Caribou Vikings were everywhere this year, from Sochi, Russia to back down on Sweden Street — and it all makes for an interesting time to be a part of the greater Caribou community. The following is the first half of the region’s 2014 Year in Review for perusing between verses of “Auld Lang Syne” this New Year’s Eve. The second half of this two-part series will print in next week’s issue.
January
• Electric rates saw a 1.2-cent rate increase in their Emera electric bills, and postal customers saw a 3-cent increase on first class stamps.
• Caribou lost a longtime floral and gift shop, Phil’s Florist and Greenhouses, to a fire. The business was owned by David and Patty Corriveau.
• After completing his 12th consecutive year on the Caribou City Council, Kenneth Murchison was tapped once more to fill in a vacant seat on the board until an election could be held in June; no candidates took out nomination papers, and there was a write-in candidacy. Murchison was the most prominent write-in candidate, winning the election hands-down. Murchison’s elected term will concludes at the end of 2014.
February
• Stockholm-native Russell Currier, 26, strapped into his skis in Sochi, Russia, to compete in the biathlon during the Winter Olympics. Currier’s proud parents, Chris and Debbie, traveled across the Atlantic to watch their Olympian compete; the community helped get them there, raising $6,000 through a benefit supper.
• Snow delayed the 32nd annual Father Daughter Sweetheart Dance from its traditional Valentines Day date, but over 400 fathers and daughters turned out for the event on Feb. 15.
• Caribou’s Downtown Ski Festival was a hit, with Sweden Street shut down and covered in snow to facilitate ski races for contestants of all ages.
• The RSU and the Eastern Aroostook Education Association faced further difficulties during contract negotiations due to a clerical error that altered a tentative agreement pertaining to personal days being deducted from educators’ sick days.
• The RSU 39 School Board voted 5-1 to keep harvest break in the school calendar, and extended the vacation to all grade levels. Prior to the vote, the board sent out surveys and conducted a public hearing to gauge public opinion.
• Megan Ouellette of Van Buren was named the 2014 Northern Star during the annual singing competition that raised about $26,000 to help the United Way.
March
• The Woodland Consolidated School hosted their 55th annual Winter Carnival and their 17th annual Speaking Contest; the winners of the speaking contest were crowned King and Queen of the Winter Carnival, and they are Adia Greer and Scott Bray.
• The IBU Youth/Junior Biathalon World Championship was held in Presque Isle, visited by field trips of Caribou area students.
• A surprise going-away party was held in honor of former 26-year Limestone librarian Rea Caldwell. The new librarian Jessica Givens took the helm in the following weeks.
• It was a very televised month for the area; Kirsten Albair of Caribou appeared as a contestant on “Jeopardy!” where she won second place and a prize of $2,000. TV show “Top Gear” and its stars appeared in Caribou to shoot a snow-themed episode.
• Loring Development Authority, the Maine Military Authority and Norinco Motors, a Chinese manufacturing corporation, were discussing the possibility of manufacturing rail cars at the Loring Commerce Centre.
• Aroostook County’s 175th anniversary was celebrated during a ceremony at the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s library; at the event’s conclusion, a potato barrel time capsule was re-sealed and will next be opened in 2036.
• Governor Paul LePage spoke at the Loring Job Corps Center graduation ceremony. “There is not a thing you can’t accomplish if you put your mind to it, strive, and set the goals higher than you can achieve — because that’s how you achieve,” he told the graduates.
• Winning pageant crowns this year were Teen Miss Caribou Kelsey Kiehn, Junior Miss Caribou Olivia Picard and Pre-Teen Miss Caribou Chloe Sleeper. The new reign of tiny queens was determined during a pageant later in the month, announcing that Little Miss Caribou is Madelyn Cote, Little Miss New Sweden is Maya Peterson and Little Miss Woodland is Jillian Quist Zeigler.
• Over 155 students from the greater Caribou area had their work published in the annual Newspapers In Education edition of the Aroostook Republican.
April
• Food Service Manager of the New Sweden School Melanie Lagasse traveled to Washington, D.C. to present a bill on behalf of the Pew Charitable Trusts, titled the School Food Modernization Act.
• Aroostook high school students’ alcohol use has decreased from 34 percent in 209 to 26.5 percent in 2013, reported Michelle Plourde Chasse, Community Voices project manager.
• Caribou High School student Clara Collins received the Principal’s Award from Principal Mark Jones.
• Courtney Sheldon was crowned the 2014 Miss Caribou. First runner-up was Victoria Keaton and second runner-up was Jessika Kovach.
• Nine Woodland students won their grade levels in the Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest. They were: kindergarten student Carsen Richards, first-grader Aiden Noojin, second-grader Jillian Zeigler, third-grader Jasmine Berry, fourth-grader Daniel Arce, fifth-grader Madison Zeigler, sixth-grader Grace Schmitt, seventh-grader Hollie McDougall and eighth-grader Makenzie Conroy.
• In an attempt to close a budget gap, 15 and a half staffing positions were eliminated in four RSU 39 schools.
• Teague Park students raised $15,155 for the American Heart Association through their annual Jump Rope for Heart event. Students who raised the most funds had an opportunity to “slime” their teachers: they were Ryan Austin, Cory Herbert, McKayla Kuklak, Nickie Deschaine, Nick Staples, Jordan Duplessie, Chandler Tracey, Anna Thibodeau, Evan Rossignol and Joseph Cimeno.
May
• Caribou’s Code Enforcement Officer Steve Wentworth submitted his resignation and city officials announced that to save money, code enforcement duties would be done in-house by Assistant City Manager Tony Mazzucco.
• Limestone Destination Imagination students once again won an opportunity to compete in the Global Competition in Knoxville, Tennessee.
• Roughly 280 performers participated in the 20th annual recital of The Maine Dance Academy, which featured “Shrek” this year.
• The Caribou Area Chamber of Commerce honored three community members during their annual Recognition Dinner: Superintendent of the Caribou Parks and Recreation Department Kathy Mazzuchelli received the Lifetime Achievement Award, Cuppy Johndro earned the Volunteer of the Year Award and Wendy Bossie received the Aroostook Spirit Award.
• With 22 years of service to the local district under her belt, Susan White was named the new Superintendent of RSU 39 as of Aug. 1. The former Limestone Community School principal replaced longtime superintendent Frank McElwain.
• Caribou’s City-Wide Yard Sale made for a bustling bargain-filled weekend and was touted as another success for the Caribou Area Chamber of Commerce.
• Caribou city councilors and city administrators worked to clean up the former Birds Eye industrial site on the corner of Fort Street and Access Highway and to clean up the Lazy Acres mobile park.
• Travis Barnes was named the new principal for the Limestone Community School as of July 1. Barnes will replace the former Principal, Susan White, who was named superintendent.
June
• JB Sheet Metal opened its doors, with help from the Caribou Economic Growth Council.
• An $18.4 million budget was approved by voters for the RSU 39.
• Honor Parts were announced for graduating seniors; Caribou High School’s Valedictorian was Emilee Sirois and the Salutatorian was Clara Collins. Limestone Community School’s Valedictorian was Jordyn Hopkins, and Melissa Cantafio was Salutatorian.
• Aroostook County held their annual Relay for Life event at the Caribou High School.
• Limestone Selectpeople voted to honor the late Dr. Albert H. Damon by naming the Fire Department building after him; Dr. Damon established the very first volunteer fire department in Limestone.
• Tom Albert and Fred Pelletier were re-elected as Limestone Selectpeople; Limestone residents also voted to keep 24-hour police coverage in a decisive vote of 148 in favor of full-time coverage, 82 votes in favor of reducing coverage to 18 hours a day.
• Caribou city councilors set the mil rate at 22.3, which means residents will not see a tax increase on the municipal side of their tax bill.
• The Maine Military Authority was bolstered by a $19 million contract to repair 32 buses owned and used by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority.
