by Jayna Smith

On Tuesday, Feb. 25, Gov. Mills signed into law LD 1908, An Act to Establish First Responders Day on September 11.  First Responders Day will recognize the daily contributions made by all first responders.  

Gov. Mills said, “First responders demonstrated remarkable courage and saved countless lives on September 11th.  It is only fitting that we pay tribute to their service and sacrifice in this way as we honor the anniversary of September 11th.”

Just in time to help celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Calais Celtic Concerts will present the award-winning group from the Ulster city of Belfast Ireland, Realta, at the Calais High School this Sunday, March 8 at 6 p.m. U.S./ 7 p.m. Canadian time. The doors will open at 5 p.m.

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency says four people have been charged with selling heroin in Washington County.

Arrested and charged with Class B, Unlawful Trafficking in Heroin were; Ashley Doten (32) of Indian Township - Bail set at $25,000.00; Ralph Francis (27) of Indian Township - Bail set at $25,000.00; Marcus Horry (35) of Logan, West Virginia. Bail set at $50,000.00; and Raymond Neptune (29) of Indian Township - Bail set at $25,000.00.

by Nancy Beal

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

No cause has been determined for the fire that burned Superior Shellfish on the evening of Thursday, Feb. 20. The seafood wholesale business is located on the Kennebec Road. According to Machiasport firefighter Mike Hinerman, the building was fully engulfed in flames by the time the first fire truck arrived.

by Ronie Strout

This past week during February school vacation I was in Boston visiting with my daughter and her family. The temperature there was a lot warmer than back in Addison but it still was cold.

During the vacation week, my grandson Asa got to go to Camp Sayre Boy Scout Day Camp in Milton, Massachusetts. After we picked him up in the afternoons, he and Mabel enjoyed doing other activities before we went to bed.

Spring and the Arts. Once again Washington Academy theater students are in rehearsal. Following their highly successful fall production of Peter & Hans Bloedel’s adaptation of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the players are now preparing a one-act play for competition in the Maine Principals’ Association sponsored Maine One-Act Drama Festival which will be held on March 6-7. The WA Players will be among nine schools participating in the Downeast Regional site which is hosted by Mount Desert Island High School.

by Joseph Horn

by Nancy Beal

by Ruth Leubeker

Like a vintage wine — or a fine antique automobile, Amy Graham sees a few good years ahead.

Party day is March 7. It’s a celebration of her 95th birthday that may have started out as a surprise, but like many elderly, she now is totally on top of it. That’s from 1-4 p.m. at the Jacksonville United Methodist Church, and everyone’s invited.

Two passive acoustic data collection efforts are underway in the Gulf of Maine to gather information on North Atlantic right whales. One will deploy fixed archival-acoustic recorders mounted on the ocean bottom for a specific period of time. The other will use autonomous underwater vehicles called gliders, equipped to record acoustic information and report it back in near real-time.

The Lubec Community Outreach Center (LCOC) has started off the new year with a bang! The end of the year festivities that included the veteran/senior meal, which was attended by over 120 community members, and the monthly meal, which served over 195 community members, didn’t slow down this volunteer-based organization.

by Joseph Horn

by Nancy Beal

At the February 5 selectmen’s meeting in Jonesport, Harry Fish reported to his colleagues the latest development in their town’s year-long effort to withdraw from the Pleasant River Solid Waste Disposal District (PRSWDD). In addition to being a selectman, Fish is Jonesport’s representative to PRSWDD’s board of directors, and he was clearly displeased as he delivered the news from the town’s attorney to his colleagues that carried price tag nearly five times what Jonesport had anticipated.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Thomas Bonfanti of Northfield was charged with murder on Monday, Feb. 3, after a 30-minute shooting rampage that left two men and one woman dead and another woman critically injured. The shootings took place at three different locations in Machias and Jonesboro.

Bonfanti was arrested at the American Legion Post #9 on Court Street in Machias.

What is known

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Machias residents will vote on six articles at a special town meeting to be held Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Lee Pellon Center.
At a public hearing held Jan. 29, the board reviewed the articles and took questions from the eight Machias residents in attendance.

by Kaileigh Deacon

As the ground freezes and snow starts to fall, the appearance of animals becomes more of a rare sight, and when people get a chance to see them they get excited. Oftentimes that excitement leads to people leaving food out for the animals, feeling they are helping.

Anneke Skidmore, Dean of Admissions and Assistant Director for the Phillips Academy Andover Summer Session, visited nine high schools in Washington County and Charlotte County to promote the new Unobskey Scholars Program.  The Unobskey Scholars Program offers all-expenses-paid scholarships to the prestigious five-week summer session at Phillips Academy for 12 high-achieving ninth graders.  

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Thomas Bonfanti of Northfield was charged with murder on Monday, Feb. 3, after a 30-minute shooting rampage that left two men and one woman dead, and another woman critically injured. The shootings took place at three different locations in Machias and Jonesboro, and Bonfanti was arrested at the American Legion on Court Street in Machias. 

Bonfanti will make his first appearance in court on Wednesday, Feb. 5 in Calais. He is represented by attorney Jeffrey Silverstein.

by Tanya Rucosky

Maine’s rural veterans are in the midst of a suicide crisis with counties like Washington and Aroostook at the epicenter. The Veterans Administration’s 2019 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report notes economic disparity, lack of health care access and community services all contribute to increased suicide rates in veterans. Sadly, economically challenged, rural areas concentrate on these difficulties in places like Downeast Maine.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

A movie filmed off the coast of Washington County is now available for streaming on all major online websites such as Amazon, iTunes, Vimeo and YouTube. “Lobster War: The Fight Over the World’s Richest Fishing Grounds,” tells the story of increasing tensions in the waters between Washington County and Canada, locally referred to as “the grey zone.”

“There's a longstanding, ongoing dispute out there,” said Cutler fisherman Brian Cates, who is featured in the film. “That’s why it’s called the grey zone.”

Take advantage of the free fishing weekend on Saturday, Feb. 15.  Discover the basics of ice fishing on Chalk Pond in Bedlington with the Downeast Salmon Federation(DSF). (Snow Date Sunday, Feb. 16). Join us from 12 to 4 p.m. and enjoy an afternoon out on the ice!  DSF Fish Biologist Brett Ciccotelli will provide equipment and advice to kids of all ages. Meanwhile, snowshoe enthusiasts can join Land Trust Director Tanya Rucosky exploring the nearby Little Narraguagus Preserve.