With support from Vital Signs grant from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, high school students in Calais High School’s Cobscook Experiential Program will work on a data collection project in the East Machias and Orange River watersheds this school year. With help from Downeast Salmon Federation and guidance from university professors, students will collect data on changes in pH, water temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity at a variety of sites in both watersheds.

On Sept. 5, Shona Mitchell, C.N.A. was honored at the Blaine House by the Maine Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and First Lady Anne Lepage.  Shona has been providing quality and compassionate care to the residents of Sunrise Care Facility for fifteen years.  She was nominated as an outstanding caregiver by the Director of Nursing and her peers.  

by Ronie Strout

Out and About

We have had another nice week with the weather being unseasonably warm for this time of year. I guess we best not complain as when the weather changes we just might get a lot of cold weather and wish we had some of this.

The moose hunt up North has not been doing well; it has been so hot that the hunters are hunting in t-shirts and shorts. My daughter said thank goodness for air conditioning in the vehicles to keep them cool while out riding the roads looking for moose.

At Bear Camp, last week of hunting for Bear Lane in Wesley, they were dropping off Shawn from Washington State in Cooper while there was a wedding going on at the top of the hill. Shawn was left at the bottom, of course. No bear that night but he gave it a try anyway.

The Henry D. Moore Library and Community Center in Steuben will host a talk given by Larry Smith on the cottages of Grindstone Neck at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12. 

The Grindstone Neck section of Winter Harbor was formed in 1889 by a group called The Gouldsboro Land Improvement Company with the idea of creating a summer colony, much like that of Bar Harbor. Many of the buildings on the neck were designed by Lindley Johnson and Wilson Eyre. 

by Hulda Peterson

Do not forget, Oktoberfest is being held next Saturday.  The parade lines up on East Main Street at eight in the morning.

There will be many participants, fire engines, and floats. The parade ends at Bigelow Park where there will be bounce houses, a train, music and wonderful music. It is a great time to visit friends and have an enjoyable time.  The evening brings a dance at the VFW starting at nine p.m.  The music is being provided by the band “Driven”.  We all look forward to this annual event.  Hope to see you there!

Attention hunters!

 Hunters for the Hungry is a cooperative program between the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry.  This program provides a means for hunters to donate all or a portion of their hunt to a family in need.

 This program has been extremely beneficial to our citizens, providing lean, high protein meats to food pantries, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters.

by Ronie Strout

Congratulations to Michelle McLaughlin and Zachary Strout for filling her permit up in the Allagash on the Fox Brook Road in the North Maine Woods.

The warm temperature during the week made it difficult in seeing any moose, but by Friday morning the temps finally came down to the low 30’s. It was about 5:10 p.m. that they  saw the moose coming out of the woods to where they were. The hunt was now over.

Last week Machias motorists were treated to a bright new seasonal sight on the triangle between Route 1 and Court Street, which is now weed-free and planted with a beautiful assortment of mums.  Dean McGuire of McGuire Seasonal Services took on the project for the Machias Green Space Committee, providing the dirt and purchasing the mums. Perine Yates Gray from We Can Dig It landscaping donated her landscaping expertise, and Deb Sternbergh from Berry Vines provided the mums. Photo by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

After undergoing brain surgery in New York to remove a tumor from her optic nerve, Shelbie Ross has returned to Washington County and is recovering at home. Ross’ total recovery time frame is estimated to be two to three months.

While she was away for the Sept. 21 surgery, her friends organized a benefit supper that raised more than $5,000 to assist with covering the staggering costs of the surgery and time out of work.