By Erin Rhoda, Bangor Daily News Staff State evaluators failed to carefully review bids by two local organizations competing against an out-of-state company for a massive contract to arrange transportation for Medicaid patients who have no other ride to medical appointments, the nonprofits’ attorneys argued before an appeal panel last week.

By Julie Harris, Bangor Daily News Staff A bill awaiting the governor’s signature will require two of the state’s departments that deal with fisheries to be responsible for a plan to keep invasive species from taking over waters important to native fish.

By Sawyer Loftus, Bangor Daily News Staff Maine has set a goal to ensure all 4-year-olds can attend public prekindergarten by the fall of 2026, but it may not meet that target unless the state’s school funding formula changes to encourage wider adoption, agreed educators, a policy analyst, state officials and a legislative commission.

By Kevin Miller, Maine Public Maine will add two new public defender offices under a bill that passed the Legislature and was signed by Gov.

By Erin Rhoda, Bangor Daily News Staff Two organizations are appealing the Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to award a potentially $1 billion contract to an out-of-state company, with a history of complaints, to arrange transportation for Medicaid patients who have no other way to get to doctor appointments, dialysis and cancer treatments.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The construction process to move the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center from the cramped conditions of the Piscataquis County Jail in Dover-Foxcroft into the administrative unit of the sheriff’s office on the first floor of the same larger building is underway.

DEXTER — Students from Dexter Regional High School, Ridge View Community School, Piscataquis Community Secondary School, Penquis Valley High School, Foxcroft Academy, and SeDoMoCha Middle School will gather on Friday, March 22 in Dexter for a regional summit focused on leading positive change in their schools and communities.

BREWER — Displaying continued commitment to the health of its patients, colleagues, and community, Northern Light Health has been selected as the newest member of the Health Care Climate Council.

By Kathleen Phalen Tomaselli The weather along the swath of eclipse totality from Mexico to Maine is a big unknown.

By Julie Harris, Bangor Daily News Staff A $30 million bond request meant to bolster existing and develop new trails could be used to repair damage that multiple storms inflicted on the state’s trail system, according to a Maine Trails Coalition spokesperson on March 14.

Photo courtesy of SeDoMoCha School STUDENTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT — On Feb.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available for businesses and nonprofits from the U.

By Julia Bayly, Bangor Daily News Staff You probably won’t see any animals, birds or amphibians wearing special dark glasses during the upcoming total solar eclipse.

Jessica Anderson of “Count ME In” will be the keynote speaker at the seventh annual “S-T-R-E-T-C-H  your Teaching” workshop to be held Saturday, April 6  at the United Technologies Center Maine in Bangor from 9 a.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — RSU 68 officials are continuing with work to develop the budget for the 2024-25 academic year.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The construction process to move the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center from cramped conditions in the Piscataquis County Jail in Dover-Foxcroft into the administrative unit of the sheriff’s office on the first floor of the same larger building has begun.

Photo courtesy of SeDoMoCha School A HEARTFELT THANK YOU — The SeDoMoCha School recognized two outstanding students for their heroic response to assist Library Services ed tech Amy Fagan-Cannon during an unfortunate ski incident.

By Julie Harris, Bangor Daily News Staff Twenty-four hours makes a huge difference between safe ice and taking a cold swim this year.