THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2011
VOL. 2 NO. 244
PORTLAND, ME
PORTLAND’S DAILY NEWSPAPER
699-5801
FREE
Man and Mother Nature adding to snowpack BY MARTY BASCH SPECIAL TO THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN
A stingy Mother Nature finally added to western Maine’s snowpack yesterday, augmenting at ski areas what man had largely produced so far this season. As of 1 p.m., ski areas like Sunday River reported eight inches of snow had fallen. What a change. Last week the Maine Geological Survey released
the year’s first survey and found that although the state’s snowpack is just as expected, there are some relatively dry places. Like in western Maine which happens to hold the lion’s share of the state’s skiing. “What’s surprising is to see little snow in the western mountains,” reported Robert Johnston, Maine Geological Survey senior geologist. “There’s no deep snowpack yet, and that is due to the fact we’ve had only coastal storms so far. The fine conditions at
Maine’s ski areas at this point in the season are a tribute to the snowmakers.” Johnston’s right. Bridgton’s Shawnee Peak started making snow Thanksgiving weekend and has spent more hours than normal making snow this season, and even more hours making snow at above optimal temperatures, according to director of marketing and communications Melissa Rock. see SNOWPACK page 9
Snowstorm buries Portland, shatters 1905 daily record BY DAVID CARKHUFF AND CURTIS ROBINSON THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN
A Facebook-organized snowball fight kicks up the white stuff at the stone bridge in Deering Oaks Wednesday afternoon. For more photos, see page 8. (MATT DODGE PHOTO)
Across Greater Portland, residents spent much of yesterday morning talking about the whether. Whether to dig out or stay home, whether to call parking bans early or wait, whether to keep shops BY THE SHOVEL open or run for home, whether to continue a Portland was blanketed high-profile murder trial in 13 inches of snow; Freeor call it a day. port and Gorham recorded For Diane Rutherford, about a foot of snow by 6:30 a New Yorker visiting p.m.; 16 inches fell in Bridgfriends in the area, it was ton; 16 inches in Brunswick; whether to push her red 15.7 inches in Standish; 14 inches in Naples; 14 inches in Nissan Sentra back into Scarborough; 13.5 inches in traffic after it slid into a Cumberland; and 13 inches snow bank. in Yarmouth. “I’m afraid it’ll slide SOURCE: National Weather Service off the road somewhere worse,” she said. By mid-day, the whethers had taken a turn. More snow than expected was piling up and the city of Portland see SNOW page 3
One month in, creative groups director looks forward BY MATT DODGE THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN
As the newly hired executive director for two city-run arts groups, it’s Jennifer Hutchins’ job to promote the city’s creative economy. That might be easy enough when talking with gallery owners, artists, musicians and marketing firms, but what about selling the
idea to a traditional business community that might only have a cursory understanding of the “creative economy” concept? “The term ’creative economy’ has never been officially defined, so when you talk to people in more of the mainstream business community and you use the term, they don’t really know what you’re talking about,” said
Hutchins, who marks one month as executive director of Creative Portland and the Portland Arts and Cultural Alliance (PACA) this week. “There are issues out there that are very concrete in the business community — taxes, cost of energy, regulation — standard issues see DIRECTOR page 6
Hutchins
When Congress was armed
‘Fiddler on the Roof’ coming to Portland
Ramblin’ Red CD release show at Mayo Street
See Joanne Freeman on page 5
See the Events Calendar, page 13
See the Music Calendar, page 16