothbay region: Jim Abbott at 207-350-0573

Wiscasset: Jamey Roy at 207-380-4827

Bristol: Marvin Farrin at 207-563-2036

South Bristol: Adam Gamage at 207-563-6878

Damariscotta region: Allen Tomasello at 207-380-1751

Nobleboro: Paul Miner at 207-837-9703