by John Maguire
Coastal Journal staff

ROCKLAND — Dr. Abderrahim Foukara, Washington, D.C. bureau chief for the Arab news network Al-Jazeera, offered hope for relations between the Arab world and the west, as he examined the Middle East's struggle for democracy and freedom of speech, before a packed audience at the Strand Theater in Rockland on July 28.

Tea Party members and protesters associated with a group called Act for America, concerned about a threat of "Islamofascism," stood outside the theater holding signs in the heat of summertime rush hour traffic. Many people gathered there to hear Foukara speak. The event, billed as "An Evening with Abderrahim Foukara," was part of the General Henry Knox Museum's annual speaker series.

by John Maguire
Coastal Journal staff

BATH — "Honk for clean energy," college students shouted as they stood on the granite posts just outside Bath City Hall last Thursday.

Katie Herklotz, Brad Samuels, Arielle Koshkin, and Lauren Audi rode through the midcoast last week, on a journey that took them from Belfast to East Boston. They were demonstrating the benefits of commuting by bicycle, and to raise awareness of global climate change. They joined six bike-riding teams across Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire for a program called, "Climate Summer."

FeastandFunlobstersIt's all about the lobster at the Maine Lobster Festival. Kelly Woods PhotoROCKLAND— The 64th Maine Lobster Festival on the waterfront in Rockland's Harbor and Buoy Parks overlooking Penobscot Bay in Rockland is under way. It calls for five days of fun and feasting from Wednesday, Aug. 3 through Sunday, Aug. 7.

Hometown Day opened on Wednesday and admission was free all day. Organizers planned the spectacular Coronation of The Maine Sea Goddess that evening on the Main Stage.

Enjoy all kinds of great food and entertainment right by the sea wall every day of the festival and don't forget to take in all that Rockland has to offer. From live music, crafts, rides to family games and more, there is something for everyone, not to mention tons fresh Maine lobster. On average, about 20,000 pounds of the crustaceans are enjoyed over the course of the festival.

by John Maguire
Coastal Journal staff

BATH— Generations of people have served as caretakers for lighthouses along the coasts of the United States and around the world, and in the past several years this work has faded into history. Either the lighthouses become automated or are purchased by private investors. While modern technology guides today's ocean vessels, historians say it is important to continue to preserve lighthouses to operate as backup systems.

The Seguin Island lighthouse, located in Georgetown two miles from Fort Popham at the mouth of the Kennebec River, was commissioned in 1795 and is the second oldest lighthouse in Maine. The Friends of Seguin Island, dedicated to the preservation of the lighthouse, will hold their second annual fundraiser at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath on July 29 to help maintain the building and grounds.