Business owners and other stakeholders from around the Moosehead Lake region gathered at the Trailside Restaurant on Dec. 10. Attendees at the Destination Moosehead Lake annual meeting got updates on the relatively new organization’s progress. Guests also heard from Steve Lyons, director of the Maine Office of Tourism, and keynote speaker Carolann Ouellette, director of the state’s new Office of Outdoor Recreation.

One of the greatest gifts Maine could receive this holiday season is full and dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund to be included in the fiscal year 2020 federal budget.

The town of Monson has received a $7,000 grant from the Broadband Initiative of the Maine Community Foundation to bring downtown Wi-Fi to Monson to continue the recent growth.

U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine and Angus King, I-Maine announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $635,688 in funding to Sebasticook Family Doctors and another $1,492,719 to Greater Portland Health.

The 46th Maine Soccer Coaches All-Star Banquet was held Dec. 8 and many local players were recognized.

Upcoming sporting events around the region.

I will begin this annual tradition of mine by acknowledging a failure of my final prediction of 2019. In last year's column, I told you that this year I would simply do a top 10 list, as the number of required predictions was getting unwieldy.

A Milo man is facing multiple charges after he allegedly killed a cat and shot at his wife and children as they fled the family home in Milo. Frank C. Foss Jr., 25, was arrested Sunday, Dec. 7 and charged with four counts of domestic violence reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and one count each of domestic violence terrorizing with a dangerous weapon, operating under the influence of intoxicants and cruelty to animals.

Sniffling and sneezing? Seemingly suffering from back-to-back cold symptoms through winter? Winter allergies may be the culprit.

Upcoming events around the region.