Last week Gov. Janet Mills and Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife commissioner Judy Camuso announced an early opening of the state's open-water fishing season, and also said that until April 30, no fishing licenses would be necessary.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, March 27 Trisha Smith, home horticulture aide at UMaine Cooperative Extension Piscataquis County will be hosting a live Zoom conference version of the new “Fourth Friday Plant Clinic.” The conference may be accessed through PC, Mac or smartphone at https://maine.zoom.us/j/146882821.

Despite all the changes and uncertainty, the Thompson Free Library (TFL) in Dover-Foxcroft continues to offer resources and information to our patrons and the community especially through our Facebook page and website (thompsonfreelibrary.lib.me.us).

We must assume ongoing risk of community transmission. We must continue social distancing. Stay home unless you have to leave for essential tasks. We must limit visiting with family who are not in our immediate households. Shopping for food or other supplies should no longer be a regular occurrence, but rather an occurrence of necessity

University of Maine Cooperative Extension created a user-friendly webpage featuring links to recently completed resources related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

With the novel coronavirus reaching pandemic levels, everyone has been stockpiling for the Centers for Disease Control’s recommended social distancing, self-isolation and self-quarantine, which could last for several weeks. That’s led to stores running out of products like hand sanitizer, hand soap and toilet paper.

Usually after the Legislature closed I would go door to door as l am running for reelection. Because of the coronavirus pandemic I don't feel this possible. I will reach out the best I can. Feel free to contact me at 207-876-4047, 207-343-0258 and sendavis@myottmail.com.

April – Maine’s seasonal limbo month -- just got a little more interesting. Gov. Mills directed Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Camuso to waive the need for a fishing license during the entire month of April. Of course, anglers must still abide by all of the fishing regulations as outlined in the new fishing law book, but nobody needs a license for the first 30 days of the open water fishing season, which commences April 1.

The March 3 meeting of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC)/Miosac Club was held at Thayer Parkway. The evening's hostesses were Wendy Hutchins and Roxy McGlauflin.  The program chairm was Minnie McCormick.

Once I overheard a fellow genealogist complain that his family wasn’t interested in his research and all they wanted “was stories.” He was a “just the facts” genealogist and I sympathized with his family. Even I nod off when faced with a lengthy repetition of pages filled with nothing but names, birth, marriage and death dates.