City Council Candidates Answer Questions Ahead of the Election
By Nancy English
Current at-large city councilor Pious Ali and newcomer Sam Aborne are competing for the one at-large seat up this election cycle.
Pious Ali, At-Large
Ali, 56, has held the offce through three terms for a total of nine years. He is seeking a fourth three-year term to “continue making Portland more welcoming.”
Born in Ghana, Ali migrated to the United States, frst to New York City and then moved to Portland in 2002. He now works for his own nonproft in community engagement and said, “Public service is the core of who I am.”
Housing First is his frst choice for addressing homelessness, and he said he will continue to seek funding for more mental health services. He voted to approve the new Ambassador program, paying for additional Portland Downtown staff to clean Congress Street. He would consider analyzing the current 100 to 1 ratio of needles distributed by the Needle Exchange.
City staff, he said, are preparing a report on Inclusionary Zoning (IZ), a requirement that 25% of units be affordable to renters making 80% of the area median income in developments of ten or more units, which some have criticized as stalling new housing. Ali is open to revisions of IZ, as he is for the Rent Control Ordinance. That matter is before the Housing and Economic Development Committee, which he chairs, and which has heard from the Trelawny Tenants Union. The committee plans to hear from landlords next.
Two candidates vie for an at-large city council seat and the incumbent in District 3 (Libbytown, Rosemont, Stroudwater, Nason’s Corner) runs unopposed.
Ali looks forward to reports from the recently appointed Social Housing Task Force and points to approval of the city’s frst cooperative development as positive accomplishments in creating more affordable housing.
He had no specifc solution for slowing increases in property taxes but plans to support the gubernatorial candidate who will help Portland with additional revenue from a local option tax. He voted in opposition to putting the proposal for an increase in the city minimum wage on the November ballot, concerned for businesses like childcare. The city’s solar panels are a step in slowing climate change, he said.
Sam Aborne, At-Large
Sam Aborne, 47, has lived in Portland for four years and works as an engineer in “process mining” or analyzing workfows for the best outcomes. His “data driven” orientation informs his campaign motto, “We deserve better.” Aborne prides himself on being a good listener.
“Everyone deserves a home, a safe
city, and a city that works for us,” he said. He said it is too hard to get things done at City Hall. He has fled a Freedom of Access Act request for data to see where the hold ups are, but at the time of the interview had not yet seen the material he asked for.
“Building code may be driving up costs,” he said, “We need to remove barriers, improving the permitting and building permit approval process, for example.”
He wants to raise the median wage, which is not enough to afford the housing that is available, especially by attracting technology industries. He pointed to Portland Technology Park, which holds no technology companies. But a minimum wage increase may hurt social service providers.
Also, at the time of the interview, the Portland Police Department was still thirty offcers short of its full force, he said. Adding new offcers to make the city safe is a priority for him.
“We need to stop alienating Augusta,” he said. “I don’t know when I have seen our city council go and have a conversation with Augusta or connect with other cities.” At the same time, he wants to see lower property tax increases.
And “reducing our carbon footprint” to save the waterfront is another priority, he said.
Regina Phillips Seeks Second Term in D3
Regina Phillips, 63, has served one term as Councilor for District 3 and is running unopposed. “The frst three years
Absentee Voting Restrictions and Gun Control on State Ballot
By Tony Zeli
On the November 4th, 2025 state ballot, referendum questions will ask voters to enact sweeping absentee voting restrictions and a law to prevent people in crisis from accessing frearms.
QUESTION 1
Do you want to change Maine election laws to eliminate two days of absentee voting, prohibit requests for absentee ballots by phone or family members, end ongoing absentee voter status for seniors and people with disabilities, ban prepaid postage on absentee ballot return envelopes, limit the number of drop boxes, require voters to show certain photo ID before voting, and make other changes to our elections?
The referendum asks voters to approve the requirement of photo ID to vote in-person and to vote absentee. It would exclude currently accepted forms of identifcation such as student and tribal IDs.
The referendum also would repeal ongoing absentee voting, where a voter can sign up to have an absentee ballot mailed to them automatically for each election. Also, it limits the number of ballot drop boxes to one per municipality. The referendum prohibits requesting an absentee ballot by phone and prevents third-party deliveries of absentee ballots – services
Pious Ali. -Courtesy
Sam Aborne. -Courtesy
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City Council Candidates
is just getting to know the ins and outs,” she said, emphasizing that she is always learning.
“I really want to continue the equity work,” she said. “My defnition is different from others in the City. I want to look at equity specifcally in communities of color, including the homeless. But city councilors have never been in an equity workshop training.”
Phillips wants to look at the Racial Steering Committee’s recommendations, accepted by the Portland City Council in April 2021, and add a community engagement staff person. “We need to be moving faster.”
With the Ambassador program downtown, she said, “We’ve heard that things are going a little better.” She approves of the current work of the Needle Exchange Program. “I’ve seen statistics that it’s working,” she said.
She supported the ballot question of a minimum wage increase to $19 an hour. “We’re putting it on the ballot; if people don’t want it, don’t vote for it.”
She is chair of the Sustainability and Transportation Committee and learning about the One Climate Future plan. That plan set a goal of reducing greenhouse gases to 80% of the 2017 level. Phillips does not have a particular goal in mind, but her committee is considering a proposed scrubber-wash-water ban this fall.
Phillips praised a report from Assistant City Manager Greg Jordan on Vision Zero, with future years that include more bicycle lanes and walking improvements.
“I would like to see developers pay more money for a fee-in-lieu [paid if no affordable units are included in housing and hotel projects] into the Duson Housing Trust Fund,” she said.
“There are tons of issues. I may have made decisions that could have been better. It’s the toughest experience,” she said. “You’re in constant communication and constantly learning.”
Vote Nov. 4th
In-person absentee voting has already begun at Portland City Hall. Go to the State of Maine Room, adjacent to the City Clerk’s Offce, on the 2nd foor. The hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On the Thursday before the election only, voting will continue until 7:00 p.m. This is the last day to absentee vote.
You can register to vote on Election Day at your polling location. Polls will be open on Tuesday, November 4th, from 7a.m. to 8 p.m. For your polling location visit https://www.maine.gov/portal/government/edemocracy/voter_lookup.php/.
Freelance journalist Nancy English ran for Portland City Council District 2 in 2024 and is a former paralegal for the City of Portland.
By Tony Zeli
The Portland City Council voted in August to place an increase in the minimum wage on the November 4th municipal ballot.
Question A
An Act to Increase Portland’s Minimum Wage will increase Portland’s minimum wage to $19/hour by 2028. This amendment will be effective beginning January 1, 2026.
Currently the minimum wage in Portland is $15.50 per hour (and Maine’s state minimum is $14.65 per hour). If approved by Portland voters, this ordinance would raise the minimum wage in steps starting January 1st, 2026, until it reaches $19 per hour by 2028.
Workers and supporters pointed to the high cost of living in Portland and advocated for a $20 minimum wage. With pushback from small businesses, nonproft organizations, and others, the council ultimately settled on $19 per hour.
Regina Phillips. -Ctsy
State Ballot Referendum
often used by elderly and disabled Mainers.
Proponents such as Voter ID for ME say the referendum will make Maine elections more secure by requiring photo ID and securing drop boxes, while also reducing burdens on city clerks by giving them more time to process ballots and helping them to keep up-to-date addresses for absentee ballot requests.
According to the League of Women Voters of Maine, this could be one of the most restrictive voter ID laws in the nation if passed. They argue that these restrictions could harm every type of voter, with senior and rural voters experiencing the most disenfranchisement.
QUESTION 2
Do you want to allow courts to temporarily prohibit a person from having dangerous weapons if law enforcement, family, or household members show that the person poses a signifcant danger of causing physical injury to themselves or others?
This referendum would create an extreme risk protection order (ERPO) law, commonly referred to as a red fag law. ERPOs allow families to petition a judge when a loved one is in crisis and, if deemed dangerous, a court can temporarily limit their access to frearms.
Supporters say an ERPO is needed to allow families to temporarily prevent a loved one experiencing a mental health crisis from accessing guns. Opponents include Governor Mills, who argued the referendum would undermine the so-called yellow fag law she worked on with gun rights groups in 2019.
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Historic Preservation Launches New Interactive Map Tool
Users can quickly look up historically designated properties
The City of Portland is excited to announce that its Historic Preservation Program, in the Department of Planning & Urban Development, has launched a new interactive Historic Designations Mapper tool. This online tool allows users to quickly and easily look up whether properties are historically designated locally, and if they are, to quickly access historical information.
The new tool builds on recent updates to the Historic Designations page of the City website, which now includes thousands of pages of photos and property descriptions for locally designated properties. Using the tool, viewers can access survey photos, property descriptions, historic designation reports, 1924 tax photos, and historic fre insurance maps and atlases. Visit: https://www.portlandmaine.gov/1548/Historic-Designations/.
Historic Designations are established by city council based upon the recommendations of the Historic Preservation and Planning Boards. Questions and comments can be sent by email to hp@por tlandmaine.gov.
Portland Seeks Tree to Light Up Monument Sq.
Donors can submit their tree for consideration at por tlandmaine.com/tree
The search is offcially underway as Por tland Downtown and the City of Portland announce a community-wide effort to fnd a tree to illuminate Monument Square this winter season.
The City invites residents of the Greater Portland area to help fnd the best evergreen tree to brighten the heart of the city. The tree will be selected based on the following criteria:
• Type: Evergreen, Spruce, or Fir
• Height: 45-60 feet tall
• Accessibility: Free from power lines and other obstructions to facilitate safe removal and transportation.
• Location: Portland, South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Gorham, Westbrook, or Falmouth.
• Preference: We’re looking for a tree that is already subject to removal or has health related reasons.
The chosen tree will be carefully removed and transported from its current location at no cost to the owner. Visit PortlandMaine.com/tree to submit your tree by November 1st.
Michael Connolly: Historical Fiction from the Working Waterfront
Every month, Liz Trice interviews a community member for The West End News. This month, she caught up with Michael Connolly, a historian living on Munjoy Hill who just published the third part of a trilogy of novels based on three generations of the fctitious Folan family in Portland.
How did you come to write historical fction about Portland?
I taught as a professor of history for 36 years at St Joseph’s College, and wrote three history books on John Ford, Portland’s waterfront, and Irish immigration into Maine. I retired in 2020, and only then started writing these three historical fction novels.
The stories are roughly about my family. Both sides of my paternal family were immigrants from Galway, Ireland starting in 1880. My grandfather was a charter member of the Portland Longshoremen’s Benevolent Society, which later merged with the International Longshoreman’s Association.
The books tell the story of an Irish longshoreman starting 1900, living in Portland together with his wife and nine children – with another on the way! “Murky Overhead” tells the story of a family for whom life is precarious – the longshoreman also has issues with alcohol.That novel has sold over 1,000 copies and has been warmly received by the Irish community in Portland.
The second, “Ever the Twain Shall Meet,” takes place in the 1930s and 40s, and is about an Irish man who married a Yankee Protestant woman – what was then called a “mixed marriage” – which was frowned upon at the time.
This fnal one, “As the Twig is Bent,” occurs in the 1960s and 70s. All three are published by Tower Publishing in Standish.
What is a longshoreman?
A longshoreman is a dock worker. They take various products to or from a ship and prepare it for further transport. At Portland’s International Marine Terminal, the International Longshoreman’s Association still works, only now with containers.
In 1853, Portland was frst connected to Montreal by rail, which allowed grain from the Canadian prairie provinces to be shipped from Portland to Europe during the winter months, when the St. Lawrence River was frozen. At the high point, there were over 1,300 longshoremen working in Portland.
Those pilings still sticking out of the water on the Eastern Waterfront today are the last remnants of the docks which served the Grand Trunk Railway, otherwise known as Saint Lawrence & Atlantic Railway. That trade fourished until 1923, when Canada decided to ship its grain out of its own ports of Halifax and St. John, thus providing work for Canadian workers.
After 1923, the trade with Canada diminished. The number of longshoremen dropped from 1,300 to only a few dozen by the 1980s. But Governor Joe Brennan, whose father was an Irish longshoreman, promoted the re-building of the International Marine Terminal. So, when Eimskip came looking for a North Atlantic port close to Iceland, Portland was ready.
It’s a major source of income for the region now. Companies such as L.L.Bean can ship effciently and directly to Europe, and Maine natural resources such as apples, potatoes, and lumber also ship out.
It’s much cheaper and environmentally conscious to ship by container. A lot of frozen fsh and other products from Europe come in through Portland to serve the whole country. The waterfront in Portland by the mid-1900s was fairly derelict and hardscrabble, showing many signs of widespread poverty. All that has dramatically changed.
How did you research the books? What are some of the stories?
I read ninety volumes of Longshoremen’s Association logs, records which were kept in the Labor Temple – what’s now the second foor above the restaurant The Corner Room on Federal and Exchange Streets. And I interviewed dozens of people, mostly in their 80s, who had been longshoremen. And I added the stories I had heard from my family.
In 1920 to 1933 we had Prohibition in this country. So, you couldn’t buy and
sell alcohol openly, but wealthy families could still buy “bonded” alcohol for “medicinal purposes.” One day a longshoreman supposedly broke his leg working on the waterfront while they were unloading medicinal alcohol. Even though there was a sheriff overseeing this work, when they sent the ailing longshoreman to the hospital, they snuck two cases of bonded Scotch Whisky off the docks under his gurney. Stories like this were repeated over the generations.
It was ver y dangerous work, and several members of my own family died or were severely injured while working on the waterfront. Some people got crushed under heavy loads, some fell into the ocean in the winter, some even died by fre. The union had death benefts and sick benefts which could last up to ten weeks. This was before the federal government created benefts such as Social Security starting with the New Deal of the 1930s. The benevolent societies and early unions essentially pulled together people in the same industry or job to help each other’s families in their times of need.
You’ve lived your whole life in Portland? How does having so many generations of your family affect your life today in Portland?
I’ve lived in Portland my entire life, except for when I studied away at college. I was in Florida for three years, got my master’s in modern Irish history at University College Dublin, and fnally a Ph.D. in immigration history at Boston College. Portland was started by families with English Protestant roots before the arrival of the Irish and then other non-Anglo-Saxon groups including Italians, French-Canadians, and Russian Jews. These groups made slow and steady progress.
The Irish men got jobs on the waterfront and in construction, while Irish
women worked as domestics and later at the telephone company or as teachers. That’s why the story of Joe Brennan is so interesting. His father was a Gaelic-speaking dockworker, and his son became a two-term governor of Maine – all in one generation!
Your book signing event is Oct. 16th at the Maine Irish Heritage Center at 34 Gray Street in Portland.
Yes! From 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. will be a book signing, followed by a PowerPoint presentation. There will be traditional Irish music, along with some readings from the book. Half the proceeds will go to support the Maine Irish Heritage Center.
FMI
Maine Irish Heritage Centerhttps://maineirish.com/
Buy Michael Connelly Bookshttps://tower-pub.myshopify.com/
This interview was edited for clarity and brevity.
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Michael Connolly. -Courtesy photo
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WENA's Free Activites at the Reiche Community Room
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3 Mon. 6:30 8 p.m. Magazine Readers Mark Tappan contact hello@wenamaine.org for materials 6 Thur. 4 5 p.m. Qigong Francis Kohl*
6 Thur. 6:30 8 p.m.
more details visit wenamaine.org/wenareiche
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Powerful A.R.R.M.S!
Improve Your Sewing Skills with Purpose
1
Take your needles and thread to the streets! We’re excited to invite you to build powerful ARRMS (altering, repairing, repurposing, mending, swapping) skills, through a series of three workshops, funded by the Sustainable Neighborhoods Mini Grant Program.
These workshops are for adults (18+) and are an opportunity to practice skills and enjoy conversation with neighbors. Bring your own cup and plate and enjoy food and drink! All workshops take place at the Reiche Community Centerenter through door 11 on Clark St. Register for workshops by emailing hello@ wenamaine.org.
Workshop #1: Repairing & Mending Thu, Oct. 30 at 5:30p
Whether you want to quietly resist consumerism, literally wear your creativity on your sleeve, or are simply tired of holey t-shirts, repairing & mending is for you! Bring a cloth item in need of mending and come ready to discuss how the act of fxing something can be an act of empowerment. We’ll have mending supplies and please also feel free to bring any scrap material, thread or embellishments.
Vibe: Resistance with a thread of creativity.
Example project: Fixing a hole, darning a sock, covering a stain, sewing a button.
Workshop #2: Repurposing Thu, Nov. 13 at 5:30p
Have a pile of old, ratty jeans? Socks without matches or more holes than not? Gather them up and join us in turning “waste” into a small bag or toy!
Vibe: Resourcefulness with a side of community.
Example project: Make a bag out of jeans or a toy out of socks.
Workshop #3: Altering & Swapping Thu, Dec. 11 at 5p
Our thrift store mavens will share tips and tricks for fnding something with potential and our more experienced sewists will show how to make it yours. Bring an item in need of altering, and / or any clothes, material, or craft items that you’d like to swap.
Vibe: Sustainability with fair.
Example project: A pair of pants that are too long (alter!) or a jacket that you never wear (swap).
Community Events October
Sat, Oct. 4 / 2 - 6p / Corner Fest – Grace St, Portland - Join us for a festive block party to celebrate all things Woodfords Corner! Free.
Tue, Oct. 7 / 4:30p / West End Tree Walk – Reiche School - Led by Andrew Tufts of Maine Audubon. Meet at Brackett St. Free.
Thu, Oct. 9 / Doors: 5p, Show: 6p / McGoldROCKS! –2nd Fl. Salons, McGoldrick Ctr, USM Portland - A live concert celebrating local music, community, and new and returning students. The night promises an unforgettable showcase of the city’s vibrant music scene. Free!
Thu, Oct. 9 / 4 – 5:30p / Giving Up the Keys – Reiche School - Are you, a friend, or family member contemplating retiring from driving? Tom Meuser, PhD from the Maine BMV will present the Maine Mature Drivers Project covering driving ftness, mobility considerations, state regulations and more. Enter Door 11, Clark St. Free.
Thu, Oct. 16 / 4 – 7p / Nightingale’s Fall Festival – 144 State St, Portland - An evening of food, music, and local favor! Alewive’s Brook Farm, Two Fat Cats, Chocolats Passion, Maine Flavor, Black Salt Dining, Sook Thai Mobile Kitchen, Meet on the Street. Music by Barney Martin. Free.
Thu, Oct. 16 / 6:30 – 8p / WENA’s 2nd Poetry & Prose Evening – Reic he School –Community members read original prose and poetry, as well as poems written by others. Volunteer for a 5-min-
ute reading slot, contact hello@wenamaine.org by October 11. Enter door 11, Clark St. FREE - light refreshments.
Tue, Oct. 21/ 6:30p / Tree Talk – Cam Scharff, Portland Tree Steward speaks with neighbors and all interested about our city’s trees. Learn more at wenamaine. org/reforest.
Sat. & Sun, Oct. 25 + 26 / 10a - 4p / Guild Fine Craft Show: Brunswick - Fort Andross Mill Complex, Brunswic kThe Guild shows feature the highest quality craft items made by skilled members in many mediums like handmade jewelry, ceramics, basketry, decorative and wearable fbers... $5 Weekend admission, under 18 free.
Tue, Oct. 28 / 6:30p / Film: The Hidden Life of Trees – Reiche School, PortlandPart of the Fall Tree Talks & Events supported by West End Neighborhood Association (WENA). Enter Reiche on the Clark St. side at Door 11.
Sat, Nov. 1 / 11a - 3p / Veg Fest – East End Community School, Portland – Maine Animal Coalition’s 20th annual festival exploring vegan living. Featuring vendors and exhibitors, vegan food, raffe, silent auction, a children’s table and food samples.
Sat, Nov. 1 / 9a – 3p / Busy Angels’ Craft Fair – Scarborough Free Baptist Church, 55 Mussey Rd. – There will be a variety of crafters, baked goods, and unique gifts.
MUSIC & EVENTS
Black Uhuru W/S/GS Aqua Cherry
Oct 3 8:00 PM – 11:30 PM (All-ages)
A Band of Brothers (Allman Brothers Tribute)
Oct 4 8:00 PM – 11:30 PM (All-ages)
Primal Soup (Phish Tribute)
Oct 10 8:00 PM – 11:30 PM (All-ages)
Supernaut (Ozzy Era Black Sabbath Tribute ft. members of Hambone)
Oct 11 8:00 PM – 11:30 PM (All-ages)
Bearly Dead Live at Bayside Bowl
Oct 17 8:00 PM – 11:30 PM (All-ages)
Mighty Mystic W/S/G Double Tiger (Halloween Reggae Monster Bash)
Oct 31 8:00 PM – 11:30 PM (All-ages)
OCTOBER CALENDAR
Navigating Glou Glou
By Layne V. Witherell
Glou glou (as in “glug glug” or easy-drinking wine) is but one of those delightful semi-descriptive terms you may hear when you visit a “natural wine” shop or wine bar. Others can include artisanal, rustic, purposefully archaic, boho label, and my personal favorite crushable. Language that a new generation has invented to describe the indescribable.
“Orange wine” is the term de jour. Producers macerate (or soak) white grapes like they would with red wine creating an orangish color. Or as the winemakers say, “We prefer to call it an amber wine, Bozo!”
Flavors are tough, but when the wine is made in a yurt, using no modern equipment, relying on unpredictable nat-
ural yeast, and with questionably sanitary conditions then the favors can emerge as feral, with faws as attributes, and a snap of acrid smack.They can become “a fantasy of marginal producers” as French wine critic, Michel Bitane once said. Or as Ray Isle of Food and Wine once described them as “the unwashed feet of French hobbits.”
In essence, natural wine replaces technical consistency with mystical wine making. In other words, it challenges our way of life as we know it, in this chemically dependent universe. The dowager queen of natural wine, Alice Feiring of New York City has written, preached, and prophesied against “industrial” wine for over twenty-fve years.
I must confess, for over twenty years I have considered their entire crusade as “voodoo making a remarkable comeback.” Recently however, I have discovered some delicious, not over the top wines appearing in “regular” stores and on wine lists with just enough funk to make them fun. Let’s take a look.
Wine Gig
Pepin Gewurztraminer, Alsace, 12 % Alc., $16.00 Glass, $39/bottle
Ironically, it actually says “orange wine” on the back label. Listed as a Gewurztraminer, it is a blend containing Sylvaner, Pinot Gris, and Auxerrois. Land in Alsace is expensive, which excludes one of the back-to-rustic tenants of natural wine. Also, the place is awash in technology and lab cultured yeast (a defnite no-no with the glou glou inclined).
There is a hint of wildness, but there isn’t a bold, over the top guava and lychee character of the grape here, nor is it feral. This is what I call the Gen Z relaxed version of natural wine.
Great with shellfsh, especially live scallops at SoPo Seafood in South Portland, where it appeared on their wine list.
By Layne V.
Grape Abduction Orange Wine, 2024, Slovenia, 11.5% Alc., $17.99 / liter
This is a Pinot blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Chardonnay blend. Slovenia has 28,000 wineries with 40,000 growers who export but a mere 5% drop of their production. I admire their quirky attitude.
The fying saucer as seen through a clear bottle with a thorough orange background tells all. The beauty of this wine is that it is both food friendly and a wine that you seriously ponder.
The general thought in what I affectionately refer to as Glou Glou World is that obsessing over food and wine combos really doesn’t matter. So, we paired this wine with Judy’s grilled chicken over crunchy Asian slaw salad with a Thai peanut sauce resulting in a totally memorable dinner.
GLOU GLOU
Clos Hirissou, Pet-Nat Rose, Gaillac, France, 11% Alc., $21.99
Okay, now it’s time to go all glou glou on you. Nothing spells slurpy natural wine like a pet-nat. This one has all the requisite stuff: boho label, natural yeast, emotional, rustic, and feral.
Petillant-Naturel kind of makes itself. You just let the wine partially fnish fermentation, put a crown cap on the bottle, and make sure you are growing a funky grape like Mausac in an off-the-beaten path wine region. And then you have a natural wine bar celebrity.
Gaillac as a wine region predates the Romans but had the great misfortune of being located in between Bordeaux and her favorite customer, Great Britian. Can you spell punishing tariffs?
After much trial-and-error Nicolas Hirissou has managed to turn an obscure grape and region into a wine that can be enjoyed by both the natural wine set and the Ray Isles of the world.
The Mausac grape has an apple peel style favor and even the glou glou people can agree that this is a fabulous pairing with either popcorn or buttered corn.
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Grape Abduction, Slovenia Red Wine, (Blaufrankish), 11.5%
Alc. 2024, $17.99 / liter
Blaufrankisch (pronounced: blaufrank-ish) has a problem. As a grape, it has several problems. But foremost, the spelling and pronunciation make you simply wish this astonishing vine – that grows in Austria, Slovenia, and occasionally America – was simply called pinot grigio and left alone to prosper. It needs recognition.
Although history is sketchy, we can trace the grape to (who else?) the Romans, and then it makes a mystery reappearance via Livtgard, the wife of his highness the emperor of all of Europe Charlemagne (768-814). It was thought during this time to be a “noble grape” much like Pinot Noir or Chardonnay. Say, the Bordeaux or Burgundy of its day.
So, what happened? The big one happened. WW1 turned its home of Austria and Slovenia into the land of forgotten grapes. Also, there was a ghastly wine scandal that I don’t have the room to go into here.
Fast-forward to the natural wine, glou glou people of today.They adore the grape for many reasons. It is low in alcohol –defnitely part of their aesthetic. In the vineyard it can be pruned to a very low yield per acre to produce an intense wine loaded with color and tannin. Or it can be allowed to reach an astonishingly high 7.5 tons to the acre and produce a slurp fest of a glou glou in the form of red, rose, or pet-nat. Take your choice.
This Blaufrankish has favors that are right in the middle. A touch of funk without the acrid smack and faws as attributes. Like a darkish orange wine to think about and have with some serious protein on the plate. Among the food recommendations are lamb, veal, game and game birds, ostrich (I am not making this up), hard cheese, and creamy sauce.
The things that appeal to the glou glou enthusiasts are present: rustic, boho label, emotional, and artisanal. It is way
sustainable and being rediscovered as a grape. Something like the great-granddad of Cabernet Franc.
Here’s the rub.
I mentioned a problem. The name isn’t going to sell. The other great Austrian wine Gruner Veltliner simply got nicknamed “Groo-Vee” in the mid 90’s. Now it’s everywhere.
Austria and Slovenia could have a “grape nicknaming” contest. Maybe a little Mendo Blendo could be in order. A splash of Cabernet Franc or Pinot Noir to adorn the label for an extra bit of complexity alongside that all important name recognition. They tried naming the grape Lemberger in Washington State, but to no avail.
The other problem is cost. The wines in this article are available locally and are affordable. Moving up the ladder of Blaufrankish is tough in Maine. Roland Velich’s great winery Moric was discontinued by the distributor some time ago. His Reserve wine is on the wine list of Bayona in New Orleans for $140 per bottle.
I guess that you could call this glou glou and life beyond glou glou. Natural wine is clearly getting calmer in its middle years, as it appears on both regular wine lists and stores. Worth seeking out? Use your wallet as a guide.
Layne V. Witherell has been a professional in the wine business for many decades as a teacher, importer, writer, competition judge, and winery CEO.
-All photos by Judy Witherell
Grape Abduction Slovenia Red
Book Short The Names
By Florence Knapp
By Stephanie Miller
“The Names” by
Florence Knapp
asks the question: Can a name change the course of a life? I’ve long been fascinated with “seminal moments,” those sometimes benign, often traumatic events in a life that catapult the person into the current version of their life. Humans do this all the time. We attribute a whole situation – happy or sad – to one moment like the proverbial butterfy wings futtering down in Mexico that cause wildfres in Canada decades later.
Knapp’s novel “The Names” shows what one decision – the naming of her frst son – does to Cora’s life. Over the course of 35 years, we see three alternating versions of her son’s life shaped by Cora’s last-minute decision: three names, three versions of a life, and the many possibilities that a single decision can spark.
The book is also structured around the fact that Cora’s husband is a manipulative tyrant who beats her.Those disturbing elements shape the entire narrative, and give a haunting, forever-present veil to the relationship between Cora, her son, and her daughter Maia, who is nine when her brother is named and already an expert at managing and diffusing the tensions at home.
I’m no psychologist, but it seems
Knapp does a good job navigating the dimensions of fight, fght, freeze, and fawning that are typical reactions to trauma.
I found this novel to be engrossing with relatable characters. Even while deep into the story, I could pause and appreciate strong prose, incorporation of real events, and literary tactics like secondary characters who pop up in multiple versions. The latter makes sense. Just because I made a choice that steers my life in a new direction doesn’t mean that I won’t come across the same people in my life, albeit in different relationships or with varying depths of connection.
As I got into the second section (broken out by fve seven-year periods), I started to make a map. Under each of the son’s names (Bear, Julian, Gordon), I listed what was happening. What happens to Cora’s marriage? How does she manages her relationship with the abusive spouse? What careers do Maia and the son pursue? Who are their love interests, where do they live, and what are their joys and challenges?
I liked seeing it all down on paper in an organized way to better appreciate what Knapp was building. But I also neglected it after a while because the story compelled me forward.
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
PS: From the “you should know” department
A study by the University of Sussex found that reading for six minutes reduced stress by as much as 68 percent, outperforming other relaxation methods like listening to music, drinking tea or coffee, or going for a walk.
The study suggests that engaging with a good book can help the brain shift from emergency response thinking to rational thinking. This leads to a calmer state.
Micro Shorts
'Better Luck Next Time'
By Julie Claiborne Johnson
It’s the 1930s in America, and while most people are starving and out of work, some wealthy women are booking trips to Reno, where six weeks residency in “the divorce capital of the world” can free them from their latest ill-chosen spouse.
Twenty-four-year-old Ward spent a year at Yale before his family lost everything. And so, he’s working as a cowboy (mostly with his shirt off), helping the Flying Leap ranch cater to every whim of its divorcee clients.
Told in a series of his memories ffty years later, the novel winds around one fateful summer where Ward falls in love with one of the clients, Emily. Her daughter, who is determined to keep her parents together, plays the kind of cruel tricks that only a teenager could pull off. The tension ends in a painful parting and the launch of Ward’s future life as a successful doctor.
As the novel opens, we wonder who comes to visit an old man in a retirement home, holding photos of that long ago summer? This treat of a story takes you through several unexpected but delightful twists in the tale.
'Ribbons of Scarlet, Stories of the French Revolution’s Women'
By Kate Quinn, et. al.
Edited by Allison Pataki
“This novel is dedicated to the women who fght, to the women who stand on principle. It is an homage to the women who refuse to back down even in the face of repression, slander, and death. History is replete with you, even if we are not taught that, and the present moment is full of you – brave, determined, and laudable.”
(From the epigraph)
This is the coolest of collective novels, where a group of fabulously successful women authors of historical fction weave together stories of women mostly erased from history.
We meet: The Philosopher, The Revolutionary, The Princess, The Politician, The Assassin, and The Beauty. Together, it shows how women, in the era of the newly minted guillotine, played a signifcant role in the revolution, preservation, and re-imagining of France as a democracy where wealth was more evenly distributed and peasants were given rights and agency over their own lives.
It’s a lively portrait of how change happens in real life: messy, long, harsh, deadly, inspiring, horrifying, and heart-rending.
The “politician” Manon Roland is quoted, “It is easier to avoid giving a man power than to prevent him from abusing it.”
She was my favorite of the lot. In the eighteenth century she chose to become a politician’s wife, which was the next best thing to being allowed the role herself. Her position was both glorifying and frustrating. She wrote the speeches, drafted legislation, and crafted policy for her spineless statesman of a husband.
When Roland was in prison she grasped at a kind of freedom and fnally wrote her own story under her own name. Friends smuggled out the parchment rolls under petticoats and inside umbrellas. It was ultimately published posthumously.
In her last days, she contemplates her last words as she mounts the scaffold: “Liberty. What crimes are committed in your name.”
visit https://thewestendnews.com/category/bookshort/.
Stephanie Miller is a Bayside resident and voracious reader and bibliophile, who spends a lot of time lost in the stacks of bookstores and libraries. Find her online @StephanieSAM.
Lift Heavy, Be Kind
450 Payne Rd.,
“The Names” By Florence Knapp Pamela Dorman Books / 2025 / pp. 336
Pinch me, I live here! September marked 25 years since I moved to Portland.
By Nancy Dorrans
September was a very busy month for me. There’s been some adventure, some travel, some family time, some gardening, some work, some play, and some playing at work…
For star ters, over Labor Day weekend (Surprise!) I stayed home. The weekend started with a challenge: The Presumpscot Regional Land Trust (PRLT) 5 Trail Challenge. The PRLT is a “community based nonproft land trust serving Gorham, Gray, Standish, Westbrook, and Windham. They hold conserved lands with free public access preserves that include trails and water access...”
Maintained by the PRLT, these trails are local gems:
• White Mountains Overlook, East Windham Conservation Area, Windham
• Mill Brook Overlook, Mill Brook South Preserve, Westbrook
• Diamond Trail Boardwalk, Black Brook Preserve, Windham
• Snake Pond, Par t of the Sebago to Sea Trail, Standish
• Gambo Preserve Mill Ring, Gambo Preserve, Gorham
Mostly new to me, they are so close by, peaceful, and very accessible. I already hiked two of them earlier this summer and wanted to fnish! So, along with several MOAC (Maine Outdoor Adventure Club) friends, we hit three out of the fve that Saturday, and I earned an exclusive 2025 Trail Challenge Nalgene water bottle from REI!
Sunday Kayak
On Sunday, my kayak got to see the ocean! Along with a small group of friends, we paddled down the Saco River from downtown Saco to Camp Ellis and had lunch at Huot’s.
The river was teeming with a variety of birds and a few jumping sturgeons!
Labor Day Rally
On Labor Day, I attended the Against Oligarchy rally in Portland. Josh Ritter kicked it off by singing “Getting Ready to Get Down,” adding a line, “…Susan Collins is very concerned.”
Then we heard from the dynamic Graham Platner, Troy Jackson, and the inspiring senior senator from Vermont Bernie Sanders!
The month had only just begun, and I was energized!
SERVING ORGANIC COFFEE & TEAS. LOCAL PASTRIES & FREE WI-FI
Quebec’s Eastern Townships
A small group of twenty adults joined me on September 5th for four nights on a motor coach tour in search of the fabled “Three Pines” village in Quebec’s Eastern Townships.
On the way to Magog, we hiked over a suspension bridge at the Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook, enjoyed award winning cheeses at Fromagerie La Station de Compton, and sparkling wines of Vignoble le Cep d’Argent. Our group bonded over a delicious dinner at Manoir des Sables resort.
It rained all day that Saturday while we attended the Magog Harvest Festival (La Fete des Vendanges). But with plenty of local spirits to sample , our spirits were not dampened…
We continued to Montreal and explored the city’s old-world charm, local marches (markets), walked with a local guide, and visited Montreal’s extensive botanical garden in daylight and during night for the Jardins de lumière, “gardens of light” experience.
We didn’t fnd Three Pines, but came close a few times... Oui, Oui! We hope to go again next year!
2 Days in Detroit
The following weekend, I few to Detroit for forty-eight hours of high-quality time with some of my favorite people! Beginning with the most delicious Mediterranean food, with cousin Lori at the Beirut Restaurant. Followed by the Allman Brothers tribute band, Revival, at Cadieux Cafe with my childhood family friend Ryan Craig. Then breakfast and fve rounds of cribbage with my Uncle Bob. Finally, the very special family wedding of my young cousin Matthew and his beautiful bride Justine!
Gorilla Day!
September wasn’t over as I wrote this column on the 24th which was also World Gorilla Day! If you’ve read my recent columns, you know that it was an honor and the ultimate thrill of my adventurous life to journey to Uganda this June and trek with Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Uganda’s frst wildlife veterinarian into the Bwindi Forest National Park...
-All
Earlier this spring, CNN did a short feature “Call to Earth” on the world’s endangered Mountain Gorillas, the Kings of the Bwindi Forest. This documentary features Dr. Gladys, the UWA (Uganda Wildlife Authority), and CTPH (Conservation Through Public Health), the organization she and her husband Lawrence established.
You can fnd it on YouTube under CNN’s series “Call to Earth: Kings of the Forest.”
I believe every day is a good day to celebrate these magnifcent beings!
Would you like to visit Uganda and witness the success of Conservation Through Public Health, sip some Gorilla coffee, and visit a family of gorillas in Bwindi? Contact me for more information. I’m working with my tour operator in Entebbe and have several set departures in 2026 to choose from!
Don’t delay – NOW is Someday!
and husband Lawrence. Nancy is founder of Adventure Marketplace... Navigating travelers on authentic, nurturing, global and local adventures since 2014.
Nancy Dorrans with Dr.Gladys KalemaZikusoka
MOAC hikers on the Mill Brook South Preserve trail in Westbrook.
photos courtesy of Nancy Dorrans
We're
All in This Together
My First Time Lobbying for the Climate
By Madeleine Wright
This summer I travelled to Washington, D.C. with Citizens’ Climate Lobby to speak to lawmakers about pragmatic policies for addressing climate change.
My feelings were complex heading into Lobby Day. This was my frst time representing Maine in any real way – I’m a recent transplant who has only weathered one winter – and my frst time lobbying.
I felt unqualifed compared to the veteran Mainers and experienced advocates I was paired with. At the same time, I felt a deep sense of obligation to participate in the conversation about realistic and meaningful climate policy.
This was a sphere of infuence capable of generating real momentum, and my participation felt necessary.
Ultimately, determination won out over apprehension. It became clear that engaging with Republican and Democratic congressional members alongside my CCL colleagues was the most important way I could have spent that Tuesday in July.
I found myself in the offces of Senator Susan Collins and Senator Angus King, in focused conversations about the clean energy transition, funding methods, clean energy tax credits, and effective permit reform.
mate policy, and when lawmakers responded with uncertainty or gloom, we had the important role of offering optimism and creative solutions that they could act on. It was empowering – and a reminder that our lawmakers are people, too.
Leaving D.C., it was evident that so much of the work ahead relies on strong relationships, trust, and empathy. We must be productive and resolved, but also patient in the face of uncertainty and human emotion.
And in Maine, where our lawmakers are more accessible than in many other states, the responsibility to speak up is
even greater. What I brought home was not just the memory of those conversations, but the conviction that infuence isn’t about only expertise or seniority –it’s about showing up.
Even a newcomer with only one Maine winter behind her can help shape the direction of this state’s climate story.
If you’d like to add your voice to this work, please join Citizens’ Climate Lobby at our Fall Conference the week of November 15th (online via Zoom), or in person at Lobby Days in D.C. this March or next summer. Details are available at: cclusa.org/conference.
The conversations were personal. Wearing a chickadee pin, a fellow Mainer and self-proclaimed birder explained his support for wind energy to a Republican aide. A civil engineer who works on transmission lines in Maine spoke convincingly about his frst-hand experience with the shift toward clean energy and why permit reform is critical.
The conversations were also vulnerable. We expressed disappointment over losses to the IRA and forward-thinking cli-
Climate Lobby volunteers.
“We wanted to make our new home into a place that would be comfortable for a little baby... and we did!”
Calm. Comfortable. Happy. Insulated. Contact Evergreen today and be among the first to access Efficiency Maine’s new GREEN BANK financing.
• Low rates, affordable payments.
• Insulation rebates up to $8,000.
•
We’re All in this Together is a monthly Climate Justice column provided by local Citizens’
CCL Maine delegation on the steps of the Capitol this past July.
-Photos courtesy of Madelein Wright
$3.9 Million in brownfelds cleanup funded in
Greater Portland
The Greater Portland Council of Governments is making $3.9 million in brownfelds investments to transform old, vacant, and contaminated properties into new homes and community assets. The projects include:
• A new hotel in Portland’s Monument Square at the long-vacant Fidelity Trust Building at 465 Congress Street that will create 80 permanent jobs.
• Sixty new homes and an expanded childcare center on Cumberland Avenue in Portland in the former location of Maria’s restaurant and adjacent parcels. Of the 60 new housing units, 48 will be affordable. A new facility will be built for Youth & Family Outreach, which will double the number of children it can serve.
• More than 250 new apartments at Thompson’s Point. The project is par t of a larger Thompson’s Point master development plan approved in 2012.
• Retail space and 110 new homes in downtown Westbrook, transforming an old warehouse site into a riverfront development connected to the Riverwalk.
Environmental Impact of AI
By Jade Christensen
AI has become an integral part of many people’s daily lives, from helping plan vacations to assisting with writing and editing documents. However, these incredible advancements in technology also have signifcant environmental impacts.
Electricity Consumption
For AI to be effcient, it needs ample space with climate control to prevent overheating. It is estimated that in 2026, electricity consumption for data centers is expected to approach 1,050 terawatt-hours. For comparison, this is equivalent to powering a hundred million homes for an hour.
An AI-based internet search can consume 10 times the electricity of a classic Google search. This high electricity demand can have detrimental effects on the electrical grid and our sourcing of electricity.
Water Consumption
Alongside its high electrical consumption, AI is known to be water intensive. Data centers require fresh water to cool the servers and assist in the production of electricity needed to power the center.
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A study from Cornell found that in 2022, the technology giants (Google, Microsoft, and Meta) had used an estimated 580 billion gallons of water, which is enough water to cover the needs of 15 million households annually. This high-water cost leads to signifcant stress on the local water supply and could result in depleted water sources for residents and local farmers.
How can we address the high consequences of the tools that we aren’t only encouraged to use but also have diffculty avoiding in today’s world?
Tips for reducing your AI impact
1. One of the important frst steps is to be conscious of what questions you ask. Instead of making multiple requests to get to one point, put all your questions in one.
2. Second, keep your library of AI questions clean. Removing extra “chats” from previous questions removes them from the storage space in these data centers.
3. If you have a simple question to ask, consider asking Google instead of ChatGPT to conserve the extra resources required to obtain the same answer. Ultimately, the best approach is to minimize the use of AI-based platforms.
In today’s environment, AI is hard to avoid, and all we can do is our best to reduce and mitigate its impact as much as possible.
Bright Ideas is brought to you by PCAT, which meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month, 6 to 7:30 p.m. All are welcome! FMI: Portlandclimateaction@gmail.com or visit https://facebook. com/PortlandClimateActionTeam.897.
“One Letter Answers” Trivia
1. If you start from A, what’s the last letter used for a musical note in the English system before you go back to A?
2. What’s the chemical symbol for Potassium?
3. When using chess’s standard algebraic notation, what letter is used to refer to a knight?
4. What’s the codename for the head of the SIS or MI6 in the James Bond books, a character who has been played by Judi Dench and Ralph Fiennes?
Tuesdays
Wednesdays at Salt Yard, Mast Landing, Wilson County, Smoked, George + Leon’s
Thursdays at Dock’s Seafood, Locally Sauced, Tomaso’s Pizza, Arcadia online @bestworsttrivia
Find the answers online at thewestendnews.com/puzzle-solutions!
Mondays at El Rayo Scarborough, Banded Brewing, Lazzari
at Another Round, Ri Ra, Brookside F+D
SLICE FROM THE PIE
SEASONS COME
It’s
It’s
There’s
USM offcially opens the cutting-edge Crewe Center for the Arts with a ribbon cutting on Oct.3… Victoria Mansion completes the front brownstone bay window project after ten years of planning with a reception on Oct. 8 and public tours Oct. 17 – 18… Portland ranks in the Top 2% of Small Cities in America in a WalletHub study thanks to low unemployment and crime rates… Camden National Bank employees honor 150th anniversary with 2400 volunteer hours in a single day including a clean-up of Riverton Trolley Park… Portland joins national Sun Day events celebrating renewable energy with a fair in Lincoln Park on a sunny Sunday in September… Portland Conservatory of Music (PCM) hires new brass faculty Jimi Michel on trumpet and Seth Aker on tuba/euphonium/trombone… Resy names hip-yet-casual Vietnamese-inspired Cong Tu Bot amongst 100 restaurants that ‘Defne Dining’ in America… Scottsdale, AZ has the highest share of restaurants serving vegan options with over 55 times more options than in the lowest share city of North Las Vegas, NV… To show new Mainers that they are welcome local group Progressive Portland issues a new release of their free Welcome to Portland bumper stickers…
Repair Gives Extra Wear”
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