Local Standouts Named to Maine McDonald’s High School All-Star Teams

AUGUSTA—
In Augusta recently, the Maine Association of Basketball Coaches (MABC) announced the A/B East and West and C/D West player selections for the 2011 Maine McDonald’s® High School Senior All-Star Basketball Games.
The A/B West Girls’ Team includes Keila Grigware, Biddeford H.S.; Rebecca Knight, Catherine McAuley H.S.; Kayla Burchill, Deering H.S.; Mia Rapolla, Gorham H.S.; Courtney Anderson, Leavitt Area H.S.; Maggie Sabine, Oak Hill H.S.; Abby Hasson, South Portland H.S.; Hannah Ebling, Thornton Academy; Nicole Taylor, York H.S.; Stephanie Gallagher, York H.S.
The A/B West Boys’ Team includes Steve Simonds, Bonny Eagle H.S.; Cam Brown, Cape Elizabeth H.S.; Theo Bowe, Cape Elizabeth H.S.; Sam Johnson, Greely H.S.; Cam Kaubris, Mountain Valley H.S.; Zach Bean, Scarborough H.S.; Vukasin Vignjevic, South Portland H.S.; Andrew Shaw, Thornton Academy; James Ek, Thornton Academy; Alex Furness, Wells H.S.; Luke Pierce, Yarmouth H.S.
Players representing 62 high schools from across the state have been honored with selection to the All-Star teams. The All-Stars were selected based upon ballot returns on a statewide high school basketball coaches’ vote conducted by the MABC in January.
“Since 1988, the local Owner/Operators of Maine’s McDonald’s restaurants have been committed to recognizing student athletes across the state with this hallmark sporting event,” said Mike Ortins, local Maine McDonald’s Owner/Operator and Ronald McDonald House Charities® Board Member. “We salute the Maine McDonald’s All-Star Team players for their dedication to academic and athletic excellence, sportsmanship and team spirit. “
Also announced were seventeen teams from across the state that were nominated for the new Maine McDonald’s/Maine Red Claws Team of the Year Award. Throughout the winter, basketball fans and community members submitted nominations for the award that will be presented at the All-Star Games on Sat., March 12. The Maine McDonald’s/Maine Red Claws Team of the Year Nominees include the Wells High School and York High School girls’ teams.
A selection committee made up of representatives from Maine McDonald’s, Maine Red Claws, and RMHC of Maine will select the winning teams – one boys and one girls – that have made an exceptional impact on Maine High School Basketball and in the lives of others through Contribution to Community, Exemplifying Sportsmanship, Team Competitiveness and Spirit, and Commitment to Academic Excellence. The two teams selected for the Team of the Year Award will each receive $1,000 for their schools’ basketball programs.
Maine McDonald’s® High School Senior All-Star Basketball Games 2011 All-Star Coaches Roster also includes Rick Clark, the A/B West Girls’ Team coach, from York H.S.
The 2011 Maine McDonald’s High School Senior All-Star Games will be played at Newman Gymnasium on the campus of Husson University in Bangor on Saturday, March 12. The game-day program will feature head-to-head competition between top players in the state’s A/B and C/D Boys and Girls divisions.
All-Star players, All-Star coaches, members of the All-State Academic teams, Regional Foul Shooting Champions, Maine McDonald’s Spirit of the Game Award recipients, the MABC Contributor Award honoree, and Mr. and Miss Basketball will be recognized at an awards banquet on Friday, March 11, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Husson University’s Newman Gymnasium.
Game Day tickets may be purchased at the door on Saturday, March 12 and are good for all four Games. Tickets are $7.00 for adults and $5.00 for students and children.
For more information, visit www.mainemcdonaldsbasketballorg. (Courtesy logo)

Jayme McDaniel Joins Ogunquit Playhouse as New Associate Producer

OGUNQUIT—
The Ogunquit Playhouse is pleased to announce the appointment of Jayme McDaniel to the position of Associate Producer. Jayme McDaniel is well acquainted with the Ogunquit Playhouse; in 2009 he directed and choreographed the highly acclaimed production of “Singin’ in the Rain,” for which he received an IRNE nomination for his choreography and in 2001 appeared in “42nd Street.” Until recently, Jayme was the Associate Artistic Director at the Ordway in St. Paul, Minnesota. As Associate Producer, Jayme will oversee all theatrical operations for the 79-year-old company, named by the press as “America’s Foremost Summer Theatre.” Responsibilities will include the supervision of all casting, production coordination, hiring of stage managers, company management, music directors and all technical crew.
Executive Artistic Director, Bradford Kenney stated, “Having Jayme McDaniel continue his close relationship with the Playhouse, now as one of the leaders of our theatrical operations, is an outstanding opportunity for the Ogunquit Playhouse. Jayme’s broad experience in top-level regional non-profit and commercial theatre operations will further enhance the Ogunquit Playhouse’s position and relationships in the American Theatre Community.”
Jayme McDaniel has vast experience as director and choreographer for many of our nation’s most respected Regional theatres including North Shore Music Theatre, the Ordway Center, Paper Mill Playhouse, the Berkshire Theatre Festival, 5th Ave Theatre, as well as on Broadway. He also enjoyed acting in his early career, which included performing at the Ogunquit Playhouse during its Summer Stock days. Most notably, Jayme was the Director/Choreographer on the final national tour of “Hello, Dolly!” with Carol Channing. In 2007, the Minneapolis Star Tribune lauded him as the Outstanding Director of a Musical.
Upon receiving the news that he was selected as the new Associate Producer for the Playhouse, Jayme stated, “I have had Playhouse fever ever since performing in “42nd Street!” I love the Playhouse, love the town and am most happy and grateful to return to the wonderful Ogunquit Playhouse as the new Associate Producer.”
Five main stage musicals are slated for the 2011 season at the Ogunquit Playhouse, running twenty-two weeks from May 25 through October 23. The season includes the new Broadway hit musical “Legally Blonde,” “Miss Saigon,” “Summer of Love,” a Golden-Age Broadway classic and a Best Musical of the year cutting-edge Broadway hit we can’t announce yet!
The Ogunquit Playhouse is America’s Foremost Summer Theatre, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization, producing the finest Broadway musicals each season, with performances Tuesday through Sunday, from May 25 to October 23, 2011. Main Stage tickets go on sale late March and range in price from $47-$75 per show. Gift Certificates, Flex-Passes and Season Subscriptions are on sale now! For a complete list of show times, pricing and more information about the season, visit our website www.ogunquitplayhouse.org. Tickets on-line or through the box office at 207-646-5511.
Photo caption: Jayme McDaniel recently joined Ogunquit Playhouse staff as the new Associate Producer. (Courtesy photo)

Women Veterans Honored with Plaque at State House

AUGUSTA—
Democratic and Republican lawmakers dedicated a permanent bronze plaque to honor Maine women veterans at a ceremony at the State House on February 18. Lawmakers worked with the Maine Veterans Service to raise more than $50,000 for the plaque and to compile the first recorded list of women veterans in the state.
More than two hundred and fifty people attended the ceremony to hang the plaque in the State House Hall of Flags in a prominent position among existing plaques honoring veterans of World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. There are 10,000 Maine women veterans but no recorded list existed prior to this effort.
The plaque design depicts Maine women who served in different U.S. military capacities over four centuries. This included Hannah Watts Weston, a Revolutionary War patriot, Emily W. Dana, a Civil War nurse, Patricia A. (Chadwick) Erickson, a World War II Army Air Force Service pilot, and Sgt. Annette M. Bachman, a soldier in the Maine Army National Guard who served in the War on Terrorism.
Silver commemorative coins with the image from the plaque were given to all Maine women veterans who attended the event in a show appreciation for their sacrifices.
Photo caption: Rep. Cain sings National Anthem at ceremony to honor Maine Women veterans. (Courtesy photo)

Lewia Selected For Maine Principal’s Award

WELLS—
Wells High School Principal James Daly has announced that senior Meaghan Lewia has been selected to receive the Maine Principals’ Award for 2011 from the Maine Principals’ Association (MPA).
Every year, the MPA seeks out outstanding seniors for recognition from high schools across Maine. The selection of one student is done at each participating high school, usually by the principal.
“Meaghan Lewia is a tremendous kid,” wrote WHS Principal Daly recently when asked to comment. “She is a great role model for our younger students. She is a star in the classroom, athletic field, and community. I am very proud of her efforts over the last four years.”
According to the Maine Principal’s Association, “The criteria for this award are academic excellence, and outstanding school citizenship.”
On April 2, recipients of the award and their school principals will gather in Bangor at the Spectacular Event Center for a luncheon. At that time, students will receive a plaque and a pin from their school principal plus they will have a chance to win one of five $1,000 scholarships.
“It’s an honor,” said Lewia in an interview when asked how she felt to have been picked. In her comments she added, “I just worked hard to consistently do my best and do everything I can to improve and push myself to be the best that I can be and feel good about it.”
During her high school career, Lewia has been Class Vice President, a member of Interact, and has played soccer, basketball and softball. In the summer, she has worked at the Beachcomber in Wells.
“Meaghan is a well-rounded student that has taken advantage of the optimal opportunities at Wells High School,” wrote Principal Daly in a letter to her parents. “Meaghan is truly deserving of this award for both her academic accomplishments as well as her citizenship.”
After high school, Lewia says she plans to attend Colby College where she would like to major in both math and science with a goal of working in biomedical engineering. In college, Lewia also plans to continue playing softball.
Meaghan Lewia is the daughter of Scott Lewia and Eileen Sheehy of Wells.
Photo caption: WHS student Meaghan Lewia, pictured here with Principal James Daly, was recently selected to receive the Maine Principal’s Award. (Photo by Reg Bennett)

Unique Opportunity to View Historic Collection from Grace Kelly’s Wedding

CAPE NEDDICK—
American actress Grace Patricia Kelly married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956 in two separate ceremonies: a civil ceremony on April 18 and in a Catholic Mass on April 19. The wedding was called “The Wedding of the Century” and is still considered one of the most beautiful weddings ever. Guests included Cary Grant, David Niven, Gloria Swanson, Aristotle Onassis, Ava Gardner, and Aga Khan. Onassis gave the couple a 147-foot yacht as a wedding present. The couple traveled around the Mediterranean on the yacht for their honeymoon.
Donald Polland of Columbary House antiques is representing a client whose family was close to the action during the wedding planning and the parties and celebrations surrounding Kelly’s wedding in Monaco. As part of the Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce’s annual wedding expo, the Columbary House will feature a collection of the items that will eventually be sold later this summer.
Columbary House will be open Saturday through Monday, February 19, 20 and 21 from 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The business is located at 1286 US Rte. 1, Cape Neddick.
Photo caption: A program from Grace Kelly’s 1956 wedding, on display this weekend at Columbary House Antiques. (Courtesy image)

Center for Wildlife Caring for Record Number of Injured Owls

YORK—
2010-2011 has been an especially difficult winter for owls in Maine, and the Center for Wildlife is providing medical care for their heaviest load ever of injured owls. CFW has admitted 36 owls (30 of them barred owls) since October. On average, the Center sees fewer than ten each winter, so with more than triple that many, all of its flight enclosures are full. In 2008, its previous record owl year, the Center had only 17 admissions by January 1, and by that day this year had already hit 27!
Nearly all of these owl patients were hit by cars. Hunting in the winter is especially challenging, as many rodents hibernate or den up for days on end, and the ones who are active can hide under snow. Thus, food becomes scarce just at the time when owls burn extra energy keeping warm through the extreme cold. Making matters worse are the heavy storms that make hunting impossible on some nights – leaving the owl even hungrier and further compromised the following night. Fortunately, most of the Center’s patients this winter are not starving: they seem to be managing to find sufficient food, but they’re doing so by hunting in the roads. On plowed roads, prey animals are easier to locate, and food trash thrown from car windows attracts rodents to the road, which in turn attract hungry owls.
This dangerous road hunting is the cause of most owl admissions – all but two patients were hit by cars, sustaining various injuries including leg and wing fractures, lacerations, head trauma, and most commonly, eye trauma. The large eyes, which allow owls to see well in low light, also mean that most trauma to their head results in some level of damage to one or both eyes. Many of these owls have a good chance of recovery, but they need lots of time as eye injuries heal very slowly. The most seriously impaired will be kept through the winter, saving them from having to adjust to hunting with a vision handicap at a time when heavy snow cover makes hunting most difficult. Having such a large load of long-term cases puts a strain on the Center’s cage space and human resources, and CFW depends on donations from the public to provide the medical care, food, housing, and monitoring necessary to get these birds back into the wild.
CFW has set up a special Emergency Owl Treatment Fund and you can help by donating by credit card on CFW’s website (www.yorkcenterforwildlife.org) or by mailing a check to: Center for Wildlife, P.O. Box 620, Cape Neddick, ME 03902. All donations are tax-deductible.
Photo caption: The Center for Wildlife is currently caring for a record number of injured owls, putting a strain on their resources this winter. (Courtesy photo)

Higher Catch Limits Allowed in International Waters

AUGUSTA—
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced recently that fishermen from Maine and other New England states will effectively be allowed to catch more haddock, scallop and other valuable groundfish species in waters shared with Canada.
This announcement was the result of negotiations between the U.S. and Canada and the increased share for American fishermen was made possible by a bill Pingree co-sponsored last year. The bill, signed into law President Obama last month, allows fisheries managers to set more equitable catch limits for U.S. fishermen in grounds shared with Canada.
This decision actually increases limits on yellowtail flounder, but since haddock and scallop are typically caught at the same time as flounder, a limit on flounder is effectively a limit on haddock, scallop and other valuable species.
For years, U.S. fisheries managers have been at a competitive disadvantage when negotiating catch limits for grounds shared by both the U.S. and Canada off the Northeast coast. Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the U.S. has had to keep a 10-year timeline to restoring fish stocks while Canada did not have to follow a similar regulation. As a result, fishermen from Canada have been allowed much higher catch limits.