Todd Mackey of Rockport isn’t among those who’ve entered the BDN’s “Win a Drift Boat Trip” contest for years and years. In fact, he’s new to the fly fishing game, and entered for the first time this year. That didn’t matter to lady luck: Mackey was randomly selected from a field of about 600 applicants to go on a full-day fly fishing trip.

I’ve never been all that moralistic about public officials. While I am certain that there are good people who hold public office, in my experience the truth has been that power and influence attract only the worst among us.

Coming to the Milo Free Public Library Wednesday, April 17 from 6-7 p.m. Ed Rice former journalist, college instructor and author of “Baseball’s First Indian” published in 2003 is coming to discuss the legacies of Louis Sockalexis, the first known Native American to play professional baseball. The talk is in support of a special project to raise awareness about why this largely forgotten Maine historical figure is worthy of such respect

It can vary by days, but in Maine the middle of April always ushers in the annual smelt runs from coldwater lakes up nearby brooks and streams. As every salmon angler knows, these small rainbow smelts are the key food source for landlocked salmon. Rule of thumb: no smelt, no salmon.

Penquis Valley High School senior Cymeria Robshaw has been named to the MTCCA Indoor Track & Field 2019 All-State Team. Robshaw is one of 14 team members from Classes A and B from across the state.

Democrats and progressives in Maine are ready for 2020. They are so ready. They’re so ready, in fact, that they might be having a little trouble remembering that it’s just April of 2019.

Advance care planning isn’t just for those with life-limiting illnesses – but for all of us. Pine Tree Hospice is offering a free informative seminar at Dexter Health Care, located at 64 Park Street, from 1-3:30 p.m. on Monday, April 15.

The impeachment ship is foundering in the breakers of the Mueller report. From blaming Trump election despondency for their obsessive reporting to outright denial, the old guard media is at a loss to explain how their spin got “unspun” before the eyes of the nation. The old ships are taking on water.

The library will be hosting free digital literacy classes beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24. The first class will be an introduction to social media. These classes are designed to help you grow your computer and digital literacy skills. Please call 876-4547 for more information.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension is now accepting tick samples for tick-borne disease testing. Maine residents can have ticks tested for the pathogens that cause the three most common tick-borne diseases — Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis — for $15 per sample. Species identification of tick samples continues to be free.