Gorham Marketplace falls on St. Pat’s Day

The 10th annual Gorham Marketplace will be 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, March 17, in the Costello Field House at the Gorham campus of the University of Southern Maine. Admission is free.

The Gorham Business & Civic Exchange organizes the event. It features local products and services along with entertainment, food and games for kids.

“We expect to have 100 vendors and thousands of shoppers,” said Dana Redmond, executive director of the exchange, who added it promises to be the biggest Marketplace ever.

Redmond said there will be two prizes this year for booths, one a “juried” award for the best booth award and the other a “People’s Choice” award.

Recommended parking is in lot G20 behind the new child-care center off Husky Drive. A shuttle service will run throughout the day.

For more information, contact Redmond at 892-5515 or [email protected]

Barstow honored

The Southern Maine Regional Water Council recently recognized Rep. Chris Barstow, D-Gorham, for his leadership and work to promote regionalization at the local and county level.

In the 122nd Legislature, Barstow submitted legislation that authorized regional water councils to be created in order to provide for collaborative planning and purchasing. The bill – LD 1162, An Act To Permit the Establishment of Regional Water Councils – gave rise to the Southern Maine Regional Water Council.

Since its inception about a year ago, the Southern Maine Regional Water Council has saved ratepayers about $109,800 on purchases totaling roughly $1 million, established coordinated disaster response plans, and begun to look at ways to coordinate long-term water management.

For more information about the bill, visit: http://janus.state.me.us/legis/LawMakerWeb/searchresults.asp?StartWith=1.

Project Graduation auction

Gorham High School Class of 2007 Project Graduation is holding a silent auction on Friday, March 16, from 5-10 p.m.; Saturday, March 17, from 5-10 p.m.; and Sunday, March 18, 12-5 p.m., at the Gorham High School gym.

Go to www.goghs.org for a listing and pictures of the items.

Women’s club reminder

The Gorham Women’s Club meets today, March 8, in the First Parish Church. Refreshments will be served at 12:30 p.m. followed by a program and meeting at 1 p.m.

Skate park on a roll

A skate park committee will meet at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14, at Baxter Memorial Library, 71 South St.

The library will present a check for at least $100 to the committee, according to Dana Redmond, speaking for the committee. Redmond said skaters were instrumental in the library’s success of a book sale. Jars for donations towards the skate park have been in local businesses and youth are pledging money too.

VFW to meet

Gorham Memorial Post 10879 of the VFW will meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 13, at the West Gorham Fire Station on Route 25.

U.S. taxpayer debt

The Bureau of Public Debt reported on March 2 that the U.S. public debt was $8,808,820,141,453.26.