Next Monday night, Dec. 9, Newcastle will hold a special town meeting.

The Maine Aqua Ventus I offshore wind project is being promoted by an individual who shares my name, which has motivated me to clarify my position on this issue.

We hope this Christmas season finds you warm and safe; accompanied by loved ones and fully sated with food and drink.

A Merry Christmas to you and all your readers and also a Happy New Year.

My heartfelt and sincere thank you goes out to all the kind and generous folks who gave their love and support to me after my recent accident. The benefit you arranged for me at Schooner Landing on Sat., Nov. 30 was a real extravaganza!

On Dec. 26, I was caught in the 4-8 inches of snow that “surprised” Lincoln County. I left my work in Freeport at 10 p.m. to make the usual trip up I-295 and Route 1. Nothing about the trip that night was usual. The Interstate was clogged with snow and Route 1 was barely recognizable.

Looking ahead, we are mindful 2014 is an election year. Being that the issues and feelings that set the table for the last election have not abated a whit, we fully expect a rancorous year ahead as the divisions between us are highlighted and underscored all year long, as if Americans’ fundamental right to disagree is the issue, more so than the things we actually disagree about.

Every Christmas season our culture is consumed with buying gifts. What is Christmas really all about? Is it just limited to receiving gifts or is there more?

It may have been uttered as a casual observation, but budget committee chairman Bob Blagden sounds a sour note in Charlotte Boynton’s story about outgoing Wiscasset Town Manager Laurie Smith. “It’s too bad we can’t find a town manager that wants to be part of the community and move here,” he said. “I believe we have had seven town managers in the past 10 years.”

I just wanted to say thank you to all the dedicated Salvation Army volunteers who do bell ringing at Christmas time. The weather has been pretty cold lately and I really appreciate the kindness and caring of these volunteers. Over the years the Salvation Army has touched the lives of many Mainers in need.

I was having a conversation over dinner recently on a subject that was simply startling. The conversation consisted of some grumbling by a few individuals in our town over the school budget and the belief that our teachers are overpaid. Frankly I find the mere notion to be absurd. When I pull into our school every day I don’t see a line-up of Mercedes Benz, Audis and BMWs in the teacher parking lot.

The Lincoln County News is currently engaged in a polite, but pointed, standoff with Two Bridges Regional Jail officials regarding our request for a probable cause statement related to a recent arrest.

Last week, Don Loprieno wrote another in a long list of columns promoting the recently announced efforts to ban bear baiting, hounding and trapping. He continued to repeat the emotionally charged talking points likely extracted from polling conducted by the Humane Society of the United States. In the column he chastised the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, SAM.

Lincoln County, as we all know, is a wonderful place to live. While it is unfortunately true that professional opportunities are scarce for people in the prime of their careers, it is the perfect setting for growing up and for growing old.