JULY 2021.VOL. 21, NO. 07. PORTLAND, MAINE.
PORTLAND’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER. FREE!
Portland Conservatory of Music’s New Home in the West End 28 NEAL STREET
-Photo by T. Zeli
By Tony Zeli
Built in 1960, Second Parish Presbyterian Church called the West End home for sixty years. Second Parish has moved to a larger space at 368 Gorham Road in Scarborough. As for PCM, the nine thousand square feet at 28 Neal Street is a major upgrade. They will have nearly twice the space as they had at their Woodfords location. Still, there is a lot of work ahead to prepare the former church to receive students and staff.
For the first phase of renovations, PCM has retained Wright Ryan as the construction manager. The first phase includes fresh air system, fire alarm system, acoustical improvements, interior paint, roof, outside handrails, and an ADA ramp to the performance space. Next summer Portland Conservatory of Music another round of renovations will include (PCM) is a classically based nonprofit mu- a lift/elevator to a lower level. sic school that is celebrating its 25th anniRenovations to the building include versary. They first opened their doors on Free Street and spent the last twelve years improvements to windows which will at Woodfords Congregational Church. save energy and help reduce noise transThey are excited to be moving to a new, mission. Acoustical improvements also include sound absorbing panels to reduce larger location at 28 Neal Street. sound traveling between music studios. PCM’s Executive Director Jean Mu“We are family orientated and genrachanian said she is very excited about erally limited to after school hours,” said moving to the West End. She noted that Jean Murachanian, PCM’s director. “Histhe new location is within walking distance torically our performances use minimal from downtown Portland, making it more amplification as we are focused on classiconvenient and accessible to a wider segcal and jazz music.” ment of the community, who she hopes PCM can reach with new programming. The location has a parking lot that Murachanian believes will be sufficient for An anonymous donor gifted about their day-to-day activities, but they will $1 million to make the purchase possible. need to make use of on-street parking for PCM closed on 28 Neal Street in May, and performances. They are looking for crethey are currently renovating the space. ative solutions should the need arise for They hope to begin instruction and permore parking. formances in the new space as soon as Cont'd on Pg. 4 this fall. The Portland Conservatory of Music is moving to the West End and hopes to start music instruction in the new location as soon as this fall. In the meantime, they are renovating and introducing themselves to the neighborhood.
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Drop-in vaccine clinic and other community events
Layne's Wine Gig Presents East Coast Dreamin’
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Learn about spending time with Hour Exchange Portland
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Why don’t more people think of Portland as an outdoorsy city?
Nancy Dorrans shares her virtual travel series and looks ahead...
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How and what we eat matters to the climate. So why not change our diets?
A Future for Reiche Community Center: What would YOU like to have at Reiche? What can you do to help? Find out on Pg. 3. -Reiche Community Center montage by T. Zeli
How to choose the right sun protection By Dr. Oren Gersten In recent years concerns have been raised about the effect of sunscreen on both human health and environmental health. Consequently, there has been a movement away from certain ingredients in sun protection products that may damage coral reefs and potentially harm humans. Of course, we must weigh these risks against the known risks of sun damage which include higher risk of skin cancer. On May 24th, 2021, new research added an additional piece of evidence to the mix. Valisure, an independent quality assurance company, published data exposing high levels of benzene in certain sunscreen products. In fact, the FDA recognizes benzene as a known carcinogen and already sets maximum allowable limits in pharmaceutical products and drinking water. The independent research showed levels of benzene far in excess of safely allowable amounts in many common sunscreen products across different brands. Valisure published the research as part of a citizen petition to the FDA. It asks for the recall of sunscreen now known to contain benzene and to conduct a formal investigation to substantiate this evidence. Also, the petition calls on the FDA to correct the situation that allowed benzene containing products to enter the marketplace in the first place. In the coming months additional research is likely to shed light on the subject.
It’s a great time of year to soak in the sun! But what is in the sunscreen you’re using? –Photo by T. Zeli
Here are some simple steps you can take to limit harm from the sun, and from sun protection products. • Use clothing and shade as the first line of defense from the sun. Not all clothing has UV blocking properties especially when wet. If you expect prolonged sun exposure, choose a garment that has a UV protection rating. • Avoid any product on the Valisure list of products known to contain benzene. The majority of the products are “spray on” so it may be prudent to avoid all spray on products until we have more safety info. • At this time zinc oxide seems to be the safest active ingredient for humans and the environment. Read the labels of any sun care product to see what ingredients are used. • Seek medical advice for any concerning moles or other skin findings, especially in sun exposed areas, and especially in older individuals. • Stay tuned for further guidance from the FDA as the agency reviews the growing evidence.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Oren Gersten, MD is a board-certified family doctor in private practice at Portland Direct Primary Care in South Portland.