By Judy Harrison, Bangor Daily News Staff Courthouses around Maine are closing to the public several days a week through the month of January as coronavirus cases continue surging across the state.

By Bill Trotter, Bangor Daily News Staff Six types of weather events that struck Maine in 2020 — drought, wildfires, storms, floods, warming oceans and rising sea levels — are expected to make return visits in the coming years as climate change continues to affect the state.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Piscataquis County Commissioners voted on Dec.

Photo courtesy of Monson Historical Society REMEMBERING 90 YEARS LATER — On Dec.

By Eesha Pendharkar, Bangor Daily News Staff More Mainers have died from fatal crashes in 2020 than last year even with less traffic amid the coronavirus pandemic, with a state official citing cases of reckless driving on more open roads.

By Bill Trotter, Bangor Daily News Staff With three weeks left in 2020, Maine’s annual wildfire total is the highest it has been in the past 35 years.

By Ernie Clark, Bangor Daily News Staff Barely two months after registering date records for lowest daily water flow in late September, the Piscataquis River was at flood stage on Tuesday afternoon.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Both the Piscataquis County and Unorganized Territory budgets will be up by 6.

By Nina Mahaleris, Bangor Daily News Staff, DOVER-FOXCROFT — A Piscataquis County man who allegedly beat his father’s cat to death with a frying pan was given a $5,000 cash bail or a $20,000 surety during his initial appearance in Piscataquis County Court Monday, Nov.

By Judy Harrison, Bangor Daily News Staff A Piscataquis County man released Wednesday, Nov.

By Eesha Pendharkar, Bangor Daily News Staff A longtime Bangor educator and prosecutor were remembered fondly Thursday as news circulated that they’d died in a car crash in Waterville a day earlier.

By Julia Bayly, Bangor Daily News Staff Honey Bear is a survivor.

By Lynne Fort, Bangor Daily News Staff Northern Light Medical Transport has reported five coronavirus cases among staff at its Dexter location.

CHARLESTON — During the last two weeks, two employees of the Mountain View Correctional Facility (MVCF) have tested positive for COVID-19, the Maine Department of Corrections said in a Nov.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Solutions to long-running communications problems for fire and police departments in and around Piscataquis County should now be found with the awarding of a feasibility study bid on a public safety radio system.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The two award recipients could not be honored as originally planned with the cancellation of the Maine Sheriff’s Association’s annual banquet in March and the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office Christmas banquet, but Sheriff Bob Young still wanted to publicly recognize a pair of department employees for receiving  honors from the Maine Sheriff’s Association.

By Judy Harrison, Bangor Daily News Staff Penobscot County is preparing to grow its budget next year by 11 percent, the result of loan payments the county will have to make for new equipment on 911 towers, an extra pay period in the coming year, and new hires and pay raises.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The county sent out a letter earlier this fall seeking requests for proposals for a feasibility study on a public safety radio system to fix long-running communications problems for fire and police departments.