AUGUSTA — Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, announced Senate committee assignments for the 131st Maine Legislature.

BROWNVILLE — A Brownville firefighter and emergency medical technician who was convicted of stealing from a fire department where he worked in New Hampshire will serve as the town’s next fire chief.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The SeDoMoCha School recognized the December Students in the Spotlight at a recent assembly.

By Kathleen Phalen Tomaselli, Special to the Houlton Pioneer Times HOULTON — A new no-cost offering at the Cary Memorial Library in Houlton makes consulting with a specialist or keeping an appointment with other health care providers in locations like Bangor or Portland just a local library visit away.

Northern Light Home Care & Hospice understands how difficult it can be when you are missing a loved one, particularly around the holiday season.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Piscataquis Regional Food Center has completed its acquisition of the Dover Foxcroft Area Food Cupboard and unveiled a new name and distribution method.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Piscataquis County officials are hoping new technology will help emergency responders communicate better while saving thousands of dollars a month.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Students will have more hands-on activities to choose from thanks to a $150,000 grant to boost an after-school program in Dover-Foxcroft.

The Bangor Savings Bank Foundation is celebrating its 25-year anniversary and awarding grants totaling over $200,000 to New England organizations that are helping to make their communities vibrant and strong.

Photo courtesy of Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church, United Church of Christ QUARTER SALE FOR PAWS — On Sunday, Dec.

The Piscataquis County Soil & Water Conservation District is excited to announce they are entering into a three-year contract with the Maine Chapter of The Nature Conservancy that focuses on implementation of stream restoration and aquatic organism passage projects.

Observer photo/Keri Foster FIND THE SHOP LOCAL TREE WINNER — Bill Cleaves of Sangerville is the grand prize winner of the Piscataquis Observer’s annual Find the Shop Local Tree contest.

By David Marino Jr.

VASSALBORO — On Friday, Dec.

Grade 8, high honors: Lili Bisson, Thomas Day, Corey Goodwin, Jenna Hartford, Samantha Kinney, and Madison Sands; honors: Zaid Abed Elnoor, Prudence Bridge, Kameryn Coelho, Teagan Conrad, Alli Cook, Marion Deitz, Sabrina Douglass, Payson Hall, Joseph Knapp, Hailey Nutter, David Richards, Garrett Rogers, Aiden Sickler, Joshua Sinclair, Julia Smith, Kristin Thomas, and Maddox Weidman.

PORTLAND — The Maine Connectivity Authority has launched a critical public education campaign called Correct the Dots, a call to action for individuals to check their addresses on new federal internet maps and to file a challenge if the information is incorrect.

WASHINGTON, D.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — For the first time in nearly four decades, a person other than Joe Guyotte will serve as Dover-Foxcroft fire chief.