LINED UP

He’s no bird whisperer, but Mikel Ollech, a local angler, has proven himself a friend of the feathered by building repositories for fishing line that have recently been installed around Lake Springfield. Fishing line is fine for many things, but there can be too darn much of it, especially around the water, and when birds get into discarded line, the results can be deadly as beaks and wings and feet get tangled. And so Ollech built a half-dozen collection stations with materials purchased by City Water, Light and Power that have been installed at boat launches and other gathering spots for anglers at the lake. Ollech collects the discarded line and sends it to a tackle company that turns it into benches and other stuff, according to CWLP. Since the first station was installed last May, more than two miles of line have reportedly been collected. No word on who measured it, but we’re glad it’s gone.