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< Previous10 the WAVE • PenBayPilot.com 608 Atlantic Highway Northport, Maine 141 Crosby Brook Rd. Unity Maine Shop online: www.mainealpacaexperience.com Maine Alpaca Experience The perfect holiday gifts blake vets canine inn surgery • dentistry small animal medicine acupuncture exotic animal medicine luxury cat and dog boarding Welcomes Dr. Kim McGill to the practice. 207-789-5700 www.blakevet.com Free passage for alewives from the St. George River in Thomaston to Chickawaukie Pond in Rockland/Rockport Last spring, the small gate near the foot of Chickawaukie Pond, where the water feeds into Meadow Brook at Johnson Memorial Park, got stuck closed at a crucial time of year when the alewives were swimming up from the ocean to freshwater in order to spawn. Rockport resident and fisherman Kenneth Dodge caught wind of that after his cousin learned that the small fish were unable to make their last hurdle into the lake, and were crowding each other at the gate, some dying. Children were spotted trying to help the fish, grabbing buckets, filling them with the alewives and transporting them from the brook back over to the 352- acre lake and dumping them into the water. “The fish have to get up that river to spawn,” said Dodge, who has been watching the same phenomenon since he was a small boy, 60-plus years ago. Rockland’s Recreation Department is in charge of managing the gate, and Camden resident Alison McKellar had also been watching the gate. She called Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Dept. of Marine Resources, both state agencies, as well as Rockland City Hall. The gate was finally opened with more clearance, but both Dodge and McKellar want to make sure it stays open through November, when fish are swimming back down the brook to the ocean. Why is there a gate there at all? McKellar and Dodge don’t know. “They wanted the lake filled,” Dodge said, shrugging his shoulders. It has been there since 1902, and was put in by the water company, it is thought. But the eagles do. On a cold May Day, eagles were circling overhead as the alewives worked to get up from Meadow Brook and into the lake to find sandier bottom where they could spawn. “The alewives have been here forever,” said Dodge. “Just like the bass.” “Longer than the bass,” said McKellar. “During the fall, smelt come up here,” said Dodge. “The gate should be open all the time.” He laughed, remembering when, as a boy, he and friends removed the boards from the gate and the water went coursing down Meadow Brook. “We were peeking through the weeds when the State Trooper came to see what was going on,” he said. That was back in the early 1960s. (They put the boards back.) Little has changed since then; alewives are swimming miles up from the ocean, along the Mill River and then Meadow Brook. The adult alewives already returned to the ocean but the young ones spend the summer maturing and then head back down anywhere between July and November. The fish are getting around, but they need access to the water bodies. Dodge, who keeps a close eye on the local ecosystem, is watching that particular intersection of Meadow Brook. And McKellar made a video of the route from the St. George to Chickawaukie: youtube.com/ watch?v=fyBNTtatlbA. Alison McKellar, of Camden, lowers a camera into the water to record the alewife movement. Kenneth Dodge, of Rockport, by the gate at Chickawaukie Pond in Rockland, where water levels are regulated before they flow in Meadow Brook. (Photos by Lynda Clancy) PenBayPilot.com • the WAVE 11 Invisible Fence® Brand the leader in pet containment for 50 years. We’ve pioneered the pet containment industry with customized outdoor and indoor solutions, along with professional training designed specifically for your pet’s needs. No other brand can offer our level of protection. Invisible Fence of Southern Maine Keeping pets happy, healthy & safe at home Ph: 800-585-2803 southernmaine.invisiblefence.com ®2023 Radio Systems Corp. All Rights Reserved.12 the WAVE • PenBayPilot.com Tips for managing caregiver stress and avoiding burnout By Sarah Shepherd B eing a caregiver for a loved one can be a rewarding and loving experience, but the demands may also cause emotional and physical stress, burnout, and mental and physical exhaustion. Caring for an aging or chronically ill parent, spouse, friend, or a disabled child requires unending patience, learned compassion, empathy, and being able to initiate difficult discussions without backing down. Depending on a person’s employment situation, financial capabilities to hire help, the availability of local resources, and health insurance coverage, caregiving may require several hours a day in addition to juggling existing work and family responsibilities.T he Mayo Clinic reports that caregiver stress can put caregivers at risk of changes in their own health. Feelings of sadness, frustration, and depression sometimes begin to feel normal. And, if you get to that point, both you and the person you’re caring for suffer. It is important to take a regular pulse of your situation and become mindful of the signs of caregiver stress because its demands can strain even the strongest person. A ccording to the Mayo Clinic, some of the signs of caregiver stress include feeling burdened or worrying all the time, sleeping too much or not enough, gaining or losing weight, missing your own medical appointments, isolating and losing interest in activities you used to enjoy, becoming easily irked or angry, misusing alcohol or drugs, including prescription medicines, and ignoring personal hygiene. The Mayo Clinic offer the following tips to manage caregiver stress: • Focus on what you can do. At times, you might feel like you're ]not doing enough but no one is a perfect caregiver. Believe that you're doing the best you can. Caregivers are not superhuman and some family members and friends may not understand that. • Set goals you can reach. Break large tasks into smaller steps that you can do one at a time. Make lists of what's most important. Follow a daily routine. Say no to requests that are draining, such as hosting meals for holidays or other occasions. • Get connected. Learn about caregiving resources in your area. There might be classes you can take. You might find caregiving services such as rides, meal delivery or house cleaning. • Join a support group. People in support groups know what you're dealing with. They can cheer you on and help you solve problems. A support group also can be a place to make new friends. • Seek social support. Stay connected to family and friends who support you and understand your additional responsibilities. Make time each week to visit with someone by telephone or in person, even if it's just a walk or a quick cup of coffee. • Take care of your health. Find ways to sleep better, exercise, eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, and monitor alcohol intake. • See your health care professional. Get the vaccines you need and regular health screenings. Tell your health care professional that you're a caregiver. Talk about the worries or symptoms you have. • Ask for and accept help. • Learn to let go of what you cannot control. • Explore respite care options in your home or at a local facility. The unconditional love and companionship of a pet may also help diffuse the stress in a caregiving environment. Pets do have their individual caregiving needs, but their intuitive and empathetic personalities offer love, comfort, snuggles and make us laugh and smile with their antics. Although caregiving can be stressful, many caregivers feel it is a personal accomplishment and one of the most rewarding experiences of their lives. It gives a person the opportunity to spend time with someone who needs you. When caring for a parent, it sometimes helps to remember that decades ago they helped us with bathing, dressing, feeding, and changing diapers, daily tasks many need help with now. A caregiver can return that childhood love and support with dignity and compassion. Some caregivers find that the time spent caregiving creates a special opportunity to forge a deeper bond with their parent. Reminiscing over family photos, holiday traditions and anecdotes can be priceless. Maybe there are regrets and conflicts that need to be finally resolved. These conversations could help lead to closure and a more peaceful and intimate ending in the caregiving journey. PenBayPilot.com • the WAVE 13 FULLY INSURED ARBORIST, OPERATING STATEWIDE • License No. Fcl&U3554 Bantam Property Management BPM TREE SERVICE BPM GARDEN & LANDSCAPE DESIGN Call Nathaniel • 207-350-8200 BPMTREE@GMAIL.COM Call Jessica • 207-323-6758 BPMLAWNS@GMAIL.COM WWW.BPMTREE.COM Licensed and Insured BPM • Hazardous Removals • Pruning & Planting • Chipping • Stump Grinding • Fall & Spring Cleanup • Garden Care & Design • Pathways & Stonework Voters: Gear up for November 7 lengthy state ballot Every spring and fall, voters in Maine consider local and state referendums and ballot items. It is the vital part of living in a democracy and maintaining its health and integrity. This November 7, there is no shortage of questions for voters to consider, especially for the state election ballot. There are several citizen initiative questions, as well as questions pertaining to the Maine Constitution. For information about the state questions, visit: maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/index.html maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/citizens/index.html. League of Women Voters of Maine, lwvme.org/elections The Nov. 7 state ballot includes: QUESTION 1: An Act to Require Voter Approval of Certain Borrowing by Government-controlled Entities and Utilities and to Provide Voters More Information Regarding That Borrowing. Do you want to bar some quasi-governmental entities and all consumer-owned electric utilities from taking on more than $1 billion in debt unless they get statewide voter approval? QUESTION 2: An Act to Prohibit Campaign Spending by Foreign Governments and Promote an Anticorruption Amendment to the United States Constitution. Do you want to ban foreign governments and entities that they own, control, or influence from making campaign contributions or financing communications for or against candidates or ballot questions? QUESTION 3: An Act to Create the Pine Tree Power Company, a Nonprofit, Customer-owned Utility. Do you want to create a new power company governed by an elected board to acquire and operate existing for-profit electricity transmission and distribution facilities in Maine? QUESTION 4: An Act Regarding Automotive Right to Repair. Do you want to require vehicle manufacturers to standardize on-board diagnostic systems and provide remote access to those systems and mechanical data to owners and independent repair facilities? QUESTION 5: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine Regarding the Timing of Judicial Review of the Determination of the Validity of Written Petitions. Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to change the time period for judicial review of the validity of written petitions from within 100 days from the date of filing to within 100 business days from the date of filing of a written petition in the office of the Secretary of State, with an exception for petitions filed within 30 calendar days before or after a general election? QUESTION 6: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Require All Provisions in the Constitution to Be Included in the Official Printing. Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to require that all of the provisions of the Constitution be included in the official printed copies of the Constitution prepared by the Secretary of State? QUESTION 7: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Align the Proceedings for Circulating Written Petitions for People's Vetoes and Direct Initiatives with Federal Law. Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to remove a provision requiring a circulator of a citizen's initiative or people's veto petition to be a resident of Maine and a registered voter in Maine, requirements that have been ruled unconstitutional in federal court? QUESTION 8: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Allow Persons Under Guardianship for Mental Illness to Be Electors. Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to remove a provision prohibiting a person under guardianship for reasons of mental illness from voting for Governor, Senators and Representatives, which the United States District Court for the District of Maine found violates the United States Constitution and federal law? Ballot questions for citizen initiated bills are written by the Secretary in accordance with a process set forth in state law, which includes a public comment period. Please see these earlier releases for information about the final wordings (in the order that they will appear on the ballot): LD 1772, LD 1610, LD 1611, LD 1677. Ballot questions for constitutional amendments are drafted through the legislative process and included in the bill’s text (in the order that they will appear on the ballot): LD 1012, LD 78, LD 1477, LD 1653. 14 the WAVE • PenBayPilot.com Maine real estate trends, Summer 2023 Maine home sales demand remains strong, prices up 7.34 percent in July Single-family existing homes remain in high demand across the state of Maine, according to the Maine Association of Realtors. Realtors reported a 7.34 percent increase in prices in July 2023 compared to July 2022, reaching a median sales price (MSP) of $380,000. The MSP indicates that half of the homes were sold for more and half sold for less. Sales in July 2023 decreased 20.93 percent compared to a year ago. “There are still plenty of buyers seeking homes across Maine and they are facing a sustained tight supply of for-sale inventory, though we’re seeing some improvement,” said Carmen McPhail, 2023 President of the Maine Association of Realtors and Associate Broker at United Country Lifestyle Properties of Maine. “The number of homes for sale in July 2023 was nearly nine percent above the number for sale in June 2023 and six percent above July of last year.” The National Association of Realtors reported a nationwide sales dip of 16.3 percent in the past year, while the national MSP of $412,300 represents an increase of 1.6 percent in July 2023 compared to July 2022. Regionally, sales in the Northeast decreased 23.8 percent, and the regional MSP rose 5.5 percent to $467,500 over that same time period. “Late summer into fall continues to be a great time for listing your property for sale. Buyers want to settle before the winter months and take advantage of the tax benefits of real estate ownership prior to year’s end,” said McPhail. The chart compares the number of existing, single-family homes sold (units) and volume (MSP) during the rolling three months of May, June and July of 2022 and 2023. Short takes on Maine’s economy In August, State Economist Amanda Rector presented at various venues on Maine's Demographic and Economic Conditions . She concluded with thoughts, “to keep in mind” about the general condition of Maine’s economy (To read the full report, visit maine.gov/dafs/economist/releases). Her key points include: • Housing costs increased sharply as demand far outstripped supply and then interest rate hikes made mortgages more expensive, locking people into existing lower-rate mortgages. This limits availability for ongoing migration and workforce expansion. • Inflation has started slowing, but not quickly – the Federal Reserve raised interest rates again in July, but will they raise them any further? • Will we see continued migration into Maine? Telework, housing, and dependent care are three key determinants. • Recession threat seems to have faded, but economic uncertainty remains elevated. • Maine has a robust Budget Stabilization Fund (over $950 million) and spending from pandemic-era infusion of federal funds is still ongoing, which will help Maine weather a potential slowdown. PenBayPilot.com • the WAVE 15 Rolling Quarter Chart From May 1, 2022 to July 31, 2022 and May 1, 2023 to July 31, 2023 Maine Real Estate Trends: Sales of single family existing homes Source: Maine Real Estate Information System, Inc. (d/b/a Maine Listings). Maine Listings, a subsidiary of the Maine Association of REALTORS®, is a statewide Multiple Listing Service with over 6,200 licensees inputting active and sold property listing data. Statistics reflect properties reported as sold in the system within the time periods indicated. It’s Time To Get Outside! • Come see the largest selection of healthy, high-quality plants, shrubs & mature trees north of Portland! • In-house landscape design service • Curbside Pick-up Available • Home Delivery Available 664 Bar Harbor Road, Trenton (Large Trees and shrubs only) 629 Commercial Street (Rte 1), Rockport We deliver state-wide! Landscape professionals welcome. (207) 594-7754 • Plants-Unlimited.com you’ll love. maritimeenergy.com Local you can count on. Rockland 234 Park St. (Route 1), Rockland 1-800-333-4489 or 594-4487 822 Acadia Highway (Rt. 3), Montville - 589-4460 262 Main St., Belfast - 338-1609 241 Route 3, South China - 445-5222 205 US Route 1, Nobleboro - 563-888716 the WAVE • PenBayPilot.com CHAIRLIFT RIDES A leisurely chairlift ride is a great way to enjoy the natural beauty and majestic views of Midcoast Maine, Penobscot Bay and the islands within. Sundays in October Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. $10 each 20 Barnestown Road Camden | Maine 207-236-3438 www.camdesnowbowl.com Holiday Craft Event November 18 • 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Rockport Masonic Hall Simonton Corner Main St., Rockport Sponsored by The Rockville Community Chapel Light lunch available Rockville Community Chapel CHRISTMAS AT THE CHAPEL Sunday, Dec. 10th at 2 p.m. 87 Old Rockland Street, Rockville, ME Behind the Green Thumb Fo puzzle answers, see page 27 PenBayPilot.com • the WAVE 17 By Erica Thoms The beauty of the waters of Belfast Bay are appreciated by the countless eyes that gaze upon them, though many are unaware of a long ago nickname for the span of water that goes from the Bay into the larger Penobscot Bay: Shark Alley. The name became associated with the area due to frequent finned visitors, drawn by the waste of a waterfront business. The possible presence of sharks in the Midcoast waters is nothing new, but long before summer shark sightings became a part of the Midcoast’s common consciousness, the region's waters hosted a diverse array of marine life that included visits from great white sharks. Great white sharks are most often observed during the months of July, August, and September. They are considered an apex predator, meaning they exist at the top of the food chain, with few predators. During the 1960s, sharks, sometimes including great whites, were known visitors of Belfast Bay, attracted by the mass processing of chickens at the Penobscot Poultry Company. The plant waste, including thousands of pounds of chicken offal, was released into the bay, reportedly leading to polluted waters. Despite the pollutants being off-putting to many locals, they served as a lure to nearby sharks. Belfast Historical Society and Museum President Megan Pinette said she remembers hearing about sharks in the bay back in the 1960s. Another local once recalled that she used to swim across the Bay in the 1960s, and remembered a chicken head floating past her once as she swam. The processing plant was officially closed Feb. 24, 1988. With its closure, and the disappearance of the blood and body parts that once drew sharks to the area, great whites and other sharks sightings seemed to diminish considerably, and shark alley faded into semi obscurity. While Maine has been known to have great whites in its waters, they were typically thought of as farther from shore, with many sightings near Matinicus Island, 20 miles off the shore of the Knox County. A July 2020 fatal great white attack in Casco Bay, which took the life of an New York City woman, is a reminder that they come much closer to land than one might expect. The woman who lost her life was swimming roughly 20 yards off of the shore of Bailey Island when the incident occurred. Farther south in New England, great whites have reportedly been spotted as close as 10 feet from From the Maine Department of Marine Resources: White sharks have been historically documented in New England, and are most often observed during the months of July, August and September. White sharks are considered an apex predator, meaning they exist at the top of the food web with few to no predators. Young white sharks predominantly prey on bony fish, squid, and smaller sharks, but as they grow and mature the primary source of food transitions to lipid-dense prey, such as marine mammals. shore near Provincetown, Massachusetts, according to a Boston University article. The Maine Department of Marine Resources reported 44 confirmed sightings of great whites in 2022. An official State warning was issued in Summer 2023, a first for the area. Sharks, including great whites, will likely become a more common sight due several factors, including an increase in the gray seal population, and conservation efforts resulting in larger numbers of great whites, according to the same BU article. Seals have been protected under Marine Mammal Protection Act since 1972, which has caused the population to swell, and wherever their prey goes, so too go great white sharks. While the prospect of an increased shark presence is an unsettling one, it is important to remember that one never knows what lurks below. Sharks, in general, have little interest in people, however any attack will make many second guess venturing into the waters, or at least, lead them to take measures to mitigate the risk. While humans have laid claim to the land and sea for several hundred thousand years, sharks have been swimming the seas for hundreds of millions of years, predating even trees. Belfast Bay might be unlikely to ever be dubbed shark alley again, but sharks are an ever increasing presence in the warming waters, whether they are observed or not. The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy Sharktivity App was developed with input from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Cape Cod National Seashore, and officials from Cape Cod and South Shore towns to raise awareness of the presence of white sharks off our coast. Get that app at atlanticwhiteshark.org/ sharktivity-app The Maine Department of Marine Resources reported 44 comfirmed sightings of great whites in 2022. An official State warning was issued in Summer 2023, a first for the area. Penobscot Poultry Co. Photo courtesy of Belfast Historical Society and Museum Shark Alley, a tale of chicken offal and fins18 the WAVE • PenBayPilot.com Woodworker and chainsaw artist Pasco Grove on his cutting-edge technique Back away slowly: chainsaw artist in action Two of his handmade benches reside in Belfast Large face sculpture with artist. Photo by Pasco Grove By Kay Stephens Two carved wooden benches grace downtown Belfast, both nautical-themed. One is a whale with sailboats and one is a mermaid. Both works of functional art were made by chainsaw artist Pasco Grove, of Winterport. The benches, carved during the All Roads Music Festival as a live event several years ago, now permanently remain. For Grove, it is no big deal to pick up a chainsaw and begin hacking at a large snag —or a dead, broken tree— and fashion a face or a sculpture out of it. He works through an interesting art form called chainsaw carving that combines the modern technology of chainsaw carving either on ice or wood with the ancient art of woodcarving. “I grew up on a farm around a bunch of machinery and my dad is a woodcutter,” said Grove. “I used a chainsaw at a fairly young age and helped him cut wood. As I got older, I started running a chainsaw and my dad influenced me a little bit to try chainsaw art. He got me my first carving bar, which is a smaller bar you put on a chainsaw, and that’s how I started carving little things out of wood like faces and human figurines. It just grew from there.” Grove always had an artistic bent, whether it was drawing or painting as a kid or pottery-making and sculpting in high school. “I was always making things out of junk and whittling with a knife,” he said. Self-taught, his first commission was a large Viking carving for his high school. His day job consists of working for G.E. in Bangor, but his hobby and avocation, which takes about three or four hours a week, is turning decrepit stumps into anthropomorphic works of art. “It is like my stress relief and I get lost in it,” he said. Besides carving functional art, such as large statues, and even a lifesize Big Foot, he is hired to transform dead tree stumps on homeowners’ properties into interesting sculptures. His artistic tools have a bite, so he has to take special care to the point of putting up caution tape around public areas where he works. “Mostly it is for the little kids who love to come running up,” said Grove. “There have been a few times I’ve turned around and someone surprised me by being way too close and I had to shut off the chainsaw. “It is dangerous,” he admitted, “but I just have to keep in mind certain aspects of using the saw, making sure it doesn’t kick back. There are certain cuts that can become pretty tricky.” For more of Grove’s work, visit facebook.com/ Chainsawmainah Carved dog. 'I grew up on a farm around a bunch of machinery and my dad is a woodcutter.' PenBayPilot.com • the WAVE 19 Consolidated school days W hen the original South School in Rockland was built in 1948, it was the first Rockland school to be built in 100 years. Yet, South School’s existence only came about because a group of parents could not get the solution they wanted from the local level, and therefore went above heads to a higher power. In the 1930s, young children living in the South End attended Crescent Street, one of the “wooden schools” that were common for almost another two decades. Yet, the school, according to former student Paul Merriam, was “terrible.”T he Purchase Street school, where Merriam attended from second to fourth grade, had two entrances next to each other; every morning, the boys lined up in front of one entrance, the girls lined up at the other, and they marched in to the tune of a Victrola. The quality of the building was undesirable, to the point where Merriam can forever remember horrid basement bathrooms, ancient fixtures, and the dungeon-like atmosphere. A nd then, on to Grace Street for fifth grade with its toilets that emptied into the brook. That location, long since torn down, was so bad that after discontinuing as a learning environment, it was converted into a stable and then briefly reconverted into a school again. So, after World War II, a group of citizens aimed to convince City Council to build decent schools. When Council didn’t take up the idea, the group went to the state. The state sided with the parents and created the Rockland School District, allowing for an independent school board not governed by City Council, and charged the board to create better learning environments. Because the South End schools were in the worst shape of all of the city’s schools (Rockland listed 25 schools in 1875), South School was the first school – and first non-wooden elementary – to take shape. The board settled on a vacant lot, emptied when the Knox County Regional Airport departed permanently for the southerly expanse of Owls Head. And then, the board headed north, replacing the old North School with McDougal School on Broadway and building the new high school. The McLain School holds the distinction of being the first building to be “mixed,” as in, all of the sixth graders from everywhere in Rockland attended at once. They even had their own basketball team. Next door, the old high school provided lunch for all students at all schools. Twenty-five cents for lunch. And a decent education. Photos courtesy Rockland Historical Society Purchase Street School. Bathrooms at Purchase Street. Bathroom sink at Purchase Street. Bathroom sink at Purchase Street. Next >