Maine Restaurant Week
to benefit Hunger Relief

PORTLAND — Maine restaurants will be presenting the second annual Maine Restaurant Week Monday, March 1 through Wednesday, March 10, 2010.

This will be the first year that a portion of the proceeds will be donated to anti-hunger programs and events.

During Maine Restaurant Week, chefs around Maine will offer three-course dinners at $20.10, $30.10 or $40.10. Lunches will also be offered for $15.10 and special offers will be available at participating hotels.

Restaurants and lodging establishments interested in participating in Maine Restaurant Week should visit www.mainerestaurantweek.com or call 775-2126 to be included on printed materials. Final registration deadline for restaurants is Friday, Feb. 1, 2010.

Harpswell author chosen for
Midcoast Community Read

BRUNSWICK — The ninth annual Midcoast Community Read program has chosen a novel written by a Harpswell resident as its 2010 selection.

“Glory in the Name: a novel of the Confederate Navy,” is an award-winning book by James Nelson, a former professional sailor who writes fiction and nonfiction pieces on America’s maritime heritage.

Each winter the Midcoast Community Read chooses a book to bring area residents together to discuss a and participate in related activities.

The public libraries of Bath, Brunswick, Freeport, Topsham, Bowdoinham, Cundy’s Harbor, Orr’s Island and Phippsburg are sponsoring the Midcoast Community Read.

All sponsoring libraries will have multiple copies of the book available beginning in February.

Discussions and activities will begin in March. Detailed schedules will be available at kick off events around the area on Feb. 1, 2010. For more information on www.midcoastreads.com.

Friends of Eastern Prom
holds annual meeting

PORTLAND — Friends of the Eastern Promenade recently held its first annual membership meeting.

Plans for the organizations next project, the Loring Memorial Trail, were unveiled. The purpose of constructing the Loring Memorial Trail, along with the recently constructed Fort Allen connector stairway, is for the trails to act as two bookends of the Promenade.

The following individuals were elected to the board of directors: one year term, Crandall Toothaker, Tom Perkins, Rob Whitten, Dick D’Entremont and Cyrus Hagge; two year term, Scott Teas, Eric Handley, Joan Dennis, Norm Nelson and Andrea Andrus; three year term, Diane Davison, Mary Roy, Colleen Bedard, John Wuesthoff.

Elected officers for 2010 are Diane Davison, president; Colleen Bedard, vice-president; John Wuestoff, secretary; and Mary Roy, treasurer.

For more information on Friends of the Eastern Promenade, visit www.friendsofeasternpromenade.org.

New Ventures

FairPoint Communications has selected two Portland agencies, Garrand and The VIA Group, to handle the company’s marketing and communications activities in northern New England. Garrand will be working on medium and large business marketing initiatives, community events and public outreach initiatives. VIA will focus its marketing activities on the residential customer, small business and social media segments. 

Androscoggin Bank recently celebrated the grand opening of its new bank and investment center at 130 Middle St. in Portland. The Portland branch features a unique, dialogue banking model with an open-concept design, stand-alone customer service pods and accessible business solution specialists. The dialogue banking branch was opened with the goal of providing personalized attention to the customers of Androscoggin Bank.  

The Center for Grieving Children has launched its 2010 Hope Calendar featuring artwork from children and volunteers from the center. The calendar includes quotes from the Center’s family participants and tips on how to cope with grief and find ways to support The Center. The calendar is on sale for $10 and is available at the Center in Portland, by calling 775-5216, or online at www.cgcmaine.org. 

Open Concepts Gallery & Studios has opened in the Cove Street Art Center at 50 Cove St. in Portland, joining Running With Scissors Gallery & Studios and J.S. Ritter Jewelers Supply. The new gallery will feature a variety of art ranging from painting, illustration and jewelry.

Maine map artist Jane Crosen, formerly of Yarmouth, has recently self-published an illustrated cookbook titled, “Maine Mapmaker’s Kitchen: Creative, Healthy Recipes for Home, Camp, and Afloat.” For copies of the cookbook, please visit www.mainemapmaker.com. 

Apothecary by Design and Zone Labs were selected by the Portland Pirates as its official performance and nutrition sponsors. Zone Labs, based on the Zone diet, and locally-owned Apothecary by Design of Portland will work together to supply players and team trainers with educational resources, food and supplements.

MetLife Auto & Home insurance agent Doug Gibson has relocated his Brunswick office to 37 Mill St., Suite 3 and will be open during normal business hours Mondays through Fridays offering personal, auto, home, boat and personal excess liability coverage. 

Portland-based Diversified Business Communications will launch a new event, the Asian Seafood Exposition, to be held in Hong Kong, Sept. 7-9, 2010. This new venture comes six months after Diversified acquired Asia Business Events and established Diversified Events Hong Kong. Additionally, the company has also recently acquired Infocast India, Spar Research, and the dmgworldmedia trade event portfolio in Australia.

Dr. Michael Hurley has renamed his chiropractic practice The Specific Chiropractic Center. The Center, previously known as Casco Bay Specific Chiropractic, is still located at 51 U.S. Route 1, in the Nonesuch River Plaza in Scarborough. For more information, call 396-5695 or visit www.thespecific.com. 

 

Gorham Savings Bank broke ground Dec. 1 at the site of its future branch location on U.S. Route 1 in Falmouth. On hand to celebrate the groundbreaking, pictured from left, are Mary Pennell Nelson, state representative; Jennifer Dudee of Sen. Susan Collins’ office; Chris Emmons, president and CEO of Gorham Savings Bank; Cheryl Lehman of Sen. Olympia Snowe’s office; and Anne Haskell, state representative. Also, executives from Gorham Savings Bank, Allied Cook Construction and Gawron Turgeon Arcitects attended the groundbreaking. The U.S. Route 1 branch is expected to open in summer 2010.

**MAKE MUG OLD GUY ON LEFT**

Warren Simpson, 93, was honored at a recent ceremony for his active and continued service to the communities of South Portland and Cape Elizabeth. At the ceremony, South Portland Mayor Tom Blake dedicated a bench purchased in his Simpson’s name for Millcreek Park. Simpson is a charter member of the South Portland – Cape Elizabeth Rotary Club, a past president, and takes great pride in his perfect weekly attendance since the Club was chartered in 1962.  He is a longtime Cape Elizabeth resident and the former owner of Shopper’s Hardware where he worked well into his 80s.

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