With students’ summer vacation nearing an end in several weeks, work continues on an upgrade to the heating system at the Penquis Valley School as well as an elevator installation for the building.

One year after announcing new President & CEO Lee Umphrey, EMDC (Eastern Maine Development Corporation) continues to evolve with a brand refresh and new website at https://www.emdc.org/.

Improvements will be made to the athletic fields used by Piscataquis Community High School and Piscataquis Community Elementary School. The school board approved using up to $50,000 from the minor capital improvement fund for the track and surrounding field renovations and is working with the town of Guilford on projects to upgrade the baseball diamond on the municipal athletic field and softball field on the school campus.

The Dover and Foxcroft Water District was recognized by the Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards for its safe and healthful workplace with a Safety and Health Award for Public Employees (SHAPE) Award. The honor was presented by department officials during the monthly district trustees meeting on Aug. 12 at the district office inside the Morton Avenue Municipal Building.

This summer area Democrats undertook a “Write On” service project and collected 3,486 pencils for SAD 41 schools. Pencils came in from different areas of Maine as well as North Carolina and Washington.

Every five years the town of Bowerbank celebrates community with Bowerbank Days, held Aug. 9-10 in 2019 with a mid-morning parade on Saturday as the procession traveled down the Bowerbank Road past the town hall and fire station.

Less than three weeks before students return on Tuesday, Aug 27 summer programs are winding down and preparations are being made for the start of classes, RSU 68 school board members learned during a meeting on Aug. 6 at the SeDoMoCha School.

The Parkman Grange awarded three Parkman college students Minnie Welts Bridge Scholarships of $500 each for the 2019-20 school year. Winners this year are Bailey Lemieux, a sophomore in pre-Law at Husson University; Kolby Kain, a senior in elementary education at Husson University; and Adam Bagley, a sophomore in forestry at the University of Maine-Fort Kent.

To alleviate cramped conditions and lack of privacy inside the main sheriff’s office in the same larger complex as the Piscataquis County Jail on Court Street in Dover-Foxcroft, in the spring of 2018 the patrol and investigation divisions moved up Route 15 to Guilford at the former primary school building. The law enforcement space previously was the home of the SAD 4 administrative office suite. With the school building for sale county officials are working with the town of Guilford on an agreement to rent and then purchase, following an affirmative vote at the annual town meeting in mid-March, the C.H. Lightbody Medical Center on Park Street.

A father and daughter escaped a boat fire without injury on Sebec Lake at the Tim Merrill & Co. marina in Dover-Foxcroft shortly after noon on Tuesday, Aug. 6.

Two prestigious Foxcroft Academy alumni awards were presented during the 2019 alumni banquet on Saturday night, Aug. 3.

A journey three decades ago brought 9-year-old Truc Huynh and his family from Vietnam to Portland. Now Huynh is repaying all those who helped his family by “Trucking Across Maine” 600 miles via bicycle from Madawaska to Kittery over six days to raise money for five organizations.

Every five years Bowerbank Days returns to the community on the shores of Sebec Lake and in 2019 the festival features events in the village on the evening of Friday, Aug. 9 and throughout the day on Saturday, Aug. 10 with a theme of “We Love Bowerbank -- Hook, Line & Sinkah.”

A Massachusetts man practicing takeoffs over Moosehead Lake crashed an ultralight plane Saturday morning, Aug. 3 but avoided injury.

Kyle Ahern, 14, from Dexter, enjoys a thrilling ride on the Scrambler as his brother Brady Adams, 10, takes cover until the ride is over at the 2019 Bangor State Fair on Aug. 1.

The revitalization of downtown Greenville got another exciting boost this summer. On Friday, Aug. 2 the Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corporation held a press briefing and public reception to announce its plan to launch a fundraising effort to acquire and redevelop the green space on the shorefront of Moosehead Lake in downtown Greenville to conserve it in perpetuity as a public park with direct access to Moosehead Lake.

Hardwood Products Company and Puritan Medical Products Company officials thank all individuals that volunteered to be active participants in the dunk tank during the annual Piscataquis River Festival on July 27.They also thank everyone that helped to man the table and collect money. All proceeds were donated to the Piscataquis County United Bikers of Maine Cancer Fund.

On Tuesday evening, July 30 nearly 40 people gathered at the Brownville Community Church to view home movies recorded in Brownville Junction and along both the Canadian Pacific and the Bangor & Aroostook rail lines by Sam Michaud and his son Andrew in the 1940s and 1950s.