Community news

loading...

Bangor

Pancake breakfast

The Katahdin Area Boy Scout Council will hold a pancake breakfast 7-10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at John Bapst Memorial High School, 100 Broadway. Proceeds will benefit the trip to the 2005 National Scout Jamboree next summer at historic Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia.

More than 100 Boy Scouts from the Bangor area will join 40,000 scouts from across the United States and abroad at the jamboree. According to Assistant Scoutmaster Amanda Bost, the two-week event is held to give Scouts and leaders a deeper sense of commitment to the ideals of Scouting, to emphasize physical fitness and conservation of natural resources and to establish and spread scouting activities among troops nationwide.

The Aug. 28 pancake breakfast is the Katahdin Area Boy Scout Council’s first fund-raising event for the jamboree. The cost for the breakfast, which will feature the John Bapst chamber ensemble, is $5 per person, and $2 for children age 6 and under. Pancakes, sausage, blueberry sauce, coffee and juice will be served.

Silent auction fund-raiser

First United Methodist Church on Essex Street will hold a silent auction and dessert social fund-raiser 7:30-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, at the church. Auction items will include donations from local businesses as well as congregational members. All are welcome to join in the fun and fellowship.

Anyone who has household goods or items just lying around is welcome to donate them to the fund-raiser. Items may include books, videos, furniture and other items. To donate, call Deb Christensen, 941-9567, or e-mail fumco@juno.com.

AAUW officers

New members of the leadership team of the American Association of University Women, Penobscot Valley Branch, are: Janice Good, secretary; Fran Haines, treasurer; June Fiske, membership vice president; Kate Scott, public policy; Susan Landry, Educational Foundation and Legal Advocacy Fund; Sarah Clark, member at large; and Janet Givens, liaison to national AAUW. The office of president is shared.

For information about programs and membership, call 827-5144.

BSO auditions

The Bangor Symphony Orchestra will hold auditions for the 2004-05 season at 10 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 12, at Bangor High School, 885 Broadway. The season includes six classical concerts, one special event, three youth concerts and three performances of “The Nutcracker” ballet.

Available positions include assistant concert master, principal violin 2, horn 3 and section strings. Substitutes are needed for all instruments.

Contracted musicians are paid on a per service basis, with mileage and housing arrangements included.

To learn about audition requirements, call Scott Burditt, orchestra manager, 862-2711, or (800) 639-3221, or e-mail sburditt@adelphia.net.

Chief of staff in Bangor

BANGOR – The Honorable Andrew Card, chief of staff for President George W. Bush, was the guest of honor at a fund-raiser for 2nd Congressional District candidate Brian Hamel in Bangor on Aug. 20.

Card and Brian Hamel joined the event at the home of Richard and Sue Stone of Bangor.

Brian Hamel, the Republican candidate for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, began his bid for Congress in March, taking leave of his position as president and chief executive officer of the Loring Development Authority to run.

As head of the Loring Development Authority, Hamel led the team that attracted new business and created nearly 1,200 jobs to replace the more than 1,100 jobs lost when Loring Air Force Base closed in Limestone in 1994.

Hamel has served as chairman of the board of trustees of the Maine Community College System and is currently chairman of the board of the Maine Winter Sports Center, which rekindled interest in skiing in Northern Maine. The center hosted the World Cup Biathlon in Fort Kent in March.

Brewer

Livingston Taylor

Singer-songwriter Livingston Taylor returns to eastern Maine for the first time in three years to perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10, at Brewer Middle School.

Taylor, who has been called one of the best live performers in the business, has been recording for more than 30 years, scoring hits such as “I Will Be in Love with You” and “First Time Love.”

A full-time instructor at the Berklee School of Music, Taylor has written a book on live performances and also teaches at Harvard University. The Massachusetts resident has made a number of television appearances, including a recent performance on ABC’s “The View.”

Proceeds from the Livingston Taylor concert will benefit Brewer Youth Theatre programs. Tickets are $15 each and are on sale at the Grasshopper Shop in Bangor and at Brewer Middle School. For information, call the middle school at 989-8640.

Brewer Days photos

The Brewer Days Committee would like to borrow any old photos of Brewer, including those of sports teams, shipping, buildings, companies, workers, etc.

Those who have photos to lend for display Saturday, Sept. 18, at Brewer Auditorium, are urged to contact Ed Perkins at School Street Picture Framing, 33 School St., 991-9889.

The photos will be on display 10 a.m.-2 p.m. as part of the Brewer Days events.

Bucksport

Civil War re-enactors

Civil War re-enactors from the 20th Maine group will invade Fort Knox in Prospect for their last event of the year Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 28-29. Visitors will be able to see the re-enactors in drill, at camp life, firing rifles and skirmishing. A Civil War cannon replica will be fired by members of Lathem’s Battery, a re-enactment group representing Confederate soldiers.

The Friends of Fort Knox Officers Quarters restoration project is nearly complete, and visitors to the fort will be able to enter the area for the first time in decades. The Friends’ Officers Quarters restoration project replaced rotted wood, restored collapsing masonry and replaced an entire flooring system on top of what was dirt, debris and rubble.

The Friends of Fort Knox will sponsor additional events this coming September and October. On Saturday, Sept. 11, the third annual Medieval Tournament takes place at the fort, featuring armored knights in combat, Maine’s largest trebuchet, music and arts.

On Friday and Saturday evenings, Oct. 22-23 and 29-30, the Friends-sponsored Fright at the Fort will take place. Now in its sixth year, Fright at the Fort has been expanded to two consecutive weekends to accommodate the ever-increasing number of attendees. To find out more about the Friends or to volunteer at Fright at the Fort VI, call 469-6553 or e-mail FOFK1@aol.com.

Clifton

Historical society open house

The Clifton Historical Society on Route 180 will hold an open house 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28. Tours of the historically renovated town hall will be conducted, featuring many historical artifacts.

The Harold Allen one-room schoolhouse will be open for tours also. A speakers’ program will be held 1:30-2 p.m., with light refreshments to follow.

Hampden

Heritage Day

The Hampden Historical Society will sponsor a Heritage Day 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, at the Kinsley House, 83 Main Road South, headquarters of the society in Hampden. Activities are free.

Heritage Day is a biannual event designed to showcase and demonstrate the arts and crafts of a bygone era.

This year’s Heritage Day will feature canoe building, baskets and jewelry, candle dipping, apple cider pressing, quilting, weaving, spinning, tatting, knitting, rug braiding and hooking, chair caning, custom fly rod making, clogging, a cookie lad and the Girls’ Drum Group from Indian Island.

For those with a sweet tooth, the society will have baked items for sale.

Other activities will include a demonstration of the Kinsley House antique tool collection, and tours of the Hannibal Hamlin law office and the Hampden Historical Society archives and museum.

For information and directions, call Gerry at 862-2027.

Property tax decrease

Town councilors last week approved a property tax decrease to $18.45 per $1,000 of valuation, down $1.55 from last year’s rate.

Town manager Sue Lessard said the decrease should help offset valuations that may have gone up for some residents.

Kenduskeag

Old Home Days

The town of Kenduskeag will hold Old Home Days on Saturday, Sept. 11.

Festivities will kick off with a parade at 10 a.m. The theme will be “Freedom Reigns,” and there also will be an Uncle Sam contest.

Events for kids will be offered 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Cole Memorial Ball Field. They will include a bounce castle, petting zoo, face painting, games, pie eating contest, family relay races, dunk tank, horse rides, live entertainment and lots of great food – dough boys, snow cones, popcorn, pizza, hot dogs, cotton candy and more.

A talent show will be held at 7 p.m. at the ball field, and a dance 8-11 p.m. For information, call Tina, 884-8170; or Amy, 884-6064.

Orono

Police captain retirement

ORONO – Police Capt. Linwood Green has retired after serving Orono for 15 years.

“A lot of people love him in Orono and we wish him the best in his retirement,” Town Manager Cathy Conlow said last week.

The captain’s retirement was effective Aug. 13.

Orrington

Golf tournament

A golf tournament will be sponsored by East Orrington Congregational Church and the Men’s and Women’s Ministry of the church at 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 4, at Rocky Knoll Country Club.

The cost of $35 per person includes a roast pig dinner. Register by calling 825-3404. The event is limited to the first 52 people who register.

Winterport

Boston Post Cane

When Victoria Page Grant died on Aug. 8 at age 102, the town of Winterport lost its oldest resident. Grant was born July 2, 1902, to Edward and Margaret Page of Winterport. Grant became the recipient of the Boston Post Cane at age 97 in October 1999.

In 1909 the Boston Post Company gave the town of Winterport a gold-headed ebony cane. Engraved on the head are the words, “Presented by the Boston Post to the oldest citizen of Winterport, to be transmitted.”

A letter that came with the cane stated, “To be presented to the oldest male citizen of the town, to keep during his life and at his death to the returned to the town and again presented to the oldest citizen, and so on – ad infinitum.” In 1930, after considerable controversy, eligibility for the cane was opened to women as well.

Winterport is again seeking its oldest resident to receive the Boston Post Cane. It may be given to a former resident in a nursing home or living with family in the Bangor area if the person spent the principal portion of his or her lifetime in Winterport. The person holding the cane must inform the town clerk of address changes.

After the cane is presented to an individual, that individual will hold the cane until his or her death. After the death of the holder, the family will return the cane to the town clerk and it will be presented to a new holder.

In many towns presented with Boston Post canes, the tradition goes on. Some present a plaque or pin to keep the original cane in safe keeping. Many towns have lost their canes and the tradition. Winterport still presents the original gold-headed cane.

Concerned that the cane might be misplaced, Grant returned the cane to the town office in 2000. The Boston Post Cane is on display in the meeting room at the town office, 20 School St.

Residents who have information regarding possible Boston Post Cane the recipients should contact the town clerk by Aug. 31. For information, call 223-5055, or e-mail winterportme@adelphia.net.

Theater auditions

Winterport Open Stage will continue its 10th anniversary season with open auditions for the classic comedy “A Bad Year for Tomatoes” at 7 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, Sept. 7-8, at Wagner Middle School.

A familiar face on stage, Jenny Hart will take on a new role behind the scenes as director for the community group’s 27th production. Hart is seeking four women and three men to be cast. Newcomers are strongly urged to attend.

In John Patrick’s comedy, gardening is the least of Myra Marlowe’s problems when she leaves the fast-paced life of a Hollywood starlet for some peace and quiet in a sleepy New England village. The characters she left behind are no match for the new ones she discovers in Beaver Heaven. Deceptions and the suspicion of murder lead the audience on a bumpy ride – and a bad year for tomatoes.

The play will run Friday-Sunday, Oct. 29-30 and Nov. 5-7. Audition forms, character descriptions and selected scenes may be found at www.WinterportOpenStage.com. For information, call 825-3055.