On Tuesday, July 11 at 7 p.m. Machias Bay Chamber Concerts (MBCC) will present the first of six exclusive summer concerts at the Centre Street Congregational Church in Machias. 

 The opening concert will feature violinist Trond Saeverud, cellist Joachim Woitun, clarinetist Anna Maria Baeza, and pianist Gregory Biss. The program will include: Igor Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat (in a reduction by Stravinsky), Bela Bartok’s Contrasts, Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor (Op. 49), and a Cello Suite by J. S. Bach (TBA).

Photo 1: Calais High School Athletic Director Randy Morrison presents Greg Smith the 20+ Year Coaching Achievement Award for his tremendous dedication to athletes from Calais High School. Fantastic job Coach Smith!

Photo 2: Narraguagus High School Athletic Director John Daley presents Butch Hall the very special Richard Gardner Distinguished Service Award for his many contributions to schools and communities of the Downeast Athletic Conference. Thank you Butch!

Photo 1: Volleyball All-Stars for this year include: CHS, Kelly Delaney, Kylie Donovan, Kayli Doten, Abby Condon; WHS, Sophia McDonald, Shawna Monk, Shaye Beers; NHS, Kayla Thompson, Madison Leighton; and MHS, Kelcy Miller, Regan Bragg; J-B

Photo 2: Girls Soccer All-Stars for this year include: CHS, Emily Mitchell, Katie Cavanaugh, Sydney Farrar; WHS, Paige Fitch, Jennie Cox, Anna Johnson, Sadie Smith; NHS, Kylee Joyce, Lance Perry, Diana Parades; Shead, Keisha Scott, Jacqueline Cook; and SHS, Gabby Richardson.

Senior AcademicAll-Stars for this year include: NHS, Kayla Toppin, Blaine Grant, Hannah Bennett, John Paul Snider, Nicholas Willey, Caitlin Reynolds, Hayden Pineo; SHS, Issiac Christiansen, Noah Goldfarb, Margaret Perry, Anna Young; J-B, Georgia Backman, Jadah Alley, Douglas Hinkley, Joe McDonald; Shead, Matt Harris, Katelyn Mitchell, Holly Preston; MHS, Regan Bragg, Jonathan Massaad; CHS, Katie Cavanaugh, Koby Gillespie, Jack Lander, and WHS, Gabe Hunnewell.

Prominent local artists present multi-faceted show in Lubec 

The beauty, ruggedness—and uniqueness—of America’s last coastal frontier will be featured in a multi-faceted exhibition of paintings, prints, sculpture and photography of Downeast Maine opening Wednesday, June 28 at the Lubec Landmarks Mulholland Market Gallery.

Members of the Hannah Weston Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) will gather for their annual picnic meeting to be held at the Gates House, home of the Machiasport Historical Society on Rt. 92 in Machiasport, at 11 a.m. Sat., July 8.  Members attending are asked to bring a sandwich. Dessert and beverage will be provided.  The speaker for the afternoon will be Valdine Atwood who will discuss DAR Insignia and Protocol.

A large quantity of boats rested in Machiasport’s Bucks Harbor on the weekend before the 4th of July. Behind them and to the right, Bucks Head is visible, probably named for Captain Thomas Buck of Plymouth, Massachusetts who carried the first settlers to Machias in 1763. Bucks Head was a subject of discussion at the most recent town meeting, when Machiasport voters authorized selectmen to investigate the possible purchase of 23 acres there, which include one-half mile of shoreline, provided the purchase does not increase taxes. Photo by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

by Nancy Beal

Evan Merchant, the Beals Island high school junior who outpaced more than 100 runners to win the Bay of Fundy 10-kilometer race in Lubec, was a month from finishing the fourth grade in 2010 when he entered his first road race. It wasn’t billed as a race, but rather the tenth annual Walk for Life, a fundraiser for a cancer support group started by one of his neighbors. Although the other participants walked the course from Addison’s town hall to Route 1 and back, Merchant and a school friend elected to run it.

During the Moosabec Summerfest mini-parade which took place on June 30, local youngsters competed for most patriotic, most original and most humorous titles. Photos by Nancy Beal.

Baseball All-Stars for this year include: Shead, Matt Harris, Ethan Lank, Riley Demolet, Noah Curtis; WHS, Luke McDonald, Matt Miller, Alex Morrison; NHS, Blaine Curtis, Drew Fletcher; CHS, Jacob Hornbrook, Brandon Gillespie; SHS, Issiac Christiansen; MHS, Noah Albert; and J-B, Kaiden Crowley. Team Sportsmanship Award: Calais High School

by Phil Stuart

 The Shead High School Tigers turned the table on the Mars Hill Club this year, after getting eliminated in a prelim game 2-1 a year ago,.

Central Aroostook a 2-0 lead in their June 6th game at Davis Field in Eastport.

The Tigers tied it in the bottom of the third before the Panthers went ahead 3-2 in the fourth.

Shead answered with two of their own in the fourth to take a 4-3 lead.

After a scoreless 5th, Central Aroostook tied the game with a run in the top of the sixth.

Matthew Plaisted was recently honored at the Husson University School of Education Awards Ceremony as the recipient of the 2017 Watch Award.  The Watch Award is presented each year to the student with the highest GPA (Grade Point Average) in the School of Education.

 During his years as a student at Husson, Matthew was employed by the Husson Financial Aid Office, United Cerebral Palsy of Maine and, most recently, the Suzanne M. Smith Elementary School in Levant.

Judson L. McBrine, Head of School at Washington Academy in East Machias, has announced the fourth-quarter honor roll for the 2016/2017 year as follows:

The Inhabitants of Jonesport to Devere V. Carney, Jr. of Florida and Kathleen Carney Arman (n/k/a Kathleen Carney Page) of Winston-Salem, North Carolina a certain parcel of land with buildings thereon located in the Town of Jonesport (Map 1, Section 12, Lot 39C)

Yoho Head, LLC of Ellsworth to Myron A. Rife, Jr. of Marion, Ohio a certain lot or parcel of land together with buildings thereon situated in Machiasport (Lot No. 20 of the Yoho Head Subdivision)

The Machiasport Historical Society hosted an early summer tea last Saturday June 24th, at the Gates House. Sandra Campbell, a talented local artist and member, was responsible for setting the stage for our Oriental themed Early Summer Tea; including the authentic Chinese music playing in the background.  Photos courtesy Shar Landers

The unrivaled king of the crates was Sean Griffith, who skipped across all 50 crates strung out for the Moosabec Summerfest lobster crate race June 30. The Virginia youngster was ferried back to the launching platform and ran 41 more crates before plunging into the sub-60 degree waters of the Carver lobster pound on Beals’ Perio Point. Photo by Nancy Beal.

by Phil Stuart

Several outdoor track athletes from Washington Academy and Narraguagus were recently selected to All Conference first and second teams by the Penobscot Valley Conference.

The big name on the list was Michaila Robinson of Washington Academy. Robinson was a first team selection in the 100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter dash. Robinson was a state title winner in the 200 and 400 and runner-up in the 100. Robinson was also a first team selection in the 4x400 meter relay along with teammate Sean Seavey, Garrett Channell and Colby Cates Wright.

  Good Shepherd Food Bank’s Food Mobile will be distributing food, including fresh produce, perishable and non-perishable items to people in need in the Machias area.

  Anyone in need of emergency food assistance in Machias and the surrounding area is welcome to attend. The event will take place on Wednesday, July 13 from 10:30 a.m. to noon and will be held in the Pellon Center parking lot, 90 Main Street,  Machias.

Lovie B. Maker, 99, passed away peacefully on June 22, 2017 surrounded by her loving family at a Machias nursing home. She was born in West Lubec, October 20, 1917 the daughter of the late Arthur and Emily (Taylor) Batron.

Dewey Sheehan of Pembroke graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration during commencement ceremonies on May 21, 2017, at the University of Vermont.

The university conferred degrees this year on an estimated 3,228 graduates, including 2,620 bachelor’s, 386 master’s, 106 doctoral and 116 medical degree recipients. Among degree recipients are students from 40 states and 97 international students from 21 foreign countries. Approximately 1,116 graduates are from Vermont.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

 Machias selectman Warren Gay proposed a town moratorium on recreational marijuana sales at the selectboard meeting last Wednesday evening. “Medical marijuana, I go along with one-hundred percent. But, I go along with having a moratorium on the recreational side,” he said. “I’m against [recreational marijuana] because I know what it does.”

by Ruth Leubecker

A variety of ventures, often inching forward one step at a time, are responding to the variegated urgent needs in Washington County.

COMMENTARY

It didn’t happen overnight, and many of these enterprises are dedicated to staying, albeit facing a challenging survival. The Machias Marketplace, with its mantra of “local food for local people,” is now 12 years old. After a rocky start followed by seven years under Machias Hardware, it now has a new location adjacent to Posh and across from True Value. 

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Machiasport voters approved 49 articles in 51 minutes at the annual town meeting last Monday night, including one which establishes Machiasport as a dry town for marijuana. 

Maine voters approved a referendum legalizing recreational marijuana for adults over the age of 21 during last November’s elections. The state then placed a moratorium delaying the sale of recreational marijuana until February 2018. 

July in Washington County disproves the theory summer is full of lazy days. In this week’s paper alone you’ll find news of something fascinating, enriching, musical or physical to do nearly every day of the month. 

by Ruth Leubecker

The Fourth of July aka Independence Day is etched into America’s playbook as a day of phenomenal thankfulness. As well it should be.

The Continental Congress 241 years ago declared that 13 struggling American colonies were a new nation -- the United States of America -- and no longer under the direction and dictates of the British Empire.

On Tuesday, July 18 at 7 p.m. Machias Bay Chamber Concerts (MBCC) will present “An Evening with Paul Sullivan”, the Grammy Award-Winning pianist and composer. The concert will be held in Centre Street Congregational Church, Machias.

Whether you are a true “Downeaster,” a transplant “from away,” a “summer person” or a tourist who is just passing through,” you will have a chance to hear a musical tribute to Maine’s historic and heroic outdoor workers. The Pembroke Library presents “Maine Woods – Maine Waters” on Wednesday evening, July 19. Songs of working “in the woods,” “driving” logs down flooded rivers, watching the coastline, harvesting the fish of Maine’s waters and Maine ships sailing to and from far away places can be heard at the Pembroke Library Chantey Sing.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

When Maria Lamb wanted her business to do more than help vacationers discover the beauty of Downeast Maine, she turned to a global nonprofit. Maria Lamb, owner of Wicked Awesome Maine Vacation Rentals in Machiasport, joined Pack for a Purpose, which encourages travelers to use their luggage to carry supplies to donate in their destination community. 

Upcoming events

Machias Bay Chamber Concerts is excited to announce the 2017 summer series. July 11th— Gregory Bliss - paino, Trond Saeverud - violin, Anna Maria Baeza - clarinet, Joachim Woltun. 

• • • • • •

Magic show — 10 a.m. July 12 at the H.D. Moore Library in Steuben. Conjuring Caroll will present children’s show called Building Blocks. Free. FMI: 207-546-7301 or email [email protected].

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Maine Attorney General Janet Mills announced July 10 that she is running for Governor.

“In Maine, when something’s not working, we don’t wait around for someone to come along and take care of it for us; we roll up our sleeves and fix it ourselves,” Mills said. “Well, it’s pretty clear that our government is broken, and there’s no way I’m going to stand on the sidelines and not fight to put it back together.”

The Bold Coast Sea & Sky Festival will host its second annual unconventional Sprint Triathlon at 7 a.m. on Saturday, July 22. This race will be an opportunity for athletes, and their supporters to experience beautiful Downeast scenery, the world’s biggest tides and, if they are lucky, bald eagles. This is an excellent course with no traffic lights and no crowding.

A meeting of the Washington Co. Historical & Genealogical Society will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 15 in the Emergency Management Room, 28 Center Street in Machias.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

In the early morning hours of July 10 the Machias Police Department responded to a call reporting a stabbing victim. Chief Grady Dwelley said that the call came in between 3:15 and 3:30 a.m. and the stabbing occurred in a trailer on Sprague Way in Machias. A K9 unit was called to the scene, but its search was unproductive.

“The victim was removed by the Machias ambulance service alive and reasonably well and taken to the Down East Community Hospital,” said Dwelley. 

 As many of you may be aware, the biennial state budget that was passed last week included a cut of $5 million per year to the Fund for a Healthy Maine’s allocation for prevention services aimed at improving public health.

Calais Celtic Concerts will once again present the popular Irish Celtic Group, RUNA, at the Calais High School on Friday July 14, at 7 p.m. EST, 8 p.m. AST. 

RUNA’s performances have something for everyone: beautiful singing, exciting and driving Celtic Instrumentals, and Irish step-dancing.

This weekend Duane Smith and Mark Smith paired to shoot the low round on Saturday in the annual Member/Guest tournament at Barren View carding a 44. In this net event Lenny Espling and Cory Brooks were the next best posted net score with a 45. The two low gross rounds for the day were earned by Jack Clay/John Clay and John Smith/John Rogers both at 63 or 7-under. Following are all the top scores in the event.

1ST DIVISION: GROSS NET

Lester Vanderbilt/Bob Hale 66 50

Jack Clay/John Clay 63 51

John Smith/John Rogers 63 53

2ND DIVISION:

by Nancy Beal

The recent appearance of patriotic banners on Jonesport’s utility poles prompted a minor flap on social media from citizens who erroneously thought they had supplanted the American flags that traditionally graced the town at the Fourth of July. In truth, the flags were put up, but moved to locations that were “safer for the flags,” in the words of Sue Mills, secretary/treasurer of the town’s July 4th committee.

With 89% of people in Maine receiving between five and 30 nuisance calls per week, telephone scams are still causing major problems for consumers. The issue has become so widespread that almost a fifth of Maine adults admit they have been a victim of a telephone scam.

 The YouGov survey commissioned by CPR Call Blocker,  also revealed the top five scams people are falling victim to in Maine:  

• Internal Revenue scam

• Credit/loan scam

• Robocall/automated messages scam

• Lottery/sweepstake scam

• Missed call scam

Allen W. Hall and Roberta R. Hall of Zephyrhills, Florida to Holly Kilton of East Machias certain lots or parcels of land with any buildings or improvements thereon situated in Machiasport (Lot one beginning at a corner by the highway leading into said Machiasport and running westerly along the line of land of the late Fairfield Trafton; Lot Two beginning on the road leading to Machiasport Village at the northeast corner of the Abram L. Cummings land and running westerly by the said land to a wire fence)

Lubec Photo Workshop show to feature dramatic photos of Down East

Dramatic scenes from Down East Maine—from landscape to beautiful closeup—will be featured in the 6th annual Lubec Photo Workshop show, running July 12-25 at the Lubec Landmarks Mulholland Market Gallery on Water Street, Lubec.

The opening reception, free and open to all, will be Saturday July 15 from 5-7p.m.

The SummerKeys Music School for adults in Lubec continues to expand the world of art, music and photography to the hundreds of students who flock from near and far to the rocky Downeast coast for a “Music Vacation”. This summer we again enthusiastically welcome Jennie Litt and David Alpher as instructors and performers of cabaret, “an intimate musical art form in which the performers put their personal stamp on a song through honest interpretation of the lyrics”.

by Phil Stuart

The Narraguagus Lady Knights came about as close to upending the top seed and advancing to a regional final as a team could do.

The Knights got a superb no-hit pitching performance from sophomore Lanie Perry in their semi-final match up at Lincoln against the undefeated and top seeded Mattanawcook Academy Lynx.

Luck was not on the Knight’s side as the Lynx scored a first inning, unearned run and pitcher Haley McLaughlin was able to make it stand up.

by Phil Stuart

The Machias Area Little League was established in the mid fifties and is now over 60 years old. The league services players from Jonesboro in the west, to Whiting in the east, and all points in between. Several outstanding players have started their baseball careers with this fine organization.

Machias’ Pat’s Pizza will be donating the proceeds from any Fresh Veggie Pizza sold on Tuesday, July 18 to support Healthy Acadia and the Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center’s cancer prevention, education, and treatment services in Washington and Hancock counties. The restaurant hosted similar events in May and June. The partnership is part of Healthy Acadia’s Hungry for Health 2017 campaign to “Challenge Cancer Downeast”. This is the second year of the annual “Hungry for Health” campaign, which addresses a critical community health need each year.

The American Red Cross is facing a critical blood shortage and is issuing an emergency call for eligible blood and platelet donors of all blood types to give now and help save lives.

Blood donations have fallen short of expectations for the past two months, resulting in about 61,000 fewer donations than needed and causing a significant drawdown of the Red Cross blood supply. The shortfall is the equivalent of the Red Cross not collecting any blood donations for more than four days.

by Ruth Leubecker

Tariffs, shrinking profits and inflationary subsidies all contribute to a shifting, unbalanced wild blueberry market coming to a head on the Washington County, Maine-Canadian border.

Mark Eves has officially declared his candidacy for governor of Maine in the 2018 election.

 Eves made the announcement in a broadcast on Facebook from a backyard BBQ at his home in North Berwick, where he was joined by more than 150 family members, friends, and supporters.

Harrington

We have been over to Ralph’s to give him some trout. I tried to get pictures of his beautiful garden.  The sun was so bright, but we got at least two. One is Ralph standing the rows.This is the only time I wished it to be cloudy.  His garden is so beautiful, and he does all the planting, weeding, and watering if needed.  He uses horse manure from here and says that is why he had such good luck. He is a wonderful friend and gardener.

by Nancy Beal

Nichole Gulowsen is the featured artist in the latest art show at Jonesport’s Peabody Memorial Library entitled “Artists of the Moosabec,” which opened July 15. Gulowsen is the daughter of art committee chairman and Charlene Nelson, a renowned Jonesport bird carver whose late husband, Robert, introduced Nichole to bird carving at the age of 10 after which she went on to win numerous awards for her carvings.