Jayna Smith

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Since 2007, Music on the Green has been a beloved summer tradition in downtown Calais, thanks to the vision and dedication of Britani Holloway. This year, the popular concert series is making a vibrant return — stronger than ever — thanks to the overwhelming generosity of local businesses who stepped up to make it possible.

Dr. Cressey Brazier, emergency department physician, retired on May 31 from Calais Community Hospital. 

Dr. Brazier first came to Calais “moonlighting,” as he calls it, in the emergency department while working at Eastern Maine Medical Center in 1986. Over the years, he has maintained a consistent presence in Calais throughout all the transitions, ranging from occasional fill-in for shifts to regular full-time rotations in the department as of 1992. 

Rain or shine, the Rhubarb Festival never fails to deliver, and this year’s fourth annual event was no exception. Held on the first Saturday of June, the festival welcomed more than 400 attendees from across the globe, including visitors from the United States, Canada, and even Germany. Festivalgoers hailed from 11 states, including Maine, Pennsylvania, Texas, Georgia, New York, and California, along with 11 Maine counties and two Canadian provinces.

The dedication of Princeton’s Annual Report was last Tuesday, June 9. This has been a tradition since 1976-77. This year’s 2025-26 selection for the dedication honor is John Leighton. He has been a selectman since 2005 and has served as chairman and road commissioner, and, before that, as animal control officer. 

Excerpts of the dedication pages from the town report read: “John has gone above and beyond by washing the outside of the library and town office, building shelves, moving furniture, putting up signs, placing and removing flags at the cemetery, and so much more.” 

Jayna Smith

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Calais High School held its graduation ceremony on Sunday, June 1, with 48 students receiving their diplomas as members of the Class of 2025.

Class President Savanah Waycott led her classmates in the processional, setting the tone for a proud occasion.

Jayna Smith

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Graduation for the Woodland High School Class of 2025 was held Saturday morning, May 31, in front of a full gymnasium. The 37 graduates marched to their seats, led by Class President Haylee Scott to the traditional “Pomp and Circumstances,” in front of faculty and staff, friends and family, and other members of the community.

Softball seniors Natalie McDonald (captain), Aubrey Stevens (team manager), and Kayleigh Scott (captain) were joined by baseball senior Kaeson Dana (captain) and their families during last week’s final home game of the season. (Photo by Jayna Smith)

Jayna Smith

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A voice of Charlotte County is making a return to the printed page. The Saint Croix Courier, originally founded in 1865, is once again in print as of June 1, now as The Courier. Though it had faded from newsstands in recent years, the paper’s iconic name is now attached to a fresh, free monthly edition spearheaded by CHCO-TV.

When Lauren Remington stepped into the Early Childhood Education classroom at St. Croix Regional Technical Center, she wasn’t just filling a position, she was reviving a program that had been dormant for two years.

Jon Reisman

Jayna Smith

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Calais-area residents came together on Memorial Day to pay their respects to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. The day’s events began at 10 a.m. with the longstanding tradition of a solemn ceremony at Ferry Point Bridge.

Jayna Smith

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On Thursday, May 22, 2025, the Calais City Council met for its regular meeting, with Mayor Marcia Rogers presiding over Councilors Mike Sherrard, Elery Beale, Pete Foster, Bill Quinn, and James Macdonald. 

What follows is a brief summary of the meeting, with the full meeting available for viewing on the City of Calais’s Facebook page.

Washington County Community College (WCCC) proudly celebrated the achievements of its Class of 2025 during a heartfelt commencement ceremony held on Friday, May 16, at Calais High School. Families, friends, faculty, and community leaders gathered in person and online to honor more than 150 graduates receiving degrees and certificates across a range of fields from criminal justice and early childhood education to welding, heavy equipment operations, and human services.

Woodland High School alumnae Shaye Beers and Keila Gallway (Class of 2018) sparked a vision just before the pandemic to bring the Yellow Tulip Project to their school, an initiative to help end the stigma surrounding mental health. In 2023, that vision bloomed as Mr. Moody, Mr. Knowles, and PE students planted 100 yellow tulip bulbs. At that time, Mr. Moody said the project will continue each year as a reminder that even after the darkest days, hope can return. Last week, as has become tradition, this year’s seniors picked the flowers as a symbol of hope and resilience.

Paul Sylvain

Maine Drug Enforcement Agency Supervisory Special Agent Chris Thornton opened the May 22 Washington County Commissioners meeting by recognizing the collaborative efforts between the county’s sheriff’s office and his department.

Jon Reisman

Laws are like sausages. It’s better not to see them being made. – Attributed, likely apocryphally, to Otto von Bismarck 

Regardless of the source, the verity of the observation was evident in Washington and Augusta last week. Close observance of the sausage making process is not for those with a weak Constitution, and it does make me wonder occasionally about the wisdom of promoting transparency... you are likely to see some things that you can't unsee but wish you could.

Jayna Smith

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Calais City Councilor Kevin Niles, first elected in 2022, has resigned from his seat effective immediately, delivering a pointed rebuke of the council’s current direction and warning of a lack of urgency in addressing the city’s economic challenges.

A rare piebald deer was recently spotted downtown, displaying its striking mix of white and brown fur. The unusual coloration is caused by a genetic mutation found in fewer than 2% of white-tailed deer. (Photo by Jayna Smith)

Jayna Smith

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The Woodland Dragons ended the week 7-3 on the season after a four-game win streak. 

They outscored the Shead Tigers by a combined 24-2 across the two games, taking the first contest 13-1 on Monday, May 12, and following it up with an 11-1 win on Wednesday, May 14.

Calais High School is proud to announce Kate McPhee as the Valedictorian of the Class of 2025. She is the daughter of Bradley and Julie McPhee, of Calais. In the fall, Kate will attend Husson University, where she plans to pursue a degree in nursing. In addition to her academic pursuits, she will be a member of the university’s volleyball team. Kate aspires to become a travel nurse following graduation and intends to further her education to become a certified nurse anesthetist.

From UMaine News

Alexandria Banou Morgan, of Perry, a 2021 high school graduate of Washington Academy, is a 2025 co-salutatorian and the outstanding graduating student in the Honors College and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS). She is majoring in psychology with minors in neuroscience and philosophy.

Four members of Calais Fire-EMS were each recently presented with Maine EMS’s prestigious Phoenix Award, a distinction given to emergency medical professionals who are directly involved in the successful resuscitation of a patient suffering a non-traumatic cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting. The award recognizes not only the critical medical skills required in such high-pressure situations, but also the teamwork, quick decision-making, and dedication that result in patients returning to their lives neurologically intact.