Anti-Trump Protests Keep Growing
By Nancy English
“Resist,” reads the black fag fying in the wind on a street corner by Lincoln Park, at a vigil held on Thursdays at 4 p.m. since May. Bigger protests happen every Saturday in Monument Square.
“The signs cover so many issues,” said Angus Ferguson, who has been volunteering to organize the 11:00 a.m. Saturday protests in Portland’s Monument Square whether snow, sleet, rain, or shine since mid-February.
The Second Trump Administration has inspired objections since the President swore an oath to the United States Constitution and soon thereafter renamed the Gulf of Mexico. While many actions are being appealed in court, the drumbeat of announcements – about reversing diversity programs, raining pardons, fring federal workers, imposing tariffs – has been nonstop.
“Climate change, rule of law, women in the military,” Ferguson said, listing some of the sign subjects. The protests have been successful, he said. “The real effect is getting folks activated.”
People line up to speak. “At almost every protest, a speaker says this is the frst time they have spoken in public,” ever or, for example, since the Vietnam War. Lately people tell him they wish to speak but cannot for fear of being identifed by ICE, the department tasked with deporting thousands every day by the Trump administration.
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Catch the Western Prom Sunset Concert Series July Schedule
Above: No Kings rally on June 14th at Lincoln Park, Portland. -Courtesy of Indivisible Greater Portland Maine
Left: The “Resist” fag held at the weekly Thursday Vigil for Justice and the Constitution in Lincoln Park. Photo taken on Thrusday, June 26th.
Right: At No Kings on June 14 which spilled into Pearl Street and along Congress Street with rally goers also in Monument Square.
Rachel Flehinger started the website ActivateMaine.com to collect information about all the many Maine protests and events in one place. Her site’s calendar for June 24th, for example, listed fve events around the state including a weekly protest at United States Senator Susan Collins’ offce in Lewiston.
“I started it because we all need some hope and some empowerment,” Flehinger said. “I’ve never done anything like this before. I didn’t think it would be so big… I really believe it’s the communities that will make real change.”
Her self-funded site has a donation page. With 8,000 to 10,000 visitors a month and an RSS feed that pulls other
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Looking at Portland's Property Tax Evaluation w/ Todd Morse
-Left & right photos by Nancy English
sites to her pages, activatemaine.com has many volunteers behind the scenes to keep the calendar up to date.
The United States Agency on International Development (USAID) took initial blows this past winter, when longtime managers, who knew ending programs would result in the deaths of infants and thousands of employees, were fred. According to the New York Times (“What Remains of U.S.A.I.D.?,” June 22, 2025), a leaked memo about those deaths led to the highest restoration of aid since the cuts began. Out of an initial $120 billion in funding, 891 programs remain, costing $69 billion.
run by Elon Musk, into federal agencies like the Social Security Administration, fears spread that basic programs were threatened.
Ferguson’s group and Flehinger’s work are local, but coordinate with area Indivisible groups, a nationwide organization that sets up national protests like Hands Off, to protest against potential cuts to healthcare and Social Security benefts, and No Kings held on June 14th.
United States Senator Angus King spoke at the Hands Off protest. “I’m worried about the courts. And I’m also worried [the Trump Administration] won’t obey a decision if it comes down,” he told the crowd.
Indivisible has 20,000 groups in the country and fve in Maine, according to Debra Bellare, a volunteer organizer with Indivisible Greater Portland Maine. She estimated that the No Kings protest held in Lincoln Park on June 14th had 7,000 participants, more than double April’s Hands Off event. “It defnitely overshadowed Trump’s [U.S. Army 250-year] parade,” held the same day, she said. National estimates count 5 million No Kings protesters.
Indivisible Cumberland County and
With the infltration of DOGE, once Cont'd on Pg. 3
Pages 6-7
goes seriously blueberries with blueberry wine
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for NOT just another
Layne
Nancy Dorrans visits Uganda
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Protests
Indivisible Southern Maine also helped organize the No Kings event.
Indivisible Greater Portland Maine opposes a referendum question adding voter ID restrictions and opposes the presence of Avelo Airlines at Portland Jetport, along with 30 other cities, because it is under contract to provide deportation fights for ICE.
The failure to allow habeas corpus, a hearing in a court, for people being deported, is another action inspiring protests. Massive cuts to scientifc research at the National Institutes of Health and at universities is another. Attacks on law frms and universities is another. Foreign policy actions, like ceasing arms supplies to Ukraine, is another. The threat of massive cuts to Medicaid buried in a massive tax cut budget bill is another. Ending pro-
WEN Retires Map Page to Focus on News
Former publisher Ed King’s cartoon map featured prominently on the center spread of WEN for over 20 years.
After 20 plus years of entertaining readers with overheard dialog from the streets of Portland, Ed King’s “A Daffy Gull’s Eye View of Portland” cartoon map is offcially retired.
Former publisher of The West End News (WEN), Ed King was once a cartoonist for publications such as Highlights. He brought his artistic skill and sense of humor to the pages of the community news both in political and social commentary, but perhaps most memorably in the form of the huge center spread cartoon map of downtown Portland.
Drawn in the early 2000s with a plethora of characters poking out amongst downtown landmarks and businesses, the original work was missing around the time of the current publisher Tony Zeli’s acquisition of the News. Without the original to work with, Zeli reprinted a black-andwhite version and enlisted local artist William Hessian to watercolor it.The new version ran for the next ten years, often in segments, with rotating dialog balloons featuring silly snippets of overheard conversations, quips, and randomness from the streets of Portland.
Today, Zeli announces the map’s retirement. As one of the few free printed newspapers remaining in the Portland area, Zeli said the newspaper would renew its focus on news and events.
“The same slumping advertising revenues that plague other print publications have affected us. Yet, our readership is growing rapidly. We can’t keep enough copies on the shelves." To address growing readership, Zeli redesigned from a 16page down to a 12-page monthly. As such, to maintain local news and event pages, the map was retired.
“Without a doubt, even after all these years, the map was one of our most popular features. I’ll miss it as much as any of our readers,” said Zeli.
Ferry Village Market
tections for 58 million acres of national forest is another. National Guard troops in California deployed on the streets of Los Angeles is another.
Protests continue every Saturday in Monument Square at 11 a.m., every Thursday at Lincoln Park at 4 p.m., and at many, many other places around the city and state, with no end in sight. On July 17th another local and nationwide protest will be organized by Indivisible Greater Portland Maine on the anniversary of U.S. Representative John Lewis’s death, to do the “good trouble” he loved.
Freelance journalist Nancy English ran for Portland City Council District 2 in 2024 and is a former paralegal for the City of Portland.
Update
on WENA’s Activities at Tate/ Tyng Playground & Harbor View Memorial Park
Tate/Tyng & Harbor View Fundraiser
Since September 2024, the West End Neighborhood Association has been conducting a fundraising campaign to support the park department’s planned renovation of the Tate/Tyng Playground and the planting of more fruit trees and shrubs on the edible hillside at Harbor View Memorial Park. Although we fell $1,560 shor t of our goal of $10,000 by June 30th, it’s never too late to make your donation. Mail a check to WENA, PO Box 7886, Portland, ME 04112 or use PayPal on our website at http://www.wenamaine.org/get-involved/ donate/. Or give cash at a WENA event or to a WENA board member.
Our Sincerest Gratitude to Folks Who’ve Given
Sara Archbald, Dan & Joan Armory, Carolyn Bishop, Victoria Bonebakker, Brooks Foundation, Ed Bryan, Margaret Busby, Phil Caruso, Katherine Charbonneau, Wendy Cherubini, Gordon & Pam Collins, Jo Coyne, Sarah Daignault, Nor & Eli Dale, Barb & Kip DeSerres, Gregory Farino & Carolyn Elliot-Farino, Catherine Field, Leana Good-Simpson, Rosanne & Steve Graef, Kathy Hooke, Suzanne Hunt, Bobbie Keilson, David Keith, Heather Kenvin, Laura Kittle, Kristen Lape, Roberta & Matthew Lavey, Jane Lee, Susan LoGuidice, Grayson Lookner, Charlotte Maloney, Christine McHale, Pris Nelson, Daniel Nuzzi & Dana Monroe, Liz & Lin Parsons, Leslie Pohl, Anne & Harry Pringle, Ginger Raspiller, Steve Scharf, Pamela Shaw & Kent Redford, Phineas Sprague, Kim & Lee Sutton, Mark Tappan, Liz Trice, Jaye & Bryan Van Dussen, Allison Villani, Judy Watson, Mary Zwolinski.
WENA’s Annual Picnic
Save the date: Tuesday, August 12th, 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Harbor View Memorial Park. Complete details will appear in the August issue of The West End News.
Come visit us in person or call ahead with your food order.
Treats Breakfast Sandwiches
Special Occasions Cakes Phone Orders – Curbside Pick-up
the tea shop W-F 11-4, Sat 9-2 or Order online: homegrownherbandtea.com 181 Congress St., Portland, ME 207-771-0994 katiemadebakery.com
WesternPromSunsetConcerts.org
2025 WESTERN PROM SUNSET CONCERT SERIES
Every Wednesday Evening
July 9 - August 20
FREE One hour concerts Starts 1 hour before mountain sunsets
Western Promenade Park, Portland
JULY 9 - 7:30 pm
PRIMO CUBANO
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JULY 16 - 7:30
Rob Flax’s BOOM CHICK TRIO Hot Swing Trio
One Longfellow Square’s 15th Anniversary Party https://www.robfax.com/boomchicktrio
JULY 23 - 7:30
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Maine’s Indie pop star https://www.juliagagnonmusic.com
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ROYAL HAMMER Reggae https://www.instagram.com/royalhammer
For August schedule and more info on bands and rain dates visit: WesternPromSunsetConcerts.org
WHAT'S GOING ON
Community Events July Food... Music... Culture...
Fri, July 4 / 7p symphony, 9:15p freworks / Portland’s Four th of July Fireworks –Eastern Promenade, Portland – Fireworks set to go off around 9:15 p.m. Food trucks will be available on the Eastern Prom Roadway. The Casco Bay Wind Symphony (CBWS) will perform starting at 7 p.m. until the beginning of the freworks.
Other viewing locations: East End Beach, Fort Allen Park, Amethyst Park, Baxter Boulevard, Payson Park, Martin’s Point on Veranda Street, and Bug Light in South Portland. A rain date is scheduled for Saturday, July 5.
Mon, Jul. 7 / 5:30p / Wayside Pop Up Picnic – Payson Park Community Garden, Portland – Wayside partners with Cultivating Community and local businesses and musicians to host four pop-up picnics at community gardens in July and August.
Mondays starting Jul. 7 / 5 – 6p / Summer Labyrinth Vigil for Peace – St. Luke’s Cathedral, Portland - This summer the Walking Together team at St. Luke’s Cathedral will host a weekly Labyrinth Vigil for Peace. Monday evenings 5-6 p.m., beginning on July 7th. Please join us on your way home from work to walk the labyrinth in prayer and leave a fower at its center. (Suggestions for walking the labyrinth will be provided.)
Thu, Jul. 10 / 5:30 – 9 p / Full Buck Moon Viewing - Harbor View Memorial Park, Portland -On Thursday, July 10th, join neighbors at Harbor View Memorial Park and look towards the southeast to watch the full Buck Moon rise into the night sky. WENA is winding up its fundraiser for Tate/Tyng Playground and Harbor View Memorial Park with a little play on words. Thanks to all who have already given by check or card – now it’s time for cash, BUCKS and coins! Bring your donations to the park and watch the changing sky.
Sun, Jul. 13 / 8 a.m. race start / Portland Kids Duathlon – Back Cove Trail, Portland - Presented by Benchmark Real Estate, Portland’s only duathlon for kids. The run, bike, run format of a duathlon is fun and approachable. A bike-only event for our youngest athletes makes the event even more accessible. Offering both in-person and virtual races. Registration ends July 12. FMI: https://www.portlandkidsduathlon.com.
Tuesdays starting Jul. 15 / 6 – 7:30 p / Free Concerts in Lincoln Park – Lincoln Park, Portland – 7/15 Hidden Garden Band, 7/22 Cattle Call, 7/29 Blues Prophets, and 8/5 Joe K. Walsh Stringband (co-sponsored by One Longfellow Square). FMI: LoveLincolnPark.org,
Mon, Jul. 21 / 5:30p / Wayside Pop Up Picnic – Casco Bay Community Garden, Eastern Promenade, Portland – Wayside partners with Cultivating Community and local businesses and musicians to host four pop-up picnics at community gardens in July and August.
Fri, Jul. 25 / 5 – 7p / Trust Your Bliss as Much as Your Anger: A Mutual Aid Dance Party -Congress Square Park, Portland – A queer and BIPOC centered mutual aid dance party for everyone
Fri, Jul. 31 / 6 – 8p / OLS Presents: Haggard and Cashed – Congress Square Park, Portland - Rain location: OLS. Haggard and Cashed is a seven-piece country and western swing band based in Maine, known for their triple-fddle arrangements and honky-tonk fair.
Submit your event to thewestendnews@ gmail.com. Space is limited. WEN Community Events gives preference to free, charitable, and community-building events.
Looking at Property Tax Evaluation with Todd Morse
Every month, Liz Trice interviews a community member for The West End News. This month, she caught up with Todd Morse, founder of the Urbanist Coalition of Portland and data analyst.
The city updated the values of all the properties in the city. What does your data show?
When talking about trends in property taxes the most important thing to talk about is share of value. The City sets its budget and then it sets the tax rate to what it needs to cover that budget. What you pay is based on the percentage of the taxable property value in the City that you own. Property almost always goes up over time, but that doesn’t necessarily change your tax bill. You see a shift in the tax burden when some properties get more valuable more quickly.
The overall change should be less than it was in the last assessment. While we do see shifts in value, they won’t be as extreme as they were in 2021. This makes sense because there has been less time between assessments.
The most obvious trend is a decrease in the share of value of offces and a smaller decrease in retail. This means that offces and retail spaces aren’t getting more valuable as quickly as other properties. This refects genuine trends in Portland. There has been a shift away from in-offce work which can also impact retail.
Single-family homes and condominiums saw their share of value increase, while mid-sized housing (2-5 units) saw roughly no change and larger housing saw a decline. It is less clear why this is.
One potential explanation is that some newer rental buildings like the Casco and the Hiawatha have frst-foor retail which classifes them as multi-use commercial rather than residential. It is possible that new construction trends focusing on single-family homes, condominiums, and mixed-use buildings means these properties are newer overall and therefore more valuable. Though, more analysis is needed here.
Does the city have any control over which types of properties get taxed more or less? Or is it purely the market?
The city has very limited control over how we can assess. For homes, assessments are based on comparable sales, and for revenue-generating properties like rental housing or commercial real estate, assessments follow a formula that is heav-
Fresh Approach
ily based on how much rent they can generate.
Maine State law and even the state constitution are quite specifc in how assessment must be carried out.
Which types of properties will see the largest tax increases?
People who have built or renovated will always have by far the largest increases, but for existing properties single-family homes and condominiums will see the largest increases on average.
How did you get involved in this?
I have always been very interested in data and local issues, and I would love to spread some more awareness about how property taxes work. The property tax system is complicated, and I think when people get an assessment in the mail and see a number that is 40% higher they quite rightly feel afraid. I hope that I can add some context about what these numbers mean and how they ft into a larger picture.
Are there any ways that people should get involved in these issues?
On a personal level you are able to appeal your assessment if you feel it is unfair. It is too late to appeal this revaluation, but they do happen regularly. So, there will be opportunities in the future.
Change in Share of Taxable Value (2024-2025): To learn more about UCP’s work analyzing the city property tax revaluation and to view a map with detail down to the individual property visit: https://www.urbanistportland.me/ blog/sneak-peak-state-of-the-assessment-2025/.
On a policy level, and this is my personal opinion, I feel property taxes show us that we are in this together as a city. If our commercial properties aren’t thriving or we aren’t building enough housing, we all pay for that in our tax bills or in higher rents. Anything we can do to support a vibrant city with enough housing can help make a difference.
This interview was edited for clarity and brevity.
PelotonPosts is produced by PelotonLabs founder Liz Trice.
Where’s the map?!?
We’re retiring the cartoon map. Read all about it on Page 3
"
nder the moonlight, the serious moonlight... Put on your red shoes and dance the blues."
- “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie
This song is, actually, about fghting, and if anyone is fghting it is this small group of three ex-Rosemont Market heavyweights. They are sending a hard left hook to our current fashionable notions of wine and creating their own version as another vision:
Why blueberries, of course!
Wine, in general, isn’t faring that well, both in quality and in sales. There is a generation out there that views real wine as both dull and uninteresting. So, why not try something in life beyond seltzer or carbonated vodka-based fruit concoctions?
These clearly aren’t the wines from the Steely Dan song about chugging the bottle, “Mamma… it’s great fruit wine.”
This isn’t the frst time that blueberries have appeared as a serious beverage. Originally, forty years ago in Gouldsboro, Maine there was Bob and Kathe Bartlett who produced groundbreaking fruit wines and spirits that were anything but mom’s sweet, cloying, pie flling favor, but authentic expressions of Maine.
Then there was the second-generation blueberry incarnation in Bluet out of Scarborough. Michael Terrien, acclaimed Sonoma, California winemaker, made the blueberry once more into a serious combo of fruit with a touch of funk, both dry with a bit of spritz.
R.A.S. is the third incarnation of the blueberry as an artform. Dan Roche, Joe Appel, and Emily Smith are the three former heavyweight managers from Rosemont Markets. They joined forces to once again reinvent the wild Maine blueberry and insert it into serious wine
territory, together with exploration and new inventions.
I recently caught up with Joe Appel, their Director of Sales and Marketing, while making rounds, and he had some time for lunch and a chat.
Layne: Tell us about the beginning. What is your background?
Joe: Like all idealists my college major was in the Humanities.
L: Translate that into a job.
J: I was one of the frst Rosemont Market employees when it was Portland’s frst Euro-style foods market on Commercial Street called The Greengrocer. We then became Rosemont Market and with the encouragement of the owner I became the wine buyer. As we expanded with more stores my role expanded, tasting and buying more wines.
L: Where did the idea for R.A.S. originate?
J: I was greatly infuenced by Michael Terrien’s vision of Bluet as being not only a beverage but the voice of the land; an expressive wine of a place like the grapes and their regions in Europe. Over coffee with Dan Roche, we put together our shared travel, writing, and wine experiences and decided to make a go of it.That was over fve years ago. We are still small, but our audience is growing. It was a choice to do something you love now and not later.
Tasting R.A.S. Wines
Wild:
Bubbly, wild Maine blueberries in a can. 250 ml. 7% alcohol. $5.00 per can. Three quarters of a pound of wild Maine blueberries per can! Hand-harvested and foot-crushed with
eight months of aging in stainless steel. Joe: Juiciness and pop song joy, with an intriguing texture and some tannins.
I gave it a long hard thought, knowing that this little can is there to pay the bills to enable their other intriguing experiments. For me, it was a more interesting and serious little can of wine. Pure, spot-on wild Maine blueberries as an artform. Drink this slowly and pay close attention.
Bluish:
It’s $19.49 for 750 ml at 5.5% alcohol and there were only 53 cases in total production. Lightly sparkling cider of wild Maine blueberries with foraged and orchard grown apples. Eight months in used oak barrels with secondary fermentation in the bottle. As with all R.A.S. wines, they are both hand-harvested and handmade.
Perfect with an outdoor charcuterie board.
Joe Appel, R.A.S. -Courtesy photo
GIG PRESENTS
Blueberries
A Maine apple blueberry co-ferment that you serve well-chilled, just as you would an excellent rose.
There are roughly a bazillion roses on the market coming from everywhere. I challenge you to put any next to this remarkable achievement. Most roses are more marketing concoctions with a touch of interesting wine under a well-penned press release and an adorable label.
There is nothing quite like a co-ferment of the classic Northern Spy, which is the original foraged apple of early American cider. Speaking of real early pre-America, the blueberries are from the Passamaquoddy Wild Blueberry Company. This is agriculture from several millennia ago. The modern part is the R.A.S. team thinking and putting it together. There are roses and there is this rose.
Still Blue:
With only 45 case total production, Still Blue comes in 750 ml. bottles and is 11% alcohol.
Limited availability. 100% wild Maine blueberries.
This was an homage to Bob Bartlett, founder and creator extraordinaire of the idea that Maine wild blueberries could be a stand-alone achievement in both growing and winemaking. A whopping two and a half pounds of wild Maine blueberries per bottle. A year of barrel aging adds weight and texture to this medium bodied, reasonably low in alcohol table wine.
We served Still Blue with lamb chops on the grill. Blueberry wine with lamb chops? It was an ideal combination in part due to oak barrel aging.
Joe: A wine that is vibrant and precise.
I chuckled while having it with dinner. Consider that if you put a Bordeaux label – from say a Saint Emilion Grand Cru Chateau beside it – you would be totally fooled and completely dismayed, but also thrilled at what wound up in your glass.
A7ral herbs and spices that makes it “neither bone dry nor noticeably sweet.”
We had it as a dessert wine with cheesecake. Of course, blueberries are the best combination. A7 Americano is versatile: rocks, negronis, Manhattans, you name it. A lighter, delicious version of the classic Amaro.
Final Blueberry Thoughts
In this world that I affectionately term the Era of Desperation Marketing, R.A.S. stands out as the real deal. They are serious wines of place made by committed and thoughtful people.
LAYNE’S WALL OF SHAME
Bonterra
: Their motto is, “a love letter to the planet and to your taste buds.” They were previously a beacon of sustainable winemaking in California, becoming America’s number one organic winery producing both Chardonnay and Cabernet.
Americano: A 750 ml. bottle at 12% alcohol. This is the R.A.S. take on the classic European after dinner liqueur digestif called Amaro. It is bittersweet and usually runs between 16% to 40% alcohol. Of course, this is a Maine wild blueberry wine infused with brandy and natu-
Their recent dive down the rabbit hole is the creation of Bonterra Ranch Wine which includes Chillable Cherry Wild Raspberry, Strawberry Hibiscus, and Pineapple Key Lime, that are “fexible favor driven occasions.” I guess that I need to sit down and think up some “fexible favor driven occasions.” They are what “beverage fans are missing from the category.” Or to state it more bluntly, they have all this wine sitting there, so let’s just go ahead and P.R. it up in hopes that we can sell it all.
LAYNE’S WINE GIGS
Individually tailored gigs for small or large groups. Pick the place and the theme and I will provide the fun. E-mail me at lvwitherell@gmail.com.
Layne V. Witherell has been a professional in the wine business for many decades as a teacher, importer, writer, competition judge, and winery CEO. He was awarded the Master Knight of the Vine for his pioneering work in the Oregon wine industry.
V. Witherell
-Wine photos by Judy Witherell
CLIMATE JUSTICE
From Windows to Warmth: A Hands-On Way to Fight Climate Change
By Jade Christensen, PCAT
It may be July, but in Maine, winter is always just around the corner. As energy conservation continues to be a top priority in the fght against climate change, local organizations are stepping up to offer accessible, meaningful solutions. One such group is WindowDressers, a New England-based nonproft that empowers volunteers to make a tangible difference –one window at a time.
WindowDressers collaborates with communities across the region to craft and install custom insulating window inserts. These affordable, reusable inserts are built by volunteers and customers alike. They use a simple design: a wooden frame wrapped in two layers of clear plastic, sealed with foam to eliminate drafts and improve heat retention. The result? Warmer homes, lower energy bills, and reduced carbon emissions.
For Portland resident Elissa Armstrong, volunteering with WindowDressers has been both impactful and fulflling.
“After the election last November, I felt the need to do something concrete to reduce carbon emissions while connecting with my community,” Armstrong, the local co-coordinator, shared. “I feel great about volunteering for WindowDressers because it does both.”
WindowDressers offers several ways for individuals to get involved, regardless of skill level:
• Measurer: Work in teams to visit homes and assess windows for custom inserts.
• Transportation Crew: Deliver materials from the production center to community build locations. (A driver’s license is required.)
• Community Build Participant: Help assemble the inserts during community builds – no carpentry experience necessary.
These efforts have wide reach. In June alone, volunteers measured windows in a historic home on Portland’s Western Prom, a rental unit behind Maine Medical Center, and even a local restaurant.The inserts are offered at low cost thanks to the collaborative volunteer model. Also, WindowDressers provides fnancial assistance to ensure everyone – especially those in underserved communities – can beneft.
Ready to make a difference? Help keep your neighbors warm this winter. Sign up to volunteer at the Portland Community Build this October, or order inserts for your own home. Visit www. windowdressers.org or contact Portland Co-Coordinator Elissa Armstrong at elissamca@gmail.com for more information.
Bright Ideas is brought to you by Portland Climate Action Team (PCAT), which meets the 4th Tuesday of the month, 6-7:30 p.m. All are welcome. FMI email: portlandclimate@gmail.com.
Weather Forecasting & Climate Data
By Susana Hancock
On May 31st, I took part in the non-partisan Weather and Climate Livestream featuring 200 scientists sharing their research online for 100 hours straight. Running from May 28th until June 1st, it was timed to culminate at the start of hurricane season. The goal? To highlight the life-saving importance of weather forecasting and climate knowledge at a time when the United States was actively putting them through the guillotine.
Three days before I went live, Switzerland’s Birch glacier collapsed, wiping out an alpine town. All but one person had left in the days before–and the evacuation even extended to the livestock. Why? Because this glacier was a well-studied and monitored hazard. Earlier in May, signs of impending devastation were recognized and acted upon, and a crisis was largely avoided.
Nineteen months earlier, another glacier hazard in rural India led to a very different outcome: hundreds died and nearly 90 thousand were impacted. Forensic scientists now know that the human toll could have been averted. A warning system, which would have alerted the authorities to increasing risk and later residents to imminent disaster, had been initiated at the site but was not yet operational.
I joined the livestream from Central Asia, where I had been working on glacier hazards. From visiting warning systems that straddle the Georgian-Russian and
Tajik-Kyrgyz borders to sitting with diplomats from Armenia and Azerbaijan, and from India and Pakistan, the sheer existential threat from climate catastrophes can be great enough to bring otherwise adversarial governments to the same table, to share data and preserve lives.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Washington, DC, the White House continued its purge of science. Government websites on climate were lost to cyberspace, federal funding for supporting evacuations was diverted, and the new director of FEMA allegedly did not know the country even has a hurricane season. By the time I showed up to the annual United Nations Climate Meetings in June (the precursor to the better known autumn COPs), the United States was a no-show. Word had it that there was no one left on the payroll to send.
This Administration is not just denying science, it’s killing people. We have a choice: We can measure disasters in lives saved, or we can measure disasters in lives lost.
Dr. Susana Hancock is an internationally recognized climate activist and transdisciplinary polar scientist. Pictured here in Republic of North Ossetia, Russian Federation. She stands before the site of an outburst food that devasted an entire town.
-Courtesy photo
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Book Short Beyond that, the Sea
By Laura Spence-Ash
By Stephanie Miller
It’s 1940 and bombs are falling on London. To keep eleven-year-old Bea Thompson safe, her working-class parents send her across the sea to America. She is met at the docks by the Gregory family, who fold her into their affuent lifestyle. All fall in love with this plucky, intelligent girl who seems to fll the empty spaces in their family.
Spending summers on the Maine coast, Bea’s life in America begins to feel natural. She starts to make plans for posthigh school along with the two Gregory boys whose ages bracket hers. However, when the war ends she abandons those plans and dutifully returns to England, a place that she barely remembers and has dramatically changed from the war. There seems to be nothing left of her childhood.
Something is different about Bea’s experience. Other children who were sent abroad or to northern farms settle back into their family life without a stammer. She fnds it diffcult to reconcile these two worlds of her childhood, both flled with love but vastly different. Her yearning over missed experiences and the jealousy inevitable between the two sets of parents create competing gravitational pulls that remain in her life long after she returns home.
By
July Micro Shorts
with a memory of the same experience from a different person. Throughout, and despite (or because of?) the abundant love all around, Bea is striving – striving to ft in with a new, strange family, for peacefulness, for the comfort of connection she knew with the Gregory’s during the war, and for belonging.
Any story of love where the Maine coast has a role is always going to appeal to me. This debut novel is luscious in tone and packed with beautiful language.
“The Road to Dalton”
By Shannon Bowring (Maine Author)
“Mrs.
Nixon: A Novelist Imagines a Life”
By Ann Beattie
This is a life philosophy book disguised as fction. I have a long fascination and interest in Pat Nixon because my mother always viewed her as a heroine with strong philanthropic interests and a moral core. I read her autobiography years ago and picked up this novel with great expectations. It’s not what I expected, but that isn’t necessarily bad.
Beattie uses Nixon’s life and the mores of the times she lived in as a springboard to discuss feminism, motherhood, political life, and of course, since this is about the Nixons, stoicism in the face of deceit (and defeat, as it worked out). Essentially, Beattie uses Pat Nixon as a kind of fawed and unknowable “Everywoman.”
And thus the real story begins... As Bea and the Gregory brothers become their adult selves, all three realize that the connections between them cannot be severed by time or distance... Or even the purposeful snipping of memory. In fact, unbeknownst to Bea, her two sets of parents create connections as well, sending trans-Atlantic letters that share the pains of parenting and personal struggle.
Told via alternating voices of each member of her two families, the story rushes forward and then is caught back
Bea remains unsettled. Half her heart is back in America and half is trying to fnd a place for herself in post-war London. A chance meeting as the older Gregory son travels through England reminds her of all she has lost, and she begins to question her adult choices.
Dana Brown 207-281-2224 520 Ossipee Hill Road Waterboro, ME 04087 drpaving@roadrunner.com
A car crash on an icy road in far northern Maine kicks off a haunting and very human story of the residents of fctional Dalton in the real Aroostook County. The shock of the crash moves newlywed Bridget into early labor, while Richard and Trudy – who agree to stay in their marriage despite not being what the other needs – desperately try to calm her. The blood stain in the back of their car never really comes out.
I think that stain is a metaphor for the unspooling of the story, where good people in a very small community both stand up for each other and stare down anything out of the ordinary. I fell in love with this town and these fawed but hopeful people, including the young ones longing to escape and the adults who have settled in to make the best of it.
Lots of awful things happen, but lots of hope and love remain. Luckily, this is only the frst of a series – and the second, “Where the Forest Meets the River,” continues the story of how the birth of Bridget’s child continues to stain and impact the people of Dalton fve years on. Both showcase the authors’ gentle, warm, and wise storytelling and beautiful prose.
I found much of it striking, especially the parts about how we tell ourselves stories and myths to elevate our moral choices, which happens in every facet of society, not just politics. I also found it slow. Perhaps others will see what I found to be ponderous, pretentious, and repetitive as amusing or sardonic. Beattie even breaks the third wall and gives herself (the author) a place in the story.
For more July Micro Shorts visit https:// thewestendnews.com/beyond-that-thesea-by-laura-spence-ash/.
Bayside resident Stephanie Miller is a voracious reader and bibliophile and spends a lot of time lost in the stacks of bookstores and libraries. Find her online @StephanieSAM.
Looking for some peace and quiet?
Find puzzles & Best Worst Trivia on Pg. 11.
Need a quiet beautiful space where you can sit and relax?
Please join us –
A Liturgy of Contemplation
A lay-led service of meditation and Holy Communion held at 5:15 p.m. each Sunday at St. Luke’s Cathedral. The Liturgy invites you into stillness and quiet, with music, readings, and reflections in a personal, contemporary idiom. It is God’s hope to meet you here.
Emmanuel Chapel – St. Luke’s Episcopal Cathedral 143 State Street, Portland, Maine
"Beyond that, the Sea"
Laura Spence-Ash Celadon Books / 2024 / pp. 368
Uganda Part 1 Not JUST Another Safari
By Nancy Dorrans
It was an honor and the ultimate thrill of my adventurous life to journey to Uganda and trek with Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Uganda’s frst wildlife veterinarian. We trekked for twelve days through the Bwindi Forest National Park, and our hour visit with the Binyindo family of mountain gorillas was a defnite highlight of our journey.
However, before we would meet the gorillas, my good friends Anne, Elaine, and I spent a week exploring Uganda’s diverse landscapes to the north: its wildlife-rich national parks, bustling communities, and the mighty Nile River.
Here is Part 1 of our adventure in Uganda that was not JUST another Safari.
Our arrival day in Entebbe began with a warm welcome from our tour operator Alex of Gorilla Walking Safaris. We enjoyed a delicious lunch at our Papyrus Guesthouse. Later, we headed by wooden boat across Lake Victoria to the Mabamba Swamp in search of the ever-elusive Shoebill bird. Once thought to be a stork, the experts now considered it to be in the pelican family. After a windy ride across the lake, we transferred to a smaller swamp boat. Thanks to our scout Maria, a lone Shoebill was soon spotted. It showed us its prehistoric face and huge wingspan.
There were also tons of noisy Pied (black-and-white) Kingfshers, colorful
Malachite Kingfshers, and a few yellow Weaver birds and their hanging nests. We were already deep in the wild and this was just day one!
The next morning, we few in a small bush plane from Entebbe to the dirt landing strip near Murchison Falls National Park. Along the way to our Anyandwe Guesthouse we spotted all types of antelope, like the small Oribi antelope, Uganda Kob, and Jackson’s har tebeest. Not to mention spotting a Rothschild’s giraffe, a warthog, and a mighty yet passively wild herd of Cape buffalo bachelors.
We enjoyed a sunset “sundowner” toast at the “Top of the Falls” where the mighty Nile surges through a narrowing six-meter (20-foot) gorge. The Nile River is the second longest in the world and fows through eleven countries. Its main source is Lake Victoria, and it travels 120 kilometers through Murchison Falls National Park. Another wild day!
From the Falls we journeyed to Kibale National Park in Western Uganda through local villages and vast stretches of tea plantations. Along the way we visited a local primary school. We gifted them some school supplies brought from home and the teachers thanked us. The students cheerfully sang songs and wished us, “Safe journey,” as they waved us on our way.
Our next days were flled with sunrise and sunset game drives, loads of elephants, hippos, giraffe, a family of Patas monkeys perched on a termite mound, roadside baboons, and a pride of lions that were hard to see through the tall grass. June is the tail end of the rainy season and one tail was all I spotted of this pride that day. Bird songs flled the morning air with a chorus of hippo, baboon, frog (and perhaps elephants?) calling out after dark.
On to Kibale National Park and an exciting morning of chimpanzee trekking. It had rained the night before. So, the chimps were mostly roosting high in the trees. Our guide told us they don’t like to sit on the wet ground. I don’t blame them!
It didn’t take long for a few of them to venture down from the treetops. They kept a keen eye on us pruning each other, backed up against the trees. As uninvited guests in their home, I got the feeling they didn’t always enjoy the company.
Our morning trek was followed by a walk in Bigodi Swamp with guide Ben and our armed guard Thomas. We spotted fve of the eight resident monkey species and three large bird species: two pairs of black-and-white-casqued hornbill, an open-billed stork, and the turaco (often called the lipstick bird).
My favorite so far was the regal blackand-white colobus monkey with a most magnifcent tail!
Enjoy your summer and read us next month. In Part II, we step over the Equator
left: Nancy Dorrans' favorite black-and-white colobus monkey. Top
Chimpanzees at Kibale National Park. Bottom right: Patas monekys perched on a termite mound. -All photos courtesy of Nancy into the southern hemisphere. We head to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and the wild waters of Jinja… Defnitely, not JUST another Safari.
Nancy Dorrans (in Tuscany for ATTA event, 2018) is founder of Adventure Marketplace... Navigating travelers on authentic, nurturing, global and local adventures since 2014.
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FROM THE PIE
SMALL SLICES OF COMMUNITY NEWS FOR YOU...
Reny’s Portland store will be closing by early 2026 when their lease ends so Portlanders should make plans to travel to Saco or Topsham or Windham for their Reny’s deals… The Digital News Report fnds that for the frst time social media overtakes TV as Americans’ top news source… LoveFood’s list for Best Seafood in America represents Maine with The Highroller Lobster Co in Portland and Bob’s Clam Hut in Kittery… Lending Tree says Americans spent $78 billion on tips and Maine residents tipped more than their fair share as the 10th-best tippers in the country… Portland announces the graduation of its 5th class of Natural Helpers who come from seven countries of origin and are now certifed civic community leaders… Portland Fire Department celebrates graduation of Fire Academy Class with 8 new frefghters graduating from their initial training… Northern Light Mercy Hospital raises a record-breaking $475,000 during the 30th annual Bush Family Golf Classic benefting Gary’s House supporting families in medical crisis with accommodations… Older adults outnumber children in 11 states and nearly half of US counties including every Maine county except Androscoggin… A recent Wallethub report suggest the people of Mississippi spend the most on fast food in the country while our neighbors in Massachusetts spend the least… Maine ranks as 8th Best State for Outdoor Enthusiasts thanks to having the most camping spots per capita…
Open 365 Days 7am - 9pm Best Pizza on Munjoy Hill!
Huge selection of Spirits, Grocery, Wine, Local Beer & Artisanal Frozen Pizza. 24-hr Outdoor Ice Vending! 135 Congress St, Portland - (207) 773-8000 - hilltopsuperette.com
Types of Words Trivia
1. What’s the name for a word that reads the same backwards and forwards, like madam, racecar, or rotor?
2. What T-word can be used to describe either the name of a place, OR something named after a place, like a marathon or a bikini?
3. What’s the term for a word that’s borrowed directly from another language?
4. What kind of figure of speech that puts contradictory words together is Greek for “sharp-dull” or “smartly-stupid”, and therefore is an example of itself?
English Muffns
Mondays at El Rayo Scarborough, Lazzari, Banded Brewing
Tuesdays at Ri Ra, Brookside F+D, Another Round
Wednesdays at Wilson County BBQ, Salt Yard, Smoked BBQ
Thursdays at Arcadia, Locally Sauced, Tomaso’s Pizza online @bestworsttrivia
Find the answers online at thewestendnews.com/puzzle-solutions!
If you wore English muffns on your feet Would you run out of food to eat? Or would you rather take a seat At the table on the porch?
If you wore English muffns on your feet
You’d sit at the head of the table. Everyone else would be all ears Listening to your fable.
If you someday stepped in butter No problems would arise. The world would become your skating rink While you foat around on pies.
-Sal Bubolz
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Natural Helpers class with Mayor Dion. -Ctsy. City of Portland
Happy Hour Specials
Casita Corazon Now Open Mondays!* *South Portland location only. !
Tacos – Burritos – Quesadillas – Enchiladas –Sopes – Pozole – Goat Birria – Fajitas – Cocteles de Marisco – Chile Rellenos – Carne Asada – Lamb Shanks in Adobo & much more! “To know how to eat is to know enough”
(207)
158 Benjamin W Pickett St, South Portland Open Mon-Sat 11am-8pm *Reservations are not available at South Portland location.
