Commissioners Hold Off Decision on Staff Cuts Until After Election Day

By Paul Sylvain 

A bone-chilling wind failed to deter media and some hearty county citizens from attending an outdoor press conference on the steps of the Washington County Courthouse on Oct. 23. 

The Town of Machias and Sunrise County Economic Council (SCEC) invite all community members to a public meeting on Monday, Nov. 3, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Lee Pellon Center, 90 Main Street, Machias, to learn about the Upper Machias Bay Master Plan and discuss replacement options for the aging Machias dike.  

At the Nov. 3 meeting, attendees will have the opportunity to see scale drawings of possible dike replacement options, learn about the discussions of the project committee, and share feedback, local knowledge, and priorities. 

By Nancy Beal

The Jonesport selectboard last week issued a public statement supporting the county’s $11 million bond question -- now capped by county commissioners at $8 million -- and urging the town’s residents to join the board in voting “yes” on the bond referendum on Nov. 4.

by Jonathan Reisman

Maine and the country are divided — on Trump, gender, capitalism, freedom, and the fundamental understanding of those terms. Division in a polity with a healthy respect for freedom of speech can be productive, if uncomfortable. Division in a polity with a growing tolerance and acceptance of political violence is a prescription for disaster. Maine and the country look more like the latter to me.

By Will Tuell

It was an historic evening at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Portland on Oct. 18 as The Machias Valley News Observer came away from the annual Maine Press Association awards gala with a total of 26 first, second, and third place honors in the small weekly news division. Our sister publication, The Calais Advertiser, took home 21 honors.

Sparse Turnout for Bond Hearing in Machias as Cuts Loom Either Way

By Paul Sylvain

“It’s like what you see on TV when someone hits the Megabucks and two years later, they’re broke. The county is the same way. They got that ARPA money, and a year and a half later we’re broke.”

By Nancy Beal

Nine Beals Islanders will come together this week to begin updating the town’s comprehensive plan. They are Frank Alley, Matt Alley, Troy Alley, Nancy Beal, Laurie Petronis, Amanda Smith, and the town’s selectmen: Glenda Beal, Daniel Davis, and Lorena Faulkingham. They will meet at the town office Friday, Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. They will be assisted by Patricia Tilton of the Sunrise County Economic Council.

Down East Community Hospital (DECH) and Calais Community Hospital (CCH) recently had the pleasure of introducing well-respected youth speaker David Edward Garcia to more than 1,200 high school students across Washington County. Six presentations were held for students in grades 9–12 throughout the county.

By Paul Sylvain

The last thing anyone in Washington County wants is a double-digit tax increase. That’s especially true in tiny, coastal communities where devastatingly low lobster catches and blueberry harvest yields this year already threaten to make the coming winter remembered for a record number of bank repos.

By Paul Sylvain

The offices of Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey and the acting U.S. Attorney for Maine Craig Wolff, on Oct. 7, agreed to a request by Washington County District Attorney Robert C. Granger to investigate how the county’s finances went awry over the past five years.

By Paul Sylvain

In her short time on the job as the county’s provisional treasurer, Grace Falzarano has instituted two significant policy changes in the county’s finance department, which are aimed at preventing a repeat of some of the errors contributing to the current budget shortfall.

Falzarano was appointed provisional treasurer by the county’s commissioners following the September resignation of embattled former treasurer Jill Holmes. Falzarano serves the town of Columbia Falls as its treasurer.

Officials Mum on ‘Botched’ Department of Justice Grant

By Paul Sylvain

A new, more restrictive grant and contract policy enacted by Washington County’s Board of Commissioners at their Oct. 9 meeting is not sitting well with county Emergency Management Agency Director Lisa Hanscom.

Simply stated, the policy, introduced by Washington County Commissioner Billy Howard, mandates “there will be no more grant applications, or no more contracts signed by department heads without commissioner approval.”

by Jonathan Reisman

Sullivan oyster farmer and Democratic socialist Graham Platner is running for the Democratic nomination to challenge Senator Collins. He has money ($3.4 million in “small” donations claimed, no breakdown of in-state vs. out-of-state offered), energy, charisma, youth (born 1984), veteran status (100% disabled, three tours in Iraq as a Marine, one tour in Afghanistan in the Army), digital chops, and fire in his belly. He held a town hall in Calais on Oct. 6, and I left believing him to be the likely Democratic nominee.

By Paul Sylvain

Members of the Washington County Legislative Delegation are taking matters into their own hands to hopefully find a way out of the county government’s current fiscal quagmire.

County Commissioners Courtney Hammond, Billy Howard, and Chairman David Burns are continuing to struggle without success in their efforts to find viable alternatives to an $11 million bond referendum question aimed at setting the county’s fiscal ship back on course. 

By Paul Sylvain

Earlier this year, Machias Police Chief Keith Mercier contacted several towns neighboring Machias regarding a plan he was floating to have those towns contract with his department for routine patrols and complaint responses. Among the towns that he approached were Machiasport, East Machias, Whitneyville, Jonesboro and Roque Bluffs.

New Member Casts First Votes Moments after Joining Planning Board

By Paul Sylvain

The Bluebird Motel finally received the Machias Planning Board’s blessing on Oct. 1 to proceed with plans to rebuild, Phoenix-like, from the ashes of a devastating late-night fire that began on a frigid Christmas Eve and was finally extinguished in the early hours of Christmas morning 2024.

On Thursday, Sept. 25, Washington Academy honored Katherine Look, M.D., as the first Legacy Award recipient. The Board of Trustees established the Legacy Award to acknowledge an individual for their exceptional contributions and unwavering dedication to advancing the Academy's success. Its recipient has demonstrated a profound and lasting impact on the Raider school community, inspiring others and creating a legacy of excellence that will be remembered for years to come. 

By Nancy Beal

For two days last week, residents of the Moosabec area noticed a large drone flying overhead, training its camera particularly on the shoreline of Beals Island. This was not spyware, as many speculated online, but rather movie folks from the West Coast in search of background scenery for a production.

By Phil Stuart

On Sept. 16, my dog and I had just finished high on the Lower Duck Pond Trail in Campobello, when I got a phone call. When I saw who was calling, my heart sank into my stomach. Sharon Worcester was on the other end, and she informed me that Mike Worcester’s six-year battle with dementia was about over. She said that things had gotten worse and he had maybe a few hours or just a couple of days left. 

By Nancy Beal

Jonesport selectmen recently solicited bids on repairing the embankment between Richardson Cemetery and Moosabec Reach, promising to open them and select one at their Sept. 24 meeting.

The embankment was severely eroded by the infamous January 2024 storms. Three bids were submitted by the board’s deadline, and one of the contractors was present at the meeting. What was lacking and would end up stalling the process was the disaster money promised by the federal government and earmarked for the damage caused by those storms.

By Paul Sylvain

The Machiasport Selectboard will be asked in October to consider a number of revisions to the town's shellfish ordinance by Shellfish Conservation Committee Chair Zach Wood. The revisions will result in a new ordinance being written.

by Jonathan Reisman

Riots Versus Revivals

When career criminal and fentanyl-infused George Floyd died in police custody, the left’s response was months of violence, arson, riots, and grievances. When conservative evangelist and faith-infused Charlie Kirk was assassinated, his political brethren responded with a revival and forgiveness.