NORTH CONWAY, NH (June 23, 2023) – Celebrating their 40th year of presenting live concerts in the Mt. Washington Valley, Arts Jubilee is pleased to announce that their 5-week concert series is returning to Cranmore Mountain Resort this summer! The outdoor concerts will run weekly on Thursday nights from July 13th through August 10th at the North Slope Base of Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway. 

The 2023 season will feature Piano Men: The Music of Elton John and Billy Joel on July 13th, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country on July 20th, the annual Pops Concert and Fireworks Show—performed by the Seacoast Wind Ensemble—on July 27th, Moondance: The Ultimate Van Morrison Tribute Concert on August 3rd, and Ceili Rain on August 10th. All concerts start at 7 pm and feature an opening act at 6 pm. This year’s opening acts include Rek’lis (July 13th), Cold Chocolate (July 20th), Cat Wolf (July 27th), Bennett & Perkins (August 3rd), and Willow Carter (August 10th). 

Admission is $18 for adults, $12 for seniors, $5 for students, and free for kids 12 and under. You can pre-order tickets online at www.artsjubilee.org or pay at the gate on the night of the show (cash or credit). There’s plenty of free parking on site, food and beverages will be available for purchase, and there will be a raffle for a variety of local prizes at every concert. Seating is not provided at the venue, so concertgoers are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket. Animals are not allowed on the property except for leashed service dogs. All concerts are rain or shine barring extreme weather. For more information please visit www.artsjubilee.org. 

GORHAM, ME (June 23, 2023) — A Special School Budget Validation Election will take place on Tuesday, July 25, 2023 to allow voters to validate the revised FY 24 school budget.

Below are helpful website links and answers to frequently asked questions:

How do I register to vote?

When do polls open and close on Election Day? Poll places open at 7am and close at 8pm.

Where do I vote?

Visit the Town’s website to view a listing of assigned polling wards based on odd/even residential street addresses in Gorham. Wards are as follows:

Ward 1-1: Gorham Middle School – 106 Weeks Road

Ward 1-2: Great Falls Elementary School – 73 Justice Way

Ward 2: Shaw Gym, Gorham Municipal Center – 75 South Street

Click HERE to view a map of voting wards.

Voter Registration

Unenrolled voters can enroll in a party at any time including Election Day since the State of Maine offers Election Day voter registration.

Absentee Voting

Absentee ballots are available by request by calling the Town Clerk’s Office at 222-1670. Ballots will be available to be mailed out during the week of July 10th. Please note that absentee voting will not be held in Council Chambers for this election; however, some booths will be set up in the Clerk’s Office for citizens to vote in-person starting July 12th. The last day to request an absentee ballot or vote in the Town Clerk’s Office will be July 20th at 5pm. Ballots can be returned up to until 8pm on election day in the ballot box outside of the Gorham Municipal Center or in the Town Clerk’s Office.

The State website is not available for requesting absentee ballots for this election since it is a local election.

For general election information, please visit the Town’s website. If you have additional questions about absentee voting, please visit the Town Clerk’s Office or call 222-1670.

FALMOUTH, ME (June 23, 2023) — University of Maine Cooperative Extension will host a Field Day from 10 a.m.–noon on Saturday, July 8 at the University of Maine Gardens at Tidewater Farm, 200 Presumpscot Point Road.

Come experience the gardens at Tidewater Farm, learn about UMaine Extension’s work, ask gardening questions and participate in hands-on demonstrations with Extension staff and Master Gardener Volunteers. Demonstrations begin at 10:30 AM. Child-friendly activities will be provided. No registration required.

Hands-on demonstrations include a walking tour of the gardens that highlight plants and practices to support the life cycles of pollinators. Additional topics include how to scout for pests and encourage beneficial insects in the vegetable garden. 

Representatives from Maine Audubon will be on hand to offer native and pollinator-friendly garden resources. Attendees will learn how you can support wildlife in their own backyard through native plantings and participate in a child-friendly activity. 

For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, visit the UMaine Extension website or contact Pamela Hargest, pamela.hargest@maine.edu; 207.949.4524.

Photo courtesy University of Maine Cooperative Extension.

SCARBOROUGH, ME (June 23, 2023) — Evergreen Credit Union broke ground on a new branch in Scarborough, ME on June 19. The branch will be located at 617 U.S. Route 1 and is planned to be open for business by Spring 2024.

 The new state-of-the-art branch will be approximately 3,000 sq. ft. with two drive-through lanes, one ATM lane and will be staffed by Evergreen’s award-winning service team. 

Those close to and in York County will now have a convenient full-service banking option, including on Saturdays. “We are very excited about coming to Scarborough and especially to the Dunstan Corner area,” Jason Lindstrom, Evergreen’s President/CEO stated. “There aren’t any financial institutions in this part of Scarborough, and we look forward to serving the community here along with the nearby communities of Old Orchard Beach and Saco.” 

With Evergreen Credit Union’s community-based mission, it is important that Gawron Turgeon Architects (GTA) and Risbara Construction will be completing this project. “We are pleased with the site here in Scarborough and to be able to work with the town and local firms on the new branch,” Tim Verreault, Evergreen’s EVP/COO and project lead said.

 Evergreen Credit Union has assets of over $515 million, ranking fifth among Maine-based credit unions. The credit union was founded in 1951 to serve employees of the S.D. Warren Paper Mill in Westbrook and has grown to service six counties in southern Maine.

Evergreen Team breaks ground at new Scarborough Branch. (from left to right: Bill Foster, Board Member; Chelsey Cargen, Asst. Manager; Linda Parker, VP; Laura Briggs, VP; Rich Folse, VP; Tim Verreault, COO; Jason Lindstrom, CEO; Denis Knox, VP; Deirdre Pio, Gawron Turgeon Associates; Paul Ostrowski, Sebago Technics; Rocco Risbara, Risbara Bros.; Bill Weeks, Risbara Bros.)

GORHAM, ME (June 16, 2023) — Summit Church is excited to announce that we are opening a before and after school care program for the 2023/24 school year! We will open at 6:30am and pick up will be by 6pm. Check out our website or email us for enrollment information!

GORHAM, ME (June 16, 2023) — This free challenge is intended for folks who are new to hiking and for those who know our trails well. The six trails of the challenge are 1-2 miles long (with more trails accessible if you wish to extend your outing), and many include scavenger hunts, fairy houses, and storywalks making this a family-friendly adventure and enjoyable for all ages. You could find yourself discovering centuries old trees in Windham, exploring the ruins of a 150-year-old mill along the Presumpscot River in Gorham, enjoying meandering meadows in Standish, and following one of the wildest rivers in the region in Westbrook.

CHALLENGE: Visit and photograph six Presumpscot Regional Land Trust Preserve destinations this summer:

1) Mill Brook Preserve | Westbrook | Landmark: The Waterfall and Viewing Pool

2) Pride Preserve | Westbrook | Landmark: The Cascade Falls

3) Black Brook Preserve | Windham | Landmark: Glacial Erratic (large boulder)

4) Hawkes Preserve | Gorham | Landmark: Viewing Bridge (views of the Presumpscot River)

5) Gambo Preserve | Gorham/Windham | Landmark: Mill Ruins (the grindstone circle)

6) Steep Falls Village Preserve | Standish | Landmark: Tucker Brook Overlook

PRIZE: The Trail Challenge is sponsored by REI Co-op. Upon completion of the challenge by August 31st, with photographs of the six preserve landmarks, the first 100 participants will receive a REI Co-op & Land Trust co-branded water bottle. Every participant will receive a REI Co-op & Land Trust co-branded sticker.

Register for your summer adventure today, details and instructions to follow upon registration: https://www.prlt.org/2023-summer-trail-challenge

GORHAM, ME (June 16, 2023) — Gathered around their class hard hat, Maine Construction Academy’s first Construction Immersion Program class of 2023 graduated on Friday. All graduates were either current or past students at a local area high school and leave the program with nationally recognized certifications, hands-on & classroom experience in many different trades, and a pathway towards a career in the construction industry.

The Construction Immersion program through the Maine Construction Academy is being provided across the state this year, providing basic work-ready certifications and multiple craft exposures for students through hands-on experience and job site visits. At the completion of this program, participants will be offered guaranteed interview opportunities with Maine companies, where they will move on to either a post-secondary education or a Registered Apprenticeship Program. “This program is exactly what Maine needs. It is smart, well-coordinated and every detail has been considered to ensure participant success.” Says Eliza Kenigsberg, Career Aspirations & ELO Coordinator at Aspire Gorham.

Maine Construction Academy is managed by the Associated General Contractors of Maine and brings together industry, K-12 Education, higher education, workforce development teams, and local workforce boards. AGC Maine has chosen to focus first on out-of-school and in-school youth over 16 through their Construction Immersion Program, however there are plans to expand to the adult population.

“We’re so excited to celebrate this achievement with our first class of the Construction Immersion Program and look forward to watching our other classes learn, connect, and grow through these career pathways,” said Kelly Flagg, Executive Director of Associated General Contractors of Maine.

The Maine Construction Academy offers Pre-Apprenticeship, Apprenticeship and Incumbent worker training throughout the state of Maine and supports the veteran community, those in active recovery, immigrants and the disability community in partnership with experts in each population. 

For more information visit buildingmaine.com.

AUGUSTA, ME (June 16, 2023) — Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) Dean of Administration Tiffanie Bentley will serve as interim president of the college as of August 1. 

Bentley follows President Joe Cassidy, who is leaving to become the president at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine. The Maine Community College System (MCCS) Board of Trustees will commence a nationwide search immediately. 

Bentley will serve as interim president until a new president is seated, which will likely be in spring 2024. 

“Tiffanie is an inclusive and trusted leader,” MCCS President David Daigler said. “I look forward to working with her in this role.” 

Bentley, who is from South Portland, joined SMCC in 2007 as director of student life, was promoted to dean of students in 2013, and named dean of administration in 2019.

 She is a member of the South Portland-Cape Elizabeth Rotary Club and served on the board of The Locker Project, which provides Cumberland County children in need with food. She also served on the City of South Portland’s initial Affordable Housing Committee. 

Before coming to SMCC, Tiffanie worked at The University of Texas at Austin, Texas Woman’s University in Denton, and the University of Southern Maine. 

She has a master’s degree and bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University.

 Southern Maine Community College is the system’s oldest, largest, and most diverse college, with more than 6,000 students and offering 40-plus programs of study at the Portland and Brunswick campuses, online, and at satellite locations across southern Maine.

GORHAM, ME (June 9, 2023) — It has come to Gorham Fire Department’s attention that there are some questions regarding burning permits. In the Town of Gorham we have strict criteria we have to follow when determining if we are burning or not. Every morning the State of Maine determines the class day. If it is a high class day we do not issue permits. If it’s a moderate class day winds/wind gusts can only go as high as 10 mph. On low class days the winds/wind gusts can only go as high as 15 mph. We understand how this can be frustrating for anyone that is trying to burn but this criteria is in place because it only takes a few seconds for a fire to start and get out of control.

The two sites we use to determine the winds in Gorham are www.weather.gov and www.weather.com. Weather.gov is used to determine wind gusts and Weather.com is used to determine the hourly winds (please keep in mind if there is an hour during the day that the winds exceed the criteria we do not issue permits).

The two sites we use where you can get a burn permit at are: www.maine.gov/burnpermit and www.wardensreport.com. Any day that we are issuing permits you can get them from 9:15am until midnight. Both of these sites are updated daily by our staff.

Please keep in mind that not following these burning rules you are in violation of outdoor fire laws, which can result in a class E crime. Class E crimes includes: burning without a permit, kindling in an imprudent manner (burning on a high fire danger day with no regard to the fire danger), burning prohibited materials (anything that’s not wood), burn permit criteria (not following the guidelines on the issued burn permit), fire on land of another (burning on property you don’t have permission to do so), failure to extinguish (not fully extinguishing your fire before leaving), and disposal of a lighted material (disposing of anything lighted to include cigarettes, stove ashes, fireworks, etc.).

We really appreciate everyone’s cooperation and hope that this clears up all the questions regarding burn permits. Should you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to the administration office at 207.222.1660. Our main goal is to keep this community safe.

GORHAM, ME (June 9, 2023) — We are happy to announce the multisport courts at Chick Property are open! The courts are to be used for tennis/pickleball, basketball and shuffleboard. We are also trying a schedule to accommodate usage. Please see the schedule.

Also! Please do not use any bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades, wagons, or anything with wheels. The new lines have just been painted and this is NOT the surface for wheels.

We are excited to open this multisport court and hope you all enjoy it, as well! Thank you!!!