We apologize for the lateness of this issue, but the hard disk on our computer crashed and put us out of business for a couple of weeks.

For those of you who are wintering far from the Northeast the winter has been a long one. Below zero temperatures and regular snowstorms have ensured that skiers and ice fisherpeople have been absolutely delighted,

Don and Anne Hayes have spent their first full winter at the lake and report seeing the lights of snowmobiles headed out for fishing at 5:30 am. The fishing shacks are brightly colored and the lake quite different in its winter garb. Don tells of the groans and moans from the ice surges on winter nights.

Terri Blanchard and Calvin Anderson had an ice pressure ridge in front of their house during the "warn" spell in mid-February that opened up "enough open water for canoeing." All the canoes stayed ashore however. Terri and Calvin report that early winter fishing was excellent with many salmon and large togue taken.

Twenty-Eight Acre Island, at the narrows, was sold by Stephen Lafreniere during the winter and logging operations begun on it. Equipment and trucks crossed the ice, and the road from there has been full of timber cut from the island and from the back land which Lafreniere sold several years ago.

George Birkhead has been in touch with city authorities on the legal niceties of the logging.

The City Council has still not taken any action on the draft presented last fall by the Watershed Committee. The new council may begin to move on some of these issues.

For those of you without the ELLSWORTH AMERICAN, the city elections were held on March 1st. "Cookie" Patten was re-elected to the City Council and Stephen Beathen was elected replacing Phil Shea, who finished fourth in a five person field.

I’m sure that you are all aware by now of the new tax bill calendar for Ellsworth. The council did vote an extension for payment of this first bill to April 8th with interest due from the original due date of March 10th if not paid by that extended date. Halt year bills will be due in the future, every September and March,

Again, should you need conservation assistance, please call. Thank you.

Sincerely,
/s/ Roland A. Dupuis
District Conservationist.

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The first race of the season is scheduled for July 4th at 2:00 p.m. and each Sunday thereafter, with the last race on August 15^th. This year one long distance race is planned, followed by a picnic. After the race on July 4th, sailors and their friends are invited to Paul Wight's cottage for refreshments. The sailboat racing activity is sponsored by the Branch Pond Association and everyone is invited to participate.

We note with sadness the deaths of two active Branch Pond Association members.

Sally Knobel, of Bedford, Ma and FR 310, was one of our earliest members and supported the organization strongly, personally and financially. She will be especially missed by the residents of FR 310.

Russell Thompson, of Alexandria, Va. and Walls’ Farm Road, BPA's official photographer, died last Fall after a long illness. He served with distinction during WW II in the Amy Air Force and as an ordnance specialist at the Harry Diamond Laboratories in the Washington area from the early 1950's.

Dorothy Thompson writes that she hopes to join us at the lake this summer.

Many of you have sent in your membership dues for 1992-93. We thank all of you who have, but for those of you who have not — and we think that there are about 55 of you, PLEASE send them along. Our effectiveness as a group is increased as our numbers increase.