Amid all the wild words and phrases that weather reporters bandy about during the winter -- polar vortex, bombogenesis -- there’s one panic-inducing term that dates back hundreds of years, predating modern-day snowmageddons: nor’easter.

As winter gets colder and the ice on local lakes and ponds gets thicker, more of us will waddle out there, drill a few holes and try to catch some fish. Wouldn’t you love it if you knew how to catch even more?

Galen Cole, a former Bangor mayor and businessman who spent decades commemorating the experiences of Maine veterans after he narrowly survived a German artillery attack while serving in World War II, died Jan. 9 at the age of 94.

Foxcroft Academy sophomore Jacob Reed tied for second in the high jump during an Eastern Maine Indoor Track League/Penobscot Valley Conference meet on Jan. 11 at the University of Maine.

"According to a new study in [the Journal of the American Medical Association] JAMA, life expectancy at birth stopped increasing since 2010 and actually decreased in the US for three consecutive years. To put this in perspective, the last time we saw three consecutive years of declining [life expectancy] was 100 years ago, coinciding with the flu epidemic of 1918." That is the lead paragraph from a December 29, 2019 email update I received from Dr. Peter Attia with the equally attention grabbing subject line: "Why is life expectancy in the US declining?"

Veterans assistance (VA issues and other benefits) will be provided at Milo American Legion Post 41 from 1-4 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Walk in or make an appointment by calling 207-943-9135.

Maine’s woods are full of mysteries, large and small. Sometimes, those of us who spend time afield might not recognize all of the mysterious goings-on around us. At other times -- like when there’s a fresh coating of snow on the ground -- the evidence is much more clear.

Rep. Norman Higgins, I-Dover-Foxcroft announces his candidacy for a fourth term in the Maine Legislature.

I remember early in my career Roger AuClair, the regional fisheries biologist for the Moosehead Lake region at that time, told us a story about shore-spawning brook trout in the big lake. Roger knew a gentleman from Rockwood that was a caretaker for some camps, and he was also a trapper.

I recently received two emails from readers looking for great places to snowshoe in Maine. They were looking for trail suggestions, and boy did I have a lot to say. Too much to say, really. So I decided to write a whole advice column on the topic.