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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.
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.
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.)
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.
Passing of former Auburn Police Chief
Former Auburn Police Chief Richard “Dick” Small
The Auburn Police Department announced last week the passing of its former Chief, Richard “Dick” Small, who died recently at his home in Eustice.
Small was hired in December of 1979 by then-Chief Peter Mador. He joined the Auburn Police Department after working for two years as a Sergeant for the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office under Sheriff Lionel Cote.
A 1976 graduate of Edward Little High School, Small attended the University of Maine at Augusta and was a graduate of the 39th Municipal/County Basic Police School in Waterville.
Date set for B2B Trade Show
The event’s organizing committee has announced that the 2013 Androscoggin Business to Business Trade Show will take place on Thursday, June 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston. This year’s theme will be “Building Connections for Business Success.”
Renowned for its ability to draw an estimated 2,500 business professionals from throughout New England, the show, presented by the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council, is considered by many to be the premier networking event in the state. This year’s one-day event will focus on how companies build relationships from the ground up to grow their business.
“Personal relationships are paramount to any successful enterprise,” said committee member Stephanie Lewis of the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council. “The Business to Business Trade Show provides an opportunity for hundreds of businesses and thousands of professionals to meet, shake hands, and exchange ideas, all under the convenience of one roof.”
Enough is Enough: Consolidation requires commitment from elected officials
By Robert E. Macdonald
Mayor of Lewiston
Early in February, the Sun Journal headline described a “Lewiston, Auburn Mayoral Spat.” That spat resulted from my reaction to comments by Mayor Jonathan LaBonté of Auburn during a meeting with Governor LePage. At that meeting and elsewhere, Mayor LaBonté stated that the Twin Cities have been sitting on a plan that would save $2.7 million a year through closer cooperation, a plan that hasn’t been implemented because of politics and lack of a “fiscal cliff” forcing us to do so.
My concern then and now is that such statements play right into the hands of those who would like to see local government pick up the tab for the state budget through the elimination of municipal revenue sharing and other state supported programs.
Guess what? I was right.
Busytown Bikes opens for business
The Twin Cities’ newest bike shop, Busytown Bikes, opened its doors recently in the old Nadeau’s Bakery building at 996 Sabattus Street in Lewiston.
The Twin Cities’ newest bike shop has opened its doors in the extensively renovated old Nadeau’s Bakery building at 996 Sabattus Street in Lewiston. Busytown Bikes carries a full line of Scott, Jamis and Surly bicycles, from sleek road bikes to full-suspension mountain bikes, as well as BMX bikes, kids’ bikes and women’s-specific models. The shop also offers a full range of services, from simple tune-ups to complete overhauls.
Co-owners Frank Jalbert and Dominic Giampaolo grew up riding bikes here in Lewiston. “We’re just into riding bikes of all kinds,” said Giampaolo. “Road bikes, mountain bikes, commuter bikes – even BMX and kids bikes – either we ride them, or our kids do!”
“Helping people find the right bike, accessories and parts to match their needs is a specialty of the shop,” said Jalbert. “We listen to what the customer wants to do with a bike and help them find the right bike to do it with.”
Busytown Bikes will host its official grand opening event, featuring special discounts, package deals and prizes, from April 13 through 21 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Their 996 Sabattus Street location, next Blackie’s Produce and across the street from South of the Border, offers lots of free parking and plenty of room for test rides. For more information, call 241-3233 or see www.busytownbikes.com.
Philippe presents “Forever Frank” at Franco Center
Louis Philippe and a few of his young protégés present a program of Frank Sinatra’s music at the Franco-American Heritage Center April 13.
The classic music of Frank Sinatra will be featured in a show presented by Louis Philippe and a few of his young protégés on Saturday, April 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Franco-American Heritage Center in Lewiston.
Louis Philippe performs a couple of times a year at the Franco Center, where he is beloved by the local Franco population. His late grandfather, Louis Philippe Gagne, hailed from Lewiston and was posthumously nominated to the Franco-American Hall of Fame, to which he will be inducted in a ceremony at the Statehouse in Augusta on May 14.
Art Walk seeks artists
L/A Arts is calling all artists to submit their work for Art Walk Lewiston Auburn.
L/A Arts is now accepting submissions for Art Walk Lewiston Auburn 2013. The deadline to submit work for the first event on May 31 is May 10. If you or someone you know would be a good candidate to showcase art work at Art Walk Lewiston Auburn, submit that work at www.artwalklewistonauburn.com.
If you would like to reserve gallery space for the June, July, August or September Art Walk events, email art@artwalklewistonauburn.com. In the subject line, list your full name and the month you wish to exhibit (i.e. John Doe July Art Walk). In the body of your email, include your phone number, estimated number of work to be presented, and two sample jpeg images of your work.
Enough is Enough: Removing fraud from welfare rolls has ripple effect
By Robert E. Macdonald
Mayor of Lewiston
It turned out better than I had hoped. The news conference held in Lewiston City Hall announcing that 84 people had been removed from our welfare rolls—50 of whom will be prosecuted criminally—caused a ripple effect from Bangor to Wells.
Legislators are now asking city and town administrators what’s being done to curb welfare abuse and fraud in their respective areas. These managers are now seeking the same answers from their welfare directors. The match has been lit.
Several weeks ago in this column, readers were informed of what our crack welfare staff had uncovered. The numbers were given, but nothing further was said. This was because timing is everything. Our news conference on Tuesday, March 26 was deliberately scheduled two days before the Legislative hearings on welfare were slated to begin.
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