The 133rd edition of the Piscataquis Valley Fair in Dover-Foxcroft has been postponed until next year due to factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fair, originally scheduled for Aug. 27-30, will be held next on Aug. 26-29, 2021.

Extension staff will have seedlings available at several other locations while supplies last: Tradewinds in Milo, 7 to 11 a.m. on Friday, June 5; Smith’s Grocery and Lunch in Brownville, noon to 3 p.m. on June 5; Whitney’s Supermarket in Guilford, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 6; and the Piscataquis County Extension Office in Dover-Foxcroft, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, June 8.

The Abbott Memorial Library has reopened with limited hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 1-5 p.m. Wednesday and Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

The Center Theatre announced this week that registration is now open for the summer drama camp program. The camp, which brings kids of all ages and backgrounds together for a two-week day camp program, is the Theatre's longest running program. Because of the COVID 19 pandemic and necessary precautions to ensure the safety of campers and staff, Patrick Myers, the executive director of the Center Theatre, said that there would be some significant differences for this year's camps.

The 2020 Piscataquis River Festival, which was scheduled for Saturday, July 25, will not be happening.

The Thompson Free Library is collaborating with the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) and will be setting up a story walk at the Law Farm. What is a story walk, you ask? A story walk is a series of signs featuring sequential spreads from a children's picture book.

Curbside pickup begins at the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft. While it won’t bring order to the current chaos, it may bring some comfort as books and movies often do. Get new picture books to read to your kids, the next in a series you love, a comedy that makes you LOL or non-fiction resources to motivate and inspire.

The Piscataquis County Soil & Water Conservation District is holding its monthly board meeting from 9-11 a.m. on Friday, June 12. This meeting is open to the public.

Valley Grange of Guilford recently announced that in a joint agreement with the administration of SAD 4, the Parade of Pirates scheduled for Wednesday, June 10 is being canceled. In announcing the cancelation, Valley Grange Program Director Walter Boomsma explained, “After reviewing the recent changes to Gov. Mills’ Executive Order, we made the unhappy decision to cancel the event in keeping with the spirit of the order and everyone’s safety.”

Every person with PTSD has their own story. On Wednesday, June 17 at 1 p.m., NAMI Piscataquis County will host Nicole Foster, JD, who will relate her experience as a PTSD survivor. Foster is employed by NAMI Maine as the director of peer services and will offer her story as a message of hope to those with PTSD and their families and friends.

During the morning of Friday, June 5 staff from the SeDoMoCha School will be traveling throughout the RSU 68 district towns, waving to students and families as a way to say thank you for all their hard work --  staff miss them very much.

In this unusual time of restrictions on schools, churches, public meetings and gatherings, and of rural reopening, the Parkman Grange is announcing plans to award 2020 Minnie Welts Bridge Memorial Scholarships to one or more deserving Parkman students continuing their education beyond high school. There will be no Memorial Grange Supper this year, but scholarships will be awarded anyway.

Upcoming events around the region.

There will be a graduate parade immediately following the ceremony. The parade, to be led by Dexter police and fire departments, will begin at approximately 2:30 p.m. leaving from the high school, proceeding down Lincoln Street, on to Main Street to the lights, then turning left and ending by the fire department.

The Dover-Foxcroft Shiretown Homecoming Committee announces the cancellation of the 2020 celebration due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The health risk and uncertainty from the pandemic has led the committee to cancel the parade and fireworks scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 1. 

After much consideration the Dexter Revitalization Committee has decided that due to the uncertainty in planning with the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Maine Red Hot Dog Festival originally scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 15 in downtown Dexter has been canceled.

Effective Monday, June 1, the Diocese of Portland is allowing Maine churches to hold public Masses with restrictions and safeguards in place.

The Thompson Free Library in will offer curbside pickup service for books, movies and other library materials beginning on Wednesday, June 3. Pickup hours will be Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday morning pickups can be arranged by appointment.