PAWS Brave Hearts staff member Gillian and resident kitty Orange Cakes recently participated in Calais Free Library’s summer reading program.  The children learned about how cats make it to PAWS and they had wonderful ideas about how to make them feel loved, safe and comfortable when they arrive. (PAWS Brave Hearts photo)

Chloe Bernardini

On Thursday, July 20th, Marcia Rogers, Mark Carr, James MacDonald, and Arthur Mingo of the Calais City Council met with Calais School Department Superintendent Mary Ann Spearin.

The meeting was called to discuss matters such as the Calais Elementary School building project, the principal search for Calais Middle/High School, open teacher positions at the middle school, and Calais Rec. Department transportation.

The tents will soon be up and the ballfield will be bustling with activity in the Washington County village of Grand Lake Stream.  On Saturday and Sunday, July 29th and 30th, more than 50 of the finest folk artists and craftspeople in the northeast and an outstanding line-up of talented musicians will gather for the 27th Annual Grand Lake Stream Folk Art Festival.  

Local organizers have once again put together a full weekend of activities for young and old, with wonderful music, folk art, food, and fun.  The festival runs each day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Jayna Smith

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Police are warning the public and local businesses about “fake” money that has been circulating in the community.

According to Calais Police Department, it responded to a local business last week after the store had received prop/movie money.  

Although the “money” was marked “Movie Prop Use Only,” it did appear very similar to real US currency, the police department noted.

Barbara's International School of Dance recently presented appreciation plaques to Johnson’s True Value and to Border Electric, both of which have always provided trucks for the students and adults to ride on in many parades.  Shown left are Jose and Barbara Lara with David Johnson from Johnson's True Value. Shown right are Jose and Barbara Lara with Sheridan Smith from Border Electric. (Submitted photos)

Jayna Smith

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In a recent meeting of the Calais Economic Development Committee held on July 19, 2023, business owners of The White Birch Exchange Michael Novack and Craig Bruce expressed their concerns over what they feel is a lack of code enforcement of downtown buildings and challenges they face in their own leased location at 345 Main Street, the former Urban Moose building.

Irene Chadbourne Ecumenical Food Pantry received a special visit last week.  Organized by Calais Free Library Librarian Skye Green-Hall, participants toured the pantry with Vice-President Bernadette Farrar to learn how it operates, ask questions, and most importantly, share care packages they had made to donate. ICEFP thanks them for the donation.  Pictured are (back) Lynn Muise with Kelci Muise, Jeff, Deb and Bob Stewart, Bernadette Farrar, Aurora Muise, and Skye Green-Hall, (front) Zoe Ingham, Nora Demmons, and Halle Demmons.  (Photo courtesy of Jessie Tompkins-Howard)

A new sign is on display on the downtown stage.  Created and painted by Hannah Gadway, the sign welcomes all to Flat Iron Park.  (Photo by Jayna Smith)

Anne Black’s “Celebration of Time and Place”, on Friday, August 11, 7 p.m. at Eastport Arts Center, will feature the first time she and her brother Alan and nephew Phillip, from Charlotte, N.C., share the concert stage together. EAC is thrilled for Anne’s return to The Concert Series. Her “Timely Adventure” program was a favorite last summer.

Alan and Phillip will perform short pieces for cello and soprano/alto saxophones, written especially for the father-son duo by Charlotte composer Leonard Mark Lewis.

Jayna Smith

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A Calais family is devastated after items went missing from their home during the packing and loading by a moving company on Sunday, July 23.

Raymond Brown, a biologist at the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge, has accepted a new position in New Jersey with the National Wildlife Refuge.  The employer hired a moving company for Brown and his family.