Wiscasset selectmen on April 5 got pared down versions of a possible White’s Island project and got a lot of feedback on those and the concepts aired March 29. Resident Bill Maloney liked the revised options better, but opposed work this year except to remove planks to keep people off the deteriorating bridges. He said this is no time to be spending nearly $300,000, the local match to a grant Parks and Recreation Director Duane Goud has said the town could seek, if the town commits to its share.

Sums mulled March 29 broke a million dollars depending on the proposal and a grant Goud said could be up to $500,000. As Goud has since proposed, the grant would be sought to cover $291,000; the town would still need to cover the other half. In-kind contributions including disposal costs and landscape architect Peter Wells’ $24,000 in donated services can count toward the local match, local officials have said.

Goud’s document dated April 4 proposes a pair of questions for selectmen to consider putting on the June warrant:

“1. To see if the Town of Wiscasset will authorize the Selectmen to apply, on (behalf) of the Town, for federal financing assistance under the provisions of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act, Public Law 88578 for the Whites Island Public Access and Recreation Project; and further authorize the Selectmen to enter into the Land and Water Conservation Fund Project Agreement with the State subsequent to federal approval of the project.

“2. To see if the Town will vote to redesignate and appropriate $291,000.00 from Town of Wiscasset Construction Reserve, creating a new Town of Wiscasset White’s Island Reserve Fund (under the Town of Wiscasset Endowment Fund Total) as the Town match for the 2022 (Phase One) White’s Island Land and Water Conservation Project, contingent upon the approval of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant.”

As outlined in the new document, phase one calls for a $400,000 pedestrian crossing (420 feet at $750 a foot, with abutments for $85,000); a $75,000, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant railroad crossing; and “low-impact, minimal island development”: an ADA-compliant, looped walkway for​​​ $42,000; disposal of the old bridges and piling debris​​​​​​ for $35,000; and more “planning and engineering with minimal environmental improvements, ​$30,000.

The would-be playground from last month’s concept is gone. Wells said it turned out the grant and an easement would bar it; in its place, Parks and Recreation is eying a rural-type garden of native plantings, according to Goud’s document and Wells. And prospective parking has changed from an 18-space lot at the Pleasant Street extension to that being a green space with less parking, maybe having parking at a green space on Fore Street, or a combination of options. 

​​After Maloney opposed a $291,000 match this year, Selectman Kim Andersson said just removing the bridges would cost over $100,000. “So this deal,” she said, looking over to Wells’ latest sketch, “if we can do this (including new bridges), we’re actually saving money.” The board was talking about having townspeople decide “as a whole group, all of them,” she added.

It’s the board’s job to decide what goes on the warrant, Maloney’s fellow budget committee member Kim Dolce said. “(The proposal) sounds like a fabulous idea. I’m not saying it’s a bad one, I’m saying it’s a bad time.”

The board wanted time to digest the new options, figures and feedback. Selectmen planned a 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 12 meeting.

In other talks on the June town meeting warrant, the board agreed to propose voters up the planning budget to $50,000 so Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission can put in more hours. That would be less than half the cost eyed for an economic development person, Town Manager Dennis Simmons said. He said a “better plan,” including what that person would do, could be developed for next year. “I want the voters and the townspeople to feel comfortable that this is a worthwhile position and it can do some good. I don’t feel like we’re there yet.”

The board will send voters $71,737 in proposed giving to consider: $600 to the American Legion’s flag project; $2,000 to Help Yourself Shelf food pantry at St. Philip’s Church and Wiscasset Nazarene Outreach Food Pantry; $1,500, Healthy Kids; $63,000, Wiscasset Public Library; $1,515, New Hope for Women; $933, LifeFlight of Maine; $239, Waldo Community Action Partners; and $1,950, Spectrum Generations.

Also April 5, the board nodded Bath Ale Works’ liquor license request; made Juneteenth a local holiday; appointed Peter McRae to the planning board, Michael Costigan to the airport committee and Wells to the cemetery committee; accepted Anthony Rauseo’s and Terri Wells’ resignations from the cemetery committee, with thanks for their service; and sent back to the waterfront committee proposed harbor fee hikes after opposition in a public hearing. The hikes’ size could be hard for fishermen and recreational boaters, Wiscasset Yacht Club president and budget committee member Tom Joyce said. Speakers also said the hikes could send boaters elsewhere.

Seahawks baseball will return this spring after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Coach Ed Crocker said, with just one senior this year, he and assistant coaches Bill Mansfield and Jesse Peters foresee several good seasons.

“Our core group has been playing together for a long time,” said Crocker. “We have strong pitching and three catchers which we're not used to. Three catchers – I've never had that before!”

Four Wiscasset Middle High School athletes, all first-timers on a baseball team, have joined the team to round out a 14-person roster, said Crocker. Wolverines Zach Littlefield, Brayden Peaslee, Eli Wager and Alton King are already showing promise in practices so far; partnering with Wiscasset will make for a great return for the program, he said.

Senior Jordan Carrier and junior Gryffin Kristan will be co-captains during the 15-game season which opens at home April 20 against Telstar.

Others on the roster are Finn Harkins, Aidric Canada, Dominick Dow, Maddox Cusumano, Cleyton Splaine, Sam Markowitz, Robert Shaw and Liam Thomas.

After the season opener against Telstar, the schedule pits the Seahawks against Spruce Mountain High School away at 1 p.m. April 22; Carrabec High School, home, 4 p.m. April 27; Dirigo High School, away, 4 p.m. April 29; Hall-Dale High School, home, 4 p.m. May 2; Lisbon High School, away, 4 p.m. May 4; Madison High School, home, 4 p.m. May 6; Monmouth Academy, away, 4 p.m. May 9; Mountain Valley High School, home, 4 p.m. May 11; Mt. Abram High School, away, May 13; Oak Hill High School, home, 4 p.m. May 16; SMHS, home, 4 p.m. May 18; Telstar, away, 4 p.m. May 20; Winthrop High School, home, 4 p.m. May 23; and Carrabec, away, 4 p.m. May 25.

Wiscasset’s June ballot will have no White’s Island questions. Selectmen’s Chair Sarah Whitfeld announced April 12, at a budget meeting and ahead of it on Facebook, Parks and Recreation Director Duane Goud has pulled a proposal from consideration. She said he did this to provide time to get updated costs, especially for a railroad crossing; and more public input ahead of another try, likely for the November ballot, Whitfield said.

As a result of the April 12 meeting at the town office and on Zoom, selectmen propose bonding $1,267,500 of the $1,842,000 in capital requests on the June 14 warrant. As proposed, those items would be bonded over 10 years at an estimated 3.87% interest; yearly payments would be $155,701.

Capital requests proposed to be funded via capital reserve include $125,000 for a plow truck, $235,000 for an ambulance, $174,500 for the harbor expansion project and $40,000 for a municipal grounds maintenance truck. Proposed for bonding are $400,000 for a fire department tanker truck; $80,000 for roof work at Wiscasset Community Center; $50,000 for salt and sand shed roof work; $200,000, paving; $313,500, municipal building improvements including HVAC system upgrades and window replacement; $209,000, wastewater treatment plant work; and $15,000, Sunken Garden repair.

Voters will consider restoring a school resource officer after rejecting the job last year. The draft warrant noted a $60,000 grant from Wiscasset School Department would go toward the $86,253 cost.

Coastal Rivers will be celebrating Earth Day on Saturday, April 23 with family fun and exploration at Coastal Rivers Salt Bay Farm, 110 Belvedere Road, Damariscotta.

Between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., there will be a variety of family friendly activities to choose from, including a self-guided spring nature walk around the marsh, hourly children’s book readings with Nature Center volunteers, owl pellets to dissect, marsh mucking with nets and buckets, nature-inspired arts and crafts, field games, and more.

There are several picnic tables at the Nature Center for families wishing to bring a picnic lunch. Hot dogs, snacks and drinks will be available at no cost while supplies last. Boots are recommended for those interested in exploring the marsh.

This event is free of charge, thanks to member support and Coastal Rivers volunteers. No registration is required.

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.

Boothcasset track teams sent throwers and jumpers to Lisbon April 15 for a Mountain Valley Conference-wide season opener.

Teams did not use a point system, so athletes competed individually only. MVC teams are Carrabec, Hall-Dale, Buckfield, Dirigo, Lisbon, Madison, Mount Abram, Mountain Valley, Oak Hill, Spruce Mountain, Telstar and Winthrop high schools and Monmouth Academy.

Seahawk Kayden Ames qualified for MVC and State Championships for discus and shot put. He out-threw all competition in discus by nearly 40 feet with his best, 135’10”, and over 20 feet with his shortest, 118’4”. Zach Rollins was among the closest to Ames with his best throw, 93’3”, just inches behind Buckfield opponent Cameron Durgin’s 94’2” and three feet behind Winthrop opponent Jakob Barrows’ 96’6”. Caden Royal followed with 56’ and 68’9” throws; Brady Nichols, 60’9” and 55’11”; Thomas Babineau, 37’1”, 46’7” and 36’7”; and Finnegan Gaffney, 46’8”, 41’2” and 41’4”.

Ames’ shot put throws were 42’1.5”, 40’10” and 41’5.75”, with his best just five inches short of Lisbon opponent Ethayn Roberts; Rollins followed with throws of 35’11”, 35’11.75” and 31’7.25”; Bryan Gagnon, 19’4.25”, 22’7.5” and 21’9”; Nichols, 26’11.5, 26’2.5” and 25’1”; Henry Putnam, 22’9”, 23’9.75” and 24’5.25”; Royal, 23’6.25”, 27’2” and 27’11.25”; Austin Trask, 26’6.25, 27’2” and 27’8”; and Payton Blagdon, 26’1”, 26’11.25” and 26’4.25”.

Seahawk Jaelyn Crocker qualified for the MVC Championship in discus with 54’7”, 59’9” and 54’2” throws. Marissa Davison and Alivia Orr followed with throws of 44’6”, 43’6” and 46’7” and 44’2”, 37’ and 36’. Crocker also led in shot put with 25’8” and 26’2” throws. Davison threw 20’9.25”, 20’10.5” and 19’11.25”; Linnea Andersson, 14’4.5”, 17’0.25” and 17’4.25”; Josie Harrington, 17’7.25”, 18’7” and 23’5.5”; Maddie Orchard, 18’8.5”, 18’8.5” and 16’3”; and Orr, 19’2”, 18’2.25” and 21’1”.

Trask and Blagdon also qualified for MVC’s in the long jump with distances of 17’0.5”, 15’8” and 17’1” and 16’9”. Ryan Clark followed with 14’9.5” and 14’10” jumps; Gagnon, 13’9”, 14’1” and 13’4.5”; and Marshall Wall, 11’4.5”, 11’8.5” and 12’6.5”. For the girls, Harrington cleared the long jump in 11’11.5” and 12’5”; Andersson in 8’3”, 7’10” and 8’4.5”; and Emily Gosselin in 8’9.5”, 8’7.5” and 9’3”.

Harrington and Trask each qualified for high jump at MVC’s, Harrington clearing trials every two inches from 3’10” to 4’10” and Trask mastering 5’. For the girls, Orchard and Julia Truesdell cleared the 3’8” to 4’ range and Anna Gosselin, 3’8”. For the boys, Blagdon cleared the 4’6” range.

For girls javelin, Orr threw 45’11”, 46’7” and 45’2”; Anna Gosselin, 53’2”, 62’3” and 54’9”; Davison, 23’4”, 42’2” and 40’10”; and Emily Gosselin, 40’7”, 48’6” and 38’1”. For boys jav, Blagdon threw 102’4”, 101’1” and 52’2”; Putnam, 67’8”, 78’1” and 79’10”; and Gaffney, 60’, 57’8” and 67’3”.

Boothcasset’s first full meet will be April 19 at home on the WHMS fields against Monmouth, Winthrop and Hall-Dale.

A slew of Boothcasset Seawolves track athletes qualified for Mountain Valley Conference and State championships April 19. The teams faced off against Hall-Dale and Winthrop high schools on home turf at Wiscasset Middle High School with the boys outscoring Winthrop by one point and the girls taking second behind Winthrop.

Austin Trask and Bryan Gagnon qualified for MVCs and provisionally for States in the 100m and 200m dashes respectively. Trask also previously qualified in high and long jumps for MVCs, Payton Blagdon for long jump and Kayden Ames for discus and shot put (at MVCs and States). Others qualifying for MVCs: Blagdon, 400m dash; Tristan Pepe, 100m and 200m dashes; Marshall Wall, 3200m run; Nate Benoit, 110m and 300m hurdles; and Zach Rollins, shot put.

Jaelyn Crocker qualified for MVCs in shot put, Josie Harrington in shot put and 100m hurdles and Ava Schlosser in the 1600m racewalk. Crocker also qualified previously for MVCs in discus.

Girls results: Anna and Emily Gosselin took fifth and seventh in the 100m dash in 15.97s and 18.15s. Emily Gilliam took third in the 400m dash in 1:13.87 and fourth in the triple jump with 24’0.5”. Schlosser took second in the 800m dash in 3:06.05. Emerson Harris took first and Julia Truesdell second in the 3200m run in 14:48.7 and 15:33.18. Josie Harrington took first in the 100m hurdles in 19.04 and second in the high jump with 4’6”. Crocker, Marissa Davison and Alivia Orr took fourth, fifth and seventh in discus with 59’4”, 58’3” and 40’10”. Anna Gosselin, Davison, Emily Gosselin and Orr took third, fifth, sixth and seventh in javelin with 58’9”, 44’5”, 43’3” and 33’3”. Crocker, Harrington, Davison, Orr and Linnea Andersson took second, third, sixth, seventh and eighth in shot put with 26’3”, 25’1”, 21’5”, 20’ and 17’. Schlosser and Andersson took first and second in the 1600m race-walk in 9:43.01 and 12:22.36.

Boys results: Trask, Pepe, Henry Putnam and Thomas Babineau took first, third, fifth and 12th place in the 100m dash in 12.09, 12.78, 13.22 and 15.95. Gagnon and Pepe took first and second in the 200m dash in 24.98 and 26.1. Blagdon and Putnam took first and second in the 400m dash in 59.09 and 1:05.53. Ryan Clark took second in the 1600m run in 5:23.07. Marshall Wall took first in the 3200m run in 12:18.96. Nate Benoit took first in both the 110m and 300m hurdles in 22.68 and 59.13. Trask and Benoit took second and eighth in the long jump with 16’0.25” and 12’11.75”. Ames, Rollins, Caden Royal, Brady Nichols and Babineau took first, seventh, 10th, 16th and 17th in discus with 133’2.5”, 82’9”, 76’7”, 48’4.5” and 45’6.5”. Putnam and Blagdon took fifth and seventh in javelin with 87’ and 80’7”. Ames, Rollins, Royal and Nichols took first, second, 10th and 17th in shot put with 41’6.5”, 36’3”, 28’8” and 22’11.5”.

On the anniversary of the 60th year celebrating Windjammers Days and maritime history, we pay homage to our founder, Captain Marion Dash for her contribution as a female role model in our maritime community. It is her legacy that has inspired the Friends of Windjammer Days to celebrate the women who are working on the waterfront today who in turn inspire young girls and future maritime generations to come.

Terry Arford received her captain’s license in 1976. After 46 years piloting boats and transporting passengers, her enthusiasm for the ocean and the people she meets has remained steadfast.

"I still love introducing people to the coast of Maine. I love talking about the area." she shared.  During the summer season, Terry works for Captain Bill Campbell at Balmy Days Cruises.  Bill has a fleet of boats including ferries, sailboats, and a fishing boat. Captain Arford has piloted all of them. Back in the day, she would go from the pilothouse of the ferry which transports passengers out to Monhegan Island right to the helm of a sailboat that takes tourists around area lighthouses. 

Arford grew up on the water.  Her parents had a 47' sailboat named Yworry and the family cruised all over New England when she was young.  An impressive fun fact - Terry along with her two sisters and brother are all licensed captains. "There's a lot of salt in our blood." she laughed. 

Arford graduated from Brigham Young with a degree in English and psychology.  The psychology part may have helped with her easy going nature as a tour boat captain. She recalled some of the comments made when there were fewer female captains. “One time when the Balmy Days was tied up to the wharf at Monhegan Island and one of the locals got onboard he looked at my Teva sandals and shook his head. 'If Charlie Wade [owner, builder, and captain of the original Balmy Days] knew that the captain had pink toenails, he would be rolling over in his grave.' he said.  I didn't stop laughing until we were on the mooring" she remembered. 

Another time, her son was crewing for her along with another female deckhand.  They took turns with responsibilities onboard and it was his turn in the coffee bar while the other crew member was in the wheelhouse with Terry.  A gentleman passenger who saw  the captain's son making coffee started commenting, "Gosh it must be really tough.  We have women up in the wheelhouse and you are down here in the coffee bar."  After a few minutes of his ranting, Terry's son yelled up to the wheelhouse, "Hey Mom, do you want cream in that coffee?" Confident in her skills, Terry never let these kinds of comments bother her. 

“Women working on boats is far more common now than it used to be," said Terry.  "One day on the Balmy, I realized we had two female crew onboard, myself as captain, and the co-owner of the business who was also a woman, and I thought to myself – how cool is this.”

Captain Arford takes her job very seriously. "I feel a sense of responsibility and respect for both my passengers and the geography of Maine.  Often times, I am humbled by mother nature, and I am continually surprised in spite of the fact that I have been doing this for so long." At almost 70 years old, she wouldn't change a thing.  "I used to say one of these days, I'm going to have to grow up and get a real job, but somehow that never happened.  I am so fortunate to work for such a nice company in such a beautiful place.  I don't think I could duplicate it doing something else.”

That's the kind of passion Terry shares with visitors to our area.  How lovely is that.

In celebration of World Fish Migration Day, Maine Coast Heritage Trust and Midcoast Conservancy are co-sponsoring a paddle on the Sheepscot River Saturday, May 21 from approximately 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. World Fish Migration Day is a global celebration to raise awareness about the importance of migratory fish and free-flowing rivers. 

Many partners, including Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Department of Marine Resources, Atlantic Salmon Federation, Midcoast Conservancy, and Maine Coast Heritage Trust provide protection of the Sheepscot River to ensure high water quality in this important midcoast watershed.  

Registration is required and participants who register for the event will receive details on parking and launch time. The day will begin by gathering at Head Tide Dam in Alna to kick off the paddle after a brief presentation on why the Sheepscot River is an important part of maintaining healthy sea-run fish populations. The paddle down the Sheepscot River will begin below the Head Tide Dam and finish at Sheepscot Village in Newcastle. Participants will get a ride back to the launch site with a free shuttle provided courtesy of Kieve Wavus Education.

Paddlers should bring their own boat, paddles, and life jackets if they have them. There is a limited number of boats available free of charge upon request. The capacity for this trip is limited to 15 participants aged 15 years and older. Please pre-register online at midcoastconservancy.org/events. Only those who have pre-registered will be able to join the guided paddle.

For more information contact Melissa Cote with Midcoast Conservancy by emailing melissa@midcoastconservancy.org.

On the anniversary of the 60th year celebrating Windjammers Days and maritime history, we pay homage to our founder, Captain Marion Dash for her contribution as a female role model in our maritime community. It is her legacy that has inspired the Friends of Windjammer Days to celebrate the women who are working on the waterfront today who in turn inspire young girls and future maritime generations to come.

From her first day as an intern at the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) in 1976 to her last day as Education Director in 2021, her ability to imagine and create has touched countless lives and brought much enrichment to our region. She first became a “woman on the working waterfront” when she accepted that work-study position, and hopefully she will be around for many years to come.

In 1991, Jones became a full-time employee with DMR, in the position she held for 30 years. Her first order of business was rebuilding the marine-science curriculum for schools. Recognizing that teachers needed support with the “Sea Comes to the Classroom” program, Elaine adopted the train-the-trainer strategy. This successful approach resulted in a spinoff called Officer SALTY where marine patrol officers taught conservation and stewardship to coastal students. In a classroom aquarium, they cared for their ocean and its resident creatures, thus understanding the need to protect the ocean through hands-on experiences.

Next up, Jones was tasked with designing and constructing the Maine State Aquarium in 1994. Without previous experience in this area, she persevered through all obstacles to create an impressive educational facility that delights generations of visitors. Elaine incorporated a 20' touch-tank, the ever-popular shark tank, and many others recessed into the rocky-shore façade. Filled with invertebrates and fish from the Gulf of Maine, staff interact with visitors and share their knowledge about all specimens on exhibit.

A year later, Elaine heard about the Maine Lights Program, a federal transfer of lighthouses to new owners, which triggered a new vision.  In her course-work with teachers for recertification credits, affordable accommodations in the region were limited. Thus, she immediately visualized repurposing a lighthouse station into an educational facility. Jones spoke with the Island Institute who orchestrated the transfer. They encouraged her to visit Burnt Island to see if it would be a good fit. An island was not what Elaine had in mind, but she jumped in a skiff and went to check it out. "I fell in love right then and there.  It had everything - a rocky shore, beach, forest, meadow, seawall, tide-pools and maritime history galore. I never thought it could happen, but I fell in love with an island."

As with her past projects, there weren’t sufficient funds to support her vision, but Elaine has a talent for finding money for what she believes in. She worked tirelessly writing grants, seeking donations, organizing events, and recruiting volunteers. She also found herself delving into the history of the island and before long Burnt Island was home to an incredible "Living History" program, created from real stories. This educational opportunity was just what this community needed - a fun way for locals, school children, teachers and visitors to learn about our region’s marine and maritime resources.

One would think that was enough, but not Elaine. Remarkably, she was able to raise enough capital to build a post & beam education center on the island in the style of a Life Saving Station. This outstanding facility offers overnight accommodations for 32 people, thus providing students and teachers with endless opportunities to learn first-hand from their marine and maritime surroundings. It is no wonder Elaine received a Visionary Award by the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment and a Keeper of the Light Award from the American Lighthouse Foundation.  

Today, Elaine Jones spends her time focused on family, the upcoming arrival of her first grandchild, and continued research on all of Maine’s Lights. Her pleasure in life is being helpful to others and she will continue to share her knowledge/materials through Lighthouse Education & Nautical Studies (LENS), a nonprofit she founded. She will also continue to serve her beloved island as a member of the local Keepers of Burnt Island Light, the organization responsible for fundraising to cover the lighthouse and dwelling’s full-restoration and 2021 bicentennial celebrations. When time permits, Elaine will return to writing a book about Burnt Island as a fitting tribute to its 200 years of service to mariners.

When asked to share her most rewarding experience, she replied; "It was the quality of experiential learning provided to school children and teachers on Burnt Island. After a fun day of field experiences, the best came after sunset to include: viewing moonrise over the water, climbing the lighthouse’s spiral stairs, being greeted by its flashing light, and swishing the water to view hundreds of bioluminescent creatures sparkling below. It truly doesn’t get any better than that!”

Nominations for individuals and teams for the Midcoast Sports Hall of Fame are now being accepted, and will until June 1. 

Nomination forms are available on the Hall’s website: midcoastsportshalloffame.

For further information contact Tom Mellor at 691-2770 or ttmellor@gmail.com.

Hodgdon Yachts has partnered with marine technology company, Vita, to build their highest performance all electric flagship, the 10.5 meter (34'5") LION.

Engineered and powered by Vita in the UK, designed by BorromeodeSilva in Milan, and now built by Hodgdon Yachts in Maine, the LION represents high-quality boat building with the latest in electrical marine propulsion.

The first and only premium electric powerboat compatible with fast DC charging, the LION combines high performance and style with a one hour charge EME, a cruising speed of 24 knots and a top speed of over 35 knots.

“At Hodgdon we strive to push the boundaries in terms of materials, technology and design to optimize performance and deliver the quality the industry expects. Our move into electric yachts and tenders further demonstrates our commitment to increasing demands from the market for zero emissions boating,” says Audrey Hodgdon, director of Sales & Marketing.

“Our vision was to create a boat with no compromise in terms of user experience, performance and functionality while also ensuring the least impact possible on the marine environment in which it operates. This collaboration with Hodgdon combines our technical innovation and their centuries of craftsmanship at the highest levels to produce the most advanced electric powerboat built to date,” says Rory Trahair, CEO Vita Yachts Division.

The LION can accommodate up to eight guests in a large cockpit which can also be configured for dining. The sunpad and bathing area provides ample room for relaxation, together with a shower and ladder for swimming. Forward, the enclosed cabin includes a day berth, day head and sink as well as storage, with an integrated Fusion sound system throughout the boat.

The LION will be available for sea trials in the South of France this summer.

For more information, visit www.hodgdonyachts.com and www.vita-power.com.

Boothcasset track teams faced Mountain Valley Conference competition on home turf April 26. The boys team finished third behind Lisbon High School and Winthrop High School and far ahead of Monmouth Academy. The girls finished fourth behind Lisbon, Winthrop and Monmouth.

Seahawk Ryan Clark qualified for the MVC Championship in the 3200m run in 11:58.35. Clark joins teammate Marshall Wall in the event as well as Kayden Ames for discus and shot put; Austin Trask, high jump, long jump, 100m dash; Payton Blagdon, long jump, 400m dash; Tristan Pepe, 100m, 200m dashes; Bryan Gagnon, 200m dash, 800m run; Nate Benoit, 110m, 300m hurdles; and Zach Rollins, shot put. Girls going to MVCs thus far are Jaelyn Crocker for shot put; Josie Harrington, 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put; and Ava Schlosser, 1600m race walk.

Boys results: Trask, Pepe, Henry Putnam and Thomas Babineau took first, fourth, sixth and 16th in the 100m dash in 12.17, 12.74, 13.26 and 16.60. Pepe also took fifth in the 200m dash in 26.5. Blagdon and Benoit took first and third in the 400m dash in 1:00.4 and 1:09.3. Gagnon and Wall took second and fifth in the 800m run in 2:17.2 and 2:31.95. Wall also took third in the 1600m run in 5:39.9.

Trask, Blagdon, Benoit, Clark and Babineau took fourth, sixth, 12th, 14th and 18th in the long jump with 16’2.5”, 15’5.5”, 13’0.5”, 11’6.5” and 9’2.5”. Rollins and Finnegan Gaffney took third and fifth in discus with 67’5” and 56’5”. Putnam and Cecil Clifford took fifth and eighth in javelin with 85’9” and 60’2”. Ames, Rollins, Caden Royal, Clifford and Eddie Carpenter took second, third, eighth, 11th and 17th in shot put with 39’2”, 35’7”, 29’6”, 27’7” and 16’11”.

Girls results: Anna Gosselin placed seventh in the 100m dash in 16.08. Emily Gilliam and Gosselin placed fifth and eighth in the 200m dash in 32.56 and 36.02. Gilliam also took third in the 400m dash in 1:15.38. Grace Campbell took fourth in the 800m run in 3:05.65 and Schlosser and Maddie Orchard third and fourth in 3:07.52, Schlosser took second in the 1600m racewalk in 9:21.65.

Josie Harrington took first in the 100m hurdles in 17.68.

Orchard took fourth in the high jump with 3’10” and Gilliam fifth in the triple jump with 24’. Marissa Davison, Zoe Curtis and Alivia Orr took fifth, 11th and 12th in discus with 61’5”, 38’4” and 34’8”.

Gosselin, Orr, Davison, Curtis and Campbell took eighth, 10th and 12th through 14th in javelin with 56’3”, 48’4.75”, 39’, 34’8” and 33’7”. Orr and Davison took fifth and sixth in shot put with 20’10.5” and 20’10”.

The boys team took first and second in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays in 48.62 and 3:57.76. The girls took second in the 4x400m relay in 5:06.89.

Boothcasset track faced Hall-Dale and Mt. Abram high schools and Monmouth Academy in Farmingdale May 3. The boys team outpaced all competition and the girls team eked out a close second behind Hall-Dale and ahead of Monmouth.

The boys team owned most of the running events. In the 100m dash, Austin Trask took first in 12.25s; Nate Shutte, third, 12.61; Tristan Pepe, fourth, 12.68; Payton Blagdon, fifth, 13.07; Kayden Ames, seventh, 13.21; Conner Dover, 12th, 14.15; and Nase Lawless, 13th, 14.55.

In the 200m dash, Bryan Gagnon took first in 25.06; Trask, second, 25.38; Shutte, third, 25.6; Blagdon, fourth, 25.9; Pepe, fifth, 26.8; Henry Putnam, sixth, 26.86; and Dover, 12th, 28.53. Ryan Clark took second in the 800m and 1600m runs in 2:24.49 and 5:17.37. Marshall Wall took second in the 3200m run in 11:32.57. Nate Benoit and Putnam took first and second in the 1600m race-walk in 11:31.75 and 12:18.83.

Shutte, Dover, Lawless and Benoit took first, seventh, eighth and ninth in the long jump with 16’7”, 13’2.5”, 12’7.5” and 11’6”. Lawless also took third in the high jump with 4’8”.

Ames took first in shot put with 39’6”; Zach Rollins, second, 38’; Caden Royal, 13th, 26’6”; Cecil Clifford, 14th, 26’; Brady Nichols, 15th, 24’3”; and Peter Holbrook, 18th, 21’7”. Ames took first in discus with 127’3”; Rollins, third, 101’8”; Nichols, 11th, 71’6”; Royal, 13th, 67’; Holbrook, 14th, 65’4”; Clifford, 15th, 63’9”; and Thomas Babineau, 20th, 50’3”. Putnam and Clifford took fifth and eighth in javelin with 91’5” and 75’8”.

The boys 4x100m relay team – Gagnon, Pepe, Blagdon and Trask – took first in 48.54 seconds. The 4x400m relay team – Trask, Gagnon, Blagdon and Clark – also took first in 3:56.82

For the girls, Emily Gilliam and Anna Gosselin took fifth and eighth in the 200m dash in 31.55s and 34.58. Gilliam also took first in the 400m dash in 1:13.22 and fourth in triple jump with 23’6”.

Grace Campbell, Maddie Orchard and Julia Truesdell took first, second and fourth in the 800m run in 2:58.93, 3:00.79 and 3:03.08. The trio returned to the track for the 1600m run taking second, third and fourth in 6:41.98, 6:45.21 and 6:47.13. Ava Schlosser dominated the 3200m run taking first in 14:13.85.

Josie Harrington took firsts in the 100m hurdles in 17.81, high jump with 4’10” and shot put with 25’10”. Marissa Davison and Alivia Orr took fourth and seventh in shot put with 20’11.5” and 19’6.5” and seventh and 16th in discus with 58’4” and 37’3”. Anna Gosselin, Emily Gosselin, Orr, Truesdell and Davison took fifth, ninth, 10th, 14th and 17th in javelin with 66’7”, 50’, 48’, 41’3” and 38’5”. The girls 4x400m relay team – Campbell, Orchard, Truesdell and Gilliam – took first in 5:00.47, nearly half a minute ahead of Hall-Dale.

The Morse-Boothbay boys lacrosse team defeated Lincoln Academy at home in Bath and lost to Maranacook/Winthrop on the road in recent games.

At home, the team defeated L.A. 9-5, with a first quarter six goals helping to determine the final outcome.

Sophomore goalie Micheal Martin had 13 saves and six clears. Senior Cayden Green had four goals, two assists. Senior Sam Prager had one goal. Senior Lucas Hardwick, junior Drew Meader and freshman Sawyer Wright each scored one goal and had one assist.

“We started off very strong in the first quarter, terrific ball movement,” said coach Jay Paulus. “I liked the point distribution with my starting six players. Game got very physical and scrappy in the third. The fourth quarter we settled back down. We still have much to work on.”

At Maranacook, the home team scored 12 third period goals and posted a 21-4 win.

Goalie Michael Martin had 12 saves and Morse-Boothbay goals were scored by Hardwick, Prager, Green and Meader.

“This wasn't a particularly strong showing by the Shipbuilders; overall flat play, little if at all off ball movement,” said Paulus.

Middle school baseball is on the upswing in Midcoast Maine. This spring, Boothbay Region Elementary School returns for its second consecutive season after posting a 9-1 record in 2021. And Wiscasset returns to the Bus Line League after four years without a middle school program. On Saturday, May 7, Wiscasset seventh grader Landin Shivey fired the first pitch against Boothbay in what first-year Wolverine coach Phil Di Vece called “Spirit Day.”

Di Vece wanted to celebrate a link Boothbay and Wiscasset have in spring sports. Wiscasset high school  boys are playing on Boothbay’s baseball team, and Boothbay girls are playing on Wiscasset’s high school softball team. “It’s the first time Boothbay and Wiscasset (middle schools) have played in four years. So I thought we’d call today ‘Spirit Day’ because we’re playing our sister school who we share varsity programs (with),” Di Vece said. So the host Wolverines served coffee, donuts and other snacks during the middle school baseball game in celebration of the renewed rivalry.

Boothbay won 15-2, but Di Vece’s squad achieved a milestone by even playing the game. Wiscasset has battled low enrollment numbers in recent years which made fielding either a middle or high school team hard. Di Vece credits a core group of athletes for Wiscasset’s return to baseball. “It’s a special group of great kids,” he said. “I had the same group for soccer and basketball. So when March rolled around, we put up a sign-up sheet and had enough kids for a team.”

Di Vece has earned the nickname “Yogi Berra Di Vece” through his efforts in coaching all three middle school sports this year. His baseball team is young and inexperienced. The Wolverine roster has only two eighth graders, Peter Rego and Noah Ruzyckis,  but this is the first year either has played organized baseball. 

So what are the two rookies looking forward to most in their first season? “Winning!” both said. The team’s most common defensive alignment is starting pitcher, Landin Shivey; catcher, Julian King; first base; Ruzyckis, second base, Paul Lambert; third base, Kiernan Atwood; shortstop, Rego; and outfielders, Kyle Manks, Travis Bender and Teegan Marr. Wiscasset’s substitutes include Liam Moore and Evan Puterbaugh. Di Vece believes Wiscasset is in the early stages of re-building its program. He reported after several years without a Babe Ruth program, there are plans for one this summer. “It’s definitely a challenge, but there is a desire to play baseball in Wiscasset which is encouraging,” he said.

This spring, Di Vece has been impressed with one player’s leadership ability. “Julian King is our catcher. He has character as a high honors student. He is a leader in getting to practice early. He is also the first to clean up afterwards. His teammates all look up to him,” Di Vece said. So far, Wiscasset is 0-5 in league play. The 12-member roster has mostly sixth and seventh graders with no previous organized baseball experience.  But Di Vece reports his team is winning in other ways. “We’re out here having fun playing ball in the sun. It’s really a great experience for these young athletes to learn how to play,” he said. 

Against Boothbay Region, Wiscasset faced a tough challenge in Wildcat hurler Owen Cotta who coach Dennis Dacus described as one of the top two pitchers in the Bus Line league and his team’s top hitter. “He has a very good fastball and uses his off-speed pitches effectively,” Dacus said. “He is fundamentally sound and knows the game better than most kids at his age.” Cotta and his teammates have also benefited from playing a couple years of Cal Ripen Baseball. “The feeder program is doing a great job. Kids are playing baseball all summer long, and it’s really starting to show,” Dacus said. 

Boothbay’s defensive alignment for most early season games is Cotta, pitching; Casey Phelps, catcher; Trey Tibbets or Harrison Hinckley, first base; Lessie White or Maddie Andreason, second base; Sean Gamage or Cotta, shortstop; Aiden Locke, third base; and outfield, David Frazel, Cale Rogers, Sophie White, Izzy Andreason and Spencer Woods.  

Boothbay has a 3-2 record.

The Central Lincoln County YMCA is pleased to announce an opportunity to purchase two (one pair) invitations to the USTA President’s Suite and box seats while attending the 2022 US Open.

The invitations, which were donated by the USTA Foundation, will be part of a live auction on Thursday, June 23 at a Central Lincoln County YMCA fundraising event. The USTA has established a $5,000 minimum bid for the pair of invitations. Estimated value is more than $20,000. Persons interested in attending and/or bidding should contact Lisa Gilbride at the CLC YMCA.

The US Open is an internationally recognized tennis tournament that will be held this year from Aug. 29-Sept. 11 in Flushing Meadow, New York.

The invitations may be used for one Day Session Monday through Thursday of the first week of the 2022 US Open (August 29-September 1). Invitations to the President’s Suite include the following:

• Seating in the President's Box;
• Lunch in the President’s Dining Room;
• Hospitality in the President’s Suite;
• Access to all other courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
• Access to US Open Bus Transportation

The pair of tickets will be auctioned, along with other exciting items, at a fundraising event on June 23, 2022 at the home of a CLC YMCA tennis supporter.

All auction proceeds will be used to provide tennis programming for the children of Lincoln County. CLC YMCA Youth Tennis is one of many programs improving the lives of children by providing programs that introduce life enhancing skills, build self-confidence and promote healthy choices through the game of tennis.

Persons interested in supporting the CLC YMCA’s tennis programs or bidding on the U.S. Open tickets should contact Lisa Gilbride at the CLC YMCA 207-563-9622.

Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust’s “Spring Saunters” series of guided hikes continues in May with a walk along the River~Link Trail in Newcastle and Edgecomb from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 14.

The old farm roads and varied forest paths of the River~Link Trail traverse the side of Mount Hunger, wind past old stone foundations, and cross beautiful wooded streams. Gladu will point out spring wildflowers along the route.

This five-mile, one-way walk will require two cars per party. Hikers will need to park one car at the River~Link North parking lot on River Road in Newcastle (just south of the Dodge Point parking lot, on the opposite side of the road), and then proceed to the McKay Road parking area for the start of the hike.

This program is part of an ongoing guided hike series, free of charge thanks to member support. Registration is required at coastalrivers.org/events.

Anyone eager to explore Damariscotta Lake is invited to join Midcoast Conservancy for monthly paddles this summer! This unique lake has wonders around every corner. What better way to discover the lake than from the seat of a kayak? 

Thursdays from 4:30-6:30 p.m., starting on June 2, participants will meet at the Bunker Hill Road boat launch to go over paddling basics and safety before embarking. The group should be on the water for about an hour and a half. Damariscotta Lake has no shortage of inlets, islands and coves that will provide superb paddling enticements.

The events are free but registration is required for each Thursday. Boats, paddles and PFDs are available at no charge but must be requested on registration form, or attendees may bring their own boats. No participants under 12 (unless individual queries are made, and then leaders will evaluate on a case by case basis). All participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, and to register, go to https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events.

Boothcasset track faced Mt. Abram and Lisbon high schools and Monmouth Academy May 10 in Lisbon. The boys’ and girls’ teams both took second place behind Lisbon.

Josie Harrington took first in the 100m dash in 14.36s. Emily Gilliam and Anna and Emily Gosselin followed taking sixth, eighth and ninth in 15.11, 16.16 and 17.01. Anna and Emily Gosselin took ninth and 10th in the 200m dash in 36.01 and 36.62. Maddie Orchard took second in the 800m run in 2:59.75 with Grace Campbell and Ava Schlosser tying in 3:00.24 and taking third and fourth. Emerson Harris followed closely taking sixth in 3:07.48.

Campbell, Orchard and Harris took first, second and fourth in the 1600m run in 6:34.44, 6:38.15 and 6:43.65. Harrington took second and third in the 100m and 300m hurdles in 17.97 and 55.24. Gilliam followed in the 300m hurdles taking fourth with 59.9. Schlosser and Linnea Andersson took third and sixth in the 1600m race walk in 9:17.79 and 12:02.68.

Harrington took second in the high jump with 4’8” and Gilliam fourth for the triple jump with 23’9”.

Jaelyn Crocker, Marissa Davison, Andersson and Alivia Orr took first, fifth, 13th and 14th in discus with 75’1”, 68’9”, 41’7” and 40’5”. Anna and Emily Gosselin, Orr and Davison took third, eighth, 10th and 14th in javelin with 64’1”, 50’11”, 46’1” and 39’3”. Crocker, Davison, Orr and Andersson took first, third, seventh and 10th in shot put with 27’9.5”, 23’0.75”, 21’1.75” and 18’2.75”.

Six Boothcasset boys competed in the 100m dash. Austin Trask and Nate Shutte took first and second, Tristan Pepe fifth, and Conner Dover, Nate Benoit and Thomas Babineau 10th through 12th. Their times were: Trask, 12.2; Shutte, 12.27; Pepe, 12.84; Dover, 13.69; Benoit, 13.74; and Babineau, 16.48. Shutte, Bryan Gagnon, Pepe and Dover took first, second, fifth and seventh in the 200m dash in 25.23, 25.47, 26.86 and 28.66.

Gagnon and Henry Putnam took second and sixth in the 400m run in 57.24 and 1:01.53. Ryan Clark and Blagdon took first and second in the 800m run in 2:17.99 and 2:18.47. Marshall Wall took third in the 3200m run and Nase Lawless second in the 110m hurdles in 24.71. Benoit took third in the 1600m race walk in 11:14.35. The boys 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams took third in both events in 48.63 and 3:57.9.

In the long jump, Shutte, Trask and Dover took second through fourth and Benoit, Lawless and Babineau seventh through ninth. Results were: Shutte, 16’4.5”; Trask, 15’9”; Dover, 14’5”; Benoit, 13’0.5”; Lawless, 12’11.25”; and Babineau, 10’1.5”.

Nine Boothcasset athletes took part in the discus event. Kayden Ames led off in first place with 134’; Zach Rollins, second, 108’11”; Mason Clark, fourth, 80’7”; Brady Nichols, sixth, 75’10”; Cecil Clifford, 10th, 66’4”; Peter Holbrook, 12th, 62’2”; Finnegan Gaffney, 14th, 59’1”; Caden Royal, 15th, 58’; and Babineau, 16th, 57’2”.

Ames and Rollins took first and second in shot put with 40’7.5 and 36’9.25”. In the same event were Clifford, sixth, 29’7.25”; Royal, ninth, 28’5”; Nichols, 11th, 26’2.75”; Holbrook, 13th, 25’4”; and Benoit, 14th, 23’5.75”. Payton Blagdon and Putnam took second and fifth in javelin with 109’5” and 94’1”.

Waterville Invitational

The teams competed at the Waterville Invitational May 14 facing Leavitt Area, Winslow, Belfast Area, Skowhegan Area, Camden Hills Regional, Waterville, Messalonskee, Madison Memorial high schools, Maine Central Institute, Erskine and Lincoln academies, and Mountain Valley Conference rival Hall-Dale High School.

The boys took seventh in points beating out Camden Hills Regional High School by 12 points and stayed well ahead of 12th place Hall-Dale. The girls took ninth just two points behind Belfast Area High School and two points ahead of Hall-Dale.

For the girls, Gilliam took 25th in the 100m dash in 15.4s; Orchard, 800m run, 17th; 3:10.62; Orchard, 1600m run, 15th, 7:10.97; Harrington, 100m hurdles, third and second, 17.45 and 17.47; Gilliam, 300m hurdles, 19th, 1:04.94.

Harrington and Orchard took first and 15th in the high jump with 4’10” and 4’; Gilliam, 19th, triple jump, 24’8”; Orr, discus, 16th, 21’6.75”; Harrington and Orr, shot put, third and 16th, 27’4.5” and 21’6.75”; Andersson, race walk, fourth, 12:52.34.

Five Boothcasset boys raced the 100m dash: Trask took 13th in 12.26s; Shutte, 16th, 12.61; Pepe, 25th, 13.1; Putnam, 28th, 13.32; and Babineau. 50Th, 17.04. Gagnon led Trask, Shutte and Pepe in the 200m dash for eighth, 10th, 12th and 23rd in 25 seconds, 25.63, 25.65 and 27.51. Blagdon took sixth in the 400m dash in 56.85. Wall took 19th in the 800m run in 2:30.34 and 11th in the 1600m run in 5:32.08.

Lawless took eighth in the 110m hurdles in 23.03 and Benoit 10th in the 300m hurdles in 59.49. Benoit also took fifth in the 1600m race walk in 11:49.92.

Ames and Rollins took first and third in discus with 137’10” and 110’4” and then second and seventh in shot put with 41’5.75” and 32’9.5”. Blagdon took 22nd in javelin with 95’8” and Lawless took 10th in the high jump with 5’.

The boys 4x100m and 4x400m relays took sixth and third in 48.72 and 3:53.75.

The Seahawks and Wolverines track teams hosted Winthrop High School and Lincoln and Monmouth academies May 17. The girls team took second and the boys third in points.

For the girls, Anna and Emily Gosselin took third and fifth place in the 100m dash in 16.4s and 17.04. Placing in the 200m dash were: Josie Harrington, second, 30.43; Emily Gilliam, third, 32.01; Maddie Orchard, fifth, 33.23; Anna Gosselin, seventh, 34.73; and Emily Gosselin, eighth, 37.11.

Gilliam and Orchard took third and fourth in the 400m dash in 1:12.4 and 1:12.43. Julia Truesdell took fifth in the 800m run in 2:54 and Linnea Andersson took second in the 1600m race walk in 12:43.85.

Taking second through fifth in the 1600m race were: Truesdell, 6:27.46; Ava Schlosser, 6:33.75; Emerson Harris, 6:39.01; and Grace Campbell, 6:42.3.

Harrington took first in the 100m hurdles in 17.68 and third in the high jump with 4’10”. Gilliam took fifth in the triple jump with 24’4”.The girls 4x400m relay team took third in 5:08.24.

Jaelyn Crocker took first in discus with 73’5”. Marissa Davison, Andersson and Alivia Orr followed in seventh, 10th and 12th with 54’7”, 44’ and 38’1”. Crocker, Harrington and Davis took first through third in shot put and Orr and Andersson took eighth and ninth. Distances were: Crocker, 28’0.5”; Harrington, 27’2.5”; Davison, 23’2”; Orr, 21’10”; and Andersson, 18’8.5”.

Six Boothcasset boys raced the 100m dash: Austin Trask, first, 12.28s; Nate Shutte, third, 12.69; Henry Putnam, fifth, 13.17; Tristan Pepe, sixth, 13.44; Conner Dover, seventh, 13.87; and Thomas Babineau, 10th, 16.76. Trask and Pepe took first and eighth in the 200m dash in 25.14 and 31.34.

Payton Blagdon, Putnam, Pepe and Nate Benoit took second, fifth, seventh and eighth in the 400m dash in 56.71, 1:01.07, 1:06.72 and 1:10.47. Ryan Clark and Bryan Gagnon took second and fourth in the 800m run in 2:12.76 and 2:18.98. Marshall Wall took first in the 3200m run in 11:28.14 and Benoit fourth in the 1600m race walk in 11:09.67. Nase Lawless took fourth in the 100m hurdles in 22.93.

The boys took second in the 4x100m and 4x400m relay categories in 50.35 and 4:03.13.

Blagdon, Benoit, Lawless, Dover and Babineau took third, fourth, ninth, 10th, 13th and 15th in the long jump. Distances were: Blagdon, 16’7”; Benoit, 13’8”; Lawless, 12’6”; Dover, 12’3”; and Babineau, 9’0.5”.

Kayden Ames and Zach Rollins led competition and eight other Boothcasset athletes in discus. Results were: Ames, first, 124’9”; Rollins, second, 111’6”; Mason Clark, ninth, 91’7”; Cecil Clifford, 13th, 80’4”; Brady Nichols, 15th, 74’4”; Peter Holbrook, 16th, 69’4”; Caden Royal, 17th, 67’2”; Finnegan Gaffney, 23rd, 56’9”; Benoit, 24th, 49’9”; and Babineau, 25th, 46’3”.

Ames and Rollins also led in shot put in first and second place with 41’3” and 39’4”. Royal, Clifford, Nichols and Holbrook followed in ninth, 11th, 12th and 14th with 27’11”, 27’5”, 26’7.5” and 24’11”. Blagdon, Putnam, Gaffney and Clifford took seventh, eighth, 14th and 18th in javelin with 106’, 104’2”, 78’2” and 63’5”.

Boothcasset teams will compete at the Capital City Classic, also known as “Cony Under the Lights,” May 19 before the Mountain Valley Conference Championship May 26 at Lisbon.

On Thursday, June 2, at 4:30 p.m, Boothbay Region Historical Society presents Jon Johansen’s talk "Boatbuilding in Maine and Boothbay from 1980 to the Present."  Boatbuilding in the state of Maine has an incredible history. Jon will look at some of the more interesting boats built on the coast of Maine over the last 40 years, whether sail or power, large or small, for pleasure or for work. 

Jon Johansen is the publisher of the monthly newspaper Maine Coastal News, the president of Maine Built Boats, the president of Maine Lobster Boat Racing, president of the board of Penobscot Marine Museum, Director of the International Maritime Library, and president of the Winterport Historical Society.

Admission is free.  Currently all talks will be offered both in-person and on Zoom.  If Covid changes, this may change.  In-house seating is limited and if offered will be on a first-come, first seated basis.  Call us at 207-633-0820 or email brhs@gwi.net for the latest information.  

To request a Zoom link please email us at brhszoom@gmail.com.  

Boothbay Region Historical Society is located at 72 Oak St. in Boothbay Harbor.

Friday’s community cookout Partners in Education put on at the town playground on Gardiner Road was not the only one in Wiscasset Elementary School grandmother Betty Oyster’s weekend plans. She had one set for the next day for a relative’s visit. So it is a busy time, she said smiling as she helped daughter Lucy Oyster-Ackerman, PIE’s fundraising coordinator, set up a treats table after Friday’s gray, cool weather took a sunny, warmer turn in time for PIE’s event.

Oyster-Ackerman had predicted beautiful weather. Friday night, she said the event’s goal was two-fold: helping get children back into the community after years of the pandemic, and raising funds toward new automated electronic defibrillators (AEDs) for WES.

She said PIE will have a food stand from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 28 at Wiscasset Speedway’s Coastal Cruise-In and Fun Day. Part of the funds PIE raises that day will go to Special Olympics, part toward the AEDs and possibly other PIE projects, Oyster-Ackerman said. The group is talking with Parks and Recreation about possible movie showings at the playground this summer, she added.

The 2022 season continues to roll on at Wiscasset Speedway as the racing action continues to heat up! The Group #1 divisions returned to the speedway on Saturday, May 21 for a full night of racing action which included the T&L Automotive Enduro Series.

The Norm’s Used Cars Pro Stocks were the spotlight division of the night with a 50-lap race to kick off an exciting night of feature racing. 2021 Pro Stock champion, Josh St. Clair, won his heat race and started on the front row for the feature. St. Clair got an early jump on his competitors, but Kevin Douglass (week 1 & 2 winner) was quickly coming through the field, maneuvering through traffic after starting from the tail-end of the pack. A late-race caution on lap 39 brought the field back together for a final 11 lap shootout. Kevin Douglass was hard-charging in the closing laps, pulling to St. Clair’s door with 5 laps to go. The two drivers remained neck and neck for the remainder of the feature and even made slight contact coming through the final turn, resulting in St. Clair sliding through the infield grass as he crossed the finish line. St. Clair miracuously held onto it, picking up his first Pro Stock victory (5th of the season overall) of the 2022 season. Kevin Douglass and Steven Chicoine (1st podium finish of the season) rounded out the top 3.

Dustin Salley took off with the early lead in the 25-lap Sweatt’s Concrete Thunder 4 Mini feature. But, David Cook was also on a mission, making his way from 18th to 2nd in just 6 laps. Cook dove to the inside of Dustin Salley on lap 6, swiftly taking over the lead. Week 1 winner Zach Audet took over the runner-up spot on lap 14 and set his sights on David Cook, attempting to reel in the leader. David Cook managed to hold Zach Audet off through the closing laps of the feature, picking up his second victory of the 2022 season. Dustin Salley followed, rounding out the podium.

Division rookie, Alex Smith, held the early advantage over his competitors in the 30-lap Market 27 Super Streets feature. He held strong through lap 7, where Michael Harrison took over the top spot. It was an uphill battle for Harrison, who fought to fend off both PJ Merrill and Tiger Colby. A late-race caution on lap 18 brought the field back together and brought opportunity for Tiger Colby, who powered into the lead on the restart. A slew of cautions in the coming laps made for a lot of stop & go for the leaders, but Tiger Colby powered through and held off his competitors, picking up his first career victory in the Super Streets. PJ Merrill and Matt Beers rounded out the top 3.

The Brackett’s Market 4-Cylinder Pro division rounded out the points racing program with a final 25-lap feature. Garrit McKee, Jr. took off with the early lead in the feature while his competitors battled it out 3-wide for the runner-up spot. Sylas Ripley came out of the battle victorious, taking over second before quickly overtaking McKee, Jr. for the top spot. A mid-race incident on lap 13 involving heavy hitters Garrit McKee, Jr., Josh Hall and Callahan Cox brought the field back together for a 12-lap drag race to the finish. Ben Burgess was quickly reeling in Sylas Ripley in the closing laps and even made his way to Ripley’s door on the final lap. Burgess was unable to close the deal, as he went for a spin on the backstretch. Sylas Ripley maintained his advantage through the final 2 turns, picking up his first career victory at Wiscasset Speedway at just 12 years old. Ripley happily celebrated with his friends and family in Victory Lane, a group that included his Dad, Darrin Ripley. The Ripley family is synonymous with Wiscasset Speedway and Sylas Ripley sure is doing his family justice at such a young age! Garrit McKee Jr. (1st career podium finish) and  Josh Hall finished out the top 3. 

The night concluded with the T&L Automotive Enduro Series, where 33 Enduro cars rolled out for an exciting 100 lap feature. Mike Landry of Madison took home the top spot, completing all 100 laps. Martin Emerson and Jeff Read rounded out the top 3 and were also the only other drivers to successfully complete all 100 laps. 

The excitement continues as we roll into Memorial Day weekend, where Wiscasset Speedway is hosting the Coastal Cruise-In and Fun Day on Saturday, May 28th (10 am - 3 pm) followed by the annual Coastal 200 on Sunday, May 29th (2:00 pm). Please join us for 2 days of fun and can’t-miss racing action! As always, grandstand admission is just $5 for adults and free for kids 6 and under.

For more track information, please visit http://www.wiscassetspeedway.com. Wiscasset Speedway is located on West Alna Road in Wiscasset.

For adults wishing to learn the art and science of sailing, this is your course. As with any art, it requires time to establish this skill.

The exact contents are customized to suit the knowledge and comfort level of the participants. They will cover everything from why the sails work to the specifics of actually making them work. Terminology, boat handling, safety, sail trim, fundamental weather, knots, rudimentary navigation, history, and some sea stories will be covered. You might be ready to solo in light air at the end of these classes. 

Basics / Intermediate Level - for non-members, $250 plus a minimal fee for basic classes/members $175 per class to support the WYC sailing program (preference for participation will be given to members as openings are limited)

Prerequisites: Introduction, rigging, and ground class, and ability to swim (if need be, we will incorporate preliminary courses into the private lessons at no cost to members). Select your schedule – weekdays: 1 to 5 p.m., or Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (bring lunch) June through September beginning the week of June 13, providing 12 hours of instruction according to your scheduled appointment. 

For questions or to arrange your 12-hour private class, contact Tom Stoner at (207) 205-2409.

As we near Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of the summer recreational boating season, the Maine Marine Patrol provides the following reminders for a safe, enjoyable experience on Maine's coastal waters:

Wear 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.
  
  
• The latest U.S. Coast Guard statistics show 75 percent of recreational boating fatalities were due to drowning, and that 86 percent of those who drowned were not wearing life jackets.
  
  
• New life jackets are much more comfortable, lightweight and stylish than the bulky orange style most boaters know. There are innovative options, such as inflatable life jackets, allowing mobility and flexibility for activities like boating, fishing, paddling or hunting, and are much cooler in the warmer weather.
  
  

Check Your Boat and Gear

• Safe boaters should also have working navigation lights, visual distress signals, sound signaling devices, VHF radio, cell phone, proper ventilation, and properly displayed registration numbers.
  
  
• A thorough check of fire extinguishers and flares should be done to make sure they work.

Plan Before You Go

• Always check the local marine forecast before heading out on Maine's coastal waters.
  
  
• Boaters should file a float plan with a friend or relative, letting them know where you are going and when you plan to return.

Paddle Safe

• Kayakers, canoeists and paddle boarders should always wear a life jacket.
  
  
• Bring a hand-held VHF radio and a cell phone in a waterproof case.
  
  
• Carry signaling devices (whistle, mirror, flares) in a pocket of your life jacket.
  
  
• A personal locator beacon will relay your precise location to rescue agencies if you're in distress.
  
  
• Kayakers should always carry a paddle float and bilge pump.
  
  
• With ocean temperatures in many places less than 50 degrees, paddlers should dress for the water temperature and consider wearing a dry suit or a wet suit.
  
  
• Place a sticker on smaller craft like kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards, with contact information including a phone number.
  
  
• If Marine Patrol or Coast Guard finds one of these small vessels with nobody onboard, they can call the number and confirm whether the owner is missing, potentially avoiding an unnecessary search and rescue operation.

Don't Boat Under the Influence

• Another important safety issue is drinking and boating. According to Coast Guard statistics, alcohol is a leading contributor in deadly boating accidents.
  
  
• Marine Patrol will prosecute people who are under the influence while operating a boat.
  
  

For more information on recreational boating safety, visit the Maine Department of Marine Resources website at http://www.maine.gov/dmr/marine-patrol/recboatingsafety.html

Memorial Day weekend is fast approaching and that can only mean one thing - the Coastal 200 is returning to Wiscasset Speedway! The highly anticipated Coastal 200 is not only the first major event of the season at Wiscasset, but it’s also a part 2 of a fun-filled weekend at the track. It all kicks off on Saturday with the annual Coastal Cruse-In & Fun Day, presented by Bozzutto’s Inc. to benefit the Special Olympics. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature a cruise-in car show sponsored by Four Season Synthetic, a cornhole tournament sponsored by Wicked Cornhole, live music brought to you by the Allen Foster Band and Don Boudreau, good food and lots of fun for the whole family! The event will be held on the track and the infield with just $5 admission. There will also be awards handed out for both the car show and the cornhole tournament. Complete event and sponsor information can be found on the Wiscasset Speedway website: http://www.wiscassetspeedway.com. 

Sunday marks the return of the annual Coastal 200, which is one of the largest and most prolific Late Model races in the Northeast. The top Late Model drivers in New England will tackle Maine’s fastest track, hoping to get their hands on the highly desired $5,000 winner’s purse. The total purse for the race is quickly nearing $30,000 as well. Defending race winner, Josh St. Clair, will be back in the field looking to defend his crown alongside his grandfather, “Boss Hogg” Dave St. Clair, who is a Wiscasset and Maine racing legend in his own right. 2-time winner, Ben Ashline, is hoping to find himself back in the winner’s circle after an uncharacteristically tough night just two weekends ago at the track. 5-time Late Model champion and 2016 race winner Chris Thorne is always a key player in the Coastal 200 and will surely shake things this weekend, along with 4-time track champion Nick Hinkley. Dave Farrington, Jr., who won the race in 2015, will also be joining the field on Sunday. Don’t count out weekly regulars like Will Collins and Nick Reno, who have shown a lot of strength this season as well. Keep your eyes out for a handful of other contenders who will be eyeing their shot at the coveted Coastal 200 title.

The jam-packed program will also include the T&L Automotive Roadrunners, 88.5FM Modifieds and the Portland Glass Strictly Streets. The pit gate will open at 9 a.m., with grandstands opening at noon and the green flag flying at 2 p.m. Grandstand admission is just $5, with kids 6 & under free. 

Every day, we honor those who served and continue to serve our country, sacrificing everything to defend our freedom. As a small thanks and gesture of gratitude toward their service, all Veterans and Active Duty Military are invited as special guests this weekend with free grandstand admission.

For the full race day schedule and more track information, please visit http://www.wiscassetspeedway.com. Wiscasset Speedway is located on West Alna Road in Wiscasset. 

Kevin Burnham, as editor of the Boothbay Register newspaper, is the first recipient of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 2-5 designation as a “Coast Guard Auxiliary Safety Partner.” The Safety Partner Program is meant to recognize individuals and businesses in the Boothbay region who have been active supporters of the missions and activities of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

The citation to accompany the Safety Partner certificate reads in part:

Mr. Kevin Burnham is hereby recognized for his past and continuing support of U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 2-5, Boothbay Harbor, ME through the publication of feature, news and general information articles and photographs submitted by flotilla Public Affairs, Public Education, and Vessel Examination officers.

That support has been a significant factor in the success of key programs which promote the Auxiliary’s missions of Recreational Boating Safety through safety inspections of recreational boats, online and in-person classes, and on the water safety patrols.

The Safety Partner Program will be ongoing with new recipients designated and recognized, events that will most certainly be reported in the Boothbay Register.

“I wish to thank Mr. Chatham, Mr. Stanley, and Flotilla 2-5, for the recognition,” said Burnham. “Having lived in the Boothbay region my entire life, I know how important getting safe boating information out to the public is.”

To schedule a free Vessel Safety Check just about anywhere, or for information about joining the CG Auxiliary, visit: cgaux.org

For information about Vessel Safety Checks, local classes, or joining Flotilla 2-5, Boothbay Harbor, Maine, visit: flotilla25.org

Boothcasset track teams traveled to Lisbon May 26 for the Mountain Valley Conference Championships. The girls team finished third behind a Lisbon and Oak Hill High School mashup and Winthrop High School. The boys finished fourth, separated from second place only by three points: Winthrop scored 94 points, Mountain Valley, 93, and Boothcasset, 92.

“Both of our teams did an excellent job and placed well,” said Coach Nick Scott. “Coaches were super impressed with (athletes’) abilities to stay positive and persevere throughout the meet.”

Grace Campbell, Maddie Orchard and Julia Truesdell took third, fifth and sixth in the 800m run in 2:53.63, 2:58.61 and 3:02.63. Orchard, Campbell, Ava Schlosser, Emerson Harris and Truesdell took fifth, sixth, seventh, ninth and 10th in the 1600m run. Their times: Orchard, 6:27.33; Campbell, 6:28.75; Schlosser, 6:31.44; Harris, 6:41.64; and Truesdell, 6:52.53.

Schlosser, Harris and Campbell took second, third and fourth in the 3200m run in 14:53.75, 15:07.24 and 15:25.58. Josie Harrington took second and third in the 100m and 300m hurdles in 17.24 and 53.69 and third in the high jump with 4’8”. Schlosser took third in the 1600m race walk in 10:09.24.

Jaelyn Crocker and Marissa Davison took eighth and 17th in discus with 71’ and 56’2”. Anna Gosselin took 15th in javelin with 61’8”. Harrington and Crocker took second and fifth in shot put with 28’10.5” and 27’10”.

The girls 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams both took eighth place, in 1:03.14 and 5:13.33. The 4x800m relay team took first in 12:10.54.

Austin Trask took third in the 100m dash and Tristan Pepe seventh in 11.72s and 12.65 respectively. Trask also took third in the 200m dash, Bryan Gagnon sixth and Pepe 10th. Their times were 24.93, 25.56 and 26.52.

Payton Blagdon and Henry Putnam took fourth and fifth in the 400m dash in 56.44 and 58.49. Ryan Clark took second in the 800m run in 2:19.16 and sixth in the 1600m in 5:21.38. Marshall Wall and Clark took fourth and sixth in the 3200m run in 11:03.26 and 11:58.18. Nate Benoit and Nase Lawless took seventh and eighth in the 110m hurdles in 21s and 22.46. Lawless took sixth in the high jump with 5’.

Kayden Ames, Zach Rollins and Mason Clark took first, third and 15th in discus with 142’10”, 111’ and 85’4”. Ames and Rollins took second and fourth in shot put with 41’2.5” and 39’3”.

The boys relay teams took third in the 4x100m, second in the 4x400m and second in the 4x800m in 48.3s, 3:46.99 and 9:29.62.

Everyone who took a first place makes the MVC all-star first team and second-place earners are named to the second team, said Scott. “Not surprisingly, in addition to strong team standings, we also had a bunch of individuals who did quite well. A special congratulations to Kayden Ames for being MVC champion in the discus and to the girls' 4x800m team winning their event as well.”

Those who made second team were Schlosser for the 3200m run; Harrington, 100m hurdles, shot put; and Ryan Clark, 800m run.

Seven boys and three girls have qualified for the June 4 State Championship in Lewiston. For the boys, Ames, discus, shot put; Trask, 100m dash and provisionally for 200m dash; Gagnon, provisionally for 200m and 400m dashes; Rollins, discus and provisionally for shot put; Blagdon, 400m dash provisionally; Clark, 800m run provisionally; and Wall, 3200m run provisionally.

For the girls: Harrington, high jump, 100m and 300m hurdles, and provisionally for shot put; Schlosser, 1600m race walk; Crocker, shot put and discus provisionally. The boys and girls 4x100m, 4x400m and 4x800m relay teams have also qualified.

Hearty Roots knows the power of connection. For youth. For community. At Hearty Roots, programming is intentionally personalized so that kids in Lincoln County have the opportunity to “get off the grid” and build resilience and foster mindfulness by connecting with nature, their boundless hearts, and peers. The unique fusion of outdoor adventure programming and social-emotional experiences at Hearty Roots has gained the attention and recent grants from  Onion Foundation and the Lincoln County Fund through Maine Community Foundation. “We’re honored,” says Jess Ruhlin, deputy director and Outing Club leader for Hearty Roots. “Our work focuses on helping kids build empathy and connection, and it’s inspiring to receive support from donors that uphold these same tenets of personal attention and community building.” 

Programming at Hearty Roots is intentionally small-scale, and intentionally child-focused. Through strong social-emotional development, Hearty Roots aims to build strong communities, one youth at a time. Fully integrated into the local school systems and communities, Hearty Roots staff and board members reach kids where they are at, helping them to attend and access sessions, regardless of family finances. Hearty Roots connects with Lincoln County’s most vulnerable populations, with seventy-five percent of campers having experienced three or more Adverse Childhood Experiences. Promoting wellness, introspection, social-emotional development, all while cultivating ways to play a positive role in their communities, kids gain the ability to get grounded and soar. Cultivating relationships and kindness is at the core of the Hearty Roots mission, a journey strengthened by local kiddos, generous donor support and a belief in a beautiful future. For more information on programming, summer offerings or sponsoring a child’s hearty adventure through scholarship, visit heartyroots.org or contact the director: haley@heartyroots.org.

As the trails dry out and the black flies move on, thoughts turn to mountain biking, and Midcoast Conservancy has a summer full of opportunities for trail riding enthusiasts.

Running through Sept. 3, weekend bike rentals at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson will available 9 a.m. to  3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Midcoast Conservancy members get a 50% discount on rates. No reservations are required.

Wednesday group rides are 5:30-6:45 p.m. at HVNC. The program will run through the end of August. No registration is required; participants can bring their own gear or rent from Midcoast Conservancy.

For anyone looking to hone their mountain biking skills, last year’s very popular three-part clinic will be offered again. “Basics of Mountain Biking” on June 11 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 July 9, “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.

“Progression” on Aug. 20 is a workshop for those looking to “level up” their mountain biking 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.

Attendees have the option of signing up for one, two or all three classes. To learn more about the clinics and register, go to https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/newsfeed/2022-summer-biking.

The Boothcasset track teams finished the season at the Class C state championships in Lewiston June 4. Five boys and three girls advanced to states in individual events and nine boys and six girls to relay events. The boys finished ninth out of 31 teams in points and the girls 15th out of 28 teams.

Coach Nick Scott described the outing as a great conclusion to an amazing season, with Kayden Ames out-throwing all competition in discus for first place.

“Congratulations to Kayden Ames, Class C state champion in the discus (throwing) a personal record … with a distance of 143’11”,” said Scott. “It is also interesting to note that Kayden's throwing coach, (his) mom, was also a former state champion in the same event. Congrats to both for being a mother-son state champion duo!”

Josie Harrington took eighth in the 100m hurdles preliminary round in 17.82s and followed up in fifth for the main event in 17.25. Harrington placed 14th in the 300m hurdles in 55.22, sixth in the high jump with 4’8”, and 18th in shot put with 26’3.25”. Ava Schlosser took third in the 1600m race walk in 9:05.72 and Jaelyn Crocker tied for 14th in shot put with 26’5.5” and took 24th in discus with 67’2”.

The girls 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams took 21st and 24th in 1:05.25 and 5:12.95 respectively. The teams were made up of Schlosser, Emerson Harris, Grace Campbell and Maddie Orchard.

For the boys, Austin Trask took 12th in the 100m dash in 12.14s. Trask and Bryan Gagnon took 15th and 17th in the 200m dash in 24.6 and 24.81 respectively. Ryan Clark took 11th in the 800m run in 2:16.76.

Ames set a personal record and became Class C state champion in discus with 143’11”. Zach Rollins followed in sixth with 110’2”. Ames and Rollins took fifth and ninth in shot put with 39’11” and 38’3.5”.

The boys 4x100m, 4x400m and 4x800m relay teams placed seventh, third and fifth in 48.32, 3:46.63 and 9:05.25. The first team was composed of Gagnon, Tristan Pepe, Payton Blagdon and Trask; the second team, Henry Putnam, Trask, Blagdon and Gagnon; and the third team, Marshall Wall, Blagdon, Gagnon and Clark.

The 2022 racing season at Wiscasset Speedway rolled on this past weekend with a full Group #1 program that included the Sweatt’s Concrete Thunder 4 Minis, Market 27 Super Streets, Brackett’s Market 4-Cylinder Pros, Norm’s Used Car Pro Stocks and the NELCAR Legends. Over 80 competitors lined the pits on Saturday for an exciting day of racing. 

The program, sponsored by Knox Machine Company, kicked off with a 25-lap spotlight feature from the Sweatt’s Concrete Thunder 4 Minis. The race was originally scheduled to be a 35-lap feature, but a caution plagued start of the race resulted in ten laps being deducted after the fourth caution on lap 12. Once the field settled, David Cook took off with the lead and began pulling away, holding a half straightaway lead over his competitors in the closing laps of the race. He maintained his lead through the conclusion of the feature, scoring his third consecutive victory in the division. Father-son duo, Adam and Zach Audet, rounded out the podium. 

Josh St. Clair, a 2-time winner in the Market 27 Super Streets this season, was absent from the division on Saturday. Former division champion, Michael Harrison, snagged the early lead away from David Greenleaf in the feature. He fought off a hard-charging rookie, Brett Osmond, throughout the second half of the race to pick up his first win of the season. Following post-race technical inspection, Harrison was penalized due to a carburetor violation and Brett Osmond was declared the official race winner. The win is Osmond’s first in the Super Streets. 

Taylor Lane dominated the first half of the day in the Brackett’s Market 4-Cylinder Pro division, winning the qualifying heat race and leading the first 7 laps of the feature before Ben Burgess took over. A late-race caution for Daniel Harding spinning led to a 3-lap shootout for Ben Burgess and Josh Hall, who is a 2-time winner this season in the division. It was a drag race to the finish for the two young drivers. Burgess beat Hall to the line by a nose, picking up his first career victory at Wiscasset Speedway. Margin of victory? .017 seconds. Sylas Ripley, who picked up his first career win 2 weeks ago, rounded out the podium.

The NELCAR Legends Tour made their first visit to Wiscasset Speedway in 2022 on Saturday, joining the Group #1 divisions. 2020 tour champion, Luke LeBrun, who won 8 races last season, kicked off the day with a heat race victory. He tracked down Devin Deshaies on lap 4 of the feature and never looked back, ending the night with another win. Devin Deshaies and James Anderson rounded out the podium.

The Norm’s Used Cars Pro Stocks rounded out the night with a final 40-lap feature race. Nick Reno showed strength all day, picking up a heat victory and powering to the early lead over Scott Chubbuck in the feature. A wreck on lap 9 collected many heavy hitters, including Kevin Douglass and Josh St. Clair, both of whom are winners in the division this season. Gary Smith, 2021 Beech Ridge track champion, was also caught up in the carnage. Nick Reno took off following the caution, extending his lead to a full straightaway with just ten laps to go. Reno sailed off into the sunset, picking up his first Pro Stock victory of the 2022 season. Garrett Hall and Logan Melcher rounded out the top 3. 

The competition continues to heat up at Wiscasset Speedway as the season rolls on and there is more fun to come! Please join us for Mainely Karting Night on Saturday, June 11 - brought to you by LST Motorsports Park. The night will feature a full Group #2 program, including the T&L Automotive Roadrunners for their third race of the season. Grandstands open at 4 p.m. and racing will commence at 5. As always, admission is just $5 for adults and free for kids 6 & under.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of Scottie Frazier, former Wiscasset flagman and Racing With Jesus Ministries Chaplain who passed away suddenly over the weekend. Scottie greatly touched Wiscasset Speedway and our neighboring racing community. He will be sorely missed by many. 

For official race results and more track information, please visit http://www.wiscassetspeedway.com. Wiscasset Speedway is located on West Alna Road in Wiscasset, Maine. 

While performing routine water quality monitoring on June 2, Midcoast Conservancy’s Damariscotta Lake Watershed Manager, Patricia Nease, observed what appeared to be cyanobacteria aggregates near the Bunker Hill Boat Launch. Upon further investigation in the following days and in collaboration with scientists from the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, cyanobacteria aggregates were documented throughout the entire lake - the South Arm, Muscongus Bay, and Great Bay.

While naturally occurring, excess quantities of cyanobacteria can present human health risks to humans and pets. Thankfully, the concentration does NOT appear to meet "bloom" criteria at this time, yet this is still a concerning water quality issue.

“We have recorded cyanobacteria outbreaks on the lake for the past few summers, but they have generally occurred late in summer and have been limited to the South Arm. What is particularly concerning this year is that this outbreak is so early and widespread, indicating a lake that may be increasingly distressed from warming waters and excess nutrient pollution,” explained Nease.

Midcoast Conservancy will continue to monitor this and future cyanobacteria outbreaks on Damariscotta Lake. Nease also added “There are inherent risks in open water swimming. We always recommend best practices, including to avoid scummy or dense areas, avoid inadvertently swallowing lake water while swimming, keep pets from drinking the lake water, and avoid using lake water for drinking or household use.”

For the latest updates on cyanobacteria and other Damariscotta Lake water quality issues, please follow Damariscotta Lake Watch on Facebook and Instagram.

More info on cyanobacteria, what causes it, and what can be done about it can be found here: https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/damariscotta-lake-water-quality-alerts.

That’s right, racing fans, it’s time to rev up your motors! Maine’s 2022 lobster boat racing season kicks off right here in Boothbay Harbor with the Charles Begin Memorial Lobster Boat Races on Saturday, June 18.

If you’re a boat captain, signup is at Brown’s Wharf at 121 Atlantic Ave. between 8 and 10 a.m. First race is at 10.

This year’s color for the T’s ($20) and sweatshirts ($35) is maroon. Get yours at the signup table. They sell out fast, so get there early even if you’re not the captain of a lobster boat. Consider yourself forewarned!

Sponsor names on the back of these shirts are Samoset Boatworks, Inc., Merton's Fiberglass Supply, Carousel Marina & Fuel, Robert Kohler Design, New York Life Ins. Co. Agent Kyndall Schmidt; major sponsors are Kaler's Restaurant, Pat Farrin and Sons Dirt Work, Rope Razor, Hammond Lumber Company, Kaler Oil Co., Inc., Mainetain Charters, Barrett Transportation, Water Street Kitchen & Bar, Cook's Landing Pizzeria & Pub, Ocean Point Homes, Gerry Gamage, Town of Boothbay Harbor. The 2022 Super sponsors are Red's Eats Inc., Harold W. Bishop Agency, Nautilus Marine Fabrication, Brooks Trap Mill, Rose's Oil Service, Inc., Mama D's Mercantile Inc., Ames Supply, Inc., Working Man Construction Co. Inc., E.M. Wood Construction, Inc, Viking Lumber Inc., Hodgdon Yacht Services, Martin Page, Janson's Clothing and A/C MidCoast Storage. Additional sponsor/donors’ names will appear on flyers distributed come racing day. 

Ashleeann Lowery has been a member of the Boothbay Harbor Race Committee since 2007, and president for 10 or so of those years. She’s looking forward to the races and is curious about how many boats will show up.

“We may have more this year,” Lowery said. “What I hear from Jon Johansen, he’s president of the Maine Lobster Boat Racing, and sees a lot of these guys, is no one cares about the gas prices. They just want to get out there and live life.”

That speaks volumes about how much lobstermen look forward to racing season – especially when you consider the high cost of marine diesel. On June 9, the National Fisherman reported diesel was $5.70 a gallon; in May, it was $5.93 a gallon. A boat fill-up would run hundreds of dollars.

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 where the race committee will be.

Here’s who’ll likely be racing to retain their championship titles from 2021: Fastest Working Lobster Boat, Boothbay: Blue Eyed Girl/Andrew Taylor (47 mph); Fastest Working Lobster Boat: Blue Eyed Girl/Andrew Taylor (51 mph); Gasoline Free For All: Foolish Pleasure/Mark Freeman (46 mph); Diesel Free For All: Maria Nightmare II/Jeremy Beal (50.1 mph); Diesel Class K – 701-900 hp, 28 feet and over: Blue Eyed Girl (56 mph).

To relive last year’s event and refresh your memory, visit www.boothbayregister.com/article/2021-boothbay-harbor-lobster-boat-races-results/148733

If you can’t be out on a boat, lots of race fans watch from the aquarium. Bring binoculars and watch from Brown’s Wharf and at Whale’s Tale next door. Racing information will be broadcast over VHF marine channel 10.

The first place winners in the Fastest Gasoline, Fastest Diesel and Fastest Lobster Boat Afloat categories will each win a cash prize of $200 or a gift certificate for a prize of comparable value.

“Some folks follow the boat races weekend after weekend, it isn’t just the committee members,” Lowery said. “You become part of a family and we are lucky enough to be the first race of the season so a lot of people come out for it.”

Never been? You’ve got to go. Check out the photos from last year’s lobster boat races taken by Michael Leonard: www.boothbayregister.com/article/2021-boothbay-harbor-lobster-boat-races/148547

Boothbay Region High School freshman tennis player Laura Chapman was voted Player of the Year in the Mountain Valley Conference, as MVC spring sports awards, voted on by the league’s coaches, were announced Friday, June 10.

Chapman was undefeated during the season. She was also named a first-team all star.

Joining her on the girls’ tennis first team was teammate Hannah Roberts.

Other Boothbay and Wiscasset athletes receiving all-star awards were as follows:

Boys tennis

Cleyton Splaine, first team; Sawyer Blake and Andrew Fowlie, second team.

Baseball

Gryffin Kristan and Jordan Carrier, honorable mention.

Boys track and field

Kayden Ames, first team and second team (second event); Ryan Clark, second team (two events); Henry Putnam, Austin Trask, Payton Blagdon, Bryan Gagnon, Marshall Wall, second team; Austin Trask, Bryan Gagnon, Tristan Pepe and Payton Gagnon, honorable mention.

Girls track and field

Julia Treadwell, Maddie Orchard, Emme Harris, Grace Campbell, first team; Ava Schlosser, Josie Harrington, second team; Grace Campbell, Emme Harris and Josie Harrington, honorable mention (second events).

Academic all stars

Grace Campbell, Jordan Carrier, Della Hahn, Emme Harris, Katerina Nein, Zachary Rollins and Ava Schlosser.

The 2022 season at Wiscasset Speedway rolled on this past Saturday with a full Group #2 program. The lineup included the 88.5FM Modifieds, Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Minis, Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Models, T&L Automotive Roadrunners and the Portland Glass Strictly Streets.

The night was sponsored by Mainely Karting and LST Motorsports Park, which is newly owned and operated by Mainely Motorsports’ Steve Perry. Mainely Karting had multiple karts on display at the track entrance on Saturday and the drivers even took part in a short exhibition race during intermission that featured all of the track’s divisions. You can find the race schedule and more information about LST Motorsports Park at https://www.mainelykarting.com/.

The night kicked off with a 30-lap spotlight feature race for the 88.5FM Modifieds. The division continues to grow each and every week and 14 drivers joined the field on Saturday. Brian Treadwell held the early advantage in the feature, but last year’s champion, Adam Chadbourne, was quickly coming through the field. Chadbourne stole the lead on lap 11 and took off, maintaining his edge as other weekly heavy hitters like Ryan Ripley, a 3-time winner this season, struggled. Chadbourne sailed into the victory, picking up his 65th career feature win. Allan Moeller, Sr. and Tyler Robbins rounded out the podium.

The Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Minis followed with a 25-lap feature race. Zach Audet kicked off the day with a heat win over his long standing rival in the division, Jimmy Childs. Childs was plagued with rocker arm issues during the heat and feature, taking him out of contention for the win. Audet powered to the early lead in the feature over his teammate, Kyle Willette. A late-race caution brought the field back together but Audet held strong, picking up the feature victory as Kyle Willette and Ryan Kenniston followed, completing the top 3.

“Boss Hogg” Dave St. Clair started out his race day with an exciting victory over his grandson Josh St. Clair in the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model heat. Daniel Harding, who is 62 years younger than Dave St. Clair, also picked up his first heat win in the division on Saturday and led the early portion of the 40-lap feature. Chris Burgess snagged the lead away from Harding on lap 11 and held onto it until he was overthrown by Josh St. Clair on lap 19. St. Clair immediately took off, extending his lead to a full straightaway by lap 35. He maintained his advantage through the closing laps of the feature, picking up his first Late Model victory (but 6th overall) of the season. Will Collins and Chris Burgess rounded out the top 3.

The T&L Automotive Roadrunners, a non-points flex division, took to the track next for their 15-lap feature. Nicole Brown was on a roll from the get-go, starting her day with a heat win. She took off in the feature and never looked back, leading the race from start to finish. The win was the first of her career and she was struck with emotion as she celebrated with a group of loved ones in Victory Lane following the finish. David Whitelaw and Ken Turner rounded out the podium. 

Money was also raised throughout the day for Steven Turner, a Roadrunners competitor that was badly injured in a wreck on Coastal 200 weekend. Tech director, Derek Mingo, owner of Bingo’s BBQ, raffled off a catered barbecue feast to help raise money for Steven’s medical bills and other expenses. The raffle was a hit and fellow Wiscasset competitor, Nick Reno, won the grand prize. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Steven Turner and family throughout his road to recovery. 

The night concluded with a final 25-lap feature from the Portland Glass Strictly Streets. Paul Lund held the early advantage in the feature, but Mac Hannan, Jr. was quickly maneuvering through the field. Hannan, Jr. took over the lead on lap 11 and fought to fend off the competition after two late-race cautions brought the field back together in the last 7 laps of the race. Mac Hannan, Jr. persevered, picking up his first feature victory of the 2022 season. Scott Eck (first podium finish in the division) and Wade Kennedy rounded out the top 3. 

Five divisions brought the heat to Wiscasset this past weekend, but the excitement continues as the NEMA Lites return to the track on Saturday, June 18th, joining the Group #1 program. Grandstands open at 4 p.m. and racing will commence at 5. As always, adult grandstand admission is just $5 and free for kids 6 and under. We hope to see you there!

For the full season schedule and more track information, please visit http://www.wiscassetspeedway.com. Wiscasset Speedway is located on West Alna Road in Wiscasset.

The 17th annual Westport Island Shore Run 10K Road Race is Sunday, Aug. 21 on bridge-accessible Westport Island. Registration is open for the 17th running of Maine’s "Best Little 10K Road Race." The 10K road race will start at 9 a.m; the 3.5 mile "Fun Walk" will start at 8:30 a.m. Last year's race was our biggest field ever, with over 70 competitors making the run. A new course record was also set last year.

This exciting race takes place on a USATF-certified 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 is sanctioned by the USATF and benefits Westport Volunteer Fire Department, whose members direct traffic and provide logistical support at the race. Over the past 16 years, the race has generated almost $27,000 in proceeds for the firefighters. In October 2021, a check for $2,000 was presented to the fire department by Westport Island Shore Run Association.

Jim McCorkle of 5K Sports Management will be computer timing the race again this year for the 17th time! The race course will have water stations and distance markers, and the awards ceremony, raffle prize giveaway and post-race refreshments for the runners and walkers will take place just outside the Old Town Hall. Gift cards will be presented to those top runners who set a new course record! Race-day registration and the race packet pick up will be at the Old Town Hall on Main Road (Route 144) on Westport Island, just south of  Squire Tarbox Inn.  

Our wonderful sponsors this year thus far include FormLabs; Maine Yankee; Sheepscot River Marine Service; Ames True Value Hardware; Key Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Newcastle; Crossroads Coffee Beans; Bath Savings Bank; Sulloway & Hollis; and Westport Community Association.

For more information, directions to the race course, and to register online, go to: www.westportisland.org

Thirty-five commercial boats passed by the Boothbay Harbor fish pier on Atlantic Avenue to be blessed during the Blessing of the Fleet ceremony on Sunday afternoon, June 26. The event was one of three events scheduled on the opening day of the 60th Windjammer Days festival. 

Deacon Tom Blatz of All Saints Parish provided the blessings as he sprinkled holy water using an aspergillum upon each each boat as it passed by the pier.

The Fish Relay Races held Wednesday, June 29 during the 60th Boothbay Harbor Windjammer Days Festival drew a very large crowd, and why not? It’s one of the most exciting and fun competitions adopted from the region’s former Fishermen’s Festival. 

The winning team was Shmaker’s Bay. All four runners and their “manager” were from the Youth Sailing Program at Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club, with a time of two minutes and 55.08 seconds. 

Competitors must put on fisherman’s rain gear: jacket, bib pants, and boots, then run like a perfect storm is on their heels around the race course set up on Commercial Street from Whale Park, up past the Smiling Cow and back. And this is adult-sized gear; kids have to wear them, too.

Race 1 teams: 3 Girls, 1 Boy & a Cod vs Shipyard Shipwrights; Race 2 teams: Southern Slashers vs The Slimy Cods and The Winners; Race 3 teams from Capitol Island: Capitol Assets vs Capital Liabilities (fathers and grandfathers vs sons and grandsons; we’ll let you decide who was on each team); Race 4 teams: Shipyard Scallywags vs Speedy Cods; Race 5: Mainers vs Shmakers Bay.

A special prize of $25 was given to Shipyard Scallywags team member Kevin Tyska for “willingly sacrificing his body for the team.” Tyska was involved in a collision, stumbled, kept running, and fell again just before the finish. He finally just stayed lying in the middle of Commercial Street with a huge smile on his face. The spectators loved him.

Both shipyard teams were from The Shipyard/Bristol Marine. 

People walked away from this year’s races with many memorable visuals ... the young boy who took off with the jacket hanging like a veil with the hood pretty much blocking his vision. Along the way, one woman tried to quickly adjust the hood as he was running by, now with his pants falling down his legs. Another boy took off running, right out of his boots and just left them and kept on running!

One runner was running so hard while holding on so tightly to his fish, the force beheaded one of them with other pieces flying off the body as he ran to the finish.

The races were definitely ones to remember and, recalling how packed the street was and the expressions of the spectators, the memories will linger for quite some time. 

Contributing photographer Michael Leonard of Yarmouth and Squirrel Island provided these photos of the 60th Windjammer Days Gathering of the Fleet during his annual Windjammer Photography Cruise provided by Balmy Days Cruises, and the Windjammer Days fireworks displays shot, with permission, from the future home of East Side Waterfront Park on Atlantic Avenue. Both events were held Wednesday, June 29. The newspaper appreciates Leonard’s longstanding contributions of photographs of the region’s special events. His website to see more is www.phototourismbymike.com

Alna will use a $2,000 Assistance with Specific Know-How (ASK) grant from Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission to have a traffic consultant recommend safety aids at Pinkham Pond, besides the off-street parking concept the town has been looking at, First Selectman Ed Pentaleri said June 29.

The grant request got LCRPC’s enthusiastic approval, he said.

Recommendations could coincide with off-street parking and might include signage or traffic cones, Pentaleri said. On a recent hot day, he saw about 20 cars parked there. “It’s really a mess,” with people parallel parking on Bailey Road, which he said is narrow there; and pedestrians near the traffic, he said.

Pentaleri said a plan might be ready for voters to consider at next year’s annual town meeting.

Also June 29, selectmen said they continue seeking grant funds for a new generator for the town office. Pentaleri said Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency Director Casey Stevens had no word earlier that day for him and Alna EMA Director Tom McKenzie on the status of the town’s grant request, but told them of another possible source. Third Selectman Charles Culbertson has said the town applied to the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) Program’s Supplemental EMPG Program funded under the American Rescue Plan Act. Culbertson has said these are Federal Emergency Management Agency funds Maine Emergency Management Agency administers.

Pentaleri said Stevens on June 29 mentioned another grant program the town could try, one with a $4 million pool, versus the $600,000 pool for the first one. Selectmen cautioned, the larger pool does not necessarily mean a better chance at winning funds.

“So fingers crossed, and we’ll keep wacking away,” Culbertson said. Much of the work Culbertson did on the first grant request can be applied to the next one, Pentaleri noted.

The board nodded Maine Tasting Center’s requests Pentaleri said were to serve alcohol July 2, 9, 16 and 23 at Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum. He said the Wiscasset business would set up at the pavilion at Alna Center, mainly accessed via the train. Pentaleri called the events “an example of a fantastic collaboration WW & F continues to foster with local businesses.” 

On June 11, an estimated 100 kayakers, paddleboarders and hardy Mainers in canoes met at the Damariscotta Boat Launch for the first annual “Paddle for a Purpose,” a fundraising event dreamed up by the beautiful humans at Carson Douglas Landscape Architecture, Midcoast Kayak, and Glidden Point Oysters. Adventurers with big hearts donated nearly $20,000 to help kids “Get off the Grid and Into Their Hearts” with Hearty Roots’ esteem-building outdoor adventure program! Paddlers got creative as they turned out to support kids in Lincoln County. Participants from Knickerbocker Group in Boothbay brought their best boat flair, adding team flags to their vessels, others wore matching outfits, and even little surfers got into the spirit of the day, dry-surfing on paddleboards at the after-hour party with music by The Gainers, surrounded by raffle items donated by Midcoast businesses and beyond. 

The highlight of all these highlights? Hearty Roots was named the recipient of the Paddle for Purpose fundraiser for future years. “We want to be a part of getting Hearty Roots to where they want to be. Raising money each year to make bigger impacts and help more kids in our community,” said Allyson Blake of Glidden Point Oysters. 

“We’re thrilled, obviously!” said Hearty Roots founder, Haley Bezon, “To be honored by the community in this way…well, it’s beyond anything we could have imagined.” Bezon noted how these funds will help deepen the intentionally personalized nature offerings that help kids build resilience and foster mindfulness, and help Hearty Roots reach its dream of having a permanent waterfront home-base for their adventurers. “Hearty Roots needs to plant its roots,” Bezon says, always mindful of ways to deepen kids’ connection to place. What better way to honor this commitment to community and care then the First Annual Paddle for a Purpose, where the Hearty Roots fusion of mindfulness, adventure and grit was on full display. 

The event couldn’t have gotten off the ground without the sponsorship of Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust, Midcoast Kayak, First National Bank of Damariscotta and Glidden Point Oysters, among so many others. The spirit of our passionate community was on full display with Douglas Gimbel serving as emcee for the outdoor after-party event that drew nearly two hundred guests. Gimbel invited the crowd to contribute funds to support Hearty Roots’ innovative approach to mental health and overall wellness for kids in Midcoast Maine. Said Gimbel about his donation of time and effort: “Our world is presenting greater, unforeseen challenges to our children than ever before. Hearty Roots is addressing many of these issues with a hands-on, no-nonsense approach, right here locally in Lincoln County and they are a huge asset to our community.”

Paddle for a Purpose will return in 2023, and you can discover more about Hearty Roots’ programming, summer offerings or sponsoring a child’s hearty adventure through scholarship by visiting heartyroots.org or contact the director: haley@heartyroots.org.

Connor Wenners, 17, of Edgecomb started racing when he was 4. His father, Patrick, introduced him and his younger brother, Spencer, to the sport early. Patrick would take the boys down to the track as he worked on the race cars. Wenners doesn't remember those races, but he does remember when his father gave him his first go-kart. 

“I started it and I loved it,” said Wenners. The rest is history. 

Wenners has made a name for himself in local racing circles as a young talent. When he was 12, Wenners became the youngest feature winner in Wiscasset Speedway history while racing in the 25-lap, four-cylinder pro series. However, Wenner’s proudest achievement comes from winning Rookie of the Year his first year at the speedway. He was 10. The title is typically awarded to whoever gains the most points out of that year’s rookie group. 

“I wasn't (the highest) but they chose to give it to me anyway,” said Wenners. “I was the youngest at that point to ever race.”

Wenners currently races in the Late Model Sportsman class, averaging about 40 laps. He isn't the youngest participant, but most of his opponents range from 20 years old to late-40s. Despite his early successes, Wenners said he doesn't feel pressure to maintain his reputation as a young skilled racer. “(It) doesn't really bother me because I know I'm going to get older and there's always going to be people younger.”

For Wenners, it's about his love of the sport and the adrenaline rush that comes with it. It’s a different feeling than the one he gets on the basketball court or on the field with his lacrosse and football teams. “It's a lot faster-paced, a lot of split-second decisions that could make or break everything,” said Wenners. These spur-of-the-moment actions become essential when Wenners has to avoid cars wrecking in front of him. 

“I really look for wherever I can go to get through it the quickest and go for it,” he said. Wenners has been in a couple of wrecks himself but has avoided serious injury. 

Wenner’s dedication to the sport means most of his time goes to racing or maintaining his car. But, when he’s not on the racetrack, he can be found lobster fishing with Chris Hodgdon on the Angus Rose or his own boat, Baydreaming. As a rising Boothbay Region High School senior, Wenners is also starting to think about college and the future of his racing career. He plans on majoring in mechanical engineering. Whether he’ll use his engineering skills in the racing world is still undecided, but Wenner hopes to keep racing as an undergraduate.

“I would like (to) if I can, but if it's very hard to juggle I’ll probably cut back a little bit,” he said. “(I’ll) see where everything takes me, where everything goes.”

Captain Brandon Wilkins, an employee of Sea Tow Portland, was on his way to help a customer July 1 when the order got canceled. He didn’t return to the harbor, opting to drift around Burnt Island. That’s when he heard the mayday. The signal was faint but as Wilkins rushed to his volume dial the message became clear: A kayaker had capsized near Squirrel Island. 

“I immediately fired up the engines and headed moving in that direction,” said Wilkins. 

The Coast Guard had also picked up the distress signal and was collecting information from the kayaker as Wilkins approached. 

Around 5:45 p.m., Wilkins arrived at the island’s south end. The winds were blowing 20 mph with three-foot rolling waves every five seconds. The kayaker had gotten caught in a trough and rolled over when he tried to turn back.

“He was getting driven towards the shore,” said Wilkins. “Not where he could have climbed to safety but where he would have been battered against the rocks.”

Wilkins blew his horn several times. The kayaker held up his paddle so Wilkins could see him, and the captain moved forward with the rescue. The kayaker had been in the water for about 10 minutes.

Wilkins credits the kayaker for how well-prepared he was for an emergency. In addition to wearing a life jacket, the man had kept his paddle attached to his vest to prevent it from floating away. He was also equipped with a whistle and VHF radio. 

“If he didn't have that radio, there's a good chance nobody would have seen him.”

The average local water temperature was about 58-60 F at the time of rescue, Wilkins said. After another five to 10 minutes in the water, the kayaker would have lost some dexterity and found it harder to swim, according to Wilkins. He said the combination of the cool water and strong winds would have caused hypothermia to set in around the 30-minute mark.

Wilkins stressed that kayakers, or anyone piloting a watercraft, check weather conditions before they head out. He also recommended people undergo a paddle safety course and learn self-rescue techniques. These can help people learn how to get back into their vessel, and out of cold water. 

After recovering the kayak, Wilkins and his passenger headed to the Coast Guard Station so emergency medical technicians (EMTs) could perform a health check. “(The kayaker) was tired, he was cold, probably a little embarrassed, but he was alright.”

Through Wilkins’ job at Sea Tow, he has helped people on sinking vessels, but this was his first time pulling someone out of the water. Wilkins has a background in water rescue from running the Sea Scout program in Portland, and from his training for his captain’s license. He was glad his skills were able to help in this situation.  

“Anything we can do to make the water a little safer, I’m happy to do it,” he said.