Jody Arno is no stranger to Dover-Foxcroft. At her very core, she is a lover of community who is often found supporting local non-profits through hours of volunteerism and has been involved in the creation of dozens of community-based events over the years such as Piscataquis Hometown Holidays and the Piscataquis Heritage Hot Air Balloon Festival. She has always been motivated by her deep desire to provide meaningful, memorable moments for families who live here, and by her deep appreciation for the history of Dover-Foxcroft.

When Maine voters elected Angus King as governor in 1995 they also elected a new Republican majority to the Maine Senate. I heard state Sen. Beverly Bustin — who was, at the time, a senate Democrat leader -- tell a group of people gathered in Maine’s State House that the new GOP senate majority was an aberration, a flaw in the electoral process. The election that year was clearly a case of mistaken identity.

Ernie Fitch and Arnold Nash grew up together. They met in grade school in Ellsworth and became friends. Many times during their early years, Nash would have dinner or stay overnight with the Fitch family, Fitch said.

The Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to the education and welfare of all Coast Guard members and their families, announced that it has awarded a record-breaking 177 new scholarships in 2018 for a combined $500,000 in support. Among the award recipients is Clayton Carroll, son of Senior Chief Petty Officer Daniel Carroll, of Sebec. The younger Carroll is a student at Maine Maritime Academy and he is a Foxcroft Academy graduate.

The number of girls competing in high school wrestling across the country has increased during each of the past 28 years. That national trend has been perhaps most noticeable over the past six winters, when the roster of schoolgirl wrestlers has grown from 8,235 in 2012 to 14,587 for the 2017-18 season, according to an annual survey compiled by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Janet Mills this week released an action plan for the Maine economy. The plan includes 19 action items, specific recommendations for improving the state’s economy and spreading prosperity into rural areas.

For nearly a year now, we've been living in a different era. That era is the "me too" era, where women across this country are standing up and making their voices heard, taking some power back after generations of silent abuse that women all over America have experienced.

The 2018 Color Milo Run/Walk will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6, rain or shine. The start/finish for Color Milo 2018 will be at the Milo Elementary School parking lot, 18 Belmont Street. This is not a timed event or a race.

I know, it has been a long time since my last Senior Matters column, years in fact. Sorry. And much has changed, including I am now a retired “senior” myself, The Commons at Central Hall has opened and people are enjoying her beautiful spaces for dancing and quilting, connecting and thriving.

Maine will receive $972,249 in federal funds that will be used for state-identified outdoor recreation and conservation projects, Secretary of the Interior Ryan K. Zinke announced in a press release.