Tuesday, March 31, 3009
Driver Flips Car into Deering Oaks Park After
Reckless Ride
Portland police arrested Ahmed Ibrahim, 24, a Parkside resident, at around
midnight on March 27th, after they say he hit four parked cars and a house - on
different streets - while driving around his home turf. Police say Ibrahim also ran a
red light, and he has no driver’s license.
After hitting each car, police say, Ibrahim kept going and didn’t stop until taking
a turn that was too wide at the intersection of State Street and Park Avenue,
which caused his car to flip and then catch on fire on the grass at the front of
Deering Oaks Park. Ibrahim was transported to Maine Medical Center, but had no
serious injuries.
Parkside residents reported hearing a very loud acceleration of a car motor,
followed by the sound of impact, almost immediately followed by sirens, which
led them to speculate that it was a high-speed car pursuit that ended quickly.
Charges are pending, since the case is still under investigation.
-Marge Niblock and Michelle Souliere contributed to this report.
Gulf of Maine Needs $2.2 Million to Rebuild Wharf
Alfond Wants State Bonding for Waterfront Project
The Gulf of Maine Research Institute needs to raise $2.2 million dollars to
rebuild the wharf and bulkhead at their site on Portland Harbor, according to State
Senator Justin Alfond. If GMRI doesn't secure their funding by the end of this
year, the US Coast Guard will repossess the site.
Alfond says that the project is one of the biggest economic development priorities
for the district, and has asked constituents to let legislative leadership and members
of the Appropriations Committee know that the bond for GMRI should be included
in the Governor's bond package.
Over the past 10 years, the Maine Congressional delegation assisted GMRI in
assembling a 5.5 acre site from former US Navy (2.2 acres) and US Coast Guard
(3.3 acres) parcels, to build the Gulf of Maine Research Laboratory and future
marine research and education facilities.
GMRI completed the 41,000 square foot Gulf of Maine Research Laboratory in
2004 on the former Navy portion of the site.
Federal legislation enabled the Coast Guard to convey the pier to GMRI through
a like-kind exchange, in return for GMRI securing funds to rebuild the pier by
January, 2007. Once the pier was rebuilt, GMRI would use the pier as the site for
an additional lab, office, production, and education facilities, a public promenade,
and berthing for Coast Guard vessels, research vessels, and fishing vessels.
Due to lack of funding, GMRI was unable to meet the 2007 bulkhead
reconstruction deadline. They were able to secure an extension until 2009. To
meet this deadline, GMRI must secure an additional $2,200,000 and start
construction in 2009, in order to avoid US Coast Guard reclamation of the
property.
GMRI has raised $1,817,000 in state and federal funds to date. The total cost
estimate is $4,016,667. The project will involve removing rotten wooden decking,
cutting off and removing exposed wood piles, driving steel piles outside the
existing pile bulkhead, infilling with concrete lagging, backfilling with crushed
stone, and building steel structural supports for a new deck, and decking with pre-
cast concrete deck planks.
The State of Maine approved $400,000 in the 2005 Transportation Bond and
$700,000 in the 2007 Transportation Bond. The federal delegation secured an
additional $717,000 in the 2007 US Department of Energy Budget.
Monday, March 30, 2009
City Employees to Hold Art Show
City of Portland employees and their families will showcase their artwork on the
walls of City Hall as a part of the 3rd Annual Exhibit and Awards of the National
Arts Program. Nearly one hundred employees and family members are expected to
participate. Members of the public are invited to visit City Hall to view the art on
display April 3 - April 16.
The National Arts Program is designed to give artists at all levels of skill an
opportunity to exhibit their work in a professional manner and compete for cash
prizes and continuing educations grants. Sponsored by The National Arts Program
Foundation in support and cooperation with the City of Portland, the exhibit is
judged by professional artists and visual art professionals. Winners in the amateur,
intermediate, professional and youth categories will be announced Friday, April 3rd
at the artists' reception at 6:30 PM.
Survivor Bob to Speak at Republican Fundraiser
Survivor Gabon ’s winner, and South Portland resident Bob Crowley will give a
candid account of his time on the show, the things you didn’t see, and the life
lessons one learns when dealing with adversity, at a local Republican fundraiser on
April 23rd.
Crowley is a high school physics teacher in Gorham , and holds both Associate
and Bachelor degrees in forestry from the University of Maine - Orono and a
Masters of Education degree from the University of Southern Maine . He has also
served as a first mate on a research boat for the Smithsonian Institution in Canada
to an entomologist for the USDA, as a skunk relocater, as well as President, Vice
President and Chief Negotiator for his local Teacher's Union.
Crowley will be followed by Michael Zak , author of “Back to Basics for the
Republican Party”, the acclaimed history of the GOP from the civil rights
perspective. He is a popular speaker to Republican organizations around the
country, showing office-holders, candidates, and activists how they would benefit
from knowing and appreciating the party's heritage of civil rights achievement.
Zak is a native of Chicago and resident of Washington DC . Before writing
“Back to Basics for the Republican Party”, he was a foreign service officer,
serving in Mexico and Venezuela , and an international banking analyst based in
Chicago and New York. Zak will have copies of his book available for sale and he
will personally autograph them at no additional charge.
Thursday, April 23, 2009 Italian Heritage Center 40 Westland Avenue
Social Hour – 6pm Dinner – 7pm Bob Crowley – 7:30pm Michael Zak –
8:15pm Single - $40 Couple $75.
RSVP: Mary Herbert - 712-5594 - maryherbert@maine.rr.com
Saturday, March 28, 2009
St. John Street Home Invasion
Portland police are investigating a home invasion robbery that occurred on March
25th at 6:58 at 548 St. John Street. Officers responding to the 911 call found a
male victim inside the apartment.
Police say that three men knocked on the front door of the apartment and the
lone occupant did not answer the door. The three suspects proceeded to the rear
door of the apartment and forced entry into the apartment. The suspects
approached the victim, displayed a large knife and demanded money from him.
The victim fled from the suspects and barricaded himself inside a bedroom. The
suspects searched the remaining portions of the apartment and took undisclosed
items. The three suspects fled on foot.
The victim was not injured during the robbery.
The description of the all three suspects are white males, approximately 6’1" in
height, medium builds, wearing white shirts and blue jeans.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Portland Police Detectives at 874-
8596.
High School Needs $3,000 for Hurricane Relief Trip
Casco Bay High School students’ effort to raise $31,000 for a humanitarian trip by
seeking grants from local companies, collecting bottles, babysitting and other
fundraising, has fallen short. They still need $3,000 for the trip on
April 13-18th. Forty juniors plan to spend a week in Biloxi,
Mississippi, building homes for Habitat for Humanity. Junior
Journey, as the trip is called, ties into their year-long exploration in
humanities classes about how individuals can make a difference. Any junior who
wants to
participate in the experience may do so, regardless of ability to pay.
The students made presentations that convinced Unum and Time Warner to
contribute to the project. They solicited donations from friends and family
members, and they collected thousands of bottles. Two teachers volunteered to
undergo "extreme" style make-overs to raise additional money for the trip.
The school received a $1,000 L.L. Bean service learning grant for
Junior Journey. WCSH6 gave the school a $2,000 Schools That Shine award
that went to the trip fund, and an anonymous donor contributed $3,000.
But they need to raise the remaining $3,000 to cover the cost of local
transportation.
Community members may contribute by making a secure donation through
PayPal on the Casco Bay High School Web site
(http://cbhs.portlandschools.org).
Last year, Casco Bay High School juniors traveled to Appalachia to work
on a Habitat for Humanities project. Many students described it as a
transformative experience that made them realize how they could effect
change. This year’s juniors hope to help in the ongoing hurricane relief
effort on the Gulf Coast. The mayor of Biloxi has invited the students
to a picnic at the end of their stay.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Purse Snatchers Hit West End
A woman living on State Street reported to police that at around 5 PM on March
25th, while she walked from the rear lot to the front of her building and was
unlocking her door, she felt a tug from behind, and a man grabbed her pocketbook
off her shoulder and ran. A second man was with him and they went west on
Deering Street.
At around 5:15 of the same day, a woman using a walkway between buildings on
the State Street Church property noticed two men approaching her. One of them
asked for a cigarette, and the victim kept walking after refusing his request. As she
passed the men, one tried to grab the pocketbook from her shoulder, but the
victim was able to prevent the man from getting it. The men then ran toward
Congress Street.
Descriptions of both suspects are similar in the two incidents. One was described
as a Hispanic male, 18-22, 5’9" to 5’10", with short brown hair and a gap between
his two front teeth, large ears, speaking with an accent, wearing a black hooded
sweatshirt.The other suspect was described as a white male, 18-22, wearing a
white shirt.
The first suspect was the aggressor in both incidents, with the second male
standing by at a distance.
-Marge Niblock
Friends of Casco Bay Needs Volunteers
Friends of Casco Bay is now recruiting volunteers to become Citizen Stewards
who sample water quality at more than 30 sites around the Bay.
The volunteers are a central part of the organization's research staff. They sample
water on 10 Saturdays a year all around Casco Bay, providing a comprehensive
appraisal of the overall health of the Bay.
Volunteers are required to attend a five-hour training session on April 11th, where
they will learn the history and purpose of the program and be trained in EPA-
approved sampling methods. They then choose a sampling site to cover
individually, or as part of a team, and collect water samples twice per day on ten
specific Saturdays (this year's sampling dates: April 18, May 16, June 13, July 11
& 25, Aug. 8 & 22, Sept. 5 & 19, and Oct. 17). FMI: Peter Milholland, Citizen
Stewards Volunteer Coordinator,
pmilholland@cascobay.org 207-799-8574, 43 Slocum Drive, South Portland,
Maine 04106.
Cocaine Bust at Westgate Shopping Center
Three New Yorkers who police say were trafficking in cocaine were arrested at 3:
15 PM on March 20th at the Westgate Shopping Center on Outer Congress Street,
and charged with aggravated trafficking of schedule drugs.
Carlos Zamaro, 30, Marcos Arratia-Romero, 34, and Jessica Marissa Muela, 24,
had come to Portland to sell drugs to be distributed throughout Maine, according
to police. They had ten ounces of cocaine when they were apprehended.
Sergeant Robert Doherty, head of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency task force
in Southern Maine, said: "The arrests were the culmination of a two-month long
investigation. The investigation is continuing and we anticipate more arrests."
The Portland Police Department worked in conjunction with officers from the
MDEA and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration to carry out the arrests.
-Marge Niblock
LOCAL FILM SUBMITTED TO CANNES FILM
FESTIVAL
A local media company has submitted its first short film to the Cannes Film
Festival in France.
The film, Just Desserts,was shot at the Bar Lola on Munjoy Hill in December of
2008. John E. Seymore, the writer and director was inspired by the Strindberg
piece, The Stronger. Featured in the film are local actresses Astrea Campbell-Cobb
and Annie Unnold, both of Cape Elizabeth , as well as Nancy Hill of Beverly Hills,
California.
“The story takes place on a wintry New England afternoon where a wife and
mistress meet in a café,” Seymore said.
Wasted Minds Media Group, Inc. produced the movie, which was filmed by Flat
Foot Films, and edited by Richard Pelletier of Real Media Solutions, also of
Portland.
The movie will be screened in May after final judging for Cannes, and continue
the festival circuit throughout 2009.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Woman Robbed, Assaulted in Alder Street Home
Invasion
The Portland Police Department is investigating a home invasion/ robbery that
occurred on March 25th at 9:50AM at 36 Alder Street in Bayside. Officers
responding to the 911 call found a female victim inside the apartment.
Police say that two men knocked on the door of the apartment and then forced
their way inside. The suspects demanded money, displayed a handgun, constrained
the resident and assaulted her. The suspects fled on foot with an undisclosed
amount of cash.
The victim had non-life threatening injuries from the robbery. She required no
medical treatment.
The description of the first suspect: Asian male, in his twenties, slight build,
approximately 5’3" in height. The second male is described as an Asian male, early
to mid thirties, slight build, approximately 5’6" in height, wearing a black, hooded
sweatshirt and a red bandana covering his face.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Portland Police Detectives at 874-
8596.
Portland to Get $2.2 Million in Funding for Public
Housing
Over $8.3 million in stimulus funding will support housing, create
construction jobs
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced on March 24th the release of over
$8.3 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support and
improve public housing in Maine, including $2.2 million for the City of Portland.
The money is for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Capital Fund program, which provides funding to public housing authorities to
develop, finance, and/or modernize the public housing in their communities. This
funding can also be used to make large-scale improvements such as new roofs;
and for the replacement of plumbing and electrical systems to more energy
efficient standards.
Portland will get $2.2 million in funding, Brunswick $354,000, South Portland
close to $600,000 and Bath is in line for nearly $200,000.
The funding for Maine is part of $3 billion authorized by the stimulus act passed
by Congress last month and effectively doubles federal support for local housing
authorities to improve their public housing stock.
A breakdown of funding can be found online at:
http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/ph/capfund/grants/arra/me.cfm
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Woman Arrested After Fire Extinguisher Threat
Portland police arrested Jessica Davis, 19, on March 15h, after she allegedly
threatened another woman with a fire extinguisher.
Police went to an apartment building at 638 Congress Street at 5:24 PM after
receiving a report of someone making threats. They were met by a woman who
was visiting a male friend in the building. She told them that Davis, the resident’s
ex-girlfriend, entered the apartment uninvited and became very agitated.
Police say Davis removed a fire extinguisher from the wall, held it up, and said she
was going to bash the other woman’s head. The victim feared for her safety and
fled, then called police.
When officers arrived they heard Davis yelling and also heard her making more
threatening comments. Police gained entry into the apartment and found Davis
holding a pizza cutter. When Davis resisted arrest, officers used minimal force to
subdue her, and no one was injured. Davis was charged with criminal threatening
with a dangerous weapon.
-Marge Niblock
Economic Human Rights Activist to Speak in Portland
What are economic human rights? Cheri Honkala will explain what they are when
she speaks on "Ending Poverty with Economic Human Rights in Maine" on April
6th in Portland and in several Maine communities during the week of April 2-8.
Cheri Honkala, a former homeless single mother, represents the Poor People's
Economic Human Rights Campaign. Honkala will speak at a "Common Ground
Supper on Economic Human Rights" at 6 PM at Immanuel Baptist Church, 156
High St., downtown Portland. A spaghetti supper will be provided, though
attendees can bring food to share also. Childcare will also be provided. This is one
of several events during her tour of Maine from April 2-8. She will speak in
Waterville, Portland, Orono, Orland, Lewiston, Bangor, Brewer, and Augusta. All
events are free and open to the public.
Honkala is now an anti-poverty organizer and housing rights activist. She has been
a leader of demonstrations against policies that maintain poverty, including dozens
of arrests for nonviolent civil disobedience, and has been profiled in several films
on poor people's movements against poverty.
Cheri Honkala helped to found the powerful Kensington Welfare Rights Union in
Philadelphia and is now national coordinator of the Poor People's Economic
Human Rights Campaign. She has spoken nationally and internationally to
Congress, at the United Nations and the Hague Appeal for Peace in the
Netherlands, and to the American Civil Liberties Union, as well as to many other
groups around the country.
What are economic human rights? According to the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, passed by the United States in 1948, they include: quality health
care, a job paying a living wage or equivalent income, ability to join a labor union,
affordable housing, adequate and nutritional food, free education, and a decent
standard of living.
For more information about the tour and a complete schedule, contact Larry
Dansinger at (207) 525-7776 or email him at rosc@psouth.net or see the schedule
of events on the web at www.peacebreadjustice.org
Monday, April 6: (Portland) 6:00pm: Common Ground Supper &
talk/discussion to follow. Open to all, Immanuel Baptisit Church, 156 High
St. Portland. Preceded by short parade from Congress Square to the church
at 5 PM. Contact Heather Curtis at 899-9671.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Handgun Recovered after Parkside Incident
Police responded to a call from 22 Park Avenue on March 18th at 11:40 PM,
reporting a person threatening with a handgun.
They were met by a victim who stated that Bobby Kelly, 30, of Scarborough, a
person she was familiar with, knocked at her door and forced his way into her
apartment while displaying a gun. The victim told police that Kelly then used the
phone to call a man who he told to come and meet him at that location.
When the second man arrived at the apartment, the two had a dialogue and the
victim was able to leave and contact police. The gun was recovered from a fourth-
floor hallway in that building. Kelly was arrested and charged with criminal
threatening with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon, and
probation violation.
-Marge Niblock
Greens First in Line for Charter Commission Race
Three young Green Independent Party members were first in line at City Hall on
March 23rd to turn in signatures for the City Charter Commission race. Nine AM
was the earliest that potential candidates could turn in their signatures.
Anna Trevorrow, Dan Jenkins, and Ben Chipman will all be on the ballot on June
9th.They are the three youngest candidates in the Charter Commission race so far.
Trevorrow is running for an At-Large seat; Chipman in District 1(Munjoy Hill,
East Bayside, Downtown), and Jenkins in District 2 (Parkside, Bayside).
Trevorrow was a School Committe Candidate in the 2008 elections, and Jenkins
ran for the Maine State Legislature in his district. Chipman has been a Green Party
organizer and was campaign manager for John Eder's successful runs for the
legislature.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Student Sought to Serve on State Board of Education
Applications due April 15
The Maine State Board of Education is seeking a student from the first
congressional district in Maine to serve as a participating, non-voting member.
Student members have all the responsibilities and privileges of regular members.
The responsibilities include: being knowledgeable of current education issues,
carefully preparing for regular monthly meetings and participating actively in the
discussions of the Board.
The privileges include: a per diem of $55 per day, mileage reimbursement, and an
opportunity to serve the young people of Maine and the future of Maine
education. In short, student members will serve in the same manner as adult
members, only without the vote.
Candidates for the position must be current sophomore in good standing and the
student appointed will serve throughout his or her junior and senior years. The
Board will recommend finalists for consideration by Governor Baldacci, who in
turn will appoint a candidate, subject to review by the Legislature’s Education
Committee and confirmation by the Maine State Senate. More information and the
application can be found online at: www.maine.gov/education/sb/homepage.htm .
Please contact Mary Becker (Mary.Becker@maine.gov) or at 624-6616 with
questions.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Man Hides in Dumpster to Evade Cop
Portland police arrested a man on March 17th after he ran from his vehicle and
tried to hide in a trash dumpster. What began as a routine stop for a traffic
infraction led to an arrest for several charges.
Officer Kevin Haley tried to stop Rudolph Wissley, 31, of Westbrook, on Riverside
Street at 2:49 PM, but Wissley ignored him and turned onto Forest Avenue,
accelerating his vehicle, then making a quick turn into a parking lot.
Wissley jumped out of the vehicle and tried to run, falling down in the snowy lot.
He got up and climbed over a chain-link fence, but cut himself on the knee and
hand while in the process of doing so.
Officer Haley saw him run to an area near a dumpster, and then found him inside
the dumpster. Wissley was arrested and charged with operating after suspension,
failure to stop for a police officer, illegal attachment of plates, and probation
violation.
Marge Niblock
Friday, March 20, 2009
LEAGUE TO TRAIN YOUNG ACTIVISTS
The League of Young Voters is sponsoring a series activist trainings around the
state geared towards arming young people with the skills they need to be
successful activists and organizers in their local communities. The League believes
that providing young people with these skill sets will guarantee that the progressive
movement will continue to flourish in a professional and effective manner.
The next training in the series will take place at the University of Southern Maine
on April 5th. 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Luther Bonnie Hall, Rooms 326, 327, 302, 303, 310. For more information,
contact HILARY FRENKEL at the League office (207.772.3207) or by email at
hilary@theleague.com.
Workshops include:
“Lobbying Your Elected Officials”
This is the workshop to participate in if you want to learn the skills and tools
needed to effectively lobby your elected officials. It is a hand-on, interactive
workshop where you will actually get to practice your skills.
“Framing a Message” There are many moments when we need to stop and think
about what we’re saying—especially when it comes to talking to the West End
NEWS! Come to this workshop, and learn how to properly talk about the work
you do to the newspaper, television, and online media sources around you. We
won’t be writing a press release—we’ll be discussing and workshopping what the
true message of a press release should be! Examples include: how to properly
frame your message for the media; the difference between telling a fact and
framing a statement; and how to respond to opponents via the media.
“Building The Base T0 Win: Volunteer Management 101” After the 2008
election, no one in the political world doubts that the youth vote is a force to be
reckoned with. But behind the victory are everyday people giving their time and
energy to make our shared vision a reality. This workshop goes through the
basics of volunteer management with a particular focus on how to build the
networks and relationships that will move your cause forward.
LETTER
Not as Venerable as We Thought
Dear Editor,
I thoroughly enjoy and read each and every issue of the WEN. In the March 6th
edition, I happened upon your story “West End News Begins 9th Year.” I have
come to the conclusion after reading it, that with all the excitement surrounding
your anniversary issue, the column to commemorate the event must have been
hastily written. Being somewhat of a Maine newspaper history-buff, errors in the
article cried to me for quick attention, hence this note.
The article claims the WEN to be the second-longest running newspaper in the
city. This is simply not the case. Besides the Portland Phoenix, which began
publishing in 1999, one must take into account the fact that, when they began, the
Portland Press Herald (established 1862) and Maine Sunday Telegram (established
1889) were two separate papers founded by two very separate companies. In fact,
in the early years of its existence, the (then) Portland Sunday Telegram was
owned by the same gentleman who owned the now-defunct Evening Express long
before the Press Herald (Guy Gannett Publishing Co.) acquired both papers in
1925.
These facts, therefore, make the WEN the fourth-longest running newspaper in the
city. No small feat, when you consider our newspaper-prolific city hosts at least
17 separate publications. Congratulations on eight fabulous years, WEN! May
there be many more to come!
Jeff Spofford
Oakdale/Portland
Thursday, March 19, 2009
FairPoint to Issue Rebates for E-mail Outages
Refunds due to thousands of customers who lost service
Thousands of FairPoint Communications customers in Maine who last e-mail
service last month in the transition between telecom providers will now see credit
rebates, says State Representative Herb Adams, who pressed for the refunds.
FairPoint officials agreed to the refunds at a March 12th meeting of the Legislature’
s Utilities and Energy Committee.
Adams, who is the longest serving member of the Utilities Committee, proposed
the rebate as a goodwill gesture after thousands of Maine customers experienced e-
mail troubles during the switch-over from Verizon to FairPoint services during
January and February 2009. About 20,000 customers – some 7 percent of
FairPoint’s total customer base – may have experienced problems in the e-mail
migration between companies, said company officials.
Customers who lost service for a week or more will get one month’s credit on
their next billing. Customers who lost service for a week or less will get a $10
credit. The refunds will apply to both commercial and residential accounts, and
FairPoint agreed to accept customers’ word on the outages if they file a complaint
with the company.
The transfer of service, or “cut-over,” from Verizon to FairPoint is the largest
conversion of its kind in Maine history and the first to involve virtually every kind
of telecommunication service, from e-mail to land lines, noted Adams. High call
volumes and long waits on hold plagued FairPoint’s customer service lines during
several weeks of the e-mail cut-over, forcing FairPoint to open extra technical
assistance lines for several weeks. FairPoint posted a net loss of $76 million in the
last quarter reporting.
The next cut-over period, when Verizon will cease forwarding e-mail to FairPoint
business customers on April 30th, will also be closely monitored, said Adams .
Customers can report e-mail outages for refunds at FairPoint’s customer service
line at 1-800-400-5568 or can call Adams at 1-800-423-2900 for assistance.
Walk Will Mark World Water Day
Walk for Water, a rally to bring attention to the issue of water rights, will be held
on Sunday, March 22nd at Back Cove.
Participants will meet at 2:30pm at the parking lot on Baxter Boulevard, across
from Hannaford's grocery store.
The Walk for Water on Back Cove symbolizes the trek which women in the Global
South make every day to obtain fresh water for drinking.
This will be a "spirited march" with music, 12-foot high street puppets, and a slide
show. Families are encouraged to come and are welcome to bring their pets.
Speakers at the event include:
Portland City Council David Marshall; Lynn Williams, an attorney and activist from
Bar Harbor; former State Representative Rick Burns, who will speak about
proposed legislation. Other speakers will be announced. The event is free and open
to the public.
The walk will be followed by a celebration of water at the North Star Cafe on
Congress St. 4:00pm to 7:30pm FMI: Contact: Jamilla El-Shafei,
organizer SAVE OUR WATER 603.969.8426 jamillaelshafei@gmail.com
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Marshall to Run for Re-Election in West End
City Councilor David A. Marshall announced on March 16th that he will seek re-
election to a second three-year term representing District 2, which includes the
West End, Parkside, St. John-Valley, and University Neighborhoods. Marshall, 31,
is one of two members of the Maine Green Independent Party elected to the City
Council in 2006. He succeeded Karen Geraghty in the seat, and, as yet, does not
have an opponent in the race.
Marshall is a fine art painter and owner of Constellation Gallery, located on
Congress Street in the Arts District. He has utilized his unique position as the first
professional artist elected to the City Council to champion creative economy
policies.
After the City Council passed a controversial contract zone a couple of years ago,
Marshall reached out to the residents in the neighborhood near Valley Street, which
recently fell into poverty according to the 2000 Census. Through public forums
backed by the Muskie School, the residents of the neighborhood developed plans
for improvements. Marshall and the neighbors created a neighborhood association.
Marshall chairs the Energy and Environmental Sustainability Comm-ittee, and
initiated an Energy Service Contract to provide for energy saving investments in all
municipal buildings.
Marshall is also the Chair of the Housing Committee.
As the Secretary/Treasurer of the Greater Portland Transit District, also known as
METRO, Marshall chairs the Marketing-Operations Committee. He lives on Pine
Street in the West End.
WENA Gets $2000 in Donations for Swim Scholarships
The West End Neighborhood Association has received nearly $2,000 for the
Reiche Community Center swim scholarship program, and twelve children are
currently enrolled in Saturday lessons thanks to the funds.
In appreciation of WENA's fundraising efforts, the City lowered the swim tuition
rate for scholarship swimmers to $25. WENA has also earmarked its share of
profits received from selling slices of the planned 60-foot long lobster roll at the
Old Port Festival for the swim fund.
WENA Secretary Leana Good-Simpson will mail cards to everyone who made
donations, thanking them, and providing documentation for tax purposes. The
neighborhood organization also took out a large ad in this issue of the West End
NEWS to thank the contributors.
The current round of lessons runs through April 18th. The next session is
scheduled for April 27th - June 13th. Families interested in applying for swim
scholarships should call Portland Aquatics at 756-8275. Anyone wanting to donate
to the scholarship fund may send a check made out to the West End
Neighborhood Association, with "Swim Scholarship Fund" noted, to WENA, Box
120 - Harbor Terrace, 284 Danforth St., Portland ME 04102.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Commissioners OK New Bathrooms - by Phone
The Cumberland County Commissioners approved the renovation of four
bathrooms in the Cumberland County Courthouse on Federal Street in downtown
Portland at their March 9th meeting. But they needed a call-in vote from
Washington DC to make the vote official.
The situation arose when Commissioner James Cloutier recused himself from the
vote because the contractor chosen for the project is a client of Cloutier's law
firm. That left only Commissioner Richard Feeney to vote on the project, since
Commissioner Malory Shaughnessy, the remaining member of the three-person
panel, was attending a conference in Washington DC.
Facilities Director Bruce Tarbox told the Commissioners that the contract had to
be awarded the next day and that the state wanted work to start on the project on
March 20th. The state reimburses the county for expenses incurred for the state's
portion of the facility, according to County Manager Peter Crichton.
Crichton called a recess to the Commissioners' meeting and put in a call to
Shaughnessy in Washington. He was able to reach her, and she gave her approval
to the project after asking several questions about the project over a speakerphone.
Crichton later called the vote-by-phone 'highly unusual' and that he had never seen
it done in his twenty years in county government.
There were six bidders on the $31,150 project, and the Commissioners awarded
the contract to Doten's Construction of Freeport.
Monday, March 16,2009
Donoghue Announces Re-Election Campaign
City Councilor Kevin Donoghue announced on March 15th that he will seek re-
election to a second three-year term representing District One, which includes
downtown, the East End, and the Portland islands. Donoghue, 30, is the youngest
member of the City Council and is one of two members of the Maine Green
Independent Party elected to the City Council in 2006. He is expected to be
challenged by former East End Councilor Will Gorham, who he defeated for the
seat in 2006. Gorham is currently President of the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood
Organization.
Donoghue is a graduate of the community planning program at the Muskie School
of Public Service and has enlisted students to support several community planning
efforts in District One, including creation of a redevelopment plan for the former
Adams School on Munjoy Hill, and a neighborhood reinvestment plan for Kennedy
Park using Community Development Block Grants.
Donoghue was elected following an unsuccessful secession effort on Peaks Island
and has since worked to establish the Peaks Island Council, on which he serves as
a non-voting member. Donoghue also serves as a director of the Casco Bay Island
Transit District.
Donoghue chairs the City Council Transportation Committee and is President of
the Greater Portland Transit District, also known as METRO. Donoghue headed
the Peninsula Transit Study, a policy effort to reduce reliance on single-occupant
vehicles, and introduced U Car Share, a popular car-sharing program with vehicles
at both Monument Square and the Maine State Pier.
Donoghue has also served on the City Council Housing Committee, and has
championed reforming zoning to remove barriers to residential development by
allowing less parking and more density. He said he intends to continue promoting
affordable housing and alternative transportation and sharpen his focus on food
security and energy efficiency issues in his second term.
Donoghue rents an apartment with his fiance, Krista Mitschele, a social worker, on
Munjoy Hill. His official business calendar is available for public viewing at
kevindonoghue.blogspot.com
Tables Available at Bayside World Market & Fair,
June 13
Low cost tables are available at the third annual Bayside World Market & Fair
taking place Saturday, June 13 from 11 am-4 pm at Portland High. Vendors can
choose from $40 premium tables and $20 flea market tables. In past years,
artisans, small business owners and community groups have sold everything from
jewelry and art to clothing and flea market goods. Last year food vendors offered
a number of world cuisines, including Thai, Indian, Somali, Polish and Latin
American. Reserve tables online at http://www.baysideworldmarketandfair.com.
Each year, the market draws thousands of visitors. Admission is free. The popular
festival features a free program of music, dance and immigrant journey stories.
Once again, there will be a dedicated children's area with crafts and games.
The Bayside World Market & Fair is sponsored by the Bayside Neighborhood
Association in conjunction with the Portland Public Schools. It serves as a
celebration of the rich diversity that exists in downtown Portland and brings
together new Mainers and long-time residents.
Portland High School is located at 284 Cumberland Avenue in Bayside, Portland’s
most diverse neighborhood. FMI visit http://www.baysideworldmarketandfair.com
or call 207-772-7595.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Two Portland Teachers Nominated for Teacher of the
Year
Two teachers in the Portland Public Schools are among 14 candidates for
Maine’s 2010 Teacher of the Year award. Thomas Fournier of Lincoln
Middle School, Jayne Quinn Sawtelle of Hall Elementary School and the
other award nominees were honored by Gov. John Baldacci and Deputy
Commissioner of Education Angela Faherty on March 13th in a Statehouse
ceremony.
Fournier teaches engineering technology. He has initiated several
units that integrate science and technology, and he helped create
Lincoln’s sustainability lab and classroom in a geodesic dome on the
school grounds. He co-wrote grants totaling more than $100,000 for
school projects, including the Public Utilities Commission grant that
paid for solar panels installed at Lincoln. Fournier taught industrial
technology at Deering High School before moving to Lincoln during the
1995-96 school year.
Sawtelle teaches music to students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
She collaborates with teachers to integrate content area studies into
music class. Sawtelle started a student guitar club, rock band and
three ensembles that meet during recess. She leads the Hall School
Chorus, made up of students, parents and staff, as well as a steel drum
band based at the school.
Nominating committees from local school administrative units selected
the teachers. The nominees will undergo an intensive selection process
consisting of a school visit, a professional portfolio review, an oral
presentation and a final interview. The selection committee includes
past Teachers of the Year, principals, Department of Education staff,
members of the Maine Education Association and the business community.
The 2010 Maine Teacher of the Year will be named in September.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Marshall, Donoghue to Lead St. Patrick's Day March
Through West End
Portland City Councilors David Marshall and Kevin Donoghue will lead the annual
St. Patrick's Day traditional march through the West End, beginning at 12 NOON,
March 17th - St. Patrick's Day.
The march will commence at the front of the Maine Irish Heritage Center (St.
Dom's) at State and Gray Street, and will proceed the several blocks to
Harborview Park on York Street, where there will be a brief ceremony.
Everyone is invited to join fellow West Enders, local celebrities, political leaders
and Irishpersons of all nationalities for this very special local event. After the
ceremonies, some of the marchers may retire to Ruski's Pub at Clark & Danforth
for a toast (unless Popeye's Ice House reopens in the meantime!)
Friday, March 13, 2009
Bayside Wants New Chief’s Ear
The Bayside Neighborhood Association is anxious to meet with new Portland
Police Chief James Craig when he arrives to take over the helm of the Portland
Police Department in May.
An increase in crimes affecting "quality of life" in Bayside has given cause for
worry about the situation becoming exacerbated as soon as nice weather arrives,
bringing more people out onto the streets.
The decision of the District Attorney’s office to not prosecute crimes that are
deemed to be minor has compounded the problem. Arrests for drinking in public,
criminal trespass, and finding of cocaine residue are misdemeanors falling into the
category with the designation of "no further action."
Due to staffing and budget constraints, the DA feels that these crimes shouldn’t
get as far as a judge, even though the arrests are appropriate.
-Marge Niblock
PHS Students Want Lower School Speed Limits
Two Portland High students, Zach Scrutchfield and Erik Medina, have
collected data about the speed of cars driving by their school for an
Advanced Placement statistics class project. They hope that their
research will help convince authorities to reduce the speed limit on
Cumberland Avenue near the school from 25 miles per hour to 15 miles per
hour.
Portland elementary and middle schools are surrounded by school speed
zones of 15 miles per hour. Signs with yellow, blinking lights alert
motorists about the lower limit. Scrutchfield and Medina would like a
similar sign posted near Portland High.
Scrutchfield and Medina noted that hundreds of Portland High students
cross Cumberland Avenue every day. They borrowed a radar gun from the
Portland Police Department to sample the speed of cars passing the school on
Cumberland Avenue at specific times during the day. Stephen Black, Portland
High’s resource officer, helped them with the project.
Scrutchfield and Medina found that most cars were traveling 20 to 25
miles per hour. They clocked vehicles going as fast as 32 miles per hour.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Maine Expands Laptops to High School Students
Maine is preparing to expand its student laptop program into the high school,
providing laptops for school-related use to every public high school student in the
state. Maine , which was the first state to provide laptops to all seventh- and
eighth-graders, will be the first to provide them statewide at the high school level.
The expansion is part of an agreement the state Department of Education
negotiated with Apple Inc. for a reduced rate on the laptops, allowing the state to
lease 100,000 machines within existing funds dedicated to educational technology.
Under the agreement, the state will provide new laptops to all high schoolers and
replace older machines at the middle school level. School districts are not required
to participate in the program, though superintendents have indicated overwhelming
support for the laptop expansion.
Governor John Baldacci announced the expansion during his State of the State
address to the Maine Legislature. Maine first deployed laptops in grades 7 and 8 in
2002, though the law that established the initiative has always called for laptops in
the high school as well.
An important aspect of the deployment of the laptops is a focus on making them
an economic development tool for parents, too. The computers will come with
software that links parents to state Department of Labor services, including their
Career Centers.
For more information on the laptops initiative, visit www.maine.gov/mlti .
Man Assaulted After Refusing Cigarette
Randy Place, 47, was arrested and charged with assault on February 27, at 1:04
AM, at the Metro bus stop on Elm Street. Police were told by the male victim that
he’d been assaulted by Place after Place had demanded a cigarette from him.
The victim had gone to speak to someone he knew on the bus that had just pulled
up, just after Place made his demand. According to police, Mr. Place put his hand
on the victim’s head and slammed it against the bus.
The call originally made to police regarded two males fighting at the public parking
garage at the Elm Street location, but when they arrived no fight was observed.
Two men, Place and the victim, were standing at the bus stop.
-Marge Niblock
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Man Who Robbed Old Port Pharmacy Sentenced to 18
Years
Patrick Morency, who held up the Old Port Pharmacy last year, has been
sentenced to 18 years in prison, all but 7 suspended, with 4 years probation.
Portland Police detectives arrested Morency, 25, of Portland on March 31, 2008,
in connection with the robbery earlier in the day.
Morency entered the pharmacy at 195 Middle Street at approximately 7:56 AM on
March 31st, approached the pharmacist with a sharp object, and demanded
narcotic drugs. The pharmacist complied with the demand and the robber fled .
Witnesses saw the suspect fleeing down Exchange Street in a small silver
hatchback vehicle and described him to police. Morency was arrested at police
headquarters later that day.
Wine Taken During Restaurant Burglary
555, the popular restaurant at 555 Congress Street, suffered a loss of 30 bottles of
wine valued at $1,500, during an overnight burglary occurring some time between
March 4th and 5th.
Police were called to the restaurant when it opened on March 5th, after it was
discovered that access to the restaurant had been gained by forced entry through a
door.
-Marge Niblock
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
DHS to Dedicate New Auditorium Before 'Anything
Goes'
Deering High School will hold a dedication ceremony for its newly
refurbished auditorium on March 27 at 7 p.m. The Lowe’s Charitable
and Educational Foundation will be recognized for its $25,000
contribution to the project and Jamie Chapman, Lowe’s Portland store
manager, will be on hand to help students lift the curtain on their
production of the musical “Anything Goes.”
Parents, students, alumni, local businesses and community members
contributed money and volunteer labor to the $100,000 renovation
project. Improvements include replacing the stage floor and the
auditorium’s carpet, installing new stage lights and cleaning and
repairing seats.
Planning for the renovation project began in 2007. In addition to the
Lowe’s grant, more than 200 alumni and other donors from all over the
country contributed. The Deering classes of 2007 and 2008 each gave
$5,000. City capital funds helped pay for sound and lighting equipment.
Deering will continue to renovate the auditorium. Future projects
include painting the walls and rebuilding the lobby and ticket booth.
Kunin said the school eventually would like to create a performing and
visual arts center in the auditorium wing of the building.
The March 27th ceremony will be followed by Deering’s student
production of the Cole Porter musical, “Anything Goes.” Tickets for
the play are $12 for adults ($10 in advance) and $10 for students and
children ($8 in advance). Tickets may be reserved by calling Kathleen
Harris at 874-8260 or by emailing harrik@portlandschools.org.
Additional performances of “Anything Goes” will be held on March 26
at 7 p.m. and on March 28 and 29 at 2 and 7 p.m.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Federal Recovery $ to Fund Portland Transportation
Projects
The Maine Department of Transportation has given the green light to local
projects that received a portion of the federal recovery package funds that were
sent to Maine .
Nearly $4.4 million has been earmarked for seven transportation projects in
Portland . The largest projects are replacement of the Veranda Street Bridge and
infrastructure improvements to improve the quality of stormwater runoff to the
Long Creek watershed. Other projects include resurfacing of portions of I-295
southbound, Cumberland Avenue, Westbrook Street and Forest Avenue .
The Transportation Department identified a number of projects around the state
that were highest on its priority list and is ready to begin construction as soon as
the bidding process is complete. The state has set a goal of completing all projects
during the upcoming construction season.
The pedestrian bridge over the Bayside Trail has been removed from the State’s
stimulus funding list. MDOT didn’t think the project was shovel-ready enough.
Trail supporters are hoping that MDOT will now allocate stimulus funds toward
the construction of the Bayside Trail itself.
Portland Firefighters Win Stair Climb
Portland firefighters were recognized on March 5th at the Capitol Building in
Augusta for placing first in the American Lung Association Climb up Boston on
February 7th.
The Portland firefighters competed against 25 other teams throughout New
England in a stair- climbing event which had them racing up 82 flights (41 stories)
in full turn out gear, including wearing an air pack.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Pingree Appoints “Recovery Czar”
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree has announced the appointment of a “Recovery
Czar” to help Maine businesses, organizations and individuals understand and take
advantage of federal funding from the Economic Recovery Package recently
passed by Congress. Jackie Potter will fill the position at Pingree’s office in
Portland.
Pingree estimated that 15,000 jobs will be created or saved over the next two years
in education, healthcare, construction and clean energy.
The White House has set up a website—recovery.gov—to show exactly where the
Recovery funds are going. In Pingree’s office, Potter will also distribute
information about who is receiving funding from the stimulus package and publish
it on Pingree’s website.
Acting Police Chief Stresses Public Awareness
Portland’s most recent robbery- a hold up at a convenience store on Washington
Avenue- prompted Acting Portland Police Chief Joseph K. Loughlin to update the
public on crime trends that he is concerned about.
Loughlin stated "We have a safe city, but we’re seeing an emergence of violent
crime." He stressed that "public awareness is the primary message" he was
interested in conveying. "We need to be vigilant. Officers are seeing more guns
and more ‘attitude’." He said some of the people police are dealing with have "a
gangster type of behavior," and he worries that someone will be hurt.
An alert public can be of great assistance to police according to Loughlin. "Citizens
help solve crimes."Public awareness can also prevent crimes of opportunity, and
Loughlin cautioned people to not leave doors to homes or cars unlocked, adding
that nothing should be left visible in cars.
-Marge Niblock
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Police Arrest Two Teens in Armed Robbery
Portland police arrested two teenagers after they allegedly held up an East End
convenience store on March 6th.
At approximately 12:28 AM, Portland Police responded to a hold-up alarm at the
Big Apple at Cumberland and Washington Avenues, where they discovered an
armed robbery in progress. Officers secured the perimeter of the building and
waited for both suspects to exit the business. Both males exited the building and
tried fleeing the area, but were captured.
A Big Apple employee told police that the two juveniles entered the store and
approached the cashier, demanding cash and cigarettes. One male displayed a
handgun and made threatening statements to the cashier. They took an undisclosed
amount of cash and merchandise.
Officers recovered all the stolen money and merchandise. Also recovered was the
handgun used in the robbery. The handgun was a stolen weapon from a burglary
in Falmouth, according to police.
One juvenile was charged with Robbery (Class A) and the second was charged
with Robbery (Class A), possession of stolen firearm (Class B) and refusing to
submit to arrest. Both juveniles are currently in custody at Long Creek.
No one was injured during the robbery and no other customers were in thestore at
the time.
Friday, March 6, 2009
MCLU Head Urges Dems to Support Same Sex
Marriage
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 Begins
On February 23rd, the Secretary of State announced 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 was held on Monday, February
23rd at The Portland Club on State Street.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
METRO Looking to Replace Old Buses
Portland’s METRO transit board is talking with officials of the Wilmington,
Delaware mass transit group about the possible purchase of ten buses to replace
some of METRO’s aging fleet.
The thirteen-year-old buses would replace METRO buses that are five years older
and that each have over 500,000 miles on them. They break down often,
according to City officials, and are getting too expensive to maintain. The
replacement buses would cost $4,000 each.
Medical Marijuana Act Among Five Citizen Initiatives
Certified
State officials completed work on February 23rd preparing certification of five
proposed citizen-initiated efforts to bring bills to the Maine Legislature, including
one that would, among other things, create “nonprofit dispensaries” around Maine
to sell marijuana to eligible patients with special state-issued identification
cards.
On January 21st, petitions containing 72,775 signatures were submitted to the
Secretary of State on behalf of the initiated legislation entitled, “An Act to Establish
the Maine Medical Marijuana Act”.
55,408 of the signatures were considered valid, about 300 more than the required
55,087.
The Maine Constitution provides for the citizen initiative whereby proponents must
gather at least 55,087 signatures—10% of turnout in the previous gubernatorial
election.
Four of the five met the Constitutional thresholds. The fifth initiative, An Act to
Expand Affordable Health Insurance Choices in Maine, fell short of the signatures
needed. Details of the individual decisions can be viewed at:http://www.maine.
gov/sos/news/2009/certified-citizen-initiatives.htm
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Pingree, Obama Announce New Community Health
Center
$1.5 million from Recovery Act to fund new clinic in Portland; City
Public Health Director says it will make a “real difference in people’s
lives.”
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and President Obama announced on March 2nd
that the City of Portland will be getting $1.3 million in Recovery Act funding to
build a new community health center. The facility will expand access to health
care to low-income Mainers, many with no health insurance. The funding was
authorized by the American Investment and Recovery Act, passed by Congress
and signed by the President last month.
Community health centers provide basic health care for people who are uninsured
or underinsured, and they accept Medicare, Medicaid and private health insurance
payments. When individuals do not have insurance or cannot afford to pay a
deductible, they are billed on a sliding scale based on their income.
Portland currently has just one community health center—Healthcare for the
Homeless— which exclusively serves the area’s homeless population. The new
health center would be open to the general public.
West End NEWS Begins 9th Year
With this issue, the West End NEWS turns eight years old, making it the second-
longest running newspaper in the City of Portland.
When the West End NEWS was founded in the Spring of 2001, City Councilor
Cheryl Leeman was Mayor (Nick Mavodones is the only other City Councilor left
from that era), the Casco Bay Weekly was the hot tabloid in town, and dogs were
still running loose in the Western Cemetery.
Monday,March 2, 2009
Bill Would Halt False Phone Fees
The Utilities and Energy Committee on February 26th voted unanimously in favor
of a bill sponsored by Parkside Representative Herb Adams that would protect
consumers from hidden, illegal fees on their telephone bills. The bill, LD 127, will
now go to the Legislature for votes on enactment with the committee’s full
support.
Long-distance service providers from outside Maine have slipped misleading and
false fees into the list of surcharges Mainers already pay for vital services like 9-1-
1 emergency lines, said Adams . Maine ’s Office of the Public Advocate, the state
consumer watchdog agency, detected one carrier charging Mainers a so-called
“State Tax on Federal Universal Service” in 2008. The provider stopped the
practice immediately when contacted by the Public Advocate.p
Driver Flips Car into Deering Oaks Park After
Reckless Ride
Portland police arrested Ahmed Ibrahim, 24, a Parkside resident, at around
midnight on March 27th, after they say he hit four parked cars and a house - on
different streets - while driving around his home turf. Police say Ibrahim also ran a
red light, and he has no driver’s license.
After hitting each car, police say, Ibrahim kept going and didn’t stop until taking
a turn that was too wide at the intersection of State Street and Park Avenue,
which caused his car to flip and then catch on fire on the grass at the front of
Deering Oaks Park. Ibrahim was transported to Maine Medical Center, but had no
serious injuries.
Parkside residents reported hearing a very loud acceleration of a car motor,
followed by the sound of impact, almost immediately followed by sirens, which
led them to speculate that it was a high-speed car pursuit that ended quickly.
Charges are pending, since the case is still under investigation.
-Marge Niblock and Michelle Souliere contributed to this report.
Gulf of Maine Needs $2.2 Million to Rebuild Wharf
Alfond Wants State Bonding for Waterfront Project
The Gulf of Maine Research Institute needs to raise $2.2 million dollars to
rebuild the wharf and bulkhead at their site on Portland Harbor, according to State
Senator Justin Alfond. If GMRI doesn't secure their funding by the end of this
year, the US Coast Guard will repossess the site.
Alfond says that the project is one of the biggest economic development priorities
for the district, and has asked constituents to let legislative leadership and members
of the Appropriations Committee know that the bond for GMRI should be included
in the Governor's bond package.
Over the past 10 years, the Maine Congressional delegation assisted GMRI in
assembling a 5.5 acre site from former US Navy (2.2 acres) and US Coast Guard
(3.3 acres) parcels, to build the Gulf of Maine Research Laboratory and future
marine research and education facilities.
GMRI completed the 41,000 square foot Gulf of Maine Research Laboratory in
2004 on the former Navy portion of the site.
Federal legislation enabled the Coast Guard to convey the pier to GMRI through
a like-kind exchange, in return for GMRI securing funds to rebuild the pier by
January, 2007. Once the pier was rebuilt, GMRI would use the pier as the site for
an additional lab, office, production, and education facilities, a public promenade,
and berthing for Coast Guard vessels, research vessels, and fishing vessels.
Due to lack of funding, GMRI was unable to meet the 2007 bulkhead
reconstruction deadline. They were able to secure an extension until 2009. To
meet this deadline, GMRI must secure an additional $2,200,000 and start
construction in 2009, in order to avoid US Coast Guard reclamation of the
property.
GMRI has raised $1,817,000 in state and federal funds to date. The total cost
estimate is $4,016,667. The project will involve removing rotten wooden decking,
cutting off and removing exposed wood piles, driving steel piles outside the
existing pile bulkhead, infilling with concrete lagging, backfilling with crushed
stone, and building steel structural supports for a new deck, and decking with pre-
cast concrete deck planks.
The State of Maine approved $400,000 in the 2005 Transportation Bond and
$700,000 in the 2007 Transportation Bond. The federal delegation secured an
additional $717,000 in the 2007 US Department of Energy Budget.
Monday, March 30, 2009
City Employees to Hold Art Show
City of Portland employees and their families will showcase their artwork on the
walls of City Hall as a part of the 3rd Annual Exhibit and Awards of the National
Arts Program. Nearly one hundred employees and family members are expected to
participate. Members of the public are invited to visit City Hall to view the art on
display April 3 - April 16.
The National Arts Program is designed to give artists at all levels of skill an
opportunity to exhibit their work in a professional manner and compete for cash
prizes and continuing educations grants. Sponsored by The National Arts Program
Foundation in support and cooperation with the City of Portland, the exhibit is
judged by professional artists and visual art professionals. Winners in the amateur,
intermediate, professional and youth categories will be announced Friday, April 3rd
at the artists' reception at 6:30 PM.
Survivor Bob to Speak at Republican Fundraiser
Survivor Gabon ’s winner, and South Portland resident Bob Crowley will give a
candid account of his time on the show, the things you didn’t see, and the life
lessons one learns when dealing with adversity, at a local Republican fundraiser on
April 23rd.
Crowley is a high school physics teacher in Gorham , and holds both Associate
and Bachelor degrees in forestry from the University of Maine - Orono and a
Masters of Education degree from the University of Southern Maine . He has also
served as a first mate on a research boat for the Smithsonian Institution in Canada
to an entomologist for the USDA, as a skunk relocater, as well as President, Vice
President and Chief Negotiator for his local Teacher's Union.
Crowley will be followed by Michael Zak , author of “Back to Basics for the
Republican Party”, the acclaimed history of the GOP from the civil rights
perspective. He is a popular speaker to Republican organizations around the
country, showing office-holders, candidates, and activists how they would benefit
from knowing and appreciating the party's heritage of civil rights achievement.
Zak is a native of Chicago and resident of Washington DC . Before writing
“Back to Basics for the Republican Party”, he was a foreign service officer,
serving in Mexico and Venezuela , and an international banking analyst based in
Chicago and New York. Zak will have copies of his book available for sale and he
will personally autograph them at no additional charge.
Thursday, April 23, 2009 Italian Heritage Center 40 Westland Avenue
Social Hour – 6pm Dinner – 7pm Bob Crowley – 7:30pm Michael Zak –
8:15pm Single - $40 Couple $75.
RSVP: Mary Herbert - 712-5594 - maryherbert@maine.rr.com
Saturday, March 28, 2009
St. John Street Home Invasion
Portland police are investigating a home invasion robbery that occurred on March
25th at 6:58 at 548 St. John Street. Officers responding to the 911 call found a
male victim inside the apartment.
Police say that three men knocked on the front door of the apartment and the
lone occupant did not answer the door. The three suspects proceeded to the rear
door of the apartment and forced entry into the apartment. The suspects
approached the victim, displayed a large knife and demanded money from him.
The victim fled from the suspects and barricaded himself inside a bedroom. The
suspects searched the remaining portions of the apartment and took undisclosed
items. The three suspects fled on foot.
The victim was not injured during the robbery.
The description of the all three suspects are white males, approximately 6’1" in
height, medium builds, wearing white shirts and blue jeans.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Portland Police Detectives at 874-
8596.
High School Needs $3,000 for Hurricane Relief Trip
Casco Bay High School students’ effort to raise $31,000 for a humanitarian trip by
seeking grants from local companies, collecting bottles, babysitting and other
fundraising, has fallen short. They still need $3,000 for the trip on
April 13-18th. Forty juniors plan to spend a week in Biloxi,
Mississippi, building homes for Habitat for Humanity. Junior
Journey, as the trip is called, ties into their year-long exploration in
humanities classes about how individuals can make a difference. Any junior who
wants to
participate in the experience may do so, regardless of ability to pay.
The students made presentations that convinced Unum and Time Warner to
contribute to the project. They solicited donations from friends and family
members, and they collected thousands of bottles. Two teachers volunteered to
undergo "extreme" style make-overs to raise additional money for the trip.
The school received a $1,000 L.L. Bean service learning grant for
Junior Journey. WCSH6 gave the school a $2,000 Schools That Shine award
that went to the trip fund, and an anonymous donor contributed $3,000.
But they need to raise the remaining $3,000 to cover the cost of local
transportation.
Community members may contribute by making a secure donation through
PayPal on the Casco Bay High School Web site
(http://cbhs.portlandschools.org).
Last year, Casco Bay High School juniors traveled to Appalachia to work
on a Habitat for Humanities project. Many students described it as a
transformative experience that made them realize how they could effect
change. This year’s juniors hope to help in the ongoing hurricane relief
effort on the Gulf Coast. The mayor of Biloxi has invited the students
to a picnic at the end of their stay.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Purse Snatchers Hit West End
A woman living on State Street reported to police that at around 5 PM on March
25th, while she walked from the rear lot to the front of her building and was
unlocking her door, she felt a tug from behind, and a man grabbed her pocketbook
off her shoulder and ran. A second man was with him and they went west on
Deering Street.
At around 5:15 of the same day, a woman using a walkway between buildings on
the State Street Church property noticed two men approaching her. One of them
asked for a cigarette, and the victim kept walking after refusing his request. As she
passed the men, one tried to grab the pocketbook from her shoulder, but the
victim was able to prevent the man from getting it. The men then ran toward
Congress Street.
Descriptions of both suspects are similar in the two incidents. One was described
as a Hispanic male, 18-22, 5’9" to 5’10", with short brown hair and a gap between
his two front teeth, large ears, speaking with an accent, wearing a black hooded
sweatshirt.The other suspect was described as a white male, 18-22, wearing a
white shirt.
The first suspect was the aggressor in both incidents, with the second male
standing by at a distance.
-Marge Niblock
Friends of Casco Bay Needs Volunteers
Friends of Casco Bay is now recruiting volunteers to become Citizen Stewards
who sample water quality at more than 30 sites around the Bay.
The volunteers are a central part of the organization's research staff. They sample
water on 10 Saturdays a year all around Casco Bay, providing a comprehensive
appraisal of the overall health of the Bay.
Volunteers are required to attend a five-hour training session on April 11th, where
they will learn the history and purpose of the program and be trained in EPA-
approved sampling methods. They then choose a sampling site to cover
individually, or as part of a team, and collect water samples twice per day on ten
specific Saturdays (this year's sampling dates: April 18, May 16, June 13, July 11
& 25, Aug. 8 & 22, Sept. 5 & 19, and Oct. 17). FMI: Peter Milholland, Citizen
Stewards Volunteer Coordinator,
pmilholland@cascobay.org 207-799-8574, 43 Slocum Drive, South Portland,
Maine 04106.
Cocaine Bust at Westgate Shopping Center
Three New Yorkers who police say were trafficking in cocaine were arrested at 3:
15 PM on March 20th at the Westgate Shopping Center on Outer Congress Street,
and charged with aggravated trafficking of schedule drugs.
Carlos Zamaro, 30, Marcos Arratia-Romero, 34, and Jessica Marissa Muela, 24,
had come to Portland to sell drugs to be distributed throughout Maine, according
to police. They had ten ounces of cocaine when they were apprehended.
Sergeant Robert Doherty, head of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency task force
in Southern Maine, said: "The arrests were the culmination of a two-month long
investigation. The investigation is continuing and we anticipate more arrests."
The Portland Police Department worked in conjunction with officers from the
MDEA and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration to carry out the arrests.
-Marge Niblock
LOCAL FILM SUBMITTED TO CANNES FILM
FESTIVAL
A local media company has submitted its first short film to the Cannes Film
Festival in France.
The film, Just Desserts,was shot at the Bar Lola on Munjoy Hill in December of
2008. John E. Seymore, the writer and director was inspired by the Strindberg
piece, The Stronger. Featured in the film are local actresses Astrea Campbell-Cobb
and Annie Unnold, both of Cape Elizabeth , as well as Nancy Hill of Beverly Hills,
California.
“The story takes place on a wintry New England afternoon where a wife and
mistress meet in a café,” Seymore said.
Wasted Minds Media Group, Inc. produced the movie, which was filmed by Flat
Foot Films, and edited by Richard Pelletier of Real Media Solutions, also of
Portland.
The movie will be screened in May after final judging for Cannes, and continue
the festival circuit throughout 2009.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Woman Robbed, Assaulted in Alder Street Home
Invasion
The Portland Police Department is investigating a home invasion/ robbery that
occurred on March 25th at 9:50AM at 36 Alder Street in Bayside. Officers
responding to the 911 call found a female victim inside the apartment.
Police say that two men knocked on the door of the apartment and then forced
their way inside. The suspects demanded money, displayed a handgun, constrained
the resident and assaulted her. The suspects fled on foot with an undisclosed
amount of cash.
The victim had non-life threatening injuries from the robbery. She required no
medical treatment.
The description of the first suspect: Asian male, in his twenties, slight build,
approximately 5’3" in height. The second male is described as an Asian male, early
to mid thirties, slight build, approximately 5’6" in height, wearing a black, hooded
sweatshirt and a red bandana covering his face.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Portland Police Detectives at 874-
8596.
Portland to Get $2.2 Million in Funding for Public
Housing
Over $8.3 million in stimulus funding will support housing, create
construction jobs
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced on March 24th the release of over
$8.3 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support and
improve public housing in Maine, including $2.2 million for the City of Portland.
The money is for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Capital Fund program, which provides funding to public housing authorities to
develop, finance, and/or modernize the public housing in their communities. This
funding can also be used to make large-scale improvements such as new roofs;
and for the replacement of plumbing and electrical systems to more energy
efficient standards.
Portland will get $2.2 million in funding, Brunswick $354,000, South Portland
close to $600,000 and Bath is in line for nearly $200,000.
The funding for Maine is part of $3 billion authorized by the stimulus act passed
by Congress last month and effectively doubles federal support for local housing
authorities to improve their public housing stock.
A breakdown of funding can be found online at:
http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/ph/capfund/grants/arra/me.cfm
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Woman Arrested After Fire Extinguisher Threat
Portland police arrested Jessica Davis, 19, on March 15h, after she allegedly
threatened another woman with a fire extinguisher.
Police went to an apartment building at 638 Congress Street at 5:24 PM after
receiving a report of someone making threats. They were met by a woman who
was visiting a male friend in the building. She told them that Davis, the resident’s
ex-girlfriend, entered the apartment uninvited and became very agitated.
Police say Davis removed a fire extinguisher from the wall, held it up, and said she
was going to bash the other woman’s head. The victim feared for her safety and
fled, then called police.
When officers arrived they heard Davis yelling and also heard her making more
threatening comments. Police gained entry into the apartment and found Davis
holding a pizza cutter. When Davis resisted arrest, officers used minimal force to
subdue her, and no one was injured. Davis was charged with criminal threatening
with a dangerous weapon.
-Marge Niblock
Economic Human Rights Activist to Speak in Portland
What are economic human rights? Cheri Honkala will explain what they are when
she speaks on "Ending Poverty with Economic Human Rights in Maine" on April
6th in Portland and in several Maine communities during the week of April 2-8.
Cheri Honkala, a former homeless single mother, represents the Poor People's
Economic Human Rights Campaign. Honkala will speak at a "Common Ground
Supper on Economic Human Rights" at 6 PM at Immanuel Baptist Church, 156
High St., downtown Portland. A spaghetti supper will be provided, though
attendees can bring food to share also. Childcare will also be provided. This is one
of several events during her tour of Maine from April 2-8. She will speak in
Waterville, Portland, Orono, Orland, Lewiston, Bangor, Brewer, and Augusta. All
events are free and open to the public.
Honkala is now an anti-poverty organizer and housing rights activist. She has been
a leader of demonstrations against policies that maintain poverty, including dozens
of arrests for nonviolent civil disobedience, and has been profiled in several films
on poor people's movements against poverty.
Cheri Honkala helped to found the powerful Kensington Welfare Rights Union in
Philadelphia and is now national coordinator of the Poor People's Economic
Human Rights Campaign. She has spoken nationally and internationally to
Congress, at the United Nations and the Hague Appeal for Peace in the
Netherlands, and to the American Civil Liberties Union, as well as to many other
groups around the country.
What are economic human rights? According to the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, passed by the United States in 1948, they include: quality health
care, a job paying a living wage or equivalent income, ability to join a labor union,
affordable housing, adequate and nutritional food, free education, and a decent
standard of living.
For more information about the tour and a complete schedule, contact Larry
Dansinger at (207) 525-7776 or email him at rosc@psouth.net or see the schedule
of events on the web at www.peacebreadjustice.org
Monday, April 6: (Portland) 6:00pm: Common Ground Supper &
talk/discussion to follow. Open to all, Immanuel Baptisit Church, 156 High
St. Portland. Preceded by short parade from Congress Square to the church
at 5 PM. Contact Heather Curtis at 899-9671.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Handgun Recovered after Parkside Incident
Police responded to a call from 22 Park Avenue on March 18th at 11:40 PM,
reporting a person threatening with a handgun.
They were met by a victim who stated that Bobby Kelly, 30, of Scarborough, a
person she was familiar with, knocked at her door and forced his way into her
apartment while displaying a gun. The victim told police that Kelly then used the
phone to call a man who he told to come and meet him at that location.
When the second man arrived at the apartment, the two had a dialogue and the
victim was able to leave and contact police. The gun was recovered from a fourth-
floor hallway in that building. Kelly was arrested and charged with criminal
threatening with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon, and
probation violation.
-Marge Niblock
Greens First in Line for Charter Commission Race
Three young Green Independent Party members were first in line at City Hall on
March 23rd to turn in signatures for the City Charter Commission race. Nine AM
was the earliest that potential candidates could turn in their signatures.
Anna Trevorrow, Dan Jenkins, and Ben Chipman will all be on the ballot on June
9th.They are the three youngest candidates in the Charter Commission race so far.
Trevorrow is running for an At-Large seat; Chipman in District 1(Munjoy Hill,
East Bayside, Downtown), and Jenkins in District 2 (Parkside, Bayside).
Trevorrow was a School Committe Candidate in the 2008 elections, and Jenkins
ran for the Maine State Legislature in his district. Chipman has been a Green Party
organizer and was campaign manager for John Eder's successful runs for the
legislature.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Student Sought to Serve on State Board of Education
Applications due April 15
The Maine State Board of Education is seeking a student from the first
congressional district in Maine to serve as a participating, non-voting member.
Student members have all the responsibilities and privileges of regular members.
The responsibilities include: being knowledgeable of current education issues,
carefully preparing for regular monthly meetings and participating actively in the
discussions of the Board.
The privileges include: a per diem of $55 per day, mileage reimbursement, and an
opportunity to serve the young people of Maine and the future of Maine
education. In short, student members will serve in the same manner as adult
members, only without the vote.
Candidates for the position must be current sophomore in good standing and the
student appointed will serve throughout his or her junior and senior years. The
Board will recommend finalists for consideration by Governor Baldacci, who in
turn will appoint a candidate, subject to review by the Legislature’s Education
Committee and confirmation by the Maine State Senate. More information and the
application can be found online at: www.maine.gov/education/sb/homepage.htm .
Please contact Mary Becker (Mary.Becker@maine.gov) or at 624-6616 with
questions.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Man Hides in Dumpster to Evade Cop
Portland police arrested a man on March 17th after he ran from his vehicle and
tried to hide in a trash dumpster. What began as a routine stop for a traffic
infraction led to an arrest for several charges.
Officer Kevin Haley tried to stop Rudolph Wissley, 31, of Westbrook, on Riverside
Street at 2:49 PM, but Wissley ignored him and turned onto Forest Avenue,
accelerating his vehicle, then making a quick turn into a parking lot.
Wissley jumped out of the vehicle and tried to run, falling down in the snowy lot.
He got up and climbed over a chain-link fence, but cut himself on the knee and
hand while in the process of doing so.
Officer Haley saw him run to an area near a dumpster, and then found him inside
the dumpster. Wissley was arrested and charged with operating after suspension,
failure to stop for a police officer, illegal attachment of plates, and probation
violation.
Marge Niblock
Friday, March 20, 2009
LEAGUE TO TRAIN YOUNG ACTIVISTS
The League of Young Voters is sponsoring a series activist trainings around the
state geared towards arming young people with the skills they need to be
successful activists and organizers in their local communities. The League believes
that providing young people with these skill sets will guarantee that the progressive
movement will continue to flourish in a professional and effective manner.
The next training in the series will take place at the University of Southern Maine
on April 5th. 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Luther Bonnie Hall, Rooms 326, 327, 302, 303, 310. For more information,
contact HILARY FRENKEL at the League office (207.772.3207) or by email at
hilary@theleague.com.
Workshops include:
“Lobbying Your Elected Officials”
This is the workshop to participate in if you want to learn the skills and tools
needed to effectively lobby your elected officials. It is a hand-on, interactive
workshop where you will actually get to practice your skills.
“Framing a Message” There are many moments when we need to stop and think
about what we’re saying—especially when it comes to talking to the West End
NEWS! Come to this workshop, and learn how to properly talk about the work
you do to the newspaper, television, and online media sources around you. We
won’t be writing a press release—we’ll be discussing and workshopping what the
true message of a press release should be! Examples include: how to properly
frame your message for the media; the difference between telling a fact and
framing a statement; and how to respond to opponents via the media.
“Building The Base T0 Win: Volunteer Management 101” After the 2008
election, no one in the political world doubts that the youth vote is a force to be
reckoned with. But behind the victory are everyday people giving their time and
energy to make our shared vision a reality. This workshop goes through the
basics of volunteer management with a particular focus on how to build the
networks and relationships that will move your cause forward.
LETTER
Not as Venerable as We Thought
Dear Editor,
I thoroughly enjoy and read each and every issue of the WEN. In the March 6th
edition, I happened upon your story “West End News Begins 9th Year.” I have
come to the conclusion after reading it, that with all the excitement surrounding
your anniversary issue, the column to commemorate the event must have been
hastily written. Being somewhat of a Maine newspaper history-buff, errors in the
article cried to me for quick attention, hence this note.
The article claims the WEN to be the second-longest running newspaper in the
city. This is simply not the case. Besides the Portland Phoenix, which began
publishing in 1999, one must take into account the fact that, when they began, the
Portland Press Herald (established 1862) and Maine Sunday Telegram (established
1889) were two separate papers founded by two very separate companies. In fact,
in the early years of its existence, the (then) Portland Sunday Telegram was
owned by the same gentleman who owned the now-defunct Evening Express long
before the Press Herald (Guy Gannett Publishing Co.) acquired both papers in
1925.
These facts, therefore, make the WEN the fourth-longest running newspaper in the
city. No small feat, when you consider our newspaper-prolific city hosts at least
17 separate publications. Congratulations on eight fabulous years, WEN! May
there be many more to come!
Jeff Spofford
Oakdale/Portland
Thursday, March 19, 2009
FairPoint to Issue Rebates for E-mail Outages
Refunds due to thousands of customers who lost service
Thousands of FairPoint Communications customers in Maine who last e-mail
service last month in the transition between telecom providers will now see credit
rebates, says State Representative Herb Adams, who pressed for the refunds.
FairPoint officials agreed to the refunds at a March 12th meeting of the Legislature’
s Utilities and Energy Committee.
Adams, who is the longest serving member of the Utilities Committee, proposed
the rebate as a goodwill gesture after thousands of Maine customers experienced e-
mail troubles during the switch-over from Verizon to FairPoint services during
January and February 2009. About 20,000 customers – some 7 percent of
FairPoint’s total customer base – may have experienced problems in the e-mail
migration between companies, said company officials.
Customers who lost service for a week or more will get one month’s credit on
their next billing. Customers who lost service for a week or less will get a $10
credit. The refunds will apply to both commercial and residential accounts, and
FairPoint agreed to accept customers’ word on the outages if they file a complaint
with the company.
The transfer of service, or “cut-over,” from Verizon to FairPoint is the largest
conversion of its kind in Maine history and the first to involve virtually every kind
of telecommunication service, from e-mail to land lines, noted Adams. High call
volumes and long waits on hold plagued FairPoint’s customer service lines during
several weeks of the e-mail cut-over, forcing FairPoint to open extra technical
assistance lines for several weeks. FairPoint posted a net loss of $76 million in the
last quarter reporting.
The next cut-over period, when Verizon will cease forwarding e-mail to FairPoint
business customers on April 30th, will also be closely monitored, said Adams .
Customers can report e-mail outages for refunds at FairPoint’s customer service
line at 1-800-400-5568 or can call Adams at 1-800-423-2900 for assistance.
Walk Will Mark World Water Day
Walk for Water, a rally to bring attention to the issue of water rights, will be held
on Sunday, March 22nd at Back Cove.
Participants will meet at 2:30pm at the parking lot on Baxter Boulevard, across
from Hannaford's grocery store.
The Walk for Water on Back Cove symbolizes the trek which women in the Global
South make every day to obtain fresh water for drinking.
This will be a "spirited march" with music, 12-foot high street puppets, and a slide
show. Families are encouraged to come and are welcome to bring their pets.
Speakers at the event include:
Portland City Council David Marshall; Lynn Williams, an attorney and activist from
Bar Harbor; former State Representative Rick Burns, who will speak about
proposed legislation. Other speakers will be announced. The event is free and open
to the public.
The walk will be followed by a celebration of water at the North Star Cafe on
Congress St. 4:00pm to 7:30pm FMI: Contact: Jamilla El-Shafei,
organizer SAVE OUR WATER 603.969.8426 jamillaelshafei@gmail.com
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Marshall to Run for Re-Election in West End
City Councilor David A. Marshall announced on March 16th that he will seek re-
election to a second three-year term representing District 2, which includes the
West End, Parkside, St. John-Valley, and University Neighborhoods. Marshall, 31,
is one of two members of the Maine Green Independent Party elected to the City
Council in 2006. He succeeded Karen Geraghty in the seat, and, as yet, does not
have an opponent in the race.
Marshall is a fine art painter and owner of Constellation Gallery, located on
Congress Street in the Arts District. He has utilized his unique position as the first
professional artist elected to the City Council to champion creative economy
policies.
After the City Council passed a controversial contract zone a couple of years ago,
Marshall reached out to the residents in the neighborhood near Valley Street, which
recently fell into poverty according to the 2000 Census. Through public forums
backed by the Muskie School, the residents of the neighborhood developed plans
for improvements. Marshall and the neighbors created a neighborhood association.
Marshall chairs the Energy and Environmental Sustainability Comm-ittee, and
initiated an Energy Service Contract to provide for energy saving investments in all
municipal buildings.
Marshall is also the Chair of the Housing Committee.
As the Secretary/Treasurer of the Greater Portland Transit District, also known as
METRO, Marshall chairs the Marketing-Operations Committee. He lives on Pine
Street in the West End.
WENA Gets $2000 in Donations for Swim Scholarships
The West End Neighborhood Association has received nearly $2,000 for the
Reiche Community Center swim scholarship program, and twelve children are
currently enrolled in Saturday lessons thanks to the funds.
In appreciation of WENA's fundraising efforts, the City lowered the swim tuition
rate for scholarship swimmers to $25. WENA has also earmarked its share of
profits received from selling slices of the planned 60-foot long lobster roll at the
Old Port Festival for the swim fund.
WENA Secretary Leana Good-Simpson will mail cards to everyone who made
donations, thanking them, and providing documentation for tax purposes. The
neighborhood organization also took out a large ad in this issue of the West End
NEWS to thank the contributors.
The current round of lessons runs through April 18th. The next session is
scheduled for April 27th - June 13th. Families interested in applying for swim
scholarships should call Portland Aquatics at 756-8275. Anyone wanting to donate
to the scholarship fund may send a check made out to the West End
Neighborhood Association, with "Swim Scholarship Fund" noted, to WENA, Box
120 - Harbor Terrace, 284 Danforth St., Portland ME 04102.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Commissioners OK New Bathrooms - by Phone
The Cumberland County Commissioners approved the renovation of four
bathrooms in the Cumberland County Courthouse on Federal Street in downtown
Portland at their March 9th meeting. But they needed a call-in vote from
Washington DC to make the vote official.
The situation arose when Commissioner James Cloutier recused himself from the
vote because the contractor chosen for the project is a client of Cloutier's law
firm. That left only Commissioner Richard Feeney to vote on the project, since
Commissioner Malory Shaughnessy, the remaining member of the three-person
panel, was attending a conference in Washington DC.
Facilities Director Bruce Tarbox told the Commissioners that the contract had to
be awarded the next day and that the state wanted work to start on the project on
March 20th. The state reimburses the county for expenses incurred for the state's
portion of the facility, according to County Manager Peter Crichton.
Crichton called a recess to the Commissioners' meeting and put in a call to
Shaughnessy in Washington. He was able to reach her, and she gave her approval
to the project after asking several questions about the project over a speakerphone.
Crichton later called the vote-by-phone 'highly unusual' and that he had never seen
it done in his twenty years in county government.
There were six bidders on the $31,150 project, and the Commissioners awarded
the contract to Doten's Construction of Freeport.
Monday, March 16,2009
Donoghue Announces Re-Election Campaign
City Councilor Kevin Donoghue announced on March 15th that he will seek re-
election to a second three-year term representing District One, which includes
downtown, the East End, and the Portland islands. Donoghue, 30, is the youngest
member of the City Council and is one of two members of the Maine Green
Independent Party elected to the City Council in 2006. He is expected to be
challenged by former East End Councilor Will Gorham, who he defeated for the
seat in 2006. Gorham is currently President of the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood
Organization.
Donoghue is a graduate of the community planning program at the Muskie School
of Public Service and has enlisted students to support several community planning
efforts in District One, including creation of a redevelopment plan for the former
Adams School on Munjoy Hill, and a neighborhood reinvestment plan for Kennedy
Park using Community Development Block Grants.
Donoghue was elected following an unsuccessful secession effort on Peaks Island
and has since worked to establish the Peaks Island Council, on which he serves as
a non-voting member. Donoghue also serves as a director of the Casco Bay Island
Transit District.
Donoghue chairs the City Council Transportation Committee and is President of
the Greater Portland Transit District, also known as METRO. Donoghue headed
the Peninsula Transit Study, a policy effort to reduce reliance on single-occupant
vehicles, and introduced U Car Share, a popular car-sharing program with vehicles
at both Monument Square and the Maine State Pier.
Donoghue has also served on the City Council Housing Committee, and has
championed reforming zoning to remove barriers to residential development by
allowing less parking and more density. He said he intends to continue promoting
affordable housing and alternative transportation and sharpen his focus on food
security and energy efficiency issues in his second term.
Donoghue rents an apartment with his fiance, Krista Mitschele, a social worker, on
Munjoy Hill. His official business calendar is available for public viewing at
kevindonoghue.blogspot.com
Tables Available at Bayside World Market & Fair,
June 13
Low cost tables are available at the third annual Bayside World Market & Fair
taking place Saturday, June 13 from 11 am-4 pm at Portland High. Vendors can
choose from $40 premium tables and $20 flea market tables. In past years,
artisans, small business owners and community groups have sold everything from
jewelry and art to clothing and flea market goods. Last year food vendors offered
a number of world cuisines, including Thai, Indian, Somali, Polish and Latin
American. Reserve tables online at http://www.baysideworldmarketandfair.com.
Each year, the market draws thousands of visitors. Admission is free. The popular
festival features a free program of music, dance and immigrant journey stories.
Once again, there will be a dedicated children's area with crafts and games.
The Bayside World Market & Fair is sponsored by the Bayside Neighborhood
Association in conjunction with the Portland Public Schools. It serves as a
celebration of the rich diversity that exists in downtown Portland and brings
together new Mainers and long-time residents.
Portland High School is located at 284 Cumberland Avenue in Bayside, Portland’s
most diverse neighborhood. FMI visit http://www.baysideworldmarketandfair.com
or call 207-772-7595.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Two Portland Teachers Nominated for Teacher of the
Year
Two teachers in the Portland Public Schools are among 14 candidates for
Maine’s 2010 Teacher of the Year award. Thomas Fournier of Lincoln
Middle School, Jayne Quinn Sawtelle of Hall Elementary School and the
other award nominees were honored by Gov. John Baldacci and Deputy
Commissioner of Education Angela Faherty on March 13th in a Statehouse
ceremony.
Fournier teaches engineering technology. He has initiated several
units that integrate science and technology, and he helped create
Lincoln’s sustainability lab and classroom in a geodesic dome on the
school grounds. He co-wrote grants totaling more than $100,000 for
school projects, including the Public Utilities Commission grant that
paid for solar panels installed at Lincoln. Fournier taught industrial
technology at Deering High School before moving to Lincoln during the
1995-96 school year.
Sawtelle teaches music to students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
She collaborates with teachers to integrate content area studies into
music class. Sawtelle started a student guitar club, rock band and
three ensembles that meet during recess. She leads the Hall School
Chorus, made up of students, parents and staff, as well as a steel drum
band based at the school.
Nominating committees from local school administrative units selected
the teachers. The nominees will undergo an intensive selection process
consisting of a school visit, a professional portfolio review, an oral
presentation and a final interview. The selection committee includes
past Teachers of the Year, principals, Department of Education staff,
members of the Maine Education Association and the business community.
The 2010 Maine Teacher of the Year will be named in September.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Marshall, Donoghue to Lead St. Patrick's Day March
Through West End
Portland City Councilors David Marshall and Kevin Donoghue will lead the annual
St. Patrick's Day traditional march through the West End, beginning at 12 NOON,
March 17th - St. Patrick's Day.
The march will commence at the front of the Maine Irish Heritage Center (St.
Dom's) at State and Gray Street, and will proceed the several blocks to
Harborview Park on York Street, where there will be a brief ceremony.
Everyone is invited to join fellow West Enders, local celebrities, political leaders
and Irishpersons of all nationalities for this very special local event. After the
ceremonies, some of the marchers may retire to Ruski's Pub at Clark & Danforth
for a toast (unless Popeye's Ice House reopens in the meantime!)
Friday, March 13, 2009
Bayside Wants New Chief’s Ear
The Bayside Neighborhood Association is anxious to meet with new Portland
Police Chief James Craig when he arrives to take over the helm of the Portland
Police Department in May.
An increase in crimes affecting "quality of life" in Bayside has given cause for
worry about the situation becoming exacerbated as soon as nice weather arrives,
bringing more people out onto the streets.
The decision of the District Attorney’s office to not prosecute crimes that are
deemed to be minor has compounded the problem. Arrests for drinking in public,
criminal trespass, and finding of cocaine residue are misdemeanors falling into the
category with the designation of "no further action."
Due to staffing and budget constraints, the DA feels that these crimes shouldn’t
get as far as a judge, even though the arrests are appropriate.
-Marge Niblock
PHS Students Want Lower School Speed Limits
Two Portland High students, Zach Scrutchfield and Erik Medina, have
collected data about the speed of cars driving by their school for an
Advanced Placement statistics class project. They hope that their
research will help convince authorities to reduce the speed limit on
Cumberland Avenue near the school from 25 miles per hour to 15 miles per
hour.
Portland elementary and middle schools are surrounded by school speed
zones of 15 miles per hour. Signs with yellow, blinking lights alert
motorists about the lower limit. Scrutchfield and Medina would like a
similar sign posted near Portland High.
Scrutchfield and Medina noted that hundreds of Portland High students
cross Cumberland Avenue every day. They borrowed a radar gun from the
Portland Police Department to sample the speed of cars passing the school on
Cumberland Avenue at specific times during the day. Stephen Black, Portland
High’s resource officer, helped them with the project.
Scrutchfield and Medina found that most cars were traveling 20 to 25
miles per hour. They clocked vehicles going as fast as 32 miles per hour.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Maine Expands Laptops to High School Students
Maine is preparing to expand its student laptop program into the high school,
providing laptops for school-related use to every public high school student in the
state. Maine , which was the first state to provide laptops to all seventh- and
eighth-graders, will be the first to provide them statewide at the high school level.
The expansion is part of an agreement the state Department of Education
negotiated with Apple Inc. for a reduced rate on the laptops, allowing the state to
lease 100,000 machines within existing funds dedicated to educational technology.
Under the agreement, the state will provide new laptops to all high schoolers and
replace older machines at the middle school level. School districts are not required
to participate in the program, though superintendents have indicated overwhelming
support for the laptop expansion.
Governor John Baldacci announced the expansion during his State of the State
address to the Maine Legislature. Maine first deployed laptops in grades 7 and 8 in
2002, though the law that established the initiative has always called for laptops in
the high school as well.
An important aspect of the deployment of the laptops is a focus on making them
an economic development tool for parents, too. The computers will come with
software that links parents to state Department of Labor services, including their
Career Centers.
For more information on the laptops initiative, visit www.maine.gov/mlti .
Man Assaulted After Refusing Cigarette
Randy Place, 47, was arrested and charged with assault on February 27, at 1:04
AM, at the Metro bus stop on Elm Street. Police were told by the male victim that
he’d been assaulted by Place after Place had demanded a cigarette from him.
The victim had gone to speak to someone he knew on the bus that had just pulled
up, just after Place made his demand. According to police, Mr. Place put his hand
on the victim’s head and slammed it against the bus.
The call originally made to police regarded two males fighting at the public parking
garage at the Elm Street location, but when they arrived no fight was observed.
Two men, Place and the victim, were standing at the bus stop.
-Marge Niblock
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Man Who Robbed Old Port Pharmacy Sentenced to 18
Years
Patrick Morency, who held up the Old Port Pharmacy last year, has been
sentenced to 18 years in prison, all but 7 suspended, with 4 years probation.
Portland Police detectives arrested Morency, 25, of Portland on March 31, 2008,
in connection with the robbery earlier in the day.
Morency entered the pharmacy at 195 Middle Street at approximately 7:56 AM on
March 31st, approached the pharmacist with a sharp object, and demanded
narcotic drugs. The pharmacist complied with the demand and the robber fled .
Witnesses saw the suspect fleeing down Exchange Street in a small silver
hatchback vehicle and described him to police. Morency was arrested at police
headquarters later that day.
Wine Taken During Restaurant Burglary
555, the popular restaurant at 555 Congress Street, suffered a loss of 30 bottles of
wine valued at $1,500, during an overnight burglary occurring some time between
March 4th and 5th.
Police were called to the restaurant when it opened on March 5th, after it was
discovered that access to the restaurant had been gained by forced entry through a
door.
-Marge Niblock
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
DHS to Dedicate New Auditorium Before 'Anything
Goes'
Deering High School will hold a dedication ceremony for its newly
refurbished auditorium on March 27 at 7 p.m. The Lowe’s Charitable
and Educational Foundation will be recognized for its $25,000
contribution to the project and Jamie Chapman, Lowe’s Portland store
manager, will be on hand to help students lift the curtain on their
production of the musical “Anything Goes.”
Parents, students, alumni, local businesses and community members
contributed money and volunteer labor to the $100,000 renovation
project. Improvements include replacing the stage floor and the
auditorium’s carpet, installing new stage lights and cleaning and
repairing seats.
Planning for the renovation project began in 2007. In addition to the
Lowe’s grant, more than 200 alumni and other donors from all over the
country contributed. The Deering classes of 2007 and 2008 each gave
$5,000. City capital funds helped pay for sound and lighting equipment.
Deering will continue to renovate the auditorium. Future projects
include painting the walls and rebuilding the lobby and ticket booth.
Kunin said the school eventually would like to create a performing and
visual arts center in the auditorium wing of the building.
The March 27th ceremony will be followed by Deering’s student
production of the Cole Porter musical, “Anything Goes.” Tickets for
the play are $12 for adults ($10 in advance) and $10 for students and
children ($8 in advance). Tickets may be reserved by calling Kathleen
Harris at 874-8260 or by emailing harrik@portlandschools.org.
Additional performances of “Anything Goes” will be held on March 26
at 7 p.m. and on March 28 and 29 at 2 and 7 p.m.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Federal Recovery $ to Fund Portland Transportation
Projects
The Maine Department of Transportation has given the green light to local
projects that received a portion of the federal recovery package funds that were
sent to Maine .
Nearly $4.4 million has been earmarked for seven transportation projects in
Portland . The largest projects are replacement of the Veranda Street Bridge and
infrastructure improvements to improve the quality of stormwater runoff to the
Long Creek watershed. Other projects include resurfacing of portions of I-295
southbound, Cumberland Avenue, Westbrook Street and Forest Avenue .
The Transportation Department identified a number of projects around the state
that were highest on its priority list and is ready to begin construction as soon as
the bidding process is complete. The state has set a goal of completing all projects
during the upcoming construction season.
The pedestrian bridge over the Bayside Trail has been removed from the State’s
stimulus funding list. MDOT didn’t think the project was shovel-ready enough.
Trail supporters are hoping that MDOT will now allocate stimulus funds toward
the construction of the Bayside Trail itself.
Portland Firefighters Win Stair Climb
Portland firefighters were recognized on March 5th at the Capitol Building in
Augusta for placing first in the American Lung Association Climb up Boston on
February 7th.
The Portland firefighters competed against 25 other teams throughout New
England in a stair- climbing event which had them racing up 82 flights (41 stories)
in full turn out gear, including wearing an air pack.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Pingree Appoints “Recovery Czar”
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree has announced the appointment of a “Recovery
Czar” to help Maine businesses, organizations and individuals understand and take
advantage of federal funding from the Economic Recovery Package recently
passed by Congress. Jackie Potter will fill the position at Pingree’s office in
Portland.
Pingree estimated that 15,000 jobs will be created or saved over the next two years
in education, healthcare, construction and clean energy.
The White House has set up a website—recovery.gov—to show exactly where the
Recovery funds are going. In Pingree’s office, Potter will also distribute
information about who is receiving funding from the stimulus package and publish
it on Pingree’s website.
Acting Police Chief Stresses Public Awareness
Portland’s most recent robbery- a hold up at a convenience store on Washington
Avenue- prompted Acting Portland Police Chief Joseph K. Loughlin to update the
public on crime trends that he is concerned about.
Loughlin stated "We have a safe city, but we’re seeing an emergence of violent
crime." He stressed that "public awareness is the primary message" he was
interested in conveying. "We need to be vigilant. Officers are seeing more guns
and more ‘attitude’." He said some of the people police are dealing with have "a
gangster type of behavior," and he worries that someone will be hurt.
An alert public can be of great assistance to police according to Loughlin. "Citizens
help solve crimes."Public awareness can also prevent crimes of opportunity, and
Loughlin cautioned people to not leave doors to homes or cars unlocked, adding
that nothing should be left visible in cars.
-Marge Niblock
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Police Arrest Two Teens in Armed Robbery
Portland police arrested two teenagers after they allegedly held up an East End
convenience store on March 6th.
At approximately 12:28 AM, Portland Police responded to a hold-up alarm at the
Big Apple at Cumberland and Washington Avenues, where they discovered an
armed robbery in progress. Officers secured the perimeter of the building and
waited for both suspects to exit the business. Both males exited the building and
tried fleeing the area, but were captured.
A Big Apple employee told police that the two juveniles entered the store and
approached the cashier, demanding cash and cigarettes. One male displayed a
handgun and made threatening statements to the cashier. They took an undisclosed
amount of cash and merchandise.
Officers recovered all the stolen money and merchandise. Also recovered was the
handgun used in the robbery. The handgun was a stolen weapon from a burglary
in Falmouth, according to police.
One juvenile was charged with Robbery (Class A) and the second was charged
with Robbery (Class A), possession of stolen firearm (Class B) and refusing to
submit to arrest. Both juveniles are currently in custody at Long Creek.
No one was injured during the robbery and no other customers were in thestore at
the time.
Friday, March 6, 2009
MCLU Head Urges Dems to Support Same Sex
Marriage
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 Begins
On February 23rd, the Secretary of State announced 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 was held on Monday, February
23rd at The Portland Club on State Street.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
METRO Looking to Replace Old Buses
Portland’s METRO transit board is talking with officials of the Wilmington,
Delaware mass transit group about the possible purchase of ten buses to replace
some of METRO’s aging fleet.
The thirteen-year-old buses would replace METRO buses that are five years older
and that each have over 500,000 miles on them. They break down often,
according to City officials, and are getting too expensive to maintain. The
replacement buses would cost $4,000 each.
Medical Marijuana Act Among Five Citizen Initiatives
Certified
State officials completed work on February 23rd preparing certification of five
proposed citizen-initiated efforts to bring bills to the Maine Legislature, including
one that would, among other things, create “nonprofit dispensaries” around Maine
to sell marijuana to eligible patients with special state-issued identification
cards.
On January 21st, petitions containing 72,775 signatures were submitted to the
Secretary of State on behalf of the initiated legislation entitled, “An Act to Establish
the Maine Medical Marijuana Act”.
55,408 of the signatures were considered valid, about 300 more than the required
55,087.
The Maine Constitution provides for the citizen initiative whereby proponents must
gather at least 55,087 signatures—10% of turnout in the previous gubernatorial
election.
Four of the five met the Constitutional thresholds. The fifth initiative, An Act to
Expand Affordable Health Insurance Choices in Maine, fell short of the signatures
needed. Details of the individual decisions can be viewed at:http://www.maine.
gov/sos/news/2009/certified-citizen-initiatives.htm
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Pingree, Obama Announce New Community Health
Center
$1.5 million from Recovery Act to fund new clinic in Portland; City
Public Health Director says it will make a “real difference in people’s
lives.”
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and President Obama announced on March 2nd
that the City of Portland will be getting $1.3 million in Recovery Act funding to
build a new community health center. The facility will expand access to health
care to low-income Mainers, many with no health insurance. The funding was
authorized by the American Investment and Recovery Act, passed by Congress
and signed by the President last month.
Community health centers provide basic health care for people who are uninsured
or underinsured, and they accept Medicare, Medicaid and private health insurance
payments. When individuals do not have insurance or cannot afford to pay a
deductible, they are billed on a sliding scale based on their income.
Portland currently has just one community health center—Healthcare for the
Homeless— which exclusively serves the area’s homeless population. The new
health center would be open to the general public.
West End NEWS Begins 9th Year
With this issue, the West End NEWS turns eight years old, making it the second-
longest running newspaper in the City of Portland.
When the West End NEWS was founded in the Spring of 2001, City Councilor
Cheryl Leeman was Mayor (Nick Mavodones is the only other City Councilor left
from that era), the Casco Bay Weekly was the hot tabloid in town, and dogs were
still running loose in the Western Cemetery.
Monday,March 2, 2009
Bill Would Halt False Phone Fees
The Utilities and Energy Committee on February 26th voted unanimously in favor
of a bill sponsored by Parkside Representative Herb Adams that would protect
consumers from hidden, illegal fees on their telephone bills. The bill, LD 127, will
now go to the Legislature for votes on enactment with the committee’s full
support.
Long-distance service providers from outside Maine have slipped misleading and
false fees into the list of surcharges Mainers already pay for vital services like 9-1-
1 emergency lines, said Adams . Maine ’s Office of the Public Advocate, the state
consumer watchdog agency, detected one carrier charging Mainers a so-called
“State Tax on Federal Universal Service” in 2008. The provider stopped the
practice immediately when contacted by the Public Advocate.p
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