No arresting our way out of this
No or low bail means immediate release for many at Cumberland County Jail
By Nancy English
Cumberland County Jail currently has 370 available beds out of a total of 570, according to Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce. “We’re accepting all arrests.”
Just before the Covid pandemic shut the country down in March of 2020, there were 425 beds here. At its lowest number in 2020, only 225 beds were available. That was when, as Portland Police Department Major Jason King recalled, the jail was accepting only people charged with violent felonies.
But, due to staff limitations, the jail still holds 200 beds in shut “pods,” as separate areas are called, or in the pre-release building, where prisoners were able to stay during the last phase of their incarceration, some working at day jobs elsewhere. Joyce has 40 job openings but as of February 12th had received only 15 applications.
Joyce acknowledged arrests for low level crimes like criminal trespass can result in a quick release. “I’ve had people come in ffty times in a year. I’m going to guess the ffty-frst time will be the same,” said Joyce.
Sherif Kevin Joyce.
The bail set by the bail commissioner, like “unsecured bail,” which means a person needs to pay it only when they fail to appear in court for their hearing, likely means a person is immediately released. “Many are released on ‘personal recognizance,’” said Major King. “People get released within an hour, a lot of the time.”
Page 5
Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce says the Cumberland County Jail has beds available and they are "accepting all arrests," but arrests for low level crimes can result in quick release and repeat offenses.
people waiting in the intake area are allowed to make as many phone calls as they wish on phones inside the gate.
According to Cumberland County District Attorney Jacqueline Sartoris, bail is set in a variety of ways. People charged with domestic violence assault cannot be bailed because state statute does not permit it, and serious criminal conduct or repeat offenses may also not be permitted bail. But many repeat offenders are well known to all in this system, from the initial encounter with the police, to the jail, to
Page 7
the bail commissioner to the judge at the court. If they receive an in-custody hearing with a judge for a minor crime, they are likely to be released quickly.
“We’re seeing people with low level crimes being let back out and let back out,” Sartoris said. “We have never done this well. We need to do something different… We’re not doing the work of pro-
City Councilor Ben Grant: The City needs to move faster Pages 10-11
What Should Environmentalists Do Now? A few suggestions.
tecting the public.”
“Our job is to arrest people and bring them to the jail. I think there’s been slow progress. The lines of communication are always open,” Major King said.
Sheriff Joyce would like to reinstate programs offered at the jail before 2020, like a GED program, given more staff and other funding. He said any accomplishment can start to turn around someone held at the jail.
It’s one thing to meet people where they are, as many in the social work community advise. “It’s another to leave them there,” Sartoris said. Sartoris wants to see the “mental health docket” put to work both to protect the public and give people suffering illness a chance to put their lives into better order. That starts with a competency evaluation. When a person is considered not competent, they will not go to trial. Instead, the DA asks for a further evaluation to determine if the person is “restorable.”
“It’s a multi-step process where the civil code meets the criminal code,” she said. “I will always ask for this, no matter how low level the crime. The people have an interest in restoring someone.”
“I will never dismiss charges; I make the judge do it. I don’t believe it is justice or kind to look the other way.” But 94 percent of persons with substance abuse disorder will not receive treatment, she added, and many will not cooperate at all. The Maine disability rights community says that people have the right to make their own choices. “But what if they are not competent?” she asked.
Ultimately this is a government systems problem, Sartoris said. Americans
Cont'd on Pg. 3
12
Laynes shares his picks for the Best Cheap Wines Page
Review of "The Great Divide" By Cristina Henriquez
Above,
-All photos by Nancy English
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Correction
In the February 2025 Edition, the Page 1 feature on Portland’s rent control ordinance, “Rent Control Year 5: Opinions Differ on Progress Implementing Portland’s Rent Control Ordinance,” incorrectly stated that an apartment on Briggs Street was advertised for $3,000 per month after recently being rented for $1,172. The advertised amount of rent for the unit was $2045.
From Around the World
were promised secure community-based facilities for people suffering from mental health illness when insane asylums closed in the 1980s, but none were ever built. Instead, people without resources often live and suffer on the street. Sartoris wants the Maine Legislature to fund programs that monitor and help low-level offenders, including group homes that monitor residents.
MaineCare provides 30 days of substance abuse disorder treatment annually, but that is not enough, Sartoris said. “They need sixty days of treatment.” Instead, costs fall on the public – neighborhoods, local businesses, city services – over and over again. “Businesses are suffering. Neighborhoods feel like things are out of control,” she said.
“On a case-by-case basis, I have gotten greater protection for the public,” she said. She has put “progressive treatment plans” in place. A staff ratio of 2-to-1 was changed to 3-to-1 at certain group homes, for example.
“But we have a number of people who need more than we are giving.”
Cont'd from Pg. 1
The small cell is a holding cell where the newly arrested wait as they are processed, before they have their physical examination or change into the prison uniform – red for women, orange for men. -Photo by N.English
Nancy English ran for Portland City Council D2 in 2024 and is a former paralegal for the City of Portland.
PPL Joins Dirigo Libraries and Begins Catalog Upgrade
Portland Public Library (PPL) announced a new partnership with the Maine State Library, the Law and Legislative Reference Library, and the Bangor Public Library, forming the Dirigo Libraries consortium. Patrons of member libraries will be able to access materials from all four libraries, with holds automatically pulling from the combined inventory to reduce wait times. Additionally, the user interface will undergo signifcant changes.
As part of the transition, PPL will upgrade its catalog system to Polaris. This upgrade will streamline catalog searches, improve user account features, and offer expanded options for borrowing and accessing materials.
Service Disruptions - Catalog Offine for Up to 2 Weeks
To implement these upgrades, PPL will temporarily take the catalog offine. To minimize disruptions and ensure patrons continue to have access to essential resources:
• Final Transfer to Polaris: Beginning Monday, February 24th, the library’s current catalog system will be offine for approximately two weeks to facilitate the fnal data transfer to Polaris. During this period, patrons will still be able to borrow physical items from the library. However, PPL
asks that materials not be returned until the transfer is complete. Please also note that shelf records and hold records will be temporarily unavailable during this time.
• Temporar y Hiatus from MaineCat: PPL will pause participation in MaineCat starting Wednesday, March 5th, for approximately eleven weeks. During this period, PPL will collaborate with other local libraries to provide an alternative, manual system for interlibrary loans.
Once the transition is complete , library patrons will enjoy broader access to resources across the four member libraries.
For more information about the Dirigo Libraries consortium, the catalog upgrade, and what to expect during the transition, please visit https://www.portlandlibrary.com/ppl-joins-dirigo-libraries-consortium-and-prepares-for-systemwide-upgrade/.
Ed Feeney Fund Gives Gear so Portland Students Can Play Sports
Basketball sneakers, swimming suits, running shoes, shin guards, and football and soccer cleats. Those are examples of the variety of athletic gear that students have received thanks to the Ed Feeney Athletics Fund. So far, more than 180 high school and middle school students in Portland have benefted from the fund, which was created last year.
In 2024, anonymous donors gave the Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) a $50,000 matching donation to launch the fund, named after retired coach Ed Feeney. From 1979 to 2007, Feeney coached the Portland High School Girls Basketball team, taking them to eleven Western Maine Championships and three Gold Ball State Titles. With more than 400 career victories, he was inducted into the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame, the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Maine Sports Hall of Fame.
One thing always troubled him—the students who couldn’t attend practice, didn’t try out, or left teams because they didn’t have the right gear. Once, when a student showed up for a game in sneakers full of holes, Ed gave the student the shoes he was wearing and drove home in his socks.
The Foundation is accepting further donations to the Ed Feeney Athletics Fund. For more information contact Andrea Weisman Summers, Executive Director, Foundation for Portland Public Schools, 207-400-1151, asummers@foundationforpps.org.
Portland’s Natural Helpers Fellowship Enters 5th Year
The City of Portland’s Offce of Economic Opportunity (OEO) starts the 2025 Natural Helpers Fellowship with 14 community leaders. Natural Helpers is a nationwide initiative that bridges the gaps between residents and community resources by identifying, training, and empowering local community members to develop their natural leadership abilities. A Natural Helper is an individual with frsthand experience overcoming challenges such as relocation, language barriers, and economic inequalities, while simultaneously becoming a natural leader who helps others facing similar barriers.
The 2025 Natural Helpers Fellowship comprises 14 community leaders recognized for their leadership in the public sector, non-profts, community-based organizations, and in their local community. The Fellows are widely known as individuals who are committed to supporting and advancing the quality of life for all Maine people. The 2025 fellows represent leaders from the following organizations: Portland Trails, Serving Up Support: Maine, Portland Public Schools, University of Southern Maine, Azerbaijan Society of Maine, Presente! Maine, Catholic Charities, MaineHealth, Community advocate, Quality Housing Coalition, Gateway Community Services, PROPEL Portland, Bangor Public School, and the City’s Homeless Services Center.
Partnership with the University of Southern Maine allows fellows to demonstrate their growth through a credentialing program. In addition, Fellows dive deep into local and state resources while meeting with local organizations and institutions in the Portland area to engage in resource-sharing and address issues facing the state.
POLICE BEAT
Police Investigate Deadly Crash on Riverside Street – 2/23/2025
On Sunday, February 23rd, at 7:25 p.m., Portland Police responded to a serious motor vehicle accident in the area of 654 Riverside Street. A car, driven by a 26-year-old Portland man, struck a 37-year-old Portland man who was walking in the roadway.
The victim was transported to Maine Medical Center where he later succumbed to his injuries.The Portland Police Department and its Crash Reconstruction Team is investigating the incident and no charges have been fled at time of print.
Police Investigating Deaths Behind Riverside St. Hannaford –2/10/2025
On Monday, February 10th, at approximately 7:42 a.m., Portland Police responded to a report of two unconscious males in the wooded area behind Hannaford on Riverside Street. Upon arrival police discovered a 57-year-old William Liese and 44-year-old Lee Thomas Johnson deceased. Both men are believed to be unhoused.
The department is now investigating the circumstances around these unattend-
ed deaths. Autopsies will be scheduled and cause and manner of death will be determined by the Offce of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Police Investigate Deadly Crash on Brighton Avenue – 2/1/2025
On Saturday, February 1st, at 9:11 p.m., Portland Police responded to a serious motor vehicle accident near Brighton Avenue and Highland Avenue. A car, driven by a 42-year-old South Portland woman, left the roadway and struck a tree.
The victim was transported to Maine Medical Center where she later succumbed to her injuries. The Portland Police Department and its Crash Reconstruction Team are investigating the incident and no charges have been fled at time of print.
Crime Tip Line
Investigators urge anyone with any information that might assist in these or other investigations to please contact them. You may provide information anonymously by calling and leaving a message on the department’s Crime Tip line at 207-874-8584 or text keyword “PPDME” along with your message to 847411 (TIP411).
Ben Grant
Every month, Liz Trice interviews a community member for The West End News. This month, she caught up with Ben Grant, a new At-Large City Councilor.
Congratulations on your win! Tell me a little about yourself.
I’ve lived in Portland for twenty-fve years. I have two daughters – a sophomore at Portland high and a sixth grader at King – and my wife works for Greater Portland Health. I’m the general counsel for the Maine Education Association, former member of the School Board, and former Democratic Party Chair.
What made you decide to run for offce?
The City needs to move faster to meet its biggest challenges - housing and homelessness. Also, the City controls the school budget, and it is vital that we continue to have the resources for a strong public education system in the city.
What issues are you prioritizing?
Housing is the number one thing. The thing that has really struck a chord with me is the overall shortage of housing in Maine - 84,000 units in the last statewide study. The Federated site has potential for hundreds of units but has been stuck. Also, Franklin Street, with redevelopment we could build hundreds of units there, and that will require political leadership. I’m also enthusiastic about the possibility of building a new high school in Portland, and that could take up a lot of my focus if we get state funding. As I said a lot during the campaign, I’m here to do big things.
What can the council do to address the housing crisis?
I don’t have a specifc answer yet. I’m listening to what people say are the problems. It seems clear that the peninsula is ripe for more development. Portland can and should operate like a real city where we can provide transit and build vertically. There are a lot of jobs here and we
can support more population downtown. I’d love to hear from anyone who has thoughts about what is preventing more housing to be built.
I’d also like to hear what success will look like around the homelessness issue.
There’s a decades-old legacy of thinking we are going to “end” homelessness - but I don’t think that’s a useful policy goal, however aspirational. I’m more impressed with the functional zero approach, where we accept that some people will experience homelessness but where people are cycled out of homelessness pretty quickly. It seems more pragmatic and attainable.
What’s your plan for the next few months?
I’m on the fnance committee and we had our frst meeting recently. I’m developing relationships with councilors, understanding the workfow and how things get done. The big thing is the realization you could be working on one hundred problems every day, and I have to choose the two, three, four, maybe fve things where I can really make a difference and focus on those. The next few months will likely be dominated by the budget discussion, and that’s affected by what happens in Augusta and Washington. If support is pulled back by the state or the Feds, there will be tough conversations on the council.
Anyone can contact me at benjaminkgrant@gmail.com.
This interview was edited for clarity and brevity.
PelotonPosts is produced by PelotonLabs founder Liz Trice.
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City Hires Firm to Conduct Franklin Street Final Planning
The City of Portland announced that it hired consulting frm WSP USA Inc. (WSP) to conduct the fnal planning phase for the Reimagining Franklin Street effort. Set to begin later this month, the planning effort will update and refne the conceptual design that was adopted by the City Council as part of the 2015 Franklin Street Master Plan and develop a land use plan for the street. The planning effort is expected to take approximately ten months to complete.
The hiring of WSP follows the news in January that the City of Portland and MaineDOT were awarded $2 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program. The federal funding will be matched by the City and MaineDOT, each contributing $250,000. Having the federal funds already in place allows the City to move immediately into the design phase after the fnal planning phase is complete.
This fnal phase of planning work is necessary to update the 2015 Master Plan’s conceptual design due to changes in transportation patterns and design standards, as well as the updated zoning along Franklin Street due to the adoption of ReCode and the signifcant development that has occurred there since 2015.
Portland History Docents Program Celebrates
30th
Western Cemetery added to list of Portland tour sites
The Portland History Docents (PHD) program, a collaborative effort by local historic sites to provide a ten-week training program for new prospective volunteer guides, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Since 1995, historic sites throughout the city have worked together to train local volunteers in the art of giving public tours.The program was founded by Victoria Mansion, Greater Portland Landmarks/ Portland Observatory, Maine Historical Society/Wadsworth-Longfellow House, and the Tate House Museum.
Thirty years on, the PHD program consists of classroom instruction and tours to eleven different sites. In addition to the original four, the current sites are: Eastern Cemetery/Spirits Alive, Evergreen Cemetery, Fifth Maine Museum, Maine Irish Heritage Center, Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad, Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse, and the newest member, Western Cemetery.
This year’s training program began on Thursday, February 27th, with classes running through May 1st. For more information, please visit https://por tlandhistorydocents.org.
City Councilor Ben Grant
Reiche Community Room March Activities
The West End Neighborhood Association offers a variety of events in the Reiche Community Room (enter by door 11 on the Clark Street side and proceed upstairs, ADA accessible). Please consider joining us for some of these FREE activities!
Monday, Mar. 3 - 6:30 p.m. - Magazine Readers with Charlie Main - Thoughts on Elon Musk - contact hello@wenamaine.org for materials.
Thursday, Mar. 6 - 6:30 p.m. - Ukulele basics (& beyond) with Kip DeSerres - Ukes to loan for the class.
Monday, Mar. 10 - 6:30 p.m.- Are You Curious? Learn, Make, Do - Every month will be different! -Norooz: Iranian New Year with Catherine & Bahman Nekoie
Wednesday, Mar. 12 - 6:30 p.m.WENA General Meeting - All Are Welcome
Thursday, Mar. 13 - 6:30 p.m. - Die Well Death Education with Leona Oceania - Session 4: The Importance of Legacy Work:What to Do, and Where to Start - Writing Your Own (or Someone Else’s) Obituary.
Monday, Mar. 17 - 6:30 p.m. (Doors open at 6:00 p.m.) - Classic flm - Now, Voyager
Thursday, Mar. 20 - 6:30 p.m. - Travelogue with Kip & Barb DeSerres - Trekking in the Himalaya & by Train Through India
Monday, Mar. 31 - 6:30 p.m. (Doors open at 6:00 p.m.) - Comedy flm - Harvey
Ongoing
A.M. Exercise – Mondays thru Fridays8:15-9:15 a.m.
Arts/Crafts/Games/Socializing/iPhone & iPad Help - Thursdays, 4-6 p.m.
PLUS - Pickleball - Every Friday from 6-8 p.m. in the Reiche gym$5 drop-in fee for residents, $10 for non-residents
Hope to see you there - bring your friends!
Cancellations: In case of inclement weather, check the Recreation departement cancellation line at (207) 756-8130.
Community Events March
Hurricane Island Outward Bound Hosts Mountainflm w/ Solo Sailor Tania Aebi
Sun, Mar. 2 / 1p / Aura, Portland / $25
On Sunday, March 2nd, Hurricane Island Outward Bound School, a Camden-based nonproft focused on empowering youth, veterans, and adults through outdoor education, will host Mountainflm on Tour at Aura, 121 Center Street in Portland, starting at 1:00 p.m. Proceeds will help raise funds for scholarships and programming.
Special guest and speaker Tania Aebi, renowned sailor and solo adventurer, will share her incredible journey and insights. Aebi, author of the bestselling book “Maiden Voyage,” completed a solo circumnavigation of the globe in 1987, at the young age of 21, on a 26-foot sloop.
Tickets: $25 per person. Children and students are free.
Announcing WMPG’s Annual Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Cajun Cookin’ Challenge!
Tue, Mar. 4 / 11a / USM / Free
WMPG’s annual Mardi Gras celebration and Cajun Cookin’ Challenge will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 4th on the second foor of the McGoldrick Stu-
dent Center, 35 Bedford St, Portland.
WMPG has hosted this winter party since 1994 to celebrate Mardi Gras at the University of Southern Maine, with our volunteers, listeners, and community. There will be classic New Orleans music from the Ideal Maine Social Aid & Sanctuary Band and our DJ’s, Mardi Gras food provided by local restaurants, and of course, beads, beads, beads!
Many local restaurants have already secured their place in the Cajun Cookin’ Challenge including Bayou, Bayou 2, Ruski’s, Sodexo, Po Boys & Pickles, and Maggie Mae’s. Everyone who attends will be invited to vote on their favorite dishes. The winning restaurant will receive a trophy, and the best prize of all, bragging rights!
Pine Point Quilters Quilt Show
On display this March / Libby Library, OOB / Free
The quilts and fber art of the Pine Point Quilters will be on display at the Libby Library, 27 Staples Street in Old Orchard Beach for the entire month of March during regular library hours. It is free to all. The show coincides with coincides with National Quilters Day (March 16th) and National Quilters Month.
The Pine Point Quilters are 30 sewing enthusiasts from OOB area. The group serves the community with the donation of quilts, pillowcases, and other sewn projects to shelters and hospitals - nearly 100 last year.
MUSIC & EVENTS
Better Together ft. Homeboy Sandman (Monday of the Minds presents...)
Mar 1 8:00 PM – 11:30 PM
TR3 ft. Tim Reynolds (Dave Matthews Band) w/s/ gs Seepeoples | all-ages Mar 15 8:00 PM – 11:30 PM
Bearly Dead (Grateful Dead Tribute) at Bayside Bowl | all-ages
Mar 21 8:00 PM – 11:30 PM
Angelikah Fahray’s RNB Jazz Soirée w/project ensemble & Melvin Gradiz
Apr 4 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
CLIMATE JUSTICE
It’s been snowy and cold out. Enjoy it!
By Marie Caspard
Whether you’re grumbling about snow bans or reveling outside in the snow, this year’s season has been feeling like a true winter, despite its slow start. With new snowfall totaling 58.4 inches as of February 17th, we’ve already gotten more snow than in the last four winters. With consistent cold temperatures keeping the snow from melting, we reached a maximum snow depth of 19 inches on February 9th, which we haven’t seen in Portland since winter 2016-2017.
However, this winter’s notability might not actually be a function of this year’s winter being particularly “good” or extreme, but rather the last few years being particularly “bad.” Depending on the timeline, hitting over 58 inches of new snowfall is standard for a Maine winter. In the last 100 years 62% of winters have reached total snowfall above 58 inches. In the last ten years however, that share has dropped down to 51%. Ask yourself, does this winter feel impressive or normal?
Psychologists Peter Kahn and Thea Weiss coined the term “environmental generational amnesia” to describe a phenomenon in which children perceive the environment into which they are born as normal, despite degradation and decline of nature.
Fisheries scientist Paul Daly also coined the term “shifting baseline syn-
drome” to describe a process through which fsheries scientists were/are accommodating a gradual disappearance of resource species and inappropriate reference points for evaluating economic losses from overfshing because each “generation of fsheries scientists accepts as a baseline the stock size and species composition that occurred at the beginning of their careers.”
Though these terms were developed within specifc contexts, studying nature in urbanized places and fsheries management, their broad themes can be applied to climate change. Each generation accepts what they grew up with as “normal.”
Addressing climate change requires a bold, creative idea of what our future might look like – and a solid memory of our past, some of which we might seek to return towards – can help. Environmental generational amnesia or shifting baseline syndrome might make that creativity a bit harder.
One solution Peter Kahn proposes is interacting with nature in diverse, robust ways. Now is the time to make memories in an “old-fashioned” Maine winter. So hop into your boots, skates, or whatever other winter gear you prefer and enjoy!
Bright Ideas is brought to you by PCAT, which meets the fourth Tuesday of the Month, 6 to 7:30 p.m. All are welcome. FMI: email por tlandclimate@gmail.com.
What Should Environmentalists Do Now?
By David Kunhardt
Defenders of environmental science are panicking.The election of a climate-denier to the White House and his appointment of “Drill, Baby, Drill” advocates to lead federal agencies elevate alarm bells. Attacks on research funds have created chaos across universities and science organizations in red states and blue.
Here are suggestions for what environmentalists can do in response.
First, keep your confdence. Demands from ideological toadies to eliminate words like “climate change,” “global warming,” and “DEI,” from websites do not change reality. Yes, 2024 was the year of warmest average temperatures of atmosphere and oceans ever recorded. Speak the truth as you see it, always.
Next, defend progress. We have laws to defend clean water and clean air, and agencies that use science, like the EPA, NOAA, and the National Science Foundation. When you hear of threats, write and call your members of Congress to defend them.
Listen more intently. There are times when GOP Members defend science and progress. Before the election, 18 conservatives wrote to Speaker Johnson to not eliminate I.R.A. subsidies for clean energy, because they were creating good jobs in their districts. Jump up in support of those voices when they appear. Use their words - innovation, job creation, independencewhen appropriate.
Support Bipartisan efforts and bills that promote climate defense. For example, bills such as the Carbon Removal and Emissions Storage Technologies Act (the CREST Act), co-written by Susan Collins and Maria Cantwell (D-WA). Another is the Carbon Dioxide Removal Investment Act, proposed after the election by Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Michael Bennett (D-CO).
Support nonproft advocacy. Choose the approach you are comfortable with and give generously. Citizens’ Climate Lobby, with which I’ve volunteered for 12 years, works together with bipartisan members of the House and Senate to defend progress and press further. The Natural Resources Defense Council, NRDC.org, takes bold legal steps against the worst incursions on the environment. The Nature Conservancy directly defends natural areas for biodiversity.ThirdAct.org is a national community of seniors acting together against the causes of climate change. Wear the suit that fts you.
Finally, don’t get discouraged. The worst actors want you to be immobilized by the present chaos, but the best antidote to climate anxiety is ACTION. Take it.
We're All in This Together is provided by Portland area CCL volunteers.
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Best Cheap Wines
By Layne V. Witherell
This month we will take a long-deserved break from the pricey stuff and dive into the deep end with the best cheap wines. My self-imposed criteria are under ten bucks a bottle and on your local grocer’s shelf. Unfortunately, this eliminates Kendall Jackson Chardonnay, the myriad of Apothic favors, Josh (poor, Josh), as well as Butter - all over ten bucks and best sellers.
In this era of grape and wine overabundance there is an ocean of good reliable wines out there. Unless it has been improperly stored or has a faulty cork, almost every bottle of wine made today is technically sound. Is there a correlation between quality and price? That is always a good test to try if you don’t look at the label. Our imagination can be a funny thing.
There are two basic categories of wines on every store shelf:
1. The National Brand Gallo Family Vineyards
Front and center, displays and all. Few exemplify a national brand more than Barefoot Wines, $5.99 bottle. A dinky little tasting room wine created in the 1960’s in Berkeley, California, beloved by local college students, was purchased from Davis Bynum, the founder in the 80’s, by Gallo, who turned it into a juggernaut.
(Full disclosure: of the numerous gigs that I have had in the biz over 50 years, one was Project Development Manager for a large Gallo distributor in Virginia. I have seen them up close and personal.) Many Gallo wines have “Modesto” on the back label to identify them.They are the world’s largest producer.
Barefoot is a classic grocery store vision. It has mom-wine written all over it starting with the adorable little foot label. The winery promotes everything from the NFL (the ultimate family viewing experience) to Pride parades (not to miss a demographic). Barefoot runs the gamut from Cabernet Sauvignon to Red Moscato, Pinot Grigio to Fruitscato. They do it all. No one does marketing and sales better than Gallo.
There are many faces of Gallo. In the age of wine businesses being devoured by hedge fund buyouts, they are still family owned. Family, family, family. A miracle. Their wines range in the cheap world from Arbor Mist, Carlo Rossi, Ecco Domani, Liberty Creek, Madria Sangria, Paul Masson, Peter Vella, Rex Goliath, Ravenswood, Taylor Country Cellars, Wild Irish Rose, and Andre Champagne… and that’s just the cheap stuff. All of these are technically well made and under ten bucks.
Another face in the Gallo story is the one that appears in Mike Veseth’s classic book “Wine Wars,” namely the unrelent-
ing way in which they attack the wine section of our grocery stores, dominating every shelf from top to bottom. Any graduate of their “school” who has devoured their over 300-page sales manual knows what it is like to be the equivalent of a voracious trooper in the world of wine sales. This is the D-Day invasion of the brands. These are just the cheap ones that can dominate the shelves.
2. Buyers Own Brand
(a.k.a. The Private Label)
the cases at a low margin and the winery works on a low margin. Sometimes the stores do as well. The game is all based on volume to offer a fabulous deal for the money.
The plus side is your negotiating power. The brands you have created are all yours. No consumer price shopping on their little dinky phones, and it is your story. Make one up if you wish.
There are two types of private labels: relationships and shiners. Relationships can be lifelong commitments. Shiners are unlabeled bottles - wines located in a winery that are looking for a date maybe even ending up in a relationship.
My House Wine
The exact opposite reaction from the world of the national brands, now the store has control and can lead the customer instead of being led. They are popping up everywhere from Whole Foods to Hannaford to Walmart and Target. Of course, the two best-known exemplars are Cosco and Trader Joe’s, and soon, along comes Aldi. They are awash in their own brands.
Maison Barboulot Cabernet-Syrah, Pays D’Oc, France, $6.49.
Here’s how it works: the store forms a relationship with a producer that they trust in the business to bottle wine under their own label. (Full disclosure: I recently retired as the local Trader Joe’s “Wine Guy” who recommended wine in the store to customers and in prior decades was an exporter and creator of private label wines for the Fred Meyer Stores in the Western United States. Been there and done all that.) The distributor “clears”
Pays D’Oc is the region – unfortunately buried in tiny print hidden on the back label – all 750,000 acres of it! Also buried on the back label is the maker LGI wines. I love the fact that they call their private labels “concept wines.” Ah, the French. Damn good everyday wine, mellow and delicious for the money. This is a relationship wine. In the private label world shiners are usually one and done, here and gone, can be great or dull.
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Layne explores the vast array of cheap wines (under $10) that you can fnd on the grocer's shelves to pick out a few favorites. -All photos courtesy of Layne Witherell
Best Cheap Wines
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Good Everyday Wines
La Ferme Julien Rose, Vin de France, $6.99.
You gotta have a decent rose with a screw cap in the fridge just in case of a wine emergency. Love the little goat.
or
For
and
Work of GeniusThe Wine that You Can’t Find
So, you think that cheap private label wines only appear on grocery store shelves or on displays. Think again. I was there when Gallo was limited to the grocery store. Restaurants did not want to carry wines when it was possible to research and discover their 3x wholesale markup. Then this Gallo management guy comes up with the idea of a new wine – a Gallo wine that can only appear in restaurants.
Copper Ridge, California, Modesto.
Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot, etc., $4.75 wholesale bottle (750 ml) and $7.50 bottle (magnum). Per all Gallo products it is both well-made and comes with a distributor sales instruction manual.
The photo is the valise handed to every sales rep and manager at the giant distributor where I worked (in the 90’s) when we introduced Copper Ridge. It contained your step-by-step implementation program. This was the brilliantly thought-out plan of action, together with the proviso that this wine simply can’t be found at retail – period. The valise is a wine cultural artifact that has been waiting for this story.
If you do the math on restaurant wines by the glass and by the bottle, usually starting at $12 and up by the glass and $35 and up by the bottle, you will see what a smashing success this was, and why they made the guy a vice president.
The best thing about today’s wines is that even reasonably priced ones rare-
ly equate to lousy and may not only be worth the money but also provide a great everyday dining experience and enjoyment at an affordable price. There are an abundance of countries and winemakers at work to make this possible. All we need to do is sit back and relax with our glasses.
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.
Gladis House Cleaning
Well Red, Red Wine, California, $6.99.
Organic. No added sulftes
preservatives.
when those people come over
this is their jam. A pleasant little red to have with Judy’s famous Tourtiere pie.
‘The Great Divide’
By Cristina Henriquez
Reviews by Stephanie Miller
In an epic tale amid the backdrop of the building of the Panama Canal, we are treated to exquisite prose and the interconnected stories of overworked laborers, a merciless foreman, despairing fshermen, earnest hometown advocates, and young entrepreneurs.
Many Panamanians thought the USled canal project in the early 1900s was delusional. Hadn’t previous attempts by other nations failed? In “The Great Divide,” by Cristina Henriquez, a local fsherman refects:
“The spine of the Cordillera Mountains, running straight through the isthmus, stood in the way after all, and of the many miraculous things Francisco has heard in his life, he had never heard of a ship that could sail through a mountain. So they would cut the mountains, they said, and break the spine and once that was done, the water from both oceans would gush forth from each end and join to create a way through.Who could believe such a thing?”
Francisco’s son Omar believes it, and despite his father’s anger at his capitulation to the American capitalists, goes off to help dig the canal. The work is brutal, but he fnds community there. Overworked, he collapses on the street and is saved by Ada, a teenager from Barbados who is desperate to earn money for an operation that will save her sister’s life. In her typical rashness and devotion to justice, she pulls Omar from a crowd of onlookers frozen by fear of contagion, puts him on a train, and bribes the conductor to take him to the hospital.
That act of compassion gets Ada a job tending another patient, none other than the wife of the American regional director. She becomes the only one who actually sees Marian Oswald as a person. Their genuine friendship is a powerful counterpoint to the strict class distinctions enforced in the zone, which made it hard for any local or laborer to thrive.
Although they paid for the narrow strip of land that became the canal zone, the Americans did little for the local economy, bringing in strange foods, paying low wages, not bothering to learn Spanish, and taxing Panamanian goods.
One of the most poignant examples of the caste system is when Director Oswald rides by “the cut” where the canal is
By Cristina Henriquez Ecco / 2024 / pp. 336
being dug:
“Omar stood in the mud with his pick and a strange feeling came over him. In the midst of the work, the men had all stopped what they were doing and stood to the side. It was just that, nothing more.They stood to the side. Here in the country where Omar had been born and had lived every day of his life, a man had arrived, and Omar stood to the side.”
Another day, his ambitious and cruel foreman tells Omar:
“Icame to this country to help you make something out of it, see? No one in their right mind wanted to set foot here before, […] But now everyone wants to be here. […] you people had this place to yourselves for hundreds of years and managed to make it a swamp. But we got rid of yellow fever and built bridges and towns. We paved your streets and gave you water that runs through pipes underground. That’s civilization, see? […] We gave you a gift. You’re supposed to say thank you when someone gives you a gift!”
Amid this backdrop of economic inequity, there is patriotism, hope, and even love among the people. Although we don’t learn a lot about the engineering or politics of the canal, we do get to meet the kind of people who built it and were displaced by it.
Read more reviews online! https://thewestendnews.com/category/bookshort/
Homegrown Herb & Tea Apothecary Style Bulk Herb and Tea Shop 195 Congress St, Portland
Making handcrafted, custom tea blends and herbal infusions in the traditions of the Old World Apothecary since 2006
Visit the tea shop W-F 11-4, Sat 9-2 or Order online: homegrownherbandtea.com
Micro Shorts
‘Daughters of Shandong’
By Eve J. Chung
When the communist revolution upended the landowner-tenant system in China after World War 2, many prominent Nationalists followed Chiang Kai Shek to Taiwan. Left behind were the wife and three daughters of the frst son of the wealthy Ang family in Shandong, ostensibly to “watch the house,” but truly because daughters were of no value and wives who didn’t produce sons were unworthy of love and support.
Based on the true story of Chung’s grandmother, this powerful, fast-moving story of resilience and the indomitable warrior-girl spirit follows an epic journey of torture, starvation, and escape fueled by a mother’s courage in the face of impossible odds. The looming question is, will their husband/father take them back, or was the revolution a convenient reason to abandon these worthless females?
The mother-daughter and sister relationships are very well drawn and make the harrowing journey all the more believable and touching. A great snowy day read that I found on the featured tables at our amazing Portland Public Library.
BOOK SHORT
Reviews by Stephanie Miller
“By Any Other Name”
By Jodi Picoult
I love a good Shakespeare conspiracy, and Picoult presents hers in a complex narrative weave of two oppressed women: One a 16th Century courtesan who is literally the property of men with no public opportunities to express her storytelling talent, and one a modern aspiring playwright who limits her own success through relentless self-defeatism. Helping the two narratives along are quotes from the many clever, ferce, proto-feminist characters in the Shakespeare canon: Portia, Beatrice, Rosalind, and Viola, among others.
The idea is that Shakespeare was more like an agent, presenting under his own name the works of a group of playwrights who for various reasons needed to stay anonymous. One of them was the real-life Emilia Bassano who was the frst woman to publish a book of poetry in England. This novel raises an intriguing question: Could a character like Juliet or Lady MacBeth or the “shrew” Katherine ever be written by a man of that time?
Stephanie Miller is a voracious reader and local bibliophile. Find her online @StephanieSAM. Read more Micro Shorts online at https://thewestendnews.com/category/bookshort/.
Looking for some peace and quiet?
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
"The Great Divide"
Delicious & Magical Adventures to Quebec & Beyond...
By Nancy Dorrans
Quebec City, North America’s most European city, lived up to its charm and reputation as a city and people that embrace and celebrate winter in the coolest ways during Carnaval de Quebec!
For a period of ten days, Old Quebec is transformed into a snow festival with a variety of activities, such as ice and snow sculptures, the Palais de Bonhomme made completely of ice, no less than two night parades, canoe races, and musical evenings all in a stunningly beautiful setting. It’s the winter carnival and not to be missed.
This was my ninth year organizing and escorting a bus group to Quebec City to experience the Winter Carnival. Fortunately, our drive went smoothly, as we managed to dodge two snowstorms. We departed the day after one storm passed and returned the day after another had blanketed Portland in snow.
ing Hôtel de Glace restaurant with food crafted by the chefs of the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac.
My co-leader Shelli and I were shuttled from the Chateau to the Hôtel de Glace’s snow vaults, greeted with a welcome drink in an ice glass (of course), and seated at the glittering ice tables and benches. Our Nordic-inspired meal was based on the four elements of air, earth, fre, and water. We kept our coats throughout the experience. It was a delicious and magical evening.
Later that evening we found and joined Bonhomme dancing to the techno beat in the music tent next to his palace.
We arrived at the iconic Chateau Frontenac with time to settle in. Then walked into histor y with the most knowledgeable guides from Cicerone Tours. They shared memorable anecdotes, while we admired the old buildings and proud monuments that lined the picturesque streets of Old Quebec. Our tours ended with a brief overview of the festival sites and ways to make our time in Quebec the most enjoyable!
Something new and cool for me was the winter dining experience at the amaz-
And that was just the beginning...
My favorite daytime activities include taking a walk or Funicular ride down to Couchon Dingue (Little Pig) for breakfast: avec coffee in a bowl, duck conft, and a “sweet treat”! A ferry ride across the frozen St. Lawrence to Levis for a breathtaking experience and great views of Quebec City and the Chateau. Strolling through
Nordic-inspired meal based on the four elements at Hotel de Glacier.
-All photos courtesy Nancy Dorrans
the festival sites, a warm-up break at the Chateau pool and spa, a tour of the Hotel de Glace, attending the Carnaval Parade, and new this year, an included dinner at Côtes-à-Côtes Quebec restaurant.
Then there are the ice boat races, onion soups, maple everything, toboggan rides, Mary’s Popcorn shop, historic tours of the iconic Chateau Frontenac, local beer, and dinner at Le Buche – Oui, Oui!!
This year the temperature was about 50 degrees warmer than two years ago and was still in the low twenties! Next year we’ll be back, spending three nights at the Chateau from February 6th to 9th, 2026. Be sure to save the dates!
Excited for What’s Next...
Every year is familiar and different. There’s always something new to try. You may be tired of winter, but I’m not! March is a long month and often the best month for snow and skiing in New England and beyond. This winter was slow to start, but it is here now and I’m excited for what’s next.
It’s been over forty years since I last skied in Europe. Back then, I traveled to Schruns, Austria with a group of TWA employees for a week of skiing in the Montafon Valley. Schruns is a fairy tale mountain village where Ernest Hemingway skied and wrote the “Sun Also Rises.” It was yet another magical and delicious adventure with memories I hold dear.
I’ve been anxious to get back to Europe for a ski adventure ever since. This fall, I met a group tour organizer at a travel trade show. She organizes a ski trip each year for the US Chefs’ Ski Club out of Hunter Mountain, New York. This year they’re going to ski March 7th to 15th in Italy. She had an extra spot and invited me to join them to “familiarize myself with the Italian Dolomites” and meet some new skiing friends. How could I resist?
Ciao, Portland! I’ll have more adventures and stories to share next month!
Nancy Dorrans is founder of Adventure Marketplace... Navigating travelers on authentic, nurturing, global and local adventures since 2014.
500 Stevens Avenue Portland, ME 04103 (207) 774-1612 Tuesday - Friday 10am - 3pm |
“Shoe Repair Gives Extra Wear”
Nancy Dorrans with ice cup at Hotel de Glacier.
Adventure Marketplace group adventure with the iconic Chateau Frontenac.
Hôtel de Glace restaurant.
The Winter Carnival's ever-present Bonhomme dancing the night away.
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Snow Smoke
The snow smokes When the wind blows And the constant dripping Off the roof Keeps a steady tempo
A regular drumming
The
By Abram Gabriel, MD, MPH
WalletHub recognizes Portland as America’s 19th Hardest Working City in part because of how many of us work multiple jobs USM earns prestigious Carnegie classifcation as a center for research… Portland Conservatory of Music students travel to Lewiston High to perform in the District II Instrumental Festival TEMPOart hires Laura Zorch McDermitt from Laramie Wyoming Public Art Coalition to be their frst full-time executive director… The Children’s Nursery School celebrates its 50th anniversary at its annual Winter Carnival (formerly known as the Grand Bazaar)… League of Women Voters turns 105 being founded in 1920 after women won the right to vote… After 17 years Rosemont Market closes its Munjoy Hill location… Maine brewers warn that Trump tariffs on aluminum could make beer prices go up… Fort Bragg’s new namesake is a WWII veteran from Sabattus Norway Savings Bank donates $5,000 to EqualityMaine to further its mission to promote equality for LGBTQ+ Mainers… American Birding Association names the common loon as 2025’s Bird of the Year… Portland Planning says the Back Cove egrets will be staying another year
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