Luffas make bathtime a little more fun. The fibrous natural sponges -- not to be confused with the plastic puffs of the same name -- gently exfoliate the skin and give your whole body a deep, sudsy clean. Contrary to popular perception, though, luffas are not sea sponges. They come from gourds that you can grow in your own home garden. Brooke Isham, co-owner of lomah farmstead in Sangerville, started growing luffas two years ago to sell alongside her homemade soaps. 

Puritan Medical Products Co., which is a part of a Guilford manufacturing business with about 550 employees, is one of the top two makers of the specialized testing swabs that are desperately needed in areas hit by the virus, according to Kaiser Health News. 

Fr. Aaron Damboise will offer the sacrament of reconciliation outside of Holy Family Church, located on 145 Pritham Avenue in Greenville, on Saturdays at 3 p.m. and outside of St. Anthony of Padua Church, located on 370 Main Street in Jackman, on Sundays at 10:30 a.m.

Maine is home to some truly challenging hiking trails. Mud, steep slopes, slippery stream crossings, exposed tree roots, ridiculously rocky terrain. Maine has it all, and often hikers must contend with all these things at once. But here’s the thing: It’s worth it.

Schools in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties will remain closed for at least another month, through the normally scheduled week of April vacation.

As part of its ongoing development of programs with area schools, Monson Arts sponsored two visiting artists in classrooms during the month of February.

Registered Maine guides are among those in industries in which face-to-face service is an essential part. But as spring and early summer fishing seasons near, some guides have already begun seeing a dropoff in reservations due to the COVID-19 virus.

Piscataquis County Democrats gathered for party caucuses in 15 communities throughout the region on March 8.  Close to 100 individuals rallied to Rise and Organize! in four locations including Greenville, Guilford, Dover-Foxcroft and Milo.

SeDoMoCha Middle School grade 6 social studies teacher Chris Miller received a $1,000 grant from Maine Agriculture in the Classroom. The grant is to purchase a portable aquaponics system for elementary classrooms and to upgrade the current system.

Due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19 the town of Dover-Foxcroft has made the following changes to its operations effective immediately: 

Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced stricter limits on public gatherings on Wednesday, ordering restaurants and bars to stop dine-in service effective that day, banning social gatherings of more than 10 people and urging many private businesses to close.

With school closed through at least Friday, March 27 due to the coronavirus pandemic, RSU 68 students will be learning via distance rather than in the classroom. The RSU 68 school board approved a formal motion to change the manner of instruction to distance learning while school is not in session, during an emergency meeting on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 17 at the SeDoMoCha School.

All five of the region’s school districts will be closed through at least late in the month in response to the coronavirus.

Before adjourning on Tuesday because of the coronavirus, the Maine Legislature passed a package of bills letting municipalities and schools operate on current budgets through January and giving Gov. Janet Mills wide authority over the June primaries.

Rebekah Anderson, owner of the popular Lakeshore House in Monson, has always been a civic-minded person, and in early January, she really stretched herself by traveling to Africa to assist the organization Eagle Projects International as they disseminated medical supplies and reading glasses to tribal groups in the wilds of Kenya.

As the state and nation copes with the coronavirus and works to limit its spread, officials in Piscataquis County are handling conditions the best they can.

It is absolutely amazing and so gratifying how the entire community comes together every year to provide for the children of our area at Christmas. Now an unexpected crisis is at our doorstep.

Most outdoors people that I know would rather take an alder branch in the eye or get thumb-snagged on a rusty hook than spend 10 minutes at a political rally. But sometimes political reality gets close to home, especially for recreational hunters whose heritage is linked inextricably to their right to possess and use firearms in the field.