Temp Sports Index

Ocean Point Inn (OPI) and Resort is about to open for their 123rd season of providing lodging, dining, and hospitality to the Boothbay Region. While other properties celebrated their openings over Memorial Day weekend, OPI staff and local contractors were still busy upgrading the property and adding new programs for their guests. residents and the Ocean Point Community. The Inn officially opens for the season Friday, June 11.

At the top of the list of new additions, the Inn will now be offering “glamping.” Earlier this year, OPI entered a partnership with the national “Glamping” organization TENTR, to offer glamourous camping on the back 14 acres of the Inn’s property. Glampers can get away from it all but will also have access to the many amenities the Inn has to offer including use of the pool, dining, room service and housekeeping. OPI will begin booking the glamping sites at the end of June.

New work at the Inn includes a new handcrafted sign by John Marsh, a fire pit, new Adirondack chairs oceanside, and a newly renovated pool and deck. In addition, the lobby and gift shop have been upgraded as well as many of the rooms and cottages. The gift shop, now called The Shop at Ocean Point, will offer a variety of gifts for young and old, specialty wines, chocolates, and gourmet foods and many Maine-made products.

Ocean Point Inn is delighted to announce their partnership with Open Table. Reservations are still required for all meals and can be made directly on the Open Table website. www.opentable.com The Inn will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. They have also added several new positions to ensure the property is fully staffed, bringing the staff total to 56 people. With COVID restrictions having been lifted, the Inn will now serve dinner until 9 p.m. nightly and the lounge will remain open until 11 p.m. Some of the region’s finest musicians will provide entertainment every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m.

Ocean Point Inn is committed to supporting local artists by exhibiting their art and sculpture throughout the property. This year, OPI will offer art workshops for both kids and adults as well as hosting two art shows and receptions. On Aug. 1, Ocean Point Inn will hold a public Art and Sculpture Auction to benefit Special Olympics of Maine and Sculpture Boothbay.

Ocean Point Inn would like to extend its sincere appreciation to their staff and many contractors who worked diligently to get the Inn upgraded and ready to open for its 123rd year in business. For more information call 633-4200 or www.oceanpointinn.com

Spring sports athletes at Boothbay Region High School and Wiscasset Middle High School earned all-star status in the Mountain Valley Conference this past season.

BRHS all stars

Boys tennis: Cody Field, first team; Rath Schoenthal, first team; Gryffin Kristan, second team; Andrew Fowlie, honorable mention

Girls tennis: Isabel Harkins, first team; Hannah Roberts, second team; Kylie Brown, honorable mention

Boys track: Kayden Ames, second team; Nathan Chatterton, honorable mention

Girls track: Ava Schlosser, honorable mention

WMHS all stars

Boys track: The following all made second team: Nathan Gilliam, John Hodson, Chancellor Blagdon, Connor Robertson, Bryan Gagnon, Tristan Pepe, Payton Blagdon, Byran Gagnon; John Hodson, Payton Blagdon, Byran Gagnon and Connor Robertson also earned honorable mention

Girls track: Josie Harrington, honorable mention; Gwen Webber, honorable mention; Emily Gilliam, honorable mention; Reese Hesseltine, honorable mention

Academic all stars: Gwen Webber and Nathan Gilliam

A Maine Forest Service grant is helping the 766-acre Charles and Constance Schmid Land Preserve in Edgecomb plan for the future. The town has owned and managed the preserve since 1979. The seven-person Schmid Advisory Board collaborated with town officials earlier this year in securing a matching $7,200 Project Canopy Grant. Board members approached selectmen last winter for help with the required $3,600 match.

The preserve hasn’t generated or received much revenue over the years, according to board chair Lisa McSwain; it’s been many decades since the preserve’s forests have been harvested; the town provides $2,200 annually for maintenance and care of the preserve. Last winter, board members met with the selectboard who agreed to provide the grant match funding by using money from the legal line item account. The selectmen serve as trustees of the preserve as outlined in the deeds of trust written when the Schmidts donated the land. This will be the preserve’s first forest management plan update since the first plan was written in 1999. This is McSwain’s first year as board chairperson. The board was in transition last year when longtime chair Bob Leone, who served 20 years, retired. He was responsible for developing many of the preserve’s trails and adding about 90 acres to the preserve through grants, donations and funding from Land for Maine’s Future.

MidCoast Forestry of Warren developed the first plan 20 years after Charles and Constance Schmid donated the property. Midcoast Forestry’s Barrie Brusila authored the original plan. She will begin work on an updated version in July. “The first one cost about $15,000 so this one is a sorely needed update of the original plan,” McSwain said. “We are not necessarily looking to harvest some of the forest. It’s more to take stock of what we have and help us determine what direction the management of the forest should go in to maintain the health of the forest based on its current use as a nature preserve and wildlife habitat.”

Years ago, before the first plan was written and before the advisory board was formed, the town allowed some timber harvesting to provide some revenue. A dispute resulted in cutting on a neighboring property, and there has been no timber harvesting since. The dispute resulted in both the original management plan and an advisory board. The revised management plan will review the presence of invasive plants and insects. It will update the timber, animal and plant inventories. “Twenty years has been way too long to go without an up to date management plan. The forester will tailor a plan to maintain it as a nature preserve. This will help us plan and move forward,” McSwain said.

Since the property doesn’t generate revenue through either property taxes or forestry, the board needs to make do on a small annual municipal budget and volunteer work. For $2,200, the board and a small army of volunteers maintain the behemoth property which McSwain describes as the “largest single contiguous land tract in the Midcoast.” The preserve has 15 miles of walking and mountain biking trails which are used year round. Typically, volunteers embark on two days of comprehensive maintenance per year with general maintenance done throughout the year by one or two people if a task is needed. The big work days occur in the spring, and another in the fall. Volunteer labor builds bridges, clear trails, removes fallen trees and marks trails. “We hire a local resident to mow the fields once a year. He gives us a huge discount which is a big help, but other than that, all the labor is from volunteers who love and use the preserve,” she said.

David Nutt has served five years on the board. He reported volunteers provided 56 man-hours last spring in labor on one work day alone. The recent coronavirus also provided an unexpected boost to maintaining the preserve. “People were looking for things to do, and the pandemic provided people time to volunteer for us,” McSwain said. In recent years, the board has created several new mountain biking trails. “It’s something that’s drawing more people to the preserve,” Nutt said. “And, I think it will continue to benefit the local economy by giving tourists another reason to visit, filling our local inns and restaurants,” he said.

McSwain is an avid biker and enjoys having a place to take a scenic mountain bike ride without worrying about getting hit by vehicles. She also said the preserve’s history provides several unique sites. Charles Schmid was a sawyer and bought the property to obtain trees for his mills. Previous to Schmid, the giant land tract was farmland and home to an agrarian society. But the land wasn’t fertile, and farmers struggled to make a living. Evidence of poor farming conditions remains today with the name of a 200-foot hill. “It’s called Mount Hunger because farmers could not really make it,” McSwain said. It is also the location of several old mica mines, a small industry in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

But for hikers and bikers, evidence of the history remains through visions of rock walls, old wells, ada stock pen, among other sites. The preserve is also an excellent location for winter activities. McSwain said it’s great for cross country skiing and snow shoeing. One activity not permitted regardless of season is driving motorized vehicles.

As for the preserve’s future, McSwain foresees establishing an endowment. The board would like to engage Maine Community Foundation for management of the endowment once it is established. “It would make us less reliant on the town and we wouldn’t struggle with not knowing where to find additional financial resources,” she said.

Parking is a major challenge. As the preserve grows in popularity, board members are concerned about parking in the preserve’s three relatively small locations. Access points are located on the Middle, McKay and Old County roads. McSwain lives on Old County Road and the access point is on a discontinued section. “It’s already too small and more traffic will only beat up the dirt road whose residents are responsible for road maintenance. I’m hoping the town will take back the road,” she said.

The Schmid Advisory Board will receive the grant once the maintenance plan is completed. McSwain expects completion this winter.

Schmid Land Trust Advisory Chairman Lisa McSwain and David Nutt are part of a seven-person board who advises Edgecomb selectmen about managing the 766-acre preserve. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register

Bath Ale Works, 681 Wiscasset Road, Wiscasset will host a cornhole tournament on Friday, June 18 to benefit Wiscasset Middle High School Boosters, according to Boosters president Charles Bassett.

Entry fee is $20 per person. Check-in is 5:30 p.m. with the tournament starting at 6. The double elimination tournament will have a blind draw for teams. The winning duo will win $50 each.

To register, call Bassett at 207-350-8003 or email tigtabs@hotmail.com

This family and pet-friendly event will feature a beer garden and pub grub.

Midcoast Maine has one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, but that beauty can hide hazards that can quickly ruin your day on the water. Geography, tides and weather can conspire to make even the most experienced mariner opt to stay ashore.

US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 2-5, based at Coast Guard Station Boothbay Harbor, is offering two courses that will make you a smarter and safer boater.

“Suddenly in Command” addresses issues that may arise if you encounter situations on the water that require a working knowledge of Emergency Communications, Basic Navigation, Boat Handling, Anchoring, and an overview of the items that are legally required to be aboard your boat.

“Suddenly in Command” will be held on July 6 and 7; 6:30 to 8:30 each evening via Zoom. Cost: $25.

“Navigating Mid Coast Maine” will introduce you to the basics of navigation and trip planning while taking you to the far corners of the local “Cape Small to Pemaquid” #13293 chart.

Local knowledge is an often recommend but sometimes difficult commodity to acquire; our experienced instructors have hundreds of hours plying the waters covered in this course. Both are certified CG Auxiliary Small Boat Coxswains and local residents.

Topics include Basic Navigation using both traditional paper charts and various electronic chart formats; understanding navigational aids; buoyage systems and markings.

Problem sets will help you understand the building blocks of course planning including exercises on: compass errors, tides, time/speed/distance, and course layout and labeling.

“Navigating Mid Coast Maine” will be offered for 5 nights, beginning July 14 through Aug. 11, from 6:30 to 8:30 each evening via Zoom. Cost: $30.

Registration

“Suddenly in Command”: Contact David Eastwood at 207-633-4748 (cell: 865-603-5106) or davidbeastwood@gmail.com

Registrations for “Suddenly in Command” must be received by Saturday, June 30 in order for materials to be sent to participants. Late registration is possible if you can make arrangements to pick up the reference materials in Boothbay Harbor. Cost: $25.

“Navigating Mid Coast Maine”: Contact David Eastwood a 207-633-4748 (cell: 865-603-5106) or davidbeastwood@gmail.com

Registrations for “Navigating Mid Coast Maine” must be received by Saturday, July 9 in order for materials to be sent to participants. Late registration is possible if you can make arrangements to pick up the reference materials in Boothbay Harbor. Cost: $30.

To take the course you need either a printed chart or an electronic chart of the Boothbay Harbor area. (Chart can be provided at our cost, approx. $25.)

In-person trail racing is back! Join Midcoast Conservancy for the 10th Annual Race Through the Woods trail race, sponsored by First National Bank and Trail Monster Running, on Saturday, Sept. 25, at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson.

Racers will have two course options to choose from: a 13.1 mile half-marathon or a 5.5 mile race. This single-loop course brings runners over steep hills, through the woods, past beautiful ponds and has about 1,000 feet elevation with lots of technical single-track.

“We may be biased, but it's one of the most fun (and hard!) trail races you'll run,” says Race Director Keri Lupien. “We’re so excited to be able to get the running community together again for an in-person race- races have been missed by so many athletes.”

All proceeds from the race are directly donated to Midcoast Conservancy to support their mission of protecting vital lands and waters on a scale that matters and to inspire wonder and action on behalf of all species and the earth. “Hidden Valley Nature Center offers so many ways for people to engage with the natural world,” says Andy Bezon, director of HVNC and Community Programs. “Running, biking, skiing and camping opportunities mean there is something for everyone there.”

Race fees are $35 for the half marathon, and $25 for the 5.5 miler. This race is currently capped at 125 entrants, with a waitlist. There will be no day of registration. Prizes will be given to overall men's and women's winners at the finish line; no age group prizes.

To ensure the safety of all volunteers, racers and spectators, there will be two start times: half-marathon racers will start at 9 a.m., and 5-milers will start at 10 a.m. Midcoast Conservancy is asking that runners wear a face covering at the start/ finish and while passing other runners, and strongly encourages that runners be vaccinated.

Attendees can purchase beer from Sheepscot Brewing and food during the event. A limited number of long-sleeve technical shirts will be available for purchase when checking in on race day.

Refunds will be allowed up to seven days before the race. In the event of a full race cancellation, all registered participants will have the choice of full refund, deferment to 2022, or donating their race fee to Midcoast Conservancy. To learn more and to register, go to https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/race-through-the-woods-3/

The start of a previous Race Through the Woods. Courtesy photo

There’s going be a whole lot of wake on the water this Saturday, June 19 when lobster boats up and down the coast arrive, revved up and ready to race, in the 2021 Charles Begin Memorial Lobster Boat Races.

That’s right, lobster boat racing fans, Maine’s races are on and the kickoff is right here in Boothbay Harbor!

Boat captains will sign up at Brown’s Wharf on Atlantic Avenue between 8 and 10 a.m.; the races start at 10. All signup fees will go to Maine Lobsterman’s Association.

“This year we are able to host the races without asking for donations,” said race organizer Ashleeann Lowery. “This gives all the local companies who donate to the races a chance to breathe.”

Traditionally, the names of all the business sponsors are on the back of all T’s and sweatshirts, but not this year. “(The racing committee) brainstormed for ideas, but none of us are artistic, so we reached out to Jessica Pinkham for help,” Lowery said. “Her design is an anchor with a ribbon running through it. We are excited to have her work on our clothing to represent our community!”

Pinkham’s late husband, Christopher, was a lobsterman. He died tragically in January 2020 when the vessel he was working on capsized.

All of the T-shirts ($20) and sweatshirts ($30) are black, the race logo and back design in gray. They will be at the signup table and they sell out fast.

This year, three $200 prizes will be awarded. They will go to the winners in three categories: Fastest Gasoline, Fastest Diesel and Fastest Lobster Boat Afloat.

In past years, about 40 lobster boats have shown up ready to race, along with around 120 spectator boats, but this year there could be more. “I can never remember taking so many calls and emails as I have gotten in the past two weeks,” Lowery said. “People are excited to be outside … everyone is just really pumped up!”

Among those callers was a retired man from Pemaquid who hasn’t raced in years. Said Lowery, “I think we’re going to bring him out of retirement.”

Where can you watch the races if you can’t get on the water? The race course runs in front of Tumbler Island toward the finish line at Maine State Aquarium on McKown Point Road in West Boothbay Harbor. Other spots on land are on the east side, over to Brown’s Wharf and at Whale’s Tale next door.

Lowery said racing information will be broadcast over VHF marine channel 10 (156.500).

Click here for the 2019 racing results.

The next race is in Rockland on Sunday, June 20. For a complete season schedule, visit https://mainelobstermen.org

Fastest Working Lobster Boat-Boothbay in 2019 was Andrew Taylor’s Blue-Eyed Girl. File photo

SCHOONER BAY TAXI THUNDER 4 MINIS (35 laps - spotlight)

* David Cook 3rd win of 2021

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff	Gap	Best Tm	In Lap
1	77	David Cook	Jay	Me	35			18.558	15
2	0x	Jeff Farrington	Alna	Me	35	3.954	3.954	18.692	24
3	7	Shane Webber	New Vinyard	Me	35	4.701	0.747	18.614	19
4	84x	Doug Degroat	Oxford	Me	35	5.153	0.452	18.687	17
5	53	Hunter Dodge	Freeport	Me	35	8.546	3.393	18.939	18
6	1	Jeff Davis	Woolwich	Me	35	9.438	0.892	19.114	13
7	17	Jeff Atherton	Athens	Me	34	1 Lap	1 Lap	19.301	25
8	02	Paul Hopkins	Camden	Me	33	2 Laps	1 Lap	20.134	21
9	26	Michael Golding	Pownal	Me	26	9 Laps	7 Laps	18.663	8
10	3c	Brody Badeau	Wayne	Me	11	24 Laps	15 Laps	19.677	3
11	5	AJ Jordan	Clinton	Me	7	28 Laps	4 Laps	24.668	1

NORM’S USED CARS PRO STOCKS (40 laps)

* Nick Hinkley - 2time champ - 2nd win of 2021

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff	Gap	Best Tm	In Lap
1	15	Nick Hinkley	Wiscasset	Me	40			14.971	5
2	18	Kevin Douglass	Sidney	Me	40	0.166	0.166	15.178	4
3	94	Garrett Hall	Scarborough	Me	40	0.176	0.010	15.040	14
4	29	Kevin Morse	Woolwich	Me	40	0.560	0.384	14.972	5
5	84	Jamie Wright	Woolwich	Me	40	1.800	1.240	15.066	6
6	14	Josh St Clair	Liberty	Me	40	1.955	0.155	14.878	5
7	12	Rodney Brooks	Warren	Me	40	2.296	0.341	15.113	7
8	41	Logan Melcher	Fayette	Me	40	3.310	1.014	15.199	7
9	02	Shane Lane	N. Anson	Me	40	3.463	0.153	15.415	8
10	1	Scott Chubbuck	Bowdoin	Me	40	5.545	2.082	15.125	4
11	77	Nick Reno	West Bath	Me	38	2 Laps	2 Laps	14.891	2
12	17	Joey Peaslee	Thomaston	Me	32	8 Laps	6 Laps	15.224	3

BRACKETT'S MARKET 4-CYLINDER PRO (25 laps)

* Hayes 2nd win of 2021

* Harding first podium finish

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff	Gap	Best Tm	In Lap
1	17	Ryan Hayes	Jefferson	Me	25			17.413	9
2	38	Daniel Harding	Fairfield	Me	25	0.455	0.455	17.428	14
3	7b	Ben Burgess	Hartford	Me	25	1.207	0.752	17.477	9
4	45	Kaden Neptune	Mt Vernon	Me	25	1.883	0.676	17.433	10
5	96	Cole Binnette	Lyman	Me	25	5.603	3.720	17.718	15
6	41	Nicole Benincasa	Buxton	Me	25	6.094	0.491	17.555	11
7	19	Andy Kaherl	Saco	Me	25	7.989	1.895	17.572	3
8	70	Taylor Lane	Phillips	Me	25	8.928	0.939	17.640	12
9	117	Josh Hall	Mt Vernon	Me	24	1 Lap	1 Lap	18.059	4
10	01	Jett Decker	Chesterville	Me	19	6 Laps	5 Laps	17.664	8
dns	8	Callahan Cox	Strong	Me	dns

MAXWELL'S MARKET SUPER STREETS (30 laps)

* Michael Harrison - first win since 2018 (won Super St championship that year)

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff	Gap	Best Tm	In Lap
1	85	Michael Harrison	Durham	Me	30			16.744	5
2	3	Bobby Mesimer	Wiscasset	Me	30	3.074	3.074	16.729	2
3	85h	Kenny Harrison	Durham	Me	30	3.725	0.651	16.839	4
4	11	Jason Oakes	Boothbay	Me	30	4.297	0.572	16.835	7
5	00	PJ Merrill	Canton	Me	30	4.386	0.089	16.747	4
6	11b	Matt Beers	Farmingdale	Me	30	4.528	0.142	16.869	5
7	23x	Mike Hodgkins	Jefferson	Me	30	5.151	0.623	16.827	5
8	44	Devin Curit	Saco	Me	30	5.733	0.582	16.845	6
9	05	James Osmond	Wiscasset	Me	30	6.197	0.464	16.836	6
10	26	Colby Peacock	Yarmouth	Me	30	8.142	1.945	17.037	8
11	55	Darick Barker	Durham	Me	30	10.428	2.286	17.090	21
12	58	David Greenleaf	Westport	Me	30	10.505	0.077	16.946	8
13	05r	Glen Reynolds	Turner	Me	30	11.884	1.379	17.145	6
14	35	Mike Wallace	Wiscasset	Me	29	1 Lap	1 Lap	17.316	18
15	48	Dan Nessmith	Chelsea	Me	18	12 Laps	11 Laps	17.069	8
16	5	Dominic Curit	Saco	Me	9	21 Laps	9 Laps	17.176	2
17	03	Dan Trask	Chelsea	Me	8	22 Laps	1 Lap	16.663	6
18	30	Derek Pearson	Glenburn	Me	1	29 Laps	7 Laps	18.732	1

G.O. MOTORSPORTS NELCAR LEGENDS (25 laps)

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff	Gap	Best Tm	In Lap
1	15	Trevor Krause	Gorham	Me	25			17.184	23
2	92	Colby Meserve	Buxton	Me	25	0.428	0.428	17.170	23
3	399	Bob Weymouth	Topsham	Me	25	2.065	1.637	17.448	19
4	76	Zack Godbout	Mount Vernon	Me	25	3.150	1.085	17.612	19
5	16	Eric Williams	Hudson	Ma	25	3.547	0.397	17.825	19
6	82	Frankie Sweeny	Weymouth	Ma	25	4.271	0.724	17.644	3
7	4	Peter Craig	Poland	Me	25	4.314	0.043	17.586	3
8	85	Jake Kelly	Waymouth	Ma	25	4.732	0.418	17.721	5
9	10	Ed Getty	Windham	Me	25	5.412	0.680	17.955	15
10	18	Noah Alexander	Orrington	Me	25	5.764	0.352	17.814	14
11	27	Luke Lebrun	Newton	Ma	20	5 Laps	5 Laps	17.246	5
12	38	Conner Holderbach	Wolcott	Ct	19	6 Laps	1 Lap	17.269	10
13	35	Ryan Rice	Biddeford	Me	19	6 Laps	35.875	17.591	19
14	6	David Kinney	Skowhegan	Me	17	8 Laps	2 Laps	19.372	3
15	17A	Nate Alexander	Orrington	Me	16	9 Laps	1 Lap	17.750	12
16	14MA	Aliyah Neale	Royalston	Ma	6	19 Laps	10 Laps	18.179	3

Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust is once again offering its popular Camp in a Box™ package for sale this summer. New this year, there are two versions to choose from.

Filled with tools, supplies and fun learning activities, the original Camp in a Box™ is designed to let kids indulge their curiosity and make observations and discoveries in nature while having fun.

Each box contains a compass, loupe (magnifying glass), insect net, bug cage, petri dish, pipette, owl pellet for dissection, fossil, Maine Nature Pocket Guide, nature journal, pencil, ruler, stainless steel Coastal Rivers water bottle, lanyard, and a folder of games, activities, and instructions, as well as one Coastal Rivers drawstring tote bag to carry it all. The tools are high quality, and a variety of fun learning activities is included.

Camp in a Box™ Version 2.0 allows kids to take a close-up look at the world around them with a hand-held digital microscope with magnification levels of 50x to 1000x, precision fine and course focusing, and an adjustable illuminator. The microscope comes with a fully-adjustable metal stand and displays images and videos on a 4.3 inch LCD screen. A 2MP HD 1080P sensor camera allows for streaming and still recording; a 32 GB memory card is included.

Also included with the Version 2.0 kit are two pre-made slides and some blank ones in a holder, as well as pipettes, a Petri dish, instructions and activity ideas, a nature journal, and a pencil.

The microscope can easily be shared by children in the same family, and families may request additional accessories for each child at no extra charge.

Orders may be picked up at Coastal Rivers in Damariscotta or shipped anywhere in the US. Both boxes may be ordered online at bit.ly/coastal-rivers-camp-in-a-box.

The original Camp in a Box™ is $64 each, plus $15.50 for shipping if the order can’t be picked up in Damariscotta. “Version 2.0,” which is suitable for one or more kids to share, is $90 each plus a flat rate of $8.00 if it is being shipped. Coastal Rivers members receive a $10 discount.

Coastal Rivers is a non-profit, member-supported, nationally accredited land trust caring for the lands and waters of the Damariscotta-Pemaquid Region by conserving special places, protecting water quality, creating trails and public access, and deepening connections to nature through education programs. For more information, email info@coastalrivers.org or visit coastalrivers.org

The 2021 Charles Begin Boothbay Harbor Lobster Boat Races were held Saturday, June 19 after skies cleared. Here, professional photographer Michael Leonard captures the action from West Boothbay Harbor. Race results will appear in a separate article.

The boys of summer have arrived in Boothbay Harbor and Wiscasset this month to settle the score as the top regional youth baseball team. The two Lincoln County towns hosted District 4 Cal Ripken championships for 10 and Under and 12 Under divisions. Cal Ripken Jr. is a Hall of Fame baseball player known for setting the all-time Major League Baseball record for 2,632 consecutive games played. This year, Midcoast Baseball, which includes players for the Boothbay region, Wiscasset and Richmond, hosted both local tournaments. “We had two venues with lights so we thought why not host the tournament,” said John Splaine of Boothbay Harbor.

Splaine served as the tournament’s vice chairman during the June 14-18 tournament. Both Midcoast teams, 12 and Under and 10 Under, were eliminated early. On June 18, Ararat of Topsham defeated Brunswick at the Boothbay Region High School junior diamond for the 12 and Under title. Ararat also won the 10 and Under tournament played at the Wiscasset Recreation Department Field.

Splaine believes the decision to join a Cal Ripken Youth League several years ago benefitted the local baseball program. “We didn’t like how Little League had teams with 9-year-olds playing with 12-year-olds. We think the 10 and Under and 12 Under format serves our players better,” Splaine said.

The two Ararat teams moved on to the state tournament on June 26-29. The 12 and Under tournament is in Auburn. The 10 and Under tournament is in Oakland. On June 24, Boothbay Harbor and Wiscasset host another District 4 Cal Ripken tournament. The 11 and Under tournament is in Boothbay Harbor and Wiscasset will host the 9 and Under tournament.

District 4 teams include Midcoast, Brunswick, Ararat, Auburn, Lisbon and Bath.

Midcoast slugger David Frazee tries turning a double into a triple June 16 against Brunswick, but was thrown out at third base. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register

A legendary collegiate basketball coach and a renowned expert on barriers experienced by female coaches will be keynote speakers at the Pass It Forward Women's Coaches Clinic on Sunday, Sept. 19, at the Augusta Civic Center.

Joanne McCallie will deliver a morning talk and Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi will speak in the afternoon session of the clinic hosted by the Women’s Basketball Coaches in Maine group.

McCallie, the 2005 AP National Coach of the Year, earned 646 victories and made 21 NCAA Tournament appearances in 28 seasons at the University of Maine, Michigan State and Duke University. After stepping away from Duke last summer, the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame member wrote “Secret Warrior: A Coach and Fighter, On and Off the Court.”

LaVoi directs the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota. The former collegiate athlete and coach researches the under-representation of women in coaching and gives talks worldwide about gender and sport and recruiting and retaining female coaches. LaVoi wrote "Women in Sports Coaching" and co-produced the Emmy Award-winning documentary “Media Coverage & Female Athletes: Women Play Sports, Just Not in the Media.”

For UMaine women’s basketball coach Amy Vachon, increasing the number of women coaching basketball in the state is important.

“The Pass it Forward clinic is just the beginning of a long pursuit in making sure women coaching on the sidelines is a common sight,” she says. “When young girls see someone coaching who looks like them, they realize that coaching as a profession is possible! I am so excited for female basketball coaches to be able to learn from the best out there.”

Vachon, a three-time America East Coach of the Year and member of four halls of fame, also is one of the best. In her four years as UMaine head coach, she’s guided the Black Bears to a 94–42 overall record, three league regular-season America East titles, two America East Championships, and two appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

At the clinic, Vachon’s presentation will include on-court skills and drills with the Black Bear squad.

In spring 2020, Vachon started the Women’s Basketball Coaches in Maine group with Kissy Walker (Husson University), Karen Magnussen (Maranacook Community High School), Lynne Hasson (South Portland High School) and Adrienne Shibles (then at Bowdoin College, now at Dartmouth College) to boost the number of women coaching basketball in the state.

The 122-member group has met monthly via Zoom throughout the pandemic.

"The coaching group has given me the opportunity to meet and learn from so many women coaches, share our experiences and struggles, but most importantly ask each other for advice,” says Kristin Cronkite, junior varsity girls’ coach at Camden Hills Regional High School and former coach of the girls’ basketball squad at Camden-Rockport Middle School.

“Being able to have so many women to support and help build each other up is just the beginning of a long legacy of great female coaches to come out of this group. Having the opportunity to attend this clinic will definitely catapult all of us to another level of knowledge, awareness and personal growth.”

When Jeannine Paradis entered the coaching ranks, there were fewer than 10 women leading varsity girls’ basketball programs in Maine.

“Slowly, over the years, that number has increased, but not by much,” says Paradis, now the girls’ varsity coach at Morse High School. “I have long been an advocate for young women to break the mold and be as passionate and fiery as our male counterparts. I am thrilled to be part of a group sharing the same vision and goal.”

Sharing a vision and goals as well as team bonding will be part of a clinic breakout session with Ellen Geraghty and Erika Valek, mental health counselors and former college assistant coaches. Valek played at Purdue University, was drafted by the Detroit Shock of the WNBA, and played professionally overseas. Geraghty starred at UMaine and also played professionally overseas.

Toby Martin, who played professionally in Germany, as well as at Franklin Pierce University and Maranacook Community High School, will lead a breakout session about individual training and improving player skill sets, confidence and basketball IQ.

Martin directs Basketball Performance at PRIME360. She’s a former assistant coach for the Bowdoin and the University of Southern Maine women’s teams.

Attendees also can choose from a variety of 10-minute table tip presentations, including skills and drills for youth and middle school programs, out-of-bounds plays, devising a practice plan, coaching moms, tips to transition from player to coach, best practices for dealing with challenging parents, managing timeouts, and qualities of an effective assistant coach.

"As an assistant coach, I believe you have to always be learning in order to effectively make the program you are a part of better,” says Courtney England, who was recently promoted to associate head coach of the UMaine women’s basketball team.

“Whether you are pushing yourself to learn more about X's and O's, or trying to learn how to develop genuine relationships with your student-athletes, it's important to keep growing. I believe that representation matters.

“Our athletes see us coaching as women, wives, and moms, and they see something they can strive to become. I think this clinic gives female coaches in our state a unique opportunity to learn from, engage with, and support other women in our field. I encourage any woman who is coaching or may want to coach in the future to invest in yourself and learn from amazing women in our field."

The clinic, which runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., is for female coaches in Maine and beyond, as well as girls and women interested in coaching, at all levels. For those who register on or before Aug. 1, the cost is $105. For those who register after that date, it’s $130. Attendees will receive lunch, a copy of “Secret Warrior” and a swag bag. Click here (https://form.jotform.com/211436688699171) to register.

Julie Veilleux Sinclair, a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, says the clinic is designed to benefit leaders and coaches at all ranks, as well as those like herself who have stepped away from an active coaching role.

“Coach Amy Vachon has done a remarkable job taking her desire to see more women in coaching roles and leading by action. It has really sparked a collaborative effort and has built a supportive women's community that is making a difference,” says Sinclair, who coached at Colby College and assisted at Bowdoin and Navy after a stellar playing career at Cony High School and UMaine.

“I am inspired to be a part of this mission and I believe the Pass It Forward Clinic will help take Amy’s goals and the community of female coaches to new levels.”

For clinic updates, follow @passitforwardwbb on Instagram, @passitforwardw on Twitter, and the Pass It Forward Women's Coaches Clinic page on Facebook. For additional information, email passitforwardwbb@gmail.com

As of June 23, clinic sponsors are the Emily Ellis Team, official Home Team of the Maine Black Bears at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices | Northeast Real Estate; Kennebec Savings Bank; Golden Pond Wealth Management; Maine Basketball Hall of Fame; O’Connor Auto Park; and Jamie Clark, owner of The Willie Wags and Levant Corner Store.

"We are so thankful for all of the people and businesses who have committed to sponsoring this event,” says Vachon. “We’re still in discussions with others who want to help out. It’s clear that people in Maine are just as passionate about this endeavor as we are!"

Less than a year ago, COVID-19 had Aleeya Jones in bed, unable to eat, learn, or compete. The Wiscasset Christian Academy graduate was starting her freshman year at Iowa Western Junior College in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Saturday, June 26, she was home on Suki Lane, healthy and playing on her family’s sand court in a “Back to Freedom” tournament her mother Julie Jones said was to celebrate the court’s reopening.

Refereeing a game, Julie Jones said she was happy seeing people back on the court, but mostly just happy to be seeing people together again.

Aleeya’s team with Michael Sprague, Sammie Sheppard and Kyle Pinard won; Rachel Pease, Dan Carlson, Sean Kennedy, Evan Kennedy and Brad Hill came second.

In a sit-down interview between her games, Aleeya Jones caught Wiscasset Newspaper up on where she is in the sport and what she went through with the virus and then again last spring right after she got vaccinated, before nationals.

“I just got the shot, went straight to practice, I felt great in practice, and then I went right downhill ... that night I had a 105 temperature. It just spiked right up ... It was a two-day thing and I was back on my feet.” She added, she had been warned the vaccine could hit her harder than some because, first semester, she had had the virus. “I struggled (in the fall bout). I couldn’t get out of bed, let alone do a bunch of homework.” Her illness brought her grades too low to be allowed to compete first semester. “I’ve got my grades way up (now), they just skyrocketed after that, I wanted to play so bad.”

In August, she heads back to IWJC for her sophomore year. She and her mother explained, most of its student-athletes, including Aleeya, are being trained for transfer into Division 1 programs at four-year schools. She remains hopeful for eventually making the Olympics or other international competitions. If she gets the opportunity, she would definitely take it, the 5’9” player said.

She was 4 1/2 feet tall when readers met her in 2013. The Olympics were her dream then, too. How has she held onto it, and kept working toward it, as she grew up? “A lot of people say, ‘I’m surprised you’re not burned out by now.’ But ... I can’t really imagine me not playing volleyball,” Aleeya said. “There’s always something I can do that’s further on in volleyball, and I’m very, very competitive and every day I just have a new goal and I want to reach it.”

She also credited her supportive mother, family and others. And she praised the college’s training facilities and coaching. Jones is studying education and when she moves onto a four-year school is considering minoring in marine biology, which she loves, she said.

Mother Julie said she and husband Chad Jones, Aleeya’s father, believe the teen “will not give up, and we are here for her every step of the way.” Julie said it is hard for Aleeya to be noticed, as a small town Maine athlete and because “financially we can't give her the best training she needs. She has the heart, desire and determination to strive as far as she can possibly go with the Lord guiding her every step ... All we can do is support her with prayers and encouragement as we cheer her on from the sidelines.”

Whether or not she makes the Olympics, she is a Christian role model who “can show other young or even older athletes to never give up because if you put your heart into it, something good will always come out of it,” Julie said.

Julie and Chad Jones said Saturday’s clouded sky was ideal for the tournament. They have just set the court’s annual Dean Snell Cancer Foundation benefit for Aug. 14. Watch for details on Jones Sand Volleyball Court’s Facebook page. Aleeya will be back at college, but at home in spirit for the event: “I hope we never stop doing it.”

A shortened Blessing of the Fleet ceremony was held Sunday, June 27 dockside to greet fishing boats from around the harbor on day one of Windjammer Days. Missing was the traditional reading of the names lost mariners. The reading is usually held at the Fisherman’s Memorial. Judi Appel laid a wreath at the site.

“The bells will be rung as usual,” said Appel, whose mother Estelle Appel has organized the program since 1991.

Estelle Appel greeted officiates Bob Curtis, Kate Pinkham and Peter Llgenfritz who blessed the fleet. They were joined by new Miss Teen Maine Lauren Jorgensen of Winthrop.

Attendees included Marcy Cundall, visiting from South Dakota. Bruce and Nadia Kiacz from Toledo, Ohio were on their first vacation since COVID-19 hit. Also attending were Dennis and Patricia Walsh who moved to Southport last year.

“It was pretty dead around here last year,” said Dennis Walsh.

If you like a parade with your Fourth of July, Wiscasset is having one. The popular parade is back after a year off with the pandemic. The fireworks are back, too, along with other local traditions and more on the waterfront. We asked Parks and Recreation for an update, a rundown and some comment on being able to resume the festivities this year. Recreation Programmer Chelsea Taylor responded Monday:

“So far, we have received seven registrations for parade participation. I anticipate that we will receive more as we have heard from others that they plan to participate. The deadline is this Friday, July 2 at noon. Registration forms can be found on our website (wiscassetrec.com, under programs) and are to be dropped at Wiscasset Community Center.

“The fireworks are set to be at 9 p.m. and are set off from a barge in the river.

“We are very excited about this year's festivities! We are looking forward to providing a fun day of celebration for our community after a tough year (and) we hope that folks from neighboring communities will come and enjoy the day in Wiscasset!

“After the (1 p.m.) parade we have some fun things to do planned at the waterfront. The American Legion will be doing a flag-raising ceremony. Wiscasset Yacht Club will have strawberry shortcakes for sale and we will be playing music and have cornhole and other lawn-type games set up for anyone to play. Information on the day and all we have planned is available on our website.”

What do you get when you put the world's fastest asphalt sprint cars on Maine's fastest track? You get a jaw-dropping display of speed and skill and a constant assault on track records. After missing their visit during the shortened 2020 season, the stars and cars of the North Eastern Midget Association (NEMA) returned to Wiscasset Speedway and one of their favorite stops on their tour for “Ames True Value NEMA Night” June 26. The threat of inclement weather didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the large contingent of fans packing the coastal Maine track. Brief bouts of light sprinkles throughout the evening kept race officials on edge, but thanks to the great work of the race teams and track staff, the show went on uninterrupted. A trio of Group 2 divisions added to the show, with Late Model Sportsman, Strictly Streets, and Modifieds also in action.

As expected, the NEMA Midgets did not disappoint. Avery Stoehr of Assonet, Massachusetts kicked off the show with a bang, claiming the checkers in the opening 10 lap heat race. On the final lap of the race, he posted a record-breaking lap of 12.875 seconds around the 3/8 mile banked track. The previous record of 12.924 was set by Alby Ovit in 2019. In the 30 lap spotlight feature, former champ John Zych charged to the front from mid-pack and then withheld a late-race challenge from Stoehr to claim the victory, his 3rd career win at Wiscasset. Stoehr settled for a second-place finish to go with his new track record. Nascar Modified star Ronnie Williams of Ellington, CT made his NEMA debut driving the Bertrand Motorsports Team car and turned in an impressive third-place finish.

The NEMA Lite 25 lap feature saw some great 3-wide action throughout the field as they jockeyed for position and a shot at the win. Multi-time NEMA Midget champ Randy Cabral of Kingston, Massachusetts got out to an early lead and then withstood late-race challenges from Paul Scally and Jake Trainor to take the win in his #35 Cabral Family-owned ride. Trainor of Medway, Ma continues to be one of the top drivers in the NEMA Lite ranks. He chased Cabral across the line for second place. They were joined in victory lane by Jim Santa Maria of Burlington, CT. Scally was chasing down Cabral as they approached the final five laps, only to develop engine problems. He wound up 14th.

In the support division action, Liberty's Josh St Clair continued his amazing season with a victory in the 20 lap feature for the Portland Glass Strictly Streets. To date, the third-generation racer now has 6 wins total (2 Pro Stock, 2 Late Model, and 2 Strictly Street). In Saturday's Strictly Street feature, he was joined in victory lane by his teammate Kurt Hewins of Turner, and point leader Jonathon Emerson of Sabattus. Ryan Ripley took home the first place trophy in the 30 lap feature for the 88.5FM Modifieds. Point leader and reigning champ Adam Chadbourne of Woolwich took second, followed by Hope's Mike Brown. The 40 lap feature for the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman saw 21 cars take the green flag. The race was slowed by just a pair of cautions. Matt Bourgoine of Stetson started 7th and picked his way to the front to grab an emotional victory. Over the final 10 laps he held off 5-time champ Chris Thorne and previous winners Josh St Clair and Tiger Colby to take his first career Late Model win. Thorne took the second place trophy and Colby beat out St Clair for the final spot in victory lane.

Wiscasset Speedway returns to action Saturday, July 3 with Group 1 Fan Appreciation Night. The special program will also be the track's annual Independence Day weekend celebration with appearances by the Wreath's Across America Mobile Education Exhibit along with the Augusta and Brunswick chapters of the Patriot Riders Motorcycle Club. The festivities begin at 4:00 pm with an on-track driver autograph session with all of the Group 1 race teams. Following that there will be kids' bike races in three different age groups (3-5, 5-7, and 8-12), where the youngsters will get to race their bikes against some of the drivers on the track. The Ward & Son's Construction Kids Club will also have fun activities including a red-white-and-blue parade in front of the grandstands. The racing action will commence shortly after 5:00 pm followed by fireworks. As always, admission is just $5, with kids 6&under free. More information can be found at www.wiscassetspeedway.com

The Wreath's Across America Mobile Education exhibit will be set up in the parking lot of the speedway from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm just outside the main entrance. The exhibit is open and free to the public. The interactive exhibit offers patrons the opportunity to learn about the mission of the organization which honors the commitment and sacrifice of our veterans. WAA will also hold a special ceremony in Wiscasset's victory lane during intermission. For more information, go to www.wreathsacrossamerica.org

WISCASSET SPEEDWAY OFFICIAL FINISH 6/26/21

GROUP 2 PLUS NEMA MIDGETS & NEMA LITES

NEMA MIDGETS (30 laps - spotlight)

* John Zych 3rd Wiscasset victory

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff	Gap	Best Tm	Best Speed	In Lap
1	9	John Zych	Mendon	MA	30			13.382	100.882	16
2	39	Avery Stoehr	Assonet	MA	30	0.830	0.830	13.352	101.108	10
3	17	Ronnie Williams	Ellington	CT	30	6.105	5.275	13.558	99.572	12
4	69	Matt Merry	Plaistow	NH	30	7.015	0.910	13.753	98.160	13
5	30	Paul Scally	Raynham	MA	30	11.406	4.391	13.744	98.225	15
6	74	Randy Cabral	Kingston	MA	30	11.899	0.493	13.520	99.852	9
7	16	Matt O'Brien	Wilmington	MA	29	1 Lap	1 Lap	14.109	95.684	5
8	87	Doug Cleveland	Sudbury	MA	29	1 Lap	1.401	14.057	96.038	4
9	18	Andy Lunt	Marion	MA	29	1 Lap	4.138	13.997	96.449	5
10	7	Alan Chambers	Atkinson	NH	6	24 Laps	23 Laps	14.189	95.144	5

NEMA LITES (25 laps)

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff	Gap	Best Tm	Best Speed	In Lap
1	35	Randy Cabral	Kingston	MA	25			14.534	92.886	7
2	29	Jake Trainor	Medway	MA	25	0.453	0.453	14.441	93.484	7
3	97	Jim Santa Maria	Burlington	CT	25	1.594	1.141	14.394	93.789	8
4	3	Chris Vose	Gloversville	NY	25	5.041	3.447	14.753	91.507	5
5	28	Mike Pernisiglio	Ronkonkoma	NY	25	5.278	0.237	14.770	91.401	6
6	21	Avery Stoehr	Assonet	MA	25	8.588	3.310	14.555	92.752	14
7	17	Kyle Valeri	Monument Beach	MA	25	8.713	0.125	14.701	91.830	15
8	19	Richie Coy	Haskell	NJ	25	9.931	1.218	14.758	91.476	14
9	2	Connor Souza	n/a		25	13.673	3.742	15.022	89.868	15
10	94	Tiana Kibbe	Fairfield	CT	24	1 Lap	1 Lap	15.186	88.898	15
11	53	Dylan Coutu	Hopeville	CT	24	1 Lap	4.683	15.288	88.305	17
12	8	Ethan Dion	Oakdale	CT	24	1 Lap	6.621	15.597	86.555	4
13	16	Dennis O'Brien	Deerfield	NH	21	4 Laps	3 Laps	15.199	88.822	19
14	30	Paul Scally	Raynham	MA	19	6 Laps	2 Laps	14.378	93.893	13

PORTLAND GLASS STRICTLY STREETS (25 laps)

* St Clair 2nd Strictly Street win of 2021

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff	Gap	Best Tm	Best Speed	In Lap
1	51	Josh St Clair	Liberty	Me	25			17.411	77.537	12
2	14H	Kurt Hewins	Turner	Me	25	0.912	0.912	17.424	77.479	11
3	24	Jonathan Emerson	Sabattus	Me	25	3.400	2.488	17.745	76.078	14
4	14	Ashton Reynolds	Liberty	Me	25	3.842	0.442	17.604	76.687	8
5	08	Mac Hannan Jr	Washington	Me	25	n/a			-	0
6	23	Zach Emerson	Sabattus	Me	25	9.165	5.323	17.896	75.436	2
7	67	Mike Haynes	Livermore Falls	Me	25	9.687	0.522	17.962	75.159	13
8	74	Keith Drost	Etna	Me	25	9.979	0.292	17.731	76.138	18
9	78	Brady Romano	Livermore Falls	Me	25	10.315	0.336	17.827	75.728	17
10	83	Dan Brown	Peru	ME	25	12.581	2.266	17.967	75.138	16
11	3	Bernie Dinsmore	Hope	Me	19	6 Laps	6 Laps	17.968	75.134	4
12	5	Brett Osmond	Wiscasset	Me	19	6 Laps	7.430	17.975	75.104	3
13	64	Dean Rice	Nobleboro	Me	16	9 Laps	3 Laps	18.011	74.954	13
14	00	Chad Wills	Oxford	Me	8	17 Laps	8 Laps	18.239	74.017	7
15	4	Caleb Emerson-Mains	Richmond	Me	4	21 Laps	4 Laps	17.992	75.033	4
16	5d	Ethan Densmore	Hope	Me	1	24 Laps	3 Laps	25.170	53.635	1

88.5 FM MODIFIEDS (30 LAPS)

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff	Gap	Best Tm	Best Speed	In Lap
1	9	Ryan Ripley	Thomaston	Me	30			15.870	85.066	6
2	1	Adam Chadbourne	Woolwich	Me	30	2.171	2.171	15.930	84.746	4
3	39	Mike Brown	Hope	Me	30	4.469	2.298	16.238	83.138	5
4	89	Faith Cleaves	Pownal	Me	30	9.025	4.556	16.649	81.086	21
5	8	Allan Moeller	Kingfield	Me	30	11.706	2.681	16.665	81.008	14
6	48	Brian Treadwell	Hancock	Me	20	10 Laps	10 Laps	16.350	82.569	15
7	9s	Mark Simond	Lewiston	Me	1	29 Laps	19 Laps	17.306	78.008	1
8	24	Jeff Prindall	Lisbon Falls	Me	1	29 Laps	0.465	17.288	78.089	1

WOOD PELLET WAREHOUSE LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN (40 laps)

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff	Gap	Best Tm	Best Speed	In Lap
1	73	Matt Bourgoine	Stetson	Me	40			15.983	84.465	10
2	17	Chris Thorne	Sidney	Me	40	2.692	2.692	16.002	84.364	4
3	78	Tiger Colby	Wiscasset	Me	40	3.053	0.361	16.126	83.716	24
4	14	Josh St. Clair	Liberty	Me	40	3.479	0.426	15.975	84.507	14
5	72	Brandon Fowler	Rome	Me	40	4.256	0.777	16.102	83.841	26
6	51	Ryan St Clair	Wiscasset	Me	40	5.117	0.861	15.940	84.693	9
7	10	Scott Hall	Jay	Me	40	5.438	0.321	16.229	83.184	27
8	26	Andrew McLaughlin	Harrington	Me	40	6.054	0.616	16.083	83.940	4
9	15m	Frank Moulton	Clinton	Me	40	6.508	0.454	16.221	83.225	26
10	47me	Chris Burgess	Hartford	Me	40	6.817	0.309	16.269	82.980	29
11	4	Ben Erskine	Skowhegan	Me	40	11.458	4.641	16.168	83.498	4
12	26r	Brent Roy	Vassalboro	Me	40	13.181	1.723	16.361	82.513	4
13	81	Ray Dinsmore	Limerick	Me	40	14.876	1.695	16.147	83.607	4
14	21b	James Barker	Turner	Me	40	16.155	1.279	16.475	81.942	11
15	4c	Connor Wenners	Edgecomb	Me	40	16.548	0.393	16.490	81.868	27
16	20	Garrett Leiter	Winslow	Me	38	2 Laps	2 Laps	16.660	81.032	6
17	25	Will Collins	Waldoboro	Me	37	3 Laps	1 Lap	16.189	83.390	6
18	00	Alex Waltz	Walpole	Me	24	16 Laps	13 Laps	16.575	81.448	12
19	30a	DC Alexander	Carmel	Me	22	18 Laps	2 Laps	16.184	83.416	3
20	8	Doug Phillips	Phillips	Me	16	24 Laps	6 Laps	17.272	78.161	12
21	47	Brandon Bailey	Wiscasset	Me	6	34 Laps	10 Laps	16.113	83.783	3

Augusta - The Maine Marine Patrol will be looking out for anyone violating Maine's boating under the influence laws and sharing safety information during the national Operation Dry Water weekend, July 2-July 4.

Operation Dry Water is a national awareness and enforcement campaign coordinated by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) that focuses on deterring boaters from boating under the influence (BUI) of drugs or alcohol.

"Marine Patrol Officers will be conducting patrols on Maine's coastal waters from Kittery to the Canadian border focused on boaters who may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs," said Maine Marine Patrol Colonel Jay Carroll.

According to the US Coast Guard, in 2019, alcohol use was the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents in the US.

"Boating under the influence is a completely preventable crime," said Colonel Carroll. "The Maine Marine Patrol strongly encourages boaters to stay safe by staying sober while boating."

Environmental stressors such as sun, wind, noise, and the movement of the boat while on the water intensify the effects of alcohol or drug use on an individual while boating. Boaters can become impaired more quickly on the water than on land.

Operating a boat with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher is against the law in Maine. BUI laws pertain to all vessels, from rowboats and kayaks to the largest ships.

More than 600 local, state and federal law enforcement agencies participated in the 2020 Operation Dry Water campaign across the US. Over the course of the campaigns heightened awareness and enforcement weekend, July 3 - 5, more than 7,600 law enforcement officers made 625 arrests for boating under the influence (BUI).

In 2020 the Maine Marine Patrol checked hundreds of recreational boats during Operation Dry Water details along the Maine coast, which resulted in 28 citations for boating violations and no boating under the influence cases.

"We took the opportunity to talk with a lot of people about the importance of boating sober and safely, and we will do the same this year," said Marine Patrol Major Rob Beal.

"Marine Patrol will also encourage safe boating practices, especially the importance of wearing life jackets," said Major Beal. According to 2019 US Coast Guard statistics, 86 percent of drowning victims in recreational boating accidents were not wearing a life jacket.

In Maine, all children 10 and under must wear a life jacket. Adults don't have to wear them, but they must be available on board for every occupant.

Marine Patrol officers will also be sharing the safety message with paddlers. "Maine's ocean temperatures, even in the height of the summer, can be extremely cold, and the weather can change very quickly," said Major Beal. "We strongly encourage paddlers to dress for the water temperature, not the air temperature. We also urge paddlers to check with organizations like the Maine Association of Sea Kayak Guide Instructors for information on safe paddling."

For more information on recreational boating safety, visit the Maine Department of Marine Resources website.

For more information on Operation Dry Water, please visit operationdrywater.org

From 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 17, Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust naturalist Sarah Gladu will lead a hike along the forested trails of Tracy Shore Preserve in South Bristol.

Located along the eastern shore of Jones Cove on the Damariscotta River, Tracy Shore is owned by the town of South Bristol. A system of trails managed by Coastal Rivers winds past a cascading stream and cliffs adorned in rock tripe and ferns.

Gladu will talk about common characteristics of Maine’s coastal spruce forests and point out a variety of woodland plants, shrubs, mosses and lichens. The trails are moderate in difficulty, with some hills, tree roots and rocky areas.

This program is free of charge, thanks to member support. Group size is limited to 12 participants; registration is required at coastalrivers.org/events. To protect the health of program participants of all ages and vaccination status, masks are required for this in-person program. In addition to a mask, binoculars and protection against ticks are recommended.

Tracy Shore Preserve features coastal spruce forest and views of Jones Cove in South Bristol. Courtesy of Coastal Rivers

There's no doubt the rainy conditions washed away the plans of many for the holiday weekend, including forcing many area race tracks to pull the plug. Wiscasset Speedway took advantage of a brief window of opportunity and managed to get in its July 3 Group 1 Fan Appreciation show on Saturday evening. Despite the cloudy cool weather and threat of rain, track officials rolled the dice and went on with an abbreviated program. Fans were treated to an on-track driver autograph session followed by kids' bike races. The bike races were sponsored by The Patriot Riders Motorcycle Club (Brunswick & Augusta chapters). In the 8-12yr old bike race, the kids were joined by several drivers who took their shot at racing two wheels instead of their usual four. Along with all the on-track fun, to celebrate the holiday weekend, there was also an appearance by Wreath's Across America and their Mobile Education Exhibit, which was set up outside the main gate and free to the public. As far as the racing action went, with the threat of inclement weather, the show was reduced to features only in all five divisions.

In the 40 lap spotlight feature for the Norm’s Used Cars Pro Stocks, Sidney's Kevin Douglass had a stout ride for the main event, and it showed as he methodically picked his way through the field to claim his first win of the season. In doing so, he also claimed the division's point lead from Josh St Clair at the mid-point of the season. There was plenty of heated battles throughout the 40 lap race. 5-time champ Scott Chubbuck turned in his best finish of the season with a last-lap pass of Jamie Wright to claim 2nd. Wright brought his ride home in 3rd. The Brackett's Market 4-Cylinder Pro division had an uncharacteristically rough night as several cautions flew in their 25 lap feature. Several drivers had their shot at the lead and the win, but in the end, Chesterville's Jet Decker made a last lap, last corner pass of Cole Bennette to grab the checkers. Binnette lost control of his car and spun to the infield just 50 feet short of the finish line. Jefferson's Ryan Hayes and Buxton's Nicole Benincasa chased Decker across the line to pick up the 2nd and 3rd place trophies. In the 30 lap feature for the Maxwell's Market Super Streets there was an equally eventful race as several drivers made their case for the win. Several cautions shook up the running order and kept the competition tight. Rookie Dominic Curit rebounded from some early race struggles and took home his first career Super Street win. He was joined in victory lane by his older brother Devin Curit (picking up his best Wiscasset finish) and fellow rookie Colby Peacock of Yarmouth in 3rd. Jeff Farrington was the winner in the 25 lap feature for the Schooner Bay Taxi Thunder 4 Minis, with Shane Webber and Jeff Davis joining him in victory lane. Following post race tech inspection, David Whitelaw of Readfield took home the win in the Ideal Roadrunners 15 lap feature.

Wiscasset Speedway returns to action Saturday, July 10 with Group 2 in action. Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman, 88.5FM Modifieds, Portland Glass Strictly Streets, and Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Minis will all be in action, plus it will be race number two in the Ideal Enduro Series, featuring a 100 lap Enduro to end the show. Pit gates will open at 1 p.m., grandstand gate at 4 and racing action will commence at 5. As always, grandstand admission is just $5 with kids 6 & under free. For full race day schedule and info go to www.wiscassetspeedway.com. Wiscasset Speedway is located on the West Alna Road in Wiscasset.

WISCASSET SPEEDWAY OFFICIAL FINISH 7/3/21

NORMS USED CARS PRO STOCKS (40 laps)

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff
1	18	Kevin Douglass	Sidney	Me	40
2	1	Scott Chubbuck	Bowdoin	Me	40	0.985
3	84	Jamie Wright	Woolwich	Me	40	1.142
4	15	Nick Hinkley	Wiscasset	Me	40	1.317
5	14	Josh St Clair	Liberty	Me	40	1.859
6	29	Kevin Morse	Woolwich	Me	40	2.209
7	01	Andy Saunders	Ellsworth	Me	40	2.463
8	02	Shane Lane	N. Anson	Me	39	1 Lap
9	17	Joey Peaslee	Thomaston	Me	39	1 Lap
10	41	Logan Melcher	Fayette	Me	37	3 Laps
11	77	Nick Reno	West Bath	Me	37	3 Laps

BRACKETT'S MARKET 4-CYLINDER PRO (25 laps)

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff
1	01	Jett Decker	Chesterville	Me	25
2	17	Ryan Hayes	Jefferson	Me	25	0.193
3	41	Nicole Benincasa	Buxton	Me	25	0.632
4	19	Andy Kaherl	Saco	Me	25	0.729
5	7b	Ben Burgess	Hartford	Me	25	1.653
6	38	Daniel Harding	Fairfield	Me	25	2.193
7	96	Cole Binnette	Lyman	Me	25	2.796
8	117	Josh Hall	Mt Vernon	Me	25	3.208
9	11	Marissa LaPointe	Peru	Me	25	4.438
10	45	Kaden Neptune	Mt Vernon	Me	24	1 Lap
11	70	Taylor Lane	Phillips	Me	22	3 Laps
12	26me	Garritt McKee	Dixmont	Me	1	24 Laps

IDEAL ROADRUNNERS (15 laps)

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff
1	119	David Whitelaw	Readfield	Me	15
2	87	Jeff Read	Sommersville	Me	14	1 Lap
3	77	Sharon Whitelaw	Readfield	Me	14	1 Lap
4	75	Skip Meservey	Warren	Me	14	1 Lap
5	06	Taylor Bartolotta	Bristol	Me	14	1 Lap
6	07	Crystal Bourassa	Bristol	Me	13	2 Laps
7	41	Seth Woodard	Plymouth	Me	15	penalty
8	93	Merrill Chapman	Bristol	Me	12	3 Laps
9	57	Jason Meservey	Warren	Me	1	14 Laps

MAXWELL'S MARKET SUPER STREET (30 laps)

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff
1	5	Dominic Curit	Saco	Me	30
2	44	Devin Curit	Saco	Me	30	0.940
3	26	Colby Peacock	Yarmouth	Me	30	1.089
4	00	PJ Merrill	Canton	Me	30	1.931
5	11b	Matt Beers	Farmingdale	Me	30	2.080
6	9	Sean Johnson	Oakland	Me	30	3.282
7	5	James Osmond	Wiscasset	Me	30	4.820
8	58	David Greenleaf	Westport	Me	30	5.345
9	55	Darick Barker	Durham	Me	30	8.125
10	03	Dan Trask	Chelsea	Me	29	1 Lap
11	48	Dan Nessmith	Chelsea	Me	26	4 Laps
12	3	Bobby Mesimer	Wiscasset	Me	21	9 Laps
13	85h	Kenny Harrison	Durham	Me	15	15 Laps
14	23x	Mike Hodgkins	Jefferson	Me	8	22 Laps
15	85	Michael Harrison	Durham	Me		30 Laps

SCHOONER BAY TAXI THUNDER 4 MINI (25 laps)

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff
1	0x	Jeff Farrington	Alna	Me	25
2	7	Shane Webber	New Vinyard	Me	25	0.309
3	1	Jeff Davis	Woolwich	Me	25	2.264
4	84x	Doug Degroat	Oxford	Me	25	2.463
5	02	Paul Hopkins	Camden	Me	23	2 Laps
6	46	Ches Williams	Hope	Me	23	2 Laps
7	5	AJ Jordan	Clinton	Me	22	3 Laps
8	53	Hunter Dodge	Freeport	Me	20	5 Laps
9	07me	Doug Churchill	Bristol	Me	8	17 Laps
10	8x	Michael Duffy	Camden	Me	1	24 Laps

MIDCOAST — The Babe Ruth baseball playoffs concluded Sunday, July 11 with a league championship showdown between third-seeded Damariscotta Lions and fourth-seeded Granite Coast.

This season, the Midcoast Babe Ruth Baseball League consists of five teams: Waldoboro (representing the RSU 40 area), Rockland Ford (representing the RSU 13 area), Granite Coast (representing a portion of the Five Towns area), P.G. Willey (representing a portion of the Five Towns area) and Damariscotta Lions.

Championship Scoreboard
Game 1: Damariscotta Lions 9, Granite Coast 6
Game 2: Damariscotta Lions 15, Granite Coast 2

Damariscotta Lions won their first league championship since 2004.

The Damariscotta Lions, who won their first league championship since 2004. (Courtesy Don Shields)

At Pownalborough Courthouse Sunday, July 11, Dresden had its annual Summerfest for the first time since 2019.

“We are doing some new things,” said celebration coordinator Robin Grant. New this year were a caricaturist doing portraits, new vendors and an expanded presence by Colonial Maine Living History Association, said Grant.

Reenactors demonstrated colonial dress, period games and weaponry and performed an early version of a tug-of-war. “We added a snow cone machine,” said Grant. Several teams came forward for a tug-of-war and egg toss. Dresden Fire Department supplied hot dogs, hamburgers and soft drinks.

Ken Morse and friends supplied folk music.

Firefighters play tug-of-war at Dresden’s Summerfest July 11. ART MAYERS/Wiscasset Newspaper

Expanding the BHYC Regatta to include classic racing yachts requires understanding of what a classic yacht is. Essentially, a classic yacht is a wooden boat built at least 50 years ago, and for sailing aficionados, the name Nathanael G. Herreshoff is synonymous with classic yachts, yachting and the America’s Cup.

The Herreshoff Manufacturing Company (1878–1945) was most notable for producing sailing yachts, including eight America's Cup defenders, as well as steam-powered vessels. Perhaps his greatest feat was designing yachts that successfully defended the America’s Cup six times.

Among Nat Herreshoff’s many accomplishments is the design of 3 One Design classes for New York Yacht Club members, the NY 30, NY40 and NY50 — the number denoting the length of each vessel’s water line. One of the four surviving NY40s is Marilee, designed and built by Herreshoff in 1926 and owned by local Southport couple Ken and Ginny Colburn.

Marilee competes in yachting events throughout the northeast. Last month she raced in Newport where she won the Herreshoff Marine Museum’s Jubilee trophy at the Tiedemann Classics Regatta. She also finished 2nd in the Vintage division.

NY40 Marilee’s overall length is 59’ with a 40’ waterline and 14.5’ beam. She has the unique ability to be rigged with either a gaff or Marconi rig (shown in the picture). She recently underwent a two-year re-fit at French & Webb in Belfast, Maine.

Marilee is sure to make a picture-perfect presentation as she competes with other large classics as part of the Vintage Classic category in the BHYC Regatta later this month.

See you there! July 25, 10 a.m. — Inner harbor parade of BHYC Regatta Shipyard Cup Classic Challenge racing boats — parade route east side to west — Announcer heard at Whale Park, Coastal Prime, or on VHF channel 72. FMI contact Andy Mutch 410-353-3861.

Marilee, designed and built by Herreshoff in 1926, is owned by Ken and Ginny Colburn of Southport, Maine. Courtesy photo

Registration for youth football will be held Saturday, July 31 between 3 and 5 p.m. at 19 Murphy Road, Boothbay. Coaches will be on hand to answer any questions and to talk about the season.

Kids in grades 3 through 6 who are residents of Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Edgecomb, Southport, Westport Island and Wiscasset may sign up. Our focus is to teach first through sixth graders the fundamentals of tackle football, while fostering a team environment and having fun.

Boothbay Region Youth Football League is part of the Coastal Maine Youth Football League. There will be practices, regular season games (home and away) and playoffs. Registration fee to play will be $90.

The first practice will be on Monday, Aug. 9.

There has been a change to the K-2 Pee Wee group. It will now be flag football, as most of the teams in the league have changed over to flag football.

Registration for Pee Wee will be held in mid-August. The fee will be $30 and practices will begin in September. With flag football being new, it will be determined whether the program will be intramural or league games will be played.

For more information, call Mike Doucette at 242-8200 or Steve Alexander at 380-6270.

That circle of people you may have seen on Federal Street some noons, near Wiscasset’s Ancient Cemetery, is a family, as far as they are concerned. All Federal Street residents have been meeting regularly since the March 2020 lockdown.

First, they met in face masks, kept their social distance and rang bells together downtown as churches and others took to ringing, out of unity and hope. The neighbors called themselves the Federal Street Ding-a-Lings. The bell-ringing ended long after, the vaccines rolled out, the pandemic ebbed, and the group’s mask-wearing and social distancing ended. But they kept meeting.

They are down to two noons a week, usually Tuesday and Thursday. Weather sometimes moves the day or moves the gathering to a member’s home.

Between talk of Schoonerfest sponsors and more Thursday, July 15 at the cemetery, the Ding-a-Lings explained they became a family when no one could see their own; plus, they like to gossip and talk colostomies, childhoods and anything else, just like any family, they said. Terri Wells recalled suggesting they cut back to once a week. “And they were like, ‘No! What’s wrong with you?”

Usually they do whatever she says, Bob Bond said. “But that was an exception.” There is always something to talk about, Wells’ husband Peter said. The Wellses, Billy Blaylock and Palmer Hagestrom, Bond and Ernie Gallerani, and Sherri Dunbar are regulars to the meetups. Judy Flanagan, John Hendrickson, Jesse Perez and Terry Heller occasionally join them. The names are on a poster made several months into the group.

Asked where they expect to be at noon a year from now, at least three of Thursday’s five pointed down to where they stood and said, right here. They all laughed. “We couldn’t give this up,” Bond said.

A woohoo came from a passing United Parcel Service truck. The group waved up to the driver. A lot of motorists stop and talk to them, members said.

They said they have told one another they don’t know how they would have gotten through the pandemic without them. “It took the edge off,” Peter Wells said. Billy Blaylock joined after buying a home on Federal Street last summer as a summer home, but then, as the pandemic wore on, he and spouse Palmer Hagestrom could not return to Holly Springs, Mississippi, even when Blaylock’s brother died of COVID-19 last February.

The couple will head back to Mississippi in October. Blaylock said he is already feeling “withdrawals” at the prospect of not seeing the group.

The group has also become a welcoming committee, Peter Wells said. They go to new neighbors’ homes and sing out front. They brought a pie to one and have had parties up and down the street, Wells’ wife Terri said. They also sing out front when they know it is someone’s birthday. And they have left Federal Street on forays to lunch and once to Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens where they surprised Peter Wells. He volunteers there.

When Terri Wells gets new clothes, she models them for the group. “They’re still working on their responses.”

A freight train’s whistle blared out along the Sheepscot River. “That’s the second time today,” Bond said. “Oh, look at the traffic on the bridge,” Terri Wells said.

From left, Federal Street Ding-a-lings Peter Wells, Bob Bond, Ernie Gallerani, Billy Blaylock and Terri Wells meet July 15. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper

The Classic yachts are coming, the PHRF sailboats are coming, the Boothbay Harbor One Designs are coming and all will be on display in the “Parade of Sail” at 10 the morning of July 25. Sailboats of all sizes and design will be proudly on display as they move through the inner harbor.

Led by Honorary Parade Marshal George McEvoy in the Nellie G II, the yachts will parade down the east side of the inner harbor, turn before the footbridge and proceed along the west side of the inner harbor. Parade announcer and regatta sponsor Audrey Hodgdon will provide informative commentary on the yachts, their names and heritage.

Audio presentation will be provided along with the ability to tune into Ch. 72 on your VHF radio.

Importantly, complete descriptions of each vessel will be available on a new website (www.BoothbayRegatta.com) that will present details on each yacht in the order of the parade participants.

Supported by sponsors from the local maritime industry and other local businesses, this year’s regatta is sure to generate strong community interest.

Watch the Parade of Sail and experience the beauty of sail.

Additional information on the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club and the event can be found on the club’s website https://www.bhyc.net/

For more information call Andy Mutch at 410-353-3861

BRACKETT'S MARKET 4-CYLINDER PRO (35 laps - spotlight)

* Benincasa 2nd win of 2021

* Benincasa take point lead from Decker

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff	Gap	Best Tm	In Lap
1	41	Nicole Benincasa	Buxton	Me	35			17.446	7
2	01	Jett Decker	Chesterville	Me	35	1.616	1.616	17.477	5
3	70	Taylor Lane	Phillips	Me	35	2.119	0.503	17.488	3
4	7b	Ben Burgess	Hartford	Me	35	2.437	0.318	17.553	9
5	17	Ryan Hayes	Jefferson	Me	35	3.141	0.704	17.364	6
6	19	Andy Kaherl	Saco	Me	35	3.689	0.548	17.495	4
7	8	Callahan Cox	Strong	Me	35	6.513	2.824	17.784	5
8	96	Cole Binnette	Lyman	Me	29	6 Laps	6 Laps	17.586	4
9	11	Marissa LaPointe	Peru	Me	18	17 Laps	11 Laps	17.986	8
10	117	Josh Hall	Mt Vernon	Me	10	25 Laps	8 Laps	17.443	4
11	38	Daniel Harding	Fairfield	Me	10	25 Laps	1.137	17.489	8

MAXWELL'S MARKET SUPER STREETS (30 laps)

* Matt Beers 2nd career win

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff	Gap	Best Tm	In Lap
1	11b	Matt Beers	Farmingdale	Me	30			16.494	19
2	85	Michael Harrison	Durham	Me	30	2.090	2.090	16.685	19
3	44	Devin Curit	Saco	Me	30	5.272	3.182	16.855	21
4	05	James Osmond	Wiscasset	Me	30	6.068	0.796	16.795	15
5	5	Dominic Curit	Saco	Me	30	6.244	0.176	16.891	7
6	03	Dan Trask	Chelsea	Me	30	7.000	0.756	16.586	4
7	58	David Greenleaf	Westport	Me	30	8.591	1.591	17.012	5
8	3	Bobby Mesimer	Wiscasset	Me	30	9.572	0.981	17.062	3
9	26	Colby Peacock	Yarmouth	Me	30	10.311	0.739	17.043	20
10	00	PJ Merrill	Canton	Me	30	11.208	0.897	17.188	8
11	35	Mike Wallace	Wiscasset	Me	30	11.550	0.342	17.070	6
12	55	Darick Barker	Durham	Me	30	13.269	1.719	17.126	18
13	11	Jason Oakes	Boothbay	Me	21	9 Laps	9 Laps	16.937	5
14	48	Dan Nessmith	Chelsea	Me	16	14 Laps	5 Laps	16.682	4

SCHOONER MAY TAXI THUNDER 4 MINI (25 laps)

* Michael Golding - first win since 2018

* Doug Degroat takes point lead from Shane Webber

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff	Gap	Best Tm	Best Speed	In Lap
1	26	Michael Golding	Pownal	Me	25			18.476	73.068	10
2	84x	Doug Degroat	Oxford	Me	25	7.884	7.884	18.931	71.312	10
3	0x	Jeff Farrington	Alna	Me	25	9.637	1.753	18.845	71.637	10
4	7	Shane Webber	New Vinyard	Me	25	9.792	0.155	18.870	71.542	5
5	1	Jeff Davis	Woolwich	Me	25	10.172	0.380	18.999	71.056	9
6	35	Adreonna Dodge	Freeport	Me	25	17.542	7.370	18.942	71.270	10
7	46	Ches Williams	Hope	Me	17	8 Laps	8 Laps	19.206	70.291	6
8	07me	Doug Churchill	Bristol	Me	5	20 Laps	12 Laps	19.846	68.024	3
9	53	Hunter Dodge	Freeport	Me	4	21 Laps	1 Lap	19.280	70.021	2
10	17x	Steve Sidelinger	Bristol	Me	3	22 Laps	1 Lap	20.475	65.934	3

NORMS USED CARS PRO STOCKS (40 laps)

* Josh St Clair 3rd win of 2021

* Josh St Clair retakes point lead from Kevin Douglass

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff	Gap	Best Tm	In Lap
1	14	Josh St Clair	Liberty	Me	40			14.975	4
2	15	Nick Hinkley	Wiscasset	Me	40	0.202	0.202	15.062	4
3	1x	Kyle DeSouza	Turner	Me	40	0.603	0.401	15.203	6
4	77	Nick Reno	West Bath	Me	40	2.214	1.611	15.117	2
5	1	Scott Chubbuck	Bowdoin	Me	40	2.986	0.772	15.257	10
6	18	Kevin Douglass	Sidney	Me	40	3.104	0.118	15.162	8
7	75	Gary Smith	Bangor	Me	40	3.148	0.044	15.320	6
8	12	Rodney Brooks	Warren	Me	40	3.749	0.601	15.271	3
9	35	Bobby Nadeau	Buxton	Me	40	5.319	1.570	15.397	12
10	84	Jamie Wright	Woolwich	Me	40	6.573	1.254	15.217	4
11	17	Joey Peaslee	Thomaston	Me	40	6.850	0.277	15.507	2
12	29	Kevin Morse	Woolwich	Me	36	4 Laps	4 Laps	15.233	6
13	02	Shane Lane	N. Anson	Me	34	6 Laps	2 Laps	15.694	3
14	21	Shane Clark	Winterport	Me	15	25 Laps	19 Laps	15.194	7

G.O.MOTORSPORTS NELCAR LEGENDS (25 laps)

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff	Gap	Best Tm	Best Speed	In Lap
1	27MA	Luke Lebrun	Newton	Ma	25			17.277	78.139	25
2	15	Trevor Krause	Gorham	Me	25	0.339	0.339	17.264	78.197	16
3	92	Colby Meserve	Buxton	Me	25	7.699	7.360	17.344	77.837	2
4	4	Peter Craig	Poland	Me	25	10.634	2.935	17.546	76.941	2
5	399	Bob Weymouth	Topsham	Me	25	11.673	1.039	17.657	76.457	4
6	14MA	Aliyah Neale	Royalston	Ma	25	13.078	1.405	17.689	76.319	24
7	35	Ryan Rice	Biddeford	Me	25	14.918	1.840	17.650	76.487	4
8	53	Cody Rice	Biddeford	Me	24	1 Lap	1 Lap	17.861	75.584	2
9	82	Frankie Sweeny	Weymouth	Ma	24	1 Lap	2.743	17.713	76.215	7
10	D3	David Stone	Sanford	Me	24	1 Lap	5.928	18.124	74.487	6
11	20	Frank Weare	Buxton	Me	24	1 Lap	1.437	18.427	73.262	18
12	67	Russell Godbout	Mt Vernon	Me	23	2 Laps	1 Lap	18.048	74.801	2
13	6	David Kinney	Skowhegan	Me	22	3 Laps	1 Lap	19.030	70.941	2
14	0	Tommy Morton	Buxton	Me	13	12 Laps	9 Laps	17.845	75.651	2

The Midcoast Sports Hall of Fame will be inducting eight more individuals at their 14th annual Induction Banquet scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 16 at the Elks Club in Rockland. Also to be recognized at this banquet will be outstanding student athletes from the Midcoast area plus one or more past great teams from the area.

Inductees for 2021 will be:

Michael Curtis – Michael attended Rockland District High School from 1999 to 2003 where he was a three sport athlete in baseball, basketball and football. Football was the sport that Mike was most noted for, along with his academic excellence, receiving several scholar/athlete awards. In football, Mike broke many records for Rockland football as a running back, scoring 42 points in one game on six touchdowns and three 2-point conversions, rushing for 318 yards in that game. He was a two time All Campbell Conference selection and chosen team MVP during his sophomore and senior years. He was the first Rockland football player ever to be chosen as a James J. Fitzpatrick semi-finalist. During his high school career Mike carried the ball 408 times, rushing for 2,759 yards. He went on to Bowdoin College, where he played football, competing as a running back, kick return specialist and defensive back

Keenan Flanagan – Keenan attended Rockland District High School from 1977 to 1980. He came from a golfing family, being a very accomplished golfer as a youth and in high school. He was a Junior Club Champion at Rockland Golf Club, a Junior Presidents Club Champion and a member of the Rockland District High School State Championship Team in 1980. Keenan is most noted though for his contributions to the game of golf after graduating from high school. He pursued a career as a PGA Professional, receiving his Class A membership in 1992. He has served as an assistant golf professional at Augusta Country Club and head golf professional at Springbrook Golf Club and has been the head golf professional at Rockland Golf Club since 1998. He has also been the superintendent at Rockland Golf Club since 2012. Keenan has served 17 years as head golf coach at Rockland/Oceanside HS, compiling a 97-63 record, three times being selected as KVAC Coach of the Year. He has been very actively involved in promoting the game of golf to the younger generation thru the First Tee program and serving as a director for Midcoast Junior Golf. In 2019 he was inducted into the Maine Golf Hall of Fame.

Walter Gorneau - Walter was born in Fort Fairfield, Maine, attended high school in Hallowell and received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine at Presque Isle, and master’s from the University of Maine – Portland/Gorham. After several years of teaching and coaching in Lubec and Gray-New Gloucester he moved to the Midcoast area, first in Boothbay Harbor from 1968 to 1980 and his last 20 years in education at Wiscasset High School. Walt has coached numerous sports during his career and served as athletic director in Boothbay Harbor for 12 years. He is most noted though for his officiating career in soccer, basketball and baseball. Walt has refereed games for going on 50 years now at all levels from rec leagues to college. He has served as interpreter of his soccer board plus officiated numerous high school tournament games in all three sports. He plans to officiate soccer again this fall.

Emilio Mazzeo – Emilio was one of 11 children born to Italian immigrant parents. He attended Rockland High School from 1937 to 1940 where he was a student athlete in football, hockey and track. Running was the love of both he and his older brother Bruno, who was inducted into the Midcoast Sports Hall of Fame in 2019. At the time both brothers were among the best long distance runners in the country. They did not have the luxury of sophisticated training or top level equipment and often they would hitch hike to races. Emilio, in 1942, won the state’s top race back then, the Portland Boys Club 5 Miler, after his brother Bruno had won it the year before. His best overall race was the Boston Marathon in 1947 where he finished 7th overall. In 1948 he was the 4th finishing American runner in the Boston Marathon, which earned him a spot on the U.S. Olympic Marathon Team as an alternate. Unable to pay his own expenses to go to London for the Olympics, Emilio did participate in an exhibition marathon in Los Angeles, just before the Olympics, expenses paid for by the AAU. He finished 4th in the race The race finished in the Los Angeles Coliseum before 100,000 spectators

Chris McKenney – Chris was a 1989 graduate of Lincoln Academy where he was an outstanding athlete in soccer, basketball, baseball and track. As a soccer player Chris helped his team win the State Class B Championship in 1987 and State Runner-ups in 1988. He was voted All State his junior and senior years and selected as the Maine Sunday Telegram Player of the Year in 1987. In basketball, Chris was the Lincoln Academy all time leading scorer with 1,157 points. His LA teams appeared in three consecutive state tournaments, highlighted by a Western Maine runner-up finish in 1988 and a State Class B title in 1989, in which Chris scored 45 points in the championship game versus Rockland. He played varsity baseball his first three years, being the starting shortstop. During his junior year he finished in the top fove for batting average in Western B baseball and 1st in stolen bases. During his senior year, Chris ran track in the spring, becoming the team MVP. He won the Western B regional 200 meter and was a member of the Western B regional 4 x 100 relay team. Chris has gone on to an extensive career in coaching basketball at various levels.

Dennis Pratt – Dennis graduated from Bingham/Valley High School and went on to get a bachelor’s degree in 1974 from the University of Maine at Presque Isle. Dennis started teaching and coaching at Vinalhaven in 1978, also serving as the athletic director. Over the years he has coached nearly every sport offered at Vinalhaven, but he is most noted for his career as the boys basketball coach. He has accumulated over 300 wins in the 24 years that he coached the boys team, taking the team to the state tournament on numerous occasions, winning the Western Maine Final in 1994, only to lose in the state game. He also coached the girls basketball team at Vinalhaven for nine years, bringing them to the state tournament several years, making it to the Western Maine Final in 1986. Dennis retired from teaching and coaching in 2011

Gary Woodcock – Gary graduated from Thomaston/Georges Valley High School in 1966. He was a two sport athlete in basketball and baseball, voted Outstanding Male Athlete at Georges Valley his senior year. Gary was most noted for his baseball accomplishments as a pitcher. He had tremendous success in Little League, Babe Ruth and American Legion baseball, pitching no hitters on several occasions. During his high school career he was the ace of the staff, having two stretches of 21 and 25 scoreless innings. Gary went on to Colby College, having a very successful college career. His sophomore year was probably his best at Colby, pitching 66 innings, with 45 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.043. During his junior year he had an impressive win over perennial powerhouse, Miami Dade, allowing only 5 hits in a 4-1 win. Gary developed arm problems late in his junior year and was never able to pitch again. This arm issue probably cost him a chance at a professional baseball opportunity. After graduation from Colby, Gary embarked on a 37-year baseball coaching career at various levels, culminating in being the varsity baseball coach at Wiscasset High School.

Carl Woodman – Carl was a 1964 graduate of Rockland District High School and a 1968 graduate of Maine Maritime Academy. He was a three sport athlete in high school, participating in basketball, baseball and track. Carl was most noted for his basketball skills, being an outstanding shooter. His high school team then competed in Eastern Maine Class AA, making it to the Eastern Maine Final his senior year. Carl was voted to the Eastern AA All Tourney team and 2nd team All State his senior year. At Maine Maritime Academy Carl was a varsity basketball team member all four years, He was voted All Conference and team MVP his sophomore, junior and senior years. After graduation from college Carl has given back to the game of basketball by coaching at various levels. He was an assistant to varsity coach Chris Elkington at RDHS during the 1990s.

First National Bank’s Lincoln County branches will be collecting camping/backpacking gear for Teens to Trails July through Aug/ 27. Teens to Trails is a non-profit organization connecting high school students to life-changing outdoor experiences by helping to establish and support outing clubs in high schools across Maine.

If you would like to help, First National Bank welcomes your gently used or like new donations to your local branches in Boothbay Harbor, Damariscotta, Waldoboro and Wiscasset. Items most needed include: Hiking shoes, hiking boots and snowshoes.

First National Bank is an independent community bank with 17 offices in Lincoln, Knox, Waldo, Hancock, Washington and Penobscot counties. For more information about First National Bank, please call 1-800-564-3195 or visit www.thefirst.com. Find us on Facebook.

For those looking to grow their mountain biking skills, Midcoast Conservancy is offering a three-part Mountain Bike skills course. Each class will meet from 2 to 4 p.m. and the cost is $10, including a rental bike if needed.

On July 24, “Basics of Mountain Biking” will focus on the very basics of riding a mountain bike. The course will begin on level ground, practicing the fundamentals before hitting the trails. Instructors will cover rider position, seat adjustments, braking, climbing, and descending. This workshop is geared for beginners and intermediates.

On Aug. 21, “Trail Preparedness” will address issues such as what would happen if a biker got a flat while out on a back country adventure, and leave participants prepared with the skills they need to ride confidently. This course will cover flat repair, necessary tools and equipment, safety gear, and how to read digital maps such as Trail Forks.

The final class on Sept. 18 will focus on “Progression.” This workshop is for those looking to “level up” their MTB skills. It will cover how to corner properly, handling speed, how to make drops, and of course, wheelies! The guides will lead riders to the “Hidden Gems” at HVNC that will challenge their skills and help them progress!

To register, go to https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/explore/events/

In addition, Midcoast Conservancy’s summer fat tire bike rental program runs Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson. Anyone looking to explore the 30 miles of trails at HVNC can rent a bike (and helmet, or bring their own) and get suggestions from staff about a route that is tailored to their ability.

After having to cancel last year's race because of the pandemic, the 16th annual Westport Island Shore Run 10k Road Race will be taking place in person on Sunday, Aug. 15 on bridge-accessible Westport Island, Maine. Registration is now open at westportisland.org. There will once again be a 10K race and a 3.5 mile "fun walk." The 10K race begins at 9 a.m.; the Fun Walk" begins at 8:30 a.m.

This exciting race takes place on a beautiful USATF-certified course that winds through scenic pine and fir tree forests and over two bridges spanning inlets to Heal Cove and Montsweag Bay. The race benefits the Westport Island Volunteer Fire Department, whose members will direct traffic and provide logistical support at the race. Over the past 15 years, the race has generated almost $25,000 in proceeds for the volunteer firefighters.

The race will be professionally timed by 5K Sports Management, and there will be water stations, distance markers, post-race refreshments, overall and age winner medals, and raffle prizes. The race is USATF-sanctioned and there will be prizes for setting a new course record.

Come join us after a long year away from racing and participate in Maine's best little 10K road race.

For more information on the race, go to our website at www.westportisland.org

A historic gaff-rigged topsail schooner returns to local waters July 30 providing day tours. The Isaac H. Evans was built in 1886 and worked in the oyster trade until 1940. In 1971, the schooner was bought by a Rockland couple and later joined a fleet of local windjammers. In more recent years, the Isaac H. Evans has worked as a three to six-day charter boat. In 2020, the schooner took the year off due to the coronavirus. In April, Andy Tyska, Jessica Kelley and Josh Jacques bought the schooner with an eye toward continuing in the charter business.

Once the sale was complete, Kelley and Jacques began refurbishing and preparing for sail next year. The two stripped down the vessel, scraped the bottom, puttied, primed and repainted the schooner in six days. But a faster than expected refurbishing left the owners with an unexpected option to begin private charters this summer. So beginning, July 30, the schooner is available for two-hour charters around Boothbay Harbor waters. Kelley and Jacques will co-captain the private charters in July, August and September. The schooner has a 22-person limit. There will be no onboard meals this year. Next year, there will be meals with a local flavor.

“All the meals are ‘farm to table’ so it’s all produced locally,” she said.

In 2022, the business focus turns from the day trips to multiple-day charters around Penobscot Bay. For Jacques and Kelley, the prospect of sailing around Penobscot Bay in a historic schooner was an opportunity too good to pass up. As an owner, Jacques understands a historic schooner like Isaac H. Evans demands numerous hours of maintenance. He estimated it takes nine months of work for three months of sailing. So maintenance is a labor of love for Kelley and Jacques, who are excited about sailing around such beautiful local ocean scenery.

“Yes, it’s a lot of work, but sailing out on Penobscot Bay makes it absolutely worth it. There’s like a thousand islands in calm seas which is often described as ‘where the mountains meet the sea.’ It’s all so beautiful with the sea, wind, fog, animals and scenery,” he said.

Kelley agrees with Jacques about Penobscot Bay’s spectacular views. and sites around Boothbay Harbor. She has sailed around Australia, Tasmania and along the eastern U.S. coast. She said nothing compares to Maine’s scenic ocean views. “You come here, and there’s nothing really like Maine and especially Penobscot Bay. It’s so special,” she said.

Jacques and Kelley arrived in Rockland earlier this year preparing to work aboard another schooner. They spotted the Isacc H. Evans nearby and inquired about its situation. They discovered it was for sale. So along with Tyska, the partners bought the historic schooner which was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1992.

Make reservations at www.schoonerisaachevans.com or by phone at 401-527-2193.

The schooner Isaac H. Evans is available for two-hour day trips in the Boothbay region in July, August and September. Courtesy photo

"Hodgdon Yachts is very pleased to support the return of the Shipyard Cup newly configured as a classic yacht regatta under the umbrella of the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club,” says Tim Hodgdon, president of Hodgdon Yachts, which hosted the original Shipyard Cup Regatta and is a lead sponsor of new event. “Over the eleven years that the regatta was held it was recognized for its high-quality yacht racing in the scenic Boothbay region and was enjoyed by avid spectators on land and sea. The heritage of the area’s long standing shipbuilding tradition inspired the Shipyard Cup name and the introduction of a major classic yacht racing event to the area, is a perfect fit that we are very excited about.”

Understanding the history of the Shipyard Cup and its contribution to sailing in Boothbay Harbor provides perspective on how this Superyacht Regatta has evolved into an integral part of the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club Regatta.

A few historical highlights:

The Shipyard Cup was a Superyacht regatta set in the Corinthian spirit and open to yachts over 70’ (21m). The event included a kick-off lobster bake, three days of racing, and cocktail parties.

At the time it was one of only two Superyacht regattas held in the USA. Shipyard Cup began in 2002 and was held 11 times between then and 2014. The largest boat to participate in SYC was 55m Marie.

Hodgdon Yachts started the Shipyard Cup (SYC) after Tim Hodgdon attended Les Voiles De Saint Tropez in 2001, sailing aboard the 124’ modern classic sloop Antonisa that Hodgdon Yachts launched in 1999. Antonisa was built by Hodgdon Yachts in East Boothbay and designed by renowned sailing superyacht designer Bruce King Yacht Design (BKYD) in Newcastle. There were two other boats at “Les Voiles” designed by BKYD that year too.

Large sailboat racing is taken very seriously in South France and based on this experience; it was felt that Boothbay Harbor would be a tremendous venue for a similar event that could also boost the region. The first event was organized by Hodgdon, Boothbay Region Boatyard, Jeff Lowell, Hodgdon Sales Director Ted Smith, Nat Wilson, and several others.

The race committee’s goal was to bring a unique sailing regatta to the coast of Maine and an influx of people to the Boothbay region to enjoy something special on the water. It was successful in that regard.

In planning the race courses, special consideration was given to the spectator fleet and shore side viewing so the competition could be visible in the region from boats or on shore. Over the 11 years, several impressive high profile sailing yachts came to the Boothbay region for some exciting sailboat racing. It was a grand spectacle of just watching them sail. The race established a solid reputation as a fun event for the big boat owners and sailors but became a logistics challenge to organize and difficult to attract these big boats to Maine late in the season.

Although Shipyard Cup Classics Challenge is a different event than SYC was, it is very exciting to reestablish the name and see the 47th running of the BHYC regatta expand with Classic Yachts. The Race Committee and co-chairs, Ken Coburn, Bob Scribner, Jon Dunsford, Deanna Clarkson, Andy and Alice Mutch, Lee Krow, Jody Rosenbaum, and Lucy Scribner, along with over 50 volunteers from BHYC, have reinvigorated the name and added classic sailboats to further build upon the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club Regatta and sailing in Maine’s premier region.

Hodgdon Yachts is a builder of yachts and specialized vessels. A family-run business that was founded in 1816 — reputedly the oldest continuously operating family boatbuilder in the United States. Hodgdon Yachts is noted for building superyachts, both sail and power, using advanced composite materials and construction techniques. It's also noted for its ability to incorporate those advanced materials into traditional designs that employ modern electronic and mechanical marine systems

See you there! July 25, 10 a.m.: Inner harbor parade of BHYC Regatta Shipyard Cup Classics Challenge racing boats. Parade route is east side to west. Announcer will be at Whale Park, Coastal Prime, or on VHF channel 72.” For more information, contact Andy Mutch, 410-353-3861.

Comanche, a Shipyard Cup past entry built by Hodgdon Yachts. Courtesy photo

Manhattan’s Kathryn Fedus figured wearing her hair down when taking her mother Kathleen Quirion’s Newfoundland-poodle (Noodle) Brooke through the dog parade unintentionally clinched the prize for the human-dog duo looking the most alike. The contest at First Congregational Church of Wiscasset’s Summerfest was Brooke’s first, and it and the treats that were part of it gave the Winslow dog, 2, a taste for more, Fedus said.

Now Brooke, a taste-tester for Fedus’s “Farm to Fluffy” line of dog treats, will want to be in next year’s parade, the women said. Will Fedus and Brooke defend their title? No, they will go for a different one, Fedus said, laughing.

She and Quirion got pixie cookies and magic bars at the bake sale.

Midway through Summerfest’s four hours on the common, church members Sally Howe and Carol Blake said the partial table of treats they were manning started as a full table and more under the table. “People are really in the mood to buy sweets today,” Blake said. She made apple squares; Howe, the fudge nut pie, banana bread, pumpkin bread and cranberry nut squares.

Wiscasset’s Lucinda Tilas and granddaughter Lianna Averill, 5, of Alna bid on a coloring set in the silent auction. They arrived early in Summerfest and were still enjoying the festivities and upping their bid about two hours later.

Staying that long is always a good sign of how fun an event is, Tilas said. She had never been to Summerfest. She always had a schedule conflict, but not Saturday.

Utah-raised Austin and Bailey Brown just moved to Damariscotta so it was the couple’s first Summerfest also. Austin was eyeing a “Frozen” book for their daughters Daphne, 1, and Claire, 3.

Pastor Josh Fitterling said Saturday, he was very happy with turnout. People were excited Summerfest was held, he said. The church’s yearly fundraiser for area causes was off last year due to the pandemic, so the church fundraised through donations to still give to charities.

Saturday’s weather was the pick of the weekend, sun and 70s F. “Oh, it’s awesome,” church member Carol Peck said. “God blessed us with a beautiful day.”

Molly Clark, 2, of Glen Ridge, New Jersey and Finley Hartig, 4, of Sparta, New Jersey take in Summerfest. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper

Man has searched for answers since the beginning of time to perplexing questions. An early tool was the labyrinth, a outdoor place constructed full of intricate passageways and blind alleys. And locals, still searching for solutions to modern problems, now have their own labyrinth.

In 2019, Edgecomb Community Church built a small labyrinth. It was inspired by Lauren Artress’ book “Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth As a Spiritual Practice.” Pastor Kate Pinkham had read several of Artress’ books and believed a small labyrinth behind the church would help people find answers to life’s perplexing questions. Pinkham described the labyrinth as a tool used by ancient cultures for self-reflection.

Pinkham said there is no right or wrong way to use the labyrinth. She described labyrinths as a universal symbol used by cultures with no connection or understanding how other people lived, but that still developed them as a “universal symbol” for reflection for over 4,000 years. And in modern times, a society filled with self-help books, medical research and communication devices, the labyrinth is making a comeback.

“People are using them for quieting their minds, praying and meditating,” she said. “I see it as a way to speak to God, but others may use it to become more in touch with nature or something else. The answers may come right away, later, or not at all, but it’s an opportunity to quiet your mind down and reflect.”

Pinkham was assisted in building a rock labyrinth in the church’s back lot by Sue and Tom Sikes. The project finished just prior to the coronavirus outbreak which scuttled any plans for use in 2020. So once the restrictions on public gatherings lifted this year, Pinkham began scheduling walks. In June, the church dedicated the labyrinth to the town, and a second event was held June 21, summer solstice.

The third organized labyrinth walk was held July 23 with five people participating. The previous two had nearly a dozen, but last week’s had five. Pinkham believes a heavy downpour which preceded the walk probably kept people away. Judy McQuillen lives on Taylor Drive located near the church. She walks the labyrinth often and participated in the two earlier events. At her third public walk, she described the labyrinth as “looking convoluted,” but in actuality was pretty simple. “There is one way in and one way out. So it’s pretty easy to go through,” McQuillen said. “It really calms you down. It’s very peaceful.”

Christine Correa also lives in the neighborhood and frequently walks the labyrinth. For her, the walk is an opportunity to connect with nature. “It’s fun,” Correa said. “It’s an opportunity to talk with the Earth, and get in touch with my thoughts.”

Pinkham said the labyrinth is open to the public from dawn until dusk. She is planning on more organized events with one in September. “It will be darker then and better for walking due to the softer light which creates a better atmosphere,” she said. There are also plans for a labyrinth mat for winter use in the parking lot or inside.

The church is at 15 Cross Point Road.

According to Alna selectmen July 22, a town email July 23 and an April 7 Maine Department of Transportation letter to the town, the Egypt Road bridge over Ben Brook needs work and the board will seek proposals. The first request will be for offers to do an engineering design; the town will then use that design to seek construction bids, the email stated.

Meanwhile, town officials want public input on the first request. View the draft RFP at http://alna.maine.gov/egyptroadbridgerfp with password “egyptroad”. Second Selectman Linda Kristan said MDOT sent a letter in 2013 listing the same issues, and the town had work done. Like last time, this year’s letter, from MDOT assistant bridge maintenance engineer Ronald Taylor based on MDOT’s 2020 inspection, said the state will not fund the work. The bridge “is considered a minor span on a town way,” it states.

The letter states a stone retaining wall downstream has “severe movement” and the road could have a “serious washout” if stones collapse into the brook. MDOT recommends stabilizing the wall and channeling surface water away from the road.

Also in the board’s July 22 Zoom meeting, selectmen reported they are looking for how to spend a $2,000 Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission grant. Kristan said the town got the grant to hire a consultant on solar power options. She said the money went unspent in the pandemic and the grant runs out at the end of the year.

Kristan cited possible uses instead for safety, including addressing an exposed drop off near Head Tide Dam or adding parking near Pinkham Pond. As for the drop off, resident Chris Cooper recalled a proposal he worked on with Atlantic Salmon Federation and Midcoast Conservancy for “an impenetrable tangle of shrubbery.” He suggested the board look into that and spend the grant money elsewhere.

Mike Walker and Kristi Favalaro of Bailey Road supported more parking for Pinkham Pond. Walker added, the area gets trash and speeding. He suggested maybe lowering the speed limit seasonally.

Also July 22, selectmen said they were asking Maine Municipal Association if they have authority to issue moratoriums. The board voted July 7 to give out no permits for accessory apartments or for two homes on a lot until the town passes a “fair and enforceable” amendment to the building code.

From the day local businessman Wilford Cronk opened the gates to his new race track on July 27, 1969, and ever since, Wiscasset Speedway has carried the title as "Maine's Fastest Track". Fast forward to this past Saturday night where the current ownership celebrated the track's 52nd birthday with an evening of racing action, past champions, Hall of Fame drivers, and fireworks. Near perfect weather greeted a large contingent of fans ready for the show. Along with races in 5 divisions, fans were also treated to a special recognition ceremony during intermission that introduced a slew of past track champions to the crowd. But the highlight of the special intermission was the introduction of the track's Hall of Fame members - including the new 2021 class. The 8 new inductees included early champions Steve Langeliere, Dave Kimball, and Merle Grover; more recent stars Duane Love, Phil Main, and Allan Moeller Sr; Maine Motorsports Hall of Famer Bob Hallee, and the track's original Pit Steward Bill Lathrop. All of the inductees we selected for their significant and lasting impact on the history and success of Wiscasset Speedway. The show ended with a huge fireworks display to celebrate the track's special day.

The Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman had the spotlight race on the evening and showed once again why they are one of the top weekly divisions in the northeast. Clinton's Frank Moulton got out to an early lead on the 21 car field and then outran Josh St Clair to the checkers for his first career win at Wiscasset. The race went caution-free and featured side-by-side battles all around the 3/8 mile track. With the absence of point leader Chris Thorne, St Clair retook the top spot in the class with his runner-up finish. Former champ Will Collins raced his way to the final podium spot in 3rd. Brandon Fowler of Rome and Ryan Ripley of Thomaston filled out the top 5 finishers. In other action, Richmond's Scott Trask wired the 25 lap feature for the Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Minis. The division's top two drivers chased him across the line with Zach Audet finishing second and Jimmy Childs third. It was Trask's first win since the 2019 season. In the 25 lap feature for the Portland Glass Strictly Streets, Mac Hannan Jr raced his way to his first win in five years. There was a shake-up in the remaining official finish order following post-race tech inspection. When the dust settled the second place trophy went to former champ Kurt Hewins of Turner and the third-place honors went to Keith Drost of Etna. Bruce Hall Jr of Chesterville won the 15 lap Ideal Roadrunner feature and Adam Chadbourne of Woolwich won the 30 lap feature for the 88.5FM Modifieds.

Wiscasset Speedway returns to action on Saturday, July 31 at 5 p.m. with Group 1 plus a special appearance by the Modified Racing Series. It will be the first time that tour-type modifieds have raced on Maine's fastest track in thirteen years. The MRS Mods will run the "Vacationland 100" as the spotlight race. Pro Stocks, Super Streets, 4-Cylinder Pros, and Thunder 4 Minis will fill out the show with regular weekly action. Grandstand admission is just $5, with kids 6&under free. Pit gates will open at 1 p.m., grandstand gates at 4 and the green flag flies at 5. For more information, go to www.wiscassetspeedway.com. Wiscasset Speedway is located at 274 West Alna Road in Wiscasset.

WISCASSET SPEEDWAY OFFICIAL FINISH 7/24/21

WOOD PELLET WAREHOUSE LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN (50 laps)

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff
1	15m	Frank Moulton	Clinton	Me	50
2	14	Josh St. Clair	Liberty	Me	50	3.334
3	25	Will Collins	Waldoboro	Me	50	9.100
4	72	Brandon Fowler	Rome	Me	50	9.632
5	09	Ryan Ripley	Thomaston	Me	50	11.030
6	73	Matt Bourgoine	Stetson	Me	50	11.196
7	78	Tiger Colby	Wiscasset	Me	50	14.180
8	26r	Brent Roy	Vassalboro	Me	50	15.771
9	00	Alex Waltz	Walpole	Me	50	17.166
10	15L	Mark Lucas	Harpswell	Me	50	17.454
11	47	Brandon Bailey	Wiscasset	Me	49	1 Lap
12	47me	Chris Burgess	Hartford	Me	49	1 Lap
13	10	Scott Hall	Jay	Me	49	1 Lap
14	21b	James Barker	Turner	Me	49	1 Lap
15	4c	Connor Wenners	Edgecomb	Me	49	1 Lap
16	81	Ray Dinsmore	Limerick	Me	49	1 Lap
17	55	Tyler Bailey	Wiscasset	Me	49	1 Lap
18	20	Garrett Leiter	Winslow	Me	48	2 Laps
19	30a	DC Alexander	Carmel	Me	47	3 Laps
20	8	Doug Phillips	Phillips	Me	29	21 Laps
21	4	Ben Erskine	Skowhegan	Me	27	23 Laps

KENNEBEC EQUIPMENT RENTAL OUTLAW MINI (25 laps)

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff
1	99	Scott Trask	Richmond	Me	25
2	19	Zach Audet	Norridgewock	Me	25	0.424
3	10	Jimmy Childs	Leeds	Me	25	1.259
4	20	Jason Kimball	Pittston	Me	25	5.448
5	27	Mike Delano	Woolwich	Me	25	16.142
6	41	Shane Smith	Augusta	Me	25	18.820
7	30	Ryan Varney	Oxford	Me	24	1 Lap
8	88x	Wes Turner	Freedom	Me	22	3 Laps
9	14	Dominic Smith	Augusta	Me	21	4 Laps
10	0	James Grover Jr	Waldoboro	Me	21	4 Laps
11	10ME	Chris Watkins	Oakland	Me	2	23 Laps
12	8	Ryan Kenniston	Smithfield	Me	0	25 Laps
dns	69	Paul Thurlow	West Gardiner	Me	dns

PORTLAND GLASS STRICTLY STREETS (25 laps)

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff
1	08	Mac Hannan Jr	Washington	Me	25
2	14H	Kurt Hewins	Turner	Me	25	0.600
3	74	Keith Drost	Etna	Me	25	2.284
4	00	Chad Wills	Oxford	Me	25	3.116
5	23	Zach Emerson	Sabattus	Me	25	3.263
6	4	Caleb Emerson-Mains	Richmond	Me	25	3.515
7	67	Mike Haynes	Livermore Falls	Me	25	3.699
8	27	Scott Eck	Lisbon	Me	25	4.531
9	49	Ryan Esancy	Appleton	Me	25	8.847
10	78	Brady Romano	Livermore Falls	Me	24	n/a
11	24	Jonathan Emerson	Sabattus	Me	19	5 Laps
12	51	Josh St Clair	Liberty	Me	16	8 Laps
13	05	Brett Osmond	Wiscasset	Me	2	22 Laps
14	5d	Ethan Dinsmore	Hope	Me	0
15	3	Bernie Dinsmore	Hope	Me	25	penalty

IDEAL ROADRUNNERS (15 laps)

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff
1	57x	Bruce Hall Jr	Chesterville	Me	15
2	41	Seth Woodard	Plymouth	Me	15	1.509
3	1	Kyle Enman	Durham	Me	15	2.427
4	62	Mark Sawyer	n/a	Me	15	3.436
5	07b	Ben Benson	n/a	Me	15	7.783
6	57	Jason Meservey	Warren	Me	15	10.638
7	93	Merrill Chapman	Bristol	Me	15	12.239
8	04	Darius Miranda	Levant	Me	15	12.538
9	39	Nicole Brown	Hope	Me	15	13.107
10	42x	Richard Austin	Norridgewock	Me	15	13.394
11	07x	Steve Sidelinger	Bristol	Me	15	15.727
12	75	Skip Meservey	Warren	Me	14	1 Lap
13	07	Crystal Bourassa	Bristol	Me	13	2 Laps
14	20	Koray Enman-Curtis	Lisbon Falls	Me	10	5 Laps
15	77	Sharon Whitelaw	Readfield	Me	4	11 Laps
16	119	David Whitelaw	Readfield	Me	2	13 Laps

88.5FM MODIFIEDS (30 laps)

Pos	No.	Name	Hometown	State	Laps	Diff
1	1	Adam Chadbourne	Woolwich	Me	30
2	48	Brian Treadwell	Hancock	Me	30	0.328
3	89	Faith Cleaves	Pownal	Me	30	0.900
4	34	Tyler Robbins	Montville	Me	29	1 Lap

JEFFERSON — Join Midcoast Conservancy for the 10th Annual Race Through the Woods trail race, sponsored by First National Bank and Trail Monster Running, on Saturday, September 25, at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson.

“Hidden Valley Nature Center offers so many ways for people to engage with the natural world,” said Andy Bezon, Director of HVNC and Community Programs. “Running, biking, skiing and camping opportunities mean there is something for everyone there.”

Race fees are $35 for the half marathon, and $25 for the 5.5 miler. This race is currently capped at 125 entrants, with a waitlist. There will be NO day of registration. Prizes will be given to overall men's and women's winners at the finish line; no age group prizes.

Attendees can purchase beer from Sheepscot Brewing and food during the event. A limited number of long-sleeve technical shirts will be available for purchase when checking in on race day.

Midcoast Conservancy and Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway have partnered to offer a special adventure in Alna: A train ride to a guided hike on Trout Brook Preserve lets participants see this beautiful Midcoast area from two vantage points.

Riders board the train at Sheepscot Station for a 20-minute trip through the backwoods of Alna to Top of Mountain, where volunteers from Midcoast Conservancy will take them on a guided tour of the scenic Trout Brook Preserve.

The 126-acre preserve protects over 4,200 feet of the lower reaches of Trout Brook as well as frontage along the main stem of the Sheepscot River. A half-mile loop trail on the southern portion of the preserve traverses old orchards and pasture lands and affords a look at one of the wider sections of Trout Brook. Following the 1.5-hour guided hike, the historic steam train will return participants to Sheepscot Station.

Ticket price includes the train ride, the guided hike, as well as parking at Sheepscot. Trains for Ride the Rails to Hike the Trails depart Sheepscot Station at 97 Cross Road in Alna. The Saturday, Aug. 28 trip has an 11 a.m. departure time. To buy tickets, go to https://bit.ly/railtotrail

As the fall sports season nears, Lincoln Medical Partners is offering physicals for student-athletes both in the schools and at the Family Care Center on the St. Andrews Campus in Boothbay Harbor.

This year’s schedule is:

Boothbay Region High School, Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 10-11, 8 a.m. to noon at the Family Care Center;
Medomak Valley High School, Thursday and Friday, Aug. 12-13, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the high school;
Lincoln Academy, Monday and Tuesday, Aug.16 and 17, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the high school.

Appointments must be scheduled by calling either 633-1399 or 633-7820.

Students do not have to be patients of Lincoln Medical Partners and do not have to attend one of the above-mentioned schools to participate. Insurances will be billed for these physicals.

From 3 to 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 13, Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust naturalist Sarah Gladu will lead a hike along the trails of Crooked Farm Preserve in Bristol.

Crooked Farm Preserve features nearly 130 acres of forest, wetlands, and open fields, including over a mile of frontage along the Pemaquid River. Its gravel streambeds are spawning habitat for game fish, and its wetlands provide edge habitat favored by moose, white-tailed deer, mink, raccoon, fisher, fox, and otter.

This abundance of wildlife makes it a great spot to look for tracks and signs. The group will stop at several locations along the trail to examine some of the smallest plants and animals. Hand-lenses will be provided, or participants may bring their own.

This program is free of charge, thanks to member support. Registration is required at coastalrivers.org/events. Binoculars and protection against ticks are recommended.

Crooked Farm Preserve in Bristol features forest, wetlands, and open fields along the Pemaquid River, and is home to abundant wildlife. Courtesy of Coastal Rivers

Insects are not only amazingly diverse, but many of them also have very interesting behaviors. Ants tend aphids like tiny farmers. Monarch butterflies sip nectar to fuel them on an epic migration to their wintering grounds in Mexico. One type of beetle oozes green liquid from its knees to deter predators.

From 4 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 10, Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust is offering a family program focused on insects. Coastal Rivers naturalists will lead a short, gentle walk in the fields using insect nets to see what insects can be found. Nets will be provided.

Participants will identify some of the insects they find, learn about their interesting behaviors, and spend time observing them before letting them go.

This program is free of charge, thanks to member support. Registration is required at coastalrivers.org/events

Fascinating insects abound at Coastal Rivers Salt Bay Farm. Courtesy of Coastal Rivers

Cross-Country

Sat., Aug. 28: Panther Two-Miler, 9 a.m.

Friday, Sept. 17: Home meet, 4:15 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 24: UMA Mid Season Race, 4:15 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 2: Festival of Champions, TBA

Friday, Oct. 8: At Lisbon meet, 4:15 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 16: MVC Championship, 11 a.m.

Saturday, Oct. 23: Regional Championship, TBA

Saturday, Oct. 30: State Championship, TBA

Boys Soccer

Monday, Aug. 30: Home vs. Temple, 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 3: At Spruce Mountain, 4 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 7: Home vs. Hall-Dale, 4 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 10: At Winthrop, 4 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 13: Home vs. Mt. Valley, 4 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 21: At Lisbon, 3:30 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 23: Home vs. Telstar, 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 28: At Oak Hill, 3:30 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 30: Home vs. Monmouth, 3:30 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 4: At Buckfield, 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 6: Home vs. Carrabec, 3:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 14: At Dirigo, 3:30 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 18: At Spruce Mountain, 3:30 p.m.

Girls Soccer

Monday, Aug. 30: Home vs. Temple, 5 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 2: At Carrabec, 4 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 7: Home vs. Hall-Dale, 4 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 9: At Madison, 4 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 11: Home vs. Mt. Valley, 4 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 14: At Oak Hill, 4 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 16: Home vs. Telstar, 4 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 20: At Buckfield, 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 22: Home vs. Dirigo, 3:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 24: At Lisbon, 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 29: Home vs. Monmouth/Winthrop, 3:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 1: At Mt. Abram, 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 5: Home vs. Spruce Mountain, 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 13: At Dirigo, 3:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 15: Home vs. Carrabec, 3:30 p.m.

All dates and times are subject to change

The 2021 selections for team recognition at the annual Midcoast Sports Hall of Fame annual banquet have been voted on by the Board of Directors. The Linnox 1964 Babe Ruth State Champions and the undefeated 1980 Class C State Champion Georges Valley soccer team will be honored on Oct. 16 at the Rockland Elks Lodge.

The Linnox team was composed of players from Lincoln and Knox counties. The GVHS team is one of eight state soccer championships from GVHS.

Each year we recognize one or two teams to receive this honor. Nomination forms are available on our website. If you have any questions please contact Tom Mellor at ttmellor@gmail.com or at 691-2770.

There was beautiful weather, with blue skies and fair temperatures, for the 16th Annual Westport Island Shore Run 10K Road Race on Sunday, Aug. 15. There was a record turnout for the race, "Maine’s Best Little 10K Road Race," with 64 runners taking the field, and 10 participants for the 3.5-mile fun walk.

The road race did not occur last year due to the pandemic, but this year it came roaring back. The exciting 10K road race is held on a beautiful course that winds through scenic pine and fir tree forests and over two bridges spanning inlets to Heal Cove and Montsweag Bay. The race benefits the Westport Volunteer Fire Department, whose members directed traffic and provided logistical support. Over the past 15 years, the race has generated almost $25,000 in proceeds for the firefighters. This year, it looks like the race will end up raising almost $1,700 more for the firefighters!

Race winners this year were: Women, first place, Jenna Gould of South Windsor, Connecticut( second, Leslie Nicholas of Gorham; and third, Maggie Hojlo of Wayland, Massachusetts. For men, first, James LePage of Vinalhaven, Massachusetts, second, Liam Scanlon of Woolwich; and third, Shawn Rumery of Searsport.

In 36:36, LePage set a new course record for male runners.

Jim McCorkle of 5K Sports Management ran the computer timing for the race for the 16th time. Sponsors for the race included Wayfair, Maine Yankee, Sheepscot River Marine Services, Key Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Newcastle, Ames True Value Hardware, Crossroads Coffee Beans, First National Bank and Bath Savings Bank.

Thanks to everyone who participated and helped out, including our excellent volunteers: Marcy Whitney, Jordan Whitney and Adam Whitney. See you next year!

Men’s winner James LePage. Courtesy photo

Midcoast Conservancy is offering an advanced chainsaw course on Saturday, Nov. 6, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson. This one day course is designed for folks who have some previous experience with a saw and are looking to practice skills that are beyond the Level 1 Course offering. Much of the material from the beginner’s course will be reviewed, such as Personal Protective Equipment and safe handling, which will serve as a great and important refresher. More attention will be paid to saw maintenance, and the primary focus will be put on cutting techniques for bucking and directional tree felling. The goal of this course is for participants to leave prepared to do a significant amount of work with their saw. This course will be great for folks who intend to manage their woodlot and process firewood.

Completion of Level 1 training or a considerable amount of previous experience with a chainsaw is strongly recommended. Anyone with questions about their suitability for the course can contact the instructor, Tim Libby, at tim@midcoastconservancy.org. To register for the course, go to https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/chainsaw-safety-level-2/

UPDATE: Heller said that as of 8:45 a.m. Thursday, the When and If was on the Sheepscot River and expected to arrive in Wiscasset Harbor at 10 a.m.

Downtown was the choice for Bruce and Margaret Scally’s daily walk Wednesday, so the Wiscasset couple could check out Schoonerfest.

“I think it’s a great idea,” he said about the event that runs through Sunday. “I think the more festivals we can have, the better.”

“Very excited,” she said.

Wiscasset is a beautiful place for the event, New York City’s Patricia Ladyko said. She has been coming through Wiscasset for years on her Maine visits. Noting Wiscasset’s nickname as Maine’s prettiest village, she said, “I think they’re right.” Wednesday, the painted, wooden schooner silhouette sculptures along Main Street caught her eye. She wondered if they were for sale.

They are in a festival-long silent auction, one of Schoonerfest’s organizers, Peter Wells, said. Bid at 64 Main St., dubbed Fleet Headquarters for the festival of ships, history and fun.

History can be fun, Wiscasset Middle High School teacher Jean Phillips said. She made the 1800s-looking costumes seniors Leo Wren, Russell Webster and Evan Strong had on while they walked the village with pretend fines to issue like the real ones they said people in Wiscasset used to give and receive. “In protest, the townspeople nicknamed them the shilling laws, and they were enacted in 1822,” Wren said at the Sunken Garden, where Newcastle’s Nancy Parker was playing Irish jigs and other tunes on whistles.

What was it like to dress and act like it’s 1822? “It feels super cool, but it’s also super hot” due to the costumes’ layers, Wren said.

The teens explained, Wren’s and Strong’s vests were what Wiscasset’s wealthier residents might have worn, and Webster, in a light, billowy shirt he said was more for a sailor, was able to stay cooler in the sun day one of the inaugural Schoonerfest got. Wells said the day, which also kicked off festival-long geocaching, was a warm up to the rest of the festival.

“It is such a wonderful feeling to look around and see that it’s coming together, because we’d only visualized it (since) this is the first one,” another organizer, Terry Heller, said. “We couldn’t do anything but just rely on our imagination. And (fellow organizer) David (Pope) and I have pretty good imaginations.”

Several artists painted the schooner sculptures, Wells said. Margaret Scally called the works “so beautiful, and very creative.” Schoonerfest gave Lincoln Academy the plywood to make them, Wells said. They were Jorge Pena’s idea, Heller said.

As of 7 a.m. Thursday,, plans called for General George Patten’s family’s Wiscasset-built schooner When and If to arrive in Wiscasset Harbor about 9 a.m. Thursday and get a cannon salute Alan Boyes, Barters Island, Boothbay, will fire from a boat. The forecast is damper than Wednesday’s weather but that was putting no damper on enthusiasm. Heller was not worried, as so often showers that might come, do not, she said.

“Nobody says no to Terry,” Phillips said outside Fleet Headquarters about how she and the students got involved. Phillips said it is great practice for the students, less daunting than acting on stage before a seated audience, and is helping people see the drama program in action. “If I want more support from the community, I have to show the community what the kids are doing,” she said. And the students are learning history.

“I didn’t know the shilling laws existed,” Wren said. Unlike the 199-year-old fines, the ones they were handing out were voluntary to pay and were “all in good fun,” Strong explained. The fine cards read in part: “All ‘fines’ benefit the Class of 2022. Please make ‘payment’ at the Class of 2022 tent” near Fleet Headquarters. The seniors said their volunteer time, with more in the coming days, counts in their community service toward graduation.

Besides Phillips, another person who could not say no to Heller was Heller’s Austin, Texas friend Rhea Copening. Helping at Fleet Headquarters, she showed Wiscasset Newspaper a wall full of images of the When and If, and encouraged attendance at Schoonerfest and the headquarters. “There’s lots of information.”

Steve and Carolyn Fife hope to catch all the festival. They walked to it Wednesday from their Wiscasset home, and took in Parker’s whistle-playing in the Sunken Garden. “Love it,” she said of Parker’s playing. “What a nice spot to have it,” he said.

Find the festival schedule at wiscassetschoonerfest.com

The when moved from 9 to 10 Thursday morning, but there were no if’s about General George Patton’s schooner When and If’s arrival, and later the Sycamore’s, with the Alna man who built it from 2001 to 2016, Fred Bowers. Wife Mary and their rat terrier Toggle accompanied him as Sycamore joined in the inaugural Schoonerfest.

Shouts and claps broke out in Wiscasset harbor when, across the Sheepscot River, the first vessel, Wiscasset-built When and If, appeared. “It’s getting bigger every minute,” Wiscasset’s Ethel Stanfield said.

“She’s a beauty,” Sarah Emery said. She used to see the 1939 schooner daily when she lived in its summer port, Salem, Massachusetts. Thursday, Emery, now a Federal Street resident, watched When and If return for a visit to its hometown, now her town.

While Sycamore had the Bowers’ terrier, When and If had crew member Sean Salzmann’s poodle Leilani aboard, looking out from the boat as the crew docked the vessel with help from locals.

Minnesota-raised Sidney Anderson got a job on a boat in Key West, sailed about three years, then went to work on When and If last year. “It is my house and my job, so the commute is really quick.” Crew mate Jack Maher from Alexandria, Virginia thought he might go looking for a lobster roll.

What did Wiscasset’s Miles Truesdell, 7, think of the cannon salute? “Amazing.”

And what did fellow resident Dan Watts, who fired one of the cannons aboard Alan Boyes’ Pagan Moon, think? “Loud! We had earplugs,” he said, smiling. Earlier, Boyes, of Barters Island, Boothbay, explained it was “a proper salute for the When and If. She’s a beautiful boat. She deserves a salute.” The Sycamore later got one.

Dozens of onlookers – from Schoonerfest volunteers to locals and out-of-state visitors like William Horstmann IV, 4, of Winnetka, Illinois in a captain’s hat William Horstmann III said his son picked out in Boothbay – saw the vessels arrive. Schoonerfest’s Terry Heller said more might have come, had the arrival time and the weather been certain sooner. The morning turned out sticky and partly sunny after a forecast of possible showers. “But you know what? This is Maine, so we take whatever it is” and enjoy it, she said.

Water Street Kitchen & Bar General Manager Shane McCarthy talked with Heller about the beer and wine garden the restaurant was setting up for the festival. McCarthy said Schoonerfest is a good use of what he considers an under-used harbor, and he would like to see more events. He said it might be hard to tell if Schoonerfest gives the restaurant a bump in business, though. It has already been “crazy” busy this summer, he explained.

The festival runs through Sunday. Visit wiscassetschoonerfest.com

Leilani the poodle checks out the Wiscasset waterfront Aug. 19 from her home, the 1939, Wiscasset-built schooner When and If, as it arrives in Wiscasset Aug. 19 for the inaugural Schoonerfest. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper

Showing Schoonerfest goers around the 1939 When and If Saturday, the crew said the schooner would leave Wiscasset about 8 a.m. Sunday, earlier than planned, due to Tropical Storm Henri. Crew members said they had planned to head back to the vessel’s summer port of Salem, Massachusetts, but due to the storm bound for southern New England, possibly at hurricane strength, they would be mooring in Boothbay at least through Sunday night.

Nearing the end of the schooner’s Wiscasset stay, crew member Jack Maher said everyone was being kind and hospitable to them, a long line deterred him from a lobster roll and he had taken a drive around. “It’s a quaint little town.” He said the crew was happy to be there and help promote history and Schoonerfest.

“(Boothbay through) Sunday, for sure, and then after that we’re just waiting for a weather window,” Sidney Anderson said. She said waiting out a storm is “better on the boat, better on the crews, and there’s no reason to put people in danger.”

Midday on the waterfront Saturday, families were doing nautically themed arts, singers shared chanties and Parents in Education (PIE) was having a bake sale of goods its board made. The magic chocolate bars, chocolate chip muffins and rice crispy treats were selling well, Chair Kim Averill of Alna said.

The singers explained to their audience, chanties were tools to help get through heaving, or pushing on capstans, pumps, or other things; and hauling, which they said was pulling on rope. The sounds of chanties were familiar and welcome to Sarah Vining, there with her children Morgan, 5, and Quinn, 6. Vining used to live near Mystic Sea Music Festival in Connecticut. “To hear it in person again, is really a lot of fun,” she said of the music. “Brings back a lot of memories.”

Less than a week after she sold her Main Street, Wiscasset property that once housed Patricia Stauble Antiques, Stauble, a partner in the building of schooner Harvey Gamage, was visiting When and If with fiancé Denny Terry, son Greg Terry and Greg’s sister Susie Terry, and Greg’s son Jake. Stauble shared with Wiscasset Newspaper, Denny Terry had a momentous nautical experience while serving in the Navy nearly half a century ago. She said he helped get astronaut John Glenn out of the Atlantic Ocean after Glen circled the planet.

Denny Terry got talking with When and If’s crew about another nautical experience, one he had in common with them: Spending time on an Appledore schooner.

Beside the docked 1939, Wiscasset-built schooner When and If in Wiscasset Aug. 21 are Virginia’s Greg Terry, son Jake Terry, Greg’s father Denny Terry, Greg’s sister Susie Terry and Denny’s fiancee Patricia Stauble of Edgecomb. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper

If you give a free barbecue, they will come, and many did, gathering Saturday afternoon on the lawn of the Woolwich town office to eat, talk and enjoy live music provided by the Montsweagers.

“We’ve had a steady number of people coming all afternoon,” David King Sr., select board chairman, told Wiscasset Newspaper. “It’s not too hot today, neighbors are getting reacquainted. I think it’s really been just what we had hoped for, a nice small town gathering.” The free offerings included grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, soft drinks and bottled water. Dessert was provided, too, a delicious serving of homemade chocolate or vanilla ice cream made by Gaius and Amy Hennin.

Manning the grill were Selectmen Jason Shaw and Allen Greene. “Because of the uncertainty of the pandemic, we made the decision a few months ago not to hold Woolwich Day and instead offer a community picnic,” Shaw explained as he flipped a sizzling burger. “We’ve got a pretty good turnout, people are having fun and I’m happy we were able to do this.” Greene was in full agreement and also pleased with the turnout.

Among the guests were Lynette Eastman of Pittston, Woolwich’s former town administrator. She and her husband George were camping in Boothbay and drove up to attend the gathering. It turned into a homecoming for Eastman, who spent 21 years working in the town office. “It’s wonderful to be back here again, seeing many of my old friends and hearing what’s been happening in town,” she said.

Two other familiar faces were Lloyd and Collette Coombs; they were manning the condiments tent. Lloyd was the town’s first town manager and served many years on the select board before retiring a few years ago. Collette is a longtime member of the town’s Special Events Committee, the group charged with hosting the community barbecue. Other committee members on hand volunteering as servers were Tammy Given, Janice Greene, Jan Stephens, Charlotte Kaplan and Selectman Allison Hepler.

“This year's smaller and simpler community cookout was just what we needed,” commented Hepler afterwards. “It was great to catch up with old friends, meet some new people, listen to music, and just enjoy being together outside on a great summer day. I loved it.” Along with serving on the select board, Hepler is State Rep. 53 representing Arrowsic, Dresden, Georgetown, Phippsburg, Woolwich and part of Richmond.

Besides enjoying live acoustic music, guests could tour Woolwich Historical Society’s 19th century farmhouse next door to the town office. WHS President Debbie Locke who was helping lead the tours said the museum reopened the first of July. It will remain open every Sunday from noon to 4, or by appointment by calling 751-4351.

Locke noted the historical society’s genealogical room had been reorganized by JC Donahue and is now much easier to use. She said there’s also colorful stenciling to see in the kitchen. The stenciling was recently discovered when the wallpaper was removed. Other items to see include a collection of Native American artifacts, a spinning wheel, old photographs, quilts, vintage clothing, a 19th century bedroom, old kitchen utensils and Civil War memorabilia.

Lloyd and Collette Coombs volunteered to help and got to sample the Hennins’ homemade ice cream. PHIL DI VECE/Wiscasset Newspaper

The annual Jones Family Sand Volleyball Tournament in Wiscasset Aug. 21 raised $1,024 for Dean Snell Cancer Foundation, Julie Jones said. The event included concessions, homemade pies and a race car from 4 Seasons Automotive for children to have pictures with, Jones said.

The team of Jim Bert, Rachel Pease, Bryan Harris and Dan Carlson won, Jones said. She said of the fundraiser, “We had such a great group of supporters.” Five teams took part.

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