Until Dakota Boutte was seriously burned three weeks ago, it’s likely few people outside his circle of friends and family in Jefferson knew who he was.

It’s a bit sad to see it go, but the decision to ban the practice of throwing candy during the Damariscotta Memorial Day parade is probably a good one, although less so we think, than for the reasons of cavity fighting or safety.

I want to urge all Bristol voters to turn out June 8 and vote down the school budget.

Can we afford to pay the state of Maine the new tax on auto repair labor? That could happen, along with 100 other petty things, like even a clown for the kids party. With mechanic labor rate at $70 to $95 and auto body and paint at $44 for each hour, that’s quite a chunk of change you will be paying the state.

The Damariscotta-Newcastle Lions’ Club is very lucky to have Charlie Pichette as one of its members. In his years as a member of the club, Charlie has served with distinction and great dedication in helping his club and the surrounding communities with his untiring effort in performing many kind and humanitarian acts, especially the building of wheelchair ramps and for many deserving and disabled citizens in the area.

It is interesting that last week Max Arnold’s letter was calling for “new blood” in Augusta. He then endorses a member of the party that has controlled Augusta and Maine for four decades for State Representative.

Having read Max Arnold’s letter to the editor in last week’s paper, I would strongly recommend he re-read the tax reform bill. There are many, many new taxes on the way. Sales tax on plumbing repairs, car repairs, movie tickets, bowling games and on and on.

It is good to see the Bristol Board of Selectmen were willing to reconsider a blanket policy they previously adopted, closing the town’s fire stations to any group other than the local fire department.

I have spent the better part of my life living in Midcoast Maine. Personal circumstances necessitated a couple of relocations to other parts of the US, but I always knew I would end up back here in Lincoln County. I became disabled (lung cancer) nearly five years ago and moved back for good in the fall of 2005.

The second winter season of Simply Suppers kicked off Jan. 12. Simply Suppers are a January-April invitation for anyone to come to the Bremen Union Church for a free home-cooked meal. The idea of Simply Suppers began as a way to reach out to those who may feel isolated during the long Maine winters or just like the idea of getting together to eat with others in the community.

There was a time, back before professional wrestling became the ‘roided up, sleazed out spectacle it is today – it was more or less family entertainment. As late as the early 1980s, before the WWE became the 800-lb. gorilla it is today, fathers and sons could still take in a big time wrestling promotion at the local middle school.

In the early 1980s my aunt, the late Cathy Zecchino Farrell, brought something new to the town of Damariscotta: the submarine sandwich. Sure, other shops in town offered sandwiches, but none could compare to the fine quality and tradition that came with a real submarine. Cathy opened Zecchino’s Submarine Sandwiches with 16 subs on the menu. Her hard work paid off and in no time business was booming.

The chief census officer sent me a postcard telling that I had received the 2010 Census form a week earlier.

I had not.

I want to thank the Town of Newcastle Selectmen and Town Manager for sending Glidden Street a “real” street-cleaning truck that did a fine job, creating only a minimum of dust.