Free film

The Freeport Community Library will screen the classic 1940 film, “The Shop Around the Corner,” on Thursday, Jan. 7, at 1 p.m. The film stars James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan, who play employees at a leathergoods shop in Budapest who can’t stand each other, but in fact are falling in love through their letters as anonymous pen pals.

Infant massage

class starting

Freeport Community Library is offering an infant massage series in January, led by Katiya Gettys, certified infant massage instructor. In four classes, she will teach parents how to help babies relax and relieve stress. Each class will build on the previous one so participants are asked to make a commitment to all four classes. Dates are Jan. 20, 27, Feb. 3 and 10, all starting 10:30 a.m. Babies are welcome, ages newborn to pre-crawling (9 months). Sign-ups are required as space is limited to 15 babies. There is no cost.

For more information and to register, call 865-3307 and ask for Holly.

Artist Janet Lawrence to exhibit

During January, local artist Janet Lawrence will have an exhibit of her watercolor artwork at Freeport Community Library. Lawrence has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, and says she finds painting with watercolor more challenging and versatile than any other medium. She has lived in Maine the past 13 years, which has inspired her to paint more. Her favorite subject is nature. A photography exhibit by Bruce Barlow of Westport Island is on display until the end of December.

Tea tasting

Five varieties of tea will be available to sample on Friday, Jan. 1, from 6-7 p.m. at Jacqueline’s Tea Room, 201 Main Str. in Freeport. For more information, see www.Jacquelinestearoom.com or call 865-2123.

Camden Conference

sets local events

Freeport Community Library is offering a presentation titled “Village Life in Tanzania, East Africa,” with Pat and Tom McCabe of Brunswick, on Friday, Jan. 8, at 6:30 p.m., followed by the showing of the acclaimed 2012 PBS documentary, “Stealing Africa: Why Poverty?” on Friday, Jan. 22, at 6:30 p.m. (Snow date: Jan 29).

The events are part of The Camden Conference and this January, for the first time, Freeport Community Library will be coordinating Camden Conference-related events with both Merrill Memorial Library in Yarmouth and Falmouth Memorial Library, making the conference more accessible to southern Maine residents. The Camden Conference was founded in 1987 as a nonprofit, non-partisan educational organization whose mission is to foster informed discourse on world issues.

“The New Africa” is the theme of the 29th annual Camden Conference, to be presented live from the Camden Opera House, and live-streamed to the Strand Theatre in Rockland, the University of Maine Hutchinson Center in Belfast, and University of Southern Maine Lee Auditorium in Portland, Feb. 19-21. For more information, see www.camdenconference.org.

Search and rescue

dog making visit

A program about search-and-rescue dogs will be presented at Freeport Community Library on Wednesday, Jan. 13, at 6 p.m. Participants will have the opportunity to meet a rescue dog. The event is suitable for ages 5 and up.

Seeking candidates

for step-up grant

The Freeport Woman’s Club is looking for a candidate for its 2015-16 Step Up Grant, a $1,000 gift for a woman over the age of 21 from Freeport or Pownal who is seeking occupational training and is experiencing financial need. Criteria for selection of the applicant are based upon financial need, clarity of goals, educational program and references. For questions and further information, call Virginia Boyles at 865-3973.

Recycling the holidays

According to information from the town, the following items are recyclable: gift wrap (not foil), gift bags, tissue paper, greeting cards, lights, corrugated cardboard, 1-7 plastic and glass. Foil, gift wrap, ribbon, bows, tinsel, packing peanuts, ceramic dishes and Styrofoam are not recyclable.

Christmas trees are free to dispose of in the brush pile. Evergreen wreaths, because of the wire used to make them, cannot go in the brush pile. They are still free, but go in with the bulky waste Dumpster.

During the holidays the silver bullets containers see a high amount of use. Extra pickups are scheduled to keep overflow situations to a minimum. Residents are asked to place only acceptable items in the bullets and if the bullet is full, they go to a different location or leave recycled items on another day. Recyclables left outside the containers are considered illegal dumping. For more details, call 865-3740 or see www.freeportmaine.com.

Budget report

wins award

The town of Freeport has again won the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for its annual budget document for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015. In order to receive this award, a governmental unit must publish a budget document that meets program criteria as a policy document, as an operations guide, and as a communications device. This marks the fourth straight year that the town has received this award, and it marks the first one for Finance Director Jessica Maloy.

Holiday hours

On Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, the Town Hall, library and recycling/transfer facility will close at 2 p.m. On Dec. 25, they all will be closed. The recycling/transfer facility will be open for regular hours on Saturday Dec. 26, from 9 a.m -4 p.m. On New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, the Town Hall, library and recycling/transfer facility will be closed.

Tickets available for

Flavors of Freeport

Tickets are now on sale for Freeport’s biggest event of the season. Flavors of Freeport, now in its ninth year, will take place Friday, Feb. 19-Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016.

Flavors opens on Friday with the Flavors of Freeport Ice Bar at the Hilton Garden Inn, featuring frosty beverages, ice sculptures and snow machines. The highlight of Saturday evening’s festivities is FreeportUSA’s signature event, the Chef’s Signature Series, featuring bites from some of Maine’s best chefs, local brews and other beverages.

Tickets for either Friday or Saturday night are available for $27.37. Guests can purchase tickets to both Friday and Saturday night for $43.19. Tickets include entrance to the Ice Bar and Motor Booty Affair performance on Friday or Ice Bar and Chef’s Signature Series on Saturday. All event attendees must be 21-plus and should have valid photo ID. Tickets can be purchased online at www.eventbrite.com/e/9th-annual-flavors-of-freeport-tickets-19911412571.

Additional weekend events will be added to the Flavors of Freeport Facebook page as they are announced. For more information, call 865-1212 or see www.freeportusa.com.

Dog licenses available

Dogs 6 months and older are required to be licensed by law.

Registration is available at the Freeport Town Hall or online at www.doglicensing.com. All dog licenses expire Dec. 31 of each year and must be renewed no later than Jan. 31 of each year. The fee is $6 for a spayed or neutered dog and $11 for unspayed or not neutered dog. After Jan. 31, a late fee of $25 per dog also will be charged.

Drug take-back

program permanent

The Freeport Police Department has installed a secured, permanent drug drop-off box in the lobby of the Public Safety Building. Residents can now drop off expired, unwanted or outdated drugs during their normal business hours, Sunday through Saturday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The police department also will continue to take part in the semi-annual drug take-back program.

Rabies clinic Jan. 23

A rabies clinic is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 23, from 9 a.m.-noon, at the Freeport Town Hall. Dogs and cats are invited. Rabies vaccines are $15 per animal.

Freeport residents can also license their dogs during the clinic. For more information, call the Town Clerk’s Office at 865-4743, ext. 122 or 123.

Lower speed limit for Route 125

The Maine Department of Transportation recently took formal action to lower the speed limit on Griffin Road (the portion of Route 125 closest to the intersection with Route 136) from 50 to 45 mph. The remainder of Route 125 (Wardtown Road) will remain posted at 40 mph. Town Engineer Albert Presgraves requested the formal review of the speed zone by the state after consultation with the state traffic engineers. His formal request was based in part on input from drivers who use that stretch of road and felt that the 50 mph limit was excessive.

Food for Fines

During December, overdue charges at the Freeport Community Library will be eliminated from borrowers’ accounts in exchange for donations of non-perishable food items that are comparable in value to fines. For example, $1 in fines equals one can of food. All proceeds collected will go to the Food Pantry at Freeport Community Services.

Residents should alert the library staff when they bring the non-perishable food items in to be sure the donations are applied to borrowers’ accounts.

Winter reminders

The Public Works Department reminds residents that for the winter season, they are allowed two, 5-gallon buckets of sand per storm. Sand is located adjacent to the silver recycling bullet on Hunter Road in front of the Public Works facility.

Also, no parking is allowed on public streets nor in turnarounds during winter storm events. Residents should keep streets and turnarounds clear of vehicles (including trailers, campers, etc.) during a storm. The winter parking ban is now in effect, from 11 p.m.-7 a.m., and will continue until April 15.

Residents who have questions or concerns can call 865-4461.

Volunteers needed

for town boards

The Freeport Town Council Appointments Committee is seeking applicants to fill vacancies on the Project Review Board and library Board of Trustees.

Applicants for other town boards and committees are also welcome and these applications will be maintained on a reserve list for future consideration as other vacancies arise. Applications can be obtained at the Town Clerk’s Office, 865-4743, ext. 123.