The Center Theatre hosted the first preliminary event for the Central Maine Talent Search on June 2. By the end of the evening, the three-judge panel and the 120-person audience had chosen Aidan Manning and Parker Kelley as the winners of the event. Both will continue on to the grand finale Sept. 15 where they will be eligible to win $500 and other prizes.

Upcoming events around the region.

Allen Monroe from the Milo Historical Society spoke about the early history of Milo and presented a brief slide show at the May meeting of the Milo Garden Club. On Tuesday, June 12, planning for the August club fair will take place at Three Rivers Kiwanis Headquarters at noon.

On May 30 over 50 people from Dexter and bordering towns enjoyed a free luncheon at the VFW sponsored by the AARP Age-Friendly Dexter Committee and prepared by Laura Potenziano. Committee members will work on developing projects to bridge generations, thereby helping to make Dexter become a more compassionate and vibrant town of the future.

The Friends of Maine State Parks, in cooperation with the Bureau of Parks and Lands, are pleased to announce a pilot program to provide Maine State Park Vehicle Passes for day-use at Maine State Parks to 10 community libraries across the state.

June marks a new chapter for Dover-Foxcroft’s 120-year-old Thompson Free Library. Director Helen Fogler retired after 21 years and has passed the torch to Orono native Greta Schroeder, who has worked in various libraries, most recently, McArthur in Biddeford and has a MS degree in Library and Information Science.

On Saturday, June 9 Dexter Dover Area Towns in Transition (DDATT) will host a workshop from 8 to 11 a.m. on scything at the Joe Sherburne Memorial Garden on the Ripley Road (Route 23).

Penquis Valley School students in grades 5-12 had the honor to hear Travis Mills speak on May 30. Mills is a retired U.S. Army staff sergeant of the 82nd Airborne is a recalibrated warrior, motivational speaker, actor, author and an advocate for veterans and amputees.

The Dover Cove Farmers Market is looking for some new additions to its summer markets. Do you grow vegetables, bake breads, or use your creative talents as an artist? With many people returning to local farmers markets for fresh produce and a deeper connection with their farmers, the Dover Cove Farmers Market is a great place to market one’s products.

Recently Ridge View Community School fourth-graders participated in the annual Dexter Kiwanis “Hooked on Fishing” event at a private pond in town. A week before the event the pond was stocked with 100 rainbow and brown trout. Each student had the option of releasing or keeping the fish they caught.

Upcoming events around the region.

More and more Central Maine people are considering catching and using the rainwater that falls for free (so far!) on all of us. As our yearly precipitation slowly increases and, ironically, long spells of droughtiness also occur due to atmospheric shifts, it makes sense to consider different ways of capturing and storing rain when it does happen to use for when it doesn’t.

The Maine Whoopie Pie Festival organizers have announced they expect bakers to bring 40,000 whoopie pies to Dover-Foxcroft for the 2018 Maine Whoopie Pie Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 23.

The Milo Events Committee invites the public to join in a day of fun and festivities on Saturday, June 2. The theme this year is “Honoring our Hometown First Responders (Fire, Police, EMS & the Military).”

Older people know that they should engage in some form of daily, physical motion to help their bodies and minds maintain good functioning.

If you are a parent or guardian of an adolescent between 12 and 18, or if you teach or interact with that age group as a member of the clergy, coach, club leader, counselor, educator, group home leader, police officer or in any capacity, consider attending Youth Mental Health First Aid from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, June 4 at the Dexter VFW on Cedar Street.

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate The Masiello Group is proud to recognize the realtors of its Dover-Foxcroft office, Brian Chadbourne, Donna Vainio, Betty Richardson and Grover Kilpatrick.

Chief Aircrew Survival Equipmentman Daniel Hight of Dexter, assigned to the "Skinny Dragons" of Patrol Squadron (VP) 4, gives an aircrew helmet to a student from the American School in Japan. The students were in Okinawa to learn about the U.S. Navy and its roles, capabilities and missions in Okinawa.