The university denies many of Portland-based ecomaine’s claims, saying the company wasn’t awarded the contract due to prohibitive estimated costs associated with trucking recyclables longer distances.

Three companies bid on the contract, which was awarded to Pine Tree Waste Services Inc., a Hampden-based subsidiary of Casella Waste Systems Inc.

The cover letter for ecomaine’s proposal states the company was “disappointed” with the RFP, adding that it “was drafted with such narrow requirements that it precludes a Maine-owned non-profit company from effectively bidding.”

“We were made aware that the RFP was written with a specific contractor in mind,” the letter continues.

Ecomaine is owned and operated by 21 southern Maine municipalities and lists another 22 as “associate members.” It processed more than 35,000 tons of recyclables using a single-stream system in its the 2010-11 fiscal year, which ended June 30.

The company, which handles recycling for the University of Southern Maine, alleges it wasn’t selected because the request for proposals (RFP) was written in such a way that only Casella could successfully bid.

Missi Labbe, the company’s program development manager, said UMaine’s RFP contained two stipulations making ecomaine ineligible for the contract: The company had to have a minimum of five years of experience operating a similar program and operate a single-stream material recovery facility or transfer station within 30 miles of campus.

Ecomaine’s Portland facility is approximately 145 miles from campus, and the only other bidder’s facility is located in Oakland, approximately 65 miles from campus.

When asked of available transfer points within a 30-mile radius of Orono, Labbe could only think of Pine Tree in Hampden.

“There’s only one, and it’s run by the company they currently have,” she said.

‘Just a technicality’

The proposals were due on July 12. At that point, ecomaine’s single-stream program had been in operation for four years and two months, Labbe said.

June Baldacci, UMaine’s director of purchasing and resource efficiency, denies ecomaine’s allegations. She said the RFP was not drafted with Casella’s other university contract in mind.

Casella currently holds a 20-year contract to build and operate an approximately 6-mile landfill gas pipeline joining Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town and the university’s Steam Plant. That contract recently moved forward after nearly a year of stagnation due in part to fluctuation in the market price for landfill gas.

In a written statement, Baldacci addressed the two stipulations.

“The University transports the material to the transfer station, and [30 miles] was considered to be the most practical limit in terms of cost,” she wrote.

As for the five-year requirement, Baldacci wrote that UMaine “wanted to ensure that the contractor had the necessary experience in processing and marketing recyclables and also that there was a sufficient history of regulatory compliance.”

Labbe said she was also disappointed that the university did not contact ecomaine when the RFP was published. She had come to campus in 2007 to discuss the possibility of installing a single-stream system in general terms.

After offering technical knowledge on how a system could be installed at UMaine, she said, she asked the university to let her know if it ever decided to move forward with a system.

Labbe said she heard from a third party that the RFP was published.

“When the time came, no one contacted us,” she said. “You can’t tell me you don’t know who we are.”

Baldacci said UMaine did contact ecomaine when the RFP was published. A list of six firms contacted includes ecomaine, with a handwritten note that the firm was notified on June 20.

Labbe said she called the university to ask about the RFP and spoke with a young woman whose name she cannot recall now.

“They didn’t really respond with any particulars,” she said. “They simply stated, ‘Well, you know it’s just a technicality.’

“I was stunned,” Labbe continued.

Baldacci denied the correspondence.

“She did not call with any questions about the RFP,” Baldacci said Tuesday, adding that Casella was awarded the contract over ecomaine because “we wanted to make sure we selected the best option.”

Labbe said the “technicality” described by the young woman was the publishing of the RFP, as the university had already decided to award the contract to Casella.

“Nobody in this office would have said this was just a formality,” Baldacci said. “That’s just absolutely incorrect.”

A problem of geography 

Baldacci said no proposals were rejected. Although ecomaine did not meet those two stipulations, the proposal was reviewed with the same scrutiny given to bids from Casella and Maine Resource Recovery Association. She also said the university would have been willing to waive compliance with the two stipulations if a proposal was attractive enough.

MRRA was not awarded the contract due to the company’s requirement that all recyclables be housed in one on-campus container for the company’s trucks to retrieve.

Baldacci said the geographic constraints of campus made installing a container difficult and the machinery on campus available for use in the project would not be able to “upload” materials, meaning it could not lift a container of recyclables to be dumped into a truck.

Currently, Casella picks up materials from multiple zero-sort dumpsters on campus, imitating the university’s trash removal process.

Ecomaine’s proposal said the university would be responsible for transporting the recyclables to its Portland facility or to a hauler within the 30-mile radius.

Baldacci said the university ran into the same uploading problem in that scenario, as trucks carrying recyclables would not be able to lift their loads and transfer them to trucks headed to Portland.

Another issue with ecomaine’s proposal, according to Baldacci, is that “ecomaine proposed variable price options tied to commodity resale markets.” Because those markets can fluctuate, “the actual costs to the university could not be determined and would vary,” she wrote.

Casella’s proposal contained “a fixed cost per ton of $20 to process the materials,” Baldacci continued. “A conservative estimate to transport the materials to Portland was well in excess of $20 per ton.”

Labbe said awarding the contract to Casella exacerbates the environmental issues. Instead of the university driving to Portland, she said, it drives to Hampden, and Casella trucks take materials to Massachusetts to be processed.

“How is that more cost-effective?” she asked. “The material they’re sending out is being trucked right by here.”

‘We were upset’

Despite Labbe’s misgivings, she did not initially speak out about the RFP.

A copy of ecomaine’s cover letter was sent anonymously to Paul Schroeder, an Orono resident who has been a vocal opponent of Juniper Ridge and who is a member of the Trash Tracking Network, set up to compile documents about the landfill, which is operated by Casella. He provided the letter to The Maine Campus.

Labbe suspects someone from the university sent the letter to Schroeder; Baldacci suspects someone from ecomaine sent the letter.

Norridgewock-based Waste Management, Hermon-based BBI Waste Industries and the city of Old Town were also contacted when the RFP was published, but did not submit bids.

According to Baldacci, Old Town had been informed because officials there wanted to be kept in the loop about waste management on campus. Requests for comment from Waste Management and BBI Waste Industries were not returned by press time.

“I don’t feel the towns served by ecomaine would be served well for me to go to battle with the college,” Labbe said. “In all fairness to them, we submitted our proposal, and they reviewed it.

“Normally we wouldn’t call someone out like that. We were upset,” she continued, adding that she did not want her comments to appear as denigrating the university.

The contract awarded to Casella is slated for one year with the possibility for three one-year renewals, meaning another RFP for single-stream recycling might not be published until 2015. The renewals would take place in August of each year.

“Hopefully the next go-round they’ll see the benefit of keeping it local,” Labbe said, expressing desire to continue a working relationship with the university.

They don’t want you to know where they are. In a feeble effort hunting for the house last week, I called Jim Burke for directions.

“You just passed me twice,” he said.

He was right, but he had never seen my car. His security system, with indoor and outdoor cameras feeding into a television, showed him.

Out of a converted barn attached to a farmhouse about 30 minutes north of the University of Maine, Jim and wife, Susan, run Care by Cannabis, a limited liability company.

Care by Cannabis is a cooperative of growers. Jim and Susan Burke, along with a friend from Milo, are medical marijuana patients and “caregivers” allowed by state law to provide up to 5 ounces of marijuana a month to a maximum of five patients with a doctor’s recommendation. Currently, 14 patients, including the 3 caregivers, grow their plants under the Burkes’ roof.

Jim, 52, has a lot to look out for. He said he has invested $60,000 in the growing operation thus far.

Nobody has tried robbing him yet, but Jim has a plan for anyone who may.

“In the daytime, I’m calling the cops,” he said. “If it’s nighttime, I’m greeting them with a gun.”

“Everyone around here knows he’s got 20 guns upstairs,” Susan, 40, piped up.

“I’m known as a sportsman,” he said.

But even with guns, the marijuana production business has its struggles­­ — the Burkes can attest to that.

‘You’ll do anything’

From its roots in a single room, the growing operation now comprises eight, with average electric bills for the property running $2,000 per month.

Two of the rooms are chiefly used to hold flowering plants while four others serve a variety of purposes from drying harvested stock to vegetative growth — those plants yet to bloom. One room, a secondary kitchen, is used for preparation and genetics work to create a patient’s perfect plant. A space in the basement holds male plants, sequestering their pollen in an area separated from the females in an effort to control genetic lines and avoid a seedy finished product.

By Christmas, Care by Cannabis will be maxed out with its number of permissible patients. The three caregivers will have 15 patients and won’t be legally able to take any more. Patients from Piscataquis to Kennebec counties are on the roster, Jim said, and there’s a waiting list for spots.

And in two years, he said, all business expenses will be paid off and profit will roll in.

Jim had been working heavy construction for Brewer-based Cianbro for 18 years when doctors discovered he had small-cell lung and bone cancer in 2009. While working there, he was subject to periodic drug testing, a stipulation that excluded marijuana as a medicine.

“When I came down with cancer, I had people dropping off free pot,” he said. “Trust me. When you find out you have cancer, you’ll go online and you’ll do anything to stay alive — legal or not.”

Jim left his job with Cianbro and underwent chemotherapy and radiation to try to beat the tumor, all while using marijuana. He said he went through the treatments with 12 others.

“I was the only one walking at the end of it, I believe. They were so worn out from it,” he said.

In contrast to his weakened counterparts, Jim said he gained 50 pounds going through chemotherapy, which he called “incredible.” He now is in remission and uses marijuana chiefly for pain management. Still, he can’t stand for more than four hours a day without severe pain.

“Not only did it help with pain and appetite, I believe it shrunk the tumor,” he said.

Contrary to cases of systemic abuse cited by those opposed to the medical marijuana movement, Jim said there isn’t a patient Care by Cannabis has who doesn’t need help. Some have cancer. Some have Crohn’s disease. Jim said he even has a strain of pot that works well for epileptics.

“Most every one of them is using a cane, walker or wheelchair,” he said. “They’re crippled — no doubt whatsoever.”

The Burkes also aim to keep prices low, and Jim thinks his prices may be the lowest in the state.

Though prices are slated to increase by $25 soon, the Burkes’ average strain sells for approximately $150 an ounce, except for the purest forms of sativa — one of three species of cannabis, known for inducing energetic highs and stimulating appetite, that is rarely used for the chronic pain management most of his clients seek.

Jim didn’t mention a recently announced 5 percent tax of marijuana sold for medicinal purposes levied by the Maine Revenue Services, reported Nov. 3 by the Capitol News Service, as a reason for the increase.

According to Patrick Robinson, a board member of Compassionate Caregivers of Maine, a nonprofit group aiming to provide patients with qualified caregivers, the normal market price for caregivers is approximately $250 per ounce. Dispensaries are usually upward of $300 per ounce.

“Profit isn’t a bad word. Greed is,” Jim said. “I keep my prices low because it’s legal and I can.”

And with Jim, you get a free consultant. If patients don’t have enough money to afford his product, he’ll advise them on how to grow their own.

“There’s no charge for talking,” he said. “Talk, as they say, is cheap.”

Insurance woes

While Jim says he’s leading the pack in a back-to-the-land industry with the potential to create thousands of jobs in Maine, he’s also had scares.

According to state records, the company became an LLC in December 2010. Jim, the company’s treasurer and spokesman, said they opened for business in January. Susan serves as president.

Jim said when he phoned the insurer of his home, vehicles and boat about a business risk insurance quote on Care by Cannabis, they said they would get back to him and hung up.

“Fifteen minutes later, they called to say, ‘All your policies are cancelled,’” he said. “I got a mortgage, I have delivery vehicles, and I’ve been a paying customer.”

He provided The Maine Campus with a non-renewal letter on his homeowners insurance dated June 8 from The Concord Group Insurance Companies signed by Michael Nolin Jr., vice president for underwriting.

The letter cites “increased liability exposure” because of a marijuana business on premise, telling him the policy would lapse June 27.

When asked the company’s policy on insuring known medical marijuana businesses, Concord spokesman John Natale, via email, only cited to the company’s privacy policy. He didn’t respond to following inquiries.

The Burkes’ old policies were through Allen/Freeman/McDonnell Insurance Agency, a Brewer office that sells insurance through the Concord Group based in New Hampshire, where medical marijuana is illegal.

After learning of the cancellation, Jim said he sought out Orono-based State Farm Insurance agent Bobby Donnelly.

“Within one day’s time, he had me fully insured at a lower rate than I had with Concord,” Jim said. “Bob was good to his word.”

Reached Sunday, Donnelly referred questions to State Farm’s corporate office, confirming he insured the Burkes.

“We elect to insure businesses engaged in permissible practices. We continue to evaluate each risk on its own merit within the guidelines of local and state regulation,” State Farm spokesman Douglas Nadeau wrote in a statement. “Businesses that are appropriately licensed for the sale of medical marijuana may be eligible for a business risk policy under limited circumstances.”

According to Robinson, insurance doesn’t often come up among caregivers. He said Compassionate Caregivers of Maine is more focused on having health insurers pay for patients’ marijuana and organizing caregiving’s business model.

However, he said if he were put in Jim’s position, he would tell the insurance company he was simply a farmer — not a marijuana grower.

“My insurance company is out of Massachusetts, I think, and I wouldn’t tell them,” Robinson said. “The only possible way I would think about telling them is if it were a Maine insurance company.”

Returning to Maine’s roots?

Back in Lagrange, a town of just over 700, Jim reminisced about the time he grew almost all of his own food in a town farm. Only necessities like flour and coffee were purchased in town.

That was years ago. Then, he said, he was skinny, young and could work all day long.

Referencing Northeast Patients Group, the nonprofit owner of four of Maine’s dispensary licenses, which spawned from the leadership of a California dispensary organization, Jim argued for Maine to take a hyper-local look at the business.

“Maybe they should have given the [licenses] to potato farmers,” he said.

Robinson, the caregiver advocate, concurred with Jim’s assessment.

“If the state’s going to give four of our dispensaries to California, we’re going to be pushing for micro business,” he said.

Jim says that’s what Care by Cannabis is — from the six to eight bottles of carbon dioxide he buys wholesale per month to his electric bill to recommending The Captain’s Joint, an Old Town store, for equipment to smoke with.

“Every dime I spend, I spend local,” he said. “I’m a real stickler for that.”

In an era when so many of life’s staples are bought at big-box stores, Jim sees medical marijuana as an economic opportunity for rural Maine.

“There’s not many opportunities for growth in this state,” he said. “We’re getting a population growth because of this industry.”

As the list of marijuana patients grows, Jim believes the medical marijuana industry has the potential to change how Mainers think about agriculture in general.

“It’ll open the eyes a lot to the farmer’s market,” he said. “Hannaford’s — look out.”

Lauri Sidelko, director of UMaine’s Alcohol and Drug Education Program, which helps facilitate  UMaine’s tobacco-free policy, recently addressed the board of trustees on the possibility of instituting a similar ban for other campuses within the system.

“I spoke to the board of trustees about a system-wide ban,” Sidelko said. “I don’t consider it a ban — it’s a policy change.”

However, according to Peggy Markson, system spokeswoman, there are no plans for a system-wide smoking ban.

“It’s not something that the board voted on,” Markson said, adding that she knew of no plans for a system-wide ban. “I spoke to the executive director of Student Affairs, and he said there’s nothing in the works.”

So far, only the Orono and Farmington campuses have considered smoking bans. According to Sidelko, Farmington’s smoking ban will imitate UMaine’s.

“I know Farmington’s plan is starting on [Jan. 1],” she said.

Sidelko added that the possibility of a system-wide ban is certainly there but enforcing one would be a challenge.

Farmington in particular could experience difficulties in achieving compliance at its campus. With public streets intersecting parts of the campus, enforcing a smoking ban could be difficult, if not impossible. Random passers-by may not take kindly to a policy that does not affect them.

“It’s all very different,” Sidelko said. “A campus that is separate like ours makes it easy to enforce, but a campus inside a city with buildings in separate parts raises new problems.”

Additionally, not every campus community would view a tobacco ban in the same light.

“Every campus has their own culture and own standards,” Sidelko said.

At UMaine, the tobacco ban has been met with both positive and negative feedback from students.

“We get plenty of people coming out for and against it,” Sidelko said. “The negative tends to be more outspoken, but we get plenty of positive support as well.”

If more campuses in the University of Maine System follow suit, they will join a groundswell of institutional support for the policy from such schools as the University of Kentucky, University of Florida and University of Michigan, among others.

“Over 500 campuses have gone smoking-free out of 4,200 nationwide,” Sidelko said.

Past polls have shown that smokers are a minority population on college campuses, even though many believe otherwise.

A 2010 American College Health Association report found that just 19 percent of college students reported smoking cigarettes at least once in the last 30 days. Conversely, the perceptions of the same students surveyed showed that students believed more than 80 percent of their peers had smoked in the same time period.

With legislation at both the state and campus levels consistently narrowing where smoking is allowed, the trend certainly doesn’t hold good news for smokers. Sidelko feels smoking will not be welcome on college campuses much longer.

“I think it’s a matter of time — maybe 10 years — before the rest follow suit,” she said.

Senators last Tuesday cried out against Dan Sturrup, interim director of Auxiliary Services, for imposing guidelines on ROC, a board of Student Government that represents resident students, which was previously allowed to allocate money at its own discretion.

“ROC can’t spend their own money,” said senator and former ROC member Chris Knoblock.

Tucker Adams, ROC vice president of programming, said last week believes the new guidelines are in place because of the mistakes of past ROC administrations — a reason he feels Auxiliary Services has stepped up its oversight.

“It’s money for on-campus students by on-campus students,” Sturrup added.

Previous ROC administrations had been using their blank check to fund organizations that did not exclusively benefit those on-campus students recognized under the guidelines.

“When they could fly solo like that, they were spending money on stuff they should not have been spending money on,” said Patrick Hart, ROC vice president.

New University of Maine System regulations require a more stringent auditing procedure.

“The University of Maine has become tighter,” Sturrup said, which contributed to the new financial policy.

“They looked at every single aspect of money and where it was going and how it was being audited,” Adams said. “At the time, ROC took a check from Auxiliary Services and was given free rein over everything. Nobody was checking the books except for the vice president for financial affairs.”

“[This] summer we moved over to a department at the university. All orders go through [Residential] Life. We can still spend it on what we want, but it’s basically an insurance policy. Dan put it into place for that specific reason,” he said.

Sturrup said ROC approached him for guidance in the new system and he said both the request, and the desire to prevent double-spending, led to greater oversight.

“It’s not like they need ROC to spend this money. It’s their money in the first place,” said ROC President Dylan Wingfield. “[Sturrup] would rather provide the opportunity for a student-run organization to take care of these issues on campus to benefit residential students.”

Sturrup used the example of increased oversight of the Maine Turnpike Authority after a scandal last spring involving its executive director, which prompted the state Legislature to pass a law mandating new practices within the agency, to describe the university’s formerly unmet need for financial scrutiny in student groups.

Paul Violette, former executive director of the MTA, ran the organization that spent approximately $157,000 of taxpayer money from 2005 to 2006 on gift cards from hotels and restaurants.

Violette said those gift certificates were intended to be used for fundraising for regional charities; however, the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability could only verify $15,000 in gift certificates making it into the hands of charities.

It is not clear who received the rest of the gift certificates, but some, according to OPEGA, were redeemed at hotels in France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Canada and Bermuda.

Violette resigned in March from the MTA, which oversees the 106-mile turnpike that runs from York to Gardiner.

The senate approved the funds without debate. At last week’s meeting, Vice President for Student Entertainment Joseph “Pat” Nabozny said Student Entertainment did not have enough money in its account to cover the costs of two potential shows. If both shows were booked and Student Entertainment did not have the money, Nabozny said, UMSG could be sued.

“We had a really good conversation about the needs of Student Entertainment and where they would need to be put on those two [shows]. [We approved] $40,000 so they could have the two shows in the spring,” said Vice President for Financial Affairs Nathan Kinney.

Exactly what shows will be financed will not be announced until those shows are confirmed.

“In their main motion last week, they only asked for $30,000. Is there any reason why you bumped that [$]30,000 up to [$40,000]?” asked Sen. Daniel Norwood.

“The funding request that came to executive budgetary committee was [$]60,000.” said Student Body Vice President Caleb Rosser.

The senate now has less than $50,000 in unallocated funds to roll over to the spring semester. Sen. Chris Knoblock admonished fellow senators for what he saw as a hasty vote.

“You [other senators] spent $53,414.02. Keep that in mind. You spent a lot of money today. We spend a lot of money in senate. Today, we spent 10 minutes debating [a] $480 resolution for juggling and no debate on a $40,000 resolution to Student Entertainment,” he said.

“That doesn’t show that we have our priorities in check,” Knoblock said.

The senate allocated $1,320 to Maine Steiners, $1,875 to International Affairs Association, $80 to the Juggling Club and $1,500 to the International Student Association for the student United Nations.

The last meeting of the semester also marked the last days for Sens. Ben Goodman and Alex Price as senators. Both will both be going to Washington, D.C., in the spring.

The University of Maine Police Department received a report of an intoxicated male lying on Lengyel Field at 1:54 a.m. Dec. 3. Officers found Nathaniel Rutter, 25, of Wells. The University Volunteer Ambulance Corps evaluated Rutter, who refused to be transported for medical treatment. Officers learned Rutter had violated conditions of release from a previous arrest, under which he is not allowed to consume alcohol. Rutter refused to sign the summons for violating his release and was subsequently charged with refusal to sign a summons. Rutter was arrested and taken to Penobscot County Jail in Bangor, where his blood alcohol level was determined to be 0.29 percent.

Sod story

UMPD received a report of criminal mischief on Black Bear Way at 1:39 p.m. Dec. 2. A vehicle drove over the new sod that had been laid during recent construction, causing damage estimated at $200 to repair.

Cereal thief?

UMPD received a report of a theft at 8:25 p.m. Dec. 1 at Hilltop Commons. The theft occurred that day between 9:30 and 10 a.m. A female student left her belongings at an empty table while getting breakfast, and her cellphone, which is valued at $150, was gone when she returned.

Wasted wish

UMPD received a report of the odor of marijuana on the third floor of Kennebec Hall at 11:11 p.m. Dec. 4. An officer determined which room was the source of the smell, and the room’s resident, a 20-year-old male, admitted to smoking. An unusable amount of marijuana was confiscated, and the student was referred to Judicial Affairs.

Balentine boozing

UMPD received a report of underage drinking in a first-floor room in Balentine Hall at 9:27 p.m. Dec. 2. An officer found seven individuals in the room — three 19-year-old females, an 18-year-old female, a 20-year-old male and two 19-year-old males. All seven were referred to Judicial Affairs. A bottle of vodka was confiscated.

Sudsy seven

UMPD received a report of underage drinking in a fourth-floor room in Somerset Hall at 12:21 a.m. Dec. 3. An officer found seven individuals in the room — three 19-year-old females, an 18-year-old female and three 18-year-old males. All seven were referred to Judicial Affairs. A partially full bottle of rum and a 12-pack of beer were confiscated.

Sassy trespass

UMPD received a report of underage drinking in a first-floor room in Somerset Hall at 10:25 p.m. Dec. 2. An officer found six individuals in the room — a 19-year-old female, two 18-year-old females, a 19-year-old male and two 18-year-old males. All six were referred to Judicial Affairs. One of the 18-year-old females, a campus resident, had been previously banned from Somerset Hall for conduct reasons. She was given a criminal trespass warning and removed from the building. A 12-pack of beer was confiscated.

Shot luck

UMPD received a report of underage drinking in a first-floor room in Knox Hall at 8 p.m. Dec. 2. An officer found five individuals in the room — two 19-year-old females, two 18-year-old females and a 17-year-old female. The 17-year-old and one of the 19-year-olds were not students; the 17-year-old’s parents were called to take her off campus. The three students were referred to Judicial Affairs. A partial bottle of coffee brandy, a bottle of Jim Beam whiskey, containers of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and Jell-O shots were confiscated.

Pong gone

UMPD received a report of underage drinking in a second-floor room in Knox Hall at 12:56 a.m. Dec. 3. An officer found five individuals in the room — one 19-year-old male and four 18-year-old males. A beer pong table was set up, but no alcohol was confiscated. All five were referred to Judicial Affairs.

Third floor hoard

UMPD received a report of underage drinking in a third-floor room in Somerset Hall at 11:13 p.m. Dec. 2. An officer found four individuals in the room — two 18-year-old females, a 19-year-old male and an 18-year-old male. All four were referred to Judicial Affairs. Three cans of beer and a bottle of alcohol were confiscated.

Night owl howl

UMPD received a report of an intoxicated 18-year-old female vomiting in a third-floor women’s bathroom in Somerset Hall at 2:08 a.m. Dec. 3. An officer located the female, and an ambulance from Orono was called to evaluate her. An intoxicated 18-year-old male was with her, and both were uncooperative. The female was not transported for medical treatment, but both were referred to Judicial Affairs.

Doorman or floorman?

UMPD received a report of an 18-year-old male lying in the main entrance of Gannett Hall at 2:30 a.m. Dec. 4. An officer located the male, who was heavily intoxicated. UVAC evaluated the student and transported him for medical treatment. He was referred to Judicial Affairs.

Adroit endpoint

UMPD received a report of an intoxicated 18-year-old male in the UMPD building parking lot at 12:23 a.m. Dec. 3. The male was a passenger on the Late Night Local, and the driver was concerned about his state of intoxication. UVAC evaluated the student and transported him to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor for treatment. He was referred to Judicial Affairs.

Here it is: the top 25 albums of 2011, a list everybody still won’t agree on, but one readers had the opportunity to impact.

1. Wilco – “The Whole Love”

From the formation of the band from the ashes of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo to the two Grammys they picked up for 2004’s “A Ghost Is Born,” everything in Wilco’s career has been building up to “The Whole Love.” Their latest effort is arguably their strongest one yet, an impressive accolade for a band with a resume as impressive as Wilco’s. “The Whole Love” sees a slight modernization of the vintage sound of their last two records, toeing the line between the experimentation and straight-forwardness of earlier works. Summery tunes like “I Might” and “Born Alone” can brighten a day more than the rising sun.

2. Explosions in the Sky – “Take Care, Take Care, Take Care”

Rarely before have instrumental songs said so much as they do here. The four-piece Texan band play a brand of music known as “post-rock,” a vocal-free form of flowing and climactic rock that creates epic and sweeping soundscapes, inviting listeners to get lost in the ethereal beauty. “Take Care” marks an evolution for the band as they expand beyond guitars and drums to experiment with new sounds, which admittedly takes away a layer of simplicity but adds an indefinable quality, a new magical feeling. “Take Care” is great background music for a homework session, but attentive listeners are rewarded with all of the nuances of the most emotionally exciting music of the year.

3. The Black Keys – “El Camino”

The Black Keys’ latest LP was released less than a week ago, so its No. 3 spot on a list like this is a testament to how awesome it is. I’ll go out on a limb and say the album’s lead single, “Lonely Boy,” is at least in the top 5 of the band’s greatest songs. Anyone who has heard it will have a hard time disagreeing. Thankfully, the rest of the album is just as good. “Little Black Submarines” starts out as an acoustic ditty before transforming into a Black Sabbath-like romp. The other tracks are golden as well, but perhaps what makes “El Camino” most impressive is that it comes only a year after their last album, “Brothers.”

4. My Morning Jacket – “Circuital”

The long-haired Southern rockers made the trip to Bangor this summer to be a part of the Kahbang Music, Art & Film Festival, a blessing for an area ignored by top-rate musical acts before the debut of the Waterfront concerts. My Morning Jacket has been called “the best thing to happen to rock music in years” and “the greatest live band of our generation,” both of which could not be any further from hyperbole. The quality of their live performances is just as present on record, especially in their latest effort. Jim James asserts his position as one of the best singers today and the rest of the band is as tight as ever in a disc of densely-layered, southern-fried rock.

5. Beastie Boys – “Hot Sauce Committee Part 2”

An incarnation of this record was meant to be released in late 2009 but was delayed when band member Adam “MCA” Yauch was diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully, the Beastie Boys got through those hard times, got back to work and showed the world that, as MCA says in lead single “Make Some Noise,” “My rhymes age like wine as I get older.” Interest in the album was generated by a star-studded, 30-minute music video for the lead single, starring Seth Rogen, Elijah Wood, Will Ferrell and a host of other big names. The album could get by on the quality of “Make Some Noise” alone, but key tracks like “Nonstop Disco Powerpack” and “Too Many Rappers” show the Beastie Boys have earned their right to party.

6. Childish Gambino – “Camp”

When actors dive into music, the results are typically … shaky, to say the least. It’s safe to say, however, that Donald Glover, star of NBC’s fan-favorite show “Community,” won’t be another Eddie Murphy or William Shatner. Glover, who raps under the pseudonym Childish Gambino, has been building anticipation for his studio debut with various mixtapes that showed a lot of promise. With the release of “Camp,” that promise turned into one of the best hip-hop releases of the year. Glover rhymes like a more focused Lil Wayne, either bragging about his machismo or getting personal by disclosing the difficulties he’s faced, lapses in his own confidence and defending who he is.

7. Radiohead – “The King of Limbs”

There has always been two basic types of Radiohead — the close-to-radio-friendly version in “OK Computer,” “In Rainbows” and “Pablo Honey,” and the overt experimentalism of “Kid A,” “Amnesiac” and now, “The King of Limbs.” The 2011 incarnation of Radiohead was apparently interested in experimenting with complex rhythms and unique textures. The album can be difficult to digest, but those who can get it down are in for a unique ride. The video for the lead single, “Lotus Flower” — which blew up online and features lead singer Thom Yorke dancing in a seizure-like fashion — is evidence of the weirdness of this record. Some would argue that things get weirder — and better — beyond that.

8. This Will Destroy You – “Tunnel Blanket”

Much in the fashion of Explosions in the Sky, This Will Destroy You is a post-rock band who thrives on the climax. In their own right, however, they lack a certain airiness that “Explosions” maintains, replacing it with a brooding darkness and an impending sense of danger. “Tunnel Blanket” is like watching the apocalypse from a magical bubble of safety, where you almost feel threatened but are completely safe from the chaos and destruction happening around you. Upon closer look, you realize the way the Earth opens up and how buildings crash down actually possess some beauty. “Tunnel Blanket” alternates between quiet and dream-like to an aural assault, but in the best of ways.

9. Bon Iver – “Bon Iver”

The indie folksters recently shocked most of the world after being nominated for four Grammy awards, but anybody who has heard their latest, self-titled album knew it is of that quality. The Grammy-nominated single “Holocene” is genuinely one of the most peaceful and beautiful songs of the past 10 or 20 years, and the rest of the disc is just as pleasant. Each track is supposed to represent a place, and whether or not they conjure imagery of those locations, the album definitely takes listeners somewhere amazing.

10. Noel Gallagher – “Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds”

A fight backstage at a festival in France was the straw that broke the camel’s back for Oasis, as Noel Gallagher, the band’s chief songwriter, decided he was tired of bickering with his brother Liam and went off on his own. The result of his new freedom is his first solo project, featuring much of the songwriting skill found on Oasis’ best work. The single “If I Had a Gun…” contains hints of the Oasis classic “Wonderwall” but also sounds like something new. This record suggests that perhaps Noel should have been the lead singer of Oasis instead of his brother.

11. Blitzen Trapper – “American Goldwing”

The Portland, Ore., natives have been known to experiment with their sound, but their latest release goes back to not only their roots, but the roots of Southern rock itself. The latest batch of songs are a nostalgic dose of Americana that would have fit in if they were released in 1974. The classic combination of rock and harmonica sounds as fresh here as it did when it was first introduced.

12. Fleet Foxes – “Helplessness Blues”

Seattle has a renowned music scene, and Fleet Foxes are one of the most talented products of the region in recent years. After their self-titled debut was universally acclaimed and placed on many year-end lists, its follow-up is sure to find its place on many more, as it expands the sound of the original into something slightly more robust. Whether “Helplessness Blues” is better than the album before it is up for debate, but the fact there is even a contest means this record is significant.

13. Coldplay – “Mylo Xyloto”

“Hey! We’re Coldplay and we love art, color, pretty soundscapes, four-on-the-floor dance hits, and most importantly, we love you!” For the first time in … well, for the first time, Coldplay doesn’t make this mantra sound annoying. Perhaps credit belongs to the increase in optimism of their songwriting. (Courtesy of third-year English student Brian Ray)

14. The Antlers – “Burst Apart”         

Although not really a concept album, the recurring story behind “Burst Apart” is peculiar — it’s about a dog being put to sleep. Still, an album dealing entirely with death is sure to be emotional, which this one is. The melancholy backdrop and piercing guitar jabs present throughout perfectly set the mood.

15. Drake – “Take Care”

Much like Childish Gambino’s album, Drake’s latest is a mix of hubris and self-realization that gets down to his very core. Musically, “Take Care” is more atmospheric than anything he’s done thus far. All of these factors culminated to make the album one of the year’s most anticipated, debuting at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart.

16. Adele – “21”

Adele is one of the most talented voices of our generation. That’s a universally accepted opinion that is difficult to argue against. Radio hits “Someone Like You” and “Rolling In the Deep” practically sold this album by themselves — the record peaked at No. 1 in 19 countries and has already sold over 12 million copies worldwide.

17. Arctic Monkeys – “Suck It And See”

The Arctic Monkeys have been one of the biggest indie bands in the U.K. since their wildly popular first record in 2006. Since then, the band has grown up, introducing psychedelic influences and an overall meatier sound.

18. Bobby – “Bobby”

This little-known band emerged from nowhere and unfortunately, they haven’t really gone anywhere. If albums that deserved to be recognized always were, Bobby’s self-titled debut would be bought up en masse by fans of bands like Deerhunter and Bon Iver.

19. St. Vincent – “Strange Mercy”

“Strange Mercy” shows considerable contrast between singer Annie Clark’s — the real name of St. Vincent — hyper-angelic voice and abrasive guitar playing, an oddly complementary pairing. Compared to 2009′s “Actor,” which piled an often-excessive load of string symphonics and cinematic flourishes, “Strange Mercy” rarely ventures outside the realm of airy synths and the standard guitar-bass-drum band lineup. (Courtesy of fourth-year psychology student Jack Obery)

20. The Decemberists – “The King is Dead/Long Live the King”

After a long day of fishin’ down by the crick, there are few better ways to unwind than with the rustic tunes of The Decemberists’ new record, “The King is Dead.” An accompanying EP of outtakes, “Long Live the King,” was released a few months later, and it’s nearly as good as the album that spawned it.

21. Foo Fighters – “Wasting Light”

Like AC/DC, the Foo Fighters have been making the same album for years, but no one is complaining. Dave Grohl and his boys continue their tradition of fast-paced and intense rock, doing it just as well here as they have on any other release. You’re not supposed to fix what isn’t broken, so the Foo Fighters will keep on riding their winning formula to the top.

22. TV On The Radio – “Nine Types of Light”

“Nine Types of Light” boast an accessibility that was missing from TV On The Radio’s 2008 album “Dear Science.” The jittery, horn-stabbed tunes suggest an elaboration on what made “Science” an indie staple upon its release. Quality production unscrambles much of the chaos that could render songs a turbulent mess, the range of instruments instead acting as a cohesive unit that outweighs the sum of its parts. (Courtesy of fourth-year psychology student Jack Obery)

23. Justice – “Audio, Video, Disco”

In the follow-up to their debut, Justice doesn’t quite hit the same stride they did in their first record, although what is here is still good. If the entire album were as good as the title track, however, it would be a contender for the No. 1 spot on this list.

24. Lady Gaga – “Born This Way”

I can’t remember the last time mainstream pop music was this profound. Maybe it was Madonna in the late ’80s, which makes sense, if you think back to how many people have claimed that Gaga ripped off from her music. Still, anyone who’s actually heard the record will notice the Cher, Tina Turner and Gloria Estefan influences spread all throughout the new Queen of Pop’s latest magnum opus. (Courtesy of third-year English student Brian Ray)

25. Glass Fingers – “‘this’”

It’s not often a local record is on par with big label releases, but “this” is a fantastically professional-sounding release out of Portland. Jesse Gertz has successfully crafted an electronic album that is as good as it is diverse.

“The King’s Speech”

Colin Firth can essentially do no wrong. Say what you will about this fellow, but he was flawless as a flawed King George VI. He made a historical flick that pulled at the heartstrings of audiences everywhere, whether they were familiar with the story or not. Helena Bonham Carter was amazing as always. But here, she played a compassionate wife and mother rather than a villain. While Firth was fantastic, the film would have been nothing had it not been for Geoffrey Rush’s role as an unconventional speech therapist.

“Midnight in Paris” 

File this as most underrated movie of the year. Owen Wilson’s golden retriever-like charm was actually effective in this, and the shots of the city of love set to a Francophone soundtrack were breathtaking. Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates and Carla Bruni make memorable appearances, and Rachel McAdams pulls off a detestable daddy’s girl. This is a must-see for Francophiles and lovers of literature.

“The Help”

When a best-selling book is translated to the big screen, the result isn’t always successful. With powerful performances by Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and others, the film “The Help” was a success — on par with its literary counterpart. Bryce Dallas Howard encourages the audience to hate her yet gives her character the panache she requires. As it tells a poignant story of civil rights set in the South from the perspective of several women, “The Help” is worth watching.

“50/50”

Cancer doesn’t have to be stern and serious. Although this is an original and unusual concept, on-screen pals Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen make it work. Gordon-Levitt is as adorable as ever, even when bald after undergoing chemotherapy. Rogen is an ideal counterpart, providing many of the laughs in the film. Not only is he a funnyman, but he has real-life experience supporting a friend through troubled times — the film’s screenwriter, Will Reiser, is a cancer survivor and a close friend of Rogen.

“The Muppets”

Talk about a Christmas miracle: The Muppets return to the big screen once more and symbolically must work together to overcome their greatest challenge yet. This film has the classic Muppets feel, with corny one-liners left and right. It’s priceless to see the whole gang reunited for another zany quest. Jason Segel couldn’t be a better overgrown kid, and the new addition to the Muppet family fits right in. This one’s still in theaters, so check it out over Christmas break.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2”

The final installment of the legendary series does a marvelous job concluding the saga we have grown to love. While many lamented the last novel having been broken into two movies, its lovable and outstanding cast, fierce fight scenes and suspenseful plot deliver the epic finale between good and evil at last. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” leads us successfully to the end of an era with the ultimate showdown between Harry and Lord Voldemort.

“Bridesmaids”

Possibly one of the funniest movies of 2011, “Bridesmaids,” starring Kristen Wiig of “Saturday Night Live,” is a raunchy, outrageous, slapstick comedy with hilarious twists and turns. Far from the predictable wedding comedy, “Bridesmaids” possesses humor and a dynamic cast, and shows us the power of friendship through thick and thin. Listen up, movies like “The Hangover” and “Wedding Crashers” — you’ve met your female match.

“Contagion”

As far as mysteries or biological thrillers go, “Contagion” is a prime example of suspense done right. With an all-star ensemble, the film follows the rapid progress of a lethal, airborne virus, coupled with the struggle of surviving in a society being torn apart. With its continued suspense and fast-moving plot, “Contagion” is a fear- and thought-provoking adventure, sure to make all viewers think twice about not washing their hands.

“Source Code”

Forget your average, run-of-the-mill action film. “Source Code” is the story of Captain Colter Stevens, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who wakes up in the body of an unknown man. He soon discovers he’s part of a government mission investigating the bombing of a commuter train, reliving the tragedy over and over to identify the bomber. “Source Code” plays on the theme of the fragility of life and how quickly it can all be taken away.

“Hugo”

Based on Brian Selznick’s award-winning, New York Times best-selling book “The Invention of Hugo Cabret,” “Hugo” is a wonderful family film containing lessons that may be applicable to everyone. “Hugo” is the tale of a young orphan boy named Hugo Cabret, played by Asa Butterfield, who lives in the walls and hidden passageways of a Paris train station in the early 1930s. Regardless of age or background, this film will make you smile and appreciate what the world has to offer.

The class covers the basics of directing a staged production. The course concludes with each student putting on a 10-minute play, with cast members taken from open auditions held on campus. The class is offered every fall semester, so the showcase is a yearly event.

In addition to directing the plays, some students wrote their own original scripts. Directors were responsible for their own sound and lighting, operating the lights and soundboard in the booth by the stage.

Eighteen plays were performed in an evening that lasted three hours. Audience members shuffled in and out of the crammed Pavilion, as most of the audience was composed of friends of cast members and directors arriving to see them perform in their scheduled slot.

“Marred Bliss” was the second play performed and one of the evening’s highlights. The play, written by Mark O’Donnell and directed by student Kaleigh Knights, was about an engaged couple enjoying time with each other when former love interests pop in to visit, creating some tension. All of the characters purposely mispronounced key words for comedic effect.

Another funny production was Christopher Durang’s “Naomi in the Living Room,” directed by student Jeremy Walsh. The scene opens on a married couple, John and Johnna, played by Stew Vassar and Rebecca Dixon respectively, being shown around a house by an older woman. The woman, Naomi, played by Ariel Moser, is John’s mother and a bit of a lunatic.

As the scene unfolds, the audience finds out that Naomi names each room in the house for the function it is meant to serve, like the living room and the kitchen, which she insists is for kitsch. Naomi doesn’t seem to care for Johnna. John is a cross-dresser looking to emulate his wife due to his deep admiration of her. The gradual unwinding of the characters’ sanity had the crowd laughing and applauding heavily by the end.

In student Caleb Perry’s “A Palpable Hit,” the first student-written production of the evening, the action focuses on two college students, Jane and Murray, who are smoking marijuana in a dorm room when an RA knocks on the door. Still high, they try to mask their influenced state by acting casual.

When Jane’s parents stop by for a visit, Murray becomes increasingly panicked and arouses suspicion that he is on bath salts. The play ended in an unexpected twist by revealing that both Jane’s parents and the RA enjoy smoking marijuana, and they leave to do so. The scene was funny and it measured up with the quality of the professionally written plays.

More plays filled the rest of the evening, stories filled with emotion, humor and sexual frustration that were all well-received.

Students who took the class this semester can take THE 466, known as the “Upperdog” class, which takes a deeper look at topics discussed in THE 216 and ends with either a one-act or full-length play.

I find the more music I listen to, the more I learn about myself and my musical tastes. Every so often, I find a new band, a new album or I reappreciate material I already knew and saturate myself with it. That piece of music essentially becomes my identity for the following weeks.

So, I thought it would be fun to look at the “Date Added” column in my iTunes and figure out when I got way into the albums that I did this year, to see if it means anything. Hop aboard and let’s take a ride through my year in music:

February: early The Verve (1991-1992)

Most Americans wouldn’t know it, but The Verve are more than “Bittersweet Symphony.” In England, they’re considered one of the defining bands of the ‘90s. Their early, pre-album material is dreamy and psychedelic — they were at their best before they added pesky things like structure to their songs.

March: Lymbyc Systym – “Shutter Release” (2009)

I have been immensely into post-rock music since summer of last year, and after Explosions in the Sky and This Will Destroy You, Lymbyc Systym is perhaps my favorite in the genre. “Shutter Release” is one of the most unique albums in a unique genre. It’s an electronic-tinged version of post-rock that has all the emotion in a slightly catchier package.

May: The Cure – “Galore” (greatest hits, 1980s)

For one reason or another, there’s something about the guitar in songs like “Pictures of You” and “Just Like Heaven” that fascinates me. On the surface, they sound like classic ‘80s cheese, but there’s something about their lightness that we don’t get in modern music.

June: Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970)

I remember how I started with this album exactly — I was watching a documentary about the making of it on Palladia and the sound clips and recording processes sort of blew me away. So, I listened to the album and it turns out it’s solid gold. I couldn’t imagine living my life now without having heard “El Condor Pasa (If I Could),” an adaptation of a Peruvian folk song.

July: Grateful Dead – Live/Dead (1969)

Grateful Dead is one of those bands whose name I had heard repeatedly in discussions about the best bands of the ‘60s. Probably after a great serving of Cherry Garcia ice cream, I was inspired to listen to “Live/Dead.” I fell in love with the 30-minute jams like “Dark Star,” which turns out to be the perfect soundtrack for a late-night jog.

August: Beastie Boys – License to Ill (1986)

I was wondering why I hated hip-hop, and I figured it out — my bias isn’t against all hip-hop, just the new stuff. The Beastie Boys’ “License to Ill” seemed to be a great place to start. I realized that literally every track on the album is very, very good, and I have since gained a newfound respect for hip-hop.

September: Kula Shaker – K (1996)

“K” was the first experience with a sitar I actually enjoyed. The Indian vibe was worked in seamlessly to a psychedelic rock format. The sitar isn’t cheesy either — it sounded like that combination was meant to be, and I realized that “K,” while seeing great success in the UK, was disappointingly overlooked by American audiences.

November: Black Sabbath – Paranoid (1970)

I had always known Ozzy and company’s main tunes, but never explored them in the context of a studio album. Their first two albums are my favorites — and the only ones I’ve listened to so far — but I’m sure I’m in for more heavy greatness when I move along in their discography.

What I learned about myself: Not much — I just love music.