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Support, protests mark McCain’s Maine visit (July 25, 2008)

2008-07-24T14:32:28Z

By Kevin Robbins

Staff Writer

Republican presidental candidate Sen. John McCain made a campaign stop at the Maine Military Museum on Broadway in South Portland on Monday. In his campaign speech he talked about the nation’s dependence on foreign oil and the role of veterans in war.

At his campaign stop Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins accompanied McCain. Snowe commented how she has known McCain for 25 years since they both entered the House of Representatives together in 1982. Snowe said McCain is strong, prepared, equipped, and experienced for the role as president.

Collins, who is running for reelection this year for the Maine senatorial position, introduced McCain. She described how McCain’s history as a Vietnam War veteran and prisoner war will prove valuable in his race for the presidential election and if he is elected president.

“Forty years ago McCain proved his courage, commitment, and his character. He has brought that same character to the [election],” Collins said.

After Collins’ introduction, McCain began his speech by praising Maine’s senators.

“They are independent, they always put Maine first, and they always put their country first,” McCain said. “They are worthy successors and dear friends of mine.”

McCain also thanked all veterans present at the campaign stop. He asked those who served in war to raise their hands while the audience applauded. He also stated his intent to win the state of Maine in the election race.

“I will win and compete in the state of Maine. I need the vote and consideration of every person in Maine. I am honored to have the Republican nomination along with the likes of Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan,” McCain said.

McCain went on to address the nation’s dependence on foreign oil. He said the dependence on foreign oil has threatened national security and led to economic trouble. He stated he had a plan to reduce the dependency on oil by building 45 nuclear plants in the United States that will create roughly 700,000 jobs.

“We can be independent, we will be independent, and we must be independent,” McCain said. “We need to develop clean-coal products and become independent.”

McCain said a war veteran will never come home defeated and he never intends on losing a war. McCain said he has been consistently right about the United States strategy in the war against Islamic extremists while his Democratic opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, has been consistently wrong.

“No one besides a veteran knows how terrible a war is. They will come home in honor and not in defeat. I know how to win wars. We will need more troops and participation from allies. I would rather lose a political campaign than lose a war,” McCain said.

McCain told an anecdote about his experience as a prisoner of war in a North Vietnamese war camp. He told of a friend, Mike Christian, who was a Navy officer and fellow prisoner of war. During his internment Christian would sew the American flag into the back of his shirt.

When Vietnamese soldiers found out they beat him. McCain concluded this anecdote by saying that Christian, despite the beating, continued sewing the American flag into his clothes.

“It was the most important and meaningful time for him. He knew how important it was for the rest for us. I believe I can inspire a generation of Americans to do something for others,” McCain said.

McCain’s campaign stop also drew protest groups. Sarah Bigney is a member of Maine Fair Trade Campaign, which was a group protesting at the Maine Military Museum.

The group is composed of 50 labor, environmental, social justice, and human rights groups. Bigney said McCain voted to support the North American Free Trade Association and the Central American Free Trade Association.

“We are here protesting today because Senator McCain supports the failed NAFTA trade model that has been devastating for our state and Mainer’s have seen this with a loss of 24,000 jobs since NAFTA and the same time this model increasing global warming and rewriting the rules of the global economy to favor corporations and non-working families,” said Bigney.

Trevor Sullivan-Smith is a college student and resident of South Portland. He thinks that Maine could not handle McCain as president.

“I believe that Maine is too liberal of a state. It [McCain] is not going to stand a chance because it will have negative impact on the state,” said Sullivan-Smith.

Increasing safety with alcohol server training (July 25, 2008)

2008-07-24T14:32:08Z

By Emma Bouthillette

Staff Writer

Sometimes it is the one behind the bar, pouring the drinks, who needs to make the call when someone has reached their limit of alcohol consumption.

On July 16, the Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport hosted “Seller Server Training” for 38 bartenders, waiters and business owners to be up to date on their responsibility in the event a patron asks for one too many.

B.C. Consultants of South Portland instructor Frank Lyons led Wednesday’s training session. A retired law enforcement officer for local, county and state departments, he has spent 23 of 29 years in liquor law enforcement. He is certified to instruct licensees on Maine’s Liquor Laws, and has been teaching seller server training for three years.

The event, sponsored by the University of New England’s Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition and co-sponsored by the Kennebunkport, Kennebunk, Old Orchard Beach and Saco police departments, was offered free of charge to any restaurant, bar and club that serves alcohol, as well as the servers and sellers.

The training is an effort to help prevent sales to underage and visibly and be registered with the Liquor Licensing Maine Department of Public Safety.

Pam Francis, owner of Bebe’s Burritos in downtown Biddeford, attended the training with employee, Rachel Desjardins.

“It is really important that we stay up to date. Every time you turn around there is something new. And I’ve been told ignorance of the law is no exception,” Francis said.

“The training program has eight to nine specific areas. My emphasis is on the law,” said Lyons.

The training covered important definitions, effects of alcohol, categories of law, laws on alcohol sales, the Maine Liquor Liability Act and fraudulent identification. All those in attendance were instructed to take a pre-test covering information they would learn during the training, but should already know.

In addition to the potential dangers of intoxicated drivers, irresponsible sales can be costly for both the server and their employer.

One of the questions on the pre-test asked “True or False: Under the Maine Liquor Liability Act, a licensee may be sued for up to $1 million for serving a visibly intoxicated person who causes injuries to a third person.”

Lyons said false because licensees can be sued up to $250,000, but said they could also be responsible for the third person’s medical expenses. If injuries sustained are severe enough, that could mean medical expenses for the remainder of the third party’s life.

“Most licensees have a good grasp of the law, but not the severity. Whether it is a violation or a civil suit, they don’t fully understand the magnitude,” Lyons said following the training.

The Maine Liquor Liability Act encourages responsible serving, which Lyons said includes identifying patron’s level of sobriety and age. He said service to someone visibly intoxicated could lead to a lawsuit if property or physical damages occur due to intoxication.

A law passed nearly two years ago states anyone appearing under the age of 27 must show reliable photo identification, such as a valid driver’s license, containing the person’s birth date. If they provide false identification, or no identification, and reasonably appear to be a minor, sellers can deny service. Lyons shared what novelty, altered, forged or fictitious identifications cards can look like, and everyone received an order form for an identification-checking guide.

Local police departments can send a minor into an establishment to purchase alcohol as a way of conducting compliance checks, Lyons said. If the sale is completed, the police can fine the establishment up to $3,300 for selling alcohol to a minor and not checking identification.

“Establishments need to have training and good policies. They also need employees not afraid to make contacts with customers and decisions,” Lyons said.

Paterson said the Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition has received phone calls inquiring about training sessions. Lyons said he doesn’t have upcoming sessions scheduled in southern Maine, but said if there is enough demand he will schedule more.

Mentors needed for ‘littles’ (July 25, 2008)

2008-07-24T14:31:46Z

By Emma Bouthillette

Staff Writer

When Cameron Munroe couldn’t pump any more air into his bicycle tire, Guy Riendeau took over to reach the needed tire pressure. When Munroe stepped back in for the final pump, he leaned all his weight into the pump, but still couldn’t depress the handle against the pressure.

Riendeau, 61, of Kennebunk, brought Munroe, 8, of Kennebunk, to the Community Bicycle Center in Biddeford to tune up his bicycle. While Riendeau and Munroe aren’t really related, they are one of 70 Big Brothers Big Sisters of York County matches.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of York and Cumberland counties are still in need of “bigs” for “littles” who are waiting to be matched, said Big Brothers Big Sisters of York County Community Development Director Susan Braziel. She said the “bigs” are community-based mentors who are 18 years or older, demonstrate stability, responsibility and dependability, and can commit at least one year to the “little” they are paired with.

“We capture the needs and interest of a ‘little,’ and make pairings based on interest,” Braziel said.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Program Director Chris Woolworth said interested “bigs” fill out an interest questionnaire, application, provide three references from people who they have know for more than two years, undergo a national criminal background check, a state motor vehicle history check, hour long interview with a Big Brothers Big Sisters staff member, home assessment and training. She said after receiving all that information, Big Brothers Big Sisters picks a “little” they think will make the most successful match with the “big.” Riendeau said it was a six-week process before he was matched with Munroe.

The “littles,” between 7 and 18 years old, are referred to Big Brothers Big Sisters through school or sometimes parents, Braziel said. She said the backgrounds of the “littles” are varied, but most come from single parent homes, and for boys, they are in need of an adult male figure in their life.

Braziel said according to a 1995 national study “Making a Difference: An Impact Study of Big Brothers Big Sisters,” after 18 months of spending time with “bigs,” the “littles” were 52 percent less likely to skip school, 46 percent less likely to use illegal drugs and 27 percent less likely to use alcohol.

She said Big Brothers Big Sisters provide “bigs” with a packet of things to do and places to go. Riendeau said the Community Bicycle Center was one of the many listings in the packet he found helpful when thinking of things to do with Munroe.

“Often times we have tickets for baseball games, art museums or exhibits for pairs to use. But it need not cost a lot of money. Sometimes it is as simple as washing a car, going to McDonalds or taking a walk on the beach,” Braziel said.

Riendeau said after hearing the need for mentors earlier this year, he decided to apply for the program. He and Munroe have been meeting regularly since then.

“We try to get together at least once a week for a couple of hours. I usually find plenty of things for us to do. He likes the outdoors, and I’ve been looking in the Yellow Pages for fun companies to visit, just so he can see what is out there for career opportunities. I try to stay two steps ahead of him,” Riendeau said.

AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America member Aaron Lawton helped Munroe with his bicycle. He showed Munroe and Riendeau what they needed to do to adjust the bicycle’s tire pressure, brakes, gears and chain. The three worked together to tune up and clean the bicycle, which Munroe said rode smooth when he took it for a spin after the adjustments.

Community Bicycle Center Executive Director Andy Greif said Wednesday afternoons are one of the center’s scheduled bike rides. While the staff led community youth on a bicycle ride to Biddeford’s coastline at Fortunes Rocks, Lawton stayed behind with Riendeau and Munroe. Greif said he was happy to keep the center open for the pair’s activity.

“It is easier for boys to communicate through activity. They naturally fall into conversation while doing something together. I’d love to see more ‘bigs’ use the center,” Greif said.

Munroe, who stood not much taller than the workbench at the Community Bicycle Center, shared with Lawton and Riendeau some of his interests while working on the bicycle.

“I always take my bike out in the mud. I’m crazy with mud,” Munroe said. “I love biking and sports and fishing and sail boats. I want to go shark fishing.”

Riendeau has kept a log of things the two have done together. Riendeau has taken Munroe to the Children’s Museum in Portland, bowling, miniature golfing, to Home Depot for a craft workshop and Norumbega Farm in Camden. Riendeau has also helped Munroe practice for Little League tryouts.

Munroe said he likes pretty much everything he does with Riendeau, and couldn’t pick a favorite outing.

While shark fishing may not be on Riendeau’s list of “things-to-do with Cameron,” he said a return trip to the Community Bicycle Center for a ride on the tandem bicycle probably is.

For more information on Big Brothers Big Sisters or to become a mentor, visit www.somebigs.org.

So. Maine’s piping plover population a priority (July 25, 2008)

2008-07-24T14:31:25Z

By Gillian Graham

Staff Writer

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has scheduled a meeting on July 24 at Biddeford City Hall for landowners in Hills Beach to learn about a proposal to designate the area an essential habitat for piping plovers.

Letters were sent in early July to landowners, including the city of Biddeford, outlining what essential habitats are and why they are important. According to the letter, the department has the ability to designate essential habitats “for areas that currently or historically provide physical or biological features essential for conserving an endangered or threatened species in Maine” under the state’s Endangered Species Act.

Tudor said the department is proposing essential habitats in Old Orchard Beach and Cape Elizabeth. In Old Orchard Beach, an essential habitat would be extended to new nesting areas. A meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. July 30 at Old Orchard Beach Town Hall.

The new Cape Elizabeth essential habitat near Ram Island would essentially be an extension of a habitat in Scarborough, Tudor said. A meeting in Cape Elizabeth has yet to be scheduled.

The essential habitat designation does not impose additional permits or fees for building or land use projects. However, the designation does call for the department to review any project within the habitat that requires a state or municipal permit or license, according to the letter.

Biddeford City Manager John Bubier said the city did not speak with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife prior to receiving the letter. He does not consider Hills Beach to be a high-build area because of existing structures and lack of open space.

“It doesn’t appear from a building permit point of view that Hills Beach has changed much in recent years,” he said.

Lindsey Tudor, a wildlife biologist for the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife who drafted the letter, said there are currently no piping plovers nesting on Hills Beach, though there have been in recent years.

“That’s enough to warrant protection,” she said.

Tudor said piping plovers nested on Hills Beach each year from 2002 to 2007. In 2002, one pair fledged one chick; one pair was unsuccessful in fledging in 2003; one pair fledged two chicks in 2004; two pairs fledged one chick in 2005 and 2006; and one pair was unsuccessful in 2007. The birds begin arriving in Maine by early April and stay until September.

The piping plover is a state-listed endangered species and a federally listed threatened species struggling to survive in Maine. Due to recent habitat loss from spring storms and predation, the population has decreased from 66 pairs in 2002 to 19 pairs in 2008, according to Tudor’s letter.

Tudor said piping plovers nest on white sandy beaches, which also tend to be the most heavily used beaches in southern Maine. The birds, she said, see everything around them as a threat — from people to pets to kites.

“There’s a lot of stress,” she said. “It’s a disturbance issue which has caused numbers to decline.”

Piping plover chicks are very vulnerable, especially during their first week, Tudor said. The chicks need to eat constantly and wander from the nest. The birds freeze if they sense danger, making them almost invisible in the sand. People should not pick up or touch the birds.

Piping plovers are less likely to return to an unsuccessful nesting location the following year, according to Jordan Kramer, a field biologist with the Maine Piping Plover and Least Tern Recovery Project. He said there is a good possibility the birds could return to Hills Beach in the future because the area is generally a favorable one for shore birds.

“Last year was a pretty tough year given the storms and habitat loss,” Kramer said.

As part of the Piping Plover and Least Tern Recovery Project, fences are built around areas inhabited by piping plovers. Cages are then built around nests. Still, people get close to the areas, Kramer said.

“Generally it’s good that people see them, especially from a distance,” he said. “As soon as people see the birds they are won over.”

Weekly interview: Tom Dunne (July 25, 2008)

2008-07-24T14:31:02Z

By Nate Jones

Staff writer

While reading the first few lines of the article titled “Dirigo: Fix it up or shut it down,” readers may imagine an annoyed and possibly angry citizen who has had a less than positive experience with the state-run health insurance program. It doesn’t take long for it to become apparent that the narrative voice criticizing the shortfalls of the Dirigo program is not some disgruntled, insurance-less taxpayer, but the former Executive Director of the Dirigo Health Agency Tom Dunne.

“Dirigo was well-intended, but it represents the unexamined life,” he said.

Little did Dunne know his critique of Dirigo – the agency he spearheaded for nearly a year and a half – would serve as a springboard for what could be the beginning of a new career in politics. Shortly after the article printed he received a phone call from a Republican senator.

“I told them I wasn’t registered in either party, and they said that was OK, they still wanted me to run for the State Senate,” he said. “Basically they told me ‘Get off the bleachers and get in the game.’”

Dunne, 51, has launched his campaign for State Senate for District 7, which includes Cape Elizabeth South Portland and the coastal portion of Scarborough. He will be running against State Rep. Lawrence Bliss, the democratic nominee.

“As ‘Joe Citizen,’ I believe the state has been generous and needs to look at its priorities. [The message] was received well by both parties, my wife said ‘yes,’ and here I am,” he said.

Dunne said he plans on using skills developed during his working and retirement years to help prevent overspending at the state level. It wouldn’t be the first time he has been thrust into a situation to initiate change – for 20 years he served as a corporate consultant for non-profit and corporate entities in dire need of reorganization, mergers or shifts in focus.

“The first step is to find out where you really are and determine where you ought to be,” he said. “It takes a willingness to compromise, try things and be willing to be better.”

Able to retire at a young age, Dunne said he now considers himself a full-time volunteer.

“I have flown over one million miles – I counted them – and once I flew around the world in a single day. I lived in an airport,” he said. “I really wanted to come back to Maine. It’s nice to earn money, but it’s really nice to change the world around you.”

Since moving to Cape Elizabeth with his wife in 2003, Dunne has taught at the Muskie School of Public Service and volunteered as the first executive director of Ingraham, a social services agency serving people with substance abuse and mental health issues.

“When you call in the middle of the night, these are the people who are always there,” he said.

Although originally placed in the executive director position only until a permanent replacement could be found for Ingraham, Dunne began receiving phone calls from other social services agencies his second day on the job.

“People were calling and asking if [we could] have discussions about how to better serve people,” he said. “So my duty became not only to find a replacement but to look into some different options and avenues for Ingraham.”

After two and a half months, Dunne said executives at Ingraham realized a merger was “in the best interests of society” and joined with another social services agency, Youth Alternatives in South Portland, four months later.

“It’s been about a year since then and from what I hear it’s turned out fantastic,” he said.

Dunne said part of the problem facing the current legislators in Augusta is their tendency to make polarized statements and extreme policies that fail to consider all parties involved.

“It becomes too prickly to find the common middle. I heard Maine has more laws than Florida. We’ve become overly busy,” he said.

Entering the political arena without political experience can be intimidating, but Dunne said he has had “good coaching from friends on both sides of the aisle” and is willing to learn “on the job.”

“Nine out of 10 mornings I wake up and am happy I’m running,” he said. “One woman asked me what I thought about pensions for firemen, and I said ‘I don’t know yet.’ I won’t pretend to be deep in areas I don’t know. It’s not about you talking, it’s about you listening.”

While Dunne said he is looking forward to learning about unfamiliar issues, some are familiar enough for him to take a stance. When it comes to energy, he said he acknowledges a need for improvement but also is aware any change is going to take time.

“I don’t know where the wind farms are going to go, but I hope to heck we have the capability to transport the electricity they generate,” he said. “We need to ask, ‘How do we get prepared?’”

Dunne said he believes education is critical to the future and should not be subjected to a “perpetual evolution” of change.

“Every year they keep tuning and tuning. Try something, freeze it, and move forward,” he said. “I happen to live in a community that said they wanted more school funding, which says OK, maybe [school reorganization] is the right message.”

[The interview took plave before Cape Elizabeth voters rejectedd a second budget as too high July 22.]

One of the problems with the “unsustainable growth” in public spending is that it creates unsustainable jobs, Dunne said.

“Maine is a great place to live, just not to work. It’s about jobs,” he said. “We have not been fiscally responsible for the next generation. Better, more secure jobs means prosperity.”

How does Dunne plan on tackling these issues, along with the increasing cost of healthcare, preserving the environment and lowering taxes?

By “asking big, bold questions,” he said.

“It seems to me like the city of Portland took more specific action to their budget than the State of Maine, why is that?” he asked. “We need to stop and take a breath. It’s no different than a household that has to step back and prioritize. Using a credit card to pay your taxes is not good. [The state] isn’t that bad, but we’re not far away either.”

Dunne said he believes he can be effective as long as people are willing to listen.

“At the end of the game, people will listen. If that’s not what it’s about, it’s OK, I’ll lose,” he said. “If I’m not good, I owe it to the people to say so and get out.”

To learn more about Dunne’s campaign for State Senate call 767-5692 or email thomasjdunne@gmail.com.

Plant Life: The present (July 25, 2008)

2008-07-24T14:30:37Z

By Tim King

Special to the Leader

It occurred to me this weekend that summer is coming to an end. While this is not earth shattering news to anyone with a calendar, it always seems to somehow catch me off guard.

This year, what did it for me was the sight of browning grass along the highway. A few short weeks ago the grass was lush and green and wildflowers were in bloom everywhere I looked.

Now, the brown stalks of grass, coupled with the sight of spent lupines and wild daisies along the roadways, mark the beginning of the end of summer for me.

Thinking about that and remembering how cold and miserable we were a few months ago, I took stock on the summer so far and when I did, a favorite quote came to mind.

“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present.” These words came from Babatunde Olatunji, a Nigerian drummer, educator, social activist and recording artist.

Every year, after the Fourth of July, the slippery slope toward autumn seems to speed by just a little faster for me. And just like that, summer is over.

Again, this is nothing new. For us here in the northeast, it happens every year.

Seasons change and bring with them new challenges and opportunities. Accepting that change is always occurring and then make the best of it is what’s important.

On a recent hike through Gulf Hagas, in the northwestern part of Maine, I was contemplating the seasons, trying to be “in the moment” and thinking about the impressions we leave behind on the things around us, literally.

I was sitting alongside the aptly named Pleasant River, watching water cascading through Screw Auger Falls, when I dipped my hand into the icy water and placed it on a nearby, sun drenched rock.

Not surprisingly, the imprint the water left behind on the rock was that of my hand.

Almost immediately however, the warmth of the sun began to evaporate it. Within 10 seconds the imprint had disappeared completely. Seems I was (unknowingly) doing a pretty good job at following the “leave no trace behind” edict of responsible hiking.

There I was, in the moment, and then within a very short period of time all traces of me being there, on that rock, in that river, at that time, were gone. Evaporated into thin air.

This year more than most, many of us seem to be concerned about the future. As a result, I fear we are missing the opportunity to enjoy today.

Media reports of fuel oil prices rising even higher this winter have many of us scrambling to find wood for our stoves or insulation for our attics. No time to swim in the lake, there’s wood to split and stack!

I would like to say that I was shocked the other day when I walked into a local drugstore to find the entire summer section on clearance while the other side of the aisle was filled with decorations of autumn colored leaves and pumpkins. Or, when I received a “Back to School” flyer in the Sunday paper…exactly three days after my son’s last day of school!

Sadly, this type of stuff has been going on for years now.

But I digress – back to the river.

After witnessing that any trace of my riverside visit had been almost instantly wiped away, I wondered if our afternoon hike had had any effect on the landscape at all.

After all, if we’re not able to leave our mark on something, why not just stay home and sit on the couch? Right?

Turns out I discovered something else on the trail.

While it’s true that no single hand (or boot) leaves much behind - many boots, over time, will eventually show wear on even the hardest surfaces. Think of the worn granite steps of an old church, school or town hall.

In fact, the very trail we were exploring that day was the result of many hands first clearing the way…followed by even more exploring it every day since.

A closer look at most trails will reveal that some surfaces are noticeably shiny or worn to a different color by the countless boots of hikers following the same route.

The trick to hiking is being able to see these clues and then using them as guides for a safe trip through the forest, mountain or valley.

Like my handprint on the stone, I’m sure that most of the individual marks caused by other hikers disappeared rather quickly too. Still, there is no denying the impact that many thousands of these invisible impressions will actually leave behind.

Olatunji said that the present is a gift, not only just for us, but for all that follow. Likewise, the choices we make often depend on our awareness of the clues others have left behind.

As I said before, this “what’s next” fixation is nothing new.

However, I find it ironic that it seems to be leading us full circle and back to the beginning - working at home, biking to the market, eating food grown locally and heating our homes with wood.

To me, it seems the one positive effect of rising prices is that it’s forcing people to make some hard choices and look at what’s real and what’s important – and that, my friends is a gift in itself.

Tim King is a freelance nature writer who sees the forest and the trees from his home in Scarborough. He can be reached at - sylvan.sauntering@gmail.com.

Letter: Politics and politicians always part of Scarborough (July 25, 2008)

2008-07-24T14:29:59Z

Editor:

I was surprised to read the letter from Sheilah Hillman [July 18] who stated that the wonderful Scarborough 350^th Anniversary Parade was spoiled for her because of the participation of Senator Susan Collins. Too bad Ms. Hillman didn’t talk with the organizers of the Scarborough parade. She would have learned that politicians and politics is an important part of Scarborough’s rich history. Scarborough’s 350^th parade followed a long tradition of Maine parades that celebrate their town’s heritage such as the one during Lobster Festival, the Potato Blossom Festival, Westbrook Together Days, Windham’s Summerfest, and the Moxie Festival, among others. Politicians are welcome at each of these festivals as they were in Scarborough. That is why Chellie Pingree and Charlie Summers, candidates for Congress, Senator Phil Bartlett and Representative John McDonough, candidates for State Legislature, also marched in our parade. In fact, Congressman Tom Allen and Governor John Baldacci were invited. We were disappointed they could not make it. While Ms. Hillman, a resident of Florida, is welcomed to her opinion that a politician spoiled the parade for her, singling out only one of the participating politicians is suspect. We certainly welcomed her to our celebration, but don’t rain on our parade!

Annalee Rosenblatt, chairman

Scarborough 350^th Anniversary Committee

Letter: Fair is fair when it comes to politicking (July 25, 2008)

2008-07-24T14:29:34Z

Editor:

[This is in response to a letter submitted by Sheilah Hillman, published in the July 18 issue of the Leader]

Sheilah would do well to take her blinders off before chastising Susan Collins’ supporters; she’s ignoring Tom Allen’s troupe of dancing singers who performed prior to Ms. Collins’ fewer but just as dedicated followers. How come it was OK for Tom Allen to do some politicking but not OK for Susan Collins? Fair’s fair, Sheilah!

Allen Ridley

Scarborough

Letter: Kudos to parade (July 25, 2008)

2008-07-24T14:29:10Z

Editor:

My congratulations to any and all who were responsible for the celebration of t he 350^th anniversary of Scarborough.

Special congratulations to those who organized the parade. I have never seen anything go off so smoothly. It started on a the minute of 10 and there was never a lull. Each unit knew just when to come in line and there was so confusion. There were so many and so varied entries and they were all spaced so well. Even the fire engines, which are usually all in a line at the end, were put in at intervals – two at a time. This had to be one of the best parades I’ve seen in years and many others agreed with me.

All the other activities were very well done as well. Great job!

Frances R. Smith,

Scarborough

Scarborough 350th Celebration Weekend links past and present (July 18, 2008)

2008-07-18T08:01:38Z

By Amanda Estes
Editor
Last weekend, events commemorating Scarborough’s 350th anniversary of incorporation featured fun, food and a dose of local history. Events began Thursday evening with a special 350th Chamber of Commerce Concert Series performance by the Don Campbell Band and continued throughout the town all weekend, ending Monday evening with a presentation on the life and work of Winslow Homer.
The sun shone brightly as spectators, young and old, gathered along Route One to watch the 350th Celebration Parade make its way to Memorial Park on Saturday morning. Through costumes, music, antique vehicles, go-carts and more, glimpses of the town’s past intermingled with the present and the future. Oldest resident Blanch Cook and oldest native Eldred Harmon served as grand marshals and waved to the crowd from their seats inside antique vehicles. Neighborhoods, community organizations, churches, businesses, sports groups, Boy and Girl Scout Troops and others participated in the parade, playing to the crowd from atop colorful and creative floats or dancing along Route One.
Visitors to Memorial Park could experience bits of history with all five senses through the displays and demonstrations offered Saturday and Sunday. Crafts of all kinds were on display, from butter churning to snowshoemaking. The Sports Complex offered modern forms of entertainment including an inflatable Rat Race Obstacle Course, rock climbing walls and facepainting.
In Memorial Park, white tents sprung up from a Civil War encampment, populated by members of the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry, Company B, a living history group working to preserve the history of Maine Civil War volunteers. Paul Dudley of Easton entertained visitors with songs and wooden clog dancer toys – popular forms of entertainment in the 17th Century, he said.
“Lads would use everything and anything for entertainment and music was a big form of entertainment,” he said, adding he uses the high stepping toys to interpret the music of the period.
A tall canvas tepee rose up from the Indian Village in Memorial Park, attracting visitors who were curious about its furnishings. Standing outside the structure, Sandra Tourtillotte said tipis or lodges were typically made of buffalo hide and used by plains Indians, while tribes in Maine lived in long houses. Tourtillotte is a member of the Blackfoot Indian tribe “with a little Mohawk thrown in for good measure” and a clan mother gave her the name Bending Willow Tree.
Tourtillotte said furnishings inside the tipi would likely have included willow chairs, mats made from hides or a mattress stuffed with leaves for sleeping, a fire pit and an altar for burning sage, sweet grass or cedar to drive away evil spirits.

Decoy auction comes to Maine (July 18, 2008)

2008-07-18T08:00:42Z

By Nate Jones
Staff Writer
After three years of hosting their annual summer decoy auction outside of Maine, Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. – the world’s largest decoy auction firm formally based in Farmington – is bringing its wooden winged works of art back to the pine tree state.
Gary Guyette said this year the two-day event scheduled to begin July 26 at the Wyndham Hotel in South Portland will feature decoys carved by the late Gus Wilson of South Portland. Last year the firm sold a pair of Wilson’s decoys for nearly $300,000, he said.
“There are several well known carvers from the state,” Guyette said. “Wilson is the most well known.”
Mike Mallar, owner and operator of Mallar Decoys in Augusta said Wilson – who was born on Mount Desert Island in 1864 – began carving ducks around the same time he began his career as a lighthouse keeper at Goose Rock Island in the eastern portion of Penobscot Bay in 1915.
“He had a lot of time to observe sea ducks,” Mallar said. “[Wilson] is a folk hero of sorts; he understood the form.”
Wilson, who either sold most of his decoys for about 25 cents a piece or gave them away to family members, was eventually transferred to Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth, where he spent less than a year before taking over his brother’s position as caretaker of the Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse in South Portland where Mallar said he finished a 20-year career as a lighthouse keeper before he died in 1950.
“In my opinion some of his best decoys were made right there at Spring Point,” he said.
The lighthouse Wilson took care of was very different than today’s Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse; there was no breakwater and Mallard said Wilson would row out to the light from the nearby shore and stay there while he observed birds and carved decoys with whatever driftwood he could find there and would then paint them with automobile paint.
“A lot of lobstermen and fishermen would use decoys to supplement their income,” he said. “They weren’t carving for sale, they were carving to put food on the table.”
Mallar, who has been a decoy dealer for 10 years, said he became fascinated by Wilson’s story as both a lighthouse keeper and a decoy carver. He has tracked Wilson’s heritage and even visited his old home on Preble Street in South Portland.
“Most of the decoys he carved he did in his garage or the front seat of his car,” Mallar said. “It is kind of neat to stand in his driveway and imagine what it would have been like back then.”
Mallar said he and his father have collected five out of Wilson’s estimated 5,000 decoys over the years, and he’s learned how to spot a fake.
“Wilson had an uncured stigmatism; if you put a level on the head of any of his decoys, it won’t line up either straight up and down or to the side. If you’re trying to counterfeit his work, that would probably be something that would be difficult to reproduce,” he said.
The off-kilter angle of a decoy’s head is just one of the traits commonly found in Wilson’s work; Mallar said a seasoned decoy dealer can tell his work just by the quality of the carving and the construction of the bird.
“I’ve seen almost 10,000 decoys that claim to be Wilson’s,” he said.
Guyette said the firm is pleased to be returning to Maine, and they are hopeful decoy enthusiasts from all over the East Coast will travel to the event.
“We have a lot of clients from the south,” he said. “They usually come up to Maine, spend four or five days on the coast and just enjoy the state as well as come to the auction.”

Residents urged to apply early for heating assistance (July 18, 2008)

2008-07-18T07:59:47Z

State Rep. Peggy Pendleton, (D-Scarborough), would like her constituents to know applications for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) will be accepted early this year, and residents can make an appointment now to apply for heating assistance this winter.
Community action program agencies throughout the state, like the People’s Regional Opportunity Program (PROP), manage the program locally and schedule appointments for applications and delivery.
“I encourage everyone who may qualify for this program to do so as early as possible,” said Pendleton. “The early application process should help ease the concerns that numerous Mainers have about how they will pay their heating bill as winter approaches.”
The program is designed to help low-income Mainers earning less than 150 percent of the federal poverty level, which is currently $15,600 for an individual and $31,800 for a family of four, to purchase heating fuels. Households with senior citizens or children age 2 and younger will get first priority, and the income limits for those homes are $17,680 for an individual and $36,040 for a family of four.
There are different income limits for households of all sizes, from one person up to eight. PROP has information about all of the different income limits.
Pendleton said LIHEAP funds will be stretched thin this year, because the cost of oil has risen sharply since last winter and more people who have not applied for assistance in the past will apply this year. The average benefit is expected to be around $417 per household this year, which at current rates would purchase about a third of a tank of oil.
In recent years, Congress has released additional emergency funds for the program during the winter season, and Pendleton said that she has been working with her colleagues in the legislature and Gov. John Baldacci to urge Congress to appropriate more funds for the program this year, as demand and costs have risen so sharply. Pendleton would also like to remind constituents that there are other state resources available for Mainers of all incomes to save on energy costs, and suggests individuals visit a new state Web site, www.maine.gov/governor/baldacci/policy/energy.shtml, which contains information and resources on energy efficiency.
Washington has appropriated $17 million for LIHEAP to Maine this year; last year, the state received a total of $38 million after a series of emergency funds were released throughout the winter.
Applicants will not know if they’ve been approved or the total dollar amount that they will receive until fall, but Pendleton encouraged constituents to apply early in order to beat the rush and have their application processed early. Thousands of households are expected to apply when the weather gets cold, and applying now will prevent a request from being held up for weeks or months with winter looming.
Maine homeowners and renters in Cumberland County can arrange an appointment to apply for assistance by contacting PROP at 553-5900.
In addition to LIHEAP, there are other state resources available for Mainers of all incomes to save on energy costs. For more information, constituents can contact Pendleton at 883-5414.

Wood Island Light turns 200 (July 18, 2008)

2008-07-18T07:58:58Z

By Stephanie Grinnell
Staff Writer
Pounded by hurricane strength winds and sea spray, witness to a murder-suicide and a rescue, home to many keepers, possibly a ghost and one special dog, Wood Island Lighthouse is celebrating its 200th birthday this summer.
The birthday will not be celebrated with a specific event because Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse historian Sheri Poftak said there is no clear date when the lighthouse off the shores of Biddeford Pool was dedicated. She said the group estimated this year to be the 200th birthday of the structure using the knowledge that it was definitely in service by 1808. She said research shows the original lighthouse was constructed of wood and lasted only a few years before being replaced with a stone tower in 1838. Recently, a local stone cutting family revealed the stone for the tower construction came from Pioneer Quarry in Biddeford, Poftak said.
More changes arrived on Wood Island in 1858, when the beacon in the lighthouse was switched from lanterns to a Fresnel lens. Poftak said all lighthouses were taken over by the Coast Guard in 1939, including Wood Island. When this happened, lighthouse keepers had a choice, they could give up their jobs or receive Coast Guard training, Poftak said. Wood Island keeper Earl Benson chose to join the Coast Guard.
“So it was a smooth transition for Wood Island,” she said.
In the late 1980s, the Coast Guard realized they could not manage all of the lighthouses and turned them over to nonprofit organizations. Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse was established in 2003 and the lighthouse had not been manned since 1986, Poftak said. Since its inception, Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse have made repairs to the half-mile-long boardwalk to the house, replaced the timbers in the boat ramp, replaced the porch roof, re-roofed the well cover, replaced flashing between the tower and building, replaced the lightning cord and repaired a missing bulkhead to the basement of the keeper’s house. Poftak said Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse is currently working on repairs to the boathouse.
“All of this sounds like small potatoes,” she said. “But it’s big potatoes.”
Poftak explained the repairs have been preventative, so damage to the house and lighthouse will not worsen. She said a railing was added during the winter to the spiral staircase leading to the top of the tower to increase safety. Repairs are funded through donations and annual fundraisers as well as sales of merchandise on Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse’s Web site.
There are many well-publicized stories about the lighthouse and events on the island, some tragic and others humorous, Poftak said. In the tragic category are a murder and suicide, which was reported in the “Biddeford Daily Journal” on June 2, 1896. The story, which can be found in full at www.woodislandlighthouse.org, reports after a day of drinking, Howard Hobbs shot and killed Frederick W. Milliken, a game warden and special officer stationed on Wood Island. According to the story, Hobbs was not keeping up with rent payments and after he shot Milliken, he returned home and took his own life.
Another tragedy was averted with the rescue of 2-year-old Tammy Burnham, daughter of keeper Laurier Burnham, when she became severely ill on the island during a storm. The Coast Guard boat sent to bring her to shore for medical attention capsized in the rough surf and Tammy and her rescuers were thrown overboard, to be recovered by Laurier Burnham in a “peapod” boat. Details of the story of Tammy Burnham may be found on the Web site and local author Margo Alley released a book about the ordeal earlier this year entitled “Wood Island Lighthouse, The Rescue of Tammy Burnham.”
Another well-known occupant of Wood Island Lighthouse was Sailor, a dog who mastered the fog bell and would salute passing ships by pulling a rope attached to the bell, Poftak said.
It is possible there are other residents on the island who are in spirit form, as evidenced by two paranormal investigations in recent years, Poftak said, adding paranormal investigators captured several photos in the basement of the lighthouse showing a progression from an orb to a woman’s face to a whole body. The photos, property of investigators, have not been published.
Since the investigation, Poftak said she has had several experiences that have led her to believe there is a presence on the island, such as open doors with no explanation and a knocked over table inside the empty house. Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse member Caryn Firebaugh said the house is not drafty, removing wind as a possible culprit.
“I think all lighthouses have stories,” Firebaugh said. “But there is something special about walking that boardwalk.”

Tall tales: Author weaves camp stories into first book (July 18, 2008)

2008-07-18T07:57:05Z

By Gillian Graham
Staff Writer
Randy Randall just likes to write about things.
Sitting at a picnic table overlooking his marina in Saco, Randall has one thing to say about his life: “This is play. I’m having a great time.”
Randall, who runs Marston’s Marina on the Saco River with his wife, Jean, recently published his first book, “Sandbox Camp Tales From a Maine Storyteller.” The paperback of short stories is 229 pages long. Many of the stories run around five pages.
Randall, 61, said all of his stories are based on things that have happened to him, family or friends.
“Now, how I tell the story, I take a few liberties,” he said. “Everybody’s got stories. I just like to listen to them.”
Randall said the stories he tells are not dissimilar to the stories of any Maine family.
“You go interview any Maine family that’s banged around in the outdoors, and you sit them down – everyone has the same stories,” he said. “The only difference is I wrote them down.”
Randall often thinks of stories to tell while out riding his bike or kayaking. He simply starts to reminisce, then thinks about how to embellish and entertain his audience. He describes himself as a raconteur and apprentice writer working to improve his style and delivery.
Randall said his book is designed for readers to flip through, reading a few pages at a time. The title comes from Randall’s family camp in Osborne Plantation, which he has owned for 28 years. The family called the camp the Sandbox because it is built on beach sand. For years, the camp has served as a gathering place for family and friends.
Randall began writing stories for those who visited the camp. He kept the stories in a three-ring binder and always had positive feedback from guests. Randall also asks all of his guests to write in a diary he keeps on the camp table.
Randall said a post in the cabin marking heights is a testament to how many people have stayed there. He and his wife began marking the heights of their sons on the post, and their children’s friends would want to be measured as well.
“If you look at the post now, there’s probably 100 different marks,” Randall said. “Half are for people I’ve never met. It’s precious.”
Randall spent his early years on his family’s farm in Saco and later moved to Old Orchard Beach. He graduated from the University of Maine in Orono with a degree in English. After graduation, Randall joined the Navy and served in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.
After his tour of duty, Randall worked for IBM, where he specialized in using business computers in Maine paper mills. The couple married in 1970 and they raised three sons, Matthew, Benjamin and Jeremy.
Once he retired from IBM in 2004, Randall returned to his life-long dream of writing short stories. He began to sell his stories to regional publications, including “The Maine Sportsman,” “No Umbrella,” “Points East Magazine,” “Downeast Magazine” and “Wolf Moon Journal.”
Eventually, Randall’s piles of stories became so large his wife suggested he had the makings of a book.
“It was kind of her idea, actually, to make the effort,” he said.
Randall began sending emails to publishers and found he was not discouraged by rejection.
“I finally got one who thought the stories had merit,” Randall said.
This encouraged Randall to keep writing. He has also been encouraged by his family’s response to the book.
Randall said his son and friend were staying at the camp recently and used the book to practice reading. The friend was studying to be a grammar school teacher and was nervous about reading aloud, so the pair took turns reading from Randall’s book.
“If I didn’t even sell a book, that story is worth all the effort of publishing and editing,” Randall said.
Randall’s favorite story from the book is “Old Salts, Geezers: Dockside Superintendents.” It tells of the old men who used to hang around the marina tinkering with boats and telling stories.
“That was another blessing, having those old World War II vets down here with a boat, hanging out, telling stories,” Randall said. “It’s great to know them.”
“I never felt the time we spent listening to those old geezers tell their stories was wasted because when you listened you heard very interesting tales,” Randall wrote in the “Old Salts” story.
One of the “geezers” was Charlie, who was at the marina frequently enough for customers to assume he was on the payroll. Charlie was a machinist for most of his life and was always willing to offer help or advice to those at the marina.
Once Charlie died, Randall had a brass plaque made that reads “Charlie’s Bench.” Randall takes pleasure in telling people about Charlie when they ask the meaning of the plaque.
When not working at the marina or helping care for his 93-year-old mother-in-law, Randall can be found pulling his lobster traps. He is a registered Maine Guide and a retired Scout Master. Randall is also enjoying his new grandson, Morgen.
Randall has been visiting local bookstores and libraries to tell them about his book and said he has had a nice reception. The book is available at Nonesuch Books in the Saco Valley Shopping Center for $24.95.
“It’s an uphill climb,” he said of getting word out about his book. “We’re figuring this out as we go along and having a good time doing it.”

Weekly Interview: ‘I’m the oldest and the toughest’ –At 106, Blanch Cook has seen it all (July 18, 2008)

2008-07-18T07:55:57Z

By Nate Jones
Staff Writer
Ever since she turned 100 years old, time has flown by for Blanch Cook.
“Time goes by so fast I can hardly turn around and five or 10 years have gone by,” she said.
At 106, Cook is the oldest Scarborough resident. Last weekend she led the town’s 350thparade through a very different downtown Scarborough than the one she remembers from 60 years ago.
“I ask people if they’ve ever seen horses running out of the fire station,” she said. “They would come out of that station going fast as lightning – I remember that.”
In an interview at her home three days prior to the parade, Cook said leading the parade was an easy decision to make.
“I figured ‘Why not?’ I’ve been through everything else!” she said laughing.
Although she was born in New Hampshire in 1901, Cook grew up in Pownell, where she worked at local candy stores.
“I dipped chocolates,” she said. “That was a good job; I liked doing that.”
Cook eventually moved to South Portland with her husband – a printer who died several years ago – and then to Scarborough in 1947 where they built a house and began to raise their daughter Lorain. At that time, Cook said Oak Hill featured a narrower, quieter Route One and no fire or police station, and the local high school population had a fraction of its current enrollment.
“It seems like just yesterday,” she said. “It was a lot quieter then, but you’re bound to have change. I don’t mind it. What are you going to do to stop it anyway?”
Cook said she remembered attending the town’s 300th anniversary celebration, and recalled a fundraising event where clean shaved men had to pay a “shave tax” – she laughed when she heard a similar fundraiser was planned for last week’s 350th celebration.
“I don’t know why they did that, but it was neat,” she said.
While many of the fields and forests originally found in Scarborough have been developed since Cook moved to town, she said she still knows a few places that remind her of the way life used to be.
“I enjoy taking a ride in the country and getting back, you know,” she said.
Although she has visited Florida several times, Cook said she hasn’t ever felt the desire to relocate to a warmer climate.
“Florida is too hot; I never minded the cold,” she said.
Cook said not even the allure of lower taxes and a better economy could draw her or her husband away from Scarborough.
“What’s money anyway?” she asked. “I never cared about moving.”
Cook is the last remaining member of the original Cook family – her brother died last fall at the age of 100 – and is considered one of the oldest Pownell natives.
“That’s the problem with being 106, one by one they all die around you,” she said. “I am the oldest [Cook sibling] and I’m the toughest! You have to just keep going; don’t give up. I get up every morning with the idea I have someplace to go.”
And go she does – Cook is still able to walk on her own, and although she lives with her daughter and son-in-law, she largely takes care of herself. Cook said luck has kept her healthy for most of her life.
“I fell out of a tree when I was eight,” she said. “They stitched me up and sent me on my way. Nowadays they’d put you in special care.”
Those who don’t know Cook’s eyesight is failing due to the effects of muscular degeneration don’t even realize it until she tells them.
“I can’t see; you’re only realizing that just now,” she said with a chuckle. “At this age, it’s bound to be something,” she said.
While her eyesight isn’t what it used to be, Cook’s appetite takes her to restaurants far and near, which she said can help break up long days.
“I can always eat,” she said.
When she’s not being taken out to lunch at any of southern Maine’s diners or restaurants, Cook said her favorite pastime is to watch the Boston Red Sox baseball team. She said she follows the players by using their numbers rather than their names.
“That number 18, he’s a traitor and went over to the Yankees,” she said. “He hasn’t been well since.”
Cook now has a grandson who recently graduated college to become an electrician. She said sometimes she wonders where he gets not only his knack for knowledge but his physical traits as well.
“He’s 6 foot 3 [inches]!” she exclaimed. “They’re all bigger nowadays.”
Cook said last weekend’s parade wasn’t the first she has participated in.
“I’ve been in much smaller ones, certainly none of them were honoring me. I’ll be glad when it’s all over,” she said.

Letter: Fiddlehead center finds another home (July 18, 2008)

2008-07-18T07:55:02Z

Editor:
[The following is a letter to friends, families and colleagues of Fiddlehead Center for the Arts].
After many months of searching we have at last found a new home to create the expansion we need to grow our programs. We will be re-locating to 152 Route One in Scarborough (just behind Lois’ Natural Food Market) in August.
We are very excited to have a space to call our own and we are equally excited about the fall line up of classes for the after-school, adult and pre-schooler programs. Be sure to check out the Web site in the next week or two for all the fall details! Included in that will be information on the “Fiddlehead Unlimited” program that will allow your child to be engaged in the arts, sciences and technology five days a week from September to May at a great discount. Transportation will be included through the Scarborough School District. Call the office for more details on this after care program!
And mark your calendar for Thursday, Aug. 14 at 6:30 p.m. for registration night. Come check out programs that include Crazy Clay in our new ceramic studio, Lego robotics, animation, photography, physical sciences, nature art, printmaking sampler, junkyard art, bookmaking and creative writing, handmade tile, multimedia, cartooning, sculpture, drawing and painting, Mom and Me art class, storybook theater, Spanish, yoga and private music lessons in piano, guitar, violin, cello, voice and saxophone for all ages and ability levels.
Before we begin to purchase items for the expansion on our “Needs List” we thought we would send that “Needs List” along to you to help minimize our expenses and to determine if there are items sitting in someone’s attic or garage or perhaps the business or company you work for could use a donation as a tax deduction? Also, if you would like to support Fiddehead’s efforts by purchasing an item for the ceramic studio or one of the music rooms perhaps, we would recognize that support by placing your name on the sponsor wall at the entrance to the new facility.
Thank you for two and a half years of support and making Fiddlehead a community art center that Scarborough can call its own!
Let us know what you have on our list!
Fiddlehead Center for the Arts Needs List: bookshelves, metal utility shelves, storage cabinets, wood cubbie, drying rack, wood toys and blocks, cardboard blocks, clear plastic storage bins (various sizes), plastic utility sink, stainless steel sink, utility wash bucket (on wheels), vacuum, 6 by 8 tables, folding metal chairs, upholstered lobby chairs, wood peg racks, microwave oven, upright piano, kiln, pottery wheel, slab table; computers (lap tops preferable), scanner, digital projector, digital camera, imaging software and a copier.
Mary Jo Marquis, Executive Director
Fiddlehead Center for the Arts
Scarborough

Letter: ‘Alicia and Friends’ was a huge success (July 18, 2008)

2008-07-18T07:54:16Z

Editor:
The “Alicia and Friends” musical benefit for the Epilepsy Foundation this past weekend was a huge success. Between ticket sales, walk-ins and donations we were able to raise more than $13,000! We would like to express our sincerest gratitude to all those who came, supported, helped and just generally contributed to this huge success. The singers were fabulous, the musicians were amazing, the volunteers were wonderful and the director, Michael Donovan, was incredible! Special thanks to Ms. Adina Glover of the Epilepsy Foundation for coming all the way from Maryland to accept our donations and to Nancy Lupien and the Portland Players for the donation of the space. And most of all thanks to Miss Alicia Fournier, a very special and extremely talented 9-year-old girl, who continues to inspire all those she meets!
Julie Fournier
Scarborough

Letter: GWK congratulates 350th committee (July 18, 2008)

2008-07-18T07:53:12Z

Editor:
Governor William King Masonic Lodge No. 219 recently had the privilege in participating in Scarborough’s 350th Anniversary weekend celebration. The members of GWK would like to first congratulate the Scarborough 350th Anniversary committee for organizing one of the finest events ever held not only in Scarborough’s history; but the state of Maine’s history. GWK would also like to say thank you for the time, energy and support we receive from Scarborough Community Services and Bruce Gullifer. The Scarborough Community Service’s team was incredible this past weekend. Finally GWK would like to thank everyone who supported our stand this past weekend. GWK would have never been able to provide the products we did the past weekend with out the generosity and services provided by Larry Smith of Al’s Variety on Pleasant Hill Road in Scarborough.
Happy 350th Anniversary Scarborough and congratulations to everyone again for a fantastic event!
Gary Garrison, GWK 350th Chairman
Scott Whytock, GWK Co Chairman and Secretary

Nate Jones' Locker: ‘Put one foot in front of the other (ouch) (July 18, 2008)

2008-07-18T07:52:18Z

Yesterday I went to the doctor’s office for the first time in nearly four years.
I’ve never liked having to report to hospitals or a doctor’s office – something about the white walls, linoleum floors and strangers with clipboards always puts me on edge. I can’t stand medical television shows and whenever a surgery scene or an image of a fractured bone or some other gruesome bodily injury appears in a movie, I close my eyes and cling to my wife like a high school sweetheart, waiting until she gives me the all clear to watch again.
As an active 25-year-old who tries to stay at least somewhat in shape, I am used to getting a fair share of bumps, bruises, scrapes and cuts. Generally, a few Ibuprofen pills for breakfast can cure the worst injuries I incur while sailing, hauling lobster traps, woodworking, fixing my car or helping my friend with his motorcycle, but for about a week and a half now my right leg hasn’t been willing to shake what feels like the worst charley-horse known to mankind.
Now, forced to walk at a slow stagger by the mysterious affliction, I am beginning to notice details in my surroundings I have unknowingly sauntered past for months. Limping down the dock to my car in the early morning I see which vessels are registered and those that aren’t, whose hull needs a wax job and those boats most likely to break free of their dock lines in a stiff blow. As I awkwardly make my way through the parking lot at work I look to see who backs their vehicle in and who pulls in nose first, once inside the office I count how many steps there are between my desk and the water cooler. I’m paying more attention to tide charts too, as leaving for work or arriving home during a low tide means I have to traverse a 45-degree ramp with just one good leg.
Wanting to say goodbye to the pain in my leg as much as the cumbersome thoughts in my head, I made a doctor’s appointment a few days ago. I was nervous about going in, and decided to skip the appointment when the pain subsided about a half hour before I was supposed to show up. When I called to make yet another appointment a few days later the receptionist already knew who I was, why I was calling and that I didn’t like doctors’ offices.
“You’ll be fine,” she said.
I staggered out of the office after half an hour spent filling out forms, answering questions and having my leg jerked around. Frustrated that the doctor – who would probably describe me as “abrasive” – couldn’t tell me there was a miracle pill I could take to get me ship shape for a big regatta next week, I tossed her physical therapy referral form in the trash. Determined to beat the pain on my own rather than pay for expensive and time-consuming physical therapy visits, I told my wife to grab two cold packs on her way home from work and popped a few more Ibuprofen.
Three hours later my leg was no better than it had been for the past nine days and my wife convinced me to schedule an appointment with a physical therapist.
Sometimes healing is a “one step backward and two steps forward” process. Hopefully by this time next week I’ll be able to put one foot in front of the other without wincing.
– Nate Jones

Letter: Politics spoils parade (July 18, 2008)

2008-07-18T07:51:18Z

Editor:
Last Saturday’s parade to celebrate our town’s 350th anniversary was spoiled for me by the electioneering of Susan Collins supporters. It was, after all, not a political event and no other candidate had the poor taste or judgment to make it one. Was I alone in my disappointment? No. I actually had a conversation with the organizer of the Yarmouth Clam Festival who said such demonstrations were to be strictly prohibited at next week’s event.
Three cheers for Yarmouth!
Sheilah Hillman
Scarborough

Great idea benefits local charities (July 11, 2008)

2008-07-10T13:40:50Z

By Emma Bouthillette
Staff Writer
As Pine Point Road in Scarborough ends and before the beach begins, a nine-lot subdivision is under construction. There is only one completed house on the site and that is “Coastal Living Magazine’s” Idea Cottage.
“Coastal Living,” a magazine based in Birmingham, Ala., approached Lynn Dubois and John Wiggin, owners of the Scarborough construction company Ideas to Build Upon, about a year ago to build and design a cottage to feature in the October issue of the magazine.
“The editors [of the magazine] look across country to find different geographic areas and architectural design. Last year, they wanted to find something in New England,” said Alison Thomas, homes director for “Coastal Living.”
“It’s a spec house. Most of the products are the latest and greatest,” Dubois said.
The New England style cottage is a three level home with four bedrooms. The house features the latest kitchen appliances in stainless steel, the most up-to-date radiant floor heating and a new siding and roofing system. White wainscoting covers the walls along with decorations in pale shades of pink, green and blue selected by interior designer Tracey Rapisarde, owner of Sea Rose in South Portland.
“When you look at a Maine cottage, you see the cedar shingles and the wood porches. That material doesn’t withstand the weather. Companies across the country make products to withstand the weather changes, especially in Maine, that will require the least amount of maintenance,” Thomas said.
The roof is composed of lamarite shakes, the shingles are cedar impressions that won’t fade or chip, and the white trim is made from a material called azek, Thomas said. She said these products are made from synthetic materials that won’t rot, but look like the real thing.
“For most people these will be their second homes. They want to just board it up, come back in the summer and not have to deal with painting,” Thomas said.
This is the 12th year “Coastal Living” has featured an Idea Cottage and an Idea House in the magazine, but this is the first time they have come to Maine. The purpose of the house is to give readers an idea of latest home trends, and also serves as a fundraiser for two charitable causes.
A grand opening for the Idea Cottage is scheduled for July 16, and anyone can tour the house for $6 until Labor Day. “Coastal Living” selects two nonprofits to sponsor with the revenue from the tours. For this house, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland and Safe Passage of Yarmouth will each receive half of the revenue generated from the tours.
“To be a recipient of support from the ‘Coastal Living’ house, the requirement is we provide volunteers to sell tickets, give tours and sit outside,” said Rachel Meyn, the U.S. Director of Safe Passage.
Safe Passage, founded in 1999, is a nonprofit organization based in Guatemala that supports children and their families working in the garbage dumps of Guatemala City, providing them with an opportunity to get out of poverty, Meyn said. She said they have helped 500 children and have a volunteer base of 1,000 people in Maine.
Kate Callahan, volunteer coordinator for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland, said when the organization heard about the fundraising opportunity, it expressed interest in the partnership with “Coastal Living.”
“It is the first time we have done a fundraiser like this. We are really hopeful people are interested in coming to see it and it also attracts a different volunteer base,” Callahan said.
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland was founded in 1985 with the mission to eliminate poverty housing in the area, Callahan said. So far the organization has helped 200 families.
The house will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Monday, and 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.
Meanwhile, the Idea Cottage is on the market for $1.5 million. Dubois said there has been some interest in the property already, but hopes the month and a half of tours will produce a definite buyer.
If you are interested in volunteering, call Meyn at 846-1188 or Callahan at 772-2151.

New veterans program brings assistance to Maine (July 11, 2008)

2008-07-10T13:39:46Z

By Emma Bouthillette
Staff Writer
As Iraq and Afghanistan veterans return home, the Maine Chapter of Operation Homefront is bringing the Wounded Warriors Program to the state to offer assistance to those who have been medically discharged, but are waiting for benefits to kick in.
In May, the Coalition for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans hosted a conference in Washington, D.C. to pool resources of nationwide groups that address the needs of wounded soldiers. Pam Payeur, of Biddeford, attended as a representative for the state’s Operation Homefront chapter to bring those resources back to Maine.
Operation Homefront, which is a national nonprofit organization providing emergency assistance and morale to soldiers, began following the events of Sept. 11, 2001. The Maine Chapter of Operation Homefront recently celebrated its one-year anniversary, Chapter President Donna Chapman said.
Payeur has volunteered for Operation Homefront since fall 2007. She said her son, Mike, 22, has served two tours of duty for the U.S. Army in Iraq and is now at Fort Hood, Texas receiving treatment for a traumatic brain injury, hearing loss, neck injury, mild back injury, posttraumatic stress disorder, injuries to both knees and spider fractures from the knees down.
“He was blasted 11 times, so there is a strong chance that his injuries were accumulative,” Payeur said.
Payeur said he was brought state side for treatment early September 2007 and she expects him to be medically discharged by the end of 2008. She said like other veterans, he will experience up to a two-year gap in benefit coverage. For this reason, Payeur is working to bring Operation Homefront’s Wounded Warriors Program to Maine.
“These soldiers are injured enough so they can’t work. They are not in active status, they have no benefits, yet they still have financial burdens. The Wounded Warriors Program specifically helps those soldiers, providing resources and help,” Payeur said.
“Here in Maine, Operation Homefront is helping with emergency needs. Wounded Warriors is a longer commitment,” Chapman said.
She said the program’s intent is to help wounded soldiers up to two years after they are medically discharged. Assistance includes grants until their benefits kick in, transitional housing, access to free legal services and retrofitting homes and vehicles for handicapped access, Payeur said.
John J. Ouellette, 51, of Saint Francis, served in Iraq from 2003 to 2004. He returned from Iraq with a leg injury, received medical assistance and was released from active duty in 2005, Ouellette said.
“When I was released, I had no income. My mortgage and oil bills fell behind. It was almost a whole year before I realized I was deep into trouble and couldn’t get myself out,” Ouellette said.
Ouellette said it took him some time to find help. He said a member of his family support group put him in touch with Chapman, and Operation Homefront took care of his oil bill and his back mortgage payments.
“They brought me back up to snuff,” Ouellette said.
Payeur said the Wounded Warriors Program can help soldiers in similar situations.
“If it isn’t something we can financially or physically do we can make phone calls to state reps and alert them that this person has fallen through the cracks, and there are many cracks,” she said.
“When the guards called me to apologize and said they’d lost me through the cracks, that was hard to hear. I had to sell my stuff and I used up all my savings before I called for help,” Ouellette said.
Payeur said Wounded Warriors also has teamed up with companies to help train injured soldiers for civilian jobs.
Referring to an article that appeared in The Navy Times on Sept. 3, 2007, Chapman said the unemployment rate for young veterans is three times the national unemployment rate.
Chapman said Operation Homefront has partnered with Airgas, the nation’s largest distributor of industrial, medical and specialty gases in the country. In a press release issued May 28, Airgas announced the company’s goal to hire 100 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans within the next year. Chapman said Airgas is offering a “Welding 101” seminar in Maine to help train those interested in the welding industry.
“Wounded Warriors is run solely on volunteers, grant funding and generous donations of money or services. The need for money is huge. We have the resources, but without money coming in we can’t provide financial assistance,” Payeur said.
For more information on Operation Homefront, visit www.operationhomefront.net.
For more information on Maine’s chapter of Wounded Warriors or Operation Homefront, call Donna Chapman at 321-1321.

Model reporter: Nate Jones steps in front of the camera (July 11, 2008)

2008-07-10T13:38:56Z

By Nate Jones
Staff Writer
The first time I met Danie Connolly she thought I was a model.
“You’re perfect!” she shouted at me, then glanced slyly at photographer Liam Crotty – who was busy setting up a background for the photo reproducing Norman Rockwell’s “Game Called Because of Rain” painting – before rushing off somewhere out of sight.
It was a warm and sunny day at Portland’s Hadlock Field, and I wasn’t there to pose in any photo, but rather to take some of my own to accompany an article I was writing about Crotty and Connolly’s ongoing efforts to reproduce Rockwell’s famous paintings in preparation for a three-day tribute to the artist in August.
Connolly reappeared as Crotty and I discussed the summer rain clouds gathering behind his backdrop, making the scene look even more like the Rockwell painting.
She had a large picture book of Rockwell’s works in hand, opened to an image of his “100 Years of Baseball” painting. She was determined to convince me to pose for the photo even after Crotty introduced me as a reporter, not a model.
“Tell me he isn’t just right,” she said, pointing at a redheaded figure in the painting. “You have to do it!”
I was too caught up in meeting Portland Sea Dogs players and getting names and taking photos which would go on to be published in the next editions of the Kennebunk Post, Scarborough Leader and South Portland-Cape Elizabeth Sentry newspapers, to consider the suggestion seriously. After a few hours work I had all the photos I needed, so I thanked Crotty and listened to Connolly’s final pitch to get me in front of the camera before heading on to my next assignment.
“Miss Teen Maine is going to be the pitcher,” she said. “Do you know Michelle Smith?”
I was actually somewhat familiar with the 16-year-old model from Scarborough, as she had agreed to be interviewed for an article that ran in the Leader and the Sentry that same week. I met her at her home in Scarborough that afternoon and her reaction was similar to Connolly’s.
“Come on, it will be fun!” Smith said, encouraging me to agree to the shoot.
The same day the article on the Hadlock Field photo shoot and Smith’s interview went to press. Crotty, Smith and I met Connolly at her home in Kennebunk, determined to use Smith’s height, Connolly’s creativity and my complexion to create Crotty’s “169th Year of Baseball – Miss Teen Maine, Intl.” photo for the Rockwell exhibit.
After 30 minutes of dressing, tucking, stuffing, tying, taping, pinning, coloring and lots of laughing, Smith and I took our places and tried not to smirk at each other as Connolly and Crotty went to work. I was clearly the amateur in the room: Smith quickly put on her Miss Teen Maine charm, Crotty settled behind his camera with the comfort of a professional and Connolly gracefully directed the entire scene.
Smith swung her leg in the air – assuming a pitcher’s stance – and I tucked a soggy cigar into my lip for an hour before Crotty was satisfied.
“Told you it would be fun,” Smith said as she pulled tape from her sleeves, hair and face.
I was tired, hot and itchy, but elated. Circumstance, scheduling and open-minded editors gave me the ultimate chance to go “above and beyond” in my assignment. As an objective newspaper reporter, I may not be able to speak out at municipal meetings or include adjectives in stories covering local events, but when it comes to the Norman Rockwell exhibit in August, I’m not just covering it – I’m a part of it.
“What happened to you?” my wife asked when I arrived home smelling like a cigar and an unwashed suit with long strands of fake hair streaming from my head and lots of makeup on my face and hands.
“Call my agent,” I joked.