Seventh grade winners of the Les Cheneaux Science Fair are (from left) Janaan Meyers, Best of Show; Patrick Weaver, first place; Jennifer Strait, third place, and Derek Griffin, second place. First, second, and third place winners received donations from U.P. State Credit Union. (Photograph courtesy of Christine Cloud) It seems so wonderful to look out and see rippling water, seagulls, and an occasional boat zipping through the water.

The pussy willow bushes are all fuzzy and many trees are beginning to show a little bit of green.

We can once again be proud of the Les Cheneaux Schools' young musicians.

The school music department, under the direction of Alan Jacobus, has maintained an outstanding record.

Bands from several schools from Michigan met last Friday in the Duncan Gymnasium at the Les Cheneaux Community Schools to compete in the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association State Band Festival.

With seven bands competing, the Cedarville High School Band and the Cedarville Middle School Band were the only bands receiving all "ones" for their performance.

Eighth grade winners of the Les Cheneaux Science Fair are (from left) Daniel Landreville, third place; Emily Nelson, first place; Ashley Weaver, second place, and Chelsea Bohn, Best of Show. First, second, and third place winners received donations from U.P. State Credit Union. (Photograph courtesy of Christine Cloud) Other schools competing were DeTour Village High School Band, Engadine High School Concert Band, Newberry Tahquamenon Area High School Concert Band, L'Anse High School Symphony Band, Tecumseh High School Symphony and Concert Bands, and the Alpena High School Wind Ensemble.

There is another local author in our midst. Mike Davis of Cedarville has written and published an interesting anthology of his life as a volunteer firefighter in a small town in Lower Michigan.

The book is a collection of several stories about rescues and fires. Some of his stories highlight the dangers of firefighting and some of them are amusing.

As Mr. Davis rode the tailboard of a fire engine, he had many of the same experiences that I'm sure our local firefighters have each time they're called out.

Firefighting and rescue units are a very dangerous, but necessary part of a community. We often don't appreciate the danger and the hard work that these volunteers perform. Mr. Davis' book can be found in several places around town.

I have another story from Bruce Patrick this week, about a trip that he, Betty, and some friends took as the Mackinac Bridge was being built.

He writes: "This is about our going under the Mackinac Bridge when it was half built. I borrowed the Junco, a cruiser belonging to Mrs. C. K. Benedict.

She loaned it to Bob Hamel to use for hauling lumber and other items to do with his work.

On this occasion, I borrowed it to run under the Mackinac Bridge. Betty and I and others got aboard at our landing, gassed her up, and away we went straight to the Straits of Mackinac.

"We got to the bridge in good time. Just under the bridge (it was only half built at that time) the engine quit!

As we drifted for a bit, another cruiser came by and asked if they could help. 'Yes,' I said, 'I have engine trouble, so you can call the Coast Guard Station at Mackinac Island.' So they did."

By the time Coast Guard help was on the way, Bruce relates, he had found a storage battery in the engine room, and the boat was running again, so no help was needed. "When the boat got there, we thanked them and went on our way, back to Les Cheneaux," he wrote.

In many parts of the world, May 1 is a holiday and a day of celebration.

Long ago, "dancing around the May Pole" was an annual event. It is a day when spring is in the air. Happy May Day.