by Jayna Smith

Fiddleheads are a springtime delicacy across Maine and New Brunswick, and in the Downeast area, are ready to be harvested.

The ostrich fern fiddleheads can be identified by the brown, papery scale-like covering on the uncoiled fern.  Because they are perennial, they come back year after year, and according to University of Maine Cooperative Extension, nearly all ferns have fiddleheads, but not all fiddleheads are edible. 

by Nancy Beal

In less than 45 minutes on May 11 and with little discussion, 16 citizens from the Moosabec towns of Beals and Jonesport, nearly half of them school affiliated, approved a budget of $1,781,070 for their combined high school for the 2022-2023 school year. The total amount will be reduced to $882,371 after a state subsidy of $342,546, and miscellaneous revenues of $551,153 are subtracted. Beals will pay 26.1 percent of that amount ($231,487), and Jonesport 73.9 percent ($655,884).

The Roque Bluffs Community Center on Saturday, May 28, will kick off a number of classes with A Nature Walk with Carol. The class instructor will be Carol Muth, and it will be an exploration of the signs of late spring, including bird songs, emerging plant life, and the insects of the day. Roque Bluffs State Park will be the classroom.  It is recommended that people participating in the walk provide their best tick protection, i.e., heavy socks with long pants tucked in. Only a small group of 8 to 10 people can do the walk each time so sign up early.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Plans to decommission and remove an aging electrical substation will move one step closer to reality on Wednesday, May 18, when Versant Power begins transitioning some Machias electricity customers onto new power circuits.

Ultimately, says Versant Communications Specialist Marissa Minor, the project will move customers on the southern side of the Machias River onto an entirely new substation.

by Jayna Smith

 At a Republican convention in Augusta this past weekend, former Gov. Paul LePage told the crowd he would “fix the broken budget” if he wins the election in November. 

LePage is rallying for his third term as governor.

If he does win the bid for governor, it would be the first time since 1966 that an incumbent governor was ousted.  

by Nancy Beal

By a vote of 23-0 on May 2, Beals voters opted to put a six-month hold on new or renewed aquaculture projects designed to grow salmon in their waters. In Jonesport two days later, selectmen rejected a petition for a similar pause on all commercial aquaculture activity, citing legal advice that the petition, signed by 74 townspeople, was not accompanied by the required sworn statements from its circulators. 

by Jonathan Reisman

Almost immediately after rogue oligarch Elon Musk took Twitter away from the conservative censoring wokerati, thereby causing a panic attack amongst the free speech hating left that they might not be able to control the narrative and what people think, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas announced amidst a Congressional grilling that a new Government Disinformation Board, promptly dubbed the Ministry of Truth, would be established, headed by noted musical theater songstress and lyricist Nina Janowicz.

After a two-year hiatus from gathering ‘in person,’ Quoddy Voices members are proud and excited to present their Spring 2022 Concerts, ‘Coming Back’, on Friday, May 27 at 7 pm, and Sunday, May 29, at 3 pm, at Eastport Arts Center. 

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

The road to becoming a Maine Game Warden drives new recruits through 14 weeks of training and into five regions of Maine, too, including Machias where last month trainees practiced crime scene management during a storm that dropped five inches of rain in a single day.

“The rain definitely added an extra element to things,” said Warden Josh Beal, who worked with the new wardens during their week in Washington County. 

by Hailey Wood

Lydia Sprague of Marshfield will graduate in May from the University of Maine with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. She spent her first two years at the University of Maine at Machias completing her prerequisites, then finished her last two years at UMaine.

Her clinical experience solidified her interest in pursuing a career in labor and delivery, or in pediatrics.

“Ever since I was really little, I had an absolute love for the pediatric population — kids, babies, all of that,” Sprague said. “My dream was always to be a nurse.”

First National Bank recently announced a $3,000 donation to the Community Caring Collaborative towards The Joy Fund. 

Established in March 2022, The Joy Fund assists first-time home buyers in Washington County make the transition to homeownership by providing funds for home inspections related to a home purchase.  Georgiana (Georgie) Kendall, a 5th generation Downeaster, started this fund to support folks who would like to live, work and play here in Washington County. 

On Thursday, April 28, the Washington Academy National Honor Society (NHS) held its annual induction ceremony in the Gardner Gymnasium. The ceremony began with a welcome speech from NHS President Kaitlyn Smith and a traditional review of the new inductees' qualities established by the Society, including scholarship, service, leadership, and character. 

by Joseph Horn

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

For the town of Machias, 19 Main Street has filled many roles over the years — as a fruit and confectionery business, a music store, a bar, a stationery and gift shop, and until recently, as a shuttered symbol of Main Street decline. 

This month, the old Nash building was removed, and soon 19 Main Street will be home to something altogether new —  the MaineStreet Business Building, a business incubator that could aid in creating economic growth downtown and across the county. 

by Nancy Beal

At their April meeting, the nine-member board that governs Jonesport-Beals High School approved a budget of $1,776,070 for the 2022-23 school year. That amount is $66,196, or 3.87 percent, above what voters approved last year. When reduced by miscellaneous revenues ($551,153) and state subsidy ($342,546—$46,008 less than last year), the taxpayers’ share of the bottom line is calculated at $822,443, which is just under $60,000 more than last year—a hike of 7.29 percent.

Art students at Machias Memorial High School have advanced to the final 50 in an art contest sponsored by Vans shoes, and they need your help to go further. Art teacher Becky Lee says MMHS is the only Maine school to make it into the contest’s top 50 in a contest that began with 250 schools and if Machias wins, the grand prize will be $50,000 toward the school’s art program. Four other schools will receive $15,000. 

To participate, students designed shoes based on one of this year’s themes of “Hometown Pride,” and the legacy of Vans’ founder Paul Van Doren. 

Porter Memorial Library invites the public to attend its Art Show Fiesta on Saturday, May 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Fiesta will celebrate the opening of two art exhibits at the library: Youth Art Exhibit, on display downstairs in the children’s room, and Photos of Mexico by Stephen Copel, on display upstairs on the main floor. Festivities on May 7 will include music by Duane Ingalls, and a pinata and Mexican food provided by Miguel Guijarro.

by Joseph Horn

The following was released today, April 22, by Maine State Police.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

The Machias Budget Committee and selectboard last week finished working through the municipal portion of the town’s 2022-23 budget, which anticipates a net increase of less than five percent, or $68,880, above last year.  

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

The town’s only public playground is getting ready to grow again with the upcoming addition of a children’s merry-go-round, paid for using a $3,600 donation from Machias Savings Bank. 

Machias Town Manager Bill Kitchen, who has championed recreation area improvements for years, shared the news with the Machias Board of Selectmen April 13 at their regular bi-monthly meeting.

“Eventually we’ll put up a plaque to recognize all the [playground] donors,” said Kitchen.

by Nancy Beal

Last week, the Beals Elementary School board met and approved a proposed budget of $997,983 for the 2022-23 school year. This amount is an increase of $88,934 (9.78 percent) over last year’s bottom line of $909,049 and will cause taxpayers to foot a larger share of the total local appropriation.