By Paul Sylvain

The Washington County Budget Advisory Committee slogged through an exhausting, sometimes repetitive four-hour meeting on Dec. 4, but in its final minutes managed to approve a 2026 county budget totaling $11,801,820. 

By Paul Sylvain

Around 75 Machias voters gathered at the Machias Memorial High School gymnasium on a below-freezing evening, Dec. 3, to act on a five-article special town meeting warrant moderated by Tora Johnson. When the dust settled 55 minutes later, voters had adopted separate ordinances governing commercial solar energy systems and wind energy facilities and authorized the selectboard to enter into long-term contracts, defined as extending three or more years.

By Jayna Smith

Washington County Commissioner Billy Howard wants residents to understand both the size of the proposed 2026 county budget and who actually has authority over its final form. His message comes as the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) approved an $11.8 million spending plan on Dec. 4 after a contentious four-hour meeting.

By Nancy Beal

Forty-one Jonesporters turned out Dec. 3 and unanimously voted to pay their town’s $375,088 share of the county debt before its Dec. 31 due date.

By Paul Sylvain 

Advertised as a Monday morning “workshop,” Washington County Commissioners Courtney Hammond, Billy Howard, and Chairman David Burns rolled up their sleeves and got down to business at the county courthouse on Dec. 1, opening the public portion of the session by voting to nominate Wayne Jones to the Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC). Jones’s appointment. would fill a void created by the resignation of former county commissioner Chris Gardner earlier this fall. The nomination next goes to the Legislature for consideration.

By Will Tuell

Lubec’s town manager, Suzette Francis, has been elected to the Maine Municipal Association (MMA) Executive Committee, which advises some 490 Maine towns, cities, and other local governments. Francis was formally approved in August and began serving in her new post earlier this fall.

By Jayna Smith

Many are familiar with The Blue Devil Fund, a not-for-profit organization started by Calais High School alumnus Chris Taylor. Since its inception in 2010, The Blue Devil Fund has raised well over $250,000 for charities in the downeast region.

In 2018, Taylor added a book drive to the organization’s growing list of giving campaigns. Since then, more than 8,000 books have been donated to schoolchildren throughout Washington County.

By Jayna Smith

Washington County Commissioner Billy Howard wants residents to understand both the size of the proposed 2026 county budget and who actually has authority over its final form. His message comes as the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) approved an $11.8 million spending plan on Dec. 4 after a contentious four-hour meeting.

By Will Tuell

Beach Parking, Truck Turnaround, Sunken Boat also Discussed

By Paul Sylvain

When it comes to selectboard meetings, it’s often not a matter of how long the meeting is, but how long you make it. That was the case at the brief 25-minute Machiasport Selectboard meeting on Nov. 24, when several ongoing issues were discussed.