County & State News - Piscataquis Observer

County & State News

Find the Whoopie Contest winner

Marilyn Blais is the grand prize winner in the Piscataquis Observer’s annual Find the Whoopie Pie Contest. Blais was chosen from a pool of 10 weekly winners in which entrants successfully located a whoopie pie hidden in one of that week’s advertisements. Blais won a basket of goodies including Maine Whoopie Pie Festival and Piscataquis Observer prizes.

New York company brings ‘glamping’ to Maine state parks

An entirely new camping experience will be offered at state parks throughout Maine this summer, and it involves spacious canvas tents, stylish picnic areas and tiny wood stoves that will keep campers warm on chilly nights.

Two PCHS essay writers honored

A pair of Piscataquis Community High School students placed in the top three of the 2019 Camden Conference high school essay contest which focused on this year’s session theme “Is This China’s Century?” PCHS Class of 2019 Valedictorian Jennifer Simon earned second-place honors in the Camden Conference Bill Taylor Essay Contest with “A Global Solution.” Placing third was rising PCHS senior Caitlyn Drinkwater with “Human Rights in China.”

Local man purchases Powerline Construction

New Powerline Construction Inc. owner Klay Stevens is a first-class lineman that is not only well respected in his field, but also known for his strong work ethic, knowledge and engaging personality. He has experience in all areas of utility work and comes from a family of linemen. Stevens has access to many experienced linemen, who will provide consultation and knowledge to all areas of his business.

Greenville Junction Depot roofing project continues, needs support

Every time I drive by the depot in Greenville Junction where it perches jauntily alongside the tracks, I think of the icon that old building is, with its unique “witches hat” roof covering the ladies waiting room.

Wayward moose crashes through window of Dover-Foxcroft building

Moose are a pretty common sight in the Maine woods and along rural roadways, but seeing one coming out of a building is pretty rare. A Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office corrections officer happened to be passing by when a moose exited a former pizzeria in downtown Dover-Foxcroft early Friday morning, stepping through the plate-glass window it apparently had smashed to enter the building.

Robinson sings national anthem in Augusta

Katelyn Robinson of Garland sang the national anthem at the Statehouse in Augusta on June 12.

June 11 referendum results

Results of Dexter, Dover-Foxcroft and Greenville municipal ballots and RSU 68, SAD 4 and SAD 46 referendums on Tuesday, June 11.

Dr. Miller, ENT announces his retirement

Dr. Brian Miller, ENT has announced his retirement from Mayo Surgical Associates as of July 5. Dr. Miller has served patients in Penobscot and Piscataquis County for over 10 years, working in association with Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft, Millinocket Regional Hospital and Penobscot Valley Hospital in Lincoln.

Whitney receives legislative sentiment for his retirement from DRHS

Rep. Steve Foster, R-Dexter and Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville were at Dexter Regional High School on June 11 to present a legislative sentiment to Rick Whitney, recognizing him on his retirement after 30 years of teaching history at the school.

SeDoMoCha fifth-graders graduate from D.A.R.E.

Following more than two months of learning about how to resist drugs and alcohol, make good decisions and more, SeDoMoCha Middle School fifth-graders celebrated completion of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program with a graduation ceremony on the morning of Tuesday, June 11 in the school cafeteria.

Two arrested as Dexter police dog sniffs out narcotics

A Dexter police dog helped detect narcotics in a car that police stopped at about 10 a.m. Saturday, June 8. Dexter police said they arrested a Dexter man and woman after they stopped the car and charged them with aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs.

Fairfield man rescued on Appalachian Trail

Maine game wardens received a report of a hiker suffering a medical emergency on the Appalachian Trail shortly after noon on Friday, June 7. Penobscot Sheriff’s Office received the 911 call from Devin Kaufman, 25 of Fairfield, who reported he was hiking southbound near Big Beaver Pond before dispatchers lost contact with him.

Spooner named Piscataquis County Ice Arena director of operations

Matthew Spooner has been hired as the director of operations for the soon to be completed Piscataquis County Ice Arena (PICA). He will start the new position July 1 as the arena is on target to open in September.

The arts come alive at PCES

The annual event enables PCES pupils to participate in several workshops from over 30 possibilities thanks to 100 volunteers helping out at Arts Alive. Those taking part this year wore green T-shirts with a logo designed by sixth-grader Lena Pearson.

$14.5M SAD 46 budget set for Tuesday’s referendum

A proposed $14,550,306 SAD 46 budget for the 2019-20 academic year was approved at the annual district meeting on June 6 at the Ridge View Community School. The spending package total will now go to a referendum in the towns of Dexter, Exeter, Garland and Ripley on Tuesday, June 11 with residents of the four communities voting either “yes” or “no” to make a district-wide decision.

SAD 41 school board approves $9.6M budget

The SAD 4 school board approved a proposed $9,639,532 budget for the 2019-20 academic year during a June 5 meeting at the Penquis Valley School. The directors also scheduled the district budget meeting for 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 13 -- with an information session before at 5:30 p.m. -- at the school with the validation referendum in Brownville, LaGrange and Milo two weeks later on Thursday, June 27.

Legislature could soon OK Mayo merger — without local lawmaker’s changes

The state legislation that’s required for Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft to merge with Northern Light Health could be approved by next week, but it won’t include conditions proposed by a Piscataquis County lawmaker that would have given the towns that now own the hospital more control over the deal.

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