When the former Guilford Primary building went up for sale last summer, the organization operating a fitness center at that location decided it was time to act.

There will be a meeting of the Piscataquis County Republican Committee on Friday, Dec. 13 at the Mayo Regional Hospital Resource Center. The meeting begins at 7 p.m.

The Commons at Central Hall has been selected as one of three sites in Maine to oversee a new program aimed at improving the quality of care for older adults diagnosed with dementia. The Northern New England Network, the Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging and national healthcare consulting company, Qualidigm, brought together key leaders within nine communities (three per state) across northern New England to work together to identify and share successful approaches, models and supports that can improve the health, care and care coordination of community-dwelling older adults diagnosed with dementia, as well as their care partners.

A former technology storage area off the SeDoMoCha Middle School art classroom is now a space for students to try their hand at metalworking and plans are being made for area residents to learn new skills through adult education offerings at the site. Following two years of planning and construction, with contributions from many community partners, the metalworking studio is now fully equipped after initially opening last year.

The SeDoMoCha Builders Club will host the Miracle Tree event this weekend at The Commons at Central Hall, 152 East Main Street, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec 7 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8.

The executive committee of the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council (PCEDC) is saddened to announce the resignation of Executive Director Christopher Winstead. On Dec. 4 Winstead notified the board of the PCEDC that he has accepted a position with Eastern Maine Community College. Winstead joined PCEDC in 2015, and served as executive director.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chairman of the Housing Appropriations Subcommittee, announced that Western Maine Community Action and Penquis will receive a combined total of $130,814 to support efforts to develop and preserve affordable housing and supportive services for persons with disabilities in Franklin, Penobscot, Piscataquis and Knox counties.

The Hon. Kevin Stitham of Dover-Foxcroft has been nominated for reappointment to the Maine District Court for his fourth term. The Hon. Stitham was first sworn in on Sept. 2, 1998 and previously practiced law in Piscataquis County for over 20 years.

For both Dan and Karen Cashman, childhood revolved around books. With mothers who were librarians, they were each exposed to reading at an early age. They devoured timeless favorites like Ramona Quimby and the Berenstain Bears as well as authors like Roald Dahl.

Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville has announced his bid for reelection in Senate District 4.

The Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corporation has expanded the public Wi-Fi system in downtown Greenville and extended it to Greenville Junction. The high speed Wi-Fi system now has three hotspots in the downtown, which serves nearly the entire downtown and a hotspot serving Greenville Junction.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Sangerville and Dover-Foxcroft will host the 17th annual Procrastinator’s Holiday Fair, Bake Sale and Raffle from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14.

Due to the snowstorm on Monday, Dec. 2, the Student Cabinet meeting that was scheduled for that day has been postponed to Jan. 24. The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has selected 32 Maine students to serve on its new Student Cabinet. The group is scheduled to meet quarterly with Commissioner Pender Makin to discuss educational opportunities, improvements and policy with an in-person meeting to take place next month.

Several weeks after the selectmen passed a motion to focus on a solar project at an alternate site other than the town airport at the Charles A. Chase Jr. Memorial Field on Pine Street town officials hope to keep the momentum aloft with the establishment of an airport advisory committee. A half dozen committee members representing the board and the public were appointed during a Nov. 26 meeting at the Morton Avenue Municipal Building.

Piscataquis Community School students will be demonstrating their skills as classes, groups and individuals using their voices, instruments and movement on two separate nights during the holiday season.

Back in 2010, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife began honoring one individual a year with the Legendary Maine Guide Award. That first year, the honoree was Wilmot “Wiggie” Robinson of Millinocket, who won the award posthumously. The award now bears his name, and the DIF&W is seeking nominees for the 2020 award.

For more than six months, the Maine Department of Transportation’s director of freight knew that a large portion of train track that runs through Maine was going to change hands. Recently news broke that one of the largest rail operators in North America would buy the 481 miles of track in Maine and Quebec run by Bangor-based Central Maine and Quebec Railway. The sale to Calgary, Alberta-based Canadian Pacific Railway is expected to close by the end of the year.

Piscataquis County sets aside a day or two in early December to celebrate the wonder of Christmas and the magic of the holiday season. This year Dover-Foxcroft, Greenville (on Saturday, Nov. 30) Guilford, Milo, Monson, Sebec and Dexter are participating.