This week’s edition!
News
Eagle Scout project to aid homeless veterans
Alex Cote
Life Scout Alex Cote of Boy Scouts of America Troop 007 is working toward his Eagle Scout badge by compiling 150 care packages for homeless veterans to be distributed at VA Maine’s Homeless Veterans Stand Down event in October. To that end, he is asking the community for donations of various general hygiene products and nonperishables items, including razors, shaving cream, bar soap, shampoo, conditioner, ChapSkick, powder, underarm deodorant, Band Aids, tissues, protein bars, granola bars, and other snack items. Items may be dropped off in care of Alex Cote or Jennifer Lane at VFW Post 1603 at 588 Minot Avenue in Auburn on Thursdays from 4 to 8 p.m., Fridays from 4 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 2 to 6 p.m., or at the Spaghetti Supper on October 7.
YWCA announces recipients of 2016 Women of Achievement Awards
Marilyn Simonds is the recipient of the 2016 Tonie Ramsey Service Award.
The YWCA Central Maine has announced the recipients of its 2016 Women of Achievement Awards. These awards honor the often overlooked contributions of women in our community in three distinct categories: the Tonie Ramsey Award recognizes service, the Lee Young Award recognizes leadership, and the Priscilla Gendron Award recognizes philanthropy and its promotion.
The three awards were unveiled last year at the first annual Women of Achievement Awards Gala, where each of the award namesakes was recognized for contributing years of impactful service and leadership to the YWCA. In selecting the first cohort of recipients this year, the awards selection committee reviewed a remarkable pool of applicants. “The difficulty of the selection process was a powerful tribute to the achievements of women in the Lewiston-Auburn community,” said YWCA Central Maine Board President Barbara Bixby.
Receiving the 2016 Tonie Ramsey Service Award is Ms. Marilyn Simonds; receiving the 2016 Lee Young Leadership Award is Representative Peggy Rotundo; and receiving the Priscilla Gendron Legacy Award is Ms. Barbara Trafton.
Cupcakery gets new name, location
The local non-profit bakery formerly known as The Cupcakery, henceforth to be called The Cupcakery Café and Bakeshop, will take a big leap forward this week when it moves to its new location at 56 Sabattus Street in Lewiston. The Chamber of Commerce will join them for a ribbon cutting ceremony at that new location on Friday, September 9 at 10 a.m. The public is invited to attend.
After two successful years at their former location on Lisbon Street, management has decided to take advantage of opportunities the new location will afford, such as more seating, more parking, and more baked goods, including quality-made custom cakes and wedding cakes.
LAYSA Under 12 Boys Travel Team
This year’s Lewiston-Auburn Youth Soccer Association Under 12 Boys Travel Team includes (l. to r., from front) Caleb Albert, Daxton St. Hilaire, Mohamed Adow, Eli St. Laurent, Richie Romano, Joshua Murphy, Matthew Connor, Brandon Farinas, Jack Thompson, Head Coach Max Thompson, Campbell Cassidy, Cooper St. Hilaire, Farid Muhammad-Aceto, Ian Redstone, Miles Frenette, Isaac Shannon, Jaxson Kimball, and Assistant Coach Keith Albert. The team started off the season with a 6-1 victory over a very good Cumberland team. This year’s home games, played at the LAYSA Complex behind Auburn Middle School, will take place on September 17, 25, and October 1. The team is also looking forward to a Columbus Day Tournament in Falmouth.
Concert for homeless veterans Sep. 18
Debbie Myers and Friends will host the 7th annual Maine’s Homeless Veterans Benefit Concert on Sunday, September 18 at noon at the Augusta Civic Center. All proceeds will support the annual “Stand Down” event at the Togus Veterans Administration building in Chelsea, a day when as many homeless veterans that can be reached are brought together to access services provided by the VA and other organizations.
The goal is to find permanent housing for as many veterans as possible. Prior to the first of the six annual concerts, there were over 1,200 homeless veterans in Maine. The latest information shows that number is now down to 438.
Only Steps Forward: We must keep the promises we made 15 years ago on 9/11
By Jonathan P. LaBonte
Mayor of Auburn
This Sunday, September 11, marks the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States. Each year on this date, it has been commonplace for many of us to share our stories of where we were and what we felt and were thinking on that fateful day.
As we reflect back now 15 years later, we can ask ourselves what has changed since that day and did we keep the promise we made to never forget. One example I’m proud to offer for never forgetting 9/11 comes from the men and women of the Auburn Fire Department. Each year, a small ceremony is held in honor of those that lost their lives in those terrorist attacks. At the exact time the first World Trade Center tower was struck, they toll a bell.
The memorial in front of Auburn Central now includes pieces of mangled steel that were extracted from the wreckage of the World Trade Center that day. They serve as a reminder of the devastation felt by so many, from those working in the Towers or Pentagon that day to the first responders that risked their lives to save others.
Enough is Enough Over 100 blighted buildings have been removed in Lewiston
By Robert E. Macdonald
Mayor of Lewiston
Imitation is the best form of flattery. Well, at least most of the time.
When I read the local broad sheet last week I was shocked. Shocked, that is, until I took a step backward and processed what I had read. Then suddenly I broke into my happy dance.
Lewiston’s policies, over the past four years of removing blighted buildings, had worked and were now showing success. There is no longer anymore room in the Hotel Lewiston for those with low or no income. Unfortunately this means our out-of-town homeless will be heading to Auburn.
It appears that Auburn is on the brink of building 48 Section 8, er, I mean “affordable housing” units in an upscale part of the city. Where I come from, we call this a housing project.
When I arrived in Lewiston, members of President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society Brigade had gotten a firm foothold in Lewiston and were now branching out to other parts of the city. They slowly gobbled up Lewiston’s “Little Canada.”
Enough is Enough In the world of bare-knuckle politics, words have consequences
By Robert E. Macdonald
Mayor of Lewiston
State Representative Drew Gattine of Westbrook, welcome to the world of bare-knuckle politics, a world where—how do you liberals put it—words have consequences.
Only Steps Forward New housing projects create questions, concerns, uncertainty
By Jonathan P. LaBonte
Mayor of Auburn
Over the last couple of weeks, the public discussion of new housing projects has led to a lot of questions, concerns and overall uncertainty about how these projects come to be, where and how they are voted on and why Auburn would support more housing being built at all.
Butterfly Release Celebration sets record
Almost 700 butterfly dedications were received for the annual event, which this year raised more than $27,000 to support patient care and family support services provided at Hospice House. (Photo by Nathan Tsukroff)
Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice’s eighth annual Butterfly Release Celebration on August 7 raised more than $27,000 to support patient care and family support services provided at the Hospice House. The number of people attending reached 600, surpassing previous years, and 697 butterfly dedications were received.
