The concept of two Maines is a familiar one to northern Maine residents.  Southern Maine, with it’s rampant  industrialization, has an entirely different set of concerns and priorities than the northern half of the state.

The Boston Globe takes a look at the issues in this article. 

The Houlton Community Arts Center received a major boost from Louisiana
Pacific Corporation with the announcement of an $80,000 grant to the
organization through LPs Community Impact Grant initiative.

Here’s the full story.

The last Houlton Town Council meeting of the year saw
councilors accepting a number of donations that will benefit
the youth of the community. Local businessmen David
Harbison, Peter Chase, Mitch Holmes and the Savings Bank of
Maine made the contributions.

The council  also paid tribute to a Houlton native who
was killed in Iraq earlier this month.

Read the BDN story.

Two of the oldest businesses in Aroostook County are now one.

S.W. Collins Company purchased the Almon H. Fogg Company of Houlton April 30..

The purchase combines hundreds of years of experience in the hardware and building products trade. Both companies can trace their origins to prior to the Civil War.

The purchase of the Shiretown business adds a third retail store and expands the geographical reach of the Caribou-based firm.

(WAGM-TV story)

A 1st Circuit Court of Appeals panel issued a ruling in an employment discrimination case that impacts the tribal sovereignty and immunity of the Aroostock Band of Micmacs and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians. 

The only recourse left for the tribes is an appeal to the full six-member en banc appeals court or a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Read the full story here.

Did you realize that the wind farm project on Mars Hill Mountain was the largest of it’s type in New England?

Follow this link to a story with  two video clips.