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COUNTY SEAT WEEKLY In this issue OASTAL news ALL THE HOME NEWS SERVING WASHINGTON COUNTY CITIZENS & BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 160 YEARS Follow us on Twitter Since 1852 • Vol. 163 • No. 223 Machias, Maine • January 20, 2016 facebook.com/machiasnews $1.00 Crisis-Driven Drug Bill Braves Divided Legislative Front by Ruth Leubecker Staggered support hinging on and acquiring and manning uncertain funding and ongoing treatment facilities. political hurdles marks key “We have a very serious legislation designed to curb problem. The bill won’t solve Maine’s addiction epidemic. the problem, but it will help,” From the onset the state’s opioid said Sen. Paul Davis on the and heroin crisis has spawned a weekend. “The governor is heated response. Mostly the concerned about how it’s going legislature has balked at feeling to be paid for, and who gets to rushed to fast-track a bill before it do the treatment. I do think it can be systematically vetted. As will pass though, whether the it stands, the proposal seeks to governor vetoes it or not.” spend $2.4 million in hiring and Davis, who lives in Sangerville, training 10 new investigators and chairs the Inland Fisheries and another $2.4 million in raising Wildlife committee, and is term- awareness through education (Drug Bill pg 5) “Beloved Community” Thrives in Machias Healthy Acadia Americorp volunteers and event organizers Gretchen Swain, Paige Utterback and Kiel Darling serve up supper to guests Sue Bushman and Bill White. See story on page 4. Bank Gives $250K to Launch ER Campaign by Bill Kitchen Machias Savings Bank constructed over 50 years ago services, and the great jobs the presented Down East Community and has long operated well hospital provides for this region. Hospital with $250,000 last beyond its designed capacity. The emergency department First Snow Friday, marking the official Larry Barker, Machias Savings expansion is a great project, and Downeast man for all seasons Dean McGuire found his launch of the hospital’s capital Bank president and CEO, we’re glad to play a leadership plow was required for this storm. As varying inches of campaign to significantly expand opened the event explaining, role in the fundraising effort, the white powder fell recently, the plows and salt trucks its emergency department. “Making a difference in our both in terms of this contribution emerged from their hibernation. Photo by Bill KItchen The $1.5-million campaign, communities is the reason and the volunteer hours that coupled with a $4-million federal we exist at Machias Savings our team has committed to the loan, will more than double the Bank. Down East Community campaign going forward.” Common Core Wins Legislative Split size of the current emergency Hospital is a tremendous asset by Cat Cannon area, which was originally for both its critical health care (Bank Gives pg 5) Every state in the US has Tuell (representing Cutler, East legally established academic Machias, Eastport, Lubec, Trees Next Obstacle in Airport Expansion standards; Maine was among Machias, Machiasport, Roque by Cat Cannon the first in the union to adopt Bluffs, Trescott Township, and a statewide learning guideline Whiting), the bill intends to The next phase in the journey of Maine emergency medical committee. when its legislature instituted remove Common Core standards to a revitalized Machias crew. A pilot with LifeFlight, Dickson the Maine Learning Results from the learning results system Valley Airport was discussed The airport committee reminded those present that in standards in 1997. at the end of the 2016- 2017 in detail at a meeting of the ultimately intends to rehabilitate the last year, 27 people in the Since then, this educational (Legislative Split pg 5) airport committee on January the airport’s runway in 2018 by Machias Valley area, including code has been updated three 14th. Among members of removing its current materials, four neonatal patients, could not times, most recently in 2011, the committee and interested replacing them, and repaving. be picked up and transported with the inclusion of Common Index parties at the meeting were town Once this is done, the airport can by helicopter due to weather in Core standards. A fourth revision manager Christine Therrien, begin the process of lengthening which their fixed-wing airplane could be on its way, depending Arts & Entertainment . 12-13 town selectman Jim Whalen, the runway in order for jets, could have landed. on the course of legislative Calendar of Events . 11 Before the town can proceed document (LD) 1492. Shane McDougall of the Stantec most importantly a LifeFlight Church Services . 18 engineering firm and, by phone, fixed-wing aircraft, to land. This on any other improvement As presented to the Education Josh Dickson of the LifeFlight is a crucial goal for the airport and Cultural Affairs Committee Classifieds . .23 (Airport Expansion pg 5) on January 11 by Rep. Will Coastal News . .14-15 Community . .8-9 Swain Seeks to Build Bridges, Forge Partnerships Guest Voice . 6 by Ruth Leubecker Help Wanted . 22 We meet/beat ANY competitor’s ad price! “We need to keep education fall of 1987 as a professor of Swain, who has no aspirations Legals/Notices . 23 affordable for Maine citizens,” mathematics. In 2005 he became to stay permanently, also says Obituaries . 19 says Stuart Swain, interim provost and vice president for that no search is presently Sports . 16-17 University of Maine at Machias Academic Affairs. However, underway to fill the position president. “The taxpayers can’t in mid-October he replaced beyond his stay. “The chancellor afford to write a blank check to Joyce Hedlund, also an interim has asked me to serve into the the university.” president, when Hedlund summer,” he explains. “As of Check out prattcars.com Swain, new at the UMM stepped down early due to heart this January 1, Kay Kimball US Rt. 1 South, Calais • 207-454-0600 helm, came to Machias in the problems. (Swan Seeks pg 4) 2 MACHIAS VALLEY NEWS OBSERVER - January 20, 2016 UMaine Extension Offers Beekeeping Course Washington County Weekly A five-session University of a chapter of the Maine State Published Since 1852 Maine Cooperative Extension Beekeepers Association. beginning beekeeping course Classes will be held in Room Telephone Numbers: (207) 255-6561 will be held on Thursdays, Feb. 102, Science Building, 116 Fax: (207) 255-4058 18-March 17, 6:30-8:30 p.m., O’Brien Ave. at the University of Maine at Course fee is $60 per person, Free Community Supper Website: Machias. or per couple if willing to www.machiasnews.com Spaghetti is on the menu at this month’s free community supper at Email: Master Beekeeper Andrew share materials. Enrollment Centre Street Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in [email protected] Dewey will teach the course, is limited to 30 people. The Machias. Chef Don Green and a crew of the church’s young people including such topics as the registration deadline is Feb. will be preparing and serving the meal, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Advertisements, Subscriptions, and honeybee colony, constructing 11. To register, and for more Payments must be mailed to this Saturday, January 23. As always, everyone is welcome. For Post Office Box 357 hives, seasonal management, information, visit umaine. more information, call the church at 255-6665. USPS 323-940 pests and diseases and honey edu/washington/programs/ production. On a field lab, introduction-to-beekeeping- Online subscriptions can be placed by credit card at participants will visit a local course or email tara.a.wood@ Kaci Alley wins First in the State www.machiasnews.com hive for observation and hands- maine.edu. To request a Each year more than 125,000 on experience. Class graduates disability accommodation, call Published weekly on Wednesday, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students the Machias Valley News Observer. will become members of the 1.800.287.1542 (in state) or write essays to enter the Patriot’s 41 Broadway (PO Box 357) Washington County Beekeepers, 207.255.3345. Pen contest sponsored by the Machias, Maine 04654 Veterans’ of Foreign Wars. There are winners at each local Printed at The Ellsworth American Machias Historical Society Meeting Post, who then compete with Ellsworth, Maine other Posts in their District of A business meeting for the Machias Historical Society will be each state. Each District winner Postmaster held at 6 p.m. on Thurs., Jan. 21st in the Emergency Management Send address changes to the then competes with all the VFW Machias Valley News Observer Board Room at 28 Centre Street in Machias. Districts in their state. PO Box 357, Machias, Items included on the agenda will include a discussion of plans Maine’s District winners were Maine 04654 Margaretta Days Festival to be held on June 11th at the University Periodicals Postage Paid at Machias, ME honored at the annual banquet her a labor rate of $325.00 per of Maine at Machias and plans for upcoming meeting programs. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - this past Saturday evening. hour. Anyone interested in any or all of these projects or in furthering During that banquet it was With that money already Publisher the history of the Machias area is invited to attend. announced that Kaci Alley, in the bank for college she THE CALAIS ADVERTISER, INC. Jonesport Elementary, has been is now automatically entered Editor/Reporter awarded FIRST PLACE for the in the national contest with RUTH LEUBECKER entire state of Maine! the potential award of another [email protected] Her parents, Bobbie and $5,000.00! Advertising Sales Troy, were in attendance. After Let’s all give our congratulations LESLIE MCCOLLUM reading her essay Kaci received to Kaci, her parents, and her [email protected] a standing ovation from the teachers for such an excellent Graphic Designer entire audience.
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