January

The new year was welcomed by 8 pound, 1.5-ounce Henry Nickolas, the first baby delivered at Franklin Memorial Hospital in 2020. He is the second child to Rangeley parents Carina and Eugene Nickolas. As one of the first babies of the year,  Henry Nickolas received a $500 Alfond Grant to go towards higher education along with a quilt and infant spoon, as well as a baby frame, a 4-piece clothing set, Zutano pants, and animal print and alphabet prints provided by the Calico Patch.

 

The Odd Fellows’ float in the Rose Bowl parade honored first responders from across the country. Farmington Fire Rescue Department member Stephan Bunker at left watched the parade from a nearby grandstand while Patty Cormier rode on the float during the parade in Pasadena, California on January 1, 2020. File photo

Two members of the Farmington Fire Rescue Department, Stephan Bunker and Patty Cormier attended the Jan. 1, 2020 Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California. Their trip was funded by the Maine Odd Fellows and Rebekahs which also sponsored a float to honor first responders.

Farmington selectmen approved a multi-purpose, handicap-accessible trail system along the Sandy River on Tuesday, January 14. The trail system is a cooperative effort between the town of Farmington and the University of Maine at Farmington and will continue to be developed by expanding existing trails along the river and Prescott Field. The trail was currently accessible for Nordic skiing and snowshoeing.

This red barn and dwelling on the Farmington Falls Road/US Route 2 was built around 1810. The agricultural area along the Sandy River was instrumental in settling the town of Farmington. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser Buy this Photo

A historic building record was completed on red barn located at Farmington Falls Road/US Route 2 in Farmington, as one of the requirements for the permit needed for the Sandy River Farms’ solar project. The report revealed that the farm is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places for its involvement with early 19th century agricultural history with the barn likely built around 1810.

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Danielle Bell Flannery testified before a Legislature joint standing committee on January 22, 2020 that the Sept. 16, 2019 propane explosion in Farmington was “preventable and never should have happened.” Flannery is the daughter of Farmington Fire Rescue Captain Michael Bell who was killed in the explosion. Her testimony was part of an effort to urge legislators to pass a law that would require liquefied propane gas lines to be covered under Maine’s Dig Safe Law.

January 27 kicked off the 50th annual Special Olympics Winter Games at Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley. Over 400 athletes from across the state competed over the course of three days in Nordic skiing, Alpine skiing, snowshoe, speed skating and dual skiing.

Chris Vachon, athlete with the Flying Eagles of Lewiston, and Kennebunk Police Officer Candice Simeoni raise the Torch of Hope during the kickoff to the 2020 Special Olympics Maine Winter Games at Sugarloaf. Dee Menear/Franklin Journal

February

In response to a controversial executive order issued by President Donald Trump in September 2019, two of three Franklin County commissioners, Chairman Terry Brann of Wilton and Clyde Barker of Strong, voted not to accept refugees settling in the county on Feb. 4. The executive order would allow state and local government officials to decide if they want to consent to refugees settling in the jurisdictions they represent. The order is not currently operating as it is currently pending an appeal in the Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

Mt. Blue’s Emma Charles was awarded the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference freestyle title on Februray 5. She won the five-kilometer Nordic race at Black Mountain in Rumford by 56 seconds.

The Regional School Unit 9 district was notified in mid-February that it would receive two new, liquid propane-powered buses from multi-state $14.7 billion settlement with Volkswagon. The state of Maine received $21 million from the settlement which has been dedicated to promoting the use of zero-transmission vehicles.

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Karren Seely, a doctor at Family Practice in Farmington, was featured for her work with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer patients (LGBTQ). Out of 22 medical practitioners in Maine, Seely is one of two in central Maine who participate in a national network of providers dedicated to caring for the LGBTQ community.

Dr. Karren Seely is one of 22 medical practitioners in Maine and of only two in central Maine who is part of a national network of providers dedicated to caring for the LGBTQ community. Morning Sentinel photo by Rich Abrahamson Buy this Photo

“The suicide rate among lesbian, gay and bisexual youth is significantly higher; it’s nine times higher than the national average for transgender people,” Seely said. “Nearly 50% of transgender adults have attempted suicide at least once in their life. There’s a higher rate of smoking and substance use, and this is all largely attributed to societal stigma and the chronic trauma that is associated with that.”

The Forestry and Wood Harvesting program at the Foster Career and Technical Education Center in Farmington added the Northeast Safe Logger certification to its offerings. The certification course is open to both students and loggers wishing to expand their credentials. The forestry program also purchased a skid steer to its line of equipment for training purposes.

50 mushers and their teams from Canada, New England, New York and Pennsylvania gathered at Sandy River Farm on February 22-23 for the annual Dog days in Farmington.

The Down East Sled Dog Club Maine State Championship Races were held at Sandy River Farms Feb. 22 and 23. Jake Turner of Jay finished third in the six-dog rig race. Submitted photo

March

Voter turnout was heavy in the region on Tuesday, March 3. Elaine Milliken is seen voting in Farmington. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

Maine’s primary election drew greater than expected regional voters on March 3. By 1 p.m. in Farmington, 1,368 residents had already cast ballots. Voters also had the opportunity to vote on the the rejected Religious and Philosophical Vaccination Exemptions Referendum which would have allowed for exemptions to vaccination requirements.

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At Weld’s annual Town Meeting on March 7, about 50 voters approved a higher than proposed budget by approving town funding for Life Flight and for cemetery stone repair. Voters also approved to have Selectmen appoint budget committee members. An amendment to lessen road frontage requirements in the town’s building ordinance was rejected by voters.

The Central and Mid Coast Maine Chapter of the American Red Cross honored Larry Lord of Jay at the 17th annual Real Heroes Breakfast on March 10. Lord was the supervisor of the LEAP Inc. building that exploded in Sept. 2019. He was critically injured in the explosion after urging people to evacuate the building prior to the blast.

Cape Cod Hill School first grade teacher Kasey Richards sits in a “virtual classroom” where she gave lessons while schools faced emergency closures last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Submitted photo

Teachers quickly adapted to emergency remote learning modalities in response to Regional School Unit 9 schools closing due to the coronavirus pandemic. Cape Cod Hill School first grade teacher Kasey Richards set up a virtual classroom in her home and kindergarten teachers Katherine Bartlett and Courtney Schools used a private YouTube channel to maintain contact with their students.

When the Kingfield Girl Scout Troop #54 was unable to hold their annual cookie sale due to the coronavirus pandemic, Gulf workers helped with the cookie overload. Girl Scout Yhancee LeBlanc’s father, Brian LeBlanc, works as a chief engineer on the Pacific Sharav, an ultra-deepwater drillship. When Brian LeBlanc’s co-workers learned about the girl scouts’ predicament, the gulf workers bought out the entire stock of cookies.

In late March, Origin USA co-founder Peter Roberts developed a prototype for the Def Mask, a face mask to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The masks include an inner slot for N-95 respirators or other forms of filters. Origin, an athletic manufacturer with facilities in Farmington and Wilton switched to mask production during the onset of the pandemic.

Monday, March 23, 2020, Origin USA in Farmington began production of DEF Masks to help fight the war against the coronavirus. Darleen Blancato at left is seen stitching a mask at her machine. Submitted photo

April

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April 1 brought the announcement that the town of Farmington would have to pay more than $22,000 in fines for failing to ensure firefighters had proper training and equipment when they were investigating a propane leak at the LEAP Inc. that lead to a deadly explosion on Sept. 16 , 2019. Among the highlighted violations, The Maine Department of Labor said that the firefighters “did not don self-contained breathing apparatus.”

Farmington’s Twice Sold Tales Books launched a campaign to get 1,500 books into local homes while students were in the midst of emergency-remote learning. By April 1, just two days after the campaign was announced, the bookstore had raised $1,200 from community members and businesses. The Wilton public library also donated books. Distribution of books were coordinated with Regional School Unit 9’s meal pick-up sites throughout the month.

After Farmington’s Community Center closed on March 16, Parks and Recreation Department Director Matt Foster began working on virtual programming. By mid-April, the center was offering videos seven days a week on fitness, crafts, baking and science, to name a few.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Farmington Parks and Recreation Dept. began offering online programming seven days a week in April, 2020. Staff member Griffin Conlogue studied film production in college and is seen editing videos at home. Submitted photo

After spending seven months in Boston medical facilities, Larry Lord was escorted to his home in Jay by police, firefighters, first responders on April 10. Lord was the supervisor of the LEAP Inc. building that exploded in Sept. 2019. He was critically injured in the explosion after urging people to evacuate the building prior to the blast.

A massive explosion at the Androscoggin Mill in Jay occurred about noon Wednesday, April 15, 2020, and ripped apart the plant owned by Pixelle Specialty Paper Solutions. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

In Jay, on April 15, the Androscoggin Mill’s digester exploded but no serious injuries were reported. There were 165 employees working at the mill that day but none were near the digester at the time of its explosion. The blast’s debris did crush two vehicles parked close to the digester.

The Maine Center for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed an outbreak of COVID-19 at Edgewood Rehabilitation and Living Center in Farmington on April 22. An outbreak is defined as three or more cases occurring within the same area of gathering. The three cases at Edgewood were some of the first of many outbreaks reported among assisted living centers across Maine in the coming months.

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May

Laura Gunter, forestry and wood harvesting student through the Foster Career and Technical Education Center earned the North East Safe Logger Certification. She was the first student from the Foster Tech Center to successfully complete the certification. The program is two weeks long and includes 16 hours of training on safety topics such as CPR and the hazards of welding.

Laura Gunter, a forestry and wood harvesting student through Farmington’s Foster Career and Technical Education Center is seen with her chain saw and some of the protective equipment she wears while learning about working in the woods. Submitted photo

Eddie Hebert of Starks was named Foster Student of Year at the Foster Career and Technical Education Center in Farmington. He was nominated by Forestry and Wood Harvesting program instructors Rodney Spiller and Dean Merrill and was one of seven students nominated.

Center Director Melissa Williams said of Hebert, “Eddie has worked hard to overcome some difficult times all while maintaining his school, sports, CTE, and personal life. He is always friendly and willing to lend a hand or an ear. He is an all-around great person.”

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the University of Maine at Farmington held a virtual commencement for the graduating class of 2020 on May 8 and 9. The virtual programming utilized Zoom, Instagram and Facebook to stream speeches and collect videos and pictures submitted by students and staff. The 2020 class had 374 graduates, of which over 100 participated in the live-streamed events.

University of Maine at Farmington President Edward Serna toasts members of the Class of 2020 during Saturday’s virtual recognition. Submitted photo

The 2019 lawsuit filed by the Phillips nonprofit Sandy River Railroad against Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum in Portland was settled outside of court after the two groups reached an agreement in May. According to the lawsuit, the Sandy River Railroad was seeking compensation for its $144,000 investment and for what the nonprofit claimed was a wrongful termination of a 15-year agreement.

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Franklin County restaurants were permitted to reopen for dine-in service on Monday, May 18, as long as they complied with the five-page industry checklist released by the state. Restaurants had been closed to dine-in service since mid-March due to coronavirus restrictions. Business owners had to modify their dining areas to provide more space between tables and take contact information of diners.

The Homestead Restaurant staff in Farmington, from left to right, Heidi MaIsaac, Isaiah Alexander and Natalie White practice social distancing during a meeting to discuss the restaurant’s reopening under the state’s May, 2020 guidelines . Andrea Swiedom/The Franklin Journal

Jacob Butterfield of Phillips was awarded Eagle Scout rank in addition to his bronze, gold and silver Eagle Palms. In Nov. of 2018, Butterfield’s older brother, Benjamin also earned Eagle Scout rank which requires a total of 21 badges. Jacob Butterfield had earned 15 badges above the required 21 badges.

Weld Historical Society President Sean Minear organized a Memorial Day tribute for fallen veterans on May 2 in the town of Weld. Veterans at various locations raised flags, taps were played, the fire house siren sounded and the Weld Congregational Church bell rung for one minute.

June

More than 100 people participated in the ‘Justice for George Floyd’ speakout, protest in Farmington on June 1. The group met at the Meetinghouse Park and knelt in silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the amount of time that Floyd was suffocated to death under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. The group carried signs and chanted “Black Lives Matter” and “no justice, no peace, no racist police” as they walked down Main Street to the post office.

People at the June 1, 2020 George Floyd protest in Farmington. The group knelt for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the amount of time that a Minneapolis police officer knelt on George Floyd’s neck, causing his death on May 25, 2020. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal

At the annual Town Meeting on June 1, Chesterville voters approved an almost $2.4 million budget after spending more than three hours reviewing 47 articles. The budget was $70,000 higher than the town’s 2019 budget. To follow COVID-19 guidelines, the meeting was held in the town’s fire station to provide sufficient space for voters.

C.N. Brown propane and natural gas technician George Barker was fined and suspended for not following safety protocols during a service visit to the LEAP Inc. building in Farmington that exploded on Sept. 16, 2019. Barker entered into a consent agreement June 9 with the Maine Fuel Board. According to the agreement, the technician failed to check the piping system for leaks after refilling the propane tank.

Mt. Blue 2020 graduates called themselves the “Class of Corona” at the high school’s drive-thru graduation ceremony held on June 14. 164 students were awarded diplomas by proceeding through a vehicle procession line along the campus perimeter. Small groups were organized to leave vehicles in order to receive their diplomas from principal Monique Poulin.

Mount Blue High School graduate Angela Guppy decorated her mortarboard with a historic message for the June 14, 2020 graduation ceremony. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

A two-year archaeological survey in Farmington Falls and Chesterville wrapped up at the end of June. The survey uncovered Amesokanti artifacts and remains of the first English settlement in the area. Findings included Abenaki glass trade and shell beads. The sites of 10 mills that were constructed between the 18th and 19th centuries were also identified.

Archaeologist team from the Maine Historic Preservation Commission were digging on both sides of the bridge connecting Farmington Falls and Chesterville for two years. Andrea Swiedom/Franklin Journal

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