GORHAM, ME (October 6, 2023) — On Wednesday, October 18 6pm, come out to Baxter Memorial Library to meet Gorham Town Council and School Committee Candidates.  Each will have an opportunity to speak for five minutes about themselves and their platform, followed by an opportunity to mingle and chat with attendees.  The statements will be recorded and televised by GoCAT.

SCARBOROUGH, ME (October 6, 2023) – Dr. Ralph Martin (pictured below) to present “Living as Catholics in Challenging Times” at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church (150 Black Point Rd, Scarborough, ME 04074) on October 27-28. The Fall Mission is free to attend and open to the public. The two-day spiritual gathering is centered around the theme “Living as Catholics in Challenging Times,” conveyed by means of two insightful talks by Dr. Martin, a widely respected figure in Catholic evangelization and spiritual renewal.

Event Schedule:

Day 1: Friday, October 27th 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm: “Living as Catholics in Challenging Times” with Ralph Martin

Day 2: Saturday, October 28th 9:00 am – 10:00 am: “Growing in Holiness” with Ralph Martin; Break until 10:30am with refreshments. There will be an opportunity to purchase books and engage with Dr. Martin; 10:30 am – 11:30 am: “Growing in Mission” with Ralph Martin.

St. John Paul II Church extends an invitation to all to join in a heartfelt prayer for the mission’s success: “Come Holy Spirit and intercede for the success of our upcoming parish mission. Help us to listen attentively and ponder prayerfully. May Your words of grace and truth effectively work within us and form us into the people You have called us to be. Send forth your Spirit to help us do Your will within our parish community, as well as in our own lives. May all that we do be for Your glory. Amen.”

For additional details, or to learn more about the Fall Mission and other events at St. John Paul II Parish, please visit http://jp2me.org

Ralph Martin is the president of Renewal Ministries (https://www.renewalministries.net) and the host of the weekly Catholic television program The Choices We Face. He holds a doctorate in theology and is the director of Graduate Theology Programs in the New Evangelization at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in the Archdiocese of Detroit.

ORONO, ME (September 29, 2023) — University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H is offering its Ag Ambassador program this fall. 

The program, open to all Maine teens ages 14-18, focuses on career exploration through farm and production visits around the state and provides opportunities to build relationships with industry professionals. The Fall 2023 cohort will meet virtually 3:30-5 p.m. on Oct. 18 and 25 and Nov. 1 and 15. The program also features 3 on-farm meetings on Oct. 21, Nov. 10 and Dec. 2. For a full schedule, visit the program website.

With the shrinking number of formal agricultural programs in high schools, students are lacking opportunities to learn about local food systems and discover careers in agriculture. The 4-H Ag Ambassador program aims to help teens from all walks of life discover a future in agriculture and connect with other young people with similar goals.

Youth involved in this program will have opportunities to pursue their interest in agriculture and explore career pathways. This includes mentoring in post-secondary opportunities, as well as investigating current issues related to food systems, livestock, crop sciences, aquaculture, climate change and equitable access. 

This program is open to all Maine youth; 4-H membership is not required for participation. Register on the program website by Oct. 11. To request reasonable accommodation, please contact extension.4hagleadership@maine.edu or call 207.622.7546. Receiving requests for accommodations at least 10 days before the program provides a reasonable amount of time to meet them, but all requests will be considered.

4-H’ers explore career paths while visiting the Witter Farm dairy herd during the April 2023 on-campus Teen Ag Symposium. Photo courtesy of University of Maine Cooperative Extension.

GORHAM, ME (September 29, 2023) — October is National Community Planning Month. Planning is the process of envisioning, mapping, or otherwise conceiving of how a community will look, grow, and define itself, and much of what makes Gorham, Maine a special place has been the result of decades of careful planning. From where you live, to how you commute, to the type of home you live in, planning helps shape the community around us.

Did you know Gorham has many different plans? Thank you for your help in creating all of them! We couldn’t do it without you.

Ask The Planners Day

Please join us for sweet treats on October 12th, 2023, between 9:00am and 3:00pm, to ask the planners about the plans Gorham has in place.

We have a long history of community planning. Check out our planning history at the Town’s website.

Ways to participate in Community Planning Month

Ask the Planners Day! October 12th 9am – 3pm

Scavenger Hunt

BINGO

Crossword Puzzle

Word Search

Submit games and puzzles with name, email and phone number to the Planning Office to enter to win one of two gift bags!

Library Must Reads

Stop by the Baxter Memorial Library for the following planning must reads and great suggestions for your book club!

A Better Way to Zone by Donald Elliott

Changing Maine by Richard Barringer

Conservation Design for Subdivision by Randall Arendt

Design with Nature by Ian L. McHarg

Economic Development: What Works on the Local Level, National League of Cities

Growing Greener by Randall Arendt

Local Planning: Contemporary Principles and Practice edited by Gary Hack, et al.

Nature Friendly Ordinances by James McElfish, Jr.

People Habitat by F. Kaid Benfield

Planners on Planning by Bruce McClendon and Anthony Catanese

Rural by Design by Randall Arendt

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

Smarter Land Use by Karl Kehde

The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs

The Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America’s Man-Made Landscape by James Howard Kunstler

The Next American Metropolis: Ecology, Community, and the American Dream by Peter Calthorpe

The Small Town Planning Handbook by Daniels, Keller and Lapping

The Smart Growth Manual by Duany, Speck Lydon

Walkable City by Jeff Speck

For Kids:

What do people do all day? By Richard Scarry

Metropolis by Benoit Tardif

GORHAM, ME (September 29, 2023) – The Town of Gorham announced today the launch of a new matching grant program aimed at providing a boost to help local businesses and farms grow and expand into new areas of operation with a one-time purchase of a capital item or service. These single, one-time procurements will help grantees accelerate plans for growth, and create opportunities for expansion, entrepreneurship, and job creation in Gorham.

The Capital Expenditure Matching Grant program provides 50% reimbursement of a capital item, service or site expansion project, up to a maximum award of $15,000. The program will award grants to businesses in three distinct sectors using a competitive grant application process. At least one grant will be awarded to a business or farm in each of the following three target sectors:

• Agriculture;

• Manufacturing & Skilled Trades;

• Retail & Food Services;

A total of $45,000 in funding was allocated by the Gorham Town Council for the creation of the new grant program. The program is made available to businesses and farms currently operating in Gorham on commercial and agricultural property located in the Town of Gorham.

In support of the new program, Gorham Savings Bank will provide $10,000 in additional funding as a “Hometown Match” that will go towards meeting the match requirement for one or more grant recipients.

“Gorham Savings Bank is truly pleased to provide this Hometown Match to our community—one in which we’ve been rooted for more than 150 years,” said Becky Winslow, SVP, Director of Community Relations & Development at Gorham Savings Bank. “We are dedicated to being a force for good and work hard to help local businesses thrive, from supporting startups through our LaunchPad small business competition, to contributing to impactful initiatives like this one.”

“This is the type of grant program our business community has been asking for,” said Gorham Town Council Chairperson Lee Pratt. “The goal is to provide the type of funding they need to make their own decisions on what’s best for growing and expanding their business in Gorham.”

Eligible uses for grant funding under the program include a single, non-recurring procurement in excess of $10,000 for durable goods, IT needs or related services, and may include upgrades to building or property that directly benefit business operations. There is no minimum grant amount, however, the primary objective of the program is to support transformative growth in business operations through capital expenditures.

Details about the grant program and how to apply are available either on the Town’s website or by contacting the Department of Community Development.

The deadline for submitting an application is Friday, November 17, 2023. “As a Town, we continue to develop ways to support our local business community, based on the needs expressed by the business owners themselves,” said Kevin Jensen, Economic Development Director for Gorham. “I’m excited to learn what ideas Gorham businesses and farms have to grow and expand their operations using funds made available through this

MANCHESTER, ME (September 29, 2023) – Ashley Morrill, star of the popular Magnolia Network reality television show Maine Cabin Masters, has launched Rustic County, a beautiful new home décor line inspired by Ashley’s true loves: nature, florals, and the beauty of Maine. 

Now, fans of Maine Cabin Masters – and fans of stylish, upscale home décor – can shop Ashley’s pretty, high-quality, rustic-chic items from her new website. The first product from the new Rustic County line – beautiful floral and Maine-themed throw pillow covers – are available online, along with Rustic Country merch, including t-shirts, trucker hats, koozies, stickers, and gift cards. More products will be available shortly. 

“I’m excited to introduce the first Rustic County products, throw pillow covers, which are simple, easy pieces that can make a really big impact. Our pillow covers quickly freshen up a space, and can be easily switched out with different designs to dramatically change up the look of any room,” Ashley explained. “The Rustic County pillow covers will be featured in the new season of Maine Cabin Masters, and you’ll see them transforming spaces in our upcoming reveals starting this fall.”

 “After years of designing with Maine Cabin Masters, I wanted to create something that is 100% from me. I love the show and will always be part of it, but I also wanted to branch out and do my own thing,” Ashley continued. “With Rustic County, I’m sharing my art with my fans, allowing them to bring the cabin experience – and part of the show – into their own homes.” 

“Rustic County is a women-owned, run, and empowered business. Ashley loves hanging out with the guys on the show, and now she’s also enjoying working with her close girlfriends on her long-time dream of launching a home decor brand,” said Rachael Harwood, friend and Rustic County design consultant. “It’s so cool to see Ashley and her closest friends using their superpowers – design, branding, business, marketing, and social media – to launch and run this spectacular business that we’re all so wildly excited about.” 

“Ashley is amazingly talented and wildly creative. She has an eye for design, a passion for art, and a fun, relatable style. People love her on the show, and since we announced this new company on social media, and it was recently featured in People Magazine, people have been overwhelmingly positive, enthusiastic, and supportive. They’re so happy about bringing her products home, and they can’t wait to shop for Rustic County pieces and wear our awesome new merch,” said her longtime friend, Kat Antonioli, who helms Rustic County’s marketing, branding, web design, and e-commerce side of the business, making it easy for people to interact with the company and shop online. 

“Ashley has a large, loyal fan base that has been asking her to design luxury home goods and she has delivered! She’s creating gorgeous, high-quality, sustainable home décor products that people can use to decorate their own spaces. People are inspired by what she does on her show, and now Rustic County allows anyone to achieve Maine Cabin Masters looks without spending a lot of money or doing a ton of work,” added close friend and business manager, Steph Hayward. 

Ashley will be designing the entire Rustic County product line, and all the brand’s items will get their beautiful, unique aesthetics from Ashley’s original artwork.

 While Rustic County’s throw pillow covers are already available to purchase, the company plans to release additional products – including tea towels, note cards, and more – later this year. 

The entire Rustic County team, which has grown to include Julie Bellantuoni, social media superstar, and Christian Musson, brand ambassador and merchandising wizard, is working tirelessly and passionately to bring this rustic, cabin-chic product line to the fans. 

For more information, home décor inspiration, and to purchase products, please visit Rustic County’s website, Facebook, and Instagram.