In partnership with the United Way of Northeastern Maine, Helping Hands with Heart (HHH) has received one of six Early Childhood Community Planning Grants in the amount of $25,000 from The Maine Community Foundation. These funds will support a rigorous study of the region’s age 0-5 population, map community resources, identify barriers to early childhood education and develop local solutions intended to help communities ensure their youngest children are ready to learn and thrive when they begin school.

Betty Van Dyke of Guilford was recently notified that a soon to be released book is dedicated to her. Walter Boomsma, program director of Valley Grange in Guilford and the Maine State Grange communications director, has authored the book, "Exploring Traditions--Celebrating the Grange Way of Life." He dedicated the book to Van Dyke, calling her a "Granger Extraordinaire" and explaining the great influence she had during his "formative years" as a Grange member.

On Saturday, Sept. 15 the Center Theatre hosted the grand finale of its first annual Central Maine Talent Search. The show, sponsored by J.M. Arbour Wealth Management, featured six talented performers, all of whom had been winners of preliminary events. The six performers competed to see who would win the $500 grand prize and at the end of the night Parker Kelley came out on top.

As you drive north to Greenville, not long before you get to Indian Hill, you may have noticed a place on your right, with tidy freshly painted brown buildings and wood stacked in a style reminiscent of the artist Monet’s impressionist haystack paintings. This is The Farm at Moosehead, and as their Facebook page states, they are “a working homestead farm with naturally grown produce, eggs and pastured poultry sold in their Farm Store.”

Songwriting with soldiers? Earlier this week I was looking over Amazon’s digital album deals. It’s a habit of mine. Results are generally feast or famine. Either Amazon has little or no album deals of interest or Amazon has many album deals of interest. September started as a famine month. Nothing much in my three preferred album categories: jazz, country, classical.

Most big game hunters are mindful of the fact that there is an ethic associated with the kind of shots taken in the harvesting of wild animals.

Guitarist Denny Breau performs at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29 at the Wayside Theatre. Breau's rhythmically flawless and dazzlingly clear guitar style allows him to mix folk, Delta blues, country and jazz with ease.

Ben Zabin, one of America’s top young magicians, is coming to back to Dover-Foxcroft for a one-night show at the Center Theatre at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 29. The award-winning show, which has been witnessed by audiences world-wide, is a unique fusion of Las Vegas style illusions, mind reading and sleight of hand, all weaved together by Zabin’s perfect comedic timing.

It seems in a moment, a second, our nation has been turned upside down. What was once called right is now called wrong. What was once freedoms to be cherished and defended are now archaic abuses better regulated by the government.

A Milo man died Wednesday night, Sept. 12 when his car rolled over on Route 16 in LaGrange, authorities said.