The Maine Forest Service is cautioning towns and residents against using third-party, non-sanctioned online burn permit systems after at least two fires occurred this spring. The fires likely would not have resulted if the officially sanctioned state online burn permit system had been used instead of that of a third party.

Monday I was running errands, getting ready for a business trip to Hancock and Washington counties. I filled my car gas tank, deposited a check at the bank. The last item on my list? Haircut.

A total of 118 jars, such as creamy and crunchy peanut butter and grape and strawberry jelly, were gathered in Dover-Foxcroft and these were given to several members of the Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis Club on the morning of June 21.

A week after residents of the four RSU 68 communities approved a $10,817,189 budget for the 2017-18 academic year -- via a combined tally of 303 to 124 votes -- the school board took the next step and set the assessments for Charleston, Dover-Foxcroft, Monson and Sebec during a June 20 meeting at the SeDoMoCha School.

On June 15 the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) presented Heather Doherty with its 2017 Outstanding Conservation Educator of the Year honor at a Piscataquis Community Secondary School awards ceremony.

This is the time of year when Maine’s whitetail deer population begins to recover from a long hard winter. After surviving on reserve fats, twigs and lichen, and whatever else they can find in their wintering areas, the spring “greenup” is the deer’s salvation.

DEXTER — Sixteen years after Dexter Shoe Co.

A proposed 2017-18 SAD 41 budget of $8,500,571 was approved with 13 of 14 articles passing over 40 minutes during the annual district budget meeting on June 19 in the cafeteria at the Penquis Valley School. The total is now moved to a referendum in the district towns of Atkinson, Brownville, LaGrange and Milo on Thursday, June 29.

My friend, Christie-Lee McNally of Scarborough, Maine, is executive director of the non-profit Free Our Internet. I asked Christie-Lee to help me understand the important issue of Net Neutrality which President Obama put in place (2015) and President Trump wants reversed. For rural Mainers, especially small- and micro-business owners who want access to internet service capable of handling their online business, how is Net Neutrality affecting them?

Officials at Maine’s Department of Professional and Financial Regulation (DPFR) are focusing attention on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day--recognized each June 15 throughout the United States and in other countries, and often referred to as the ‘crime of the 21st century,’ because of its increasing prevalence and devastating impacts.

A day after a proposed $6,890,304 budget for the 2017-18 school year was voted down 297-213 across the six district communities, the SAD 4 school board met on June 14 at Piscataquis Community Elementary School to start the process to bring another spending plan forward.

All nine referendum articles were passed by a majority of the 330 residents at the polls on June 13.

In case you didn’t know, a Hornberg is a commonplace artificial fly used by some trout addicts to seduce their prey. Once a “go-to” fly in any fly box, it is less used today by upscale fly fishers - especially the elite sophisticates of the fly fishing community. Some that I have shared a stream pool with do look down their noses at this utilitarian fly.

The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) announced that Mayo Practice Associates of Mayo Regional Hospital has received NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition for using evidence-based, patient-centered processes that focus on highly coordinated care and long‐term, participative relationships.

Middle and high school students at Piscataquis Community Secondary School enjoyed a recent spring fling that was about some different kinds of learning.

The SAD 41 board of directors approved a proposed budget of $8,500,571 for the 2017-18 academic year during a meeting on June 7 at the Penquis Valley School. The board also scheduled the district budget meeting for Monday, June 19 at 6 p.m. at Penquis Valley in the gymnasium, with an information session before at 5:30 p.m.

Maine is one step closer to a manageable, cost-effective health care system that enhances choice and access to services.

We continue a conversation with Maine’s first Small Business Advocate, my friend, Jay Martin. Jay’s office was established within Maine’s Secretary of State’s office. He is experienced working in Maine’s nonprofit sector, and in the private sector. We covered the highlights of his work experience in our June 2 column.