Nineteen years ago, I was asked by former Boothbay Region High School Alumni Association president Lynn (Gilley) Martin to be the guest speaker at the former Alumni Banquet (hopefully it will return some day).

It was our son's graduating class (2006) and it was a great collection of students who got along well with classmates and adults alike.

Anyway, long story short, I survived the night thanks to my son-in-law Robbie Watts and former local teacher Eric Chamberlin. What I had done – with their help with photos and script – was a slide show using photos of the graduates when they were

From childhood, Nancy Merrill visited with her family at their Southport, Cozy Harbor residence. The three and half-hour trip from Jackman was always worth the arrival at her final destination overlooking the harbor just across the Pratt’s Island road from the iconic Rand boathouse at the water’s edge. Nancy’s mother grew up in the family house with parents Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe Rand Sr. A more idyllic location is hard to imagine and Nancy took full advantage of her time and visits.

Some years back, Nancy’s mother decided to return to the family homestead but the old house was in hard shape

For the last several years, people have only been able to ride the rails off and on in Wiscasset, mostly off, unless they worked on a freight train. It feels like Maine Switching Services' upcoming run at excursions might be the one, though. It has a lot going for it feasibility-wise. So, unless you do not believe in psssenger rail, let's wish them well and maybe hop on board (with a ticket) this fall to show them we want to, and will, ride. 

In the meantime, how lucky are we? Just drive next door to Alna, or onto the Boothbay peninsula, and you can already ride. Not to shopping in Bath or

Memorial Day usually marks the end of mud season and the start of summer. But it is more than a note on the calendar. It is a special national celebration.

We gathered on that sunny Monday morning to participate in a slice of our uniquely American pie. Beginning at the tip of Newagen, a group of veterans, some old, some younger, both men and women, marched to the beat of a community band. We heard preachers preach and town fathers speak. As buglers bugled "Taps," we stood tall and bowed our heads to honor the fallen.

This group of veterans traveled to Southport Square, Boothbay Harbor

All birds are wonderfully mysterious in their own unique ways.

But some are downright perplexing.

For us, the cedar waxwing is in that category.

We are thinking about cedar waxwings a lot lately because we’ve noticed what seems to be a dramatic increase in numbers of them in the last few weeks in places where we bird.

That increase is actually a reflection of a surprising fact about cedar waxwings. Although there are at least some cedar waxwings here in Maine all year—even in the coldest part of the dead of winter—there’s a major spring influx of them in late May. Based on eBird data

The next public supper will be Wednesday, June 18. The meal will consist of black bean soup, salad, rolls, turkey tetrazzini, peas, and cherry rhubarb crisp al al mode. 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, May 27 with 25 players: First place: Nancy Schilke, 844. Second place: Ron Bodge, 828. Third place: Beverly Blair, 826. High hand

Just as April showers bring May flowers, the summer season brings a bumper crop of garage sale signs. Summer Saturday mornings are filled with savvy shoppers hunting for the best treasures. A win-win for the shoppers and the sellers. 

Yet, for some of us, garage sales are a reminder that other people have steadfastly cleaned their garages and decluttered their homes, while I, to my shame, have not.   

Whether people are downsizing their homes or looking to declutter, it turns out that getting rid of stuff is really hard to do. According to move.org, Americans spend an average of $200 a

If your phone’s been lighting up with messages saying you owe a road toll, you’re not alone. Criminals are blasting out fake texts pretending to be from government agencies or toll services. Their goal? To scare or rush you into clicking a link, handing over personal info or making a payment.

Here’s what you need to know: legitimate toll agencies don’t collect payment via text message, and they won’t threaten you over a missed toll.

If you get a message about unpaid tolls, do not respond or click on any links—even if it looks legit. Instead, check your account using the state tolling agency

The Maine State Aquarium’s 2025 season begins on Wednesday, June 11, and preparations are going swimmingly. Last year’s grand reopening was a huge hit with over 26,000 visitors, and this year we have more to debut.

We’ve added a variety of Gulf of Maine species to our tanks, including the amazing alewife from the Androscoggin River. A recent bloom of moon jellies in Boothbay Harbor means our moon jelly exhibit is ready for viewing. Along with that is an exhibit on what goes on behind the scenes to care for our animals. Behind the scenes tours of our animal care and filtration system will be

Memorial Day is a day of remembering and honoring the past. We especially remember those who have died while serving to protect our nation. In such a time we also tend to think of and honor others who may have served in the military but were spared. And it can be a time of memorializing loved ones in general.

This year on Memorial Day, we were blessed with a warm, blue sky day with trees bursting in new green leaves, apple trees draped in white and pink blossoms, and wildflowers of every color on the roadsides and in the woods. After a number of days of rain, there seemed also to be a

First of all, it was so nice to cover the Memorial Day celebrations and observances under blue skies and warm temperatures.

Other coverage highlights:

—Christopher Armstead, Americanism officer at Legion Post 36, did a marvelous job getting everything organized for the parade and observances.

—The crowds, especially the Newagen and Southport observances that I covered, were well attended and respectful.

—Grand marshal Jim Singer was an excellent choice. He has done so much for veterans in the region, especially starting the Veterans Banner project. And he did a great job placing the

This week's headline is not referring to this spring's zigzagging temperatures, although it could be. No, this is a combo editorial: The May installment of our yearlong, monthly five good things that happened in or near Wiscasset; plus, something not good which has continued to plague the town government.

Good news first, or bad? Bad, because it is important, and because I'd rather end this week's column on an up note. 

So, as we have mentioned here before, sometimes people are rude to the town office staff; that is no more OK than it is at the grocery store, a drive-up window, etc. People are

I’ve misplaced my sunblock! Ha!

Continuing on with the theme of summer, a followup on last week’s fishing experience column, I remain invested in an archive dive from days gone by. To this end, allow me to share brief recollections of my Antonisa experience.

The photo attached with this week’s adventure was made from a magnificent flying machine, the “Bell Jet Ranger,” then owned and operated by Maine Helicopters based in Whitefield. It is probably my most favorite platform from which to photograph. The Jet Ranger is spacious and maneuverable, with a picture window view from the open side

The big buzz in Washington last week had something to do with the discovery that former President Joe Biden was old.

A couple of reporters wrote a book that quoted Biden associates claiming he showed signs of mental decline for the last several years and should not have sought reelection. The book, "Original Sin," also said Biden’s close aides kept this knowledge from the public and his cabinet. The authors, Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, likened the Biden aides to the Soviet Politburo that kept the public in the dark.

Of course, his mental decline came to light last June during the

Dear Editor: 

A Wiscasset special town meeting to approve the school budget was held on April 29. It was attended by less than 10% of the registered voters, the majority of which were united to approve the school budget. Throughout the Special Town Meeting, many of the attempts to understand the reasoning behind the cost of any item was met with the motion to "Move the Question," which ends debate and brings the article to a vote. It prevents any attempt to understand the budget. 

Questions unanswered: Is the budget reasonable, achievable and sufficient to meet the required learning

Our district is surrounded by water. The ocean, rivers, and lakes throughout Lincoln County keep us alive, literally and economically, through tourism, fisheries, and marine trades. Maine’s boatyards and marinas connect our people to this essential resource. These businesses ensure that recreational boaters can enjoy a safe day on the water, and that those who rely on our waters to earn a living can count on the boats and engines that power their businesses.  

However, running a marine business in a state where the water can stay frozen and unfriendly until mid-April is not always easy. Like

The next public supper will be June 4. The meal will consist of Tuscan ribolita, salad, garlic bread, lasagna, and pizzelle cookies with ice cream. 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 two weeks

Tuesday, May 13, with 26 players: First place: Joanne Oliver, 847. Second place: Nancy Wright, 837. Third place: Pam Frenier, 833. High hand: Nancy

 QR codes are everywhere – from restaurant menus to package tracking. But where there is innovation, there are criminals exploiting them for fraud. QR codes are now being used by scammers to lead you to phishing websites, where they may steal sensitive details like banking info, login credentials and more.  

Before acting on a QR code in the real world, check for signs of manipulation (a sticker over the original QR, for example). And you don’t have to use a QR code – if you’re at a restaurant, ask for the printed menu. Also, look at emailed or texted QR codes with suspicion; the point of

It was eleven o’clock on Sunday night, May 18, here in Maine. The lilac flowers glowed like purple ghosts in the dim light from the porch lamp; near the end of driveway, limbs covered in apple blossoms reached through the darkness to the sky. Occasionally, a car passed through the light beaming down from the telephone pole at the corner.

It was not a moment that many people would associate with bird migration.

Yet above us, unseen, were hundreds, perhaps thousands of birds flying north. We knew because of their high-pitched flight calls pitched down in the dark—short little packets

Should the sun start shining for more that two or three days in a row … and Saturdays being one of those days (it seems every Saturday for the past month has been cloudy, rainy and downright miserable for getting outside to work or play), the unofficial summer season begins this coming Monday, Memorial Day, and, hopefully, tourists will start flocking to the region.

Our region depends on tourism and depending on the weather, it’s a make or break time for local businesses. Having gone through one summer (I am sure there were others, but this one comes to mind) during my college years, where