South Portland Cape Elizabeth NextSentry

Officials consider city market - Jan. 27, 2012

2012-01-27T14:27:41Z

By Michael J. Tobin
Staff Writer

“To be or not to be” in Thomas Knight Park this summer is the big question that faces the South Portland Farmers Market Advisory Committee.
At a meeting last Thursday, advisory committee members Bob O’Brien, Michael Vallaincourt, Caitlin Jordan, Jean Keller and Rosemarie De Angelis were joined by farmers Dick Piper of Piper Ranch in Buckfield and Laura Fillinger of Maine Saltwater Creations to update and discuss the South Portland Farmers Market and some of the concerns that face the group.
Jordan said there was a total of 17 vendors for the 16 weeks of the summer farmers market in Thomas Knight Park. The market ran on Thursday afternoons from July to October 2011. The winter farmers market, located at the city planning office on the corner of Ocean and Sawyer streets (the old Hamlin School), has had 12 vendors for the past 11 weeks. The winter market, which opened in November 2011, currently continues on Sunday “until people stop coming,” Jordan said.
De Angelis and Keller gave the results of a survey taken at the winter market on Jan. 15 that asked 54 people a variety of questions about both markets.
“Twelve people were first timers to the winter market, seven had come once before, 13 attended weekly, 17 attend two to three times a month and six have come three or more times,” De Angelis said.
Twelve came weekly to the summer market, five came quite regularly and 38 attended infrequently or not at all, Keller said.
“Your talking about only 54 people,” Piper said. “What about all the thousands who aren’t coming?”
When those surveyed were asked what would make their attendance greater or what would they like to see at the market, Keller said 36 of those interviewed wanted more choices in what vendors sold.
“Other comments included more vendors, more selection, prices were too high, issues with the cobblestone walkways and parking, more signage and advertising,” Keller said. “Twenty people spoke positively on the summer spot, five gave positive feedback on the winter location and 11 gave overall support and interest in the market.”
De Angelis said she wants to continue collecting more information to help make the market a success.
“In addition we hope to have a written survey so that if people don’t want to be stopped and talk, they can get a survey from a vendor, fill it out and drop it off at another time,” Keller said. “Some sort of web site would also be helpful.”
Piper, a vendor at both markets, feels that people only have so much money to spend at markets.
“If you have too many vendors selling the same thing, then some of us aren’t going to make money,” Piper said. “Some vendors aren’t making the money to pay for the gas it took to get them here.”
De Angelis asked the committee to think about how the market can form partnerships and work with other businesses to promote the market through their venues as well.
“The city has had a marketing plan and we’ve been doing marketing things since the beginning,” De Angelis said. “We are now asking you, ‘what’s the market doing?’ This is a partnership and we need to know what’s going on.”
Piper said evidently there are not enough people reading all the things the city is doing because people are not coming to the market.
“I’ve been in contact with someone to design a logo for signs but there’s no sense in getting that done until we know what’s going on with the market,” Jordan said. “We do have a Facebook page that we keep updated and a constant contact list that we send out information to. We’re talking about getting postcards made up to distribute. We sent notices home with every school student. There is only so much you can do.”
Jordan said the committee only has so much money to do these things and needs to know where the market is at in order to take steps forward.
“The biggest issue is location – we need to convenient, not inconvenient, the customer as much as possible,” Jordan said. “I started Scarborough’s farmers market in one location, realized it didn’t work there after a year and the city moved us. It is now a great market. I believe, as well as many other vendors at the South Portland Farmers Market, that Thomas Knight Park is hindering the development of the market.”
Jordan said that nearly the entire elderly population has stopped coming because the cobblestone walkways and parking is not ideal.
De Angelis said there could be an option to move to the “horn” of Thomas Knight Park (sidewalks and roadway) and that there is plenty of parking, including side streets.
“What we need is for Thomas Knight Park to become a destination point,” De Angelis said. “What can we do to draw people to that area?”
Jordan said the market is not making enough money to make it worth the hours it takes for farmers to prep, set up, stand there all day and take it down.
“With the current economic state, farmers cannot stay on board with this market while we create a destination point,” Jordan said. “So most of the farmers who were here last year will not be able to come back because they are just not making enough money to survive. The reality is if you don’t do something, it’s going to be a pretty skimpy farmers market without the farmers.”
In an e-mail to De Angelis, South Portland Mayor Patricia Smith wrote that at the first meeting of the new city council, it was noted that consistency is needed in the committee’s efforts and to tender that with patience.
Smith asked the committee for a report on money collected, how that money is put back into the market and what the association’s marketing plan is to increase awareness to build momentum for the remainder of the winter market and the upcoming summer market.
Smith said she is concerned about the overall transparency of the application process for new vendors and the accounting of market funds. She said the city ultimately is exposed and at risk for the market and would like to see the committee take a more active role with subsequent meetings and to create a brief and concise mission statement for the farmers market.
Smith said it’s important to include how a vendor is selected and by whom and that the committee needs to create a formal statement that concerns variety and depth of goods the public can expect and a range of types and amount of vendors.
Smith encouraged the committee to plan a more formal structure within the group, similar to how other city groups are run.
De Angelis said the committee needs to now find out if vendors will return and participate in the farmers market if the location remains at Thomas Knight Park before it goes any further.
“That feedback will be very telling for the future of the market,” De Angelis said. “Until then, we need people to come out, buy local and support the winter market so that we know they want us here in the future.”
In a final word to the committee, De Angelis quoted a farmers market website from the Massachusetts government site.
“Just as it takes time for a farmer to get established in a farmers market, it takes time for a market to become known in a community,” De Angelis said. “Be patient. If you manage your market, advertise it well and your farmers bring in a varied assortment of quality products, in time you will become a valued institution in your city or town.”

Staff Writer Michael J. Tobin can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219.

Federal grant runs out on tool for local businesses - Jan. 27, 2012

2012-01-27T14:26:49Z

By Michael J. Tobin
Staff Writer

Fighting retail crime is going to get more challenging for local businesses beginning in February.
For Wendy Kierstead, a Southern Maine Crime analyst, the Maine Police Intel Bulletins for police officers and businesses are an important tool to keep them informed and safe. However, the federal grant that funds the weekly Bulletins runs out Jan. 31 and is not going to be renewed.
“Although we have downsized from two analysts to one, we still have been unable to come up with adequate funding to keep going,” Kierstead said. “As a sworn law enforcement officer, it is illegal for me to take part in any fundraising involving police issues. However we would very much like to keep these bulletins going. We’re now putting together a subscription format hoping that will let us continue with this important information.”
The bulletins were created a few years ago when the Lewiston Police Department felt there was a lack of communications with area businesses. A burglary spree where more than 50 businesses were hit (in Central and Southern ME) resulted in more than $250,000 in cash and goods were stolen.
Detectives in Lewiston set up a “merchant’s meeting” with area businesses to try to calm them, and was invited to attend.
Kierstead at the time was working on the first federal grant where every police department in the southern half of the state got three bulletins a week and could trade information on a real-time basis.
“Departments in Kittery, York or Portland would send me info with MO’s or names of their suspects and I’d make sure all departments got the info, photos, numbers to call for more information,” Kierstead said. “That’s about the time departments were coming to the realization that criminals did not pay any attention to town, city or county lines and if the police were getting too close in South Portland, they just moved to Lewiston, Brunswick or other communities.”
During the Lewiston merchant’s meeting someone asked if there was a way to give businesses any information but since the police officers received investigative and juvenile information in police bulletins, the businesses couldn’t legally receive them, Kierstead said.
“I offered to put out a bulletin similar to the police ones, but with only info that came under Maine’s Right to Know act and only concerning business crimes,” Kierstead said. “The Maine Merchant’s Association Director Curtis Picard became interested and pushed more businesses to join.”
The federal grant was part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, said Patricia Kimball of Ideactive Solutions, a consulting organization for non-profits, and the bulletin’s administrator.
“It was for $400,000 for three plus years,” Kimball said. “It covered the cost of two full time analysts (one for the northern part of the state and one for southern) and a half-time assistant, as well as grant management and some equipment. The grant allowed us to greatly expand our reach and finally cover the entire state.”
The total cost for the law enforcement and retail bulletin annually is $85,000, Kimball said.
“It is not cheaper to do an online version because the cost is not in distributing the bulletin but in collecting, researching and organizing the information and then putting it into a reader friendly format.”
Currently the Police bulletins, done by PDF through e-mail, continue to be put out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and retail bulletins go out every Tuesday, Kierstead said.
“Up to this point the funding has been through police grants, so the police definitely have taken priority,” Kierstead said. “In fact, information traded between police departments in the police bulletin has closed far more cases and helped far more businesses than the retail bulletins. Businesses often find out what’s going on with their cases in the bulletins long before the investigating detectives are able to get back to them.”
Big corporate businesses such as Wal-Mart, Mardens, Toys R Us and Hannaford Brothers use the bulletins as well as smaller businesses such as Maine Gold and Silver, VIP Auto and Broadway Gardens, Kimball said.
“The bulletin has been a huge help to us every week,” said John Colby, vice president of Maine Gold and Silver in South Portland. “Our security officer and staff is able to know who and what is going on in Maine and to be on the watch for everything from robbery suspects, released criminals, scams, to counterfeit money passing. It also lets us know when there’s been jewelry or valuable coins stolen and to be on the look out for that, especially in our line of work.”
Colby said he hopes the state finds some way to continue the bulletins because it’s a safety issue for stores such as Maine Gold and Silver that deal with high-end merchandise and never know who might be coming through the door.
Kierstead said she is the only full time analyst working on the Police Bulletins. A part time assistant works 10 hours a week and helps maintain an online list of Maine’s most wanted criminals.
“I think the amount we’re hoping to get from retail to keep that part going is ($20,000 to $25,000),” Kierstead said. “For that, as many people as each business wants can get the bulletins e-mailed directly to them and we’ll be setting up a password secure website where the retail bulletins will be posted. The police already have their website with six months worth of police bulletins posted so they can check older information. I’m planning on setting up the same for retail.”
Kierstead said the Maine Police Intel Bulletin is considering subscriptions.
“It is harder to do with retail because there is such variability in the size of businesses,” Kierstead said. “Right now we are about to promote a yearly subscription price of $50 per business location for Maine Merchant Association members and $75 for nonmembers.”
With nearly 70 members of law enforcement sending letters to the bulletin to “please keep it going,” Kierstead said feedback from the police officers and retail community about the bulletin has always been supportive but the only way the bulletin can continue is through ongoing funding.
“We know the bulletin is effective; we receive word of this every day,” Kimball said. “And we want to keep it going. We need financial resources to be able to do this. If retailers want to subscribe, they can contact Curtis Picard at the Maine Merchant Association. If they want to “sponsor” the bulletin, we are open to this option as well. We can feature their store, their logo, their business in the bulletin, as a sponsor by calling 449-8805.”

Cape officials limit visitors to town’s rental properties - Jan. 27, 2012

2012-01-27T14:26:15Z

By Michael J. Tobin
Staff Writer

Cottages and events in Cape Elizabeth’s crowded ocean front communities will now have fewer visitors.
The Cape Elizabeth Ordinance Committee, made up of Councilors James Walsh, Dave Sherman and Katharine Ray, concluded the issue of short-term home rentals on Friday by calling for a 12-person cap on the number of people allowed to stay in a single-family residence offered for rent on the open market.
The town council will discuss the new zoning rules Feb. 13, then refer the issue to the planning board for review before councilors consider final approval later this year.
The limit, which restricts the number of visitors to half the number of renters for a maximum of 18 people who can be present at the rented home at any one time, applies only to homes on lots of less than 30,000 square feet, or 0.69 acres.
The new zoning rules would require that anyone who rents out a home to obtain an as-yet-to-be created “Short-Term Rental Form,” which cannot be issued without an on-site visit from the town’s code enforcement officer.
At rates from $1,000 to $11,000 per week, more than 35 homes in Cape Elizabeth were offered for rent in 2011, which caused a flood of complaints at the town office this past summer. The complaints were primarily focused on a home at 5 Sea Barn Road owned by David Ginn. The six-bedroom oceanfront home is assessed for taxes at nearly $1.5 million and rents for as much as $4,500 per week.
Town officials said the Sea Barn Road home is rented virtually every weekend during the season, sometimes for weddings large enough to require busing guests into the congested neighborhood for lack of on-street parking.
“The new zoning rules will be taken up at the Feb. 13 town council meeting at which time they will be immediately referred to the planning board for review,” said Town Manager Michael McGovern. “It could be June before the ordinance arrives back on the council table and August before it’s adopted, to take affect 30 days later.”
However, Councilor David Sherman warned homeowners against “going bonkers” by booking as many large groups as they can before the size limit hits.
“That’s probably going to cause the council and the planning board to go the other way,” Sherman said. “The next step could be to declare home rentals to be bed-and-breakfast operations subject to businesses regulation.”
While most of the renters present at Friday’s meeting appeared resigned to the new rules, some Cape Elizabeth residents appear ready to stage a fight at planning board and council public hearings.
“Regulating home rentals as a cottage industry only serves to legitimize what has until now been a freewheeling, almost fly-by-night industry,” said Frank Luongo, a Lawson Road resident. “That will lead to its growth and alter the character of Cape Elizabeth until it looks more like Old Orchard Beach or Saco.”
Town Planner Maureen O’Meara said Old Orchard Beach and Saco are the only other towns in Maine that have short-term rental ordinances.
“You’re talking about getting closer to where you need to be on this,” Luongo said. “But what you’re getting closer to is opening the whole town of Cape Elizabeth to becoming a rental community and I don’t think that’s where we need to be.”

Private library funding best, says survey - Jan. 27, 2012

2012-01-27T14:25:52Z

By Michael J. Tobin
Staff Writer

A planning study released last week questions the economic climate, willingness of major donors and urges a cautious approach to fundraising for a new Thomas Memorial Library in Cape Elizabeth.
The study conducted by Demont Associates, a Portland consulting firm that provides philanthropic advice to nonprofit organizations, concluded that with a public awareness campaign and the support of stakeholders to create a proposed “cultural center,” between $1.75 million and $3 million could be raised to help fund library construction.
Demont Associates, hired for $30,000 in early September, has determined the feasibility of privately raising $3 million of the proposed $8 million to $8.5 million required for renovation and expansion of the library at 6 Scott Dyer Road.
“The council has set aside $100,000 for up-front work, but it’s this study that will set the bar on what town officials can expect to raise in donations and, by extension, what they’ll have to collect via taxation if the new library is to be built,”
Town Manager Mike McGovern said.
The study also recommends waiting until 2013 for a bond referendum on a portion of the funds so that at least two-thirds of private support can be raised.
According to McGovern, If donors come forward in a big enough way, and if voters approve a bond, the new library could open as soon as 2014.
Replacing the Thomas Memorial Library has been an issue in Cape Elizabeth since 2007, when a Town Council-appointed study committee commissioned a report by Himmel & Wilson Library Consultants, of Milton, Wis. That report outlined a list of 102 structural and design deficiencies in the building including shelves that have to be spaced to meet American with Disabilities (ADA) standards, issues with moisture and humidity, poor ventilation and lack of facilities to run the wiring required of modern libraries in the computer age.
“Another of the gross inadequacies is that the heating plant and control systems are just completely obsolete,” Jay Sherma, Library Director, said. “Plus, nothing here was designed with any concept of modern plumbing involved.”
According to Sherma, the library’s five buildings contain 15,000 square feet of space, but only 13,500 which is usable.
According to the Himmel & Wilson report, the cost of renovating any part of the existing library is too great and the historical significance of the component pieces too low, to justify saving the structure. Casaccio’s original design, presented to focus groups in June, was a complete rebuild, which clocked in at 23,000 square feet.
“I use the library every week for something,” said Elizabeth Burns of Cape Elizabeth. “I’m trying to teach my (teenage) kids to use the library more instead of the computer. I would be more than happy to donate money for the building.”
The findings of the study are based on 57 interviews in the last few weeks with residents, library trustees, Thomas Memorial Library Foundation directors, and members of the Study Oversight Committee, foundation donors and library patrons.
Eighty-five percent of interview participants said they believe the funding method is appropriate for the project and community and private support through a capital campaign will relieve taxpayers and lower the burden of any bond that might be proposed.
“I never go there, in fact, I don’t even know where it is,” said Paul Foley of Cape Elizabeth. “I would be really angry if I had to pay higher taxes to fund a place I don’t use. I do like the idea of a cultural center, depending on how they define that.”
Sherma said the real trend is for libraries to fill a need as community centers for arts and civic functions of all kinds.
“A library is not just a place to store books,” Sherma said, “It is a place where people come together.”
Approximately three-quarters of the people interviewed by Demont said they consider the overall expansion plan appropriate or acceptable with modifications.
The study indicated, “vision and focus on a cultural center rather than a library resonates with many interviewees, as does the need for flexible space to meet the changing needs of technology.”
Consultants assessed whether or not the community would be receptive to the timing of such a private funding campaign.
“Economic uncertainty leads to some hesitation in responses about whether 2012 is a good time for Cape Elizabeth to proceed with gathering support for the library project,” the study states. “There is acknowledgment that most organizations are continuing and succeeding in fundraising, that bond rates are low and that the needs will not diminish with time. For these reasons, the majority of interviewees generally believe now is the time to proceed with caution with the project planning and campaign preparation.”
According to the report there is “broad willingness to give to the proposed campaign at some level among all categories of interviewees.”
Demont Associates determined ways to enhance the project’s fundraising potential through offering donors the opportunity to pledge over a period of years, further clarifying the vision and programming for a cultural center and possible naming opportunities.
“I think this is a no-brainer, we need to do this,” said Hillary Boulard of Cape Elizabeth. “And unlike some of the other communities, many of us here on the Cape can afford to support this. But I would want to know where my money was going.”
The report also revealed that despite “reservations about the overall magnitude of the project, interviewees agree that a $3 million private fundraising goal is attainable for the town of Cape Elizabeth and that the top gifts needed to reach that goal are available.”
The most recent proposed library plan supported by the town council in November increases the overall library space to 23,000 square feet from its current 13,000 square feet by adding a second story that would reduce the building’s footprint.
The new design creates more green space around the building, provides connections with the schools and has 50 parking spots. The entrance to the library would be a split-level design so people could go up to the adult, young adult and children’s areas, or downstairs to the historical society and meeting space.
Key library functions would be on the upper level, with a coffee bar, circulation desk and reading areas, while the lower level would contain storage space for The Friends of the Thomas Memorial Library (FOTML), a division of the Thomas Memorial Library Foundation, which is a non-profit organization founded in 2005 to support the library and its services, mechanical space, a kitchen, restrooms and conference rooms.
McGovern said the report on potential library fundraising would be discussed further before a recommendation is presented to the council.
“I will be scheduling a meeting with Council Chairman Sara Lennon and Councilor Jessica Sullivan, who is the council’s library liaison, to review the report and recommendations from the trustees and the foundation board,” McGovern said.

About Town - Jan. 27, 2012

2012-01-27T14:25:26Z

City’s fire department needs support

There is no question, no hesitation that we need to support our South Portland fire department in their quest for hiring more fire fighters. This should not even be an option up for discussion; this should be an absolute must.
With the recent house fire of my good friends, Mark and Denise Calkins, I got to see first hand how our fire department(s) work. They are heroes. You can’t put a price on what they did.
I saw the horrific adverse conditions they had to work in at the Calkin’s house during the fire. I saw the amazing way they treated this family during and after the fire. I saw the compassion, respect and love these fire fighters gave my friends with the loss of their four pets.
They are putting their lives on the line every day to save yours, so how can we possibly question their needs and deny them the appropriate coverage for their department?
If every resident in South Portland gave $20., we could raise $500,040. for the fire department. Let me say that again, If every resident in South Portland gave $20., we could raise $500,040. for the fire department. Most of us spend $20. on something we really don’t need at least once a week, and we really need our fire department. So the next time you’re about to spend way too much money on a couple cocktails in the Old Port, have water instead and send that money to the Fire Department.
It seems some people (perhaps even our own city council) tend to forget exactly what the fire department does unless it was happening to them. They do far more than just put out fires. Although the council approved the funding for two more fire fighters, perhaps the council members should spend some time in the fire fighter’s shoes putting out a fire or attending to a serious accident. Perhaps then they would get a different perspective about the job they do and realize that their request to be fully staffed is far more important then their debated health insurance. In fact the fire department is their health insurance, because the life they save could be theirs.
Together we can and we must make sure that our heroes have the support they need because, if you ever need their services like my friends did, you will be very happy to have them there to protect you. I know I am.
Please let us (and them) know how you feel about this issue on our new Sentry Facebook page. “Like” us and share your thoughts and news about what’s going on in the South Portland and Cape Elizabeth communities.

– Michael J. Tobin

Letters to the editor - Jan. 27, 2012

2012-01-27T14:24:57Z

Online system saved time

To the editor:

During 2011, the South Portland Police Department accepted a total of 283 crime reports via the Internet, with thefts (including thefts from motor vehicles), and criminal complaints comprising the largest percentage of those.
In May 2010, the department launched a web-based system, allowing the public a convenient option for filing certain non-priority crime reports over the Internet for incidents in which there are no known suspects or evidence. This option was intended to enhance the service provided to the community and to allow the department to make more efficient use of our limited personnel resources and staff time.
It is estimated that during 2011, upwards of 424.5 hours of staff time was saved through use of the online reporting system. Based on an estimated figure of $50 of staff time per reporter, it is calculated that the use of this reporting feature has provided a time savings of approximately $14,150 during the calendar year.
It can be accessed from both the department and the city’s website – www.southportland.org – as well as from a kiosk desk in the front lobby of the police station.
Once submitted and accepted online, the reporting party will automatically receive a free copy of the final police report e-mailed to them as a PDF document either for their records or for their insurance company’s needs. By contrast, a fee in generally assessed for copies of public records, such as reports filed by police officers. The online report is then automatically uploaded into the department’s records management system where it will receive the same review, follow-up and statistical analysis as if it had been filed by a police officer.

Lt. Frank Clark
South Portland Police Department

Keep market alive

To the editor:

Buy Local is more than a bumper sticker. It means that if we want local business owners here, we must use our pocketbook. Stop shopping for Walmart bargains and choose our local business owners, preferring relationship, partnership and change in our way of life.  
Many of us grew up with the local business owner; the corner grocer, neighborhood pharmacy or small sandwich shop. This is not new, rather it is a return to an old way of life that actually made us happier, gave us more time and developed a sense of community.  
South Portland has a winter and summer farmers market. Last Sunday, 60 people came to shop from 11 vendors. If everyone spent $10, totaling $600, then each vendor went home with $55 – not enough for gas for most. I urge you to please visit the market. Show your support or it will be gone. Vendors sell organic pork and turkey, grassfed beef, fabulous dairy, fresh chicken, pot pies, assorted vegetables, baked goods, wonderful teas, jams, jellies, honey, incredible fish/crab cakes, soups, sunflower oils and even fleece hats and mittens. However, without your financial support, this wonderful business venture will disappear Sundays, every week, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at corner of Route 77 and Sawyer Street, in the former Hamlin School, now the city planning and code offices. Bring your neighbors and friends. “Like” them on Facebook at “South Portland Farmers Market” and share it with your friends. Do your part to keep this alive. I hope to see you there.

Rosemarie De Angelis
South Portland

End of an era - Jan. 13, 2012

2012-01-13T15:20:33Z

By Michael J. Tobin
Staff Writer

Memories outweigh profits at Bathras Market, which will close its doors Jan. 20, eight months after it reopened at 412 Preble St. in South Portland’s Willard Square.
“This decision has not come easily to our family, as we take our role in the community very seriously,” said co-owner Kate Bathras. “We truly appreciate what all our customers have done to help us make Bathras the wonderful place that it is and we will miss being their marketplace.”
The Jan. 20 closure marks the end of the second chapter for the Bathras family.
Co-owner Tim Bathras’ grandfather, George Bathras, ran the market in the same location for 35 years until closing the shop in 1989. Tim and his wife, Kate, re-opened the market last May.
“The seasonal nature of the location and the lower-priced competition from supermarkets made it impossible to keep the store open,” Kate Bathras said. “Larger buyers can negotiate lower prices because they make huge orders. That means those markets can undercut smaller shops like Bathras.”
Kate Bathras said the market has tried as hard as possible to keep prices down.
“It was cheaper for us sometimes to go to Whole Foods and buy food by the case than it was to buy from the same distributor they use,” she said.
Kate Bathras said the 1,350-square-foot store offered a variety of organic and locally sourced foods, including lobster, pasture-raised meats from Farmer’s Gate Market in Wales and grocery items such as beer, wine, sandwiches, pizza and soups. Bathras also offered gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian items.
“We did not sell foods that contain artificial colors, flavors or MSG, antibiotics or artificial growth hormones,” Kate Bathras said.
Timothy Bathras, grandson of building owners George and Christina Bathras, carried on their South Portland legacy, employing seven full-time people and two high school students who worked part-time on weekends and after school.
“This market is such a good thing for the community,” said Sasha Timpson of Scarborough, a Bathras employee since May. “People love the store and remember it. For many of our customers, they grew up with the market.”
Timpson said the small community feel is crucial to Willard Square. Kate Bathras agrees.
“The store has a legacy of being incredibly customer centered and neighborhood oriented,” Kate Bathras said. “We honored that legacy, keeping the values of the market and the values of my husband’s grandparents.”
Customers in line on Monday expressed sadness over the market closing to Kate Bathras, who was working the cash register.
“My dad told me stories about going to the market when he was a kid. I went to the market as a kid and now I bring my kids,” said Alison Knight of South Portland. “I wish there was some way to help keep them open. It’s very sad.”
The market was opened in 1954 by first-generation Greek immigrants George and Christina Bathras and closed in 1989 when they retired. Christina Bathras, who lives above the market, still helps out in the store.
The Bathras’ aunt, Lisa Flocatoulas, and Tim Bathra’s father, Tim Bathras, a local lobsterman, had been working with the young couple to make the market a success.
“We could go a little longer, but we’re closing based on our projections and how much we’re losing each day,” Kate Bathras said. “We’ve invested a lot in this market and closing now instead of just declining and running it into the ground will allow us the ability to pay off more of our debt.”
Kate Bathras said they had reused many components of the original building when they reopened, both for the sake of being sustainable and nostalgic.
“A lot of the elements of the original store, such as the shelving, antique beer and dairy coolers and much of the floor, had been retained,” she said. “We were able to keep many of the elements from the store and reuse many of the elements previously in the store. We didn’t have to change a whole lot in the layout of the store except paint the walls a bright yellow and add a tin ceiling to complement the old hardwood floors.”
According to the South Portland Historical Society, Willard Square was once known for its array of food stores. Prior to becoming Bathras Market, the 412 Preble St. building was the site of the Willard Square IGA store. Across the street, in a building that has since been torn down, was F.K. Richards variety store. The building that houses Scratch Baking Co. once was home to a drug store. In the 1940s, Austin Bean operated the store, which had a soda fountain on one side and a post office substation in the back.
“Willard Square is seasonal now, with summer being a big draw for tourists and summer residents who are looking for local products, food to go and convenience,” Kate Bathras said. “Winter relies on the locals who, understandably, go elsewhere because we can’t compete with their prices and selection.”
Bob Johnson, owner of Scratch Baking Co. located next door, said he is sad to see Bathras Market closing.
“Business is complicated,” Johnson said. “It doesn’t get easier no matter how long you do it.”
The two businesses had established an arrangement where Bathras would sell Scratch’s artisan bread on Sunday afternoons when the bakery is closed.
Johnson said he appreciated that the Bathras reopened the old building and continued the family legacy with what he called “the ghosts of commerce past.”
“Having Bathras next door was more symbiotic than competitive,” Johnson said. “They have a great energy and brought a lot to the neighborhood.”
Kate Bathras said she has had many encouraging words from customers about how to keep the market open and they are open to other suggestions, but the family has gone over the math and weighed their options carefully.
“The reality is, our average daily sales does not support having customers,” she said. “It was a very difficult decision, but the right one for our family and circumstances.”
In the few days remaining, Bathras is offering 20 to 50 percent off groceries and dry goods in an effort to clear its inventory.
“Our customers have been incredible, helping us keep the heart and soul of the old market alive,” Kate Bathras said. “But it would take us all summer to make up for what we have lost over the past few months.”
Staff Writer Michael J. Tobin can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219.

Bids due next month for school project - Jan. 13, 2012

2012-01-13T15:20:10Z

By Michael J. Tobin
Staff Writer

The South Portland High School renovation project will begin in April with the project expected to be complete by December 2014.
Final design and project plans went before the Building Committee on Jan. 4, inviting bids for the high school renovation project.
South Portland residents in November 2010 approved a $41.5 million bond to renovate and expand the high school as well as address safety, health and security issues. The final project plans approved by the South Portland High School Building Committee include resolving all code violation issues and fully updating the mechanical and security systems. The plans include a new Learning Commons, cafeteria and lecture hall.
“We have worked diligently to devise a phasing plan to minimize the impact on students, teachers and the community,” said Superintendent Suzanne Godin. “However, the scope of this construction project is significant. Everyone in our city will be affected. It is a reality facing us as we tackle a major renovation project of a public building.”
Construction could start as early as April 3 to allow for increased flexibility during the first stage of phasing in the construction process.
The first stage is scheduled to be completed in 22 months and will include completion of the cafeteria, kitchen, lecture hall, Learning Commons, new classroom areas and renovation of Beal Gym. The building committee approved an earlier start date for the project to accommodate any unforeseen delays or schedule adjustments due to inclement weather during stage one. The new start date also reduces the need for portable classrooms during stage two and allows for a December 2014 anticipated project completion date.
The four general contractors pre-qualified to submit bids are JCN Construction of Biddeford, Eckman Construction of Bedford, N.H., PC Construction of South Burlington, Vt., and Harvey Construction of Bedford, N.H.
Bids are due Feb. 23 and will be opened at 2 p.m. in the high school library. The school board and city council will review submissions and vote for approval of a selected general contractor on Feb. 27 and March 5, respectively.
The original school building, at the main entrance near the administrative offices, will be kept and renovated, as will Beal Gym, South Portland Auditorium and many classrooms. The school is expected to grow by 50 percent, from about 200,000 square feet to 300,000 square feet. The school will also be energy efficient and feature a natural gas heating and cooling system.
Design, construction materials and floor plans were finalized before bids were solicited.
“Changes and updates were made to the plan on an on-going basis as the architects made adjustments, subcommittees made recommendations and the building committee reviewed the budget,” said committee member Justine Carlisle.
Portland-based Harriman Associates headed up the design. The plan calls for demolition of the school annex, which will be rebuilt so it connects the school in a circular pattern that will create a courtyard and natural light well.
“We are very proud of the final project plans,” said Ralph Baxter, chairman of the building committee. “We sought to develop a plan for a building that would have technology integrated throughout while allowing for flexibility in the future. We worked to ensure the new building would be LEED certified and have a high-efficiency natural gas system. Though its primary purpose will be for the students within, the plans also allow for multiple uses of the building by the community including a new lecture hall, movable partitions in the cafeteria and separated access to kitchen services. Most importantly, the new building will be safe and secure for our students.”
Godin, Director of Finance and Operations Greg L’ Heureux, Harriman Associates, a clerk of works and an owner’s representative will manage the construction process. The owner’s representative will be hired by the school department to represent the best interests of the school system during the construction process.
“Our first priority will remain the wellbeing of our students and we have developed a comprehensive phasing plan with their safety and learning environment as the foremost consideration,” Godin said.

Sentry Great Person named - Jan. 13, 2012

2012-01-13T15:19:46Z

By Michael J. Tobin
Staff Writer

The voting has ended, the ballots have been counted and the Sentry’s 2011 Great Person Award goes to Rose West.
A surprised West, nominated by Joseph G. Ahern Jr., Lisa Morton and Steve Haskell, all of South Portlnd, uttered a single “wow” when told of her award.
“I want to thank the people of this community for recognizing me,” West said. “But I could not do what I do without my family, friends and this community. I’m just a small part of the bigger picture. We are all winners.”
West said when she was first nominated she told people not to vote for her.
“Oops, I guess I forgot to tell some people,” West said.
Ahern nominated West because he felt she was a great business woman and a giver to the community.
“I’ve known Rose for years and she’s a great lady,” Ahern said. “We are blessed to have her in our community, she does so much for so many on a daily basis. Thank God for Rose West.”
Those who voted for West mentioned her community service, her work with the Veterans Monument, her care packages to U.S. service members, her help to raise money for cancer and her 28 years behind the counter at Broadway Variety.
The Sentry will have a full profile on West in next week’s edition.
Congratulations to Rose West and all the “great” people who were nominated.

Public invited to open forum on Cape school vision - Jan. 13, 2012

2012-01-13T15:18:45Z

By Michael J. Tobin
Staff Writer

Residents will be able to voice their opinions on a revised mission statement and vision for Cape Elizabeth schools that will go before the town council in March.
The school board adopted the current mission, vision and statement of beliefs in 2001, along with the school department’s first Future Directions Plan. Short-term goals were revised in 2007, but the vision and mission statements and supporting statements of beliefs remained unchanged.
A public forum to solicit ideas is scheduled for 10 a.m. Jan. 26 at town hall. The school board is expected to vote in March on adoption of a renewed vision, mission and values.
Superintendent Meredith Nadeau said the vision and mission were a major point of discussion during her hiring and entry to Cape Elizabeth last year.
“It had been some time since the district as a whole had gone through this process and invited the community in and taken a look at what it’s values were and where it was headed,” Nadeau said. “Education has changed quite a bit since 1991. The district itself has had a number of changes in staff and leadership. It’s a good opportunity when a new person comes in to revisit that and talk about what we, as a community, value in terms of education.”
Nadeau described the vision as the community’s definition of “what would success look like;” the mission as the school department’s role and responsibility for achieving that vision; and the accompanying values as the beliefs that as a school system have that translates into best practices.
“The current mission ensures that all of our 1,600 to 1,700 students develop the knowledge, skills, behaviors and attitudes to become successful individuals and citizens,” Nadeau said. “The current vision is for Cape Elizabeth schools to be one of the top public school systems in the U.S. which inspires an enthusiastic, innovative and collaborative environment that results in a high level of learning and achievement for all.”
At the Dec. 13 school board meeting, Nadeau delivered a draft time line for the project, with anticipated completion in March.
Nadeau reviewed the current vision, mission and beliefs with staff, teachers and administrators in December.
“We took them through some exercises to look at, ‘where do we want to be?’ and what challenges we face in today’s educational system that affect our school,” Nadeau said. “The common thread was not unlike what we see in the national discourse right now.”
Nadeau said there is concern among staff, teachers and administrators that there is going to be a squeeze due to the economy.
“There is a frustration around all the No Child Left Behind testing and what that has done both to teaching as a profession and to students as learners,” Nadeau said. “No Child Left Behind has driven a lot of attention to assessment and testing.”
No Child Left Behind requires schools that receive federal funding to administer a statewide standardized test annually to all students under the same conditions. Schools that receive Title I funding, which ensures that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education, must make adequate yearly progress in test scores.
Nadeau said requirements for teachers to rise above a certain level each year and continue to make growth “have defined who gets to be in front of a classroom and what particular things they can do.”
Cape Elizabeth School Board Chairman Mary Townsend said it’s been many years since the district has re-visited its mission and vision statement and education has gone through many changes in that time.
“By checking in with all of our stakeholders about their top priorities and greatest hopes for education in Cape Elizabeth, our new superintendent will have a wonderful opportunity to get to know our community and what matters to them,” Townsend said. “From those meetings, she can build a common mission that will serve our students for many more years to come.”
“A public forum will be held at 10 a.m. Jan. 26 in the town hall to take the staff, teachers and administrators ideas and ask the same questions of the wider community,” Nadeau said.
Then Nadeau will feed their responses back to district staff, teachers and the administration to create a renewed vision, mission and values that will be presented to the school board in March for adoption.
Nadeau said there is a sense that education historically and traditionally hasn’t kept up with some of the changes and that “we need to make more progress and to be willing to look at things from different angles and to make changes.”
Nadeau said technology has advanced dramatically and that has been the most sweeping change.
“We have 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds using technology in ways today that we couldn’t have imagined a decade ago,” Nadeau said. “But it has made us more connected globally, given us a much different perspective on how we use technology and how it influences education.”
Cape Elizabeth, a recipient of Maine’s pioneer lap top initiative, received a grant from the Cape Elizabeth Education Foundation, a charitable, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting partnerships between private funding and public education in Cape Elizabeth, to pilot and maintain iPads for 11th- and 12th-grade students. Students will receive iPads in March.
Economic downturn has school systems looking at what’s most important and it has forced Cape Elizabeth to be much more thoughtful of its priorities, Nadeau said.
“We stand to lose in next year’s state funding about $250,000,” Nadeau said. “And that could be further revised and we could lose even more than that. We’ve seen cutbacks in federal funding and we expect more of those to come. All of those pieces have a direct effect on our future.”
Being sure that the community’s values are meshing with the faculty and school administration values is really important to Nadeau, she said, because, “we are making hard decisions. A $250,000 cut is a few teachers and a lot of supplies. We hope that no programs are cut and that we can maintain what programs we have.”
Because the process has no budget, Nadeau continues to look for volunteers’ help to augment school resources.
“If you have expertise in publicity or public relations, or if you don’t mind making phone calls to gather donations for things like refreshments, or if you have expertise in compiling data and doing data entry or wordsmithing and editing, please contact my office at 799-2217,” Nadeau said. “I will be happy to have a conversation with you and see how we can put your skills and talents to work.”
Nadeau said she is enjoying being in Cape Elizabeth and getting to know the community, teachers and children and seeing what goes on in their schools.
“People have been very open and supportive and gone out of their way to make me feel welcome,” Nadeau said. “My number one goal is to learn about this community and what matters here, while working in the best interest of the kids.”

Staff Writer Michael J. Tobin can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219.

Cape youth enjoys position on state board - Jan. 13, 2012

2012-01-13T15:18:19Z

By Michael J. Tobin
Staff Writer

Students of Cape Elizabeth High School have a friend in education with Chelsey Whynot, who is already being heard in the Maine State House.
High school junior Whynot, 16, and fellow student representative Angela Bechard of Monmouth Academy in Monmouth, began their two-year terms as student representatives on the Maine State Board of Education in June. They each represent a different Congressional district and are non-voting members.
“There have been student members on the board since the spring of 2007,” Whynot said. “We will hold our positions for two years, so that there is always one junior and one senior student on the board. Unlike the adult board members, we don’t have to be a part of committees because they’re during the day when we have school.”
Whynot said she and Bechard talk about their opinions on certain proposals and although they don’t get to vote in the end, she believes their suggestions influence the voting board members.
“Right now we are back to regular meetings, and we’re working on things like Common Core standards, the new SATs that are coming out in 2014 – you hear a lot about that and you hear a lot about charter schools,” Whynot said, describing the discussion that lies ahead for the state’s educational leadership.
Whynot has had the opportunity to visit schools around the state and said voting members are always interested in what students have to say.
“I encouraged members of the Cape Elizabeth School Board to share their concerns so I may bring them to the table in Augusta,” Whynot said.
Born and raised in Maine, Whynot, lives in Cape Elizabeth with her mother, Lori Whynot, her father, Jeff Whynot, and her brother, Andrew Whynot.
Whynot is in many clubs at school including mock trial, Siddhartha (a school in India for underprivileged children that the club raises money for), the indoor track team and maroon medal club.
“I am also the president of the junior class (of 2013),” Whynot said. “I also work at the Miss Portland Diner.”
Whynot heard about the opportunity to serve on the board when guidance counselor Brandi LaPointe gave her the application.
“I knew this was something I wanted to do,” Whynot said. “Student council is my favorite extra curricular activity. I’m also very interested in policy and law. As abnormal as I know this will sound, I love public speaking. I’m not a person who loves attention, but when I have something to say, I want people to listen. I knew that this position would give me a voice.”
The process to get on the board was the most intense experience of Whynot’s life.
“The initial application consisted of a resume, several short answer questions and multiple letters of recommendation, including one written by my principal and one written by my guidance counselor,” Whynot said. “When I heard back a few months later that I was in the top six and they wanted me to come to Augusta for an interview, I was elated.”
Whynot did not know much about the board before she became a representative.
“In fact, I knew so little that before my first interview I went on their website and read meeting agendas from their past six meetings so that I would at least know what they talked about,” Whynot said. “One thing that surprised me the most was how official everything was. Even if everyone was in agreement about something and there had been a long discussion, there still has to be a motion, a second and a vote before anything is set in stone. I guess it’s something I should have expected to see, but I had never really seen government in action like that before, so it was very interesting.”
Whynot said she practiced possible questions before her interview.
“For some reason, I was under the impression that the interview would just be between me and the secretary of the board, Mary Becker, so I was in for quite a surprise when I walked into an interview with most of the board members present, sitting at a U-shaped table around a small desk meant for me,” Whynot said. “I am not exaggerating when I say I have never been so nervous in my entire life.”
Whynot got a call about a month later to tell her that she was in the final two and could she come to an interview with the governor.
“Just a few months later, as I was preparing for this interview, the chair(man) of the board, Jim Banks called me to tell me that Gov. (Paul) LePage had taken a look at the resumes and didn’t see a need for an interview,” Whynot said. “He then congratulated me on being the newest member of the Maine State Board of Education.”
Mary Townsend, Cape Elizabeth School Board chairman, said, “Chelsey was the only student in our Congressional district chosen to represent students and it’s a huge, huge honor. I couldn’t think of a better person to do it.”
Whynot said she likes everything about being of the board.
“I like being informed, I like my fellow board members, I like learning about policy and law making, but most of all, I like having a voice,” Whynot said.
At first, Whynot was hesitant about telling people about her position on the board.
“I didn’t want people to think that I thought I was better than them or that I thought I had special privileges or anything like that,” Whynot said. “But since I have to miss school every second Wednesday of the month to go to Augusta for the meetings, I had to start telling my teachers. Even though I became an official member around June, the Cape Elizabeth School Board recently found out about my position and asked me to speak about it at their meeting. This is when I realized that my position is a great honor. It’s something I should be proud of instead of try to hide.”
Whynot feels fortunate to live in Maine as schools are very successful.
“In my opinion, the challenges in Maine state education are not found in our system, but rather, in what is missing from our system,” Whynot said. “Currently, the board is in support of the Maine initiative for charter schools. Not only would charter schools create a better learning environment for students with specific interests and learning abilities, but it would also create competition for surrounding public schools, which would improve our educational system, as competition inspires progress.”
Whynot said she loves going to school at Cape Elizabeth High School.
“The teachers are so willing to help you in any way they can and the students are incredible peers and so wonderful to work with,” Whynot said. “Cape Elizabeth High School is hard, but it feels so good to achieve. The students at Cape are so competitive, which can be a good thing and a bad thing. Although the competition can be overwhelming sometimes, it really pushes every Cape Elizabeth high schooler to do their best work. I enjoy Cape Elizabeth High School every single day that I walk into that building and there is no other place that I would rather be.”
After high school, Whynot hopes to go to a southern college on the East Coast and major in pre-law.
“At this point, I don’t know exactly where I want to go, but I know I want to go some place warm,” Whynot said.

About Town - Jan. 13. 2012

2012-01-13T15:17:49Z

‘Random thoughts’ begin the new year

By Michael J. Tobin
Staff Writer

Many of you have sent me e-mails and left voicemails wanting more of my “random thoughts,” so I thought I would continue that eclectic writing into 2012 with another column of my observations on this journey we call life.
First, I have to say how inspiring my Sentry interview with Chelsey Whynot was this week. Chelsey gives us all much hope for the future of our world. Her vision and aspirations in life should be a role model, not only to her fellow students, but to all of us in our communities. We can expect to see great things from Chelsey in the years ahead and I congratulate her parents and teachers for giving this teen the tools to succeed and carve out an exciting future.
OK, I know the Mill Creek Hannaford needs to make renovations and I know it can’t happen overnight, but please, I want my store back. You’re stressing me out with all these changes. Shopping for food and drink should be therapeutic, not a game of hide-and-go seek.
Speaking of the Mill Creek area, would someone please remind people how the little rotary works and what the rules of the road are? If we all play nice driving, it will prevent me from having to give you the silent finger gesture of road rage. And people really need to reacquaint themselves with their blinkers. I cannot read your mind and your sudden turns do not fair well for my sense of humor.
Does anyone else question this very unusual weather we’re having? Having my home surrounded by grass does not seem natural in January. Now, I am not one to love snow and I do not indulge in any of those bone breaking winter sports, but there is something un-Maine to not have snow on the ground.
I think it would have helped with the holiday spirit to have a white Christmas, but to suddenly get a blizzard now would only make most people really grouchy. I, for one, would be more than happy to zoom right into warm weather. But this unusual weather does concern me and makes me question what’s going on in this atmosphere of ours and what effect this lack of real winter weather will have on the land and gardening come spring.
So, here we go into the all-consuming world of politics. I know it’s important to be informed and to be involved, but it’s going to be a very long year of political madness and I’m already sick of hearing about it. But, in its defense, it does give us good comedy, intense melodrama and a little bit of terror on those nights when there is nothing good to watch on TV.
I do ask that you listen very carefully to these candidates. Educate yourself on who they really are and what they really stand for because their hidden agendas could come back and bite you in the butt.
I am so sad to see Bathras Market in Willard Square close. I am a huge supporter of the self employed, sole proprietorship, independent businesses and when places like Bathras close, it affects us all. There is a glorious charm about Willard Square and the departure of this market will leave an empty hole.
Gee, wouldn’t it be nice to see a little cafe to complement Scratch Baking Co. go in there? Oh right, it couldn’t have tables because of the zoning ordinances and I don’t see South Portland approving a parking garage in Willard Square.
However, there is a new business on Broadway that I highly recommend. The Grill House is a foodie’s dream. Owner Chris Johnston and chef Troy Mains have an excellent menu, a very friendly staff – including Ben, the best bartender and waiter in town – and the food is plentiful and affordable. As with all businesses in South Portland and on the Cape, Buy Local and support each other.
OK, confession. When I was younger I loved reading and hearing about all the Hollywood gossip. But back then, we only had a few sources to go to for that information and it was not all consuming. With the saturation of reality TV and talk shows, we now make this Hollywood garbage more important than what really matters in this world. Case in point, I asked 17 teens and adults who the vice president of the United States is and not one of them knew. I asked the same group of people to name one Lady Gaga song and one character from Twilight and they all could. This should scare you. A lot.
Finally, as a compulsive texter, I was horrified and deeply saddened by the loss of two very young lives in the car crash in West Paris on Saturday. I know that this senseless tragedy will not stop people from texting while driving because we all do it. I know it will not stop some people from drinking and driving. But if it makes even one person put down their phone while driving or not drink before they get behind the steering wheel, than that is a life saved. That could be many lives saved. That could be your life saved.

Staff Writer Michael J. Tobin can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219.

Letters to the editor - Jan. 13, 2012

2012-01-13T15:17:12Z

Thanks to dog group

To the editor:

The South Portland Food Cupboard wants to thank SoPo Dog Owners Group for the constant donation of dog and cat food.
Some of our clients have animals that they are finding hard to provide for in this economic time. The SoPo Dog group is providing the cupboard with food for these animals. Their generous donations of dog and cat food have made it possible for our clients to keep their animals, who are part of their family. We appreciate their thoughtfulness.

Diane Gooley
South Portland Food Cupboard

Cape women vie for House - August 5, 2011

2011-08-10T14:49:42Z

By David Harry
Staff Writer

For the third time since last November, Cape Elizabeth residents will cast ballots to settle a legislative race.
Voters on Aug. 16 will choose between Republican Nancy E. Thompson and Democrat Kim Monaghan-Derrig to fill the remaining year of the term for Maine House District 121.
Thompson is a political newcomer with decades of experience volunteering in local organizations. She and her husband, Tim, own an insurance agency.
“I think the timing is perfect for me right now,” she said about her run.
Monaghan-Derrig, a communications and marketing specialist, currently sits on the Cape Elizabeth Board of Education. This is her third run for office in as many years. She also has volunteered at St. Bartholomew Church, local schools and Maine State Ballet.
“This is an opportunity I just cannot pass up,” she said.
The two are running for the seat vacated after the resignation of Maine Sen. Cynthia Dill (D-Cape Elizabeth). Dill won a special election in May to fill the seat opened by the resignation of former Sen. Larry Bliss.
Monaghan-Derrig said she will resign from the school board if she wins the House seat.
The election date was set this month because of an upcoming special legislative session to draw new district boundaries for the two Maine seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Legislators were ordered by U.S. Judge George Singal to complete redistricting by Sept. 30.
The two candidates have opposing views on how the first half of the legislative session played out.
“I was pleased with the first part of the session. It was done the smart way by getting opinions,” Thompson said of efforts to improve Maine’s business climate.
Monaghan-Derrig said the session was marked by distractions and legislation passed without enough time for deliberation.
She said LD 1274, which legislators passed in June, was a costly bill for Cape Elizabeth. The bill shifted about $6 million in Maine Department of Education Essential Programs and Services funding throughout the state.
Revisions to EPS formula calculations for fiscal year 2013 allow districts with 1,200 students or fewer more funding for school staff. The new formula will fund the statewide average cost of employee benefits without adding or deducting to account for differences between districts, and shifts additional funding to districts with high land valuations and proportions of students who receive free or reduced lunches.
Jim Rier, deputy education commissioner, said the shift could cost Cape Elizabeth schools about $200,000 in current formula calculations, but the overall increase in state funding next year add more than $300,000 in state subsidies.
“I can understand the shift, but not how it was done,” Monaghan-Derrig said.
Thompson, 53, said she is running because she wants to be part policy changes to help Maine’s business climate. She expects to draw support from networks she developed as a volunteer with the Junior League of Portland, Cape Elizabeth Educational Foundation, Center for Grieving Children and Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program.
Monaghan-Derrig said she would like to be as effective a communicator as Dill and worked hard to stay in touch with district residents.
“I knocked on about 600 to 800 doors when I ran for school board and I am reaching that level now,” she said.
Both are eager to dispel the idea they serve a district of nothing but wealthy professionals.
“I want them to realize, I am part of the working families. I know what it is like to worry about paying bills,” Monaghan-Derrig said.
Thompson said her volunteer work has made her very aware of the people living in District 121.
“There are people here struggling from paycheck to paycheck, and I will make that known,” Thompson said.
Thompson hopes for a seat on the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee. She said she has spent the last seven years researching and learning about depression and mental illness after her son, Tim, committed suicide.
“I think I can be logical in advocating for those who can’t advocate for themselves,” Thompson said.
Monaghan-Derrig said a seat on the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee would help her advocate for Cape Elizabeth students.
“We need to think of and look out for everybody,” she said.

Staff Writer David Harry can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219.

Gift of lawn provides bounty - August 5, 2011

2011-08-10T14:49:00Z

By David Harry
Staff Writer

When South Portland resident Liberty Bryer decided to tear up her front lawn in the spring, she wondered what her neighbors would think.
She had lived on Edwards Street less than a year when she decided her yard needed to be more useful than ornamental.
About three months later, the result is a 2,000-square-foot garden of beans, tomatoes, herbs and sunflowers ripening to benefit Portland-based Wayside Food Programs.
As Bryer, 59, puttered and watered in her gardens Monday, her Edwards Street neighbor Laurie Kelley walked by and told Bryer what she thought:
“Your gardens are wonderful, they just make me feel good,” she said.
Many green thumbs have worked the soil and compost that used to be Bryer’s front lawn, said Carly Milkowski, Wayside’s volunteer coordinator.
Milkowski and others in March covered the lawn with tarps and cardboard to kill the grass. Cape Elizabeth business owner John Tommaso brought a tractor in May to till the 40- by 50-foot garden plot.
“Sod removal was a lot more work than I realized,” Milkowski said.
Bryer, who volunteers with the program, said she saw potential but knew she needed help to bring a garden to fruition.
“It was kind of uncared for, with a lot of crabgrass,” she said. “But I knew it got a lot of sunlight.”
Milkowski said every Wednesday she and as many as seven volunteers from Learning Works Youth Building Alternatives in Portland converge to weed, turn compost and thwart Japanese beetle infestation in the organic garden.
Milkowski said she expects a bountiful harvest of tomatoes.
“I’m already looking up recipes for gazpacho,” she joked about the tomato-based cold soup she might use at meal sites.
Milkowski said pole beans are a good choice because they can be frozen and grow well near sunflowers. The sunflowers, which attract beneficial insects for the garden, will later decorate tables at Wayside meal sites.
She estimated more than 1,000 people in Portland and Westbrook were served by Wayside food programs in 2010.
Bryer’s front yard garden is the second to benefit Wayside. The organization had one in Cumberland last year, but lost the site when the property was sold, Milkowski said.
Bryer moved to South Portland from the U.S. Virgin Islands last year. She said hot weather and a lack of topsoil made gardening difficult there and is surprised how easily plants grow at her new home.
She’s discovered pumpkin vines planted at the street edge of the garden can be sneaky and snaky.
“I keep trying to detour them back,” she said, redirecting a vine back toward her house.
Bryer said she first considered turning the lawn into a community garden for neighbors, but Kelley said the garden has a great purpose.
“She is helping lots of people and bringing life to the neighborhood. It is wonderful she has the time to give,” Kelley said.

Gift of lawn provides bounty - August 5, 2011

2011-08-10T14:49:00Z

Group of longtime B2B runners, volunteers are among an elite rank - August 5, 2011

2011-08-10T14:48:11Z

By David Harry
Staff Writer

In race parlance, they are known as “streakers.”
The estimated 60 runners in the 14th annual TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K aren’t competing in the buff – they’ve never missed a race.
Cape Elizabeth residents Peter Boland and Jennifer DeSena have run the 6.2-mile course from Bowery Beach Road to Fort Williams every year since the race began in 1998.
“I think there are a few of us who would run on their hands and knees to keep it going,” said DeSena, 57.
When DeSena, Boland and about 7,000 others round the bend in Shore Road five miles into the race, Lawson Road resident Frank Luongo and his neighbors will be there to give them cups of water. Luongo and his neighbors have never missed a race either.
“There are about 30 to 40 of us. It is a social event and celebratory,” Luongo said.
The race, established by Cape Elizabeth native and 1984 Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson, draws world-class competitors in multiple age brackets and offers $10,000 prizes to the fastest man and woman.
“It is also a day when Cape is alive and celebrating,” Boland said.
Boland will be well behind the lead pack that includes 2010 champion Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia when the race starts at 8 a.m. He said it could take three minutes to get to the starting line because of the throng.
DeSena will host five-time champion Catherine Ndereba as she has each time the Kenyan has come to Cape Elizabeth, but DeSena’s pace will be more leisurely than her guest.
“This race is on the list for international runners,” DeSena said. “I just want to do it in less than an hour.”
Boland, 53, admits age has slowed his pace, but the race never loses its charm.
“It is so much fun running through my hometown,” he said.
The TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K also is a fundraiser – $30,000 will be donated this year to South Portland-based Day One to fight substance abuse.
Luongo said he’s always impressed by the sight of runners and wheelchair racers passing on Shore Road.
“They run the gamut from looking regretful to full of joy for participating,” he said. “All the human motivation is there.”
Boland and DeSena say they look forward to reaching the 5-mile mile water stop near Robinson Woods along Shore Road
“It is a great pick-me-up just as you are putting your head down,” Boland said.
DeSena said Lawson Road residents also play music to bolster runners’ spirits at a very difficult point in the course. DeSena, a race organizing volunteer, even tried to get bands to play along the route this year.
“It is hard to get musicians who want to set up at 7:30 a.m. and then not pay them,” she joked.
Luongo said by 6:30 a.m. Saturday he and his neighbors will set up five tables to hand out cups of water.
“The wheelchair racers are awe-inspiring,” he said. “And the first runners who appear are in absolutely astounding condition.”
Among the wheeled racers this year is 16-year-old Christina Kouros, a Cape Elizabeth High School student born without her right leg.
The TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon will affect traffic throughout town Saturday morning, including a series of road closures along the course. For more information on times and closures, visit beach2beacon.org.

In the News - August 5, 2011

2011-08-10T14:47:14Z

Knightville work to begin soon

The first phase of combined street work, sewer installation and transit hub construction in South Portland is expected to begin Aug. 15. City councilors approved a $560,000 contract with Scarborough-based Maietta Enterprises to complete the work.
The first phase of construction includes sidewalk replacement on Ocean Street near Millcreek Park and installation of catch basins and storm water drainage near city hall on Thomas Street. It also includes site work for the public transportation hub on city-owned land at Thomas and Ocean streets. The transportation hub will be one buildings on a 100- by 100-foot site.
City officials said the area will be marked with signs and local business owners were alerted to the work, but anticipate Thomas Street is the only road that will be closed during some of the work.
Dan Riley, a consulting engineer with Sebago Technics, said the projects should be finished by mid-November, but work on other streets in Knightville will occur in 2012.
City Transportation Director Tom Myers said federal funding for the bus depot might not be available in time to complete the building by November, but shelters will be available in the winter for passengers.

Project moves forward at fort

Excavation work began at the cliffside area in Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth July 26 to move the park arboretum project forward after a delay caused by discovery of an endangered species of rabbit.
Town Manager Michael McGovern said the remainder of the invasive plant species will be removed over the next few weeks and grass will be planted on the site.
The site is one of 15 being developed to grow native plants, reduce invasive species and enhance park views of Casco Bay and Portland Head Light.
Signs that the New England cottontail rabbit was living in the Cliff Walk area caused the arboretum project to halt last spring while an independent contractor searched for rabbits to locate them to sites in Rhode Island and on Stage Island off Biddeford.
Judy Camuso, a biologist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildife, estimated about 3,000 New England cottontails live in Maine. Camuso did not return phone calls about how many rabbits were found in the cliffside area.

Woman allegedly dragged boyfriend with car

A South Windham woman faces multiple charges after allegedly dragging her companion through a South Portland parking lot Tuesday evening.
South Portland Police Lt. Frank Clark said Chaka Coleman, 27, was charged with driving to endanger, aggravated assault, assault and obstruction after police responded to a call at Newick’s Lobster House, 400 Gorham Road.
Witnesses told police Coleman left the parking lot in a white Chevy pickup truck shortly after 6 p.m. When stopped nearby on Gorham Road, police discovered her passenger was bleeding and Coleman allegedly told police they had been arguing.
Witnesses at the scene said Coleman drove away as the victim, an unidentified 29-year-old man who lives in Westbrook, tried to get into the truck.
Clark said Coleman allegedly kept driving and dragged the victim across the lot before he fell and hit his head.
She was taken to Cumberland County Jail in Portland and held on $75,000 bail before a court appearance Wednesday.

– Compiled by Staff Writer David Harry

New principal excited by high school project - August, 5, 2011

2011-08-10T14:46:01Z

By David Harry
Staff Writer

Jim Holland said he is ready to be principal at South Portland High School.
On Monday, city school board members said they were ready for him to take the job: They unanimously approved his appointment to replace retired principal Jeanne Crocker. Crocker left at the end of June after 28 years at the school, including 13 as principal.
“It seemed like a great opportunity at the right time,” Holland said.
School Board member Rick Matthews was part of the search committee that selected Holland from a field of about 30 applicants in three rounds of interviews.
“Jim was a candidate who said he was ready to take on South Portland,” Mathews said. “He stood above the others and his eagerness to start was a real factor.”
Holland comes to South Portland after serving last year as principal at Livermore Falls High School and the previous six years as assistant principal at Cony High School in Augusta.
School Superintendent Suzanne Godin said Holland was signed to a one-year contract and will be paid $93,000.
One-year contracts are standard for city school building administrators, Godin said.
Holland taught science at Cony from 1986 through 2004 and at Lawrence Junior High School from 1983 through 1986 before he became an administrator.
Holland said last year he was in charge of improving student performance at Livermore Falls, which was designated as “underperforming” by the federal Department of Education because of test scores.
He said he implemented a $1.2 million federal grant to improve test scores and added laptop computers and a reading program to the school. Holland said the essence of student success was still basic.
“Student engagement is always critical,” he said.
Holland cited two factors as especially attractive to him for the South Portland job – the expansion and renovation project and emphasis on expansion of science, technology, engineering and math teaching curriculum, commonly called STEM teaching.
A new school was built in 2006 during his tenure at Cony High School. Holland participated in planning and technology committees during the process and was part of the transition team that moved students to the new school and developed the school’s emergency and evacuation procedures.
Holland said public enthusiasm for the $47 million South Portland project excited him and showed him the depth of community support for city schools.
“This has been a well thought out process,” Holland said.
The STEM curriculum resembles courses Holland taught that integrated math, physics and industrial arts, he said. Students stepped out of the classroom to learn practical elements of the courses in tours at Central Maine Power Co. in Augusta, he said.
In South Portland, the STEM curriculum and teaching stipend are supported by a three-year, $225,000 grant from the National Semiconductor Foundation.
Holland said he will emphasize professional collaboration between teachers and added he already sees it in action at the high school. The team approach that allows teachers from varied subjects to teach with common themes and meet to discuss student progress is critical, he said.
“This is something high-performing schools have as a practice,” Holland said.
School Superintendent Suzanne Godin said the department will host an event to introduce Holland to parents and students. Holland said he welcomes visitors to his new office as he settles in.

Officials get peek at Cape library - July 23, 2011

2011-08-10T14:44:15Z

By David Harry
Staff Writer

They are months away from a fully revised plan, have no construction cost estimate or a funding plan.
But architects Kevin Whitney and Lee Casaccio have enthusiasm as they plan a new and expanded Thomas Memorial Library in Cape Elizabeth.
“This is one of the most exciting buildings we have done,” Casaccio said.
Casaccio and Whitney, principals at Casaccio Architects based near Philadelphia, Pa., presented their vision for the library project last Thursday.
Town councilors Sara Lennon, Jessica Sullivan, Anne Swift-Kayatta and Frank Governali; Town Manager Michael McGovern; and Library Director Jay Scherma were among those who listened to the plan refined with input from public meetings held over the last two months.
Scherma said the plan reflects a variety of future demands on the library, including additional space for the Cape Elizabeth Historical Society. The society meets at the library, and future plans call for a dedicated office and storage space and display areas visible in a library hallway.
The new library will have an expanded community meeting room, accessible when the library is closed.
Inside the proposed 23,000-square foot building, plans call for a gas-fueled fireplace visible to people who pass by on Scott Dyer Road, post and beam cathedral ceilings, gabled windows to use as much daylight as possible and increased office and storage space.
Outside, the design is intended to attract patrons along brick and granite walkways to the library. Parking will be expanded, but the lot will be landscaped, a detail that pleased Swift-Kayatta.
“It looks significantly better because of the greenery. You won’t be looking across a sea of asphalt,” she said.
Robert Metcalf, a landscape architect with Portland-based Mitchell and Associates, said the granite portions of the walkway could be inscribed. Plans also include a path that leads to Pond Cove Elementary School.
Casaccio said a complete plan that includes furnishings, lighting, heating and cooling a new library is at least eight months away. Those details will help determine the construction cost.
Scherma last month accepted requests for proposals from six companies to conduct a feasibility study on private fundraising for the library project. A preliminary fundraising goal is $2.64 million.
Scherma said the requests were forwarded to library trustees and eventually will go to McGovern. He hopes a feasibility study can be finished by Thanksgiving.
McGovern said a council consensus on how to fund the library and if and when a referendum will be held is difficult without more specific financial information about the project.
According to the library website, the original Thomas Memorial Library is more than 160 years old and was moved several times before its final location next to the former high school on Scott Dyer Road in 1943.
The original library was expanded nearly 30 years ago to incorporate the annex for Pond Cove Elementary School.
Currently, the library has about 13,000 square feet of usable space and parking for 40 vehicles. The new library would require razing the current buildings, but the new design could provide parking for at least 70 vehicles, Scherma said.
Casaccio said balancing how the library will be used with how it needs to look is the project’s primary challenge.
“It all needs to work together. We are trying to make this timeless,” he said.

Family affair - July 29, 2011

2011-08-10T14:43:38Z

By David Harry
Staff Writer

Completing the three portions of the Tri for a Cure is getting to be a habit for women in the Allen family of South Portland.
Ashley Allen, 21, said the beginning of the triathlon near Southern Maine Community College is the most memorable.
“It is very emotional, everyone in the place is crying,” she said.
Ceremonies start with cancer survivors who talk about their experiences before they hit the water for the 1/3-mile swim near Spring Point Ledge Light.
The fourth annual Tri for a Cure will begin with the swim 10 a.m. Sunday. The annual fundraiser for the Maine Cancer Foundation is expected to raise $1 million for cancer research with 1,100 women participating, said foundation Executive Director Tara Hill.
Some women run, swim or ride in teams. Three generations and six members of Melissa Allen’s family will individually swim, ride 15 miles along streets in South Portland and Cape Elizabeth, and run the three-mile course by the SMCC campus and Bug Light Park.
Allen, a swimmer from an athletic family, decided to compete after watching the first triathlon four years ago. She said eliminating cancer is the reason she participates.
“I would not do a triathlon for any other reason, ever,” she said.
She also decided she would not take on the challenge alone and enlisted her mother, Standish resident Ann McDonough.
“She did a little arm-twisting,” said McDonough, 73.
McDonough said she began running nearly 30 years ago and won a marathon at age 60. Running is now the most challenging part of the triathlon, McDonough said.
“My joints have been tested a long time,” she said.
Three years ago, Ashley Allen said she decided to join her mother and grandmother, while her sisters, Amanda and Amy Allen, volunteered at the triathlon site.
A year later, it was off the sidelines and onto the course for Ashley and Amy Allen. This year their cousin, Meaghan Morris, will travel from her home in Virginia to participate.
“It’s kind of a family tradition at this point,” said Amanda Allen, 24.
Amanda Allen has run the Boston Marathon to raise money for cancer research, but said the hardest part of Tri for a Cure is getting off the bicycle and starting the run.
“When you first get off the bike, you are wobbling. You always feel like you are running funny in a triathlon.”
Family participation has taken on deeper meaning because of the death of Chuck Harvey, a family friend who died from pancreatic cancer, Ashley Allen said.
Harvey’s wife, Whitney, takes on Tri for a Cure each year, and Melissa Allen said it creates a closeness that makes the triathlon all the more special.
“What I gain is camaraderie and women doing good things in the world,” she said. “It is just a spirit that lifts you.”
Race director Julie Marchese urges spectators, friends and families to get to the campus early and be aware there is no parking at SMCC for the triathlon. There will be partial and full street closures along the triathlon route in South Portland and Cape Elizabeth.
For more information about the triathlon route, visit the Tri for a Cure website at tfac2011.kintera.org, southportland.org or capeelizabeth.com.

City greets new jobs in steel industry - July 29, 2011

2011-08-10T14:42:26Z

By David Harry
Staff Writer

Bryon Tait said opening a new facility Monday for Casco Bay Steel Structures on Wallace Avenue in South Portland was like coming home.
Tait is bringing 30 jobs with him to the former Durastone plant as he expands from a Saco location, where 40 employees already shape, fabricate and weld steel for bridge construction projects throughout New England.
“It feels great, but some of the days were a little nerve-wracking,” Tait said Monday after a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Gov. Paul LePage, South Portland City Manager James Gailey, Tait’s wife, Wendy, and officials from Bangor Savings Bank.
The expansion makes Casco Bay Steel Structures the largest steel fabrication company in Maine, said Bangor Savings Bank Spokesman Jillian Dougherty.
Bank officers helped finance the company expansion and urged Tait to publicize the opening, Dougherty said.
The move into the new location on Wallace Avenue returns Tait to his roots in the steel industry. It is the former site of the Bancroft and Martin plant where Tait got his start in the steel business.
The move to a 95,000-square-foot plant on 23 acres allows employees plenty of room to cut and form girders for regional construction projects, including a drawbridge over the Mystic River in Boston and a railroad bridge in Stonington, Conn. Tait said he also enjoys building steel frame bridges nearly identical to the aging structures they replace.
Jack Gibson, current owner of the South Portland plant, said he was glad to see the 45-year-old building return to its original use.
Gibson said he bought the property in 2005 after the defunct Durastone concrete fabrication company liquidated in bankruptcy proceedings. He was the only bidder, and city tax records show he paid $3.6 million for the property.
“Not everyone wants to buy a contaminated property,” Gibson said.
He estimated it took two years and $1 million to clean soil contaminated by the former owners.
As Gailey welcomed the company to the city, he noted city officials once considered buying the site to house the public works department.
The effort failed when city voters rejected the plan by a slim margin in 2005, Gailey said.
Gailey said, in retrospect, he was happy about the 506-472 no vote.
“We would have been in the way of progress,” Gailey said.
Tait said he hopes to buy the property from Gibson next year.
As he led a plant tour, Tait passed employees pre-heating steel for welding and joining steel sections with welded plates. He said the welds are X-rayed to make sure they are secure before the plates are used in construction.
Girders stretch as high as 8 1/2 feet, and a hole cut through a girder for the Boston drawbridge will eventually hold a steel pin that weighs 11 tons, Tait said.
“Six months ago, this was just a warehouse,” he added.
LePage said the expansion fits with his vision of creating a business-friendly environment in Maine, but said he cannot create the jobs himself.
“I hope they outgrow this real soon,” LePage said.
Tait said federal and state money remains available for the bridge projects.
“Casco Bay Steel is here to stay,” Tait said.

Maine Mall owners could appeal city’s stance on taxes - July 29, 2011

2011-08-10T14:41:37Z

By David Harry
Staff Writer

Maine Mall owners haven’t decided whether they will appeal city property tax valuations to the Maine Board of Property Tax Review, their attorney said Tuesday.
Jonathan Goldberg of Portland-based Mittel, Assen, said the 5-0 decision Friday by the South Portland Board of Assessment Review against General Growth Properties “is a disappointment to the taxpayer. A lot of effort and expense went into our case.”
The board upheld the April 1, 2009, valuation of $242 million by South Portland Assessor Elizabeth Sawyer.
Board members were asked to consider a GGP appraisal of nearly $182 million, or $60 million less, for nine properties that cover about 48 acres.
The alternative appraisal of $182 million was prepared for GGP by Rockville, Md., based-PGH Consulting LLC.
“The appraisal as presented does not make a case for the value we should be considering,” board Chairman Paul Cloutier said.
At stake was about $880,000 in city tax revenue, based on the fiscal year 2010 city property tax rate of $14.70 per $1,000 of assessed value.
Goldberg said nine mall properties were overvalued by the city based on calculations that did not account for the economic climate and its effects on mall businesses.
Goldberg said city officials used outdated information to project sales potential at the mall and did not account for “intangible” costs to mall owners. Those costs included rental agreements that produced reduced revenue because mall anchor stores cut operating hours or closed.
“This is a classic battle of the experts,” Goldberg said about the appeal hearings that began in April. “It boils down to a credibility issue.”
South Portland Corporate Counsel William Dale defended Sawyer’s work in a 25-minute rebuttal. He noted GGP officials assessed the Maine Mall value at $270 million during the company’s 2009 bankruptcy proceedings.
The company emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy last November. The 12 properties owned by GGP were purchased for $265 million in 2003, according to city tax records.
The appraisal report presented by Goldberg used a “business enterprise valuation” method to separate business costs from real estate values. The method has not been accepted by other courts and appeals boards in the country in determining property valuations, Dale said.
“GGP is using a company that has a reputation for coming in second in court cases,” Dale said.
GGP officials initially appealed valuations on 12 properties valued by the city at $252 million for fiscal year 2010. Goldberg said appeals on the land leased to Maine Mall Motors, the Jared jewelry store on Philbrook Avenue and the former site of Maine Mall Cinemas “were not being actively pursued.”
Should GGP officials pursue an appeal to the state, it would mark the second time the company has contested city valuations on mall properties.
The state review board, which considers appeals on commercial properties worth at least $1 million, in 2009 upheld the 2006 city assessment of $268 million on mall and surrounding properties.

In the News - July 29, 2011

2011-08-10T14:40:50Z

Standoff ends
after 90 minutes

An attempted traffic stop in South Portland on Monday led to a 90-minute standoff in the Redbank area.
South Portland Police Lt. Todd Bernard said David Francis, 37, was arrested about 1:15 p.m. without incident after he emerged from the home of an acquaintance on Wainwright Circle West.
Francis, a city resident, was charged with being a habitual offender for operating after suspension, failure to stop for an officer and violating bail conditions.
After a South Portland police officer noticed Francis driving with an invalid license, Francis fled to the home instead of stopping, Bernard said.
Bernard said officers and detectives surrounded the house when Francis refused an order to come out. Neighboring homes were not evacuated.
Officials at the Cumberland County Jail in Portland said Francis remained in custody Wednesday.

Seats open for municipal election

Residents in South Portland and Cape Elizabeth interested in running for local offices can pick up nomination papers beginning next week.
In South Portland, five seats will be open for the Nov. 8 general election. City Council seats will be open in Districts 1, 2 and 5. One at-large and one District 5 board of education seat will be open. All seats carry three-year terms.
City Clerk Susan Mooney said potential candidates need to gather at least 100 signatures from qualified voters who live in the districts and submit them by 4:30 p.m., Sept. 12, to make the ballot. Nomination papers will be available at city hall.
In Cape Elizabeth, nominations papers will be available Aug. 1 for elections for two council and two board of education seats. Potential candidates need to gather between 25 and 100 signatures of local registered voters. Nomination papers must be submitted by 4 p.m., Sept. 9.

Races prompt road closures

Cape Elizabeth and South Portland officials have announced several street closures for upcoming races. The first closure will occur Sunday for the fourth annual Tri for a Cure triathlon.
In South Portland, Fort Road, Surfside Street and Benjamin W. Pickett Street in the vicinity of Southern Maine Community College will be closed from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
In Cape Elizabeth, the northbound lane of Shore Road will be closed from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. as part of the bicycling route for the triathlon.
The 14th annual TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon race will be held Aug. 6. The following closures were announced by Town Manager Michael McGovern:
Route 77 from Sprague Hall to Kettle Cove Road – 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Crescent Beach State Park – 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Route 77 from Kettle Cove Road to Old Ocean House Road – 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Old Ocean House Road – 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Route 77 at Hillway – 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Shore Road from Key Bank to Fort Williams – 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Shore Road at post office – 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Fowler Road (except shuttle buses) –7:15 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Scott Dyer (eastbound) – 6:45 a.m. to 8 a.m.

– Compiled by Staff Writer David Harry

Police warn of bath salt dangers - July 22, 2011

2011-07-22T15:11:40Z

By Gillian Graham

Staff Writer

Drug enforcement officials say they hope a new state law will help eliminate the use of a synthetic drug that has led hallucinating users to lick the sides of highways, punch strangers and lose control of their bodies.

Gov. Paul LePage on July 6 signed emergency legislation that bans the group of synthetic drugs marketed as “bath salts.” The drugs, which usually are snorted, cause hallucinations and a high similar to methamphetamines.

The emergency legislation outlaws bath salts, which often are sold over the Internet and in smoke and head shops. They are sold under names such as Vanilla Sky, Pure Ivory, Bolivian Bath and Banish.

Public Safety Commissioner John Morris said the drug is now contraband and law enforcement can seize it. The bill establishes a $350 fine for possession of the substance and trafficking penalties that carry jail time for repeat offenses.

“This is the worst drug to come on the market in my experience,” Morris said.

Twenty-eight states have banned the substance, often through emergency legislation.

Roy McKinney, director of Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, said he first saw reports of bath salts use last winter in Penobscot County. He said use appeared isolated to the area between Bangor and the northern part of the county, but it soon spread north to Aroostook County and west to the coast. In recent months, law enforcement officials have reported bath salts as far south as the Midcoast and Augusta.

Though bath salts have not been seen for sale in southern Maine, local police say they are preparing for it to appear in Cumberland and York counties.

“We expect it will make its way to the Biddeford-Saco area,” said Saco Police Chief Bradley Paul.

Law enforcement officials say they are particularly concerned about bath salts because of the dangerous side effects and behavior of people under the drug’s influence.

“It’s a drug that really affects people. They become paranoid. They just totally lose it,” Morris said. “It lasts for days, for a long, long time.”

Sgt. Paul Edwards of the Bangor Police Department said they first starting getting calls related to bath salts in late winter. The first call was a woman pulled over for suspicions of operating under the influence.

When an officer approached the car, the driver was so contorted she was sitting on the headrest of her seat, Edwards said. The woman was unable to control her motor function and couldn’t focus, he said. The arrest took three hours and was exhausting for the officers because the woman “just wouldn’t stop,” he said.

Edwards said other people under the influence of bath salts have been found licking the dirt in the breakdown lane of the highway, trying to bury themselves to escape imaginary people chasing them, eating imaginary items off the ground and searching cemeteries for spiders.

Bath salts contain manmade chemicals such as mephedrone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone, or MDPV. The chemicals are synthetic derivatives of cathinone, a central nervous system stimulant found in the khat plant.

Law enforcement officials believe the stimulant chemicals are manufactured in China and India and packed for wholesale distribution in Eastern Europe, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

McKinney said a medical professional told him the drug mimics the high from drugs such as cocaine, but causes behavior similar to PCP. People who take bath salts experience symptoms such as aggression, paranoia, elevated heart rate and hallucinations. In one case, a person using bath salts punched a stranger in the head, he said.

Edwards said users often tell police they took bath salts, admissions officers rarely hear from people who take other drugs.

“People are scared. They’re paranoid,” he said. “We’re just afraid it’s going to worsen.”

Lt. Tom Reagan of the Bangor Police Department, in response to the increase of bath salts in Penobscot County, created an educational presentation for other agencies. The department also is meeting with local health care providers and emergency room personnel to gather more information about the drug and its effects, Edwards said.

Paul, the police chief in Saco, said he began showing the presentation to officers last week.

“It brings them up to speed on what (bath salts) are and what appearance they take,” he said. “It has the potential to be a big problem for us if we don’t get in front of it.”

Paul said he is not aware of any businesses in Saco that sell the drug, though it is still available on the Internet. He said it “never fails to amaze me” what people will ingest without knowledge of the ingredients.

“It’s unfortunate as back yard chemists come up with things they seem to show up in smaller towns,” he said.

Officers from Biddeford also watched the presentation from Bangor police and Police Chief Roger Beaupre expects to provide his officers further training about the drug. Deputy Chief JoAnne Fisk said she doesn’t know of any places in Biddeford that sell bath salts and police have not seen the drug in the city. She said officers are prepared to deal with the drug.

“I’m sure it’s coming,” she said.

South Portland Police Sgt. Steve Webster said city police have yet to experience people under the influence of bath salts, but are taking a proactive approach. A few days after LePage signed the emergency legislations, officers went to every store in the city that might sell bath salts, he said.

Webster said officers provided store owners copies of the new law and a photo of bath salts.

“They were all extremely cooperative and none were selling,” he said. “We try to stay ahead of the curve as much as possible.”

Commissioner Morris said the legislation is the first step in fighting bath salts in Maine. He said law enforcement officials continue to monitor its use across the state. He said there may be a push to make possession a felony.

Law enforcement officials agree education is a key component to stop the spread of the drug across the state. Edwards said his department’s presentation is available for other groups to use and he encourages people to educate themselves about the dangers of bath salts.

“That is the absolute key,” he said. “People have got to realize this is going to kill them.”

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.

Food with a view - July 22, 2011

2011-07-22T15:10:44Z

By David Harry

Staff Writer

As workplaces go, food vendors in Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth are finding the park has its perks.

“I get to see it for the first time every day,” said South Portland resident Frank Marston, who sells hot dogs and snacks practically in the shadow of Portland Head Light.

Since the middle of last month, Marston; Gordie Smith and his wife, Carolyn; and Sarah and Karl Sutton have been selling delicacies and snacks as holders of the first vending licenses issued in the 47 years the town has owned the 92-acre park.

The Smiths, who sell Gordo’s Lobster Cakes, and Marston operate food carts adjacent to the roundabout by the entrance to Portland Head Light.

Above them, on the bluff favored by kite fliers, the Suttons sell six varieties of lobster rolls and Maine-made food products and beverages.

After Sept. 1, Marston and the Smiths will be replaced by the Atlantic Cookie Co. and Dory’s Dogs, licensed to operate until Oct. 15. The program for vendors created five licenses for three spots. The Suttons will operate with a full-season license through Oct. 15.

“We are just focused on making great lobster rolls,” Sutton said.

Allowing food vendors in the park is considered a pilot program by Town Manager Michael McGovern, and will add $10,000 in revenue for park maintenance and upkeep from the permit fees for five licenses. Permit fees are $2,000 for each license.

Smith, Sutton and Marston said they have had nothing but encouraging comments from customers.

Smith said he sold lobster cakes and rolls on Commercial Street in Portland last year and Marston sold hot dogs from his restored 1960 Cushman Truckster from a spot near Bug Light Park in South Portland.

Locations next to Portland Head Light have made for good business, they said.

“It’s not as rushed as it was in Portland,” Smith said.

Marston said he gets much more foot traffic than his South Portland spot, and plenty of chances for conversation

“It’s been a blast,” he said. “It’s neat to hear where people are from.”

Within 10 minutes last Thursday afternoon, Smith sold the last of his lobster rolls to Chris and Glenda McGowan from Cape Girardeau, Mo., and a lobster cake to Afonso Bevilaqua from Rio de Janiero.

As they complimented Smith on the lobster rolls, the McGowans apologized to Bevilaqua for cleaning out Smith’s stock.

Smith said his lobster rolls sell out frequently. During a recent visit from passengers on a cruise ship docked in Portland, he sold out of lobster rolls, got more filling he makes with his wife, and sold out again.

Marston, who drives his vintage truck he bought on Craigslist to work, said he has found ready takers for the meal deal of two hot dogs, drinks and chips he serves with a Frisbee included.

“Families get the meal and then they play in the park,” he said.

Marston’s low-frills hot dogs and snacks are a hit with Buddy Pride, a Portland resident who said he visits the park a couple times a week.

“It’s about time we had a chance to get a snack here,” Pride said as he carried a hot dog to a nearby picnic table.

Sutton said she and her husband wanted the uphill spot because it has plenty of room for their trailer.

“We just went for it, we already knew what we wanted to do,” she said.

The Suttons have each stepped away from jobs at the University of Southern Maine to operate the stand seven days a week for about nine hours a day.

If the visitors from cruise ships and tour buses don’t always amble up the hill for a snack, Sutton said they have developed a healthy core of repeat customers who live in town and visit the park for ice cream.

“We really wanted to fit into this iconic park,” she said.

McGovern said the vending license program will be reviewed in fall. Sutton, Smith and Marston said they would like to return next year.

Smith, a retired customer service representative at L.L. Bean, said he has enjoyed staying active with the vending cart and, like Marston, has a new appreciation for the park.

“I always took the lighthouse for granted. But this is a $1 million view,” he said.