USDA launches AskUSDA to streamline customer services

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched its AskUSDA Contact Center program. The AskUSDA Contact Center will serve as the “one front door” for phone, chat and web inquires, transforming how the public interacts with USDA. Prior to the creation and implementation of AskUSDA, members of the public had to navigate […]

Students give back to community during Advent

LEWISTON — Advent is a special time at Saint Dominic Academy’s Lewiston campus, pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, where students look forward to acts of kindness as they prepare for Christmas. This year is no different. Even during a pandemic and contending with daily protocols, the school community is still driven to complete service projects as […]

Rich Lowry: The conspiracy theory that could hand Joe Biden the Senate

There’s a reason parties seek unity before important elections. At best, Wood-Powell are distracting from the GOP message in the races and, at worst, convincing persuadable Georgians that it is the Republican Party that needs to be checked, not Joe Biden.

MaineCF grants available for Franklin and Somerset county nonprofits

ELLSWORTH — The Maine Community Foundation’s Community Building Grant Program is open and accepting applications from nonprofit and public organizations seeking funding for projects that strengthen communities. The 2021 Community Building Grant Program will focus on funding to build community resilience during the pandemic, with changes to program criteria, priorities and types of funding. Priority […]

Bob Neal: The Countryman: More and more about less and less

Public radio hunkers down in its silo when it cancels a show such as “Only a Game.” A bit of diversity and alternative programming died when it stopped playing the game.

Froma Harrop: America moves on from Trump

Trump will certainly retain his most loyal fandom. But as his power to intimidate conspicuously withers, his future as a Republican kingmaker seems much in doubt. Ironically, the mainstream media, a group Trump continually whacked but that has lived off his every antic, will play a big role here.

Registration for UMF online winter, spring courses open to public

FARMINGTON — The University of Maine at Farmington has a broad range of online winter term and spring semester courses now open to the public. Both sessions include courses that may be of particular interest to nontraditional students, individuals interested in returning to school to complete their academic studies, or high school students interested in […]

Cartoon for Saturday, Dec. 5

Mt. Blue Middle School announces honor roll

FARMINGTON — Mt. Blue Middle School has announced its first-quarter honor roll. Grade Six High Honors: Ryan Atwood, Zachary Ball, Lucy Bobson, Hadley Casey, Caitlynn Cassidy, Amara Caton, James Civiello, Finley Clark, Oliver Cormier, Ava Davis, Stephen Davis, Nicholas DeMarco, Molly Drake, Elsa Feegel, Brynne Fournier, Jace Goodrow, Allysa Heintz, Brianna Hill, Lily Jackson, Orin […]

Area schools earn grants to fund outdoor learning projects

LEWISTON — The Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA) distributed mini-grants to teachers all over the state as part of a grants program supporting outdoor learning. The program allowed teachers to apply for up to $1,500 to fund their outdoor learning projects, from projects like building picnic benches for classrooms, creating mud kitchens for young kids, […]