In early April, the Department of Education delivered 500 internet-enabled tablets to schools in Piscataquis County made possible through donations.

Piscatquis Community High School Principal John Keane has announced the valedictorian and salutatorian for the Class of 2020, Melissa Burdin and Macee Pearl respectively.

The Center Theatre will be holding an online murder mystery party at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 16. The party, set in the 1920s, centers around a death in prohibition Chicago and is called “Murder, Mayhem, and Moonshine.”

Democratic candidate Margarita Contreni announced her candidacy for the Maine House of Representatives for District 119. The district includes the unorganized territories of Northeast and Northwest Piscataquis; Barnard, Blanchard and Elliottsville townships; and the towns of Abbot, Beaver Cove, Bowerbank, Greenville, Greenville Junction, Guilford, Monson, Parkman, Sangerville, Sebec, Shirley and Willimantic.

Noah Bilodeau of Greenville, a senior at the Greenville Consolidated School, has been selected to receive the 2020 Principal’s Award, Principal Lee Pearsall announced. The award sponsored by the Maine Principal’s Association is given in recognition of a high school senior’s academic achievement and citizenship.

The Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft will remain closed through May due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are beginning the planning process to reopen in June,” said TFL Director Greta Schroeder, who will provide more information as it becomes available.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension is offering a new eight-part video series for first-time gardeners. “A Victory Garden for ME” provides an overview of vegetable gardening, from how to get started and what to plant to tending and harvesting the home garden.

A blood drive will be held from 1-6 p.m. on Monday, May 11 at the Dexter Unitarian Universalist Church, 35 Church St.

The Eastern Area Agency on Aging has experienced a significant increase in demand for its Meals on Wheels program since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in Maine. Meals on Wheels volunteers delivered 10,897 meals to older residents of Penobscot, Piscataquis, Hancock and Washington counties in March compared to 8,192 in February -- a 25 percent month-to-month increase.

There were other fox farmers in Maine, including, most notably, Robert Moore, who operated a fox ranch near the Piscataquis County village of Onawa. After fox farming was outlawed in 1952, Moore donated his property to the National Audubon Society, and today the land is part of Maine Audubon’s Borestone Mountain Sanctuary.

Over 40 fourth-graders from Piscataquis Community Elementary School were challenged to create an advertisement for Valley Grange as part of the annual “Newspapers in Education” program sponsored by the Piscataquis Observer. This is the 12th year the Grange has sponsored the program.

Cindy Pelletier of Sebec had to reschedule twice to have her 9-year-old Cairn terrier, Morty, groomed at Zucco’s. So she was excited that he finally had his chance Friday.

Out of concern for the health and well-being of Partners for Peace staff, volunteers and the survivors and community members we serve, all Partners for Peace in-person services will continue to be “on pause” at least until June 1 or until further notice. Our 24-hour helpline will remain open and available to anyone affected by abuse or violence, including community partners, at 1-800-863-9909.

With a continuous focus on social distancing it’s clear community members are looking for alternative ways to connect and share their support for one another. Northern Light Health has launched a digital thank you board for community members to share their kind words, reflections and appreciation for the more than 12,000 employees who are helping to respond to COVID-19 throughout Maine.

Following the announcement by Gov. Janet Mills that Maine will take a phased approach to reopening certain business operations tomorrow, Northern Light CA Dean and Mayo hospitals are joining other Northern Light Health facilities across the state in taking steps to prepare for the phased launch of critical services delayed by COVID-19.

Like their peers across the state amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, SAD 41 students have been receiving classroom instruction remotely for the last month and a half and will continue with this method through the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year. Teachers and administrators have been adjusting along the way with the changes being incorporated into what is now known as an emergency learning plan. The approval and name change was formally OKed by the school board during an April 29 meeting conducted via Zoom.

The federal government is providing $75.5 million to the Guilford medical products company that is expanding production of the testing swabs that are critically needed to detect the coronavirus. Puritan Medical Products plans to add around 140 new workers to boost production of the swabs at a second location in Pittsfield, the BDN reported April 29.

In addition to Poland Spring, contributors to the fund include Experience Maine and Bissell Brothers Brewing which has a location in the founders’ hometown of Milo. The latter two companies are selling Maine-made products, a portion of the proceeds of which will be donated to the fund. Links to these products can be found on the Maine Tourism Relief Fund website.