American Journal, April 19, 2018

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WESTBROOK

SPORTS

Residents lauded WHS LAX Captain as heroes in goes collegiate Page 12 city fire Page 3

Vol. 68 Issue 16

American Journal

News of Westbrook, Gorham,

Buxton & the region

For local animal rescue ‘it’s a dog’s life’ By Michael Kelley WESTBROOK — For five years, the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland has been partnering with All Sato Rescue to find homes throughout greater Portland for dogs that have been abandoned in Puerto Rico. Representatives from the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland took a trip earlier this month to get a closer look into the state of satos, or street dogs on the island, an unincorporated territory of the United States. “We have been working with them for the last five years, accepting abandoned and street dogs from Puerto Rico and welcoming them here in Maine,” said Jeana Roth, director of community engagement at the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland. “While we have met some of the board members, we never traveled to Puerto Rico to see what they do on a daily

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Gorham: 14% hike in school taxes proposed By Robert Lowell

Byron, a 3-year-old mixed breed, was one of the 10 dogs the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland brought back to Maine through its partnership with All Sato Rescue. Staff photo by Michael Kelley basis and see the dogs. That was the goal of the trip.” The trip, which took place April 4-8, allowed Roth and other representatives of the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland to see how the dogs are processed

and prepared for adoption and help rescue animals living on the beaches, streets and fields in San Juan and the surrounding areas. Founded 10 years ago, All Sato Res-

Dog’s Life, page 14

GORHAM — The School Committee on April 11 approved a $39.3 million spending plan that would translate to an increase of almost 14 percent increase on taxes spent for education. The proposal is up $1.7 million, or 4.4 percent from this year’s $37.6 million school budget. Coupled with an expected $1.2 million drop in state subsidy from this year’s $17.1 million to $15.8 million, the school budget as proposed would increase the tax rate $1.55 per $1,000 of property valuation to support education from $11.08 to $12.62. It represents a 13.96 percent tax rate increase and

Gorham, page 13

Westbrook council to consider 6.4% school budget increase By Michael Kelley WESTBROOK — The $38.6 million school budget brought before city councilors for review includes a $2.3 million increase totaling 6.4 percent over the current operating budget. Taxpayers will be asked to foot $20.4 million of the school’s fiscal year 2019 bill, a $1.1 million, or 5.8 percent increase over what taxpayers approved for the current budget. In June 2017, however, $453,890 in additional state aid was used to reduce the local

share of the 2017-2018 school year budget to $18.8 million. The projected increase in school spending in fiscal year 2019, as of earlier this month prior to the school committee adoption, would raise the school tax rate to $10.86 per thousand valuation, meaning an additional $176 in taxes for the owner of a $200,000 home or $264 more in taxes for the owner of a $300,000 home. The City Council’s finance committee took time last week to review the spending plan, which Westbrook Superintendent Peter Lancia said is built with four goals

in mind: to raise achievement, to expand capacity, to foster engagement of students and the community and to nurture citizenship for the 2,560 students who are expected to be part of the school system. This is a projected increase of 42 students, with the majority at the elementary school level. Lancia said major cost increases to the fiscal year 2019 budget include $189,000 for three new positions: a social worker at the high school, two new elementary STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) teachers and a noon duty aide at the middle school; $900,000 increase in

debt service due to the first payments of the construction projects at Saccarappa and Westbrook Middle School; $230,000 in upgrades to the doors and cameras inside and outside the high school, as well as contractual obligation increases and a technology refresh to replace 11-year-old laptops. Finance committee member Victor Chau, who represents Ward 2 on the council, called into question the amount of projected increase of $615,000 for the new teaching contract (once successfully negotiated)

School budget, page 13


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American Journal

Thursday, April 19, 2018

‘The Nite Show’ takes Westbrook stage By Robert Lowell

WESTBROOK — Students operated TV cameras, set up microphones, and busily ran cables while an instructor wearing a headset hustled between directing stage set up inside and viewing a bank of screens in a trailer outside Westbrook Performing Arts Center. Husson University’s New England School of Communications in Bangor was on location at Westbrook Middle School where it readied all day Friday, April 13, to tape “The Nite Show” with host Danny Cashman before a live audience. The Maine-based show is usually produced by NESCom students and faculty in the university’s Gracie Theatre in Bangor and the show airs statewide. Cashman Monday praised NESCom’s work to uproot its equipment, take the show on the road and pull it off. They “made it look like a well-oiled machine,” Cashman said. Hannah Goodine of Buxton, a 2017 Bonny Eagle High School graduate, was one of NESCom’s student volunteers backstage. She is learning and focusing on a career in audio work. The school’s crew taped two episodes in Westbrook. The first, featuring former Maine Gov. John Baldacci and David Letterman’s longtime warm-up comic Eddie Brill, will air locally Saturday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m. on WGME CBS 13 and 10:30 p.m. on WPFO Fox 23. The second show in Westbrook with singer-songwriter Paula Cole, a Grammy winner, was also taped Friday to be aired the following week.

iPad

Husson University students set the stage April 13 at Westbrook Middle School before a taping of “The Nite Show”. Staff photo by Robert Lowell NESCom produces 24 shows in an academic year. Rodney Verrill, NESCom’s executive producer, said eight instructors and 34 students traveled to Westbrook to tape the two shows. Backstage, Goodine, now a Husson freshman at the Bangor campus, said she helped

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WESTBROOK PLANNING BOARD TUESDAY, MAY 1, 2018, 7:00 P.M. WESTBROOK HIGH SCHOOL, ROOM 114 AGENDA PUBLIC HEARING 1. 2018.12 – Land Use Ordinance Amendment - Contract Zone 3 – Hannaford Brothers. Co – To amend Contract Zone 3 performance standards to be in alignment with the City Center District standards with appropriate setbacks from residential uses and specifications on building height, lot size and signage. Tax Map: 33 Lot: 57 2. 2018.11 - Land Use Ordinance Amendment – Adult Use/Retail Marijuana – To include all the definitions necessary associated with Maine’s Adult Use/Retail Marijuana State Regulations, including language on prohibiting all of the 5 Marijuana related Adult Use/ Retail uses provided for in Maine’s Marijuana Legalization Act.

set up audio equipment and monitors in Westbrook for “The Nite Show.” Goodine said she did some theater at Bonny Eagle with the drama club, working on the show “Stage Door.” Goodine, a dean’s list student, said she’s not a performer but loves music. “I want a career in live audio,” she said, “preferably concerts. It’s definitely what I want to do the rest of my life.” While Goodine is a first-year student, NESCom has students across all grades, said Edward Goguen, a Husson academic director and assistant professor. He said “The Nite Show” started in the 1990s and was revitalized in 2010. A press release last week from Husson, which has a campus in Westbrook, described “The Nite Show,” which has its own band, as “Maine’s version of a late night talk show and modeled after those of

Johnny Carson and Letterman.” “The Nite Show was nominated for its seventh New England Regional Emmy Award,” the press release said. “The Emmy Award-nominated quality of our show is a testament to the education students receive at Husson,” Cashman said in a statement. “Their professionalism and creativity can be seen in every broadcast.” After the taping, Cashman reported that the show was well attended and received in Westbrook. “The city of Westbrook was amazing,” Cashman said. NESCom students and staff had planned for the past six weeks to go on the road to Westbrook. “The students will be pumped all the way to Bangor tonight,” said John Easton, video faculty coordinator at NESCom. Robert Lowell can be reached at 854-2577 or rlowell@keepmecurrent.com.

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American Journal

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Thursday, April 19, 2018

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Residents take heroic action in Westbrook fire By Michael Kelley WESTBROOK — When an apartment building at 445 Main St. caught fire last Friday, Westbrook firefighters were able to stop the blaze and get everyone out – but not without the help of quick-thinking and brave Westbrook residents. Westbrook Fire Chief Andrew Turcotte said firefighters were alerted to the April 13 fire just before 9:30 p.m. One of the initial calls came from 16-year-old Tyler Brackett, a Westbrook High School sophomore, who saw the blaze while driving by. “Tyler saw some smoke coming from the three-story apartment building and also saw fire coming from the first floor and stopped, ran over to the building and started knocking on doors and windows in an effort to alert tenants,” Turcotte said. “He then went back to his vehicle and started honking his horn to again alert tenants.” Lisa Fogg, of State Street, was also among those who stopped after seeing the blaze. Like Brackett, Fogg, who was driving around the rotary on her way home for the evening, banged on doors and windows alerting those still inside. She also helped a woman and her cat to safety. Turcotte said firefighters and emergency

Westbrook firefighters battle a fire at an apartment building at 445 Main St. last Friday in an effort to contain it to the first floor, where is it thought to have originated. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Maine Fire Marshal’s office. Courtesy photo responders were “fortunate that community members did what they could to notify” residents of the danger and the fire department of the emergency. “We never advise people to go into a burning building. It is dangerous. They could

become another victim and it puts firefighters at risk because there is someone else to save,” Turcotte said. “Anytime anyone sees a building on fire, we encourage them to call and start yelling or knocking on doors or windows if it is safe to do so. The folks are certainly heroes because they were able to alert the residents so fast.” While the work of Brackett and Fogg helped residents escape, Turcotte said when firefighters arrived, there were still a few residents inside the building, including a 2-yearold in a second-floor apartment and two occupants on the first floor. As one firefighter worked to pull one of the residents through a window, another entered the burning building to rescue the person on the first floor as another firefighter accessed the second floor to save the child. Turcotte said within minutes of their arrival, firefighters were able to rescue everyone. “The crews did a good job. The fire was contained to the front part of the first floor. It is a big building and they did a good job making sure it didn’t engulf the entire structure,” Turcotte said. The extent of damage was not known early this week, but the building has significant water and smoke damage and there was extensive fire damage to the first floor. Tur-

cotte said he believes the building is salvageable, but “it would be up to the insurance company to make that determination.” Officials continue to investigate the cause; it’s their belief that the blaze started on the ground floor of the building. “The Fire Marshal’s office is still working on the origination and cause of the fire. We hope to have that information later this week,” Turcotte said Monday. The building was outfitted with operational smoke detectors. This fire, Turcotte said, emphasizes the importance of paying attention to alarms when they go off wherever they go off in a building. The Fire Marshal’s Office recommends smoke alarms be installed in every level of a home, as well as in each bedroom and preferably be interconnected so the alarm sounds no matter where the fire originated. Alarms should be tested monthly and replaced when they are a decade old. Specialized alarms are available for those individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Maine laws require landlords to provide alarms for each unit and ensure they are in working order. Buildings more than three stories tall must have alarms in each corridor and hallway as well. Michael Kelley can be reached at 7813661 x 125 or mkelley@keepmecurrent.com

Briefs Windham man charged in Westbrook robbery WESTBROOK — A Windham man has been arrested in connection to a recent robbery in the city. Around 6:30 a.m. Friday, April 13, Travis Card, 38, was charged in connection with a robbery that occurred on Friday, April 6 at the Gulf Mart on Bridgton Travis Card Road in Westbrook. Card was taken into custody without incident during a traffic stop on William Clarke Drive. His vehicle was seized and search warrants were executed on the vehicle at an apartment building on Mechanic Street where police said he had been staying. The arrest was made by Westbrook Police, in collaboration with the Portland Police Department, South Portland Police Department and the FBI.

The investigation into the Gulf Mart robbery is ongoing and police are working to determine if this robbery is connected to the string of others that took place around the greater Portland area last month, including several businesses in Westbrook.

No contested seats in Buxton elections BUXTON — Incumbent Chad Poitras is running unopposed in June for another three-year term on the Board of Selectmen in Buxton, where there will be no contested races on the ballot. Poitras was first elected to a seat in 2015, when he was also unchallenged. Other candidates who filed nomination papers by the deadline on April 13 include Christopher Baldinelli and Keith Emery, who will be unchallenged in their bid for a pair of three-year seats on the Planning Board; Craig Lefebvre is the only candidate seeking a one-year term on the

Planning Board. Planning Board member Tom Peters, whose term expires this year, is not seeking re-election. Two incumbents, David Field Jr. and Scott Warchol, will be uncontested for two, threeyear terms on the town’s Budget Committee. For Maine School Administrative District 6, four candidates are running unopposed: Ellen DeCotiis of Buxton is seeking a threeyear term; Jeffrey Williams of Limington, two-year term; Trevor Hustus of Hollis, a three-year term; and Robert Deakin of Standish, a three-year term.

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Terms of two Buxton SAD 6 directors are expiring and the names of current School Board members Charlene Libby and Cynthia Meserve are not included on the sample ballot. In a change this year, every Buxton voter can vote for all four seats in the SAD 6 towns of Buxton, Frye Island, Hollis, Limington and Standish. The municipal and the Buxton SAD 6 elections are set for June 12, in Buxton Town Hall, 185 Portland Road. Robert Lowell can be reached at 854-2577 or rlowell@keepmecurrent.com

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page 4

American Journal

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Safe House

City updating local land law By Michael Kelley

Trinity Boxill, 9, of Westbrook, operates a firehose with the help of Westbrook firefighter and paramedic Kevin Montoya during Westbrook Public Safety Department’s open house Saturday, April 14. The event included tours of the police station and firehouse, as well as the opportunity to see vehicles and equipment up close and personal. Staff photo by Michael Kelley

City of Westbrook 2 York St. Westbrook, ME 04092 • (207) 854-9105 • Fax: (207) 559-0642

NOTICE OF BID OPENING NEW GORHAM RD AND MAPLE ST NEIGHBORHOODS IMPROVEMENTS The City of Westbrook is seeking sealed bids for the construction of the New Gorham Road and Maple Street Neighborhood Improvements. Bidders must submit their proposals in writing to the City of Westbrook, ATTN: City Clerk, City Hall, 2 York Street, Westbrook, Maine 04092, no later than 2:00 pm local time on Monday, May 7, 2018, at which time the Bids received will be publicly opened and read. The Project consists of constructing:

WESTBROOK — City leaders are in the midst of rethinking how accessory dwelling units are handled in Westbrook by adding a new definition and performance standards to the land use ordinance. Director of Planning and Code Enforcement Jennie Franceschi said the new ordinance, which the city council will review at a second reading April 23, better matches the intent staff had in mind when that section of the ordinance was drafted. The original ordinance allowed for individuals to add an extra “in-law apartment” for aging parents or other family members, but did not specify that the unit had to be located within the existing single-family home. “We truly meant for these to be intrinsic to the existing structure. They were not meant to separated structures and be a two-family or maybe two units in one home that otherwise would have to comply with density regulations,” Franceschi said. “These were meant to be an opportunity for existing homes to add that dwelling unit.” According to the new ordinance language, the accessory dwelling unit must be between 500 and 800 square feet and be occupied by no more than two individuals. It must have proper egress and ingress and meet city land use standards for parking and must be heated. Accessory dwelling units are permitted in all residential zones. Mark Bower, an attorney with Jensen

• Over 4,700 lf of new 8 inch to 24 inch diameter sanitary sewer in New Gorham Road and Maple Street neighborhoods;

Baird Gardner and Henry, said the owners of the property must live in either the principal structure or accessory dwelling unit. In terms of residential density, an accessory dwelling unit would not be considered as its own dwelling unit and Bower said the property would be listed on the tax card as a single-family building with an accessory dwelling unit. At first reading on late last month, Councilor Lynda Adams asked whether the new language would impact residents’ ability to rent out their accessory dwelling unit through a site like Airbnb. “We’ve all heard what’s going on in South Portland with Airbnb,” Adams said in reference to a fight in South Portland about how the city intends to regulate short-term rentals. “Would people be able to rent out their apartment as they see fit whether that is short-term rental or longterm rental?” “We are not going after Airbnb with this. This is to allow someone to have a small dwelling unit in their homes,” Franceschi said. Council Vice President John O’Hara said he appreciated the effort of updating the ordinance. “Thank you for doing this,” he said at first reading. “This is a real important thing to look at with the costs spiraling for children with parents who need help as they age and age gracefully. I do think we are heading on the right track. I thank you for re-engineering the language.” Michael Kelley can be reached at 7813661 x 128 or mkelley@keepmecurrent.com

• About 800 lf of new 12 inch to 18 inch diameter storm drain in New Gorham Road and Maple neighborhoods;

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• About 6,000 lf of new 4 inch to 8 inch water main in the New Gorham Road and Maple Street neighborhoods. The water main work will be under separate contract with the Portland Water District.

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• Replacing 36” diameter cross culverts on New Gorham Road and Longfellow Street with precast concrete box culverts. Bids will be received for a single prime Contract. Bids shall be on a unit price basis, as indicated in the Bid Form. The Issuing Office for the Bidding Documents is: City of Westbrook, City Hall, 2 York Street, Westbrook, Maine 04092. Contact person is Katherine Gray, PE, tel: 207-854-0660. Prospective Bidders may obtain digital copies of the Bidding Documents from the Issuing Office as described below. Digital copies of the Bidding Documents may be obtained by contacting Katherine Gray at kgray@westbrook.me.us

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American Journal

Opinion www.keepMEcurrent.com

Thursday, April 19, 2018

page 5

Comparing civil rights movements then, now A few weeks ago, as the country marked the 50th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, I gained a deeper realization that the civil rights leaders and protesters of the 1950s and 1960s were true American heroes. by John Balentine That “greatest generation” of civil rights fighters were just as brave, just as disciplined and just as dedicated in their non-violent struggle to overthrow segregation as the American soldiers who fought to topple totalitarianism during World War II. Sometimes it takes the anniversary of a tragedy – in this case, the murder of King by a white supremacist fearful of civil rights gains being made by King and his followers – to educate a new generation to the realities of what happened long ago and how those events provided a foundation for today’s society. Of course, thanks to a culture and educational system that has never forgotten the civil rights movement and the importance it played in forming a more perfect American union, I’ve always admired King’s tireless and self-sacrificing advocacy on behalf of his fellow blacks. But my knowledge of and respect of that time in American society was taken to a new level thanks to in-depth coverage on PBS and elsewhere in early April. The historical recollections transported me to the mid-20th century, when blacks were fighting hard for equality. I’m thankful for the filmmakers whose work informs younger Americans like me, who don’t have firsthand memories of that time. The anniversary of King’s murder coincided with an important occasion in my family’s history – my mother’s 80th birthday. My mom is a spry and go-getting octogenarian, far from the stereotype of a retiring, feeble old lady. She’s a retired junior high school English teacher, world traveler, writer, reader and quilter. An equally eager observer of political news, she’s seen it all, watching America evolve and change through her eight decades. While I mostly have a perspective gained through reading or viewing historical footage, she has a perspective formed by direct experience. She remembers World War II and everything that’s happened since, including the civil rights movement.

Here’s Something

Balentine, page 6

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Picking a target The easiest way for a candidate to become Maine’s next governor is to convince voters that all their troubles are somebody else’s fault. That’s the legacy of current governor, Republican Paul LePage, whose boogeymen are welfare recipients and immigrants, and President Donald Trump, who blames everything on immigrants and the news by Al Diamon media. In the opinions expressed by these sorts of politicians, solving all Maine’s problems requires nothing more than cutting off food stamps and housing vouchers for one group, and shipping the other bunch back where they came from. Overnight, there’d be good jobs, fast broadband and cooler ocean waters. In reality, few of the problems faced by average Mainers can be traced to either welfare or immigration. People on the dole are not responsible for stagnant wages, lack of high-speed internet or climate change. Recently arrived foreigners bear no responsibility for health-care costs, the exodus of young people or sexual harassment of women.

News Department Executive Editor Mo Mehlsak editor@theforecaster.net Managing Editor Amy Vigeant Canfield acanfield@keepmecurrent.com Editor Emeritus Harry T. Foote 1915-2012

Politics

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Unfortunately, complicated issues are rarely resolved by simple-minded solutions. But solving problems has never been what political campaigns are about, because it’s impossible to entice millennials, provide affordable medical care or convince men not to be pigs in a sound bite that will energize voters. Better to stick with what works: Find somebody to demonize. While this scapegoating strategy is usually employed by right-wingers, it’s by no means exclusive to them. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Eves recently embraced the concept. Being a liberal, Eves needed a straw man (or, because he’s politically correct, a straw woman) that his base already viewed negatively. That ruled out the usual targets of demagoguery: religions, races, intellectuals, sexual minorities, the Illuminati. What’s left? Guns. More specifically, gun lobbyists, such as the

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page 6

American Journal

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Are we becoming a police state? In totalitarian countries like China, Rus- like the elected leader of the free world. And to further establish his tendency sia and North Korea you expect to find to tyrannical rule, troops at the borTrump first argued ders, state security that “Crooked Hilchecking citizen IDs lary” should not be and massive military allowed to run at parades. all and then, even You don’t expect by Edgar Allen Beem though she lost, he those sorts of things still wants the Justice in a democracy. But more and more these days it seems as Department to jail his opponent. That’s though America is becoming a police the sort of thing Vladimir Putin does; but then, Trump adores strongmen. state. In his first year in office, Trump has conNo, I do not believe President Donald Trump is consciously intent on becoming sistently praised leaders like Putin, Xi in a dictator, but the evidence is everywhere China, Kim in North Korea, Duterte in the that America under Trump is drifting Philippines, Erdogan in Turkey and el-Sisi in Egypt – men who rule their countries towards tyranny. Perhaps we should have seen Trump’s with iron fists – while badmouthing our penchant for gold-plated despotism com- allies, especially those like Germany, the ing during the 2016 presidential debates United Kingdom and New Zealand, where when, to the horror of patriotic Americans women are in charge. Like the dictators he admires, Trump everywhere, he refused to say whether he would accept the results of the election, greatly fears freedom of the press and regthe peaceful transfer of power being the ularly attacks journalists. “I would never kill them, but I do hate hallmark of our democracy. Pressed to pledge to honor the outcome them,” he has said of reporters. Big of him. In an attempt to suppress criticism, of the election, Trump would only say he Trump has threatened to sue journalists, would do so “if I win.” Spoken like an autocrat-in-waiting, not change libels laws to make it easier for

The Universal Notebook

him to do so, and cancel broadcast licenses of companies that criticize him. “It’s frankly disgusting the press is able to write whatever they want to write,” said Trump, making it clear he has no use for the First Amendment. Now Trump wants a grand military parade like those in Moscow, Beijing and Pyongyang, a show of force estimated to cost taxpayers $10 million to $30 million. Fortunately, the Pentagon has nixed a display of tanks and missiles. Frustrated in his efforts to build the Great Wall of Trump along the U.S.-Mexico border, Trump recently ordered U.S. troops to the border. When it was explained to him that he could not order the U.S. military to the border because the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 prohibits the military from being used for civil law enforcement, Trump asked governors to send National Guard troops to the border. “Until we can have a wall and proper security, we are going to be guarding our border with our military,” Trump said. Republican governors in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico quickly complied, but governors in Oregon, Nevada and Montana have resisted. Don’t be surprised if Gov. LePage offers to send the Maine National Guard to the Mexican border. Then again, Dear Leader Trump may want Mainers to stay home to protect the country against invasion from Canada. Already Trump has U.S. Border Patrol agents boarding buses in Maine to check

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We had a great birthday celebration in late March with her and her siblings, and I was thinking of them while watching documentaries about King. I did some quick mental math and realized she was just a little younger than I am now when the civil rights movement was blossoming. I resolved to ask her and her siblings, all of whom grew up in working-class Brockton, Massachusetts, and lived through the tumultuous times then and a second iteration of mass protests now, what they think, 50 years later, of the King-led movement and how it compares with the anti-gun, pro-women and antiTrump protests of today. For the next two weeks – since their comments won’t fit into one column – I’ll relay their exact words so we can hear from members of a generation with personal memories of King’s movement to provide perspective on current movements. In a world that seems to dismiss and disregard the wisdom and perspective of its elders, I think it’ll be interesting to hear my mom’s, aunt’s and two uncles’ take on American protests then and now. We’ll start with my mother Nancy’s perspective, since she’s the oldest elder and the birthday girl, and next week we’ll hear from her sister, Linda, and two brothers, John and Phil. OK, lead us off, Ma:

on the citizenship of passengers, a practice the American Civil Liberties Union has opposed. “This sort of show-me-your-papers policing makes all of us less free,” Maine ACLU Legal Director Zachary Heiden said. “We shouldn’t have to carry our birth certificate or passport or otherwise prove our citizenship every time we board a bus.” One of the more chilling manifestations of Trump’s tyrannical tendencies was his suggestion at a fundraiser at his Mar-aLago resort that the U.S. might want to consider doing away with presidential term limits, as China did at the urging of Xi Jingping. “He’s now president for life. President for life,” enthused Trump. “No, he’s great. And look, he was able to do that. I think it’s great. Maybe we’ll have to give that a shot someday.” Maybe Trump was just kidding, but his high-roller supporters sure applauded the idea. The fact that the loyal opposition did not applaud his State of the Union Address led Trump to tell a crowd in Cincinnati that Democrats in Congress were guilty of treason. “Can we call that treason? Why not?” asked Trump. “I mean they certainly didn’t seem to love our country that much.” Love of country does not mean love of Trump. We all love our country. A lot of Americans just hate what Trump is doing to it.

“I respected the leadership of the civil rights movement. Dr. King, Whitney Young, Ralph Abernathy and Andrew Young struck me as educated men of character. Their level of discourse was measured and literary. And I knew enough of the situation of black people that I trusted these men to lead their just cause. They were also Christian men. That made a difference to me. “Contrast that with my lack of knowing who is leading the LGBT or Black Lives Matter groups. These movements seem amorphous. Where are they going? I have no reliable evidence of whether LGBT claims to mistreatment are real or reasonable or correctable. The poor choice of slogan – ‘Black Lives Matter’ – tends to elicit an automatic defense: ‘All Lives Matter.’ The title, “civil rights,” was less contentious – convincing in itself. “About guns, I just want to break into the discussion and ask what happened when we banned alcohol. My grandfather became an alcoholic during Prohibition. What has happened in society despite strong laws against heroin? It seems not to make a difference – it is available. What has happened in gun-free zones? Murders and terror. Laws do not come with any guarantee. The movement against guns doesn’t appear to acknowledge those facts.”


American Journal

www.keepMEcurrent.com

Thursday, April 19, 2018

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Film shines light on dark time in Maine Spring is here, at least in theory, and truth commissions. Chances are, the with it thoughts of fresh starts and new thing that comes to mind when you hear that phrase is South Africa. That was beginnings. In that vein, I am recommending every- where the first major truth commission was held, to unravel one go see “Dawnthe wrongs of apartland,” a movie that heid. Since then, is coming out this the structure has month. This isn’t been used in other an easy movie, to nations, as well as watch or to find, but by Heather D. Martin here in the U.S. it is well worth the The difference is effort. “Dawnland” will be released in cin- that usually a truth commission comes emas, and at festivals. It just pre- in after a major upheaval and civil unrest. miered at the Cleveland International The people involved all know what has Film Festival, and Camden Interna- happened, and why the commission is tional Film Festival (CIFF) is talking necessary. That is not the case in Maine. Maine’s TRC was established to invesabout it a great deal. You can find play times and locations through social tigate the illegal taking of native children media. As I say though, it won’t be easy by the state. The facts in the case are not being debated. The state confirms what to watch. “Dawnland” is a documentary that tells happened and its role in it. Most peothe story of some powerful and painful ple living here, however, do not know wrongs. The movie follows the work of this dark chapter in our history, why it the Maine-Wabanaki Child Welfare Truth happened, how damaging it was, or how recently this happened. There is no ongoand Reconciliation Commission (TRC). In Maine, we are not that familiar with ing conversation about the lasting effects

Mainewhile

Diamon, from page 5 National Rifle Association. “There is one thing we don’t need here in Maine: the NRA,” Eves wrote in an op-ed published last month in the Portland Press Herald. “Stay out of our state. We don’t want you here. You’ve done enough. And we’ve had enough.” If you skipped that first sentence, you might think Eves was talking about welfare recipients or immigrants. The language used to attack these political crashtest dummies is always pretty similar. Other resemblances: Like poor people or refugees, the NRA isn’t to blame for Maine’s serious problems. And like the disadvantaged and displaced, the NRA isn’t particularly influential around here. Make no mistake, gun owners have a powerful presence at the State House through the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine. But SAM’s agenda differs significantly from the NRA’s, dealing with stuff like wildlife habitat and clean water, as well as guns. SAM doesn’t put much effort into fighting legislation banning bump stocks or large-capacity magazines, because those sorts of bills have nothing to do with hunting. The Gun Owners of Maine does carry some of the NRA’s water, but GOM’s focus is on personal protection and privacy. They mostly want state government to leave them alone. (The NRA does fund gun safety courses put on by local groups.) These organizations hardly justify Eves’ claim that, “If you’re a politician in Maine, one of the first things you learn is that you’re supposed to be careful about how you talk about guns. Come on too strong, and the gun lobby will come and get you.” Defiant words, except Eves is from southern Maine, where shooters have

little influence. His diatribe against the NRA will undoubtedly be negatively received in rural northern parts of the state, but nobody there is going to vote for Eves, anyway. In recent elections, the NRA has spent about $1.2 million on Maine political activities. Of that, $1.1 million went to defeat a poorly constructed referendum on background checks that would have required clearance by that system before someone could loan a rifle to a hunting companion. Contributions to candidates are limited, with the biggest beneficiary of NRA largesse being 2nd District GOP U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, who has received a total of $16,850 over the last couple of election cycles. No matter how you feel about “red-flag” laws, assault-weapon bans, waiting periods or requiring trigger locks with firearm purchases, the NRA has relatively little to do with whether such restrictions become law in Maine. Those decisions are made by Mainers, many of whom are gun owners and some of whom are NRA members. These people are no more responsible than the rest of us for the state’s problems with its economy, infrastructure or human-services bureaucracy. Making them cardboard-cutout villains in the gubernatorial campaign, as Eves is trying to do, is pointless. And it’s petty politics at its worst.

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if intergenerational trauma or systemic racism. The goal of the TRC was to increase public awareness, give voice to those who were harmed, and work towards healing. The movie follows the people and communities involved, and begins to fully tell the story. I would be remiss if I did not disclose that I have a vested interest in this project. I served on the TRC for the first year. Owning my role in this project is a double-edged issue. I am both enormously proud of the work, and also enormously ashamed. Here’s where it gets really tricky to talk about, because in talking about my work, I am replicating where I went wrong in the first place, like the Celtic snake eating its own tail. It is difficult to examine and take apart one’s own privilege without accidentally making that the center of the conversation. Which it shouldn’t be. That’s sort of the point. So I disclose my relationship, and return to the topic. “Dawnland” is powerful. The filmmakers worked closely with the tribal com-

munities of Maine and with the TRC. They were in the room, cameras rolling, for a lot of painful conversations. They captured grief and agony, joy and celebration. Watching the film, you are witness to the grief of losing family and culture, of growing up being told that who you were was not allowed. The film also reveals the brave and visionary work being done to reclaim self and home. All of us are called to pay attention and bear witness. We are all called to begin the hard and uncomfortable work of examining our own lives and assumptions. We are all called to engage in learning how to be better neighbors and repair the wrongs here at home. Chances are you will leave this movie with more questions than answers. Nothing about the issue is easy, or simple. However, chances are you will also leave this movie wiser, more aware, and deeply inspired. I hope that we as a state, and as a nation, do what must be done and begin the hard work of righting these wrongs, within ourselves and our communities.


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Thursday, April 19, 2018

American Journal


American Journal

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Thursday, April 19, 2018

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Gorham Notes

page 9

rlowell@keepmecurrent.com

Milestone birthday

Wilde play on USM stage

Church benefit concert

Albert Erlon Mosher, who still actively farms his landmark home at Mosher’s Corner in Gorham, was feted for his 90th birthday by family, friends and former employees on April 7 with an open house. The sixth generation of his family at Long View Farm, Mosher drives tractors and other equipment, harvesting hay on the 160-acre farm. He once kept a herd of Holstein cows but retired from dairy farming about 30 years ago. Mosher is the father of three and has several grandchildren. His ancestor, Daniel Mosher, settled in 1738 in Gorham, then a wilderness known as Narragansett No. 7. A forebear bought the present land in 1770 and the Mosher home was built in 1810.

The Theatre Department at the University of Southern Maine opens several performances of the play “The Importance of Being Earnest” at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 20, at Russell Hall on the Gorham campus. David Harris directs the play by Oscar Wilde. Other show times and dates are 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 21; 5 p.m., Sunday, April 22, and Wednesday, April 25; 7:30 p.m., Thursday, April 26; 10 a.m.,Friday, April 27 (school matinees for grades 6 and up); 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 27, and Saturday, April 28; and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 29. Tickets are $16; $8, students; and $12, seniors, faculty, staff and alumni. The box office can be reached at 780-5151 or visit usm.maine.edu/theatre.

The West Gorham Union Church, 190 Ossipee Trail, will host a benefit concert, “Let Music Lift You,” by Erica Brown & the Bluegrass Connection, 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, April 29, at the church. The concert will raise funds to install an elevator for handicapped accessibility to the church’s Fellowship Hall. The fundraiser includes a quilt raffle and refreshments will be served. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 the day of the concert. Advance tickets are available at Eventbrite.com or after services at the church.

Local longtime farmer Albert Mosher recently celebrated his 90th birthday with family and friends. Courtesy photo

Robert Lowell 854-2577

Cote water district VP Guy Cote of Westbrook was elected vice president of the Portland Water District’s board of trustees at its March meeting and is second in command behind William Lunt of Falmouth, who was elected president. Cote has served on the board since 2009, including a stint as president. Cote Cote is president of Sevee & Maher Engineers, where he has worked for more than 30 years.

Church appointments The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland announced Monday that The Rev. Steven G. Cartwright has been appointed parochial vicar of St. Anne Parish in Gorham, which includes St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Westbrook; Our Lady of Sebago, Sebago; and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Windham. He succeeds The Rev. Michael J. Seavey, who has been appointed parochial vicar of St. Michael Parish with churches in Augusta, Gardiner, Hallowell, Whitefield and Winthrop. Cartwright now serves as parochial vicar of Prince of Peace Parish with churches in Lewiston, Lisbon Falls and Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Sabattus, which includes a church in Greene. The appointments are effective June 29.

Spring Harbor nationally accredited Spring Harbor Hospital of Westbrook on April 12 announced it has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Behavioral Health Care Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance

Westbrook Notes

with its performance standards. “The Gold Seal of Approval is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective care,” according to press release by the hospital. Surveyors spent four days in March conducting an unannounced, rigorous onsite survey. “During the review, compliance with behavioral health care standards related to several areas, including care, treatment, and services; environment of care; leadership; and screening procedures for the early detection of imminent harm was evaluated. Onsite observations and interviews also were conducted.” The hospital press release said results of the final accreditation report were outstanding.

U.S. taxpayer debt The Bureau of the Fiscal Service reported on April 12 that the U.S. public debt was $21,062,482,347,576.05.

rlowell@keepmecurrent.com

Several Westbrook High School students participated in the state science fair hosted on March 24 at Thomas College in Waterville. From left are Sam LaRose, Gavin Wallace, Allie Bramble, Tyler Brackett, Brad Wallace, Kaitryn Pitt, Lily Webber and Danielle Sliger. Courtesy photo

Poetry reminder

Lowry’s Lodge is hosting an open reading for National Poetry Month at 7 p.m on Saturday, April 21, at Contin-

uum for Creativity, 863 Main St., Westbrook. The event includes light fare and a $4 donation is suggested.

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American Journal

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Westbrook Police Notes Arrests Gregory P. Meserve, 43, of Quimby Avenue in Westbrook on April 2 on charges of disorderly conduct (offensive words or gestures), aggravated assault and refusal to submit to arrest or detention (with physical force) and Danielle Wright, 34, of Quimby Avenue in Westbrook, on charges of assault, obstructing government administration, refusal to submit to arrest or detention (with physical force) and disorderly conduct (offensive words or gestures) on Quimby Avenue. Shona Barrett, 48, of North Street in Westbrook, on April 3 on charges of disorderly conduct (loud unreasonable noise), violating bail condition of release and criminal mischief on Main Street. Robert E. Mains, 54, of Cumberland Street in Westbrook, on April 4 on a charge of operating while under the influence (alcohol) on Westbrook Arterial. Michael James Boucher, 62, of Tandberg Trail in Windham, on April 6 on charges of operating while license is suspended or revoked and refusing to give correct name, address or date of birth near Brackett Street and Pennell Street. Devin R. Jeselskis, 17, of Hampshire Street in Auburn, on April 6 on a charge of operating while under the influence (drugs or combo) on Larrabee Road. Kabir Geiger, 39, of Portland, on April 8 on a charge of unlawful possession of a scheduled drug on Burnham Street. Jason Alan Trickett, 47, of Brown Street in Westbrook, on April 8 on a charge of violating condition of release and Kabir Geiger, 39, of Portland on a charge of unlawful possession of a scheduled drug on Brown Street. Mychal J. Rudolph, 35, of Portland, on April 9 on charges of unlawful possession

of scheduled drug and violating condition of release on Bridgton Road. Daniel R. Chesley, 28, of Hidden Acres in Oxford, on April 10 on charges of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence (drugs or combination), two counts of violating condition of release, unlawful possession of scheduled drug and operating a motor vehicle without a license on Lincoln Street. Lucille Maeve Dundon, 18, of Stonegate Road in Cape Elizabeth on April 12 on charges of operating while under the influence (alcohol), operating without a license and unlawful possession of a scheduled drug near Bridgton Road and East Bridge Street. Robert E. Blake, 43, of Kimball Corner Drive in Sebago, on April 12 on charges of violating condition of release and unlawful possession of scheduled drug on Hannaford Drive. Aria A. Pomerleau, 22, of Saco Street in Westbrook, on April 13 on a charge of unlawful taking or transfer on Hannaford Drive. Raymond C. Zimmerman, 33, of Lewis Road in Georgetown, on April 14 on a charge of operating while under the influence (alcohol) near Main Street and Forest Street. Joseph R. Ranco, 52, of Mayfield Drive in Westbrook, on April 14 on a charge of operating while under the influence (alcohol) on Bridgton Road. Summonses Travis N. Laudeman, 30, of Blue Spruce Farm Road in Westbrook, on April 2 on a charge of operating with suspended registration near Spring Street and Allen Avenue. Andrew Paul Patterson, 26, of River Street in Westbrook, on April 2 on a charge

of operating without a license (resident more than 90 days) near Main Street and Colonial Road. Hailey M. Savage, 21, of Old Orchard Road in Saco, on April 2 on a charge of operating a motor vehicle while license is suspended or revoked (operating after suspension) near Larrabee Road and Main Street. Beth K. Gomberg, 26, of Congress Street in Portland on April 2 on a charge of failure to register a motor vehicle (more than 150 days) near Larrabee Road and Terminal Street. Jason T. Rickett, 34, of Paige Street in Gorham, on April 2 on a charge of operating an unregistered motor vehicle (more than 150 days) on new Gorham Road. Rockan Abdulla, 39, of East Valentine Street in Westbrook, on April 2 on a charge of assault on Bridgton Road. Donald Blair Alward, 40, of Lincoln Street in Westbrook, on April 3 on a charge of operating while license is suspended or revoked (operating after suspension) near Cumberland Street and Warren Avenue. Shannon M. Beote, 21, of Red Oak Drive in South Portland, on April 3 on a charge of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer on Main Street. Brendan J. Rizza, 39, of North Gorham Road in Gorham, on April 4 on a charge of attaching false plates near Thomas Drive and Spring Street. Keith A. Geary, 55, of Puritan Drive in Westbrook, on April 4 on a charge of operating while license is suspended or revoked (operating after suspension) on Park Road. Jeremiah W. Spaulding, 40, of Duck Pond Road in Westbrook, on April 4 on the charge of operating an unregistered motor vehicle (more than 150 days).

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Christina Reed, 27, of Myrtle Street in Westbrook, on April 5 on a charge of operating with a suspended registration near Main Street and Mechanic Street. Tashya C. Townsend, 36, of Teri Circle, on April 6 on a charge of aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs on Prospect Street. Jesse J. Taylor, 36, of Conant Street in Westbrook, on April 6 on a charge of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer on Hannaford Drive. Anthony B. Carnignan, 22, of Haskell Street in Westbrook, on April 8 on a charge of operating an unregistered motor vehicle (more than 150 days) on Larrabee Road. Elizabeth Theresa Farley, 51, of Everett Circle in Westbrook, on April 8 on a charge of unlawful possession of a scheduled drug on Bridgton Road. Margaro Vazquez-Rivera, 43, of South Portland, on April 9 on a charge of operating with a suspended registration near Main Street and Forest Street. Ghaith Alhamdani, 22, of Seavey Street in Westbrook, on April 9 on a charge of attaching false plates near Frest Street and Cottage Street. Jennifer M. Hoover, 48, of Knight Street in Westbrook, on April 10 on a charge of operating an unregistered motor vehicle (more than 150 days) near Bridge Street and Walker Street. Leah M. Wood, 39, of Longfellow Street in Westbrook, on April 11 on a charge of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer on Hannaford Drive. Jessica Ann Newton, 34, of Froswick Avenue in South Portland, on April 11 on a charge of unlawful possession of scheduled drug on Forest Avenue in Portland. Nathaniel Ross Brooks, 29, of Poland Springs Road in Casco, on April 12 on a charge of operating while license is suspended or revoked (operating after suspension) near Cumberland Street and Park Road. Dana Fox Geyer, 25, of Northeast Road in Standish, on April 13 on a charge of failure to obtain a driver’s license on East Bridge Street. A juvenile, 15, on April 13 on a charge of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer on Main Street. Barbara A. Gallant, 36, of Granite Street in Biddeford, on April 14 on a charge of theft by taking or transfer on Main Street.


American Journal

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Thursday, April 19, 2018

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Sports

Rams drop season-opener on the road By Adam Birt SACO — The Rams fell behind early at Thorton Academy on Friday evening, April 13, and continued to trail as the four quarters unfolded. Gorham showed a diverse attack — six different players scored for the team, including Chris Tucker with two — but simply couldn’t keep pace with the Trojans in the end. At the final the score was 16-7. “Execution cost us,” Rams head coach Clayton Jones said, echoing a common refrain among coaches at the outset of any season. “But also the fact that everything’s new this year. I came in late; they’re new to me, I’m new to them,” said Jones, who just recently took over the reins at Gorham. “The offense is new, the defense is new. When you’re starting from scratch, it’s going to take a while to get up to speed.” Thorton Academy opened the scoring just over two minutes in Noah Edborg hurled one past Rams netminder Joe Hepler from low on the left side for an auspicious Trojans start. 22 seconds later, Tucker Weeks made it 2-0 from high on the same side. Weeks’s shot actually pelted Hepler square in the body. Somehow though, the ball rode its last trickle over the line. Jack Webb tallied TA’s third (at 7:23) before Gorham finally got on the board. Ben Nault did the Rams’ first honors: Lingering just out front of Trojans goalie Seth Fournier, Nault picked up a feed from outside, turned and pulled the trigger — a bounce shot for 3-1. Hepler recorded a couple nice Gorham saves in the ensuing minutes, but Edborg also managed a second strike, beating Rams defender Cole Perreault on the left side to find the back of the net and 4-1. Not long after, Tucker responded. 4-2. Jones elaborated a bit on Gorham’s rebuilding process. “Any time you get a new coach, there’s new terminology, you want guys in different places, stuff like that. The biggest new factor is they’re getting used to me as a coach, and I’m learning them, learning who does what well and what their styles are. So we probably won’t be using everybody as effectively as we can until the end of the season.” Thornton kicked off the second quarter with another run — this one bigger still than their first-quarter push. CJ Labreck notched, as did Edborg (three times) and Webb, leading to 9-2. “I’d say it was about 50-50, offense and defense,” Jones said, asked which aspect of the game cost his boys the most. “We had some great opportunities that we missed,

Gorhamite Cole Perreault defends against TA intruder Jack Webb.

Gorhamite Chris Tucker clashes with Thornton opponent Ean Patry. Staff photos by Adam Birt we had some non-opportunities we tried to get, and those cost us possessions. And when (TA) has a lot more possessions, they’re going to score more goals.” Finally, the Rams got back on their hooves and refocused a bit. Gorham defended ably for the remainder of the stretch, and earned two more of their own: Cooper Lyons capped a long, nimble Rams possession with an inside goal (assisted by Jake Dupuis), and Connor Doherty crashed the left side of the TA net for 9-4.

When the sides returned from halftime, the Trojans once again took the field looking dominant. Thornton battered Rams keeper Giuseppe Brown, now between the pipes in place of Hepler, for four more in the first five minutes of the third. Gorham, across the entire quarter, just couldn’t settle into an effective attack pattern and thus managed nary a point. Jones remarked on the Rams’ change in netminders: “The plan right from the start was: each of them plays a half,” he said.

“They’re both really good goalies, both juniors. They both earned the right to do that.” Indeed, as Hepler had, Brown also logged a handful of pretty saves against TA’s heavy pressure. Still, his efforts wouldn’t suffice to save the day. The Rams reversed their start-of-quarter fortunes in the fourth, picking up the stretch’s first three: Colby Gould added one, Tucker another and Dupuis yet another over the course of eight strong minutes for the team. TA, though, controlled the end of the game, matching Gorham’s trio with a trio of their own and closing the action at 16-7. “We had a lot of jitters, a lot of nerves, early on,” Jones said of his boys’ turning the tables on the Trojans early in the last quarter. “[Thornton] won the beginning of the first quarter, they won the beginning of the second quarter. And that was really the difference at halftime. Then they came out and won the beginning of the third quarter. So it was pretty obvious what my speech was going to be after the third quarter: ‘That’s where we’re losing it. We’ve got to come out and be intense from the start.” “I literally told them, ‘We have to win this quarter; I don’t care what the score is,’” Jones said. “And they did, which is good. We executed some things we’d been trying to execute all game long, and it finally came together in the fourth quarter. That’s probably going to be indicative of our season as a whole: getting together at the end.” Doherty and Dupuis finished with two assists each for Gorham, while Tucker and Nault each added one. The Rams picked up 28 ground balls total (10 in the first, six in the second, five in the third and seven in the fourth). They went four-and-four on clear attempts in the first, a mere 50 percent, but improved as they settled down, going 7-3 in the second, 5-2 in the third and 5-0 in the fourth. Similarly, while Gorham couldn’t capitalize on their man-advantage chances in any of the first three quarters, they did so on their lone such opportunity in the fourth. They hashed 19 shots (5-6-3-5), and faceoff man Ben Smith won half, 13, of his battles at centerfield. Hepler recorded six saves and Brown 13. Happily, the Rams played clean ball, picking up just three penalties. Gorham, now 0-1, faces off on the 19th at Kennebunk, themselves 0-1 after suffering a 13-3 defeat to Falmouth on Friday. Adam Birt can be reached at abirt@keepmecurrent.com. Follow him on Twitter: @ CurrentSportsME


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Sports

Thursday, April 19, 2018

American Journal

Westbrook’s Post to play lacrosse at St. Mike’s By Adam Birt WESTBROOK—Blue Blazes senior Captain Grayson Post signed a National Letter of Intent on Tuesday evening, April 17 to attend St. Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont beginning in the fall of this year, and take to the lacrosse field for the school beginning in the spring of 2019. “My goal was always to play lacrosse in a Division II program or higher,” Post said, “I’m very lucky to be realizing this dream at such a highly-regarded school as St. Mike’s.” Post is the first-ever Westbrook lacrosse player to sign on at either a DI or a DII school, according to his father, Greg. It’s hardly surprising Post is making the transition to a college program; he and lacrosse go way back, and he’s consistently been an offensive leader. “I’ve been playing lacrosse since my seventh grade year at Westbrook Middle School,” he said. “(Coach Pete Lyons) has been my coach all but one of those years, my freshman year. I do play year round with several club teams – Maine Mussels, Dirigo, 207 Lacrosse and Southern Maine River Rats – and have played with some outstanding players and for some

Westbrook senior boys’ lacrosse captain Grayson Post poses with his national letter of intent. He’ll join the St. Mike’s men’s lacrosse squad next year. Courtesy photo really great coaching staffs.” Lyons is currently the head coach at Westbrook High School. Josh Plowman, now coaching at Lake Region High School, held the position when Post was a freshman. Post likes St. Michael’s for a number of rea-

sons. For one, he enjoys the greater Burlington area; beyond that, however, he immediately felt, when he visited, like he fit among the staff and other players. “I did two overnight stays, attended their prospect camp in October, and their ‘Committed Players Day’ in February. They made me feel right at home and like a part of the team,” he said. Moreover, the men’s lacrosse team is looking stronger and strong every day, and Post wants to be a part of the team’s coming success. “They’re a lacrosse program on the rise,” he said. “This is (head coach Alex Smith’s) first season there after being at Colorado State and he’s awesome. I can’t wait to learn from him and (Assistant Coach Sean Curtin).” Put squarely on the spot – asked directly to identify his strengths and weaknesses as a lacrosse player, Post was very frank. “I believe that my strengths are my field awareness, my size and toughness and my work ethic,” he said. “I’ve also been influenced by a lot of great people – my coaches, and one teammate in particular, Ryan Shackley. He’s a great friend who’s been by my side playing sports with me almost my whole life. I think we make a great duo and we’ve always pushed each other to get better.”

“As for weaknesses,” he continued, “I need to work on my speed and agility, moving without the ball, and recognizing situations much quicker.” “Grayson is the type of kid we love to recruit – he’s hard-working, humble, and his attitude and personality will be a great addition to our locker room,” Smith said. “On the field, his ability to make the right play behind the goal and shoot the lights out gives him the opportunity to come in and make an immediate impact. We are excited to see how he develops this spring and in the coming years!” Post plans to major in business administration, and minor in data science. He’s already dabbling in college academics. “I’ve also been enrolled in the St. Mike’s ‘First Class’ program this spring. It allows high school seniors the chance to enroll early and learn what taking a college course is like. I’m currently taking the Personal Financial Planning class. It’s helped me get my feet wet before arriving to campus this fall.” Post maintains a snappy web presence at http://www.graysonpostsports.com/. Adam Birt can be reached at abirt@keepmecurrent.com. Follow him on Twitter: @CurrentSportsME

USM slides past St. Joe’s for 7th win in a row By Adam Birt GORHAM—Midway through USM’s bout with visiting St. Joe’s on Thursday, April 12, Husky Dylan Hapworth (Winslow, Maine) broke a 3-3 deadlock with a two-run homer, handing his boys the last lead-change of the game. The home team tallied one more in the eighth to ultimately top the Monks 6-3. The win, USM’s seventh in a row, bumped the team to 14-6. St. Joe’s, meanwhile, slipped on the loss to 16-7. Those are two great records, but longtime Huskies head coach Ed Flaherty, however, was more worried about his guys’ efforts than the group in the other dugout. “I didn’t expect anything leading into game,” he said. “I have only ever cared about how my team has done. I never worry about our opponent. To me, the game is only one of many nonLeague games we need to win.”

For St. Joe’s head coach Will Sanborn, on the other hand, it’s important not to let an opponent as dangerous as the Huskies out of your sight for too long. “We always expect a tough test when playing USM,” he said. “They always have strong teams and this year is not different.” The first inning passed scorelessly, but USM dashed to a 2-0 lead in the second, scoring on a single by Anthony Degifico (South Portland, Maine) and a St. Joe’s outfield error. St. Joe’s hashed a pair of runs in the third to tie things up. Joey Murphy (Derry, New Hampshire) and Anthony DiPrizio (Rochester, New Hampshire) cranked out doubles for the 2-1 notch, and Will Martin (Arlington, Massachusetts) sac-flied to bring DiPrizio home again to tie the score 2-2. USM inched ahead again in the third, but St. Joe’s responded in kind, come the fourth. Final-

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ly, in the fifth, Hapworth grabbed the momentum for the Huskies. St. Joe’s would never recover. “Certainly Hapworth’s homerun was the difference,” Flaherty said. “I wanted a lead, getting to the sixth, because our bullpen had been doing so well.” “In the fifth we just made a couple of mistakes that they took advantage of,” Sanborn said. “That’s baseball – making sure you don’t make mistakes that the other team can take advantage of, and then having an ability to take advantage of the opportunities you are given. We just came out on the short end of that equation today.” Jared Gagne (Dover, New Hampshire) went 1-5 for St. Joe’s, kicking in one RBI; Murphy likewise finished 1-5, with one run. DiPrizio finished 1-3, with one run and one RBI; Martin 1-3 with one RBI; Noah McDaniel (Eliot, Maine) 2-4; Jacob White (Salem, New Hampshire) 1-3, Luke Johnson (East Hampton, Connecticut) 1-3; Kevin Aylward (East Bridgewater, Massachusetts) 1-1 and Chris Gerossie (Chester, New Hampshire) 1-1 with a run. Jake Dexter (Oakland, Maine) went 2-4 for USM, contributing two runs and an RBI; Hapworth 1-3 with one run and two RBIs; Devin Warren (Smithfield, Maine) 2-3 with one RBI; Andrew Hillier (Bangor, Maine) 1-3 with one run; Andrew Olszak (Danvers, Massachusetts) 1-4; Jason Komulainen (Gorham, Maine) 2-3 with a double and a run and Degifico 2-3 with an RBI. St. Joe’s ran a trio of pitchers through their eight innings: starter Travis Godbout (Portland, Maine; L, 3-1), Jonathan Marchia (Chicopee, Massachusetts) and Josh Partridge (Deerfield, New Hampshire).

USM tapped five different guys for stints on the mound: starter Josh Joy (Smithfield, Maine), Colton Lawrence (Farmington, Maine; W, 3-0), Henry Curran (South Portland, Maine), Tanner Laberge (Windham, Maine) and Dexter (Sv, 8). Asked which of his guys played particularly well, Flaherty nodded again to his pitching staff. “As I said, the bullpen has been performing well.” Asked specifically about Komulainen, who’s had a standout first season, Flaherty offered further praise: “Komulainen’s been doing real well for a frosh. He has a good future.” Given the chance, Sanborn likewise applauded a couple of his athletes. “Our shortstop, Joey Murphy, continues to have an excellent year both offensively and defensively. He has been very consistent for us. Jonathan Marchia pitched well, kept us in the game, and is really coming on,” he said. USM extended their win streak to nine with a pair of victories over Western Connecticut State on Friday April 13. Their luck came to an end on Tuesday April 17, however, when they fell to the University of Massachusetts Boston 4-3 in 11 innings, a road loss. The Huskies are currently 16-7. They hosted Endicott on Wednesday, April 18, and welcomed Babson the following afternoon. St. Joe’s has picked up three further victories since their defeat at USM: two at home versus Anna Maria and one on the road at Endicott. Now 18-8, the Monks are slated to travel to Lasell on Friday, April 20. St. Joe’s athletics homepage is at www. gomonks.com. USM’s is at www.southernmainehuskies.com. Adam Birt can be reached at abirt@keepmecurrent.com. Follow him on Twitter: @CurrentSportsME


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School budget, from page 1 and the projected $354,000 increase for staff health and dental benefits and asked if such an increase is typical, or expected moving forward. “The biggest cost to the budget is always employees. Is there any way to get that number down or is that the cost of doing business and educating our children?” Chau asked. “With a city our size, with the staff our size, it is about just under $1 million to just turn the page (from one school year to the next),” Lancia said. Lancia said without quality teachers and staff, Westbrook’s schools wouldn’t be the schools they are. “Education is a people business. Education is a social science. The most significant impact that a child can have is the relationship with the teachers and staff that work directly with them. That increases achievement. That increases engagement,” Lancia responded. “We really value the fact that we wrap a lot of support around our kids in a lot of ways.” Chau also questioned the need for another technology upgrade. “We spent a half million on laptops last year and we are asking for $98,000 more for more computers. The half million was not enough?” he asked.

From the front page

Lancia said the technology upgrade last year was originally for 900 computers, but was pared down and this new request makes up for some of the ground lost. Brendan Rielly, council president, wondered, with the request for an additional social worker, what the school district does to help those at risk emotionally or for substance abuse. “When a student is identified as at risk, we pull out all the stops,” Lancia said. “Our administrators, our counselors, our social workers are kind of like first responders. They reach out to students. They take care of their immediate needs, they ensure their safety and work with the family to determine what the next step is and sometimes that next step includes resources outside of the school, but first steps are resources within.” Within the school district, there are fulltime guidance counselors and social workers at each of the schools, as well as a college and career counselor and substance abuse counselor at the high school. Much of the work the social worker does at the high school, Lancia said, is with students on individualized education plans. The additional social worker at the high school, if the position is funded, would help to provide services to all students. The district also has contracts with Woodfords Family Services, Spurwink and Sweetser for social

Thursday, April 19, 2018

services and works closely with the police department to address issues that may be popping up at home, as well with the Westbrook Children’s Project, a United Way of Greater Portland initiative. The district is also looking to increase and improve social and emotional learning within the schools. “I am happy to live here and have a school department that really cares about the students, finance committee Chairwoman Anna Turcotte, a Ward 5 representative, said. Council Vice President John O’Hara asked Lancia if he felt the security improvement requests in the proposed capital improvement budget plan would address the security concerns over the next four years. Lancia said the school department has engaged a consultant from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s office to audit school safety, first at the high school, and in time, at all the schools. “As the years go on, we might need to budget for certain things. Saccarappa will be well taken care of after next year when the new building opens. The middle school will be upgraded as part of its renovation. As the assessments, the audits, are done at the other schools, our needs may become more specific,” Lancia said. O’Hara said the security improvements are “prudent and need to be done,”

Gorham, from page 1 means taxes on a property valued at $250,000 would rise an additional $387. The School Committee OK’ed the measure 6-1, with Bill Benson opposed. Benson objected to the budget process and advocated for some decisions on capital improvement items. The proposal now goes to the Town Council and will be discussed in a joint workshop meeting with School Committee members May 15. The Town Council will vote on the spending plan June 5, when it will have the authority to reduce the budget, but can’t dictate what cuts should be made. Benson said the committee has work to do in the years ahead, and School Committee member Kyle Currier agreed the board needed “some gauge as where we should be.” Currier cited the town’s growing student population and the need for teachers and facilities. “I’m supporting the budget,” Currier said. “It’s what we need this year.” Superintendent Heather Perry previously attributed the budget increase to a jump in student enrollment and rising costs. The budget reflects more than $900,000 in additional funds this year to just meet the status quo, according to Perry. She also expects student enrollment to grow to 2,800 next year from 2,724 now. Only three residents of more than 13,000 registered Gorham voters spoke from the public podium about the budget before the School Committee voted. James Means of Beatrice Drive asked

The Gorham School Committee passed a budget last week that will result in a substantial increase in school taxes if passed by the Town Council and Gorham voters. Staff photo by Robert Lowell the School Committee to practice a year of austerity and cited the impact of tax increases on the town’s businesses. Means urged the School Committee last week to “say no” on its proposed budget. “This is a death knell to businesses in Gorham,” Means said. “We were focused on what’s best for the kids,” School Committee member Dennis Libby said before last week’s vote. “I think we’re meeting needs of our kids.” Janet Kuech of Narragansett Street, an educational tech in the Gorham school district, favored the budget. “I’m here to speak for the children,” Kuech said. Andy Levesque of Route 25 said he’s semi-retired. “I’m all for children, but at what expense,” Levesque told the School Committee. “I hope you haven’t made a decision on this budget yet.” But last week’s School Committee budget approval is only half the story.

page 13

but wondered who would manage the upgrades after they are put in place. “In this day and age, it is a monster. It is a never-ending challenge. It’s a never-ending money pit,” O’Hara said of security, something he has to deal with all the time at his job at the Portland International Jetport. “Who is going to manage this monster? It is going to continue to grow. It is not going to shrink.” “I hope when you look into your crystal ball there is a manager in there somewhere, because this is a system that needs to be managed and managed effectively, if it is going to work,” O’Hara said before requesting the matter of security and the school budget to be placed on the finance committee’s revisit list, which will be discussed after the council meeting Monday. With the city finance review of the school budget underway, the council’s first reading of the total city budget, which includes both municipal and school spending, is set for Monday, April 30, with second reading and adoption Monday, May 7. Voters will weigh in on the budget Tuesday, June 12. Michael Kelley can be reached at 781-3661 x 125 or mkelley@keepmecurrent.com

School Committee member Jennifer Whitehead hoped the Town Council would approve the school’s proposal. “As the town grows, the needs grow,” said School Committee member Kate Livingston. However, Means said in a telephone comment this week, “This kind of tax rate is unreasonable, unsustainable and harms Gorham in the long run.” Voters will have final say, after the Town Council sends the school budget to a validation referendum on Tuesday, June 12. Robert Lowell can be reached at 8542577 or rlowell@keepmecurrent.com

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Thursday, April 19, 2018

Jeanette (Bridgham) Knight, 85, passed away Saturday April 7, 2018, after a brief illness. Jeanette was born in Westbrook on June 4th 1932, the daughter of Judge Wade L. Bridgham and Ruth (Blake) Bridgham. She attended Westbrook schools and graduated from Westbrook High School class of 1950 where she also wrote the class ode. Jeanette was a former member of the Westbrook Congregational Church where she sang in the choir. She attended Gorham State Teachers College from 1951-1952. She then decided she would rather do office work instead of teaching. She was employed by Blue Cross-Blue Shield for several years in the transfer department and then as a secretary to the Director of Enrollment. In the sixties she went to work at Weyerhaeuser Company in Westbrook in the customer service department for a few years. During this time she had 3 sons: Daniel Rice born in 1960, William Rice born in 1962 and James Rice born in 1971. She was remarried in 1974 to Gerald R. Knight, “The love of her life” whom she had met at Weyerhaeuser and was married to for 35 loving years. She enjoyed her six grandchildren, 3 girls and 3 boys. She loved flea markets, garage sales and Marden’s, as well as Goodwill. She also loved dogs and had many through the years. She was predeceased by her parents, her older brother Wade Jr. who was killed in World War II; another brother William who died in 2010; her husband Gerald who died on September 18, 2009. She was predeceased by sisterin-law Barbara Bridgham of Georgetown, also sister- in-law Betty Knight of Surry, Me. Survivors are sons Daniel Rice of Dartmouth, Mass., William Rice and partner Reinette Buzzell of Buxton and James Rice of Old Orchard Beach. She is also survived by niece Betsy Bridgham and partner Steve Cossaboom of Denmark, Me. and her nephew William Bridgham Jr. and partner Connie Jackson of Durham. Grandchildren are Jessica Rice of South Portland, Melissa Rice and partner Kevin Wescott of Gray, ME, Jenna Rice of Greensboro, NC and Zachary Rice of Dartmouth, MA, Dustin Andrews of Gorham and Travis Rice of Old Orchard. She is also survived by her former daughter- in-law Kate Lampron who has been thoughtful and a wonderful friend through the years. Also, many thanks to niece Sheryle Towle and husband Mike of Gorham for assistanceMany thanks to Gerald’s step-sons Carl Croce and wife Donna and Louis Croce and wife Carmel for their love and kindness through all these years. “Special” thanks to her son Jim who’s lived with Jeanette and was her “loving” caretaker for the last few years. Special thanks to the Wardwell Assisted Living of Saco. Those wishing to remember Jeanette may donate to the following; Animal Refuge League of Westbrook, Gorham rescue unit, The Wardwell of Saco, Gosnell Hospice House of Scarborough, or Southern Maine Medical Center of Biddeford. To express condolences or to participate in Jeanette’s online tribute please visit www.DolbyBlaisSegee.com

From the front page

American Journal

Dog’s Life, from page 1 cue has helped find homes for more than 1,000 dogs and cats. “It was emotional for us. It was a mixture of inspiring and heartbreak at the same time. We treat animals much different here. They are treasured as pets. A lot of the animals there have been just left and abandoned,” Roth said. Roth said in a span of one hour, the group found three different mothers with litters. Those dogs, she said, will be placed in foster care and vaccinated before coming to Westbrook for adoption. “What we learned pretty quickly is that there are hundreds, if not thousands of animals that have been abandoned in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Puerto Rico has always had an overpopulation of dogs, but it became worse after the hurricane,” Roth said. Twig Mowatt, vice president and co-founder of All Sato Rescue, said culturally, dogs are treated much differently in Puerto Rico than they are on the mainland. “People will get a new puppy that is cute, but once they grow up and aren’t as cute anymore, or a dog gets pregnant and they don’t want the puppies, they abandon the dogs. There are sites all over the island that are used as dumping sites. At beaches and construction sites, it happens a lot. Shelters on the island have high euthanasia rates. They don’t adopt like we do here,” said Mowatt, who lives outside Boston. “They see shelters as a place for euthanasia.” The plight of dogs, Mowatt said, became much worse after Hurricane Maria, which hit the island in September, forcing many families to relocate, oftentimes without their pet. “The hurricane really decimated the stray population. Most didn’t survive. What happened was when the hurricane hit, Puerto Rico was destroyed. People left their homes, left their offices, left their jobs. There is very little economic vitality left,” Mowatt said, adding in her 15 years working in animal rescue in Puerto Rico, she has never seen a situation this bad. Mowatt said the relationship All Sato Rescue has with the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, as well as other organizations it works with, including Coastal Humane Society in Brunswick, the Humane Society in Waterville and Tall Tails Beagle Rescue in Freeport, is so important. “We love bringing dogs to Maine. You guys

Lincoln Price, a volunteer with the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, stops to pet some dogs during a trip to Puerto Rico earlier this month. The number of dogs who have been abandoned and live on the streets has increased dramatically since Hurricane Maria hit the island last September. The Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland is working to help find some of these dogs a new home in Maine. Courtesy photo are great dog owners,” she said. Mowatt said as a Portland native, the partnership with the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland “has a real special place in my heart.” Following the four-day visit, the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland team brought back 10 dogs that were ready for adoption and, following an adoption event Saturday, April 14, all but two had found homes as of Monday. People began lining up that morning at 3 a.m. to view the new Puerto Rican dogs. “People tend to line up early, but that is earlier than normal. People knew we had animals from Puerto Rico and were excited to help the partnership we have with All Sato,” Roth said. The remaining two, as of Monday morning, include Hazelnut, a 5-year-old energetic and social mixed breed that has three legs, and Byron, a 3-year-old mixed breed that is outgoing and goofy, but deaf. Roth said there is a “great community” of people in the area who are looking to adopt a sato (the slang term for stray mutt) because “they are so social and have a great temperament.” “We know we can find homes here (for the

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sato dogs), so we try to accept a wide variety of dogs,” Roth said. Roth said the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland accepts a group of dogs from All Sato Rescue weekly throughout the fall, winter and spring. “This partnership saves so many lives because these are really adoptable dogs once we pick them up off the streets and nurse them and get them healthy,” Mowatt said. “The dogs we rescue, particularly from Puerto Rico, are all very social. That is because they are used to a lot of people feeding them and are used to being around animals. What we hear from adopters is, they make wonderful companions. In Puerto Rico, they don’t have that opportunity like they do here in greater Portland,” Roth said. While finding new homes for the Puerto Rican dogs certainly helps the stray dog situation on the island, Mowatt said the only way to reverse the overpopulation problem is the make sure dogs are spayed or neutered. All Sato Rescue works with the Humane Society of Puerto Rico and individual dog owners to get that work done. Mowatt said the Humane Society of the United States is starting a new spay and neuter campaign in June and will be visiting “areas of the island that don’t typically get served.” This will be the first time doctors from the mainland will come to Puerto Rico for spaying and neutering. Dogs from Puerto Rico are just some of the dogs the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland has found homes for over the past year. Roth said in 2017, more than 4,000 animals were adopted through the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, including 1,400 dogs. Adopters, she noted, came from all across the state and even from New Hampshire and Massachusetts. While the partnership with All Sato Rescue has been going on for five years, Roth said the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland’s first priority is to find new homes for animals in the Maine communities it serves. Michael Kelley can be reached at 781-3661 x 125 or mkelley@keepmecurrent.com


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American Journal

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Looking Back April 21, 1993 Scott Paper Co. announced in Philadelphia yesterday that it is taking the Westbrook Warren mill off the market. Hope spread among S.D. Warren paper mill workers this week that Scott is ready to invest again in its Westbrook mill. The most hope is focused on the mill’s pressure-sensitive operation. All its production comes from one big coating machine. The division is said to need a new, smaller coater that will give it more flexibility to meet special needs in the market. A brief trip to Gorham turned into a big loss for a 19-year-old Spanish visitor this month. Jose Frias, who was in town visiting exchange student Pablo Pelayo, lost his wallet during the stay. Police Chief Ed Tolan said the gray cloth wallet with Spanish identification and $1,000 in American cash was last seen by Frias at Cumberland Farms on the evening of April 7. He noticed the wallet missing the next day at Gorham High School. “It was definitely not stolen.” Hopefully, someone will find it and be honest and turn it in,” Tolan said. Westbrook Superintendent of Schools Edward Connolly used his emergency powers, he said, to hire a new staff person to take charge of emotionally disturbed children at Prides Corner School. The School Committee approved the job Wednesday and hired Timothy Gillis. Prides Corner is one of two Westbrook schools for kindergarten and grades 1 and 2. The other, Saccarappa, already has a room for disturbed children. Moving the Prides Corner children to Saccarappa would have overcrowded that room, which has 16 children. Eastbound cars could not turn left into McDonald’s, and westbound cars could not turn left into Sherwin Williams and Northeast Tree of Westbrook’s Main Street location if median changes being

Dr. Albert D’Arche, a well-known physician, occupied this house at 782 Main St. at the corner of Spring Street for many years. The house was eventually purchased by the Chevron Oil Company and demolished to make way for a service station. The business eventually became a Humphrey Farms Store. C.N. Brown Company purchased the business and opened a Big Apple Store. The old building was demolished several years ago and a new Big Apple Store was built on the site. Mike Sanphy Collection considered for a $3.9 million expansion of Lee Dodge-Hyundai go through. Lee does not favor closing the median break because of its cost to other businesses. But the state “would support” it and the City Council has asked the Public Safety Committee to study it. Lee wants to build a 14,000-square-foot auto body shop to open this fall and wants a three-year city approval for two future expansions, totaling 43,000 square feet, of its showroom and offices. Lee owns about 14 acres on the south side of Main Street. When hundreds of people walked to

various Habitat for Humanity fundraising events earlier this month, 82-yearold Hazel Lunt of Gorham marched right along, too. The 10-mile Gorham trek took her less than four hours to complete. “People tried to discourage me because of my age, although they were too polite to say that,” she said. Lunt, who lives at 44 College Ave., walks an average of four to five miles a week. David and Cecile Slater, 44 Valley View Drive, Gorham, assisted by neighbors Tom and Noreen Casciani, hosted the fourth annual Easter egg hunt at Fort

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CROSSWORD

page 17

HOROSCOPES ARIES Ð Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, you may have to admit that the master plan you have set up has a few flaws. You donÕt have to abandon it, just modify. These modifications may be relatively simple. TAURUS Ð Apr 21/May 21 Pisces, you may think that you have missed an important opportunity, but donÕt get too worried just yet. With a few new strategies, you can regain your momentum. GEMINI Ð May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, you may be easily swayed this week by someone who is smooth-talking. Figure out if this person can be believed or not, but give them a chance.

CLUES ACROSS 1. Maintained possession of 5. Dropsy 10. Type of music 12. One who is deliberately cruel 14. 411 16. Rhode Island 18. Follows sigma 19. Baked dessert 20. Craftsman 22. Austrian river 23. Distributed 25. Close 26. Midway between east and southeast 27. Thunderstorm code 28. Where wrestlers work 30. Away from (prefix) 31. Canadian law enforcers 33. Shade 35. Sir Samuel __, Brit. statesman 37. Della __, singer

38. Existing in fact 40. Tennis matches have at least two 41. Reunifying Chinese dynasty 42. Not just ÒplayÓ 44. Angry 45. Photomultiplier tube 48. Slovenly person 50. __ and Diu 52. Cologne 53. What actors deliver 55. Campaigned 56. Cash machine 57. Spanish be 58. Animal that eats insects 63. Colonists who supported the British 65. Loved 66. A pair of people who live together 67. Work tools

CLUES DOWN 1. Kilogram force (abbr.) 2. Your consciousness of your own identity 3. Score 4. A way to modify 5. Respect 6. Midwife 7. Region near the Dead Sea 8. __ Gerais: gold-rich state of Brazil 9. Equally 10. Monetary units 11. The mentioning of things one by one 13. Traveling entertainers 15. Small island 17. A way to sing 18. __-bo: form of exercise 21. ÒThe BardÓ 23. The best player 24. Male parent

27. Harm the reputation of 29. Allow for the tare of 32. Grand __: wine classification 34. Soak 35. Bother 36. Ophthalmologist 39. Preceded 40. __ Francisco, California 43. Touch gently 44. Lithuanian given name 46. Matched 47. Stomach 49. Mother of all gods in ScotsÕ Celtic mythology 51. Partner to cheese 54. Fit of irritation 59. Visit 60. Suffragist Wells 61. Swearing to the truth of a statement 62. Old Red Sandstone 64. Sacred Hindu syllable

CANCER Ð Jun 22/Jul 22 You may find yourself in a position where you can take on a leadership role, Cancer. Do not hesitate to jump onboard because this can be just whatÕs

needed for your career. LEO Ð Jul 23/Aug 23

tasks at hand. The ball is in your court.

Responsibilities will soon be easier to handle, Leo. Not because the tasks are less difficult, but because you have more people on your side helping you out.

SAGITTARIUS Ð Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, you are on the move this week, but it is best to have a plan and not leave things to chance. Look ahead to all the possible scenarios that have the potential to trip you up.

VIRGO Ð Aug 24/Sept 22 Planning a vacation can be almost as fun as traveling, Virgo. When someone asks for your help drawing up a travel itinerary, put all of your effort into the task. LIBRA Ð Sept 23/Oct 23 Some sort of breakthrough in your life is soon to become a reality, Libra. It may be a financial windfall or a new job opportunity. Keep your eyes open to any and all possibilities. SCORPIO Ð Oct 24/Nov 22 You can achieve great things this week, Scorpio. Ultimately, your accomplishments depend on how much you can focus on the

CAPRICORN Ð Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, it is easy to get carried away with an idea. Just do not mistake obsession for focus. You need to pace yourself if you are going to be effective. AQUARIUS Ð Jan 21/Feb 18 You may need to postpone something you had hoped to finish this week, Aquarius. As long as it does not get pushed too far onto the back burner you should be fine. PISCES Ð Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, a setback of some kind may occur this week. DonÕt get too worried just yet. Adversity can be a learning experience.

WORD SEARCH (Makes & Models) ACCORD ASTON MARTIN AUSTIN AVALON BEETLE BMW CHEVROLET CORVETTE DAEWOO DESOTO DUESENBERG EDSEL FERRARI FORD HONDA JEEP JENSEN KIA LAGONDA

WORD SCRAMBLE Rearrange the letters to spell something pertaining to Cars

LEXUS LINCOLN LOTUS MERCEDES BENZ MINI PACKARD PANTHER PILOT RAMBLER ROVER SAAB SCION SHELBY STUDEBAKER SUBARU TOYOTA VOLKSWAGEN WRANGLER

SUDOKU

T L G I S H

SOLUTIONS (from last week)

Word Scramble Solution: SWINGS

Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!


page 18

American Journal

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Spring

Home Improvement

Suggestions when shopping for fencing

Fences can improve functionality of a yard and provide extra security and privacy. Some fences are decorative while others are functional. Families with children and/or companion animals also may find fencing is a necessity to keep everyone safe and corralled. With a vast array of fencing materials available, homeowners may find it challenging to decide which material is right for their properties. The following breakdown can help homeowners learn more about fencing and potentially point them in the right direction regarding which material to choose for their properties.

Budget Budget is one of the first considerations many homeowners have when installing fencing. Pricing will affect whether one can afford a chain link fence (one of the most budget-friendly options), wrought iron or ornate wood (more expensive). Pricing out several different types of fences will give homeowners an idea of which material fits into their budgets.

Purpose Homeowners install fencing for various reasons. If a fence is an ornamental way to delineate property lines, a picket

fence or a post-and-rail fence are simple options that can lend a homey feel to a property. These types of fences also can enhance and frame landscaping elements, such as gardens. In many area, laws require homeowners to install fencing around swimming pools. In such instances, chain link fencing that does not obstruct views of the pool might be the best choice. If security or privacy is the main desire, tall fences that make it difficult for neighbors to see into the yard may make an ideal choice.

Restrictions It is important to understand local

regulations before installing fencing. Communities governed by homeowners’ associations may have rules in place that dictate the type of fences that can be installed. Townships and other municipalities may have their own rules concerning fence type, property borders, fence height, and other factors that will have to be adhered to so that fencing will meet code. If such rules are not following fines may be imposed and the fence may have to be removed. Homeowners also may need permits to install fencing, whether they are hiring a contractor or doing the work themselves.

Maintenance

NO Closing Costs

3 4 5 year Fixed

49 . %

APR1

Home Improvement Debt Consolidation Vacation Planning

NO Annual Fee

15 year Fixed

99 . %

APR1

Apply Online 24/7

or call 221-5000

Lines of Credit also available

1 APR - Annual Percentage Rate as of 4/2/18. Rates subject to change without notice. 5 year-90% loan-to-value. 15 year-80% loan-to-value. Primary residence / owner-occupied properties. 60% loan-to-value on second and vacation homes. Not available on condominiums. Property hazard insurance is required. Estimated monthly payment: 5 year loan at 3.49% = $18.19 per $1,000, 15 year loan at 4.99% = $7.90 per $1,000. This credit union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration.

Consumer resource Angie’s List advises homeowners to consider maintenance before choosing a fencing material. Wooden fencing requires the most maintenance due to painting and staining. Aluminum or vinyl fencing requires less maintenance, but it can be harder to repair isolated damage or replace pickets, if necessary. In some instances, the entire fence may have to be replaced. Homeowners install fencing for many different reasons. Considering price, budget, purpose, and maintenance before making a decision regarding fencing can help homeowners make the best decision possible. — Metro Creative


American Journal

www.keepMEcurrent.com

Thursday, April 19, 2018

page 19

Choosing materials for decking Choosing materials for decking

Composite

Warm weather often gives rise to thoughts about spending time in the great outdoors. Decks can expand outdoor living spaces, making them popular home additions. However, when it comes time to map out a deck building plan, individuals may be unsure as to which deck material will meet their needs. Wood and composite decks are among the most popular choices today, and the popularity of aluminum is growing steadily.

Wood Wood is a versatile and attractive decking material. According to the wood resource Real Cedar, some people think that wood is too expensive and requires too much maintenance. In fact, domestic softwoods can be very cost-effective decking options. According to Remodeling Magazine’s “Cost vs. Value” report, wood decks retain considerable resale value. In terms of maintenance, choosing a rot-resistant wood can result in less maintenance. Durable woods include cedar and redwood. Popular Mechanics says both species contain tannins and oils that make them naturally resistant to decay, rot and voracious insects. Periodic cleaning and inspection/repairs will be needed, but wood can be much more durable than people may think.

Composite decking and its close cousin, plastic lumber, are some of the fastest-growing decking materials on the market. Many products are made from polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride. Some composites will be comprised of recycled plastic and wood fibers to create a weather- and stain-resistant material that doesn’t warp, rot or splinter. Composite manufacturers continually experiment with manufacturing processes to duplicate the look of natural wood grain. Homeowners are often drawn to composite decking because such decks require little maintenance. These decks do not need to be sanded, stained or refinished. However, mold and mildew can grow in shady, damp areas, so homeowners must realize that these products are not completely maintenance-free.

Aluminum Although aluminum decks are not seen that often, there are reasons why this decking material is becoming more popular. According to LockDry¨, a manufacturer of aluminum decking materials, power-coated aluminum does not need to be replaced due to rotting, cracking or warped boards. Most planks have interlocking edges that create gap-free, watertight decks. Aluminum also has the advan-

tage of being a very strong but lightweight material. Some people may think that aluminum decks would be hot underfoot, but the material actually stays cooler in the sun because of its heat-dissipation properties.

For those who have green goals in mind, aluminum is totally recyclable. Various decking materials can meet the look, price point and maintenance level homeowners desire. — Metro Creative

STERLING

INSECT/LAWN CONTROL, INC.

★ ORGANIC BASED FERTILIZER ★ PHOSPHATE FREE ★

• MOSQUITO and TICK control • Grub control • Fertilization • Aeration & overseeding • Organic programs available Locally Owned and Operated since 1974 (We are not a franchise or large out-of-state company)

643 Main Street, Gorham, ME (207) 767-5555

MAINE TOLL FREE 1-800-854-BUGS

IS YOUR MOWER READY TO MOW? Call us – we’ll come to you!

Spring Tune Up Specials Push Mowers

$74.95*

Garden Tractors

$134.95*

10% off

Lawn Tractors

$124.95*

We’ll change oil and filter, fuel filter, air filter, and spark plug. We’ll inspect all guards and safety devices, drive belts, crankshafts, transmission operation and wheels We’ll sharpen blades, clean under deck and test run engine. Lawn & Garden Tractors also include: test PTO, check engine RPMs, fluids,battery voltage, tire pressure, deck level and lights.

APPLIANCE PARTS

Service call fee waived for all appointments! *Plus Parts Specials expire 4/30/18

(In-store consumer items only)

NOW SERVICING THE L/A AREA!

207-856-0130


1 page 20

American Journal

Thursday, April 19, 2018

CLASSIFIEDS

keepMEclassified.com keepMEclassified.com BEAUTY

BUY IT. SELL IT. RENT IT. FIND IT. IT.

BEAUTY

Organic Beauty Salon in Westbrook has space for rent for a stylist, nail tech or other wellness professional. All practitioners have individual rooms providing its guests with a relaxing one-on-one experience. In addition to your own private room, the space offers plenty of parking & easy accessibility, a roomy common waiting area, restroom, break room and washer & dryer.

For more information, contact Ruthie at (207) 415-4611.

BUSINESS SERVICES

FIREWOOD

HR MAINE CONSULTING

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

Part-Time Cleaner Wanted in Yarmouth Mon. Tues. & Wed evenings. Experience preferred.

CLASSIFIEDS

Please call: 329-8958 FMI

Submit your ad today and see results tomorrow!

WANTED

Betsy Oulton, AIC, SHRM-CP

Contractors

Comprehensive Human Resource Services for Businesses and Municipalities

For ramps, doorway widening, grab bars, and kitchen or bathroom modifications

www.hrmaineconsulting.com hrmeconsulting@maine.rr.com

*Celebrating 32 years in business*

207-615-4284

Cut/Split/Delivered Quality Hardwood

CLEANING

$225 Green $280 Seasoned $355 Kiln Dried

“I DON’T CUT CORNERS. I CLEAN THEM!”

Additional fees may apply

353-4043

www.reedsfirewood.com

Call Susan: 513-6508

HEALTH Openings in ongoing, weekly support groups:

CO-ED Intimacy.

Stephen Andrew 773-9724 (#3) SLIDING FEE

The American Journal and Lakes Region Weekly

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

YARMOUTH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT School Nutrition Worker School Year Position 15 hrs. per week, 10:30-1:30 $15.13 per hour Interested candidates need to submit a letter of interest, support staff application, resume, and one letter of recommendation to Andrew R. Dolloff, Ph.D., Superintendent, Yarmouth School Department, 101 McCartney Street, Yarmouth, ME 04096. Support staff applications can be found at www.yarmouthschools.org

Work must meet ADA/State/Local construction standards

Email wsp@eimsp.org or call Lori at 207-513-3724 www.seniorsplus.org/contractor-info

Visa/MC accepted • Wood stacking available

Professional cleaner with 25 years of experience. Excellent references and competitive rates.

WORK!

Contact us at: 781-3661

HELP WANTED PART-TIME YARD ATTENDENT CASCO/NAPLES BULKY WASTE APPROXIMATELY 30 HOURS A WEEK WORKING WEEKENDS IS REQUIRED AN APPLICATION CAN BE PICKED UP AT THE BULKY WASTE OFFICE 449 LEACH HILL ROAD CASCO, MAINE 04015 cnbw@fairpoint.net 207-627-7585

PetScripts Pharmacy Full Time Technician Very fast paced challenging nontraditional pharmacy Job will focus on all aspects of pharmacy business with concentration on lab work Candidate must have excellent math and computer skills, be detail oriented, have a strong work ethic and great customer service skills Be able to manage multiple task with extreme accuracy 40 hour per week, no work on holidays, paid vacation and holidays We will train the right person Resumes and Questions to stevehauke@aol.com

Delivery Independent Contractor The Forecaster Group is seeking an independent contractor for the responsibility of delivering weekly newspapers and/ or monthly magazines in the Portland/ South Portland area. Interested individuals should be self-motivated and able to work independently. A valid Maine driver’s license with a good driving record and a reliable vehicle are required. Individual should possess good customer service skills and be physically able to lift at least 20 lbs. Experience in delivery of print products is preferred but not required. We offer the following: • Potential to earn $100-$300 per week working part-time (1-3 days) • Option to work selective daytime hours • Work independently, be your own boss! • Great chance to get some exercise • Reliable transportation, active auto insurance and a valid Maine license is required An independent contractor agreement is also required.

If interested please contact Mark Hews at 207.887.1193 or email mhews@keepmecurrent.com

MAINTENANCE POSITIONS AVAILABLE A Maine manufacturer since 1968, Nichols Portland has been dedicated to designing, manufacturing, and selling high quality powdered metal components and pumping products. We are growing and looking for self-motivated individuals to join our team. *Earn a $300 sign-on bonus!

Electricians and Mechanics needed on all 3 Shifts Electricians: Troubleshoot and repair electrical/electronic and programmable equipment and machine controls Mechanics: Troubleshoot and repair mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment We offer a competitive starting hourly rate, 15% premium for evening shifts, a comprehensive benefits package, quarterly profit sharing bonus, 401(k), educational reimbursement and more! If you are interested in joining our team and to view our current positions and shifts available, apply at www.jobsinme.com. *Payable after 6 months of employment Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V


2 American Journal

www.keepMEcurrent.com

Thursday, April 19, 2018

page 21

CLASSIFIEDS

keepMEclassified.com keepMEclassified.com

BUY IT. SELL IT. RENT IT. FIND IT. IT. LAWN & GARDEN

PAINTING

SERVICES OFFERED

D. P. GAGNON

PAINTING & REMODELING

BOB’S ODD JOBS

LAWN CARE & LANDSCAPING We specialize in residential and commercial property maintenance and pride ourselves on our customer service and 1-on-1 interaction. SERVICES

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

Night Press Operator

Sun Journal The Pressroom department is seeking a full-time, dependable press operator to work as part of a team during our night production operation. We are looking for an individual who wants to grow within our organization. Applicants should have mechanical ability and basic computer knowledge. Candidates may be responsible for the operation and maintenance of offset press, pre-press and related equipment, to include printing of the daily newspaper and commercial work. Candidates will be responsible for newsprint handling, from unloading of trailers to preparing the newsprint rolls for use. We are a fast-paced, 7 days a week operation. Shift hours may vary depending on print schedule, with days off on a rotating schedule. A comprehensive benefit package is included. Pay commensurate with experience. Please forward cover letter and resume to:

Sun Journal Attn: Human Resources PO Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400 Or email: humanresources@sunjournal.com Sun Journal is a division of the Sun Media Group

Contact us at: 781-3661

• Leaf and Brush Removal • Bed Edging and Weeding • Tree Pruning/Hedge Clipping • Mulching • Lawn Mowing • Power Sweeping

Interior/Exterior Spray – Brush – Roll Free Estimate – Insured Call Hal: 391-0142

REAL ESTATE WANTED

• Painting • Yard Work • Gutters • Tree Work • Carpentry • Roofing • Masonry • Roof Shoveling

Call: 207-502-2257 Administrative Assistance Bookkeeping (Quick Books), Flyers, Invitations, Newsletters, Filing (archiving, organization), Mailings, Typing, Computer Assistance. Call Sal-U-tions 207-797-2617 www.salutions4u.com

Call or E-mail for Free Estimate (207) 926-5296

Looking to buy a Bungalow, Ranch or Cape in South Portland or Portland. Or looking for a lot to build one on. Replies will remain confidential.

dgagnonlandscaping@gmail.com

Call 650-7297

STUDENT SERVICES

ANZUREZ LANDSCAPE

SERVICES OFFERED

French Students Need Families

Mowing, Pruning, Mulching Spring & Fall Clean Up • 20 Years of Experience • Free Estimates 518-0486 Javier 518-1296 Leonel

LOPEZ LAWN CARE & LANDSCAPE SERVICES Mowing,Looking Mulching, ToGarden Serve Design and Weeding, Hedge Trimming, MoreComplete Customers This Season. Tree Service Free Estimates • Lower Rates Mowing, Mulching, Bed Edging Schedule Your Spring Clean Up Today

and Weeding, Hedge Trimming

Free Estimates • Lower Rates 207-331-7178 207-712-1678 Ài>ÌÊÀ>ÌiÃÊ Ê Ài>ÌÊÀiÃÕ ÌÃ! `ÛiÀÌ ÃiÊ The American Journal and Lakes Region Weekly

NOW for this Summer.

DANCE CLASSES Swing and Ballroom 6 week sessions Limington and Gorham.

FMI 209-0758 www.cmdans.org PortlandSpeech TherapyServices.com Accepting New Clients Adults & Children

Classes: Authentic Confident Voice, Accent Reduction, Stuttering Group

879-1886 portlandspeech@yahoo.com

Spanish Mentoring Native Spanish speaker available for Spanish instruction, practice and conversation. One-on-One, small groups and all ages welcome. Gallegosyadira@yahoo.com 207-632-0097

3 weeks July or August. Great cultural experience. Students bring own spending money/ insured. Compensation $150 weekly. Email LEC-Kim TODAY! facehill@comcast.net

PLEASE HELP!

Merci Beaucoup! www.lec-usa.com & www.lec.info

YARD SALES

Yard Sale

To benefit the Resident Assistance Fund Advance Sale ($10 admission): Friday, May 4th from 5pm-7pm Includes refreshments & tote bags Yard Sale: Saturday, May 5th from 9am-3pm Lunt Auditorium 74 Lunt Road, Falmouth

Classifieds Work! Call Today 781-3661

Editor

Editor

Bethel Citizen

The Franklin Journal

Are you a hands-on leader with a penchant for important, community journalism? Do you want to make a difference in people’s lives every week?

Are you a hands-on leader with a penchant for important, community journalism?

The Sun Media Group is looking for you! We are seeking a motivated, experienced editor to supervise news coverage for the Bethel Citizen newspaper in Oxford County, Maine. The editor would also work with other outlets in the ownership group to maximize resources and provide the best possible coverage to a loyal and passionate readership.

The Sun Media Group is looking for you! We are seeking a motivated, experienced editor to supervise news coverage for two weekly newspapers in Franklin County, Maine, out of our Farmington office. The editor would also work with other outlets in the ownership group to maximize resources and provide the best possible coverage to a loyal and passionate readership.

Candidates must possess strong writing, editing, photography and social media skills. Area coverage includes, but is not limited to local meetings, features, sports, school events, and police news. Some night and weekend work is required, as the news dictates.

Candidates must possess strong writing, editing, photography and social media skills. Area coverage includes, but is not limited to local meetings, features, sports, school events, and police news. Some night and weekend work is required, as the news dictates.

A comprehensive benefit package is included. If you are interested, please forward cover letter and resume to:

A comprehensive benefit package is included. If you are interested, please forward cover letter and resume to:

Sun Media Group Attn: Human Resources PO Box 4400, Lewiston, Me 04243-4400 Or email: humanresources@sunjournal.com

Sun Media Group Attn: Human Resources PO Box 4400, Lewiston, Me 04243-4400 Or email: humanresources@sunjournal.com

The Bethel Citizen is a division of Sun Media Group

The Franklin Journal is a division of Sun Media Group


page 22

American Journal

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Service Directory Need to find a business or service near you? Find it here in our weekly service directory.

Dave L Emery

207-939-0204

25 yrs experience

demery2@maine.rr.com

Emery Property Care LLC General Landscaping & Gardening Ornamental Tree & Shrub Pruning Stump Grinding Snowplowing

RUCK ROOFING

Specializing in Seamless Gutters

STUMP GRINDING Donald Littlefield

207-318-4407 stumpsgone.com

Prepare for a Great Career

Rubber Roofing

(207) 632-3742 (603) 531-9027

Roof Repair

Serving: ME/NH ruckroofing.com ruckseamlessgutters.com Email: billy@ruckseamlessgutters.com

Filling in the Blanks? •• Space Spaceplanning, planning,style, style, and andcolor colorconsultation consultation •• Selection Selectionofoffurnishings furnishings and window treatments and window treatments • For all of your needs • Whole Real estate house,staging whole room, or just some DIY guidance! design solutions for your lifestyle

www.CoastalMaineInteriors.com 357 Main Street, Yarmouth

Kim Connell 207.846.3312

HOST FAMILIES NEEDED FOR FRENCH TEENS THIS SUMMER! July 6th to July 26th or August 2nd to August 22nd

Asphalt Shingles BILL RUCK, OWNER

Need Help

University College University of Maine System

Copper Gutters

Call or visit to meet with an Advisor.

FREE ESTIMATES FULLY INSURED

UC at Bath/Brunswick UC at Saco (207) 442-7736 (207) 282-4111 learn.maine.edu/brunswick learn.maine.edu/saco

Bonjour! FRENCH TEENS WANT USA FRIENDSHIPS LEC (Loisirs Culture! A L’Etranger) is in need of families. Great cultural experience for the entire family.PS ilies. Compensation $150 weekly. Students bring spending money/insured. PLEASE HELP! www.LEC.USA.com & www.lec.info Call Kim TODAY! 508-763-3148 email: facehill@comcast.net Merci Beaucoup!

M A I N E C O A S TA L P R O T E C T I O N

Seawall and Bank Stabilization Solutions

www.mainecoastalprotection.com 415 - 3919

J. Korpaczewski & Son Asphalt Inc. • Driveways • Walkways • Roadways • Parking Lots • Repair Work • Recycled Asphalt/Gravel FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED

“Making Life Smoother!” “Your Full Service Paver”

No Payment Until We’re Done 100% SATISFACTION • FREE ESTIMATES Licensed-Bonded • Fully Insured

282-9990

Residential - Commercial

Driveways Parking Lots • Driveways • Parking Lots • •Private Roads • AsphaltPrivate RepairsRoads • Sealcoating • Asphalt Repairs Driveways • Hot RubberReclaim Crack Repairs www.ruckpaving.com

Free Estimates - Fully Insured

bob@ruckpaving.com

IF BOOKED BY APRIL 30 DRIVEWAYS • PARKING LOTS • SEALCOATING RECYCLED ASPHALT • RUBBERIZED CRACK FILLING “When prices are forgotten, quality is remembered” • Free Estimates

252-9821

pavinginportlandme.com

Ron Tozier: 838-7939 toziergroup@gmail.com www.toziergroup.net

TRACTOR WORK

Gravel Roads Maintenance and Repair, Field Mowing, Tilling, Clean Up Storm Damage, Blow-Downs, Brush Removal & More. Experienced, Insurance, References

Call: 370-8210

www.mainelypaving.com

10% Discount

•New Homes & Renovations •Barge Service/Island Work •Kitchen & Bath Remodels •Custom Cabinetry & Signage •Architectural Design

McLane Painting chris@mclanepainting.com (207) 331-9206

MULCH • LOAM

SAND • STONE

ORGANIC COMPOST

mclanepainting.com

BULK VOLUME AND SMALL QUANTITIES AVAILABLE

Interior and Exterior Fully Insured and Excellent References

www.rivErSiDErECyCLES.COM

RIVERSIDE RECYCLING 910 RIVERSIDE STREET PORTLAND

207.797.6200 DELIVERY AVAILABLE CALL FOR PRICING


American Journal

www.keepMEcurrent.com

page 23

Thursday, April 19, 2018

We Love To Eat Community meal - Thursday, April 19, noon, Westbrook-Warren Congregational Church, 810 Main St., Westbrook. Shepherd’s pie, $5. Free dinner - Thursday, April 19, 5:306:30 p.m., St. Peters Episcopal Church, 678 Washington St., Portland. Chowder luncheon – Friday, April 20, and every Friday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., North Deering Congregational Church, 1364 Washington Ave., Portland. Bowl of haddock chowder with crackers, $9; lobster roll lunch with chips, $10; cup of chowder, $6; combination lobster roll with cup of chowder, $13. All lunches include fresh baked bread, pickle, cookie and beverage.

Takeout available. Bean supper - Saturday, April 21, 5-6 p.m., Amvets Post 6, Route 100, New Gloucester. Two kinds of beans, brown bread, homemade biscuits, cole slaw, American chop suey and two tables of desserts. $8, $3. Bean supper - Saturday, April 21, 4 and 5 p.m., Edes Falls Community Center, 319 Edes Falls Road, Naples. To benefit maintenance of the one-room schoolhouse. Two kinds of beans, American chop suey, coleslaw, potato salad, Jello fruit salads, famous “pink stuff,” biscuits, several kinds of pies, pickles, and red hot dogs. $8, $3.50. Family-style roast beef dinner - Satur-

Service Directory

Need to find a business or service near you? Find it here in our weekly service directory.

day, April 21, 4-6 p.m., American Legion Post 26, 508 Elm St., Biddeford. Sponsored by Vietnam Veterans of Americas Chapter 1044 and the Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America to benefit veterans and their families. Roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, roll, coffee, juice and dessert, $10, $5. Take out available. Free meal - Wednesday, April 25, 5-6 p.m., Westbrook Community Center, 426 Bridge St. Sponsored in collaboration with Wayside Food programs and Trinity Lutheran Church. Handicapped-accessible and free parking. Spaghetti supper - Friday, April 27, 4:306:30 p.m., American Legion Hall, 17 Dunn

Design Through Nature Landscape Design and Construction Organic Fertilizing programs Organic Landscape Rejuvenation 233-3837 terralandscapes.org

St., Westbrook. Sponsored by Westbrook Lions Club. Homemade pies for dessert. $9, $5. Haddock supper - Saturday, April 28, 5 p.m., Living Waters Church, Parker Farm Road, Buxton. Suggested donation $8, $4; family, $20. Bean supper - Saturday, April 28, 5 p.m., First Congregational Church, Route 115, Gray. Beans, casseroles, salads, homemade breads and desserts, and beverages. $8, $4. Handicapped accessible. Nonprofit organizations that want to list public meals should email information 10 days in advance to rlowell@keepmecurrent.com.

DIRFY GENERATORS

Apply for a DIRFY Generator Credit Card

Automatic Generators Installed for Less Than $60/mo OAC (limited time) FREE

CONSULTATIONS

We have generators in stock, and in many cases can deliver the generator in less than a week.

1-800-287-9473 / 207-637-3346

dirfygenerators@yahoo.com • Dirfygenerators.com Pick up The Independent today to read our weekly articles about generator safety, installation and sizing

ICE IS RIGHT, LLC THE PR

Divorce • Bankruptcy Elder Law Personal Injury Foreclosure Defense

EXPERT TREE REMOVAL

KEVIN MARTELL LIMINGTON, ME (207)-749-1598

We can help. Call Today.

1.800.DIVORCE 207.846.7760

Shankman

FREE ESTIMATES

I WANT YOUR OLD VINYL

Cash Paid for Albums

207.899.2938

Licensed INSURED • FIREWOOD Arborist 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

F O I N O G R & S ’ R SIDIN E I P P G SA Professional Roofing Contractor Fully Insured • Free Estimates • Certified (W) 207-892-8367 (C) 207-671-8367

& Associates

• Siding & Decks • Carpentry • Remodeling • Tree Removal • Roofing All Year

JACK’S

PROPERTY SERVICE

207-577-3511

jackvallieres.home@yahoo.com

All major credit cards accepted.

• Snowplowing & Removal • Lawn Care • Garages • Additions • And Much More!

LEGAL CENTER

www.shankmanlegal.com

POWERCOM

KeytotheWorldTravel

Electric LLC

Meeting your current needs Commercial/Residential George McCallum Licensed and Insured 207-712-1598 geomac1455@gmail.com

Soils Analysis ▪ Wetlands Delineation ▪ Septic System Design ▪ HHE 200 Completion ▪

sebagotechnics . com • 207-200-2100 gary fullerton , css , lse • gfullerton @ sebagotechnics . com

your key to a magical vacation

Shauna Damboise Senior Agent

Your full service travel agent specializing in every planning and booking detail!

shauna.damboise@keytotheworldtravel.com | (207) 939–8230 www.keytotheworldtravelwithshauna.com

Northeast LaNdscapeCONTRACTORS desigN • Stonework • Retaining Walls • Plantings • Patios & Walkways • Granite Steps

RYAN ADDITON (207) 865-1700 (207) 576-7402

northeastlandscapedesign.com ryan@northeastlandscapedesign.com

• Erosion Control


page 24

American Journal

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Arts Calendar Poetry

Watercolorist Audrey Jordan

April 21 Lowry’s Lodge is hosting an open reading for National Poetry Month at 7 p.m. at Continuum for Creativity, 863 Main St., Westbrook.

Music April 21 Raymond Arts Alliance presents the SLUKES (Sebago Lake Ukulele Society) Earth Day Musical celebration and singalong at the Raymond Village Community Church, 27 Main St., Raymond. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., music begins at 7 p.m. Suggested donation is $5. There will be a short intermission with light refreshments.

May 12 Randy Judkins, nationally known comedian, magician and entertainer, and John Ulmer, local magician extraordinaire, presented by Raymond Arts Alliances at 7 p.m. at the Raymond Village Community Church, 27 Main St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; $10 donation suggested. Light refreshments will be served.

April 22 Sing-a-long with the SLUKES (Sebago Lake Ukulele Society) in celebration of Earth Day, 2 p.m. at the Arts Center, 8 Hancock Ave., Hiram. Hosted by the Friends of Soldiers Memorial Library, light refreshments included. Free admission. FMI 625-4650,smlhiram@gmail. com.

Theater April 20-22 “Harvey,” the invisible 6-foot rabbit, is making his stage debut at Schoolhouse Arts Center April 13-22. Performances are on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. A hilarious comedy for the whole family, join the mayhem at Schoolhouse Arts Center, 16 Richville Road (Route 114) in Standish. Make your reservations at www.schoolhousearts. org.

April 21 and 22 “Girl in Six Beats” will premiere Saturday, April 21, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 22, at 2 p.m. at Corthell Concert Hall,

Meadows Country Club, 59 Lewiston Road in Gray on Saturday, April 28. This action-packed, interactive whodunit will have dinner guests competing with other tables to figure out who the killer is and win the evening’s prize. Tickets are $38 and include dinner (choice of prime rib, chicken or stuffed shells). Money raised goes to the WCST’s scholarship and general improvement fund. Reservations are required at http://windhamtheater.org/ boxoffice.htm. Email questions to windhamcenterstagetheater@gmail.com.

The work of watercolorist Audrey Jordan will be hung throughout April at Gallery 302, 112 Main St. in Bridgton.

USM Gorham campus. The 30-minute opera is a saga of discovery for a teenage girl, whose feeling of voicelessness has prompted her to attempt to take her own life and was commissioned by Opera Maine and created in collaboration with The Telling Room. The show will travel to two local schools (home to some of the students who created the libretto), to be performed for their students.

April 20-29 “Educating Rita,” April 20-29 at 7:30 p.m. and April 22 at 2:30 p.m., Dana Packard Saco River Theater, 29 Salmon Falls Road, Bar Mills. Rita (Jennifer Porter), a witty and down-to-earth working-class hairdresser from Liverpool, in a courageous break for personal freedom, signs up for an adult education class and finds herself under the grudging tutelage of Frank (Dana Packard), a cynical, alcohol-

Exhibits Throughout April

ic English professor. Thursday, April 26 is pay-what-you-can. Tickets for adults are $20, seniors and students, $18. Reservations are advised: 929-5412 or www. sacorivertheatre.org.

Paintings by Audrey Jordan will be on display at Gallery 302, 112 Main St. in Bridgton. Impressionistic and abstract design form the basis of the watercolors. For more information, call 647-2787 or visit gallery 302.com.

April 20-29

April 21

“The Importance of Being Earnest” is Oscar Wilde’s most brilliant tour de force, a witty and buoyant comedy. Evening and matinee performances will be on the Main Stage, Russell Hall, USM Gorham campus, 24 University Way. Tickets are $8 students; $12 seniors, faculty, staff, alumni; $16 general public. For times and tickets: https://usm.maine.edu/theatre/ importance-being-earnest.

Maine Federation of Women’s Clubs District 1 Art Show at Westbrook-Warren Congregational Church, 810 Main St. In attendance will be the winning art students from Brunswick, Gorham, Research Club of Limerick, 21 Club of Kezar Falls, and Westbrook Woman’s Club. Judges will pick three top winners and their No. 1 selection will go to the state convention. A light lunch costing $10 per person will be served. For more information or lunch reservations, call Norma Manning at 6158831 by Saturday, April 14. Send events 10 days in advance to arts@keepmecurrent.com.

April 21 and 28 “Alibis,” mystery dinner theatre event presented by Windham Center Stage Theater at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 21; Spring

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