A "psychic vampire" is "a person who gets increased energy around other people, but leaves those other people exhausted or drained of energy." The political class, and the class of now mislabeled political news reporters, are thick with psychic vampires.

Three Dexter Regional High School wrestlers earned berths in this weekend’s New England championship at Methuen (Massachusetts) High School by finishing in the top three of their respective weight classes at the New England Qualifier on Feb. 29 at Noble High School. The competition brings together the top four performers from the Class A and B championships to see who will represent the Pine Tree State on March 7-8.

With the pending retirement of a Waterville hospital executive and the recent addition of a new hospital, Northern Light Health is shuffling around the leadership of its hospitals in central Maine and Piscataquis County.

Many readers have suggested that U.S. Sen. Susan Collins has lost touch with Maine. What surprises me is how out of touch she seems to be with Washington. How could any observer of Washington politicians have thought that the president was going to amend his ways after his impeachment? People don't change, especially when they believe their behavior got them to where they are.

The plan for Legislative District 119 includes work in seven of the district’s towns: Abbot, Greenville, Monson, Parkman, Sangerville, Sebec and Shirley. It includes 12 projects over the next three years, totaling over $12.88 million. Highlights include reconstruction of Route 6 in Abbot ($8,680,000) and work on Route 23 in Sangerville ($2,660,000).

The Final Friday Community Conversations on Climate continued on Feb. 28 with a well-attended potluck dinner followed by a talk by Citizens’ Climate Lobby representative Peter Garrett from Winslow. He reported that both U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King are now members of the Senate Climate Solutions Caucus, an excellent representation for Maine which shows tremendous leadership of our delegation on climate issues.

Each month the SeDoMoCha School recognizes “Students in the Spotlight” celebrating pupils from kindergarten to grade 8 who teachers and staff have determined best demonstrate a specific positive attribute or characteristic chosen for the timeframe from the Habits of Mind (a set of life skills for educators and parents). The February students were honored for “Creating, Imagining and Innovating” on the morning of Monday, March 1.

We are at a crossroads about the future of the Sangerville Town Hall Building. Some factions have the opinion the town hall costs too much to keep in use. Options I’ve heard include to “mothball”, sell or demo it. None of which keep it as a good identity for Sangerville. 

The Bangor Savings Bank Foundation recently awarded $40,461 in grants to 13 nonprofit organizations in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Among the recipients is the Code Maine Coding Academy in Dover-Foxcroft, to provide nine-month, tuition-free, software development and professional skills training to under-advantaged high school graduates in the Maine Highlands region.

Two organizations with a shared vision to meet the health care needs of the people of Piscataquis County have officially come together. Northern Light Health and Mayo Regional Hospital completed their merger agreement on Sunday, March 1. On Monday morning, Michelle Hood, president and CEO of Northern Light Health, joined with Marie Vienneau, president and CEO of the newly named Northern Light Mayo Hospital, for a press conference and celebration at  the hospital with employees.