Officials who oversee development in the state’s Unorganized Territory were urged June 20 to not make rule changes that critics say could create sprawl in the Maine woods and undermine development in northern municipalities.

It is with great pleasure that the Baxter State Park Authority announces the appointment of its new park director, Eben Sypitkowski. Sypitkowski is currently serving as Baxter State Park's resource manager and is managing its Scientific Forest Management Area. He brings knowledge and experience to the role of director, and a proven passion for upholding the Baxter Trusts and serving its mission.

Local solar energy entrepreneur Tyler Adkins announced his independent campaign to represent District 119 in the Maine House of Representatives. House District 119 includes Beaver Cove, Greenville, Shirley, Monson, Abbot, Parkman, Sangerville, Guilford, Willimantic, Bowerbank and Sebec, plus the unorganized territories of Blanchard Township, Northeast Piscataquis (including Barnard and Elliottsville Townships) and Northwest Piscataquis.

Prices for wood to build and renovate houses have as much as doubled over the past six months, increasing costs for consumers but boosting Maine’s softwood sales and signaling a turnaround in that segment of the forestry market, industry experts say.

A brand new 1,700-square foot showroom for the kitchen, bath and flooring offerings at Dave’s World was formally revealed to the public during a grand opening celebration with the Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce on the evening of June 14.

Nicki Greene will be the director of special education in SAD 4 for the 2018-19 academic year, after her nomination was approved by the school board during a June 12 meeting. Greene’s salary will be $60,000.

SeDoMoCha Middle School sixth-grader Jasmine Lockwood is the state-level winner for grades 4-6 in the Letters About Literature contest. Lockwood’s letter to the author of “Too Tought to Hurt” came in first in a field of 833 submissions, which were narrowed to approximately 50 finalists as part of three rounds of judging.

The dates for the annual district budget meeting and referendum on the 2018-19 SAD 41 budget were both scheduled by the school board during a June 13 meeting at the Penquis Valley School. The annual district budget meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 21 in the Walter E. Oakes Gymnasium at Penquis Valley, with an informational meeting before at 5:30 p.m. The total budget approved across the warrant items then will be moved to a referendum one week later on Thursday, June 28.

Following a successful pilot project during the summer of 2017, the Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corporation (MLREDC) will launch the first full summer season of the festive Artisan Village at 35 Pritham Avenue on the Moosehead lakefront in Greenville. Four colorful cottages will house different artists from all over Maine beginning the weekend of June 23-24 and then Thursday through Monday from June 28 through Sunday, Sept. 10.

Lately, high profile suicides have blanketed the news – the shocking deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain make people wonder, how can someone who appears to have everything do this kind of thing? Why would they leave their family in tatters, especially impacting their young children left behind? The JD Foundation in Abbot, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary this October, is working to address this each and every day.

Older students at the SeDoMoCha Elementary School put their art skills to the test while thinking about the proper way to travel to and from classes by taking part in the National School Bus Safety Poster Contest.

Maine State Police have charged a couple from Milo after seizing heroin and crack when their vehicle was stopped on the Maine Turnpike late in the evening on June 14, according to a press release on the incident. The enforcement action came after troopers stopped the couple’s car in York about 11 p.m. and a drug dog was brought to the scene.

Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville presented Dexter Police Officer Kenneth Spaulding with a Legislative Sentiment at the June 14 Dexter Town Council meeting. The sentiment recognizes Officer Spaulding’s achievement of earning a 2018 Community Hero Real Heroes Award from the American Red Cross of Maine for saving the life of an infant who had stopped breathing by performing CPR until an ambulance crew arrived to take over.

The final Students of the Month at Piscataquis Community Elementary School were honored in front of their peers during the June 15 morning meeting, the last day of school.

The Board of Directors and CEO Diane Dickerson are proud to announce some management additions and changes at the Piscataquis Regional YMCA. Janna Loureiro Wasel has been chosen to become the director of operations and development.

In the realm of wildlife management we have come a long way since the days of Aldo Leopold, the American father of enlightened wildlife stewardship. Leopold in his writings and teaching warned about the destructive impact that industrial progress and technology was having on America’s wildlife. In fact, wildlife planning, protection and well-funded conservation efforts have led to an era when we have more big game in this country than ever before. Increasingly in some cases, there is an excess of wild critters.

Results for Dover-Foxcroft, RSU 68 and SAD 46 referendums on June 12.

Grade 5 students at Piscataquis Community Elementary School recently took a journey back in time by studying American history and then applying what they earned through a play performed for their families and the community last month.