Brayson’s relationship with firefighting took yet another turn late Thursday afternoon, May 14 as Make-A-Wish Maine gifted him with a firefighter-themed golf cart at the end of a procession featuring more than 30 firetrucks and law enforcement vehicles from Dover-Foxcroft, Newport and more than a dozen surrounding towns.

The Center Theatre has begun selling theater concessions online for curbside pickup. Pickup is available on Friday and Saturday nights between 6 and 7 p.m. and all orders must be placed in advance online at CenterTheatre.org.

Voices from HOME, a community-based oral history project coordinated by the Thompson Free Library, will host a live storytelling event on the theme “Together” at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 22. This event is free and open to the public, and will be held online via Zoom.

This spring, tick experts at the University of Maine Tick Lab have noticed a big increase in the number of ticks that the public is submitting for testing. They think this upward trend might be linked to people spending more time outdoors than usual during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Northern Light Mayo Hospital’s Nurse Excellence Award is a public commendation given to a staff nurse demonstrating exemplary clinical expertise, commitment to Northern Light Mayo Hospital and continued professional development. This award is given annually by the vice president of patient care services. Denise Scuderi, vice president of patient care services, announced John Chase, RN, as the 2020 Northern Light Mayo Nurse of the Year on Thursday, May 14 during an all-staff Zoom meeting.

Now that the coronavirus has been circulating around Maine for more than two months, the ever-growing mass of numbers, anecdotes and other information about the pandemic may be dizzying to anyone without a very strong interest in biology or disease surveillance. So the BDN has reached out to a few public experts for their advice on the best metrics to pay attention to that demonstrate the severity of the coronavirus pandemic.

On May 16 Sarah Elizabeth Palmer Tent #23, Daughters of Union Veterans member Molly Bennett and her cousin Amaiya Hunter-Jacob placed flowers on the grave of Sarah E. Palmer, Civil War nurse.

Gov. Janet Mills and Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin announced that the Maine Department of Education has secured internet access and devices to facilitate at home learning for 100% of Maine school children for whom there was a reported need.

Shopping from home just got more fun! Pine Tree Hospice’s “Bid It To Win It” Facebook auction will have you on the edge of your seats. We will auction heirloom-quality works created by staff, volunteers and others close to the organization, people you know, for a very special fundraising event for Pine Tree Hospice.  Needlework, mixed media, photography, stained glass, woodwork and more will be posted on Pine Tree Hospice’s Facebook page beginning on Monday, May 18.

The SAD 4 school board gave approval to a 2020-21 budget totaling $7,397,862 during a May 12 meeting conducted remotely. The directors also scheduled the district budget meeting for Thursday, June 25 -- time to be announced at Piscataquis Community Elementary School. The total approved that evening will then be moved to a referendum for a “yes” or “no” vote on Tuesday, July 14 in the district member towns of Abbot, Cambridge, Guilford, Parkman, Sangerville and Wellington.

The Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corporation proudly announces the name of the new waterfront park at 3 Lakeview Street in downtown Greenville – Crafts Landing and Park. Park Planning Committee members Tom Watt, a senior at Greenville High School whose grandparents lived across the street from the park, and EJ Richardson, the property owner and our partner on this project reviewed the history of the property and recommended its name.

If you are a caregiver of people younger than 22 years of age who are experiencing an emotional or behavioral disorder, NAMI Maine is offering the National Alliance on Mental Illness signature course, NAMI Basics, that you might find helpful.  The course will be delivered online, via Zoom, free of charge.  Classes begin Thursday, May 28 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and run for six consecutive weeks.

On the list of "least welcome critters," many Mainers would put the porcupine somewhere between ticks and skunks. Dan Crocker of Exeter said he's never had much use for them, either. That's beginning to change, at least a little bit for him though, thanks to a baby albino porcupine that he's been seeing on his property.

Teachers from all 16 of Maine’s counties were honored May 14 in a virtual announcement that was broadcast live on the Maine Department of Education Facebook page. Piscataquis Community High School English instructor Jessica Gregory was named the 2020 Piscataquis County Teacher of the Year.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry will offer two free webinars Thursday, May 21, in support of National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Invasive plant biologist Nancy Olmstead will teach “Invasive Plant Ecology and Identification” from 9–10 a.m. and “Invasive Plant Management” from noon–1 p.m.

Bissell Brothers Brewing had a product to sell in late March but suddenly lacked the most direct method of distribution -- its taprooms in southern and central Maine.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension is launching a food preservation webinar series at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26. The weekly series continues through Oct. 27. 

In a unique arrangement, four diverse Maine organizations are teaming up to address hunger relief and support Maine dairy farmers. Good Shepherd Food Bank, Pineland Farms Dairy Company, Libra Foundation and Dairy Farmers of America, will distribute thousands of pounds of cheese to food insecure Mainers through Maine’s emergency food distribution network.