Certain bird species come and go in our neighborhood. This includes mockingbirds—northern mockingbirds to be exact, since there are another 13 species of mockingbird found south of the U.S. We see a mockingbird in or near our yard just about every year. But they’ve never stayed and set up territory. That means that we don’t get to experience, on a daily basis, what makes northern mockingbird so famous: their ability to mimic.

We were reminded of this recently when a local birder posted his recording of a mockingbird singing from a Portland location at midnight. In the recording, you can

I have been thinking all week about what I wanted to say about my longtime friend, I.J. Pinkham, who passed away April 15. Knowing someone for 45-plus years, being on his coaching staff for four years and being involved with him as a fellow BRHS coach for a dozen years, a fellow Rotarian (me, an honorary one) for several years, and covering his successful coaching career since 1987 when I began at the newspaper, I guess I am privileged to have known and was a friend of one of the best people I have ever known.

First off, my deepest sympathy to his wife Peggy, and sons Matthew and Tim. I.J

Martha Landry lives on Commercial Street in Boothbay Harbor, next door to the house she grew up in. She used to walk through Sample's Shipyard regularly. As far as I know she did not sneak cigarettes or hang out with workers at the yard. However, I did not confirm this nor did Martha suggest otherwise. Martha is a wonderful mix of adventure, history and extraordinary compassion. She can also suggest that you find an available hole into which you might climb if she is so inclined.

For many years, Martha and I landed on the “paying the rent” square when she worked with Joselyn Oakes

In the 1880s, Gilbert and Sullivan wrote a comic opera set in a fictional Japanese town where the Mikado was the boss.

“My object all sublime, I shall achieve in time, to make the punishment fit the crime,” sang the Mikado while reciting ways to torment miscreants. For instance, he said amateur tenors should be required to sing to crowds of wax figurines and boring social guests be sentenced to sit through lengthy sermons in the German language.

Was the Mikado right? Do you think the punishment should fit the crime?

In February, at a White House luncheon for governors, President Trump, 78

Back in the eighties I was in a book club for a hot minute. It didn’t stick. There were too many rules. First, we were expected to read a book — a major obstacle. And, really, weren’t we just there for the food? Things fell apart pretty quickly. 

But on a recent Wednesday, I put a toe back in the water as a guest of the Waterville Area Newcomers Gourmet Group. The premise seemed promising. This group is unapologetically all about eating and eating well. No pretext of reading a book — the food is the narrative on the third Wednesday of every month, when this group gets together for lunch

Hello Islanders, lots to report as town election and town meeting time heats up along with the weather (finally)! 

Municipal Election & RSU #12 Budget Referendum is Tuesday, June 10; polls open 2 p.m. - 8 p.m., Town Hall, 1217 Main Road.

On the ballot: Nomination papers were due April 11, and the ballot is now set. Donna Curry will be on the ballot running for re-election to the Selectboard Member #1 position, and Jim Cromwell will be on the ballot running for re-election as Road Commissioner. The RSU #12 budget will (most likely) also be on the ballot, see next item. 

RSU #12 Budget Meeting

Dear Editor: 

The Wiscasset Select Board has set the date for the Open Town Meeting on the Wiscasset School Budget for April 29. The Wiscasset School Committee, by a vote of 3 to 2, (it was not unanimous) is proposing a budget for the 2025-2026 school year of $10,896,270. An increase of $323,268 or 3.1%. 

How do we evaluate it? Is it too little or too much? Some would say it could never be too much where our children's education is concerned. Others would say that it is not the amount of money being spent but the quality of the education being provided to our students. 

Maine's Department

Dear Editor: 

I have a worldwide reputation as a designer of recreational boat electrical systems. I work with a local company in Woolwich to supply equipment for these projects. I am currently working with another Florida-based company which has its boats built in China but shipped to the U.S. for completion and commissioning. It hires installers and riggers and service people in the U.S. 

We are already seeing the impacts of Trump’s tariffs. Up to 30% price rises for equipment we ship overseas, resulting in canceled orders. Import duties which will bankrupt those small boatbuilders for

Dear Editor:

Here in Wiscasset we know our public school is our most important institution. Educating our children is a great responsibility and cannot be taken lightly.

Wiscasset residents, please attend our Budget Validation meeting on Tuesday, April 29 at 6 p.m. in the Wiscasset Middle High School gymnasium to vote to pass our budget for next year. The details of the proposed budget are available at the Wiscasset Schools Department website. There is only a modest increase to the local contribution, let’s pay it forward like previous generations did for us.

Jason Putnam

Wiscasset

Garden Club of Wiscasset will hold its next meeting on May 1 in Fellowship Hall of First Congregational Church, 28 High St., Wiscasset. There is a brief business meeting at 12:30 p.m. followed by our monthly program at 1 p.m. Jean Potucheck of the “Jean’s Garden” blog will discuss “Invasive Plants and the Challenge of Ethical Gardening."

Potucheck is certified in native plants and ecological horticulture through Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. She is also a former Master Gardener Volunteer.

If you are concerned about invasive plants, what they are, their role in the ornamental horticultural

The next public supper will be May 7. The menu will consist of split pea soup, salad, cornbread, shepherd’s pie, and upside-down pineapple cake. The cost is $10 for members and $12 for non-members. Additional meals may be purchased for takeout at the same cost when reserved. Takeouts should be picked up at 5:45 p.m. For more information or to make a reservation, call 882-8230 and join us for a wonderful meal.

Cribbage results for Tuesday, April 15 with 27 players: First place: Blanche Johnson, 847 (perfect score). Second place: Dueane Rolerson, 832. Third place: Pam Frenier, 813. High hand

Several scams rely on convincing the target to deposit a check as a first step of the crime. They then convince the target to use the money in a specific way. For example, in some work-from-home scams, the “company” will send a check for deposit, and then once it “clears”, they direct the target to purchase needed office equipment from the company’s “catalogue.”

The catch? The check was fake and it bounced, and the equipment catalogue was fake, too. The money the target spent on “equipment” came from their own money. And, the equipment never comes. 

Even though a check deposit may appear to

Certain birds are kind of magical. They exhibit qualities that command extra attention. Cranes are in that category. Across the world, each of the fifteen crane species occupies a special place in the culture of the humans that share their geographies.

We certainly felt that magic a few weeks ago. As we drove toward the “pop-up” pond in our favorite hayfield that we check regularly after rains, we jokingly said, as we had many times before, “there should be a sandhill crane here.”

When we turned the corner and saw a tall creature standing in the wetland, we pulled the car over and

The National Day Calendar has the month of April being National Month of Hope. Hope comes in many forms, personally and reaching outwardly to those needing verbal encouragement, instruction, gifts, or just spending time together.

The observance has been observed since 2018 and was started by the Florida organization, Mothers In Crisis, Inc. which “supports women and families who are in need bringing them hope and empowering them to find a new path.”

In these uncertain times, most everyone knows someone – family member, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc. – who could use help in their lives

Wiscasset, like a lot of other towns, doesn't have the numbers of students in its school buildings it once did. Not even close. And last week, for the "peace and usefulness of the schools," in the legal wording the school committee used, two fewer students became able to attend. They got expelled and, according to the votes that passed, re-entry plans will be developed "as required by law."

And we don't anticipate reporting further on it, even though we at this time have no information on what event(s) might have precipitated the students' removal. If you know, or think you know, you didn't

In less than two weeks Dave Joy will retire from the Boothbay Harbor Hannaford grocery store after 49 years in the business.  

Growing up in Westbrook, Dave chose to enroll in a Cooperative Ed program offered by his high school. As a freshman at age 15, he left the hallowed halls each day at 11 o’clock, to attend “Ready for Life” courses at what today might be referred to as a vocational school. His alternative classes prepared students for life in the real world. He gained knowledge and experience studying taxes, family finances, cooking, cleaning, sewing and at the end of the school day

Last week, we had two days of snow and occasional periods of rain. This gave the daffs and tulips lots of muddy garden gunk to push through. Despite the chilly temperatures that kept my duff inside, Mr. Sun will soon take over. It won’t be long until the ladyslippers appear by the stone wall outside the kitchen window. Then, and only then, will we have spring.

I drove to Portland the other day and stopped to check on Ms. Pigette. I found her at her usual post encased in a muddy/icy cocoon. For once, she was silent. Then the next day I got a call from her. “What gives?” I asked her. "It looked

The next public supper will be May 7.  The menu will consist of split pea soup, salad, cornbread, shepherd’s pie, and upside-down pineapple cake.

The cost is $10 for members and $12 for non-members. Additional meals may be purchased for takeout at the same cost when reserved. Takeouts should be picked up at 5:45 p.m. For more information or to make a reservation, call 882-8230 and join us for a wonderful meal.

Cribbage results for Tuesday, April 8 with 21 players: First place: Howard Nickerson, 835; second place: Bob Gilman, 827; third place: Roger Tappan, 820; high hand: James Kip Kelsey

Dear Editor:

My daughter, who is 23 years old, is struggling to be hired full-time. She graduated from college with a two-year degree and still only gets part-time hours. She talks often of feeling lonely and being shy around others. She is smart and maintained a 3.2 GPA in college. So why is she only getting 20-25 hours a week?

LD 46 (LD 46: An Act to Establish a Grant Program to Increase Postsecondary Educational Opportunities for Students with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities or autism spectrum disorder) will help kids with disabilities with their education and finding jobs

Dear Editor:

I am thankful to the people of Alna, many of whom voted for me in the recent election. I believe I am a relative unknown, having moved to Alna 2 1/2 years ago after retiring from teaching. However, I have met neighbors and made many friends since I moved here, and they encouraged me to run for the position of school board member.

Two couples were kind enough to write glowing recommendations for me, which were published in this newspaper. With my decades of experience as a special education teacher and various union responsibilities, I felt that I had some valuable knowledge and