Editor’s Note: The following is the first of two articles highlighting some of the top news stories from 2011. This article highlights January to June. Next week, the Houlton Pioneer Times will feature July through December.
The first half of 2011 featured a number of interesting and exciting news events in southern Aroostook County. School consolidation was a hot topic for several districts. Other popular news items featured four young men from Boy Scout Troop 202 earning the rank of Eagle Scout. A bomb threat at the Houlton Irving Big Stop also garnered headlines.
January
• Houlton Town Councilors weighed in on the town’s $9.1 million budget as proposed by the Board of Budget Review. Increases to cover police and employee benefits more than swallowed the $23,015 savings on insurance premiums realized when the town switched to a different carrier.
• It took 87 words, 23 rounds and about one hour to whittle down 15 contenders to one winner and one runner-up in the 2011 SAD 29 Spelling Bee. Jennah Blake won the 2011 SAD 29 Spelling Bee by correctly spelling “woebegone.”
• It took a few days longer than normal, but Houlton Regional Hospital finally had its first baby of 2011. Brady Allen Bailey became the first baby born at HRH in 2011 at 7:31 a.m. Jan. 10. He is the son of Douglas Bailey and Lauren Cote of Houlton.
• School consolidation remained a hot button topic for residents in SAD 14 (Danforth) and SAD 70 (Hodgdon). The two districts were looking to form an Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) to comply with state mandates for consolidation.
• In an effort to better control what students were doing with school computers, some laptops were getting shut down in the evening thanks to efforts of SAD 70 administrators. Mill Pond School Principal Loreen Wiley said letters were sent to parents at the end of December to inform them that school could install a program on the student’s laptop that would shut down their child’s computer at a certain time, if they so desired.
• More than 30 residents of Bridgewater met for an informational public hearing on a proposed new multi-purpose municipal building that the town proposed to erect for both a fire department and community center. The new building would include three truck bays, a work area, a training and meeting room and an office for the fire chief for the Bridgewater Fire Department. The remainder of the building would house a community center, conference room, storage, a commercial kitchen, two bathrooms and room for the Town Office, if it is decided to house that in the building also. The entire first floor of the building would be handicapped accessible. The proposed site for the new building was the former Bridgewater Grammar School.
• Richard J. Kimball, Jr. was lauded for achieving the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts of America — Eagle Scout. Kimball’s family, friends, fellow Scouts and even a couple of state legislators filled the Big Valley Sno Club for the ceremony that included several guest speakers following the opening of the Court of Honor when flags were placed at the head of the room.
• Sam Horton, a seventh-grader at Mill Pond School in Hodgdon, won his school’s Spelling Bee title and the right to advance to the Aroostook County Spelling Bee. Horton correctly spelled the word “jaguar” to claim his second school spelling title. In 2010, Horton was also victorious at his school’s Bee.
• At neighboring Greater Houlton Christian Academy, Zachary Ebner won his school’s Spelling Bee when he correctly spelled “incendiary.”
• Fans at the Houlton varsity boys basketball game against Madawaska were treated to a performance by the Houlton High School Alumni Band. The dedicated individuals gathered for one hour to rehearse for the pre-game and halftime festivities. The most experienced alumni were David Flemington, Class of 1951, and Mike Clark, Class of 1954.
February
• Crews from the Houlton’s Public Works department were busy clearing snow after more than a foot of fresh powder fell in the southern Aroostook area. Helping make matters worse were temperatures nearing minus-20 degrees.
• On the eve of its 30th anniversary, the Littleton Fire Department was the proud owner of a new water tanker. It marked the first time in Fire Chief Dwight Cowperthwaite’s 30 years with the force that the department has a brand-new truck in it fleet. The new engine was purchased with federal funds as part of the Department of Homeland Security’s “Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.” It will replace a 31-year-old tanker that has been leaking for several years.
• The school merger between SAD 70 and SAD 14 became a reality. Voters approved the school consolidation that will create one central office for the two districts following a referendum vote of 252-77.
• Aroostook County was gearing up for the 2011 E. ON IBU World Cup Biathlon No. 7 at the Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle.
• Following weeks of negotiations and a candlelight vigil in January, nurses and administration representatives at Houlton Regional Hospital (HRH) were at an impasse, leaving the nurses working without a contract. The nurses’ contract with HRH was up at the end of December.
• For the second straight year, three males were chosen as the top three to advance to the championship round of the United Way of Aroostook’s Northern Star singing competition. Wyatt Jenkins and Brandon Clark, both of Houlton and Todd Corey of Mars Hill were selected to move on. A new wrinkle was the addition of a “Group/Duo” category. Brenda Ellis and Darci St. Pierre of Houlton won that title.
• The Houlton High School cheerleaders turned adversity into triumph, as they captured the 2010-11 Class C state championship. The squad lost senior Marcy Hernandez to an emergency appendectomy, but still managed to win the title.
• A Houlton native was playing the lead role in the University of Maine at Orono’s production of “The Pirates of Penzance,” an operetta written by Gilbert and Sullivan. Jennifer Beasley Parlee, daughter of Dr. Joseph and Sue Beasley, was cast as Mabel.
• For the second time in 2011, a member of Troop 202 received the highest award possible by the Boy Scouts of America – the Eagle Scout award. Ben Boutlier was lauded at the Big Valley Sno Club with a dinner celebration attended by more than 80 family, friends and community members.
• School reorganization was happening between two school districts in southern Aroostook County following a public referendum. SAD 25 (Stacyville, Patten, Sherman and Mount Chase); and CSD 9 (Island Falls, Dyer Brook, Oakfield, Merrill, Smyrna and Crystal) agreed to join forces as a new Regional School Unit by July 1. The towns of Hersey and Moro Plantation are also included in the consolidation. The merger of the two school districts narrowly passed a referendum vote. In SAD 25, the measure was approved 149-117, while in CSD 9, the vote was even closer with 91 voting “yes” and 81 voting “no.”
• James T. Roach, 84, of Merrill was presented with 10 medals for his service in the military, dating back to World War II and the Korean War. A large crowd of citizens from Smyrna, Merrill and Oakfield gathered at the Oakfield Snowmobile Club to see Roach receive his awards during an emotional evening.
March
• SAD 29 (Houlton, Littleton, Monticello and Hammond) hired a new superintendent for the start of the 2011-12 school year. Mike Hammer, a principal at Hancock Grammar School since 2003, was chosen as the new superintendent for the district. He replaced Ray Freve, who had served as interim superintendent.
• Student musicians throughout Aroostook County shone brightly as they competed in the District 7 Jazz Festival in Presque Isle.
• Aroostook County Sheriff’s Deputies worked several details with persons under the legal age of 21 to purchase alcohol at local retailers. Sheriff James P. Madore reported that 43 businesses from Macwahoc to Fort Kent that sell alcohol were checked for compliance. Of the businesses checked, 23 stores sold alcohol to a minor and were summonsed for the violation.
• The Lego Robotics program at Hodgdon’s Mill Pond School remained alive and well. An After-School program led by instructor Robert Goulet, the Lego Robotics program maintained a solid following with middle school students for the past five years in Hodgdon.
• The SAD 29 school board gave the go-ahead to start gathering data on whether it would be cost effective to close the Wellington Elementary School in Monticello. The notion of closing the school had been in the background for a number of years as enrollment continued to decline at the school.
• The Greater Houlton Christian Academy celebrated its first-ever National Honor Society charter induction ceremony at the Military Street Baptist Church. To obtain a charter for National Honor Society, a school must first be accredited. The Greater Houlton Christian Academy received their accreditation in 2009.
• As March starts the beginning of the Maine canoe and kayak races, East Grand Outdoor Education instructor Dave Conley was busy preparing his students for the challenge of springtime rivers and lakes by using cold-water object lesson. To prepare his students, Conley filled a sled full of slush water and the students get to experience the ‘cold’ first-hand by standing in the water barefoot.
• Property taxes in Smyrna and Merrill were likely going up, despite voters approving decreased municipal budgets in the two communities. According to Candy Nevers, town manager for both communities, the property tax rate would not be set until after the RSU 50 school board passes its budget sometime in July. However, the early indications were property taxes would go up due to a combination of decreased municipal revenues and an anticipated increase in education costs.
• Houlton High School’s auditorium was filled with singers from around Aroostook County for the annual District VII Vocal Jazz Festival.
• Boy Scout Troop 202 added two more to the status of Eagle Scout at the United Baptist Church in Island Falls. Cousins Gabe Schenk, son of Allen and Jeannie Schenk of Island Falls, and Micah Rodgerson, son of Brenda and Douglas Rodgerson of Patten, were the newest inductees into the prestigious rank, bringing the total number of scouts receiving the award in 2011 to four.
• Students at Houlton High School had a busy day of fun-filled activities as part of the 2011 Winter Carnival. Featuring a variety of games and activities designed to garner points for each school class. The winning class then earned the distinction of having one schoolboy and one schoolgirl crowned as the 2011 Winter Carnival King and Queen. This year’s winning class was the seniors, making Eddie Flint and Taylor Bailey the new king and queen. The sophomore class finished second, followed by the freshmen and juniors.
• After 21 years, Det. Carolyn Crandall of the Houlton Police Department hung up her holster and put away her badge.
• The Houlton Town Council approved construction on a water and sewer line extension on the North Road. The agreement between the town and Houlton Water Company for the purpose of extending the water and sewer lines beyond their current endpoint, just beyond Yorks of Houlton auto dealership, was set to break ground in the late spring.
• The Houlton High School Jazz Band had a busy weekend as the group journeyed to Mount Desert Island High School for the Maine State Instrumental Jazz Festival. The Shiretown band finished second in its division in the state competition. Band member Marina DiMarco was also feted for her individual musical abilities as she was named “Outstanding Musician.”
April
• Mother Nature played a cruel trick on residents April Fool’s Day by dropping a massive amount of snow. Oakfield saw the highest amount of snow at 15 inches with Houlton just trailing behind at 14 inches. Presque Isle accumulated 11.5 inches and Caribou, just a few miles away, received 7.9 inches of snow.
• A bomb threat situation at the Houlton Irving Big Stop on U.S. Route 1 ended peacefully in the early morning hours. Daniel Thomas Maccabee, 50, of Madison, Wis. was taken into custody without incident around 4:30 a.m. after a nearly nine-hour standoff with state and local police at the truck stop. Maccabee stated he had a bomb and wanted to cross the U.S.-Canada border.
• Monticello residents breathed a sigh of relief when the SAD 29 school board voted not to pursue closing the Wellington Elementary School for the 2011-12 school year. The move came after a nearly four-hour meeting held at the school, with the board seeing data on how well the students in the school are performing; the impact such a closure would have on the district; and hearing passionate pleas from parents urging the board not to close the rural school.
• Firefighters from Linneus and Hodgdon were called to the home of David Winship as a fire ravaged a pair of potato warehouses on his property causing about $1 million in losses.
• Shonna Milliken Humphrey, a 1991 graduate of Houlton High School, celebrated the publishing of her first novel, “Show Me Good Land,” with a book-signing event at Cary Library.
• Stephen Bowen, the state’s new Education Commissioner, visited Houlton Elementary School as part of his tour of Aroostook County, to get a first-hand look at how teachers were implementing reading programs to students. SAD 29 was chosen for the visit based on its exceptional strides in reading achievements at the elementary level.
• The Maine Department of Education unveiled its list of 10 schools eligible for School Improvement Grants, and two local schools — Hodgdon High School and Southern Aroostook Community School — were included on the list. Hodgdon was on the list for the second straight year. By inclusion on the list, both schools were eligible for grant money, but needed to agree to drastic changes in the school, such as firing the principal. Neither school chose to take the funding.
• The town of Littleton was considering switching its current system of handling garbage by changing to a pay-per-bag system. Littleton is one of the last communities in the area where residents do not have to pay a fee for each bag of garbage.
• The Houlton Police Department looked to one of its own to fill a vacant detective position with the force. Kristin Calaman was named as the force’s new detective. He replaced Carolyn Crandall who retired from the department in April.
• A major expansion to the Katahdin Valley Health Care facility’s Houlton location was proceeding without delay. And once complete, the project added dental services at the health center.
• The town of Monticello had a new recipient of its Boston Post Cane after the Board of Selectmen presented Faye Cole with the ornate gold cane. Cole, 95, was believed to be the town’s oldest resident, having been born on Jan. 12, 1916.
May
• After 39 years with Smith & Wesson, plant manager Terry Wade was ready for the next phase in his life. Wade officially retired from his position, but stated he would remain with the company as a consultant. Scott Allen, the current operations manager, took over as the new plant manager.
• Local law enforcement officials from southern Aroostook County gathered at the Houlton Police Department for an emotional ceremony to remember fallen colleagues during the department’s third annual memorial.
• Hodgdon High School 2007 graduate and New England School for Communications student Robert Nesbitt secured a summer internship at “CBS Evening News Weekend Edition.” Nesbitt has been studying broadcast journalism at NESCom for the last three years.
• The Health Services Foundation’s annual auction netted $20,000 for its digital mammography campaign for Houlton Regional High School.
• After four drafts and numerous budget meetings, the SAD 29 school board signed off on a $12 million spending plan for the 2011-12 school year. In neighboring SAD 70, only a handful of residents turned out to approve a $6,238,644 spending package for that district.
• The town of Crystal christened three new flagpoles and a pair of benches on Memorial Day thanks to the efforts of a local Boy Scout. Andrew Smith, the son of Mary Smith and Esseck Smith, of Crystal erected the flagpoles and built the two benches as part of his Eagle Scout project.
June
• Memorial Day services were plentiful in southern Aroostook as a number of communities held parades and services to honor those who gave their lives serving our country. In Oakfield a parade and ceremony were held with a moving tribute to fallen soldiers. The services also recognized the efforts of one soldier in particular — Ken Lilley. A World War II veteran, Lilley was presented with several medals earned for his service in the military.
• The Maine State Ballet appeared in Houlton as part of a fund-raising effort for the Health Services Foundation’s digital mammography campaign.
• The RSU 50 school board has a new interim superintendent to help forge the new school union between CSD 9 (Island Falls, Crystal, Dyer Brook, Merrill, Oakfield and Smyrna) and SAD 25 (Stacyville, Patten, Sherman and Mount Chase). John Doe, the current superintendent at SAD 25, was unanimously approved as the new interim superintendent during a special board meeting at Katahdin Elementary School. About 17 individuals attended the meeting.
• The Southern Aroostook Agricultural Museum was gearing up for its 10th season with a work day. Volunteers were needed to prepare the building and grounds for visitors and events for the summer season.
• A steady rain did not dampen the spirits of Monticello residents as a good crowd turned out for the town’s annual Monticello Fun Days, which featured children’s games, tractor pulls and a barbecue.
• A $90,000 roofing project was nearing completion for Houlton’s District Courthouse. Contractors had been working on the courthouse for several weeks, removing the old tin roof, patching holes and installing new asphalt shingles on the mansard roof.
