Kaileigh Deacon

When we hear the word community, we immediately think of a town, but a community is so much more. A community is a group of people who come together to support and encourage each other. Not all communities can be defined by the confines of town limits; some communities stretch far beyond that and that is what the skateboarding community is. The last year has seen a boom in the support for the skateboarding community, especially in the Calais community, as loss strengthened the bond.

Jayna Smith
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The 24th annual Lioness Christmas Parade is set to take place on Friday, December 3, and the club is excited to announce its choice for the 2021 Grand Marshal.

Jayna Smith
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On Monday, November 1, 2021, a COVID-19 testing and vaccination site opened at the Calais Recreation Center.  This site was made possible through a partnership between Department of Health and Human Services and the City of Calais.  

Natalie Boomer
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Fourteen-year-old Kaden Ramos of Baileyville signed a one-year sponsorship with Head Penn Pickleball over the summer.  Upon signing this contact, he agreed to represent their company while playing in tournaments and other pickleball related activities. In return, they would provide him with equipment and gear.

Jon Reisman

Muttley Post-Election Notes
Muttley was a Hanna Barbera animated character, the sidekick/foil of Dick Dastardly. Muttley was infamous for his snickering, rasping laugh, usually unleashed after some Dastardly shenanigans backfired and foiled his plans. I could hear Muttley’s laugh as Terry McCauliffe and his dastardly Democrat campaigning compadres (Obama, Biden, cackling Kamala, Stacey Abrams and the Critical Race Theory (it’s not taught, but it’s awesome!) toting teachers unions crashed and burned in Virginia.

Pierre Little, publisher of the Machias Valley News Observer and The Calais Advertiser this week announced he has purchased a newspaper located in Ozark, Alabama, The Southern Star, the state’s oldest family newspaper.

The Southern Star has been in the Adams family for 154 years, initially begun by Joe Adams’s great grandfather in 1867, when the county seat was located in the town of Newton. When the county seat moved 10 miles away to Ozark, The Southern Star moved, too.

Jayna Smith
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It is that time of year again, when Pratt auto dealership matches food pantry donations, making November a great month to make a contribution to your local food pantry.

Recognizing how great the need is for the pantries in Washington County and in an effort to decrease food insecurity locally, businessman Ian Pratt is again doing a donation-match campaign for the entire month, dollar for dollar up to $5,000, to be split among Washington County food pantries.

Jayna Smith
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Twenty-six Calais High School students, all members of National Honor Society (NHS) and/or student council, took part in the annual Rock-a-Thon event after school on Monday.  

The Heisman Trophy Trust and Acceptance Insurance announced the 2021 school winners for the Heisman High School Scholarship. Woodland Jr./Sr. High School is proud of Joanna Korasadowicz for being selected as a 2021 School Winner.  

Joanna's application is being reviewed by the committee for the opportunity to be the recipient of the $1,000 state scholarship.  

Jayna Smith
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National Civics Day is an opportunity to celebrate civics in a number of ways, one being through community projects.  Students and staff from Washington County Community College recently did just that when they took to the Calais Waterfront Walkway for a clean-up project.

Kaileigh Deacon

Jayna Smith
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Jayna Smith
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Last week, congratulations and best wishes were extended in a Legislative sentiment to Ian and Erika Pratt and the Pratt dealership.  The recognition was sponsored by Senator Marianne Moore and cosponsored by Representative Anne Perry in honor of Pratt’s 25 years in business.

Calais High School’s senior volleyball members were recognized last week for their outstanding contributions to the team.  They include Alexis Doten, daughter of Joni Doten and Troy Doten; Franscesca Lombardo, host daughter of David Sivret; Emma Saunders, daughter of Johnna Fleming and Allen Saunders; and Kendra Stevens, daughter of Katrina Murphy and Ian Stevens.  (Photo courtesy of Brenda Batson)

Jayna Smith
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Bats are often thought of as part of Halloween scares, but they are much more than an image representing the eerie night.  Each October, bats are recognized as part of Bat Appreciation Month.  

Jayna Smith
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Kelly Bartlett grew up believing her grandparents Herbert and Olive (McLean) Bacon of the Calais area had been shot and killed on October 31, 1947.  The alleged incident occurred in Kellyland, near Baileyville.  Bartlett’s mother Jean, daughter of Herbert and Olive, was only six years old at the time of their unfortunate deaths.

Jayna Smith
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CDRC (Calais Downtown Revitalization Coalition) works hard to promote downtown, bringing beautification projects, such as the gardens and hanging flowers, as well as bringing the community together, such as through the summer concert series and other events.  One recent event made possible by CDRC was the annual Harvest Festival.

Jayna Smith
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The Woodland girls’ soccer team posted a 3-3 record over the last two weeks, according to Coach Kris Siering.  This brings the team’s record to 6-4-1 on the season.  

Losses for the Dragons over those two weeks came from Penobscot Valley, Shead, and Bangor Christian High Schools.  Two wins were earned by the Dragons over Narraguagus and another over Lee Academy.  

As their high school soccer careers come to an end, senior members of the Calais High School team were recognized last week.  They include Trinity Jones, daughter of Forrest and Heidi Beal;  Katie Bitar, daughter of Nick and Anne Bitar; Alexis Donahue, daughter of Chris and Peggy Donahue and David Beach and Sarah MacNichol, shown also with sister Kerrigan; and Sage Phillips, daughter of Louis and Tristan Phillips.  (Photo by Jayna Smith)

On October 13, Representative Anne Perry and Senator Marianne Moore presented Down East Hospice Volunteers Executive Director Barb Barnett and Board President Paul Strickland with a Legislative Sentiment. This Sentiment is signed by President of the Senate Troy Jackson, Secretary of the Senate Darek Grant, Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau and Clerk of the House Robert Hunt. It was introduced by Representative Perry and cosponsored by Senator Moore.

Jon Reisman

“Do you want to ban the construction of high-impact electric transmission lines in the Upper Kennebec Region and to require the Legislature to approve all other such projects anywhere in Maine, both retroactively to 2020, and to require the Legislature, retroactively to 2014, to approve by a two-thirds vote such projects using public land?”- Question one on the November Ballot.

Jayna Smith
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Drive-in theaters seem to be a thing of the past, with very few still in operation across the nation and only a handful throughout the state.  In Baileyville, however, the holiday committee has come up with a way to revive the concept with a pop-up drive-in movie theater of sorts.