by John Maguire
Coastal Journal staff

DAMARISCOTTA — Former Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR)  Norman Olsen spoke about some of the challenges facing Maine’s fishing industry during a presentation at the Quaker Peace Center of Midcoast Maine in Damariscotta on November 16.  The presentation was called “The Future of Maine’s Marine Resources: Ensuring their sustainable development.”

According to a press release from the Quaker Peace Center, Olsen represents the fourth generation in his family to have worked as a commercial fisherman. Since age 12, he has worked in the commercial fishery business, hauling up lobster and ground fish, and later serving as a U.S. diplomat overseas. He served as the executive director of the Maine Fishermen’s Cooperative Association and as a member of the New England Fishery Management Council.

Audience members sitting in the Midcoast Quaker Meetinghouse were able to hear Olsen’s views on conditions of the Maine seafood industry, some of which differed from those of lobster fishermen, who lodged complaints against him to the office of Gov. Paul LePage before Olsen resigned as DMR Commissioner in July.

ROCKLAND — Every year, the Historic Inns of Rockland cap off Festival of Lights with a Holiday House Tour on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, November 26, 1 to 4 p.m. This year the Historic Inns are once again joining with the Friends of the Rockland Public Library and historic private homes nearby. The tour supports Rockland’s Public Library. 

A silent auction will be held afterward to benefit the library. Tickets for the Holiday House Tour are on sale now and can be purchased through Saturday, November 26 at the Rockland Public Library. Tickets are $10 for adults; children 12 and under are free. Refreshments will be available. 

Rockland’s weekend Festival of Lights Celebration takes place November 25 to 27. Santa will arrive by lobster boat, and stores will extend hours. A holiday parade, an “Eat, Drink and Be Merry” street celebration, and the Historic Inns of Rockland’s Holiday House Tour are all parts of the weekend event. Stay at one of the four Historic Inns of Rockland: Captain Lindsey House, LimeRock Inn, Berry Manor Inn, or Granite Inn. Their Festival of Lights package includes:

by John Maguire
Coastal Journal staff

BATH — Bill King Jr., owner of RVI, the outdoor recreational vehicle shop in Bath also known as the House of Helmets, said it would take some time to recover from the fire that tore through the shop over a week ago.

RVI employee Roger Love received second-degree burns on his hands and leg after an all-terrain vehicle he was working on caught fire around noon on November 15. King said an air filter box under the ATV’s seat was filled with gas. After draining the filter, King said Love tried to turn the engine over. A spark ignited the gas remaining in the filter, which led, he thinks, to an explosion. The fire spread to the walls of the shop and the smoke and heat made its way to the adjoining house. 

King said customers can still call the same number (443-9702), and he will try to get answers to questions people might have. For now, he and others are assessing the damage, seeing what in the inventory needs to be liquidated and what is salvageable. The store’s motor scooters and log splitters are fine, he said, whereas helmets, jackets and other inventory with fabric susceptible to smoke damage would have to be assessed. 

uzanne Bane with “Tiger” by Doug Baneby Annee Tara
Coastal Journal contributor

A year ago, it looked like the end of the annual tradition of Holiday arts and crafts events in Harpswell. What had started as holiday Open Houses at studios, primarily on the Harpswell Neck (Route 123) side of town had become “Aht at the Grange” Hall, an arts-and-crafts fair in one location. After six years of that, the organizer decided she couldn’t do it any longer. So the arts and crafts community needed to take quick action – or lose its audience.

“In two weeks, we pulled the whole thing together,” said Susanne Bane, speaking of Holidays in Harpswell last year.