FREE Mortocycle Safety Courses to be Offered Through Federal Grant Money

Motorcyclists to benefit from federal grant for Experienced Rider course

08/12/2015 07:30 AM EDT

AUGUSTA - Next weekend, motorcyclists throughout the state will be improving their riding skills - for free - thanks to a federal grant administered through the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

The federal 2015 Motorcycle Experienced Rider Training Course Sponsorship provides $20,000 for rider education link to list here http://www.maine.gov/sos/news/2015/motorcycleridercourse.html . Using this funding, nine rider education schools are offering scholarships for the Experienced Rider Education Course at 12 different locations during the weekend of Aug. 22-23.

 

***added by Lebanon Maine Truth Seekers*** The only one of these courses being offered in York County is being offered by Lore Motorcycle Education and will be held at the Biddeford Ice Arena, 14 Pomerleau St., Biddeford, ME.......The phone number given as a contact is: 207-391-0094 ***

The Experienced Rider Education Course is for licensed riders who have their own motorcycle and want to improve their skills, to be safer and more confident on the road. It features nine different exercises, including collision avoidance, slow speed maneuvering, maximum braking and cornering exercises.

"Even those who have been riding for years will learn new skills in this course and gain a higher level of confidence with operating their motorcycle," said Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap. "With the growing prevalence of distracted driving, it's become increasingly important for motorcyclists to improve their collision-avoidance skills, and there's no better way to hone those skills than on the range with professionally trained RiderCoaches."

John Kohler, Motorcycle Safety Program coordinator for the BMV, said the scholarship spots are filling up quickly - and that's good news for improving motorcyclist safety.

"Many people involved in fatal motorcycle crashes have not had any formal training, so they are less prepared to swerve or to brake without skidding when a situation arises," said Kohler.

As a condition of the grant, the BMV must contribute $5,000 of in-kind funding, which Kohler is providing by painting motorcycle courses and providing safety instruction.

For more information about the Experienced Rider Education Course, as well as introductory motorcycle safety courses, visit http://msf-usa.org/. To find a motorcycle education school near you, visit http://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/licenses/.

Rochester Celebrates with Paranormal UFO Festival September 19.

Rochester Celebrates

With Paranormal/UFO Festival September 19

 

 

Rochester Main Street volunteers in cooperation with Jetpack Comics and Seacoast Saucers will celebrate a new festival in downtown on Friday, September 18 and Saturday, September 19 when they visit the unusual with the Paranormal/UFO Festival.  Although some people may be skeptical, the Rochester to Ossipee area has many documented UFO sightings, and a walk through some of our downtown buildings with noted medium Isabeau Esby has set the stage for a haunted tour of downtown Rochester. The festival begins on Friday, September 18 with a “Skywatch” presentation at 7:30 pm in City Hall Chambers in partnership with the NH Astronomical Society. Following the presentation (weather permitting) we will adjourn to the Rochester Commons where attendees will have the chance to search the heavens through telescopes. (There is no charge for attending this event).

On Saturday the Festival opens at 10 am with vendors and demonstrations at the Knights of
Columbus Hall and in the Union Street Parking Lot behind Jetpack Comics. Starting at 10:30 am the Rochester Public Library will screen two free movies: Close Encounters of the Third Kind and ET, and at 11 am the first of two “Haunted History Tours” will step off from the tent at Factory Court. The cost for the tours are $5 per person and you must RSVP and pay in advance at www.rochestermainstreet.org) At 1:00pm the Rochester Opera House will host a Gallery Reading with noted medium Antje Bourdages and tickets are now on sale at the Rochester Opera House for $10 each. (A gallery reading is where a medium will connect with people in the audience and this will prove to be a lively and interesting event).

Throughout the day guests may also visit with mediums and tarot readers at several local business, and a second Haunted History Tour will be offered at 3:00 pm.  Vendor applications are still being accepted and Seacoast Saucers and Seacoast Paranormals will be on site at the Knights of Columbus through 4:00pm with demonstrations and information.
For vendor applications or more information you can call the Rochester Main Street office at 603-330-3208, email director@rochestermainstreet.org or visit www.rochestermainstreet.org.
Information on activities the day of the Festival will be available under the blue tent at Factory Court in the center of downtown.    

FREE courses on Employment Law Offered to Employers This Fall by Maine Department of Labor

No-Cost Courses on Employment Law for Employers Offered This Fall

08/13/2015 05:26 PM EDT

 *Sessions in Springvale, Ellsworth, Presque Isle, Brunswick, Wilton, South Paris, Lincoln, Portland and Rockland*

AUGUSTA-The Maine Department of Labor will offer sessions of its free course that educates employers and the public about regulations governing the workplace. The Laws Governing Workplace Rights classes are taught by staff of the Wage and Hour Division of the Bureau of Labor Standards.

"We have had strong business interest in these no-cost classes," said Governor Paul R. LePage. "Understanding the law prevents businesses from making costly mistakes while benefitting workers. The class helps Maine's employers save time, money and aggravation when complying with state regulations."

The course will be held on the following dates at the locations listed below. Although the courses are free, registration is required because seating is limited. - York County CareerCenter, 9 Bodwell Court, Springvale: September 22 and November 5, 9 a.m. to noon - Ellsworth Town Hall, 1 City Hall Avenue, Ellsworth: September 22, 9 a.m. to noon - Southern Midcoast CareerCenter 275 Bath Road, Brunswick: September 23, 9 a.m. to noon - Presque Isle CareerCenter, 66 Spruce Street, Suite 1, Presque Isle: September 23, 9 a.m. to noon - Wilton CareerCenter, 865 US Route 2E, Wilton: September 30, 9 a.m. to noon - Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce, 4 Western Avenue, South Paris: November 3, 9 a.m. to noon - Lincoln Town Office, 63 Main Street, Lincoln: November 5, 9 a.m. to noon - Greater Portland CareerCenter, 151 Jetport Boulevard, Portland: November 12, 9 a.m. to noon - Rockland CareerCenter, 91 Camden Street, Rockland: November 17, 9 a.m. to noon

This course covers wage and hour laws including minimum wage, overtime, youth employment, severance pay, equal pay, leave requirements (family medical leave, family sick leave and domestic violence) and break requirements. It addresses commonly asked employment-related questions, covers the Americans with Disabilities Act and offers participants an opportunity to ask questions. The course also includes a discussion of employer services offered by the CareerCenters.

Commissioner of Labor Jeanne Paquette said, "The department wants to help Maine employers by giving them the answers before we give them the test. This course is designed for small business owners or staff members who handle human resources and payroll functions. This is about education, not investigation."

To register, call the Maine Department of Labor at (207) 623-7900 or visit http://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=Safetyworks_Classes&v=ListAll . Space is limited so reservations are required.

The Wage and Hour Division is Maine's regulatory agency overseeing labor and employment law; it provides both consultation and enforcement services. The division promotes and achieves compliance with labor standards to protect and enhance the welfare of Maine's workforce.