GRAY

Extension beekeeping class

University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Cumberland County is offering a beginner beekeeping course starting March 3.

The course is five sessions from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Maine Forest Service facility in Gray. Instructors Tony Jadczake, Maine State Apiarist, and Marc Plaisted, an experienced beekeeper, will lead the class. Cost is $75 per person or couple. Fee includes one set of course materials. The deadline to register is today and by calling Colleen Hoyt at 780-4205.

PORTLAND

FRESH screening, discussion

FRESH, the movie, will be screened at 7 p.m. Friday at Allen Avenue UU Church.

The movie features urban farmer, activist and the recipient of MacArthur’s 2008 Genius Award Will Allen, sustainable farmer and entrepreneur Joel Salatin and supermarket owner David Ball.

There will be a potluck dinner before the screening, starting at 6 p.m. and a discussion to follow at 9 p.m. For details, visit www.a2u2.org.

Retirement instructions

Three sessions aimed at retirees and those approaching retirement are scheduled beginning from 10 a.m. to noon today  at AARP’s Portland office.

The free session features workers from the Maine Office of Securities and Attorney General’s Office offering training on how to monitor retirement investments. Call (877) 624-8551 to register.

SOUTH PORTLAND

Cancer Buddy training

The Cancer Community Center is offering a Maine Buddy training session 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the center on Main Street.
The program is looking for cancer survivors and co-survivors, such as family members and friends, who would like to share their experience with others. The program provides one-on-one emotional support and information to people affected by cancer.

Survivors and co-survivors must be at least six months out of their own cancer experience or loss to traine to become a Maine Buddy. To become a Maine Buddy, or are in need of a buddy, contact Jani Darak-Druck at 774-2200. For more information, visit www.cancercommunitycenter.org.

Talk about lighthouses

South Portland Historical Society will present “The Lighthouses of Casco Bay” with Jeremy D’Entremont, at 7 p.m. in South Portland’s City Hall. It is free and open to the public.

D’Entremont, the leading expert on the lighthouses in New England, is an historian for the American Lighthouse Foundation who has books including “The Lighthouse Handbook: New England and The Lighthouses of Maine.”

FALMOUTH

Finance talk opens sessions

Living Healthy, Living Wise is a series of free seminars and events for 2010 starting with “Finance: Gain Control and Relieve Your Fears” at 1 p.m. Friday at the Hilltop Lodge Community Room.

Bring questions about financial future and listen to speakers Thomas Whelan, president of Bath Savings Trust Company, and Sherry Tremblay, executive vice president of retail lending at Bath Savings Institution.

The session is free, but registration is required by calling 781-4460.

Noise in Acadia to be topic

E2Tech is hosting a forum on two emerging issues in resource management at the National Park Services – soundscapes and night skies. The presentation will be 7:30 to 9 a.m. Thursday at the Maine Audubon Educational Center.

Frank Turina, a senior planner for the Natural Sounds Program, will discuss the importance of the acoustic environment in a healthy ecosystem, the  effects of noise on wildlife and park visitors and efforts to characterize, measure and preserve the soundscape quality in Acadia National Park.

Cost is $15 for E2Tech members and $25 for nonmembers. Student E2Tech members are free and admission for student nonmembers is $10. For more information or to register, visit www.e2tech.org.

Beauty and books auction

Falmouth Memorial Library fourth “Beauty and the Books” silent auction start Monday and goes through March 25.

Last year, the auction attracted 65 artists ages 10 to 75 and raised almost $8,000. Paintings, jewelry, quilts, hand bags, woolens, works in multi-media and will be available to view on the top shelves in the library during regular hours and patrons are welcome to bid as often as they would like.

The finale will take be 5-7 p.m. March 25. For more information, visit www.falmouth.lib.me.us/beauty.htm.

SCARBOROUGH

Kindergarten information

A Kindergarten Information Night will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the High School Cafeteria. All parents who have children who will turn 5 on or before Oct. 15 should attend to hear presentations from the principals at the three primary schools in town.

During the session, parents will be able to make their childeen’s registration and screening appointment for the week of March 15. If you are unable to attend, call Amy Pednault at Pleasant Hill School at 730-5250 after March 3. For more information and paperwork to download, visit www.scarborough.k12.me.us and follow prompts for K Registration.

Presentation on hospice

A 30-minute performance of B.O.A.T.I.N.G., which stands for “Before Offering Another Treatment, Identify New Goals,” will occure at 6 p.m. Thursday at  Scarborough Public Library.

The Hospice of Southern Maine presentation gives insight into when to begin palliative care and the impact it has at the end of life. A discussion will follow.

For more information, call 883-74723 ext. 240 or visit online at www.library.scarborough.me.us.

GORHAM

High school science contest

The University of Southern Maine is hosting the Northern New England Regional Science Bowl Competition  8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

High school students from Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine will go head-to-head in quiz format on all science disciplines.

The winning regional teams earn an all expense paid trip to the National Science Bowl competition in April in Washington D.C.

For more information, visit www.joshuagates.info/sciencebowl.

STANDISH

Storytime at Saint Joseph’s

The elementary education majors at Saint Joseph’s College are hosting a bedtime story night from 6 to 7:30 p.m. today .

Children  in kindergarten through grade 3 are invited to attend in pajamas and listen to books being read with a multicultural and folk tales theme. The event will take place in the first floor lounge of the Harold Alfond Center. No registration is necessary, but for details call 893-7723.

Women in sports clinic

Saint Joseph’s College is offering a free sports clinic from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday as part of  National Girls and Women in Sports Day.

The event is for girls in grades 4 to 8 and will feature varsity female athletes from the college basketball, soccer, field hockey, volleyball, softball, cross country, lacrosse and cheerleading teams.

The athletes will provide skill instruction and competitions in each sport. There will also be a raffle for “St. Joe’s” gear.

Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Harold Alfond Center on the day of the event.

Girls are asked to bring a pair of clean sneakers to wear. For more information, contact Anne Mazon at 893-6672.