I'm looking forward to marking Hannah Pingree as my No. 1 choice for governor on June 8! 

I first saw Hannah as a young girl modeling wool sweaters featured in a knitting book published as part of her mother’s sheep and yarn business on North Haven. Perhaps that is where Hannah began her business education - learning at home, in the family business.

A few years later, I met 14-year-old Hannah when she and her mother copresented a session on girls’ leadership at the annual Camden Girls Conference. It was clear that Hannah was already developing her own leadership, working alongside her mother

This Easter, members of the Adas Yoshuron Synagogue along with the support of a myriad of dedicated volunteers, had the pleasure to serve about 80 guests as they gathered together at the St. Peter's Church in Rockland to enjoy the Easter Day Community Dinner. 

Special thanks to Melissa Kelly, along with the extraordinary Todd Bullock of Primo and Chef Kerry Altiero, who were instrumental in bringing everything together in the kitchen.

This meal was made possible through the generous contributions of Hannaford, Plants Unlimited, Seasons Downeast, and Waterfront Restaurant in Camden; Dot’s in

A gentleman submitted the following letter but wished to remain anonymous. Penobscot Bay Pilot rarely allows unsigned letters to be published; however, there are occasions when they are warranted. This is one of those occasions. 

On Saturday, April 11, while enjoying a meal with my mother at the Thomaston Applebee’s, I found myself with a sizable piece of food lodged in my airway.  We must have been enjoying our conversation, as I evidently got so wrapped up that I forgot how to eat.
Within moments, I was in the parking lot trying fruitlessly to dislodge the blockage on my own, when out of

Dear Camden Select Board Members:

Unfortunately, the town was not able to discuss the paid parking petition during the April 7 Select Board meeting. However, it was suggested by a board member during the tabling discussion of this matter that she would reject the effort. The suggestion was somewhat disconcerting given there was no public discussion of the issue.  Furthermore, in light of the recent criticism leveled at the Select Board’s handling of the police situation, I find it ironic that a public discussion of the paid parking petition was not eagerly welcomed.  

There were 577 Camden

Camden needs a Steve Bowen.

As an activist Rockport citizen who serves on that town's budget committee, Mr. Bowen has given yeoman service to increasing the town's governmental credibility. As a major influencer on the town's budget, he has pushed the town to a responsible budget request — zero increase in the property tax. Unheard of — in these salad days of double-digit increases. The Rockport Select Board listened to citizen input.

Contrast that with the bit-in-the-mouth governance of the Camden Board. Lead by a tight threesome of members who acquiesce to the will of the town manager, the

It’s still early enough in spring that migratory bird species are arriving relatively slowly. The first wood ducks one day, then maybe there’s a week or so before the next arrival—perhaps tree swallows swooping around over the stream or wetland. Then it’s another week before the familiar buzzy “free-bree” sounds of the eastern phoebe sound out near the shed where they will be soon building their nest. A few days later, it could be the reddish-capped chipping sparrow showing up on the lawn or you hear its familiar trill that will quickly become the background music for the rest of the

Do you feel that your voice is heard regarding the basics of your life? Do you feel that the priorities being set by your town or state or federal government are important, fair, equitable, and present a sense of a just future for all?

Or do you feel that a small group of the same people are making decisions, calling the shots over and over again, and never quite mirroring the will of the wider citizenship? Do you feel that the system is captured by the elite, the connected, the “professionals,” the status seekers, those who make more noise, or perhaps those in the clutches of the wealthy?

T

The latest effort by the C-R Pathways committee is a doozy.

The Warrenton Street Project in Rockport is about to break ground. It is being done with deliberate stealth and arrogance. And your dollars.

The Town voters approved a bond measure in November 2024 to allow the town to handle maintenance to culverts and storm water issues on several streets. It appears that the bond money is also being used to construct a BRAND NEW MULTI-USE PATHWAY. Few, if any, who voted for that bond measure would have had any idea they would be funding NEW MULTI-USE PATHWAYS to transform their neighborhoods!

In

 I woke up in the Lubbock Cracker Barrel lot to a howling wind. The morning air was brown when I took Dolly out. She made short work of her morning business and made it clear she wanted to get back to the van. I set out for San Angelo wondering how a canvas covered pioneer wagon could survive a dust storm like this.

The wind was landing body blows to this box of vehicle and the lights barely penetrated the filthy air. A canvas covered wagon would be bowled over with the family and its worldly possessions blown across the prairie. Did they take down the canvas and batten down the hatches? With

There are certain things that need to be done in their time. Late summer/autumn brings wood stacking. The morning when the pile of wood — thankfully pre-split these days, not tree length as was delivered in my youth — needs to be stacked into even rows in the woodshed. A long morning involving the whole family, a portable speaker playing my wife’s favorite hip-hop tunes of the late 1990s, and a seemingly never ending pile of hard wood. 

Planting and harvesting is staggered; different vegetables at different times, and I am rarely much a part of that. Beside the unsanctioned picking of raw peas

Recent reports have profiled prayer meetings occurring at the Pentagon. Defense Secretary Hegseth utilizes these occasions to pray for unrestrained military “violence for those who deserve no mercy.”  The US started war with Iran, and one wonders if this includes the estimated 175 students killed by an American missile attack on an Iranian school?  Hegseth has declined to speak on the matter. He does not care. His vulgar glorification of violence encased within the framework of Christian nationalism is simply despicable. And doing so in the name of US citizens is unamerican and contemptable.

H

Have you ever wondered why it is that some ducks have the word “duck” in their English name while others don’t?

Maybe you have to be a bird nerd like us to ponder that question, but ponder it we did recently.

Yesterday, we were taking in views of North America’s smallest duck, the green-winged teal, in a wetland not far from home. This is the time of year when lots of green-winged teal migrate north through Maine on their way to their extensive breeding grounds across Canada and Alaska. Green-winged teal do have a green patch in their wing, as suggested by their name, but it’s not

Once again, Camden's engaged citizens are offering petitions, this time on the issues of having a local police chief and the paid parking program. I closely reviewed the Select Board April 7 packet that included town attorney William Kelly's thorough analysis of the legality of moving these petitions to a town meeting vote. 

Although not required, I agree that giving residents the opportunity to weigh in on whether we want a full time, resident police chief is important for making our voices heard on this very important issue. A vote will be helpful when crafting future plans regarding public

Over the past two weeks, a citizen’s petition regarding the Camden paid parking program was initiated.  Approximately 15 Camden citizens worked together to take the pulse of their community regarding this most consequential issue for our town—paid parking and whether we want it.  I can say without hesitation, the answer to this question is a resounding “NO.”

During just a couple days of effort, 577 Camden residents enthusiastically signed and supported the petition.  This number far exceeds the 334 minimum signature requirement.  The purpose statement of the petition simply read the following

Let’s start with two post scripts from my daily log.  

  P.S.  When I was a kid in Delaware, seemingly endless flocks of grackles flew over our house, by the thousands. At a Tulsa McDonald's near daybreak there must have been thousands on the power lines, the trees, and anywhere a bird could roost all on the McDonald’s lot.

The noise they made was like an amplified static that as a sci-fi soundtrack would warn that something bad was about to happen. A day later a tornado hit Tulsa, killed three people and darkened the city's power grid. I had moved east through the storm before the tornado

Growing up, we had a full set of World Book Encyclopedias on the bookshelf in the front hall. I was the kind of kid who, from time to time, would pull down a volume and spend a good chunk of the afternoon flipping through it; 1980s doomscrolling.

All the information in the world was contained in those thick, hard-bound books. Or so my young self believed.

The news arrived by way of the early morning delivery of the Bangor Daily News, a far thicker paper than what you get today. I initially only read the comics page — an entire newspaper page of three panel strips. Most were great. I never got