Canada-Man
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Residents of a small town in northern Maine are worried that a cult plans to swell the town’s population and seize control of the government.
“Man, it’s like a movie or a Stephen King novel. Really, that’s what it is,” Gary Blankenship, the purported cult leader, said Friday.
He insisted there is no cult and no desire to take over. But he also said he hopes hundreds of his followers will move to the area and create a town of their own, comments that are unlikely to assuage the concern felt by locals.
“I’m doing this out of love,” Blankenship said, “and love conquers all.”
With a population of 747, St. Agatha borders Long Lake in the St. John Valley in rural Aroostook County – pretty enough to attract tourists who take advantage of both its trails and boating opportunities.
Residents are “welcoming, hospitable people who would give you the shirt off their back,” as Town Manager Aubrie Michaud put it Friday.
www.sunjournal.com
“Man, it’s like a movie or a Stephen King novel. Really, that’s what it is,” Gary Blankenship, the purported cult leader, said Friday.
He insisted there is no cult and no desire to take over. But he also said he hopes hundreds of his followers will move to the area and create a town of their own, comments that are unlikely to assuage the concern felt by locals.
“I’m doing this out of love,” Blankenship said, “and love conquers all.”
With a population of 747, St. Agatha borders Long Lake in the St. John Valley in rural Aroostook County – pretty enough to attract tourists who take advantage of both its trails and boating opportunities.
Residents are “welcoming, hospitable people who would give you the shirt off their back,” as Town Manager Aubrie Michaud put it Friday.
Fears of a cult takeover roil a tiny town in northern Maine
The purported cult leader is calling on his followers near and far to move to St. Agatha, whose residents aren't happy about the idea.
www.sunjournal.com
