75 Years Ago – May 10, 1945
Washburn dehydration plant again honored — Harry Umphrey, vice president of McCormick and Company, Inc., announced that the potato dehydration plant at Washburn had again been honored by the War Food Administration for outstanding achievement in food processing. The W.F.A. had awarded the plant a star to be added to the award banner presented to the plant the previous year. The Washburn plant had closed preparations for the season. The plant is managed by J. C. McCall.
Wesley Porter directing Foundation Seed Program — Wesley H. Porter, of Presque Isle, assistant entomologist at the University of Maine Experiment Station on the Houlton Road, was selected to direct the foundation seed potato program of the newly created Seed Potato Board. The adjourned legislature provided a $100,000 revolving loan for the board which it will repay to eradicate disease threatening foundation seed production. State Agricultural Commissioner Carl R. Smith and E. L. Newdick, chief of the department’s plant industry division, attended the meeting of the board.
50 Years Ago – May 13, 1970
$2,726 Accumulated for Scholarships — At a regular scheduled meeting of the Dollars for Scholars in SAD 1, Treasurer Irwin Porter reported that the organization had accumulated a total of $2,726 thus far in their scholarship fund for 1970. Porter pointed out that it was conceivable that the treasury may grow to $4,000 before graduation. He mentioned that the money was still flowing in from various business organizations as a result of a request sent out by the president, Dana M. Swett.
Star City “Colleen” was state titlelist — Two Presque Isle girls were selected as outstanding champions during the National Baton Twirling Association 1970 State and Open Contest held at Skyway Junior High School. Colleen Cochran of Lake Street won three State Senior Division awards and Tammy England of Turner Street was a double winner in her division. 350 Twirlers competed in the contest from Maine and New Brunswick, sponsored by the Golden Hawks Drum and Bugle Corps of Presque Isle. The event lasted all day and into the early hours of Sunday morning.
25 Years Ago – May 10, 1995
Generous donation — The Presque Isle Housing Authority (PIHA) contributed $1.000 to Dialsafe, a telephone system that calls the elderly in the Presque Isle area on a regular basis and notifies a list of respondents if a call is not answered. The system was free to those it served, and a project shared by the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s criminal justice program, the Presque Isle Police Department, the Aroostook Area Agency on Aging and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program.
State trooper promoted — John T. York of Mars Hill was promoted to sergeant in the Maine State Police. The promotion was made by the Chief of the State Police, Colonel Alfred R. Skolfield. York, a 13 year veteran of the department, served as a patrol supervisor in Troop F. York, a Mars Hill native, had patrolled in Troop F his entire State Police career. Prior to joining the State Police, York served six years as a deputy sheriff with the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department. In 1993, he was selected as “Trooper of the Year”, the highest honor in the Maine State Police.
