Lange returns to ‘weekly roots’ with The Piscataquis Observer

    Veteran journalist Mike Lange of St. Albans has joined the staff of The Piscataquis Observer to cover the Dexter, Guilford and Greenville area starting with the Wednesday, June 5 issue.
    Lange succeeds Bill Pearson who has been hired as a staff reporter for The Ellsworth American. For Lange, the part-time Observer position is a return to his “weekly roots” after a brief retirement. “I’ve always preferred to work for a community newspaper and the Observer is a perfect fit. It has a great reputation and it’s part of an outstanding, award-winning company,” Lange said.

    Lange has more than 25 years of newspaper experience dating back to his first position as editor of the Norway Advertiser-Democrat in the 1980s. He was also a general assignment reporter and special sections writer for the Central Maine Morning Sentinel, editor of the Moosehead Messenger in Greenville and part-time executive editor of the Maine Press Association.
    “We are very fortunate to have someone of Mike’s experience level and professional reputation immediately available to cover the region for our newspaper. We will miss Bill’s reporting and wish him the best in his transition to a larger newspaper. Luckily, with the addition of Lange, our veteran news/sports reporter Stuart Hedstrom will be able to maintain and quite possibly improve the quality of our publication during this transition,” said Mark Putnam, managing editor for the Observer.
    An Army veteran, Lange is a past commander of the Corinna American Legion Post and a member of the Harvell-Bishop VFW Post in Madison. He is also a past exalted ruler (president) of the Skowhegan-Madison Elks Lodge, a member of the Meridian Masonic Lodge in Pittsfield and the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Skowhegan.
    He and his wife, Ronda, have three grown children and three grandchildren.
    Lange can be contacted at mdlange@tds.net.