Santa Claus had some help this year from the staff at Piscataquis Community Elementary School in making sure about two dozen students received a needed item of winter clothing and had something fun for Christmas.

Before athletes from around the world will be representing their countries in PyeongChang, South Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympics in February, students at Piscataquis Community Elementary School will be representing their county against schools from across Maine in the inaugural WinterKids Winter Games.

The man who fatally shot his ex-girlfriend then led police on the longest manhunt in state history was sentenced Friday, Dec. 15 to 55 years in prison. Robert Burton, 40, of Abbot, was convicted on Oct. 5 of murdering Stephanie Ginn Gebo, 37, of Parkman.

A 2018 Piscataquis County budget totaling just under $4.25 million and a near $1,489,000 Unorganized Territory (UT) spending plan for the 2018-19 fiscal year were both formally approved by the county commissioners during a Dec. 5 meeting.

After several meetings learning more information about the proposed facility, the SAD 41 school board voted to join both SAD 46 of the Dexter area and the Guilford-based SAD 4 in the application process for an Integrated, Consolidated grades 9-16 Educational Facility pilot project during a Dec. 6 meeting at the Marion C. Cook School.

Representative Paul Stearns, R-Guilford has announced his intention to run for the Maine House of Representatives in District 119. Stearns is currently serving his second term in that seat.

Chief Deputy Robert Young has announced that he is seeking the office of sheriff of Piscataquis County in 2018.

SANTA AND MRS. CLAUS COME TO TOWN -- The weekend’s annual Hometown Holidays celebration across the region began on Friday, Dec. 1 in Guilford with an evening tree lighting at the downtown Braeburn lot. After the singing of Christmas carols in front of the Guilford Historical Society and next to a bonfire across the street, Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived at the corner of Water and North Main streets. With the assistance of a dozen young helpers, Santa used his magic to light the Christmas tree.

Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville has announced his intention to run for Maine Senate District 4 in the November 2018 election. Davis currently holds that senate seat, comprised of all of Piscataquis County and parts of Penobscot and Somerset counties.

A proposed $4,247,114 Piscataquis County budget for 2018, along with a little less than $1,489,000 in the Unorganized Territory (UT) budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year, was presented at a public hearing on Nov. 27 as part of the process by county officials for developing the pair of spending plans.

Officials with SAD 4 continue to work with their colleagues from the Dexter-based SAD 46 on the application process for an Integrated, Consolidated 9-16 Educational Facility pilot project. Both school boards have formally authorized the superintendents to submit the Part II application due at the end of the year.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Aroostook County community of Limestone’s search for a new town manager has concluded with the selectboard hiring Matthew S. Pineo, who previously held the same position in Brownville and later Sangerville on an interim basis.

During a Sept. 12 meeting of the SAD 4 school board at the PCSS, Principal John Keane said the idea of changing the name of the secondary school back to just Piscataquis Community High School (PCHS) has been discussed by students and staff.

Numerous volunteers and many donations of funds, materials and hours have gone into an expansion project at the Sangerville Veterans Memorial Park on Route 23. The efforts have created a new all-purpose field and a gazebo under construction, and will help make the property a site to be enjoyed by all ages.