On June 15 the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) presented Heather Doherty with its 2017 Outstanding Conservation Educator of the Year honor at a Piscataquis Community Secondary School awards ceremony.

A day after a proposed $6,890,304 budget for the 2017-18 school year was voted down 297-213 across the six district communities, the SAD 4 school board met on June 14 at Piscataquis Community Elementary School to start the process to bring another spending plan forward.

Middle and high school students at Piscataquis Community Secondary School enjoyed a recent spring fling that was about some different kinds of learning.

A proposed $6,890,304 budget for the 2017-18 school year was approved during a district budget meeting on June 8 at Piscataquis Community Elementary School. The $6.89 million budget will now go to a referendum in the SAD 4 towns of Abbot, Cambridge, Guilford, Parkman, Sangerville and Wellington on Tuesday, June 13.

After a pair of votes, a proposed $6,890,304 budget for the 2017-18 school year was approved by a vote of 10-5 by the directors during a May 25 school board meeting at Piscataquis Community Elementary School (PCES).

While the two districts are in the midst of the application process for an integrated, consolidated grade 9-16 educational facility, SAD 4 and AOS 94 -- which includes the Dexter-based SAD 46 and the towns of Athens and Harmony -- are also looking into ways to save money and share resources in the more immediate future. During a May 9 meeting of the SAD 4 school board, the directors voted to send a written request to AOS 94 to enter into a one-year cost sharing agreement with the neighboring school unit.

With the most recent monthly meeting starting at 4 p.m. on May 10, the selectmen opted to remain with a regular session schedule of the second Wednesday of the month at 4 p.m. at the town hall -- with additional meetings taking place as needed.

A new $3 million facility bringing services such as radiology, phlebotomy and behavior health to the area, doubling the number of exam rooms from seven to 14 and providing for greater patient privacy opened its doors on April 25. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital’s Northwoods Healthcare new clinic at 22 Haley Court formally dedicated the facility that afternoon.

Charles A Dean Memorial Hospital is pleased to announce the completion of the expanded Northwoods Clinic in Sangerville. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Northwoods Healthcare at 22 Haley Court.

While the two districts are in the midst of the application process for an integrated, consolidated grade 9-16 educational facility, SAD 4 and AOS 94 -- which includes the Dexter-based SAD 46 and the towns of Athens and Harmony -- are also looking into ways to save money and share resources in the more immediate future. During an April 11 meeting of the SAD 4 school board, the directors voted to send a written request to AOS 94 Superintendent Kevin Jordan to explore a one-year cost sharing agreement with the neighboring school unit.

GUILFORD — The first formal step toward pursuing an integrated, consolidated grade 9-16 educational facility shared by SAD 4 and SAD 46 of the Dexter-area was taken by the SAD 4 school board as the directors authorized Superintendent Ann Kirkpatrick to work with SAD 46 officials — who approved the application during a school board meeting earlier in the month — on the initial project application, during a March 21 meeting at Piscataquis Community Secondary School.

SANGERVILLE — A group of residents has formed the Sangerville Economic Development Committee (SEDC) to emphasize that the small community is an excellent place to live and to operate a business.

GUILFORD — School officials are considering a combined comprehensive high school that would serve SAD 4 and SAD 46, as well as some other communities in the region.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — On the coldest day of the season, thousands of Central Maine Power customers in Piscataquis County were left without electricity.

SANGERVILLE — For over three decades area individuals and families have been served free of charge by Pine Tree Hospice during the time of dying and bereavement.

PARKMAN — The members of Parkman Grange formally announced the formation of the SAD 4 Santa Project for 2016.

On Tuesday, Nov.