BRUNSWICK

‘Ride the Divide’ depicts famed mountain bike race

The Maine premiere of “Ride the Divide,” an award-winning feature-length documentary about the world’s toughest mountain bike race, will take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Frontier Cafe & Cinema.

The film chronicles mountain bikers attempting the 2,711-mile Tour Divide race along the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains. The movie was named best adventure film at this year’s Vail Film Festival.

Among the handful of riders who were able to finish this grueling race was Stephen Gleasner of Appleton, who will attend the screening and will be available for questions afterward. He was sponsored on his ride by Bath Cycle & Ski, which will also sponsor the screening of “Ride the Divide.”

Outside magazine said the “toughest bike race in the world is not in France,” after reviewing the film.

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Tickets are $10 at the door or $11 in advance online at www.imathlete.com/events/RidetheDividemovie.

PORTLAND

Ceremony to mark opening of Loring Memorial Trail

The opening of a new trail linking Loring Memorial Park to the Eastern Promenade Trail, the Back Cove Trail and the new Bayside Trail will be celebrated at 5 p.m. Thursday.

The Loring Memorial Trail, which replaces a steep, eroded path worn by walkers and joggers, will be dedicated in a ceremony sponsored by Friends of the Eastern Promenade. The event will take place at the trailhead just off Loring Memorial Park, located near the corner of Eastern Promenade and North Street.

Major Charles J. Loring Jr. was a U.S. Air Force pilot awarded the Medal of Honor after losing his life in a bombing mission in North Korea. A member of the Loring family will cut the ribbon dedicating the new trail.

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The trail features a new route with a more gentle slope and retainers, plantings and steps created from salvaged granite curbing. Funding was provided through grants from the Maine Department of Conservation Recreational Trails Program and the Quimby Family Foundation.

Friends of the Eastern Promenade partnered with Portland Trails and the city of Portland on the project. Volunteers from Bangor Savings Bank pitched in to complete work on the trail in September.

After the trail dedication, Friends of the Eastern Promenade will hold a brief annual meeting and elections at 6 p.m. at the East End Community School. Historian Herb Adams will give a presentation on the history of the Eastern Promenade at 6:30 p.m, followed by an informal social at 7 p.m. Friends of the Eastern Promenade members and non-members are welcome to attend.

Reservations are appreciated but not required. RSVP to info@friendsofeasternprom.org.

For more information, visit friendsofeasternpromenade.org.

GRAY

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Wildlife Park celebrates Halloween next weekend

The 7th annual Halloween Fest will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, under the rising full moon, at the Maine Wildlife Park on Route 26.

Adults and kids alike should wear their costumes and get into the spirit of Halloween while enjoying a crisp fall evening with the park’s wildlife.

Wander through the park by the light of dozens of jack-o’-lanterns, take the leaf pile plunge, hunt for eerie night noises, listen to spooky stories, join the costume contests, try out pumpkin bowling, have your face painted and enjoy cider and doughnuts at the Snack Shack. There will be haunted hayrides running every 5 minutes.

The park asks visitors to bring flashlights, and red cellophane will be provided to cover the lights, which will improve night vision.

The Maine Wildlife Park is operated by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

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Admission is free for ages 3 and under; $5 for ages 5-12; $7 for adults, and $5 for seniors. For more information, call 657-4977 or go online to www.mainewildlifepark.com.

AUGUSTA

Fish passage plan for dam on Presumpscot gets OK

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has approved a plan to contruct a fish passage at the Cumberland Mills Dam in Westbrook.

The plan is the result of more than three years of negotiations with Sappi Fine Paper North America, owner of the dam, Friends of the Presumpscot River, American Rivers, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Marine Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The fish passage will be designed to conserve, develop or restore alewife, blueback herring, American shad and American eel in the Presumpscot River watershed.

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Friends of the Presumpscot say the passageway will have long-term benefits by bringing fish populations upstream and attracting wildlife such as eagles and osprey.

CASCO

Volunteers help rescue lake from plant infestation

Invasive plant patrollers trained by the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program are credited with helping to save Pleasant Lake from aquatic invaders.

The lake in Casco has been free of variable-leaf milfoil for three years, allowing environmental officials to remove it from the state roster of 34 infested water bodies.

Once the milfoil infestation was confirmed in 2001, a community-based campaign to control it in Pleasant Lake and Lily Brook was mounted. Large patches of milfoil were deprived of sunlight by using weighted mats called benthic barriers, and plants were carefully removed by hand.

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Other infested lakes that appear to be close to winning the battle against variable milfoil as the result of volunteer action include Cushman Pond in Lovell and Middle Range Pond in Poland.

To learn more, go online to the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program website (www.maine volunteerlakemonitors.org/).

 

 


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