LEWISTON, ME (June 23, 2023) — On  Thursday, July 6, at 11 AM at Kennedy Park, 120 Park Street, Lewiston, Maine, The City of Lewiston and Hugh Lassen, Sculptural Artist, will unveil Lassen’s work of art.

This striking sculpture is the final installation of the Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant award. Funding from the planning grant was used to begin implementing aspects of the Choice Neighborhood transformation plan. The artwork funded was identified by residents as important projects to begin transforming the Tree Street neighborhood. After resident input, Lassen created the abstract piece by combining nature with a human figure reaching into the sky. All are invited to attend the unveiling.

LEWISTON, ME (June 23, 2023) — Join us at the Lewiston Public Library for a beekeeping presentation by The Honey Exchange on July 19th at 5:30PM in Callahan Hall.

In addition to the presentation on behavior and contribution of honeybees, The Honey Exchange will be showcasing a traveling observation hive. There will be a honey tasting at the end of the presentation.

Phil Gaven and his wife, Meghan, own and operate The Honey Exchange in Portland, Maine. Phil teaches Beginner Beekeeping from January to April, then provides advice and support for beekeepers throughout southern Maine the rest of the year. Phil is a certified Master Beekeeper by the Eastern Apicultural Society. He currently maintains a dozen colonies in various locations and lives in South Portland with lots and lots of bees.

This presentation is free, for all ages, open to the public, and no registration is required.

The Lewiston Public Library is located downtown at 200 Lisbon Street at the corner of Pine Street. More information on this program is available by contacting the Lewiston Public Library at 513-3133 or LPLKids@lewistonmaine.gov.

AUGUSTA, ME (June 23, 2023) — On Wednesday, June 21, Sen. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, and other members of the Legislature welcomed Stephanie Tuffour, an honor student from Lewiston High School, and her mother, Diana Marfo.

“Hosting these honor roll students reminds me why I chose to serve in the Senate,” said Sen. Rotundo. “It was wonderful to meet Stephanie and Diana. The Legislature is finishing its work for this year, but I hope to see many more students from Lewiston next year!”

Honorary pages are invited to perform duties such as delivering messages to Senators and distributing amendments and supplements in the Chamber under the supervision of the Sergeant-at-Arms and other chamber staff. Those wishing to sign up as Honorary Pages should contact Alex Ferguson in the Senate Secretary’s office at Alex.Ferguson@legislature.maine.gov or 207-287-1540.

Sen. Peggy Rotundo, Stephanie Tuffour and Diana Marfo in the Senate Chamber.

WATERVILLE, ME (June 23, 2023) — Waterville Opera House is delighted to announce the eighth consecutive year of Waterville Rocks, a series of four free family-friendly outdoor concerts with music ranging from folk and Americana to rock and soul. This year’s lineup will include The Weight Band with Chris Ross, Dustbowl Revival, Will Evans Trio, and Griffin William Sherry, all at downtown Waterville’s Head of Falls.

“We are thrilled to bring free live music to our community again this year!” said Michelle Sweet, executive director of the Waterville Opera House. “Waterville Rocks attendance has steadily grown with each passing year since 2016, and we’re hoping the bands joining us this year will bring out the greatest crowds yet. We’ve booked bands across the musical genre spectrum, and there is sure to be something for everyone. As always, endless thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us continue this summer tradition.”

The first Waterville Rocks concert, scheduled for Friday, July 7, will be held in tandem with Opening Night of the 26th annual Maine International Film Festival and will feature The Weight Band with Chris Ross. Presenting a dynamic set of classic Americana that draws upon roadhouse rock, funky swamp pop, blues, country soul, and folk music, The Weight Band originated in 2013 inside the famed Woodstock barn of Levon Helm in an effort to carry on the musical legacy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group The Band. Joining them is singer-songwriter Chris Ross, who spent a decade tucked away on the coast of Maine developing music much like Maine itself: humble yet dramatic, severe yet sweet, cold and resonant with a nearby fire throwing heat. 

The second concert in the series is scheduled for Friday, July 21, and includes a performance by Dustbowl Revival, an always evolving group of string and brass players who push the boundaries of what American roots music can be. After spending years on the road, selling out hometown shows at LA’s famed Troubadour, headlining festivals, and wowing crowds from Denmark to China, Dustbowl Revival is bringing their joyful, booty-shaking soul songs and cut-to-the-heart folk-rock ballads to Central Maine. 

Will Evans Trio will headline the third concert scheduled for Friday, July 28. Hailing from the Atlantic coastline of Rhode Island, Evans spent the last decade as the frontman for the New England-based roots rock outfit Barefoot Truth. Showcasing his skills as a multi-instrumentalist, Evans displays technical mastery of live-looping in his shows that include the didgeridoo, hand pan drum, percussive beatboxing, acoustic guitar, and layers of soulful vocals.

Griffin William Sherry will perform on Friday, Aug. 4 for the final concert. In 2011, Sherry co-founded the independent band The Ghost of Paul Revere, capturing the hearts and minds of countless fans with a series of acclaimed releases and sold-out shows everywhere. In 2019, his song “The Ballad of the 20th Maine” became the official Maine State Ballad, securing The Ghost of Paul Revere’s place in Maine music history. Living somewhere in-between modern catharsis and American myth, Sherry continues to grow strong roots in the ever-evolving genres of folk, Americana, and rock & roll.

Waterville Rocks is presented by Waterville Creates and the Waterville Opera House and made possible by the generous sponsorship of the following businesses and organizations: City of Waterville, Colby College, MIFF 26, Camden National Bank, Central Maine Chevy, and The Proper Pig.

Music starts at 7 p.m., with a beer garden and food truck by The Proper Pig opening at 6 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs for their enjoyment. In the event of rain, Waterville Rocks concerts will be performed inside the Waterville Opera House.

AUBURN, ME (June 16, 2023) — The Auburn Public Library, in partnership with Be the Influence Coalition and other community resource partners, is pleased to present a screening of Compassion Cures. This 30-minute documentary features collective voices and original music which addresses overcoming stigma related to mental health and substance misuse disorder. It also provides resources on helping, in a compassionate way, those who are affected.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Tri County Mental Health and Healthy Androscoggin, and there will be a resource table available at the event. It is a great opportunity to learn about community efforts to address mental health and substance misuse. The screening will take place on Tuesday, June 27, in the Androscoggin Community Room starting at 5 p.m.

This program is part of Auburn Public Library’s summer reading program and pairs with the statewide summer Read ME program, which is sponsored by the Maine Humanities Council, the Maine State Library, and the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance. This summer’s selected books are Lungfish by Meghan Gilliss and Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty. Both books, although fictional in nature, touch upon family life, survival, and perseverance, while Lungfish specifically addresses poverty, addiction and substance misuse.

For information about the book discussions at APL on July 6 (Lungfish) and August 10 (Night of the Living Rez), contact the Reference Desk at 207-333-6640, ext. 4. For more information about Read ME, visit the Maine Humanities Council’s website at mainehumanities.org.

LISBON, ME (June 16, 2023) — Every June, more than 40,000 hams throughout North America set up temporary transmitting stations in public places to demonstrate ham radio’s science, skill and service to our communities and our nation. It combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills all in a single event. Field Day has been an annual event since 1933, and remains the most popular event in ham radio.

The Androscoggin Amateur Radio Club will be participating in an Annual ARRL Field Day event on Saturday June 24th beginning at 2PM through Sunday June 25th at 12:00PM at the Beaver Park Pavilion in Lisbon Maine.

Field Day is an open house and open to the public.  We would like to invite the public to come throughout the weekend and see what Amateur Radio is all about and get a chance to get on the air.  Field Day is the biggest event planned for the Amateur Radio community. 

Event Details:  Androscoggin Amateur Radio Club Field Day

Location:  Beaver Park – 37 Cotton Road, Lisbon, ME

Times:  6/24 @ 2PM through 6/25 @ 12PM

Club Info:  W1NPP.org

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/groups/w1npp

AUBURN, MAINE (June 16, 2023) – The City of Auburn is delighted to announce the 2023 line-up of talented local musicians who will bring music and fun to the city’s downtown this summer. This year’s performers include: • June 27: Michael Krapovicky • July 11: Brian Patricks, Maine Blues & Folk Artist • July 18: Jud Caswell • July 25: Acoustic Sunshine • August 8: Shanna Underwood Duo • August 15: Paddy Mills • August 22: Carole Wise Music

These free, family-friendly concerts will begin next week on Tuesday, June 20 and will be held in Festival Plaza on Main Street in the heart of beautiful downtown Auburn. Performances will be from 6:00 to 7:30PM for FREE.

Local non-profits will have concessions available for purchase during each show. No concerts will be held on Tuesday, July 4, which is when the Liberty Festival is held, or on Tuesday, August 1, when the Auburn Police Department will host their annual “National Night Out” event.

The city is also pleased to welcome the Auburn Community Concert Band back to Festival Plaza on Wednesday evenings at 7:00PM beginning on June 28. This will be the band’s 42nd season of bringing free, live music to Auburn.

“We’re excited to have live music back in Festival Plaza this summer on Tuesday and Wednesday nights,” said Jennifer Boenig, Downtown Coordinator for the City of Auburn. “There’s nothing better than enjoying live music outside on a summer evening. Bring your chair and listen to the music or even take a walk along the Riverwalk.”

LEWISTON, ME (June 16, 2023) – “We’re hoping to bring the people of Lewiston a quick and healthy lunch option Tuesday – Saturday,” said Bronwyn Knight, owner of The Lunch Table, 884 Lisbon Street. The menu features soups, salads, sandwiches/paninis, and crepes and will be open 10 AM – 3 PM. 

The City of Lewiston is pleased to announce that a grand opening was held on Friday, June 16. 

As a new restaurant owner, Knight brings eight years of experience in the food industry, to include being a Green Ladle sous chef, manager at Panera Bread, and working at Fish Bones Grill, DaVinci’s, and in various other roles.  

“Owning a little restaurant like this is something I have always wanted to do, so I couldn’t be more excited,” said Knight.  As a new mom, she said the 10 am – 3 pm restaurant hours will give her time flexibility, “not to mention I love food, so it’s a win win!” 

Goals for the restaurant’s future include a food subscription membership. She also plans to transition to as many compostable products as possible, as well as make sustainable choices utilizing as many local suppliers as she can. 

Knight is glad to be back in Lewiston, having grown up on a little farm on the city’s outskirts. She moved several times but is happy to be closing on a new home in Lewiston shortly.

AUGUSTA, ME (June 9, 2023) — On Tuesday, June 6, Sen. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, and other members of the Legislature welcomed staff members from Recovery Connections of Maine to present them with a legislative sentiment for receiving a Spirit of America Foundation Award.

“Now more than ever, with two Mainers per day succumbing to opioid addiction, we need to shine a spotlight on the good people who work hard to turn these numbers around,” said Sen. Rotundo. “Maine Recovery Connections treats patients with respect and understanding, getting to know them in order to prescribe the best method of treatment. I am proud of them for representing Lewiston in the very best light and grateful for their important work.”

Recovery Connections of Maine employs a holistic approach to treating addiction. Services include assessments, intensive outpatient care, individual and group counseling and even driver education. Attending the Senate session on Tuesday were Founder and CEO Jeremy Hiltz,  Co-Founder and Director of Administration Brandy Hiltz and Residential Program Manager Michael Connors.

A legislative sentiment acknowledges and recognizes academic, athletic, civic, professional or service-related accomplishments. It is approved by the full Legislature and signed by the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House, Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House.

Sen. Peggy Rotundo, Brandy Hiltz, Jeremy Hiltz and Michael Connors in the Senate Chamber.

LEWISTON, ME (June 9, 2023) – After several months of public dialogue, the City of Lewiston announced today it has completed an extensive update to its zoning ordinances. The upgraded ordinances reflect a fresh approach to zoning ordinances that have largely gone untouched for decades. The amended ordinances are now more efficient, user-friendly and clear — helping to pave the way for developers, businesses, and homeowners. Every ward in Lewiston will benefit from these new zoning ordinance improvements. 

“By updating our current zoning ordinances, we are working to remove obstacles to economic development and create more housing attainability,” said Lewiston City Councilor Rick LaChapelle, Ward 4. “Before adopting these zoning improvements, many requirements not only hindered development but also, some may argue, actively worked against it.”

 “Updating the city’s zoning has been a top priority of this City Council,” said City Administrator Heather Hunter. “I applaud the Planning staff as they jumped through hoops and literally scoured through thousands of detailed changes and dozens of substantive changes to bring our outdated zoning ordinances up-to-date.”

 “Our objective is to foster and support reform of inefficient and outdated ordinance language,” said Shelley Norton, Lewiston City Planner. “With these changes, ordinances are more reflective of today’s environment. Many of the current zoning provisions were adopted in the late 1980’s. Zoning and land use practices have since evolved and so should the ordinances to help the city continue moving forward.” City Planning and Code Enforcement staff have worked aggressively over the last 12 months to make these sweeping changes and City Council approved the changes over a period of months, the most recent will take effect on June 16. 

These changes allow for a greater mix of commercial use, encourage more housing and gearing up for upcoming changes to state housing laws. As the second largest city in Maine, Lewiston’s former ordinances did not put the city in a position to grow. Yet, with the new ordinances, the city addresses a wide range of topics from parking requirements to redefining accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to housing density to rezoning the three main commercial arterials, Sabattus Street, Lisbon Street and Main Street, to increase business and housing opportunities: 

The city has modified the zoning of nearly 375 properties within Sabattus Street, Lisbon Street and Main Street corridors. These modifications include increasing the depth of commercial zoning districts, reducing setbacks providing more space for development to occur on properties, and providing more opportunities for multi-family development.

Additionally, in these three corridors, the highway business zone now permits multi-family development. This has been done to increase housing supply, make more efficient use of the land, enhance neighborhood and urban vitality, and improve access to amenities. 

Within the greater downtown area, where properties are closer to public transportation, sidewalks, and municipal parking facilities, parking standards have been significantly reduced providing more opportunity for lots to be developed and redeveloped; for example, new commercial businesses will likely not have to provide parking on site in much of the downtown. 

In some neighborhoods, the city now permits small retail stores and food establishments to increase neighborhood vibrancy and quality of life. 

Previously the city required open space and passive recreational areas in the downtown, however given the downtown development pattern this is difficult and cost prohibitive. Additionally, how and where people recreate has changed over the years. Zoning updates provide for creative recreation solutions more likely to use in the downtown, such as indoor recreation spaces, balconies, and rooftop decks.  

Recognizing that the cost to build a city accepted street is expensive, private right-of-way provisions have been developed where backlot development for up to six residential lots or two non-residential lots may now occur. This option provides more opportunities for development at a cost significantly less than that of a city accepted street. 

Previous regulations dictated permits for storage and tool sheds. Now, the city no longer requires building permits for residential one-story detached accessory structures under 200 square feet and commercial one-story detached accessory structures under 120 square feet. For the homeowner who wants a small tool shed, a city permit is no longer required.

 In many older, developed neighborhoods, the established building setbacks did not conform to the current zoning setback requirements, which restricted the ability of property owners to expand or add structures like decks. Instead of requiring new or redeveloped structures in these neighborhoods to comply with the standard setbacks, existing structures that do not meet the setbacks are permitted to be expanded, provided that the existing conditions are not worsened. 

About 13 percent of Americans have backyard chickens and 100,000 Americans keep bees. Now, more Lewiston homeowners will have the opportunity for keeping bees and chickens with reductions in setbacks for bees and lot sizes for chicken keeping, while maintaining some restrictions to help address concerns of neighbors. 

According to the US Small Business Association, 50 percent of all small businesses begin at home. Lewiston has expanded its home occupation rules in recognition that the work environment has changed. More types of businesses may be started in the home, however permits and rules may still apply to preserve residential neighborhoods. 

Part of the expansions now allow one employee to work at a home business further supporting economic growth and job opportunities within the community. As such, the city has altered zoning rules related to home occupations to provide more opportunities for home business and entrepreneurs to operate in residential areas. For example, the city now permits if the home business has an employee; operates where the public comes on-site and which manages one client at a time by appointment only, even allowing uses like farm stands, small engine repair, automotive detailing; woodworking shops; food sales handling, or processing while insuring a process remains to consider possible impacts to neighbors.

 The city’s new Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) language not only helps ease the housing crunch but also provides opportunity for additional income and expands greater flexibility to homeowners. Previously, ADUs had to be attached to the home and occupied by a family member, but with these updates, ADUs can also be detached from the primary structure and may be rented out also offering an option for the home owner to gain rental income.

“With the support of the Planning Board and City Council, the city has adopted many changes consistent with the Comprehensive Plan – Legacy Lewiston, the Riverfront Island Master Plan and its recent update, and the Choice Neighborhood Transformation Plan-Growing Our Tree Streets. The amendments were needed as zoning and land use practices have evolved, as well as changing economic and development approaches. With more changes to come, these initiatives will help Lewiston progress and grow in a sustainable and meaningful direction” said Director of Planning and Code Enforcement David Hediger. 

For more about the zoning modifications, visit www.lewistonmaine.gov/planningandcode or contact the City’s Planning and Code Enforcement Department at (207) 513-3125.