Jayna Smith

[email protected]

For around four decades, Calais Free Library has been the proud host of a great Halloween tradition – the Halloween Parade.  This much-anticipated event takes place each year on Halloween day, summoning the town’s young and young at heart to gather at the library for the 3:30 p.m. start time for a trek across Main Street.

Gizmo has found himself in an eerie setting on Swan Sweet, surrounded by Chuckie and a plethora of spooky elements.  A black cat, ghostly apparitions, and skeletons complete the scene, setting the perfect atmosphere for a night of Halloween adventures.  (Photo by Jayna Smith)

Taken from Sandra Smith's Princeton news column:

Unfortunately on Saturday, Parks & Rec. had to cancel their Touch-a-Truck event due to predictions of heavy rain and wind. However, the Princeton Fire Association was able to have their chicken barbecue dinner. Also the Potter family brought their cider press and everyone had an opportunity to try old-fashioned cider. Lakeside Lemonade was there as well. The dinner was a great success and was sold out by 5:30. The lucky winner of the joker board was Jan Campbell.

Jayna Smith

[email protected]

The athletes of Calais High School’s cross country team, under the guidance of Coach Chrissy O’Rourke, have been making their mark in recent races, showcasing their dedication and determination.

Jon Reisman

Jayna Smith

[email protected]

Woodland Pulp is finding itself in the midst of another labor strike, marking the second time in a year that its workforce has raised a banner of protest. The strike, which involves a coalition of workers from multiple unions, poses a significant challenge to the company’s operations.

Will Tuell

This fall, Maine kids will have twice as much time to hunt deer, thanks to a new state law the Legislature passed earlier this year. Under the bill, youths will be able to hunt Friday, Oct. 20 and Saturday, Oct. 21, the traditional youth deer day which takes place a week before all Maine residents with deer hunting licenses can take to the woods. 

The premise of the new law is simple -- give young hunters an extra day and they may stick with hunting as they grow older. 

Jayna Smith

[email protected]

On October 12, 2023, the Calais City Council met for its regular meeting, with Mayor Artie Mingo presiding over Councilors Kevin Niles, Mike Sherrard, Marcia Rogers, and James Macdonald.  Councilors Mark Carr and Ellery Beale were absent from the meeting.

What follows is a brief summary of the meeting, with the full meeting available for viewing on the City of Calais’s Facebook page.

Jayna Smith

[email protected]

In a display of community spirit and generosity, the 2023 Turkey-a-Thon event, held on Friday, October 6, proved impressive once again.  The event brought together local residents, schools, businesses, and organizations to make a significant impact on the lives of those facing food insecurity.

On June 23, 2023, Justis Smith, SLP-CCC, was awarded the honor of Maine State Special Education Professional of the Year by MADSEC (Maine Administrators of Services for Children with Disabilities) at a ceremony in Bar Harbor at the Annual MADSEC Spring Conference. Smith was nominated by Maine Indian Education Special Education Director Krista Vining. 

Jayna Smith

[email protected]

With the colder temperatures upon us, those in need of a winter coat can get one at no charge from the Calais Thrift Store.  Stop in to speak with a volunteer for details.  If you would like to donate items to the thrift store, be sure the items are clean, only gently used, and in good condition.

Paul Sylvain

Washington County’s Buildings and Grounds Department crew might truly be the unsung heroes in county government. Much of what they do is unseen by the public. But out of sight, doesn’t necessarily mean they’re out of mind, especially for their boss, County Manager Renee Gray, who oversees the county’s seven buildings and is deep in the throes of juggling office space. 

By Paul Sylvain

Downeast Maine is known for its sometimes unyielding coastal fog and Saturday dawned with a thick veil of it shrouding Eastport’s downtown pier and waterfront. In other words, it was a perfect day for commissioning a Navy ship.

The cool, raw, foggy morning also failed to deter a large crowd of spectators from coming out to witness the tradition-filled, hour-long event on Sept. 30.

Jayna Smith

[email protected]

In a transition from the high school playing fields to the college-level competition, three talented local athletes have donned the University of Maine at Presque Isle Owls baseball jerseys and another a softball jersey, bringing their skill and dedication to the next level.

Maddison Mae-Lynn White, 6, a first grader at Princeton Elementary School, was recently crowned Miss Aroostook Princess 2024.

Aside from one of her biggest passions - pageantry - Maddison enjoys spending her time volunteering in her community as much as possible and recently held a school-supply drive, collected “cookies for my heroes,” collected donations for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maine, participated in local Veterans Day flag placements, and made valentines for her local nursing homes and veterans, among other activities. 

Jayna Smith

[email protected] 

In a great display of skill and determination, the cross country team from Calais High School left its mark at the Seacoast Invitational Race held at Sumner High School on Saturday, September 23.

Senior Bailey O’Rourke clinched a fifth place finish on the girls’ side.

For the boys, sophomore Philip Bassett secured an impressive ninth place finish, while senior Keegan Trainor claimed the 15th position.  

Jon Reisman

If you think area chambers of commerce, prominent banking institutions, and government-supported nonprofits such as the Sunrise Economic Council are doing everything they can to defend Washington County’s way of life based on America’s founding principles, think again.

Joe McBrine

Ashley Handzlik wants her child’s dreams to come true.  That’s why she contacted Game Warden Matthew Tenan to see if her son Connor could spend some time with him to see what being a game warden is all about.

Connor Haskins dreams of becoming a game warden.  He knows game wardens do search and rescue. He remembers getting lost in the Maine woods as a young child and that game wardens came to look for him.  He just wanted to talk to a real warden to ask about a typical day on the job.

Jayna Smith

[email protected]

On a sunny Sunday that could not have been more perfect for car enthusiasts, Clyde’s Classic Car Show returned for the third year at C&E Feeds this past weekend.  The event drew a large crowd to view the near-100 classic cars that converged to create a vibrant automotive spectacle.

Jayna Smith

[email protected]

This year, on Saturday, October 7, “parade day” of Octoberfest, the parking lot of Woodland High School will once again be transformed into a gleaming showcase of classic automobiles, trucks, and motorcycles.  But this time, there’s a poignant twist—the event has been renamed The Pam Oakes Memorial Car Show in honor of a beloved Baileyville resident, Pam Oakes, who dedicated herself to organizing the car show for years.