By Paul Sylvain

The Machias Town Office at 7 Court St. has been closed since the first of two storms ravaged the Shiretown on Jan. 10. Nearly a month later, its days appear numbered as town officials consider abandoning it for other options.

By Will Tuell

Each of the eleven towns that make up a confederation of local school systems known as AOS 96 has received subsidy projections from the Department of Education. The figures, based on a combination of student enrolment and local property valuation, give school budgeters an idea of what they will have to work with as they prepare school budgets for the upcoming fiscal year, set to begin July 1. 

By Paul Sylvain

Rebecca Moores, the 43-year-old Robbinston woman who in December pled guilty to murdering her former lover and principal drug supplier in 2022, was sentenced Monday, Jan. 29 in Washington County Superior Court in Machias to serve 32 years in prison.

By Nancy Beal 

Jonesport selectmen met on Jan. 31, finalized their budget, and, that evening, presented their suggestions to the town’s budget committee. Retired bank manager Wendy Beal was chosen chairman. Joining her were business owner and Union 103 infrastructure manager John Church, realtor and builder Paul Iossa, and assessor and former high school secretary Barbie Cirone. Shane Farris was absent.

The Washington County Republican Committee has completed three of its four regional caucus meetings in Washington County. The purpose of town caucuses is to elect officers of each town committee, to elect Delegates and Alternates to the State Convention, to elect members to the Washington County Republican Committee, and to organize for the upcoming elections. 

By Wayne Smith

I recently caught up with Jim England and Don Powers of the Bullseye Band when they played at the Milbridge Theatre and Community Arts Center. England and Powers talked about playing music together, entertaining live crowds, and the ups and downs of band life. 

By Will Tuell

By Will Tuell

Northern Light Health announced on Feb. 2 that an unspecified number of its computer servers were compromised by hackers earlier in the day, adding that patient information is safe and that care would not be disrupted across Northern Light’s sprawling network of care providers. 

Nurses Working Since October Without a Contract

By Paul Sylvain

Bone-chilling cold on Jan. 27 failed to deter at least 22 nurses and techs employed at Down East Community Hospital in Machias from rallying on the Jeremiah O’Brien Bridge. The nurses have been working without a contract since October and are trying to leverage public support for what they call “safe staffing” levels as part of their new contract. 

By Will Tuell

Cavernous, guttural roars swept through the Elm Street School gymnasium Thursday night as the Panther girls’ basketball team, down by 17 points with minutes to play, stormed back to beat Calais 58-57 in overtime, bringing Elm Street to an impressive 12-1 mark with one game to go before the playoffs.