Auditions open for
Music Competition

The Greater Biddeford-Saco Music Hall of Fame (GBSMHOF), a program of the Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center, will be holding its first Music Talent Competition open to all high school students in York County.

The mission of the program is “to foster a positive experience for those students with musical talents. It will provide them a chance to have exposure of their musical talents and to meet with real life, professional musicians. It will bring awareness of the benefits of music and promote future Music Hall of Famers.”

The competition will have several categories for students to compete in, both vocal and instrumental. Parental consent for participation and audition videos are required. The final competition show will be held at the Biddeford High School Little Theater on Maplewood Avenue in Biddeford, on Jan. 11, at 2 p.m. Not all performers who submit a video will be asked to compete in the final show. More info can be found on the Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center website at biddefordculturalandheritagecenter.org

Committee members hope that all high schools in York County will support this endeavor to recognize the value of music by encouraging students to participate. The auditions are also open to homeschooling students of high school age.

“We really hope that those who teach music will encourage their students with exceptional talent to audition,” said Jim Paquette, committee chair, “This is a great opportunity for any students looking for a career in music to perform in front of a live audience. When I was a young musician in school, I was looking for an opportunity like this.”

Auditions are open now and will close on Nov 1. The audition and parental consent forms, guidelines, and rules for the competition can be found at biddefordculturalandheritagecenter.org/high-school-talent-show

The top two winners will receive cash and/or prizes valued at $500 or more and will be asked to perform at the Greater Biddeford-Saco Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Show to be held on May 4, which was attended by over 700 people this past May.

This music talent competition provides an opportunity to perform in front of a live audience, and for those wishing to pursue a career in music, the opportunity to meet professionals in the music industry.

Concert for the
Climate Oct. 27

Concert for Climate will take place at St. Luke’s Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, on Sunday, Oct. 27 a 2:30 p.m.. This multi-media event will inspire, entertain, and educate attendees of all ages. Money raised will help bring young people to the annual Citizens’ Climate conference in Washington DC.

Some of the featured performers include: Grammy Award winner Paul Sullivan; members of the highly acclaimed Portland Piano Trio and Daponte String Quartet; award-winning writer Meredith McCarroll; accomplished pianist, composer and climate change activist, Sydney Patten; newly composed works honoring our ocean will be performed live for the first time; for the young audience members, Cassandra Hayes performing as a great white shark; keynote speaker is Briana Warner, CEO of Atlantic Sea Farms, which works with farmers to help create a more resilient and thriving coast.

Ticket prices are $15-$35. FMI, go to eventbrite.com/e/concert-for-climate-tickets-936499624587?fbclid=IwY2xjawE53BZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHfUzsZS7VwSVFvoU4iu2nTY_7Atr1KRd7l_5zQeGHqSXAo40XhVYVu3VfA_aem_x-lJEqzoZpuOQBiPa8BS3A

Leaders tour
Biddeford Adult Ed

Pictured at a tour of Biddeford Adult Education are: Caroline Colan, Tagwongo Obomsawin, Director Dan Burgess, Mayor Marty Grohman, Executive Director David Durkee, Sen. Henry Ingwersen, Sen. Stacy Brenner, Samantha Fournier, Sam Smithwick and Superintendent Jeremy Ray. Contributed / Maine Legislature Senate Majority Office

Earlier this month, Senator Henry Ingwersen, D-Arundel, and Senator Stacy Brenner, D-Scarborough, were joined by Director Dan Burgess and staff from the Governor’s Energy Office, Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman, Superintendent of Biddeford Schools Jeremy Ray, and others on a tour of Biddeford Adult Education. The tour follows the announcement of a Clean Energy Partnership Workforce Development Award for the Biddeford School Department and Biddeford Adult Education. The $299,690 grant will allow Biddeford Schools and Biddeford Adult Education to develop curricula, fund internships and apprenticeships and provide job training for students in the area.

“As a grandfather who is concerned about the increasingly severe effects of climate change, as well as the forecast for workforce shortages, I am delighted that Biddeford Schools and Adult Education will receive this funding to create jobs in the clean energy sector,” said Sen. Henry Ingwersen. “An investment like this one is a win all around. It prepares young Mainers to enter the workforce without needing to shell out tens of thousands of dollars for expensive college diplomas. It moves the entire state closer to achieving its climate action goals, which becomes more and more urgent each day. It also lays the foundation for a more sustainable, job-secure future for everyone.”

“I found today’s tour incredibly inspiring. Biddeford Adult Education is leading the way in providing the training and resources necessary by combining their efforts between the towns of Saco, Old Orchard Beach, and Biddeford in order to make a stronger program,” said Sen. Stacy Brenner. “The announcement of this pre-apprenticeship training program for the clean energy workforce is going to make all the difference as we move into a clean energy transition.

“Biddeford Adult Education is thrilled to be a recipient of this grant. This funding will allow us to develop career pathways for New Mainers in the clean energy sector and continue to develop and promote workforce training and apprenticeship programs” said Biddeford Adult Education Director David Durkee.

“Receiving this clean energy workforce grant is a game-changer for Biddeford,” said Mayor Marty Grohman. “This funding will empower our adult education programs to train a new generation of skilled workers in the clean energy sector. It’s a vital step toward creating good-paying jobs, supporting local businesses, and ensuring a sustainable future for our community. We are so proud to be leading the way in building a greener economy right here in Biddeford”.

This initiative is meant to prepare 70 Mainers for careers in the clean energy and energy efficiency sectors.

SMAA holds
financial workshops

SMAA’s Money Minders program is partnering with New Ventures Maine and other community members to provide one-hour Financial Skills Workshops via Zoom for adults 60+ who are looking to increase their financial literacy and boost their financial wellness.

These workshops will cover an array of financial topics, including budgeting, holiday financial planning, fraud and scam prevention, tax information, consolidating credit card debt, SNAP benefits, online banking, managing financial concerns for folks with dementia, and more.

The first workshop begins Thursday, Sept. 26, 10 to 11 a.m. – Budgeting Basics

This one-hour interactive workshop will explore building a budget.

Topics include:

•  Money management attitudes and styles

•   Setting goals

•  Steps for creating a spending plan

Money Minders Financial Skills Workshops will occur on the last Thursday of each month from 10 to 11 a.m. via Zoom. Once registered, people will receive the Zoom link in the confirmation e-mail. Occasionally, workshop dates may change due to holidays, and additional workshops may be added to support topics related to the season. Each workshop is unique and tailored to coincide with financial matters related to older adults throughout the calendar year.

People can register on the events page: smaaa.org/events.html. For more information and questions, contact Susan Bergeron, Money Minders coordinator, at 207-396-6515 or sbergeron@smaaa.org.

Lincoln Hotel
awarded One Key

The Lincoln Hotel, a boutique hotel in Biddeford, has been recognized by the MICHELIN Guide as a One Key hotel, denoting the property as one of the most outstanding stays in the United States, according to a company press release. Of the 293 properties across the country to receive a key, The Lincoln is one of 32 New England hotels and one of only eight in Maine.

“We’re ecstatic to be among the first properties recognized by the MICHELIN Guide’s newest accolade for hotels,” said Rebecca Johns, general manager of The Lincoln Hotel. “Our team has worked tirelessly to reimagine such a historic piece of Biddeford history, so to be highlighted through this award just two years after opening is truly the highest honor our team could have received.”

The MICHELIN Guide unveiled its inaugural ranking for hotels earlier this year, called MICHELIN Keys, in which it awards the most outstanding hotels. Similar to MICHELIN Stars for restaurants, MICHELIN Keys honor the most noteworthy properties worldwide, with a One Key recognizing a very special stay. During the MICHELIN Key selection process, visits are conducted anonymously and require countless hours of evaluation by the guide’s team of experts, who take into account five universal criteria when awarding MICHELIN Keys: excellence in architecture and interior design, quality and consistency of service, overall personality and character, value for the price and a significant contribution to the neighborhood or setting.

Located in a revitalized 19th-century mill, The Lincoln provides guests with lavish accommodations while bringing them up close and personal with the city’s history, according to the release. The property’s 33 sophisticated guest rooms feature gas fireplaces, exposed brick, and high ceilings, making for a luxurious stay in one of America’s most up-and-coming cities. The Lincoln guests can find all they need on property thanks to endless onsite amenities including opulent cocktails at The Lobby Bar, a state-of-the-art fitness center complete with a spin studio, the only rooftop pool in Southern Maine, Spinning Jenny’s Coffee Bar, and one-of-a-kind dining at the ever-popular Batson River Brewing and Distilling.

For more information about The Lincoln Hotel, visit lincolnhotelmaine.com.

DOL recovering
damages for workers

The Maine Department of Labor announced today that it has negotiated the recovery of $20,135.12 owed to 22 workers from three companies across Maine.

Through a recent settlement agreement, the Maine Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division recovered $7,915.22 in owed wages and liquidated damages for seven workers at Law Calibration, LLC in Saco.  It also recovered wages and liquidated damages for four workers at Dollar General to resolve a complaint of violations of the Maine Equal Pay Act. And signed a settlement agreement with Lincoln Infrastructure, LLC, whereby the company will pay liquidated damages to 11 employees.

“Employers must pay workers the wages they have earned, when they are due,” said Dr. Jason Moyer-Lee, director of the Bureau of Labor Standards. “When they do not, it effectively forces the worker into providing the employer an interest-free loan. It is right that the workers then be compensated for the hardship through the payment of liquidated damages.”

These cases predated the implementation of ‘An Act to Increase Enforcement and Accountability for Wage Violations’ (PL 2023 c. 651), which went into effect on Aug. 9,  and provided the department with the power to order the payment of wages, interest, and liquidated damages.

The increasing focus on liquidated damages for workers is part of the department’s ongoing efforts in strategic enforcement, which uses a variety of resources and tools to effectively achieve widespread and long-lasting compliance with labor laws. In addition to the increased fines for violating labor laws, the department is collaborating with both business and union representatives. Recent efforts have included a joint initiative with the National Federation of Independent Business to consult with small Maine businesses on the development of guidance materials that will help employers comply with the law.

Anyone who thinks their employment rights have been violated may submit a complaint here: Wage and Hour Complaint Form. They may also contact MDOL’s Wage and Hour Division at (207) 623-7900 or www.maine.gov/labor/contact with questions.