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Bangor

USS Maine anniversary

The commemoration of the 105th anniversary of the sinking of the USS Maine was held Saturday at Davenport Park.

The battleship was sunk Feb. 15, 1898, in Havana Harbor by an explosion. The monument in Bangor contains the restored shield and scroll from the bow of the ship.

Participants included area veterans and representatives of veterans organizations and the Naval Reserve Center. Taking part were the Rev. Robert Carlson, Paul S. Colburn, Lt. Commander Phil Branch, trumpeter Hal Wheeler and the Bangor High School ROTC gun squad.

There have been several USS Maines. The current vessel, a submarine, is in service with the U.S. Navy.

A chowder luncheon was held afterward, sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Black History Month

North Star Lodge will present a Black History Month program with refreshments at 6 p.m. and program at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Bangor Grange Hall, 1192 Ohio St. The program will recognize events, feats, triumphs and dreams that have come true and brought positive change.

To obtain information, call 942-3148 or 989-3886.

Theater auditions

Penobscot Theatre Company-Maine Shakespeare Festival will hold open auditions for Maine Shakespeare Festival 2003 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Penobscot Theatre, 183 Main St.

Roles are available in “The Fantasticks,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “As You Like It” and “Macbeth.” Auditions are for actors over the age of 16.

Actors should be prepared to present one memorized monologue no longer than one minute from a play, book, movie or poem, and 16 bars of an a cappella song, if auditioning for the musical.

Actors are encouraged to complete their audition by bringing a current resume and photo to be kept on file.

Actors must schedule an audition appointment by calling Holly Khiel or Katey at 947-6618. Actors who have auditioned for PTC-MSF in the past need not attend, but are encouraged to express their interest in Maine Shakespeare Festival by e-mail, collene@maineshakespeare.org or by mail to 183 Main St., Bangor, ME 04401.

A not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, PTC-MSF has as its mission to offer high quality, professional theater experiences staged throughout the year, to provide educational outreach programs, and to develop and enrich new and existing audiences and artists.

Kidney Foundation program

The National Kidney Foundation of Maine is offering an educational program for individuals and family of those recently diagnosed with kidney disease or those who recently began dialysis treatment.

The program, called “People Like Us Live,” will be held from 9 a.m. to noon March 8, at Mason Auditorium, Eastern Maine Medical Center.

Breakfast refreshments will be provided. For information or registration, call Karen at (800) 639-7220.

February vacation programs

The children’s department at Bangor Public Library will present special programs during February vacation.

Maisy, the picture book mouse, will visit the library at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 20. Preschoolers will enjoy her favorite stories, playing games, and jumping and jiving.

A Papa Gambino’s pizza maker will demonstrate the skills of building the perfect pizza at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 21. Freshly baked samples will be passed around.

Dan Pelletier, a registered Maine Guide who has worked with sled dogs for more than 10 years, will bring sled, equipment and dogs to the library at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 22.

He will talk about the history of dog sledding, tell some stories and mush off into the noontime sun.

Children should wear warm clothing for this outdoor program. For information, call 947-8336, Ext. 111.

Honor for TV station

The Bangor City Council issued a proclamation Feb. 10 to congratulate WABI-TV5 for 50 years of service to Greater Bangor.

WABI-TV5, Maine’s first television station established Jan. 25, 1953, has been locally owned and operated since that time.

The Council cited WABI-TV5 for its support of charitable organizations and community events.

Bangor Humane Society

Becky Brimley has joined the Bangor Humane Society as associate director, a new position that will focus on community education.

She is a former employee of the International Fund for Animal Welfare where she was deputy director for the animals in crisis program, overseeing projects in 14 countries. Most recently she was in Spain with the IFAW emergency relief team rescuing and rehabilitating birds from the massive oil spill from the MV Prestige.

Brimley earned a master’s degree in conservation from University College London and a bachelor’s degree in marine biology from the University of Newcastle. Her duties at the Bangor Humane Society began Feb. 10.

“Becky will be a great asset not only to Bangor Humane Society, but the whole region,” said Executive Director Bev Uhlenhake. “We are thrilled to have been able to draw such an experienced, high-quality candidate to the humane society.”

Uhlenhake recently announced her resignation. She will move to OHI to assume duties as a fund-raiser.

“I feel comfortable leaving with the knowledge that the humane society will be in the good hands of Becky and Chris Young, our long-term and very effective operations manager,” Uhlenhake said.

Brimley will undertake duties as acting executive director until March 1, when a new executive director is named.

Firefighter heroism award

Bangor firefighters Scott Bolduc, Casey Perry and John Thornton were honored at the Firefighters’ Valentine’s Ball Feb. 8 when Fire Chief Jeffrey Cammack presented them with the Firefighter Heroism Award for their acts of courage.

The award is given to an individual or group that performs an act of heroism above and beyond the call of duty.

Firefighters from Central Station and Station 5 responded Dec. 2 to a report of a building fire at 152 Main St. Engine 1’s crew found heavy smoke billowing from the second floor into the first floor of The Tavern.

Lt. Mark Dunbar wrote of that night: “After donning my airpack, I was approached by several of the building occupants who were screaming that there were people trapped on the upper floors. Command ordered myself and firefighters Scott Bolduc, Casey Perry and John Thornton to begin search and rescue of the upper floors.

“The second, third, fourth and fifth floors of the building were heavily charged with smoke with zero visibility above the fire.

“Through the extraordinary efforts of Bolduc, Perry and Thornton, we were able to search the four floors, remove two victims and conduct vertical ventilation through the roof by forcing a 3-feet by 5-feet man-way in 11 minutes. That effort becomes even more significant because Perry and Thornton have less than 11/2 years of service with the Bangor Fire Department,” Dunbar wrote.

New dad ‘boot camp’

A Boot Camp for New Dads will train first-time fathers to be experienced dads.

Penquis CAP will offer the free workshop for expectant fathers 1-4 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at Penquis CAP, 262 Harlow St.

Experienced fathers, who bring their own babies to practice with, will teach the workshop. To register, call Tammy Leland at 973-3672, or (888) 389-3610.

Phi Theta Kappa

Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society at Eastern Maine Technical College, is holding a spaghetti dinner 5-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at Rangeley Hall. The cost is $5 and $2.50 for children under age 10.

To purchase tickets or to obtain information, call Bill at 974-4612. Tickets also may be purchased at the door.

The honor society will sponsor a Basket Bingo at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 16, at Rangeley Hall. Tickets are $10 for 15 games. To obtain information, call Kim at 974-4612.

A portion of the proceeds from both events will benefit the Ronald McDonald House.

Collins award

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins received the U.S. Public Interest Research Group’s Public Interest Champion Award for her leadership on legislation intended to clean and protect the natural environment.

U.S. PIRG, with 2,500 members in Maine, is a national, nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest research and environmental advocacy organization.

In honor of its 30th anniversary, U.S. PIRG is recognizing a group of senators and representatives with the Public Interest Champion Award.

“I am deeply committed to protecting the quality of the air we breathe, to safeguarding natural treasures such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and to promoting a cleaner energy future,” said Collins. “I am honored to receive this recognition.”

Manna wish list

Warm socks and gloves in men’s and women’s sizes, canned soup, canned tomato sauce, canned meat, pasta of all kinds, baked beans and 9-inch foam plates are needed at Manna Ministries, 180 Center St.

Donations may be dropped off to the soup kitchen 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. To obtain information, call 990-2870.

Dedham

Dog licenses

All dogs 6 months or older were due to be registered in the town office as of Jan. 31. A $5 late fee is imposed from Feb. 1-14 on any dog registered during that time.

As of Feb. 18, a warrant listing unregistered dogs was to be given to the animal control officer, and the late fee increased to $10 per dog.

Glenburn

Community block grant

A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at the municipal building to discuss the town’s plan to apply for a Community Development Block Grant in the community planning category.

If the funding is received, it will be used to study the feasibility of developing a community-senior center for Glenburn residents at Lakeside Landing.

Hampden

Town Council election

Realtor Dana Skinner was elected for a second term on the Town Council, winning the seat during a special election Tuesday after being defeated in the general election last fall.

The seat on the Hampden council opened when William Gamble, who won a seat last fall, withdrew because of health reasons.

Skinner was to be sworn in at a council meeting Feb. 18.

Bowlathon

The Hampden Children’s Day committee is planning a bowlathon at noon Saturday, March 15, at the Heritage Lanes in Hermon to support Hampden Children’s Day 2003. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m.

Teams of four will collect pledges and compete to win various prizes. The Children’s Day committee will provide the lane and the shoe rentals. The committee is asking for a minimum of $25 in pledges per team member, or $100 per team.

To learn more, call Amy Lorenzo at 862-5522 or Don Darling at 947-2866.

Newburgh

Meet the candidates

Meet the Candidates Night and open house will be held at the Newburgh Elementary School at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26. Candidates for third selectman are Leona Smith and Stanley “Skip” Smith.

The municipal election for third selectman will be held 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 4, at the Town Hall. The town meeting will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, March 8, at Newburgh Elementary School.

Orono

Baha’i festival

The Baha’is of Orono will celebrate Ayyam-i-Ha, a four-day period of festivities, with a contradance featuring the Marsh Island Band 1-3 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at the Keith Anderson Community Center. The celebration is free and open to the public.

The Baha’i year consists of 361 days – 19 months with 19 days each. To bring it into congruence with the 365-day solar year, a four-day period is set aside in late February and early March.

The celebration will feature children’s activities, including face painting, making a “world citizen” mural and box decoration.

Candidates night

Orono residents are invited to discuss issues of concern with spring election candidates for the Town Council and the school committee at 7 p.m. Monday, March 3, at the municipal building.

Jo Carol Alford, Terri Hutchinson, Jim Dearborn and incumbents Lianne Harris and Sean Wasson are vying for three council seats. Incumbent Stanley Borodko is not a candidate for re-election.

Running for three seats on the school committee are incumbent Tracey O’Connell, Christopher Ruge and Robert Swindlehurst. Incumbents Kathy Sewall and Ted Curtis are not running for re-election.

Students from Orono High School will moderate the events. Candidates will make opening statements and respond to questions from the moderators before they take questions for the event.

The forum will be televised on the Orono governmental cable station, channel 7.

Winterport

Women’s Club

The Winterport Women’s Club is accepting donations for its community auction, which will be held March 21 at Wagner Middle School.

To make a contribution, call auction chairwoman Kathy White, 223-5746, or Judy Souder, 223-4627. If there is no answer, leave a message and your call will be returned.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin