CRITTER CHATTER — Gray fox: in a class of its own

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a gray fox brought to the shelter.

by Jayne Winters

Don Cote, of Duck Pond Wildlife Rehab, has a soft spot for foxes and although rehabs mostly reds, I sense he’s partial to the grays. When I visited a few weeks ago, he led me to an enclosure which housed a beautiful gray fox which will be released this spring and proceeded to explain the differences between the two species.

Maine’s red fox population is widespread, occurring in all 16 counties. Adults weigh 7-15 pounds and are red/orange in appearance with a white chest, black legs, and bushy white-tipped tail. The gray fox is most often found in central, mid-coast and southern Maine, although Don stated there is evidence they are moving north. They weigh about 10 pounds and are “grizzled” in coloration, with a mix of white, red, black and gray fur, often with a touch of red on the neck, ears and lower legs. They are easily discerned from reds by the black stripe down their tail with a prominent black tip at the end, with the tail making up almost a third of their total body length. The gray has fairly short legs, with an elongated torso in comparison to other foxes. Its eyes are oval-shaped, with a thick black stripe running from the inner corners down to its mouth.

Both species have excellent hearing and eyesight which prove particularly useful when hunting for prey hidden under the snow or ground. Both species are primarily nocturnal, but are seen during the day especially in spring and summer when hunting for their young families. They eat a wide variety of plants and animals, depending on the season, including small birds, eggs, mice, voles, rats, rabbits, insects, snakes, carrion, berries, apples, corn, seeds, and nuts. Foxes are found in diverse habitats and do well in a mix of fields and forest; the loss of natural habitat, however, has forced them to adapt and they’ve become quite tolerant of living near people.

Important to note, however, is that the gray fox isn’t simply a gray-colored red fox—it belongs to a different genus altogether. DNA testing reveals it isn’t closely related to other canines and is likely the oldest fox species in the world – more than 10 million years old! It isn’t really known why they’re so different, but one theory is that they may have been isolated to a particular area of the world and needed to develop certain characteristics to survive. Like a cat, its nails are retractable, making it the only member of the canid (dog) family in North America that can easily climb trees (reds climb, but not as well as grays) and jump from branch to branch. Their sharp claws give them the ability to climb as high as 50-60 feet, aided by forearms which can be rotated.

In doing further research, I found the gray fox has a body built for speed, easily reaching 28 mph. It loves to swim and utilizes ponds/lakes by chasing its prey into the water. Due to its build and stamina, the fox doesn’t tire easily, but the prey will become exhausted, making it vulnerable to drowning, after which the fox retrieves it.

Don told me they admit only one to four gray foxes a year and shared the sad story of two that had been hit by a car. Both were taken to the vet for evaluation and although neither had fractures, died of internal injuries within hours. Another gray that came to Duck Pond Rehab had come into contact with a porcupine, its mouth and snout filled with quills. For those who don’t know, porky quills are extremely painful and can be life-threatening. They have to be removed in one piece very carefully with pliers, as if broken or missed, can migrate to other parts of the body. Although Don and Amy, a longtime volunteer at the Center, removed the quills, the fox had to be tube fed until it could see the vet, but sadly died before the appointment. The gray fox currently in residence was admitted this past fall and will be released in the spring.

Donald Cote operates the Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center, on Rte. 3, in Vassalboro. It is a nonprofit federal and state permitted rehab facility which is supported by his own resources and outside donations. Mailing address: 1787 North Belfast Ave., Vassalboro ME 04989 TEL: (207) 445-4326. EMAIL: thewildlifecarecenter@gmail.com.

MAINE MEMORIES: The Grocery Trip!

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by Evangeline T.

Hello and welcome to Maine Memories, little snippets of life from our home state.

As a child, I lived in a small house located between two hills. One was called Cemetery Hill, since there was a cemetery at the beginning of it. The other was Freeze Hill, because families living there had the last name of Freeze. A nearby dirt road went nowhere, except back into miles of woods. Cars were few, so sliding on the hills in winter was allowed without fear. It wasn’t unusual to find kids taking advantage of snowy days and the thrills of sliding down a slippery, icy slope!

Also located between the two hills was a pond called Mill Stream, a railroad crossing, and two houses: ours and a large farm owned by a neighbor. He had a frog pond in his field, and whenever it froze, my friends and I put on our skates and had fun.

We always had plenty of snow. Our road was scraped by the town, so perfect sliding hills were available. Back then, the road wasn’t plowed, just scraped with a grader pulled behind a truck. The grader had a high blade on it. A man had to guide the blade with a steering wheel, an image I’ve never forgotten.

Against such a backdrop, something unusual — and a little frightening — happened. It began with Mrs. Freeze putting together a grocery list. She told her two sons and daughter to take their sleds and go to the general store for supplies. It was approximately a mile away to
town and wouldn’t be that much of a trek.

Putting on their coats and boots, mittens and hats, they got their sleds and started out, list in pocket. When they walked past my house, they decided to ask me to go, too, so with mother’s permission, off I went, with sled in tow. Plus, a nickel for candy at the general store!

Now, the general store sold everything from groceries to blue jeans. I liked that place, full of wonders galore. One had to do with a pair of jeans so big, they would’ve fit the Jolly Green Giant! These jeans were hung from store supports and used as an advertisement, and they certainly were conversation-starters! Very memorable. And imaginative!

On arrival, we gave Mrs. Freeze’s grocery list to the clerk, who busily went about gathering all the items together. Meanwhile, we each selected our own candy, mine being a roll of candy wafers by Necco. The clerk handed us a grocery bag, and went ran out into the frosty cold morning.

Trudge, trudge, trudge. The snow was packed solid and going back took longer. When we got to the top of Cemetery Hill, someone suggested we hook our sleds together like a train. Sounded like a fun idea! Then, placing the groceries on the biggest sled with the smallest boy holding them, everybody got ready.

Uh-oh. We were setting ourselves up for disaster, without even knowing it.
Down the hill we sped, laughing and having a great time. Then, half-way down, the middle sled suddenly veered sideways. You guessed it, the whole train turned over, collapsing
like a house of cards.

The sleds, kids, and groceries all came to a stop, and it’s a sight burned onto my memory. One of the girl stood up with eggs dripping from her black coat. My candy wafers were a trail of different colors, marking a path down the hill.

We stood there in the midst of this terrific mess, quiet, not knowing what to say. One of the boys finally broke the silence. “Our mama’s gonna kill us,” he muttered. “Whose bright idea was this, anyway?”

“We all agreed. That means, everyone’s to blame,” his sister piped in, “including you.” Yes, she was right; we were all to blame, definitely.

We gathered up as much as we could, packed it securely and headed home. My house was first, and since I wasn’t bringing groceries, I didn’t get into trouble. The others left me with sad looks on their faces. I could only imagine what kind of greeting they encountered, with a dozen broken eggs in the bag!

They never told me what happened, and none of them were ever sent to the general store for groceries with their sleds again. A lesson learned…but at least it wasn’t a total loss. I managed to save some of my candy wafers, and boy, did they taste good!

VETERANS CORNER: Veterans who qualify should contact the VA for vaccine appointments

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Veterans Administration facility at Togus. (Internet photo)

by Gary Kennedy

Well here we are again. Most of us especially veterans thought it would be over in Washington by now but much to our dismay politicians are still planning and plotting ways to get the upper hand in one way or another. The Biden entrance exam is under way with stimulus that makes some of us lust and others to drool for more. It seems the big issue is does a previous $600 stimulus plus a new $1,400 stimulus add up to the $2,000, some believe promised, of course, the debt accrual over the long haul is not being considered. Some don’t even care; just give me the money. There is no easy way to give a stimulus to those in need only. There are many people of means who will receive and keep that money as well. Of course, taxes have to go up and some programs have to be shutdown. Veterans watch this very closely as they know what can happen when the country and world are placed in desperate situations.

In case you haven’t been watching the world has been mobilizing while we play partisan politics; a dangerous oversight of reality, I use veterans in particular as they are always on alert when it comes to threats to our country. So if you haven’t been paying meaningful attention there are powers that be out there that are mobilizing in a very serious way. We should be hanging our head is shame. In our arrogance we boast world superiority when it comes to military might. We shouldn’t be so careless. India has just purchased 80 fighter aircraft from the Russians. That’s a lot of sky power. Iran says they can go nuclear now. We thought we had N. Korea at bay but we are finding out that they may have purchased nuclear weapons instead of making them. China has built a powerful base in the Sprattle Islets which actually belongs to the Philippines, but President Duterte says, “what can I do?” The Chinese are too powerful to argue with. Taiwan is a target of China which we need to defend and it seems that the agreement between England and Hong Kong has been broken. If we throw in the Covid-19 problem we are super extended. Who will side with us when all is said and done? It seems we aren’t loved nor feared as once was the case. We might need the second amendment.

Then in all of this we have the President Trump report card. The political parties argue over how much he did and how much can others claim. We are still trying for the second time to impeach. I personally am ashamed of what we have become. I pray that we get it straight soon. The politicians are now fighting over who gets the credit for the vaccine. It hasn’t been given out fast enough some are saying. I heard on the news this morning that one of the western states and Florida are the best states for distribution. I would argue with that as I have been watching Maine and especially the VA Center at Togus Maine which has been giving thousands of doses of Moderna out already.

The caregivers at Togus are complete and many elderly with comorbidities have received the vaccine. There have been lines for two weeks, many elderly vets have been called and appointments given. If you are elderly, especially with comorbidities and you haven’t been called then you need to contact your primary caregivers’ office. Obviously, the vaccine is given out in the order of established need. If you’re a veteran contact the VA center at 623-8411 and push “0”. Ask for advice on vaccine. If you are 100 percent disabled with other serious issues, waste no time.

God bless you and yours and a little extra for bringing us together.

The views of the author are not necessarily those of The Town Line newspaper, its staff and board of directors.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: It’s Groundhog Day; what does Woody have in store for us?

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Woody on Zoom.

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

While I was checking my calendar last week, I realized that February 2 is next Tuesday. Where does time go?

It’s time for me to take my annual trek to visit by little, furry friend, Woodrow Charles, the weather prognosticating groundhog.

Folklore has it that should Woody see his shadow on Groundhog Day, we will experience six more weeks of winter, whereas, if he doesn’t see his shadow, we can plan on an early spring.

As I looked out the window, it was a beautiful day, brilliant blue sky, nary a cloud in sight, and temperature hovering in the mid-30s. It has been a remarkably mild winter thus far. For the first time, the hike up to his domain in center Vassalboro will be an easy one. No snow and I’ll be walking on bare ground. After all these years, it’s getting harder and harder to get up the energy to take this annual trip.

As I walked to the closet to fetch my coat and hat, I figured I should check my emails one more time. After all, I would be gone for most of the afternoon.

Scrolling down through the many emails I receive each day I noticed one from Woodrow Charles.

I opened it wondering why he was getting in touch with me this way. He’s never done that before.

In his message he said, “Sorry to inconvenience you, but because of the Covid-19 pandemic, I would rather you didn’t come out this year. I have set up a Zoom account, and we can do it that way.”

Well, to be honest, I have a dislike for Zoom conferences. For some reason, they seem impersonal. But, what was I to do.

At the designated time, I logged on to my computer, and waited for Woody to make his appearance. I sure hope he’s wearing pants.

After about ten minutes, his face came up on my screen.

“How’s everything going? Are you OK?” I asked.

“Sure, everything is good,” he replied. “Keeping my distance from everyone. We don’t know how that virus would affect a groundhog should he become infected. Not much science on that.”

“Well, I was hoping maybe you’d be available again this year,” I stressed. “It’s been 17 years, you know. I didn’t want to break the streak.”

Woodrow replied, “Well, it’s best to do it this way this year, and be able to resume our tete-a-tete next year.”

“I will miss your great raspberry tea,” I continued. “The warmth and coziness of the wood fire, and the aroma of the wax melter in your abode is magnificent. Who can not like the scent of Essence de Cabbage.”

“Well, all that aside,“ he came back. “It’s also gonna be different this year. You know how I host a Super Bowl party each year. My buddies, Frank, Butch and Slim won’t be able to come over to watch the Super Bowl. At least the grocery bill will be less this year. They are such moochers.”

“Can’t you wear masks and social distance?” I asked.

“Well, my place is a little cramped. Best to be safe. Wouldn’t want to spread the virus throughout groundhog land. And besides, those masks don’t go well attached to our ears.”

“So, what do you have for me this year?”

“I stopped making predictions,” Woody said. “Seems whatever team I root for, always comes out the loser.”

“If you’re like me,” I answered, “Even though you don’t say it out loud, just thinking about which team I want to win seems to be a jinx on them, anyway.”

Woody rubbed his chin, looking like he was thinking of something serious. “I have to say I have to go from the heart this year, and wish my old buddy, Tom, the best of luck.”

“Well, said. So how about the rest of the winter?”

“The way I see it,” he started, “early February will see sunny and mild temperatures, with rain and snow showers through mid-February, followed by sunny and mild temperatures into the third week of the month. Late February will see rain and snow showers, again, with cold temperatures at first, turning mild later on. The temperatures in February could be as much as 5 degrees above normal with slightly above normal snowfall. We will experience a period of snowy weather in mid-March.”

“What are you trying to say,” I asked.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is that even though the weather seems milder and warmer than usual for a Maine winter, snow will not leave us until at least the middle of March. Plan on six more weeks of winter.”

“Well, I can’t argue with you. You nailed it right on the head last year, compared to those other groundhogs around the country.”

“What can I say,” replied Woody, a little flauntingly, “I have my reputation to uphold.”

With that, we said our adieus, and signed off.

I sure miss our little person-to-groundhog visits.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

How many playoff wins does Tom Brady have?

Answer can be found here.

Give Us Your Best Shot! for Thursday, January 28, 2021

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To submit a photo for this section, please visit our contact page or email us at townline@townline.org!

RUFFLED FEATHERS: Emily Poulin, of South China, captured this female cardinal, left, and a gold finch as they seem to have a disagreement at the feeder.

FLYING SOLO: Tina Richard, of Clinton, snapped this eaglet in flight last fall.

MARCHING ORDERS: William Coolahan photographed these six turtles as they appear to be marching in order on some fallen logs.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: What Blood Cancer Patients Need To Know

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New patient information form.

Knowing your MRD status can help you move forward with confidence when planning for all of life’s ­moments.

(NAPSI)—If you or someone you know has ever had blood cancer, a term you might have heard is “minimal residual disease,” or MRD. MRD refers to the small number of cancer cells that can stay in the body during and after treatment. Often, these cells are present at such low levels they do not cause any physical signs or symptoms. However, they may be a sign that cancer is returning.

As one of the strongest predictors of patient outcomes in blood cancer, MRD status can help you and your doctor understand how your body is responding to treatment and how it may change over time. When your MRD status shifts, you may find that the course of your blood cancer journey changes as well.

clonoSEQ® is an FDA-cleared test used to detect MRD in bone marrow from patients with multiple myeloma or B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and blood or bone marrow from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Testing is ordered by your doctor and performed by a licensed lab. clonoSEQ can detect very low levels of MRD—one cancer cell among a million cells (provided sufficient sample input)—so you and your doctor can be confident in your MRD status and prepared to act quickly if the cancer returns.

Talk to your doctor. If you have a blood cancer, talk with your care team about your MRD status to pinpoint where you are with your disease and develop a plan that works for you. To find a specialist and learn more, visit clonoSEQ.com and ask your doctor if clonoSEQ MRD testing is right for you.

Routine MRD testing may help detect the return of cancer before physical signs and symptoms arise. Knowing your MRD status can help you move forward with confidence when planning for all of life’s moments.

clonoSEQ is available by prescription use only. For more important information about the FDA-cleared uses of clonoSEQ, including sample types and test limitations, visit clonoSEQ.com/technical-summary.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: Cabin fever can take on many looks

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by Debbie Walker

How are you doing with your winter this year? I say this year because it is a little different than most. This year winter is following almost an entire year of isolation. Life has definitely been different than most years before it.

The winter months and the weather are usually the reason for some folks to experience cabin fever. Restlessness, irritability, and loneliness are all symptoms of cabin fever. Sound familiar? I believe it sounds familiar to a lot of people who experience a New England winter.

Even if you enjoy aspects of winter such as skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice fishing, and ice skating, I doubt there are many who enjoy shoveling and driving on slippery roads. It brings its own stress.

Some will experience deeper bouts of cabin fever, actually consider the word depression. Don’t assume family and friends or your neighbors will know to reach out to you to help. If you are aware of what is going on, seek help.

Please keep in mind sometimes it is easy to help others. Maybe just a phone call every few days. Maybe offering to pick up things for someone who really needs to stay isolated due to severe health problems. We can all help someone and that will make us feel better, as well.

I know you still have restaurants that are closed or only open for take out meals. In a normal winter we can always get into conversations with other patrons of that type of business. There are usually interesting conversations and laughs. So many of our servers are the only friendly faces that some people experience in a day. I wonder how many folks had to learn how to make their own coffee!

Don’t forget the children. They have had to deal with the new experience as well. Children miss seeing their friends. Maybe they don’t understand why they can’t visit their friends or other family members. Why can’t we go to the movies? Watching a movie on TV is not like going to the latest cinema movie, they don’t understand why the movie house isn’t open.

School is at best, iffy for some. There are struggles to get these children a good education. Some families are able to be more help than others. It’s a shame but that is the reality. The teachers are limited as well, both in school and in virtual teaching.

Anyway…. I guess what I am asking for is kindness for yourself and others. And that is my two-cents worth on that subject.

Wait, no, I forgot. One more thing. It is winter, and your pets will be forever thankful if you will take a little extra time for them. Don’t assume that having a heavier winter fur coat means they are toasty warm and comfortable.

We are having some cold weather here, too. It’s been in the low 30s several mornings with more headed our way. Our winter days here are similar to your fall weather.

I’m just curious how you are doing with cabin fever. Contact me at DebbieWalker@townline.org with any questions or comments. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful week!

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto in G Major

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Arturo Toscanini

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto in G Major

Back during the summer of 1965, the family had a General Electric table model radio which I listened to by the hour when it broadcast classical music from WMTW-FM then located in the old Poland Springs Hotel, at the foot of Mount Washington. Anyways, it regularly programmed stereo recordings as part of its nightly Evening Concert which ran for two hours from 9 to 11 p.m., except for Saturday nights when Ray Smith hosted his weekly show of big band jazz records.

As an obsessed record collector, I wanted to hear every disc that came my way and took note of piece and performer for consideration with my very limited purchasing power; I remember the thrill of discovery with certain works – the Brahms 3rd Symphony with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra and its life-affirming opening pages or the sweetly exquisite Faure’s Pelleas and Melisande incidental music via the Charles Munch/Philadelphia Orchestra album.

Usually the station avoided recordings from before the late ‘40’s LP years but, one evening, the announcer stated that an exception would be made with an RCA Victor release of a 1944 broadcast from the NBC Symphony led by Arturo Toscanini and pianist Rudolf Serkin of Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto in G Major because of its merit as a performance.

Like the Emperor Concerto, the 4th opens with the solo piano; unlike the Emperor with its bold assertive flourishes, its notes are of a gentler nature, and then the orchestra re-states the opening melody with very beguiling sonorites. The 2nd movement is a conversation between the meditative piano and the abrupt, at times abrasive orchestra which shortly leads, without a break, into the joyful concluding Finale with its knuckle-busting chords.

Serkin and Toscanini pulled it off with driving ferocity that some even considered too hectic, not including myself; the pianist would later record two distinguished 4ths with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra and leave another fine broadcast with an Italian radio orchestra that was released during the ‘80s on LP and CD.

Other superb 4ths were left by such titans as Artur Rubinstein, Walter Gieseking, Claudio Arrau, Alfred Brendel, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Van Cliburn, Guiomar Novaes, Clara Haskil, Van Cliburn, Wilhelm Backhaus, Edwin Fischer, Wilhelm Kempff, Friedrich Gulda, Artur Schnabel, Julius Katchen, Gina Bachauer, Emil Gilels, Artur Schnabel, Clifford Curzon, Glenn Gould and Leon Fleisher.

Elvis vs. Boone

In 1955, Elvis Presley was the opening act for Pat Boone in a Cleveland, Ohio, concert. In 1957, a poll was taken among teenagers as to which singer had more fans. Among boys, Boone was preferred 2 to 1 over Elvis, and 3 to 1 among girls. Both singers did have a high regard for each other and both made a number of fine records.

Winter quote from the Greek philosopher Aristotle – “To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold.”

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS: Finding and hiring the right people, Part 1

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Growing your businessby Dan Beaulieu
Business consultant

Part 1

One of the more pressing problems that small business owners have is finding, hiring, and most importantly keeping the right people. This has been an issue with small business for years, and it seems that it is an issue that never really gets solved. I have done some research on this and then talked to a number of people who seem to have good people around them and these are the suggestions I have come up with.

Read on, hopefully they will help you.

  • Promote the good aspects of working for your company: Make sure your company has a good reputation. Not only in terms of your market but in terms of being a good company for which to work. There are even websites now where employees can go and review what it’s like to work for your company. If you have employees who are content, ask them to post a review.
  • Offer a referral fee to your employees: Reward them for recommending a good candidate. Pay them a fee if the candidate works out
  • Don’t just offer them a job, offer them a career: This is critical. Let them know from the very beginning they can make a good living working in your business. Let them see the future and how bright it can be if they do a good job.
  • Offer flexibility: Yes, offer as much flexibility as you possibly can. Especially in these hard times. Try to meet your employees’ needs. People have kids, people have obligations. It’s part of our job as business owners to try to navigate these tricky schedule waters. If the candidate is someone you want on your team then try to make their schedule and your needs work. This one is not easy, but it can be a key to getting the best people on your team, especially right now.
  • Create a sense of mission: Show them the bigger picture. Share your vision of being the best company in your field, whether that be the best pizza restaurant, or the best landscaping company, show them a mission and vision of being the best. This is one of the best ways to get them not only motivated, but in for the long haul.

One certainty is that a company, any company, is only as good as its people. And its people are only going to be as good as you and your company motivate them to be. And in the end that’s the best way to grow your business.

STUDENT WRITERS: Reaction to Covid-19 outbreak, and school

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The Town Line presents the STUDENT WRITERS PROGRAM
This week featuring: ERSKINE ACADEMY

by Wes McGlew
Junior, Erskine Academy

What seemed like 10 years ago, March, was the beginning of this crazy, terrifying, isolating adventure that we experienced through a screen. Everything I had been looking forward to this year had suddenly been uprooted and thrown out. I think a lot of people were in shock or denial, or I don’t know what.

I was sitting in Global Studies, my sophomore year, as Griffin and I were talking about the up-coming lacrosse season and spring soccer, while the teacher was teaching us about the colonization of Africa. We probably should have been paying attention a little better. Most of it went in one ear and out the other. I asked Griffin, “So, is there anyone new joining the travel team this spring?” He must not have heard me at first, but I made sure to get his attention by throwing a piece of paper at his head. That seemed to work. I asked him again.

“I don’t think so man, just the same guys. We lost our keeper though. He decided to focus on track this year,” he replied. We both thought that was pretty dumb, but before we could start talking about who might be a good replacement, we heard the familiar voice of the loud speaker, but it wasn’t the usual message, like, “Mason, please go to the guidance office.” It was a little more alarming…

What we heard instead shocked us all: “Due to the alarming increase of Covid-19, Erskine Academy will be closed starting tomorrow for two weeks. During the two weeks, we advise you all to stay quarantined in hopes of slowing the spread. We wish all of you good health, and hopefully we will see you soon.” Griffin and I immediately looked at each other, with the same blank expression, like we had just seen a ghost. Little did we know, this wouldn’t only put a hold on our sports seasons, but our lives as a whole.

I went home that day with my older sister Reece. We exchanged just a few quick comments on the otherwise quiet ride home. We both rushed inside to tell my mum the news we had heard at school. She told us to look at it as a positive, but that it would mean that we couldn’t see our friends, and for me it meant I couldn’t see my girlfriend, Sam, for at least two weeks. Luckily for me, I had just gotten my license, so from time to time I drove over to Sam’s house and talked for a while from my car. For two weeks that’s how it was. Boring, but bearable.

We just got worse news after that. Covid had gotten so bad, that school would be closed for the entire rest of the school year. So, I finished the last months of the school year online, having little to no interaction with my friends. Getting bored and depressed, I hated thinking about how much longer everything would be on hold. Months went by. Luckily, by mid-summer, I had gotten a job, which distracted me for nine hours of the day, and provided me with a little enjoyment and something for which to look forward.

Then excitement came in the form of protest. After the death of George Floyd, millions of enraged Americans took to the streets to protest the racism of certain people and certain systems of government. Taking part in these events cured me of any sort of quarantine slump. I started to look forward to hearing about what was going on, and seeing how I could make an impact.

And finally, now, with my junior soccer season over and school halfway back to normal, it seems as though history might repeat itself. Covid cases begin to spike again, school closed once, winter sports are questionable, businesses are starting to close, again. Meanwhile, I’m just thinking to myself, “Here we go again. Ready for round two?”

Student Writer’s Program: What Is It?

The Town Line has many articles from local students under the heading of the “Student Writer’s Program.” While it may seem plainly evident why The Town Line would pursue this program with local schools and students, we think it’s worth the time to highlight the reasons why we enthusiastically support this endeavor.

Up front, the program is meant to offer students who have a love of writing a venue where they can be published and read in their community. We have specifically not provided topics for the students to write on or about, and we have left the editing largely up to their teachers. From our perspective this is a free form space provided to students.

From the perspective of the community, what is the benefit? When considering any piece that should or could be published, this is a question we often ask ourselves at The Town Line. The benefit is that we as community are given a glimpse into how our students see the world, what concerns them, and, maybe even possible solutions to our pressing problems. Our fundamental mission at the paper is to help us all better understand and appreciate our community, our state, and our nation through journalism and print.

We hope you will read these articles with as much interest and enjoyment as we do. The students are giving us a rare opportunity to hear them out, to peer into their world, and see how they are processing this world we, as adults, are giving them.

To include your high school, contact The Town Line, townline@townline.org.