With the calendar year nearing a conclusion, RSU 68 officials have started preparations for developing the 2018-19 budget. During a Dec. 5 school board meeting, Superintendent Stacy Shorey said the directors have now all received a budget meeting calendar.

After several meetings learning more information about the proposed facility, the SAD 41 school board voted to join both SAD 46 of the Dexter area and the Guilford-based SAD 4 in the application process for an Integrated, Consolidated grades 9-16 Educational Facility pilot project during a Dec. 6 meeting at the Marion C. Cook School.

The John Bapst High School girls basketball team unveiled a relentless full-court press under first-year head coach Chris Woodside and it paid huge dividends in their mutual season opener against Class B North runner-up Foxcroft Academy. The Crusaders forced 17 first-half turnovers which helped them build a 33-15 halftime lead and they withstood a second-half rally by the gritty and youthful Ponies to earn a 58-42 victory at the Cross Insurance Center Saturday, Dec. 9.

The Foxcroft Academy Key Club, hosted its sixth annual Reindeer Run 5K during the early afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 3. Proceeds from the event benefit community Christmas projects.

A proposed $4,247,114 Piscataquis County budget for 2018, along with a little less than $1,489,000 in the Unorganized Territory (UT) budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year, was presented at a public hearing on Nov. 27 as part of the process by county officials for developing the pair of spending plans.

According to a national cellphone company, the most “Most Valuable Coach” in the country resides in Dover-Foxcroft and works with student-athletes at Foxcroft Academy. Following the announcement last week Luis Ayala was formally recognized Monday morning as the U.S. Cellular Most Valuable Coach during an all-school assembly, during which he received a $50,000 check which he has chosen to go to the two sports programs.

Many different organizations and individuals have been involved in efforts over the last few years designed to improve the health of residents across the region. Many of these partners in the Feel Good Piscataquis! initiative were recognized during a breakfast on Nov. 16 at the Three Rivers Kiwanis building.

Officials with SAD 4 continue to work with their colleagues from the Dexter-based SAD 46 on the application process for an Integrated, Consolidated 9-16 Educational Facility pilot project. Both school boards have formally authorized the superintendents to submit the Part II application due at the end of the year.

For the first few series of the 2017 Class D football championship on the turf at Fitzpatrick Stadium during the late afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 18, North region top seed Foxcroft Academy and South No. 1 Wells High School were evenly matched as both defenses forced the opposing offense into a pair of three-and-outs. The Warrior offense then got going with two touchdowns in the opening quarter and three more in the opening half to help the team win 48-0.

The SAD 41 school board approved Honeywell -- which has worked at the Penquis Valley School for several decades -- to carry out work to make the complex more energy efficient. Honeywell was chosen during a Nov. 15 meeting, and the firm is scheduled to bring forward a scope of services for the directors to vote on when they meet next on Wednesday, Dec. 6.