Portland Night 2008 will be held Saturday April 5 from 6:30-11:30 pm in the Prince Edward Ballroom at St. Clements Castle. Cost of the event is $125 per couple, which includes a surf and turf sit down dinner, harvest display before dinner, dessert and music provided this year by Awesome Audio. Tickets are on a first come first serve basis. Deadline for reservations and payment, which is non refundable, is March 21. For more information or reservations, call Lisa Ghent at 342-2372. 02/11/2008

Girl Scout Troop 2237's next Kid Night's Out will be Friday Feb 8. Children ages 3 and up are welcome to come for an evening of Chinese new year's fun, from 5:30-9pm at the Trinity Church, 345 Main St, Portland, CT. Children should eat before coming or bring a bag dinner (due to allergies, no nuts/peanut butter). Snacks will be provided along with crafts, games, movies and  more. Cost is $12 per child. To register, contact GSLeader2237@juno.comfor a registration form or call 342-0158. Future dates will be March 7 and April 4. 02/06/2008

On Friday Feb 8 from 5-7pm, The Portland High School (PHS) Music Boosters will host a pasta dinner to raise funds for the PHS band's April trip to Walt Disney World. During the 7 day trip, band members will march in the "Disney Dream Come True" Magic Kingdom parade and will participate in a workshop in which they will perform and record music set to a Disney movie. The PHS Jazz band will provide live entertainment throughout the evening. Tickets, which can be purchased at the PHS main office, at the Medicine Centre (Bordonaro's Pharmacy) or from any PHS band member, cost $8 for adults and children over 10 and $6 for seniors and children under 10. Dinners will be delivered to seniors free of charge if they provide their address and phone number upon purchase of the ticket. For more infor... 02/06/2008

A preschool screening clinic will be held Friday Feb 8 for children ages 3-4. The screening is designed to answer  concerns about a child's development and to become eligible for the preschool selection process. For more information and to schedule an appointment, call Valley View School, Portland, CT, at 342-3131 By Feb 1. Snow date will be Feb 15. 02/06/2008

Portland Volunteer Fire Department Engine Company 1 is holding a pancake breakfast at 7 Middlesex Ave, Portland, CT (right behind the Post Office), on Sun day Feb 3 from 7am to noon.  The breakfast will feature sausage, all you can eat pancakes (blueberry and regular) and all you can drink beverages. Prices are $5 for adults and $3 for children. 02/06/2008

Portland Youth Services' Time For Tots program is held every Monday at Youth Services, 265 Main St, Portland, CT, from 9:30-11am. The program is open to all caregivers (moms, dads, grandparents or daycare providers) with children 5 and under. There is no charge to attend. Time For Tots is an interactive program where caregivers remain with their children and participate in organized crafts, story-time, music activities, special parties, free play time and a number of planned field trips. For more information, call Mary Pont at 342-6758 or email mpont@portlandct.org. 02/06/2008

The Middlesex Amateur Radio Club is offering a class to the general public on Morse Code. The organization meets Tuesdays at 6:30 pm on the first floor of the Portland Senior Center, 7 Waverly Ave, Portland, CT. (No class is held the second Tuesday of each month). Also known as Ham radio Operators, this group of volunteers assists in providing communications for the town's emergency operation center. Licensed operators are encouraged to join. For more information or to find out more about ham radio, call Gordon Barker at 342-3258 02/06/2008

Copies of Echos,a collection of pieces written by the charter members of the Memoir Writing group at Portland Library, are now available. The Memoir Writing group was facilitated by Sheila Murphy, who guided new writers in sharing their recollections and developing their work. The collection includes both poetry and essays, and reminisces of Portland people and places. Artwork by a local artist Marra C. Giuliano decorates the cover. Copies of the book are available at the Portland Library, 20 Freestone Ave, Portland, CT, for a donation of $5 to the Library's Memorial Fund. 01/29/2008

Portland Senior Center is offering "Exploring Wet Felt-making Basics-Felted Place-mat Class" a program for area seniors on Sunday, Feb 16 from 9am to noon, at the senior center, 7 Waverly Ave, Portland, CT. People who take the class will learn how to make a decorative placemat. Learn the basics of wet felt-making, from laying out dry wool fibers to wetting the fibers and working them into a cohesive water-resilient fabric.  Surface designs will be explored; there will be many colors to choose from  and many options for embellishment. Some hand strength is needed (you will be rolling the felt like you would roll a pie crust).  After the class, you will leave with a finished project to use as a place-mat, a table topper or to give as a unique handmade gift. The instructional fee is $10, p... 01/29/2008

Angela Riccardo Salcedo will perform at First Congregational Church of Portland, CT, 554 Main St, on Sun Feb 10 at 3pm, in the second of the 2007-2008 concert series. Salcedo is the Director of Music Ministries at First Church of Christ, Congregational, Glastonbury, and the Organ Lecturer at the University of CT. As a frequent recitalist on organ and harpsichord, she currently performs with the Mostly Baroque Players, a Connecticut early music ensemble. Salcedo earned degrees from the New England Conservatory of Music (MM) and The University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music (BM) with additional studies at the Academy of Italian Organ Music, Pistoia, Italy and the French Organ Music Seminar, France. She has performed recitals at American Guild of Organist Conventions and Pipe... 01/29/2008

The Portland Soccer Club is taking registration for the spring recreational and travel soccer programs. All mail in registration materials and forms can be found at www.eteamz.com/portlandsoccer. Drop in registrations will also be accepted Saturdays Feb 9 and 23 from 9-11 am at Dunkin Donuts on Main Street in Portland, CT. Registration deadline is March 8 for the travel program and March 22 fro the recreation program. The club will no longer be mailing out registration reminders. 01/21/2008

The MOMS Club of Portland, CT is a support group for stay at home and part time working mothers and their children. The group holds monthly meetings: for more information on time and place call Melissa at 342-0752 or Colleen at 342-5129. Members are asked to attend the meetings, and children are always welcome. 01/21/2008

The Brownstone Quorum will hold it's Annual Meeting at 7pm on Monday Jan 28 in the Mary Flood Room at Portland Library, 20 Freestone Ave, Portland, CT. The guest speaker will be Ray Purtell, Director of Parks and recreation in Glastonbury. Purtell has recently completed the creation of Glastonbury's  multi purpose Riverfront Park on Welles Street. On a recent tour of Portland's Quarrylands/Riverfront property with members of the Quorum, Mr. Purtell was impressed. "It is a great property-so much history, terrific educational site", he said. "So beautiful. It'll be a wonderful park!" Purtell has a bachelors degree in Parks and Recreational Management from University of Massachusetts at Amherst. A brief business meeting with reports, election of officers and awards will precede Purtell's t... 01/21/2008

Portland Night 2008 will be held Saturday, April 5, from 6:30-11:30 p.m. in the Prince Edward Ballroom at St. Clements Castle. Cost of the event is $125 per couple, which includes surf & turf sit down dinner, dessert and music provided this year by Awesome Audio. Tickets are on a first come, first serve basis. Deadline for reservations and payment, which is non-refundable, is March 21. Fore more information or reservations, call Lissa Ghent at 342-2372. 01/21/2008

The Museum Of Portland History at the Callander House is readying it's exhibit of early PPortland farms. Much of the land in PPortland was once used for general farming and tobacco production.  Today, only a few farms remain of the many that were once in town. The exhibit will begin with the Sunday, Feb. 3, museum opening and enlarge as artifacts and information become available.  if you have any information about, picture of or articles relating to early PPortland, CT farms or any other farm related materials that you would be willing  to loan us for this exhibit, contact Sue at 342-0433 or Phyllis at 342-0303. Original photographs or news items will be copied for the exhibit and returned promptly. 01/21/2008

The Women's Fellowship of the First Congregational Church in Portland will celebrate chocolate once again as they host their 11th annual Mid-Winter Chocolate Fest on Sat., Feb. 2, from 1-4:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall at the church, 554 Main Street, Portland, CT. All are invited to drop by. Visit the Chocolate Mousse Cafe, where one can choose from a variety of food, such as Lemon Truffle Pie or Turtle Cheesecake. The double truffle "Black Beast" will once again be on the menu, thanks to it's creator, Linda Rumsey of Sweet Memories Bake Shop. Diners will also be entertained with table magic performed by TB-The Master of Disaster (otherwise known as Tim Barksdale) and live piano music provided by church member Carolyn Soderberg. At the Valentine's Craft Booth, people can pick up gifts ... 01/21/2008

St. Mary's Church, located on Freestone Ave, Portland, CT, is hosting a life-sized Candyland game, Saturday, January 19. Meet all your favorite characters including Queen Frostine, Mr. mint and Grandma Nut as you wind your way through the lollipop forest and over treacherous glumpy swamp. Activities, treats and prizes for all participants. Parents can guide their children through the game or sit with a cup of coffee while confirmation stunts take the children through the board. Order tickets now by calling Deb at 342-0293 or Annmarie at 342-5735. You can also purchase them at St. Mary's after Masses Jan. 5, 6, 12 and 13. Cost is $5 per child and $10 per family. Select from three game times: 9-10 a.m., 10-11 a.m. or 11 a.m. - noon. 01/18/2008

 The Portland Historical Society program for January will be held at the Portland Library, 20 Freestone Ave, Portland, CT, on Tuesday, January 22, at 7:30 p.m. The featured program will be a slide show overview of Portland history presented by Museum Director, Bob McDougall. Learn about Portland's early history. All programs are followed by refreshments. Historical Society meetings are open to the public free of charge and all are welcome to attend. There will also be 2008 calendars and cookbooks for sale in addition to other items from the Callander Cupboard. 01/18/2008

The Portland United Methodist Church has announced its public suppers will begin a new series on Jan. 26. These buffet style meals are served on the fourth Saturday of each month from canary through July at the church, 381 Main Street, Portland, CT. The January supper, under the chairmanship of Linda Barber and Sharon Goff, will begin with a homemade tomato soup and tossed green salad. The entreé will be stuffed pork loin. Served along with the pork will be mashed potatoes, applesauce and corn, and a choice of assorted desserts. Bread, homemade rolls and beverages are included in the cost of $9.50 for adults and $4.50 for children. Service is continuous from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Takeouts are available and reservations are not required. For more information, call 342-5407 or 342-4753. 01/18/2008

The town of Portland Public Works Department will continue it's annual Christmas tree pickup through Friday, January 18. Residents may place their Christmas trees at the curb or edge of the road (not in the road) for pickup. Residents may also bring trees to the Transfer Station located at Sand Hill Road, Portland, CT, at no cost. 01/18/2008