The 2022 Calais Blue Devils softball team is made up of (front) Lainey Johnson, Nevaeh Thomas, Alexis Donahue, Trinity Jones, Sierra Jones, (back) Kaleigh Scott, Avva Cassidy, Jazlyn Rojo, Brenna Critchley, Cameron Dubay, Taylor Carter, and Natalie McDonald.  Missing from photo are Megan Mitchell and Mercedes Owen.  (Photo by Jayna Smith)

The 2022 Woodland Dragons baseball team is made up of (front) Brogan Brown, Liam O’Neill, Cyrus Sewell, Braden Richard, Evan MacArthur, Keagan Wormell, Josh Jordan, Gauge Howard, (back) coach Kenny Murphy, manager Kyrsten Stegman, asst. Coach Shane Curtis, Evan Curtis, Weston Bailey, Shain McIver, Braden Barrett, asst. coach Keith Moody, and asst. Coach John Sewell.  (Photo by Jayna Smith)

For the first time in two years, Washington County Community College graduates were presented their diplomas in person.

The 2022 commencement ceremony took place on Friday, May 20th at 11a.m. outside overlooking the beautiful St. Croix River on the campus lawn.
After the graduates marched into the sound of ceremonial bagpipes performed by Ernie Smith, the Passamaquoddy Drummers performed, and the National Anthems were sung by Anne Scott.

President Susan Mingo then took the stage to begin the ceremony.

Calais High School Athletic Director Randy Morrison was presented the Dick Gardner Award at the recent Downeast Athletic Conference All-Star banquet.  The award is presented to one who has provided considerable service to DAC athletics. See more photos from the banquet on pages 24 and 25 of this week's The Calais Advertiser. (Photo by Jayna Smith)

Jayna Smith
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Although no Memorial Day parade was held in Calais this year, other ceremonies to remember fallen heroes did occur, starting with the wreath laying ceremony at Ferry Point Bridge.

A small group gathered downtown at the international bridge for the annual event with active duty service members, other veterans, and representatives from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Calais Fire-EMS.

Jon Reisman

Jayna Smith
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A temporary barrier has been placed in the area that leads to the pier behind the Calais Library.
According to Calais City Manager Mike Ellis, high tides over the years have flooded the area numerous times.  Due to this flooding, the waterfront pier has now been deemed unsafe.  

Jayna Smith
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On the morning of Tuesday, May 31, 2022, family, friends, students, and faculty gathered at Calais High School to recognize a select group of students from this year’s graduating class.  This special assembly was started in 2005 by then-principal Mrs. Jeanne Bishop-Peacock and honors the top seven students in the class based on weighted-grade point average up until their senior year through the third quarter.

The Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) recently announced that Orono IGA and Calais IGA, along with owners Bob Craft and David Pike, have been awarded the IGA Five Star honor for achievement in IGA’s Assessment Program. Five Star is the highest level of recognition possible under the Assessment Program’s rigorous standards.

The IGA Assessment Program measures IGA store performance with a combination of unrevealed and revealed assessments focused on operations, merchandising, innovation, and customer service.

Jayna Smith
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Woodland High School held its graduation on Saturday, June 4, 2022 with 31 students receiving diplomas.  

Following the processional and salute to the flag, second honor essayist Keagan Wormell and first honor essayist Joanna Korasadowicz addressed those in attendance.

After Principal Joseph Swain’s presentation, Salutatorian Sierra Bryant and Valedictorian Justin Carney each provided their addresses.  

Calais High School’s Senior Prom was held last Friday night at the St. Croix Country Club.  Pictured are senior Bernie Yost, accompanied by Kate McPhee; senior Kobe Saunders, accompanied by Brenna Critchely; senior Zachary Wentworth, accompanied by Nevaeh Thomas; and senior Tristan Seavey, accompanied by senior Emma Saunders.  See more photos on page 24 of this week's The Calais Advertiser.  (Photo by Jayna Smith)

Jayna Smith
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The Calais Lions Club held its 82nd Charter Night last week, with many members and spouses in attendance for the evening’s dinner, induction of new members, installation of new officers, and announcement of Lion of the Year.  

Four new members were inducted into the club.  They included Colin Brown, Colby Ryan, Brian Nicholas, and Houston Ross.  

Jayna Smith
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The Woodland Dragons softball team ended their regular season of play with an impressive 11-3 record and a second-place rank in Northern Maine Class D.  This earned them a bye in the first round of tournament action.

On Friday, June 11, the girls, under first-year coach Kieve Leeman, beat number 7-ranked Katahdin 7-6 in an exciting ten innings in quarter final action on their home field.  

Senior players on Calais High School’s tennis team were recently recognized for their efforts and outstanding play during their high school years.  Shown with parents are Kati Bitar, Nate Pesce, Francesca Lombardo, Emma Saunders, Jerry Harmon, Isiah Mitchell, Cassidy Carr, and Lexi Doten.  (Submitted photo)

Jayna Smith
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After a fire destroyed a downtown business last month, 20 people were left needing to find new homes, and many of their personal belongings were too heavily smoke damaged to keep.

The blaze occurred inside The Roost Pub at 445 Main Street.  The business was closed, and no one was inside.  

Jayna Smith
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After the global pandemic prevented the annual Special Olympics from being held, nearly 450 athletes from across the state finally got to compete for the first time since 2019.  

This year’s summer event was a full day of competitions, including softball throwing, Bocce, 100-meter dash, long jump, and more, all held on the campus of Orono’s University of Maine.

Jon Reisman

2022 America is a product of deliberate progressive policy choices. It’s tempting in watching Brandon, Kamala and the clown show- including AOC and the Squad, Bernie, Pocahontas, Mayor Pete, Janet “Mistaken” Yellen, Hillary Hack/Iran Appeaser Sullivan and the rest of the sorry lot- to conclude our woes are a consequence of incompetence and stupidity, but that would be wrong. Every dystopic feature of 2022 America is a result of policy choices that Brandon and his progressive puppet masters have deliberately chosen.

Jayna Smith
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School is out for the summer, which means the city’s Howard Fox Memorial Pool is open and summer day camp has begun.  Both started on Monday.
Utilized by residents and non-residents both, the pool is open seven days a week.  Public swim for this year is currently slated for Mondays through Saturdays noon to 7 p.m. and Sundays noon to 5 p.m.   

The Grange held its annual flag retirement ceremony on Flag Day, June 14, with approximately 100 flags retired, respectfully and with honor. A little rain did not stop those in attendance from completing the task at hand. It was wonderful to see so many children in attendance.  Afterwards, the Grange members provided refreshments inside the hall.

Jayna Smith
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Since Michael and Barbara Intondi opened Riverview Restaurant at 421 Main Street just over a year ago, the fine dining experience has been well received, in addition to the downtown business’s beautiful facade.  

Down East Community Hospital and Calais Community Hospital’s annual meeting of the corporators took place via Zoom on Thursday, June 22, 2022.

Natalie Boomer
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The annual Alexander Hometown Jubilee will be held on Saturday, July 9th.

Every  year, the Alexander Grange #304 hosts this fun celebration for the community at the Grange Hall on Cooper Road in Alexander.

It is already shaping up to be a great day with lots of things planned, including a Chinese auction, bake sale, lottery tree raffle, parade, craft fair, live music, face painting, and free kids' games.

Jayna Smith
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The first of eight new school buses has arrived bearing the Calais School Department name, the first time in years.

Last fall, the school department was notified of the contracted bus company’s withdrawal from Calais when the agreement ended after the 2021-22 school year.  This decision came after the bus company, First Student, was purchased, and the new company deciding not to operate in the Calais area.

Jayna Smith
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Four local athletes played last week in the 2022 Class C/D North vs. South Senior Baseball Game, which took place on Wednesday, June 22 at St. Joseph’s College in Standish.