And now for the breaking news:

RSU #20 Kindergarten Registration for the school year 2012-2013

Do you live in Swanville and have a child who will turn 5 on or before October 15, 2012?  Please call the Nickerson School as soon as possible to register your child for kindergarten classes for September 2012.  You need to speak with Leslie Simmons, the school secretary.  She can be reached at 338-1858, ext. "0."

And in the weather:

I've never seen such a warm January, and February hasn't really gotten any colder.  Swanville has seen as many days in the 40's as in the 20's.  Still there are about 14 shanties on the ice of our lovely lake.  The whole of the sheet of it has moved a bit to the west, and the pressure ridges are standing about a foot and a half high on the west shore, just north of Tim Whitcomb's camp (may he rest in peace).

Local news in government:

The fish-for-free day is Saturday, February 18, so for all of us who wouldn't normally pay money to freeze our nether parts and handle crawlers and bait fish, we can go out for a day without having to pay an onerous fee for a fishing license.  (I think the best bait is fish eyes for ice fishing, but my friend thinks just plain canned corn kernels work great.)  Ah, the things we do to make lasting memories.  Also folks, if you haven't licensed your dog, you're past due, and a late fee will also be due.  Call Helen at the town office to get the exact amount ahead of time, or bring your checkbook.

Regarding politics in Swanville, our caucus was on Saturday, February 4, and we had a record 6 registered Republicans turn out to make their voices heard in the straw poll for the Republican presidential candidate (one had to leave before the straw poll was taken).  I started going to these events three caucuses ago because I figured if I wanted to see things go my way, I should get involved and give it a chance rather than gripe.  I've been to two state conventions, and expect to be at this year's.  It takes very little to get involved and help to make a change.  Also, working people are going to have to get a little more tired if they want to hold our country together.  This is our time, this is our duty, to "pledge our lives, fortunes, and sacred honor" in the necessary defense of our country.  And all it takes is turning out to events like these.  The folks in Waldo County who pitch in to keep their political party functioning are accountable and transparent at the local level.  We need more common sense retirees, undistracted by careers and childrearing, to influence County and state level issues.  Come get involved.  Are you curious to know how the straw poll went?  In Swanville, it was 4 for Ron Paul, and 1 for Mitt Romney.  Of the towns attending, it was unofficially 38 for Rick Santorum, 37 for Ron Paul, and 36 for Mitt Romney, while I was still hanging around the room.  There may have been a town that wasn't included in then unfinished process.  The Swanville attendees made a motion to the Waldo County leadership to make the results of the attending towns public immediately.  Boy, am I glad we did!  It appears that the RINO (Republican-in-name-only) crowd has its tentacles down to the county level.  All you state pols take notice.  We are watching you at the local level and some of us know the governor personally.  Two to one, the MidCoast wants much more conservative candidates than the two you keep calling "the obvious front-runners."

In sports:

Don't even ask me to comment or explain the last five minutes of the Superbowl.  Did you ever think you would live to see someone unwillingly, "by mistake", sit down slowly backwards over the goal line to make a touchdown?  What defensive team clears an opening for that touchdown with only a minute on the clock?  The kids in the church youth group want to know.  Oh, right, they do know.

Keep it classy, Swanville!