Among the 2020 grantees is the Piscataquis Regional Food Center of Dover-Foxcroft to develop a strategic plan for acquiring specialized commercial food processing equipment as part of a program to incubate regional food product businesses

For years, the world’s two largest producers of medical testing swabs -- one based in rural Maine, the other in the foothills of the Italian Alps -- have waged a series of transatlantic legal battles. But for now, both companies seem to be temporarily laying down their arms so they can focus on a much greater challenge: scaling up their production to meet the new demands of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Renovations and recruiting have now begun for the Somerset County expansion of a Guilford company that makes the nasal swabs that are critically necessary to test patients for the coronavirus. Beginning in early July, Puritan Medical Products expects to start churning out the foam swabs from its new Pittsfield factory overlooking the Sebasticook River. 

In Piscataquis County, one of the poorest in Maine, food is flying off the shelves of the Dover-Foxcroft Area Food Cupboard. On a recent day, cars started arriving an hour ahead of the scheduled grocery pickup. By 10 a.m., the line stretched down a long driveway and onto the street.

Maine recorded its worst year for Lyme disease in 2019, with 2,079 reported cases statewide. Experts in infectious disease weren’t surprised. And there’s no indication that the upward trend won’t continue this year.

Annis, born on the Cape, is a business-savvy guy who owned and operated restaurants in the Boston area for 30 years before his intense desire to travel sent him across the country for a stint, eventually returning to Boston, where he would meet the love of his life. Several years ago, and two children later, the couple moved to Dresden, motivated by a pursuit for a simpler life for their daughters. While in Dresden, they began a search for their slice of heaven; a family farm, which eventually landed them in Dover-Foxcroft, and Maison de Chevre (translated as goat house) was born.

Area grant recipients are the town of Dover-Foxcroft, $7,500; Piscataquis Regional Food Center of Dover-Foxcroft, $7,500; Eastern Area Agency of Aging, $15,000; Partners for Peace, $5,000; and Penquis, $20,000.

Piscataquis County residents will be asked to vote on the purchase of the former Key Bank location in downtown Guilford to be the new home of the sheriff’s office patrol and investigation divisions when they head to the polls on Tuesday, July 14.

Brayson’s relationship with firefighting took yet another turn late Thursday afternoon, May 14 as Make-A-Wish Maine gifted him with a firefighter-themed golf cart at the end of a procession featuring more than 30 firetrucks and law enforcement vehicles from Dover-Foxcroft, Newport and more than a dozen surrounding towns.

The sweet of the year started today, May 17. The week of cold north winds did a 180-degree shift, and a south wind moved in where I live at Branch Lake. Overnight the hardwoods in the higher elevations turned from somber gray to a delightful lime green. The forsythia blossomed.  And the first black fly wave came calling. Ah, spring!

Maine reached a milestone in its pandemic response on Monday by opening up COVID-19 testing to a greater range of people. 

A new bill in the U.S. Senate could provide more than $2 billion to state and local governments in Maine to help offset lost revenues due to coronavirus-related economic shutdowns. The proposal, co-sponsored by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, includes $500 billion for state and local governments nationally and also frees up $1.25 billion previously allocated as part of a stimulus package that passed at the end of March.

This spring, tick experts at the University of Maine Tick Lab have noticed a big increase in the number of ticks that the public is submitting for testing. They think this upward trend might be linked to people spending more time outdoors than usual during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Northern Light Mayo Hospital’s Nurse Excellence Award is a public commendation given to a staff nurse demonstrating exemplary clinical expertise, commitment to Northern Light Mayo Hospital and continued professional development. This award is given annually by the vice president of patient care services. Denise Scuderi, vice president of patient care services, announced John Chase, RN, as the 2020 Northern Light Mayo Nurse of the Year on Thursday, May 14 during an all-staff Zoom meeting.

Now that the coronavirus has been circulating around Maine for more than two months, the ever-growing mass of numbers, anecdotes and other information about the pandemic may be dizzying to anyone without a very strong interest in biology or disease surveillance. So the BDN has reached out to a few public experts for their advice on the best metrics to pay attention to that demonstrate the severity of the coronavirus pandemic.

On May 16 Sarah Elizabeth Palmer Tent #23, Daughters of Union Veterans member Molly Bennett and her cousin Amaiya Hunter-Jacob placed flowers on the grave of Sarah E. Palmer, Civil War nurse.

Gov. Janet Mills and Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin announced that the Maine Department of Education has secured internet access and devices to facilitate at home learning for 100% of Maine school children for whom there was a reported need.

Penobscot County will ask voters on July 14 to approve a $6 million bond to upgrade equipment on towers that relay signals to emergency responders and in the Penobscot County Communications Center. The current equipment on the towers is more than 20 years old and parts are no longer available when it breaks down, director Christopher Lavoie said Friday.