Hope you all had a great Valentine’s Day with lots of goodies and flowers. Valentine’s Day also signals that there is less winter left and we’re getting that much closer to spring.

Say a proper goodbye to winter by attending the Winter Carnival in Curtis Saturday, February 18, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be lots of games, food, and fun for people of all ages. Be sure you check out the Ladies Aid bake sale and food booths. There will be a sled raffle at 4 p.m. on the ice and fireworks over South Manistique Lake at dusk. Buy a button for $2 and enjoy the carnival.

Friday, February 17, the Curtis Community Arts Council will present an evening of music, chat, and camaraderie, featuring Jeff Guenther entertaining with "Coffee House Fiddlin." This is a benefit performance from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Curtis Park Center building. All proceeds go toward the sound system fund.

Donna Way will be presenting oil painting and art classes. These are both four-week courses. The oil painting class is $45 and the art class is $35. The classes are held Fridays from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at her home in Newberry. For more information, call Donna at (906) 293-3929.

They’re looking for people to help keep the snowmobile trails groomed on the Curtis trail system. The Curtis Area Chamber of Commerce has recently purchased a new Pisten Bully groomer, making for a total of three groomers for use on the Curtis trail. The Chamber of Commerce is reimbursed by the state for costs associated with grooming the trails; however, all of the monies are spent on equipment. The actual grooming, maintenance, and upkeep of the equipment is done by volunteers. There are now about 15 volunteers, plus numerous helpers. The volunteers put in thousands of hours each year grooming and working on machines. They’re always looking for volunteers to put up hundreds of signs through Naubinway, Newberry, Curtis, Germfask, Seney, Blaney Park, and Manistique. For information about the trail system and grooming, call (906) 586-6726.

The ongoing war in Iraq has finally touched our lives a little more closely, with a nephew, Chris Bastien, of New York, being shipped with his unit to that area. Chris is the son-in-law of Evelyn (McNeil) and the late Russ DeMars of Westland and the husband of their daughter, Dawn. Our prayers go with Chris and his family, and we pray he will come home safely, as we do all the military people in harm’s way. Evelyn and her husband, Russ, are formerly from Gould City.

Happy birthday to Sandy Ketcher February 17 and Joe Weber February 18. Hope you both have a great day.

Stay safe and stay well. Think spring!