A historic inn located on Chesuncook Lake in the Moosehead Lake region was destroyed by fire early on the morning of Saturday, March 17. The Chesuncook Lake House, located on Chesuncook Lake and accessible through a 52-mile drive up the Golden Road and another 15 miles on snowmobile trail, lost everything to the blaze, but everyone at the inn escaped without injury.

Penobscot County’s longtime Democratic district attorney will not run for re-election, leaving an open path for one of his colleagues to replace him. R. Christopher Almy, D-Charleston, indicated he would run for re-election when he filed signed nomination papers to the Maine secretary of state earlier this month.

Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville testified before the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee on March 16 in support of LD 1810, “An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Expedited Permitting for Wind Energy Development.” His testimony was as follows:

Maine’s Libra Foundation, as part of its broader efforts to rekindle new activity and investment in Piscataquis County, is constructing a state-of-the-art ice arena on property adjacent to Foxcroft Academy.

Maine Drug Enforcement Agents (MDEA) have arrested a couple from Brownville and charged them with selling heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine in Piscataquis County.

In an effort to alleviate cramped conditions at the current facility, the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department is looking to lease space at the former Guilford Primary School -- which more recently was the home of the SAD 4 administrative office suite -- to house its patrol division

The Fisheries Division of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries (MDIFW) received national attention for its work restoring native Arctic charr to Big Reed Pond in northern Piscataquis County.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the chairman of the transportation appropriations subcommittee, announced that the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) will receive $10,836,220 to replace three bridges in Piscataquis and Penobscot counties that are either structurally deficient, in a fracture-critical state, or both. Among the three is the Pleasant River Bridge in Milo on outer Pleasant Street.

Towns have the ability to opt out of the retail aspect of recreational marijuana -- residents can still use recreational and medicinal marijuana within the law -- but questions pertaining to unorganized territories remain.

Dover-Foxcroft Deputy Fire Chief Patrick “Rick” Pembroke, left, was presented with a plaque by Dover-Foxcroft Town Manager Jack Clukey of behalf of the community during a Feb. 26 selectmen’s meeting in recognition of Pembroke’s half century served as a firefighter.

Thirteen-year-old Nathaniel, left, and Brody -- who celebrated his ninth birthday on Sunday, Feb. 18 -- Lovejoy from Williamsburg each had two successful days of fishing during the 56th annual Schoodic Lake Ice Fishing Derby on Saturday and Sunday.

At a Feb. 6 select meeting of the Milo selectmen, PCEDC Executive Director Chris Winstead said a year prior he met with the county commissioners and then the dozen-plus selectboards. “We worked our way to each of the communities asking if you would like to be part of a broadband initiative,” he said.

Last month Gov. Paul LePage’s administration unveiled a restructuring proposal to hand oversight of the state’s 15 county jails to a new state commission and potentially close five jails -- including Piscataquis County’s -- while regionalizing the system.

The Piscataquis Regional Food Center (PRFC) wishes to thank the Bangor Savings Bank Foundation for its generous support of PRFC’s warehouse renovation project. The Bangor Savings Bank Foundation recently awarded the organization a $,5000 grant

Under the new law, a second-time offence of hunting deer over bait during hunting season will result in a permanent ineligibility for that hunter to obtain a hunting license in Maine. Davis would like to lessen the penalty to a two-year ineligibility period.

Rep. Norman Higgins, I-Dover-Foxcroft has announced that he will be an independent candidate for reelection in 2018. Higgins represents District 120 comprised of Atkinson, Brownville, Dover-Foxcroft, Medford, Milo, Lakeview Plantation and the Unorganized Township of Orneville.

When the doctor tells you to open up and say, “Ahhh,” pretty much anywhere in the world, there’s a chance that the wooden stick pressing on your tongue was made in Maine. And the wooden stick in that Creamsicle? Probably also from Maine. Hardwood Products Co. in Guilford has something of a split personality. The company is divided into two operations, one right across the road from the other.

Chocolate lovers will be able to satisfy their sweet tooths once again at the 14th annual Moosehead Lake Chocolate Festival from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18 at the Greenville Consolidated School on Pritham Avenue.