The RSU 68 school board gave its approval to a proposed $10,817,189 budget for the 2017-18 academic year, during a May 2 meeting at the SeDoMoCha School.

Maine Department of Education (DOE) Commissioner Robert Hasson has approved a one-year extension for all certificates with an expiration date of July 1, 2017. All teachers, educational specialists and administrators with certificates expiring on July 1, 2017 will be issued a one-year certificate that will be mailed to their home address on file with the Maine DOE.

Moderate is a word that is thrown around a lot, usually by self-interested politicians who want to appear rational, reasonable and independently minded. Usually, you are defined as a moderate if you step outside your political party's orthodoxy with relative frequency, and assert some opinions that are closer to those on "the other side" than those on your own.

Dexter Regional High School Principal Stephen Bell is proud to announce the valedictorian and salutatorian for the Class of 2017. Valedictorian is William Strauch and the salutatorian is Ashley Reynolds.

In last week’s column, Darn Good Yarn founder/CEO Nicole Snow spoke about her reasons for moving her Sebec, Maine-based million dollar a year business to Schenectady, N.Y. In part, the move was due to her husband’s business.

Good teachers are critical to Maine’s future, so let’s pay them adequately. Our children are our most valuable asset, and as a parent, I have been fortunate to raise my family in Maine.

Last weekend was the opening of “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” at the Center Theatre. By all accounts it is a magical performance for the whole family. Over 250 people attended the performance on opening night and according to Patrick Myers, the Center Theatre’s executive Director, they were enchanted.

Foxcroft Academy celebrated the retirement of long-time Dover-Foxcroft Police Chief Dennis Dyer, with “Chief Dyer Day” at the Friday morning assembly. Chief Dyer has been with the Dover-Foxcroft Police Department since 1972.

On May 3 a special assembly was held at Foxcroft Academy to announce the Class of 2017’s outstanding scholars at the annual Rose Award ceremony. This year the recipients are Brianna Adkins, Camille Bozzelli, Caleb Buerger, William Casey, Erika Chadbourne, Hannah Fishburn, Joseph Gilbert, Marie Hartung, Rose Kreider, Bonnie Page, Chandler Rockwell, Alexandria Scuderi, Taylor Smith, Emily Sprecher, Dingying Zhang and Wenduo Zhang.

Soon it will be time to go fiddleheadin'.For the True Gatherer, the first fiddlehead green that pokes through the sandy silt in the lowlands near brooks and streams stirs an inner joy. I count myself among the True Gatherers: finding wild things to eat that were not processed by man is a source of intense satisfaction and accomplishment.