by Nancy Beal

One of the highlights of last year’s July 4th celebration in Jonesport was the appearance of Barton Seaver, a world-renowned chef who has imparted an “Eat More Fish!” message from a variety of places and positions. An award-winning chef in Washington, D. C. whom Esquire named chef of the year in 2009, he left the restaurant life to travel the world with the National Geographic Society, returning home to become a leader in the area of sustainable seafood.

by Hailey Wood

Beginning a new tradition, the Bad Little Falls “Sounds Like This” concert series will take place again this summer, starting on Thursday, July 7, with a performance by The Filthy Casuals.

The Filthy Casuals is composed of lead singer Hailey Bryand, her husband, and the lead guitarist, Kelly Bryand. Macky Hood is the saxophonist, Aaron Ackley plays the drums, and Darren Gardner plays the bass. 

by Jonathan Reisman

As the summer started, a complex melody of second Amendment notes was played.

Downeast Coastal Conservancy (DCC) is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Executive Director, Colin Brown.  Colin comes to DCC after spending six years with Downeast Lakes Land Trust in Grand Lake Stream, most recently as Development and Outreach Manager, focusing on grant writing and fundraising for the organization.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

In 1868, Machias replaced a bridge with a dike to carry travelers across the Machias and Middle Rivers. This month, plans appear to be moving in the opposite direction, following Maine Department of Transportation’s (DOT) June 9 announcement that a bridge is the “preferred alternative” to replace the Machias dike and causeway.

DOT will host a meeting about the dike replacement project at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 28, at the Machias Memorial High School Gymnasium. A large turnout is expected. 

by Hailey Wood

Broderick Alley and Jennifer Ciappetta, the father-daughter duo behind The Fisherman’s Pottery and Gifts, make pottery out of their studio on Beals Island.

Their passion began in the Fall of 2018 when they took their first adult-ed pottery class, taught by Narraguagus Pottery at Narraguagus Highschool.

Initially, Ciappetta’s mother convinced her to take the class with her. In the end, she found it was too messy a hobby for her, but Ciappetta was hooked. 

by Jonathan Reisman

2022 America is a product of deliberate progressive policy choices. It’s tempting in watching Brandon, Kamala and the clown show- including AOC and the Squad, Bernie, Pocahontas, Mayor Pete, Janet “Mistaken” Yellen, Hillary Hack/Iran Appeaser Sullivan, and the rest of the sorry lot- to conclude our woes are a consequence of incompetence and stupidity, but that would be wrong. Every dystopic feature of 2022 America is a result of policy choices that Brandon and his progressive puppet masters have deliberately chosen.

A concert with Gregory Biss and friends will open EAC’s annual Concert Series at 7 p.m. on July 1. The program will include piano music by Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Glass & Biss. One of Biss’ compositions on the program, “Routes”, was written more than 50 years ago and features piano and trombone, both of which are manipulated electronically in live time. Jane Lanctot, piano, and Gene Nichols, trombone, will join Biss for this piece.

by Joseph Horn

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Machias elementary school students recently enjoyed chef salads made in part with their own fresh, school-grown lettuces. Students in the Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) program harvested the lettuce, but that’s not all. They also wrote the grant that paid for the raised beds, soil, and seeds that grew the lettuce that fed their classmates at lunchtime.

“After they approved the grant, we did a Zoom presentation showing them what we planned to do with the money, our budget, and our timeline,” said eighth-grader Ben Mubang.  

by Hailey Wood

Downtown was buzzing last Saturday with the excitement of many community events. The warm weather and sun made June 11 a great day for the outdoor events happening in Machias and East Machias. 

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. craft fair vendors sold their wares at the Lee Pellon Center alongside the first ATV Jamboree hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, happening on the Sunrise Trail. The event also featured live music performed by the Steele Hill Band. 

by Jonathan Reisman

The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.”- Ronald Reagan

by Hazel Stark

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

At their May 25 meeting, the Machias Board of Selectmen revised a proposed ordinance that, if approved by voters, would allow the cultivation, manufacturing, and testing of adult-use marijuana in Machias. 

The ordinance would not allow adult-use marijuana retail stores.

“I made the decision not to present a retail storefront as part of this, at this juncture,” said Machias Town Manager Bill Kitchen. “I didn’t feel like it was the right time.”

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Four hundred ATVs are expected to attend the ATV Jamboree and Craft Fair, scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 11. Sixty craft fair vendors will be set up at the Lee Pellon Center and on the lawn of Station 1898, where visitors can shop for local crafts and other specialties. Machias Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Director Sharon Mack says a lot of ATV clubs are expected to attend.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Guided by moderator Toff Toffolon and sped along by Joyce Fragale’s motion to combine 10 articles into one vote, last week 15 residents adopted the 2022-23 Machias Schools Budget in 12 minutes flat.

This year’s school budget includes a spending increase of nearly $1 million over the previous fiscal year but raises taxation by a much lower number of $67,441.46, or 4.42 percent. 

One of the questions people ask me when they find out I am retiring is what are you going to do next? I have talked about continuing to write my column and aggravate leftists (usually a two for one), but nothing particularly specific.

Eastport Arts Center will present a senior recital by 2022 Washington Academy graduate Noah Carver, winner of a Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award ‘for extraordinary young musicians’ from NPR’s From the Top, on Tuesday, June 28 at 7 pm. The young singer will be accompanied by pianist John Newell. A student of voice teacher Gary Magby, pianist Paul Sullivan, and music teacher Bonnie Atkinson, Noah will begin his undergraduate studies in vocal performance at the Eastman School of Music in the fall. 

Two people have died in two separate Washington County road accidents that took place over the long holiday weekend.

In Perry, a single-vehicle crash on Route 1 took the life of Rob Zuckerman, 25, of Eastport. Down East Ambulance, Pleasant Point Ambulance, the Perry Fire Department, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the crash, which was determined to take place after Zuckerman lost control of his vehicle.  

by Nancy Beal

Early last month, the federal congressional Committee on Energy and Natural Resources approved a bill sponsored by Sen. Angus King and Rep. Jared Golden to name all of Washington and Hancock Counties a “Downeast Maine National Heritage Area.” Rep. Chellie Pingree and Sen. Susan Collins co-sponsored the measure. The approval came after two years of meetings and the creation of a 200-page color glossy feasibility study prepared by the Sunrise County Economic Council. Approval and funding by the full Congress lie ahead. 

by Natalie Boomer

The Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge, Cobscook Bay State Park, and the Friends of the Moosehorn NWR invite children 16 and under, along with their families, to go fishing at Cobscook Bay State Park Headquarters Pond in Edmunds on Saturday, June 18. The event marks the 24th annual fishing derby.

“The State of Maine will stock brook trout into the pond just before the derby,” said Supervisory Wildlife Biologist Ray Brown. 

This event is for all of the children of the community, even ones with no experience or equipment. 

On Friday, June 10 at 7 pm, award-winning author Bill Roorbach will offer a reading and author talk at Cobscook Institute in Trescott. This event is jointly hosted by Cobscook and Iota Short Forms. Currently on tour for his latest novel, Roorbach has added a stop in Washington County at the invitation of both organizations. This event is free and open to the public and books for purchase will be available by Kelly’s Books To Go.