Program helps student, alumni manage student loans, financial decisions

BANGOR – Husson University, in coordination with the Finance Authority of Maine, has partnered with SALTSM, an educational program designed to incent sound financial management in college students and recent alumni. Husson is the first institution in Maine to implement the program.

Husson University has partnered with SALT in an effort to educate, empower and engage college students and young adults to manage their finances by making it immediately rewarding, easy and enjoyable to make smarter student loan and financial decisions. The program uses a variety of channels to engage student and alumni members and positively influence behavior. Members receive proactive communication about student loan repayment options, one-on-one repayment counseling with student loan experts, a personalized online dashboard to track all their federal and private student loans in one place and compare payment options, and more.

AUGUSTA – The Maine Coastal Program is sponsoring a week of coastal cleanups this month throughout the State of Maine.

Coastweek 2012 will kick off on Saturday, Sept. 15, in tandem with the International Coastal Cleanup sponsored by the Ocean Conservancy. From Sept. 15-22, thousands of volunteers will clear Maine’s beaches and waterways of debris in one of Maine’s largest volunteer conservation events.

ALTON/OLD TOWN - Become a polar explorer and join Paul Markson for a paddle across the 45th parallel in the Hirundo Wildlife Refuge. Along the way, you will learn about the great diversity of birds, forest and wetland plants, mammal behavior and conservation efforts. Canoes, paddles and lifejackets are available - or bring your own boat. Call to register by Friday, Sept. 21 at (207) 944-9259. Suggested donations are $4 for adults; school-aged children attend free.

ORONO – University of Maine Hockey players will go head-to-head with local area law enforcement in the third Blue on Blue softball game at 1 p.m. on Sept. 15 at the University of Maine Mike Kessock Softball Field in Orono. All proceeds from the game will benefit Special Olympics Maine.

PROSPECT - The Friends of Fort Knox will be staffing the Penobscot Narrows Observatory Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, from 8 until 10 p.m. (last ticket sold at 9:30 PM) to offer visitors an opportunity to view the area in the moonlight. This will be the only time this season that the observatory will be open during a full moon and those interested in this unique experience are encouraged to take advantage of it. Admission to the moonlight viewing in the observatory is $5 per person and tickets may be purchased the evening of the event (clouds or rain will result in cancellation).

BANGOR – The Susan G. Komen Maine Race for the Cure - Bangor and Survivor Sponsor Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway are proud to honor Survivor of the Week Jane Sawyer of Brewer.

Sawyer’s breast cancer was found by her gynecologist during a clinical breast exam. “I had been having mammograms regularly for nearly 10 years, and I had had a mammogram just several months before,” said Sawyer. “I think women should use every available avenue. Symptoms aren’t always there. If I hadn’t gone to my doctor for a yearly checkup, if I hadn’t allowed my doctor to check my breasts – a procedure which women can simply say no to – my cancer may have been stage three when it was found instead of stage two.”

ROCKPORT - Work with a wide variety of media on canvas and black paper to create a series of still life drawings and paintings at CMCA's next ArtLab for All Ages workshop, which takes place Saturday, Sept. 1, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, 162 Russell Ave. in Rockport. All supplies will be provided, and the workshop is free and open to everyone.

The instructor for this workshop will be Russell Kahn, who has been a K-12 public school art teacher for more than 20 years. He currently teaches drawing, painting, ceramics and printmaking at Camden Hills Regional High School.

BELFAST - For one night only Jason Hemmens and Nathan Hemmens are flying into town to do a reunion concert for the first time in 10 years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Hall for their home crowd of Belfast. They will be accompanied by their dear friend and band member Rod Webb from California. Back in Los Angeles the Hemmens brothers and Rod Webb make up a trio band called Jason Hemmens and Black Cream.

STONINGTON – Opera House Arts (OHA) is proud to present full productions of seven new 10-minute plays written by community members, “Locally & Organically Grown,” Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. The new plays were written in January of 2012 in the fourth annual Opera House Arts Playwriting Workshop with acclaimed Maine playwright John Cariani (“Almost, Maine,” “Last Gas”). The evening features community actors alongside Actors Equity guest artists Robert Burke and Kathy McCafferty and will be directed by Cariani and Opera House Arts’ Artistic Director Judith Jerome. Rehearsals begin Saturday, Aug. 26 and openings for community actors may still exist; please call or email the Opera House at 207-367-2788 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you are interested in participating.

“With this group of plays we will have fully produced 28 short new plays written by community members,” said Jerome. “We’ve started to create a body of local stories that is really exciting.”

ELLSWORTH - The Grand announces the first in the Fall 2012 series of Hi Def simulcasts from The National Theatre of London: a theatrical adaptation of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” (based on Mark Haddon’s bestselling novel) on Thursday, Sept. 6 at 2 p.m.

Christopher (Luke Treadaway), 15 years old, stands beside Mrs Shears' dead dog, Wellington. It has been speared with a garden fork, it is seven minutes after midnight and Christopher is under suspicion. He records each fact in his book to solve the mystery. He has an extraordinary brain - exceptional at math but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched and he distrusts strangers. But his detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a frightening journey that upturns his world.