By Will Tuell

Nearly five dozen cadets graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy’s Basic Law Enforcement Training Program (BLETP) on Dec. 15, including Machias Police Department’s Tayler LeBlanc and the Maine Forest Service’s Joshua Noyes. 

By Paul Sylvain

“Dike is OPEN”!

Who could have ever imagined that those three little words, composed of just ten letters in all, would be the buzz of the town? But, a buzz, they did stir, shortly before noon on Dec. 15, when Machias Town Manager Bill Kitchen blasted them out in an email to local media.

Possibly Part of Larger Chinese-Owned Illegal Commercial Marijuana Growing Operations in Maine

By Paul Sylvain

In the first drug raid of its kind in Washington County, Machias police, assisted by multiple county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, executed a search warrant on a suspected illegal commercial marijuana growing operation at 414 East Kennebec Rd. on Dec. 14. The raid, conducted at 9:30 a.m., resulted in the arrest of three men on illegal drug trafficking charges.

By Nancy Beal

The joint board that determines what happens in the three schools in Union 103--Beals and Jonesport Elementary Schools and Jonesport-Beals High School—held its annual meeting last week at which members elect officers for the board and a superintendent to oversee the schools. In 45 minutes, there was a new board chair and superintendent.

Town Manager Hints About Drug Raid Conducted Next Day

By Paul Sylvain

The holiday spirit seemed to put the Machias selectboard and Town Manager Bill Kitchen in a festive mood during a brief 45-minute meeting on Dec. 13. It was a meeting peppered with passing remarks about Christmas lights and about how many Grinches were seen in the town’s Christmas parade Dec. 2.

By Daisy Ratzlaff/University of Maine Cooperative Extension                                  

In the spirit of the season, the Cobscook Currents 4-H Club recently gathered for a special wreath-making event. Led by club leaders Jen Plaut and Jane Bell along with wreath-making instructor Suzanne Plaut, the club members came together to create beautiful balsam wreaths to adorn their own homes.

By Will Tuell

There wasn’t a seat to be found at the Machias Valley Baptist Church amphitheater last Thursday evening as parents, teachers, and community members gathered to watch the 42 Machias Valley Christian School students from preK-6 re-enact the birth of Christ as only children can. 

By Wayne Smith

On Tuesday, Dec.12, Christmas music belted throughout the Cherryfield Academy Community Center as six musicians played and sang Christmas songs such as “Silent Night,” “White Christmas,” “Blue Christmas,” and everything in between. The Center was all decked out with Christmas ornaments, tables with white tablecloths, and Christmas candles.

Board Uses New Checklist, Approves Two Other Permits in 45-Minute Meeting

By Paul Sylvain

The Machias Planning Board has cleared the way for a new county public safety building to be built on the site of the former District Attorney’s office building at 85 Court St.

By Will Tuell

The Sew Fetch Dog Company and Main Street Gift Shop will be closing their bricks-and-mortar location on 25 Main Street in Machias “at or around year’s end,” the businesses said on their social media pages last week. Machias River General, which is also located at 25 Main Street, is staying open, however.