News

FORT KENT– The Parks and Recreation Department for the town of Fort Kent, which was the focus of some controversy following department head Ann Beaulieu’s recommendation and the council's decision to remove the skating rink line item from the budget this spring, faces another shortage.

ST. JOHN VALLEY- Famed Cajun ('Cadien) fiddler, Hadley Castille, and his Sharecroppers Band, featuring his granddaughter and nephew, as well as three other Cajun musicians, will headline an evening of Acadian music and dance in Madawaska in late summer.

Click on the sign to see the Police BLOGGER for your town

FORT KENT – The University of Maine at Fort Kent presented thirty-five awards and fourteen scholarships deserving students at the senior class banquet and awards convocation on Friday, May 11 in the UMFK Sports Center.

MAINE – Elected government officials announced May 30 that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded four grants totaling $2,641,846 for the purposes of developing and implementing a regional comprehensive economic development strategy (CEDS). The Bangor International Airport, Northern Aroostook Regional Airport, Central Maine Airport of Norridgewock, and Northern Maine Regional Airport at Presque Isle all received grants.

AROOSTOOK COUNTY– The Aroostook Medical Center (TAMC) is beginning a process that will change the way their nursing staff interacts with patients on the floors.

Many inpatient units in the United States traditionally undergo shift changes every 12 hours. This means that patients normally have a separate staff taking care of them during the day than at night.

AROOSTOOK COUNTY- McGill’s Community Band has been a part of summers in Southern Aroostook since 1985. Starting Friday, June 1, they began broadcasting their performances live on 94.7 FM WBCQ and streaming video and audio online at WBCQFM.com.

(** Editor's note - The reporter has updated this story to reflect further information and clarification from police.) 

FORT KENT - On Saturday, June 2, Reynald Pelletier of Fort Kent said he wants to drop charges of home invasion against his grandson, whom police charged on Thursday with taking $6000 from security boxes in Pelletier's home.  However, Police Chief Kenneth Michaud said the charges remain.

MAINE - This is the time of year when many members of the public encounter baby fawns, robins, raccoons and other young wildlife in their back yards and woodlands.

ALLAGASH- Maine author Tim Caverly presented his multi-media program, "Allagash Tails and Tales," and discussed his “Allagash Tails” collection of books and one of the nation's premiere wild and scenic rivers during a May 5 visit to the Faye O'Leary Hafford Library to promote literacy.    

OREGON/Maine – In a press release from the Linn County Sheriff’s office in Oregon today, Linn County Sheriff Tim Mueller reported that his detectives have identified the woman found wandering east of Albany on May 15 as Marcia Lee Rackley, age 67, from Norfolk Virginia.

FORT KENT– Ex-governor Angus King made a stop at Doris’ Café in Fort Kent as part of his northern Maine tour after his announcement two months ago that he would pursue a U.S. Senate seat as an independent candidate. He spent the morning with the Chasse family and others in the small diner.

Monday, May 21

Softball

Limestone 14 vs. Fort Kent 5

Madawaska 16 at Fort Fairfield 15

High Hitters: Amanda Nadeau and Kelly Dugal with two points each.

Central Aroostook 24 at Wisdom 12

Baseball

Washburn 20 at Van Buren 13

FORT KENT– Sheila Cannan, director of the Greater Fort Kent Area Chamber of Commerce, reminded the community in a press release on Thursday, May 31, that the weather is warming up and it's time to start beautifying the streets in town.

AROOSTOOK COUNTY— The Northern Maine Development Commission and the Aroostook Partnership for Progress have announced Jon Gulliver has been named Director of Investor and Community Relations for the two organizations.

ALLAGASH WILDERNESS/Chesuncook Lake– Mechanical problems in a single engine airplane forced summer Wallagrass resident Arthur Carroll to make an emergency landing on Chesuncook Lake in the Allagash Wilderness on Thursday, May 24.

Carroll, who holds his private pilot’s license, was flying with his wife Adele in their 1968 Cessna 185 seaplane when they began to experience engine trouble.

FORT KENT - The University of Maine at Fort Kent Athletic department will offer a week-long day co-ed soccer camp this summer. Registration is open to children entering kindergarten through eighth grade.

ST. JOHN VALLEY– A new documentary film features the Arootsakoostik Music Festival. It highlights some of the local talent and hard work of a few St. John Valley natives and celebrates the music scene in The County. The festival, which will take place in New Sweden, returns again this summer on July 7.

FORT KENT- The University of Maine at Fort Kent's Assistant Director of Media Services Aaron Bernstein and Charles Danziger of Danziger, Danziger, and Muro LLP in New York have an animated way about them. That is to say, the two collaborators have been creating videos combining live action and animation under the moniker "Crunchyworld."

MADAWASKA– As a testament to one woman’s hard work and dedication, a new restaurant will soon open its doors in Madawaska.

The Acadian Restaurant, which is scheduled to open for business in mid-July will fill the space formerly occupied by Richardo's Italian Bistro.

MADAWASKA - The well-known book series “Chicken Soup for the Soul” has a new writer from the Valley. Angel Dionne, who is a Fiddlehead Focus freelancer, has contributed “Unconditional Love,” in the new book “Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Mothers and Daughters.”

In the past, when school let out and our public education system/national babysitting service sent our wonderful bundles of joy home, I had few if any problems. They would come home for the summer break, and we would quickly sign them up for a whole slew of town-sponsored programs. We would pretty much treat the summer program as a continuation of school, at least when it came to juggling the schedules of two working parents.

REMEMBRANCE JIGSAW - This puzzle shows crosses lined up in front of the American Legion Hall in Madawaska displayed for Memorial Day. - Pettengill Jerkins image image

To solve an easier version of this puzzle, click on this LINK or the image shown here.

MAINE – Governor Paul R. LePage issued the following statement today regarding the death of U.S. Army Captain John “Jay” R. BrainardIII, of Newport, who was killed in Afghanistan on May 28, 2012:

ST. JOHN VALLEY — Summer is one of the busiest international travel times in the U.S. and with the start of the travel season this Memorial Day, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and agriculture specialists throughout the northeast are proactively reminding travelers of some important tips.

ST. JOHN VALLEY/ Fort Kent – A consortium of all the regional offices of Maine Emergency Medical Services headed by Steve Corbin, Regional EMS Coordinator for Region Five, has awarded the Ambulance Service, Inc. (ASI) office based in Fort Kent recognition for their service to the surrounding communities.

FORT KENT – Several prominent community leaders and political figures showed up to recognize the new biomass facility at the University of Maine at Fort Kent on May 24 during a well-attended ribbon cutting ceremony held near the UMFK Sports Center.