FROM THE MIDCOAST — It is lazy, and admittedly kind of boring, to say that the last year has seen a lot of changes, but for the venerable Coastal Journal, and for myself, those words have never been truer. 

I am not one to share too much information about my personal life, because, well, I want some things to remain private. I try not to put too much about myself into the public sphere. But the changes to the Coastal Journal have had a direct and profound impact on my life, so for those of you interested, here goes. 

By now, everyone probably knows that the Coastal Journal left its longtime home in Bath at the end of June and now shares a space with The Times Record in Brunswick. The move was bittersweet because the CJ has always been considered Bath’s hometown paper, but from a business and efficiency standpoint, the move was a no-brainer.  

After spending almost three years covering Hallowell, the University of Maine at Augusta and the Togus VA, among many other beats, for the Kennebec Journal in Augusta, I was asked to substitute at the Coastal Journal in March after the paper’s reporter left to pursue other opportunities. 

As a Topsham resident, the idea of driving to Bath instead of Augusta and all over central Maine was an immediate draw, and I also quickly took to learning more and writing about the area that I live. I got along great with the CJ staff, and I developed a good relationship with general manager and Bath Army Knife Raye Leonard.  

Over the next few months, following the CJ’s move south to Brunswick, the decision was made to shift the CJ to an arts, entertainment and culture publication. The decision was certainly met with skepticism by some, and we heard some comments from people in the community who didn’t understand the move, but since July, for every negative bit of feedback I’ve received, I’ve gotten countless emails and letters praising the new Coastal Journal. 

I understand that there is a lot of news being made each and every day around the Midcoast, especially in Bath, Brunswick, Topsham and Wiscasset. And for that, readers can count of The Times Record and its young, ambitious and hard-working staff—the CJ occasionally runs Times Record content that we think would be of particular interest to readers.  

There are also a lot of interesting people doing interesting things in the Midcoast, and I think the CJ has done a great job showcasing them. Since July, we’ve written features on an internationally recognized award-winning chef in Boothbay Harbor, the 60th anniversary of the Maine State Music Theatre, a woodworker rebuilding a piece of Maine history in Bowdoinham and a volunteer jazz band that performs free concerts for veterans. 

We interviewed renowned folk singer Dar Williams, profiled several artists creating and showcasing their work, explored the growth of the brewing industry and previewed two new exhibits at the Bowdoin College Museum of Art. I’ve taken a boat to visit Admiral Robert Peary’s home on Eagle Island and kayaked with seals to Malaga Island off Phippsburg. It has been a busy six months. 

Aside from the cover stories, readers can still count on weekly or bi-weekly columns from longtime contributors like favorite LC Van Savage, Karen Schneider, Bob Kalish, Zac McDorr, Phil Di Vece and Tamara Lilly. Soon, Sande Updegraph will resume writing about food and restaurants, and recently, Kelli Park, a writer and photographer from Harpswell, has begun writing profiles on people with interesting stories all across the Midcoast.  

We try and include as many briefs and press releases from local organizations and groups as we can, and we appreciate the continued submissions received to the Coastal Journal inbox. Calendar submissions are completely digital now, and the weekly print calendar is much improved. 

Oh, and how can I forget one of the biggest changes of all, which just happened a few weeks ago? The Coastal Journal’s digital home is now at timesrecord.com/coastal-journal, and the user interface and design is a big step up. 

Personally, since I now don’t have to drive 70-plus miles a day from Topsham to Augusta—I travel about 20 miles round-trip now—I’ve been able to spend more time with my wife and son, which has been life-changing. I have gotten to play with him every morning for several hours before he goes to preschool, and I get to eat dinner with him and his mother each night. It has truly been amazing, and I can’t be more thankful for being given the opportunity to lead the new Coastal Journal. I appreciate the help from Times Record executive editor John Swinconeck, who has been a force in the transition, and the rest of the TR staff, who welcomed me into their office and their work family with open arms.  

While nobody can accurately, and 100-percent effectively, predict the future, I can promise our readers one thing: I, and the rest of the CJ staff, will continue to work hard and do our best to bring you interesting stories and exclusive content, dynamic covers with eye-catching photos throughout the paper, contributions from favorite writers and a detailed calendar. 

As associate editor, I ask that our readers continue to be open-minded about the new Coastal Journal and keep providing the feedback that helps shape and guide the CJ’s journalistic vision, mission and course. And please, please reach out with story ideas. Midcoast Maine is a large area, and our reach extends from Freeport to Waldoboro, and sadly, my superpowers don’t include being in more than one place at a time. I welcome all inquiries and would love to hear about interesting people, unique businesses or events or anything else that could be a part of the new Coastal Journal. 

I look forward to continuing the Coastal Journal’s tradition of being a trusted source of information in the Midcoast, as it has been for more than 50 years. See everybody around town. 

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