It’s shaping up to be one of those years where birds are pushed south by cold weather.

One example: This week we had the good fortune to have an evening grosbeak show up in our neighborhood. It seemed odd to see one of these normally gregarious birds by itself when they are almost always in flocks. Over these last weeks there have been an uptick in reports of flocks of evening grosbeaks across Maine’s Midcoast region.

We have received various letters and comments mostly from Camden residents but a few from Rockport residents regarding the Rock Road issue.  There are several issues all mixed up in this, with different letters addressing different concerns.  We want to lay out the issues as we understand them:

• The DEP permit. Neighboring landowners have filed an appeal of that permit, though their request for stay was denied.  The DEP did indicate that any action in reliance on the permit would be at the owner’s risk if the appeal were to prevail.  The Rockport Select Board is not involved in this issue.
• The

That special time of year. The period in the middle of January where the temperature is suddenly above freezing for several days. Puddles appear on frozen driveways, the birds swarm the feeders, the squirrels become more active. My cats are excited while staring out the windows. The sun stays up noticeably longer, you can forgo the jacket if going out to check the mail or let the dogs out. Thoughts turn to spring gardens.

It is, of course, a false hope. Winter is not done, the driveway will freeze again, more snow will be on its way. Isn’t it a great feeling in the moment though? 

When I

I am glad to see that the Maine Department of Transportation and Trillium Engineering are planning increased parking at the Rockland Ferry Terminal.

I wonder if conversations might be had to discuss private-public collaborations for a parking structure? I read that the Planning Board asked why the proposed structure did not have a third level.

Might a three-level (or more) parking structure create a few first level retail spaces and a top level have a restaurant/cafe connected to the Main Street green space and the Harbor Trail design?

To have only parking planned for this site misses an

As I gazed out at the first sunset of the new year I pondered how society has turned January 1 into a time of setting new goals, accomplishing new tasks and brandishing new mindsets. Go, go, go...it's time to get started. Worthy attributes all. However, it comes during a time when the rest of our natural world is overwintering. Our flora and fauna brethren arw protecting themselves from the elements and building energy reserves for the coming year.

Personally, I've no mind for resolutions and even less intent of joining the first of the year goal based militants, whose best intentions fizzle

 In 1776 Tom Paine's widely read pamphlet "Common Sense" energized Colonial resistance to British rule setting the stage for the ultimate success of the Revolution.

In part Paine wrote: "In America the law is king. For as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be king, and there ought to be no other."

Donald Trump defies this premise totally and relentlessly. He breaks both domestic and international laws in nearly every action he takes, scorning those who obey such legal guidelines. He demands slavish devotion from his followers as if he were a king.

As

“These are the times that try men’s souls” — John Paine, 1776

We have circled back to the beginning. A nation divided by politics and fed the food of disinformation, misinformation, religious fragmentation and distrust.

No one knows truth from fiction, the information we all receive is filtered through some corporate algorithm to produce what our searches say is what we want to see.

The FCC, FDA and all other federal agencies that were in place by the federal government to protect the citizens from bad food, unsafe working conditions, reasonably costing health care are now controlled by the

(This week’s column shares Jeff’s perspective; Allison was unable to participate.)

On the pre-dawn drive over to the airport at Owls Head on January 5th, the temperature hit a low of zero degrees Fahrenheit. I was on my way to catch a small plane to fly out to Matinicus Island for the annual National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count. Joining me on the flight from the mainland and on the count were long-time regular Rich and first-timer Bethany. We were joined by several island resident bird enthusiasts including one particularly proficient young person, all of us volunteer scientists

I’ve lived in Camden-Rockport since 1981 and have owned a home in Rockport since 1987; I’ve been deeply invested, one way or another, in the people of this area and the communities themselves, through supporting local education, businesses, and nonprofits.  I’m writing as a concerned citizen who is speaking out about decisions that seem to be patterns of governance that do not benefit the people in Rockport: these are decisions that do not protect the rights of private property owners and the public. 

A couple years ago, when someone poisoned trees on a neighbor’s property in Camden so as to

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Vinalhaven was jumpin’. Served by one wooden ferry that only carried one big car or two small ones, it could hardly be otherwise. 

Happy New Year, Lincolnville! 

One of my favorite topics to return to in this little column is what it means to live in Lincolnville. I am obviously heavily influenced by my mom, Diane Roesing O’Brien, Ma, who wrote some iteration of this column since around 1978, before handing it over to me, three years ago, with the approval of her editor.

Ma is the current president of the Lincolnville Historical Society, which she helped found with Jackie Young Watts some 50 years ago, and the author of books documenting the stories of our town. 

Ma is from away. 

Adopted as an infant by Frank and Ruth

As Trump justifies an illegal invasion of Venezuela under a guise of fighting fentanyl, it is a distraction.

Our opioid epidemic was actually caused by aggressive pharmaceutical marketing, a Congressional failure to regulate this industry, and ongoing American poverty. An inside job. Coast Guard seizure data do not show any fentanyl coming from Venezuelan-linked maritime routes. 

The USA is under no threat from Venezuela.

To the contrary, the USA conducted a covert war against Venezuela for decades to attempt to control their oil. And they resisted. I say this not from ignorance. I once held

On behalf of Adas Yoshuron Synagogue, I’d like to thank local businesses, farmers, and organizations who contributed to making the 34th Christmas Day Community Dinner a roaring success.

Served at Rockland’s St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, in Rockland, and prepared by Chef Melissa Kelly of Primo and her staff, over 100 guests enjoyed the ambience, music, and food.

Additionally, over 150 take-out meals were sent home, and food was also delivered to the PenBay ER, Stella Maris Housing, Homeworthy, and the Belfast Soup Kitchen.

Thank you, Chef Kelly,  and your amazing team. It was a thrill to see

For the past 25 years the Camden/Rockport Pathways Committee has worked to formalize a pedestrian path from the end of Limerock St in Rockport, passing behind the YMCA and the Midcoast Solid Waste facility, connecting to Linden Lane in Camden. This route is sometimes called the old Rock Road.

During early quarry days the road was used by oxen to pull lime on wagons from various quarries to Rockport and Camden Harbors. It was in use in 1856 and probably used before then.

We have long advocated for a walking path on this route by including it in our Master Plans, through presentations to various

Calls to rein in municipal spending are familiar, and they often rest on a simple premise: if government would just shrink, costs would fall and taxpayers would be relieved. That argument is appealing. It is also misleading.

Municipal budgets represent only a portion of the property tax burden. Even large reductions in town spending would not materially lower property taxes without eliminating or degrading core services — police and fire protection, EMS, road maintenance, code enforcement, snow removal, and basic administrative functions. There is no meaningful category of “bureaucracy” to cut

With rising costs and economic uncertainty, many of us are looking to start the new year by taking more control of our finances and tackling lingering debt. But paying down what you owe takes time, discipline, and a clear plan—not quick fixes. Be cautious of offers that promise guaranteed results or fast debt elimination. 

Scammers often target consumers with significant credit card debt, claiming they can negotiate with creditors to reduce what you owe. These operations typically charge hefty fees and deliver little—or no—help. Some even advise you to stop communicating with your creditors

With the recent snow has come an increase in bird activity at our feeders and the small patches of open ground we’ve cleared under them. When all the birds are trying to access the limited space available, it’s not surprising that there seems to be more situations in which one species displaces another and takes over the feeding opportunity. How often does the feisty Carolina wren drive off a house finch? What about a house sparrow? What happens when a blue jay makes an appearance? Or a downy woodpecker? Who wins the fight for the suet between a downy woodpecker and a hairy? How does the

All fishermen are encouraged to attend a Town Hall with Troy Jackson, candidate for governor, Saturday January 18, at 3 p.m., at the People’s United Methodist Church 13 Chapel Street, South Thomaston. 

Maine’s fishery extends way beyond lobstering. We harvest sea scallops, hard- and soft-shell clams, oysters, mussels, shrimp, flounder, cod, haddock, pollock, hake, whiting, monkfish, herring, mackerel, scup, dogfish, tuna, swordfish, eels, elvers, sea urchins, marine worms, seaweed, and more.