Community News

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Bangor

Fusion:Bangor

Fusion:Bangor will hold its next event 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, at the Bangor Museum and Center for History, State Street.

There will be a program by Charlie Bragg on the history of the area. The event is sponsored by Thistle’s restaurant and is free. There will be a buffet and a cash bar.

Fusion:Bangor activities are targeted to young professionals, but all are welcome.

Tribute to Elvis

Kids Racing For Kids and the Children’s Miracle Network will present a fundraiser to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network. A Tribute to Elvis, featuring “Crazy Larry,” will take place 6-10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, at the Paul Bunyan Campground, 1862 Union St. A barbecue meal also will be part of the festivities.

Tickets are $5, $2.50 children ages 13-17, free to children under age 12 and are available at Bangor Car Care, Bangor Wal-Mart and the Paul Bunyan Campground.

Art at the library

Bangor photographer Page Eastman specializes in nature and still life photography. Her work has been shown at the Fields Pond Audubon Center and at area bistros. Eastman’s work will be shown in the Bangor Public Library’s Stairwell Gallery and extension during August.

Amicus artists Sabra Lynn Ravenscraft, exhibiting oil paintings and Jill Marie Raczek, exhibiting monoprints, screenprints and photographs, will show their work in the library’s Lecture Hall. A Meet the Artists event is planned for 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 26, at the library.

Groundbreaking ceremony

Bangor Mayor Frank Farrington made the following remarks at the Kenduskeag Stream Gateway Park Trailhead groundbreaking ceremony on July 21: “I am very pleased to be a part of this ceremonial groundbreaking this evening. Two years ago, Keep Bangor Beautiful adopted the Kenduskeag Stream Park. As part of their commitment to improve the park, Keep Bangor Beautiful, in partnership with the city of Bangor, applied for and received a State of Maine Recreation Trails Project grant. The grant, totaling $21,000, will be matched by in-kind services provided by the city of Bangor and Keep Bangor Beautiful in the amount of $18,000, for a total of $39,000. The project, known as the Kenduskeag Stream Gateway Park Trailhead, will include improvements to the picnic area, parking lot, green area and surrounding trails. The location is significant as it represents one of the mini-gateways to the city’s extensive trail system.”

Wastewater treatment plant

July 14 was a day of celebration at the wastewater treatment plant. The crew of 23 was celebrating the completion of its four-year safety record. The operations and collections crew work in what is considered one of the most dangerous occupations in the country.

At the celebration, The Royal Flush Cafe’s five-star chef, Jeff Tripp, cooked a feast of rib-eye steak, marinated mushrooms, grilled corn on the cob, baked potatoes wrapped with onions and bacon, tossed salad, rolls, sour cream, watermelon and ice cream cake.

Guests at the event were city manager Ed Barrett, city engineer Jim Ring and Ralph Mishou, former wastewater treatment plant supervisor.

Honored at the banquet were Ralph Mishou, for 39 years of employment; Tom Hambrock, 36 years; Rodney Knox, 30 years; and Tim Ford, 30 years. A plaque was presented to each man.

A new plaque engraved with the names of current and former employees was unveiled.

Unable to attend the event was Steve Haining, who had to complete critical pump maintenance at the Hermon pump station.

U.S. Postal Service

The public is invited to attend an evening of classic car enthusiasm and a special cancellation and stamp presentation 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24, at Nicky’s Cruisin’ Diner, Union Street, Bangor. The new stamp, America on the Move: 50s Sporty Cars, will be available for purchase. Other postal merchandise also will be available.

New employees

New employees hired by the city of Bangor are:

. BAT – Donald Shaw, tranist driver.

. Bangor International Airport – William Kaine, James Jorgenson, Nanci Hamlin and Nicole Guty, parking control aides; and Barbara Weirich, Reina Burgess and Kathleen Connelly, customer service representatives.

. City clerk’s office – Katrina Garwacki, administrative clerk.

. Police Department – Jessica Danielson and Tracy Hall, Public safety dispatchers.

. Public Works Department – Jeffrey Sasso, James Green, Justin Brown and Timothy Dow, heavy equipment operators.

In addition, Robert Estey of the Bangor Fire Department has retired, and the following employees have transitioned from temporary to permanent positions: William King, laborer, Public Works Department; Suzanne White, secretary, medical billing, Bangor Fire Department; and Corinne Mathews, customer service representative, Bangor International Airport.

Brewer

Heart-warming challenge

The Public Works Department from the city of Bangor was in Brewer Tuesday to plant a very special tree in the Children’s Garden. The oak tree, also donated by Bangor, was won because of a very heartwarming challenge last fall.

Both cities entered a team in the 2004 Heart Walk, a core fundraising event that benefits the American Heart Association. To make it more fun, former Mayors Dan Tremble from Bangor and Michael Celli from Brewer challenged each other’s city employees to a friendly competition: to be the city with the highest percentage of employees who were registered and raising funds as members of their city’s Heart Walk Team. Brewer won the challenge.

On Tuesday, Michael Celli dedicated the oak tree to Brewer’s citizens and thanked everyone who participated and helped raise funds for the American Heart Association, from both sides of the river.

Then, Brewer’s current mayor, Joseph Ferris, and Mayor Frank Farrington from Bangor stepped to the podium to announce that the 2005 Mayors’ Challenge is now under way. The runner-up mayor has once again agreed to plant a tree in the winning mayor’s city and place a plaque honoring that community’s citizens who have been touched by heart disease and stroke.

Businesses, organizations, schools, religious groups, families, as well as individuals from anywhere in northeastern Maine are invited to register and be part of the Heart Walk, too.

To get started and receive a team packet and collection envelope, call the American Heart Association at 848-2888 or (800) 937-0944. Or, register online at the official Northeastern Maine Heart Walk Web site: www.heartwalk.kintera.org/bangorme .

“Heart disease and stroke are our state’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers,” said Heart Walk chairwoman Sheila Pechinski, a lecturer at the University of Maine Business School. “Because of the generosity of businesses, organizations, schools and families throughout eastern, central and northern Maine, the money raised as part of the Heart Walk will fund more research at places like the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, as well as more education and community initiatives – all designed to not only save lives, but to speed recovery and greatly improve the quality of life for those stricken with cardiovascular diseases.”

This year’s Northeastern Maine Heart Walk will take place on Saturday, Oct. 15, at the University College Fitness Center in Bangor. Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m., followed by announcements and the step-off at 9:30 a.m.

New to this year’s walk is the Healthy Heart Expo. Walk participants and the general public are invited to visit the vendor booths and take part in free screenings and interactive sessions to learn more about ways to improve their heart health.

The Heart Walk is sponsored nationally by Subway. Local support is provided by St. Joseph Healthcare, the prestigious Red Cap sponsor; Affiliated Pharmacy Services, a Gold sponsor; Hannaford Supermarkets, the Event Day sponsor; Silver sponsors Eastern Maine Medical Center, Merrill Bank and Penobscot Community Health Center; Radio sponsor WEZQ 92.9 and Television sponsor WLBZ Channel 2.

Band concert

The Brewer Hometown Band will perform its last evening concert of the season at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, at Doyle Field. The concert will be held in Brewer Auditorium if the weather is inclement.

The concert will feature tuba soloist Candace Hart of Hampden, who will play several tunes in memory of Sam Wyman. Wyman was an “institution” on the local music scene and member of the Brewer band.

Musical selections in Wyman’s honor will include the march “Top Kick,” written by Gordon Bowie. Bowie was the conductor of the Brewer Hometown Band for many years and wrote the march in order to feature Wyman’s playing.

Wyman’s brother, the Rev. Henry Wyman, will make brief comments at the performance.

The Brewer Hometown Band will perform at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Brewer Auditorium parking lot during the gala planned by Penquis CAP. To learn more about that event, call Maria Staples at 973-3586.

Fall Festival Auction

Save the date of Wednesday, Sept. 7, for the ninth annual Fall Festival Auction and Awards Night to benefit Rape Response Services at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer. An autographed copy of Stephen King’s “Wizard and Glass” is one of the highlights of the list of items arriving daily.

Handmade donations include a full-size quilt and wall hangings.

The event, a silent and live auction, begins at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door or in advance, with group discounts available.

Corporate sponsors include Pine Tree Landfill, Veazie Veterinary Clinic, the Bangor Daily News, St. Joseph Hospital, WABI-TV, Bangor Historic Track Inc., Machias Savings Bank and Merrill Merchants Bank.

Call 941-2980 for an updated list of auction items and more information.

Library news

The Brewer Public Library is in the process of holding a book sale, which began Aug. 8.

Jason Suduit of the Brewer Weathervane Restaurant will serve as host for a program called Lobster Habitat at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, at the restaurant. Children of all ages will be given a free meal. Register at Brewer Public Library.

The library will change its hours as of Tuesday, Sept. 6. The new hours are: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There will be no Saturday hours. Call 989-7943 to obtain more information.

Clifton

Open house

The Clifton Historical Society will hold an open house, 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Town Hall Museum and Harold Allen Schoolhouse, Route 180.

Eddington

Old-time melodrama

The Phoenix Rising Players will present an old-time melodrama, “Curse You, Otis Crummy,” at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, and Sunday, Aug. 21, at Comins Hall, 1387 Main Road. The cost is $2, $1 for children. Proceeds from the performance benefit Comins Hall.

Glenburn

School news

Glenburn’s first day of school for all students is 8:10 a.m.-2:10 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31. Call 947-8769 to obtain more information.

Orrington

Used-book sale

Orrington Public Library will conduct a used book sale Aug. 22-Sept. 2 during regular library hours 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Hardcover books will sell for 50 cents, softcover books for 25 cents, and new and nearly new books for $3. Call 825-4938 for more information.