World War II Veteran 96-year-old Robert “Bob” Harvey of Cherryfield received the Boston Post Cane on March 29 at his Bion Lane home with his wife, Meg Nalle, proudly looking on. Cherryfield Selectboard members Mary Knapp and Art Tatangelo presented Harvey with the cane on behalf of the town.

Harvey shared some facts about his interesting life.

By Paul Sylvain

Whoever thinks learning can’t be fun has never been a student in Tom Manship’s science and math classes at Fort O’Brien School in Machiasport. 

And on the very first day of spring, the “little school that can,” once again did, by taking a group of eager fifth and sixth graders on a field trip to Downeast Institute (DEI) on Beals.

By Paul Sylvain

Connecting people in need of jobs and providing others with the training and skills leading to employment opportunities topped March 20 presentations to Washington County commissioners by Northeastern Workforce Development Board (NWDB) Executive Director Gallen Williamson and Eastern Maine Development Corporation (EMDC) Workforce Development Specialist Saydee Plaster

By Jayna Smith

Patagonia, a well-known outdoor clothing company, has filed a lawsuit against Maine-based retailer Marden's Surplus and Salvage, accusing the company of knowingly selling counterfeit products.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court last week, claims that Marden's sold fake Patagonia jackets and other items at its 13 retail locations across the state. According to Patagonia, the counterfeit products are "visually identical" to the brand’s authentic items but are of inferior quality.

by Jonathan Reisman

At the heart of green liturgy is the holy concept of sustainability. Everyone wants to be sustainable, but actually defining it in practice has proven wholly unlikely. Sustainability is often explained with the saying, “Don’t eat the seed corn,” or managing our resources in a manner that doesn’t reduce the opportunities of future generations. As a practical policy matter, what is or is not sustainable depends on baseline and future assumptions about technology, human behavior, and the planet/nature.

By Paul Sylvain

“Sell it to Hammond.”

Referring to Hammond Lumber in Machias, those words — uttered half jokingly, but said with an edge of truth by Machias Town Clerk Sandra Clifton at the selectboard’s March 12 meeting — might in fact be the town’s best option for dealing with the shuttered, flood damaged town office building at 7 Court Street.

The Machias Hammond Lumber and hardware store is located at 9 Quoddy Lane, directly behind the 7 Court Street town office building.

By Paul Sylvain

Citing “pretty much old age and health issues,” J. Douglas Guy III is closing the books, so to speak, on 30 years as the Shiretown’s tax assessor.

By Nancy Beal

Members of the committee that puts on the Moosabec Summerfest celebration on July 4 attended the March 12 Jonesport Selectmen’s meeting to pitch bringing electricity to the town’s ballfield behind the library. 

by Jonathan Reisman

Amid increasing contretemps over Trump, tariffs, taxes, and transgender toxicity, I watched the Soros backed, matching blood-red shirt, pro-Hamas/anti-Israel/antisemitic protest/rant at Trump Tower in Manhattan Thursday afternoon, followed by the blood-red lunar eclipse moon at 2 a.m. Friday. 

By Paul Sylvain 

Former Maine Game Warden and Master Guide David Craven of Bucks Harbor is speaking out against a bill to restrict coyote hunting in Maine, after defeating a similar bill during the last legislative session. 

Craven, now a respected shepherd who has judged international competitions in the field, joined popular talk radio host Ric Tyler on Feb. 28 to discuss LD 716, “An Act to Restrict the Hunting of Coyotes,” prior to a March 3 public hearing on the issue in Augusta. 

By Paul Sylvain

Machiasport officials are taking the first steps toward providing an “opportunity” for perhaps a half-dozen young families just starting out to purchase a one- to two-acre lot for their first home.

Jordan-Chandler Says, ‘It’s Kind of the Final Step Before Combining Schools’

By Nancy Beal

Crystal Blackwood, athletic coordinator for both Beals and Jonesport elementary schools, went before the respective school committees of both Moosabec area pre-K through grade 8 schools last week to suggest that the schools combine their Pee Wee basketball teams starting next year. The reason: low student numbers. “Kids aren’t playing sports like they used to,” she said, attributing the change to the availability of video games.

by Jonathan Reisman

I drove down to Augusta under the theory that showing up at the work session for LD 495, requiring the DEP to issue an estimate as to how much adverse climate change their policies were averting and at what cost to consumers in terms of energy prices, might influence the outcome. The DEP testified neither for nor against, admitting that the estimates could be provided at minimal cost.

The Washington Academy Raider Student Council is on a mission! Every Tuesday afternoon, a large group of community-minded students gather in Mrs. Carol Anthony’s classroom to discuss how to create change. The discussions are lively and creative, but they aim to influence a positive culture inside and outside of Washington Academy. 

By Paul Sylvain

The brown 1954 Bangor and Aroostook Railroad boxcar parked at the Machias Station 1898 site has a new owner, following its purchase last week by the Machias Ridge Riders ATV trail club.

Analysis by Wendell “Doss” Dennison                                         

As the old saying goes, “Opinions are like noses, everybody has one.” 

There’s no denying that the subject of transgender females, who were born biologically as males and are now competing in female athletics, is a hot topic that everyone has an opinion on.

Everyone, including myself, brings to this discussion certain ideologies and biases. However, I have endeavored to write this from a position of neutrality. If I’ve failed in that, it was unintentional.

By Paul Sylvain

Featuring art work and creations in a variety of mediums, from pencil sketches and colorful acrylic painting to models, masks and collages, the annual Porter Memorial Library Youth Art Show is something you won’t want to miss.

On March 9 at 3 p.m., Anna Maria Baeza on clarinet, Joachim Woitun on cello, and Gregory Biss on piano will present a concert for the Sunday Afternoons at the Arts Center series. The program will include Beethoven’s affecting Clarinet Trio, opus 11, written in 1798 when the composer was 28; Bach’s Suite for Unaccompanied Cello, #2 in D minor, played on an instrument fitted out in the 18th century manner; shorter works by Joseph Rheinberger and Giovanni Grazioli; plus two miniatures by Telemann written and played on an ancient clarinet called a chalumeau.

By Paul Sylvain

A seemingly improbable sequence of unforeseen events no one could ever have envisioned a year ago has resulted in former Machias Valley News Observer editor Sarah Craighead Dedmon becoming the torchbearer to “Make Here Better.”

By Paul Sylvain

Except for traveling to and from the courthouse in Machias to testify in criminal proceedings, it has been a rare sight since July 2023 to encounter a Maine State Police trooper in Washington County.

By Will Tuell

The head of Maine’s Department of Marine Resources (DMR) is stepping down next month. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills said Feb. 18 that Commissioner Patrick “Pat” Keliher will be leaving the post he’s held since 2012 on March 14. 

by Jonathan Reisman

In an act of optimism, I started leeks last week. I’m not sure if my other activities reinforced or reduced that optimism. I spent a lot of time chipping ice when not writing testimony to find a way to deal with climate alarmism and DEI disregard for the 1st and 14th Amendments. I only found myself muttering to the cats, TV, or mirror once or twice a day.

Legislation Prep: LDs 183 and 495