The Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences celebrated the opening of its Bigelow Center for Blue Biotechnology at a ribbon cutting ceremony Dec. 19.

For the last four years, a group known as the Woodchucks has gathered donated firewood and distributed it to local homes in need.

The Waldoboro Board of Selectmen authorized Recreation Director Kyle Santheson to proceed with a public skating rink. The selectmen voted to accept a $5000 donation from the Alan & Tonia Gould Family Foundation to pay for the rink.

While pumping sludge out of its wastewater treatment plant last week, the Great Salt Bay Sanitary District (GSBSD) discovered much more of the rank – and expensive – waste product than expected.

The Lincoln County Commissioners approved the county’s 2012 budget at its final meeting of the year Dec. 27. The final budget will see a roughly $563,000, or 5.3 percent, decrease in expenditures from the previous year.

The Bristol/South Bristol Transfer Station Board of Directors has temporarily suspended at least two employees without pay.

In recent weeks, residents in Whitefield and Jefferson may have noticed that the water level in Clary Lake is low. Marshes that are typically submerged are dry, a public boat ramp is almost completely exposed, and the surface of the lake is five or six feet below the top of the dam on Rt. 218 in Whitefield.

Fire destroyed a Waldoboro family’s rental home over the weekend. Officials say the family was Christmas shopping when the fire started.

A Woolwich woman was seriously injured after her red 2004 Toyota Camry collided with a vehicle in front of Ames Supply in Wiscasset Dec. 5.

Sheriff Todd Brackett Reports the following:

On Dec. 1, Major Ken Mason took a report of a theft in the Dresden area. The complainant stated that sometime between Nov. 27 and Nov. 30, someone(s) stole a Fisher Minuteman, eight-foot yellow plow. Approximate value is $2500. There are no suspects or leads at this time.

Dresden Town Clerk Kim Rzasa has determined two separate citizens’ petitions seeking to recall Dresden Selectmen Alan Moeller Sr. and Dave Probert are invalid.

In a presentation to the RSU 12 Board of Directors Dec. 8, Finance Committee Chair Jerry Nault said Wiscasset’s potential withdrawal from the regional school unit would have a minimal impact on cost allocation.

A serious traffic accident on the Edgecomb snarled Rt 1. traffic Friday afternoon.

Piper Village Development, LLC proposed rezoning more than 50 acres for commercial use at the Dec. 5 meeting of the Damariscotta Planning Board.