Chris Bouchard

Waterville

Reporter at The County

Reporter for @KJ_Online

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Articles

Presque Isle council approves $3M loan increase for airport project

1 week ago | thecounty.me | Chris Bouchard

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – Presque Isle City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a $3 million dollar increase to a USDA loan that will help the city pay for a multimillion-dollar airport terminal project, bringing the total loan amount up to $15 million. The term of the loan was also changed from 40 to 30 years. Interim City Manager Sonja Eyler introduced the item to council during a special meeting, acknowledging the project’s magnitude and concerns that community members have about its cost.
Maine PUC hears comments about Loring water rate hike

1 week ago | thecounty.me | Chris Bouchard

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – Three people shared comments about a major Loring Commerce Center water rate hike during an April 16 public hearing hosted by the Maine Public Utilities Commission at Northern Maine Community College. The rate hike would charge consumers roughly ten times more than before. For 900 cubic feet used per quarter, the previous rate was roughly $40. Under the new rates, it would cost $471 per quarter for the same amount.
Fort Kent holding public hearing for charter revisions

1 week ago | thecounty.me | Chris Bouchard

FORT KENT, Maine – Fort Kent Town Council will hold a public hearing on Monday, April 28 in which residents can weigh in on proposed changes to the town’s charter. Town Manager Suzie Paradis discussed some of these changes during an April 14 council meeting. The first change would be to move the annual town meeting to the third Tuesday of March. Town Council meetings would also occur monthly instead of biweekly on Mondays.
Maine's first recovery high school coming to northern Maine

1 week ago | thecounty.me | Chris Bouchard

FORT KENT, Maine — Maine’s first recovery high school, also known as a sober school, will be based at the University of Maine at Fort Kent in a collaboration with MSAD 27 in Fort Kent next fall. This comes after the Maine Recovery Council unanimously voted in March to award $616,000 to MSAD 27 to fund the program for two years.
Northern Maine border businesses discuss path forward amid tariffs

1 week ago | thecounty.me | Chris Bouchard

MADAWASKA, Maine — In spite of the ongoing trade war between the United States and Canada, businesses along the northern Maine border showed optimism for the future of international trade during an April 10 networking event hosted by the town of Madawaska that featured members of the Maine International Trade Center, the Foreign-Trade Zone and Northern Maine Development Commission.
Madawaska officials discuss potential budget increases

1 week ago | thecounty.me | Chris Bouchard

MADAWASKA, Maine — Officials from the Madawaska Select Board and finance committee discussed the annual budget during an April 8 meeting, with many departments seeing slight increases. The town could also see a potentially large increase in its share of county taxes.
Van Buren collaborating with Drexel students on community, business space

2 weeks ago | thecounty.me | Paula Brewer |Chris Bouchard

VAN BUREN, Maine — In a continuation of the town’s work with Drexel University, Van Buren is working with students on plans to renovate the town’s former municipal building and transition it into a community and business incubator space. The town began its work with Drexel about a year ago when it started working with the college on a 10-week project that involved making about a dozen art pieces for the town’s historical pathway.
Technical problems force Maine DOT to reapply for $3M in federal grants

2 weeks ago | thecounty.me | Chris Bouchard

FORT KENT, Maine — Maine must reapply for $3 million in federal funding after the U.S. Department of Transportation says that technical issues prevented the completion of grant applications filed in late March to a program that supports rural and tribal projects. Maine filed two applications during that time, which together would have provided $3 million to cover the costs of engineering studies in the communities of Fort Kent, Van Buren, Pittsfield and Norway.
Van Buren residents favor $100,000 Main Street improvement grant

2 weeks ago | thecounty.me | Chris Bouchard

VAN BUREN, Maine — A small group of Van Buren residents attended an April 2 public hearing and showed support for a $100,000 grant through the federally funded Community Development Block Grant program that would help renovate and beautify four Main Street properties. The grant, according to town manager Luke Dyer, will provide $25,000 each to four property owners.
St. John Valley tech center students, director net Skills USA awards

2 weeks ago | thecounty.me | Chris Bouchard

FRENCHVILLE, Maine — The St. John Valley Technology Center received several awards during a recent state Skills USA event in March, with three students getting gold medals, two getting bronze, and Director Kevin Lavoie getting a Skills USA Cornerstone Award. The Cornerstone Award recognizes people who help foster relationships between school administrators and other SkillsUSA chapters and who show ambition, leadership, and support of their students.