Lecture focuses on

roots of violence

 

The New England Institute of the University of New England will host the 2010 W.D. Hamilton Memorial Lecture by Dr. David P. Barash, “The Three Rs: Retaliation, Revenge, and Redirected Aggression. Some New/Old Insights into the Roots of Violence.”

 The lecture is free and open to the public. It will be held 6 p.m., March 23 in the St. Francis Room of the Jack Ketchum Library on the Biddeford campus. 

 The Annual W. D. Hamilton Memorial Lecture commemorates the life and work of William Donald Hamilton (1936-2000), a noted evolutionary biologist.

Barash is a professor of psychology at the University of Washington in Seattle. He was one of the early contributors to the growth of sociobiology, and continues to conduct occasional field studies of animal behavior, especially the evolution and ecology of social systems among free-living animals.

 

It’s time to sign up

for kindergarten

 

Kindergarten registration for children who are 5 years old or will turn 5 by Oct. 15 will be held in March, April and May at John F. Kennedy Memorial School Kindergarten Center, 64 West St., in Biddeford.

Parents or guardians should bring their child’s birth certificate, immunization records, proof of Biddeford residency (tax bill, rental lease, notarized letter from landlord or car registration) and health insurance card. Children do not have to come to registration, but it is important to register because it affects busing, placement and screening appointments.

Registration dates and times are:

• Thursday, March 18, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.

• Friday, March 19, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.

• Thursday, April 1, 4 to 7 p.m.

• Wednesday, April 7, 4 to 7 p.m.

• Wednesday, May 19, 4 to 7 p.m.

• Friday, May 28, 8 to 11 a.m.

 

Mission speaker

at Baptist church

 

The United Baptist Church of Saco will host the Rev. Dr. Gam Seng Shae as mission speaker on Sunday.  A luncheon will begin at 11:30 a.m. followed by his presentation about the Lisu Christians in Yunnan Province in southwest China.

Born in Burma as a member of the Lisu tribe, Shae was educated in Burma and the United States.  An American Baptist missionary, he speaks 10 languages and is a New Testament scholar.  He is an assistant to the Southeast Asian regional director of the American Baptist International Ministries and visits China every year.

 

Adult education

offers new classes

 

Old Orchard Beach/Saco Adult Education will hold new student open registration April 26 from 9 a.m. to noon. Returning student registration will be 10 a.m. to noon April 14 and noon to 2:30 p.m. April 15.

A free information session on a new personal support specialist certificate program will be 3 to 5 p.m. April 5 at the Saco Learning Center, 80 Common St.

Classes for those who want to be a substitute teacher with Regional School Unit 23 will be  5:30 to 8 p.m., Monday and Thursday evenings, March 29 to April 29.  The fee is $79 . Upon successful completion students will feel comfortable teaching in a classroom setting and employment will be guaranteed in the district at a higher rate of pay.

A GED Orientation Session will begin April 7 at the Saco Learning Center, 80 Common St.

Sessions begin the first Wednesday of the month from 5 to 7:30 p.m. for three consecutive Wednesdays.

For more information call 934-7922 or register online at www.oobsaco.maineadulted.org.

 

Trout Unlimited

features speakers

 

Dr. Curtis Bohlen and Maine Department of Marine Resources Paul Christman will be speak 7 p.m. Tuesday at the meeting of the  Sebago Chapter of Trout Unlimited at Governor’s Restaurant in South Portland.

Bohlen will speak on fish passage impediments, and Christman on Atlantic salmon restoration.

 Sebago Trout Unlimited volunteers last summer helped, Bohlen  with an ongoing fish passage impediment survey of all waters flowing into Casco Bay that will continue this summer in the Crooked River drainage.

 The presentation should  appeal to those interested in local fisheries ecology and is open to the public.

 

Gold Star Wives

plan April conference

 

Maine’s Dirigo Chapter of Gold Star Wives of America will host the annual New England conference at the Hampton Inn in Saco on April 10.

 Gold Star Wives is a Congressionally chartered non-profit service organization started in 1945 by young World War II widows. Membership includes women of all ages who have lost their spouse either in active military duty or from service connected injury or illness, including effects of Agent Orange.

The chapter’s goals include support for fellow widows, educating widows and legislators about needs of surviving family members and performing community service, especially for veterans.

Members of Dirigo chapter, the youngest in New England, are searching for other widows from Maine who may not be up to date on changes made to benefit laws. Widows who lost benefits when they remarried may be eligible for reinstatement of some benefits if the second marriage has ended by death or divorce and widows older than 57 may now remarry and retain some benefits.

For more information, contact chapter president Sandy Taylor at 284-8147.

 

Acoustic trio to play

at Saco Coffeehouse

 

A Vermont-based acoustic trio, Bread and Bones, will perform March 20 at the Saco Coffeehouse. In addition to original music, the group performs traditional songs from America and the British Isles, songs by other songwriters and a few jazz standards. The evening begins with open mic at 7p.m.; Bread and Bones performs at 8 p.m.

Comprised of Richard Ruane, Beth Duquette and Mitch Barron, Bread and Bones’ sound is characterized by two- and three-part harmonies over guitar and bass work. Between them they have shared the stage with Pete Seeger, Phish, Brooks Williams, Lynn Miles, Louise Taylor, Robin Williamson, Slaid Cleaves, Jennifer Kimball, Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen.

The Coffeehouse is located at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Saco and Biddeford, 60 School St., Saco.  The suggested donation is $10. For additional information about the 2010 Saco Coffeehouse performance schedule or directions visit www.sacocoffeehouse.com, e-mail info@sacocoffeehouse.com or call 282-0062.

 

GOP committee meets

next week in OOB

 

The Old Orchard Beach Republican Town Committee will hold its March meeting 7 p.m. next Thursday at the Old Orchard Beach Lions Club, 128 Saco Ave. in Old Orchard Beach.

 Chairman James Duclos will conduct the meeting. Topics to be covered will include Clean Election, $5 checks for candidates for House and Senate, 2010 activities and events, items discussed at the March 2 executive committee meeting and any other topics from the floor. A representative for gubernatorial candidate Steve Abbott will attend.

 For more information, contact Duclos at 934-6021 before March 18.

 

Joyful Harvest to host

free concert March 26

 

Joyful Harvest Community Center, which serves the Bacon Street community with no-cost after-school programming for youth, will host a free concert by Lisa Gallant Seal and Dawn and Domingo Torres at 7 p.m. March 26.

It is the first in a series called Neighborhood Encounters to celebrate moving beyond alcoholism, drug usage, issues of abuse and depression. Snacks will be provided. Joyful Harvest is located at 34 Water St. in  Biddeford, across from Mechanic’s Park.

 For more information, call Joyful Harvest at 286-9105.

 

Neighborhood meeting planned

 

Biddeford’s Community Development Office, Christ Episcopal Church and Go Greene will hold a third neighborhood neeting and dessert potluck 7 p.m. on March 25 in the church’s basement hall on South Street.  The meeting will include discussion of what the neighborhood would like to see in the open space created by the demolition of 8, 10 and 15 Williams Court. Owners of the firm awarded contract for demolition will be at the meeting. Residents at the last meeting decided they would like to conduct a cleanup and flower planting, as well as hold a block party.

Residents and property owners on South Street, Green Street, Kossuth Street, Crescent Street, Center Street, Wentworth Street, Graham Street, Jefferson Street, Elm Street and Williams Court are invited, as well as interested citizens and friends of the neighborhood. 

Participants may bring a small dessert item to share, however some dessert and coffee will be provided. For more information, call Linda Waters at 284-9105 or e-mail lwaters@biddefordmaine.org. 

 

Thornton to hold

AP information night

 

Parents of sophomores and juniors at Thornton Academy are invited to attend the annual0advanced placement and honors information night at 6 p.m. Monday.

The event will take place in room 55 of the science building. It will be an opportunity to hear about course expectations from instructors involved. Staff and faculty also will address concerns around scheduling, sequencing of classes, appropriate placement and what to expect from colleges concerning their acceptance of AP courses. Those in attendance also will learn the appropriate motivations for and skills necessary to take an AP or honors-level course. Students are welcome and encouraged to attend.

 

Golf lessons offered

for youth, adults

 

The Saco Parks and Recreation Department is accepting registrations for youth and adult golf lessons beginning March 24 through April 21. Lessons for youth ages 12 to 16 will be 6 to 7 p.m. and adult lessons will be 7 to 8 p.m. 

Classes will be held in the gym at Saco Middle School.  The cost is $90 for adults and $65 for youth. An additional  $5 fee will be charged for non-residents.

 The class is designed to help learn the basics of golf.  Participants should have their own clubs.

For more information, contact Eddie St. John at 283-3139 or e-mail est.john@sacomaine.org.

 

Thornton blood drive

is next Thursday

 

The Thornton Academy Alumni Association and the Interact Club will hold their annual American Red Cross blood drive next Thursday on the stage at Linnell Gymnasium.

From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., students, staff and faculty may donate. Members of the community and alumni who are interested may donate from 1 to 6 p.m.

Those who give must be 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health. To sign up for an appointment to give or more information, contact Caron Smith Pelletier, 282-3361, ext. 245 or  caron.pelletier@thorntonacademy.org.

 

Biddeford GOP to

caucus on Saturday

 

The Biddeford GOP City Committee invites members of the Biddeford GOP and interested unenrolled voters to the annual caucus 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday at J. Richard Martin Commumity Center, 159 Alfred St., Biddeford.

The Biddeford GOP City Committee will be formed for 2010 and 2011, delegates to the Maine GOP Convention in Portland May 7 and 8 will be selected, and delegates to the York County GOP Committee will be selected.

The caucus also will include review of the committee’s bylaws and hear presentations by candidates.

For more information, contact Al Coulombe at 282-1804 or e-mail acoulom1maine.rr.com.

 

Abenaki sponsors

Maple Sunday event

 

The Abenaki Draft Horse Association will hold its annual Maple Sunday breakfast 8 a.m. to noon March 21 at its clubhouse on Duke Lane in Lyman.

The event will include a breakfast of bacon, sausage, home fries, crepes with hot maple syrup, coffee, orange juice and hot chocolate.

The cost is $6 for adults and teens age 14 and older, $5 for children ages 3 to 13, and free for children younger than 2.

For more information, contact Leo Ruel at 499-7436.

 

The Abenaki Draft Horse Association will hold its annual Maple Sunday breakfast 8 a.m. to noon March 21 at its clubhouse on Duke Lane in Lyman.

The event will include a breakfast of bacon, sausage, home fries, crepes with hot maple syrup, coffee, orange juice and hot chocolate. The cost is $6 for adults and teens age 14 and older, $5 for children ages 3 to 13, and free for children younger than 2.

For more information, contact Leo Ruel at 499-7436.