PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A Caribou construction company has been fined $4,000 after an investigation by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration into the death of a Woodland man in December 2009.
“Cyr Construction Company of Caribou has accepted a citation and paid a $4,000 fine on March 2, 2010, in connection with an accident that resulted in the death of John A. Anderson, 50, of Woodland,” said an official from OSHA’s Bangor office.
Anderson was working for Cyr Construction inside the Presque Isle Storage building on Carmichael Street on Dec. 18 when he reportedly fell about 11 feet while moving heavy equipment on a second-story platform. Part of the equipment subsequently fell on top of him. Anderson died as a result of his injuries.
The OSHA official said the company violated a federal regulation requiring a guardrail system or “personal fall arrest system” for employees working in such situations.
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Cigarette may have ignited ‘barn’ fire
BY ELNA SEABROOKS
HOULTON PIONEER TIMES
HOULTON, Maine — A juvenile who said he was smoking and possibly didn’t extinguish a cigarette properly may have been the cause of a July 30 fire on Charles Street, according to a report by Fire Chief Milton Cone.
The fire reportedly started between two separately owned properties where the juvenile was smoking. The fire raced up the dry foliage, partially melting the siding on one property and damaging the next-door homeowner’s free-standing storage building, which she referred to as a barn.
Ruth Goldsmith, the homeowner at 12 Charles St., said she was “flabbergasted. There’s nothing in that barn. There’s no electricity, no power. There’s nothing in that barn to start a fire.”
As Goldsmith watched firefighters douse the building and toss out what appeared to be a rug from the upstairs window, she said she stepped outside to take the dog for a walk when she noticed the fire.
“I grabbed the hose and called the guy who was driving by to call 911,” she said. “All I saw was flames on the side of the house and I continued to spray until the Fire Department came. They came fast. They’re great.”
According to Fire Department records, a call went in at 11:45 a.m.
Three trucks and 18 firefighters responded after the call was received at 11:45 a.m. Cone said the fire was under control within a half-hour.
According to a spokesperson for the Fire Department, there is no estimate on damage to the two properties and there is no ongoing investigation.
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Concert to benefit homicide victim’s family
BY ELNA SEABROOKS
HOULTON PIONEER TIMES
HOULTON, Maine — Two local promoters are staging a heavy-metal concert — Moosestock 2010 — at the Oakfield Community Center on Saturday with proceeds going to one of the families of three recent homicide victims.
Jason Dehahn, 33, Jesse Ryan, 10, and his father, Jeffrey Ryan, 55, were killed last month in Amity. Thayne Ormsby, who pleaded not guilty at his arraignment, is being held without bail awaiting trial on three counts of murder.
James Boyce and Benjamin Ivey, both of Houlton, said they knew the Ryan and Dehahn families and changed their plans from making money from their planned concert to making it a benefit featuring local bands in a chemical-free event.
“The bands are excited to do this, and all are on the verge of being signed to record deals,” Boyce said. “We were going to do this event, regardless. But after what happened, instead of keeping the money for ourselves, we decided to contribute everything we make to help the families,” he said.
The concert initially was promoted as a benefit for the families of all three victims, but later the Ryans deferred to the Dehahns.
Crystal Dehahn, Jason’s widow and the mother of two young children with him, said, “I am on a small fixed income and truly appreciate all the help from the community and anything people can do for my children.”
She said donations have been helping with her husband’s funeral expenses, and proceeds from the Moosestock concert will help her and the children. Jason’s father, Robert Dehahn, said that “as long as the concert helps Jason’s kids, it’s OK. People have already shown that they care. They have been wonderful.”
Six Maine-based bands are scheduled to perform at the concert with the headliners, In The Kingdom of Nightmares, as the big draw. Other bands on the bill are 13 Winters, Salvo, Constant Battle, Blades of Indica and what producers said is “one more surprise band.” Boyce said they are eager to help out and may ask only for gas money.
Doors open at 3:30 p.m. Saturday with $10 tickets being sold at the door. Tickets are also available at York’s Bookstore in Market Square and Andy’s IGA on North Street.
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Rec director comes home to Limestone
BY NATALIE BAZINET
AROOSTOOK REPUBLICAN AND NEWS
LIMESTONE, Maine — Amanda Brooker, originally from Limestone, has returned to her old stomping grounds and accepted the position with the town as director of parks and recreation. She previously worked at the recreation department for four years during high school and college.
With a bachelor’s degree in physical education-kinesiology from the University of Maine and a minor in athletic training, Brooker has been teaching upper- and middle-level physical education and health in public schools in Maine and Massachusetts.
“I’ve worked in a couple of school systems that had fairly new schools, and I helped run some of the extracurricular events that were set up very similar to recreation departments,” she said.
Brooker, who started her new job at the beginning of July, said she hopes to revive some of the programs that were available before Loring Air Force Base was closed.
“I noticed a change from when I lived here after the base closed. Things just kind of left town, and I think that we need to bring back activities for everybody to do in town,” she said.
“We’re very excited for Amanda to start new programs and get more people involved — especially the senior citizens,” said Town Manager Donna Bernier.
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Artists to paint PI, auction off works
BY SCOTT MITCHELL JOHNSON
THE STAR-HERALD
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — In just a few weeks, artists will set up around the Star City and help “Paint Presque Isle.”
The third annual “Paint Presque Isle: A Fresh Paint Event and Auction” will be held Saturday, Aug. 28, as part of the seventh annual Crown of Maine Balloon Fest.
Registration will be held 8:30-9:30 a.m. at Northeastland Hotel. As part of the $10 registration fee, artists will receive a bag lunch.
“Right now we have eight artists confirmed,” said Heather Harvell, one of the participating artists and a member of Aroostook Partners in the Arts, host of the event. “We hope to attract even more in the coming weeks. The artists planning to attend are from Presque Isle, Fort Kent, and we have twin sisters — one from outside Bangor and the other from Canada — who are Presque Isle natives.”
The artists will choose a location within the city and create an original piece of artwork that will be auctioned off that night.
At 3 p.m. artists will bring their completed work back to the hotel where it will be matted by Morning Star Art & Framing.
A preview reception will be held 6-7 p.m., and the auction will start at 7 p.m.
The artists can choose to donate all or a portion of the proceeds from their artwork to Partners in the Arts.
“All the money is used to fund art-related programs in the schools with the goal of expanding both experience and appreciation of the arts for our local students,” said Pat Rathbun, member of the Aroostook Partners in the Arts.
For more information on the event, call 540-1754.
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Presque Isle councilors OK scrap metal deal
BY KATHY MCCARTY
THE STAR-HERALD
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — City Council voted on Aug. 2 in favor of a local man’s proposal for disposal of the community’s waste metal.
Geary Bonville of Presque Isle had appeared before the council July 12, requesting it approve a contract with him for scrap metal recycling. He was told at that meeting to submit a formal written request that would be considered by the council at a future session.
Dana Fowler, solid waste director, received a letter July 23 from the law firm of Bemis & Rossignol LLC on behalf of Bonville, stating he would pay the city $5,000 annually for the city’s scrap metal for five years. The letter further stated Bonville would make improvements to Skyway Trailer Park in Presque Isle — a property he owns — that would result in additional tax income for the city of more than $40,000 a year.
The current contract with D&N Metals of Grand Falls, New Brunswick, will expire Sept. 9, 2010.
In addressing the council, Frank said that Bonville has “always created value out of unusual circumstances — managed to make something out of next to nothing all his life. Now he thinks he can partner with the city by making a contract of $5,000 with the city for its scrap metal, take those funds, make improvements to the trailer park and make something unique for the city.”
Councilor Randy Smith noted that $40,000 in taxes meant about $1.4 million in valuation. Bonville responded, saying when he was done, the property would be “worth $4.5 million.”
Council Chairwoman Jennifer Trombley said the increased cash flow to the city would supplement the reduction in what Bonville would pay for the scrap metal.
According to Fowler, the town now receives $56 a ton and Bonville’s offer is worth about $16.67 a ton.
“This is a relatively low price, but there is no way to predict what the market will be in the future. Mr. Bonville is proposing to make improvements to his property that would result in additional tax income of $40,000. If the council wants to count this as revenue for the city, it would equal an additional $133.33 per ton of metal, which is a very high price. If the contract was bid today, anticipated bids might be in the $50-$75 per ton range,” said Fowler in a memo to the council.
After more discussion on the need for some type of contract between the city and Bonville that the city would receive the $40,000 through taxable property after five years, councilors unanimously approved Bonville’s contract to haul the city’s waste metal as proposed.
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Caribou’s Tess Collins to perform at CPAC
BY BARBARA SCOTT
AROOSTOOK REPUBLICAN AND NEWS
Tess Collins, a 23-year-old jazz, R&B, soul and pop vocalist from Caribou, will perform in concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15, at the Caribou Performing Arts Center.
A graduate of the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music, Collins recently completed a six-month tour in Hong Kong, performing six nights a week at one of the most exclusive jazz venues in Asia.
“Tess Collins in Concert” is co-sponsored by the Caribou Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Aroostook Teen Leadership Camp program, a leadership development and drug prevention program of Aroostook Mental Health Services, Inc. All proceeds from the concert will go to the Aroostook Teen Leadership Camp program.
Opening for Collins will be Common Crossing, a pop-rock-blues power trio with Aroostook County roots, composed of Brian Mosher, Chris “Doug” Cronkhite and Shane Mountain. The band will release its debut album, “Seeing the Light of Day,” later this summer.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 12 and younger and are available at the following Caribou locations: Ouellette’s Variety, Caribou One-Stop, Food Trend and the Caribou Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Tickets also may be purchased at the Caribou Performing Arts Center the day of the concert.
For further information, contact Jack Foster at 498-6431.