For the first time in three years, the Maine Teacher of the Year is from outside Piscataquis County. On Oct. 10 at Gorham Middle School the Maine Department of Education and Educate Maine named alternative education teacher Heather Whitaker Maine’s 2020 Teacher of the Year. She follows SeDoMoCha School music teacher Kaitlin Young in 2018 and Piscataquis Community High School English instructor Joseph Hennessey last year as recent honorees.

On a recent fall day, the park’s director, Eben Sypitkowski, went on a short hike in the north end of the park. Along the way, he shared some of his thoughts about the future of the park and the challenges that he has faced during his first year as park director.

The Savvy caregiver program will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at the Thompson Free Library on October 31, November 7, 14 and 21 and December 5 and 12.

At a recent meeting the Kiwanis Club of Dover-Foxcroft inducted three new members. From left are Patty Davis with sponsor Paul Davis, Joy Gregory with sponsor Brian Woodworth and Kevin Sargent Sargent with sponsor Jack Clukey.

The Maine Grocers & Food Producers Association is proud to announce Will’s Shop ‘n Save of Dover-Foxcroft as the 2019 Grocer of the Year.

Andrew Torbett of Atkinson is formally announcing his intent to seek the Republican nomination to run for County Commissioner of Piscataquis County in District 2 -- which includes the towns of Bowerbank, Dover-Foxcroft, Medford, Orneville Twp and Sebec in addition to Atkinson Township.

Over 50 people gathered at Stutzman’s Farm Café in Sangerville on the evening of October 3 to observe Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Participants enjoyed soup, salad and wood-fired pizza while listening to the music of Craig Stutzman.

Plans are well underway for the Piscataquis County Democrats annual fall fundraising dinner. The True Blue North Fundraiser takes place at the East Sangerville Grange on Saturday, October 19 with a social hour beginning at 5 p.m.

SAD 4 officials have found a solution for design and access issues with the district website at www.sad4.org and providing information to students, parents and the community. During an October 8 school board meeting at Piscataquis Community High School the directors authorized Superintendent Kelly MacFadyen to use up to $15,000 from the minor capital improvement fund to contract with Apptegy on revamping and then maintaining the website.

The public is invited to a meeting on genealogy at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 22 at the Sangerville Town Hall meeting room, sponsored by the Sangerville Historical Society.

Thirteen General Federal of Women’s Clubs/Miosac Club members gathered at Thayer Parkway for a "souper supper" prepared by the advisory committee Roxy McGlauflin, Brenda Quiet and Betsey Ryan; served with breads, pickles and cookies.

Valley Grange of Guilford notes that the fall event calendar includes plenty of opportunities for celebrating and strengthening American values and hometown roots.

The American Legion 14th District - - Piscataquis County -- will hold its monthly meeting on Saturday Oct. 19. It will be hosted by Joseph P. Chaisson Post 41 at the Post home.

Upcoming events around the region.

Three winners were selected in the second annual “Storybook Pumpkin Patch” contest for SeDoMoCha Elementary students organized by Librarian Nicole Killam.

Recently a request was submitted to the Maine Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC) by Weyerhaeuser, a forestland owner in the Moosehead area, to dissolve the terms of the Moosehead Lake Region Concept Plan. The concept plan, which was approved by LUPC’s predecessor agency in 2009, re-zoned approximately 17,000 acres around Moosehead Lake for commercial, industrial, residential and resort development. To date, no development has occurred.

Tisbury Manor Chapter NSDAR (National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution) welcomed new Maine State DAR Regent Beverly Robbins to the September meeting. Robbins introduced her State Regent Project to the group.

Members of the community are invited to attend the annual meeting of the board of directors of the Piscataquis Regional YMCA at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 22. The meeting will be held at the Piscataquis Regional YMCA, 48 Park Street in Dover-Foxcroft.