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Archive for April 2013

Prose Gallery opens Friday in unique style

One of Paul Lewandoski's unique  fashion designs is modeled by Lewiston resident Gabrielle Russell at a recent IIDA New England Chapter fashion show.

One of Paul Lewandoski’s unique fashion designs is modeled by Lewiston resident Gabrielle Russell at a recent IIDA New England Chapter fashion show.

The grand opening of a new Lewiston art gallery this Friday night will feature an array of unique fashion designs courtesy of Portland-based architect Paul Lewandowski.

Prose Gallery, at 223 Lisbon Street, will feature the works of Lewandowski on both mannequins and live models in an exhibit starting Friday, April 26 from 5 to 8 p.m. There is no charge to attend.

Lewandowski has turned down an opportunity to appear on Project Runway and was featured in the August 2012 issue of Marie Claire magazine – pretty heady praise for a Lewiston native who uses everyday household interior design and architectural items in his clothing lines. He has been making a splash for several years participating in the IIDA New England Chapter fashion show, but this will be his first time displaying his fashions in Lewiston.

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Mobile dental hygiene service brings care to patients

L-A’s newest business is an innovative mobile dental hygiene service called Healthy Maine Smiles. Pictured here celebrating their launch are (l. to r.) Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council Marketing Director Calvin Rinck; Owner Jennifer Belanger, IPDH; Owner Caidra Harris, IPDH; and Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce President Chip Morrison. (Photo courtesy of the LAEGC.)

L-A’s newest business is an innovative mobile dental hygiene service called Healthy Maine Smiles. Pictured here celebrating their launch are (l. to r.) Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council Marketing Director Calvin Rinck; Owner Jennifer Belanger, IPDH; Owner Caidra Harris, IPDH; and Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce President Chip Morrison. (Photo courtesy of the LAEGC.)

Those in the L-A area in need of dental care but unable to visit a dentist’s office can now call upon a new business that will bring dental hygiene services to them.

Lewiston-Auburn’s newest business, Healthy Maine Smiles, provides professional dental care for seniors, the disabled, and those with limited access to traditional dental options. Co-owners Caidra Harris and Jennifer Belanger hope to improve access to oral health opportunities for area residents by offering preventative oral health services in a familiar and safe environment of the customer’s choosing.

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Freight rail line restoration moves ahead

Pictured (l. to r.) are City of Auburn Mayor Jonathan LaBonte; Maine DOT Commissioner David Bernhardt; L & A Railroad Company President Gerald Berube; St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad General Manager Blake Jones; AVCOG Executive Director Robert Thompson; City of Lewiston Mayor Robert Macdonald. (Photo courtesy of the LAEGC.)

Pictured (l. to r.) are City of Auburn Mayor Jonathan LaBonte; Maine DOT Commissioner David Bernhardt; L & A Railroad Company President Gerald Berube; St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad General Manager Blake Jones; AVCOG Executive Director Robert Thompson; City of Lewiston Mayor Robert Macdonald. (Photo courtesy of the LAEGC.)

Moving rail cars full of merchandise through Auburn will become a little easier when a new rail project that broke ground recently is completed later this year. The Rangeley Branch rail line restoration project will alleviate congestion on the existing rail line servicing the Maine Intermodal Transportation Facility by providing an alternative rail line for the movement and delivery of freight to area businesses. For moving freights across sea we have found http://www.mycargoil.com/service/sea-freight/ to be the most reliable.

Pictured (l. to r.) City of Auburn Manager Clinton Deschene; City of Lewiston Administrator Ed Barrett; Gendron & Gendron Co-Founder Del Gendron; Gendron & Gendron VP John Gendron; City of Auburn Economic and Community Development Director Roland Miller; St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad General Manager Blake Jones. (Photo courtesy of the LAEGC.)

Pictured (l. to r.) City of Auburn Manager Clinton Deschene; City of Lewiston Administrator Ed Barrett; Gendron & Gendron Co-Founder Del Gendron; Gendron & Gendron VP John Gendron; City of Auburn Economic and Community Development Director Roland Miller; St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad General Manager Blake Jones. (Photo courtesy of the LAEGC.)

“After working on this project for over 10 years, the re-establishment of this rail line comes as welcome news,” said AVCOG executive director Bob Thompson. “The implementation of this project, opening up hundreds of acres for rail-related development, is a major step towards attracting businesses, creating jobs, and facilitating strong economic development opportunities for many years to come.”

The Rangeley Branch rail line restoration project that broke ground recently in Auburn will alleviate congestion on the existing rail line servicing the Maine Intermodal Transportation Facility by providing an alternative rail line for the movement and delivery of freight to area businesses.

The Rangeley Branch rail line restoration project that broke ground recently in Auburn will alleviate congestion on the existing rail line servicing the Maine Intermodal Transportation Facility by providing an alternative rail line for the movement and delivery of freight to area businesses.

As rail cars carrying freight are brought into the Port of Auburn, LLC and the Maine Intermodal Transportation Facility, they are unloaded during the day and removed at night. The main rail line that runs through the facilities is also used to assemble and disassemble trains at various times during the day as needed. Approaching trains must wait until this process is completed before they can proceed through to their destination.

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Letter: Children in L-A have no voice in education

To the Editor:

Florida’s fourth-grade students, in international testing, rank second in the world in reading, even surpassing Finland, an educational powerhouse, which ranked third. This is incredible!

Florida, with a large Hispanic and black population (the state is only 57% white) would be expected to perform poorly. But this amazing fourth-grade success portends improved performance in Florida’s higher grades.

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Enough is Enough: Cooperation is needed to create a desirable city

By Robert E. Macdonald

Mayor of Lewiston

It takes vision to create a desirable city—vision in the form of young entrepreneurs: young entrepreneurs who have a dream, drive and a can-do attitude; entrepreneurs who can successfully navigate all obstacles before them. To the women and men that subscribe to this world, “quitting is not an option.”

You also need well-versed, seasoned business people—business people who have knowledge and understand the workings of commerce, business, industry, banking, local, state and federal government operations; business people who know how to get things done; business people whose advice and counsel will almost surely guarantee success.

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“Stand Against Racism” on April 27

After last year’s successful launch, the YWCA of Central Maine hopes to enlist at least 100 people for this year’s “Stand Against Racism” event on April 27.

After last year’s successful launch, the YWCA of Central Maine hopes to enlist at least 100 people for this year’s “Stand Against Racism” event on April 27.

The YWCA of Central Maine will host its second annual “Stand Against Racism” on Saturday, April 27. Part of a series of events organized by local YWCA’s across the country, the day will consist of walking and public demonstration to promote recognition of racism in Maine. Walkers who participate will become community leaders in helping to break the cycle of racism.

After last year’s successful launch, the Y hopes to enlist at least 100 people for this year’s event. The first 100 who sign up will receive t-shirts as symbols of their dedication.

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CA$H Coalition celebrates 10 years of $avings

Site coordinator KC Geiger with volunteer Louise Gervais who rescheduled over 200 appointments when the Coalition’s Super Refund Saturday was cancelled due to a major blizzard on February 9.

Site coordinator KC Geiger with volunteer Louise Gervais who rescheduled over 200 appointments when the Coalition’s Super Refund Saturday was cancelled due to a major blizzard on February 9.

The Lewiston-Auburn CA$H Coalition marked its 10th year helping local residents save money by providing free tax preparation and asset-building assistance at an anniversary celebration on April 10.

There was much to celebrate. From January 24 through April 1, Coalition volunteers prepared 1,783 returns, resulting in $2,816,000 in claimed Federal refunds and $534,000 in claimed State refunds. Those numbers brought the Coalition’s 10-year tally for claimed Federal and State tax refunds on behalf of Lewiston-Auburn area residents to $18,984,674!

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Former Yankees pitcher to sing at La Rencontre

Auburn resident and baritone Larry Gowell, who once pitched for the New York Yankees, will perform at the Franco Center’s next “La Rencontre” French-language luncheon on Friday, May 3.

Auburn resident and baritone Larry Gowell, who once pitched for the New York Yankees, will perform at the Franco Center’s next “La Rencontre” French-language luncheon on Friday, May 3.

The Franco-American Heritage Center will host its next “La Rencontre” French language luncheon on Friday, May 3 at 11:30 a.m. The meal will feature of a choice of lobster roll or chicken salad roll, along with macaroni salad, chips, pickles and a cookie for dessert.

Following the meal, Auburn resident and baritone Larry Gowell will perform for patrons in the Franco Center’s Performance Hall. He will be accompanied on at least one song by chanteuse Joëlle Morris, a native of France who currently resides in Winthrop and, like Gowell, has become a favorite of Franco Center audiences.

Gowell will be trailed by a camera crew from “Bill Green’s Maine,” a program that airs weekly on WCSH-TV. The program’s producers are capturing footage to tell the story of Gowell’s life and unique place in baseball history.

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St. Louis Church slated for demolition

  St. Louis Roman Catholic Church of New Auburn has been slated for demolition due to unsafe structural conditions. To the left of the church is the former convent for the Franciscan Sisters who formerly taught at St. Louis School. The white building behind the church is the former rectory for the parish’s priests. (Photo by Rachel Morin.)


St. Louis Roman Catholic Church of New Auburn has been slated for demolition due to unsafe structural conditions. To the left of the church is the former convent for the Franciscan Sisters who formerly taught at St. Louis School. The white building behind the church is the former rectory for the parish’s priests. (Photo by Rachel Morin.)

Parishioners of St. Louis Roman Catholic Church, on the corner of Dunn and Third Streets in New Auburn, learned the sad news this weekend that their church will be demolished due to unsafe structural conditions. While sad, the news was not entirely unexpected; the congregation, which has been attending services at Sacred Heart Church in Auburn while their home church was being evaluated, had already been informed that the cost of required repairs would likely be exorbitant.

A meeting to discuss the situation was held in the downstairs hall following the weekend liturgy. The hall was filled to capacity. There will be more meetings in the future as plans are made for the church’s demise.

Enough is Enough: Chaplains reflect the work of the Catholic Church

By Robert E. Macdonald

Mayor of Lewiston

When I became mayor, I made a promise that I would address the welfare fraud being committed by the out-of-town transients that blow weekly into Lewiston. I have worked with Lewiston’s welfare director, Sue Charron, developing legislation and finding legislative sponsors to introduce bills aimed at eliminating fraud and abuse.

I am happy to report that we are on the verge of achieving our goal.

In the next few weeks, this column will present detailed plans designed to improve the livability and marketability of our town. In order to achieve these goals, you, the reader, will be asked to perform a simple task.

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