We saw a photo of a gorgeous juvenile buff-breasted sandpiper taken a few days ago down on the rocky beach at the Timber Point section of Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge in Biddeford. It got us reminiscing and trying to remember when and where we had last seen one of these striking birds. We remembered the handful of times when we’d seen them here in Maine and at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge in upstate New York, but the exact last time and place, we could not remember.

Buff-breasted sandpipers nest in the Arctic, about a quarter of the population nesting on Alaska’s North

Sometimes you fall behind on things you want to accomplish. This column is one of them.

I have been meaning to congratulate Katie Sibley, Bill Tompkins and Don Brewer for being chosen to enter the Midcoast Sports Hall of Fame next month. The ceremony is Oct. 19 at the Rockland Elks Club.

Let’s start with Bill. He graduated from Boothbay Region High School before I even reached ninth grade but I do remember seeing those Seahawk baseball teams play on what became Sherman Field. I remember his tenacity and determination on the field and it only made sense that he would become a coach, a great

The front entrance door of Boothbay Harbor United Methodist Church, on Townsend Avenue, was open on a beautiful sunny day. I was a bit early for my visit, but as soon as I walked into the church, Tammy Judkins greeted me from her office beside the central sanctuary behind the access wall to the church organ.

“Come on in,” she called, “Gearry is mowing the grass, let me get him.” While she was outside, a person came in from the street and settled into a pew near the rear of the church and sat quietly. When Tammy and Gearry are “in residence,” they like to keep the doors open to invite visitors

The next public supper will be Wednesday, Sept. 3.  It will not be the Lobster Dinner as we did not have enough time to sell tickets.  The upcoming meal will be navy bean soup, salad, rolls, smothered beef on noodles, fresh vegetable medley and pistachio 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.     

*Tickets for the Lobster Dinner will be available on Sept. 3 and Sept. 10

Here are three important things to know about fraud right now. 

First, most scams today are often run by highly organized international criminal networks, not  individuals acting alone. These mafia-style organizations use stolen money to fund abusive criminal activity around the world, including Southeast Asian fraud compounds that rely on human trafficking, forced labor, and torture. Fighting scams isn’t just about protecting your life savings, it’s also about cutting off funding to these inhumane and violent organizations. 

Second, just as you take steps to protect your health or home, you

Dear Editor:

On behalf of my family, I thank all those who helped make the celebration of life for my husband, David Parkhurst, a memorable one. Michelle Brown Wilson at Brown’s Wharf and her crew of volunteers made this day not only memorable for all Dave’s friends and family, but also stress free for our family. Thank you to Michelle Wilson, Holly Stover, Debbie Todte, Eileen Higgins, Dawn Thomas, Mary Kaler, Abbe Levin and Jeanne Tonan who worked hard to organize and deliver all the refreshments and to ensure that the venue was well organized.

Dave loved them all, and they honored him

Dear Editor:

This is in response to last week’s letter, “Not gaslighting or fraud.” The man-caused global warming rollout got off to a bad start. A data breach and release of internal Emails in  2009, labeled Climategate, indicated scientists were cooking the books and hiding data. Next, in 2011, came Climategate 2.0. To quote from a Forbes Nov. 23, 2011article, “Three themes are emerging from the newly released emails: (1) prominent scientists central to the global warming debate are taking measures to conceal rather than disseminate underlying data and discussions; (2) these scientists view

Dear Editor:

The Future of the Schools Committee’s final report recommends that Wiscasset should explore a brand-new regional model. Why new? There are existing regional schools, most with higher graduation rates, lower chronic absenteeism and better testing outcomes than Wiscasset. Didn’t Wiscasset recently withdraw from a regional school at a cost of $2 million to taxpayers?!?

The committee was asked to determine if tuitioning out grades 9-12 and moving PreK-8 to one school would save money. For years, the superintendent insisted PreK-8 wouldn’t fit in one building, but the committee finally

Each September, we are reminded that suicide is not just a personal tragedy. It is a public health crisis that touches every part of life in Maine. It’s a time to remember those we've lost, support those who are struggling and recommit ourselves to the work of prevention.

But to truly make a difference, we must confront the full scope of the problem — including its intersection with gun violence, domestic abuse and the often-overlooked cases where suicide is accompanied by homicide.

A moody oil painting of a double-masted schooner at rest near a wharf under a sunset sky of orange and yellows broken up by dark clouds ... Another takes the viewer into a lighter scene, perhaps from the viewpoint of the sailor(s) just behind the rocks being sprayed by ocean water. You can hear the soft sound of the water lazily lapping against the sides of the sailboat as your eyes drift across the ocean to the homes on the island beyond …

These are just two of the new 4” x 6” paintings by Kathleen Billis – yes, she’s back – some of the new work included in her first new show in many a year

On Aug. 14,1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into lawstating, “…we have tried to frame a law which will give some measure of protection to the average citizen and to his family against the loss of a job and against poverty-ridden old age.”  Social Security created a system of earned retirement income for American workers to avoid the dire poverty experienced during the Great Depression. 

I remember getting my first real paycheck and seeing the Social Security deduction. My father explained that paying into Social Security now creates an income benefit paid

Over the weekend, we traveled to southern Maine to see if we could observe the drama of heavy surf expected from the passing of Hurricane Erin far offshore. We spent a half hour or so at Fortune’s Rocks Beach in Biddeford Pool, where the water churned foamy white as the storm waves came thundering in. It was late in the day, under beautiful sunny blue skies with light winds that gave no indication that a massive hurricane was passing hundreds of miles to the East.

Just a hundred yards offshore, behind where the waves were breaking, a group of about 30 common terns, adults and juveniles

From my perspective – if you value it at all – the local tourism season seems to have been very good, as we roll into the unofficial end of summer with the arrival of Labor Day Sept. 1. The observation is based on the number of cars and the variety of license plates, the sidewalks, downtown streets, park and piers jammed with people most days, and the aisles at Hannaford being crowded with shoppers.

The weather, except for the rainy weekends to start the season, has been nice, especially this month – though we desperately need rain now.

Three weeks into September (Sept. 22), the calendar says

It can be hard for a town to keep its personnel long term, just like in the private sector these days (our employer thankfully being an exception).

Just ask Alna how many times it has had to hire a town clerk in the last several years (many times, for no one reason and despite having upped the pay to compete). Wiscasset has had the good fortune of not having to find a town clerk in a decade. Linda Perry came aboard 10 years ago and stayed aboard. Selectmen and staff honored Perry Aug. 19 and you might want to thank her also, for her professionalism, good nature and longevity.

Perry has a ways

I drove to Wiscasset and Bath on Friday and waved to Ms. Pigette as I passed her on Route 27. I waved again on the way home. She looked pretty cute in her summer outfit, as she clutched a racket, ready to return a serve from anyone who would dare share a pickleball court with her. When I got home, I waited until I sat down with a cold glass of water before I answered the buzzing phone. That conversation began the usual way as she asked why I did not stop and chat.

“What am I, chopped liver?” she asked. “Are you just too snooty to stop and chat with moi?” I apologized profusely, I might add, as

*Note: A casual observation!

Midweek last week, during an infrequent drive out of town, I observed, as I often do, the price of fuels along the way. It was a Portland trip, even more rare this time of year. Our local station was $3.06 per gallon which was fairly consistent with prices I noticed along the drive. Curious observer that I am, on Friday of last week, during a local run to the dump, the price per gallon became $3.26! All the pumps were busy and there was a line of cars stretching out along the state road. Hmmm, thought I, our summer visitors must be topping off their tanks in

The next meeting is on Sept. 4 at First Congregational Church (fellowship hall) 28 High St., Wiscasset.

There is a business meeting at 12:30 p.m. and an educational program at 1 p.m. It will be an interesting program presented by Christine Burns Rudalevige on “Using and Preserving Your Garden Harvest." She will give ideas for September gardens. Christine will demonstrate how to quick pickle the last of the vegetables, preserve the herbs and put up the plum tomatoes without a big mess.

Rudalevige is the former editor in chief of “edible Maine" and has been a journalist for over 30 years. For

Dear Editor: 

An answer to Joe Grant, who thinks that temperature is not rising in Maine. 

Not sure where he gets his research? According to the EPA.Govwebsite, Maine has warmed 3 degrees since 1900. Spring is arriving earlier with more rain, sea level is rising and causing more flooding and the ocean is becoming more acidic, due to the absorption of carbon dioxide, which affects sea creatures with shells. The website states that carbon in the atmospherehas increased 70% since the 1700s, which increases the warmthretained by the atmosphere and oceans. A warming atmosphere contains more

Dear Editor:

I’m puzzled at the strategy of the Republican backers of Question 1, coming before Maine voters in November. The ostensible purpose of the backers is to add a voter ID requirement for people who wish to vote in Maine elections, something that has never been required before.

The puzzle arises from the decision of the backers to lard up their proposal with additional provisions that have nothing to do with voter ID, but would add several new limiting conditions for absentee voting, which a large percentage of Maine voters, both Democratic and Republican, welcome and have used in

David’s new show “Reengaged” marks his return to fulltime painting after after two years (one as president) working with the 50-year-old nonprofit, Union of Maine Visual Artists. During that commitment, which ended in October 2024, there was simply no time to paint. But he’s back with a few new pieces, and newly completed re-worked paintings.

As is the case with all of David’s work, really, his paintings are provocative, colorful, and, in most cases (for me, anyway) – mesmerizing. Let’s dig into just four, OK, six, of the ​​20 paintings in this show running through Aug. 31.

First up is