Sorry!

Last week’s column got lost in cyberspace and by the time we’d figured that out, the deadline for the print version was gone. The column was online, but for those of you who don’t have access to The Camden Herald online, I’m repeating a couple of non-time-sensitive items.

On the Road Again!

Rockport Select Board’s next “Road Tour” will be Tuesday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m. at West Rockport Baptist Church as select board members continue to gather input/visions from citizens from the five distinct villages of the town.

Other town news

Meetings are at the town office unless otherwise specified.

The Harbor Committee will meet today,Sept. 20 at 5:15 p.m. and Friday, Sept. 21, the Maine Coast Economic Alliance Board of Directors will meet at 8 a.m.

A Zoning Board meeting is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m. at the opera house, televised on channel 22.

Hats off!

With all the gloom and doom that bombards us daily, it’s a welcome respite when a “good news” story surfaces. In this case, the good news is that thanks to due diligence, hard work and even personal town employee sacrifices, the 2012-13 town property tax rate remains at the 2011-12 rate of $12.21, or $1,220 per 100,00 of property value. Take the time to congratulate and thank town employees — department heads and others, Town Manager Bob Peabody, the select board and anyone else, any other committees, volunteers for a job well done.

When?

You should have received your tax bill last week. A single bill is sent but taxpayers have the option of making payments in two installments, with the first due Oct. 15, the second April 15. Remember, a 7 percent interest rate is applied to taxes paid late. Don’t lose the form for the second installment — this is the only bill you get!

Bay Chamber Concerts Music School

Registration for four adult class series (including classical guitar which begins today, Sept. 20) and children's classes, is in process. For complete information/registration for any of the classes, call the school office at 236-2823 or go to baychamberconcerts.org. “Music Together Big Kids” is geared to the interests and abilities of 5 to 7-year-olds, laying the foundation for basic music literacy with a curriculum that includes solfège, solos and ensembles, movement, harmony singing, vocal development, and drumming in a safe, fun environment. A demo class (parents required to attend), will be offered Saturday, Sept. 22, at 11 a.m. at the school. And, “Music Together” classes, designed for mixed-age classes (newborn through age 5) with parents/caregivers will include songs, rhythmic rhymes, movement, instrument play with developmentally appropriate and easy designed activities for parents/caregivers, regardless of their own musical ability.

Shop for the Cause - PAWS!

Saturday, Sept. 22, some 40-plus area businesses in Camden and Rockport have agreed to donate a portion of their sales for the day to PAWS (formerly known as the Camden-Rockport Animal Adoption Center). Go to PAWS' website, pawsadoption.org, click on news and events, scroll to “Shop for the Cause" and click to see all the participating businesses. Be sure to tell them you’re there because of PAWS! (I knew there was some reason I was procrastinating about early Christmas shopping!)

Special invitation

Fall is in the air and you’re invited to join Merryspring's Tierra Club, a new group of MNC trail maintenance volunteers. An introductory meeting will be held Saturday, Sept. 22, at 8:30 a.m. at the park. Loosely based on the Sierra Club model, the Tierra Club will do trail maintenance in support of MNC's mission and programs. Great volunteer opportunity for solo hikers, couples, and parents of teens looking for productive "together time!" For more information, please contact Frank Callanan at Frank@datatprone.com (even if you're unable to attend the Sept. 22 meeting).

Celebrate!

Hard to believe that Port Clyde Fresh Catch celebrates five years of “Connecting Fishermen with Seafood Lovers!” Head to Island Institute Saturday, Sept. 22, from 1 to 4 p.m. to help celebrate this great group/concept. Enjoy free samples made from “The Original Maine Shrimp Cookbook” as Diane Schetky, the cookbook author, signs your book. Enjoy live music, door prizes and chances to win PCFC products! Call 975-2116 for more information. Visit portclydefreshcatch.com to learn more about PCFC fresh, wild-caught seafood.

Rockville Community Chapel

The Chapel Association annual supper (hearty beef stew with biscuits and brownie sundaes for dessert) will be Saturday, Sept. 22, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Rockport Masonic Center. Cost is $9 for adults, $4.50 for children younger than 10. Proceeds go to maintenance of the chapel, the only public building still standing in the village of Rockville.

Nature lessons

Tuesday, Sept. 25, at noon, Dennis Milliken will lead a presentation on houseplant care at Merryspring. Dennis, a garden designer and former MNC Board Member, has worked in the horticulture industry for more than 40 years and is a certified pesticide applicator, currently working for The Green Thumb. His talk will review common houseplant pest and disease identification, treatment, and preventative measures to keep plants healthy throughout the year. Admission to the Talks is free to Merryspring members and children, with a nominal $5 fee for non-members. For more information about MNC, including programs, call 236-2239 or visit merryspring.org.

Civil War

The Farnsworth’s Civil War series concludes with “The Influence of the Civil War on Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. and American Justice,” on Wednesday, Sept. 26, at 5:30 p.m. at the Farnsworth Auditorium.

High Holy Days

Sunday, Sept. 23, at 10 a.m., Rev. Mark Glovin of the First Universalist Church in Rockland will celebrate Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. The service will ritualize non-Jews' own process of atonement, growth and forgiveness while speaking ancient Hebrew prayers and hearing and singing Jewish liturgical music. All welcome. (Check today’s paper for other observances on the actual Sept. 26 Yom Kippur).

Night skies

Sigh. Already there are three hours less daylight since June’s solstice and Saturday, Sept. 22, at 10:47 a.m., we usher in the fall/autumnal equinox the official time when the sun crosses the celestial equator from the northern to the southern hemisphere. Hard to complain, though, based on the weather we’ve experienced the past few weeks!

Note:

I’d encourage those of you asking about “lack of coverage” of local Republican meetings/events in this column to have your officials send me emails (or call), about those events as the Knox County Democrats do! Thanks.