Plans for 2020 graduations are on hold due to the lack of information about the states reopening for large gatherings but Mount Washington Radio Group’s stations Magic 104.5/98.1 and WMWV have come up with an innovative way for friends, family members and school faculty members to reach out to their graduates and celebrate with them.

Knowing how strong of a medium radio is to get messages out, the team at Mount Washington Radio Group saw a positive way they could serve their community.   With several high schools and many elementary schools, pre-schools, and colleges in Carroll County, Berlin and Gorham and Western Maine, there will be thousands of students graduating this spring in the WMWV and Magic listening area.

As soon as schools adopted the remote learning model for the rest of the year, the Mount Washington Radio Group’s team reached out to the community for their support.  Without hesitation, RWN Property Services, Profile Subaru, Grants Shop n Save, Mountain Center Physical Therapy, Northeast Credit Union, Zebs General Store, Veno’s Specialty Foods and Meats, Farm to Table/Yankee Smokehouse and Tyler Ryan Design/D J Graphyx answered the call to help.

The stations then set up a dedicated voicemail number where messages for graduates can be left.  Graduates themselves are also encouraged to leave messages for those who have helped them through the years.  The programming department will then take those messages and put them on WMWV and Magic 104 for everyone to hear as well as play song dedications.   On June 13th there will be a special, commercial free 3 hour party from 6-9 with a custom music playlist put together by DJ Graphyx.

If you would like to leave a voicemail for your 2020 graduate or have a special song dedication, please call 913-356-9145.  Messages will be aired between 6 am and 10 pm.

If you ever met Dick Ficke, the first thing you’d notice was his kind eyes. After a conversation, you’d look back and realize how very interested he was in everything you had to say- this already brilliant man took the time to truly listen and learn whatever he could from what you had to contribute to the conversation. He really cared and you knew it. He will always be remembered as one of the good guys. This Colgate alumni and decorated retired Air Force Officer is going to be sorely missed.

Richard “Dick” Ficke of Bartlett passed away on April 20th at Maine Medical Center from from Kidney and heart failure complications. Dick was Born April 5, 1937 in Danbury, Connecticut. He met Annie in 2001 and they moved to the Mount Washington Valley.

Dick was passionate about the charities he served such as: Kiwanis Club of MWV, past president and Kiwanian Of The Year and Kiwanian District Lt. Governor. He was the president of the MWV Habitat for Humanity, SCORE’s Chapter Chair and his most cherished post-retirement role, “Head Elf” of Angels and Elves.

2013 brought Dick the title of one of the White Mountain Treasures and that year he was also awarded with the SCORE Leadership award. Two years later he was named the volunteer of the year by the Mt. Washington Valley Economic Council.

In lieu of flowers, Dick asked that contributions be made to: MWV Habitat for Humanity, Kiwanis or Angels and Elves.

A military viewing and and Honors ceremony will be held in Newport, RI and a celebration of his life will be held later in the summer in Bartlett.

What happens when your pet gets sick? The real question is, what do we do in a crisis like this?

Fryeburg Veterinarian Dr. Susan Simpkins says: “We’re seeing all the normal things that we would see; allergies start to tick up this time of year, GI issues, we’re seeing a lot of porcupine quills I think probably people are getting out there with their dogs, hiking.” With the importance of social distancing, pets of course allowed into the Fryeburg Veterinary Hospital but owners remain in their cars and the consults are done by phone. Dr. Simpkins goes on to explain: “Veterinarians and technicians work together to, you know, get an exam done and assess the animal, we then call the owner by phone, the veterinarian does, and discusses what we found in the exam and any recommended treatments.” She goes on to explain that it may take a few phone calls back and forth to truly understand what’s going on and determine the right treatment for the animal based on the conversation between the doctor and the animal owner.

Fryeburg Veterinary clinic is currently taking orders for medications, seasonal preventatives and prescription diets while still practicing social distancing. All deliveries are done curbside.

As the weather warms up, Dr. Simpkins urges you to protect your pet through the spring season and consider visits and or treatments for heartworm, fleas and ticks and other seasonal parasites.

Visit Dr. Simpkins and her veterinary family at FryeburgVet.com.