Valley Grange of Guilford notes that the fall event calendar includes plenty of opportunities for celebrating and strengthening American values and hometown roots.

The Grist Mill Museum in Dexter officially closed for the season on September 28 after 81 days being open this past summer and fall. The museum had 1,124 registered visitors over the season and is now open in October by appointment only.

The Maine Legislature may be out of session at the moment but like many of his colleagues, Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville is busy with important work that will help guide the next Legislative session when it begins in January. Sen. Davis has been appointed to the Working Group on Energy of the Maine Climate Change Council

It's been a year since the names of nine hospitals stretching from Presque Isle to Portland changed to reflect the new identity of their parent group, Northern Light Health.

Let’s Go! in partnership with Mayo Regional Hospital is honoring 14 sites in greater Piscataquis County for their positive impact on children’s health. These schools, school cafeterias, out-of-school programs and child care programs, in addition to several of health care practices, have adopted healthy eating and active living practices, influencing the choices children make.

Doors to the Piscataquis County Ice Arena on West Main Street were formally opened with a ribbon cutting on Monday, Sept. 30. The $5.5 million project, funded by the Libra Foundation and being managed day-to-day by Foxcroft Academy, had some distinguished guests including Gov. Janet Mills and Hockey Hall of Fame member Ray Bourque who played for the Boston Bruins for more than two decades.

The Piscataquis Observer will be published on Friday each week beginning with the issue of Oct. 11. The change will allow us to provide you with more timely coverage of events occurring early to mid-week.

In 1820 Maine became the 23rd state, separating from Massachusetts, and the Grand Lodge of Masons in Maine was established. The first Governor of the State of Maine, William King, was also the first Grand Master of Masons in Maine. In recognition and celebration of these historic events Chris Russell, District Deputy Grand Master of Maine’s 5th Masonic District, has organized a celebration for Saturday, Oct. 5 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Piscataquis Valley Fairgrounds.

Partners for Peace, the domestic violence resource center serving Piscataquis and Penobscot counties, will be observing Domestic Violence Awareness Month with a local End Domestic Violence Days event from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3 at Stutzman’s Farm Stand and Bakery in Sangerville.

The flower urn was presented to the town in 1929 in memory of the G.A.R. Restored by Tina Santos of Dexter it has stood at the foot of Dexter’s Civil War monument for 90 years.

The parent company of the Bangor Daily News is the new owner of the Penobscot Times, a small weekly newspaper that covers Old Town, Orono and surrounding towns.

The winners have been announced for a recipe challenge that encouraged Mainers to put their cooking skills to the test while helping parish food ministries in the process.

Elaine’s Bakery is well known in Piscataquis County, not simply because their finger-licking products can be found in convenience stores, cafes and markets across the state of Maine but because of the bakery’s owner Elaine Poulin. Most would say of Elaine, “to know her is to love her.”

Ever want to spend a day in the field with a state fish expert? One lucky winner and a friend will win just such an opportunity in the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s third “Keeper of the Maine Outdoors Experience” contest.

As the town of Dexter prepares to revise its comprehensive plan, the community will receive some help. During a Sept. 12 meeting the town council agreed to participate in the Orton Family Foundation Community Heart & Soul program.

Girl Scouts of Maine announced that it will host new member sign-up events for potential members and volunteers at locations throughout the state every month, including at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19 at the Ridge View Community School.

The Dexter Historical Society and the Abbott Memorial Library will hold a ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m. to rededicate the memorial urn at the foot of the Dexter’s Civil War Monument.

ixteen years ago, the last time a governor-initiated group attempted to better understand a growing ATV community in the state, the machines that riders were taking into the woods were small, light and mobile. That’s not the case anymore. And that’s why an ATV task force formed by Maine Gov. Janet Mills is tackling a new slate of ATV issues related to bigger, wider and heavier machines that have simply outgrown the existing ATV trail system.