By Christopher Burns, Bangor Daily News Staff Maine is about to get its first major license plate update since Bill Clinton sat in the Oval Office.

By Ethan Andrews, Bangor Daily News Staff DEXTER — Julia Gagnon, the Cumberland singer who made it to the top seven on “American Idol” last year, is scheduled to perform at the upcoming Maine Red Hot Dog Festival in Dexter in August.

PORTLAND — The American Red Cross of Northern New England is issuing a call to help ensure no one faces a disaster alone by donating on Red Cross Giving Day, March 26.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — A project manager to oversee the improvement of the Piscataquis County emergency radio system was approved by the Piscataquis County Commissioners during a Tuesday morning meeting.

DEXTER — The Dexter Town Council on Thursday, March 13 extended a moratorium on commercial solar arrays for another year as the planning board develops a comprehensive ordinance.

By Billy Kobin, Bangor Daily News Staff An unusual mix of gun control proponents and opponents are backing a proposal to protect people who agree to hold onto firearms for others from legal liability.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District offers an annual Tree and Plant Sale, which features a wide variety of vegetable seedlings, annual and perennial flowers, fruits, flowering shrubs, apple trees, American chestnut trees, homesteading goods and more! We source our plants from local farms and our homesteading products are sourced from local businesses.

On the day five years ago that businesses all across Maine went dark due to COVID-19, the award-winning Finding Our Voices campaign breaking the silence of domestic abuse came to light.

BANGOR — Heart of Maine United Way announced that Versant Power and Versant employees surpassed their campaign goal, raising $129,837 for nonprofits in Maine.

The Children’s Summer Drama Camp, launched in 1999 before the Center Theatre building had even been renovated, is the theatre’s longest-standing program.

The red carpet was rolled out on the evening of March 3 as more than 1,000 credit union industry representatives gathered in the ballroom of the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Washington, D.

By Julie Harris, Bangor Daily News Staff A bill that would have eliminated year-round hunting of coyotes was voted ought-not-to-pass Monday afternoon, March 17 by the Legislature’s Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

By Jon Knepp, Thompson Free Library director of library services Thompson Free Library and the Dover Foxcroft Historical Society are proud to announce that our Sponsor the Observer campaign has been successfully completed thanks to the generosity of 34 individuals, organizations and businesses donating a total of $4,900.

GUILFORD — The Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce is pleased to partner with the Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corp and Eastern Maine Development Corp to bring the 2025 Piscataquis County Job Fair to Guilford this year.

By Lori Valigra, Bangor Daily News Staff Maine residences that have installed heat pumps are seeing up to 60 percent savings compared with fossil fuels on their average yearly energy bills, according to a new study released by a nonprofit energy efficiency group.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Careers in healthcare can be very rewarding, but sometimes, travel to a distant classroom and the cost of courses are barriers to completing training.

By Marie Weidmayer, Bangor Daily News Staff The state of Maine is violating people’s Constitutional rights by not providing them lawyers in a timely fashion, a March 7 court ruling said.

By Christopher Burns, Bangor Daily News Staff Versant Power customers will see their monthly bills increase by about 8 percent.