The Camden Conference and Kennebunk Free Library will host John Sutherland on Monday, Jan. 30 at 6 p.m. at Kennebunk Free Library. Sutherland will discuss Immigration to America During the Industrial Age: 1800-1924.

A direct cause of modern immigration to the U.S. is the Industrial Revolution and the mass-manufacturing of products, the need to get workers to produce those products, and their export to other nations. The competition from those relatively inexpensive goods meant that hand-craftsmen could not compete, causing more workers to emigrate to the industrialized countries. Immigration also has been a controversial political issue since the late 18th century and remains so. Fear of competition for jobs and bias against certain nationalities drives the controversy.

John Sutherland is professor of history emeritus and former director of the Institute of Local History at Manchester (Connecticut) Community College. He also taught at the University of Connecticut and Eastern and Central Connecticut State universities. Currently an instructor at the University of Southern Maine’s Osher Life-Long Learning Institute, he co-authored with Bruce Stave of UConn, “From the Old Country: An Oral History of European Migration to America.”

The Camden Conference and Kennebunk Free Library will host Kathleen Sutherland on Monday, Feb. 6, at 6 p.m. for a discussion that will be a companion to John Sutherland’s Jan. 30 visit.

Kathleen Sutherland will discuss 21st Century Global Migration and Global Trade.

Migration is caused by people searching for a better material life and safety. What is the effect of this migration process on global trade? We look at the late 20th and 21st century picture and in particular the impact of increased migration to the U.S. from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Discussion will also include the economic impact of migration from Asia and Africa to Europe.

Kathleen Howard Sutherland (Ph.D. Indiana University) is associate professor emerita of political science at Bowling Green State University. She teaches at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Southern Maine. She presented a paper on Somali and Sudanese refugees at the Middle East Studies Association annual meeting.

The program is free and wheelchair accessible. For more information call 207-985-2173 or email  kfl@kennebunklibrary.org.

Sunday services to change by a half-hour

First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church of Kennebunk will hold Sunday services at 10 a.m. beginning Sunday, Jan. 1.

According to a church news release, “The time is a half-hour earlier than it has been for many decades, if not centuries.” Services are held in-person in the upstairs sanctuary and on Zoom. For more information about Zoom services,  call 985-3700.

Speers Gallery announces January exhibit

The Speers Gallery at the Kennebunk Free Library will present Seacoast Moderns: Unexpected, an exhibition of new artwork, Jan. 4-30.

The Seacoast Moderns are a group of artists from the New England seacoast area, founded in 2010 within the Kittery Art Association. Their work attempts new modes of representation, often depicts unusual subjects, and ranges from abstract to conceptual to whimsical.

The public is invited to an artist’s reception on Saturday, Jan. 7, from 2:30- to 4:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Unexpected consists of over 25 paintings, prints and 3D assemblages, all with subjects or approaches that viewers are unlikely to have seen before.

The public is invited to view the exhibit in the library’s Speers Gallery from Jan. 4-30 at 112 Main St., Kennebunk, during regular library hours when the gallery is not in use for library programs. For current hours and gallery access, visit www.kennebunklibrary.org.

SMHC names Caregiver of the Year

Cheryl Dedian has been named Southern Maine Health Care’s 2022 Caregiver of the Year. Dedian is a respiratory therapist at the Biddeford Medical Center.

According to a news release, “For the past two and a half years (Dedian) has thrown herself into delivering lifesaving care to our COVID-19 patients, on top of caring for our other patients needing critical respiratory care. The vital role of the respiratory therapist was highlighted by the pandemic and team members like Cheryl Dedian responded with an extraordinary and selfless dedication to excellence and compassion.

“Dedian rose to the challenge, to not just learn new techniques and treatment as our knowledge of the virus evolved, but master them. She was routinely assigned to the Special Care Unit where she often treated an excess of six ventilated patients. She became the expert on life-saving proning maneuvers and often took the lead to prone appropriate COVID-19 patients.”

The Caregiver of the Year award is chosen based upon patient comments and peer recommendations throughout the organization.

“Cheryl maintains a strong clinical presence and demonstrates an expertise in which other disciplines will seek her out for her assistance,” said Margaret Weed, respiratory therapy manager. “She is recognized for going above and beyond in demonstrating care, compassion and professionalism. She believes in treating her patients the same way she would want her family or herself to be treated. She has a way of making people in her presence feel comfortable and safe. She is smart, competent, respectful, kind and positive. Cheryl continuously offers her knowledge – along with a helping hand.”

“Cheryl exemplifies our values and these standards of excellence with every single shift and we are grateful for her unwavering dedication to our patients and care team as we strive to fulfill our vision of working together so our communities are the healthiest in America,” said Nate Howell, SMHC president.

Volunteers report on river health

The Volunteer River Monitoring Program reported “good news” and “bad news” for 2022.

In a Dec. 16 news release, the program said, “The good news: the program has wrapped up its 2022 water sampling season and results for both rivers were better than last year. The bad news? The improvement is likely temporary. The most probable cause for improvements in both rivers is the lack of rain for most of the summer. Storm water runoff is a strong predictor of high bacteria counts as bacteria from land adjacent to the river is washed into the water.

“The Kennebunk River is classified as impaired for bacteria by the Maine DEP. This classification puts them in the bottom 5 percent of Maine’s rivers, streams, and ponds. The Mousam River remains a healthy river.”

There is growing awareness of the Kennebunk River’s problems, and people often ask what they can do. A group of local residents has formed the Kennebunk River Restoration Committee to raise public awareness of the impairment of the river and to help answer those questions.

How people can help:

1.) Regularly maintain septic systems (particularly if property abuts the river).

2.) Use best management practices with regard to getting rid of livestock and pet waste.

3.) Create plant buffers along the riverbanks (native plants are best).

4.) Try to keep hardscape (pavement and other impermeable surfaces) to a minimum if the property abuts the river or its tributaries.

5.) Use organic fertilizers and cleaning products if living anywhere within the watershed of the Kennebunk – or any other river. Note: Everyone does.

According to the program, in 2021 the Kennebunk had higher than acceptable bacteria counts in 44 percent of 60 samples taken between May and September between Dock Square and the Arundel line. In 2022, that ratio dropped to 33 percent. In 2021, the Mousam tested high for bacteria in only 12 percent of the 50 samples taken between Mill Street and Parsons Beach, and in 2022, that ratio dropped to 6 percent.

The Volunteer River Monitoring Program is overseen by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and has been active on the Kennebunk and Mousam since 2010. In addition to bacteria, the biweekly water sampling includes measurement of dissolved oxygen, water temperature, salinity, and conductance. These factors determine the ability of the rivers to sustain healthy aquatic life. Laboratory fees for the program are funded by the Kennebunk Conservation Commission.

In 2021 and 2022, the volunteers who sampled the rivers biweekly were Rick Lombardi and Nick Branchina on the Mousam and Penny Spaulding and Betsy Smith on the Kennebunk.

Graves Library hosts Lego Club

Lego Club will meet Wednesday, Dec. 16, at Graves Memorial Library in Kennebunkport. The session is scheduled for 10 to 10:45 a.m. Participants are encouraged to meet with your friends. Lego challenges and mini-figure prizes will be featured. The event is for elementary-aged children, and preregistration is encouraged.

Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library is open Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For more information, call 207-967-2778 or visit graveslibrary.org.

Astronomical society announces January meeting

The Astronomical Society of Northern New England will hold its monthly meeting on Friday, Jan. 6, at 7:30 p.m. at The New School in Kennebunk. A business meeting, also open to the public, is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The New School is located at 38 York St., Kennebunk.

The January meeting agenda includes: Bernie Reim’s What’s Up for the Month and Astro Shorts, where attendees and members share questions, activities, news and observations.

The Astronomical Society of Northern New England is a local association of amateur astronomers that meets monthly at the New School. Meeting are on the first Friday of each month, all those interested in astronomy are welcome, from stargazers and hobbyists, to serious observers, astro-photographers, and those interested in astronomical theory.

The society also hosts Star Parties at Talmage Observatory at Starfield on Route 35 in West Kennebunk.

For more information, visit www.asnne.org.

Neil Young covered in the Port

Mid-Week Music kicks off the New Year with “An Evening Without Neil Young (but with his music)” on Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. The monthly concerts are held at the Kennebunkport Historical Society’s Town House School at 135 North St.

Guitarist and pianist Dana Pearson will be joined by drummer Ron Breton for this concert of music by the Bard of Canada, Neil Young. There’ll be plenty of popular tunes from Young’s decades-long career, including “Heart of Gold,” “Helpless,” and “Harvest Moon,” as well as a few obscure songs, like “It’s a Dream” and “Silver & Gold.”

For more information, visit kporths.com/events, email info@kporths.com, or call 967-2751.

New Year’s Eve Kennebunk plans in place

New Year’s Eve Kennebunk will host its annual Blueberry Ball Drop on Dec. 31 in downtown Kennebunk.

The family-friendly event takes place at First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church on Main Street. A brightly lit wild Maine blueberry ball will drop from the bell tower.

There’s an early-bird Blueberry Ball Drop at 9 p.m. and the Wild Blueberry Drop at midnight. The festivities will include open skating at the Waterhouse Center.

For more information, visit the NYEKBK Facebook page.

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