Record Rainfall Floods Town Roads

(Lamoine) — The Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria could have sailed into some parts of Lamoine on Columbus Day Weekend as 10-inches of rain fell in a 36-hour period, overwhelming some drainage culverts. Long term damage, though, was relatively minor.

The 9-1-1 calls started coming in all at once on the Sunday morning where roads had flooded. The Lamoine Volunteer Fire Department quickly swung into action. A crew was working at a training exercise in Hancock and quickly returned to town to help with traffic barricade placement in the worst areas. Virtually every road barricade the town owns was used to alert drivers to the problem spots. Since the storm, the Hancock County Emergency Management Agency has obtained more barricades and let the town have ten of them. That should greatly aid with future road closings.

The hardest hit road was Pinkhams' Flats (Route 204) when the culvert around the corner from the town hall had too much water to handle. Part of the shoulder on the outlet side collapsed, and that prompted the fire department to completely shut down the road with barricades. Some motorists foolishly ignored the signs and got out of their vehicles, and moved the barricades to take the popular shortcut between Routes 1 and 3. Thankfully they all stayed on the road and the collapse was limited to the shoulder.

The other major problem was on Jordan River Road (also Route 204) when a culvert on the rebuilt section was overwhelmed. That washed out the entrance to the Alisha Rose residence. Town officials were able to get in touch with Maine Department of Transportation dispatchers who had a crew on scene within twelve hours allowing Ms. Rose to return to her home.

Nearly every fire department member helped out with the many calls, and every fire truck was uitilized. Only one flooded basement call came in, that on Douglas Highway in North Lamoine.

Don't Go There!

Firefighter John Karst helped direct traffic away from flooded Pinkhams' Flats

Going With the Flow

Parts of the shoulder of Pinkhams' Flats gave out during the Columbus Day storm when water overwhelmed the culvert underneath.

Lamoine Couple Indicted for Robbery

(Ellsworth) — A newly married couple from Lamoine are accused in a home invasion robbery in January 2005 that netted the thieves about $60,000 in cash. Stephen Robbins and Juanita Mullins were married last summer, weeks before they were arrested for the crime. They have pleaded not guilty in Hancock County Superior Court and remain free on bail.

Investigators say the duo entered a Buttermilk Road home in the early morning hours and tied up the elderly woman who resides there with tape, cut the phone line, and gagged her. The thieves stole a heavy safe that contained cash receipts from a local septic tank pumping business from whom Robbins had once worked. The victim was once married to Mr. Robbins' grandfather.

Robbins and Mullins claim they were not in the state at the time of the robbery, but deputies investigating the crime say the couple cannot give a good accounting of where they were. Large cash purchases by the pair after the heist were also questioned. Search warrants were executed at their Douglas Highway residence following their arrest. It's not known when the trial will take place.

Fire Department Walls Finally Cleaned, Painted

(Lamoine) - For a few years now the Lamoine Fire Department has been looking for a contractor to paint the interior of the fire station. A contractor who made a bid last year went out of business after he accepted other employment. The job was finally awarded to firefighter Mary Harney who recently went into the business.

To save money on the huge job, the specification was changed from a painting project to focus more on cleaning the walls and patching any holes that needed it. Since the fire station's construction in 1990 soot and dust from the trucks had accumulated on the walls and ceiling, leaving them looking very messy.

Three years ago the fire department and town had a ventilation system installed that sucks the diesel smoke from the tailpipes of the trucks outdoors. Besides being better on the lungs of the fire department members, this will also leave the walls cleaner for a long time.

Harney, who's business name is Bear Meadow Enterprises, started the project in October and encountered a number of setbacks. While visiting her native Ireland, she was struck by a car just prior to starting the project. Her injuries were not serious. After starting, her car was rear ended in a collision in Ellsworth, again with only minor injuries. The ceiling in the fire station had to be completely painted, as cleaning would have flaked away the material the ceiling was made of. Selectmen and the fire chief approved the change order to cover the cost of the ceiling paint.

Local Nurse Shoots Dozens

(Lamoine) — The day after Election Day was nearly as busy at the Lamoine Town Hall. The Health Link program at Maine Coast Memorial Hospital gave out flu shots for $5.00 each.

Perhaps remembering the 2004 flu vaccine shortage people flocked to the office for shots, with over 100 rolling up their sleeves to avoid the chills and aches that accompany the flu.

Lamoine residents Iris Simon, Nurse Carol Smith and volunteer Maralyn Hunnewell put on the annual clinic, as person after person came in for their shots. Mrs. Simon said the program didn't make any money on the deal—the vaccine cost more than the price they charged. Private vendors were selling flu shots for $25.00.

This won't hurt a bit

Nurse Carol Smith gives Lamoine resident Ken Ward his flu protection in November

Election Night Fire Damages Stove

(Lamoine) — Despite the request for just a quick look-see, firefighters responded to a stove fire call on Partridge Cove Road on Election Night with lights and sirens. Chief Skip Smith says that's the normal response. The homeowner had called the town hall after his propane stove blew out a window.

When firefighters arrived they found an extremely hot stove. The homeowner had shut off the gas, but the heat threat prompted volunteers to carry the stove to the outside. The stove was considered a loss, but there was only minor smoke damage to the house.

2005 Busiest Ever for Fire Department

(Lamoine) - A decade ago a busy year for the Lamoine Fire Department would be 30-calls. This past year saw 61 incident responses by the LVFD. The last month of the year, though, has been quiet, with but one call, and that was a mutual aid request that was canceled en route to Trenton.

During the past quarter, accidents made up the majority of calls, including a motorcycle wreck at Douglas Highway and Shore Road, traffic control in Hancock, and a fatal crash on Mud Creek Road (see pg. 1). Firefighters also assisted a worm digger who collapsed on the flats off Narrows Way, and removed a couple of trees from public roads during a storm in November.