On Wednesday, June 25 from 6 to 7 p.m. the next Ocean on Tap event will be held at Footbridge Brewery, 25 Granary Way, Boothbay Harbor.

The Innovative Gear Library Team of Maine's Department of Marine Resources will be speaking about their collaborative project testing alternative fishing gear and providing real-world feedback. There's a slight overlap with the Windjammer Days Street Parade, but we hope you can join us after for this fascinating conversation!

Members of the MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital and MaineHealth Mid Coast Hospital Community Health Improvement Committee announced their support for two organizations focusing on providing safe, affordable housing and the needed support services for low-income individuals and families who may otherwise be homeless. 

Coastal Rivers is hosting an “after hours” Trail Tamers work partyat Bass Rock Preserve in Round Pond on Wednesday, June 18 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.  

The Skidompha Secondhand Book Shop in downtown Damariscotta is open every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. now through Labor Day.

The shop is located on the river at 17 Backstreet Landing, behind Elm Street Plaza. It is normally open from 9 to 4.

It offers thousands of paperback and hardcover books in dozens of categories for adults and children, as well as music CDs and records, movie DVDs, audiobooks, games, and puzzles. All items are donated, all staff members are volunteers, and every purchase supports the programs and collections of Skidompha Public Library. 

Cheney Insurance is proud to welcome Charlyn Foster to its team of trusted professionals. A Maine native with 19 years of experience in the insurance industry, Charlyn brings a deep understanding of customer needs along with a strong work ethic, reliability, and a personable approach that aligns perfectly with Cheney Insurance’s values.

The Maine State Aquarium’s 2025 season begins on Wednesday, June 11, and preparations are going swimmingly. Last year’s grand reopening was a huge hit with over 26,000 visitors, and this year we have more to debut.

The Maine Community Foundation (MaineCF) has announced the launch of a new initiative to strengthen Maine communities by ensuring strong, local news coverage in all parts of the state.

As part of the Maine Healthy Beaches program, Coastal Rivers volunteers take weekly water samples at Pemaquid Beach, the Bristol Mills swimming hole, and the beach at Biscay Pond during the summer months. This service for the towns of Bristol and Damariscotta helps ensure that beaches are safe for swimming.

The samples are sent off to a state-certified lab, which ensures consistent and reliable data. In recent years, all three beaches have consistently been very clean, with minimal bacterial contamination.

When Sarah Perkins leaves as Alna's town clerk in late June, Deputy Town Clerk Lisa Arsenault, a familiar face at the town office and next door when it was the town office, will become clerk. Selectmen announced Arsenault's promotion after an executive, or closed door, session May 8.

Selectmen in March announced Perkins was resigning effective June 26. They said she was leaving because her farm has gotten too busy to balance with the job.

The University of Maine announced funding has been restored for Maine Sea Grant to continue research and outreach. They said restored funds are in line with a funding plan abruptly terminated in February. 

According to a UMaine news release May 2, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officially notified the university last week it was awarding three more years of funding for Maine Sea Grant; funds were made immediately available for the upcoming year, with funding for two additional years contingent on congressional approval.  

It didn't divulge the company's name or what the outfit does, but the town manager's report for the Tuesday night, May 6 Wiscasset selectmen's meeting said whoever it is has sought information from the town. Town Manager Dennis Simmons wrote, "While the nature of the business and the company's identity are confidential at this stage, the inquiry appears to be a serious and promising opportunity.

After being closed since 2023, Montsweag Flea Market in Woolwich will reopen Saturday, May 3, under the new ownership of David J. Jones, owner of FO Bailey Real Estate in Falmouth. The flea market will remain open through the summer season from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., which is designated, "Antique Dealer Day."

AUGUSTA (April 24, 2025)—Buyers of single-family existing homes in Maine are welcoming a more balanced spring sales market, with an increase in available inventory and moderation of pricing. According to Maine Listings, Realtors reported 848 sales within Maine’s 16 counties during March, a decrease of 6.19 percent compared to a year ago.  The median sales price (MSP) for those homes eased 0.98 percent to $376,260. The MSP indicates that half of the homes were sold for more and half sold for less.

Hearty Roots is thrilled to welcome four new board members to their team: Alyssa Allen, Lisa Steele-Maley, Deborah Mills-Scofield, and Mary (Polly) Vaughan.

In the past year, MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital volunteers donated more than 8,000 hours across departments and different facilities. Their support includes greeting patients, assisting with clerical work, running errands, providing companionship and more.

But for many, including Laura Zajdel of Boothbay Harbor, volunteering is about more than just the giving of time. It’s about spreading joy and having fun.

Veggies to Table, a nonprofit farm committed to providing fresh, sustainable produce to our community, is thrilled to announce the receipt of a $1,000 check from the Damariscotta-Newcastle Rotary. This generous contribution will significantly support the farm's ongoing grow-to-donate program aimed at promoting healthy eating and food security. 

Coastal Rivers’ Estuary Water Quality Monitoring Program offers volunteers the chance to get out on the water and be part of an ongoing community science project to inform the broader community about the health of the Damariscotta River.  

Contractors might soon be making offers on an Alna job that might go to no one, but which Third Selectman Coreysha Stone said could be a go at some point.

Some residents April 10 continued questioning the point of seeking bids on trash and recycling collection since the town already contracts with Wiscasset Transfer Station. They said bidding now would tip contractors' hands for any subsequent bid requests, when other firms would know how low to go; another concern was that contractors would be turned off if they put time into a bid and none is awarded. 

The week of March 31 saw a tumultuous turn of events as the Trump administration launched sweeping tariffs on trading partners across the world, many who have responded in turn. So far, Maine’s lobster industry has escaped the brunt of the conflict. However, concern lingers.