Happy Wednesday!
New this week:
The University of Maine at Machias will open its fall gallery show, “Childhood Paintings and Current Work,” by Sharon Yates, on Wednesday, Oct. 1 from 4-6 pm at the Powers Hall Art Gallery. The show will be on exhibit through Dec. 20. Yates, originally from Rochester, New York, began painting at age 5 with minimal direction at the Rochester Memorial Art Gallery using water-based pigments. In college, abstract figuration in oils was her concentration until graduate school, when she switched to painting and drawing directly from nature — work she still does today. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Bernie Vinzani at 207.255.1279 or email bvinzani@maine.edu.
Cobscook Institute invites you to Apple Fest, Friday, October 3rd through Monday, October 6th. See flyer for schedule of fun, fall activities.
Tuesday, October 7th 4-5:30 pm: Improve your allyship for LGBTQ+ folks in your life by joining these free quarterly trainings offered through The Traveling Rainbow Project. This is a hybrid event; you may attend in person or via zoom. Rainbow 101 Trainings are free for our community members and are provided by the Traveling Rainbow, a project of the Downeast Rainbow Alliance. Learn life saving terms and definitions, explore mental health impacts of being an LGBTQIA2+ young adult in Downeast Maine, discuss scenarios and best practices for working with LGBTQIA2+ individuals, and gain access to ongoing coaching and resources. Register here. Can’t attend this training? They are offered quarterly at Cobscook Institute. Please sign up for future training or book a private training through The Downeast Rainbow Alliance for your school, organization, medical, or community center.
The First Annual Downeast Fishing Family Forum will take place Thursday, October 16, 2025, from 10 am to 2 pm at the Woodlawn Event Center in Ellsworth. This inaugural gathering is designed specifically for fishing families along Maine’s Downeast coast to connect, share experiences, and address the most pressing challenges facing their communities. The Forum is organized by Sunrise County Economic Council, Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, Green and White Hope, Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries, and Island Institute. For more information, please see the full press release.
Join the MainStreet Business Building team on Friday, October 17th from 11 am — 12 Noon online for an open Q&A where you can ask us anything about business! We will do our best to answer your business questions, or refer you to someone who can help. Register for this info session. This webinar is open to all, whether you are an established business owner or an aspiring entrepreneur!
Rainbow 101 at WHRL
Tuesday, October 21st 5:30-7 pm: Enhance your allyship for LGBTQ+ individuals in your life by attending this complimentary training, offered through The Traveling Rainbow Project! Rainbow 101 Trainings are free for our community members and are provided by the Traveling Rainbow, a project of the Downeast Rainbow Alliance. Learn life-saving terms and definitions, explore mental health impacts of being an LGBTQIA2+ young adult in Downeast Maine, discuss scenarios and best practices for working with LGBTQIA2+ individuals, and gain access to ongoing coaching and resources. Appropriate for ages 14+. Register here. Can’t attend this training? They are offered quarterly at Cobscook. Please sign up for a future training or book a private training through The Downeast Rainbow Alliance for your school, organization, medical, or community center. Any questions? Reach out to Lizzie at lizzie@whrl.org.
Communities along Washington County’s coasts are experiencing bluff erosion from powerful winter storms and intense summer rains. While bluff erosion is a natural process, it can be devastating for landowners. To assist landowners managing bluffs, Sunrise County Economic Council and the Maine Coastal Program will host a Resilient Shoreline Workshop in Machias on October 27th at 5:30 pm at the Lee-Pellon Center. There is no cost to attend. Dinner and childcare will be provided. This workshop is aimed at homeowners, property owners, property managers, municipal leaders, and real estate agents. Please see full press release for more on this important issue, and information on how to register for the October 27 workshop.
Island Readers & Writers invites you to the 2025 Dear Teacher Conference on November 6th & 7th in Bangor, an inspiring and impactful gathering focused on rural education. This is a great opportunity to learn, recharge, and connect with fellow educators from across the region. On each day of the conference, you will be able to choose two one-hour sessions and also take part in a 3-hour workshop block. Keynote Speaker is John Schu — author, librarian & literacy advocate. Scholarships available. Learn more and register here. Registration deadline is October 15th.
New Weekly Machias Area Playgroup
The Prevention Council is starting a new weekly Machias area playgroup. The group will meet at the Machias Playground on Salem Street every Friday from 10 – 11 am beginning this week, September 26th. Meet other parents; let the kids explore and make new friends. Donuts and coffee will be provided. Download a flyer to share.
The creativity and dedication of local 4-H youth were on full display this year as part of the annual Washington County 4-H Photography Contest. Open to all enrolled 4-H members, the contest encourages participants to develop communication and expressive arts skills through photography. This year, eight youth submitted 21 submissions for consideration. Photos were displayed at the Washington County Fair in August, offering the public a chance to admire the hard work and artistic eye of the young photographers, and will be on view at the Porter Memorial Library through the end of this month. Top blue ribbons in the senior division, ages 14-18, were awarded to Independent member Peyton R. for “Smile” in the action category and Cobscook Currents 4-H member Soren D. for “Torrents of Water” and “Apple of my Eye” in the architecture and nature/landscape categories. Top blue ribbons in the junior division, ages 9-13, were awarded to Cobscook Currents 4-H members Théo M. for “Rango with a blueberry” and Ira D. for “Down by the bay…” in the animal and nature/landscape categories. For more information about the contest or 4-H, contact Gabrielle Brodek at 207-255-3345, 1-800-287-1542 (toll free within Maine) or gabrielle.brodek@maine.edu.
Rural Health Transformation Program — CMS Funding Opportunity
A collaborative effort by the Governor’s Office, Maine DHHS, and Maine CDC, the Rural Health Transformation Program is a funding opportunity by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide millions of dollars to states for various health services. The state needs to submit an application by November 5th. In the meantime, there are information sessions, regional listening sessions, and a public input form that has been made available to give the state evidence and data to manage the application. Please go to this site for more information. There are two informational sessions on September 23rd and 24th — register at the website — and a Public Comment Form. Please review and provide input—this will be available until October 1st. The state is very interested in your input.
By Founder Anne Tumlinson: What started as one powerful sentence—“Daughterhood makes motherhood look like a walk in the park”—has grown into a nationwide movement supporting family caregivers. In this week’s blog, Daughterhood founder Anne Tumlinson reflects on the early days of our community, how it all began, and the three unwavering truths that still guide our mission a decade later. It’s a story of heartbreak, resilience, and hope – one that reminds every caregiver: you are not alone…. See More.