Caribou saw a productive year in 2013, as several new stores opened, construction projects got under way, and existing companies made changes and upgrades. The following are some of the highlights of the year in business.
January
• The County Federal Credit Union celebrated the grand opening of its newest branch in Houlton on Jan. 22.
• Spenser Ouellette, originally from Van Buren, took the helm of iconic summer-season eatery Burger Boy in Caribou. Ouellette said he planned to increase hours of operation but leave much of the menu the same. He expressed hope to possibly stay open year-round in 2014.
• Kristi and Glen Peterson of Stockholm opened Jemtland Gypsy, a year-round hair salon, in the space formerly occupied by the Stockholm town office.
• The new year brought new representation for tourism in The County, as the new 12-member Aroostook County Tourism Board replaced the former 26-member Aroostook County Tourism Committee.
• Dow Theater Company, owner of the Braden Theater in Presque Isle and the Caribou Theaters on Sweden St., announced their digital upgrade at the Presque Isle location, which has resulted in their ability to offer more films and a higher-quality viewing experience. Hopes were to obtain equipment for Caribou.
• Construction remained on schedule for the Rising Hill long-term care facility in Limestone, despite January’s harsh temperatures.
February
• Cary Medical Center received the Women’s Choice Award from Women Certified for excellence in obstetrics care. The hospital was also named a finalist in the Case in Point Platinum Awards, a program recognizing case-management systems working to improve health care.
• The Caribou Area Chamber of Commerce’s new executive director, William Tasker, conducted his first meeting in the post on Feb. 5.
• The S.W. Collins Company donated $5,000 to the Northern Maine Community College wellness and student center project.
• The Caribou Kiwanis Club let its Keystone Kops loose to arrest those up to no good in the city, who could only be freed by posting $10 bail to get out of jail. The popular annual fundraiser was held during the Caribou Winter Carnival.
• The County Federal Credit Union announced three area promotions, including Laurie Colton of Caribou, promoted to assistant vice president of loan operations; Danielle Michaud of Limestone, assistant vice president of collections; and Effie Murchie of Fort Fairfield, assistant vice president/branch manager of the Fort Fairfield branch.
March
• Plans for Aroostook County’s first freestanding hospice house moved forward with the announcement of land acquisition for the project. The five-acre parcel of land on U.S. Route 1 between Presque Isle and Caribou was donated by the Irving Family and Cavendish Farms.
• The Caribou Rehab & Nursing Center received the highest possible rating of five stars in U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Nursing Homes ratings.
• Jim Savage of Caribou won the keys to a 2013 Polaris child-sized snowmobile, a prize donated by County Sports in Caribou during the annual Andy Santerre Sno-Run to benefit the Aroostook Mental Health Center. The other raffle prize was a handcrafted birdhouse by Bill Landes of Caribou, won by Dale and Cynthia Blackstone of Washburn.
• Karen Peers of Woodland was promoted to branch manager The County Federal Credit Union’s Caribou office.
• A couple with local roots was recognized for their work to grow their insurance agency during 50 years of marriage. Douglas and Frances Soderberg, formerly of New Sweden and Caribou, respectively, and now in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, were honored for lifetime achievement in the insurance industry.
April
• Frontier Pharmacy returned to Caribou as owners Joe Solomon and Kevin Bouchard reopened at a new location at 153 Bennett Drive.
• Cary Medical Center was designated a Fit-Friendly Worksite by the American Heart Association for its efforts with employee wellness. The hospital was also honored for its tobacco prevention program.
• Lindsay Becker was promoted as manager of the Caribou branch of KeyBank.
• The Northern Lighthouse, a mental health services and treatment facility, held grand opening festivities at its new Caribou location, 559 New Sweden Road.
• Caribou contractor J.P. Martin and Sons Construction Corp. was awarded a $6 million contract to build a new wellness center addition and renovate the student center at Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle.
• Visiting Nurses of Aroostook/Hospice of Aroostook received a $5,000 grant from the Bangor Savings Bank Foundation.
• The S.W. Collins Company expanded beyond the borders of Aroostook County, opening a new store in Lincoln.
May
• Haney’s Building Specialties owner Troy Haney announced the store would now offer Sauder furniture, a line of ready-to-assemble furniture manufactured in Archbold, Ohio.
• New business INKredible Tattoos opened its doors at 21 Bennett Drive under the ownership of Derrell Richardson, with Matt Skidgel of Caribou as the tattoo artist.
• Caribou residents Griffin and Cristy St. Peter were announced as the owners of the soon-to-be-completed 36th Sinawik House, a joint project of the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club and Northern Maine Community College.
• The Caribou Business and Professional Women’s club elected three new officers during their May meeting. They were Rani Belanger, president re-elect; Darlene Grass, treasurer; and Dolores Martin, secretary.
June
• Tigerland Paintball of Cross Lake boasted a newly revamped facility, featuring acres of varying terrain to support different styles of paintball play for up to 50 players at a time.
• British company Porvair PLC announced its acquisition of Eisenmann Metallurgical in Caribou. The deal, worth $5.5 million, was expected to expand the Caribou facility.
• Caribou’s community revitalization effort kicked off with a meeting of a small but committed group of individuals. The effort was designed to bring new life to the city of Caribou through a series of year-round events to draw people to all sectors of the city.
• For the seventh year in a row, Cary Medical Center received the AVATAR International 2012 Exceeding Patient Expectations award. The hospital also received AVATAR’s 2012 Exemplary Service Overall Best Performer Award for the unprecedented second year in a row and the DEP Environmental Excellence Award.
• Healing Hearts, an adult therapy facility owned and operated by Marla Raymond of Bridgewater, opened for business on Prospect Street. The venture included services like community integration, therapy, Christian counseling, and loss and grief counseling.
