All children under the age of 18 will again be able to enjoy free summer meals across town, with no sign up required. The summer meals schedule is as follows:

A proposed 2019-20 SAD 41 budget of $9,639,532 was approved with all 15 articles passing with minimal discussion over 15 minutes during the annual district meeting June 13 at the Penquis Valley School. The approximate $9.6 million total is now moved to a referendum in the district towns of Brownville, LaGrange and Milo on Thursday, June 27 for a “yes” or “no” vote.

Next month a new county manager will start work as the Piscataquis County Commissioners appointed Michael L. Williams of Greenbush to the position during a June 18 meeting. Williams will start work on Monday, July 8, succeeding the retiring Tom Lizotte.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The 10th anniversary Maine Whoopie Pie Festival will take place on Saturday, June 22 from 10 a.

Marilyn Blais is the grand prize winner in the Piscataquis Observer’s annual Find the Whoopie Pie Contest. Blais was chosen from a pool of 10 weekly winners in which entrants successfully located a whoopie pie hidden in one of that week’s advertisements. Blais won a basket of goodies including Maine Whoopie Pie Festival and Piscataquis Observer prizes.

An entirely new camping experience will be offered at state parks throughout Maine this summer, and it involves spacious canvas tents, stylish picnic areas and tiny wood stoves that will keep campers warm on chilly nights.

A pair of Piscataquis Community High School students placed in the top three of the 2019 Camden Conference high school essay contest which focused on this year’s session theme “Is This China’s Century?” PCHS Class of 2019 Valedictorian Jennifer Simon earned second-place honors in the Camden Conference Bill Taylor Essay Contest with “A Global Solution.” Placing third was rising PCHS senior Caitlyn Drinkwater with “Human Rights in China.”

New Powerline Construction Inc. owner Klay Stevens is a first-class lineman that is not only well respected in his field, but also known for his strong work ethic, knowledge and engaging personality. He has experience in all areas of utility work and comes from a family of linemen. Stevens has access to many experienced linemen, who will provide consultation and knowledge to all areas of his business.

Every time I drive by the depot in Greenville Junction where it perches jauntily alongside the tracks, I think of the icon that old building is, with its unique “witches hat” roof covering the ladies waiting room.

Moose are a pretty common sight in the Maine woods and along rural roadways, but seeing one coming out of a building is pretty rare. A Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office corrections officer happened to be passing by when a moose exited a former pizzeria in downtown Dover-Foxcroft early Friday morning, stepping through the plate-glass window it apparently had smashed to enter the building.

Katelyn Robinson of Garland sang the national anthem at the Statehouse in Augusta on June 12.

Results of Dexter, Dover-Foxcroft and Greenville municipal ballots and RSU 68, SAD 4 and SAD 46 referendums on Tuesday, June 11.

Dr. Brian Miller, ENT has announced his retirement from Mayo Surgical Associates as of July 5. Dr. Miller has served patients in Penobscot and Piscataquis County for over 10 years, working in association with Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft, Millinocket Regional Hospital and Penobscot Valley Hospital in Lincoln.

Rep. Steve Foster, R-Dexter and Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville were at Dexter Regional High School on June 11 to present a legislative sentiment to Rick Whitney, recognizing him on his retirement after 30 years of teaching history at the school.

Following more than two months of learning about how to resist drugs and alcohol, make good decisions and more, SeDoMoCha Middle School fifth-graders celebrated completion of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program with a graduation ceremony on the morning of Tuesday, June 11 in the school cafeteria.

A Dexter police dog helped detect narcotics in a car that police stopped at about 10 a.m. Saturday, June 8. Dexter police said they arrested a Dexter man and woman after they stopped the car and charged them with aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs.

Maine game wardens received a report of a hiker suffering a medical emergency on the Appalachian Trail shortly after noon on Friday, June 7. Penobscot Sheriff’s Office received the 911 call from Devin Kaufman, 25 of Fairfield, who reported he was hiking southbound near Big Beaver Pond before dispatchers lost contact with him.

Matthew Spooner has been hired as the director of operations for the soon to be completed Piscataquis County Ice Arena (PICA). He will start the new position July 1 as the arena is on target to open in September.