As I get ready to begin my retirement from education, I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to the wonderful people of MSAD/RSU 40.

About four weeks ago I prepaid $60 for gas at Newcastle Maritime Farms. I pumped $51 worth of gas before my tank filled. I then got in my car and drove away without collecting the $9 of change.

I feel compelled to respond to the Aug. 22 Letter to the Editor in the LCN, “Waldoboro Budget Cuts”, written by Bob Butler. First, I would like to say I am disappointed in the finger pointing at three select board members by Mr. Butler.

Often our local K-8 school is referred to as “Great Salt Bay” or “GSB”. The official name is Great Salt Bay Community School. Shortening the name, as we all do, omits the word “community.”

Schools open this week. In short order, we will all be back in our familiar fall routines. Some of us focus on getting the kids out the door in the morning, and others are mainly concerned about avoiding school buses during the morning commute.

Traveling up and down Bunker Hill Road is an experience I love in any season. Thoughtless, selfish and disrespectful individuals who toss their trash and then continue down the beautiful road would do well to heed the long arm (hopefully now washed) and eagle eye of Ron Jones.

My name is Emma Solorzano. I am an 8th grader at Jefferson Village School. I am writing this letter because after hearing all the information from my mother who attended the town meetings, I was deeply disappointed in the town’s decision to cut $240,000 from the school budget.

Twelve Maine Republicans resigned their party positions and un-enrolled from their party this week with a dramatic flourish, sending a letter to the Maine GOP that made the press.

This week we say a sad goodbye to what could well be our longest serving neighborhood columnist, Jefferson correspondent, Peggy Flagg.

For almost 20 years, my wife Judi and I have been “permanent transplants” to Maine’s beautiful Midcoast area in Newcastle. For 17 of these years I have worked Wednesdays at The Lincoln County News. In fact, they refer to me as “Wednesday Ernie.”

For those that side with Mr. Craig Elliott’s sarcastic appreciation of Damariscotta’s attempt to maintain its individuality, I am puzzled as to why you would sell your lifestyle so cheaply. (“Thank you Damariscotta,” LCN, 8/8/13, Page 13A)

Waldoboro firefighters were understandably grumpy early this week when news broke that a man had been arrested for threatening another man with a knife while waiting for the Waldoboro Fire Department’s 175th anniversary parade to come through on Saturday.

The signs of summer; those days we dream of all winter, the days of our childhood that are recalled quickly as adults; fireflies in Hellmann’s mayonnaise jars with holes punched in the metal top, beach sand in our flip flops, hamburgers on the grill, potato salad and watermelon seed spitting contests. Let us not forget the crowning jewel of summer: ice cream.

This is an attempt to give a voice to two groups of fellow human beings who cannot speak for themselves.