By Billy Kobin, Bangor Daily News Staff U.

Maine Audubon has been working to protect Common Loons for decades, as the Fourth of July is one of the busiest periods on Maine lakes and ponds.

GUILFORD — Twelve members and one guest met at the Piscataquis Country Club clubhouse in Guilford for the monthly meeting of the Piscataquis Region Retired Educators Association.

The Fourth of July means fireworks.

The towns of Sebec, Dexter, and Greenville will each be celebrating Independence Day with events on and leading up to Thursday.

BREWER — Northern Light Health announced that it has been accepted into the America Is All In Clean Energy Academy, led by the Rocky Mountain Institute, as it seeks to halve its emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

By Ethan Andrews, Bangor Daily News Staff MILO — Bissell Brothers will close its Three Rivers location in Milo at the end of the summer.

BANGOR — Penquis is encouraging survey participation in the Maine Shared Community Health Needs Assessment (Maine Shared CHNA), inviting individuals 18 and older to participate in the statewide community survey.

By Ethan Andrews, Bangor Daily News Staff MILO — The remains of a 76-year-old man were found in a Milo workshop after a fire early Sunday morning, June 23.

By Leela Stockley, Bangor Daily News Staff Maine saw home sales increase in May, making it the fourth straight month of growth after more than two years of a steady decline in the state’s housing market.

By Michael Shepherd, Bangor Daily News Staff AUGUSTA — Solar subsidies and storms will drive another round of electric rate hikes hitting most Mainers on July 1, though the effects will differ depending on where you live.

By Leela Stockley, Bangor Daily News Staff If there’s one thing to learn at the height of summer, it’s that heat waves can seriously affect your health.

By Nick Song, Maine Public Spending by tourists in Maine increased by 23.

PRESQUE ISLE.

Contributed photo NEW COUNTY FLAG — The new Piscataquis County flag is raised by Sheriff Robert Young, Chief Deputy Todd Lyford, and Deputy Kyle Wilson during a ceremony on Flag Day (Friday, June 14) at the county campus in Dover-Foxcroft.

By Marie Weidmayer, Bangor Daily News Staff Police departments across Maine have seized hundreds of pounds of marijuana during the last year in dozens of illegal grow house raids.

BANGOR — CourageLIVES and Saint Andre Home are pleased to announce that Executive Director Carey Nason has been named a 2024 National Reaching Rural Fellow.

By Christopher Burns, Bangor Daily News Staff A Canada-based railway company has been fined for Clean Water Act violations stemming from two train derailments in Maine.