Tom Hennessey – gifted sporting artist, meticulous writer, and friend to sportsmen – epitomized the self-made man. Always an avid outdoorsman with a creative bent, who lived to fish and hunt, the Brewer native parlayed his artistic passion and skill into a successful career as a nationally known sporting artist and author. Sadly, he passed away just before Christmas.

There’s new life in the Depot Building in Greenville Junction. Amanda Hunt has opened a place to get fit – Balance Gym & Wellness Center. “I wanted to have a real gym for some time now,” said Hunt.  “My goal with this was to have a complete gym set up with top quality equipment.” The spacious interior is ideal. “It doesn’t feel crowded here,” Hunt said gesturing. “Even if a lot of members are here at the same time there’s plenty of space.”

The speaker of the Maine House of Representatives has appointed Rep. Norman Higgins, I-Dover-Foxcroft to the IDEA –- Innovation, Development, Economic and Advancement -- Committee. The IDEA Committee was recently established to increase the focus on statewide economic initiatives, innovation, and workforce development.

Broadcaster Steve Martin and longtime football coaches Tim Wilson and Tom Austin are among 12 impactful people who have been selected for induction in the 2019 class of the Maine Sports Hall of Fame.

Debbie Young, left pictured with the Piscataquis Observer’s Keri Foster, is the winner in the Piscataquis Observer’s annual Find the Shop Local Tree Contest.

A recent book review in the Piscataquis Observer concerning the first steamboat on Moosehead Lake and a man named Moses Burnham who settled in The Forks in 1836 piqued my interest. There had been some controversy over the years regarding this steamboat, aptly named The Moosehead, and whether she was truly the first to ply the waters of the lake.

Two months ago the Dexter Town Council passed a moratorium ordinance regarding medical retail marijuana. The moratorium ordinance is in effect for 180 days through May 11, 2019 -- residents can still use medicinal and recreational marijuana within the law -- as the document covers the location, operation, permitting, approval or licensing of any medical marijuana retail stores, registered dispensaries, testing facilities, and manufacturing facilities in Dexter.

Last month three referendum questions concerning the town land use ordinance -- a revised ordinance, an ordinance concerning transportation corridors, and an ordinance on large-scale water extraction -- were each voted down. In the weeks since the Dover-Foxcroft Planning Board has met and devised a series of recommendations, which were presented to the selectmen during a Dec. 17 meeting.

Each year about this time, the Maine Warden Service urges us to use extreme caution before venturing out onto any ice that may be covering Maine’s waterways.

During the annual Hometown Holidays Celebration on Dec. 1-2, 25 decorated trees and accompanying goods were on display at The Commons at Central Hall for the SeDoMoCha Middle School Builders Club’s fourth annual Miracle Tree Event.

The Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office did not have to look far to find the the department’s next chief deputy with the hiring of Dover-Foxcroft Police Department Sgt. Todd Lyford, who also has served as a police chief in Brownville and Milo. Sheriff-Elect and current Chief Deputy Bob Young made the announcement during the Dec. 18 meeting of the Piscataquis County Commissioners.

A month after Lance Walker was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be a federal judge, he was assigned the case that could end up being the most important of his career. At the very least, it will be a long time before Walker presides over a case that draws the media attention U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin’s challenge to the constitutionality of ranked-choice voting in Maine did.

Gov. Paul LePage honored Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife fisheries biologist Tim Obrey on Dec. 13 recognizing him for outstanding service to the state, its citizens, and the department.

Maine’s 62 newest police officers have graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, including Stephen Garib of Dover-Foxcroft Police Department. The officers spent 18 weeks in study and training and most will begin patrolling immediately, in time for Christmas and New Year’s Eve enforcement efforts.

Jonny Law is gone. That is what he called himself – at least with his email address. Retired Maine Game Warden and two-term sheriff of Waldo County, author and artist, John Ford Sr. of Brooks passed on in November after a 20-year battle with cancer.

Recently Foxcroft Academy received word from International Baccalaureate (IB) that the school’s candidacy has been accepted to become a full IB Diploma Program school, with classes beginning at the start of the 2019-20 school year. Foxcroft Academy is making this bold move to better its mission and to better prepare students for the 21st-century workforce.

Piscataquis Community High School is the home of the Pirates, but over the decades the swashbuckler logo for the institution has varied. SAD 4 district officials have been seeking public input on the pirate design and lettering -- including posting four options on the PCHS Pirates Sports Central Facebook page -- for a new LED digital sign to be erected in the near future.

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court on Tuesday, Dec. 11 upheld the murder conviction of the man who led authorities on the longest manhunt in state history. Robert Burton, 41, of Abbot is serving a 55-year sentence at the Maine State Prison in Warren for the slaying of his ex-girlfriend, Stephanie Ginn Gebo, 37, of Parkman after breaking into her home more than three years ago. A jury convicted him of murder in October 2017.