A storage garage to consolidate the vehicles and equipment for the Piscataquis County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) in one location is being planned by county EMA Director Tom Capraro and the next step in the project was taken during a Nov. 7 commissioners meeting. The commissioners voted to accept a $16,500 proposal from Dirigo Engineering of Fairfield for planning work on the structure to be built on the county campus.

In recognition of Veterans Day school officials invited American Legion Post 29 of Dover-Foxcroft to conduct a formal exchange of the old flag for a new flag during the mid-morning of Nov. 9 -- the last day of school before the holiday.

The next step was taken in the application process for an Integrated, Consolidated 9-16 Educational Facility pilot project as the SAD 46 school board authorized Superintendent Kevin Jordan to submit the Part II application due at the end of the year, during a Nov. 1 meeting at the Ridge View Community School.

On Sunday morning a group of seven Penquis Valley Middle School girls and four coaches, together comprising what they believe is the only “Heart and Sole” team in Piscataquis County, will be traveling to the Pineland YMCA in New Gloucester to join their peers from across the state in taking part in the Girls on the Run--Maine 5K.

The Piscataquis Observer’s Stuart Hedstrom picked up top honors in the sports news writing category among the state’s smaller weekly publications from the Maine Press Association in the 2017 MPA Better Newspaper Contest on Oct. 21

The boards of directors of Penquis and the Charlotte White Center are pleased to announce that the two organizations have entered into a two-year management agreement under which Penquis Chief Executive Officer Kara Hay and Chief Financial Officer Denice Conary will provide the Charlotte White Center with executive and financial leadership.

For 71 years Rowell’s Garage has been owned by three generations of the Rowell family. In mid-August the dealership was sold by third generation owner Karen Pomeroy to General Manager Scott Moulton, who has been in the position since 2010.

Over the last 16 years more than 2,500 third-grade students from across the region have been given a dictionary thanks to the Valley Grange and the organization’s Words for Thirds Dictionary Project. Dictionaries are being handed out to pupils in four area school districts and on the afternoon of Oct. 26 about 40 students in three classes at Piscataquis Community Elementary School traveled across town to the Grange Hall to receive their dictionaries.

Three pairs of demo lights, of varying degrees, have been installed downtown. After the lights have been up for several weeks, the selectmen are scheduled to meet with representatives from RealTerm Inc. to discuss options moving forward during their next meeting on the evening of Monday, Nov. 13.

Carpe Diem Salon on North Street earned top business honors in the annual Dover-Foxcroft Halloween BooNanza decorating contest with a display inspired by the works of Stephen King.

For more than a decade Valley Grange Bookworms have been coming to Piscataquis Community Elementary School (and previously at the former Guilford Primary School) to share their love of books with second- and third-graders as the pupils spend time reading a book of their choice to the adult visitors.

With four employees working in two rooms making for cramped quarters, staff of the district attorney’s office have been looking at possible ways to have more space at their location on the first floor of the Piscataquis County Courthouse.

After a fundraising campaign of more than eight years, the first batch of bricks have been placed in front of Central Hall on East Main Street. About 200 bricks at either four by eight inches or eight by eight inches were set or are going to be positioned in the ground next to the walkway leading to the building from the sidewalk.

The national firm of Gray & Pape Heritage Management has been hired by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission to conduct an architectural survey of Monson. Surveyors Patrick O’Bannon and Kendal Anderson will be documenting houses, stores, churches, cemeteries, etc. built before 1972 in order to identify historic properties or neighborhoods.

As of the end of last month, Dr. Lesley Fernow of Dover-Foxcroft has retired from the practice of medicine after 38 continuous years in the region. Patients, family members of patients and others are invited to a community reception for Dr. Fernow -- who will be staying in town and said she looks to get more involved in the community in various volunteer capacities -- from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28 at the Center Theatre.

For over a decade the JD Foundation has been working as an educational tool across Maine in order to bring suicide prevention and bullying rates down through awareness and education. The organization had previously been based out of the 107 Main Road home of JD Foundation founder Cheryl Morin and her husband Vic, but now a converted carriage house on the Morins’ property will serve as the organization headquarters. The office space was formally opened during a ceremony on Oct. 14.

A father and son in Sangerville plan to be very busy over the next few months, fixing up bicycles to give to children who otherwise may not be able to have a model of their own.

Three years ago residents approved an ordinance concerning private distribution corridors, including paved highways, pipelines and high-tension transmission lines. The moratorium enacted in 2014 -- meaning permits for these types of development projects cannot be granted during the timeline -- was in effect for 180 days. The moratorium has since been renewed six times with the current extension in place through Nov. 26.