PORTLAND – The Society of American Magicians Chapter 174, “Ledger De Maine,” will hold its second annual open house and magic contest on Sunday, May 1, on the second floor of the Cummings Center, 134 Congress St., Munjoy Hill.

Open house will be from 2 to 3 and 4 to 6 p.m. and the contest from 3 to 4 p.m. A $5 donation is asked from those who would like to watch.

The event will serve several purposes, including an open invitation to persons interested in learning magic as an art and those interested in joining the chapter, which will introduce current members to the community.

Light snacks and beverages will be served. There will be plenty of magic, balloon sculpting and a comedy magic contest. For more information, call Scot Grassette at 369-0129.

Death penalty

STANDISH – Saint Joseph’s College will sponsor a lecture on capital punishment on Tuesday, May 3, when Sister Helen Prejean delivers her talk, “Dead Man Walking: The Journey Continues,” at 7 p.m. in the Viola George Auditorium of Harold Alfond Hall on campus.

Prejean is the author of “Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the U.S.,” which was on the New York Times best-sellers list for 31 weeks and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.

Prejean has lived and worked in Louisiana all her life. She joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Medialle in 1957. In 1981 she worked at the St. Thomas Housing Project with poor inner-city residents and began counseling death row inmates in the Louisiana State Penitentiary. She has accompanied six men to their death by execution. She also works with murder victims’ families and founded a group in New Orleans called Survive.

The lecture is part of Saint Joseph’s Distinguished Lecture Series, which aims to have societal issues discussed from a Catholic perspective.

Council meeting

AUGUSTA – The Time and Tide Resource Conservation and Development Area Council will convene at 4 p.m. May 4 in the basement conference room, 9 Green St. Time and Tide is a nonprofit organization that provides guidance/leadership for projects that foster improvement, development and conservation of natural resources, while promoting economic growth opportunities in local communities. Community members interested in developing a partnership are encouraged to attend the meeting or call 622-7847, ext. 4, for more information.

French program

WATERVILLE – Let’s Talk Language School will run a one-week French immersion program in St. Georges, Quebec, for people who want to improve their command of French.

The program, organized in conjunction with the St. Georges adult education program, will take place June 18 to 25. “Total immersion in a language is the quickest way to improve foreign language skills,” said Steve Buchsbaum, co-founder of the school.

Participants will live for one week with a French Canadian family in French-speaking St. Georges. They will attend 15 hours of French classes taught by local teachers. Participants will be divided into two groups, based on their level of French. The cost of the program is $475.

For more information on the school and the French immersion program contact the school at 873-0432 or visit www.letstalklanguageschool.org.

Help for women

AUGUSTA – Maine women, age 40 or older, who have little or no health insurance or a high insurance deductible, can have access to free annual mammograms and pap tests through the Women’s Project at PROP. For income eligibility and enrollment information, contact the project at 1-800-698-4959, ext. 324.

Greyhound day

AUGUSTA – The Maine Greyhound Placement Service, a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization dedicated to finding homes for retired racing greyhounds, will hold an open house from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 14 and 15, at their adoption center, 249 Old Belgrade Road.

The public is invited to meet the retired greyhounds, talk to owners and learn what wonderful pets greyhounds make as well as find out about plans for building a new off-hours emergency vet clinic in Augusta.

Activities will include a Maine State Police K-9 unit, animal communicator, vet technician info booth, raffles, silent auction, contests, dog ware and supplies, door prizes and food. Greyhound adoption information will be available.

Admission is $5 for adults; free, children under 14. All proceeds will benefit greyhound adoption efforts. For more information, call Andrea at 783-7440, MGPS at 626-2893 or visit the Web at http://www.greyhoundplacement.com.

Veterans to meet

CONCORD, N.H. – Northern New England members of the U.S. Navy Armed Guard Veterans of World War II will hold their spring meeting at noon Wednesday, May 18, at the Red Blazer restaurant, Manchester Street. Sign up by May 13 with Irving Dickerman, 36 West Shore Drive, Andover, N.H. 03216, phone 603-735-5630; or Bob Norling, 6 Tow Path Lane, Concord, N.H. 03301, phone 603-224-4927.