By Sawyer Loftus, Bangor Daily News Staff Maine has set a goal to ensure all 4-year-olds can attend public prekindergarten by the fall of 2026, but it may not meet that target unless the state’s school funding formula changes to encourage wider adoption, agreed educators, a policy analyst, state officials and a legislative commission.

By Kevin Miller, Maine Public Maine will add two new public defender offices under a bill that passed the Legislature and was signed by Gov.

By Erin Rhoda, Bangor Daily News Staff Two organizations are appealing the Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to award a potentially $1 billion contract to an out-of-state company, with a history of complaints, to arrange transportation for Medicaid patients who have no other way to get to doctor appointments, dialysis and cancer treatments.

By Kathleen O’Brien, Bangor Daily New Staff Two Bangor city councilors and one former councilor are running for a seat on the Penobscot County Commission in the June primary election.

By Marie Weidmayer, Bangor Daily News Staff Unionized workers in the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office are guaranteed larger raises for the next two years under new union contracts.

Photo courtesy of Dexter Regional High School PEOPLE’S CHOICE — The Dexter Regional High School photography class held an exhibition recently at the Abbott Memorial Library in Dexter.

DEXTER — Students from Dexter Regional High School, Ridge View Community School, Piscataquis Community Secondary School, Penquis Valley High School, Foxcroft Academy, and SeDoMoCha Middle School will gather on Friday, March 22 in Dexter for a regional summit focused on leading positive change in their schools and communities.

DEXTER — Before 2023 Dexter and other Maine communities had been able to keep net proceeds from sales of tax-acquired properties that exceeded the amount of taxes owed by the property owner.

BREWER — Displaying continued commitment to the health of its patients, colleagues, and community, Northern Light Health has been selected as the newest member of the Health Care Climate Council.

By Kathleen Phalen Tomaselli The weather along the swath of eclipse totality from Mexico to Maine is a big unknown.

Northern Light CA Dean and Mayo Hospitals will hold naloxone education and distribution events in Dexter, Dover-Foxcroft, Greenville, and Milo: Tuesday, March 26 6:30 p.

By Julie Harris, Bangor Daily News Staff A $30 million bond request meant to bolster existing and develop new trails could be used to repair damage that multiple storms inflicted on the state’s trail system, according to a Maine Trails Coalition spokesperson on March 14.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available for businesses and nonprofits from the U.

DEXTER — Dexter Regional High School recently held Winter Carnival 2024 Events.

By Julia Bayly, Bangor Daily News Staff You probably won’t see any animals, birds or amphibians wearing special dark glasses during the upcoming total solar eclipse.

Photo courtesy of Dexter Regional High School STUDENTS OF THE MONTH — Dexter Regional High School is pleased to announce the February Students of the Month as selected by the faculty and staff for being exemplary students.

Jessica Anderson of “Count ME In” will be the keynote speaker at the seventh annual “S-T-R-E-T-C-H  your Teaching” workshop to be held Saturday, April 6  at the United Technologies Center Maine in Bangor from 9 a.

By Julie Harris, Bangor Daily News Staff Twenty-four hours makes a huge difference between safe ice and taking a cold swim this year.