If you were born after December of 1964 you have never known a time when Machias did not have a modern hospital with a trained 24- hour Emergency Department. While we can be proud and thankful for its founders’ wisdom, the hospital can only operate if it is financially supported on a yearly basis.

Gene Nichols, Downeast Maine’s versatile musician and player of all things remotely musical -- was recently honored as tops in the state when presented with the Maine Music Educator Award. 

UMM’s professor of music lightens the evening for many Mainers and summertime visitors with his Wild Blueberry Festival introduction to the musical main event; years ago revived the popular ukulele club; and got his start many moons ago as a circus performer. 

With the 2017 hunting season underway, Governor Paul R. LePage is again urging Maine hunters to consider supporting the Hunters for the Hungry Program by donating all or part of their harvest to feed families in need. The popular program provides a means for Maine hunters, as well as hunters from other states, to donate harvested game to food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters.

Current recipients of Food Supplement benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) may be able to get help with food lost following this week’s storm.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) American Eel Management Board reviewed the results of the 2017 American Eel Stock Assessment Update, which indicates the resource remains depleted. The assessment updates the 2012 American Eel Benchmark Stock Assessment with data from 2010-2016. Trend analyses of abundance indices indicated large declines in abundance of yellow eels during the 1980s through the early 1990s, with primarily neutral or stable abundance from the mid-1990s through 2016. Total landings remain low but stable.

A flatbed 18-wheeler carrying slabs of concrete rolled over while navigating the steep corner where Route 1 passes Route 191 in East Machias. No one was injured. Photo by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

On Thursday, Oct. 26 a 10-member panel of legislative leaders allowed a bill to keep Downeast Correctional Facility (DCF) in Bucks Harbor open an extra 18 months to move forward in January. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Will Tuell (R-East Machias), would provide additional funding to the beleaguered prison while policymakers develop a long term solution.

by Ben Ferrandi

Christopher Hart’s sports background is impressive. He holds a B.S. in Athletic Administration from Endicott College, has experience with the Hartford Wolf Pack, “... a semi-pro hockey team in Hartford Connecticut,” he said, and in June he began as the new athletic director for University of Maine at Machias (UMM).  

Mrs. Lemieux, Student Council Advisor at Bay Ridge Elementary, lends a hand as Student Council members add more sand to the sandbox on the lower end. Submitted photo

Two Mormon missionaries joined many Porter Memorial Library volunteers last Saturday for a group book-boxing party. The books, left over from the library’s annual August book sale event, will be taken by nonprofit Better World Books. Library director Lee Downing said that new donations are already coming in for next year’s summer sale, which typically contains more than 10,000 volumes. Photo by Sarah Craighead Dedmon