It’s been hard to miss that Portland’s newest acquisition: a minor league basketball team.
But what exactly is the NBA Developmental League?
The D-League, as it is affectionately called, was founded in 2001 as the NBA’s official minor league system. It was conceptualized in much the same way as other minor leagues like those in baseball and hockey, where players who aren’t ready for the highest level of competition are able to play and hone their skills.
If you have always wanted to see an opera, but have never had the opportunity nor wanted to pay for pricey tickets, check out the two one-act Puccini operas “Suor Angelica” and “Gianni Schicchi,” beginning March 13 at USM.
Full and professional operas are only put on once every four years by the USM Music Department.
On the evening of Wednesday, March 4, a group of people gathered in USM’s Woodbury Campus Center to discuss the Marriage Bill for same-sex couples in Maine. Representatives from Equality Maine and the Maine Freedom to Marry Coalition came to share some information about legitimizing same-sex marriage in Maine and what we can do to support the cause and the bill.
At last Tuesday’s “Town Meeting” held in Gorham, USM President Selma Botman announced that the university’s budget for 2010 is already projected to be $4.3 million in the red.
This deficit may end up being larger if tuition from this year’s summer session doesn’t bring in $3.
A group of sports management students at USM have been given the opportunity of a lifetime. Working alongside Jon Jennings of the new Maine NBA Developmental team, the students in Joanne Williams’ sports marketing class have been getting first-hand experience and real-life glimpse of what it takes to start a professional sports team from scratch.
There is something lovely about getting a new book; protecting the cover, trying to keep it crease free while you tear into the meaty text, ingesting each word, illustrating the story in your mind as you faithfully follow the narrative. When you reach the last sentence, you tuck your friend on a shelf where it waits to be revisited, borrowed, or perhaps for you to walk by, tracing your finger down its spine as you reminisce over the time you once spent together.
With the women’s basketball team bowing out of the NCAA tournament, it’s time to put our hopes into another prominent sports team: baseball.
It’s been 12 years since baseball won its second of two national championships, and I think it is about time for another one.
Peapod Recordings has released a new compilation, Winter 2009-an overview of the label’s 2008 releases and a preview of what’s to come in 2009.
The 15-song collection is a solid assemblage of some of Maine’s most eclectic and interesting musicians. Ron Harrity’s growing Portland label boasts an impressive roster that covers a range of sounds and styles.
According to last year’s Pew Research poll on the country’s religious landscape, 71 percent of those surveyed expressed absolute certainty in the existence of a God. An additional 17 percent weren’t without doubts, but counted themselves as believers nonetheless.
Women’s Hockey trounced in semis
Making their first appearance in the ECAC semi-finals since the 2003 season, the USM women’s ice hockey team got all they could handle from Norwich University, losing 8-2 on Saturday.
The loss ends the Huskies’ impressive turn-around season and leaves their record at 14-9-4 on the season.
he last of the big Oscar contenders to land on DVD this spring will be “Frost/Nixon,” April 21.
Until then, journalist David Frost will continue to reap the benefits of his 1977 gamble by filling that vacuum with the DVD release of the actual Frost/Nixon interviews.
The bold vision outlined in USM’s second draft of the strategic plan aims to focus the university’s effort and organization in a time of tightening economic conditions.
Released on Feb 12th, “Preparing USM for the future: 2009-2014,” identifies some of the key structural and organizational problems at USM, and suggests plans of action for addressing them.
Men’s Ice Hockey
Trio of men’s hockey players tabbed for conference honors
The USM men’s hockey team placed three players on ECAC All-Conference teams for the 2009 season. Leading the pack was senior Dan Gordon (Lynnfield, MA) who was placed on the First Team.
Police are not generally associated with poetry. It is not often you get to hear the police officers of your city pouring out their souls in poetry they wrote, but on Thursday March 5 at the Portland Public Library the citizens of Portland got a chance to hear the members of the Portland Police Department read poetry they had written about what it is like to be a police officer.
Last Wednesday, Governor John Baldacci released the details of a state bond package that would provide $6.4 million to USM for building upgrades and repairs.
Baldacci bills the $306 million bond package as an “investment strategy,” which would supplement the estimated $900 million in federal stimulus money.
At the end of spring break, Kate and I flew to Philly to visit our sons at college. Jeremy is at Philadelphia U and Connor is at St. Joseph’s University. Too busy with a full class load last semester, I never got down. I wanted to check out his on-campus apartment, and, of course, hang out with him.
Drawing from personal experiences, Justin Levesque creates artwork in a variety of mediums. Levesque recently agreed to be interviewed by Free Press’s Kathleen Wilber.
Free Press: What is your major and concentration?
Justin Levesque:I’m majoring in arts for a BFA and am concentrating in photography.
Portraits from recently the published book, “New Mainers: Portraits of Our Immigrant Neighbors,” will be on display from now until the end of March in the Woodbury Campus Center.
The portraits are by Jan Pieter van Voorst van Beest, who moved to Maine from the Netherlands in 1970 and took photography classes at Portland School of Art, now the Maine College of Art.
Sudoku and crossword puzzle answers from the 3/9 issue.
At last Tuesday’s “Town Meeting” held in Gorham, USM President Selma Botman announced that the university’s budget for 2010 is already projected to be $4.3 million in the red.
The USM women’s basketball team continued to be the model of consistency, claiming their 19th Little East Conference Championship in 23 years on Saturday.
Despite a coaching change in September, a slew of new faces and a rocky stretch in conference play, the Huskies were able to defeat Rhode Island College, Western Connecticut and Eastern Connecticut in a span of five days to capture the crown and an automatic bid to the national title.
Michelle Forsyth recalls that she came face-to-face with danger at a young age; from age eight until age sixteen she lived on a sailboat every summer with her family. Forsyth recalls how every day was filled with anxiety: helping her father steer clear of rocks, battling the winds, and fear of shipwrecks.
According to Governor John Baldacci’s proposed budget for 2010-2011, the University of Maine System may not be able to maintain all seven campuses due to projected budget shortfalls over the next two years.
“Ultimately, the ability to maintain seven separate viable universities offering higher education could be at risk,” the bill states.
Unless you really like hitting the slopes, this winter hasn’t been that great for you. These large snowstorms have made activities like winter cycling, running, and pond hockey almost impossible at times. After our last big storm I found myself struggling to get outside, and as this past weekend rolled around I realized I had nothing for this week’s “Get Out!” column.