By Paul Sylvain

Six months after the Machias Selectboard ordered an immediate stop to all work on a self-storage facility under construction on Dublin Street, work may soon resume on the project, depending on what the town’s planning board decides at its June 4 meeting.

By Paul Sylvain

Few jobs carry the responsibility school bus drivers have, ensuring they safely deliver what substitute driver Steven Tilney last week called “precious cargo” to school and back each day.

With that in mind, an unexpected wrinkle arose on May 27, during the annual town meeting vote on the 2025-‘26 Machias school budget. A seemingly routine funding article seeking approval for $170,886 for school transportation led to a 13-minute exchange about the need for a pay raise for substitute bus drivers.

By Paul Sylvain 

Officers with the Washington County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) arrested 11 people on drug trafficking and other charges in Roque Bluffs and Centerville following the simultaneous execution of two warrants on May 29. 

Maine’s Department of Public Safety said in a media release Friday that the arrests came as a result of a months-long drug trafficking investigation at 75 Duck Cove Road in Roque Bluffs and 43 Mitten Mountain Road in Centerville. 

Arrested at 75 Duck Cove, Roque Bluffs, were:

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has announced that five tribal communities in Maine have been awarded $6,456,253 through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG). These grants support the development and maintenance of affordable housing.

By Paul Sylvain

If Randy Sinclair had thoughts about getting a quick resolution to a nearly seven-month stop-work order on his multi-unit storage project on Outer Dublin Street, he might want to think again.

Sinclair’s storage project was abruptly halted by the selectboard last November after numerous violations of the building permit, which had been approved by the planning board in 2023, came to light.  

By Paul Sylvain

After nearly three decades of service as a Machias firefighter, of which 22 years were as the department’s chief, Joey Dennison has resigned from the department to spend more time with his family and enjoy other pursuits. 

In his June 14 letter of resignation, Dennison wrote, “While this role has been a central part of my life, I have come to realize that family must now take priority. I am choosing to step away to spend more time with my loved ones and to finish a long-standing personal goal.” 

By Nancy Beal

According to an old (1963) edition of Reader's Digest’s Great World Atlas, there are several Jonesboros and Jonesvilles in the United States, but only one Jonesport. In the age of sail, when ships hailed one another at sea, captains from the Downeast port of Jonesport would often declare 'Jonesport, America!' — a phrase every seafarer recognized, for all knew exactly where Jonesport was.

by Jonathan Reisman

As the legislative session winds down, numerous party-line votes highlight our divisions and dysfunction. Given the general thrashing majority Democrats have given Republicans on the budget; spending; the 1st, 2nd, and 14th Amendments; and energy, climate, and equity policy, one might have wondered if a mercy rule should have been imposed. But the beatdown has potential policy and political accountability consequences for the candidates and content of the 2026 elections for the Blaine House, the State House, Congress, and the Senate. 

By Paul Sylvain

Machias Arts Center has a new home at 277 Main St., and judging by the huge, enthusiastic turnout for its grand opening on June 6, it was an instant hit for those who create or simply appreciate the work of area artists and artisans.

The grand opening also coincided with the Machias Arts Council’s First Friday Art Walk of the summer, held at the center. In recent years, the First Friday Art Walk has been held downtown in Norman Nelson Park. 

By Paul Sylvain

From opening gavel to motion to adjourn, it took about two dozen Machias voters just 57 minutes to dispense with a 47-article annual town meeting warrant on June 11.

Moderator Betsy Fitzgerald wasted no time moving the meeting along from article to article. It also helped that, with the exception of a handful of articles, there was little or no discussion as each item was brought up. In the end, every article passed intact, as presented, without amendment.

As the weather warms and gardens come to life, Maine gardeners have the opportunity to support pollinators while enjoying their outdoor spaces. Simple steps, like planting native flowers that bloom all season, removing invasive species, and preserving nesting habitats, can transform any garden into a pollinator haven. To guide and inspire these efforts University of Maine Cooperative Extension offers two resources to help gardeners support pollinators: the Pollinator-Friendly Gardening course and the Pollinator-Friendly Garden Certification.

By Paul Sylvain

In a presentation that was part doomsday warning and an IT proposal, Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy and Information Technology Ombudsman Dennis Dorsey told the county’s commissioners that unless a knowledgeable replacement for his position is found before Jan. 1, the county government’s IT systems will begin failing within three weeks of his departure on that date.

By Nancy Beal

Citizens of Beals and Jonesport got a chance to act on next year’s proposed budget for their joint high school last week, and the meeting reverted back to the typically quiet school budget meetings of the past decade: a small audience consisting mostly of school board members, teachers, their families and a handful of others who asked few questions and routinely authorized what their school boards had calculated.

Hennessey, Wood Receive Awards

By Will Tuell

The 2025 Machias Area Little League regular season is a wrap and this year’s action offered no shortage of thrilling moments, firsts, and personal triumphs, from the undefeated Hurricanes finishing a perfect 12-0 in softball to the 10-2 Owls pulling away in the final two weeks to resolve a three-way contest atop the standings in baseball to the much-improved Eagles picking up their first win in two baseball seasons. 

By Jayna Smith

One of Maine’s most iconic Independence Day celebrations is back, and Eastport is planning a full slate of events leading up to and including the Fourth of July. This year’s festivities will feature live music, contests, community traditions, and a special highlight — the arrival of the U.S. Navy’s guided missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG-107), with a crew of approximately 330 sailors.

By Jayna Smith

If you’ve driven down South Street in Calais recently, you’ve probably noticed the striking woven fence that popped up; it’s hard to miss. That’s the work of Crow Boutin, a former professional cage fighter who was raised just down the road in Trescott and now owns Custom Wattle Fencing. His fences are unlike anything else around — hand-woven from beechwood and maple, and built to last.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension hosted its annual meeting of the Washington County Extension Association (WCEA) on May 31 at UMaine Machias. A highlight of the event was the presentation of two community-focused awards: the University of Maine Pen Award and the Norman W. Duzen Community Service Award.