OTISFIELD, ME – It’s that special time of year, the return of The East Otisfield Free Baptist Church annual Lobster Dinner being held on, Saturday, August 9th. The menu will include a 1 1/4 lb., lobster or ½ a grilled chicken, coleslaw, corn-on-the-cob, dinner roll, drawn butter, blueberry cake and other refreshments.

A total of 76 seats are available in 2 seatings, with the first at 4.30PM, the second seating at 6PM. Tickets should be purchased in advance from Maryanne Hill for $25.00 for the Chicken Meal or $30.00 for the Lobster Dinner. All tickets are sold on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Please call 310-8056 or email Maryanne at EOFBCdinners@yahoo.com for your reservations. All proceeds will benefit multiple church projects. The lobster Dinner will be held at the church located at 231 Rayville Road, 1 mile off Rte. 121 in Otisfield. Hope to see you there.

PORTLAND, ME – The Maine-based non-profit, Lives in the Balance, is excited to welcome the Juno award-winning folk trio The Wailin’ Jennys to Portland’s Merrill Auditorium on November 22, 2025 at 7:30 PM for a special benefit concert. Tickets can be purchased at boxoffice.porttix.com.

Lives in the Balance founder, Dr. Ross Greene, says, “The Jennys have been supportive of the work of Lives in the Balance for many years, and we are incredibly excited to welcome them back to Portland for the first time in several years. Best of all, we love their music. Their three-part harmonies are as good as it gets, they sing from the heart, and they’re wonderful human beings. A powerful combination. We’re really glad to partner with them and hope as many of our friends as possible can attend the performance.”

Proceeds from this event will support Lives in the Balance’s efforts on behalf of our most vulnerable kids and their caregivers and will help us grow our training, legal, and advocacy efforts. Lives in the Balance partners with families, educators, and policymakers to ensure that all kids are understood and treated with compassion. The organization provides resources and training to reduce or eliminate the use of harmful disciplinary practices like expulsion, restraint, and seclusion.

LEWISTON, ME – The Public Theatre in Lewiston, Maine will be holding auditions for local non-Equity actors for the roles of Buster (the sheriff) in MISERY and Fred in A CHRISTMAS CAROL.

Auditions will be held on Monday July 21, 2025 from 5pm – 8:30pm at The Public Theatre, 31 Maple Street, Lewiston.

All roles are salaried.

To schedule an audition appointment and request the sides to prepare, please call 207-782-2211.

The Public Theatre’s rehearsal schedule is generally noon – 8pm, M-F and 11-4 on Sat. Tech week hours for MISERY are (3) 10-hour days, (Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday heading into opening night on Oct 24).  There is some rehearsal schedule flexibility for the play MISERY.  There is NO flexibility for the rehearsal or performance schedule for A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Both shows will be offering morning mid-week student matinees.

We are casting the following roles:

MISERY by William Goldman based on the novel by Stephen King

Contract Dates: Oct 6 – Nov 9, 2025.  Director: Janet Mitchko

Salary $600 a week

BUSTER: (30’s 50’s — male or female, any ethnicity) Buster is a small town local sheriff investigating a report that the famous novelist Paul Sheldon may be missing somewhere in the community. Having been raised in a small town, they are very friendly, helpful and somewhat trusting. There are some physical demands (choreographed falling and being dragged) in this role.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL adapted by Christopher Schario.

CONTRACT DATES: 12/1 – 12/14/25.  Director: Christopher Schario

Salary: $600 a week

FRED/CHRISTMAS PRESENT: Male, age 20’s – 40, any ethnicity. Scrooge’s indomitably cheery nephew brimming with goodwill. He also plays the ghost of Christmas Present filled to the brim with this same joyful spirit. This adaptation features a small cast playing multiple roles. All actors perform narration of Dickens’ text, as well as scene work in both British dialect and Standard American. Requires versatile playful actors, skilled with language.

AUBURN, ME –  The City of Auburn’s newest Comprehensive Plan process is well underway. The 2026 Comprehensive Plan Committee, together with city staff and a consultant, is gathering public input through surveys, workshops, and public meetings to create a community-driven plan.

The city continues to seek meaningful input from residents and plans to host three “Comp Plan Open House” events in the weeks to come. Residents, business owners and stakeholders are invited to attend one – or all – of these Open House events.

The first Comp Plan Open House is entitled, “Fields, Forests, and Flowing Waters: A Visioning Event for Auburn’s Natural Environment.” It will be held at Lake Grove Park (2 Fair Street) on Saturday, July 19, from 10:00AM to noon.

Attendees will be encouraged to share ideas about the future of Auburn’s lakes, rivers, streams, open spaces, and land use for Auburn’s 2026 Comprehensive Plan. This openhouse style event will feature interactive activities for all ages to share your ideas, plus live music, local food, and games for children. [Rain date: Wednesday, August 6, 4:00-6:00PM, Auburn Senior Community Center, Pettengill Park]

The next Open House in the series will be “Streets, Structures, Spaces, & Future: A Visioning Event for Auburn’s Built Environment.” It will be held at the Auburn Senior Community Center (48 Pettengill Park Road) on Wednesday, July 30, from 6:00 to 8:00PM.

Attendees will be invited to shape the future of Auburn’s homes, neighborhoods, transportation, economy, and cultural landmarks. This event will be a fun and interactive listening session focused on how we live, move, and build in Auburn. Attendees will share their thoughts and ideas through hands-on activities, visioning stations, and conversations.

The final Comp Plan Open House will be “People, Public Services, and Places: A Visioning Event for Auburn’s People and City Services.” It will be held on Wednesday, July 23, from 6:00 to 8:00PM at Edward Little High School (77 Harris Street).

This interactive session will welcome input on how Auburn can best support its residents through quality facilities, efficient and helpful services, and smart investments. From schools and parks to public safety and other services, residents’ feedback will be warmly welcomed.

Auburn’s 2026 Comprehensive Plan will guide the city’s growth and development over the next decade. We encourage everyone to get involved! Help us build a community-driven plan that is accessible and easy to use; that reflects our city’s vision, values and priorities and provides a roadmap to achieve that vision.

Information on Auburn’s Comprehensive Plan process – and the many ways to get involved – can be found at tinyurl.com/plan-auburn.

By Jae M. Zimmermann and Ellen Hodgkin

If you pass by Kennedy Park in Lewiston any 2nd Friday of the month, you will hear the tell-tale sounds of stomping feet and soaring reels coming from nearby Trinity Commons: it’s the Lewiston Contra Dance. And it’s just getting started.

The Lewiston Contra Dance kicked off their season this past fall with the The Bow & String Band and caller Qwill Duval. Duvall, a dance caller and artist from the midwest, travels the country calling at dances large and small. Their experience and talent was clear as the evening got going.

“At first there were only a few dancers and we were feeling nervous. Then more and more people started trickling in. By 8 o’clock the hall was full and I thought “Oh my God, we have a contra dance!” The energy was amazing,” Tyler Pulk, another organizer, remembers.

The Lewiston Contra Dance has developed a small, devoted following. Zoë Lidstrom, a regular attendee, reflects on some of her favorite parts of LCD: “I love having a local dance, right down town. It’s so accessible and welcoming. It’s encouraging to see new people coming to try [contra dancing] out and to see so many of them come back!” The dance attracts many new people, month-to-month, with a high percentage of dancers under the age of 21 and from all walks of life.

Nevertheless, LCD faces some familiar challenges: low average attendance and a desire to keep rates accessible to all puts a strain on dance finances and makes it harder to bring in the popular talent that experienced dancers will turn out for. Without experienced dancers, the growing population of fresh faces has no one to help them elevate their skills and find the extra fun that skilled dancing makes available.

“Right now, our concern is how to take Lewiston Contra Dance to the next level and really become part of the dance scene here in Maine. We love being a local dance, but we also want our young dancers to feel like part of the whole community of folk dancing in the state and to feel confident enough to travel to other dances and keep growing their skills and friendships,” says Pulk, of the LCD’s goals for next season.

The team behind the LCD has been working hard to put together a program for the season to come that includes state and regional favorites like Aiden Boardman and Cojiro as well as talent from farther afield, like caller Koren Wake from Washington state. For the last dance of the current season, join them for The Clementines (siblings Willy and Moon Clemetson) with caller Hannah Chamberlain.

Follow the dance on Facebook for updates and to see more photos, or check out their website at tinyurl.com/lewistoncontradance. And come on by Trinity Commons in Lewiston any 2nd Friday of the month; join in with the stomping feet and enjoy the soaring reels. It’s the Lewiston Contra Dance, and it’s waiting for you.

Tyler Pulk, tylerpulkphotography.com

LEWISTON, ME – The WHA Rotating Art Gallery at CMMC in Lewiston is proud to display the paintings of Sandra Pealer and the photographs of Mike Morin during the month of July.

Pealer is a painter who delights in the medium of watercolor. She has painted from home studios in Maine, Vermont, New York and West Virginia for over thirty years, and enjoys a style that is a dance between fluidity and exactness. She loves the way that watercolor depicts light, shadow and mystery. Recently she has returned to painting in oils as a way of broadening her artistic experience. Pealer has earned signature status in the Philadelphia, Vermont, West Virginia and North East Watercolor Societies. She is a sustaining member of the American and National Watercolor Societies. Her paintings are in private and public collections throughout the US, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

A native Mainer, Morin has been taking photographs since he was a young boy. He enjoys spending time outdoors; his passion is nature photography. “I find that being in nature promotes relaxation and reduces stress. I enjoy capturing images that allow me to bring that sense of peace, calm, and joy back home with me while keeping the memories of that time spent in nature fresh in my mind. It gives me great satisfaction to share my outdoor experiences with others through my photographs”.

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. As a result of the hospital safety precautions due to the pandemic, the art gallery is only available for viewing for staff, patients, and their designated visitors at this time.

Coastal Scene by Mike Morin

RUMFORD, ME – Rumford Hospital team members got an unexpected boost this week. Bob Bohren, the owner of Frosty Delite in nearby Mexico, decided to treat all of them to a free ice cream to thank them for what they do every day.

It has been a challenging June for Rumford Hospital team members who have been coping with a computer and phone system outage as well as some scorching temperatures.

“This extremely generous gift couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Stephany Jacques, RN, president of Rumford Hospital. “Bob has stepped up for this hospital on numerous occasions over the years, and we are all so grateful for his generosity. With temperatures in the high 90s, his gift was a huge hit for our team members!”

Rumford Hospital provides River Valley residents with local access to a wide array of healthcare services, including comprehensive primary care, sophisticated diagnostic and medical-surgical nursing services and surgery.

Rumford Hospital patient access team members Lori Roberts (left) and Jessica Laurinitis with Frosty Delite owner Bob Bohren.

LEWISTON, ME – The Greater Androscoggin Humane Society announces the winners of their Annual Summer Raffle. With over $12,700 in tickets sales the winners were: Mary Bussell of Lewiston, winning $500 cash; Emily Dias of Portsmouth, RI, winning $300 cash; Beth Herman of Freeport, winning $200 cash and Jaclyn Masters of Berwick winning $100 cash. All proceeds from the raffle directly benefit the Humane Society.

The Greater Androscoggin Humane Society provides a safe haven for over 3,000 sick, homeless and abused animals in the greater Androscoggin area per year. The primary support for the shelter comes from fundraising events and donations of concerned citizens.

The Greater Androscoggin Humane Society is located at 55 Strawberry Avenue in Lewiston. If you are interested in learning more about volunteering at the Shelter or adopting an animal call 783-2311 or visit the website at www.SavingPetsInMaine.org. You can also join them on www.facebook/GAHumane.

AUBURN, ME – The L/A Community Little Theatre (CLT) has announced its 86th season will open on October 30 with the musical “A New Home,” which was first performed in 1995 as “Lewiston: A New Home.”

“A New Home” is an original musical that tells the rich and complex history of Lewiston. Written and composed by Lewiston native Paul G. Caron and presented in 1995 for the Lewiston Bicentennial, this production brings to life the stories of Lewiston’s Indigenous, Irish, Franco-American, and African immigrant communities, whose contributions have shaped the city’s identity and culture. The sold-out performances of “Lewiston: A New Home” received wide acclaim for the show’s musical score and the heartwarming authenticity of its stories. An original cast album was released in December 1995, and the show was performed again to sold-out audiences in 1996. In the thirty years since the original production, major events – both good and tragic – have occurred in Lewiston and are now represented in the musical’s revival to enhance its relevance and historical significance.

“A New Home” will run October 30-November 9, and all performances will be held at the Lewiston Middle School Auditorium.

 On one deeply cold and magical midwinter night, the citizens of “Almost, Maine” — not organized enough for a town, too populated for a wilderness — experience the life-altering power of the human heart. Relationships end, begin, or change beyond recognition, as strangers become friends, friends become lovers, and lovers turn into strangers. Propelled by the mystical energy of the aurora borealis and populated with characters who are humorous, plain-spoken, thoughtful, and sincere, “Almost, Maine” is a series of loosely connected tales about love, each with a compelling couple at its center, each with its own touch of sorcery. Directed by Jackie McDonald, “Almost Maine” will run from February 20-March 1, 2026.

A beloved classic, “The Secret Garden” will come to the CLT stage in April. Britny Anderson will direct this non-musical adaptation, a poetic adventure that enthralls and delights. A recently orphaned child named Mary Lennox, is forced to leave her home in India to live with her uncle in a mansion on the moors of Yorkshire. There she hears mysterious crying down the halls and fears that the housekeeper and the doctor are plotting something. Through the sympathy of a young housemaid and her brother, Mary comes to know what love means. Together, they discover answers to the mysteries that plague them and experience the restorative powers of nature and self-realization. “The Secret Garden” will run from April 10-19.

CLT will present a trip down memory lane in June with “The Marvelous Wonderettes!” This jukebox hit features four high school friends performing at their 1958 prom—and later, their ten-year reunion—set to the soundtrack of your favorite ’50s and ’60s hits like “Lollipop,” “It’s My Party,” and “Respect.” Packed with charm, comedy, and classic tunes, this energetic, feel-good musical is a celebration of friendship, nostalgia, and girl-group harmony that will have you singing along all night! Sophie Wood and Justin Morin will co-direct this feel-good musical that will run from June 19-28.

 Audiences will be invited to “follow the Yellow Brick Road” in August with the unforgettable adventure of “The Wizard of Oz!” This beloved musical brings L. Frank Baum’s classic story to life with all your favorite characters—Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion—and the iconic songs you know and love, including “Over the Rainbow” and “We’re Off to See the Wizard.” A heartwarming journey full of magic, courage, and friendship, “The Wizard of Oz” is a delightful experience for the whole family. This journey to the wonderful land of Oz, directed by Brandon Chaloux, will run from August 7-16.

All productions, with the exception of “A New Home,” will be held at CLT on 30 Academy Street in Auburn. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.

Subscribers to CLT’s new season can enjoy savings of 20 percent, priority seating, one free flex pass, and free ticket exchange. Season subscriptions are now available online at www.laclt.com. Current subscribers have until September 30 to reserve their current seats. For more information, contact the box office at boxoffice@laclt.com or leave a message at 783-0958.

L/A Community Little Theatre is a volunteer, non-profit organization that has produced live theatre since 1940. It strives to provide affordable and quality entertainment in the performing arts as well as education, training, and experience in theatre for area youth.

AUBURN, ME – Ready to beat the heat on the ice while raising money for a great cause? People of all ages and abilities have the chance to skate with Barnabee, the beloved mascot of Norway Savings Bank, while supporting a local organization dedicated to providing programming for many in need in the Lewiston area.

A public skate is set for Sunday, July 13, at the Norway Savings Bank Arena, located at 985 Turner Street in Auburn. The event will be held from 4:20 p.m. to 5:20 p.m. Admission is $5, with $5 skate rentals for adults and children available. Half of the proceeds will be given to the YWCA Central Maine in Lewiston, which aims to eliminate racism and empower women while promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.

Public skates are held several times each year at Norway Savings Bank Arena, with Barnabee strapping on the skates and a community organization benefitting from each event.

If you are not able to attend the public skate but would still like to support or learn more about YWCA Central Maine, visit www.ywcamaine.org. For details about upcoming events and programs at Norway Savings Bank Arena, visit www.norwaysavingsbankarena.com.