John Frary, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Congress, paid a visit to the Morning Sentinel office in Waterville this week. Yes, he had his hat and cane.

Frary opposes the re-election of Democrat U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, who has a formidably good chance of winning.

This story really caught us off-guard Friday night. I was at the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce banquet when my cell phone starting ringing, about 8:20 p.m. Our reporters were on their way to Lawrence High.

Reporters Matt DiFilippo and Travis Lazarczyk (aided by Amy Calder) covered it throughout the weekend, and we have another follow coming in tomorrow morning's newspaper.

Some people I've talked to about this see it as a "sign of the times" story, but I don't know. I think these events are isolated in Maine. Hopefully, they stay that way.

By the way, if you or anyone you know has videos or photos from this game, we'd like to see them. Let me know if you do, or if you want to comment on our coverage.

Eric Conrad
Executive Editor
Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel
Telephone: 207-621-5630

The Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce held a "Meet the Legislators" event Tuesday night in downtown Waterville. It was a fairly informal, fun event.

More than a half-dozen lawmakers attended. There was no press conference or public question-and-answer. Rather, chamber members met and queried the lawmakers in small groups or one-on-one. I did too.

Here are the themes I picked up on:

— This session will be marked by a lack of money. A key question being asked of many bills with costs attached is whether to reject them in committee or send them to the Appropriations Committee and have them turned back there. That doesn't sound like much of a distinction but by forwarding some measures, legislators hope at least to send a message that they support the idea.

— There is genuine concern over the fate of the school-consolidation law. Many small-town educators and leaders, and the legislators who represent them, have reasons to work against this bill.

— Legislators on both sides of the aisle give Gov. John Baldacci credit for his provocative (by Maine standards) consolidation proposals, and a few others. But he suffers from a lack of political capital. He has said openly that he will not pursue a political future after his second term as governor. Lawmakers don't think they have to be too careful around him.

Eric Conrad
Executive Editor
Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel
Telephone: 207-621-5630

As you may have noticed, starting today we are taking a different tack with readers who post online comments at kjonline.com and onlinesentinel.com.

Comments no longer are automatically visible at the bottoms of our stories and updates. If you want to read the comments, you must click on a line that takes you to them. This is a conscious, deliberate choice that readers will make to see the comments. We expect that adding this step will reduce the number of readers who are upset by what our post-ers write.

We don't blame them.

Maine school districts are seeing decreasing enrollments and now have the threat of state-mandated consolidation. Still, Morning Sentinel reporter Colin Hickey's front-page story today, about how Winslow school folks hope their new building will attract new students, is really interesting. Here is the link: Winslow vying for students; China, Vassalboro are focus of recruiting

We're used to colleges going after top kids but now high schools in Maine are too. We'll publish an editorial on this topic soon. Keep an eye out for that.

Starting Monday, and for the next three weeks, I will fill in as city editor of the Morning Sentinel and will work primarily out of that office. I am really looking forward to filling in as we search for a new city editor there. Kennebec Journal City Editor Tarcy Hineline will fill in at Waterville for three weeks after I'm done.

The phrase "city editor," which many newspapers use, is bit of a misnomer. The nine Sentinel news reporters who report to the city editor cover much more than Waterville. They cover more than 25 towns and cities in upper Kennebec, Somerset and Franklin counties. They include bureau reporters in Skowhegan, Farmington and Pittsfield.

And Sentinel reporters cover much more than local government and community news. Alan Crowell of the Skowhegan bureau, for example, covers wind-power and the Plum Creek development project for us. Colin Hickey and Crowell have been working hard on a series on the baby boom generation which will publish this month or next.

At the Morning Sentinel and Kennebec Journal, the city editors play key roles in determining what gets covered, what doesn't (we can't be everywhere) and how it's presented and written. There is no managing editor at our newspapers so the city editors report directly to me. Since my job as executive editor is broader than just local news — the Sports and Features staffs report to me, as do the photographers, copy editors and Web site editors — you can see how much influence city editors have on what local news you read.

From late 1995 to early 1998, I was the city editor at the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. I loved that job. I got indoctrinated in a big way in early 1996 when an oil tanker hit the Million Dollar Bridge in South Portland and spilled hundreds of thousands of gallons of heating oil in the Fore River estuary. I remain very proud of the Portland newspaper's coverage of that accident. The newspaper hustled and investigated causes of the accident. Federal laws about drug and alcohol testing for ocean pilots changed as a result.

So, if you try to reach me in the next few weeks and notice a slight delay, now you know why. I'll be busy in Waterville. And I'll be smiling.

Bring your Sharpies and some good paper for autographs.

Editors from weekly and daily newspapers around Maine will be in the Hall of Flags today (Thursday) from 9 a.m. to noon for "Maine Press Day," organized by the Maine Press Association.

It's a nice, casual and typically small event with muffins and free newspapers. We do this so lawmakers can stop and ask questions but we like meeting everyone. If you don't know many journalists it really might interest you: We don't have two heads and we aren't Marxists. In fact, we are a lot like you and our lives are a lot like yours too.

I will be there from 11 a.m. to noon. My publisher, John Christie, will be there earlier. We'd love to meet you.

I was kidding about the autographs. Never been asked for one and I predict my streak will stay intact until I retire, which is fine by me.

You have to admit, if you follow politics at all, this is a most different presidential primary season. I started voting in 1980 and this primary season fascinates me.

A black man leads for the Democratic nomination. A woman is arguably second. An Hispanic is fourth. A tort lawyer's third. No, we haven't had that before.

The Republican nomination is wide open and looks to be that way for weeks. Usually, in my memory, the GOP primary race is only 2, maybe 3, serious candidates and there's a clear-cut early favorite.

Here's another twist: The Obama-Edwards-Clinton race has been nastier than the GOP race. It also has been more "different." If this election truly is about change -- Americans could think twice about how much change they want by November -- it seems the Democrats have a better chance.

Here's a counterintuitive prediction: Hillary Clinton will grind out the Democratic nomination.

On the Republican side, no idea at this point.

As you may have noticed in today's newspapers, we plan a three-story series on the Ice Storm of '98, starting Sunday. The series will look back at one of the state's biggest natural disasters but also will pose some tough questions: Are we better prepared now? Has enough been done?

Read our editorial here.

In Monday's newspaper, we also will include a full-color food magazine, "Relish," that we know readers will enjoy. That will appear the first Monday of every month.