News
Briefs
Portland
Department of Transportation Dispatches
Container
ship Ossian to arrive in port today
The
container ship Ossian, which provides direct cargo
feeder service to Halifax, NS, will arrive in the
Port of Portland today around noon. The arrival
of the ship marks the restarting of weekly container
service into Portland. The vessel replaces the container
ship Shamrock which was seized by federal marshals
in July. The service is provided by Hapag-Lloyd
and the vessel will call weekly on Portland's International
Marine Terminal.
Demolition
of Portion of International Marine Terminal begins
in preparation for next Scotia Prince season
The
demolition of the west end of the International
Marine Terminal in Portland has begun. Cianbro,
on contract to the City, has begun separating the
west and east ends of the building. Once the west
end is fully separated, Cianbro will begin by taking
the building down. The removal should take about
a month and the City plans on erecting a new warehouse
building on the site for Scotia Prince operations.
All work is expected to be completed in time for
the 2005 cruise ferry season.
City
to consider $1 million additional funding for oceangate
A
joint meeting of the City Council's standing committees
on Finance and Community Development will consider
the additional $1 million contribution required
to begin construction of the Ocean Gateway International
Marine Terminal. The contribution will be matched
dollar for dollar up to $1 million by the State.
The project which has taken six years of public
process to plan, has increased in cost due to the
long planning process. The committees will also
consider $275,000 in additional funding for the
International Marine Terminal for the construction
of a new warehouse for Scotia Prince Cruises. The
meeting will take place at 7:30 p.m. tonight at
City Hall.
DirigoChoice
Coverage Celebrated by Maine Businesses
AUGUSTA - Governor John E. Baldacci today marked
the beginning of DirigoChoice health coverage for
Maine businesses. Joined by representatives of the
business community enrolled in DirigoChoice, the
Dirigo Health Agency, Dirigo Health Board of Directors,
Governor's Office of Health Policy and Finance,
Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield, and legislators,
the Governor noted that 216 small businesses and
867 sole proprietors from across the state are currently
enrolled or are enrolling for February 1st.
Businesses from Madawaska to Berwick have signed
on. More than 2700 Maine people from across the
state have already applied. Today, 1800 of them
can use their DirigoChoice benefit cards for health
coverage and 900 more are expected for February
1st.
DirigoChoice provides Maine people a more affordable,
high quality option for health coverage. A hallmark
of the insurance product is discounts that reduce
monthly rates and deductibles that are based on
income. Comprehensive benefits include 100% coverage
of preventive benefits and cash back incentives
for participation in wellness programs.
Governor Baldacci noted that DirigoChoice is an
important part of the Dirigo Health Reform legislation
passed nearly two years ago with strong legislative
support.
More information on DirigoChoice and Dirigo Health
Reform can be found at http://dirigohealth.maine.gov/.
LIGHTEN
ME! 2005 ready to kick off
Lighten ME!, Maine's statewide team weight loss and
get fit competition, begins on Monday, January 10.
Teams of between two and 10 individuals will work
together to support and assist their teammates in
a quest to lose unwanted pounds, and to increase daily
physical activity.
This is the second year for Lighten ME!, a program
of the Maine Games. In 2004, 1,017 Mainers lost 7,910
pounds in just five months, and reported over a quarter
of a million miles of walking, jogging, swimming,
biking, and hiking.
Participants compete for Maine Games gold, silver,
and bronze medals by making healthy food choices,
and by increasing their daily activity. On average,
in 2004, participants lost 7.7 pounds and logged nearly
3 miles of activity each day.
Teams typically consist of co-workers, family members,
neighbors, and friends. Registration materials are
available on the Lighten ME! website, and team captains
can register online or by mail.
For the $10 per person registration fee participants
receive weekly newsletters with fitness tips, healthy
lifestyle information, and even a recipe, courtesy
of the University of Maine County Extension Department.
In addition, teams who report their mid-way weight
loss totals will receive Lighten ME! T-shirts.
Lighten ME! is a program under the Lighten Up America®
umbrella organized by the National Congress of State
Games. This year more than 25 state games are organizing
such programs.
For more information about Lighten ME!, and the Maine
Games, log on to their respective web pages: www.lightenme.org,
and www.mainegames.org or call Jeff Scully at 207-284-2003.
Maine
State Flag Essay Contest
Essay Contest: "Our Flag - What It Means to Me"
Open to home schoolers, public or private schoolers
in 6th or 7th grade
Maine State Organization of the Daughters of the American
Revolution (DAR) wants to make our youth aware of
their responsibilities to our country and to instill
in them the honor and respect that is due our national
symbol...OUR FLAG. Each year the state of Maine DAR
holds a Flag Essay Contest.
Winners at chapter levels go on to the state level
and receive monetary rewards, books, certificates,
etc. Details given below.
The first Chapter of the Daughters of the American
Revolution in Maine was Elizabeth Wadsworth Chapter
in Portland, organized October 8, 1894, with 30 members.
The Silence Howard Hayden Chapter (Watervillle, ME)
was organized in 1898, named after Silence Howard
born in 1741 Her family was one of the original proprietors
on the east side of the Kennebec, Plymouth Company.
DAR is a 114-year-old non-partisan, non-profit women's
service organization dedicated to carrying on the
torch of patriotism. Since its founding, DAR has admitted
more than 8000,000 members. Today, DAR has more than
170,000 active members in 3,000 chapters in every
state and 11 foreign nations. Spanning three centuries
of service, DAR's mission remains vitally relevant,
even in this changing word.
Essay Contest: "Our Flag - What It Means to
Me"
Length 250 t0 500 words
The submitted essays should have a title page containing
the following information:
Title of Essay Name of the Writer
Home Address and phone number Name of Parents
Name of School Name of Principal
Name of Teacher
Who may enter:
6th or 7th grade students
Public or private schools or home schoolers
Judging:
Non-DAR members will judge at chapter and state levels.
Judges will look for originality and well written
and well thought out essays. Winners will be acknowledged
at a chapter meeting and reward him/her with a certificate,
book, or other award. First place winner will go on
to the State-wide contest with monetary rewards.
Deadline: Mail essays by May 1, 2005 to Leilani Stites,
12 Forest St., Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 , EMAIL: excal@midmaine.com
