Students in RSU 68 had been attending classes for a week at the SeDoMoCha School for elementary and middle school and at Foxcroft Academy for high school when the school board heard updates on the start of the 2019-20 academic year during a Sept. 3 directors meeting at the SeDoMoCha School.

Children in and around Dover-Foxcroft have the opportunity to get more comfortable and confident with their word skills thanks to “READing with Erma.” Erma is a 7-year-old German shorthaired pointer and her handler April Taylor is a resident of Lakeland, Florida who summers in Sebec.

The American Legion 14th District -- Piscataquis County - will hold its first meeting of 2019-20 on Saturday, Sept. 14. It will be hosted by Conner-Trafton Post 119 at the Masonic Lodge, 34 Hudson Avenue.

The Dover Low Vision Group will meet at the Thayer Parkway Community Room, 33 Thayer Parkway, from 10-11:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 6. Leon Vlasak will talk about his self employment.

Residents of the region looking to improve their lives through various academic and career programs can do so through the Piscataquis Valley Adult Education Cooperative, while also having the opportunity to take college courses through Eastern Maine Community College and the University of Maine-Augusta in the same building as the PVAEC main office at the Penquis Higher Education Center on Mayo Street.

Last week the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s advisory council approved a rule that sounds ominous, but will actually change very little for the state’s anglers. Simply stated, in the state’s north zone, the general fishing law will ban the use of live fish as bait.

American Legion Post 29 would like to invite the general public to attend an open house on Monday, Sept. 9 beginning at 5:30 p.m. to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chadboune-Merrill Post 29 in Dover-Foxcroft.

U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine and Angus King, I-Maine announced that the State of Maine, Penquis and Through These Doors received a total of $1,993,850 to help stop domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and protect victims.

Help, hope, and giving to our communities -- that is what Pine Tree Hospice volunteers do. We offer non-medical support to individuals and families in Piscataquis, Penobscot and Somerset counties who are dealing with progressive, life-limiting illnesses and/or grief.

Yoga instructor and Pine Tree Hospice volunteer Gayle Worden RYT, is offering free Yoga Nidra sessions for both professional and family caregivers in the community and for hospice volunteers as well. The sessions are about 45 minutes in length and are held at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church on West Main Street. The next session is from 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14.

Eight entrants in the age 6-8 division each chased down a runaway piglet during the pig scramble on Sunday afternoon as part of the 132nd annual Piscataquis Valley Fair in Dover-Foxcroft. The boys and girls could choose to keep their pigs or sell the animals to interested buyers.

The Piscataquis County Commissioners authorized district attorney’s office staff to purchase a replacement vehicle for Investigator Scott Arno to use, during an Aug. 20 meeting.

The launch of a new program that aims to put a book in the hands of every Maine first grader each month during the school year by 2025 was announced Aug. 22. Dirigo Reads is co-founded by Dan and Karen Cashman of Brewer and operationally supported by United Way of Eastern Maine. The mission of the program is to improve the health and wellbeing of children in Maine through literacy and share a little optimism along the way.

“We have a consultant on board, it’s Gorrill Palmer,” Town Manager Jack Clukey said during an Aug. 19 selectmen’s meeting about the South Portland-based firm. “We know them and they’re familiar with Dover-Foxcroft because they did our road study” as well as working with the MDOT elsewhere in the state.

This year marks the 132nd anniversary of the Piscataquis Valley Fair, which began in 1887. The 2019 fair will run from Thursday, Aug. 22 to Sunday, Aug. 25 at the fairgrounds located at 77 Fairview Avenue. The four days will feature exhibitions, rides, concerts and fun for all ages.

Each year, the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District recognizes and honors a cooperator (land manager) in Piscataquis County who has implemented exceptional conservation practices on their land. This year, the PCSWCD will be honoring Joel and Wendy Huff of Huff Family Farm as the 2019 Outstanding Cooperator of the Year.

One year after announcing new President & CEO Lee Umphrey, EMDC (Eastern Maine Development Corporation) continues to evolve with a brand refresh and new website at https://www.emdc.org/.

The Dover and Foxcroft Water District was recognized by the Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards for its safe and healthful workplace with a Safety and Health Award for Public Employees (SHAPE) Award. The honor was presented by department officials during the monthly district trustees meeting on Aug. 12 at the district office inside the Morton Avenue Municipal Building.