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Bangor

Sheriff’s Department

Vanessa Holmes has been appointed administrative assistant to the Penobscot County sheriff. Since the 1980s, she has worked in the county commissioners-treasurers office.

Lt. Richard Clukey was promoted from assistant jail administrator to jail administrator with the rank of captain. He has been an employee for 21 years and has served as corrections officer, training officer, and supervisor.

Sgt. Linda Golden was promoted from intake-transport supervisor to the rank of lieutenant. She will be responsible for standards of compliance and the safety and security of the jail facility. She has been an employee for 14 years as a corrections officer and corporal.

Sgt. Ty Babb will be promoted from sergeant in charge of programs to the rank of lieutenant. He has been responsible for inmate work programs, which recently received the Governor’s Service Award. He has been an employee for 16 years and has worked as a corrections officer and corporal. He will be responsible for overseeing the programs and services of the facility and supervision of the jail during evening hours, a newly created position in the 2003 budget.

Botanicals and gifts

Verbena Botanicals & Gifts opened Oct. 6 at 13 Bomarc Road.

Owner Jeri Campbell said the shop offers organically grown plant and herbal products and teas from Maine suppliers. These are provided separately or in gift packs.

Also offered is a selection of statuary. Celtic work is the largest culture represented, but Greek, Roman and Egyptian are also available.

Campbell said other offerings include Ancient Images & Ancient Wisdom. For more information, call 973-3933.

Gift of giving

The Travel Peewees of Bangor Youth Hockey learned the gift of giving this holiday season by adopting a single-parent family from rural Maine.

The youngsters, who are 12 and 13 years old, and their parents worked to gather gifts to make a nice Christmas for the family who otherwise might not have had a good holiday. Coach John Benson said it was important for the youths to learn lessons off the ice as well as on.

Children’s art show

Penquis Community Action Program recently received a $5,000 grant from the Maine Community Foundation, H. King and Jean Cummings Charitable Fund, to support Pre-K Picassos, a public art opening showcasing the works of preschool children 3-5 years of age enrolled in Penquis CAP’s child development programs in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties.

“This grant will allow us to plan and implement the art show,” said Jean Bridges, director of child development for Penquis CAP. “The purpose of the show is to celebrate children, recognize the significant role of arts in education and in life and expand the public’s perception of young children’s capabilities in art.”

For information about Pre-K Picassos and Penquis CAP child development programs, call 973-3531.

Brewer

U.S. Rep. John Baldacci presented military medals to World War II veteran Harry Boucher of Brewer on Dec. 20 during a civics education class at Brewer High School. The congressman and his staff worked to secure the long over-due medals.

Boucher, who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, was awarded a Purple Heart, a Navy Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Navy/USCG Unit Commendation Ribbon.

Winter carnival

Ice-sculpting and a snowman-building contest will highlight a winter festival planned for Saturday, Feb. 22.

The ice-sculpting contest -with awards of $1,500 for first place, $750 for second place, and $500 for third place – will take place in front of the Muddy Rudder restaurant on South Main Street.

The snowman-building contest, for all ages, will take place at Doyle Field adjacent to Brewer Auditorium.

No public funding is required for the event and $5,150 has already been raised in pledges from businesses and organizations. Contributors include Wal-Mart, Down East Toyota, Trans-Tech Industries, Muddy Rudder, Brewer Federal Credit Union, Getchell Bros., Green Thumb lawn service, Parker K. Bailey and attorney Joel Dearborn.

Members of the Penobscot Landing advisory committee planning the event are Donna Thornton, Craig Bailey, Frank Breau, Gary Briggs, Jan Cox, Michael Finnegan, Ken Peters and C. Mark Doughty.

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child, a program in which people were asked to fill shoe boxes with school items and toys for needy children throughout the world, collected 5,239 shoeboxes this year through the efforts of First United Methodist Church in Brewer.

Judy Lunt and Jan Ashton coordinated the project, with items to be delivered by Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian relief organization in Boone, N.C.

The church served as the collection site for northern and central Maine donations.

Last year, the church, on its own, collected 125 shoe boxes. This year the program was opened to the public and the result was a collection of 5,239 shoeboxes at the Brewer site. Combined with collections from other sites throughout Maine 11,371 shoe boxes went to Samaritan’s Purse. The total from New England and New York was 194,000.

Crane operator honored

James Francis of Brewer, a crane operator for Cianbro Corp. in Pittsfield, was honored recently for 25 years of service. He started out as a laborer for the company and worked in several positions before taking on his current responsibility as a crane and heavy equipment operator. He has worked on a variety of jobs, including paper mills, hydro and bridge projects.

“It has been quite an experience for me during my career here at Cianbro,” Francis said. “We work in a family atmosphere, with a lot of good people. I’ve really enjoyed it all.”

“Jim started out under the tutelage of Walter Susi here at Cianbro,” said president Peter Vigue.

“He’s got one of the best attitudes of any individual I know. Jim helped us to recognize the need for adjustments in our safety program and has helped bring about changes that have made a significant difference in our company.”

Tattooing business

A new business has opened in Brewer. Barker’s Ink ‘n’ Steel, located on 53 Center St., is owned and operated by Randy and Peggy Barker.

Randy has 10 years of experience tattooing in all styles, and has won awards in custom, realistic and tribal forms.

Kenny Sylvestri does piercing for Barker’s. He has eight years of experience in all types of piercing.

The state-approved artists’ business hours are 11 a.m-7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

For more information call 989-5530.

Corinth

Town elections

Nomination papers for the following offices are available at the Corinth Town Office:

. Selectman, assessor and overseer of the poor: one position each for one-, two- and three-year terms.

. Director of SAD 64: two three-year terms.

. Cemetery trustee: one three-year term.

For more information, call the town office at 285-3271.

Honored volunteers

Catherine Kelley of Corinth, Bonnie Lou Jipson of Ellsworth and Charlie Kyes of Farmingdale were honored for their community service at the AARP Volunteer Recognition luncheon held earlier this month.

Kelley serves as coordinator of the AARP Tax-Aide program, and Jipson and Kyes are two of the 152 volunteers who worked in the program from Feb. 1 through April 15.

Hampden

Tax-Aide volunteers

When February rolls around, some very special people volunteer to help others prepare their federal and state income tax returns.

For the past 14 years, Richard Peer of Hampden has been one of those special volunteers, working as an administrative specialist, Peer volunteers through the AARP Tax-Aide program that provides training, computers and printers at electronic filing sites.

Peer reports that the program is looking for new Tax-Aide volunteers. Those volunteers will receive training in tax law beginning in January and will begin assisting taxpayers the first of February at sites throughout Maine such as libraries and senior centers.

And on the last day for filing returns in April, Tax-Aide volunteers will offer their services at the post office in Bangor, where they will help people fill out and file extensions, which gives taxpayers more time to file their tax forms.

Among those helped by this program, Peer explained, are “seniors, disabled, non-English-speaking people and others who cannot afford professional tax assistance.”

In addition to individuals, local civic and fraternal organizations, schools, churches and social groups are being asked to participate as volunteer groups or to host a site where taxpayers and volunteers can meet, Peer said.

More than 12,000 Maine people were helped through the AARP Tax-Aide program last year.

Those who are interested in volunteering or who want more information about the program should call state coordinator Catherine Kelly at 285-0192, (800) 227-7669 or visit www.aarp.org/taxaide.

Hudson

New firetruck

The Hudson Volunteer Fire Department recently purchased its first brand-new firetruck, 13 tons and nearly 36 feet long.

Previously, the town purchased used vehicles or built its own to replace aging equipment.

Assistant Fire Chief Bill Grant said that, with the high cost of used equipment, it made more sense to buy new and get something that will last longer.

The cost of the truck, including seven years of financing, was just under $200,000 – the amount that town selectmen gave the department to spend.

Orono

Municipal elections

Nomination papers are available for the March 11, 2003, municipal election. Papers must be filed by 4:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24.

Between 25 and 100 signatures of registered Orono voters are required to have a name placed on the ballot.

Three three-year terms are available on the Town Council: a one-year term and two three-year terms available on the school committee.

The terms of councilors Stanley Borodko, Lianne Harris and Sean Wasson will expire. School committee members whose terms are up are Tracey O’ Connell, Theodore Curtis Jr. and Katherine Sewall.

Museum holiday schedule

The University of Maine’s Page Farm and Home Museum will be closed Dec. 24-Jan. 1, reopening Thursday, Jan. 2.

Americorps NCCC volunteer

Peter Pike has volunteered for national and community service for 10 months by joining Americorps National Civilian Community Corps.

Pike is one of 265 Americorps NCCC members, 18-24 years of age, currently serving the Western Region based at McClellan Park, formerly McClellan Air Force Base, in Sacramento, Calif.

During their 10 months of service, corps members work in teams of 10-15 and are deployed in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho and the territories of Guam and Samoa.

The teams support faith-based, community service organizations and government agencies. They are on call 24 hours a day to aid disaster relief efforts throughout the country.

Americorps NCCC projects focus on the environment, education, public safety, human needs and homeland security.

Projects this year included national forest trail and camp restorations, youth tutoring, community security projects and public house construction and rehabilitation.

Americorps NCCC members receive room and board, a modest living allowance, and after successful completion of the program, a $4,725 education award that can be used for educational advancement or the repayment of student loans.

For information, call (800) 942-2677 or visit the Web at www.americorps.org.