By Larry Mahoney, Bangor Daily News Staff It was certainly a stroke of bad luck that the first indoor ice arena in Piscataquis County opened just five months before the world’s first pandemic since 1918.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Foxcroft Academy administrators said in June that COVID-19 would cancel the annual Dover-Foxcroft Shiretown Homecoming/Alumni Weekend festivities usually held at the end of July or early August.

“The kickoff meeting for the Maine DOT study will be next Thursday the 19th here at 6:30 p.m.,” Town Manager Jack Clukey said during a Sept. 9 selectmen’s meeting. The public meeting for the Dover-Foxcroft Urban Area Transportation Study will be from 6:30-8 p.m. that evening at the Morton Avenue Municipal Building.

Monson’s annual Summerfest, on Saturday, July 20, is approaching fast and, according to organizer Dee Adams, this will be the best fest yet.

The Maine Warden Service is seeking any information as to the whereabouts of Robert Hammond, 66, of Hanson, Mass.

Maureen Doore of Dover-Foxcroft, is the grand prize winner in The Piscataquis Observer’s annual Find the Whoopie Pie Contest.

The identify of a man who died in a fire early Tuesday morning on Little Boyd Lake Road has been released.

Seniors at Piscataquis Community High School received a $1,000 contribution from Mount Kineo Lodge #109 for next month’s Project Graduation

Following the vote made at last month’s annual town meeting to defund the department, a special town meeting asking if residents will disband the Brownville Police Department and discontinue town police services has been scheduled for Monday, May 1 at 7 p.m. at Brownville Elementary.

Wilsons on Moosehead Lake was recently recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The establishment and its owners Alison and Scott Snell were named as the organization’s 2017 Maine Jeffrey Butland Family Owned Business of the Year and the couple will be receiving the honor on May 15 at the Maine Small Business Awards in Freeport.

Piscataquis County needs more law enforcement officers. That’s one of the findings of a countywide task force -- comprised of town managers, police personnel and citizens -- that began meeting earlier this year to address law enforcement needs and processes, such as patrol, staff recruitment, coverage, mutual aid, communication, use of vehicles and contracts with towns. A final summary report and recommendations from the task force on how to strengthen police protection offered in the most efficient and affordable manner was presented to the Piscataquis County Commissioners during an April 4 meeting.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Earlier this year an application made by the town of Dover-Foxcroft to join the AARP/World Health Organization Network of Age Friendly Communities was approved.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — High school and youth swimmers competing at the Piscataquis Regional YMCA will now be able to instantly see their times upon finishing.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The “Building the Future” Logo Design Challenge was created as an authentic learning experience for the grade 8 class at the SeDoMoCha School.

GREENVILLE — Faced with a declining and aging population and a stagnant economy, many stakeholders in the Moosehead Lake region are taking action to reverse these trends.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom CLASS D SOUTH CHAMPS — The Greenville High School boys rolled to a 69-33 victory over A.

Bangor Daily News photo/Ashley L.

GREENVILLE, Maine — The sound of scores of dogs, barking with excitement, filled the freezing air at Leisure Life Resort on Saturday, as mushers and their teams made final preparations for the Wilderness Sled Dog Races.