Jayna Smith
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A new store has filled a space downtown, and its owners say they are looking forward to serving the community.  

The White Birch Exchange, at 345 Main Street in the former Urban Moose building, opened its doors last week.  

Owners Craig Bruce and Michael Novack are no strangers to border-town business, having recently moved from Windsor, Ontario, directly across the river from Detroit, Michigan where their online business was based.  

Jayna Smith
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Emergency crews from Calais and surrounding towns battled a structure fire Sunday night that destroyed a downtown business.  
The call for the fire at The Roost Pub, 445 Main Street, Calais came in just before 9 p.m., Calais Fire Chief Ken Clark said.

According to owner Carl Bailey, eight apartments in the three-story building were occupied by tenants.  Some were not home when the fire broke out, and those who were escaped without injury.  

Jayna Smith
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Access to broadband internet has been a hot topic nationwide, especially in rural areas, for a few years, however, the City of Calais and the Town of Baileyville–and now some surrounding towns–are ahead of the game with Downeast Broadband Utility (DBU).  

Sarah Craighead Dedmon

The road to becoming a Maine Game Warden drives new recruits through 14 weeks of training and into five regions of Maine, too, including Machias where last month trainees practiced crime scene management during a storm that dropped five inches of rain in a single day.

Jayna Smith
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Volunteers at the Calais Skatepark worked diligently this past weekend to construct a new mini ramp, all made possible through the Brendan Leddy Memorial Fund.

The park already included several q-pipes, along with starter ramps and others.  The addition of this new ramp is the first mini ramp for the park.  

“This provides entry-level riders a place to progress at a much faster rate,” said skatepark committee member Spencer McCormick.

Saturday night’s annual Amphibian Walk at Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge, despite cool temperatures in the mid 40s, saw 84 participants.  Each learned about and searched for salamanders, frogs, and other critters in the refuge’s vernal pools and impoundments.  (Photos by Tomi Ellsmore and FWS Volunteer Tabitha Ramos)

Jayna Smith
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For the second time in a year, the wooden bench installed at the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge’s public fishing platform has been vandalized.  The platform is located just off the Charlotte Road.

According to Keith Ramos, manager at the refuge, the bench, which was fastened to the platform, was thrown into the stream.  “It sure took some effort from the individual or individuals that committed the vandalism,” he shared to social media.

Jayna Smith
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Calais residents received in the mail last week a drinking water notice indicating the level of trihalomethanes (TTHM) in the City of Calais’s drinking water exceeds federal drinking water standard.

The city’s notice reported that water testing done recently found the high level of TTHM to be 81.2 parts per billion.  “This is above the maximum contaminant level allowed for total trihalomethanes in drinking water which is 80 parts per billion,” the notice read.

First National Bank recently announced a $3,000 donation to the Community Caring Collaborative towards The Joy Fund.

Established in March 2022, The Joy Fund assists first-time home buyers in Washington County make the transition to homeownership by providing funds for home inspections related to a home purchase.  Georgiana (Georgie) Kendall, a 5th generation Downeaster, started this fund to support folks who would like to live, work and play here in Washington County.

Jayna Smith
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Since 1999, the Calais Skatepark Committee has worked hard on its park with upgrades and upkeep, as well as hosting many events for the area’s skaters and BMX riders.  Now, the group, through the Brendan Leddy Memorial Fund, is ready to add a mini ramp.

The park already includes several q-pipes, along with starter ramps and others.  The addition of the new ramp, according to committee member Nate Gardner, is the first mini ramp for the park.  

The Daughters of Isabella Circle #871 of St. Joseph Church in Eastport wanted to help the innocent in Ukraine but like many, weren’t sure what they could do.
“An idea was brought forward by member Dawn Noonan,” said Kathy Lawrence, vice regent of the circle. “And it was a good one!”

The making and selling of handmade chocolate bunnies and roses (see photos) as a fundraiser, with all of the proceeds going to Catholic Relief Services’ ongoing efforts to assist those in need in Ukraine.

Jayna Smith
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Washington County has been noted as a “hot spot” for both opioid and all overdoses in the State of Maine.  Even more, the state is the leader per capita in opioid and all overdoses in the entire New England region.  Now, to help curb the drug epidemic, a new program is available in Washington County.  

Jayna Smith
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With temperatures warming up and playing fields drying after the snowmelt, high school softball teams are back on the diamond for the 2022 season.  Teams at Calais, Jonesport-Beals, Machias, Narraguagus, Shead, Washington Academy, and Woodland High Schools have been practicing for nearly a month in anticipation of this year’s regular season.
 

Jon Reisman

Justin Day, who served Down East Maine with honor and dignity for more than 50 years, passed away last week. He was 86 years old.
Justin served as the First Selectman of Cooper for many years. He was also the primary assessor, land surveyor, a major land owner and blueberry grower, and the link between the Town and County and State government.

Barbara Barnett, Executive Director of Down East Hospice Volunteers receives a sponsorship donation from Ian Pratt of Pratt Chevrolet for the 31st annual Cobscook Bay Race taking place on June 5, 2022 in Pembroke. To donate and or to participate go to www.cobscookbayroadraces.org.  All proceeds go to Down East Hospice Volunteers of Washington County.  Join others in our community and support this signature fund raising event.  (Submitted photo)

Jayna Smith
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Sarah’s House of Maine is a cancer hospitality house located in Holden.  It serves many from all over the state who are receiving treatment, with Washington County residents making up the majority–42 percent.

Kaileigh Deacon

It has been a while since The Calais Callbacks were able to take to the stage with a live audience, but this past weekend, they brought their competition performance to the stage of Calais High School. During the peak of the pandemic, the group was still able to meet and put on a play but were unable to attend their competition or put on a performance for friends and family as they had done in the past.

Jayna Smith
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Moore’s Auto Body has been a fixture at 219 Houlton Road in Baileyville for years.  Now, it has joined in a partnership with DC Automotive, owned by Christien Hooper.

Jon Reisman