Monday, March 31,2008
House Defeats Iran Bill
The Maine legislature has strongly rejected a bill sponsored
by Portland State Senator and 1st District Congressional
candidate Ethan King Strimling that called for the state to
divest from Iran.
“An Act To Require the State To Divest Itself of Funds from
Companies Doing Business with Iran" went down by a vote
of 95-50, despite being unanimously endorsed by the
legislature’s Labor Committee on March 7th.
At a foreign policy debate on March 11th, former state
senator Michael Brennan sparked a debate by criticizing what
he termed the “rhetoric” around Strimling’s proposal.
In particular, Brennan brought up Strimling’s reference to
Iran as a “sworn enemy” of the US. Strimling’s bill could be
voted on again before the legislature adjourns on April 16th.
Candidates Dispute Affordable Housing
Claims
During the March 26th candidate's forum at the Space
Gallery, former state senator Michael Brennan asked state
senator Ethan King Strimling if he would oppose legislation
that would divert funding from the Housing Opportunities
for Maine (HOME) Fund in order to finance a tax break for
developers who do historic preservation development.
Strimling said he in fact supported this measure, but argued
that it would actually allow for more affordable housing to
be created. Brennan says he is in favor of historic
preservation, but opposed to it being paid for by money
earmarked for affordable housing. Most local affordable
housing advocates oppose the legislation.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Committee Approves Bill to End Phone
‘Slamming’
A bill that strengthens consumer protections already in place
to prevent a deceptive practice known as “slamming” was
unanimously approved by the Utilities and Energy Committee
on March 28th.
At a public hearing on the bill, the Maine Public Utilities
Commission said it had 30 recent complaints from Maine
customers who had been slammed. The practice involves
telemarketers who trick phone customers into changing
phone service to their company by misrepresenting
themselves. Slammers have been using confusion over the
upcoming purchase of Verizon by Fairpoint Communications
to mislead customers.
According to the PUC, slammers claim to be calling about a
billing error to transition the customer to FairPoint, or with a
calling plan offer that seems good, but isn’t. The slammer
then scams the customer into providing their date of birth
and mailing address. With that information, and the telephone
number, slammers are able to illegally switch the customer’s
phone service.The practice is already illegal, but the bill
would offer further protection to consumers by prohibiting a
telecommunications company from misrepresenting its
identity or services to a potential customer. Verizon,
Fairpoint, AT&T and U.S. Cellular all testified in favor of the
bill and are still working with the committee and the PUC.
A second bill would reduce the monthly Public Service
Answering Point, or PSAP, surcharge for telephone
customers. It would reduce the current 50-cent fee to 30
cents. A PSAP is a public safety dispatch that answers
Enhanced-911, or E-911, calls.When the state reduced its
number of PSAPs several years ago, costs went down but
the surcharge did not, resulting in an over-collection of about
$7 million. The bill would return the savings to telephone
customers through a reduced monthly fee.
Both bills will go to the House for a vote. Bills that have
unanimous committee recommendations typically pass easily
with little debate.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Enterprise Records Moving West
Enterprise Records, the local record shop that has been in its
current location in the State Theater Building since 1992, is
moving its operation west- but only by about two hundred
yards.
The store, which stocks about 15,000 vinyl LP records –
but no CDs - will be moving that stock to 661 Congress
Street, in the Trelawney Building near Longfellow Square.
The move will take place when renovations to the new
space are completed, sometime around the end of April,
according to owner Bob the Record Guy.
Legislature Resolves to Cut Plastic Bag
Use in Half by Earth Day
The Maine Legislature this week passed a joint resolution to
encourage the public to reduce its use of plastic bags, with a
goal to have at least half of the state’s grocery store
customers using reusable shopping bags by Earth Day, April
22nd.
Currently, about 10 percent of Maine consumers bring their
own shopping bags, and less than 5 percent of disposable
plastic shopping bags are recycled, resulting in about 300
million bags ending up in landfills, incinerators and as litter in
Maine ’s waterways and along roadways.
In order to help meet that goal, Bulletin Bag of Scarborough
is sponsoring a contest for Maine students in grades three to
seven to design a reusable shopping bag. The winning
artwork will be printed on 1,000 bags and distributed to
contest entrants. More information on the contest is available
at www.bulletinbag.com.
It takes millions of barrels of oil to manufacture plastic
bags. Sea turtles, whales, and other marine wildlife confuse
colorful plastic items for food at their peril.
Dozens of municipalities and countries have banned or taken
action to discourage the use of plastic shopping bags,
including San Francisco, China, Australia, Ireland and South
Africa. A resolution to reduce plastic bag use has also been
submitted to the New Hampshire Legislature. Whole Foods
has also banned plastic bags in all of its stores.
Friday, March 28. 2008
Police Investigate Bizarre Vandalism
Portland police are investigating an incident in which
someone dumped a concoction of what appeared to be dry
cereal, fruit, and blood at the front door of the St. Lawrence
Arts Center. The incident occurred at about 9PM on March
27th, during a performance of the Maine Short Play Festival
at the Center. Patrons discovered the sticky, smelly mess
when they were leaving the performance at about 10 o'clock.
The sidewalk from the front door up to Munjoy Street was
also strewn with dry cereal for about forty feet. Employees
of the St. Lawrence washed down the sidewalk before a
predicted snowstorm on Thursday night. Police were talking
to neighbors of the Munjoy Hill arts venue to find out if
anyone witnessed the vandalism.
Portland Seeks Artists’ Input for Creative Economy
Portland's Creative Economy Steering Committee is seeking
input from artists about their space needs by asking them to
participate in an online survey, www.portlandmaine.
gov/survey.
The information gathered will help shape taskforce
recommendations related to having available, affordable and
secure longterm space in Portland for artists and other
contributors to the creative economy.
The Creative Economy Steering Committee was formed in
2006 and hopes to bring a set of recommendations forward
to the City Council by late Spring. Among the initiatives
being considered is the development of a Center for the Arts
which would host a community of artists and arts
organizations. Economies would be realized with a
concentrated population of creative people and groups
pooling resources and sharing equipment and space.
If built, a Center could accommodate a range of uses,
including studios, live/work space, galleries, a museum,
performance and rehearsal space, and education and
administrative offices.
At this point, however, the Steering Committee is keeping its
options open, including whether the Center would be
financially feasible or whether it should be a public venture, a
private venture, or both.
City to Recognize Independent Businesses
The Portland Buy Local Campaign is accepting nominations
for the first annual Portland Indie Biz Awards. The awards
will recognize the leaders among Portland's vibrant
independent business community and showcase the impact
that independently-owned businesses have on greater
Portland and the state of Maine.
Nominations will be accepted online through April 17 at the
website www.indiebizawards.com
There will be an Awards Ceremony and party on May 22nd
at the Space Gallery. Award Categories Awards will be given
in seven categories, including:
Portland Soul - represents the soul, essence and style of
Portland.
Local Legend - acts as role model by shopping locally for
and services.
Forest City Hero - our environmental hero, immersed in
sustainable practices.
Rising Tide - an exciting, inspiring new business or artist
that opened in 2007 or 2008.
Beacon of the Neighborhood - improves their neighborhood
in a multitude of ways.
Resurgam Community Impact - has significantly impacted
Portland and/or the world.
Portland Observatory Pillar of the Community - the business
that's been around forever and perseveres through ups and
downs.
Wednesday,March 26, 2008
Task Force to Release Sustainable
Portland Report
City outlines strategies and goals for a sustainable
environment, economy, and community.
On Thursday, March 27th, the Sustainable Portland
Taskforce will release its Sustainable Portland Report.
Established in 2006, the Taskforce conducted a
comprehensive review of current practices as well as
strategies that could be utilized to make Portland a more
sustainable city. The Taskforce's vision for the City was
guided by three core values; creating and maintaining a
sustainable environment, economy and community.
The report cites a number of existing practices, including the
construction of the LEED-certified East End School and
proposed Ocean Avenue School, upgrades to the City's
sewer system to reduce overflow into natural waterways,
and the launch of the Portland Buy Local Campaign, a
grassroots campaign to promote locally-produced goods and
products.
The taskforce also recommends a variety of policy
initiatives, such as adopting a citywide net-zero waste goal
for solid and hazardous waste, promoting green businesses
specializing in environmental products, and creating and
implement a Climate Action Plan.
Ebune: Procession of the
Ram
5th annual parade of masks, puppets, and
sound
On Sunday April 13, the 5th annual parade of masks,
puppets, and sound, in celebration of spring, will be held on
Congress Street in Portland.
Beyond its familiar role as the astrological sign Aries, the
Ram appears in spring rituals across a wide span of
indigenous and mythological traditions, as a symbol of
fertility and renewal. This cross-cultural procession will
draw inspiration from a West African ritual mask tradition
invoking Ebune, the ram, in tandem with iconography from
Classical astrology, Greek and Egyptian myth, and the Judeo-
Christian canon.
The procession will be led by Oscar Mokeme, director of the
Museum of African Culture, in collaboration with A
Company of Girls. During the week prior to the procession,
open ongoing workshops in basic mask and puppet building
will be organized by artist Dylan Blanchard to prepare
elements for the procession. Workshops will be held at the
Marada Adams School at 48 Moody St. on Munjoy Hill.
Ebune is an open event. Participants from any cultural
perspective are welcome to take part in this “pot-luck”
celebration. Whether you wish to blow your horns or wear
them, you can join in as an independent artist with your own
creation, or volunteer to carry one our puppets, masks, or
instruments. The Procession will start at Noon on Sunday,
April 13th in front of MECA’s Porteous Building at 522
Congress Street in Portland. From there, it will travel down
Congress Street to the Eastern Promenade.
The festivities will continue at the Promenade, where there
will be a picnic-style cabaret, featuring musical
performances by Chriss Sutherland and Meghan Yates, and a
drum and dance performance by World Arts West African
Dance Class.
To participate, just show up around 11:30 on April 13th, or
join en route. For more information, visit the Ebune
Procession websites at: http://superiorconcept.
org/ebune/index.html and http://www.museumafricanculture.
org
TO TAKE PART IN THE WORKSHOPS:
March 31 – April 12
Space is limited, so please contact the organizers in advance
at dylanblanchard@gmail.com or call (207) 767-0702. The
workshops are free, but they do ask for a small donation to
help support the Museum of African Culture. Workshops
will be 7-9pm Monday through Friday, and 10-5 on
Saturdays and Sunday.
House Passes Bill Prohibiting
Smoking in Cars with Children
The Maine House of Representatives on March 25th passed
a bill that will prohibit smoking in cars when children under
age 16 are present.
A series of health experts supported the bill through the
legislative process, saying that the damage caused by
secondhand smoke is compounded in a car, where the
carcinogenic chemicals are boxed in with passengers instead
of dissipating in open air. Bill supporters said that children
are left defenseless in a car with adult smokers, because they
are not likely to convince or even ask the adults to put out
their cigarettes.
The bill was modeled after a city ordinance passed in
Bangor which restricts smoking in cars with children under
18 present. So far, the Bangor ordinance has resulted in one
fine, while child care and health care providers have offered
anecdotal evidence that the ordinance has successfully acted
as a deterrent to smoking in cars because fewer children in
the area have exhibited secondhand smoke-related health
problems and no longer regularly smell like cigarette smoke.
The bill requires a one-year period during which time police
may only issue a warning. One year after the bill is enacted,
a civil violation resulting in a $50 fine will go into effect,
with the warning option still available at the discretion of
officers. In addition, committee members added a clause
similar to the seat belt law that would limit the extent to
which police may search vehicles when stopped for a
smoking violation.
Some lawmakers felt that the bill would be a violation of civil
liberties, with government playing too much of a role in
private lives. But House Majority Whip Sean Faircloth said
that forcing a child to be exposed to smoke in a car is a
violation of their own personal freedoms
.
The bill passed the House by a vote of 92-46, with bipartisan
support. It faces further legislative votes before going to
Governor Baldacci to sign into law.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Council Finalizes Federal Funding Cuts
The Portland City Council held a public hearing on March
24th, and accepted most of the recommendations of the
City Manager's Policy Advisory Committee regarding the
disbursement of federal funds to local social service agencies.
CMPAC recommended cuts in many of the grants to local
soup kitchens, child care agencies, youth training programs,
neighborhood organizations and others, because of reduced
funding that the City received from the HUD program.
Advocates for many of the programs requesting funding
filled the Council chambers at City Hall for one last chance
to ask the Council to reconsider the amount of money their
particular organization would receive, but Councilors
accepted the recommendations that were arrived at after a
months-long review process.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Forum on Rail Service to be Held
On Tuesday, March 25th at 6 pm there will be a forum for
those interested in hearing about the economic benefits of
rail service, at the Casco Bay Lines conference room .
The forum is being organized by recent Portland City
Council candidate Tony Donovan, who says the group's
immediate goal is to provide a guarantee to the rail Authority
for the purpose of funding rail upgrades between Portland,
Yarmouth Junction and Brunswick (via Freeport).
The long term goal is to provide a source of funding for
operations and capital improvements for rail roads, by
educating elected officials about the economic benefits of
railroad transportation - to business development, to reduced
maintenance on the paved highways, to consumers
burdened by the costs of gasoline.
Portland Representative Boyd Marley has introduced
legislation that is the direct product of the 3-year Task Force
on Passenger Rail Funding that was charged with
identifying financial resources and developing a plan to
establish sustainable funding for passenger rail service.
On Thursday, March 27 at 1PM in the Transportation Room
of the Maine State House, Marley's bill will be provided a
public hearing. That will be followed by a workshop in
which the bill will be amended to eliminate any fiscal impact
on the current budget, but also to create a mechanism that
will provide a dedicated and sustainable source of funding
for rail transportation in Maine.
For additional information, e-mail Tony Donovan at
Tony@Fishmanrealty.com or call 329-6732
Public Meeting to Discuss Potential NBA D-League Deal
West End City Councilor David Marshall will host a public
meeting to discuss the possibility of locating a Portland-
based NBA D-League team at the Portland Exposition
Building. The Finance Committee, of which Councilor
Marshall is a member, has been meeting with the prospective
investors, and the City Council is expected to vote on a
potential lease at its April 7th meeting.
Marshall wants to hear concerns from Expo neighbors
regarding potential impacts. The meeting will be held on
Tuesday, April 1, at 6:00 PM at the Portland Room, Hadlock
Field,271 Park Avenue.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
League to Hold Congressional Candidate Debate
The Maine League of Young Voters and the Professional Fire
Fighters of Maine will sponsor a Congressional District 1
Candidate Debate at SPACE Gallery on Wednesday, March
26, at 6:30 p.m. All eight District 1 Congressional Candidates
will be in attendance.
The debate will begin with opening remarks, followed by
prepared questions from the sponsoring and co-sponsoring
organizations. Each congressional candidate will have one
question to ask any other candidate, ending with closing
remarks. Justin Ellis from the Portland Press Herald will
moderate.
Wednesday, March 26, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. SPACE
Gallery, 538 Congress Street. Doors Open at 6:30 p.m.,
Debate Begins at 7 p.m. FMI: Katie Diamond,
katie@indyvoter.org, 207-772-3207
Friday, March 21, 2008
House Supports Two-year Car Inspections for New Cars
A bill to extend the time period between mandatory state car
inspections from one year to two years received strong
support in the House of Representatives on March 20th. The
bill was reported out of the Legislature’s Transportation
Committee with a 6-5 majority supporting an amended
version of the bill. After a lengthy bipartisan debate, the
House supported the committee report 100 – 41.
The original bill would have expanded the length of time
between required vehicle inspections for all non-commercial
cars in Maine . Opponents expressed the concern that
extending the inspection from one to two years would
endanger public safety because unsafe cars would be on the
road.
There are currently 19 states out of 50 that require annual
motor vehicle inspections. Seven of the states do it on a two-
year basis, and two of those states require inspections only
after the car is four or five years old. There was a study
done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
that six of the seven states with biennial inspections have
lower rates of motor vehicle fatalities than Maine does
currently on annual inspections.
The majority report from the committee amended the bill so
that it would allow only new cars to receive an inspection
that lasted for two years. New cars are defined in the bill as
cars being registered and titled for the first time.
Much of the debate in the committee and in the House
centered on the corrosive effects of calcium chloride on
cars. Calcium chloride is being used by the state and many
municipalities to remove ice and snow from roads. It is a
cheaper alternative to traditional salt and sand mixes and
newer chemicals mixes. Critics have pointed to evidence
suggesting that calcium chloride not only corrodes brake
lines and other components of vehicles, but also concrete
and rebar in bridges, and pollutes groundwater.
The bill will face more votes in the Senate and the House and
must be signed by Gov. John Baldacci to become law.
City Asks Young Artists to Design Skatepark Logo
The City has kicked-off its Skatepark Momentum contest,
asking Portland students (elementary through college) to
design a logo for the new Skatepark’s tagline Momentum.
The winning logo will be used as a tool to help the
committee meet its fundraising goal of $325,000 to build a
new Skatepark at the Dougherty Field Complex.
To date, the City has allocated $75,000 in capital funds and a
$75,000 in-kind land donation. The remaining funds will be
raised through public donations.
Contest participants are allowed to use any medium
(computer graphics, sketches, painting, etc.) to design the
logo. The logo should embody the word momentum and
skateboarding/biking. All submissions must be received by
March 24, 2008 at 4:30 PM. A winning design will be
selected Wednesday, March 26th at 5:30 PM. The winner
will receive a $50 gift certificate to a local skateboarding
shop.
Logo designs can by dropped off or mailed to Portland Parks
and Recreation, 134 Congress Street, Suite 2, Portland
Maine 04010, attention Sally Deluca or an electronic version
of the logo can be emailed to sld@portlandmaine.gov.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Two Save Congress Square Victim
Portland police say two men saved a woman from being
assaulted by her former boyfriend in Congress Square on
March 7th.
Erik D. Tillotson, 31, of Old Orchard Beach, was arrested in
connection with the domestic violence incident, occurring at
the entranceway to 10 Congress Square.
Police said that at a little before 11 PM, Tillotson’s ex-
girlfriend was walking on the street and saw him. She tried
to avoid him and was going to visit a friend at the Congress
Square address. She told police “He won’t leave me alone.”
While Tillotson was struggling with the victim, whom he had
pushed to the ground, two males intervened and detained
him until police arrived. He was arrested and charged with
assault.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Man With Loaded Gun Arrested at Reiche School
Portland police arrested Nathan Cook, 31, at the Reiche
School on March 12th, after they found him carrying a fully-
loaded, 9 millimeter, semi-automatic handgun. No children
were in the school at the time of Cook’s arrest, which
occurred in the evening.
Police were called to Brackett Street at 8 PM for a criminal
mischief incident, and during a search of the area, Cook was
discovered in the lobby of the Reiche School.
During the course of the interaction between police and
Cook, he was found to have the handgun in his coat pocket.
He was arrested and charged with carrying a concealed
weapon.
Cook had been observed pacing the hallway by members of
the West End Neighborhood Association, who had been
holding their monthly meeting at the Community Center from
6:30 until just prior to Cook’s arrest.
The Clark Street entrance to the school is now closed, and
the Brackett Street entrance will be used for all school
activities and after-school events at the facility. A Portland
police officer was stationed on duty at the school on the day
after the incident.
-Marge Niblock
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Pingree Poll Says She’s Way Ahead
One-third of voters still undecided
A poll authorized by the Chellie Pingree campaign and
released on March 13th says that the former state senator
has a sizable lead in the Democratic primary race for the
First District congressional race.
Pingree’s pollsters, Celinda Lake and Bob Meadow, polled
500 likely Democratic first district primary voters in the last
week of February. When asked who they would vote for if
the primary were held today, here's how these Democratic
voters responded (with a 4.4% margin of error):
Chellie Pingree 38%
Undecided 33%
Michael Brennan 9%
Ethan Strimling 9%
Mark Lawrence 5%
Steven Meister 4%
Adam Cote 3%
Monday, March 17, 2008
HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!
Community Policing Moving
to Harbor Terrace
The Portland Police Department is planning to move the
West End Community Policing Center from its current
location at 251 Danforth Street to Harbor Terrace at 284
Danforth Street. The new location is a Portland Housing
Authority property and is located less than one block from
the current offices.
Portland Housing Authority has agreed to lease the police
department 240 square feet of office space on the first floor.
The space is adjacent to the building manager’s office and
the rent will be $1.00 per year. There also will be access to
the community room for meetings and gatherings.
According to the City, the proposed move is prompted by
efforts to reduce costs. Current rent and utilities at the
Community Policing Center total nearly $14,000 annually.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
City Looking for New Task Force Members
Based on recommendations from the Housing and
Community Development (HCD) Task Force last fall, the
City is now creating the CDBG Priority Task Force. The
goal of the Task Force will be to set the funding priorities
for the Community Development Block Grant for the next 3-
5 years.
This is not the City Manager's Policy Advisory Committee
(CMPAC), which reviews the funding applications and
makes recommendations to the City Manager and the City
Council each year. Rather, this is a Task Force that will
meet throughout the spring, summer, and possibly fall 2008,
to review current priorities for the CDBG program and make
recommendations for new priorities. The recommendations
of this Task Force and the final decisions by the City
Council will significantly impact what programs and projects
will be funded in the future, based on the priorities that will
be set.
The deadline for applications is Friday March 28, 2008. For
more information about the Community Development Block
Grant program in the City of Portland, go to the City’s
website or contact Amy Grommes Pulaski, Housing &
Community Development Program Manager, 389 Congress
St., Room 312, 207.874.8731
http://www.portlandmaine.gov/planning/commdev.asp
Friday, March 14, 2008
Toddler Injured in East Bayside Shooting
At approximately 11:11 PM on March 12th, the Portland
Police Department responded to a shooting at 43 Hammond
Street in East Bayside. An unknown individual outside the
dwelling fired four shots into the exterior of the apartment
building. Inside the apartment building was a family that
included three children.
One of the shots struck a first floor entertainment stand
causing debris to spread throughout the living area. A piece
of this debris struck a two-year-old child. MEDCU treated
the child on scene, but did not transport her to the hospital.
The unknown assailant fled prior to officers’ arrival.
Witnesses describe the suspect as a black male wearing a
dark colored hooded sweatshirt and a white bandana
covering his facial area.
The Portland Police Department does not believe this is a
random event and that the suspect targeted this house. The
shooting does not appear connected with any other drive-by
shootings, according to police.
Anyone with any information regarding this incident is
requested to contact the Portland Police Department at 874-
8596
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Dems Brennan and Strimling Clash on Iran Policy
Democratic congressional candidates Michael Brennan and
Ethan King Strimling have become embroiled in the first
major policy disagreement among the candidates in the first
district race.
At a foreign policy debate on March 11th, Brennan sparked a
debate within the debate by criticizing what he termed the
“rhetoric” around a recent Strimling proposal in the state
legislature that calls for the state to divest from Iran.
In particular, Brennan brought up Strimling’s reference to
Iran as a “sworn enemy of the US.” Strimling’s bill, which
was unanimously endorsed by the legislature’s Labor
Committee on March 7th, would require the state of Maine
and its employee retirement system to divest from
companies that do business with Iran.
Strimling defended the legislation, saying that he believed that
Iran was developing nuclear weapons, and that divestiture
was a diplomatic tool to avoid going to war. However, the
National Intelligence Estimate, which was released in
December, and which is the consensus view of all 16
American intelligence agencies, stated that Iran discontinued
its nuclear weapons program in 2003, and that the program
is still halted today.
Brennan said that Strimling agreed with the Bush
administration in sending a message to Iran that if divestiture
didn’t work, the US would then use bombs. Brennan said in
a statement on March 4th that there are signs of progress
with Iran on the diplomatic front, and that divestiture could
increase pressure on Iran and inflame the entire Middle East.
Strimling said he found it “remarkable” that Brennan thought
that divestiture was a policy that the US should move away
from. Brennan has supported divestiture in the past, when it
was used to address human rights abuses in Sudan and
South Africa.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Dems to Hold Forum on US Domestic Issues
On Thursday, March 13th, the Portland Democrats will host
the second of two debates planned for 1st Congressional
District candidates scheduled this week .The forum will
focus largely on U.S.domestic issues. A forum scheduled for
Tuesday, March 11(today) focused on Military and Foreign
Policy.
Thursday, March 13, 2008, 6:30 to 8:30 PM
Social time with refreshments from 6:30 to 7:00 PM
Debate from 7 to 8:30 PM. King Middle School cafeteria,
Deering Ave.
Topics to be covered include:
- The economy
- Access to Health Care
-Preserving a woman’s right to choice
-Gay marriage
-The environment
-The war
If you have a question you would like to put to the
candidates on these or other topics, please send it to
Sadhbh "Sive" Neilan, PDCC Chair
29 Emerson St., #3
Portland, ME 04101
sneilan@maine.rr.com
207.774.4219
207.838.7719 cell
City Wants Residents to Start Composting
The Riverside Recycling Center has kicked-off a composting
promotion, making compost bins and kitchen waste pails
available at discounted prices.
In line with Portland's sustainability goals, the City has
endorsed compost as an environmentally responsible
alternative to fertilizing lawns and gardens, and composting
as an efficient way to reduce waste management costs.
Last year, the Riverside Recycling Center received 6800 tons
of yard waste and brush from Portland residents costing the
City more than $335,000 to manage. Composting yard waste
and non-meat food scraps at home instead of disposing of
them will reduce waste management costs and provide
homeowners with a valuable soil amendment.
The 2008 home compost bin and how-to guide is available at
a reduced cost of $37.50 (original price $80) and can be
purchased at the Riverside Recycling Center until April 11,
2008. The bin is black, has a 10 year warranty, made of
100% recycled plastic and large enough for a family of five.
Kitchen Waste Pails, for kitchen food scraps, are available
for $8.00 each and the wingdigger compost turner can be
purchased for a discounted price of $16.50.
Contact Donna Rooney at 797-6200 or djr@portlandmaine.
gov for more information or to obtain an order form.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Portland Cops: “How Are We Doing?”
Portland’s Police Department began a phone survey a month
ago, conducted by their community coordinators, with help
from some interns.
Those willing to be interviewed are asked a series of nine
questions, some of which focus on the attitude and behavior
of officers when dealing with the public. They are given
choices ranging from “very good” and “good,” to
“average,” “below average,” “poor,” and “no opinion.”
Other questions pertain to the safety and security of the
respondent’s neighbor-hood, competency of police
employees, and the overall opinion of the Portland Police
Department.
Using the reverse 911 computer system, a random sampling
of telephone numbers is generated for citizens to be queried.
The department would like to get 1,000 responses.
According to Lieutenant William Preis of the Day Directed
Patrol Unit, “We’re trying to find out how the city feels
about the job we’re doing. It’s another tool to use to stay in
touch with the public.”
Conducting these surveys periodically is recommended in the
Standard Operating Procedures of the department, and has
no connection to funding. Preis says, when finished, the data
will be examined and used as an internal document “to help
steer the ship.” -Marge Niblock
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Bill Would Bar Teenagers from Buying Guns Without
Parents’ Consent
After a brief debate on the floor of the House of
Representatives, a bill that would bar teenagers from being
allowed to buy firearms without their parents’ or guardians’
consent was passed 100-20 with 31 members absent.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Stan Gerzofsky, D-Brunswick,
House chair of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Committee, would ban the sale of firearms to children
between the ages of 16 and 18 unless the seller of the gun is
their parent or guardian, or the sale is approved by the parent
or guardian. Children under 16 are already barred from
purchasing a firearm.
The penalty for making such a sale would be a civil crime
with a fine of up to $500 for the first offense, and
subsequent offenses would be a Class D misdemeanor with
possible jail time and up to a $2,000 fine. Federal law bans
the sale of firearms by federally licensed gun dealers to
individuals under 18.
According to George Smith of the Sportsmen’s Alliance of
Maine, most Mainers support requiring parents to sign off
before minors can buy guns.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Portland's First Wind Turbine to be Unveiled
Mayor Ed Suslovic will unveil Portland's first wind turbine at
local business, Paradigm Window Solutions at 400 Riverside
Industrial Parkway, on Monday, March 10th at 2PM.
Paradigm is the first manufacturer in the state to utilize a
privately-owned wind turbine for electricity generation.
The turbine, visible from the Maine Turnpike, is expected to
generate as much as 800 kilowatt hours each month with an
annual savings of approximately $850 a year in electricity
costs. The use of clean energy will avert the release of
nearly seven metric tons of greenhouse gases from
electricity generation a year.
The official unveiling of the wind turbine will be followed by
a tour of the manufacturing plant.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Dems to Hold Public Forum on U.S. Military & Foreign
Policy
The six Democratic candidates who have filed for the 1st
District House seat - Michael Brennan, Adam Cote, Mark
Lawrence, Steve Meister, Chellie Pingree and Ethan
Strimling - have been invited by Maine peace and justice
organizations to participate in a Public Forum on Tuesday,
March 11, 6 - 9 pm at the Rhines Auditorium, Portland
Public Library
(Corner of Elm Street and Congress Street).
The topics to be discussed will be centered around U.S.
military and foreign policy. 1st District voters will have an
opportunity to ask questions of the candidates. The
candidates are expected to give their views on foreign policy
topics such as Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, North Korea, Israel-
Palestine, nuclear weapons, expanding military budgets and
U.S.bases, economic conversion, and impeachment.
The forum will be moderated by Reverend Bill Bliss, United
Church of Christ, Bath. All Maine media outlets will be
invited to attend. The event will be videotaped and shown on
public access stations throughout the district.
Each candidate will be given a 5 minute opening and a 5
minute closing statement. The audience will be invited to ask
questions (one minute each) of the candidates.
Refreshments will be served. For more information please
call 772-1442 or 443-9502.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Bayside Photographer Attacked at Home
Portland police are looking for a man who allegedly attacked
a Bayside man in his home on March 3.
At 6:15 PM, when Jay York opened the door of his home on
Wilmot Street to walk his dog, he was confronted by a white
male whom he’d never seen before who was sitting on the
steps, smoking a cigarette. York's description of the man is
that he is about six feet tall, 190 to 195 pounds, between 26
and 36 years of age. He said the man had dark hair and was
wearing a dark jacket and dark jeans.
According to York, the man became confrontational and
aggressive after being asked to move from the steps. When
York stepped back inside to dial 911, the man also came in
and knocked the phone from York’s hand. York then picked
up a softball stick and hit the man. After scuffling inside and
outside, while still maintaining his hold on the stick, York
was able to get back in his home to call police.
Police were not able to locate the assailant.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Woman Charged in Caviar Caper
Colette Williams, 40, of Portland, was charged with theft on
February 23rd. She has been held in the Cumberland County
Jail without bail since December 26th after her arrest at that
time for being a fugitive from justice and violation of
probation, charges stemming from Connecticut.
Williams worked for Browne Trading Company, a gourmet
seafood business on Commercial Street. At the time of her
arrest police found over five thousand dollars worth of
caviar in her Hampshire Street apartment after they were told
a man had been trying to sell caviar received from a woman
who worked at Browne. Subsequent investigation led to
Williams. –Marge Niblock
March 4, 2008
St. Patrick’s Day Events Will Go Forward
Repairs on St. Dom's to Resume
The annual St. Patrick's Day flag- raising will take place at
Harborview Park on Monday, March 17th, after the
traditional parade from St. Dominic’s Church on Gray Street
to the park. Marchers will gather at St. Dominic’s at 12
noon.
The events are not sponsored by any particular organization,
but West End Neighborhood Association President Leanna
Goode-Simpson said that her group will be part of the
celebration, as they were last year, and any West Ender who
would like to participate is welcome to do so.
In 2007, about 30 people, mostly members of the Irish
American Club and WENA, held the march despite a late
winter storm that brought as much as a foot of snow to the
city. Governor John Baldacci, who is usually in attendance at
the event, was prevented from coming by the weather, but
will be invited to this year’s event, according to Robert O’
Brien if the Irish American Club. The governor usually
participates in the St. Patrick’s Day celebration and ends his
visit to Portland with a celebratory Coca Cola at Popeye’s
Ice House.
The march kicked off last year from the steps of the historic
church, which now serves as the Maine Irish Heritage
Center. The marchers, complete with flags and banners,
went down State Street, west on Danforth, and down Tate
Street to the park, where they held the flag-raising and a
ceremony honoring the late neighborhood activist Eddie
Murphy. Many of the marchers then went across York
Street to Popeye’s Ice House, where they continued to
celebrate.
City Councilors David Marshall and Kevin Donoghue
attended the event last year, and Marshall has confirmed that
he will be there again this year.
Bigger Parade Won’t Happen
A parade that was scheduled to go along Commercial Street
to the Maine State Pier was cancelled last year because of
the weather, and once again has been scratched by the
Maine Irish Heritage Center, its main promoter.
Vinny O’Malley of the MIHC said that that organization has
been busy dealing with trying to get the Center reopened
after two years. The church’s bell tower was severely
damaged in 2006 when the bell broke loose and crashed
through several floors of the tower. The church was further
damaged by flood waters that resulted from the Patriots’
Day storm last year. O’Malley said that the MIHC is close to
reahing a settlement with the insurance company and has
entered an agreement with a local construction company to
make the repairs.
The building was host to over 100 events in 2004, includinf
weddings, memorial services, musical events, and group
meetings, according to O’Malley, but has not been open to
the public since the bell collapse.
O’Malley said the cost of the tower repairs was expected to
be “in the high six-figures” and they were hoping to have it
completed this summer.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Historical Society Gets Million Dollar Anonymous Donor
Maine Historical Society launched the public portion of its $9
million MHS Library Capital Campaign on February 27th
with Maine's First Lady Karen Baldacci addressing the
importance of the project.
The date was the 101st anniversary of the Library's opening
and the 201st anniversary of the birth of 19th-century poet
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, whose family is responsible
for the MHS Library being where it is.
Volunteers, board members, and staff have already quietly
raised $7.5 million, including a gift of $1million from an
anonymous donor to name the Library after General John
Marshall Brown and his wife Alida Carroll, a family that
played an important role in local, state, and national history.
MHS has also been awarded a $400,000 Challenge Grant
from the Kresge Foundation. The public phase of the
fundraising effort will be asking for local, state, and regional
support from the community to raise another $1.5 million
The Kresge award will only be granted if MHS reaches its
goal of $9 million by December 31, 2008.
The new library will create a state-of-the-art facility for the
preservation of Maine's historical records. The MHS Library
contains one of the largest and most comprehensive
collections of materials related to Maine history in the state,
and is used regularly by researchers, historians, genealogists,
teachers, students, lawyers, architects, and many others
from across Maine and the country.
The renovation of the original building and the 13,000 square
foot expansion will effect structural repairs, address
collections care and storage issues, upgrade technology, and
improve access and amenities for patrons.
Construction on the $9 million project is underway and is
expected to take up to sixteen months. The renovated and
expanded Library will re-open in the spring of 2009. The
Library, located behind the Longfellow House at 485
Congress Street, was opened in 1907 and is on the National
Register of Historic Places.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
March Comes in Like A Lion
The snowstorm on March 1st marked the 19th storm the
City has plowed this winter according to City officials.
To date, Portland has received approximately 94 inches of
snow requiring the use of more than 6,700 tons of salt and
20,000 staff hours dedicated to snow removal. During the
storm, crews plowed and removed snow from more than
566 miles of road and 90 miles of sidewalks. The record
snowfall for the city is the 107.6 inches that fell in the winter
of 1970-71, a record that could easily be broken this winter.
The City has asked residents to avoid driving until roads are
clear and safe for travel. A citywide parking ban, the tenth
one this winter, began at 10PM Saturday evening, and will
end at 6:00 AM Sunday, March 2.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Hold onto that Hazardous Waste!
Program suspended due to budget overrun. Will resume on
July 5, 2008
Due to overwhelming demand, the City of Portland has
expended this year's budget for the household hazardous
waste program at Riverside Recycling and the program was
suspended on February 2nd. It will resume again on
Saturday, July 5, 2008. The City asked that anyone who has
any oil paints, chemicals, pesticides or other hazardous items
to hold onto them until then.
City officials said that the suspension of the hazardous waste
program does not affect the processing of universal or
electronic waste such as computer monitors, televisions,
fluorescent tubes, batteries, thermostats or other mercury
containing devices. They will continue to accept those items
at Riverside Recycling during regular business hours.
For more information, contact Riverside Recycling at 797-
6200.