June 11 was a perfect weather day for the Rhubarb Festival, with eager volunteers; 325+/- attendees; local and live music; obstacle course and games; a critter petting area; sold-out food vendors; brilliant teachers of everything-to-know-about-rhubarb; a tasting table and competition cooks; a 1950 Ford truck that matched the art on the poster, the truck by Katie McPhee, and poster by AHD designs, Giclee printmaking with rhubarb leaves and amazing art teacher Bobbi Tardif; and more.  (Kendall Farm Cottages & Event Barn photo) 

Down East Community Hospital and Calais Community Hospital’s annual meeting of the corporators took place via Zoom on Thursday, June 22, 2022.

Jayna Smith
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Jake Chambers, who, with his wife Rhonda, has owned Adult Family Care Homes of Maine since 1999, recently announced that ownership of the facilities will soon be transferred to Edward Sedacca and Christa Means, co-founders of Magnolia Assisted Living in Texas and owners of other such homes in Pennsylvania.

Jayna Smith
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The first of eight new school buses has arrived bearing the Calais School Department name, the first time in years.

Last fall, the school department was notified of the contracted bus company’s withdrawal from Calais when the agreement ended after the 2021-22 school year.  This decision came after the bus company, First Student, was purchased, and the new company deciding not to operate in the Calais area.

Jayna Smith
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The Calais Fire Association is excited for the Fourth of July games to return this year.

For years, the association has hosted the activities at the Dicenzo Athletic Complex on the morning of Independence Day, and such will be the case again this year.  

Natalie Boomer
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A new natural history museum is in the works.  Various residents of Washington County have been volunteering their time to create a fun, new educational experience for local students and lifelong learners in the area.

Jayna Smith
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Immaculate Conception Church in Calais was bustling with activity and much energy last week with its fun-filled vacation bible school, themed Monumental: Celebrating God’s Greatness.  

Jayna Smith
[email protected]

The small town of Vanceboro, Maine, population around 150, and many from across the border in the neighboring McAdam, New Brunswick area, are fighting back against U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s plan to reduce the operating hours of the border crossing there.

Jayna Smith
jayna@calais

Long-distance runner Shan Riggs has just done something no other is believed to have done.  On Saturday, he arrived in Calais after completing the run of the entire 3,000 East Coast Greenway.

The East Coast Greenway connects 15 states and 450 cities and towns for 3,000 miles from Key West, Florida to Calais, Maine.  

Riggs left Key West on April 16.  He ran more than 40 miles each day to reach Calais on Saturday, July 2.