Presque Isle area From our Files – Week of September 18, 2024

Compiled by Yvonne Tardie, Special to The County
3 weeks ago

99 Years Ago – September 17, 1925

The three-quarter century enrollment — Members of the Maine Three Quarter Century Club from 208 Maine cities and towns registered at the organization meeting of the club here on September 1st, according to an announcement here following a tabulation of the registration lists by the Maine Public Health Association. A total of 978 men and women of 75 years of age or older registered during the day of the big party for Maine pioneers. It was estimated that at least two hundred others did not register. In addition to those above, the age of 75 years was estimated that at least 2,500 relatives and friends of the members of the club were also present during the day, thus bringing the total attendance to approximately 4,000.

50 Years Ago – September 18, 1974

Teacher named to MTA post — Roger P. Kelley was appointed Director of the Maine Teachers Association’s Northern Maine UniServ District which encompasses Aroostook County. The Caribou native’s appointment to the staff position was announced by MTA Executive Secretary dr. John H. Marvin. Kelley’s headquarters was in Presque Isle. An English and social studies teacher at Caribou Junior High School for the previous six years, Kelley was a graduate of the University of Maine at Presque Isle. The new UniServ Director served the Caribou Teachers Association as a member of the executive committee for two years, the negotiating committee for three years and as chairman of the Professional Rights and Responsibilities Committee for two years. Kelley replaced Donald Belleville, who transferred to a UniServ position in Androscoggin and Oxford Counties. 

Ashland accepted water plant bid — A bid on the proposed new water treatment plant here was accepted by the Ashland Water and Sewer District board of trustees. Reynold Belanger, chairman of the board, said Sept. 16 that a bid from the General Supply Corp. of Limestone, the only bidder on the project, had been accepted and a contract signed earlier in the month. The construction contract was based on a $309,000 estimate of the project cost. General Supply originally bid $353,000 on the project but negotiations between the firm and the district board resulted in the $309,000 figure, Blenager reported. The E. C. Jordan Co., engineer for the project, originally estimated the cost of the proposed plant at $240,000.

25 Years Ago – September 22, 1999

Panthers won the Aroostook golf title — The Aroostook League and Northern Regional Golf Championship took place at Birch Point Golf Club in St. David, with Central Aroostook recording the low team score of the day. Also, Panther junior craig Allen came in as the top individual and four teams, Central Aroostook and Madawaska in Class C, Caribou in Class B and Presque Isle in Class A, earned the right to advance to the state championships at Natanis Golf Club in Vassalboro. The Panthers had the low total with a 429, followed by Presque Isle at 442 and Caribou at 446. Houlton was next with 468, with Madawaska just a stroke back at 469. Hodgdon was sixth at 494, Limestone seventh at 540, Ashland eighth at 542 and Fort Fairfield ninth with a total of 699.

Rehabilitation professionals met — Thirty rehabilitation professionals, registered nurses, social workers, case managers, physical therapists and occupational therapists, from Cary Medical Center, Houlton Regional Hospital, The Aroostook Health Center, Borderview, and The Aroostook Medical Center attended a rehabilitation seminar at TAMC. Presented by Molly Stevens, Rehab Clinical Coordinator at Eastern Maine Medical Center, the informative session covered the criteria for admission to rehab services and the difference between the levels of rehabilitation care. The newly remodeled Rehabilitation Unit at The Aroostook Medical Center accommodated six patients, admitted by physician referral.

Raising funds for Ronald McDonald House — Participants on the Police Relay Bike Team, traveled from Fort Kent to Portland to help raise funds for the Ronald McDonald House in Portland, made a stop at Perry’s Mini Mart to greet individuals benefiting from the event. The group stood in front of a police cruiser for a picture with seven-year-old Tyler Eager, a cancer patient in remission, and five-year-old Mathhew Eager.