The City of Auburn, in collaboration with LA Arts, is pleased to announce the completion of the delightful new “Storywalk” project along Auburn’s beautiful Riverwalk. The project includes eight durable display cases installed along the Riverwalk. The cases, which can be found between Festival Plaza and Bonney Park, will showcase different “art and culture” pieces each month.

Residents and visitors of all ages are encouraged to take a monthly stroll along the Riverwalk to enjoy the displays. Storywalk will also be part of LA Arts’ annual Last Friday Art Walk each May-October.

Auburn’s Storywalk currently features a fun and spooky Halloween theme. Each display case contains a verse from a different piece of Halloween-inspired literature, along with title and author information, a fun fact, photos of the book covers, and one or two photo representations created by students at Edward Little High School.

In November, Auburn’s Storywalk will feature art and essays by Walton Elementary students about the importance of being thankful and giving back.

The Auburn Recreation Department will be organizing and changing the displays monthly. For more information, contact Auburn Recreation Director Sabrina Best at sbest@auburnmaine.gov or 333-6611.

 On Friday, October 18, the City of Auburn and Norway Savings Bank Arena, together with the Twin City Thunder NCDC and Premier hockey teams, hosted Hockey Fights Cancer Night with “Rock the Rink Pink.” Cancer patients, survivors and cancer charities were featured, while the Twin City Thunder (TCT) teams hosted the opponents on a “pink” colored ice surface. TCT co-owner Dan Hodge expressed that the “pink” colored ice “is something that no one else in the New England area is doing and will become part of our annual event.”

The evening served a tandem purpose: to educate and to raise money for two causes that hit close to home. Robin Wooster, who is battling breast cancer, is a local Emergency Medical Technician who dropped the ceremonial puck. Wooster was joined at center ice by her two children, who were flown to Maine to surprise her. “To be invited to drop the honorary puck at the game Friday night was simply an honor,” said Wooster. “But when I got to the game and was presented with a jersey from Camp Wekeela I felt like a rockstar! As I turned around and saw the beautiful faces of my children standing before me, it was surreal and so unexpected”.

Local youth hockey coach Jesse Robitaille of the Maine Gladiators is also fighting cancer and was recognized throughout the weekend. Fundraising efforts on Saturday netted nearly $10,000 to support the Robitaille family. 

Twin City Thunder players wore commemorative pink jerseys which were auctioned off during the game. All proceeds from the auction went to the Wooster and Robitaille families, along with $1 from each event ticket sold.

“On behalf of the Thunder organization, I would like to thank the entire staff at the NSBA, especially Rory Mushlin, who went above and beyond to make our second annual ‘Pink in the Rink’ event a huge success,” said Hodge. “The look on Robin’s face when she turned around to see her kids was one that I will never forget. For the night, hockey took a back seat to raising money to fight cancer.”

“It was extremely rewarding to host this event,” said Marc Gosselin, Executive Director of Community Partnerships & Sports Tourism for the City of Auburn. “We were excited to showcase our venue and our partnership with the Twin City Thunder. A night such as this unites the hockey community and hopefully inspires faith and courage for those who are living with, going through and moving past cancer.”

The next Twin City Thunder home game is November 22, as they face-off against the Utica Jr. Comets. Game time is at 7 p.m. at the Norway Savings Bank Arena. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.ticketreturn.com or by visiting the Norway Savings Bank Arena box office. 

The Twin City Thunder is a hockey organization that plays out of the United State Premier Hockey League (USPHL). Founded in 2012, the USPHL is comprised of 170 teams which are geographically diverse, ranging from the North to South to the Midwest. The Twin City Thunder has two teams, one that operates in the USPHL Premier Division and another in the USPHL’s National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC). The Twin City Thunder NCDC and Premier team are based at the beautiful Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn, Maine. 

Norway Savings Bank Arena (NSBA) is owned by the City of Auburn and is operated by the Department of Recreation and Sports Tourism. Built in 2013, NSBA is Maine’s first and only dual surface ice arena. NSBA is open year-round for hockey and is home to youth, high school, junior and college hockey programs. It also serves as an entertainment venue, hosting concerts, trade shows, expos and more. For more information, visit www.norwaysavingsbankarena.com

Maine Event Comedy presents the hilarious Johnny Ater at Craft Brew Underground, Friday, November 1 at 8 p.m. The show will also feature Jonathan Tillson, Chris Kinback, and Chris Fritz.

Whether he’s taking light-hearted swipes at himself and his fellow Mainers, or contorting his face into hilarious characters, Ater has left audiences laughing throughout New England and beyond since 2003. He’s performed at the Punchline in San Francisco, headlined the Maine Comedy Festival, and recently provided voice-over work for an Agren Appliance television campaign.

Tillson grew up just outside of Boston where he quickly developed an aversion to social norms and mainstream traditions. He tackles topics from the mundane to the absurd with dark twists and aloof charm. He’s performed at the Orpheum Theater, Comix at Mohegan Sun, and has worked with national headliners including Nick Dipaolo and Bobcat Goldthwait.

South Boston’s Kinback uses dry wit and deadpan delivery to make you laugh at subjects you never thought possible. He performs regularly at Laugh Boston and Nick’s Comedy Stop.

Portland’s Fritz performs throughout Maine and recently advanced to the semifinals in The Tightest Five contest.

The show is for ages 21-and-older; admission is pay-what-you-can. Craft Brew Underground is located at 34 Court Street in Auburn. It was voted the No. 1 Craft Beer Bar in Maine and offers more than 200 choices of craft beer, cider, and wine. For more information call/text (207) 513-0742 or email maineeventcomedy@gmail.com.

The annual Saint Dominic Academy Holiday Festival will be held on the Auburn campus of the school, located at 121 Gracelawn Avenue, on Saturday, November 2, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The festival will include over 80 local artisans and vendors, a bake sale, children’s games, raffles, and the opportunity to visit Santa. A festival kitchen will be open for breakfast and lunch and will feature lobster rolls and chicken pot pie. For more information, call the academy at (207) 782-6911.

The Holiday Festival at St. Dom’s is one of nearly 50 Christmas fairs and festivals scheduled for Maine parishes and schools in the coming months. These gatherings are wonderful opportunities to join with other members of the community as we prepare for Advent and Christmas, and they are valuable fundraisers that help support many ministries.

To view a list of Christmas fairs in the Diocese of Portland, visit www.portlanddiocese.org/christmas-fairs-2019.

The abuse of vulnerable Maine people, especially older citizens, is an insidious problem. Every year, more than 33,000 Maine people over the age of sixty are reportedly abused or exploited. Every year, between $10.5 million and $64 million in savings and assets are stolen from older Maine people through financial exploitation. Far too often, older citizens are alone and isolated, and they depend on only one or two people, sometimes family members, for their well-being and they are hesitant to ask for help. 

Elder abuse has no home in Maine. Eradicating abuse requires state government, law enforcement, aging organizations and financial professionals to work together to protect our seniors.

When I was District Attorney and later as Attorney General, I prosecuted many crimes against older Maine people and, in 2014, I convened a Task Force to combat financial exploitation of seniors. We made changes to judicial case management, to staffing, and to specialized training for law enforcement to ferret out abuse and investigate it in a streamlined fashion. And earlier this year, I signed into law “An Act to Protect Vulnerable Adults from Financial Exploitation,” which requires certain professionals who suspect financial exploitation to report those concerns to the Office of Securities and to Adult Protective Services. 

These were all important steps, but I think we can do more to help protect Maine people and especially Maine seniors. We need to have a multi-agency, multi-sector response—get rid of the silos in communications—to keep older Maine people safe from abuse, neglect and all forms of exploitation. That’s why this week, I established by Executive Order the Elder Justice Coordinating Partnership.

That Partnership brings together many people and it’s the brainchild of Legal Services for the Elderly, the Elder Abuse Institute, the Long Term Care Ombudsman, the Maine Association of Area Agencies on Aging, the Coalition Against Sexual Assault, the Coalition to End Domestic Violence and it’s got support from the John T. Gorman Foundation. This is not going to cost public tax dollars, but this Partnership is important because it’s going to be formed of state agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Public Safety and the Maine State Police and statewide organizations and nonprofits. They are going to develop the “Elder Justice Roadmap” in the coming months.

I look forward to the work of this Elder Justice Coordinating Partnership and, in the meantime, I look forward to strengthening our processes and actions and strengthening law enforcement—right now, the Department of the Attorney General is hiring a specialist in their investigations division to help train local police officers to ferret out financial exploitation. So, we’re doing everything we can, we’re not going to stop, until we put an end to elder abuse and neglect and financial exploitation.

U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the Chairman of the Housing Appropriations Subcommittee, joined U.S. Housing and Urban Development New England Regional Administrator David Tille in recognizing Biddeford Mayor Alan Casavant and Lewiston Mayor Kristen Cloutier for signing onto the Mayor’s Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness.

 “Veterans have sacrificed so much to protect our freedoms. We must provide these courageous men and women with the benefits and resources they have earned through their service,” said Senator Collins. “I am proud of Mayor Casavant and Mayor Cloutier for committing to end veteran homelessness in their communities. We must continue building on the progress we have made. To ensure that in the land of the free, there will always be a home for the brave.”

 “Homelessness in Maine is a growing problem because the new economy in which we live does not benefit all of our citizens,” said Biddeford Mayor Casavant. “Working families, because of rising housing costs, particularly in southern Maine, are forced onto the streets because of rental increases. Veterans are also falling victim to the economic pressures of housing, and this is unacceptable. It is important that we, as a state, do what we can to end homelessness among our veterans. Provide the necessary support systems, and ensure that homelessness among our veterans is eliminated. Veteran Homelessness is something that we should not see in America, and we must do what we can to ensure decent, safe housing for all.”

 The Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness is a call to action. For all mayors and other state and local leaders to publicly commit to making sure that every veteran has a home. To be recognized for this achievement, communities must meet the requirements laid out in the federal Criteria and Benchmarks for Ending Veteran Homelessness. These are intended to help districts lower the number of veterans experiencing homelessness to as close to zero as possible while building systems that support long-term, lasting solutions.

 Other participating communities in Maine include Portland, Westbrook, Auburn, Brewer, Bangor, and Augusta. Last month, the Appropriations Committee advancedSenator Collins’ fiscal year 2020 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding bill. The funding includes $40 million for new HUD-VASH vouchers to reduce veterans’ homelessness. Since the HUD-VASH program, established in 2008, Maine has received 238 vouchers to support homeless veterans. Senator Collins’ efforts have contributed to homelessness among veterans declining by 49 percent since 2010. In April, Senator Collins hosted Secretary Wilkie in Maineto visit a veteran-owned small business. Participate in the groundbreaking for a new veterans residential care facility, and tour an organization that provides housing for homeless veterans. 

The National Literacy Directory recently selected four programs across the nation to receive Innovation Grants to attend the upcoming Families Learning Conference (November 4-6) in Louisville, KY. 

Razell Ward, from Maine School Administrative District (MSAD) 52, will be attending the Families Learning Conference. MSAD 52 located in rural Western Maine, where transportation barriers can be a challenge to adult learners. Razell is excited to learn innovative strategies for addressing these transportation barriers, as well as methods to better incorporate family literacy and community collaboration in MSAD 52’s established adult education program.

National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) works to eradicate poverty through education solutions involving families. Partnering with educators, literacy advocates, and policymakers, NCFL develops and provides programming, professional development, and resources that empower and raise families to achieve their potential. This intensive grassroots family learning effort, with more than 140 community partners across 38 states and Washington, DC, impacts thousands of families each year. NCFL Partners with Toyota, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Kellogg Foundation, Dollar General Literacy Foundation, Better World Books, PNC, and the Goodling Institute from Penn State University. The Center is celebrating 30 years of providing high-quality literacy services, resources, and research. 

Ms. Ward looks forward to collaborating with educators at the conference. She plans to incorporate the new information she learns at her program in Turner, as well as share new solutions with her Adult Education partners. For more information on MSAD 52 Adult Education programs and offerings, please call 207-225-1010.

The Lewiston High School expansion project is a plan for the entire community. While teenage students always will be the primary focus, the goal is to have space which can be used by Adult Education and the community-at-large.

Given the expansion’s location, with a new, more secure entrance and lobby, the nearby rooms will be convenient for use by residents of all ages. Since purposeful consideration will be to display students’ art, this addition will provide a friendly atmosphere for all Lewiston citizens.

Lewiston’s Adult Education program is a vital part of our community. Providing instruction in professional studies and general education diploma (GED) preparation, and help to hone personal hobby interests. These traditionally after-school programs will be able to utilize the new area to improve the way the school community and the residents’ interface.

“Lewiston Adult Education (LAE) has been part of the Lewiston High School campus since it opened,” states Director Bill Grant. “LAE has leveraged LHS to provide life-long learning to the community. Community members have especially enjoyed enrichment opportunities within the arts, which include activities like music, painting, and stained glass.” He continues, “The opportunity to expand LHS and bring our art department to the front entrance will provide better accessibility for our community. LAE will also enjoy having additional classroom space near the entrance, to offer academic and workforce programming within proximity to our office. The project will provide a more welcoming and accessible environment for our community of life-long learners. It will also reflect and celebrate the cultural diversity of [Lewiston] through the arts,” he asserts.

The expansion would genuinely be a multi-function addition. Seeking to meet the needs of students, teenage and adult, and gives Lewiston another reason to be proud of its heritage, a commitment to a bright future.

The Auburn Public Library is excited to present actor Stephen Collins in a one-man performance featuring classic songs and plays from the golden age of the American Theater. This free program will take place on Thursday, November 21st, at 6:30 P.M. in the Androscoggin Community Room.

The thirties through the fifties represent a significant period of American Theatrical History. The influence of and reaction to the Great Depression is evident in the work of William Saroyan. The forties saw the talent of three great playwrights emerge who dominated the theater, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, and Eugene O’Neil.

All three examine dysfunctional families, and the American dream gone awry. In 1954, N. Richard Nash’s play The Rainmaker opened at the Cory Theater in New York City. The character Starbuck charms audiences with his brand of con and hucksterism.

Collins performs monologues from these and other playwrights. Collins may even sing a Cole Porter and George Gershwin tune to round off the evening. More information on Collins visit the website provided http://unlaunchedvoices.com.

Last week I led the largest delegation ever from the State of Maine to the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik.

Whywere we in Iceland you might ask?

Well Maine’s delegation traveled to Iceland this year as it has many times before to certainly renew and reinforce trade relationships with the North Atlantic, that are fortified now by expanding shipping routes, and to encourage exchanges of business, academic, and research information between Maine and North Atlantic countries.

You know Eimskip, the oldest shipping company in Iceland, helped us transform an old facility in the Portland, Maine waterfront into a bustling port, linking our state to worldwide markets.

As a result, trade between Iceland and Maine increased more than four thousand percent over one two-year period as east coast businesses found new opportunities along the Green Line shipping route.

Next year, Eimskip will directly connect Maine to Greenland, expanding opportunities for trade and collaboration between our people in unprecedented ways.

This sea route, forged by the explorers of our past and merchants of the present, is a reminder of how regions can work together in the pursuit of a prosperous future.

Maine is poised to become the hub, the eastern gateway to the Arctic, a region whose allure we have shared since Portland explorer Robert Peary set foot on the North Pole in 1909.

Maine is bathed by the same north Atlantic waters, the same rising, warming waves that lap the shores of Iceland, but it is more than ocean waters that draws us together. 

It is more than the cultural and economic currents of our shared fisheries, our academic institutions, or even our trade in broccoli, mint chocolate, potatoes, lobsters, lumber, blueberries and beer — a lot more than that.

I realized that when I learned that the Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the world’s ocean bodies. And then when I heard from our fishermen that lobsters are moving north and eastward into colder waters; and when I saw a devastating breed of insects, tics, migrating from warmer climates, and attacking and killing the moose in Maine. 

I knew then we have a lot to talk about with our north Atlantic neighbors. 

We need to talk about a world where we can accept science without polemic, where we work in a solid front, with a common goal, with sometimes uncommon means, to mitigate well-known dangerous effects of greenhouse gas emissions in this common purpose and goal — attacking climate change, on our natural resources, on our economy and on the health and survival of our citizenry.

Our Administration is committed to fighting climate change and mitigating its effects.

In just nine months, we have enacted significant standards for renewable energy in Maine. We are investing in clean energy and conservation, electric vehicles and energy efficiency and community resiliency. We support sequestration of carbon in our soil and forests through sustainable forestry practices.  

While in Iceland I signed an agreement with the Prime Minister of Finland for us to share forest research, product development, and sustainability practices in the face of a changing climate.

Both Maine and Finland depend so much on our forests, I know we can learn from Finland, and I think that Finland can learn from us.

We also now have a Climate Council in Maine to determine what we have to do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. 

This year, Maine also joined the bipartisan “U.S. Climate Alliance,” the coalition that is determined to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. 

A few weeks ago, I stood before the United Nations General Assembly and promised the world that Maine will be carbon neutral by 2045. And we are taking steps every day to get there.

At the same time, we will be expanding our economy, attracting young people to our state, and encouraging young people to stay with good-paying new green collar jobs.

Maine is small, but Maine is fiercely determined. In Iceland they like to say there are no problems, only solutions.

Iceland’s Prime Minister says “It can be an advantage to be small. You can do things bigger and faster. You can actually change everything in a short amount of time.” Well, we know that too.As a state which has also changed a lot in a short amount of time, Maine knows firsthand that we cannot — and are not — waiting for others to lead.