United Way of the Tri-Valley Area held its inaugural Five Card Float on Saturday, June 26. Participants floated down the Sandy River from Fairbanks Bridge to Farmington’s Department of Health and Human Services. Participants were tasked with collecting a full poker hand dealt along various points of the river. Winners left with a cash prize or a kayak. United Way said all proceeds will go back to the community. Photo courtesy of Andrew Rothert

Spectators react as the 4th of July parade goes by in Farmington Saturday morning, July 3. The Independence Day festivities were held a day early since the holiday fell on Sunday in 2021. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser file photo

Michael and Buzzy Price enjoy some ice cream cones, a brown-butter bourbon and a chocolate soft serve at the Ice Cream Shoppe in Farmington in July. The Prices are from Massachusetts but they were staying at their off-the-grid camp in Rangeley. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

Todd and Carmen Vandegriek take their kayaks out on Wilson Lake for the the first time in July. The Vandegrieks are visiting from Vermont and were excited to explore Wilton. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

In the July 23 edition, the Franklin Journal spoke with the new Regional School Unit 9 superintendent Chris Elkington about his new role. He said public education is essential to the success of American democracy. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

Two bikers travel across Farmington Falls Road on Tuesday, Aug. 3. The bikers had travelled from the start of Route 27 and showed no signs of stopping. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

A new basketball court was built in August in honor of Michaela Morgan and Thomas Deckard-Madore, who passed away in a car crash in February. Pictured, volunteers assemble the basketball hoops at the new M&T Memorial Basketball Court. Brenda Wilcox, one of the organizers, said that many people, businesses and organizations had donated their time, money and services to create the basketball court. Photo courtesy of Brenda Wilcox file photo

Franklin Savings Bank took home first prize for its float at the Wilton Blueberry Festival Parade Saturday, Aug. 7. Judges from the Wilton Select Board deemed Franklin Savings’ float, laden with lobsters and many different kinds of trees, most fitting for  the theme “Maine Today.” Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

Matt Moriarty, a farmhand from New Vineyard, picks eggplants at Rustic Roots Farm in Farmington Wednesday, Aug. 18. It was the height of the season for the farm in mid-August. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

Magician and puppeteer Dana Perkins puts on a show with Larry the Puppet at the Phillips Area Community Center. The performance was a part of the Phillips Old Home Days celebration, which ran Aug. 14-22. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

Nichole Goodspeed, principal of Cascade Brook School, poses with the Mt. Blue mascot during the district’s opening day for staff on Tuesday, Aug. 31. Staff were welcomed back to the Mt. Blue campus for a series of staff days to prepare for the 2021-22 school year. Photo courtesy of Regional School Unit 9 file photo

University of Maine at Farmington students play Frisbee on “the green,” a quad in front of Mantor Library in early September. The college campus was teeming with students for the first time since the spring as classes began for the fall semester. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

Deb Probert resets foot stones at the historical Center Burying Ground in Farmington on Tuesday, Sept. 14. Probert, a member of the Farmington Historical Society, volunteered to assist the town in a restoration of the graveyard that began in the summer of 2020. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

Onlookers watch the pari-mutuel horse racing at the 180th Farmington Fair on Monday, Sept. 20. The Farmington Fair returned in September after a 2020 hiatus due to the pandemic. The fences on the race track were lined with people looking to see if their bets paid off. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

Kelsey Stevenson and her mother, Becky Lewis, wait to compete with Cheddar the calf at the Farmington Fair’s 4-H Dairy competition on Monday, Sept. 20. Stevenson said Cheddar is effectively her pet and they often cuddle together. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

A ribbon-cutting for the refurbished recreational trail off Front Street in Farmington was held Friday, Oct. 15, at the trailhead next to Big Sky Grille and the Better Living Center. One feature was the new bridge at the southern end of the Prescott Field trail. Franklin Journal file photo

Student leaders and members of Maine’s Indigenous community at the University of Maine at Farmington led a teach-in on the Mantor Green on Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women Thursday, Oct. 14. Pictured, from left, are Lexi Pelkey, Chy’Anne Cray, Kali Turner, Enrico Echevarria, Celia Canavan, Kurtis Morton and Scott Donahue, who spoke at or helped to organize the teach-in. It was a part of the university’s 2021 Indigenous Peoples’ Week. Cray, a member of Indigenous community and UMF alumnus, said that students were encouraged to wear red to represent the murdered and missing Indigenous women because red holds spiritual significance in a lot of tribal nations. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

Bryce Gopsill, an elementary school student at W.G. Mallett School in Farmington presses apples, donated by Boothby Orchard, to create cider with teacher Amanda Chick’s assistance at the school’s Fall Frolic day of events on Friday, Oct. 22. The Fall Frolic included a day full of outdoor events and activities as a “final celebration of the season.” Photo courtesy of W.G. Mallett School

Supporters of Maine’s Referendum Question 1 to reject the CMP corridor gathered in front of the Farmington Post Office Thursday, Oct. 28, to educate locals in the final days leading up to the Nov. 2 election. Organizers from Sunrise Movement and No CMP Corridor gathered for the latter’s weekly rally, which has been going on since June 2020. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal

The “Witchy Women” of the Healthy Community Coalition dance around downtown Farmington to highlight breast cancer awareness and encourage residents to get their annual mammograms Friday, Oct. 29. The Witchy Women danced through Tuck’s Ale House and the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies to the tune of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” while holding signs that said “we witch you would get a mammogram.” Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

Farmington’s Parks and Recreation Department Assistant Director Jennifer Savage, dressed as Princess Peach from “Super Mario,” hands out candy to kids attending the town’s Trunk or Treat event at the Farmington Community Center Saturday, Oct. 30. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

Rick Davis hosts the morning show for Big Hits 99.3 WKTJ in downtown Farmington Thursday, Nov. 11. Davis has hosted WKTJ’s morning show since 2004. He’s been in the industry since he fell in love with radio at just five years old. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal

Sara Taylor, communications coordinator at the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, announces Nov. 13 that Kyes Insurance had sponsored the center’s “Making Home Possible” initiative, at a fundraiser in Farmington. CES was asking businesses, community members and institutions to sponsor the initiative, which seeks to build tiny homes for housing-insecure populations in Franklin County. Kyes Insurance sponsored the cause with a $50,000 donation, which would fully fund the first tiny home. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

Wayne Drake, owner of Farmington’s Better Living Center, points out shelves bared by stocking-shortages due to the supply chain issues Thursday, Nov. 18. Drake said the Better Living Center has faced the brunt of supply-chain issues due to the national labor shortage. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal

UMF Campus Safety Asst. Director Wayne Drake drags student Julia Holcomb out of the road in Farmington during a sit in held on Main Street to protest fossil-fuel emissions in Maine, Friday, Nov. 19. Holcomb and three other students blocked the road for 15 minutes until campus and town police intervened. No arrests were made. The sit-in led to debates about what kind of protests are most impactful and likely to instigate change. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

Farmington Police Chief Kenneth Charles at left and Jack Peck, former police chief at right present outgoing Fire Rescue Chief Terry Bell with a plaque recognizing his many years of service. Scott Landry

Maine Gov. Janet Mills waves to parade goers Saturday, Dec. 4, as she walks in the Chester Greenwood Day Parade in Farmington. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal file photo

Michael Savoy-Emmons, left, and Davey Savoy-Emmons paddle a walking canoe Saturday, Dec. 4, during the Chester Greenwood Day Parade in Farmington. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Jo Josephson lights a menorah built by Bob Parnes on the seventh night of Hanukkah Saturday, Dec. 4, in Temple. Josephson is a former Livermore Falls Advertiser editor, a writer and a founding member of “Bagel and Dreidel,” a group for the Jewish community of Franklin County. The local Jewish community celebrated Hannukah Nov. 28 to Dec. 6. Though at surface level Hanukkah is about “miracles,” Josephson feels that the true story of Hanukkah is one of fighting against persecution for religious freedom. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

Cameron Salisbury, of Farmington, died Tuesday, Dec. 7, after he drove his car through a wall and into Bouffard’s Furniture and Carpet in Farmington. Pictured, firefighters examine the damage inside Bouffard’s. Submitted file photo

Chris Gauthier adjusts the Christmas decorations for 3D Games’ storefront in downtown Farmington Wednesday, Dec. 15. Gauthier said the gaming store added the Pokémon character to its storefront during seasons like the winter holidays to “add an extra little pizzaz.” Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

From left, Emma Schurink, staff writer Kay Neufeld and John Nichols present their winning creation, the ‘Le Mont’ ski resort, for the Chester Greenwood Day Gingerbread House Building Competition Sunday, Dec. 5. Though the winners weren’t formally announced until Monday, Dec. 13, Neufeld decided to claim the victory beforehand and corralled Schurink and Nichols into posing for a winners’ photograph. Photo courtesy of Kay Neufeld file photo

Jessica Woodend of the Chewonski Foundation presents one of three owls to onlookers at Twice Sold Tales Saturday, Dec. 18. The owl exhibition was a part of downtown Farmington’s “Night Owls Shopping Event,” where stores stayed open until 9 p.m. for holiday shopping that included Christmas carolers and some proceeds going to Literacy Volunteers. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal file photo

A plow clears a blanket of snow from the sidewalks in front of the University of Maine at Farmington Wednesday, Dec. 21. Franklin County was hit with a winter storm that coated the streets in thick layers of sleet and ice. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal

Santa Claus chats with six-year-old Cleopatra Casey about what she wants for Christmas on Friday, Dec. 24. Claus, known by some as Ray Parlin of Farmington spent Christmas Eve morning roaming the streets of downtown Farmington. Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal