MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER
East End Business Focus On the Move with
Xpress Copy By Lisa Peñalver
XPress Copy is on the move again, and fortunately for those on the Hill, they’re staying close by. Located now at 100 Fore Street, the neighborhood copy shop has just come from around the corner, trading views of the Bay for a sunny exposure next to Hamilton Marine. When I spoke with Owner Philip Rhinelander, I could tell he is clearly thrilled with the new location – lots of parking, lots of sunlight, good neighbors, an optimal layout inside making for an even more efficient workflow. All along, Rhinelander has kept the XPress Copy focus on keeping customer service and print quality high, and taking deadlines very seriously, something everyone appreciates. Also, over time, their process has become very efficient; there is very little waste. Rhinelander says they have a huge selection of paper stocks from which to choose, and this new location should make it easier than ever to drop in and browse for the right fit. I asked Rhinelander how he came to land on Munjoy Hill. He noted Portland’s personality, its size, and the ocean, as all part of what made this an appealing choice. He came here in 1978, 32 years ago, to open a copy shop, convinced the city held promise for such a venture. The business started out at 88 Exchange Street, then after about 8 years moved to Free Street near the Civic Center, then in the early ’90s, XPress Copy settled on Munjoy Hill. Technology has marched on in his favor, with copy machines (he referred to the large-format Xerox machine they have) having evolved to the point that it is nearly impossible to distinguish from the high-quality copy and an offset print. I’ve come to know the folks at XPress copy mostly through the Observer – running over at the last minute to have drafts made for the Team to review. There’s a friendly, family-business feel to the place,
and it’s nice to see the same faces every time you go in (a number of the staff have been with XPress over twenty years). XPress Copy is one of the few print shops to offer a nonprofit discount – and it is significant, often 25% or more. Philip Rhinelander has a long history with nonprofits and the Arts; he had been a musician and professor of music at Middlebury College in Vermont for many years before shifting gears to open XPress Copy in Maine. He understands the challenges faced by nonprofit, so about ten years ago, he figured that if he could offer a discount similar to what he offered highvolume corporate clients, it would not only help out the nonprofit, but encourage other nonprofits to bring their jobs to XPress. It worked, though at the start he wasn’t so sure it would. Portland is a city with many nonprofit organizations. And Rhinelander discovered that the business from all these groups generated a substantial volume. Rhinelander was initially concerned that the corporate clients might be offended at nonprofits getting the same discounts they were getting, but, “curious thing was, the big corporations actually appreciated that XPress Copy was helping support non-profits. There isn’t a business out there who doesn’t support their own pet nonprofits.” There are now over 300 groups who have nonprofit accounts with XPress Copy. Rhinelander credits his relationship with the nonprofits of Portland with helping get the business through the recession. While the business can handle volumes as high as half a million copies, Philip Rhinelander is quick to encourage people to bring in their smaller quickcopy projects. “It makes it fun— we get to meet interesting people doing good work in the community,“ he remarked. XPress copy is located at 100 Fore Street and is open M-F , 7 am to 5 pm. FMI: 775-2444, www.xcopy.com
MUNJFEST is Coming!! Sunday, JULy 18 — Fun You won’t want to Miss! Second Book Release by East End Author For those who enjoyed James Hayman’s first suspense thriller, The Cutting, you should know that #2 in the Mike McCabe series, The Chill of Night, just launched the last week of June. The launch was helped along by excellent reviews in Publishers Weekly and Booklist and a starred (rave) review in Library Journal. According to Library Journal, “Hayman has penned an engrossing whodunit with a tenacious investigator, who luckily also happens to have the gift of a photographic memory. Highly recommended for readers of suspenseful, captivating mysteries with a cast of colorful yet believable characters.” Check it out at www.jameshaymanthrillers.com.
July 2010
13
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” ~Winston
Churchill
Portland Screening of film, THE PEOPLE inspired by Howard Zinn
SPEAK,
At the Community Television Network Studio, 516 Congress Street
July 14, 6:30 pm The People Speak gives voice to those who spoke up for social change throughout U.S. History, forging a nation from the bottom up with their insistence on equality and justice. Narrated by Howard Zinn, The People Speak illustrates the relevance of these passionate historical moments to our society today and reminds us never to take liberty for granted. The People Speak takes viewers on a journey from the founding of this country to the civil rights movement and beyond. The film weaves archival footage and interviews with musical and dramatic performances by actors and artists such as Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Viggo Mortensen, Bruce Springstein, John Legend, Eddie Vedder, and Danny Glover. The Academy Award-winning documentary short film, Witness to War ,will also be shown. The subject of the film, Charlie Clements, along with Robert Shatterly and members of Veterans for Peace, will facilitate the discussion after the film. Robert Shatterly’s paintings, Americans Who Tell the Truth, will be on display during the evening. For more information please contact Lesley MacVane 775-2900 ext.201. $5 suggested donation.
New Neighborhood Prosecutor Takes Aim at
Nuisance Crime By Lisa Peñalver This past winter, the Portland Police Department received grant funding for a Neighborhood Prosecutor position to devise strategies to reduce nuisance crimes in the area. After a lengthy search, Officer Trish McAllister was hired. She brings to the position a unique background: she was a code enforcement officer, has a law degree with several years experience focusing on land use and municipal law, and was a marine inspector with the United States Coast Guard. All of her previous positions make her well suited to this multi-faceted job. Her work will center on planning appropriate legal responses to areas of concern in the community to improve the quality of life for its residents. Trish has already been meeting with senior lead officers, community service coordinators and community leaders who are all anxious to start working together. Define “Nuisance Crime:” These include the maintenance of “disorderly houses” under the Portland City Code, public drunkenness public urination, loud parties, graffiti, vandalism; thought of as minor crimes that often fall through the cracks. What is a Neighborhood Prosecutor? This person is a police officer with specialized training in the laws and regulations which govern public behavior. This officer works with community policing, District Attorney’s office, local crime watch and neighborhood associations, etc. to come up with creative and strategic approaches to deter and prevent crimes that affect quality of life in a community. The area of focus is the greater Portland area. Officer McAllister has been meeting with local and
community groups who interact with the public to learn about the concerns they are having in their neighborhoods, to get a better sense of what problems to tackle first. What can the average citizen do if they see such crime? Call Dispatch at 874-8575, be specific as to where the incident is taking place; go visit your neighborhood policing center, stay safe. (See page 8 for a clip-n-save card with Police numbers to call). As an example, the officer herself came home one evening to find a large pickup partially blocking her a neighbor’s driveway. The owner, obviously drunk, was staggering around the street, yelling into his cell phone, then he headed back to sit in his vehicle- eventually to drive off. Her first reaction was, “Oh brother, I hope he leaves soon!” But then she thought, “No, I need to practice what I preach - this guy should NOT be on the road!” So she called dispatch and reported the situation. Her message is, if you see something in your neighborhood that seems threatening, dangerous, or makes you suspicious of criminal activity, don’t be afraid to call the police. There’s a house in my neighborhood where I KNOW drugs are being sold - Why don’t the police just shut it down? The Police may be collecting evidence and conducting operations that cannot be made public just yet. The Neighborhood Prosecutor is not authorized to bring a lawsuit against the owner of a “disorderly house” until there have been eight (8) reported cxomplaints about it in a 30-day period (to prevent people from being unfairly disturbed by police if it’s an isolated event). If your group is interested in having Officer Trish McAllister come speak with your group and discuss her role, you can call her at 756-8350.