By Judy Harrison, Bangor Daily News Staff A superior court judge has dismissed a lawsuit objecting to the merger of the former Mayo Regional Hospital with Northern Light Health.

By Ernie Clark, Bangor Daily News Staff The first tangible sign of an eventual widening project at one of the region’s more troublesome traffic intersections came into view this week with the demolition of the former Dead River Co.

By David Marino Jr.

GUILFORD — A proposed regional high school, offering a number of vocational programs and college courses in addition to core subjects, involving many of the area school districts was given new life last fall.

GUILFORD — The former Guilford town manager who continues to be active in his community in retirement is the 2020 recipient of the Warren “Pete” Myrick Award from the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council.

By John Holyoke, Bangor Daily News Outdoors Editor Maine wildlife biologists are hoping to launch a research project that will reduce the moose population in a small study area in order to learn if lower population densities will lead to fewer winter ticks on the animals and a healthier overall herd.

DEXTER — SAD 46 will continue to participate in the Piscatauqis Valley Adult Education Cooperative for academic and enrichment programs through at least the end of the 2023-24 academic year.

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.

Paul Zimmerman and Martha Ward already had planned an improvement project for the Red Maple Inn in Guilford again this year. They’ve invested in their Piscataquis County restaurant and lounge annually since moving the business across the street in 2013 to its current location -- the former Braeburn Hotel annex on North Main Street. Little did Zimmerman and Ward know how much free time they’d have for renovation this year after the Red Maple Inn and other restaurants around the state were closed to dine-in customers as of March 18 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

An owner of the largest employer in Piscataquis County has sued his cousin and fellow co-owner over a deep disagreement about the direction of the manufacturing business that has been in their family for generations -- Hardwood Products Company LP of Guilford -- and that could be sold to a new owner depending on the outcome of the suit.

On Jan. 8 Penquis Valley High School junior Joslyn Black, 16, received an invitation in the mail from the education organization Envision. This group provides summer learning programs to students from elementary through high school. Black’s invitation is to the Stanford Law School outside of San Francisco, California to learn and engage in a 10-day intensive law and trial program.

“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