The Portland Daily Sun, Saturday, January 1, 2011

Icy plunge a New Year’s tradition

BY JEFF PETERSON

SPECIAL TO THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN

It has become as much of a tradition in Maine on New Year’s Day as football and hangovers. It is time for the annual Lobster Dip. LEFT: Today at Old Orchard Beach, the hardy will test the waters during the annual Lobster Dip, a benefit for Special Olympics. (COURTESY PHOTO)

SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 2011 VOL. 2 NO. 236

A proud culture of public protest

PORTLAND, ME

PORTLAND’S DAILY NEWSPAPER

Today (Saturday) at noon in back of “The Brunswick” in Old Orchard Beach, a couple hundred brave souls, including many from Portland, will dive into the ocean.

It is not only a way to welcome in a new year and have some fun with a couple hundred crazy people, but it is also a great way to raise money for charity. Proceeds from the Lobster Dip go to Special Olympics. see DIP page 16

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2010: a look back

BY CURTIS ROBINSON THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN

From the world’s biggest pop music star

rallying thousands, to a solo sign-carrier in the rain at Tommy’s Park, Portland was a city of protest in 2010 — a trend certain to continue into 2010.

A political pro told me early in what we can now call “last year” that “any progressive activist” who wants work in Maine can easily find a job. see PROTEST page 5 Expressing his First Amendment rights at Monument Square, Wells StaleyMays of Peace Action Maine weighs in on the war in Afghanistan.

(CURTIS ROBINSON FILE PHOTO)

In a plea for the end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” military policy, pop star Lady Gaga recited a modifi ed version of the U.S. Armed Services Oath of Enlistment to begin her September speech titled “The Prime Rib of America” to a crowd of roughly 3,000 at Deering Oaks Park. (DAVID CARKHUFF PHOTO)

Year’s news included the first rumbling from merchants panning public art

In this, the fi nale of our look-back week, we consider the year 2010 in news and photos, including the flurry of rallies and protests — from a visiting Lady Gaga to Portland’s stalwarts in Peace Action Maine holding their own events.

AUGUST Aug. 3

plenty of folks around Boothby Square in Old Port pretty riled up. What grasses are growing — or more accurately not growing — are among the issues plaguing the “Tracing The Fore,” a Portland Public Art see YEAR page 8

RIGHT: The Tracing the Fore public art installation stirred strong emoWho said watching grass grow wasn’t all that exciting? It certainly has tions. (CURTIS ROBINSON PHOTO)

Page 2 — THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN, Saturday, January 1, 2011

More trouble for ‘Spider-man’ NEW YORK (AP) — The long-delayed Broadway musical “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” has suffered another blow with the departure of a lead actress, one of a number of performers injured in the costly production even before its official opening.

Natalie Mendoza, who recently had returned to the stunt-heavy show after suffering a concussion during its fi rst preview performance last month, pulled out for good following several days of negotiations between lawyers for both sides. Producers Thursday evening broke the news to the cast before the 8 p.m. performance.

The actress cited her head injury as the reason she walked away.

“It has been a diffi cult decision to make, but I regret that I am unable to continue on ‘SpiderMan’ as I recover from my injury,” Mendoza said in a statement.

The 30-year-old singer and actress, whose credits include the British TV drama “Hotel Babylon” and the horror fi lm “The Descent,” was hit in the head by a rope offstage Nov. 28. Although she struggled through another performance, she was eventually sidelined for two weeks and wrote on her Facebook page that she was on nausea tablets and painkillers.

The show’s offi cial opening was most recently pushed back from Jan. 11 to Feb. 7, in part because of Mendoza’s injury and after producers decided that the creative team needed to work out more kinks before allowing critics to weigh in. Mendoza’s leaving has not changed that new opening date, producers said.

Mendoza played Spider-Man’s evil love interest Arachne — a part written by director and co-book author Julie Taymor — and is one of four actors to be injured in the $65 million musical that has been delayed four times this year alone.

The Arachne role involves singing several songs and being part of numerous flying sequences, including one in which she is spun upside-down.

Castmembers T.V. Carpio and Arachne understudy America Olivo have been filling in for Mendoza and it is believed one of them will get the role permanently.

The protracted exit of a key star only a few weeks before the launch of what is considered Broadway’s most expensive show was in keeping with a production that has been marred by accidents and bad press.

SAYWHAT...

“

It’s better to star in Oshkosh than to starve on Broadway.”

—James Gleason

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New Year’s Eve tornadoes kill six LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Tornadoes fueled by unusually warm weather pummeled the South and Midwest on Friday, killing at least six people and injuring dozens more across Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois. Forecasters said storms later in the evening could hit as New Year’s Eve celebrations begin along a stretch from near Chicago to New Orleans.

Three people died in the northwestern Arkansas hamlet of Cincinnati when a tornado touched down just before sunrise, and three others died when a storm spawned by the same weather system ripped up the Missouri countryside near Rolla. A number of storms were also reported in the St. Louis area.

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., said storms later Friday could do more damage from northern Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico as communities prepare to mark the start of the new year. Forecasters posted tornado watches for the region that were set to run until 8 p.m.

“It sucked me out of my house and carried me across the road and dropped me,” Chris Sisemore of Cincinnati told The Associated Press on Friday. “I was Superman for a while. ... You’re just free-floating through the air. Trees are knocking you and smacking you down.”

Sisemore said he tried to crawl under his bed and cling to the carpet, fearful a nearby pecan tree would fall into his home.

As he nursed cuts, scrapes and bruises to his arms, knees and back, he recalled opening his eyes as he fl ew because he didn’t believe he’d see 2011.

“I wanted to see the end coming. You’re only going to see it one time and I thought that was it,” he said. “It takes more than a tornado to get me.”

In south-central Missouri, Dent County officials said a 19-year-old woman and an

older female relative died at a Lecoma farm where the family lived among three mobile homes and two frame houses.

The victims had been in a mobile home, but a mother and an infant in the trailer were able to run to a sturdier home.

“We found debris from one of the trailers a mile away,” Nash said. “One of the frames of the trailer was 15 feet up in a tree. All the frames were all twisted up,” and refrigerator from one of the mobile homes was found 200 yards away, he said.

Another woman was killed north of Rolla, not far from Lecoma, when a tornado destroyed her home, according to

emergency managers in Phelps County.

In Arkansas, Gerald Wilson, 88, and his wife, Mamie, 78, died in their home and Dick Murray, 78, died after being caught by the storm while milking cows, Washington County Sheriff Tim Helder said.

Sisemore’s mother, Margie Sisemore, said her son thought a tree had come crashing through his window.

“He jumped under his bed, said it grabbed his legs — took him up through the ceiling and he landed over yonder,” she said, gesturing across the street near where the Wilsons died.

Margie Sizemore cleans up in the after a tornado destroyed several homes in the small town of Cincinnati, Ark., in western Washington County early in the morning on Friday. A tornado fueled by an unusually warm winter air sliced through parts of northwestern Arkansas early on New Year’s Eve, killing three people, injuring several others and knocking out power to thousands of homes and businesses. (AP Photo/April L. Brown)

Millions gather worldwide to ring in new year MADRID (AP) — Dazzling fi reworks lit up Australia’s Sydney Harbor, communist Vietnam held a rare, Western-style countdown to the new year, and Japanese revelers released balloons carrying notes with people’s hopes and dreams as the world ushered in 2011.

In Europe, Greeks, Irish and Spaniards planned to party through the night to help put a year of economic woe behind them.

And in New York, nearly a million New Year’s Eve revelers were expected to cram into Times Square to watch the midnight ball drop, just days after the city got clobbered by a blizzard.

People gathered in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol square in a chilly drizzle to take part in “Las Uvas,” or “The Grapes,” a tradition in which people eat a grape for each of the 12 chimes of midnight, after which they drink and spray each other with sparkling cava

wine. Chewing and swallowing the grapes in time is supposed to bring good luck.

Cheating, on the other hand, is frowned on and can bring misfortune.

2010 was a grim year for the European Union, with Greece and Ireland needing bailouts and countries such as Spain and Portugal fi nding themselves in fi nancial trouble as well. Athens, Paris and London have all seen unrest in the streets.

“Before, we used to go out, celebrate in a restaurant, but the last two years we have had to stay at home,” said Madrid fl orist Ernestina Blasco, 48. She said her husband, a construction worker, is out of work.

In Greece, thousands spent the last day of 2010 standing in line at tax offices to pay their road tax or sign up for tax amnesty.

“We can see that the quality of life is being degraded every day. What can I say? I don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel,” said

Giorgos Karantzos of Athens.

New Zealanders and South Pacific island nations were among the fi rst to celebrate at midnight. In New Zealand’s Auckland, explosions of red, gold and white burst over the Sky Tower, while tens of thousands danced and sang in the streets below. In Christchurch, partyers shrugged off a minor 3.3 earthquake that struck just before 10 p.m.

Multicolored starbusts and gigantic sparklers lit the midnight sky over Sydney Harbor in a pyrotechnics show witnessed by 1.5 million spectators. “This has got to be the best place to be in the world tonight,” said Marc Wilson, 41.

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered along Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor to watch fi reworks explode from the roofs of 10 of the city’s most famous buildings.

THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN, Saturday, January 1, 2011— Page 3

Maine merchant makes most of uptick in book sales SCARBOROUGH (AP) — Nearly half the nation’s independent book stores have closed in the past decade.

Book store chains are struggling.

E-books are all the rage.

Even so, Brett Wickard is defying logic by adding books to the inventory at his Bull Moose record shop, devoting 3,500 square feet of space, aisles of shelves and 22,000 books of all types that sell for at least 35 percent off the list price.

His timing may not be that bad.

A decade ago, some 2,700 independent book store companies with more than 3,200 locations were members of the American Booksellers Association.

Membership is now down to about 1,400 companies with 1,700 stores.

But the numbers have stabilized in the past couple of years and have even shown a slight uptick lately, said Meg Smith, spokeswoman for the ABA. Independent bookstores are expanding product offerings, with more gifts, lattes and cappuccino, and even beer and wine. Some indies are even jumping on the e-book bandwagon.

And the economy’s downturn has helped in an indirect way.

“The recession has had a golden lining for some stores, with lower real estate costs and the resulting opportunities that presents,” Smith said.

In Scarborough, barely a mile from the busy Maine Mall, where there’s a Borders bookstore, Wickard is going after book buyers who are seeking the low prices they can get on the Web but who want to support a local merchant and enjoy the bookstore experience.

Industry watchers say Wickard appears to have little company among music merchants in diving head-

on into the indie book business. He acknowledges the move is a risk.

“Retail is a tough way to make a living,” he said on a recent day at his store. “So if you combine how tough retail is, with how tough it is in a bad economy, combined with a decline in the importance of books and reading in the American mind, combined with the incredible swiftness of the arrival of e-books, I think physical bookstores have to be very smart and very nimble to stay in business.”

Getting into books was a business decision for Wickard, much in the way he previously added movies and video games to his selection at his music store chain.

Virtually all of Bull Moose’s sales came from music in the early years of the business, said Wickard, who opened his fi rst store in Brunswick in 1989 while attending Bowdoin College. Bull Moose now has 10 stores and 125 employees in Maine and New Hampshire, with annual revenues between $15 million and $25 million, Wickard said.

A decade or so ago, Wickard branched out into movies and video games. Nowadays, music makes up less than half of Bull Moose’s revenues, with movies and video games accounting for most of the rest.

Bull Moose — which originally started as Bull Moose Music but dropped the last word after branching out — fi rst added books in a big way in February when it expanded its store in Bangor and created 3,000 square feet devoted to the printed page. Sales there were so good that Wickard decided to expand into books in Scarborough, his largest store.

His customers appear to like the idea of buying local.

Shopping for Christmas presents, Susan Marshall held two books and a movie in her hands as she asked a Bull Moose clerk for his suggestions.

Marshall, 56, of Portland, said she liked the customer service, as well as local ownership and low prices that make it competitive with national chains.

“Besides, I like shopping,” she said.

“I’m not a big Internet shopper.”

There are similarities between independent bookstores and record stores, including a rough patch in which hundreds of records stores went out of business. There are now about 1,800 independent music stores nationally,

down from 3,000 seven years ago, said Joel Oberstein, president of Almighty Institute of Music Marketing in Los Angeles.

Like book stores, music stores have to expand their product mix to remain competitive, Oberstein said.

But Bull Moose is the fi rst music store he’s heard of to dive full-scale into books.

Wickard expects book sales to account for 20 percent of the Scarborough store’s revenues in 2011. He’s exploring whether to add books at his other Bull Moose stores.

“Running a business is a lot like running in front of a steamroller,” he said. “If you don’t keep running, you’ll get run over.”

In this Tuesday, Dec. 7, photo, store owner Brett Wickard poses for a photo in the book section of Bull Moose in South Portland.

As the owner of the Bull Moose chain of music stores, he is going against the grain in expanding into book sales at a time when others seem to be getting out of it. (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach)

Polar Bear Plunge in Portland aids Maine conservation group PORTLAND (AP) — Bone-numbing ocean waters haven’t kept people from taking an icy plunge in the ocean waters off Portland to raise money in the name of global warming.

The Natural Resources Council of Maine held its second annual Polar Bear Plunge fundraiser on Friday at East End Beach. Moderate temperatures made it easier for about 40

people to take the plunge.

Organizers said more than $6,000 was pledged, but Brownie Carson told the Portland Press Herald the event was started more to raise visibility of the issue than to raise money.

The money that is raised goes toward NRCM’s work to reduce global warming pollution.

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Page 4 — THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN, Saturday, January 1, 2011

––––––––––––– MUSIC –––––––––––––

The year went fast, with highlights aplenty Wow, that year went fast.

Feel like I’m saying that more and more over the past few years. It’s probably the fact that I’m “older” older now and in some weird way I think years now go by 30 percent faster or something.

Great, I’m older and time is moving at almost double speed. That’s killer!

Looking back on a musical 2010, and it was a heck of year, locally and nationally. We got some great releases in 2010. The local music scene was pumping out ––––– records like the producThe Circle Push tion-line switch busted.

All good problems, though. We were introduced to newbies like Olas, Marie Stella, Bass Box, Space Versus Speed, Theodore Treehouse, Educated Advocates, Mallett Bros Band, Marion Grace, FI, Dead Man’s Clothes, Lady Essence, Crunk Witch, Aaron Lee Marshall and Amy Allen to name a few.

The live thing in town was at an all-time high, I’d say.

From the big rooms to the smaller rooms, we were watching live music seven days a week, 365 days the past year. Rooms like Slainte and Venue have become rising stars. Bayside Bowl added a lane of their own and Space continues to provide us some important evenings. The Big Easy and Asylum started some great returns to glory days and One Longfellow Square has become a major important room.

The big story though here though is the return of the State Theatre. It was a story everyone talked about at one point. A room for everyone. THE room for Portland. To me, this scene would have never been complete without that room. The shows it brings to us and the opportunity it opens up to local acts is priceless. To Lauren Wayne and Alex and the rest of the crew who saved our city from a 1,400seater death; thank you endlessly.

Mark Curdo

see CURDO page 5

Portland’s FREE DAILY Newspaper Curtis Robinson Editor David Carkhuff, Matt Dodge Reporters

THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN is published Tuesday through Saturday by Portland News Club, LLC. Mark Guerringue, Adam Hirshan, Curtis Robinson Founders Offices: 181 State Street, Portland ME 04101 (207) 699-5801 Website: www.portlanddailysun.me E-mail: news@portlanddailysun.me For advertising contact: (207) 699-5801 or ads@portlanddailysun.me Classifieds: (207) 699-5807 or classifieds@portlanddailysun.me CIRCULATION: 15,100 daily distributed Tuesday through Saturday FREE throughout Portland by Spofford News Company jspofford@maine.rr.com

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– COLUMN ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The truth about cat and dog licensing

Yet another press release from the city, and yet another opportunity for mirth. In a press release on Dec. 22, the city wished to remind all dog owners about the responsibility to license their dogs.

Under Maine law, all dogs must have a rabies vaccination and be licensed. The fee for a spayed or neutered dog is $6, and for those that want to let the dog remain “au naturale” the fee is $11.

There is also a reminder to get it done before Jan. 31, as the hefty fee for being late is an additional $25.

As a cat owner, I suppose it is just a matter of time. I can remain smug in knowing that as of yet, nobody has proposed a cat license.

What specifi cally are dogs licensed to do? Drag owners around at the end of long leashes, only to leave a tyranna-dump in the middle of the only un-icy stretch of sidewalk? Have high stakes poker tournaments? Bark incessantly at what appear to the untrained eye to be vacant spots in the air?

Nope, they are just licensed to exist.

Bob Higgins –––––

Daily Sun Columnist It is a matter of time until dog owners, fed up with discrimination on behalf of licensing laws, howl madly in protest and start to bay loudly about changing the laws to include cats. The days of unlicensed furry couch-lumps are drawing to a close.

Some of the issue is about a potential revenue stream. In cities such as Los Angeles, cat licensing has been on the books for a while. Usually, they are caged in efforts to control the feral cat population, but some humane groups disagree about those attempts.

An online group calling itself “Alley Cat Allies” call the concept of cat licensing a “license to kill.

They state that “They (the laws) operate on the principle that unlicensed cats should be brought to an animal shelter, where 70 percent of all cats are killed.”

They go on to state that sometimes, these efforts are coached in the possibility of reuniting lost pets with their owners. but “In fact, across the country animal facilities reunite only 2 percent of incoming cats with their owners,” according to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy.

Try as I might, I just can’t see the city of Portland chasing down crazy cat lady to see if all her cats are licensed.

About twenty years back, a man by the name of David Koplow, AKA “The Dog Man” wandered the streets of this city with a pack of what was described at the time as feral dogs. They followed him around from place to place all day.

Remember how he was chased out of town? Leash laws and dog licensing ultimately came to be his undoing. At one point, he was even arrested. Can you see the city going after crazy cat lady?

There are a few crazy cat ladies around, and a few crazy cat dudes as well.

I suppose that the difference is that cats rarely follow people down the streets, and hardly ever see HIGGINS page 5

THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN, Saturday, January 1, 2011— Page 5

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STAFF OPINION ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Portland is the place to be for policy protests PROTEST from page one

A variety of online employment services, like Craigslist, certainly support that. Even a cursory scan turns up a half-dozen opportunities with organizations like the left-leaning Maine People’s Alliance, which bills itself as “... the state’s largest citizen action group with over 32,000 members statewide.”

The group seeks people with “excellent communications skills” who “... will have the opportunity to talk with hundreds of Maine people, organize press conferences, lobby our state and national representatives, and learn what it takes to be a great organizer. We have leadership opportunities available for those that demonstrate the commitment and skills to excel at the job.”

Starting pay looks like about $450 a week.

There are others, and the public listings are only the tip of a political employment iceberg that includes the public affairs practices at various law fi rms.It’s worth noting that, while Portland certainly has a history of public protest (we really got in a tizzy about that abolition debate), much of this year’s protesting will be driven by the fact that Maine has two moderate Republicans who are seen as possible swing votes in every issue from tax cuts to gay rights.

In 2010, we saw a group outfi t an

Curtis Robinson –––––

Usually Reserved “ambulance” van with “case fi les” and drive around the state. The activist/ musician Peter Alexander became a bit of a cult fi gure in political circles with his folksy song about “change” aimed at supporting President Obama’s health care plan.

Since a major purpose of such events can be media coverage, it can become a bit daunting. We’ve tried to balance up to three media-targeting protests in a single day, and it’s not unusual to have several in a given week heading into a significant congressional vote.

The Lady Gaga visit and even a presidential drive-by are part of that, as are many national issues campaigns that include Maine as a target state. It can leave the marchers wondering why they don’t draw more press.

“How can you not cover people marching in the streets?” one protester asked me last summer outside City Hall.

Well, it’s a good question until you realize there are hundreds of such events each year. Just yesterday, the second anniversary of the invasion of Gaza brought protesters to Middle

Street in Old Port, and I believe the Palestine rights issue has engaged that group for a decade or so now.

We didn’t make that one, but you can bet Wells Staley-Mays and company remain undaunted. He’s been protesting since the Vietnam war and isn’t about to stop now.

I’m told “protesting” has become a bit of a growth industry. In Washington, it has been for years — I once interviewed several men who were trading their anti-Mortgage Banker t-shirts for anti-war t-shirts at the National Mall. They did up to four protests a day, but were a bit shy

about how much they charged.

The old political saying is that “as Maine goes, so goes the country.” But that saying tracks back to when we had a New Hampshire-style head start on other states election-wise.

Now it means that we are an “issues swing state” in the way that Florida is a “presidential swing state.” It’s why those jobs are being created and why 2011 is bound to continue our proud tradition of public protest.

(Curtis Robinson is editor of The Portland Daily Sun. Contact him at curtis@portlanddailysun.me.)

Indie musician Cindy Bullens goes through microphone tests on a stage in Lincoln Park last year before a rally against health insurance provider Anthem. (DAVID CARKHUFF FILE PHOTO)

Emergence of Spose helped all musicians in Maine many ways.

Star), Doug Fieger (The Knack), Teddy Pendergrass, CURDO from page 4 We lost some great people in music this year; Guru (Gang Starr), Pete Steele (Type O Negative), The other big story of the year was the emergence some unexpectedly, some too soon. We tip our hats Paul Gray (Slipknot), Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse), of one of the biggest artists ever to come from Maine. to the great Alex Chilton and Andy Hummel (Big Peter Quaife (the Kinks) Soloman Burke, Derf Scratch After nine years rockin’ the mic, (Fear), Jay Reatard, Gregory Isaacs, Wells‘ own Spose delivered a Dale Hawkins and heavy metal gold single with, “I’m Awesome” giant, Ronnie James Dio. (close to 600,000 singles sold to People were goo-goo for Gaga date), snagged four and a half (maybe not so much from her Portmillion views on You Tube for his land “meat” speech). video, infl uenced countless tribDigital music sales are still ute videos and easily scored himincreasing, yet the death of the self a deal with major Universal CD once again, prematurely Republic Records back in Februannounced by too many and vinyl ary. As you read this he has a sales increase like a million perpre-Universal release slated for cent, but I’m not sure there’s a release on Tuesday and another need for Disturbed to have pressed one in the wings. He plans to up their latest on wax. ... show he’s more than “Awesome” Facebook allows musicians to in the new year. market themselves a bit more.

Perhaps the greatest thing MySpace, although still great for with Spose though was the shot artist education and promotion, in the arm again for the music gives you a headache from trying scene. Rap fans or not, the local to look at it. scene won when Spose blew up.

MGMT ... deliver the record they On a stage in Omaha performing wanted to make, not necessarily just before Weezer and Stone the record the label hoped for or Temple Pilots, Spose raised a fist needed. (Talk amongst yourselves and shouted of his Maine roots. about that one.)

That directs the light back here The newly refurbished State Theatre’s return to the community was commemorated with a “ticket tearing” ceremony see YEAR IN MUSIC page 7 featuring Mayor Nick Mavodones.

(COURTESY PHOTO) and that’s good for all of us in

Why do we license dogs? Do they need permission to chew on sofa?

HIGGINS from page 4

look menacing. Most cat owners would attest that it is difficult to get a cat to follow you anywhere, unless you happen to be carrying a box or can of food.

There are other aspects of licensing issues that dog owners should consider. In a recent search for

apartments, I saw “no dogs” a lot more often that I saw “no cats” or even the “no pets” rules on most leases. Should Portland landlords privately consider allowing only licensed dogs in their buildings, with a suitable deposit? Should landlords be prohibited from allowing cats, but not dogs?

The debate between those on the cat and dog side of

the aisle is an ever widening gulf. Perhaps we should all “paws” and refl ect the difference between dog owners and their license requirements before having a bone to pick with the city about cat licensing.

(Bob Higgins is a regular contributor to The Portland Daily Sun.)

Page 6 — THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN, Saturday, January 1, 2011

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– EVENTS CALENDAR–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Saturday, Jan. 1 Harlem Globetrotters at the Civic Center

7 p.m. The Harlem Globetrotters, who have contributed more innovations to the game of basketball than any other team in history, have implemented the rst-ever fi 4-point shot as part of all of its games on the team’s 2011 “4 Times the Fun” North American tour, the team’s record 85th season of touring. This game-changing innovation will be on display when the Globetrotters take on the Washington Generals at Cumberland County Civic Center. Tickets, starting at

Congratulations to Harold Stilphen!!!

WINNER of the 2nd Annual Free TV Christmas Gift from David Munster TV

$13.50, are on sale at www.harlemglobetrotters.com, the Cumberland County Civic Center box office, or by phone at 207-775-3331 or 603-868-7300. Information on group and scout tickets can also be found at www.harlemglobetrotters.com.

Tuesday, Jan. 4 Dog licensing at City Hall

9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Starting with the New Year, Portland resident dog owners are required, pursuant to Maine law, to have all dogs six months of age or older licensed. Dog licenses are issued for a calendar year and will expire Jan. 31, 2011. A dog license can be obtained from the City Clerk’s office at City Hall, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Renewals and new registrations are also available online at https://www.informe.org/dog_license/begin.shtml or through the mail, call 874-8610 for more details.

Portland School Board meeting

7 p.m. Business meeting of Portland School Board, Room 250, Casco Bay High School. Beginning in January, the Portland School Board will hold its regular business meetings and workshops on Tuesdays rather than Wednesdays.

Most School Board committees also will meet on Tuesdays.

The board decided to change the meeting day earlier in the fall to accommodate members who have to travel for work. School Board meetings and committee meetings are announced on the Portland Public Schools Web site: www. portlandschools.org.

Port Veritas hosts Annie Finch

50” Panasonic Plasma TV - WINNER!

7 p.m. At Port City Blue, 650 Congress St., Port Veritas hosts one of Maine’s most prominent and loved poets, Annie Finch. The evening will consist of two rounds of open mic poetry and featured sets. The evening begins with a brief open mic followed by Stonecoast MFA Director & Editor Annie Finch. The evening fi nishes with a special guest performance by Boston Poet and Musician Jade Sylvan. Open reading begins at 7 p.m., all ages, no cover, two purchase minimum, $3 suggested donation. Finch is the author or editor of 15 books of poetry, translation, and criticism. Finch’s book of poetry Calendars was shortlisted for the Foreword Poetry Book of the Year Award, and in 2009 she was awarded the Robert Fitzgerald Award. She holds degrees from Yale University, the University of Houston, and Stanford University, and currently directs the Stonecoast MFA program in creative writing at the University of Southern Maine.

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Wednesday, Jan. 5 ‘Checkered Floors’

7 p.m. “Checkered Floors,” a controversial and inspiring true story of the 1,500 Somali migrants in Maine and how playwright/actress, Cheryl Hamilton’s own life parallels their plight with humor and horror. January 5-9. Wednesday and Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. with talkbacks. $15. Old Port Playhouse, 19 Temple St. Portland Box Office: 773-0333. oldportplayhouse.com

Thursday, Jan. 6 PMA Lecture: On Site with Rackstraw Downes

6 p.m. Holiday Inn By the Bay. Tickets: $15/$10 members. Portland Museum

of Art invites the public to an evening of insights from Rackstraw Downes in celebration of the exhibition of his work. Downes’ work is in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and the Natio nal Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., among many others, and his essays have appeared is such publications as The New York Times, Art in America, and the Art Journal. The evening’s lecture features works from this MacArthur awardwinning artist’s lengthy career, with special attention to paintings made in Maine. This program is made possible in part by the Beatrice Gilmore Fund for Museum Education.

Friday, Jan. 7 A Collection of Works: Max O’Callaghan-Shaw

5 p.m. to 8 p.m. First Friday Art Walk, Free Artists Reception, St. Lawrence Arts Center. The center will host an opening reception for its newest installation of works by Max O’Callaghan Shaw. O’Callaghan’s paintings and drawings will be on display through the entire month of January.

For more information on the artist work please visit his website: http://maxweb.home.comcast.net. www.stlawrencearts.org; 347-3075.

Daunis Fine Jewelry features Dallaire

5 p.m. to 8 p.m. A new series of meticulously detailed drawings in colored pencil by Portland area artist Joshua Dallaire will be on display at Daunis Fine Jewelry with an opening reception during the First Friday Art Walk. Daunis Fine Jewelry is located at 616 Congress St. in Portland.

Joshua Dallaire is a 2007 graduate with a degree in Painting w/ Honors of the Maine College of Art. This new series features geometric and organic-inspired luminescent shapes and forms that Dallaire created by rearranging photos he took of light refl ecting off of drapery and walls. This new series took many months and hundreds of hours of work to complete with each piece representing 40-50 hours of colored pencil drawing. “People marvel and look twice and three times when they fi nd out that his work is actually colored pencil and not a photograph or painting!” marvels Patricia Daunis-Dunning of Daunis Fine Jewelry. The gallery is open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and many Saturdays (please call 773-6011 for information). The work will be here from Jan. 4 through March 2.

Meiklejohn’s PIVOT art display

5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Fore River Gallery is proud to present PIVOT: Three Decades of Figurative Works, the fi rst solo gallery exhibition of Maine artist Daniel Meiklejohn, showing from Jan. 7–30, 2011. “Spanning over three decades of work, the paintings in this show illustrate Meiklejohn’s fascination with the female form, as fi guration plays heavily in all the works included. While fi gurative at fi rst, heavy abstraction, distortion, and a punchy and varied color palette turns recognizable bodies into complex and obscure geometries. In addition to the main gallery space, a small back room will contain a selection of more sexually graphic paintings, sharply representing the issues of desire and sexuality that are pervasive in Meiklejohn’s art. Explicit and erotic, these paintings have never been shown publicly, and the gallery owners recommend that children and sensitive viewers enter the back room with discretion.” Part of the First Friday Art Walk, Fore River Gallery will host an opening reception, during which the artist will be present. Admission is free, light refreshments will be served.

Local Sprouts First Friday

5 p.m. to 11 p.m.A First Friday event at Local Sprouts Cafe, 649 Congress St. Photos by Kevin Paul Ouellette. Music starting at 7 p.m. with Local Circus, acoustic freestyle folk music; 9 p.m. Juba Boyz, local African dance troupe.

Rwandan Cooking Class

5:30 p.m. Join Catholic Charities Maine at St. Pius X Church in Portland for a Rwandan Cooking Class followed by a traditional Rwandan meal. Cost to participate in this one of a kind event: $15 per person. This dinner is limited to only 40 people; buy tickets at the St. Pius X Church Business Office, 492 Ocean Ave., Portland. Contact Mary Gordon at 797-7026, ext. 211.

Portland Playback Theater

7:30 p.m. Theme: Forks in the road. To celebrate the start of the new year, Portland Playback Theater is exploring forks in the road, those transformational events after which, better or worse, life will not be the same. “Tell your story and watch our talented improvisors play it back on the spot.

First Parish Unitarian Church, corner of Congress and Temple streets, Portland; $5-$10 suggested donation. www. portlandplayback.com.

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THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN, Saturday, January 1, 2011— Page 7

Special moments abounded in the year 2010 YEAR IN MUSIC from page 5

Other thoughts: Mastodon at Port City Music Hall. ‘Nuff said.

Nateva, certainly a success in many ways.

Local hip hop scene, stronger than ever with talent.

Lack of a proper all-ages music scene and venues to host it, still the No. 1 problem for local music.

Keith Richards, still alive. His book isn’t though from what I’ve heard.

So it’s been a great and not so great year for me.

I’ve seen highs and lows and I’m looking forward to a new page. I need the freshness of a new year. Even if it’s just a new date on a new page on the calendar, it’s a new vision for anyone interested.

For me the past year musically will be remembered in a couple ways as I look back; staring at John Lennon’s Sgt. Pepper’s outfit at the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame for a half hour, seeing 10,000 people sing, “I’m Awesome” along with Spose in Nebraska at a summer concert event for a local radio station, hearing “I Can Change” for the fi rst time by LCD Soundsystem and playing it on (WCYY) Spinout and getting to introduce Christian Hayes (Sidecar Radio) to Lajon from Sevendust, who is Christian’s favorite singer and a major inspiration. Those were special moments for me this past year.

I look forward to more great local music, new bands, clubs thriving and people supporting our own as much as the nationals who will be rolling through town more than ever. The excitement of what’s to come is one of the best parts of music. The thrill of what could happen next. Uncertainty can be invigorating.

We want to be surprised. We don’t want to know the deal. That’s not rock n‘ roll. That’s what’s killing rock n‘ roll. Let it happen and we roll with it

however we want. We can kick out the scraps as we go along and savor the sweetness of the sounds we adore that come to us when we least expect it.

Following are some favorite albums from friends in the local music scene. As always, I get to pick 20 albums for the year, whereas they get to pick one.

Sorry, perks of writing the column.

All the best to you folks in life and in music in 2011!

MARK’S TOP 20 ALBUMS OF 2010

(Sans local. That’s a can of worms for me, sorry) The Gaslight Anthem — American Slang Deftones — Diamond Eyes Nick Curran & The Lowlifes — Reform School Girl LCD Soundsystem — This Is Happening Early Man — Death Potion Kesha — Animal Malachai — Ugly Side of Love The National — High Violet Kanye West — My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Daft Punk — The Tron Legacy Soundtrack Superchunk — Majesty Shredding Vampire Weekend — Contra Retribution Gospel Choir — 2 The Sword — Warp Riders OFF! — The First Four Ep’s Biffy Clyro — Only Revolutions The Black Keys — Brothers B.O.B — The Adventures of Bobby Ray Spoon — Transference Black Mountain — Wilderness Heart

2010 FAVORITES FROM LOCAL MUSIC FRIENDS Ralph Graceffa (Marion Grace): The Black Keys “Brothers”

Kenya Hall: Erykah Badu “The New Amerykah Pt.2” Moshe (Milled Pavement): Liquid Stranger “Mechanoid Meltdown” Spencer Albee (Space vs Speed): Gorillaz “Plastic Beach” Christian Hayes (Sidecar Radio): The Black Keys “Brothers” Spose: Big Boi “Freaknink, The Musical” Kyle Gervais (Grand Hotel): Kanye West “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” Sean Carroll (Newbury Comics): Beach House “Teen Dream” Pat May (Portland Music Foundation president): Broken Bells Dylan Verner (Bass Box & Theodore Treehouse): Grand Hotel Dynamo P (local rapper): Arcade Fire “The Suburbs” Mark Belanger (Pigboat): The Melvins “The Bride Screamed Murder” Robbie Kanner (local photographer): Portugal The Man “American Ghetto” Brzowski (local rapper): Ceschi “The One Man Band Broke Up” Bryan Bruchman (Marie Stella & Hillytown.com): LCD Soundsystem “This Is Happening” Jose Ayerve (Spouse & Pigeon Records): Damien Jurado “Saint Bartlett” Jim Begley (producer, The Studio): Ok Go “Of The Blue Colour of the Sky” Adam Cogswell (Confusatron & The Watchers): Cephalic Carnage “Misled By Certainty” (Mark Curdo is a DJ on 94.3 WCYY and the owner of a record label, Labor Day Records, based in Portland. Mark is not only a board member of the Portland Music Foundation, but he loves the Boston Celtics, Ginger Ale and Jack Lemmon movies. He is a weekly Daily Sun music columnist.)

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Page 8 — THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN, Saturday, January 1, 2011

2010: a look back

said they don’t plan to run again.

YEAR from page one

Aug. 12

landscape sculpture project that’s received its fair share of criticism dating back to its 2005 planning and 2006 installation.

Now more than 60 people, mostly Fore Street merchants and their employees, have signed a letter labeling the art a safety hazard and eyesore while calling for its immediate removal.

••••••••••••• Forget summer vacation.

Members of Portland’s Babe Ruth 15-year-old team are spending the summer playing plenty of baseball. That means a trip to the New England Tournament starting on Tuesday in Quincy, Mass.

Portland qualified after winning the state championship last Monday, beating Westbrook twice to win the title.

“We did it the hard way,” said coach Rob Fraser. “We dropped the fi rst game and then had to win fi ve straight in the losers bracket.”

Ferry passengers will be able to log onto the Internet and check email under a Casco Bay Lines plan to install wireless Internet service on the boats and in the Commercial Street terminal; the experiment in wireless service began Monday with installation in the terminal building.

••••••••••••• Supporters of allowing noncitizen residents to vote in local elections have met the signature threshold for placing the question onto the Nov. 2 ballot, the city clerk’s office confirmed.

“In November, Portland voters will get the chance to give every legal resident of our community a voice,” said Will Everitt, director of the League of Young Voters, which has helped lead the drive to amend the city charter to allow the voters.

Aug. 4

Aug. 13

The city applied for a grant following its bronze-level recognition as a bicycle The city’s only remaining horse friendly community last year from The trough is one step closer to becoming League of American Bicyclists, who sugthe centerpiece of a “pocket park” gested that the city might be able to jutting into Federal Street between Matthew Rand speaks to the media Wednesday while his legal counsel, David Crocker, director of the Center for improve its rating by hiring a full-time the fi rehouse and a federal courtbicycle and pedestrian coordinator. Enter Constitutional Government at the Maine Heritage Policy Center, looks on during a press conference challenging the house. Portland’s Public Arts ComBruce Hyman, who has been working on city’s regulation of Rand’s golf-cart taxi business on Peaks Island. (DAVID CARKHUFF PHOTO) mittee on Wednesday voted to solicit transport planning and bicycle/pedestrian bids for the Pullen Fountain projplanning in Greater Portland for 18 years, ect, one of the group’s more ambifrom the area’s larger regional bike planning initiatives to small projects. The grant funds tious projects in recent years. It’s backed in part by a $7,500 grant from a Portland-based the position as Portland’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Program Coordinator for the next charitable trust with the rest of the funding coming from the city’s arts funding. The 22 months. project is expected to cost around $40,000.

••••••••••••• MANKATO, Minn. (AP) — A Minnesota Vikings player said Tuesday thatBrett Favre Aug. 14 has texted his teammates and told them he plans to retire.

Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe said he learned of the messages by talking to several PORTLAND (AP) — Police in Maine’s largest city say a 25-year-old Portland man is teammates, though he had not received any direct messages from Favre. in custody on a murder charge. Offi cers were called to Grant Street at about 9:30 p.m.

Thursday where they found a male victim dead of stab wounds. Police say Shawn Aug. 5 Garland was taken into custody and is being held at the Cumberland County Jail. A Portland Police Crime Scene Unit was staged at the scene overnight.

A Maine tea party organizer says she was cornered in a parking lot Tuesday evening by an unidentified group of more than 10 people who bullied her into giving up passwords Aug. 17 and ceding control of the MainePatriots.ning.com website, according to an e-mail distributed late Tuesday night.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate’s top Democrat, Harry Reid, on Monday came out What exactly happened to political organizer Amy Hale in a parking lot on Tuesday against plans to build a mosque near the site of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, night is diffi cult to pin down, but it has tea party supporters postulating on Internet moving away from President Barack Obama on the controversial election-year issue. forums and on comments sections across Maine’s more conservative political websites.

••••••••••••• Hale’s published note said that she was “told bad thing would happen to me if I did not A project at 660 Congress St. was being proposed by Roxane Quimby, who founded give them the password and hand over Maine Patriots. Therefore, I no longer have control then sold the Burt’s Bees product line. Quimby is perhaps best known recently for buying of Maine Patriots.” up tracts of northern woodlands for preservation.

••••••••••••• In an interview, Portland Councilor Dave Marshall confirmed last week that he’s been BOSTON (AP) — The Big Three of the Boston Celtics are now a Very Big Four. told the project is not going forward. “They ended up getting hung up in historic preservaThe Eastern Conference champions signed 7-foot-1, 325-pound Shaquille O’Neal on tion,” he explained, adding that seeking “special merit” status from city council also took Wednesday, adding the 15-time All-Star to a team needing his size with center Kendrick some time. Then there was the fire that gutted the building.

Perkins recovering from knee surgery that could sideline him until February.

Aug. 10 A reduction of police officers on Peaks Island was thefinal straw for many islanders, leading to the most recent exploration of a new form of government that severs control from the mainland. During the week, one police officer and one firefighter are assigned to Peaks Island, a change made effective July 4 that ruffled feathers and led to a call to take island decision-making authority away from the Portland City Council through creation of an “island corporation.”

Aug. 11 The new Casco Bay Lines ferry will be built by a Rhode Island firm.

Blount Boats of Warren, R.I., submitted a low bid of $3.4 million to build a new Casco Bay Lines ferry, funded with $5.5 million in federal stimulus money, offi cials reported yesterday. Casco Bay Lines plans a preconstruction meeting with the fi rm possibly this month or in early September, according to Nick Mavodones, Portland’s mayor, who is also Casco Bay Lines operations manager.

••••••••••••• The starting pistol went off Monday for candidates to file for running for city positions in the Nov. 2 general election, but only four candidates have committed so far, and none has stepped forward to fi ll seats on the languishing Peaks Island Council, according to the Portland City Clerk’s office. All seven members of the PIC have said they are leaving, either through formal resignation letters or verbal confirmation. Three seats on the advisory council are up for vote in the Nov. 2 election — seats held by Thomas Bohan, Suellen Roberts and Lynne Richard, according to the Portland City Clerk’s offi ce. All three have

Aug. 18 Ten years of effort to create a vital link in the city’s urban bike-pedestrian network will be celebrated Thursday as Portland Trails hosts an opening celebration for the recently completed Bayside Trail.

••••••••••••• National Park Service officials are visiting Portland today to see how taxpayer money is being spent for restoration of the only Underground Railroad site in Maine. The public, meanwhile, can follow the local path that slaves likely took to gain freedom in the 1800s. Both activities are part of an open house at the Abyssinian Meeting House on Newbury Street, located a few blocks from the Eastern Cemetery, for an open house and tours. Events are from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Aug. 20 With the snip of some comically over-sized scissors, Bayside Neighborhood Organization member Colette Bouchard unveiled the newest link in Portland’s urban trail system.

The 1.2-mile-long Bayside Trail will connect the Eastern Prom Trail to Portland’s Olmsted-designed Deering Oaks Park.

••••••••••••• WASHINGTON (AP) — Seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens was indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday for allegedly lying to Congress about using steroids and growth hormone. The criminal case writes a new chapter in one of Major League Baseball’s worst scandals, the rampant use of performance enhancing drugs. see next page

THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN, Saturday, January 1, 2011— Page 9

2010: a look back from preceding page

Aug. 21 Just four weeks after a federal judge ruled that cheerleading is not a sport , teams from Elite All Stars of Maine began practicing for their tenth competitive season.

Aug. 24 Both sides of the city’s non-citizen, legal-resident voting issue claim the U.S. Constitution was on their side, likely mirroring arguments voters will hear again before they decide the issues in November. At a special meeting Monday afternoon, Portland city councilors unanimously rubber-stamped the proposed charter amendment that would allow legal immigrants to vote in municipal elections provided they have proof of identity, age, residency, and legal status.

Aug. 25 One of the state’s best-known conservative think tanks is thinking of suing the city over its treatment of a 19-year-old Peaks Island summer resident who sparked controversy by offering golf cart taxi service. City councilors earlier this month voted 5-3 to require Matt Rand to carry the same liability insurance of any other taxi, which he says effectively puts him out of business. He contends that he doesn’t charge for rides, only collecting tips, and he doesn’t have the same liability as a paid-ride service.

The city’s attorney disagreed, saying that Rand could be liable if he’s operating as a business and regularly got paid via tips.

Aug. 26

The National Weather Service defi nes a heat wave as three or more consecutive days with highs of 90 or warmer.

Sept. 2

Anyone deciding to seek one of thethree Peaks Island Council seats in November’s election will have to do the write thing. The deadline for nominations to the community advisory board passed on Monday with no takers.

••••••••••••• After the Portland City Council decided that Matthew Rand needed liability insurance to run agolf cart taxi on Peaks Island, the 19-year-old summer resident debated whether to fi ght the decision that he said effectively put him out of business.

Rand, a college sophomore, knew he would be going back to Tufts University, but he also saw potential in his start-up business and wanted it to live on.

The Maine Center for Creativity, a Portland-based nonprofit group focused on the state’s creative economy, provided a tour Wednesday of its Art All Around mural at Sprague Energy in South Portland, a project which is poised to enter the Guinness Book of World Records as largest public art painting on Earth.

Police arrested a man early Thursday morning after a late-night crime spree that included stops throughout the West End and an unsuccessful attempt at stealing a Westbrook ambulance. At 6 a.m. on Thursday, offi cers arrested Paul Schlosser, 25, of Standish and charged him with three counts of robbery and one count of attempted unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, according to the Portland Police Department.

••••••••••••• WASHINGTON (AP) — Glenn Beck says it’s just a coincidence his Restoring Honor rally on Saturday at the Lincoln Memorial will take place on the anniversary and at the site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Civil rights veterans are skeptical.

Aug. 31 Hurricane Earl may impact at least the coastal regions of Maine late this week and into the weekend, according to National Weather Service storm-model projections.

SEPTEMBER Sept. 1 Hurricane Earl has grabbed all the headlines this week, but surfer Marc Doiron nearly made the newspapers himself — the obit section — this week as he tackled the waves kicked up by Hurricane Danielle off Scarborough.

Despite a rugged wipeout, he lived to tell the tale.

••••••••••••• Record-setting heat of 94 degrees in Portland Tuesday established a weather rarity: the city’s fi rst offi cial heat wave of the 21st Century.

Sept. 3 Voters earlier this year dictated that a medical marijuana dispensary and distribution system be created in Maine, expanding the job market for caregivers interested in cultivating the plant for medical use So far, the state has awarded six licenses to companies interested in operating dispensaries, and will announce the remaining two licenses for the York county and District 7 counties, which include Washington and Hancock. see YEAR page 12

“

A FRESH TASTE OF THE OLD SOUTHWEST

Aug. 27

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Liz McMahon, co-artistic director at Lucid Stage, invites the public to the new nonprofit arts center located at 29 Baxter Blvd. “In times of a recession, people do reach out for entertainment,” McMahon said, speculating on why performing arts are so popular in Portland.

(DAVID CARKHUFF PHOTO)

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DAILY CROSSWORD TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES

by Paul Gilligan

by Lynn Johnston

Pooch Café For Better or Worse LIO

By Holiday Mathis SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You may discover that you are paying someone to do what you would have more satisfaction doing all by yourself.

Perhaps you can cut the expense and do more with less.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21).

Realize which relationships feed your soul, and put most of your energy there.

It only makes sense to apply your creativity and imagination to the ones that give back to you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19 ).

Most people take the fi rst offer that comes along. It takes courage to be as selective as you are. You trust that there is something better out there, and you’re willing to go find it.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You take note of all of the freedoms and privileges you have enjoyed simply because you live where you do. You will give back to the community that supports you, and this will bring you great joy.

PISCES (Feb. 19 -March 20). You will do something courageous and, as it turns out, rarely done in your social circle: You will express yourself without worrying how others will judge you. It’s liberating to do so.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 1).

You’ll achieve meaningful professional accomplishments this year, and the confidence you feel will touch every part of your world. A fantasy comes true in February. New characters enter your personal life in March. You’ll take a dreamy vacation in June. Invest in August, and see the project through.

Taurus and Virgo people adore you.

Your lucky numbers are: 40, 22, 14, 38 and 18.

by Aaron Johnson

HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19). There is a reason why you are attached to things staying the way they are. The comfort of knowing what’s likely to happen next makes you feel relaxed and secure.

Enjoy it while it lasts.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). What would your life look like if you didn’t have a worry in the world? Get a vision of yourself as a completely carefree person, and then analyze the vision -there is magic and direction there.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You can focus straight ahead when that’s what’s needed. But right now it is necessary for you to use your peripheral vision.

Note the energy of the people who surround you.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). When you are tempted to quit, you can’t help but think about the other people in the world who will continue working and how they might be gaining an advantage. This motivates you to keep going.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). There is someone whose energy feels overbearing to you. You want to yell out, “Stop telling me what to do!” The fact that this person is often right makes the situation even more irritating.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You start with an intention, but you must constantly remind yourself to keep applying enough focus to achieve that outcome. Follow through. When you’ve given enough attention to the matter, you’ll have the result.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You have wisdom to impart. Whether it lands well is not your responsibility. You will do your best to show someone the way, but ultimately, every person must decide what is best for him or herself.

by Chad Carpenter

Solution and tips at www.sudoku.com

TUNDRA WT Duck

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 thru 9.

by Mark Tatulli

Page 10 — THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN, Saturday, January 1, 2011

ACROSS 1 Ruby or topaz 4 Spring month 9 Incline 13 Eager 15 Hollandaise or horseradish 16 Depraved 17 Kelly or Autry 18 Stacks 19 Song for one 20 Poverty 22 Had debts 23 Red planet 24 Hearing organ 26 Confl ict 29 Nonstop 34 To the __; relevant 35 Terry cloth wraparounds 36 Milk provider 37 Yearn 38 Chopped fi nely 39 Soft cheese 40 “__ all Greek to me!”

41 Stylish in an offbeat way 42 Honking birds 43 Seminary course 45 Used foul language 46 Wet dirt 47 Worst-__ scenario 48 Stockings 51 Makes resentful 56 False deity 57 Innocent; unworldly 58 Dove sounds 60 Come in last 61 Beneath 62 Ring of light 63 Run 64 Encounters 65 TV room, often DOWN 1 Practical joke 2 Fair; balanced 3 Gold __; treasure trove

4 Have high hopes 5 Torments 6 Reign 7 Frosts a cake 8 Diminished 9 Vacation spot 10 Declare openly 11 5280 feet 12 Trudge 14 __ appropriate; considering fit 21 Loony 25 Pack animal 26 Divide 27 Incisor or canine 28 Dishwasher cycle 29 Too self-assured 30 Follow orders 31 TV’s “Green __” 32 Racket 33 Rough woolen fabric 35 Wedding band 38 First part of the small intestine 39 Beg

41 Acute upper respiratory woe 42 Strong wind 44 Egg dish 45 Provides food, as for a party 47 Animal that produces musk 48 To the __; fully

49 Stench 50 Mediocre 52 Horse’s hair 53 __ one’s time; wait patiently 54 Highway 55 Shoe bottom 59 William, to Prince Charles

Yesterday’s Answer

THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN, Saturday, January 1, 2011— Page 11

––––––– ALMANAC ––––––– Today is Saturday, Jan. 1, the first day of 2011. There are 364 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History: On Jan. 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that slaves in rebel states were free.

On this date: In 1511, the first Henry, Duke of Cornwall, son of King Henry VIII of England and Catherine of Aragon, was born. (However, the baby died less than two months later.)

In 1861, Mexican forces loyal to Benito Juarez recaptured Mexico City, effectively ending the Reform War. In 1890, the first Tournament of Roses was held in Pasadena, Calif.

In 1892, the Ellis Island Immigrant Station in New York formally opened.

In 1911, Baseball Hall-of-Famer Hank Greenberg, considered the sport’s first Jewish superstar, was born in New York.

In 1953, country singer Hank Williams Sr., 29, was discovered dead in the back seat of his car during a stop in Oak Hill, W.Va., while he was being driven to a concert date in Canton, Ohio.

In 1959, Fidel Castro and his revolutionaries overthrew Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista, who fled to the Dominican Republic.

In 1961, in the first American Football League Championship Game, the Houston Oilers defeated the Los Angeles Chargers, 24-16, at Jeppesen Stadium.

In 1984, the breakup of AT&T took place as the telecommunications giant was divested of its 22 Bell System companies under terms of an antitrust agreement.

In 1994, the North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect.

In 2001, It was announced that Tyson Foods Inc. would buy beef and pork giant IBP Inc. in a deal valued at $3.2 billion in cash and stock. (Tyson later tried to back out, but IBP sued, and a judge ordered Tyson to complete the deal.) In time for the year 2001, a mysterious black monolith, standing nine feet tall, appeared in Seattle’s Magnuson Park, placed there by guerrilla artists.

One year ago: A suicide bomber detonated a truckload of explosives on a volleyball field in northwest Pakistan, killing at least 97 people.

Today’s Birthdays: Former Sen. Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., is 89. Actor Ty Hardin is 81.

Documentary maker Frederick Wiseman is 81. Actor Frank Langella is 73. Rock singermusician Country Joe McDonald is 69.

Writer-comedian Don Novello is 68. Actor Rick Hurst is 65. Country singer Steve Ripley is 61. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., is 57.

Rapper Grandmaster Flash is 53. Actress Ren Woods is 53. Actress Dedee Pfeiffer is 47. Actress Embeth Davidtz is 45. Country singer Brian Flynn is 45. Actor Morris Chestnut is 42. Actor Verne Troyer is 42.

SATURDAY PRIME TIME 8:00

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WMTW

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WENH

8:30 Bulletin

JANUARY 1, 2011

9:00

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Commissioners Mtg

10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 Community Bulletin Board

Law & Order: Los Law & Order: Los Ange- Law & Order: Special News Saturday Angeles A former surf les A pregnant woman is Victims Unit “Wet” (In Night champion is murdered. left for dead.

Stereo) Å Live Å Cops (In Cops (In America’s Most News 13 on The Office The Good Guys “$3.52” Stereo) Stereo) Wanted: America Fights FOX (N) “Did I Stut- A drug smuggler is set (PA) Å (PA) Å Back Å ter?” Å free. Å V “Pilot” Anna encour- V “Fruition” Someone V “Red Sky” Val’s water News 8 Cold Case ages togetherness. (In close to Anna is atbreaks. (In Stereo) Å WMTW at “Pin Up Stereo) Å tacked. Å 11 (N) Girl” Å Great Performances “From Vienna: Live From Lincoln Center “New York Philharmonic “The The New Year’s Celebration 2011” New Year’s Eve With Lang Lang” Tchaikovsky; “The Fabulous Vienna Philharmonic performs.

Nutcracker.” (N) (In Stereo) Å Dorseys” Great Performances “From Vienna: Masterpiece Contemporary “Framed” The Red Globe The New Year’s Celebration 2011” Curator secretly stores paintings. (N) Green Trekker (In Vienna Philharmonic performs.

Show Stereo) Å (DVS) Ugly Betty “I See Me, Community Scrubs “My Entourage True Hollywood Story American I.C.U.” Wilhelmina plots Auditions First Step” (In Stereo) Profile of actress Eva Dad Å her next moves. Å Longoria Parker. Å Å CSI: Miami Investigating 48 Hours Mystery 48 Hours Mystery A WGME Entertainthree different murders. “Toxic” A scientist turns teenager is found mur- News 13 at ment To(In Stereo) Å up dead. Å dered in her car. Å 11:00 night (N) Movie: ›› “Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties” Deadliest Catch The Unit Å

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Movie: ›››› “Saving Private Ryan” (1998) Tom Hanks.

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Movie: ›› “Righteous Kill” (2008)

Movie: › “Coyote Ugly” (2000) Piper Perabo.

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DAILY CROSSWORD

BY WAYNE ROBERT WILLIAMS

ACROSS 1 What number is the smallest whole number spelled using the letter A? 12 TV adjunct 15 Expert observer 16 __-de-France 17 Machismo’s opposite 18 Angelina Jolie movie 19 Tilt to one side 20 French islands 21 Sections of windows 23 Forerunner of the CIA 24 Physically inactive 25 Forewarnings 26 __ had it!

27 Opera singer Renata 28 Lustrous 31 Certain British sportsman 34 Male cats

35 Open entrance 36 Alternative to suspenders 37 Cuts off surgically 39 Caravan stopovers 40 Brought up 41 Bedazzlement 42 Spud 43 Steps over a fence 46 Bilko or Snorkel, e.g.

49 Slur over 50 Lge. landmass 51 Mr. T’s last name 52 Stag mate 53 Myopic 56 “Canterbury Tales” setting 57 Brought to completion 58 Circus safeguard 59 Guesses DOWN 1 Eye: pref.

2 Canonical hour 3 Thompson and

Watson 4 Fed. 5 Coop parent 6 Surfi ng the internet 7 Functional 8 More sensible 9 Alamogordo, NM event 10 Phone bk. listings 11 “Baby and Child Care” auth.

12 Small illustrative sketches 13 Patrons 14 Categorizes anew 22 One-celled organisms 24 Leafy wall-climber 26 Covered by a policy 27 Acad.

28 Began to 29 Macaulay Culkin movie 30 Short of temper under delay

31 Collapsible bed 32 Bemoan 33 For what __ worth 35 Demented 38 Roman comedy writer 39 Be in the red 41 Nissan model 43 Meager 44 Body trunks

45 Concisely, briefl y 46 Tussle 47 Putter’s surface 48 Abraham Lincoln’s in-laws 51 Man from Siam, today 54 Goddess of the dawn 55 London hrs.

Yesterday’s Answer

Page 12 — THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN, Saturday, January 1, 2011

THE

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ANNIE’S MAILBOX

Dear Readers: Happy New Year! We hope you are recovering nicely. Here’s a little New Year’s wish from us, author unknown: “A health to you, a wealth to you, and the best that life can give to you.”

Dear Annie: Our daughter-in-law, “Mary,” takes little pride in her appearance and is a terrible housekeeper. She works part time, so she could surely take care of the household chores.

We have seen the clothes thrown everywhere, crumbs on the fl oor, unwashed dishes, dust and dirt. There are several cats that jump on tables and countertops, and the litter box is rarely emptied, so the place stinks. Worse, Mary is a hoarder.

Mary’s mother may not be aware of the living conditions because she stays with other relatives when she visits and never goes into Mary’s house. I think she would be appalled.

Now that there is a baby, we are concerned for his well-being.

Our relationship with Mary is unfortunately strained. She would not appreciate our concern and interprets any show of support as meddling. We have talked to our son, who acknowledges Mary’s shortcomings but overlooks them. He works full time and contributes as much as time will allow to the household chores.

The last thing we want to do is cause trouble, but we are so worried about our grandson. Should we continue to keep quiet and look the other way? -- Between a Rock and a Hard Place Dear Between: Tossed clothes, unwashed dishes and stinky litter boxes are unpleasant, but are not a reason to call the Board of Health. Ask your son if he can afford to hire someone to clean the house on a regular basis. Maybe you could offer to contribute to the cost. Mary would probably appreciate having additional help, but it’s best if she believes it comes

from her husband and not her mother-in-law.

Dear Annie: People tend to endure emotional and physical abuse from siblings, parents, grandparents and other family members because they have a sense of familial loyalty. I have coined a term for this: genetic obligation.

I used to suffer from this. I let their criticisms and abusive behaviors dictate my life. It wasn’t until my children were directly affected that I realized: If I would not allow a friend to treat me so terribly, why would I allow someone who should have my best interests at heart to do so?

I explained to the abusers that I would no longer bail them out of dangerous situations, lend them money or have contact until they had been sober for at least six months. It was not a smooth transition, but 12 years later, I do not regret it. They chose to alienate themselves by not respecting my boundaries. I have learned that I alone am responsible for my happiness, and I choose to surround myself with positive, loving people. -- No Longer Obligated Dear No Longer: Each person must decide how to deal with difficult family members in the way that works out best for them. We encourage reconciliation where possible, but no one should allow themselves to be repeatedly abused simply because they are related.

Dear Annie: Please continue to tell your readers about the value of fi nishing high school. I’m 54 years old. I was told I did not need it, would not be smarter because of it, would fail and would not get a better job. I studied anyway. I went to libraries. I asked questions. I went to night school. I worked hard. I passed the G.E.D! I am planning to attend a local college. I want to teach other adults that they can, too. I feel smarter than ever, plan on getting a better job and know I can do anything. -- Deb Dear Deb: Congratulations! We believe in you.

Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to: anniesmailbox@comcast.net, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Ste. 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045.

Prickly City

by Scott Stantis

2010: a look back YEAR from page 9

Sept. 4 In three weeks, the audience will be laughing, but you can bet Liz McMahon will battle a few butterfl ies as Lucid Stage opens its curtains to the Portland performing arts scene. On Sunday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m., The Triumphant Return of Secret Lives of Comedians will begin its run at Lucid Stage, a new nonprofit performing arts venue that opens its door with the comedy show.

Sept. 8 A push to create an elected mayor’s position in Portland is going grassroots. “It’s going to be entirely grassroots,” promised Jed Rathband, campaign director for Elect our Mayor, Yes on 1!, which launched its public education efforts Tuesday with a press conference.

Sept. 9 The artist who created a controversial public arts project in Old Port has agreed to consider changes to the piece, but critics say the most likely solution is to remove the piece altogether.

Sept. 10 An email conversation among several Portland City Council members turned downright testy this week, with one councilor calling another a “spectacular dunce,” a former mayor demanding an apology while suggesting a colleague seek mental health “help,” and the current mayor rescinding an invitation to coffee after verbiage in one email. And to make it a bit more surreal, District 3 Councilor Dan Skolnik, who launched the email exchange after getting what he termed “the silent treatment” from fellow offi cials over the past nine weeks, was sharing the ongoing missives with at least four news organiDan Skolnik zations. “I’m just trying to do the right thing,” Skolnik said in a telephone interview Thursday.

“If City Hall is going to be treated as a schoolyard, then people need to know about it.”

••••••••••••• FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Brady went through his usual stretching. Then he threw passes.

Less than seven hours after being involved in a two-car crash near his home in Boston’s Back Bay on Thursday, all appeared normal as Brady practiced with the New England Patriots for Sunday’s season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Sept. 11 A section of Interstate 295 northbound between Portland and Yarmouth could become a parking lot this weekend as the state resumes a bridge maintenance job that was postponed from July. The reason: traffic backups.

Sept. 14 Hoping to make a large vacancy in the middle of the arts district a little less conspicuous when L.L. Bean closes its Portland store later this month, members of a city arts group are considering ideas ranging from art installations to windowfront dance troupes for the space.

••••••••••••• City Councilor Dan Skolnik wants state lawmakers to expand gun control to public facilities such as city halls and gathering places like the Portland Exposition Center, Fitzpatrick Stadium and the Cumberland County Civic Center. At the city’s regular Public Safety Committee meeting today, Skolnik and other supporters of a city resolution seeking gun bans in these public venues will try to launch a draft resolution that the city council could take to the legislature.

Sept. 15 The Portland Press Herald made waves and even gained some surely unwanted national media attention this weekend when Editor and Publisher Richard L. Connor published a public apology online Saturday night, and then again in The Maine Sunday Telegram, after the newspaper’s Saturday edition featured a story and photos of Muslims celebrating the end of Ramadan. see next page

THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN, Saturday, January 1, 2011— Page 13

2010: a look back

from preceding page

••••••••••••• NEW YORK (AP) — Reggie Bush took the unprecedented step of giving back his Heisman Trophy on Tuesday, saying the scandal over improper benefi ts while he was a star running back at Southern California should not stain “the dignity of this award.”

Sept. 16 Bull Moose, the 10-store regional music and movie (and games!) merchant, was ceremoniously knocking down walls this week, expanding its Scarborough “warehouse store” to create the biggest store of its kind in Northern New England.

Expanding its demise-defying ways, the store is adding books to its inventory, building on an experiment started in Bangor.

••••••••••••• (ASSOCIATED PRESS) It’s tea time in America.

Conservative Christine O’Donnell pulled off a stunning upset over nine-term Rep. Mike Castle in the Republican Senate primary in Delaware Tuesday, propelled by tea party activists into a November showdown with Democrat Chris Coons. After a primary season shaped by economic pain and exasperated voters, the grass-roots, antiestablishment movement can claim wins in at least seven GOP Senate races, a handful of Republican gubernatorial contests and dozens of House primary campaigns, and it influenced many others.

Sept. 17 After three years of business, the owner of the North Star Music Cafe announced Thursday the East End eatery and Ryan Nolan (left) and Sedrik Catchings admire a mural centered on horror writer Stephen King, on the back of Asylum nightclub l September. (DAVID CARKHUFF PHOTO) community hub would close its doors this Sunday.

Sept. 21 She made tweens scream, she made one man very hungry, and she made Maine a national stage for a looming gay rights vote in the U.S. Senate.

Pop music sensation Lady Gaga was the featured speaker at a rally that drew over 2,000 people to Deering Oaks Park to support the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a policy which bars gays and lesbians from openly serving in the military.

••••••••••••• It looks like the Guardian Angels are putting in the legwork to create a Portland Chapter. Last week, the initial signs showed up on Congress Street: A poster at a bus stop, the Guardian Angels logo, and a phone number to call.

Sept. 22 At least 90 American Legion groups and over 40 Freemason lodges are among more than 1,000 small nonprofits in Maine that may lose tax-exempt status if they fail to take advantage of an ongoing one-time-only deal from the IRS. The issue surfaced earlier this year because many of the state’s nonprofits failed to file newly required documents for 2007-2009. Under a special relief provision, the groups can preserve their status by filing returns by Oct. 15, according to the IRS. The civic organizations are trying to spread the word.

Sept. 23 It has become a new commuter’s ritual on Veranda Street: join the backed-up traffic, sometimes stretching back to the Martin’s Point Bridge, then inch forward, trying to reach the Holy Grail of Interstate 295. While idling, scan for the latest updates from a readerboard to see when the street’s closed interstate on-ramp — much-cursed source of all the back-ups — will be reopened.

Some East Deering residents are fed up with the congestion and delays. Email communications within the East Deering Neighborhood Association complain of repeated changes in the due date for the on-ramp’s reopening. City Councilor Cheryl Leeman has been contacted by people who want to know when the Veranda Street access to I-295 will be restored.

••••••••••••• Maine’s largest “supportive housing” developer might face some neighborhood resistance in developing a property in Portland’s historic West End. Community Housing of Maine (CHOM) has set its sights on 66-68 High Street for a low-income housing project, hoping to erect a new building at the site of the former Mussey Mansion while renovating the adjacent building to create 35 units of living space priced between $635 and $1,065 a month.

Sept. 24 Members of the Sudanese community in Portland aren’t waiting until January to embrace what they hope is an “historic moment” in their war-stricken homeland.

“It will be a landmark,” said El-Fadel Arbab, about a January vote for independence for southern Sudan.

Sept. 25 With the help of some local business backing,

Portland’s graffiti “Wall of Fame”

ast

recently underwent a horrible fall makeover, paying homage to Maine’s King of all things spooky. “The Horror” mural on the back wall of The Asylum club at 121 Center Street is still a work in progress as 30 graffiti artists from all over New England add details to an expansive tableau featuring references to some of Stephen King’s most famous works of horror.

••••••••••••• FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The video wasn’t a blockbuster for the New England Patriots. And the director wasn’t happy.

This week’s fi lm review after Sunday’s 28-14 loss to the New York Jets was “not very fun, obviously,” wide receiver Wes Welker said Thursday.

Sept. 28 After 15 years and widespread acclaim, one of the East End’s landmark eateries is closing to consolidate with a sister restaurant on Con- Bill Belichick gress Street.

Norm’s East End, often called “Norm’s BBQ” because of its menu and origins, opened next door to its current Middle Street location (now Duckfat restaurant) in 1995. It was the initial offering of Portland culinary staple Norm Jabar, who now operates two other restaurants and a general store in the 600 block of Congress Street.

••••••••••••• The landmark L.L. Bean Outlet store on Congress Street closed yesterday, leaving its business neighbors pondering a future without the retailer’s drawing power and some residential neighbors wondering what the heck just happened.

Sept. 29 At the Cumberland Fair, stroll the midway with all of its food booths, and you’ll find fried dough, cheese fries and corn dogs — fair food. Chances are you won’t recognize the vendors. They hail from New York or Florida and they follow the fair circuit.

But if you’re craving some locally produced food, and even the odd, organic sampling, look a little longer, and particularly wander across the fairgrounds to the area of the farm museum and the maple sugar house, and you’ll discover a cluster of food stands that say “Maine.”

••••••••••••• At least five companies are interested in providing ferry service between Maine and Nova Scotia, fueling hope that service could be restored as early as next spring, according to Canadian officials.

Sept. 30 A 24-year-old Portland man walked into the westernmost corner of Longfellow Square yesterday and lit himself on fire, prompting passersby to rush to help, with one using a t-shirt to try and extinguish the flames.

Witnesses said the fire kept reigniting until responders tore the man’s clothes off. The victim was transported to Maine Medical Center with serious burn injuries, offi cials reported. His name was not being released by police at press time pending notification of his family.

Witnesses were stunned by the noontime spectacle, which forced police to tape off the square and reroute Congress Street traffic. see REVIEW page 14

Page 14 — THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN, Saturday, January 1, 2011

2010: a look back

REVIEW from page 13

Oct. 2 U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, is pushing for a 12-month extension of a food stamp programfor Maine families who now have until Jan. 1 before they face a sharp drop in their benefits.

Oct. 5 A new $168,000 bicycle trail along the west shoulder of Washington Avenue could ease one of the city’s more difficult alternative transportation issues — bicyclists riding illegally, and along an exit against traffic, on Interstate 295 to reach the Back Cove.

The trail, now being surveyed near the intersection of Washington Avenue and Eastern Prom, is a partial fi x to the challenges facing bicyclists trying to ride across Tukey’s Bridge from the Eastern Prom to East Deering, a Portland Trails official said.

Oct. 6 Planners say a project to renovate the Schwartz Building at the corner of Congress and High streets “has the Independent Eliot Cutler, here with his wife Melanie, was leading Republican Paul LePage in Maine’s race for governor as early results potential to transform” a key intersection of downtown, but were tallied Tuesday night, Nov. 2, but he would end up losing statewide to LePage after the final count. The Cutler campaign gathered at structural work on the building includes straightening a sig- the Eastland Park Hotel in Portland while votes came in. Cutler took the stage around 10 p.m. to announce he had won in his hometown of nature clock tower that’s leaning about five inches off center.

Bangor. With votes counted from 13 percent of the state’s precincts, Cutler led with 40 percent of the vote, while LePage had 3 2 percent There’s not much chance of the two-story tall tower falland Libby Mitchell 22 percent. (DAVID CARKHUFF PHOTO) ing, said architect James Sterling who Oct. 13 is working on the renovation, because it is leaning into the four-story building. But it does illustrate SAN DIEGO (AP) — A federal judge issued aworldwide injunction Tuesday immesome of the challenges discovered with the 1920 diately stopping enforcement of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy,susbuilding. pending the 17-year-old ban on openly gay U.S. troops.

••••••••••••• Business leaders Tuesday said the failed Maine State Pier development is exhibit A in Oct. 14 the case for an elected mayor, but the lead opponent of the ballot question calls their argument “a Riders on the city’s METRO bus lines are being greeted with new security cameras red herring.” and microphones , bringing complaints from state civil liberties advocates. Zachary Heiden, legal director for the Maine Civil Liberties Union, told Daily Sun Columnist Bob Higgins that he was “stunned” to find out that the cameras were already being installed.

Oct. 7 ••••••••••••• For general manager Lauren Wayne, the last six months have been a whirlwind of MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When Randy Moss preparation that will all culminate on Friday as My Morning Jacket take the stage at the first came to Minnesota 12 years ago, he electriState Theatre for the venue’s sold-out debut. fied a stagnant franchise and immediately turned ••••••••••••• the Vikings into Super Bowl contenders.

SAN JOSE MINE, Chile (AP) — With remarkable speed — and fl awless execution — Now the Vikings need him to do it again. miner after miner climbed into a cramped cage deep beneath the Chilean earth , The New England Patriots traded the sevenwas hoisted through 2,000 feet of rock and saw precious sunlight Wednesday after the time Pro Bowl receiver on Wednesday, giving Randy Moss longest underground entrapment in history.

Moss the exit he expected all along and sending him back to the place where he became a superstar.

Oct. 19 ••••••••••••• Roy Halladay threw the While a routine inspection on Sept. 22 failed to turn up any surprise issues with Marsecond no-hitter in posttin’s Point Bridge, the 1,400-foot-long span that’s due for replacement in the next two season history, leading the years, a citizens’ group will meet Tuesday, Oct. 26, at Martin’s Point Health Care to disPhiladelphia Phillies over the cuss what a new bridge should look like.

Cincinnati Reds 4-0 in Game The bridge, which connects the East Deering section of Portland to Falmouth, dates to 1 of the NL division series on the 1940s.

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Oct. 9 An unexpected gift of $250,000 from an unexpected source — hedge fund manager S. Donald Sussman, fiancé to U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree — has put a Portland synagogue on the fast track to operating as a world-class Jewish museum.

“The exciting part of Mr. Sussman’s gift is that it allowed us to go from the synagogue piece to the museum piece. Now we’re actually operating a museum,” said Gary Berenson, executive director of the Tree of Life Museum and president of the Etz Chaim Synagogue (Etz Chaim means “tree of life”), while walking through the synagogue and museum on Thursday.

Oct. 21 Peaks Island leaders and city officials began discussions about increased autonomy for islanders yesterday, but mostly agreed to seek more information.

Mayor Nick Mavodones agreed to the meeting to discuss formation of a “village corporation” for Peaks as some residents seek a middle ground between once again seeking independence from Portland or remaining a city neighborhood.

Oct. 27 Construction is half complete on the six-story steel structure that will house a 122room hotel, 12 upscale condominiums and restaurant to open next summer at the site of the former Jordan’s Meat on India Street.

Once complete, the building will house the Hampton Inn hotel, condos and the new site of a Sebago Brewing Company restaurant that will move from its current location at 164 Middle Street in June.

Oct. 28 After building Portland’s $16 million Ocean Gateway cruise ship terminal, Jackson Parker, president & CEO of Reed & Reed Inc. of Woolwich, is eager to add the fi nishing touch. His company has brought in tons of piling, barges, cranes and a tugboat to create the deep-water pier that will double the number of cruise ships that can dock at the terminal. see next page

THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN, Saturday, January 1, 2011— Page 15

2010: a look back from preceding page

Oct. 30 WASHINGTON (AP) — Authorities on three continentsthwarted multiple terrorist attacks aimed at the United States from Yemen on Friday, seizing two explosive packages addressed to Chicago-area synagogues and packed aboard cargo jets. The plot triggered worldwide fears that al-Qaida was launching a major new terror campaign.

Nov. 2 A South Portland Police department cruiser was totaled after being struck by a pick-up truck in the northbound lane of the Casco Bay Bridge Monday morning, sending an officer to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

••••••••••••• EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — Randy Moss’s reunion with the Minnesota Vikings lasted 25 days — and three disappointing losses. Vikings players confirmed Monday that coach Brad Childress informed them during a team meeting that Moss had been let go, a few minutes after the NFL Network first reported the Vikings had waived the frustrated wide receiver less than a month after acquiring him in a trade with New England.

Nov. 3 Portland strongly backed Independent gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler yesterday, helping create a two-person governor’s race that left offi cials counting votes into the night. By 10 p.m., Democrat Libby Mitchell had already spoken to supporters, in effect acknowledging that the quest for Blaine House had become a two-person race between Cutler and Republican Paul LePage.

Unofficial fi nal city totals gave Cutler about 45 percent of the vote at 12,018 ballots.

Mitchell took 8,347 votes or about 31 percent. Paul LePage got 5,151 Portland votes.

••••••••••••• PORTLAND (AP) — Maine voters bombarded with weeks of relentless mudslinging and attack ads went to the polls Tuesday in ligher-than-expected numbers to decide a bruising five-way race for governor, heated campaigns for the U.S. House and a contentious casino proposal.

Nov. 4 Conceding defeat in his run for governor Wednesday, independent candidate Eliot Cutler declared victory over negative campaigning and called attack ads a deadend with voters. Republican Paul LePage is the presumptive winner, but Cutler and his supporters said his oh-so-close campaign proved that negative campaigning doesn’t work.

••••••••••••• On Election Day, two of Portland’s most-contested referendum questions ended up splitting the populace in a nearly identical fashion, with the “elected mayor” Question 1 passing 52 to 47 percent, and the “non-citizen voting” Question 4 losing out by the same margin.

••••••••••••• SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Tens of thousands of baseball fans fl ocked to downtown Wednesday to toast the San Francisco Giants’ World Series championship and see their hometown heroes take a victory lap in a ticker-tape parade reminiscent of the one held when the team moved west from New York 52 years ago.

Nov. 6 Republican governor-elect Paul LePage told the Portland Regional Chamber yesterday that he will work on Saturdays and will welcome the public to call and visit the Blaine House as part of an administration focus on job creation.

“The people spoke loud and clear that they want the state of Maine to get out of the cellar for business climate, and I believe that’s what our mission is and that’s where we’re going to be going, we’re going to bring Maine on the path of prosperity,” LePage said Friday morning during the Chamber’s Eggs & Issues breakfast forum.

Nov. 12 A submarine traveled down Congress Street Thursday as hundreds turned out to cheer for the city’s Veterans Day parade.

The submarine, a 10 percent scale model of the U.S.S. Skipjack, served as both a fl oat and as a memorial to one of the longtime friends of the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc., a veterans group based in Augusta.

Dick McGoldrick, an associate member of the group from Denmark, died this summer.

Nov. 17 Last night was the long-awaited offi cial grand opening for Lucid Stage, Portland’s newest performance art venue at 29 Baxter Blvd.

Housed in a quonset hut that served as offi ces for the University of Southern Maine and a showroom for Piper Shores Condos, overcame a permitting snag and canceled shows while the venue secured an occupancy permit to arrive at last night’s ribbon cutting with Mayor Nick Mavodones.

Nov. 18 Responding to a resident outcry that included a petition with more than 100 signatures, the city’s public arts committee will relocate a public art piece from the Old Port, most likely to the East End or into open space along I-295 near Mercy Hospital.

The art, Tracing the Fore, has come under fi re since it was installed in 2006. Critics

have blasted it for both aesthetic and safety concerns and nicknamed the piece “razor park,” a reference to its stainless steel waves.

••••••••••••• JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Sen. Lisa Murkowski on Wednesday became the fi rst Senate candidate in more than 50 years to win a write-in campaign, emerging victorious over her tea party rival following a painstaking, week-long count of hand-written votes.

The victory completes a remarkable comeback for the Republican after her humiliating loss in the GOP primary to Joe Miller.

Nov. 19 Olympia Sports is closing its downtown location at the end of December after 13 years of business.

Nov. 23 Sometimes noted for playing a bit of hardball when it comes to selecting its appointed mayor, the Portland City Council last night proved it could also throw the occasional curve. Assembled for the coronation of Cheryl Leeman to what would have been her third non-consecuive one-year term as mayor, a few spectators and several media representatives listened to her hand off the honors to current mayor Nick Mavodones, who will serve a nearly unprecedented second year in the role.

“Don’t you just love surprises?” said Leeman, who has served more than two decades on the council and is its only current Republican member — although the council elections are officially non-partisan.

Nov. 30 In two weeks, city regulatory hurdles should be cleared for the Portland Winter Farmer’s Market to relaunch in the Maine Irish Heritage Center along State Street, market organizers say.

Dec. 1 The Nov. 2 midterms were an important election for the future of Cumberland County, with passage of a county charter to update some of the county government’s operating rules, officials said. Ironically, the election also postponed an anniversary celebration from earlier in the year. “It’s been 250 years in coming,” Cumberland County Commission Chair Dick Feeney said. The midterm election prompted ceremony planners to delay festivities, he said.

Dec. 2 Portland City Clerk Linda Cohen is leaving her position effective Jan. 7, saying she plans to work in real estate.

Dec. 4 Citing economic benefi ts though increased tax revenue, one local state representative has submitted a bill to the Maine state legislature that would legalize marijuana.

“It really comes down to economics, we have a state budget that won’t be able to be replaced with stimulus funds, we should be finding new ways to raise revenue,” said District 120 Rep. Diane Russell.

Dec. 9 A $3 billion price tag to clean up and restore the Gulf of Maine could be sold as a “jobs program” to a reluctant Congress, proponents of a sweeping new environmental assessment said Wednesday during a news conference in Portland.

••••••••••••• A Maine-built ship that spent last summer anchored in Portland Harbor sunk Wednesday morning off Nantucket, Mass.

The three-masted, 118-foot Raw Faith went down at about 7:30 a.m. after taking on water amid heavy seas. The ship was unable to move under its own power.

Dec. 11 Joe Gray It’s a scene that has folks driving along 1-295 in Portland doing double takes.

The bleachers at Fitzpatrick Stadium are missing. Actually they have been torn down in the first step of a major capital improvement fund project.

Dec. 21 Reny’s 15th store will be a big one for Portland as the loss of one iconic Maine retailer opens space for another. The retailer plans to fi ll side-by-side vacancies on Congress Street vacated by L.L. Bean and Olympia Sports, the store announced Monday.

Dec. 22 After a decade on the job,Joe Gray announced Tuesday that he’s retiringas Portland’s city manager, marking his last day in the city’s top administrative post on Feb. 11, 2011. At age 66, Gray is only the city’s 11th city manager and the last one to serve before the city makes a transition to a voter-approved elected-mayor form of government next November.

Page 16 — THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN, Saturday, January 1, 2011

ABOVE: For the first 13 years, the Lobster Dip took place at East End Beach in Portland, but then it outgrew the location. Today, the benefit for Special Olympics hits the ocean in Old Orchard Beach, with plenty of enthusiasm to spare. (COURTESY PHOTOS)

OOB’s Lobster Dip just ‘took on a life of its own’ DIP from page one

“It is so unique,” said Special Olympics public relations director Lisa Bird. “How many people can say that they jumped in the ocean in Maine on New Years Day, plus raised money for a great cause? It is a win-win for everyone involved.”

To say it has been a great fundraiser for Special Olympics would be an understatement. Last year despite a tough economy, a record 278 dippers raised a record $78,000. Actually over the last 22 years, the Lobster Dip has raised over $500,000.

“It is the biggest fundraiser of the year for us,” said Bird. “It sets the tone for the entire year.

The Lobster Dip started in 1989. Back then around 15 members of the Portland Rugby Club got together at East End Beach in Portland to raise money in honor of the sister of one of the players who is a special olympian. Rocco Frenzilli remains the only dipper who has taken part each and every year.

The Portland High School teacher doesn’t look forward to the shock of the cold water, but he loves the event and the charity it benefits.

“My body may be cold, but my heart is warm when I get out of the water,” said Frenzilli. “Every year it kind of sneaks up on you. The year really fl ies by.

First school starts, then it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve and then time to dip.”

For the fi rst 13 years, the dip took place at East End Beach. The amount of people taking part grew from just a dozen or so to well over a hundred and the Lobster Dip was outgrowing the small beach in Portland. So in 2002, organizers decided to move it to OOB. “It started off small and then just grew in popularity,” said Frenzilli. “It is amazing how it just took off and took on a life of its own. At fi rst we wondered if anyone would show up and now hundreds show up.”

The weather is predicted to be very favorable to the dippers this year. Forecasters say it should be 42 degrees at noon today (Saturday) with the water temperature at 41. It hasn’t been like that in years past.

“Last year we had a dangerous riptide,” said Frenzilli. “The waves were crashing. A few years ago we had a wind chill in single digits. We’ve also had rain, snow and even ice where we had to break it up to be

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able to run and dive into the ocean.” Despite all the challenges when it comes to the weather and condition of the water, a Lobster Dip has never been cancelled.

If you would like to take the plunge, all you need to take part is raise a minimum of a $100, bring a swimsuit, a hearty soul and get ready to have a good time. The fun doesn’t stop after the dip. There is a post dip party at The Brunswick and complimentary food and live music at the Oceanside Grill.

If you have never done the dip before and you are diving in this year, Rocco Frenzilli has a little advice for you – or maybe better said warning. “I used to take a cold shower the day or two before to get used to the water, but that was a waste of time. Nothing can prepare you for that initial shock of the ocean water. I just show up and dive in now.”

Frenzilli has done 22 Lobster Dips and despite the cold water and unpredictable weather he said to expect to see him taking the plunge for years to come. “Sure it is numbing, but as long as I am physically able, I will continue to run, dive, and raise money for this good cause.”

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