Dear Editor:

The federal government using the slogan “Catch of the Day” to name their roundup operation in Maine is beyond disrespectful, it’s dehumanizing, reducing human beings to objects of a hunt. Equating people to a daily "catch” for federal government statistics is inflammatory branding and shows how cruel and insensitive ICE is.

It's especially demeaning when one considers the central place of the fishing industry in Maine. Use of the term "catch of the day" mocks a prominent feature at the heart of Maine culture. It's a clumsy and deplorable attempt to turn a cruel assault on the

Dear Editor:

Jake Day’s Christmas gift to our communities, his Christmas Windows, has endured for almost 80 years due to the generosity and efforts of many. For almost 40 years, Jake displayed his creations at his family homestead on Bristol Road in Damariscotta where people came from far and wide to stand on egg crates and peer into Jake’s magical world of bears, castles, cabins, skaters and more.

After Jake’s passing, the windows were donated to the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland. For several summers they were displayed in their gardens. After many months in the sun, they needed repair

We recently wrote about the idea of which backyard bird is the toughest based on a study that pulled together observations of the victor in one-on-one encounters among different bird species. There’s no doubt that that competitive dynamic is one that many humans find pretty interesting. When he was around 10 years old, our son loved a game when he would ask us to consider which of two fierce animals would win in a fight. “Polar bear versus killer whale?” he would ask. Or “elephant versus alligator?”

It didn’t matter for him whether the two would ever actually ever have a way to face-off in

The easy Sunday meal was planned early so we could enjoy watching the New England Patriots game against the Houston Texans. The halftime fish chowder and biscuits (made by my talented wife, Melodee) tasted extra delicious while the Pats held a 21-10 lead. The game wasn’t epic, for sure, with all the turnovers, but it was to be expected due to the playing conditions (snow, sleet, rain, wind, etc.) but it was a pleasant ending for Patriot fans.

On to Denver we go to play for the American Football Conference championship this Sunday at 3 p.m. (another day to plan an easy meal). The Broncos will

First to the joy. For some, that word is all but put away post-Christmas, when it has been all around, in song, on wrapping paper and in our hearts.

But joy can appear year round, and it will be found at Winterfest at Wiscasset Community Center.

As we have reported over the years, sometimes there has been little to no snow for Winterfest, but, like Christmas in Whoville in Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," Winterfest came anyway. And if the forecasts hold, the snow we have gotten and will get will have plenty of cold to preserve it for Winterfest 2026 goers.

This is closest I will

I was sitting at the bridge table last week when my phone buzzed. I was trying to make an impossible one-no-trump contract, so I ignored the call. No, I won’t bore you with the details, but when the hand was done, I did answer the buzzing phone (yes, I made the contract). As you might have guessed, it was Ms. Pigette calling from her perch beside Route 27 on the way to Wiscasset.

“Did you see him?” she asked.

No, I answered. I am playing bridge, and am rather busy right now. What is it that can’t wait for a half hour?

“Listen. He did the damndest thing. I never thought I would see a president

My first landing zone here in Maine, Treasure Island, rests on a small point of land, facing south near the mouth of Little River in East Boothbay. It was where, serendipitously, my life, as I have come to know it, began. Oddly enough, in the scheme of things, my string of good luck and lack of game plans, once again gave me another gift.

In 1975, Phyllis Washington owned Treasure Island and ran it as a bed and breakfast sort of venture, well before the surge of B’n B transformations got up a full head of steam. I will say, also, that Phyllis loved Maine and could not wait each year to return

Dear Editor:

Last week a letter titled, “Delay, deny, defend,” blamed Republicans for the failure of LD-910 in Augusta. Democrats have been in complete control of Maine since Governor Mills took office almost 8 years ago. Democrats control the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Governorship, the three Constitutional Offices of Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Office of Attorney General, and the one Statutory Office, the State Auditor. Republicans, at this point, control nothing. They can only witness.

For almost eight years Republicans have had no voice in what bill passes or fails

From rent to groceries to that new tv ... welcome to surveillance pricing.

What is "surveillance pricing?" It's a business tactic and its goal is to come up with the highest online price you would willingly pay for an item. It uses AI and the information on your devices to create and offer you targeted, individual internet pricing for rent, travel, groceries, cars and other goods.

Unlike other pricing based on real time supply and demand, surveillance pricing takes data from your devices and manipulates it using Artificial Intelligence. An algorithm creates the price to be displayed by

Each year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) leads Identity Theft Awareness Week, a national initiative held in late January on how to avoid identity theft, recover if it happens, and spot these scams before they occur. 

Identity theft is when your personal information is exposed; identify fraud is when someone uses that data to take over or open accounts, steal your tax refund, file fraudulent health insurance claims, and more. It can happen to anyone, but we can take steps to protect against it.

Monitoring your credit report is one of the best ways to spot errors or suspicious activity. You

As I write this, we have just begun the new second session of the 132nd Legislature. We have a lot of important work ahead of us in the coming months, including doing more to lower the cost of living for Maine families, remove housing roadblocks and protect our heritage industries. 

One of the most pressing issues our state has been facing in recent years is the urgent need for more housing. As a licensed real estate agent since 1988, I’ve watched this get worse year after year. Working families can’t find apartments near their jobs. Young couples are being priced out of homeownership. Older

It’s shaping up to be one of those years where birds are pushed south by cold weather.

One example: This week we had the good fortune to have an evening grosbeak show up in our neighborhood. It seemed odd to see one of these normally gregarious birds by itself when they are almost always in flocks. Over these last weeks there have been an uptick in reports of flocks of evening grosbeaks across Maine’s Midcoast region.

Can we return 2026 like a pair of boots that cut into your foot, or a gallon of milk that clearly lacked some refrigeration?

It's still January. Maybe there is a 30-day return policy.

Or we could hope it is one of those nightmares that feel real, and then you are relieved to wake up to find, were not.

That would be good. 

Renee Good has no more mornings. The federal administration said she was committing domestic terrorism. Minneapolis and Minnesota leaders disagreed. So have protestors around the U.S. since then.

You know what does have a return policy?

Congress, thanks to the electoral

 I know, dear readers, Christmas has passed, the New Year is upon us, and the Three Kings celebration has passed, too. I suppose it is time to make a post-holiday visit to see how Ms. Pigette is doing as she holds up her mailbox on the side of Route 27.

In between football games, pro and college, I went to the dump (er, transfer station) and stopped to see her and asked her how she was doing.

“What do you think? You idiot. I am standing in frozen mud. The snowplows have hammered me so many times I have lost count. My smarter-than-I-phone is about out of juice, and I can’t find out if I scored

Years ago, when we lived on Barters Island, our mail delivery person Edith Lewis mentioned the January thaw. In the late ’70s there were some pretty tough winters when cold and snow settled in early. Mrs. Lewis, who braved some pretty tough winter weather, would remind us that there would be a break in the weather. She also mentioned the “onion snow” of late winter/early spring. These were unfamiliar weather-related phenomenon, but we were always interested in information acquired through the long years’ observations of local residents. Mrs. Lewis certainly experienced considerable weather

Dear Editor:

With demonstrators on bridges and overpasses waving their now fading Ukrainian flags and “No Kings” signs, it is time to consider what Trump has done for them and for all Americans.

I have observed 13 administrations, and have seen a creeping partnership between the government, industries, lending institutions, banks, etc. These partnerships are making victims of working-class families and destroying the American Dream. Eisenhower, a Republican, raised the alarm in 1961. Today, 65 years later, we finally have an administration focused on the plight of the working middle class

Dear Editor:

The Wiscasset Fire Association has held an annual raffle for many years, and over time it has grown into a wonderful fundraiser that benefits our organization. None of this would be possible without the incredible support of our community.

Thanks to our sponsors, volunteers, and community members, we once again had a very successful year. To our sponsors, we sincerely appreciate your continued support year after year: Ames Supply, Wiscasset Quick Stop, Wiscasset Speedway, Market 27, J. Edward Knight, First National Bank, Midcoast Federal Credit Union, Sweetz and More, Pro Body

As temperatures drop in many states, criminals are turning up the heat on their deceptive tactics. While utility scams happen year-round, scammers are especially active when customers rely on these essential services to stay warm and safe. 

They pose as utility companies, claiming you’re behind on your bill, and threatening to cut off service unless you make an immediate payment. Their goal is to trigger panic. When fear takes over, it becomes harder to think clearly, and they hope we stay in that state of panic just long enough to push through a payment. 

If you receive an unexpected call