In August, AARP testified before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging to spotlight a growing threat to Americans: fraud carried out by translational organized crime groups. Operating openly abroad, these networks are draining billions of dollars from victims, local communities and economies every year. Older adults are navigating a minefield of increasingly sophisticated scams that threaten not only their lifetime savings but even their homes, independence, and health. Money that was saved for retirement is instead supporting illicit activity around the world. 

AARP is urging lawmakers

As the Maine boating season came to an end, the Down East Yacht Club (DEYC) cruised into its 60th year with the ever-popular Haul-Out Party at Blake’s Boat Yard in Boothbay Harbor, drawing more than 125 enthusiastic boaters. A heartfelt thank-you goes to Past Commodore Amy Goodwin and Dusty Goodwin, owners of Blake’s Boat Yard, for having graciously hosted the ever-growing crowd year after year. 

The festivities featured a mouthwatering barbecue feast catered by Footbridge Brewery, two celebratory cakes, and of course, the club’s own Woody Wagon, fully stocked with libations and a delicious

As we approach the holiday season, the scammers come out in full force — and unfortunately, veterans are among their favorite targets. While these scams can affect anyone, veterans and their families are especially vulnerable because of the trust placed in organizations claiming to represent the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 

One recent scheme involves a “special offer” for VA insurance. The mailer looks official, but nowhere does itactually say it is from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Another common trick involves phone calls or emails claiming to be from the VA, insisting

Congratulations to the Boothbay Region High School fall sports teams.

The field hockey team finished their spectacular regular season 11-1-2 and placed first in Class C South. Their first playoff game is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 29 at home against Traip Academy at 3:30 p.m. Should they win that game, they are scheduled to play at home on Saturday, Nov. 1 (weather permitting, time to be announced) against the winner of the Winthrop/Hall-Dale game. Coaches Jax Hepburn, Taylor Walby and Emma van der Veen have molded this young team into winners.

The Seahawk cross country teams, boys and

Despite the grayness of the day, there is still a wonderous golden glow emitted by the many trees, and brilliant reds from sumac and blueberry shrubs in the lower stories;fall is truly stunning.Some beneficial rain has fallen, even unexpected hailand more is on the way, perhaps not the hail. It is something to be thankful for as we move into the month of thanks. Before we get to November, there is much going on that you will not want to miss. 

To begin with, on Thursday, Oct. 30, the Southport Memorial Library is offering a Spooktober Movie Night from 6 to 8 p.m. This event will feature pi

Dear Editor:

The recent announcement of a $130 million donation from a Mellon bank heir to pay soldiers during the government shutdown gives rise to concerns about the possibility of the creation personal armies beholden to interests not provided for in the Constitution.

Is this what we really want? I think not.

Richard Palmer

East Boothbay

Dear Editor:

Political violence is an inexcusable scourge on our nation; it is the single greatest threat to maintaining stable government and civil society.

We deplore the assassination of Charlie Kirk and our hearts go out to his family as they struggle to cope with the shock and sorrow of his premature death.

The canonization of this right-wing leader of Christian nationalism, however, is both ill-advised and dangerous: it promotes racism (“If I see a Black pilot, I’m going to be like, boy, I hope he’s qualified”), McCarthyite anti-intellectualism (Turning Point USA runs the Professor

Dear Editor:

Maine residents pay very high electric rates vis-à-vis other regions, a well-known fact. For The Monitor to lead with a headline “ ... because of natural gas exports,” is poor editing, however.

In the piece they state there are other factors that drive the higher cost including “overly generous solar subsidies." Later the article says maybe more solar is the answer. OK. At least those who said no to any fossil fuel, including natural gas, seem to have come to their senses.

Want a clean, cheap alternative? Take Maine Yankee out of mothballs and have the old gal start making

Here we are, in the midst of what is rapidly growing into one of the longest federal government shutdowns in history, and it’s great to know that our local representative in Augusta is hard at work. Holly Stover, who is now in her seventh (going on eighth) year in office, came to the Rotary club last week to give us an update on legislative work this session. 

Holly has served as our rep from House District 48 and has been active on the Government Oversight Committee, the Appropriations Committee, and her true passion, the Health and Human Services Committee.   

She believes strongly that if

The distinctive buzz and tiny, high-note sputters of the juncos are now everywhere when we walk the neighborhood. That and the high “seet” notes of the white-throated sparrows that emanate from every bush at dawn are clear signals that we are in the latter half of the fall bird migration season.

Listening at night, we also hear mostly those same white-throated sparrow “seet” notes as the birds flow south in night migration.

Yellow-bellied sapsuckers have been appearing here and there around town on our walks as well. They too tend to be later-fall migrants. Out on Monhegan Island, there

Dear data center inquirer (in other words, whoever is scouting a site for one of those techno-storage centers I don't think I had heard of before this came up in Wiscasset), 

We've started writing about the town's and your communication; and area residents' reactions to the idea of a data center at the town's Old Ferry Road property. What we haven't been able to share, because we don't have it confirmed, and that's how we roll, is who this interested, or so far interested, party is.

If you did let the public know it's you, a downside would be opponents then being able to direct their verbal

About 15 months ago, I wrote about my childhood neighborhoods in Boothbay Harbor, reminiscing about our neighbors on our street, Gilead Street, and friends on Union Street and Atlantic Avenue. It was a column prompted by my sleepless night due to the thunder and lightning and my frightened dog shaking beside me. 

I recently was reminded by a friend that she enjoyed that column (and others about growing up in the 60s and 70s) so I thought I would rekindle those memories while taking another “sleepless bike ride” through other nearby streets. 

The next street over from Gilead – to the east – is

There’s something happening here
What it is ain’t exactly clear.

About 60 years ago, a strange tune jumped out of the radio.

It was 1966, and a group called Buffalo Springfield poked the nation’s conscience with a tune called “For What It’s Worth.” Google it up; it might be worth your time.

It was a time of national turmoil as our nation tried to wrap our collective arms around a strange war that, to many, didn’t make sense.
Our parents’ generation had fought, bled and died in a World War that brought us together in a common cause. We knew the evil Nazi horde had gobbled up Europe, while the

First off, let me preface this week’s adventure with a small disclaimer:  “I don’t get out much!” 

And that’s not an accident. It’s not that I am antisocial; it's just that there isn’t much incentive to leave the ranch. Plenty to do here! But last week was completely not hermit time. 

We had something going on every night and with plenty to do photographically then in the computer-driven digital darkroom, coming up for air was a real challenge. There was a terrific show at the Opera House with the wonderfully entertaining Jeff Daniels, and an equally informative evening presentation at

We remain in what is termed severe drought. This is brought on by having only about 50% of our normal precipitation, about five inches the entire summer, often more than 11” will fall.  It is true, everyone has loved it, you cannot complain about the clear blue skies, pleasant temperatures, and now the sun setting the brilliant colors of the trees into an illuminated state.  Despite the heavy dew of the morning, the woods are extremely dry and susceptible to fire, so let us be careful.  

The final and generous bid for the watercolor by Cecile Clifford of Old Southport was cast at the

Have I mentioned lately how much I enjoy being a member of the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club? I travel a lot – and speak a lot – for Rotary, and I do it because I enjoy it. But even more I enjoy coming home and spending Thursday evenings with friends, solving the problems of the world, and usually learning something about the community from a very interesting speaker. 

This week was no exception. Our guest speaker last Thursday was  the president and CEO of Sweetser, Jayne Van Bramer. I knew Sweetser was the go-to organization in Maine for help with mental health issues, but I had no idea

Dear Editor:

Antifa had to go deep into their pockets last Saturday, bankrolling over 7 million lunatic leftists in their ‘Hate America’ demonstrations. Many more traitors, probably unpaid, drove past these radicals, honking their horns and flashing peace signs in support.

In addition to more than 2,700 U.S. sites, these rallies took place in Canada and Mexico, Panama and the British Virgin Islands, Austria, Germany, France, Belgium, Czech Republic, Portugal, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Poland, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Kenya, Japan and South Korea.

Socialists and communists

Dear Editor:

What a good feeling it is. Keep it closed. No one is missing anything. As long as national defense remains intact, pilots, soldiers paid, all is safe and sound.

Law enforcement doing their best, the private sector providing all we need, as always, as it should and could be.

So-called lawmakers, fighting each other, as it should and could be. Business as usual.

The gavel is silent, the treasury cash register, still.

What bliss, what peace.

Someone once said, “All is well, Congress is not in session.”

Dave Gregg

Southport

Dear Editor: 

This past Saturday five of us crammed into a small Chevy Bolt electric vehicleand headed to Wiscasset for the ‘No Kings’ rally. We are the vanguard of what Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, likes to call the “hate America … antifa people.” We are what others in the Republican party like to call the “terrorist wing of the Democratic party.” 

The combined ages of the five of us in that car added up to 412 years. When Speaker Johnson was still in diapers, we were demonstrating for peace, justice and decency.We are not done yet.

Speaker Johnson, you better watch out: our oldest

Dear Editor:

Before voting on Question 1 on Nov. 4, be sure to read the entire question. Near the end, it says, "and make other changes" but it does not say what those changes might be.

Oh, they wouldn't  pull anything sneaky. They wouldn't?

Wait a minute, they just did.

Absentee ballots and voter ID are just the window dressing. Allowing "other changes" would leave the door open for anything.

Larz Neilson

East Boothbay