Man who fled crash turns self in

MANCHESTER The man Maine State Police were looking for after he reportedly fled from a high speed chase and crashed turned himself into authorities.

On Feb. 4, a car driven by Steven N. Black crashed after being involved in two high-speed chases with both State and Winthrop Police. Police had been looking for Black after troopers tracked along the shore and on the ice of Cobbossee Lake for several hours early that morning. The tracks then led back to the Pond Road.

A state trooper first attempted to pull Black's car over on Route 202 in Manchester and after it reached speeds of over 100 miles per hour, the trooper broke off the pursuit. Later, Winthrop Police attempted to stop the car along Routes 135 and 202 and officers lost track of the car on the Pond Road. A short time later, troopers found the Pontiac Grand Am had crashed into a tree on a nearby camp road near the West Gardiner town line. With the help of a State Police dog, troopers followed tracks along and on the ice of Cobbossee Lake for over five miles.

GREENVILLE The 12th annual Chocolate Festival in the Moosehead Lake Region just happens to land on one of the biggest chocolate days of the year, Valentine's Day. The 2016 Moosehead Region Chocolate Festival will feature a silent auction, a kids corner and of course chocolate.

'You can't get much better than good, quality chocolate,' said Angela Arno, executive director of the Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce. 'Over the 12 years of this festival, it has become obvious to us that people from near and far like to celebrate chocolate. It comes in different forms, with different pairings, and for different occasions, but it is always enjoyable. Chocolate lovers and casual chocolate consumers will all find something to enjoy at the Chocolate Festival.'

BANGOR The City of Bangor and Spectra Venue Management, managers of Cross Insurance Center, are excited to announce that Comedian Ron 'Tater Salad' White, best known as the cigar-smoking, scotch-drinking funnyman from the Blue Collar Comedy Tour phenomenon, will be coming to Bangor's Cross Insurance Center this summer, July 30, 2016 with his stand-up show. The comedian's stand-up act will take place on the first Saturday of this year's fair and will add an exciting element to the annual community event. The Bangor State Fair will take place July 29-Aug. 7.

ORONO On Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 3 p.m., cellist Inbal Segev, known for her 'warm, pure and beautiful tone' (Strings Magazine) will perform as guest soloist in Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra in concert at Collins Center for the Arts (2 Flagstaff Road), led by Music Director Lucas Richman. The program will also include Stravinsky's Dumbarton Oaks and Brahms' Symphony No. 2. Segev will conduct a master class on Friday, March 4, at 4 p.m. at Minsky Recital Hall at the University of Maine School of Performing Arts. It will be free and open to the public.

Segev has worked closely with Richman in the past, most recently performing with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on the world premiere recording of his 'Three Pieces for Cello and Orchestra,' which appeared on his album 'IN TRUTH: Lucas Richman,' released on Albany Records in September 2015. Segev gave the world premiere of Three Pieces for Cello and Orchestra in May 2013 with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Richman.

BANGOR On Saturday, Feb. 20, Eastern Maine Pagan Pride Association is hosting a Bacchanalian Ball from 6-10 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor, 120 Park Street, Bangor, ME.

Bacchanalia is an ancient festival celebrating the Greek God, Bacchus the God of wine, revelry and merriment. The Bacchanalian Ball will feature music for dancing, a chocolate buffet and a live auction of wonderful crafts and services, hosted by Bacchus himself.

BANGOR Bangor Savings Bank Foundation began its annual grant-making initiative, Community Matters More, on Feb. 1. Through this charitable program, one of Maine's largest independent banks offers all Maine residents the opportunity to weigh in on how best to allocate $100,000 the bank has pledged to give to 68 Maine nonprofit organizations across the state.

The voting period takes place during the month of February, and ending Monday, Feb. 29, with winners announced in April.

AUGUSTACommissioner of Labor Jeanne Paquette announced on Jan. 25, 2016, that Northport First Responders has earned the Safety and Health Award for Public Employers (SHAPE). Northport is the first single-entity first responder to receive the award in Maine.

SHAPE recognizes public-sector organizations that voluntary undertake a rigorous safety achievement program for their workers; Monday's award brings the total number of SHAPE certified worksites in Maine to 65.

MONHEGANApplications are being accepted for the Monhegan Artists' Residency for Maine artists. In addition to two five-week residencies on Monhegan Island for Maine-based visual artists, the program offers a two-week residency for a Maine art teacher.

'Thanks to the generous support of individual donors, the Horizon Foundation, the Maine Community Foundation, and other charitable organizations, we are again able to support three residencies this year,' said Susan Danly, chair of the Monhegan Artists' Residency Corporation (MARC) board of directors.

The application deadline for all three residencies is March 15, 2016. This year applications for the residency program are being accepted online only. For guidelines, a history of the program, and a list of past residents, visit monheganartistsresidency.org. Applicants will be notified by April 15 of the jury's decision.

The residency program provides living quarters, studio space and a $150 per week stipend. The two five-week residencies run from May 28 to July 1 and Sept. 3 to Oct. 7. Maine residents and those with strong connections to Maine are eligible to apply. The two-week Maine art teacher residency runs July 2-15 to accommodate the school-year schedule.

The residency program is aimed at visual artists working in painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture, or the digital arts. An important goal of the program is to enhance the careers of serious artists who have yet to gain wide recognition. Quality of work is the primary criterion for selection. The jury of art professionals this year includes MARC board member and artist Sissy Buck, Polly Saltonstall, editor of Maine Boats, Homes, & Harbors and noted collector of contemporary Maine art, and the artist Duncan Hewitt, whose retrospective exhibition is currently on view at the Portland Museum of Art.

Previous Monhegan artist residents include Sarah Knock, Marguerite Robichaux, David Vickery, Lynn Travis, Joe Kievitt, Jim Dugan, Karen Adrienne, Kenny Cole, Jan ter Weele, and Justin Richel. Founded in 1989, the Monhegan Artists' Residency program is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by donors, art galleries, corporate sponsors and foundation grants.

The Museum will reopen on May 1, 2016

BAR HARBOR The Abbe Museum, the first and only Smithsonian Affiliate in the state of Maine, will be closed until April 30, 2016, while a new core exhibit is designed and installed in the Museum's main gallery. The exhibit, People of the First Light, is the first large-scale permanent exhibit of its kind for the Abbe.

'The exhibit will occupy approximately 2,100 square feet in our downtown Bar Harbor location,' said Abbe President and CEO, Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko. 'During the course of the past year and a half in planning for our new strategic plan, numerous community conversations occurred and some of those resulted in identifying specific financial sustainability strategies that influence our exhibit planning efforts. The conversations all pointed to the need for a permanent exhibit.'

ORONO The University of Maine Department of Art is accepting applications for the after-school ArtWorks! Program.

As it has for more than 30 years, UMaine's Art Education Program will offer the program for students in grades K8. ArtWorks! provides children an opportunity to explore the world of art through hands-on experiences with a variety of visual media, the history of art and the viewing of artworks.