75 Years Ago – Dec. 27, 1945
Ex-service man served the public again — Homer Cyr, who was formerly on the sales force with Maine Public Service, served the public for seven years in the Home Appliance Field. After serving in the Armed Forces during the war, Homer was ready to serve the public again in the name of “Cyr Appliance Co.”
Homer was also a salesman for Farrar-Brown Co., Appliance division, covering all Aroostook County. Later, a warehouse was established in Presque Isle to serve the dealers and also the buying from the public. Of the five employees engaged, four of them were ex-servicemen.
Clinton White named veterans’ counselor — The Presque Isle Veterans Service Center committee, consisting of Bob Smith representing the Chamber of Commerce, Frank Powers representing the American Legion and Ivan McGlauflin of Foreign Wars, announced that they have appointed Clinton O. White to the position of veterans service counselor for the City of Presque Isle. After two weeks’ schooling at Togus, Mr. White established an office in Presque Isle.
50 Years Ago – Dec. 30, 1970
UMPI received an early Christmas present — Christmas came a few days early at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, bringing a magnificent present that will benefit students for generations to come. The gift was in the form of a natural science collection considered to be one of the best in the United States. It came complete with its own museum building, which will be moved on campus. Consisting of geological, zoological and botanical items, the collection was the gift of Mrs. Leory Norton, whose late husband wished it housed permanently on the UMPI campus.
Needy families received gifts at Christmas — A total of 79 Presque Isle families had a “Merry Christmas” because of the joint efforts of individuals and organizations who worked to make the community Christmas, food and toy project a successful one. Food boxes for Christmas dinner with toys and candy were distributed to 79 families, consisting of 136 adults and 258 children. Each box contained bread, candy, apples, oranges, margarine, jelly, peanut butter, tomato juice, peas, corn, sugar, potatoes, turnip and roast of beef.
25 Years Ago – Dec. 27, 1995
Washburn man honored by police, state for seat belt use — Washburn native Troy Heald didn’t need the public to tell him he should buckle up. A new state law went into effect requiring all motor vehicle occupants to wear a seatbelt. For Heald, wearing a seat belt came naturally. After all, he’d been wearing one every day since an automobile accident nearly cost him his life four years prior. Because a seat belt is credited with saving his life in that near-fatal accident, Heald, 22, was inducted into the Bureau of Highway Safety’s “Saved By the Belt” club. While traveling on U.S. Route 1 in July 1991, Heald fell asleep behind the wheel of his car and ended up in a ditch between Mars Hill and Presque Isle.
RECD offices merged — The Rural Economic and Community Development, formerly the Farmers Home Administration, moved its offices in Caribou and Fort Fairfield. The RECD office in Presque isle became responsible for RECD accounts serviced by the Caribou and Fort Fairfield locations. RECD borrowers and applicants were asked to contact Robert McCurry by his address at RECD Community Development Manager. Seth H. Bradstreet, RECD state director for Maine, announced that the merger of the Caribou and Fort Fairfield RECD offices are a part of the USDA reorganization effort which began the previous year. “This merger will reduce federal spending and will streamline the USDA field office structure,” Bradstreet said.
