OK guys, I’m going to apologize before I even start this week because what I’m about to tell you could ruin your resolve to lose weight for your summer attire. Be forewarned.

This one is a dessert that has been a favorite pretty much all my life. I know you’ve heard that before but this time I really mean it.

I’ll give you a hint: it’s chocolate, and it’s served warm, with hard sauce melting over it. For any of you kids who’ve never heard of hard sauce, it’s simply confectioner sugar and butter, with a little milk thrown in, like buttercream frosting.

The dessert is chocolate bread pudding. I know. Again, I apologize.

Back when I was skinny and didn’t really appreciate it, I made this whenever I got a craving for a chocolate dessert: often. I’d eat the whole thing myself over a two or three-day period, and never gain an ounce.

After a certain age it doesn’t work that way anymore. I really hate that. It’s not fair.

I’m pretty sure this recipe was handed down from my great-grandmother, Nana. She raised my mother and her aunt together. My mother made this a lot when I was a kid, and her aunt, my great aunt Barbara, made it a lot for her kids too. Oddly, their recipes differ. My great aunt’s might be the true original and my mother may have altered it to make things a little simpler.

Of course I like my mother’s better. You know that whole song and dance.

My great aunt’s recipe was shared with me by my first cousin once removed, Richard, Barbara’s son. I could tell you more about him but some things are best kept to myself. You can read about him in my book of memoirs. It hasn’t been written yet, but it will be.

My great aunt Barbara was cool. She flew with Amelia Earhart once, and got her own pilot’s license when she was in her 60s. She took my first husband flying once and I’m pretty sure he developed a crush on her. He was 22. She was 65. Gives us hope.

Anyway. The bread pudding itself doesn’t call for a lot of sugar so it’s not overly sweet. Hard sauce, on the other hand, is like 100 percent sweetness, so it makes up for the lack of sweetness in the pudding.

Ugh. I’m getting hungry. And I’ll need photos. I need Baker’s unsweetened chocolate, but I have cocoa powder. I’ve never substituted that, but there’s a first time for everything. And I like living on the edge. (Anyone who know me knows that’s a bald-faced lie, but it sounds good.)

OK here’s my mother’s recipe:

1 cup breadcrumbs, 2 cups milk, 2 eggs, 6 tblsp. sugar, 1 square unsweetened chocolate (I did substitute cocoa – 3 tblsp. and 1 tblsp. oil — couldn’t tell the difference), ¼ tsp. nutmeg, ¼ tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. Vanilla, pinch o’ salt.

Heat the milk in a saucepan, with the chocolate, till chocolate is melted. Stir in breadcrumbs. Let cool. Mix sugar and beaten eggs. Combine all. Add flavorings. Bake in oiled dish set in pan of hot water at 350 for around 40 minutes. Pudding should be firm.

Serve it warm. You want the hard sauce to get all melty. If it’s cool stick it in the microwave for a minute. Do not eat it unless it’s warm. I’m not going to say that again.

My great aunt’s recipe is essentially the same, but differs in that it calls for stale cubes of bread — not the fine-grained ready-made stuff I use — and more chocolate. In Richard’s re-write of the recipe he says you have to melt the butter and chocolate “gently.” And mix “gently” with the breadcrumbs. He knows I hate that. And unfortunately I don’t have room to include it, so if you’d like to try that one, email him at: richard@boxermarine.com. I know he’d love to hear from you, and he’s single, smart, and good-looking.

I also received a variation of a chocolate bread pudding recipe from Suzanne Norton. HER mother’s recipe, it’s called chocolate chip pudding. It calls for chocolate chips instead of unsweetened chocolate, and there’s some shredded wheat thrown in to up the health level. I’m sorry I don’t have room for that one either, but if you’d like it, message her on Facebook.

So anyway, I had a rather large bowl of chocolate bread pudding with an unseemly big glob of hard sauce melting on top last night. I could easily have had seconds. You can’t even imagine.

This morning I found a nice shirt in my closet that I hadn’t seen in two years. The last time I wore it, it draped nicely, with room to spare. I tried it on. There was no draping. In fact I may have torn a seam. It would’ve been perfect for Erika Meiler and Ryan Leighton’s wedding in September.

At least I have a great skirt for it. I got it at Marden’s. Don’t judge me. The original price was $385. Marden’s price? $37. It’s a beautiful foggy gray taffeta thing. With an elastic waist :-).

The last time I made chocolate bread pudding Ryan and Erika were at my house for dinner, along with Nicole Lyons and Ben Bulkeley. (They’re getting married too.) Sue Mello and her husband Jon Lewis were there too. They’ve been married for a long time. I haven’t been married for a long time.

I was looking forward to some of the dessert for breakfast the next morning, but those people ate it all. That was in December. I’d been craving it ever since. So I made some last night, then walked 8,652 steps, then ate the large bowlful.

I had a manhattan while I was making it. Cooking is more fun with a manhattan. I really mean that. You don’t really have to have a manhattan if you don’t want one, or even a glass of wine, but it should be fun. If it’s not, go out to eat or order a pizza.

If you decide to make the bread pudding, keep in mind that it’s wicked fattening, and entirely devoid of anything resembling healthy. So try not to eat too much of it in one sitting. Good luck with that.

And don’t say I didn’t warn you. See ya next week.

I’m not a chef. I lay no claim to being an authority on food or cooking. I’m a good cook, and a lover of good food. And I know how to spell and put a sentence together. This column is simply meant to be fun, and hopefully inspiring. So to anyone reading this whose hackles are raised because you know more about the subject of food than I, relax. I believe you.

A kayak race took place on July 2. It started at the Sherman Lake rest area on Route 1 in Newcastle, and wrapped up 6.5 miles down the Sheepscot River in Wiscasset Harbor.

Organized by Scott Shea and his business, Seaspray Kayaking, of Bath, volunteers from the Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce were lending helping hands.

The Sheepscot River Kayak Race, always scheduled for the Saturday closest to July 4, has been taking place annually for more than 20 years. It is a qualifying race for the Maine Canoe and Kayak Racing Organization (MaCKRO).

“It’s been kind of a tradition the weekend of July 4th,” Shea said. “We used to be a small part of a lot of July 4th activities in downtown Wiscasset when we first started. Now we're one of the only activities besides the parade and fireworks.”

Thirty-one boats — kayaks and canoes, including both competitive and recreational paddlers, competed in the race. There were some surf skis and outriggers racing, too.

According to Lucia Droby, who volunteers her time with the Wiscasset Chamber of Commerce, and helped out with the race, “It was a warm and windy day.”

“It was a nice day for the race,” Shea said in an email. “The times were a little slower, but the wind at the end made it more challenging this year. There was a strong headwind over the last mile and a half,” Shea added.

Shea said in the more than 25 years of running the race he has seen a wide age range of paddlers. “We usually see kids as young as 7 or 8 and all the way up to 80-plus years old. Earl Baldwin Jr. paddled this race well into his 80s and was still breaking the 60-minute time.”

According to Shea, the race is one of the longer lasting paddle races in the state. “It's a great race for people of all ages and abilities,” he said. “The one thing I hear over and over from the participants is how scenic it is from Newcastle to Wiscasset.”

The race is not only a great opportunity for kayakers and canoeists. Bird watchers love it, too. Shea said sightings of egrets, herons, ospreys and bald eagles aren't uncommon during the race. He said with those birds flying overhead and fish jumping nearby, it's not always easy for paddlers to stay focused on their paddling rhythms.

Eric McNett, from Bath, was the winner, finishing just one second ahead of second place finishers Chip Loring and Rodney McClain. McNett's winning time was 52 minutes and 25 seconds.

Kari Crowe was the first female to cross the finish line in an outrigger with an impressive time of 1:05:19, and Hank Thorburn and Dale Hart both raced in surf skis. Thom Stiles paddled a 10-foot kayak and made the finish line in an hour and 38 minutes.

Shea said after prizes were awarded he shared some special thoughts and a moment of silence for his friend Bob Dean, who won 11 out of 12 Sheepscot races. “Bob loved this race and found a way to paddle, even when his health wasn't what he wanted it to be,” he said. “This year’s race was for Bob.”

Information about the race was provided by Lucia Droby and Scott Shea.

Join the experts on Thursday, July 30, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., for a workshop on Women and Our Woods, an informative and interactive program dedicated to empowering women woodland owners to steward our forestlands. Thanks to generous support from workshop partners, the cost is $40 for Midcoast Conservancy and MOFGA members, and $45 for others, including meals and materials. Scholarships are being offered as well.

This all-day event will educate and encourage women on stewardship considerations and business aspects of woodland management and ownership. The goal is to increase the number of women woodland owners who are aware of the options for caring for their forestland.

Women will practice setting woodland objectives, and determining the steps needed to realize them; learn about the roles of landowners, foresters, and loggers; observe actively managed stands at Midcoast Conservancy’s Hidden Valley Nature Center (HVNC) in Jefferson, and review real forest management plans. But more than that, participants will build relationships with other women managers and forestry professionals.

The workshop will be held at HVNC. The American Tree Farm System named HVNC, together with co-founders Bambi Jones and Tracy Moskovitz, Maine’s 2014 Outstanding Tree Farm. The group will have a tour of HVNC’s forests and practices.

Instructors will include district foresters from the Maine Forest Service and Mid-Maine Forestry, Midcoast Conservancy staff members, and other qualified forestry professionals. However, students will learn as much from one another as they will from the instructors. Attendees should bring their forest management plan if they have one as well as their own experience and questions.

Partners for the workshop include MOFGA, Maine Farmland Trust, Women Owning Woodlands, the Forest Stewards Guild and Capital for Opportunity and Change and the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

For more information or to register, visit www.midcoastconservancy.org, or contact us at news@midcoastconservancy.org or 207-389-5150.

Lucia Droby lives in a veritable garden of wonders. Her home, on Pleasant Street in Wiscasset, looks out over a courtyard full of delightful garden accessories, some old, some new, a variety of ground covers and new plantings, and a series of lime green garden arches.

Living in the Boston area, Droby and her husband Rick Burns had spent summers and holidays in Waldoboro for 25 years prior to moving to Wiscasset. When they bought the 1790 house and 1850s carriage house in 2011, she said that the grounds, now a gardener's dream, consisted of a not-so-pretty lawn with a few Norway maple trees scattered about. “We spent the summer of 2012 sitting on the porch looking at the lawn, and planning,” Droby said.

The outcome: Carriage House Gardens.

Droby said one of the first ideas for the layout and design of their grounds was a straight path from the street to the carriage house. Her reason? “So that should the carriage ever return it has a way to get to the carriage house.”

In 2013, they began excavating.

A parking area was installed, then they began replacing the lawn with gardens.

After using the carriage house as storage space for lawn mowers and hoses for two years, Droby, who loves art, garden ornaments, antiques, and other treasures, decided it deserved better. She and her husband converted it into a shop, inspired by gardens and nature. 

Droby has an extensive background in landscaping — and a lot of other things. When you start talking to her, you quickly become aware that she's well versed in pretty much everything involving plants, gardens, landscaping, antiques, historic homes, art and photo journalism.

Suffice it to say, if you go to Carriage House Gardens you won't be bored, and you may find yourself having unwittingly killed a couple pleasant hours. She's as interesting and fun to talk to as the menagerie of unusual, whimsical, artful nature and garden-inspired items in her shop.

After graduating from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in journalism, Droby worked for an underground newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia, the Great Speckled Bird. Then she came back to New England, got a degree in film studies, and worked for a Boston TV station in a videographer/editing position.

In 1984, the Drobys started a family. They adopted four siblings, aged 2, 4, 5 and 6. For obvious reasons, she became a stay-at-home mom.

Droby began taking courses in landscape design at Radcliffe College, graduating after nine years of two courses a year. She directed a non-profit landscape design business for 18 years in the Boston area.

When not tending her shop and gardens, Droby isn't sitting around twiddling her thumbs. In 2012, she started planning the Wiscasset Art Walk, and she volunteers with the Wiscasset Chamber of Commerce on a regular basis.

Some of the items you'll find at Carriage House Gardens are one-of-a-kind pieces for the garden by a ceramic artist in Rhode Island, John Fazzino; porch and patio furniture, vases and pots, and paintings by Alna artist Kate Nordstrom. There are some great, colorful garden gloves that Droby said will last for years, and her “favorite 100 percent beeswax candles.”

Droby is in the process of building a ‘menagerie’ collection that includes a pair of large Foo Lions, a family of “sweet little hand-carved wooden owls,” a beaded horse, a full-sized goat and turkey made from recycled metals, and a rocking piggy (with an apple in its mouth) carved in wood. There's a collection of picnic wares including Fleebag coolers, wicker picnic baskets, and African market baskets.  

As you walk up the carriage path, surrounded by plants, flowers and garden accessories, you'll see the large lime green iron arches that were installed earlier this summer. They were custom made by Edgecomb iron artisan Peter Brown. They make such a statement all by themselves, Droby is having a hard time deciding whether to plant climbing vines or other plants to twist themselves around them, or just leave them alone.

Droby used to have vegetable gardens, but now she's more interested in gardens for the eye.

She's deliberately not creating cottage garden-type plantings with lots of familiar and ornamental perennials. “People love these gardens and know what they look like. I’m trying to identify really, really excellent performers and using lots of them, limiting the plant palette.

“My landscape goal is to create a three-dimensional experience when you walk into the garden, rather than focus on the individual plants themselves.

'I'm creating an environment where people will come to shop, but they'll also be drawn to the garden and the courtyard area. I want the garden to be part of the shop experience. The wonder of having your own shop, of course, is to be the curator of goods that you love and want to share with others.”

Visit Carriage House Gardens’ Facebook page and website. 

Hodgdon Yachts Services is excited to announce that gas and diesel fuel are now available for purchase at Hodgdon Marina (formerly Wotton’s Wharf) in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. With 750 linear feet of dock space and 500 linear feet of face dock, the facility is able to accommodate a range of vessels needing to fill their fuel tanks.

“Gas and diesel are great additions to the Marina,” said Ian McKay, dockmaster at Hodgdon Marina. “We’re looking forward to serving both locally based boaters and those passing through as they cruise the coast.”

Hodgdon Marina – which also has overnight dock space or moorings available – offers a full range of amenities, including 30, 50 and 100 amp power hookup, clean heads and showers, laundry, water, free wifi, and service technicians.

“Previously, we only had fuel available at Hodgdon Yacht Services on Southport,” said Timothy Hodgdon, president of Hodgdon Yachts. “Having gas and diesel at a second, convenient location is going to be a benefit to our customers and the region.”

Hodgdon Marina is open from Monday to Sunday from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. and is located at 85 McFarland Point Drive in Boothbay Harbor. For more information, please visit www.hodgdonmarina.com.

If it seems like you are seeing a lot more bald eagles in Lincoln County, it’s not your imagination.

Not that long ago, a bald eagle sighting was cause for excited comment. Today it’s almost an everyday occurrence, and that’s by design, said Erynn Call, State Raptor Specialist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

“In the mid-70s, there were 30 nesting pairs in Maine,” she said. “Today, there are over 633 nesting pairs, and those are the only ones we count. We don’t count juveniles, or lone adults, or bachelor groups.”

Call said that the ban of DDT, a chemical which weakened the eggshells of birds, was the beginning of an effort to bring back the bald eagle from the brink of extinction. DDT was banned in 1972. But habitat loss was also a risk for the large raptors. It became necessary to provide connected habitat, safe from development, so the eagles and other raptors could once again soar in Maine’s skies.

This was done by a series of agreements and easements with landowners. The properties adjacent to already protected areas, such as Acadia National Park, state parks, and land trusts, were very valuable to provide a greater protected territory for the eagles. Each nesting pair can require quite a large hunting territory, almost always near a body of water or the ocean. Most eagles prefer fish, but will also eat turtles and other reptiles, small mammals, other birds, and even carrion. They also require trees that can support their nests, the largest tree nest of any animal on earth, some up to 10 feet across and 20 feet deep.

The effort was remarkably successful. Call said that while the annual population change for nesting pairs in Maine was seven percent across all counties, coastal regions, including the Midcoast, saw increases of nine percent or more, while fewer were added to the western mountains. In the west, the numbers are not growing as steadily because efforts to increase habitat have not been as successful as they have been along the coast and in central Maine.

The effort to save the bald eagle have helped other raptors as well. The Midcoast has seen an increase in populations of osprey, for instance, and although no official count has been conducted, a survey of nesting sites suggests there are more peregrine falcons in the region than existed before the mid-70s as well. Turkey vultures and many species of owl have benefited from efforts to save the bald eagle.

The increase in nesting pairs has caused the bald eagle to be de-listed from the Endangered Species list to a State Species of Special Concern. Its cousin, the golden eagle, is still considered an endangered species, however. The next statewide survey for bald eagles will occur in 2018.

Who doesn’t covet a raw oyster?

Me.

So far I’ve only written about foods I love, or at least like: good sandwiches, pizza, biscuits, chocolate cream pie, popovers, chocolate bread pudding, pretty much anything fried, pretty much anything fattening.

Remember the split seam last week?

This week I’m going to change it up a little and talk about something I don’t like, but almost everybody I know and love does. Raw oysters.

Don’t start hyperventilating. I’m not saying raw oysters are gross, just that I, personally, don’t like them.

It’s hard for me to resist eating something that looks enticing, even when I’m not hungry, when placed within reach.

A plate of raw oysters doesn’t entice me. Place a plate of them in front of me, and I’ll say thanks, but I’ll pass. Unless I’ve had a couple beers or glasses of wine, or a martini, or a manhattan. Or if I don’t want to hurt the oyster-giver’s feelings.

Believe it or not I’m really a very kind-hearted person. I don’t like hurting someone’s feelings, unless she/he has given me reason to. If you have ever been mean to me or someone I love, you don’t want to offer me a raw oyster.

I don’t know if oysters have always been as popular as they are now, but I know Hemingway had a weakness for them, and there been countless references to them in literature over the years.

I used to love watching my father eat them. I still love watching people eat them.

But come on. They’re slimy and mucilaginous. (Merriam-Webster’s definition of mucilaginous: sticky, viscid; of, relating to, full of, or secreting mucilage. In case you didn’t know.)

I just don’t get the appeal. I love the ocean and the icy cold salt water that oyster lovers claim is the essence of the oyster.

I spoke with oyster aficionados Ralph and Elena Smith at their restaurant, The World is Mine Oyster. Ralph, who sells a LOT of oysters, says he can tell where an oyster was raised by the flavor of the brine.

“If you put a plate in front of me with six different species of oysters, I could tell you where each one came from. The oysters taste different depending on where they grew — the salinity and depth of the water, what they’ve eaten, how old they are, all flavor the oysters.”

Elena Smith said it’s an acquired taste. “It’s like wine. You learn the terroir, you learn the land where they come from, and you start tasting the difference.”

I also talked to marine biologist Jon Lewis, who says he’s not an aficionado, but has been involved in oyster farming in some capacity for the past 19 years. He farms his own oysters for himself and his wife, Sue. He’s a great cook, and is always dreaming up a new way to cook the bivalves. I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I never knew bivalve meant having two hinged shells. I knew oysters, clams, scallops and mussels were bivalves, but I always thought it had something to do with, well, valves. Learn something new every day.

I learned from Lewis that oyster farmers actually “plant” oyster, or virginica, seeds — just like planting a vegetable seed, only different. The seeds are planted in briny rivers, on the bottom or in bags or traps. It takes three years for an oyster to mature to edible size. And the further south oysters are farmed, the faster they get big enough to eat. It’s all about water temperature, current and food source.

Anyway, among those three I learned pretty much everything I’ve ever wanted, or not wanted, to know about oysters. It’s all very interesting but unfortunately not enough to make me want to slurp one of those mucilaginous things out of its shell and into my mouth. For one thing they’re still alive when you eat them. I have an issue with eating something alive.

It’s a good thing they don’t have eyeballs. But guess what Elena Smith told me. At one point in their short briny existence they did. That really did it for me.

Joe Williamson, of McSeagulls and Tufulio’s (Sugarloaf) fame, came up with an oyster recipe he called Oysters Tufulio. They were served on the half shell with a little dollop of cocktail sauce, a small piece of each provolone and bacon and roasted for a minute or two. Believe it or not you could still taste that oyster underneath all those flavors.

Joe was a great cook. He was a great charmer, too, unfortunately for me. You can read about him in my autobiography. This is a family newspaper.

I’ll tell you all about the time Joe and I drove to California in a Volkswagen bus, picked up his partner, Larry Sullivan, in San Francisco, and drove up Route One along the coast to Mendocino. We stopped at some joint along the way that specialized in barbecued oysters. We ate a lot of them, and washed them down with a lot of beer. By the time we got to Mendocino, I was down for the count. Checked in to a lovely room in a bed & breakfast overlooking the Pacific, and passed out. That was a bummer.

The World is Mine Oyster serves cooked oysters too. One of them, Buffalo fried oysters, sounds yummy: Glidden Point Select oysters, deep-fried and tossed in a hot sauce, served in the shell with blue cheese. And oysters Rockefeller: a baked oyster with creamed spinach and bacon, flambéed with a licorice liqueur. “That gives it that New Orleans punch,” Ralph said.

Smith said he sells way more raw oysters than cooked though. “Ten to one.” Go figure. He said they’ll go through 4,000 oysters on a really good day, on average they’ll sell 1,200 to 1,500 a day.

Raw oysters: People either love them or hate them. As for the physiological benefits of ingesting an oyster, it’s not enough to sway me. I have never found proof that they have any impact on sex drive, but they do deliver some protein and are rich in vitamins C and B-12. And they’re loaded with zinc.

Zinc is great for knocking a cold out of your system. Of course, you could just suck on a Cold-Eeze tablet. Mainly zinc, it’ll kill a cold in no time flat, and it’s not mucilaginous.

See ya next week.

I’m not a chef. I lay no claim to being an authority on food or cooking. I’m a good cook, and a lover of good food. And I know how to spell and put a sentence together. This column is simply meant to be fun, and hopefully inspiring. So to anyone reading this whose hackles are raised because you know more about the subject of food than I, relax. I believe you. Email me at suzithayer@boothbayregister.com.

Openings remain for youth organizations, church groups, veterans and other organizations to take group tours of the “Rise Above” Tuskegee Airmen exhibit in August at Wiscasset Municipal Airport. The tours, a pre-screening of the exhibit that will be open to the public Aug. 20, run Aug. 17-19.

Although these slots are filling up daily, there are still openings. More slots remain for small groups than for large ones of up to 35. It is important to note that these tours are scheduled in advance. Organizations must be on the schedule to participate. The preview showing dates prior to the Aug. 20 fly-in are not open to the public. If an organization would like a preview, it must contact Lisa Reece to check for availability to get on the schedule. Organizations participating so far are the Boys and Girls Club of Lewiston/Auburn and South Portland, the Lewiston/Auburn YMCA, the Damariscotta CLC and Boothbay Region YMCA, and the Wiscasset Recreation summer program, to name a few.

The Commemorative Air Force brings to life this amazing and often overlooked story of the Tuskegee Airmen, America’s first black fighter squadron of World War II. On August 20 the exhibit and fly-in will be open to the public with a rare, restored P-51 “Red Tail” Mustang on display. The Saturday show includes helicopter rides, veteran programs, entertainment, static displays, food, and a variety of antique, vintage and new aircraft.

The squadron’s story is an inspirational one, especially for the young people of today, and a valuable message for all ages. The goal is to expose the next generation to a story that will excite and inspire them to fulfill their dreams no matter the obstacles. This event also introduces students to general aviation and the public to the importance of small community airports. The exhibit is designed to inspire our youth and honor all our veterans. This is truly an important and timely event for all ages — now more than ever as we are losing our “greatest generation” at an alarming rate.

We look forward to sharing a part of our history that we should never forget. We can all learn a lot from these brave men who “triumphed over adversity” to fight for our freedom in a time of segregation and bigotry.

There are no costs associated with viewing this exhibit on any of these dates. For more information, contact Reece at lisacub503@yahoo.com or 207 350-2122.

If you ever want to see what dedication looks like, visit the pits at Wiscasset Speedway during the summertime. Although temperatures on Saturday afternoon reached into the eighties, the courageous crews continued to run through race day preparations as if they were trying to keep warm. Even more impressive were the drivers themselves, who voluntarily zipped up in full body fire suits and entered cars known to reach temperatures of up to 120 degrees – all for the love of racing. Take a minute to consider how many people you know with that kind of endurance, while we review the blistering action from this past weekend.

Skipping the pleasantries, the Super Streets got down to business for their 25-lap spotlight race. Points’ leader, Mark Lucas of the #5 car, battled Jason Curtis, driving the #02, for dominance throughout the first five laps. After waging war from the outer lane, Lucas pulled ahead to take the first position, leaving Curtis to play catch up. Several car lengths behind, crowd-favorite Josh Bailey of the #2 car, kept Kenny Harrison of the #85 at bay, with the latter trying everything he could to make a comeback on the corners. With drama low and speeds high, Lucas was free to cruise like a teenager driving unsupervised for the first time – not a care in the world! With the night’s first caution and regroup came adulthood for Lucas, who spent the final laps successfully defending first place for his fourth season win. Curtis earned second place for the power that he had brought to the spotlight feature, with Bailey taking home third.

Tossing their walkers to the side, the Senior Tour Auto Racers (S.T.A.R.) leapt into action for the division’s two 20-lap feature events. Based in Massachusetts, this nonprofit auto-racing club features vintage cars made before 1979, driven by competitors ranging from 18 to 80 years old. Do not let the division name fool you – these drivers come from all over New England to show how these older machines can bounce back just like a sugar-free Jell-O cup. With their Sportsman group up first, Alan Zelma in the #43 from Windham kept the pride of first place in state, with second and third going back to Massachusetts, earned respectively by Curt Snow of the #110 from West Warren, and Charlie Lima of the #2x from New Bedford. Hearing aids were the only thing turned down when the S.T.A.R. Modifieds stepped up for the division’s second race. Slightly faster and with a bit more edge, this group kept the competition as dignified as the last. Although led throughout by #7 and #71, driven by Bobby Turner and Arthur Hannaford, the entire field of cars stayed as tight as grama’s knitting, with a few dropped stitches here and there. Mainers swept victory lane so clean you could eat off it, with Turner taking first, Hannaford second and Scott Tucker of the #79 placing third.

When the Prostocks lined up for their 40-lap feature race, Scott Chubbuck of the #15x left other drivers in his dust as he immediately cleared a healthy margin. Traffic remained two cars wide as Andy Saunders of the #01 and Ajay Picard of the #99 compensated for their back-of-the-pack starting positions. Sponsored by Servpro of Biddeford/Saco, this class always keeps spectators on their feet, and Saturday night was no exception. Driving the #23, rookie Brandon Sprague of Ellsworth impressed fans with his defense of the second position, but Saunders and Picard continued to be the talk of the town. If it were not for the fierce rivalry between them, they could almost pass for members of the same team – droning flashes of black and green, delighting fans at almost 90 miles per hour. Culminating in a dramatic final lap, Chubbuck scored his first win of the season, followed by a rare sighting of double rookies in victory lane. Both achieving career best finishes, Sprague finished in second place and Thomas True, driving the #12 from Wiscasset, placed third.

Sixteen Thunder Minis took the field for their usual 20-lap feature; treating spectators to a group almost double the size of others. With too many cooks in the kitchen, things were bound to get messy. Multiple cautions kept the action lukewarm as traffic jostled up to four cars wide. Michael Harrison of the #48 car took advantage of a regroup five laps in, supplanting first from Jeff Davis, driving the #1. Always the bridesmaid, Harrison was ready for a leading role after finishing as the runner up four times this season. While he continued to gain breathing room, Michael Golding, driving the #26, stepped up to relieve Davis of his position and held it until the end for a second place finish. To the delight of fans, Harrison finally had his big day, walking away with his first career on-track win.

Last but not least, the New England 4-Cyl. Pro division cruised on to the course for their 25-lap feature race. Throughout the season, several heated rivalries have emerged between competitors and Kamren Knowles of the #98, who has dominated victory lane with five total wins. After coming in second to Knowles two weeks ago, RJ Pinkham of the #48, used his win in the heat race to put distance between himself and the pack, knowing that Knowles would not take long to close the gap. Driving the #4 car, Conner Wenners held the third place behind Spencer Vaughn of the #7 car, who worked to catch up to Pinkham in the lead. As the group moved into lap ten, Knowles pushed past Pinkham for first, after achieving footing on the inside lane.  With mere seconds between pack leaders, Knowles took first in a bumper-to-bumper finish with Pinkham, while Vaughn placed third for the second consecutive race.  

Join us Saturday, July 23 for an extended event as Wiscasset Speedway celebrates its 47th birthday! Beginning at 5 p.m., the fun will kick off with a make-up Late Model Sportsman feature race and continue with everything from 75 laps of Outlaw Mini Madness to a fireworks show! Individual admission is $5 – less than the cost of a movie ticket! Bring the whole family – grandstand fees waived for kids under 6. For the 2016 Race Schedule and more, visit www.wiscassetspeedway.com. Be part of the action by following Wiscasset Speedway on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

The Great Falls Balloon Festival will host its 24th annual celebration Aug. 19-21 at Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston and Festival Plaza in Auburn. The mission of this annual community event is to provide a fundraising venue for dozens local nonprofits.

Visitors to the festival can expect a unique experience as hot air balloons take to the skies over the Androscoggin River and the rocky Great Falls. This year’s “The Force Takes Flight” theme will feature two special shape balloons featuring the heads of Darth Vader and Yoda. The balloons featuring the two "Star Wars" characters were constructed in Great Britain. Their designs were approved by Lucasfilm Ltd. There are also 20-25 standard shape balloons are also expected to fly throughout the weekend.

During the day, visitors can enjoy offerings from dozens of food booths — all staffed by volunteers from area nonprofit groups. Pancake breakfasts follow the morning launches on Saturday and Sunday. Performance stages in Lewiston and Auburn feature a variety of live entertainment throughout the weekend.

The river walkway will host dozens of craft and trade vendors offering handmade items, balloon-themed collectibles, toys and jewelry. The children’s area will offer miniature horse rides, bounce house, face painting, games and prizes. Carnival rides, moonglows, a parade, inflatables and rock climbing wall round out the weekend’s offerings.

Stop by the souvenir booth for the newest festival gear. The yearly commemorative pin has become a collectible among festival fans. Souvenir proceeds go back into the festival fund for future events.

The entertainment schedule showcases both returning artists as well as some new ones — 'Elvis' will be appearing on both stages and the Elton John tribute band is returning, among many other great acts.

The Riding of Ravensbridge will return in Bonney Park in Auburn to re-create the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe. They will be set up all weekend for guests to visit and take a walk back in time.

'Pups in the Air' will be coming this year — they are a creative, enthusiastic group of Disc Doggers and their performing canines entertain crowds all over New England. This will be their first appearance at the festival and they will be doing two shows Saturday, Aug. 20 and two on Sunday, Aug. 21 in the early afternoon.. Each show is approximately one hour with a meet and greet after each performance.

New for the first time in all of the festival's 24 years: the main stage will host a free 90-minute comedy show on Saturday night. Maine Event Comedy, hosted by Mark Turcotte, will entertain the crowd with other Vacation State comedians.

Family Fun Day on Sunday morning will feature Grammy nominated artist, Judy Pancoast. (She was nominated for Best Children's album in 2011.) There will also be face painting, animal exhibits, science demos, fun runs and all sorts of family fun. Also new this year: a costume contest centered around the festival theme of “The Force Takes Flight.” All Family Fun Day activities are FREE!

As always, admission to the festival is free. Some activities, such as carnival rides and inflatables, require a fee.

Balloon launches are scheduled for 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., Friday–Sunday, weather permitting. Ride tickets are $200 per person, prior to Aug.15 and 16, and can be purchased through the festival website, www.greatfallsballoonfestival.org. Advance reservations are highly recommended.

For visitors who want to stay closer to ground-level, tethered rides are available for $10–$15 per person and are available to purchase on-site during festival weekend.

For the most up-to-date festival information, follow the festival on Facebook (Great Falls Balloon Festival), visit the website, or call 1-800-639-6331.

On Saturday, August 20, the Maine Fallen Heroes Foundation will be holding its inaugural run to honor our fallen military heroes starting and ending at Brunswick Recreation Center in Brunswick, Maine. The run is a celebration of the lives for the 98 men and 2 women with Maine ties who have given their lives since 09-11-2001. In appreciation of their ultimate sacrifice to our great state and country, we gather on this day in a display of unity to honor them and to thank their families and friends while showing that we promise to never forget.

The day’s events will begin at the Brunswick Recreation Center in Brunswick starting at 7 a.m. for same day registration. Opening ceremonies, including prayer, reading of each soldier’s name and a song to remember the fallen will take place at 9 a.m. Runners will begin the 5-kilometer run at 9:40 a.m. -- this year's event features both a non-timed 5K walk/run for family members and a timed 10K road race (starts at 9:30 a.m.) for those who want to share in this event. Runners will be led from the starting line on Neptune Drive by the Maine Patriot Riders along a designated route lined with posters representing each Fallen Military Hero in the form of a photo, their home town and a brief bio. Many of the family members and military representatives stand at these markers to encourage the runners along the route.

This year our run will start and finish at Brunswick Landing in Brunswick. Our program will include, 5K run/walk, a 10K road race, a kids run, a Jet fly-over and 70' camo boot camp obstacle course, scholarship awards and much more. Family members and all those that register before August 15 will be treated to a traditional Maine family barbecue inside the Brunswick Recreation Center prior to our closing ceremonies. T-shirts will be given to the first (500) that register.

If you are a runner, Come and run our all new 10K road race in honor of our fallen heroes. This promises to be a historic event with very special guests and entertainment by some amazing aircraft.

If you are a family member of a fallen military hero. We welcome you to come walk or run and share in our common bond and enjoy the day's festivities.

Visit http://www.mainefallenheroes.org for more information or to donate.

It is time for Kennebec Estuary Land Trust's (KELT) most popular summertime event on Wednesday, August 10 from 10 a.m. to noon at Reid State Park in Georgetown. The public is invited to traverse the softshell clam flats with Georgetown’s Shellfish Warden, Jon Hentz, and learn to dig clams. This event is great for families, kids, and adults.

A quintessential Maine activity, no clam digging license is needed to dig a peck of clams in the state park. Adults and children alike will enjoy the scenery, sandy flats, and hunting for softshell clams and other tidal creatures.

Hentz has been warden for several towns in the Kennebec Estuary region for over a decade. He will share clam digging techniques as well as information about the local clam harvesting industry. Participants will discover the importance of clean water to the clams and the harvesters that dig them.

The program offered by KELT is free and open to the public. Participants will need to pay the state park entrance fee. This is a rain or shine event. Registration is strongly encouraged at www.kennebecestuary.org and any questions can be directed to Becky Kolak at 207-442-8400 or bkolak@kennebecestuary.org. This program was generously sponsored by the Merrymeeting Bay Trust.

The Maine Public Broadcasting Network announces that the Maine Principals’ Association has awarded MPBN the television broadcast and streaming rights to the boys’ and girls’ State Finals basketball games in in 2017, 2018 and 2019. MPBN will provide coverage of the AA, A, B, C and D class state championship games across the entire state.

MPBN will produce and broadcast “Championship Weekend” that includes live coverage of all the Friday and Saturday games and delivering them to MPBN’s state-wide television audience as well as rebroadcasting the games in their entirety that Sunday.

“We are very excited to partner with the Maine Principals’ Association for the next three years and continue our tradition of covering high school basketball in Maine and thank them for this opportunity. Offering basketball coverage to communities across Maine is very important to us as an organization,” said Mark Vogelzang, MPBN’s chief executive officer, in a news release. “Last year’s “Championship Weekend” format allowed us to showcase the top teams and student-athletes competing for their schools and their communities across the entire state on Friday and Saturday and also rebroadcast the championship games statewide that Sunday. We repeatedly heard from viewers and basketball fans that the chance to catch games that they missed earlier in the weekend on that Sunday was really appreciated.”

MPA Executive Director Dick Durost said: “This agreement continues the decades-long relationship between the MPA and MPBN. We are pleased to continue to meet the state championship needs of Maine high school basketball fans everywhere for another three years.”

The State Finals playoff schedule will include games taking place in Portland, Augusta, and Bangor. MPBN will announce its coverage schedule in early February, 2017.

It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re exploring Dodge Point Preserve in Newcastle for the first time or even for those rediscovering it. 

The 500-acre preserve popular with locals and visitors from away is maintained through a partnership of the Damariscotta River Association and the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. One of the nicest features is its more than 8,000 feet of water frontage to enjoy along the Damariscotta River. 

Last week, the weather was perfect for being outdoors, warm but low humidity, with a nice sea breeze blowing off the water. A few other folks thought it was a good day for a walk in the woods, as well. During my visit, I met a dozen other hikers of all ages, including a couple from Texas, another from Pennsylvania and still another from Illinois. 

The preserve is easy to find. From the Davey Bridge in Edgecomb, turn right off Route 1 onto Route 27 to Boothbay. Just past the Edgecomb Potters Gallery, turn left onto McKay Road. Along the way, you’ll pass the turn for the Damariscotta River Link trail system that carries you through the Schmid Preserve. 

McKay Road comes out to River Road; turn left at the stop sign. You’ll soon pass the landmark yellow Merry Barn on your right, once the scene of contra dances where the late Howie Davison of Edgecomb served as the caller in the 1960s and 70s. 

The turn for the preserve is just over the Edgecomb-Newcastle town line on the right and marked with a sign. 

There are four trails, dry, well-packed and easy to follow. The “Old Farm Trail” serves as the main route in and out. Taking the path to the left of the kiosk carries you through a forest of mixed red and northern pines through a green canopy of mixed deciduous trees. At 0.15 miles, you’ll pass the first of several handy directional signs with a map and arrow indicating where you are. 

From here the path widens into an old tote road. A stream trickles beside it on the left that leads to a small glade filled with cat o’ nine tails just beginning to turn brown. 

Just beyond is a small lake that in the 19th century served as an ice pond. Long before the days of refrigeration, ice was cut here during the winter and stored in ice houses later to be sold. Not far from this area, a salt works operated here during Colonial times. 

The road continues over a stone and earthen dike built years ago to form the pond. A short plank bridge spans what may have once served as a sluice. A small bench in a shaded area has been placed here where you can catch your breath and enjoy the view of the pond. 

I could hear the cicadas singing in the distance, a sign mid-summer is here and autumn’s not too far off. Another was seeing the golden, brown-eyed Susans in bloom and the first signs of purple heather blossoms. 

Just ahead you’ll catch a whiff of tangy salt air and soon reach the shore at a place called “Brickyard Beach.” Here you’ll see heaps of broken bricks lining the shore, the remains of yet another forgotten industry, the Dodge Brothers Brickworks. Along the muddy bank are a few rotting timbers, all that remains of a loading dock where scows and other vessels once tied up to load finished bricks. 

Continuing southward on the “Shore Trail” carries you to “Pebble Beach.” You’ll find a another small beach with a huge rocky ledge resembling a beached whale and a popular place for picture-taking. 

From here the path gradually runs uphill past an outcropping that rises roughly 100 feet. A short ways after crossing a tumbling stone wall, you’ll come to “Baker Landing” and a small wooden dock maintained by the DRA. The dock and landing area are open for public use. Not far from here someone had left a plastic ice shed, perhaps from last winter’s ice fishing season. 

The Shore Trail eventually links up with the Old Farm Trail, which carries one back through the woods to the parking area. From the dock it’s about a 15 to 20-minute walk up and over a small rise. 

Two other trails to explore are the “Ravine” and “Timber” trails. All of the trails are well-marked, easy to follow ones that beginners will enjoy. Dogs are permitted but need to be under the control of their owners. Both swimming and fishing are permitted. Fires and motorized vehicles are prohibited. Other rules are posted at the kiosk. The preserve is open year-round dawn to dusk. 

If you plan to hike the entire preserve in one visit, wear a good set of trail shoes. On this visit, I spent a little more than two hours walking the trail system, although I stopped several times for picture-taking. 

To learn more about the preserve or download a map, visitwww.damariscottariver.org.

Caroline Clark has been traveling through Wiscasset to get to New Harbor and other places about 80 years, but never stopped at the waterfront. She’s always wanted to and on Sunday, her 86th birthday, thanks to sons John Mills of Augusta and Brian Mills of Sydney, she got her wish.

She also got a crabmeat roll at Sprague’s Lobster on the Creamery Pier. “It was the best crab roll in the world. Delicious,” Clark said at a picnic table overlooking the Sheepscot River in the mid-afternoon sun.

Clark was born in Brooklyn, New York but didn’t stay long. Her family moved to Bath eighty-five and a half years ago and ran a convenience store on Washington Street where the Cabin restaurant is now. “That was our home. We had a vegetable garden and everything. We lived upstairs,” Clark said.

On the waterfront in Maine’s prettiest village, she was enjoying her birthday and finally having a chance to see the scenery up-close. “This is very, very nice.”

The three were among many Mainers and out-of staters ranging from first-timers on the waterfront to ones who make it a summer tradition.

Virginia Beach, Virginia’s Jared Strout, in line at Red’s Eats with border collie-mix Stella, makes it to the famous stand annually when he comes to Maine to visit family. Stella likes lobster. Would she be having some this time? “Probably,” Strout said.

Red’s Eats is having a good summer, blessed with a lot of good weather, co-owner Deb Gagnon said. “It’s been beautiful.”

Back at Sprague’s on the other side of Main Street, many patrons also had their dogs with them at the picnic tables. Some mingled, like Nadine Edris’ poodle-mix rescue Nellie, wearing a blue bandana around her neck; and Jim and Marthe Soden’s lab, Fred. He accepted pats from a girl who had gotten Marthe Soden’s okay. Soden, of Marian, Massachusetts, appreciated her asking; anyone should when they meet a new dog, Soden said. She sat with Fred while her husband of 46 years stood waiting at the longtime lobster shack for the food.

She got to watch the dog and her husband got that, she said, smiling.

Skippy the whippet was playing it cool, in the shade under the table occupied by Wendy and Marty Quinn of Lee, New Hampshire, daughter Caity Parsons of West Lafayette, Indiana, and her husband Paul Parsons.

Wendy Quinn had the lobster. Her daughter, who’d had the clam chowder, reached for one of the feelers and asked her mother if she was going to eat them all. Parsons’ baby boy is due Sept. 5.

The two women’s vegan husbands found food at Sprague’s, as well. Marty Quinn got corn on the cob; his son-in-law, fried mushrooms and fried green beans.

It was nice that there was music, Caity Parsons said, looking toward Mike Ferrucci nearby on acoustic guitar. He plays for tips. “And it’s just fun,” he said.

On the Commercial Pier down Water Street, Mary Ershbock of Chicago, Illinois thought she’d try a cone of Lear’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream lobster ice cream at QT’s Ice Cream Parlor. “It’s good,” she said. Ershbock was on a road trip with her sister from Utah. They flew in to Boston, visited Portland and stopped in Wiscasset on the way to Bar Harbor.

More photos from Sunday

The only path up the mountain is through hard work. And you can never truly rest.

Days ahead of his Texas sendoff for the Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, David Hughes said that was a central lesson his mother, Wiscasset teacher and Edgecomb resident Irene Marchenay, taught him, by example, while he was growing up.

He credits it with helping him get to the Olympic level. “I wouldn’t be who I am without my mom. I know that’s something everyone says, but it’s absolutely true,” Hughes said in a phone interview Sunday night.

He has followed her work ethic, and continues to, as he makes a run at an Olympic medal. He plans to take part in the opening ceremonies and draw on the Olympic energy but not get distracted by it, he said. “Truth be told, I’m there to do a job. We are truly in to win an Olympic medal. It’s not a hope,” he added.

Hughes, 38, said he and his partner in competition, Stuart McNay, have earned medals in other events together about 20 times. “That gives us confidence ... I’m feeling very positive that my partner and I are in a good place, that we’re gelling.”

Besides Marchenay’s example and Hughes’ past Olympic experiences as an alternate and a coach, another aid to his medal pursuit is that he’s a competitor. “Sailing at the Olympic level is an extremely mental game and physical at the same time. It’s extremely physically demanding. The competition is second to none.” So is the commitment it requires, including putting family trips on hold, he said.

Hughes’ schedule of travel, training and competition has been so packed that the Miami, Florida, man and Yarmouth High School graduate hasn’t seen his mother in person in about a year and a half. 

“It’s an unfortunate reality,” he said about the loss of time with family. Marchenay will be at the sendoff party and recently told the Wiscasset Newspaper she is very excited to see her son.

Hughes said Sunday night, “I’m very much looking forward to it and to having a nice dinner with her.” He’d love to make a trip to Maine next fall, he said.

Speaking of dinner, it’s the Olympian’s lightest meal of the day. He has two breakfasts — usually with avocados in some form — snacks between meals, and goes by the adage to have breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.

That’s a good rule for weight maintenance, he said, but added that with his current level of activity, “It is as though I can’t eat enough.”

There will be a meeting Monday, Aug. 8 for seventh and eighth grade students interested in playing middle school football at Boothbay Region Elementary School. Wiscasset and other Lincoln County students are invited to participate.

The meeting will be held outside the school at 6 p.m. where coaches will talk about the upcoming season and explain the necessary paperwork needed before the season begins.

For more information, call Coach Brad Drummond at 462-1364.

Wiscasset’s summer soccer season is winding down. The team of high school players defeated visiting Lawrence of Fairfield 3-2 on July 21. Wiscasset was set to travel to Farmingdale Thursday, July 28, to play its final game against Hall-Dale. The game will begin at 6 p.m.

Coach Chris Cossette saw his team score three times in the first half against Lawrence. The visitors made a contest, rallying back and scoring two goals in the second half of play.

Afterwards Cossette said the final score isn’t really important. “The summer league is about getting the kids on the playing field and giving them the opportunity to work on their skills.” Cossette is Wiscasset Middle High School’s boys varsity soccer coach.

This year’s summer team has averaged about 12 to 13 players for most of the games. “We’ve had a consistent core group since we started playing back in June,” the coach said, adding the number has gone up and down because of vacations and summer jobs.

The schedule included teams from Winslow, Monmouth, Maranacook and Oceanside (formerly Georges Valley) making up the Central Maine Summer Soccer League. The league has grown to 14 teams and included officials. Because of the summer heat, the teams play quarters.

When the regular high school season begins, WMHS will compete in the Maine State Principal Association’s Class C division in the Mountain Valley Conference. Following a two-week layoff, the Wolverines will begin practicing for the upcoming season Monday, Aug. 15.

Cossette’s summer roster has included Brandon Goud, Ethan James, Grant Hefler and Russell Marr, all of whom will be seniors in the fall. He’s also had two sets of brothers, Sam and Alex Strozier, along with Josh and Caleb Gabriele. Alex is also a senior.

James has been a standout this summer playing mid-field helping the team both offensively and defensively.  He figured in one of the team’s goals against Lawrence, setting up the score with a long distance throw-in from the sideline.

The July 21 game was played on the school’s lower field and drew a sizable turnout, mostly parents.

“Sam Strozier, who is going to be a junior in the fall, has been our goal keeper and done a really good job for us in the net. He’s demonstrated a phenomenal work ethic,” Cossette added.

Other players are Max Sampson, Matt Chapman, Josh Kramley and Matt Smith. Josh Jones has been the team’s only freshman. The coach said he hopes he’ll have more first-year players when the regular practices begin in two weeks.

Duane Goud, WMHS girls’ soccer coach, has been helping Cossette coach the summer team. Goud noted the Wolverine girls’ varsity is participating in a preseason tournament with Richmond the weekend of Aug. 20.

Last Saturday night marked the anniversary of some important historical events. In 2007, Honda produced the six millionth Civic. The 1996 U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team brought home the first gold; Vanessa Williams was the first winner in pageant history to resign in 1984; and deep in the heart of Lincoln County, Wiscasset Speedway opened in 1969. For 47 years, it has operated as Maine’s fastest track. Even though drivers showed up wearing fire suits instead of their birthday suits, each division had obviously come to party.

In an epic Late Model Sportsman double-header, the St. Clair Family from Liberty kept winning relative. Josh of the #33 took first in the rescheduled race, while his grandfather, Dave, won in the second. Sponsored by Kennebec Equipment Rental, the Outlaw Minis rocked a 75-lap Madness Spotlight Feature where Zach Audet of the #19me proved hard work pays off when he accepted first place in victory lane. Other winners included Ben Tinker of the #19 from New Gloucester for the NAPA Modified and Kyle Hewins of the #51 from Leeds for the Strictly Streets.

Starting the celebration was the Rescheduled Late Model Feature, where a packed line up of seventeen cars left fans constantly wondering what would happen next. An absence of cautions meant members of the widespread pack had to rely on their ability to navigate busy traffic in order to get a shot at victory lane. While several competitors took early leads, like Tyler Robbins of the #34 and Alex Waltz of the #00, the drivers continuously dominating the track were Josh St. Clair of the #33 and Nick Hinkley of the #15 from Wiscasset. Starting out ahead, Hinkley used some serious straightaway speed to keep his lead but by lap twenty, St. Clair overtook the end of the pack and let track traffic create some breathing room. Hinkley stayed strong for a third place trophy and Will Collins of the #25 from Waldoboro claimed second.

In the 75-lap Spotlight Feature, the Outlaw Minis impressed fans with over an hour of stop and go suspense. Right off the starting line, Shawn Kimball of the #20 made his intentions known, while Cole and Kyle Robinson, driving #61 and #62 respectively, kept everyone busy in their pursuit of glory. With twenty-four drivers fueling the competition, New York City-style traffic continued to gather throughout the race, offering regroup opportunities during the frequent yellow flags. By lap fifty, Audet in the #19me led a stable top three turn after turn, including Justin Trombley of the #34 in second position and Kimball in third. With five laps to go, Trombley used the outer lane to force Audet to fight to the end for first, with the latter winning by 1/100^th of a second. In victory lane, Kimball took third place while an excited Audet credited his fourth win to the constant support of his friends, family and sponsors.

The night finished with the same intensity that kept fans cheering at the start with the regularly scheduled 35-Lap Late Model Sportsman Feature. After winning the heat race earlier, Dave St. Clair took the lead immediately, while behind him the field filled with anxiety-provoking side-by-side battles. Driving the #00, Waltz showed his competitive side once again until traffic bumped him enough for Andrew McLaughlin of the #26 to slip into second behind St. Clair. By the time only ten laps remained, McLaughlin has closed the gap, leaving mere inches between himself and the rear bumper of #14 until the checkered flag flew. In victory lane, St. Clair referred to his recent knee replacement, saying that racing was his therapy – demonstrating the caliber of champion produced at Wiscasset Speedway throughout the last forty-seven years!

Join us next Saturday, July 30 at Wiscasset Speedway for the Boss Hogg 100, featuring the Prostock Division, sponsored by ServPro of Biddeford/Saco. Other feature races will include the Super Streets, Thunder Mini 4’s and New England 4 Cyl. Prostocks. Individual admission is $5 – less than the cost of a movie ticket! Bring the whole family – grandstand fees waived for kids under 6. For the 2016 Race Schedule and more, visit www.wiscassetspeedway.com.

The inaugural Maine Summer Adventure Race took place on July 23, offering a full- or half-day of exploration of the woods and lakes around Midcoast Conservancy’s Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson. Teams of two, three or four racers competed in a nonstop race involving trail running or trekking, road and mountain biking, flat-water paddling and orienteering to guide themselves to as many checkpoints as possible within the race’s time limit.

In the eight-hour race, 25 teams of one to four racers began the day with a short orienteering section on HVNC property, followed by a road bike up to Midcoast Conservancy's put-in on the northern edge of Damariscotta Lake for a 13-mile paddle. Racers then biked through North Whitefield, Whitefield, and out to Blinn Hill before mountain biking behind HVNC back to the barn, about 28 miles. At the barn, they picked up their map for the final orienteering course, a 10-mile trek all over HVNC and the Stetser Preserve. Highlights of the race included a swim out to an island in Little Dyer Pond for one checkpoint, and a great paddle up a creek in Jefferson off Damariscotta Lake.

The 3-hour race had a total of 25 racers who had to obtain up to 15 checkpoints on HVNC property, including two by boat in Little Dyer Pond, and complete up to three challenges on course, including a Frisbee golf challenge, tying a bowline knot as a team, and sawing through a log as a team. Co-course designer Kate White, of the Strong Machine Adventure Racing team, said, “We had a lot of first-time adventure racers in this race (including a few kids with their parents!) and we were so impressed with everyone's efforts to push hard right through the end of the race.”

Cliff White, the other half of the course design team, added “What was really fun about this race was the amount of choice and strategy that all teams had to do. The course was very big and was primarily made up of optional checkpoints, meaning that teams had to decide which segments to spend their time on in order to maximize their points. Some teams gambled on the paddle section, clearing all checkpoints there, while others cut their paddle short hoping that they would be more efficient on the biking and orienteering sections. The winning team maximized it all - Rev3 Adventure, an experienced and nationally-ranked team from New Hampshire and Connecticut, used their speed and navigational skills to obtain all paddle and bike points and clear most of the orienteering course, winning the race in 7 hours 51 minutes with 27 total checkpoints.”

Teams came from all over New England to compete in the unique and challenging race. Second place team Rugged Road was from Vermont and third place Chaos Raid was from Massachusetts. In the three-hour race, the winning team Smarty Pints hailed from Gorham and Scarborough, got all checkpoints and finished with 21 minutes to spare. Team Old Guy Young Girl (Saco and Massachusetts) got second place and The Maine Event (Biddeford and Vermont) got third place after also clearing the course. 

Kate White said, “Overall, we were thrilled with the turn out and proud of the racers for taking on two challenging courses on a very hot and humid day. We also had a great after-party thanks to generous partnerships with the Alna Store, Sheepscot General, and Oxbow Brewing! “

Midcoast Conservancy looks forward to hosting the event next year. For racers eager to hit the trails before then, registration is now open for this fall’s Race Through the Woods, also at HVNC, on October 2. For more information, go to midcoastconservancy.org/events or call (207) 389-5150.

Saturday, July 30 will be a busy day in Boothbay Harbor, especially for dogs.

That day marks the 4th annual Mutt Scrub, hosted by Two Salty Dogs Pet Outfitters.

Described as more of a festival than a fundraiser, there will be dog washing and grooming, nail trimming, pet-friendly games, big prizes, a silent auction of gifts donated by local shops and all kinds of free stuff. There will also be rounds of doggie musical chairs, a talent show for dogs, and music provided by MC Meow Meow, someone everyone should know. This is how he's described on the Two Salty Dogs website. “Our lovely and talented MC Meow Meow will lift your spirits with cheerful and sporting competitions like Doggie Musical Chairs where the last dog to sit when the music stops is OUT, and the Canine Talent Show where anything goes!”

Don Kingsbury, owner of Two Salty Dogs, said last year's event raised over $3,500.

Most of the money raised is through the raffle tickets. They are $2 per ticket or $20 for 12, with prizes ranging from gift certificates to local restaurants and shops, to local pet service providers. All proceeds benefit the Lincoln County Animal Shelter. The shelter will be showcasing dogs up for adoption, and with donations from the crowd, volunteers will give them sudsy scrubs. Coastal Humane Society and Lincoln County Animal Shelter will waive $100 adoption fees for any pet adopted at the event. Fees are normally $300 - $350.

Shampoos and conditioners have been donated by Mutt Nose Best Natural Pet Products. They are made in the Bangor area, and are environmentally friendly and sulfate-free.

“We get a bunch of really great kids and grownups helping out at the scrub,” Kingsbury said. “Last year we had a team from Robinson's Wharf who came over and washed dogs, and we had Dave Rumnye from Car Quest who, with his family, washed dogs all day.” Anyone who'd like to help scrub mutts this year can call Two Salty Dogs and ask for Don. One hour per volunteer is all that's asked.

Raffle tickets can be purchased at Two Salty Dogs or online. Take a chance to win one, or several, great prizes, including: a $75 gift certificate for Robinson's Wharf; a $100 gift certificate for Boathouse Bistro, Mine Oyster or Cod's Head; a $75 gift certificate for Ports of Italy; Four small (gorgeous) oyster plates from Alison Evans Ceramics; six months of pet food from Blue Buffalo; 10 days of doggie daycare form Coastal Dog; a $50 gift certificate from Slick's Boutique; and many more. Visit the website to see all.

The event will take place on the lawn across from Two Salty Dogs, at 22 McKown Street from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit Mutt Scrub Home Page for more information.

If you'd like to volunteer or have questions, email Mutt-Srub@twosaltydogs.net or call Two Salty Dogs Pet Outfitters at 207-633-7387 and ask for Don.

Help get the word out: Go to the Mutt Scrub Home Page and download a high-res poster, print them, and get them up wherever you can.

An Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) official said July 28, he is hoping for a meeting of the Head Tide Dam Committee in the latter part of August. The meeting would be to hear a new presentation from Inter-Fluve, the engineering firm helping the ASF and the committee explore options for one of the dam’s abutments, ASF Vice President of U.S. Programs Andy Goode said.

It will be the first meeting of the full committee since shortly after selectmen empaneled it earlier this year, Goode said. The committee replaced a larger one that worked with Goode for a year.

“It’s been kind of quiet, but there’s been a lot of behind-the-scenes work going on,” to develop some iterations for the committee to review, he said. Goode said the planning is in line with the concepts he shared with selectmen prior to the new committee’s creation. Those focused on replacing the abutment nearest the parking area on Head Tide Road.

The August meeting will help move the work closer to having something to show selectmen, hopefully before the end of fall, Goode said. It’s too soon to know whether any proposal would be offered to March 2017 town meeting voters, he said.

In another development, Kleinschmidt Associates in Pittsfield has been brought on board to help with the Alna work, in a secondary role to Inter-Fluve, the lead firm, Goode said.

Meanwhile, the ASF continues its work in neighboring Whitefield ahead of the removal of Coopers Mills Dam. Goode said a federal grant has just been secured and all the legal agreements with the town have been signed.

The Coastal Humane Society is preparing for its 11th annual Paws for a Cause 5K, Walk and Festival at L.L.Bean, taking place Saturday, August 27.

The event will feature a 5K and Walk circling the L.L.Bean Campus and many new events in the expanded Paws for a Cause Festival, held out of Discovery Park at L.L.Bean immediately following the 5K and Walk.

The festival includes live music, food trucks, demonstrations, contests, a shelter dog kissing booth, a photo booth, and more - even a “Worst in Show” competition, which is, according to Director of Programs and Community Relations Chris Wolff, akin to an amateur Best in Show competition.

“If you’ve ever wanted to see how your dog would do at Westminster, this event is for you. We’ll be giving out prizes for anything that gives the audience a laugh,” said Wolff. “No experience necessary – in fact, we prefer no experience! It will be quite entertaining.”

The popular Canine Contests for Best Kisser, Best Dressed, Best Tail-Wagger, Best Barker, and Best Pet/Owner Look a-like will return this year, and the festival features several events for children including face painting and a Teddy Bear Clinic with Dr. Mandie Wehr, shelter veterinarian.

The Upbeat K9, Ligoro Obedience Training, North Edge K9, the Bath Police Department and the Freeport Police Department will perform dog demonstrations.

Coastal Humane Society is also pleased to welcome special guest Rescue Road author Peter Zheutlin as a guest speaker the day of the event, and also in a special presentation on Friday, August 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the L.L.Bean Main Store camping atrium. He will describe his New York Times best-selling book and his experience following animal rescuer Greg Mahle, who has traveled over a million miles and pulled thirty thousand dogs from harm’s way.

Paws for a Cause runners and walkers are encouraged to participate in the 5K or Walk with their dogs, and can earn prizes as well, including a water bottle, sport tote and L.L.Bean gift card up to $100 in value. Registration for the Walk and/or 5K is $25 per person, and registrants receive a 2016 event T-shirt.

All proceeds from Paws for a Cause will benefit the Coastal Humane Society, which recently partnered with Lincoln County Animal Shelter. Combined, the two shelters now care for 4,000 animals annually, and support for their work is needed more than ever before.

“Paws for a Cause is a great opportunity for the public to get out and enjoy a wonderful day in the beautiful L.L. Bean Commons,” said Joe Montisano, executive director for Coastal Humane Society and Lincoln County Animal Shelters.  “You can run or walk the route with your dog, enjoy a fun day of activities, and at the same time support the Coastal Humane Society and Lincoln County Animal Shelters.”

For the complete Paws for a Cause schedule, or to register or donate to Paws for a Cause, please visit the event website at coastalhumanesociety.org/paws or call 449-1366.

Registration for the 17th Tour de Farms bicycle ride is open and can be completed online at www.morrisfarm.org. The event, hosted by the Morris Farm in Wiscasset, celebrates the land, the farms, and the people that provide local produce to the region.

The ride is on Saturday Sept. 10, beginning and ending at the Morris Farm, and is for riders of all ages and abilities. Choose your Tour -- 17, 45 or 65 miles -- and wind through the scenic farmland of Midcoast Maine.

Rest stops are provided as is courier service for produce purchased at farms along the route. The event concludes with a local foods barbecue at the Morris Farm, where friends and family can join riders in celebrating the local foods from farms in region.

Online registration is open until 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9 and registrations are also accepted day-of-ride.

For more information and to register, visit www.morrisfarm.org. The Tour de Farms is a fundraiser to support the educational and agricultural mission of the Morris Farm.

The Boothbay Region Fish & Game Association will sponsor its 12th annual Saltwater Fishing Tournament on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 13 and 14.

A $200 cash prize will be awarded for the largest striped bass and largest bluefish respectively, with $100 and $50 going for second and third place in both categories. Kids (12 and under) can go for mackerel and harbor pollock, and compete for cash prizes of $50 and $25 for first and second place, and $10 for third through 5th place. All Maine saltwater sport fishing regulations apply, and there will be a 12” minimum for bluefish entered.

Weigh-ins will be held at the Boothbay Lobster Wharf at 97 Atlantic Ave. (on the East Side of Boothbay Harbor) from 5 to 7 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, with food and beverages available for purchase. Fish will be judged by overall length, and in the case of a tie, the first fish entered will be declared the winner.

Local businesses are responding enthusiastically in support of this popular, family-oriented summer event. There will be a number of great additional prizes for fish winners, as well as door prizes drawings –including a brand-new kids’ bike -- for all who enter the tournament.

Entry fee is $20 for adults, and kids can enter free of charge but must be accompanied by an adult holding a valid entry ticket. Adults may sponsor more than one child on a single ticket.

Tickets, tournament rules, tackle, bait, and up-to-the-minute fishing and hot-spot information are all available at Oak Street Outdoors (next to Oak Street Provisions) at 43 Oak St. in Boothbay Harbor, (207) 633-1290.

Boothbay area businesses and individuals who would like to contribute prizes for the tournament are invited to contact Barry Gibson at 633-5929; email barrygibson6@aol.com; or send them directly to the BRF&GA, P.O. Box 408, Boothbay, ME 04537.

Proceeds of the tournament will benefit the Association’s Life Skills Scholarship Fund and other club programs.

Runners from as far away as Houston, Texas took part in the 7th annual Lobster Roll race in Boothbay Harbor on Saturday, July 30. Co-organizer Nick Scott said over 150 runners had preregistered. The total was 210 at race time.

“We are raising funds and awareness,” said Scott.

The aim is to provide a community track at a location yet to be determined in Boothbay or Boothbay Harbor, he said.

Scott acknowledged volunteers and local business for their support. “Lots of local businesses donate to the cause.”

Mark Manfredi of Newton, Massachusetts won the men’s overall with a time of 17:48. Sophie Long of Darien, Connecticut won the women’s race in 20:10. Sydney McCarren of Wiscasset won the girls under 14 in 22:04. Kristan Gryffan of Boothbay Harbor won the boys under 14 crossing at 23:03.

Sally McGee of West Boothbay Harbor won the 15-19 group coming in at 22:11. Tyler Pascocello won the boys 15-19 with 18:49. Matt Forques of Boothbay came in at 18:22 in the men’s 20-29 division. Renee Lewis paced the 30-39 women at 27:01. the men’s 30-39 group was won by Adam Young at 19:56. Women 40-49 was won by Sarah Prost of Darien, Connecticut 23:17.

Tom Abello won the 40-49 men’s group at 19:09. Elizabeth Lynch won the 50-59 women’s group with 21:47. Charlie Pohl, 55, ran the race in 19:41. Marcia Deegler, 67, of Stow, Massachusetts won her division in 36:55. Ken Houle, 69, of Milton, Massachusetts came in at 23:57. Russ Jones, 72, of West Boothbay Harbor won in 36:39. Lee Corbin, 72, of West Boothbay Harbor finished in 43:21.

Randy Easter of Jay tallied the race results.

Bloodworms are a major fishery in Maine. According to the Department of Marine Resources, in 2015, almost 400,000 pounds of the worms were landed, with a value of more than $6.2 million in the state.

Bloodworm harvesting has been declining since 2001, but the value of the fishery has increased dramatically during the same period, from less than $5 per pound in 2000 to $15.60 today. Bloodworms are used almost exclusively for fish bait; another marine worm harvested, often in the same beds, the sandworm, is sometimes used for commercial fish food.

Despite the importance of the fishery, few studies have been done on the lives of the marine worms. Now, a study is under way in Wiscasset’s flats on the tidal Sheepscot River, between the water treatment plant and the stone jetty, to try to shed some light on the creature’s life cycle.

William Locke, research associate in Marine Biology at Bates College, is spearheading the study. A small patch of the flat has been marked with red and blue flags, alerting clammers and wormers to the study. The Department of Marine Resources is funding the study out of license sales to worm diggers.

“This is an important study, because all research done to date has been inconclusive,” Locke said. “The study involves small worms, that have been inserted with a small metal marker. The tag will identify them as part of the study. They’ve been weighed. In a month, we’ll come out and collect as many as we can and find out how much they’ve grown.”

Little is known about the bloodworms’ lives. They are polychaetes, or bristle worms.They are segmented, like earthworms, but have little appendages at their sides to move through mud and water. Bloodworms are at the top of the benthic community’s food chain, and eat many smaller creatures, including other worms. They can grow up to six feet in length.

Beyond that, not much is known about the worms. It is not known how long it takes for them to grow to a marketable size, nor how long they live in the wild. Without many predators (even green crabs didn’t appear to predate on bloodworms), it is not clear how their populations are being limited, although there are some guesses, Locke said. “Temperature and salinity appear to be factors, although we aren’t certain how it works,” he said. “We are fairly certain that harvesting isn’t playing a major role.”

That’s because one of the few studies done on bloodworms involved harvest efficiency, said James Arsenault, vice president of the Independent Maine Marine Worms Harvesters Association. “Harvesting by hand didn’t seem to have an impact,” he said. Marine worms are typically harvested with a rake-like tool, with the worms collected in a basket. “Deep dragging of the beds might have had an impact, but that’s not done a lot.”

In the study, tagged worms were placed in a bed and allowed to be collected by harvesters. “They didn’t get them all, not even close,” Locke said. “There were still plenty of the tagged worms in the study bed.”

The test bed has been seeded with young worms, and Locke and Arsenault asked that the bed not be disturbed for the life of the study, expected to be about a month.

“We are hopeful that this study will give us more data on the lives of these creatures,” Locke said. “But there’s a wide variation in bloodworms’ size and color and other physical factors, so this may be just the beginning.”

A 10K road race, vintage cars, a live performance and barbecue are all planned for this weekend’s “Woolwich Days” celebration Friday and Saturday, Aug. 5 and 6.

Comic John Ater is this year’s featured performer. The show suitable for all ages is free from 2 to 3 p.m. and will be on the stage of the Nequasset Meeting House across from the municipal building.

The annual mid-summer celebration begins with a pulled chicken barbecue at Woolwich Central School from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday. Dinner includes barbecued pulled chicken, cornbread, coleslaw, baked beans, lemonade and a whoopie pie for dessert. Tickets are $10 each, two for $18 or $25 for a family. They can be purchased at the town office. Robbie Simpson will provide music and proceeds will help support programs offered by the Recreation Committee.

Saturday’s activities will be at Nequasset Park and on the grounds around the municipal building. The fun begins with the annual running of the Bob Meade 10K Road Race at 8 a.m., followed by the One Mile Family Fun Run at 9.

Both races start and end at Nequasset Park. Entry forms are available at www.woolwich.us or at the town office. Preregistration for the 10K is $5, $10 on race day. Registration on race day begins at 7 a.m.

New this year will be an antique auto show from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring vintage cars from the Maine Obsolete Automobile League. Maine Maritime Museum's very unique Lobstermobile will also be on hand for people to see.

Rev. Dr. Alan Baughcum of Day’s Ferry Congregational Church will conduct the traditional “Blessing of the Animals,” beginning at 10 a.m. on the lawn of the Nequasset Meeting House.

The Woolwich Historical Society will be open for free tours of its 19th century farmhouse museum and barn. Inside you can see Native American artifacts, handmade quilts, spinning wheels, a “rope” bed, antique tools, Civil War artifacts and more. The historical society’s annual book sale will be on the lawn behind the museum.

The bounce house will return for kids with something new, a Climbing Wall. There’s also swimming at the waterfront park and ice cream to enjoy, made by Gauis Hennin from the Shelter Institute.

Also offered, a silent auction and tables selling arts & crafts, baked goods, fresh-squeezed lemonade, grilled hot dogs and hamburgers plus free cotton candy for the kids.

Saturday’s activities conclude with a family movie, “Inside Out,” to be shown at the elementary school beginning at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free. Produced in 2015 by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios, the film is a computer-animated comedy suitable for all ages.

In the spirit of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, the Boothbay Region YMCA is hosting the “Y Olympics” to encourage its members to try new activities and to challenge themselves in new ways. The Y Olympics consists of 12 different activities that members will need to complete and have signed off in a passport, available at the membership desk. Loosely based on actual Olympic events, activities in the passport include swimming, tennis, rowing, cycling, running/walking, and more.

The number of activities that members complete in the time frame of the Olympics (Aug. 5-21) will qualify them for the bronze, silver, and gold levels or prizes. Members who complete all 12 activities will achieve gold and be entered into a drawing for a free annual membership!

The Y Olympics is open to any current member of the Boothbay Region YMCA. Registration is open at the membership desk and members can complete the 12 activities from Aug. 5through Aug. 21. We hope all Y members will enjoy this activity and find a way to keep the Olympic spirit alive in our community.

Now is a great time to join your Y! From Aug. 5 to Aug. 20, we will waive the activation fee for new or returning annual memberships, a savings of $40. Join now and participate in the Olympic fun.

I like fast food joints.

That's not to say I'm a fast food junkie, but I'm not above stopping at a McDonald's or a fast food takeout stand whenever I'm hungry.

Is it possible to be a fast food joint snob? If it is, then I guess I'd have to admit to being one. I have been a lifelong fan of McDonald's — or at least since the time I had my first hamburger and fries at one in Saco. My mother and I had been shopping for back-to-school clothes in Portland. I know I've told you that before, but a lot of you reading this are old and getting forgetful.

And you younger readers probably couldn’t have cared less about my first McDonald’s experience, so you’ve forgotten because it wasn’t worth retaining.

But try to retain this: That first time was REALLY exciting. My mother was excited because the hamburger was so cheap (guess that’s where I get that) and I was excited because we rarely ate out in those days. Getting a meal ANYWHERE besides the dining room table was a treat.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I still get excited when I go to a McDonald's. Fond memories? Or the fries, that haven't changed since day one, and they're still the best fries ever. Hot, crispy and salty. Of course I always add extra salt, just in case.

I've never been a fan of Burger King or Wendy's. They don't have Big Macs, and their fries aren't McDonald's fries.

Since McDonald's made its debut a lot of other fast food chains have come to Maine — too many to list here.

Then there are the privately owned one-of-a-kind takeout food joints. Wasses Hot Dogs is in a class by itself, being privately owned, but with four stands. Keith Wass took over the original stand in Rockland in 1973 and still runs it. Wass is a perfectionist. His hot dogs are cooked to a certain color, and the rolls are steamed to perfection. Wasses was my first hot dog stand experience. My mother, who grew up in Thomaston, had been going there since she was a kid, and it’s still our favorite lunch spot in Rockland. There’s a McDonald’s right up the street form Wasses, but Wasses usually wins out.

As of a year ago June we have a Wasses in Damariscotta. Lucky us.

There are a few good fast food joints in the Boothbay area. I'm sorry to say I haven't been to all of them, but I’ve heard good things about most. Bet's I’ve been to. Suffice it to say that if fried haddock was healthy and non-fattening I'd eat lunch there twice a week. Maybe three times. And if she served alcohol I'd go for dinner.

Then there's Dunton's Doghouse – a veritable treasure chest of wicked good sandwiches and fried foods.

Wannawaf is another hot dog joint. But not just any hot dog joint. Anya’s hot dogs are kind of gourmet. And you can get a fresh crispy warm waffle with ice cream and some ridiculously yummy toppings for dessert.

Shannon's Unshelled is known for her great lobster rolls, though I’ve not had one. 

On Route 27 there are a couple of stands that I have yet to stop at, because I’m usually on my way home from work when I pass them, and they don’t serve manhattans. Or wine. And there’s plenty of that stuff at home in Edgecomb.

Karen's Hideaway is just a few minutes from town and I’ve heard she serves the best burger around. I stopped by yesterday, and the lobster rolls looked pretty good too. Really good actually. And a little further from town is Tracy’s Maine Menu. I hear good things about her crabmeat rolls, among other things. Crust, also on Route 27, is selling their wood-fired pizzas from the lawn in front of Phil’s Lobster Rolls.

In Newcastle, Que Rico! is known for its authentic Mexican food. I have eaten there a few times. Just go.

Sully’s Extraordinary Dogs, across the street from Que Rico! has been selling hot dogs for nine years. Afraid I can’t vouch for them, but a friend tells me they’re wicked good — Hummel’s. And the owner, Jim Erskine, keeps a large jar for money that goes to the local food pantry.

A little further up the road, in Damariscotta, is a takeout joint called Cook’s Corner. I’ve been there, and I’m telling you — just go there too!

I would be remiss to not mention Red's. A lot of locals don't do Red's because of the lines. But those people are standing in line for a reason. I had a Red’s lobster roll last summer and it really was well worth the wait. Chock-full of lobster, I’m pretty sure there were two whole tails in there.

There’s a new joint on Route One in Wiscasset. It's called Twisted Iron Grille. I’ve driven by it a few times and thought it looked kind of scary so I didn’t stop. Wrong. I got an email from a friend, who one might consider a foodie, a few nights ago. He said, “You need to go to Twisted Iron Grille. For the food, the great owner, and a story.” I went. I ate. I interviewed the great chef, Travis Benner. You can read the story on our website soon.

Meanwhile check out their Facebook page.

And don’t hesitate to email me with glowing compliments: suzithayer@boothbayregister.com.

See ya next week.

I’m not a chef. I lay no claim to being an authority on food or cooking. I’m a good cook, and a lover of good food. And I know how to spell and put a sentence together. This column is simply meant to be fun, and hopefully inspiring. So to anyone reading this whose hackles are raised because you know more about the subject of food than I, relax. I believe you.

A three-acre plot on River Road has been identified by Edgecomb officials as a potential location for a municipal boat launch. The Conservation Committee reported the property owner is interested in selling a portion of land near the Damariscotta River.

The committee began officially searching for a municipal boat launch in March. The committee sent three letters to property owners with prime locations along the Damariscotta and Sheepscot rivers.

Committee member Barry Hathorne reported Aug. 1 to selectmen that an unidentified brother and sister own the property and they have a potential buyer in mind. But they will listen to a municipal proposal which reduces their property tax burden and retains access to the water. Hathorne indicated the owners’ main concern is the nearly $11,000 in property taxes paid annually.

Hathorne advised the selectmen that this potential land deal met the town’s needs for a public boat launch.

“It’s not just the best game in town, it’s the only one,” Hathorne said. “My thoughts are the town has looked for suitable property for quite awhile, and I don’t think we’ll find a better piece than this one.”

The preliminary discussions between the property owners and the committee centered around selling three acres for the public boat launch. The owners want an understanding of how the potential sale would impact their property taxes before entering into further negotiations. Hathorne said the owners are interested in the town purchasing the property because it may substantially reduce their tax burden and retain access to the water. 

Hathorne indicated the owners want a property tax reduction of 40 to 50 percent. The committee wants a property valuation assessment of the River Road property to gauge how a potential purchase would impact the owner’s property taxes. The committee requested using the Woodend Fund or the municipal tax assessor for providing an estimate of the owners’ potential new tax bill.

Selectman Jack Sarmanian was more inclined to seek an opinion from the municipal tax assessor, than using the Woodend Fund.

“I’ll check with John O’Donnell (tax assessor), but I don’t think the Woodend Fund can be used for a speculative land deal,” Sarmanian said.

The Woodend Fund was established over four decades ago to purchase a municipal boat access. Voters have added boat excise tax receipts into the fund over the years. However, the town has been unsuccessful in locating a public launch on either the Damariscotta or Sheepscot rivers.

Hathorne will meet with the property owners on Aug. 6 to update them on the discussion with the selectmen. Sarmanian will update the committee regarding the tax assessor’s opinion about making an estimate on how a potential land sale would impact the remaining eight acres of valuation.

In other action, the selectmen unanimously approved two new policies. The board approved a new Cyber & Email policy which is based on the town of Southport’s. The policy outlines acceptable usage of municipal internet, social media, and cell phone usage. By adopting an official policy, it provides Maine Municipal Association insurance liability coverage for town employees and elected officials using social media and other new technological communication devices.

The selectmen also approved a new town hall building usage policy. Residents will be charged $75 for four hours or less rental, and $100 for between 4-12 hours of use. Non-residents will be charged $100 for four hours or less rental, and $125 for between 4-12 hours rental. All renters will be charged a $50 cleaning deposit which may refunded. The selectmen also reserve the right to waive or amend any fee.

Town Treasurer Claudia Coffin reported the town’s financial situation is better than it was a year ago. The municipal surplus stood at $2,737 this time last year. Now it stands at over $169,000.

The figure could grow by another $24,000, according to what the auditor finds, said Coffin.

“A budget committee member said last year we needed a plan, and well we have a plan, and it’s working,” she said.

The selectmen will meet next at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 15 in the municipal building.

Just a short distance from busy U.S. Route 1 in Newcastle are the Marsh River and Marsh River Bog preserves. The 70-acre Marsh River Preserve includes a mile-long Interpretive Trail and is managed by the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association. It’s located just over the Edgecomb-Newcastle line.

Driving northbound from Wiscasset, turn left at the entrance for Split Rock Distilling onto the gravel Osprey Point Road. Bear left where it forks and becomes Eagle Point Road and follow it to its very end. A small kiosk marks the trailhead; there’s plenty of room to park.

Like other SVCA properties, there’s just one trail leading into and out of the preserve with several smaller side paths to explore. The main trail runs northeast to southwest. The rules for enjoying the preserve are posted at the kiosk along with a guest book. Be sure to sign in, it’s important for SVCA to know how many folks are visiting the preserve. Guests are encouraged to pick up an interpretive map that lists 10 points of interest along the trail, each marked with a numbered sign to correspond with a brief description.

The first is a witch hazel tree. These are pretty common in the woods and seem to grow best in marshy areas. The tree’s bark and leaves are made into a popular healthcare product, “witch hazel,” used as an astringent for treating insect bites and poison ivy. Further along you’ll see a small patch of rattlesnake plantain, so named because of the markings on its leaves. It was just coming into bloom, its flower appearing on a long stalk.

The path is easy to follow, sloping gradually downhill at the outset. Logs and boardwalks span the wet areas. As you might expect, because of the lack of rain this summer, the woods are very dry. The main trail runs along the Marsh River that is tidal, fed by the waters of the Sheepscot River.

At the far end of the preserve the Marsh River splits. One fork forms the much smaller Deer River, the other feeds into Sherman Marsh on the opposite side of Route 1 where there’s a rest stop and picnic area.

A little over 10 years ago this same marsh was a freshwater lake of over 200 acres. Sherman Lake as it was called was completely drained following a storm surge that washed out an earthen dam built by the state in the 1930s. In January 2006 the Maine Department of Transportation announced it wouldn’t replace the dam, allowing the drained area where the lake had been to return to salt marsh.

Back on the preserve, two side paths offer nice places for picture-taking of the river and salt marsh. The best time to catch sight of a great blue heron or egret is usually in the early morning or evening. Several ospreys have been seen nesting in this area. Saltwater marshes and meadows provide important breeding grounds for ducks. Many kinds of fish including striped bass spawn in these brackish waters.

The trail system of Marsh River Preserve covers about a mile and is suitable for all ages. We carried along insect repellent during our recent visit but because it was midday didn’t need it.

This summer, SCVA is offering geocaching in the Sheepscot Watershed. Five of the SVCA preserves have a geocache hidden somewhere on their property. You can earn a prize if you locate and log all five geocache sites. To learn more, visit www.sheepscot.org.

Earlier this year, SVCA merged with the Damariscotta Lake Watershed Association, Hidden Valley Nature Center and Sheepscot Wellspring Land Alliance. Together the groups make up the Midcoast Conservancy, which has an office at 36 Water Street in Wiscasset.

Elizabeth Evans has rubbed elbows with some celebrities.

These days she can usually be found at the East Boothbay General Store, at least during the summer.

She owns the store, and lives in East Boothbay too.

But she wasn't always such a homebody. Until around 10 years ago, she wouldn't have been so easy to pin down.

You've heard of army brats. Evans was what some might call a boat brat. Except it wasn't her parents dragging her from port to port. It was the owners of big yachts, mostly rich, some famous. And they weren't exactly dragging her. She went willingly.

Take Jimmy Buffett. She was the private chef for him and his wife on his 98-footer for a year and a half.

Evans has lots of boat stories, thanks to the 10 years or so she worked on yachts, from Florida and the Caribbean to the Mediterranean.

During her childhood, Evans' family moved around a lot. She lived in New York, Atlanta, Georgia, Connecticut and London, England. But she said East Boothbay was their “home base.”

Coming from what she called a food-centric family, she said they cooked a lot of “foodie stuff” and when they went out to eat they’d try to recreate things.

In her teens, Evans worked in several local venues, including Cabbage Island Clambakes, and her own catering business.

And she said she had a “real” job in Boston for a while, for a chain picture-framing company. She left that job when she was 27 and came back to East Boothbay. Then she made a big decision.

She said she had always wanted to work on boats, and had worked as a deck hand on the Islander in Boothbay Harbor for David Walker during summers.

“So I took all my money from my 401K and packed up my old Volvo station wagon with a couple pillows and a blanket and summer clothes, and headed to Florida.”

She quickly learned that the boat owners weren't looking for 27-year-old, “somewhat chunky” deckhands. “They were looking for blonde, Adonis-like men,” she said.

So she found odd jobs working on docks in Fort Lauderdale, and met a captain who saw her potential. “He said, 'Lizzie, we've gotta find a job for you. You're a great worker.'” The owner of the boat the captain worked on had just bought a 120-foot boat. He needed a chef. He asked her if she could cook.

“I said, ‘yeah, I can cook,’” she said. He told her to put a sample menu together with several days’ worth of fancy food with wine pairings. The owner, a woman in her 70s with a 35-year-old boyfriend, loved the menu.

“I kind of lied my way into my first job. Talk about fake it till you make it.”

Evans said that job turned into a major full-time job, and she thrived at it. “There was no budget. I could buy any food I wanted to buy. I'd buy something I'd never cooked before, and I'd buy double. I'd test one on the crew and if they liked it I'd cook it for the owner and guests.”

She stayed with that boat for a couple years, then took on few short-term jobs as a relief chef. After around five years of working on boats, Evans decided it was time for a break, so she came back to East Boothbay again and started looking for a ‘real’ job. On land.

One day the phone rang. “A friend said, 'Lizzie, I just did a relief stint on Jimmy Buffett's boat, and he's looking for a permanent chef.’” Her friend told her she had given Buffett her name and she should be getting a call.

A few days later, a man named Spider Andreson called. He was the manager of all Buffett's boats — a few sailboats, and a sport fishing boat. She flew to a boatyard near Fort Lauderdale, where the boat, a 98-foot Choi Lee called Useless Drifter, was in the midst of repairs. She and Andreson hit it off and she was offered the job. Come to find out Andreson had a friend in Boothbay Harbor, Barry Gibson, who gave her a big thumbs up, in a roundabout way. Evans said she didn't know Gibson at the time, but he knew Sally Bullard, and Bullard knew Evans.

She packed up again and headed back to the life she knew and loved.

Evans said the boat was used mainly for day trips with the Buffetts and friends.

“I'd get a call in the morning from Mrs. B's assistant saying, 'You'll be having eight people for lunch and they'll be there in a half-hour.’” She also stepped in for their house chef in Sag Harbor when he took vacations. “I did a double duty for the Buffetts,” she said.

Evans said Jimmy Buffett was very nice. As for his music? “To this day I have never seen him in concert,” she said. And she never drank margaritas on the boat. “We did keep tequila on the boat though.”

Buffett wasn't a partier. “One day I said to him, 'Mr. B, you're not nearly as wild as I thought you'd be. He said, 'Lizzie, if I kept living like I did in the ’70s I'd be dead by now.'”

Evans said she never knew who might show up during her year and a half stint on Buffett's boat. One day it was Jon Bon Jovi and his wife and kids.

Another time, a friend of Buffett's wife came for a visit. The friend brought her husband along. His name was Richard Gere. Yes, that Richard Gere.

“He was absolutely lovely,” she said. 

“We sailed to a cove and had lunch, and he was tired from traveling. He took cushions up to the fore deck in a shady spot and laid down for a nap.” Evans said she looked through one of the portholes and there was Richard Gere curled up, sound asleep. “His white linen shirt was being kind of fluffed up by the wind, and he just looked so, well, normal,” she said. She didn't take a picture.

She said after lunch, Gere came into the galley to tell her how much he liked the lunch she had prepared. “I was trying to be blasé and act like it was normal for Richard Gere to be standing there thanking me.”

A while later he went swimming off the boat. Evans said a deckhand asked her to take a towel to him. She was more than happy to do it.

Evans has become an official landlubber now, with her East Boothbay General Store going strong for 10 years. She has two young daughters, and probably won’t be taking another job on a yacht sailing around the Caribbean or the Mediterranean anytime soon, but you never know what opportunity might present itself when she least expects it.

Once that boating life gets in your blood, it’s pretty hard to shake it.

Good times were in the air at this past weekend’s annual Woolwich Days celebration.

New attractions this year included a climbing wall to challenge the kids and a collection of vintage cars and trucks to see. There was also homemade ice cream, cotton candy and fresh-squeezed lemonade to enjoy.

Also new this year was a chicken barbecue held Friday evening at Woolwich Central School to benefit the community’s newly formed Recreation Committee. Beth Harrington, Recreation Committee administrator, said over a hundred people attended the dinner. “We raised over $600,” she told the newspaper.

Robbie Simpson, a local favorite, provided live music at the dinner held in the school’s cafeteria.

Saturday’s events started early with the annual running of the Bob Meade 10 K Road Race followed by the One Mile Family Fun Run. 

Selectman Allison Hepler said Alex Wickes, 17, of  Woolwich was the overall winner, finishing in 48:55. Wickes is captain of the Morse High School cross country team. Dominic Maccio of Woolwich was second. Paul Briones of Chula Vista, California came in third.

Other finishers included Emily Reese, Bath, 55:55; Liam Scanlon, Woolwich, 12, 1:00:53; Chuck Thomas, Woolwich, 69, 1:01:20 (tie); Therese Thomas, Las Cruces, New Mexico, 48, 1:01:20 (tie); and Diane Leavitt, Woolwich, 55, 1:09:43

Woolwich’s Alex Maccio, 17, won the Fun Run. Liam Scanlon, 12, came in second.

“Woolwich Day is always a great place for seeing neighbors and friends, and meeting new friends. Plus, the bad weather forecast held off until we got home,” Hepler commented. “Kudos to all the volunteers who make this day happen,” she added.

Other activities got going around 9 a.m. with the arrival of the antique cars and trucks parked on the lawn of the historic Nequasset Meeting House.

The cars included a sleek 1955 black convertible Ford Thunderbird coupe owned by Barbara Richards of Barley Neck Road. There was also a vintage 1931 Ford Model A pickup owned by resident Bob King Jr.

Later in the morning, Road Commissioner Jack Shaw and his wife Sharon arrived in their black 1938 Ford sedan with the license plate “BOOTLEG.” The Maine Obsolete Auto League helped arrange the showing.

On the grounds alongside the municipal building were many tables and tents including “The Flower Lady,” Claudette Leonard of Chopps Cross Road, selling colorful floral arrangements and plants.

Olivia Leavitt and Luke Brown, two students on summer break from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, were manning the lemonade booth. Behind them were Amy and Gaius Hennin from Shelter Institute. They were giving away free samples of homemade ice cream including French vanilla, coffee, strawberry and pineapple sherbet. The Hennins made the ice cream from a machine of Gaius’s own design, powered by a John Deere engine.

There was also free cotton candy for the kids, a bounce house and a towering climbing wall provided by EVO Rock & Fitness of Portland. Woolwich Communications Committee members Roger Baffer and Caelie Smith provided the cotton candy.

Kids could handle a working fire hose under the supervision of Woolwich junior firefighters Josh Demers and Lilly Maccio. The idea was to aim a stream of water at a wooden cutout of a house, knocking over simulated flames in its windows. It’s harder then it sounds.

Selectman Jason Shaw could be found manning the grill cooking hot dogs and hamburgers. Shaw said he thought the turnout for this year’s event was pretty consistent with previous years.

Lynette Eastman said Woolwich Days has been a summer tradition since she became town administrator in 1996. George Eastman, Lynette’s husband, served as the master of ceremonies, providing recorded music for the day.

Todd McPhee, a former selectman, said he couldn’t remember for sure when the summer event began or who had started it. McPhee was selling raffle tickets that included a number of unusual prizes. One for kids was a ride to WCS this fall on a fire truck; another, the opportunity to go lobstering with Selectman David King Sr.

Comic John Ater was this year’s featured guest performer.

St. Clair is one of those family names synonymous with Wiscasset Speedway; a name that is ingrained in the history of Maine’s fastest track, much like Ripley or Reno. It began with Dave “Boss Hogg” St. Clair, who has turned laps since its opening in 1969 and still races today. Then came son, Puncin St. Clair, who was a regular winner in Super Streets and Late Models in the ’90s and 2000s and winning Driver of the Year honors in 1996. The family legacy remains intact today with Puncin’s sons, Josh and Ryan, becoming rising stars in the track’s Late Model Sportsman division. The third generation racers from Liberty each visited victory lane Saturday night with Group 2 in action; eldest brother Josh taking honors in the regular 35-lap points feature, and younger brother Ryan winning the special Dave’s World Dash For Cash at night’s end. It was a busy night on the track, and also turned out to be a busy night in the tech garage with trophies changing hands in all four classes.

Are you yearning to learn a new skill?  Have you been thinking about building a small barn, work space, utility shed, or open air covered patio? Do you marvel at the simple structural design of timber frame buildings?

Well, Midcoast Conservancy has the perfect solution for you. Join us at our Nature Center for our final 4-day timber-framing workshop of 2016 from Friday, Oct. 7 through Monday,Oct. 10. The workshop is a complete how-to: from planning, sustainably harvesting, laying out and cutting, to assembling.

Master Timber Framer Bob Lear, who has more than 20 years of timber framing experience and who has received high praise from those attending our workshops, will again be instructing our fall workshop. Our timber frame workshops place special emphasis on hands-on learning. Participants will help mill logs, will lay out each and every cut, and will learn to safely use many different tools to shape each joint. By the end of the class each participant will be familiar with the basic principles of design and layout and will be comfortable using common tools to cut a frame.

Class space is limited. Details and registration at www.midcoastconservancy/registration. The cost of the class is $450 for Midcoast Conservancy members, $500/ non-members. Tuition includes lunch each day, all tool use, and a cookout on the final day of class.

Support for all of Midcoast Conservancy’s timber frame classes comes from Hancock Lumber, Woodmizer Saw Mills, and Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.

For more information, contact us at news@midcoastconservancy.org or 207-389-5150.

West Harbor Pond is one of Boothbay Harbor’s few freshwater gems. It is a year-round destination for many locals and visitors, who swim, boat, fish, ice skate and cross country ski there. But residents who have been monitoring pond water quality for years say the pond is in trouble.

According to historical records, it was created in the 1880s, when a a local ice merchant dammed what was then a tidal river to increase ice production. The ice company installed two siphons (one was later removed) to discharge salt water that seeped through the dam into the newly created pond.

Since salt water is denser than fresh water, sea water sinks to the bottom of West Harbor Pond while the fresh water that flows in from the watershed floats above, creating two distinct layers. The siphon’s inlet, located about 22 feet below the pond’s surface, sucked water from the bottom briny layer, transported it across the dam and discharged it into the sea at ebb tide. According to local residents, this simple siphon system worked well for about 130 years.

As part of the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program and with help from the Boothbay Harbor Sewer District, West Harbor Pond Watershed Association (WHPWA) volunteers have been measuring pond water quality on a regular basis. In 2008, the West Harbor Pond siphon pipe failed and according to WHPWA President Gary Arnold, water quality in the pond began to decline. Arnold said water quality monitoring shows that while the surface water remains relatively healthy, the layer of salt water below is devoid of oxygen and high in hydrogen sulfide, making it unsuitable for fish and other aquatic life. Arnold said recent sampling indicates the unhealthy salt layer may be extending upward.

“There is a strong feeling that we have reached the tipping point. Historic records show the density interface (between fresh and salt water layers) was below 24’; now it’s 11-12’. The concern is as this layer gets closer to the surface, storms could mix that lower water and pull that stuff to the surface. And it is nasty. Unless the siphon gets fixed, we’re going to continue accumulating (sea water),” Arnold said.

Faced with these troubling findings, WHPWA has been trying to find a way to have the siphon repaired. The association has applied for four grants and has reached out to the Maine Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), town government, State Sen. Chris Johnson, and the governor. So far, none of these efforts to get the siphon back in action has worked.

“Nobody disagrees with the water quality issue,” Boothbay Harbor Town Manager Tom Woodin said. “We have been one hundred percent behind this but the town of Boothbay Harbor doesn’t have jurisdiction on it.”

Woodin said prior to the siphon’s failure, town public works did maintain the siphon. “We, at times, worked on the valve and we could control water flow. But once the siphon failed, we realized there was nothing we could do to fix it.”

Woodin said the town first became aware of the siphon problem when residents complained that the pond’s high water level was flooding basements. He said the town worked to find a solution to the problem and eventually entered into a formal agreement with Maine DOT in 2011.

Under the agreement, the DOT removed a portion of the concrete dam at the box culvert/fish passage and replaced it with a wooden gate that the town can remove to release pond water. By removing the wooden gate, the town can keep water levels in West Harbor Pond from becoming “unacceptably high.” Although the gate solved the flooding problem, the gate structure and the fishway release water from the surface fresh water layer — unlike the siphon that removed the lower salt layer.

DOT owns the road and causeway but also claims no responsibility for the siphon, and has made it clear that maintaining water quality in West Harbor Pond is not in its jurisdiction. In a response letter to WHPWA board member Margaret Connelly, DOT Region Engineer James Andrews writes, “Though we are sympathetic to your concerns, the Department may not use transportation funds on projects, such as a siphon, that are unrelated to our transportation mission.”

Woodin said the town and DOT also concluded, as stated in their agreement, that siphon repair or replacement would be costly and might result in a catastrophic breach in the dam.

Arnold feels concerns of a breach may be overblown and that the existing siphon break is actually destabilizing the dam.

“Prock Marine (who provided an estimate for siphon repair in August 2015) certainly noted the weakening of the dam structure caused by the siphon leaking water down from the broken part of the horizontal pipe. They and Rideout Marine recognized the problem but noted it was easily dealt with by strengthening the dam on the seaward side on both sides of the siphon. Once this area is strengthened to assure a breach can't occur, then the project becomes one of excavating and replacing pipe,” Arnold said.

Prock Marine’s 2015 estimate proposed replacing the horizontal pipe under the roadway and connecting the new pipe to the vertical siphon pipes on either side of the dam. The preliminary cost estimate ranged from $55,000 to $75,000.

DOT Assistant Planning Director Scott Rollins said Tuesday that if the siphon were to be repaired, the DOT would need assurance that the causeway and roadway would not be adversely affected.

“Our concern is that the causeway is a crib work and cobble structure and if there were damage to that structure in a worse-case scenario we would lose the road. If they (WHPWA) move forward, we will want to be sure our asset is protected. We would require engineering plans and probably a bond as insurance against damage, ” Rollins said. Permits from the Army Corps of Engineers and DEP will probably also be required, he said.

WHPWA members are focusing on two avenues right now, raising awareness about the water quality problem and seeking various avenues of funding for the siphon repair. To keep in touch with the project, visit the West Harbor Pond Facebook page.  Arnold says he is enthusiastic about the large recent boost in the association’s membership.

“Now we have 50-plus people to talk about this problem.”

The association’s siphon repair supporting document is attached to the online version of this story.

Daren Wood, the son of Karen Hefler and Gregg Wood of Wiscasset, was recently named to Portland’s All-Twilight Team. It was his first season playing in the Twilight Baseball League that is celebrating its 114th consecutive year of play. 

According to Wood’s father and www.leaguelineup.com, over the summer Wood played seven different positions for his team, Target Utility Services, that compiled an 11-12-1 league record. He finished with a .306 batting average. Wood pitched, and played every position on infield except shortstop. He also played both left and right field.

Target Utility Services finished as champs of the regular season with a 6-2 record but lost in a best of three game playoff series against AERO Heating & Ventilation. During one of those playoff games, Wood went three for three at the plate with a double. Target Utility Services was one of four teams making up this year’s Twilight League that features some of the best college and amateur baseball talent in Maine.

In June, Wood graduated from Wiscasset Middle High School where he played for the Wolverines varsity baseball team. Following the WMHS baseball season he was named to the Mountain Valley Conference first team all-stars.

Wood is also a WMHS academic all-star. He’ll be attending the University of Southern Maine in Gorham this fall studying mechanical engineering. 

Like she did in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012, Ellie Logan won another Olympic gold medal Aug. 13 in the Rio de Janeiro Olympic games. Logan is the only member of the U.S. Olympic Women’s Eight Rowing team to compete in all three Olympic championships. She is also the only woman in the sport to win three Olympic gold medals.

The two-time defending Olympic champion team came into the 2016 Rio games as an overwhelming favorite. The team had won 10 consecutive world championships dating back to 2006. The U.S. team earned its third straight Olympic gold medal last week, defeating Great Britain by 2.49 seconds in completing the 2,000 meter course in 6:03.98.

Logan, 28, graduated from Stanford University in 2011 with a degree in European  history. She spent the past year devoting herself to reaching her peak as an athlete. But it seems the 2016 Rio games may be her last. After the gold medal race, Logan told NBC Sports she’s ending her career as a competitive rower.

““I think I’m done,” she said. “You have to commit 130 percent of yourself every day. I’m not ready to commit anything right now for the foreseeable future.”

Her main goal in competing in the Rio games was to train full-time to reach her peak as an athlete.

“This was actually the full cycle of quad training I’ve done. The past two Olympics I was in the middle of college and I didn’t feel I reached my full potential as an athlete,” she said.

In July, Logan told The Boothbay Register her post-Olympic plans were to spend more time with her husband, Carlos Dinares, a former Spanish competitive rower. The couple married in 2015. She also plans on visiting Boothbay Harbor this fall.

Despite the Rio games being marred by health concerns about the Zika virus and poor water quality impacting the aquatic events, Logan was thrilled the Brazilian city hosted the games.

As an athlete, she liked the Summer Games being held in a country experiencing its winter and in a time zone only one hour behind the eastern United States’.

“I’m glad Rio is the host,” Logan said in July. “I remember watching the commercials about Rio winning the bid and thinking how amazing it would be to compete there. It’s a beautiful country and I can’t believe this is happening.”

The three gold medals aren’t the only major accomplishments on her rowing career resume. She was a four-year First-Team All-American and a member of Stanford’s NCAA championship rowing team. Since the 2012 Olympics, she competed internationally three years ago in the Quadruple Sculls, Single and Eight. In 2014, she competed in the Pair, Quadruple, Sculls, and Eight. In 2015, Logan competed in the Pair and Eight, and this year, again, in the Pair and Eight events.

Efforts to reach Logan for comments before press time were not successful.

The weather was great for this year's 12th annual Westport Island Shore Run 10K Road Race — Maine's "Best Little 10K Road Race," held Sunday, Aug. 14.

The runners in the 10K race ran swiftly along the beautiful, wooded USATF-certified course, with almost no traffic. The race benefits the Westport Island Volunteer Fire Department, whose members provide logistical support and direct traffic at the event. Over the the past 11 years, the race has generated almost $16,000 for the Volunteer Fire Department. This year's race generated over $1,000 for the firefighters.

Our generous sponsors this year included: Wiscasset Ford; Maine Yankee, Hodgdon Yacht Services; Sheepscot River Marine Services; Ames True Value Supply; Sharon Drake Real Estate; Bath Savings Bank; First Federal Savings; the Westport Island Brewing Company; Newcastle Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge; the Westport Community Association; Norm's Used Cars and the Hampton Inn of Bath.

The overall female race winners were: 1st place, Lisa O'Neill of Boston, Massachusetts; 2nd place, Sarah Hempstead of Rockville, Maine; and 3rd place, Anne-Marie Stoney of Winterport, Maine. The overall male race winners were: 1st place, Daniel Bradford of Westport Island; 2nd place, Chase Hughes of Westport Island; and 3rd place, Beau DeCourey of Lewiston, Maine

Thanks to volunteers Mike Kraynak, Robin Axelrad, Marcy Axelrad, Adam Whitney and Jordan Whitney, and thanks to Jim McCorkle and 5K Sports Race Management for timing the race for the 12th straight year.

Tickets are now on sale for the inaugural International Maritime Film Festival, a juried contest of documentary films celebrating the heritage, spirit of adventure, and ingenuity of boats and waterborne pursuits. It is the premier event for maritime-themed film making. Festival weekend is Friday, Sept. 30 through Sunday, Oct. 2, in Bucksport.

Festival attendees will enjoy a variety of short and feature-length documentary films, as well as archival maritime-themed footage from Northeast Historic Film's collection. The full festival program will be announced in early September.

There will also be a non-juried Spotlight Series showcasing two spectacular films: “The Restorer’s Journey” and “Vanishing Sail” - the former tells the story of Jonathan Wilson, who founded WoodenBoat magazine in Brooksville, Maine in 1974 in an off-the-grid cabin; the latter telling the story of the revival of traditional wooden sloops on the Caribbean island of Carriacou. 

Screenings will be at the historic, intimate, state-of-the-art, Alamo Theatre in downtown Bucksport. Tickets are $50 per person, and include all screenings during festival weekend, as well as an opening reception on Friday night, and coffee and pastries on Saturday and Sunday mornings. tickets are limited and early purchase is recommended.

The International Maritime Film Festival is a joint venture between Northeast Historic Film and WoodenBoat Publications, Inc. In the months after the awards event, a compilation of winners will be offered to venues worldwide.

For more information and to purchase tickets, go to www.maritimefilmfestival.com.  You can also follow us on Facebook, International Maritime Film Festival.

David Hughes made Wednesday’s medal round at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, his mother, Wiscasset Middle High School teacher Irene Marchenay, said from her Edgecomb home Tuesday night. But his and sailing partner Stuart McNay’s shot at making the podium for bronze was a long one at best, she said.

Wherever they finish among the 10 remaining teams in the men’s 470 class, Marchenay said she will be just as proud of their performance at the Summer Games. “And I am so incredibly proud of his focus and his stamina and his sportsmanship,” she said about Hughes, 38.

Tracking the preliminary rounds online has been exciting and at times nerve-racking, Marchenay said. “I can’t take it ... Sometimes I have to pinch myself that, this is my son.” She didn’t realize until recently that everyone who competes in the Olympics gets to always be known as an Olympian, whether or not they win a medal, she said.

A highlight so far was Hughes’ and McNay’s first place finish in one of the preliminaries. “That was amazing, definitely. I was so pleased,” she said. Tougher was Monday’s postponement of a race due to wind conditions, making Tuesday a multi-race day that Marchenay said could not have been easy for the athletes.

Due to points the teams carried over from the preliminary races, Hughes and McNay would need to win Wednesday’s race and the teams ahead of them would need to have a very poor one, Marchenay said in Tuesday’s phone interview. “It would be very, very hard for them to (take) third.”

Tuesday’s Rio Report at ussailing.org stated Hughes and McNay were sitting in fourth after Tuesday’s races but are mathematically eliminated from medal contention. US Sailing is the sport’s national governing body.

Marchenay expected to be able to watch television coverage of the final race Wednesday, but she added she would have liked more coverage of the sailing and some of the other sports at the Games. She understands the emphasis on swimming, gymnastics and track, especially given the accomplishments of swimmer Michael Phelps and some of the other U.S. athletes in those sports. But the French teacher said it would be good for children to see a range of sports, such as sailing and badminton. “It’s too bad,” she said.

When readers last heard from mother and son in separate interviews ahead of the Olympics, the two were looking forward to seeing each other for the first time in a long time, due to Hughes’ rigorous schedule. Their visit in Texas for the U.S. sailing team’s sendoff was extraordinary, Marchenay said Tuesday.

Hughes was waiting for her at the airport and she got to meet many wonderful people who are part of the team, she said.

Owners of all British and European sports and touring cars are invited to enter the 15th annual Camden Foreign Car Show. The event, sponsored by the Mid Maine Sports Car Club (MMSCC), will be held on Sunday, Sept. 4, noon to 3 p.m.

The show is held on Chestnut Street, in downtown Camden, in front of the post office.

Pre-registration is required at MMSCC.COM under “Event Registration.” First, Second and Third Place trophies will be awarded in two Saloon/Touring Car classes and three Sports Car classes. Class winners will compete for the Best in Show trophy. Registration fees are $5 for members and $10 for non-members.

Annual club dues are $25 and membership information will be available at the registration desk. 

David Hughes, son of Irene Marchenay of Edgecomb, has one more day before his and sailing partner Stuart McNay’s last race in the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The men’s 470 medal race was postponed until Thursday, ussailing.org reported Wednesday afternoon. U.S. Sailing is the sport’s national governing body.

According to that website and nbcolympics.com, the duo, fourth going into the medal round, are out of contention for the podium based on the point breakdown from preliminary races — one of which they won.

David Hughes, son of Irene Marchenay of Edgecomb, finished second Aug. 18 in his last race in the men’s 470 sailing class of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, according to ussailing.org, website for the sport’s national governing body.

The race, postponed from Aug. 17 for lack of wind, was the medal round; but Hughes’ and sailing partner Stuart McNay’s second place showing was good for fourth place overall for the Games, one position short of making the podium, according to the website.

The 10 teams that survived the 26-team start in the preliminary rounds earlier in the Games all carried their points over to the medal round. In a phone interview Thursday afternoon, Marchenay said she’d already heard from people asking how the pair could miss out on a medal, considering their strong finish and their first place finish in one of the preliminaries. The difficult time they had in another preliminary race cost them, she said.

Asked about the final race, which she viewed live online, the Wiscasset Middle High School French teacher said: “I am absolutely very, very impressed. They had a fabulous race.”

She hopes to visit with Hughes in Miami, Florida, where he now lives, sometime soon after his return from the Games, Marchenay said. And he wants to get to Maine for a visit this fall, Marchenay said.

The 2016 Boothbay Region High School varsity football season ended seemingly before it began. School and team officials Thursday night announced the varsity season was cancelled and the team will compete as a club sport this fall.

BRHS Principal Dan Welch read a prepared statement to players and parents at 7 p.m. following the team’s  practice. Welch reported that, after the coaching staff had consulted this week with Superintendent of Schools Eileen King, School Committee Chairman Larry Colcord, Athletic Director Allan Crocker and himself, a decision was made to play this football season as a club sport.

“We fully anticipate this season will be a competitive and enriching experience that will look very much like a varsity season,” Welch told the players, coaching staff and parents attending the post-practice meeting. “We will still be Seahawk Football. We will still wear our blue and gold. And still have games under the lights. More importantly, our program will continue to be a source of pride for our school and community.”

The decision to compete this fall as a club sport came down to safety. This year’s Seahawk squad lacked enough experienced players who could physically and mentally play at the varsity level. Of the 30 on this fall’s roster, only 24-26 were regularly participating in practice. The team needs approximately 18 varsity-ready players, and it only had 12, according to Dionne.

The coach was concerned playing a varsity schedule this fall would require too many freshmen and sophomores to play at a level they weren’t prepared for and place them in danger of injury. He believes playing as a club sport is in the best interests of both the underclassmen and upperclassmen football players.

By playing at the club level, Boothbay will play other programs experiencing the challenges of having small roster sizes along with having a significant number of inexperienced players.

“What club allows us is to not have a situation where one group doesn’t get the experience of football. This is good for the senior looking to have one final year of the football experience and the freshman who wants to step onto the field without playing at the varsity level,” he said.

School and team officials expected more players to participate this season. Several players from last year eligible to play this fall decided against joining the team. Dionne estimated about nine players “for some reason” decided against returning for another season. Also, the school’s attempt at becoming a combined squad with Wiscasset failed to attract more players. School officials entered into an agreement with the Wiscasset School Committee last spring to play the 2016 football season as a combined squad.

But no Wiscasset students showed up for fall practice.

Fellow Campbell Conference foe, Winthrop/Monmouth has competed as a combined squad since 2012. The two schools’ combined 441 enrollment makes it the largest school in Class D South football this fall eligible for post-season play. Boothbay, with 206 students, is the smallest school playing football in the state. Of the nine Class D South teams eligible for the playoffs, only four have enrollments less than 300: Boothbay, Old Orchard Beach (225), Telstar (236), and Traip (263).

This fall’s small football roster put Boothbay at an even greater competitive disadvantage from an enrollment perspective than in previous years, according to school officials.

“We didn’t realize until the fall practices began how inexperienced our squad was,” Dionne said. “When we handed out equipment was the first time I knew those 7-9 players from last year weren’t going to play and no Wiscasset kids were either.”

Athletic Director Allan Crocker is contacting other football club teams about playing Boothbay this fall. The team will host a controlled scrimmage against Class C Freeport at 5 p.m. Monday at Sherman Field. The team officials aren’t sure if the Aug. 26 game against Maranacook will be played.

Last season, Boothbay finished 2-7 and lost in the Class D South quarterfinals to Lisbon.

Back in 2005, a little body of water in Newcastle was suddenly changed forever, literally overnight.

Sherman Lake, which had been a dammed body of water near Route One, suddenly became “Sherman Marsh” when the dam gave way in a strong storm around Columbus Day. The lake drained, leaving behind the debris of a sunken ecosystem — dead trees and rotting vegetation, and a host of lake-dwelling doomed freshwater fish, reptiles and amphibians that had been introduced to the man-made lake. The dam, owned by Maine Department of Transportation, was made irrelevant when the new bridge was constructed, and was no longer needed to serve a transportation function, but MDOT had agreed, in 1966, to maintain the dam even after the new bridge meant that Route One wasn’t using the dam to move traffic over Marsh River.

MDOT also operated the popular rest area on Sherman Lake, and there were also campgrounds on the lake that were used extensively. The lake was also used for firefighting water. Despite the dam no longer being needed for transportation, MDOT planned to rebuild the dam. However, the cost had grown to possibly $1 million, whereas removing the debris would cost $300,000, according to a letter by Commissioner David Cole, and no other agency wanted to chip in for what was, according to the agency, a local recreation area. The ecology of the region also argued against the dam’s restoration. Selectmen and residents argued for the dam’s restoration, but a series of meetings hosted by Chewonki Foundation and the Damariscotta River Association (DRA) among other conservation groups, slowly convinced the 16 immediate residents, who had used the lake for recreation such as swimming, boating and fishing of stocked fish, to allow the marsh to return to its natural course and wind its way slowly to the sea.

Over time, the tidal saltwater ecosystem recovered. According to the DRA, the marsh is home to a host of natural wildlife including bald eagles, osprey, foxes, fishers, deer, saltwater fish, shellfish, and visiting reptiles, as well as salt-tolerant plants. Most agree the change has been beneficial, although there are still some residents who live near the marsh who would have preferred the lake to be restored.

Access road improvements to the former dam site under the highway bridge have also not occurred, despite an agreement for them to be taken on by MDOT in 2010.

However, in 2015, MDOT decided to use Sherman Marsh as a wetland bank, meaning other road projects that might lose wetland could draw on acreage maintained near Sherman Marsh to keep from losing net wetland in Maine. To do that, affected residents would need to agree to easements on their properties that would be “added” to the marsh’s acreage. MDOT sent an assessor to identify the value of the easements, thentthe residents said that they heard nothing more about it until May of this year, when they got letters from MDOT with the offer.

The affected residents initially said the easements would adversely affect the way they could use their properties. Marva Nesbit has a kayak rack and a dock, and was told they would have to go. The proposed easement would have gone all the way to her back porch. Justin Wood leases some of his land for cattle grazing, something that would have been forbidden by the easement.

Almost all Sherman Lake residents said the easement price offered was too low for the amount of acreage.

And they may not have had a choice: If the residents didn’t accept the easement payment, their land was at risk of being taken by eminent domain, the letters said.

After an outcry by Newcastle residents in July, MDOT responded.

At a meeting on Aug.16 at the fire station, Deane Van Dusen, project manager for MDOT, said the easement lines, which had included a 100-foot setback, would be much more lenient. Nesbit could keep her kayak rack and dock, and residents could continue to paddle and fish as they have been doing since the dam breach. Van Dusen said that because of pollution issues relating to the cattle, MDOT offered a 50-foot setback to Wood, which was not accepted. MDOT is still in negotiations with Wood.

Van Dusen said most of the negotiations have been concluded to the satisfaction of the residents. “Everyone can continue to enjoy their property,” he said. “They will have their viewsheds, and be able to use the marsh as they’ve always done.”

Van Dusen said the I-395 extension planned in Bangor in the next few years is one of the projects where wetland loss might be offset by banking wetlands at Sherman Marsh.

At the Board of Selectmen meeting in Newcastle on Aug. 22, the board considered the best way to address the issue. Selectman Ben Frey said plans were under way to get Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King involved on behalf of the residents. Selectman Christopher Doherty noted that only private landowners appeared to be affected by the so-called “buffer zone,” the distance between the highest tide mark and the marsh water. Selectman Joel Lind said that the property in question was particularly valuable from a trade perspective. “For every acre destroyed in another project, with Sherman Marsh property as a trade, they only have to bank seven acres,” he said. “That’s an extremely low ratio, which is why they want as much as possible.” Lind said other reclaimed marsh properties have much higher ratios, in the 20s or 30s to one.

Sherman Marsh is also valuable, the board noted, because a saltwater tidal wetland can be used to replace either a saltwater wetland or a freshwater wetland, and fewer freshwater wetlands are being reclaimed.

Some questioned the authority to take the easements by eminent domain. The Maine Constitution states: “Section 21.  Private property, when to be taken.  Private property shall not be taken for public uses without just compensation; nor unless the public exigencies require it.” The question, the board wondered, was whether a wetland bank for a distant project some years in the future qualified as an exigency, or an urgent need or demand.

The value of the land offered to the homeowners and landowners on Sherman Marsh is the low amount set for nature preserves of $3.60 per square foot, not the market value of an unencumbered property with tidal saltwater privileges, the board noted.

The board decided to ask for another meeting with the Interagency Review Team before the matter is concluded.

All events are at Hodgdon Yacht Services, 100 Ebenecook Road, Southport, or 43° 49′ 45.768″ N | 69° 40′ 36.6852″ W.

Food by Mike Whitney of of Family Thyme Catering .

Demonstrations by artists and artisans Saturday, Aug. 20 is Arts Interaction Day at the Art & Yachts Show & Sale held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Look for artist John M.T. Seitzer of Joy to the Wind Gallery and Studio 53, Tom Whittle making his bamboo fly rods and Leslie Muir-Volpe doing her punch needle embroidery. Some of the fiber artists may be spinning or weaving, and a number of spontaneous crafts demonstrations are highly probable.

Although she will not be demonstrating her craft, author Lea Wait will be signing advance copies of her latest book in the “Shadow” series, “Shadows on a Morning in Maine.” The novel will be released to the general public in September. Wait will answer any questions about the book, the series, as well as about the writing/publishing process.

There are 23 artists and artisans in the 2016 art show (as of press time). They are Christine Thalia Andersen, oil paintings exploring the Midcoast area and people: past, present, and sometimes imaginary; Elise Andersen, Andersen Studio, hand-crafted stoneware animals, birds, bowls, vases ... since 1952; Hilary Bartlett, soft swirling watercolors to bold swaths of highly textured acrylic inks; hand-built fairy houses; Bill Bellows, hand weaver of reversible, two-color, original design rugs in wool and linen; custom made to your specifications; Cheryl Blaydon, oil paintings with a focus on seascapes, landscapes and still life subjects; Jill Butke, fiber artist/weaver, unique hand-woven cotton and wool wearables; John Butke, paintings inspired by Maine landscapes' ever-changing colors and forms; Bill Dixon, listed American Artist featuring impressionistic oils with lush color and depth; Peter Felsenthal, author/photographer, “New Growth: Portraits of Six Maine Organic Farms;” Cindy Heil, jeweler, delicate necklaces, earrings and bracelets with recycled glass in a coastal color palette; Don Josephson, American expressionist painter of Glocester, Massachusetts, Art Institute of Boston; painting in Edgecomb;Barbara Lally, fiber artist, hand-dyed batik — cotton, silk and velvet; unique Christmas ornaments; Jennifer Litchfield, oil and acrylic paintings; Dick Macdonald, stained glass artist, original designs of mirrors, wall hangings, candle holders, suncatchers, lamps, and more; Leslie Muir-Volpe, fiber artist, miniature quilts, punch needle embroidery, unique fabric keepsakes; Sanny Norton, jewelry, wall hangings, painted furniture; necklaces and wire sculptures with sea glass, shells, beach stones; Mark T. Reilly, paintings of iconic Maine scenes; Lynne Seitzer, Joy to the Wind Gallery, paintings in oils, pastels, watercolors, ink; John M. T. Seitzer, Joy to the Wind Gallery, paintings in oils, acrylics, pastels, mixed media, watercolors, 3D; Ursula Smith, weaver, hand-woven textiles for the home; Susie Stephenson, rug hooker, fun fiber arts on the coast of Maine; Lea Wait, author of historical novels for ages 8 and up; two award-winning mystery series for adults; George and Naomi Whitten, hand-marbleized paper, handmade notebooks, cards and boxes; Tom Whittle, plein air paintings and split bamboo fly rods.

The Yachts ...

Hodgdon Yachts and LAF are highlighting beautifully crafted watercraft made locally and available to see on display under cover, outdoors on trailers and in the water at the Hodgdon Yachts Service Marina. Interest in this portion of the show is growing, as are the requests to share more examples of craftsmanship.

Boat builder Roy Jenkins is contributing a 20’ yawl on a trailer, rowing pea pod, rowing shell, and half models/pond models of other craft. Alan Boyes will share his 1910 design kayak (new construction), and Adirondack Guide Boat with oars — the wood used in these craft is absolutely exquisite and must be seen. Southport Island Marine will have its popular 21’ Southport design boat on a trailer.

Nathaniel “Nat” Wilson, the region's internationally known sailmaker, will have materials available and provide information about the various projects and processes used in his craft. And, there may be opportunities to see and use some of the sailmaker’s tools.

Boats being brought to the marina docks especially for Arts and Yachts include two sailboats: Pagan Moon, a 32’ steel cutter-rigged Walter Merritt Gypsy Rover design, Polar Cub, a 1982 classic 22’ Cape Dory “senior;” a newSouthport 30(power-lobster boat cruiser) by Southport Island Marine, and other vintage power and sailboats will be at the docks.

Changing scale, small boat builders and model boat enthusiasts must head over to Boat Shed 2 throughout the three-day event with several antique and/or unique boats on display.

Hours for Sunday, Aug. 21 are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.