Fifteen Maine school staff members had the opportunity to take to the skies Nov. 14 in a UH-60 Blackhawk as part of an educator lift hosted by the Maine Army National Guard. Educators from the Tri-County Technical Center in Dexter and Foxcroft Academy were among the participants.

Girl Scouts of Maine announces that it will host a new member sign-up event for potential members and volunteers at 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2 at the SeDoMoCha Elementary School.

The funding includes $191,496 for Northern Light Health has received to implement a telemedicine project in six hospitals, among these is Northern Light C.A. Dean Hospital in Greenville. The project will serve 54,333 residents.

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, Dec. 6. The group will have a potluck holiday celebration, please bring a snack to share.

The honorees are Bryson Feltis, kindergarten; Lyric Reed, grade 1; Madison Weymouth, grade 2; Ryan McGary, grade 3; Aislinn Miller, grade 4; Sullivan Carey, elementary unified arts; Thomas Atwater, grade 5; Daniel Turgeon, grade 6; Emily Greenlaw, grade 7; Jack Kingsbury, grade 8; and Tyler Sandberg, middle school unified arts.

The steamship Katahdin is as much a part of Greenville as Moosehead Lake itself. The ship has been a fixture on the lake for more than 100 years. Recently, however, she has experienced some major challenges.

On Saturday, Dec. 7 the Abbott Memorial Library will be celebrating the holiday season by hosting its annual Christmas Tea. The festivities begin at 2 p.m. The Euphonium Pandemoniums will be providing live Christmas music.

Many of us receive emails (or snail mails, for that matter) from unexpected sources and immediately file them as “trash,” without even taking time to look them over. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is encouraging Mainers to pay close attention to a survey that may be heading their way, and hopes those surveys are filled out and returned, rather than tossed away.

The Kris Kringle's Market Committee is gearing up for its 35th annual Kris Kringle's Market from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7 at the Monson Gym. Kris Kringle's Market offers a variety of crafts (aprons, furniture, fabric items, jewelry, etc.), homemade food and wreaths plus more for sale.

Denise Webb won the Maine trivia contest at the monthly Tea Talks on Nov. 14 at Gatherings 4 Main Street. For her knowledge, Webb received a fresh flower arrangement contributed by Spring Street Greenhouse.

For three and a half decades Pine Tree Hospice has served individuals and families, free of charge, during the time of dying and bereavement. The organization’s volunteers assist through all life changes -- as stated with the theme “Seasons of Change” on the cover of the 2019 annual report -- and those involved with and contributing to Pine Tree Hospice were honored during the annual meeting Thursday, Nov. 21 at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church.

A railway company that owns tracks stretching through much of Canada and parts of the northern U.S. will buy Bangor-based Central Maine and Quebec Railway by the end of the year, adding 481 miles of track in Quebec and Maine to its network. Canadian Pacific Railway, based in Calgary, Alberta, will buy Central Maine and Quebec Railway from its parent company, New York-based Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors LLC.

A week before the holiday, students at Piscataquis Community Elementary School enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal and were able to personally thank their teachers and school staff members.

Upcoming events around the region.

Back in October, I was pleased to share the stage for my book launch with Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, an outdoors enthusiast I’ve known for more than 35 years, since the high school days when our respective track teams competed against each other.

The Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC) is pleased to announce confirmation of the appointment of Judy East as incoming executive director. East, a Washington County resident, brings over three decades of rural land use planning and conservation experience to LUPC.

The newest Students of the Month at PCES include fifth-graders Hailey Chambers, Olivia Goodwin and Desirae Maloon; Brady Ball and Molly Goodwin representing grade 6; grade 7 honorees Jordan Brown, Gavin Chase and Gabby Koscielny; and eighth-graders Braylin Bilodeau, Scott Chadbourne, Zachariah Demmer and Beau Talbot.

The Piscataquis County Ice Arena announced that the Center Theatre is sponsoring a free public skating session at the arena from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29. Members of the cast of the upcoming production of “Little Women” will be on hand in Victorian costume to skate and help with the evening. Skates will be available for rental from the arena will also have the concessions stand open for snacks