The 2016 fall foliage report from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry reports moderate to high color spreading throughout Maine. Northern Maine and the western mountains are reaching peak (75 percent) conditions with low leaf drop this weekend.

“As if on cue, this Columbus Day weekend is a great opportunity to plan a leaf peeping trip to your favorite destination in Maine. Despite the drought conditions we’ve experienced throughout most of the state, the colors are emerging on a daily basis and are brilliant! I might even go out on a limb and say that I think the colors on the trees are more vibrant than in past years in all parts of the state. I don’t believe our leaf peepers will be disappointed,” according to Gale Ross, fall foliage spokesperson.

Leaf peepers can visit the state’s official foliage website, www.mainefoliage.com, to sign up to receive weekly reports by email, and can share their photos from throughout the state as the progression of color begins to peak.

Week of October 5, 2016 ....

Foliage Zones

Zone 7: Northeastern Maine, including Fort Kent, Caribou, and Presque Isle

Zone 6: Northwestern Maine

Zone 5: Western Mid-Maine, including Greenville, Rangeley, Bethel

Zone 4: Eastern Mid-Maine, including Houlton, Millinocket, and Calais

Zone 3: Central and Southwestern Maine, including Bangor, Augusta, and Fryeburg

Zone 2: Downeast Maine, including Machias, Bar Harbor, and Penobscot Bay

Zone 1: Mid-Coast and South Coastal Maine, including Camden, Portland, Kennebunkport, and Kittery

Autumn is a perfect time to head out on an early morning or afternoon walk in the woods or along the shoreline. The Porter Preserve on Barters Island is just the place for doing just that, whether you’re revisiting it, or discovering it for the first time.

The 19-acre preserve is a part of the Boothbay Region Land Trust and has paths that are easily followed, offering beautiful views of the Sheepscot River. The small parking lot at the preserve’s entrance had cars bearing license plates from Arizona, Pennsylvania, New York and Vermont during our recent visits.

Getting there is nearly as enjoyable as visiting the preserve itself. From Route 27 at the Boothbay Civil War monument, turn onto Corey Lane. Drive through the intersection and take the next right, Barters Island Road. The drive takes you past the YMCA’s Camp Knickerbocker and the ever popular Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

Just past the boat launch you’ll come to a second older bridge by the Trevett Store. This swing-span bridge is still hand-operated by a tender who “cranks” the bridge open to allow boat traffic through. This is the last hand-operated swing bridge in Maine. Nice.

Continue on and at the cemetery across from the Barters Island Baptist Church is Kimballtown Road; turn here. Drive slowly because it’s a narrow road. Just past a marsh you’ll see a dirt road on your left, Porter Point Road; the parking area is across from a small cemetery.

Maps and rules of the preserve are at the kiosk. Dogs should be leashed. A “white blaze” marks the main trail that loops around the preserve. Along the way are many side paths that carry you out to the shoreline. Several include benches where you can sit and admire some beautiful views of the Back and Sheepscot rivers.

There are also several small beaches to explore. One looks out to a small island identified on the trail map as “Lydia Ann’s Island.”

The path snakes its way through a forest of pine, spruce and oak trees. I also noticed a few horse chestnut, poplar and birch trees. One of the trails carries you downhill along a tumbling stone wall.

On the north side of a large cove is a blue-blazed path that takes you past the onetime Hull family home site. The small footprint can be traced by its foundation stones. A short distance from it is what looks like an old hand-dug well, now covered over with a grate.

At the preserve’s northern side is a small memorial grove with a semi-circle of benches. Here visitors can sit, meditate or simply enjoy the salt air. A short distance away is the Roberts’ memorial stone.

The preserve has been around a while and is popular with locals and folks from away as indicated by the cars in the parking lot during our recent visits. In 1983, Nathaniel Porter donated 19 acres to the BRLT to create the preserve. A donation from Robert and Linda Jones in 2005 allowed the BRLT to acquire an additional 1.9 acres of adjacent land including Roberts Wharf used by commercial fishermen.

We — that is, Bo, my faithful dog — hiked the preserve from both ends on separate visits. The preserve is open dawn to dusk year-round.

Before leaving the preserve, take a few moments to visit the Kimball Cemetery where you’ll see gravestones with family names like Lewis, Caswell and Kimball. One prominent obelisk marks the final resting place of Capt. Louville Kimball, age 30 and 7 months, who was “Lost at sea, Oct. 24, 1895.” From the carving on the opposite side we see that Kimball left a wife behind, Edith G. Conley.

Capt. Kimball’s stone is inscribed with an unusual symbol which was very worn, but after some research we discovered it indicates he was a member of the Knights of Pythias. The fraternal organization, still active today, was once located in the present location of the Opera House in Boothbay Harbor.

The BRLT is offering a series of guided tours of its preserves through Dec. 20. To learn more about the Porter Preserve, visit www.bbrlt.org.

Second half goals by Sarah Foley and Cyra Fait, along with a solid performance by goalkeeper Lindsey Gordon, helped give the Wolverines a 2-0 victory over visiting Boothbay Region Thursday night, Oct. 6.

The win improved the Wolverines’ record to 4-6-1. Wiscasset entered the game still very much in playoff contention, ranked ninth in the Mountain Valley Conference. Boothbay Region was ranked 13th and is now 2-10. One of the Seahawks’ wins was a 5-4 thriller over Wiscasset in the MVC season opener Sept. 2.

After Wiscasset won the coin toss Oct. 6, the team deferred possession of the ball in favor of defending the western net. The two longtime rivals then battled through a scoreless first half. The first scoring opportunity came 10 minutes into the game when Seahawk Regan Cola crossed a pass to Angie Perkins but Gordon was there to make the first of five first half saves. Perkins by the way had scored three goals against Wiscasset in their first meeting.

At 28:59, Gordon caught Perkins’s shot from just outside the 18 and punted the ball down field. With 12 minutes left until halftime, Wiscasset’s Grace Webber made a nice cross pass in front of the Seahawks’ net but goalie Hannah Cola was there for the save. The final 10 minutes of the half saw the momentum swing back and forth as both teams struggled to maintain possession of the ball. A few minutes before the horn sounded, Wiscasset’s Gabby Chapman crossed a pass to Lilly Souza but again Cola was there for the stop. Cola, too, had five saves in the first half.

In the second half, at the 35:50 mark Webber slipped behind two Seahawks. Her shot caught Cola leaning the wrong way. She bobbled the ball but there were no Wolverine players anywhere close by.

Wiscasset finally scored at 28:15 on a corner kick. Chapman chipped the ball to the goalmouth and Foley was there to hammer it home. Ten minutes later, Fait put Wiscasset ahead 2-0, Webber assisting. After Chapman broke free, Cola charged out of the net. The two collided just outside the penalty area and a scramble followed for the loose ball, ending in Fait’s goal.

With 13:04 left on the clock, Reagan Cola passed off to Perkins but fullback Keara Hunter raced in to break up the play. Later, Perkins found Summer Chamberlain open in front of the net but Gordon went low and made another nice stop punting the ball away. With four minutes left, Perkins passed off to Chamberlain again but her shot was wide left. Both goalies finished with about 10 saves each.

Wiscasset has just three games remaining including the Homecoming game with Winthrop Saturday, Oct. 8. The order of the games was changed, the girls’ game will follow the boys, the girls’ game is scheduled to kick off around 7 p.m.

On Oct 11, Wiscasset will hit the road to play Carrabec. The Wolverines defeated Carrabec earlier this season. They’ll wrap up the regular season by hosting Dirigo at 4 p.m. Oct. 13.

Capt. Bob Fish started his whale-watching cruise over 80 years ago. It has never slowed down.

Now his son, Capt. John Fish, runs the business.

Fish said the best time to spot whales is during the summer months before the whales begin to migrate to warmer waters. But even in October, passengers in hopes of spotting one or two haven't been disappointed.

On Oct. 5, the Harbor Princess set out from Pier One in Boothbay Harbor with 51 passengers. It was a perfect early October day, with clear blue skies and light winds, and Capt. Steve was at the helm. His narrator, Nori McLeod, a marine biologist and an expert on whales and other marine creatures, was his co-pilot. She spoke about the types of whales that might be seen that day, and offered tidbits about other marine life and birds that often appear during whale-watching cruises.

Soon after the Harbor Princess left the outer harbor, a couple seals were spotted, and a little further out some harbor porpoises surfaced for a brief show.

Capt. Steve said he had a few options for places to head for whale sightings. “There are around four or five places we go. During the summer we go out every day and can keep track of them, but this time of year they're more on the move.” The whales are beginning to migrate, so it's hit or miss as to whether they'll be spotted. “Not all of them migrate, but most do,” he said. “But fishermen tell me they're still seeing whales up around Southwest Harbor. Hopefully we'll see some of those as they head by.”

He said ocean currents also affect the travel of the whales. “We don't have an El Nino current like they do on the west coast, but different things can affect the currents, and the whales are solely up here to feed, so it's all about where the food is.”

The second largest whales in the world, fin whales, averaging 60 to 80 feet and up to 260,000 pounds, were the ones most likely to be seen that day, but Mcleod said there was a possibility of seeing a blue, a humpback, a minke and/or a North Atlantic right whale, one of the most endangered of the whale species. There are only around 500 of them left in the North Atlantic.

Mcleod was on the sound system educating passengers about what they should be looking for, as the boat sped out to the likely sighting grounds. “You'll see water shooting up into the air followed by a sort of 'smoke bomb' and these spouts can be anywhere from a couple feet high to 30 feet in the air. So not only do you want to look at the area close to the boat but off in the distance as well. We also want to keep an eye out for any black shiny backs and triangular-shaped dorsal fins or any tails coming up out of the water.”

She went on to explain that whales are mammals, and therefore have lungs and need to come up for air. “On average the whales take between five and seven breaths at the surface before going down on a deep dive that can last anywhere from five to ten minutes, or up to a half hour.”

Capt. Steve said he does his best to find whales, for obvious reasons. It is, after all, a whale watch cruise, and most, if not all, the passengers bought their tickets with that in mind. “Some people don't really want to come out on a boat, but they want to see a whale, so I really want to find a whale for those people.”

Several harbor porpoises, the smallest of the whale species, were spotted during the cruise, but two and a half hours into the usually three-hour trip, not a whale had been sighted.

“We're only a couple miles from where we saw them yesterday,” he said. “Hopefully they're still there.” Shortly after that, two small puffins were spotted off the starboard bow, and a tiny nuthatch appeared and landed on Mcleod's shoulder. That was sweet, but nothing compared to the sighting of a sudden burst of a water spout, and then the back of an enormous sea creature surfacing and with a flip of its tail disappearing again below the surface of the ocean. Breathtaking.

There were three more sightings after that. The captain thought there were two or three different fin whales seen that day.

Damariscotta’s 10th annual Pumpkinfest and Regatta got off to a warm start, but by the time of the pumpkin boat races, ended up in a drenching rain.

Even so, a good time was had by all.

The winners of the Paddleboat races included Robert Watts, Jaja Martin, David Martin, and Amanda Moeser for individual heats, with Jaja Martin taking the final; and Jaja Martin and Robert Watts in the first relay, and David Watts and Todd Sandstrum in the second relay. The paddleboats were decorated as a VW hippie microbus, Pokemon’s friend Pikachu, the USS Zumwalt, and a silver dancing ball. Another paddleboat was scratched because it was too small for anyone to fit into.

Unfortunately, the Zumwalt lost its wheelhouse in the first race, and the microbus sank, with its captain swimming back to the dock in water that was warmer than the air temperature at the time.

The winner of the motorboat race was Christian Rioux, with Edward Pierpont coming in second.

Earlier Sunday morning, a new triple crown winner emerged from a field of pumpkin derby racers. Lilly won not only the youth division and the overall division, but also the most creative division.

Saturday, festival goers visited the children’s play area, chatted with the Queen of the Pumpkins, tried all kinds of street food and pumpkin desserts, and ultimately, watched the parade.

Those so inclined were invited to come in and watch “Tristan und Isolde” on the big screen at the Lincoln Theater on Saturday, the pumpkin boats on Sunday, and a children’s matinee on Monday morning.

The Wolverines defeated Winthrop High School in back-to-back games in Mountain Valley Conference soccer action last week.

Russell Marr and Grant Hefler scored first and second half goals as Wiscasset Middle High School bested the visiting Ramblers 2-1 at Saturday’s homecoming game. Both Wolverine goals were the result of long throw-ins from the sideline by Ethan James.

Marr scored with 14:10 left to go in the first half. Hefler then netted what proved to be the game-winner at 28:10 in the second half of play. The game got exciting when Jay McAughlin scored for the Ramblers with 19:10 left to play in regulation. McAughlin’s goal came on a direct kick following a whistle that went against the Wolverines.

The Ramblers suffered a big blow after their starting goalie Jason Ladd exited with a shoulder injury in the first half. Ladd was having a good game, having recorded a dozen saves before he was hurt.

Conlon Ranta was credited with three saves for WMHS. Wolverine Coach Chris Cossette said afterwards Kevin Lynch and Nate Woodman were defensive standouts in the backfield. “James and Aidan Carlson played well for us at midfield,” he added.

“We clearly controlled the tempo and ball possession but struggled scoring. Their goalie made a terrific save on the play that he was injured on.”

Cossette said the team’s final three games of the regular season will determine where the Wolverines wind up in the playoffs. “We’ll take them one game at a time and hopefully finish high enough in the MVC standings to host a playoff game or two,” the coach continued.

Wiscasset hosts Dirigo at 6 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 13 and then ends the regular season with an afternoon game at Lisbon High School Friday, Oct. 14. The LHS Greyhounds narrowly defeated Wiscasset earlier this season.

At Winthrop on Oct. 4, the Wolverines shut out the Ramblers 3-0; Marr, Brandon Goud and Kevin Lynch were the scorers.

Marr put the Wolverines on the scoreboard at 26:57 of the first half. Twenty minutes later, Goud made it a 2-0 ballgame. Lynch then netted a penalty kick with 7:30 to play.

Ladd was credited with 11 saves on 15 WMHS shots. Ranta saved three.

Wiscasset Speedway put a wrap on the 2016 season Saturday afternoon with its annual Fall Fury season finale. The show also included the makeup of the 4th annual McKeage's Top Gun Strictly Shootout and newly crowned Wiscasset Strictly Street champ Kurt Hewins once again showed all challengers "This is MY house."

The day was filled with features in all eight weekly divisions plus an appearance by the Wicked Good Vintage Racers. Loyal fans packed the stands one final time to see there favorite drivers race around Maine's fastest track and as usual, they weren't disappointed. After an afternoon of racing, in typical Wiscasset Speedway style, race teams and track staff gathered for a big family style cookout followed by 2016 season awards presentations. Champions were recognized in all divisions and awards were handed out in all classes for Sportsmanship, Improvement and Perseverance as well as Rookie of the Year.

Brandon Simmons took home the track's coveted Promoter's Award for his outstanding work as Wiscasset Speedway's videographer. Harpswell's Mark Lucas took home the track's biggest honor as Four Season Synthetic Driver of the Year. Lucas won championships in both the Super Street and Napa Modified divisions; a first in the track's history. The Farley/Chandler/Lucas team took the Racing Spirit Award and car owner Rob Chandler was a emotional recipient of the track's Integrity Award. A complete list of 2016 season awards is available on the Wiscasset Speedway website www.wiscassetspeedway.com

The Top Gun Strictly Shootout is a race that was the brainchild of longtime racer Dave Brannon. His vision, to bring together the top Strictly Street / Wildcat / Outlaw racers from the state of Maine for an action-packed 40-lap "shootout" style race for money and bragging rights as well as the big trophy and cowboy hat that go to the winner. 

Thirty drivers rolled onto the 3/8 mile track for the main event with many of the top contenders locked back in the middle of the pack, thanks to inversion draw that had flipped the front thirteen cars in the starting grid. The first caution of the race came out on the second lap with cars scrambling through turn four including defending race champ #51 Kyle Hewins who spun to the bottom of the turn. The #4 of Jordan Russell held the early lead, but as short lived with Kurt Hewins wheeling his #55 to the top spot from 2 rows back.

The first major turn of the race came on lap 15 as a lapped car of came spinning out of turn two onto the back stretch, collecting the 2nd place car of Russell. On the ensuing restart Zach Bowie took his shot at the champ, taking the lead for one circuit, but once again Hewins withstood the challenge and charged to the lead the next time around. As the race unfolded, much the same as the regular season at Wiscasset, while other contenders struggled to find consistency, Kurt Hewins was the constant.

Lap 25 saw the next caution for a two car tangle between Nate Leavitt and Ben Ashline. However, Bowie would pit from his 2nd place position for a tire going down. The #51x of Bryan Robbins and #61 of Matt Dufault were the next pair to step up and challenge Hewins. But on the ensuing restart Dufault would connect with Robbins out of turn 4, bringing out the race's 4th caution and taking both out of contention. 

The race settled into a green flag run for the remaining 16 laps. Inaugural Shootout winner Cole Watson had lingered around the top 10 for much of the race and it was his turn to try to wrestle the lead from Hewins. He was joined by veteran racer Zack Emerson who had meticulously picked his way into contention. The challenge for the lead was short lived and Hewins gradually pulled away and took the win by a half straightaway.

The 2016 Wiscasset champ put an exclamation point on his season with his 6th win of the year. Fan's attention would turn to the battle for 2nd over the final five laps as the two champion drivers (one from Beech Ridge, one from Oxford) waged a heated battle for the runner-up trophy. Emerson finished a last lap outside pass to secure 2nd. Watson picked up his third podium appearance in the 4-year history of the Top Gun Shootout with his 3rd place finish. Union's Mac Hannan Jr's #40 car spent the entire race in the top 10 and finished 4th. The big mover of the race was the #09 of Ryan Ripley who raced up from 29th to finish 5th.

Other winners on Fall Fury included Caleb Willett in the Wicked Good Vintage Sportsman 20-lap feature; Arthur Hannaford in the Wicked Good Vintage Outlaw 20-lap feature. Mark Lucas of Harpswell was a big winner on the day as well, taking both the 20-lap Super Street and 25-lap NAPA Modified features; putting a bow on his double championship season. Chris Thorne of Sidney backed up his 4th championship in the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model 30-lap feature. Michael Harrison of Durham was another champion who wrapped up his season with a bonus win, taking the 15-lap Thunder 4 Mini feature. Dave Farrington Jr. of Jay was the winner of the 35-lap feature for the ServPro of Biddeford Saco Prostocks, making it his 2nd straight win at Wiscasset. Shawn Kimball of Augusta drove his #20 car to his 2nd straight win, 5th of the season, for the Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Minis. The N.E.4-cyl Prostock 20-lap feature went to top rookie Jamie Wright of Woolwich.

While Wiscasset Speedway is finished racing, the track will host its final event of the season Saturday, Oct. 29 with its first Racer's Flea Market. It runs from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sellers may rent a pit stall to sell anything automotive or racing related for a cost of $25. Contact Vanessa Jordan at (207) 491-3720 or Dale Chadbourne at (207) 442-8489 to reserve a pit stall. The Racer's Flea Market is free to enter for anybody just looking to buy. There will be concessions and souvenirs available for purchase as well. For more information on the Racer's Flea Market and anything else pertaining to Wiscasset Speedway, go to our website at www.wiscassetspeedway.com.

OFFICIAL FALL FURY RESULTS 10/8/16

STRICTLY STREETS / TOP GUN STRICTLY SHOOTOUT (40 laps)

1.    #55h    Kurt Hewins            Leeds

2.    #23      Zack Emerson        Sabattus

3.    #45      Cole Watson           Naples

4.    #40      Mac Hannan Jr.       Union

5.    #09      Ryan Ripley            Thomaston

6.    #97      Dan Brown              Peru

7.    #15      Ben Ashline             Pittston

8.    #51      Kyle Hewins            Leeds

9.    #17      Gary Davis              Harrison

10.  #36x    Nathan Leavitt         Scarborough

11.  #51x    Bryan Robbins         Montville

12.  #04      Zac Bowie               Turner

13.  #15x    Tyler Robbins         Montville

14.  #24      Ray Letellier            Gorham

15.  #5x      Guy Childs               Sabattus

16.  #2        Jeremy Morais         n/a

17.  #8        Craig Robbins          Montville

18.  #33      Travis Burrows         Sweden

19.  #00      Kimberly Knight        Chesterville

20.  #13      Shawn Emery           Lisbon

21.  #36      Richard Spaulding    Lewiston

22.  #89      Faith Cleaves            Freeport

23.  #1        Billy Childs Jr.            Leeds

24.  #24e    Jonathan Emerson    Sabattus

25.  #47      Brian Caswell            Buxton

26.  #61      Matt Dufault               Turner

27.  #79      Travis Lovejoy           Alfred

28.  #4x      Curtis Gleason           South Portland

29.  #4        Jordan Russell           Norway

30.  #99x    Jeff Davis                   Woolwich

SUPER STREETS (20 LAPS)

1.    #5       Mark Lucas                 Harpswell

2.    #11     Jason Oakes               Boothbay

3.    #9       Sean Johnson             Oakland

4.    #85     Kenny Harrison           Durham

5.    #06     Zac Poland                 Woolwich

6.    #2       Josh Bailey                 Wiscasset

7.    #20     Tyler Bailey                 Wiscasset

8.    #38     Cody Buzzell               Madison

THUNDER 4 MINI  (15 LAPS)

1.   #48      Michael Harrison          Durham

2.   #19      Travis Poulliot              Skowhegan

3.   #26      Michael Golding           Pownal

4.   #11x    Cam Childs                   Leeds

5.   #03      Trystan Shea                Richmond

6.   #20      Devan Robinson           Warren

7.   #1        Jeff Davis                      Woolwich

8.   #08      Jeff Merrill                     n/a

9.   #70      Roy Sevigny                 Bowdoinham

10.  #21     Shawn Berry                 Livermore Falls

11.  #14x    Adam O'Neil                 Lewiston

12.  #007    Destiny McKenzie        Wiscasset

13.  #25j     Brian Burr                     Lisbon

14.  #27      Jonathan Golding         Pownal

15.  #5        n/a                                n/a

16.  #41      Logan Melcher             Fayette

17.  #19x    Chris Foster                 Lisbon

WOOD PELLET WAREHOUSE LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN (30 LAPS)

1.    #17     Chris Thorne                 Sidney

2.    #4       Ben Erskine                  Farmington

3.    #3       Richard Jordan             Kingfield

4.    #34     Tyler Robbins               Montville

5.    #21     Shane Clark                  Winterport

6.    #1       Steven Chicoine           Portland

7.    #7       Jay Bailey                     Wiscasset

8.    #11     Cody Verrill                   Richmond

9.    #7x      Danny Smart                Buxton

10.  #00     Alex Waltz                     Walpole

N.E.4-CYL PRO (20 LAPS)

1.   #84       Jaime Wright               Woolwich

2.   #38       Ryan Hayes                 Jefferson

3.   #7         Spencer Vaughn          Canton

4.   #54       Cam Corbin                  Hallowell

5.   #5         Barry Morris                 Livemore Falls

6.   #55       Alex Waltz                    Walpole

7.   #7d       Dakota Doolin               Morill

8.   #9x       Brooke Knowles            West Gardiner

9.   #98       Kamren Knowles           West Gardiner

NAPA MODIFIEDS (25 LAPS)

1.   #5        Mark Lucas                    Harpswell

2.   #04      Allan Moeller                  Dresden

3.   #7        Steve Reno                    West Bath

4.   #27      Shane Kaherl                 Jay

5.   #21      Tom Young                    Freeport

6.   #00      Todd Ladd                     Farmington

7.   #8        Richard Jordan              Kingfield

8.   #1        Adam Chadbourne        Woolwich

KENNEBEC EQUIPMENT RENTAL OUTLAW MINIS (20 LAPS)

2.   #5        Jimmy Childs                 Leeds

3.   #34      Justin Trombley             Winter Harbor

4.   #26      Brent Roy                       Vasselboro

5.   #03      Trystin Shea                  Richmond

SERVPRO OF BIDDEFORD SACO PROSTOCKS

1.   #23      Dave Farrington Jr.         Jay

2.   #96      Wyatt Alexander             Ellsworth

3.   #01x    Joe Decker                     Chesterville

4.   #2r       Chris Ryan                     Newburgh

5.   #91jr    Mike Orr                          Wiscasset

6.   #12      Thomas True                   Wiscasset

7.   #113     Tommy Tompkins           Dixfield

8.   #21       Shane Clark                    Winterport

9.   #34       Tyler Robbins                  Montville

10.  #29      Kevin Morse                    Woolwich

WICKED GOOD VINTAGE - SPORTSMAN (20 LAPS)

1.   #60      Caleb Willett                    Winslow

2.   #8        Norris Willett                    Winslow

3.   #0jr      Dean Grant                      Detroit

4.   #61      Dick McPhail                    Fairfield

5.   #7        Parker Long                     Boothbay Harbor

6.   #35      Dennis Fish                     Livemore Falls

7.   #420    Keith Smalley                  Warren

8.   #24      Zac Poland                      Woolwich

9.   #25      Mark Hughes                   Milton Mills, NH

10.  #32     Jim Kinney                       Warren

11.  #48     George Harding               Benton

WICKED GOOD VINTAGE - OUTLAWS (20 LAPS)

1.   #71     Arthur Hannaford              Hollis

2.   #79     Scott Tucker                     Winthrop

3.   #86     Ryan Chadwick                Wiscasset

4.   #1       Bob Guyon                       Monmouth

5.   #15     Sid Smith                          Mt Vernon

6.   #X       Leo Tanger                       Woolwich

7.   #7       n/a                                     n/a

8.   #16     Dwight Picard                    Lisbon Falls

9.   #1h     Norm Judkins                    Fairfield

The Wolverine girls closed out the regular season with a 2-0 shutout over visiting Dirigo High School Thursday night.

After battling through a scoreless first half, Gabby Chapman booted in a penalty kick with 11:10 left to play after the Cougars were whistled for pushing.

The second goal came just three minutes later. Chapman passed off to Grace Webber who was open in front of the net. Cougar goalie Katie Morse charged but Webber booted the ball by her for the score.

Wiscasset controlled the tempo for the first 15 minutes of the second half. The Wolverines had carried the ball deep into Dirigo territory when Vanessa Dunn was banged up on a play, stopping the clock at 24:45.

When action resumed, the momentum swung Dirigo’s way. Brittney Greig slipped behind a Wiscasset defender but her shot was scooped up by Wolverine keeper Lindsey Gordon and punted down field.

At 19:44 Dirigo was whistled for an infraction just outside the 18-yard line. Chapman chipped the ball to the goalmouth. Natalie Corson was there but a Dirigo defender deflected her shot wide right.

Two minutes later, the speedy Webber broke free on the right wing. She carried the ball down the sideline, eluding two defenders. Her shot, low to the post, was bobbled by the goalie but no Wolverines could get to the loose ball.

With the clock winding down to 14:40, Dirigo’s Nicole Whitman had a nice shot again caught by the leaping Gordon and cleared away.

At 12:56, the Cougars were whistled for pushing at the 30-yard line. Chapman again chipped the ball into the penalty area. The goalie charged and the ball bounced over her head. A scramble followed but Cougar Emily Abyes kicked the ball away.

Dirigo’s last scoring opportunity came with 4:33 left to play. Whitman centered a pass to an open teammate but the play was whistled dead on an offside call.

The Wolverines finished with a 12-5 shot edge. Gordon recorded six stops, Morse five.

Following the game, Coach Duane Goud recognized his five senior players in a brief ceremony. They included Gabby Chapman, Stephanie Jones, Keara Hunter, Jenna Bickford and Brooke Carleton.

The Wolverines finished the season with a 6-6-2 record in the Mountain Valley Conference. Eighth-ranked Wiscasset will host ninth-ranked Hall-Dale on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 5 p.m.

Brandon Goud scored three goals on Senior Night, leading the Wolverines to a 5-2 victory over visiting Dirigo in a rain-soaked soccer game Thursday night.

It was the fifth win in a row for the Wolverines, who finish the Mountain Valley Conference season tomorrow afternoon at Lisbon High School.

With 21:19 left to play in the first half, Goud lit up the scoreboard, booting Max Sampson’s pass past Cougar keeper Colin Woodhead.

As it turned out, that was the only goal of the first half, although Wiscasset Middle High School clearly dominated possession of the ball.

The weather then took a turn for the worse in the second half, a light drizzle turning into a steady rain.

Goud found the net again at the 27:04 mark, then Kevin James, (Josh Kramley assisting) put the Wolverines up 3-0 at 23:42.

Goud’s “hat trick” came at 22:32. Russell Marr joined the scoring parade with 16:47 left to play, making it 5-0. Josh Gabriele picked up an assist on the goal.

Tyler Brown broke up the shutout at 9:20. Brown then scored again (Vic Verrill assisting) with 7:13 left, although by this time most of the Wolverines starters were watching from the sideline.

Wiscasset finished with a 14-5 shot edge. Conlon Ranta started in goal for Wiscasset with Sam Strozier working the closing minutes.

The win put Wiscasset’s record at 9-4. Entering the game they were ranked third in the Class C Heal point standings behind Hall-Dale and Monmouth, two teams the Wolverines defeated this year. The Wolverines are assured a post season playoff spot.

Before the start of the game, Coach Cossette recognized his 10 senior players: Aidan Carlson, Brandon Goud, Ethan James, Josh Kramley, Kevin Lynch, Russell Marr, Conlon Ranta, Alex Strozier, Nate Woodman and Grant Hefler.

Cobras nipped

On Oct. 11, Wiscasset had a 2-1 road win over Carrabec High School. All the scoring took place in the first half of play.

Russell Marr (Goud assisting) scored the first goal for the Wolverines at 28:57. Grant Hefler from Max Sampson then netted what proved to be the deciding goal at 25:27.

J. Atwood (J. Daigle assisting) scored the Cobras’ goal with 5:25 left in regulation.

Goalie Conlon Ranta recorded five saves for Wiscasset who outshot their hosts 13 to 5. Cobra goalie S. Podelford saved 11.

Wiscasset Middle High School and Lisbon battled through 80 minutes of regulation and two overtime periods but had to settle for a 1-1 tie Friday afternoon. The game hosted by Lisbon was the Mountain Valley Conference season finale for both teams. Wiscasset’s first post-season game remained to be scheduled.

It was an action-packed soccer game between two longtime rivals, well played by both teams and well officiated. It was also Senior Day for Lisbon whose players wore pink socks for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Wiscasset had worn pick socks during their final home game with Dirigo on Oct. 13.

After winning the coin flip, the Greyhounds chose to defend the east end of the field. They had the wind at their backs but the afternoon sun in their eyes. The temperature was 58 degrees with a light breeze blowing. The Wolverines’ first drive came just five minutes into the game.  Josh Kramley playing on the wing dished off to striker Russell Marr who attempted to pass off to Brandon Goud only to have the play broken up by Lisbon fullback Nick Lerette in front of the net.

Lisbon then drove deep; Ryley Austin fired the ball low to the far post but Wolverine keeper Conlon Ranta was there for the stop, punting the ball back to midfield. At 30:05, Wiscasset was whistled for charging out around the 30-yard line. Austin chipped the ball to the goalmouth but Ranta charged out and caught the ball in midair.

The momentum continued to seesaw wildly back and forth. With 24:53 left until the half the Wolverines finally ended the deadlock. Marr carried the ball through two Greyhound players, bringing goalie Jonah Sautter charging out of the net. Sautter went low and blocked the shot but Max Sampson was there for the rebound and score.

With 9:04 left until halftime Lisbon drove deep again. Austin fired from the right side. The ball carried 30 yards and ricocheted off the far post and into the net. Tie game. Wolverine Ethan James who played a great game at midfield found Brandon Goud open on the wing with two minutes left. Goud fired, Sautter leaped, batted the ball down,  grabbed it and punted back to midfield. With 1:40 left the referee then stopped the game to issue a yellow card to a Lisbon player for questioning a call. Wiscasset was issued a card for unsportsmanlike behavior just as the half ended.

In the second half, Lisbon’s Bradley Boulett fired a shot from 30 yards away. Ranta leaped and tipped the ball over the net. On the Greyhound corner kick that followed, Kevin Lynch was there to clear the ball downfield.

With 16:20 left, Wiscasset’s Ethan James heaved a long throw-in to the goalmouth but Sautter caught the ball in midair. Moments later Lisbon was whistled for charging just outside the 18-yard line. Marr’s direct kick careened off the Greyhounds’ defensive formation but Wiscasset lost possession of the ball out-of-bounds. Lerette’s ensuing goal kick carried 60 yards down field.

Neither team could gain an advantage in the first five-minute overtime. Wiscasset’s best scoring opportunity came on a long throw-in from James.

With 2:31 left in the second OT Marr broke free but Greyhound fullback Josh Huston broke up the play. With 57 ticks left in the game the referees stopped the game, issuing a second yellow card to Wiscasset. The game’s last shot was taken by Austin but right at Ranta.

Both teams were even on the shot count, about a dozen each. The saves were about equal as well, eight each.

The Wolverines finished the regular season at 9-4-1 and moved up to number three in the rankings, edging out Hall-Dale. Lisbon at 8-2-3 was seeded number two.

Brian and Ashley Barter of Dresden were nearing the turn onto Route 27 Saturday, taking daughter Naytalia, 4, and son Elijah, 2, to the Wiscasset Community Playground. But as they were about to get off Route One, a big bounce house in front of the municipal building caught their attention.

That looked liked more fun, Brian Barter said. So the family stopped at the Parks and Recreation Department’s annual Scarecrowfest and found other features to enjoy, including the touch-the-truck portion of the event. They checked out a fire truck.

The trucks were part of Scarecrowfest’s appeal for the Wiscasset family of Alex and Ashley Burdick. Twins Corbin and Austin, 2, love fire trucks and were also enjoying the tractors, their mother said. She stood by with the stroller son Holden, 4 months, was napping in while the twins, with their father, took to the steering wheels of side-by-side tractors.

The appearance by the Maine Antique Tractors Association was a Scarecrowfest first, and the group definitely plans to return, members said. In addition to sharing the tractor display, they were selling tickets on a tractor raffle benefiting a scholarship the group awards. Bill Clark traveled from Skowhegan; Bob Clark, from Madison. Members Chris and Emily Folsom live in Wiscasset but had never been to Scarecrowfest. “It’s pretty great,” Emily Folsom, the group’s secretary said of the event. She liked that the Wiscasset All-Sports Boosters were also there raising money, she added.

While Kimberly Dodge helped man the boosters’ table of candy, chips and other items, Wiscasset Middle High School student Corey Campbell walked Dodge’s dogs, who were dressed for the occasion — Duffy as a pumpkin; Bailey as a shark. The costumes matched their personalities, Dodge said.

Another dog in attendance, Bob and Valerie Macdonald’s golden retriever Chief, is a Scarecrowfest regular and had a special honor Saturday. The Macdonalds made a scarecrow version of him.

An event volunteer, Westport Island’s Louise Speece, dressed as a scarecrow again this year, standing next to Route One with straw sticking out her sleeves as she smiled and waved to motorists and held a sign inviting them to make a scarecrow. Asked what it takes to get in scarecrow mode, Speece said: “You’ve got to be jolly. And I love the kids,” she added.

Parks and Recreation staff commented they were seeing a lot of new faces at this year’s installment. An hour into the event, the department’s director Todd Souza said he was noticing more people this year were choosing to take their scarecrows home rather than include it in the roadside display. Asked how plans were shaping up for the Halloween egg hunt, parade and new block party, Souza said, so far, so good.

Saturday’s crisp, sunny weather weather drew good reviews. “It’s nice. A little chilly, but it’s fall,” Ashley Burdick said.

“What a beautiful day it is,” said Newcastle’s Kathleen Gullo, making a scarecrow on the lawn with grandchildren Evie Herrick, 5, Alexandra Herrick, 4, and Charlie Herrick, 2, all of Wiscasset.

Our Scarecrowfest photo gallery has more scenes from Saturday; our “Fall into the holiday season” page has more on all the ongoing and upcoming October events in Wiscasset.

On Friday and Saturday, Oct. 28 and 29, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., the Boothbay Railway Village will once again be cloaked in mystical moonlight and creepy candlelight for the annual Ghost Train. Just once a year the ghouls and goblins come out to haunt the otherwise peaceful Museum. Witches and other monsters will assist the engineer and train crew with departures every 30 minutes, the last leaves the station at 7:30.

The experience is designed to be appropriate for all ages. Guests are encouraged to dress the Halloween part. This year’s Ghost Train has been scaled back as the Museum’s staff and volunteers are working on a number of important preservation projects and new exhibits. A creepy steam train ride with a few small scares will be just $3 for anyone over 3 years old. Museum members and children under 3 are free. Tickets will be available at the door.

For more information about the Ghost Train call the Museum at 207-633-4727, or online at www.railwayvillage.org. The Boothbay Railway Village is located at 586 Wiscasset Road, Route 27 in Boothbay, Maine.

Back by popular demand, Midcoast Conservancy will offer an introductory chainsaw safety class Oct. 29-30 at Hidden Valley Nature Center (HVNC) in Jefferson. This class is part of HVNC’s ongoing commitment to excellent forest-related training. This hands-on class is aimed at providing participants with enough knowledge and practice to make operating a chainsaw safe, productive and rewarding.

Day one of the class is a half-day session. Students will be introduced to safety clothing and equipment, basic saw mechanics and maintenance, and will spend time becoming familiar with basic chainsaw uses, like bucking logs. Day two will be a full day of hands-on learning. Students will continue to gain comfort with basic operations and safe practices. In addition, students will learn about and practice safe tree felling practices.

Participants do not need a chainsaw to participate. HVNC will provide all the equipment, or will evaluate yours for safety. The cost is $130 for Midcoast Conservancy and MOFGA members, and $150 for non-members. HVNC’s 2016 chainsaw safety classes are sponsored by MOFGA and Jonsered chainsaws.

More information available online at www.hvnc.org, midcoastconservancy.org/events, or by calling 207-389-5150.

The Great Stephan and his Family Friendly Magic Show will perform at Wiscasset Middle High School on Saturday, Oct. 22 between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.

The event is being sponsored by the Wiscasset All Sports Boosters. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students.

Halloween is commonly associated with the words trick or treat, candy, scary, pumpkins, and ghosts and ghouls. But for the past couple of years, the Boothbay Region Land Trust (BRLT) has added its own vocabulary to the season, like story, nature trail, family walk, and outside by designing its family-friendly “Hike the Halloween Story Trail' along the School House Pond Preserve trail in Trevett.

“The preserve is a little remote,” Tracey Hall, the trust's environmental educator, explained as we prepared for the hike. “It isn't near the water, which attracts a lot of people, and it's off the beaten path.” To feature its woodsy charms, and there are many for children, adults, and nature lovers of all ages, Hall laminates the pages of a seasonal, colorful picture book with a good narrative, posts the pages from beginning to end on wooden stakes, and sets the stakes into the forest duff for about half a mile. As the story unfolds, clearly visible white blazes mark the easy, mostly level, if root-covered and rocky path throughout the woods.

Hall and I walked the trail, both of us carrying story parts on stakes. She told me she got the idea from the “Burma Shave” roadside story signs that began to appear along roads in 1926 and continued to entertain until the late 1950s, when the interstate highway system expanded and the signs became more of a distraction to drivers going at higher speeds. The BRLT story signs are no distraction, however. On the contrary, they invite readers to stop and read, to take their time, and while they are at it, to notice the quiet and the beauty surrounding them.

As we hiked along, Hall told me she and her husband (Nick Ullo, the executive director of BRLT) first came to Maine as summer caretakers for Damariscove Island. They’re now full-time residents of Southport Island, where their two children attend school. It's a life Hall has grown to love, and one she's wanted to live since she was a child.

As she pounded in the last story stake, we found ourselves at a crossroad. Hall took a trail that would lead her straight back to the parking lot, while I returned along the winding Halloween Story Trail. Maine's mighty glacial past is evidenced by the tumbledown rocks and random boulders left behind when the ice receded, and in an old and beautifully constructed stone wall, about four feet high in some places. I found myself looking down frequently so I wouldn't trip, and I discovered a whole universe. Brilliant green mosses and pale lichens are the stars along the forest floor. This tender ecosystem needs to be treated with care.

I arrived back at the parking lot, reluctant to leave the silence and the story. I know the ending, but I'm not telling. Take the pretty drive out to Trevett and the preserve with your kids, your friends, solo, or with a friendly, obedient dog. The Halloween Story Trail will be up through Monday, Oct. 31, from dawn to dusk. For more BRLT events, visit www.bbrlt.org, or call 207 633-4818.

Months after a try and a miss at teaming up on varsity football, Wiscasset Middle High School and Boothbay Region High School are pursuing another pairing. Wiscasset School Department athletic director-assistant principal Mandy Lewis said Oct. 20, BRHS and WMHS are working to develop a unified basketball team for students with and without developmental disabilities.

“We’re still figuring out the details of what that would look like” for the two schools, Lewis told the Wiscasset School Committee Thursday night. Unified teams are Maine Principals Association-sanctioned and are carried out in collaboration with Special Olympics, she said.

A unified game is an incredibly powerful event, Lewis said. “It really brings students of all abilities together in a very positive, lighthearted, sometimes competitive, but really positive sort of way.”

BRHS Athletic Director-Dean of Students Allan Crocker confirmed in an email Friday, he has submitted an online form to the MPA, requesting to participate in unified sports. He has also submitted a funding request to Special Olympics. “This is all new to us, as it is to Wiscasset, so I am learning as I go,” Crocker writes.

Teams can seek up to $2,500 in funding for each of the first two years, Special Olympics Maine’s Unified Schools director Ian Frank said Friday.

Unified teams are bringing about camaraderie and friendships that spread beyond the court, into the lunchroom and after school, Frank said.

The “intent to participate” and the funding request to Special Olympics Maine to help on uniforms, stipends or other team costs are the only forms to fill out in joining MPA Unified Basketball, Mike Burnham, one of the MPA’s assistant directors, said Friday. MPA Unified Basketball will enter its third year in January and continues to grow, hopefully to 50 or more teams in the coming season, Burnham said.

Asked about the program, Burnham quickly said: ”Probably the best thing we’ve done.” Schools with unified teams have seen improvements in the schools’ culture as students with disabilities take part in a school team sport; they’re termed the athletes, while their non-disabled teammates are referred to as partners, because they get the ball to the members with disabilities and are not supposed to dominate the game, he said. “And they’re very good about that.” Burnham said spectators might not be able to tell athletes from partners as the games are conducted like any other, including the use of officials. The program includes a post-season, a gold ball and cutting of the net, he said.

Regions are assigned  for the season after all the teams are known, Burnham said. Other Mountain Valley Conference high schools with unified teams include Lisbon, Winthrop, Hall-Dale in Farmingdale and Oak Hill in Wales.

The program starts in the latter part of the school basketball season and takes center stage after February break, Burnham said. Teams that don’t qualify for the post-season or pass on it get to take part in a festival that gives them closure on the season, he said. Even with the schools that continue into the post-season, Burnham said, with unified sports, “It isn’t about the outcome, it’s about the opportunity.”

The MPA encourages smaller schools to join up on making unified teams. “So I think it’s great that Boothbay and Wiscasset are doing this together,” Burnham said. A team can have about 15 members — athletes and partners combined — but some have had as many as 17 or 18, Burnham said; the main thing is the MPA wants everyone to get to play, he said. A team is supposed to have at least three athletes and two partners on the court at all times, Burnham said.

WMHS and BRHS attempted a collaborative team for varsity football this year. No Wiscasset students showed up for fall practice and BRHS went club for the season.

Asked about the prospects for assembling the unified basketball team, Crocker writes: “I think having enough numbers will be a year to year struggle, but if we can offer this when we do have the numbers it will be a great thing. Two schools should help,” he writes.

Lewis told the school committee she’ll be excited to share more information as it becomes available.

The Maine Principals' Association announced this morning that due to the extreme wet storm conditions predicted for overnight tonight and tomorrow morning, the Southern Maine Cross Country Regionals scheduled to take place at Twin Brook in Cumberland and the Northern Maine Cross Country Regionals scheduled to take place at Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast, have been postponed to next Saturday, Oct. 29. Due to the postponement, the State Championships will now take place on Saturday, Nov. 5. The time schedules are as follows:

Southern Maine at Twin Brook, Cumberland

B - Boys 11:00 a.m.; Girls 11:35 a.m.

C - Boys 12:30 p.m.; Girls 1:05 p.m.

A - Boys 2:00 p.m.; Girls 2:35 p.m.

Northern Maine at Troy Howard Middle School, Belfast

B - Boys 11:00 a.m.; Girls 11:35 a.m.

C - Boys 12:10 p.m.; Girls 12:45 p.m.

A - Boys 1:20 p.m.; Girls 1:55 p.m.

Cross Country State Championships, Troy Howard Middle School, Belfast

B - Boys 11:00 a.m.; Girls 11:35 a.m.

C - Boys 12:30 p.m.; Girls 1:05 p.m.

A - Boys 2:00 p.m.; Girls 2:35 p.m.

Gabby Chapman’s overtime goal gave the Wolverines a 2-1 win over visiting Hall-Dale in the opening round of the Class C South soccer tournament Saturday night.

The win advances the Wolverines to the second round. The game is Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 2:30 at Monmouth Academy. Monmouth is the top-ranked high school in the Class C South.

WMHS finished the regular season at 6-6-2 ranked number 8 in the Class C South. Hall-Dale was ranked ninth in the Heal Point standings with a record of 6-7-1. In the only time they faced each other this season on Sept. 10, the Wolverines defeated the Bulldogs 3-2 in Farmingdale.

The weather definitely impacted play of Saturday night’s contest. It rained on and off throughout the game. Fortunately the temperature was in the low 60s with just a light breeze blowing. Both teams struggled passing the ball on the wet field and conditions deteriorated as the game progressed.

The Wolverines dominated possession of the ball for the first 20 minutes of play but the Bulldogs netted the first goal. It came with 15:38 left until halftime on a cross pass from Madison Smith to Isabella Merino. Merino’s shot careened off the far post and into the net. It was the visitors’ first shot of the game.

With the clock winding down to 8:50 the Wolverines had four corner kicks in a row but the Bulldog defense held firm. Hall-Dale’s second shot of the half came with 5:45 left. Addie Davis fired but Wolverine goalie Lindsey Gordon was there for the stop. Gordon made another save at 3:50 leaping and catching Merino’s chip shot from 20 yards away.

The Bulldogs held on until 30:08 of the second half when Brooke Carleton tied the game. Carleton launched a high floater in front of the Bulldog bench. Goalie Maggie Gross leaped but the ball carried over her head into the far corner of the net. Smith broke free with the ball with 13:43 left but halfback Arie Mills tracked her down making a fine defensive play. Hall-Dale got off the final shot in regulation with 30 ticks left on the clock but Gordon caught the ball and booted it down field.

After a short intermission play resumed for a 15-minute overtime. Hall-Dale won the toss and chose to defend the east end of the field. Six minutes into OT, the Bulldogs turned the ball over deep in their own end. Carleton’s throw-in went to Chapman who sent the ball across the field to Grace Webber. Webber got off a hard shot but Gross was there for the save.

Two minutes later Chapman’s shot from the left side deflected off a Bulldog defender and rolled into the net ending the game. Both teams received a well deserved round of applause at the game’s conclusion. Gordon and Gross each recorded eight saves. The shot count was about even at a dozen a piece.

CAMDEN — It was cold and blustery Sunday, Oct. 23 at the top of Mt. Battie, but that did not stop a crowd of people from attending a re-dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly renovated Mt. Battie Tower, provided for by the Friends of Mt. Battie Committee. Grey and formidable was the view across the harbor, but spirits ran high and couldn’t suppress the smiles of the friends who gathered to see their restoration project officially completed.

Randy Stearns, chairman of the Friends committee, said it felt great to be almost at the end.

"It feels great to be at this point," he said. "Now we get to recognize the community for what it is. We gave the state a little over $67,000 this spring and they had donated another $10,000 and we've used all of that for restoration."

The stairs are the original stairs, but the handrail has been replaced according to Stearns.

The entire stone and block tower has also been repointed. Repointing is a process of renewing the external part of mortar joints. Over time, weathering can cause voids in the joint, and through frost and salt can cause significant damage to the joints.

Stearns said the entire tower was sealed and although it has a new surface, if you look closely you can still see all the old names that had been carved into the concrete.

"We saved as much of the historic aspect that we could," he said. "I think that Tito Masonry out of Portland has done a great job."

As of Sunday afternoon’s re-dedication, the Tower Project remained $3,000 short of its goal of $100,000.

"We are not done fundraising yet," said Stearns. "We made a commitment to the community and we are going to stick to it to the end. I think $3,000, we should be able to do at Christmas by the Sea. We hope to have another Christmas ornament this year to sell and with that we should be able to go over the top.”

At the ceremony The Friends of Mt. Battie Tower also donated two generators to use to light the star that is placed annually on the tower and lit every night from dusk on Thanksgiving Day through New Year’s Eve, until the generator’s tank of gasoline runs out sometime early in the morning on New Year’s Day.

The Friends also donated $1,000 to Camden Hills State Park for their efforts in keeping the auto road passable for access during the winter months.

"The $1,000 is a way to say thank you to the park for what they do for us," said Stearns.

Friends of Mt. Battie Tower Committee treasurer and historian Heather Moran gave an account of the history of the tower.

"Originally on this site was an Inn called the Summit House in 1899," she said. "It was a popular destination for summer visitors who would come up the mountain to escape the heat and the industrial harbor."

Moran said the Inn fell into disrepair and a group of people formed the Mt. Battie Association to preserve the 60 acres atop the mountain.

"At the end of World War I they decided to build a tower out of the rubble of the derelict Summit House," she said. "These stones you see here in the tower are actually stones from the foundation of the Summit House."

Moran said the tower was designed by the architect of the Camden Public Library, Parker Morse Hooper.

"It was modeled after the Stone Tower in Rhode Island," she said. "The purpose for building the tower was a very special one. It was the end of World War I and Camden-Rockport had over 130 men go overseas to fight and some did not come back home. The tower was conceived as a way to honor the men who died, but also to honor the families who were on the home-front and keeping the home fires burning while that terrible war was going on."

The Mt. Battie Tower ceremony was held as a celebration of the restoration work, and also as a re-dedication of the tower and its purpose to serve as a memorial to World War I.

For many people living in Midcoast Maine, the abundant opportunities to hike, cross-country ski, mountain bike or paddle are vital to why they live here and how they spend their free time. But for others, there are obstacles to taking advantage of those opportunities: cost, accessibility, transportation or lack of skills keep many from the health and happiness benefits of outdoor recreating.

Using its Hidden Valley Nature Center as a model, Midcoast Conservancy has launched a Community Hubs program, whose objective is to ensure that no one in its focus area is ever more than 15 minutes from a center for outdoor adventure and learning. To make that happen, Midcoast Conservancy is working with partners in each of the communities where a hub is located to provide a location and facilities; Midcoast Conservancy will bring the instructors and gear to each site for monthly events, at no cost to participants. Imagine a trailer full of skis, boots, snow pants and gloves pulling up to the Walker Memorial Elementary School in Liberty, where waiting families are fitted for gear before a ski teacher takes them on a tour around the trails behind the school. Or a trailer full of mountain bikes and helmets that can get an eager group of riders at Wiscasset Community Center out on the trail. Other hubs set to host programs this fall include Whitefield and Thorndike, with more to come in 2017.

Midcoast Conservancy wants to make sure that communities help determine what events they would most like to see happen in their area. Open Houses have been held in Wiscasset and Liberty already, drawing more than 50 people to each for a mountain bike ride, dinner and conversation about hopes for future hub experiences. The enthusiasm and engagement that have marked these Open Houses is evidence that the Outdoor Adventure & Learning Hubs is an idea whose time has come, and Midcoast Conservancy looks forward to the ongoing partnership with communities across the Midcoast area as it provides more outdoor opportunities for kids and their families.

For more information, or to share any feedback on the community hubs, contact Andy Bezon at Midcoast Conservancy, (207) 389-5156 or andyb@midcoastconservancy.org.

Wiscasset Parks and Recreation Director Todd Souza said Thursday, the department’s annual Halloween Raven Egg Hunt will be held Friday night despite the rainstorm in the forecast. Souza said there was a discussion as to whether to reschedule, but the event was announced as rain or shine and will take place as scheduled; if necessary, the event will be modified, he said.

Doors to the Wiscasset Community Center gym open at 6:30 p.m. Friday and the walk to the hunt starts at 7 p.m., Souza said. For more on area seasonal happenings, visit our Fall into the holiday season page.

In order to help get kids and families outside having fun in the snow, Midcoast Conservancy is partnering with the Outdoor Sports Institute to lease affordable, quality cross country ski equipment to local kids ages kindergarten through eighth grade. Families can lease high quality skis, boots, and poles through Midcoast Conservancy for the entire winter. Each child will get sized for the gear and then take it home for the season so they can ski on great equipment wherever, whenever they want.

There are two fit-and-take-home days. Tuesday, Nov. 15, from 3-6 p.m., equipment will be available at Midcoast Conservancy’s office at 36 Water Street in Wiscasset. The second, and final, day will be Saturday, Dec. 3, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the CLC YMCA in Damariscotta.

The child who will use the skis must be present. Any questions about the ski lease program can be directed to Andy, andyb@midcoastconservany.org; details are online at midcoastconservancy.org/events.

The ski lease package is $65 per participant. In addition, Midcoast Conservancy will hold the annual Kids XC-Ski Clinic for kids ages 5-12. The clinic will start Saturday, Jan. 7 and run each Saturday morning until Feb. 7. The clinic is the perfect setting for skiers of different levels to gain confidence and enjoy HVNC’s trails. Instructors use fun, non-competitive methods to get the skiers out on the trails having fun each week. For more information see the link above.

Once kids have had a chance to get comfortable on their skis, they can register for the sixth annual Liberal Cup Biathlon at HVNC on Sunday, Jan. 29. There will be youth and high school categories, and prizes awarded for best costumes too! To register, go to midcoastconservancy.org and click on the Biathlon news item. Call (207) 389-5150 with any questions, and think snow!

Damariscotta River Association (DRA) welcomed over 350 students, teachers and parents from ten local schools into their Wabanaki Education Program this fall. Students learned about Wabanaki culture through hands-on experiences as they etched birch bark, made grass mats for wigwams, built emergency shelters in the woods, dug for groundnuts and sampled a variety of wild edibles.

Education Director Sarah Gladu recently explained, “The authentic experience of working with natural materials serves not only to teach history and culture but also, as is consistent with the DRA’s mission, connects students with this landscape.”

With respect to the DRA partnership with David Moses Bridges, the Passamaquoddy educator that works with her during this program, Gladu said, “He [Bridges] is an extraordinary educator. Through stories told to him by his elders, his artwork and his skill with birch bark, he connects students to the Wabanaki culture in a profound fashion. When David talks about ‘the ancestors’ and their relationship to this landscape, the cultural bond to this place becomes concrete for the listeners.”

The Wabanaki program is just one of many school programs offered by the DRA. Since Sept. 1, 2016 alone, the DRA education program has provided educational opportunities to over 740 students of all ages from schools ranging from Gray to Camden. The programs focus on natural science but they vary widely in topic, from tree identification to squid dissection.

Damariscotta River Association is a non-profit, membership supported, and nationally accredited land trust and conservation organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the natural, cultural, and historical heritage of the Damariscotta region, centered on the Damariscotta River.

DRA has active programs in the areas of land conservation, stewardship, community education, water quality monitoring, marine conservation and cultural preservation.

Visitors are welcome at the Great Salt Bay Heritage Center in Damariscotta as well as the many other DRA properties throughout the region. For more information call (207) 563-1393, email dra@damariscottariver.org, or view their website at www.damariscottariver.org.

Taking in the view at the summit of the Beech Hill Preserve in Rockport for the first time is awe-inspiring. 

The preserve is a part of the Coastal Mountains Land Trust. Visiting it makes for a nice morning or afternoon day trip. From the Wiscasset-Boothbay Region it’s about a 50-minute drive north. The easiest way to get there is to follow Route 1 through downtown Rockland to Rockport.

Once you’re in Rockport, you’ll want to make a left turn onto South Street across from the entrance to Glen Cove Inn. Where South Street forks, bear right and continue until you come to Beech Hill Road. Turn right here. You’ll soon see a small wooden sign on the right marking the preserve’s entrance.

The “Summit Road Trail” begins as a narrow path winding through the woods alongside a tumbling stone wall. After a short walk, it ends at a gravel road that takes you to the top of the hill.

It’s an easy trek up, rising gradually through a vast blueberry field. Along the way, we saw clusters of wild northern bayberry bushes. Their tiny, blue-gray "berries" have a waxy feel and are used to make fragrant bayberry candles and scented soap.

It’s a short walk to the summit, 3/4-mile according the preserve’s brochure. Just before the trail winds its way to the top, you’ll catch sight of a stone cottage, “Beech Nut,” as it’s called with its very unique sod roof. From its veranda, you can admire the scenery for miles around and learn some of the building’s history from an informational sign.

The small building was made to resemble a Norwegian mountain house. The Gribbel family of Rockport constructed it over a century ago and used it mostly as a summer retreat. The family had the stones used to construct it hauled to the summit by horse and wagon.

Peeking through the windows, you can see a large single room with an open-beam cathedral ceiling and stone fireplace. Beech Nut was built between 1913 and 1915, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The “Maine Atlas and Gazetteer” reveals Beech Hill rises 533 feet and offers beautiful views of Rockport Harbor, Mount Battie, the Camden Hills and Penobscot Bay. Across the open water we could see Vinalhaven and looking southward a towering structure belonging to Dragon Products in Thomaston. On a clear day, you can see Owls Head in Rockland and far behind it Matinicus Island on the horizon. If you think of it, carry along a set of binoculars.

There’s a second path to explore called the “Woods Loop Trail.” It can be accessed on Rockville Road, which can also be reached by South Street.

The preserve is open year-round, seven days a week during daylight hours. Dogs are permitted but must be leashed at all times. Motorized vehicles and mountain biking are prohibited.

Because deer hunting season has begun, visitors are encouraged to wear blaze orange when hiking the preserve. You may also choose to visit on Sunday when hunting is prohibited in Maine.

The preserve was acquired in 2003 by Coastal Mountains Land Trust with assistance from Maine Coast Heritage Trust along with the Land for Maine’s Future Program.

For more on the preserve or Coastal Mountains Land Trust, visit www.coastalmountains.org.

A small cluster of people gathered at Porter Preserve in Trevett on a crisp Monday morning on Nov. 7 to share a new kind of walking experience sponsored by the Boothbay Region Land Trust (BRLT). Called Shinrin Yoku in Japanese, it translates as forest bathing in English. Part walk, part therapy, Shinrin Yoku blends short, sense-opening exercises with ritual, both within the natural environment of a forest.

“The practice began in Japan during the 1980s,” said guide Tracey Hall, the environmental educator for BRLT. “Japanese people were stressed out, and doctors began to search for ways to help them. Walks in the forest were not only recommended, they prescribed them for their patients. The forest was the therapist.”

That morning’s walk was Hall’s first time leading this type of walk. “I’ve been leading hikes for 20 years,” Hall said. “But this is different. It invites people to slow down.” Last summer, she traveled to Sugarloaf Ridge State Park in northern California to receive Shinrin Yoku training.

A walk takes about an hour, and consists of a series of exercises about 10 minutes long, each of which begins with a polite invitation to join in. “The invitation gives participants a choice on whether they want to be part of it,” said Hall. “If not, they are invited to enjoy the forest in their own way. It’s understood that each person may have an edge, or something that makes them uncomfortable.”

Shortly after entering the preserve, the walkers formed a ring. Hall invited them to close their eyes and open their senses to the forest around them, to turn in a circle from where they stood and find a spot that felt like theirs. Then she invited participants to open their eyes and talk about their experience. She picked up a stick and said, “This is the talking stick. If you want to share, take the stick. If not, that’s okay.” One person remarked on the sharpness of the air. Another focused on finding the sunlight. All chose to speak out and, afterward, the group moved down the trail.

A rounded-tone bell was added during the rest of the exercises, meant to call back group members from places they had scattered along the trail. One of these exercises invited people to focus on an individual tree they felt drawn to. “Have a conversation with it,” suggested Hall. “Or not. Think about what’s special about the tree. What is it telling you?” When the bell dinged and the group reconvened, one person noted that a particularly large tree she had admired showed her how it was actually two trees, having split near the trunk and grown upward into the sky. A chipmunk joined another participant for an intense blinking contest.

The last exercise involved finding a sitting spot where each person was to remain for 10 minutes. “Studies have shown that after that amount of time, animals disturbed by your presence settle down,” Hall said. “Sit quietly and notice what’s happening around you.” Crows overhead stole the show during this particular exercise, apparently unperturbed by the visitors. Loud caws and cackles filled the tops of the pines as the birds called to one another, lending a note of humor to those watching them from the quiet forest floor.

A tea ceremony wrapped up the Shinrin Yoku walk. Hall poured tea with a tincture of wintergreen from crushed leaves taken directly from Porter Preserve into small, clear cups. A final talking stick was passed around. “I don’t want to go back,” one person said. Another person admitted that she normally didn’t share her thoughts, but that this experience had made her feel safe enough to do it.

The tea ceremony over, the group made the short hike back to the parking lot. One participant noted the vivid greens of the pines and the baby spruce, how quiet it was to walk along the pine-needled path, inhaling the sharpness of the wind and listening to the rattle of the few leaves left to spin themselves down at their own leisure. November is nothing if not patient.

Two more Shrinin Yoku walks will be held on Nov. 14 and Nov. 21 at 10 a.m. at the preserve on Barters Island. To find out more, contact Hall at thall@bbrit.org or call BRLT at 207-633-4818. Group size is limited, so reservations are recommended. Wear layers, and bring a hat and gloves.

Midcoast Conservancy is delighted to announce the recipients of this year’s Volunteer Awards, to be presented at its annual meeting and volunteer appreciation, Dec. 8 at Wavus Camp. Each award represents one of the organization’s pillars, as identified by Midcoast Conservancy’s board, councils and staff); the people chosen by the staff exemplify each pillar through their time, energy, commitment and dedication.

The Land Award will be given to Tom Eichler, for his care of a multitude of Midcoast Conservancy’s easements for many years. The Water Award will be given, posthumously, to Bob Lord. Bob died unexpectedly Sept. 1; just this past August, he was out on Damariscotta Lake doing his annual water quality monitoring work, as he had for nearly 20 years. The outpouring of remembrances and donations in his honor has been a testament to his love of Damariscotta Lake and Midcoast Maine.

The Communities Award goes to Keri Lupien, for her unflagging energy and enthusiasm while coordinating the Race Through the Woods and the Spring Trail Running series at Hidden Valley Nature Center. The Healthy Organization recipient is John Twomey, whose thoughtful insights, and commitment to caring for the unity of Midcoast Conservancy, have been unparalleled. In addition, John donates a significant portion of the sales of his book, “Retiring To, Not From” to the organization.

It is Midcoast Conservancy’s honor to have such an inspiring membership, and a wealth of deeply engaged volunteers. The Volunteer Appreciation event gives the organization an opportunity to say a big, public thank you to a few of this year’s Midcoast Conservancy champions. For more information about Midcoast Conservancy, go to www.midcoastconservancy.org or call (207) 389-5150.

The Damariscotta River Association (DRA) is pleased to announce that they are offering a Fall Bird Walk on Saturday, Nov. 12 from 8 to 11 a.m. Participants will meet at DRA’s Great Salt Bay Farm and walk at this site or possibly carpool to other nearby sites for the best viewing of migratory birds including ducks and raptors.

This walk is open to everyone and people of all levels of experience are encouraged to participate. DRA will provide bird field guides and binoculars to borrow or participants may bring their own. Registration is required by Friday, November 11. The program is free of charge.

Visitors are welcome at the Great Salt Bay Heritage Center in Damariscotta as well as the many other DRA properties throughout the region. For more information call (207) 563-1393, email dra@damariscottariver.org, or view their website at www.damariscottariver.org.

The town of Wiscasset has gained a few new shops over the past year, making it an even better destination for holiday shopping than it's been in the past.

And merchants, with help from the Wiscasset Chamber of Commerce and Lucia Droby, owner of Carriage House Gardens and a major force behind the Wiscasset Art Walk, will be ringing in the holiday season in a whole new way in December with the Wiscasset Holiday Marketplace. From Wednesday, Dec. 7 through Saturday, Dec. 10, shops along Main Street will be open with a wide array of gift ideas and special offers.

Wiscasset has always been a beautiful town to drive through during the holiday season. Main Street is lined with trees covered in tiny sparkling white lights, shops are tastefully decorated, and the enormous Christmas tree on the lawn at the Wiscasset Common is spectacular. “Our village presents itself as a holiday marketplace already,” Droby said. “So why not take what's already here, and take it another step.”

With the Gardens Aglow event at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay expecting as many as 50,000 visitors, Droby and Wiscasset shop owners are hoping people will stop on their way and walk around the town to enjoy the Holiday Marketplace. Or just make Wiscasset their destination.

Art galleries and antiques shops will be open along with the retail shops.

Shops participating in the Holiday Marketplace are: BIRCH Home Furnishings & Gifts, Moulinette, DebraElizbeth's, In The Clover and Old Salt Coastal Gifts, which will have a bucket full of free gifts for kids. Participating galleries and antique shops will include: Wiscasset Bay Gallery, Sylvan Gallery and Showcase Antiques Gallery. There will also be eight “pop ups” — temporary vendors at the Midcoast Conservancy at 36 Water Street on Friday, Dec. 9 and Saturday, Dec. 10, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pop-ups will include: Carriage House Gardens, Beelicious Market, Maine Craft Emporium, Stephenson Fiver Arts and Asian Accents.

There will be some outside vendors selling food and beverages. “Holiday marketplaces in Europe and some cities have really caught on,” Droby said. “I haven't been to any of the European marketplaces, but I've been told that the phenomenon of being outside is part of the appeal,” Droby said. “Walking around being bundled up and stopping for hot cocoa.”

Little Village Bistro, Le Garage and Sarah's Café will be offering specials during the week, and Treats will host a cookie-decorating event.

Droby is hoping to have a music group performing in Wiscasset Bay Gallery, and there will be free gift wrapping available, with community organizations doing the wrapping. 

The Wiscasset festivities will begin on Dec. 3 at around 4 p.m., with the lighting of the Christmas tree on Wiscasset Common, carolers, and Santa’s arrival.

During the four days of the marketplace, shops will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with some staying open later.

“This is all feeding into the larger idea of Wiscasset being a destination place,” Droby said. “We're working to give people more of an incentive to stop, park and walk, because it's easy to do that in Wiscasset. Uitmately we want to be thought of not as a pass-through place, but as a place where you want to go, and you want to stay.”

For more information about the Wiscasset Holiday Marketplace, including a list of participating businesses and lodging, go the the Wiscasset Holiday Marketplace website. 

On Sunday, Jan. 29, Midcoast Conservancy will host the sixth annual Liberal Cup Biathlon at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson. All ages and skill levels are encouraged to participate, individually or in teams of four, and everyone is encouraged to compete in costume.

Biathlon is an Olympic sport that combines cross country skiing and target shooting. The Liberal Cup Biathlon is a twist on that classic event. All air rifles are provided by the Southern Maine Biathlon club, and each racer will receive safety training on how to use the rifle.

Race categories are based on self-selected skill levels, and there are special categories for youth racers. Awards will be given out for best costume, best team name, and for youth and high school aged participants. The winning team will take home the official Liberal Cup trophy.  

Races will begin about 9 a.m.; all day long there will be bonfires, great food, and something on tap from the Liberal Cup. To register, go to midcoastconservancy.org and click on the event posting on the right side of the page. Questions? Call (207) 389-5150.

Hannah Chamberlain has had some hands-on experience in land conservation.

In 2015, she hiked the entire Appalachian Trail — from Georgia to Maine. Starting in April, it took her a mere five months and six days. After her journey, she went to work for the AT Conservancy, helping to protect the land while building and maintaining trails and coordinating volunteers.

Now Chamberlain, who grew up in Massachusetts and studied environmental science at the University of Massachuetts Amherst, is putting her knowledge and experience to good use in Maine. On Oct. 19, she was named the land steward of Midcoast Conservancy, a non-profit environmental conservation organization based in Wiscasset.

The organization was formed in January to encompass four other organizations: the Damariscotta Lake Watershed Association, Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson, the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association and the Sheepscot Wellspring Land Alliance.

The mission of the conservancy is to “support and promote healthy lands, waters, wildlife and people in the mid coast through conservation, education and recreation.” It protects around 6,500 acres of land, either through direct ownership or private parcels, working with the land owners.

Chamberlain's duties include stewarding around 60 miles of trails, working to manage and promote the lands the conservancy protects, while helping to identify new conservation projects.

Chamberlain said there will be groomed ski trails at HVNC during the winter, as well as plenty of trails to hike, there, and at the Sheepscot Valley Watershed in Whitefield and Alna, “all the way up to the headwaters near Montville.”

A community-supported organization, the conservancy has a strong volunteer group, and it can always use more. Chamberlain said there are a lot of opportunities for trail work, water quality testing and taking part in events, like the annual Live Edge Music Festival at HVNC.

Other than coming to Maine for a couple vacations — hiking Katahdin and Acadia, and to visit her brother when he attended Chewonki Semester School, Chamberlain said she hadn't spent a lot of time here. But she said she’s excited about her new job.

“I love my career because it allows me to be outside and enjoy nature, but I still get to spend a lot of time with people. I'm especially inspired by Midcoast Conservancy's group of volunteers. They are passionate, dedicated people and I am really grateful to get to know them through my work.

“The Appalachian Trail made me realize — in a very tangible way — that if you work every day toward a goal, you will be able to accomplish that goal — even if at times it seems like an impossible task ... I became even more grateful for the wilderness that we have here in the U.S.

In the summer months, the conservancy has a secondary office on Damariscotta Lake in Jefferson, where many of its water quality programs are based.

Chamberlain believes we sometimes take protected lands for granted. “But so much work went into making the Appalachian Trail a wilderness experience — and now all Americans can enjoy it. I think of that in Midcoast Conservancy's work as well. We are working to ensure that midcoast Maine will have beautiful, wild places for the generations of people who come after us to enjoy.”

The public is welcome to stop by the Midcoast Conservancy offices at 36 Water Street in Wiscasset Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A new website will be launched in a few weeks.

Call (207) 389-5150 for more information.

This Thanksgiving, get the family up and out the door to start this most indulgent holiday off the healthy way with the annual Turkey Trot 5K Fun Run/Walk.

Organized by Lincoln County Spark, the Trot will be hosted at Ocean Blue Fitness on School Street in Damariscotta.

The run/walk starts at 9 a.m. but this year, we are excited to partner with the great team at Ocean Blue Fitness for an extra special warm-up starting at 8:30. All participants will be greeted with hot chocolate, coffee and treats at the end. Friendly dogs and strollers are always welcome. There will be plenty of parking available on-site as well.

The Turkey Trot is kicking off our first ever Healthy Holiday 5K series! Mark your calendars for the Jingle Bell Jog on Dec. 18 starting at 10 a.m. at the Newcastle Publick House and then on Jan. 1, 2017 for the Fresh Start 5K at 10 am; location to be determined. Everyone who completes all three races will be awarded a commemorative medal!

Registration for each individual event is $10 per person or you can register for all three up front for $25. All of the registration fees will be donated to F.A.R.M.S whose mission is to provide education about good nutrition and the role of local farms in promoting healthy, sustainable communities; to promote and facilitate farm to institution purchasing and provide guidance and support to families that will increase the household consumption of locally grown produce and to offer hands-on experiences for people of all ages to develop expertise in cooking and gardening and a passion for healthier living, as well as provide a place where local farmers, chefs, medical practitioners, and other community members can share their own knowledge and expertise.

A huge thank you to First National Bank for being this year’s Healthy Holiday 5K Series Sponsor.

For more information about all of Spark’s fun upcoming events, “like” them on Facebook or send an email to lincolncountyspark@gmail.com.

The mission of Lincoln County Spark is to provide an avenue to connect people to each other and the communities where we live, work and play through social events, healthy activities and community involvement.

Boys high school j.v./varsity basketball

Friday, Dec. 9: At Mt. Abram, 5:30/7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 13: Home vs. Monmouth, 5:30/7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 15: At Carrabec, 5;30/7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 17: Home vs. Hall-Dale, 1/2:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 20: At Madison, 5:30/7 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 23: Home vs. Mt. Valley, 5:30/7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 27: At Oak Hill, 5:30/7 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 3: At Boothbay, 5:30/7 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 5: Home vs. Dirigo, 5:30/7 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 7: Home vs. Winthrop, 3/4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 10: At Lisbon, 5:30/7 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 12: Home vs. Telstar, 5:30/7 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 19: At Mt. Valley, 5:30/7 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 21: At Hall-Dale, 1/2:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 24: Home vs. Lisbon, 5:30/7 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 27: Home vs. Mt. Abram, 5:30/7 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 31: At Winthrop, 5:30/7 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 7: Home vs. Boothbay, 5:30/7 p.m.

Girls high school j.v./varsity basketball

Friday, Dec. 9: Home vs. Mt. Abram, 5:30/7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 13: At Monmouth, 5:30/7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 15: Home vs. Carrabec, 5:30/7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 17: At Hall-Dale, 1/2:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 20: Home vs. Madison, 5:30/7 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 23: At Mt. Valley, 5:30/7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 27: Home vs. Oak Hill, 5:30/7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 29: At Winthrop, 5:30/7 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 3: Home vs. Boothbay, 5:30/7 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 5: At Dirigo, 5:30/7 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 10: Home vs. Lisbon, 5:30/7 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 19: Home vs. Mt. Valley, 5:30/7 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 21: Home vs. Hall-Dale,1/2:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 24: At Lisbon, 5:30/7 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 27: At Mt. Abram, 5:30/7 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 31: Home vs. Winthrop, 5:30/7 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 6: At Boothbay, 5:30/7 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 8: At Madison, 5:30/7 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 21: Home vs. St. George, girls 3:45 p.m., boys 5:15 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 28: Home vs. Woolwich, boy 3:45 p.m., girls 5:15 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 30: At South Bristol, girls 3:45 p.m., boys 5:15 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 5: Home vs. Jefferson, boy 3:45 p.m., girls 5:15 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 7: Home vs. Appleton, girls 3:45 p.m., boys 5:15 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 9: At Boothbay, girls 3:45 p.m., boys 5:15 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 12: At Nobleboro, boys 3:45 p.m., girls 5:15 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 14: Home vs. Bristol, girls 3:45 p.m., boys 5:15 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 19: At St. George, boys 3:45 p.m., girls 5:15 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 21: At Woolwich, girls 3:45 p.m., boys 5:15 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 4: At South Bristol, boys and girls both at 3:45 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 5: Home vs. Boothbay, girls 3:45 p.m., boys 5:15 p.m.

The public is invited to The Lincoln Home on Monday, Nov. 28, from 3 to 4 p.m., to a presentation by Chewonki on Predators: The Balance of Nature. Learn about the commonly held myths about predators, and the problems they face. Explore the attitudes toward predators and reason for their decline throughout history. Attendees will have the opportunity to study mounted animals and see three live, non-releasable predators.

The Lincoln Home is located at 22 River Road, overlooking the Damariscotta River, in Newcastle. For more information, call Rhonda at 563-3350.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens' Gardens Aglow opened to a wide-eyed, appreciative crowd of hundreds Thursday, Nov. 17 at its special preview event, before the spectacular light display opened to the public on Nov. 18. Last year's display drew 36,000 visitors.

Over 360,000 lights have been strung up by staff and volunteers.

After enjoying cocktails, wine, beer and hors d'oeuvres, including little cups of lobster bisque, the crowd gathered outside for some remarks from Executive Director William Cullina. He asked for a round of applause for the staff and volunteers who helped string up the approximately 32 miles of lights. After a countdown from 10 to one, chanted by most in attendance, thousands of lights came on, over and above the thousands that were already wowing the crowd, immersing the crowd in a dramatic light show that had to be seen to be believed.

The crowd dispersed and people were free to wander around the central gardens and paths and enjoy the largest LED light display in Maine. Comments overheard from some of the people walking around with looks of wonder and disbelief ranged from “This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen,” and “This is magical,” to “How could they possibly have strung up so many lights?”

Nancy Allen said, “I was in a winter wonderland when seeing the lights for my first time.”

The light show will be open to visitors through Dec. 31. Visitors are encouraged to buy tickets online to save money, and to help regulate the flow of traffic in and out of Gardens Aglow. Tickets purchased on-site will be $2 more than those purchased online.

Director of Marketing Kris Folsom anticipates up to 50,000 visitors.

Enjoy some photos from the Nov. 17 event here; and go to the Gardens Aglow preview event photo gallery for more photos.

Visit the Gardens Aglow website for more information.

The Wiscasset Waterfront Committee considered a fee for commercial boats to tie up at the recreational float from mid-October through Dec. 1. The commercial vessels tie up at the recreational dock to offload and to pull their boats and traps out of the water at that time of year, as there are very few recreational boats in the water after Columbus Day.

The committee members had been given a figure of $10 per foot per boat by one of the local fishermen at the previous meeting, but those present at the Nov. 17 meeting felt that it was too expensive for the 2 1/2 months, and floated a figure of $100 for the post-summer season. However, all agreed to ask the harbor master to check other towns’ fee structures before making a final decision.

The committee also approved a seasonal public art installation by Nick Dalton near the recreational pier, honoring the Hesper and the Luther Little, the two early 1900s schooners abandoned in Wiscasset Harbor and left to decay for decades. The remains of the ships were finally removed to a landfill in the 1990s. “I wanted to make the point that our history is vanishing,” said Dalton. “And if we don’t want that to happen, we have to do something about it.” Dalton must appear before selectmen before the installation can go forward, but the work is not expected to be erected before May. Dalton will know whether he has obtained the grant for the project by the end of December.

Committee member Frank Sprague said that he had been talking about bringing some of the parts of the two vessels to the town garage to try to salvage parts of the ships and create a more permanent monument to the Hesper and Luther Little at the waterfront, but that he hadn’t yet sought permission to do so.

Sprague also brought up a concern about a World War II British minesweeper that is in the harbor, and which the yacht club had asked him to look at. He said it is in bad shape, but that the owner has expressed an interest in restoring it. Sprague thought that there would have to be some work done on the ship to keep it safe through the winter, in part because the ship had drifted around the mooring and was in danger of pulling the mooring from the riverbed. Sprague said that in his opinion, the boat is not seaworthy at this time, and his fear is that in winter storms it might break free and found on the rocks.

Another concern the yacht club expressed was a need for fuel in Wiscasset Harbor. Town Planner Benjamin Averill said that a public land-based gas facility would require a great deal of permitting, and was unlikely to be supported by selectmen or the Planning Board, but that a land-based facility could be attempted by a private entity, such as the yacht club. Another committee member pointed out that Wiscasset had once had a floating gas facility based on a boat, but that the proprietor had since passed away.  Currently, the closest place to purchase gas or diesel is Boothbay Harbor, and the committee said that having fuel available might bring more boat traffic upriver.

Averill said that the king tide during the super moon resulted in splashover in the parking lot at the recreational pier, the yacht club’s parking lot was flooded, and White’s Island parking lot was underwater. “It’s something to consider while we are looking at flood control measures,” he said.

When there’s no school, what could be better than roaming outdoors, exploring nature and playing games? Damariscotta River Association (DRA) is offering just that opportunity during teacher workshop days and February vacation this winter and spring.

The day camps give children ages 5 to 11 opportunities to explore, learn and enjoy the outdoors with the guidance of a naturalist. All sessions will focus on wildlife and include many activities including art and games that teach ecological concepts.

“Birds in Winter” is a two-day camp scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 22 and Friday, Dec. 23 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The children will meet a live duck and learn about its adaptations, dissect owl pellets, go bird watching, and make their own field guide. The fee is $90 or $80 for DRA members at the “Mussel/Family level” or above. Pre-registration is required by Dec. 19, although earlier registration is recommended as these sessions tend to fill up quickly.

The February vacation camp is a four day session themed “Wildlife in Winter” and will take place Tuesday, Feb. 21 through Friday, Feb. 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day. The kids will take hikes to look for for animal tracks and signs with a naturalist, go snowshoeing and dog sledding, create art projects, play nature-inspired games and much more. Pre-registration is required by Feb. 13. The fee is $160 or $180 for DRA members.

The DRA is also offering two mini-camps during the spring AOS 93 professional development days on March 17 and May 26. The March program will focus on outdoor living skills such as fire building, shelter building and cooking. The May mini-camp will focus on wetlands. Participants will go marsh mucking for aquatic invertebrates, make a toad house to take home and play games. Both programs are $45 or $40 for members per day. Registration, open now, is due one week before each session.

Participants should bring two snacks and a lunch each day and come prepared to be outside for most of the day. If proper outdoor gear is a barrier to participation, the DRA can provide clothing. All programs will be held at DRA’s Great Salt Bay Farm Heritage Center, 110 Belvedere Road, Damariscotta. A health form will be required for all participants which can be downloaded on DRA’s website.

Contact the DRA to register. Scholarships are available. Gift certificates for these camps and DRA summer nature Camp Mummichog are also available to purchase. 

For more information call 207-563-1393, email dra@damariscottariver.org, or view their web site at www.damariscottariver.org.

Tuesday afternoon practice means drills, sweat and some listening. And when the program is Wiscasset Elementary School physical education teacher Daniela Marino’s new Bitty Ballers basketball, it’s also partly set to music and it’s an hour of fun.

Thirty-two girls in grades two through five have been meeting since Nov. 1. At the Nov. 22 practice in the WES cafeteria, most were smiling as they dribbled from one cone to another, tapping the top of each one they made it to and counting the number of taps for the round, with some players topping the 40-mark.

Marino did the exercise along with the players. Later in the one-hour session, she had them line up for dribbling relay races.

At one pause in the session, Marino, who played intramural basketball at the University of Maine at Orono, asked the girls if they were sweating yet. Several hands went up. She also gave out frequent praise, calling one student a rock star.

“She’s very encouraging,” WES administrative assistant Cindy Collamore said about Marino. Collamore’s granddaughter, second grader Charlotte Bickford, is in the group. “I think it’s a wonderful introduction to (basketball). Kudos to Daniela Marino for starting this fantastic program. Wiscasset’s always been a big basketball town, so I think it’s great to get them involved at this age.”

Plans call for performances at halftime of Wiscasset girls’ and boys’ varsity basketball games, when the group is ready. Marino said she envisions a dribbling routine. Students interviewed were looking forward to performing, and they said they like being in the Bitty Ballers. “I’m lucky,” Bella Orr said. “My dad plays basketball, so I want to be like him and play basketball a lot.”

“One of the things I like the most is the dribbling, because I know how,” Emma Pelletier said. “Dribbling is easy.”

Marino said what they’re working on each week will get them increasingly prepared for a halftime routine. “I’m having them dribble, put the ball around the waist, learning how to control the ball. Right now, we’re doing just the basic fundamentals.”

She got the idea for the program from fellow physical education teacher Lauren Brown’s Lady Dribblers at Boothbay Region Elementary School. Marino is trying to build the girls’ interest and skills in basketball early, in hopes the students will want to play in their middle and high school years. “The girls seem to be fully engaged and enthusiastic about learning the fundamentals for the game of basketball,” she said about how the program is going.

“I think that it’s a good experience for them,” said Jessey Marshall. Daughters Olivia, 8, in third grade, and Mya, 7, in second grade, are both in the Bitty Ballers. Their sister Latisha was also watching the practice. The Wiscasset Middle High School seventh grader plays basketball and said she thinks it’s good that her sisters get to.

The Wiscasset cross country team officially wrapped up its season recently at the fall sports banquet. The evening culminated a great year of running for both the boys’ and the girls’ teams. While each team is small in number, both are growing and race times are dropping.

The boys team was led by senior runner Brandon Goud, who received the Most Valuable Runner Award for his tremendous season. Goud took home several other awards this season for his speed and mental toughness on each course including being named to an MVC first team. More impressively, by finishing seventh in the Class C Southern Regional race, he qualified for and finished fifth overall in the Class C State meet, only missing the New England Championships by about ten seconds. Only the top 25 individuals from the entire state of Maine qualify for the New England meet.

Goud led a young team with lots of potential. Freshman Gage Varian is a symbol of the great potential this team has. A first time cross country runner, Varian improved by leaps and bounds, dropping his time to just above the 20-minute mark. Varian earned honorable mention at the MVC League meet and was the fourth freshman to cross the finish line at the Class C Southern Regional meet. One of the top freshman runners in the state, Varian is primed for a breakout sophomore year.

Sam Strozier and Quinn Ranta rounded out the boys’ team. Strozier and Ranta both performed well, dropping several minutes off their personal records. With Goud graduating, look for rising senior Strozier to pick up the mantle of leadership for the boys’ team.

For the girls, junior Ella Jones was the rock of the team. Ella trained hard all season and led by example each day. She dropped significant time over the course of the year and is primed for a great senior year.

Kaydin Nichols and Keisha Small were both freshman runners for the Wolverines and both battled through injuries. Nichols raced several times, showing flashes of what type of runner she will be with a full season of training in her legs. After an up and down first half of the season, Small finished the season on a high note, dropping several minutes off  her personal best time and breaking the 30-minute barrier in her last race.

Most of the runners compete in other sports during the winter and spring seasons. Be on the lookout for most of them on the track team this spring and on the roads this summer while they train for a bigger and better 2017 season.

The Wiscasset Snowmobile Club will hold a Yankee Swap Christmas Potluck meeting at its clubhouse on Recycle Way next to the Recycle Center on Dec. 8 at 6:30 p.m. Members and non-members who ride are welcome to join the fun and meet the members. After a difficult year last year, things are shaping up to be a good riding year.

Bridges have been rebuilt and we are looking at minor reroutes to make the experience even better than it already is. A work day is held each Sunday morning. We meet at 8 a.m. for coffee and to decide what to do and venture out at 9 a.m. When the snow comes, we will be grooming with our three grooming sleds. If anybody is walking the trails and finds trees or brush in the trail please contact Bob Bruce at 207-319-8009. Maps are on sale at various establishments around town for $2. Trail donations are always welcome.

I live in West Bath and work at the Boothbay Register five days a week, which requires me to drive through Bath, over the Kennebec River and back, where the viaduct leading from the bridge to Route One has been torn down. Reconstruction of the new viaduct is scheduled to be finished around Memorial Day. I haven’t had a problem driving toward the Harbor. I have, however, encountered waits averaging 10 minutes driving back to Bath. My brain covers a lot of topics while I wait. To this end, I offer up ten thoughts I had while waiting on Nov. 23. This is my brain on the bridge.

1. I wonder if Ricky Martin is still living “la vida loca.” I think he has twins. That would knock the “loca” out of anyone.
2. The Kennebec River is wide. I cannot get o’er.
3. Those vehicles in the passing lane will get to the end of the bridge and then merge into the through traffic. I don’t know as I like the merge thing. We in the right lane get a raw deal. If I feel that way, why am I in the right lane?
   
4. The towers on the old Carlton Bridge loom over all of us. I climbed to the top of those towers with friends who were nothing but trouble. I looked down at the Kennebec, afraid my glasses would fall off. If they had, I would have had to fall after them, because my mother would have killed me.
5. The truck blocking my view has two blue square panels on the top half of the back. They look like they said something, once. I wonder what they said.
6. I don’t know much about the Kennebec River. I lived beside it all through my childhood. It was polluted then.
7. My sister and her friends, who were more nothing-but-trouble than mine, once walked the railroad track under the Carlton Bridge from Bath to Woolwich. I cannot fathom looking down at the roiling river and being able to move. I would have had a ”Stand By Me” freeze-in-place moment, for sure.
8. My parents walked “You Kids,” the collective name for my my brothers, my sister, and me, across the Carlton Bridge once, to get ice cream in Woolwich. We kids were so scared. We would run a little bit, giggle, stop, and hop forward. We stayed as far away from the railing as possible, because what if it gave way and we tumbled into the river? We had a better chance of bumbling into the traffic right beside us, but that never occurred to us. Or, evidently, to our parents.
9. One morning I was walking through Bath City Park when I spied, coming up the river, a tall ship with sailors standing like stone flags all along the spars. The sun gilded the ship and sailors gold. The only sound I remember was the ship’s prow cutting like soft butter through the river.
10. Does Ricky Martin have twins? 
    

In a sure sign of the changing seasons, more than twenty volunteers met Nov. 5 at Damariscotta River Association’s (DRA) Round Top Farm on Business Route 1 to begin this winter’s assembly of the DRA Community Skating Rink. The crew spent the morning installing boards and brackets on the ground around the nearly 10,000 square foot area, creating the walls that will enclose the 4,900 cubic feet of water needed to fill the rink. 

Matt Filler, head of the DRA’s skating rink volunteer crew, expects to complete the job by the middle of December, weather permitting. 

“We’re waiting to place the liner until early December, to make sure most of the leaves are down and won’t end up inside the rink,” Filler said. “Then, early the next morning – 5:30 a.m. or so – the Fire Department will bring a truck to the field, attach a hose to the hydrant on the road, and flood the entire rink in a few minutes. The rest is up to the weather.” 

Alden Hunold, 11, the youngest volunteer on the early morning crew, is looking forward to learning to skate and play hockey this winter. His father, DRA board member and skating rink volunteer Rob Hunold, is completely supportive, on one condition. 

“I told him if you want to skate, then you have to help build the rink,” Hunold said. 

According to DRA Executive Director Steven Hufnagel, DRA’s Round Top Farm is becoming more and more of a focal point for community life, linking the natural world of the river and its watershed with the daily lives and diverse activities of area residents. 

“Round Top has been a gathering place for people over much of its history, beginning in the early 1940s with Round Top Dairy, which drew generations of children and parents to the farm’s ice cream stand each summer,” Hufnagel said.

Operating as a community arts and music center in the 1990s, Round Top became a DRA property in 2008. Salt Bay Chamberfest continues its performance series at Round Top each summer, and the DRA now holds its annual, multi-day Midcoast Music Fest concerts there, drawing crowds from the local region and beyond. The farm’s Darrows Barn is regularly booked for weddings and other special events.

Last year, the popular Damariscotta Farmers’ Market moved its Friday event to Round Top from the DRA’s Great Salt Bay Farm and Heritage Center on Belvedere Road, bringing fresh produce and other local food from fourteen farms and vendors closer downtown.

In addition to providing space for the farmers’ market, the DRA also makes the field available for the now-famous Pumpkinfest Pumpkin Drop each October.

“Round Top has always been a special place,” said Hufnagel. “It’s a big part of the heart of this community.”

This is the sixth year the skating rink will be open free of charge from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily for use by community members and visitors to the area. Skating rink hours are weather-dependent, however, so skaters are advised to check DRA’s Facebook page for daily updates on closures.

Pickup hockey is permitted on weekends between 7 a.m. and noon, and weekdays from noon until 1:30 p.m. Anyone on the rink under 18 must wear a helmet.

The former Round Top ice cream stand across the driveway from the rink will serve as a warming hut from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on weekend afternoons, where hot chocolate will be available for skaters of all ages, along with free loaner skates for use on the rink.

For more information, contact the DRA at (207) 563-1393 email dra@damariscottariver.org, or view their web site at www.damariscottariver.org.

DRA has active programs in the areas of land conservation, stewardship, community education, water quality monitoring, marine conservation and cultural preservation.

Walking the beach for many people has become a year-round outdoor activity. Popham Beach State Park in Phippsburg is one that’s close by, featuring several miles of coastline to enjoy in the waning days of autumn.

During two recent visits, I walked the full length of the park. The temperature was close to 50 both afternoons and so it wasn’t surprising to see a dozen other folks out enjoying the nice weather including several horseback riders.

Popham Beach is part of Campbell Island, although today geographically the area more closely resembles a peninsula. It’s shaped somewhat like a fist bordered by the ocean, the Kennebec River, Aitkins Bay, and the Morse River.

One of the park’s prominent features is Fox Island that visitors can walk to at low tide. It’s a fairly easy climb to the island’s summit that offers breathtaking views in every direction. Here you’ll also see a granite memorial stone with the following inscription: “This apparatus is erected here in memory of Dale Hatch Bates College Class of 1966 who drowned May 12, 1963.”  As the story goes, Hatch was attempting to save a fellow student who had been swept off the rocks when he tumbled into the ocean himself. The other student survived but sadly Hatch lost his life. This tragedy serves as a reminder not to venture too close to the edge of the island’s rocky slopes.

Gazing back across the tidal path, you’ll see where the terrain rises up on the horizon. This is Sabino Hill, one-time home to a U.S. Military reservation during World War I. At its summit are the ruins of Fort Baldwin.

Looking out into the ocean you’ll see the Pond Island Lighthouse on the left warning mariners of the Pond Island Shoals. Further out is the much larger Seguin Island, home to Maine’s tallest and second oldest lighthouse. During the spring and summer, a ferry service offers daily trips to Seguin where visitors can tour the light station as well as enjoy the island’s hiking trails and beaches. It’s never too early to plan for summer.

You can only walk to Fox Island at low tide. Should you do so remember to keep an eye on the incoming tide or risk finding yourself marooned!

Going to the left on the shoreline, east if you prefer, carries you to Hunnewell Beach. Overlooking the shore are several campgrounds, seasonal cottages and year-round residences. The shoreline gradually curves around where the waters of the Kennebec River meet the ocean. A short distance ahead is the former U.S. Coast Guard Station and beyond that Fort Popham, another state park. Directly across the water from here is Bay Point in Georgetown.

Walking to the right from the park’s entrance carries you past a long stretch of sand dunes where you’ll see twisted pine trees, beach rose and mounds of Indian grass. I like to imagine this area looks much the same today as when the first English explorers visited.

As the shoreline narrows, you’ll pass a number of tide pools and much longer tidal channel that cuts the beach in half. Not too many years ago, a natural sea wall barrier was made here to help control beach erosion that had resulted from extreme tides and storm surges. If you follow the shoreline its whole length, you’ll come to a salt marsh and the Morse River inlet. Across from it are Morse Mountain and Morse Hill, now part of the Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area, another popular place open to hiking and summer beach bathing.

Dogs are permitted at Popham Beach State Park from Oct. 1 to March 31, but should be leashed at all times. Be respectful of others and clean up after your canine. No overnight camping or open fires on the beach are permitted. Other rules apply as well, an important one being to stay off and away from the dunes. Along with providing protection from beach erosion, the dunes provide an important nesting ground for migratory and other birds. For more information go to: www.maine.gov/dacf/parks.

The state park is about a 20-minute drive from Bath. From Route 1 take Route 209 to Phippsburg. At the junction with route 216. bear left continuing on Route 209. Just beyond a vast salt marsh, you’ll see the park entrance on your right. The park is open year-round during daylight hours.

Come join Midcoast Conservancy and Colby College's Nordic ski team at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson for a Skate Ski Clinic on Sunday, Jan. 8. The clinic will run from 10 a.m. to noon. Skiers will be instructed by over 15 coaches (Colby Racers), including the Mules’ head coach Tracey Cote. There will be three levels of instruction during the clinic: intro to skate skiing, advanced technique, and focus on improving speed and efficiency. Ages 7-16 are welcome to attend. This is a free clinic, and registration is required. Please go to www.midcoastconservancy.org to register.

Logistics for getting to the Barn at HVNC include a half-mile ski/walk/snowshoe in. Parents are encouraged to accompany skiers to clinic and then enjoy the Nature Center on their own until the clinic concludes. Call or email Midcoast Conservancy with any questions: 389-5150 or info@midcoastconservancy.org.

For the fourth straight show, the local International Equestrian Association (IEA) high school team has dominated the competition and ridden away with the championship!

The Midcoast Maine Equestrian team has riders from all over Lincoln and Cumberland counties and is trained by Virginia Shaw at Stonewall Stables in Nobleboro. These riders have mandatory team practices each month and attend lessons weekly, similar to other high school team sports. Their competition stretches from Maine to Connecticut and this past week, they drove four hours to Hebron, Connecticut, competed against 13 other high school teams and walked away the champions of the show.

These riders braved cold weather and stood outside all day as they cheered for their teammates. The following riders rode for the high school team this week: Alexandria Fabiano had a third place over fences and a third place in her equitation class. Her sister, Isabella Fabiano, had two first place finishes in her over fences and her equitation class. Marina Godin had a fifth place finish over fences and a second place in her equitation class. Lindsey Gordon had a first place finish over fences and a third place in her equitation class.

Claire Lane had a second place finish over fences and a third place in her equitation class. Clara Mugnai had a first place finish over fences and third place in her equitation class. Brooke Seiders had a first place finish over fences and a fifth place in her equitation class. Kayla Delano had two fifth places in both equitation classes, and Jenna Leeman had a third place and fifth place in equitation classes. Riding for the middle school team this week were Ella Villeneuve, who had a second place finish in equitation and a fifth place over fences and Lily Sukeforth, who placed first in her equitation class.

IEA (www.rideiea.org) spans the entire country with each area broken out into zones. The Midocast Maine Equestrian team is in zone 1 which includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. IEA rules allow each team member and the team a minimum of three and a maximum of five shows to seek enough points to qualify for the regional competition in Springfield, Massachusetts in the spring.

After dominating the first three shows, the high school team is qualified to go to the regional competition, and after this Sunday, Isabella Fabiano and Lindsey Gordon are qualified in both their over fences jumping class and their equitation class. Clair Lane and Clara Mugnai are qualified in their over fences jumping class and all the high school teammates are within one or two points from qualifying. The next competition for this team will be at its home barn on Sunday, Jan. 15 at Stonewall Stables.

Wiscasset boys varsity basketball has started on an up note, with a 58-37 win at Mount Abram Friday night. “After a rusty start, we came out in third and started to play on both ends,” Coach Dana Lawrence said.

The boys play next on Tuesday, Dec. 13, when they host Monmouth.

In Wolverine girls varsity basketball Friday night, Mount Abram prevailed 38-34. The Wiscasset team outscored Mount Abram in the second and third quarters.

Mount Abram had quarters of 6, 11, 6 and 15; Wiscasset: 0, 15, 8 and 11, according to Wiscasset girls coach Ben Clark. Clark also provided the following:

Now that there’s some snow on the ground, it’s really time to get out the cross-country skis and take to the trails. Midcoast Conservancy is offering three ski clinics, two for kids and another for adults, at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson. In each case, skiers of all abilities will find the instruction and support they need to make this a fun and rewarding ski season.

The first of the youth programs is the annual seven-week Kids XC-Ski Clinic for kids ages 4-14. The clinic will start Saturday, Jan. 7 and run each Saturday morning until Feb. 11. The clinic is the perfect setting for skiers of different levels to gain confidence and enjoy HVNC’s trails. Instructors use fun, non-competitive methods to get the skiers out on the trails having fun each week. The first day is free; pre-registration is encouraged as enrollment is limited but the first clinic is available as a no-risk preview for those who would prefer to try it out before committing to the full session.

The second clinic is a one-day Skate Ski Clinic, on Jan. 8 from 10 a.m. to noon, which will focus on skate style skiing. Fifteen members of the Colby College Nordic ski team, along with their coach, will instruct kids ages 7-16 in small groups organized around ski levels of beginner, experienced, and those ready to maximize speed and efficiency for racing. The clinic is free but registration is required.

Finally, the Adult Ski Clinic is two consecutive Sundays, Jan. 15 and 22, from noon-2:30 p.m. All ski levels are welcome; preregistration is required.

All of these clinics are the perfect tune-up for the sixth annual Liberal Cup Biathlon at HVNC on Sunday, Jan. 29. This family-friendly, fun and unique event is a great opportunity to combine ski skills with air rifle target shooting. All rifles are provided, along with a safety review from shooting instructors.

Registration for all of these events can be found at www.midcoastconservancy.org/events. For questions, call (207) 389-5150 or email info@midcoastconservancy.org.

The Wolverine varsity girls basketball team lost to Monmouth Academy in a 61-25 game at Monmouth Tuesday night. It was the Wiscasset team’s second loss of the season.