February 16-29, 2012 PPH writer Greg Kesich pedaling his bike up The Hill...Munjoy Hiller Jane Bayer making stops at Quito, the Galapagos Islands, Guayaquil, and Cuenca, Ecuador...It's been a long time since Rebecca Minnick has made a grits casserole... Michael Lane Trautman treated like a rock star at clown festivals in Venice and Milan...Pete Faris and Tracie Reed having Sunday brunch at Colucci's...Jeannette Villanuava made her musical debut opening for Blue Lobster Troupe... West Ender Ralph Davis home from India...WEN meme gone viral on Facebook...Anna Trevorrow and Tony Zeli are now Bayside homeowners...Some West Enders ready for a Spring Equinox party...
February 1-15, 2012 PPH columnist Bill Nemitz a guest on the Rachel Maddow Show...Ellen Murphy got a singing phone call on Valentine's Day from a Leonard Cohen impersonator...Michelle Patrick helping out PaperBoy on Munjoy Hill...Didn't recognize former waterfront director Captain Jeff Monroe (now an Episcopal priest)...Mayor Brennan planning to attend West End St. Patrick's Day March...Lee Bellavance headed back to Mexico...West End Plant Lady has come out of hibernation... Some West End seniors talking about forming their own political action committee - L.O.V.E. (League of Voting Elders)... BAYSIDE BOWL First Place, Great Lost Bear 2nd, and Silly's third in WMPG's 17th Annual Fat Tuesday Cajun Cookin' Challenge ...Jenny Anastasoff auditioning for femme fatale role...Teague Halsted and mom at Monument Square rally...Portland High School is the oldest standing high school in the country... Former Portland state rep Boyd Marley wants to be a Cumberland County Commissioner... Chris Busby distributing the latest Bollard at Foley's Bakery in Monument Square...Louise Philbrick in town to take in a show at Lucid Stage......Will King harvesting peaches in Australia... Charlie Bragdon thinking about running for the State House again... Steve Hirshon says it wasn't a vacation, it was only a break... Couple of seniors having an animated political discussion over coffee at Aurora Provisions...Generous ATM machine at Pine Street Cumby's gave a customer two twenties instead of one...
January 16-31, 2012 Crash Barry's blog The Crash Report (www.crashbarry.com) is a hoot...Steve Hilton at Coins Laundromat is one of the hardest- working guys in the West End...The City Chickens to open for Blue Lobster Troupe concert...Old joke: Why are they putting a new fence around the Western Cemetery? Because people are dying to get in...Can't believe there's a French woman in the West End who hates red wine...Will King reports emu and kangaroo sightings in the land Down Under...The WEN has its own Brenda Starr reporting from Parkside...
When we last left Deliveryman and PaperBoy, they were rummaging through the trunk of the WestEndNewsMobile trying to find their ice skates and cross-country skis so they could be part of Portland's outdoor winter scene, but all they found were some old copies of the WEN, some RATHBAND FOR MAYOR posters, and a few Leonardo's Pizza flyers. They eventually gave up and headed over to the ICE BAR for a few cold ones while they were waiting for the Super Bowl to start...
Rachel Flehinger out of the hospital and ready to teach a new round of improv comedy classes...Andrew Bossie tending the bar at STYXX and donating all his tips to Maine Citizens for Clean Elections...Chris O'Neil at Stone Mountain Arts Center...Johnny Speckman going for the Steampunk look with his new mutton chops...Won't be able to fill up any more at Udder Place Coffee Shop...Delia Gorham's famous uncle spotted at Hannaford... Will Ethridge now the Events & Marketing Manager at Portland's Downtown District... Waterlily owner Renee Garland on a shopping trip to Thailand...City Councilor Ed Suslovic not really interested in running for West End State Rep seat...Portland Police Officer Ray Ruby named Officer of the Month for December...West End Deli moving to Congress Street...Bill Umbel of Empire Dine and Dance appointed to Portland's Sound Oversight Committee...Lisa McNeil headed to Guatemala...Polly MaryAmalia Spencer wintering in Arizona...Local Giants and Patriots fans looking forward to a Super Bowl rematch... Broncos fans at Fresh Approach counting the days til Spring Training...Rosa Noreen's Bright Star World Dance studio celebrating 1st anniversary...West Ender Erin Curren has the most wildly-decorated car ever...Green Memorial Choir a big hit at MLK Day concert... Susan Doran taking up surfing in sunny Santa Cruz, California...
January 1-15, 2012 London group show,"Hidden Gems of Contemporary Art" includes local artists Carol Bass, Richard Garrigus, Libby Mitchell, Annette Kearney, Avy Claire, and Laurie Hadlock...AARP planning a safe driving class at Reiche for West End seniors...West Ender Holly Seeliger planning a run for the Portland School Committee...Western Cemetery getting a new fence...WENA has a new logo designed by VP Jodie Lapchick...Zach Heiden jogging around Back Cove...Heather Tanguay surprised on 50th Birthday with big party on Brackett Street...Guy from Los Angeles named John Eder surprised to learn he had been a mayoral candidate in Portland, Maine...Didn't know that Bethanny and Matthew Araujo are now West Enders...Jenny Yasi on her way to Puerto Rico to pick up her boat...State Senator Phil Bartlett won the first game of the new bowling season...Former West End School Committee rep Stephen Spring in town for a post-holiday visit...