The Pembroke Historical Society invites you to participate in a sharing of traditional and contemporary songs and poems of seafaring and coastal life.  You may sing a chantey, a ditty, a ballad, or a hymn with a maritime theme, or recite a poem, or just enjoy listening to others. "SEA RHYMES" will be presented via Zoom, on Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.  We expect to have presenters not only from the State of Maine, but from many parts of the United States and Canada.

by Ruth Leubecker

Norman Nelson, a lively lover of life with extraordinary talents and life experiences, passed away a decade ago this season.

He was always a man about town with many irons in the fire, but his variegated career resume and his ever-ready willingness to jump in and try something new made him a standout right up until his death at 92.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Washington County added two more deaths and two new hospitalizations to its tally in late December, bringing the county’s total hospitalizations to 19 and the total number of residents who have died with COVID-19 to four.

In line with a statewide trend, the county’s case count nearly doubled last month, climbing from 193 on Dec. 1, 2020, to 377 on Dec. 31, 2020. Statewide, Maine’s cumulative case totals climbed from 11,976 on Dec. 1 to 24,201 on New Year’s Eve.

Robert Morris is a true son of New England. Born in Attleboro, Massachusetts, he’s a descendent of Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, and Lucius Garvin, the governor of Rhode Island.

Bob’s parents, Garvin and Helen Buffinton Morris moved Bob and his siblings, Garvin Jr., John, and Judith to Lonsdale, Rhode Island, when they were young, and then to Cumberland, Rhode Island, in the village of Arnold Mills.

The Morris family were avid worshippers and found a home at Arnold Mills Methodist Church.

Bob follows the education path

by Hazel Stark

by Ruth Leubecker

Often sequestered and lonely in 2020, Mainers, like the rest of a beleaguered nation, have been pervasively affected by the insidious presence of the coronavirus.

In the beginning -- way back last March -- if most thought about it at all, they considered possibly a month or two, and then it would all be over. Now, as another March fast approaches, hundreds of thousands have died nationally, and Maine, slow to wrack up those numbers, now has 28,000-plus cases and nearly 500 dead.

by Nancy Beal

At the December 9 meeting of the Moosabec CSD board, the body that governs Jonesport-Beals High School, parents of students who were staying home because of COVID-19 and learning remotely reported dissatisfaction with students’ lack of contact with their teachers. The inability to take tests and perform labs, they said, was endangering their academic progress, adversely affecting their grades, and making them feel “like they had done something wrong.”

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Versant Power, formerly Emera, will next week file a request with the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to increase its distribution rates in 2021 and 2022, according to a Jan. 5 release to its customers.

by Wayne Smith

You could call Marge Lucas and her husband, Paul, survivors of COVID-19. Both living in Milbridge, Marge talked about how it affected their lives. She talked about the darkness of their experiences as she shone a little light on it. Marge is 90 years old and Paul is in his 70’s. With COVID-19, it turned their world upside down. Paul walks side to side. He likes his coffee. He never will give up his cigarettes. That’s kind of his best friend today.

by Ruth Leubecker

“This program is fantastic for empowering women and building a better Maine,” says Melissa Hinerman, Machiasport activist with an eye on a future in the political arena. “I’ve always been politically involved.”

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

With his fourth and — at least for now — final term underway, Rep. Will Tuell plans to exit the Maine House of Representatives with impact, last month submitting a career-high 15 bills for consideration by the state legislature.

“I think I’ve been open to doing more heavy-hitting bills because I don’t feel the pressure of another election cycle,” said Tuell (R-E. Machias). “I’m not looking to the next election. But that certainly isn’t going to change my tone because I think tone is more important than ever these days.”

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

The resignation of Machias Planning Board member David Barker, as well as the completion of Glenn Davis’ term, mean two out of the board’s five seats are vacant.  The Machias Board of Selectmen discussed those vacancies at their meeting held Wednesday, Jan. 13.

“We really need a reliable third, it seems like every other meeting now we don’t have a quorum,” said secretary Cathy Lord.

The remaining three seats are occupied by chairman Bill Thompson, Ed Pellon, and Arthur McCurdy.

by Jonathan Reisman

by V. Paul Reynolds

Laurie Apgar Chandler is the first woman to solo paddle the entire 700 miles of the National Forest Canoe Trail. She wrote a fascinating chronicle of her paddling challenge in her first book titled “Upwards.”

Bangor, ME – January 12, 2021 - Community Health Accreditation Partner, Inc., (CHAP) announced today that Community Health and Counseling Services has been awarded CHAP Accreditation under the CHAP Home Health and Hospice Standards of Excellence. By achieving CHAP Accreditation, Community Health and Counseling Services has also been recognized to meet the Medicare Conditions of Participation as a certified Medicare provider.

by Nancy Beal

At their January 20 meeting, Jonesport selectmen completed the requests that they will recommend to the budget committee this week for consideration by the town next March. The grand total is $762,113, an increase of $88,515 over last year’s amount. If voters follow the pattern of late years and choose not to raise $40,000 as rebate for early-paid taxes paid, the increase will be $48,515.

by Jayna Smith

Our local UPS drivers are always greatly appreciated for their delivery service, day in and day out bringing us our awaited packages. However, on one day just recently, two UPS drivers did much more than that and are credited with saving the lives of a man and his dog.

Two weeks ago, UPS driver Josh Gillespie made a stop at an East Machias home. This particular stop was not supposed to be part of Gillespie’s route that day, so he took care of it very first thing.

by Wayne Smith

It was an unseasonably warm January night that I caught up with Albert Walker and Dan Handy, both of Milbridge. I walked up Main Street. The nursing home still had its Christmas Tree lit in beautiful colors. As I entered the driveway of Walker and Handy a vehicle tooted the horn at me. I had a couple of vets that wanted to tell their story to me. I really didn’t know what to expect. I sat down in a chair. Handy was to the right of me, and Walker was to the left. It was my chance to ask the questions.

by V. Paul Reynolds

The scientific management of Maine’s wildlife populations can be complex and, at times, counter-intuitive. There are, however, some fundamental tenets that are timeless. Here are two: 1) An over abundance of animals is not a good thing, and in time can trigger unhealthy populations plagued with disease and starvation, and 2) Recreational hunting with harvest quotas is a proven and effective method of regulating animal population densities.