Summer registration begins

Registration begins today for University of New England’s two summer sessions, May 17 to July 1 and July 6 to Aug. 20. UNE will offer courses in art, biology, business, chemistry, citizenship, communication, education, English, environmental studies, French, geographic information systems, history, marine sciences, mathematics, music, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, sociology and sport management.

The courses are open to students from other universities and those who are home for the summer and would like to take a course to satisfy degree requirements.  The university also offers a number of course options for those preparing to apply to professional programs, whether at UNE or elsewhere, as well as classes in teacher certification.

 The university also will offer the Early College Program and Coastal Marine Ecology Program to students who will be high school juniors and seniors next fall. The college credit classes allow participants to focus on one subject in classes that include applied math, history, neuroscience, writing or coastal marine ecology. Students may live on campus in a residence hall or commute from home.  The application deadline for both programs is May 1.

Full summer course offerings may be viewed online at www.une.edu/oce.

Crossroads to hold concert

Crossroads Youth Center will host a 10th anniversary fundraiser celebrating the music from “Joseph,” “Sound of Music,” “Wizard of Oz,” “Annie Get Your Gun” and other shows, 7 p.m. Saturday at Thornton Academy’s Garland Auditorium in Saco.

 Several members will perform with Miss Maine Susie Stauble and “American Idol” finalist Jessica Cunningham. Stauble, who recently won the non-finalist talent award at the Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas, will perform her award-winning song, Destiny’s Child’s “Stand Up For Love” along with an array of songs with her sisters, Ali and Jill.

  Crossroads is going green and recycling its past shows with new additions, including an acoustic pre-show, featuring the local band, A Tale of Two Cities, beginning at 6 p.m. The fundraiser benefits Breathe Maine’s childhood obesity documentary project.

OOB alumni plan dance

The Old Orchard Beach Alumni Association will offer dancers a chance to twist, stroll, disco and  rock ’n roll to music from the ’50s to the ’80s at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 10, in the Elks Lodge in Saco.

Tickets are $10 per person and may be purchased at MacDonald’s Garage on Saco Avenue in Old Orchard Beach. For more information, call 934-9342.

Meeting Monday for Saco Slo-pitch Softball

Saco Women’s Slo-pitch Softball League will have an organizational meeting 6 p.m. Monday at the Saco Community Center, 75 Franklin St.

Team representatives and individuals interested in the league should be at the meeting. The team fee, league rules, starting dates and times will be discussed. The league is open to women 17 years (before June 1) and older.  Games will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays and are scheduled to begin June 15.

For additional information on the league, contact Eddie St. John at 283-3139, ext. 205, or e-mail est.john@sacomaine.org. Players who cannot attend the meeting may call the parks and recreation office at 283-3139. A list will be compiled of individuals interested in playing and will be available to teams. If enough individuals leave their names they also may be able to form a team.

Volunteers needed for weekend at Ballpark

Volunteers will work Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon at the Ballpark in Old Orchard Beach.

 Work still must be done before the Ballpark hosts the United States Collegiate Athletic Association’s national baseball tournament for small colleges in May. Volunteers are urged to show up with tools and paintbrushes.

For more information, call Dana Furtado at 229-2986.

New Stress-Less class begins next week

A new Biddeford Recreation class, Stress-Less, will meet 3 to 4:30 p.m. Mondays, April 5 through 26 in the Ross Center TV room.

The experimental stress-reduction fun class will focus on movement, music, games and demonstrations, as well as explore the causes and physical and emotional symptoms of stress.

For more information, call Debbie or Stephanie at 282-5005.

Political theorist to speak at UNE

Dr. Ali A. Mazrui will give his presentation “From Othello to Obama: Is This the Dawn of a Post-Racial Age?” at the University of New England at noon, Thursday, April 8, in the St. Francis Room on the Biddeford campus.

 Mazrui is Albert Schweitzer Professor in the humanities and director of the Institute of Global Cultural Studies at Binghamton University, State University of New York. He also holds three concurrent faculty appointments at the University of Jos in Nigeria, Cornell University and is chancellor of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya.

 Mazrui’s research interests include African politics, international political culture, political Islam and North-South relations. He is author or co-author of more than 20 books. In addition to his written work, Mazrui also was creator of “The Africans: A Triple Heritage,” a television series produced by the British Broadcasting Corp. and Public Broadcasting Service.

St. Andre to hold book and gift fair

St. Andre Health Care will sponsor a Books Are Fun book and gift fair next Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The community is invited and encouraged to attend the event in the organization’s activities room at 407 Pool St., Biddeford.  Items suitable for all ages will be available for sale.

 Proceeds from this event will benefit the resident activity fund,which includes a Camp Waban outdoor camping experience, attendance at special events within the community and resident gardening project.