Maine courts will return slowly to normal operations over the next three months, but it will be September before activities fully return, provided there isn’t another outbreak of the coronavirus.

In this unusual time of restrictions on schools, churches, public meetings and gatherings, and of rural reopening, the Parkman Grange is announcing plans to award 2020 Minnie Welts Bridge Memorial Scholarships to one or more deserving Parkman students continuing their education beyond high school. There will be no Memorial Grange Supper this year, but scholarships will be awarded anyway.

Upcoming events around the region.

If polls are to be believed, Joe Biden is currently enjoying a small but statistically significant lead over President Donald Trump in head-to-head matchups for the White House. Of course, polling isn't terribly predictive and has had some very high profile failures in the last decade, not the least of which was the last presidential election.

It’s weird to have a statewide election in July. Right now, though, there are lots of things that are weird, and at least for registered Maine voters, the July election is as easy as ordering from Amazon -- maybe easier if you’re still trying to find toilet paper or hand sanitizer online.

There will be a graduate parade immediately following the ceremony. The parade, to be led by Dexter police and fire departments, will begin at approximately 2:30 p.m. leaving from the high school, proceeding down Lincoln Street, on to Main Street to the lights, then turning left and ending by the fire department.

“People were here camping and fishing,” said Craig Watt, vice president of the Indian Hill Trading Post in Greenville. “The numbers weren’t quite on par with previous years, but there were people here.”

The Dover-Foxcroft Shiretown Homecoming Committee announces the cancellation of the 2020 celebration due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The health risk and uncertainty from the pandemic has led the committee to cancel the parade and fireworks scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 1. 

I will be voting for Sen. Paul Davis in the July 14 primary election for the District 4 seat in the Maine Senate. I have served in the Maine House for the past six years alongside Paul and have been impressed with his work ethic and dedication to the job.

After much consideration the Dexter Revitalization Committee has decided that due to the uncertainty in planning with the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Maine Red Hot Dog Festival originally scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 15 in downtown Dexter has been canceled.