by Ruth Leubecker

Substandard broadband and ill-suited federal policies have seriously hampered information technology from bringing optimum health care to rural Maine.

The hurdles for rural Mainers are often insurmountable, plagued by a lack of resources, generally hinging on insufficient manpower and funding.

by Wayne Smith

I caught up with one of my cousins. Tianna Muniz is 21 years old and works at Lawrence General Hospital in Massachusetts where she is a nurse’s aide. She works on the COVID-19 floor, and she talked about what she does there. She talked about how she has dealt with different situations and about how it takes a toll on her mentally and physically. She also speaks about where she gets her inspiration. She was brave to tell her story, at times her voice shook yet we got through it.

by Natalie Boomer

Many of us have noticed ladybugs in our homes recently. These bugs are actually a specific type of ladybug known as the Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle, and they become more common in New England homes during times of cold weather.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Washington County’s detected COVID-19 case count has not changed since one case was reported on April 2, leading many to wonder if there are actually any active cases in Washington County. 

by Nancy Beal

With guidance from Jared Guillette of the Washington County Council of Governments (WCCOG), the Jonesport selectmen met last week, linked by the video conferencing system known as Zoom, and the public was able to watch and join in. During their hour meeting, they dealt with recreational marina floats, an appraisal of the hoped-for commercial marina, and listened to another presentation on broadband.

by Jayna Smith

Within just a couple of weeks, many Americans will be receiving economic impact payments to help deal with the economic fallout as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. This money is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Jonesboro-Roque Bluffs Fire Chief Mike Schoppee said no people were injured in separate fires that destroyed two homes last week.

Seven departments responded to a fire that destroyed the home of Joe and Janet Mawhinney in Jonesboro on Sunday, March 29. Chief Schoppee said a wood fire in an outbuilding spread to the main structure. “The [outbuilding] was fully engulfed when we arrived,” said Schoppee, “and the garage was already on fire, and it was attached to the house.”

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Down East Community Hospital spokesperson Julie Hixson last week took to social media to address inaccurate rumors that the hospital’s lack of PPEs (personal protective equipment) was due to financial constraints.

“This couldn’t be further from the truth,” wrote Hixson. “We feel it is important to communicate to our staff and community members that our access to PPE has nothing, whatsoever, to do with our financial condition or decisions.”

by V. Paul Reynolds

Fishing regulations, like any rules or regulations, are not easy to love. Some time ago, as fishing law books got thicker and the water-by-water rules got increasingly complex with multiple S-codes and exceptions to the General Law, a cynic made the observation that a serious law-abiding angler needed two companions with him on the water: a Sherpa to carry the law book and a lawyer to interpret the regulations and S code for each body of water.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Teacher Caitlyn Roy reported to work on Friday, March 13 expecting a day of professional development workshops. Instead, she and her fellow teachers were told to prepare 15 days worth of lesson plans, and quickly.

“We still didn’t know if [a shutdown] was happening, or when,” said Roy, who together with Kelly Woodward teaches fifth grade at Rose M. Gaffney Elementary (RMG) in Machias. “We had to create lesson plans for math, but we didn’t know what the lessons would be about, so we had to make plans that were fill-in-the-blank.”

by Ruth Leubecker

While Washington County remains free of confirmed cases of coronavirus, the average person appears to be realistically appraising the inevitable.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Representative Will Tuell (R-E. Machias) Sunday announced that Maine Department of Corrections has awarded a bid for demolition and abatement of the Downeast Correctional Facility (DCF) to local contractor Hanscom Construction.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Though no cases of COVID-19 have yet been detected in Washington County, Down East Community Hospital in Machias has implemented plans to respond.

by Nancy Beal

Ordinarily around 6 a.m. this time of year, those living near the coast would begin to hear boat engines come to life, as lobstermen came out of their winter cocoons and began setting and hauling their traps. Not this spring.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Ben Bunker said he came up with the idea for a driving scavenger hunt as a way to draw families out of their houses during this time of social distancing.
“I’ve got a little extra time, and I thought, ‘This won’t take much to put together, and it’s something good for the kids,’” said Bunker, sales manager at Whitney TriTown Marine in Machias.

He reached out to area businesses, and the response was overwhelming. More than 30 agreed to participate, so Bunker is repeating the event this coming weekend, April 4-5.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention today announced active COVID-19 counts have risen to 118, and 11-case increase over the day prior. Seven people have recovered from the illness, making Maine’s total known cases 125 since it was first detected here on March 12.

 Cumberland County remains the most affected, with a total of 74 active cases, and five recoveries.

 No cases have yet been detected in Washington County, though experts say it is likely here.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

You walk into an upscale eatery and order mussels dressed in garlic almond butter. A bowl of steamy shellfish comes to your table, but first, they could have come from anywhere in the world: Spain, New Zealand, Chile or, most likely, eastern Canada.

by Ruth Leubecker

“When I came here to work, Sue Dorr was the liaison for the New England Organ Bank,” says Donna Renshaw, operating room nurse at Down East Community Hospital. “Every death at the hospital needed to be reported to the organ bank.”

Twenty-five-plus years later, the organ bank is now New England Donor Services. Sue Dorr has long retired, Renshaw has assumed her role as liaison, and the Machias hospital has been recognized nationally as a topflight winner in promoting organ donation.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Members of the Machias selectboard spoke with Machias Police Chief Todd Hand at their regular bi-monthly meeting held Wednesday, March 11. Hand walked the board through building modifications that would make the Machias Telebusiness Center into a suitable new police department.

Chairman Joshua Rolfe said the board is largely in favor of moving the police department into the more modern facility, located on Stackpole Road, but has not taken a formal vote on the matter.

by Nancy Beal

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Executive Director Dr. Niravh Shah today announced 107 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Maine, an 18-case increase over the day before. Twelve people are currently hospitalized for the virus.

Maine has conducted 2,791 negative tests.

For comparison, Shah said there were 89 positive cases across the United States on March 1, and today there are 35,000.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

On Saturday, March 21, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its daily coronavirus case numbers, with a new addition to its chart. Today the CDC site lists 70 cases of confirmed positive COVID-19, a 14-case increase over the day before, and now three cases in the "recovered" column.