When the doctor tells you to open up and say, “Ahhh,” pretty much anywhere in the world, there’s a chance that the wooden stick pressing on your tongue was made in Maine. And the wooden stick in that Creamsicle? Probably also from Maine. Hardwood Products Co. in Guilford has something of a split personality. The company is divided into two operations, one right across the road from the other.

Chocolate lovers will be able to satisfy their sweet tooths once again at the 14th annual Moosehead Lake Chocolate Festival from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18 at the Greenville Consolidated School on Pritham Avenue.

During a Jan. 22 meeting of the Dover-Foxcroft selectmen, PCEDC Executive Director Chris Winstead said about a year before he met with them prior to the survey.

Destination Moosehead Lake has been awarded a pair of grants to provide for the hiring of professional photographers and video production staff to create images and clips for organization marketing materials showcasing the summer, fall and winter seasons throughout the region.

In 2016 the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council (PCEDC) was awarded $120,000 for broadband internet planning from the Office of the Maine Attorney General, with the funds coming from consumer settlements the office reached with several wireless carriers. The monies helped the PCEDC work with Axiom Technologies of Machias to conduct a survey of the region to help develop a regional technology plan aimed at economic and community development.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — What today is a 25-bed critical access hospital and health system with five rural health clinics across the region, provides emergency medical services for all of Piscataquis County, psychiatry and counseling services as well as various surgical specialties, in April Mayo Regional Hospital will mark 40 years since first opening its doors to patients.

The Forest Society of Maine Board of Directors named Karin Tilberg as the organization’s new executive director during the December board meeting. The Forest Society of Maine (FSM) is a land trust with a focus on conserving forest land throughout Maine’s North Woods.

The Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corp. (MLREDC) recently received three grant awards to assist efforts in leading the economic revitalization of the Moosehead Lake region.

This week I was smack dab in the middle of a situation where a business’s customer relations went from good, to worst, to best. There is customer service wisdom here for all business owners.

Crystal Saunders, center of Dover-Foxcroft, is the winner in the Piscataquis Observer’s annual Find the Shop Local Tree Contest. Saunders was awarded a grand prize package of goods from numerous area businesses after her name was drawn from a pool of 10 weekly prize winners

The executive committee of the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council (PCEDC) has named Sue Mackey Andrews of Dover-Foxcroft as the 15th recipient of the Warren “Pete” Myrick Award.

The Piscataquis Observer’s Stuart Hedstrom picked up top honors in the sports news writing category among the state’s smaller weekly publications from the Maine Press Association in the 2017 MPA Better Newspaper Contest on Oct. 21

The boards of directors of Penquis and the Charlotte White Center are pleased to announce that the two organizations have entered into a two-year management agreement under which Penquis Chief Executive Officer Kara Hay and Chief Financial Officer Denice Conary will provide the Charlotte White Center with executive and financial leadership.

For 71 years Rowell’s Garage has been owned by three generations of the Rowell family. In mid-August the dealership was sold by third generation owner Karen Pomeroy to General Manager Scott Moulton, who has been in the position since 2010.

Carpe Diem Salon on North Street earned top business honors in the annual Dover-Foxcroft Halloween BooNanza decorating contest with a display inspired by the works of Stephen King.

The national firm of Gray & Pape Heritage Management has been hired by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission to conduct an architectural survey of Monson. Surveyors Patrick O’Bannon and Kendal Anderson will be documenting houses, stores, churches, cemeteries, etc. built before 1972 in order to identify historic properties or neighborhoods.

Melissa Reynolds says her family, her husband Frank and their children Ashley and Brady, does everything together, and since January that includes running their Our “FAMB”ily Restaurant. An extra letter was added to the name to include Brady Reynolds’ first initial along with those of the rest of the family.

From 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12 the Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual meeting and Business of the Year celebration. The chamber’s board of directors is pleased to announce that this year’s Business of the Year recipient is Pleasant River Lumber of Dover-Foxcroft.