Bangor Selected as Candidate for Benjamin Moore’s “Main Street Matters” Program!

Bangor, Maine - The City of Bangor and the Downtown Bangor Partnership are pleased to announce the City’s participation in Benjamin Moore’s “Main Street Matters” campaign! If the City receives enough votes, the company will paint building facades on Main Street in Downtown for free.

Bangor is just one of over 100 cities that Benjamin Moore has nominated for the national competition.  Until June 30th, 2013 at 11:59 P.M., the public can vote daily for Downtown Bangor by going to Benjamin Moore’s “Main Street Matters” website: http://www.paintwhatmatters.com/.

Jason Bird, Downtown Coordinator stated “This will only be possible with everyone’s help!  We need everyone to vote daily and spread the word!”

Benjamin Moore will not only provide all of the paint and supplies necessary for railings, shutters, and other pieces of exterior building trim, but will also offer consultation on the best materials to use and provide skilled, professional painters to ensure that the final product is most suitable for the City.

The Downtown Bangor Partnership promotes and markets activities that enhance the distinctive identity of Downtown Bangor, encouraging retention and growth of commercial, residential, and cultural life within the downtown district. For more information on the Downtown Bangor Partnership, please visit the following link: http://www.downtownbangor.com/

The City of Bangor, Maine is a service center community of 33,039 residents and is the county seat of Penobscot County.  Bangor is the major commercial and cultural center for much of northern and eastern Maine.  The City is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.  For information on City projects and news, see www.bangormaine.gov.

When it Comes to Stroke, Every Minute Counts

EMMC recognized as a leader in providing high quality, timely stroke care
Bangor, Maine – “Time lost is brain lost” is a common saying when it comes to stroke care. Healthcare organizations focused on providing timely, high quality care are able to decrease the effect a stroke can have on a patient. Eastern Maine Medical Center has received recognition for its focus on these efforts through the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.

EMMC achieved a high level of compliance with the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Quality Measures, which measure the hospital’s ability to implement timely, appropriate care that is based on nationally-recognized stroke treatment guidelines. These measures include encouraging smoking cessation and appropriately using medications that can reduce death and disability and improve the lives of stroke patients.

In addition, EMMC has also been recognized as a recipient of the association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll. EMMC was cited for providing tissue plasminogen activator, also known as tPA, to at least 50 percent of eligible patients within 60 minutes of arriving at the hospital. This clot-busting drug can reverse the effects of a stroke and improve long-term outcomes if given within three hours of the onset of stroke symptoms.

“This recognition demonstrates EMMC’s commitment to being one of the top hospitals in the country for providing aggressive, proven stroke care,” says Deviyani Mehta, MD, a stroke neurologist from Spectrum Medical Group, and medical director of EMMC’s stroke program. “Patients who come to EMMC with stroke symptoms can feel confident knowing EMMC is a leader in providing efficient, quality stroke care.”

EMMC is celebrating National Stroke Awareness Month by helping to raise awareness about stroke symptoms, risk factors, and treatment. Stroke Center staff recently participated in the Eastern Area Agency on Aging’s Senior Expo by providing screenings, assessing risk factors, and offering education to help people identify when a stroke is occurring and get help quickly.

Red Cross Ramps Up Relief Efforts in Oklahoma

WASHINGTON, Wednesday, May 22, 2013 — The American Red Cross continues to expand relief efforts across Oklahoma, with additional kitchens opening today and more trucks and volunteers flowing into the state.

Already this week, more than 200 Red Cross disaster workers in Oklahoma have opened shelters, kitchens and emergency aid stations. In these locations, people can find a safe refuge, food and snacks, emotional support, health care services and information about what other help is available.

Shelters are also open in Texas after the recent tornadoes there. More than 380 people spent Tuesday night in Red Cross and community shelters in Oklahoma and Texas. Red Cross health services volunteers are working with the Medical Reserve Corps to visit the injured in local hospitals and offering services at the emergency aid stations like helping people replace prescriptions and other medical items. Spiritual Care teams are working with partners to comfort people affected by the storm.

“The Red Cross is on the ground in Oklahoma helping people begin the recovery process after this tragic storm,” said Trevor Riggen, vice president of Disaster Operations and Logistics for the Red Cross. “We’re expanding our relief efforts as more workers, equipment and supplies arrive. Over the next few days, Red Cross volunteers will also work with many of the affected families to meet emergency needs and connect them with recovery resources.”

Working with the Southern Baptist Convention, two kitchens will be serving meals today. They have the capability of cooking tens of thousands of meals a day if needed. Trailers of relief supplies have been shipped to the area, including things like comfort items containing personal toiletries and relief items including coolers, buckets, gloves, dust masks, trash bags, flashlights, tarps, shovels, rakes and blankets. Almost 30 emergency response vehicles are in Oklahoma to travel through neighborhoods, distributing food and relief supplies to those in need. Red Cross President and CEO Gail McGovern will visit the relief effort today with Janet Napolitano, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security.

HOW TO HELP Those who would like to help people affected by disasters like tornadoes, floods and other crises can make a donation to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. People can donate by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. These donations help provide food, shelter and emotional support to those affected by disasters.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform

David Estey ENCORE June 7, 2013

Rockland, Maine - Carver Hill Gallery, 338 Main street in Rockland, Maine, is pleased to present DAVID ESTEY – Encore, our second solo exhibition of David’s current work on Yupo. The show will open on First Friday, June 7, with a reception from 5 - 8 PM. The artist will be present. The gallery will also host an artist's talk and Q & A session with David the following day, Saturday, at 1 PM. The show runs through July 2.
The first exhibit, "Improvisations on Yupo," represented 37 pieces completed in 14 months. This new series represents 28 more pieces of the now growing collection. It will also include two larger works.

Yupo is a synthetic paper originally manufactured in Japan. The surface is very smooth, with almost no tooth, holding super sharp edges while allowing paint to stay wet on the surface long enough for manipulation. It is durable, recyclable, and waterproof. David was intrigued when he heard about this interesting new material. He bought a few sheets, and began working with acrylic on it. Unlike painting on artist’s panels or stretched canvases (where David’s pieces were slow and deliberate due to the time and cost of assembling them), he put the paint down on this new surface quickly and spontaneously. He started out painting only in black, and soon realized he could work the paint with other tools, and wipe it off, as well. He was drawn to the freedom this medium afforded him, and started to add color.

In his words, “Working in acrylic on Yupo has enabled me to develop extraordinarily fresh, abstract
expressions without any preconceived notions. Sometimes narrative references emerge and remain, but they are totally integrated with and subordinate to the aesthetic whole, securely grounded in the elements and principles of good design. The results can be felt viscerally in the heart and soul, with or without a narrative context”.

David Estey is an incredibly dedicated painter, competent in many different styles. He is a marvelously talented realist, and continues to organize life drawing sessions with a group of local artists. Although he enjoys this departure immensely, he always seems to return to his abstract expressions.

 *  David Estey lives in Belfast, Maine. He holds degrees from Rhode Island School of Design and George Washington University. He has lived, worked, exhibited and taught art in Maine, the Mid-Atlantic States and North Carolina. His work can be found in public and private collections in much of the US and Canada, as well as Belarus, Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Vienna and undoubtedly many more places we have yet to discover. He has had solo exhibitions in museums, galleries, and several Universities over the past twenty years. In 2012 his work was acquired for many more public spaces, as well as the U.S. State Department’s Art Bank program. Maine Home and Design Magazine named him one of Maine’s most collectible artists.

The President's Schedule Today

President Barack Obama receives the Presidential Daily Briefing in the Oval Office, May 22, 2013. Pictured, from left, are: Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor to the Vice President; Lisa Monaco, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; Robert Cardillo, Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Intelligence Integration; and Tony Blinken, Deputy National Security Advisor. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

In the morning, the President and the Vice President will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing in the Oval Office.

Later in the morning, the President will meet with senior advisors in the Oval Office.

In the afternoon, the President and the Vice President will meet for lunch in the Private Dining Room.

Later in the afternoon, the President will give a speech at the National Defense University on the Administration’s counterterrorism policy.

10:15 AM	The President and the Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing Oval Office
11:00 AM	The President meets with senior advisors Oval Office
12:30 PM	The President and the Vice President meet for lunch Private Dining Room
2:00 PM	The President delivers speech on the Administration's counterterrorism policy National Defense University

DEPARTMENT OF STATE PUBLIC SCHEDULE THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013

DEPARTMENT OF STATE
PUBLIC SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013

SECRETARY JOHN KERRY

Secretary Kerry is on foreign travel to Jerusalem and Ramallah. Secretary Kerry is accompanied by Spokesperson Psaki and VADM Harry B. Harris, Jr., JCS. 

10:15 a.m. LOCAL Secretary Kerry meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.

1:15 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Kerry meets with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.

7:00 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Kerry meets with Israeli President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem.

DEPUTY SECRETARY BILL BURNS11:15 a.m. Deputy Secretary Burns meets with the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Director Janez LenarÄiÄ at the Department of State.

5:45 p.m. Deputy Secretary Burns meets with U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Stephen Beecroft at the Department of State.

UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS WENDY SHERMAN
Under Secretary Sherman is on foreign travel to New Delhi, India from May 23 to May 25.

UNDER SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ROBERT HORMATS10:00 a.m. Under Secretary Hormats testifies before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on European Union Economic Relations: Crisis and Opportunity on Capitol Hill.
12:30 p.m. Under Secretary Hormats delivers remarks at a policy dialogue focused on the New Silk Road, hosted by The Cohen Group, at the Willard Hotel.
4:00 p.m. Under Secretary Hormats meets with Bloomberg senior executives and members of the U.S.-India Business Council at the Department of State.
6:30 p.m. Under Secretary Hormats attends a reception in honor of the German Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Economics Dr. Philipp Rosler at the W Hotel.

UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS TARA SONENSHINE

11:00 a.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine meets with the U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand David Huebner at the Department of State.
12:00 p.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine hosts a luncheon for Capitol Hill staffers at the Department of State.
2:30 p.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine addresses the European Union Press and Public Diplomacy Counselors at the Delegation of the European Union in Washington, D.C.

ACTING UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ARMS CONTROL AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
ROSE GOTTEMOELLER12:30 p.m. LOCAL Acting Under Secretary Gottemoeller delivers remarks at the Conference on Military and Political Aspects of European Security hosted by the Russian Ministry of Defense in Moscow, Russia.

CHIEF OF PROTOCOL AMBASSADOR CAPRICIA PENAVIC MARSHALL

3:00 p.m. Ambassador Marshall and the Board of Trustees of the Blair House Restoration Fund host the Blair House Restoration Fund Spring Reception at Blair House.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CONFLICT AND STABILIZATION OPERATIONS RICHARD BARTON

1:00 p.m. Assistant Secretary Rick Barton attends a meeting at the White House.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIAN AFFAIRS ROBERT BLAKE

12:30 p.m. Assistant Secretary Blake joins Under Secretary Hormats at a lunch discussion with The Cohen Group at the Willard Hotel.

Meneses walk-off single, 'Dogs win 5-4 in 10-innings

Christian Vazquez 4-for-4, single shy of the cycle

Portland, Maine - Heiker Meneses lined an 0-2 pitch down the left-field line for a walk-off RBI single, giving the Sea Dogs (26-18) a 5-4 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (23-24) in 10 innings on Wednesday night at Hadlock Field. Portland has won two straight and improved to 3-4 on the homestand. The walk-off win was the fifth for the Sea Dogs this season.

Portland catcher Christian Vazquez went 4-for-4 (season-high), and initiated the rally in the 10th with a one-out triple down the left-field line. Vazquez was lifted for pinch runner Derrik Gibson, who scored on Meneses' hit. Vazquez added a homer, triple, two doubles and a walk.

Pete Ruiz (1-1) tossed three scoreless frames on one hit and three strikeouts to earn the win. Dustin Antolin (0-1) gave up the winning run and suffered his first Double-A loss.

Portland fell behind first for the fifth time on the homestand, as New Hampshire took a 1-0 lead in the second inning off Matt Barnes. With two outs, Brian Van Kirk singled and Sean Ochinko doubled, but on the play, leftfielder Kolbrin Vitek bobbled the hit, enabling Van Kirk to score.

Barnes worked five innings, yielding seven hits, three runs (two earned), one walk and fanned five.

The 'Dogs responded in the second inning with back-to-back two-out, RBI singles from Matty Johnson and Shannon Wilkerson, giving Portland a 2-1 advantage. Ryan Tepera gave up four runs on five hits, lasted only 3.2 innings for New Hampshire.

In the fourth inning, Barnes ran into trouble, giving up three straight hits. Van Kirk tied the game with a run-scoring double and Sean Ochinko gave the visitors a 3-2 lead with an RBI ground out.
Portland came right back, taking a 4-3 lead on Christian Vazquez's two-run homer to left-center field.

New Hampshire tied the game at four against Will Latimer in the seventh inning. With two outs, Ryan Schimpf singled, Clint Robinson walked and Brad Glenn tied the game with a run-scoring double to left.

Former Sea Dog Tommy Hottovy tossed 2.2 scoreless innings, escaping a first and third one out jam in the eighth.

The Sea Dogs were 3-for-15 with runners-in-scoring position. New Hampshire had six doubles but not one of them scored.

Prime Motor Group Player of the Game: Christian Vazquez

The Sea Dogs and New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays affiliate) conclude their four-game series this morning at 11:00 AM from Hadlock Field.

Radio coverage begins at 10:40 AM on the U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs Radio Network and via the Tune-In Radio app for smartphones and tablets. Thursday is the first morning game in franchise history at Hadlock Field. Tickets are available by calling 207-879-9500 or at seadogs.com.

Three Rescued After Night Lost In Small Boat

Trio rescued after spending night lost in Mosquito Lagoon canals

Rescue highlights importance of GPS locators

ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. – Three people who spent Monday night lost and stranded on a 20-foot pontoon boat in Mosquito Lagoon near Oak Hill, Fla., are now safe following a rescue Tuesday evening involving a helicopter, multiple boats and several response agencies.

Rescued are Mark Hutchinson, 51, of Edgewater, Fla.; Georgia Hunt, also of Edgewater; and George Edwards, 50, of New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

Monday the trio took the pontoon boat from River Breeze Park in Oak Hill, Fla., to JB’s Fish Camp in New Smyrna Beach, where they had dinner, then departed JB’s on the boat to go back to River Breeze Park Monday night. But according to Hutchinson, he missed a turn due to inclement weather and eventually became lost.

Not knowing how to get back, the group wound up spending the night on the boat. Tuesday morning as they tried to find their way out of the canals of Mosquito Lagoon, the vessel ran out of fuel and the battery died. Hutchinson used a cell phone to call for help about noon Tuesday, but the cell phone battery died at 12:50 p.m. Tuesday and as a result, Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector Jacksonville who had been communicating with Hutchinson in an effort to locate the trio could no longer contact him.

A Volusia County Sheriff’s Office helicopter crew that was assisting with the search located the vessel based on the last known position of Hutchinson’s cell phone and vectored in Coast Guard, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and National Park Service boatcrews, which had all been searching for the group. The pontoon boat was in too shallow an area for any of the response boats, so Hutchinson, Hunt and Edwards waded through the water to board the National Park Service vessel, which was nearest to them. From there, they were transferred to Coast Guard Station Ponce de Leon Inlet’s 24-foot Special Purpose Craft and taken back to River Breeze Park. All three reported no injuries and declined medical treatment.

“In similar circumstances, boaters carrying an EPIRB, a personal locator beacon or a radio with a built in GPS are located and rescued almost instantly since those tools allow us to pinpoint exactly where they are,” said William Wells of the Sector Jacksonville Command Center. “Most people don’t realize how vital that equipment is, but it really does save valuable time in emergency situations.”

When activated, Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons and personal locator beacons send an electronic signal which notifies the Coast Guard of a distress situation, provides a precise location and when properly registered gives responders vital details about the device's owner and vessel. The Coast Guard encourages all boaters to carry an EPIRB or personal locator beacon.

"Castine" The Maine Windjammer Project

"Castine" By Doug Mills

Angelique, Lewis R. French and Heritage in Castine harbor. [05-07-2012]

www.mainewindjammerproject.com

FIRST WAVE OF "TEEN CHOICE 2013" NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2" leads Movie Categories with Most Nominations 

Vote for Your Favorite Nominees Online at www.teenchoiceawards.com 

Special Airs Sunday, August 11, LIVE on FOX

TEEN CHOICE 2013 will once again break into summer and celebrate the hottest teen icons in television, music, film, sports, fashion, comedy and the web in the choicest, star-studded two-hour event airing live Sunday, August 11 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2" leads the TEEN CHOICE 2013 nominees with seven nominations.

Starting today, fans ages 13-19 can vote once each day per category for their favorite TEEN CHOICE 2013 "Wave One" nominees at www.teenchoiceawards.com. Host(s), performers, presenters and additional nominees will be announced soon.

Following are "Wave One" categories and nominees for TEEN CHOICE 2013:

MOVIES

Choice Movie: Action
"G.I. Joe: Retaliation"
"Iron Man 3"
"Skyfall"
"The Bourne Legacy"
"The Dark Knight Rises"

Choice Movie Actor: Action
Christian Bale, "The Dark Knight Rises"
Daniel Craig, "Skyfall"
Robert Downey, Jr., "Iron Man 3"
Chris Hemsworth, "Red Dawn"
Dwayne Johnson, "G.I. Joe: Retaliation"

Choice Movie Actress: Action
Jessica Biel, "Total Recall"
Anne Hathaway, "The Dark Knight Rises"
Adrianne Palicki, "G.I. Joe: Retaliation"
Gwyneth Paltrow, "Iron Man 3"
Rachel Weisz, "The Bourne Legacy"

Choice Movie: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
"Beautiful Creatures"
"Iron Man 3"
"Oblivion"
"Oz the Great and Powerful"
"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2"

Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Tom Cruise, "Oblivion"
Robert Downey, Jr., "Iron Man 3"
James Franco, "Oz the Great and Powerful"
Taylor Lautner, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2"
Robert Pattinson, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2"

Choice Movie Actress: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Mila Kunis, "Oz the Great and Powerful"
Gwyneth Paltrow, "Iron Man 3"
Saoirse Ronan, "The Host"
Kristen Stewart, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2"
Michelle Williams, "Oz the Great and Powerful"

Choice Movie: Drama

Paula Stillings - A Passion for Justice

Rockland, Maine - University College at Rockland— URock as it is known locally--sits on the fourth floor
of the City’s Breakwater Building. Part of the University of Maine System, URock is an outreach center in Maine’s Midcoast where students can take courses and earn a degree from one of the seven System campuses. But many of the students who have been touched by the place know that it’s much more than that. It serves as a source of new beginnings for people whose lives and aspirations have stalled. Paula Stillings was one of these.

 In 2010, Stillings was a stay-at-home mom with three children and a husband who controlled and verbally abused her. When he eventually abandoned her, Stillings was forced to seek assistance for her family through TANF, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and from the ASPIRE program. The aim of these programs is to help people in need get training and find employment that will bring them to financial self-sufficiency. Stillings was grateful for the opportunity.

TANF’s employment requirement was temporarily waived in 2010 because job openings in Maine had hit bottom, a fact that allowed Stillings to begin college immediately. But what would she study? Having worked in the field of long term care, she was bothered by the fact that the nursing home elderly lacked advocates, particularly those whose lives were devastated by Alzheimer’s disease.

“I knew I wanted to make the experience more dignified for them,” she said.

Stillings spoke to an ASPIRE worker in her office on the first floor of the Breakwater Building in Rockland about her inclinations. Before she knew it, she was escorted upstairs to URock where she met then Student Services Coordinator Beverly Bayer, who spoke with her about enrolling in a program.

“I went home and cried,” Stillings said.  “I really could not believe that it was possible to go to college.”
Stillings doubted she could succeed in college partly because she said her husband had treated her “like an idiot,” but mostly because she didn’t own a computer and had never learned to use one. Her oldest daughter tried to coach her.

“She told me, ‘just click on that,’ but I didn’t even know what click meant.”
 Her first hurdle was the computerized placement test. That accomplished, she attended her first class, where

Maine Port Authority Selects McAllister Towing for ATB

Portland, Maine - Buckley McAllister, President of McAllister Towing & Transportation, announced today that the Maine Port Authority has selected McAllister as its partner for the design of a containerized articulated tug barge (ATB) to operate between Portland and New York for the New England Marine Highway Project.

Prior to the award, McAllister participated in a competitive RFQ and RFP process which began on December 4, 2012. This competition followed the award of $150,000 in design funding to the Maine Port Authority on September 25, 2012 as part of a cooperative agreement between the Maine Port Authority and the Maritime Administration under the auspices of the Marine Highway Program. The Maine Port Authority and McAllister will be spending the next few months working with their team to design the containerized ATB based on a number of criteria such as shipper and itinerary requirements, cost, speed, capacity etc. The determining factor throughout this process, however, will be market demand and the requirements of the trade.

The Maine Port Authority is firmly in line with this approach. John Henshaw, Executive Director of the Port Authority recently stated that, "We always work with our shippers first. With port infrastructure design, equipment investment, terminal layout - and in this case vessel design - we always begin with the customer. We have been working with Maine shippers on this project for three years and we have more work to do. It takes time to integrate with a shipper's supply chain and to create value utilizing any mode of transportation. The containerized ATB adds another opportunity for more competitive supply chain optimization." Henshaw adds, "With the recent improvements in the port of Portland, such as the shipping company Eimskip making Portland their logistics hub, we will see real benefits of additional cargo going through this port at a competitive cost."

The design of the Containerized ATB is expected in the near future as the two parties work with the various stakeholders, shippers, and operational partners to assess the needs of the service and elements of the design. Both McAllister and the Maine Port Authority remain confident that taking time on the front end of this project will pay dividends in ensuring the service remains viable once started. It is anticipated that with improved transportation logistics, the opportunity for other business to emerge can soon be a reality, such as distribution and warehousing-type companies.

The initial design phase is expected to complete over the summer months and will culminate with the submission of a design to MARAD on September 25, 2013.

Two Groups of Teen Trekkers Visit Acadia National Park

Maine - For two weekends this May, 40 7th grade students and 35 adult and student mentors explored
Acadia National Park as part of the Teen Trekkers program. Trekkers, a youth-mentoring organization based in Thomaston, designed this expedition as a way to introduce 7th graders to new and sometimes challenging experiences alongside a group of caring adults and students from their community.

Camping for three days in Acadia, the students and adults learned firsthand outdoor skills and also participated in plenty of games, discussions and team-building activities. They hiked Cadillac Mountain, canoed near Thomas Bay, rock-climbed the breathtaking ledges of Otter Cliffs and prepared meals together. To close each day, they shared stories by the campfire, discussing the highlights, struggles and successes from that day’s experiences.

“I got to meet a lot of new people, be around really fun and positive energy and do cool stuff,” commented one 7th grade participant. Another student described his favorite part of the three-day expedition as “being part of a close-knit community full of nice people and making new friends,” adding that the experience was “fun, challenging, fantastic and most of all, hilarious.”

A milestone for the Trekkers organization, this class of 7th grade students is the twentieth class to complete the Teen Trekkers expedition. Teen Trekkers was created in 1994 when a group of community members noticed a lack of relationships between teenagers and local adults. They developed the early Trekkers program, using outdoors activities as a way to build relationships. The program has now evolved into a six-year mentoring program. For 7th graders the Teen Trekkers program serves as the entry point to their six-year journey as Trekkers. Now that they have completed the Acadia expedition, this year’s students will progress to the Advanced Trekkers 8th grade program. Each year thereafter, they will plan, design and implement an educational expedition until they graduate from high school.

Trekkers currently serves 180 students from the communities of Cushing, Owls Head, Rockland, South Thomaston, St. George and Thomaston in grades 7 through 12. To read more about Teen Trekkers and to view photographs of each expedition, visit www.trekkers.org or www.facebook.com/trekkersonline.

Mount Desert Elementary to be honored with Maine’s first top health excellence award

USDA’s Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Kevin Concannon and Maine Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen will present the award at a school assembly Friday
Northeast Harbor, Maine - The Mount Desert Elementary School will become the first in Maine honored with a Gold Medal of Distinction from the HealthierUS School Challenge.

Maine Department of Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen will join United States Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Kevin Concannon in presenting the award this Friday to Principal Scott McFarland at an assembly for students, teachers and the community.

The K-8 school met the challenge’s rigorous health, nutrition and fitness criteria to qualify for the award, including offering at least one serving of whole-grain food each day; varying the kinds of fruits and vegetables served; moderating sodium, portion size and calories; and providing a minimum of 90 minutes per week of physical education/activity.

At Friday’s event, staff and students will share how their school is cultivating engagement in the lunchroom and the classroom through a variety of innovative health-related initiatives, including a culinary club which brings kids into the kitchen as volunteers and a school garden and greenhouse.

With the assistance and support of Maine DOE, Maine is a national leader in creating healthy school environments with 22 percent of the state’s schools achieving Gold of Distinction, Gold, Silver or Bronze in the HealthierUS School Challenge compared to 6 percent nationally.

The challenge, which is voluntary, improves children’s health by increasing the quality of foods served in schools and providing students with nutrition education and physical education and opportunities for activity.

WHERE: Mount Desert Elementary School, 8 Joy Rd., Northeast Harbor

WHEN: 2 p.m., Friday, May 24

8TH ANNUAL TASTE OF THE NATION®

MAINE’S BEST CHEFS AND RESTAURANTS

SLATED FOR 8^TH ANNUAL TASTE OF THE NATION^®

State’s largest-ever gathering of culinary talent will raise funds to help end childhood hunger

Freeport, ME – Dozens of Maine’s leading chefs from Maine’s best restaurants will come together to fight childhood hunger at Share Our Strength Maine’s 8^th Annual Taste of the Nation® benefit on Sunday, June 23 at Wolfe’s Neck Farm in Freeport.

The funds raised will go to four of the most effective anti-hunger organizations working to feed hungry children in Maine and beyond. Last year, Share Our Strength’s Maine presence raised more than $150,000. In a state where nearly 1 in 4 children is uncertain where her next meal will come from, donations make a profound impact. This year’s local grant recipients will be Opportunity Alliance, Good Shepherd Food Bank, Cultivating Community and Preble Street Teen Center – organizations that work year-round to end childhood hunger in Maine.

The seaside fundraiser will be held at the non-profit Wolfe’s Neck Farm, under a tent in a pristine field with stunning views over Casco Bay. General Admission tickets are $125 each. VIP tickets, which include a pre-event reception, are $200 each. All tickets may be purchased at tasteofthenation.org/maine.

This year’s Taste of the Nation® Maine will include the largest gathering of culinary talent to date, led by top-tier and nationally respected chefs from around the state, including James Beard Award-winner Sam Hayward of Fore Street; Food & Wine Best New Chef winner Steve Corry of five-fifty-five and Petite Jacqueline; Back Bay Grill’s Larry Matthews; Lee Skawinski of Vignola Cinque Terre; Jeff Landry of The Farmer’s Table; and chefs from the following outstanding restaurants and food businesses:

• Black Birch
• Browne Trading Co.
• Chebeague Inn
• CVC Catering
• DiMillo’s
• David’s/David’s 388/David’s Opus Ten
• East End Cupcakes
• Eventide Oyster Bar/Hugo’s
• Fish Bones
• Five-O
• Francine Bistro/ Shepherd’s Pie
• Frog & Turtle
• Harraseeket Inn
• Kennebunk Inn
• Nonantum
• Salt Exchange
• Sea Glass
• Spread
• The Corner Room/The Front Room/The Grill Room
• The Gelato Fiasco
• Walter’s
• When Pigs Fly
• Zapoteca

The food will be paired with fine wines, local beers and signature cocktails created from top-shelf spirits by Maine’s best mixologists from Bar Lola, Black Birch, David’s and Zapoteca.

This year’s setting provides the perfect opportunity for guests to combine Taste of the Nation with an overnight stay in Freeport. For the first time, members of the Maine Innkeepers Association are offering special rates for Sunday evening for those attending the event. Details are available at strength.org/portlandme.

Taste of the Nation® Maine is generously supported by the following local sponsors, who donate their time and resources to make the event a success:

• Bill Dodge Auto Group
• Hannaford
• Maine Magazine
• Maine Restaurant Association
• PowerPay
• Stonewall Kitchen

About Taste of the Nation®

Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation^® is the nation’s premier culinary benefit dedicated to making sure no kid grows up hungry. Each spring and summer, the nation's hottest chefs and mixologists donate their time, talent and passion at nearly 40 events across the United States and Canada, with one goal in mind: to raise the critical funds needed to end childhood hunger. Taste of the Nation is sponsored nationally by American Express, Sysco, Food Network and S. Pelligrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water. Since 1988, Taste of the Nation has raised more than $86 million.

About Share Our Strength Maine

Share Our Strength is the leading national organization working to make sure no kid in America grows up hungry. In Maine, where 1 in 4 children is unsure about where their next meal is coming from, our dedicated volunteers work with community groups and good local programs to catch these children and ensure they have nutritious food where they live, learn and play. Supported by our generous sponsors – Bill Dodge; Power Pay; Maine Magazine; Stonewall Kitchen; and Hannaford – and by Maine’s outstanding restaurants and chefs, we create engaging, pioneering programs like Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation®, Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale®, Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry: dinners®, Share Our Strength’s Dine Out®: No Kid Hungry, and Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters®. Visit Strength.org/portlandme and facebook.com/SOSMaine to learn more.

The President's Schedule Today

President Barack Obama receives a briefing on the ongoing response to the devastating tornadoes and severe weather that impacted Oklahoma, in the Oval Office May 21, 2013. The President meets with, from left: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano; Richard Serino, FEMA Deputy Administrator; Lisa Monaco, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; and Alyssa Mastromonaco, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

In the morning, the President will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing in the Oval Office.

In the morning, the Vice President will travel to New London, Connecticut. At 11:00 AM, the Vice President will deliver the commencement address at the United States Coast Guard Academy.

Later in the day, the President will meet with Secretary of the Treasury Lew in the Oval Office.

In the evening, as part of their “In Performance at the White House” series, the President and First Lady will host a concert in the East Room honoring singer-songwriter Carole King, who will be awarded the 2013 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

9:45 AM	The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing Oval Office
11:00 AM	THe Vice President delivers the commencement address at the United States Coast Guard Academy United States Coast Guard Academy
1:00 PM	Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney
4:15 PM	The President meets with Secretary of the Treasury Lew Oval Office
7:25 PM	The President and the First Lady host the Gershwin Prize Concert; the Vice President also attends East Room

DEPARTMENT OF STATE PUBLIC SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2013

DEPARTMENT OF STATE
PUBLIC SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2013

SECRETARY JOHN KERRY

Secretary Kerry is on foreign travel to Muscat, Oman and Amman, Jordan. Secretary Kerry is accompanied by Spokesperson Psaki, Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford, National Security Staff Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa Prem Kumar, and VADM Harry B. Harris, Jr., JCS. 

10:15 a.m. LOCAL Secretary Kerry meets with Omani Minister Responsible for Defense Affairs Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi in Muscat, Oman.

3:10 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Kerry meets with Jordanian King Abdullah II in Amman, Jordan.

4:10 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Kerry meets with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh in Amman, Jordan.

4:50 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Kerry holds a press availability with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh in Amman, Jordan.

7:00 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Kerry participates in the London Eleven Plenary and Working Dinner

DEPUTY SECRETARY BILL BURNS8:45 a.m. Deputy Secretary Burns delivers remarks at the U.S.-New Zealand Strategic Dialogue at the Department of State.

11:00 a.m. Deputy Secretary Burns meets with U.S. Ambassador to Burma Derek Mitchell at the Department of State.

12:00 p.m. Deputy Secretary Burns attends a meeting at the White House.

2:00 p.m. Deputy Secretary Burns attends a meeting at the White House.

UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS WENDY SHERMAN
Under Secretary Sherman is on foreign travel to Jakarta, Indonesia.

UNDER SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ROBERT HORMATS10:30 a.m. Under Secretary Hormats meets with Thomas J. Donohue, Jr. Founder of Adelphi Capital LLC at the State Department.

UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS TARA SONENSHINE

9:30 a.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine addresses participants of the EMPOWER Disability Rights International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) conference at the Department of State.

CHIEF OF PROTOCOL AMBASSADOR CAPRICIA PENAVIC MARSHALL

2:30 p.m. Ambassador Marshall hosts a farewell reception honoring the departing Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, His Excellency Choi Youngjin, at Blair House.

4:30 p.m. Ambassador Marshall delivers remarks at a discussion entitled “Culinary Diplomacy Across Borders: Highlighting the Importance of Nutrition” at the Meridian International Center.

6:30 p.m. Ambassador Marshall attends a reception celebrating the Republic Day of Azerbaijan hosted by the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan, His Excellency Elin Suleymanov, in Washington, D.C.

7:00 p.m. Ambassador Marshall attends a reception celebrating the Republic Day of Nepal hosted by the Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, His Excellency Shankar Prasad Sharma, in Washington, D.C.

Asthma can be controlled - Tips offered during asthma awareness month

Augusta, Maine - Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the lungs, leading to breathing problems including coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and trouble sleeping. In most cases, the cause is unknown and there is no known cure.

In Maine, more than 22,000 children and over 100,000 adults currently have asthma, which places Maine in the top 10 states when comparing adult asthma rates. In 2009,there were 14 deaths, 1,169 hospitalizations and 8,482 emergency department visits due to asthma, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Office of Data, Research and Vital Statistics.

Asthma attacks occur when something bothers the lungs and causes sudden breathing problems. These are known as ‘asthma triggers' and some of the more common ones are tobacco smoke, outdoor air pollution, mold, cleaning agents, dust mites and strong smells from perfumes and colognes. Asthma can be controlled and treated. National guidelines include using medication as prescribed - not just when experiencing symptoms; knowing how to avoid asthma triggers; working with a physician or healthcare provider to design a written asthma action plan; making two visits to a physician each year for routine asthma care; and getting an annual flu shot.

An asthma action plan gives instructions on what medicine to use and how often, as wells as what to do if symptoms get worse. The plan is especially important for children to have a plan available at home and at school. School nurses, coaches and school administrators rely on the asthma action plan when a student has an asthma attack. Following these treatment guidelines will help avoid unnecessary and costly emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and missed work or school days.

There is evidence that adults with asthma are more susceptible to invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), which includes pneumonia, meningitis and other diseases. Vaccines for children and adults are available which are effective at preventing severe disease, hospitalization and death from IPD. Ask your health care provider for information about these vaccines.

The Maine CDC Asthma Prevention and Control Program has asthma action plan forms and other information available at their web site: http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/population-health/mat/index.htm

Video: Surf Rescue

ASTORIA, Ore. – The Coast Guard hoisted a person from the water off Sunset Beach near Warrenton, Ore., Friday. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River received a call reporting a distressed teenaged female off Sunset Beach at approximately 12:50 p.m. Sector Columbia River sent an already airborne MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria to the scene. The helicopter crew arrived at approximately 1 p.m. to find a male struggling to rescue the imperiled female in the surf approximately 100 yards off Sunset Beach. The helicopter crew lowered a rescue basket and the man was able to load the girl into the basket for a hoist. The crew then hoisted the girl to the helicopter and transported her to Air Station Astoria in Warrenton, Ore., where she was placed in the care of awaiting local EMS.

Maine Maritime Museum is a Blue Star Museum

Bath, Maine - Maine Maritime Museum is one of 28 museums and historic sites in Maine and more than
1,800 across America that will offer free admission to active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2013, as a participant in the Blue Star Museum program in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and the Department of Defense.

This year, museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa are taking part in the initiative.  Participating museums in Maine cover the state from York to Presque Isle to Rangeley. The complete list of participating museums is available at www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

This year’s Blue Star Museums represent not just fine arts museums, but also science museums, history museums, nature centers, and 75 children’s museums.

 “Blue Star Museums is something that service members and their families look forward to every year and we are thrilled with the continued growth of the program,” said Blue Star Families CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet.  “Through this distinctive collaboration between Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts and museums across the United States, service members and their families can connect with our national treasures with this unparalleled opportunity to visit some of the country’s finest museums for free.”

The program is available at active duty U.S. military - Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, as well as members of the National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps - and up to five immediate family members. Eligible members simply present their current identification cards to receive free admission.

Adrift For Six Days

Crewmembers from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Oak answered a distress call from a Venezuelan fishing vessel that was adrift for six days. The crew of the USCG Cutter Oak was underway in route to Saint Lucia to participate in Tradewinds 2013, when they received a distress call. In response to the call, they were able to coordinate the rescue of the damaged vessel, provide medical care and water to the four adrift fishermen, and coordinate to have the disabled vessel towed to land by the Martinique Defense Force. “I would say that we got very lucky in that part — the excellent coordination between us and the Martinique Defense Forces enabled us to locate that vessel safely, which to me drives home the spirit of Tradewinds,” said Commander Peter Niles, the commanding officer of the USCG Cutter. (Official U.S. Coast Guard photos by Ensign Donald Rudickas//Released)