Ford Motor Company made a dramatic announcement this past week: They’re phasing out production of all but two of their passenger cars. They’re not alone. Other auto manufacturers have…
Editorial
Mary’s Musings
In most Maine communities, this is the season for town meetings. Some towns have already held theirs, and others are scheduled in the next few weeks. In addition to acting on a number of…
From the editor
As editor, I read thousands of words each week. I have learned to read copy — written material produced by and submitted to this newspaper and for online – quickly. It is part of my job to get the…
Mary’s Musings
Most high school seniors have already made post-graduation plans which may include college in September, entering the workforce, or perhaps a career in the military. By this time in the…
From the editor
She is one to give others credit when good things happen, but Jane Good deserves a lot of credit for starting and building what today is a thriving asset, the Boothbay Region Community Center. I…
Mary’s Musings
Fashionable.Most folks try to be “fashionable,’’ depending upon their age, job, friends and other factors. Some want to dress like everyone else, with no desire to be conspicuous. On the…
From the editor
A couple of weeks ago, I asked readers to suggest places to live if you didn’t live in Maine and I received several responses – verbally and via our Disqus commenting feature and Facebook page.…
Mary’s Musings
Back when we were setting up housekeeping on our own, in the early 1960s, most homes had a set of encyclopedias.Growing up, we had access to those in my parents’ home so when a salesman…
guest editorial
There are two things you need to know about newspapers.
Newspapers are important to community life and democracy. Always have been. We at the National Newspaper Association think it is…
From the Editor
March Madness is about over (insert a tear) and when it is, I expect to be called out of my recliner to begin some spring cleaning. Yes, the dusting, window cleaning, rug shampooing, dog bathing…
Mary’s Musings
There are many types of religions in the world, with most folks convinced that “theirs’’ is the only “real’’ one. Every generation, we’re hopefully getting a bit more tolerant of religious…
From the Editor
A friend of mine who owns a home in Maine and a place in Massachusetts told me this week that he has had enough — he is seriously considering moving to another state south of New England. He cited…
Mary’s Musings
Eat your fruits and vegetables. Choose lean meats and fish. Limit your sugar and salt intake. We all hear these messages daily, and have for many years. There’s only one big problem: It…
Mary’s Musings
The weather has been the major topic of discussion this past week, with a brutal nor’easter dumping 15-plus inches of snow on our peninsula, and as we prepared our column, forecasters were…
From the Editor
Central Maine Power is being investigated by the Public Utilities Commission regarding metering, billing and customer communications after the PUC received hundreds, possibly thousands, of…
Mary’s Musings
Most of us have no idea whatsoever what goes on behind closed doors except our own, and generally tend to mind our own business. It’s not a bad philosophy. Running our own lives is usually…
From the editor
I was a local high school basketball coach for about a dozen years. I know that basketball is a team sport. However, there are players on every team which stand out, and I would like to recognize…
Mary’s Musings
The potholes aren’t showing today, as we write this column; it’s snowing. However, the weatherman promises very little accumulation and a quick melt, so we’ll all be able to SEE the potholes…
From the editor
Another school shooting massacre, this time in Florida. Let’s wake up, America, and do something about stopping this senseless violence. Even President Trump seems ready to get serious about…
Mary’s Musings
Why is it that so many elected officials, company heads, and others who don’t have to answer to higher-ups, find it so tempting to waste someone else’s money? If they don’t…
Mary’s Musings
It’s about time, say many of us, that L.L. Bean will no longer quietly let some unscrupulous customers take advantage of them and hurt their bottom line.The company is discontinuing its long…
From the editor
February is a good month for thinking. The days are getting longer – yeah – and with 321 days left in the year – as of Tuesday – this week seemed like a good time to ponder over what has…
From the Editor
I have been lost in the middle.
I’ve known about the “baby boomers,” because I am one, but ask me about who is a “Generation X” or a “millennial” and I am lost. Not that it’s really…
Mary’s Musings
Every time we watch one of the TV shows on hoarders, we breathe a sigh of relief that we’re not that bad yet, but we do feel guilty that we save far more than we should. Some folks can claim…
From the Editor
It’s Super Bowl week and our beloved (depending on who you talk to) New England Patriots are in it again. For a record 10th time! They’ve won five and lost four — and if it wasn’t for a couple of…
Mary’s Musings
Being a celebrity can have its drawbacks. Take “The Price is Right” television game show host Drew Carey, who found himself on the floor of the stage a couple of weeks ago,…
From the editor
One of my favorite columns, a duty I have done for two and a half years now, was about the various neighborhoods in Boothbay Harbor while I was growing up and the families living in those…
Mary’s Musings
The next time you’re inching your way from one side of Wiscasset to the other due to unusually heavy traffic, or you’re stopped on Oak Street behind eight or ten cars waiting…
From the Editor
Turned on the radio before shaving Monday morning and Don Henley’s “Dirty Laundry” was playing. I’ve listened to that song probably 500 times and it still rings true — most of the evening news is…
Mary’s Musings
“Where is everybody? ‘’ We overheard this question last week as a local resident remarked that it seemed to be quiet everywhere – precious few pedestrians on the sidewalks, empty parking…
From the editor
I had to calm down before writing this column again. That’s why it was missing last week. This winter weather and everything that goes with it got me riled. I felt my assistant editor Susan Johns…
Mary’s Musings
We didn’t have the winning numbers in the Mega Millions, Powerball, or Tri State lotteries this past weekend, which is quite understandable:We didn’t buy any tickets.Lotteries wouldn’t fare…
From the Assistant Editor
It has been a long time since I've had any use for snow other than writing about it. But the cold we’ve been having is far worse than snow. If you have to be outside, and we all do, some of us…
Mary’s Musings
We’re off and running in a brand new year which will, once again, bring changes we may never have imagined, including in the field of medicine. We’re all living longer, thanks in part to…
From the editor
Happy New Year!
Wow, another year is upon us. Seems like only a few months ago that 2017 began. As we get older, time goes faster and faster. And I can feel those years in my bones and…
Mary’s Musings
2017 has brought lots of changes to our local communities, our state, country and elsewhere around the world. We constantly have to adapt to new concepts, philosophies and…
From the Editor
I have been thinking all week about what my Christmas message will be and on Tuesday night, it came to me.
I have been trying to figure out why I sometimes get melancholy around Christmas.…
Mary’s Musings
Although it has a religious origin, the message Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men is now a popular saying the world over, especially during the Christmas season when we all tend to be a…
From the editor
Congratulations to all of the winners and entrants in the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens’ Christmas lighting contest, and kudos to those who have participated in the Boothbay Festival of Lights.…
Mary’s Musings
Christmas decorations hold a special place in our hearts, especially the traditional wreaths, swags, garlands and other greenery offset by bright red ribbons and bows.They’re perfect symbols…
From the editor
Growing up in a family with six siblings, you tend to learn patience at an early age. Being patient, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, means “bearing pains or trials calmly or without…
Mary’s Musings
Other than a few smarty-pants who have their Christmas shopping all done, most of us are still at it, trying to figure out what to get for those on our list who pose a challenge.In the days…
From the Editor
Oh my! It’s Christmastime!
Here comes the busiest time of the year for many folks. There’s the shopping, decorating, getting and putting up the tree, wrapping gifts, going to events and…
From the editor
I am thankful for my family and friends every day of the year but on this Thanksgiving week, I would like to thank some other people (some are friends, too!) who contribute very much to getting…
Mary’s Musings
On this Thanksgiving holiday, as we sit down with family and friends to share both good food and conversation, let’s not forget the thousands all over the world who are less fortunate.…
From the Editor
While writing this column, the clock was ticking toward the end of another year of my existence. Yes, I turned 61 this week. Not a memorable number, for sure, but birthdays tend to not only creep…
Mary’s Musings
Two recent wind storms brought down a tremendous number of trees. Maine is the most heavily forested state in the nation, with an estimated 24.3 billion.Even before the latest blow, we…
From the editor
Congratulations to our local fall sports teams and athletes. For our relatively small student populations, Boothbay Region High School and Wiscasset Middle High School continue to perform well on…
Mary’s Musings
Most Maine homes were expected to have electrical service restored by press time, but to say this latest storm which brought near hurricane level winds was a horror show would be putting it…
From the editor
Last night I found myself looking at the shadows on the walls and ceilings of my house, cast from the light of four candles glowing in the kitchen, dining room, computer nook and living room. As…
