St. John Valley area From our Files – Week of December 27, 2023

4 months ago

50 Years Ago — Dec. 27, 1973

  Banking activities shown by Michaud – Jack Michaud, assistant manager at Northern National Bank, showed some students some of the paperwork involved in day-to-day banking activity. As part of a business orientation course at Madawaska High School, students went to the bank and observed the many activities that go into a full banking day. They arrived before the bank opened and didn’t leave until after it had closed. Jeannine Gerard, teacher of the orientation course, said of the experience, “I and the students feel that such ‘on the job’ experience is invaluable.”

25 Years Ago — Dec. 30, 1998

Newsmakers of the year – St. John Valley Times editorial staff has selected the 12 northern Maine woodworkers as newsmakers of the year. In protest of the bonded labor program, the men effectively stopped international commerce when they blockaded two border crossings between the U.S. and Canada in October 1998. Their actions sparked a federal investigation of the state’s implementation of a law which allows bonded Canadians to work in the Maine woods. The men claim the Canadians are in fact displacing Maine workers. To date the federal government has appropriated $100,000 allowing the state to study the issue. 

10 Years Ago — Dec. 25, 2013 

Van Buren senior reaches milestone — Senior Parise Rossignol reached another milestone in her basketball career, banging in the first quarter of the game against Limestone/MSSM to become just the 16th high school basketball player in the state of Maine to eclipse 2,000 points on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013. Rossignol is averaging 28.75 points per game thus far this season, including a 38-point performance in a win over the three-time defending Class D state champions Washburn Lady Beavers.