PORTLAND

Portland in the running for mustache charity bash

Maine’s largest city is in the running to host the American Mustache Institute’s annual charity event dubbed the “Stache Bash.”

Lou Jacobs, director of the New England chapter, said the annual event celebrates the “Mustached American” lifestyle and raises thousands of dollars for charity. The winning city will be announced on Sept. 4, the same day nominations open for the Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year award.

Portland is no stranger to celebrations of facial hair. In March, the city served as host for the International Moustache Film Festival, which featured a pageant as well as movies featuring leading men in mustaches.

BANGOR

Husson to offer program in retail management

Husson University says it’s offering a new degree program in retail management beginning this fall.

The Bangor university said the school’s College of Business developed the new program with input from Wal-Mart.

The program includes courses that focus on supply chain management, financial reporting, sales and service, customer service and retention, merchandising and human resources.

Students who enroll will work toward a Bachelor of Science in business degree with a concentration in retail management.

AUGUSTA

Highway deaths in Maine up 50 percent this year

Public safety officials say the number of highway deaths in Maine is up 50 percent over last year.

The Bureau of Highway Safety said 97 people have died on Maine roads so far this year as of Friday. At the same time last year, there had been 65 deaths.

Officials said Maine has had four exceptionally safe years in a row on the state’s roads, with last year being the safest since 1959.

Excessive speed is usually the top factor for highway fatalities.

HAMPTON, N.H.

Biologist wants town rules for handling dead seals

A marine biologist is asking town officials in Hampton, N.H., to put rules in place to deal with any dead seals that wash ashore on town beaches.

The Portsmouth Herald reported that Ellen Goethel will go before the Hampton Board of Selectmen on Monday. Last year, she helped the town get permission from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to remove dead seals, and she says she wants to make sure that permission continues in order to protect the public and town workers.

A report released last week concluded that a new strain of avian flu that jumped into the seal population caused the deaths of more than 100 harbor seals along the New England coast last fall.

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