A reminder that If you are interested in Southport Land Use Ordinances for cluster developments, and you are reading this notice earlier than the publication date, amendments to these ordinances will be discussed at a public meeting, Dec. 1, beginning at 5 p.m. in the Southport Town Hall. To attend the meeting, please wear a mask.

“Lights up Southport” is going to happen this year! Friday, Dec. 3, come to the Southport General store at 4:30 p.m. to enjoy cookies and hot drinks generously prepared and provided by the store. Santa will be coming, perhaps again on his red motorcycle, to give presents to the children. The community lights will be turned on with singing of Christmas carols. For more information contact Alice Mutch at 410- 353- 3861.

Another reminder that the Southport Memorial Library is holding a food drive through Dec. 20 to benefit the Boothbay Region Food Pantry. You may drop off non-perishable food at the library during open hours, which are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and Thursday evening 6-8.

An opportunity to do some of your Christmas shopping on Southport exists at the Southport General Store. In addition to a liquid gift of wine or spirits you may want to take to friends, you will also find gift collections in small, medium, or large sizes. Sample of those gifts in the collection are on display opposite the check out counter. One double gift idea is a candle in a Southport wine glass. When the candle is gone, the wine glass remains for your use.

You can still sign up for Broadband even though both the Broadband sign and the “Be Kind” sign have disappeared from the Southport Memorial Library lawn. Simply call the number on other signs you can still see around the island. A number of people have told me they wait quite a while for a return call so be patient.

Last week I wrote about Stuart Thompson partly to enhance our memory of him as we discuss improvements to the grounds around the school, a portion of which bear his name, but also to introduce him to those of us relatively new to Southport who did not know of his many contributions to the island. This week I welcome another couple who are not entirely new to our island, but who we may not have seen for some time. Now residents on Pratts Island Road, are Dennis and Jeanette Burney who moved here this fall from Colorado. Dennis is a Colorado native and continues to work as a graphic artist for EcoProducts that manufactures compostable take out containers. Jeanette, the daughter of Callie and Denis McWhan, is very familiar with the area having grown up spending summers on Pratts Island and Southport, but she has lived in Colorado for the past 29 years ago. Currently she self-employed as a physical therapist and yoga teacher. When Dennis offered to move back to the east coast to be closer to Jeanette's family, the couple spent the early pandemic time clearing out the their Colorado house to sell. They have found Southporters to be welcoming and full of information about the area.

Noting now the island is wonderfully quiet, they look forward to wintering over and exploring more of Maine. Close to home they enjoy walking the lighthouse loop or biking around the peninsula. If you want to learn more about Jeanette’s work and  availability go to www.bodyintunellc.com. There you will read that even though she had worked as a physical therapist for many years, when dealing with her own recalcitrant muscles, she found a whole body approach, which she now teaches to others.

Winter appears finally to have visited Southport, although I hear that Newagen escaped the lingering snow flakes. That news, delivered by our visiting son, reminded me of Gerry Gamage’s quick retort when asked at a town meeting why that town neglected to plow in Newagen. “Because it never snows in Newagen,” was Gerry response. So far south!