One of the most reliable groups of voters are our senior citizens. Their life experience gives them a perspective many other voters don’t have.

I have consistently fought the Democrats on issues critical to protecting the elderly in our state. This week, I want to speak directly to our senior citizens.

First, thank you for all you have done for our great state. You’ve worked hard, raised families, given back to your community, and helped your neighbors in need. It hasn’t been easy.

You’ve seen many changes to our industries: the loss of textile and shoe manufacturing; the exponential rise of our tourism sector; and the boom, bust, and resurrection of our forest-products sector.

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Community Little Theatre presents its final performances of “The Music Man” this weekend, Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Featuring a large cast and a host of unforgettable songs, Meredith’s Willson’s classic musical comedy is a must-see theater experience for adults and children alike. For more information or to buy tickets, call 783-0958 or see www.laclt.com.

Nia, from Queens, NY, escapes from the summer heat while staying with the Ziegler Family of Auburn this summer as part of the Fresh Air Fund’s Friendly Towns Program. (Photo by Heather Ziegler)

The Ziegler Family of Auburn, who participated in the Fresh Air Fund’s Friendly Towns Program this summer, were among the winners of the fund’s 2018 Photo Contest. Winners were selected from the hundreds of photos submitted by volunteer host families along the East Coast and Southern Canada. The photos capture the fun-filled experiences volunteer host families shared with Fresh Air children this summer. The Zieglers’ photo, which was selected as a winner in the “Swimming” category, features Fresh Air child Nia (age 10) of Queens, NY swimming with her host family in Auburn. 

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Bishop Robert P. Deeley, with four members of the St. Mary’s community who received St. Marguerite d’Youville Awards for exemplifying the health system’s core values: pediatrics practice manager Ashley Goodwin, occupational therapist Laurie Russell, cultural broker and interpreter Asha Qanyare, and senior perianesthesia nurse Darlene Dennis

On the same patch of land where she lived as an orphan at age 5, Gabrielle De Moras of Lewiston, now in her 80s, is in awe as she looks at the sprawling St. Mary’s campus before her.

“It’s very different,” said De Moras, who now lives at the St. Mary’s Residences. “Sometimes things go and fade away after a while, but I guess God really wanted to keep St. Mary’s going because it’s still here after all these years!”

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Members of Maine Oxy’s Golf Committee present SSG Travis Mills (c.) with a $20,000 donation check at the Travis Mills Foundation Retreat in Rome, Maine. Pictured here with Mills are (from l.) Diana Picavet, Jamie Richards, Dan Guerin, Tom Cyr, Denise Guerin, and Allison Brothers.

MAINE Oxy recently hosted its annual charity golf tournament, raising $20,000 to benefit the Travis Mills Foundation. The amount was the largest the tournament has raised to date and represented the company’s largest charitable donation ever.

“Thanks to our generous sponsors and players, it’s the biggest donation we’ve ever made,” said Dan Guerin, Maine Oxy President and CEO. “I’m thrilled it’s going to an organization that focuses on people who’ve sacrificed so much for us.”

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One of my proudest accomplishments has been the dramatic reduction of fraud in our welfare and unemployment systems. Unfortunately, the Attorney General does not consider fraud a high a priority.

The anti-fraud efforts of the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services have produced results. DHHS has been aggressively cracking down on welfare fraud. In 2011, when I first took office, DHHS only sent 32 cases to the Attorney General for prosecution. In 2015, we sent 105.

To date, we’ve sent 488 welfare fraud cases for prosecution. Of these, 137 are still pending. Democrats used to say that fraud in the welfare system is just anecdotal. You don’t hear that anymore – 488 cases in eight years isn’t an anecdote.

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The dealership plans to begin construction in the spring of 2019, with the hope of moving into the new building in early 2020.

Evergreen Subaru in Auburn has purchased the currently vacant Best Buy building on Turner Street, with a plan to convert it into a best-in-class Subaru store.

“We have definitely outgrown our current space,” said Evergreen Subaru’s Managing Owner, Doug Weisz. “And, while we had been exploring creative expansion opportunities for our current property, repurposing and building out the empty Best Buy building provides the fastest and least disruptive means of growing our business.”

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Tracy Collins

Lisbon Credit Union has announced that the latest winner of its quarterly Rock Star Award recognizing an employee for outstanding service was Tracy Collins. In recognition of the honor, she received a trophy, a $50 award, and a paid day off. 

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Here (l. to r.) are Adult Education Director Tina Christophersen, course instructor Jerry Verrill, and Big Rig Shops owner Floyd Thayer.

Oxford Hills-Nezinscot Adult Education has announced that it will offer Commercial Driver’s License Class A Truck Driver Training this fall. Potential students need to have a CDL permit and pass a Department of Transportation drug screening and physical.

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Outgoing Optimist Club President Sabrina Best welcomes new club President Mamie Ney, Vice President Angela Snow, and Secretary Sheryl Mathews. The Lewiston-Auburn Optimist Club is a service club that participates in projects supporting kids in the community. For more information, call 783-5269 or visit www.optimist.org.