DOVER-FOXCROFT — What today is a 25-bed critical access hospital and health system with five rural health clinics across the region, provides emergency medical services for all of Piscataquis County, psychiatry and counseling services as well as various surgical specialties, in April Mayo Regional Hospital will mark 40 years since first opening its doors to patients.

With the first 2018-19 academic year budget meeting set for the end of the month, RSU 68 officials are awaiting financial figures from the Maine Department of Education.

On Dec. 2-3, as part of the annual Hometown Holidays Celebration, over two dozen decorated trees and accompanying goods were on display at the Mill Event Center. The trees served as more than decorations for the season, but a fundraiser hosted and sponsored by the SeDoMoCha Middle School Builders Club. Inspired by the Anah Temple Shriners’ Festival of Trees, Builders Club Adviser Heather Whitten said $10,490 was raised through the purchase of raffle tickets

A 2018 Piscataquis County budget totaling just under $4.25 million and a near $1,489,000 Unorganized Territory (UT) spending plan for the 2018-19 fiscal year were both formally approved by the county commissioners during a Dec. 5 meeting.

With the calendar year nearing a conclusion, RSU 68 officials have started preparations for developing the 2018-19 budget. During a Dec. 5 school board meeting, Superintendent Stacy Shorey said the directors have now all received a budget meeting calendar.

Representative Paul Stearns, R-Guilford has announced his intention to run for the Maine House of Representatives in District 119. Stearns is currently serving his second term in that seat.

Chief Deputy Robert Young has announced that he is seeking the office of sheriff of Piscataquis County in 2018.

Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville has announced his intention to run for Maine Senate District 4 in the November 2018 election. Davis currently holds that senate seat, comprised of all of Piscataquis County and parts of Penobscot and Somerset counties.

A proposed $4,247,114 Piscataquis County budget for 2018, along with a little less than $1,489,000 in the Unorganized Territory (UT) budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year, was presented at a public hearing on Nov. 27 as part of the process by county officials for developing the pair of spending plans.

Piscataquis County sets aside one day early in December (Saturday, Dec. 2) to celebrate the wonder of Christmas and the magic of the holiday season. This year Monson, Guilford (Friday, Dec. 1), Milo and Dover-Foxcroft are participating.

The national firm of Gray & Pape Heritage Management has been hired by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission to conduct an architectural survey of Monson. Surveyors Patrick O’Bannon and Kendal Anderson will be documenting houses, stores, churches, cemeteries, etc. built before 1972 in order to identify historic properties or neighborhoods.

For the first month of school students and families at the SeDoMoCha Elementary School had the opportunity to read “Lost on a Mountain in Maine” at home together during the eighth annual One Book, One School program -- copies of the book were provided by the school. The shared reading program concluded with a celebration on the evening of Oct. 5 with dinner, a nature walk, crafts and games.

The RSU 68 superintendent’s office will be relocated from the second floor of the SeDoMoCha School complex to a former Head Start building off of Autumn Avenue next to campus, as a $38,000 offer on the property was accepted by the owners of the structure. The move will be made to help deal with space issues.

In an effort to deal with space issues at the SeDoMoCha School, RSU 68 officials are considering moving the superintendent’s office from the second floor to a vacant building a stone’s throw from campus. During a Sept. 19 school board meeting, Superintendent Stacy Shorey was authorized to make a $36,000 offer for the former Head Start building off of Autumn Avenue next to the SeDoMoCha campus.

Again in the 2017-18 academic year SeDoMoCha Elementary School families will have the opportunity to read together as part of a shared reading experience through the eighth annual One Book, One School program. For about a month through early October students and family members will read and discuss “Lost on a Mountain in Maine” and then be able to attend an ending celebration on Thursday, Oct. 5.

The purpose of the meeting is assessing public sentiment regarding six proposed industrial wind projects and CMP’s Maine Clean Power Connection 145-mile high voltage transmission corridor.

Residents and visitors to town had the opportunity to learn more about the project from Libra Foundation Chairman and CEO Craig Denekas, who spoke at the Monson Historical Society on July 15 during the annual Monson Summerfest.

For the fourth year in a row a contingent is hiking 120 miles from downtown Monson to the summit of Mount Katahdin through the 100-Mile Wilderness along the northernmost section of the Appalachian Trail to raise funds through pledges along the way. This year’s “Miles of Memories Hike” supports the Wilderness Walk for Warriors, an organization that raises money for Maine veterans and service members and their families and honors the nation’s fallen heroes.