SEARSMONT — It has been a devastating spring and summer for funerals. Retired Fire Chief Ken Desmond, 76, of Woolwich, recently returned from the fourth funeral of Maine firefighters, all of whom he either worked with, trained, or had as a good friend.

ST. GEORGE —Members of the St. George Grange came up with the whimsical idea to have 17 local artists paint some of their vintage wooden chairs. In turn, those chairs will be auctioned off, with Zero to School being the recipient of this CHAIR-ITY fundraiser.

One of Maine’s oldest food cooperatives, the Belfast Community Co-op, is hitting the milestone of fifty years serving the communities of the Midcoast and beyond. From summer 2026 through summer 2027, the Belfast Community Co-op will be honoring its past and celebrating its future with member-owners, staff, friends and neighbors.   

University of Maine Cooperative Extension will host its annual Sustainable Agriculture Research Tour on Wednesday, August 5, from 2- 5:45 p.m., at Rogers Forage and Crops Research Farm, part of UMaine’s Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, 914 Bennoch Road, Old Town. Sign-in opens at 1:30 p.m.

MaineHealth Behavioral Health is launching a new Psychiatric Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Fellowship to prepare newly graduated psychiatric nurse practitioners and physician associates for practice and to help expand Maine's behavioral health workforce. 

2026 Rising Tide Party & Auction will take place Thursday, Aug. 20, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., at Riverside Farm & Learning Center in Searsmont.

"Bringing together community members, nonprofit leaders, business supporters, and philanthropists from across Knox and Waldo counties, the Rising Tide Party & Auction celebrates the generosity and partnerships that strengthen our region," said United Midcoast Charities, in a news release.

BELFAST — Wild Blueberry Collective and Niweskok are collaborating to present The Blueberry Blues, a Canadian documentary, at the Colonial Theatre. Proceeds will go towards the Wild Blueberry Collective’s goal of purchasing and protecting 158 acres of blueberry land in Searsport, Maine.  

The Maine Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Standards will host a free webinar on July 16, 2026, at 8:30 a.m., to share information about recent changes to Maine state law and regulations on wage and hour, workplace safety, and other labor standards. Employers, workers, human resources and payroll professionals, attorneys, labor organizations, and others with an interest in Maine labor standards are encouraged to attend, acccording to Maine DOL, in a news release.

Presenters will provide information on changes to:

PORT CLYDE — Lyman-Morse, a Midcoast Maine based boatbuilder and marina operator, has partnered with Colby College to relaunch a managed mooring field in Port Clyde Harbor. The collaboration supports Colby’s growing investment in Port Clyde and, according to a Lyman-Morse news release, expands a safe, quality anchorage for visiting boaters in one of Maine’s most storied working harbors.

PORTLAND — Starting July 15, the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) will begin work on Forest Avenue from the Allen Avenue intersection to the Riverside Street intersection in Portland for a highway preservation paving project.

The project work will include cold milling of the existing pavement surface, paving of an ultra-thin bonded wearing course, and pedestrian safety improvements.

Natalie Barrows is the 2026 winner of the Diane and Dana Whitten Scholarship.

New members have joined the Board of Directors for Bartlett Woods Retirement Community, located at 20 Bartlett Drive in Rockland.

"We are pleased to welcome the new directors, each having former connections with Bartlett Woods," said Board President J. Michael Lane, in a news release. "Our Board members serve on a volunteer basis, assisting the Executive Director with the business of operating our nonprofit organization. As we are in our 28 th year of continuous operations, we are especially grateful to have new colleagues join us in ensuring the solid future of Bartlett Woods."

After 28 years, the TD Beach to Beacon 10K is getting a fresh new look, which was revealed June 29, 2026 at a celebratory event held at Shipyard Brewing Company in Portland, according to a news release. 

ROCKLAND—A new women's boutique, Salt & Moss, opened June 1 at 369 Main Street. Originally hailing from Texas, owner Cara Hersey said she thought Rockland needed an affordable place for women to shop.

"You can either spend $100 on a top in town, or go to Walmart or T.J. Maxx," she said. "I wanted a place that felt good, like when you walked in you were treating yourself, but not spending your whole paycheck."

Salt & Moss offers not only clothing, but also accessories, shoes, sunglasses, hats, and jewelry.

CAMDEN — The Mid-Coast Board of REALTORS announce the recipients of its 2026 REALTOR of the Year honors: Kim Rush, Designated Broker of The Christopher Group, as the Acadia Council REALTOR of the Year, and Victoria Condon, Broker/Owner of Dwelling in Maine, as the Pen Bay Council REALTOR of the Year. 

The REALTOR of the Year award recognizes members who exemplify professionalism, ethical leadership, and outstanding service to their clients, communities, and the REALTOR organization.

Hurricane Island Outward Bound School (HIOBS), an organization focused on character education through outdoor expeditions, welcomes Joanna Benoit as its new Development Director. In this role, Benoit will work closely with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to strengthen and expand philanthropic support, build meaningful donor relationships, and lead the organization’s fundraising strategy to support its mission and scholarship initiatives. 

Heidi Sanders has been promoted to Treasury Services Officer at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. In this new role, she will work closely with treasury clients in Maine to support them with their existing services and identify new tools that could help them succeed.

JEFFERSON — Starting July 13, the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) will begin work on Hotel Bridge over Davis Stream in Jefferson for a wearing surface replacement project.

The project work, which will be performed in stages, will include milling the pavement off of the bridge, repairing concrete on the deck, installing a new high performance membrane, repaving, and replacing the guardrail on each corner of the bridge.

Applications are open for approximately $450,000 in coastal planning grants, according to The Maine Office of Community Affairs’ (MOCA), Maine Coastal Program (MCP), and Municipal Planning Assistance Program (MPAP), in a news release.