For the last year in-town Monson has been undergoing many changes through the Portland-based Libra Foundation. The organization has purchased more than 20 properties along Main Street and across town, including the former Monson Elementary School that most recently served as a community center, and many of the buildings have been torn down or are in the renovation process for the purpose of transforming the community into the Monson Arts artists’ colony as part of the foundation’s mission of making contributions to worthy causes across Maine to spur economic and creative growth.

The region's five chapters of the National Honor Society.

A proposed $11,559,908 RSU 68 budget for the 2018-19 academic year was approved at the annual district meeting on May 29 at the SeDoMoCha School. The spending package will now go to a referendum in the towns of Charleston, Dover-Foxcroft, Monson and Sebec on Tuesday, June 12 with residents of the four communities voting either “yes” or “no” to make a district-wide decision.

The Bill and Joan Alfond Foundation has awarded Good Shepherd Food Bank, Maine’s largest hunger-relief organization, a $200,000 grant to fund strategies for eliminating food insecurity in Piscataquis County and central Maine, including Dexter.

Mayo Regional Hospital has selected Cerner, a global leader in health care technology, to implement a new integrated electronic health record (HER) and revenue cycle solutions across it acute and ambulatory facilities. This agreement provides the hospital with sophisticated health care technology that will support Mayo doctors, nurses and staff as they work to streamline operations and improve patient care.

A look at the past four decades serving the region and a look to the future of helping the community were both features of the 40th anniversary celebration for Mayo Regional Hospital on the afternoon of Monday, April 9 in the Resource Center.

The current figures have the 2018-19 RSU budget totaling $11,559,907 for the 2018-19 academic year, Superintendent Stacy Shorey said during an April 3 school board meeting at the Harland A. Ladd Municipal Building.

The Libra Foundation investment in Piscataquis County, which includes revitalizing downtown Monson and the planned construction of an ice arena on West Main Street in Dover-Foxcroft, is continuing as the Portland-based organization is donating $20,000 to fund equipment to improve emergency communications for the Monson and Dover-Foxcroft fire departments.

Penobscot County’s longtime Democratic district attorney will not run for re-election, leaving an open path for one of his colleagues to replace him. R. Christopher Almy, D-Charleston, indicated he would run for re-election when he filed signed nomination papers to the Maine secretary of state earlier this month.

Maine’s Libra Foundation, as part of its broader efforts to rekindle new activity and investment in Piscataquis County, is constructing a state-of-the-art ice arena on property adjacent to Foxcroft Academy.

A draft of the budget for the 2018-19 academic year is nearing completion, the RSU 68 school board heard during a March 6 meeting at the SeDoMoCha School.

Dover-Foxcroft Deputy Fire Chief Patrick “Rick” Pembroke, left, was presented with a plaque by Dover-Foxcroft Town Manager Jack Clukey of behalf of the community during a Feb. 26 selectmen’s meeting in recognition of Pembroke’s half century served as a firefighter.

Last month Gov. Paul LePage’s administration unveiled a restructuring proposal to hand oversight of the state’s 15 county jails to a new state commission and potentially close five jails -- including Piscataquis County’s -- while regionalizing the system.

Eighth-grader Nathanael Brown emerged as the last speller standing during the eighth annual SeDoMoCha Middle School District Spelling Bee on the evening of Jan. 9.

Through its mission of providing information and support to people of all ages affected by abuse and domestic violence throughout the region, staff at Partners for Peace work closely with area law enforcement. Often Partners for Peace personnel and police officers are together during times of crisis, so the organization hosted members of the various law enforcement agencies for a pancake breakfast at the Mechanic Street location on Jan. 26.

In 2016 the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council (PCEDC) was awarded $120,000 for broadband internet planning from the Office of the Maine Attorney General, with the funds coming from consumer settlements the office reached with several wireless carriers. The monies helped the PCEDC work with Axiom Technologies of Machias to conduct a survey of the region to help develop a regional technology plan aimed at economic and community development.

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.