Peter Murphy (c.), named 2019 Auburn Citizen of the Year for his involvement in local volunteer organizations and his commitment to the community, recently visited the Maine State House, where he received a legislative sentiment and congratulations from the entire House of Representatives. He is pictured here with Auburn Representatives Bruce Bickford and Bettyann Sheats. 

A Community 5K Run-Walk in memory of Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Dennis P. Sampson will take place on Saturday, June 22 at Poland Spring Inn. The event will begin at 9 a.m. from a starting line in Preservation Park. Sign-ins will begin at 8:15 and Poland Spring Heritage Days events will follow at 10:00. 

Sampson passed away unexpectedly on May 5, 2018 while off-duty at his residence in Poland. Proceeds from this event will fund a scholarship to support a graduating Poland Regional High School student entering a first responder field, such as police, fire, rescue, and EMS. Sampson spent time working in local schools and occasionally provided opportunities for students to job shadow with him. 

The Challenge is a call to action for all mayors and other state and local leaders to publicly commit to making sure that every veteran who served America has a home in America. Pictured here with Mayor Jason Levesque (3^rdfrom l.) at Auburn City Hall are (l. to r.) Erin Kelly, Veterans Housing Services Program Manager, Preble Street Shelter; Robert Marcroft, Veteran Housing Services, Statewide Housing Liaison; David Tille, HUD New England Regional Administrator; and Clifford (Mike) Gray, Easter Seals Military and Veteran Services Care Coordinator.

Trek Across Maine and the American Lung Association have announced several new elements and released a detailed map of the new route for the annual three-day bicycle ride. For the 35th anniversary event, taking place June 14-16, the ride will have a new route that will start at Brunswick Landing in Brunswick and showcase more Maine cities and towns, including Bath, Freeport, Auburn, Lewiston, Augusta, and Belgrade.  

Final preparation and planning is still underway, but organizers have already unveiled a detailed map that includes specifics on the roads and streets to be used by the event’s 2000 bicyclists, along with an elevation chart for cyclists to use in planning their training rides. The map may be viewed at trekacrossmaine.org.

Education is key to Maine’s future and the future of our families. Nothing will have a greater impact on the economic prospects of all Maine people than investing in the education of our children.

Last week was National Teacher Appreciation Week, a time to recognize the significant contributions our teachers make to public education and to honor their commitment to the success of Maine’s students. On behalf of the people of Maine, I want to thank all of our teachers for dedicating their careers to providing our students with the foundation for greater opportunity and life-long learning.

Tree Street Youth recently presented Androscoggin Bank with its Heartwood Award for service and support of the organization over the last several years. According to Tree Street Youth, the heartwood section of the tree represents the tree’s “core,” the section that provides support for the tree as it grows and becomes firmly rooted.

As more students than ever take part in Museum L-A’s Kids as Curators program, they continue to display a passion and excitement for having their projects installed in a real museum gallery. 

For the third time in 2019, the museum will install a new exhibit of student work, this time created by students of Auburn Middle School. Teacher Diana Carson has led her students to create works of art as part of a project called “Auburn Students: Problem Solvers of Tomorrow.” The public is invited to attend the free opening reception for the exhibit on the third floor of the Bates Mill from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 16.

Central Maine Community College student Maxwell Stanley of Vinalhaven has been awarded the Retail Lumber Dealers Association of Maine Brian C. Thayer Memorial Scholarship.

A graduate of Vinalhaven High School, Stanley is a full-time, second-year student in the Building Construction Technology (BCT) program at CMCC. After he completes the program, Stanley hopes to return to the island to live and work in the construction field.

The Maine-ly Harmony Women’s Barbershop Chorus recently installed its officers for 2019-20: President BJ Sylvester-Pellett of Winthrop, Vice President Candace Pepin of Augusta, Secretary Barbara Combs of Topsham, Treasurer Janet Dunham of Belgrade, and Members at Large Kathy Joyce of Bowdoinham and Jenny Clair of China Village. The Installing Officer was Sue Staples of Bangor and the Membership Representative was Nancy Bossie of Chelsea. 

In my Inaugural Address, I made a promise to the people of Maine.

I said: “There is no higher priority than our children. And with so many young people at Long Creek, with children waiting for critical mental health services, and some even losing their lives to violence in their own homes, it is high time we put children’s health and safety first. I am starting with one simple step – calling together the Children’s Cabinet, for the first time in years, to tackle these issues.”

This week I kept that promise. With our new cabinet members, I officially reconvened the Maine Children’s Cabinet for the first time in almost a decade.

Governor Angus King founded the Children’s Cabinet in 1996 as a forum for government agencies to collaborate on good policy for Maine children and youth. The Legislature enacted it into Maine law in 2001.