Two of the state’s busiest prosecutorial districts will have new district attorneys in November after long-serving chief prosecutors decided not to seek re-election. Both Cumberland County District Attorney Stephanie Anderson, a Republican, and Penobscot and Piscataquis County District Attorney R. Christopher Almy, a Democrat, will step aside this winter.

Over the summer months children visiting the Thompson Free Library on Wednesday afternoons will have the opportunity to get more comfortable and confident with their word skills thanks to “READing with Erma.”

The search for a plan to bid a Piscataquis County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) storage garage bid will continue after only one proposal was received after the project went out to bid a second time. With the bid totaling more than double the project estimate, the Piscataquis County Commissioners passed a motion during a July 10 meeting for County EMA Director Tom Capraro to speak with contractors himself and negotiate a proposal for the approximate 1,400-square foot building.

Rep. Norm Higgins, I-Dover-Foxcroft and Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham have announced the establishment of a Broadband Caucus of members of the Legislature to promote the development of high speed Internet in Maine. The bipartisan caucus will provide information and updates on current local and statewide initiatives in preparation for the 128th Legislature.

The Piscataquis County Committee of the Maine Community Foundation has awarded more than $55,000 in grants to eight nonprofits located across the region.

A former Foxcroft Academy soccer star is again helping dozens of young players in kindergarten through grade 8 improve their skills on the pitch through his annual Ayala Soccer Academy. The third annual camp run by 2016 Foxcroft Academy graduate Tino Ayala was held in Dover-Foxcroft from June 25-29.

The fifth annual event is set for Saturday, July 7 with a pre-hike ceremony and American Legion Post 116 barbecue, live music by rock band Recall, a 50/50 raffle and door prizes to all start around noon. For more information, please see the Wilderness Walk for Warriors Facebook page.

U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine and Angus King, I-Maine announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved the nomination of Maine Superior Court Justice Lance Walker, a native of Piscataquis County, to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine. His nomination will now be considered by the full Senate.

The handcuffed man accused of stealing a Dexter police cruiser in May was indicted Wednesday, June 27 on unrelated charges for allegedly stealing a car in January. A Penobscot County grand jury indicted Tyler D. Tibbetts, 22, on two counts of theft by unauthorized taking, driving after his license was revoked and attaching false plates, according to the Penobscot County District Attorney’s office.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine recently met with Kaitlin Young, general and vocal music teacher at SeDoMoCha Elementary and Middle School, in her Washington, D.C., office. Young is the recipient of the 2018 Maine Teacher of the Year Award. She has taught at the SeDoMoCha School in Dover-Foxcroft for eight years and was previously named the 2017 Piscataquis County Teacher of the Year.

Students at the SeDoMoCha School will have a new principal when they return to classes in several months as the RSU 68 board of directors unanimously (7-0) voted to employ Ridge View Community School of Dexter Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Adam Gudroe during a June 19 meeting.

In order to get started to fulfill its mission of helping end food insecurity and increase the vitality of the agricultural economy of Dover-Foxcroft and surrounding communities, the Piscataquis Regional Food Center (PRFC) is applying for $50,000 in federal funding through the 2018 USDA Rural Development Community Facilities grant program. As part of the application process, a public hearing was held during the selectmen’s meeting on June 18.

The Center Theatre and lead sponsor Shaw's Supermarket announced that 7,000 people attended the 2018 Maine Whoopie Pie Festival on Saturday, June 23. The festival brings bakers from around the state together with artists, crafters, and vendors to celebrate the whoopie pie, Maine's Official State Treat.

Last month three bids for constructing a Piscataquis County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) storage garage all came in multiple times more than the project budget. The structure now has gone out to bid again with some revisions to the specs.

Foxcroft Academy is embarking on a fundraising campaign for the construction of a new field house on campus, boosted by a lead commitment of $2 million from the Libra Foundation.

Tina Gerickont of Cambridge is the grand prize winner in the Piscataquis Observer’s annual Find the Whoopie Pie Contest. Gerickont was chosen from a pool of 10 weekly winners in which entrants successfully located a whoopie pie hidden in one of that week’s advertisements.

Prices for wood to build and renovate houses have as much as doubled over the past six months, increasing costs for consumers but boosting Maine’s softwood sales and signaling a turnaround in that segment of the forestry market, industry experts say.

A brand new 1,700-square foot showroom for the kitchen, bath and flooring offerings at Dave’s World was formally revealed to the public during a grand opening celebration with the Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce on the evening of June 14.