Rep. Norman Higgins, I-Dover-Foxcroft, announced that the Maine Department of Transportation has included a major rehabilitation and paving project on Route 7 in its upcoming work schedule. The 4.13-mile section from the Shaw Road to Black Stream will be placed for bid on March 14.

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.

Dozens of Democrats gathered on Saturday, Jan. 20 for the grand opening of the Piscataquis County Democrats Headquarters at 25 North Street. Dr. Richard Evans of Dover-Foxcroft announced his candidacy for the Maine House of Representatives District 120 and addressed the enthusiastic crowd.

Each month outstanding pupils in grades 5-8 at Piscataquis Community Elementary School are honored by being named Students of the Month. On the third Friday of the month the honorees are presented with certificates in front of their peers during the morning meeting.

Food cupboards around the region, large and small, may be able to better serve residents in need once the Piscataquis Regional Food Center is up and running. The center, located in the former home of Foxcroft Agway on North Street, would help the distribution of items across the area, the Piscataquis County Commissioners learned during a Jan. 16 meeting.

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.

Game wardens are urging anyone accessing Maine’s lake and ponds to exercise extreme caution. Following the Jan. 17 rescue of three people from Long Pond in Southwest Harbor, at least nine more people reported breaking through thin ice on snowmobiles in a 24-hour period.

An escaped prisoner who left his home confinement on the afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 16 was reportedly captured later that night, according to police.

Once a month students in kindergarten through grade 4 at Piscataquis Community Elementary School are honored with the presentation of HERO awards during the school-wide morning meeting on the first Friday of each month.

Communities have the ability to opt out of the retail aspect of recreational marijuana -- residents can still use recreational and medicinal marijuana within the law -- and the town of Dexter now has an emergency moratorium ordinance regarding retail recreational marijuana in place for 60 days through March 12.

With the start of the new year students at Piscataquis Community Elementary School have a pair of new weekly educational extracurricular activity options.

With the position of SAD 4 superintendent currently being advertised in education publications and soon in the state’s daily newspapers -- the application deadline is Friday, March 2 -- Interim Superintendent Raymond Freve presented the school board with a draft search committee proposal during a Jan. 9 meeting.

Despite the subzero temperatures and a raging blizzard, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (MDIFW) wildlife biologists and a helicopter-based aerial capture crew located, captured, and collared 83 moose last week and this week in northern and western Maine.

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.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — With the land use ordinance committee continuing its work to update the document to be voted on by the public later in the year on the November ballot, a summary of the group’s efforts was reviewed by the selectmen during a Jan.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — As part of the regular rotation for replacing older department vehicles the Piscataquis County Commissioners approved the purchase of a 2017 Ford Police Interceptor for $28,041 from Quirk Ford of Augusta, during a Jan.

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.

Foxcroft Academy boys soccer and wrestling coach Luis Ayala, who teaches health and physical education at the secondary school, was recognized as the U.S. Cellular Most Valuable Coach on Jan. 4 during the 11th annual Under Armour All-American Game at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.