Aroostook County Coronavirus-Related Closings & Cancellations
Here are the latest closures and cancellations in northern Maine put in place to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus. (Updated Mon., March 30, 12:10 p.m.)
Maine Governor Janet Mills issued an Executive Order mandating that all non-essential businesses and operations in Maine close their physical locations that are public facing, meaning those that allow customer, vendor or other in-person contact. The Order also closes non-essential business sites that require more than ten workers to convene in a space where physical distancing is not possible. Non-essential businesses and operations may continue activities that do not involve these types of in-person contact and convenings, and should facilitate the maximum number of employees working remotely. The Order is effective March 25 at 12:01 a.m. and extends for a period of 14 days through April 8 at 12:00 a.m. It solidifies as a mandate her previous recommendation to close non-essential business sites.
Maine Governor Janet Mills has issued an Executive Order mandating that all restaurants and bars statewide close to dine-in customers until midnight, March 31, 2020. Take-out, delivery, and drive-through options can continue. In her order, the Governor also prohibited all gatherings of more than 10 people until further notice, mandating the latest U.S. CDC’s guidance on gatherings.
COMMUNITY GROUPS, OFFICES, AGENCIES & SERVICES
As of April 1, the PI Loop service will be suspended due to the lack of ridership and for the safety of all during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Cyr Bus Lines has suspended its daily bus service between Bangor and Caribou as part of the effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This is effective immediately and will be for two weeks. Watch the bus line’s website for updates.
Aroostook Regional Transportation System (ARTS) is limiting public access at the operations center on U.S. Route 1 in Presque Isle to the lobby and service window. Staff has increased the frequency of sanitizing the buses and van from once daily to multiple times during the day. ARTS will use smaller vehicles to transport vulnerable riders who would benefit from limited exposure to the general public. More Info Here
All ACAP offices and childcare centers will be closed to the public TFN.
Presque Isle Housing Authority - Closed to public - contact by phone or email.
Central Aroostook Association programs are suspended. Home supports for children and adults will be on a limited basis.
All Bureau of Motor Vehicles offices in the state will be closed to the public until further notice, to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus in Maine.
Aroostook Band of Micmacs is closed. (Including Little Feathers Heads Start & P.I. Boys & Girls Club)
The Fort Fairfield Town Office will be closed to the public until March 31. Open April 1, 2020 unless there is a new directive from the Governors Office.
Mapleton, Castle Hill and Chapman Town Office - Closed to public access effective Thursday, March 19.
Ashland Town Office - Closed to public traffic, for info call 435-2311
The Van Buren Town Office is closed to public traffic beginning March 17th.
The Town of Westmanland has postponed its town meeting and the Town Office is closed to the public until further notice.
Hodgdon Town Meeting April 6 & Selectmen Meeting April 7 postponed.
Smyrna & Merrill Town Office is closed to foot traffic. Business is still being conducted via phone or email.
Blaine Town Office - Closed through Monday, April 6th.
Easton Town Office - Limited hours. (Mon-Thurs 3-6PM; Fri 12-3PM) For essential services only.
Easton Recreation Department & Community programs will be shut down TFN.
The Fort Fairfield Community Center will be closed, and all recreation programs including morning walking are canceled TFN.
Van Buren Rec. Center and the skating rink will be closed TFN.
The Sargent Family Community Center in Presque Isle will be closed to the public TFN.
The Caribou Wellness & Recreation Center is closed until further notice.
The Washburn Rec. Center is closed.
Madawaska Recreation Dept. is cancelling all programs until further notice. Little Dribblers, Adult Volleyball, Mike's Cooking Class, and the Community Gym will all be cancelled/closed until further notice.
Fort Kent Recreation and Parks has cancelled all basketball and indoor soccer games and practices until further notice. The Jalbert Park skating rink will be closed until further notice.
The Town of Houlton has closed the Houlton Rec Center and the John A. Millar Civic Center until at least March 30th.
Hope Recovery Services in Caribou - closed through April.
Caribou Eye Care, P.A. - Closed for all non-urgent services until April 6.
Family Eye Care & Mavor Optical are closed through Friday, April 3rd.
Dr. Catherine Varnum's Office is closed until further notice.
Northern Maine Dental in Caribou is closed through Monday, April 6.
White Smiles Family Dentistry is closed except for emergency dental care.
The offices of Dr. David Smith, DMD & Dr. Meagan Thompson DMD in Caribou is closed. Patients in need of emergency dental services can still call.
Academy Dental in Presque Isle will provide urgent care only until further notice.
St. Apollonia Dental Clinic is closed through April 6th. For emergencies call 554-5045.
Dr. Gregory Blackstone, DDS - office closed through April 6th.
Northern Prosthetics & Orthotics in Presque Isle is closed through Tuesday, April 7th
Cassidy Orthodontics in Houlton will be closed at least until March 30. "For patients needing to reach us, we will be checking our messages daily."
All New Ventures Maine in-person classes and workshops have been postponed or moved to an online format through the end of April. Individual appointments are available by video conference or phone. To reach a local staff person visit our locations page.
BUSINESSES/RESTAURANTS/BANKS
The Aroostook Centre Mall is closed through Tuesday, April 7th. Food Court Restaurants are open for curbside pick-up only.
WalMart in Presque Isle and Houlton is limiting store hours from 7:00AM-8:30PM
Grave's Shop 'n' Save is opening an hour early on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the benefit of senior citizens (65 and older) and customers with disabilities.
Hillside, Mars Hill & Star City IGA is offering preferred shopping to those most vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Until further notice, the three stores will be open from 8 AM to 9:30 AM, Monday through Saturday, exclusively for older citizens (60 years of age & older) and to those people most vulnerable.
The Par & Grill Restaurant in Caribou has closed the restaurant until at least April 1st.
The Presque Isle KFC/Taco Bell will be carryout and drive thru only until further notice. The dining room will be closed for customer use.
Arby's in Presque Isle is filling orders only at the drive-thru for the time being.
McDonald’s restaurants are closing seating areas and playgrounds in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus.
Dunkin' Donuts has closed seating areas inside their restaurants.
Scrambled Diner in Van Buren will be closed until at least March 30th.
The Braden Theater in Presque Isle and the Caribou Theaters are closed until further notice.
Dwight's Barbershop in Presque Isle is closed through April 7th.
BigRock in Mars Hill is closed for the rest of the season.
The lobbies of all County Federal Credit Union branches are closed to walk-in traffic until further notice. They are conducting transactions via our drive thru windows, ATMs, Online Banking, Mobile Banking and by telephone.
Acadia Federal Credit Union has closed the lobbies of all its branches until further notice. They will continue to have drive-thru service available at all local branches except for St. Francis.
Machias Savings Bank is restricting all branches to DRIVE UP service only.
Katahdin Trust lobbies are closed until further notice. Drive-up or walk-up windows will remain open to serve customers during regular business hours. **Katahdin Trust branches in Eagle Lake and Oakfield will be closed until further notice.
LIBRARIES
The Presque Isle Public Library will be CLOSED until further notice. Library staff will continue to work to field online requests for information, to select eBooks, answer phone calls, and continue to offer online services including parking lot WiFi access. Passport Applications and IndentoGO services have been suspended for the time being.
The Caribou Public Library is CLOSED until at least March 30th. All due dates have been changed to April 15th.
Fort Fairfield Public Library is closed to the public until further notice. Staff will be on hand to answer phones, email and messages.
The Abel J Morneault Memorial Library in Van Buren will close until March 31st. Staff will be working normal hours through March 20th. Please call 868-5076 with any questions.
WTA Hansen Memorial Library in Mars Hill will be closed until March 30th.
Washburn Memorial Library is closed through March 29th
Madawaska Public Library is closed until further notice.
Fort Kent Public Library will be closed for two weeks. The library's wi-fi can still be accessed outside the library doors.
The Cary Public Library in Houlton is closed as a matter of public health and safety for our staff and community members. Staffers will continue to work as usual to field online requests for information, answer phone calls, and continue to develop our online services including access to the daily password for WiFi access. You may call 532-1302, email at library@cary.lib.me.us or go online at www.cary.lib.me.us and log in to reserve book titles. "We will collect, clean and fill your order and take them outside when you are here to pick them up."
The Faye O’Leary Hafford Public Library in Allagash is closed through March 30. "We will reassess opening or not at that time."
SCHOOLS
All public schools in Aroostook County will remain closed for classroom instruction through Friday, April 17 in accordance with Governor Mills' Proclamation of Civil Emergency.
University of Maine at Presque Isle and University of Maine at Fort Kent will transition all classes to online instruction for the remainder of the semester.
All public spaces at UMPI -- including the Campus Center, Gentile Hall, the Center for Innovative Learning, and the Houlton Higher Education Center--are closed and buildings are locked. More info here
UMFK is limiting the use of its public spaces until further notice. All fitness classes will be temporarily discontinued and all UMFK buildings, including the Sports Center, the Library, and Nowland Hall, will be closed to the public.
Northern Maine Community College will not hold any face-to-face classes until further notice. Offices will remain open. More Info Here
Region 2 School of Applied Technology (Houlton) is closed.
Adult Multiple Alternative Center (AMAC) in Caribou has cancelled all activities until further notice.
RELIGIOUS
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland has announced the suspension of all daily and Sunday masses in Maine. The Diocese earlier postponed or cancelled all large, social gatherings scheduled in the next 30 days at all Maine parishes, including dinners, dances and special community events.
Parish of the Precious Blood in Caribou is closed until further notice.
St. Mary of the Visitation in Houlton will be suspending all daily and Sunday masses and religious services until further notice.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is suspending all of its worship services because of the spread of the new coronavirus.
Family Christian Center in Presque Isle is closed until at least March 31st. All services are cancelled.
Bethany Baptist Church in Presque Isle has cancelled all services through March 31st.
Framework Church in Presque Isle has cancelled all services and will livestream.
Presque Isle Congregational Church is livestreaming on their Facebook page at 10 a.m. Sunday.
State Road Advent Christian Church is live-streaming at 9:30 a.m. Sunday.
Mapleton United Baptist Church has cancelled all services through March 31st.
Caribou United Baptist Church Food Pantry is closed temporarily.
Caribou Assembly of God services are canceled for Sunday, March 22nd. Children's Ministry is canceled through March 31st.
Trinity Lutheran Church in Stockholm - no services until April 13th.
Littleton Full Gospel Assembly - Canceling all activities and church services
Military Street Baptist Church in Houlton - All services are canceled until further notice.
Houlton United Methodist Church - All services are cancelled until further notice.
Houlton Wesleyan Church has cancelled all services until further notice. Online streaming only.
Other churches in the area are closed and will live-stream or post pastor's message on YouTube.
LOCAL EVENTS
The Anah Shrine Circus Presque Isle scheduled to be held in early May has been postponed. MORE INFO HERE
The Jeux de l'Acadie 50+ - Edmundston 2020, games planned in Edmundston from August 27 to 30, have been postponed until next year.
Micmac Farms in Caribou is cancelling the Spring Festival Market & Seed Swap on April 11 to ensure the health and well-being of guests and staff.
Northern Star Talent Competition Rescheduled (Fort Kent- TBD/ Presque Isle - May 2 / Houlton - May 3 / Finale Caribou May 24)
Boy Scouts of America - Katahdin Area Council: All Pinewood Derby Races postponed until a later date.
Lonesome Pine Trails Invitational Race has been moved from March 21 to April 11.
The Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race, scheduled to be held on Saturday, April 18th has been cancelled due to the ongoing public health concerns.
PUBLIC NOTICES
Maine Governor Janet Mills has issued an Executive Order mandating that all restaurants and bars statewide close to dine-in customers effective March 18, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. for a period of 14 days until midnight, March 31, 2020. Take-out, delivery, and drive-through options can continue. In her order, the Governor also prohibited all gatherings of more than 10 people until further notice, mandating the latest U.S. CDC’s guidance on gatherings. In addition, Governor Mills strongly urged non-essential public-facing businesses, such as gyms, hair salons, theatres, casinos, shopping malls, to close their doors for the next two weeks to minimize public gatherings. These new actions come as Governor Mills seeks to significantly strengthen social distancing measures in Maine. Social distancing is considered one of the most effective methods to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Motor vehicle and trailer registrations, including all temporary registrations and any fuel use decals that expire during the state of emergency will be extended.
This applies to registrations issued by municipalities or the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and also to temporary registrations issued by dealers. The State of Maine recognizes the need of individuals, families, and businesses for transportation, work and commerce during the emergency. These registrations can be renewed after the emergency ends.
Registrations issued by a municipality, including temporary registrations, are deemed extended until 30 days following the termination of the state of emergency pursuant to P.L. 2019, ch. 617, § F-1 , emergency laws approved by the Governor on March 18, 2020.
Other registrations, including temporary registrations, will be extended until 30 days following the termination of the state of emergency pursuant to the emergency provision of 29-A MRSA §405(4).
HOSPITALS/ MEDICAL RESTRICTIONS
Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital is restricting all visitation until further notice. To request a special visitation consideration, please call (207) 768-4915. All non-essential patient interactions will be deferred for at least the next two weeks. This includes elective surgeries, wellness visits, certain outpatient specialty care visits, non-essential imaging and lab tests, and other interactions as appropriate. More Info Here
Cary Medical Center is asking that patients exhibiting respiratory or flu-like symptoms please call ahead before arriving at any Cary or Pines Health Services healthcare facilities to ensure that we minimize the spread of both the flu and the new coronavirus. Visitors will also be limited. More Info Here
Do you have questions about the Coronavirus? Call Houlton Regional Hospital’s PANDEMIC HOTLINE for updated information. (207) 521-2210
Northern Maine Medical Center is asking visitors if you are ill, stay home and restrict contact with others. If you need medical attention, call ahead before visiting a doctor. More info here
As part of the Aroostook CA$H Coalition, United Way of Aroostook is has suspended its free tax prep services until further notice due to the COVID-19 virus. Services in their Houlton, Presque Isle, and Fort Kent sites are affected.
MAINE STATE COURTS
With the exception of the events listed below, all in-person court events for family, civil, and criminal dockets are postponed through May 1. Maine courts will schedule and hear only the following:
- Arraignments and first appearances of defendants held in custody
- Motions for review of bail
- Juvenile detention hearings
- Protection from Abuse requests and hearings
- Protection from Harassment requests and hearings
- Child Protection petitions and hearings
- Mental health requests and hearings
- Hearings granted on motion
No criminal or civil jury trials will be heard in the Maine State Courts until after May 1, unless otherwise ordered by the court. No grand jury proceedings will be held. All previously-scheduled cases are postponed.
The following order is from State of Maine Superior Court and District Court, effective March 16: Effective immediately, any outstanding warrants for unpaid fines, unpaid restitution, unpaid court-appointed counsel fees, failure to appear for unpaid fine hearings, and any other failure to appear and pay other fees hereby VACATED.
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