Meet Gorham candidates

Voters will have two opportunities this month to meet candidates for the Gorham Town Council and one chance to meet School Committee hopefuls.

Five council candidates are vying for three available seats: Forrest Genthner, Benjamin Hartwell, James Means, Bruce Roullard and incumbent Matthew Robinson. Philip Gagnon and John Pressey did not seek re-election,

Three candidates are running for two available seats on the School Committee: Kyle Bailey, incumbent Kyle Currier, and John H. Doyle. Pamela Irish, citing a personal reason, said on Monday that she planned to withdraw from the School Committee race. But on Monday afternoon, Jennifer Elliott, acting town clerk, had not received any official notification.

Roger Marchand is not running for re-election to the School Committee.

Gorham’s municipal election is on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Gorham Town Council candidates will deliver short presentations and answer questions from voters at 7 p.m. on Oct. 10 at North Gorham Public Library, 2 Standish Neck Road. The event includes an informal discussion opportunity. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call the library at 892-2575.

In addition, the public is invited to attend moderated-style meetings of Town Council and School Committee candidates in separate sessions this month in the council chambers at Gorham Municipal Center, 75 South St.

The School Committee candidates’ meeting is at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 16; the Town Council candidates’ meeting is at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 22.

The meetings will be televised live on Time Warner Cable in Gorham. The meetings are also available via online streaming at www.gorham-me.org

Voters can submit questions for candidates by emailing gocat@gorham.me.us

Health-care act forums set

Gorham’s legislative delegation is sponsoring two public forums at the Gorham Municipal Center, 75 South St., to explain the national Affordable Care Act.

The first forum is set for 10-11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12, and the second forum is scheduled for 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Hosts are Maine Sen. Jim Boyle and state representatives Andrew McLean and Linda Sanborn.

“With the Health Insurance Marketplace, a key part of the Affordable Care Act, beginning on Oct. 1, major changes to our health care system are taking place including the availability of affordable health insurance for all Maine people through the Marketplace,” the hosts wrote in a recent statement. “This event will walk you through the basics of the law including the new requirements and resources that are now available to all Mainers.

Maine Healthcare navigators will lead the discussion, facilitating the presentation and answering questions.

Veterans Day speakers

Pam Turner, director of Baxter Memorial Library, has announced that keynote speakers for the Veterans Day ceremony are Carl and Marcena Phillips of Gorham. The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, at Gorham Municipal Center, 75 South St.

As volunteers, the couple has driven a tractor-trailer in a Wreath Across America convoy, delivering wreaths from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery.

Carl Phillips is a U.S. Navy veteran.

The library is compiling a survey of all U.S. veterans with Gorham connections to preserve part of the town’s history. The survey tally is now at 62. Survey forms are available at the library or online at www.baxterlibrary.org

Extension to host robotics expo

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is hosting a robotics expo for youth ages 5-18 on Saturday, Oct. 19, at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham.

Activities are planned from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in Bailey Hall for youth participating in and interested in participating in a 4-H robotics program. Taking part in robotics helps children and teens develop science, engineering and technological skills.

Those attending will be invited to share ideas and creations in a non-competitive, science fair-type format, as well as take part in a workshop and on-site challenge event. An awards ceremony will be held at 3:15 p.m. The cost is $5 per person/$20 per group. For more information, or to request a disability accommodation, contact Sarah Sparks at 353-5550 or via email at sarah.sparks@maine.edu

USM wind ensemble concert

The University of Southern Maine School of Music presents its wind ensemble at 2 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 20, in Corthell Concert Hall on the Gorham campus.

Peter Martin, university music professor, will conduct. The performance will feature both traditional and contemporary works, including an antiphonal piece by Italian composer Andrea Gabrieli; a brass and percussion piece by Karel Husa, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer; Academy Award-winning composer Malcolm Arnold’s “Trevelyan Suite;” modern works by American composer John Mackey; and a high-energy piece by John Philip Sousa.

Tickets are $8, or $5 for students, seniors, USM alumni and employees. Reservations are available online at http://usm.maine.edu/music/boxoffice or by calling the USM Music Box Office at 780-5555. For special accommodations call 780-5142, TTY 780-5646.

U. S. taxpayer debt

The Bureau of Public Debt reported on Oct. 4 that the U.S. public debt was $16,747,458,528,953.05.