LEWISTON, ME — LA Arts is pleased to present its next gallery exhibit featuring the work of Lewiston artist Robert J. Russell. The show, entitled “Eclectic Thoughts,” runs from July 26 – September 7, 2024. An opening reception for the artist will be held on Friday, July 26 from 5:00pm – 8:00pm at LA Arts, 168 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, ME as part of the organization’s July Art Walk.

About the Work

“Eclectic Thoughts” showcases Russell’s original drawings, paintings, and collages and offers a glimpse into the mind of a creative visionary artist. His work, mostly rendered with Sharpie pens, includes many themes, from mandalas and “tower-temples” to mazes and geometric designs. Intricate and complicated, Russell uses bold abstract shapes and repetitive patterns to create mesmerizing pieces that demand the viewers’ time and attention.

About the Artist

A longtime Lewiston resident, Robert Russell has been creating art since he was a young child growing up in Lisbon Falls, ME. After graduating from high school in the late sixties, he pursued his interest in art by attending the Portland School of Fine and Applied Art (which is now the Maine College of Art & Design), Bates College in Lewiston, Bowdoin College in Brunswick, and the Arts Students League in New York City.

Russell is a quiet and introspective person who finds inspiration from many sources, but mainly from the pictures he sees in his head. He is also an extremely prolific artist, with a staggering personal collection of over 5000 signed and dated original pieces. Books, magazines, movies, and pop culture have fueled his work from the beginning and these elements continue to influence his art today. Russell observes the everyday world around him with an artist’s eye; even a contemplative walk examining the imperfect sidewalks in his Downtown Lewiston neighborhood can provide a flood of creative ideas.

At 73 years old, Russell has mastered his creative process as a way of being, starting and ending each day with a sketchbook in hand, ready to translate his ideas into bold and beautiful images.

Robert Russell, photo taken by Sheri Hollenbeck

AUBURN, ME — Cast members of the Community Little Theatre’s upcoming production of The Prom are pictured here at a recent rehearsal. From left are Anthony M. Delorme, Gregory Judd, Jordan Clatchey, Connor Davis, Brock Rancourt, and Tessa Hayashida. An award-winning musical, the show follows four Broadway performers who are in search of a new stage. When they hear that trouble is brewing around a small-town prom, they know that it’s time to put a spotlight on the issue. The town’s parents want to keep the high school dance on the straight and narrow—but when one student just wants to bring her girlfriend to prom, the entire town has a date with destiny!

The Prom will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on August 9, 10, 15, 16, and at 2:00 p.m. on August 11, 17, and 18.  All performances will be held at the CLT on 30 Academy Street in Auburn. Tickets are now available online at www.laclt.com/box-office or by calling 783-0958. Ticket prices (including all fees) are $25.00 for adults, $22.00 for seniors and students, and $17.00 for children ages 13 and under. (Photo by Sophia Wood).

 LEWISTON, ME — Central Maine Healthcare (CMH), which includes Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC), Rumford Hospital, Bridgton Hospital and medical practices throughout central Maine, has been designated a Recovery Friendly Workplace (RFW) by the state of Maine.

The Recovery Friendly Workplace program strives to prevent substance use disorder by providing support for workers who are struggling with addiction and facilitating opportunities for people in recovery to reenter or enter the workplace.

 CMH’s designation as a Recover Friendly Workplace was made official at Governor Janet Mills’ Opioid Response Summit and Seminars which was held at Central Maine Community College on July 25.

 “People who have experienced addiction and have moved into a recovery process often have gained valuable life experience and developed certain disciplines, skills and compassion, said Rick Redmond, director of Behavioral Health, Central Maine Healthcare. “Promoting a Recovery Friendly Workplace means creating an environment where people in recovery can continue to flourish while they add strength to our teams and provide an empathetic approach with our patients.”

 Providing a safe, supportive environment for team members is part of Central Maine Healthcare’s values and service standards.

 The Maine Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative is a combined effort among the governor’s office, business leaders, local government and recovery community organizations (RCOs).

AUBURN, ME – On Tuesday, August 6, the Auburn Police Department will take over Festival Plaza and Main Street for the city’s 20th annual National Night Out against crime. The event – which begins at 5:30pm and goes until dusk – will be an evening of family fun, live music, and tasty food for all Auburn residents to enjoy.

This is the 20th year that Auburn PD has hosted National Night Out, a FREE, anti-crime, public safety event. Police department staff and community partners will serve up hotdogs, beverages, popcorn, and plenty of family-friendly activities! There will be police, fire, and public works equipment on display, and many local community partners and non-profits will be on hand. There will be plenty of games and activities for kids, including an inflatable obstacle course, bounce house, face painting, balloons from the folks at Hammond Lumber, free iced coffee provided by Starbucks of Auburn (Starbucks is a national sponsor of NNO), and more.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Auburn PD K-9 “Brick,” connect with comfort dogs from Mission Working Dogs, and shoot hoops with local basketball legend (and international professional basketball star) Troy Barnies. The APD will also set up an impaired driving obstacle course to help encourage motorists to drive sober. There will be live music from local blues band, “Continental Shakedown.”

“For 20 years, National Night Out has been a chance for our team to show our strong commitment to community partnerships,” said Police Chief Jason Moen. “My officers and I really love this opportunity to connect with residents and share a fun evening together, all in the name of public safety.”

“We really enjoy getting everyone together each year to show the unbreakable police-community partnership we have here in Auburn,” said Deputy Chief Timothy Cougle. “When we connect like this, our city is stronger and safer. Having the support of our community partners makes this the best block party of the year.”

National Night Out, America’s annual “night out against crime,” is a unique crime/drug prevention event presented by the National Association of Town Watch. NNO is a national community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships. Each year, millions of neighbors take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities from all fifty states, U.S. territories and military bases worldwide on the first Tuesday in August.

AUBURN, ME — The Great Falls Model Railroad Club has a couple events coming up:

The Club is hosting a Surplus Assets Sale fundraiser on Saturday, July 27th from 9 am to 10 am at the clubhouse at 144 Mill Street in Auburn. The club will have a variety of materials for sale including model railroad equipment in a G, O, HO, and N scales, railroad books, scenery supplies, buildings, and more. All of our layouts, G, O, N, and HO scales, will be open for viewing. Cash and credit cards are accepted. The building is wheelchair accessible. The sale is open to members of the club starting at 8 am.

The Great Falls Model Railroad Club’s annual open house event during the Lewiston Auburn Balloon Festival  will be held at 144 Mill Street in Auburn from 9 AM to 5 PM on Saturday and Sunday, August 17th and 18th. Model trains in various scales, built by model train enthusiasts, will be operating all day.

Activities for kids, including running trains as a Junior Engineer, will be going on all day. Club members will be available to answer questions about our layouts and to sell new and used model railroad items, books, and other train related memorabilia.

The Public Theatre in Lewiston will present “JULIA: Here in Maine” on Saturday, September 7, at 7pm.

“JULIA” is Maine’s very own Julia Gagnon, accompanied by Nate Haven on acoustic guitar.

Gagnon rose to fame on American Idol: Season 22, by making it to the top seven finalists.  Following an amazing performance which earned her a “platinum ticket,” the judges proclaimed her “one of the biggest voices of the season.”  Julia grew up in Cumberland and currently lives in Yarmouth with her fiancé Nate Haven.

Julia has recently appeared in theaters, concert halls, and outdoor festivals all over the State of Maine.  The Public Theatre is excited to offer audiences an opportunity to see her indoors in an intimate setting.  With just over 300 seats, every seat is the best seat in the house.

Proceeds from this special concert event provide vital support for The Public’s full season of plays and educational programming.

JULIA: Here in Maine – Saturday, September 7 at 7:00 pm

For tickets, call 207-782-3200 or visit ThePublicTheatre.org

Photo courtesy of Julia Gagnon at New York City’s famed Feinstein’s/54 Below

LEWISTON, ME — The American Heart Association (AHA) has rated Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC) among the best in the nation for its care of stroke patients. The hospital also got high marks for its treatment of stroke patients who have diabetes.

The AHA announced earlier this month that CMMC has achieved Get with the Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll recognition.

Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines – Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.

“CMMC is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Angela Dubuc, system director of Quality Services for Central Maine Healthcare. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in our community can experience longer, healthier lives.”

The AHA used data CMMC submitted from 2022 and 2023 to reach its conclusions.

In 2022, CMMC’s stroke team has earned two-year recertification by The Joint Commission, a non-profit organization that accredits U.S. healthcare organizations and programs.

Stroke is a leading cause of disability and the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Maine, stroke is the third leading cause of death and the number one cause of long-term disability.

AUBURN, ME — Director Jennifer McClure Groover has announced her cast for the upcoming Community Little Theatre production of the musical The Prom.

With music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin, and a book by Bob Martin and Beguelin, The Prom follows four eccentric Broadway stars who travel to a conservative town in Indiana, to help a student banned from bringing her girlfriend to the high school prom. On a mission to transform lives, these performers join forces with a courageous girl and the town’s citizens, and the result is love and understanding that brings them all together. Winner of the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, The Prom captures all the humor and heart of a classic musical comedy with a message that resonates with audiences now more than ever.

“Audiences can expect to see a lighthearted story full of humor! There is a great mix of music, from big splashy dance numbers to power ballads that may make folks choke up,” said Groover.

The Prom will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on August 9, 10, 15, 16, and at 2:00 p.m. on August 11, 17, and 18.  All performances will be held at the CLT on 30 Academy Street in Auburn. Tickets are now available online at www.laclt.com/box-office or by calling 783-0958. Ticket prices (including all fees) are $25.00 for adults, $22.00 for seniors and students, and $17.00 for children ages 13 and under.

The cast of CLT’s upcoming production of The Prom is pictured here at a recent rehearsal. From left in the front row are Moll Brown (on rehearsal block), Jordan Clatchey, Maria Groover, James Vaillancourt, Elijah Middleton, Katie Roy, Mara Dale, Julie Sanborn, Jay Kimball, and Trekk Skeate (on rehearsal block). In the middle row are: Ansley Watson, Tessa Hayashida, Madeleine DuBois, Glenn Atkins, Moira O’Connor, Adry Viles, Genevieve Vaillancourt, Maddy Vaillancourt, Ellie Pfohl, and Lyra Legawiec. In back are Arielle Carver, Connor Davis, Brock Rancourt, Justin Morin, Bee Tyler, Julia Groover, Eden Johnson, Casey Waters, Gregory Judd, Tony Roy, and Sarah Duncan. (Photo by Sophia Wood).

AUBURN, ME — Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks and participated in a ceremonial groundbreaking for a new Police Activities League (PAL) Community Center in Auburn. Senator Collins secured $3,000,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) through the Fiscal Year 2023 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill to build the new center, which, in addition to hosting the activities league, will serve as a hub for supervised after-school and summer youth activities and mentoring.

Senator Collins was joined at the event by Auburn City Manager and PAL Board Member Phil Crowell, Auburn Mayor Jeffrey Harmon, Auburn Police Department Lieutenant Anthony Harrington, and PAL Secretary Rita Beaudry. Also in attendance at the event was Auburn City Councilor Leroy Walker.

“For more than a decade, the PAL Center in Auburn has provided local children with a safe, structured environment to play and learn after school; receive food, clothes, and school supplies; and build relationships with law enforcement officers who protect the local community,” said Senator Collins. “As Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to champion federal investments that allow successful community organizations like the Auburn PAL Center to expand their capacity, allowing more children and families to benefit from their great work.”

This year, Senator Collins secured nearly $11 million in CDS for community center projects in six additional communities throughout Maine in the Fiscal Year 2024 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill.

The youth camp musical of James and the Giant Peach, Jr. will be presented on Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 p.m. The teen camp production of Beauty and the Beast, Jr. will take the stage on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

These two musical productions culminate four weeks of intensive and performance-based programs. Campers were responsible for mastering the material (lines, staging, choreography, and singing), and participating in rehearsals. The youth camp is for children in grades 4-7 and participants in the teen camp are in grades 8-12. Maddy DuBois and Maria Groover directed the youth camp and Linda Vaillancourt led the teen camp. Jackie McDonald is the producer for both shows.

Tickets are available online at laclt.com/box-office-1 and may also be purchased at the door. Costs are $25 for adults, $22 for seniors and students, and $17 for children under the age of 13. Prices include all taxes and fees. All productions will be held at CLT on 30 Academy Street in Auburn. More information about the summer camp shows is also available online at laclt.com/camp.

Pictured here are the five seniors who are in the cast of the CLT teen camp production of Beauty and the Beast, Jr., which will be performed this weekend along with the youth camp production of James and the Giant Peach, Jr. From left in front are Genevieve Vaillancourt and Tessa Hayashida. In back are Jack Desrosiers, Brock Rancourt, and Julia Groover.  (Photo by Sophie Wood Photography).