WS Mar. 15, 2024

Maine Maple Sunday Weekend Upcoming March 23-24

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Maine Maple Sunday Weekend – March 23-24 this year – is a long-standing tradition where Maine’s Maple producers open their doors to their sweet operations for a weekend of educational demonstrations, tours, fun family activities and samplings of syrup and other great maple products.

“Maine Maple Sunday Weekend is an opportunity for us all to celebrate the world class products – and people –that make Maine unique,” said Governor Janet Mills, who is

known to tour the sugar shacks, maple farms, and maple-centric festivities throughout the state. “Our iconic maple syrup industry supports thousands of jobs, strengthens our economy, and sets us apart nationwide.”

“One of the benefits of maple syrup in Maine is that we have a diverse climate – colder in the north and warming up in the south – along with mineral enriched soils,” said former Maple Producers Association President (MMPA) Scott Dunn. “This leads to unique syrup flavors,

depending on the sugarbush you visit.”

The weekend typically attracts thousands of visitors annually to sugar shacks across the state. MMPA, which represents more than 250 of the 450 licensed maple syrup producers in Maine, said in previous years, more than 100 sugarhouses have participated, from Aroostook to York County.

See

Seacoast Environmental Film Festival Next Weekend

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Aspiring environmental enthusiasts seeking ways to get involved need look no further than the Seacoast Environmental Film Festival, hosted by the Kittery Land Trust on March 23. This highly anticipated annual event brings together environmentalists, activists, educators, and film enthusiasts for a daylong immersion into critical environmental issues through award-winning documentaries and engaging panel discussions.

The festival is made possible by the generous support of sponsors such as the Kittery Trading Post, Peter Lamb & Faith Harrington, and the Ralph E. Ogden Foundation. It promises a day filled with enlightening films, insightful discussions, and networking opportunities

with local environmental organizations. The film schedule is as follows:

8:30 a.m.: doors open.

9:15 a.m.: “Nuclear Now” (2022). As fossil fuels continue to cook the planet, the world is finally becoming forced to confront the influence of large oil companies and tactics that have enriched a small group of corporations and individuals for generations. Director Oliver Stone explores the possibility for the global community to overcome challenges like climate change and reach a brighter future through the power of nuclear energy- an option that may become a vital way to ensure mankind’s continued survival.

11:45 a.m.:”The Power Of Water” (2024). This short documentary tells the story of a New Hampshire couple, Bob King

and Annie Faulkner, and their local efforts to restore hydroelectric dams and protect wild land for the sake of clean energy, a healthy climate, and a biodiverse future.

1:30 p.m.: “The Smell Of Money” (2022). When a corporate hog farm moves in–uninvited–on land her grandfather had purchased after claiming his freedom from slavery, Elsie Herring decides to fight back.

But as her rural community becomes the epicenter of the pork industry’s explosion in America, Elsie’s struggle to save her family’s home and heritage turns into a battle against one of the world’s most powerful companies and its deadly pollution.

3:45 p.m.: “Common Ground” (2023). The highly anticipated sequel to the documentary “Kiss the Ground.”

By fusing journalistic exposé with deeply personal stories from those on the front lines of the food movement, Common Ground unveils a dark web of money, power, and politics behind a broken food system, yet provides a hopeful and uplifting movement of white, black, and indigenous farmers who are using alternative “regenerative” models of agriculture.

The festival’s exhibit hall

According to MMPA, more than $27 million for the Maine will feature over a dozen nonprofits and environmental organizations, providing attendees with opportunities to learn more about ongoing initiatives, volunteer opportunities, and ways to make a meaningful impact on environmental conservation efforts.

Attendees have the flexibility to join for a single film or stay for the entire day to delve deep into various environmental topics. Each film screening is followed by a panel discussion featuring experts from the community, offering valuable insights and perspectives.

While tickets are not required for entry, a suggested donation of $5 per film is appreciated. For those seeking a VIP experience, $50 VIP tickets are

Blue Line Trolley Suspended for 2024 Season

town line, will not be operating for the 2024 summer season. Shoreline Explorer continues to be challenged with recruiting and hiring the number of licensed CDL drivers needed in order to operate the trolley service. Assistant Director of Transportation Debra Paradis recently released the following statement:

It is with much disappoint-

ment that YCCAC is announcing that they will not be able to operate our Blue Line Trolley service between Kennebunk Lower Village and the Wells-Ogunquit

town line for the 2024 summer season.

As in past seasons, we continue to be challenged with recruiting and hiring the number

of licensed CDL drivers needed in order to operate the trolley service. Unfortunately, this has become the norm across the country for so many businesses that rely on an increasingly scarce number of CDL licensed drivers.

As we did during the past two summers, we are hoping to double service on our Orange Line route between Sanford and Wells and also extend the route to Wells Beach. Thank you.

For more information and updated trolley schedules, visit www.shorelineexplorer.com.

Chase Farm in Wells participated in last year’s Maine Maple Weekend.

South Berwick Residents Walk Selma Bridge

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Ten residents from South Berwick recently joined fellow citizens from their sister city of Tuskegee, AL, to walk alongside

“I came home with a renewed sense of optimism,” said member Leigh Peake. “Thousands of people from many backgrounds came together to say that voting is the way we will prevent that culture from tyrannizing the country again.”

thousands of others across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL. The bridge, now a National Historic Landmark, was the site of the brutal Bloody Sunday beatings of civil rights marchers during the first march for voting rights on March 7 in 1965. The televised attacks, seen in real time across the nation, quickly garnered public support for the civil rights activists in Selma and their voting rights campaign. After Bloody Sunday, protestors were granted the right to continue marching, and two more marches for voting rights followed.

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The trip by South Berwick residents to Alabama was organized by the Common Ground Tuskegee-South Berwick Sister City project, which began in 2017 as a way to cross racial divides, and has led to numerous visits and friendships between the two communities.

“The most meaningful thing for me [in the trip] was walking across that historic bridge in solidarity with our friends from Tuskegee to protest the efforts currently underway by some to roll back the clock and deny the basic right to vote,” said David McDermott of South Berwick, who organized the trip.

ence of Black Mayors this year, was presented with the 10th annual Courageous Free Thinkers Award by Selma Mayor James Perkins, the pastor at the church. This award is given by the Friends of the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. In the previous year, U.S. Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina presented the award.

Tuskegee University campus and toured the area’s historic sites, which included driving by the homes of musician Lionel Richie and the late university professor Charles A. Gomillion, who was the main plaintiff in a lawsuit that led to the Voting Rights Act.

Before crossing the bridge, the South Berwick visitors attended a service in the historic Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church in Selma, where Tuskegee Mayor Tony Haygood was guest speaker for the service. “The alarm has sounded and now is the time to act,” said Haygood.

Haygood, who was elected president of the Alabama Confer-

Representative Terri Sewall, the first Black woman from Alabama to serve in Congress, and Representative Steven Horseford of Nevada, head of the Black Congressional Caucus, also addressed the nearly full church on the importance of voting, mentioning that voting “is the most sacred non-violent tool we have to advance our interests.”

While in Tuskegee, the South Berwick crew visited the

The group also visited Samkee America, a $128 million car parts factory. CEO ChiHwan Kim led the tour of the plant, which initially will employ 174 local workers. According to Kim, all parts manufactured there will use recycled aluminum, reducing energy use by 95%.

In addition to learning about the history and economic development of Tuskegee, the Maine visitors spent time social-

See BRIDGE on page 21 . . .

South Berwick and Tuskegee residents walk across the bridge in Selma, AL.

Left to right: Carl Pehrsson and Sandy Agrafi otis of South Berwick (in baseball hats); Sullivan Hanna (in back with hat) and Rovetta Hanna of Tuskegee; Leigh Peake, David McDermott, John Klossner (in back with hat), Hershey Hirschkop, Mike Lassel (in back with hat), all of South Berwick; Guy Trammel and Michael Hanna of Tuskegee.

Not valid on boats, SUPs, racks, bikes, firearms, bows, electronics, trolling motors, products by Asolo, Avet, Brooks, Canada Goose, Carhartt, Chaco, Dansko, Dr. Martens, G. Loomis, Habitat, Hoka, Hoyt, Life is Good, Mathews, Megabass, Merrell, Mountain Hardwear, New Balance, Oakley, Patagonia, Pura Vida, Randall Made Knives, Redington, RIO, Sage, Shimano, St. Croix, Taos, The North Face,

Applications for 2024 Kids Can Grow Program

sessions are held monthly on Saturdays, April–September, at Sanford Community Garden

in Springvale.

Kids Can Grow provides children with a positive first experience with gardening and growing their own food. This early experience can inspire a life-long interest in gardening, healthy eating, and further exploration of natural resource-related fields. Youth ages 7-12 learn how to grow vegetables, flowers and herbs, and build and maintain their own raised bed garden at home.

UMaine Extension Master Gardener volunteers work with participants throughout the season in the teaching gardens. Youth work in their home gardens with help from their Master Gardener mentors. Participants also learn about community service by donating produce from the teaching gardens to local food pantries and shelters.

As a trusted resource for over 100 years, University of Maine Cooperative Extension

has supported UMaine’s land and sea grant public education role by conducting communitydriven, research-based programs in every Maine county. UMaine Extension seeks to build thriving communities and grow the food-based economy, focusing on aspects from production and processing to nutrition, food safety and food security. Extension also conducts out-of-school youth educational programs through 4-H, which offers hands-on projects in the areas of health, science, agriculture and civic engagement, creating a positive environment where participants are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles.

The registration fee is $35 per person, and the application deadline is Friday, March 29. Enrollment is limited to 20 participants. For more information, email mary.wicklund@maine.edu or call 207-324-2814 or 800-287-1535.

The Weekly Sentinel extends warm wishes to all for a joyful, festive, and safe St. Patrick’s Day, a day filled with laughter, good cheer, and the luck of the Irish.

A Traditional Irish Blessing: “May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields, and, until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.”

Safe Haven Humane Society

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Obie and Danica are two kitties that Safe Haven feels especially protective of, because they endured horrific lives before arriving here.

Obie’s face showed so much despair, pain and fear, that he broke everyone’s heart. He had seen and survived the worst of what a feral cat can endure. Obie had facial wounds, a diseaseravaged ear, several fractured teeth, a tick-infested coat and had a bullet lodged inside him that was causing him pain. But thanks to the public’s generosity, Safe Haven was able to give Obie everything he needed to heal, including surgeries on his ear and teeth, as well as the removal of that bullet.

Obie’s facial scars have

healed, and he has been professionally groomed. To look at Obie now, one would think that he was always a loved and pampered cat, rather than a true survivor. Emotionally, Obie has gained hard-earned confidence. Thanks Safe Haven’s devoted socializing team, Obie now loves to be brushed and petted.

Obie’s friend, Danica, has her own tragic story of neglect and abuse. At age two, a man confined her in his dirty garage to be a mouser. For 12 years, Danica lived in the rafters, refusing to lay on the garage floor because it was so dirty. The owner eventually surrendered her, and Danica was brought to Safe Haven, where the volunteers promised her that they would never let anyone harm her again.

For the past few months, they been trying to give Danica some

Emma’s Angels

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Meet gorgeous Millie!

Millie is a one-year-old Mastiff mix from Louisiana looking for her forever home. She is spayed and up to date on her vaccinations, just a happy, sweet pup.

Millie’s ideal home would be with someone who would like a walking buddy, or a home with active older kids. If you would like to meet this stunning Louisiana girl, call Emma’s Angels.

Emma’s Angels Rescue is an all-volunteer, foster-based organization located in North Berwick. The shelter rescues from high kill shelters in the south and takes in local owner surrenders. In addition, Emma’s Angels prides themselves on being a cage and crate-free rescue, with animals housed safely in foster homes until adoption.

Needed at this time: dry dog food and wet cat food. Emma’s Angels feeds Blue Buffalo Lamb and Brown Rice for the dogs and for the cats, Friskies Paté. Donations can be left in the drop box at 30 Meeting House Road in North Berwick. We are grateful for the support!

of what was taken from her. This includes soft beds, kind words, healthy food, and the right to lie peacefully in the sun. Danica is also finally able to enjoy the companionship of Obie, as well as the support of Safe Haven’s volunteer socializers and cat caregivers.

Danica’s progress has been slow. Volunteers still cannot touch her, but she no longer runs and hides. She will need much more time and patience to learn to relax.

Obie and Danica have

found comfort and familiarity in each other’s presence. They will live out their lives together in a loving forever home – maybe yours?

Both cats are beautiful. Obie is long-haired cream-andwhite in color, between four and five years old, and is now in perfect health. Danica is a lovely 14-year-old shorthaired brown tiger who spent 12 of those years in that filthy garage. Both kitties are sweet and have shown no aggression.

The best home for them

would be with a person or family who is very sensitive to the emotional needs of abused cats. This person should be willing to give Danica all the time she needs to chill, helping her complete her journey to being socialized.

The lucky new parent will be rewarded by both cats’ progress in becoming more confident and trusting in their caregiver. Both love a quiet, sunny, comfortable home with lots of windows, perhaps with bird feeders, as they enjoy birdwatching, soft beds, and kind words. Soon, Obie and Danica will become devoted to their caregiver and the kindness shown. Conatact the shelter for more infromation.

Safe Haven is open weekdays 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., -1:30 p.m., weekends by appointment. All adoptable cats can be seen by appointment once an application is approved. To apply, visit www. safehavenhumanesociety.org.

York Land Trust, Center for Wildlife Partner on Owl Prowl Night

YORKThe York Land Trust (YLT), a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving and protecting natural lands and waterways, and the Center for Wildlife (CFW), a nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation and environmental education center, held a sold-out Owl Prowl program recently at Near Point Preserve, which includes the York Land Trust headquarters. Approximately two dozen adults and children enjoyed learning about owl adaptations and habitats, and were introduced to two non-releasable CFW ambassadors before the group set out to search for wild owls on the trails.

“The Owl Prowl is exactly the type of programming the York Land Trust likes to provide for the local community,” said Amelia Nadilo, Executive Director, York Land Trust. “Getting out on our scenic trails, learning about the wildlife that our seven preserves protect, and participating in an interactive learning experience is what makes our partnership with the Center for Wildlife so special.”

CFW experts Bob Dale Jr.

and Taylor Phillips, presented a slideshow on owls before bringing out a five-year old Eastern Screech Owl named Lucy, who came to the CFW in 2018 as a fledgling after being taken from the wild as a baby when her nest was destroyed. Next up was a five-year old Barred Owl named Fern who also arrived at the CFW in 2018 after being struck by a vehicle and sustaining a permanent head injury. Barred owls like to live near wetlands where they hunt their favorite prey –amphibians – and screech owls nest in tree cavities, also favoring areas near water.

“We are thrilled to partner with the York Land Trust and are grateful for the extensive trail network and wildlife habitats they support,” said Dale, Jr., who is also the Marketing & Outreach Coordinator at CFW. “The Owl Prowl series is one of our favorites as we have the opportunity to inform and educate about owls and the vital role they play in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem.”

Eleven species of owls live in or visit Maine for all or a portion of the year. The three most common owls in the state are Barred Owls, Great Horned Owls, and Northern Saw-whet Owls. Many owls call York Land Trust properties their home, as they require large expanses of

unfragmented habitat in order to live and breed successfully. One of the YLT’s most popular preserves, Highland Farm Preserve’s Barred Owl trail, is a great place for owl sightings due to its proximity to the York River watershed.

York Land Trust and Center for Wildlife are able to continue their crucial work in protecting wildlife and conserving land in the greater York region due to their loyal members and charitable giving. Their dedication and support ensure the long-term success of these vital conservation efforts, benefitting both local ecosystems and future generations.

For more information, visit www.yorklandtrust.org and www.thecenterforwildlife.org.

The York Water District will be flushing its water mains for a period of 6 weeks starting 3/11/2024. Annual water main flushing is necessary to maintain high water quality. In some cases, to get through sensitive areas, we will be flushing around the clock. Dead-end water main flushing will continue into June. There will be some low pressure and discolored water during this time. The York Water District wishes to apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

For more information, call York Water District: 207-363-2265

FOR WEEKLY UPDATES PLEASE VISIT WWW.YORKWATERDISTRICT.ORG

York Rotary Sharing is Caring Grant

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The Rotary Club of York is seeking applications for its annual “Sharing and Caring Grant.” This grant, of up to $5,000, will be awarded to a local organization whose work strives to enhance and improve York area communities and the lives of their citizens. Over the past 40 years of service to the community, York Rotary has seen the needs of the community increase significantly. They created this grant as a way of having a stronger impact on an organization’s

ability to fulfill its purpose and/ or specific need.

York Rotary Club is a service club of local people who volunteer their time and resources to raise funds and provide financial and physical support to nonprofit organizations in and around the community and the world at large. Supporting Rotary’s motto, “Service Above Self,” the organization focuses on the eight causes defined by Rotary International: promoting peace and conflict resolution; fighting disease; providing clean water, sanitation and hygiene; saving

mothers and children; supporting education; growing economies; protecting the environment. Any local organizations with a shared interest may consider applying for the grant. Applications are open until Friday, April 19. The grant will be awarded in May.

For more information and to apply, visit www.yorkmerotary.org, and download the Sharing and Caring Grant Application on the home page. After completing the application, email to gamorse444@gmail.com, or mail to the York Rotary Club, PO Box 806, York, ME 03909.

Grants for Municipal and Regional Projects

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The Department of Marine Resources’ Maine Coastal Program (MCP) and the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s Municipal Planning Assistance Program (MPAP) are seeking applications for coastal planning grants totaling approximately $300,000. Funding for these planning grants comes from the MCP’s annual grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

In response to the significant impacts of recent storms experienced by Maine’s coastal communities, the FY 2025 Coastal Community Grant Program and Shore and Harbor Planning Grant Program are being combined into one grant program. The matching fund requirement has been eliminated and the application process has been modified to include a Letter of Intent, followed by a final application by invitation only. Eligible applicants include counties, municipalities, unorganized territories, tribal governments, and Regional Councils in Maine’s Coastal Zone.

The grant is intended to fund local or regional planning projects that support Maine Won’t Wait, a four-year plan for climate action that enables communities to become more resilient to unprecedented coastal storm impacts. Successful applications must address one of the following priority categories:

Conduct climate vulner-

ability assessments including sea level rise, storm surge, and flooding at critical public facilities; evaluate existing waterfront infrastructure resilience plans and design resilient infrastructure for vital waterfront facilities; identify hazard-prone locations to integrate land conservation and public access planning, guiding development away from vulnerable areas; develop a comprehensive inventory of public tidal access points and working waterfronts; establish guidelines for responsible use and conservation; review and recommend

changes to municipal land use laws that address current and future coastal hazards.

The maximum grant award is $50,000 and there is no match requirement for the FY2025 grant program. The total combined award amount is expected to be approximately $300,000.

Letters of Intent are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 29. Final applications, by invitation only, are due by 5 p.m. Friday, May 31. All letters of intent and final applications must be submitted electronically to Ashley.Gamache@maine.gov.

$250,000 to Expand Local Meat Processing in Maine

KENNEBUNKMaine First District Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), a longtime farmer and member of the House Agriculture Committee and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, recently announced a $249,615 federal grant to expand meat processing operations in Kennebunk. The grant will help Short Creek Meats, LLC, expand the capacity of its ready-to-eat packaging line and improve material handling capabilities. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded a total of $9.5 million to 42 projects across the country though the Local Meat Capacity (Local MCap) grant program, funded through the American Rescue Plan, to

expand processing options for the meat and poultry industry.

“Supporting local food not only benefits small-scale producers, and processors, it is also good for the health of our communities and for our environment,” said Pingree. “This investment will expand Short Creek Meats’ processing power, reducing costs and boosting production to deliver high quality, locally grown food for consumers in Maine and across New England.”

Short Creek Meats, LLC, a small, federally-inspected livestock and poultry processor specializing in artisanal value-added products such as sausages, bacon, and salami, will use the grant to expand its co-packing operations, serving over 50 local producers annually and increasing the quantity of meat and poultry processed by 150%. Greater packaging efficiency will reduce perunit labor costs and increase company profitability, allowing Short Creek Meats to pass cost savings on to livestock producers in the form of lower processing fees.

In April 2023, USDA announced up to $75 million available for Local MCap to fund innovative projects designed to build

FEMA Flood Insurance Updates

YORK COUNTYFEMA offers Group Flood Insurance policies (GFIP) to individuals who do not have flood insurance and have received assistance from FEMA after a presidentially declared disaster that included flooding. As part of FEMA’s effort to reduce future costs from floods, the agency purchases GFIP certificates on behalf of applicants who may not otherwise be able to purchase a flood insurance policy but are required to do so.

If flooding resulted in damaged property, including home or personal possessions, applicants may be eligible to receive flood insurance through a GFIP. In addition to meeting general conditions of eligibility to receive assistance under FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program (IHP), applicants must meet the following conditions to be considered for a GFIP certificate:

Flood-damaged property located in a special flood hazard area (SFHA), otherwise known as a high-risk flood area; FEMA provided assistance for the repair or replacement of the property damaged by flooding through the Individuals and Households Program (IHP), triggering a requirement to obtain and maintain flood insurance on the property; the damaged property is in a National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) participating community and is eligible for NFIP coverage; the applicant did not have a previous requirement to maintain flood insurance on their damaged property; U.S. Small Business Administration denied and application for a disaster loan, or FEMA did not require to apply for a disaster loan, thus making an applicant eligible for Other Needs Assistance provided as part of IHP; out-of-pocket costs for a Group Flood Insurance policy.

If eligible, FEMA will provide applicants a GFIP at no additional out-of-pocket cost. Instead, FEMA pays the cost of the GFIP policy – currently $2,400 – directly to the NFIP from IHP disaster assistance funding. If the cost of a GFIP policy exceeds the remaining amount of IHP Assistance available, the applicant will not be eligible for a GFIP. Instead, they will need to purchase an individual policy on their own.

GFIP policies provide up to three years of flood insurance coverage for real property and personal property items insured under the NFIP. The master GFIP policy term is for 36 months and begins 60 days after the date of the presidential disaster declaration. Individual coverage becomes effective 30 days after the NFIP receives notice and the premium. As of October 2023, the amount

of coverage for the individual GFIP policy is $85,000.

The amount of coverage included with a GFIP changes annually. For updated information, visit agents. floodsmart.gov/articles/ understanding-group-floodinsurance-policies-gfips.

The GFIP will satisfy the legal requirement to obtain and maintain flood insurance after receiving disaster assistance. However, this requirement will continue even after the GFIP policy expires. Participants will need to purchase an individual Standard Flood Insurance Policy (SFIP) through a local insurance agent before the GFIP expires.

If a participant sells their property, the future homeowner must also maintain flood insurance. Failure to maintain flood insurance on the property may result in denial of future FEMA assistance for a flood disaster.

The NFIP will mail a reminder of these requirements each year. The NFIP will also send a reminder letter 45 days before the GFIP policy expires, as well as when the policy expires.

For more information, visit floodsmart.gov or call the NFIP Direct at 800-6386620, op 2.

Related Resources

NFIP Summary of Coverage Group Flood Insurance Policy. This brochure explains additional details about the GFIP, including items covered and not covered, the claims process, deductibles and more. Visit agents.floodsmart.gov/ GFIP-summary.

Federal Disaster Assistance: Meeting the Flood Insurance Requirement. This resource educates recipients of federal disaster assistance on the two ways they can meet their requirement to obtain and maintain flood insurance coverage. Visit agents. floodsmart.gov/disasterassistance-flood-insurancerequirement.

Identifying Your Advocates After a Flood Flyer.

Distribute this flyer to educate survivors on the different individuals, officials and groups who may visit their home following a flood disaster. Visit agents.floodsmart.gov/identifying-advocates-after-flood.

All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sexual harassment, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status. Those who believe their civil rights have been violated can call the Civil Rights Resource line at 833-285-7448.

Berwick Public Library

Book Club for March

Saturday, March 16, at 10:30 a.m.

The book is “The Thursday Murder Club,” by Richard Osman. All are welcome, and copies of the book are available at the circulation desk.

Spring Book Sale

The Berwick Library Association’s annual spring book sale will take place March 19-23. Donations of new or gently-used fiction and nonfiction books are greatly appreciated. Please read our donation guidelines on the library’s website for more information on what we can and cannot accept.

Berwick Walkers

Mondays at 10:30 a.m. at the library. All levels of walkers and wheelchair users are encouraged to join. Walk locations will change each week and will be announced at the previous walk.

Nifty Needleworkers

Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Social Seniors

Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Hot chocolate, coffee, tea, games and puzzles, good conversation!

Minecraft Club

Wednesdays at 4 p.m.

Boards, Builds & Books

Thursdays at 4 p.m. LEGO challenge, STEAM activity, and books.

For More Information

Call the library at 207-698-5737 or visit www.berwick.lib.me.us.

D.A. Hurd Library

Community Meet-and-Greet

Wednesday, March 20 at 10

a.m. Community Meet and Greet with representatives from several North Berwick town departments. Coffee, tea, cocoa, light refreshments. There will also be a Special Guest Storytime. All ages are encouraged to join in as we promote “Won’t You Be My Neighbor Day” for Mr. Rogers’ birthday.

Adult Social Time

Mondays at 10 a.m. Coffee, tea, cocoa, light snacks.

Teen/YA Book Club

Mondays at 3:30 p.m. Come chat about group recommendations!

Coffee, Craft, and Chat

Tuesdays, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Cubing Club

Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m.

Cribbage Crew

Tuesdays at 5 p.m.

Yarn Divas Knitting and Crochet Club

Wednesdays, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. All are welcome to join!

Crafternoon Wednesdays, 2:30-4 p.m., for children.

Hand and Machine Sewing and Crafts

Thursdays, 1:30-3 p.m., for adults.

Science Club

Thursdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Adult Coloring

Fridays, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Coloring for relaxation. All ages welcome.

For More Information

Call the library at 207-676-2215 or visit www.dahurdlibrary.org.

Graves Memorial Library

Death Cafe

Wednesday, March 20, 9 a.m. A Death Cafe is a safe and relaxed space to gather with people to discuss topics related to death and dying, engaging in interesting, thought-provoking, and lifeaffirming conversations. Death Café is not a grief support group. Reservations required. FMI and to register: www.graveslibrary.org or 207-967-2778.

Write On!

Thursday, March 21, 3 p.m. Budding authors share thoughts and stories, discussing their findings. Creative writing prompts will be given at the end of each meeting.

Tech Help

Come in for technology help! Staff members help with technology needs, any time during library hours. No appointment necessary.

What’s Your Story?

Mondays at 7 p.m. on the library’s Facebook, YouTube channel and

on the Town of Kennebunkport’s cable channel 1301. Library Director Mary-Lou Boucouvalas sits down with a community member and talks to them about where they came from, what they do, and what their interests are.

Port Knitters

Wednesdays, 1-3 p.m. Calling all fellow knitters! Bring in any current knitting project and supplies.

For More Information

Call the library at 207-967-2778 or visit www.graveslibrary.org.

Kennebunk Free Library

Dragon Hunters and Treasure Seekers Guild

Mondays, 3:30-4:30 p.m. For new and experienced players. Bring in a character from a previous game, make a new one, or use an existing character from the starter set. All other supplies provided. Ages 10 through teen.

See KFL on page 9 . . .

16 Years ago, after retiring from lifetime careers, sister and brother Linda Sirois and Harold Anderson decided to fulfill a dream and opened a wine store. Their combined

of wine drinking led them to believe they could offer a unique wine-buying experience for their customers. They would educate and make lifelong friends in the process. At 77 and 85, we have decided it is time to pass the torch to new owners, Scott and Kathleen Kelley, long-timers at Burdett’s campgrounds.

We want to thank you for helping us fulfill our dream and for your supporting patronage. You have meant the world to us.

Spanish Conversation

Mondays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Practice conversational Spanish with edu -

MEMORY CARE THAT makes a difference

At Sentry Hill at York Harbor, we know that every memory care resident has their own story, and we feel lucky to know each and every one of them. Your loved one will thrive in a warm and friendly environment surrounded by comfort and care.

To schedule a personalized tour or conversation with one of our memory care specialists, call 207-994-8577.

in the community through this program. Registration is appreciated but not required. This program is free and wheelchair accessible.

Fiber Arts Group

2 Victoria Ct. | York, ME 03909 Independent Living | Assisted Living | Memory Care WWW.SENIORLIFESTYLE.COM

Fridays at 10:30 a.m. Knit, crochet, embroider, and chat. Show off knitting creations, get tips on crochet technique, chat with old friends and make some new ones. All ages and levels of ability are encouraged to join.

For More Information

Call the library at 207-985-2173 or visit www.kennebunklibrary.org.

10-11:30 a.m. Take a break, quiet the mind, and discover the benefits of meditation in a sacred transfer of energy, with Deeksha. No registration required. FMI: marael@me.com. Upcoming: March 16.

Teen Crafternoon

Wednesdays at 4 p.m. For ages 12-18. An afternoon of crafts with resident crafting queen, Greta.

For More Information

Call the library at 207-439-1553 or visit www.rice.lib.me.us.

South Berwick

Ogunquit Memorial Library

Book Arts

Saturdays, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Interested newcomers are welcome to join in and learn the art of bookbinding.

For More Information

Call the library at 207-646-9024 or visit www.ogunquitlibrary.com.

Rice Public Library

Food Drive for

Footprints Food Pantry

All through the month of March, Footprints is collecting non-perishable food items. Stop by Rice Public Library and drop off donated items in the bin next to the main desk! All non-perishable items are accepted.

Bluegrass Jam Band

Every other Saturday, 11:30 a.m.1:30 p.m. Bluegrass and country musicians get together on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month to jam! Sessions are open to the public – bring an instrument and start picking! Upcoming: March 23, April 6.

Oneness Meditation

Every third Saturday of the month,

Public Library

Cult Classics Movie Night

7 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month. Upcoming: March 27.

Knitting Group

Tuesdays, 1-3 p.m.

Pre-K Story Time

Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Free Help for Math

Wednesdays at 3 p.m.

Baby & Toddler Story Time

Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.

Computer Basics

Thursdays, 12-1 p.m.

LEGO Club

Thursdays, 1-4 p.m.

Writer’s Group

Saturdays, 2-3 p.m.

For More Information

Call the library at 207-384-3308 or visit www.southberwicklibrary.org.

Wells Public Library

Friends of the Library Book Sale

Saturday, March 16, 10:15 a.m.12:30 p.m. Monthly pop-up book

See WPL on page 9 . . .

cator and native Spanish-speaker Eva Hernandez. Eva is looking forward to getting to know people

from page 8

sale. Come for the discounted deals on new reading material, leave knowing those purchases go to help to fund library programs.

Teen Collaborative Crafting:

Book Binding

Wednesday, March 20 at 1 p.m.

Create mini bound books, sketchbooks, notebooks, etc. Snacks provided. For students in grade 5 and up. Free.

Nonfiction Book Group

Thursday, March 21 at 4:30 p.m.

Our pick for this month is “The Sun Does Shine,” by Anthony Ray Hinton. Free. FMI: cappleby@ wellstown.org or call the library.

French Conversation

Thursdays at 4 p.m. An informal approach to practicing or relearning French. Anyone with a French Language interest can participate. Venez parler français avec nous!

Fiber Arts

Fridays at 10:30 a.m. Show off latest knitting creations, get tips on crochet techniques, chat with old friends, make some new ones. All ages, levels of ability are encouraged to join.

For More Information

Call the library at 207-646-8181 or visit www.wellslibrary.org.

William Fogg Library

Expert Tax Assistance

The library is offering expert assistance with tax preparation in association with AARP. Space is limited, so contact the library today to reserve a time slot! Service offered until April 11.

Poetry Tea Party

Saturday, March 16 at 10:30 a.m. Bring a favorite poem – it can be

one’s own work or a favorite to share – and enjoy tea and cookies while sharing with other poetry lovers. Open to ages 5-105.

LEGO Club

Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. Young master builders build creations based on the week’s provided theme, or do their own thing.

Dungeons & Dragons

Thursdays, 5-7 p.m. For middle and high schoolers. Beginners welcome at any time.

For More Information

Call the library at 207-439-9437 or visit www.williamfogglibrary.org.

York Public Library

Pondering Poetry

Saturday, March 16, 11 a.m.12:30 p.m. Poetry is an art form of collective humanity meant for all. Pondering Poetry makes time to share poems written by others that speak to all Sit and listen, or share refl ections of poems presented. Bring a mug!

It’s a Beautiful Day in This Neighborhood!

Monday, March 18 - Friday, March 22. “Won’t You Be My Neighbor Day” (March 20) was established to spread love and kindness in tribute to Fred Rogers’ birthday and his lasting legacy. Special coloring pages, neighborly activity ideas, and a community doodle in the lower lobby.

Snack Attack

Monday, March 18, 4-4:30 p.m.

Join Barb in the pop-up kitchen to make some after school snacks. For elementary age students and their caregiver. Registration required.

Alzheimer’s Support Group

Wednesday, March 20, 2-3 p.m. For caregivers or for people living with early memory loss.

Irish Authors

Virtual Book Group Series

Thursday, March 21, 2-3:30 p.m. via Zoom. Former York Weekly and Portsmouth Herald reporter Debo-

rah McDermott offers a five-month series of Irish Author Book Group gatherings. She will facilitate each session from Ireland. “TransAtlantic” by Colum McCann will be discussed on March 21. Registration required at www.yorkpubliclibrary. org/calendar.

Virtual Author Talk: Madeline Miller

Thursday, March 21, 7-8 p.m., online. Join Madeline Miller, bestselling author of “The Song of Achilles and Circe,” as she chats

about her body of work and her process in retelling Greek classics into modern epics in fiction. Registration required at www.yorkpubliclibrary.org/calendar.

Crafting Group

Every other Thursday, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Bimonthly meetup for any and all hand-crafters! Upcoming: March 21; April dates: April 4, 18.

For More Information

Call the library at 207-363-2818 or visit www.yorkpubliclibrary.org.

Town of Eliot

Free Tax Return Preparation

Tuesdays 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. and Thursdays 1-4 p.m. at the Willam Fogg Library Annex, 116 Old Rd., Eliot, until April 16. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers free tax return services provided by IRS-Certified volunteers, open to taxpayers of all ages. AARP membership not required. FMI and for tax prep details: 207-439-9437.

Creative Connection at Eliot Aging in Place 10 a.m. every third Wednesday until May 15. Unleash creativity with a new topic each session. No artistic ability necessary, all supplies provided. FMI: maureenelliotaip@gmail.com. Upcoming: March 20.

Eliot Food Pantry

Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Eliot

Baptist Church, 912 Dow Hwy., Eliot. Donations accepted at the same time and place. FMI: 207748-1248.

Towns of Kennebunk & Kennebunkport

Neighborhood Watch

The Kennebunk Police Department (KPD) is creating a virtual neighborhood watch. Business owners and residents with any kind

of security cameras (Ring, Wyze, Nest, etc.) are encouraged to join the network to help the KPD keep an eye on area neighborhoods. Any sharing of video or photos is completely voluntary. FMI and to register: https://webapps2.cgissolutions.com/kpdcameras/#top, director@gokennebunks.com, or 207-967-0857.

Kennebunk Little Pantry

Donations can be dropped off at any time on the front porch at 16 Water St. FMI: www.chamber. gokennebunks.com/list/member/ little-pantry-1995.

COS Food Pantry

Community Outreach Services (COS) food pantry provides both perishable and non-perishable food to residents of Arundel, Kennebunk, and Kennebunkport. All food orders require an appointment. COS is located at 19 Park St., Kennebunk. FMI: www. coskennebunks.org or 207-9853844.

COS Food4Kids Program

Community Outreach Services

(COS) of the Kennebunks and Arundel provides nutritious breakfasts and lunches for children on weekends and school holidays through the Food4Kids program. FMI: 207-604-1394 or tbarden@ kennebunkmaine.us.

Town of Kittery

Free Tax Return Preparation

Wednesdays 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. and Thursdays 4-6 p.m. at the Kittery Community Center, 110 Rogers Rd., Kittery, through April

17. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers free tax return services provided by IRS-Certified volunteers, open to taxpayers of all ages. AARP membership not required. FMI and for tax prep details: 207439-3800.

Soup’s On!

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Kittery Community Center (KCC), 120 Rogers Rd., Kittery. The KCC provides meals to all who need or want one, on the third Wednesday of each month. Drop in for a bowl of soup, salad and a fresh slice of pie. No reservations required. Suggested

donation: $5 per person. FMI: www.kitterycommunitycenter. org/meals-2/ or 207-439-3800. Upcoming: March 20.

Free Meal Thursdays

4-5 p.m. Thursdays at St. Raphael Church Hall, 6 Whipple Rd., Kittery. In-person and take-out meals. FMI: 207-439-0442.

Footprints Food Pantry & Phinn’s Pet Food Pantry

Footprints provides fresh groceries and household supplies for area families in need, and can deliver to those without a car or who are homebound. Call ahead for delivery. Phinn’s Pet Food Pantry, a part of Footprints Food Pantry in partnership with Maine Meat, provides supplies for pets in the Kittery and Eliot areas. Donations always needed. 37 Old Post Rd., Kittery, Tuesdays 5:30-6:30 p.m., Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m, Saturdays 9-10 a.m. FMI: www.footprintsfoodpantry.org or 207-439-4673.

Town of North Berwick

North Berwick Food Pantry

At the Mary Hurd Academy, 77 High St., North Berwick, drive-through pantry open Mondays 3:30-5:30 p.m. FMI: www.facebook.com/ groups/2419768814995387/ about.

Town of Ogunquit

Creating Lasting Memories

Be part of an oral history legacy about the Ogunquit Village School (OVS)! The town is seeking stories and memories from students, teachers, and administrators from OVS. Meetings can take place inperson or via Zoom. FMI: ikanoff@ ogunquit.gov or 207-361-8100.

Dogs Permitted on Ogunquit Beaches

Dogs on leashes are permitted on Ogunquit Beaches through March 31. Dogs are not permitted in the Ogunquit River Estuary at any time.

Town of South Berwick

Free Tax Return Preparation

See SO.BERWICK on page 11 . . .

Fridays 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at the Senior Center, 71 Norton St., South Berwick, through April 12. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers free tax return services provided by IRS-Certified volunteers, open to taxpayers of all ages. AARP membership not required. FMI and for tax prep details: 207-384-3310.

Tri-Town Farmers Market

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of the month at Marshwood Great Works School, 49 Academy St., South Berwick. FMI: www.tritownfarmersmarkets.com.

Upcoming: March 24, April 28.

South Berwick Community Food Pantry

Thursdays, 6-7:30 p.m. and Fridays, 10-11:30 a.m. at 47 Ross St., South Berwick. The pantry serves South Berwick residents with fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy, nonperishable items, and household products. Registration to participate required, either in-person or online. FMI and to register: southberwickfoodpantry@gmail.com, email bpote@ sbpd.us. or call 207-384-4324 or 207-651-5171.

Town of Wells

Free Tax Return Preparation

Tuesdays 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Wells Library Community Room, 1434 Post Rd., Wells, through April 15. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers free tax return services provided by IRS-Certified volunteers, open to taxpayers of all ages. AARP membership not required. FMI and for tax prep details: 207806-2774.

Clam Digging

On select Mondays, Saturdays, and Sundays, until March 24. FMI and license requirements: www.wellstown.org/1087/shellfishinformation.

Special Fuel Fund

The Town of Wells has a charitable fuel program to assist Wells residents who have applied for LIHEAP and are waiting for acceptance, or who have expended their LIHEAP award and have no other options to obtain fuel. FMI: www.wellstown.org/833/generalassistance-program or 207-3618866. Tax-deductible donations can be mailed to: Town of Wells Special Fuel Fund, 208 Sanford Rd., Wells, ME 04090.

Dogs Permitted on Wells Beach

Leashed dogs are permitted on Wells beaches. Horses are permitted through March 31. All other large domesticated animals are not permitted within the beach areas.

Town of York

YLT Hannaford

March Recipient

York Land Trust (YLT) has been selected as the March recipient of Hannaford Supermarket’s Bloomin’ 4 Good Program. With every purchase of a bouquet with a red circle sticker, $1 will be donated to YLT. At York Hannaford, 5 Hannaford Dr., York. Donations help YLT complete conservation

projects, maintain preserves for public access, and offer engaging programs for the community. YLT is a local nonprofi t that protects and cares for area lands and waterways.

Free Tax Return Preparation

Tuesdays, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Senior Center, 36 Main St. (Route 1A), York Beach, through April 16.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers free tax return services provided by IRS-Certified volunteers, open to taxpayers of all ages. AARP membership not required. FMI and for tax prep details: 207-363-1036.

York County

KACTS Action Plan Survey

Deadline Approaches!

The Kittery Area Comprehensive Transportation System (KACTS) is partnering with area communities to undertake roadway safety improvements in southern Maine. The project aims to uncover the root causes of crashes, identify the areas of highest risk, and develop strategies for improvement. All Southern Maine residents are encouraged to take the survey, open until Sunday, March 17. FMI: www.tinyurl.com/nf7nhhb2 or www.smpdc.org.

York County Shelter Food Pantry

The food pantry is seeking nonperishable food donations and food drives on their behalf. Located at 5 Swetts Bridge Rd., Alfred. Open 12-3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays. FMI: mikeo@ycspi.org or 207-324-1137.

Monthly Happenings

Amateur Radio Society

Every other Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the New School, 38 York St., Kennebunk. The club informally gathers to support and promote amateur (ham) radio, with topics including early and contemporary equipment, digital technology, internet integration, and maintaining international contacts. Most meetings include a “tech talk” by a New England Radio Discussion Society member. Upcoming: March 19. FMI: 207-967-8812.

Man To Man Cancer Support

9:30-11:30 a.m. at the St. Aspinquid Masonic Lodge, 101 Long Sands Rd., York. Hosted by oncologist Dr. Paul Poulin, providing a space for men to discuss the physical and emotional aspects of the disease, offering support, information, and coping strategies. The group meets every other Saturday. FMI: tonyyorke@maine. rr.com, tonyyorke57@gmail.com, or 207-337-3310. Upcoming: March 23.

TREE Meeting

At the Kittery Community Center, 120 Rogers Rd., Kittery. TREE (Thrive, Recover, Educate, Empower) is a group for people healing from or dealing with a narcissist. Meetings happen every other Saturday. For an updated schedule and meeting times, email kitterytree@gmail.com.

Bean & Casserole Supper

Every third Saturday of the month, 4-5:30 p.m. at the Trailblazers, 102 Bills Ln., Wells. All you can eat! $9 per person for ages 11 and up,

$5 for age 4-10, free for younger.

FMI: 207-468-9747. Upcoming: March 16.

She Recovers Sharing Circle

Third Sunday of the month at Yoga on York, 250 York St. A free support group for women and nonbinary individuals who identify as women who are in recovery from anything – substance, grief, divorce, trauma, disordered eating, codependency, etc. Next meeting: March 17. FMI: mbrncoach@ gmail.com.

Weekly Happenings

TOPS Weekly Meetings

TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), a non-profi t weight loss support group, meets Tuesdays at 5 p.m. at Bethel Christian Church, 129 Main St., North Berwick. FMI: 207475-6735.

Overeaters Anonymous

Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. at First Federated Parish Church, 150 Main St., South Berwick; Fridays at 9 a.m. at First Parish Church Hall, 180 York St., York. For those who struggle with food, weight, or unwanted food behaviors. Free. FMI: www.oa.org.

Coffee with the Commander

Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. and 6-7 p.m. at American Legion Post 188, 455 Main St., Eliot. A free, informal meetup with Post 188 leadership. FMI: 207-703-2727, 207-4393299, dghands@comcast.net, or post188@gmail.com. Through March and April.

Trailblazers Line Dancing

Thursdays, 9-10 a.m. $5 per person. FMI: 207-468-9747 or 207-468-2588.

GriefShare

Thursdays, 6:30-8 p.m. at York Street Baptist Church, 61 York St., York. GriefShare is a 13-week faith-based support group designed to help participants fi nd hope after the loss of a loved one. FMI and to register: www. griefshare.org/groups/184591 or mace5@maine.rr.com.

Scottish Country Dancing

Sundays, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Community House – South Congregational Church, 2 North St., Kennebunkport. Great exercise and fun for all! Beginners always welcome, free will donations gladly accepted. Call ahead to confirm each week’s sessions. FMI: 207590-5047 or 207-490-9050.

Friday, March 15

Comedy Showcase Benefit

Doors open 6:30 p.m., show

7:30-9:30 p.m. at Noble High School Philip W. Hussey Theater, 100 Noble Way, North Berwick. Comedians Maureen Langan, Corey Rodrigues, Mark Riley, and Paul Nardizzi take the stage. Proceeds to benefit Noble’s Class of

2024 Project Graduation. Recommended for ages 18 and up. $25 advance, $33 at the door. FMI: https://2024comedyshowcase. bpt.me.

Saturday, March 16

Soup To-Go and Bake Sale

9 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Union Congregational Church, 18 Church St., York. Soup choices: vegetable, pea, shepherd’s pie soup, chili, corn chowder, squash soup, corned beef and cabbage soup, and more. Baked goods: cookies, bars, scones; gluten-free options, too. Cash, local check or Venmo. FMI: yb18crew@gmail.com or 207363-4821.

Felted Flower Workshop

12-2 p.m. at Brick Store Museum, 117 Main St., Kennebunk. Felt a colorful Calla Lilly bouquet to celebrate spring! Participants will leave with a new knowledge of needle felting and a bouquet of flowers ready to brighten any table top. $35. FMI and to register: www. brickstoremuseum.org/calendar or 207-985-4802.

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration at The Rough

12 p.m. at Lobster in the Rough, 1000 Route 1, York. Free Irish boiled dinner buffet (while supplies last), beer and cocktail specials, and a roaring bonfire! The festivities happen all day long, rain or shine! FMI: www.theroughyorkmaine.com or 207-363-1285.

Turkey Supper To-Go

4-5 p.m. at First Parish Federated Church, 150 Main St., South Berwick. Monthly take-out only turkey supper with all of the fixings! First come, first-served. $12; cash,

local check only. Pick up in the church parking lot off Academy Street. FMI: tinnietin@gmail.com.

St. Paddy’s Day Dinner and Dance

5:30 p.m. at Wells Elks Lodge #2738, 356 Bald Hill Rd., Wells. New England boiled dinner with all the fi xings. “Just for fun” DJ and karaoke. $25 per couple/$15 per person. FMI: 207-459-4539 or wellselkspr@gmail.com.

St. Patrick’s Day Party At CREW Ogunquit, 8 Shore Rd. Wear your best green and come on down to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! Live music with Steve Dennis 7-10 p.m. Drink and food specials and a jolly good time all night long. No cover! FMI: www.crewogt.com or 207-216-9236.

Saturday, March 16,

Sunday, March 17

The Great New England Specialty Food & Craft Show 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.3 p.m. Sunday at Rim Sports Complex, 311 Winnacunnet Rd., Bldg B, Hampton, NH. 125 exhibitors of fine handmade products, food trucks, live music, face painting, painting activity, food samples, cocktails, $100 door prize! $5 entry valid for both days. Ages 14 and under are free. FMI: www. gnecraftartisanshows.com.

Sunday, March 17

OPA Annual Classic Film Series: The Searchers 2 p.m. the Dunaway Center, 23 School Street, Ogunquit. A bitter Civil War veteran returns to the

See MAR.17 on page 20 . . .

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are steeped in tradition, ranging from parades and donning green clothing to indulging in corned beef and cabbage dinners. Many people also commonly celebrate by attending cultural events and enjoying live music performances. For others, the day’s festivities may involve drinking Irish whiskeys and brews.

A pint of Guinness is a tradition for many celebrants on St. Patrick’s Day. While enthusiasts of the beloved stout may argue that Guinness ranks among Ireland’s greatest exports, visitors to Ireland might consider broadening their horizons by sampling local beers or visiting the breweries and pubs scattered throughout the island. The following are a few notable breweries to explore.

Dungarvan Brewery. Located in southeastern Ireland, Dungarvan Brewery opened in 2010. All Dungarvan beers are brewed in small batches, and each beer is guaranteed to be produced onsite in the Dungarvan Brewery, County Waterford.

Black’s Brewery. Located along the idyllic Wild Atlantic Way, Black’s Brewery in Kinsale has something for both beer lovers and whiskey drinkers. The brewery was opened by a husbandand-wife team in 2013 and the distillery, which produces gin and rum in addition to whiskey, followed two years later.

Wicklow Wolf Brewing Company: Established in 2014, Wicklow Wolf Brewing Company has an on-site brewhouse situated just south of Dublin in Newtownmountkennedy, County Wicklow. Beer lovers interested in the brewing process may be interested to learn that Wicklow Wolf has

its very own 10-acre hop farm in Roundwood, County Wicklow.

Franciscan Well Brewery. Franciscan Well is among the oldest craft breweries in Ireland, having been established in 1998 in Cork City, County Cork. A covered and heated beer garden in the Brew Pub of Franciscan Well, which is based on the site of an ancient Franciscan monastery, makes for an ideal place to sample the beers.

The White Hag Irish Brewing Company. Located in County Sligo along the Wild Atlantic Way, the White Hag Irish Brewing Company offers a range of beers that should appeal to beer lovers regardless of what their favorite style is. Visitors to Ireland may also be interested in the White Hag’s Hagstravaganza, an annual international brewery festival that features beer brewed all over the globe. Though the event was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, but remains Ireland’s largest international brewery festival.

For those who want to immerse themselves in the unique history of Ireland’s most iconic beer, there is only one place to go. The Guinness Storehouse contains seven floors of history in a building that has been brewing beer for over 250 years. The Guinness Tour Experience takes participants on an immersive experience from grain to glass. From the brewing process to the iconic Guinness advertisements that have become pillars of Irish culture throughout the globe, there are many special things to see at the factory. And the best part, tourists get a free pint of Guinness at the end of the tour!

Ireland is home to many tourist attractions, not the least of which are its many craft breweries that are guaranteed to make any trip to the Emerald Isle that much more enjoyable. Some may insist that Guinness is among Ireland’s greatest exports, but visitors to Ireland have a variety of options to explore by trying local beers, or stopping in for a pint at any of the many breweries and brew pubs available. Erin go Bragh!

Weekly Recipe: Irish Boiled Dinner

An easy boiled dinner of mouthwatering, tender corned beef with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. Serves six.

Ingredients

1 corned beef brisket, about 5 1/2 lbs.

2 large onions

10 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 heads cabbage, cored and cut into wedges

15 small white potatoes

Directions

Gather all ingredients. Rinse brisket under cold water and place in a large pot. Add enough water to cover roast by 6 inches.

Peel onions and place them in the pot. Bring to a boil; cook for about 30 minutes at a rolling boil.

St. Patrick’s Day Party Planning

March 17 is celebrated as St. Patrick’s Day, a cultural and religious holiday honoring the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. The day is marked by wearing and displaying the colors green orange, and white, the national colors of Ireland, as well as engaging in various festivities and celebrations. Parades, music performances, traditional Irish dance, and the consumption of Irish food and drink are common activities. St. Patrick’s Day has become a global celebration, with cities around the world hosting events to commemorate Irish culture and heritage.

From lively bagpiping to delicious foods to spirited parades, St. Patrick’s Day features many chances for merriment, which often extends to parties held at home. The following are some party-planning ideas to ensure this St. Patrick’s Day is as jovial as ever.

Customize invitations. Get guests in the mood with themed party invitations. Whether paper invites or electronic ones, take advantage of the many designs available online and in-store. Entertaining puns and plays on words can be the way to go with invitations, which also can showcase shamrocks and other symbols of St. Patrick’s Day.

Guinness (if available), along with classic Irish whiskeys and creams. Keep Irish folk music playing in the background to impart that cozy, traditional Irish vibe.

Invite a crowd. One of the best parts of a St. Patrick’s Day celebration is having plenty of friends and family around to reminisce and enjoy each other’s company. A crowd means better sing-alongs and more opportunities to toast to good luck for the future.

And last but not least, the food! Ireland has a rich tradition of dishes reflecting the culture and heritage of the Emerald Isle. Classic dishes include:

Irish Stew. A hearty stew made with tender lamb or beef, potatoes, carrots, onions, and sometimes other vegetables like parsnips or turnips. The stew is slow-cooked to develop rich flavors and is a comforting dish, especially during colder months.

Colcannon. A mashed potato dish mixed with either cabbage or kale (sometimes both), along with butter, milk, and often scallions or leeks. Colcannon is a creamy and flavorful side dish that pairs well with meats, or can be enjoyed on its own.

SATURDAY, MARCH

Reduce heat to medium-low, so water is at a gentle boil. Cover and cook for 3 1/2 hours. Remove onions and cut into wedges, and return to the pot. Add carrots, then place cabbage over roast. Place potatoes on top of cabbage. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender,

about 30 minutes more. The potatoes should be immersed in the water by now, but if not, keep the lid on so they can steam. Remove vegetables from the pot and place in a separate serving bowl. Keep corned beef in the pot until ready to slice and serve because it dries out quickly. Serve with soda bread or cornbread, if desired. Some like to use leftovers to make corned beef soup by reducing the broth and dicing up the leftover beef and vegetables. Others may wish to add extra flavor by adding diced garlic or peppercorn.

Courtesy of www.allrecipes.com.

Incorporate white and orange. The color green garners its share of attention on St. Patrick’s Day. However, the earliest accounts of St. Patrick associate him with the color blue. Green was later adopted, perhaps in homage to the multiple green landscapes throughout the Emerald Isle. But green is not the only color associated with Ireland, as the nation’s flag can attest. White and orange decorations also can round out displays on St. Patrick’s Day.

Stock up on gold coins. Party stores may sell foil-wrapped chocolate coins this time of year, and they can be used to create a “pot of gold” displays. Tiny cauldrons filled with the gold coins can be handed out at the party as party favors.

Hire a piper. Bagpipes feature prominently in St. Patrick’s Day parades, and hosts can book a piper to play a few tunes in traditional garb during a party.

Create an Irish pub at home. Set up an area of the space and provide the all the suplies one would find in an Irish pub. Stock up on

Boxty. A traditional Irish potato pancake made from grated raw potatoes, mashed potatoes, flour, baking soda, buttermilk or milk, and sometimes eggs. Boxty is fried until golden brown and is crispy on the outside, with a soft and fluffy interior. The pancake can be served with savory toppings like bacon and eggs, or as a side dish with stews.

Coddle. A Dublin specialty, coddle is a one-pot dish made with layers of sliced sausages, bacon, onions, and potatoes, seasoned with salt, pepper, and sometimes herbs. Coddle is left to simmer slowly until the flavors meld together, creating a comforting and filling meal.

Irish Soda Bread. A traditional quick bread made with basic ingredients like flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. It has a dense and slightly crumbly texture, with a distinctive flavor from the buttermilk. Currants, raisins, or dried fruits, are sometimes added for sweetness and variety.

These dishes represent the heartiness and simplicity of traditional Irish cuisine, often using staple ingredients like potatoes, dairy products, meats, and simple seasonings to create delicious and satisfying meals.

St. Patrick’s Day parties can be joyous and lively gatherings where guests immerse themselves in Ireland’s vibrant music, culture, and food. These celebrations are infused with a spirit of camaraderie as friends and family come together to savor traditional Irish cuisine, dance to Celtic rhythms, and revel in the festive atmosphere, all in honor of the beloved patron saint of Ireland.

OMAA Announces 2024 Season

OGUNQUIT -

The Ogunquit Museum of American Art (OMAA) has announced its 2024 exhibition schedule for the upcoming season. The new season will offer a debut exhibition by Brooklynbased painter Anthony Cudahy, while two new exhibitions will open for the second part of the season. The first one sheds light on the early career of Lee Krasner, and places her work within the context of her peers in the 1930s and early 1940s. The other is an exhibition of works by Russell Cheney, which reframes the artist’s work within the modernism movement in the United States at mid-century. Three ongoing exhibitions will remain on view for the season: “The Sea, Just Like Your Eyes, Became a Refuge: A Joe Wardwell Mural Commission,” “Networks of Modernism, 1898–1968,” and “The Architect of a Museum.”

“Ogunquit has been a site for vanguard artists since the turn of the 20th century,” said OMAA Executive Director Amanda Lahikainen, PhD. “OMAA is recommitting itself to honoring this legacy by showcasing emerging and established artists from New England and across the country that speak to our contemporary moment, while also looking back and elevating this history of avant-garde exploration in the region.”

The 2024 season is as follows:

“Anthony Cudahy: Spinneret,” April 12 – July 21. Anthony Cudahy (b. 1989) pieces together objects and environments from interwoven references drawn from queer archives, art history, film, poetry, friends, and his own autobiography. Through the arrangement of figures, parts of figures, and symbolic objects, Cudahy’s work conveys the everfluctuating perspectives and meanings of an ever-present virtual world. This is the artist’s first

solo museum exhibition in the United States. (Photo to the right: Cudahy’s oil painting “Tempest.”

“Lee Krasner: Geometries of Expression,” August 1–November 17. This exhibition sheds light on the often-overlooked early career of Lee Krasner (1908–1984) and places her work within the context of her peers. In the 1930s and early 1940s, Krasner rose to prominence as a dynamic voice within the vanguard circles of contemporary artists living and working in New York City. The artist was politically active during this time, taking part in lively debates at the Artists Union and protesting at the Museum of Modern Art. Her network was far-reaching, forging relationships with such artists and organizations as Piet Mondrian and Hans Hofmann, and the American Abstract Artists Group.

“Domestic Modernism: Russell Cheney and Mid-Century American Painting,” August 1 – November 17. This exhibition examines the artist Russell

Cheney (1881–1945) and his relationship with his partner, literary historian and critic F.O. Matthiessen (1902–1950). The exhibit seeks to to reframe and reassert Cheney’s work within the modernism movement in the United States. The exhibit focuses on Cheney’s small-scale, figurative art, produced mostly at his home

in Kittery Point, and how it relates to the abstract modernism movement, which at the time favored artwork and imagery produced on a larger, more aggressive scale. By placing Cheney’s work in a domestic context, the exhibition contributes to a more expansive and inclusive view

Photo by Phoebe d’Heurle.)

Maine Author Paul Doiron to Speak at YPL

YORKYork Public Library (YPL) will host Maine author Paul Doiron, author of the Mike Bowditch Mysteries, on Friday, March 22. The series follows Maine game warden Mike Bowditch, who discovers natural predators are not the only killers using Maine’s wilderness as a stalking ground.

Doiron has written fourteen thrillers, all set in the Maine woods. He is excited to offer pre-

views from his upcoming book, “Pitch Dark,” the fifteenth adventure in the Bowditch series, set for release on Tuesday, June 25. One lucky audience member will receive an advanced copy of “Pitch Dark.” Attendees will be able to preorder the book at the event, and The Booktenders bookstore will be on site selling Doiron’s other novels.

In “Pitch Dark,” Josie Jonson hires Mark Redmond to build her cabin, but his secrecy and rumors of his criminal activity raise suspicion. Game warden Mike Bowditch investigates, leading him and Josie deep into danger when they witness a

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of mid-20th-century American modernism.

“Networks of Modernism, 1898-1968,” through November 17. OMAA is pleased to offer viewers a new way of seeing the museum’s permanent collection. The exhibition maps the ways artists responded to the social, political, and economic changes affecting life in the United States between 1898 and 1968. During this time, Ogunquit emerged as an important hub within a vast network of progressive art schools and communities that

murder and are kidnapped. Mike escapes and races through the unforgiving Maine wilderness to stop a mysterious killer before it’s too late.

Paul Doiron is a native to Maine and is an experienced outdoorsman and naturalist in his own right, skilled in fishing, hunting, canoeing, and wilderness survival. He knows the secrets of the Maine woods and the protagonists hidden deep within them.

His first book, “The Poacher’s Son,” won the Barry Award and the Strand Critics Award, and was nominated for an Edgar for Best First Novel. Doiron’s

connected modern artists across the United States and abroad. Organized into a series of thematic groupings, “Networks of Modernism” contextualizes the artists who lived, worked, or frequented Ogunquit within the broader story of American modernism.

(Photo to the right: Walt Kuhn’s oil painting “Sleeping Girl.”)

“The Sea, Just Like Your Eyes, Became a Refuge: A Joe Wardwell Mural Commission,” through November 17. Joe Wardwell (b. 1972) is a Bostonbased painter and muralist whose

second, “Trespasser,” won the 2012 Maine Literary Award. His novelette, “Rabid,” was a finalist for the 2019 Edgar in the Best Short Story category. Paul’s twelfth book, “Dead by Dawn,” won the New England Society’s 2022 Book Award for Fiction, as well as his second Maine Literary Award. It was also a finalist for the Barry Award. His books have been translated into 11 languages.

Paul is the former chair of the Maine Humanities Council, Editor Emeritus of Down East magazine, and is a Registered Maine Guide, specializing in fly fishing. He lives on a trout stream in coastal Maine with his wife, Kristen Lindquist.

“An Evening with Paul

Doiron” happens Friday, March 22, 7-9 p.m. at York Public Library, 15 Long Sands Road, in York. Registration is required for the event, as space is limited. For more information and to register, visit www.yorkpubliclibrary.org.

work reflects on the traditions of landscape painting, literature, and popular music in the United States. The show reflects on the powerful, yet fragile, point where sea and land meet. For this sitespecific, exterior mural – the first for OMAA, and first since 2013 for the artist – Wardwell selected passages from “Notes from the Sea” (2024, White Pine Press), a work by Chilean American author, human rights activist, and Ogunquit resident, Marjorie Agosín. The murals activate OMAA’s iconic modernist building and ask visitors to reflect on the churning of nature, culture, memory, and being that occurs at the edge of the ocean.

plans for the museum will be on view for the first time, alongside archival materials documenting the institution’s opening. A group of works gifted by Strater that formed the founding collection of the museum will accompany the display.

“The Architect of a Museum,” Through November 17. In 1953, Henry Strater, in partnership with a group of artists and community members, opened the Museum of Art of Ogunquit, known today as the Ogunquit Museum of American Art. The exhibition dives into the museum’s archives to explore the construction of OMAA’s original 1952 building, as well as the inaugural collection that was acquired for the building’s debut. A selection of original architectural

Opened in 1953, OMAA was founded by the artist Henry Strater. The museum shares close historic and geographic ties to one of the earliest modern arts communities in the United States. OMAA houses a permanent collection of paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints, and photographs from the late 1800s to the present. The museum showcases American art by mounting modern and contemporary exhibitions and accompanying educational programming and events. Open April 12 through November 17. For more information, visit www.ogunquitmuseum.org.

Mary Margaret Sweeney at KAA

KITTERY -

Kittery Art Association (KAA) is pleased to announce a collection of etchings from the studio of printmaker Mary Margaret Sweeney, now on view through Sunday, April 7.

Kittery is the oldest incorporated town in Maine, and this beautiful seaside community is steeped in history. The town has much to memorialize: rocky beaches, traditional New England architecture, historic defense structures, parks, and quiet private spaces. Sweeney’s work reflects the majesty of the area, serving as an ode to Kittery, famously known to many as the “Gateway to Maine.”

Sweeney attended the Chicago Art Institute, majoring in advertising and design, but only found printmaking when she returned to formal art training after raising her children. She graduated from the University of New

Hampshire in 1980.

In her three-decade career as a printmaker, Sweeney has been involved with the Experimental Etching Studio in Boston, the Boston Printmakers, the Society of American Graphic Artists in New York, the New Hampshire Art Association, and the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen. Her works have been exhibited nationally and internationally and are in the permanent collections of the New Hampshire Commission on the Arts, Boston Public Library, Worcester Art Museum, the Art Complex Museum in Duxbury, MA, and

Entries Sought for Calendar

WELLS -

The Wells Reserve at Laudholm, a popular hiking area, historic site, and center for science and education, was designated in 1984. To mark its 40th anniversary, the Wells Reserve will publish an 18-month calendar featuring crowd-sourced images. The deadline for entry is Sunday, March 31.

The natural splendor and cultural beauty of the Wells Reserve are legendary. For decades, artists, photographers, and illustrators have been inspired by the fields, forests, wetlands, and shoreline of this nature preserve. The calendar will reflect a wide

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economy is generated by the maple syrup industry in Maine, supporting more than 560 jobs that generate more than $17.3 million in wages. Annually, the state produces more than 575,000 gallons of syrup.

Most sugarhouses offer maple syrup samples and demonstrations on how pure Maine maple syrup is made. Many farms offer routs, games, activities, treats, and sugarbush tours.

Local maple producers include Chase Farm in Wells (207646-7888), Porcupine Hill Maple Syrup in York (207-475-3473), Crooked Brook Farm in Wells (207-432-1421), Maple Moon Farm in Lebanon (978-3763032), Douston Maple & Honey in Arundel (207-284-5562), Gile’s Family Farm in Alfred (207-3242944), Packy’s Sugar House in Sanford (207-206-0723), and Old Patriot Farm in Alfred (207-7308020). Participants are advised to contact the producers directly to see which ones are participating in the weekend.

For more information and a complete list of participating maple producers, visit www. mainemapleproducers.com and www.smmsa.org.

Framingham State College.

For many years, Sweeney worked from her Government Street studio in the heart of Kittery Foreside. Many of her prints feature traditional intaglio printmaking techniques, while her more recent works showcase the solar plate etching technique, which gives the images a softer feel. As the artist states about her intaglio process, “A printmaker draws through ground on a metal plate. The plate is immersed in an acid bath. Ink is applied to the plate and the excess is wiped away, leaving ink in the etched grooves. Dampened paper is laid on the plate and the plate and paper are run through a printing press. Note that the printed image appears in reverse.” To achieve her color prints, the artist applies pigments to each print by hand, using colored pencils.

The exhibition and sale of Sweeney’s etchings is made possible by Ali Goodwin, and with the

generosity of the artist’s family. Founded in 1958, the Kittery Art Association Gallery and Shop features the work of seacoast area artists in monthly shows, and welcomes new members and art appreciators of all ages. KAA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, committed to their mission of promoting knowledge of the arts,

stimulating interest in the work of local artists, and expressing appreciation for the abundant creativity in the seacoast area.

The Kittery Art Association is located at 2 Walker Street in Kittery. For more information, visit www.kitteryartassociation. org, email info@kitteryartassociation.org, or call 207-451-9384.

variety of experiences: landscapes, wildlife, historic structures, and the people enjoying these timeless places.

The contest is open to all and is free to enter. And it invites more than photography. Watercolor, oil, pen-and-ink, and other mediums are welcome if they are scanned or photographed for submittal. All entries must depict subjects within the protected area of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, which includes not only historic Laudholm Farm but also Laudholm Beach and salt marsh habitats along the entire Wells coast.

The Wells Reserve at Laudholm’s historic site is Maine’s only National Estuarine Research Reserve, and is open every day for science, education, and public enjoyment. Some 50,000 people visit the Wells Reserve each year to explore the seven miles of trails and learn about the importance of coastal ecosystems. The Wells Reserve is funded by Laudholm Trust, a member-supported Maine nonprofit, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The reserve is located just off Route 1 near the Wells-Kennebunk line.

For more information and to enter the competition, visit www.wellsreserve.org/contest or call 207-646-4521 x 114.

La Frontière Premieres on Maine Public Television

STATEWIDEFilmmakers Katy Haas and Megan Ruffe are excited to announce their award-winning short documentary film, “La Frontière,” will be featured on Maine Public Television as part of the esteemed Maine Public Film Series. Viewers can watch the premiere on Thursday, March 21 at 9 p.m., with a rebroadcast on Saturday, March 23 at 2 p.m. The film will also be available to stream on the Maine PBS website.

“La Frontière” is a poetic documentary portrait of Maine’s border with Canada, exploring the history and culture of these borderlands and the people who call them home. Both intimate and expansive, the 35-minute film provides a unique perspective on this 611-mile border. It features interviews and stories from Wabanaki and Acadian

communities, farmers, people who used to work and live at Loring Air Force Base, young women competing in the annual Potato Blossom Festival, and many others.

“This film was made possible by the immense support and openness of the communities along Maine’s border. Their willingness to share their time and stories has brought this project to life,” Haas said. Ruffe added, “We were in awe of the landscapes we encountered throughout Maine, and we wanted to showcase the beauty and resilience of these areas and the people who call them home.”

The independent film features the beautiful cinematography of Lindsay Taylor Jackson and Jared Ames. The documentary was made with support from the Maine Heri-

tage Film Grant, provided by the Points North Institute and TV5Monde, to highlight French language and culture in Maine.

La Frontière had a successful film festival run, screening at festivals including the Camden International Film Festival in Midcoast Maine and winning the Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary Short at the

Monadnock International Film Festival in Keene, NH.

Maine Public is Maine’s premier, independent media resource, dedicated to creating exceptional opportunities for the communities it serves to engage with critical issues, compelling stories and quality entertainment. Maine Public is renowned for creating awardwinning programs, as well as airing content from PBS, NPR,

and other independent producers. Formed in 1992, Maine Public is an independently owned and operated nonprofit organization with office and studio locations in Bangor, Lewiston, and Portland. For more information, visit www. mainepublic.org.

For more information about the film and future broadcasts and screenings, visit www. lafrontierefilm.com.

Artist Edith Barry: A Unique Life Through Storytelling

KENNEBUNK -

The Brick Store Museum is celebrating Women’s History Month by highlighting one extraordinary woman, artist Edith Barry, who founded the institution in 1936.

Edith, who would have turned 140 years old this month, led a unique life that defied societal norms for women in the early 20th century. Having never married, she traveled extensively, painting hundreds of artworks depicting her many journeys over the course of her lifetime. Born in 1884, Edith split her time between Montclair, NJ, and Kennebunk, where she eventually founded the museum. The Brick Store Museum invites the public to an interactive celebration of Edith’s life, which will feature storytelling, behind-the-scenes tours, and sweet treats.

This specially-crafted event

features a one-on-one discussion between Executive Director Cynthia Walker and Edith herself (re-enacted) to illustrate the life of this remarkable woman. An in-depth exploration of Edith’s personal artifacts from the Museum’s collections, including family memorabilia, clothing, travel souvenirs, photographs, and artworks, will be complemented by a dessert bar featuring treats from Edith’s Cookbook, the cookbook used by Barry in her home kitchen during the mid-20th Century.

The event, taking place on Saturday, March 23, 3-5 p.m. at 117 Main St., Kennebunk, raises funds to support Edith’s legacy of museum education and access for all. Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for general admission. For more information and to reserve, visit www.brickstoremuseum.org/calendar or call 207-985-4802.

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available, which include admission to all films, early entrance to each screening, and complimentary food and beverages during the Caffeine Kickoff and lunch breaks.

The Seacoast Environmental Film Festival is an opportunity for all to be inspired, informed, and empowered to take action for the planet. Whether a seasoned environmental advocate or someone looking to learn more, the Seacoast Environmental Film Festival offers something for everyone.

The events happen on Saturday, March 23, 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. at the Kittery Community Center STAR Theatre, 120 Rogers Road, Kittery. For more information, visit https:// kitterylandtrust.weebly.com/seacoastenvironmentalfilmfestival. html.

STATEWIDE -

AARP Maine announced recently that the association has selected André Chassé to serve as its new Volunteer State President for a two-year term. This key volunteer role is part of a venerable tradition that spans every one of AARP’s 53 state offices nationwide. In Maine, Chassé will serve as a leader and spokesperson for the hundreds of volunteers and more than 200,000 AARP members who reside here.

For the last two years, Chassé has been serving on the AARP Maine Executive Council and spearheading many initiatives and events to support his community. Originally from Maine, Chassé spent 30 years in Southern California before returning in 2014, where he settled back in his hometown of Bangor working for Northern Light Health as Retirement Benefits Manager.

Before embarking on his career in human resources and employee benefits, Chassé studied music performance at the University of Maine and the University of California, Irvine. Chassé contin-

People and Business Profiles

ues to be involved in music at his home church, Hammond Street Congregational Church, UCC Bangor, as well as singing with the Black Bear Men’s Chorus at the University of Maine in Orono. Chassé’s community involvement includes serving on the Stewardship Committee at HSCC; being a board member with Equality Maine, and serving on the Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Human Rights for the City of Bangor. Chassé holds a Bachelor of University Studies degree from the University of Maine.

YORK COUNTY -

Every month, Partners Bank holds an “Employee Donation of the Month,” donating $1,000 to an organization that is near and dear to an employee’s heart. One employee recently selected was Emily Frechette, and who chose to donate to Stay; For Life.

“I picked Stay; for Life because of their mission,” said Frechette, adding, “There are not enough resources for men in times of need. One day my son is going to be 18, and I want him to have resources to turn to if needed.”

Stay; For Life is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to save lives by advocating for men’s mental health and suicide prevention. The organization was started by Angela Whitten (Stevens) and Donnie Whitten after losing their 18-year-old son Trent to suicide in June 2022.

Trent shared with his family that he had been feeling stressed, but he didn’t disclose the extent of his struggle. After grieving for a few weeks, Trent’s mother Angela converted her grief into

action and started Stay; For Life.

“I wanted everybody to know that this could have been preventable if men’s mental health was more of an open topic for everybody to talk about and less of a stigma,” Angela Whitten explained.

As a nonprofit organization, Stay; For Life relies on generous volunteers who donate their time, effort, or extra funds to support their mission. Partners Bank is proud to support an organization that is helping to

break the stigma of men’s mental health.

For more information on Stay; For Life, visit www. stayforlife.org. For more information on Partners bank, visit www.partners.bank, find them on Facebook at www.facebook. com/partnersbankonline, or call 1-888-226-5747.

In photo above: Partners Bank employee Emily Frechette (left) proudly presents a $1,000 check to the founder of Stay; For Life, Angela Whitten (right).

Legislation for Soil Health and Sustainability on Farms

NATIONWIDEU.S.

Representatives

Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Don Beyer (D-VA), and Mike Lawler (R-NY) recently introduced bipartisan legislation, called the Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act. The act aims to improve soil health on farms and promote sustainable alternatives to annual agriculture by enhancing United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation programs. The improvements are designed to better support farmers who integrate perennial systems and agroforestry into their operations.

STATEWIDE -

“In Maine and across the country, farmers are on the frontlines of the climate crisis – dealing with severe drought, flooding, wildfires, and other extreme weather conditions,” said Pingree, a longtime farmer and member of the House Agriculture Committee. “In order to make our food system more resilient and to ensure our agricultural producers survive the worsening climate crisis, we must encourage and invest in climate-smart practices. My and Representatives Beyer and Lawler’s Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act does just that – promoting soil health, investing in agroforestry research

and development, and incentivizing greenhouse gas reduction. Our bipartisan, commonsense bill is a win-win.”

“American agriculture faces many challenges today, including harmful soil erosion exacerbated by the climate crisis’ extreme weather patterns,” said Beyer.

“Our bill is a significant step to support the health and sustainability of American farms by ensuring the USDA has the resources necessary to be a strong partner for farmers who prioritize perennial agriculture and agroforestry. These practices promote soil health, which not only makes the soil more resilient to extreme

Improving Health Care for LGBTQ Youth

treatment.

Thanks to generous funding from the Maine Cancer Foundation and Maine Health Access Foundation, OUT Maine is developing online training modules to make Maine health care services accessible, equitable, and inclusive for LGBTQ youth.

“We are developing accessible online training modules that use OUT Maine’s best practices and professional training to focus on enhancing health systems’ inclusivity for LGBTQ youth in Maine,” said OUT Maine’s Executive Director Sue Campbell. “These modules will be tailored for pediatricians, family physicians, pediatric oncology providers, and child healthcare professionals dealing with cancer prevention.”

and specific health issues such as elevated tobacco usage and steroid misuse. Notably, steroid use without medical guidance increases cancer risk, while tobacco use remains a leading cause of preventable deaths and cancer worldwide. Additionally, statistics from the Center for American Progress Survey in 2020 reveal that a significant percentage of LGBTQ Americans, especially transgender individuals, delay or avoid medical treatment due to discrimination. Distressingly, a substantial portion of transgender individuals must educate their healthcare providers about transgender-specific care needs, hindering access to appropriate

Transgender youth in particular lack access to knowledgeable healthcare providers, discouraging them from seeking medical care, which has significant consequences for their health and well-being. Findings from the US Transgender Survey in 2015 emphasize the prevalence of negative experiences within healthcare settings among transgender individuals in Maine. Reports of refusal of treatment, verbal harassment, and even physical or sexual assault contribute to a hostile environment that deters these individuals from seeking crucial medical care, including

weather events and erosion but also improves long-term agricultural productivity and farming’s impacts on watersheds and wildlife.”

“By supporting farmers in the utilization of perennial systems and agroforestry, the Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act encourages healthy soil management – improving overall farm productivity and stimulating microbial life,” said Lawler.

Carbon180 Deputy Director of Policy Cristel Zoebisch. “By making targeted changes to federal conservation programs and expanding technical assistance for innovative, climate-friendly production systems, this bill would equip producers with the tools they need to activate their soils as carbon sinks and bolster resilience to weather extremes.”

“This is a win for farmers, a win for the environment, and a win for American families. I’m proud to join my colleagues Don Beyer and Chellie Pingree in introducing this commonsense bipartisan bill.”

“The Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act provides common-sense, straight-forward support for high-impact perennial practices through NRCS conservation programs. It also ensures increased technical capacity at USDA for new and exciting perennial practices through a series of agroforestry centers,” said National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Conservation Specialist Jesse Womack. “This bill is a win for farmers committed to building soil health across their operation through plant diversity and strong, living roots.”

Annual crops and monoculture cropping, common in farming, require tilling which disrupts the natural soil structure and can lead to increased erosion and a reliance on harmful fertilizers and pesticides. Perennial and agroforestry systems require less soil disturbance – improving soil structure, preventing erosion, increasing ecosystem nutrient retention, and promoting carbon sequestration.

“We applaud Representatives Beyer, Lawler, and Pingree for introducing the Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act of 2024. This bill could unlock critical incentives for farmers and ranchers to implement carbonstoring practices like agroforestry and perennial systems,” said

Why have healthcare training specific to caring for LGBTQ youth? There are significant health disparities that LGBTQ youth in Maine face. In particular, there is a lack of identity-affirming healthcare that their cisgendered and heterosexual peers can count on. Data from the 2023 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS), the American Cancer Research Institute (ACIR), and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) illustrate these alarming health disparities. LGBTQ youth in Maine face higher rates of minority stress, discrimination,

“Where low

is the point!”

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Successfully designing, installing, and maintaining perennial systems and agroforestry on farms, however, is a long and complex process that comes with real costs. The Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act would support these farmers by improving USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) programs, the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP); increasing technical assistance for farmers installing perennial systems; and designating four national and regional agroforestry centers. For more information, visit https://agriculture.house.gov.

11

Texas ranch of his brother, hoping to find a home with his family and to be near the woman he secretly loves. A Comanche raid destroys these plans, and the veteran sets out on a years-long journey to find his kidnapped niece. Starring John Wayne, Jeff Hunter, Vera Miles, Ward Bond and Natalie Wood. Parking, admission and popcorn are all free. FMI: www. ogunquitperformingarts.org.

St. Paddy’s Day Dinner

3-7 p.m. at the American Legion Post 56, 647 Route 1, Meadowbrook Plaza, York. Corned beef, cabbage, carrots, potato, and roll, for $15. Phone calls to 207-3630376 for dinner start at 1 p.m.

Trivia Night

6:30 p.m. at CREW Ogunquit, 8 Shore Rd. Join the crew at CREW for the Inaugural Trivia Night. Prizes, fun, and friends. Show off your stuff and learn a few things, too! Hosted by Alex. No cover or reservation required. FMI: www. crewogt.com or 207-216-9236.

Tuesday, March 19

Spring Equinox Yoga

4:30-5:30 p.m. at York Land Trust, 1 Long Neck Marsh Rd., York.

Celebrate the Spring Equinox!

All levels yoga class with Darcy Specker of Cider Hill Yoga at YLT headquarters. All levels welcome, no experience required. Please bring your own mat. Limited to 12 participants. Walk-ins welcome as space allows. FMI and to register: https://bit.ly/YLTyoga or 207-3637400.

Tuesday, March 19

Vigorous Tenderness Vernal Equinox Concert

5:30-7 p.m. at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, 342 Laudholm Farm Rd, Wells. An outdoor concert that amplifi es marginalized voices in classical music and democratizes new/experimental music. This concert series began during the pandemic and is making its Wells Reserve debut on the spring equinox. Small groups of classical and Wabanaki performers both indoors and out on the trails. Free. Weather date: Wednesday, March 20. FMI: www.wellsreserve.org/ calendar or 207-646-1555.

York Republican Committee

6-8 p.m. at the Union Bluff Hotel, 8 Beach St., York. Monthly meeting for the York GOP. FMI: www. yorkgop.me or 207-370-7523.

Wednesday, March 20

Monthly Bird Walk

Wednesday 9-10:30 a.m. at Highland Farm Preserve, 321 Cider Hill Rd., York. Learn how to identify birds, recognize birdsong, and explore the habitat birds love most. Family friendly, beginner birders welcome. Hike difficulty: easy to moderate. Most trails are flat with some inclines. In partnership with White Pine Programs. Free, open to the public. Registration required. FMI: www.yorklandtrust.org.

Death Café

9-10:30 a.m. at Louis T. Graves Memorial Library, 18 Maine St., Kennebunkport. Death Café is a safe and relaxed space to gather with people to discuss topics related to death and dying. The objective is to engage in interesting, thought provoking, life-affi rming conversations. Please note: Death Café is for those eager to talk about death, and is not a grief support or a bereavement group. Registration required, space limited. FMI and to reserve: www.

deathcafe.com or 207-967-2778.

Mid-Week Music:

Songs of J.J. Cale

7 p.m. at The Town House School, 135 North St., Kennebunkport. “Songs of J.J. Cale,” performed by guitarists and singers Dana Pearson and Don Wessels. Cale wrote and recorded scores of great songs over his lengthy career, becoming an inspiration to artists like Neil Young, Mark Knopfler, and Waylon Jennings. FMI and tickets on www.eventbrite.com.

Thursday, March 21

Free Soup Meals To-Go

11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. (or til we run out) at 18 Church St., York Beach. FMI: yb18crew@gmail.com or 207363-4821.

How Old Is My House?

12-1 p.m., online. Virtual lunch and learn. Architectural Historian Join Bryce Waldrop introduces an overview of how to date any home using architectural clues. This is the second lecture in the Museum’s monthly “Your Old House: And Other Preservation Stories” series. Bring lunch and questions for this interactive, virtual event. Q&A after presentation. Free. FMI and to register: www.brickstoremuseum.org/calendar.

Wells, Kennebunk Republican Town Committee Meeting

6:30-8 p.m. in the Community Room at Wells Public Library, 1434 Post Rd., Wells. Meeting will focus on June town elections and candidates. Republicans from any town are always welcome. Refreshments served. FMI: For Wells, nford.wellsgop@gmail.com or 207-468-2395; for Kennebunk, jared.kennebunkgop@gmail.com.

Friday, March 22

Being Present with Grief

“100 Days of Giving” at Central

SOUTH BERWICKRecently, Central School in South Berwick celebrated their 19th annual 100 Days of Giving. Each classroom collected food to donate to the South Berwick Food Pantry. In celebration, students turned their goods into creative displays on the gym floor. This year they collected more than 1,200 food items!

9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, 342 Laudholm Farm Rd, Wells. Grief and loss touch all of us, yet we are often unsupported to navigate it. In this series, participants learn how to be present with grief as they create a space or healing. Sessions begin indoors and weather permitting, move outdoors for a reflective walk. Led by Elizabeth Straka, local author, therapist, and compassion and grief worker. $20/$16. Registration required. FMI: growloveportalingawareness@gmail. com, www.wellsreserve.org/calendar or 207-408-5657.

Saturday, March 23

The students learned all about how the South Berwick Food Pantry works, and that a community working together can make a big impact on those in need. A big “Thank You!” from the pantry goes out to all students, families, and staff for their enthusiasm and participation in this worthwhile community project!

Climate Action Fair

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at York High School, 1 Robert Stevens Dr., York. An inclusive, volunteer-led event that aims to increase awareness about sustainable approaches to living and how to reduce emissions to benefit communities and planet. Sponsored by Ready for Climate Action, York Public Library and the York Recycling Committee. FMI: www.yorkreadyforclimateaction.org/climate-action-fair or marinaelizabethmails@gmail.com.

An Independent Life:

The Story of Edith Barry

3-5 p.m. at Brick Store Museum, 117 Main St., Kennebunk. Founder Edith Barry led a unique life in the early 20th century, traveling the world and painting hundreds of artworks along the way. Presentation illustrates Edith’s life using her own artifacts in the Museum’s collections, complimented with treats made from Edith’s Cookbook. Funds reaised to towards Brick Store education programs. $25/$20. FMI and to register: www.brickstoremuseum.org/calendar.

New England Country Dance

6:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Kittery, 23 Pepperrell Rd., Kittery Point. For all ages and levels, no dance experience required. Live band and caller, with The Black Cat Quadrille. Includes desserts and punch. $17 adults, $12 students. Proceeds go to Kittery Point UCC. FMI: www. kitterypointucc.org/dance or 207439-0650.

Sunday, March 24

Palm Sunday Services 8 a.m., 10:30 p.m. at St. David’s Episcopal Church, 138 York St, Kennebunk. Distribution of palms, holy communion, reading of the passion gospel. FMI: www.stdavidskennebunk.org.

Messiah In The Passover

9:30 a.m. at Cape Neddick Baptist Church, 34 River Rd., Cape Neddick. A demonstration showing how Jesus fulfilled the ancient feast of Passover. Conducted by Mitch Forman of Chosen People Ministries. FMI: capeneddickbaptistchurch@gmail.com or 207363-3566.

Palm Sunday Service 10 a.m. at Church on the Cape, 3 Langsford Rd., Kennebunkport. Palm leaves representing Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem will be distributed to churchgoers during the service. FMI: www.churchonthecape.org or 207-967-5787.

Harbor Mooring System Changes

WELLS -

Wells Harbor is getting a new look this spring, as a list of needed improvements slated to happen in the upcoming months.

The Eastern Shore Marina Pier will be rebuilt with new stringers and planking. Fifty brand new floats will be added to the Eastern Shore Marina, with conduit running under the float for future utilities and improvements. 35 new pilings will be installed to hold four new rows of floating docks. The first row of floating docks will parallel the marina floats, stretching some 1,050 feet in between the old double row of moorings in the federal anchorage. In the middle of this string of floats will be a 32 ft. x 11.5 ft. float for skiff tie-up.

The second row of floats will be located towards the middle of the harbor and will consist of nine 24 ft. x 6.5 ft. floats running north to south for 216 ft. On the west side of the harbor, along the federal navigation channel, a third string of floats will consist of three 24 ft. x 6.5 ft. for commercial dockage and one 32 ft. x 11.5 ft. for transient boaters. On the far west side of the harbor, six floats will be added to the existing three, and all nine will be piled for movement control.

Finally, the town is adding two brand new 32 ft. x 11.5 ft. main floats to the front of the pier. These floats were partially funded by a grant from Maine Submerged Lands.

All of these improvements will take place post-dredge operations. For more information, visit www.wellstown.org/819/harbormaster or call 207-646-3236.

. . . BRIDGE from page 2

izing with their hosts, a key part of the evolving relationship.

“I have returned from Alabama with many vivid impressions,” said Sandy Agrafiotis, describing the “warmth, humor and generosity” of the people who hosted the Maine group. “I am grateful for our sister city relationship and for the cherished friendships we have formed.”

Karin Hopkins of Tuskegee, one of four local hosts and a longtime sister city advocate, suggested the visit from Maine residents furthered the mission of the sister city project.

“Once again we have eviscerated the lines that separate us and come together in the spirit of mutual respect,” Hopkins said. “The moments we shared during this visit epitomize the essence of the sister city relationship and represent our search for common ground.”

Common Ground’s Sister Cities programs aim to cultivate an environment for citizens of two communities, one predominantly Black and the other predominantly White, to talk, listen, and engage with each other to improve and sustain better race relations. For more information, visit www.commongroundsistercities.org.

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WHS Senior Samuel Coleman receives MPA Principal’s Award

WELLS -

Wells High School (WHS)

Principal Eileen Sheehy recently announced that senior Samuel Coleman has been selected to receive this year’s Maine Principal’s Award, sponsored by the Maine Principals Association. The award recognizes a high school senior’s academic achievement and citizenship.

“It feels really good,” said Coleman when asked about this honor. “I have really worked hard in high school to be a part of my high school’s community.” He added that he put himself “out there” and worked hard to make as many connections as he could. “This (award) shows that my efforts paid off,” said Coleman.

“Samuel is a leader and has distinguished himself quite nicely at WHS,” wrote Principal Sheehy in her announcement. “He appreciates and acts upon every opportunity to learn (and) his dedication is a testament to his commitment to excellence. He has maintained High Honor Roll status in rigorous courses throughout high school, receiving several academic awards

from the WHS faculty. He contributes to a positive school culture in a variety of ways within the classroom, on the stage, and within our community. Samuel is an outstanding musician and participates in choir and theater, including many plays and musicals… he is a well-rounded student who has left a positive mark on Wells High School.”

In an interview, Coleman indicated that he plans to attend college to study anthropology and international relations.

Kennebunkport Road Closure

KENNEBUNKPORT -

The Town of Kennebunkport has authorized the closing of certain town ways to any non-exempt vehicle or combination of vehicles registered for a gross weight of over 23,000 pounds. The following roads will be closed to such traffic and will remain closed until Tuesday, April 30, unless postings are removed earlier at the discretion of the Director of Public Works. Any violation of the rules is a traffic infraction punishable by a fine of not less than $250. Home heating fuel delivery trucks and municipal solid waste collection trucks are exempt from posted road regula-

Aside from that, he would like to expand his participation in music and the arts. Samuel currently plays piano and clarinet, and teaches music at the Atlantic Harmonies Studio’s summer camp. During the summer of 2023, Coleman was a Page in the United States Senate.

During his high school career, Coleman has participated on the Quiz Team, in the marching band as drum major, and as president of the National

tions. The posting shall remain in force except when the way is solidly frozen. The highway is considered solidly frozen only when the air temperature is 32 degrees or below, and no water is showing in the cracks in the road. Both conditions must be met.

The Town will be posting restricted vehicle weight signs on the following roads: Arundel Road from Goff Brook to Goose Rocks Road; River Road from Goff Brook to North Street; Beachwood Avenue from North Street to Route 9; Walkers Lane from North Street to Beachwood Avenue; Old Cape Road from Beachwood Avenue

Honor Society. He has received various awards including Breakfast of Champions, Student of the Trimester, Book Awards and Commended Student status from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Samuel Coleman is the son of James and Rebecca Coleman of Wells.

According to the Maine Principals Association website, the MPA Principals’ Award was established in 1984. Each year, high schools that are members

to Route 9; Goose Rocks Road from Log Cabin Road to Route 9; Stone Road from Beachwood Avenue to Goose Rocks Road; Guinea Road from Goose Rocks Road to Biddeford Line; Whitten Hill Road from Goose Rocks Road to Guinea Road; Pier Road; New Biddeford Road from Route 9 to Kings Highway; Winter Harbor Road from Route 9 to New Biddeford Road; Dyke Road; Wildes District Road; Ocean Avenue; Arlington Avenue; Langsford Road; Ward Road;Northwood Drive; Oak Ridge Road; West Street, Oak Street, Locke Street; others, if needed.

For more information and questions, contact the Highway Department at 207-967-5728.

of the MPA select one outstanding senior to receive this honor. Award recipients and their principals are invited to attend the organization’s Honors Luncheon in the spring. There, recipients will receive a lapel pin and plaque. Also, five of these students will be selected by a lottery to receive a $1,000 scholarship.

For more information, email rebennett@wocsd.org or call 207-646-8331.

Sunday

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People and Business Profiles

Kennebunk Savings Announces CEO Retirement, Successor

KENNEBUNK -

Bradford C. Paige, the president and CEO of Kennebunk Savings, has announced he will retire on December 31, 2024. As part of the bank’s transition plan, Paige stepped down as president in January but will retain his CEO duties until the end of the year. Lex Meagher, senior executive vice president and chief credit officer, assumed the president’s role and will become CEO upon Paige’s retirement.

Paige shared his thoughts on his successor: “Lex’s professional background, his performance, and accomplishments at Kennebunk Savings, his understanding and commitment to our culture and priorities, and his natural leadership abilities form a strong base from which to lead the organization into the future.”

Meagher is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and received his law degree from the University of New Hampshire School of Law. An attorney and member of the Maine State Bar Association, Meagher joined Kennebunk Savings in September 2011 as associate general counsel after serving as a law clerk at both the Maine Superior and Maine Supreme Judicial courts. He was subsequently promoted to general counsel and compliance officer at Kennebunk Savings in January 2013, a position in which he served until his promotion to senior commercial credit officer in November 2019. In 2022, he was promoted to chief credit officer, and added senior executive vice president to his title in February 2023. Meagher is also a member of the board for Habitat of Humanity of Greater Portland, and former board president.

“We are fortunate to have a management team that is focused on developing internal candidates for senior and executive roles, including that of president and CEO,” said Matthew Chase, Kennebunk Savings’ board chair. “Lex has knowledge of the banking industry, accompanied by strong ethics and a dedication to our communities. He has big shoes to fill, but a strong senior

management team and employee base backing him. The board and I have every confidence he’s up to the task.”

Paige joined Kennebunk Savings as a commercial loan officer in 1998. He was later promoted to positions in commercial and retail services before becoming chief financial officer. In 2009, amid the banking crisis, Paige was named president and CEO.

Under Paige’s leadership, Kennebunk Savings has grown from $806 million to $1.8 billion in assets. He also expanded the bank’s branch network from 12 offices in York County to 17 in total, including opening in a new market area, seacoast New Hampshire.

Perhaps Paige’s lasting legacy is Kennebunk Savings’ philanthropic and advocacy efforts. He has been an ardent steward of the bank’s vision of corporate citizenship known as Community Promise, anchored by the Bank’s donation of 10% of its annual after-tax earnings to nonprofits in its communities. The program has meant over $20 million for nonprofits since its inception 30 years ago.

In 2016, Paige furthered the bank’s efforts by creating the Spotlight Fund. Through this fund, the Bank’s social responsibility team proactively researches and identifies a pressing issue affecting local communities. The team meets with leaders in the field to understand how a longterm investment will create real impact, resources and opportunities that lead to positive change.

One of the Spotlight Fund’s signature causes is substance use disorder (SUD) prevention and recovery, for which Paige has been a fierce advocate. He helped the bank achieve a Recovery Friendly Workplace certification in New Hampshire and now in Maine, which promotes a safe and healthy environment where employees, employers and communities foster a supportive culture that removes stigma and recognizes recovery from substance use disorder as a strength.

Senator Collins Meets with Maine Fishermen

STATEWIDE -

Recently, U.S. Senator Susan Collins met with a group of fishermen, including members of the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA), at her office in Washington, DC. During the meeting, the fishermen discussed the damage to Maine’s working waterfronts following recent storms. The group included fishermen from Friendship, Harpswell, Saco, South Bristol, Southwest Harbor, Swan’s Island, Portland, and Cape Elizabeth.

“I met with a hardworking and resilient group of fishermen and women who provided a firsthand account of the damage they

have seen at working waterfronts up and down Maine’s coast and across New England following the recent storms,” said Collins.

“We discussed how the federal government, in partnership with the State of Maine, can help to ensure our coastal communities retain their working waterfronts for generations to come.”

Senator Collins and her staff were joined at the meeting by staff members from the offices of Senator Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden.

New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association is a bipartisan, non-profit organization committed to uniting Americans

in the fight to preserve what could be the last wild frontier: the ocean, where fresh, wild, protein-rich, American seafood is harvested. The NEFSA is an alliance of wild harvesters of the waters off of New England, dedicated to educating the public about how best to manage seafood resources through sound science and best practices of conservation used by fishermen. Their mission is focused on promoting economic well-being, ecosystem sustainability, and US food security.

For more information, visit www.nefishermen.org or email jackie_mundry@collins.senate. gov.

Birch Hill Health Uses Unique Business Model

YORKBirch Hill Health, a new direct primary care (DPC) clinic serving Southern Maine and Seacoast New Hampshire has just launched, ensuring that patients receive care from providers who can spend real time with their patients.

Unlike traditional primary care practices, Birch Hill Health is a direct primary care practice, and their unique business model makes healthcare affordable and accessible to people whether they have insurance or not. Direct primary care brings healthcare back to what it once was: a service dedicated to patient care and not taxing paperwork.

Direct primary care facilities do not generally bill through insurance companies, so Birch

Paige has become well known across Maine and New Hampshire for his efforts to offer Kennebunk Savings as a resource for other companies who want to address SUD or become Recovery Friendly Workplaces. He is a board member of SOS Recovery Community Organization, the Futures Board of Northeast Passage, and the Maine Recovery Friendly Workplace Advisory Board.

Previous involvement with local nonprofit organizations includes the United Way of York County, Southern Maine Health Care, Wells Rotary Club, WellsOgunquit Community Connec-

Hill Health’s providers are free to work directly with patients without worrying about paperwork, billing codes, or insurance battles. Patients receive high-quality care without the high-quality price tag. Birch Hill Health offers membership care with most typical procedures, labs, and medications offered at or below regular retail prices.

At Birch Hill Health, patients are billed directly, which means they pay a monthly membership fee and receive a variety of benefits. Patients receive unlimited provider access, extended and relaxed visits, and a variety of diagnostic and procedural services at no extra cost. Birch Hill Health offers high-quality care: no insurance codes, and no long wait times.

tions Mentoring Program, York SHIPS (Special Helpers in Public Schools) Mentoring Program, Kennebunk-Kennebunkport Little League and the Child Abuse Prevention Council of York County. Paige has served as Chair of Maine Bankers Association and on the American Bankers Association Board of Directors.

“Brad has had a strong influence on the financial strength of Kennebunk Savings and certainly on the strength of its culture,” said Meagher. “On a personal level, Brad has been the single greatest influence in my professional career. His mentor-

Birch Hill Health, PLLC, located at 529 Route 1, Suite 104, York, serves the citizens of York and the surrounding area. The clinic is owned and operated by Jenna Lizewski, DNP, FNP-C.

For more information, email info@birchhillhealth.com or call 207-200-1338.

ship and support, along with his example as the leader of this institution, have been invaluable. I plan to extract every last bit of wisdom from him during this transition.”

For more information, visit www.kennebunksavings.com.

Former President and CEO Bradford C. Paige, left, and his recently announced successor, Lex Meagher.

Celebrating Outdoor and Environmental Learning

STATEWIDE -

Recently, environmental educators, students, teachers, and legislators celebrated advancements in outdoor learning in Maine. More than 100 participants from across the state attended the event at the Hall of Flags at the State House in Augusta. The celebration also announced the release of the 2022 Census of the Community-Based Outdoor and Environmental Learning report, a collaborative data project hosted by Teach ME Outside.

“The census is the most powerful tool we have for informing policy, decision making, and funding in our [outdoor education] work,” said Alex Brasili of the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance (MMSA), during her speech. “We are one of the first states in the country to launch an initiative like this.”

Teach ME Outside builds on the collaborative work of many organizations and individuals over the past decade and is led today by MMSA, the Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA), and Nature Based Education Consortium (NBEC).

The 2022 census captured data from over 900 individuals from all 16 counties in Maine. The follow up study to the 2019 census tracks trends in the field, offers data to inform program design, and measures equitable access to environmental education and outdoor learning in Maine.

Brasili also highlighted partnerships between schools and community-based organizations that are featured in the 2022 census report. As one example, the Wells Reserve partners with Portland High School to host a Summer Nature and Science week to support “New Mainer” women learning about nature and building their English language skills. Another case study featured the annual Harvest Fest at Stratton School in Franklin County, which celebrates school gardens with the support of Maine Agriculture in the Classroom and Greater Franklin Food Council.

A key finding of the census was that Maine educators identified Wabanaki Studies as their most pressing professional development need. Brianne Lolar, a citizen of the Panawahpskek nation and the Department of Education’s first Wabanaki Studies Specialist, shared how vital expanded access to Wabanaki studies is.

“As the first scientists of this land, Wabanaki educators have much to offer. Wabanaki traditional ways teach us to honor and strengthen our relationships with the environment, as well as the people around us.” Lolar said that the department “honors traditional knowledge, builds trust in lasting relationships, [and] gives hope for the future.” This spring, Lolar is partnering with MEEA to host four in-person Wabanaki Studies professional development work-

Sea Dogs Host Baseball Camp

PORTLAND -

The Portland Sea Dogs announced that registration is now open for the 2024 Portland Sea Dogs Summer Youth Camp in partnership with Tec Baseball Academy.

Tec Baseball Academy at Georgetown University was created by Edwin Thompson in 2004 and originated in Maine. The Jay native launched the academy with a mission to provide instructional and informational baseball camps to local youth.

Thompson said, “I am so

shops for in-school educators.

The celebration also highlighted expanded funding and jobs in outdoor learning, though the new census report identified funding is still a barrier for teachers. Sarah Timm, who spoke at the celebration, was hired as Oxford Hill’s Outdoor Learning Coach thanks to a Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) grant from the Department of Education. “Now I work outside with students every day, as well as supporting teachers and administrators in the professional development needed for outdoor learning. In short, I have my dream job,” said Timm.

MEEA’s Mini-Grants for Outdoor Learning Program has given over $600,000 to teachers, reaching over 100,000 kids in nearly 60% of Maine public schools. Meroby Elementary School received a mini-grant in 2021. “It only takes one deer print in the snow to turn an entire

excited to work with the Portland Sea Dogs for the youth summer camp in July. Having grown up in Maine and attended Sea Dogs games as a kid, it’s my honor to work together and help grow the baseball game in the State of Maine.” Under hands-on instruction from current college coaches, former professional coaches, and local high school coaches, attendees will receive detailed instruction at each position and in all aspects of the game. Additionally, the camp provides an opportunity to meet current

class into deductive thinkers,” said fourth grade teacher Maggie Corlett of Meroby Elementary. “And it only takes one rock by a brook for a child struggling with emotion regulation, lying on it, to reap the calming benefits of moving water. Outdoor education is something that takes the simple things of our natural world and presents magnificent learning opportunities.”

Audrey Hufnagel, a high school senior at Lincoln Academy, spoke about her involvement in helping pass Climate Education Bill LD 1902, signed into law in 2022 through a multigenerational campaign of students, teachers, and advocates. This pilot program provides $2 million in funding for professional development and community partnerships for three years.

“My generation has to deal with the impacts of climate change and our lives both currently and in the future,” said

Sea Dogs players and staff while competing in games throughout the camp. Attendees will be organized into groups that accommodate age and ability level.

Instruction will be held at Wainwright Sports Complex, 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. on July 29-30, while the third day of camp will be held 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. on July 31 at Hadlock Field.

The fee for the three-day camp includes a complementary Sea Dog t-shirt and hat, lunch at Hadlock Field, and a free ticket to a Sea Dogs game. For more information, visit www.milb.com/ portland and www.hoyabaseballcamps.com/shop/membership.

Hufnagel during her speech.

“Climate education can also help prepare us for future jobs in the growing clean energy sector and other careers as we work toward a more sustainable future.”

“So many kids, now more than ever before, are just latched to screens all day long not engaging in authentic, real things,” said Commissioner Pender Makin. “In addition to the academic growth and well being of students, we are paying attention to their health, safety, and their social, emotional, and behavioral health. And all of those things are augmented by being engaged in outdoor education.”

The goal of Teach ME Outside is to support and work in partnership with Maine communities to ensure that all Maine youth have access to powerful, hands-on environmental learning opportunities. For more information, visit www.teachmeoutside.org.

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Students Receive Recognition

American International College, Springfield, MA

Nicholas Mauro, of York, has earned dean’s list honors for the Fall 2023 semester by achieving a 3.3-4.0 GPA. He is majoring in digital marketing communications.

Anna Maria College, Paxton, MA

Ella Moon of York was named to the dean’s list for the Fall 2023 semester, attaining a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Bryant University, Smithfield, RI

Samuel FitzGerald of South Berwick was recognized for academic excellence (4.0 GPA) by being

. . . YOUTH from page 19

cancer screenings.

During the pandemic, OUT Maine convened the Transgender Youth Health Action Team (THAT) to understand better the challenges faced by trans young adults in the Maine healthcare system. Personal stories shared by THAT members emphasized the need for equitable, inclusive, and gender-affirming healthcare practices. Their recommendations for action were informed by personal experience, underscoring the urgency of reforming healthcare systems. OUT Maine chose to focus on online modules, which are more accessible for healthcare professionals who struggle to find time for live training sessions.

LGBTQ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning. Allies are folks who do not identify as LGBTQ but have camaraderie with the LGBTQ community. Cis or cisgender means a person’s gender identity and sex-assigned-at-birth match. If gender identity and sexassigned-at-birth do not match, a person may identify as transgender. For more information, visit www.outmaine.org.

named to the Fall 2023 president’s list. The following students were named to the Fall 2023 dean’s list, having earned a GPA of 3.4 or better: Declan FitzGerald of South Berwick; Samuel FitzGerald of South Berwick; Matthew Ford of Kittery Point; Hannah Mansfield of North Berwick; Griffin Munhall of Eliot; and Mackenzie Roy of Kittery.

Clark University, Worcester, MA

The following local students were named to the Fall 2023 dean’s list: Everett T. Beals, of Kennebunk, was named to second honors; Dylan C. Clements, of Ogunquit, was named to first honors; Kiara J. Davis, of Kennebunk, was named to second honors; Kai Mei Ferrick, of Kennebunk, was named to second honors; Emily R. Hogue, of Kennebunk, was named to first honors; Molly Nguyen, of Arundel, was named to first honors; Ariana G. Scharff, of South Berwick, was named to second honors; and Alaina M. Schatzabel, of Kennebunk, was named to first honors.

Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY

Gracie Elizabeth Girard of Kennebunk, a senior majoring in engineering and management, was named a Presidential Scholar for the Fall 2023 semester. Presidential Scholars must achieve a minimum 3.8 GPA. Jackson Thomas

Knobloch of Wells, a freshman majoring in engineering and management, was named to the dean’s list for the Fall 2023 semester. Dean’s list students must achieve a minimum 3.25 GPA.

College of Charleston, Charleston, SC

Chloe Jackson, of South Berwick, was named to the Fall 2023 dean’s list by earning a GPA of 3.5 or higher. She is majoring in communications.

College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA

Chloe Carbonneau of Wells and Zoe Noonan of York were named to the Fall 2023 dean’s list, achieving a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

LEGAL NOTICES

Town of Kittery Seeks Consultant for Traffic & Parking Management

The Town of Kittery seeks consulting assistance from a qualified firm or professional to propose traffic calming and parking demand management strategies and policies that best fit the characteristics and needs of the community.

Deliver proposals to the Town Manager’s Office at Kittery Town Hall, 200 Rogers Road, Kittery, ME 03904, no later than 3 PM on April 18, 2024. For a complete description and instructions on how to submit a proposal, please visit www.kitteryme.gov/bids. Questions accepted via email to Town Manager Kendra Amaral at kamaral@kitteryme.org.

PUBLIC NOTICE: NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE

Please take notice that Marc and Susan Damboorajian, 511 River Road, Eliot, ME 03903, are intending to file a Natural Resources Protection Act permit application with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to the provisions of 38 M.R.S.A. §480-A thru 480-BB on or about March 15, 2024

This application is for the stabilization of approximately 130 linear feet of existing eroding shoreline along their property at 511 River Road, Eliot, Maine

A request for a public hearing or a request that the Board of Environmental Protection assume jurisdiction over this application must be received by the Department in writing, no later than 20 days after the application is found by the Department to be complete and is accepted for processing. A public hearing may or may not be held at the discretion of the Commissioner or Board of Environmental Protection. Public comment on the application will be accepted throughout the processing of the application.

The application will be filed for public inspection at the Department of Environmental Protection’s office in Portland during normal working hours. A copy of the application may also be seen at the municipal offices in Eliot, Maine. Written public comments may be sent to the regional office in Portland where the application is filed for public inspection: MDEP, Southern Maine Regional Office, 312 Canco Road, Portland, ME 04103.

College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA

Grace Sillars, from Kennebunkport, was named to the dean’s list for the Fall 2023 semester by earning a 3.6 quality point average.

Dean College, Franklin, MA

Kylie Parsons of Kennebunk has earned a place on the dean’s list for the Fall 2023 semester. Kara Donovan of York has earned a place on the president’s list for the Fall 2023 semester.

Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA

Olivia Cox, from Kennebunkport, has been named to the dean’s list for the Fall 2023 semester, earning a GPA of 3.7 or above.

Emerson College, Boston, MA

The following students were named to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2023 semester, by earning a 3.7 GPA or higher: Lillian Whelan of South Berwick, majoring in theatre education and performance; Margaret Nelson of Kennebunk, majoring in media arts production; and Caroline Skerry of York, majoring in media arts production.

Emmanuel College, Boston, MA

The following have been named to the dean’s list for the Fall 2023 semester, earning a 3.5 GPA or higher: Edward Ridolfi of Kittery Point, Rileigh Maynes of Kittery, Antonia MacEwen of Wells, Isabella Harris of Kittery, Jack Jellison of York, Alyssa Wheeler of Wells, Abigail Balonis of York, Ella Boissonneault of York.

Endicott College, Beverly, MA

The following students have been named to the Fall 2023 dean’s list students, obtaining a minimum GPA of 3.5: Ryan Abbott of Berwick, Reese Walenta of Cape Neddick, Ainsley Luken of Kennebunk, Samantha Fortin of Kennebunkport, Emily Sweeney of Kittery, Jared Stern of Ogunquit, Sylvia Bisson of South Berwick, Meagan Towne of Wells, and Bailey Oliver of York.

Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT

The following students received dean’s list honors for the Fall 2023 semester by achieving a 3.5 GPA or higher: Timothy Teguis of Kennebunk, Emma Keniston of Wells, Liam Furlong of York, Shea Haseltine of York, Allie MacDonald of York, and Evah Waters of York.

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

Erik Diehl of Cape Neddick earned the distinction of “Faculty Honors” for Fall 2023, earning a 4.0 GPA.

Hamilton College, Clinton, NY

The following students were named to the dean’s list for Fall 2023, having achieved a 3.5 GPA or above: Ivy Hammer-Gumbrell of Kennebunk and Logan Tonra of Kennebunk who is majoring in computer science and economics.

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

Eliza Mason of Arundel, majoring in film studies and production, was named to the dean’s list for Fall 2023, achieving a GPA of at least 3.5. The following students were named to the provost’s list, having achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA: Phoebe Keenan of York, studying writing studies; Lilly Knappe of Kennebunk, studying filmmaking; and Kogen Serrano of South Berwick, is studying English.

Hood College, Frederick, MD

Avery Beale of South Berwick has graduated from Hood College in January, earning a bachelor of arts degree in environmental science and policy.

Husson University, Bangor, ME

The following students were named to the president’s list for the Fall 2023 semester, achieving a 3.8-4.0 GPA: Daniella Aceto of South Berwick, Isabel Allers of Kennebunk, Alivia Boucher of Wells, Leah Cluff of Wells, Colby Davis of Berwick, Conner DeCourt of Berwick, Thomas Johns of Kennebunk, Tyler Lefebvre of Kennebunk, Aaron Patnaude of Wells, Milena Reichert of Eliot, Katelynn Reynolds of North Berwick, Roslyn Soper of Wells, and Hannah Warren of Berwick.

Jennifer Lamb of Lebanon, has been named to Husson University Online’s president’s list for the third term of the 2023-2024 academic year, achieving a GPA of 3.8-4.0.

The following students were named to the dean’s list, achieving a 3.6-3.79 GPA: Lily Greene of Cape Neddick, Molly Griffin of North Berwick, Jack Kaszubinski of Wells, Jacob Shaw of Arundel, Lucy Stone of Kennebunkport, and Tucker Whelan of South Berwick.

The following students earned honors, achieving a 3.4-3.59 GPA: Taylor Beaulieu of Arundel, Cullen

LEGAL NOTICES

PUBLIC HEARING

APPEALS BOARD AGENDA

Town of York, Maine

DATE: Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at 7:00 P.M.

PLACE: York Public Library, 15 Long Sands Road, York

11. Findings of Fact of Meetings on January 10, 2024.

2. MATTER UNDER CONSIDERATION: Alvaro Goes and Joyce Alves, 214 South Hull Street, East Providence, RI, requests an Administrative Appeal, revoke Notice of Violation. The property in question is 103 Rogers Road, York, ME 03909. Map 30A Lot 95.

3. MATTER UNDER CONSIDERATION: Rebecca Linney, 180 Logging Road, requests an Administrative Appeal, revoke temporary occupancy for permit 2023-0147. The property in question is 152 Logging Road, Cape Neddick, ME 03902. Map 99 Lot 2-B.

4. MATTER UNDER CONSIDERATION: Kevin and Colleen Talty, 4 Vittoria Lane, requests an Administrative Appeal. Wrong interpretation of the Zoning Ordinance. The property in question is 3 Vittoria Lane, Cape Neddick, ME 03902. Map 99 Lot 50-S.

5. CODE BUSINESS

Hearing will be held in the York Library, 15 Long Sands Road, York, ME, and will commence at 7:00 P.M. Adjournment will be at 11:00 P.M. Any agenda items not completed will be continued to the next regularly scheduled meeting. Any changes or cancellations will be updated on the Town of York home-page online, under the Meeting Calendar. Paul Salacain, Chair

Casey of Eliot, Victoria Exel of North Berwick, Olivia Michaud of Wells, Conrad Nicely of Berwick, Malina O’Brien of Arundel, and Gabriella Wiggin of South Berwick.

Lasell University, Newton, MA

The following students achieved a GPA of 3.5 or higher, and were named to the dean’s list for Fall 2023: Anna Richardson of Berwick, Sarah Webb of Wells, and Isabelle Babcock of York.

Nichols College, Dudley, MA Jacob Laroche, of Berwick, achieved president’s list honors for the Fall 2023 semester by earning a 3.85 GPA or higher.

Plymouth State University, Plymouth, NH

The following students made dean’s list for the Fall 2023 semester, achieving a GPA of 3.53.69: Bowman Rollins of Kittery, and Calleigh McCabe of North Berwick. The following students were named to the president’s list, achieving a GPA of 3.7 or better: Walter Driscoll of Kittery Point, Sophia Anderson of York, Olivia Howard of Berwick, Ava Feeney of Kennebunk, and Andrew Perry of South Berwick.

. . . MEAT from page 6

resilience in the meat and poultry supply chain by providing producers with more local processing options and strengthening their market potential. This is part of a larger, $1 billion commitment to expand independent meat and poultry processing capacity and give farmers additional, local options to obtain fairer prices for the animals they raise and give consumers more options in the marketplace. The Local MCap grant program is targeted to support meat and poultry processors with smaller-scale projects, with a goal to increase processing availability and variety for local and regional livestock producers. The program is administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) with funding from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan.

Pingree, a member of the Livestock, Dairy and Poultry House Agriculture Subcommittee, is working to support local producers in the new Farm Bill. She introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Strengthening Local Processing Act, which would diversify and make the U.S. meat processing more resilient by giving local livestock and poultry producers more processing options. She’s also the author of the bipartisan, bicameral Local Farms and Food Act to strengthen support for our local and regional food systems – helping more people access nutritious, locally grown food.

Private deck with fire pit. One tenant only. No pets. No smoking. Nov. 15th - May 15th, 2024. $1800/month. Includes all utilities. 207-351-6797

YORK: $2900/month plus utilities. 2 BRs, 1.5 BAs, partially furnished, renovated, townhome w/ 1-car garage. Includes trash p/u, plowing, pool, tennis court. Great location, 2 miles to beach, close to hwy. 1 Year lease. No pets. Available now! 508-280-6706

207.384.4008

RENTALS

WINTER RENTAL: WELLS

BEACH. Fully furnished. Queen bedroom plus bunkbed room for storage or guest. One bath. Top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances. Quartz countertops. New flooring and tile. Gas stove. W/D. Samsung Smart TVs. SONOS. No pets. No smoking. Nov. 15th - May 15th, 2024. Two persons max. $2000/month. Includes all utilities.

207-351-6797

WELLS, ONE BEDROOM

APARTMENT:

All utilities included, year round. $400 per week. Damage deposit and references required.

207-251-1018

YEAR-ROUND APT RENTAL

in Ogunquit. Furnished, one bedroom with adjoining living room, kitchen, small dining room, bathroom, and deck. We are looking for a single person, non-smoker, and no pets. References and interview required. $1,600 per month which includes electricity, heat, and snow plowing. Available as of April 15 with year-round lease.

207-286-4444

NORTH BERWICK RENTAL

Spacious, 1 bedroom, furnished apartment with full bath, washer/ dryer, large deck, and off-street parking. No smoking or pets. $1350/month. Tenant pays heat and electric. Call 207-676-2608.

South Berwick/Eliot

YORK BEACH - DELUXE

2 BR condo, year round rental. $1600 monthly plus utilities. Very close to both beaches. No smoking or pets. 603-703-2347

WELLS, SHARED

CAPE HOUSE:

All utilities included, year round, private bedroom. $350 per week. Damage deposit and references required. 207-251-1018

RENTAL WANTED

Rental Wanted:

3+ Bedroom, 2+ Bath, Single-Family Home for Rent in Wells/Ogunquit Area

Seeking a welcoming and spacious single-family home for long-term rental in the charming Wells/Ogunquit area. Our family is looking to move in by May 22 and are interested in a lease term of at least one year. It’s essential for us to find a place that feels like home, so we’re looking for a property with at least three bedrooms and two bathrooms to comfortably accommodate our family.

Key Requirements:

Location: Wells/Ogunquit area, with a preference for quiet, family-friendly neighborhoods.

Pet-Friendly: We have well-behaved pets that are part of our family, so it’s important that the property is pet-friendly.

Amenities: Seeking a home with ample living space, a functional kitchen, and ideally, a backyard or outdoor area for relaxation and play.

Maintenance: Good condition and well-maintained property preferred, with reliable property management or landlord support for any issues.

We are responsible tenants with a steady income, looking to create a warm and stable environment. We value cleanliness and will take great care of the property as if it were our own. References and security deposit readily available upon request. If you have a property that fits these criteria, please call us at 207-432-4947. We are very excited about the possibility of making your property our next home. Thank you for considering our ad!

ACCOUNTING

ACCOUNTING + TAX SOLUTIONS

Over 40 Years of Experience with Tax Prep & Bookkeeping 207-646-5244

pattygraves37@gmail.com

YARD CARE

EAGLE LAWN SERVICE

Spring & Tree Storm Clean Ups, Lawn Repair & Seeding, Mowing, Trimming, Blowing, Moss Control & Removal. 207-351-2887

RENTALS

WEEKLY VACATION HOME

RENTAL: Located in Wells, one mile from the beach, a three bedroom, one bath, home for weekly vacation rental beginning the first week of June, 2024. $3,000 per week. 207-251-1018

CLEANERS OR CLEANING

SERVICES: Are you looking for flexible hours? Are there specific days you are available?

Ocean Dreams is seeking cleaners or cleaning services for the York County area. We will provide supplies if needed. 1099

Experience is a plus but not required. Dependability is most important. Top wages paid $35-40 per hour. Please email oceandreamsrental@gmail.com for more information.

ITEMS WANTED

WE BUY VINTAGE CLOTHING!

Men’s and women’s, from the ’90s and older, all seasons, casual to formal. We launder and repair. Downsizing? Want help with a clean-out? Give us a call: 207-245-8700

RECORDS WANTED

I buy collections of recorded media and memorabilia. Call 603-918-8555 or email jpraineyrecords@gmail.com.

**LOOKING TO BUY**

Vinyl Records, Rock or Metal CDs and Cassette Tapes. Call or Text 207-570-9760

WANTED TO BUY

Antiques * Silver * Gold * Coins

CHRIS LORD ANTIQUES

One Item or Entire Estate. Cash paid for all antiques. Antique jewelry, coins, silver, gold, paintings, clocks, lamps, telephones, radios, phonographs, nautical items, weathervanes, dolls & toys, pottery, photography, military items, swords, advertising signs, fountain pens, bottles, tools, books & much much more! Buying antiques for over 20 years. Barn and Attic Clean-Out Also. (207) 233-5814 • ME & NH

HELP WANTED

TuneTown Lesson Studios are expanding! We have an immediate opening for an experienced PIANO TEACHER. Call 207-641-8863.

Misty Harbor Resort is hiring for MAINTENANCE - Full Time

HOUSEKEEPING - Full & Part Time

FRONT DESK - Full & Part Time

Apply in person at Misty Harbor Resort, 60 Mile Road, Wells www.mistyharborresort.com

GUNSMITHING

GUNSMITHING SERVICES

Expert cleaning and repairs, stock alterations, recoil pads. Over 50 years experience. Very reasonable

WOOD FENCE FABRICATOR

Are you handy? Do you have carpentry skills? Like to work with quality wood materials?

Anchor Fence is looking for a self-motivated, creative person to run our wood shop, building panels using cedar material. Part-time or full-time, please give us a call.

LET’S TALK!

Anchor Fence LLC in Kennebunk, ME Call 207-985-6018

People and Business Profiles

Partners Bank Donation Honors Veterans Ogunquit Chamber Announces New Board Members

YORK COUNTY -

Recently, Partners Bank donated to Southern Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery Association (SMVMCA) as part of the bank’s monthly Employee Donation of the Month, a program in which an employee is chosen to select an organization to receive a $1,000 donation. The chosen employee was AVP, BSA/Security Officer Sharon Waterhouse, and the organization she chose to receive the donation was SMVMCA.

Staffed by all volunteers, the mission of SMVMCA is to beautify the Southern Maine Veterans Cemetery in Springvale. Not only can the loved ones of heroes enjoy a clean, peaceful, and pleasant landscape during their visit, but the beautification efforts are also to honor the veterans, ensuring their resting place is respected.

The donation is meaningful to Waterhouse, as she comes from a long line of veterans in her family. It was made in memory of Waterhouse’s father, MSgt Harold R. West, who served in the U.S. Air Force for 24 years, and in honor of her husband, CPO Rollin S. Waterhouse, who served in the U.S. Navy for 23 years. Additional

Jeremy Kasten Appointed as Berwick Community Media Associate Director

BERWICKBerwick Community Media (BCM) announces the addition of Jeremy Kasten as Associate Director. BCM is the cable access television station for Berwick, and BCM Associate Director is a new position. Kasten is a seasoned content creator and video editor of Emmy-Award-winning programming with 30-plus years of industry expertise in video production, programming, storytelling, and education.

BCM Director Terri Wright said, “I feel fortunate to have found a person with experience in producing, videography, and editing. Jeremy’s commitment to our community as well as his excitement to learn everything there is about public access is refreshing.”

Kasten said, “I am passionate about creating media, and about the community and the town of Berwick - and about telling our local stories.”

Kasten will be immersed in the operations of the community cable access station: program channels and program guides, streaming live shows, broadcasting from the BCM studio and maintaining equipment.

Kasten is well-known in the community, actively volunteering to deliver food for area food banks, hosting Open Farm Day events, and collaborating with the Envision Berwick community action committee. He will be joining Director Wright and Assistant Director Ralph Morang in covering Berwick town and school meetings, town

events, and providing general information and entertainment to Berwick.

Berwick Community Media was established in 2011 as Berwick Community Television and broadcasts educational and public programs on Comcast channel 22 and government programming on channel 95 in Berwick. Programming is also available on the BCM YouTube channel and On Demand through the BCM website, berwicktv.org.

For more information, contact Berwick Community Media at morangphoto@comcast.net.

. . . AARP from page 18

As part of his Volunteer State President role, Chassé will continue to serve as an active member of the AARP Maine Volunteer Executive Council and an integral member of the AARP Maine Tuesdays at the State House volunteer corps. The group works with AARP Maine staff members to review legislation, engage state legislators, draft testimony, and monitor legislative

veterans in her family are her brother, father-in-law, uncles, cousins, and nephew.

Waterhouse recalls a visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery with her father and uncle. “It was very emotional watching them find the names of people they served with that didn’t make it home alive. We are a free nation because of the sacrifice these men made. Not only these men, but every veteran,” she shared.

Located at 83 Stanley Road in Springvale, Southern Maine Veterans Cemetery holds open public meetings at 9:30 a.m. on the second Thursday of each month. Meetings are held in the administration building at the cemetery. The association works in conjunction with Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services, city and town officials, veteran organizations, and area businesses.

For more information on SMVMCA, visit www.southernmaineveteranscemetery.org.

For more information on Partners bank, visit www.partners. bank, or call 1-888-226-5747.

OGUNQUIT

The Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed new board members to the team. The new members bring a wealth of business experience and enthusiasm to the Chamber, and are ready to collaborate on group initiatives that promote economic development and general well-being to the community.

Carolyn Carey is the director of sales and operations for Garthwaite Energy, Inc. Her degree is in marketing and finance, and she has held several sales and marketing roles at Fortune 200 companies like Johnson & Johnson and Global Partners, LP. Her ability to understand the consumer and to adjust to their needs has enabled Carolyn to be successful in her field, a skill set she believes she can bring to the Chamber.

Marc Saulnier is the owner of Nikanos Mediterranean Bar & Grille, a locally owned and operated family business serving Greek and Mediterranean food in Ogunquit. Marc was previously affiliated with Valerie’s Restaurant, a family restaurant that operated in Ogunquit from 1947-1996. In June of 2005, Marc purchased Diverse Networks, a full-service telecommunications agency that specializes in providing businesses with phone and internet services. Marc owns several rental properties in the area. He hopes to leverage his experience owning and operating multiple businesses and restaurants to bring businesses and residents together for a common goal: a better Ogunquit.

Michael “Skip” Campbell

is the general manager of Spoiled Rotten, a gift shop franchise that has locations in both Ogunquit and Florida. Michael has 15 years’ experience within the Ogunquit community, and has fostered strong interpersonal relationships with many business, locals, and seasonal tourists. He offers a fresh perspective and brings a friendly, energetic drive to the Chamber. Michael has strong organizational skills and expertise in social media and website development.

The Chamber would like to extend a huge “Thank you!” to the following outgoing board members:

Joanie Monteith, formerly with Bangor Savings Bank, joined the Chamber board in November, 2015. Joanie was responsible for instigating several of the administrative and HR changes that have helped make the Chamber a better resource for our members.

Jake Kirsch, owner of Brix + Brine and The Crooked Pine, joined the Chamber board in November, 2020. He was a valuable front-line resource for the Chamber and provided fresh insight in his roles on the marketing and community recovery committees.

Maddie Dignam, marketing coordinator for Cliff House Maine, joined the Chamber board in November, 2021. She served on the marketing and Pride committees, and her leadership skills were recognized by fellow board members who elected her as vice-chair during her final year.

Congratulations and welcome to the new members! For more information, visit www. ogunquit.org.

EPA Recognizes Maine Wastewater Treatment Facility

WELLSThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) New England Office recently awarded a 2023 Regional Wastewater Treatment Award to the Wells Sanitary District to recognize it for its commitment to improving water quality.

“Wastewater treatment is a

committee meetings.

AARP’s Volunteer State President works in collaboration with the State Director to further the Association’s vision, mission and strategic priorities in many areas including retirement security, caregiver supports and services, fair utility rates and age-friendly community initiatives. For more information, visit www.aarp.org/me.

vital, but often overlooked, part of our world. Most of us don’t realize what it takes behind the scenes for wastewater to be treated for pollution control and reuse, in order to protect public health and the environment,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “It’s important for us to highlight those individuals and entities who excel in their work to protect our water quality and our health, and we at EPA congratulate them for their dedication to the environment and to our communities.”

The Wells Sanitary District, led by Superintendent Nick Rico, was recognized for exceptional work in operating and maintaining the wastewater treatment plant over the past year, a task made especially dif-

ficult after a fire damaged the facility’s electrical system. The facility was one of only three facilities across New England to receive this award. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection was instrumental in the facility’s nomination.

The EPA Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Operation and Maintenance Excellence Award was established to recognize and honor the employees of publicly owned wastewater treatment plants for their commitment to improving water quality with outstanding plant operations and maintenance. Especially with the smaller facilities, conscientious operators and staff continue to perform exceptionally with limited resources.

For more information, visit www.wellssanitarydistrict.org.

Left to right: AVP, BSA/Security Officer Sharon Waterhouse’s father, MSgt Harold R. West, stands at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.; Waterhouse’s uncle, Gil, finds the name of a man with whom he served.

OPEN HOUSE 8 MOUSAM RIDGE ROAD, KENNEBUNK

OFFERED AT $599,000

East of Route one, within true walking distance to Kennebunk Village just one and one half miles to Parsons Beach, this classic, handsome colonial boasts a large 1.15-acre level lot nestled in a coveted, well-landscaped and established neighborhood near the Mousam River. A well-designed floor plan includes an expansive first floor primary bedroom with ensuite bath, three additional bedrooms on the second floor and a bonus room over the two-car garage ideal for a home office, with sufficient space for two. A recent renovation showcases the sun-lit heart-of-the-home kitchen highlighted with quartz countertops, new appliances, and custom cabinetry & lighting while an adjacent dining space with wainscoting and oversized windows is ideal for cozy dining or formal feasts. Connected to the open concept design is a light and bright front-to-back living room with a gas fireplace as its' centerpiece flanked with built-in bookcases and storage. The 2nd floor and bonus room will benefit from some fresh paint and new flooring to further compliment the main living area. A new coat of exterior paint will enhance curb appeal and repair/replacement of a large entertainment deck will enrich an already desirable private backyard. Conveniently situated close to all amenities, shopping, grocery, coffee, gas and offering easy North and South highway access.

20 SHORE RD, OGUNQUIT

This spacious and stylishly finished lower level office condo is located with a coveted Shore Road address among the friendly shops and eateries in the heart of Ogunquit Village and a short stroll to Ogunquit Beach. An off-street entrance provides direct access to newly renovated office space with a custom layout & design. The property is well-suited for upscale appointment-based businesses offering nearly 1800 SF of private professional space that comes equipped with a meeting room, open seating areas, fireplace, custom lighting, and includes 2 bathrooms and kitchenette. The central location, amenities and flexible design create a great opportunity for services not yet offered in Ogunquit.

OFFERED AT $549,000

Abigail Douris Broker / Owner