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.

A 2018 Piscataquis County budget totaling just under $4.25 million and a near $1,489,000 Unorganized Territory (UT) spending plan for the 2018-19 fiscal year were both formally approved by the county commissioners during a Dec. 5 meeting.

After several meetings learning more information about the proposed facility, the SAD 41 school board voted to join both SAD 46 of the Dexter area and the Guilford-based SAD 4 in the application process for an Integrated, Consolidated grades 9-16 Educational Facility pilot project during a Dec. 6 meeting at the Marion C. Cook School.

Chief Deputy Robert Young has announced that he is seeking the office of sheriff of Piscataquis County in 2018.

Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville has announced his intention to run for Maine Senate District 4 in the November 2018 election. Davis currently holds that senate seat, comprised of all of Piscataquis County and parts of Penobscot and Somerset counties.

The woman killed in a Friday, Nov. 24 crash in Alton was on her way to work at her daughter’s church cafe when she was struck by a relative who was texting while driving, police and a family member said.

A proposed $4,247,114 Piscataquis County budget for 2018, along with a little less than $1,489,000 in the Unorganized Territory (UT) budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year, was presented at a public hearing on Nov. 27 as part of the process by county officials for developing the pair of spending plans.

The SAD 41 school board approved Honeywell -- which has worked at the Penquis Valley School for several decades -- to carry out work to make the complex more energy efficient. Honeywell was chosen during a Nov. 15 meeting, and the firm is scheduled to bring forward a scope of services for the directors to vote on when they meet next on Wednesday, Dec. 6.

On Sunday morning a group of seven Penquis Valley Middle School girls and four coaches, together comprising what they believe is the only “Heart and Sole” team in Piscataquis County, will be traveling to the Pineland YMCA in New Gloucester to join their peers from across the state in taking part in the Girls on the Run--Maine 5K.

Rep. Norman Higgins of Dover-Foxcroft has announced that he has unenrolled from the Republican Party and will represent his district as an independent.

During an Oct. 4 meeting of the SAD 41 school board, Superintendent Michael Wright said a week and a half prior the capital improvement committee met with Jim Lucy of Honeywell -- which has worked at the complex for a number of decades and would likely apply -- to discuss putting out request for qualifications to decide on a firm to help implement the QZAB funds before the end of year deadline.

The Aroostook County community of Limestone’s search for a new town manager has concluded with the selectboard hiring Matthew S. Pineo, who previously held the same position in Brownville and later Sangerville on an interim basis.

The resignation of Penquis Valley High School/Middle School Principal Jeremy Bousquet was accepted and the nomination of new building principal Daniel Ross was accepted during a Sept. 6 meeting of the SAD 41 school board.

Much of the community’s railroad history, including previously missing components, has now been captured in “More than a Train Yard and a Whistle Stop: The Canadian Railway’s Brownville Division 1886 to 1963.” The book by former resident Ken Hatchette, who now lives in Dartmouth, Mass., is full of photographs and features cover art from a mural painted by resident Suzette East which was a contest-winning submission. Book proceeds will help fund a heat pump for the Brownville-Brownville Junction Historical Society’s Parish House Museum.

A proposed 2017-18 SAD 41 budget of $8,500,571 was approved with all 12 articles passing, without any discussion, over 17 minutes during a district budget meeting on Aug. 2 in the cafeteria at the Penquis Valley School. The $8.5 million total is now moved to a referendum in the district towns of Atkinson, Brownville, LaGrange, and Milo on Thursday, Aug. 10 for a “yes” or “no” vote.

In June SAD 41 residents - approved an approximate $474,000 loan from Maine’s school revolving renovation fund for sprinkler and elevator upgrades at the Penquis Valley School. Under the program the state covers 70 percent of the costs, meaning a little more than $142,000 would be paid back by the district over five years at zero percent interest.

A little more than a month after the first version of the 2017-18 SAD 41 budget was voted down -- by a combined total of 270 to 68 across the district communities of Atkinson, Brownville, Milo, and LaGrange -- a revised spending plan will be brought to voters at a district budget meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 2 at the Penquis Valley School.

As part of the newly-approved state budget SAD 41 will be receiving approximately $263,000 more in state subsidy for 2017-18 and during a July 12 meeting the school board made a motion to use all these funds to reduce the assessment for the four district towns in the next version of the spending plan to be brought forward later in the summer.