As part of the Maine Department of Education’s ongoing efforts to highlight Maine’s outstanding teachers, nominations are now open for the 2020 County Teachers of the Year and 2021 Teacher of the Year. Members of the public are encouraged to nominate educators who demonstrate a commitment to excellence and nurturing the achievement of all students. Nominations can be made through the Maine Teacher of the Year website at mainetoy.org/nominate through 5 p.m. on Feb. 3.

The Three Rivers Milo-Brownville Kiwanis Club is pleased to give Book Awards in the amount of $500 to a pair of Penquis Valley High School graduates who apply for in the spring and complete their first semester of college.

Ticks have spread throughout Maine over the past few decades, carrying with them a cocktail of crippling diseases. In response, healthcare providers, researchers, educators, non-profit organizations and the government have been working to protect people from this dangerous pest.

CourageLIVES and the Penquis Sex Trafficking Action Response Team (START) will host four free and open to the public events as part of Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month in January. All events will feature a film screenin of “Gridshock,” a documentary about human trafficking, followed by a panel discussion with local experts.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension has named Emily Mott as the new 4-H community education assistant for Piscataquis and Penobscot counties.

On Jan. 6 students and staff at 32 elementary schools around the state will start participating in WinterKids’ third annual WinterKids Winter Games, including Brownville Elementary School and the Greenville Consolidated School. This outdoor physical activity and nutrition competition encourages young children to develop healthy habits over the course of the four-week program.

Another year is here and it’s time for genealogists to consider resolutions.  Devoting more time to genealogy is a good place to start especially if you have problems finding time for research.  One of my first columns dealt with finding time for genealogy. If you’re like me a huge list of tasks prevents you from researching as much as you’d like.  The usual suspects are family, volunteerism, offices or committee work. If you’re not finding time for your favorite hobby, then you are likely overwhelmed with no “me” time left over.  

Be part of the first joint production of Foxcroft Academy, SeDoMoCha School and the Center Theatre by auditioning for the spring 2020 production of “Oliver!” Auditions will be held at the Center Theatre from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 12 and 6-8 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 13.

Upcoming events around the region.

Jeffrey Ryan’s book, Hermit, is a fascinating and unforgettable story about Jim Whyte’s mysterious life in a very remote section of the Maine woods in Onawa. I’d never heard of Onawa, but I found it on my map, not far from Milo.

Members of the Dexter Regional High School student government raised funds to purchase gas cards to benefit breast cancer patients in the area.

When a new year arrives, many have traditions that involve resolutions and celebrations. For Maine’s moose biologist, the arrival of a new year has come to mean something else: It’s time for the state to “recruit” a new crop of moose to aid in future research efforts.

Rep. Paul Stearns, R-Guilford has announced his intention to run for the Maine House of Representatives for a fourth term. House District 119 is made up of Abbot, Beaver Cove, Bowerbank, Greenville, Guilford, Monson, Parkman, Sangerville, Sebec, Shirley and Willimantic plus the unorganized territories of Blanchard Township, Northeast Piscataquis (including Barnard and Elliottsville Townships) and Northwest Piscataquis.

The Piscataquis Writers Alliance (PWA), formerly the Monson Writers Alliance, has some exciting changes to announce. The Alliance started in Monson with the support of the Monson Arts Center and Libra Foundation in December 2018. Meeting space was graciously made available in the Monson Public Library for the summer. Since then, the PWA has changed its meeting location and time to better accommodate its members. The Piscataquis Writers Alliance currently meets weekly at the Guilford Bed and Breakfast at 24 Elm St. in Guilford from 1-3 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Ice anglers looking to find a safe place to fish on the traditional opening day of the season might want to consider a trip north, as the superintendent of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway reports that there is some fairly thick ice on AWW lakes and ponds. In much of the state, ice fishing is allowed as soon as safe ice forms. In the AWW, the season still begins on Jan. 1, as used to be the custom statewide.

The Dover Low Vision Group will meet at the Thayer Parkway Community Room, 33 Thayer Parkway, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 3. The guest will be Esther Ireland.

The Piscataquis County Economic Development Council (PCEDC) is in the process of a website upgrade, and we need your help.

A Community Connection Day, an event for anyone who wants to get out, enjoy the company of others, have a great homemade lunch and have fun with games, cards and activities throughout the year meets the second Tuesday of the month at the JD Foundation Office, 107 Main Road in Abbot. For more call 207-343-1732.