“Believe me, young friend, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats,” so says Ratty in Kenneth Graham`s famous children’s novel, "The Wind in the Willows."

Many of us agree completely with Ratty, there is nothing so fine as being on the water, especially in a small manually propelled craft. The feeling of freedom, self-sufficiency and the ability to slow down and enjoy the water cannot be matched in any other type of vessel.

As enjoyable as spending a day paddling on Maine’s pristine waters may be, there’s been an alarming increase in recreational boating deaths last year and into this year. A disproportionate number of these fatalities have involved paddle craft, and the majority of victims were not wearing life jackets.

State and federal regulations for all vessels, including all paddle craft, canoes, kayaks and stand up paddle boards, require a Coast Guard approved life jacket and sound producing device for each person such as a whistle or manual horn. It cannot be over-emphasized that it does little good to have a life jacket on board that’s not being worn all the time. It must be worn to be effective. It’s extremely difficult to don a life jacket once in the water and virtually impossible after even a very few minutes in cold water where muscle function quickly fails. Life jackets save lives.

Some more tips that may save your life:

• Don’t paddle alone, it’s often more fun and far safer to paddle with others. At least one person in your group should have a handheld Marine VHF radio or at the very least, a cell phone in a waterproof case. Having a handheld GPS can be a life saver, as well, when the fog rolls, in as it often does, with only a few minutes warning.
• Always check the weather before you head out and have a way of checking weather while on the water. “Checking the weather” also means checking the water temperature; it’s the middle of June and the water temperatures in Boothbay Harbor are just past the 50 degree mark, water temperatures that are deadly in a short period of time.
• Wear your life jacket at all times and dress in layers so you’ll be prepared for heat or cold regardless of what the air temperature was when you set out.
• Know your limits, be conservative; the motion of the sea and sun can be surprisingly fatiguing. Add in possible hunger and dehydration, and fatigue may occur much more quickly than expected. Always turn around and head for home before you get tired, if the wind or tide has changed, it could be “up hill” all the way back to the dock.
• File a float plan with a reliable friend or at the paddle craft rental location and stick to it. A float plan doesn’t have to be complicated, just telling someone where you’re going and when you expect to be back can make a huge difference in keeping you safe.
• Once again…ALWAYS wear your life jacket, with so many comfortable styles and types available there is really no excuse for not wearing one all the time.
• If your paddle craft is not clearly marked with your name and contact information, or the name of the rental outlet, make sure to get that done. Each year the Coast Guard expends millions of dollars and too many hours trying to determine if a vessel adrift with no one on board floated away from a dock unoccupied or is a “person in the water” Search and Rescue emergency. The Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary have free waterproof paddle craft ID stickers they’ll be happy to give you.

None of the above should detract from your fun on the water, on the contrary, following these simple guidelines should add to your confidence, enjoyment and safety on every outing.

Have fun! Stay safe! See you on the water!

The Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed civilian component of the U.S. Coast Guard and supports the Coast Guard in nearly all mission areas. The Auxiliary was created by Congress in 1939. For more information, please visit www.cgaux.org

On Saturday, June 24, from 9 a.m. to noon, volunteers are invited to join Midcoast Conservancy to build a new hiking trail at the Jump Pond Preserve in Palermo. Jump Pond Preserve is a small but lovely preserve with frontage along the Sheepscot River. In addition to views of the river, the Preserve includes a peaceful wooded knoll and a hidden spring, both of which will be featured along the proposed trail route. The new trail will be a one mile loop for hiking, dog walking, skiing, snowshoeing, and nature observation along the river. It is convenient to Route 3 and is close to John’s Ice Cream Factory and Lori’s Café in Liberty.

A portion of the Preserve was donated to Midcoast Conservancy by Carlton Lindell in honor of his late wife Janet, who loved the outdoors.

If you are interested in the new trail or would like a hand in building it, we would welcome new volunteers to join us for the work day. This is a great opportunity to learn some new trail skills from seasoned trail builders, and to get outside and meet new people. No experience is required; just wear long pants, boots and work gloves, and come with a willingness to do some moderate physical activity. Don’t forget a water bottle, and snacks if desired. The first five people who show up to help at the work day will receive a voucher for a free small ice cream at John’s Ice Cream Factory!

Directions to the Jump Pond Preserve: Heading east on Route 3, take a left onto Level Hill Road just past Sheepscot Pond. Drive 0.7 miles, then take a right onto Hostile Valley Road. The pull-off is on the right in about 1 mile.

For more information, get in touch with Jess Richards at mcc@midcoastconservancy.org or call (207) 389-5150.

Fifty kids took to Damariscotta Lake Saturday, June 3 for Midcoast Conservancy’s annual Hooked On Fishing youth event. Thanks to the generosity of six boat captains, participants were able to spend an hour or longer on the water, fishing for pickerel, bass and perch. Overcast and buggy weather provided optimal conditions and all but one junior fisherman were successful in landing a catch.

To round out the day’s offerings, the Whitefield Lions Club provided a free barbecue right on the beach, and admission to the park was free to all family members, courtesy of Midcoast Conservancy. Participants included the Roberts family, who were back for their fourth straight year. Alison and Caroline have developed a great friendship with Captain Joe Holland, and were willing to wait a while for Joe’s boat to return rather than take the next one available. Their dad, David, said, “Somehow, each time we get out on the lake with Joe, there is never a shortage of nibbles on the bait. And not only nibbles, we also spotting a mating pair of loons, a duck protecting her ducklings, and two painted turtles that were caught in a net, fed worms by the girls and returned back to the lake.  Alison and Caroline are already looking forward to next year's visit.” 

Local Hooked on Fishing programs are an offshoot of the national Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs flagship youth education program of the Future Fishermen Foundation. The program, developed 20 years ago, uses angling skill development as a gateway to teach youth about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and how to deal with the challenges facing them in their young lives. 

Midcoast Conservancy, whose Outdoor Adventure & Learning Hubs program seeks to get kids and their families outside for fun and health, is hosting a number of free youth camps this summer across the Midcoast area; for more information on them, go to https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/explore/events/ or call (207) 389-5150.

Relationships like the one between Captain Joe and Alison and Caroline are just one example of the positive program outcomes. The sense of mastery, camaraderie and fun make the program a win-win for everyone involved. Huge thanks to captains Joe Holland, Dave Parsons, Dave Trask, Cory and Kayla Collins, Dave Reiss, and Cal Prescott, and to Corey Voss for organizing the fleet! Thanks, too, to the Lincoln County Deputies’ Union, who donated two fishing rods to be given away to some lucky participants.

Many made-made machines are similar to machines found in nature. Weevil joints have gears, grasshoppers have built-in levers, and squids use jet propulsion.

During two special camp sessions this summer, Camp Mummichog campers at Damariscotta River Association (DRA) will have a chance to explore machines like these in nature and build their own.

Machines in Nature, for kids ages 9 to 13, will take place July 10 to 14. Campers will learn about structures and machines found in nature, and will build and launch kites and rockets of their own. This session is co-taught by DRA staff and local mechanic and teacher Danny Hupp. A kayak excursion in Great Salt Bay with Midcoast Kayak will round out the week.

Be a Marine Biologist, for campers ages 9 to 12, runs from July 31 to August 4. New this year, DRA has partnered with Joe Thompson through the University of Maine Darling Marine Center to develop programming for this session. Thompson, a scientist with Franklin and Marshall College, studies muscle structure and function in the long-finned squid. He will share his enthusiasm and knowledge with campers, with a focus on jet propulsion in nature. He will also work with staff to develop new programming ideas along this theme.

Sarah Gladu, DRA education director explained, “Our community is rich with people who can offer a great deal to our kids. Natural science can be taught through most any lens. For example, at Camp Mummichog we explore science through visual art, music and mechanical engineering. Everything we do is through immersion and hand-on learning, and the kids can follow their passions and make discoveries.”

DRA camp sessions feature nature discovery in many forms, for example spending time with naturalists, learning hands-on outdoor living skills, taking field trips to islands for exploration, and playing nature-focused games.

Machines in Nature and Be a Marine Biologist will both take place at DRA Headquarters on Belvedere Road in Damariscotta. The sessions run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The cost is $220 per week for non-members and $195 for members. Scholarships are still available.

Download a camp brochure, or find on-line registration and participant health form at http://www.damariscottariver.org/events-programs/camp-mummichog.

Damariscotta River Association is a non-profit, membership supported, and nationally accredited land trust 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 about the camps or other programs and events call 207-563-1393, email dra@damariscottariver.org, or visit www.damariscottariver.org.

Midcoast Conservancy is offering a Nature Journaling workshop at Hidden Valley Nature Center on Saturday, June 17, from 9 a.m. to noon.  June is a special time at Hidden Valley Nature Center, when the woodland wildflowers carpet the forest floor. Join instructor Andrea Lani, as participants seek out, identify, draw, and write about some of the season’s blooms. The day will begin with an introduction to nature journaling, during which participants will learn a variety of drawing techniques designed to help even the most reluctant artist overcome their fears. Then the class will head out into the woods in search of pink lady’s slippers, fringed polygala, creeping dogwood, pitcher plants, and other woodland beauties. There, they will sketch, make observations of, and celebrate these flowers in our journals.

For the novice naturalist, this class will help you develop skills for identifying flowers, with your journal as your aid. For the expert botanist, learn ways to record your observations and deepen your appreciation through journaling.

Please bring a blank book, notebook, or journal and preferred writing and drawing tools (pencil, pen, colored pencils), as well as water and snacks. The class will spend time both indoors and outdoors and will walk up to a mile or more in search of flowers, so please dress accordingly and consider wearing a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, and whatever tick-proof clothing is preferred. The class is $20 for Midcoast Conservancy members, $25 for non-members. For more information, or to register, go to https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/summer-nature-journaling-wildflowers/, or call (207) 389-5150

Woolwich Central School and Maine Maritime Museum of Bath celebrated their ninth annual Discovery Boat Launching Thursday morning, June 15 at Nequasset Park.

The weather was summer-like when students and staff gathered at the launching that included a welcoming address from WCS Principal Jason Libby who introduced Amy Lent, MMM executive director. This year’s program was funded by the Shelter Institute, MMM and the town of Woolwich. It’s made possible, too, thanks to the efforts of volunteers including Steve Caulfield, Nick Locsin, Kelly Watt, Rick Marco, Rick Cliffe, Richard Spear, George Sprague and Charlie Durfee.

Kurt Spiridakis, MMM boatshop manager, congratulated students on their craftsmanship. “There’s barely a screw or an inch of paint on these two boats that the students aren’t responsible for,” he said.

The large crowd included Woolwich Select Board member Allison Hepler, who called it a great program that’s enjoyed wide support from the townspeople. “On a personal level, I've married into two wooden boatbuilding families and anything that perpetuates the tradition and skills of wooden boatbuilding warms my heart,” Helper said in an interview.

Hepler teaches at the University of Maine at Farmington. She said about the Discovery Boat work, “From an educator's perspective, this is a great way for students to learn physics, math, and history on a practical level. I've been there and watched them puzzle over and then solve angles and curves. Nothing on a boat is level or plumb.”

No bottles of champagne were broken over the bows, but a small cannon was fired as the first boat hit the water.

The program began in 1995 and offers supervised boatbuilding using traditional methods for students in grades five through eight. They spend one day a week at the boatshop. The curriculum is tailored to develop each student’s personal growth encouraging teamwork, leadership, responsibility and problem-solving. At the outset, students are taught the importance of developing safe work habits. Visitors are welcome to drop in at the boatshop on Wednesdays or Fridays during the school year to see the students at work.  

MMM offers a similar program for students of West Bath School and South Bristol School. Woolwich’s ceremony has become one of the rites of springtime and usually comes at the close of the school year.

To arrange a visit, call 443-1316. To learn more, visit http://www.mainemaritimemuseum.org.

A few years ago, recalls Sheepscot River Race organizer Scott Shea, a father/son racing team started yelling and fidgeting precariously about their boat. Mice, which had been nesting
under one of the seats, were scurrying all around the canoe and causing the paddlers great surprise and distress. A rescue boat helped to evacuate the unwanted creatures and the team continued paddling and finished the race.

While this may be one of the more amusing race memories, Shea said that, after 28 years, the race has been a constant series of new challenges and special moments for all involved.

The Sheepscot River Race began in the late 1980s when community activities such as barbecues, games, music, and boat and plane rides, took place following the 4th of July parade. A canoe race was
part of the fun. The racers — adults and children — paddled frantically out to a large mooring ball in the river and back. In 1991, the paddle race changed to a longer 6.2-mile course starting at the Wiscasset waterfront and ending at Sherman Lake in Newcastle. Only for one year, recalls Shea, after the Sherman Lake dam washed out, the race began in Sheepscot and ran the reversing falls down to the Wiscasset waterfront.

Over the years, the race has had its heroes. Bob Dean won a record nine years in a row. (The 2016 race was dedicated to his memory.) Nationally ranked paddlers and well-respected kayak builders have
Press Release taken part, calling the Sheepscot River Race one of their favorites. Twelve years ago, the race was sanctioned by the Maine Canoe and Kayak Racing Organization (MaCKRO) as part of their Flat Water Series, making the race even more appealing to competitive paddlers.

Besides having one of the most scenic race courses in Maine, the Sheepscot River Race now combines national competitors with leisurely recreational paddlers. In 2017, Topsham paddler, Eric McNett, will be defending his titles from 2015 and 2016. McNett averages about 43 minutes over the 6.2-mile course. He paddles a surf ski K-1 racing kayak approximately 20 feet in length and 18 inches in
width. Recreational paddlers may take up to two hours to finish the course.

While categories separate the racing from the recreational participants and the race follows MaCKRO guidelines, everyone is invited to participate, insists Shea, because it’s all about having fun on
the water.

The 2017 Sheepscot River Race will be held on July 4, starting at noon at the Sherman Lake rest area bridge on Route 1 in Newcastle, and finishing at the recreational pier on Water Street in Wiscasset
Village. At the end of the race, awards and prizes from Seaspray Kayaking are given out. From noon to 3 p.m., race participants and visitors are invited to enjoy live music – the Marshall Nelson Trio – and a fired-up grill tended by local community organizations.

Registration to participate in the race is currently open and continues until shortly before the race begins. Registration fee is $12 in advance or $15 on the day of the race. For more information and
registration application, visit www.mackro.org or www.seaspraykayaking.com/events-at-seaspray . With advance notice, MaCKRO will provide kayaks and equipment to youths who want to take part.

The race is sponsored by Seaspray Kayaking in Freeport, Maine and co-sponsored by the Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce. For more information, contact Scott Shea at info@seaspraykaying.com or 207-751-3450.

At the Central Lincoln County YMCA’s Sailing Camp at Round Pond Harbor, each summer youth in grades 3-9 enjoy learning how to sail. Our staff of experienced instructors will teach your kids lifetime skills in our fleet of 14’ Tech Dinghies.

What’s new this year? To start, improvements have been made at the small “club house” to include a new deck and benches. This space, donated courtesy of the Reny family, is used for meetings, classroom time and a place for kids to eat lunch and enjoy hangout time while on land.

In addition, the Y was in need of a new chase boat to bring the campers out to the floats in the harbor where the sailboats are stored. This spring, a group of generous donors raised funds for the Y to purchase a 17-foot Whaler chase boat, a great asset in transporting campers to and from the floats and public wharf.

And finally, our Sailing Camp Director, Jaja Martin, has successfully obtained her captain’s license. Through an online course called Mariners Learning System, all students are required to pass five separate module tests before signing up for the proctored exam. Other requirements include a complete application, TWIC card, notarized oath, first aid, CPR, physical exam, and Sea Service form documenting all previous experience the applicant has accumulated over the years.

Martin’s extensive sailing experience includes an 8-year circumnavigation on a 25-foot sailboat with her husband. They also spent a year on land putting together a 33-foot steel boat and then spent five years cruising and living in the Arctic. Martin has been directing the YMCA sailing camp since 2006. Now with her captain’s license, she looks forward to spending another summer with the kids on Round Pond.

The Sailing Camp schedule runs in weekly sessions from June 26-Aug. 25, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Members are $275 per week, non-members $350 per week. Call and register today.

For more Sailing Camp details, or to see a full schedule of summer camp programs, download the 2017 Summer Camp Guide at your Y’s website or call for more information: clcymca.org, 563-9633 or boothbayregionymca.org, 633-2855.

Midcoast Conservancy is delighted to announce that its Hidden Valley Nature Center has been awarded $400,000 by the U.S. Forest Service as part of The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program, which provides grants to local governments, tribes and qualified nonprofits to establish community forests that will provide economic and environmental benefits as well as education, stewardship and recreation opportunities.

Midcoast Conservancy board chair Susan Russell said, “The grant to HVNC was the highest amount that could be awarded to any one project, and was ranked third overall among all applicants nationwide. We are thrilled that the U.S. Forest Service appreciates what a special place we have in the Nature Center.”

The projects selected were shaped by the communities that proposed them. These communities will also manage the forests in the future. “These are truly community forests,” said U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief of State and Private Forestry Vicki Christiansen. “The proposals we received grew directly from the communities that presented them. They will become important economic, recreational, and educational cornerstones of their communities.”

All projects selected must guarantee public access, and the community members must be involved in developing a forest plan to determine the long-term goals for the forests. Support from Senators Angus King and Susan Collins, Representative Chellie Pingree, the American Forest Foundation, and local partners including the town of Jefferson, Whitefield Elementary School, Juniper Hill School, and Central Lincoln County YMCA were an important piece of the success of this proposal. Midcoast Conservancy looks forward to continuing to work with community partners to ensure that HVNC functions as a community forest with public access, into the future.

Midcoast Conservancy executive director Jody Jones said, “This is further proof of concept of the model of our merger, that together we are able to accomplish more. I am exceptionally grateful to Bambi Jones and Tracy Moskovitz, the founders of HVNC, for their vision in creating a project worthy of this kind of recognition.”

Assembled over the course of 25 years, the 1,000-acre HVNC offers year-round education programming and sustainable forestry practices, as well as a seasonal timber framing course.

HVNC is already functioning as a community forest for more than 10 nearby towns by employing and demonstrating FSC-certified sustainable forestry practices, sharing innovative ways to use forest products to support livelihoods; providing employment through forestry, recreation, and place-based educational programming; engaging four area schools and nonprofits in experiential learning; offering community-driven programming to build recreational skills and place-based knowledge; and providing accessible recreational opportunities.

For more information on Midcoast Conservancy or HVNC, go to www.midcoastconservancy.org or call (207) 389-5150.

Boothbay Region Youth Football, for grades k through 6, will be holding two meetings to sign up players, and coaches will be available to explain the program to parents.

The meetings will be held Sunday, June 25 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Boothbay Fire Station and Wednesday, July 12 at 6 p.m.

The program is open to students in Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Edgecomb, Southport and Wiscasset.

For more information, call 1-207-380-7271 or 1-207-350-6118.

Boothbay Region Youth Football is also on Facebook.

A.J. Hungerford wanted so much to make the second annual, Bar Harbor-Portland, Rock Lobster Relay, he flew back in time from a business trip in Boulder, Colorado. And at one of two Wiscasset stops on the race Saturday, he liked Sarah’s Cafe’s cinnamon rolls so much, he said he had to take a picture of them.

“It’s amazing,” the Portland attorney said about the roll he was finishing at 5:46 a.m. near the former custom house on Water Street. Hungerford’s team, the Racemobiles, back for year two, was raising money again for Cumberland Legal Aid. It gives University of Maine Law School students experience and helps people who can’t afford a lawyer. “And that’s so important in this state,” he said.

Minutes earlier, Camden’s Lindsy Evans of the Strato Tanker Roadrunners team with Maine Air National Guard members like herself, a senior airman, ended a leg that took her over the Donald E. Davey Bridge from Edgecomb to Wiscasset. “Gorgeous,” Evans said about the view coming into Wiscasset.

“The bridge was beautiful,” said Brandon Owens of Portland and Your Mom’s Team. “There’s some scenic views over here.” Asked why he ran, he said, unlike some of his teammates who had to because they were member Gwen Paradis’s family, he volunteered. He liked the team aspect and the camaraderie that comes with that, he said.

Teammate Gabriel Paradis of Lowell, Massachusetts, said besides being Gwen’s brother, he was in it for the challenge of a big race. “Plus, the beer and lobster rolls sounded pretty good at the end (in Portland.”

Alison Shell of the Washington, D.C.-based team Capital Crawlers was running for two. As teammate Laurence Frierson happily encouraged her to share, she is about three months pregnant. She and husband Jake had just announced it to the others. Teammates passed Frierson a banana to eat. He had just finished a nine-mile leg.

The Wiscasset Waterfront Committee manned the waterfront stop of the 200-mile race.

“My brain says, ‘Why are you up? You should be in bed,’” committee member Dick Forrest said about the early morning event. Forrest later walked up to fellow member Susan Robson and told her the committee had voted that next year, she will wear a lobster costume.

Robson, having some oyster crackers, said hosting the stop was serving the community and earning the committee a $500 check that will help the waterfront, with decisions still to be made on how.

The Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce was three miles south on Route 1 Saturday morning, hosting the other local stop, in the Shaw’s parking lot.

The Boothbay Region YMCA will hold the 37th annual Rocky Coast Road Race beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, July 1 at the YMCA at 261 Townsend Avenue. There are three event options this year: 10K run, 5K run and a 5K walk. All levels and ages are welcome to participate! This event will take place in partnership with Windjammer Days.

Registration for the Rocky Coast Road Race is $30 per participant. Participants can register online and view the course map at www.boothbayregionymca.org. Race day registration will be open onsite in the Boothbay Region YMCA lobby starting at 7 a.m.

All proceeds from the race support LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, a 12-week free program for cancer survivors and their families. Focused on small-group training and relationship building, LIVESTRONG works to provide specialized training for those who are living with, through, or beyond cancer to strengthen their spirit, mind and body. To learn more about LIVESTRONG or to begin the registration process for the fall session, please call the Y at 207-633-2855.

The race is made possible through our event sponsors: J. Edward Knight, Dead River Company, Knickerbocker Group and First National Bank. For more information about the race, contact Lisa McIntosh at the YMCA: 207-633-2855 or lmcintosh@brymca.org.

Maine's fastest track, Wiscasset Speedway, wrapped up racing for the month of June on Saturday night with Group 2 in action, plus the return of the Amsoil Nelcar Legends. The Norms Used Cars Strictly Streets had the spotlight race for the program supported by the Late Model Sportsman, Outlaw Minis, and Modifieds. Cole Watson of Naples had the hot hand on the night, running to his first points win at Wiscasset over Montville's Bryan Robbins and Jonathan Emerson of Sabattus. Other winners included Corey Hall, Mark Lucas, and Zach Audet. As of press time, the Late Model Sportsman victor remains listed as unofficial pending a mandatory engine inspection.

In the 35-lap spotlight feature for the Strictly Streets, #45 of Cole Watson lined up at the pole position with Chesterville's Kim Knight in her #00 alongside. Knight would grab the lead through the early laps while Watson followed closely in 2nd. Watson retook the lead on a lap 13 restart and never looked back, rolling into victory lane to grab his first points win at Wiscasset. He was a previous winner of the Top Gun Strictly Shootout. Bryan Robbins was the big mover in the race, picking his way up from 12th to finish 2nd. He made the move of the race with 8 laps to go as he jumped from 4th up to 2nd exiting turn 4 in a spirited battle with Jonathan Emerson and Knight. Emerson, the 3rd generation racer from Sabattus stayed in the top 3 the entire race and rolled his #24 car in to claim the 3rd place trophy. His father Zach Emerson and point leader Michael Haynes filled out the top 5. 

It had been nearly a month since the Amsoil Nelcar Legends had made an appearance. The brought a healthy field of 18 cars onto the track for their 25 lap feature with Zachary Godbout and Bob Weymouth leading the pack to the green. Weymouth held the lead until young hot shoe Austin Teras took the lead away. That lead held up for a few laps but was soon passed by Corey Hall who followed him through traffic from 8th. Hall made his drive down from New Brunswick, Canada worth his while as he survived one mid-race caution and held off a late charge from Teras to secure the victory. Teras settled for the runner-up finish and Weymouth took third. Defending champ Kevin Girard Jr was one to watch as he worked the traffic like a champ, starting 18th and finishing 4th. Casey Call of Pembroke, NH also had a strong run from 16th up to 5th. 

Eighteen drivers took to the track for the 35 lap feature for the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman division with Windham's Steve Minott and Waldoboro's Will Collins making up the front row. As usual, there were only a couple cautions to slow the action. Collins held the lead through the first 10 laps until defending champ Chris Thorne blasted up from his 10th starting position to grab the lead. He was followed by the point leader Nick Hinkley from his 17th starting spot. Hinkley reached 2nd by lap 15, but Thorne had built up a comfortable half straightaway advantage. A late race caution set up a green-white-checkered dash for the win with Thorne leading the way across the stripe first, ahead of Hinkley & Collins. Unfortunately, Thorne's victory was short lived as his car did not pass post-race inspection for excessive left side weight. The win would then be bumped up to Hinkley, however, the win remains unofficial as Hinkley's engine was pulled for mandatory inspection as a result of his 3rd win. Collins would go home with the 2nd place trophy and Wiscasset's Brandon Bailey would notch his 3rd straight podium in 3rd, after starting 16th. The top 5 was completed by Liberty's Ryan St Clair and Montville's Tyler Robbins.

The Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Minis had their last tune-up race before their 75 lap Mini Madness race on July 8th. Former champ Jimmy Childs lined up on the front row with Whitefield's Jake Hendsbee for the 25 lap tilt. The race looked well within Childs' control through the first 8 laps but things took a major turn just a lap later as he suddenly slowed on the backstretch, handing over his lead to Hendsbee and bringing out the only caution of the race. Hendsbee held the lead on the ensuing restart long enough to get to turn one and from there it was the Zach Audet Show. The defending champ, who had missed a race with a blown engine, charged his way up from 10th to grab the lead and from there easily drove to his 3rd victory of the season. The win came at an expense however as he found (upon his required engine inspection) that he had cracked the block in yet another power plant. Hendsbee ran his best race in the Outlaw Mini's and posted his first podium finish in 2nd. May Driver of the Month and Outlaw Mini point leader Brent Roy ran another solid race and claimed his 5th podium finish in as many races. Shawn Kimball and Tim Collins finished in 4th and 5th respectively.

The Midcoast Region Napa Modifieds finished out the evening's program with a 30 lap feature. With just 7 cars answering the bell, it was easy pickings for defending champ Mark Lucas of Harpswell. He started from the pole position and held off a pair of early race restarts. From there he cruised to his 2nd modified checkered flag of the season (Lucas is also a 2-time Super Street winner so far this year). Former champ Allan Moeller of Dresden turned in a solid performance in 2nd and took over the points lead in the process as Adam Chadbourne succumbed to mechanical problems. The previous winner Joe Williams had an eventful race, helping to bring out the race's 2 caution flags only to bounce back each time and roll into victory lane for 3rd.

Kids looking for kicks this summer might want to check out a Soccer Skills Clinic. The program is free to Wiscasset-area boys and girls. All the clinics are held on Wiscasset Middle High School’s lower soccer field by the soccer goal from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday.

Chris Cossette is the varsity boys’ soccer coach at WMHS. “The kids enjoy it and so do I,” he said at a June 28 clinic. He paused to shout out instructions for the next drill. About 14 kids were taking part, a dozen boys and two girls.

No soccer game is played; instead, Cossette begins with a few conditioning exercises then concentrates on practicing ball control helping the kids develop better dribbling and passing skills. He keeps it simple, stressing fundamentals, but makes it fun, too.

A Give and Go drill at the clinic didn’t go quite the way Cossette expected. “Okay, please stop for a minute. Raise your hand and show me how many of you were really listening when I explained how to do this.” Nearly every hand went up. “Really? Be honest,” he said. One by one, the hands start dropping. “Okay, I’ll explain again how to do it,” Cossette said. “It’s not hard; watch.” Next go-round, the kids ran through it perfectly.

After running through the drills, Cossette finished the clinic with a skills game. The kids enjoy “keep away.”

Cossette said there’s room for more participants. Parents are welcome to come, watch and even lend a hand if they like. “I like the kids to wear cleats, shin guards are optional,” he said. Bringing along a bottle of water is a good idea, too. Participants must be going into at least the fifth grade to participate. The program runs until July 26.

The Tug  of War Across the Harbor was as exciting as ever in year three of the event. Marden Builders, 2016 champion, arrived with the huge winner’s trophy hoping to retain its champion status at the end of the 2017 pull. But that was not meant to be.

The Bud Light/Federal Distributors team was hungry and ready to best every team it pulled against – something one of the Bud Light team members made pretty clear – bring it on! One Bud Light puller was overheard saying anyone under 225 interested in being on the team was turned away ... sure, but the women on the team (every team has two, nine members in total) were the only exception for the Bud Light team. The team’s hunger to be the champ led it to victory.

Local teams were from Knickerbocker Group, Maine Coast Contracting, McSeagull’s and Closson Landscaping. McSeagull’s pulled its way to second place and Maine Coast Contracting took third.

On Wednesday, June 28, a five-member panel discussed the possibility of bringing, or rewilding, a permanent population of mountain lions, or cougars, to the East. The forum “Mountain Lions in Maine: Rewilding the Maine Woods” drew about 125 people to the Round Top Darrow’s Barn in Damariscotta.

William Stolzenburg, author of “Heart of a Lion: A Lone Cat’s Walk Across America” was part of the panel. Stolzenburg’s book chronicles the true story of the two-year journey of a young cougar from South Dakota’s Black Hills to Greenwich, Connecticut.  

Bookspeak: Keeping the Voice of Literature Alive and In Print, organized the event. Nicole Olivier, Bookspeak’s director, introduced Stolzenburg and the rest of the panelists, which included moderator John Davis, co-founder of Wildlands Network and conservation director of the Adirondack Council; Peter McKinley, research ecologist and vice president of the Damariscotta River Association (DRA); Mark A. McCollough, an endangered species specialist biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Maine Field Office; and Christopher Spatz, president of the Cougar Rewilding Foundation.

Panelists agreed that, although there have been many sightings of cougars in the East, most of these have not pointed to a permanent population. Of those that have been identified, a great many of them were former pets or captives. The only acknowledged Eastern cougar is the Florida panther, which has been on the endangered species list for a number of years. But recently the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission increased its population estimate to 230 adults, up from 180, and its place on the list is being reviewed.    

Davis opened the discussion by asking Stolzenburg what inspired him to write the book. The author said he wanted to honor the courage and tenacity of the young cougar, but he also wanted to use it as a vehicle to open discussion on rewilding cougars in the East, including areas in the Adirondacks and in Maine. 

He said one of the reasons to bring a ‘top’ predator (wolves are also in this category), back to the East is to help control deer populations; that would slow the spread of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. A cougar’s carnivore diet consists almost entirely of deer and elk meat, he said.

Stolzenburg provided an example of how cougars affect their environment by mentioning two canyons in Utah’s Zion National Park. He said that mule deer overpopulating one canyon not supportive of cougar habitat limits plant growth. The second canyon provides suitable habitat for cougars and, as a result, the mule deer population is smaller, but also healthier, and plant life is thriving.  

Davis asked McKinley to discuss the term population viability in regard to possible cougar rewilding in Maine.  

McKinley, whose specialty is songbirds, likens them to the cougar in terms of suitable habitat. “Population viability is the ability for a population to continue reproducing into the future. Habitat quality and the ability to connect to that habitat is a key component of population viability,” McKinley explained, adding that some questions to be considered might be, “Is the landscape ready? Are we socially ready? If we’re going to do this, what landscape is the most viable?”

Davis asked Stolzenburg, “Do you believe the cougar could make its way to the East Coast by itself?”

“Before the Connecticut cat, I thought no, because they’re being stopped along the way, “ Stolzenburg said. “It’s a possibility. But it’s taken a long time for a few to move from the Black Hills and establish a small population in Nebraska.  There is 500 miles of prairie between them and a habitat that could support them. They need help getting through the gauntlet.” And, he added, there’s animosity regarding these animals and it’s hard to change attitudes. “There’s a cultural wall. We need to start talking to the younger generation earlier and say, ‘Make up your own mind about this.’”   

“Since 1998, three people have been killed by cougars,” Spatz said, comparing that statistic to the large number of people hurt or killed on a frequent basis after hitting a deer on the highway and to the number of people maimed or killed by dogs.

McCollough said it would be up to individual states to decide whether or not to legally house a permanent population of cougars. At any rate, he said, it will take time. He likened current efforts to the decade of preparation and research it took to rewild wolves into Yellowstone National Park. Maine’s rugged landscape would suit the cougar, he said. “Biologically, it wouldn’t be hard to resettle them. They could adapt to the East,” he said.

 The panelists cited several ways to become involved in this and other wildlife projects, including becoming familiar with state wildlife management issues, working on finding a way for the state to use wildlife-watching revenues to fund non-game species, and purchasing Maine loon license plates, which send revenue to support endangered conservation in the state. Also, Stolzenburg said, “Teach your children well. Allow them to be curious and to be outside.”

The forum was sponsored in part by the DRA, the Pemaquid Watershed Association, the Medomak Valley Land Trust, Midcoast Conservancy and the 12 Rivers Conservation Initiative.    

The 2017 Strawberry Shortcake Shuffle 5k/Fitness Walk is this Saturday, July 8 at Great Salt Bay School in Damariscotta. The event, in its 13th year, features expanded 5K age groups for all the young runners. The 3K fitness walk is for all ages.

The race, generously sponsored by Renys, Kieve/Wavus and The Contented Sole, begins at 8:30 a.m. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. All participants will receive custom ball caps and our famous strawberry shortcake. The event is professionally timed and prizes will be given.

To register online, please go to www.healthykidsmaine.com. For more information, call 563-1818.

Wiscasset Speedway was all set to kick off the Independence Day holiday weekend Saturday night with a full race program featuring Group 1 and fireworks. Everything was going smoothly until Mother Nature crashed the party sending fans home early with a handful of features still to be run.

Heats were completed in all divisions as the eyes of race officials were also on the radar and an approaching front causing wild weather to the northwest. Just as the spotlight feature for the 4-Cylinder Pro's was about to roll onto the track the first few raindrops began to fall, bringing the safety trucks out to keep the track dry. The delay only lasted 20 minutes and the show was on once again. In order to try and beat the approaching weather, the 4-Cylinder Pro feature was reduced from 35 laps down to its normal 25 laps. Number 8 Craig Dunn and #55 would lead the field of 12 to the green flag. Dunn held the lead through the early stages while some of the heavy hitters were charging up from the back of the pack. One of those was three-time defending champ #98 Kamren Knowles who was forced into a backup car after crashing in practice. It took just 10 laps for Knowles to race from his 10th starting position into the lead.

Just a pair of cautions slowed the action along with a five-minute threat of rain. It didn't hold up Knowles on his way to his second win of the season. He had also won back on opening day. Behind him was a great battle between a pair of rising stars in the class. Previous race winner #29 Austin Teras and point leader #12 Max Rowe traded the remaining two podium spots back and forth over the final six laps, with Teras grabbing second and Rowe third. 

In its 28th year, the Sheepscot River Race had over 50 paddlers on the water July 4, and an equal number or more cheering them on at the Recreational Pier in Wiscasset.

A lot of the boaters were young, organizer Scott Shea said.”We had eight teenagers or even younger people paddling on their own on the course. And seven or eight who were with adults.” One of the young people who turned in an excellent time was Shea’s own son, Keigan Shea, 11, of Freeport, who had a time of one hour and 32 minutes.

Not all the paddlers were young, however. Coming in first in the recreational kayak race for men was Jock Dyer, who finished the 6.2-mile race in one hour and nine minutes. Dyer, who lives in Freeport, is 73. “I’m glad I finished the race,” he said. “I never expected to do this sort of time.”

The recreational boater’s time was only about 10 minutes off the experienced racers’ times, according to the final leader board.

Among the competitive racers, Jason Boltes came in first in the men’s kayak division at 59:59, and Ali Harka came in first in the women’s kayak division at 1:10:40. Rod McLain came in first in stand up paddleboard at 58:41, and Monk Thorbund came in first in surf ski at 48:48.

Chip Loring and Terri Wescott won the competitive adult two-person canoe race, with a time of 55:41, and William Anderson won the one-person canoe race with a time of 56:22.

In the recreational kayak race, Dyer came in first in the men’s division, Victoria Sokolowski came in first in the women’s division with a time of 1:11:14, and 16-year-old Sophie Stephens came in first in the youth division, in 1:17:40.

Susan Bickford turned in a time of 1:39:42 in a Hobie pedalboat.

Lance and Elias Baldwin were the only recreational canoeists to record a time. They came in at 1:17:29. Three canoes from Camp Chewonki were honored for their effort, since they had started later due to traffic.

Shea said the course is typically gentle except for the last half-mile or so, when headwinds off the ocean often cause paddlers to struggle. Today, however, the winds did not arise, and the journey across the open Sheepscot River was much easier than in previous years.

Waiting for the paddlers at the Wiscasset waterfront were crowds of well-wishers and the Marshall Nelson Trio, who played rock favorites from the 70s and 80s. There were also plenty of snacks and refreshments, including watermelons, fruit snacks and drinks.

Even with this year’s crowd, Shea said he’ll have to consider moving the race to a different date in years to come, because there are too many competing events on the Fourth of July.

“Local businesses and the Chamber of Commerce were outstanding,” he said. “Our goal is to make this a bigger event that attracts a lot of people from all over the country.”

Businesses that provided door prizes included Central Maine Pyrotechnics, Sarah’s Cafe, Sprague’s Lobster, Forgotten Recipes, Big Al’s, and QT’s Ice Cream.

Fans and fun were the name of the game this past weekend at Wiscasset Speedway with Group 2 Fan Appreciation Night. Another large crowd packed into Maine's fastest track Saturday night for exciting racing action, plus a driver meet & greet session and kid's bike races. The race program was highlighted by the third annual running of Outlaw Mini Madness for the Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Mini's. Despite a lower car count that anticipated, there was no shortage of action as two of the division's best slugged it out to lay claim to the title. In the end, it was former champ Jimmy Childs of Leeds holding the big trophy winning the 75-lap race for the second time. Other winners on the night included Shane Clark of Winterport in the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Models; Joe Williams of Woolwich in the Midcoast Region Napa Mods; and Bryan Robbins of Montville in the Norms Used Cars Strictly Streets. Before the green flag flew, fans were able to go down onto the track to meet all of the group 2 drivers. Then the kids took over in enthusiastic and energetic bike races in three different age groups, along with an appearance by Santa Claus and Christmas in July fun with the C&D Laundry Kids Club.

Fourteen drivers took on the challenge of the 75-lap Outlaw Mini Madness. It was a tall order for the contenders as defending division champ & Mini Madness champ Zach Audet of Skowhegan laid claim to the pole position with his heat win. Jimmy Childs of Leeds, a former division champ himself and winner of the first Mini Madness in 2015 won heat 2 and would start to Audet's outside. Childs would bring out the first caution of the race just as the first lap of the race was completed, spinning out of turn 4 and scrambling the field. Childs would restart at the back of the field, but it didn't take long for him to race back into contention, jumping back into the top 3 on lap 10. The race produced 4 cautions over the first 25 laps giving a handful of drivers a shot at Audet. By the midpoint of the race, Childs had made it back up to the runner-up spot and soon started to crank up the pressure on the leader and just five laps later Augusta's Shawn Kimball #20 and Whitefield's Jacob Hendsbee joined in the battle as well. While Childs looked to be getting stronger as the race went on, Audet started to show some problems. The 5th caution of the race for a minor spin involving Kevin Douglass & Mike Delano on lap 53 would bunch the cars up for what would be the final time. Audet took control again on the restart but it was short lived as Childs surged around him and into the lead on lap 59. Audet would finally be done in by his growing transmission problems as he slipped to 4th over the next 3 laps. Childs continued to pull away to a commanding lead. Kimball looked poised for a solid runner-up finish, but he soon developed mechanical problems himself and dropped out with 5 laps to go. Tim Collins grabbed the spot as Kimball exited the track, but just a lap later Hendsbee drove around him, making the 3rd different runner up in the 3 lap sequence. The race stayed green to the end with Childs posting a convincing victory in his #10 Ford Mustang. Hendsbee's 2nd place finish was a career-best. Collins settled for 3rd. Despite a transmission that was nearly inoperable, Audet salvaged a respectable 4th place finish. Cody Leblanc of Waterville completed the top 5.

In support action on the night, the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman gathered 20 cars for competition in the 35-lap feature. Winterport's Shane Clark, who had taken a week off to get married, made his return a memorable one, starting 12th and racing his way to his first feature win since July of 2015. Two-time champ Will Collins of Waldoboro continued his recent hot streak with a season-best 2nd place finish. Liberty's Josh St Clair was involved in the 3rd of the race's five cautions but recovered nicely to claim the final spot in victory lane. Point leader Nick Hinkley of Wiscasset and Chris Thorne of Sidney finished 4th and 5th respectively.

The 30-lap feature for the Midcoast Region Napa Modifieds saw a heated battle between defending champ #5 Mark Lucas of Harpswell and veteran #15 Joe Williams of Woolwich. The two battled through the middle stages of the caution free race and Willams finally came out on top to pick up his 2nd victory of the season. Lucas would settle for 2nd and Allen Moeller of Dresden held solid to his point lead with yet another podium finish. #21 Tom Young of Freeport and #7 Nick Reno of West Bath filled out the top 5.

The Strictly Streets continue to be one of the track's most competitive divisions. #51 Bryan Robbins of Montville became the 6th different winner in as many races this season. He held off defending champ Kurt Hewins #55 on a pair of late race restarts. Hewins from Leeds took 2nd and point leader Mike Haynes of Livemore turned in a class high fourth podium finish taking home the 3rd place trophy Previous race winner #45 Cole Watson of Naples finished 4th and #24 Jonathan Emerson took 5th.

Wiscasset Speedway returns to action Saturday, July 15 with Group 1 in action. The show will begin a 5:30 p.m. with a makeup feature for the ServPro of Biddeford-Saco Prostocks, completing the final 32 laps of their postponed race from July 1. The regularly scheduled program will follow with action in all four of the Group 1 divisions, plus the Senior Tour Auto Racers. For more information, go to the Wiscasset Speedway website at www.wiscassetspeedway.com or call (207) 491-3720.

Sign up now for the Lobster Roll 5k on July 29 to save money and reserve your race T-shirt. Run the Lobster Roll 5k as an individual or team. It's still $20 for a fabulous scenic race — race day will be $25.

There are prizes for overall winners, team challenge and age category winners. Directly after the race is the kids fun run.

Join us for an amazing day and support our local Community on Track group in our continuing effort to bring an athletic facility to Boothbay.

For more information go to lobster roll5k.weebly.com. The race takes place at the local high school — registration opens at 6:30 a.m.

A meeting for prospective middle school football players and parents will be held in front of Boothbay Region Elementary School at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 28.

It is important that you contact Coach Brad Drummond before the meeting to let him know what he has for numbers. You can contact him at 207-462-1364 or email: 1coachdrummond@gmail.com. We welcome Wiscasset and Lincoln County students.

When people talk about the best Prostock drivers to turn laps in the history of Wiscasset Speedway, the names Ripley and Chubbuck are the ones you'll hear more often than not. The pair has thrilled fans and battled each other on the high banks of Maine's fastest track for the past 25 years. Chubbuck has claimed 70+ wins and five division titles while Ripley has amassed nearly 100 career wins. They would battle it out once again Saturday night as the Serv Pro of Biddeford-Saco Prostocks had a pair of feature races to highlight the Group 2 program. Along with Prostocks, there was also action in the Super Streets, Thunder 4 Minis, and 4-Cylinder Pros, plus the Senior Tour Auto Racers (S.T.A.R. Tour) made their annual trek up from Massachusetts.

The Prostocks rolled out to start the show with the completion of a feature that was halted with eight laps complete due to rain back on July 1. All but two of the 13-car field answered the bell for the final 32 laps, with #34 Jeff Burgess and #32 Mike Orr leading them to the green. The race saw just one early caution as #09 Daren Ripley and #23 Brandon Sprague tangled on the back stretch, sending them both to the back of the pack. A long green flag run followed with #15 of Scott Chubbuck grabbing a comfortable lead while others battled for position. By the midpoint of the race attention soon turned to Ripley's charge up through the field, as he had cracked the top 5 by lap 10, and made a thrilling two-car pass to grab 3rd by lap 16. With 10 laps to go, he moved into 2nd and set his sights on cutting down Chubbuck's full straightaway cushion. Turning laps consistently 3/10th's faster than the leader, Ripley reached Chubbuck's back bumper with two laps to go. With fans cheering frantically the pair passed under the white flag and Chubbuck began sliding into turn one opening a slight window of opportunity for Ripley. But in a show of sportsmanship and respect, Ripley let the leader gather things up and resumed the chase down the back stretch. Again Chubbuck would slide high out of turn four as they charged to the checkers. Ripley pulled to the inside for the pass but came up just short, with Chubbuck grabbing the win by a scant 6/100th of a second. It was his second win of the year. Ripley would settle for the runner-up honors and former 2-time champ Charlie Colby followed up in 3rd.

In the regularly scheduled Group 1 action, the Super Streets had a 35-lap spotlight feature. Defending champ #5 Mark Lucas of Harpswell grabbed control of the class with his 3rd straight win. He held off a late charge by #02 of Jason Curtis of Hollis who crossed the line 7/10th of a second behind. Curtis spent much of his time in a great door to door battle with #2 Josh Bailey of Wiscasset. Bailey would settle for 3rd while #9 Sean Johnson of Oakland and #23 Mike Hodgkins of Jefferson filled out the top 5. As of press release time, the win by Lucas remains unofficial pending results of mandatory engine inspection which is required after 3 wins.

The Senior Tour Auto Racers made their annual appearance for some vintage car racing in two classes. Arthur Hannaford, who also races regularly in the Wicked Good Vintage Racers, bested the Modified class in his #71 Chevy Malibu. He was joined by Bobby Turner and Ryan Chadwick. In the Sportsman group, Alan Zemla drove his #43 1937 Chevy Coupe to the victory. Arthur Merchant and Skip Stearns joined him in victory lane.

Twenty-one Thunder 4 Minis took the green flag for their 25-lap feature. Point leader and 3-time winner Logan Melcher drove his bright yellow #41 from his 13th starting position and steadily worked the traffic to grab the lead by lap 16. He picked up his track-high fourth win of the season. Jeff Minchin Jr. of Pittston parlayed his front row starting spot into a career best 2nd place finish. #26 Michael Golding of Pownal battled Brian and Spencer Sweatt for the final spot in victory lane, taking 3rd. #84 Spencer Sweatt bested his father Brian in the #94 to complete the top 5.

In the 25 race for the N.E.4-cyl Pros, 3-time defending champ Kamren Knowles showed his patience and mastery of the class yet again, picking his way up from 10th into the lead following a lap 10 restart. From there he cruised to his third win of the season. The win, however, remains unofficial as of press time, due to the mandatory engine inspection that comes with 3 wins. 12-year-old Connor Wenners of Edgecomb ran his best race of the year in his #4 on his way to a career-best 2nd place. Lisbon's Jeff Prindall #24 also put together his best run of the season taking 3rd. Point leader Max Rowe of Turner (#12) took 4th and Larry Melcher of Jay (#41) took 5th in his 4-cylinder pro debut.

The ServPro of Biddeford-Saco Prostocks completed the show with their regularly scheduled 40-lap tilt. Drivers were looking to carry the positive momentum from the earlier feature. They looked well on their way until lap 5 when #23 Brandon Sprague lost control of his car coming out of turn two onto the back stretch, with his car careening into the back stretch wall and collecting #32 Mike Orr and #15 of Scott Chubbuck in the process. The race would be red flagged for nearly 40 minutes as Sprague was cut from his damaged car. He was isolated on a back board for precautionary measures and transported to the hospital for further evaluation. Once the race resumed, Ripley would take charge and race to his 2nd win of 2017. #99 Ajay Picard of Palmyra made a late charge to pressure Ripley but would settle for a career best 2nd place finish. Charlie Colby completed a successful night in his #72 with yet another 3rd place trophy. Jeff Burgess #34 and Kevin Morse #29 finished 4th and 5th, respectively. Sprague would be released early next morning from the hospital with a bruised lung and concussion. 

Wiscasset Speedway returns to action this week with a full slate of activities. Go Karts will hit the track for their bi-weekly races this Thursday at 4 p.m. Friday will make way for the Maine State Truck & Tractor Pullers Association for Truck Pulls beginning at 6 p.m. And Saturday it's Group 2 in action with a spotlight race for the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman, plus double features for the Amsoil Nelcar Legends. Fans can also check out the Maine Vintage Race Car Association's Mobile Museum. For more information, go to www.wiscassetspeedway.com  

Results from July 15

Let's go fly a kite! The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (KELT) invites children and families to the KELT Kids Day of Play on Saturday, Aug. 12 at noon for an afternoon of outdoor fun. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the mowed farm field and then join local naturalists and volunteers to fly kites, learn and practice geocaching, and explore ponds, fields, and forests of Schulten Farm in Woolwich.

KELT is grateful to landowners Mike and Betsy Fear for generously hosting this event for KELT Kids, the Land Trust's free membership program for children under 12 years old.

Shulten Farm is just off the northern shoreline of Nequasset Lake. Come ready for kite-flying with a favorite, trusty kite of your own or borrow one on-site.

Be sure to visit with Maine Master Naturalist Volunteer Becky Kolak, to discover the tiny, spineless critters that live in the farm’s pond. These will be intriguing invertebrate investigations!

Families can also search for creative geocaches around the farm. Geocaching is the use of Global Positioning System receivers (GPS units) to hide and seek containers (geocaches or caches). Several GPS units will be available for kids to use.

The afternoon of fun is free and is a light rain or shine event. Registration is strongly encouraged and can be completed online at www.kennebecestuary.org/day-of-play or with Kolak at 207-442-8400. This program was generously sponsored by the Merrymeeting Bay Trust, the Davenport Trust and the Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust.

The Wiscasset Yacht Club is a volunteer organization of about 120 members that has offered sailing instruction at various times over its more than 60-year history. The club continues to make improvements to service the membership and the community. As an integral part of Wiscasset and the surrounding towns, it provides great social functions that add to the town’s appeal. In that spirit, once again the sport of boating through the art and science of sailing and the related knowledge of seamanship and navigation is being promoted.

With interest in small boat sailing again gaining momentum, the club is reaching out to the community to provide a service it feels is important. In an effort to take advantage of the Sheepscot waterfront venue, the club is offering a free sailing program to members and the public in August. The program will provide an introduction to sailing for adults and older youth. Utilizing the club’s Stuart 9-foot dinghies and 14-foot Javelins, the art and science of sailing will be presented by an experienced instructor Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 5 p.m. beginning Aug. 8 and running for three weeks. Four hour classes will also be offered on three consecutive Saturdays at 10 a.m. beginning Aug. 12.

The exact contents are customized to suit the knowledge and comfort level of the participants, but will cover everything from why the sails work to the specifics of actually making them work. Terminology, boat handling, safety, sail trim, basic weather, knots and rudimentary navigation, even some history and possibly some sea stories will all be covered. You could be ready to solo in light air at the end of these classes. The one prerequisite is you must know how to swim. The lessons are free to everyone, however donations to the sailing program are welcome.

As with any art, time is required to establish skill. Contact T. Stoner at 205-2409 with questions or to arrange a special class time.

Calling all "person-powered" watercraft! The 24th annual Southport Rowgatta, which encompasses 12 nautical miles, is on Saturday, Aug. 12, at the Town Landing at Newagen on Southport Island.

The 2017 Rowgatta is being held in memory of Merry Knowlton, longtime Southport resident, beloved friend, and “official” Rowgatta photographer, who passed away earlier this summer.

The event benefits the YMCA’s Aquatics programs including the free second grade learn to swim program where all second grade students the peninsula learn to swim at the Y for free in partnership with our local elementary schools.

Registration and information is available at the Y membership desk and on the website at www.boothbayregionymca.org. Individuals or teams are welcome to register a dingy, rowboat, canoe, kayak, ocean shell or any other craft that is seaworthy. No sail or powerboats allowed. There is a $35 fee for each participant who registers by 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 11, and a $40 fee per participant for day of registration on Aug. 12.

On the morning of Aug. 12, registration at the Town Landing at Newagen begins at 7:30 a.m. The race starts at 8:30 a.m. Refreshments are available before and after the event, and everyone is eligible for an exciting array of prizes! Packets with maps and list of rules can be picked up the day of the event at the event site.

There are three legs to the 12 nautical mile race: from the landing to Cozy Harbor, from Cozy Harbor to Robinson's Wharf, and from the Wharf back to the Newagen Town Landing.

Special thanks to our event sponsor, Robinson’s Wharf. Additional thanks goes to the Boothbay Harbor Coast Guard Auxiliary – Flotilla 25, the United States Coast Guard, and our faithful volunteers for providing our boat crew coverage.

For more information and to register, contact the YMCA at 633-2855 or go to www.boothbayregionymca.org.

The Edgecomb Planning Board finished a first draft July 20 for a proposed floating structures ordinance. The board’s next step is revising the plan in time for a public hearing later this fall. The board began considering an ordinance this spring following a resident’s request to house her grandchildren this summer on a floating structure. The board wasn’t sure the town’s land use ordinance covered floating structures so it began considering proposing an ordinance.

The first draft’s major provision restricts floating houses to a marina. But a question remains: Who has authority to regulate any ordinance approved regarding floating structures? Planning board officials aren’t sure whether the code enforcement officer, harbor master or local police department would have jurisdiction. The board sought state and federal assistance in drafting the ordinance. But the state attorney’s general office has no jurisdiction over water craft, and the U.S. Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers also offered no opinion due to a lack of authority over floating structures.

“So it’s up to us to regulate them,” French said.

The board considered banning floating structures, but received a legal opinion it wouldn’t stand a court challenge. During upcoming revisions, French expects the board to decide whether floating structures fall under local land use ordinances or should be regulated by the harbor master.

“Next step is going through the draft and seeing where it fits. We may conclude it’s a beast unto itself and enforcement should be regulated by either the harbor master, code enforcement officer or local police department. We’re still working on that,” French said.

The board expects to hold public hearings later this fall with a public vote in May 2018.

In other action, the board stuffed envelopes with a survey seeking public opinion about a future retail marijuana ordinance. Letters explained options for regulating sales and other commercial uses of marijuana which become legal in February 2018. Each letter includes a self-addressed postcard with the  heading, “Should Edgecomb regulate marijuana businesses?”

The questions seek residents’ input on whether or not Edgecomb should require licensing for marijuana cultivation, manufacturing, retail sales, social clubs, or none of the above. The planning board will send 542 letters explaining ordinance options along with the postcard.

The board also voted 5-0 approving a building permit for a West Bath couple building a home on Shore Road. Brandon and Judith Sullivan received approval to build a 3,400 square foot home. The Sullivans are buying the two-acre lot from the heirs of Leon Dodge. According to French, the Sullivans plan to make the home their year round residence.

The board will meet next at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3.

First-time winners are always a welcome sight at any race track. But Saturday night at Wiscasset Speedway was a night for some drivers to add another win to their 2017 season resume and solidify their place in the championship chase. Wiscasset's Nick Hinkley did just that with a convincing win over defending champ Chris Thorne in the 45-lap spotlight feature for the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman. The victory highlighted a full card of Group 2 action at Wiscasset Speedway, plus double features for the Amsoil Nelcar Legends. Other winners included Nick Reno in the Modifieds, Jimmy Childs in the Outlaw Minis, and Glenn Reynolds in the Strictly Streets. Noah Korner and Austin Teras each tallied a victory in the Legends.

The program started with a 25-lap makeup feature for the Amsoil Nelcar Legends. Eighteen drivers answered the call with their sites set on the checkered flag. Noah Korner made his ride up from Connecticut well worth it by taking an early lead and then holding off a late race charge from Austin Teras of Windham for his first Wiscasset victory. Teras started 11th and settled for 2nd while Thomas Everson of Gilmanton, NH turned in his best Wiscasset run by taking 3rd. In the regularly scheduled 25 lap tilt later in the evening, Teras and Korner showed their strength by charging up from the back of the field to reserve a return visit to victory lane. This time Teras turned the tables on Korner and took top honors with the win. Korner placed 2nd and Chris Burgess of Buckfield finished 3rd.

The Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman had the spotlight feature on the evening with a 45-lap contest. As usual, the Late Models rolled out a large field of highly competitive drivers. Windham's Steve Minott and Walpole's Alex Waltz led the field of 18 cars to the green flag. Steven Chicoine moved up to deal the early challenge to Minott, but soon faded giving Richmond's Cody Verrill a shot at the leader. As usual, the division's top contenders were making their regular charge up from deep in the order. Four-time champ Chris Thorne was the first to arrive on the scene, moving up from 13th to crack the top 3 by lap 15. Just three laps later he would drive around Minott and take the lead. Meanwhile point leader and 3-time winner Nick Hinkley once again methodically picked his way from 16th and arrived in the top 3 as Thorne took the lead on lap 18. For the next 12 laps, Hinkley stalked the leader and finally drove around him and into the lead. From there he gradually pulled away and clinched his 4th win of the season. It was also his division-high 5th podium finish in seven race. Thorne would settle for the second place trophy. The third place trophy originally went to Verrill in what would have been his first, however, his car failed post race inspection. Liberty's Josh St Clair would get bumped up to 3rd.  

In support action, Jimmy Childs of Leeds made it back to back wins for the Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Minis. Coming off his victory in the 75-lap Outlaw Mini Madness race, Childs led the 25 lap regular feature from wire to wire, besting the field by over 6 seconds. He was chased across the line by Whitefield's Jake Hendsbee and Farmingdale's Tim Collins, making the same top 3 as the Mini Madness race. Nick Reno of West Bath finally shook off a season long hard luck streak and put together his best race of the year in the 30 lap feature for the Midcoast Region Napa Modifieds. He held off 2-time defending champ Mark Lucas to secure his first win of 2017. Lucas finished 2nd. Dresden's Allen Moeller turned in his class high 6th podium finish in 7 races to solidify his firm hold atop the Modified point standings. In the 25 lap tilt for the Norms Used Cars Strictly Streets, Glenn Reynolds of Turner added another race to his win column. Reynolds, who also won on opening day, took advantage of four mid-race cautions on his way to the win. Behind him, a great battle between veterans Cole Watson and Zack Emerson over the final 10 laps saw Watson claim 2nd and Emerson 3rd.

Wiscasset Speedway returns to action with an exciting double header weekend Saturday and Sunday. The track will celebrate its 48th birthday on Saturday night beginning at 5:30 p.m. with action in the Group 1 support divisions including Thunder 4 Minis, Super Streets, and N.E.4-cyl Pros. The Thunder 4's and Super's will also run a makeup race each to start the show. Saturday night's show will wrap up with a big fireworks display to celebrate the milestone for Maine's fastest track. Sunday the show will get started at 2 p.m. and will be highlighted by the running of the Boss Hog 150 for the ServPro of Biddeford-Saco Prostocks. The race will pay out a purse in excess of $20,000 plus lap leader money, including $5,000 payout to the winner. Strictly Streets will have a 30-lap non-point support feature and the Amsoil Nelcar Legends will do double duty again with a pair of 25-lap features.  For details and a full schedule rundown for both days, go to the website at www.wiscassetspeedway.com.

July 22 results

Aleeya Jones returned home to Wiscasset July 24 after achieving her highest level of training and competition to date. The Fort Lauderdale, Florida trip continued her work toward the same goal the Suki Lane teen has always had — to make the Olympic volleyball team.

Of the 66 14- and 15-year-olds who qualified throughout the U.S. in the A1 Team USA High Performance girls select event, Jones, 14, was the only New Englander, her mother Julie Jones said. She, Aleeya’s father Chad Jones and Aleeya’s siblings Madison, 12, and Dylan, 16, also went on the trip, but, as with other events the teen has attended in the Olympic pipeline, the athletes had little time with family.

Aleeya’s group ended up getting to play one level higher, with the 17- and 18-year-olds, Julie Jones said. “She did great. She showed everyone that this little Maine girl could do it.”

Aleeya said it was intimidating when she saw how good the other girls were. To say it wasn’t, would be lying, she said. But she proved she belonged there, she said. She had practices from July 12 through July 17, then the High Performance Championship from July 18 to July 23, her mother said. Aleeya’s team won five of its eight, five-set matches and won gold in the event’s silver division, Julie Jones said.

Since the Wiscasset Newspaper first interviewed Aleeya at age 10, she has grown from 4 and a half feet tall to 5 foot 7 and begun eying an early childhood education major when she goes to college. She will be a sophomore at Wiscasset Christian Academy this fall.

She still has the Olympic dream and is getting closer to it, she and her mother said. And the teen, who has a history of fundraising for charities, wants her achievements in volleyball to inspire other girls to pursue their goals. “I want young girls and older girls to never give up and to keep pushing for their dreams,” she said.

In 2018, the teen wants to raise $300 to $400 to pay for a girl’s entry into a camp for whichever sport the girl is interested in. Julie Jones said more will be announced on a Facebook page she and Aleeya are making, called “Aleeya’s Evolution.”

The Wiscasset girls hosted Monmouth in the summer soccer season finale Wednesday evening, July 26. The teams last met in October 2016 during the quarterfinal round of the playoffs.

Monmouth scored four unanswered goals in the 90-minute game that had two certified referees. Due to the heat, the coaches agreed to play quarters. A few minutes into the game, Monmouth was whistled for charging just outside the 18-yard line but Gwen Webber’s direct kick was scooped up by the goalie. Allison Burnham’s unassisted goal in the second quarter put Monmouth up 1-0.

The visitors struck again following a corner kick when Anna Lewis scored. Emily Grandhal’s goal a few minutes before the half made it a 3-0 ballgame. Monmouth’s final goal came from Maya Sirois midway into the third quarter.

Wiscasset had several scoring opportunities in the final quarter. Vanessa Dunn fired off two shots but both were turned away by the Monmouth goalie. Lilly Souza and Lindsey Gordon split the goalkeeping duties for Wiscasset, which was without two of its starting players. Defensive standouts for Wiscasset included Arie Mills and Ellie Pratt in the backfield. Both Gordon and Souza made some nice stops in the net.

Coach Duane Goud said he’s had a good turnout for this summer’s program. Between 15 and 17 girls have been participating including a few incoming freshmen. The game with Monmouth was the team’s fifth of the season. Wiscasset also played Richmond, Oceanside, Winslow and Madison.

The Wiscasset girls will take to the field again Aug. 19 for the Richmond Round Robin Tournament at Richmond High School.

On Friday, Aug. 11, from 9:30-11 a.m., take a guided walk through the forested land at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson, a beautiful piece of woodland with a variety of interesting native plants. On this Summer Native Plant Walk, participants will learn about some of the wildflowers, ferns, shrubs and trees native to Maine. Leader Heather McCargo will talk about which species are adaptable to gardens and developed landscapes, and the threats to their survival, as well as their unusual reproductive strategies, and edible and medicinal properties. Learning to recognize the native species in our midst is the first step to advocating for their preservation.

McCargo, the founder and director of the Wild Seed Project, is an educator with 30 years of expertise in plant propagation, landscape design and conservation. She was the head plant propagator at New England Wildflower Society’s Garden in the Woods in the ’90s, worked at several landscape architecture/planning firms specializing in ecological design, has been contributor to several research projects with USAID, National Gardening Association, and with MOFGA. Locally, she designed the master plan for the medicinal gardens at Avena Botanicals in Rockland, and was the creator and lead teacher for the Bay School’s Agricultural Arts program.

Wild Seed Project is a Maine-based non-profit that works to increase the use of native plants in all landscape settings in order to conserve biodiversity, encourage plant adaptation in the face of climate change, and to create pollination and migration corridors for insects, birds and other wildlife.

For more information on the walk, or to register, go to https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/native-plant-walk/, or call Midcoast Conservancy at (207) 389-5150.

On Saturday, Aug. 26 from 9 a.m. to noon, join Midcoast Conservancy for “Mosses and Friends: Identifying Common Bryophytes,” led by Ralph Pope. Pope, an adjunct professor of New England Flora at Antioch New England Graduate School in Keene, New Hampshire, will introduce workshop participants to the basic biology of bryophytes (mosses and closely related organisms) before leading the group on a discovery of bryophytes to be found along the trails of Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson. The event will begin at The Barn with a brief overview on the topic and will then proceed on an exploration of nearby trails in search of common specimens on various substrates along some of HVNC’s trails.

Ralph’s recently released book, “Mosses, Liverworts, and Hornworts. A Field Guide to Common Bryophytes of the Northeast” will be available for purchase, though he will also have a couple of ‘loaners’ for participants to ‘test drive’ during the field exploration.

For more information, or to register, go to https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/mosses-friends-identifying-common-bryophytes/or call Midcoast Conservancy at (207) 389-5150.

A new public place to hike, run, ski, and explore! The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (KELT) is pleased to invite the public to the grand opening of the Carl and Barbara Segerstrom Preserve at Squam Creek on Westport Island, Sunday, Aug. 6 at 1 p.m. Join KELT supporters for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by light refreshments and an optional guided walk. This event is free and family-friendly!

Participants can enjoy a historic, guided walk along the newly built Jeremy’s Ramble Trail, exploring several short side trails. These blazed trails begin at the parking area off West Shore Road and proceed through hardwood forest, along a picturesque stone wall and by the lush green marsh grass of the wetland along the creek. Several viewpoints offer spectacular views of the tidal salt marsh, supporting a variety of bird populations, river otters and a commercial oyster farm.

Conservation of this property was possible through support from the town of Westport Island, private foundations, the North American Wetland Conservation Act and many community members. KELT is excited to share this new place to learn, explore and appreciate nature!

This 144-acre preserve protects significant wetland habitats, 3,300 feet of shoreline along Squam Creek, deer wintering habitat and historic cellar holes and cemeteries. The property was one of the first settled on Westport Island, around 1740 by Timothy Dunton and his family. The southern part of the property was settled by the Hodgdon family shortly thereafter. The foundation of the Hodgdon home, livestock pens, extensive stonewalls, and the family cemetery are beautifully preserved.

A light rain or shine event, please RSVP to Becky at bkolak@kennebecestuary.org or call 207-442-8400. To get to the preserve: from Bath take Route 1 North for 6.8 miles and turn left onto Route 144. After 1 mile turn left to stay on 144 (Birch Point Road) and after another mile turn right to stay on 144. Follow for 6.5 miles then turn right onto West Shore Road. Follow across the causeway and up the hill. The parking lot is on the left.

Earlier this year, KELT won Down East magazine’s 2017 “Readers Choice” award as “Best Land Trust” in Maine. To celebrate this award and the new conservation land on Westport Island, all are invited to one of our “Summertime Shindig” events on Aug. 15 at Squam Creek Farm across from the new preserve. This event will display the natural beauty of the creek and be a chance to meet others land trust enthusiasts. The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. and tickets are $60 per person at www.kennebecestuary.org/summertime-shindigs.

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

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

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

Local businesses are responding enthusiastically in support of this popular, family-oriented summer event. There will be a number of door prizes drawings –including rod-and-reel outfits and a brand-new kids’ bike donated by Stephen Rubicam Photography and Shark Six Charters -- for tournament entrants who attend Sunday’s weigh-in and awards ceremony.

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

Tickets, tournament rules, and tackle are available at Oak Street Provisions at 43 Oak St. in Boothbay Harbor.

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

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

Maine Coast Gymnastics & Activity Center, located at 30 Manktown Road in Waldoboro, is offering three weeks of camp this August:

Gym & Dance Week A: August 7-11 (9 a.m.-3 p.m.), features beloved and talented dance coach and choreographer, Emilio Cabrera. Ages 6 and up are welcome.

Gym & Dance Week B: August 14-18 (9 a.m.-3 p.m.), Emilio will be back! Come for the first time this week or come again to build upon what you learned the week before. Ages 6 and up are welcome.

Tumbling Week: August 21-25 (9 a.m.-noon). Come learn or improve your cartwheels, handsprings and more! Ages 5-14 are welcome.

Please contact us at: (207) 380-2857 or mainecoastgymnastics@gmail.com for more information and to register. Registration for fall classes begins on August 28. Like us on Facebook to keep up with the latest news.

Every year without fail, on the second Saturday of August, the delicious smell of barbecued chicken wafts through the air in North Nobleboro, accompanied by the rollicking sounds of friends and community members enjoying great food and music in the summer sun. This year, North Nobleboro Day will be held on Saturday, Aug. 12 at the community grounds on Upper East Pond Road in North Nobleboro. This will be the 45th year that members of the North Nobleboro community have joined together to provide a fun-filled day for their neighbors while raising money for donations to benefit the local area, and it is a highly anticipated tradition for many in the community.

Booths will open at 9 a.m. this year. The country kitchen will be filled with homemade pies and doughnuts, delicious breads and cakes, baked beans, and more. There is even a booth dedicated to homemade fudge. Hot dogs, fresh-picked corn on the cob, french fries and Round Top ice cream will also be available along with various soft drinks.

The craft table always has many beautiful hand-made items and the Hall will be filled with trash and treasures, a bargain hunter’s dream. The silent auction table will have valuable items up for bid such as handmade blankets, jewelry and art prints.

Country Western singer Debbie Myers will be back for her 12th year at North Nobleboro Day and her band “Redneck Rodeo” will be performing from 10 a.m. until 12:45 p.m. Debbie was the Top Honors Recipient at the 2006 and 2007 Maine Academy of Country Music Awards as “Best Female Vocalist” and “Entertainer of the Year.” In past years, she has delighted audiences with tributes to Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, and Reba McIntyre. Don’t miss an opportunity to see what is always an outstanding musical event.

Under the big tent, the live auction will commence at 1 p.m. People are busy cleaning out their attics to find those “oldies but goodies” and area merchants generously donate new items for auction. Any individuals wishing to donate may contact Hilary Petersen at 832-7489 (No large appliances please).

Nobleboro’s hard-working chicken pit crew will once again have their famous chicken barbecue ready at 11 a.m. and serve through the afternoon until sold out. The dinner menu consists of half a chicken barbecued with an old secret recipe, coleslaw, a dinner roll, chips, and a beverage. Bring your appetite for a mouthwatering feast.

The North Nobleboro Community Association is proud to use proceeds from this day for donations to various organizations including our local fire departments and for financial assistance to qualified Nobleboro students. Monies are also used for the upkeep of local cemeteries, the Community Hall, and the basketball courts.

North Nobleboro Day will take place from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Aug. 12, rain or shine, at the community grounds at the intersection of East Pond and Upper East Pond roads approximately three miles from Route 1 in Nobleboro or three miles from Route 32 in Jefferson. There will be fun shopping opportunities, great food to eat, places to sit and rest and plenty of free parking. For more information, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NorthNobleboroCommunityAssociation.

The CLC YMCA has announced that the 11th annual Sanford Open and Auction is Friday and Saturday, Sept. 15 and 16. Members of the community are welcome to attend the event, this year with a French-inspired theme. Details will be forthcoming.

The Sanford Open was created in 2006 as a tribute to the late Bob Ehrenfeld, who along with his wife Betta, hosted a tennis tournament fundraiser called the Ehrenfeld Open, on their waterfront property. The Ehrenfeld family gave generously to the Y, particularly the tennis program. Carl and Dru Sanford were inspired to continue the legacy, while giving back to an organization that does so much for this community.

Proceeds from the event have supported tennis projects and programs, as well as the Y’s mission-based programs, including: scholarships; affordable tennis programs; free tennis for approximately 250 students from Great Salt Bay Community School; free tennis and PE classes for fifth and sixth graders from Nobleboro Central School; free family tennis; tennis for daycare attendees; tennis for Coastal Kids; free family cardio tennis; and the Y’s Stay and Play program, providing a healthy snack, lunch, creative art projects and tennis for youth and their families.

This year’s events include Friday night triples and Saturday social tennis tournament, followed by an evening of culinary delights, music, live auction and fireworks at the home of Dru and Carl Sanford.

The Y’s CEO Megan Hamblett, said, “This is a fabulous night of food, friends, laughter, and an opportunity to win some fabulous prizes. We hope the community will join us on Sept. 15 and 16 to help make our 11th annual Sanford Open a huge success.”

The CLC YMCA is a key collaborative leader improving the quality of life for all by being the champion for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

For information, visit clcymca.org or call the Y at 563-9622.

On Aug. 6, I took a walk down Cross Point Road and through Singing Meadows, in Edgecomb.

Enjoy these photos and a short video from that balmy summer day.

There was little doubt that the rain was coming last Saturday evening. The question was if Wiscasset Speedway's race program would go on as planned or if it would happen at all. The answer ended up somewhere in the middle as track management called an audible and shortened the show to fit in the anticipated window of opportunity. Starting racing action a half hour early and running features only for the 5 Group 2 divisions proved to be the right call as the rain began to fall just 20 minutes after the final checkered flag flew. Despite the shortened show, fans were treated to some of the best action of the season.

The 13th Annual Boothbay Region Fish & Game Association Saltwater Fishing Tournament was held this past Saturday and Sunday, August 12th and 13th, and the nice weather drew a small crowd of enthusiastic entrants. The fishing for mackerel was very good, and three pollock and one legal-size striper were entered.

The winning striper in the Adult Division was a 31-incher caught by Ron Campbell, who received a check for $200. There was no second- or third-place striper entrant, and no bluefish were entered again this year.

The Junior Mackerel Division was hotly contested, with several dozen fish entered. When the dust settled, Andrew Meader had the largest, a whopping 13 1/4-incher, good for $50. Danny Gray came in second with a 12 7/8-incher and took home $25. Joe Gray came in third, and Jack Kaler and Tommy Gray took fourth and fifth respectively, all good for $10 cash prizes.

The Junior Pollock Division was won by Jake Kelley, who took home $50 cash for a 12-incher. Andrew Meader came in second with a 10 3/8-inch fish good for $25, and Jack Kaler took the third-place pollock, which earned him $10.

Area businesses responded generously to the tournament, including $50 from The First, $50 from Robinson’s Wharf, $50 from the Carl Larabee Insurance Agency, $50 from The First, $25 from the Harold Bishop Insurance Agency, $50 from Bath Savings, and $25 from Joan Brown of Brown’s Wharf Inn, all of which went towards the cash prizes. Grover’s Hardware donated a nice rod and reel outfit, F&G club member Su Flaherty donated two rod and reel outfits and a fishing creel, and Steve Rubicam donated two rod and reel combos, all of which were awarded as door prizes in the Youth Division. And finally, the Junior Grand Door Prize of a brand-new bicycle donated by Rubicam Photography and Shark Six Charters went to Everett Kaler.

Tournament organizers would like to extend their sincere appreciation to Tom Philbrick of the Boothbay Lobster Wharf for hosting the weigh-ins on both Saturday and Sunday, to Oak Street Provisions for handling the registrations, and to Grover’s Hardware and the YMCA’s Camp Knickerbocker for displaying the Junior Grand Prize bicycle in the days leading up to the tournament.

Proceeds from the popular event benefit the Fish & Game Association’s Clayton Dodge Scholarship Fund as well as many other Association programs.

Wiscasset Park and Recreation’s track and field team sent a small but spirited team to the Maine USATF State Championship on Saturday, Aug. 12 at Massabesic High School in Waterboro.

Coach Josiah Winchenbach had eight boys and girls qualify; 1,100 boys and girls from across the state competed in four age groups: 8 and under, 9-10, 11-12 and 13-14. The USATF Group B qualifying meet was held Thursday, Aug. 10 at Poland. Winchenbach said only the top four athletes in each event per age division advance to the state competition.

Charlotte Abello placed in two events. She was second in the 100-meter dash with a time of 16.8, and third in the 200-meter race, 36.52. She was eighth in the long jump with a leap of 8’1.” Eva Whitmore placed fifth in the high jump, clearing 2’8.” Both girls were competing in the age 8 and under competition. Hannah Abello was 10th in the 400-meter race, 1:27.58 in the age 9-10 division. She also competed in the 800-meter race. Josie Harrington won the high jump for girls age 13 and 14 with a winning leap of 4 feet, 10 inches. She was seventh in the 100-meter hurdles, with 18.96.

Boys results

In the 11 and 12-year-old competition, the WPR boys relay team of David Winchenbach, Tate Whitmore, Payton Blagdon and Jayden Lafrenaye won the4 x 100m race, crossing the finish line in 1:02.58. The team placed second in the 4 x 400m race in 5:09.59. Jayden Lafrenaye finished ninth in the high jump clearing a height of 3’10”. Payton Blagdon was ninth in the 800 among 11-12 year-olds with a time of 2:53. David Winchenbach was 14^th in the triple jump, leaping 24’6”.

WPR had 18 athletes competing in this summer’s track and field program.

Wiscasset Speedway brought the action under the lights Saturday night (Aug. 12) with Group 1 in action plus the Nelcar Legends.

The ServPro of Biddeford-Saco Prostocks 40 lap feature wrapped up the program with Palmyra's Ajay Picard securing his first career Prostock victory dominant fashion, besting the runner-up by over 7 seconds. In victory lane, Picard acknowledged “I've lost one before by letting up too soon, I wasn't going to let that happen this time.”

Thomaston's Daren Ripley settled for 2nd while point leader Charlie Colby took third. In the 35 lap spotlight feature for the N.E.4-cylinder Pros, Windham's Austin Teras started at the back of the field and raced his way to his 2nd win of the season. Max Rowe of Turner reclaimed the point lead in the class as he held off defending champ Kamren Knowles for runner-up honors. Knowles settled for 3rd.

Brian Sweatt of Albion took his first Wiscasset win in the 25 lap Thunder 4 Mini feature. Noah Haggett of Woolwich ran his best race in two years with a 2nd place finish. Point leader Melcher made his usual appearance in victory lane claiming the 3rd place trophy. 2015 Super Street champ Josh Bailey picked up his 2nd straight win in the 25 lap Super St feature. The win further tightened Bailey's grip on the division point lead. Teammate Zac Poland of Woolwich was the highlight of the race, hold the lead for the first 15 laps and holding on for the 2nd place finish; his first career podium finish. Defending champ Mark Lucas of Harpswell took 3rd.

In the 25 lap flex division feature for the Amsoil Nelcar Legends, Chris Burgess of Buckfield took the win and was joined in victory lane by Thomas Everson of Gilmanton, NH and Kevin Girard Jr of Old Orchard Beach. Wiscasset Speedway returns to action Saturday August 19th with Group 2 in action. Midcoast Region Napa Modifieds will have the spotlight feature, along with action in the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Models, Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Minis, and the Norms Used Cars Strictly Streets. The weekly flex division will be the Wicked Good Vintage Racers. Pit gates open at 2 p.m., Grandstand gate at 4 p.m. and green flag action starts at 6 p.m.

For further information on the Aug. 12 races and more, visit www.wiscassetspeedway.com or call 207-841-2189.

This time of year brings many visitors to our beloved state of Maine and that includes lots and lots of birding enthusiasts. Many come with family and combine traditional seafood-eating, swimming, canoeing, sailing, fishing, and hiking with adventures to look for birds. Other birders come with a plan to see specific birds and spend almost all of their time in pursuit of birds.

If you’re one of these bird enthusiasts, it’s imperative that you have in your hands a copy of the new book “Birdwatching in Maine: A Site Guide” edited by Derek Lovitch and published by University Press of New England. Derek, who with his wife Jeannette, own and operate Freeport Wild Bird Supply, tapped the expertise of 11 other Maine birders to contribute to this book that provides a remarkably comprehensive catalog of 201 birding locations across all 16 Maine counties.

We are proud to report that we wrote the Lincoln County section (the book is organized by county) and pleased that most of the sites we wanted to include made it into the finished product. The site entries are generally organized as birding “loops” with specific directions to a series of sites that one might stop at in succession during a morning’s birding. So, for instance, the Boothbay Harbor Loop includes directions to the Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Penny Lake Preserve and Lobster Cove Meadows Preserve, and is followed by an entry for Cap’n Fish’s Whale Watch. The Great Salt Bay Loop includes stops at Salt Bay Preserve, Damariscotta Mills fish ladder, and the Great Salt Bay Farm and Heritage Center, with a suggested stop afterwards at Roundtop Ice Cream!

Now imagine that level of detail for the best birding sites in every Maine county and you’ll see what a treasure trove of information this new book features. Each county chapter starts with a map showing the locations for each site entry or loop and a short summary by Derek of the birding opportunities in that county. For some sites, like Monhegan Island in our Lincoln County chapter, there is an additional detailed map to better explain how to find your way around. Given the local expertise of the various contributors, the site accounts are also often sprinkled with interesting facts and insights that lure one into wanting to visit but also deepen the enjoyment and experience of the visit when it happens. Sprinkled throughout the book are wonderful photos of birds (many by Jeannette Lovitch) and views of the sites. Derek has done a fine job of developing an annotated checklist in the back of the book with seasonal bar graphs and, for species most sought after by visiting birders, short narrative accounts about how , where, and when to find them.

Whether an experienced Maine birder or visitor, or even just a mildly interested bird enthusiast who likes to explore, this book (like our own book, “Maine’s Favorite Birds”) is a must-have for your personal library, although it may spend more time in the car and in your hands than on the shelf!

Jeffrey V. Wells, Ph.D., is a Fellow of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Dr. Wells is one of the nation's leading bird experts and conservation biologists and author of the “Birder’s Conservation Handbook.” His grandfather, the late John Chase, was a columnist for the Boothbay Register for many years.  Allison Childs Wells, formerly of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, is a senior director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine, a nonprofit membership organization working statewide to protect the nature of Maine. Both are widely published natural history writers and are the authors of the popular book, “Maine’s Favorite Birds” (Tilbury House) and the just-released “Birds of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao” from Cornell University Press.

Central Maine Board #20 is offering a 5-week rules course for people interested in becoming a certified basketball official.

The class meets Mondays and Wednesdays at 6 p.m. beginning Sept. 25 in Room 106 at Lincoln Academy in Newcastle. The cost is $65.

For more information, contact T.J. Halliday at 207-522-2029 or by email at tj.halliday@mainegeneral.org.

Registration is now open for the 18th annual Midcoast Maine Tour de Farms, scheduled for Sept. 30. Enjoy an early fall bike ride while supporting local farmers and producers. The Morris Farm Trust of Wiscasset sponsors the cycling tour through the scenic farmland of Maine’s Midcoast, with stops at local farms, orchards and creameries.

This year’s event offers rides of 56 and 42 miles through Wiscasset, Dresden and Whitefield, as well as a 17-mile family ride. Participants will visit some of Maine’s most unique and beautiful farms, sample their products and gain a better appreciation for local agriculture. They’ll also be able to purchase fresh goods from the farms to take home. Volunteers will courier cyclists’ purchases back to the Morris Farm. Participating farms and producers include Goranson’s, a certified organic farm; Unca’s Farm and Sheepscot General Store; Bailey’s Orchard; Fuzzy Udder Creamery, Chase Farm Bakery, Hamilton Farm and Barred Owl Creamery, and Oxbow Brewery. Shepherd’s Craft Farm will hold a sheepdog demonstration along the route.

The event is intended for experienced and novice cyclists, as well as local food lovers. For parents with small children, The Morris Farm will offer an on-site bicycle camp, which kids can attend while their parents ride. The camp will engage kids in farm chores such as milking goats and gathering eggs, a bicycle safety class and obstacle course, and making bicycle-powered ice cream.

After the ride, participants are welcome to return to the Morris Farm for a barbecue featuring foods grown and made locally, including vegetarian options. The acoustic musical duo Well-Seasoned, who perform regularly throughout the Midcoast, will provide entertainment. Non-riders are welcome to attend the barbecue, too; simply register online at www.morrisfarm.org/tourdefarms2017.

The Midcoast Maine Tour de Farms is sponsored annually by The Morris Farm Trust. Located in Wiscasset, the Trust is both a working farm and an educational resource for the communities of Midcoast Maine. A nonprofit, educational membership organization, the Morris Farm Trust promotes the values of sustainable agriculture and stewardship of the earth through education, demonstration and community involvement. All proceeds from the ride benefit The Morris Farm Trust’s community programming.

To register for the 2017 Tour de Farms, please visit www.morrisfarm.org/tourdefarms2017, and follow Tour de Farms Midcoast Maine on Facebook for updates. The rain date for the 2017 Tour de Farms will be Sunday, Oct. 1.

Maine's fastest track, Wiscasset Speedway, was back in action Saturday night with Group 2 divisions plus the Wicked Good Vintage Racers. The show turned out a pair of first-time winners plus a pair of drivers grabbing their first wins since opening day.

Augusta's Shawn Kimball made his final race a special one, leading the 25-lap Outlaw Mini feature wire to wire for the win. It was his 2nd victory of the season for the Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Minis. Kimball had announced that Saturday's race would be the last for the former 2-time champion. In victory lane he said winning in his final race was special and a great way to wrap up a 20-year racing career; but he stopped short of confirming he was truly hanging it up for good. He did say that pending knee surgery and plans to concentrate on family life were driving forces in his decision. Fellow former champs Rob Greenleaf of West Bath and Jimmy Childs of Leeds joined him to claim the 2nd and 3rd place trophies respectively.

Adam Chadbourne of Woolwich led wire in the 30-lap spotlight feature for the Mid Coast Region Napa Modifieds, making it his 2nd win of the season and first since opening day. Reigning Mod champ Mark Lucas of Harpswell. Point leader Allan Moeller recovered from an early collision with Joe Williams and raced his way to the 3rd place finish. Earlier in the evening, Moeller was honored as the track's Four Season Synthetic July Driver of the Month. #21 Tom Young and pole sitter Dan Brown #27 rounded out the top 5.

Brian Whitney picked up an impressive win in the 35-lap feature for the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman division. The veteran racer from Etna drove his #41 ride from 18th starting position up to grab the lead from Waldoboro's Will Collins with 6 laps to go and nailed down his first Wiscasset victory. Defending LMS champ Chris Thorne spent much of the race battling Collins for the lead. He would settle for the runner-up trophy. Point leader Nick Hinkley got the nose of his car knocked in following a lap 6 skirmish in turn four. He settled down and worked the traffic nicely to grab the final spot in victory lane. Brothers Ryan and Josh St Clair completed the top 5 in the 20 car field.

In the 25-lap feature for the Norms Used Cars Strictly Streets, Zach Emerson of Sabattus not only grabbed the win but took control of the division in the process. Emerson took the lead from Brian Caswell and then held off challenges on a pair of restarts to become the 7th different winner in the division this season. Kim Knight of Chesterville matched her career-best with the 2nd place finish while Bryan Robbins backed up his win from the previous race with a 3rd place trophy. The top 5 was filled by two-time winner Glen Reynolds of Turner and Jonathan Emerson of Sabattus.

The Wicked Good Vintage Racers made their 2nd appearance of the season with action in the Early Late Models and Outlaw divisions. Keith Smalley of Warren took the win in the 20-lap feature for the Early Late Models in his 1955 Chevy. He was joined in victory lane by David West of Appleton and Norris Willette of Winslow. The 20 lap Outlaw feature went to Sid Smith of Mt Vernon. 2nd went to Scott Tucker of Winthrop followed by Arthur Hannaford of Hollis in 3rd.

Wiscasset Speedway returns to action Saturday, Aug. 26 with Group 1 in action plus a 100-lap enduro. Super Streets will have a 35-lap spotlight feature, along with regular features in the ServPro of Biddeford-Saco Prostocks, Thunder 4 Minis, and N.E.4-cyl Pros. For race day schedule and information go to the track website at www.wiscassetspeedway.com or call (207) 491-3720. 

Westport Island’s Bonyun Preserve increased by 44.4 acres Aug. 12, when Kennebec Estuary Land Trust bought a parcel along the east side of Junction Road for $76,000.

According to KELT and the Lincoln County Registry of Deeds, the seller was Arline Murray.

Information on the sale was presented at the Monday, Aug. 21 selectmen’s meeting.  

According to Dennis Dunbar, who is a resident and is a member of KELT’s board of directors, the parcel is adjacent to Bonyun Preserve and provides “a continuous habitat” for those exploring the preserve. With this month’s purchase, the preserve now totals 110.5 acres.

The parcel was sold to KELT below its appraised value of $80,000 so it could be used for conservation. KELT Executive Director Carrie Kine told the Wiscasset Newspaper the parcel’s ecological features are different from the tidal features of other parts of the preserve.  

Last July, KELT added 6.7 acres to the original 68-acre preserve. “That parcel continued the shoreland,” Kinne explained. “This parcel contains features that are different – pitch pine, wetlands – it’s more forested than the other portion of the preserve so visitors can see more complexity and variety. And that’s important to us.”  

Grants funded that parcel and the newest addition, so no public fundraising was needed, according to Kinne. “We’re excited about the acquisition. Bonyun is spectacular and adding to it is just great.”   

KELT plans to work on trails for the new section next summer.

Selectmen also reviewed information from the Maine Forest Service concerning the Tree Growth Tax Law (TGTL).The forest service is concerned that some Maine landowners who are enrolled in the TGTL do not have plans that comply. Towns are being asked to contact the Forest Service for assistance, if needed.

Selectmen discussed an announcement from the Wiscasset Ambulance Service about a subscription plan for its services. Subscribers will be provided ambulance transportation as needed at no additional cost. The plan covers one calendar year and is renewable each year. Prices for the current year are: $25 for those ages 62 and older; $40 for a senior couple; $50 for a single resident; $100 for a family and $250 for a business.   

The town has presented to the Maine Municipal Association’s legal advisors an issue concerning dry hydrants. MMA responded that an owner with a dry hydrant on their property will need to sign an easement for its continued use after the property is transferred to a new owner.

Selectmen will not meet Sept. 4 due to the Labor Day holiday. 

Wiscasset Middle High School now has a Class D athletic status, although the Wolverine teams will continue to compete in the Mountain Valley Conference and against Class C high schools.

“The classification change will not impact regular season games,” athletic director-vice principal Mandy Lewis wrote Aug. 24 in response to an email from the Wiscasset Newspaper. “As a member of the MVC, we will continue to play teams like Boothbay, Lisbon, Oak Hill, etc.  During playoffs we’ll face other Class D opponents, possibly Richmond, Buckfield and Searsport.”

The change comes as the result of falling student enrollment at the high school, a problem being experienced statewide. Lewis said the Maine Principals Association evaluates classifications every two years, and members vote on the proposed classifications at their spring business meeting. The classifications are based on student enrollment at the close of the school year and WMHS was right at the tipping point. 

“When looking at the Class C and Class D enrollment numbers, the smallest Class C school in the MVC is St. Dominic's with 180 students, and Wiscasset is the largest Class D school at 173. The student enrollments will be re-evaluated and a new proposal will be considered in the spring of 2019,” continued Lewis. “Our placement is dependent upon our enrollment numbers as well as the enrollment of other schools our size.”

Throughout most of the 1960s and 1970s, Wiscasset High School had been Class D before moving up to C and remaining there for over 20 years. Wiscasset briefly advanced to B status for two years before dropping back to C.

Neither Duane Goud nor Chris Cossette, the Wolverines’ veteran soccer coaches, are much concerned about the change in classification as they prepare for the upcoming season. They think the switch might even benefit their programs if they qualify for post-season action. Playing all Class C teams throughout the regular season may even increase the Wolverines’ chances of bringing home a Western Maine title.

Both the boys and girls WMHS soccer teams have continued to play Richmond High School in the preseason. The Bobcats, also a Class D team, have had great  success in postseason play.

Lewis also confirmed that after a few seasons off, Warren Cossette is returning to coach the Wolverine cross-country team. Cossette has a great deal of experience and is sure to bring a lot of excitement and enthusiasm back to the program, which has struggled finding runners the last season or two. He’ll lead both the boys and girls teams.

All of this year’s races are away; the season gets underway Wednesday, Sept. 6 at Hall-Dale and continues Sept. 13 at Boothbay Region. The start time is 4:15 p.m., with the girls running first.