Southport Column: Bridge report, another SIA gift and more

Tue, 03/02/2021 - 8:30am

From the Southport bridge tender, Carl Jordan, I learned a bit more about one of his colleagues who tested positive for COVID-19. Fortunately, especially in winter time, we do not often meet face-to-face with the folks tending our bridge, so contagion to citizens on Southport is probably not a problem. Also fortunately, Carl reports that his colleague was not seriously ill, but did quarantine for two weeks and will be returning to work this Sunday. The work spaces on the bridge have all been sanitized, and other bridge tenders have tested negative. Still the news brings the virus close to us, so please, everyone, continue to wear your masks and distance appropriately.

Now for some good news. The Southport Island Association (SIA) is up to some Irish mischief! Partnering with the Southport Fire Department, the SIA wants to thank residents for being good neighbors by offering a second drive thru supper for Southport residents in March to lift spirits and create community cheer. On Sunday, March 14, between 4 and 6 p.m. residents may pick up a complete corn beef and cabbage dinner, cooked by the Fire Department to help celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Once again, SIA is lucky to have the participation of Nancy Long from the Southport General Store, Marie Kelly from Sweet Dreams Bakery, SIA member Brenda Tibbetts, the SIA board, and the special contributions of Southport firemen: Chef Matt Thibault, and cooks, Gerry Gamage, Dalton Tibbetts and Geoff Chatterton. This meal is free, but contributions will be accepted to help with SIA’s program Helping Hands.

To order a meal or meals for your family, please call Sandra Seifert at 633-3546. There will be 75 dinners available. Remember pick-up time will be from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Town Hall on March 14. Delivery can also be made to your home if needed. Please join us in another good cheer event.

An absentee ballot box is now securely mounted just to the left of the entrance to the town offices, but ballots for voting on the articles for the town warrant are not yet available. You can pick up an application for a ballot from Donna or Ashley at the town hall and choose on the application whether to have the ballot mailed to you or whether you will pick it up from the town hall. Also note that two public meetings will be held to discuss the articles, one on March 20 and one on March 24. Check more specifics elsewhere in this paper.

Please send your prayers and positive thoughts to “Mr. Shawn,” whose infant son, Arthur, is at Maine Medical Center waiting for a surgical appointment in Boston. Shawn is back with our older students continuing his creative teaching after a leave of absence for child care, but I am sure with an anxious heart.

In other school news Christopher and Addie Lambert, grandchildren of Pam Baldwin, have gone home to Massachusetts. Well done, Pam, as the surrogate mother for much of the school year.

From Mari Tiwari comes this good news, especially for bird watchers. “Early last week (possibly the week before) I saw a group of about 12-14 Ruddy Turnstones near the beach by Hendricks Head Light. To my great surprise, they flew right into the view through my spotting scope, and landed next to a Mallard I was watching on the ledges exposed at mid-tide. After 10 minutes of flipping through the rockweed for tidbits to eat, off they flew, with no sign of them since. This was especially pleasing to me, as my grandmother Gladys Landon mentioned seeing a Ruddy Turnstone here circa the late 1960s, and I've rather wanted to see one ever since.”

She also reports that last Sunday “a few of us saw a seal pop its head up for the first time this season! The loon and grebes are just barely starting to get their summer plumage, too.”

Spring is coming in spite of the cold temperatures forecast for overnight Monday night.