99 Years Ago – July 16, 1925
Moose to be protected for four more years — Perusal of the laws passed by the previous Legislature disclosed that moose were still protected in Maine and continue to be for four years longer. Had not the farmers of the new moose laws passed by the 82nd Legislature attached an emergency clause to it, a temporary slaughter of moose in the Maine woods would have been possible between Tuesday and Saturday of the second week of July, 1925. The old law limited the time of protection on moose to July 7, 1925. Laws passed by the Legislature did not become effective for 90 days after the adjournment of that body, unless they had an emergency clause attached. The emergency provision made the law effective when approved. The new law, which extended the close time on moose for four years, was approved March 28.
50 Years Ago – July 17, 1974
Sylvanus Davis retired after 29 years with police — Sylvanus Davis, an officer with the Presque Isle Police Department for almost 29 years, retired from his duties. Davis started as a patrolman with the force following a stint with the U.S. Border Patrol. It was the Presque Isle school system that encouraged Davis, a resident of Presque Isle from early youth, to remain in the city with the department. When he first started out, Davis was one of five or six men on the force with Perley Reese as chief. With a limited force, Davis rarely took his available sick leave and had occurred, at one point, a couple of hundred days of it. Davis handled a variety of police work during his long career, including accidents, drownings, lost children and all the other incidents common in the life of a policeman.
Rotary installed new officers — The Washburn Rotary Club held their weekly meeting Wednesday evening, July 9. President Jim Clark presided. He introduced and welcomed their district Governor Mike Clark of Houlton, and one guest, Richard Peary of Washburn. Installation of officers for the coming year was performed by District Governor Clark. William Leach was installed as president; Albert Hobbs, vice president; Richard Sperrey, secretary; Roger Crouse, treasurer; and Wesley Dobson, sergeant at arms. Retiring president, Jim Clark expressed his thanks for the genuine support he received from his club members during his term of office.
25 Years Ago – July 21, 1999
Pelletiers honored by industry — Partners in the Maine potato industry, from growers to legislators, gathered for the annual Industry Dinner at Shaw’s Pita House. At center stage was the 1999 Farm Family of the Year, the Jim, Dan and Phil Pelletier families of Frenchville. The three brothers, who together had farmed the family island on Long Lake since their father, Edwin’s, death in 1977, were honored by the Fort Fairfield Chamber of Commerce, the Maine Potato Board, and most importantly, their children. The children of each brother spoke about what growing up on a farm meant to them.
Schools received more technology funds — Five Aroostook County schools shared $36,021 in funding under the E-rate program, which U.S. Senators. Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine and Jay Rockefeller, D-West Virginia, authored as part of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. The schools were among the 67 schools and 10 libraries in Maine that received a total of $667,636 during the first of several waves of new E-Rate funding. The Snowe-Rockefeller E-Rate provided discounts of between 20 and 90 percent to schools and libraries — depending on their resources and needs — for the cost of education technology, and the funding represented the discounts schools received for specific telecommunications services. The discounts covered the cost of telecommunications, internet access, and internal connections needed to bring information directory into classrooms.
