It is with deep regret that organizers announce that this year’s Wilderness Sled Dog Race will be canceled, the event had been scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 1.

Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville visited the home of Phyllis and Harlan Spaulding of Dover-Foxcroft and presented him with an Honorable Service Coin and a certificate from the State of Maine.

Eighth-grader Izzy Story earned top honors at the 10th annual SeDoMoCha Middle School District Spelling Bee on the evening of Jan. 23. Story will now go on to represent Piscataquis County at the Maine State Spelling Bee, sponsored by the Portland Press Herald and scheduled for the afternoon of Saturday, March 21 at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.

For more than 20 years -- since I first caught the fly fishing bug and began traveling up to the East Outlet of the Kennebec River every chance I got -- I’ve looked forward to regular visits to downtown Greenville, and to the fly shop that sits just a few long casts from Moosehead Lake.

Dover-Foxcroft native Jesse Havea -- best known among her many fans as the high-energy New York City drag queen Brita Filter -- is among the 13 queens announced for season 12 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” set to premiere Feb. 28 on VH1.

U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine recently spent the day in Piscataquis County to visit small businesses, speaking with folks at the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council, and learning more about the Piscataquis Regional Food Center in Dover-Foxcroft.

Everybody, and everything, loves a smelt. The sleek, silver fish -- officially known as a “rainbow smelt” -- is prevalent in many lakes and ponds, and is the preferred food of landlocked salmon and other larger fish. In streams, they might be gobbled up by opportunistic mammals or birds. And humans? Well, if we’re not using them as bait to catch other fish, we eat ‘em, too.

The Piscataquis County Commissioners approved the hiring of two people to fill open positions with the sheriff’s office and district attorney’s office during a Jan. 21 meeting.

On Monday, Jan. 21 the United Bikers of Maine, Piscataquis County presented Heather Sylvia, of PAWS in Milo, with a check for $850 at the Bear’s Den in Dover-Foxcroft.

The honorees are Caleb Leighton, kindergarten; Dahlia Stone, grade 1; Jameson Kennedy, grade 2;  Khloey Merrill, grade 3; Jack Gallagher, grade 4; Noah Bury, elementary unified arts; Kaycie Bishop, grade 5; Grayson Bruyette, grade 6; Eli Lane, grade 7; Karson Tibbetts, grade 8; and  Jacob Johnson, middle school unified arts.

There’s a new brewpub coming to the area this spring. Threshers Brewing Company, based in Searsmont, plans to open a pub in the vacant building across the street from the Greenville Junction Post Office.

Citing a desire to step away from running a retail establishment, the owners of the Maine Guide Fly Shop in Greenville have announced plans to sell their business.

A 56-year-old New Hampshire man died Sunday, Jan. 19 after breaking through the ice on his snowmobile on a treacherous area of Moosehead Lake.

For 15 years Joanne Adkins has owned and operated the Wild Monkey Salon on West Main Street. On Dec. 1, 2019 the business was purchased by Miranda Nicole Durant, from Guilford, who renamed it Primpin’, Ain’t Easy or simply Primpin’.

State regulators have cleared the way for Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft to join Northern Light Health, the Brewer-based health system that includes nine other hospitals stretching from Portland to Presque Isle.

Maine’s ATV task force, created by Gov. Janet Mills to address opportunities and issues associated with increasing ATV registrations, submitted a report and recommendations to the governor, which include limits on ATV sizes and weights and recognizes the importance of private landowners who allow public use of their land.

SAD 4 will continue to be a part of the PVAEC for the near future as the school board voted to extend its agreement with the Cooperative through the end of the 2022-23 academic year during a Jan. 14 meeting at PCHS. SAD 4 costs will be determined and the funds will be part of the next three school budgets.

Gov. Janet Mills allowed the passage of Rep. Norman Higgins’, I-Dover Foxcroft bill to create a comprehensive career & technical education system to examine a comprehensive 4-year high school career & technical education program.