By Michael Shepherd, Bangor Daily News Staff AUGUSTA — Leaders of the Maine Legislature on Friday released an initial schedule for a January return to the State House, again limiting in-person floor sessions, leaving lawmakers under a mask mandate and retaining virtual committee hearings.

By Bob Duchesne The calendar says Dec.

Observer photo/Keri Foster FIND THE SHOP LOCAL TREE WINNER – Sue Killam, left, of Blanchard is the grand prize winner of the Piscataquis Observer’s annual Find the Shop Local Tree contest.

GUILFORD — Superintendents from three districts seeking to build a regional high school are pursuing a community school district form of governance.

BANGOR – At Eastern Maine Development Corporation ’s annual board meeting, EMDC announced its 2021 awards recipients.

By Kristen Sutherland, Pine Tree Hospice Executive Director Giving care to someone with dementia is a complex and highly demanding labor of love.

By Josh Keefe, Bangor Daily News Staff Penobscot County, Maine, and Stafford County, Virginia, are home to slightly more than 151,000 people.

BREWER – Northern Light Health is gearing up to provide vaccinations to eligible 16 and 17-year-olds following the recent announcement from the U.

Grade 12, highest honors: Ruth Griffith and Hailee Hartford; high honors: Victor De Saint-Denis, Hannah Dow, Taylor Folsom, Sarah Gray, Sydney Hutchins, Elizabeth Kendall, Gianna Kopf, Christina Maguire, Ben Martin, Jessie Mayberry, Shania Milano, and Alex Shedd; honors: Jacob Beckwith, Grace Buehne, Matt Burdin, Matt Chadbourne, Dean Demmer, Zoey (Zenix) Dow-Cookson, Kayden Gilbert, Martina Hill, MacKenzie Kain, Alexandria Maguire, Aliyah Ouellette, and Cassidy Rohdin.

GUILFORD — The Piscataquis County Economic Development Council recognized Rep.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — A formal decision will be made after the bid process, but the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office may be equipping patrol vehicles with computers to enable tickets to be written electronically and for deputies to check information on site.

DOVER-FOXCROFT – To coincide with Dover-Foxcroft Hometown Holidays,  the Piscataquis County Democrats gave out hot cocoa and cookies at their North Street office from 3-6 p.

By Jessica Piper and Caitlin Andrews, Bangor Daily News Staff AUGUSTA — Maine Republicans will look to repeal recent Democratic abortion-rights expansions if they return to power in Augusta after the 2022 midterms, particularly if the U.

DOVER-FOXCROFT – The Mountain View Correctional Facility’s Correctional Trades Supervisor Corey Hill and his work crew have been working diligently through the pandemic to construct the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District’s Outdoor Educaiton Classroom at their public land, the Law Farm.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Piscatquis County’s 2022 budget and 2022-23 unorganized territory budget are likely to increase by 5.

BREWER — On Nov.

Adults up, chicks down, but what does it all mean? As Maine Audubon releases the data from its 2021 Annual Loon Count, it underscores the importance of long-term studies and highlights the need to look beyond the one-day count to understand the data.

Recognizing that many people struggle with depression during the holidays and winter months, NAMI Maine offers several online and in-person support groups for people with mental health challenges and their family members.