MONSON — What do you have when you combine your passion and your dreams and create a new reality for yourself? For Joy and Tim Bueschen, it was the creation of their new home in the woods of the Central Maine Highlands, Turning Page Farm Brewery.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Piscataquis County Commissioners awarded bids for paving and road work projects on the Elliotsville Road during a July 7 meeting.

GUILFORD — Thanks to the generosity of the Maine Highlands Federal Credit Union, the patrol and investigation divisions of the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office will have a new home in downtown Guilford at the former Key Bank building.

DOVER-FOXCROFT —  A proposed $11,970,877 RSU 68 budget for the 2020-21 academic year was approved at the annual district budget meeting on June 23 at the SeDoMoCha School.

It’s a familiar story for Maine — a once-thriving manufacturing town suddenly in search of a new identity.

The RSU 68 school board approved a proposed budget totaling  $11,970,877 for the 2020-21 academic year, during a May 12 meeting at the SeDoMoCha School streamed live via YouTube. The directors also scheduled the annual district budget meeting for Tuesday, June 23.

The proposed RSU 68 budget for the 2020-21 academic year is up slightly to a figure of $11,970,877, as presented by Superintendent Stacy Shorey during an April 14 school board meeting at the SeDoMoCha School streamed live on Youtube. The $11.97 million figure represents an increase of 1.58 percent from the current year’s budget of $11,784,238.

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) delivered Wi-Fi-enabled Samsung Tab A's with a 12-month Verizon service to RSU 68 and SAD 4 schools on April 8, in an effort helping area students with their school work while they are engaged in remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of its ongoing development of programs with area schools, Monson Arts sponsored two visiting artists in classrooms during the month of February.

With school closed through at least Friday, March 27 due to the coronavirus pandemic, RSU 68 students will be learning via distance rather than in the classroom. The RSU 68 school board approved a formal motion to change the manner of instruction to distance learning while school is not in session, during an emergency meeting on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 17 at the SeDoMoCha School.

RSU 68 officials are looking at an approximate 1.3 percent budget increase, in both the spending plan total and the tax commitment to the four district communities.

With the current academic year nearing the halfway point, RSU 68 district officials have started work on developing the budget for 2020-21.

MONSON — Once upon a time many years ago, when horses pulled carts and carriages, winter transportation required sleighs to get around.

PCEDC is pleased to host a panel discussion and community conversation on Tuesday, Dec. 4, regarding challenges facing our workforce, resources for workforce development and training, and opportunities to assist residents and local business owners.

On Nov. 6, Maine voters will decide four questions asking to borrow a total of $200 million.

In recognition of its many projects big and small across the region, the state, and beyond and numerous ways of giving back to the community, Gordon Contracting of Sangerville was selected as the 2018 Piscaaquis Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year. The honor was formally bestowed to Owner/President Brian Howard, his wife Samantha Howard (who handles human resources for the company), and Gordon Contracting employees during the Chamber’s annual meeting on Oct. 18 at The Commons Event Center at The Commons at Central Hall.

The Charlotte White Center and Penquis, two prominent nonprofit service providers, announced the merger of the two organizations, effective Jan. 1, 2019.

Police officials from across the region have announced their support for Marianne Lynch, R-Bangor for Piscataquis and Penobscot County district attorney.