5 years ago County commissioners ponder leaving state association Citing what they feel is a non-proportional expense and lack of benefits, the Piscataquis County Commissioners are considering ending membership in the Maine County Commissioners Association. The commissioners discussed the possibility during a Nov. 5 meeting and plan to attend a meeting with officials from other Maine counties also pondering an exit to learn more.
5 years ago Elder abuse awareness workshop Nov. 15 at The Commons Anyone who suspects someone they know may be a victim of elder abuse or would like to know more about the topic and how to help is invited to a free elder abuse awareness and response workshop from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Friday, Nov. 15 at The Commons at Central Hall, 152 East Main Street.
5 years ago Spirit of America award presentation at Valley Grange Piscataquis County winners of the 2019 Spirit of America Foundation Tribute for outstanding community service will be honored at a ceremony on Friday, Nov. 15 starting at 7 p.m. at the Valley Grange Hall (172 Guilford Center Road). The event is open to the public.
5 years ago BDN columnist’s first book highlights 17 years of people in Maine’s outdoors A gun-stealing beaver. A moose looking for love. A paraplegic hunter and handyman. A writer saying goodbye to his dog. These are just a few of the characters -- some of them hilarious, some in the midst of heart-wrenching moments -- readers will meet in the pages of “Evergreens: A Collection of Maine Outdoor Stories.”
5 years ago After a 39-year wait, brothers finally go on a moose hunt of their own Back in 1980, Billy Lander and his brother Tim -- along with more than 36,000 other eager Mainers -- applied for one of 700 permits that were to be handed out in Maine’s first modern moose hunt.
5 years ago Maine’s deer biologist expects hunters to enjoy a productive season With the state’s firearms hunting season for deer looming, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s deer specialist says he expects plenty of hunters to fill their tags this year after a banner year in 2018.
5 years ago Crime in Maine drops for the seventh consecutive year Crime in Maine dropped for the seventh consecutive year in 2018, according to data from the Maine Department of Public Safety released Wednesday, but there were more assaults and homicides compared with 2017.
5 years ago $100 checks headed for more than 300,000 Maine households More than 300,000 Maine homeowners can expect a $100 check early next year under a new state law. The households that can expect the payment qualified for the homestead exemption in 2019. The homestead exemption reduces a home’s taxable value by $20,000, so a taxpayer pays property taxes on only $130,000 in value for a $150,000 home. Homeowners can only claim the homestead exemption on their primary residence.
5 years ago Hedstrom earns first-place honor for food story writing in newspaper contest The Piscataquis Observer’s Stuart Hedstrom picked up top honors in the food story/feature writing category among the state’s smaller weekly publications from the Maine Press Association in the 2019 MPA Better Newspaper Contest on October 19 during the organization's annual awards banquet at the South Portland DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel.
5 years ago Maine senators announce Drug Take-Back Day locations Ahead of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day this Saturday, October 26, U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine and Angus King, I-Maine announced the locations of the Maine collection sites, the full list is at https://takebackday.dea.gov/. Area sites include the Dexter, Dover-Foxcroft, Greenville and Milo police departments and Piscataquis County sheriff’s office.
5 years ago Wardens rescue canoeists after capsizing on Ripogenus Lake Maine Game Wardens rescued a group of capsized canoeists in high winds on Ripogenus Lake on Friday, October 18.
5 years ago Bangor Savings to gift NASCAR car sponsorship to Travis Mills Foundation The Travis Mills Foundation has been providing support and respite to combat-wounded veterans and their families since 2013. Next month Bangor Savings Bank -- which has branches in Dexter, Dover-Foxcroft and Greenville -- will put the foundation on a literal fast track for growth when it gifts its primary Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series car sponsorship to the nonprofit for the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida.
5 years ago Professional fighter and trainer opens therapeutic gym in Greenville Greenville, with its accessibility to Moosehead Lake and the great North Woods has a lot to offer, and now there’s a new addition to the mix – Chip Gerber, former powerlifting world champion, triathlete and professional fighter.
5 years ago County Democrats fall dinner will be October 19 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.
5 years ago Moosehead region update from Forest Society of Maine 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.
5 years ago Greenville man creates rock ‘n roll version of the Bible Most everyone in Greenville, when asked if they know Joe Bolf, will say something like, “Oh sure, he’s the woodcarver around here.” And they’re right. Bolf owns a woodcarver’s shop and has been a resident of the town for many years.
5 years ago Sen. Davis appointed to Maine Climate Council Working Group The Maine Legislature may be out of session at the moment but like many of his colleagues, Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville is busy with important work that will help guide the next Legislative session when it begins in January. Sen. Davis has been appointed to the Working Group on Energy of the Maine Climate Change Council
5 years ago One year in, Northern Light is working to sell staff on name change It's been a year since the names of nine hospitals stretching from Presque Isle to Portland changed to reflect the new identity of their parent group, Northern Light Health.