Samantha Siemerling of Dover-Foxcroft was presented with the first-place prize in the high school division of the Secretary of State’s 2018 Maine Native American History and Culture Essay Contest by Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville at the Maine State Museum in Augusta on April 17.

The Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office did not have to look very far to find a new full-time deputy sheriff for the patrol division, with the hiring of Jeremy Rackliff. Rackliff, who lives in Sangerville, has been working on a part-time and fill-in basis for the department, Sheriff Robert Young told the county commissioners during an April 22 meeting.

Tractor trailer trucks needing to cross the line into the other lane in order to make the turn on and off South Street, a lack of a crosswalk by the Mill complex, deteriorating asphalt and over a half dozen major routes and sidestreets all coming together in one location are among the issues drivers and pedestrians deal with in downtown Dover-Foxcroft.

Citizens in Bradford voted in favor of moving forward with a merger between Mayo Regional Hospital and Northern Light Health. Bradford residents voted 20-1 in favor of the merger at a special town meeting on April 22.

The population of Maine as a whole and 10 of the state’s 16 counties is rising, as is the number of people moving into the state and into 14 counties, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, which released its 2018 population estimates April 18.

Non-binding town meeting votes on the plan are scheduled across a dozen HAD 4 communities from April 20-30 to help area legislators make a decision on submitting a bill to amend the hospital district charter to pave the way for a merger. More information is at https://mayohospitalfacts.org/.

The towns that make up Hospital Administrative District 4 (HAD 4) are planning for public votes regarding the potential merger between Mayo Regional Hospital and Northern Light Health. The votes will be held on a variety of dates set by each individual town as a part of a town meeting format. The result of the votes will give legislators guidance on whether or not to submit legislation to change the HAD 4 charter to allow for the merger.

A dozen pieces created by students at Foxcroft Academy and Piscataquis Community High School were on display at the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC)/Miosac Club’s annual art show on Sunday, March 24 at The Commons at Central Hall.

The Center Theatre is looking for input from the community about its events, concessions, pricing and any other feedback from the community. While people are always welcome to send suggestions, Kathy Reardon, the chair of the Theatre Fundraising Committee, developed the survey to encourage everyone to give the Theatre their opinion.

The recent trend in hospital consolidations started in October 2013, when St. Andrews Hospital merged with Miles Memorial Hospital in nearby Damariscotta to form LincolnHealth, which in turn is part of Portland-based MaineHealth.

Squeezed tightly by the high cost of doing business at a time when federal reimbursements don’t cover expenses and more patients need free care, Maine’s hospitals are looking to each other to survive. Hospital mergers, consolidations and collaborations have been occurring for the past 20 years, but the trend has accelerated during the past five years, experts said.

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate The Masiello Group, Northern New England’s leading independently owned real estate and home services company, honored its top agents for 2018. Agents from the company’s 36 offices in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont were recognized for their achievements in real estate sales including those from the Dover-Foxcroft office: Betty Ann Richardson, Grover Kilpatrick, Donna Vainio and Brian Chadbourne.

Each month the SeDoMoCha School recognizes “Students in the Spotlight,” celebrating pupils from kindergarten to grade 8 who teachers and staff have determined best demonstrate a specific positive attribute or characteristic chosen for the timeframe from the Habits of Mind (a set of life skills for educators and parents). The April Students in the Spotlight were honored during an all-school assembly in the gym on the morning of Friday, April 12.

The Dexter Town Council unanimously gave its approval to the proposed merger of Mayo Regional Hospital with Northern Light Health system during an April 11 meeting.

Amber Ober said she came to Portland to honor Campbell and because she felt a connection with Campbell’s wife, Hilary, and their 6-month-old son, Everett. The 23-year old from Dover-Foxcroft is married to a Piscataquis County sheriff’s deputy, and she was carrying their daughter, Elliot, who is 4 months old. She remembers exactly where she was when she heard of Campbell’s death.

Independent U.S. Sen. Angus King of Maine said he’s upset by a report that found lower-income counties, including two in Maine, are subject to more tax audits by the IRS. Piscataquis and Washington counties have median incomes below most of the nation and the rest of the state. But, according to a study published in a trade publication, they have been targeted for IRS audits.

“The large radio reorganization is in California, the equipment is in California,” Dispatch Sgt. Gary Grant said during an April 9 commissioners meeting. Grant said the equipment will go Whitten’s 2-Way Service, Inc. of Brewer -- which has worked with the sheriff’s department for more than two decades -- to be programmed for installation.

For the fourth year in a row the Abbot-based JD Foundation invites the community to honor those who have died by suicide and support survivors and families impacted at the organization’s Walk/Run to Wake the Silence. The 5-kilometer event will start at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 4, with an opening ceremony at 9:45 a.m. and registration beginning at 8 a.m., at the Piscataquis Regional YMCA on Park Street.