News from the West End and immediately surrounding neighborhoods.

Orlando Delogu and the MCLU
By Cameron Autry Pillars of Portland is a monthly column celebrating local leaders and doers. This month we ce...

The Dearest Gift
La Vida Local Irregular Notes on West End Life By Rosanne Graef Especially at this time of year, but also when...

Community Forum on Reiche Renovation Not Reflective of Community
LETTER TO THE EDITOR On November 6th, the Portland School Department and Harriman Associates held a Community...

Winter Storm Services 2019/2020
During winter storm services, the City of Portland Department of Public Works cares for more than 560 lane mil...

Lori Moses is Advancing Childcare in Maine
By Cameron Autry Pillars of Portland is a monthly column celebrating local leaders and doers. This month we ce...

Portland City Council Hears Testimony On Several Local Issues
Homeless Voices For Justice holds a vigil before the meeting: Monday, November 18 was an eventful night for Po...

Fall Survival Guide
From leaf collection to parking restrictions, helpful info for every Portlander this fall. By Tony Zeli Whethe...

Mary Allen Lindemann isn’t afraid to take a stand
Pillars of Portland: Mary Allen Lindemann By Cameron Autry Providing community gathering places, educating peo...

La Vida Local – Why I’m Not Voting for Mayor
LA VIDA LOCAL: IRREGULAR NOTES ON WEST END LIFE Why I’m Not Voting for Mayor By Rosanne Graef “It’s like deja...

Whither Forest City?
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life Whither Forest City? By Rosanne Graef Portland has long had th...

Dr. Philip Thompson: Neighborhood Doctor
By Tony Zeli, Publisher & Editor Dr. Philip Thompson, a well-known and beloved West End physician, passed...

Homage to Local Sprouts
By Kate Goldfield Just today [August 6th], I made the very disturbing discovery that Local Sprouts, the indepe...

BAYSIDE BUYOUT – CITY SELLOUT
By Kelly Merrill In the midst of the worst housing crisis Portland has ever seen, the City approved the sale o...

Pecha-What??
PechaKucha Portland’s 45th show seeks stories of empowerment By Kelly Merrill What is PechaKucha? How do...

Tom Handel – Free speech keeps community strong
By Cameron Autry Few rights enjoyed in this country are as essential to maintaining democracy as our freedom o...

Justin Costa Withdraws from Mayor’s Race – Endorses Two Candidates (Hint: Neither is Mayor Ethan Strimling)
MAYOR’S RACE UPDATE In July, Portland City Councilor Justin Costa withdraws from the mayor’s race. In a press...

Stop the Fast Driving!
La Vida Local Irregular Notes on West End Life Sign Up – Sign On By Rosanne Graef Signs are tricky thing...

Community Support for Asylum Seekers
By Cameron Autry Last month roughly 300 asylum seekers arrived in Portland. Mostly from the Democratic Republi...

Paul Kendrick Standing Up for Victims
PILLARS OF PORTLAND Paul Kendrick – Standing Up for Victims By Cameron Autry When the truth becomes unpleasant...

Justin Costa to ‘Calm Things Down’
UPDATE: Councilors Justin Costa and Belinda Ray withdraw from mayor’s race. Read more: “Justin Cos...

Kate Snyder: Mayor as Steward
By Tony Zeli Former School Board Chair Kate Snyder has joined the race to be Portland’s next mayor. Snyder ser...

Growing Harbor View Park 2019
By Pamela Shaw The morning after the Harbor View Park Spring Work Day this year, two mallard ducks turned up,...

Making Fares More Fair
METRO proposes higher fares along with new ways to pay and fare caps to create equity. By Cameron Autry The ME...

Now Appearing in Your Neighborhood: Invasive Plants
By Pamela Shaw Some invasive species of plants in our area are old timers, familiar to many, such as Asiatic B...

‘Spring Is Sprung, the Grass Is Riz’
LA VIDA LOCAL: IRREGULAR NOTES ON WEST END LIFE By Rosanne Graef After a couple of April false alarms (during...

John Menario & Urban Renewal
PILLARS OF PORTLAND By Cameron Autry In the history of Portland few people have left an impact as large as tha...

PINGREE SUPPORTS CARBON DIVIDEND BILL
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, representing Maine’s First District in the U. S. House, is cosponsoring the fir...

Belinda Ray Jumps into Mayor’s Race
By Cameron Autry UPDATE: Councilor Belinda Ray withdraws from 2019 mayor’s race. So has Councilor Justin...

Update on Portland Area Villages
The Portland Area Villages Board has been working hard and thanks to our members and volunteers, we have some...

Local Restaurateurs to Open Café at Former Aurora Provisions
By Tony Zeli, Editor A new café is moving to the neighborhood in the former site of Aurora Provisions on Pine...

Figgy Wins Food Network’s ‘Chopped’
By Tony Zeli, Editor Natalie “Figgy” DiBenedetto, chef and owner of Figgy’s on Walker Street in the West End i...

Your Taxes & the Property Reassessment
By Cameron Autry The City of Portland is conducting its first property reassessment since 2006. Given the shar...

Small Pleasures of Winter
LA VIDA LOCAL: IRREGULAR NOTES ON WEST END LIFE By Rosanne Graef I have always enjoyed winter and the one year...

Spencer Thibodeau First to Annouce for Mayor
By Cameron Autry First published February 2019. Last updated by Editor: 9/4/2019. In January, District 2 City...

New Snow Removal Rules & Fines
Don’t let winter weather slow you down. To help you get around, the City has revamped its sidewalk snow remova...

Parking Bans & Plowing 2019
For the most recent information please visit: Winter Storm Services 2019/2020. ALL THE INFO YOU NEED – P...

Edible Abundance Next to the 7-11 Parking Lot
Three years of strategic planting and coaxing demonstrate that urban food gardens can grow almost anywhere. By...

Bramhall Square Gets New Lights
Pandora LaCasse’s light designs now stretch all the way to Bramhall Square. Thanks to a new public-private par...

Thibodeau, Figdor on Path Forward
In local races this November not much has changed for the City of Portland. Councilors Nick Mavodones, Belinda...

Reiche Community: A.M. Exercise, Monday Evenings Out & More
LA VIDA LOCAL – IRREGULAR NOTES ON WEST END LIFE Reiche Community: A.M. Exercise, Monday Evenings Out & Mo...

Millennials Compete for Portland City Council D2
PORTLAND CITY COUNCIL ELECTION Millennials Compete for District 2 By Tony Zeli, Publisher & Editor The two...

Neighborhood School Advocates Seek Open School Board Seat
PORTLAND SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION Neighborhood School Advocates Seek Open Seat By Tony Zeli, Publisher & Edit...

Mercy State Street Goes Up for Sale
By Tony Zeli, Publisher & Editor Though it is not inaccurate to say that the behemoth hospital building on...

Portland Prepares for Self-Driving Cars
By Cameron Autry A new public private partnership has landed Portland on the forefront of the emerging market...

Unintended Consequences – A new temporary sign law has unforeseen results
LA VIDA LOCAL: IRREGULAR NOTES ON WEST END LIFE By Rosanne Graef For 41 years, Maine has been blessed by the b...

Whitley Marshall Competes for Mrs. Maine
Whitley Marshall, an American Red Cross blood drive supervisor and co-director of the Barefoot Truth Dance Com...

Community Art Around the Corner & Underfoot
By Cameron Autry In June Rosemont Market & Bakery teamed up with Reiche Elementary School to present a new...

Americold Project Killed
City Continues to Seek Cold Storage on Waterfront By Tony Zeli, Publisher & Editor On the morning of June...

Local Develops Game about Cats on Maine Island
Peace Island is an open-world, story-driven adventure game set on a remote Maine island By Tony Zeli Local ani...

Separated Bike Lane for Portland
By Cameron Autry In June the City of Portland Public Works held a public meeting on a proposed separated bike...

New Buses for METRO
By Cameron Autry Greater Portland METRO GM Greg Jordan discussed upcoming changes to public transit at a West...

Opportunity Zone for Americold
By Tony Zeli, Editor The governor chose census tracts from Madawaska to Saco to be opportunity zones, qualifyi...

Mercy on the Move
By Tony Zeli, Editor In May, Mercy Hospital held a community conversation concerning the move of their State S...

No more moving your car every other week…
Stop Moving Your Cars No Enforcement of Street Maintenance Parking Rules June – September No more moving...

Maine Irish Heritage Center Celebrates 15th Anniversary
By Nancy Dorrans Late on the morning of Friday… Late on the morning of Friday, May 25th, t...

Historic Seth Thomas Clock Examined for Renovations
by Tony Zeli, Editor The Francis hotel, developers of the Bramhall Residences, and Greater Portland Landmarks...

Senator Ben Chipman Legislative Update
Legislative Update From Senator Ben Chipman Bill to increase availability of Naloxone now law L.D. 565, the bi...

Spencer Thibodeau Re-Election Bid Annoucement
By Tony Zeli, Editor Spencer Thibodeau says he will seek re-election for the District 2 City Council seat. The...

Browntail Moth Discovered in Portland
CITY ALERT: BROWNTAIL MOTH The City’s Forestry Management crew recently discovered browntail moth webs on the...

Harbor View Park Spring Planting 2018
By Pamela Shaw On Sunday, April 29th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., volunteers will be back at work on the “Edible H...

Road Construction Alert – State Street and Maine Med Expansion
State St. Sewer Work and Maine Med Expansion Likely to Overlap Portland Public Works alerts residents that the...

Letters: Leaf Blowers, Be Considerate!
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Leaf Blowers Please Be Considerate I (along with everyone else) am looking forward to spr...

Munjoy Hill Looks at Historic District
By Tony Zeli, Publisher & Editor In February and March, the City of Portland, Greater Portland Landmarks,...

Book Nook – Mysteries
THE BOOK NOOK Mysteries – Get Started on a New Series by Nina Sachs, MLIS Mysteries. We shelve these separate...

Neighbors Reach Goal of 500 Window Dressers Inserts
500 Window Dressers Insulating Inserts Ordered by Elissa Armstrong This summer Window Dressers volunteers from...

Book Nook – Not Just Bodice Rippers & James Pattersons
by Nina Sachs, MLIS When I was 12, I was confident that the only people who had a larger English vocabu...

A Tribute to Bridget Chase
Editor’s Note: WEN Volunteer Contributor Bridget Chase, 58, of Pine Street, Portland, passed away on August 7t...

Invasion of the Trim Snatchers
by Tony Taylor As a teenage student of architectural history in late 60’s Connecticut, I remember my excitemen...

UPDATE: Homicide on Temple Street
POLICE BEAT Suspicious Death on Temple Street Ruled a Homicide UPDATE: Police Release Sketch to Identify Perso...

Reiche Community Room – Back to Learning and Fun
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life Back to Learning (And Fun!) at the Reiche Community Room by Ro...

ROBO-TICKETING COMING TO PORTLAND?
City Announces New Digital Parking Ticket System by Tony Zeli Is this the start of robo-ticketing? Well, not e...

Guidance for Mainers After Equifax Data Breach
State Officials Provide Information and Guidance for Mainers in Response to Data Breach at Equifax Following n...

Resistance, Free Speech and a T-shirt Company from Portland
West End People Wells Lyons Starts Resistance Enterprises by Tony Zeli After Trump was elected, former City Co...

American Chestnut Returns to Portland
AMERICAN CHESTNUT PLANTING AT HARBOR VIEW PARK by Pamela Shaw The American chestnut was once the most importan...

Police Beat – Hate Crime Arrest
Portland Man Charged in Hate Crime Police arrested 37-year-old Jesse James Taylor of Portland following a dist...

Bayside of the Mid-Century Remembered – A Bayside Series
Mid-Century Bayside Remembered by Tony Taylor The intersection of Oxford and Elm Streets today is a place one...

Portland Bike Share Gears Up for 2018
Nonprofit Says West End on Short List for Bikeshare Stations by Tony Zeli Last year, bikeshare advocates found...

Holly Seeliger Talks School Board
Holly Seeliger faces media scrutiny, but continues work on School Board by Tony Zeli June kept West End School...

Pesticide Ordinance on Fast Track
Sustainability Committee has Portland’s Draft Pesticide Ordinance on Fast Track by Bridget Chase The Sustainab...

Portland Protectors Call Draft Pesticide Ordinance ‘Extremely Flawed’
Portland Protectors Support South Portland Ordinance by Tony Zeli Portland Protectors is a local group that pr...

Preble Street Shooting
POLICE BEAT UPDATE: Preble Street Shooting Arrest Made Portland Police arrested a man in connection with the s...

Water Safety is a Must!
Water Safety Top Priority for Local Group by Tony Zeli I sit to write on Memorial Day. A front-page headline i...

Philip Thompson, MD – 100 Years in the West End
West End People Dr. Philip Thompson – 100 Years in the West End by Tony Zeli, with Rosanne Graef Dr. Phi...

Bayside’s Postwar Blues
Bayside’s Postwar Blues by Tony Taylor “There’s been a widespread perception around here that Bayside was simp...

Portland High School Student Assaulted
POLICE BEAT Portland High School Student Assaulted on Oxford Street An 18-year-old Portland High School studen...

Juvenile Arrested for Firing a Gun on Munjoy Hill
Police Beat Portland Police arrested a 17 year-old Portland youth for Criminal Threatening with a Dangerous We...

Bayscaping for the Urbanite
by Tony Zeli The Fore River is polluted with excessive nitrogen. So much so that in 2015, Friends of Casco Bay...

Turning over New Leaves in West End Parks
What’s News at West End Parks by Pamela Shaw If you haven’t visited your West End parks in a while, this...

Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day
Neighbors Raise Awareness for Safe Boating Portland’s Swim for Life/Water Safety Coalition announced its suppo...

Comp Plan and the Western Waterfront
by Luke deNatale Neighbors cite concern for maintaining working waterfront, suggest new comp plan language. Po...

Nextdoor West End Builds Community
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life by Rosanne Graef In early 2012, the West End Neighborhood Asso...

Cumberland Farms in West End Robbed
POLICE BEAT Armed Robbery at Cumberland Farms in West End Police were called to the store shortly after 4:18 a...

Neighborhoods should prepare for temporary increase in aircraft noise
AIRCRAFT NOISE ADVISORY Taxiway Construction Project Will Impact Flight Patterns The Portland International Je...

SCHOOL BOND OPTIONS
School Bond Options and How State Funding Works by Tony Zeli There has been plenty of hoopla around the school...

Window Dressers WENA Build
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life Window Dressers – A Chance to DO Something by Rosanne Gr...

Nickelodeon Cinema Robbed, Arrest Made
POLICE BEAT Portland Man Arrested for Robbing Nickelodeon Cinema Dustin Palmer, 29-years-old of Portland, was...

Charlie Therrien – Mercy’s New President
West End People Mercy’s New President Charlie Therrien by Tony Zeli The snow was just staring to fall on a Thu...

Western Waterfront Rezoning and Americold Update
Neighbors are concerned that the Western Waterfront could become a ‘trucking hub’ by Tony Zeli On February 27t...

Cabin Fever and Turning the Corner
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life Turning the Corner by Rosanne Graef After a February in which...

First look at the draft pesticide ordinance. It might not be what you were hoping for…
Task Force Approves Draft Pesticide Ordinance by Bridget Chase At their February 27th meeting, the Portland Pe...

West End Homicide Investigated
POLICE BEAT Originally published February, 28th. Last updated March 3rd, 2017. West End Homicide Victim Ident...

New Comprehensive Plan Released for Review
Review the New Comprehensive Plan The City’s Department of Planning and Urban Development released a final dra...

Americold Neighborhood Meeting Announced
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life Americold Neighborhood Meeting Announced by Rosanne Graef, Pas...

Pizza Delivery Driver Robbed at Gunpoint
POLICE BEAT Armed Robbery of Pizza Delivery Driver A Papa John’s Pizza delivery driver was robbed Sunday morni...

Hate Crime Arrest, Witnesses Helped Investigation
POLICE BEAT Hate Crime Arrest A tip leads to a hate crime arrest of a Portland man. Portland Police made an ar...

WENA Board has new leaders ready to grow the neighborhood association
WENA Board Announces New Leadership by Liz Parsons, WENA President Change and continuity characterize the West...

Hate Crime Investigated at Casco Bay High – Police Beat
POLICE BEAT Hate Crime Investigated at Casco Bay High Four black Casco Bay High School students reported being...

Reiche Brackett Street Ramp Set for Removal
Councilor Thibodeau Looks to Remove Reiche Brackett Street Ramp The Brackett Street ramp leading to the second...

Police Seek Help with Unsolved Murder – Police Beat
POLICE BEAT Portland Police Seek Information on Unsolved Murder It has been seven years since the unsolved sho...

Woman Assaulted While Walking in West End – Police Beat
POLICE BEAT Woman Assaulted While Walking in West End A man assaulted a 22-year-old Portland woman while she w...

Muslim Owned Business ‘Buy-In’ Organized by New Political Group
Over 500 Portlanders Join Facebook Event for Muslim Owned Business “Buy-In” A new political group called...

WEN READER SURVEY RESULTS
WEN Reader Survey Results and What’s New for the West End News in 2017 by Tony Zeli, Editor In the summe...

Lucie Trudeau – Labors of Love in the West End
West End People Lucie Trudeau’s Labors of Love in the West End by Marilyn Miller Thirty years ago, West...

Blue, Bored and Lonely? Check Out Reiche Community Center!
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life Reiche Community Center is more than just an elementary school...

What do Aging West End Neighbors Need?
Results of the Aging in Place Survey reveals some of the needs of aging West End neighbors. by Pamela Shaw and...

Pesticide Task Force Work Continues
Pesticide Task Force Votes to Work into 2017 by Bridget Chase The Pesticide and Fertilizer Task Force met on D...

Disappearing Packages Over the Holidays – The WEN Police Beat
POLICE BEAT Disappearing Packages Per community police officer David Argitis, there was an increase in disappe...

Madawaska band to play at the inauguration, but not without controversy
Madawaska band selected to play presidential inauguration Pride of Madawaska band, the concert and marching ba...

Reiche gets an elevator and other improvements
Improvements at Reiche include an elevator and a more secure entrance District 2 Councilor Spencer Thibodeau l...

Rosanne’s Winter Sidewalk Report suggests updates to city code
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life Winter Sidewalk Report by Rosanne Graef, Past President...

Organic Pest Management v. Integrated – An Update on the Pesticide Ordinance
Pesticide & Fertilizer Task Force Update What Does Portland Want – Integrated versus Organic Pest Manageme...

Hospitals Graded for Safety
Mercy, Maine Med and Area Hospitals Graded for Safety by Tony Zeli The Leapfrog Group announced its Fall 2016...

Cold Feelings for Americold and Economic Development Department
Annual District Meeting Raises Concern for Transparency in Development Decisions by Tony Zeli UPDATE: The Plan...

Portland will not deport millions
Portland Not a Sanctuary City by Tony Zeli On November 14th, the Bangor Daily News’ Jake Bleiberg penned this...

You know the election results … but how did Portland vote?
Maine Election Results How Did Portland Vote? Everyone knows Portland is a liberal pocket in Maine. But how do...

Portland City Council Election Shake-Up
Portland City Council Shake-Up by Tony Zeli Pious Ali Wins At-Large In a coup d’état for Mayor Ethan Strimlin...

Development will be the top story for the West End in 2017
The Story of 2017 DEVELOPMENT by Tony Zeli Come next year… In Portland, the minimum wage will be $10.10. In Po...

The Uglification of the Jewel by the Sea
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Today’s Topic: T...

Pesticide Ordinance Draft Offers Disappointing First Read
Pesticide Ordinance Draft Borrows Language from Industry Lobby by Bridget Chase Portland’s Fertilizer and Pest...

UPDATE: Gunshots on Gilman Street
POLICE BEAT Police are still investing the shots fired on Gilman Street. Say some neighbors have been less tha...

League of Women Voters Making Democracy Work
MAKING DEMOCRACY WORK by Tony Zeli Has the presidential election got you down? Do you yearn for a political pr...

Is Chipman a Shoo-in for Senate District 27
Two Challenge Chipman for Senate District 27 by Tony Zeli State Senate District 27 is one of two Senate seats...

Pious Ali Challenges Jon Hinck
School Board Member Pious Ali Challenges Incumbent Jon Hinck for City Council At-large School Board Member Pio...

This is your chance to review the Referendum Questions
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life Take Time to Read the Referendum Questions by Rosanne Graef, P...

Matt Moonen Is Virtually Unchallenged
No Campaign Challenge for District 38 Incumbent Matt Moonen by Luke deNatale Matt Moonen is a Democrat running...

South Portland Pesticide Ordinance, What It Means For Portland
South Portland Pesticide Ordinance Clarifies Charge of Portland Pesticide Task Force by Bridget Chase The pass...

Algae Blooms Could Spell Trouble for Bay
Algae Blooms Indicate Too Much Nitrogen from Fertilizer and Pollution by Bridget Chase In July the Friends of...

Minimum Wage a Moral Issue
Faith leaders gather at St. Luke’s to say minimum wage is an issue of justice and morality. by Tony Zeli...

Rescued Food and Wayside Food Programs
Rescued food is how one local nonprofit is battling hunger. by Tony Zeli “There is so much food… I don’t know...

The Locker Project and Food at Schools
The Locker Project Is Making It Normal to Take Food Home from School by Tony Zeli “Mother, they have grapes an...

Maine Harvest Bucks
Maine Harvest Bucks program brings SNAP benefits to food co-ops. by Luke deNatale There is an increasing local...

So Many Food Choices
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life SO MANY FOOD CHOICES, SO MUCH WASTE by Rosanne Graef, Past Pre...

Artists Begin Work on TSBs
Five Enhanced TSBs Pop Up Around the City The City of Portland Police Department and the Portland Public Art C...

West End Prostitution Arrests – Police Beat
POLICE BEAT West End Prostitution Sting Operation In August a West End prostitution sting operation led to the...

Reiche Entrance and Crosswalks
Reiche Entrance and Crosswalks To Be Completed in August by Luke deNatale Construction on Reiche Elementary Sc...

Pesticide Ordinance Update
Pesticide Ordinance Running Out of Time by Bridget Chase Portland’s Pesticide and Fertilizer Task Force met tw...

Gentrifying Portland – The “G” Word Part 2
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Today’s Topic: G...

Black Lives Matter Protest Demands
Black Lives Matter Protest Demands Transparency and Accountability On July 14th an action organized by Portlan...

Old Port Thefts
POLICE BEAT Rash of Old Port Thefts Old Port thefts trigger warning to local businesses. Police say be on the...

School Bond Review Committee
City Council Creates Special Committee on Elementary School Bond On July 6th the City Council voted to create...

WENA Garden Harvest for Local Kids
CALLING GARDENERS, VOLUNTEERS NEEDED WENA garden harvest to be distributed to food insecure kids. Last year th...

Water Safety Matters
Recent drownings demonstrate importance of water safety education. by Bridget Chase There is a high probabilit...

Preventing Drowning
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life Preventing Drowning by Rosanne Graef, Past President – W...

St. Luke’s Structure and Soul
Renovating St. Luke’s by Tony Zeli It’s been hard to miss. St. Luke’s Cathedral is a well-known State Street l...

Pesticide Ordinance Delayed
Council review of proposed Pesticide Ordinance moved to October. by Bridget Chase The ten-member Pesticide and...

Paul’s Food Center and the Search for Salad
Newsy Musings A Quick Note on Paul’s Food Center and the Search for Salad by Jenny Anastasoff It’s...

Mikell Reed Carroll for Mrs. International
West Ender Mikell Reed Carroll in International Beauty Pageant West End resident Mikell Reed Carroll was recen...

Carleton Street Parking
Additional Carleton Street parking will be seasonal. There will soon be more Carleton Street parking in respo...

Public Art Utility Box
Open Call for Artists Design a Public Art Utility Box A public art utility box may soon be are around the corn...

METRO BUS NEWS!
Metro Bus NEWS Introducing GPS Tracking and New Freeport – Yarmouth Route This summer in Metro bus news, the G...

Portland Pesticide Ordinance
June Actions Critical for Portland Pesticide Ordinance by Bridget Chase Last month important progress was made...

Soap Bubble Laundromat Sues Landlord
Plugged sewer main almost ruins Soap Bubble Laundromat. Owner now fears landlord will force a new lease. by To...

Noyes Fire Eyesore
Site of Noyes Fire an Eyesore by Luke deNatale Approaching the intersection of Freeman and Noyes Street, you...

The G-Word Part 1: Gentrification in Portland
La Vida Local – Irregular Notes on West End Life by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Today’s Topic: ...

West End Shooting and Several Assaults on Women
POLICE BEAT West End Shooting On May 30st Police responded to a West End shooting. At 8:30 p.m. a 48-year-old...

STOLEN PORCUPINE SCULPTURE REPLACED
A donated porcupine sculpture replaces a stolen one at the Jetport. The Portland International Jetport announc...

Pedestrian killed by moped
POLICE BEAT – May 2016 Pedestrian killed in moped accident On May 17th, at approximately 8:35 p.m., Port...

India Street Clinic Faces Transition, City Budget Passes
Most India Street clinic services remain under City control until June 2017. City Council approves $236 millio...

Irregular Notes on West End Life: You Never Know Who You’ll Meet
La Vida Local Irregular Notes on West End Life Today’s Topic: You Never Know Who You’ll Meet by Rosanne...

Flowers in Snow
Flowers in Snow: Portland Lessons in Resilience by Pamela Shaw A late April snowfall reminds me yet again not...

Parkside House Race
Primary Election: Bayside / Parkside House Race Sees Competition by Tony Zeli State Representative Ben Chipman...

WENA Sidewalk Buttlers
WENA Sidewalk Buttlers: First neighborhood association to purchase cigarette recycling devices Pretty soon, yo...

Newsy Musings: The Closing of Paul’s
Paul’s: City’s Walkable Downtown Grocer Closes by Jenny Anastasoff Our esteemed publisher told us the distribu...

West End: Best Neighborhood
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Today’s Topic: W...

Elderly Mainers, Old and New
Elderly Mainers, Old and New Contribute to Future by Pamela Shaw When I hear people bemoaning the “greying” of...

Reiche Spring Auction
Reiche Spring Auction – Fun for Everyone by Bridget Chase For the third year running the West End’s comm...

Chase the Chill: Knit to Help Veterans
Calling all knitters and crocheters! Lend your needles and hooks to creating a scarf, hat, mittens or socks th...

Long Goodbye
Newsy Musings Long Goodbye: Saying Farewell to a Beloved Pet and a Treasured Thrift Shop by Jenny Anastasoff U...

Get Creative West Enders
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Today’s Topic: G...

Ray Richard: West End Postal Carrier Retires
Ray Richard Retires After 30 Years by Bridget Chase Ray Richard retired at the end of last year after serving...

Reiche Gets Upgrades
Reiche Elementary and surrounding neighborhood undergoing significant change by Luke deNatale The ramp that co...

ON REMAINING UPRIGHT: Treacherous Sidewalks
La Vida Local – Irregular Notes on West End Life by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Today’s T...

Pedestrian Safety on Brackett St
Pedestrian Safety by Luke deNatale A number of West End residents are concerned about pedestrian safety and tr...

I Hereby Resolve
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life Today’s Topic: I Hereby Resolve by Rosanne Graef, Past P...

NEWSY MUSINGS: January 2016
by Jenny Anastasoff Our esteemed publisher has deemed me the Local Newshound in the masthead, which may be o...

La Vida Local: A West End Christmas
La Vida Local Irregular Notes on West End Life by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Today’s Topic: A...

Newsy Musings: Coyotes in the City
by Jenny Anastasoff Have you ever had that sense, walking through the West End or near the Prom, turning a cor...

Casco Bay and King Receive Highest ‘Credentialed’ Rating
Casco Bay High School and King Middle School have been named among 14 newly ‘Credentialed’ schools by EL Educa...

$40,000 to Irish Heritage in Maine
The Maine Irish Heritage Center is based out of the West End’s Saint Dominic’s Church on the corner of State a...

Shoveling for Seniors, an Important Volunteer Service
by Luke deNatale Although shoveling snow is not an immediate concern for most of us, winter is fast approachin...

West End History: Andrews Square Rededicated
This Veterans Day leaders from the City, soldiers, veterans, and business leaders gathered to rededicate Andre...

La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life – Blaze Orange, Crows and Snowshoes
by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Today’s Topic: Blaze Orange, Crows and Snowshoes Ahhh, November,...

West End Halloween Parade 2015
The annual parade was a huge hit. Hundreds marched, played instruments, carried puppets by the Shoestring Thea...

Tuesday Morning Tai Chi Chih at Reiche
Tai Chi Chih is being offered at Reiche this fall through the Recreation Department. The classes will continue...

La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life – Your Neighborhood Footprint?
by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Today’s Topic: Your Neighborhood Footprint? It’s Wednesday. What...

WENA – REICHE PTO YARD SALE
On Sunday, October 18th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the West End Neighborhood Association and Reich Parent-Teacher Org...

Check Out the Book Nook at Reiche!
Okay – it’s 8 am on Tuesday, and you wish you had a mystery you haven’t already read to take on the bus to Bos...

Volunteers for Congress Square Park Honored
The Friends of Congress Square Park held their Annual Meeting on Wednesday, September 16th. The event was held...

Market Owner Paul Trusiani Dies at Age of 81
by Ed King I knew Paul Trusiani, who died on September 4th, only because of his little grocery store, Paul...

Interest in Improving Bramhall Square: Design Charette Attracts 30+ Neighbors
On Wednesday, September 2nd, over 30 neighbors gathered for a design charette, a community meeting to discuss...

La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life – Make More Than a Fashion Statement
by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Today’s Topic: Make More Than a Fashion Statement It’s almost ti...

Wells Lyons Jumps into District Two Council Race
Wells Lyons has entered the District 2 race for Portland City Council. Wells joins joins Rob Korobkin and Spen...

Rob Korobkin Announces Bid for Open District 2 Council Seat
UPDATE: As of Friday, August 14th, Rob Korobkin and Spencer Thibodeau have qualified for the ballot as Distric...

La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life – Recycling, Part 1
by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Recycling – What’s Really the Problem? Have you ever looke...

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: DAVE MARSHALL WILL NOT SEEK REELECTION
After nine years on City Council, and much recent speculation as to his future plans, Councilor Dave Marshall...

Mako Bates Runs for City Council in District 2
Article updated Mako Bates, an organizer for the local ballot initiative to create a $15 minimum wage in Portl...

Spencer Thibodeau Launches Campaign for City Council District 2
Article updated Spencer Thibodeau, a 27-year-old real estate attorney at Verrill Dana and resident of Pitt Str...

La Vida Local – Irregular Notes on West End Life: Get Involved!
by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Today’s Topic: Why Get Involved? We want to feel that our lives...

Developing 17 Carleton St: Animosity Over Lost Parking
Between 50 and 60 neighbors from Carleton, Pine, Neal, West Streets and others, attended the neighborhood meet...

Developing 17 Carleton St: TIF Passed Committee
Avesta Housing, developers of 17 Carleton Street, gained unanimous approval for tax-increment financing (TIF)...

Congress Square Park: Derelict Space to Summer Hot Spot
The Revitalization of Congress Square Park by Tony Zeli There is a new venue in town. Wednesday night concerts...

LA VIDA LOCAL- IRREGULAR NOTES ON WEST END LIFE: TREES
by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Have you gone to a different city and reported back to your frie...

Carleton Street Development: Neighborhood Meeting Scheduled
Developers have announced a neighborhood meeting to discuss plans for an affordable housing building at 17 Car...

Joy Place Development: City Looks to Sell Reiche Teachers’ Parking Lot
Joy Place is an alley, with an abandoned building, an old foundation of a barn and a dilapidated shed… a...

CLEAR CUTTING THE WESTERN WATERFRONT
“It really was a situation that couldn’t continue,” says Vin Veroneau, President of JB Brown. He is referring...

La Vida Local – Irregular Notes on West End Life: SOUND OFF!
by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA This Month’s Topic: Sound Off! Fingernails scraping a chal...

Neighborhood Clean-up Days
“We love it,” said Emma Holder of the Parkside Neighborhood Association, when asked if neighbors e...

New Parking Restriction Signs
Public Services is currently in the process of installing new street maintenance parking restriction signs in...

Bus Hits Bicyclist
On April 15th a South Portland School Department bus hit a bicyclist on Deering Avenue, near King Middle Schoo...

Hate Crime Under Investigation
Police are investigating a hate crime that occurred on Sunday, April 12th. The Portland Halaal Market at 269 S...

La Vida Local – Irregular Notes on West End Life: Spot Gardens & Way Stations
by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Today’s Topic: Spot Gardens & Way Stations “Spring is natur...

La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life — KAFFEEKLATSCH!!!
By Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Today’s Topic: Kaffeeklatsch!!! Coffee? Tea? Hot Chocolate? You’...

Readers of the West End – March 2015
“I was born in Texas and didn’t speak English until I was six or seven and living in a Ohio farming community...

Peeping Tom Alert
On Saturday, February 28th, a peeping tom was reported on Spruce Street. The report was made via social media...

Readers of the West End – February 2015
“I’m reading Oopsy Daisy, a book in the Flower Power series by Lauren Myracle. It’s about a bunch of friends a...

La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life – TRASH!!!
by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Today’s Topic: Trash!!! Garbage, refuse, waste, litter, junk, de...

Two Armed Robberies Under Investigation
Police are investigating two armed robberies that occurred on February 6th and February 11th. The first incide...

La Vida Local – Irregular Notes on West End Life: PARKING
by Rosanne Graef, Past President – WENA Today’s Topic: Parking!!! Just to make things clear from the beg...

Cameras Not Wanted
Jeff is a Spring Street resident with a problem. His seven kids cannot seem to keep the car doors locked. This...

La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life – SNOW
This Month’s Topic: SNOW!!! Rosanne Graef, President – WENA Snow Bans Go into effect at 10 p.m. an...

Jaywalkers Beware!
The November 12th meeting of the West End Neighborhood Association (WENA) had a slow agenda, so the floor was...

New Storm Water Fees May Help Dragonflies
A new city policy will change the way residents are billed for storm water treatment. It will create a new sto...

Halloween Parade Back On
The West End NEWS reported on September 30th that the Annual West End Halloween Parade would be cancelled. At...

NO MORE HALLOWEEN PARADE
In a letter to neighbors the Shoestring Theater announced that it can no longer present the Annual West End Ha...

Maybe It Won’t Snow This Winter
Portland’s Director of Public Services Mike Bobinsky answered a barrage of questions at the monthly We...

Leaf Blowers Driving West Enders “Crazy”
Citing concerns from noise and dust, to clogged sewers and air pollution, some West End residents are asking f...

Ruby Meets the President
My dog Ruby and I were walking toward the Old Port when I noticed a commotion up ahead at the corner of Middle...

Green Party Candidate Drops Out of West End Race After Losing Housing
Tom MacMillan, the Green Party candidate for the West End (District 38) seat in the Maine legislature, has dro...
















































































































































































































































By Cameron Autry Pillars of Portland is a monthly column celebrating local leaders and doers. This month we celebrate Orlando Delogu who is a founding member of the Maine chapter of the ACLU... Read more
La Vida Local Irregular Notes on West End Life By Rosanne Graef Especially at this time of year, but also when birthdays, graduations, weddings, retirements, and other celebrations put us in... Read more
LETTER TO THE EDITOR On November 6th, the Portland School Department and Harriman Associates held a Community Forum at Reiche School to gather input on the proposed renovation of the school.... Read more
During winter storm services, the City of Portland Department of Public Works cares for more than 560 lane miles of road. In addition, the city’s parks department cares for more than 100 mil... Read more
By Cameron Autry Pillars of Portland is a monthly column celebrating local leaders and doers. This month we celebrate Lori Moses, executive director of Catherine Morrill Day Nursery. “I’ve a... Read more
Homeless Voices For Justice holds a vigil before the meeting: Monday, November 18 was an eventful night for Portland’s city hall, with officials hearing hours of testimony from the cit... Read more
From leaf collection to parking restrictions, helpful info for every Portlander this fall. By Tony Zeli Whether your brand new to Portland, a long-time resident, or just visiting, there is a... Read more
Pillars of Portland: Mary Allen Lindemann By Cameron Autry Providing community gathering places, educating people on social issues, and promoting the arts while remaining profitable may seem... Read more
LA VIDA LOCAL: IRREGULAR NOTES ON WEST END LIFE Why I’m Not Voting for Mayor By Rosanne Graef “It’s like deja vu all over again.” If Yogi Berra were living in today’s Portland, he could well... Read more
La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life Whither Forest City? By Rosanne Graef Portland has long had the moniker “Forest City,” but when you look around the city today, especially on... Read more
Leadership – The Story of 2018
THE STORY OF 2018 LEADERSHIP by Tony Zeli A BLUNT INSTRUMENT There is a battle raging at the ballot box betwee...