Andover

The Snow Valley Sno-Goers have canceled their annual Family Fun Day which was to be held on Feb. 23. The decision was made at the regular scheduled club meeting on Feb. 6. They hope to be able to do this popular event next year.

Town Clerk Melinda Averill wishes to inform dog owners that the time for registering dogs has lapsed and there is now a $25 late fee in effect. Owners wishing to register their dogs must bring certificate of spaying or neutering at the time of registration.

The Budget Committee has finished their work and when I stopped by the Town Office on Wednesday, the Selectmen were working on finalizing the Town Report and articles for Town Meeting. I'm hoping to have more details next week. Town Meeting is March 16.

This Sunday, Feb. 17, is the Annual Meeting of the First Congregational Church following worship with a potluck. All members are encouraged to attend and guests are welcome.

Absentee Ballots for the March 19th Town Officers Election will be available at the Town Office on Tuesday, Feb. 19.

A friend of mine gave me an article about a person named Joshua Rich who wrote for the Bethel Courier in the 1850s. The Courier was the predecessor of the Bethel Citizen. So imagine my surprise to find that 163 years ago, more or less, there was another J. Rich writing for the paper. In addition to writing for the Courier, Joshua also wrote for “Forest and Steam which eventually became “Field and Stream.” According to the article I read, he moved his family to an abandoned farm at Metallak Point in Upper Richardson Lake, twenty-three miles from Andover and made his living from hunting and trapping, then moved to Upton, to which I also have a connection. He returned to the lakes and opened the original Middle Dam Camps, then known as Angler's Retreat.