On Dec. 11 Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville and Sen. Scott Cyrway, R-Benton joined retired Maine State Trooper Mark Nickerson, Trooper Seth Allen, Trooper Tyler Harrington and Lt. Jackie Theriault at Brown Cemetery in Benton to visit the grave of Trooper Thomas J. Merry, a hero who died in the line of duty in July of 1980 in Palmyra.

Photos courtesy of Terry Young A SPOOKY CHRISTMAS PERFORMANCE — The Piscataquis Community High School Club Drama Club performed “The Haunted House” — inspired by Charles Dickens adapted by Sam Craig — on Saturday, Dec.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension has released the sixth installment of “Growing Maine,” a series of short documentaries highlighting Maine food producers and farm families. The latest video in the series tells the story of Worcester’s Blueberries, a lowbush blueberry farm in southeast Piscataquis County.

Hometown Health Center (HHC) is operating its Hands of Giving Tree again this year. Winter can be a difficult time for families with limited resources. Often, children go without the winter necessities, but HHC is here to help.

Upcoming events across the region

Audiologist Chris Clukey of Dover Audiology, left, presents Rusty Willette with a $1,000 donation for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sangerville and Dover-Foxcroft for the church food cupboard

Three Rivers Kiwanis will be serving the annual Christmas Dinner from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 25 at the Kiwanis Headquarters Building, 24 Gerrish Road off Park Street. This event is open to the public and is free. Donations will be accepted.

The Calvary Chapel Highlanders, Outpost #68, a Royal Ranger Scouting group, recently enjoyed a tour of the Maine Army National Guard Blackhawk helicopter facility. The Highlander boys, their commanders and chaperones were treated to a tour by Blackhawk pilots Greg Raychard and Mike Harrington

The 2018 Christmas Bird Count for the Dover-Foxcroft area will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 20. Organizers are looking for counters willing to go into the field to look for birds between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. They are also looking for persons willing to watch their back yard feeders on Dec. 20 and to report what they see.

The audience at the opening night of the Center Theatre's production of “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe” were treated to a magical journey to the land of Narnia that was perfectly suited for the holiday season.

The Harold J. Crosby Community Band of Dexter wants to wish the community a happy holiday season. To show the band’s appreciation for the support the town of Dexter and surrounding communities have given, the group will be performing a holiday concert, free to all, at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 17 at the Dexter Town Hall.

Upcoming events across the region

U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine and Angus King, I-Maine and U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, R-Maine have announced their nominees to the U.S. military academies. Beaver Cove resident Anthony Mason, who is a senior at Greenville High School, was nominated by Maine’s senators to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. Emily Mikoud of Dover-Foxcroft, who graduated from Foxcroft Academy in 2017, is a nominee for the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.

For more than three decades members of the community and families have been served free of charge by Pine Tree Hospice during the time of dying and bereavement. Those involved in Pine Tree Hospice, such as volunteers, contributors, staff members and others, are all pieces of the puzzle, as reflected on the cover of the 2017 organization report.

Dexter Regional High School is proud to announce the four honorees selected by the faculty as "Students of the Month" for October.

The Abbot Historical Society is pleased to announce the publication of its newest book "Calendar Photo Book-People and Places In and Around Abbot, Maine."

Signs from Baxter State Park and Katahdin are being auctioned off this holiday season as a fundraiser to support Friends of Baxter State Park, a nonprofit organization that supports the park through funding, educational programming, research and volunteer work. The auction, which started Nov. 6 and runs through Dec. 6, is entirely online.

Piscataquis Community Elementary School (PCES) students will be demonstrating their skills as classes, groups and individuals using their voices, instruments and movement on three separate nights during the holiday season.