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Youth chess tournament

OLD TOWN – The fifth annual Martin Luther King Day Chess Tournament will be sponsored by Stillwater Montessori School on Monday, Jan. 19, at Holy Family Parish, 234 South Brunswick St.

Registration will be held 8:30-9 a.m. The tournament will begin at 9:30 a.m., and will finish around 4:30 p.m.

There will be three sections of play, all using Swiss format:

. Kindergarten through grade 12, United States Chess Federation-rated. Federation membership required. Scorekeeping required. Forty-five minutes a round, four rounds. Trophies to top three places, medal to top eighth-grade and under.

. Kindergarten through grade eight, United States Chess Federation-rated. Federation membership required. Scorekeeping required. Thirty-minute rounds, five rounds. Trophies to top three places, medal to top fifth-grade and under.

. Kindergarten through grade six, nonrated. Federation membership not required. Thirty-minute rounds, five rounds. Medals and Federation memberships awarded to top three places.

Ralph Townsend is the tournament director, and Joe Alex is the tournament coordinator. Snacks and lunch will be available.

Registration fee is $12 in advance, or $15 the day of the tournament.

It is possible to join the United States Chess Federation the day of the tournament – $19 for ages 14 and under, $25 for ages 19 and under.

To register, send name, age, grade, Federation rating and ID if applicable, address, entry fee, telephone, e-mail address and section of competition to Stillwater Montessori School, Attention Joe Alex, 1024 Stillwater Ave., Old Town, ME 04468. For information, call 827-2404 or

e-mail jalex1@adelphia.net.

Friends of Bangor Softball

BANGOR – The Friends of Bangor Softball will hold a fund-raising meeting to assist in the completion of the new girls softball field at Bangor High School. Anyone interested is welcome to attend the meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, in the ROTC Room at the school. For information, call Alan Dall at 942-5610 or Neal McCrum at 947-8565, or e-mail BangorHSsoftball@aol.com.

BSO Concerto Competition

ORONO – The Bangor Symphony Orchestra’s 22nd annual Maine High School Concerto Competition will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, at Minsky Recital Hall, Class of 1944 Hall, University of Maine. The snow date is Jan. 24.

Twenty-one exceptional high school musicians over the past 21 years have won the orchestra’s Maine Concerto Competition Annas-Cupp Award. Free and open to the public, the annual competition gives the public an opportunity to enjoy the talent of Maine youth.

Finalists are Owen Sinclair, Raymond, violin, Lalo’s “Symphonie Espagnole;” Kevin Jones, Portland, violin, Haydn’s “Concerto for Violin in G major, 1st movement;” Benjamin Tibbetts, Windsor, piano, Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue;” Lynn Guo, Portland, piano, Beethoven’s “Concerto No. 1 in C major, 1st movement;” Melissa Riesgo, Belfast, flute, Pergolesi’s “Concerto in G major, 1st movement;” Leah Puleio, Saco, violin, Wieniawski’s “Concerto No. 2 in D minor, 1st movement;” Reed Gochberg, Surry, flute, Doppler’s “Fantasie Pastorale Hongroise;” Andrew Sullivan, Caribou, violin, Wieniawski’s “Concerto No. 2 in D minor, 1st movement;” David McIntrye III, Newport, oboe, Vogt’s “2nd Concertino in F, Larghetto;” Henry Kramer, Cape Elizabeth, piano, Rachmaninoff’s “Concerto No. 2 in C minor, 1st movement;” and Tina Davis, Deer Isle, piano, Haydn’s “Concerto in D major, 1st movement.”

This year, Maestro Xiao-Lu Li has invited the competition winner to perform at the May 16 Classical Concert. After the competition a reception is set to honor the participants.

For information, call the Bangor Symphony Orchestra at 942-5555, (800)639-3221, or visit bangorsymphony.com.

Colleges

Purdue University

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Michael Downes graduated from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., Sunday, Dec. 21, with a degree in aerospace engineering. On Monday, Dec. 22, Downes was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He will report to Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, Ga., for pilot training.

Downes is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Richard Downes of Miami, Fla., and the grandson of Irene Downes of Bangor.

University of Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Frank Breau of Brewer is one of eight University of Rhode Island students honored by The American Red Cross of Rhode Island and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island as January 2004 Community Heroes.

Other award recipients are Shad Ahmed of Warwick, R.I.; Chris Dupuis of Lincoln, R.I.; Emily Paul of Baldwin, N.Y.; Kristen Rodina of Ridge, N.Y.; Teresa Rodina of Ridge, N.Y.; Amy Swiencki of West Kingston, R.I., and Jeff Tagen of Wakefield, R.I.

The Community Heroes award acknowledges the good work of everyday people who have made significant, positive impacts on individuals, families, organizations or entire communities in Rhode Island.

The eight students worked together and helped save the life of Katie Weiss, a second-year-nursing student from New City, N.Y., who was experiencing an epileptic seizure. While in the shower, her suitemate Kristen Rodina saw Katie unconscious on the tile floor. Together with her twin sister, friends and volunteer emergency medical technicians, the students saved Katie’s life by delivering emergency medical attention during several critical minutes.

The Community Heroes program is a collaborative effort between the insurance company and the American Red Cross of Rhode Island. Community Heroes may be everyday citizens, local firefighters, police or emergency responders.

They may be honored for acts of heroism, such as saving someone from drowning, or for an effort over time, such as reading to an elderly neighbor on a regular basis.

Series on higher education

BANGOR – The television stations of Maine PBS will launch a new series offering viewers hands-on tips on financial aid, career training, literacy and English as a second language beginning in January.

“Reaching Higher” is a series of four programs targeting a variety of Maine learners such as high school students, displaced workers, adults seeking post-secondary education, welfare recipients and others.

The first program, “Financial Aid,” reviews the ins and outs of the financial aid process, including the different types of financial aid, and the saving and loan plans that are available in Maine. A live call-in will round out the show.

All those who apply for financial aid must fill out the free Application for Federal Student Aid form. Application experts will be on hand during the call-in portion of the program to offer advice and tips on how to best approach the application.

The program will air at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17.

The three remaining programs, “Higher Education Opportunities,” “Literacy and GED” and “Changing Career Directions” will air throughout the 2004 season.

“Higher Education Opportunities,” airing in April, will provide information on how to make informed decisions about college.

“Literacy and GED,” to air in June, will focus on improving reading skills and reviewing the options for getting a General Education Development diploma.

“Changing Career Directions,” airing in September, will feature exciting new career options.

Freelance television personality Ann Murray of Hallowell will host the series. To learn more, visit www.mainepbs.org.