Tribute to Ken Remembering the life of Ken Forde — LEA volunteer, former town official and friend to many Page 2A
Closing out a big year
Inside News
Silas Eastman wins his fourth straight Gasping Gobbler 5K title at Lovell Athletic Fields
Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 4B
Page 1C
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 4D Country Living . . . 2B-3B Directory . . . . . . . . . . 3D Obituaries . . . . . . 6D-7D Opinions 1D-3D, 5D, 7D, 8D Police/Court . . . . . 4A-5A Sports . . . . . . . . . 1C-3C Student News . . . . . . 2C Towns . . . . . . . . . 5B-7B Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 5D
www.bridgton.com Vol. 142, No. 47
Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. 28 PAGES - 4 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
November 24, 2011
(USPS 065-020)
SIXTY CENTS
Emotions run high at meeting
EAGER TO HELP — Brownie Girl Scouts Shelley Sawtell, Abby Scarlett and Olivia Martin wait for instructions from First Congregational Church member Elsa Freeman as they help to pack Thanksgiving Boxes last Thursday, Nov. 17 at the Bridgton
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Emotions ran high at Monday’s Bridgton Comprehensive Plan Committee meeting, a week after the resignation of their professional planner, Alan Manoian. A no confidence vote against Manoian was taken in his presence, but only two members — Dick Danis and Glen “Bear” Zaidman — voted in favor, with six opposed and one abstention. Manoian, the town’s director of Economic and Community Development, stated in his Nov. 15 resignation letter that he would be leaving Dec. 1, but volunteered a few days later to wait until Jan. 2, 2012, giving him more time to prepare final documents, said Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz. Manoian said he was leaving to help care for his ailing mothchurch. Sixty-seven boxes were packed in about 30 minutes by er in his hometown of Lowell, over 60 volunteers at the church, and were distributed prior to Mass. He did not cite any other the Thanksgiving holiday. See story on Page 1B. reason. (Photo by Kevin Murphy) The same day he gave his
resignation, however, another letter came into the town office from the Comprehensive Plan Committee, voicing their “frustration and concern for the dysfunction” of Manoian’s role in the committee’s work because of a workload that “has taken his attention in diverse directions.” The committee had voted at their Nov. 14 meeting, without Manoian present, to send the letter, which was written by member Lucia Terry. The letter stated that the committee felt “manipulated and back-burnered” by an “inconsistency of guidance and support” from Manoian. “It would appear that Alan’s time and attention is not able to be focused enough on our committee’s needs to accomplish the goals of his own schedule. Again and again, our process has been held up as he has not delivered the materials we need to work, causing confusion and frustration,” the letter stated. PLAN, Page A
Lovell man battles throat cancer caused by HPV virus By Lisa Williams Ackley Staff Writer LOVELL — Paul McLaughlin is 48 years old and has been married to the love of his life, Christine, for 25 years. The couple has seven children, ages nine through 22, whom they love and adore. Paul is a tall, strapping guy — a lifelong non-smoker, who has never spent a night in a hospital. So, it was a world-shattering moment just over one month ago, when Paul learned he has Stage 4 throat cancer. Paul was then delivered some more news that was, in and of itself, startling, to say the least — that his Stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma was possibly caused by the sexually-transmitted Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and that he likely contracted it during his college years, way before he ever even thought about asking Christine to marry him. How could that be? Late last week, Paul’s doctor informed him that it has been confirmed by a pathology test — his throat cancer is, in fact, the type caused by HPV — believed to be more curable than other types of cancer of the throat and neck. Prior to finding out his cancer is the type caused by the HP virus, Paul said, “I’m
hoping that it (the pathology report) comes back positive for an STD (sexually-transmitted disease), because my chances of successfully getting through this will be between 80 and 90% instead of the 50 to 70% rate of cure they’re giving me now. So, here I am hoping I’ve got an STD — it’s funny — it’s hysterical — its’s sad as Hell.” According to recent articles citing university studies, the throat and neck cancer borne of the HP virus, and that appears two to three decades later in men who were exposed to it in their teens and 20s, is increasing at an alarming rate. One father, now in his early 50s, who has the same type of cancer Paul has, said he thought HPV was a “women-only” disease, as it is the primary cause of cervical cancer in women. Before he received word that his throat cancer stemmed from the HP virus, Paul said he had already learned that the odds of recovering from his throat cancer would be remarkably better if it were the HPV-related type. Dr. Eric Gendren, the chairman of the otolaryngology department at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, recently told The New York Times that he thinks “it is safe
Helping a friend
thought the scale was broken — I really did. I knew I’d lost weight. My pants weren’t fitting like they did. But, I had no pain — ever.” He said his cancer was rated as Stage 4, “because it had metastasized.” One month ago, Paul had surgery to remove his left tonCANCER, Page A
By Lisa Williams Ackley Staff Writer LOVELL — When Scott Thomas, who has been fighting his own battle with cancer for five years now, found out his good friend Paul McLaughlin Sr. had cancer, he went home and went to bed — and that’s when the idea to hold a benefit supper for Paul came to him — in a dream. “At four o’clock in the morning, I woke up and all I heard was ‘Paul McLaughlin,’” said Scott, “and I said I knew what I had to do — hold a dinner for Paul, and if that isn’t from up above, I don’t know what is! I had that four a.m. wakening, and I never wake up at that time of the morning!” Like Paul, Scott has an indomitable sense of humor that buoys him up during the difficult times. Both men were having chemotherapy treatments Monday — it was the first time for Paul, and five years later, Scott knows it is what has kept him alive. Scott finds that by helping other cancer patients like himFRIEND, Page A
The Bay of Naples Bridge will replace the town’s 60year-old swing bridge. The new bridge will be an arch bridge with an 80-foot span between two concrete abutments. The bridge is scheduled to be unveiled — ready to drive over in May 2012, while the rest of the project, including a revamped Causeway with an amphitheater, will be completed by June 2013. According to MDOT Resident Engineer Craig Hurd, the cost
of the project is between $8.9 and $9.1 million. The Town of Naples will be responsible for $405,000 of that cost. On Monday, Hurd said the plan for the week had been laid out: Tuesday, crews would place concrete to beat the adverse weather and get the job done before the holiday break. So, on Monday, crews were preparing for a big concrete placement that would take place the following day. BRIDGE, Page A
BROTHERS IN FIGHTING CANCER — Paul McLaughlin Sr., (at left) was recently diagnosed with throat cancer, and a benefit for Paul on Dec. 3 at the Lovell Fire Station is being spearheaded by his good friend Scott Thomas, who has been fighting his own cancer battle for five years now. (Ackley Photo) to say that we are on the cusp here of a pandemic — an epidemic that’s about to begin” of HPV-related throat cancers. Paul said he noticed a lump in his neck in late June or early July, “So, I went to my general practitioner,” he said. “The blood work was all normal, and that’s a good sign.” His physician referred Paul to an
ear, nose and throat specialist (ENT). “He put a scope down my throat and said, ‘Nothing showing,’” stated Paul. “So, he took a little biopsy.” “The lump kept getting bigger, and I started losing weight and losing notches on the belt,” said Paul. “I lost 40 pounds, in three months. I
Bridge — ‘It’s a nice place to work’
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — The crew working on the Bay of Naples Bridge construction project agree it is a job site they love, and bridge building is a job they enjoy doing — most days, at least. “It’s not just punching in from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” said Mike Mason, 31, who has been working for the general contractor Wyman & Simpson Inc. for three years. “It’s fun to come here and see Long Lake and the mountains. It’s one of the better jobs we have worked on,” said Mike Mason, 31. Other co-workers echoed Mason’s statements on Monday as they stood or sat in the WALL WORK — Wyman & Simpson, Inc. employee Cory Naples field office for the Maine Department of Transportation’s Colby works on a wall at the future Bay of Naples Bridge. (De Busk Photo) bridge and causeway project.
“It is unbelievable — he read my mind and said what I was thinking,” said Rick Kelly, 50, who lives in Chesterville. “It’s a nice place to work,” Kelly said. “And, the fact that I am doing something that will be around for 50 years, and I won’t,” he said. Some of the benefits employees cited: A waterside view of the year round scenery, the Naples-based catering service that served warm food to workers last winter, and a dependable pay check. There is the weather to deal with: Muggy summer days, driving rains, and winter temperatures driven colder by a wind off the lake. Then, there is the project that will keep them working in Naples for another 19 months.
The Bridgton News Established 1870
P.O. Box 244, 118 Main St. Bridgton, ME 04009 207-647-2851 Fax: 207-647-5001 bnews@roadrunner.com