From history to heartbreak, from sports to healthcare, the Boothbay region saw many changes and much upheaval during the year 2014.

On the water

It was a banner year for the region's centuries' old shipbuilding industry. In January, Boothbay Region Shipyard and Hodgdon Yachts announced they would merge. In March, Hodgdon Yachts opened a new shipbuilding facility in Damariscotta. Hodgdon also built and launched the carbon fiber racing yacht Comanche, and Boothbay Harbor Shipyard was selected to do a $6,000,000 restoration of the Massachusetts tallship Ernestina-Morrissey.

The beat goes on

The saga of St. Andrews has, since 2012, been detailed in the pages of this newspaper. After shutting down the emergency room and a subsequent push for CON approval from the state, LincolnHealth was thrown for a loop when the Maine Department of Health and Human Services ruled that the newly created urgent care center would be required to stay open 24/7. It was an unasked for (and ultimately short-lived) victory for healthcare advocates as Commissioner Mary Mayhew eventually reversed her decision in November. Also in November, Southport summer resident Paul Coulombe donated $1,000,000 to the hospital group to create a wellness center at the Boothbay Harbor campus.

Hard times

In many ways it was a difficult year for local families, as several serious fires and fatal accidents swept through the region, devastating friends and neighbors.

Boothbay teen Emma Leonard was critically injured in a February accident in Woolwich that killed Wiscasset resident Walter Crosman. Teenaged cousins Casey Dalton and Keegan Spear died in a July crash on Route 27. Five teenagers were involved in a September crash, thankfully with no fatalities. A Connecticut couple, Donald and Doreen Hudson, died in a crash on Route 27 in September. An Edgecomb couple, John and Cathy Orne, survived a September accident in Warren.

Neighbors helped pick up the pieces after a fire at the Marston family’s home, a fire at the Hedgecock family’s home, a May fire just over the bridge on Southport, and, most recently, a Christmas Day evening fire that claimed the home of Matt and Kate Rice.

Historical triumph

Saving the Kenniston Hill house was a major triumph for the region. The historic inn had been slated for destruction to make way for a new Route 27 entrance for the revamped Boothbay Harbor Country Club, owned by Paul Coulombe. Lead by resident Susan Brackett, the ElderCare Network, the Teel family, Steve Malcom and the Knickerbocker Group, country club owner Coulombe, and many others, including donors, banded together to move the a portion of the former inn north, across the street to the network's Boothbay Green.

Changes at the YMCA

Down the road toward Boothbay Harbor, the YMCA was in the news after it parted ways with popular Wellness Director Mary Baudo. The nonprofit was tight-lipped about the departure, which was first reported in a letter to the editor submitted to the Register in January. The YMCA was also heavily criticized for its role in clear-cutting a large swath of trees on its Knickerbocker Lake property without planning board approval. In November, Marketing and Membership Director Meagan Hamblett took the CEO job at the Damariscotta CLC YMCA, in the same role her husband holds at the Boothbay Region YMCA.

Cuckolds Light opens

The newly-restored Cuckolds Lighthouse off the coast of Southport reopened to visitors in 2014. Although the restoration process began as a volunteer effort, it was ultimately completed by the nonprofit Cuckolds Council, under the leadership of Paul Coulombe. The council has been criticized for turning the lighthouse into a private getaway for the “super-rich,” who can stay at the new bed and breakfast for $400 a night and up. Council representatives said proceeds from operating the inn are essential to the long-term financial sustainability of the lighthouse and its programs. They have also said there will be educational opportunities and public access to the iconic lighthouse.

Federal lawsuit over cell tower

In 2014, beautiful and scenic Ocean Point was the scene of a bitter battle over lackluster cell phone coverage. After arranging to lease a plot of land for Mariner Tower’s new cell phone tower, the Boothbay planning board denied the company’s request. The location was scrapped, a new location and lease were made, but the planning board still denied the telecommunications company’s request. Mariner Tower then filed a federal lawsuit against the town. After going over potential legal costs, in November, the town finally gave Mariner Tower the approval it sought.

Meet the neighbors

The region welcomed new neighbors Gov. Paul LePage and first lady Ann LePage, who bought a 12-year-old Colonial house in July in Boothbay for $215,000. LePage would then go on to win another four years in the Blaine house. He plans to make the Boothbay house his home when he does leave office.

Big win

In October, after winning the People’s Choice Award at Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce’s annual Claw Down lobster bite competition, Chef Steve Richards of The World is Mine Oyster in Boothbay Harbor went on to take the winning vote in Portland as the 2014 Maine Lobster Chef of the Year.

Public works 

Long serving Boothbay Harbor Public Works Director Jody Lewis was relieved of his duties in September, then filed an appeal to contest the decision, which was ultimately denied in December. Townspeople criticized the months-long appeal process at a public meeting two weeks before Lewis’ appeal was finally denied. No replacement has been announced yet.

Boothbay in action

The local sports scene in 2014 began with a high: The Boothbay Region Elementary School seventh and eighth grade girls basketball teams won Busline League championships; and Seahawk boys basketball coach I.J. Pinkham was chosen as one of the top 10 high school basketball coaches in the country through an online poll sponsored by USA Today. Area fans kept voting for Pinkham, who eventually ended up fourth in the voting.

February brought heartbreak as 11 student-athletes at Boothbay Region High School were suspended for attending a party and violating the school's athletic pledge. Six of those athletes were boys varsity basketball players. The team had amassed a 16-2 record during the regular season and were one of the favorites to get to the state final. Filling out the tournament roster with junior varsity players, the Seahawks lost in the quarterfinal round to Hall-Dale.

BRHS wrestler Antonio Maulolo brought some bright news in February by winning his second state title in his weight class.

In March, Melissa Hodgdon, formerly of East Boothbay, as coach of the women's basketball team at Wheaton College, won her second Coach of the Year Award from the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference.

Five local Special Olympians, Brenda LeConte, Ronda LeConte, Donny Dunning, Joey Ranco and Thomas Wilcox represented Maine at the National Summer Special Olympic Games at Princeton University in New Jersey in June.

Seahawk junior track athlete Morgan Crocker and sophomore boys tennis player Nick Gorey were named 2014 female athlete and boys tennis player of the year, respectively, by the Mountain Valley Conference spring coaches in June.

The BRHS boys cross country team continued to be a major player in Maine high school running in 2014. The BRHS boys won the school's fifth Mountain Valley Conference championship and won the state regional title in October. On Nov. 2, the team finished third in the state meet behind champion Merriconeag and runner-up, Orono. Coach Nick Scott was named MVC Coach of the Year and was named one of the 25 Most Inspiring Coaches in the country by Brooks Running through an online poll.

Field hockey player Taylor Walby was named to the all-state team for Class C by a vote of the coaches.

Ellie Logan, Olympic rower, was inducted into Maine Sports Hall of Fame in May.

And the 30th anniversary of Boothbay Region High School's only girls basketball state championship in 1984 was celebrated with a luncheon held at the school on Dec. 6.

At the Register

At the 2014 New England Press and Newspaper Association's annual Better Newspaper Competition, reporter Ryan Leighton was awarded two first place plaques for his video work for the newspaper's website, and reporter Sue Mello took second place for health reporting. The Register also took first place for its mobile app and third place for its multimedia coverage of Fishermen’s Festival.

The combined websites for the Boothbay Register and Wiscasset Newspaper were judged top in the state for small weekly newspapers in the Maine Press Association’s 2014 Better Newspaper Contest. The Register also won third place for General Excellence in Print; second place for its 2013 Windjammer Days guide; second place for the cover of its 2014 Summertime Guide; and second place for its March Mainea online project in the Best New Revenue Idea for weekly newspapers category.

Individual staff awards were presented to Lisa Kristoff, who received second place for spearheading the online domestic violence community resource page with a special feature on the newspapers’ websites; and Suzi Thayer, who received third place for her feature story, “Alligators, Jimmy Carter and the Extraterrestrial Highway.”