
Editor’s Note: The following is the second of two articles highlighting some of the top news stories from 2024. This article highlights events from July to December.
July
Caribou Public Library received a $1.8 million grant from the Maine Connectivity Authority to transform the library into a larger technology hub. The upstairs loft will include a conference room, new public computers and private telehealth rooms, while the downstairs will get new more computer space.
Though the fireworks show was postponed, hundreds still enjoyed Limestone’s annual Fourth of July parade, featuring more than two dozen businesses and organizations.
Woodland residents approved school and town budgets during the annual town meeting. The school budget totaled $2,890,847 compared with $2,748,286 the previous year. Residents also approved all budget requests for the town’s budget.
Stockholm became the first Maine town to launch its own food sovereign market, in keeping with the state’s expanded food sovereignty laws. Despite lingering opposition from traditional farmer’s market groups, organizers said that the private membership market aimed to increase access to locally-grown foods.
Caribou’s new police chief, Corey Saucier, took the helm July 15 after former chief Michael Gahagan’s retirement. A longtime law enforcement officer, Saucier said he wanted to help Caribou’s department increase staff and grow its community outreach.
Maine musicians performed in New Sweden to celebrate 15 years of Arootsakoostik Music Festival. Many frequent performers returned, including Madawaska native Dominic Lavoie and the Portland-based bluegrass band Tricky Britches.
Seventy-two racers took off down Loring Commerce Center’s airport runway during Loring Timing Association’s annual land speed races. Unlike most races, competitors are not trying to beat each other, but rather beat their own speed records.
Caribou city councilors approved an increase in property tax rates. In 2024, the mill rate became 21.4, up from 19.5 in 2023. City officials cut many municipal budget items but said that the increased school budget and county taxes still brought up the tax rate.
Despite little marketing, 2024 was a banner year for tourism at the former Loring Air Force Base. Veterans and others attended the biennial open house in record numbers, and more visitors discovered the former nuclear weapons storage area.

Caribou Cares About Kids held its popular parade and other activities at the wellness and recreation center. Over 53 businesses and organizations took part in the Saturday evening parade.
August
A Bangor District Court judge dismissed harassment charges against former Woodland Select Board member Thomas Drew. Board member Kathy Ouellette alleged that Drew harassed her on multiple occasions but a judge concluded that there was not sufficient evidence to support the claims.
Despite a quick change in venue, Spud Speedway held a successful BikeBowl event at Loring Commerce Center’s arch hangar. Motorcycle enthusiasts enjoyed concerts, a food truck face-off and other activities.
Green 4 Maine co-founders Scott Hinkel and Thomas Manning paid off $155,580 in real estate taxes to the town of Limestone after town officials revealed that the private developers were behind on their taxes.
Longtime day care provider Brenda Keaton celebrated 30 years of operating Kids World Day Care on Kittinger Drive. Keaton has now cared for over 200 children. She welcomed back many of her families for a reunion celebration.

Loring Development Authority launched a fundraising campaign to save Loring’s deteriorating arch hangar. The authority is aiming to raise $3 million to fund engineering studies to determine the best business and community uses for the space.
Caribou couple Derek and Kayla Bosse became the new owners of Cindy’s Sub Shop and renamed the business Caribou Sub Shop. Cindy’s had been open for over 25 years, and the Bosses said they wanted to retain the popular sandwich recipes.
Environmental researchers updated community members on investigations into PFAS spread at the former Loring Air Force Base. So far research suggests that PFAS-laden firefighting foam from the base’s Air Force days is likely spreading into waterways.
The Mi’kmaq Nation celebrated 30 years of its annual Mawiomi at Spruce Haven in Caribou. Speakers and performers honored the traditions that have endured throughout the generations, such as drumming, dancing and singing in the Mi’kmaq language.
The Environmental Protection Agency announced that an asbestos abatement and clean up of other hazardous materials would begin in September at the defunct steam plant in Caribou. An estimated 14,000 square feet of surface materials in the plant contained asbestos.
Limestone’s interim town manager Alan Mulherin reflected on a year in the position. During that time, Mulherin helped town officials and employees sort out financial discrepancies and create a plan for long-term stability.
Caribou city councilors voted to hire a contractor to clean property at 15 Prospect St., the site of a former home that burned in September 2023 and was the subject of a lawsuit against the homeowner.
Bluegrass enthusiasts convened in Fort Fairfield on Labor Day weekend for the annual County Bluegrass Festival. The event featured longtime performers, up-and-coming bands and impromptu jam sessions among music fans.
September
Stockholm Recreation Committee began raising funds for a new storage building adjacent to the John Anderson Memorial Ballpark. The new building will include equipment storage space, kitchen, concession stand and bathrooms.
Construction for the new potato chip factory at Loring Commerce Center was delayed pending state approval of wastewater permits. The plant will need to install a “digester” to treat an estimated 32,000 gallons of water before sending it to Limestone Water & Sewer District.
September 14 marked the 40th anniversary of Joe Kittinger launching the hot-air balloon, the Rosie O’Grady Balloon of Peace, from a field in Caribou. Kittinger traveled 3,543 miles across the Atlantic Ocean for 83 hours and 40 minutes. Kittinger passed away in 2022 but friends in Caribou remembered bravery and adventurous spirit.
Caribou teacher Amanda Baker and her students hosted the first memorial stair climb at Caribou Community School to honor first responders and others who perished on Sept. 11, 2001. The climb recognized the firefighters who climbed 110 flights at the World Trade Center in New York City.
The Limestone Renaissance Faire brought plenty of “buskers and buccaneers” to Loring Commerce Center. Musicians and vendors showcased songs, jewelry, clothing and other items inspired by the late 1600s to mid 1700s period.
Ports of entry into Canada in Fort Fairfield and Limestone will remain open during planned upgrades, according to the General Services Administration. The ports of two of five Maine border stations slated for upgrades.
Limestone residents voted in favor of allowing the town to purchase a former mechanic’s shop to use as a new public works garage. During the special meeting, residents also approved more recreation reserve funds.
Caribou code enforcement officer John Gibson announced that he would be leaving the position just three months after being hired. City leaders launched a search for a new full-time officer.
The Northern Maine Veterans Cemetery in Caribou received a $1,020,765 grant from the federal Veterans Cemetery Grants Program to add three more walls that will contain 576 columbarium niches for veterans and their spouses. The grant will also fund landscaping and improved irrigation.
Perham couple Adam Dube and Melissa Jandreau announced plans to open a new organic creamery next year that will produce white and chocolate milks, ice cream and yogurt. Their plans come after Houlton Farm Dairy’s plans to stop producing white milk.
The second and expanded DustBowl returned to Spud Speedway and brought grass drags, car racing, family activities and carnival rides.
Sept. 30 was the 30th anniversary of Loring Air Force Base closing in 1994. In recent decades, Aroostook’s economy has been strengthened through more investment in agriculture, forestry and tourism, according to local experts. Loring veterans also reflected on the base’s Cold War impact and other installations that supported the base.
October
Limestone’s mill rate jumped from 22.6 to 31.5 mills following a select board vote. Board members cited lower state reimbursements for solar fields and higher school and county tax expenses as reasons for the increase.
New Sweden Historical Society completed repairs at the historic Ostlund House but continued raising funds for restoration efforts. The 1871 house is the state’s only Swedish log house left standing.
Caribou Utilities District proposed raising water rates by 1.48 to keep up with rising costs. The average Caribou customer would see their water bill go up by less than one dollar per month.
Caribou city leaders and the Maine Department of Transportation began exploring how they might add access points along the Caribou Bypass. The DOT currently does not allow for more access points than what already exists along the bypass, constructed in 1965. Economic leaders want more access routes for potential housing and businesses.
Land sailors gathered at Loring’s airport runways for the first ever Blokart East Coast Championships. Winners included racers from New England and Canada.

Former Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority director Kristine Logan remained on the board of directors for Loring Development Authority after resigning from her position. Logan had faced criticism in the fallout of a PFAS spill at Brunswick Executive Airport.
A citizen-led steering committee proposed a new ordinance to govern Woodland’s select board and other committees and how public meetings should be run. The proposed ordinance came after over a year of dysfunction among the town’s select board and employees.
The Maine Rural Water Association lifted a boil water order at Loring Commerce Center. At a Loring board meeting, residents and business owners complained about a lack of communication regarding the order and recent hikes in Loring water rates.
Crafters convened at Caribou High School for the 50th Caribou Arts & Craft Fair. The annual tradition has become a local kickoff for the holiday shopping season and for anyone who loves handmade crafts.
Trombley Industries in Limestone agreed to pay $12,000 to the Friends of Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge for the creation of a new trail with the Mi’kmaq Nation. The payment was intended to compensate for unintended silt discharge into Greenlaw Brook, which runs through the refuge and Mi’kmaq land.
Thirty years after losing Loring Air Force Base, Main Street in Limestone has still seen local businesses come and go. As more folks shift toward home-based businesses, many still want to revive the downtown to include more shops and a new restaurant.
An apartment building at 653 Main Street in Caribou was a total loss following an afternoon fire. Four residents were displaced and received assistance from the American Red Cross. Less than a week later, another fire occurred at 33 Main Siding Road, displacing one resident from the home, which was deemed a total loss.
November
New Sweden resident Don Peters reflected on seven decades of writing country and gospel songs for U.S., Canadian and European artists. Peters, 88, estimates that he has written 225 songs since his late teens.
Scott and Laurie LaFleur, owners of the Caribou Inn & Convention Center, announced that the inn would soon be part of the Best Western brand. The LaFleurs did a complete renovation of the inn’s rooms and suites and said that plans were underway for a revitalized Albie’s Lounge, now known as Buck’s, and The Greenhouse Restaurant.
Caribou saw heavy voter turnout for the U.S. presidential election, surpassing that of the 2020 presidential race. The majority of votes cast went toward president elect Donald Trump and other Republicans running for state and national congressional seats.
Limestone’s Select Board passed a new ATV ordinance regulating traffic on town roads. According to the ordinance, ATV drivers can only ride a maximum of 500 yards as long as they keep to the extreme right.
DG Fuels announced that they would likely break ground on their $4 billion sustainable aviation fuel facility at Loring Commerce Center in 2026. The company is slated to produce 190 gallons of jet fuel every year at Loring using 1.7 million tons of local wood biomass.
New York native Ariel Shaul was already seeing success at her horse boarding and riding facility, Shaul’s Spurs & Furs Ranch, three months after opening. Shaul said future goals include reaching out to local youth and offering various programs for local horse riders.

Limestone began offering Narcan, an opioid overdose reversal medication, to town residents who request the medication. Interim Town Manager Alan Mulherin said that the town wanted to increase access to Narcan to those who are in need.
Cary Medical Center received a D grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog group, for patient safety. Hospital leaders said that the most recent data from Leapfrog did not reflect current safety practices.
Ten residents and business owners filed a complaint against the Loring Development Authority over a sharp hike in water rates. The group alleged that the authority did not properly notify them of the proposed rates. Authority leaders said that the rate hike is necessary to maintain aging water infrastructure.
The Mi’kmaq Nation and community and scientific partners continued efforts to extract PFAS from land at the former Loring Air Force Base using hemp. The group said next steps involve finding a way to extract PFAS from the harvested hemp plants.
SnowBowl organizers announced plans to move the festival’s snowmobile races in 2025 to the Aroostook Centre Mall in Presque Isle. The mall venue offers more safety and enjoyment in the event of dismal snowfall, they said.
Caribou kicked off the Christmas season with a new downtown market, featuring vendors set up inside small wooden booths. The market began on Small Business Saturday in an effort to draw more retail shoppers to the city.
December
The FBI announced that it will offer up to $15,000 to anyone with information that could help find missing 14-year-old New Sweden girl Stefanie Damron. The teen went missing in late September but efforts to find her since then have not yielded substantial leads. Local residents held a vigil to keep telling Damron’s story.
Woodland’s steering committee decided to stick with a proposal to add two new selectboard member slots even as advancing a code of ethics ordinance for the board proved less likely.
The RSU 39 school board voted unanimously to shorten next year’s harvest break to one week, move it up by one week and expand the break to include all students. High school students wishing to work harvest beyond the break will have 10 “flex days.”
Eight residents were displaced after a fire broke out at a two-story home at 54 York St. in Caribou.
Limestone held its annual light parade with the theme “A Family Christmas.” Children visited with Santa and Mrs. Claus prior to the parade beginning.
Fifty8andMaine, a new gift shop, opened at 81 Sweden St. in Caribou. Owner Joe Lapierre said the store combines road trip nostalgia with a variety of Maine-themed clothing and other items.
Researchers with the Central Aroostook Soil & Water Conservation District continued testing for potential PFAS in local crop samples after multiple tests revealed high PFAS concentrations in waterways used for farming irrigation.
The tradition of Saint Lucia Day continued at Monica’s Scandinavian Imports in Caribou, with local children honoring the patron saint of light.
Caribou city councilors voted in favor of a 15-percent increase in fire or combined fire and ambulance rates for surrounding towns. The rate change marked the first time in nearly five years that councilors agreed to increase what towns pay for those services.
Caribou leaders opted to proceed with an official design for the city’s new police station despite local concerns over the entire project’s estimated $10.3 million cost.