TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2011
VOL. 2 NO. 237
PORTLAND, ME
PORTLAND’S DAILY NEWSPAPER
699-5801
FREE
Longtime cruise manager joins ferry effort BY CURTIS ROBINSON THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN
Maine and Nova Scotia may not have an international ferry service until 2012, but we already have competition. Two groups have been considering service, and for months the Yarmouth, Nova Scotia-based effort has insisted that some level of service was possible in
Press Herald political ads spur ethics questions
2011. But in the final days of 2010, the Yarmouth Industrial Council-led effort in Canada rejected the last of several proposals, in effect terminating 2011 plans. The other group, Halifax-based Scotia Cruises, immediately stepped into any vacuum, announcing Monday that it will reconsider a Yarmouth route along with its planned Halifax service and naming
the longtime manager of the Scotia Prince international ferry as its Portland-based representative. Henk Pols, who is widely credited with helping operate a profitable Scotia Prince service for decades, joins the Scotia Cruises this week, according to the company. The firm says meetings are being planned with Yarmouth officials for later this month. see FERRY page 6
Countdown at Hadlock
State asked to probe free full-page color ads backing elected-mayor measure BY CURTIS ROBINSON THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN
A former Portland deputy city manager is asking state election officials to investigate nearly $47,000 worth of free advertising that the Portland Press Herald donated to the chamber of commerce in support of last year’s successful elected-mayor referendum. Thomas Valleau said he filed his complaint with the Maine Ethics Commission last week. Valleau, who worked for the city of Portland for 28 years and served as one of two appointed members to the 12-member Charter Commission, said in a press statement that he is asking the state to “... investigate an arrangement between the newspaper and the Chamber that resulted in eight apparently free full page color advertisements supporting the idea of an elected mayor with a four year term for Maine’s largest city.” Noting that the ballot question was approved by a vote of 12,963 to 11,825. Valleau said the free advertising could have tipped the scales. “Newspapers should not donate free advertising to political campaigns that they decide to favor,” Valleau said. “In any event, the public has the right to know who is behind attempts to influence the vote... my goal is to prevent a repeat of this in future elections.” see ADS page 6
Chris Cameron, assistant general manager and director of media relations for the Portland Sea Dogs, is counting the days to the baseball team’s April 7 opening day. For a story, see Sports, page 8. (DAVID CARKHUFF PHOTO)
Aiming for carbon neutrality, USM starts switch from oil to natural gas BY MATT DODGE THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN
The University of Southern Maine moved one step closer to fulfilling its goal of carbon neutrality last week after converting the Portland campus’ central heating plant from oil to natural gas. The switch is part of USM’s “Plan
for Carbon Neutrality” which aims to convert all of the Portland campus’ operations to natural gas by 2025 and end net emissions of university-related climate-disrupting gases by 2040. “This is a huge accomplishment that has many environmental as well as economic benefits,” said USM Executive Director of Facilities Man-
agement Bob Bertram. With the Portland conversion, USM central plants in both Gorham and Portland now use natural gas, reducing USM’s carbon output by 1,048 metric tons per year and saving USM approximately $315,000 next year in utility costs. see GAS page 6
Alarm clock for Portland landlords, Part Deux
New year brings the New York Times to our pages
Playoff-bound Tom Brady’s spectacular season
See Bob Higgins on page 4
See Curtis Robinson’s column on page 5
See the story in Sports, page 8