Editor’s Note: The following is the second of two articles highlighting some of 2019’s most important and interesting news stories. This article highlights events from July through December. Highlights from January through June were published on Dec. 25.
July
Homeless Services of Aroostook began extending its service to more people seeking refuge across Presque Isle and surrounding communities. Shelter staff had previously turned away those who had violent criminal pasts and anger management issues. Now, those individuals will have access to 20 beds sealed off from the rest of the shelter population.
The Presque Isle city council voted to reduce the mill rate on July 10, reducing it from 25.82 to 24.99 for 2019. Councilors intended for the reduction in mill rate — which will lower property taxes — to encourage settlement in the Star City.
On July 8, the Maine Department of Transportation began a project to fix excessive wheel ruts and pavement wear on Presque Isle Road, which connects Caribou and the Star City. The project, which covered 10.5 total miles, involved milling pavement, bridge work and other infrastructure repairs.
A Blaine woman was arrested for the second time in five days on July 22 for allegedly trafficking heroin. Multiple law enforcement agencies converged on Stacy Clayton’s home, where they found a small amount of heroin and multiple firearms. Authorities charged her with trafficking in heroin, possession of heroin and methamphetamine and illegal possession of a gun.
The U.S. Border Patrol arrested seven people who had entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico. The group had been pulled over by Maine State Police on July 23 in Bridgewater. Police suspected the driver of being under the influence of alcohol.
More than 1,100 Emera Maine customers in central Aroostook County lost power on July 31 due to strong thunderstorms, including heavy rain and gusty wind. Emera Maine said that customers in Caribou, Wade, Washburn, Woodland and Mapleton were affected.
August
A Maine State Police vehicle blocks off traffic on Waddell Road in Castle Hill on Tuesday morning after confirming a double-homicide that had taken place earlier in the area. (Nina Mahaleris | The Star-Herald)
In the early morning hours of Aug. 13, Bobby Nightingale of Presque Isle allegedly shot and killed two men in Castle Hill. Police found 25-year-old Allen Curtis and 51-year-old Roger Ellis fatally shot inside a pickup truck. Nightingale was arrested and charged in October. He pleaded not guilty to all eight charges against him.
The Washburn Rotary Club hosted a Vietnam veterans tribute wall during its annual Washburn August Festival Aug. 14-18. A group of local veterans and volunteers gave the wall a motorcycle escort from the University of Maine at Presque Isle to Washburn District Elementary School. The memorial is an 80 percent replica of the primary memorial in Washington, D.C.
The state of Maine ordered the Presque Isle Utilities District to find a new way to dispense of its wastewater sludge, after soils from fields used to spread the substance tested above state-regulated levels of “forever chemicals.” Presque Isle Utilities District superintendent Frank Kearney said they planned to phase out the practice of sludge spreading.
On Aug. 22, Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital announced that it would be discontinuing 911 ambulance services to the Presque Isle area beginning in the new year. At the time of the announcement, the hospital served Mapleton, Castle Hill, Chapman, Easton, Limestone, Westfield, Mars Hill, Blaine, Bridgewater, E Plantation and other unorganized territories.
September
Crews work at the site of the new Presque Isle McDonald’s building on Aug. 27, exactly three months after the former building closed down for demolition. Owners plan a grand reopening celebration on Friday, Sept. 6. (Paula Brewer | The Star-Herald)
On Sept. 6, the new Presque Isle McDonald’s had its grand opening at 656 Main St. While the new restaurant is located at the same site as the old one, it has several new updates, including seating for 102 customers, a playpen and free Wi-Fi.
Police arrested three suspects after a man was shot at a residence on Northern Road in Presque Isle. The man was rushed to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. Authorities charged Jason Alexander with aggravated reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and aggravated assault.
Mars Hill and Blaine moved forward with the creation of a new community center serving both towns. In July, voters had approved the replacement of the current community center for $2.7 million in a non-binding referendum. The planning is in its preliminary stages, and a binding bond referendum is expected in mid-2020.
Presque Isle International Airport received more than $7 million from two separate grants through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program. The money will help improve operations at the airport, including infrastructure and the runway’s operation during the harsh winter months.
The Invest in ME kindergarten program named Fort Fairfield Elementary a “County Champion” school for the 2019-2020 school year. The school, the only one named in Aroostook County, will receive a $500 grant to support kindergarten education initiatives and events.
October
U.S. Sen. Angus King traveled across The County, meeting and hearing out his constituents on issues affecting residents of Northern Maine. Locations King visited include the Aroostook Agency on Aging and Northern Maine Community College.
The Presque Isle Loop bus began services on Oct. 15, offering an avenue for those without access to a vehicle to travel around the Star City. Free for the first 15 days of operation, the bus now costs $3.50 roundtrip.
On Oct. 16, the Fort Fairfield City Council voted unanimously to create a full-time fire and EMS service for its town. Since May, the town had relied on the Presque Isle Fire Department and ambulance service for emergency services after not renewing its contract with Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital.
The University of Maine at Presque Isle received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education that will expand its computer science education programs. The college was granted $2.2 million over five years, the largest single grant that it has ever received.
The Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library eliminated overdue book fees, citing new national trends and research. Library director Sonja Eyler said a resolution from the American Libraries Association recommending that late payments be removed at libraries nationwide had influenced the library’s ultimate decision.
November
The Raymond family of five in Fort Fairfield was displaced from their home after a fire engulfed it on the morning of Nov. 2. The family was able to evacuate away from the flames, which began around 1 a.m. However, they lost their two dogs and one cat in the fire, as well as many of their belongings.
Authorities charged an 11-year-old in Fort Fairfield with terrorizing after he allegedly brought a pellet gun to the Fort Fairfield Community Recreation Center. Police were initially called after reports of a juvenile with a handgun. The child was taken into custody and charged before being released to his parents.
In the Presque Isle local elections on Nov. 5, voters re-elected two incumbent city councilors and approved two referendums. Chairman of the City Council Mike Chasse and Councilor Jacob Shaw were both re-elected to four-year terms. Voters also approved both ballot measures: a $1.5 million bond for transportation improvements and an alternate manner for those with disabilities to sign petitions.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded the Presque Isle Utilities District a $6 million grant and a $9.6 million loan to improve the wastewater treatment center on Dyer Street. Utility workers will use the money to improve infrastructure around the facility, as well as lessen its environmental impact.
December
Shoppers walk inside the Aroostook Centre Mall on Black Friday. (David Marino Jr. | The Star-Herald)
The chance for Black Friday deals brought hundreds to the Aroostook Centre Mall on Black Friday on Nov. 29. Both those from Presque Isle and elsewhere came to do their holiday shopping at various stores, the most popular of which was Bath & Body Works.
Two were injured when a state plow truck and a sedan collided in Westfield, causing a chain-reaction crash involving two other cars and a delivery truck. The accident, which occurred at 6:30 a.m., prompted police to divert traffic for about an hour on U.S. Route 1.
Hundreds in Presque Isle braved the cold to participate in the 30th annual Holiday Light Parade. Several businesses, agencies and nonprofits around the city — as varied as the Presque Isle Fire Department, Uber and the Framework Church — had floats. Financial planning company Thompson Hamel won the top award from parade judges.
After much debate with department heads from across the city, the Presque Isle City Department approved the 2020 budget. The new budget is going to cost about the same as the 2019 budget but includes a few additions, including a new deputy chief position on the police force, and a part-time plow driver during the wintertime.
