Is Presque Isle really the most anxious place in America? (Bangor: crime, credit)

[rockyinyourradio]

An interesting article about Presque Isle. I've known a couple of people who have lived in this area and loved it for it's laid back nature. How is this town really? I've heard that economically, times are tough but still sustainable depending on what kind of work one does. How is the health care up there and crime issues? I hope to visit this area and Maine in general real soon. The link to this article is below. Thoughts are welcome.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/20...TYP/story.html

[Northern Maine Land Man]

"PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Four hundred miles north of Boston, past wilderness where townships have numbers for names, there is a quiet place where not much ever happens. It’s not the kind of place you would expect to be declared the nation’s “epicenter of anxiety.”

But that is what a Harvard-educated economist, Seth Stephens-Davidowitz"

It's UMPI which is what the students and faculty call the University of Maine at Presque Isle. It is an island of progressives surrounded by hard working Mainers. No wonder they are nervous. It is indeed 400 miles from the home base of Mr. Davidowitz of Harvard. The further they get from "The Yard" the more nervous they get and like seeks out like. The campus has one windmill to make electricity for the campus, but it is usually out of service. For whatever the reason, officials are unwilling or unable to utilize the $2,200,000 windmill. Like Maine's hoard of carbon credits, maybe they should just auction it off for what they can get.

Aroostook County is full of hard working, honest and positive people except for the university towns of Presque Isle and Fort Kent. Just look at the voting results from our recent election.

[maineguy8888]

I am from Presque Isle (live next to it now). I think Presque Isle is definitely "too big for its britches" and some things have been happening lately which leave residents very uneasy.
It's kind of a messed up place.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

Aroostook County is full of hard working, honest and positive people except for the university towns of Presque Isle and Fort Kent. Just look at the voting results from our recent election.

Disagree to that. Plenty of good productive people in Fort Kent and even Presque Isle (once you look past the meth heads and bath salt junkies). In turn, places like Mars Hill and Houlton have more than their share of degenerates.

Presque Isle is the largest city in Aroostook County, which is well known for its aging population (who logic says are more likely to be home bound and/or socially isolated). And this genius is somehow shocked it has a high rate of google searches for anxiety? Typical Boston Globe dribble, off by 1,000,000 miles as usual...

[mainebrokerman]

did someone dedicate this peaceful town as a sactuary city for Syrian refugees???


that would make me uneasy too



I remember dancing at a place called keddy's and the northeastern years ago
didn't seem all that stressed

[Kiwiluver]

Addiction is everywhere, even in Massachusetts, why would you single PI out for its addicted population?

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by Kiwiluver

Addiction is everywhere, even in Massachusetts, why would you single PI out for its addicted population?

Are you referring to me??? I believe I was the only poster to mention drugs/addiction. I never singled out PI for that, I was actually defending it by noting that (other than the strung out junkies) there are still plenty of good honest people there (or just about everyone I met personally). But that is a REAL problem there, that is more in your face than many other places. It is probably due to its size and that it has become sort of a magnet town for that (like Houlton has in the southern part of the county). Neither is anywhere near as bad as Bangor though, yet anyway.

[maineguy8888]

Presque Isle went whole hog on building public housing thirty/forty years ago. This attracted a certain type of people From other places. It also has the Micmac housing part of town. These types of housing contribute to a culture in town which isn't very healthy. The homeless shelter, etc. also help explain why PI has more than its share of social ills.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Wasn't the Northeastern in Caribou?

[maineguy8888]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

Wasn't the Northeastern in Caribou?

If you mean the hotel, that's Presque Isle.