Calais Downtown Revitalization Coalition members Chris Niles, Anne Nixon, Denise Barker, and Jayna Smith worked to clean the former Urban Moose store to prepare for the upcoming Jolly Junction Holiday Market. The market will showcase local artisans and crafters on weekends leading up to Christmas, offering the perfect stop for unique holiday gifts, handmade crafts, and festive fun. The grand opening of the pop-up shop is slated for Saturday, Nov. 30, at 11 a.m. Follow CDRC - Calais Downtown Revitalization Coalition on Facebook for details. (CDRC photo)

Jayna Smith

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The annual Stuff the Bus event, aimed at making Christmas brighter for disadvantaged children throughout the area, will take place Saturday, Dec. 7, at Calais Walmart and Marden's. As in past years, the local community’s generosity is expected to be great.

Jayna Smith

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The Baileyville Big Stop Restaurant, a long-standing part of the Irving-owned truck stop since the 1980s, will soon transition to an IHOP.

The IHOP franchise, operated by Connecticut-based Great American Real Food Fast, recently expanded its presence in the region with the opening of a new location at the Irving Oil travel plaza in Houlton last month, making it the only IHOP north of Augusta. 

Jayna Smith

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The Calais Lioness Club is gearing up for its 27th Annual Lioness Christmas Parade, a beloved tradition that brings the spirit of the season to downtown Calais. Scheduled for Friday, December 6, the parade will kick off at 6 p.m., drawing crowds from all over the area to enjoy a festive evening of community celebration.

Jayna Smith

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Now through Christmas is the perfect time to donate to your local food pantry at Pratt. The dealership is matching up to $10,000 of all donations for any food pantry across Washington County. Stop in with a check or cash. If you wish for your contribution to go to a specific pantry, be sure to note it; otherwise, donations are split among the pantries.

Jayna Smith

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St. Croix Valley Chamber of Commerce has brought back its popular Loyal to Local Passport initiative, aiming to inspire residents to shop locally and support area businesses during the holiday season. The program, now in its third year, offers participants the chance to win a gift certificate of their choice from Chamber members simply by shopping at participating stores and restaurants. 

Paul Sylvain

The fourth time — or in this case meeting — was a charm for the Washington County Budget Advisory Committee, as its members voted 5-4 on Nov. 21 to approve the heftiest county budget in memory for 2025. 

With that, Budget Committee Chairman and Milbridge Town Manager Lewis Pinkham announced, “I assume we are done,” ending what had been an especially difficult deliberation over the course of four committee meetings in the past two months.

Jayna Smith

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At the Calais City Council's regular meeting, held on November 21, Councilor Marcia Rogers was unanimously appointed to serve as mayor, following the recent vacancy of Artie Mingo, who was elected to Maine’s House District 9.

The meeting was called to order by City Clerk Brad Phillips, with councilors Kevin Niles, Mike Sherrard, Pete Foster, James Macdonald, and Marcia Rogers present and Councilor Billy Quinn absent.

Pratt is hosting its annual donation match campaign to benefit food pantries across the county. Donations made before Christmas will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000. The Calais Lioness Club has already joined in, making its annual $500 donation to the Irene Chadbourne Ecumenical Food Pantry, recognizing the amount will double to $1,000 through the match. Contributions to the Pratt campaign will be distributed among local food pantries or sent directly to the one designated by the donor. Shown with Erika Pratt (center) are Lioness members Cindy O’Brien and Jan Tollison.

Jayna Smith

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In a move highlighting the evolving nature of ministry and community service, People’s United Methodist Church (PUMC) in Baileyville is merging with Calais United Methodist Church (CUMC). While the Baileyville building will no longer serve as a place of worship, the ministry of its congregation will continue as part of the Calais church.