Continuing our five good things a month in 2025, Wiscasset and its neighbor towns exercised a lot of American democracy in October, particularly in the free speech department.

This month's Wiscasset selectmen's meetings had extensive public comment, mostly on the prospect of a data center on what is now town-owned land opposite the former Maine Yankee nuclear power plant. Speakers came from Wiscasset, Westport Island and Newcastle. Want a data center in Wiscasset? Don't ever want one there or anywhere near there? Whatever your view, if any yet, wasn't it great that people got to say theirs?

And whether you prefer kings or presidents or would just as soon not keep hearing political opinion on this for a while, people demonstrating in Wiscasset and across the country Oct. 18 were allowed to voice and show where they stand. Not everybody everywhere gets to do that.

Other good things included news that, for real, the much anticipated Islebrook Village senior living facility's about to open. The old primary school property has a new day. Welcome to all who move there, be they a Wiscasset resident or a new one.

Wiscasset business licenses remained in demand in October; and lastly, the New England Patriots gave fans here and everywhere a lot to cheer about this month. If I keep mentioning them in this space (third time this month), might they keep winning? With any successful season come the superstitions!