Three tundra swans showed up last week in Scarborough Marsh, a noteworthy find considering Maine is outside of the normal migratory path for these giant white birds.

We were fortunate when we lived in Ithaca, New York, to have had lots of opportunities to see tundra swans in strong numbers on Cayuga Lake and at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, abutting the north end of the 38-mile body of water. During migration periods, there could sometimes be hundreds of these massive, magnificent birds in the area.

Here in Maine, in contrast, swans of any kind are quite rare. Probably most frequent

ORONO — Wild blueberries, the iconic Maine crop dotting hillsides, decorating sweatshirts and adding personality to local menus, are more than a cultural symbol. Over 20 years of preclinical and clinical studies suggest that regularly consuming wild blueberries supports gut and heart health and may reduce risk factors associated with chronic disease.

Dorothy Klimis-Zacas, professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Maine, recommends one half to one cup per day. She eats them alongside her morning oats or blends them into smoothies.

She has spent her multi-decade career researching the

Being at the hospital has a way of putting things in perspective, at least for me. Hospitals bring us together, touching almost everyone in the community at some point in our lives, and at some of the most emotionally charged moments — moments that bring out the best and the worst in us. You see people at every stage of their lives, and whenever I recognize someone, I do a quick scan before greeting them, trying to discern whether it's a time to congratulate or console. But for me, whether I’ve been at Pen Bay as a patient, volunteer, or visitor, it has always felt like home and I've always

For most bird species, the first individual you see is indelibly etched in your memory. You may remember the place, the weather, whether you were hungry or tired, who you were with, even the smells, and the color of the sky.

But if you’ve been a bird watcher for a long time, the memory of the first encounter with certain birds can get a little hazy. For us, that’s the case for the distinctive stubby tail, silvery wingtips, and black head of the black vulture.

It may be because we didn’t see our first black vulture here in Maine where it would have been especially memorable. We are pretty

As a member of Midcoast Maine Green Burial and a fellow Camden resident who cherishes Camden’s natural beauty and community spirit, I’m writing to continue a conversation about our effort to establish a dedicated green burial section in one of our local cemeteries.

We are often asked thoughtful questions about this practice. We welcome them, as open dialogue is the heart of our community. Below, I hope to address some of the most common concerns with accurate, kindly meant information.

“Wouldn’t a green burial ground fail to protect the land in perpetuity?”

A green burial site is a permanently

I’m supporting Graham Platner for U.S. Senate because he is a candidate for all people. 

As a veteran, mother of three adult children, and former business owner, I’m distressed to see how our “experienced” politicians in Washington have allowed household wealth to rise to the billionaire class, schools to crumble, and hospitals to close, making life more stressful for almost everyone.

Graham’s life experience as a combat veteran, working oysterman, and community organizer is what we need to change politics as usual and make life better for all Mainers. He will be a fearless voice in the Senate

As you all should know by now, the Town Manager, and three of the five Select Board members, are attempting to defund the Camden Police Department, and contract through the Knox County Sheriff's Office. They tried to do this behind our backs, first step, sign a temporary agreement to have the Sheriff be the interim chief instead of using our own resources. That agreement had already been set, without anyone knowing. They will try to tell you that this wasn’t the case, but the agreement/contract was signed the day after community members voiced their opinions and concerns about it at a Select

Maine is the oldest state in the nation—and that should be a point of leadership, not a warning sign. Yet right now, we are failing too many of our older residents.

The agencies responsible for helping Mainers age safely at home—the Area Agencies on Aging—are stretched beyond capacity. Last year, they supported nearly 53,000 people, but demand continues to grow. With no additional funding in the proposed budget, more people will face waitlists, delays, or go without the support they need.

Consider this: Nine hundred people are already waiting for Meals on Wheels, many of them homebound and

AUGUSTA — Gale Associates, Inc., a consulting engineering firm specializing in building enclosure consulting and historic preservation, is leading the multi-phase stabilization and preservation of The Stone Building, the former Augusta Mental Health Institute and Maine’s first state mental health institution. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the mid-nineteenth-century granite landmark is undergoing critical rehabilitation following nearly two decades of vacancy.

Originally constructed between 1836 and 1840 and expanded between 1848 and 1870, the monumental Hallowell granite

Teens across Maine are learning what is love and what is not love through an impactful Finding Our Voices program workshopped by a student club at Camden Hills Regional High School. "It touched on everything including abuse to males, and as a guy I appreciated that," is one of the rave reviews from participating students.

The nonprofit's 2026 Love/not Love tour boasts 16 stops at middle and high schools from Sanford to Baileyville through April, with plans to restart the school visits in the fall. 

Mary Kamradt, the nonprofit's director of operations, said that a middle school principal in

The Knox Clinic begins construction on the Bok Building this month, launching a transformative renovation project that marks a pivotal moment in the organization’s history and its ongoing expansion of affordable, community-centered healthcare in Midcoast Maine.

Having officially signed a contract with Bowman Constructors to lead this important and monumental project, the Knox Clinic is proud to partner with a trusted Maine-based company whose experience and commitment to quality will help ensure the renovation reflects both the historic character of the building and the Clinic’s long-term

Rockport Select Board Chair Denise Munger is a great devotee of the Strongly Worded Letter. I should know, I’ve now been the target of two Strongly Worded Letters in just the past few months.

My husband and I recently attended the Camden Conference.  This is a “winter splurge” for us and we always learn from the experience.  This year I had one significant takeaway (in the very complex topic of the Middle East) that I thought worth sharing. 

This takeaway came from Suzy Hansen a journalist and author who was based in Turkey for over a decade. She mentioned being surprised when she interviewed many Turkish residents, asking: Knowing what you know now (after experiencing President Erdogan’s increasingly repressive autocracy), what do you wish you had done in the beginning of his

After  reading Steve Mischcissin’s letter to the editor entitled “Time to take back control of Camden", I wholeheartedly agree with everything that he expressed.  

When I first heard that Chief Rodney Gagne was going to retire from our police department, I thought the most qualified to fill his shoes would be someone within our police department, and not someone outside the department.   

I realize that Patrick Polky was at one time a member of the Camden police department , but he’s moved on and was elected as the Knox County Sheriff.  If anyone should be interim, it should be within the

Quality affordable childcare is front of mind for young parents, but it should be something we are all considering.  It’s not just a family issue it’s an economic issue impacting all Mainers.  That is why I was pleased this week to hear gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson outline his proposal for universal child care.

In Maine, families are struggling to find childcare that is affordable and reliable.  Infant care can cost $12,000-$15,000.  This is higher than a typical mortgage payment.  The federal government provides guidelines that suggest that childcare should cost no more than 7% of a

The Knox County Republican Committee would like to send a huge thank you to the Midcoast School of Technology for their gracious and phenomenal service to our committee by hosting our 2026 municipal county caucus at their facility this past weekend.

The caucus was a huge success and people loved how nice the space was.

Everything was set up for us, there were extra tables and chairs if needed, use of their audio system that worked great and the use of their coffee maker.

The young man from the school who was our "tech guy" was very kind and a huge help with the microphone/audio and door access

As a freelance journalist years ago, I interviewed Chellie Pingree in my kitchen. She was considering a run for governor, but instead won a Congressional seat, and is now representing our state in her ninth term. The other day she said she has a favorite in the race for Maine's top job: Her daughter Hannah.

I've admired Hannah Pingree for decades. I remember her helping her mom on the campaign trail, and I remember her rising to be Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, only the second woman to hold that post, and the youngest speaker in the state's history. She was first elected to

Watching last Wednesday’s Five Town CSD School Board budget discussion I was  struck by the Board’s silence on a key educational issue.