Town’s Attorney Accuses Newspaper of Printing ‘Inaccurate, Misleading’ Statements

By Paul Sylvain

The latest volley in a years-long legal battle between the owners of two beach-front properties in Machiasport’s Starboard district and town officials was fired last week at County Wide newspaper and its publisher and editor, Bob Berta, from the pen of the town’s attorney, Stephen Wagner.

By Paul Sylvain

The Machias Public Works Department welcomed a new “baby” to its family this week with the arrival of a shiny, rose-red 2016 Western Star snow plow truck.

The town’s selectboard, at its Nov. 13 meeting, authorized Public Works Director Mike Schoppee to purchase the truck from the Town of Berwick for $77,500. Schoppee had asked the board to forgo the normal bid process since this was a used vehicle being offered to Machias at a price the board agreed was a “rare find.”

The Downeast Food System Partnership (DFSP) is a new 2-year program created by GrowSmart Maine, Healthy Acadia, and Sunrise County Economic Council in collaboration with the Hancock County Planning Commission. The goal of the DFSP is to improve food production and distribution across Washington and Hancock Counties.

On Nov. 13, Governor Janet Mills announced $7 million in grant awards from her Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan to help Maine technology companies create jobs and strengthen Maine's innovation economy. Locally, Nautical Farms of Machias received $250,000; Carver Shellfish, Inc. of Beals was awarded $97,500; and Pen and Cob Farm in Pembroke received $20,200. 

By Paul Sylvain

The next phase of a sewer reconstruction project that began before the Covid pandemic, and then was stalled by the increased cost of materials, moved forward again two weeks ago with the arrival of heavy equipment and several large barge-like containers. 

The flurry of activity along the river’s edge at Norman Nelson Park, near the Lee Pellon Center, and at the public boat ramp behind Helen’s Restaurant has left many residents asking, “What’s going on?”

By Paul Sylvain

A 28-year-old East Machias man arrested in connection to a Nov. 11 armed robbery at the Irving gas station and convenience store on Main Street in Machias, is facing additional charges related to counterfeit cash.

By Will Tuell

The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) has notified Cooke Aquaculture of its intent to sue for alleged Clean Water Act violations at 13 active sites in Maine where Cooke grows millions of salmon. Locally, those sites include three locations in Eastern Bay near Jonesport and between Beals Island and Head Harbor Island; four locations in Machias Bay; and three in Cobscook Bay between Lubec and Eastport. 

By Wayne Smith

I caught up with Holly Fraser, the volleyball coach at Narraguagus High School who recently made history by winning a second consecutive state championship in volleyball. She talked about the season and walked me through a historic, unforgettable, unbelievable, and epic championship season, losing only two games. 

By Paul Sylvain

County Commissioner Chris Gardner has said many times that the “most important thing” dispatchers at the Regional Communication Center in Machias do “is answer the phones.” If nobody answers the phone, ambulances, fire trucks. and police will never roll in response to a critical situation.

But, what would happen if calls were attempted but the phones never rang?

By Phil Stuart and Will Tuell

With Washington Academy and Narraguagus winning state volleyball championships, the focus quickly shifted to other local teams’ playoff runs in soccer. 

In Class C, WA’s boys’ soccer team has exceeded expectations and made it all the way to the state championship game where they squared off against Hall Dale and dropped a hard-fought 1-0 contest to come home runners-up in the competition. 

The Maine Marine Patrol has added a new patrol vessel to its fleet. The P/V Sentinel II, a 42-foot Calvin Beal-designed hull, was launched recently in South Bristol and will be stationed in Jonesport. The vessel’s hull and top were provided by SW Boatworks in Lamoine, the engine was provided by Billings Diesel and Marine in Stonington, and the vessel was built and finished by Farrin’s Boat Shop in Walpole.

This is the second 42-foot Calvin Beal vessel Marine Patrol has been able to build in recent years; both vessels replaced existing patrol boats. 

By Will Tuell

Christmas is close to two months away, but for many churches in the area, gathering hygiene products, stuffed animals, school supplies, and other small gifts that can easily be packaged into colorful “shoe boxes” and shipped to less fortunate corners of the globe is a year-round production.

The Community Christmas Giving Tree volunteer elves — named in honor of longtime Machias resident Helen Vose — were called together in September for a meeting to finalize preparations for their 24th program year. The gathering was quite touching, however, with goodbyes being said to Head Elf Debra Eckart who is moving away to be closer to family. 

Raiders Upset Mount View En Route to Northern Maine Soccer Final

By Will Tuell

Two Washington County volleyball squads struck gold Saturday in their respective state volleyball tournaments, while the upstart Washington Academy Raiders turned the tables on undefeated Mount View to earn a berth in the Class C North soccer championship later this week. 

By Phil Stuart

Two local runners and one long-time road race will be inducted into the Maine Running Hall of Fame on Nov. 11. 

Ric Lamoureax of Columbia Falls and Jeremy Lisee of Milbridge, both with Narraguagus connections, will be inducted at the Governor’s Hill Mansion in Augusta, along with the Charles E. Davis Independence Run, which is the third oldest running race in the Pine Tree State and is now directed by Phil Krajewski.

By Wayne Smith

The Ark Pope Memorial Animal Shelter was recently built in Cherryfield, and this is the story behind it told to me by Dani Baer. 

According to Bauer, Executive Director of The Ark, the shelter started in 1984 over in Harrington. It had one small building with a couple of dogs and a few cats. Then in the 90s, it moved over to Cherryfield — first in an old farmhouse, then into a former schoolhouse where they stayed for 20 years. 

By Paul Sylvain

The Machiasport Selectboard gave the thumbs up, at their Oct. 28 meeting, to build a truck turnaround on town-owned land just above the Bucks Harbor fishing pier and fishermen’s parking lot on Pettegrow Point Road.

By Paul Sylvain

Looking ahead, Machiasport, like many other small, rural towns in the state, is likely going to have to take over management and care of the town’s cemeteries. There are at least nine known cemeteries in town, but discussion at the selectboard’s Oct. 28 meeting hinted that there may be many more.

Dedmon Sets Sights on Permanently Filling Vacant Town Manager’s Job

By Paul Sylvain

Sarah Craighead Dedmon can add the position of interim operations manager for the town of Machias to an already impressive and growing resumé, following a decision by the town’s selectboard on Oct. 23.

By Will Tuell

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, or ASMFC, which oversees most commercial fishing activity from Maine to Florida, backed off a plan to require lobstermen release bigger lobsters after a year of intense lobbying by fishing industry trade groups, the state’s congressional delegation, and Maine’s Department of Marine Resources, in a vote Oct. 21. That plan, originally set to go into effect in June 2024 was delayed to Jan. 1, 2025, and has now been pushed back again to July 1, 2025. 

by Jonathan Reisman

HVAC Politics

I am not sure whether I get more forced hot air from my heat pump or the political ads. The heat pump at least keeps me comfortable if perhaps a little dry, plus there are Green New Deal virtue signaling points. I am told that laughter and humor are good for the immune system, and given the questionable efficacy of the Covid vaccines, I probably need all the help I can get.

World Series as Election Metaphor

By Nancy Beal

Jonesport selectmen spent much of their Oct. 21 meeting discussing two parcels of land on which the town had been invited to make an offer. The first was the so-called “Dow property,” a large clapboarded structure on Main Street in front of the Jonesport Fire Department and adjacent easterly to Paul Farnsworth’s car repair business.