Two people have died in two separate Washington County road accidents that took place over the long holiday weekend.

In Perry, a single-vehicle crash on Route 1 took the life of Rob Zuckerman, 25, of Eastport. Down East Ambulance, Pleasant Point Ambulance, the Perry Fire Department, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the crash, which was determined to take place after Zuckerman lost control of his vehicle.  

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) has confirmed a fatal case of Powassan virus infection in a Waldo County resident. The adult developed neurologic symptoms and died while in the hospital. This person likely became infected in Maine.

Cases of Powassan virus are rare in the United States, with about 25 cases reported each year since 2015. Maine has identified 14 cases since 2010. Humans become infected with Powassan through the bite of an infected deer or woodchuck tick.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Route 1 has fallen into disrepair as collectors and dealers are chipping away pieces for themselves and to sell as “true relics” of Maine's historic coastal highway. Now, local officials are speaking out to stop the damage.

“We know Route 1 has a special place in the hearts of Mainers and visitors, but they have got to stop taking chunks of it home with them,” said Machias Town Manager Bill Kitchen, who last week had to replace a wheel on his car. “It’s ripping apart Main Street.”

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Anyone keeping poultry in their backyard or on their farm should act now to protect their flock from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), which is spread by migratory birds.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

The Worcester family has unveiled plans to fly the world’s largest American flag atop the world’s tallest flagpole at the center of a 2,500-acre park to be located in the town of Columbia Falls. Details about the project were publicly announced at a press conference held Tuesday at the Augusta Civic Center.

Editor's note: The following was announced this hour by Governor Janet Mills. 

Governor Janet Mills announced today that she will dedicate $3.5 million in her forthcoming change package to keep the Maine Veterans Homes in Caribou and Machias open. The Governor will propose $1.75 million in General Fund money, which will leverage $1.75 million in additional Federal funding, for a total of $3.5 million.

Editor's note: It is with great sadness we write to say that today, Feb. 27, newspaperwoman Ruth Leubecker died at the age of 80. As a journalist, Leubecker dedicated decades of her life to telling the stories of the Machias region. Her impact on this newspaper and this community cannot be overstated. We send our deep sympathies to her families and friends and mourn with them tonight. To shine a light on her memory, we republish this piece from 2020 which tells only a fraction of her impressive accomplishments. - Sarah Craighead Dedmon / MVNO Editor

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

News that veteran homes in Machias and Caribou will close later this spring has drawn criticism and pressure from Washington County to Augusta to Washington D.C.

The official announcement that Maine Veterans Homes Machias would close on April 15 and Caribou on May 1 came Thursday, Feb. 24, but the news broke unofficially the day before after employees and families spread word of the impending closures on social media.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Leaked news that the Machias and Caribou Maine Veterans Homes will close was confirmed today, Thursday, Feb. 24, in an official release from Maine Veterans Homes. News of the closure was met with a wide range of emotions Downeast, including sadness, shock, outrage, and calls to action, especially from the Washington County Commissioners' office. 

Families and employees of the Machias home were informed in advance of the public release, which said the decision was made “after several years of consideration.”

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

When Machias and Washington Academy students return from winter break on Monday, Feb. 28, whether or not they wear a mask will be up to them.