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Bangor

From Bangor to Baghdad

Bangor Daily News senior writer Alicia Anstead will present “From Bangor to Baghdad: On the Road in Iraq,” at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, at Dickerman Dining Commons, Husson College.

On a two-week trip to Iraq, Anstead and fellow journalist Peter Davis visited cities and towns from Baghdad and Basra to towns in northern Iraq. She had the opportunity to see firsthand the effects of the fall of Saddam Hussein and the impact of the American presence in Iraq.

“My goals for the trip were twofold,” Anstead said, “first to be the eyes for our readers and tell them though my dispatches my personal experiences and reactions to what I was seeing, and my interactions with the Iraqi people. Secondly, I wanted to find people from Maine who are living and working there and are part of the American footprint in Iraq.”

In 10 articles published in the NEWS, Anstead described her conversations with many Mainers, including soldiers, business people and members of the transitional government, among them two people from Maine who are directing the Human Rights and Transitional Justice Department efforts.

Anstead holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in literature from American University and is a doctoral candidate at the University of Rhode Island.

In 2000-2001 she was a Fellow at the National Arts in Journalism Program at Columbia University. This year she was a first-place winner of the Maine Press Association’s Critics Award.

The cost of the lecture is $6, and reservations are required. Call 973-1036 or e-mail sleepert@husson.edu to learn more.

Health and safety party

A Health and Safety Party for children and their families will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, at Cascade Park on State Street.

Attendees can learn about MaineCare, free low-cost health insurance offered through the state, and other free services. They also will enjoy games, music, prizes and refreshments.

Activities include rubber duck races, hula hoop contests, painting, face painting, puppetry, dental screenings, children’s fingerprinting and ID cards, car seat safety, fire safety and nutrition information.

For information on Penquis CAP’s Health and Safety Party, call 973-3577.

Nurses: Class of 1953

The Eastern Maine General Hospital School of Nursing Class of 1953 celebrated its 50th anniversary Aug. 11. Out of a class of 45, 27 women and their spouses planned to attend the reunion. Also present were two special guests, the nurses’ former supervisors.

Class members met at Eastern Maine Medical Center for a tour of the hospital. Later, slides were shown. The nurses saw new equipment and innovations in patient areas. They also visited outdated areas, which brought back fond memories.

After the hospital tour, the nurses gathered at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer for luncheon and a walk down “memory lane.”

Organizers for the event included Elinor Craig, Pat Eye and Norma Gilman.

Brewer

Pet parade

Bear Brook Kennels will be sponsoring a pet parade starting at 9 a.m. Sept. 13, held in conjunction with the Brewer Days hometown celebration. Participants will assemble for the parade on the grassy area behind the Brewer Swimming Pool.

Prizes will be awarded in seven categories: best matching costumes, pet and owner; best pet costume; funnies costume; cutes costume; most colorful; most patriotic; and most unusual.

A responsible adult must accompany those children under age 12. Pre-registration is required by Sept. 11 at Bear Brook Kennels, 19 Bennett Road.

Auction and awards night

A small bronze otter titled “On the Rocks,” signed, dated and numbered by sculptor Forest Hart, and an autographed copy of “Black House” by Stephen King top the growing list of items donated for the seventh annual Fall Festival Auction and Awards Night sponsored by Rape Response Services. The event is set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3, at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer.

Other items include a “Kruzer” kayak with life jacket and paddle from Old Town Canoe, a Web site design and hosting package from Rainstorm Consulting, a large maple mirror from Moosehead Manufacturing, and a Dream from Home large wool rug from Saliba’s.

Gov. John Baldacci will help the organization celebrate its 15th anniversary. He will assist in presenting the Janet Badger Volunteer Award and the ne Teal Ribbon Award.

Tickets for the event are $8 each or two for $15, and may be purchased at the door. Hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be available. Sue McKay will serve as auctioneer.

Women with Wings will provide musical entertainment. Charges may be made to Visa, Mastercard or Discover.

Underwriting the cost of the auction are benefactor Pine Tree Landfill of Hampden; sustainers Bangor Daily News and Veazie Veterinary Clinic owned by Drs. Chris Miles, David Cloutier, Mark Hanks and Stephanie Monk; sponsors WABI-TV and the Rock Team of ERA Dawson-Bradford; and many friends.

Fast Forms has donated printing services. Overnight lodging, cruises on the Mount Katahdin, restaurant gift certificates and handmade pottery and crafts items are among the items donated by businesses and friends throughout Penobscot and Piscataquis counties for the live or silent auction. Call 941-2980 for more information.

Rape Response Services provides a 24-hour hotline at (800) 310-0000 for female and male victims and survivors of sexual assault, including rape, incest, harassment and abuse. The service area covers Penobscot and Piscataquis counties. Educational programs and support groups also are provided.

Out on the town

The Dazzlers, dancers from Northern Lights Dance Arts studio, took part recently in the American Dance Awards Nationals in New York City.

Alani Cote, Emily Shalhoob, Megan Wixon, Shelbi Cote, Beth Dauphinee, Annie Smith, Courtney Parsons, Ashley Adams, Sachi Cote, Lauren Miller, Kate Chambers, Jocelyn Duff and Jennifer Mangano rehearsed at Steps on Broadway and the Broadway Dance Center, where they participated in workshop classes and were among 6,000 dancers to compete at the Sheraton New York.

As part of their week in New York City, the Dazzlers saw pop artist Ashanti at the “Today Show,” enjoyed a surprise limo ride around the city in the evening, visited Ground Zero, and saw the Broadway show “Movin’ Out.”

The Dazzlers brought home three silver and two high silver awards, and two of the top 10 scores in the primary category.

Holden

Sunburst pageant

Karly Quinn, 10, competed in the Sunburst International Beauty Pageant in Atlanta, Ga., Aug. 3-4.

She was in the top 10 in the beauty competition and was crowned the winner in the super model search category, judged on natural beauty. No makeup was allowed.

It was the first time in the 25-year history of the Sunburst pageant that a Maine girl has placed in the top 10. Her talent monologue was “The Ugly Stepsister Speaks Out.” She began competing in beauty pageants in October 2002.

Local businesses in Bangor, Brewer, Holden, Dedham and Ellsworth donated funds for Quinn’s trip to Atlanta.

Old Town

90th birthday party

Mrs. Mamie Seymour of Old Town celebrated her 90th birthday recently with a family party given by her children at the home of her daughter in Veazie.

Those attending included her children: Margaret and Frank Tenney, Veazie; Romain and Dot Seymour, Brewer; and Eugene and Debbie Seymour, Milford; six of her eight grandchildren and 11 of her 15 great-grandchildren, as well as friends from as far away as North Carolina.

Broadcast autobiography

Bruce Fleming of Medway has announced that his publishing company, Beach Town Press, has signed Bangor radio and television personality Dan Cashman to write a book about his experiences. Cashman, an Old Town native, had his own television program on WBGR-TV 33 in Bangor. His “The Nite Show” was modeled after “The David Letterman Show.”

Cashman did an internship in New York City with “Don Imus in the Morning.” Currently, Cashman works as an on-air talent at Z107 FM in Brewer.

Cashman’s book is scheduled to be released next summer. To learn more, visit www.beachtownpress.com.

Stetson

Meeting information

The Stetson selectmen meet at 6 p.m. the first and third Tuesdays of each month at the town office.

Planning board meetings are held at 7 p.m. the second Thursday of the month at the library-firehouse conference room.

The town office is open 12:30-3:30 p.m. Mondays; 8 a.m.-noon and 12:30-3:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and noon-7 p.m. Thursdays. The town office will be closed Labor Day, Sept. 1.

To obtain information, call the town office at 296-3232, e-mail stetson-tdstelme.net, or visit www.stetsonmaine.net.

Winterport

Pottery classes

Great Water Ceramics is offering six-week courses in general pottery and sculpture techniques, including hand building and wheel throwing, beginning in mid-September. The classes are open to people of all abilities and levels of experience. The term will close Oct. 26 with an open raku firing demonstration, pottery show and sale and reception.

The studio, owned and operated by Jay Hanes, specializes in making raku tea bowls for the Japanese tea ceremony. Tea enthusiasts worldwide collect the tea bowls.

Hanes worked in clay for 25 years and was a student of the tea ceremony for 15 years. In 2002, he received a Maine Arts Commission grant to study tea ceremony with Kaji Aso in Boston at the House of Flower Wind.

Hanes has given seminars, workshops and demonstrations in raku pottery and tea ceremony at Windover Arts Center and Bangor High School.

Raku is a fast-fire method of pottery that is linked historically to the tea ceremony of late 16th century Japan. Literally, raku means “pleasure of simple amusement,” a title given to a family of potters named Chojiro.

Great Water Ceramics is at 991 North Main St. in Winterport. To obtain information about courses or the closing reception, or to make reservations, call 223-5517. Classroom space is limited.

Hampden

Lifeguard training

An American Red Cross lifeguard training course will be offered Sept. 8 through Sept. 29 at the Lura Hoit Pool, the community swimming pool on Western Avenue.

Course participants must be at least 15 years old, and must be able to meet the swimming prerequisites. Call 862-4305 for more information.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin