When residents head to the polls in two months on Tuesday, June 11 to vote on the town and RSU 68 budgets they will also be making decisions on a revised land use ordinance and an amended shoreland zoning ordinance. Both were the subjects of public hearings during an April 4 planning board meeting.

More than 20 students in the younger grades at Piscataquis Community Elementary School are now HEROs for their outstanding conduct during the month of March. The HERO honorees were recognized with the presentation of certificates during an elementary-wide morning meeting on Thursday, April 4.

A proposed 2019-20 academic year budget totaling $11,784,238 was brought forward by the finance committee to the full RSU 68 school board during an April 2 meeting at the SeDoMoCha School. This figure is up by nearly $225,000 from the current approximate $11.6 million spending plan.

Mayo Regional Hospital officials told community members Monday night, April 1 they are working toward a goal of keeping as many medical services in the region as possible as part of a proposed merger with Northern Light Health, a statewide system comprised of hospitals across Maine.

For the last several months eighth-graders at SeDoMoCha Middle School have been developing projects, on their own or in pairs, for the annual science fair. On the evening of March 27 the students presented their findings to the public with their projects on display in the cafeteria.

A Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant who has served as the DARE officer in area schools for more than two decades, goes above and beyond the call of duty and who gives back in other ways is now the Grange Northeast Region Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. Lt. Jamie Kane received news of the honor during a surprise presentation by Valley Grange Lecturer and Program Director Walter Boomsma during a morning grade 5 DARE class on Friday, March 29 at Piscatquis Community Elementary School.

On Saturday, April 27 residents will gather in the gymnasium at the Morton Avenue Municipal Building at 9 a.m. to vote on a nine-article warrant during the annual town meeting. Items approved on April 27 go to a referendum ballot on Tuesday, June 11.

Each month outstanding pupils in grades 5-8 at Piscataquis Community Elementary School are honored as Students of the Month. The 10 March honorees were presented with certificates in front of their peers during morning meeting in the cafeteria on Wednesday, March 27.

Photo courtesy of Abbott Memorial LibraryHARRY THE LION — Alicia Millette holds a paper mache lion that was created in the Abbott Memorial Library’s Maker Space.

Citizens of the 13 Hospital Administration District 4 member communities should have a voice in determining the fate of the potential merger between the district’s Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft and the statewide Northern Light Health system, Sebec residents indicated with their vote at a special town meeting during the evening of March 21 at the Harland A. Ladd Municipal Building.