The Foxcroft Academy swim team took on Class A Bangor High School in a dual meet on Dec. 15. The host Rams won the girls meet by a score of 128-39 and the Bangor boys earned a 134-25 victory.

The man who fatally shot his ex-girlfriend then led police on the longest manhunt in state history was sentenced Friday, Dec. 15 to 55 years in prison. Robert Burton, 40, of Abbot, was convicted on Oct. 5 of murdering Stephanie Ginn Gebo, 37, of Parkman.

As a baby boomer, I remember parents saying that proper social discourse should not include topics of sex, religion or politics. So much for that in today's news coverage invading our homes daily.

Starting the first of next year, the sport hunting of migratory caribou will be indefinitely suspended in Quebec and Labrador. This measure was announced by Quebec’s minister of forests, who cited “sustainability of the species” as the reason for the hunt closure.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension has released the sixth installment of “Growing Maine,” a series of short documentaries highlighting Maine food producers and farm families. The latest video in the series tells the story of Worcester’s Blueberries, a lowbush blueberry farm in southeast Piscataquis County.

Baxter State Park Director Jensen Bissell is retiring at the end of this year after 30 years working for park administration and 12 years as park director.

Crystal Saunders, center of Dover-Foxcroft, is the winner in the Piscataquis Observer’s annual Find the Shop Local Tree Contest. Saunders was awarded a grand prize package of goods from numerous area businesses after her name was drawn from a pool of 10 weekly prize winners

Hometown Health Center (HHC) is operating its Hands of Giving Tree again this year. Winter can be a difficult time for families with limited resources. Often, children go without the winter necessities, but HHC is here to help.

A missing North Carolina man was found dead early on the morning of Dec. 13 by authorities. Willard L. Hartsock, 55, from Old Fort, N.C., has died in a snowmobile related incident near Rockwood.

Now we are in the holiday season filled with the spirit of Christmas let’s unite as one greeting everyone with smiling faces and blessings of Christmas filling their hearts with love throughout the new year.