Wellness coach Hester Brooks will return to the Rockport Public Library on Friday, May 1, at 3:30 p.m. to lead an event called “Full Moon Rest Circle.” This free, 1-hr. program is part of the library’s “Let’s Feel Better in 2026” series. Brooks will guide participants through a meditation designed to help them unwind their nervous systems, release tension, and reconnect with peace and tranquility. Since the event coincides with a full moon, Brooks will also focus a portion of the meditation on manifesting abundance and fulfillment. Attendees are encouraged to dress comfortably and can choose to rest in the library’s chairs or bring a padded mat to lie down on. Warm beverages and cozy snacks will be provided. Hester Brooks is a Certified Daring to Rest Coach and Yoga Nidra facilitator based in Lincolnville. She helps individuals who are feeling exhausted nourish their nervous systems and make life decisions that lead to a calmer future. For more information, visit restwithhester.com.

On Wednesday, May 6, at 6 p.m., University of Maine Associate Professor Dr. Phillip Buckley will give a presentation examining freedom of speech from two overlapping perspectives: American constitutional law and American culture. Freedom of speech is a cherished American right. It is highly protected by the First Amendment, and a majority of Americans from all political perspectives claim to strongly support free speech. At the same time, free speech controversies and conflicts regularly rock American society. At times, many Americans seem to endorse a “free speech for me but not for thee” approach, crying foul when views they support are restricted but endorsing or at least accepting restrictions on expression with which they disagree. The program will explore questions such as: How does American law balance the individual right of free speech with the need that the government has to restrict speech at times? What philosophical and political values underpin the right of free speech? How does living in a “strong free speech society” impact what it means to be a citizen? What role has free speech played in American history and what role does it play in American culture and politics today? Dr. Buckley is a member of...