It was a busy year for the greater Caribou area in 2013. Municipal groups saw several changes, budgets were debated, charity events ensued, and flags were raised. Following are some highlights of the year soon to be past.
January
• At its first meeting of 2013, the Caribou City Council elected Councilor Gary Aiken as the new mayor/chairperson, with former mayor Ken Murchison named deputy chairperson.
• The Limestone Board of Selectpeople approved their portion of an agreement with Crown Ambulance of Presque Isle which would put a paramedic and ambulance in Limestone around the clock.
• The Eastern Aroostook RSU 39 school board unanimously approved Clifford Rhome as board chair and John Sjostedt as vice chair.
• During a January 9 meeting, the Loring Development Authority Board of Trustees approved a proposal to have Crown Ambulance supply a paramedic and ambulance to Loring, Limestone and Caswell.
• Stockholm native Molly Bouchard appeared on the national airwaves as part of an ABC News “20/20” special airing just before the Miss America pageant, in which she represented the state as the 2012 Miss Maine.Though she did not place in the national pageant, Bouchard reported that she enjoyed the experience.
• A special vote in Limestone to recall the town’s three contested selectpeople failed, and Tom Devoe, Gary O’Neal and Jesse Philbrick remained on the board. The recall election was the result of a petition circulated to remove the three.
• The Northern Maine Veterans Cemetery was awarded a $334,500 grant from the Veterans Administration for the construction of a new committal shelter which would be more effective in blocking wind and rain during services.
• A January thaw sent the mercury rising to 52 in Caribou, breaking the previous record high of 51 degrees set in 2005. Temperatures reached 54 in Presque Isle and 49 in Houlton during the period.
• The Caribou City Council voted to extinguish about 30 percent of the city’s streetlights, about 185 out of 500 lights, for a total cost savings of about $33,000.
• An open house introduced the new Pines Health Services Orthopedics & Sports Medicine facility, a new 7,500-square-foot office located at Cary Medical Center.
February
• Caribou marked the addition of two new officials, as Carl Grant of Woodland began as the new deputy tax collector and Tony Mazzucco of Milton, Vermont, came on board as assistant city manager.
• The Caribou Vikings boys and girls ski teams took top team honors at an end-of-season Nordic ski meet in Presque Isle, and later swept titles at the Aroostook County Nordic classic championships in Fort Kent.
• Catholic Charities announced plans to help feed the county by growing vegetables in its own garden plot, a project made possible through a grant from Walmart and help from Martie and James Pritchard of Chapman, as well as the Limestone- and Van Buren-based processing company Northern Girl LLC.
• Residents were able to tour the new Women’s Imaging Center at Cary Medical Center during an open house on Feb. 2.
• The 2013 Andy Santerre Sno-Run raised a record-breaking $52,739 to benefit the Aroostook Mental Health Center’s sexual assault services. Despite a lack of snow which cancelled the snowmobile ride, the community, including sledders and Andy Santerre himself, put their efforts into the 5K Run-Walk to help raise funds.
• A 30-year dream came to fruition as the Caribou Assembly of God celebrated the grand opening of its newly constructed, 7,740-square-foot Activity Center.
• Officials with the 2014 World Acadian Congress completed their third family reunion application period, and announced the 120-reunion goal was within reach.
• Joe Thibodeau was named Stockholm’s Firefighter of the Year.
• Weather-wise, winds gusting up to 53 miles per hour whipped fresh snow and caused white-out conditions. One day alone saw four accidents in Caribou, with none resulting in serious injuries.
March
• Looming financial limitations led to the RSU 39 approving the elimination of two teaching positions, a kindergarten slot at Hilltop Elementary School and the family consumer science post at Caribou High School.
• Caribou city councilors considered possible new fees for some recreation department services. The council also voted to have expanded agendas available on the city’s website, in response to a citizen request.
• The Caribou Performing Arts Center hosted the Class B Northern Regional Drama Festival on March 9. Caribou drama students placed third.
• Detective Stephanie Beaulieu of Fort Fairfield, who serves in the Department of the Secretary of State and works out of the Caribou office, was honored by the Maine Chiefs of Police Association with the Life Saving by a Law Enforcement Officer Award. Beaulieu helped assist a woman in labor with a difficult twin delivery.
• Heather Rose of Caribou earned a spot as one of the three solo finalists in the annual Northern Star competition, eventually won by Brandon Clark of Houlton.
• A group of 24 protesters gathered in front of the Caibou Post Office to oppose the U.S. Postal Service’s planned elimination of Saturday mail delivery.
• Three new members of Caribou royalty were revealed for 2013 as MacKenna Libby-Smith was named Pre-Teen Miss Caribou, Samantha Fortin earned the title Junior Miss Caribou, and Karina Patterson was crowned Miss Teen Caribou.
• Four new Little Misses were crowned during another pageant. Joining the royal ranks were Amanda Poulin, Little Miss Woodland; Amalia Peterson, Little Miss New Sweden; Jessica Soucy, Little Miss Connor; and Claire Ouellette, Little Miss Caribou.
April
• Caribou city councilors restored funding of $7,253 to the Aroostook Area Agency on Aging. The city had voted to cut the funds several months previously due to budget constraints, but following a presentation by agency director Steve Farnham on the agency’s many benefits to Caribou residents, the council reversed its decision and approved the funding. Other news included proposed fee schedules for recreation sports programs and the pool.
• Members of Caribou’s Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) were successful in the state competition, with each of the 13 students earning placements and three students qualifying for the national contest.
• Caribou was in the midst of its competition with Fairbanks, Alaska, in The Weather Channel’s contest to determine the Toughest Weather City. Fairbanks later advanced to the “finals” and lost to Lubbock, Texas, whose 85 or more days above the 90-degree mark were voted tougher than the Alaskan city’s cold and snow.
• For the first time since Limestone youth began participating in Destination ImagiNation, all three teams from Limestone Community School won at the state competition in Orono.
• Aaron Kouhoupt, compliance officer and in-house counsel for Katahdin Trust, was sworn in as Caribou’s newest city councilor. In later business, the council split in a decision to award the bid for library roof repair to Kevin W. Smith & Sons in Gorham, rather than to Powers Roofing and Sheet Metal, a local company.
• The longstanding rivalry between Caribou and Presque Isle was ratcheted up another notch when municipal employees from both cities announced an eight-week contest to drop the most collective pounds.
• In an unprecedented sweep, seven new Maine winners were announced in the Zane Bloser National Handwriting Contest – all from Woodland. One student from each grade level won the state competition.
• Students at the Teague Park School raised $10,870.34, the second largest amount in the state, during the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart annual event.
• Lucas Kinney, son of Ethel and John Kinney, became the city’s first male royalty in seven years after being crowned Mr. Caribou 2013.
• The Caribou Middle School band debuted its new original song, penned by Portland-area musician and educator Terry White. Band conductor Vaughn McLaughlin requested the piece from White, who has roots in The County.
• The 15th annual Real Heroes Breakfast, sponsored by the American Red Cross – Pine Tree Chapter, honored several County residents for selfless and lifesaving acts, and Caribou’s Spud Speedway received an Extra Mile Award for furthering the Red Cross’ mission.
May
• The Maine School of Science and Mathematics once again topped the charts of the U.S. News & World Report annual public high school rankings report, placing 13th best in the nation.
• Limestone resident Myasia Williams was named Northern Maine Community College’s Student of the Year for 2013. She received the Maine Community College System’s John J. Lapoint, Jr., Leadership Award and was designated the 2013 graduation speaker, as well.
• Limestone crowned five new queens for 2013: Miss Limestone Jordyn Hopkins, Teen Miss Limestone Sirrea Deschenes, Little Miss Limestone Aimee Eivers, Pre-Teen Miss Limestone Kennedy Bencivenga, and Junior Miss Limestone Emily Michaud.
• Caribou author Ryan Tyler Palmer published his first book, a science fiction tale named “The Age of Armageddon: The Spirit of Krynn,” using the Internet to find sources for publishing and illustrating.
• The Caribou Unitarian Universalist Church executive committee announced that, after several years of exploring options of sharing, the decision had been made to put the historic building up for sale. The landmark church, which has a familiar caribou weathervane atop its cupola, is the city’s oldest church building, dating back to 1867.
• Officials at the Caribou Regional Technology Center announced the selection of Idella Thompson as the outstanding Career and Technology Education Student of the Year for 2013.
• Caribou’s Veterans’ Memorial Park boasted a new sign thanks to the efforts of a dedicated group of volunteers, who installed the sign at the park in early May.
• Hannah Hebert was crowned 2013 Miss Caribou.
• Following numerous public comments, the RSU 39 School Board approved the proposed budget of $18,718,271. The board also approved the creation of a common school-year calendar for grades K-12.
• Caribou councilors narrowly approved a decision to delay purchasing road-repair materials, due mostly to waiting on revenue sharing monies from the state.
• The New Sweden School Board approved a reduced budget which included a workforce reduction, a reduction officials hoped would be staved by normal turnover.
• Thirty American flags were raised, each in memory of a deceased veteran, at the Northern Maine Veterans’ Cemetery’s Avenue of Flags. A dedication ceremony on May 13 marked the occasion.
• The Limestone Board of Selectmen were considering a possible reduction in police patrol hours from 24 to 18 to offset an anticipated $100,000 budget shortfall.
June
• Over 200 residents of Caribou, Limestone and Stockholm turned out for a presentation of the proposed Eastern Aroostook RSU 39 school budget. Attendance was up from 30 residents the previous year.
• Despite soggy weather, the annual Aroostook County Relay for Life drew hundreds of participants, who together raised more than $147,000 for the American Cancer Society.
• Groundbreaking took place following Memorial Day festivities for the new committal shelter at the Northern Maine Veterans Cemetery.
• Caribou High School received honors from U.S. News & World Report when the magazine named it one of the top 23 high schools in Maine. The school was assessed on English, math and advanced placement testing.
• The Caribou City Council wrestled with a $380,000 budget shortfall, looking at either budget cuts or a 1.5-mil tax increase to make up the deficit.
• Caribou Middle School student Kevin Duplessie received accolades from Maine’s first lady Ann LePage during a schoolwide assembly. Duplessie contributed artwork for LePage’s “Love.Read.Learn! Baby Journal,” published in connection with the Barbara Bush Foundation, and his art was chosen by the foundation to grace the cover of the book.
• The Limestone Community School/Maine School of Science and Mathematics Eagles finished as runners-up in the Eastern Class D softball championship after falling to Penobscot Valley 7-0.
• Former Fire Chief Roy Woods entered five guilty pleas in front of Justice Allen E. Hunter in Aroostook County Superior Court for two counts of unlawful sexual contact, two counts of assault and one count of unlawful sexual touching. He was later sentenced to 30 days in jail, followed by 60 days of house arrest.
• Local graduation ceremonies saw 18 high school seniors at Limestone Community School and 126 graduating members of Caribou High School’s Class of 2013 receive their diplomas. Festivities were also held for eighth-grade students, with 11 graduating from Woodland Consolidated School and 10 from the New Sweden Consolidated School.
• After weeks of discussion and public comments, the Eastern Aroostook RSU 39 budget was approved via public vote by residents of Caribou, Limestone and Stockholm.
• Dr. Jessica U. Meir, the 1995 valedictorian at Caribou High School, was selected by NASA to begin training for future space missions.
• Cluster balloonist Jonathan R. Trappe announced plans to make Caribou the departure site for a trans-Atlantic liftoff.
• The Limestone municipal budget of $1,235,402 was approved by about 50 town voters.
