Join us on July 3rd at 5:00 p.m. for a gospel concert under the big tent! The 4-H food booth will be open so you can stop in for dinner and great entertainment.

July 4th ~ A fun-filled day for the entire family!

• 6:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Start your day early with a pancake breakfast at the Stewart M. Lord Memorial Historical Society Tavern. This event has been a family favorite for many years. Don’t miss out on a great meal. Be sure to visit and explore the various museums rich with local heritage. The Historical Society has a few spaces available for craft-type vendors under the trees along the main road beside the tavern. To reserve a table/space contact Debbie Hawkins at 207-403-3420. Spaces are $10.00 each.
• 4-H Barn open all day. Visit your favorite farm animals.
• Also – Be sure to check out the 4-H display. See some of the fun things our 4-Her’s do all year. Both the regular 4-H and the 4-H quilting groups will have items for viewing.
• Art & Photography Show open all day in the Arts building beside the 4-H Barn. Many local crafters and photographers will have items on display and for sale. Contact Joyce Budge for more information at 732-5092.
• Stop in and see Tom & Dan at the Blacksmith Shop. This traditional demonstration brings the old fashioned handiwork on the anvil to life. Tom & Dan welcome you to experience this historical event.
• 4-H food booth will be open all day: burgers, hot dogs, nachos, ice cream, muffins, drinks, homemade pies and baked goods for sale.
• Bean-hole bean/baked bean cook off competition sponsored by the 4-H club. Sign up to bring your best beans. So far our first place blue ribbon, silver ladle winner is undefeated four years in a row. Let’s heat this competition up! *** Attention bean cooks: If you would like to donate beans without being a part of the competition, we would greatly appreciate that as well. All of our cooks are treasured and we always sell out of the beans! Contact Sheila Wakefield @ 732-4702 to sign up.
• 9:45 a.m. – Children’s Parade. Don’t forget – This is a great opportunity for the younger children to participate!! Decorate a bike, pull a wagon with your dolls, dress up in a Candy Land type theme costume, carry a flag, whatever you’d like to do! Contact April Shorey at 794-4774 or Audrey Butterfield at 732-4829.
• 10:00 a.m. – Be a part of the famous Grand Parade. All are welcome: families, businesses, ATV riders, trucks, bikes, motorcycles, antique cars, floats, horses, singers, clowns, individuals etc. Judges will award ribbons & cash prizes (*** NEW THIS YEAR!!) to the top three parade entries that represent the Candy Land theme the best! ALL entries will qualify!! Plan to join in the fun!!
• *** NEW THIS YEAR ~ We are inviting and encouraging all antique vehicles to participate this year. Be a part of the parade and/or display your vehicle beside the old town hall. Space will be reserved just for you! Contact April Shorey at 794-4774 for further information.
• Tractors, tractors, tractors! This display has become an annual favorite. Bring your old, new, large or small tractors. Here’s an idea . . . bring your riding mower and/or tractor with your pull along wagon or trailer. Decorate it up and let the kids ride along with you in the parade and then display your tractor in the 4-H field with the tractor line up. Let’s line the field with as many as we can! Contact Doug Wakefield at 356-2237.
• *** NEW THIS YEAR ~ 4-H Lemonade stand! Sponsored entirely by the children of 4-H. Stop in and grab a cup or two!!
• 12 noon Bingo at the VFW Hall.
• Enjoy a delicious strawberry shortcake at the Burlington Bible Church booth.
• *** NEW THIS YEAR ~ Chuck the Chicken Contest! Any of you who have ever been to the Moxie Festival will have some idea of this fun event. See how far you can throw that rubber chicken. Contest begins immediately following the parade and will include a children’s division and an adult division. Both the children’s champ and the adult champ will win a prize. Three tosses for $1.00. DON’T MISS OUT ON THE FUN. This is sure to be a memorable 4th of July experience! (Adults with children, make plans to have your kids participate in both the Chuck the Chicken contest and the 4-H field games. There will be plenty of time for both!)
• Kids, kids, kids – Don’t miss the awesome field games in the 4-H field immediately following the parade. Don’t worry – you’ll have plenty of time to do both the games and the chicken contest!! As always the games will conclude with the haystack where every child will get a prize! In addition to some of your favorite games we will have some new ones as well. Don’t miss the fun!

If you would like to donate to the 4th of July celebration, 4-H events, games for kids, or other activities please contact Sheila Wakefield at 732-4702 or April Shorey at 794-4774. (No donation is too small and there are many ways you can help. Donations to the 4-H bean sales, pies and baked goods etc. are all welcome!)

The post Burlington Releases Independence Day Schedule appeared first on Exploring Lincoln.

AARP developed this award because by 2016, one-third of the total U.S. workforce will be age 50 or older, up from 28 percent in 2007. The percentage of workers in their early twenties is projected to decline, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Attracting and retaining mature, experienced employees is becoming increasingly important for employers who seek to fill critical skill shortages and retain their competitive edge in today’s marketplace. This is especially critical in Maine where we have a large and increasing mature workforce.

This AARP program recognizes that a growing number of U.S. and international employers are developing progressive policies and practices that are meeting the needs of an aging global workforce. AARP seeks to share employers’ best practices with the business community at large and to promote employment opportunities for older workers.

This year, AARP Maine is proud to announce that one of the 50 awards has been given to Cianbro Corporation in Pittsfield. The company also won this biennial award in 2011. Thirty-four percent of Cianbro employees are age 50+ with the average tenure of employees aged 50+ being 15.5 years.

Cianbro Corporation is being honored because of their forward-looking policies toward older workers. Cianbro Corporation uses senior placement agencies to target mature workers and retirees. The company has an individual who works with the Maine Older Workers Committee to recruit. Cianbro Corporation also has a Healthy Life Style Program to help employees and their families live healthier, more productive lives. The program focuses on reducing health risks to prevent the onset of long-term diseases and helps to identify controllable at-risk behaviors. In addition, Cianbro Corporation stays connected with its retirees by communicating on a regular basis, inviting retirees to organization events, and by providing retirees with ongoing access to retirement planning workshops and information.

The top Best Employers this year will be profiled in the August-September issue of AARP The Magazine.

“Every organization needs to view its older workers as highly valuable assets and develop strategies to keep this enormous wealth of talent,” said SHRM President and CEO Henry G. (Hank) Jackson. “It’s absolutely critical for organizations to embrace new ways to retain older workers, especially in the face of the coming wave of Boomer retirements.” AARP’s Best Employers for Workers Over 50 award is an opportunity to recognize those companies that are at the forefront of these efforts.

For a full list and for more information on the 2013 Best Employers, please go to www.aarp.org/bestemployers, which includes background on employers’ workforce practices and a description of the selection process. Information on AARP’s resources for older workers can be found at www.aarp.org/workresources.

Congratulations to Cianbro Corporation for winning the AARP award a second time!

About the Author

Jane Margesson

Jane Margesson is the Communications Director for AARP in Maine. She can be reached at 1-866-554-5380 or aarpme@aarp.org.

The post AARP News You Can Use – AARP Highlights Cianbro Corporation as Best Employers for Workers Over 50 Award Winner appeared first on Exploring Lincoln.

Dr. Andrus coined a motto all those years ago: “What we do, we do for all.” Today, AARP is proud to stand by this same philosophy as we seek to represent and serve people 50+ from all walks of life.

June is national PRIDE month and AARP is proud to participate in PRIDE events this weekend (June 15th) in Portland and in Bangor on June 29th. We hope you will stop by and say hello, and take a moment to meet our staff and volunteers! It is always a pleasure to meet our members and their families at events like these.

AARP is also proud to serve on the board of Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) with a chapter being formed right here in Maine. SAGE Maine’s mission is to improve the quality of life for older Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and Transgender (GLBT) adults living in Maine through advocacy, education and social support. SAGE embraces several important guiding principles:

• Ensure that agencies and providers address the needs of GLBT older adults;
• Be committed in word and action to offering an environment free of bias and which welcomes and affirms all people;
• Promote community and provide opportunities for social networking and support;
• Facilitate a connection to a network of services;
• Be inclusive of all diverse populations;
• Draw attention to the specific barriers facing older transgender adults; and
• Collaborate with strategic partners to provide services, advocacy education and training.

We look forward to our continued collaborative efforts to raise awareness and make a difference for members of the GLBT community and their families.

In 2012, as part of an initial GLBT Aging Project in Maine, a community needs assessment was conducted resulting in a full report. The report has already helped raise awareness about the specific issues faced by GLBT members as they age.

AARP makes things better for society. We are committed to creating and maintaining a culture that respects and values individual differences so we can all contribute to our full potential. If you are interested in learning more about our work in Maine, please visit us at www.aarp.org/me or on Facebook or Twitter. Meanwhile, we look forward to seeing you in Portland and Bangor for PRIDE!

About the Author

Jane Margesson

Jane Margesson is the Communications Director for AARP in Maine. She can be reached at 1-866-554-5380 or aarpme@aarp.org.

The post AARP News You Can Use – PRIDE for All Generations appeared first on Exploring Lincoln.

The Republican Party brought forward a bill, which would have required minors to inform their parents if they intend to get an abortion. Democrats killed the bill, contending that a minor is capable of making such decisions in life on their own without parental input. In the very same legislative day, the Democrats passed a bill that will require minors to have parental consent before purchasing an energy drink… Did I mention irony, sad irony? But this shows the perception and value that those in Augusta place on life. Yes, to our legislators, a beverage product has more value than the question of life.

The Curve of Knowledge has three layers for the purpose of this article. There is the top layer of fact and proven science. The next layer is public perception, which is effected to varying degrees by the first. The final layer is the Puppets of Perception: politicians who are completely governed by perception.

The science on the abortion issue, day by day, is steadily and continually proving that life begins at conception. Slowly, public perception is turning to align itself with proven science. Many of the public polls are beginning to prove that out, even as polls are usually slow to pick up the change in public feeling.

Politicians will always stay behind the Curve of Knowledge because they base their decisions on public perception rather than fact and proven science. Therefore it is easy to see why these puppets can still remain in the dark ages of the 60’s and 70’s, believing nothing is sacred and parental control is dysfunctional. This explains the ludicrous distinction between a beverage and human life. Liberals are floundering because they have no mooring. Public perception is changing and they are not sure where it is going. They refuse to acknowledge fact and proven science because it now, with new advances, refutes their agenda. So, they are left with only the ragged hope that public perception will swing back their way. Old propaganda is dusted off and tired mantras are once again invoked.

This is why our Founding Fathers so wisely advocated for a small limited government as indicated by this quote.

The truth is, that, even with the most secure tenure of office, during good behavior, the danger is not, that the judges will be too firm in resisting public opinion, and in defense of private rights or public liberties; but, that they will be ready to yield themselves to the passions, and politics, and prejudices of the day.” –Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution, 1833.

The historical and contemporary evidence is staggering. Government is inherently incompetent. That is why its influence must be limited.

About the Author

Andy Torbett

Andy Torbett is a General Contractor in carpentry/masonry who served over 28 years in the ministry. He writes about faith and values and political satire, and can be reached at andynsara@mainestream.us. You can also read more from him on his blog at www.meconservativevoice.com, or follow him on his Facebook page.

The post The Maine Conservative Voice – Perception and Truth: The Curve of Knowledge appeared first on Exploring Lincoln.

Sailing

Today’s Photo of the Day is a shot of a sailboat moored on Mattanawcook lake.

The post Photo of the Day – June 19, 2013 appeared first on Exploring Lincoln.

Tubing in the Wind

Today’s Photo of the Day shows some summer sport on Mattanawcook lake.

The post Photo of the Day – June 18, 2013 appeared first on Exploring Lincoln.

Senator Snowe’s record of civility, as displayed in this book, is flawless. She may not like ideologues, but is careful never to identify any of her colleagues as ideologues. Although our former senator slaps Harry Reid’s wrist for implying to a New York Times reporter that she was a liar, and for lying to her on one occasion, both avoid using the word liar. Elsewhere she warms to Harry for his little acts of kindness and flattery. Nowhere does she suggest that he is motivated by any kind of liberal ideology. Apparently Nancy Pelosi has no particular ideology either, although Snowe accuses her of partisanship when she shut Republicans out of negotiation over the health care bill and the Great Stimulus.

We know how to define partisanship. It’s inevitable when a nation organizes its political life around political parties. Political parties have no meaning or purpose if they don’t compete for popular support. Dictatorships and despotisms don’t suffer from partisanship. They allow no parties or only one party. The negative meaning of partisanship is clear. It arises when the competitors place the interests of party above the interests of the nation. Given the power of ambition this is always a danger. The founders, who knew from history how the Roman Republic was brought to civil war and imperial despotism by the struggle of two parties that George Washington called “factions” (factiones in Latin).

It’s clear then. The answer to excessive partisanship is the bipartisanship and the key to BiPship is the willingness to compromise within the boundaries of shared values. Olympia repeatedly invokes common ground, core values, and shared values throughout her book. It’s dedicated the people of Maine “who ground[ed] me in the values so essential to public service.”

The problem is her failure to attempt any clear definition of those values. The result is a book which is solemn without being serious. Moderation for her is about temperament and effective legislative processes. She treats BiPship and moderation as ends in themselves, not as means to ends upon which we can all agree.

She tell us “It’s now the case that close to a majority of Republicans, or even a majority in some states, have moved much farther to the right, and the increasing polarization in both parties has resulted in the unworkable stalemate we witnessed in Congress in 2011 and 2012.” She goes on to bemoan the disappearance of moderate Democrats, but on the whole it appears that the only hope for bipartisanship is for the Republican Party to become more moderate, i.e., move closer to the Democrats, above all on social issues. This implies a belief that the Republicans have moved right on those issues while the Democrats haven’t moved at all.

On May 5 Senator Snowe told an audience assembled by the Bipartisan Policy Center that she aimed to “give voice to the frustration of more than 90 percent of American people who think Congress is way too partisan.” This overlooks the January 2012 Gallup survey which reported that 40% of Americans describe their views as conservative, 35% as moderate, 21% as liberal. It seems to follow that a moderate, bi-partisan, non-ideological Congress would have to ignore the core values of 61% of the American public.

A January 2003 Gallup poll found that 70% favored and 25% opposed “a law that would make it illegal to perform a specific abortion procedure conducted in the last six months of pregnancy known as ‘partial birth abortion,’ except in cases necessary to save the life of the mother.” Senator Snowe’s vote agreed with the 25%. In doing so she voted against a bipartisan majority of 75%.

BiPship is not as simple as Olympia Snowe believes, and the ideological divide is not a problem confined to the Congress.

About the Author

John Frary

Professor John Frary of Farmington, Maine, is a former US Congress candidate and retired history professor, a Board Member of Maine Taypayers United and an associate editor of the International Military Encyclopedia, and can be reached at jfrary8070@aol.com.

The post The Frary Home Companion – Bipship appeared first on Exploring Lincoln.

When the Governor presented his version of the budget six months ago, we knew we had our work cut out for us. Since then, members of the Appropriations Committee have been working across the aisle to come together to create a balanced, sensible solution for Maine.

While not perfect, it is drastically improved from what the Governor proposed. This is a tough budget, but it is a fair budget. I believe it represents the best work of the Committee, and it is the fairest proposal that the 126th Legislature could have put forward.

After weeks and weeks of public hearings, this budget is a product of the town leaders, parents, teachers, health care providers, and state employees who came forward to advocate for a responsible budget. We listened. This budget prevents massive property tax hikes, restores significant cuts to Maine’s cities and towns, supports health care and public education, and protects programs that are important to Maine’s middle class and lower-income families.

The Governor’s budget was a $400 million tax shift onto our towns, property owners and small businesses. Our budget prevents these massive property tax hikes, reinstates property tax relief programs for middle and low-income families, and restores significant cuts to Maine’s municipalities. In this budget, 65% of revenue sharing will go back to our communities. We will return the Homestead Exemption to what it was last year, and fund the creation of the Property Tax Fairness program, which will provide tax relief to those who need it most.

In this budget, we are taking steps to protect our most vulnerable. Our proposal restores funds to vital programs that help Maine seniors and people with disabilities pay for their care and medicine, including Drugs-for-the-Elderly program and the Medicare Savings Program, both of which would have been eliminated under the Governor’s budget. These programs ensure that the elderly don’t have to choose between food, life-saving medicine, and heat.

The Governor’s proposal made drastic cuts to education, but I am proud that we were able to make it clear that supporting our schools and teachers is a top priority. I am glad that this budget increases the state share of cost to education, and covers part of the cost for teacher retirement. It also supports important higher education programs to help young people stay in Maine, fund their degrees, and find jobs here when they graduate.

I am extremely proud that this budget honors the hard work of our state employees. We worked to restore merit pay, longevity pay, and retiree health insurance to state workers, like State Police Officers who have not had a raise in four years. This will put the recruitment and retention of our state workforce back on track for the state of Maine, which will boost morale, increase productivity, and acknowledge the value and service to our state.

In a divided government, compromise is necessary. That is the reality of negotiations, and it is not easy, but I am proud of the hard work of the Committee. This budget is supported by Democrats and Republicans. The House and the Senate passed it with overwhelming support, and I urge the Governor to sign it.

About the Author

Emily Cain

Emily Cain is the State Senator for District 30, representing twenty-one communities in Penobscot County. You can reach Emily by email at emily.cain@gmail.com, or by phone at 207-866-3753.

The post From The State House – A Sensible Budget For The State Of Maine appeared first on Exploring Lincoln.

Weeding Through The Past

Today’s Photo of the Day shows the tending of the flowers at the little red schoolhouse in Lincoln.

The post Photo of the Day – June 17, 2013 appeared first on Exploring Lincoln.

An Historic Roofing Job

Today’s Photo of the Day shows a pair of young men shingling a roof on the Historical Society in Lincoln.

The post Photo of the Day – June 15, 2013 appeared first on Exploring Lincoln.