If you forgot to get your valentine a sweet present or you need a sweet valentine present for yourself, the Southport Memorial Library will be hosting a Chocolate Fest from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. today, February 14, offering a variety of homemade chocolate items. (They might have some goodies left over for the evening hours, 7 until 9 p.m., but if you have waited that long to get your valentine a treat, the treats the library have to offer may not rescue you.) Forgo Russell Stovers and even Lindt for the fresh, artistic offerings from Southport's best cooks and candy makers. Plus monies you spend will support your library's building and renovation fund.

A new library program has begun for pre-school children. They are invited to gather at the Southport Memorial Library on Tuesday mornings at 10 a.m. for stories, crafts, and treats. Kathy Barter is organizing these special times for our island's young ones.

The weather cooperated at least in the beginning to allow 56 Southport Democrats to gather at the American Legion Hall to caucus on Sunday, February 10. In past years the towns of Southport, Boothbay, and Boothbay Harbor have agreed to caucus together to enable candidates to address the townspeople more efficiently, but this year so many people turned out that hearing speakers and each other was a bit difficult. Nonetheless officers for local town committees and representatives to the Lincoln County Democratic Committee were elect-ed as well as delegates to the Democratic State Convention in June.

Southport's town committee officers are: Dick Snyder reelected Chair; Margi Spratt reelected Vice-Chair; Anne Grimes elected secretary, and Kit Sherrill elected treasurer. Our representatives to the Lincoln County Democratic Committee are Kit Sherrill, Dick Snyder, Susan Stinchfield, and Henry Wyatt. Our delegates to the State Convention are Henry Wyatt and Helen Meserve with Margi Spratt and Teresa Tess as alternates. After Margi Spratt's appeal for votes for Hillary Clinton and Helen Merserve's appeal for votes for Barak Obama, citizens divided into groups indicating their choice or lack thereof. The count was evenly divided with 27 votes for Clinton and 27 votes for Obama, and one undecided vote. One person who registered had to leave before the voting. We all helped fold the chairs and tables before hurrying away as the snow was by now covering cars and roadways.

As predicted, high winds and dropping temperatures that night froze the slush and snow into a crust. The point at Newagen experienced power outages for seven hours, but most of the island escaped this camping experience. More snow is predicted for Tuesday night into Wednesday. For those of you reading this column from away, we are having a real winter.

The committee appointed by the selectmen to develop a plan for the renovation and use of the Earl W. Pratt property on Cozy Harbor has begun to meet and will be in conversation with the Southport Yacht Club to determine any shared use. As you remember, after vigorous support from Southport citizens assembled at a specially called town meeting, the town bought the property in the fall. Now we must make decisions on feasibility and use.

From Merry Knowlton I received news that David Cowell, a long time Southport summer visitor, died on January 27. Many residents will remember Dave for his daily stop at the Southport Store to buy his newspaper followed by a walk around the beach loop, often out Dogfish Head. He and his wife Bev also took several strolls a day down to the Newagen dock where they made many friends. Son Dave was married at All Saints by-the-Sea. The Cowells' home base is Worcester, Massachusetts. Survivors include son Dave who lives in Colorado and the Cowells' daughter, Betsy Cressy, who lives in New Hampshire.

New year-round residents to Southport are Bill and Cathy Messmer. In 1993 they purchased the Maine farmhouse previously owned by Mike and Anne Grimes that faces you when you start down the hill on Cozy Harbor Road. Originally Cathy and Bill had intended to retire and settle with us on Southport in the fall, but Bill, who is a professor of Political Science at Drew University in New Jersey, was asked to remain at his post for an extra semester. Even now he has no intention to retire fully, but will continue with research and writing. Currently he is finishing an article on terrorism. Cathy also does not plan to simply tend her garden and gaze at the water. With a certificate in Historic Preservation from Drew, she will continue to research and write about historic houses and gardens. Now the Messmers have the pleasure of experiencing a real Maine winter as they unpack boxes. The advantage is that when warm weather comes, the indoor work should be done. Welcome!

Huey Thompson is back at work after another heart scare. Apparently a blood clot had clogged the stent previously inserted to keep the artery open, an unusual problem according to his doctors. Marie Oats is recuperating from a broken ankle suffered when she stepped on some ice at the Post Office. Donald Duncan is able to be out with a cautious expenditure of energy after his major surgery. D'Arcy Samp-son is also out after a nasty bout with an infection. Her daughter, Susan, and son-in-law, John Fricks, from Durham, North Carolina, are keeping D'Arcy company during the month of February.