by Tanya Rucosky

Mano en Mano and Sunrise County Economic Council (SCEC) are partnering to grow the year-round workforce in Washington County by building affordable housing for seasonal workers through their new Welcome Initiative. “When you look at the big picture demographics,” said Charles Rudelitch, SCEC’s Executive Director, “we see the population of Washington County, and particularly the workforce going down.”

by Ruth Leubecker

Dominating the legislative agenda even as nonpolitical leaders strive to make a bigger difference, healthcare in Maine still remains an out-of-reach necessity for many.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Washington County Commissioner Chris Gardner opened a public hearing last week explaining what the hearing was — and was not — for.

“I understand the large number of people in this room tonight is because there are some strong feelings on this subject. I want to make it clear that the commissioners are not the committee of jurisdiction for approving or disapproving this project,” said Gardner. “It’s approved or disapproved by the DEP and the LUPC.”

by Jayna Smith

Avian Haven (avianhaven.org), located in Freedom, is a rehabilitation center dedicated to the return of injured and orphaned wild birds to their natural roles in the wild.  Last week, the center admitted two bald eagles from two separate areas, each experiencing symptoms due to lead poisoning.  Unfortunately, one of the birds did not survive.

For generations, indigenous Wabanaki people hunted, caught fish, and harvested clams and oysters along the coast of what’s now called Maine. And they left behind middens — heaps of shells — that sometimes contain tools, ceramic shards and bones of animals.

Alice Kelley and Bonnie Newsom are in a race against time and tides to document the cultural and paleoenvironmental information contained in the shell heaps before they’re swept out to sea.

by Nancy Beal

Shortly after Christmas, the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) officially submitted to federal authorities its alternative plan to reduce the danger to Atlantic right whales from Maine lobster gear. As recently reported in these pages (MNVO, Dec. 11, 2019), the DMR initially agreed to a plan that was crafted by federal fisheries managers and lobstermen in Rhode Island last spring, then rejected it on science and safety grounds.

Down East Community Hospital welcomes its first baby of 2020!  Alison Furman, of Princeton, gave birth to Chase Alexander Furman at 9:14 a.m. on January 3.  Chase, who is cuddly and very sweet, weighed in at 6 pounds and 13 ounces.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office released a statement following a crash that took place in Columbia on the afternoon of Friday, Jan. 3, killing two and closing Route 1 for several hours.

The incident took place at approximately 1 p.m. when a Ford Explorer driven by Angela Skidgel, 43, of East Machias crossed into the path of a tractor-trailer owned by the JB Hunt Corporation and driven by Sean Kelly, 56, who was traveling west on Route 1. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the tractor-trailer was unable to avoid the collision.

by Wayne Smith

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

After attending plenty of celebrations during his 33-year career, Machias Savings Bank Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President Donny Reynolds attended his own retirement party on Saturday, Jan. 4 where fellow board members and MSB coworkers recalled a career filled with kindness, integrity, and fond friendships.

“There is nobody I respect more,” said former MSB President and Board Chairman Ed Hennessey, who hired Reynolds 33 years ago. “Donny Reynolds brought credibility to everybody he dealt with.”

by Tanya Rucosky

Apex Clean Energy presented its proposed Downeast Wind Project at the Columbia Town Office on December 19. Apex Energy staff made presentations regarding the environmental and economic impact the proposed turbines will have on the local communities. Senior development manager Paul Williams explained the 130-megawatt project in Columbia and Township 19 will include 30 wind turbines. He said it will provide enough clean electricity to power 36,000 homes.

by Ruth Leubecker

An all-encompassing healthcare proposal could save Maine $1.5 billion in healthcare spending, according to a new analysis released by Maine AllCare.
“When every Mainer is covered, and there is never a bill to patients. When doctors are paid promptly, and everyone contributes on a sliding scale, we will truly have a caring and cost-effective system,” says Joe Lendvai, stressing the plan’s simplicity and fairness.

Down East Community Hospital (DECH) recently received $5,000 from the DECH Auxiliary.

Amid the hustle and bustle of the holidays, the Down East Community Hospital Auxiliary surprised the hospital with $4,000 to pay off their $10,000 pledge to the emergency department campaign a full year early.  Not only did they pull off that monumental task, but they also kicked in an additional $1,000 to the hospital’s annual Light A Life fundraiser!

Cutler Students from Bay Ridge Elementary are participating in the WinterKids Winter Games for the month of January. Students will compete in a four-week series of outdoor physical activity and nutrition challenges designed to help them be active in the winter and learn healthy habits.  Each school is encouraged to involve volunteers, parents, healthy eating and active living organizations in their community, and hold a winter carnival to close out the month’s events. This year’s WinterKids Winter Games theme is STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math).

by Hazel Stark

by Nancy Beal

Nearly a year ago, efforts began to merge the Wesleyan churches on either side of Moosabec Reach. The old structures (each over 100 years old) were debt-free, but attendance was down, especially on the island. During the last weekend of last January, a “merger exploration” was held, attended by the pastors, the governing bodies and the district supervisor. The following weekend, a town hall was held for anyone who wanted to listen to the proposal and ask questions.

by Ruth Leubecker

Welcoming in 2020 is not just like greeting any other in the annual firmament.

This time around we celebrate 200 years of statehood. The actual date is March 15, 1820, but throughout this year galas from Kittery to Fort Kent will mark this special year, already steadily growing with scheduled events.

by Camille Hawkins

My Christmas cards are all out and coming in steadily.

Linda and I went to Bangor on Sunday to pick up my new GE washing machine. Richard and Dustin unloaded it and put it down cellar for me. Thank you both. Got it hooked up on Monday and have done three loads. Merry Christmas to me. Thank you Warren and helper for working on my flush, it had to have all new innards in the tank.

I got a small tree this year; it's sitting on the puzzle table. The cats are taking turns sleeping under it.

by Ronie Strout

I have been busy reorganizing my woodshed since I got my freezer on Tuesday. Not sure if it will be completely done before the New Year as I need to do some picking up inside. Thank goodness they took the old freezer away so I don’t need to get that done by myself. Little things like that make me happy.

Schools closed on December 20 for Christmas vacation and will reopen on January 2. Hopefully, all the little children will be ready to return to school. We do need this break right now, or rather I do.

by Joseph Horn

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Beloved Washington Academy science teacher Malcolm Holmes died on Saturday, Dec. 7 after a short but hard-fought battle with cancer. A celebration of life service in his honor is planned for Saturday, Dec. 21 at the school. The public is invited to attend.

Holmes’ wife, Katherine Holmes, said that the date was chosen to fall close to Malcolm’s birthday, on Dec. 22.

by Jayna Smith

For the past several years, after realizing how great the need is for the food pantries in Washington County and in an effort to decrease food insecurity locally, businessman Ian Pratt has matched donations to local food pantries. Anyone taking part in his matching donation campaign could simply bring his or her donation to the Pratt car dealership throughout the month of November, where all donations would be matched, up to $3,000. This year, however, Pratt was able to increase his match to $5,000.