Simon Sinek, New York Times best-selling author, motivational speaker and marketing consultant, broadcasted a talk to the University of Maine on the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 8 in Neville Hall through the UMaine chapter of The National Society of Leadership and Success. Approximately 50 students were in attendance for the broadcast showing Sinek speaking about leadership, inspiration and organizational culture. The event was livestreamed from John Jay College in New York City.

According to the UMaine webpage for the event, “Sinek is fascinated by the leaders and companies that have the capacity to inspire, and has discovered remarkable patterns about how they think, act and communicate. He is best known for popularizing these ideas in his first Ted Talk, which is the third most watched talk of all time on TED.com. Sinek has had the honor of sharing his ideas at the United Nations, the United States Congress and with an array of leaders and organizations, including: Disney, JetBlue, MARS, SAP, Pfizer, NBC and with the senior leadership of the United States Air Force, Marine Corps, Army and Navy, as well as Special Forces agencies.”

The talk began with Sinek discussing the idea of “beating your competition” and why the theory doesn’t work. He elaborated by explaining that competition in the business world is out there to inspire and motivate you to be better — not for you to beat them or “win.” He touched on the Dow Index and how most of the companies on the spectrum now are new, asking,“Where are all the old companies? They fell out of the game.” He explained that this is because “you can win every battle and still lose the war.”

To avoid this, he touched on a checklist to success for a company — mentioning that order was important because you can have the last three components, but still be unsuccessful in the field. Items on the checklist include having a just cause, courageous leadership, a vulnerable team, a worthy adversary and an open playbook. He added that having a team that works well together is crucial. “If the team loves each other, they will take care of each other and take care of the company because they believe in it.”

Sinek also discussed the importance of making an impact on other people’s lives with your contributions to the world.

“If you choose to live life by finite rules, that means you wake up every single day to be number one, to beat your competition, to make more money and accumulate more power than anybody else and here’s what happens… the day you die, richer than anybody else, you’ve put all your competitors to shame, with more power than anyone you’ve ever known, you don’t win life. You just die. What do you want in your tombstone? Nobody wants the last balance in their bank on their tombstone. We want to be remembered for our contribution to the lives of other people. Devoted mother, loving father … that’s what it means to live an infinite life.”

Sinek added that to live an infinite life, it is important to have people follow your just cause or your contributions to the world so that they can say, “I am who I am because of you.”

Sinek ended his broadcast by answering questions from Twitter and the audience.

The first time I witnessed the Vegas Strong spirit was before I stepped off the airplane. I was flying into McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nev. on Sunday, Oct. 8 after four years of longing to visit the city. When I graduated high school in June 2014, my grandfather, a Las Vegas native, gave me the gift of an experience. He promised my mother and I a trip across the country with airfare and a hotel room for four days and four nights, and I was able to bring any friend I desired. I chose to visit once I turned 21, and invited my friend who’s originally from northern California.

I flew out of Portland, Maine and into John F. Kennedy Airport on the morning of Oct. 8. I met my mother at the gate, and we boarded the plane for Las Vegas we had eagerly been waiting for since I was 17. However, the atmosphere was unlike anything we had anticipated for the four years prior. It was somber. It was sad. It was regretful.

The six-hour plane ride was quiet. This was expected. What was not expected, however, was the woman in the row ahead of me sobbing as the pilot announced our final descent into the city. She told the gentleman next to her that she was visiting a victim. It was all she needed to say. The gentleman held her hand the rest of the ride, and when we landed, I noticed her “Vegas Strong” shirt as she gathered her luggage and wiped her tears on her sweatshirt.

My mother and I got picked up at the airport by my grandfather. The distance between my exit from the plane and my grandfather’s car showed several signs with the “Vegas Strong” motto on it throughout the airport. People were wearing shirts, there were signs in the airport shops and there were billboards as we exited the airport. This was the moment it became a real emotion in my heart.

Waking up the morning of Monday, Oct. 1 in Orono, Maine was another normal day until I checked the news as I was getting ready for classes. The emotion I felt learning of the massacre that killed 58 and injured approximately 489 people on my television was nothing compared to how I felt driving through the city six days later.

Once out of the airport, the road to the hotel was severely blocked, as it was near the scene of the crime. There were several police cars surrounding the Route 91 Festival concert venue from the weekend previous, there was crime scene tape set up in the surrounding area and the Mandalay Bay hotel loomed in the distance. There were hundreds of people on the adjacent street, placing flowers and other memorabilia in memory of those who were affected that night. The Mandalay Bay hotel glistened in the sun as we drove past it to our hotel, the Rio All-Suites. It was clear where the shooting occurred. Both windows used in the attack were covered with a fake gold covering, and in the sunlight were clearly identifiable.

The atmosphere of the city was worse than on the plane. At least one out of five people in the city were wearing Vegas Strong apparel as they walked the streets, trying to live their normal lives despite their hurting.

The Welcome to Las Vegas sign had a memorial set up for victims and their families. There was a line of 58 crosses for the 58 victims that included their photos, names, flowers, candles, paintings, balloons, American flags and other items of support. As I was walking through the line of crosses with my grandfather and friend from California, we witnessed one gentleman touch each and every cross in line and say a prayer for the victim. Each prayer, he wiped a tear.

Our third night in the city, my mother, friend and I had tickets to the Las Vegas Golden Knights hockey game held at the T-Mobile Arena. They are a NHL expansion team in the city of Las Vegas and were playing their first home game in history following two away pre-season games. If they won, they would be the first expansion team in history to go 3-0.

The original plan for the game was to celebrate the new franchise for the city of Las Vegas, a highly popular sports gambling space. Following the tragedy over a week earlier, however, the ceremony was turned into a tribute to the victims.

The outside venue for the hockey game included several signs that spelled out “STRONG” for civilians to sign. I signed “Love from Maine, HS.” My mother signed similarly for Connecticut, and my friend signed for California.

The Golden Knights began the ceremony by showing a video of famous actors and singers in the area who supported the cause, by telling the city that they were in their thoughts and they were “Vegas Strong.” Following this came a video of the players expressing the same thoughts and emotions. They then brought out and introduced EMTs, hospital staff, firefighters and other “heroes” who treated victims on the night of the attack. These people were each walked with a hockey player onto a carpet on the ice and celebrated. When the introductions were finished, there were 58 seconds of silence for the 58 victims. The arena displayed the victims’ names on the ice during this time.

At the hockey game, each seat came with a “#VegasStrong” towel and a gold wristband that said “#VegasStrong” and “Vegas Golden Knights Foundation” on it. University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) hockey players gave out hockey pucks in support of their assistant coach, Nick Robone, who had been shot at the concert.

The Golden Knights defeated the Arizona Coyotes in a 5-2 blowout to support and enforce the new motto of their city: Vegas Strong.

The Vegas Strong spirit was supported not only by the Golden Knights and the entire city but also the UNLV Scarlet and Gray Free Press, the college’s student newspaper. Following the tragedy, the organization printed a 34–page paper discussing the many implications, opinions and facts of the aftermath of the event. One of their students was killed, one was shot and the assistant hockey coach was shot. Those injured are currently recovering at nearby hospitals.

The motto Vegas Strong is not just for those hurting in Las Vegas after the massacre. It resonated through the flight crews, locals, visitors, sports teams and everyone across the country, if not the world. While the city is recovering, they are not the only ones, and the outpouring of support came from everyone. Everyone is Vegas Strong.

Former University of Maine defensive lineman Pat Ricard never thought he had a shot at playing in the NFL when UMaine was the only Division I school to offer him a scholarship.

The 6-foot-3, 300 pound Ricard was listed as a defensive line on the UMaine 2016 football roster. He is from Spencer, Mass., a suburb of Worcester. He played football at David Prouty High School. On the Ravens roster, he is listed as a defensive end.

Ricard’s time with the Black Bears spanned four years, finishing his career with 208 tackles, 47.5 tackles for a loss and 18 sacks. He was named first team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection and third team STATS FCS All-American.

Following a win over Bryant University as a Black Bear in October 2016, Ricard was named Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Week. Former quarterback Dan Collins told the Bangor Daily News (BDN) that Ricard is “the hardest working kid in the conference, without a doubt.”

Bryant Head Coach Marty Fine told the Portland Press Herald (PPH) that “he [Ricard] changed the game, at times, by himself.”

At UMaine Pro Day in March 2016, Ricard turned in a stellar performance. He put up 33 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press, a personal best. He also ran a 40 meter-dash in 5.0 seconds and jumped 33.5 inches in his vertical jump.

Ricard graduated from UMaine in December 2016 with a degree in economics and five short months later on April 30, 2016, he signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Baltimore Ravens.

Ricard told the PPH that he was disappointed that he didn’t get selected in the NFL draft.

Ricard never visited the Ravens, but did participate in workouts with Washington, San Francisco, New England, Atlanta, Indianapolis and Buffalo. However, the Ravens’ Head Coach John Harbaugh, called Ricard personally and told him that they didn’t have a seventh round draft pick to use on him, but that they were very interested.

Ricard attended the Ravens’ rookie camp in early June and was a standout from the beginning. According to the NFL Draft Scout transcripts on Sept. 1, “DT [Defensive tackle] Patrick Ricard has been one of the biggest surprises in training camp. The undrafted rookie from Maine has impressed coaches with his work ethic and versatility.”

Another post on Sept. 3 said, “DT Patrick Ricard could see some opportunities on offense,” and “Ricard could be a key player for the Ravens this season.”

Ricard has played in two preseason games for the Ravens thus far as a fullback, despite being listed as a defensive end on the roster.

In the Pro Football Talk at NBC Sports, he said he will play “wherever he has to to earn a roster spot.”

UMaine football Head Coach Joe Harasymiak told the PPH that he knows Ricard will work hard, as he has done to get where he is now.

In January of 2014, Tip Whip CEO and founder Spencer Wood received a late-night phone call from a friend in need. He was stuck at the Bear Brew, unable to drive, had no money on him and needed a ride home. Spencer obliged and drove his friend back to Orchard Trails, receiving his friend’s last $2 along the way.

Wood said that after some thought, he decided to give that kind of driving service a try. “After that night, I went all in. I ended up getting a van, I paid my roommates and my friends to drive, and I would sit in the passenger seat with headphones on. I had an old phone, an old Blackberry, that people would call and I would essentially try to write down all of their addresses and numbers and we would kind of pick people up that way.”

In the fall of 2014, Wood tried creating an app for the driving but was unsuccessful. In February 2016, he launched the app that many users know today. “It became much more accessible,” Wood reported. “It was a lot easier for people to use.”

Initial advertisement efforts on campus and in Orono for the app included Wood speaking with classes and having representatives hand out flyers and download cards.

According to Wood’s LinkedIn account, “Tip Whip is the world’s first ride share company exclusively focused on college student safety. We want every college student to get home safely regardless of how much money they have in their pockets. For that reason, there are no set fees for rides, just the tip.”

The app is used widely at the University of Maine, in Orono and in Bangor. It has also expanded to UMaine Farmington and Keene State College in New Hampshire. Wood reported that UMaine was his “pilot school” and has seen incredible success thus far. He plans to expand to the University of New Hampshire (UNH), the University of Connecticut (UConn), and the University of Massachusetts (UMass) in the near future.

“With UMaine being our pilot school, we can see what it’s like when it’s accepted and used on a wide basis,” Wood said.

“I will definitely go to all of the schools,” Wood added. “We’ll visit for a week or so, try to get the word out and get drivers signed up, really start to try to create the community and leave that school with what we call a campus CEO, somebody that’s on the ground, probably a student that’s trying to get some experience and wants to help out. That’s what’s happened to us at UMF and Keene State. It’s been students, actually, reaching out to us saying that they’re willing to put the work in to get it there. The whole challenge of other schools is getting the word out and having them actually believe in it, and try it. That’s been the hardest part for a lot of kids.”

The app can be logged into with a .edu school email account that must be confirmed and requires a credit card for online tipping. When you log in, a page asking for your location and destination appears. It shows if cars are available in the area, and when you click “book now,” it asks how many riders there will be and how much you would like to tip the driver. When a driver picks up the ride request, the person requesting the ride receives an automated text message with the driver’s name, rating and what vehicle they will be arriving in.

The app also features an Uber amount and taxi amount for the ride being requested, as well as the amount for a DUI.

Tip Whip currently employs 100 drivers and Wood reported that 25 percent of the UMaine campus uses the app. Tip Whip has given rides to 25,000 people at UMaine since the launch of the app last year and 9,000 people this semester alone. “We’ve pretty much grown hand over fist every semester since we’ve launched the app,” Wood said.

Wood reported that Tip Whip is a seasonal job, active mainly when UMaine students are in session. “I think it’s a little slower than I want it to be actually, but I knew it was a solid business, I mean, I was living it. I was in school; I knew what it meant to get a ride for a tip and what it meant to get five bucks as a driver. It’s just a matter of time and getting it out and getting people to use it.”

First-year Kinesiology student Austin Morse started working for Tip Whip several weeks ago. “What I like most about being a Tip Whip driver is being able to work whenever I want. It really allows me to be able to focus on school and then when I have the time away from school, I can be working. If I have a big project due one week, I can take that entire week off to make sure I get that project done, and if I have nothing to do one week, I can work every single night. I like the flexibility it offers.”

The Tip Whip app is free and can be downloaded on the app store and the Google Play store.

Wood graduated from the University of Maine in 2013 with a double major in communication and child development and family relations with a minor in peace and reconciliation studies. He continued onto graduate school and graduated in 2015 with a master’s degree in human development.

Written by Carly Dickson

As an environmental enthusiast and hopeful conservation biologist, you can imagine my outrage against the new administration.

So, of course, I booked a ticket to Washington, D.C. to join the March for Science. A week before the march, however, I encountered a brief article in Zoogoer magazine about an event being held from April 21 to April 23 called the “Earth Optimism Summit.”

The summit was a giant gathering featuring scientists, artists, philanthropists, leaders and citizens invested in promoting sustainability and restoring natural places. The Smithsonian, National Geographic, Discovery and others sponsored the event so that people around the world could share what is working in conservation.  

After I read the article and entire website inside and out, I knew I had to go to the summit and skip the March for Science. As excited as I was, I was also extremely anxious. I’ve never been to anything like this, so I didn’t know what it’d be like to go, especially alone. Where would I sit at lunch? Do I approach people? What do I say if I get the courage to speak?

It was obviously a wonderful networking opportunity for a want-to-be scientist. However, walking up to someone and introducing yourself is one of the most terrifying things for a millennial, I think. Not only that, but I have idolized some of these scientists since I was a little girl. If I got the courage to introduce myself, I had to keep my cool together and make a good impression.

The summit was two days long. It was scheduled so that there was one plenary in the morning and smaller sessions (called “Deep Dives”) in the late morning and into the afternoon. In the evening, there was one more plenary followed by a reception. There were also information tables in the atrium from different organizations to hand out information about themselves in between sessions.

Since I am interested in conservation biology, I chose to attend the Deep Dives about revitalizing endangered species and community engagement. However, the talks ranged from a wide variety of topics including food, energy, engaging communities, overfishing, communication and more. More importantly, each speaker was chosen to address an accomplishment of their work.

Dr. Bob Steneck from the University of Maine gave a talk on collaborating with locals in Bonaire and restoring the first seaweed reef back into a coral reef. Each talk left you with just a little bit of hope and Dr. Steneck’s was no exception.

At my first Deep Dive, one of my idols was speaking. He works on restoring black-footed ferrets back into the great plains. All black-footed ferrets in the wild today are descendants of 18 individuals caught in 1987 for captive breeding. Before that, they were believed to be extinct.

Since 1991, they have been released back into six states and have been reproducing on their own. They are a success in conservation.

Some other scientists spoke about the success of the California condor, Prezwalski’s horse, sea turtles and plants on the Hawaiian Islands. I wanted to meet them all, but I chose to speak with the black-footed ferret expert. It was really nerve-wracking. I awkwardly approached the front of the room to shake his hand, but someone beat me to it. So I tried to catch him on the way out. I didn’t feel like I gained anything from the interaction, but I am glad I got over my anxiety and did it. It made talking to others feel smoother.  

Over the course of the summit, I chatted with four more scientists whose work I found enticing. Some were intimidating and some were overly-friendly. Some gave me powerful advice for applying to graduate schools, others gave me simple life advice about growing up. Some even handed me business cards.

The attitude inside the Ronald Reagan Trade Center was radically different than the attitudes of all the scientists marching down the streets of Washington.

Even though there is a lot of environmental chaos with the new administration, there are many brilliant minds that span the entire world striving to conserve this planet. I was fortunate enough to stand in the same room as them and now I am inspired to join them.

April 22

In the arms of the angels
11:34 p.m. – University of Maine Police Department (UMPD) officers observed an intoxicated male being carried through the Hilltop parking lot. First-year student Winslow Beguelin, unable to walk on his own, was approached by officers. Officers called UVAC, who came and checked him out. He was found to be in possession of a fake ID, which was confiscated. He was summoned for possession of liquor by a minor, consumption by a minor and possession of a fake ID.

Maine Governor Paul LePage took a trip to visit President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. this past week, as Trump signed an executive order to review national monuments as part of the National Park System. In 2016, against LePage’s wishes, former president Barack Obama established the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in northern Penobscot County.

In August 2016, Burt’s Bees founder Roxanne Quimby donated approximately 88,000 acres to the federal government. The next day, it was reported that Obama assigned it the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. This was one of almost 30 monuments that Obama either established or expanded.

The monument came to life after the generous donation of land near Millinocket and Baxter State Park, as well as a $20 million endowment to the federal government. Critics of the decision, including LePage, are against putting working forest land into public ownership.

The Portland Press Herald reported that Trump’s executive order “calls for a review of national monuments created since Jan. 1, 1996, that are larger than 100,000 acres.” With the Katahdin monument being only 87,600 acres, it is unclear if it will be included in the order, but LePage believes this is the first step in reversing what Obama put into effect.

LePage believes that Obama violated the Antiquities Act, established in 1906, which put millions of acres of land across the nation under strict federal control. This executive order could give the power back to the individual states.

Peter Steele, LePage’s communications director, said in an email that, “The Executive Order covers a review of Katahdin Woods because at least two local referendums and the Maine State Legislature voted against it.”

At the ceremony Wednesday, April 26 in Washington, D.C., Trump joked about LePage’s weight loss after a bariatric surgery in September 2016.

When introducing the governor, Trump jokingly said, “I knew him when he was heavy and now I know him when he is thin and I like him both ways, OK?”

According to the Portland Press Herald, “LePage campaigned with Trump during two of the Republican’s four visits to the state during the presidential campaign.” LePage openly supported the current president during his campaign and announced last week that he would be visiting to testify about the “executive branch overreach of the Antiquities Act,” but did not mention he would be attending the ceremony.

A tweet displayed on LePage’s official Twitter account featured an image of LePage in the office with Trump where the executive order was signed. “Glad to be with President Trump for the signing of his Antiquities Executive Order,” the tweet read.

In an email to the Portland Press Herald, Carly Johnson, a senior staff attorney and the director of the woods and wildlife project for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, explained that there was sufficient support and public process to declare the Maine monuments. “There were five years of meetings, debates, presentations and conversations,” Johnson wrote.

Johnson reported that the monument, as currently established, allows for hunting and snowmobiling while Baxter State Park, the adjacent national monument, does not.

“Gov. LePage has never visited the monument and has never talked to the Katahdin Area Chamber of Commerce or any of the many, many businesses in the Katahdin region who support the monument and are, in fact, now starting to reap the economic benefit of having a nationally branded natural area near their community,” Johnson wrote in her email. “The monument is the best stimulus for economic development the Katahdin region has seen in years.”

The Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is set in an area that used to feature the logging and paper-making industry, but now has an undetermined economic future. With the establishment of the two monuments, the National Park Service has opened offices in the Katahdin region and encourages visitors to explore and observe the monument’s rivers, streams, woods, geology and night skies that have attracted visitors for decades.

LePage plans to testify against the movement before Congress next week.

The town of Orono hit a speed bump Tuesday afternoon, when 2,100 Emera Maine customers lost power after a car accident on Main Street. The crash was across the street from the Orono fire station at 63 Main St. The Bangor Daily News reported that a 74-year-old man drove a Subaru Outback into the pole at about 1:25 p.m.

The man suffered minor injuries, primarily due to an airbag being deployed and because the man was wearing his seat belt. The party involved claimed he was avoiding a collision with another vehicle when he hit the utility pole. Transformer damage was likely the cause of the power outage, Bob Potts, the spokesperson from Emera, said.

“It takes time to detach wires, set a new pole, and replace those wires,” Potts said Tuesday afternoon to the Bangor Daily News.

The power went out shortly before 2 p.m. and most customers did not see power returned until 6 p.m.

Fourth-year engineering physics student Ben Hebert was at home at the time of the power outage. “I was doing homework when it happened. My roommate and I just left and went to campus to keep doing homework.” Hebert noted that he didn’t learn of the cause of the outage until an hour after it occurred. “The landlord didn’t discuss any protocol with us. It came back around 6 p.m., and all I had to do was reset the clock on the stove.”

Areas affected by the power outage included Alton, Argyle, Glenburn, Hudson, Old Town, Orono and Stillwater. The University of Maine was not affected by the power outage.

According to the Emera Maine website, the company “provides electric delivery service to two areas – the Bangor Hydro District and the Maine Public District. The Bangor Hydro District includes Hancock, Piscataquis and Washington Counties and most of Penobscot County. The Maine Public District serves Aroostook County and a small piece of Penobscot County.”

The website features interactive links about outages and restorations, and offers online payment services and information for customers. There is also a page titled “Energy Solutions,” offering information on electric vehicles, energy managers and savings, heat pumps and PowerSmart Maine. The live outage and restoration map is updated every 10 minutes with areas and the total number of customers affected.

Most power outages in Maine are typically during the winter months when there is heavy snowfall.

In December 2016, a Nor’easter hit southern Maine with two feet of snow, leaving 10,000 people without power. In February 2017, Orono and the surrounding areas saw almost two feet of snow, canceling classes at UMaine and the surrounding areas for several days, with only storm day staff reporting.

Margarita’s Mexican Restaurant in Orono is hosting a special fundraiser for Cinco de Mayo beginning Sunday, April 30 and ending Thursday, May 4. Margarita’s refers to the special as its “Cinco de Mayo Fiesta,” encouraging goodwill in the community.

According to the flier for the event, the “Mexican Restaurant will host its biggest Noche Mexicana fundraiser to date in the name of Goodwill.” During the five days leading up to Cinco de Mayo, if customers mention “Cinco days of Goodwill” to their servers, 20 percent of the bill will be donated to the local Goodwill chapter in Bangor. All donations will support job training and placement in New England, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

This will be the restaurant’s 33rd Cinco de Mayo fiesta. The restaurant’s website features an interactive countdown to Cinco de Mayo on its homepage.

The Cinco countdown begins with $5 burritos on Monday, May 1. On Tuesday, May 2, the special is $5 all-you-can-eat tacos americanos (chicken and beef). On Wednesday, May 3, all fajitas purchased with any full-priced fajita are $5. On Thursday, May 4, all appetizers are $5.

Additionally, regular house margaritas are offered May 1 – May 4 for $5 before 4 p.m. and all-you-can-eat nachos are $5 before 4 p.m.

All specials are offered at all locations, dine-in only.

“Margaritas has celebrated Cinco de Mayo for 33 years, but this is our first year partnering with Goodwill and hosting a 5-day fundraiser with them, as well as the first year we are having a ‘Countdown to Cinco’ promotion,” A spokesperson from Marlo Marketing for Margarita’s, said.

In 1984, John Pelletier of Concord, N.H. founded Margarita’s Mexican Restaurant. Today, there are 27 locations through New England, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. According to the website, Margarita’s focuses on four core objectives. These include a focus on quality food, serving the best margaritas, providing value and offering an entertaining, authentic Mexican atmosphere.

The Margarita’s website states,“Distinctly delicious food is made fresh throughout the day and we hand shake every margarita using real lime and lemon citrus blends. With a commitment to provide an authentic ambience, our decor is crafted by Mexican artisans and brought up on a truck straight from Mexico. It’s like being in Mexico, without getting on a plane.”

The website also offers information for franchising and how to open a Margarita’s Restaurant. “… a Mexican experience that thrives in diverse markets…” the webpage states.

“Every Margarita’s in MA, NH, ME, CT and NJ will be participating,” the spokesperson added.

Orono House of Pizza (OHOP) has seen great success since the addition of its bar area at the end of August 2016. The pizza joint, formerly consisting of a small kitchen and seating area, has grown in popularity tremendously as word of the bar got out to returning college students.

“Business has been amazing since the bar got put in. It took a couple of months before the bar became popular, but it is packed pretty much every night of the week and weekend at some point in the evening,” Ryan Regis, a third-year business student, said.

“I’ve been a delivery driver for a year and a half. I also take phone orders, stretch dough, make sauce, shred cheese, sauce and cheese pizzas, do dishes and clean,” Regis added.

OHOP is located at 154 Park St., in Orono. It is open Monday through Wednesday 4 p.m. to 12 a.m., Thursday 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. They offer pick-up and delivery services during these hours.

Specials for OHOP include Monday night’s 2-for-1 pizza special, where you order one pizza at full price and get a second cheese pizza for free; Tuesday night’s $5 salads and Wednesday night’s $3.95 wraps. Bar specials include $5 rum buckets on Thursday nights and Trivia Nights on Sundays. The bar also does special deals for sports games, such as 5 for $10 buckets of beer during basketball games. On the weekends, $5 mimosas and free breakfast pizza are offered from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The bar features local performers including B Aull, Absolum and one of their very own pizza makers, Lee.

OHOP workers receive benefits such as breaks and food while they work, as well as 50 percent off pickup orders when they are not working. Most employees work two to three nights a week, with shifts lasting five to nine hours.

There are several bartenders on staff, with duties such as serving food and drinks and adhering to bar specials as well as intoxicated individuals. There are typically no problems. Bartenders have seen an increase in business since the end of August, as OHOP adds bar specials to its nightly routine. With activities such as kick-the-keg and weekly trivia nights, students from all over the area are in attendance each night. OHOP was recently added to Orono’s pub-crawl list.

OHOP was declared the first location of the pub-crawl on Friday, April 21. From there, students took shuttles to other bars in Orono, including Marsh Island Brewing Company, the Bear Brew and the Roost.

OHOP is open most of the year while the University of Maine is in session. They are closed for several weeks during the summer when the owner, Kostas, travels to Greece with his wife and family.