MONSON – The Monson Historical Society is pleased to have two outstanding programs on Saturday, July 16 during Monson’s Summerfest activities.

Grade 12, high honors: Alan Abolnik Ribe, Jasmine Baravaglio Alves, Filip Brkic, Grace Carlson, Aine Casey, Rebekah Demers, Cheyanne Desautell, Anh Alice Doan, Pierce Fagan, Daisy Foster, Kasey Howell, Joshua Michael Lemanski, Alicia London, Kaitlyn Lord, Jasper Makowski, Kate Neville, Nguyen Nhat Leo Nguyen, Anastasia Peirce, Connor Plante, Klara Puskeilerova, Isabel Qualey, Aleshia Raymond, Jacob Reed, Ruby Rideout, Bryson Ross, Makenzie Sands, Austin Seavey, and Meghan Spooner; honors: Nathanael Brown, Marshall  Burt, Carolina Caruzo Gomes dos Santos,  Nadia Chokki, Alexis Cole, Gabriel Coutinho Cavalini, Rodrigo Diaz Arrigunaga, Emily Fuller, Cadence Gil, Emily Harmon-Weeks, James Jankunas, Benjamin Johnston, Dameon Lyford, Reece McCarty, Olivia McCorrison, Carter Merrill, Kylie Merritt, Anh Ngoc Tu Nguyen, Cameron Parlee, Anh Julia Phan, Maxwell Rosso, Max Schnetzer, Anthony Smith, Corbin Toner,  Joseph Wertz, and Seojin Sarah Yoo.

By Pete Warner, Bangor Daily News Staff Hearing the haunting call of a common loon echoing across the water can be exhilarating.

By Samantha Hogan, The Maine Monitor The availability of criminal defense attorneys is at an all-time low in Maine for defendants who cannot afford to hire their own attorney.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Piscataquis County’s sheriff plans to hire a person with medical training to distribute medications to jail inmates — a first for a department that has used corrections officers to perform the task until now.

FALMOUTH — Did you know that loon chicks can swim right away but need parental care for their first three months? That the shape of a loon’s forehead or length of its neck can change to indicate stress? And that Maine is fortunate to be home to the largest Common Loon population in the Northeast? For nearly four decades, Maine Audubon has been studying loon behavior and engaging volunteers across Maine in conservation efforts to bolster the loon population.

By Jessica Piper, Bangor Daily News Staff Members of Maine’s congressional delegation submitted roughly 500 earmark requests at more than $900 million for the next year, with the potential to fund projects from Kittery to the Allagash.

For the second year the Center Theatre for the Performing Arts in Dover-Foxcroft has recruited a troop of talented high school students to perform around the region for the summer.

Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District serves as a resource hub for Maine Lake’s LakeSmart — a free program offered state-wide, which helps waterfront property owners protect the beloved lakes and ponds they live on.

AUGUSTA – This Independence Day, law enforcement agencies in Maine will be working hard to reduce impaired driving.

By Lori Valigra, Bangor Daily News Staff More tourists headed away from cities and into Maine’s less explored areas during the COVID-19 pandemic, bumping up host earnings to $13,000 on average in 2021, the online booking service said.

The Department also encourages all boaters to always Clean, Drain and Dry their boat to prevent the spread of invasive species.

BREWER – Kathy Corey has been re-elected as the chair of the Northern Light Health Board of Directors for a third one-year term.

By Sawyer Loftus, Bangor Daily News Staff The municipal group set to become the new owner of a shuttered Hampden trash plant wants to sell a majority stake in the facility once it takes over to fund its restart.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — All children 18 and under can enjoy free breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday at the SeDoMoCha School, 63 Harrison Ave.

The Eastern Maine Development Corp.

By Sawyer Loftus, Bangor Daily News Staff A Penobscot County judge has delayed the sale of the shuttered Hampden trash plant to the group of towns signed up to use it, derailing plans to finalize the transaction by the end of June.

By Troy R.