Free USM holiday concert

Robert Russell will direct the University of Southern Maine Chamber Singers in a concert at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 133 Pleasant St., Portland.

The annual concert is free and open to the public.

Christmas in the Barn

The Hartwell Farm, 443 Sebago Lake Road, in Gorham is hosting a live nativity scene from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14, in the barn.

The program includes caroling, live music, and farm animals. Refreshments will be served.

Church ‘Angel tree’ benefit concert

Cressey Road United Methodist Church at 81 Cressey Road in Gorham is inviting the community to attend its “Angel Tree Project” benefit concert at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 17.

The concert features the Italian Heritage Center Concert Band in an evening of Christmas music for all ages. Those attending can arrive a little early to enjoy refreshments before the concert.

A free-will offering will be taken to benefit the Angel Tree Project, helping to provide Christmas gifts for families in the community who might otherwise have none. For more information, contact the church at 839-3111 or email cresseyroadunitedmethodist@myfairpoint.net.

Boy Singers holiday concert

The Boy Singers of Maine present its “Songs of the Season,” winter holiday concert at 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14, at First Parish Congregational Church, 1 Church St., in Gorham.

Snow date is Monday, Dec. 15, 5-10 p.m. Tickets available at the door are $10; $5 for students and seniors.

New checking service at Casco

Casco Federal Credit Union, located in Gorham and Westbrook, is launching Kasasa, a new brand of free checking and savings account that rewards consumers for using their account with what interests them most – high interest, cash back, automatic savings or digital downloads.

“We are pleased to offer these unique, free accounts to our community,” said Kelsey Gillespie, community marketing coordinator at Casco Federal Credit Union. “Kasasa delivers what research shows people really want but believe they can’t have great financial products with the personal service of a community-based financial institution.”

Casco Federal Credit Union is offering four Kasasa financial products, including Kasasa Cash, Kasasa Cash Back, Kasasa Saver and Kasasa Tunes. All Kasasa products are free, reward-based accounts, with no minimum balance to earn the rewards or maintain the account, no monthly service fee, free online banking and free ATMs nationwide

For more information on Kasasa accounts, consumers can visit http://www.cascofcu.com/.

U.S. taxpayer debt

The Bureau of the Fiscal Service reported on Dec. 5 that the U.S. public debt was $17,991,068,498,107.32.