Sportsmen love their toys. Of course, they prefer to consider these toys as indispensable tools for the outdoors. Sometimes the best gift one can give to an outdoorsman is a tool or device that he might not either think to buy for himself or feel comfortable buying.

Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville has announced his intention to run for Maine Senate District 4 in the November 2018 election. Davis currently holds that senate seat, comprised of all of Piscataquis County and parts of Penobscot and Somerset counties.

The woman killed in a Friday, Nov. 24 crash in Alton was on her way to work at her daughter’s church cafe when she was struck by a relative who was texting while driving, police and a family member said.

A proposed $4,247,114 Piscataquis County budget for 2018, along with a little less than $1,489,000 in the Unorganized Territory (UT) budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year, was presented at a public hearing on Nov. 27 as part of the process by county officials for developing the pair of spending plans.

According to a national cellphone company, the most “Most Valuable Coach” in the country resides in Dover-Foxcroft and works with student-athletes at Foxcroft Academy. Following the announcement last week Luis Ayala was formally recognized Monday morning as the U.S. Cellular Most Valuable Coach during an all-school assembly, during which he received a $50,000 check which he has chosen to go to the two sports programs.

Every now and then I still hear someone complaining about anonymous people posting on social media. Usually in the political world.

Piscataquis County sets aside one day early in December (Saturday, Dec. 2) to celebrate the wonder of Christmas and the magic of the holiday season. This year Monson, Guilford (Friday, Dec. 1), Milo and Dover-Foxcroft are participating.

A head-on collision Nov. 24 in Alton left one woman dead and a man facing charges as a result of the crash, according to the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office.

Let​ ​me​ ​be​ ​up​ ​front.​ ​Even​ ​a​ ​low-budget​ ​elk​ ​hunt​ ​involves​ ​expense,​ ​but​ ​if​ ​you​ ​are​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​many​ ​deer hunters​ ​who​ ​have​ ​dreamed​ ​about​ ​an​ ​elk​ ​hunt​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Western​ ​U.S.,​ ​it​ ​may​ ​be​ ​within​ ​your​ ​reach, financially​ ​and​ ​otherwise.​ ​Although​ ​Western​ ​outfitters​ ​and​ ​private​ ​ranches​ ​charge​ ​anywhere​ ​from $3,000​ ​to​ ​$10,000,​ ​my​ ​scenario​ ​involves​ ​significantly​ ​less​ ​money.

Many different organizations and individuals have been involved in efforts over the last few years designed to improve the health of residents across the region. Many of these partners in the Feel Good Piscataquis! initiative were recognized during a breakfast on Nov. 16 at the Three Rivers Kiwanis building.

Officials with SAD 4 continue to work with their colleagues from the Dexter-based SAD 46 on the application process for an Integrated, Consolidated 9-16 Educational Facility pilot project. Both school boards have formally authorized the superintendents to submit the Part II application due at the end of the year.

The SAD 41 school board approved Honeywell -- which has worked at the Penquis Valley School for several decades -- to carry out work to make the complex more energy efficient. Honeywell was chosen during a Nov. 15 meeting, and the firm is scheduled to bring forward a scope of services for the directors to vote on when they meet next on Wednesday, Dec. 6.

It started with a nomination in June and ended with a win during Thanksgiving week. Word came on Nov. 20 that Foxcroft Academy teacher and coach Luis Ayala was named the 2017 US Cellular Most Valuable Coach (MVC) after a three-plus month online contest.

The executive committee of the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council (PCEDC) has named Sue Mackey Andrews of Dover-Foxcroft as the 15th recipient of the Warren “Pete” Myrick Award.

During a Nov. 13 select meeting the board approved another 180-day extension for a corridor moratorium ordinance, starting Monday, Nov. 27 and ending on May 25, 2018.

Grafton was spending the night at Camp Marlene, but Marlene herself had to be up at 4:30 the next morning. To ensure she had a good night's rest, Marlene slept upstairs, and Grafton and Poppa Fish slept downstairs in the guest room where there's a full size bed, and the blue metal cot Grafton likes to use when his father sleeps over.

Over the years, in pursuit of elk, my sons and I have made a number of backpacking hunts into the Routt National Forest in Western Colorado. There is a lot of careful preparation for trips of this sort. The central challenge, as you might guess, is to keep the pack weights manageable without leaving behind critical gear.

The grand opening of the new-look pool and a vision for the future after some changes in management were both key components of the Nov. 8 Piscataquis Regional YMCA annual meeting.