Bishop Robert P. Deeley welcomed the winners of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland’s Christmas Card Art Contest, conducted by the diocese’s Office of Development, to the diocesan offices on Dec. 19

Christmas is a time for giving, and boldly predicting what will happen next year has been my gift to you every year since 2011.

For much of the 2018 campaign, Democrats ran hard on the issue of health care, determined to hold Republicans accountable for their efforts to take coverage away from millions of Americans. Republicans, reading the tea leaves and the polls, had a death-bed conversion, particularly when it comes to protecting people with pre-existing conditions and ensuring that they are still able to get health care coverage.

The General Federal of Women’s Clubs (GFWC)/Miosac Club celebrated the season with a gifting party. Fourteen members met at the beautifully decorated home of Barb Austin for the annual event. Members brought sweet or savory dishes to share.

Ten-year-old Slade Dauphinee of Rockwood is the winner in the youth big deer contest sponsored by KC’s Country Store of Parkman. Dauphinee hunted all season and brought in this 195-pound, 6-point monster with just a few days remaining in muzzleloader season.

Bruce Poliquin will, and must, continue his challenge to the Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) system and the constitutionality of the results. He will, because it is his choice as a citizen of this Republic and he has the freedom to do so. He must, because he is a Representative of the voters in the 2nd Congressional District (CD2) who, 20,000 strong, voted against the RCV and feel disenfranchised by the results of the new voting system.

Have I told you how Eileen met Santa Claus? December 9, 2016 (Was it that long ago?) Eileen and I were in Augusta, Maine shopping, browsing, and visiting her parents’ gravesite at Central Maine Veterans Cemetery. The day was overcast, sunshine breaking through the clouds now and then, but not enough to mitigate the chilly mid-20s temperature, 12 mph wind combination.

Over 80 beautiful parrots will celebrate the holidays at a free open house on Saturday, Dec. 29 from noon to 4 p.m. at Siesta Sanctuary, 104 Brown Road. There is no snow date.

Last week’s announcement of the first Maine Basketball Hall of Fame Classic at the Class B, C and D North tournament site, the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, is interesting, timely, beneficial, and exciting

Upcoming events around the region.