By Will Tuell

For the third week in a row, Downeasters struggled to cope with the loss of a beloved community member as news of the passing of Dr. John Gaddis, a lifelong resident of East Machias who practiced family medicine for decades on the banks of the river he grew up on, swept through the greater Machias area.  Known for his folksy Downeast manner and a willingness to treat a wide range of aches and ills, Gaddis was, for many Washington County residents over the span of four-plus decades, the only physician they ever saw.  

By Jayna Smith

A recent social media post generated widespread discussion in Calais and surrounding towns, following claims that Governor Janet Mills contacted Calais Mayor Artie Mingo regarding the relocation of asylum seekers to the city.  The post alleged that Governor Mills informed the mayor she would be sending two busloads of asylum seekers to Calais, and that Mayor Mingo responded by stating two buses would be waiting to send them back to Augusta.

by Jonathan Reisman

Thirty years ago, I had an “Angus King for Governor” sign on the big white pine that towers over my mailbox. It was one of very few in Washington County. Angus kept his promise to get rid of car testing, opposed the salmon listing, and pushed $100 million (more than a million a mile) in improvements to Route 9 that significantly reduced both travel time and white knuckles on the airline. Despite that, the Two Maines problem got significantly worse during his tenure in both the Blaine House and the Senate. 

The Downeast Salmon Federation (DSF) and the Pleasant River Fish and Game Conservation Association (PRFGCA) partnered together with community volunteers to clear downed trees along trails in DSF’s Pleasant River Community Forest in Columbia last week.  

By Will Tuell

Days after the Machias area was left reeling with the sudden and tragic loss of beloved town manager Bill Kitchen, area residents struggled to come to grips with a second tragedy, that of 18-year-old Joshua “Joshy” Dudley of Whiting, who lost his life in an automobile wreck Sunday, Sept. 15. 

Officials told WABI TV 5 in Bangor that Dudley crossed the centerline multiple times, resulting in a rollover before striking a utility pole at approximately 5 p.m. He was then ejected from the vehicle, the report continued. 

Dispatchers, Information Technology Top County’s Wish List

By Paul Sylvain

It is not the best of times for the Washington County budget committee after the county commissioners handed them a proposed 2025 budget that, if fully funded as presented — after subtracting projected revenues from expenditures — would ring in at  $10,845,108. That figure is up by $2.7 million, or approximately 33 percent, over the approved budget of $8,098,215.83 for the current year.

By Will Tuell

The state’s housing market remains healthy, officials with the Maine Association of REALTORS® said in a news release Sept. 19 detailing the latest home sales and values from across the state.  According to Maine Listings, existing single-family sales were up 1.66 percent in August compared to August 2023. The statewide median, or average, sales price reached $400,000 -- a surge of 7.53 percent over the same period a year ago.   

By Will Tuell

A small team of staff at Elm Street School in East Machias known as the Student Staff Assistance Team or SSAT is kicking off their fall fundraiser with a Downeast dinner raffle which will help support special activities around the preK-8 school. According to school secretary Tammy Wood, tickets can be purchased directly from the school anytime during regular business hours or from a staff member. They are $1 each or six for $5. The drawing will be held Oct. 23. The dinner includes lobsters, clams, and the fixings. 

By Will Tuell

Thursday marked the beginning of the cross country season for area schools, and two young ladies from Machiasport who happen to be sisters -- Ellie and Josie Ingrish -- set the pace in their respective divisions. In boys' action, Isaac Holmes of Jonesboro Elementary won the third-to-fifth grade race, while veteran Sean Sprague of Lubec Elementary cruised to victory in the boys’ sixth-to-eighth grade run at Rose M. Gaffney School in Machias. 

Search for a Permanent Town Manager Begins

By Paul Sylvain

In what visibly and emotionally was a difficult but necessary meeting for the Machias selectboard on Sept. 11, the five-member panel voted unanimously to appoint Christina Therrien interim town manager to temporarily fill the void left by the sudden passing of Bill Kitchen on Sept. 9.

By Paul Sylvain

Machias residents will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, at the Machias Memorial High School gym to act on a 55-article annual town meeting warrant, fueled by a sharp spike in discretionary or non-essential spending. 

Earlier this year Machias joined a small but growing list of towns that have moved their annual town meeting dates from June and July to late in the first quarter of the new fiscal year. The reason is simple. 

by Jonathan Reisman

Maine’s Climate Council, co-chaired by Office of Policy Innovation and the Future Director Hannah Pingree and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Melanie Loyzim is updating “Maine Won’t Wait”, Maine’s climate action plan. The plan seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (principally from transportation), phase out fossil fuels, encourage solar and wind, promote (undefined) “equity,” and have at least 30% of Maine publicly owned and controlled for conservation and carbon sequestration.

Weekly rehearsals for the fall season of Quoddy Voices, a community chorus led by Gene Nichols with accompanist Jane Lanctot, will begin Wednesday, Sept. 25, 6-8 p.m., at Eastport Arts Center. Performances are scheduled for Dec. 7 and 8. The group welcomes new singers, with no audition required. 

By Paul Sylvain

Residents in Machias and neighboring communities awoke Tuesday morning to the tragic news of the sudden passing of the Shiretown’s energetic and much loved Town Manager Bill Kitchen. 

Kitchen, who passed away sometime Monday, Sept. 9,  will be remembered for his tireless devotion and efforts to help promote and grow the town that he so clearly loved. He was Machias’ biggest cheerleader and will be sorely missed.

By Paul Sylvain

To be, or not to be — an “official” town road, that is — is the question Machiasport town officials finally settled a week after the Cutler selectboard asked permission to use an Eastside road for access to Cutler’s clam flats in Holmes Bay.

By Wayne Smith

Sept. 11, 2001, was a tragic day in the United States that nobody will ever forget. Everybody knew where they were when America was crippled after two planes crashed through the Twin Towers in New York, another plane went into the Pentagon, and some brave Americans overpowered terrorists to crash a third plane into a Pennsylvania field before even more lives could be taken. 

by Jonathan Reisman

2024

The ongoing 2024 Federal and Maine state elections are stressing me out because the stakes are high and the country is polarized (not the best state for thoughtful and careful listening, analysis, and voting/decision-making). Much of the media, in my opinion, should not be trusted, other than to be stenographers for Democratic talking points. Everyone has an axe to grind, but some are less than open about what type of axe they are carrying. Mostly they seem to be carrying water for Kamala Harris and the Democrats. 

Eastport Arts Center’s “Stories We Tell” Festival, a collaboration with the Sipayik Museum and The Quoddy Tides, continues with The Malaga Ship: A Story of Maine and the Middle Passage, a performance by award-winning and world-renowned storyteller Antonio Rocha, on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 7 p.m. at Eastport Arts Center.

Using his body and tenor voice, Antonio sings, narrates, and moves through this poetically toned and heart-wrenching historical story. The story is partially told from the ship's point of view.   

By Paul Sylvain

What began at the Aug. 26 Machiasport selectboard’s meeting as a simple appointment to fill a planning board vacancy, melted into a pointed discussion about a model aquaculture ordinance reintroduced by Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage at the selectboard’s July 22 meeting. 

Although not specifically on the selectboard’s August meeting agenda, one thing quickly became evident. The planning board and other town officials want no part of the model ordinance offered last month by Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage.

By Paul Sylvain

Cutler Selectman David Glidden met with the Machiasport selectboard on Aug. 26 hoping to resolve a longstanding clam flat access issue affecting the livelihoods of a handful of Cutler clam diggers. However, the plan he suggested hit an unexpected snag almost as soon as he finished his pitch.

As Glidden explained at the meeting, “We have an issue in the town of Cutler with accessing Holmes Bay.” He described it as “a long, dragged-out issue,” that Cutler has attempted to remedy several times without success. 

by Jonathan Reisman

Downeast Community Partners (DCP), the community action program (CAP) that serves Hancock and Washington counties, received a $20,000. gift from Versant Power, recently, for The Heating And Warmth (THAW) fund.

“The THAW fund has a tremendous impact in our community and helps families when they need it most,” said Versant President John Flynn. “Versant Power is happy to contribute to the fund and allow Downeast Community Partners to keep more homes warm this winter.”