Mechanics Savings Bank and Biddeford Savings recently announced the finalization of their alliance as members of the newly formed bank holding company Maine Community Bancorp. The alliance, creating the first multi-bank mutual holding company in the state, was completed after receiving approvals from each bank’s board of directors, corporators, depositors and appropriate regulatory agencies.

Richard J. Vail, President and CEO of Mechanics Savings Bank, and Charles M. Petersen, President and CEO of Biddeford Savings, will serve as co-CEOs of the holding company while continuing to serve as CEOs of their respective banks. Each bank will retain its name, state charter, and status as a vibrant community bank.

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The Bussiere Family were named Super Saints of the Month

Saint Dominic Academy has named its January Students of the Month for grades seven through twelve. Teachers nominate students and a committee of administrators, staff and faculty choose from the candidates. Students are selected based upon exemplary character, service, leadership and scholarship in and around the St. Dom’s community. One student from each grade is selected, and an additional student is named the overall Student of the Month.

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A great time was had by all at the recent “Jam the Gym” event held in Kirk Hall gymnasium at Central Maine Community College. In what can only be described as an “epic basketball battle,” the Auburn Police Department All-Stars narrowly defeated the CMCC Mustangs, with all proceeds to benefit the Auburn Police Activities League. Among the participants pictured here are Auburn Mayor Jonathan LaBonte (front, third from right), Auburn Police Chief Phil Crowell (standing, fourth from right), and CMCC Athletic Director Dave Gonyea (far left).

The Gendron Franco Center will host its second annual Super Bowl Party on Sunday, February 7, starting at 4 p.m. This family-friendly event will feature a delicious menu of food items for sale at the Heritage Clubhouse Cafe, raffles of great prizes provided by local businesses, fun activities for kids, a cash bar and a chance to watch the big game go down on a ten-foot-tall screen.

The doors, café and bar will open at 4 p.m. for a “tailgate dinner” before or during Super Bowl 50. There will be a $5 cover charge at the door, with children ages 5 and under admitted for free. Guests of all ages are encouraged to get comfortable by bringing a favorite beanbag, folding or camp chair and/or blankets and by wearing favorite team wardrobe items.

The Franco Center is located at 46 Cedar Street in Lewiston. For more information, call 783-1585, see www.francocenter.org or visit the Box Office Monday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m.

Ben Lapointe and his miniature horses will provide a delightful ride for kids ages 12 and under. (Photo by Sarah Walsh)

Skyline Farm of North Yarmouth will hold its 17th annual Sleigh Day on Saturday, January 30, from noon to 3 p.m. The event will take place in conjunction with the opening of the Skyline Farm Carriage Museum’s new exhibit, “Portland’s Horse-Drawn Heritage,” which showcases vintage sleighs and artifacts that would have been readily seen early last century on Portland’s Western Promenade. The event and exhibit are free and open to the public. Dress warmly.

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The Lewiston High School Key Club will present a celebration in honor of its 70th anniversary on Saturday, February 6 at 11 a.m. To that end, the club is asking past members to share stories about their activities in the club or of how their participation influenced their lives or memories.

The club also invites other area Key Clubs to join them on a current service project: they are collecting gently used or new school supplies for Children of Peace International, which is one of the New England District Key Club’s projects for this year.

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Pictured here (l. to r.) are Tarah Flanagan as Tara, Janet Mitchko as Margot, Brigitte Viellieu-Davis as Connie and Caralyn Kozlowski as Dory, in a scene from the Public Theatre’s production of “The Ladies Foursome,” opening Friday, January 22 and running through Sunday, January 31. Show times are Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., with an added matinee on Saturday, January 30 at 3 p.m. For ticket info, call the Public Theatre Box Office at 782-3200 or see www.thepublictheatre.org.

The City of Auburn has filled vacancies in the director positions of two of its departments: Economic and Community Development and Recreation. After a nationwide search, the city has hired Michael Chammings of Oxford to be its new Economic and Community Development Director. He will begin his tenure on January 19. Also, the city has hired Sabrina Best as its new Recreation Department Director. She will begin her tenure on January 25.

Michael Chammings has over twenty years of municipal management and economic and community development in various communities in Maine. During his tenure as the Town Manager of Oxford, he was instrumental in the success of the 2010 referendum and subsequent building and marketing of the Oxford Casino that was the state’s largest economic development project during a period of lack of growth. He has a strong background in job creation (800 in the last five years), economic development, community development, the State’s Tax Increment Finance program, grant acquisition and management, and financial management.

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Students Kasandra Bernard and Eban Johnston, at work in CMCC’s automotive technology lab

Central Maine Community College has announced that its Automotive Technology program has been reaccredited by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation.

Founded in 1983, NATEF examines the structure, resources and quality of training programs and evaluates them against standards established by the industry. These standards reflect the skills that students must master to be successful in the industry. The NATEF visiting team noted that the automotive program at CMCC excelled in the areas of 1) equipment available for learning, 2) the technical credentials of the faculty, and 3) the use of the Ford ASSET model to get students into the workforce early.

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Joan Macri, a former American History teacher at Lewiston High School, had the opportunity to decorate one of the world’s most prestigious buildings this holiday season. On Thursday, January 28 at 6 p.m. in the Community Room at Auburn Public Library, she’ll describe that experience in a presentation called “Decorating the White House: An Insider’s View.”

Macri was one of 88 volunteers who spent three days in December decorating the White House. In her presentation, she will share how she was chosen and describe some of the decorations used to celebrate the holiday season at the White House, where the theme this year was “A Timeless Tradition.”

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