UMM’s Community Chorale under the direction of Prof. Gene Nichols will present their spring concert on May 1 in the Performing Arts Center. Accompanied by pianist Lee Downing, the program will include the works of Bach, Billings Orff, Brahms and an original piece, “Winter in Maine,” written by Judy Armstrong of Machias. Members of the chorale are Marge Ahlin, Judy Armstrong, Kate Atkinson, Brian Beal, Gloria Bodman, Gerr Durant, Chris Guy, Doug Guy, Beth Goodliff, Kate Jumper, George McBride, Lora Mills, Joy Richardson, Joseph Shaw and Bill Wadsworth.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Riverside Inn owner Cynthia McDonough attended a concert at the University of Maine at Machias sponsored by the local charity Little Hands of Hope. She said she was moved after hearing Kristen Johnson speak about the orphans her charity cares for in Africa. Two weeks later the pair were at another fundraiser together, this time as co-hosts.

 The headline in the Wednesday, June 9, 1943 issue of the Bangor Daily News read    “Six Machias Business Blocks Destroyed Saturday in One of the Town’s Most Serious Fires” – Loss Estimated at $100,000; important Business Section of Center Street is in Ruins.

by Nancy Beal

During National Volunteer Week last week, scores of Mainers were recognized for volunteering over 500 hours of volunteer service in 2017 and each received the Governor’s Award for Service and Volunteerism. Five individuals had logged over 3,000 hours of service, and 32 had performed over 2,000. 

Among those honored were 20 people from 14 towns in Washington County. Eight of the 20 had logged over 1,000 hours of volunteer service.

In Loving Memory of

Nancy Beal Smith

Who lost her battle with cancer on April 29, 2016.

Don’t think of her as gone away

Her journey has just begun

Life holds so many facets

This earth is only one

Think of her as living

In the hearts of those she touched.

For nothing loved is ever lost 

And she was loved so much.

Lovingly remembered

by all the family

St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church,  36 Dublin Hill, Machias. Services, 9 a.m. April through November; 9:30 a.m. December through March. Rev. Lynn Rutledge FMI: 207-214-7548 or staidansmachias.org.

• • • • • • 

Beals Wesleyan Church, Elm Street, Beals. 10 a.m. Sunday school; 11 a.m. worship; 6 p.m. evangelistic hour. Wednesday 6 p.m. prayer time. Pastor Nick Wilson, 207-497-2262 or 207-530-0567.

• • • • • • 

The Machias Memorial High School (MMHS) JMG group has organized their first Pop-Up Prom Show for boys to be held Thursday, April 26 from 2-4 p.m. in the MMHS cafeteria.

The group has gathered donations of prom-ready attire such as coats, ties, dress shirts, pants, suspenders, and much more. Many of the donations were gifted to the group by Bags o’ Rags in Machias.

Through a partnership between the Maine Department of Education and the University of Maine System, tuition is waived for all qualified high school students in Maine to cover up to 12 college credits per year.

Starting May 14, the University of Maine will offer summer courses suitable for rising high school juniors and seniors. Early college courses are available at the University of Maine campus in Orono, the UMaine Hutchinson Center in Belfast, and online.

by  V. Paul Reynolds

The New England Outdoor Writers Association (NEOWA) is a large group of outdoor writers and photographers that promotes wildlife conservation and professionalism in outdoor communication. Each year, NEOWA awards significant scholarships to a wildlife major from all six of New England’s land grant universities. The hope is that these wildlife majors will go on to reach out to the public and tell the story of wildlife conservation and the important role that sportsmen and sportswomen play in wildlife management and funding.

by Phil Stuart

The Machias High School Bulldogs basketball team waited a long time before they had an opportunity to play for a regional championship or a state title. The Bulldog boys never played on the Bangor auditorium floor until 1969, other than a preseason game or a game against the Bangor Junior Varsity. Since then, like most other schools, they have had their ups and downs.

Currently they have three state championships in boys’ basketball which puts them third Downeast behind Jonesport-Beals and Calais.

Applications are currently being accepted for three Maine Community Foundation’s scholarships that support Washington County students.

by Ruth Leubecker

Hospital care in Washington County will likely soon become further limited as Calais Regional Hospital, having closed its ob/gyn unit, further assesses other departments.

Rumors of limited emergency room hours were dispelled last week by Rod Boula, the Calais hospital CEO. “No, our ER is open 24/7,” said Boula. “But everything is being assessed. I can’t disclose what we’re looking at, but we are looking at all service areas.”

Emera Maine, the second-largest electric utility company in Maine, is once again seeking to raise electric rates for their customers.  This is the third rate hike Emera Maine has requested in the past five years. Since 2013, Emera Maine’s rates have increased by over 12 percent.  Their latest request calls for an additional 4.5 percent rate increase.

AARP Maine strongly opposes Emera Maine’s latest request to raise their rates.  Raising electric rates, yet again, is unaffordable for many Maine families, especially those living on fixed incomes. 

Correcting the record on Poliquin Healthcare, Balanced Budget Amendment

I’d like to correct the record about some things Ms. Dean from Machias wrote about Congressman Bruce Poliquin in her Letter to the Editor in last week’s paper.

First, she wrongly claims Congressman Poliquin accepts some kind of special congressional health care benefits, and therefore doesn’t need to pay for health care on his own.  This is false.  The Congressman refuses any special health benefits through taxpayer money.

A dinner followed by a dessert auction to benefit Arise Addiction Recovery will be held on Saturday, May 5. 

Donations for admission will benefit the Machias-based men’s residential recovery center. The event will be held at Elm Street School in East Machias from 5-7 p.m.

We hope you will join us and consider making a dessert to be auctioned. Contact Jen and Wayne Wood, 263-7891. It is always a good time!

A meeting of the Hannah Weston Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 5, at the Burnham Tavern Museum in Machias. Members are invited to bring a sandwich, beverage and dessert will be provided. Special guests will be Kenneth and Joyce Getchell who will talk about the  “We Care Community Baby Care”.

Next Step Domestic Violence Project is offering a free six-week educational support group that will meet once a week with the purpose of exploring domestic violence in the context of a relationship. Topics will include: How community and cultural supports impacts families experience dv; effects on children, co-parenting with an abusive ex-partner, coping mechanisms, dating, new relationships, and effects of battering on the victim.

Sea chantey singing, the exciting world of drones, “Eva Peron: Saint or Sinner?” and a study of Greek and Roman art are only a few of the one-day classes that will be presented by Sunrise Senior College this summer.

Sunrise Senior College provides intellectual stimulation, practical knowledge, social interaction and fun to people 50 and older and their spouses or partners of any age.

Green Cove Springs, Florida & Orrington, Maine – Norman A. Hall, 86, former longtime resident of Orrington passed away in Florida on January 2, 2018 following a brief illness.

Services were held in Florida. A graveside committal service were  held at 1 p.m.  on Saturday, April 21, 2018 in the Hillside Cemetery, Bucks Harbor, Maine with Pastor Bill Holmes officiating. Arrangements are under the direction and care of Bragdon-Kelley Funeral Home, Machias.

Two teen sisters gab on a rural porch, dividing the world’s offerings

between them, as a younger brother stood behind with wooden matches. 

Strike. Burn. Tossed fire in a lush green valley in the 1930’s where

The air was moist but not moist enough to quench the thirst of girls in a rush

to cleave mother’s apron strings. Somewhere else they lamented, 

not here amid bushes of ripe raspberries speckled with ticks waiting

to draw their sweeter, pulsing pulp of life.

One sister brushed away a glow in her hair, kissed the burn to her hand. 

I fight for the kitchen, so it doesn’t grow cold

I’ve been chipping away on a rocket stove, there it goes

It is the heart, oh the spice of life

If the kitchen goes, this old house will die

But not on my watch, not here today

I’m on 2018 missions, so get out of this rustics way

Who would have guessed, I could change my life

With a fork and a spoon and a good old pocket knife

It is a matter of fact and I hope to see

When dealing with quintessence, your dealing with simplicity

So many huddled together, attempting to stay warm as they nudge themselves with noses up trying to get to the surface for a better view. A view that is unknown at this very moment and continually drifts with time. The light that enters from above gets knocked around, never quite making it past the surface, and smiles only one color, that being blue, which gets lost as it sits on a field of blue, constantly moving under a blanket of blue, as white wisps of breath give comfort and solace, give life as they nudge and pry themselves up for a better view; to make the world a better place. 

It’s a lousy game nothing happens for hours

Then it’s over,

Before you even know it.

Who cares who’s on first

Tinker to Evers to Chance the home team sucks—

S’cuse my dugout language.

Plus, you got your umpires calling a strike a ball and vice versa

Miracle workers, Huh.

With two outs, men on base

GM yanks his pitcher,

Yep, home run follows.

What a relief it is!

Well, that’s it for me

Don’t much care anymore.

Heading Fridge-wards

Cold ‘Gansett, anyone?

—Bunny L. Richards

Construction of the new Whitneyville Public Library and Whatnot Craft Shop began Tuesday, April 10, as the walls started to take shape.  Ronald Gandy, local contractor and crew, began the work of constructing the new 4,000 sq. ft. one floor handicapped accessible building which will become the new home of the Whatnot Craft Shop and the Whitneyville Public Library.

The Wesley after-school program had Dana Porter come in and share Color Street with the girls. All the girls did their fingernails with nail polish strips with beautiful colors, glitter and nail  art designs. Diane Lord donated nail polish strips for them all. For more information about Color Street, contact Diane Lord (stylist) at 207-214-7782.

The Jacksonville Cemetery Association met on Tuesday, April 17, at the Jacksonville Grange Hall in East Machias.  President Nathan Pennell welcomed everyone and introductions were made.  Everyone who attends is a member and all are welcome.  A progress report was provided including success and challenges from last year.  The 2018 work plan was provided and copies of the current by-laws were available.  Copies of these are available to anyone upon request.  The Perpetual Care fund was discussed.  Transferring it to the Maine Community Foundation will provide four percent distribution and add

This Earth Day  -- April 22, 2018 -- should signal a watershed turning point.

Traditionally the day has meant planting a tree, trimming some bushes, maybe even a stroll through the woods or a visit to a park. But in 2018 it’s time to join the fight against pervasive pollution. Pollution that’s slowly, but inarguably, threatening this country’s -- actually, the very planet’s --- future.

Rosemary L. Alley, 82, died April 5, 2018 at a Machias hospital. She was born February 26, 1936 in Milbridge, the daughter of Luther and Thelma (Simonton) Lindsey.

She loved to read , enjoyed gardening, cake decorating, puzzles, word puzzles, and trivia. She also enjoyed watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune .