Evergreen Home Performance President Richard Riegel Burbank operates equipment during a blower-door test at Rockland Public Library on Wednesday evening, February 15. by Elisa Hawkes
Coastal Journal Staff

ROCKLAND — The Rockland Public Library was the scene of an air-leakage test on Wednesday, February 15, that indicated the building will be warm and comfortable for many winters to come, thanks to an energy efficiency project undertaken by the town.

Larry Pritchett, Rockland City Council member and Chair of the city's Energy Committee, said the $73,000 insulation and air sealing project at the Rockland library will likely cut energy costs in half in the coming year. The library currently spends about $58,000 a year on energy, which is split fairly evenly between heating oil and electricity expenses. Electricity use peaks in August due to the need for air conditioning. New insulation and air sealing, more efficient lighting, and a retooled HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system will dramatically reduce these expenditures, according to Evergreen Home Performance President Richard Riegel Burbank.

Dr. Stephen Sozanski, DMD (right) and hygienist Janet Spiller (left) attend to a patient at the new dental clinic located on Main Street in Damariscotta.by Elisa Hawkes
Coastal Journal staff

Lincoln County CarePartners clients now have access to affordable dental care at a new clinic that opened on February 7 on Main Street in Damariscotta. Patients qualify for care if they have no insurance, do not qualify for MaineCare, and are part of the CarePartners system. They must also have an income that is 175 percent or less than the federal poverty line.

Jennifer MacDonald, Director of Lincoln County CarePartners Plus, applied for and received a $95,000 grant from the Doree Taylor Charitable Foundation for seed money for the dental clinic. With support from Lincoln County Healthcare (LCHC), Maine-Health, and area dentists who donate their time, CarePartners provides the administrative support necessary to make the clinic sustainable. Dental work is performed for nominal fees using the MaineCare fee schedule as a guide. A dental cleaning, for example, costs just $35.

by Elisa Hawkes
Coastal Journal staff

Bi-annual collections of expired and extra prescription medication have been well received by the public, according to Sheriff Joel Merry of the Sagadahoc County Sheriff's Department, so well that the local Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force decided to expand the program. Five new medication collection drop boxes opened on February 14 at the Sagadahoc County Sheriff's Department and at the Bath, Brunswick, Richmond, and Topsham Police Departments.

Prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, samples, pet medications, ointments, lotions, liquid medication in glass or leak-proof containers, and inhalers will be accepted. Identifying information such as name, address and prescription number can be blocked out at the discretion of the depositor. There are some items that will not be accepted, including needles or "sharps" of any kind, thermometers, bloody or infectious waste, hydrogen peroxide, and aerosol cans. Long-term care facilities, clinics and businesses must contact their local law enforcement agencies for disposal assistance, and should not use the drop boxes.