The final meeting of the Washington County Budget Committee took place in Machias on Tuesday, Dec. 4 and the 10-member committee spent two hours negotiating. Led by committee chairman Lewis Pinkham of Milbridge, the committee ultimately passed a budget that includes a near-zero increase of .1306 percent, but still includes the addition of three sheriff’s deputies.

Jared Golden has been named the winner of Maine's U.S. House of Representatives CD2, defeating incumbent Bruce Poliquin following the tabulation of Ranked Choice votes. 

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

The Maine State Police confirmed that an accident involving multiple passenger cars and a school bus took place on the afternoon of Thursday, Nov. 1 on Route 1 in Columbia Falls. The bus was transporting students from M.S.A.D 37 and no one was seriously injured, either on the bus or in the other cars involved.

Trooper Austin said that three vehicles were damaged, but the car that started the accident left the scene of the accident and was not found.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

With the recent anniversary of September 11’s terror attacks, cancer rates among New York City’s firefighters received national media attention. According to one union study more than 1,000 of its 9/11 first responders have been diagnosed with cancer, respiratory issues and other illnesses subsequent to working at ground zero.

But increased cancer rates have become a problem for firefighters nationwide, not only in city fire departments.

On Monday, Feb. 5 the Maine State Legislature’s Criminal Justice Committee voted 11-1-1 to keep the Downeast Correctional Facility (DCF) open, and on Friday, Feb. 9 Governor LePage closed it.

In Friday’s pre-dawn hours, prison employees were turned away from the facility and told their positions were terminated effective March 3. State police accompanied vehicles brought to remove the prisoners.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Responding to public and government pressure, last week Verizon said that it has pushed out the termination deadline for 8,500 nationwide rural customers from Oct. 17 to Dec. 1. They also said they will continue to offer service to terminated customers who have “no alternative provider”.

Parking for fishermen at the Jonesport marina is at the breaking point for fishermen who have no place to tie up their skiffs and outboard boats. A committee is looking into alternate sites and funding, but so far little progress has been made. Photo by Nancy Beal.

by Nancy Beal