Talk

’Round Town

Dominic and Danilo

I have been reluctant to share today’s ditty for a variety of reasons, many of which I ignore because it’s not in my nature to follow instructions. I think this may be the result of being over...
Live, laugh and love!

Cauliflower cakes

Hope everyone is doing their part of distancing themselves in this very difficult times. I realize how hard it’s been. Unfortunately this will be my last article for awhile. I’ll be on a little...
From the editor

Doing what’s right

More than one person has contacted me over the past couple of weeks about the proposed (but nixed) delay of the summer water start and about columns which suggest that summer residents and visitors...
From the assistant editor

Fun and solace where you can find it

First the fun part: An email the other day from First Congregational Church of Wiscasset linked to a video of Charlie the Church Mouse speaking to the camera, telling viewers how to make their own...
A Bird’s Tale

Bird Migration As Seen From a Maine Backyard

Yesterday morning as we stepped into the kitchen we were captivated by the sweet, penetrating “Old Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody” song of a white-throated sparrow. It had arrived in our backyard...
Joe’s Journal

Week four: Holy Week

This week, Christians turn to the Good Book for a tale of how Christ returned to Jerusalem, was betrayed, arrested and crucified. Three days later, as the story goes, he rose from the dead and...
letter to the editor

In the blink of an eye

Dear Editor: How quickly things change. We are not as much in control as we think we are. We are, however, much better off today than we were with plagues of the past. Edward J. Polewarczyk...
letter to the editor

Sounding out hope

Dear Editor: Every day, the bells are ringing at noon in the heart of Wiscasset village to cheer us on and keep us together while apart. It is no small thing. And there are real people pulling the...
Salt 'n Spar

When Spotted Fever raged

Long ago, epidemics, that is to say widespread but localized illnesses, often struck one community or region, miraculously sparing another. Such was the case in the spring of 1814 when Wiscasset was...
Lyme Time

Lyme and COVID-19

Isolation is nothing new for patients suffering from Lyme and tick-borne disease. With a compromised immune system and severe symptoms during treatment, what many are experiencing with COVID-19 is a...
Live, laugh and love!

Egg pie

I’m hoping everyone is breathing OK. It’s been hard on many. I’m not going to lie; I’ve had a couple of really lazy weeks and I made up my mind last night I’m done with that. LOL. Back to being a...
A Bird’s Tale

Flaming Indigo Blackbirds and Other Backyard Surprises

We opened the squeaky door of a closet this morning and could have sworn it was the high-pitched, twittering call of a bald eagle. Amazing what a little social isolation and slowing down will do!...
Careless ... entitled ... dangerous?

“We’re all in this together.” No, apparently we’re not. Some of us seem to be entitled to more than others. More toilet paper, more hand sanitizer, more – you name it. For some people, this virus is...
From the editor

What has this taught us?

The COVID-19 pandemic has virtually shut down the world. Our day-to-day routines of going to work or school, taking a vacation, or attending funerals for our loved ones have been altered to the point...
From the assistant editor

New week’s resolution

All things coronavirus rightly have our river of news online and in print flowing big and fast like the real Maine rivers in spring when the snow melts. That has us busy feeding the river, Facebook...
’Round Town

Ernest

This photograph makes me smile. Interestingly, because it reminds me of Captain Morton's son, Ernie, who I used to bump into frequently when he worked at Hawke Motors with Richard Latter. Man, what a...
Joe’s Journal

Week three

On March 11, some Mainers felt special when we learned that Maine had no cases of the Covid-19 virus. The next day, we learned of the first case, and we came back to Earth. On Sunday (March 29),...
Where It’s At ...

Bored games

UNO! Yahtzee! It was Col. Mustard in the library with the wrench. Given the crazy, nerve-wracking, uncertain world we find ourselves in, we need positive distractions more than ever. Remember the...
letter to the editor

Get a new energy efficient water heater for a few hundred dollars

Dear Editor: A little publicized rebate from Efficiency Maine will give a homeowner a $750 rebate on a new heat-pump Hybrid water heater that uses heat from your cellar much like a refrigerator in...
letter to the editor

Looking toward better days

Dear Editor: On behalf of the providers of Lincoln Medical Partners I want you to know that we miss you. Even though the reason for your visit is often listed as a “chief complaint,” we looking...
letter to the editor

Not ready to handle pandemic

Dear Editor: America is facing a pandemic that we are not equipped to handle, thanks in no small part to the failure of our elected representatives to establish adequate economic and public health...
letter to the editor

Unintended consequences

Dear Editor: The Supreme Court may just have created the current political environment with its unanimous Sullivan vs New York Times decision in 1964. Public officials may not recover damages for a...
From the House

Responding to COVID-19 together

Since Maine’s first case of COVID-19 was announced on March 12, individuals across our state have sprung into action. People in our community have quickly adapted to protect public health, from...
From the Senate

A quick summary of Maine’s COVID-19 response law

Under extraordinary circumstances, leaders of the Maine State Legislature came together working tirelessly throughout the March 14-15 weekend and reached agreement on a package of new laws to address...
Live, laugh and love!

Stuffed meatloaf

I’m hoping everyone is surviving their solitude. I personally had forgotten how much I enjoy being alone; it hasn’t happened a lot in the last 30 years. It’s been an awesome time to reflect and get...
Joe’s Journal

Week two

Boothbay, like the rest of the nation, is on hold as we pause our lives doing our civic duty to stay home and self-quarantine. We are watching Facebook posts of cute cat videos, photos of our friends...
From the editor

Dealing with it

We are all dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and if you have internet access, you have surely found dozens of ways to handle social distancing, the correct way to wash your hands, isolation,...
From the assistant editor

The many stories of COVID-19

Reporting online and much of it in print, all things COVID-19 – what is closed, partly closed, canceled and postponed, and how our town governments, townspeople, schools, parents, businesses and...
A Bird’s Tale

Cool Critters in Our Own Backyard

Our column two weeks ago was about nature-based activities any of us can do from the backyard, as Maine and the world practice physical distancing due to COVID-19. We have been enjoying watching...
’Round Town

Our Lady

What's the first thing you notice about this photograph? Is it the power lines? Ugh. I know. I would have tried to eliminate them with some fancy Photoshop magic, but I don't know how and figure it...
Salt 'n Spar

Feeling blue? Take a hike

Let’s count our blessings. We’re very fortunate to live in a beautiful area abundant with many preserves and land trusts free to explore and enjoy. Being outdoors under a blue sky in the fresh air...
letter to the editor

Services go remote - for now

Dear Editor: We’re still here. New Hope for Women has been closely monitoring the rapidly evolving outbreak of COVID-19 and working to identify the most responsible ways for our agency to continue...
letter to the editor

Prefers Shaw’s special hours

Dear Editor: For me at almost 91 and my dear bride of 81, it's a no “brainer” that Shaw’s is the undisputed winner by a landslide, especially for us senior citizens in such challenging times. As a...
letter to the editor

Cooking at home

Dear Editor: Many of us wake each day with a knot in our stomach. We are afraid to check the latest news reports and at the same time we cannot resist the pull. There is hope that the most recent...
Live, laugh and love

Roasted garlic

I was going to write about this pea salad I make. The warmer weather is making me want to make salads and start warming up those grills. But the cold has hit again so I’m sharing this recipe with you...
letter to the editor

Help by promoting social distancing

Dear Editor: We find ourselves dealing with an unprecedented health crisis. While plans are changing rapidly, the most important and consistent part of the plan is social distancing. COVID-19 is in...
A Bird’s tale

Listening in to Nature’s Soundscape

The clear, whistled “fee-bee” song of the black-capped chickadee gives many of us hope for the return of spring. Especially if we begin hearing it on sunny days in late January and February when,...
’Round Town

Danielle

I made this week’s photo of Danielle Ames last summer by accident while photographing from the East Side. You never know what you might find when not looking. Danielle has quite a story, I came to...
From the editor

Silent spring

My apologies to Rachel Carson. I'm not stealing her famous book title. I am using it as a metaphor of what we're all going through right now concerning the coronavirus outbreak. Don't you just want...
From the assistant editor

Same concept, in reverse; and, it’s OK, Tom

When freedom’s enemy has been terrorism, domestic or foreign, the Midcoast and the rest of America have shown support by coming together and turning out. We’ve shown we can still go to the movies,...

Time to hunker down