As state lawmakers continue to evaluate a bill that would allow Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft to merge with the statewide Northern Light Health system, they must also consider a recent proposal that would give more control of the process to the communities that now oversee the hospital.

The Guilford Memorial Library will be hosting Professor Ed Rice as he leads a presentation about Louis Sockalexis, the first known Native American to play professional baseball. This free event is Wednesday, June 5 at 2 p.m.

Saturday, May 25 was the first day this year that the temperature exceeded 70 degrees at Chesuncook Lake. The lake was flat calm in the morning and there was just a whiff of a breeze in the afternoon. The sun was reflecting brightly off the cool glassy lake surface. If you weren’t paying attention, you ended up with a nice spring sunburn. The flying ants and other insects were stretching their wings and shrugging off Maine’s lethargic start to spring.

A special encore presentation of the polyvagal theory video featuring scientist Stephen Porges, PhD, will be held at The Commons at Central Hall at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 13. As the originator of the theory, Dr. Porges explains that we have the biological imperative to connect with one another because we cannot regulate our physiology in isolation. In short, we need each other to survive.

Each month outstanding pupils in grades 5-8 at are honored as Students of the Month. The last group of honorees for 2018-19 were presented with certificates in front of their peers during an assembly in the cafeteria to start the day on Friday, May 31.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine recently attended the Maine Sports Hall of Fame VIP reception, where she met with this year’s recipients of the 2019 Maine Sports Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete Awards. The six students were presented with $5,000 scholarships during the 44th annual awards ceremony on May 19 at Merrill Auditorium.

Some of the wonderful things to enjoy in the Moosehead region, now that the snow has finally retreated, are the many hiking trails in the area. A nearly decade-old plan to improve and expand the trail system in the region continues to be implemented and volunteers are already working to maintain the trails.

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC)/Miosac Club recently met for the annual meeting as members brought their dinners and visited while eating.

Late last week the Maine Legislature, for a change, did something that I am very happy about. They took action to reform Maine's broken initiative and referendum process.

Health care. Homeless shelters. The military. In school. At work. The Trump administration is further escalating its attack on transgender people, including in situations when people are their most vulnerable.