May 2014 Munjoy Hill Observer

MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

1979 – 2014

M u n joy Hil l

OBSERVER 35

Profit Org1 MayNon 2014 US Postage

PAID

Portland, ME Permit No. 824

YEARS

FREE • Published by the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization • Vol. 34, No 4 • May 2014

Munjoy Hill’s ’80s Boom

By Matthew Kennedy “Gentrification.” It’s a word

often used to describe what’s happening on Munjoy Hill these days, sometimes uttered with untrammeled delight or with thinly veiled outrage, more often with some balance of cautious optimism and measured concern.

This equivocal term has been applied—positively and negatively —to specific development proposals and projects, as well as to the impacts that these projects, and other economic and demographic trends, may have on the character of the neighborhood. It may not be a simple topic, but it’s a timely one.

acter from the changes we see on the hill today; the differences provide a view into life on the Hill in 1979. Not to say there aren’t similarities. As Jim explained, just as Portland has been very “hot” over the past few years, garnering numerous awards of the “most livable” and “top ten” variety, and gaining significant coverage in the national press, Portland in 1979 had also “caught fire” as a great place to move, work and live.

The Founding of the MHNO Part 2

In last month’s article we touched on one of the issues that most drove neighborhood residents to found the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization in 1979: concern over the fate of the Hill’s four public schools.

A second driving concern, and one touched on often in my discussions with founding members and Hill residents Ned Chester and Barbara Vestal, and former Hill resident and founding President Jim Price, was gentrification.

Gentrification in 1979, however, was somewhat different in char-

The Hill was seen as attractive for many of the same, inherent reasons we love it today — proximity to the Prom and downtown, good housing stock, a cohesive sense of neighborhood. But one attraction from that period seems a long way, indeed, from the Hill of 2014: the low cost of housing, a product of the area’s general “undesirability.”

A series of Observer articles from 1980-1981 capture both the nature of the changes then underway and the nascent MHNO’s focus on this vital issue. An article from December, 1980, titled “Are We Being Priced Off the Hill?” begins with the question, “Are you going to be able to afford to live on Munjoy

Hill five years from now?”

The author (or authors; there is no byline) notes that Munjoy Hill seems to be undergoing a “much milder form of upward transition than ‘gentrification’,” as the term was then understood.

Rather than an infusion of middle- and upper-class buyers carrying out high-dollar makeovers, the new residents were largely “‘young professional’ types” (the term “yuppie” had not yet gained currency) and others investing “sweat equity” in bitby-bit renovations of somewhat degraded properties.

What might the future hold for Munjoy Hill?

A milder form of change, but was it necessarily a positive one? As is the case today, the author conceded there was no easy answer. The new residents fix up older properties; they add voices to the fight for improved city services; they make their own contribution to the neighborhood’s diversity. But in driving property values and rents higher, the same influx threatens economic displacement of longterm residents, thus threatening to degrade the neighborhood’s special character.

amine that question next month.

We are still looking for copies of the Observer prior to December 1980. If you have any of these early issues, we’d love to hear from you!

Were you involved with the MHNO in the early years? Do you have stories to tell? If so, we want to hear from you. Please email me at matthew.kennedy@ munjoyhill.org or call me at 207370-1446.

How did the MHNO address this challenge 35 years ago? We’ll ex-

work Begins on Munjoy Hill For Natural Gas Line UpgradE (See page 9 for details)

Neighborhood MTG

RE: Construction of 18 apartments at 134 Washington Ave. (See info, page 3)

It is from the promontory at Fort Sumner Park, on North Street, that our ‘Davy Crockett on Munjoy Hill,’ gazes west toward Back Cove. The photo, featured in the 2007 Blog for Strange Maine, reveals a 1955 glimpse of the northern edge of the Nissen Bakery, along with the tops of Linden and Larch Streets (left edge of the picture). Vintage image found online at Strange Maine , originally from the Portland Room archives of the Portland Public Library. SEE: http://strangemaine.blogspot.com/2008/06/city-has-ghoststreets-part-3-munjoy.html

In 2014, the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization celebrates its 35th birthday. The MHNO was incorporated as a non-profit on January 17, 1979. Over the past 35 years, the “Hill” has seen many changes, but the MHNO, lead by a volunteer Board of Directors, has been a constant and consistent presence in the neighborhood. The MHNO helps to build community and improve the quality of life for all those fortunate enough to call Munjoy Hill their home.

POTLUCK NIGHT at MHNO: Thursday,

May 22, 6:30-8:30 pm at the Hill House, 92 Congress.

Come one, come all! Very casual; bring a dish, or not.

Just drop in!

New Message Board at the MHNO! See the glass-

front display at the Hill House for all the latest news on Munjoy Hill. Check it out!

CALL For Submissions!!

Please, send us your ideas, commentary & stories!

Upcoming Themes: • Dogs-n-Cats • • Thrifting • • Quick Trips• • Hill History • Letters to the Editor •••

BUYING OR SELLING, THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR EXPERIENCE.

LOVE the city?

Own a piece of it!

151 Newbury St., Portland, Me 04101 • Cell 207.465.5569 • M arc c hadbourne . coM

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May 2014

MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

At the Helm The Munjoy Hill Observer is published by the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization (MHNO) 92 Congress Street Portland, Maine 04101 info@munjoyhill.org 207-775-3050 Editor: Lisa Peñalver

observer@munjoyhill.org (207) 272-5962 munjoyhill.org

Observer Committee Andrea Myhaver, Ross Fields, Tamera Edison, Caron Murray, Sarah Graulty, Lisa Peñalver

advertising Ross Fields Ross.Fields@munjoyhill.org (207) 233-4327 Tamera Edison tamera.edison@munjoyhill.org (207) 939-7998 Lisa Peñalver, Layout & Design Observer@munjoyhill.org (207) 272-5962 3,000 Circulation 8,000+ Readership About our paper The Munjoy Hill Observer is published by the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization (MHNO) as a service to its members and to the community as a whole, to inform Portland’s East End residents of local issues and events, and of the services that can be found here. The Observer serves as a vehicle to connect and inform our neighbors, while enlisting community partners to help us help those who need it most.

The Munjoy Hill Observer was first published in May of 1979. Circulation is 3000, distributed free in Portland at over 100 locations. Nearly 300 copies are mailed to current and former members of the MHNO.

MHNO Board 2013-14

Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization Andrea Myhaver, President.......................... . ......... andrea.myhaver@munjoyhill.org Ross Fields, Vice President............................ . ...................ross.fields@munjoyhill.org Elaine Mullin, Treasurer.................671-6132 . .............. elaine.mullin@munjoyhill.org Sam Cohen, Secretary.................................. . .................. sam.cohen@munjoyhill.org Ralph Carmona..............................518-9177 . ............ ralph.carmona@munjoyhill.org Sarah Graulty.............................................. . ..............sarah.graulty@munjoyhill.org Matthew Kennedy........................................ . ....... matthew.kennedy@munjoyhill.org Caron Murray.............................................. . ............. caron.murray@munjoyhill.org Thomas Kelley............................................. . ...........................................................

Joan Sheedy.................................. 774-7616 . .................... joaniesheedy@gmail.com Sean Ryan Turley......................................... . ................. sean.turley@munjoyhill.org

MHNO Mission

MHNO President, Andrea Myhaver

Are you hearing us?

I am always happily surprised when

I hear from people (besides my friends and family) who have read my column and enjoyed it. I love to write, but coming up with something new to write about every month can be a challenge, and I often wonder, “is anyone reading, anyway”? So, it’s nice to get the occasional, “hey, I liked what you wrote” email or mention in passing, because it reassures me that, yes, there ARE some people out there paying attention.

One of the reasons I wonder about who is reading, is because this column, like the rest of the Observer, is a primary way that the MHNO Board is able to share information and connect with our members and other residents in the neighborhood, and we’ve spent a fair amount of time lately, thinking about how to expand and improve upon our communication methods.

As we state on our website, under ‘purpose,’ The MHNO is a representative organization that provides leadership and voice for its members, and all Munjoy Hill residents, on

matters that build community and affect quality of life on Munjoy Hill.

Lately, it seems that carrying out this purpose is both more challenging and more crucial than it has ever been. All you have to do is open a current local magazine or newspaper, it seems, to learn how “hot” Munjoy Hill is these days. Development is on the rise, and keeping on top of all the potential changes, let alone figuring out how they will impact quality of life here on the Hill, and then disseminating that information to everyone with a stake in the matter (i.e. everyone who lives here or visits here) is beyond challenging. The MHNO Board is committed to doing it, though, and we’re always striving to do it better. Here are some things we’ve worked on recently: • Revived our Communications Committee.

updated twice a week!).

• Began a project to redesign our website.

We’re hoping to roll out our new website by summer’s end. The new site will be more interactive, vibrant, and timely.

• Finalized criteria and a process for evaluating future development on Munjoy Hill. We’ll be putting this new process to the test very soon with a couple of the proposed projects in the pipeline.

This list is just a sampling of the ways we’re trying to step up our game, and we’re not done yet. So stay tuned… and stay in touch.

• Stepped up our Facebook postings (watch for even more soon).

• Installed a letter board in our marquee outside of Hill House (Check it out! It’s

From the Editor, Lisa Peñalver

Look on the Bright Side I started writing my May column on a sunny Easter Day—a traditional time of symbolic rebirth. This concept makes an appearance across a spectrum of faiths; the tradition of seeing spring as a fresh start goes back to the beginnings of humankind.

I could really use a fresh start about now.

With winter reluctantly loosening its grip on Maine, I am feeling the lingering effects of the cold, bleak days, combined with ominous developments on the political, environmental and international fronts; it’s taken a toll on my otherwise upbeat outlook. An optimist at heart, I nevertheless must admit that “I see the bad moon rising” (Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising Lyrics) What to do, what to do?

For one thing, I think I need to take a break from Facebook and get out into the real world, something I did on April 12, when I joined the volunteers who helped pick up the trash from the East End and the Eastern Prom. I notice that when I look around to the people who are actively involved with the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization, I see good, smart people who are working hard to make the world a better place. It does my heart good.

I have to believe that there are folks like these in every corner of the country, and that, regardless of what ills befall our De-

mocracy, that the creativity, ingenuity and enthusiasm of the people of this country will eventually prevail in restoring the promise of our American ideals.

I am thinking about the recent Supreme Court Rulings which have opened the floodgates to ungodly amounts of money into our political process. (If you thought the barrage of political ads before an election was distasteful before, look out now!)

We are going to have to rise to the challenge of reclaiming our country from nameless wealth. It’s up to us to defend ideals listed in the Declaration of Independence: • democracy • rights • liberty • opportunity, and • equality.

Joining your neighborhood organization is a good place to start, as is joining our new Food Coop (see page 9), supporting the Public Library and the schools...

The good news is, we can take some important steps right away. Will you join me?

As outlined in the “How to Build Community” Poster (How to Build Community, text by the Syracuse Cultural Workers (SCW); Karen Kerney, watercolor, SCW © 1998.

Poster available through www.syracuseculturalworkers.com. Used with permission.)

S e n d Y o u r L e tt e r s a n d H i l l n e w s t o

“Turn off your TV • Leave your house • Know your neighbors • Look up when you’re walking • Greet people • Sit on your stoop • Plant flowers • Use your library • Play together • Buy from local merchants • Share what you have • Help a lost dog • Take children to the park • Garden together • Support neighborhood schools • Fix it even if you didn’t break it • Have potlucks • Honor elders • Pick up litter • Read stories aloud • Dance in the street • Talk to the mail carrier • Listen to the birds • Put up a swing • Help carry something heavy • Barter for your goods • Start a tradition • Ask a question • Hire young people for odd jobs • Organize a block party • Bake extra and share • Ask for help when you need it • Open your shades • Sing together • Share your skills • Take back the night • Turn up the music • Turn down the music • Listen before you react to anger • Mediate a conflict • Seek to understand • Learn from new and uncomfortable angles • Know that no one is silent although many are not heard • Work to change this.”

observ er@Munjoy Hill .org

Incorporated as a nonprofit organization in January 1979, our purpose is to be a broad-based, representative organization committed to improving the quality of life for the residents of Munjoy Hill and the East End, by strengthening the sense of community, maintaining the current diversity of social and economic groups, encouraging self-sufficiency, and enriching the lives of all residents.

WHO YOU GONNA CALL? You can help prevent crime on the Hill!

If you see a crime happening or see/hear anything suspicious in your neighborhood, please call the police!

756-8135 Daytimes: Janine Kaserman with Community Policing 2) 650-9005 cell: 11 am thru the night, Senior Lead Officer Jeff Druan 3) 874-8575/-8574: Dispatch/non-emergency events 1)

4) Emergencies: 9-1-1 Clip and save these numbers!

Anonymous Crimes tips Program: Phone Tip—Dial 874-8584 | Online: tipsubmit.com Text-A-Tip: Text “GOTCHA” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES)

MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

May 2014

Clean Sweep Saturdays On the leading edge of social change

By Ross Fields, VP & MHNO Membership The other day. as Kathleen and I were

leaving the house to make our Saturday morning trip down to the Farmer’s market, I observed my neighbor sweeping the sidewalk and curb in front of her house.

With a big smile on my face, I crossed the street and proceeded to thank her.

During the conversation I heard how she took care to pick up trash and debris to keep it from going into the storm drain and out to Casco Bay. I also heard how she felt that most Hill residents did a good job of keeping their places looking nice. This was encouraging since, as I walk, I tend to see the areas along the sidewalks that aren’t being taken care of.

Those few minutes with our neighbor were very enlightening and uplifting.

It also made me realize that individual effort, even if it’s just cleaning up around our homes or apartments, does affect our neighbors, our community, and our world. My neighbor’s simple act of cleaning up her home made her feel good, made me feel good, helped the neighborhood feel cared for, and made Casco Bay a bit cleaner for our both our local and world communities. It only takes one person to raise our collective consciousness, which reminds me of a story about social change.

On the island of Koshima, the Macaca Fuscata monkey had been observed in the wild for over 30 years. In 1952, it was observed that an 18-month-old female, named Imo, started washing the sand off the sweet potatoes in a nearby stream before eating them. What was even more interesting, was that she began teaching this skill to the rest of the

monkeys in her community. This continued for 6 years. In the fall of the sixth year something remarkable happened. A critical mass consciousness was reached on Imo’s island. Let’s just say that on that day the number of monkeys washing their tubers went from 99 to 100. What happened next was even more amazing.

By the evening of that day, not only were all the monkeys on Imo’s island washing their sweet potatoes, but it was observed that monkeys on other islands, as well as the Japanese mainland, were washing their sweet potatoes as well. By the way, monkeys don’t swim or fly, except in the Wizard of Oz. The explanation was that when a certain critical number of a population achieves awareness, communication may become mind-to-mind. It became known as the Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon.

Thus, there’s a point at which if only one more person tunes-in to a new awareness, this awareness is picked up by almost everyone. Fascinating.

So, with this in mind, I’d like to initiate Clean Sweep Saturdays. I encourage us all to take just 15 minutes to do a little sweeping and cleaning. And who knows, you just might be the one, the Hundredth one, that effects overall social change here on Munjoy Hill, Peaks Island, Long Island, Cliff Island and all of the Casco Bay Islands.

Notice of

Continue having as much fun as you possibly can, and say “Hi” to someone you don’t know when you’re out for a stroll on the Hill.

neighborhood meeting

This Mother’s Day, Peace of Mind for Moms in the Middle Lori K Parham, State Director AARP Maine A survey by Ameriprise Financial found

that two thirds of Baby Boomers’ daughters help their parents with financial matters. Maybe you’ve experienced it yourself. Perhaps you’ve also experienced how awkward it can be to have the talk about money matters or caregiving wishes with your parents.

Then there’s the other side of the equation.

Have you talked with your adult kids about your financial matters, and your vision of how you’d like to live out your life as you age? Your kids are probably as uncomfortable broaching the subject with you as you are broaching it with your own parents.

This Mother’s Day, focus on the gift of conversation. Follow these suggestions on how to talk to your parents about their finances, and then turn around and talk to your kids about yours. It’s time to get – and give – peace of mind. It will make a big difference for your family in the long-run.

For help on financial matters such as planning, budgeting and goal setting check out www.aarp.org/readyforretirement.

Approaching Your Parents

Talking with your parents about their finances and caregiving preferences can be

challenging. They may become defensive, thinking that you don’t trust them to take care of things anymore. You know your parents best, so think about how to set them at ease. It’s helpful to say upfront that it’s a difficult conversation for both of you.

Before you talk to mom and dad, put together a list of financial and caregiving information you will need to help them.

Get help by going to www.aarp.org, and searching for “organize important documents.”

When you’re ready, here are some tips on having the conversation.

Share a story. A great way to start the conversation is to share a story about a friend or neighbor that your parents could relate to.

Be respectful and positive. Let your parents know that you’re interested in helping make their lives manageable as they age.

Start small. If your parents are hesitant to talk, try taking on something small. For example, ask them to tell you where they keep their important documents.

Ask them to talk about their caregiving preferences. Do they want to age in place? Would they be open to moving into

a retirement community with continuing care options? Find out if they have longterm care insurance or other means of paying for care if they need it.

Talking to Your Adult Kids Now that you’ve started the conversation with your parents, it’s time to talk to your adult kids. They will likely appreciate that you initiated the conversation so they didn’t have to!

A great place to start is to take AARP’s 40-day pledge to create a “Living Longer, Living Smarter” plan at www.decidecreateshare.org. It will help you decide what kind of future you see for yourself, create a plan to achieve those goals, and then share that plan with your kids. The pledge will take you through the process of organizing documents, calculating long-term care expenses, and creating an advance directive. This document identifies the kind of care you want in the event you aren’t able to make medical decisions down the road.

It’s up to you how much you want to share with your kids. Think about what’s useful to know about your own parents, and let that be your guide.

At this stage of life, one of the best gifts moms can give and receive is peace of mind. Talk to your mom, and talk to your kids. Peace of mind is within reach.

Dear Neighbor, Please join us for a neighborhood meeting as we share plans for the construction of 18 apartments at 134 Washington Ave. in Portland. We’re hoping to get your feedback on this proposal.

Meeting Location: Shailer School, 56 North Street in the Community Room Meeting Date: May 7, 2014 Meeting Time: 5:30 PM (The City code requires that property owners within 500 feet (1000 feet for proposed industrial subdivisions and industrial zone changes) of the proposed development and residents on an “interested parties list”, be invited to participate in a neighborhood meeting. A sign-in sheet will be circulated and minutes of the meeting will be taken.

Both the sign-in sheet and minutes will be submitted to the Planning Board.)

If you have any questions, please call Greg Payne at Avesta Housing, (207) 553-7777, gpayne@avestahousing.org Sincerely, David Lloyd, Maine Licensed Architect with Archetype Under Section 14-32(C) and 14-524(a)d of the City Code of Ordinances, an applicant for a Level III development, subdivision of over five lots/units, or zone change is required to hold a neighborhood meeting within 30 days of submitting a preliminary application or 21 days of submitting a final site plan application, if a preliminary plans was not submitted. The neighborhood meeting must be held at least seven days prior to the Planning Board public hearing on the proposal. Should you wish to offer additional comments on this proposed development, you may contact the Planning Division at 874-8721 or send written correspondence to the Planning and Urban Development Department, Planning Division 4th Floor, 389 Congress Street Portland, ME 04101 or by email: to bab@portlandmaine.gov

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May 2014

MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

Gardener’s Dirt

One Bucket at a Time By Nini McManamy

When Lydia Savage puts out her recy-

clables and blue bag every Wednesday for trash pickup, she also puts out a snazzy white plastic bucket full of kitchen waste.

The Melbourne Street resident joins a growing corps of Greater Portland householders by sending her food waste to the strictly-local curbside compost delivery service, Garbage to Garden. To date, 10% of Portland households do the same, along with more than 50 commercial customers, including breweries, restaurants, and apartment or condo buildings.

Between pickups, Savage keeps her sixgallon bucket under the kitchen sink. “It’s a great lid,” she says. “Nothing stinks.”

Savage composts yard waste in her backyard, and signed on to the service in October for the winter, when yard composting becomes more of a challenge. “I think we will continue with it this summer, though--I like that we can compost things we can’t put in our backyard compost, like meat, dairy, bones, and oil.”

Garbage to Garden charges $11 a month for the service, and delivers a bag of compost at the time of bucket pickup if the customer requests one, along with a clean bucket for the following week. Additional bags of compost are available for $3.25 each. If $11 a month feels a bit steep, a customer can get the service for free by volunteering at approved tasks, like manning an informational table at the farmer’s market or helping with beach cleanups (seaweed and yard waste add to the rich brew that goes into Garbage to Garden’s compost piles).

The kitchen and yard waste in the bucket is hauled in the company’s cute little trucks to Benson’s Farm in Gorham, where it is composted in hot compost piles along with Benson’s other organic waste materials. Hot compost piles achieve a higher internal temperature than is possible in backyard piles, and therefore can take difficult-to-compost materials like bone and lobster shells. And the heat is much more effective at killing pathogens. The resulting compost is certified organic by the Maine Organic Farmers’ and Gardeners’ Association (MOFGA), and widely acknowledged among gardeners to be a top-notch product for ornamental and food gardening. According to the company, food waste is the number one component of municipal garbage, and recycling it by making compost reduces the need to incinerate or bury it in landfills.

Customers find that the amount of household waste requiring blue bags is dramatically reduced; Savage reports that her household waste is down by 50%. Buckets are available—for free—at Rosemont Market on Congress Street. For more information about the company, check them out at garbagetogarden.org or call 332-0277.

Writer Nini McManamy has worked for several years at O’Donal’s Nursery.

She is a master gardener with a garden design and consultation business, Gardener’s Dirt (ninimaine@aol.com)

My advice this month is to become more proactive on family finances. Allocate a portion of your valuable time to learn and implement personal finance initiatives. This will pay off big in the long run. Studies have shown that families that have financial plans, not only have a higher probability of success, but also on a day-to-day basis feel that they are moving ahead and have less financial stress.

Moms of all ages (though you don’t have to be a mom to do this) should first learn about the key financial issues for themselves. When the financially literate spouse dies, many times the surviving spouse is left totally in the dark and has to rely on outside help. It is important that moms know at least the basics.

Know enough so if someone gives you poor advice, you will know enough to say no.

The first thing is to be able to ask the right questions (and know the answers), relative to the key topics in personal finance. The following are some of the questions that will come up: • How are the assets titled? Are they held jointly or individually?

Assets held jointly are more easily accessible than assets held by the spouse who has passed. Proper title is important to have for you to access cash and to be able to liquidate assets in the future.

• What is the value of the assets, and how do I find these values?

Investment and savings accounts

From www.veryfreesudoku.com

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8 6 5 3 4 7 8 4 3 5 7 3 1 4 3 5 3 4 6 5 8 9 6 5

•

•

• • •

•

•

Moms can get started asking these questions today. You may be amazed at the family’s financial status.

By Eric Chase - 1993. Source: http://www.iww.org/history/ library/misc/origins_of_mayday Most people living in the United States know little about the International Workers’ Day of May Day. For many others, there is an assumption that it is a holiday celebrated in communist state countries, like Cuba, or the former Soviet Union. Most Americans don’t realize that May Day has its origins here, in this country, and is as “American” as baseball and apple pie, and it stemmed from the pre-Christian holiday of Beltane, a celebration of rebirth and fertility.

Are you hoping for health care that supports health without surgical or pharmaceutical intervention?

inner shores • chiropractic • homeopathy • attunement

Are you searching for an approach in treating conditions that have been unresponsive to other methods?

ate Sudoku Puzzles - Book 10

•

and real estate are two of the most common assets.

Bills: what are your monthly bills, and how have they been paid? (by check, internet payments, etc.).

What kind of insurance policies do we have? For example, life insurance, disability insurance, property and casualty insurance, long-term care insurance. What are terms of these policies?

Where do we stand with income taxes? Where are last year’s and this year’s 1040 forms? What do I need to know about paying income taxes?

How much debt do we have?

What are the terms of this debt?

How do we pay the debt service?

Do we have a will? Has it been updated? Are there any trusts that we set up?

Do we have enough income on a monthly basis? What is our income? What are our total monthly expenses?

Will we need any large sums of money in the next few years? (roof replacement, furnace replacement? College education for the kids?)

Are we saving for retirement?

How are we saving? How much are we saving?

May Day, May Day!

who takes time to really listen to your concerns?

— Amos Bronson Alcott 1868

By Joel I. Gold

Advice for Mom on Mothers’ Day

Do you want a doctor

“Who loves a garden still / his Eden keeps, Perennial pleasures plants and wholesome harvest reaps.”

zle 7

Ask the Money Prof

Wendy Pollock DC, CCH

“Using multiple modalities along with her innate skill as a doctor and healer, she was able to fix what others could not. Dr. Pollock has a big, big heart and soul to match her phenomenal talent.”

—Michelle Patrick, LMT

Dr. Wendy Pollock DC, CCH Practice of Chiropractic, Homeopathy and Attunement 83 India Street Portland, Maine 04101 (207) 370-8330 innershores@gmail.com

www.innershores.com

MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

May 2014

the munjoy Hill neighborhood Organization Observer Submission Deadlines: To submit your letter, article or ad into the next month’s issue of the Observer, please send it to us by the 15th of each month. If you do not receive a reply (you should), please follow up with a phone call to our Editor, Lisa Peñalver at 207-766-5077.

Check out our new Sign Board!

MHNO Annual Meeting coming in June 2014, watch for details in the June Observer

Special thanks to Cecilia Ziko, a member of our Communications Committee, for designing our new logo!

Thank you! We love it!

The Munjoy Hill 35th Anniversary Celebration to be held September 2014! To contribute your ideas and to volunteer, please email info@munjoyhill.org

Open Meetings!!

The MHNO Board meets every second Monday of each month at 7 pm at the Hill House at 92 Congress St.

Everyone’s Welcome!

Thursday, May 22, 6:30-8:30 pm at the Hill House, 92 Congress. Come one, come all! Very casual; bring a dish, or not.

Just drop in!

Follow the Franklin Street redesign process!

Go online to franklinstreet.mindmixer.com Join the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization

Volunteer with the MHNO You can make a difference!

The MHNO has a number of active committees. We are always seeking new members. Do any of the areas below interest you? Please drop in to a meeting (times and days for each committee listed below) at Hill House, 92 Congress St, to find out more! All meeting times listed are subject to change.

Please visit our website for most current meeting schedule.

Membership and Events Membership Committee oversees the expansion, maintenance and involvement of members; also coordinates and implements all MHNO sponsored events such as quarterly and annual meetings, Membership & Events - Co-chairs: Ross Fields and Andrea Myhaver - contact ross.fields@munjoyhill.org

Services Committee Services Committee initiates and implements all service and assistance programs, such as Fuel Assistance, Youth Community Services, Holiday Gifts and our new program for elder assistance.

Services Chair: Elaine Mullin - contact elaine.mullin@ munjoyhill.org

Communications Committee MHNO’s new Communications Committee is responsible for identifying and monitoring sources of information of potential relevance to residents of Munjoy Hill; for coordinating the distribution of such information via channels such as email, the MHNO website (munjoyhill.org), Facebook, and the Hill House marquee; and for overseeing other sorts of communication between the MHNO and the larger community. Chair

Email info@munjoyhill.org. Show your neighborhood pride! Munjoy HilL t-shirts are available: S-XL: $18, XXXL: $18. Tees come in black or white.

Or get this bumper sticker! (measures 6”x 4”) $3 per sticker. Buy one and support your Neighborhood group. Send your check to MHNO,92 Congress St, Portland ME 04101.

POTLUCK NIGHT at MHNO:

New Membership

Renewal

of this committee is Matthew Kennedy (matthew.kennedy@munjoyhill.org).

Name(s)_ ____________________________________________________________

Safe & Livable Neighborhood Committee The SLN Committee oversees MHNO involvement in all matters affecting street, sidewalk and neighborhood environments (includes safe sidewalks, street clean up, parking and traffic issues, maintenance and use of the Hill House).

City________________________________________State_______ Zip___________

Chair of this committee is Sam Cohen: sam.cohen@ munjoyhill.org

The Observer Committee The Observer Committee provides oversight to the MHNO’s monthly newspaper, the Munjoy Hill Observer.

Chair: Andrea Myhaver Contact andrea.myhaver@ munjoyhill.org

Street Address________________________________________________________ Email (for MHNO updates)_____________________________________________ Day Phone (____)________________ Eve Phone (____)______________________

Membership Levels Individual: $10 Family: $20 Business: $35 Additional Donation $25 $50 $75 $100 $250 $500 Other Amount: ($______) wish my gift to be anonymous

Volunteer for a Committee!

We need your help to make Munjoy Hill an even better place to live! Get involved by joining one or more of our committees:

Membership & Events Communications Services Safe & Livable Neighborhood Observer

We want all members of our community to join the MHNO regardless of financial circumstances. If you are unable to pay the suggested minimum amount, please pay what you can. If you are able to contribute more, we encourage you to do so.

We thank you for your support, and we’re excited to have you on board!

Please send this form along with your check to:

MHNO, 92 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101 Questions? Call (207) 775-3050, email info@munjoyhill.org or visit munjoyhill.org Welcome to the MHNO! 05/2014

5

THE Daily Commuter Puzzle 6

May 2014

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

ACROSS 1 Response to a corny joke 6 Keep __ on; T ip s o n P a r e n ti n g & Rel a tio watch closelyn s h ip s __ for;

By Ross Fields, CPE & Kathleen10 Fields, CPE requests 14 State of uncertainty 15 Follow orders 16 Gather crops the paper and complete these statements: 17over, Lopsided Making the problem your problem; • I 18 feel Astros or Reds (state your feeling), when you An alternative to using punishment. a tail do19 Toy with (do. say, behave like ).

From April’s column . . . “A punishment, reward, or a bribe • I 20 alsoBlow-by-blow, feel (another feeling), because I creates the illusion of correcting a behavior, but its effect is a report worryas about (something) short-sighted. Very soon, the punishment will require more 22 Shamelessly • What I want is (tell what you’re wantseverity, the reward will have to be higher in value, or the ing). bold bribe much more enticing, in order to have any effect.”

• I 24 alsoUse want a __ lens; (who it is, saying to yourget a about close-up self) to talk this calmly.

So, if using punishment, which actually degrades selfshot worth, isn’t such a great idea, what can you do instead? The goal is to make the problem your problem, not your 25 Occurring most There are other alternatives that focus on long-term re- child’s problem. immediately sults rather than quick fixes, which actually hide the real 26 Greekofcapital how to phrase it: issue, instead of “fixing” it. You’ll need to decide if posi- Here’s an example 29 Cabbage Patch tive, long term results are worth your effort in learning “I feel frustrated when we argue all the time about doing Kids & Barbies how to parent more deliberately. It’s easier to be in the your homework, because I’m worried about your future.

30 Fraternity letter punishment default mode and exclaim, “You’re ground- I’m afraid that I’m not doing my job. I know that I nag Hombre’s title ed!” or “No video games for a week!” or “You’re not com- at you a31 lot. What I want is for us to talk calmly about 33 grades, Very willing ing out of your room until your homework is done!” when school and and find some common ground, 3 Fail to include Placid you’re exhausted from a long day, than it is to find out without37 a fight. What do you think about this?”

4 On fire 39 Makes angry what’s really going on.

Notice, 41 you’re talking about YOU 5 andIdeas YOUR problem.

Keep for later One of the most common parenting challenges is the Not your child’s. You’re taking the focus off what he or 6 Tribal pole 42 Animal pelts power struggle - two very strong-willed individuals push- she’s doing (or not doing), and focusing on your issue.

7 In the sack 44 Mysterious ing against one another, horns locked. Your action im8 __ Arthur; star 46 Chess pieces plies, “You’ll do what I say!” and your kid, pushing back, Set up a time when the two of you can be together in a of “Maude” 47 Eyeglasses, for is saying, “No I won’t and you can’t make me!” Boom! Out comfortable space. Briefly explain that you want to han9 Status __; sign short comes the punishment, along with a flurry of regrettable dle this disagreement in a way where you both feel good of prestige 49 Present, but dialogue. Then there are hurt feelings and anger. And about it. Go through each of your “I” statements. Read 10 Billthe Clinton’s not active courage to that cooperation you’d wanted originally is now impos- them right off of your list if needed. Have state of birth 51 Rocket, for one be imperfect. sibly out of reach.

11 Grab 54 Circle dance of “What do you So here’s one thing to do. First, press the “pause” button When you finish, 12 ask, Middleton and Israellook at your kid and can we work this out?” Then just be quiet, and remove yourself from the power struggle. Leave the think? How Mulgrew 55 Set on fire to his or her response. Be patient. room if need be. Once you’ve calmed down, take a mo- focus on 13 Used up 56listening Portabello or new skill will feel awkward at first. Hang in ment, by yourself, to get clear in your mind exactly what Learning any 21 Booby prize shiitake practice, results will improve and the power the conflict was about. Now (this is critical. Do not skip there. With winner 60 Get away will become fewer. this step!). Take out a piece of paper, and list at least 10 struggles 61 Grumpy person 23 Actor’s part things you love or appreciate about your child. Then, flip 25 More irritated 63 Make amends 26 Curved beam 64 Enemies overhead 65 Burial place 66 Knocked down, 27 Bangkok native 28 Have in hand as a building 29 Robert and his 67 Type; variety wife Elizabeth 68 Remain 32 Female relative 69 Lock of hair 34 Parcheesi or Monopoly DOWN 35 Smooth; level 1 Pleased 36 Landlord’s pay 2 Ceremony

GrowingTogether

Punishment, Reward, Bribe: What do they really teach?

In using “I” statements, asking for help, and taking the time to listen, you’ll be teaching your child about selfworth, internal motivation, and interest in others. You’ll be parenting in a more effective, deliberate, caring manner.

And as always . . . with patience, education, and practice, you will become a more confident and effective parent.

It’s ALL about the relationship.

Ross & Kathleen Fields are Certified Parenting Educators (CPE) and, co-founders of Results Parenting, LLC, www.resultsparenting.com.

Find crossword puzzle on page 6

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

(c) 2014 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.

38 40 43 45 48 50

Sloppiest Fodder towers BBQ rod Aviator Amelia Votes in Reason for teeth cleaning 51 Offends 52 Home made of snow

53 Smile derisively 54 Wife’s mate 56 Family member 57 Seep out 58 Small bills 59 Prescriptions, for short 62 Deteriorate

justinalfond.com

CapitAl City

MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

May 2014

7

We Need to Invest in Maine’s Future I was first elected

to the State Senate in November of 2008, at the beginning of the Great Recession. Since then, the primary issue on the minds of voters has been jobs and the economy, and it’s been the driving force behind nearly every policy decision we make in Augusta.

This legislature’s focus has been on creating a business environment that spurs jobs—and addresses our critical workforce issues. That is why I made the decision with the Speaker of the House to create the Joint Select Committee on Maine’s Workforce and Economic Future—a special committee to create jobs and strengthen our workforce.

In the first session we focused on workforce issues—and because of our work, the state is currently investing in rural training programs for high-wage, high-demand jobs. We’ve created a scholarship program to entice the 200,000 Mainers who have started college to finish their degrees, and we’ve invested in the Welcome Center to help new Mainers who have skills like accounting, law, and medicine, find their way into the workforce.

This session, the Workforce Committee focused on small business investments and job creation.

It’s no secret that Governor LePage’s economy is not pro-

From the

ducing. Maine is the third worst state in the country for job growth, and while our New England neighbors have recovered nearly all the jobs they lost in the recession, Maine has recovered less than one-third.

• $10 million for biometric analysis, to make the state a global resource for precision medicine;

Even the people who are working are struggling. A deeper look at the recent unemployment numbers in Maine shows that young families are the ones hardest hit: unemployment is highest for our youngest workers, those ages 25 to 34.

• $8 million for a lab at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension to assist farmers and foresters;

We need jobs, and one of the best ways to create jobs is through strategic investments in our state through bonds. Bonds are crucial tools for our economic progress.

Last year, Maine voters approved nearly $150 million in bonds to improve our infrastructure, repair our armories, and invest in our higher education system. Some of those projects are already in progress, and many of the transportation projects are going out to bid now.

To continue our work, the Appropriations Committee developed a $50 million bond package to support small business growth and create thousands of jobs. The bipartisan proposal includes: • $12 million for small business loan programs, which are proven to help promising small business on the cusp of job creation, to access capital;

EasternPromenade.org

Friends of the Eastern Promenade the granite planter at the grand entrance to the park. Ornamental fence, granite steps and handrail construction will begin at the overlook to Casco Bay. Partial loam, seed and mulch of the interior areas will also begin as weather permits.

Maribeth Ramella Joins FoEP Board Friends of the Eastern Promenade is thrilled to welcome Maribeth Ramella to our board of directors. Originally from Cleveland Ohio, Maribeth moved to Portland last April to work in accounting for Parker Hannifin. A member of the Junior League of Portland, a proud resident of the Eastern Promenade, and a frequent trail runner in the park, she is already an active presence in our East End community. We are delighted to have her fresh perspective, dedication, and business experience on our team.

Join us in welcoming her!

Fort Allen Park Restoration Update

By Diane Davison, Executive Director FoEP With the gradual onset of spring, construction crews returned to Fort Allen at the beginning of April to re-establish the construction zone and gear up for completing restoration efforts, which began last fall.

Though the project was ahead of schedule upon snow arrival, the long awaited ground thaw delayed previously estimated project commencement schedules.

Among details in the May project-sequencing schedule are concrete sidewalk construction; water and electrical service improvements; flag pole completion; cobblestone edge construction and creation of

PLEASE HELP: We will need your help to ensure that loam, new lawns and plantings are given the chance to establish and take hold by respecting “KEEP OUT” signs within the construction area and not allowing foot “or paw” traffic to destroy new and tender landscape surfaces.

At this time we are optimistically aiming for our original completion date of July 1st. Please visit our website for more info or to sign up for “Viewpoint” – our e-newsletter update on projects and programs of the Promenade. EasternPromenade.org

• $10 million for clean drinking water infrastructure projects;

• $7 million to create jobs in the marine economy and increase the sector’s capacity and sustainability, including lobster processing; and • $3 million to increase biotechnology workforce training and create a drug discovery and development facility.

The bond package targets investments in existing programs, organizations, and businesses that are ready to grow, start hiring, and help build Maine’s skilled workforce. Through competitive grants, the bond package will support companies that have proven track records of success and strong prospects for creating jobs.

I hope everyone will support the bond package in November and help us make these critical investments in Maine’s future.

As always, I’d love to hear what you think. Please feel free to contact me at Justin@JustinAlfond.com

Special Offer: For only $10 a year: Munjoy Hill Observer can be Delivered Right to Your Door!

Includes Free MHNO membership!

Fill out and send in this form with your payment Today!

Name(s)_ ____________________________________________________________ Street Address________________________________________________________ City________________________________________State_______ Zip___________ Email (for MHNO updates)_____________________________________________ Day Phone (____)________________ Eve Phone (____)______________________

Please mail payment to MHNO, 92, Congress St., Portland ME 04101

Save the Date: Pink Tulip Project, MAY 10 Saturday, May 10th 1pm to 4pm. The Pink Tulip Project plants pink tulip gardens to raise funds for the Maine Cancer Foundation’s Cancer Fund. All proceeds go directly to research right here in Maine.

The event is kindly hosted by Robin and Rob Witten. Please join Friends of the Eastern Promenade for this glorious event.

To attend, there is a suggested $10 donation. Follow the event on www.easternpromenade.org and our Facebook page, where more details will follow.

8

May 2014

MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

Portland living at its peak.

118 Congress Street at St. Lawrence Street

We are proud to be sponsors of Greater Portland Landmarks’ 50th anniversary, celebrating Portland’s architectural legacy and its vibrancy as a city. While 118 on Munjoy Hill will never match the height, presence or historical importance of the Portland Observatory, we have aimed to design a complementary building that will contribute to the architectural fabric of our community.

As future residents, the developers have thoughtfully created every aspect; one level 2-3 bedroom flats, indoor parking, outdoor decks. Visit us online to see more unique features of the 12 condominiums. Remaining units start at $725,000. Sales center is open by appointment. Move in Spring 2015.

118onMunjoyHill.com Life@118onMunjoyHill.com Cell: 202-257-9241

Just a few doors down, the Portland Observatory opens for the season on May 24.

MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

architects

ARCHETYPE ARCHITECTS 48 UNION WHARF PORTLAND, MAINE 04101:(207)772-6022 WWW.ARCHETYPE-ARCHITECTS.COM

East End Business Focus Nova Star–Be One of the First On Board!

By Caron Murray

On Thursday, April 17th, around noon,

the brand new, “state of the art” cruise ferry, the Nova Star, which will restore ferry service between Portland, Maine, and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, docked at Portland Harbor to a star’s welcome! A tug boat spraying fountains of water greeted the ferry as it arrived. Among those who came to watch was Portland Mayor Michael Brennan who said, “This is history, to restore the ferry service. It really puts the ‘port’ back in Portland.”

Ferry service between the two ports which began in the mid-1800s, ended in December 2009 when a Canadian subsidy for the high-speed ferry, the Cat, was cancelled because the ferry was losing money. Nova Scotia pledged millions to get the Nova Star into the water and gave enough money for the ferry company to have the two-million dollar reserve fund because U.S. law requires cruise and ferry companies to have sufficient money to refund tickets. The service is expected to help raise the international profile of Portland and boost the economy of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

The 530 foot long ferry, which can transport 1,200 passengers, was built in Singapore. It made the 10,000 mile journey from Singapore through the Suez Canal and

across the Atlantic Ocean, arriving in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, on April 16th, before making the 212 mile trip across the Gulf of Maine to Portland’s Ocean Gateway.

From the Nova Star website: “Drive on with your vehicle or walk on board the brand-new cruise ferry, Nova Star, for an entertaining travel experience never before offered between these two exciting vacation destinations.

A variety of unique dining options, a casino, spa, live entertainment, and more, are all part of the cruise experience.” There is also a kennel if you want to bring your pet with you. But don’t forget your passport! To go aboard Nova Star, all attendees will be required to show a piece of government-issued photo I.D., and sign in and out with security personnel.

Daily ferry service will begin May 15th and run through November 2nd. Daily trips will depart from Portland at 9 p.m. and arrive in Yarmouth at 8 a.m. Return service departs Yarmouth at 10 a.m. and arrives in Portland at 7 p.m. Prices for one of the ferry’s 162 cabins range from $79 to $249.

For more information, please visit the Nova Star Cruises website: http://novastarcruises.com/

9

work Begins on Munjoy Hill For Natural Gas Line UpgradE

ing the Portland area’s gas infrastructure, making it more reliable and better able to meet the growing demand for natural gas in Maine.

Starting April 14, the work of re-

Unitil completed SURE project construction and excavation work in downtown Portland and Westbrook on schedule last year. In 2013, Unitil replaced more than seven miles of cast iron pipe with state-ofthe art, high-density plastic pipe. In three years, Unitil has completed 28 percent of the SURE project, including all planned work in Westbrook. Unitil has upgraded more than 11 miles of pipe in the region and installing more than 17 miles of plastic pipe in total.

placement of gas mains and service lines throughout the Munjoy Hill neighborhood will begin, with construction expected to last through mid-June. Due to the construction work on Munjoy Hill, Unitil will be able to offer natural gas service to new customers who live near the existing pipeline.

ARCHETYPE ARCHITECTS WANTS TO SAY “THANK YOU” TO ITS NEIGHBORS, BOTH OLD AND NEW, ON THE HILL.

May 2014

Unitil, (www.unitil.com), a provider of natural gas and electricity to customers in New England, is entering the next phase of its System Upgrade for Reliable Energy (SURE) project and is beginning work in Portland’s Munjoy Hill neighborhood. The Unitil SURE project is in the 4th year of the 14-year project, moderniz-

For info about the SURE project and construction schedules, or to learn how to switch to natural gas, please visit www. ngupgrade.com or call Unitil’s toll-free hotline 1-866-821-4386.

10

May 2014

MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

Please Stand By: The Abyssinian Meeting House Regroups photos by Ryan Knaus

By Ryan Knaus The

Abyssinian

Meeting

House property, located at 75 Newbury St., has been quiet this past year, after receiving a flurry of media attention in the wake of substantial structural restorations, and archeological study of artifacts found in the soil beneath the building.

Since forming in 1997 the nonprofit Committee to Restore the Abyssinian has completed two major phases of the Abyssinian’s restoration, including structural repairs, renovations to the south side of the House (facing Newbury St.), roof replacement, archeological excavation, and the re-routing of a stream which had flowed through the Abyssinian’s basement. The complete proj-

ect had an estimated cost of $3 million, and the Committee has received generous financial support from many individuals and non-profits, including the 1772 Foundation. They recently applied for funding from Portland’s 2014 Community Development Block Grant—if the CDBG funds are awarded they will be used to repair the exterior of the east and west sides of the home.

Further financial support will be needed to complete the third phase, during which the original two-door entrance will be restored and a first-floor office and two bathrooms will be installed.

The Committee hopes to open the first floor as a “programmable space” for public tours

and events this year, according to Cummings, with the ultimate goal of making the Abyssinian a “living museum” to explore of Portland’s rich cultural and historical past. The more intensive third phase of construction has been delayed by higher-thanexpected bids for construction, however, and the uncertainty of continued funding is one reason why the Abyssinian was recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of “America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.”

The Abyssinian Meeting House property was originally purchased in 1827 for just $250 dollars. More than a 150 years later, after the property had fallen into disrepair and was seized by the

city of Portland due to unpaid taxes, a community group named the Committee to Restore the Abyssinian bought the property for the symbolic amount of $250.

Completing the Abyssinian’s restoration and preservation, however, will cost far more. “We need help,” said Leonard Cummings, Senior Chair member of the Executive Committee.

In addition to its titular role as a meeting house for African Americans, the Abyssinian served as a place of worship, a schoolhouse during segregation, a community center, and a hub of activity for the abolition movement.

It is the third-oldest meeting house built by a black congregation in the U.S., the only site in

Maine formally recognized by the National Park Service as a stop on the Underground Railroad, and one of the only structures to survive Portland’s Great Fire of 1866.

For more information about the Abyssinian’s history and the Committee’s preservation efforts, visit the Committee’s website at www.abyme.org. Better yet, go visit the house yourself, on Newbury St., across from Shipyard’s Portland brewery. An updated sign to be installed this spring will explain the next steps in the restoration process, and the projected dates for completion. The Committee hopes to re-open the doors to the public in 2014.

Wellness on the Hill

Cultivating Spring Pitta Energy on the Hill

By Gretchen Miller Spring is slowly creeping north to Maine, and it’s the perfect time to clean out any physical, spiritual, and emotional cobwebs lingering from this notably cold winter. In the ancient Ayurvedic tradition of India, Ayurvedic healers classify people’s physical, mental, and emotional constitutions into three types, or doshas: kapha, pitta, and vata, based upon your mental, emotional, and physical characteristics. Kapha energy is associated with winter, a heavy, solid, grounding energy that in excess can weigh and slow you down, or make you sleepy and sluggish. What might be considered the opposite of kapha energy is vata energy, light, airy, quick, changeable and flighty.

Finally, pitta energy is the energy of heat and fire, full of motion and fluidity.

As we transition from winter to spring, it can be challenging to shake off excess kapha energy built up from winter hibernation. One way to do this is to consciously cultivate warming pitta energy. To stimulate your warming spring pitta energy, enjoy a brisk walk down, and then back up, the Hill to the heavenly tea house Soakology (at 30 City Ctr, by Longfellow Books), for some dosha-

balancing tea. Try the organic Kapha herb tea to shake off winter’s sluggish energy.

Soakology’s teaologists describe this delicious herb tea as “blended with lemon balm, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and black peppercorns “sweet and spicy.” At $2.50 for an individual pot, or $5 for a gigantic pot to share with a dear friend, this is an extremely af-

fordable and healthy spring treat.

I guarantee you will leave this cozy, pillow-filled teahouse feeling warmed and uplifted. You can also take home some of the loose-leaf blend for yourself, a perfect caffeine-free mid-day pick-me up.

Of course, what you eat also affects the balance of your dosha.

To cultivate energy in the gut

How can workers own homes in Portland?

Attend a MEETING to help create the Machigonne Community Land Trust and build affordable ownership housing in Portland:

Saturday, May 10th, 5-8pm

and freshen up from winter’s heavy stews and roasts, focus on eating lighter, fresher, and spicier foods, including black and cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and cloves in your daily cooking, and enjoying a few cups of warming ginger tea every day.

Finally, increase your daily physical activity to hasten the crawl out of hibernation.

Our Hill also offers two fabulous yoga options, a great way to cultivate spring pitta fire. Lila East End Yoga, right on the hill, is your closest option, and offers daily classes to fit anyone’s pitta needs.

Portland Power Yoga, right down the hill on Cove Street, offers six heated yoga classes every day, at an affordable $10 drop-in rate. Try a class at both studios and see what gets your pitta energy fueling your soul for spring - enjoy!

To learn more about the doshas, take a fun online quiz to see which dosha prevails in you; check out Deepak Chopra’s website at http://doshaquiz.chopra. com/.

[Editor’s note, Munjoy Hill also has it’s own local tea room: Homegrown Herb & Tea at 195 Congress St, , (207) 774-3484]

East End Community School, 195 North St. Portland Food and Childcare will be provided The broader Portland community is invited to the first annual meeting of the Machigonne Community Land Trust. A small group of people has been meeting and organizing for the past year and on May 10th, they will share their work with a wider audience and invite people to be a part of creating a community land trust in Portland.

What is a Community Land Trust(CLT)? CLTs purchase land or receive donations of land that is then held permanently for affordable housing, community gardens, community businesses and community spaces. In Portland, the Machigonne CLT wants to focus on renovating buildings for affordable ownership through cooperative housing or single-family homes, and on making land available for community gardens.

What is Machigonne? Machigonne is the original Abenaki name for the area that is now Portland. Through their work, Machigonne CLT wants to honor the original residents of this land who were forcibly removed from their traditional territory.

Why do we need a CLT? Housing and land in Portland are becoming inaccessible for many workers as developers build high-end condos, sky-rise market-rate buildings and hotels.

Renters are finding it challenging to find affordable buildings to purchase and make long-term homes. CLTs take land out of the speculative commodity market and preserve it for the community for long-term affordability.

Community Land Trusts are democratically-controlled organizations; the members and resident members can run for the board, vote to elect the leadership, and guide the organization. Machigonne CLT is actively recruiting new members and board members to lead this organization forward, to grow the CLT and purchase its first location. For more information: www.machigonne.org, MachigonneCLT@gmail.com, (207) 370-2584

MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

Good Neighbor of the Month Ralph Wentworth

By: Sam Cohen When Ralph Wentworth was a kid growing up on Munjoy Hill, you couldn’t get home from whatever you had done wrong, before your mom would already have heard about it. Testament to the strength of community on the Hill in the ’40s and ’50s, “...everybody knew everybody; we looked after each other,” Ralph says.

Ralph’s family came to Munjoy Hill in 1943. His father was involved with ships from a young age and got his start by dragging water buckets to thirsty sailors at the Kittery shipyard. When in Portland, his father shoveled coal on steamboats for Casco Bay Lines.

As a teenager Ralph walked to the Eastern Prom with his field glasses to spy the Liberty ships launching from South Portland.

During the war the New England Shipbuilding Corporation produced prefab “Liberty Ships” to send to the British. “They built ‘em faster than the Germans could sink ‘em,” Ralph says. He described how from start to finish a ship would be constructed and seaworthy in under a month.

By comparison, a single Zumwalt-class destroyer currently under construction at Bath Iron Works will take six years to build, when finished in 2015. Men and women would work 24/7 over 3 shifts to put the boats together. “Hot racking” was common. Workers shared beds set up in the garages and spare rooms of Portland residences. One shift would wake up and leave for the yard as another was finishing, to come home to a bed still warm from the last guy. “Portland was a busy place in those days. Anyone who had an honest daughter wouldn’t allow her into the city on a Friday or Saturday night,” Ralph says.

After the war, Ralph would visit sailors coming into harbor. He brought magazines to trade for a tour of their ship or food from their country. “They brought bundles of raw rubber before it got vulcanized,” he says. “They’d come in with that and leave with lumber or wood chips.” This is one of many stories Ralph has of a Munjoy Hill from another era.

and touch the power lines,” he said. A bulldozer trying to clear snow was enveloped and stuck. “They had to wait until it got warm before they could fish it out.”

At one point the snow was so bad that the city put the call out for 600 volunteers to shovel the tracks around Union Station.

“And 600 people showed up,” Ralph says.

After graduating Portland High School in 1954 Ralph joined the navy and served in Guam and Alaska. When he finished his tour he lived in California and had the opportunity to work as a guard for lucrative pay. But instead Ralph chose a return to Maine. “It wasn’t quiet enough out there.

Not my ballgame,” he says. Ralph enrolled at the University of Maine where he split his four years between Portland and Orono.

He remembers when his father first bought a television; folks from down the street would gather to watch. When channel 6 came to town it was revelatory to have a clear and consistent picture.

The blizzard of 1952 was one that remains vivid for Ralph. Portland was hit with 25 inches of snow in 35 hours. “At the base of Morning St. we’d climb up the snowbanks

with my life,” he says.

During his teaching career Ralph taught from 7th to 12th grade on the subjects of English, U.S. History, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, and Earth Sciences. In fact, he says he taught every subject save for two: advanced math and foreign languages.

Ralph can remember in the ’60s, things started to change for the worse. His Munjoy Hill was made up of blue collar folks.

Railroad workers, policemen, firemen and those working on the waterfront. Slowly the neighborhood turned to drugs. “It’s hard to know exactly why. It was a drain,” he says. “It happened very slowly. There was a change in occupation and in education level. Companies bought up houses. The older families would die out and their kids would move away.”

Ralph is a man who will tell you how he feels with little hesitation. His round face and salt and pepper goatee radiates a pointed saltiness from his years working in and around ships.

Most students in his class were veterans as well. While in college he decided to become a teacher. After graduating in 1962 he completed his student teaching at PHS. “My old teachers were surprised to see me come back. They didn’t expect I’d do anything

These days Ralph spends most of his time reading. He used to teach English to immigrants and is thinking about revisiting this pursuit. He’s also planning a move to South Portland to be closer to his daughter. He’ll take with him the experiences that made him who he is today. His memories will always bring him back to Munjoy Hill.

learn more about the program please contact Heather Clark, at 207-602-7332 or visit the website at www.dashfraud.com.

Join us in our efforts to DASH Out Fraud by stimulating conversation around strategies to deter fraud and, in return, better arm our communities against this crime.

DASH Out Fraud

By Heather Clark Anyone can be a victim of fraud. The

challenge is having a first line of defense, and an expert to turn to when faced with potential fraudulent activities. To address the issue, a group of Maine businesses and organizations, led by Saco & Biddeford Savings and Broadreach PR, formed the Maine Fraud Prevention Alliance (MFPA) in 2012. AARP Maine and the Maine Bankers Association have also recently joined.

The mission of the MFPA is to be a leader in fraud prevention through increased awareness of the various ways fraud, particularly financial fraud, is attempted. The more we can stimulate the conversation

around strategies to deter fraud, the better we can arm our communities against this crime.

Prevention is pivotal to stopping fraud, and in many cases the tools and methods are right at our finger tips. Having these reminders—by the phone, near your desk, or posted on the fridge— provides a first line of defense against fraud. If the criminals can’t get to you, they can’t defraud you.

The DASH Fraud program was launched as a self-defense kit providing four simple and easy to remember measures to prevent fraud at its onset, DASH: Delete unsolicited emails and texts; Ask for permits from door-to-door salespeople; Shred personal documents and junk mail; and Hang-up on unsolicited calls. The goal: educate and protect the public by providing tools and education for recognizing and defending against fraud.

The MFPA offers free fraud prevention presentations for community groups and organizations. If you wish to request a presentation, fraud prevention materials, or want to

11

As for what the Hill has become today, well, Ralph hasn’t been to visit in over two years. Ralph lives just at the base of the hill in the former North School, next to the Eastern Cemetery, but he is confined to a motorized wheelchair.

He suffers from chronic pain caused by osteoarthritis. He has sleep apnea so intense that he takes brief naps, 10 to 20 minutes long, over the course of the day and night. “I got two bad hips, a bad back, six other things wrong with me.

I’m like a junk car, I don’t know where to throw the money in first.” His hearing is mostly gone from canon fire.

The ice salesman delivered 25¢ or 50¢ blocks of ice to households. In the summer, kids would collect the ice shavings to cool off. Ralph also recalls milkmen on the Hill making their rounds. If left outside too long in the winter, the cream on top would freeze and expand out from the bottle in a white column, a memory that still elicits a chuckle from Ralph.

In his day, the fire barn next to the Observatory still had stalls for horses. Neighbors were close in those days, according to Ralph.

Ralph’s grandfather made his own dandelion wine, and one of his neighbors, an Italian immigrant, made grape wine, and the men would swap.

May 2014

Spotlight on Non-Profits is a regular feature.

To have your favorite non-profit profiled here, please contact observer@ munjoyhill.org.

FRAUD SELF -DEFENSE KIT

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO DASH ATTEMPTS

DELETE

UNSOLICITED EMAILS & TEXTS.

NO financial services company will ask for personal information via email. If the email is about someone in trouble, call a mutual friend or a relative to confirm. And, never click on links.

Go directly to websites by typing in the known web address.

ASK

FOR PERMITS FROM DOOR-TO-DOOR SALESPEOPLE.

Anyone involved in transient selling must have a permit. If in question, call your local municipality or authorities. And, never let them into your house to wait while you call.

SHRED

PERSONAL INFORMATION/DOCUMENTS AND JUNK MAIL.

Would you want the wrong person to get a hold of your address or social security number? Of course not. Shred anything and everything that may contain personal or confidential information including pre-approved credit offers and prize offerings. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

HANG-UP

UNSOLICITED CALLS.

Many calls involve “claiming a prize,” sending money, or confirming personal information. If you think it is legitimate, get the name of the company, the phone number, and research.

Never give personal information to a stranger.

Visit the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov. Follow the links for Consumer Protection and get on the Do Not Email, Do Not Mail, and Do Not Call lists.

12

May 2014

MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

The ‘Ellis Island’ of Casco Bay The Past is Prologue... or, Why Don’t We Know About This?

marked, “House Island was known as the ‘Ellis Island of the North.’ In November of 1923, 218 immigrants were diverted to Casco Bay Maine. They were detained at the quarantine station on House Island.”

By Jo Israelson I did not learn the history

of Munjoy Hill, the Observatory, Casco Bay Islands and the Eastern Prom until I came home for my high school reunion.

As kids growing up on the Hill, we were more interested in hanging out on the Prom, playing pick-up baseball games, and finding beach glass. Studying history was an anathema: too many dates and too much war. I was interested in the people who made history – many of whom we never learned about.

While moving my mom to an assisted living facility, I realized, once again, how little I knew about the immigrant history of all of us who grew up on the Hill.

“When immigrant ships landed in Portland in 1923 and 1924, and the passengers were maintained on House Island, the Council of Jewish Women set up kosher kitchens there. It also assisted immigrants in entering this country by communicating with their relatives and then speeding them to their destinations.”

Please contact the author if you have information or documents about this immigrant detention center from the 1920s.

Over the course of a week of packing and moving, I encountered a few little-known facts about my home town.

Sitting in the middle of the room, were the boxes of unsorted and unlabeled photographs.

My mom picked one up:

“This is a photo of the synagogue your great-grandfather started.”

Etz Chaim? My great grandfather? Why don’t I know that?

A week later, while kayaking in Casco Bay, my guide rePortland Council of Jewish Women. 1923 Name Mrs. Eldar Markson

House Island? 218 immigrants detained and quarantined. Why don’t I know about this?

First Name Jennie

Home Address 237 State St.

Mildred S.

100 Neal St.

I am a Portland-born and Munjoy Hill-raised artist. preparing for a 2015 exhibit at the Maine Jewish Museum. Because my work often focuses on a little known moment in history that reflects larger issues within a current context, the role of the House Island quarantine station in the lives of Portland immigrants piqued my interest.

For a week, I delved into the files of the Maine Historical Society, the Portland Room of the Public Library, the New England Archives in Waltham, and Judaica Collection at the Glickman Library. I am now researching the files at the National Archives in D.C.

B. 1879 –D. 3/10/1925 Portland Me)

Mrs. Maurice Markson (B. 1880 – D. Feb 10, 1966)

Mrs. Jacob Schiebe

Jennie

94 Vesper St.

Helen

48 Western Promenade

Molly Anna D

224 Eastern Promenade 93 Morning St.

Lenna

170 Cumberland Ave.

(B. 1873 – D. 12/12/1964)

Mrs. Jacob Rosenberg D. 5/12/1949

Mrs. Benjamin Press Mrs. Jacob Sapiro D. 3/13/1968

Mrs. Eli PERRY

Kosher kitchens? Immigrant assistance? Why don’t I know about this?!

Husband’s business Markson Bros.

Clothing 504 Congress St. Markson Bros.

Clothing 504 Congress St. Tailor 22 Monument Sq #402 Rosenberg Brothers real estate 85 Exchange St. Room 305, Real Estate Husband worked 9 Plum St. E. Perry and Co Junk 117 Lancaster St.

I have since learned a few more details about the House Island quarantine immigration station: It was in service from 1904 to 1937. Passenger ships not allowed to land in Boston or NY were rerouted to House Island.

Immigrants who were allowed to remain in the US could then be sent by rail to NY or Boston. Others were returned to their country of origin.

ACROSS

1 Massachusetts’ __ Cod 5 Actor Edward 10 Resting upon 14 Ran up a tab 15 Milan’s nation 16 Finished 17 Cylindrical containers 18 Hollow talk; insincere words 20 Certain vote 21 Forest tree 22 Refueling ship 23 Use one’s head 25 Faux __; social blunder 26 Malaysian wraparound 28 Woods 31 Accumulate

21 Brooches 24 Rubber tube 25 Wordsworth or Longfellow 26 Actress Gilbert 27 Pedro’s friend 28 Escaped DOWN 29 Expert planner 1 __-Cola 30 Screwdrivers 2 Take __; subtract and wrenches 3 Seeped into 32 Drill tips 4 Koch & Begley 33 Pub beverage 5 Sick 35 TV show award 6 Smell terrible 37 Imitation 7 Back of the neck 8 Rail systems in some 38 Plant with fronds 40 __ upon; force to cities accept 9 Bread for a Reuben 41 Regulation 10 Give counsel to 43 __ on; demand 11 Work hard 44 Actress Tyson 12 In the past 46 Alma __; one’s old 13 One’s equal school 19 Laughs loudly 58 Corncobs 59 Fight off 60 __ of Wight 61 Worry 62 Doorway 63 Flower stalk

What I didn’t find were all the names of other people who were held on House Island from 1904 to 1937.

What I didn’t find were the names of Portland residents whose family members came into Portland through House Island.

What I didn’t find were the names of those who returned to their countries of origin.

What I didn’t find were the names of the women who were members of the 1920’s Jewish Council of Women who provided assistance to incoming immigrants.

Portland is a city created by immigrants; Irish, Italian, Eastern European, English…and now Somali, Congolese, and Ethiopian. I am hoping that you, the readers, will also be curious about House Island’s history and its possible influence in the lives of your family members.

I am looking for anyone who had family members who were detained on House Island, or allowed to immigrate into Maine after being processed there.

If you have any paperwork, photographs or even a family story, please contact me at: firehousestudio@mindspring.com or call me at 410.775.1093.

With your help, we will all be able to say: House Island quarantine station, the History of Immigrants in Portland, Organizations that provided assistance to new citizens, I know about that!!

THE Daily Commuter Puzzle

http://www.freep.com/dailycommuter Solution on Page 8

32 Hay bundles 34 Foot digit 36 Ceremony 37 __ mignon; slice of beef 38 “__ Here to Eternity” 39 Grow older 40 Destined 41 Kingdom 42 Hateful 44 Woman’s bow before royalty 45 Put the kibosh on 46 Winnie-the- Pooh’s creator 47 In a bad mood 50 Run fast 51 “__ Along, Little Dogies” 54 Allowed by law 57 Conceal

There is a story of one man, Bela Gross, who jumped off the ship into Casco Bay, rather than be returned to Russia. He lost his passport in the water and was deported.

One year later, the courts determined he had been deported illegally, so he was allowed to re-enter the U.S. In the D.C. archives, I found the names of two Munjoy Hill police officers who helped pull that man out of the freezing water. Their names were Office Thomas A. Conley and Patrolman Simon Rubinoff.

FOR RELEASE MARCH 18, 2014

Patrolman Simon Rubinoff (d. 1870 – d. 4/2/1961 OR 6/21/1962) Interpreted for Bela Gross, 1923.

Crossword

Above, aerial view of House Island in the 1920s. Today, it is a private island in Portland Harbor in Casco Bay, Maine, USA. It is part of the City of Portland. The island is only accessible by boat. Public access is prohibited, except for an on-request tour sanctioned by the island’s owners. (text source: Wikipedia).

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

ACROSS

47 Treble __; musical 1 Massachusetts’ symbol __ Cod 5 Actor Edward 48 Bring up, as chil10 Resting dren upon 14 Ran up a tab 49 Milan’s Villain nation 15 50 Finished Engrossed 16 17 52 Cylindrical Doing nothing 53 containers Abound 18 Hollow talk; 55 insincere Wrath words 56 Certain Fellows vote 20 57 Forest __ and tree hers 21 22 Refueling ship 23 Use one’s head 25 Faux __; social blunder 26 Malaysian wraparound 28 Woods 31 Accumulate 32 Hay bundles 34 Foot digit 36 Ceremony 37 __ mignon; slice of beef 38 “__ Here to Eternity” 39 Grow older 40 Destined 41 Kingdom

The Daily Commuter Puzzle by Jacqueline E. Mathews 5 Sick 6 Smell terrible 7 Back of the

Monday’s Puzzle Solved

MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

Living With Peace­

May 2014

13

Living With Peace is a dynamic local grassroots community support organization investing in the future of our immigrants by providing information, resources, and training to newcomers to the community and culture.

Living With Peace Awarded CDBG Grant

By Christina Feller, VP of Living With Peace On March 17th, 2014, Roger Ruganzu and Christina Feller, President and Vice President of Living With Peace, spoke before the Portland City Council to thank the Allocation Committee, the City Manager, and the City Council for accepting the City Manager’s recommendation to award a grant to the non-profit as part of the City’s Community Development Block Grant program. The CDBG grant helps fund twelve immigrants in new micro-business ventures here in the City. The new group is called Portland Micro’s: Making Cents, Funding Change.

Living With Peace is seeking business coaches for each individual.

Christina spoke about her experience as the American Director of the US Agency for International Development’s Small Business Development Program in Russia and noted that she handled the needs of more than 2000 clients including some 200 in Archangel, Portland’s Sister City. She gave Councilor Ed

Colon Cancer:

What You Should Know

By Amy Case, Tufts University School of Medicine Who’s at risk?

Anyone can get colon cancer, but these risk factors may increase your chances of developing colon cancer: • Age: 50 years old and up • Family history of colon cancer in a mother, father, sister, brother, or child • Family history of Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC) or Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) • History of ovarian, endometrial, or breast cancer • Smokers • Testing positive for of Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms of Colon Cancer Colon polyps can lead to cancer, but most people with colon polyps don’t feel sick. Polyps are a group of abnormal cells that may turn into cancerous cells. This is why screening is so important!

Symptoms of colon cancer may include: • Blood in or on the stool

rent Small Business Development Center manager for their records. He s traveling to Archangel in June and said he would do so. Christina wrote the Guide to Small Business Ownership that USAID used in Russia and she is using the same techniques to develop immigrant business ownership here. She notes that “the basics of business success are the same everywhere at all times— immigrants in PortAbove. top: Hawa Isaac and her radish crop in Lewiston; land have the same Hawa, grandson and Haidar. To lower right: founding chances at success as members Ibrahim Abdulle (l), Ibrahim Mohamed, (center anyone, and with digr), Mohamed Dekow (r), and consultant Christina Feller (center l), at a meeting to plan programs. ital technology, their ability to control their expenses and manage Suslovic a Report on a three-day small business development con- innovation at the same time is imference she organized in Archan- proved. That is what we are going gel some 19 years ago, and asked to focus on.” him to give the tome to the cur- Roger Ruganzu spoke about the or-

• Stomach pain, aches • Cramps that do not go away • Unexplained weight loss Many conditions may cause these symptoms. If you are having any of these symptoms, you should see a doctor to discuss what is causing them..

Screening can be life saving!

The State of Maine has a screening program that can cover the costs of the procedure. To see if you qualify go online to screenmaine.org. Or, your insurance may cover it.

Ways for you to get screened for colon cancer include: • Colonoscopy • High-sensitivity fecal occult blood test (FOBT) • Stool test, fecal immunochemical test (FIT) • Sigmoidoscopy Meet with your doctor to discuss which screening type is the best for you. Medicare and insurance plans often help pay for colorectal cancer screenings.

For more information: MaineHealth Learning Resource Center, 272 Congress St. Portland, ME 04101 1-866-609-5183 www.mainehealth.org/LRC, Facebook www.facebook.com/

MaineHealthLRC , Twitter @ MaineHealthlrc1 www.screenmaine.org 1-877-320-6800 At ScreenMaine.org, you’ll find local information about types of screening and financial help that may be available. www.screen4coloncancer.org • www.ccalliance.org/colorectal_cancer/index.html • www.cancer.gov/colorectalcancerrisk/ • www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/ resources/features/ColorectalAwareness/

ganization and about working with the team to develop micro businesses and thanked the City Council for supporting immigrants. Living With Peace hosted a workshop for Immigrant Artists, Authors, Entrepreneurs: Collaborating for Success in the New Digital World, at the Root Cellar on March 22nd.

This was an opportunity for people to think about writing, and about entrepreneurship as a way of life. If you wish to volunteer for such projects, please reach out to Christina in English (cfeller@maine.rr.com), or to Roger in French (Roger: 207232-8118 ).

Somali Bantu Organization Receives Exemption Status from IRS

The US Kenya Somalia Cross Border Trader’s Association, headquartered in Lewiston, received Fast Track approval for their organization’s request for tax exemption from the IRS. Focused on rebuilding Peace and Prosperity for the Somali Bantu and Nilotic peoples all over the world, the Board of Directors come from Wisconsin, Washington, Ohio,

Spirits Alive Spring Association for Gravestone Studies Northeast New England Chapter Meeting Sunday, May 18, 2014 10:30AM to 12:00PM Eastern Cemetery: Tour 1:00PM to 4:00PM Maine Jewish Museum: Presentations sa@spiritsalive.org

MaineHealth Learning Resource Center

Learning to be healthy isn’t always easy. How do you find information and resources you can trust?

The MaineHealth Learning Resource Center is here to help. Each location has a health educator who can help you find out what you need to know. Visit http://www.mmc.org/lrc_body.cfm?id=296 Whom do we help?

We help anyone who needs health information.

• Patients who want to learn about a disease, condition or treatment • Community members who need healthy living tips and resources • Healthcare providers looking for health education materials and resources Our services • Health education classes • Free library of health books, brochures and videos • Personalized help from health educators to find out what you need to know • Public computers to search the Internet for health information • Outreach programs to improve the health of Maine communities Find us at 272 Congress St., Portland, Me 04101, 1-866-609-5183, www.mainehealth.org/LRC, www. facebook.com/MaineHealthLRC

CHESTER & V ESTAL, P.A. ATTORNEYS AT LAW

Over 30 years of service to Munjoy Hill

“Serving Greater Portland Since 1980”

REAL ESTATE • SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY

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observer ad.indd 1

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Nebraska, Conne c t ic ut , and Maine.

Their biggest 2014 program is working with a range of partners to expand the farming in Maine project to include many more applicants and to learn more advanced farming techniques. Hussein Muktar, who serves as Outreach Coordinator for Cultivating Community, and his farmer wife, Hawa (see photo), are program managers for the Somali Bantu organization.

They are preparing their children and grandchildren to take on the mantle of rebuilding the Bantu national pride and prosperity whether in Somalia or Maine.

14

May 2014

MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

The Small Boaters’ Film Fest and Silent Auction, Thur, May 1 to

MeCAF: Maine Comics Arts Festival, SUN May 18

benefit MITA. www.mita.org, at the USM Abromson Center in Portland (6:009:30pm).

10-5 at the Portland Company Complex located at 58 Fore Stree, Come meet dozens of artists. Admission is only $5.00- Kids and 12 and under FREE! FMI: http://www.mainecomicsfestival.com

Root Cellar Benefit Auction Friday, May 2, 6 - 9 pm Celebrate 30 years of THE ROOT CELLAR working with youth and families in Portland’s East End. Our services provide many needed resources including after school programs, medical and dental care, tutoring, ESL classes, food and clothing distribution, citizenship classes, help with job placement, and much more. All of our programs are designed to help our local community. • The Benefit Auction, celebrates 30 years with fabulous Greek food and both silent and live auctions. Friday May 2nd from 6 pm to 9 pm at The Root Cellar, 94 Washington Avenue in Portland. Tickets are available through The Root Cellar office (207) 774­3197 or at the door. Cost: SPECIAL ticket price of $10 in celebration of 30 years. WWW.THEROOTCELLAR.ORG

Cinco De Mayo Events, May 5 Mothers’ Day 2014, Sun,May 11 The Holocaust: One Survivor Remembers Thur, May 15

6:30 PM. Academy/Emmy-award winning Holocaust survivor to speak in South Portland Gerda Weissmann Klein will speak at Congregation Bet Ha’am in South Portland Event will include a viewing of the Academy Award and Emmy-winning short documentary, One Survivor Remembers (39 minutes), Discussion and Q&A with Mrs. Klein. Invite your friends and neighbors. This event is open to everyone, and a reception open to all will be held immediately afterwards.

Gerda is the co-founder of “Citizenship Counts,” which empowers young people to be responsible, participatory and sociallyjust citizens. http://citizenshipcounts.org/.

Contact: Kris Dorer, kris@bethaam.org, 207-879-0028 x104

BugLight Kite Festival, Sat, May 17

All DaySaturday. Enjoy a day of old-fashioned, kite-flying. Members of the Noreasters Kite Club and Kites Over New England (KONE) will offer a fantastic display of fun and fanciful kites, will offer many activities like bol racing and a candy drop for the kids, and will help anyone looking to learn how to fly their own kite. Kites will be available for purchase in the museum gift shop at the park. Food and drinks available for purchase at a barbecue at the event.

Portland Breakwater Lighthouse (aka Bug Light) will be open to the public during the festival, giving a rare chance to see the inside of the lighthouse, thanks to volunteers from the South Portland/Cape Elizabeth Rotary Club.

Tahntay! Community Celebration and Parade, SUN May 18 11 am-3:30

on the Eastern Promenade: Community Potluck, games, dancing, music, and parade.

See page 16 of this newspaper for details. (formerly known as the EBUNE celebration).

Table Tennis/Ping Pong Drop-In Program at EECS

This Portland Rec program is open to adults 18+. We have 5 tables at East End Community School and are trying to build this new program! Where: East End Community School, Cafeteria. When: Every Wednesday, 6 pm - 9:30pm; Cost: $2 Resident, $3 Non Resident. We have paddles that people can use! Please feel free to give me a call at 773-8222, or email with questions: Peter Gerard, email: PTG@portlandmaine.gov.

St. Lawrence Arts

Your neighborhood arts venue is at 76 Congress Street, stlawrencearts.org, 347-7177

Port Veritas Spoken Word

Poetry Readings, every Tuesday 7-10 pm, @ Bull Feeney’s 375 Fore St. - 7:30-10pm / All Ages, FMI: Gil Helmick, 400-7543.

Calling All Munjoy Hill Gardeners!

Know an interesting garden space, precious window nook, porch planters or sidewalk landscapes on the Hill? Friends of the Eastern Promenade seeks gardens for the Hidden Gardens of Munjoy Hill 2014 tour! Email info@easternpromenade.org.

Mayo Street Arts Performances &

Classes 10 Mayo Street, mayostreetarts. org —Times vary. Classes: Tango, Belly Dancing, Kids Yoga, Juggling, Zumba and Pilates. Artist Studios, theater, poetry, music and more. Contact 615-3609, or info@ mayostreetarts.org

Memorial Day Events, May 24-26 Maine Senior FarmShare

Know a low-income senior (relative, friend or neighbor) who could benefit from $50 of FRESH, UNPROCESSED, LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCE? To participate, directly contact a local farmer to sign up. Contact your local area agency on aging by calling the ELDERS-1 toll-free number: 1-877-353-3771, for a list of participating FarmShare Farmers, http://www.getrealmaine.com.

PPL Basic Computer Training II workshops, May 13th and 27th

3:00-4:15pm, Registration required Portland Public Library, http://www.portlandlibrary.com/

DELETE ASK PERMITS SHRED HANG-UP

UNSOLICITED EMAILS & TEXTS.

FOR

FROM DOOR-TO-DOOR SALESPEOPLE.

PERSONAL DOCUMENTS AND JUNK MAIL.

UNSOLICITED CALLS.

www.DASHfraud.org

MAINE FRAUD PREVENTION ALLIANCE

see composting article on page 4.

Take Me Away...to the Emerald Isles This fall, Munjoy Hill resident and former MHNO Board member, Ann Quinlan, will host another small group (max.12 ) on an 11-day private Spiral Journey to her native Ireland, September 1929-2014. Unpacking only once, guests are based at the famed Ashley Park House, a Lower Shannon, 75 acre, Eighteenth Century Irish Manor House and bird sanctuary. Traveling daily by private coach,

Deering High School Presents

Folk Tales from Around the World, Sat, May 10

The Deering Players Drama Club will perform at 1 and 5 pm in the Deering High School auditorium.

Deering senior Kyle Carver wrote the scripts based on nine folk tales from England, Fiji, Japan, Norway, Peru, Somalia, Sudan and Thailand. Deering graduate Adrian Matos choreographed the dances, and Deering teacher Kathleen Harris directs a cast of 25. Family-friendly // all ages. $5 in advance // $7 day of. Ticket: 699-9193.

You can support the Observer with your advertisements!

Email us at: Observer@ munjoyhill.org

Ann’s itinerary includes trips throughout the region. Following dinner, evenings will include fireside music, storytelling, and local historians.

Founded by Ann in 1988, Spiral Journeys draws travelers from across USA. While this journey is filling quickly, a few openings remain; registration is free and simple, at http://www.spiraljourneys.com or call Ann at 207-899-2606.

It’s about

relationships

Relationships are built on trust, and that’s something our sales representatives never lose sight of.

You want to feel that you are in capable hands, and that we understand your expectations.

From print to the packing and shipping details, you’ll feel as if you’ve entered into a partnership that fits; our clients tell us they like that.

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(207) 504-8200 • (800) 356-8850

www.alliance-press.com • printsales@alliance-press.com

FULL

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MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

maine

East End Community School Parent Teacher Organization For info about the EECS PTO and upcoming

events, go to www.eecs.portlandpto.org or contact board@eecs. portlandpto.org.

Memorial Day, No School, Mon., May 26,

15" Black PVC Boots

Chemical resistant. Cut off bands for height adustment.

16 pair

Sizes 5-15

99

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1699

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May 5 - Grade 1 visits Audubon (Coffin & Singer) 9:15-11:30 May 6 - Grade 2 visit Scarborough Marsh (Brown & McDonough) 9:15-11:30 May 9 - Grade 2 visits Scarborough expertly designed land travel in ireland Marsh (Floridino & Pelletier) 9:1511:30 May 12 -May 16 - Grade 4 visits Wolfe’s Neck Farm May 12 - Grade 1 visits Audubon (Hewey & Salisbury) 9:15-11:30 May 13 - Kinderconcert (Brass) 9:30 show and 10:30 show May 15 - Grade 5 visits Strawberry Banke in Portsmouth, NH your guide: May 16 - Lincoln MIddle School step up day for fifth graders ann@spiraljourneys.com • 207–­899–2606 May 20 - Audubon visits Kindergarten May 22nd- Kindergarten visist Audubon (Rotolo & Gray) 9:15-11:00 — Grade 3 visits Maine PERSONAL TRAINING EXPERIENCE Historical Society (9-11) Mosher & Joyce 4 Small Group ­— King MIddle School and Training Sessions Lyman Moore Middle School Step up day for Unlimited classes fifth graders May 23rd Grade 3 visits Open gym access Maine Historical Society & much more!

(9:00-11:00) Valley & Griffin May 26 - Memorial Day, 34 Romasco Lane, Portland, ME 04101 no school 207.774.2196 www.thebodyarchitect.com May 28 - Kinderconcert (percussion) 9:30 show and 10:30 show

Next Journey: Sept. 19–­29, 2014

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School News May 2014 Calendar

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May 2014

Just around the corner for all your digital printing and copying needs. at 100 Fore Street, Portland

[next to Hamilton Marine on your way to the Eastern Prom]

775-2444 www.xcopy.com

Comparison Puzzle-by OutherebyGeorge.com. See if you can find the six differences

Teacher Appreciation Week Thank you to Teachers and Staff at the East End Community School!!

May 5-19, 2014 is recognized nationally as Teacher Appreciation Week.

Thank you to EECS teachers, staff, and administrators for your tremendous dedication and hard work all year long. Now is the perfect opportunity for students and families to express many thanks to all the wonderful and talented educators who make our school such an amazing and inspiring place to be. For the third consecutive year, the PTO will be sponsoring a gathering for our excellent EECS staff.

EECS families are encouraged to celebrate teachers and staff individually as well with a card, a flower, a poem, a song, artwork, a pat on the back, or simply by saying “thank you.”

June 20, 2014 Last Day of Classes The Portland Board of Public Education voted unanimously to set June 20, 2014 as the final day of classes for the current school year, assuming there are no more cancellations.

Modibo Somes

MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

Community Spring Celebration on the Eastern Promenade

On Sunday May 18th, at 11am, we will gather together to FEAST on the generous gifts of food from many cultures in our community.

We will have a community potluck picnic at the Eastern Promenade!

There will be face-painting and simple mask-making, as well as some costuming-making during this time. Light acoustic music from local musicians will accompany our feast.

Modibo Somes

May 2014

Annie Sekonia

16

Parade will begin at 1 pm from the Eastern Promenade. We will strut our stuff for each other and for the community along the Eastern Promenade, and then spend some time in reverence for the return of Spring and the awesomeness of each other!!! More dancing, playing and celebrating until 3pm, when cleaning up will commence.

For more information, to volunteer or contribute, contact amanda parkhurst at musicandmagicmaine@gmail.com, or call 207 956-3019. This event belongs to you and your community!

Photographer Jon Decker also took some wonderful photos at the 2013 event... See his whole set here: http://bit.ly/170Dxry