From our Files – Week of March 15, 2023

1 year ago

50 Years Ago — March 15, 1973

    100 seniors visit department store — Some 100 senior citizens from the St. John Valley toured Zayre’s Department Store in Madawaska last week in 1973. Taking part in the tour were senior citizen clubs from Fort Kent, Madawaska, Frenchville and St. Agatha.

In addition to the tour, free gifts were distributed and coffee and doughnuts were served. Assistant store manager Michael Brown presented $10 to Emma Guerrette of Fort Kent. She was the prize winner in the lucky cart drawing.

25 Years Ago — March 18, 1998

Madawaska Citizen of the Year — Madawaska businessman Joe LaChance is two-for-two. Named the 1996 Madawaska Business Person of the Year a year ago, this past Friday in 1998, LaChance was crowned as the first Greater Madawaska Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year. LaChance was chosen from among a field of 12 candidates for the Citizen of the Year title. LaChance has played major roles in the annual Lakeview Motorcycle Party and Poker Run and with the chamber’s annual Christmas in the Park festivities. Many who know him note his smart business sense in treating his tenants and in running his business.

10 Years Ago — March 13, 2013 

End to Saturday mail — The U.S. Postal Service’s plans to end Saturday delivery of letters, beginning in August 2013, could cost 20 postal service jobs in the St. John Valley, according to data compiled by Aroostook County Letter Carriers, NALC Br. 2394, and provided by George Dionne, director of retirees for the Maine chapter of the National Association of Letter Carriers. Throughout Aroostook County, the NALC Br. 2394 estimated that 67 Saturday delivery jobs would be lost, which included regular mail carriers and those on delivering on contract routes in each office.