By Stuart Hedstrom  Staff Writer     DOVER-FOXCROFT — Soon after the calendar changes to 2015, the development of the RSU 68 school budget for the 2016 fiscal year will begin.

By Stuart Hedstrom  Staff Writer     DOVER-FOXCROFT — Grade 8 students at SeDoMoCha Middle School had the opportunity to enjoy some refined and tasty treats on the afternoon of the last day of school before the holiday vacation with a fancy tea on Friday, Dec.

Lizotte will continue as interim county manager By Mike LangeStaff Writer     DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Piscataquis County Commissioners approved the new county and unorganized territories budget last week by a 2-1 vote but agreed unanimously to retain interim County Manager Tom Lizotte through the next fiscal year.

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Center Theatre kicked off the holiday season on Friday, Dec.

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — A 10-cent holiday book sale will be at the Thompson Free Library on 186 East Main Street.

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Student Council at Foxcroft Academy is collecting jeans for teens, as part of Teens for Jeans, a national partnership with Aeropostale and DoSomething.

By Stuart Hedstrom  Staff Writer     DOVER-FOXCROFT —Some freshly-made gingerbread men ended up making trouble across the SeDoMoCha School on Dec.

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Maine Highlands Senior Center in Piscataquis County got a huge boost recently with the announcement of a $300,000 grant award from Next Generation Foundation, a private foundation in Maine.

  Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom Every year the Piscataquis Observer publishes children’s letters to Santa Claus, and two young letter writers are drawn to receive a gift bag of assorted toys matching what they asked for.

  Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom Linda Santiago, right, of Sebec was the winner in the Piscataquis Observer’s annual Find the Shop Local Tree Contest.

By Mike LangeStaff Writer     DOVER-FOXCROFT — Several employers are looking for truck drivers with Class B licenses in the Penquis region.

  Observer photo/Mike Lange Santa and Mrs.

By Stuart Hedstrom  Staff Writer     DOVER-FOXCROFT — At June’s annual town meeting, residents approved an ordinance concerning a moratorium regarding private distribution corridors which includes paved highways, pipelines and high tension transmission lines.

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — Foxcroft Academy sophomore Camille Bozzelli has been selected as this year’s nominee for the 2015 Maine Youth Leadership Seminar, which will be held at the University of Southern Maine campus in Gorham from May 28-31.

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — Leslie Lizotte LSW, Community Service Specialist from the Eastern Area Agency on Aging, will be holding a Medicare 101 presentation in the Borestone Room at Mayo Regional Hospital on Thursday, Dec.

Photo courtesy of Hibbard Skilled Nursing Center Residents at the Hibbard Skilled Nursing Center in Dover-Foxcroft kicked off the holiday season with their annual Christmas Trim-a-Tree.

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — Recently the 13th annual Maine Credit Unions’ Ending Hunger Walking Tour made a stop in Dover-Foxcroft, one of three communities in Piscataquis County that the tour visited.

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — The office of U.