Friday, February 27, 2009
Work Continues on New Forensic Lab
Workers removed a support beam from the third level of the
four-story Police Headquarters at 109 Middle Street on
February 25th. Due to weather restraints, the work on
removal of the roof will be halted until the first week in
March.
The new Regional Forensic Crime Laboratory will be on the
third level. Records and locker rooms will be placed on the
second floor, and the first floor will remain the same, with the
firing range and mechanical needs for the building housed
there. The fourth floor will remain the location of the Chief's
office, a Deputy Chief; the Criminal Investigation Division,
(detectives), financial and other offices.
Work began in the summer of 2008, and the scheduled
completion date for the entire lab to be in working order is
August 2009.
-Marge Niblock
Man Shoves Bike Cop, Charged with
Assault
Portland Bike Unit Officers Richard Ray and Daniel Knight
answered a call for service regarding a drunk male in a
Quebec Street apartment on Munjoy Hill at 2:35 PM on
February 20th. As they were speaking to several people who
were present, Patrick S. Flynn, 48, of Portland, entered the
room and became agitated by the presence of police.
He shoved Officer Knight, placing two hands against his
chest. This action caused Flynn to be arrested and charged
with assault.
Marge Niblock
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Rabbi in Zoning Dispute Has Tires Slashed
Two tires on the car of Rabbi Moshe Wilansky were slashed
at his Craigie Street home, which had been involved in a
zoning dispute regarding the use of the house for prayer
services.
The issue was resolved in August 2008, after a contentious
fight over the Saturday prayer meetings. The zoning board of
appeals reversed a previous decision to ban the services, after
demonstrations erupted over that decision.
Police are investigating the crime, which would be classified
as criminal mischief. It is not known if the incident is related
to the zoning dispute.
- Marge Niblock
MHS Will Bus Students to Museum
Maine Historical Society will offer busing subsidies to
qualifying school groups for field trips during 2009. The
subsidy supports buses for field trips occurring between April
1 and December 31.
Schools will be reimbursed for bus transportation costs up
to $150. One grant is available per bus, with a total grant not
to exceed $300 per school. Subsidies will be awarded to
eligible schools on a first-come, first-served basis until funds
are depleted or December 31, 2009, whichever occurs first.
Admission fees still apply.
Maine Historical Society offers a variety of programs and
resources designed to help teachers and students explore
Maine history. These include programs at the MHS Museum
and Longfellow House in Portland, outreach programs,
partnerships with schools around Maine, and resources on the
web. More information on the current Education Programs
at MHS can be found at:
http://www.mainehistory.org/edu_current.shtml.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Hinck Proposes Energy Efficiency Bond
Legislation would borrow for weatherization, green jobs
A bill sponsored by West End Representative Jon Hinck, that
would authorize a $60 million bond order for investments in
weatherization, energy efficiency and the development of a
green job workforce, was sent to the Legislature’s
Appropriations Committee on February 24th.
The bill, LD 709, would earmark funds for the Maine State
Housing Authority’s existing low-income weatherization
program and create a fund for below-market loans for energy
audits, weatherization and energy efficiency improvements. It
would also direct funds to the Finance Authority of Maine and
Department of Economic and Community Development for
similar uses in the private and public sectors.
A portion of the funds would go to the Department of Labor
for investment in the development of a green-energy
workforce. The department would work in collaboration with
the University of Maine System and the Maine Community
College System to offer education and training.
The Appropriations Committee will schedule a public hearing
on the legislation in the coming weeks.
Footprints in Snow Lead to Robbery
Suspect
Police were dispatched to East Oxford Street at 12:53 AM on
February 19th to meet a female victim who told them a male
had assaulted her and stolen money. She provided a very
detailed description of the suspect and said she had last seen
him fleeing on foot down Anderson Street.
Officers began searching the area and were able to follow
footprints, due to the recent snowfall. The prints led them
from Anderson Street to Madison Street, and to an apartment
building on Greenleaf Street.
Police located Said M. Abdullahi, 21, of Portland, within the
building on Greenleaf, where he had broken into a vacant
apartment.Abdullahi was arrested by Officer Christopher
Mitchell and charged with burglary, criminal mischief, and
robbery. - Marge Niblock
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Community Radio Station to Increase
Power
USM Community Radio Station WMPG is planning a major
expansion of its broadcasting power and listening audience.
On December 17, 2008, the station was awarded a
construction permit by the FCC (Federal Communications
Commission) to relocate its main 90.9 FM transmitter and
antenna from Gorham to Blackstrap Hill in Westbrook and
increase power from 1.11 kW to 4.5 kW. The power increase
and antenna relocation will dramatically increase the number
of potential listeners in the station's signal range, from 35,000
to 185,000.
To complete the project, WMPG has begun a major capitol
campaign. The total costs for the project (including costs
already incurred in the application process) will be $200,000,
and will include replacing the current transmitter and all
associated transmission equipment. The FCC has given
WMPG three years to finish the upgrade; the station intends
to complete it within two.
WMPG pursued the permit both in response to numerous
comments from listeners over the years about poor signal
quality, and also as part of an ongoing effort to better serve all
the communities in which USM has campuses: Portland,
Gorham, Lewiston, Saco, Bath and Sanford. The upgrade will
improve signal strength in all of these locations except
Lewiston. WMPG has a second application pending with the
FCC requesting a new low-power frequency in the Hallowell
area. If approved and implemented, this signal would reach
Lewiston strongly and also allow for improved reception in
surrounding areas north of the station's current range.
People wishing to support the community radio WMPG
power upgrade should call (207) 780-4424 or send donations
to WMPG Power Upgrade, 96 Falmouth St., Box 9300,
Portland, ME 04104-9300 or online at WMPG.org.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Man Faces Multiple Charges After
Trying to Elude Cops
Dale McKay, 49, of Andover, was arrested and charged on
February 8th at 9:40 PM, with failure to stop for a police
officer; leaving the scene of an accident; operating under the
influence; and trafficking in dangerous knives.
The incident began when the victim saw McKay hit his
parked car, which was on Pearl Street, and yelled at him to
stop. A friend of the victim followed McKay, relaying
information to police.
At Stevens Avenue, police caught up to McKay and activated
lights and sirens, but he refused to pull over. He eventually
stopped on Warren Avenue, where he was taken into
custody. Police also found McKay to be in possession of an
illegal knife.
-Marge Niblock
Friday, February 20, 2009
MCLU Head Urges Dems to Get Behind
Same Sex Marriage Legislation
Maine Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Shenna
Bellows urged local Democratic activists to support legislation
that would legalize gay marriage in Maine. Bellows made her
plea and showed a video to a group of about twenty
Democratic activists at the Portland Democratic City
Committee meeting on February 19th. Bellows said that
groups opposing the legislation had already begun their
campaign, and she urged Dems to write letters and contact
people they knew around the state to build support for the
legislation.
New TABOR Campaign to Begin
On February 23rd, the Secretary of State will announce that a
new Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or TABOR, initiative will appear
on the November 2009 ballot.
The new TABOR would limit government spending to
inflation plus population growth, and require voter approval to
exceed that limit. Voters would also get the final say before
the legislature can pass any new tax or tax increase.
The TABOR NOW Campaign Kickoff Fundraiser will be held
on Monday, February 23rd at 6:00 pm at The Portland Club
on State Street.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH
Democratic City Committee Meeting
6:30 PM EAST END COMMUNITY SCHOOL
The February meeting will feature a presentation by Arden
Manning, the Executive Director of the Maine Democratic
Party, who will speak about Democratic planning for 2009
and 2010.
Informal discussions with elected officials on the city and
state level - school board, city council, and state legislature.
You will have the opportunity to ask questions and address
any concerns.
Brainstorming about the progressive agenda for the next two
years. How to improve organizing, fundraising, messaging,
communication, and candidate recruitment.
Woman Flees from Accident
Renee Austin, 18, of Portland was arrested on February 12th
after police say she left the scene of an accident.
Police responded to 66 Veranda Street after being called at 7:
40 PM by the victim, who was told that someone had just hit
the side of his pickup truck and fled on foot.
Police say Ms. Austin left her vehicle against the truck, where
it had been after the accident, and she was located nearby.
She was charged with leaving the scene of an accident,
operating after suspension, and violation of conditional release.
-Marge Niblock
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Man Narrowly Escaped Serious Injury in
Sideswiping
A West End resident says there were actually three cars
involved when a Cumberland Farms delivery driver failed to
disengage a lift gate on the side of his tractor trailer on
January 29th, resulting in damage to parked cars on Brackett
Street, near the corner of Walker Street. The first car that
was hit was dragged about 2 feet, but there was no visible
damage.
A story in the February 6th issue of the West End NEWS
reported that there were only two cars involved.
However, Mike Merrill, the owner of a 2003 Ford Focus that
was damaged, says that he was actually in the car when the
truck's lift hit it, pushing it first into the car parked in front of
it (which was unoccupied) and then about 2.5 - 3 feet into a
compacted snow bank, causing the car to become a sort of
wedge.
Merrill had just moved the car from the other side of the
street to avoid getting a ticket.
He had just turned off the car and had taken his seatbelt off
when the lift and trailer struck his car, causing him to hit his
head on the rear view mirror, cutting it.
Merrill say he looked in the rear view mirror and didn't see
anyone behind him and assumed that someone had driven into
him from behind. He was then pushed into the unoccupied
parked car in front of him, thus hitting his head on the rear
view mirror again.
Witnesses who had seen the whole thing had tried to get the
truck driver’s attention by yelling and waving and honking
their horns.
Merrill considers himself very fortunate though, as he was
just about to get out of the car when the car went under the
trailer and the ramp hit the car. He says that if he had opened
the door and put his left leg out, he would have lost his foot
and broken his leg.
The truck had been proceeding slowly on Brackett Street,
according to an eyewitness, after having just made a delivery
at the Cumberland Farms store at Pine and Brackett Streets.
The metal lift gate hit the cars, dragging and spinning them
around. Tow trucks removed the vehicles from the scene.
Local Groups to Re-address Maine State
Pier Issue
A coalition of local civic and political groups has formed to
begin anew a public discussion on the future of the Maine
State Pier.
The effort is called 'The Maine Pier Review'. Among the
groups involved are the Portland Green Independent Party,
and The League of Young Voters.
Recent City Council candidates Tina Smith and former mayor
Ed Suslovic are involved with the group, which plans to hold
a series of public events to give the public a chance to weigh
in on the project, which was abandoned last month by Ocean
Properties, the only remaining bidder on the project.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Windmills, Snow Removal to Highlight
MHNO Quarterly Meeting
The wind study project at the East End School and snow
removal problems on Munjoy Hill will be the main topics of
conversation at the quarterly meeting of the Munjoy Hill
Neighborhood Association to be held at the East End School
on Sunday, February 22nd from 3 to 5PM.
There will also be a brainstorming session around the new
Munjoy Hill Observer, and sign-up tables for residents who
would like to get involved with the organization.
Several elected officials are expected to attend the event and
give updates on government actions that are affecting the
neighborhood.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Utilities Barred from Disconnecting
During Winter
Mainers who find it hard to make ends meet have strong
protections from disconnection of lights and electric heat
during winter.Public Utilities Commission rules bar utilities
from shutting off power to any customer between November
15th and April 15th without explicit permission from the PUC’
s Consumer Protection Division. The PUC will work with
customers to find financial assistance to pay electric and gas
bills during that period, as well.
Rules also require a full information packet explaining
consumers’ rights and options be mailed or delivered to
homes which have lost heat or light service since April 15.
Letters from the power company, phone calls and in-person
attempts at contact are all required before a winter
disconnection can take place. A customer can contact the
PUC’s Consumer Assistance Division toll free at 1-800-452-
4699 to work out a payment schedule, and get free help to
seek ways of meeting the bills.
Customers should contact their utility company first – in
Portland, likely CMP or Northern Utilities – and if not satisfied
call the PUC Consumer Assistance Division for free help.
Mainers may call the Consumer Assistance Division toll-free
at 1-800-452-4699.
Kindergarten Registration to Begin in
Portland Public Schools
The Portland Public Schools will begin in March registering
kindergartners for the fall of 2009. Parents should register
their children at their district school. Each elementary school
has designated dates and times for kindergarten registration.
A complete list can be found at www.portlandschools.org.
Children must be five years old by October 15, 2009 in order
to attend kindergarten. When registering, parents should
bring a copy of the child’s birth certificate, his or her
immunization record and proof of residency in the city of
Portland.
The Portland Public Schools uses a lottery to select out-of-
district students for East End Community School
(kindergarten only for the 2009-2010 school year) and the
Many Rivers Program at Hall Elementary School (grade one).
Applications and program information can be found at www.
portlandschools.org or by calling the individual schools.
Completed applications must be received by March 13th for
East End Community School and by March 27th for the
Many Rivers Program at Hall.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
City Hit by Inspection Sticker Thieves
An estimated 50 inspection stickers have been stolen from
vehicles in the city. Primarily passenger carshave been
victimized, but some buses and trucks have also fallen prey to
these thefts since June of 2008.
The majority of occurrences have been in the area of Ocean
Avenue, Washington Avenue, and Presumpscot Street, but
the last two reported crimes took place in the West End on
February 12th, during the day, in the parking garage of Maine
Medical Center.
The thieves use a technique to remove the sticker without
damaging it, but the window usually gets broken in the
process. When the problem first became apparent, the thefts
were being conducted at night, but now stickers are being
removed during daytime hours also. The stickers are sold to
car owners who want to avoid making repairs to their
vehicles that are necessary for the cars to pass inspection, but
which may be expensive.
-Marge Niblock
Hinck Looks to Expand E-Waste Law
Legislation would add printers, game consoles to
existing law
A bill sponsored by West End Representative Jon Hinck that
would get more electronics out of the waste stream has been
submitted to the Natural Resources Committee for
consideration.
The bill, LD 536, amends Maine ’s successful electronic
waste recycling law to include printers, video game consoles
and digital photo frames. The recycling law, which was
initially passed in 2004, requires consumers, municipalities
and manufacturers to share responsibility for ensuring that
electronic wastes, or e-wastes, are properly recycled, and
hazardous toxics are not released into the environment.
Electronic waste is a rapidly growing problem as technology
continues to change and new products are developed.
Products such as TVs and game consoles contain toxic
substances including lead, mercury, lithium, cadmium,
brominated flame retardants and PVC plastics that can create
dangerous dioxins when incinerated.
Since its inception, Maine ’s e-waste law has resulted in the
safe recycling of over 11 million pounds of e-waste. It has
also kept 1.5 million pounds of lead out of the environment
and saved $4.5 million, according to the Department of
Environmental Protection.
Hinck’s bill has the support of Alliance for a Clean and
Healthy Maine, a coalition of more than 50 organizations.
Friday, February 13,2009
PHS Student Candidate for Presidential
Scholar
Brian Furey, Portland High School’s 2009 valedictorian and
senior class president, has been selected as a candidate for the
United States Presidential Scholars Program. He is one of
about 40 students in Maine being considered for the
program. Presidential Scholars are chosen on the basis of
academic or artistic achievement, personal characteristics,
leadership and service activities.
Furey is captain of Portland High’s baseball and soccer teams
and a National Merit Semifinalist. For the past two years, he
has been the top scorer on the school’s math team. He was
elected president of his class all four years at Portland High.
A total of about 3,000 candidates nationwide have been
named as candidates for the Presidential Scholars Program.
The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars will
select a maximum of 141 students in April to participate in the
program. Scholars receive an expense-paid trip to
Washington, D.C. to meet with government officials,
educators, artists, scientists and other accomplished people,
and they are honored at a ceremony sponsored by the White
House.
Police Offer Self-Defense Class for
Women
The Portland Police Department will offer its first Rape
Aggression Defense Training class for 2009 beginning in
March. R.A.D. provides women with the tools they need to
both avoid dangerous situations and to escape them. The
course is specifically designed to help women survive
situations in which their lives are in jeopardy.
This class is open to all women in the Greater Portland area
who would like to develop real life defensive tools and tactics.
The Basic Self-Defense Course consists of a series of four
classes and one scenario day. The class is scheduled for
March 3, 5, 10, and 12, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM and March
14 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon. All classes must be
attended to complete the course. The classes will be held at
the Portland Police Department, 109 Middle Street.
A donation of $25.00 for the course is suggested. All
donations support the Amy St. Laurent Fund, which sponsors
the R.A.D. trainings. To sign up for the class or receive
more information about Portland R.A.D., e-mail
eac@portlandmaine.gov or call 756-8306.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Pizza Deliveryman Assaulted with
Chemical
Shane A. O’Neal, 36, of Portland, was arrested on February
5th and charged with assault and criminal use of disabling
chemicals. Police say O’Neal was upset because a pizza
delivery vehicle had parked in his driveway to make a
delivery and he wasn’t the person who had ordered the pizza.
Police were called to Mayo Street at 11PM and were met by
an employee of Leonardo’s Pizza who had been sprayed in
the face with some type of chemical agent.
The victim was decontaminated by MEDCU workers at the
scene, and required no further treatment.
-Marge Niblock
WENA Makes Appeal for Reiche Swim
Scholarship Fund
The West End Neighborhood Association is appealing to
residents to contribute to a scholarship fund for families who
use the Reiche swimming pool.
For the first time in years, Saturday swim lessons are being
offered at Reiche, followed by a one-hour open swim. Each
session has had open slots but many families can't afford to
pay. Some children don't even have the $1 needed for the
open swim. The City does have a waiver program, but
application is a cumbersome process. WENA started a swim
scholarship fund last fall to make it easier for families to get
help with swim fees, but the current fund is tiny and the need
is great.
There are currently 20 children--mostly 8, 9, 10 and 11 years
of age--who would like to enroll in the lessons that begin on
February 28th. These group lessons run for 8 weeks and cost
$50 per child.
Eventually, WENA would like to make it possible for all
children eligible for free or reduced lunch to take swim
lessons and/or participate in the one-hour open swim that
follows the lessons. They will be sponsoring various
fundraising activities in the future so these urgent appeals will
not be necessary. In the meantime, they are asking residents
to sponsor a child or make a donation.
Send checks payable to Portland Recreation with a memo
notation for Reiche Swim Scholarships to:
Marie Davis, Director of Aquatics
Dept. of Recreation & Facilities Management
134 Congress Street - Suite 2
Portland, Maine 04101
or to
West End Neighborhood Association
Harbor Terrace - Box 120
284 Danforth Street
Portland, Maine 04102
, February 11, 2009
Police Looking for Man in Rape Attempt
Portland police are looking for a man who followed a Portland
High School student to her home and tried to sexually assault
her.
At approximately 1:40 PM on February 9th, a 15 year-old girl
walked home from Portland High School to her residence on
Hammond Street. While walking home, she observed an
unknown man following her from a short distance away.
The man ultimately followed her onto Hammond Street and
observed her enter her residence.
A few minutes later there was a knock at the front door.
The victim answered the door and the man forced his way
into the apartment. The man grabbed the victim and
attempted to sexually assault her. The victim screamed and
fought the man off. He eventually fled in an unknown
direction. The victim received only minor injuries and did not
require medical treatment.
The suspect is described as a white male, 19-22 years old; 5’
10” to 6’ tall, thin build and unshaven. He was wearing a blue
knit hat with silver rings around the base, a tan winter coat, a
green plaid shirt, baggy blue jeans and dark winter boots.
Anyone with any information regarding this incident is
requested to contact the Portland Police Department at 874-
8596
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Dog Clean-up, Snow Removal on WENA
Agenda
The West End Neighborhood Association will be discussing
dog clean-up at the Reiche field and snow removal in the
West End at its next meeting on Wednesday, February 11th
at 6:30 p.m. at the Reiche Community Center, and anyone
with an interest in the West End is welcome to attend.
. Among the events in various stages of planning for the
coming year are an Arts Festival to be held this spring, a
Garden Contest for the summer, and the 2nd Annual Reiche
International Road Race in the fall.
Ongoing projects include the Neighborhood Watch, the West
End Neighborhood Literacy Project and the Friends of
Reiche. In addition, WENA will be sponsoring the
Neighborhood Clean-up in conjunction with Portland West, a
neighborhood picnic and a holiday clothing drive.
The February meeting will also feature a presentation from a
member of SERVE New England, an organization which
offers an opportunity to make your food dollar go further by
volunteering in your community.
FMI about any of these events or to join WENA, please e-mail
wendneighborhood@yahoo.com, visit www.wenamaine.org,
or write WENA, Box 120 - Harbor Terrace, 284 Danforth St.,
Portland, ME 04102
Fitzgerald to Head MHNO Membership
Campaign
Longtime Munjoy Hill activist Cynthia Fitzgerald was elected
to the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Association's Board of
Directors on February 9th, and will head up the organization's
membership campaign. The MHNO's membership has been in
decline in recent years. At one time, the neighborhood group
had over 500 members
.
Fitzgerald will fill one of the two empty seats on the board
until the group's annual meeting in June. Five board members
voted in favor of her appointment, with two members
abstaining. Fitzgerald is one of the founding members of the
group and served on its board previously for over twenty-five
years.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Portland Greens Announce Logo Design
Contest
The Portland Green Independent Party has put out a call to
artists to design the new logo for the local Green
Independent Party. Rules of the contest include:
-The logo must encapsulate, in some way, the Green Party's
10 Key Values. See www.portlandgreens.blogspot.com
- Artists must be residents of Portland (Contest is non-
partisan and for all ages)
- Deadline is April 6th
Submissions will be voted on via Instant Run-Off Voting at
the Portland Green-Independent Party Meeting, SUNDAY,
APRIL 19TH.
There will be a 1st Prize and two runner-up prizes.
FMI, contact Tina Smith tnsmith09@gmail.com
615-9760
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Local Cops Break Up Forgery Ring
Portland Police detectives and the United States Secret
Service arrested Christopher Timmer, 18, Brooklyn, New
York, on February 6th, and charged him with Aggravated
Forgery (Class B). Police are conducting an ongoing
investigation and anticipate additional arrests.
On February 4th, the Portland Police Department received
multiple complaints regarding forged $20 bills being spent at
area businesses. Patrol officers began notifying local
businesses about the false $20 bills and providing descriptions
of the suspects.
On February 6th, an area business that had received the
warning contacted police about suspicious individuals
matching the description of the suspects. Officers responded
and located the individuals in the 500 block of Forest Avenue.
Police recovered $200 worth of fraudulent $20 bills.
Adams Requests Fairpoint Rebates for
Customer E-mail Outages
Parkside Representative Herb Adams has requested Fairpoint
Communications officials offer rebates to thousands of e-mail
customers of the former Verizon telephone company whose e-
mail service faces outages for the second weekend in a row.
Fairpoint officials were grilled by members of the Utilities and
Energy Committee about the issue at two different meetings.
Adams ,asked the company to issue credits or rebates to
customers as compensation for service lost.
Adams cited the poor track record of Fairpoint in its transition
taking over Verizon land lines. Last May, 911 service was
disrupted seven times in Cumberland County over a three-
week period. A month later, 911 service was disrupted to the
Penobscot Regional Communications Center and calls had to
be rerouted to the Maine State Police in Orono. In October,
the town of Georgetown lost telephone connection to the
outside world and 911. Residents had to drive to other nearby
communities to make phone calls or use cell phones.
There were also repeated delays and postponements of the
final day of the change over from Verizon to Fairpoint
management of land lines in Maine , Vermont and New
Hampshire .
Maine ’s Public Utilities Commission has jurisdiction only
over phone lines, not Internet and e-mail sources, noted
Adams . He is the longest-serving member of the Utilities and
Energy Committee.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Man Assaulted and Robbed in Eastland
Elevator
A 48-year-old Westbrook woman was charged with robbery
for an incident that occurred on January 2nd at the Eastland
Park Hotel.
After investigative work by Portland detectives, Julianne C.
Anderson was arrested at 9:05 PM on January 30th for the
robbery of an elderly man in the hotel’s elevator. The victim’s
nose was broken and money was taken from him.
Christopher Pierce, 47, of Portland, was Anderson’s alleged
accomplice in this incident. He has also been arrested for the
crime.
-Marge Niblock
MHS Looking for Good History Teachers
The Maine Historical Society is seeking nominations for the
annual Maine History Teacher of the Year Award. The award
is designed to promote and celebrate the teaching of American
history.
The annual award honors one outstanding teacher of
American history from each state and U.S. territory. This
year, only elementary teachers are eligible. The selection of
the state winner is based upon several criteria, including:
experience in teaching American history for at least three
years; a deep career commitment to teaching American
history; evidence of creativity and imagination in the
classroom; and close attention to documents, artifacts,
historic sites, and the other primary materials of history.
The Maine winner will receive a $1,000 honorarium and will
be in the running for the National History Teacher of the Year
award to be selected this fall. His or her school library will
receive a core archive of history books and materials.
The application deadline is March 15, 2009. More
information regarding eligibility, procedures, or the award
itself can be found at:
http://www.gilderlehrman.org/teachers/student8.html.
City Hall Goes Red
In recognition of American Heart Month, City Hall's lights
will be illuminated red for February
City Hall lights will go red in recognition of the 6th Annual
National Wear Red Day for Women and American Heart
Month. The American Heart Association's Go Red for
Women initiative is designed to raise awareness to help reduce
heart disease and stroke in women. One woman dies almost
every minute from heart disease and until more women are
aware of their personal risk factors and how to prevent heart
disease, this statistic is unlikely to change.
This year, Go Red for Women commissioned the Sperling's
Best Places organization to determine the most Heart Friendly
cities for women in the US. Of the 200 metro areas assessed,
the Portland, South Portland and Biddeford region ranked
second as the most Heart Friendly City for women in the
country. Boulder, Colorado ranked first. The Portland region
received this national recognition for its low cardiac mortality
rates for women, early diagnoses of health risks, low
cigarette smoking rates and healthy eating habits. For more
information about Go Red for Women and the Heart Friendly
City rankings, visit ww w.GoRedForWomen.org.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
WENA to Address Snowplow Issue
West End Neighborhood Association members will discuss
ideas and proposed solutions to a situation that has developed
in the West End, regarding snow removal, and the problem of
recently-shoveled sidewalks being buried by City crews using
snow moving equipment at night.
At the next meeting of WENA - Wednesday, February 11 at 6:
30, at Reiche Community Center- West End City Councilor
Dave Marshall will invite someone from Public Works to
address the meeting and hear residents’ ideas.
Residents are asked to prepare a written account of their
problem and ideas for alleviating the situation. You may either
e-mail your response back to WENA, or bring your write-up
to the meeting, or mail it to WENA, Box 120 - Harbor
Terrace, 284 Danforth St., Portland, ME 04102. WENA will
assemble submissions into a package to be disseminated to
the City departments capable of addressing the problems.
If you have photos of what your sidewalk or street has
looked like in recent days, please e-mail those or bring copies
of your photos to the meeting. Please clearly identify the
location and date of the photos.
Planet Dog's Non-Profit Donated over
$210,000 in 2008
The Planet Dog Foundation awarded 14 grantees more than
$100,000 ($103,150 to be exact) to canine service programs
nationwide in 2008.
Through cash grants, sponsorships, special gifts and in-kind
donations, PDF has bolstered more than 100 non-profit
organizations dedicated to improving the lives of people in
need with the aid of highly skilled specialized dogs. An
additional $107,000 worth of in-kind product donations
provided auction items and prizes for scores of fundraisers at
non-profits throughout the country.
The Planet Dog Foundation is the nonprofit grantmaking
organization of Planet Dog, the socially responsible and
globally recognized designer and developer of innovative, high-
quality and award-winning dog products.
A percentage of every Planet Dog purchase goes directly to
PDF to support the grantmaking program. Since January,
2006, the Planet Dog Foundation has donated more than half
a million dollars in cash grants and product donations to non-
profit organizations across the country.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
WENA Pressures City to Enforce Dog
Laws
In a letter to West End City Councilor David Marshall,
Rosanne Graef, President of the West End Neighborhood
Association, expressed members’ concerns about the quantity
of dog waste that is always present on and near the grounds
of the Reiche School, Pool, Community Center, playing fields
and on the surrounding sidewalks of Clark, Spring and
Brackett Streets.
There are a number of signs that say “No Dogs” in the area,
and some larger informational signs about keeping dogs on-
leash and picking up after them. But the warning signs do not
have the desired effect on the dog owners who walk their
dogs in the area without properly disposing of their dogs’
waste.
There are no signs warning of the fine that can be incurred
for not cleaning up after one’s dog. According to the City’
s code, tickets for leaving dog waste may be written by the
police department, or parks & recreation and animal control
officers.
WENA is asking that these agencies take special notice and
increase their enforcement of the regulations in this area.
Graef also requested in her letter to Marshall that additional
signage be installed, with notice of the penalties that may
result from being ticketed.
The Brackett Street Veterinary Clinic provides free doggie
clean-up bags in a dispenser outside their facility, which is
adjacent to the school property.
Tuesday, February 3,2009
Munjoy Hill Observer Hires New Editor
The Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization has hired an
editor for "The Observer," the monthly community
newspaper representing the organization and residents,
businesses, and organizations of the East End. Lisa Penalver
was chosen out of a large group of highly qualified applicants.
Lisa is a resident of Peaks Island, and moved back to Maine
from Alaska in 2006. She is a graphic designer who has
worked with Ethos Marketing and Design in Westbrook, and
does freelance graphic design and illustration. In Alaska she
was a graphic designer for The University of Alaska
Fairbanks for seven years. She is trained as a medical
illustrator.
In getting started with a new Observer, Lisa will design a new
template for the paper and will be starting new features as
well as welcoming back some of the previous contributors.
She would like to see a “Reader's Write” column, where a
topic might be given in advance and readers send in their
paragraphs on the topic, such as “Why Munjoy Hill feels like
home.”
According to Liz McMahon, who was on the hiring
committee, “Lisa is people-oriented, creative, and has a
positive energy.”
The anticipated date for the new Observer’s debut is April.
Anyone who is interested in participating in The Observer can
contact Lisa at: penart1@alaska.com.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Sadness Marks Police Awards Breakfast
The Portland Police Department honored two officers who
died in the last year at the annual Portland Police Awards
Ceremony Breakfast on Saturday, January 24.
The Sergeant Michael J. Wallace Award was presented
posthumously to Sergeant Rick Betters and accepted by his
wife Jessica. Betters died unexpectedly on January 14th and
the force is still reeling from his loss. He was praised by
Lieutenant Michael Sauschuck, who spoke of the leadership
and mentoring abilities of Betters, qualities that are paramount
for the award’s recipient to possess.
Another sad moment came with the retiring of Sergeant
Robert Johnsey’s badge numbers, his patrol badge number 2
and sergeant’s badge 227. Johnsey died in a tragic accident
last April, and his family was present, including his parents
who came up from Florida for the event. His father spoke
briefly, saying “Your loyalty to each other inspires the human
spirit.”
Officer Michael Galietta received the Commendation for
Bravery, and Officers Terry Fitzgerald and James Davison
received Commendations for Heroism.
Detective Karl Rybeck was named Officer of the Year. He
led the investigative team twhose work resulted in the arrest
of Roger Roy Bernier, solving the 22-year-old cold case of
the murder of Mary Kelley.
Carole Ann Dunphy received the Civilian of the Year award.
-Marge Niblock
Guv: Everything's Going to be OK
Addresses Real Estate Conference at Holiday Inn
Governor John E. Baldacci addressed more than 500 people
gathered for the Maine Real Estate & Development
Association’s Annual Real Estate Forecast Conference at the
Holiday Inn By the Bay on January 29th.
He said that while the national economy is in crisis, Maine
continues to hold great opportunities. Baldacci said Maine is
well positioned to benefit from the developing federal
economic stimulus package, using it for investments in the
State’s infrastructure, and putting Maine people to work.
The Governor also said that Maine will continue to be a leader
in energy production, using the State’s abundant natural
resources to harness wind, solar, wood and tidal energy.
Work Continues on New Forensic Lab
Workers removed a support beam from the third level of the
four-story Police Headquarters at 109 Middle Street on
February 25th. Due to weather restraints, the work on
removal of the roof will be halted until the first week in
March.
The new Regional Forensic Crime Laboratory will be on the
third level. Records and locker rooms will be placed on the
second floor, and the first floor will remain the same, with the
firing range and mechanical needs for the building housed
there. The fourth floor will remain the location of the Chief's
office, a Deputy Chief; the Criminal Investigation Division,
(detectives), financial and other offices.
Work began in the summer of 2008, and the scheduled
completion date for the entire lab to be in working order is
August 2009.
-Marge Niblock
Man Shoves Bike Cop, Charged with
Assault
Portland Bike Unit Officers Richard Ray and Daniel Knight
answered a call for service regarding a drunk male in a
Quebec Street apartment on Munjoy Hill at 2:35 PM on
February 20th. As they were speaking to several people who
were present, Patrick S. Flynn, 48, of Portland, entered the
room and became agitated by the presence of police.
He shoved Officer Knight, placing two hands against his
chest. This action caused Flynn to be arrested and charged
with assault.
Marge Niblock
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Rabbi in Zoning Dispute Has Tires Slashed
Two tires on the car of Rabbi Moshe Wilansky were slashed
at his Craigie Street home, which had been involved in a
zoning dispute regarding the use of the house for prayer
services.
The issue was resolved in August 2008, after a contentious
fight over the Saturday prayer meetings. The zoning board of
appeals reversed a previous decision to ban the services, after
demonstrations erupted over that decision.
Police are investigating the crime, which would be classified
as criminal mischief. It is not known if the incident is related
to the zoning dispute.
- Marge Niblock
MHS Will Bus Students to Museum
Maine Historical Society will offer busing subsidies to
qualifying school groups for field trips during 2009. The
subsidy supports buses for field trips occurring between April
1 and December 31.
Schools will be reimbursed for bus transportation costs up
to $150. One grant is available per bus, with a total grant not
to exceed $300 per school. Subsidies will be awarded to
eligible schools on a first-come, first-served basis until funds
are depleted or December 31, 2009, whichever occurs first.
Admission fees still apply.
Maine Historical Society offers a variety of programs and
resources designed to help teachers and students explore
Maine history. These include programs at the MHS Museum
and Longfellow House in Portland, outreach programs,
partnerships with schools around Maine, and resources on the
web. More information on the current Education Programs
at MHS can be found at:
http://www.mainehistory.org/edu_current.shtml.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Hinck Proposes Energy Efficiency Bond
Legislation would borrow for weatherization, green jobs
A bill sponsored by West End Representative Jon Hinck, that
would authorize a $60 million bond order for investments in
weatherization, energy efficiency and the development of a
green job workforce, was sent to the Legislature’s
Appropriations Committee on February 24th.
The bill, LD 709, would earmark funds for the Maine State
Housing Authority’s existing low-income weatherization
program and create a fund for below-market loans for energy
audits, weatherization and energy efficiency improvements. It
would also direct funds to the Finance Authority of Maine and
Department of Economic and Community Development for
similar uses in the private and public sectors.
A portion of the funds would go to the Department of Labor
for investment in the development of a green-energy
workforce. The department would work in collaboration with
the University of Maine System and the Maine Community
College System to offer education and training.
The Appropriations Committee will schedule a public hearing
on the legislation in the coming weeks.
Footprints in Snow Lead to Robbery
Suspect
Police were dispatched to East Oxford Street at 12:53 AM on
February 19th to meet a female victim who told them a male
had assaulted her and stolen money. She provided a very
detailed description of the suspect and said she had last seen
him fleeing on foot down Anderson Street.
Officers began searching the area and were able to follow
footprints, due to the recent snowfall. The prints led them
from Anderson Street to Madison Street, and to an apartment
building on Greenleaf Street.
Police located Said M. Abdullahi, 21, of Portland, within the
building on Greenleaf, where he had broken into a vacant
apartment.Abdullahi was arrested by Officer Christopher
Mitchell and charged with burglary, criminal mischief, and
robbery. - Marge Niblock
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Community Radio Station to Increase
Power
USM Community Radio Station WMPG is planning a major
expansion of its broadcasting power and listening audience.
On December 17, 2008, the station was awarded a
construction permit by the FCC (Federal Communications
Commission) to relocate its main 90.9 FM transmitter and
antenna from Gorham to Blackstrap Hill in Westbrook and
increase power from 1.11 kW to 4.5 kW. The power increase
and antenna relocation will dramatically increase the number
of potential listeners in the station's signal range, from 35,000
to 185,000.
To complete the project, WMPG has begun a major capitol
campaign. The total costs for the project (including costs
already incurred in the application process) will be $200,000,
and will include replacing the current transmitter and all
associated transmission equipment. The FCC has given
WMPG three years to finish the upgrade; the station intends
to complete it within two.
WMPG pursued the permit both in response to numerous
comments from listeners over the years about poor signal
quality, and also as part of an ongoing effort to better serve all
the communities in which USM has campuses: Portland,
Gorham, Lewiston, Saco, Bath and Sanford. The upgrade will
improve signal strength in all of these locations except
Lewiston. WMPG has a second application pending with the
FCC requesting a new low-power frequency in the Hallowell
area. If approved and implemented, this signal would reach
Lewiston strongly and also allow for improved reception in
surrounding areas north of the station's current range.
People wishing to support the community radio WMPG
power upgrade should call (207) 780-4424 or send donations
to WMPG Power Upgrade, 96 Falmouth St., Box 9300,
Portland, ME 04104-9300 or online at WMPG.org.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Man Faces Multiple Charges After
Trying to Elude Cops
Dale McKay, 49, of Andover, was arrested and charged on
February 8th at 9:40 PM, with failure to stop for a police
officer; leaving the scene of an accident; operating under the
influence; and trafficking in dangerous knives.
The incident began when the victim saw McKay hit his
parked car, which was on Pearl Street, and yelled at him to
stop. A friend of the victim followed McKay, relaying
information to police.
At Stevens Avenue, police caught up to McKay and activated
lights and sirens, but he refused to pull over. He eventually
stopped on Warren Avenue, where he was taken into
custody. Police also found McKay to be in possession of an
illegal knife.
-Marge Niblock
Friday, February 20, 2009
MCLU Head Urges Dems to Get Behind
Same Sex Marriage Legislation
Maine Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Shenna
Bellows urged local Democratic activists to support legislation
that would legalize gay marriage in Maine. Bellows made her
plea and showed a video to a group of about twenty
Democratic activists at the Portland Democratic City
Committee meeting on February 19th. Bellows said that
groups opposing the legislation had already begun their
campaign, and she urged Dems to write letters and contact
people they knew around the state to build support for the
legislation.
New TABOR Campaign to Begin
On February 23rd, the Secretary of State will announce that a
new Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or TABOR, initiative will appear
on the November 2009 ballot.
The new TABOR would limit government spending to
inflation plus population growth, and require voter approval to
exceed that limit. Voters would also get the final say before
the legislature can pass any new tax or tax increase.
The TABOR NOW Campaign Kickoff Fundraiser will be held
on Monday, February 23rd at 6:00 pm at The Portland Club
on State Street.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH
Democratic City Committee Meeting
6:30 PM EAST END COMMUNITY SCHOOL
The February meeting will feature a presentation by Arden
Manning, the Executive Director of the Maine Democratic
Party, who will speak about Democratic planning for 2009
and 2010.
Informal discussions with elected officials on the city and
state level - school board, city council, and state legislature.
You will have the opportunity to ask questions and address
any concerns.
Brainstorming about the progressive agenda for the next two
years. How to improve organizing, fundraising, messaging,
communication, and candidate recruitment.
Woman Flees from Accident
Renee Austin, 18, of Portland was arrested on February 12th
after police say she left the scene of an accident.
Police responded to 66 Veranda Street after being called at 7:
40 PM by the victim, who was told that someone had just hit
the side of his pickup truck and fled on foot.
Police say Ms. Austin left her vehicle against the truck, where
it had been after the accident, and she was located nearby.
She was charged with leaving the scene of an accident,
operating after suspension, and violation of conditional release.
-Marge Niblock
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Man Narrowly Escaped Serious Injury in
Sideswiping
A West End resident says there were actually three cars
involved when a Cumberland Farms delivery driver failed to
disengage a lift gate on the side of his tractor trailer on
January 29th, resulting in damage to parked cars on Brackett
Street, near the corner of Walker Street. The first car that
was hit was dragged about 2 feet, but there was no visible
damage.
A story in the February 6th issue of the West End NEWS
reported that there were only two cars involved.
However, Mike Merrill, the owner of a 2003 Ford Focus that
was damaged, says that he was actually in the car when the
truck's lift hit it, pushing it first into the car parked in front of
it (which was unoccupied) and then about 2.5 - 3 feet into a
compacted snow bank, causing the car to become a sort of
wedge.
Merrill had just moved the car from the other side of the
street to avoid getting a ticket.
He had just turned off the car and had taken his seatbelt off
when the lift and trailer struck his car, causing him to hit his
head on the rear view mirror, cutting it.
Merrill say he looked in the rear view mirror and didn't see
anyone behind him and assumed that someone had driven into
him from behind. He was then pushed into the unoccupied
parked car in front of him, thus hitting his head on the rear
view mirror again.
Witnesses who had seen the whole thing had tried to get the
truck driver’s attention by yelling and waving and honking
their horns.
Merrill considers himself very fortunate though, as he was
just about to get out of the car when the car went under the
trailer and the ramp hit the car. He says that if he had opened
the door and put his left leg out, he would have lost his foot
and broken his leg.
The truck had been proceeding slowly on Brackett Street,
according to an eyewitness, after having just made a delivery
at the Cumberland Farms store at Pine and Brackett Streets.
The metal lift gate hit the cars, dragging and spinning them
around. Tow trucks removed the vehicles from the scene.
Local Groups to Re-address Maine State
Pier Issue
A coalition of local civic and political groups has formed to
begin anew a public discussion on the future of the Maine
State Pier.
The effort is called 'The Maine Pier Review'. Among the
groups involved are the Portland Green Independent Party,
and The League of Young Voters.
Recent City Council candidates Tina Smith and former mayor
Ed Suslovic are involved with the group, which plans to hold
a series of public events to give the public a chance to weigh
in on the project, which was abandoned last month by Ocean
Properties, the only remaining bidder on the project.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Windmills, Snow Removal to Highlight
MHNO Quarterly Meeting
The wind study project at the East End School and snow
removal problems on Munjoy Hill will be the main topics of
conversation at the quarterly meeting of the Munjoy Hill
Neighborhood Association to be held at the East End School
on Sunday, February 22nd from 3 to 5PM.
There will also be a brainstorming session around the new
Munjoy Hill Observer, and sign-up tables for residents who
would like to get involved with the organization.
Several elected officials are expected to attend the event and
give updates on government actions that are affecting the
neighborhood.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Utilities Barred from Disconnecting
During Winter
Mainers who find it hard to make ends meet have strong
protections from disconnection of lights and electric heat
during winter.Public Utilities Commission rules bar utilities
from shutting off power to any customer between November
15th and April 15th without explicit permission from the PUC’
s Consumer Protection Division. The PUC will work with
customers to find financial assistance to pay electric and gas
bills during that period, as well.
Rules also require a full information packet explaining
consumers’ rights and options be mailed or delivered to
homes which have lost heat or light service since April 15.
Letters from the power company, phone calls and in-person
attempts at contact are all required before a winter
disconnection can take place. A customer can contact the
PUC’s Consumer Assistance Division toll free at 1-800-452-
4699 to work out a payment schedule, and get free help to
seek ways of meeting the bills.
Customers should contact their utility company first – in
Portland, likely CMP or Northern Utilities – and if not satisfied
call the PUC Consumer Assistance Division for free help.
Mainers may call the Consumer Assistance Division toll-free
at 1-800-452-4699.
Kindergarten Registration to Begin in
Portland Public Schools
The Portland Public Schools will begin in March registering
kindergartners for the fall of 2009. Parents should register
their children at their district school. Each elementary school
has designated dates and times for kindergarten registration.
A complete list can be found at www.portlandschools.org.
Children must be five years old by October 15, 2009 in order
to attend kindergarten. When registering, parents should
bring a copy of the child’s birth certificate, his or her
immunization record and proof of residency in the city of
Portland.
The Portland Public Schools uses a lottery to select out-of-
district students for East End Community School
(kindergarten only for the 2009-2010 school year) and the
Many Rivers Program at Hall Elementary School (grade one).
Applications and program information can be found at www.
portlandschools.org or by calling the individual schools.
Completed applications must be received by March 13th for
East End Community School and by March 27th for the
Many Rivers Program at Hall.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
City Hit by Inspection Sticker Thieves
An estimated 50 inspection stickers have been stolen from
vehicles in the city. Primarily passenger carshave been
victimized, but some buses and trucks have also fallen prey to
these thefts since June of 2008.
The majority of occurrences have been in the area of Ocean
Avenue, Washington Avenue, and Presumpscot Street, but
the last two reported crimes took place in the West End on
February 12th, during the day, in the parking garage of Maine
Medical Center.
The thieves use a technique to remove the sticker without
damaging it, but the window usually gets broken in the
process. When the problem first became apparent, the thefts
were being conducted at night, but now stickers are being
removed during daytime hours also. The stickers are sold to
car owners who want to avoid making repairs to their
vehicles that are necessary for the cars to pass inspection, but
which may be expensive.
-Marge Niblock
Hinck Looks to Expand E-Waste Law
Legislation would add printers, game consoles to
existing law
A bill sponsored by West End Representative Jon Hinck that
would get more electronics out of the waste stream has been
submitted to the Natural Resources Committee for
consideration.
The bill, LD 536, amends Maine ’s successful electronic
waste recycling law to include printers, video game consoles
and digital photo frames. The recycling law, which was
initially passed in 2004, requires consumers, municipalities
and manufacturers to share responsibility for ensuring that
electronic wastes, or e-wastes, are properly recycled, and
hazardous toxics are not released into the environment.
Electronic waste is a rapidly growing problem as technology
continues to change and new products are developed.
Products such as TVs and game consoles contain toxic
substances including lead, mercury, lithium, cadmium,
brominated flame retardants and PVC plastics that can create
dangerous dioxins when incinerated.
Since its inception, Maine ’s e-waste law has resulted in the
safe recycling of over 11 million pounds of e-waste. It has
also kept 1.5 million pounds of lead out of the environment
and saved $4.5 million, according to the Department of
Environmental Protection.
Hinck’s bill has the support of Alliance for a Clean and
Healthy Maine, a coalition of more than 50 organizations.
Friday, February 13,2009
PHS Student Candidate for Presidential
Scholar
Brian Furey, Portland High School’s 2009 valedictorian and
senior class president, has been selected as a candidate for the
United States Presidential Scholars Program. He is one of
about 40 students in Maine being considered for the
program. Presidential Scholars are chosen on the basis of
academic or artistic achievement, personal characteristics,
leadership and service activities.
Furey is captain of Portland High’s baseball and soccer teams
and a National Merit Semifinalist. For the past two years, he
has been the top scorer on the school’s math team. He was
elected president of his class all four years at Portland High.
A total of about 3,000 candidates nationwide have been
named as candidates for the Presidential Scholars Program.
The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars will
select a maximum of 141 students in April to participate in the
program. Scholars receive an expense-paid trip to
Washington, D.C. to meet with government officials,
educators, artists, scientists and other accomplished people,
and they are honored at a ceremony sponsored by the White
House.
Police Offer Self-Defense Class for
Women
The Portland Police Department will offer its first Rape
Aggression Defense Training class for 2009 beginning in
March. R.A.D. provides women with the tools they need to
both avoid dangerous situations and to escape them. The
course is specifically designed to help women survive
situations in which their lives are in jeopardy.
This class is open to all women in the Greater Portland area
who would like to develop real life defensive tools and tactics.
The Basic Self-Defense Course consists of a series of four
classes and one scenario day. The class is scheduled for
March 3, 5, 10, and 12, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM and March
14 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon. All classes must be
attended to complete the course. The classes will be held at
the Portland Police Department, 109 Middle Street.
A donation of $25.00 for the course is suggested. All
donations support the Amy St. Laurent Fund, which sponsors
the R.A.D. trainings. To sign up for the class or receive
more information about Portland R.A.D., e-mail
eac@portlandmaine.gov or call 756-8306.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Pizza Deliveryman Assaulted with
Chemical
Shane A. O’Neal, 36, of Portland, was arrested on February
5th and charged with assault and criminal use of disabling
chemicals. Police say O’Neal was upset because a pizza
delivery vehicle had parked in his driveway to make a
delivery and he wasn’t the person who had ordered the pizza.
Police were called to Mayo Street at 11PM and were met by
an employee of Leonardo’s Pizza who had been sprayed in
the face with some type of chemical agent.
The victim was decontaminated by MEDCU workers at the
scene, and required no further treatment.
-Marge Niblock
WENA Makes Appeal for Reiche Swim
Scholarship Fund
The West End Neighborhood Association is appealing to
residents to contribute to a scholarship fund for families who
use the Reiche swimming pool.
For the first time in years, Saturday swim lessons are being
offered at Reiche, followed by a one-hour open swim. Each
session has had open slots but many families can't afford to
pay. Some children don't even have the $1 needed for the
open swim. The City does have a waiver program, but
application is a cumbersome process. WENA started a swim
scholarship fund last fall to make it easier for families to get
help with swim fees, but the current fund is tiny and the need
is great.
There are currently 20 children--mostly 8, 9, 10 and 11 years
of age--who would like to enroll in the lessons that begin on
February 28th. These group lessons run for 8 weeks and cost
$50 per child.
Eventually, WENA would like to make it possible for all
children eligible for free or reduced lunch to take swim
lessons and/or participate in the one-hour open swim that
follows the lessons. They will be sponsoring various
fundraising activities in the future so these urgent appeals will
not be necessary. In the meantime, they are asking residents
to sponsor a child or make a donation.
Send checks payable to Portland Recreation with a memo
notation for Reiche Swim Scholarships to:
Marie Davis, Director of Aquatics
Dept. of Recreation & Facilities Management
134 Congress Street - Suite 2
Portland, Maine 04101
or to
West End Neighborhood Association
Harbor Terrace - Box 120
284 Danforth Street
Portland, Maine 04102
, February 11, 2009
Police Looking for Man in Rape Attempt
Portland police are looking for a man who followed a Portland
High School student to her home and tried to sexually assault
her.
At approximately 1:40 PM on February 9th, a 15 year-old girl
walked home from Portland High School to her residence on
Hammond Street. While walking home, she observed an
unknown man following her from a short distance away.
The man ultimately followed her onto Hammond Street and
observed her enter her residence.
A few minutes later there was a knock at the front door.
The victim answered the door and the man forced his way
into the apartment. The man grabbed the victim and
attempted to sexually assault her. The victim screamed and
fought the man off. He eventually fled in an unknown
direction. The victim received only minor injuries and did not
require medical treatment.
The suspect is described as a white male, 19-22 years old; 5’
10” to 6’ tall, thin build and unshaven. He was wearing a blue
knit hat with silver rings around the base, a tan winter coat, a
green plaid shirt, baggy blue jeans and dark winter boots.
Anyone with any information regarding this incident is
requested to contact the Portland Police Department at 874-
8596
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Dog Clean-up, Snow Removal on WENA
Agenda
The West End Neighborhood Association will be discussing
dog clean-up at the Reiche field and snow removal in the
West End at its next meeting on Wednesday, February 11th
at 6:30 p.m. at the Reiche Community Center, and anyone
with an interest in the West End is welcome to attend.
. Among the events in various stages of planning for the
coming year are an Arts Festival to be held this spring, a
Garden Contest for the summer, and the 2nd Annual Reiche
International Road Race in the fall.
Ongoing projects include the Neighborhood Watch, the West
End Neighborhood Literacy Project and the Friends of
Reiche. In addition, WENA will be sponsoring the
Neighborhood Clean-up in conjunction with Portland West, a
neighborhood picnic and a holiday clothing drive.
The February meeting will also feature a presentation from a
member of SERVE New England, an organization which
offers an opportunity to make your food dollar go further by
volunteering in your community.
FMI about any of these events or to join WENA, please e-mail
wendneighborhood@yahoo.com, visit www.wenamaine.org,
or write WENA, Box 120 - Harbor Terrace, 284 Danforth St.,
Portland, ME 04102
Fitzgerald to Head MHNO Membership
Campaign
Longtime Munjoy Hill activist Cynthia Fitzgerald was elected
to the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Association's Board of
Directors on February 9th, and will head up the organization's
membership campaign. The MHNO's membership has been in
decline in recent years. At one time, the neighborhood group
had over 500 members
.
Fitzgerald will fill one of the two empty seats on the board
until the group's annual meeting in June. Five board members
voted in favor of her appointment, with two members
abstaining. Fitzgerald is one of the founding members of the
group and served on its board previously for over twenty-five
years.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Portland Greens Announce Logo Design
Contest
The Portland Green Independent Party has put out a call to
artists to design the new logo for the local Green
Independent Party. Rules of the contest include:
-The logo must encapsulate, in some way, the Green Party's
10 Key Values. See www.portlandgreens.blogspot.com
- Artists must be residents of Portland (Contest is non-
partisan and for all ages)
- Deadline is April 6th
Submissions will be voted on via Instant Run-Off Voting at
the Portland Green-Independent Party Meeting, SUNDAY,
APRIL 19TH.
There will be a 1st Prize and two runner-up prizes.
FMI, contact Tina Smith tnsmith09@gmail.com
615-9760
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Local Cops Break Up Forgery Ring
Portland Police detectives and the United States Secret
Service arrested Christopher Timmer, 18, Brooklyn, New
York, on February 6th, and charged him with Aggravated
Forgery (Class B). Police are conducting an ongoing
investigation and anticipate additional arrests.
On February 4th, the Portland Police Department received
multiple complaints regarding forged $20 bills being spent at
area businesses. Patrol officers began notifying local
businesses about the false $20 bills and providing descriptions
of the suspects.
On February 6th, an area business that had received the
warning contacted police about suspicious individuals
matching the description of the suspects. Officers responded
and located the individuals in the 500 block of Forest Avenue.
Police recovered $200 worth of fraudulent $20 bills.
Adams Requests Fairpoint Rebates for
Customer E-mail Outages
Parkside Representative Herb Adams has requested Fairpoint
Communications officials offer rebates to thousands of e-mail
customers of the former Verizon telephone company whose e-
mail service faces outages for the second weekend in a row.
Fairpoint officials were grilled by members of the Utilities and
Energy Committee about the issue at two different meetings.
Adams ,asked the company to issue credits or rebates to
customers as compensation for service lost.
Adams cited the poor track record of Fairpoint in its transition
taking over Verizon land lines. Last May, 911 service was
disrupted seven times in Cumberland County over a three-
week period. A month later, 911 service was disrupted to the
Penobscot Regional Communications Center and calls had to
be rerouted to the Maine State Police in Orono. In October,
the town of Georgetown lost telephone connection to the
outside world and 911. Residents had to drive to other nearby
communities to make phone calls or use cell phones.
There were also repeated delays and postponements of the
final day of the change over from Verizon to Fairpoint
management of land lines in Maine , Vermont and New
Hampshire .
Maine ’s Public Utilities Commission has jurisdiction only
over phone lines, not Internet and e-mail sources, noted
Adams . He is the longest-serving member of the Utilities and
Energy Committee.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Man Assaulted and Robbed in Eastland
Elevator
A 48-year-old Westbrook woman was charged with robbery
for an incident that occurred on January 2nd at the Eastland
Park Hotel.
After investigative work by Portland detectives, Julianne C.
Anderson was arrested at 9:05 PM on January 30th for the
robbery of an elderly man in the hotel’s elevator. The victim’s
nose was broken and money was taken from him.
Christopher Pierce, 47, of Portland, was Anderson’s alleged
accomplice in this incident. He has also been arrested for the
crime.
-Marge Niblock
MHS Looking for Good History Teachers
The Maine Historical Society is seeking nominations for the
annual Maine History Teacher of the Year Award. The award
is designed to promote and celebrate the teaching of American
history.
The annual award honors one outstanding teacher of
American history from each state and U.S. territory. This
year, only elementary teachers are eligible. The selection of
the state winner is based upon several criteria, including:
experience in teaching American history for at least three
years; a deep career commitment to teaching American
history; evidence of creativity and imagination in the
classroom; and close attention to documents, artifacts,
historic sites, and the other primary materials of history.
The Maine winner will receive a $1,000 honorarium and will
be in the running for the National History Teacher of the Year
award to be selected this fall. His or her school library will
receive a core archive of history books and materials.
The application deadline is March 15, 2009. More
information regarding eligibility, procedures, or the award
itself can be found at:
http://www.gilderlehrman.org/teachers/student8.html.
City Hall Goes Red
In recognition of American Heart Month, City Hall's lights
will be illuminated red for February
City Hall lights will go red in recognition of the 6th Annual
National Wear Red Day for Women and American Heart
Month. The American Heart Association's Go Red for
Women initiative is designed to raise awareness to help reduce
heart disease and stroke in women. One woman dies almost
every minute from heart disease and until more women are
aware of their personal risk factors and how to prevent heart
disease, this statistic is unlikely to change.
This year, Go Red for Women commissioned the Sperling's
Best Places organization to determine the most Heart Friendly
cities for women in the US. Of the 200 metro areas assessed,
the Portland, South Portland and Biddeford region ranked
second as the most Heart Friendly City for women in the
country. Boulder, Colorado ranked first. The Portland region
received this national recognition for its low cardiac mortality
rates for women, early diagnoses of health risks, low
cigarette smoking rates and healthy eating habits. For more
information about Go Red for Women and the Heart Friendly
City rankings, visit ww w.GoRedForWomen.org.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
WENA to Address Snowplow Issue
West End Neighborhood Association members will discuss
ideas and proposed solutions to a situation that has developed
in the West End, regarding snow removal, and the problem of
recently-shoveled sidewalks being buried by City crews using
snow moving equipment at night.
At the next meeting of WENA - Wednesday, February 11 at 6:
30, at Reiche Community Center- West End City Councilor
Dave Marshall will invite someone from Public Works to
address the meeting and hear residents’ ideas.
Residents are asked to prepare a written account of their
problem and ideas for alleviating the situation. You may either
e-mail your response back to WENA, or bring your write-up
to the meeting, or mail it to WENA, Box 120 - Harbor
Terrace, 284 Danforth St., Portland, ME 04102. WENA will
assemble submissions into a package to be disseminated to
the City departments capable of addressing the problems.
If you have photos of what your sidewalk or street has
looked like in recent days, please e-mail those or bring copies
of your photos to the meeting. Please clearly identify the
location and date of the photos.
Planet Dog's Non-Profit Donated over
$210,000 in 2008
The Planet Dog Foundation awarded 14 grantees more than
$100,000 ($103,150 to be exact) to canine service programs
nationwide in 2008.
Through cash grants, sponsorships, special gifts and in-kind
donations, PDF has bolstered more than 100 non-profit
organizations dedicated to improving the lives of people in
need with the aid of highly skilled specialized dogs. An
additional $107,000 worth of in-kind product donations
provided auction items and prizes for scores of fundraisers at
non-profits throughout the country.
The Planet Dog Foundation is the nonprofit grantmaking
organization of Planet Dog, the socially responsible and
globally recognized designer and developer of innovative, high-
quality and award-winning dog products.
A percentage of every Planet Dog purchase goes directly to
PDF to support the grantmaking program. Since January,
2006, the Planet Dog Foundation has donated more than half
a million dollars in cash grants and product donations to non-
profit organizations across the country.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
WENA Pressures City to Enforce Dog
Laws
In a letter to West End City Councilor David Marshall,
Rosanne Graef, President of the West End Neighborhood
Association, expressed members’ concerns about the quantity
of dog waste that is always present on and near the grounds
of the Reiche School, Pool, Community Center, playing fields
and on the surrounding sidewalks of Clark, Spring and
Brackett Streets.
There are a number of signs that say “No Dogs” in the area,
and some larger informational signs about keeping dogs on-
leash and picking up after them. But the warning signs do not
have the desired effect on the dog owners who walk their
dogs in the area without properly disposing of their dogs’
waste.
There are no signs warning of the fine that can be incurred
for not cleaning up after one’s dog. According to the City’
s code, tickets for leaving dog waste may be written by the
police department, or parks & recreation and animal control
officers.
WENA is asking that these agencies take special notice and
increase their enforcement of the regulations in this area.
Graef also requested in her letter to Marshall that additional
signage be installed, with notice of the penalties that may
result from being ticketed.
The Brackett Street Veterinary Clinic provides free doggie
clean-up bags in a dispenser outside their facility, which is
adjacent to the school property.
Tuesday, February 3,2009
Munjoy Hill Observer Hires New Editor
The Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization has hired an
editor for "The Observer," the monthly community
newspaper representing the organization and residents,
businesses, and organizations of the East End. Lisa Penalver
was chosen out of a large group of highly qualified applicants.
Lisa is a resident of Peaks Island, and moved back to Maine
from Alaska in 2006. She is a graphic designer who has
worked with Ethos Marketing and Design in Westbrook, and
does freelance graphic design and illustration. In Alaska she
was a graphic designer for The University of Alaska
Fairbanks for seven years. She is trained as a medical
illustrator.
In getting started with a new Observer, Lisa will design a new
template for the paper and will be starting new features as
well as welcoming back some of the previous contributors.
She would like to see a “Reader's Write” column, where a
topic might be given in advance and readers send in their
paragraphs on the topic, such as “Why Munjoy Hill feels like
home.”
According to Liz McMahon, who was on the hiring
committee, “Lisa is people-oriented, creative, and has a
positive energy.”
The anticipated date for the new Observer’s debut is April.
Anyone who is interested in participating in The Observer can
contact Lisa at: penart1@alaska.com.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Sadness Marks Police Awards Breakfast
The Portland Police Department honored two officers who
died in the last year at the annual Portland Police Awards
Ceremony Breakfast on Saturday, January 24.
The Sergeant Michael J. Wallace Award was presented
posthumously to Sergeant Rick Betters and accepted by his
wife Jessica. Betters died unexpectedly on January 14th and
the force is still reeling from his loss. He was praised by
Lieutenant Michael Sauschuck, who spoke of the leadership
and mentoring abilities of Betters, qualities that are paramount
for the award’s recipient to possess.
Another sad moment came with the retiring of Sergeant
Robert Johnsey’s badge numbers, his patrol badge number 2
and sergeant’s badge 227. Johnsey died in a tragic accident
last April, and his family was present, including his parents
who came up from Florida for the event. His father spoke
briefly, saying “Your loyalty to each other inspires the human
spirit.”
Officer Michael Galietta received the Commendation for
Bravery, and Officers Terry Fitzgerald and James Davison
received Commendations for Heroism.
Detective Karl Rybeck was named Officer of the Year. He
led the investigative team twhose work resulted in the arrest
of Roger Roy Bernier, solving the 22-year-old cold case of
the murder of Mary Kelley.
Carole Ann Dunphy received the Civilian of the Year award.
-Marge Niblock
Guv: Everything's Going to be OK
Addresses Real Estate Conference at Holiday Inn
Governor John E. Baldacci addressed more than 500 people
gathered for the Maine Real Estate & Development
Association’s Annual Real Estate Forecast Conference at the
Holiday Inn By the Bay on January 29th.
He said that while the national economy is in crisis, Maine
continues to hold great opportunities. Baldacci said Maine is
well positioned to benefit from the developing federal
economic stimulus package, using it for investments in the
State’s infrastructure, and putting Maine people to work.
The Governor also said that Maine will continue to be a leader
in energy production, using the State’s abundant natural
resources to harness wind, solar, wood and tidal energy.
| City Declares February 11th 'Robert Solotaire Day' |
| FREE WIFI at COYNE’S LAUNDROMAT 88 DANFORTH STREET(AT HIGH & DANFORTH) OPEN 7DAYS 8AM to 8PM WASH & FOLD ‘Home of the 2 minute laundry- 1 minute dropoff-1 minute pickup!’ 871-5744 |
| Fix-It Man "Your Problem Solver" Repairs-Improvements- Maintenance 61 Sherman St. Portland www.fix-itman.com 771-0202 |
| Find out more about these local businesses: Mitpheap Asian Market Asian American African Latin |
