By Marie Weidmayer, Bangor Daily News Staff Maine’s crime rate dropped in 2023 for the second year in a row.

Grade 12, high honors: Abel Gunn, Abigail Davis, Adelie Chaullier, Brenan Grant, Kalea Gahagan, Lily Coons, Lucas Chai, Lydia Gauvin, McKenzie McMahon, Naima Ali, Rylee Heal, Samantha Lane, Sara Giovanardi, Skyler Brennan, Taylor Small, Tristan Goodwin, Vegas Carey; honors: Brayden Hobbs, Bryce Masterson, Caiden Fowles, Gavin Chase, Haylee Newman, James Chenkin, Kayla Hatt, Mackenzie Fernald, Nikolai Galipeau, Ryan Feero, Savannah Spencer, Whitnee Stone, Wyatt Ladd.

By Billy Kobin, Bangor Daily News Staff Maine is finalizing the next phase of its ambitious plans for energy storage, a renewable avenue that is becoming more important amid President-elect Donald Trump being poised to stall clean energy projects.

Grade 12, highest honors: Lucy Alexander, Keira Bennett, Addyson Brown, Lillian Cooley, Cole Doherty, Chase Farnsworth, Amelia Greaves, Megan Hreben, Willis Rienhardts; high honors: Sunny Bache, Jason Bowden, Abigail Bradley, Jennifer Bradley, Thomas Burgess, McKenzie Clay, Abilene Corson, Teegan Day, Ethan Doherty, Kelsey Doore, Alyvia Dorman, Kayleigh Dunton, Avery Fogler, Gabrielle Judkins, Emily Manter, Angel Moore, Brianna Vafiades; honors: Harley Ahern, Holly Burdick, Alice Childers, Carley Coffman, Seth Craig, Jayden Dami, Brooklyn Dow, Preslee Dow, Andrea Gilman, Tyler Gould, Olivia Higgins, Kenzie Kimball, Kaylynn Loggans, Carolyn Lufkin, Kayden Miller, Zachary Mooers, Fannie Patel, Trevor Picariello, Sabrina Pike, Elizabeth Roberts, Zaiden Williams.

While many people will receive legitimate emails and messages from delivery companies and businesses this holiday shopping season, sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between real and fake solicitations.

Grade 12, high honors: Selma Aqbarawi, Samantha Brunner, Gabriel Carey, Shayli Cirulli, Noa Clarke, Heidi Clawson, Hailey Coelho, Carter Coy, James Estes, Evalyn Fisk, Justice Gerrish, Jackson Goodine, Emily Greenlaw, Ngoc Dang Khoa Huynh, Runner Jarrett, Joshua Knapp, Eli Lane, Brianna Lawrence, Khang Duy Vinh Nguyen, Kael Niland, Chloe O’Donnell, Nghi Quang Pham, Cameron Pratt, Jason Rhoda, Tyler Sandberg, Lea Schnetzer, Riley Skakle, Mina Son, Hayden Strout, Tuyen Thi Kim Tran, Grace Vaillancourt, Mai Phuong Thao Vo; honors: Ingrid Berling, Shane Birungi, Allison Conner, Hung Kiet Dang, Ashton Day, Madison Gaylord, Caitlyn Pluto Goodine, Zoe Havaas, Khoa Nhat Anh Ho, Ashton Hoad, Nina Huber, Shaelyn Jankunas, Graisen Kelley, Madyson Kimball, Ethan Kreider, Calvin Landry, Huy Gia Le, Alexandrea Lyford, Kennedi Martell, Korbyn McCormick, Jack Murray, Jisoo Nam, Le Quang Vinh Nguyen, Ngan Thao Nguyen, Ngoc Thanh Thao Nguyen, Kierstyn Nuite, An Gia Pham, Elizabeth Richards, Sila Topolski, Ngoc The Bao Tran, Gia Minh Truong, Alexis Williams.

Grade 12, highest honors: Jonathan MacNeil, Timothy MacNeil, David Tuttle; high honors: Abigail Burgess, Khloe Kimball, Gabriella Koscielny, Sevren Lenihan, Aurora Page; honors: Gavyn Gilbert, Alaska Maloon.

Photo courtesy of Dexter Regional High SchoolSTUDENTS OF THE MONTH — Dexter Regional High School is pleased to announce the November Students of the Month as selected by the faculty and staff for being exemplary students.

Eastern Maine Development Corp.

AUGUSTA — On Dec.

By Nicole Ogrysko, Bangor Daily News Staff State regulators are planning to gradually roll out new rules for short-term rentals in Maine’s unorganized territories.

By Lori Valigra, Bangor Daily News Staff Some 250,000 acres of Maine fir trees are at risk of defoliation from a moth that could cause millions of dollars of harm to the state’s economy if ignored, forestry experts said during a webinar Wednesday.

Fidium has expanded its multi-gig, symmetrical speed internet service to Dover-Foxcroft and Dexter, making its future-proof fiber network available to more than 7,200 homes and businesses.

CORINNA – Incoming Rep.

By Billy Kobin, Bangor Daily News Staff Democrats and Republicans said they are confident in the prospects of changing how the Maine Legislature operates in order to crack down on vague placeholder bills, prolonged meetings and other State House norms that have hindered public participation.

By Kathleen O’Brien, Bangor Daily News Staff Michael Aube, a former Bangor city councilor and director of the Eastern Maine Development Corporation, died on Nov.

PORTLAND — The holidays are a wonderful time to get everyone together.

Northern Light CA Dean and Mayo Hospital distributed 7,500 pounds of fresh, healthy produce to more than 700 people at free produce pop-up markets in Dover-Foxcroft, Greenville, and Milo over the summer and fall.