By Pete Warner, Bangor Daily News Staff When Eben Sypitkowski stepped down in February as the director of Baxter State Park, the state immediately began a national search for his successor.

Maine officials have approved a land use agreement that designates nearly 1,040 acres in the Moosehead Lake region as areas for future housing and commercial development.

By Pete Warner, Bangor Daily News Staff The Atlantic Salmon Federation’s work to help restore the fish to the Penobscot River will receive a big boost thanks to a $7.

Many older Mainers are worried about having to make tough choices concerning the purchase of food and fuel to heat their homes.

Grade eight, high honors: Violet Chai, Ashley Ladd, Logan Small, and Anna Smith; honors: Connor Badger, Max Cook, Abbygail Ellis, Shyanna Gauvin, Krista Graves, Kolbie Guthrie, Peyton Herbest, Jaylynn Horne, Donovan McEwen, Christopher McGuinness, Paul Moulton-Gray, Charles Nagle, Jessa Plummer, Joshua Ray, Nichollas Small, and Darlyn Young.

The Maine Community Foundation Animal Welfare Grant Program has awarded 25 grants totaling $342,884 to organizations and projects across the state that advance animal welfare.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — It will cost Piscataquis County $5,940,331 to operate next year, plus $2,205,199 to run the unorganized territories.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Piscataquis County’s economic development group recognized William “Bill” Thompson — a Guilford resident, teacher and longtime Select Board member — as this year’s Warren “Pete” Myrick Award winner.

Grade 12, high honors: Abigail Conlogue, Brianna Rouleau, Evan Horne, Jessica Morton, Rachel Broussard, and William Sanborn IV; honors: Aileen Strout, Emily Trask, Frederick Shaw, Ida-Grace Lundin, Imaan Ali, Kalan Decker, Macie Veino, Mason Searles, Mickayla Pierce, Sky Guzy, Syreniti Grant, and Victoria Boislard.

By WGME A former Greenville police chief has pleaded guilty to several charges, including arson and burglary.

It starts with a few sniffles, a scratchy throat, and a couple of sneezes.

By Mehr Sher Mainers learned earlier this year that the state is approximately 75 percent carbon neutral, based on a first-of-its-kind analysis of Maine’s greenhouse gas emissions.

GREENVILLE — After town officials looked at several options, Greenville will continue to contract with Waste Management for municipal solid waste disposal.

Grade 12, highest honors: Emma Calnan, Gabriella Clark, Samantha Goodwin, Kendall Kimball, and Norah MacMahon; high honors: Cadence Clukey, Maximilian Daehn, Jarren Grant, Jennifer (Jordy) Lonergan, Christina Maguire, Saia Miles, Gavin Richards, Hunter Ronco, Gracie Talbot, and Meriel Willey; honors: Tyrus Cobb, Connor Gebo, Sydney Grenier, Abigail Herrick, Alexandria Maguire, Christopher Maguire, Julia Munson, Joshua Oldham, Maria Fernanda Pinheiro Velame, Abbey Ricker, Brylee Ricker, Dawson Simpson, Molly Sipple, and Anna Zimmerman.

By Erin Rhoda, Bangor Daily News Staff Most water districts in Penobscot County are not finding “forever chemicals” in their drinking water supplies, but given laboratories can’t entirely rule out their presence, there’s no guarantee the water supplies are free of the toxic chemicals.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — It was February 1964, and Joseph Guyotte, after several months of waiting, heard from Fire Chief “Old Red” Whitman about an open reserve position at the fire station.

Grade 12, highest honors: Emma Alexander, William Kuznierz, and Payson Reinhardt; high honors: Ivey Batey, Brooklynne Blockler, Benjamin Bourgoin, Jennifer Downing, Sydney Dyson, Sydney Fogler, Annika King, Alexandria Mullins, Elisa Picariello, and Caleb Schobel; honors: Frederick Beem, Caden Brown, Lauryn Brunner, Brayden Flagg, Chayce Foster, Olivia Gilman, Lakota Glidden, Kasey Hurd, Elyssa Jerome, Lillian LaPointe, Brendon Melhorn, Makayla Moore, Sophia O’Donnell, Jozlynn Paige, Jillean Poliquin, Alex Race, David Race, Brady Reynolds, Madison Rowe, Thomas Rowe, and Cole Tibbetts.

MILO — This year, Dyer’s Hope House Food Pantry is tucking the holiday spirit into pretty home-made stockings.