By Kathleen O’Brien, Bangor Daily News Staff For years, Maine’s most rural county has seen the most homes sold per capita in the state, and real estate still changes hands in the middle of winter.

RANDOLPH CENTER, Vermont — Vermont State University is pleased to recognize Maia Shahin of Guilford for earning a place on the president’s list for fall 2025.

Maine students are kelp farming in Belfast, making honey to study pollinator health in Bath and studying why the Bloomfield School in Skowhegan is home to one of the largest colonies of endangered cliff swallows in Maine.

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire — It is with great pleasure that Southern New Hampshire University congratulates the following students on being named to the fall 2025 president’s list, the fall terms run from September to December: Taylor Defa of Medford and David Bialczak of Abbot.

GUILFORD — SAD 4 officials will begin work on developing the 2026-27 budget in the near future, but in the meantime the Jobs for Maine Graduates speciality position at Piscataquis Community Secondary School should be funded in full for next year.

By Bridget Huber, Bangor Daily News Staff Piscataquis County Sheriff Bob Young will not seek reelection, he announced Jan.

By Susan Bard, Bangor Daily News Outdoors Editor Throughout winter, when people are burning wood stoves, many households end up with piles of ashes, and most simply dump them in the woods or trash.

WASHINGTON, D.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — During the first meeting of 2026 on Tuesday morning, the Piscataquis County Commissioners set the chair and vice chair for the new year.

GUILFORD — Late last summer Wendy Lorrigan, a resident of Sangerville who teaches art at Piscataquis Community Elementary School in addition to being a community artist, was awarded two grants.

By Daniel O’Connor, Bangor Daily News Staff As Maine rings in the new year, many laws passed by the Legislature are set to go into effect.

By Kathleen O’Brien, Bangor Daily News Staff Maine saw more houses change hands this year than last, with the state’s most populated counties seeing the highest number of sales — part of a years-long pattern.

By Carol Bousquet, Maine Public The government says the Rural Health Transformation Program is intended to help residents in rural Maine have better access to preventive, primary, maternal and behavioral health services.

By Elizabeth Walztoni, Bangor Daily News Staff Reports of common tick-borne diseases in Maine broke records again in 2025 as tick populations have expanded in the state.

By Cameron Levasseur, The County Staff Twice in recent memory, groups of school districts in southern and northern Aroostook County have looked to consolidate into one regional high school under mounting budget pressure, declining enrollment and staffing shortages.

By Susan Bard, Bangor Daily News Outdoors Editor Maine lakes and ponds are beginning to freeze as winter sets in, but ice conditions remain variable across the state.

By Lori Valigra, Bangor Daily News Staff Consumers likely noticed smaller apples and potatoes and pricier blueberries lining grocery shelves this fall after one of the driest summers in 30 years triggered drought alerts throughout Maine, with the National Weather Service predicting that the parched conditions will likely continue into next spring.

By Kathleen O’Brien, Bangor Daily News Staff During Maine’s pandemic-era housing crunch when high demand and limited inventory caused property costs to skyrocket, many buyers chose to forego a home inspection before closing.