Back in the 1990s, when I worked as information officer for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W), the U.

PORTLAND — FairPoint Communications has announced the completion of broadband expansion projects in 14 communities in Piscataquis County that extend and enhance FairPoint’s approximately 18,000 mile fiber optic network, which is the largest, fully-owned and managed fiber-based network in northern New England.

Photo courtesy of Kate Taylor SPELLING WITH THE BEST OF THEM — SeDoMoCha Middle School sixth-grader Adam Taylor stands at the microphone during the 2017 Maine State Spelling Bee on March 25 at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Ryan Reardon, who grew up in Dexter and has worked in law enforcement since 1994 including for a time as the interim sheriff of Kennebec County, was appointed as the chief of the Dover-Foxcroft Police Department effective as of April 30, by the selectmen during a March 27 meeting.

GUILFORD — The first formal step toward pursuing an integrated, consolidated grade 9-16 educational facility shared by SAD 4 and SAD 46 of the Dexter-area was taken by the SAD 4 school board as the directors authorized Superintendent Ann Kirkpatrick to work with SAD 46 officials — who approved the application during a school board meeting earlier in the month — on the initial project application, during a March 21 meeting at Piscataquis Community Secondary School.

DEXTER — Having lost a member of the school community last year to suicide, students involved in the Seeds of Peace program at Dexter Regional High School wanted to do something to break the stigma related to mental health issues.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The morning after Brownville residents voted to defund the community’s police department after the end of March — at town meeting citizens amended the proposed $167,620 budget line item to $35,767 or the estimated cost for the first three months of the year — county officials discussed the future of law enforcement services in eastern Piscataquis County during a March 21 commissioners’ meeting.

Is there a single solution for providing rural Maine communities access to reliable, affordable, high-speed broadband internet? Probably not.

The gathering of wild things for home consumption has always been regarded by my family as one of life’s most basic pleasures.

BROWNVILLE — Residents decided to stop funding the town’s police department during the annual town meeting on March 20.

SANGERVILLE — A group of residents has formed the Sangerville Economic Development Committee (SEDC) to emphasize that the small community is an excellent place to live and to operate a business.

LAGRANGE — AOS 43 has announced the hiring of Dr.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — With the budget advisory committee having begun its work on the 2017-18 spending plan, a public hearing on the proposed budget was scheduled for the end of the month by the selectmen during a March 13 meeting.

BROWNVILLE, Maine — With changes taking place at the top of the police department last month — after the resignation of Nicholas Clukey Sgt.

The B-52C plane wreckage hanging from trees, scattered about the ground on top of Elephant Mountain in Greenville, stays with me as much as any Maine “place of interest” I’ve visited.

My tackle box is a neat person’s nightmare.

AUGUSTA – State Senator Paul Davis (R-Sangerville) has introduced legislation to protect law enforcement officers in the line of duty with LD 990 “An Act To Protect Law Enforcement Officers by Creating the Crime of Aggravated Assault on an Officer.

Wilderness walk benefits veterans and families | DOVER-FOXCROFT — In July a contingent will be traveling nearly 120 miles over 10 days from downtown Monson to the summit of Mount Katahdin in the fourth annual Wilderness Walk for Warriors along the Appalachian Trail.