The Edgecomb Selectmen invite everyone to a Dedication of our new flag pole at the Town Hall on Veterans' Day, Saturday, November 11, at 10:00 a.m. The flag pole is now equipped with proper lighting. We are grateful to Jack French and Marcia Welch for their assistance in making this possible.
Bob Faunce, the County's planner, is going to give a presentation to the Edgecomb Planning Board on Monday, Nov. 6, at 6:30 p.m. Open to the Edgecomb public, Bob's information will help us craft some development standards for big boxes and other commercial development which might come to Edgecomb. Even though we have a 35,000 sq. ft. size cap, these standards can be applied to retail stores which are smaller but would still impact our town by the way they are designed and how they look, among other things. It should be interesting and informative.
The Edgecomb Historical Society (sometimes known as the Edgecomb Hystericals) meets today! at 2:00 p.m. in the Edgecomb Eddy School conference room. Call me or President Sue Carlson, 882-8155, for details. If the sun is up, the temperature benign and there is no precipitation of any form, those of us who like to tramp around will tramp around Clifford Road, for its cluster of fascinating historic buildings from several eras, several architectural styles! So wear walking shoes and bring Alpenstocks.
Oh, and parents! For news about the Edgecomb Eddy Explorers Club, an after-school extra-curricular activity devoted to local history, call Ann Poole, 633.2228.
Three cheers for Bob Gascoigne! He got a hole-in-one at the Boothbay Country Club's 17th hole the day before Columbus Day. His golfing enthusiasm started as a kid when he used to row across the Damariscotta River to caddy at the Wawenock Country Club in Walpole.
More Adventure! More Action! On Sunday afternoon, November 5, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., the Schmid Preserve Committee is putting together a work party to a) work on the Moose Trail Bridge, b) continue cutting back the brush on the Middle Road field, and c) work on drainage issues on Mt Hunger Rd East, or a combination of all three!
The Schmid Committee needs to assess the condition of the Mount Hunger Road East access point to the Preserve, off the River Road on the east side of town. Some of us will remember when Mt. Hunger Road went all the way through. My family used to go up it to the High-On-A-Hill site (which we did not then know about) to pick blueberries and picnic. Some of us East Edgecombites would prefer to enter the Preserve from our side instead of going all the way around to Middle or Old County Roads. So, East Edgecomb volunteers, if you have an interest in our history, our natural history, and this splendid resource for exercise and inspiration, come one, come all, and if you have them, bring your laupers and shovels! Call Deb Sondergaard, 882-6265, to find out more about it. (Q: Are laupers loppers? Enquiring minds want to know!)
"Took me a year to get that sign up," grumbles Suzie Stephenson. The winds of Saturday took down the beech tree bearing her sign, "Suzie's Studio," advertising her rug-hooking works. So tall, the beech blocked the River Road, landing on the other side between a cedar tree planted by the late Maggie McQuaid, and a large oak marking the Colby Preserve boundary. Fortunately, neither of these trees was damaged. Members of the Edgecomb Fire Department most efficiently subdivided the fallen tree and dragged it up for the Blackford family to cut up for fire wood. Thank you, Chief Johnston, Assistant Chief Hyson, and firefighters Bill Bentley and Tom Trowbridge!
Same storm, a large oak tree was reported down on Cross Point Road, but by the time I got there, camera in hand, CMP had removed it and a man in a cherrypicker was repairing the line.
Meanwhile, Tidewater Communications has been running its underground lines all the way from Newcastle to St. Andrew's Hospital in Boothbay Harbor. Bruce talked to the workmen as they reached our driveway, who told him the trench is three feet deep, and they average a mile of line a day. Alas, poor Edgecomb remains a "transit zone." If they need fibre optic, we have copper. If they need copper, we still don't have the right stuff. Administrators at the Nobleboro office cheerfully told me, "If Edgecomb signed on to our telephone service, it would be easy." Think about it, folks.
Let us salute the passing of Edith Lewis, née McKay, of Trevett, whose brother Alfred lives on McKay Road, while her sister Olive Wright lives in Pemaquid Harbor.
And, to end on a personally sorrowful note, let us salute the passing of Duncan Cameron of Pemaquid, my beloved brother-in-law, Bruce's kid brother, better known among some as "Scott." He served as Job Developer at the Newcastle office of the Coastal Economic Development Corporation. We miss him very much.
Flag at half-staff at 234 River Road, 633-2978, bonesukl@midcoast.com. This column appears in several local papers, and at www.Edgecomb.org.