The Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office did not have to look very far to find a new full-time deputy sheriff for the patrol division, with the hiring of Jeremy Rackliff. Rackliff, who lives in Sangerville, has been working on a part-time and fill-in basis for the department, Sheriff Robert Young told the county commissioners during an April 22 meeting.

Tractor trailer trucks needing to cross the line into the other lane in order to make the turn on and off South Street, a lack of a crosswalk by the Mill complex, deteriorating asphalt and over a half dozen major routes and sidestreets all coming together in one location are among the issues drivers and pedestrians deal with in downtown Dover-Foxcroft.

Non-binding town meeting votes on the plan are scheduled across a dozen HAD 4 communities from April 20-30 to help area legislators make a decision on submitting a bill to amend the hospital district charter to pave the way for a merger. More information is at https://mayohospitalfacts.org/.

A dozen pieces created by students at Foxcroft Academy and Piscataquis Community High School were on display at the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC)/Miosac Club’s annual art show on Sunday, March 24 at The Commons at Central Hall.

For 11 years the Valley Grange of Guilford has sponsored advertisements in the Piscataquis Observer’s annual Newspapers in Education supplement, which features business advertisement content created and drawn by school children from around the region.

Each month the SeDoMoCha School recognizes “Students in the Spotlight,” celebrating pupils from kindergarten to grade 8 who teachers and staff have determined best demonstrate a specific positive attribute or characteristic chosen for the timeframe from the Habits of Mind (a set of life skills for educators and parents). The April Students in the Spotlight were honored during an all-school assembly in the gym on the morning of Friday, April 12.

The Dexter Town Council unanimously gave its approval to the proposed merger of Mayo Regional Hospital with Northern Light Health system during an April 11 meeting.

Last month SAD 41 voters overwhelmingly approved a $2.4 million funding package to upgrade the Penquis Valley School heating system. During a school board meeting on April 10 at the school, the directors formally approved the computation and declaration of votes and signed the project loan agreement.

“The large radio reorganization is in California, the equipment is in California,” Dispatch Sgt. Gary Grant said during an April 9 commissioners meeting. Grant said the equipment will go Whitten’s 2-Way Service, Inc. of Brewer -- which has worked with the sheriff’s department for more than two decades -- to be programmed for installation.

For the fourth year in a row the Abbot-based JD Foundation invites the community to honor those who have died by suicide and support survivors and families impacted at the organization’s Walk/Run to Wake the Silence. The 5-kilometer event will start at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 4, with an opening ceremony at 9:45 a.m. and registration beginning at 8 a.m., at the Piscataquis Regional YMCA on Park Street.