This Saturday, July 8, swing by Johnson’s True Value between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for a sweet treat from the bake sale happening there.  Proceeds will benefit the Maine Natural History Museum.  You can learn more about the museum by finding it on Facebook or visiting mainenhm.org.  According to its president Roxzanna Montague, the group is in need of some additional volunteers to donate baked goods.  Reach out to her at [email protected] or through the museum's Facebook page for more details.

Nancy Beal

At their June 22 meeting, Washington County commissioners announced that they had offered Renée (Davis) Gray the post of county manager following the impending retirement of Betsy Fitzgerald, the present holder of that office. Gray will vacate the town administrator position in Lubec, where she has worked in one capacity or another since 2002.  She will assume her new duties in Machias tomorrow, July 6.

Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Washington County doesn’t have the highest drug overdose rate in the state of Maine, but it does have the poorest overdose survival rate, according to information shared by Maine’s Director of Opioid Response, Gordon Smith, speaking last week in Machias.

USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79) arrived in Eastport on Friday to participate in the Independence Day celebrations.  The crew received a warm welcome from the Eastport Port Authority at a community meet and greet on Saturday and was also able to meet and recognize 94-year-old Eastport resident and World War II veteran, Henry Lapa, who served aboard the USS Helena CA-75.  Here, Lapa is rendered honors by the crew. (Photo by LTJG Thomas McGowan)

Natalie Boomer

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On Monday, June 26th, the Baileyville Annual Town Meeting was held at 6 p.m. at Woodland Elementary School. 

Everyone in attendance who participated in the voting on budgeted items for the School Board and for the Town of Baileyville were required to be registered voters within the town.

Downeast Community Partners (DCP) is getting a jump on the heating assistance season this year. “We’re already proactively calling those we served from prior seasons,” notes James Nealey, Director of Energy Services at DCP. “Right now, we’re focusing on our particularly at-risk neighbors and those who were ‘eligible-benefit-determined’ last year and didn’t receive a benefit,” states Jenny Reese Pullen, DCP’s Senior Manager of Energy Services.

Jayna Smith

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Flat Iron Park now has an addition of three picnic tables, thanks to Calais Downtown Revitalization Coalition and the crew from the city’s public works department.

CDRC purchased the picnic tables this past spring as a way to dress up the park, while also providing a convenient space for outside eating.  

The public works department prepared the area next to the statue for the tables and put the tables in place this week.

Barbara’s International School of Dance's float won first place among the parade entries. On the float with students were Little Miss 4th of July Addalyn Sivret and her grandmother Sherry Sivret, Miss Maine Classic Beauty International. (Photo by Natalie Boomer)

Jon Reisman

New exhibits at the Pembroke Historical Society have been getting quite a bit of attention lately. Many people visited the museum following the July 4th parade and on recent Saturdays.

On exhibit this summer is Pembroke Porcelains; Souvenirs from a Time Gone By. The exhibit draws attention to the history of buildings in Pembroke, some still standing and some long gone, by displaying decorative early 20th century souvenir cups, plates and candy dishes with images of local buildings.

Jayna Smith

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In the days leading up to the International Homecoming Festival, an American flag and a Canadian flag will be hung from Ferry Point Bridge, just in time for the Opening Ceremony that is set to take place on Wednesday, August 2.

Marking the official start of the 50th Annual International Homecoming Festival, the Opening Ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m.

PAWS Brave Hearts staff member Gillian and resident kitty Orange Cakes recently participated in Calais Free Library’s summer reading program.  The children learned about how cats make it to PAWS and they had wonderful ideas about how to make them feel loved, safe and comfortable when they arrive. (PAWS Brave Hearts photo)

Rebekah Guiltner is leading a reading program at the Lincoln Memorial Library in Dennysville on Tuesdays this summer in Dennysville.  Stories, crafts, snacks and other special activities are being presented to children going into grades K through 3 from 9 to 11 a.m. in the morning, and older children in grades 4 through 6 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the afternoon.  The program is free, and parents should call Rebekah Guiltner at 454-7932, or email [email protected]  from more information.

The tents will soon be up and the ballfield will be bustling with activity in the Washington County village of Grand Lake Stream.  On Saturday and Sunday, July 29th and 30th, more than 50 of the finest folk artists and craftspeople in the northeast and an outstanding line-up of talented musicians will gather for the 27th Annual Grand Lake Stream Folk Art Festival.  

Local organizers have once again put together a full weekend of activities for young and old, with wonderful music, folk art, food, and fun.  The festival runs each day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

By Will Tuell

Maine Game Warden Joe McBrine got quite the shock recently when he was named Officer of the Year at the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association (NAWEOA) annual conference in Provo, Utah. McBrine, who has served as a game warden for nearly thirty years – most of it here in Washington County -- said that he “choked up” when the 9,000-member organization of fish and game officers from the United States and Canada called his name July 10.

Irene Chadbourne Ecumenical Food Pantry received a special visit last week.  Organized by Calais Free Library Librarian Skye Green-Hall, participants toured the pantry with Vice-President Bernadette Farrar to learn how it operates, ask questions, and most importantly, share care packages they had made to donate. ICEFP thanks them for the donation.  Pictured are (back) Lynn Muise with Kelci Muise, Jeff, Deb and Bob Stewart, Bernadette Farrar, Aurora Muise, and Skye Green-Hall, (front) Zoe Ingham, Nora Demmons, and Halle Demmons.  (Photo courtesy of Jessie Tompkins-Howard)