By Tony Zeli & Ed King
I started to hear the rumors in July. Could it be true? Ed King, WEN founding publisher and local personality for 25 years, was relocating to North Carolina. It was hard to believe. But the rumors were true. King, partner Liz McMahon, and family dog Daisy filled up a U-Haul in late August and relocated to Chapel Hill.
“Makes me sad. Portland won’t be the same without him,” said WEN contributor Rosanne Graef.
King and McMahon had become a fixture of West End life. King founded and edited our community newspaper from 2001 to 2014. In addition to the News, he is known for his cartoons lampooning Portland politics, organizing dance parties in Congress Square, and drawing caricatures at neighborhood events. Liz McMahon was an English as a Second Language Teacher at Portland Adult Ed. While teaching she organized our “My Story” column. This column introduced new Mainers and ESL students to the neighborhood in their own words. Also, Liz was co-founder of the nonprofit theater Lucid Stage.
“I think that so many of us in this town are really going to miss them both. I know I will,” said former WEN food writer James Fereira.
All of us at The West End News wish them well in their new home. Below is a note from Ed King.
A Note from Ed King
So, I was going to write a long piece describing every step of our journey from Portland, Maine to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, but moving is actually kind of boring so I’ll keep this short.
When we decided to move a few months ago, I had to keep my mind focused on the future, because thinking about my past twenty-five years in this town would have made it impossible to leave the place. It’s a place that presented me with a lot of opportunities to be part of something that was growing and changing and gave me a chance to contribute in a positive way to that evolution. Along the way, I picked up some great friends, had some unforgettable experiences, and had lots of laughs.
Our new place is a little bigger, I have a beautiful view from my desk of the surrounding woods, and our dog Daisy has her own yard. Liz’s family is all nearby, and it’s a little warmer here in January. But I won’t be running into friends in Monument Square or at an art opening on Congress Street or having coffee with them in Pleasant Street Park. Liz and I will miss being surrounded by the people of Portland who have given us so much love and support over the years.
We’ll cherish all the wonderful memories we have from our years in Portland and look forward to new adventures in Chapel Hill.
-Ed King
