The American Red Cross of Maine and Emera Maine are partnering with the Milo Fire Department to prevent home fire deaths by installing free smoke alarms and providing safety education in Milo. Milo residents can make an appointment to have smoke alarms installed in their homes free of charge by calling 874-1192 ext. 113 or by registering at SoundTheAlarm.org/Maine.

Mayo Regional Hospital has announced the closing of its primary care office in Guilford. The official closure date for Guilford Medical Associates, which is housed via lease from the town at the C.H. Lightbody Medical Center on Park Street, will be Friday, April 5.

In an effort to help recruit and retain quality officers for several positions within the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office, the Piscataquis County Commissioners approved a request from Sheriff Robert Young to adjust hourly pay rates for part-time patrol deputies, dispatchers, and corrections officers during a Jan. 22 meeting.

A problem at an electrical substation in Corinth caused thousands of Emera Maine customers to lose power in central Penobscot and southern Piscataquis counties early Thursday morning.

The sound of skates cutting into the ice, pucks bouncing off the boards and glass, and more will be heard starting this summer according to the plan for opening the Piscataquis County Ice Arena on West Main Street at the former Brothers Chevrolet property. The $5 million project is being funded by the Libra Foundation, and the arena will be managed day-to-day by Foxcroft Academy.

Maine game wardens were busy responding to a number of serious snowmobile accidents last weekend, and with substantial snow in the forecast for the coming days, wardens say focusing on snowmobile safety makes a lot of sense as more sledders will be hitting the trails.

Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville has sponsored legislation, LR 514 “An Act To Give the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife the Authority To Adjust the Black Bear Hunting Season and Bag Limit,” to give state wildlife biologists more control in the management of Maine’s growing black bear population.

Those affected by abuse and domestic violence throughout Piscataquis and Penobscot counties are able to receive a wide variety of information, support, and services from Partners for Peace. Starting next month a change in office hours for the 8 Mechanic Street location will help Partners for Peace advocates to get out and reach more people and increase the agency’s presence in the community.

A proposal to change how development is allowed in Maine’s Unorganized Territory still is being met with some vocal opposition, despite some minor changes that a state planning body has made to the draft policy.

Earlier this week, in what has become an annual ritual, Maine political insiders began posting links to the initial lists of legislative bills -- by title only -- that have been introduced. A quick glance turned up more than a few bills worth paying attention to among those that deal with Maine’s fish, wildlife and wild places.

County officials are making preparations for Atkinson to join the Unorganized Territory (UT) on July 1 -- the community voted 187-19 (nearly 91 percent) at the November referendum to deorganize. Many of the plans for how municipal services will be provided by the county have been set, but a few are still to be finalized prior to the start of the 2019-20 fiscal year when Atkinson joins the UT.

Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville has been appointed to serve as a member of the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, the State and Local Government Committee, and the Government Oversight Committee.

As part of the Maine Department of Education’s ongoing efforts to highlight Maine’s outstanding teachers, nominations are now open for the 2019 County Teachers of the Year and 2020 Teacher of the Year. Members of the public are encouraged to nominate educators who demonstrate a commitment to excellence and nurturing the achievement of all students. Nominations can be made through the Maine Teacher of the Year website through Feb. 4.

The speaker of the Maine House of Representatives has appointed Rep. Norman Higgins, I-Dover-Foxcroft to the IDEA –- Innovation, Development, Economic and Advancement -- Committee. The IDEA Committee was recently established to increase the focus on statewide economic initiatives, innovation, and workforce development.

Debbie Young, left pictured with the Piscataquis Observer’s Keri Foster, is the winner in the Piscataquis Observer’s annual Find the Shop Local Tree Contest.

The Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office did not have to look far to find the the department’s next chief deputy with the hiring of Dover-Foxcroft Police Department Sgt. Todd Lyford, who also has served as a police chief in Brownville and Milo. Sheriff-Elect and current Chief Deputy Bob Young made the announcement during the Dec. 18 meeting of the Piscataquis County Commissioners.

A month after Lance Walker was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be a federal judge, he was assigned the case that could end up being the most important of his career. At the very least, it will be a long time before Walker presides over a case that draws the media attention U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin’s challenge to the constitutionality of ranked-choice voting in Maine did.

A Milo couple who over the last half decade have given back in the form of the Three Rivers Kiwanis Building, the Harrigan Learning Center & Museum, and the Milo-Brownville & Points North Visitor Center, all located in their hometown’s Eastern Piscataquis Business Park, have been honored as the 16th recipients of the Warren “Pete” Myrick Award by the Executive Committee of the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council (PCEDC). Tom and Nancy Harrigan were presented with the honor on Dec. 10 at The Commons at Central Hall during the PCEDC annual meeting.