A man with a history of escapes from state correctional facilities is one step closer to trial for his latest escape. The Penobscot County grand jury late last week indicted Arnold Nash, 65, for his September escape from Mountain View Correctional Facility in Charleston when he had just 14 months left on his sentence. An indictment is not a finding of guilt, but rather a determination that enough evidence exists to bring a case to trial.

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.

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.

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.

A week after the public hearing for the pair of spending plans, the Piscataquis County Commissioners approved a $4,535,958 Piscataquis County budget for the 2019 calendar year along with an Unorganized Territory (UT) budget of $1,756,657 for the 2019-20 fiscal year during the Dec. 4 meeting.

A proposed $4,535,958 Piscataquis County budget for the 2019 calendar year, along with an Unorganized Territory (UT) budget of $1,756,657 for the 2019-20 fiscal year, was presented at a public hearing on Nov. 26 as part of the process by county officials for developing the pair of spending plans.

In Penobscot and Piscataquis counties, Republican Marianne Lynch beat Democrat Joseph Belisle by a vote of 57.3 percent to 42.7 percent, according to unofficial returns. Lynch, who currently serves as deputy district attorney, was the chosen successor of longtime District Attorney R. Christopher Almy. He was first elected in 1986.

The brother of a Medford woman who went missing two years ago announced a $12,000 reward Thursday for information that could lead law enforcement to his sister, who was 71 when she went missing.

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and local police arrested a man in Dexter on Monday evening, Nov. 5 following a month-long investigation that involved purchasing drugs directly from the suspect. They seized heroin worth at least $15,000 and more than $2,600 in drug proceeds in the process.

A long-term agreement for beyond 2018-19 is still pending, but the SeDoMoCha School will have a school resource officer from the Dover-Foxcroft Police Department in the building for eight hours per week as an agreement was approved by the school board during a Nov. 6 meeting at the Monson Arts Center.

When Medford resident Diana Estey disappeared from her house on Nov. 2, 2016, neighbors noticed the lights had been left on overnight, and the front door was unlocked. Inside, they found the TV on, her purse on a table and her car keys in clear sight, according to Medford resident and friend Kent Black.

Maine State Grange Community Service Director Christine Corliss presents Lt. Jamie Kane of the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office with the Maine State Grange Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award and a check for a $100 donation to the charity of his choice. He selected the Valley Grange of Guilford as the recipient to “help with their Dictionary and Bookworm Programs.”

A Milo man was killed in a car crash in Orneville on Wednesday morning.

A Canadian citizen arrested near the St. Zacharie Port of Entry earlier this week and charged with entering the United States and hunting moose illegally has pleaded not guilty, officials said Friday.

Dover-Foxcroft town officials and Police Chief Ryan Reardon have been talking with administrators from RSU 68 and Foxcroft Academy about the possibility of a school resource officer working at the SeDoMoCha School and the secondary school. During an Oct. 2 school board meeting at the Charleston Community Center a proposal for the position, to be funded between the two school units and municipality for the 2019-20 academic year, was presented by Reardon.

Police officials from across the region have announced their support for Marianne Lynch, R-Bangor for Piscataquis and Penobscot County district attorney.

The Maine Department of Corrections Mountain View Correctional Facility completed its American Correctional Association (ACA) accreditation audit on Oct. 3, achieving a score of 99.6 percent of all standards.

Dover-Foxcroft Police Sgt. Todd Lyford was honored by the Dover-Foxcroft Fire Department for his actions during a fiery car crash in late July. Lyford was presented with the State of Maine Lifesaving Medal of Valor by Fire Chief Joe Guyotte for his actions in pulling the driver out of the vehicle at great risk to himself, during a department meeting on Oct. 1 at the fire station.