This week’s edition!
Enough is Enough: Republicans, Tea Party defeated themselves on November 6
By Robert E. Macdonald
Mayor of Lewiston
The election is over. Candidates in my party, the Republican Party, got their rear ends kicked so bad that they won’t be able to sit down until after the New Year.
But the Democrats did not beat us—the Republicans beat themselves.
Senator Olympia Snowe let our country, our state and those that believed in her down. I disagreed with her more than 50 percent of the time, but admired her for being a calming voice of reason. I believe that her decisions were carefully formulated after she examined all the facts. She appears to have done what was right, not what would get her reelected.
In her last months, she revealed a major flaw: she lost the will to fight. When the times get tough, the tough get going. They don’t throw up their hands and give up. We crave elected officials who, when they run into a brick wall, don’t throw up their hands in frustration. Instead, they take two steps back and figure out a way over it.
LETTER: Big money unfairly influences elections
To the Editor:
We love our country; it’s dear to us and should be—it was dearly purchased through revolution and maintained ever since by the sacrifice of patriots. But our government, conceived through the imagination and compromises of the leading politicians of their time, has changed.
Individuals and corporations have found ways to shape government to their benefit. This shouldn’t be a surprise; it’s a human characteristic. We see attempts to circumvent the rules even in our children.
My adult granddaughter interrupted her conversation to admonish my 12- and five-year-old great-grandchildren not to eat snacks while sitting on the couch. My great-granddaughter, already imaginative and showing early promise for a later career as a tax attorney, leaned far forward so that her snacking was actually taking place not on the couch, but over the living room floor.
Her younger brother, just another member of the chorus, immediately joined her in this uncomfortable position, whose concerted purpose was to circumvent their mother’s rule.
Franco Center debuts Comedy Nights
The Franco-American Heritage Center is trying something new this season by presenting three nights of stand-up comedy. The first show in the series will take place on Friday, November 16 with Rob Steen, a Boston comedian who has appeared on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” topping the bill.
Each comedy night will feature performances by three comedians. In addition to the headline set by Steen, the November 16 show will include warm-up sets by Steve Guilmette of New Hampshire, who has performed at the Boston Comedy Festival, and Maine’s Chuck Grover, a recent runner-up in a contest seeking Portland’s funniest comic.
“This is new for us, but I think it will work,” said Franco Center executive director Louis Morin. “We’re trying it as a first step in our efforts to make the Franco Center a more vibrant place for younger audiences.”
Food Bank seeks to raise $200K through Virtual Holiday Food Drive
Record numbers of Mainers are struggling to access enough food—a situation that will only become more dire as we enter the holiday season and long winter ahead. In an effort to provide nutritious food for the 15 percent of Maine households that face hunger, Good Shepherd Food Bank has set a goal of $200,000 for its 2012 Virtual Holiday Food Drive.
While many of us have the desire to give back to the community during the holiday season, often our busy schedules make it difficult to follow through on our good intentions. Good Shepherd Food Bank makes it easy to take part in a holiday food drive, right from your computer. By logging on to feedingmaine.org, you can choose from numerous food products at various giving levels.
The Virtual Holiday Food Drive demonstrates to the donor just how far their financial gift to the Food Bank can stretch. For instance, with a $25 donation, the Food Bank can acquire 50 pounds of fresh produce for Maine families.
Franco Center hosts “Las Vegas” at 9th Annual Gala
Molly McGill and husband Erik R. Flanagan were surrounded by showgirls at the Franco Center’s 9th Annual Gala, which had a theme of “Las Vegas.”
For the ninth consecutive year, The Franco-American Heritage Center hosted one of Lewiston-Auburn’s foremost social and cultural events, The Franco Center Gala and Benefit Concert with Maine’s Midcoast Symphony Orchestra and guest pianist, George Lopez.
Held on October 20 with a theme of “Las Vegas,”, the annual gala offered the community an exceptional evening of elegance, symphonic music and a generous table of wine and gourmet foods.
The benefit concert is a significant event on The Center’s fundraising and programming calendar. The Benefit and Gala included receptions before and after the concert. A Wine and Gourmet Food Reception preceded the concert, and a Champagne Reception followed the concert.
Historic finials on APL in need of repair
A close-up of the finials on the back dormers taken a few years ago.
Text and photos
by Rachel Morin
Patrons and visitors to the Auburn Public Library this past month have noticed a display near the Library Street entrance of two finials in a sad state of disrepair.
Today, a dozen of these distinctive and beautiful copper finials need critical repair, amounting to over $7,000. The two finials represent the 12 finials on the front and back dormers of the building.
These dormers open into the Local History Room on the second floor of the original Carnegie Building. There are two finials on either side of the dormers; six on the front of the building and six on the backside. The remaining larger finials in the fleur de lis motif are unaffected and in good condition.
Jim Wilkins, APL Development Director, said the finials have been the victim of the Maine weather—snow, ice and rain have slowly taken their toll, eroding and deteriorating them. Also snow and ice sliding off the slate roof onto the dormers may have had a hand in damaging them.
Enough is Enough: Reflect upon the sacrifices made by all who have worn an American uniform
By Robert E. Macdonald
Mayor of Lewiston
“In Flander’s Field the poppies blow between the crosses, row on row”—thus wrote Lt. Col. John McCrea shortly after performing the burial service of a friend.
Alexis Helmer had been killed on May 2, 1915 during the second battle of Ypres, located in the Flander’s Region of Belgium. During the service, Lt. Col. McCrea noted how quickly poppies had grown around the graves of those who had recently died.
His grief, expressed through his poem, went on to become the most popular poem of the era.
Following the end of World War I, a professor from the University of Georgia, Moina Michael, affectionately known as the “Poppy Lady,” vowed to always wear a red poppy, symbolizing remembrance of those who had died in the First World War.
CLT’s “The Wiz” opens to packed house
Here are many of the children who appear as Munchkins and Winkies in CLT’s current production of “The Wiz,” playing its final performances this weekend at Great Falls Performing Arts Center in Auburn. (Photo by Mitch Thomas.)
Community Little Theatre’s current production of “The Wiz” opened last weekend at Great Falls Performing Arts Center in Auburn to a packed house that thoroughly enjoyed what they saw and heard from the 62 people (and one small dog) that form the production’s large cast. The winner of seven Tony awards, this beloved Broadway show and movie sets Dorothy’s adventures in the Land of Oz to a dazzling mixture of rock, gospel, and soul music.
Performances continue on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, and $12 for children ages 13 and under. To buy tickets, call 783-0958 or see www.laclt.com.
The show is directed by Nakesha “Kay” Myrick. Co-choreographers are Audrey Martin and Tiffany Warren, who also plays the leading role of “Dorothy” and is the show’s vocal coach. The set was designed and built by Bill Hamilton and Phil Vampatella, and the set décor was designed by Carol Hodgkin and Glynnis Nadel, who is also the show’s stage manager and the artistic development intern at CLT.
Maine Red Claws to play at ELHS
On Nov. 17 at 6 p.m., the Maine Red Claws will be play an intra-squad basketball game in the Edward Little High School gym to benefit the Edward Little Athletic Department. Also performing will be the Red Claws Dance Team.
Advanced tickets can be purchased for $5 each at The Hair Connection on Hotel Road, Gippers Sports Grill or the Edward Little Athletic Department Office.
For more information, contact Dan Deshaies, ELHS athletic administrator, at ddeshaies@auburnschl.edu.
