by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

The four-position Machias Police Department now has four vacant positions with the departure of officer Tyler Dunbar, who last week submitted his resignation. 

“He would like to be put on the reserve roster, and will probably be looking to return November, December,” said interim town manager Bill Kitchen. “That currently leaves us without any full-time officers.”

by Jayna Smith

When Maine students return to public schools this fall, all will be required to have their required vaccines, unless they have a medical exemption.

“Religious or philosophical” exemptions to refuse the required vaccines will no longer be honored.  All of the required vaccines have been required “for years,” according to Chief Health Improvement Officer for Maine Health Dr. Dora Mills.  “These are not new vaccines at all.”

by Jayna Smith

Back in mid-June, Keith Ramos, of Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge, was notified of a possible injured eagle near the corner of Route 1 and Charlotte Road. The bird was on the road and not flying. 

Shortly after hearing of the eagle, Ramos’ wife Tabitha, who is also a volunteer at the refuge, also noticed the bird. She got it away from the road into the grass until biologist Ray Brown could arrive to capture it.

EAC’s Concert Series begins on Friday, Aug. 6, at 7 p.m., with Trond Saeverud, violin, and Gregory Biss, piano, performing a program of Beethoven, Brahms, Saeverud, and Biss.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, announced today that she successfully secured all six of the congressionally directed spending requests, or earmarks, that she submitted for the fiscal year 2022 Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Bill and the Fiscal Year 2022 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill. 

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

If you’re a fan of wild blueberries, community spirit, or both, you’d better clear your calendar for Saturday, Aug. 21. Plan to be busy from dawn to dusk, and from Jonesboro to Machias.

In Machias, a pancake breakfast, an all-day craft fair, and an evening of dancing are planned.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Area school boards last week voted against making indoor masking mandatory when schools resume instruction next month. Masking will remain mandatory on all school transportation following a federal requirement.

Schools in Machias, Machiasport, East Machias, Whiting, Cutler, Jonesboro, and Wesley announced their decision after the U.S. Center for Disease Control released guidance recommending universal indoor masking for all people age 2 and older, a position the CDC attributes to the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19.

by Jonathan Reisman

At their June 14 regular monthly meeting, the Board of Directors of the Roque Bluffs Community Center voted to hold a COVID-19-delayed 100 Year Anniversary Celebration of their historic building from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday,  Aug. 21,  with supper to follow in the Roque Bluffs fire station.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

A Canadian-based junior mining company, Wolfden Resources Corporation, has announced plans to begin exploratory drilling in Pembroke next month, to evaluate the potential for a mining project it calls Big Silver.

Wolfden is the first company to attempt mining in Maine since 2017 when the state passed LD 820, An Act To Protect Maine's Clean Water and Taxpayers from Mining Pollution.  Wolfden CEO Ron Little says Maine’s new mining rules “set the highest standard in the country.”

by Natalie Boomer 

Join Downeast Coastal Conservancy in a celebration of its newest preserve, the Vining Lake Community Preserve in Cooper, Cathance Township!

All are welcome to go check out the new lakeside trail on Saturday, Aug. 28, at 10 a.m. 

On Saturday, Aug. 14, at approximately 8:45 a.m. State Troopers from Troop C responded to a report of a two-vehicle crash on I-95 in the town of Pittsfield. The preliminary investigation reveals that a 2005 Nissan Altima driven by 28-year-old Kaitlyn Hawkes of Eastport and her passenger, 33-year-old Tiffany Bowen of Pembroke were southbound in the travel lane when Hawkes tried to change directions north. Hawkes attempted to use the crossover and entered the passing lane to do so.

by Nancy Beal

One week after Maine Public broke the news that the Sierra Club had challenged the wastewater discharge license granted by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to Kingfish Maine, a Dutch company planning to build a large land-based fish farming operation in Jonesport — and before many knew that the environmental group had lodged the complaint — its appeal was rejected for lack of standing.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

A long bureaucratic road came to an end Wednesday, Aug. 11, when the Machias Board of Selectmen voted to accept $180,000 in federal CDBG funds on behalf of Bad Little Brewing Company. The vote followed a surprisingly lengthy public hearing where the board heard comments in support of and against accepting the grant monies, which Bad Little Brewing applied for in May following a public vote (52-18) authorizing them to do so.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

A demonstration planned in support of Washington County health care workers affected by the state COVID-19 vaccine mandate is planned for 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21, at the Machias boat landing on Route 1. 

Governor Janet Mills last week announced the vaccine mandate, which requires all Maine health care workers to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 1 as a condition of employment. The announcement came on the heels of two COVID-19 outbreaks affecting health care workers in southern Maine hospitals. 

by Ruth Leubecker

Rooted in community engagement, many towns and counties are responding to the availability of strengthened broadband … but not Washington County.

Having a plan in place expressing and explaining a community’s need for improved broadband provides a legup on enhanced connectivity. 

“But it’s not a requirement,” explains Peggy Schaffer, executive director of ConnectME. “We’ve been engaged with over 200 towns. We’ve funded some of them. And some of them have been funded by their counties.”

by Nancy Beal

It took the Moosabec area joint school committee 22 minutes to dispense with the issue of mask-wearing in their three schools August 17. Before an audience of approximately 30 interested citizens—more than the usual turnout for budget votes—the Moosabec CSD/Union 103 board voted unanimously to make the wearing of masks optional in Beals Elementary, Jonesport Elementary, and Jonesport-Beals High School.

When the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum opens on Sept. 1, it will include the largest intact Mars rock on Earth. The specimen weighs 32 pounds and measures 9” x 10” x 6.5” inches.

Mars is among the most exotic substances on our planet, with less than 500 pounds known to exist. It was an asteroid impact on the Martian surface that ejected surface material into an Earth-crossing orbit.

Extreme BEER Trio will take the Bad Little Falls Park stage from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 26, as the “Sounds Like This” summer concert series continues in Machias.

The summer concert series will take place from 5-7 p.m. every Thursday through Sept. 9, and is free thanks to the sponsorship of R.H. Foster Energy / Freshies. Bad Little Falls Park is located on the north side of the Jeremiah O’Brien Memorial Bridge in Machias. Attendees are reminded not to park anywhere along Elm Street, but instead to use the public Water Street or Colonial Way parking lots.

by Nancy Beal

A special town meeting was held in Jonesport last week (August 25) to consider an ordinance regulating marijuana for recreational use (or “adult use” in legal parlance). The proposed ordinance was approved by a vote of 8-0 — the eight being the town’s three selectmen, two of its office employees, and two members of the public.

by Natalie Boomer

A young boy from Machias is on a mission to help those in need during the upcoming holiday season. 

Six-year-old Jase Stevens has a goal to collect 100 items to donate to local Christmas charities, like the  Community Christmas Giving Tree, by Oct. 15.

Charities such as this one ensure that children, teens, and even adults receive a gift on Christmas.

First National Bank recently announced a $15,000 contribution to the Sunrise County Economic Council towards the future Machias Valley Center for Entrepreneurship. 

Located at 19 Main St. in Machias, the Machias Valley Center for Entrepreneurship will be a hub of vibrant networking, training, events and partnerships for entrepreneurs and small business owners throughout Washington County. 

The Roque Bluffs Art Gallery and Learning Center so far is having a banner year. With two successful art show under their belt, they are going for a third Saturday, Sept. 4.  Each show has a theme with the next showing being ‘Flowers and Scenery’ to take advantage of the beautiful landscape of the local area.