OOB needs help planting trees  in Memorial Park

Volunteers are needed to help plant trees today at Memorial Park in Old Orchard Beach. The trees are funded by a Project Canopy Tree Grant. Most of the digging and heavy work will be completed on Wednesday, and volunteers are needed at 10 a.m. for the light work of spreading bark mulch.  Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own shovel or rake, but tools will be provided to those who don’t have them. 

Contact Jessica Wagner at 934-5714  ext. 238 with questions. 

Harry Potter costume party tonight at Dyer Library

Dyer Library will host a free “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” film premiere party in the Deering Room tonight at 6 p.m. Participants are urged to come dressed as a favorite Harry Potter character. The library promises games, prizes and Professor Trelawney.

Music on Main Street returns with blues guitarist

The Music on Main Street series begins today in Biddeford from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m with Mark T. Small at 354 Main St. 

Small performs traditional delta blues numbers with his flat-picking techniques and slide guitar.

 The series continues July 16 at the same time with Chris Bonoli, described by one music critic as “a combination of Bonnie Raitt with a bit of Bette Midler.”

Author Susan Minot to speak about new book

Susan Minot, author of the novel “Monkeys,” will speak and sign books today in Biddeford Pool. 

Minot’s novel “Evening” takes place on the coast of Maine and was made into a movie starring Vanessa Redgrave, Natasha Richardson and Meryl Streep. Minot also wrote “Stealing Beauty” for director Bernardo Bertolucci, starring Jeremy Irons and Liv Tyler.  She lives in New York City and North Haven.

The 7:30 p.m. event will be at Union Church, 3 Stonecliff Road. Tickets are $12 and may be purchased in advance  by calling 284-9807 or are $15 at the door. A book sale will begin at 7 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

Ross Road culvert project set to begin July 17

Work is scheduled to begin Friday, July 17, on the Ross Road culvert project in Old Orchard Beach and is expected to be completed Aug. 5. At least one lane of roadway will be open to traffic at all times, except from Tuesday, July 21, until the end of the work day Friday, July 24, when the road will be closed to all traffic. 

Any questions about the work may be directed to the  public works department, 934-2250. 

Work begins on Saco-Biddeford road projects

Work has begun on a series of road-paving projects in Biddeford and Saco. The paving locations are:

Biddeford, Route 111 (Alfred Street): Main Street to the intersection of Route 1 and 111 at 5 Points Shopping Center. 

Biddeford, Route 9 (Pool Street): Route 111 (Alfred Street) southeast to Parkside Drive.

Saco, Route 1: Lincoln Street east to the intersection of Route 1 and North Street.

Saco, North Street (Route 112): I-95 overpass to the Park Street intersection

Saco, Beach Street/Ferry Road: Route 1 (Main Street) intersection southeast to the Pine Ridge Road intersection.

 Shaw Brothers of Gorham will begin work first on the Saco Route 1 project, the Saco North Street Project and the Biddeford Route 111 project. Work will be limited to three projects at any time to minimize trffic disruptions. 

Crews will be remove deteriorating pavement, installing new pavement, pave shoulders and make minor sidewalk improvements.

 Crews will work nights on Route 1 in Saco to minimize delays. One lane will be kept open on all projects with one-way, alternating traffic during construction. If the projects go as planned with no unexpected delays, construction should be complete on all projects by mid-November.

Founder of camp for abused children to speak at United Baptist Church

The Reverend Wayne Tesch, founder of Royal Family Kids’ Camps, Inc., will be guest preacher at the 9 a.m. service on Sunday, July 12, at United Baptist Church, 318 Main St., Saco. 

Royal Family Kids’ Camps is a network of camps for abused, neglected and abandoned children. Tesch and his wife, Diane, were directors of he first camp, in California in 1985. The non-profit organization has grown nationwide to a network of camps sponsored by churches in 26 denominations in 36 states and five foreign countries. The camps are sponsored and staffed by people from local churches.  United Baptist Church held its eleventh year of camp last week. The public is invited to hear Tesch.