AUBURN – The Androscoggin County Democratic Committee will meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 23, at the Auburn police station.

The speaker will be Jess Knox from the Maine State House Speakers Office and a presenter from Camp Wellstone, recently held in Portland.

Also present will be Torvic Vardamis in his new position as Democratic field director for seven Maine counties, and Brian Hawkins from the Maine State Senate Caucus. All Democrats are encouraged to attend.

For more information, call Nancy at 782-5704 or Brenda at 783-8350.

Land trust presents talk on sprawl

LEWISTON – The Androscoggin Land Trust will host a presentation on the effects of sprawl in Maine at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 21. The presentation will be given by Alan Caron, president of GrowSmart Maine.

Sprawl is the inefficient use of land that results when residential and commercial development leapfrog existing infrastructure of towns into previously undeveloped rural areas.

A major consequence of sprawl is the progressive elimination of working farms and forests, along with other open spaces with environmental and recreational value.

Caron will talk about the ways sprawl is changing Maine and the many challenges faced to protect the communities.

He will also discuss the effects of these changes on families, environment, local governments and economies.

GrowSmart Maine’s mission is to mobilize people in Maine to protect their communities from the negative effects of sprawl.

It is committed to building a citizen network that can confront all the issues included with sprawl: affordable housing, public transportation options, protection of working forests and farms, tax policy, revitalization of towns, and sustainable economic development.

The Androscoggin Land Trust is dedicated to protecting, through land conservation and stewardship, the traditional landscapes, important natural areas and outdoor experience throughout Androscoggin County and neighboring towns.

Since 1991, the land trust has protected more than 2,500 acres.

The event is free and open to the public.

It will be held at Chase Hall at Bates College in Lewiston. Refreshments will be served.