LEWISTON, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- A rainy forecast may have cancelled the Lewiston Auburn Memorial Day parade, but that didn't stop veterans from the Schooner Estates Retirement Community from observing the holiday -- even if it was a few days early.

Veterans, tenants, and staff from the Auburn retirement community gathered in Veterans' Memorial Park in Lewiston Friday morning for an impromptu wreath-laying ceremony.

Organizers had originally planned on holding the ceremony this weekend, but moved the date to avoid the rain.

"The rain didn't stop them from protecting us, and we felt that the rain wasn't going to stop us from coming out here and remembering and celebrating who they were," said John Rice, Director of Operations at Schooner Estates.

For veteran Marie Terry Gendron, every Memorial Day is special -- but this one was particularly moving.

AUBURN, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Last year, deputies and dispatchers in Androscoggin County lost contact so frequently, the dispatch center equipment was determined to be unsafe.

Two hundred thousand dollars in upgrades later, and the Sheriff's Department is unveiling its state of the art dispatch center in the county building in Auburn.

"It's just a breath of fresh air," said Captain Raymond Lafrance, Director of Public Safety.

Captain Lafrance said County Commissioners allocated the funds for repairs six years ago, but there were debates about whether to consolidate dispatch services, or close the center altogether.

Last year, officials made the final call to update the existing center.

The money has paid for all new equipment, including computers and radios inside the building, along with new furniture.

AUBURN, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Last month, Governor LePage announced the state would be ending its contract with Apple, giving Maine students Hewlett Packard laptops instead.

But that decision also comes with a choice: school districts can opt for other highly rated options, including Apple iPads.

In Auburn, kindergarten students and first graders have already been using iPads in the classroom in a program called Advantage 2014.

School administrators say there's evidence to show students using the tablet technology improve test scores across the board.

"When you combine good training with a good teacher and an iPad, our students learn so much more than with just a good teacher alone," said Mike Muir, the Multiple Pathways Leader for the Auburn School Department.