Community News

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Bangor

Fun in German

The Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor will offer its first foreign language club for children of all ages and their families. The children’s Language Table will be held at the Maine Discovery Museum at 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays in November. Participants will sing, craft, cook, play and read together – speaking only German.

Native and non-native speakers are welcome. The program is included with general admission to the museum.

Events include Schneemaenner, Nov. 19, Snowmen that won’t melt, hot cocoa and songs, stories and traditions around the holiday season.

Call the museum at 262-7200 for more information.

‘Song of Mark’

St. Mary’s Parish adult and youth choirs will present the sacred musical, “Song of Mark,” by Marty Haugen at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, at the church, 768 Ohio St.

The central theme of the musical is the meaning of discipleship. The musical highlights stories from the gospel, including Jesus calling his disciples, feeding the 5,000 and calming the sea. A freewill offering will be taken during the performance. Call 945-5018 for more information.

Marine Corps League

Former Marines from Bangor, Corinth, Levant, Brewer, Newport, Glenburn, Eddington, Palmyra, Hermon and Orrington met recently at the Maine Veterans Home in Bangor to form a local chapter of a Marine Corps League Detachment. A follow-up meeting was held Nov. 9 at the Maine Veterans Home.

League members participate in the Veterans Affairs Volunteer Program, an assistance program for hospitalized veterans, which helps them with matters relating to their military service. Eligibility for membership in the league requires active duty for at least 90 days or more and honorable discharge. Yearly dues are $25.

For information, call Roland Knapp, Department of Marine Corps League commandant, at 594-5026, or Robert Goulette, detachment commandant, at 368-4998.

Economic conference

The Maine Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Conference Planning Group will hold a fall conference at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at Thomas College, 180 West River Road, Waterville. The focus is to help planning group members and interested professionals face the challenges caused by a sluggish economy, educational budget cuts, federal mandates and unemployment.

Maxine Peterson, president of the education section of the Minnesota Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, will present “Best Practice,” a seminar of teaching strategies.

Other presenters include Sue Mexcur, marketing manager for Headlight Audio Visual, Portland; Judy Hanscom, personal finance instructor at the University of Maine; Eve-Susan McPheeters of The Red Geranium II; Ramona Freeman of Hammond Lumber Co.; Kathy Walker of Rape Response Services, Bangor; Katherine Musgrave, professor emerita and dietitian, Orono; Sherry Donato, design consultant for Home Depot; Patti Whitten, manager of Organizational Encouragement; and Maine Rep. Tom B. Saviello.

The cost of the conference is $45 for planning group members, $55 for others. Call 645-3092 to obtain more information.

Property tax and rent refund

The Maine Revenue Service has published applications for Maine’s Property Tax Refund and Rent Refund Program. The deadline for applying for refunds is Dec. 31.

Maine’s Property Tax Refund and Rent Refund Program, commonly referred to as the Circuit Breaker Program, provides tax relief for moderate to middle-income Mainers. Those unmarried earning up to $29,900 may be eligible.

Individuals with a spouse or dependents may earn up to $46,300. Refund amounts are calculated by the Maine Revenue Service and may be as much as $1,000.

Individuals who participated last year will automatically receive application forms. Those who previously used this application to apply for the Low-Cost Drug Card for the Elderly or Disabled, or wish to apply for the first time this year, must now apply directly to the Maine Department of Human Services by calling toll-free (866) 796-2463.

Additional information may be obtained by calling 626-8475.

Photographs of Bangor

Kathleen Wall’s photographs, “One Woman’s View of Bangor,” will be on exhibit until Monday, Jan. 5 at City Hall. Wall is an instructor at Husson College. She entered the third annual downtown Bangor photo show and several of her pieces were selected for the show that will be on exhibit at the University of Maine Museum of Art in Bangor from Nov. 21 through Jan. 17.

Psychiatric hospital

The foundation established by Stephen and Tabitha King of Bangor has pledged $100,000 to help build a new psychiatric hospital in southern Maine.

Dennis P. King accepted the donation on behalf of Spring Harbor Hospital, the region’s only short-term treatment center for individuals of all ages who experience acute mental illness and substance abuse.

The hospital’s new facility in Westbrook also will house a unit for the care of young people experiencing mental illness and substance abuse.

Festival of Lights Parade

The Rotary Club of Bangor invites area businesses, schools, nonprofit groups and religious organizations to be part of the annual Festival of Lights Parade at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.

The theme for the parade is “Open Your Hearts.” The nighttime parade will feature floats, bands, marching and performing units showcasing the diverse celebrations that take place throughout the season in Maine and around the world – including Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and traditional scenes celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan and Kwanzaa.

The parade route starts at the corner of Buck and Main streets, proceeds through downtown Bangor, turns right onto State Street, turns right onto Exchange Street and ends at the corner of Exchange and Hancock streets.

Trophies will be awarded in eight different categories. For an application or more information, e-mail Deb Farnham at afarnha198@earthlink.net; call 848-0829, or write: Bangor Rotary Festival of Lights Parade, c/o D. Farnham, 517 Westwood Drive, Hermon ME 04401.

Pumpkin Festival

In the true spirit of the harvest season, Bangor Public Library staff and Director Barabra McDade provided lots of enthusiasm when Keep Bangor Beautiful’s Pumpkin Summer Kids held the Pumpkin Festival at the library on Halloween afternoon.

Children who raised their own pumpkins, those who decorated pumpkins and those who tried their hand at baking pumpkin treats gathered for an afternoon of fun and the judges’ results.

Judges for the contest were Mayor Nichi Farnham, Susan Poole, Laurie Conway and Joyce Martin, and they recognized each entry with a bright orange pumpkin ribbon.

Recipients were:

. Paige Brown, 5: Outstanding pumpkin photo journal; orangest pumpkin, and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

. Ezra Chapola, 4: Pumpkin Monet.

. Maggie Chapola 10: Pumpkin Picasso.

. Dominic Moody, 7: Pumpkin DaVinci.

. Alex Whitcomb, 6: Roundest pumpkin.

. Chase Whitcomb, 2: Most naturally colorful pumpkin.

Library staff provided pumpkin relay races, a hanging doughnut-eating contest and pumpkin refreshments.

Poetry reading

Wesley McNair, editor of “The Maine Poets,” will read selections of poems by Maine’s best poets at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, at Borders Books at Bangor Mall.

More than most states, Maine has always had a rich literacy heritage, including such poetic luminaries as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Edwin Arlington Robinson, and Edna St. Vincent Millay. Some of the work of these three, plus that of 34 other poets comprise “The Maine Poets” anthology. The styles range from classic to contemporary.

McNair is a nationally recognized and published poet. He helped create and currently heads the creative writing program at the University of Maine at Farmington. He has also served on the judges’ panel for the Pulitzer Prize, and won an Emmy Award for his PBS documentary on Robert Frost.

Adoption awareness display

Local adoption professionals will have an adoption awareness display from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Bangor Mall. The display will help those interested in adoption learn more about local agencies and area resources available to help with the adoption process. For information, call Melissa Huston of Maine Adoption Placement Service, 941-9500.

Art at the library

The Bangor Public Library will feature the paintings of artist-illustrator Sandra Dunn in the Lecture Hall during November. Dunn’s paintings illustrate Carol Dean’s book, “The Henhouse.” Artwork from the Library’s collection also will be on display in the Lecture Hall.

Penny Oliphan’s exhibit, Summer in Central Maine,” will be shown in the Stairwell Gallery. Oliphant, a Pittsfield native, uses as her subject matter the attractions of summer along the back roads of Central Maine.

Martin Hipsky’s photography, “Scenes in Black and White,” also will be displayed in the Stairwell Gallery. Hipsky, of Stetson, will show both black and white, and infrared photography.

Radio program note

Each Thursday at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., volunteers read The Weekly on Maine AIRS, the radio station for the sight impaired. To obtain more information about Maine AIRS programming, call Les Myers at 989-0058.

Adoption meeting

To mark National Adoption Awareness Month, Maine Adoption Placement Service will hold a meeting to inform the public about international adoption 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, at the adoption service office, 181 State St. To obtain more information and to RSVP, call 941-9500.

‘Touching Lives’

As part of activities taking place in conjunction with the Penobscot Theatre’s production of “The Miracle Worker,” the 60-minute film, “Touching Lives,” will be shown at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, at Bangor Public Library. The film is about young adults and their daily needs. After the film, Jean Small of St. Michael’s Center will lead a discussion.

Orrington

Pie social, hymn sing

A church pie social and hymn sing will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Orrington Center Church. To obtain more information, call 825-3892.

Orono

Fefe Dobson concert

Eye9d Presents will present Fefe Dobson and Even All Out live in concert at Ushuaia, 103 Park St., Orono, at 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16. Tickets are $8 and are available at Bull Moose Music locations or at The Ushuaia box office on the night of show only. The concert is appropriate for all ages.

Fefe Dobson, of Toronto, Canada, will perform with a full backup band. She was chosen to be part of the AOL Breakers Program, which helped launch her single, “Take Me Away,” with nearly 77,000 downloads in one day – one of AOL’s highest debuts. She has had the No. 1 song in the country at Top 40 radio. Her influences range from Judy Garland to Kurt Cobain.

Portland’s Even All Out, with the help of WCYY, will open the show. Call 866-7700 to obtain more information.

Winter parking guidelines

The University of Maine’s winter overnight parking ban will be in effect from Nov. 1 to May 1, according to the UMaine Parking Services office.

Faculty, staff, commuter, perimeter and visitor parking areas are closed to overnight parking during this period every year. No vehicles may be parked in these lots between midnight and 6 a.m.

The Hilltop Lot and Nutting Lot commuter areas and the north end of the perimeter area of the Steam Plant Lot are available for faculty, staff, commuter students and visitors who have a short-term need to park their vehicles overnight. To use these lots, vehicle owners must obtain an overnight permit from the Student Service Center in the Memorial Union or at the Public Safety Building during evening hours and on weekends.

Those with questions should either consult a parking map or call the Parking Services office at 581-4047.

Vehicle owners should visit www.umaine.edu/parking/ for updates related to parking, snow removal and lot closings.