By Patrick Whittle, The Associated Press Maine has one of the highest rates of coronavirus vaccination in the country, but some of the rural counties in the state lag behind the more populated areas.

GUILFORD – Davis Bros.

By Julia Bayly, Bangor Daily News Staff Research is showing there is a connection between the tick populations, the mice populations and the spread of Lyme disease in Maine.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Piscataquis County Retired Educators met May 24 at the Bear’s Den.

Observer file photo/Stuart HedstromCOLOR GUARD — The stars and stripes of the U.

WESTBROOK – Just in time for National Hunger Awareness Month, Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger is launching a 30-day, $100,000 challenge beginning June 1 to raise money for Good Shepherd Food Bank, local community food pantries, and meal sites.

GUILFORD — A proposed 2021-22 SAD 4 budget totaling $7,448,288 was approved during the annual district budget meeting held May 26 in the Piscataquis Community Elementary School cafeteria.

GUILFORD — Members of the Valley Grange #144 opted for an atypical choice as the organization’s Community Citizen Award while looking back on a year-plus in the coronavirus pandemic.

BREWER — Northern Light Health announced that it will increase its minimum starting rate to $15 an hour across the organization.

To encourage more people to grow their own vegetables, University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Piscataquis County Extension Executive Committee adopted the One Tomato project in 2014.

By Julia Bayly, Bangor Daily News Staff While Maine’s lakes, rivers and streams are home to some great freshwater fishing, they are also contaminated with dangerous levels of toxic mercury.

PORTLAND — The Diocese of Portland has announced major updates to the pandemic protocols currently in place at all 141 Catholic churches in Maine.

Many of Maine’s bird species are currently facing stresses causing populations to decline.

FORT KENT — The University of Maine at Fort Kent is pleased to announce the annual student awards and scholarships that were recently presented to both undergraduate students and those who graduated this spring.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Every year, the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District presents an outstanding conservation achievement award to either a cooperator (farmer, forester, landowner) or educator in Piscataquis County.

Together with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s two-week Click It or  Ticket Campaign, the Maine Buckle Up.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — A feasibility study for multiple aspects of a Piscataquis County public safety radio system is nearing completion and the document soon to be presented to the Piscataquis County Commissioners will include information on moving the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s dispatch center.

By Abigail Curtis Bangor Daily News Staff Turkey dinners, beans and franks and almost always pie.