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Weighing the odds - Aug. 27, 2010

2010-08-27T12:52:00Z

By Gillian Graham and Dan Aceto

Staff Writers

Voters should know soon where a proposed $250 million harness racing track and racino could be located in Biddeford.

The Biddeford City Council voted Aug. 17 to let residents decide in November whether they want Scarborough Downs to relocate its harness racing track and build a racino in Biddeford. City officials say a racino could bring nearly 1,000 jobs and millions of dollars to Biddeford.

While Scarborough Downs and city officials have provided few details of the plan, Biddeford Mayor Joanne Twomey said she is confident all questions from voters will be answered before the November referendum. A location for the facility should be announced by mid-September, according to Daniel Stevenson, Biddeford’s director of economic development.

Even if Biddeford voters back the plan, a change in state law is required to allow a racino to be built outside Scarborough. State law requires racinos be built within five miles of the track’s current location. Hollywood Slots was built in Bangor within the five-mile range, but Biddeford is more than five miles from Scarborough Downs’ current location.

Scarborough voters in 2008 rejected a proposal for Scarborough Downs’ $1 billion proposal to transform more than 200 acres of undeveloped land into a new “Scarborough Village” with senior housing, community center, retail and commercial space and a Main Street atmosphere. The measure failed by a vote of 5,100 to 5,400.

Since then, Scarborough Downs has looked for another community that will welcome a racino. Edward MacColl, a spokesman and lawyer for Scarborough Downs, told the city council that racinos are needed to preserve the harness racing industry in Maine by providing more revenue.

“It’s a great and a proud industry that’s been an important part of Maine for more than a century,” he said.

Twomey said she was first approached about moving a racino to Biddeford several months ago, but didn’t start more detailed talks until recently. Though she repeatedly opposed the expansion of gambling while in the Legislature, she said she could not turn her back on the prospect of 900 new jobs in the city.

“I didn’t want to turn Maine into the gambling capital of the world,” she said. “But I just couldn’t turn it away anymore.”

While some residents at the council meeting criticized the idea for being brought up quickly and with little public input, Twomey said the vote was necessary to ensure the referendum would be on the November ballot. Deputy City Clerk Tricia Neault said the question needed to be approved by the city council no later than a Sept. 7 meeting to allow time for absentee ballots to be printed.

Although Scarborough Downs has been a fixture along Route 1 for more than 60 years, local business owners and officials remain optimistic the area will be redeveloped if Scarborough Downs moves.

“It’s hard to say what the impact on the community would be if Scarborough Downs was to relocate, although there is great potential,” said Council Chairman Carol Rancourt.

Harvey Rosenfeld, president of the Scarborough Economic Development Corp. said the area would likely be redeveloped to accommodate a mix of business, commercial and residential buildings and could provide a “boom to the community.”

“The idea is that everyone comes out a winner. The owners, the community, as well as anyone else involved,” he said.

Town Manager Tom Hall agreed and said the Scarborough Downs property is a prime piece of real estate easily accessible from both Route 1 and the Maine Turnpike.

“The area is essentially a blank canvas,” Hall said, adding the “sheer size is sufficient to support just about anything.”

According to Hall, land surrounding Scarborough Downs, aside from the racetrack, has been listed with real estate broker Andrew Ingalls of C.B Richard Ellis for a couple months and has drawn attention from several parties.

Ingalls said he was approached by Scarborough Downs Owner Sharon Terry to place the 400-acre property on the market and that sections of the land will most likely be divided into separate parcels ranging from $40,000 to $75,000 an acre. The company will also soon place signs along Route 1, Haigis Parkway, and Payne Road to advertise the property.

Ingalls said the property will still still be sold Scarborough Downs moves.

Tyson Millette, owner of Mac’s Deli on Route 1, said that although he does have a number of regular customers from Scarborough Downs, the prospect of multiple businesses opening in the area could provide an even greater influx of customers to his store.

Millette said the recent addition of a health complex down the street has been great for business and he said he thinks similar business ventures could prove beneficial.

Hall said he was surprised the issue to build a racino was not brought up again in Scarborough, where it was defeated by a small margin.

Steve Cobbett, director of operations for Scarborough Downs said the racetrack is “part of the fabric of the community” and that while leaving would be difficult he said the move to Biddeford and the addition of a racino would “open up a whole new avenue” for the industry.

Rosenfeld agreed and said he would “hate to see the place disappear.”

“Unfortunately the horse racing business has been in decline over the years, and compared to some of the larger casinos, is economically not the best idea,” Rosenfeld said.

Scarborough Downs, which currently pays $117,824 in annual real estate taxes annually, is not one of the town’s top 10 revenue sources, Hall said.

Kevin Spitzer, who has 40 horses at Scarborough Downs, said he thinks opening a racino is a great idea.

“Everyone benefits from the racino. The racino generates a lot of tax money,” he said. “If you want to keep Maine with farms and agriculture, you have to have a way to support it.”

Spitzer travels to race at racinos in other states, including Delaware, and said they are busy despite the economy.

“It’s been a plus to the economy in small towns,” he said.

Mark Harris agrees. He and his wife, Gayle, worked in their stable at Scarborough Downs Wednesday morning and said they fully support a move to Biddeford. They were disappointed Scarborough voters didn’t back a racino, which they said is needed to support the horse industry.

“The majority of us in the horse business want to race for more money,” Mark Harris said. “Thank God we’ve got Bangor up there with Hollywood Slots. I don’t think we’d be racing today if Bangor hadn’t approved the slots.”

Opening a racino will generate tax revenue at a time when people complain about tax increases, Gayle Harris said. She and her husband feel the entire community benefits from a racino.

“If it passes, that’s going to bring Biddeford millions of dollars in revenue,” Mark Harris said. “Biddeford is going to have a gold mine.”

“Ultimately this is a business decision,” Rosenfeld said of a possible move. If redevelopment of the land happens, Rosenfeld said he will work to develop a plan, “that is well fit to the view of the community.”

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213. Staff Writer Dan Aceto can be reached at ext. 237.

‘Bowl of red’ featured dish at international cook-off Sunday - Aug. 27, 2010

2010-08-27T12:50:00Z

By Dan Aceto

Staff Writer

If you could have one last bowl of chili on earth, which would it be?

When chili competition judges hear those fateful words during a cook-off, even the most seasoned cook feels the heat.

This Sunday chili chefs from across New England will compete at Scarborough Downs during the Southern Maine Regional Chili Cook-off, an event sponsored annually by the International Chili Society.

The organization – the largest of its kind – has raised more than $80 million for various charities since it was established in 1967.

This year the charity of choice is Meals on Wheels, whichs distributes more than a million meals a day to seniors in need across the U.S. The charity was selected by Bill Noonan, a competition cook who will host this years cook-off and has worked for the agency as an assistant site coordinator for two years.

Noonan, who is a resident of Cumberland, has competed in chili cook-offs as far as California for the past 28 years and has been recognized as a master chili chef by the International Chili Society, a title bestowed upon him after qualifying six times for the World Championship of Chili.

Noonan’s recipe was not always so successful.

“The first competition I entered, our team came in dead last,” he said, “but it inspired me to do better the next time.”

And better he did. After tweaking his recipe, Noonan won six regional cook-offs, each qualifying him for a spot in that year’s world championship. Along the way he developed a signature blend of spices he now packages and sells on his website, www.caldwellcountychili.com.

Although Noonan was reluctant to divulge exactly what goes into his chili, he did give this tip: “Good chili does not have to be overly hot, but it does make you want to have more.”

So what is the secret to making an award-winning chili?

Although it may come as a surprise to some, crushed tomatoes, beef and chili powder are not the only ingredients that comprise a well-rounded “bowl of red,” according to Noonan.

In addition to spices such as cumin, many cooks favor some type of beef or chicken stock, as opposed to water, which allows a greater depth of flavor to develop over time.

As for meat, Noonan, like many in competition, said he prefers what is known as the “tri-tip,” a particular cut of beef he meticulously carves into cubed portions 3/8-inch thick, something he said “requires a lot of patience.”

Noonan said no two recipes are ever exactly alike and that he expects nearly 20 “chili-heads,” mostly from New England, to compete this weekend for the title.

Chefs will compete in a variety of categories, including red chili, green chili, salsa and people’s choice, which is open to cooks everywhere free of registration, provided they bring a minimum of two gallons to serve the public.

Only registered members of the International Chili Society will be allowed to participate in the main events for a $50 annual fee.

Over the course of four hours cooks will season their pots in hopes of winning over the hearts, minds and – most importantly – taste buds of judges.

Each chili will be judged at random by a panel of 12 elected officials. Each judge will be given three votes – the first worth three points, second worth two, and third worth one – and they’ll taste each entry for flavor, color, aroma and tenderness.

The winner will win $500 and the opportunity to compete Oct. 3 at the world championship in Manchester, N.H., for a $25,000 cash prize.

Noonan said much like chili, no two cook-offs are ever quite the same and most are unpredictable.

During a competition in 1991 he accidentally toppled an entire cup of cayenne pepper into his chili pot only moments before he was to present to judges.

Horrified, Noonan said he frantically began to scoop the scalding hot pepper out by hand just in time for judging. As for the competition, he won.

For those who have stood through the fire and flames and managed to come out unscathed, the thrill of competition chili-cooking is what inspires chefs such as Noonan to fire up a “bowl of red” year after year.

Staff Writer Dan Aceto can be reached at ext. 237.

For more information

The Southern Maine Regional Chili Cook-off takes place 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday outside at Scarborough Downs with live bands and entertainment throughout the day. Admission is $5 with the donation of two canned food goods benefiting the Good Shepherd Food Bank, or $7 without and entitles patrons to a “tasting kit” that contains a bowl, spoon, napkin and a small object such as a marble to vote in the people’s choice category.

In the News - Aug. 27, 2010

2010-08-27T12:48:00Z

Free busing for SMCC students

Southern Maine Community College is offering free, unlimited bus rides to and from the South Portland campus and throughout the greater Portland area for students with an updated, valid SMCC ID beginning Aug. 23 for the school year. South Portland Bus Service and Portland METRO Bus have joined SMCC to offer the transportation alternative.

In response to another substantial increase in enrollment for the eighth year in a row, SMCC will have more commuters than ever this fall and because increased parking spaces are not an option, the college will pick up the tab for the free bus rides. Enrollment is expected to be more than 7,000 students in the first semester.

“This is a great option for our students on a couple of different levels,” said Dr. James Ortiz, president of SMCC. “This will not only decrease parking problems, but it will also address energy consumption issues with fewer people using gas commuting in cars,” he added.

Traffic in South Portland will be reduced as well. A new parking lot or garage is not in the future for the college and “paying for students to ride the bus is a much more economical option especially at this financially challenging time,” Ortiz said in a prepared statement.

Significant changes to all South Portland Bus Service routes and schedules go into effect Aug. 23, the same day that free rides for SMCC students went into effect. It is important for all riders to plan ahead. South Portland Bus Service schedules and updates are available on buses and at www.southportland.org or call 767-5556. METRO schedules and updates are available on buses, online at gpmetrobus.com or call 774-0351. Schedules are also available at locations throughout the greater Portland area.

Candidates to run this weekend

Scarborough’s District 127 candidate Amy Volk will greet 1st District Congressional candidate Dean Scontras on Route 1 at the Saco/Scarborough line around 8 a.m. today and will join him on the seventh leg of his “Running Down the Debt” tour from Kittery to South Portland.

Scontras begins the next leg of the run in Saco at Patriot Subaru. He began his run through the 1st District on Aug. 15 at the New Hampshire/Maine border and will finish it Aug. 29 by running from Scarborough to Mill Creek Park in South Portland via Route 1 and Broadway.

Scontras hopes to win southern Maine’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Supporters are welcome to join Volk and Scontras along the way or greet them at either Scarborough Grounds Coffee House around 9 a.m. on Friday or at Mill Creek Park around 9 a.m. Sunday.

New cell sites added in area

U.S. Cellular has added two cell sites in Acton and Saco to improve call quality for customers.

The new site in Saco will increase coverage in Saco, Buxton, Scarborough and Dayton and along routes 112, 117 and 202.

Field hockey clinics start soon

The fall field hockey clinic/league is open for sign-up at Scarborough Community Services. Grades kindergarten through six programs teach basic skills required to play field hockey.

In each weekly session participants will work on individual and team skills and wrap up with scrimmages and games. Participants should wear comfortable clothes, sneakers and shin guards. Mouth guards are recommended. A limited number of sticks are available.

The clinics are instructed by varsity Red Storm Coach Kerry Mariello. Red Storm players and parent volunteers are needed.

Clinic dates are Saturdays, Sept. 11 to Oct. 16, for grades kindergarten through three, 10 a.m. to noon, and grades four through six, noon to 2 p.m. Both practices will be held at the high school fields. Register at the community services office by Sept. 7.

Send news items to editor@scarboroughleader.com or call 282-4337.

Witness in disappearance held on drug charges - Aug. 20, 2010

2010-08-20T17:02:00Z

By David Harry

Staff Writer

A man considered a witness in the disappearance of a Scarborough woman remains in Cumberland County Jail in Portland this week on drug trafficking charges.

Akeem Cruz, 20, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was arrested by Maine Drug Enforcement Agency agents Aug. 10 in a South Portland motel room and charged with Class B unlawful trafficking in cocaine base, according to MDEA Special Agent Supervisor Kevin Cashman.

Cashman said Cruz was arrested with 13 grams of crack cocaine when agents raided the Route 1 motel after a complaint about drug trafficking. Cashman did not name the motel in a press release

Cruz also was charged with violating conditions of release and remains in jail, according to officers at Cumberland County Jail in Portland.

The cocaine was packaged for sale and had a street value of $1,300 and Cruz was carrying more than $500 cash when arrested, Cashman said, in his press release.

With Cruz in jail, Lorraine Ela, a South Portland resident and mother of 22-year-old Megan Waterman, said she hopes his arrest will prompt him to speak up about her daughter’s disappearance.

“I’m hoping he will talk to them and tell them what he knows,” she said.

Scarborough Police Detective Don Blatchford, who is leading Waterman’s missing person investigation, said Cruz was Waterman’s boyfriend and accompanied her on a trip to Long Island just after Memorial Day.

Waterman was last seen early on June 6 at a Holiday Inn Express in the Long Island town of Hauppage, N.Y.

Blatchford said the case is being investigated by both Maine and New York police and said officers from New York visited Maine during the weekend. He declined to comment on the nature of the visit and said there are no new leads in the investigation.

Waterman, the mother of a 2-year-old girl, was known to list services as an escort on Craigslist and made frequent trips to New York with Cruz, police said. Ela said her daughter called home as often as three times a day and family members last spoke with her the evening of June 5.

Since her disappearance, Waterman’s friends and family held a vigil in Portland and have distributed her personal information on posters and balloons in Maine and Long Island with the help of Londonderry, N.H.-based LostNMissing Inc.

The organization was established by Cynthia Caron to assist families and help law enforcement search for missing loved ones, Caron said in a June interview.

Cruz’s arrest marks his third brush with the law since May. He was charged with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon in June by Portland police.

At the time of his arrest, Portland Police Lt. Gary Rogers said Cruz allegedly flattened two tires on a vehicle on Allen Avenue, threatened the owner with a knife and told her to stop talking about him. Cruz allegedly flattened the remaining tires on the car after she fled.

In May, Cruz was charged with drug trafficking after South Portland police officers and MDEA agents raided the Howard Johnson hotel on Main Street.

South Portland Police Lt. Frank Clark said the arrests of Cruz, Luqman Jones, 27, of Portland and Kabar Williams, 31, and Vashawn Brown, 20, both of Brooklyn, N.Y., came after police responded to a complaint about the smell of marijuana coming from a hotel room.

Clark said the four were in possession of marijuana, cash and weapons when arrested and the case was turned over to the MDEA for investigation.

Waterman’s disappearance recently was reported on CNN, but Ela said the exposure didn’t lead to any breaks in the missing persons case.

“I just wish somebody would come forward,” she said.

Waterman is 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighs about 145 pounds, has a birthmark inside her left forearm and a mole on the right side of her face. Police said she has brown or bleached blonde hair, and tattoos on her back and left forearm.

The tattoo on Waterman’s upper left arm says “Liette,” the one on her lower left arm is the Capricorn horoscope sign and she has a tribal design tattoo with a heart in the center on her lower back.

Anyone with information about Waterman’s whereabouts is asked to call Scarborough police at 883-6361. For more information about Waterman, visit the Facebook page “Help Find Megan Waterman” page or www.meganwaterman.com.

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

More seniors to qualify for rent and tax refund - Aug. 20, 2010

2010-08-20T17:01:00Z

By Dan Aceto

Staff Writer

The Town Council is expected to revise eligibility standards to the property tax assistance ordinance, which will allow people 62 and older to qualify for benefits.

The amendment, which originally allowed residents 65 and older the privilege of benefits, is designed to provide supplemental cash refund payments on property tax for qualified homeowners and renters.

Applicants who wish to claim benefits must currently be a resident of Scarborough and have lived there for at least 10 years. Residents must also have received a prior refund from the state property tax and rent program, also known as the Maine Circuit Breaker Program.

Eligibility for benefits from the state are open to those who are 62 years of age or older, the primary resident of their household, and meet an annual income of $15,000 individually or $18,000 for a couple.

Council Chairman Carol Rancourt said the decision to go ahead with the latest revision was due to the “ongoing economic stress” residents are facing and to make the program more accessible, especially for the elderly.

Although compensation varies from person to person based upon an overall tax examination, maximum allotment of benefits provided by the program currently stands at $500.

Town Manager Tom Hall said he expected the revision to be met with “little to no opposition” at the council’s regular meeting Wednesday, after the Leader deadline.

In addition to the age adjustment, the date applicants must file for benefits has been pushed back this year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

Staff writer Dan Aceto can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.

Demand for food increases by 100 percent at area pantry - Aug. 20, 2010

2010-08-20T16:59:00Z

By David Harry

Staff Writer

South Portland resident Gary Morin said he knows how to make his food last.

Disabled with foot problems but ready to start a new part-time job, Morin was one of 51 visitors last Thursday to the South Portland Food Cupboard at St. John the Evangelist Church.

“I stretch it, I don’t come in every month,” he said.

Assigned a number by pantry volunteer Mark Andrews, Morin picked food from tables laden with bread bought from Hannaford Bros. and vegetables donated by Jordan’s Farms in Cape Elizabeth, all while accompanied by 12-year-old volunteer Abby Rioux.

While Morin tries to limit his visits to the pantry, volunteers see more and more people coming through the door. South Portland Food Cupboard Director Sybil Riemensnider said demand increased 100 percent last month from July 2009. The pantry served 261 families and fed 629 people last month. August opened with 86 clients the first week.

In the kitchen and pantry area, food cupboard volunteers filled other bags for Morin with canned goods, cereal and perishables bought from Legion Square Market in South Portland and Auburn-based Good Shepherd Food Bank.

The setting was cheerful and volunteers and recipients were convivial, but charity is well-organized at the food cupboard. More than 14 years of experience and about 45 volunteers make getting food to families, primarily from South Portland, Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth, efficient and friendly.

Recipients from Gray and Limington also are listed on food pantry rolls, which are monitored to ensure the limit of one visit per month is enforced. Families and individuals who earn 150 percent or less of federal poverty guidelines are eligible – a family of four with an income of $33,000 can qualify for help.

In July, Riemensnider said demand increased 100 percent from July 2009. Last week, 51 people arrived for food on Thursday, including six new recipients. The day before, volunteers delivered food to 12 recipients who were unable to come to the pantry.

Like Morin, South Portland resident Kristeen Kontsas works a part-time job with full-time demands on her budget. The mother of two children, Kontsas said she was intimidated by coming to the food pantry for the first time eight months ago.

“I was sort of ashamed – you feel weird about asking for help,” she said.

Kontsas said she works an irregular schedule based on hours available to her at Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and contends with child-care costs as well as her food budget.

Her scenario is a common one, said Jason Hall, director of agency relations at Good Shepherd Food Bank.

“The majority of clients are working poor,” Hall said of the 36,000 Mainers he estimates the food bank serves each month. “The easiest one to cut is the food bill, and then that second or third job is lost.”

Hall says the food bank, which supplies the South Portland Food Cupboard and 644 other Maine agencies ranging from soup kitchens to group homes, is like “a wholesale club, a mixture between Hannaford Bros. and Marden’s.”

The food bank relies on corporate donations of food that cannot be sold for reasons such as damaged packaging. It seeks food sources in the same manner a surplus and salvage company such as Marden’s stocks its inventory.

Food is sold to agencies by the pound or through what Hall called a “shared maintenance fee” to pay for trucking food in from outside Maine.

With volunteers ranging from Rioux, at age 12, to Andrews, 83, about 45 people help Riemensnider feed the community.

When recipients receive a week’s worth of food for their families, volunteers cart the bags to a marked area on Aspen Avenue and load them into vehicles.

It is a task volunteers Riaz Hamid and Dick Doughty said they enjoy.

“I’m retired, I do this for personal satisfaction,” Doughty said. “I know how lucky I am.”

Hamid said he felt honored to volunteer at the pantry, and praised the smooth operations and Riemensnider’s dedication to feeding the community.

“I call her captain,” he said.

Riemensnider said the South Portland Food Pantry also distributes United States Department of Agriculture surplus food packages to 45 area senior citizens each month who live on incomes of $1,100 or less. Those packages contain cereal, juice, fruit, vegetables, pasta, peanut butter and canned milk.

The cupboard is supported by contributions, including $2,500 from the South Portland budget, the Maine Credit Union League and private donors. It received $82,000 in donations in fiscal year 2009 and spent $55,000.

As fiscal year 2011 opened, Riemensnider said the cupboard was “lucky to get about $3,000 in donations” and spent about $5,000 a month for food. St. John the Evangelist at 611 Main St. provides the pantry rent-free use of the basement and pays utility costs to operate freezers and lights the basement.

In the first week of August, volunteer Anita Taylor oversaw the weekly food distribution as Riemensnider took a vacation. Taylor said she understands the need – she relied on a food pantry in Windham several years ago. She said increased need may be related to people losing unemployment benefits as the job market remains sluggish.

After seven years of volunteering, Andrews said he knows the need is real and sees it increasing as he greets recipients weekly.

“If people need it, they need it,” he said.

With a new job coming, Morin said his life may be on the upswing. But his retirement savings are gone and he cannot stay on his feet long. His food will last longer than a week, and he knows where to get 20 eggs for $2.75 at a farm in Lisbon.

“They are so big you can’t even wrap your hand around them,” he said. He said he boils them and prays to God and his angels for help in his life.

Rioux said seeing recipients like Morin is not always easy, but is glad she has volunteered.

“I try to make their day, to make them smile,” she said.

Riemensnider and Hall said donations will spike in fall and early winter and pantry shelves will be abundant. Recent cash donations also have helped, she said.

Cash is always the best gift for a food pantry; money stretches further when spent by food banks or pantries than by a consumer at a store, Riemensnider said.

Most of those who needed food last Thursday had been helped by 10 a.m. Riemensnider allowed herself a smile as she sat at a table and the kitchen quieted.

Demand is so high Riemensnider said there are discussions about limiting food recipients to South Portland, Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth. She does not like the idea.

“I don’t want to refuse anybody,” she said.

Donations to the South Portland Food Cupboard can be mailed to 29 Aspen Ave., South Portland, ME 04106.

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

In the News - Aug. 20, 2010

2010-08-20T16:56:00Z

Rep. Sean Flaherty has October court date

Police are waiting for blood test results for Rep. Sean Flaherty (D-Scarborough) who was charged with suspicion of driving while under the influence after he rolled his car in Freeport Aug. 8.

Maine State Trooper Doug Cropper said it may be next week before he learns the level of Flaherty’s blood alcohol level from a test taken at Cumberland County Jail in Portland.

Flaherty has directed questions about the accident to his attorney, Dan Warren. In a press release last Friday, Warren promised Flaherty will hold a press conference “as soon as our fact-finding is complete.”

Warren said he is conducting his own investigation of the accident. Flaherty was charged with suspicion of operating under the influence and released Aug. 8 on $60 cash bail.

Flaherty, a first-term legislator serving House District 127, faces an Oct. 27 court date in Cumberland County Superior Court in Portland, less than a week before the Nov. 2 election where he faces Republican candidate Amy Volk.

In response to the charge filed against her opponent, Volk said “I am running against his voting record, not his driving record.” She added she was glad he was not seriously hurt in the accident.

District 127 is comprised of the eastern section of Scarborough between the South Portland, Cape Elizabeth and Old Orchard Beach town lines.

Cropper responded to the accident at about 1:50 a.m. on I-295 in Freeport. He said he found Flaherty sitting on grass near his overturned 2007 Toyota Avalon. Flaherty’s face, arms and hands were bloodied, but he refused to be taken to a hospital. Cropper said he smelled alcohol as he questioned Flaherty about the accident and where he had been.

Because Flaherty appeared shaken up from the accident, Cropper decided against administering a field sobriety test. Blood and dirt in Flaherty’s mouth prevented using a Breathalyzer, he said.

The charge against Flaherty also clouds his future as a Scarborough High School swim coach, Scarborough School Superintendent David Doyle said last week.

Flaherty, who was a swimmer when he attended the high school, would likely not be renominated as a coach by the Board of Education if convicted of the charge, he said.

Nomination papers due Sept. 1 for town seats

Nomination papers are available for seats on the Town Council, Board of Education, Sanitary District and Portland Water District. There are two, three-year seats on the Town Council, Board of Education and Sanitary District. There is also a one-year seat on the Town Council to fill a vacancy with a term to expire in 2011. The Portland Water District vacancy is to fill a vacancy with a term to expire in 2013. Nomination papers are available for pickup during business hours in the Town Clerk’s Office and must be returned by close of business on Sept. 1. For more information, call 730-4020.

Man arrested after police find stolen scrap metal

Officers arrested a man on Haigis Parkway Sunday after they discovered the unsecured load in the bed of his pickup truck was stolen from a local business.

Police pulled over Stephen Fairbanks, 53 of Westbrook after he allegedly ran a red light with a large quantity of scrap metal in the back of his vehicle.

Police said the materials were stolen from a business in the Scarborough Industrial Park.

Fairbanks is being held on charges of theft, possession of burglary tools and two counts of violating conditions of release. A passenger in the vehicle was released without charges.

Cumberland man held after home burglarized

A Cumberland man was arrested after he allegedly broke into a home on Old Blue Point Road last Friday.

Police said Anthony Van Horn, 48, was inside the Scarborough residence and fled on foot when the homeowner discovered him shortly before 3 p.m.

Scarborough police later found Van Horn in the surrounding area of woods and took him into custody.

He currently is being held on burglary and criminal mischief charges at Cumberland County Jail.

School starts

Aug. 31 for students

As summer winds down, a new year begins for schools throughout Scarborough.

Classes begin Aug. 31, but several recently hired teachers and faculty will be busy preparing classrooms and agendas long before students arrive.

Among the new additions at the high school are: Nate Guerrin, who will teach several math and science courses; Michael Legage, the new athletic director; and Tim Walker, who will take over as director of guidance. At Blue Point School, Georgette Stone will teach a speech and language class.

Superintendent David Doyle said a $150,000 cut to the fiscal year 2010-2011 budget has resulted in the loss of 28 staff members and has impacted programs in the foreign language, music and arts departments.

Classes begin Aug. 31 for kindergarten through second grade, sixth and ninth grades and Sept. 1 for all others.

– Compiled by Staff Writers David Harry and Dan Aceto.

Letters to the editor - Aug. 27, 2010

2010-08-20T16:55:00Z

Volk aware of citizen needs

To the editor:

Amy Volk is the kind of person you don’t come across very often.

A mother of four and business owner, she not only finds time to care for a family and be involved in several causes and organizations, but also is running for state representative from Scarborough District 127.

I urge you to visit Amy’s website, amyvolkforhouse.com, and study her credentials.

First, she personifies the type of community that is Scarborough, is actively involved in the future of its young people and wants to see our institutions of higher learning run more effectively. With her roots, she also is keenly aware of people’s needs in the different geographic regions of our state. And, as a business person, Amy knows what can and should be done to turn the tide in favor of private business. More importantly, Amy strikes me as someone who can help bring about these needed changes.

What better advocate for change can Scarborough have in the House?

Peter Legendre

Scarborough

Coach made track season rewarding

To the editor:

We would like to say thank you to Ron Kelly for a great summer track season. Our son ran track for the first time and had a very rewarding experience.

The summer track program allows children to try several if not all events and see what their interest and skills are. Our son did just that; he tried several events and then narrowed his focus to a couple.

This past weekend he qualified and went to states for a couple events. After one of his events, Mr. Kelly took the time (he was also the race director for a meet with more than 800 athletes so he was a bit busy) to come over and say “good job.” In fact, we saw him the next day at the grocery store and again he took the time to talk to our son about the meet.

I would highly recommend summer track. Mr. Kelly dedicates countless hours of his time to the program.

Thank you again Mr. Kelly for your hard work and of course, all the summer vegetables.

Kerry, Carrie and Brimwin Peabody

Scarborough

Rep. Flaherty arrested following crash

2010-08-18T18:24:00Z

By David Harry

Staff Writer

As election season unfolds in Scarborough, state Rep. Sean Flaherty (D-Scarborough) may be making a public appearance in court.

Flaherty, 25, was charged with suspicion of operating under the influence after a single-car accident early Sunday in Freeport. He’s scheduled to appear Oct. 27 in Cumberland County Superior Court, less than a week before the Nov. 2 election, according to officials at Cumberland County Jail in Portland.

Flaherty, who is seeking his second term in District 127, sustained minor injuries when his car rolled over as he drove south in I-295 around 1:50 a.m., said Maine State Police Lt. Louis Nyitray.

Flaherty said he was fine Tuesday but referred questions about the accident and OUI charge to local attorney Dan Warren.

Warren said he has been interviewing witnesses but revealed little about what he has learned.

He asked residents and voters to give his client the benefit of the doubt.

“He got thrown around pretty good, he does not remember much,” Warren said in a phone interview.

Warren said Flaherty has been cooperating fully with authorities regarding the accident and events leading to it. Warren said his client was coming home from a wedding of a close friend when the accident occurred.

“My hope is to be able to gather all the facts, then Sean will make a public statement for his constituents and supporters very soon,” Warren added in an e-mail.

Nyitray said Flaherty was charged with operating under the influence after Trooper Doug Cropper arrived. Flaherty already was out of the vehicle when Cropper arrived and refused medical treatment at the scene, Nyitray said.

Nyitray was uncertain why Flaherty was not given a breathalyzer test at the scene but said Flaherty’s blood alcohol content was tested at Cumberland County Jail.

It ordinarily takes about a week to get results from blood tests not administered by a breathalyzer, Nyitray said.

Jail officials said Flaherty was released Sunday on $60 cash bail.

Flaherty, a Scarborough High School graduate and coach of the boys swim team, faces an uncertain future as coach, said Scarborough School Superintendent David Doyle.

Doyle said all coaching positions are approved yearly by board members, and an OUI conviction would likely mean Flaherty would not be approved as coach.

Flaherty has not commented on whether he will stay in the race for a second, two-year term in House District 127, which encompasses the eastern side of town from the Cape Elizabeth and South Portland boundaries to the town line with Old Orchard Beach.

He is a graduate of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and worked for the American Association for Justice before defeating Republican candidate John F. McDonough for his first legislative term.

Flaherty is opposed this year by Republican Amy Volk. Volk did not return phone calls seeking comment on the charge against Flaherty.

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

Local woman state's fastest in Beach to Beacon

2010-08-18T18:22:00Z

By David Harry

Staff Writer

They finished the race hand-in-hand, but the unofficial crown as the best woman runner in Maine belongs to Scarborough’s Kristen Barry instead of returning to Falmouth with Sheri McCarthy-Piers.

Barry’s time of 34 minutes, 34.9 seconds in the 13^th annual TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10k Road Race last Saturday was .3 seconds better than Piers and 10^th-best for women in the 6.2-mile race through Cape Elizabeth.

As they finished at Ft. Williams, Barry said she knew Piers was close behind.

“I yelled to her ‘c’mon,’” Barry said. “She said ‘I’m coming.’”

Barry was not alone in bringing laurels to Scarborough. Jeanne Hackett, 51, was first in the bracket for women older than 50 with a finishing time of 39:47.8.

Race organizers said more than 5,700 runners, walkers and wheelchair riders completed the 6.2-mile race that capped a week of events before the 13th annual event.

On a day of sea breezes and cloud cover, elite and local racers competed for prizes at what often seemed to be an extended family reunion of runners.

Ethiopian Gebre Gebremariam, ended Kenyan Ed Muge’s two-year reign as men’s champion with a time of 27:40.4 seconds, and Kenyan Lileth Chepkurui, shattered the women’s course record by more than 26 seconds with a time of 30:59.4.

The two led a field of elite runners in a race organizer Larry Barthlow praised for its depth. Race founder Joan Benoit Samuelson said “a spectacular field of Maine runners had gathered for bragging rights.”

Yarmouth resident Patrick Tarpy ran the course in 29:27.6 to finish first among Maine men, and led an in-state field of more than 5,200 racers. The field was comprised of racers from 41 states and 17 countries, said Samuelson, a Cape Elizabeth native and winner of a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics women’s marathon.

One runner who particularly delighted and surprised by her finish was Christine Snow-Reaser, the 44-year-old Dayton resident who was Maine women’s champion in 2001 and 2002.

Reaser learned about 30 minutes after crossing the finish line that her time of 39:18.2 had won the women’s master class for runners between ages 40 and 49.

She said had been running poorly this summer but was feeling stronger over the last couple weeks.

“I just decided to go strong and hard,” she said of her race strategy.

The scene at the runners expo last week at Cape Elizabeth High School was similar to the mass of runners at the finish line as race registrants arrived to get bib numbers and walk through displays of shoes, running gear and apparel and visit booths set up by local nonprofit agencies.

The two-day expo is part of the growing race experience, which began with 3,000 racers in 1998. Samuelson credited race organizer Marie Adams for the expo’s success.

Cumberland resident Michelle Cook arrived to get her bib and a free T-shirt with her son, Maddox, tucked into his stroller. Last year he ran with her – Cook said she gave birth to him two weeks after the race.

Cook, who was on her eighth or ninth race, said she ran throughout her pregnancy last year and was not going to miss the Beach to Beacon.

“It is a well-organized race with a beautiful course,” Cook said.

The allure of the race drew Scarborough residents Steve and Karen Rand – for his eighth and her first run. She said she ran her first 5k on Peaks Island last month and enjoyed it.

I finished and I didn’t have to walk,” she said.

Mandy Collins, who recently moved to Cape Elizabeth from Seattle with her family, she said a tip from friends got her a slot as one of 7,000 runners.

“They told me to be online by 8 a.m.,” she said. Dave Weatherbie, the race president, said the field was filled in 30 minutes during online registration March 15 because many people have realized they can run the course.

“The walls of intimidation have crumbled,” he said.

As they gathered Friday at Inn by the Sea, running legends greeted one other as old friends and talked about the allure of the race.

“I like the point-to-point nature, and it is like the Tour de France when you run up the path,” said Bill Rogers, a four-time winner of the Boston and New York marathons. “I run on emotion and I love the crowds.”

Andrew Lemoncello, a Scotland native, said running the race is an essential part of his developing professional career because of the quality of competition and the course.

“I have heard great things about it. You have to run it,” he said.

Muge, who said he trains in the mountains of Kenya, likes the course, the coast and the $10,000 first-place prize.

Muge was initially part of a breakaway pack of elite runners who bolted from the field. After a 4:30 pace in the first mile, leaders logged a 4:38 second mile, which may have helped preserve the course record of 27:27:7 set in 2003 by Kenyan Gilbert Okari.

First to finish the race was wheelchair competitor Craig Blanchette of Battle Ground, Wash., who rolled over the course for the first time and finished in 24:12.

Blanchette said he got a favorable first impression of the course.

“It is one of my favorites, kind of like a roller coaster,” he said.

Blanchette said he had little time to enjoy the view, however.

“When you are racing, the view is smooth pavement, and there was plenty of that,” he said.

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

New principal takes the helm at Blue Point Primary School

2010-08-18T18:20:00Z

By David Harry

Staff Writer

John Thurlow says his move from playground to the principal’s office at Blue Point Primary School is a good thing.

Thurlow, 48, was unanimously confirmed Tuesday as principal of the school during a special Board of Education meeting. The Pine Point resident who used to play ball on the school’s field called his appointment “a wonderful opportunity.”

School Superintendent David Doyle said more than 20 applicants were interviewed to replace Sue Helms, who retired at the end of June. The search for her replacement was conducted by a committee of teachers, staff and parents led by Assistant Superintendent Joanne Sizemore.

“He is very thoughtful and student-centered,” Doyle said of Thurlow. Doyle said Thurlow’s focus on students, classroom experience of 20 years in South Portland schools and emphasis on professional development led to the committee’s recommendation.

Helms, the school principal for 14 years, left an impressive legacy, said Thurlow and board member Chris Brownsey.

“These will be big shoes to fill as she was an incredibly effective administrator,” Thurlow said.

Thurlow served on the Board of Education while he was still in high school and has taught elementary school children in South Portland since 1990. His last seven years have been spent as a technology specialist integrating technology curriculum for students in kindergarten through fifth grade at three South Portland elementary schools.

“I really believe a principal is a teacher first,” Thurlow said. “This will be a different kind of teaching for me.”

Thurlow said his first year at the school will likely focus on maintaining continuity and fostering his own strong relationships with staff and students.

“I see this as a year of learning and preserving traditions,” he said.

Thurlow said he will meet with Helms for advice and to learn more about the school in the days after his appointment.

“I have a question sheet that numbers around 40, from minutia to the big picture,” he said.

Thurlow noted the community’s strong involvement in the school and dedicated teachers and said his guidance will extend beyond keeping test scores strong to focus on the evolution of teaching.

“I’m concerned we don’t remember there is an art and science to teaching,” he said. “We will use data to examine the bigger picture and rely on teachers’ judgments about what they know about children.”

Thurlow and his wife, Susan, are parents of adopted sons Benjamin, 5, and Andrew, 4.

When school starts this year, Benjamin enroll as a special needs student at Blue Point Primary School.

The meetings to create Benjamin’s learning plan reinforced Thurlow’s comfort and confidence in what the school offers all children, he said.

“The teachers were reassuring and I have no worries my son will do well there,” Thurlow said.

As he prepares for the job, Thurlow said he wants staff to know he keeps things in perspective.

“I would like the faculty and staff to know I honor their life outside the school,” he said. I want to enjoy my family and home – it is important to achieve balance.”

Thurlow is a co-leader of the Pine Point Residents Association since 2003 and also has been a Scout leader, Scarborough Land Conservation Trust member, property manager and former owner of the Lobster Pound and General Store.

“I’m excited,” Thurlow said about his appointment as principal. “I am incredibly grateful to the people and the search process.”

Staff writer David Harry can be reached at 282-4337.

Women take to land and water for cure

2010-08-18T18:19:00Z

By David Harry

Staff Writer

The most difficult portion of the Tri for a Cure triathlon may be getting a chance to participate.

The third annual triathlon to raise money for the Maine Cancer Foundation begins at 2 p.m. Sunday when the first wave of swimmers will dive into Casco Bay off Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse in South Portland.

Race director Julie Marchese said it took eight minutes to fill available slots through online registration and she hopes more than $700,000 will be raised for cancer research. The field of athletes has expanded from 700 in 2009. All participants are required to raise at least $250 for cancer research.

Marchese said between 950 and 1,000 women will participate in at least one part of the triathlon, comprised of a 1/3-mile swim, a 15-mile bicycle ride through South Portland and Cape Elizabeth and three-mile run that loops through Spring Point and the Southern Maine Community College campus.

Holly Benoit, a Scarborough resident and one of about 100 cancer survivors to take part in the triathlon, will lead the Holden Hope team. The team, named in part for the insurance agency owned by her husband, John, aims to raise about $4,500, she said.

“It sends a great message about the hope and courage and getting back on your feet again. Look one day at a time and be positive,” said Holly Benoit, who will ride the triathlon’s bicycling leg.

Team Holden Hope will have changes this year; Benoit’s daughter, Margaret Benoit, has struck out on her own to ride and run two legs of Tri for a Cure.

Running has been a longtime passion for Margaret Benoit. Last Saturday she ran the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K, and she took up bicycling in part because her parents became avid riders as her mother recovered from breast cancer and a broken leg about three years ago.

Holly Benoit, 51, said her daughter was one of her biggest advocates as she recovered from cancer. It was a time Margaret Benoit recalled as frightening and lonely.

“I did not know what to think,” she said. “I didn’t know if I could handle it.”

While the Benoits may not touch the water Sunday, a group of first-time triathletes discovered their worries about swimming in Casco Bay were ill-founded as they enjoyed a training session near Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse last Saturday.

Biddeford resident Joddie Fournier said the first swim in a wetsuit reinforced what she is capable of doing.

“The fear is there, but your body is very strong, and you come back to shore,” Fournier said.

Fournier is part of a group of friends who signed up to support Lyman resident Stacy Forcier, 38, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last fall and underwent a bilateral mastectomy.

Forcier said the swim is the most challenging portion of the triathlon for her, but the event fosters camaraderie as much as it may stoke competitive fires.

“I have never been an athlete, and the power and support is incredible,” Forcier said.

The training session was the last of three held through the summer to help new triathletes acclimate to the water and the triangular swim course marked with buoys. Forcier said volunteers in kayaks are there to help, and newer swimmers are encouraged to stay to the side and rear.

Cape Neddick resident Shelly Bitetti, 48, said she has never been comfortable in water, but was as encouraged as her friend, Fournier, after the training.

“The swim scared me off,” Bitetti said. “But it is very comfortable once you get in.”

Bitetti joins her daughter, Sheena Bitetti, who has participated in all three triathlons.

Sheena Bitetti said she takes a competitive approach to the events – it is in her nature.

“I always wanted to do one,” she said, “and the atmosphere is amazing on race day.”

Forcier’s goals are simpler – she wants to finish and raise $2,000 so she can be guaranteed a spot in next year’s field.

“Cancer does not get the last word,” Forcier said.

Marchese, who is also a cancer survivor, said the 2011 triathlon spots will still be hard to come by and the field will not be expanded.

Maria Evangelou, 48, a Wells resident who signed up in support of Forcier, said her goal is also to finish.

“I’m kind of a plodder,” she said.

No matter the pace or urge to compete, Shelly Bitetti said training has taught her she is capable of more than she imagined.

“If you think you can’t, think again,” she said.

For more information on the third annual Tri for a Cure, including course routes, spectator parking information and how to support individual athletes through donations, visit www.mainetriforacure.org.

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