SPRING SIGNS?: Could a crack be developing in winter’s hold on
the region?

A reader phoned Monday afternoon to report her family had seen a
black bear out and about Sunday on Looker Mountain Trail. How
unusual is it to see bear this early? she wondered.

Hal Steis of St. Marys dropped us a line Monday: “Just to let
you know, we saw a robin in the back yard today. First one for us
this year.”

Meanwhile, Harold Pier commented recently on the sighting of
goldfinches we had had. He tells us they are year-round residents,
adding, “I have large flocks of them at my feeders all winter
long.”

Some robins, we know, also spend the winter north.

Still, it’s nice to think that the ones we’ve seen have just
arrived, right? At this juncture of the winter, we welcome any
positive reports.

Meanwhile, we’ve had a follow up on that enormous tomato plant
in Florida which we wrote about last week.

Bob and Julie Cosper write, “Just a quick note to let you know
the tomato plant is now 8’6″ tall and I had to cover it up two
nights last week so it didn’t freeze.”

“Also gas is now $2.37 a gallon. It went up $.07 in one
day.”

As for those freezing temperatures, Bob and Julie – boo hoo. You
have no idea what we have endured for the past six weeks or so.
Well, actually, you do probably have some idea – which is why
you’re there and not here!

KUDOS: We got a call the other day from Sandy McClintock who
wanted to make sure that Eva Erickson receives some of the credit
for her work years ago to preserve Old City Hall.

Eva was one of a handful of civic-minded residents who
circulated a petition asking city fathers to preserve the landmark
which nearly had a fatal meeting with the wrecking ball.

“She’s gone now but she was such a gracious person … and without
her maybe the preservation of the building wouldn’t have made it
through that time,” Sandy reports.

Other people key to the building’s survival were George and
Virginia Tiffany who also deserve a tip of the hat.

TODAY’S QUOTE: “If anybody thinks cable news is about
journalism, they should watch it,” said Steve Friedman, former
executive producer of NBC’s Today and CBS’ Early Show, 2005.