понедельник, 8 октября 2012 г.

Folk Festival is a moment of pride for Bangor - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

What a wonderful time to begin a week's vacation, right in themiddle of the 66th National Folk Festival in Bangor!

I share the pride of all residents of this area who have helpedmake this event so successful, and am especially grateful for theextra effort of City Engineer Jim Ring and his crew for their hardwork in making the Bangor waterfront so attractive.

That effort and the dedication and commitment of everyoneassociated with the third and final National Folk Festival in thiscity bode well, I hope, for what follows: the very first AmericanFolk Festival on the Bangor waterfront in 2005.

I hope everyone enjoys the National Folk Festival, and that youall have a safe Labor Day weekend.

My column returns to this section on Wednesday, Sept. 8.

Jean Lyford hopes the public will show its support for the BrewerHistorical Society by making purchases at its bake sale from 9 a.m.to 1 p.m. today at Marden's in Brewer.

The sale features homemade foods, and proceeds will benefit thesociety museum at 199 Wilson St., which Lyford said 'needs a lot ofrepair.'

On behalf of the Island Fishermen's Wives Association, its co-chairwomen, Cari Quiterio and Angela Douglas, invite the public toattend a benefit concert for the association and the Island CommunityCenter.

Flash in the Pans steel band will perform from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday,Aug. 30, at the Stonington Commercial Fish Pier.

For information, call 348-2626 or 348-6931.

Tim Throckmorton, WABI-TV sports anchor, will be a featured guestwith recording artist Debbie Myers at the Palmyra Wal-Mart All-American Labor Day Family Fun Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday,Sept. 6, in Palmyra.

Nightmoves will perform from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., when The DebbieMyers Show takes center stage and performs until 3 p.m.

You will also watch a clogging demonstration by the Highlanders,and see Tickles the Clown and Kellogg's Tony the Tiger.

A craft show, bounce house, face painting, barbecue, pet photos, araffle and a fund-raiser by local firefighters for the MuscularDystrophy Association will all be part of the day's activities.

Proceeds will help the MDA fund clinics, support groups and MDA'smedical equipment purchase and repair program.

Clips of the event will be aired throughout the local broadcast ofthe Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon.

The works of artist Rachel Collin Therrien of Augusta will bedisplayed during regular business hours Wednesday, Sept. 1, throughThursday, Sept. 30, at the Bangor Public Library, 145 Harlow St.

The public is invited to attend an opening reception and hear atalk by the artist, who features landscapes in her work, at 6 p.m.Wednesday, Sept. 8, at the library.

Seating is limited, so if you wish to take a riverboat cruise, aguided tour of Fredericton, New Brunswick, and an escorted tour ofhistoric Kings Landing settlement, you need to make your reservationsnow.

Moosehead Historical Museum is planning this two-day trip toCanada for Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 8 and 9.

The cost, including transportation, lodging, lunch at KingsLanding, admissions, the riverboat ride and city tour, is $195 perperson.

Call the museum at 695-2909 to make your reservation.

First United Methodist Church of Bangor is planning a silentauction/dessert social fund-raiser from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday,Sept. 11, at the church on Essex Street.

Auction items will include donations from local businesses as wellas from members of the congregation.

However, if you have household goods or items that you are willingto donate, church members would be very happy to have you help withthis fund-raiser.

Donations can include books, movies, furniture or any other itemsyou think might be suitable for this fund-raiser.

If you are interested in making a donation to the auction, callDeb Christensen at 941-9567, or e-mail her at fumco@juno.com.

From Kristie Miner of Westgate Manor in Bangor we learn that theannual Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction to benefit the MaineAlzheimer's Association will be 4:30-7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10, at theBangor Elks Club, 108 Odlin Road.

Admission for the dinner is $5 for adults and $2.50 for childrenunder 10.

Tickets are available at Westgate Manor or can be purchased at thedoor.

воскресенье, 7 октября 2012 г.

Bangor show promises hot rods, big sounds - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

With the enthusiastic support of Bangor Police Chief Don Winslow,a group of very nice young men, whom I had the pleasure of meeting,will hold a special event that I hope is well received by residentsof Greater Bangor.

The first Dynamic Performance Auto Club Car Show is 9 a.m.-1 p.m.Saturday, June 21, at Bass Park in Bangor. The event is free forspectators.

The gates open for registration at 7 a.m., and cars can beregistered until 10 a.m.

The admission fee is $5 to register show cars and $10 for the SPLcompetitors, which is where I had to pause and ask, 'What is SPL?'

Noah Sargent of Bangor, A.C. Gallant of Brewer and Terry Wolfe ofEddington all smiled and, practically in one voice, informed me itsignifies a car stereo system, as in 'those loud boom sounds youhear!'

Wow! That's some unusual competition but, I want you to know, thisis a good-hearted effort for a most worthy cause.

Proceeds from the Dynamic Performance Car Show benefit the PoliceAthletic League.

The young men told me what they're trying to do is create a commonbond to help improve the relationship between young car enthusiastsand members of the community, which includes the BPD.

'We want the kids to know that the cops are there for theirbenefit,' Sargent said, 'and the police to know that the kids are notdoing what they see in the movies. We want everyone to understandwhere the lines are, both ways.'

There are 20-plus classes for show cars, two bike classes and sixSPL classes, and car owners of all ages, from everywhere, are invitedto participate.

The organizers expect car clubs from as far south as New York andas far north as Canada to be here. The phone has been ringing off thehook, they said.

Complementing the car show at Bass Park is drag racing from 3 to 9p.m. Saturday, June 21, at Winterport Dragway, under special lightsthat have been rented for this event.

Entry fees for the Winterport site are $10 for racers and $5 forspectators.

Attendees are invited to camp out, at the track, and stay over forSunday's Import Wars sport compact car races the next day.

With help from people such as Winterport track manager DerrickCunningham, sponsorships and the support of Chief Winslow, the clubmembers hope this is a successful event.

Winslow e-mailed to say he believes the car show at Bass Park 'isa great idea. It gives them an opportunity to show off the fruits oftheir hobby.'

After meeting with club members, Winslow said he left with a'better understanding of the group, and an appreciation for theirhard work' and that, from his perspective, 'showing off their cars atan organized event is much better than lining them up along MainStreet.'

This should be one terrific event: An opportunity for young andold alike to share their love of cars.

I commend Dynamic Performance for this effort, and hope the clubcontinues to grow and share its good will and community spirit withall of us.

For more information about the show, visit dymanicperformance.orgor winterport

dragway.com.

For information about the show or the auto club, call Sargent at942-7285.

Joanne Bradshaw reports that Corinth Family Medicine will hold itssecond annual Health Fair to coincide with Corinth's Old Home Days,which run 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, June 20, and 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday,June 21.

The Health Fair is noon-2 p.m. at the ballpark behind the townoffice. There will be minimassages and cholesterol and blood sugarscreenings. Weight Watchers will offer body-mass index measurements.

On behalf of the Peony Society of Maine, its president, KenLiberty, invites you to the society's third annual Peony Garden Tour,10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, June 21, at his home, 23 Ohio St. in Bangor.

More than 70 varieties of peonies and nearly 100 plants should bein full bloom.

Admission is a $2 donation, which is used to donate unusual peonyplants to local public gardens. Previous donations were to theLittlefield Demonstration Gardens at the University of Maine in Oronoand Ecotat Gardens in Hermon.

The tour will be held rain or shine, and more information isavailable from Liberty by calling 945-9726.

суббота, 6 октября 2012 г.

Bangor, Maine, Prepares for National Folk Festival. - Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

By Jackie Farwell, Bangor Daily News, Maine Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Aug. 2--Organizers of this year's National Folk Festival in Bangor want to make sure festival-goers are properly attired while they boogie to bluegrass tunes and croon to country music.

That's why W.S. Emerson of Brewer is screen printing nearly 12,000 Folk Festival T-shirts, almost double last year's order.

'This is the biggest order of the year of one design,' said owner John Vickery. 'It's a real team effort.'

Selling for $15, the short-sleeve shirts are available in pink, gray, lime green and bright blue, and feature the multicolored Folk Festival logo depicting a shadowed musician.

The company's regular staff of 40 employees began production of the shirt July 28 and plan to complete the order -- which also includes 1,400 embroidered baseball caps and 500 tote bags -- by Monday.

'There isn't one person who hasn't handled these shirts at least once,' said Betsy Vickery, supervisor of the embroidery department.

Youth shirts will sell for $10, caps for $12, and tote bags for $10, according to Folk Festival coordinator Heather McCarthy. Proceeds from the sale of the items will go into the festival's operating budget, she said.

Despite the workload, the company continues to fill its regular orders, John Vickery said.

'We can't just dedicate six days to one customer,' he said.

The company screen printed the shirts for last year's festival and in June again beat out both in-state and out-of-state bidders for the order, John Vickery said. The large volume allowed his company to bid aggressively and produce the shirts at a special rate, he said.

'We're really proud to have done this,' he said. 'The more they order allows us to be more competitive.'

About 900 bright orange shirts have been set aside for festival volunteers and 130 teal shirts for staff, according to Merri-Lee West, director of sales for the company. Musical performers will don pale green shirts with a complete listing of festival musicians on the back, while Red Cross volunteers will sport white shirts, she said. These shirts will not be available for sale, West said.

'The colors are nice and bright,' she said. 'The lime was the most popular last year, so we have plenty of those.'

The company hopes to secure the profitable order again for next year's festival, John Vickery said.

'We will definitely submit an aggressive bid next year,' he said.

To see more of the Bangor Daily News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.bangordailynews.com

пятница, 5 октября 2012 г.

GOP targets Maine votes with Palin's Bangor stop ; Election 2008: The McCain campaign wants all four of Maine's electoral votes, not just the one for the 2nd District. - Portland Press Herald (Portland, ME)

TOM BELL By TOM BELL Staff Writer
Portland Press Herald (Maine)
10-14-2008
GOP targets Maine votes with Palin's Bangor stop ; Election 2008: The McCain campaign wants all four of Maine's electoral votes, not just the one for the 2nd District.
Byline: TOM BELL By TOM BELL Staff Writer
Edition: Final
Section: Local & State
Type: News

Sarah Palin's campaign appearance in Bangor Thursday will be part of a Republican effort to win all four of Maine's electoral votes, not only the one in the state's more-conservative 2nd Congressional District, according a campaign spokesman.

'We have seen evidence that Maine is a competitive state and is very much up for grabs,' said Jeff Grappone, a spokesman for the Republican presidential nominee, U.S. Sen. John McCain, though Grappone said the campaign is especially eyeing the 2nd District, which in the past has been more favorable to Republicans.
Palin, the GOP vice presidential nominee, will speak at a 'Road to Victory' rally set for 9 a.m. at the Bangor International Airport maintenance hangar.

The Maine Republican Party is encouraging supporters to arrive early because a big crowd is expected.

The event in Bangor will end a series of campaign stops that is taking Palin up the East Coast.

On Wednesday, Palin will make her first campaign visit to New Hampshire, making stops in Dover, Laconia and Salem.

The appearance in Dover will be a town hall-type event at Dover High School, starting at 9 a.m.

Earlier this month, when the McCain campaign announced that it was dropping its efforts in Michigan, it said it would divert resources to more competitive states, including Maine, which has four electoral votes.

Maine is one of only two states that split their electoral votes, rather than use the winner-take-all method.

Maine gives two electoral votes to the winner of the state and one to the winner in each congressional district.

Democractic Party officials have said they are confident of carrying the state for U.S. Sen. Barrack Obama because they have a stronger grass-roots campaign here.

Grappone said Palin will draw a 'clear contrast' between McCain and Obama on Thursday.

'Governor Palin will talk directly to Mainers about John McCain's agenda to put government back on the side of the people and keep taxes low to help small businesses across Maine invest and grow and create good jobs,' he said.

The Obama campaign said that Palin's message will ring false in the 2nd District, which has suffered economically under President Bush.

'The McCain-Palin ticket is offering more of the same failed economic policies that have caused home heating oil costs to skyrocket, retirement accounts to disappear, and jobs to be outsourced,' said Toby McGrath, Obama's Maine state director, in a prepared statement. 'Barack Obama has laid out policies that will grow our middle class and strengthen the economy. That is the kind of change Mainers are looking for and need from our next president.'

According to a Sept. 24 SurveyUSA poll of 675 Maine voters, Obama led McCain 49 percent to 44 percent.

He held that 5-point lead in both northern and southern Maine.

The poll had a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points.

The Alaska governor's visit to Maine will come just days after her husband, Todd, made a series of campaign appearances in Maine's 2nd District.

On Sunday, Todd Palin stopped at Dysart's Restaurant and truck stop in Hermon and Harry's Motor Sports in Presque Isle.

On Saturday, he made an appearance at the Moosehead Trading Post in Palmyra.

Although the rally in Bangor will be free to the public, people will need tickets, which are available at McCain campaign offices in Bangor, Caribou, Lewiston, Machias and Portland, or online at http:/ /maine.johnmccain.com/Maine.htm.

Staff Writer Tom Bell can be contacted at 791-6369 or at:

tbell@pressherald

Illustrations/Photos:
Caption: The Associated Press Sarah Palin will end a series of East
Coast campaign stops in Bangor. Gabor Degre/Bangor Daily News Mark
Bradstreet of Searsport talks to volunteers Lorraine Wilcox, left,
and Shelley Wirth at Maine Republican headquarters in Bangor, where
he got tickets Monday for this week's appearance by vice
presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

Copyright 2006 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

четверг, 4 октября 2012 г.

Bangor election official still looking for owner of camera card found during 2010 voting - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

BANGOR, Maine -- The family on the found camera card went on awhirlwind tour of the southwest and then lost the 360 or so imagesat the Bangor Civic Center, possibly while voting during theNovember 2010 elections.

The photo card was found on the floor during the elections nearlytwo years ago and handed over to the Deputy Registrar of Voters,Bangor resident Mike Gleason.

'I advertised it in the 'found' column of the BDN to no avail,and sent several of the photos to people I thought might know someof the individuals,' the election official said.

Gleason was reminded about the lost photo card when he read arecent Bangor Daily News story about decades old photos of a familyand a dinosaur found inside a camera at a yard sale, he said.

'Found Film? How about 'Found Photo Card'?' was the subject lineof the email he sent to the Bangor Daily.

The photos feature four main people, two adults and two youngadults, who apparently took a family trip to the Southwest.

'This group did it all -- the Grand Canyon, the Rockies, Denver,the Air Force Academy, zoos, sports venues, aquariums, et cetera,'said Gleason, a retired senior master sergeant who served with theU.S. Air Force and Air National Guard. 'I'm sure they would like toget back the photos.'

His time in the Air Force is why he 'recognized the Air ForceAcademy photos,' he said Sunday.

среда, 3 октября 2012 г.

Organizers hope basketball hall ends up in new Bangor arena - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

Throughout this week, thousands will flock to the BangorAuditorium, for more than 50 years the traditional home ofbasketball in eastern and northern Maine.

On the way there, they will pass the future home of basketball,the new arena now under construction and due to open in the fall of2013.

In that new arena may rest the repository of basketball historyin Maine, in the form of the proposed Maine Basketball Hall of Fame.

Basketball is the sport that Mainers have taken most to heart,yet there's no home for its history.

'There's not a town in Maine that hasn't been touched bybasketball,' said Peter Webb, who has been Maine's commissioner ofbasketball for the past 22 years. 'There's Halls of Fame foreverything, but not for the sport that's king. We want to make surethat basketball's history is preserved.'

Webb added that there's a need to gather the materials needed forthe Hall of Fame soon.

`It's vital we do it now,' he said. 'In another 10 years, what wewant to do will be much more difficult.'

Webb is one of the organizers of the Maine Basketball Hall ofFame, along with Skip Chappelle, former Fort Fairfield andUniversity of Maine coach, who as a player at Old Town High Schoolplayed in the first regular-season high school game at the BangorAuditorium back in 1955.

Chappelle sees the new arena as the natural place for such ahall.

'We're talking about capturing the last hundred years ofbasketball in the state, and history says that Bangor is at thecenter of it,' he has said.

Organizers are now working with members of the Friends of theMaine Center and Bangor city officials to determine what form thehall will eventually take. The Friends are a citizens' group whocame together in 2010 to assist and support the Bangor City Councilin the effort to build a new arena and convention center.

A. Mark Woodward, former executive editor at the Bangor DailyNews and Friends spokesman and co-chairman with Miles Theeman,cautioned that it's very early in the process for the arena and theproposed hall. Still he feels the two have a shared destiny.

'There's a powerful connection between people in this state andbasketball,' Woodward said. 'The key is for us to capture that andcapitalize on that. The arena is the right place for [the hall],since its predecessor was the center of so many great moments inbasketball.'

Having the hall inside the arena would help to make the newfacility more diversified, Woodward added.

'We hope to be part of the dialogue of how this arena should bedesigned,' he said. 'The design could be tweaked to accommodate anarena the city of Bangor can be proud of. It would be something tobring people to that facility when there isn't a major event there.'

Woodward, Steve Pound of the Hall of Fame organizing committeeand Bass Park Director Mike Dyer recently walked through the currentauditorium, with an eye toward items that could be sold asmemorabilia, with the funds pumped back into the facility, pendingCity Council approval.

Woodward used that story to illustrate how many steps must betaken before the arena and the Hall of Fame can be joined together:'We've got to finalize the design, find out what space is allocated[for the hall], gather and sell the artifacts.

вторник, 2 октября 2012 г.

Bangor tulip garden to benefit cancer fund - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

Seven women who work in Bangor are trying to raise $5,000 for theMaine Cancer Foundation Women's Cancer Fund, and you can help.

Gail Creath e-mailed that she, Nancy Torresen, Darlene Emerson,Margaret Kravchuk, Julie Morse, Brenda DeRoche and ElizabethRichardson 'have formed a core group for a fundraising project toplant a pink tulip garden in front of the Margaret Chase SmithFederal Building' on Harlow Street in Bangor.'

To raise the $5,000, Creath said, the core group of gardeners willpurchase 500 pink tulip bulbs and sell the bulbs for $10 each.

The public is invited to attend the Pink Tulip Project kickoff andpurchase a bulb or bulbs at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25, on the secondfloor of the federal building, where you also may enjoy brownies andcoffee.

If you are unable to attend but would like to donate directly tothe project, visit www.pinktulipproject.com, select Support A Garden,and then select Margaret Chase Smith Courthouse Garden.

Executive director Joshua Torrance invites you to the WoodlawnCanine Carnival 9 a.m.-2 p.m. today at Woodlawn, Route 172 inEllsworth.

The family event features everything from a dog show to tips onresponsible dog ownership, dog agility demonstrations, vendors anddog carting demonstrations.

Call 667-8671 or visit www.woodlawnmuseum.org for information.

Here's late word from Criterion Theatre and Arts Center boardmember Erin Uliano that the country duo Blue County will perform abenefit concert for the SPCA of Hancock County and the CriterionTheatre and Arts Center at 7 tonight at the theater in downtown BarHarbor.

Balcony tickets are $35 and downstairs tickets are $25. They areavailable at the theater and Cadillac Mountain Sports in Bar Harbor.

Uliano reports the concert will open with 'Maine favorite DannyHarper,' and that the benefit 'is very important to both nonprofitorganizations and could really help with their fundraising.'

She also believes that such 'a great Nashville name like BlueCounty doing a benefit in Maine' is quite special.

Katherine Marks-Molloy of the Orono Public Library reports it hasbeen selected by the Maine Humanities Council to offer a 'Let's TalkAbout' Book Group with five sessions beginning 3:30-5:30 p.m.Thursday, Sept. 27, at the Inn at Dirigo Pines Retirement Communityin Orono.

The succeeding sessions, all Thursdays, are Oct. 25, Nov. 29, Jan.31 and Feb. 28.

All residents of Orono and nearby communities are welcome toattend any or all of the meetings.

The series, 'The Mirror of Maine: The Maine Community in Myth andReality,' will be led by Judy Hakola, and books will be available atthe library.

The books in the series are 'The Weir' by Ruth Moore, 'A MaineHamlet' by Lura Beam, 'Twelve Journeys in Maine' by Wes McNair,'Empire Falls' by Richard Russo and 'Maine Speaks: An Anthology ofMaine Literature.'

For information, call the library at 866-5060.

Sue Tidd e-mailed that the Brain Injury Association of Maine isseeking volunteers to help plan the 2008 Walk for Thought scheduledfor March 22 at six sites that will attract more than 1,000 walkers.

For information, call 861-9900 or e-mail stidd@biame.org.

On behalf of Bangor Center Corp., Sally Bates reminds interestedparties that two public meetings on the subject of nighttime noiseissues in downtown Bangor are planned for next week.

The first meeting is noon-1 p.m. and the second 5:30-6:30 p.m.Thursday, Sept. 27, in council chambers of Bangor City Hall.

Bates reminds readers the Bangor City Council asked BCC's LiaisonCommittee to address the issue of 'after hours bars' downtown andthese meetings are follow-ups to the committee's first publicmeeting, which was on Aug. 28.

Community Health and Counseling Services has announced it isseeking volunteers for its Warm Line program.

Warm Line, according to a release, 'is a part-time, free andconfidential, non-crisis telephone line designed to serve personswith mental illness, and their families, in Penobscot, Piscataquis,Washington and Hancock counties.'

Warm Line volunteers are individuals who possess 'a sense ofempathy, the ability to be nonjudgmental, and good listening skills.'

Training and support are provided, and information is available bycalling Maureen Walsh, 947-0366, or 800-924-0366, ext. 214, andleaving a message.

Volunteers will receive an application and an interviewappointment.

Bangor: Lonnie Hackett's unorthodox running style has confounded opponents all season. - Portland Press Herald (Portland, ME)

Anonymous By KEVIN THOMAS Staff Writer --
Portland Press Herald (Maine)
11-20-2009
Bangor: Lonnie Hackett's unorthodox running style has confounded opponents all season.
Byline: Anonymous By KEVIN THOMAS Staff Writer --
Edition: Final
Section: Sports
Type: News

BANGOR --

He does not appear heavy, unless you consider all the weighted courses he takes at Bangor High.

But Lonnie Hackett is strong.
And he's fast.

Still, there is more.

Hackett, a senior with a 4.34 grade-point average, is a prime reason why Bangor (11-0) could become just the third Eastern Maine team in 23 years to win the Class A state championship. The Rams meet Windham for the title at 11:06 a.m. Saturday at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland.

Hackett, 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, will get the ball often, displaying speed, his tenacity to run into the line, and his ability to keep going.

Part ballet dancer and part bumper car, Hackett jumps, spins and stays on his feet.

'He's quite unique,' said Bangor Coach Mark Hackett. The coach and player are second cousins and did not meet until Lonnie entered high school.

Initially watching the young Hackett dance around the field, a football coach might be tempted to straighten the lad out. But all the moves produced results.

'We didn't want to stop his idiosyncrasies because he gets the job done,' the coach said.

After gaining 1,073 yards last year, Hackett has nearly doubled that with 2,064 yards this season, including 176 yards on 34 carries last week in the Eastern Maine final, a 24-7 win over Brunswick.

'He's elusive,' said Brunswick lineman Harrison Kemp. 'He's able to run straight, spin around the tackle and gain his speed right back. He was incredible.'

Hackett said the moves aren't planned.

'Just instinct,' he said. 'I see game films and say, 'Why did I do that?'

But Hackett knows why. 'I hate getting tackled,' he said.

Hackett is a three-sport athlete who finished fourth in the 100- meter dash at last year's indoor state meet and patrols center field for the Rams in the spring.

As a young football player, he was the stereotypical speedy running back.

'In youth football, he'd go around the end and no one could catch him,' Coach Hackett said. 'It's been a process for him to run between the tackles.'

Hackett has learned to settle for shorter gains, but he is still dangerous inside.

In the Brunswick game, after Bangor's defense stopped the Dragons at the goal line, the Rams' offense got the ball on their own 1. Hackett took an inside handoff and broke free for a 22-yard gain.

Bangor will keep pounding away with Hackett, evidenced by his 34 carries last week. The Rams can do that because of Hackett and an offensive line that rarely gets outmuscled.

Add in quarterback Joe Seccareccia, a two-way threat who rushed for 92 yards last week; a pounding fullback in Maxx Alexander; and two receivers who know how to get to the ball - Josiah Hartley and Nate Henigan - and the Rams are a force, averaging more than 33 points a game.

'Both the offense and defense are clicking,' Hackett said after the Rams held the high-powered Dragons to one touchdown last week.

Hackett will be called on to carry a lot of the load Saturday. He's used to it, on the field and in the classroom. Of his six courses, five are advanced placement.

He has applied for early decision at Bowdoin College and hopes to play football for the Polar Bears.

But he has one more high school game to play; a chance to spin, leap, and dazzle one more time.

Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Illustrations/Photos:
Caption: Michael C. York Photo/Bangor Daily News Lonnie Hackett has
been a workhorse running back for Bangor and also has an ability to
break big plays, having rushed for more than 2,000 yards this
season.

Copyright 2009 Blethen Maine Newspapers

понедельник, 1 октября 2012 г.

Bangor gearing up for second Winter Weekend - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

BANGOR - Downtown businesses, the city and several localorganizations are teaming up to present their second annual WinterWeekend, which this time will span four days.

Residents and visitors are invited to alleviate cabin fever bytaking part in some of the roughly 30 events, most of them outdoorsand most of them free, that will be held Feb. 10-14 in venuesdowntown, on the Bangor Waterfront and in nearby city parks.

The schedule for the event still was being firmed up this week,according to Terry Delargy of J Group and Steve Ribble of AMES A/E,co-chairmen of the Winter Weekend planning committee.

The tentative schedule that has evolved so far shows that theevent will feature some of the events debuted during the event'sfirst year, including the Paul Bunyan look-alike contest, the BanffFilm Festival, a Soup and Cinema event, snow sculptures in downtownparks, a pancake breakfast, horse-drawn wagon rides, a rovingphotographer, snowshoe racing and lots of events for kids.

Events and activities new to the Winter Weekend lineup include avolunteer kickoff party, formal dance, a bonfire on the waterfront,events for snowmobilers, Big Wheel races and a remote-control vehicletechnical course.

Other first-time offerings will include Taste of Bangor, sidewalksales, picture framing and safe Web surfing programs conducted bydowntown merchants.

Sponsors and partners in the first Winter Weekend event wereDowntown Center Corp., the Greater Bangor Convention and VisitorsBureau, Epic Sports, J Group Advertising, Sea Dog Brewing Co., BangorDaily News, Ames A/E, the city of Bangor's parks and recreation andpublic works departments, the Greater Bangor Region Chamber ofCommerce and Maine People's Alliance.

New partners for the coming edition of Winter Weekend includeFusion Bangor, which is sponsoring a formal dance at the Union StreetBrick Church on Feb. 10, the Paul Bunyan Snowmobile Club, which isorganizing a ride-in, 'show-shine' and safety program on Feb. 12 inthe vacant field next to Railroad Street.

Ribble encourages those who want to try their hand at the snowsculpture competition to contact him by e-mail at sribble@amesae.comso that organizers can make sure enough space and snow are availableto all who want to take part.

воскресенье, 30 сентября 2012 г.

Bangor Band Christmas Concert this Sunday - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

People who attend the annual Christmas Concert of our historicBangor Band, which is nearing the end of its 146th year, will welcomeits new conductor, Dr. Fred Goldrich of Trenton.

The Bangor Band Christmas Concert is 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, atBangor Civic Center and, band president Bob Pentland promises, 'SantaClaus will be there.'

The concert is free and open to the public.

Having conducted symphony and chamber orchestras in the New YorkCity area, 'as well as musical theater both in that area and inMaine,' Pentland informed me, Goldrich has prepared a veryentertaining and enjoyable selection of holiday music for thisspecial concert.

You will hear many familiar holiday selections that will pleaseboth young and old, and 'a little brass ensemble' will be playing'some snazzy, jazzy Christmas music' as you pass through the lobbyheaded for your seats.

Once again, Pentland added, Bangor city officials have graciouslygiven 'permission' for Santa and his sleigh to light atop the civiccenter and avoid the snarl of holiday traffic, but Pentland requestsno oats be thrown to the reindeer on the roof.

Serving with Pentland on the Bangor Band board of directors forthe upcoming season are vice president Dale Brownie, Stetson;secretary Dianna Wyman, Fairfield; treasurer Richard Starke, Castine;and at-large members Don Menninghaus, Bangor, and Michelle Share, OldTown.

The band has openings for clarinet, saxophone and French hornplayers.

For more information, call Goldrich at 667-0153, Pentland at 667-4874, or Menninghaus at 942-1295.

Kathryn Braggins, e-mailing on behalf of the Hudson Museum, wantsthe public to know about a special raffle taking place during the11th annual Maine Indian Basketmakers Sale and Demonstration, whichis free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec.10, at the Museum in the Maine Center for the Arts on the Universityof Maine campus in Orono.

Braggins wrote that the Museum 'has commissioned a Passamaquoddyfancy basket by Jeremy Fray to be raffled off that day.'

'The basket is absolutely beautiful,' Braggins added.

It can be seen at the museum shop, or you will find a picture anda brief write-up about it at www.umaine.edu/hudsonmuseum/index.php.

Raffle tickets are available at the Museum Gift Shop for $5 each.

More than 30 Maine Indian basket makers will be selling theirunique ash splint and sweet grass baskets. If you wish to be an'early bird,' you can do so beginning at 9 a.m. for a $10 fee.

Throughout the day, traditional foods, storytelling and music,children's workshops and demonstrations will be offered.

More information about the Basketmakers Sale can be found atwww.umaine.edu/hudsonmuseum/even.php.

Santa Claus will be one of the special guests for the sixth annualWoodlawn Museum Candlelight Evening at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, atWoodlawn on Surry Road in Ellsworth.

Underwritten by Union Trust Co., festivities include music by theFletcher's Landing Philharmonic band, a bonfire, caroling, tours ofthe museum, hot chocolate and cookies served by members of the KeyClub, and lighting of the luminarias along the driveway by local BoyScouts.

Santa concludes the event at 6:30 p.m. with a reading of ''Twasthe Night Before Christmas' and the lighting of the CommunityChristmas Tree, which features decorations made by participants ofthe Downeast Family Child Care program.

Admission is $5 per car, plus an additional $5 for adults and $1per child for those who want to visit the museum and view theChristmas Trees of Woodlawn display.

From Nancy Grant we learn that doors open for the AFS 28th AnnualAuction at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, in the cafeteria of Orono HighSchool.

Your $5 admission includes a dinner of chili, corn bread, dessertand beverage. A vegetarian chili also will be available.

The silent auction is from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and closes promptly,in preparation for the live auction from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., featuringguest auctioneer Dave Ames.

Up for bid, this year, is everything from a boat ride down thePenobscot River and sailing into Penobscot Bay to an authenticraccoon coat, a flag that's been flown over the U.S. Capitol, giftcertificates, and OHS all-sports passes.

The AFS 'We are the World' quilt, currently on display at MerrillMerchants Bank in Orono, is this year's raffle item.

As always, all proceeds benefit the Orono AFS InterculturalPrograms Scholarship Fund.

суббота, 29 сентября 2012 г.

Volunteers sought for Bangor literacy program - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

Some people, when they hear the words, 'Literacy Volunteers,'think of tutors teaching people who cannot read how to read.

But Mary Marin-Lyon, executive director of Literacy Volunteers ofBangor, reminds you that 'low literacy' affects '37 percent of ourneighbors.'

She describes 'low literacy' as having 'poor reading or Englishskills' that can often make people 'feel ashamed, frustrated andembarrassed.'

Low literacy can often prevent individuals 'from helping theirchildren develop important skills,' may limit job and earningprospects, or even prevent people from participating, effectively, incommunity activities.

To help your neighbors overcome such life obstacles, you can, injust a few hours a week, tutor an adult in reading or help him or herlearn the English language.

Lyon has announced that Basic Literacy Tutor Training will beconducted 6-9 p.m. five consecutive Wednesdays beginning Wednesday,Sept. 12, at United Technologies Center, 200 Hogan Road in Bangor.

Although there is no cost for the class and $25 is requested tohelp defray the cost of the book and materials, scholarships areavailable.

The LVB course in English Language Learner Tutor Training isplanned for 6-9 Monday and Wednesday evenings beginning Wednesday,Oct. 17, at UTC.

If you can help your neighbor become a better reader, or helpsomeone learn English, call LVB at 947-8451.

St. Croix International Quilters have two opportunities for thoseinterested in that activity.

The first is a free workshop with Lynda Coffey, who will teach youto make a quilted tote bag, at 6 p.m. Wednesday Sept. 5, at theMethodist Homes Recreation Center on Palmer Street in Calais.

The other is a machine quilting field trip beginning at MooseIsland Quilting, 445 Gin Cove Road in Perry, to view 'a demonstrationof Dana Bard's Long Arm Quilting Machine,' wrote Kathryn Mekelburg,'then off to have a noon lunch at the New Friendly Restaurant.'

After lunch, the group will travel to Charlotte Elementary School,where Bard will teach a workshop on machine quilting.

For more information, call Mekelburg, 454-0654.

Laura Mitchell reminds everyone that you are invited to the UnitedWay of Eastern Maine 2007 Campaign Kickoff, 'From Baby Steps to BusStops,' from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 6, at Bass Park inBangor.

The event includes a complimentary lunch from Hannaford, 'and theopportunity to experience a temporary installation of a Born Learningtrail, an outdoor-activity walking trail with 10 stations forchildren and their parents to learn and have fun together,' Mitchellwrote.

Speakers include Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe and UWEMCampaign Chairman John Rohman.

If you plan to attend and are not already registered through yourworkplace, you are encouraged to call UWEM at 941-2800.

More information is also available at www.unitedwayem.org.

Jackie Nicholson wants women to know that you need not be a memberto attend the Hancock Woman's Club monthly meeting at 7 p.m.Thursday, Sept. 6, at the Hancock Community Center.

After a brief business meeting, Nicholson wrote, you will hearpsychologist, author and former City College of New York professorDr. Douglas Kimmel speak on 'The Art of Aging.'

Kimmel, who specializes in gerontology, practices in Hancock.

Refreshments will be served, and more information can be obtainedby calling HWC president Charline Sheridan at 422-8969.

With fans worldwide honoring the memory of the late entertainer,Elvis Presley, who died 30 years ago this summer, local fans have achance to 'pay their respects,' so to speak, and support a worthycause at the same time.

Grace United Methodist Church of Bangor announces its secondannual 'Dessert With Elvis' is 6-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, atSpectacular Event Center, 395 Griffin Road in Bangor.

The public is invited to an evening of entertainment featuringElvis impersonator Bruce Nye, the Elvis Guy, a silent and liveauction and a dessert buffet.

Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at the door on the dayof the event, or in advance, at Patrick's Hallmark in the BroadwayShopping Center, the Grasshopper Shop and Rebecca's in downtownBangor, or at Grace Church, 193 Union St. in Bangor.

Auction items include jewelry, gifts, restaurant and store giftcertificates and theater, Penobscot Bingo and sports events tickets.

Proceeds will benefit the church's ministry and community outreachprograms. More information can be obtained by calling the churchoffice at 942-8320.

пятница, 28 сентября 2012 г.

Bangor Y auction to raise scholarship funds - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

Last year, the Bangor Y Benefit Auction raised more than $25,000,reported Carrie Anderson-Paquette.

Proceeds from this year's 7th annual auction 'will be used by theYMCA and YWCA of Greater Bangor to develop programs that benefitBangor area youth and provide scholarships to those who are otherwiseunable to participate,' she wrote.

The Bangor Y Benefit Auction is 5-11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, atSpectacular Event Center, 395 Griffin Road in Bangor.

Tickets are $30 and can be obtained at the Bangor Y, 127 HammondSt. or 17 Second St.

Your admission includes dinner, raffles, a silent auction, a liveauction with emcee and auctioneer Dick Catelle, and a dance after thefestivities.

One of the major raffle items is an Old Town Canoe-Kayak package.

Silent auction items range from large to small, from event ticketsto tools.

The live auction includes everything from sports packages andtelevision advertising to books personalized and donated by StephenKing and artwork of Bill Bracken, Debra Daniels and Vitauts Knuble.

Anderson-Paquette reported the fundraiser has moved to a newlocation 'to accommodate more people and showcase our items better.'

With good attendance and spirited bidding, perhaps last year'samount can be surpassed and even more young people will benefit fromall the Bangor Y has to offer.

The public is invited to the St. Croix Historical Society meetingat 7 tonight at The Holmestead in Calais.

Guest speaker Douglas Dougherty will discuss his new book aboutthe history of Todd's Point.

Joni Miller reminds members 'a vote will be taken to amend thebylaws regarding dues increase.'

Refreshments will be served.

Here's a last-minute notice about an event that's been six monthsin the planning, but Mary Jo Sanger hopes tomato lovers will findtime to attend.

Tom Roberts of Snakeroot Farm in Pittsfield is the featuredspeaker during a free Brown Bag Lunch at noon Tuesday, Nov. 8, atPage Farm and Home Museum on the campus of the University of Maine inOrono.

'The whole program is about tomatoes,' from heirloom tomatoes tohybrids and from how to keep tomatoes to how to plant them, Sangersaid.

The program will feature 'everything everybody ever wanted to knowabout usual and unusual varieties of tomatoes,' she added.

'Tom Roberts is an organic farmer who attends many of the farmersmarkets' in this area, she said, 'and his program should be ofconsiderable interest.'

Roberts sells organic produce and flowers and is also the marketmaster for the Pittsfield Farmers Market.

You are invited to attend the 2005-2006 Maryann Hartman Awardsceremony from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, in the Buchanan AlumniHouse on the University of Maine campus in Orono.

This lovely new facility on College Avenue is fully handicappedaccessible.

This is the 20th year the Women in the Curriculum and Women'sStudies Program has presented this award to Maine women ofdistinction.

The 2005-2006 honorees are Judith Isaacson, Jean Lavigne, DorothySchwartz and Brooke Hayne.

Isaacson is being recognized for her writing and lectures on herHolocaust experience and those of others.

Lavigne is being honored for her HIV-AIDS activism and herleadership in making benefits available to same-sex partners in theUMaine system.

Schwartz is receiving the award for making the Maine HumanitiesCouncil a major state cultural institution and a model for thecountry.

Hayne, who initiated Gay-Straight activities at her high school,despite opposition, will receive the Young Women's Society JusticeAward.

There is no fee and the event is open to the public, butregistration is necessary to arrange for seating and lightrefreshments.

If you would like to attend, please call 581-1228.

The public is welcome to attend a gathering of the AmericanAssociation of University Women, Penobscot Valley Branch, in honor ofa late member, Anne Johnson.

The program, coordinated by Mary Jo Sanger and Kathryn Olmsteadwith Cassie Gibbs and Mary Bird, is 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, at PageFarm and Home Museum on the campus of the University of Maine inOrono.

In addition to her AAUW activities, Johnson promoted the SchoolGarden Network, for which she wrote a series of articles thatrecently have been reissued in booklet form and distributed to Maineschools.

Johnson also co-founded the Orono Farmers Market.

четверг, 27 сентября 2012 г.

Young journalists revive Bangor High paper - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

BANGOR - Reporters on the Bangor High School student newspaperwere up against the clock Saturday, putting their wordsmith skills togood use as they composed headlines for the sports section.

Tossing ideas back and forth, they finally settled on some cleverphrases that met with everyone's satisfaction.

'This is hard for one person, but we can feed off each other,'said Casey Dunn, co-editor of the Ram-Page and one of five studentsputting finishing touches on only the second issue since the schoolstopped publishing a paper three years ago.

The classroom of science teacher and Ram-Page adviser Al Banfieldwas a flurry of activity as the reporters - who double as editors -toiled to meet deadlines. Along with Dunn, co-editor Kaitlin Walmsleyand entertainment editor Krysta Koncinsky were creating headlines,proofreading copy and measuring space for stories and pictures.Meanwhile, Richard Korman and Carlin Puckett were using a computerprogram to plot out the finished product that would soon be taken tothe office of the Ellsworth American to be published.

Banfield was everywhere, pointing out the clock that was tickingaway, offering suggestions and dispensing advice.

Producing the school newspaper has gotten easier as staff membershave learned how to compromise and to manage their time better, theysaid. Seeing their stories in print and hearing the positive feedbackthat has ensued have become sources of pride.

'It's exciting to hear that people are reading something youworked so hard on,' said Walmsley.

But the time crunch continues to be a challenge. 'We're startingto realize that unless we're here every free second, it's not goingto come out on time,' she said.

Last published three years ago, the Ram-Page had been on hiatussince teacher Junita Drisko stepped down after 15 years as adviser.

The first issue of the reborn newspaper came out in October justbefore homecoming weekend. It included a front page photo of astudent preparing for the event 'to say we're back and we're timely,'Banfield said. Possibly four more issues will be published this year,he said.

The first Ram-Page also had a story about students Ben Weissman,Dave Kleinschmidt and James Bailey, who all scored perfect scores ontheir SATs, as well as a feature on the Bangor High Junior ReserveOfficer Training Core.

'It's interesting to see what types of things high school studentscare about,' said Shannon Martin, University of Maine assistantprofessor of journalism and director of UM's Center for StudentJournalism, which sponsors an annual high school newspaper conferencewith recognition for outstanding student journalism.

The more than 70 high school newspapers across the state varywidely in terms of content, according to the center.

Contained in the upcoming issue of the Ram-Page is a story aboutAlex Parks, a blind student, and another about United TechnologiesCenter in Bangor. Also included are stories about the school's AIDSactivists and about Jue Wang, the top student in the class.

'There's so much going on at school it's not hard to findstories,' said Dunn.

Including movie reviews, a horoscope and an advice column in theirpaper, Bangor students aim for an 'upbeat, lighthearted' publication.But they hope also to write serious stories. Down the road, plans areto find space for an editorial page as well as letters to the editor.

'The more mix of stories, the more interesting a newspaper is,'said Banfield, a former copy editor at the Bangor Daily News andsports writer at the Kansas City Star and Times.

Newspapers not only teach art, business, communication skills andethics, they 'help fulfill a high school's role as an institution,'said Kathryn Olmstead, UM associate professor of journalism andformer director of the Center for Student Journalism.

When high schools are going through the accreditation process,it's one of the things that is looked at 'to see if it's a qualityschool,' she said.

While the Ram-Page previously was produced as part of a BangorHigh school journalism course, the newspaper now is anextracurricular activity.

The upside is that staff can be drawn from students with a broadrange of interests, said Banfield. But, since most of those involvedin the newspaper are also involved in a host of other activities,it's a challenge to find the time to sit down and actually impart theins and outs of journalism.

'Learning is done on the fly,' he said.

среда, 26 сентября 2012 г.

Rams standout Weston taking talents to Bates Bangor senior will join basketball, football teams - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

The Bates College men's basketball team has developed a fruitfulconnection with Bangor High School in recent years.

Zak Ray, a star guard for the Rams who was named the state's 2003Mr. Basketball, went on to become one of the top players in the NewEngland Small College Athletic Conference during his four years atBates.

And Alex Gallant, a forward who led Bangor to the 2007 Class Astate championship, was part of the Bobcats' regular rotation duringhis first year at the Lewiston school this winter.

Now Ryan Weston, who helped Bangor to a 42-2 record, one statechampionship and two Eastern Maine Class A titles over the last twoseasons, plans to join Gallant on the Bates roster next season.

'I went there for a visit, and I loved the coach and I thought itwas a beautiful campus even though they had a lot of constructiongoing on,' said Weston, a 6-foot-5 center. 'The campus wasabsolutely gorgeous, everybody was really friendly and willing toanswer your questions.'

Weston said his familiarity with two local players on the team,Gallant and sophomore guard Chris Wilson of Brewer, also helped withhis decision, as did the team's style of play.

'I knew a couple of the guys on the team in Chris and Al, and Igot to see them play and see how coach [Joe] Reilly coached,' hesaid. 'I loved the way coach Reilly coached - hard, intense man-to-man defense similar to what we do here at Bangor.'

Weston, a Bangor Daily News third-team All-Maine choice as ajunior, was the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A Northplayer of the year this winter while leading Bangor in scoring (12.7ppg) and rebounding (8 rpg) despite averaging barely 20 minutes ofplaying time per game.

Bates finished the 2007-08 season with a 17-8 record, qualifyingfor the NESCAC playoffs before bowing to Bowdoin of Brunswick in thequarterfinals.

Weston's athletic career at Bates won't be confined tobasketball, as he also plans to join the Bobcats' football team thisfall.

'When I was visiting there I met the football coach [MarkHarriman], who it turns out had been a referee in our quarterfinal[basketball] game last year against Leavitt, and I decided I wantedto play two sports instead of having to give up one,' Weston said.'The coaches supported me 100 percent in doing that, so Bates seemedlike a pretty good option for me.'

Weston, a first-team All-Pine Tree Conference Class A tight endlast fall while helping Bangor reach the Eastern A final, won't bealone among Bangor football players matriculating to Bates. FellowAll-PTC first-team honorees Tyler McDade (linebacker) and KyleVanidestine (running back/defensive back) also are planning to playfor the Bobcats beginning this year, Weston said.

Weston is hopeful the blend of new talent and experiencedveterans will help Bates emerge from a struggling period in itsfootball history. The Bobcats have finished 1-7 each of the last twoyears.

'It's a program on the rise,' he said, 'and there's a lot ofdesire and a lot of passion there.'

Martin wins Gatorade honor

Ryan Martin of Maranacook of Readfield has capped off a cleansweep of the state's top schoolboy basketball honors with hisselection as Maine's Gatorade Player of the Year.

That selection, released Monday, comes in the aftermath of the 5-foot-9 senior guard leading the Black Bears to a 22-0 record and the2008 Class B state championship and being named Mr. Basketball onFriday night during the Maine McDonald's Senior All-Star Banquet.

Martin concluded his high school career with a stellar seniorseason that propelled Maranacook to its second state title in threeyears.

His contribution? Martin averaged 23.1 points and 2.6 assists pergame while shooting 61 percent from the field, 60 percent frombeyond the 3-point arc and 88 percent from the free-throw line.

He scored a school-record 56 points - including eight 3-pointers -in the Black Bears' regular-season finale, a 97-60 victory over OakHill of Sabattus. He then was named Eastern B tournament MVP for thesecond time in three years after averaging 25 points in three games.

Martin followed that effort with a game-high 26 points as theBlack Bears defeated Cape Elizabeth 56-46 in the Class B statefinal.

A three-time Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B playerof the year and a two-time Bangor Daily News All-Maine choice,Martin ended his career with 1,899 points.

Martin was a four-year starter for coach Rob Schmidt's BlackBears but burst onto the scene in a statewide sense as a sophomore.

Martin averaged 34 points in three 2006 Eastern B tournamentgames, including 41 points in a semifinal win against Medomak Valleyof Waldoboro and 35 in Maranacook's championship-game victory overPresque Isle. He also set an Eastern B tournament record with 18made free throws in the semifinals.

Maranacook went on to defeat Mountain Valley of Rumford in thatyear's state final, but the Black Bears were ousted in the 2007regional quarterfinals before regaining the gold ball this winter.

Martin's Maranacook team compiled a 69-13 overall record overfour years, including 59-4 during the last three years.

Martin is expected to announce his college plans by the end ofthis week, with options including Maine, Vermont, Quinnipiac, KeeneState and Franklin Pierce.

Corrigan faces sporting choice

Caribou High School senior Kyle Corrigan has the most importantpart of his college selection process settled.

He's headed to the University of Maine-Presque Isle in the fallto study athletic training.

He's also going to play a sport for the Owls, but he's not yetsure which one - and he has two high-quality options.

'It's either soccer or basketball,' he said. 'I just want to playone, and I don't know which one I'm going to play yet. It's going totake a while.'

Corrigan earned All-New England honors from the Maine SoccerCoaches Association last fall after breaking a 30-year-old schoolsingle-season goal-scoring record with 27 while leading the Vikingsto a 12-3 record. He finished his career with 51 goals and 13assists.

This winter, the 5-9 guard was one of the top basketball playersin Eastern Maine Class B, earning first-team All-Big East Conferencehonors and All-Aroostook accolades while leading Caribou to a 17-3record and a berth in the regional tournament.

Corrigan also was a McDonald's senior all-star.

'It's just where my heart is and which sport I have more funplaying,' said Corrigan of his eventual choice. 'It's not reallyabout all the success, it's about what I feel.'

Corrigan's favorite sport has changed over the years, whichlikely will make his decision all the more difficult.

'When I was little it was baseball, then in the middle-school erait was basketball,' he said. 'Once high school came around, I reallygot into soccer, so it's definitely shifted.'

eclark@bangordailynews.net

вторник, 25 сентября 2012 г.

Bangor area youth choirs holding auditions - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

Reorganized four years ago, the 12-year-old Bangor Area Children'sChoirs, which include the Treble Choir and Youth Choral, will conductchoir auditions for new members from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22,and Thursday, Sept. 23, at All Souls Congregational Church onBroadway in Bangor.

Director Michele Hall reports the first choir rehearsal for the2004-2005 season is 4-5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28, at the church.

The choir schedule includes the 'Nutcracker' performance with theBangor Symphony Orchestra and Robinson School of Ballet thisDecember, in which first-year choir members do not participate; aformal winter concert in January; the state choir festival in March;performances at school assemblies in April; and also a final concertthat month.

Youth Choral events include an October appearance at the BangorMuseum and Center for History, a February cabaret evening and aweekend trip 'for fun and relaxation with a little bit of work,' atthe end of April, Hall wrote.

Singers must be no younger than 9 years old and no older than 16as of Friday, Oct. 1, and while there is a yearly tuition of $200,financial assistance is available through choir scholarship funds.

Auditions for new members are a two-day process, Hall explained,and those who try out are asked not to prepare any music since eachsinger performs the same audition.

The individual audition is Wednesday, Sept. 22, and callbacks willbe made that evening.

Those singers contacted for the callback attend a group auditionthe following day and are notified of the results by 9 p.m. Friday,Sept. 24.

Last year, choir members represented 12 towns and 17 schools inthe Bangor area.

For more information, call Hall at 947-2023.

OHI is hosting a Longaberger Basket Bingo with doors opening at 11a.m. and games beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, at the BrewerEagles Club. The club's members are volunteering their time andfacility for the fund-raiser.

OHI assists people with disabilities to live productively in theircommunities, and is raising funds to take 40 individuals to DisneyWorld.

Each game will have a basket prize, reports OHI's Duane Hall.

Also, two top staffers filled baskets in a challenge to see whosebasket sells the most cards. The loser must come to work one day withblue hair!

Admission is $10 for 15 games, with an additional cost for thechallenge.

For information, call Hall at 848-5804, ext. 119.

AARP's national president, Marie Smith, is making her first tripto our area, and you are invited to welcome her as she discusses'Social Security: Our Future to Protect; Our Children's Future toSecure.'

Sponsored by AARP and the Eastern Area Agency on Aging, Smith willaddress the proposed changes in Social Security beginning at 10 a.m.Tuesday, Sept. 21, at Spectacular Events, 395 Griffin Road, Bangor.

Refreshments will be served, but in order to attend you mustpreregister.

Registrations may be made by calling (800) 432-7812.

For more than five years, Oriental Jade Restaurant in Bangor hasoffered its dinner buffet fund-raiser program for school groups andnonprofit organizations.

Co-owner Lillian Lo wants those groups to know that September isthe perfect month to host one of these events, since most bookingscome later in the year.

Adult representatives of high school, middle school, sports,church and other nonprofit groups should call and book their fund-raiser as soon as possible to obtain the most current availableopening.

The owners take a small percentage of the profits for taxpurposes, but give a generous percentage of the balance to the hostorganization. Often, a group can raise more than $1,000.

Book your Oriental Jade dinner fund-raiser by calling 947-6969.

Camden Garden Club members invite to you Beverly Reese Church'spresentation of Tablescapes: Creative Entertaining at 11:30 a.m.Thursday, Sept. 23, at MBNA's Ginley Hall on Route 1 in Northport.

Church, an author, designer, businesswoman and lecturer, travelsthroughout the country speaking on entertaining.

Preferred seating admission for the luncheon, slide show, magicaldemonstration, book sale and silent auction is $100, and includes a$65 tax-deductible donation to Maine Coast Heritage Trust.

Regular seating admission is $50 and includes a $15 tax-deductible donation to MCHT.

To order tickets, call Sally Fernald at 236-4502 or Sue Crowe at236-2668.

Membership rates for the Special Garden Club available at theSamoset Resort in Rockport by calling (877) 880-8857.

понедельник, 24 сентября 2012 г.

Tax cap jeopardizes Bangor private school funds - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

BANGOR - The city's annual subsidy to three private schools may bein jeopardy.

For the first time in many years, funding for All Saints CatholicSchool, Bangor Christian School and John Bapst Memorial High Schoolhasn't been included in Bangor City Manager Ed Barrett's recommendedbudget.

The city's finance director explained earlier this week that thecuts are forced by a tight budget, which is 'wholly attributable tothe effects of LD 1,' the new state law that caps the amount of taxesto be raised for municipal services.

'In order to comply with the requirements of LD 1, we had to cut asignificant amount of funds from the proposed budget beforerecommending it to the council,' said Finance Director Debbie Cyr.

The private schools have requested a total of $97,800 for 2006.The bulk of the money would go to All Saints, which uses itscontribution for busing pupils to and from St. Mary's (pre-kindergarten to fourth grade) and St. John's (fifth grade to eighthgrade). John Bapst puts its allotment toward passes for the city bus,while Bangor Christian School (pre-kindergarten to 12th grade) spendsits subsidy for co-curricular activities such as field trips.

Also making a dent in Bangor's finances is the state's recentdecision to stop reimbursing communities' private school subsidiesbeginning July 1, said Cyr. The state now absorbs 21 percent of thecity's expenses.

City councilors will discuss private school funding during ameeting beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 31. A decision likely won'tbe made until June, Cyr said.

Funding for private schools is always 'a hot topic,' she said. Sherecalled that, in the 1990s, an attempt to eliminate the city'scontribution was forestalled by a huge public outcry.

'It's one of those [decisions] that's hard,' she said, noting thatcouncilors believe it's important to support education. 'But to usetaxpayer money for it always [leads to] a discussion, especiallysince we raise a significant amount of taxes to support our own[public] schools.'

City Councilor Dan Tremble predicted an uphill battle for theprivate schools. 'Any group will have a hard time getting money backin the budget,' he said. 'There's not a lot of extra money unless wewant to raise taxes.'

Under LD 1, the city possibly could raise taxes above the cap butonly by getting voter approval in a citywide referendum.

Tremble said he would have preferred to see the subsidy phased outinstead of eliminated outright, 'if that's the direction we want togo.'

Although LD 1 has restricted municipal spending, it resulted in a$2 million increase in state aid for education for Bangor, he pointedout.

The city has received a number of e-mails and phone calls, almostall in favor of keeping the private school subsidy, Cyr said.

According to some arguments, parents of Bangor children who attendprivate schools are taxpayers and thus are entitled to services.Supporters also contend that the city saves money when childrenattend private school.

But Cyr said Superintendent Robert Ervin has told her the costs ofabsorbing those students would be 'minimal.'

Marcia Diamond, principal at All Saints, said parents also havesafety concerns. Sidewalks aren't always available and aren't alwaysplowed, making it difficult for elementary school pupils withinwalking distance. Also, registered sex offenders live in the vicinityof the schools.

Bangor Christian contributes daily to the city's economy bybringing people to Bangor through the school's academic and sportsprograms, said Principal Jim Chasse. Without the funding, the schoolmay have to cut teachers and programs or raise tuition, he said.

Landis Green, headmaster at John Bapst, said because the city'sfunding is limited to Bangor students, it affects only a smallpercentage of the school's enrollment which comes from nearly 50communities in a 60-mile radius.

воскресенье, 23 сентября 2012 г.

Pats' arrival set for 1:15 Wednesday Bangor's Hackett dumps Dallas for world champs - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

BANGOR - Bangor High School football coach Mark Hackett revealedMonday that he recently switched football teams.

At least, he has switched his support of football teams: from theDallas Cowboys to the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.

'To be honest with you my two favorite teams have been theUniversity of Maine and the Bangor Rams and now it's going to be theNew England Patriots,' Hackett said during a press conference at cityhall detailing the specifics of Wednesday's visit by three members ofthe Patriots and team owner Bob Kraft.

'I used to be a Cowboys fan, but with what's been going on thisyear I'm now with the Patriots,' Hackett said, explaining that hisfirst year as a head coach has been a dream season with the Ramsgoing undefeated and winning their first state title in 20 years.

Hackett's revelation of changing teams came after Maine coach JackCosgrove had said that he was excited to take part in Wednesday's12:30 p.m. rally at the Bass Park grandstand.

'These are my three favorite teams, the Bangor Rams, the MaineBlack Bears and the New England Patriots,' Cosgrove said. 'It's agreat day for the sport of football to see this type of event takingplace in Bangor, Maine.'

The Patriots will arrive at Bangor International Airport at 1 p.m.and then take a police escort to Bass Park, where the team isexpected to arrive at 1:15 p.m. Super Bowl hero Adam Vinatieri, teamcaptain Lawyer Milloy and defensive end Bobby Hamilton will greet thecrowd along with Kraft, who will have the Lombardi Trophy. The trophywas awarded to the Patriots after they defeated the St. Louis Rams 20-17 on Vinatieri's final-second 48-yard field goal in Super BowlXXXVI.

The team will then be honored in a proclamation by Bangor MayorMichael Crowley, who will also give them a key to the city. The teamwill leave at 2 p.m. and fly down to Portland for a parade at 3 p.m.

At noon, fans can enter Bass Park where they will be givencommemorative team photos of the Super Bowl champs printed by theBangor Daily News. At 12:30 p.m., members of the UMaine and Bangorfootball teams will address the rally.

Cosgrove said that players not attending classes will try toattend, while Hackett said that his team will be excused from school.

'I don't know about the rest of the school. I'm suspecting thatwe'll be adding members to the 62-man roster,' Hackett said jokingly.

Hackett said the students are 'fired up' and eager to see thePatriots.

'I don't think they really believe it's going to happen because alot of people think 'why would they stop by in Bangor, they're goingto Portland?' We just keep telling them, 'hey we beat Portland, maybewe can get them up here,'' Hackett said. 'It's a big deal to us andwe can talk and joke about it, but the people involved in gettingthem to stop by ... that makes me proud.'

Crowley praised the efforts of several city officials and membersof the media in working together to convince the Patriots to visitBangor. The city was also aided by Bangor native Nick Carparelli Jr.who was working in the Patriots office and delivered invitations toKraft.

суббота, 22 сентября 2012 г.

Memorial service to be held for former Bangor athlete killed in rollover - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

STANDISH, Maine -- Saint Joseph's College has canceled itsTuesday afternoon classes and athletic contests to accommodate thoseheading to Bangor to attend a memorial service for student ClarkNoonan, a former Bangor High star athlete killed in a rolloveraccident on Saturday, college spokeswoman Charmaine Daniels saidMonday.

Noonan, 20, was a sophomore business major and basketball playerfor the Monks who died when the car he was a passenger in went offthe road not far from the Standish campus and became entangled in achain-link fence after rolling over several times.

'Clark touched so many people, and his impact will always be felton our campus and our basketball program,' Rob Sanicola, Noonan'sbasketball coach at Saint Joseph's, said Monday in a statementreleased by the college. 'It's an honor that I got to be part of hislife.'

Sanicola described Noonan as a dedicated student athlete who madea positive impact on all he met.

'Clark was such a good-hearted young man who had so much to offerto his peers, his coaches and our community,' he said. 'His honesty,dedication, discipline, enthusiasm and dependability always camethrough.'

Bangor High School boys varsity basketball coach Roger Reed saidNoonan's death was a tragic loss.

'What a waste of a great life, because he was such a great youngman,' his former coach said. 'He had unbelievable drive anddetermination. I can't explain how saddened I am by this.'

Noonan was a two-year varsity basketball player at Bangor HighSchool, where as a senior in 2010 he earned Bangor Daily News third-team All-Maine recognition as well as All-Kennebec Valley AthleticConference first team, all-defensive and all-academic honors.

A candlelight vigil was planned for 11 p.m. Monday at SaintJoseph's College to honor Noonan's life. The vigil was to begin inHealy Chapel and end at the Harold Alfond Center, Daniels said.

Campus officials held community meetings over the weekend toprovide emotional support for students and staff, made griefcounselors available and on Sunday dedicated Mass in Noonan's honor,she said.

'At this time, the college is focused on mutual support, prayerand healing,' Daniels said.

A memorial service for Noonan will be held on campus at a laterdate, she said.

The fatal crash occurred around 1:30 a.m. Saturday. Three otherSt. Joseph's students in the car -- driver Tyler Hall, 19, ofPittston, James Philbrook, 20, of Auburn and Terence Cullen, 21, ofIowa -- each suffered injuries that were not life-threatening andwere taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland.

A nursing supervisor did not return a call Monday seekinginformation on the condition of the students.

Police said Hall was speeding in his Mazda 626 before he lostcontrol of the sports car.

A dispatcher for the Cumberland County Sheriff's Department onMonday referred all questions about the deadly crash to Capt. DonGoulet, who could not be reached for comment.

The Sheriff's Department is working with the Cumberland Countydistrict attorney's office, which was closed Monday because ofPatriots Day, to determine if any charges are warranted againstHall. A Cumberland County Jail official said late Monday afternoonthat the Sheriff's Department had not arrested the driver.

Noonan is survived by his parents and a sister of Bangor. Apublic service is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Bangor BaptistChurch, 1476 Broadway. Visiting hours are 4-6 p.m. at the church.

In his obituary printed in the Bangor Daily News, Noonan's familysaid he loved to compete in sports but more important he lovedmaking memories with his family.

'Clark's favorite place to be was 'on the island' in Islesboro,'his obituary states. 'For 20 years he spent part of his summervacation at the family home. It was here that he learned to sail,kayak, played Monopoly but most of all he spent time with hisfamily. Many of our favorite memories were created while together onvacation.'

Condolences to the family may be expressed atwww.BrookingsSmith.com.

пятница, 21 сентября 2012 г.

Rams softball eyes title Brewer practicing on Bangor track - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

Even though the calendar says spring has arrived, there wascertainly a nippy, winter-like feeling in the air Monday.

However, inside Bangor High School, there were signs of theseason amidst Red Barry Gymnasium, with softballs popping into mittsand athletes running laps around the perimeter of the basketballcourt.

Even though preseason practices for spring sports teams don'tofficially start for another week, the state's softball and baseballteams were allowed to bring in five pitchers and five catchers forworkouts starting Monday.

The bulk of the preseason workouts for softball, baseball, trackand field and tennis commence on March 30.

After riding a young nucleus to the Eastern Maine Class Achampionship game a year ago, Bangor is certainly expecting to getback to that plateau this spring, and perhaps go even further.

Junior pitcher Sam Bedore, who had an outstanding sophomorecampaign for the Rams, ultimately has lofty goals for herself andher teammates.

'I'm hoping to do a lot better this year and carry my team alittler further than we got last year, hopefully get that statechampionship,' said Bedore.

Bedore is one of the top pitchers statewide, and she's hoping off-season work contributes to potential success.

'I actually played all year down at Frozen Ropes in Portland sothat helps a lot,' said Bedore, who noted that her arm strength isup to par.

'I'm feeling good,' she said. 'I think I'll do better than lastyear. I've been working more on my riseball and a screw but otherthan that just trying to get better at my other pitches.'

For now, Bedore and her teammates will be focusing onconditioning and working their way into softball shape.

Coach Don Stanhope's Rams graduated only four seniors from lastyear's squad, and should be a legitimate contender for the EasternMaine crown.

Bangor fell to Brewer in last year's regional final en route tothat school's first state softball championship.

Witches to practice at Bangor

The good news for the Brewer High outdoor track program is thatin a couple of years, the Witches will have a new home facility.

The bad news is that Brewer will be without a home for a coupleyears while the new track facility and elementary school areconstructed.

However, the Witches have a practice facility to call home thisspring, as they'll hold workouts at Bangor's Cameron Stadium.

Brewer will generally practice there daily from 4:30 p.m. to 6,after Bangor's practices conclude while the Witches will share thefacility with John Bapst.

Since all three programs have solid relationships with oneanother, the decision was a fairly easy one.

'What it came down to was we have a good relationship with Bangorand [Bangor athletic director Steve] Vanidestine,' said Brewer coachJamerson Crowley, whose team held its preseason informationalmeeting Monday with practices set to begin next week.

Crowley added that Bangor's staff and John Bapst coach BrucePratt were generous in letting the Witches use the facility.

The coach also noted that certain groups won't be on the trackevery day. For example, the distance runners may only do a couplespeed workouts a week while jumping pits and throwing facilities andcages could be shared.

'It'll be kind of similar to what we do in indoor,' Crowley said,referring to winter practices at the University of Maine field housewhere a throng of teams generally practice simultaneously.

Brewer won't be on the track when preseason camp opens, but withits first meet set for April 17th in Belfast, the Witches wouldprefer to get on the track as quickly as possible.

'The second week we plan to be on if everything works out,' saidCrowley.

PVC schedule released

The first Penobscot Valley Conference high school track meet isexactly one month from today.

The conference released its 2009 schedule recently, which kicksoff April 24 with a multi-team meet at Hampden followed by meets atMount Desert Island in Bar Harbor and Orono a day later.

Girls contenders Bangor and Brewer will face off twice during theregular season while the Hampden boys have one meet apiece withBangor and Brewer.

The MDI Relays will be held two weeks before the leaguechampionship meets on May 16.

Bangor and Foxcroft Academy will host the respective large andsmall school championship meets this year, with the Class A-B meetat Cameron Stadium May 29 and the Class C meet a day later in Dover-Foxcroft.

rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net

Bangor, Maine, teacher to launch new career as NASA program chief. - Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

By Ruth-Ellen Cohen, Bangor Daily News, Maine Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Dec. 2--BANGOR, Maine -- Ellen Holmes, a fourth-grade teacher at Fairmount School who was involved with the new Challenger Learning Center of Maine, is leaving next month to work for NASA.

Holmes said this week that she has taken a position as program manager for the nation's space program, developing materials for middle school educators to teach math and science concepts using NASA technology.

She will be based at the Langley Research Center in Norfolk, Va., responsible for developing video and Web resources as well as printed material for teachers and students.

Holmes, whose last day will be Dec. 22, said her time in Bangor has been special.

'I've really fallen in love with the children -- and their families -- here at Fairmount. The colleagues I work with are just tremendous,' she said.

Her first assignment will be in Cozumel, Mexico, where she will oversee a film crew documenting how archaeologists use satellite data to track changes in the Mayan ruins that have resulted from climate conditions and the movement of the Earth's crust.

She also will work with NASCAR to develop a series of materials that showcase the math, science, engineering and technology involved in the sport of auto racing. Many of the technologies used in NASCAR are used by NASA.

Holmes said she has been interested in space since she was a young student, inspired by her science teachers from Warsaw Middle School in Pittsfield where she grew up.

As a teacher, she came to realize that space studies can be a 'powerful tool' to pique young learners' interest in math and science.

In 2001, she was one of 50 educators nationwide selected to participate in a NASA educator workshop in which teachers received training on how to live and work in space. The following summer she led that program at the Kennedy Space Center.

This past summer she was selected to be a 'NASA Educator Ambassador' and was sent to Sonoma State University in California to receive training in astrophysics and nuclear physics. The goal was to train educators to use NASA data from the Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope set to launch in early 2006.

In September, Holmes helped launch the state's only official NASA Educational Resource Center at the Challenger Learning Center on Cleveland Avenue across from the Bangor International Airport. Now educational materials and professional development opportunities can be offered to teachers throughout Maine free of charge.

As a result of her connection to NASA, Holmes has brought a number of unique resources to Maine. She has provided professional development workshops for educators, mediated live satellite links to the International Space Station, and brought astronauts, space vehicle engineers and space experts into area classrooms.

Holmes, who has taught in Bangor schools for 12 years, said leaving would be tough.

'But it's like being drafted by the NBA -- it's hard to say no to your dream.'

To see more of the Bangor Daily News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.bangordailynews.com.

четверг, 20 сентября 2012 г.

Bangor, Maine, Studies New Bass Park Zoning for Racetrack Casino. - Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

By Dawn Gagnon, Bangor Daily News, Maine Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Dec. 10--BANGOR, Maine--As part of preparations for a racetrack casino at Bass Park, city staff and elected officials are considering zoning changes for Bass Park. Grandstand renovations are under way to accommodate the first 250 of the 1,500 slot machines developer Capital Seven LLC plans to install as one of the centerpieces of its $30 million redevelopment plan.

As things stand, most of the 305-acre Bass Park complex is located in a park and open-space zoning designation, a district encompassing the racetrack, grandstand, barns, shared parking area and municipal golf course.

The exceptions are the Bangor Auditorium and Civic Center, zoned government and institutional service district, the small parcels of city-owned land on adjacent Buck Street and Webster Avenue now zoned residential and the parking area behind the Irving station on Main Street, which is zoned general commercial and service district.

In a recent memo to City Manager Edward Barrett and City Solicitor Norman Heitmann, Planning Officer Katherine Weber proposed a new zoning district -- called the Bass Park District.

The new district was modeled after the city's Waterfront Development District, another area undergoing redevelopment, Weber noted in her correspondence with city administrators.

According to Weber's proposal, the Bass Park District would encompass all the existing facilities, except the golf course, which would retain its current park and open-space designation. Existing uses -- such as the Bangor State Fair, exhibits, conventions, entertainment and sports events, recreation programs and sales and service functions -- would be allowed to continue.

Key new uses would be a racino, the gaming industry's term for a combined racetrack casino, and related improvements, including a conference center, hotel or inn and associated eating and drinking establishments.

City councilors reviewed the plan during a committee meeting earlier this month.

In response to questions from Mayor Dan Tremble and Councilor Gerry Palmer, Weber noted that the district would allow slot machines to be operated at Bass Park -- but only in conjunction with the racetrack there.

Noting that he thought of Bass Park as Bangor's version of Central Park in New York City, Palmer said he would not want to see agricultural uses there 'displaced' by more commercial ones, such as the slots parlor, hotel and other amenities Capital Seven proposes as part of its racino development.

'That's a question we have to look at,' he said. 'My concern is 'mission creep,' he added, 'that what once was green becomes something else.'

To see more of the Bangor Daily News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.bangordailynews.com

среда, 19 сентября 2012 г.

Some stores refusing Canadian money Bangor Chamber questions merchants' action - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

A New Brunswick shopper's complaint that she was unable to useher Canadian currency in four Bangor stores has prompted the BangorRegion Chamber of Commerce to question whether area businesses aremaking enough effort to welcome Canadian shoppers.

Earlier this month, Judy Robinson, 47, traveled to Bangor fromher home in Fredericton for a weekend of shopping. Nearing the endof her trip, she used up all of her U.S. dollars and tried topurchase items at A.C. Moore, Linens 'n Things, Bed Bath & Beyondand Quirk Chevrolet's pro shop, she said.

When her money was refused at each place, Robinson chose not topurchase the items with other means, such as her credit card, shesaid. She returned home and e-mailed the Bangor Region Chamber ofCommerce.

'When I questioned why they would not accept my money, thecashiers couldn't tell me in any of the stores. They didn't even tryto find out from the manager,' Robinson said in a telephoneinterview Friday. 'I wasn't treated badly, I just wanted to knowwhy.'

Robinson said the store clerks expressed 'an attitude andindifference.' Robinson owns a motel in Fredericton and said sheaccepts U.S. dollars.

Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce President Candy Guerette saidshe was surprised to hear Robinson's story. Guerette said she hadthought that most if not all Bangor-area stores accept Canadiancurrency.

'I find this very unsettling as this region has a strong, loyalcustomer base to our north. And right now, their dollar is strongerthan ours so they should be getting a premium,' Guerette saidWednesday. 'As a Chamber, we're wondering what we can do behind thescenes.'

Guerette said national chains generally do not allow their storesto take foreign currency.

Linens 'n Things' corporate office in Clifton, N.J., confirmedthat it is the company's nationwide policy not to accept any foreignmoney. Bed Bath & Beyond said it does not have a 'currencyconversion system' in place at any of its stores nationwide. A.C.Moore and Quirk did not return calls for comment.

No store is obligated to accept foreign currency, but JamesGerety, general manager of the Bangor Mall, believes it is goodcustomer service for storeowners to direct Canadian shoppers to thenearest place where they may exchange their cash.

'While we don't want to have to send those customers offproperty, sometimes we do,' Gerety said Thursday. At the BangorMall, each store sets its own policy on accepting foreign currency.

Brad Ryder, owner of Epic Sports in downtown Bangor, said heaccepts Canadian dollars and has a hard time imagining why any storewould not do the same.

'We try to follow our bank's discounting. In this case, it's 10percent in favor of Canadian money,' Ryder said. That means that ifa Canadian customer purchases a jacket with a $100 price tag, thatcustomer pays $90 in Canadian currency.

Ryder said he loses a 'minimal' amount of revenue when he goes todeposit Canadian money at his bank, but not enough to change hispolicy.

Bangor Savings Bank said Thursday that it does not charge a feeto customers when they deposit Canadian dollars or checks. The moneyis simply converted at the bank's current exchange rate, which onThursday was 92 Canadian cents to one U.S. dollar, according tospokeswoman Carol Colson.

Ryder does not keep track of how much of his revenue comes fromCanadian customers, but he said he rarely sees their currency in hisstore. He estimates that about 95 percent of Canadian shoppers usetheir credit cards.

Marden's in Brewer has long accepted Canadian dollars and posts asign near its registers advertising the store's daily exchange rate.On Thursday, the rate was 96 Canadian cents to one U.S. dollar.

Hotels and other lodging facilities seem to be more inclined toaccept Canadian currency. The Ramada Inn in Bangor has alwaysaccepted Canadian cash and now takes it at par, according to managerFree Martin.

The Stucco Lodge in Veazie has a sign on U.S. Route 2 advertising'Canadian dollar at par' and has kept the promise since 1994,according to owner Najam 'Andy' Hashmi.

'My repeat customers aren't going to go anywhere else,' Hashmisaid. He estimates that 70 percent of his customers are Canadian,and he said many of them bring him gifts when they come to stay withhim.

Canadian customers complain to him when area stores refuse toaccept their currency, Hashmi said.

Guerette recommends that Canadian shoppers use a credit or debitcard in stores that do not accept Canadian dollars. She said theChamber will urge all of its members to accept the currency and isthinking of reinstating the Canadian Appreciation Days that tookplace in the 1990s.

'They were very successful,' Guerette said.

On Friday afternoon, two Canadian shoppers, Bernie and NicolleChavarie of Grand Barachois, New Brunswick, were in Bangor for aweekend of shopping and stopped at the Dunkin' Donuts on Odlin Roadin Bangor. They said that for years they have assumed that theircash will not be accepted at any Maine businesses outside Calais.

'It's frustrating,' said Bernie Chavarie. 'We're supposed to begood neighbors.'

aravana@bangordailynews.net

Adelphia Customers in Bangor, Maine, Will See Hike in Basic Cable Rates. - Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

By Liz Chapman, Bangor Daily News, Maine Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Apr. 2--BANGOR, Maine--Lucrative sports contracts and other rising programming costs will be paid in part by Adelphia customers who will see rate increases in their monthly bills beginning in April, a company official said Tuesday.

The basic cable package, which includes 70 channels, will increase $3.30 a month throughout most of the company's northern Maine territory, according to Gary Crosby, area manager for Adelphia.

Only a handful of the 132 communities served by Adelphia's regional office in Bangor will see a lower dollar increase, because they have fewer channels on their systems, Crosby said.

The basic cable charge for the 34 communities in the greater Bangor area, for example, will now be $41.25 a month. The company also is increasing its monthly access fee for digital service by $2 for all customers -- a $1 increase in the monthly access fee, for a total of $7 a month, and another $1 on any of the company's digital packages, which now cost between $15.95 and $35.95 a month.

'Every time an athlete gets another $1 million, [cable subscribers] pay part of that,' Crosby said Tuesday in explaining the increased cost to Adelphia and other cable companies to buy satellite programming.

Adelphia last increased rates in February 2002.

In addition to the programming cost increases, Adelphia also is facing typical inflationary costs for wages, benefits, utilities and other operational expenses, he said.

Crosby said the new rate increases are unrelated to the company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy case. He said the company hopes to emerge from bankruptcy 'pretty quick' and has started new cable service construction, which has been halted for more than a year.

'People should not be surprised that we're increasing our rates because it is a part of the world we live in,' Crosby said. 'It's Economics 101, really.'

Customers who buy high-speed Internet service from Adelphia will see even higher rate increases. The company will charge an additional $4 a month for its 'Advantage' packages, which include basic and digital cable as well as Power Link for fast Internet access.

The company's 'Total Advantage' package, which includes just about everything the company has to offer, will increase $7 a month, to $106.95 for those with their own computer modems and $109.95 a month for those who rent a modem from Adelphia.

And that's not the end of it, either. Crosby explained that Adelphia will now pass through to all customers the full cost of the annual 'franchise fee' paid to municipalities for the right to operate in each town or city.

The franchise fees vary from 1 percent to 5 percent and can be used for any municipal spending, although many towns finance their local access cable TV systems with the annual payment.

The law permitting the franchise fees stipulates that the fee cannot exceed 5 percent of a customer's cable bill. In many towns, customers already pay the entire fee to Adelphia, which turns around and sends it to city hall.

The fee is listed separately on customers' bills. Crosby said a few towns in Adelphia's northern region don't ask for any franchise fee, while some, including Bangor, get the full 5 percent.

Roger Raymond, Bucksport town manager and a member of the Bangor area consortium that negotiated the Adelphia franchises for the region, said Tuesday the towns have little say in the cable operation once the franchise agreement is set.

'We have no control over the fees,' he said.

He said most of the towns in the Bangor consortium receive the full 5-percent franchise fee.

To see more of the Bangor Daily News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.bangordailynews.com

(c) 2003, Bangor Daily News, Maine. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

Bangor business publication rejuvenated - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

BANGOR - Ed Pickett is back.

And so is his 'We hear that' column full of local businessanecdotes and other 'truthful rumors.' Pickett, the former editor ofthe Bangor Business Monthly, premiered an almost identicalpublication on New Year's Day.

The 62-year-old Bangor resident is back to working out of anoffice in the Phenix Inn in downtown Bangor after spending severalyears living and working in Portland. Pickett said Friday that Bangor-area business owners and former advertisers suggested he bring backthe monthly publication.

'Finally, I said, 'Let's go do it.' There's a need for such apublication and no competition in the local area. It's pretty muchthe same paper, we just started fresh with a new name,' Pickett saidFriday. 'The

concept's exactly the same.'

The first 20-page issue of the Bangor Business Journal featuredstories on the new University of Maine Museum of Art in NorumbegaHall; Pro Libris, a secondhand bookstore in Bangor; the latest retailsales numbers from the state; and an interview with the formerpresident of the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad. Familiar columnistssuch as Frederic C. Hirsch, who writes about local media; ChuckOsgood, a KeyBank president; and Realtor Jon Dawson are back too.

Despite gloomy national economic forecasts, Pickett said that itseemed like a good time to restart a publication focusing on businessin the Bangor region.

'Certainly there are problems with the economy, but ours locallyis in pretty good shape,' said the veteran editor. 'We're a specialtypublication. People who advertise with me are business-to-businessadvertisers. Somebody who reads my paper is interested in localbusiness news, so we're targeted at business readers, and ad ratesare relatively inexpensive. We hope to grow but maintain a 50-50 ad-to-news ratio.'

The Bangor Business Journal will be distributed on or around thefirst of each month to 240 businesses in Greater Bangor includingbanks, restaurants, hotels and small, specialty businesses. Pickettsaid that the first press run of 5,000 copies even turned a smallprofit.

The Bangor Business Monthly, the predecessor of the newpublication, first was published in 1995. It soon grew to includeDown East, Penobscot Bay, Midcoast, Androscoggin and Kennebeceditions.

John M. Christie, president of The Maine Business Monthly Group,cited declining advertising sales and the rising cost of newsprint asreasons for the paper's demise in May 2001. At that time, Pickettowned the Portland Business Journal.

In August 2001, Pickett announced plans to launch the PortlandMorning Sun, a free daily to be published Monday through Friday andavailable in Greater Portland. The first edition of 5,000 wasdistributed on Oct. 8, 2001, but lasted just 13 editions beforesuspending publication. Pickett said then that people he had expectedto invest in the fledgling venture backed out because of the unstableeconomy.

Pickett owned WLKN, a Lincoln radio station, in the early 1980s,and was an on-air reporter for ESPN for the first six years of thecable sports network's existence, covering skiing, including the 1980and 1984 Olympics.

He also edited and published Ski Racing magazine for a time, andworked as a reporter for the Baltimore Sun for nearly 10 years.

Bangor forum to examine recreational needs - Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME)

You are invited, but reservations are required, to attend FusionForum, a presentation by Fusion:Bangor, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday,Jan. 25, at the Sea Dog Banquet & Conference Center, along the BangorWaterfront.

Admission is free and includes a buffet lunch for those who makereservations by Monday, Jan. 23.

To RSVP, e-mail rsvp@fusion

bangor.com; call the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce, 947-0307;or call Fusion:Bangor co-chairman Cary Weston, 945-9999.

The presentation is titled 'Recreational Facilities & Spaces: WhatDo We have, What Do We Need, and What's On the Way?'

Panelists include Blake James, interim University of Maineathletic director; Rod Towne of the Bangor Soccer Club; Hallie Tyler,Citizens' Initiative for a Dog Park; Gary Walker, All Pro Soccer &Sport; and Tracey Willette, Bangor Parks & Recreation superintendent.

The program is intended to fill you in about the recreationalfacilities, events, options and spaces available to you, fromorganized sporting events and sites to quiet getaways, and provideinformation about how you can help advance the programs and causesyou feel this area needs.

In a previous article regarding Fusion:Bangor, Weston pointed out'one of the goals in our mission statement is to have input and animpact on the future of the region and to connect with the history ofthe region.'

Friends and neighbors are hosting a benefit spaghetti supper forBilly Theriault, 35, of West Enfield.

The young father of one was injured recently in an automobileaccident and was left paralyzed from the waist down. He now residesin a local health care facility.

The Theriault benefit spaghetti supper is 4-6 p.m. Saturday, Jan.21, at the VFW Hall in West Enfield.

Admission is by donation.

The fundraiser will include a silent auction with items rangingfrom firewood to University of Maine men's ice hockey tickets, avehicle cleaning package valued at $100, oil changes, alignments andrestaurant gift certificates.

For more information, call Lori Porter, 745-0262.

In case your nonprofit board missed this, Merry Fogg of The BoardNetwork reminds you that you can 'learn how board self-assessment canfurther your mission' by attending 'Board Self-Assessment: A Road Mapto Improve Board Performance.'

The workshop is 9 a.m.-noon Thursday, Feb. 9, at Bangor SavingsBank's G. Clifton Eames Learning Center, 203 Maine Ave., Bangor.

A continental breakfast will be available at 8:30 a.m.

The workshop will inform you about what board self-assessment is,why it is worth doing, how it can further your organization'smission, when is a good time do it and what tools and resources areavailable to assist you.

The program fee is $70 for the first person and $55 for eachadditional representative of the same nonprofit.

To register, call Fogg at 874-1000, ext. 329, or e-mailmfogg@theboardnetwork.org.

For more information, visit www.theboardnetwork.org/

trainingevents.html.

The Penobscot Historical Society will hold its annual ValentineDine Out and Mystery Ride on Saturday, Feb. 11, reports AudreyPeasley.

Participants will meet between 5:15 and 5:30 p.m. at PenobscotElementary School, and 'everyone is welcome,' she added.

You must sign up before Wednesday, Feb. 1, with Marilyn Tapley, soshe can make the reservations.

Tapley's telephone number is 326-8231.

Peasley reports the event includes door prizes and urges you to'come join us for a great time.'

Sandra Gordon, community relations coordinator for Waldo CountyGeneral Hospital in Belfast, wrote that 'we have a great raffle goingon,' which is part of the hospital's effort to raise $1 million fromthe community to receive a matching grant of the same amount 'tobuild a new surgical services wing at the hospital.'

She also announced 'just this month, we reached our million-dollar goal' and that construction has started. Its completion isexpected to coincide with the hospital's 105th anniversarycelebration this spring.

'We are still accepting donations,' Gordon said, 'as the actualcost of the building project will be $2.1 million. The paintingraffle will help raise the extra amount.'

Local artist Celene Farris has donated an original oil painting,'Roadside Poppies,' which is on view in the hospital lobby.

Raffle tickets are $1 each or six for $5 and are available at thehospital gift shop, 118 Northport Ave. in Belfast.

For more information, or to order tickets by mail, call WCGHcommunity relations at 338-6204 or write WCGH, P.O. Box 287, Belfast04915.