1. DCP Announces July 17 Opening for Heating Assistance Appointments; Unveils Mobile HEAP Teams

     

    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.

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  2. Calais Cook Wins Blue Ribbon for Grilled Garlic Shrimp in Foil

     

    Home cook Daune (pronounced "dawn") Browne has been awarded a Blue Ribbon by Just A Pinch Recipes. Browne's "Grilled Garlic Shrimp in Foil" recipe was tested by the Just A Pinch Test Kitchen who released the following testing notes:  “A fabulous way to grill delicious shrimp. The foil pouch helps to steam the shrimp and cooks them quickly. The garlic butter that's also inside the foil pouch infuses into the grilled shrimp. Easy to prepare, serve the delicious shrimp with rice and a fresh vegetable for a lovely dinner.”

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  3. Baileyville Annual Town Meeting

     

    Natalie Boomer

    [email protected]

    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.

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  4. Equal Protection Redemption: SCOTUS Revives the 1st and 14th Amendments

     

    Jon Reisman

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  5. Eastport Veteran Honored by USS Oscar Austin Crew

     

    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)

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  6. Children Experience an Out-of-this-World Event with Vacation Bible Camp

     

    Jayna Smith

    [email protected]

    There was lots of celebrating at Immaculate Conception Church in Calais last week when around 35 children took part in this year’s fun-filled vacation bible school.  

    For three consecutive days, local children kept busy with activities that incorporated music, arts, science, drama, and more all into learning and all centered around the theme Stellar VBS:  Shine Jesus’ Light.

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  7. Maine’s Opioid Response Director Speaks to Sunrise Senior College in Machias

     

    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.

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  8. 50th International Homecoming Festival Under a Month Away

     

    Jayna Smith

    [email protected]

    The handful of volunteers who make up the International Homecoming Festival committee have been planning since January for the 50th annual celebration.  This year’s festival is slated for Wednesday, August 2 through Saturday, August 5 with the first  “international” parade set to be held since pre-pandemic times. 

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  9. Meet Renée Gray, the New County Manager Succeeding Fitzgerald

     

    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.

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  10. Legacy Square Garden

     

    Work began last week on the Legacy Square Garden in Princeton. Pictured are Miriam Pippin and Eli and Jacob with Sharon Norman. (Facebook photo)

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  11. What's Up, Calais?

     

    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.

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  12. Birthday Veracity

     

    Jon Reisman

    Some random and not so random notes and rants for America’s Birthday:

    -July 4th, 2023 marks our 247th birthday, not our 404th. Hannah Nicole-Jones, the New York Times and the Pulitzer Prize committee are lying leftist scum, and their hate America project should be recognized as Marxist revisionist propaganda. 

    -Republican Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is a fearless populist-capitalist without Trump’s braggadocio and baggage. Viva Vivek’s 10 Truths:

    • God is real.

    • There are two genders.

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  13. Independence Day Fireworks Shows, Parades, and More Fun

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  14. Miriam Libby Celebrates 90th Birthday

     

    Miriam Libby, of Baileyville, turned 90 years of age June 16. 

    Miriam’s son David came from Needham, MA last Friday and hosted a birthday party for her at Woodland Baptist Church on Saturday, June 14 with about 40 people attending. Helping in many ways was Miriam’s niece Cheryl from Rhode Island and her nephew Ken Neal and wife Marie from Topsham, whom David had asked to help him. Some from the church also helped in various ways. 

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  15. It’s a Hot Lunch Summer in Washington County

     

    Natalie Boomer

    [email protected]

    The Maine Department of Education is back with the return of the state’s summer food service program, Hot Lunch Summer!

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides children ages 18 and under with healthy meals throughout the summer months at no cost. 

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  16. CHS Senior 1 of 4 Downeast Students Selected for Fully-Funded, Four-Year Scholarship

     

    Maine Seacoast Mission has selected four students from Washington and Hancock Counties to award the Davis Maine Scholarship. Through a partnership with Andrew Davis and the Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund, the Davis Maine Scholarship ensures first-generation, college-bound students living in the Downeast region of Maine can complete a four-year undergraduate degree without financial burden. 

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  17. School Trip to Grocery Store Teaches Young Students Life Skills

     

    Jayna Smith

    [email protected]

    When one thinks of summer school, field trips and cupcakes surely may not come to mind.  For kids at Woodland Elementary School, however, a field trip to Calais IGA earned them cupcakes to decorate right in the store, but it didn’t come without some hard work first.

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  18. County Commissioners Select Davis-Gray as New County Manager

     

    Will Tuell

    At their June 23 meeting, Washington County Commissioners Vinton Cassidy (R-Calais), John Crowley Sr. (R-Addison), and Chris Gardner (R-Edmunds) have selected Lubec Town Manager Renée Davis Gray as their new county manager beginning in January 2024. In the meantime, Davis Gray will serve as Deputy County Manager, working under longtime manager Betsy Fitzgerald who announced earlier this year that she would be scaling back her duties over the summer with the goal of retiring by year’s end. 

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  19. Woodland Baseball Standouts Play in State Senior All-Star Game

     

    Jayna Smith

    [email protected]

    Two local athletes played last week in the 2023 Class C/D North vs. South Senior Baseball Game, which took place on Thursday, June 22 at St. Joseph’s College in Standish. 

    Shane McIver and Braden Richard, both recent graduates of Woodland High School, were among those invited in a trio of games at the college.  The games included the Class C/D Senior All-Star Game, the Class A/B Senior All-Star Game, and an underclassmen game.

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  20. Bigfoot’s Activity Center Opens in Baileyville

     

    Natalie Boomer

    [email protected]

    Folks of Washington County celebrated the grand opening of Bigfoot’s Activity Center in Baileyville on Sunday, June 18th.

    “The grand opening was a huge success. No rain or cool temps was going to stop us. We had a great time welcoming patrons to the center to have fun,” said co-owner Kati Grass. 

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  21. Famous Blueberry-Shaped Building Opening Doors for 2023 Season

     

    The famous blueberry-blue dome in Downeast Maine, home to the beloved Wild Blueberry Land bakery and gift shop for over 20 years, will open this summer as the Wild Blueberry Heritage Center on June 29th. Guests will be able to shop wild blueberry themed items, purchase wild blueberry baked goods, and learn about the tiny but mighty wild fruit from exciting exhibits.

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  22. Pine Tree Power and The President’s Analyst: Climate Alarmist Plot

     

    Jon Reisman

    When I was a kid, Bell Telephone (or Ma Bell), had a near total monopoly on telephone service and equipment. You could have any kind of phone you wanted, as long as it was a rotary dial black number, and you had to rent, not buy, it from Ma Bell. The phone company was a convenient and reviled villain.

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  23. City of Calais Welcomes Downeast Community Partners Office at City Building

     

    Jayna Smith

    [email protected]

    Obtaining social services for those in the greater-Calais area just got a lot easier, thanks to a collaboration between the City of Calais and Downeast Community Partners.

    Last Friday, June 16, a ribbon cutting was held at the Calais City Building to officially mark the newest location for DCP, now with offices located upstairs in the city building on Church Street.  

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  24. CHS Boys Tennis are Northern Maine Runners Up

     

    Jeremy Turner Named PVC Player of the Year

    On the boys side, the Calais tennis team navigated through a very tough schedule and finished the regular season at 12-0.  This led them to the number two seed heading into the playoffs.

    After playoff victories over Madawaska and Washington Academy, the boys earned the right to play in the Northern Maine Class C Championship at Bates College in Lewiston against an undefeated top-seeded Orono team.

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  25. Maine Osteopathic Association Honors Maine D.O.s at Annual Convention

     

    The Maine Osteopathic Association (MOA) held its 112th Annual Convention at the Samoset Resort in Rockport June 2-4.  During the convention, the association also held its Annual Awards Luncheon to honor the contributions of osteopathic physicians in Maine.

    MOA 2023 award recipients were as follows:  

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  26. Vibe Fitness to Open in Next Month in Calais

    Natalie Boomer

    [email protected]

    Mikayla Beers, of Baileyville, announced in early June that she will be opening up her a fitness studio on North Street in Calais. 

    According to Beers, Vibe Fitness is “a safe space to work on your health and fitness goals without fear or judgment, a space where you can ask for guidance when you feel lost, a space where you can feel free to be your beautiful self, a space for you to feel comfortable, empowered and just vibe.”

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  27. ARRL Field Day this Weekend

     

    Ham radio operators from the St. Croix Valley Amateur Radio Club will be participating in a national amateur radio exercise from 2 p.m. on Saturday until 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 25 – 26. This year's event will be taking place at the Alexander Elementary School grounds, 1430 Airline Road, Alexander. 

    The event is ARRL Field Day (www.arrl.org/FieldDay), an annual amateur radio activity organized since 1933 by ARRL, the National Association for Amateur Radio in the United States.

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  28. WES Students Collaborate with Maine Composer

     

    Woodland Elementary School recently performed their Annual Spring Concert. 

    The gymnasium was filled to capacity as the Beginner Band, Chorus, and Advanced Band showcased their talents. Of special note, the chorus presented a piece entItled “Mother Maine,” which was written by Maine composer Lee Southard. 

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  29. Calais Rec. Dept. Junior High Team Honored

     

    The eighth graders who played on the recreation department’s junior high softball team were recently honored. The coaches said the team had a great season and will be a positive addition to the high school team next year.  Pictured are (front) Sarah Wentworth, MacKenzie Smith, Destiny Holmes, Sadye Cottrell, (back) Coach Crystal McLellan, Hayden Sabattus, Chole Milburn, Trinity Newell, Kaci Small, Coach Joey Craig and Craig Morrison. (Submitted photo)

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  30. Pirates T-Ball

     

    T-Ball through Calais Little League recently wrapped up the season.  Pictured here are team members of the Pirates: Coach Jeremy Willson, Aubree Curtis, Jovie Willson, Charlotte Fullerton, Kensley Fullerton, Ellory Ramsdell, Carson McIver, Kinslee Occhiogrosso, and Coach Brittany Occhiogrosso. Not pictured is Olivia Korasadowicz. (Submitted photo)

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  31. New Sign to Celebrate the Women of GLS

     

    The screen house has just received its new sign celebrating the Women of Grand Lake Stream.  The sign was designed and made by Jane Devereux, a member of the Women to Women Group. (Photo submitted by  Susan Whitely)

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  32. Public Meeting Held for New Land Port of Entry at Ferry Point

     

    Chloe Bernardini

    On Tuesday, June 13, a meeting regarding the possibility of updating the Calais Ferry Point Land Port of Entry was held at the Wabanaki Cultural Center.

    The meeting was held to “gather comments from the public while also informing them about the process,” said Paul Hughes, Regional Public Affairs Officer for U.S. General Service Administration.

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  33. Feedback

     

    Jon Reisman

    I do not get (or give) a huge amount of feedback, but I appreciate it. Criticisms, praise and suggestions are delivered via e-mail, snail mail, in grocery store aisles and by the side of the road. Praise is good for the ego, but criticism is better for the product For fifty years, the Beatles and The Prince have both battled and stayed with me. Niccolo Machiavelli counselled that it is better to be feared than loved; John Lennon countered that all you need is love.

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  34. Get Ready to Make a Splash: City Pool Set to Open Next Week

     

    Jayna Smith

    [email protected]

    An official sign of summer is the opening of the city’s Howard Fox Memorial Pool, and on Monday, June 19, it is set to open, along with summer day camp set to begin.

    The pool is open seven days a week for both Calais residents and non-residents.  Public swim this year is currently slated for Mondays through Fridays, noon to 5 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to parks and recreation director Craig Morrison.    

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  35. Bowling Tournament Brings Over $2,000 for Kenny Murphy Memorial Fund

     

    Jayna Smith

    [email protected]

    The members of the Spednic Club in Baileyville are well known for giving back to others in the community in times of need and to worthy causes and organizations.  Recently, they did that again with a bowling tournament held to benefit the Kenny J. Murphy Jr. Memorial Fund.  

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  36. New Sign Near School Erected in Memory of Crossing Guard

     

    Jayna Smith

    [email protected]

    A dedication ceremony was held on Friday, June 9, at the crosswalk by Calais Elementary  School.

    According to Calais City Manager Mike Ellis, the location is the area “where John ‘Jack’ Monaghan faithfully volunteered as a crosswalk guard for 26 years, ensuring the safety of thousands of children in the Calais community.”

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  37. New Manager at Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge

     

    Jayna Smith

    [email protected]

    Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge has a new manager.  

    John Magera, along with his wife Karin, moved to the area in January from southeast Texas for the new role.

    While in Texas, Magera served as refuge manager for the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge.  There, he was responsible for more than 10,000 acres of native prairie, a position he held for five years.

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  38. City Explores Development of Dog Park

     

    Jayna Smith

    [email protected]

    The City of Calais is home to numerous outside areas that can be used to benefit people’s physical health, but one thing it lacks is a space for four-legged friends to run free for exercise.  

    For pet owners who prefer to allow their canine companions to run free, a dog park is a perfect place to do so.  A dog park is a public park, typically fenced, where people and their dogs can play and socialize together.  

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  39. Downtown Park Officially Gets New Name

     

    Jayna Smith

    [email protected]

    A community space in downtown Calais officially has a new name.

    At the June 8, 2023 meeting of the Calais City Council, Calais Downtown Revitalization Coalition (CDRC) members Anne Nixon and Chris Niles requested that the park, often referred to as “Triangle Park,” be officially named “Flat Iron Park.”

    The name “Triangle Park” has no historical significance; “Flat Iron,” however, does.

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  40. Calais 8th Grade Trip

     

    The Calais eighth grade class enjoyed their end-of-year trip.  Just some of the activities included a tour of Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts and fun at Canobie Lake Park in New Hampshire. (Submitted photo)

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  41. Bangor Christian Outlasts Woodland in Extra Inning Semi-Final Thriller

     

    Kobe Saunders

    After beating the Fort Fairfield Tigers 8-2 in quarter-final action on Friday, June 9, the three-seed Woodland Dragons were hosted by the number two seed Bangor Christian Patriots in a Class D Northern Maine semi-final baseball game on Saturday at Husson University. 

    The game started off as a pitching duel, as Woodland pitcher and DAC Player of the Year Evan Curtis and Patriots pitcher Cole Payne would not allow a single hit until the later innings.

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  42. Students Take Part in STEM Activities through Institute for Curious Youth

     

    Last week June 5 to 9, the Institute for Curious Youth (ICY) was held at Washington County Community College (WCCC).  More than 20 students from Indian Township took part in the five-day event. Students participated in hands-on activities focused on sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). 

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  43. CCH Introduces New 3D Mammography Machine

     

    A new, state-of-the-art Senographe Pristina 3D mammography machine is the most recent addition to the Calais Community Hospital radiology department.

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  44. Kilowatt Killers II

     

    Jon Reisman

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  45. Woodland High School Sends off 33 at Graduation

     

    Jayna Smith

    [email protected]

    Graduation for the Woodland High School Class of 2023 was held Saturday morning, June 3, in front of a full gymnasium.  The 33 graduates marched to their seats, led by Class President Braden Richard, to the traditional “Pomp and Circumstances,” in front of faculty and staff, friends and family, and other members of the community.

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