Folks, I’m facing a serious challenge here. Our man J.W. here at LCN has come up with some new rules, only 500 words per scribblin’. Now, as some of you may know, I have never had a lack of something to say, so this is serious stuff to say the least!

My prayers join everyone else’s for the suffering and grief of the multiple thousands affected by this dreadful pandemic. Our thoughts and sympathy are now part of our lives, but sometimes we need a bit of the lighter side. I hope some of my observations on RV travel may help with that.

New construction and improvements are well underway in our beautiful town of Damariscotta. A new drainage system is underway on Bristol Road and granite curbing is being installed for our new sidewalks, which will greatly improve the safety of people who walk along Bristol Road. There has been a real need for the last 15 years for a good sidewalk on Bristol Road.

This column marks the beginning of a new contribution to The Lincoln County News – keeping the community informed about the work of a grassroots collaborative known as the Public Safety and Accessibility Collaborative. As co-chairs of the collaborative, we will write a monthly column during the weeks and months to come. There is much to share!

My name is Haley Jalbert. I grew up in Walpole, Maine, spending many days going to South Bristol to swim and fish with my parents and grandparents on the island. Throughout my teenage years, I traveled a lot. In my senior year of high school, I moved to Abu Dhabi because my father was working for a Germany company that built luxury yachts out of old, decommissioned battleships. Living in the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East was a significant change for me. During the eight months I was there, I made many friends from all over the world.