Archive for November 2013
Museum L-A hosts Great Gatsby Party
- Museum L-A will host a fun and elegant Great Gatsby Party on Friday, November 22 from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Ramada Hotel and Conference Center.
Featuring a decadent tower of “bubbly,” a chocolate fountain, a cash bar, and light refreshments, the event will evoke Jay Gatsby’s jazz-era parties in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel of 1920’s America, “The Great Gatsby.” Guests will be treated to a free glass of “bubbly” to toast the evening.
Providing the music will be the Mike Willette Swing Band. The 13-member ensemble will perform “a musical history of Big Bands from the 1920s through the 1970s,” says vocalist Mike Willette. “It will be music you can dance to.”
Also on display will be a historic chandelier – recently restored by Lighting Concepts of Lewiston – that once hung in the lobby of Lewiston’s Empire Theatre. Opening in 1903 with an appearance by Raymond Hitchcock, a prominent Broadway star of the time, the Empire transitioned over the years at its 142 Main Street location (near the current site of Pedro O’Hara’s) from play house to movie house to church before it was demolished in 2005.
The 1920s was a time of Prohibition, the national ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol ushered in by the 18th Amendment. The ban proved difficult to enforce, and widespread public disdain led to the proliferation of underground activities and establishments – including speakeasies – that distributed and sold alcohol illegally.
Wattpad: Site for Writers and Readers “Enriches Lives Through Stories”
By Ashley Bowden
TCT Contributor
Wattpad.com is an online community for people to publish their writing, as well as read works by new and established authors. The site bills itself as “the world’s largest community for discovering and sharing stories” and is becoming increasingly popular with teens.
“Twenty million people all over the world spend 4.5 billion minutes a month on Wattpad discovering, reading and sharing stories,” said CEO and co-founder Allen Lau in an e-mail interview. “About half of the Wattpad community is teens like Edward Little High School students.”
Museum L-A, Franco Collection present exhibits featuring local veterans
Museum L-A and the Franco-American Collection at Lewiston-Auburn College are collaborating to present two exhibitions honoring local veterans and the contributions of Twin City residents to the country’s wartime efforts.
The Franco-American Collection’s exhibit, called “Sous les Drapeaux: Under the Colors,” features the stories of local Franco-American veterans who served in conflicts from World War One to Korea. Exploring themes of identity and patriotism within the Franco-American community, the exhibit was curated by Atrium Art Gallery Coordinator Robyn Holman and Franco-American Collection Coordinator James Myall.
Enough is Enough: Step up and show L-A still has the best hockey fans
By Robert Macdonald
Mayor of Lewiston
When I moved to Lewiston in 1977, the city was on the decline as a mill town. Foot traffic on Lisbon Street had declined dramatically. Businesses were leaving for the malls, a place where there was no shortage of retail businesses or parking. The city was on life support.
But on Friday and Saturday nights back then, lower Lisbon Street came alive. Bars and social clubs were filled with workers, eager to unwind after a week of tedious labor. This led to many incidents involving them letting off steam, much of which required a police response.
This weekend interaction drew many who jockeyed for parking spaces, refreshments at the ready, to get the best possible view of the upcoming night’s action (fights).
Lisbon breaks ground on Androscoggin River Trail
The Town of Lisbon recently held a groundbreaking ceremony at the Sabattus Boat Launch for the new Androscoggin River Trail.
The ceremony began with brief remarks from Town Manager Steve Eldridge, who thanked everyone for coming and supporting the trail project. Public Works Director Ryan Leighton provided a brief history of the development of the Lisbon Trails System and of the design and permitting process for this phase. Other speakers included Steve Warren and Noyes Lawrence, current and former Lisbon Trails Commission members, who were instrumental in moving the project forward.
Lawrence asked those in attendance if they knew how many people were using the Lisbon Trails System to date. The answer to that question is approximately 50,000 people per year. In addition to locals, those users include people from across Maine and even outside the state. “Having a trail system like this in a community is good for the economics of Lisbon,” said Duane Scott of the Maine Department of Transportation.
Collins meets with reps from Auburn Tambrands plant
U.S. Senator Susan Collins recently met with representatives of Procter & Gamble in her Washington, D.C. office to discuss various economic issues. The meeting included two representatives from Procter & Gamble’s Tambrands subsidiary in Auburn, Plant Manager Felicia Coney and Site Human Resources Manager Rick Malinowski.
Employing 450 people, the Auburn plant is the city’s second-largest employer and supplies feminine care products for the entire North American market. Parent company Procter & Gamble recently bestowed its best North American Plant Award to the facility in recognition of its outstanding safety record, successful quality audits, and sustained production levels.
Enough is Enough: This weekend, honor and thank veterans for their service
By Robert E. Macdonald
Mayor of Lewiston
This weekend we will be asked to stop and reflect upon the sacrifices endured by those who donned our country’s uniform.
For many who never served, Veteran’s Day is a holiday. Many have the day off to catch up on work around the house, to relax or recreate. Others are compensated handsomely for being required to come to work.
Many area veterans’ posts throughout Lewiston-Auburn and the surrounding area will be providing breakfasts and lunches at their posts, which will be open to all veterans and their families. These are not held as a “Welcome home, thanks for your service.”
They are held to give veterans a chance to meet and mingle with other veterans. They can talk openly about their experiences with other veterans who have similar experiences—without judgment from the listener.