Editor’s Note: The following is the first of two articles highlighting some of the top news stories from 2020. This article highlights events from January to June. The second article will publish Jan. 6.
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — 2020 started like any other year for the Presque Isle area, a vast stretch of land from Bridgewater to Portage Lake. But while COVID-19 did not hit Aroostook County until April, the pandemic dramatically affected businesses and events throughout the area beginning with Gov. Janet Mills’ civil state of emergency declaration on March 15.
Several festivals were canceled, restaurants and other businesses closed — some for good — and many struggled to grapple with the newfound changes that had come to the region.
January
A shooting threat sent to Presque Isle High School Principal Dave Bartlett sent all SAD 1 students home early on Jan. 2. Hundreds opted not to go to school the following day as local police investigated the threat.
On Jan. 8, the Presque Isle City Council voted 5-2 to recommend that the U.S. Department of Transportation award United Airlines a two-year contract to provide air service to and from Presque Isle International Airport. The decision was controversial, with many residents deriding United’s schedule delays and lack of service to Boston.
Councilors Kevin Freeman, left, Mike Chasse, center, and Craig Green, right, vote to recommend that the Department of Transportation provide United another two-year contract for service at Presque Isle International Airport, in a Presque Isle City Council meeting IN January 2020. (Staff photo/David Marino Jr.)
An equipment fire on Jan. 13 destroyed the Bradbury Barrel Co’s primary manufacturing building in Bridgewater. About 35 firefighters fought the flames for seven hours, but the building was a total loss. Bradbury Barrel did not confirm or deny that it would rebuild the site.
A 90-year-old woman died in a house fire in Fort Fairfield on Jan. 13. Firefighters who arrived at the home at around 4 a.m. that day found it engulfed in flames. They found the body of Dawn Findlen nearly 17 hours later. Investigators said that they were unable to determine the cause of the fire because of extensive damage to the home.
Fort Fairfield reels after a fire on Jan. 14 kills 39-year-old Hope Phillips in what was the second fatal fire in two days for the small community. It was also unclear what caused the fire that Phillips perished in. Fort Fairfield Fire Chief Vince Baldwin said that he was working with his department to deal with the psychological effect of the two incidents.
Workers from earthwork contractor McGillan perform work on the remains of a house fire in Fort Fairfield in January. (David Marino Jr. | The Star-Herald)
The Mars Hill Town Council moved quickly to approve the creation of a new semi-municipal ambulance service that would provide emergency services to residents of Mars Hill, Blaine and Bridgewater. If nothing was done by April 20, the availability of ambulance services in those areas would be in question, a life-or-death situation for an aging, rural community.
The Presque Isle City Council unanimously approved an ordinance to legalize the sale and cultivation of recreational marijuana within city limits on Jan. 23. It was a sign of the times in a county that had voted steadfastly against marijuana legalization in 2016 — there was hardly any opposition from residents.
February
Presque Isle’s Burger King permanently closed its doors on Feb. 1 in conjunction with the closure of Caribou and Houlton locations, putting several employees out of work.
Four Presque Isle residents sent a public letter to the Presque Isle Utilities District and state government officials on Feb. 5 demanding action on the presence of PFAS chemicals — known for their inability to break down and their link to adverse health effects — in residents’ land and drinking water. The group accused the district of allowing the spread of such chemicals in nearby fields, letting it infect their water.
Residents of Mars Hill, Blaine and Bridgewater testified to the Maine Legislature in Augusta to support a bill that would create a semi-municipal ambulance service that would serve the three communities. The bill was introduced to the Maine Legislature on Jan. 21 by Sen. Mike Carpenter, D-Houlton.
Two Fort Fairfield residents vote behind curtains at the Fort Fairfield Town Office on March 3. (David Marino Jr. | The Star-Herald)
March
The Maine House and Maine Senate unanimously passed a bill that would create the semi-municipal ambulance service that would provide coverage to Mars Hill, Blaine, Bridgewater and E Township. Due to the bill’s emergency nature, it went into effect immediately after Gov. Janet Mills signed it.
Former Vice President Joe Biden won 47 percent as residents of the Presque Isle area vote in Maine’s Democratic presidential primary on March 3. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders came in a far-away second with 27 percent of the vote, while former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg received 14 percent. No candidates came to Presque Isle or Aroostook County for the primary.
On March 11, the University of Maine at Presque Isle said that it was going remote and asked most of its students to leave campus by March 22 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision was in conjunction with six other universities in the University of Maine System. University President Raymond Rice described it as the saddest day of his career.
As Gov. Janet Mills imposes a civil state of emergency across Maine to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus begins to more heavily affect the Presque Isle area: the Presque Isle Rehab and Nursing Center began requiring that visitors take a temperature test and fill out a questionnaire before they come inside the location. It closed itself to visitors shortly after.
Every school district in Aroostook County announced closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including six in the Presque Isle area. The decision was made in the aftermath of Gov. Janet Mills’ civil state of emergency — teachers and district officials immediately began working to implement remote learning plans, a platform many had seldom used before.
The town of Mapleton held its elections and annual town meeting on March 16 amid growing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic in Maine. Residents elected several local officials and overwhelmingly voted to allow liquor sales in the town. Town Manager Sandra Fournier said that while she was happy with the high election turnout, she was glad that relatively few people attended the town meeting portion due to the pandemic.
On March 17, Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital in Presque Isle canceled all non-essential appointments. Appointments canceled included standard physicals, lab tests and checkups for those without acute medical needs. Hospital officials said it was in preparation for the expected increased capacity required when COVID-19 hits the Presque Isle area.
Northern Maine Community College transitioned to online classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. School officials worked to bring many of the school’s courses, including lab work, to a virtual setting, while some departments — including emergency medical services and other healthcare programs — continued to meet in small gatherings.
April
The Presque Isle City Council held its first-ever digital city council meeting on April 1 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The council dealt with several non-COVID-19 related measures, including the purchase of two new ambulances and the approval of a medical marijuana store — but also heard from Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital President Greg LaFrancois on the hospital’s capacity.
United Way of Aroostook set up a response fund to assist Aroostook County non-profits during the pandemic as they help those hurt by the pandemic.
The Aroostook County Action Program and University of Maine at Presque Isle created a temporary wellness shelter in the university’s gym. It was set to accommodate up to 20 people experiencing homelessness and who did not show signs of COVID-19. Homelessness and housing insecurity went up across Maine in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown, with many losing their jobs.
SAD 1 held its first-ever digital meeting on April 15 as the district continues to teach students via remote learning. Superintendent Ben Greenlaw announced that he would postpone a vote on funding new sustainable renovations to Presque Isle High School by Siemens. The initiative had been controversial, with an unknown person or group sending out flyers opposing the renovations.
On April 17, The Northern Maine Fair Association announced that it was canceling the annual fair due to uncertainty stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The fair, scheduled for July 31-Aug. 8, was the first of Maine’s agricultural fairs to be canceled because of the virus. Lynwood Winslow, president of the association, said the decision was difficult but that regular fair activities were impossible during the pandemic.
Amid a nationwide shutdown in the food industry — including restaurants, college cafeterias and stadiums — the potato industry struggled to regain its footing. Maine Potato Board Executive Director Don Flannery said that several potatoes had gone unsold so far and that similar issues were being seen by potato growers nationwide.
On April 28, the town of Fort Fairfield announced that The Maine Potato Blossom Festival would become the second major event in the Presque Isle area to be canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was believed to be the first time that the event had been canceled in its 70-plus-year history.
Multiple Presque Isle City Councilors, city staff and members of the Maine Legislature attend a Presque Isle City Council meeting held via Zoom in May. (David Marino Jr. | Star-Herald)
May
Hemphill Farms in Presque Isle gave away more than 20,000 pounds of potatoes to people across the area. People lined up to grab the extra large Russet Burbank potatoes amid an economic downturn. Garrett Hemphill, co-owner of the farm, said that it wanted to give back to the community during a difficult time.
Northern Maine Community College and the University of Maine at Presque Isle held their first virtual commencement addresses. The events feature many of the same elements as an in-person ceremony. The pandemic was a frequent topic from speakers.
The Mars Hill-based Pineland Farms Potato Co. distributed 300,000 pounds of food across Aroostook County in their “Drive-Thru Box of Food Giveaway.” The boxes included several potato and egg products, with the company hoping to give back to those hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Presque Isle City Council held a city council meeting on May 6 that likely violated laws on public access to remote board meetings. The meeting was held in a password-protected Zoom room, and there was no way for the public to watch the meeting as it unfolded. It was not posted to Youtube until three days after it occurred. The Maine Municipal Association updated its guidelines on remote meetings very shortly after the publication of the story in the Bangor Daily News, and the next Presque Isle City Council meeting was held in-person.
Riverside Inn Restaurant Owner Danny Collins cooks with his facemask on Monday. (David Marino Jr. | Star-Herald)
Restaurants in the Presque Isle area begin to reopen on May 18, the first day that the state permitted indoor dining across Maine. While some restaurants were slow to bring themselves back into the indoor eating fold, most opened to it over the course of the summer while being mindful of sanitation and face-covering rules.
Several mothers of Central Aroostook High School students put up 29 banners commemorating each of the graduates in the 2020 class. Organizers said they did it to recognize the accomplishments of a class that saw many of its normal senior events canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Organizers canceled The Crown of Maine Balloon Fest in Presque Isle because of concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials said it was among the last balloon festivals nationwide to cancel, but that there was no other choice given the spread of the coronavirus.
Banners of 2020 Presque Isle High School graduating seniors on Main Street in Presque Isle on Thursday, May 28. (David Marino Jr. | The Star-Herald)
On May 23, several volunteers placed 128 banners of Presque Isle High School graduates along Main Street after an anonymous donor provided funds for the project. Like the banners seen in Mars Hill, the display commemorated a student body that had seen several of its senior events canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The U.S. Department of Transportation chose United Airlines to provide airline coverage at Presque Isle International Airport during a 23-month period. The DOT said United met all of the criteria for providing service at Presque Isle International, citing the airline’s reliability and many connections.
June
All of the high schools in the Presque Isle area held graduation ceremonies. Many — including Presque Isle, Washburn, Ashland and Easton — held indoor ceremonies with masks and social distancing, while others — including Fort Fairfield and Central Aroostook — held outdoor gatherings. Besides the new regulations, many of the graduations are similar to those in past years.
Easton Junior/Senior High School Class of 2020 enter their graduation in Easton on June 5. (David Marino Jr | The Star-Herald)
The Presque Isle City Council held its first in-person meetings in months on June 4, with many councilors and visitors donning face coverings.
A 25-year-old Caribou resident is shot at in an apparent road rage incident on Caribou Road in Presque Isle. The man, who did not want to be identified due to fear of retribution, said that a car followed him after he had passed them and proceeded to fire several shots. He was not injured, but reported the incident to the police, who began an investigation.
Fort Fairfield town officials confirmed that Vince Baldwin had resigned in his position as fire chief. The town did not provide a reason for Baldwin’s resignation.
The Maine Department of Agriculture gave a $50,000 grant to Aroostook Hops, a Westfield-based company that provides hops to breweries across Maine.
In a school board meeting on June 17, SAD 1 Superintendent Ben Greenlaw said he would fight for students to learn in-person in the upcoming school year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. While he said the possibility of in-person learning was contingent on the number of cases in the Presque Isle area, he said remote learning was far from being a substitute for in-person instruction.
