Pictured are Don Palmer (left) of Rangeley, president of the Rangeley Historical Society, guest speaker at the July meeting Peter Mehegan (center), former co-anchor of Boston television station WCVB's Chronicle News Magazine, and Gary Priest of Rangeley, vice president of the Rangeley Historical Society. RANGELEY — More than 100 friends and members of the Rangeley Historical Society filled the second floor room of the Rangeley High School on Wednesday night, Aug. 12, to hear from former co-anchor Peter Mehegan from the popular television program the Chronicle News Magazine out of Boston.

Introducing Mehegan was friend and president of the Rangeley Historical Society for the past 15 years Don Palmer. Over more than 23 years Mehegan has produced over 75 half-hour programs in Maine from Kittery to Fort Kent, to Kingfield, Eastport and "his special trips to Rangeley," where he could always find time to fish. Mehegan started out by apologizing for why he didn't bring his trademark 1969 Chevy that he has driven on assignments for two decades. "Well, the Chevy needs ball joints, there's no seat belts and no air conditioning, that did it right there, I couldn't do it," he said.

Alan Russell of Rangeley looks over the new book "The Gilded Age of Rangeley, Maine" written by Gary Priest (right) the vice president of the Rangeley Historical Society. The book can be obtained through Priest's Web site www.garypriestrangeley.com or by writing to Priest at P.O. Box 1082, Rangeley, Maine 04970. "I've been to more corners in the State of Maine than most people who live in Maine," coming into the state to do stories four times a year with a cameraman (who has

attends fundraiser

retired and moved to Guilford), he said.

One of the first stories that Mehegan did was in Rangeley with the historical society in 1987, which he showed Wednesday night.

Drawing on historical material and his "On the Road Again" programs, Mehegan, a strong supporter of the Rangeley Lakes Region Historical Society's Outdoor Heritage Museum being built in Oquossoc, will provide a video that will be shown at the museum when it opens.

Some of the many donated items that were auctioned off after the annual meeting sponsored by the Rangeley Region Guides and Sportsmen's Association to raise funds for the new Rangeley Region Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum being built on the Oquossoc Road. Palmer said that although $500,000 has been raised through some 100 people donating toward the new museum, another $200,000 is needed to complete the project. Hopefully the museum will be open to the public by next year, said Palmer.

Also on hand for the meeting was Gary Priest, the vice president of the historical society, who had on display the new book he has written "The Gilded Age of Rangeley, Maine."

The Rangeley Region Guides and Sportsmen's Association held a silent auction after Mehegan's talk which was followed by an ice cream social.