Dear Editor:

Each year the sizeable congregation of St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Newcastle holds a Lawn Party and Auction. Folks from every community in Lincoln County belong to the congregation and take part in its many activities.

The event draws hundreds from midcoast communities as well as summer people and tourists who are in Maine for just a few days. The Lawn Party has an old-fashioned small town appeal and enhances the Maine experience.

Perhaps most importantly, every penny raised (usually between $25,000 to $30,000) goes to outreach organizations such as the Ecumenical Food Pantry, New Hope for Women, and Habitat for Humanity—7 Rivers Maine.

The event is to be held on Saturday, July 12 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Andrews Episcopal Church on Glidden Street in Newcastle.

Margaret Spratt

Southport

Dear Editor:

I'm always sorry when a local character dies, and therefore respect the recent passing of Red Gagnon, who owned Red's Eats in Wiscasset. But for many years, this little lobster shack has inadvertently brought Rt. 1 in Maine to a standstill during the summer.

Red's lobster rolls have been touted in magazines nationwide, including Gourmet, Bon Appetit and Downeast, leading to the expectation that these rolls really ARE special. As a result, no self respecting tourist would pass this Maine landmark without sampling such a rare delicacy.

The little town of Wiscasset has two major crosswalks on this short, but heavily traveled section of road, and Maine has a tough law that motorists must stop when someone is in a crosswalk. Summer tourists stroll across the road from a parking lot to Red's and form a long line - a line that promises the same crowd will amble back after consuming one of Red's famous lobster rolls. The result is miles of backed up traffic on Maine's busiest highways at the height of the important tourist season. When Red's Eats closes, the traffic disappears.

Lobster rolls are my favorites, too, but I've had many that are as good as or better than those served as Red's. But I am not here to argue about the contents. (A good roll contains lobster, Hellmann's mayonnaise, a squeeze of lemon juice and nothing more—no lettuce, onion, celery, hot sauce). The roll itself is de rigueur: sliced across the top, and grilled on both sides)

Maine has spent thousands of dollars and years of discussion about a bypass for Wiscasset to alleviate this growing headache. Alternatives to the present route are expensive and bound to bring pain to those who would relinquish their property and maybe even their occupations.

Some years ago, Red Gagnon was surprised with the discovery that he had not paid town taxes on the property that houses his lobster shack, which has operated for years. I assume that the place is now on the town rolls, although no mention of past taxes has been mentioned. This brings benevolence to a new standard.

Red's Eats has long enjoyed a location that destroys the quality of summer travel for thousands of motorists, including, of course, the locals. Red's should move. It need not move far, but should not continue in its current location. Red's has garnered all the publicity it needs to become a destination. People will come, no matter where it is.

It's high time to consider the other taxpayers, the motorists and the shoppers who can't even use the existing parking. And maybe a bypass won't be needed at all. At least, without Red's Eats, the ten years estimated to begin (or build) the bypass won't seem so long.

Ginny Conn

East Boothbay

Wiscasset Newspaper Editor's Note: - The town had always assumed that the state owned the land; however, an investigation by the state a few years ago showed no clear evidence of state ownership, so it was assumed the town owned it. He then agreed to pay rent to the town, which he did for two years, and then he asked to buy the land. In November of 2006 voters, by a 1,210 to 473 margin, agreed to sell the land to him. He bought the land on July 6, 2007 for $73,000.