In a process that remains somewhat shrouded in secrecy, a temporary board of Josephine County elected officials on Thursday narrowed down applicants for two vacants seats on the Board of Commissioners from 37 to five.

None of the applicants were named publicly — instead the temporary board referred to them only by number. However, later in the day the county released the names of the finalists at the request of the Daily Courier. By then they had leaked out on social media.

Right now is a fine time to be fishing the Rogue River for winter steelhead, as much-needed rain brought the river up earlier in the week.

It’s also the first free fishing weekend of the year in Oregon, Saturday and Sunday. No licenses, tags or endorsements are required to fish, clam or crab.

The Rogue River was dropping as of Thursday, and settling into a nice green color, with a flow of 2,100 cubic feet per second.

When I was an unruly child living along Waters Creek near Wonder some 70 years ago, I couldn’t wait for a winter snowstorm so I could run outside and build a snowman.

Never mind I was invariably underdressed for the weather, often wearing only tennis shoes, jeans and a long sleeve shirt. Heavy jacket? Pshaw.

Photographer Garry Bagula’s “The Cloud,” was named the Wild Rivers Photography Club’s image of the month for February.

“My photo of Mount Shasta in the clouds was taken from the Jackson Ranch Road in Siskiyou County, California,” Bagula says.

He used a Tamron lens 28-300mm, with camera settings ISO 100, f11, 1/160 sec, and focal length 180 MM.

The complete list of winners for February is: