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BBACC Connects
September 27, 2018
Last Week's poll results: The majority of our readers said their favorite traditional German cuisine was a tie between Bratwurst and Schnitzel!

Have you been apple picking this season?
Take the poll at the bottom of the newsletter.

Please remember to always share your news with us by emailing  office@bucksportbaychamber.com .
Oktoberfest Mixer - September 29
You are invited to a networking Mixer on the Green on September 29th at Searsport Pines Golf Course from Noon to 3 PM.

Mix & Mingle with other business professionals as you party like an Austrian. Enjoy Mittagessen (Lunch with a German flare) and a Stein full of your favorite that you get to keep. The first fill is on us the rest are up to you.

Stein Hoisting and sliding competitions will be held hourly so you can compete to win prizes!

Feel free to invite coworkers, business associates, and friends. You can purchase your $25 ticket at the Chamber Office or pay online below

Winner Winner 7 Dinners on sale NOW!
Winner! WInner! 7 dinners! We are only selling 100 chances so you have a 100 to 1 chance to be the lucky winner! The winner will be drawn as soon as 100 chances are sold so hurry in to BookStacks to get yours. $20 per chance to win and only 100 chances up for grabs. The winner will receive a coupon book with 7 dinner coupons ($175 dollar value) to these local eateries:
  • Bucksport House of Pizza
  • Carrier's Mainely Lobster
  • Crosby's Drive-In
  • Harbor View Grille
  • The Island Rise & Shine Restaurant
  • MacLeod's Restaurant
  • Verona Wine and Design
You may also purchase a chance or two at the chamber's new office space at 54 Main street, Bucksport but BookStacks is open more hours
Senior Center Meals & Activities

Mondays:
Aerobics 8-9am 
Knitting and Crocheting 9:30-11am
Skip-Bo Cards 9:30-11am 
"3-13" Cards 12:30-2pm
Poker & Hand and Foot Cards 5:30-9pm
Bridge Games - 6:30pm (not during the summer months)

Tuesdays:
Evening Bingo 5:45-8pm
Day Quilters - 1st Tuesday 9am to 3pm

Wednesdays:
Aerobics 8-9am 
Skip-Bo Cards 9:30-11am
Scrabble 12:15-2pm

Thursdays:
Bridge 12:30-4pm
Poker & Scat/31 Cards 5:30-9pm

Fridays:
Aerobics 8-9am 
Skip-Bo Cards 10-11am
Playing at the Alamo
Find the Alamo in the Farm Museum at Fryeburg Fair!

The Alamo will be on the road showing their archival delights from
September 30th through October 7th. 

Unearthed & Untold: The Path to Pet Sematary
October 20th at 7pm
78 minutes
NR
Q & A with the filmmakers LIVE in Bucksport at Ghostport!!!!
Meet John Campopiano & Justin White!

This documentary is a detailed look into the making of PET SEMATARY, one of the most enduring cult-horror classics of our generation.

SYNAPSE FILMS AND TERROR FILMS TEAM UP TO RELEASE THE STORY BEHIND STEPHEN KING’S TERRIFYING “PET SEMATARY”!

This event is a collaboration of Northeast Historic Film & Orrington Historical Society in the spirit of Ghostport. 

Call to Artists and Artisans
Looking for an opportunity to market your art and artisan crafts? The Lighthouse Arts Center in Bucksport is opening their second floor gallery space to artists for retail sales. The space is full of light, newly remodeled, with gorgeous views of the waterfront, the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Fort Knox. Artists will pay a monthly rent, plus a percentage of all sales. You set up and maintain your displays, including labeling and pricing your work, and we handle the sales: including credit cards, packing and general marketing. This is a great way for you to enter the marketplace at low cost while taking advantage of the benefits of a growing business. For more information about the Lighthouse, go to www.LighthouseArtsCenter.com, or call 207-702-9135.  For more details about this offer, contact Kathy James at 207-469-7340 or email Kathy@LighthouseArtsCenter.com.
Universities Publish Maine Employer Hiring Guide
Maine’s Public Universities published a Maine Employer Hiring Guide as part of its ongoing response to the state’s workforce crisis. The guide includes referrals and resources that Maine employers can use to connect with professionally prepared, job-seeking students or candidates for internships. Approximately 32,000 students attend a University of Maine System institution over the course of an academic year.

The availability of professional workers, skilled technical workers, and entry-level workers are three-of-the-top-five issues business leaders say Maine and its elected officials must address according to the 2018 Making Maine Work Report. The report suggests Maine economic growth lags the nation’s because of the state’s demography and a labor force shortage that is putting a lid on potential job, income, and economic growth.
3rd annual International Maritime Film Festival This weekend...
The 3rd annual International Maritime Film Festival is pleased to announce this year's winning films. The festival runs from Friday, September 28 through Sunday, September 30, 2018 at the historic Alamo Theatre in downtown Bucksport, Maine. 

The Grand Prize winning feature-length film, "Captain of Utopia" by French filmmaker Sarah Del Ben, tells the story of François Bernard, known as “Ben”, who has explored the most remote places of the world for more than 30 years: the North Pole and the South Pole, and Mount Everest. One day, he realized that he was tired of being alone. That is the starting point of his ambitious project: ATKA. For 17 months, the boat traveled on the west coast of Greenland, carrying on board, in turn, personalities from various backgrounds—base jumpers, circus artists, teenagers, sick women and children—to discover the icecap. It is the beginning of an amazing human adventure on how the altruism and the determination of a man can change the life of a hundred others. Critics have called Captain of Utopia, “A deeply moving movie of humanity, bursting with generosity.” 

The Runner-Up feature-length prize goes to "Lobster War: The Fight Over The World's Richest Fishing Grounds," a 2018 film by American filmmaker and Boston Globe reporter David Abel. The film is about a climate-fueled conflict between the United States and Canada over waters that both countries have claimed since the end of the Revolutionary War. The disputed 277 square miles of sea, known as the Gray Zone, were traditionally fished by US lobstermen. But as the Gulf of Maine has warmed faster than nearly any other body of water on the planet, the area’s previously modest lobster population has surged. As a result, Canadians have begun to assert their sovereignty, warring with the Americans to claim the bounty.

In the short films category, the Grand Prize is awarded to "Herring Opera," a 2017 film by the American filmmaker Tessa Schmidt. Herring Opera is set in the small coastal town of Sitka, Alaska, where the most dramatic signal of spring is the arrival of the herring. Massive fishing boats arrive from out of town to vie for the "million dollar set," local Alaska natives prepare to harvest herring eggs in the traditional way, and thousands of whales, seals, and eagles crowd the ocean to eat the herring. This short nonfiction film presents all the bustle of springtime in Sitka in an operatic form, using classic opera pieces as a score of this modern but timeless struggle between nature, tradition, and technology.
 
The Runner-Up prize in the short films category goes to "The Sea Is My Brother" by American filmmakers Shari Rothfarb Mekonen and Avishai Mekonen. This 2018 film follows the fight in Congress of WWII Merchant Marine Veterans who seek justice for being excluded from the GI Bill for the 42 years before they were legally declared veterans in 1988.

Additional films will be screened at the festival as part of the IMFF spotlight series. This year, IMFF is partnering with the Island Institute and the program will include several of their "video postcards" that capture life on Maine's islands as well as examine the impact of climate change on island and coastal life. The 3rd annual IMFF will also include the launch of a new initiative, IMFF: Fresh Takes. Supported by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, IMFF: Fresh Takes will be year long project led by Maine-based film maker Jim Picariello. Beginning this fall, Jim will work with students from Bucksport High School to create films that will be debuted at the 2019 International Maritime Film Festival. The participating students will be introduced at this year's festival and Jim will be on hand to give an exciting preview of the project. 

You can find the full schedule of events for the weekend at https://www.maritimefilmfestival.com/festival-schedule.

Tickets are on sale at the website, maritimefilmfestival.com. Tickets are also available at BookStacks located at 71 Main Street in Bucksport and at Archipelago located at 386 Main Street in Rockland. 
Gory Halloween Makeup Workshop
Saturday, September 29
1-3pm
Registration fee: $15
Materials fee: $15 payable to instructor at the beginning of class.

In this beginning level workshop, you'll learn the basics of using liquid latex and household items to create bloody scary Halloween looks like wounds and Zombie skin! Please bring a mirror and hair blow dryer, and wear messy clothes! We will be using liquid latex, so if you have an allergy this workshop is not for you. 
👻👻👻 Hey! Wanna tell Ghost Stories!?
WERU is looking for a few good ghost story tellers to join our line up at our next live storytelling event, Wednesday evening, October 24th at The Alamo Theatre in Bucksport - as part of the popular Bucksport's Wednesday on Main program.

The stories should be based in Maine (or nearby) and be no more than 10 minutes in length. Storytellers tell the stories (ideally without notes) on stage before a live audience, and the stories are recorded for possible future broadcast. Halloween costumes optional

Spaces are limited. If you would like to be included, please call Amy Browne at WERU (469-6600) during business hours. Deadline is Thursday 9/27 at noon.
Chamber Members Hiring...
Lighthouse Arts Center is hiring!

The Gallery Associate’s main job duty is to ensure a pleasant and satisfying experience for our gallery customers, and promoting all Lighthouse activities. The Gallery Associate is the customers’ primary point of contact so you need to be knowledgeable about our artists, art supplies, and all the events, classes, and workshops happening here, as well as having a pleasant and cheerful personality.

The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, year-round. Hours will vary depending on the season ranging 15 to 30 hours per week. Pay is hourly: $11 - $13 depending on experience.

for a full description please click here
Penobscot Home Performance is hiring!
Penobscot Home Performance is looking to bring on a Weatherization Technician and a Weatherization Crew lead.

They offer starting pay of $18 to $25 per hour, 2 weeks paid vacation, holiday pay, profit sharing, and a retirement package not to mention a fun and varied work environment.

Do you want to help make a real difference on a local and global scale? Give us a call at 469.6100, email Matt Damon, or message them on Facebook.

Bucksport Regional Health Center is Hiring!
Consider joining a team of healthcare professionals providing quality services to a broad community.



Contact Details
110 Broadway
Bucksport, Maine 04416
Phone: 207-469-7371
Freshwater Stone is Hiring!
The success of Freshwater Stone depends on the men and women who come to work here every day. Our commitment towards our crew grows from an appreciation of their dedicated craftsmanship and exceptional work ethic.

To work at Freshwater Stone means to share our core values of hard work, family and health. To support these values, we offer a social, yet challenging health and fitness program that is free to all Freshwater Stone employees, as well as their families. We also have a safety and regulatory professional who is available every day.

Positions currently available at Freshwater Stone:

Construction Department:
  • Stone Mason’s Tender
  • Class A Truck Driver with Crane Certification

Fabrication Department:
  • Interior Stone Fabricator
  • Interior Stone Templater/Installer
  • CAD Draftsman/Installer

Architectural Stone Department:
  • Saw Operator
  • Laborer

Facilities Maintenance:
  • Facilities Assistant

IRS News
1. IRS statement on Form W-4

Following feedback from the payroll and tax communities, the Treasury Department and the IRS will incorporate important changes into a new version of the Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate, for 2020. The 2019 version of the Form W-4 will be similar to the current 2018 version. A new draft version of the W-4 for 2019 will be available in the coming weeks.

The IRS will continue working closely with the payroll and the tax community as it makes additional changes to the Form W-4 for use in 2020. The new version will help employees improve withholding accuracy, and fully reflect changes included in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

For the current 2018 tax year, the IRS continues to strongly urge taxpayers to review their tax withholding situation as soon as possible to avoid having too little or too much withheld from their paychecks. Click here to perform a “paycheck checkup” using the IRS Withholding Calculator.

2. 2018 employer reimbursements for employees’ 2017 moves are generally tax-free

Employer payments or reimbursements in 2018 for employees’ moving expenses incurred prior to 2018 are excluded from the employee’s wages for income and employment tax purposes, the IRS announced Sept. 21, 2018.

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act suspended the exclusion from income for moving expenses reimbursed or paid by an employer for most employees starting in 2018, making these amounts taxable, except for amounts for active-duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces whose moves relate to a military-ordered permanent change of station.

3. Businesses beware: IRS warns of scams related to natural disasters

In the wake of Hurricane Florence, the IRS cautions that criminals and scammers try to take advantage of the generosity of those who want to help victims of major disasters. Fraudulent schemes normally start with unsolicited contact by telephone, social media, e-mail or in-person using a variety of tactics, including impersonating charities to get money or private information from well-intentioned donors.

For more information and to verify qualified charities, visit IRS.gov.

4. IRS2Go lets you connect to the IRS on your mobile device

IRS2Go is available to use for free on any iOS or Android device. Taxpayers, including business owners and self-employed individuals, can use IRS2Go to check their refund status or make a payment, among other tasks.      
Yoga with Naomi 
Beginner-Friendly Healing Hatha Yoga
Bucksport: Wednesdays
Every Wednesday, our longest-running Yoga with Naomi class meets from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at Bucksport Regional Health Center in Bucksport. Gentle, warm and friendly, this class is a welcoming space for yogis of any ability, age, or body type.

Bucksport Regional Health Center
3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Gentle, healing hatha
Mats and props provided.
Everyone welcome.
$12 to drop in for a single class.
Sign up at the start of a 5-week series and pay $50 for 5 classes.
Free to cancer patients, survivors, and their caregivers.
 
Ellsworth: Tuesdays
These classes are gentle, healing hatha classes; free and open to cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. Call the Center at 207-664-0339 or email info@bethwrightcancercenter.org. You can find us at 23 Commerce Park in Ellsworth. Drop-in any time.

Tuesdays
4 - 5 p.m.
Gentle, healing hatha
Mats and props provided.
Everyone welcome.
No cost.

Mary Cline has been filling in for me at the Beth Wright Center, and she will continue to teach a Thursday afternoon class (1-2pm) for a few more weeks. Call the Center at 207-664-0339 with any questions about yoga at Beth Wright.
Purple Fleece Has BIG News!
In the 16 years that Purple Fleece has been open, I’ve learned that things change. Well, it’s official; the physical store will be closing in the next few months. There’s no need to panic however. The hand dyeing part of Purple Fleece will continue full force and on-line at http://www.PurpleFleece.com and so will the Roving of the Month Club subscriptions ( http://www.PurpleFleece.com/Clubs.html). I hope you'll continue to visit me there.

The website has been updated to reflect the coming changes. I'll continue to tweak and add new colorways to our yarns and roving.

I appreciate all of the special people I’ve gotten to know over the years who have come through the door of the shop. I want you to know you've enriched my life and I will miss you. 
 
Now for the knitty-gritty of closing... 

Beginning Saturday, September 8th, everything will be on sale at 20% off marked prices (except for 1 spinning wheel and 1 floor loom which are already marked w-a-y down). Every 2 weeks we'll increase the discount by 5%. That means that the longer you wait, the higher the discount but choices will be more limited as items sell. Everything must go! 
 
One more thing to note...
Purple Fleece will be closed Wednesday, October 24th through Tuesday, November 6th.
Be sure and check out the Deals & Steals page
for some spectacular bargains.
Lighthouse Arts Center Upcoming Events...
Tuesday, October 2 5:30PM

Join us for an evening of fun! In this evening’s Mommy/Daddy and Me class, we will be creating a partner painting. Each team member will be responsible for painting one half of a whole painting! No experience necessary, just a desire to have fun and create! Today, we will be working on painting our own Jack-O-Lanterns. Each team will leave class with their own two halves of a painting, and every painting takes on a life of its own! The instructor will help you follow along with a few easy steps while you learn the basics of painting. Each painting is easily customizable and individualized so that you and your little one can practice your creativity!

Instructor: Sadie Personeni
Ages: 5 to 14 plus an adult
Cost: $20 per team (child & adult) includes all art supplies

Saturday, October 6 at 1PM

Wednesday, October 12 at 12PM

Thursday, October 18 at 6PM
The Alamo Theatre
Bucksport, ME
Mainers on the Titanic, Mac Smith
Thursday, September 27
7 PM – 8 PM
Brown Hall, Elm St. Congregatonal Church
Bucksport, ME
No Cost

Mac Smith, author of “Mainers on the Titanic,” will speak on his book traces traces the stories of passengers on that fateful ship who had ties to Maine. Many of them were wealthy summer visitors to Mount Desert Island, but there were other residents of the state aboard as well. Their tales are retold in a lively way, along with what was occurring in the state at the time.
Meticulously researched, this book reveals the agonizing day-to-day wait of Mainers for news of what really happened to their loved ones aboard. It also tells the stories of Maine passengers from their boarding to the sinking, rescue, and arrival back in the country, and the stories of those who did not survive. It’s a unique and fascinating addition to the Titanic story and to Maine history.
A Navy veteran of the First Gulf War and former news reporter for the Bar Harbor Times, Smith lives in Stockton Springs, in the village of Sandy Point, where he is restoring the family homestead. This is his first book.
From Land, to Sea - The Castine Historical Society Hosts "Friendraiser" Dinner
Castine is a community that celebrates its bountiful harvest from land and sea. With that in mind, the Castine Historical Society is hosting a three-course dinner with two wine courses at The Manor Inn at 6:00 p.m. on October 10th. Tickets for this evening event are $65 per person for Historical Society members and $75 per person for not-yet-members. Reservations are requested by October 3rd.

The evening will begin with a cash bar and complimentary hors d’oeuvres. During the cocktail hour attendees can view the curated gift baskets that will be raffled off with themes like gardening, reading, gourmet food and cooking, and spa gifts. Raffle tickets are $5 for one and five for $20. 

Following cocktails there will be a three-course dinner of gourmet food cooked by The Manor’s gourmet chef and owner, Nancy Watson. Carefully chosen wines will accompany the first and entrée courses. Keeping with the night’s theme of land and sea, entrees include a choice of scallops, beef brisket or a vegetarian entrée.  

For more information including the full menu or to purchase tickets visit the Historical Society’s website at castinehistoricalsociety.org, call the administrative office at 207-326-4118, or stop by the Historical Society office in the Grindle House at 13 School Street, Castine from Monday – Friday from 9:00-5:00. 
Bucksport Garden Club Plant & Bake Sale
Private Home Care, Inc.
Private Home Care, Inc. is a personal care agency serving in-home clients in the Belfast, Maine and surrounding areas. Our services address health, safety and nutrition needs, as well as individual aspects of care such as personal interests and activities. 

Join Downeast SCORE a workshop on: Internet Marketing and Your Business
The internet can feel like both the best and worst thing that's happened to your business. If you need some tips to manage it
all, this workshop is for you!
  • How to make sure your Facebook updates are seen
  • How to spend less money and get better results on paid ads
  • Time saving tips for social media and email management
  • Making your business more visible online
We'll leave lots of time for your questions too so be prepared for a dynamic, interactive presentation that will help you grow your
business with internet marketing.
Presented by: Nicole Ouellette of Breaking Even Communications, Bar Harbor
When: Thursday, October 18, 2018
Time: Workshop: 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Registration starts @ 8:30 AM
Where: SCORE office behind the Mill Mall in Ellsworth on Rt. 1A
To Register:
Cost: $10.00
Please register in advance by phoning 207-667-5800. For any questions, call or e-mail
us at scoredowneastmaine@myfairpoint.net.
Weekly Poll
Have you been apple picking this season?
Yes, making apple pies and apple butter as we speak!
Not yet, it's on the agenda this weekend.
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