Steve Levesque (R), speaks with attendees of the public conveyance celebration at BNAS/Brunswick Landing’s Hangar 6.by Annee Tara
Coastal Journal contributor

BRUNSWICK -- "Success has a thousand fathers," the saying goes. On Monday morning parents of the U.S. Navy's first transfer of assets to civilian redevelopment authorities - from the Governor to the Congressional Delegation, the State Legislature to the Town Counci, the Navy to the Federal Aviation Administration - were uniformly gracious, congratulatory and upbeat about the future of redevelopment activities on what will soon be the decommissioned Base.

Calling it an "historic day", Steve Levesque, Executive Director of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA), presided over the ceremony marking the transfer of more than 700 acres of runways, hangars and other aviation facilities from the Navy to MRRA. A crowd of over 100 people was on hand in Hangar 6, the facility in which Kestrel Aircraft, one of the landmark tenants of what will be Brunswick Landing after the Navy leaves at the end of May, plans to design and produce its turbo-prop airplanes from advanced composite materials.

BOOTHBAY — A new bill sponsored by Rep. Bruce MacDonald, D-Boothbay, would permanently exempt Maine's commercial fishing vessels from having to pay the sales tax on fuel. The bill is scheduled for a public hearing in the Taxation Committee on Tuesday, February 15 at 1 p.m. in room 127 of the Cross State Office Building. A temporary rebate that has been in place for commercial fishing vessels for the past three years expired on January 1.

"It is vital that Maine continue to do everything we can to sustain our traditional commercial fishing industry," said Rep. MacDonald. "One of the local lobstermen approached me this fall about the fact that the rebate in place over the past three years expired at the start of this year. So a couple days after being re-elected I submitted this bill to help make sure our commercial fishing boats, both large and small, can stay in Maine."

Concerned neighbors created this scaled image that demonstrates how large the Plant Home extension would be compared to other structures in the area and the promontory point. The building is currently expected to be 446 feet in length, with a dining facility at its north end.by Gina Hamilton
Coastal Journal staff

BATH — The Plant Home was established in 1917 to provide assisted living care for the elderly who had no other resources, and for over 90 years, the charitable institution has ably fulfilled that purpose. However, in recent years, it has become apparent to the directors of the Plant Home that the endowment would not last forever. In fact, according to Don Capaldo, Plant Home Executive Director, if nothing is done, the endowment would be used up in ten years.

With that in mind, Capaldo is seeking to add market-rate or near market-rate units to be built on Plant Home property to attract upper-income seniors who are looking for quality views, gracious living, with support as they grow older. "We're trying to stay true to Thomas Plant's mission," Capaldo said. "To provide for seniors without independent means, we have to expand our resident-base to include many more financially secure seniors."

MATINICUS — Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced last week that federal officials have restored a weather station on Matinicus Rock, which provides critical weather information for boats on Penobscot Bay. Pingree had urged officials to repair the station, which hasn't provided data for two years.

"Having this station down for so long has made an incredibly dangerous situation for those who operate boats in Penobscot Bay. If you were a fishermen leaving Rockland, you might not know what conditions you'd get out at the mouth of the bay," said Pingree. "I'm relieved that NOAA has set up new equipment and I am glad the fix is permanent. Knowledge of changing weather conditions is critical to our coastal economy and we can't let this kind of information gap happen again."

Located on a lighthouse on uninhabited Matinicus Rock, the Coastal Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) station posts real-time weather and wind data online, a resource that local fishermen, ferry captains, and island communities have come to rely on. The station is maintained by NOAA--the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.