OAKLAND, Maine – Old telephone poles are being swiped right out of the ground in central Maine.

According to FairPoint Communications, about 35 poles have been cut and stolen. The thefts in the town of Oakland began last fall and stopped in the early winter but have resumed as snowbanks have retreated.

The poles had no wires attached to them and were to be removed later. They had been trimmed to 12 feet tall, and were left behind when the company put in replacement poles next to them.

FairPoint supervisor Simon Thorne said the pressure-treated poles aren’t good for burning because they contain preservatives. He speculated someone might be taking them to use for framework.

Skunk stink shutters Pa. library for 2nd week

ALLENSVILLE, Pa. – Bookworms are always welcome at a central Pennsylvania library, but a different kind of critter has kept patrons away from the building for more than a week.

The Allensville branch of the Mifflin County library has been closed since Feb. 10 because of the putrid smell from a skunk that may still be prowling among the stacks.

Library employees can’t find the skunk or get rid of the odor. Menno Township has enlisted a professional trapper to find it.

Supervisor Harold Johnson Jr. doubts the skunk is in the building. Johnson believes it was outside near a ventilation unit, which would explain why the smell is evident both inside and outside the library.