Presque Isle area From our Files – Week of November 8, 2023

Compiled by Yvonne Tardie, Special to The County
7 months ago

100 Years Ago -Nov. 8, 1923

Not a Maine day — Citizens of Maine appeared to have voted down the measure which would make eight hours the limit for a day’s work for women and children in the industries. The pioneers of the Pine Tree State used to put in about seventeen hours a day in its lumbering and agricultural activities and an eight-hour day seems like playtime to them.

75 Years Ago – Nov. 4, 1948

Nearly 500 attended Hallowe’en party — A crowd of nearly 500 children, ranging from three-year-olds up to teen-agers and garbed in varied and colorful masquerade costumes, thronged the Presque Isle Community Center Saturday evening for the annual Hallowe’en party sponsored by the Lions club. The program opened with a parade of the gaily costumed youngsters, led by a “pied piper,” from the fire station to the community center. After a parade around the hall to give the judges an opportunity to view the costumes, and a hilarious program on Hallowe’en stunts was presented with Edward Holden as master of ceremonies.

Exterminating company opened its offices here — Opening of the Economy Exterminating Co. at 325 North Main street had been announced. The new firm, headed by Michael Coviello, who had several years’ experience in the exterminating business in Boston, planned to work throughout the county from its headquarters here. Coviello was a skilled operator in the use of fumigants, cyanide gas, and chemical insecticides for exterminating all types of household vermin, from rats in potato houses to moths in homes.

50 Years Ago – Nov. 7, 1973

Blaine youth selected to march in the All-American Band — Eugene Poole of Blaine, a student at Central Aroostook High School in Mars Hill, was selected to march in the McDonald’s All-American Band under the leadership of Conductor Paul Lavalle, musical director of Radio City Music Hall, in the famed macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day in Pasadena, Calif,, according to Roy Curtis, operator of the McDonald’s restaurant in Presque Isle. The McDonald’s All American Band is made up of 102 carefully selected high school students, two from each state and two from the District of Columbia. The parades are nationally televised.

Buck dropped by 11-year-old — While many older hunters came home empty handed Nov. 3, eleven-year-old Breem Bagley came home with a six-point buck. Breem, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Sterling Bagley, was out hunting near Garfield with his father and older brother Bartron, 16, when he killed the deer. He downed the buck with a rifle slug from a 20 gauge shotgun. Breem was hunting alone at the time. Bartrom allowed that his brother’s success might be due to beginner’s luck, it was Breem’s first license, but with a grin, Breem objected that he took a good shot.

25 Years Ago – Nov. 11, 1998

Acadia Home Care received accreditation — Acadia Home Care received accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Acadia underwent a total system review on its health care delivery processes that must meet JCAHO standards. These standards were determined to meet quality assurance, patient satisfaction and safety requirements. Having achieved accreditation, Acadia Home Care had demonstrated its commitment to quality services to the residents of Aroostook County and the State of Maine. Founded in 1992, Acadia Home Care had offices in Presque Isle, Fort Kent and Fort Fairfield. 

Anderson made senior operations officer — Officials at Horizons Health Services announce that Shawn Anderson was named Senior Operations Officer, effective Oct. 26. In this position, Anderson was a liaison between physicians, staff and Horizon’s administration to ensure efficient operations management. A resident of Caribou, Anderson completed a Masters Degree in Business Administration  at Husson College, School of Business, Graduate Studies Division in 1995, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management at the University of Maine, Presque Isle in 1986. He had pursued additional business education including ethics and technology in the workplace, leading and facilitating teams, and the legal environment of healthcare management.