Happy birthday to all who are growing older from April 12 to April 18. Starting with Thomas McCullough, Johathan Lumoa, Kathy Robittaille, Philip Morrison, Karalyn Hayward, Abby McGrail, Jason Kopp, Katherine Russin and Riley Trask. Hope you spend your day with loved ones with best wishes sent your way.

Robert Baird, my brother, on Alna Road is celebrating on April 14. Hope all your family and friends bomb bard you with cards, best wishes and love.

MDOT came in Friday to let us know that West Alna Road will be closed down to all traffic except folks living on the road. Paving and repairs are being done week of school April vacation. West Alna Road has been busy lately; cable line is being strung finally. This will bring faster Internet to those folks who have been waiting years for this to happen.

Notes from the Alna archives. Doreen Conboy is in charge of vault and Gerald Flanagan is assisting. 2012 saw some necessary and very helpful changes to how the archives are managed and maintained.

Our historical records have finally entered into the digital age. We would like to thank David Abbott for his donation of a used computer, our very first for use in the vault. Gerry has installed software and is setting up a program allowing us to digitize our inventory. We hope to know our collection better through a digital inventory and make it simpler for those doing research to find information and locate documents.

We also purchased a scanner to handle in particular, the photographic collection. Cataloging the photo images has greatly reduced the number of duplicates, while making them easier to reference. This year, in order to keep current with technology, we also had DVDs made from almost a dozen video cassette tapes filmed by Roger Whitney during 1992-93, featuring elder citizens giving informal lectures about Ana history. Most of the speakers in these videos are sadly deceased, so the DVDs represent a valuable record. An oral history informing us of the time, while paying tribute to the memory of so many missed.

We met with author, Marlene Groves of Pictou Press, Rockland, Maine, after she compiled early vital records of the town of Alna researched at the Maine State Archives. She compared and edited her records with records with records stored in our vault and then donated a copy of her book to the town. Her efforts are truly appreciated because they have provided a broader, more accurate, easier to read copy of our own early records.

We greatly accept donations of materials relevant to the history of Alna, books, diaries, essays, photos etc. For more information, call Doreen Conboy at 207-586-5051.

April13, this Saturday, is the annual Baked Bean and Ham Supper from 4:30-6 p.m. All the usual good food, plus 50/50 raffle and pie auction. Thank you to all who contacted Cindy Seigars so she can maintain the donation list. Come out enjoy the food and visit with neighbors, it’s a lot of fun and not expensive either.

Please remember the fundraiser for Mike Reed April 20 at the Damariscotta American Legion across from Round Top Ice Cream. Spaghetti dinner with homemade dessert will be served 5-7:30 p.m. There will also be a dance from 8 p.m. to midnight, a 50/50 raffle, silent auction and cash bar. Music by the Dyer Neck Gang and Wicked Good Blues Band. For more information, find on Facebook or call Karen at 207-230-8178 or Pam at 207-883-6064.

Selectmen have changed the time for their weekly meeting to Thursday night at 7 p.m. Also have left it up to Amy's call if we open office, if school has been call off because of snowstorm, next winter.

Ralph Hilton has retired from Bath Iron Works. Maybe the town will benefit from his extra time at home. Congratulations, Ralph! Hope you enjoy doing everything that's been sitting on the back burner, waiting for you (smile). Work him hard, Susan, and keep him busy.

Have a busy, productive week and get out there and enjoy the sunshine.