A tour bus full of Downeast Red Sox fans attended the Aug. 10 game between the Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The trip was organized by the Machias Bay Chamber of Commerce with lots of help from Dean McGuire of McGuire Seasonal Services, who scouted the tickets and hotel accommodations. MBCC Executive Director Sharon Mack said the event is less about raising money and more about the chamber creating offerings for its community. “Our hotel was across the street from Fenway, you couldn’t get any closer than we were,” said Mack.

by Ronie Strout

Fifteen residents turned out to the selectmen’s meeting on August 5. The selectmen accepted the minutes of the July 22 meeting and also voted to close the office in the afternoon on August 8 for staff training.

Update on the road work was given by the road commissioner Marcus Norton; he is still waiting for tax money or money from surplus to get started on the work that needs to be done.

by Joseph Horn

by Nancy Beal

Two-and-a-half months into his coast-to-coast trek to raise awareness of homeless veterans’ issues (see MVNO, June 5, 2019), William Shuttleworth is ahead of schedule. The former Union 103 (Jonesport and Beals) superintendent began his journey May 15 at his home in Newburyport, Massachusetts with a big send-off from well-wishers, and set off on his “10 Million Steps for Vets,” as he calls his campaign, with his wife accompanying him for the first leg.

by Natalie Boomer

Petroglyphs have been added to the Saint Croix Island International Historic Site in Calais. These petroglyphs commemorate the arrival of Champlain on Saint Croix Island.

Marci Gaglione, publicity chair for the Sunrise Senior College, gave a passionate talk on SSC to the Machias Rotary Club on Tuesday, July 30. She explained that SSC had its beginnings at a June 2002 dinner presentation made to a group of interested Washington County residents. By the end of the evening a steering committee had been formed with the full support of John Joseph, the president of UMM. SSC has continued to flourish as an all-volunteer organization ever since.

Filmmaker and teacher Alan Kryszak worked with his University of Maine at Machias students to write, direct and produce When The Chevy Breaks (How Small Towns Fix Big Problems).

by Hazel Stark

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

The Machias Board of Selectmen met at the Machias Telebusiness Center on Wednesday, July 24 for their regular bi-monthly meeting. The board recently relocated their meetings to the center from the Machias Town Office, in order to have more room for meeting attendees. The agenda covered a wide range of subjects and all five board members were in attendance, in addition to the town manager, board secretary and seven audience members.

by Nancy Beal

by Wayne Smith

Ellie Carbone, born in Munich, Germany, is a gifted and recognized watercolorist. Her professional background is that of a medical illustrator. While developing her watercolor techniques over the past 27 years, she has studied with famous watercolor masters such as John Pike, Ron Ransom, Judie Wagner, Tony Van Hasselt, and Tony Couch and has participated in many art shows.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

A public Facebook post made by University of Maine at Machias (UMM) employee Vincent Reed on Tuesday, July 23 alleged that UMM is considering approving housing for refugee families on campus, without soliciting community input. The post was shared nearly 200 times within 15 hours. 

"Do not let this be forced on Washington county.. This. if it does happen will happen quickly," wrote Reed.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

by Nancy Beal

Officials of the Municipal Review Committee (MRC) traveled to Addison July 19 for a special meeting with the directors of the Pleasant River Solid Waste Disposal District (PRSWDD), following a demand for such a meeting in a letter penned by MRC Vice President Tony Smith June 28 (see MVNO, July 17, 2019). The face-off resulted from a months-long developing disagreement on process following the announcement and subsequent town votes by Jonesport and Columbia Falls to withdraw from the six-town waste disposal district.

by Nancy Beal

The Arnold Memorial Medical Center, which now owns the shuttered Sunrise Care Facility (formerly Resthaven Nursing Home) in Jonesport, held a public gathering last week to begin steps to explore the possibilities of its rebirth and redirection. Down East Community Hospital, the former owner, donated the building to the medical society following its closure last August, and tossed in $20,000 toward its rebirth. The AMMS already operates the town’s medical clinic on the road to the schools.

by Nancy Beal

Folk guitarists Bob Simons and Renee Goodwin have been friends since the 1960s. In 2006, they merged their singing and instrumental talents and, for the past decade, as a duo they call Simons and Goodwin, they have entertained audience in coffeehouses, pubs, private parties and concerts indoor and out. On Friday, August 2, they will bring their songs back to Jonesport’s Peabody Memorial Library where they have already delivered several popular concerts in earlier years of the library’s Music in the Library summer concert series.

by V. Paul Reynolds

Recently Maine’s new fish and wildlife commissioner, Judy Camuso, was a studio guest on Maine Calling, an interactive radio program on the National Public Radio  station in Portland. She performed well as she outlined the goals and challenges of the Department in the months ahead.

 Andrew Egan, vice president for academic affairs and head of campus at the University of Maine at Machias (UMM), has announced his intention to step down, effective Aug. 15.

Egan joined UMM, a regional campus of the University of Maine, on Aug. 13, 2018. 

Daniel Qualls, associate professor of education, will serve as interim vice president for academic affairs and head of campus. Qualls joined the UMM community in 2008 and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Though a relative newcomer to the Downeast festival season, the Bold Coast Sea & Sky Festival already feels like an event that has found its stride. Presented by Pat’s Pizza and the Machias Rotary Club, the event has grown each year as more area businesses and clubs have raised their hands to chip in dollars and volunteers.