Love. It's been described as many things over the years, pain, joy, sadness, misery, home, death. Every language has a word for it or a symbol that represents it. Every person feels it and all animals express it in different ways. Take the chimpanzee, they show love by holding hands, kissing, grooming and sharing food much like humans do. The mourning dove is also a good example of love. The birds are known for keeping a mate for life, even going as far as to dying when their partner does or not very long after. That is why mourning doves are a symbol of love in many places. Many poets, singers and play writers have written about it, some of the most famous being Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "How Do I Love Thee?”, Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”, and William Shakespeare’s Romeo And Juliet are all reminders of different types of love. Love can build you up, make you feel things you never have before, confident, happy, brave, free, self-worth, like the person you're meant to be, but it can also hurt, bring you pain and sadness and break you down till you feel like you just can't take it anymore. Love is whatever your heart makes it; don’t try to avoid love due to fear of what could happen in the aftermath of it, run towards it with open arms, embrace it, hold it tight and never let go, for a world without love is a world without life.

On March 17, 2026 MLB The Show 26 came out. The game is supposed to simulate what it would be like to play in major league baseball (MLB). There are three main modes of MLB The Show 26. First, there is the “Diamond Dynasty” mode for collecting rare cards (including cards from the “World Baseball Classic” this time). Next, there is “Road to the Show” for a single-player career mode where the player builds up a custom player to make it through the levels of baseball (high school, college, minor leagues, major leagues) and to become the best player the world has ever seen. Finally, there is “Franchise” mode where the player simulates running an MLB team as a general manager with the ultimate goal of winning the “World Series” and becoming a baseball empire. Currently, there are not many 99 overall players in the game (the highest rating a card can have). However, the ones that do exist are mainly legend cards that pay respect to former MLB players that could be considered legends like Troy Tulowitzki (shortstop), Albert Pujols (first base and designated hitter), and Felix Hernandez (starting pitcher). In all, MLB The Show 26 is out and is ready for players to make a name for themselves and the teams they decide to play for. 

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To give some further information about the status of the French Air Force at the very outbreak of WWII, the Morane-Saulnier 406 was one of two aircraft in France’s arsenal that was capable of fighting much at all. During the Battle of France in the Phoney War and later, many skirmishes of small groups occurred between the French and German pilots, which already had early models of the BF-109E by this point. The French claimed 32 kills with 16 probables during this period from September 1939 to January of 1940. Yet 13 were shot down by the Germans in the air, and 33 more were lost to various other causes. The weaknesses of the MS.406 was absolutely a major issue by this point, and it was obvious to both sides that the aircraft was outdated. It had a severe lack of armor and wasn’t anywhere near as hardy as the British Hurricane, and the small 7.5mm MAC machine guns jammed often. The armament of the 406 dealt with the same issues that the British had with their fighters, learning that rifle caliber machine guns simply weren’t enough to bring down the metal-skinned BF-109s. The French, like the Polish, also didn’t equip many of their aircraft with radio units, and the ones that were equipped usually didn’t function reliably. There were several other debatable flaws, but the damage was already done. During the Battle of France, the French were unable to sustain their pressure against the Germans and were simply outmatched. Their doctrine after World War I was weak, and their budgeting was wrong. It had taken too long for the MS.406 to even be developed, and now the Germans were years ahead of them. Around 150 French 406s were shot down in action by both bombers and BF-109s, while over 250 were lost by other forms of destruction, mostly bombings of French airfields. France had fallen, but the 406 would continue to see service with other nations over the years, with Switzerland and Finland. Although the 406 was maneuverable and had decent power, it was simply too average and provided no real advantages. Later throughout the war, French pilots would prove their skills in other airframes and really designated the problem as the plane, not the pilots.

When it comes to the fish of Ohio, none would win quite so easily in a beauty contest as the Brown Trout. Its significance in the state represents much more than just another stocked fish,; it is a rarity that Ohio can even maintain a population of Brown Trout in the first place. Because most of Ohio lacks the proper environment for nearly all trout species, the Brown Trout especially has an extraordinary difficulty surviving in Ohio’s rivers and creeks. The vast majority of Ohio’s smaller rivers are too sandy and polluted, or quite simply just full of predators. The habitat they need is becoming more and more scarce each year, as they must survive in streams with cold, almost perfectly clear water, with summer water temperatures that just can’t exceed 65 degrees for the vast majority of the year, even if they can shortly tolerate higher temperatures. Their abundance will be found in perfect streams that have a mixture of environments, mostly shallow riffles that flow into deep pools below, with their primary structure being large boulders and small wood debris–undercut banks with overhanging vegetation providing cover from the sun is where you can most commonly find them. This is a generalization of their environment, and in Ohio this is nearly impossible to find–our creeks are brushy, full of large bass species (or even Musky), and during the summers our water and air regularly exceeds 80 degrees. So how is it that the Brown Trout has survived in Ohio’s waters since its very first introduction from Germany in 1900? Quite simply, lots of human effort and perfect environments. Although there are Brown Trout populations in areas local to the shoreline of Lake Erie and some have been caught in the same rivers where Steelhead Trout are commonly found, the only two true existing populations are on the Mad River in Logan and Champaign counties, and the Clear Fork Mohican River of Ashland and Richland counties. These two rivers by themselves are rare oddities by themselves, especially the Mad River which is a true cold water mountain stream, one of the only true coldwater streams in the state. The Mad River of Ohio is famous for its drawn attention of fly fishermen, the most popular form of fishing for trout, and the most artistic. In our local area, it is impossible to imagine fly fishing for such small and delicate fish, but any angler around the Mad River has likely attempted to catch a Brown on the fly. Brown Trout by themselves have a strong reputation as being the most difficult trout to catch because of their wits, and their habits. Although not quite as picky as the trout of the western United States, they still are highly selective in what they eat, primarily feeding on the aquatic insects of the waterbody–this is where fly fishing comes from. Regular spin fishing as we know it is highly difficult with Brown Trout, as they are highly aware of what they’re feeding on. Sometimes, you simply won’t catch a Brown unless you match exactly what they’re eating, which provides an often frustrating but challenging experience for anglers. This special, beautiful, and challenging fish now lives with a permanent population in these rivers (as long as conditions don’t change), and as long as anglers of all types respectfully handle the trout. Remember, always wet your hands before picking up any trout, and make sure that their time out of the water is limited to only a few seconds at best. Trout are some of the most fragile fish on Earth, and believe it or not, can simply die from the stress of being held in your hands. With such beauty, comes a price.

When it comes to Ohio sportfish, none are known to be as hard fighting for their weight as the Smallmouth Bass. Their lives spent in fast running creeks and rivers make them pound for pound the most exciting fish to target in Ohio. Their size completely depends on their environment, yet no matter the size they all fight the same. “Inch for inch and pound for pound, the gamest fish that swims.” This is a great description of the Smallie by J.H Henshall in one of the oldest books about the many species of Black Basses, Book of the Black Bass written in 1917. The history of Smallmouth Bass in Ohio reveals a similar story across several species who have been affected by channelization and the building of large dams across the Ohio and Scioto River. Lake Erie, now known as one of the best Smallmouth fisheries in the world, used to have only a fraction of the population that it does today. Throughout the 1900s and particularly in the early years, The Great Lakes commercial fishery as a whole was a giant industry that had to be closed, specifically to the Smallmouth Bass in 1902. Only now since the 1990s has the population of the Smallmouth began to return across Ohio, with the Scioto River being a premier Smallmouth fishery, as they dominate the river and its tributaries. Their body is football shaped yet slender, and the color along their scales changes based upon water quality and age. Their preferred habitat differs greatly from the Largemouth Bass, preferring the clearest waters in high gradients, with developed riffle and pool complexes that are unchanging. They absolutely prefer gravel and rocky substrate, and will commonly be found in any hiding place among woody debris or large rocks that make a noticeable difference in the current seams. If it weren’t for Ohio’s incredibly hot summers and lack of rain during that time, the Smallmouth’s preferred habitat in Ohio would be perfect for trout species that almost share the exact same habitat. Fishing for Smallmouth is still relatively difficult because they face such difficult competition in Ohio from warm-water species, most notably the Longnose Gar and Largemouth Bass, as well as Channel Catfish. Although Channel Cats inhabit relatively different waters, their abundance on the Scioto River and rapid growth make it even more difficult for Smallmouth to have easy food availability. Fishing for Smallmouth varies greatly depending on the targeted size and habitat, with creek Smallmouth being catchable on the lightest of gear. In fact, Smallies are the primary target species of fly fishermen in the state of Ohio, with the Scioto River providing some of the best fly fishing opportunities in the spring and summer, especially in the Columbus metro area with plenty of sandbars and shallow rifles, providing easy wading. A 9ft 5/6 weight fly rod is generally what most fly anglers use for Scioto Smallmouth, although most notably in creeks such as Scioto Brush, some will even use a 3 weight–this is a common theme for most small stream fishing. When it comes to traditional rods, it is truly the fisherman’s choice, but my preferred fishing method is with a true ultralight, using small spinners that properly match the food source of the Smallmouth in the creek. Simply use the current to drift the spinner into the current seam where the fish lies, presenting it as a struggling baitfish trying to move upstream. There are countless ways to fish for a Smallie, and the experience should be one of every angler.

The very first fish of the newspaper was the regular Muskellunge, or referred to as the Great Lakes Muskellunge. Unknowingly to me, Southern Ohio has its own subspecies of Muskellunge that are entirely native to the Ohio River basin, although the population of said Muskie has shrunk to such a level that they are almost completely eliminated from the ecosystem. In the early 1900s and even before then during the time of Ohio’s colonization, the Ohio Muskellunge was an extremely common fish that was easily the apex predator of the vast majority of Ohio’s creeks and rivers that were tributaries of the Ohio. The Scioto River, being a tributary of the Ohio, once held the largest population of these fish before the 1900s, most notably before the Civil War. The distinction between Muskellunge and Northern Pike during this time was unknown, and Muskies were historically just called “Big Pike” throughout Ohio, with some reaching over 80 pounds. Although the historical claim to such a size is questionable as modern Muskies only reach a maximum of about 70 pounds (as an absolute rarity), it is believable. The industrialization, channelization, global warming, and damming of the Midwest is likely the sole cause of Muskies no longer reaching such absurd sizes, the same causes of the size decline of Alligator Gar and Lake Sturgeon. The Ohio Muskellunge has historically been differentiated from the common Muskellunge based on its coloration and its color pattern. The common Muskie is a deep yet shiny green with black spots that run across its body, similar but obviously different to the Northern Pike. The coloration of the Ohio Muskellunge and its color pattern has also historically changed, however, before the introduction of stocked Muskellunge in Ohio’s lakes and rivers, the Ohio Muskie was unlike any other. Its main body was yellowish, with sides that were lighter than olive-green and nearly completely golden. Its rearward fins have the same spotting as the Great Lakes Muskie, but with significantly larger spots and much less of them. Its belly was still relatively similar as well, with a normally white belly that would turn yellowish closer to the body. Ohio Muskellunge taken mostly from the Ohio, Scioto, and Muskingum would be more light yellow and silver than green with almost no spots at all (as that would be for creek Muskies), river fish had only bars. The Muskingum was an anomaly all on its own with these fish as their population is hanging on by a thread, with most of the subspecies being lost to inter-breeding with the common Great Lakes Muskellunge, losing all of that yellowish color. There are plentiful historical texts about the Ohio Muskellunge in the 1981 book Fishes of Ohio done by Trautman, an Ohio State biologist where a vast majority of my information comes from. The most notable texts include “Judge Gilbert Devoll took a pike in the Muskingum which weighed nearly one hundred pounds, on the 2nd day of July, 1788, which was about six feet in length”, as well as Trautman specifically noting himself, “In recent years the species has shown a steady decrease in numbers. It was fairly numerous as late as 1930. For between 1927-30, I saw at least 15 barns in Pike and Scioto counties upon whose sides were nailed the heads of 5-25 “pikes,” all caught in a single season in Sunfish and Scioto Brush creeks. Today few Ohio fishermen catch more than five muskellunges a year and then only through considerable fishing effort.” Now in the modern era (although the book only goes up to 1981), in the years between 1955 and 1980, “the abundance of the Ohio Muskellunge appeared to have decreased or remained unchanged in the few areas in those unglaciated portions of the Scioto and Muskingum river systems.” In the present day in 2026, the Ohio Muskellunge is more than just a fish of legend, even more so than the Muskie already was, it is such an unknown rarity that gets frequently talked about locally. Any fisherman or kayaker along the banks of Scioto Brush Creek knows about this fish, and I myself have had the experience of speaking to a few. Today, the only reliable population of this fish now lies in the forested heart of Scioto County, most populous in Scioto Brush with smaller examples still in Sunfish Creek of Pike County. The habitat of Scioto Brush Creek has remained unchanged from the lack of mining or forestry, the landscape is wild and truly feels like Appalachia–the water is as clear as a trout stream and yet there is still a characteristic sand and rock bottom you’d find in Ohio’s coldwater streams. The reason Scioto Brush is their last holding ground is because it is the only place humanity hasn’t destroyed, and with the creek being recently designated a scenic river, it can be hoped that the population of the Ohio Muskellunge will continue to increase, and the legend will follow with it. I have not personally visited a more beautiful creek in Ohio in my life, though the habitat is characteristically a Scioto tributary, with cow and white water lilies in the shallows and plenty of long and deep pools with submerged brush and timber. It is the perfect environment for Muskie, as long as it remains unchanged. In these two creeks, they feed on the Redhorse suckers that are unfortunate enough to believe Scioto Brush is safe like many other Ohio/Scioto River tributaries; normally they would be, but these Redhorse become easy meals for any sizeable Muskie, and are their favorite food source. They also will eat almost anything that fits in their mouth, and with Scioto Brush having one of the highest varieties of species in the state, they undoubtedly have an amazing food source. To catch one is the same as fishing for any other Muskie, yet be aware–the vast majority of Scioto Brush is kayak only, and Sunfish is strictly kayak only. With the rarity of this fish and its legendary status, it is no longer the “Fish of 10,000 Casts”, but instead the fish of 100,000 casts. Personally for me, this fish has become my primary target of the spring and summer, no matter how large. Should I catch one, an update will be given in a small portion of another article. As always, respect Muskellunge populations and treat them with utmost care while handling them.

The Cugnot Fardier à Vapeur is the first steam-powered vehicle, used by the French Army to hopefully carry military equipment, and was designed in the late 1760s. It could carry four tons and cover roughly 4.8 miles in one hour, but it was never achieved in practice. The vehicle weighed 2.5 tons empty and 2.8 tons full. It had two wheels in the back of it, and one in the front (where horses normally would have been). The front wheel supported a steam boiler and driving mechanism. The power unit was articulated to the trailer and was steered from there by a double handle. It could go as fast as 2.25 miles per hour when fully seated with four passengers. It, however, was too slow and hard to control. Broiler performance was very low, and the vehicle was unstable due to uneven weight distribution. After some testing, the project was abandoned. Information and picture source:

The Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus), also known as the finback whale or common rorqual, is a species of baleen whale and the second-longest cetacean after the blue whale. The biggest individual reportedly measured 26-27 m (85-89 ft) in length, with a maximum record weight of 65.5 to 120 tonnes (72.2 to 132.3 short tons; 64.5 to 118.1 long tons). The fin whale’s body is long, slender and brownish-gray in color, with a paler underside to appear less conspicuous from below. At least two recognized subspecies exist, one in the North Atlantic and one across the Southern Hemisphere. It is found in all the major oceans, from polar to tropical waters, though it is absent only from waters close to the pack ice at the poles and relatively small areas of water away from the open ocean. The highest population density occurs in temperate and cool waters. Its prey mainly consists of smaller schooling fish, small squid, or crustaceans, including copepods and krill. Mating takes place in temperate, low-latitude seas during the winter. Fin whales are often observed in pods of 6–10 animals, with whom they communicate utilizing frequency-modulated sounds, ranging from 16 to 40 hertz.  Fin whale - Wikipedia Friends of Animals | Fin whales thriving in Atlantic Ocean off New Jersey coast - Friends of Animals Fin Whales: The World’s Second Largest Whale - Conservation

George Washington's Birthday is celebrated as a federal holiday on the third Monday in February. It is one of eleven permanent holidays established by Congress. Federal holidays apply only to the federal government and the District of Columbia; Congress has never declared a national holiday binding in all states and each state decides its own legal holidays. George Washington was born in Virginia on February 11, 1731, according to the then-used Julian calendar. In 1752, however, Britain and all its colonies adopted the Gregorian calendar which moved Washington's birthday a year and 11 days to February 22, 1732. This shift of 376 days accounted for the new year being celebrated on January 1 instead of March 25 plus the 11 day difference between the Julian to Gregorian calendar.  Americans celebrated Washington's Birthday long before Congress declared it a federal holiday. The centennial of his birth prompted festivities nationally and Congress established a Joint Committee to arrange for the occasion. At the recommendation of the Committee, chaired by Henry Clay of the Senate and Philemon Thomas of the House, Congress adjourned on February 22, 1832 out of respect for Washington's memory and in commemoration of his birth. Prompted by a memorial from the mayor and other citizens of Philadelphia, the House and Senate commemorated the 130th Anniversary of Washington's birth  by reading aloud his Farewell Address.  George Washington's Birthday | National Archives George Washington - Wikipedia