LEWISTON, ME (July 7, 2023) — Visit the two-day Riverfest at beautiful Simard-Payne Park in Lewiston, Maine! Rowing, food trucks, music, craft beers, local artisans, activities for the kids, and plenty of room to enjoy the great outdoors! For more information, check out https://lewistonrowing.com/riverfest-regatta

Schedule of Activities

Friday, July 14^th (all activities in Simard-Payne Park)

9 AM – 3 PM  Uplift LA Kickball Tournament

10 AM – 5 PM  Franco Center Open House

11 AM – 7 PM  Food Truck Festival

11 AM – 6 PM  Shop Local Market

11 AM – 8 PM  Beer Garden

11 AM – Dusk  Canoe Rentals

Noon – 6 PM Regatta Competitor Registration & Parking

4 PM – 9 PM  Live Music

Saturday, July 15th

8 AM – 12 PM  RiverFest Regatta Races, Simard-Payne

10 AM – 5 PM  Franco Center Open House

12 PM – 3 PM  Waterfront Activities

8 AM – 3 PM  Shop Local Market

11 AM – 3 PM  Food Trucks, Simard-Payne

11 AM – 3 PM  Beer Garden

12 PM – Dusk  Canoe Rentals

1 PM – 2 PM  Community Floatilla

1500-Meter Stake Race Course

LEWISTON, ME (July 7, 2023) — The Woman’s Hospital Association (WHA) Rotating Art Gallery at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston is proud to display the paintings of Sandra Pealer and Michael Everett during the month of July.

Pealer, who delights in the medium of watercolor, and loves the way that watercolor depicts light, shadow and mystery, paints from her studio in South Paris. She has painted from home studios in Maine, Vermont, Lake Placid, New York, and West Virginia for over 30 years. Sandra has earned signature status in the Philadelphia, West Virginia, North East and Vermont Watercolor Societies.

A sustaining member of the American and National Watercolor Societies, her work can be found in collections throughout the United States and Canada. Featured in Watercolor Artist Magazine as “One of the Best Watermedia Paintings of 2020, her painting “Artist at Rest” was showcased in the February 2021 issue.

Her paintings may be seen at Birds of a Feather Gallery in Rangeley, Maine, River Arts Gallery, Damariscotta, Maine and Main Street Gallery, Norway, Maine among other venues.

Everett took up oil painting to capture his impressions of remote and wild places of northern Maine. Many of his paintings are scenes from the Allagash and Saint John Rivers. As his interest and skill have progressed, he has become more intrigued with the simple enjoyment of painting, especially in seeking vitality in his use of color. He paints (mostly) landscapes of (mostly) familiar places, and often can be found painting outdoors in his North Auburn neighborhood.

He a member of the Western Maine Art Group and a frequent exhibitor at its Matolcsy Art Center in Norway. He also maintains a website – michaeleverett-artist.com – where he displays his work and occasionally blogs about art.

The works on display may be purchased through the WHA Gift Shop located adjacent to the main lobby at Central Maine Medical Center. A percentage of sale proceeds benefits patients of CMMC.

“Winter Morning” by Michael Everett

“Lupines” by Sandra Pealer

AUGUSTA, ME (June 30, 2023) — On Thursday, June 22, Gov. Janet Mills signed into law a bill from Sen. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, into law. LD 1473, “An Act to Protect Certain Unfiltered Drinking Water Sources,” will help protect Lake Auburn from high density development that could jeopardize water quality.

 “This law will help protect Lake Auburn, a highly sensitive ecological system, from development, and study how to protect similar watersheds,” said Sen. Rotundo. “This is an enormous relief for the people who get their drinking water from Lake Auburn. I strongly believe we can develop much-needed affordable housing in the Lewiston/Auburn area while protecting our valuable natural resources.”

 As amended, LD 1473 will create protections for Lake Auburn by exempting it from the additional development allowances granted through legislation passed in the 130th Legislature to promote affordable housing. This high-density development could jeopardize water quality as well as Lake Auburn’s federal Environmental Protection Agency filtration waiver and the water rate savings that come with having the waiver. The bill also mandates a report, due to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources on January 15, 2024, to study state laws designed to protect watersheds that are used to provide drinking water and identify ways to strengthen those laws.

 Of the 40 bodies of water in the United States with federal filtration waivers, ten are in Maine. In addition to Lake Auburn, they are: Sebago Lake, Sebago Lake-East, Eagle Lake, Floods Pond, Hatcase Pond, Little Pond, Lower Hadlock Pond, ]ordan Pond, and Aroostook River/Arnold Lake Brook. 

The bill will go into effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns sine die.

LEWISTON, ME (June 30, 2023) — Androscoggin Home Healthcare & Hospice is pleased to announce the appointment of Carol Weir, RN, MSN, MBA, as its new Chief Clinical Officer. Following an extensive national search, Carol began her tenure at Androscoggin on June 26.

The selection committee, comprised of over forty individuals, was highly impressed by Carol’s qualifications and her alignment with Androscoggin’s values.

Ken Albert, President & Chief Executive Officer of Androscoggin, expressed his excitement about Carol joining the organization, stating, “Carol is an experienced health care executive whose heart has never left the patient’s home or bedside. She is known as a visionary leader who uses data and creative innovation to solve the challenges facing health care providers. I also find her to be a warm, respectful, and kind person with a great sense of humor: a winning combination.”

LEWISTON, ME (June 30, 2023) — Central Maine Healthcare (CMH) recently celebrated its one thousandth procedure using the da Vinci surgical robot.

The da Vinci is a state-of-the-art surgical robot used in minimally invasive procedures, such as gynecological and inflammatory bowel syndrome operations, as well as in weight loss surgery. It includes an advanced set of instruments and a 3D, high-definition view of the surgical area.

Investing in the da Vinci is one of many steps CMH has taken to ensure patients have access to the latest technology that reduces the chance of post-surgical complications and allows for faster recovery. 

“The entire surgical team here at CMH and I are very proud to have reached this milestone,” said Crystal Alvarez, DO, medical director of Central Maine Bariatrics. 

“Having the da Vinci robot has been a game-changer for doctors here, but more importantly for our patients, because it enables us to provide a consistent level of surgical skill. It’s all part of our commitment to exceptional healthcare for our community.”

 Christopher Foote, MD, with members of the Central Maine Healthcare surgical team

LEWISTON, ME (June 30, 2023) —The popular summer concert series at the Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul, located on 122 Ash Street in Lewiston returns on Wednesdays with concerts being held through August 16 from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. The performances are free and open to the public, but donations to help with the preservation of the historic Casavant organ, celebrating its 85th birthday, will be gratefully accepted. Here is the schedule, including several evening concerts. 

Afternoon Concerts

July 5 Mark Thallander and Scott Vaillancourt

Vaillancourt is director of music at the Basilica of Saints Peter & Paul. Thallander is a teacher, arranger, composer, author, and freelance organist. He is also the president of the president of the National Children’s Chorus. He has produced numerous recordings and many of his organ and choral arrangements have been published by the Fred Bock Music Company.

July 12 Cameron Cody

Cameron “Cam” Cody is an internationally recognized concert artist, conductor, and organist. A native of Warner Robins, Georgia, Cam began piano studies at the age of 3. Cameron currently serves as Director of Music and Principal Organist at Chapelwood United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas. Cam has a large online social media following where he frequently performs for thousands of music lovers worldwide keeping the great hymns of the church alive. 

July 19 Hayden Vaughn

Hayden is currently an undergraduate student at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in music (organ primary). At Drury University, he also acts as the primary organist for Drury Stone Chapel. He is a section leader, student conductor, and student accompanist in Drury’s Choral Studies program.

Hayden has been providing church music since he was 12 years old and has served as a musician in Baptist, Catholic, Disciples of Christ, Episcopal, United Church of Christ, and United Methodist churches, along with several other churches of varying or no affiliation.

July 26 Harold Stover

Stover is a graduate of the Juilliard School in New York, and a charter member of the faculty of the Portland Conservatory of Music. His recital career spans more than 50 years and includes performances on most major New York recital series and at Westminster Abbey in London, the National Cathedral in Washington, Harvard and Princeton universities, and many other distinguished venues. He has been featured as performer, composer, and lecturer at regional and national conventions of the American Guild of Organists. 

August 2 Ray Cornils

Cornils was the municipal organist for the City of Portland from 1990 to 2017. He has performed throughout the U.S. and in Germany, France, Spain, Russia, New Zealand and Ecuador. He has been a featured recitalist for conventions of the American Guild of Organists and the Organ Historical Society. In addition to his solo work, he performs regularly with the Portland Symphony Orchestra.  

August 9 Hentus van Rooyen

Hentus van Rooyen is Assistant Professor of Music, Sacred Music Coordinator and College Organist at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas. In 2012, he was awarded the Scholarship for Overseas Study from the Southern-African Church Organists Association (SAKOV) and received a generous scholarship from the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust, which enabled him to begin his studies at the University of North Texas in September of that year. He served as an organist at Christ the King Catholic Church in Dallas. 

August 16 Randall Mullin

Mullin is a freelance musician who accompanies the choir of the Cathedral of St. Luke in Portland. He was also a featured performer with ChoralArt for “Grand Opera meets the Mighty Kotzschmar” in 2016 and for the Maurice Duruflé “Requiem” in 2019. He has played throughout the country with more recent recitals at Trinity Church in Boston, Methuen Memorial Music Hall in Methuen, Massachusetts, and Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.  

Evening Concerts *Begin at 7:30 p.m.*

 Friday, July 21 Mary-Katherine Fletcher

Mary-Katherine Fletcher is the director of music and organist at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Acushnet, Massachusetts, and serves as treasurer for the Southeastern Massachusetts chapter of the American Guild of Organists. A recent graduate, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Bridgewater State University. She will be pursuing a master’s degree in sacred music from Boston University, where she was awarded a Dean’s Fellowship. 

Wednesday, September 6 Deux Voix – organist Stephen Distad and trumpeter Justin Langham

Distad is a nationally recognized organist and church musician living in Houston, Texas, who has served as Minister of Music at First Baptist Church in Charleston, South Carolina, Director of Music at Christ United Methodist Church in Rochester, Minnesota, and Organist at First United Methodist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana. Stephen has performed in numerous notable and historical locations such as St. Thomas Episcopal in New York, St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, and Notre Dame in Paris. Justin Langham is a performer, composer, conductor, and teacher based in Houston, Texas. Langham earned a double bachelor’s degree in trumpet performance and composition from the University of Alabama, before moving to Houston in 2013 where he earned both his master’s in trumpet performance and doctorate in trumpet performance and conducting from the University of Houston. Dr. Langham is also an award-winning composer, whose music has been commissioned and performed across the United States and beyond in countries such as Italy, Japan, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.  

Friday, September 29 Daniel Brondel

Noted by The New York Times for playing the organ with flair, French-born musician Daniel Brondel is the Associate Director of Music at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, where he plays Masses each week that are streamed on the Internet and broadcast live on SiriusXM Satellite Radio. He is also the Associate Director of the Cathedral Choir, and he manages the organ recital series. He recently accompanied the Sistine Chapel Choir during their visit to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, and he has collaborated with famous opera stars, including Renée Fleming, Angela Gheorghiu, Michael Fabiano, Isabel Leonard, Matthew Polenzani, Susan Graham, James Valenti, Danielle de Niece, and Joyce DiDonato. Brondel won the First Prize at the 1996 Arthur Poister Competition. A native of southern France, Mr. Brondel has lived in the United States since 1988.