By Kathleen O’Brien, Bangor Daily News Staff Surviving and enjoying winter in Maine takes certain skills, knowledge and gear to stay safe, warm and dry.

By Kathleen O’Brien, Bangor Daily News Staff Maine’s most rural county is set to see the most homes sold per capita in the state for the third straight year.

By Kathleen O’Brien, Bangor Daily News Staff As temperatures continue to drop, Mainers are reminded that winter is on the way, bringing with it all the beauty and challenges of the season.

By Leela Stockley, Bangor Daily News Staff Forecasters with the National Weather Service say conditions are right for Maine’s drought to last through the winter.

By Cameron Levasseur, The County Staff Three of the five largest high schools in Aroostook County are exploring forming a singular regional high school for central Aroostook.

DEXTER — Maine Highlands Federal Credit Union recently donated nearly 800 pounds of non-perishable food to six local backpack programs serving students in the communities surrounding its branch locations.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Program grant cuts to 12 organizations in the proposed 2026 Piscataquis County budget have been restored by the Piscataquis County Commissioners, some partially and some in full compared to the current year.

By Rose Lundy, The Maine Monitor Linda Cousins had already picked her Medicare plan when she qualified last year, but then she received a call from a woman claiming to be from the insurance company.

Piscataquis Hometown Holidays is an event families eagerly anticipate each year.

By Daniel O’Connor, Bangor Daily News Staff Maine consistently ranks as one of the most rural states in the nation, with more than 60% of the population living far from a major city.

GUILFORD — Talking about death won’t kill you! Pine Tree Hospice will host a monthly Death Café beginning Sunday, Dec.

By Molly Enking, Maine Public The U.

A longstanding tradition in the region’s schools continued earlier this month as the Valley Grange of Guilford provided all area third graders with a dictionary through the Dictionary Project and the Grange’s Words for Thirds program.

By Wendy Watkins, Bangor Daily News Staff A new documentary detailing 50 years of black bear research in Maine was released Nov.

DEXTER — Two area school districts and the region’s career and technical education center have applied for state funding for a comprehensive high school that will combine traditional academics, career and technical education, and access to college courses.

By Kevin Miller, Maine Public Nearly half of Maine’s registered voters participated in this year’s November election, which was much higher turnout than during the past two off-year elections.

By Leela Stockley, Bangor Daily News Staff Although a deal has been reached to end the government shutdown that jeopardized SNAP benefits for thousands of Mainers, heating aid and other assistance programs are still feeling the impact of a lack of federal funding.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Program grant cuts to six organizations in the proposed 2026 Piscataquis County budget have been restored by the Piscataquis County Commissioners.