By Julie Harris, Bangor Daily News Staff No one heard them yelling for help, but two men survived Tuesday when their snowmobile broke through the ice on Wassookeag Lake in Dexter.

DEXTER — A number of seasonal activities are in store for Dexter this winter.

BANGOR — National Blood Donor Month is a time to recognize and celebrate blood donors, and to remind people of the importance of donating blood.

ORONO — Ask anyone who frequents the forests of New England and they will likely speak of unwelcome companions — ticks.

By Billy Kobin, Bangor Daily News Staff The push to require Mainers to provide photo identification at the polls is a state-level issue that voters will settle in November, but Maine’s members of Congress also have thoughts on this year’s high-profile referendum.

To encourage students in Maine who are exploring careers in journalism, the Maine Press Association each year awards MPA scholarships to current university students and high school seniors planning to attend college in the coming year.

By Marie Weidmayer, Bangor Daily News Staff BANGOR — Penobscot County could pay hundreds of thousands of dollars more a year to send inmates to other jails across the state after the facilities raised their costs.

SKOWHEGAN — Skowhegan Savings Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of Vicki Alward to executive vice president, chief operating officer.

By Marie Weidmayer, Bangor Daily News Staff BANGOR — A man charged with murdering a Corinth man appeared in court Monday.

By Elizabeth Walztoni, Bangor Daily News Staff Maine saw a record-breaking number of tick-borne disease cases in 2024 for a second year in a row.

By Billy Kobin, Bangor Daily News Staff Maine lawmakers have plenty of work ahead of them in 2025 to tackle a projected transportation funding shortfall, with a $100 million bond and other tax changes potentially on the table.

By Billy Kobin, Bangor Daily News Staff The year 2024 was a busy one for politics in Maine, with high-stakes elections, legislative responses to the Lewiston mass shooting and local housing debates among the many notable events.

By Elizabeth Walztoni, Bangor Daily News Staff A number of agriculture-related laws passed this year were geared toward farmers, such as new rules for salmonella prevention, and monitoring at commercial egg farms; support for well-drilling to respond to droughts; and a new task force finding ways to support the state’s dairy industry.

The Maine Department of Education and Educate Maine are excited to announce that nominations are officially open for the 2025 County Teachers of the Year and the 2026 State Teacher of the Year.

By Michael Shepherd, Bangor Daily News Staff Working Mainers will notice lighter paychecks starting Wednesday, when a tax funding the state’s new paid family and medical leave program goes into effect with the new year.

By Billy Kobin, Bangor Daily News Staff Maine has a small population and a part-time Legislature, but state leaders and lawmakers have plenty of big problems to tackle in 2025.

By Nicole Ogrysko, Maine Public In its first year of operation, Maine’s state-sponsored Roth IRA savings plan has enrolled nearly 12,000 workers.

Photo courtesy of Dexter Regional High SchoolCHRISTMAS FOOD BOXES — Early on the morning of Dec.