Common Core info meeting planned

A public meeting titled Questioning Common Core is set for 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 20 in the Town Council chambers at Gorham Municipal Center, 75 South St.

The program includes Maine Department of Education speakers. Common Core is an educational standards initiative for students in grades kindergarten through Grade 12.

Wilson earns award

Lindsay Wilson of Gorham was honored with the dean’s award for academic excellence for the spring semester at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y. Wilson is a psychology major.

Esposito, Beahm commended

Chris Record, principal of Gorham High School, recently announced that Matthew Esposito and Douglas Beahm have been named commended students in the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program.

They were among 34,000 students in the nation recognized for their exceptional academic promise, Record said in a statement. Although they will not continue in the 2015 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, commended students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the competition.

Lions open house

Gorham Lions Club is hosting an open house from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26, at the Lions Den, 414 South St. (Route 114).

The event is for people who want to learn more about the club and its work.

“Our club gives members an opportunity to advance worthy causes, serve with friends, and become leaders in the community,” said Norman Wedge, Gorham Lions Club president.

Drop off brush Saturday

Gorham Public Works, 80 Huston Road, will accept small quantities of brush from Gorham residents from 8 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Oct. 18.

For more information, call 892-9062.

USM open house

The University of Southern Maine is planning an open house and a series of Saturday information sessions with tours.

The university’s annual open house from noon to 4:30 p.m., on Sunday, Oct. 26, will begin in the Costello Sports Complex on the Gorham campus.

The open house will feature an academic and student resource information fair, Gorham and Portland campus tours, and tours of the Gorham residence halls. Participants will be able to meet faculty, staff, and current students to learn more about the USM experience and the opportunities available at USM.

Beginning on Saturday, Oct. 18, the university will host Saturday information sessions and Gorham campus tours. These sessions will run from 10 a.m. to noon on Oct. 18, Nov. 1, Nov. 8, Nov. 15, and Nov. 22.

Each session will begin in the John Mitchell Center on the Gorham campus. Participants will be able to get a glimpse of USM by attending an information session that will be conducted by an admission counselor followed by a student-guided walking tour of the Gorham campus.

Weekday campus walking tours are available through Friday, Dec. 12.

High school students, their families, and others interested in attending the university are invited to attend the events and should register at www.usm.maine.edu/admit/campus-tours-and-events or by calling 1-800-4USM ext. 5670, 780-5670 or TTY 780-5646.

U.S. taxpayer debt

The Bureau of the Fiscal Service reported on Oct. 9 that the U.S. public debt was $17,859,583,673,997.51.

Nolan McCullough, 12, atop a 1952  Ford tractor at the Antique Tractor Plow Days on Saturday at Parsons Farm in Gorham. McCullough is a student at Gorham Middle School.