Cooke USA organized or participated in shoreline cleanups in six municipalities over five days in April, in and around Earth Day on April 22. The cleanups were coordinated by Cooke USA's fish health team, which includes fish health technicians Jessica Lindsay, Jaelynn Matthews, and Susana DeFrank. 

One of those cleanup events took place earlier in April and was coordinated by the town of Machiasport and its harbormaster, David Cale. About a dozen employees from Cooke’s operation in Machiasport’s Bucks Harbor district participated in that effort. 

By Paul Sylvain 

Machiasporter Dylan Nevala is a man with a plan that has captured the interest of the Machiasport select and planning boards, following a discussion with the selectboard on April 28.

Most people probably would shudder at the idea of having a vehicle junkyard in their community. But what if that junkyard made use of a piece of polluted land that once served as the town’s dump and is virtually unusable for residential purposes?

By Paul Sylvain

With the rising cost of education, programs involving the arts — such as music and art — are often the first to go, or be greatly reduced, while non-academic activities, such as sports, continue on.

Enter the Lubec Area Musicians’ Philanthropic Society, or LAMPS, for short. LAMPS has been busy this winter bringing music in all its forms, from classical to pop, rock, and even traditional First Nation Passamaquoddy drumming presentations, to area schools.

By Phil Stuart

Liam O’Connor of Machias and Layla Cates Wright of Machiasport were selected to receive the first Mike Worcester Defensive Player and Hustle Awards at the recent Machias Memorial High School winter sports award ceremony. 

Incident Remains Under Coast Guard, Massachusetts State Police Investigation

By Paul Sylvain

For the second time in four months, families and friends of Washington County scallop fishermen are mourning the loss of a loved one taken much too soon, while a second man remains hospitalized with broken ribs and other injuries.

By Paul Sylvain

Plans are taking shape for the first-ever Kitchen Kup Memorial Golf Tournament and fundraiser, slated for May 31.

Former Machias Town Manager Bill Kitchen’s love for promoting live music might only have been surpassed by his love for golf. Kitchen passed away unexpectedly last Sept. 9.

By Paul Sylvain

Gov. Janet Mills has appointed Courtney Hammond of Columbia Falls to fill the District III Washington County Commissioner vacated by John Crowley Sr., effective immediately, dependent on Hammond’s being sworn in “as soon as possible” by a Dedimus Justice. 

Hammond, who owns Lynch Hill Farms and is a former Maine state forest ranger, will complete the unexpired term of John B. Crowley Sr., of Addison, who resigned effective April 30, due to ill health. Hammond’s term will expire on Dec. 31, 2026.

By Paul Sylvain

Paving an earthen pathway to prevent bone breaking slips and falls on snow covered ice in winter should be a simple matter, right?

Well, think again.

As an April 23 discussion by the Machias Selectboard and Town Manager Sarah Craughead Dedmon proved, that’s not the case when it comes to property lines at Porter Memorial Library. 

By Paul Sylvain

Construction, like spring, is in the air, and a flood of new building permit applications is promising a busy evening for Machias Planning Board members when they gather for their monthly meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, at the Machias Town Office at 17 Stackpole Drive.

Parade is On, but Fireworks Moved to Blueberry Festival

By Paul Sylvain

Machias area residents expecting a fireworks display this July 4 will have to wait until Aug. 16 to witness the rockets’ red glare rising over Middle River.