It’s a good rule of thumb that the one of the easiest ways to take the temperature of a community is to pick up the local newspaper and scan the editorial page. This being the place where the newspaper usually makes a public statement of its concerns, and where the readers express their opinions; it’s a fairly quick sketch of what people are currently talking about.

This summer the Lincoln County Animal Shelter in Edgecomb has been blessed by a wonderful group of volunteers that helped us with the cleaning, walking of dogs, working with the cats and fundraising.

Remember the good old days, say 2004, when taxpayers could go to a single town meeting, hash and rehash the issues on the floor and settle everything one way or the other with a deciding vote before the gavel came down?

Wiscasset Police Lt. John Allen has apologized for a statement he made during a meeting with his board of selectmen last week.

I echo Ruth Poland’s comment of, “Who benefited by going from analog to digital TV”? The quality of the picture is no better on my TV. Most of us still stuck with through-the-air TV, as far as I can ascertain, have been dealing with greatly reduced numbers of channels since June.

In an article written about the Wiscasset Police Dept. last week, I would like to correct what I said about the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (“Wiscasset crime activity prompts police request” LCN, 8/27/09, Page 1.) I am apologizing to Sheriff Brackett and his staff for my statement about not responding to assist a Wiscasset officer. In actuality, they assist the Wiscasset Police Dept. every single day.

I suppose I was not surprised to read Pete Hope’s letter of Sept 17 (“More choice not less,” Page 4) especially after I read that 77 percent of Oklahoma students do not know who the first President of the US was. There is a lot of misinformation and disinformation promulgated in this country. Mr. Hope’s statement of the facts sounds rather like the echo of what he’s heard on television rather than any other kind of discussion.

What an uplifting delight to read Doug Wright’s “Country Wedding.” (“View from over the Hill” LCN, 8/27/09, page 11B) Then when I looked at the history item above (“Damariscotta History”), there was a house on the right that my grandmother Marion Newell once owned. Across the road from her was Uncle Paul and Aunt Catherine Stevens.

I would like to say a big thank you to the CHIP volunteers who came to my old house for Community Cares Day on Sept. 12.

I’d like to address the accusatory tone of last week’s article on the Oyster Creek project. (Belvedere Rd. project delayed by rain and vandals,” Page 1)

The Damariscotta River Association bids farewell to our Director of Lands and Stewardship of six years, Steven Hufnagel.

This November’s State Ballot will include Question 3 (Citizen Initiative): “Do you want to repeal the 2007 law on school district consolidation and restore the laws previously in effect?”

I wanted to write my feelings about Bob Reny’s passing so much, but when I read all the wonderful words – so well put, in the tributes – from the governor on down – I thought, “Who am I to add to all that’s been said by those who knew him so well?”

If I dreamed a weekend, it couldn’t have been better – if I hired someone to paint it, it would be Norman Rockwell. Picture perfect weather, flawless execution by the Whitefield Bicentennial Committee chairs, and a little divine intervention.

When volunteers first put up all those American flags in the pouring rain I thought this is what being part of a community is all about and it was contagious – flags went up everywhere along the winding back roads.