Jayna Smith

jayna@calais.news

Last year in Maine, 380 lives were lost due to drugs, a 7 percent increase over 354 in 2018.  Of those 380, 84 percent were caused by opioids, nearly always in combination with other drugs or alcohol, according to the Office of the Maine Attorney General.  Although the numbers for each of the two years were a decrease from the 418 in 2017, the opioid crisis continues to be a public health epidemic.  

Jayna Smith

jayna@calais.news

A benefit to help one in need is a big undertaking to plan and execute, but doing so during a pandemic is even more difficult, considering restrictions on gatherings and many guidelines to follow.  For one local woman, recently diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, a friend has thought of an innovative way to host a benefit drive-up Chinese auction.

Jonathan Reisman

Growing up and attending public schools in Philadelphia in the 1960s, I got an up close and personal view of the American founding, race relations, diversity and its discontents.  The Pledge of Allegiance’s promise of “liberty and justice for all” would probably be termed white supremacist systemic racism by today’s mostly peaceful protesters, but in Philadelphia I was taught America was founded in freedom in 1776, not slavery in 1619.

Jayna Smith

jayna@calais.news

A pug is a breed of dog recognizable to most by its short-muzzled, wrinkly face, curled tail, and big, beady black eyes.  This breed brings true friendship to owners through the unconditional love they demonstrate, and for one couple, John and Robin Bouchard, of Robbinston, pugs certainly complete their family.

Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Osprey circled above municipal and state officials gathered where Downeast Correctional Facility’s control center and dormitory number three once stood. Both buildings were demolished earlier this year to make way for the Bucks Harbor prison’s next act as a pre-release center, now on schedule to open in the summer of 2021.

Gilbert O’Brien, known affectionately as Gibby, passed away last week, leaving behind his wonderful wife of 68 years, Louise, their son Bobby and his fiance Stephanie, and numerous friends and family members.  

Gibby made his living driving trucks and was well-known and well-liked in the Calais area and beyond.  In recent years, it was common to see him and his wife Louise taking a trek around town in an antique vehicle, a daily routine for the couple.  

Kaileigh Deacon

For those in the Calais area, there has been a go-to place for flowers for a number of years. Flowers by Janie has been a staple in the Calais community for many special occasions. After a busy 24 years, the little flower shop on the corner of North and Garfield Streets is closing its doors for good. 

CLIV DORE

Perry – Cliv Dore, 78, passed away unexpectedly on August 15, 2020 while at his camp on Dobsie Lake. Cliv was born in Pleasant Point on July 12, 1942, the oldest of twelve children born to Stafford and Dorothy (Altvater) Dore.

Cliv was the patriarch of his family, the mentor and the storyteller.

Newspaper Publisher/Owners Pierre and Wendy Little are very pleased with the excellent paving job done by Certified Paving & Sealcoating at the office at 23 Church Street in Calais.  It was long overdue. They were pleased to be able to support a local business and want to thank the crew of Certified Paving and Sealcoating for their excellent work. (Photos by Wendy Little)

Jayna Smith

jayna@calais.news

High school-aged summer baseball made it’s return to the Calais area this year, with the Downeast Storm team.  Storm finished the regular season in an impressive fourth place in the north division and earned a home playoff game against the fifth-placed Mid Coast (Belfast/Searsport) team.

Jayna Smith

jayna@calais.news

Dale Crafts, Maine 2nd Congressional District Republican candidate on a quest to unseat incumbent Jared Golden, recently gained support from President Donald Trump.  In a tweet, the POTUS said, “Dale Crafts will be a tremendous Congressman for Maine!”  He went on further to share that Crafts is “an experienced businessman” who “knows how to create jobs,” loves our veterans and military, and “will always defend your Second Amendment” rights.  

Jordan Donovan

The Chosen is a first-of-its-kind, multi-season television drama following the life of Jesus depicted through the eyes of his followers and those with whom he interacted. Fabricated, directed and co-written by American filmmaker Dallas Jenkins, it broke the all-time crowdfunding record for a media project, reaching  $10 million from over 16,000 investors for the first season alone. The second season that is still in production has fundraised over $7 million from more than 365,000 investors. 

Downeast Storm baseball, made up of players from Shead, Calais, and Woodland High Schools, includes (front, l to r) Braden Barrett, Brogan Brown, Josh Jordan, Jacob Cook, Ti Bennett, Evan Curtis, Jesse Cook, Cyrus Sewell, (back, l to r) Coach Matt Dana, Head Coach John Sewell, Ryland Sabattus, Tony Dana, Matt Dana, Kobe Saunders, Dylan Damon, Coach Shane Curtis, and Coach Matt Vinson.  The boys finished their regular season play ranked fourth in the northern division of the Maine Independent Baseball League.  They play their quarterfinal game against #5 Mid Coast on Thursday, Aug.

It was certainly an unusual graduation ceremony and not what any of these seniors expected when they started their senior year Last fall. But despite the challenges and changes they have faced over the  course of this year these students handled the changes well and were able to get a ceremony they deserved. (Photo by Kaileigh Deacon) See more photos in this week's paper on the back page!

By Kaileigh Deacon

When many think of saints, the immediate image conjured up is those representations in stained glass portraits hanging in churches or their marble statue counterparts. The idea of a saint seems to be that it was someone who lived so long ago that no one alive would remember them or the reasons they were made saints in the first place; however, that is not the case. The Catholic Church continues to look at candidates for sainthood, or canonization, even today. 

Jayna Smith

jayna@calais.news

For those with a desire to see the world’s largest plane, the chance was there in Bangor on Friday as the Antonov An-225 landed at Bangor International Airport (BIA) just after 1 p.m. 

One young man, four-year-old Gabe Youngblood, grandson to Teresa Kowalski and great-grandson to Sandra Kowalski, both of Calais, got the chance to see the massive plane as it landed. 

By Natalie Boomer

natalie@calais.news

The Down East Border Riders Saddle Club will be hosting a pleasure show on Saturday, August 15th. 

By Jonathan Reisman

This is the summer of our discontent in the annus horribilis of 2020:

* Rioters and arsonists are described as “mostly peaceful protesters.”

* The legacy media is an open and unapologetic arm and mouthpiece of the Democratic Party.

Here came Santa Claus who had gifts for all the kids, including hula hoops that were shared even with some not-so-young “kids.” Everyone enjoyed themselves. Not shown are folks scattered around with chairs and tables, seeking shade. Lovely coolness from the nearby river. Good to do things together, but safely! (Photo submitted by Ann Montgomery)

By Natalie Boomer

natalie@calais.news

The Eastport Area Chamber of Commerce has designed reusable shopping totes made from 100 percent recycled water bottles.

“During the winter when Maine put into law that plastic bags would be banned starting April 1st, I thought the Chamber could design a bag that would promote Eastport using art that the Tides Institute commissioned for the Salmon Festival a few years back,” said Lisa Stephens, of Sweeties Downeast.

Jayna Smith

jayna@calais.news