by Wayne Sheridan 
Coastal Journal contributor

One morning last summer, I felt what I thought was a skin tab in the upper part of my back. Normally, perhaps naively, I would just snap it off; but, this was hard to reach, and something told me I'd better have someone look at it. My wife, Sandra Dutton, did. To my surprise, she said, “It's a small tick.” 

She offered to remove it with sterilized tweezers, a procedure she found on the internet. Probably a mistake; but she has always been a whiz with home remedies. 

“O.K.,” I said. 

She did take it out, but it was so small, it was hard for her to determine if part was not still lodged in my back. As a precaution, we put the remains of the tick in a small plastic bag for future reference.

Doubling Point Lighthouse, Arrowsic, Maine, USA, with Bath Iron Works in background by James L Woodwardby John Maguire
Coastal Journal staff

BATH — Parties on both sides of the proposed Army Corps of Engineers dredging of the lower section of the Kennebec River in August await a July 21 hearing with the Board of Environmental Protection. Residents opposed to the dredging have also filed a complaint with the First District Court in Portland. 

In an effort to initiate the hearing, residents filed appeals of the Water Quality Certification issued by the DEP, for which Gov. Paul LePage signed revamped legislation to expedite the Army Corps “emergency” dredging process.

Kyrill Schabert, on left, and Tony Oppersdorff, holding up their new book, Best Nature Sites, Midcoast Maine.by Kay Liss
Coastal Journal contributor

JEFFERSON — Great nature sites abound in midcoast Maine, and Mainers and those visiting the area tend to be avid hikers, bird watchers and all around nature lovers. So all will be pleased that there’s now a handy little guide designed for easy access to sites within 15 minutes driving time along the Route 1 corridor from Brunswick to Belfast. 

The book, Best Nature Sites, Midcoast Maine, was published recently by the co-author, Kyrill Schabert, who has a small publishing company, Waterline Books, in Jefferson. Schabert and Tony Oppersdorff of Lincolnville, a long-time sailing friend who contributed most of the expert photography and much of the writing, are both avid amateur naturalists. This latter fact is what distinguishes the guide from most others. It is not just a where-to-go with maps, directions and nice photos. It is replete with fascinating facts about flora and fauna species one can find at these sites, and, for added interest, it sprinkles in some tasty morsels about historical features to be found. 

by Emily Elliott
Coastal Journal contributor

EDGECOMB — At 10 a.m. on July 1, a group gathered in the parking lot of PeaPod Jewelry in Edgecomb and admired the brilliant peapod green ribbon tied across the doorway. After 11 years in Round Pond, PeaPod Jewelry proprietor Ronna Lugosch, moved her retail space and jewelry design studio to the new location. She celebrated the grand opening with a formal ribbon cutting ceremony, joined by family, friends and loyal customers.

More than 30 people attended the debut event, and were treated to mimosas and the first peek at the new space. Lugosch profusely thanked her family, employees, fans and supporters before cutting the ribbon with her husband Neil and her longest tenured employee.

Lugosch’s son, Joe, helped get the new building ready and attended the event to show support for his mother’s new venture. Describing his mother’s designs, he said, “she uses very natural, organic, flowing shapes. A lot of her collection does have a peapod focus.”