Matthew Spooner has been hired as the director of operations for the soon to be completed Piscataquis County Ice Arena (PICA). He will start the new position July 1 as the arena is on target to open in September.

The annual event enables PCES pupils to participate in several workshops from over 30 possibilities thanks to 100 volunteers helping out at Arts Alive. Those taking part this year wore green T-shirts with a logo designed by sixth-grader Lena Pearson.

May 25-26 the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Narrow Gauge Railroad and Museum hosted the 103rd Infantry World War I reenactment group with volunteers from Maine and New Hampshire. Many of the original members of the 103rd “Yankee Division” Infantry were from the Piscataquis County, including one young soldier from Monson who was killed in action.

On Saturday, June 15 you can buy a book and a snack to support the Milo Area Ecumenical Food Cupboard. Expect to find all sorts of books, at bargain prices, for all sorts of people. Nothing goes better with a good book than a sweet snack. Volunteers are happy to bake treats for you to purchase and enjoy, too.

The SAD 4 school board approved a proposed $9,639,532 budget for the 2019-20 academic year during a June 5 meeting at the Penquis Valley School. The directors also scheduled the district budget meeting for 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 13 -- with an information session before at 5:30 p.m. -- at the school with the validation referendum in Brownville, LaGrange and Milo two weeks later on Thursday, June 27.

The state legislation that’s required for Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft to merge with Northern Light Health could be approved by next week, but it won’t include conditions proposed by a Piscataquis County lawmaker that would have given the towns that now own the hospital more control over the deal.

U.S. Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, chairman of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, announced that nine airports across Maine have been awarded a total of $3,490,995 from the Department of Transportation (DOT).

Pine Tree Hospice and The Commons at Central Hall are pleased to be co-hosting a dementia care workshop from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 20 at The Commons. The speaker is Kathryn Pears, founder of Dementia Care Strategies.

Local chapters of the National Honor Society.

On Wednesday, June 12 at 6 p.m. the Abbott Memorial Library in Dexter will be presenting a recent film based on the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

On the evening of Friday, May 31 visual and performing arts students of Piscataquis Community High School in Guilford presented their second annual combined Arts Cabaret. This year’s theme was “An Ocean Odyssey.”

The Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) has opened registration for the third session in the popular “Families in the Outdoors series, Garden Fun!” This event will take place at the Law Farm in Dover-Foxcroft on Friday, June 21 from 9 a.m. to noon, with a rain date of June 28 at the same time. Registration is required.

Crystal Ward was the guest speaker at the Piscataquis County Retired Educators Association meeting May 29 at the Our FAMBily Restaurant in Dexter. She presented a lively and informative session regarding current bills being discussed in the Maine Legislature.

The summer food service program, sponsored by the RSU 68 food service program, returns this year from mid-June to mid-August at the SeDoMoCha School -- 63 Harrison Avenue. All children under 18 are welcome for free breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday with breakfast served from 8-9 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to noon. All meals must be eaten on site, and no application is needed.

Upcoming events around the region.

Recently Ridge View Community School fourth-graders participated in the annual “Hooked on Fishing” event sponsored the Dexter Sunrise Kiwanis and held at a private pond.

Yoga instructor and Pine Tree Hospice volunteer Gayle Worden RYT, is offering free Yoga Nidra sessions for both professional and family caregivers in the community and for PTH volunteers as well. The sessions are about 45 minutes in length and are held at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church on West Main Street. The next session is at 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 15.

The Guilford Memorial Library will be hosting Professor Ed Rice as he leads a presentation about Louis Sockalexis, the first known Native American to play professional baseball. This free event is Wednesday, June 5 at 2 p.m.