Dear Editor:

The last week of July there were two news stories in Lincoln County highlighting underage drinking with two very different results. July 26 Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department broke up an underage drinking party at 2 a.m., citing several youth for furnishing a place for minors to consume/possess liquor and for possessing liquor. On July 30 the result of underage drinking was very different: at 3:20 a.m. Lincoln County Sheriff responded to a fatal car accident. There was no complaint called into the Lincoln County Dispatch and two local youth lost their lives. Sadly we cannot give back the lives of two young men and offer our heartfelt condolences to their families and to those who knew and loved them.

It is important for people to know that there is an anonymous tip service in Lincoln County to report trouble without anyone knowing who the tipster is (tips sent from phones or computers are encrypted). Anyone with a phone that can text can use this service. It’s easy; text “LTip” and your tip to 274637, or submit a tip online at www.healthylincolncounty.org

Chief Bob Hasch said: “The police have very good public support dealing with underage drinking and drug use by teens, we work closely with parents, teachers, other agencies and the public. The recent tragedy is very difficult for the department, some of us have been coaches, volunteers or mentors, and most of us are parents. Our officers know many of the local youth and their families personally. Our thoughts go out to everyone affected.”

Some tips for parents to keep youth safe: Put aside any reservations you have about calling other parents or to check that your child is truly where he/she say they are and doing what he/she say their doing. Have the difficult conversations to ensure the truth is being told and that alcohol is not included in your child’s plans. If you discover your child is drinking alcohol, talk to them about it and talk about the risks. “We need help from parents,” said Lt. Rand Maker.

The teens in our communities are doing amazing things, let’s celebrate their hard work while working together to help them safe and reach their potential.

Jenn Hemingway, CASA task force coordinator, Healthy Lincoln County
Lt. Rand Maker, Lincoln County Sheriff's Department
Chief Robert Hasch, Boothbay Harbor Police
Chief Troy Cline, Wiscasset Police Department
Chief Ron Young, Damariscotta Police Department
Ricki Waltz, RN, BSN, Director of Lincoln Academy School Based Health Center
Holly Stover, Maine DHHS,
Sarah Ricker, Assistant Principal, Athletic Director, Wiscasset High School
Cheri Towle, Wiscasset High School Principal