I tend to think of "By the time you read this" as one of those superfluous, disposable phrases, like "in order to" instead of "to" and "out of an abundance of caution" instead of "out of caution." You would not be reading whatever it is before it has been published online or in print; and the publish date that shows on either makes it clear, whatever we were writing about before it happened, has, by the time you are reading it, likely happened, whatever the outcome. 

For example, this week's print edition previews/provides information thus far on several things that will have occurred Tuesday, Sept. 1 in Wiscasset, and this editorial that will get around to mentioning them will be/will have been published Wednesday, Sept. 2 online and Thursday, Sept. 3 in print. 

As a reminder, our Tuesday press time means the results of a Tuesday election or meeting, both of which Wiscasset had this week, won't appear in print until the following week's paper. So, we direct you also to wiscassetnewspaper.com to read the results sooner.

The Tuesday night meeting could/might have solidify/solidified several November ballot items. And Tuesday's voting at Wiscasset Community Center will/will have determine(d) if Wiscasset can borrow up to $10 million and have to repay up to $9 million to help move the wastewater treatment plant. Town Manager Dennis Simmons said last week, after a meeting with the state, town counsel has recommended continuing to preserve the  funds lined up, and to seek more funding, for a move. 

Here's more of what Wiscasset had going on Tuesday:

By the time you read this(!) voters also will have either nodded the school committee's second try at a school budget or told the committee to make a third try.

By the time you read this(!) selectmen will or will not have sent November voters a data center moratorium, a moratorium on certain rent hikes at mobile home parks; a proposed ordinance change that either ends or alters the ordinance review committee, plus a fire department cost recovery ordinance too important in its details to be encapsulated here. So I direct you to our meeting preview story and to wiscasset.gov

And by the time you read this(!) selectmen will or will not have nodded the Nov. 3 warrant that also asks, in a non-binding question, if Wiscasset should "explore the possibility of a single high school serving students from multiple area towns."

A lot to keep up with, for voters and newspapers, by the time you read this(!)