Hello, I've returned to the living after missing the past two weeks due to eye surgery.

In addition to getting a handle on what people are doing for today's newspaper, I'm working with the staff to plan upcoming stories. Right now we're putting together a list of story projects for 2008. Basically, these are in-depth or investigative stories that might take weeks or even months to prepare, like our recent series on suspended drivers.

We're also planning stories to coincide with the 5th anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq, on March 19. Among the questions we're exploring: What's it been like for veterans to transition back to civilian life? Have their views of the war changed? How has the war affected the military's recruitment efforts in Maine? How would each of the candidates for president approach the war if elected?

As always, I welcome your story suggestions.

Last week I had emergency surgery to my left eye. I'm recovering nicely, thanks, but I'll be out of the office until Monday, Feb. 25. Please contact Suburban Editor Grace Murphy at 791-6360 or gmurphy@pressherald.com if you have any story tips or need to contact someone in the newsroom while I'm away.

See you next week!

The GOP caucuses have come and gone, with Mitt Romney winning 52 percent of the vote.

But Maine’s event barely raised a ripple on the national scene, where attention has been focused on the 24 states holding primaries or caucuses today. The only campaigning we saw was a visit from Ron Paul (who placed third in Maine, with 19 percent of the vote) earlier in the week and Romney’s son Tagg who toured the state on Friday and Saturday.

The big question now is what today’s voting will mean for Maine’s Democratic caucuses on Sunday. If Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton remain neck and neck, suddenly Maine’s 34 Democratic delegates could become a greater prize and prompt more candidate visits to the state towards the end of the week.

We’re already hearing of a potential visit by Obama’s wife, Michelle Obama, but that depends on what happens today. Might we see a Clinton or two, given Gov. John Baldacci’s support of the New York senator and her husband, the former president?

Our coverage plan for this weekend is similar to last week’s for the GOP event. We’ll have stories leading up to the caucus, including a list of caucus locations in Thursday’s paper. Also, our Washington, D.C.-based correspondent, Jonathan Kaplan, is flying up here to cover Sunday’s caucus and any campaign stops that materialize later this week.