Fiddlehead Focus

Scenes like this one from Eagle Lake in 2016 reflect fun times for children to be had this year as multiple St. John Valley towns will offer Halloween celebrations despite the COVID-19 pandemic. (Jessica Potila | SJVT)

Scenes like this one from Eagle Lake in 2016 reflect fun times for children to be had this year as multiple St. John Valley towns will offer Halloween celebrations despite the COVID-19 pandemic. (Jessica Potila | SJVT)

Plenty of Halloween fun planned for Valley kids

October 22, 2020

Children are invited to participate in fun, family friendly Halloween events planned throughout the St. John Valley.

News Browse News

Valley Trading Post will sell guns and more in Fort Kent

The Gardner family of St. Francis will soon be operating a second family business

House District 150 candidate profile

Who to elect as the 46th president of the United States is not the only decision facing northern Maine voters on Nov. 3. Also at issue is who voters feel is best suited to represent them at the state level.

Tech N Trenz celebrates new location in Fort Kent

A Main Street family business moved to a new storefront just down the road to make more room for growing inventory.

Fort Kent man arrested in New York with stolen pickup

New York State Police arrested a Fort Kent man who allegedly stole a pickup truck from a Fort Kent auto shop and drove it to Albany.

Rise in U.S. COVID cases could keep border closed indefinitely

Until the U.S. can stem its rise in COVID-19 cases, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the plan is to keep the border between the two countries closed.

Valley towns team up to honor fallen veterans

Three St. John Valley towns have formed a committee with the aim of building a veterans’ memorial.

Police & Fire Browse Police & Fire

Fort Kent man arrested in New York with stolen pickup

New York State Police arrested a Fort Kent man who allegedly stole a pickup truck from a Fort Kent auto shop and drove it to Albany.

Two arrested in connection with three high-speed chases and multiple vehicle thefts

The Maine State Police and Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office have arrested Britteny Finley and Brandon Lane, who allegedly led officers in both departments on three high-speed chases earlier this week.

Frenchville woman wanted for eluding officers after high-speed chase

The Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office is currently searching for a Frenchville woman following a high-speed chase in which her vehicle went off the roadway and she eluded officers.

Two fires hours apart near same potato house bring fire marshal to scene

The state fire marshal will investigate a Wednesday afternoon fire at a storage garage near Ed Pelletier and Sons in Frenchville, which was the second fire near the business on the same day.

Utility truck catches fire after striking power line in Frenchville

Frenchville firefighters extinguished a burning utility truck after it made contact with a power line on Wednesday morning at Ed Pelletier and Sons potato house on Frenchville Road.

Fire destroys Wallagrass home

A Wallagrass home was destroyed by fire on Tuesday afternoon.

State, National and World News Browse State, National and World News

Secretary Dunlap notifies motorists of updated vehicle registration deadlines

Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap is advising motorists to be aware of vehicle registration deadlines, as Gov. Janet Mills has issued an updated executive order regarding those requirements, which had previously been altered in response to office closures due to the pandemic response.

NRCS offers opportunities to conserve deer in Aroostook, Washington counties

If you are interested in deer conservation, then this initiative is just for you. The 2021 deer initiative is focused on improving winter habitat conditions for white-tailed deer that occur within the northern limits of their range -- Aroostook and Washington counties.

Rise in U.S. COVID cases could keep border closed indefinitely

Until the U.S. can stem its rise in COVID-19 cases, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the plan is to keep the border between the two countries closed.

Canada to allow border crossing for students, couples

Canada announced a further relaxation of limits allowing Americans to cross the border, though it continues to remain closed for non-essential travel.

Living Browse Living

Maine Hunger Dialogue focuses on college student food and housing insecurity

The Maine Hunger Dialogue will convene by webinar from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, Oct. 23. The event is free and open to the public.

Plenty of Halloween fun planned for Valley kids

Children are invited to participate in fun, family friendly Halloween events planned throughout the St. John Valley.

Births at NMMC – October 2020

The following births were recorded recently at Northern Maine Medical Center.

Agency on Aging hosts virtual annual meeting

For the first time in its 47-year history, Aroostook Agency on Aging’s annual Meeting was conducted virtually Monday under the direction of Rev. Dr. Ken Phelps, president of the board.

Fiddlehead Focus Crossword Puzzle for Oct. 21, 2020

You can complete this crossword puzzle online. Just click on the box you want to fill in and begin typing the word you think is the answer to the clue.

Weekly digital jigsaw – Pickett Mountain – October 12, 2020

A view of Pickett Mountain and Pickett Mountain Pond, which could serve as the site of a new minerals mine by Canadian mining company Wolfden Resources.

Opinion Browse Opinion

Bringing transparency and lower costs to health care

In nearly every industry, we are able to shop for goods and services by comparing publicly available price and quality information. From buying shoes to building a house, we expect to know the full price of what we are purchasing before we buy it.

Ranked choice on the ballot

To the editor: [At the] last go-round, Republicans were royally cheated out of our first choice of Bruce Poliquin by this diabolical system the Democrats hoisted on us called ranked-choice voting.

Maine deserves a leader, not a bystander

Coronavirus has undoubtedly posed a new and unprecedented set of circumstances for Mainers. Fortunately the Paycheck Protection Program -- authored by our very own Sen. Susan Collins -- helped small businesses and countless Maine workers get through the worst of the economic shutdown last spring.

Collins gets my vote

To the editor: Through Senator Collins’ leadership Maine veterans have gained a powerful voice in Washington, ensuring we have a strong advocate for veterans’ issues. Now more than ever we need Susan’s continued leadership. As a veteran from Caribou, I am proud to say that Susan is my senator.

Why my vote won’t be for Biden

To the editor: In answer to Meghan Walsh’s letter to the Times [Oct. 7, 2020], explaining why she is voting for Biden, here is why I will not vote for him.

Halves and steps

Sometime or other the kinship feature in your genealogical software will indicate that someone is a half-cousin or half-sibling. If you’re new to genealogy this may puzzle you.

Sports Browse Sports

Soccer season winds to a close with playoff schedule set

The regular season is rapidly winding to a close for local soccer teams, giving a clearer picture for the upcoming Aroostook League playoffs.

Madawaska beats Fort Fairfield at home 5-0

The Madawaska boys soccer team beat Fort Fairfield 5-0 at Fort Fairfield Middle/High School on Thursday after a big first half from Brady Gagnon and a shutdown defense from the Owls.

Blizzard training camp kicks off

EDMUNDSTON, New Brunswick — Thirty-two hockey players will report to head coach Emery Olauson on Friday Oct. 9, for the fourth Edmundston Blizzard training camp.

Northern Forest Canoe Trail raffling off 20th anniversary Wenonah canoe

The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) is raffling off a special 20th anniversary Wenonah Adirondack tandem canoe.

Madawaska wins Aroostook League Golf Championship

Madawaska High School won the 2020 Aroostook League County Championship in Mars Hill Monday, after impressive performances from each of the six-member team.

Warriors run in Washburn meet

The Caribou boys and girls cross country teams both scored a victory during an Oct. 2 cross country meet hosted by Washburn that also included runners from Fort Kent.

Business Browse Business

Katahdin Bankshares Corp. reports third quarter results

Katahdin Bankshares Corp. (OTCQX: KTHN), parent company of Katahdin Trust Company, a community bank founded in 1918 serving northern Maine and the greater Bangor and Portland regions, has announced third-quarter earnings of $2.45 million or $0.75 per common share. Total assets reached $939.2 million.

Secretary Dunlap notifies motorists of updated vehicle registration deadlines

Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap is advising motorists to be aware of vehicle registration deadlines, as Gov. Janet Mills has issued an updated executive order regarding those requirements, which had previously been altered in response to office closures due to the pandemic response.

Valley Trading Post will sell guns and more in Fort Kent

The Gardner family of St. Francis will soon be operating a second family business

Tech N Trenz celebrates new location in Fort Kent

A Main Street family business moved to a new storefront just down the road to make more room for growing inventory.

Totally Trades session goes virtual this fall

The Totally Trades Conference, coordinated by New Ventures Maine, will be offered virtually this fall with an online Totally Trades Career Week from Oct. 19 to 23.

Katahdin Trust named one of the 2020 Best Places to Work in Maine

Katahdin Trust Company, a local community bank founded in 1918, serving northern Maine and the greater Bangor and Portland regions, was recently named as one of the 2020 Best Places to Work in Maine.

County Candids Browse County Candids

Trees in transition

FORT KENT, Maine — Summer is fast becoming a memory as the trees along the Riverside South Trail in Fort Kent are quickly losing their leaves.

Wind damage

The iconic sign at the Gateway Motel toppled over due to Thursday’s high winds.

Prepare your pumpkins

Prepare your pumpkins

Aftereffects of wind

Aftereffects of wind