By Emily Burnham, Bangor Daily News Staff Long before he made his name as a saxophone player in both his own projects and as a member of the Dave Matthews Band, Jeff Coffin was a 9-year-old kid in Dexter, Maine, trying to pick out which instrument he was going to play in elementary school band.

By Kathleen O’Brien, Bangor Daily News Staff The question of whether to build an entirely new Penobscot County Jail has been on the minds of the county officials pushing for it and the activists fighting it for years.

By Billy Kobin, Bangor Daily News Staff AUGUSTA — The fight over changes to Maine’s generous solar incentives is coming down to two rival bills and moneyed interests making their cases either by targeting Democratic lawmakers or invoking the era of former Gov.

GUILFORD — A day after voters across the six SAD 4 communities approved an $8,473,000 budget for the 2023-24 academic year, the school board set the respective half dozen assessments during a meeting at Piscataquis Community Elementary School on June 14.

Observer photo/Jeannette HughesFIND THE WHOOPIE PIE CONTEST WINNER — Susan Cannon of Atkinson is the grand prize winner of the Piscataquis Observer’s annual Find the Whoopie Pie Contest.

AUGUSTA – The Maine Connectivity Authority has earned a new $30 million federal grant to improve broadband infrastructure in Maine.

By Lori Valigra, Bangor Daily News Staff Are you confused about the various rate hikes that will be in your electric bill on July 1? You are not alone.

GREENVILLE — When a life-altering natural disaster, public health emergency, or other crisis strikes, everyone involved is affected by it.

PORTLAND — History was made on Friday, June 9, as the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival, Wicked Whoopies, and the Portland Sea Dogs set a new Guinness World Record — which is now awaiting official certification.

MONSON — “Northwoods: Absence and Presence The art of Alan Bray and Poetry of Wesley McNair,” an exhibit that explores the relationship of people to place in Northern New England, opens on Friday, June 16 and runs through Oct.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — A surprise 80th party was held for Ralph “Eddie” Lewis of Dover-Foxcroft on Saturday afternoon, June 10 in the dining hall at the Piscataquis Valley Fairgrounds.

GREENVILLE — Northern Light CA Dean Hospital was recently awarded one of the nation’s most prestigious rural healthcare recognitions: a Top 20 Award for Quality among critical access hospitals in the United States.

The Maine Community Foundation has named Rebecca Yturregui as vice president, donor engagement.

Anna Shaw Buck Prize for Excellence in Written Spanish: Aaden Lane C.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The town of Dover-Foxcroft and the steering committee for re-evaluating the next steps for the Mayo mill dam are inviting community members and interested parties to learn more about this initiative at a public forum scheduled for Tuesday, June 27 at the Central Hall Commons on East Main Street.

DEXTER — The Dexter Town Council approved another piece of funding for a project to replace the terminal building and improve the site at the Dexter Regional Airport.

GUILFORD — Puritan Medical Products — the world’s most trusted manufacturer of swabs — announced that the company will attend two international trade shows this summer, exhibiting its world-renowned swabs and other products.