Alton

Spring cleanup

The town of Alton will hold its spring cleanup Saturday, April 30. Refuse must be at the curbside by 7 a.m.

Materials that will be accepted are household appliances, water tanks, file cabinets, couches, mattresses, radios, carpet cut into 4-foot sections, rolled and tied, plastic pipe, and small amounts of Sheetrock and plaster.

Freon must be removed from refrigerators before pickup. Metals must be piled separately from bulky waste piles. Mixed debris will not be picked up.

Unacceptable items are metal containers such as gas cans, propane cylinders, paint cans, oil cans, TVs, computer monitors, batteries, microwave ovens, items containing mercury, household garbage and dead animals. No wood waste or brush will be collected.

Two tires, without rims, cut into 16-inch pieces, may be put out for weekly trash pickup. For information, call 262-3220.

Bangor

100th birthday

Mae Factor, a resident of Phillips-Strickland House, will turn 100 on Sunday, May 1.

She went to nursing school in Chicago and worked 10 years in Chicago as a nurse.

She married Fred Factor, and they were married 37 years. Their son, Dr. Don Factor, is a physician at Eastern Maine Medical Center.

After her husband died in 1977, Mrs. Factor moved to Bangor and began many years of volunteer service for St. Joseph Hospital, New Hope Hospice and TeleCare at EMMC.

She enjoys crafts, plants and corresponding with friends and family. The secret to her longevity? “One foot in front of the other, and eat healthy!”

Family and friends may send birthday greetings to Mae Factor, 21 Boyd St., Bangor, ME 04401.

Bike Rodeo & Safety Day

It’s time for the annual Bike Rodeo & Safety Day.

According to the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute, each year, some 400 children from preschoolers to age 14 are killed in bicycle crashes. Thousands more are treated in emergency rooms for bicycle related injuries.

While bicycle helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by 85 percent, only 5 percent of all children cyclists nationwide use bicycle helmets. Many children and their parents are unaware of these statistics and the basic techniques for staying safe while riding a bicycle.

In response to these startling facts, the Bangor Noon Kiwanis Club will sponsor a Bike Rodeo & Safety Day 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 7, at the Essex Street PAL Center in Bangor.

Kiwanis members are committed to preventing accidental injury in children and will be offering approved bicycle helmets (while supplies last) to children who complete bicycle safety stations at the event.

Bring your bike if you can, because children will have the opportunity to learn bicycle safety skills and practice them in a safe setting. Participants also will have a chance to win a new bicycle.

In addition, the Bangor Police Department will hold its annual bike auction at this event at 11 a.m. Auction bikes may be previewed at 10 a.m.

Directions to the Essex Street PAL Center: From Stillwater Avenue turn onto Essex Street heading out of Bangor and travel for seven-tenths of a mile. Take a right onto Watchmaker Street, the driveway for the PAL Center, just before First United Methodist Church.

Photography at Acadia

Photographer Bob Thayer will present “Acadia: Where the Mountains Meet the Sea,” at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 5, in a public meeting of the Eastern Maine Camera Club at Bangor Parks and Recreation in the armory on Main Street.

A native of Bangor, Thayer earned a degree from the University of Maine. For 30 years he taught high school science in Massachusetts, and for more than 20 years has worked as a naturalist during the summer at Acadia National Park.

His photography is published in books, magazines and calendars, and Thayer has published three books: “The Park Loop Road,” “Beyond the Park Loop Road” and “Acadia’s Carriage Roads.”

Retired from teaching and living full-time on Mount Desert Island, he hopes to have plenty of time to work on his next book.

Annual dance performance

Robinson Ballet will present its annual dance performance, choreographed by Keith Robinson, Maureen Lynch, Terry Lacy and Stevie Dunham, at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 6-7, at the Bangor Opera House.

Musical guests will be Planet Pan steel drum band from Blue Hill. Tickets are $14, $10 for seniors, $8 students under 18.

Child care training

The Penquis Community Action Resource Development Center offers three hours of training, Starting Your Core Knowledge Portfolio, for child care professionals 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, May 14, at Penquis CAP, 262 Harlow St., Bangor.

The session will introduce the Core Knowledge Training Program, its uses in professional development and how the portfolio can transform training into college credit. Topics include documenting learning, orientation to the Maine Roads Professional Registry and tracking hours of training. Registration is $15. Call 973-3533 for information.

Fashion show, dinner

The Business Women of Bangor, a local chapter of the American Business Women’s Association, will present its first Fashion Show, Dinner and Silent Auction at 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 5, at the Spectacular Event Center, Griffin Road. The cost is $20. The public is invited.

Clothing from Filene’s, The Grasshopper Shop, Lane Bryant and The Pretty Woman will be featured on the runway. The evening will begin with a social gathering and dinner. Door prizes donated by local businesses will be awarded. Proceeds will benefit the Business Women of Bangor Scholarship Fund and the national association’s Stephen Bufton Memorial Education Fund.

For tickets, call Debbie White, 659-1264, or Andree Knowles, 944-5527.

Landlord-tenant class

MaineStream finance will offer a free landlord-tenant class 5:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, May 17, at Penquis CAP, 262 Harlow St. Attorney Sarah Zmistowski from Eaton Peabody will talk about the legal issues of the eviction process in Maine 5:30-6:30 p.m. The class is required to qualify for a loan through the Maine State Housing Authority for a multiunit property.

Class topics include “Budgeting for a MultiUnit,” “Good News: Tax Advantages,” “Reliable Tenants,” “The Business Side,” “If a Tenant Must be Evicted,” and “Maintaining the Value of Your Property.”

There is no cost, but registration is required. Call 973-3663 for more information.

Canine nutrition seminar

A canine nutrition seminar will benefit the Bangor Humane Society.

The seminar will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, at Green Acres Kennel Shop, 1653 Union St., Bangor. It will focus on nutrition as the foundation of good health and examine what type of diet is best for the average dog. At the end of the seminar, participants will be better equipped to select food for their dogs.

There is no charge, but advance registration is advised. Seats may be reserved by making a $5 minimum donation to the Shed and Emily Fund at the Bangor Humane Society. The fund was set up in honor of Shed, deceased pet dog of kennel owner Don Hanson, and Emily, deceased cat and mascot of the humane society.

The fund helps pay for toys for use in the shelter, healthy treats used for training, books and videos on training for use by staff and volunteers, and staff training seminars on animal behavior and enriching the shelter environment. To learn more about the nutrition seminar, call 945-6841.

PICA Perennial Sale

The PICA Perennial Sale is under way. Catalogs and order forms are available at PICA, 170 Park St. Or call 947-4203 to have them mailed. Orders are due May 1, and plants will be ready by May 20. Profits help support projects such as the Sister City relationship with Carasque, El Salvador.

Brewer

Two Old Friends

In a belated St. Patrick’s Day celebration, the Brewer Youth Theatre will present Two Old Friends, Mac McHale and Emery Hutchins, in concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at Brewer Middle School, 5 Somerset St.

Mac and Hutch, as they are known, have teamed up to sing and play songs from Ireland, the mountains and the sea. They will play banjo, guitar, mandolin, concertina, bodhran and harmonica. The two were the founders of Northeast Winds and recorded under that name for 15 years. For the past 15 years, McHale headed up Mac McHale and the Old Time Radio Gang.

Tickets are $10 and available at the door. Call 989-8640 for more information.

Poetry collections

Beach Town Press has announced that author Bruce A. Fleming of Bangor has had his books accepted for consignment with the historic City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco. The bookstore is known as the origin of the “Beat Generation” movement.

Fleming is the author of two collections of poetry, “Thoughts” and “Beach Town Blues.” A third collection will be released in the near future. For more information, visit www.beachtownpress.com.

Hampden

Rug-making class

The Bangor Area Sewing Guild will offer a class on rug making with Beverly Rich at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 14, at the Hampden Municipal Building. The cost of the class is $10 for guild members, $15 for others. A kit, consisting of several pounds of wool fabric and a crochet hook, is needed. The cost of the kit is $25. Call 941-8815 to register or to obtain more information.

Hermon

Square dance

The Le-Vi Rounders Square Dance Club will hold a Spring Fling square dance Saturday, April 30, at Hermon Elementary School. Plus and advanced square dancing are set for 2-5 p.m. A free salad and sandwich buffet will be served after the dancing.

Mainstream, plus and round dancing will take place 7-10 p.m. Jim Belanger and Ron Lowe will take turns with the calling and Carol Stewart will cue the round dancing.

The cost for the session is $25 per couple for the day, or $12.50 per couple for either the afternoon or the evening session. For information, call Sandy, 843-6072, or Margaret, 667-4194.

Old Town

Hullabaloo Talent Show

The Canoe Hullabaloo Talent Show, sponsored by River Coalition and Old Town Public Library, will be offered at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 29-30, at Old Town High School.

There will be 15-20 acts each night. Proceeds benefit Canoe Hullabaloo 2005, a weeklong festival honoring the roles canoes have played in the history of Old Town area communities.

Tickets for adults are $5 for one night, $8 for a two-night pass. Tickets are $2 for students, $1 for children under 6. For information, contact Dottie, 827-8126.

Orono

Conference on the Allagash

Citizens to Protect the Allagash will hold a free conference, open to the public, to celebrate and discuss the protection and restoration of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at the Buchanan Alumni House, University of Maine.

The conference will feature workshops, discussions, exhibits, a slide show and speakers, including Gov. John Baldacci; Patrick McGowan, author Dean Bennett, Alexandra and Garrett Conover, state Reps. Ted Koffman and Troy Jackson; Ken Olson and David Soucy.

To register or obtain info, visit www.allagashonline.org.

Bach Bash

The American Guild of Organists, Bangor Chapter, will sponsor a Bach Bash Organ Recital at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 1, at the Orono United Methodist Church, 26 Oak St. Admission is free. For more information, call 942-1474.

Grant request

The Orono Police Department is seeking funds through the collaborative project of the Maine Office of Substance Abuse and the Maine Department of Public Safety. The department is requesting a grant award of $5,000 for strategic enforcement against underage drinking.

Officials said it was an ongoing goal of the Orono department to reduce underage and high-risk drinking, as well as the negative consequences to the town and surrounding communities.

Strategies to be implemented include specialized programs targeting underage possession, consumption and transportation of liquor, and targeting the furnishing of alcohol to minors. Goals include the education of school-age youth, and the education of employees and owners of establishments where alcohol is sold or consumed.

The Orono department works with the University of Maine and the River Coalition, as well as the Old Town Police Department, in its continuing efforts to reduce underage drinking.

Art Auction

The Upward Bound Art Auction will be held 6-9 p.m. Friday, April 29, at the Penobscot Country Club. Hosts are Brad and Beth Coffey, University of Maine Foundation and Upward Bound staff. There will be a silent auction, then a live auction at 7 p.m. Admission of $15 includes light dinner. For details, call 581-2522.

Livestock and horses

The Maine Animal Club will sponsor the 23rd annual Orono Royal 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at the University of Maine’s J.F. Witter Teaching and Research Center off College Avenue.

The livestock show will include dairy cows, beef and sheep, plus games and other events. In addition the seventh annual Spring Fever Horse Show will be held.

Food will be available throughout the day.

“We’d like to share with students, parents, faculty, friends and alumni the activities taking place at the Witter Farm; our accomplishments, and the progress of our animal science and equine programs,” said Samantha Foster, Maine Animal Club president.