By Nancy Beal

At their Sept. 23 meeting, Beals selectmen chose a contractor for repair of the town landing, damaged nearly two years ago in fierce winter storms. Carver Construction Inc. of Jonesport, whose bid was $25,600, was the only bidder on the job, which includes replacing a piling and removing and replacing asphalt in the parking lot. The town was awarded $21,350 for the job and has used $2,000 already. The board agreed to invite Jim Carver to their Oct. 14 meeting to sign a contract and discuss the timing and end date of the project.

By Will Tuell

This summer, about 1,400 lobster fishermen — nearly 40% of the active fleet — participated in a survey of all license holders designed by Maine’s Department of Marine Resources (DMR) and the Lobster Advisory Council (LAC), which informs state policy on lobster fishing. At a Sept. 25 Zone A  meeting in East Machias, newly appointed DMR Commissioner Carl Wilson noted a key change: there are 2,000 fewer lobster license holders than there were 15 years ago when fishermen were last surveyed. 

By Paul Sylvain

Machias residents on West Kennebec Road may be few in number, but many showed up in force at the Machias Selectboard’s Sept. 24 meeting to voice their concerns about unabated traffic and safety concerns in their neighborhood.

Residents say they’ve been nearly hit in their yards and while walking their dogs by vehicles traveling well beyond the posted 35 mph speed limit. The road is narrow, barely measuring 18 feet wide in places, and features a steep, blind hill lacking painted divider lines.