Will Tuell

Senator Marianne Moore’s (R-Calais) bill that would give the Town of Baileyville the ability to disconnect public water if a ratepayer doesn’t pay their sewer bill passed the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee last week. Despite initial skepticism amongst EUT Democrats, the committee ultimately voted to pass the bill unanimously after agreeing to an amendment directing the Public Utilities Commission to review Baileyville’s plan before it goes into effect. 

Friends of Scouts 132 recently received a gracious donation from St. Croix Lodge #46.  Scouts Noah Gillespie, Reid Ramsdell, and Connor Croman, along with Scout Master Jason Croman and Friends of Scouts 132 President Ray Smale accepted the contribution from Master Jamey Gower, Sr. Warden Ross Langille, and Jr. Warden Rick Seeley.  (Submitted photo)

Downeast Wrestling Club held a wrestling meet on Sunday, April 2nd at Calais High School. About 60 kids participated in the meet from various teams.

DWC represented their mats well and again brought home new hardware.

At the recent Governor’s Conference on Tourism, four stained glass panels designed and created by Mark Wren, of Wrenovations in Robbinston, were chosen to be presented as awards.  Shown is one of the beautiful pieces. (Submitted photo)

Downeast Barber Shop, 415 Main Street, Calais, opened late last fall at the former location of Thumos Barber Shop.  St. Croix Valley Chamber of Commerce recently caught up with owners Brian and Michelle Moreau (center) for a ribbon cutting.  Present from the chamber were Jessica Delmonaco, of Varney Agency, and Chase Smith, of First National Bank.  (SCVCC photo)

Jon Reisman

In 2022, the Democratic Party operatives financially supported a number of “MAGA” Trump Republicans in primary contests because they believed them easier to beat in a general election. In gubernatorial and Senate races in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Arizona and Michigan, they were correct. Politics ain’t beanbag, as the saying goes.

Jayna Smith

[email protected]

Coach Marc Rohde has begun his 13th year with the Blue Devils baseball team, his eighth as head coach.  

This season, the Blue Devils bring a young roster, but the team size has nearly doubled from the last couple, fielding 19 players this year.  Many of them are freshmen and sophomores. 

Jayna Smith

[email protected]

The Blue Devils softball team will field 18 this season under first-year coach Honor Wilkinson.  

“As you can tell from the size of our roster, there is a lot of interest in and excitement to play softball, which is a great position in which to start,” Wilkinson said.  

Ricky Cleghorn

The 2023 Sunrise County Farmers Market cycle will be starting up soon on June 17th.  The market will convene every Tuesday for about two hours, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., until sometime in mid-October. 

The venue will be located in downtown Calais at Triangle Park, which is situated right on Main Street, adjacent to the Calais Free Library.

Jayna Smith

[email protected]

This year’s International Homecoming Festival is back, and it promises to be bigger than ever as it celebrates its 50th year.

Having begun in 1974, the festival commemorates the friendship between the two communities of Calais, Maine and St. Stephen, New Brunswick.  Events will be held on both sides of the border from August 2 to August 5.

Jayna Smith

[email protected]

On Saturday, April 8, as it has done for many years, the Calais Fire Association hosted its annual Easter Egg Hunt at the fire station.

Children had a chance to meet with the Easter Bunny himself, as well as take part in an egg hunt at the station.

Kids taking part in the hunt were assigned a number, then were tasked with finding four eggs with that number.  The eggs were hidden in and around the fire trucks.  

Jon Reisman

The Powersport Equipment and Small Engine Technician certificate program has been offered at WCCC for around a decade.  Greg Johnson is the program instructor.  WCCC trains students as professional entry level outdoor power propulsion and small engine technicians through a combination of theory and hands-on experience. 

Jayna Smith

[email protected]

City Manager Mike Ellis began the April 13, 2023 Calais City Council meeting by congratulating Parks & Recreation Director Craig Morrison, who was recently recognized by the Maine Recreation and Parks Association as its member of the month.  

Ellis also recognized the Calais Fire Department and thanked them for its successful Easter egg hunt.  The event, he said, brought in around 200 children.

Jayna Smith

[email protected]

The Town of St. Stephen is struggling with an increase in theft and vandalism, and its chamber of commerce is taking action.

The St. Stephen Area Chamber of Commerce met recently to address the concerns.  Chamber president Jason Rideout, in a letter to members, shared that the group’s directors “have formed a course of action…that will start immediately.”

Jayna Smith

[email protected]

Washington County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of criminal threatening in Calais on Sunday, April 16, which then led to three arrests for drug-related crimes.

According to the sheriff’s office, “In the course of this investigation, deputies developed probable cause to believe that a drug trafficking operation was being conducted from a residence on Lafayette Street.”

First National Bank recently announced that it has made donations totaling $25,000 to organizations fighting food insecurity including thirty food pantries in the bank’s market area. “First National Bank is grateful for the critical services that our food pantries provide to our neighbors in need,” remarked Tony C. McKim, President and CEO. “As a Maine community bank, it is our goal to respond to the needs of these vital organizations that serve and help families put food on the table.”  

Jon Reisman

Recent angst over Artificial Intelligence (AI) brought to mind technology, dystopian forecasts, apocalyptic fearmongering and mythology, both ancient Greek and modern American.

Ricky Cleghorn

Washington Place, the assisted living facility located at 40 Palmer Street in Calais, was acquired by DLTC Healthcare from the previous owner, First Atlantic Healthcare, on March 1st, 2023. 

This change in ownership is accompanied by a change in the name of the facility. The residence is now called Wellmore Point.

Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Work in the Maine Mineral & Gem Society laboratory is much heavier this week after throngs of treasure hunters have descended on Washington County, hoping to find a piece of the bolide meteor that streaked across the midday sky on Saturday, April 8.

 Now those hunters are delivering their finds to the museum for analysis.