M u n joy Hil l
M u n joy Hil l
OBSERVER
OBSERVER
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FREE Published by the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization Vol. 32, No. 9 • October 2012
Q: What is missing from this picture??
M u njoy H i ll
Neighborhood
A. YOU! The MHNO quarterly meeting crowd at the East End Community School.
Festival Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012, from 10 am to 3 pm at the East End Community School,195 North Street Featuring... Leonardo’s Pizza • Hella Good Tacos • Nita’s Lunch Cart • Portland Pottery Café • Goods Vendors • Artists • Non-Profits • Info Tables • Games • Arts & Crafts • Music • Police SRT Vehicle Demo • Fire Department Demo Truck • Estimation Station with prizes • Bike Rodeo • Face Painting • Single Bungee Trampoline • Henna Designs • 50/50 Raffle • Goods & Gift Certificate Raffles from: Le Creuset, Silly’s, Colucci’s, Quince & Co., Maine Sailing Adventures & more!
Quarterly Meeting for the MHNO Set for October 24
The next MHNO Quarterly Meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 24, from 6:30-8:00 pm at East End Community School. Enjoy refreshments and social time and hear updates from MHNO Committee Chairs. Then, participate in an open topic round table discussion with other members and the MHNO Board.
We are interested in what is important to YOU, and we hope that by offering up this format for our quarterly meeting we will have an opportunity to find out. In preparation for the conversation, we ask all those who plan to attend to think about the following questions:
1. What do you see that is working well in our neighborhood, or for you as an individual?
events schedule 10a–1p
• Single Bungee TRAMPoLINE (outside)
11a–Noon • MR. & MRS. FISH (inside, Café Stage) Noon–1p • Meet Slugger the SeaDog (outside) • LIVE oRIGINAL MuSIC by Kurt Myhaver (inside, Café Stage) 1–2p
Lisa Peñalver
2. What do you think could work better?
Are you a shy person? Perhaps not comfortable speaking in large groups? No worries. We won’t force anyone to talk, but we hope all will come to hear what their fellow Hill-ers have to say. See you there!
• SPARK'S ARK Animal Show (inside, Community Rm)
PARTNERS: MHNO, Munjoy Hill Community Policing & Portland Recreation SPoNSoRS: Portland Maine Rentals, Haley’s United Insurance, Amy Alward Allstate Insurance, Portland Yacht Services, Dimillo’s, Coffee By Design, Bar Lola, Hilltop Coffee, Chester and Vestal, PA, Norway Savings Bank, Bangor Savings Bank, Good Theater, Tom Landry – Benchmark Real Estate, Paul Malia Post, Donatelli’s Custom Tailor Shop, Envy Salon, and Dale Rand Printing. Thank you all!
Join us in thanking the generous SPONSORS of our Event:
Join us for First Friday at Hill House on Friday, October 5 from 6 – 8 pm. This month we feature oil paintings by multi-talented artist, Sonny Robinson (see article on page 9), as well as photographs by Heather Dorothy Butler. Drop in, check out the fantastic art. Enjoy some refreshments presented by Jewlee Robinson, and meet your neighbors and Board members!
Amy Alward Agency
Paul Malia Post
Finally, weekly curbside compost pickup! see page 7 for details
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There Is No Substitute for Experience OCEAN GATE REALTY, LLC • 151 Newbury St., Portland, Me 04101 • Cell 207.465.5569
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October 2012
MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER
At the Helm
The Munjoy Hill Observer is published
by the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization (MHNO) at 92 Congress Street Portland, Maine 04101 info@munjoyhill.org 207-775-3050 Editor: Lisa Peñalver
observer@munjoyhill.org (207) 766-5077 munjoyhill.org Observer Committee Andrea Myhaver, Tamera Edison, Lisa Peñalver advertising Tamera Edison tamera.edison@munjoyhill.org 939-7998, Lisa Peñalver, Layout & Design 239-1604 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 2012-2013 Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization
Andrea Myhaver, President.......................... . ......... andrea.myhaver@munjoyhill.org Ross Fields, Vice President............................ . ...................ross.fields@munjoyhill.org Elaine Mullin, Treasurer............................... elaine.mullin@munjoyhill.org..671-6132 Sam Cohen, Secretary.................................. . .................. sam.cohen@munjoyhill.org Eben Albert-Knopp....................................... . ................... ealbertknopp@yahoo.com Ralph Carmona............................................ rccarmona@hotmail.com.........518-9177 Nova Ewers........ nova.ewers@munjoyhill.org Thomas Kelley............................................. . .............thomas.kelley@munjoyhill.org Joan Sheedy.....joan.sheedy@munjoyhill.org . ............................................. 774-7616 Ann Quinlan..... ann.quinlan@munjoyhill.org
MHNO Mission
MHNO President, Andrea Myhaver
It Takes a Community While I usually use this column to inform you about the activities of the MHNO, I’m going to depart from that format a bit this month, to tell you about a group I’m involved in called It Takes a Community. The group, sponsored by my employer, Maine Mental Health Partners, consists of a variety of people, including clinicians, consumers, family members, and community leaders, who share a common goal to improve the experience of Maine individuals and their families who face the challenge of mental illness, through awareness building, education and community outreach. When I first heard about It Takes a Community via a company-wide email message, I was eager to get involved because of my own personal experience of having two siblings who live with mental illness. At a recent meeting of the group, I tried to explain my reason for joining: I started out with, “I have two siblings who are schizophrenic…”, and a wonderfully astute consumer in the group (politely and re-
spectfully) took me to task. “We prefer not to say ‘are schizophrenic,’ ” she said. She was right. To describe my brother and sister as schizophrenic is to define them solely by their illness, and it isn’t any more appropriate to do so than it would be to define myself solely by my diabetes or my oldest brother solely by his cancer. Like all humans, my siblings and I are multi-faceted. We have strengths, weaknesses, talents, quirks, and any number of indefinable qualities that make us unique. We each also happen to be living with a serious illness. While I regret my choice of words, in a way, I’m glad I spoke them. I was provided with an opportunity to be educated, and it opened up a thought-provoking dialogue at the meeting. The group went on to talk about labels and, then, the idea of recovery. Every person had a different story to tell and a different take on the subject at hand. I’m quite sure we all learned something new in that 90 minutes, and it was probably one of the most valuable meetings I’ve been to in a long time.
October 7-13 is Mental Illness Awareness Week As a precursor to activities that will take place during that week, the group It Takes a Community is hosting an event called, “Life with Mental Illness: What We All Need To Know.” The event will be held on Tuesday, October 2, from 6:30-8 pm in the Rines Auditorium at the Portland Public Library. (Please see the calendar section of this newspaper for more details) To learn more about It Takes a Community, contact Donna Murphy, Communications Director at Maine Mental Health Partners, 207-842-7735 or email murphd5@memhp.org.
Time to do your civic duty—Vote! October brings us the glorious fall colors in the trees and in the quality of the daylight. There is an excitement in the air—part urgency in battening down the hatches before winter arrives (IF it arrives), part anticipation of the celebration of that whimsical holiday, Halloween (my personal favorite holiday), and part social intensity as the presidential campaigns run their last lap before the Nov. 6th elections. It’s a lot to take in! We don’t have to look too far to see issues that need attention. These elections hold out the possibility of change and of hope. There are big changes afoot, regardless of who wins the presidential race. The shameful stalemate in Congress might finally break (you’d hope) once the results of the presidential race are announced. If ever there were a time to become active in the politi-
That particular meeting served as a bit of a microcosm for what It Takes a Community is all about. Our group is striving to break down barriers and provide an opportunity for all community members to have a better understanding about what it is like to live with mental illness. By sharing our own experiences, we hope that we will help to someday make the stigma of mental illness a thing of the past. That brings me right back to where I started: my choice to depart from my usual format in this column. I didn’t arrive at my choice lightly. It Takes a Community is near and dear to my heart. In addition, I’m certain there are Hill residents out there living with mental illness. However, I couldn’t really say that my participation in the group falls under my duties as President of the MHNO, so I felt a bit uncomfortable at first. As I thought about the mission of the MHNO though, and our desire to build community among neighborhood residents, I realized that it is not just participation in common activities that helps frame how we interact with one another and strengthens our bonds, but it is sharing our separate experiences as well. In that sense, I guess I haven’t strayed too far after all.
From the Editor, Lisa Peñalver
cal process, now would be the time. There is still time to learn about the candidates and the issues. The opportunity to have a real impact on the course of history does not come by every day. It’s worth a bit of effort. The Sample Ballot has not yet been released, but the ballot is out; you can see the list of Initiatives on page 3. I recently heard on the radio (MPBN) that the biggest group of people who did NOT vote were young single women. How many single women do you know? Talk to them; encourage them to vote. (It’s likely that Portland harbors fewer such non-voters that other parts of the state, but it can’t hurt to reach out.)
ing in this country used to be viewed as a civic duty. I would argue that it still IS our responsibility, even if some of the shiny idealism of the act has become tarnished in recent years. After all, what is the alternative? “Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don’t vote,” quipped William E Simon in the late ’50s, and it’s just as true today. You know you care about your community, your state, and your country, so don’t make excuses, just do it - Vote!
Our voting process is far from perfect, but it is one of the best in the world. Look at what’s happening in countries which lack such a peaceful process. It ain’t pretty. Vot-
Incorporated as a nonprofit organization in January 1979, our purpose is to be
a
broad-based,
representative
WHO YOU GONNA CALL? You can help prevent crime on the Hill!
organization committed to improving the
If you see a crime happening or see/hear anything suspicious in your neighborhood, please call the police!
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
756-8135 Daytimes: Janine Kaserman with Community Policing 2) 650-9005 cell: 11 am thru the night, 1)
Senior Lead Officer Tony Ampezzan (at right)
groups, encouraging self-sufficiency, and enriching the lives of all residents.
3)
874-8575/-8574:
Dispatch/non-emergency events
4) Emergencies: 9-1-1 Anonymous Crimes tips Program: Phone Tip—Dial 874-8584 | Online: tipsubmit.com Text-A-Tip: Text “GOTCHA” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES) Clip and save these numbers!
Send us Your Letters and Hill news to observer@MunjoyHill.org
On Hill
MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER
October 2012
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Good Neighbor of the Month Nyapeni Choul Doul
Enchanted By Ross Fields, Vice President of the MHNO, Membership Committee Chair Maybe it’s because I’m still new to the area, one year and 3 months as of this writing, but every day I still find myself enchanted by the beauty and vibrancy of the Munjoy Hill neighborhood. It is such a joy to take in the ever-changing scenery of Casco Bay, walk to the market to pick up needed items or attend a neighborhood activity. But, I realize that there would be no sense of “enchantment” if it were not for you, my neighbor. By choosing to live here, you contribute to what makes our community so special, so enchanting. I get a strong sense of our collective efforts at First Friday Art Walk at Hill House, concerts at Fort Allen Park or just walking down the street and greeting each other with a smile as we pass. This may sound silly, but I get so much enjoyment and a sense of satisfaction out of just noticing how many of you walk by while I am in a meeting at Hill House. It makes me realize just how alive our community is. This is how community grows, with people connecting with one another on a day-to-day basis. I look forward to getting to know more of you as our paths cross, and to experience and be a part of the enchantment that is Munjoy Hill.
By Lisa Peñalver Each month, when I ask around the Hill for the name of a “good neighbor” to write about for the Observer, I find myself explaining to those whom I ask, and then to those whom I interview, what I mean by this expression, “good neighbor.” What the MHNO is trying to do with this column is to highlight people in our community who are taking it upon themselves to make the community a better place for everyone. There are two things I have learned in this process. One is that we have many good neighbors on Munjoy Hill—it’s one of the qualities that makes this place so special. And the other is that one person can make a BIG difference! This month I interviewed a woman who is part of the Sudanese community on the Hill and is an organizer of a new Sudanese women’s group. I might refer to Nyapeni Choul Doul as a newcomer, but she is hardly new to the area; she has lived here now for 14 years! She lives on Munjoy South, across from the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad building. Nyapeni, now an American citizen, was originally from South Sudan. She came to this country to escape the conflict of her homeland, and has made this place her home. Over the years she raised her family here and has held a number of jobs, all
coming full Circle— The hour of exchange has come By Sally Breen, Hour Exchange Portland I’ve come full circle. I was born in 1935, in the heat of the Great Depression in Brownsville, Texas. I remember our unpainted shack of a home. Two rooms, outhouse in the backyard. My 16-year-old mother, a school dropout, my father, working for my grandfather who did dump truck work for Fort Brown. My father earned a salary of $.25/hour. In 1937, my sister was born. This is a picture of economic despair. This was before the days of organized food pantries. This was before the days of People’s Regional Opportunity Program (PROP). These were the days of long, long food lines. These were the days of long, long, LONG lines of people seeking employment. People in economic despair were jumping out the windows to their deaths. My family survived only because of my grandparents. My grandparents owned a dairy, some chickens, a shrimp boat and a few rent houses. They not only provided much of the food we ate, but also served as assistantparents to my sister and me while my mother temporarily worked as a car-hop at the Princess Drive-In. I’ve learned of others in my family who owned a small brick home. They not only took in another family, but helped pay the monthly mortgage for other families so they would not lose their homes. Families helping families. So, the circle is closing. We are here again in the midst of looming economic despair. And most of us don’t have families nearby to help. But we have one bright ray of light in our community. It is called Hour Exchange Portland. This nonprofit organization, begun in
late 1995 by Dr. Richard Rockefeller, is about neighbors helping neighbors. You help your neighbors and earn time credits that can be used to receive services you need from any other member. Time equals hours exchanged, regardless of monetary value. Hour Exchange Portland exchanges are cash-free.
while learning how to manage in this new culture. She now speaks beautiful English, but this has come after much work and effort. Her children have grown up in Portland, attending local schools. Her oldest son graduated from college last year. Because I had heard that she was organizing a Sudanese women’s group, I called her to learn about the project. “We are in the early stages,” says Nyapeni. “We are working on our focus. There are groups that help Sudanese men, but this group is specifically for Sudanese women.” “We need to focus mostly on our kids— there is a huge rate of dropping out. We need to educate our kids about substance abuse, drugs and alcohol. But first we need to educate ourselves on how to prevent these problems.” “It is hard to know even what activities outside and inside [the schools} to have our kids participate in. There are many issues we need to focus on, because we come from different areas and cultures, even amongst ourselves (many tribes in Sudan). We need to connect with local groups and different agencies to provide good information so we can help guide our children through the system.” “We need to connect with schools. I work at the Multicultural Center. This is where newcomers come to register their kids
and get testing for placement in public schools. They can also find out what support services they might qualify for; often language support is needed.” This is information that any parent would want, but for many of these young Sudanese women, with limited language skills, finding the information can be hard, especially in a culture that is so very different than the one they were raised in. Nyapeni continued, “Every culture has benefits and disadvantages. We need to adjust to this system and make good choices; this group can help us learn what those good choices are.” Nyapeni is drawing from her own experience to ease the way for those on the same path. Nyapeni is one of 10 women who are working to collect information and meet to share it with the large Sudanese community. If you would like to speak with Nyapeni or get involved, please send an email to Observer@munoyhill.org, and we will get you connected.
2012 Ballot Initiatives for November 6 elections Question 1: Citizen Initiative An Act To Allow Marriage Licenses for Same-sex Couples and Protect Religious Freedom Do you want to allow the State of Maine to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples?
I have belonged to Hour Exchange Portland for several years. I have had help with heavy yard work, and with cleaning my kitchen cabinets. Soon, I hope to have help with cleaning the wax off my kitchen floor. For every hour someone works for me, they gain one hour in their time-bank. In exchange, I bake pastries for others who may need a special birthday cake, or who may need cookies for a bake sale, or for Catholic Charities when they are having a special event for a group of refugees. For every hour I spend baking, I earn a time dollar in my time bank account. I also earn dollars for teaching classes on making your own home cleaning supplies. In every exchange, I’ve learned a little about another individual. In every exchange, my community of caring people grows.
Question 2: Bond Issue
Over the years, Hour Exchange Portland members have exchanged over 150,000 hours of service and provided more than 25,000 hours of free health care. In 2010, members were able to weatherize nearly 100 homes and got tickets to dozens of performing arts shows. Check it out at www.hourexchangeportland.org. It’s about neighbors helping neighbors. We need each other in these looming economic times.
An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Invest in Transportation Infrastructure To Meet the Needs of the Business Sector and To Create Jobs
Sally Breen lives in Windham, works in Portland, and shares her garden produce with neighbors.
An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue for Higher Education Do you favor an $11,300,000 bond issue to provide funds for capital to build a diagnostic facility for the University of Maine System; for capital improvements and equipment, including machine tool technology, for the Maine Community College System; and for capital improvements and equipment at the Maine Maritime Academy?
Question 3: Bond Issue
An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Support Maine’s Natural Resource-based Economy Do you favor a $5,000,000 bond issue to purchase land and conservation easements statewide from willing sellers for public land and water access, conservation, wildlife or fish habitat and outdoor recreation, including hunting and fishing and deer wintering areas, and to preserve working farmland and working waterfronts to be matched by at least $5,000,000 in private and public contributions?
Question 4: Bond Issue
Do you favor a $51,500,000 bond issue for improvements to highways and bridges, local roads, airports and port facilities, as well as for funds for rail access, transit buses and the LifeFlight Foundation, which will make the State eligible for at least $105,600,000 in federal and other matching funds?
Question 5: Bond Issue
An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue for Wastewater and Drinking Water Revolving Loan Funds Do you favor a $7,925,000 bond issue to be expended over 2 years for revolving loan funds for drinking water systems and for wastewater treatment facilities, which will make the State eligible to secure $39,625,000 in federal grants?
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BULLETIN Board the munjoy Hill neighborhood Organization
October 2012
MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER
Meet the 2012-2013 Board of the MHNO!
Andrea Myhaver President
Ross Fields Vice President
Sam Cohen Secretary
Elaine Mullin Treasurer
Thomas Kelley
Eben Albert-Knopp Born in Strong, Maine, Eben Albert-Knopp grew up in Readfield, west of Augusta. Eben attended Dartmouth College and College of the Atlantic, where he studied human ecology and environmental law and policy. Eben spent several years after college traveling and working in the hospitality industry, before entering law school at Vermont Law. He spent his third year of law school at l’Université de Cergy-Pontoise in France, where he studied French and European business law, and generally spent his days enjoying French culture, cheese, and Parisian cafés. Eben now practices business law and litigation at Bernstein Shur, a large firm in Portland. Eben also spends many hours representing asylum-seeking individuals, pro bono, before the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Immigration Court in Boston. He enjoys running, kayaking, and snowboarding, and dabbles in the guitar and piano. Eben lives on Congress Street.
Joan Sheedy Nova Ewers
Get to know us! Andrea Myhaver
Sam Cohen
(President, MHNO) Andrea was born and raised on the Eastern Prom of Munjoy Hill. After she graduated from high school, Andrea’s travels and jobs took her across the country. In 2002 she decided to return to Maine and her roots on Munjoy Hill to raise her young son, Reid. She and her son have been residents of North Street ever since. Andrea joined the MHNO board of Directors in 2010, where she quickly jumped in to serve as Secretary.
(Secretary, MHNO) Sam became a Board member half a year ago; he has lived on Munjoy Hill for two years. Sam likes the community-feel of Munjoy Hill, ”making the city feel like it’s tiny,”and he enjoys knowing the people that live around him. Few people likely know that Sam is an owner of three bikes.
In 2011 Andrea was elected to her first term as President, and was re-elected to serve another term at the June 2012 annual meeting. Andrea says that most people know that she comes from a large family (7 brothers and 3 sisters) but may not know about her family’s musical talents, or that she herself is a singer. The “Von Myhaver Family Singers and Dancers” perform mostly at family events, but you never know when they might come to a venue near you! the month, at
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A favorite quotation, from the Talmud: “Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.”
Ann Quinlan
love their neighborhood. “From sunrise over the Prom to sunset over Standpipe Park, it’s always a beautiful day on the Hill thanks to the beautiful people who live here.” Few people may know that Nova has sailed across each of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans twice. A favorite quotation, “It is not so much what is on the table that matters, as what is on the chairs” (W.S. Gilbert)
Ralph Carmona
(Chair, MHNO Annual Appeal Campaign) Over two years ago, Ralph and Vana (an 11th generation Mainer) Carmona decided to make Munjoy Hill the next stage in their lives because of its quality of life and the potential to make a difference. Thomas Kelley Ralph joined the MHNO Board in February 2011. What he likes best about Munjoy Hill Tom became a Board member in March are his morning walks with Vana through2012; he has lived on Munjoy Hill for one out Eastern Promenade. Most people do not year. He likes living among the eclectic know that Ralph has a doctorate, is Regent group of Munjoy Hill residents who all share Emeritusevery at the University of California The MHNO Board meets 2nd Monday of and the common traits of being friendly, amazExecutive Director of the Maine Global Instiing people. thatat Tom 7 pm at Few thewould Hill know House 92is an Congress tute. St. — Please join us! avid traveler; he has already visited a third A favorite quotation: “Think where one’s of the world’s countries! greatest glory most begins and ends, then say: A favorite quotation, “It was the tension My greatest glory is that I had such friends.” between these two poles — a restless idealism (William Butler Yeats) on one hand and a sense of impending doom on the other — that kept me going.” Ann Quinlan (Hunter S. Thompson) Ann became a Board member in 2011; she has lived on Munjoy Hill for three years but Joan Sheedy has spent summers on the Hill ever since Joan has been a Board member for 6+ the ‘60s. She enjoys “living in a well-knit years; she has lived on Munjoy Hill for eight community with neighbors who all know years. Joan sees the Munjoy Hill commuone another. Instead of confining ourselves nity as one big family whose members are to particular age brackets.” Ann believes it all willing to help each other and to work is important to live inter-generationally and together in pursuit of common goals. In adto connect with people of all ages. dition to participating in the MHNO, Joan is A favorite quotation of Ann’s: ”We are not also involved in many other activities across here to be perfect; we are here to be real.” Portland, such as City Hall affairs. (Einstein). A favorite quotation, ““I just try as hard as I can to make ‘community’ on the Hill and to draw people together.” (Joan)
Open MEETINGS:
Ross Fields (Vice President, MHNO) Ross has lived on Munjoy Hill for one year; he became a Board member last December (2011). Ross likes the vibrancy of the Rosemont Market and the local restaurants on the Hill. He also enjoys living only a couple blocks away from the ocean. Few people may know that, when Ross lived in Vermont—before he moved to Portland—he sang tenor in a barbershop quartet. A favorite quotation of Ross’—”When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” (Author Unknown)
“LIKE” us & STAY INFORMED!
Ralph Carmona with wife, Vana Carmona
Elaine Mullin (Treasurer, MHNO) Elaine has lived on Munjoy Hill for four and a half years and has been a Board member for three years. She loves the constant activity on the Hill and the fact that you don’t have to go far to find things going on. Few people would know that Elaine has participated in the Trek Across Maine bicycle tour—three times! A favorite quotation: “Be kinder than necessary, because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.” (Author Unknown)
Nova Ewers Nova has lived on Munjoy Hill for two years; she became a Board Member in March 2012. Nova loves how Munjoy Hill residents take pride in and
org and click on our Facebook link. Follow our updates, join the conversation, post photos and share links, all on our FB page.
Open MEETINGS: The MHNO Board meets every 2nd Monday of the month, at 7 pm at the Hill House at 92 Congress St. — Please join us!
Tamera Edison Ad Sales Rep
Lisa Peñalver Observer Editor
MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER
October 2012
the munjoy Hill neighborhood Organization Elder Program, At Home on Munjoy Hill, Moving Forward By Elaine Mullin, MHNO At Home Committee The At Home on Munjoy Hill program has an exciting new relationship with an organization that for over 50 years has provided advocacy, education and service to people over 50–AARP. Lori Parham is the new Maine State Director of AARP. She is also a Munjoy Hill resident and is dedicated to working in her community. Lori has joined our committee and we look forward to working with her. In Maine in 2013, AARP Maine will be working statewide on behalf of people 50+, and will focus specific efforts in three places: Aroostook County, Greater Bangor, and the Munjoy Hill neighborhood. This will provide an opportunity to connect to people in three very different geographic areas, and to assess their different needs. AARP staff and volunteers will work with the At Home on Munjoy Hill volunteers to do the assessment, and develop a support network to provide information about state and local services, including advocacy, in our neighborhood for seniors. We are thrilled to be involved, and to be the recipients of a $500 donation from AARP. Thank you!
We are holding two focus groups in October, one for independent elders
living on the Hill, and one for caregivers of independent elders. Are you a neighbor, friend, or adult child who does errands or checks in on an older person? Please come and talk with us! Are you over 65, living independently on Munjoy Hill? Please come and talk with us! We want to know what is important to you and how we can best support aging residents who desire to continue to live in the Munjoy Hill neighborhood. The date is Saturday, October 13th here at Hill House at 92 Congress St: Resident Elders from 10 am to 11:30 Caregivers from 1pm to 2:30. We do need notification prior to the meeting, so please call 775-3050 and let us know you can come!
If you have questions you’d like to have answered or are interested in participating in this wonderful program, we would love to hear from you!
Community-minded things you can do… • Take a walk around your neighborhood once a day.
• Follow trash and recycling rules.
• Say “Hello,” to someone you may not know.
• Contact your City Council member with questions, ideas, issues.
• Pick up after your dog and place waste in a trash container. • Ask for more trash containers on the Hill. • Support local businesses. • Dispose of cigarette butts properly. • Follow parking rules.
It’s that time of year—the air is crisp,the days shorter, and like it or not, we will need to break down and turn that heat on, before we know it. Would you like to recycle AND help fund the MHNO Heat Assistance Program? By donating your recyclables through CLYNK! at Hannafords, you help neighbors stay warm this winter. Funds raised through our Clynk! account support MHNO’s Fuel Assistance “Warm Hearts, Warm Neighbors” program. Stop outside the Hill House at 92 Congress and pick up a free green bag (in the green box on the fence), or FMI, call Louise Little at 780-0860. So keep those cans & bottles coming! The MHNO would like to once again give a warm thank you to Breggy Oil. They have provided service when it was needed, whether the neighbors in need were existing customers, or people for whom they provided a one-time delivery. Having Breggy as a neighborhood partner makes this program possible. Please join us in thanking them!
Want to help? If you are a senior living independently on the Hill, or the caregiver of a senior on the Hill, and would like to participate in a focus group in the coming weeks, please give us a call at the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood organization, 775-3050, or email to info@munjoyhill.org.
We Are All Members: Some simple
• Take care of your property and yard…all the way to the curb.
Heart-Warming the Hill
Recy Heat cle AND h As elp rec yc sistance P fund th la b le s thru rogram : e MHNO Funds Do CL ra
Y NK ! nate “Warm ised suppo rt MHN at Hannaf your Heart ords outsid s, Wa O ’s Fuel rm Ne e the H Assist ighbo ill Ho a free anc rs” pro us green g ra m. e bag, o e at 92 Con Sto g r 0860. Keep t fmi, call Lo ress and pic p hose c u i se L k up ans & i bottle ttle at 780s com ing!
Join the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization
• Contact your Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization with questions, ideas, issues. • Share this article. • Join the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization. For more thoughts on building community, see Ross Fields’ article on page 3.
New Membership
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MHNO, 92 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101 Questions? Call (207) 775-3050, email info@munjoyhill.org or visit munjoyhill.org Welcome to the MHNO! 10/2012
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October 2012
On Hill
MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER
So, What Will You Do? Fostering effective decision-making skills in your child
The basic underlying goal of all parents is to prepare their children for life’s challenges. However, when you feel like you are “flying by the seat of your pants” every day, this can feel like a very daunting task. So, what will you do? How do you prepare your child for adulthood? This question alone can bring up all types of issues and concerns about what to explain to your child, and when. The key is to keep things simple and consistent. All parents want to see their children be successful and handle themselves well in the world. So how do you begin to teach decision-making? When do you start? You teach it by asking your child to come up with his own solution the very first time when he asks you for one. 1. Validate any feelings that are involved. Your six-year-old comes home from school very upset. You immediately ask, “What’s wrong?” He’s sad and frustrated because the kids at school won’t play with him. You answer with, “I can see why you are upset. I would be too”, validating his feelings. 2. Ask, in a genuinely concerned way, “So, what will you do?” The most impor-
GrowingTogether T ips
on
P arenting
Finally, weekly curbside compost pickup is here. Garbage to Garden is a non-government community initiative that allows you to: • compost your organic waste instead of dumping it in a local landfill, • have a clean compost bin each week to leave at the curbside, along with your city trash and recycling bins, • save an average of $72/year in city trash bags, • let the composting pros nurture your waste into valuable organic fertilizer
R elationships
By Ross Fields, CPE & Kathleen Fields, CPE tant thing is to show that you care, that you are available and that you know he has what it takes to solve his own problems. This is not about just leaving him on his own at first. When you ask, “So, what will you do?” you may just get a questioning look, or “I don’t know.” Then you could ask, “Well, how do you want it to turn out?” You may have to go back and forth several times. Stay with probing questions as much as possible. At first you may have to assist with some suggestions, while at the same time encouraging your child to come up with his own solution. In the scenario here you might ask, “Why do you think they don’t want to play with you?” to initiate a deeper thought process. You may have to revisit the same issue several times before arriving at a decision that actually works. Resist the temptation to offer your solution; instead, look at it as an opportunity for practice. You can also use phrases like, “How will you handle that?” or “So, how will you fix it?”
Who’s doing your dirty work? Garbage to Garden is a cooperative of friends and neighbors whose mission is to reduce Greater Portland’s food waste, to educate about composting for sustainable food production, and to enable all residents to participate in turning their table and kitchen scraps into valuable organic fertilizer.
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• provide educational and volunteer opportunities for local schools and community members, • receive heaps of rich, black earth are yours for free after we’ve composted them for you! • save an average of $85/year on potting soil and compost, • grow the most luscious garden you’ve ever seen, • take pride in knowing that your plants are fueled by the food you threw away. It’s important that we all participate. Participating in Garbage to Garden is voluntary! We hope it’s as important to you as it is to us! Let us do the dirty work—join the program now and start composting today! Sign up online at Garbage to Garden garbagetogarden.org, (207) 329-2284
Find the 6 differences between the two pictures. More comparison puzzles can be found at Out There by George.com
3. Listen, give feedback and coach. Once your child starts the dialogue, your job is to listen, ask probing questions, and help him stay focused on what he will do. Your challenge is to stay away from coming up with the answer. Continue using responses such as, “Tell me more”, or “I see”, or “I don’t understand. Tell me again”, or “So, what you are saying is....” When a decision is reached, you may have to help with some coaching on how to follow through. In the example I’ve used above, if the child decided that he needed to be better at sharing his toys, you could coach him in how to do that.
Teaching effective decision-making skills does not have to be hard. Make it a game. Encourage flipping roles with your child to have her ask you, “So, what will you do?”. Of course, make sure it is age-appropriate. It could be as simple as, “I don’t know what to prepare for dinner.” Practicing these three steps now will just make those later life challenges easier to handle. Like when you hear for the first time, “I am so sorry! I crushed the fender on the car!” You will be practiced enough to first ask if he is OK, then follow that up with, “So, how will you handle it?” So remember, take care of yourself today, be risky, and most of all, have fun. Ross & Kathleen Fields are Certified Parenting Educators (CPE) and co-founders of Results Parenting, LLC, www.resultsparenting.com.
Find the Observer at these Fine Businesses: East End
Two Fat Cats Bakery
Congress Street
Bayview Heights
Tu Casa Restaurant
Hot Suppa! Restaurant
Blue Spoon
Old Port
State Theater
Buffalo Wings-n-Things
Bard Café
Wild Burritos
Coffee By Design
Casco Variety
Monument Square
Colucci’s Market
City Beverage
City Hall
Cummings Center
Dunkin Donuts
Portland Public Library
Donatelli’s Custom Tailor Shop
Fit to Eat Resturant
The Works Bakery Cafe
Norway Savings Bank
Liliana’s Dry Cleaner & Laundromat
Sebago Brewing
The Public Market House
East End Community School Library
Waterfront
Ferrechia Hair Salon Foodworks/Beautiful Foods to Go The Front Room The Good Egg Cafe Hilltop Coffee
Videoport $3 Deweys Becky’s Diner Casco Bay Ferry Terminal DiMillo’s Floating Restaurant
The Public Market Coffee shop LONGFELLOW SQUARE The Green Hand–Books Outer Congress Tony’s Donuts Outer Forest Big Sky Bread
Katie Made Bakery
Five County Credit Union
Mama’s Crow Bar
Flatbread Pizza
Barron Center
Mittapheap World Market
Hamilton Marine
Park Danforth
Portland Lobster Co.
Punky’s Market
Pepperclub Restaurant
Residence Inn by Marriott
Steve & Renee’s Diner
Portland Pottery & Café
Standard Bakery
Promenade East Apartments
Parkside / Bayside
.....and More!
Root Cellar
Bayside Bowl
Rosemont Market Silly’s Restaurant
GR DiMillo’s Restaurant & Sports Bar
St. Lawrence Arts Center
Running with Scissors Art Studios
Otto Pizza
Off-Peninsula
For rates and information, contact Tamera Edison at 207-939-7998 Tamera.Edison@munjoyhill.org and info@MunjoyHill.org
S u p p o r t y o u r c o m m u n i t y & r e a c h th e p u b l i c
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CapitAl City Statehouse Update | Senator JusTin Alfond
MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER
October 2012
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justinalfond.com
Health Insurance in Maine–“Few Winners, Many Losers” The chickens have come home to roost. The new health insurance law which was passed last year by the Republican majority has made it harder for people and small businesses in Maine to pay for their medicine and care. These are not political criticisms. A recent independent study by the non-partisan, non-profit organization Consumers for Affordable Health Care (CAHC) shows that the new health-insurance “reform” law picks winners and losers. The report entitled “Few Winners, Many Losers,” charts and analyzes information provided by the insurance companies to Maine’s Bureau of Insurance. It finds that the law didn’t have the desired impact of lowering overall health insurance rates and getting more people insured; instead, it has resulted in starkly higher rates for many Mainers and small businesses. While younger Mainers are seeing lower-cost health care premiums, middle-aged Mainers and small businesses are seeing skyrocketing rates. In fact, middle-aged Mainers can now be charged
300 percent more than younger Mainers. Plus, the new law rolls back consumer protections by allowing insurance companies to hike rates without requiring review and approval from the Maine Bureau of Insurance. The idea for the law was simple: allow health insurance companies to sell less comprehensive policies, charge those who typically have higher health care costs (older people) more, and then offer younger, healthier, people who are uninsured, lower-priced policies. The entire plan was based on younger people flooding the insurance pool market and driving down overall costs for everyone. However, here are the facts from the new law: • In the individual market, 91% of those between 55 years old and 59 years old had increases in their rates; •
100% of people over the age of 60 saw rate increases;
• 90% of small business policyholders saw rate increases—especially those with older workers or businesses in rural areas; These increases are in spite of the insurance companies offering less comprehensive coverage—offering policies with much higher deductibles, much higher co-
City Councilor | kevin Donoghue
payments, and much less coverage. So people are paying more for less. Finally, the new law creates $11 million in new health insurance taxes by levying a tax of $4.00 per month on all 532,000 privately-insured people in Maine. This means that a family of four will have an additional payment of between $192 and $288 per year to pay for this new law. Instead of lowering health insurance premiums, the new law has increased profits for most insurance companies in the individual market. Insurance companies are seeing record high profits—one company on just one line of insurance saw a profit margin of $1.8 million! Republicans trumpet this as “reform” but instead it is just a race to the bottom in health care coverage. Everyone should be able to see a doctor. And this law has done more harm than good; the next legislature must review the law entirely. Lawmakers need to get back to work on making health care available and affordable for everyone in Maine.
kjdonoghue @ por tlandmaine.gov
City Constituents’ Concerns Are Being Heard The end of the summer is not normally considered the busiest season for a Portland City Councilor, but it’s been a busy and rewarding time with heavy committee agendas and several neighborhood meetings. The Housing and Community Development Committee, which had doubled its meeting schedule in August, is keeping its double schedule again in September. We have begun to have a meaningful discussion about the role of TIFs (Tax Increment Financing) in Portland and have wrestled with development on the Eastern Waterfront and in Bayside, as well as in Congress Square. The chance to debate the impact of new development is a luxury we have not been able to enjoy for a while. The promise of hundreds of new housing units in town is as staggering as is its attendant meeting schedule. We have made mixed recommendations to enable the development of nearly 200 new units in Bayside in conjunction with a larger project known as Maritime Landing. We also agreed to support the construction of over 100 new units in the India Street Neighborhood at the former sites of both Village Cafe and Jordan’s Meats. These and several other smaller projects offer several
hundred more housing units coming in the next years. Whether to develop any or all of Congress Square remains an open question under the review of committee members. I have no ideological opposition to public-private partnership, but have opposed lackluster proposals to date. With development heating up again in the city, I expect to be checking in with more development updates! I’ve hosted neighborhood meetings on Munjoy Hill regarding the intersection on North and Walnut, the playground at the former Adams School and the impact of the recent festival on the Eastern Promenade. Resolved at these meetings: • the installation of a fourth stop sign at the crest of Walnut at North Street, • the satisfaction of the cri de coeur*—“save the monkey bars.” They will be reused on location. • I heard quite a lot of input on our neighbors’ experience with the Gentleman of the Road concert, and I received suggestions for how to better manage any future events on the Eastern Prom; • I updated Hill folk on where to expect to find the six new Big Belly solar trash compactors bought for the? Hill (acquired as a result of the GOTR event).
productive dialog with cab drivers from the Portland Jetport, in addition to the standard high level of City Council meetings, and you can see it’s been a great season to hear from constituents. Several important neighborhood meetings remain for this fall. On Wednesday, October 3 at 6 pm, I will host the District One CDBG Meeting at Merrill Auditorium Rehearsal Hall to review recent neighborhood projects that were supported by the Federal grant, and solicit ideas for new ones. I have already forwarded suggestions that we continue to improve accessibility to the Eastern Promenade, install lighting for a safer Fort Sumner Park, improve the discontinued section of Greenleaf Street, and add streetscape improvements to Portland Street. On Wednesday, November 7 at 7 pm, I’ll host the District One Annual Meeting at East End Community School, where we will have a full complement of city officials, and will engage in a broad-based community-driven forum. Of course, there’s never a bad time to hear from you. Write me at kjdonoghue@portlandmaine.gov *Editor’s note: (I had to look it up; I didn’t take French) cri de coeur: “a cry from the heart; heartfelt or sincere appeal.” from thefreedictionary.com.
Challenging Sudoku Puzzles - Book 4
Add in there, a beautiful night-meeting on Cliff Island, a From www.veryfreesudoku.com
Neighborhood Meetings Sudokuto Puzzle discuss CDBG Funds District 1 Meeting— Bayside, East Bayside, Munjoy Hill and Cliff Island When: Wednesday, October 3 at 6 PM Where: Merrill Rehearsal Hall, Myrtle Street What: The City of Portland receives approximately $1.68 million annually of federal funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development in the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for urban planning, development and social service needs in Portland Districts 1, 2 and 3. City Councilors Kevin Donoghue (District 1), Dave Marshall (District 2) and Ed Suslovic (District 3) and city staff are seeking input and feedback from residents about CDBG funding at work in their community at a series of public meetings next month. Other Meetings:
District 2 Meeting (West End, Parkside, and St. John Valley) Thursday, October 4 at 6:30 PM Parkside Community Center, 85 Grant Street District 3 Meeting (Libbytown) Tuesday, November 13 at 7:00 PM Hall Elementary School, 23 Orono Road FMI, Visit website for the City of Portland Maine: www.ci.portland.me.us/
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October 2012
MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER
Living With Peace
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.
No Place for Violence —We Fight with Pen and Paper—
South Sudan Governor Visits Portland By Christina Feller, President, Living With Peace His Excellency, Bangasi Joseph Mario Bakasoro, Governor of Western Equatorial State, Yambio, South Sudan (shown in photo above), spoke to a packed audience at the Guild Hall of the Church of the Immaculate Conception. He exhorted the audience to become the best people they can—“America was built by Americans and so, too, South Sudan will be built by South Sudanese with the help of Americans. Go to school. Get a great education. Here, you fight with pen and paper. We have no place for violence in our new country. Get experience. Improve your capabilities. Learn how Americans work. We do not want you to return home in the same way you left. You will not help us if you do. We need people who are rich in knowledge and experience. We will not employ you just because you are an American.” “As citizens of the United States, whether you call yourselves South Sudanese-Americans or AmericanSouth Sudanese, we are a team for tomorrow. And as a team, your help is needed. Live here and work tirelessly to be together. We are all South Sudanese. We are not Acholi, Dinka or Azande. We are one Nation under God. We need a Permanent National Constitution that every ethnic group accepts. We don’t need war; we don’t have the capacity for violence any longer.” Introduced by Mariano Mawein, President of the South Sudan Community Association of Maine, His Excellency went on, “Do not return as a tribal person. These are your Brothers and Sisters. Love them as you love yourself. Move forward together, as one people.”
“Knowledge is the key and the only way forward. We all need to take this seriously. We cannot move forward as a unified nation without educated people. Let me be specific. We have fought over oil for more than thirty years. What is oil? We cannot eat oil. But for hundreds of years we have been farmers and herders. We understand agriculture. It will feed our people. We do not want to be a servant at the hands of foreign aid. We must feed our own people. We are a different country now and we can combine our efforts and rise up the country. Oil will only bring us more problems.” “Agricultural development is our Nation’s number one priority. Get educated in agriculture and learn how to be productive in the agricultural market. What will MBA’s do for you in a country that needs food, not oil? Security will come as long as we engage in a continuous process of peace and reconciliation with a vision and a commitment to non-violence. Currently, it is true; we have a very bad security problem, but violence should not and cannot bring us back to violence. Together, we will rebuild South Sudan and we will live free to reach our highest potential.” Author Christina Feller is an international business development consultant. She is currently organizing a team of subject matter experts to undertake an epidemiological assessment of the condition of disabled refugees and displaced persons along the Somali-Kenya Border. As people head back home, now that the new Somalia government has been formed, they face the enormous task. of caring for the disabled, both along the route home, and at home, once resettled. For information on how you can help, please contact Christina at cfeller@maine.rr.com.
MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER Spotlight on Non-Profits is a regular feature. To feature your favorite non-profit, please contact Lisa Peñalver at observer@munjoyhill.org.
by Kate Campbell Strauss
“We are the best kept secret in Maine.” President of Work it UP, Bill Taylor, speaks with contagious confidence about his organization.
to implement business growth strategies. Work it UP training courses aim to close the gap between academic IT theory and real world business application.
Work it UP was established in 2009 as a social entrepreneurial enterprise to address the challenges wrought by the economic collapse in 2008. Outlining the current problems for Maine, Bill cited figures that rank the state 46th in the country for job growth, with a projected 0.02% job growth rate in 2012, which translates to 267 net new jobs for the year.
Work it UP members are students, recent graduates and business professionals who are willing to donate their time and gain practical experience, using new business tools and techniques, by volunteering to work with Maine companies to create jobs.
With these discouraging numbers in mind, the Work it UP team asks: How can Maine become a center of excellence for job growth? The Work it UP solution is to provide customized learning for students, professionals, and businesses needing to acquire skills that equip them for the next era of the Digital Age. Jobs created in growth-oriented companies today center on team collaboration among information technology (IT) professionals serving in distributed workplace environments. These companies will rely upon SMART technology and use project management
Members can get professional development training free of charge when they donate their skills. Training courses focus on skills needed for the collaborative team approach used in the distributed work environment: How to Think Like a Project Manager, Contract Employment, Cloud Computing, Entrepreneurship, and Becoming a Subject Matter Expert. Volunteers join with Maine businesses seeking to grow through Work it UP programs such as “Pair of Hands,” which provides volunteer subject matter experts for specific projects, like building a website or setting up a new office network. Organizations that wish to benefit from Work it UP volunteer services pay a nominal and
customized administrative fee. Since 2009, Work it UP membership has grown to more than five hundred registered professionals, including 64 current volunteers. On average, the organization has donated 60,000 hours of professional services per year to dozens of businesses in seven counties in Southern Maine. Work it UP client companies have included nonprofit organizations such as Dress for Success, manufacturing companies such as Flagsuit (in Southwest Harbor), and OutSource Works (in Lewiston), as well as a wide variety of startups at the Maine Center for Entrepreneurial Development, where Work it UP served as “Professionals in Residence,” delivering business coaching and project management programs from 2009 to 2011. Work it UP is always looking for new members who want to volunteer and, beginning this fall, will conduct weekly conversations with business owners in Portland about the future of business in Maine at the organization’s office in Monument Square. Visit their website at www.workitup.org for more information.
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Sonny Robinson—Artist-Painter/ Rock Musician/Medium By Lisa Peñalver
Work it UP
October 2012
Sonny Robinson is one of two featured artists at MHNO’s First Friday show for October; his oil paintings will be on display all month, along with photography by Heather Butler, at the “Hill House” at 92 Congress, Sonny is a man of many talents. When he lived on Munjoy Hill, he worked at the Laura Fuller gallery making stained glass assemblages, creating his own artwork–oil paintings, in his free time. In another part of his life, Sonny plays drums with the bands “Twisted Roots” (since 1989) and “Heart-Shaped Rock” (for 5 years). He describes the music of HeartShaped Rock as “Pat Benatar with cowboy boots and a leather jacket; power-pop metal with a country twang.” Sonny’’s a modern guy with many layers … like an onion. There’s yet another corner of Sonny Robinson’s life, however, that hearkens back to an earlier era. It is involved with making connections, like his other activities, but not between pieces of glass, oils, or music. It is his ability (talent, gift) to be a go-between for living persons and those “on the other side.” According to Wikipedia, such persons can “mediate communication between spirits of the dead and other human beings.” Sonny says that departed relatives commonly have messages/guidance they want to share with the living. When he does readings, he
has found that “the spirits come to me hours before we meet; I have to take notes.” According to Sonny, the information he receives pertains to the past, present AND future. This time of year (Halloween-Thanksgiving) gets busy for him. Some people are looking to connect with lost loved ones; other people will book group-readings as a lark (Halloween), but it gets serious pretty fast when he starts to talk about events/issues that he could not possibly have any insights into, unless he was getting info from a first-hand observer. He says he doesn’t know where it comes from ...precisely. It just comes to him. It has to do with energy (like echoes). Halloween being right around the corner, I asked him about haunted houses. Sonny says he has experienced some (not on Munjoy Hill), and has been able to speak with the spirits. Sonny commented, “Spirits have something to say.” I asked about angry spirits; Sonny’s reply, “they’re just like anyone else.” Sonny Robinson does group readings and is organizing another one soon. “He’s the real deal,” says one of his clients. The whole conversation about the very existence of spirits opens up a barrel of questions in MY mind, and I do plan to get in on one of those readings, Though I tend to be fairly skeptical, I want to believe! So stay tuned, dear readers, the spirits are about to speak!
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October 2012
Choices, Choices First I considered writing about my totally out-ofcharacter and totally exhilarating white water raft trip in mid-September organized by Northern Outdoors. What better way to usher in my last year before the big 6-0? Ably led by Munjoy’s very own Peter Brown, proprietor of Cumberland Avenue Garage, eight total strangers transformed themselves into one mean rowing machine as we bounced and shot through rapids, while avoiding eddie and rocks, losing only one paddle (temporarily). My apprehension evaporated as we made our way down the Kennebec. I was having too much fun to give in to the “I can’ts.” Another lesson? Savor the times between the rapids. Next I considered a reflection about Fall’s bitter sweetness, those bright autumn leaves showcased in brilliant sunlight and crystal clear skies. Poignant beauty as geese fly their V-formation, and monarch butterflies flit southward. Which ones will return in the spring? I tell my newly-arrived students that Fall is the best time to live in Maine, leaving unspoken the trials of winter
ReadersWrite ReadersWrite ReadersWrite ReadersWrite ReadersWrite Reader-
Art Soul
MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER
An essay by Elizabeth Miller, Waterville Street
that will come soon enough. Lesson? Treasure the gracefilled moments immediately in front of us. But life has a way of slapping you upside the head with even more pressing thoughts than these. Once again, the days after September 11 have found me trying to make sense out of the insane. This time the terrorists were hate-filled filmmakers whose YouTube video sparked outrage and violence half a world away. Hate begets hate: this is not the stuff of anyone’s religion. But it has had disgusting repercussions right here at home. My lessons on the importance of the First Amendment have rung hollow as my Muslim students related the sad déjà vu they are experiencing eleven years later: stares and rude comments, ostracism, and the fear of more violence right here in Portland. Many have become, or are in the process of becoming, US citizens. They pay taxes. Many work two jobs. Some own businesses. My Muslim friends are as American as any member of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution). Indeed,
to become a citizen, immigrants must pass a civics test that most native-born would flunk. Yet because of the incendiary actions of supposed Christians, followed by rage elsewhere, the immigrants here are cast again as dangerous outsiders. Will they ever feel they are home in this country? What can we do right here on Munjoy Hill? Welcome all our neighbors with a kind smile or friendly greeting as we pass in the street, drop off children at school, shop in our stores. Let’s build a community together. When coworkers or neighbors complain about “those people,” speak up. There’s no “we” and “they,” just US. And vote this November. Encourage your friends and colleagues to vote. Vote for those candidates and referenda whose stances on issues affirm the dignity of us all. What Civics 101 lesson trumps all others? It’s the social contract we make in our democracy that “We, The People, pledge ourselves to secure the blessings of Liberty for all.”
The Girl with the Red Blanket By storyteller Lynne Cullen The Abyssinian Meeting House was built in 1828 to serve the African American Community. It was also the only wooden public building to survive the Great Portland Fire of 1866, thanks to the efforts of William Ruby, a black fireman. As the fire raged, Ruby’s first thought was to save the Meeting House. He could already hear the roar of the approaching fire. Then Ruby heard a little voice from behind him say: “Mister, please save my Mama!” He turned and saw a little black girl – maybe five years old – soaking wet, and wrapped in a red wool blanket. “Where is your Mama, dear?” he asked, thinking that she and her mother must have been separated in the fire. The little girl repeated: “Mister, please save my Mama!” Just then, Ruby heard the voices of the neighbors, who had come to help. When he turned around, the little girl was gone, but lying on the walk was her dripping wet blanket. Suddenly, he knew what to do. He placed his ladder against the side of the building, and, picking up the sodden blanket, he
climbed to the roof. Then he spread the wet blanket across as much of the roof as it would cover. When the neighbors and the pastor saw what he was doing, they ran into their homes, and came out bearing blankets of every size and color, which they carried down to the harbor. Moments later, they returned with dozens of wet blankets. They handed the blankets up to Ruby, and he spread them across the roof. When they were finished, Ruby told the pastor to lead the people to safety. Soon afterwards, fire swept through the neighborhood, but thanks to the blankets, the Meeting House was spared. Later, Ruby tried to find the little girl, but he never did. Perhaps she had died in the fire. It was not until years later that Ruby heard a strange story. In 1850, a boat had capsized while rowing a mother and daughter – escaped slaves – to the safety of a waiting ship. No bodies were ever found - only a red wool blanket, washed ashore by the waves. Contact Storyteller Lynne Cullen at thetwacorbies@yahoo.com or 253-0288, she lives right on Munjoy Hill. www.lynnecullen.com
El Camino de Santiago Essay by installment by Kate Campbell Strauss From Figeac, pilgrims can choose one of three routes that lead to the next small city, Cahors: the traditional path through Cajarc, a mountainous trek to the picturesque town of Rocamadour, or a path through the cliff-bound valley of the Célé River. The cliffs sounded interesting after the endless, though beautiful, cow pastures I had walked through since Le Puy. A new chapter in my journey had begun. All the friends I had made since leaving Le Puy had gone ahead or left the camino for other adventures or to go home. I was meeting new people but didn’t feel nearly as close to them. I spent more time alone. My body could handle longer distances now. I heard there were few places to buy food on the Célé route, so before beginning the sixteen-mile walk to Espagnac,
I stocked up at a supermarket in Figeac. By early afternoon, I began descending into the Célé Valley. A couple that lived along the route invited me for coffee and apple pie in their front patio. Nadine and Jacques told me that they had once made the pilgrimage to Santiago with their kids in an RV. Jacques offered me a ride to Espagnac, exclaiming that it was too long for me to walk in what remained of the day. I was tired and would have liked to take the ride but told him that I wanted to walk. As the sun got lower, my impatience to reach the hostel grew. How could I possibly make it to Santiago? I wondered. As I had done beginning the first day I walked from Le Puy, I found strength in music. Although I had brought an iPod, I refused to use it while walking because I didn’t want to distract myself
from where I was or what was going on. My saxophone was too heavy to bring, so I played harmonica and sang a lot. Hymns I grew up with often came into my mind, or a Bob Dylan or Cat Stevens song, or a favorite jazz standard. Since I rarely hear lyrics accurately, my singing repertoire was limited to about eight songs, excluding the ones I made up. The path was not well marked for distance, especially on this alternative route, and I didn’t carry a watch, except for the clock on my camera. I knew my average kilometers per hour, but that didn’t include the pauses I made to snack, write, read, take photos, chat, meditate, or rest and massage my feet. I felt a strong impulse to know when I would arrive, but even when I tried to make a good calculation, I never really knew. I didn’t want to think too much, especially not about time, distance, or my small budget.
A Few Worthless Maxims A few years ago, I read a piece by Milton Glaser, an architect, called Ten Things I Have Learned (www.miltonglaser.com). In it he discusses the maxim, ‘less is more’ and says he finds ‘just enough is more’ to be more truthful. What he’s talking about, and what I like to stress, is balance. Less is not always more, especially if one doesn’t have enough. But let’s say you have enough. Where is the balance for you between too much, too little, and just enough? It’s the
Goldilocks dilemma. The ‘less is more’ maxim might feel like deprivation to someone who is struggling to go from too much to something else, and could stop him or her from letting go of things. The “just enough is more” maxim feels more humane, more achievable, and more livable. For example, if you are a shoe lover and have decided to streamline, wouldn’t you be more encouraged by thinking you’ve reached the ‘this is enough’ stage, than thinking
“Oh no, I have to get rid of more so I’ll have less.” ? If getting rid of things makes you break out in hives, I give you permission to hide those items for 6 months. If you haven’t felt their absence in that time, you can probably live without them. Which brings me to the other maxim that doesn’t really work, at least not in Maine: “if you haven’t worn it in a year, get rid of it.” Ha! I’ll bet the person who thought THAT one up hasn’t
Lonely as the afternoon had been, I had been walking less than a mile behind two Norwegian women I had met three days earlier. After dinner, we gazed at the brilliant stars, then settled into bed and fell asleep. To be continued.... About the author: Kate Campbell Strauss moved to Munjoy Hill in February of 2012, one month after returning from her pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago, also known as the Way of Saint James. Kate began her pilgrimage in Le Puy-enVelay, France, and walked four months to the northwest coast of Spain, beyond Santiago de Compostela, where the route ends. She would love to be a resource to anyone who is thinking of making the pilgrimage. Please send emails to Observer@ munjoyhill.org.
By Solange Kellermann, the Clutter Doc spent much time in Maine. Last winter was not an endless one of snow, freezing cold, and ice storms. Some winters require you to wear every piece of bad weather clothing you own. Some winters are mild and you wear only a few of those items. But that’s no reason to get rid of all your heavy winter clothing. The reason to get rid of clothing you haven’t worn in a year is that it no longer fits; it was a shopping mistake and you never actually feel good in it; you realize you don’t even like it.
The reason to keep clothing is that it serves a purpose—good for gardening or rooting around the cellar, appropriate for work, looks fab for parties and special events, you love it and wear it. So, look in your closet, home, and heart, and find that balance known as just enough, keeping in mind that you have to live with the ever-changing climate of Southern Maine.
MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER
East End Business Focus Figa Restaurant
By Lisa Peñalver
Munjoy Hill may be a small neighborhood, in relative terms, but we have way more than our fair share of great places to eat. One of my favorites is Figa, at 249 Congress Street; it rates on the high end of the Foodie scale. Its “globally–inspired cuisine” tends to defy classification. Certain dishes resemble Brazilian food, others have a more Asian flair, and some menu items are positively French. But they all have one thing in common – they are delicious. Figa opened in October of 2010, so they are celebrating their second “birthday” this month. Reviewers have been kind to Figa; the food, the atmosphere and the service have received accolades all along. I recently spoke with owner and chief Chef, Lee Farrington, to see what we can expect on the menu for the coming holiday season. “The menu items will change frequently, depending on the seasonal availability of certain foods. Also, I like to make heartier foods for the cooler weather, things like rabbit, or a seafood bisque. When the temperatures dip below 60 degrees, the place fills right up.” Looking back on the summer season, Lee was more circumspect. “I’ve seen two summers now where business is fairly quiet. Many of the locals head off to camps up the coast, and the cruise ship crowd is not looking much beyond Commercial Street. When I worked in New York City, I saw the same thing in the summer. It’s a different demographic, but the same result. Many places there simply closed until Fall.” “For now, I am mulling over what to do next summer. I’ve been asked to offer catering services in addition to the restaurant. So we are catering. We will open Figa on closed days to do events, or rent the space for receptions, birthdays, holiday celebrations... etc. ” This past year has been eventful in other ways for Lee; she now has a one-year old daughter – the apple of her mother’s eye. Lee’s voice warms when she talks about this development. “She’s the best! Having a baby changes everything, but it’s all good.” Now that Fall is upon us, expect Figa restaurant to become more crowded; if you want to have dinner there, you may want to arrive early; they don’t take reservations. Their hours are: Tues - Thurs: 5:30 pm 9:30 pm, Fri - Sat: 5:30 pm - 10 pm. See the menu online at figarestaurant.com, or call 207.518.9400. You can always “Like” Figa on Facebook.
October 2012
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Ask the Money Prof By Joel I. Gold
Saving For My Child’s College Education–Oy Vey! Let’s say You are, perhaps, in your late 20s or 30s (maybe 40s) and life is definitely a challenge. Housing, food, shelter, auto, credit card payments, dayto-day living costs are a fact of life. Little Bobby is turning 2 years old and not a penny has been saved for his future college. You think to yourself, how do I begin saving for what will eventually be a multi-thousand dollar cost. Here are some steps you can take to get started: 1) Calculate how much a 4-year college education will cost (include the type of college public or private; residential or live-at home experience, incidental costs); 2) What will be the parent’s contribution? Would you like to pay for it all, or have the
child shoulder part (or all) of the cost? (this is an article for another month); 3) How will the cost be funded cash or loans? 4) What would your monthly contribution have to be? This is based upon the type of investments you decide to make and their investment return; 5) What are the investment alternatives? There are several investment alternatives that families can consider. Many families open up a qualified college savings account through their state. Most states (including Maine) have a 529 College Plan. Monthly contributions or lump sums of money can be deposited into this account. See page 14, Money Prof
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October 2012
MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER
Attenzione! SEA (Society for East End Arts) has renamed its annual Holiday Art Sale. It’s now called ‘Art on the Hill’ Artists interested in participating can register at www.seaportland.org. This event is open to all artists. FMI: Solange Kellermann 577-0648.
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The gardens at East End Community School have never looked better! With gardening help all summer long from Cultivating Community, parents, teachers, community volunteers, and our dedicated School Ground Greening Liaison, Leah Cross, EECS continues to enjoy the most scenic and greenest campus in Portland. On Wednesday afternoons throughout the summer, volunteers gathered to tend to the gardens. An All Grounds Greening Party was held August 29th to weed gardens, pick up trash, spread new woodchips, and generally spruce up our outdoor space before students returned for the start of the school year. Special thanks go out to Colucci’s Hilltop Market for donating refreshments to our hard workers at the greening party. EECS’s outdoor classroom curriculum allows students to plant seeds, tend, and harvest their own food. Students then enjoy their very own vegetables including radishes, carrots, potatoes, kale, and more. Last fall there was a particularly bountiful carrot crop that was used to make carrot cake for the entire school. This summer a new cedar garden shed was built in the school garden just across from the school. Cultivating Community and Davis Woodworking made this beautiful and useful addition to our campus possible through a grant from Whole Foods Market. A new initiative this school year will be “Adopt a Corner” where families, classrooms, and community members volunteer to help maintain a small part of the grounds. Leah Cross explains, “As a community we are so fortunate to have this wonderful verdant campus, but at times the maintenance can be overwhelming. The school grounds are actually a public park, so the idea is to get more people invested in the space, and have them take some ownership and have some fun in the process.” For more information or to sign up to help contact Leah at leahcrossdesigns@gmail.com.
Election Day Bake Sale The EECS PTO will be holding an Election Day Bake Sale for voters at school on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. Come out to vote and support your local school! For more information about the East End Community School and upcoming events, go to www.eecs.portlandpto.org.
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East End Community School PTO
We are looking forward to another great year at East End Community School! For PTO information, contact Alison at wharey@yahoo.com or http://eecs.portlandpto. org/ (PTO website) Last fall, students participating in Mrs. Melton’s Rise and Shine Writers’ Club wrote the lyrics to a new school song. Students later performed the song at a school assembly that showcased the school’s engagement learning program, Rise and Shine.
East End Community School Song By 5th Graders in Mrs. Melton’s Writers’ Club (2011)
Getting up early has never been cool. But then I remember I’m going to school. Out of the door ‘cause I’m in a rush. Don’t want to be late or miss the bus. Our school is cool ‘cause we’re given the time, To start every day with Rise and Shine. Chorus:
East End East End… I’m getting smarter, making friends. We are the pride of Munjoy Hill. We love our school, we always will! Family fitness nights are cool, An ice cream day at the start of school. Glee Club is dancing and singing us songs. And the power of teaching is oh so strong. We are the school that looks out on the sea. There’s no other place that we’d rather be. Chorus: East End East End… I’m getting smarter, making friends. We are the pride of Munjoy Hill.
Portland Public Library celebrates Halloween with the
We love our school, we always will!
Mon, Oct 29th through Wed, Oct 31st. The Portland Public Library announces its “Little Festival of Horrors” to celebrate the genre of horror during the week of Halloween. Films, costume-making, carfts story-telling and more. See website for details: portlandlibrary.com
Five Schools Offer Free Breakfasts to All Students
“Little Festival of Horrors”
107 CONGRESS STREET • PORTLAND, MAINE 04101
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Five of Portland’s public schools will offer free breakfasts to all of their students for the first time, beginning in September. Four elementary schools - Reiche, East End, Riverton and Presumpscot - and Lincoln Middle School will provide the free breakfasts. Students arrive at school at the regular time to receive breakfast. It is served during the first 10 minutes of the school day. This model of breakfast in the classroom started at Reiche School. It has since expanded and should be in place district-wide in the next two years.
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Student Bus Fares Discounted Greater Portland Transit District METRO will offer discounted fares during the 2012/2013 school year for students attending schools (K-12) in Portland, Westbrook and Falmouth. Students can ride METRO buses for $1 (regular fare is $1.50) using a current student photo ID throughout the school year.
Reiche also will offer all students a free lunch daily. The meal costs are subsidized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). See the breakfast and lunch menus. Families at all of Portland’s public schools may apply for free breakfasts and lunches, based on family income. Applications will be included in students’ opening day packets and they must be returned by September 26. Due to changes in application procedures, some families automatically qualifying in the past now will be required to apply. Families that automatically qualify for benefits will receive a phone call or letter in the first week of school to confirm their status. In previous years, some families qualified for reducedprice meals, with a co-pay of 40 cents. This year, the district has eliminated the co-pay so that those meals will be free.
MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER
October 20/21 & 27/28 Train Fall Harvest Weekends: Enjoy cider, cookies and pumpkin painting inside the museum. Regular Schedule 10am-4pm. October 26/27 Haunted Ghost Trains: Spooky evening train rides along Casco Bay! Special Evening trains at 5pm, 6pm & 7pm. All events: $10/ adults, $9/seniors, $6/children (ages 3-12), and free for 2 & under. mainenarrowgauge.org
St. Lawrence Arts Center Your neighborhood arts center is at 76 Congress Street, stlawrencearts. org, 347-7177
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
Port Veritas Spoken Word Night Poetry Readings, every Tuesday 7-10 pm, @ Local Sprouts, 649 Congress St., Portland, All Ages, Gil Helmick, 400-7543.
MOOSE Droppings —Open Mic/Spoken Word Maine Organization of Storytelling Enthusiasts meet Every second Wednesday of the month. Drop by the Portland Public Library for our Monthly MOOSE Open Mic / Spoken Word Story Telling Event! Adult original and traditional stories, 10 minutes or less at the open mic hosted each by a different MOOSE Member. Suggested $5 donation. moosetellers.ning.com/
MHNO: We Love Munjoy Hill Festival SAT SEPT 29, 10 a-3 p: East End Community School. Sponsored by the MHNO, Community Policing and Portland Recretion, (207) 730-0490, munjoyhill.org.
Portland Maine Film Festival Throughout October- On Thursdays, see website for locations. The Portland Maine Film Festival will commence its third year on October 4th, 2012. The Festival will host four jam-packed days of film, seminars, and celebrations, spotlighting independent filmmakers from across the globe, as well as established and emerging cinema artists of Maine.
Twilight in the Park Sat, Oct 20, 5:30-7 pm, Deering Oaks Park. Join Hospice of Southern Maine in a celebration of life. Imagine hundreds of luminaria, candles nestled in sand inside a paper bag, glowing warmly at dusk in Deering Oaks Park; each light representing someone who has brought light into our lives. fmi: hospiceofsouthernmaine.org/twilight2012
Flu Clinic on Munjoy Hill Tuesday, October 16th from 10-11:30am
Where: Bayview Heights, 158 North Street, Bayview Salon On-site flu clinic administered by a Certified Cvs Pharmacist (Please bring insurance info and proof of residency)
What We All Need to Know Discussion Event: Tuesday, October 2, 2012 6:30 - 8 pm, Rines Auditorium, Portland Public Library
True Stories of Life with Mental Illness – Community leaders will read stories of life with mental illness from fellow community members. Our special guests include: Michael Brennan, Mayor of Portland; Jane Eberle, Maine State Representative; and Kevin Mannix, WCSH 6 Weather Forecaster. Cancer vs. Mental Illness – Creighton Taylor, from the Voices of Recovery Speakers Bureau, leads an eye-opening exercise. Personal Experiences with Mental Illness – A panel of consumers and family members talk candidly about their experiences, community perceptions and lessons learned.
Wed, Oct. 24, EECS
Wicked Walking Tours Ghost Tour of Haunted Portland WHEN: evenings, Tue–Sat, 8pm, Lasts about an hour or more; Daytimes: 10:30 am or 1:30pm. Tour lasts about an hour. To check availability and buy tickets: call ShowClix at (888) 718-4253. Distance: Less than half a mile. Suitable for all ages. Advance purchase required. Tours sell out! (207) 730-0490, fmi: wickedwalkingtours.com
Harvest on the Harbor OCT 24-27, Ocean Gateway, Ocean View Room, Tastes of the harvest at this four day festival–an amazing array of food and beverage tastings, educational sessions, and more!
Wars and rumors of wars, occupations… dwelling on the just peace ... There ought to be ways found to address critical issues without the violence of military force. Every third tuesday of the month, come for a quiet time for meditation or prayer, a non-sectarian vigil, noon to 1 pm, in the garden at State Street Church, 159 State Street, Portland. Of peace, fmi: 774-6396
Spirits Alive Cemetery Tours Through October 13th, Spirits Alive will be giving tours of the Eastern Cemetery on Saturdays at 10 am and on Sundays at 1:30 pm. No reservations required.SpiritsAlive.org Pre-register by emailing sa@spiritsalive.org but it’s not required.
Soccer Pick-Up Games Now indoor: Interested in playing SOCCER in the East End? Pick-up games— just have fun, keep in shape, and have fun. All ages/skill levels welcome! Contact Andrew: 670-8041 or drewleadley@gmail.com
—Train Rides— Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad October 6th – “Maine Rebels Attack” Civil War Train Robbery: The 15th Alabama Civil War reenactors return for a Civil War era train robbery event. Regular Schedule 10am-4pm.
This event is free and open to the public but seats are limited.
Portland Wine Opener / CFF Benefit
To register, call 761-2239 or email markgv@memhp.org.
Fri, Nov 2, 6 PM - 10 PM, Ocean Gateway. A fun evening of wine tastings, hors d’oeuvres, entertainment and auctions to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Northern New England Chapter.
Parking Instructions There are
two nearby parking garages for your convenience: One City Center and Elm Street. Do NOT park in the Public Market Parking Garage, as it closes at 6 pm.
Complimentary tours and tastings offered daily! 51 Washington avenue | 773 - 6 323
A Time For Peace
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EVERY DAY LUNCH SPECIAL DINNERS 3-Ham Italian 135 Congress Street • Portland, ME 04101 for $10.99 BUY-ONE/ GET ONE FREE 10” Pizza Open 7 Days a Week
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Sun to Thur: 6 am – 11 pm Fri & Sat: 7 am – Midnight
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October 2012
MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER
Money Prof
Friends of the Eastern Prom to hold Annual Meeting Oct. 3 Friends of the Eastern Promenade will host its Annual Meeting and Elections from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3 at the East End Community School. Members and non-members alike are invited to come to the meeting to learn more about FoEP and projects to improve the Eastern Prom. Guest speaker Seth Van Dam will unveil the results of his archeological survey at Fort Allen at the meeting. Van Dam, a Portland resident and graduate student in applied archeology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, is investigating the origins of the fort. Fort Allen is known to be a War of 1812 fortification, completed in 1814 to protect the entrance to Portland’s harbor. Van Dam seeks to verify written claims that Fort Allen’s batteries actually date to Nov. 1, 1775, two weeks after the British bombardment led by Capt. Henry Mowat had destroyed most of the town. Representatives from Friends of the Eastern Promenade will provide an update on the Fort Allen Park Rehabilitation Project, the redesign of the Cutter Street Entrance, the relocation of the commercial boat ramp at East End Beach, the efforts to manage invasive species in the park, and FoEP programs and events, including the Fort Allen Park Summer Concert Series, The Gentlemen of the Road Tour/ Mumford and Son’s Concert, and the Hidden Gardens of Munjoy Hill. Members will also elect new and renewing
members of FoEP’s Board of Directors. Each Thursday of this summer, people drove, walked, biked, and skipped from every corner of Portland and throughout Maine to attend the free Fort Allen Summer Concert Series on the Prom and enjoy the delicious offerings of Hella Good Tacos (SO good!). More than 400 people attended each week with a grand total of 2820 engaged listeners. A midsummer hit was Local Circus— everyone got into their awesome mix of bluegrass, folk, and Motown! Some sang along, others danced, and all enjoyed the sight of the full moon rising over Casco Bay. In the following weeks, Jimmy & the Soulcats graced the bandstand, as did the Don Campbell Trio and the Mainebased reggae band, Royal Hammer. One of the favorites was Rock My Soul. It was great to see the dozen-or-so gospel singers together on the bandstand, while the harmonies drifted up the hill. Looking at all the smiling faces, young and old, it was clear that everyone enjoyed the show as well as the entire Fort Allen Park Summer Concert Series.
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Typically, the owner of these accounts is the parents, but sometimes it might be more advantageous if the grandparents can be the owners, which may benefit the college financial aid package that one receives. Speak to your adviser about this. Another alternative would be to invest funds through UGMA (Unified Gift Minors Act). There are several positives but also negatives
tions were mailed out In August: for Maine’s Circuit Breaker Program, which allows eligible Maine residents to receive a partial refund of property taxes and/ or rent paid on their primary residence, You can download a form at www.maine.gov.revenue.
207-775-PLUM (7586)
Now accepting consignments; please call.
1- Bone: Prefix 5- Actress Rowlands 9- Worthless person 13- Young deer 14- Festive occasions 15- Pith helmet 16- Flutter 17- Hazardous 18- Wall St. debuts 19- Literary ridicule 21- Electric fish 22- 1/100 of a monetary unit 23- Gumshoes 25- Web-footed swimming bird 27- Muffler attachment 31- Grinders 35- Male parent 36- Bohemian 38- Sherpa’s home
You can also shop around for the best 529 plans from other states. It doesn’t matter where you open up an account. To get information on Maine’s 529 Plan, contact the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) in Augusta.
Time to save some Money on Property tax or Rent? Applica-
316 A Congress Street Portland ME 04101
ACross
count. When the child needs to withdraw the funds to attend college, the money comes out tax-free (no Federal or State income tax).
Friends of the Eastern Promenade is a nonprofit community organization committed to preserving the Park’s significant historic public landscape, protecting its environmental integrity, and enhancing recreational use. For more information, visit easternpromenade.org.
PLUM
Crossword
Saving For Your Child’s College Education from Page 11 Any investment income (dividends and capital gains) are not taxable while in the ac-
(Solution on page 19) 39- Latin 101 word 40- Book about Nineveh 42- Compass dir. 43- Actress Taylor 46- Polynesian carved image 47- Sneaky guy? 48- Opening word 50- Stand in opposition 52- Grave 54- American space agency 55- I could ___ horse! 58- Nectar collector 60- Alleviation of pain 64- Dull 65- Embankment 67- About, in memos 68- Fish feature 69- Put into law 70- Facial feature 71- Ivy League school 72- Diner’s card 73- Farm females;
Down 1- Does in 2- Room in a casa 3- Tease 4- Authorize 5- Moo goo ___ pan 6- Otherwise 7- In the buff 8- Institution for mentally ill 9- Scruple 10- Deal (with) 11- Atop 12- Fog 14- Greek 20- Agent 24- Herring type 26- Chile ___ carne 27- Former Russian rulers 28- Actress Anouk 29- Golf clubs 30- Moral precept of conduct 32- Sleep disorder
33- Tirades 34- Driving hazard 37- Klondike territory 41- Mosque tower 44- OK to consume 45- Funnyman Philips 47- Sugarcoated almond 49- Symbol 51- Mao ___-tung 53- Designer Geoffrey 55- Jittery 56- Type of song, to be sung solo 57- Like some orders 59- Author Hunter 61- ___ pronounce you... 62- Scottish Gaelic 63- Dues 66- Euro forerunner; BestCrosswords.com
about using these accounts for college education. The big negative is that the funds contributed are non-revocable and belong to the child. Once a child reaches 18, they belong to the child. He/she can do whatever he/she want with the money. The advantage is, if the child does not go to college, the funds, which have been growing if invested properly, will increase in value and the child can now have funds to do what he/she wants to do. A third alternative is to use Roth IRAs, or even non-retirement (regular accounts), to save money. The non-retirement (regular) accounts are taxable on an annual basis. The most important part of saving for college education is to get started early and do something.
MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER
Portland Pottery
& Metalsmithing Studio
118-122 Washington Ave • Portland
New Fall Cafe Menu!
Coffee • Baked Goods • Soup • Daily Specials Mon-Thurs 7am-7pm • Fri 7am-5pm • Sat 8am-5pm visit our website for our new menu
Glassworking Classes
8-Week Clay Classes
Classes Begin October 10th, 11th, 15th & 16th $245- Includes instruction, materials, firngs, studio access, and discounted workshops.
207-772-4334 • www.portlandpottery.com find us on facebook.com/portland.pottery
See puzzle on page 16
Adult Glass Class begins October 22 6-weeks • 6pm-9pm • $205* Kids Glass Class begins October 22 6-weeks • 4pm-6pm • $145
October 2012
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October 2012
MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER
Colorful Solutions for Financing a Home Mortgage
The home you’ve dreamed of may be within reach. At Norway Savings, we offer several down payment assistance programs for eligible borrowers.
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Call for a no obligation appointment today – while rates are at historic lows. We’ll help you explore the many financing options available.
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