This week’s edition!
News
Bates Dance Festival Musicians’ Concert
Terrence Karn is among the Bates Dance Festival musicians who will perform at the festival’s popular annual Musicians’ Concert on Monday, July 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the Gendron Franco Center in Lewiston. Known for collaborating with choreographers to compose music for original dance, these accomplished musicians will perform original and improvised works that blend musical styles from around the globe. Tickets are $20, $15, and $12 (general, seniors, and students), available at batesdancefestival.org. (Photo by Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College)
Local students receive Girl Scouts of Maine Future Leaders Scholarships
Pictured here (l. to r.) at the event are Jennifer Long, Gabrielle Begos, Jessica Brown, Emma Galipeau-Eldridge of Otisfield, Senator Angus King, Bailee Kinney of Poland, Emily Cain, Mairead Murphy, Meredith Strang Burgess, Sierra Cummins of Monmouth, and Girl Scouts of Maine CEO Joanne Crepeau.
Three local students were among the six high school senior Girl Scouts selected by Girl Scouts of Maine recently to receive Future Leaders Scholarships.
Sierra Cummins of Monmouth, Emma Galipeau-Eldridge of Otisfield, and Bailee Kinney of Poland received the award recently at Girl Scouts of Maine’s inaugural Passion to Action event at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.
Young fiddlers to perform at Sawyer Memorial
Fiddlers Owen Kennedy, 13, and Josh White, 16, began playing together as a duo last spring with a crowd-pleasing, high-energy performance at the Alewife Festival in Damariscotta Mills.
Fiddlers Owen Kennedy, 13, and Josh White, 16, will perform at the Sawyer Memorial in Greene on Friday, July 27 at 2 and 7 p.m. Both shows are free and open to the public.
Owen Kennedy and Josh White are two up-and-coming traditional musicians whose lively arrangements take their listeners from Quebec and the Canadian Maritimes, over the sea to Eastern Europe, Ireland and Scotland, and back home to Maine. The boys have played together as part of the Maine Folque Co-op since 2015, when the group performed for the American Folk Festival in Bangor. Led by Cindy Larock and based in the Lewiston-Auburn area, the Maine Folque Co-op provides music for contradances and various special events.
CLT cast rehearses for “Young Frankenstein”
Pictured here (l. to r.) are cast members Zack Handlen, Brittany Wallingford, Colleen Katana, John Blanchette, John Nutting, Mason Lagasse, and Jennine Cannizo.
A talented cast of 27 is hard at work rehearsing for the upcoming Community Little Theatre production of the hit musical comedy “Young Frankenstein.” This award-winning musical, with book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan and music and lyrics by Mel Brooks, is closely based on the 1974 Brooks and Gene Wilder-penned film of the same name. A parody of the horror film genre, especially the 1931 Universal Pictures classic “Frankenstein,” it has been described by Brooks as his best film.
Governor’s Address: Democrats hold a double standard when it comes to protecting vulnerable youth
Last week I vetoed a controversial bill, LD 912, “An Act to Clarify the Scope of Practice of Certain Licensed Professionals Regarding Conversion Therapy.” I’d like to tell you why.
LD 912 defines conversion therapy as “any practice or course of treatment that seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including… any effort to change gender expression or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender.” The bill prohibits the use of conversion therapy by licensed mental health personnel, licensed medical personnel, and many other licensed individuals.
LD 912 was overbroad and bad policy. It attempted to regulate professionals who already have a defined scope of practice and standard of care under Maine’s licensing laws.
Hope Weston turns 103
Weston reminisces by a photo of her father on her 103rd birthday. (Photo by Rachel Morin)
When Hope Weston turned 103 on July 6, she had already been celebrating her birthday the entire week of the Fourth with her large, extended family and many friends who gathered for the occasion.
A final celebration came on her actual birthday, when a chocolate cake topped with peanut butter frosting was served at the Camden Dining Room at Schooner Estates as friends gathered around to sing “Happy Birthday” to a beaming Hope.
This week at the BDF: Rennie Harris’ PureMovement
Harris is known for taking hip hop dance to a mainstream audience.
The featured troupe at the Bates Dance Festival this week is Rennie Harris’ PureMovement. Harris is known for taking hip hop dance from the inner city to a mainstream audience, transforming both art form and audience in the process. Delving into the organic, spiritual tapestry of house music and dance, his performance piece “Lifted” explores tensions between self-determination and family, religion and society.
Local historian publishes new book
Portrait of Elwin E. and Mary Additon with their first daughter, Louise
Local historian Douglas Hodgkin has written another biography – this time about a member of his own family. Hodgkin’s great grandfather, a farmer, local civic leader, and Androscoggin County politician, is the subject of the new book “Elwin E. Additon: Progressive Farmer and Politician.”
Elwin Additon (1864-1942) owned a farm in Leeds and held many offices in town government, including school board, moderator, and selectman. When his buildings burned in 1921, he moved to North River Road in Auburn.
Shaw’s supports Marines Helping Veterans program
Marine Corps League Central Maine Detachment 810 presents a Certificate of Appreciation to Dan Perreault, store manager of Shaw’s in Lewiston, for the store’s outstanding support of the league’s Marines Helping Veterans program. This is the third year that Shaw’s has supported the program, which benefits the Maine Veterans Home, Honor Flight Maine, the Wounded Heroes Program of Maine, and the Betsy Ann Ross House of Hope in Augusta.
Governor’s Address: Let’s work together and do the right thing for our seniors
Over the last seven and a half years, the Legislature and I have had many disagreements over process, policy and approach to governing. But the true value of our republic is that, although we disagree, we can still move our state and our country forward.
While differences on tax reform, welfare policy and economic development may create friction between political parties and branches of government, there is one area where I hope and believe we all share a similar passion – care and compassion for our elderly.
I sent a letter this week to the legislative leadership asking them to work with me to protect our seniors from losing their homes. We will not always agree on what compassion looks like, but I believe that ensuring seniors can remain in their homes is something we should mutually agree on.
