-Up in Lowell, Maine, several woodsmen have tapped rock maple trees and secured sap enough to make a boiling of sugar. So far as known this is the earliest yet. Beyond question the season is both premature and precocious.

-Mechanic Falls – It will be good news to the people of this town and vicinity to learn that on Thursday, Feb. 22, the night telephone service will be inaugurated. A. F. Stevens, clerk at Merrill & Denning’s will serve as “central.” This is what the citizens have been trying to get for a long time. At present there are 97 local subscribers, but more will be added shortly.

50 Years Ago, 1956

With fair, crisp weather predicted for today’s annual municipal election in Lewiston, City Clerk Lucien Lebel took another glance at his crystal ball last night and said he expects nearly 12,000 voters to travel to the polls. Earlier he had predicted a vote total of about 11,000. Lewiston has 19,551 men and women eligible to cast ballots today and Lebel expects around 11,800 of them to participate in the voting.

25 Years Ago, 1981

Carmen Adams of Court Street in Auburn is preparing one of her family’s favorite recipes. New England fish chowder.

The ingredients are: 2 large potatoes; 2 medium onions; 2 lbs. haddock filet; ½ teaspoon sugar; pinch of garlic powder; pinch of nutmeg; ½ quart of milk; ½ quart of light cream; 1 16-ounce can undiluted frozen shrimp soup; 2 cups water.

Cube potatoes and slice onions in small bitesize pieces. Put in soup kettle with haddock, sugar, garlic powder, water and nutmeg. Cover and bring to boil. Turn down heat and cook 15 minutes longer or until potatoes and onions are tender. Combine milk, cream and shrimp soup in sauce pan and bring to a boil. Combine both mixtures and serve. Makes 6 to 8 serving.