Back on March 15, Maine celebrated its 200th birthday, albeit more quietly than originally anticipated. The state’s celebratory events in Augusta were postponed as a result of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Since then, we’ve all been hunkered down in our homes, connecting via Zoom and writing letters to one another to stay in touch. Not exactly how we hoped to be commemorating our state’s bicentennial.

B.J. and Roy Hudson were busy last week making sure that the flags were flying on the phone poles in time for Memorial Day. Thanks to Roy’s donation of several more flags, we are hopeful, at some point, to have them flying the whole length of town.

Palermo Preserve consists of more than 75 acres with 5,400 feet of frontage on the Sheepscot River. There are two separate trail systems on the property, which is owned by Midcoast Conservancy.

Our Sargent crabapple, just outside our kitchen window, has finally burst into a glorious cloud of pink and white. The bees are ecstatic and so am I. Spring has finally arrived! It may be a couple of weeks late this year and suddenly feels like it is trending into summer, but the warmth is most welcome.

Coastal Resources of Maine, the state’s newest solid waste recovery facility in Hampden, opened its doors in April 2019. The facility receives most of its trash and recyclables comingled in the same loads. According to Coastal Resources Director of Community Services, Shelby Wright, the facility has dubbed this process “one bin, all in.” It means that for most of the facility’s 115 municipal customers, the familiar way of recycling has changed.

Don’t forget the household hazardous waste day on Thursday, May 28 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. We will only have one household hazardous waste day this year, so make sure you remember the date. You will be required to pay $6 per gallon for disposal. Smaller volumes will be prorated.