Issuu

OCTOBER 2021.VOL. 21, NO. 10. PORTLAND, MAINE.

PORTLAND’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER. FREE!

PORTLAND ELECTION EDITION

Hinck, Pelletier Campaign for Open District 2 Seat Portland City Council Seat Vacated by Spencer Thibodeau By Tony Zeli

Spencer Thibodeau vacates Portland City Council seat for job in Biden admin Spencer Thibodeau late this summer announced that he would not run for reelection. Then at a Portland City Council meeting in September he resigned effective immediately. Thibodeau had accepted a position at the US Department of Energy, and the position required Thibodeau to step down from elected office.

There are two candidates contending for the seat. One is a former councilor and familiar face in Portland politics and the other a newcomer with public policy experience seeking to represent diversity and inclusion.

VOTE

Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021

• Portland • Portland City Ballot Info, Pg. 3 • City Council District 2 Candidate • City Questionnaire, Pg. 4-5 • Portland • Portland Polling Places List, Pg. 5 • Absentee • Absentee Voting Info, Pg. 5

VICTORIA PELLETIER

JON HINCK

Victoria Pelletier has a background in racial equity and economic development, and currently works at the Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG), a regional planning organization working with over thirty Maine municipalities. Pelletier works with towns to advance racial equity and inclusion and manages GPCOG’s Community Development Block Grant program. She is also a board member of Maine Black Community Development and is a BIPOC advisor of Maine Community Foundation.

we can support one another as allies and neighbors, regardless of socioeconomic status,” says Pelletier.

WEN D2 CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE To help readers gain insight into the candidates’ different viewpoints and approaches, WEN gave each candidate the same five questions relating to mask and vaccine requirements, budget priorities, Reiche Community School, housing affordability, and property taxes. Many important topics and issues could not be covered, but candidates were each given a total of a thousand words to explain their opinions and highlight policy ideas. Read their answers, in full, on Pages 4-5.

Immediately after, the city council deadlocked in a 4-4 vote on an indoor Jon Hinck taught English in Iran bemask mandate. This divided vote highlights fore managing a first run movie theater a council that is in transition. Fresh faces in Seattle. He worked for a decade at are winning seats as experienced councilGreenpeace and is now a lawyer in private ors opt not to run for reelection. practice. He has represented Portland in There are three open seats up for both the Maine House of Representatives grabs on November 2nd. That is three out (2006-12) and as an at-large city councilor of nine. Also, five of Portland’s sitting city (2013-16). councilors (including Mayor Kate Snyder) Hinck says he is running to represent are serving their first terms. No matter his home for twenty-five years “because how the votes tally up in November, PortTony Zeli is publisher and editor. Reach it has a wonderful mix of people includland will have a vastly different council by ing many who care deeply about their city Pelletier says she is running to be a him at thewestendnews@gmail.com. the end of this year. and all of its residents.” leader who reflects “the lived experiences of the district.” Open D2 Seat Draws Two “A major focus of my campaign will Page 6 be on how we can make Portland afford“We have a really exciting melting Candidates able for a diverse population especially as pot of different cultures, experiences, and Follow the Portland District 2 represents the neighbor- to the cost of housing and including for viewpoints in this area, but at times it can Charter Commission? hoods of the West End, Western Prome- those who are just starting out here and seem like we’re all in our separate pocknade, Parkside, Valley Street, and Oakdale. those who are long time older residents,” ets. I want to restore a really important (See Page 5 for a map of the district.) says Hinck. level of community back in this district, so

The League of Women Voters’ Charter Commission Research Team present their chart comparing mayoral powers (strong to weak) across several Maine communities.

Words In Words By Rosanne Graef

Page 9

Page 15

Page 16

Page 7

Breast Care: Much has Changed in 25 Years

Monster Movie Trivia, Sudoku, & Word Games!

Humorous Moments of West End Life

Plus an interview with LWV volunteer Valerie Kelly

ELECTION EDITION

THE WEST END NEWS | OCTOBER 2021

The Portland Election Ed.

Whew! Another edition of community print news on the shelves. As usual, it was an extraordinary effort that would not have been possible without our amazing volunteer contributors and our supportive advertisers.

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ALL WELCOME! Blackstones is proud to be an advertising partner with the West End News! Blackstones, 32 years as the West Ends’ LGBTQ+ neighborhood bar! All Welcome! Portland’s Oldest Operating LGBTQ+ Establishment O P E N W E E K D A Y S 4 P. M . – 1 A . M . S AT. & S U N . 1 1 A . M . – 1 A . M . 6 P I N E S T. , P O R T L A N D • 7 7 5 . 2 8 8 5

So much to cover in this issue with a local election in November. You won’t hear much about Portland’s three open city council seats on MSNBC, nor read about it in the Times. Hopefully there won’t be any false information on Facebook but be careful.

INSIDE THIS EDITION Best Worst Trivia.........................................15 Bright Ideas...................................................18 Business & Community.............................7-8 Climate Justice.............................................18 Crossword....................................................15 Dumpster......................................................19 Events.............................................................17 Health & Wellness.........................................9 La Vida Local................................................16 Layne's Wine Gig...................................12-13 Neighborhood News...................................3 Portland Buy Local........................................8 PelotonPosts...................................................7 Puzzles...........................................................15 Travel..............................................................14 We're All in This Together..........................18 Words in Words..........................................15

WEN’s coverage is focused on the District 2 race, the district that represents the West End along with several other neighborhoods (see Pg. 5 for a district WEN is a community newspaper and map). we need your voice! Share your submisReaders can also find a ballot sum- sions with thewestendnews@gmail.com mary (Pg. 3), a list of polling places (pg. or send to: 5), and information on requesting and reThe West End News turning absentee ballots (Pg. 5). Attn: Editor

SUBMISSIONS

And for those interested in Portland politics, you must learn about the League of Women Voters’ Portland Charter Commission Research Team (Pg. 7) from volunteer Valerie Kelly. Also, review their detailed table comparing mayoral powers (Pg. 6) across several Maine municipalities.

795 Congress Street Portland, Maine 04102 • Letters to the editor should be no more than 300 words. Include your name and town or neighborhood. • Op-eds should be no more than 750 words and include a brief biography of 1-2 sentences. • WEN also accepts poetry, cartoons, and photo submissions.

As always, thank you for picking up a copy of Portland’s free community newspaper. I hope you enjoy! Deadline for publication is the fourth Friday of every month. Our column space -Tony Zeli, Publisher & Editor is very limited, publication is not guaranteed, and submissions may be edited for length and content.

Thank you for reading! Thank you for reading local, independent print news. If you like what we do it's easy to support cummunity news... Next time you are looking for a local product, reliable service, or night out, visit one of our advertisers and tell them The West End News sent you!

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in our pages belong solely to the authors and not necessarily to the publication.

Published by Zeli Enterprises, LLC 795 Congress Street Portland, Maine 04102 thewestendnews@gmail.com Tony Zeli, Publisher & Editor Rick Ness, Sales VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTORS Nancy Dorrans, Travel & Adventure Rosanne Graef, La Vida Local & Words Mary Alice Scott, Portland Buy Local Ben Taylor, Best Worst Trivia Liz Trice, PelotonPosts Jason Wentworth, CCL Layne Witherell, Layne's Wine Gig

Thank you for contributions from: League of Women Voters' Portland Charter Commission Research Team Northern Light Mercy Hospital & Portland Climate Action Team Printed in Maine by Lincoln County Publishing Co.

ALL SALES INQUIRIES 581 Main Street South Portland, ME 04106 www.embersstoveshop.com 207-221-8242

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NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

Portland Election 2021

THE WEST END NEWS | OCTOBER 2021

Compassionate & Innovative Memory Care

BALLOT SUMMARY & VOTING INFORMATION

3 Open Seats for City Council By Tony Zeli This November Portland voters face an important local election with several open seats up for grabs on Portland City Council. Open seats include District 1, where Councilor Belinda Ray is not seeking reelection; District 2, as Spencer Thibodeau resigned for a position in the Biden administration (after announcing he would not run for reelection); and one of three at-large seats, replacing Nicholas Mavodones who is not seeking reelection. The remaining councilors who are not up for reelection this year are firstterm members Mayor Kate Snyder, Tae Chong (D3), Andrew Zarro (D4), Mark Dion (D5), April Fournier (at-large), and second-term member Pious Ali (at-large). Based on historical voter turnout provided by the City of Portland, the turnout will be low. Other municipal elections with no major state or national races driving turnout average less than 19,000 voters. Compare that to turnout for the November 2020 Presidential election when there was a historically high turnout in the city of 42,097 voters.

WHO'S ON THE BALLOT

Municipal Seats Open - 3-year term unless stated otherwise City Council District 1 Sarah Michniewicz Anna Trevorrow City Council District 2 Jon Hinck Victoria Pelletier City Council At-Large - 1 seat Travis Curran Brandon Mazer Roberto Rodriguez Stuart Tisdale, Jr.

In every season of change, we’re here to help. 207.878.0788 FallbrookWoods.com Portland, Maine

School Board District 1 Abusana Bondo School Board District 2 Emily Figdor School Board At-Large - 1 seat Nyalat Biliew Sarah Thompson Peaks Island Council - 3 seats Peter McLaughlin Water District Trustee - 1 seat (5-yr. term) Charles Shattuck-Heidorn

REGISTER TO VOTE Voters may register on Election Day at their polling location with proof of identity and residency. For any resident wishing to register to vote or to vote absentee, the office hours of the Portland City Clerk are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Portland residents can also register early by mailing in a voter registration application or by filling out that form and visiting the Clerk’s temporary space in Room 24, in the basement of City Hall. To register to vote, residents must provide documents that show proof of identity and proof of residency. A driver’s license or state identification card with a current address meets both criteria. If mailing a voter registration card, you must send proof of identity such as a photocopy of your driver’s license or other ID or an acceptable form that shows residency.

Brunswick

POLLING PLACES Polls open on Tuesday, November 2nd, at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. Find your polling place online at https:// tinyurl.com/me-polling-place-lookup. See a list of Portland Polling Places on Page 5. All polling places are wheelchair accessible. An alternate voting place for elderly and physically handicapped voters only who reside within any voting district of the city is available at the Office of the City Clerk, City Hall, 389 Congress Street.

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Find information on requesting and returning absentee ballots on Page 5.

Sat 10am-5pm Sun 10am-4pm

St o

Voters are encouraged to wear a mask or cloth face covering when voting.

Oct 23 + 24 p o rt P o tt e ry

cl e

The City is enforcing Covid-19 safety measures at all polling locations. Booths will be spread out, hand sanitizer and disinfectant spray will be available, and election workers will have plexiglass barriers, face shields, and masks.

Home

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COVID-19 SAFETY

$5 Weekend admission | free under 18

Fort Andross Mill Complex | 14 Maine Street, Brunswick, ME

mainecrafts.org

THE WEST END NEWS | OCTOBER 2021

ELECTION 2021

District 2 City Council Candidate Questionnaire Jon Hinck Victoria Pelletier • Do you support mask mandates and vaccine requirements? As a city councilor, how would you approach public health and what would be your top priorities for Portland during a pandemic?

I support mask mandates and vaccine requirements when essential for protecting public health. The Portland Public Health Division needs to track public health related trends and occurrences, including, of course pandemics, very closely for their potential impact on city residents.

Covid-19, and now the Delta Variant, presents a particularly concerning challenge. We have seen substantial community transmission of the Delta Variant for weeks and transmission rates have increased despite a vaccination rollout along with warnings and voluntary measures. It is time to reimpose a requirement that people wear masks in indoor public places with appropriate exemptions.

The City of Portland (the City) The City should also do everything should also be recognized as a source for accurate up-to-date public health infor- possible to encourage the hosting outmation. This information and public health doors of public events, business, and comservices, like vaccinations, should be tar- merce where possible. geted to reach those who for any reason are less likely to be aware of vital health related messages. Most challenges can be met with information and voluntary participation.

My top priorities for our city are to lead every conversation with a lens of equity, in order to ensure we’re providing resources for all Portlanders, especially our most vulnerable community members. We need to continue to educate by pushing for mask mandates and social distancing as much as we can to slow down the Covid-19 transmission rates. It’s not enough to just look at Portland’s Covid numbers and assume that we are combating this virus – as we know, Portland is a very popular city with yearround visitors, and if we’re not enforcing mask mandates to keep our city safe, especially as we go into the colder months, we’re not advocating for the safety and health of our community, we’re just con-

tinuing to put everyone, especially frontline workers, at unnecessary risk. I also think it’s extremely important to make sure we’re addressing issues surrounding racial health disparities. Maine has the largest racial disparity for Covid-19 in the country, despite the fact that only 5.3% of our state identifies as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color. That’s a problem and acknowledging it but choosing to not address it when we discuss disproportionate health equity further pushes the narrative of inequality in our predominately white state. This pandemic isn’t going away, and it’s our responsibility to educate on prevention, advocate for mask-wearing, and continue to build community partnerships to address and amend the state’s disproportionate infection rates.

• What are your social budget priorities? There is conversation at the national level about hard and soft/human

infrastructure, yet so much of our infrastructure is local. What role should the city government play in public health, alleviation of poverty, and quality of life?

The City can and should make strategic investments in social infrastructure in ways that help to provide services such as affordable housing and childcare, convenient public transit, accessible recreation, health food production, and access to education including libraries. Public investments should be targeted to neighborhoods and individuals who live with income insecurity, those who are of minority groups, people with disabilities, and others who have historically not benefited from much of the public investment.

The City would also benefit from As Portland continues having neighborhood-based community to increase in popularity, it’s development plans to addresses poverty important to be leaders in and show what each neighborhood could the discussion of infrastrucdo to improve the quality of life for restures and economic growth. idents. In all such efforts, we should em- In order to do that successfully, we need brace a social justice and human rights- to have an honest conversation about based approach. which direction Portland is going, and what we ultimately want from our city. The City should be ready to finan- Are we looking to be inclusive to all socially support those initiatives that have cioeconomic backgrounds? Are we trying been demonstrated or can reasonably be to set the bar for public health by addressing our disproportionate health inequities expected to work. that were highlighted by the pandemic? Are we finally going to agree that housing is a human right? If we’re not prioritizing the quality of life for all Portlanders, espe-

cially our small businesses, essential workers, and marginalized community members, I’m not sure how we can accurately state that this is a city for all. Hard and soft infrastructure may overlap locally, but we can’t even begin to discuss the human infrastructure of Portland until we have fundamental resources for all backgrounds, and at the very least, housing and food for all people. We need to align our soft and human infrastructure and let these conversations dictate how we proceed with the hard infrastructure, and if we’re not going to do that, the quality of life for our underserved communities will continue to decrease.

• What role will Reiche play in the community’s future?

The Reiche Community School has served many roles over the years in addition to being a diverse elementary school. Health center, community room, library, and community pool are just some ways Reiche has served the neighborhood. Reiche is also about to undergo major renovations. What role would you play to ensure its long term sustainability as a school and community center?

The Reiche Community School (Reiche) is a centerpiece of the West End and Parkside neighborhoods and beyond. Future uses of the Reiche School buildings and grounds need to be determined by those who use the facilities, those who stand to be future users, and the nearby residents. These stakeholders should all have a voice. Soliciting and receiving their input should be made as easy as possible and be an ongoing endeavor.

sion and in the interests of students and teachers. But community uses and education have been compatible in the past and should be able to continue to beneficially co-exist.

It’s an honor to have Reiche school in the neighborhood – the teacher governed/parent leadership collaboration leads by example and is a great part of our district. I’m The District 2 councilor should make lucky enough to also work with students the vital activities on this site a consistent and parents from Portland Public Schools, top priority. I participated in the WENA so I look forward to engaging with the ReCommunity Design Workshop in 2006 iche community and discussing ways I can and witnessed firsthand the community be an ally to the faculty, staff, and students. engagement. Reiche is a welcoming, nurOne of my priorities as city councilor turing and safe learning environment and is to find ways for the city to retain young the district city councilor must be pro-acPortlanders – as the cost of living rises, Any proposed uses that might pres- tive in making sure that it continues to be it’s extremely important to invest in young ent any conflicts must be decided in favor that and has the tools and resources to individuals and provide additional options of the elementary school education mis- achieve more.

to help them build community, continue their education, and put down roots. It’s also important that we pave the way for more young people to be elected officials. Reiche has an extremely diverse student body, and it’s important to push for representation in the body of individuals that lead the city. As a community leader and advocate myself who works with a wide range of diverse perspectives, I look forward to being a liaison between the city of Portland and Reiche school by supporting programs, advocating for equitable funding prioritization, and continuing to engage the community in the support of local programs.

Cont'd on Page 5 Thank you for reading!

ELECTION 2021

THE WEST END NEWS | OCTOBER 2021

District 2 City Council Candidate Questionnaire Jon Hinck Victoria Pelletier

• How will we make housing more affordable? What are the solutions for our city that you find most hopeful and what role will District 2 neighborhoods play in housing Portland’s growing and diverse population?

Housing is a human right. Our city must respond to the needs of those who are unsheltered as well as the large number of city residents who are over-burdened by housing costs. Portland should look at many reforms to address affordability. This requires dedicated efforts by the Housing and Economic Development Committee, city staff and other community players. I would be pleased to serve on the HED committee and would come prepared with ideas for policy initiatives. In 2015, I helped gain passage of Portland’s inclusionary zoning ordinance and proposed a range of other measures. Possible initiatives and policy changes includes the following:

1. The elimination of structural barriers that minority households face when trying to access home ownership. 2. Creation of a universal safety net voucher program. 3. Rezoning to make it easy for homeowners to build accessory dwelling units, inc. tiny houses on their properties. 4. Incentives generated from housing linkage fees on large commercial developments to support building affordable housing throughout the city and especially in the corridors best served by public transit.

We need a full comprehensive review of our city zoning laws, which work to prohibit affordable housing, along with the data of the current income and wealth gap between people of color and white individuals in Portland. The current single-family zoning we have in place in Portland promotes city-wide segregation and makes housing less affordable for all. We have a wonderfully diverse district filled with low to moderate-income, working-class individuals like myself, and if we’re not discussing zoning laws, Airbnb’s, and other short-term rentals, we’re just upholding systemic barriers and actively driving our young people out of the city because they can’t afford to live here. We need young people in Portland, and if we don’t invest and prioritize their quality of life over appealing to tourists, then we cannot accurately say that Portland is a

city for everyone. It’s important that all District 2 neighborhoods advocate for housing for all, especially those who are in higher quality living quarters, because if we can push to end exclusionary zoning laws, it’s the first step towards not just saying “housing is a human right,” but advocating for it with policy. Another concept of housing affordability is the education portion – how can we make sure all Portlanders understand the cost of living, and why it continues to rise? What community and neighborhood conversations can we have on a regular basis to provide this information? As District 2 City Councilor, I look forward to continuing the community conversations I already host on the prom and discussing the intricacies of housing affordability and exclusionary zoning laws to make sure we’re all advocating on behalf of one another to mitigate this crisis

• How do we keep people in their homes? With the tax revaluation, many homeowners are worried about their property tax bills. What are the programs that you support to keep people in their homes?

I have met residents in each district neighborhood who are distressed over rising tax burdens. I know these concerns are real. The City needs to examine how to deliver services effectively and efficiently and critically assess spending priorities to control the overall tax burden.

prepared to make adjustments if more As a large majority of expensive, and particularly commercial District 2 are renters, the properties, were undervalued. Regressive increase in property taxes tax assessment metrics rob from poorer can also lead to rental inproperty owners and benefit those who creases, which continues to are wealthier. be a concern as more and more PortlandAlso, the City can do more to make ers can no longer afford to live here. An residents who qualify aware of existing option worth investigating is capping the programs for property tax fairness credits property tax, based on income and eligibility. We’d need the data to detail housing In addition, after a short time, the and tax relief to low-income seniors. inequities in Portland, along with an eligiCouncil should re-examine the tax rebility criteria to ensure we’re prioritizing valuations to assess their fairness and be low to moderate income individuals, but

POLLING PLACES Polls in Portland open at 7:00a.m. and close at 8:00p.m. District 1, Precinct 1 East End Elementary School, 195 North Street District 1, Precinct 2 Merrill Auditorium Rehearsal Hall, 20 Myrtle Street District 1, Precinct 3 Peaks Island Kennedy & Carter Center, 129 Island Avenue, Peaks Island *District 2, Precinct 1 Reiche Elementary School, 166 Brackett Street *District 2, Precinct 2 Portland Exposition Building, 239 Park Ave. District 3, Precinct 1 Woodfords Club, 179 Woodfords Street District 3, Precinct 2 Italian Heritage Center, 40 Westland Avenue District 4, Precinct 1 St. Pius Church, 492 Ocean Avenue District 4, Precinct 2 First Baptist Church, 360 Canco Road District 5, Precinct 1 Deering High School Gymnasium, 370 Stevens Avenue (Access via Leland St. entrance) District 5, Precinct 2 Grace Baptist Gymnasium, 476 Summit St.

Portland District 2

if we considered capping the property tax while simultaneously providing a variety of financial relief options, we could begin to mitigate some of the displacement that comes with the rising cost of living. Also, I’d push for education on unaffordable housing in Portland, to ensure all of us clearly understand how cost of living works, why the rent prices continue to increase, and how we can examine short term rentals and single-family zoning to try and amend our current crisis.

ABSENTEE BALLOT INFO Request an Absentee Ballot in Portland • Call the City Clerk’s office (Mon. – Fri., 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) at 207-874-8677. • Complete a November 2nd, 2021 absentee ballot application and submit by… ∗ Mail: City Clerk’s Office, 389 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101 ∗ Fax: 207-874-8612 ∗ Email: elections@portlandmaine.gov. • You can request an absentee ballot from Maine.gov using this link: https://tinyurl.com/maineabsenteeballotrequest Ballots will be available in early October. If you have already requested a ballot, you will receive yours once the ballots have been received and inspected in the Clerk’s Office. Portland begins in-person absentee voting as soon as ballots are available in room 24 of City Hall. Hours will be Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Returning an absentee ballot in Portland • Mail your ballot back to City Hall, 389 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101. • Return to a 24-hour drop box: ∗ Affixed to City Hall on Myrtle Street ∗ Affixed to the City building at 212 Canco Road Ballots are NOT to be returned to your polling location. Absentee ballots must be returned to City Hall by 8:00 p.m. on election day to be processed and counted.

THE WEST END NEWS | OCTOBER 2021

Portland’s Mayoral Powers Compared to Maine’s Three ‘Strong Mayor’ Cities By League of Women Voters' Portland Charter Commission Research Team

Portland's Mayoral Powers Compared to Maine's Three "Strong Mayor" Cities Stronger mayor system

Powers & Authority

Westbrook

Weaker mayor system

<-- stronger mayor system------------------------------------------------------------------weaker mayor system --> Portland Portland Biddeford Saco (post 2010 CC) (pre 2010 CC)

Who is the Chief Executive Officer?

Mayor

Mayor is Chief Executive. City Administrator is Chief Administrator, reporting to the Mayor and the Council.

Who manages day to day operations of city affairs?

City Administrator, reporting directly to the Mayor.

City Manager

City Administrator

City Manager

Who hires top city officials? (1)

Mayor appoints all. City Council confirms City Administrator by at least 3/4 vote and City Clerk by at least 2/3 vote . (2)

Mayor appoints city manager, city clerk, and city solicitor with confirmation by City Council.

Mayor appoints City Administrator; Council confirms. Other top officials appointed by Administrator with Council confirmation.

Mayor chairs committee with at least 2 other council members to appoint city manager, clerk, and Corporate Counsel; full council confirms.

City Council

Mayor

City manager "after consultation with the Mayor and confirmation by the city council"

City Administrator with approval of Council

City Manager with approval of Council

City Manager

Who hires Department Heads?

Who Appoints members to Council Powers & Authority Committees? Who appoints members of city boards and commissions?

Is mayor a voting member of Council? Who has authority for preparing Municipal Budget Can Mayor veto the budget approved by the Council? Can Mayor veto other council decisions? Powers & Authority Mayoral Term Term Limit Removal of City Manager

City Manager

<-- stronger mayor system------------------------------------------------------------------weaker mayormay system --> Mayor appoints; Council Mayor appoints and Mayor, but council Mayor, but council may President of the Council Portland Portland approves. Council confirms.(3) override with 2/3 vote. override with 2/3 vote. Westbrook Biddeford Saco (post 2010 CC) (pre 2010 CC)

Mayor appoints; Council approves.

Mayor presides over Council but only votes to break a tie.

City Manager drafts, with City Administrator under input from Council budget direction of the Mayor. (4) committee. Yes including line item veto. Override requires 2/3 vote.

Yes Override requires 2/3 vote.

Mayor has 30 days to nominate; council Mayor appoints; Council approves. If 30 days passes approves. without nomination, Council decides.

City Council

Mayor presides over Council (and the school board) but only votes to break a tie.

Yes

City Administrator

City Manager with "guidance" from Mayor

City Manager

Yes including line item veto. Override requires 5 (of 7) Council Votes

Yes Override requires 6 (of 9) Council votes.

Yes including line item Veto limited to orders Veto limited to orders veto. appropriating money. appropriating money. <-- stronger mayor system------------------------------------------------------------------weaker No mayor system --> No Override requires 2/3 Override requires 2/3 vote Override requires 5 (of 7) Portland Portland Westbrook Biddeford Saco vote. of Council. Council votes. (post 2010 CC) (pre 2010 CC) 3 years 2 years 3 years 4 years 1 year none none none 3 terms 1 year No clear statement re Council committee can Mayor alone can remove removal but Mayor and Council can remove for recommend removal; full Council decision by written order Council responsible for cause. Council approves. evaluating performance.

Notes: (1) For purposes of this chart, top city officials include the city manager/administrator, city clerk, and city solicitor/corporate counsel as these are often designated in a town's Charter. (2) Rules for appointing Westbrook City Administrator established by ordinance. (3) Not clearly stated in Charter, but this was practice for 12/2020 administrative ordinance (Sec 4.38) establising a council committee. (4) The Charter does not specify, but by ordinance the City Administrator prepares it under the direction of the Mayor.

Mayoral powers comparison table is provided by the League of Women Voters’ Portland Charter Commission Research Team. Learn more about their work from LWV volunteer Valerie Kelly, who is featured on Page 7.

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY

THE WEST END NEWS | OCTOBER 2021

Content Provided By

Valerie Kelly:

PelotonLabs is a coworking space in the West End of Portland, Maine with a mission to connect and encourage people working on their own to manifest their visions without fear.

Volunteer with the

Portland Charter Commission Research Team

The National Civic League (NCL), an organization that advises cities on best practices, recommends a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) appointed by and responsible to the mayor but approved and overseen by the Council.

Every month PelotonLabs co-founder Liz Trice interviews a local community member. This month, Liz caught up with Valerie Kelly, who is leading the League of Women Voters’ Portland Charter Commission Research Team. What’s the League of Women Can you give me some juicy Voters doing with the Charter tidbits? Commission? This type of research doesn’t lend itBefore commissioners were elected, we created a questionnaire for candidates and reported their responses on our Vote411.org website. We organized a forum with the Portland Public Library and involved people who were on the 2010 charter commission. After the charter commission started meeting, we began a monthly newsletter sharing progress and links to reading material. Our research and advocacy are twopronged: (1) drawing on advocacy positions established by past studies on topics such as Clean Elections, Money in Politics, and Ranked-Choice Voting; and (2) conducting new research on topics for which we have no established positions. For the new research, we are not planning to take positions, but are assembling information to share with voters and charter commission members. We are currently studying how different cities across the US structure municipal government. We want to understand the pros and cons of strong versus weak mayors and what research shows about city council structure (e.g., the number and composition of city council members).

self to “juicy tidbits.” It’s hard to find good research that provides clear guidance on municipal government structure. Often the answer is: “It depends!” The National Civic League has a document with guidelines for charter commissions that describes what should be done via a charter commission versus through legislation - the ordinances that the council votes on. Many of the ideas discussed during the election were about specific policies. But if you put too many details about policies into the charter, it can impair the ability of future mayors and city councils to address new issues, requiring additional charter revisions. Typically, the charter specifies the key people making decisions, and the lines of authority. For example, the specifics of how to handle something like police oversight and budgets would be contained in legislation while the question of “to whom the police are answerable” (e.g., mayor, manager, council) and the establishment of a police oversight committee could be in a charter. In terms of city council size, 78% have five to seven members. Under five is often not representative and anything over eight or nine becomes unwieldy. Though New York and Chicago manage with 3050 members, so the “it depends” is relevant here!

We’ve created a summary table of mayoral powers to compare Portland to other cities in Maine (see Page 6). During campaigns, opinions are often over-simplified. We’re hoping that by providing this information there will be more thoughtful Council elections tend to be at-large conversations about what powers to give or by district.At-large positions have come to Portland’s mayor. under fire nationally because they were The previous Commission had a paid used to deny minorities seats in state legresearcher working for them; so far, this islatures and local councils. In several civil commission does not. The commissioners rights cases the Supreme Court ruled that are addressing many complex issues in a at-large seats had to be replaced by disvery limited amount of time. Decisions trict seats. they make about government structure Portland has a mix of at-large and diswill have broad repercussions, so we hope trict seats - a reasoned approach. Counthat sharing our research with both vot- cils elected with exclusively at-large seats ers and commissioners will contribute to tend to poorly represent minority popuan improved charter that meets Portland’s lations, while exclusively district seats can needs well into the future. mean there’s no one who is incentivized

The NCL notes that “...without a CAO the mayor is likely to be overSee Page 6 for a comparison whelmed by the multiple tasks of being a of mayoral powers across leader of the community, a communicator with the council members individually and several Maine municipalities collectively, and an internal executive who developed by the LWV Portland can provide comprehensive administrative Charter Commission Research leadership.” Also, a CAO validated by the Team. -Courtesy photo council provides some checks that keep a mayor from using the office to promote to look at what is best for the whole city. his/her own ambitions. Some cities are moving toward multimember district seats where there are fewer districts but two or three representatives elected from each district via ranked-choice voting. This is a new approach that our commissioners might want to explore as initial reviews suggest it contributes to better representation of women and diverse interest groups (e.g., ethnic, religious).

What are you learning about mayor and city manager roles? In 2009 Portland created an elected mayor position but left a significant amount of authority in the hands of the city manager. Now many people want the mayor to be stronger, and some propose getting rid of the manager entirely. But it doesn’t make sense to expect an elected mayor to lead the city on developing policies, fulfill all the representational and ceremonial responsibilities, and also take care of the day-to-day details of running a city. Do you really want the mayor spending time supervising trash collection?

Do you see a place for more global statements on climate change or economic justice? Charters sometimes have a preamble that lists the values that we’re aspiring to: equity, taking care of the poor, protecting the environment, for example. But you don’t want to put something specific in the document about how you’re going to do that - the details of how we get there are usually arrived at through legislation. We need more people to help do this research. Send an email to portland@ lwvme.org if you are interested in joining us.

Learn More League of Women Voters Portland Charter Commission info: https://www.lwvme. org/CharterCommission City Charter Commission website: https:// www.portlandmaine.gov/2665/Charter-Commission-2020-2022

2009-10 Portland Charter Commission The Commission could recommend documents: https://www.portlandmaine. that the mayor appoint department heads gov/329/Portland-Charter-Commission and prepare the budgets (currently tasks of the manager), but the city would still PelotonPosts is created by PelotonLabs need an administrator coordinating the and WEN provides column space without departments on a day-to-day basis. West- charge. PelotonLabs has been a paid adbrook, which has a stronger mayor than vertiser. WEN publisher and editor Tony Portland, still has a city administrator in Zeli is a coworking member at Pelotoncharge of day-to-day operations. Labs.

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BUSINESS & COMMUNITY

THE WEST END NEWS | OCTOBER 2021

October is the New December By Mary Alice Scott Small businesses in Portland always feel hectic and busy during the summer. But little could have prepared them for the summer they just finished. Some were busier than they were in 2019 - but with fewer staff members, less inventory, and more challenges presenting themselves in every direction.

retail shop, said that she is lucky if she receives 40% of what she orders from her suppliers, due to continued disruptions of supply chains around the world. Now is the time to support the local business community.

Small Business Problem Now they begin to look ahead to- Solving Sessions - Join us!

ward the busy holiday shopping season, If you’re a small business owner, conwhile still preparing (as much as they can) sider joining us for one of our upcoming for continued bumps. Small Business Problem Solving Sessions. Sometimes, as local businesses advo- In these small sessions, local business cates, we have the ability to think global- owners will come together in conversaly and act locally. Sometimes we have no tion with their colleagues. We invite parchoice but to think globally. Many of the ticipants to bring up any burning issue that challenges local businesses are facing are they would like peer feedback on. not unique to Portland – especially right Part networking, part problem solvnow. For the foreseeable future, Covid will ing, and part therapy session! This small continue to impact just about every facet group opportunity is a chance for local of owning a business. business owners to connect and support Last year, we implored community one another and develop a deeper sense members to begin thinking about holiday of community. shopping early. “October is the new December,” we said. Little did we know, we’d be back here with the same advice one year later.

DATES • Thursday, October 14th at 4 p.m. in person at Two Fat Cats (masks required)

From labor shortages to supply chain • Tuesday, October 26th at 4 p.m. (virtual) issues, nothing is easy in the world of small business, and it’s clearer than ever how Visit our website at www.portlandglobal issues impact our local business buylocal.org for more information on our community. upcoming events, or to find other ways to One of our members, who owns a support our local business community.

If you’re a small business owner, consider joining PBL for their Small Business Problem Solving Sessions. In these small sessions, local business owners will come together to bring up any burning issue that they would like peer feedback on. Mary Alice Scott is Executive Director of Portland Buy Local. The West End News is a Portland Buy Local member and media partner.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

THE WEST END NEWS | OCTOBER 2021

Breast Care: Much has Changed in 25 Years By Suzanne Hoekstra, MD, FACS I am a breast surgeon at Northern Light Mercy Breast Care, which was first established in 1996. Over the years, I have seen advances in breast health that have helped save many lives. October is Breast Care Awareness month, and this year it happens to coincide with my medical practice’s 25th anniversary.As I reflect, I am amazed at the strides we’ve made to address this disease that continues to affect far too many people. In the past, patients diagnosed with breast cancer faced difficulty finding comprehensive, multidisciplinary care. Digital mammography did not exist 25 years ago, and patients carried their films around in large envelopes. Similarly, there were no electronic records, and paper charts were passed among providers and offices. The human genome was still a mystery, and specialized cancer tests and drugs were not yet developed. Breast cancer survival hovered around 85%, which was an improvement from previous decades.

But one thing that hasn’t changed over the years is our breast care practice’s commitment to serving patients with a personalized, team approach. The difference today is that we now have even more advanced technology and treatments available. Mercy now offers state of the art imaging, including 3D mammography, ultrasound, and MRI. A more recent addition to the services we provide is our High Risk and Genetics Clinic that identifies potentially high-risk patients through mammography. And our surgeons perform the most updated procedures, including ones that can improve the appearance of the breast or the reconstruction of it in a very natural way.

In addition, more medications have been developed that work differently than chemotherapy. New methods of reducing side effects are used regularly. We work closely with our colleagues from radiation oncology and plastic surgery to provide the best care for our patients. And our In contrast, in 2021, all imaging and nurse navigators are available at multiple chart information is computerized, and cli- points throughout the care journey to nicians carry their laptops or smartphones guide and educate patients. with them to access the information. Genetic testing is frequently performed for Since 2011, our breast center has patients diagnosed with cancer as well as been nationally accredited, which requires for those who are at risk for cancer, and adherence to 28 national care standards. dozens more genes have been identified. One of the many ways we ensure that Cancer treatments are now individual- patients receive optimal care is through ized with specific medications. Most im- our biweekly multidisciplinary breast conportantly, survival for breast cancer has ferences. When our entire team convenes increased to over 90%. for these meetings, each person’s case is

Dr. Suzanne Hoekstra of Northern Light Mercy Breast Care consults with -Courtesy image a patient. reviewed and discussed, ensuring that patients receive the most comprehensive and coordinated care recommendations possible. The team at Northern Light Mercy Breast Care is proud to have provided care to the community these past 25 years. We all look forward to even more medical and technological advances in the years ahead to further improve the health of our communities. Dr. Hoekstra practices at Northern Light Mercy Breast Care, a nationally accredited breast care center.

Content Provided By Northern Light Mercy Hospital is a nonprofit community hospital sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy.

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FOOD & DRINK

LAYNE'S WINE GIG PRESENTS

HELP… HELP WANTED

An insider look at the REAL wine biz By Layne V. Witherell

Out of courtesy, I chose to omit company names.

This month’s piece is the culmination of several things. First, I have seen, experi- WINE MERCHANDIZER/ enced, and done in forty-plus years virtu- DRIVER ally everything the glorious (and occasion8 job listings at around $18/hr. ally not so glorious) wine business has to It should be listed as Executive Vice offer. Most importantly, it is those howling funny moments that provide the inspira- President of Deliveries and Shelf Management. This is the importance that those tion for articles. wine boxes scattered throughout the Stopping for gas, some snacks, and a store carry, especially when the poor, bebeverage at a convenience store should leaguered clerk calls your company and be a no brainer. Money in hand, I stood frantically asks to speak with “the boss.” behind a semi-hysterical woman who was yelling loudly at the clerk behind his plexi- SMALL WINE SHOP/RETAIL glass counter that her favorite wine wasn’t SALES on the shelf. Hell, none of anyone’s favorite wines were on the shelf as they were in an 6 job listings, the number varies daily from place to place unkempt pile of unopened boxes on the This can be some adventuresome floor. stuff, and based upon the variety of loHe yelled back that he had repeat- cations, it could require a move. But why edly called his local distributor to come not? You may dip your toes in the water in and stock the shelves. In Maine, it is mostly the wine biz and, if you are lucky, sample distributors who perform this function for a zillion wines. That is the real perk that retailers. So, what went wrong? you want. As a reporter and not a rep, I decided Include on your resume that you are to do a little digging, to pull the curtain reading “Wine Grapes: A Complete Guide aside and look at people’s roles in the to 1,368 Vine Varieties,” by Jancis RobinREAL wine business. There are a bevy of son, and are hoping someday to taste all websites for this kind of search. We will of them. begin with the over forty assorted wine Be sure to bring your corkscrew with jobs available in Maine and then move on to look at one job on the national level. you for additional street cred.

WINE BUYER/SMALL EXCLUSIVE GOURMET STORE Openings pop up frequently This is the “when every rep is your best friend” part of the job. Each one has a smallish tunnel vision called their “book.” A folded label from the hallowed 1982 vintage of Chateau Mouton Rothschild neatly tucked in your wallet acts as a talisman to wave about and keep the most aggressive rep vampires at bay. You must create your own vision, treat them all with a ruthless kindness, and buy with a shrewdness like the next case of wine is your last.

joined a cult. If you really luck out, the company will specialize in cool interesting wines and not be obsessed in the “cosmic forces in the soil.”

Congrats, you just got the job, and

Cont'd on Next Page

SALES REP / MEDIUM DISTRIBUTOR 4 job openings

You will absolutely need to know which New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc sells best as it is the hot no-brainer wine, along Sounds like fun. It can be. Be knowl- with a description of its difference from edgeable and tough during your interview. Sancerre and California examples. In case you are ever asked: grapefruit, flinty, grassy SALES REP / SMALL WINE – remember them. This comparison quesDISTRIBUTOR tion may or may not ever happen again. 2-3 job openings They will ask during the interview You should study them thoroughly what your goals are. You cannot repeat before you meet. Carry a well-worn copy the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc answer of “Cork Dork,” by Bianca Bosker, with on this one. There is but one goal – the you for your interview and turn to page hallowed Wine and Spirits Education Trust 51, reciting during your interview the ad- Level 3 on your resume allowing you to vice to plant a deer bladder stuffed with put the scriptural word SOMMELLIER on yarrow weed in your vineyard. Also be your resume. ready to state verbatim the biodynamic This is the modern, required door difference between a tasting calendar’s opener, and a pricey one at that. The “fruit day” versus “root day.”

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THE WEST END NEWS | OCTOBER 2021

HELP… HELP WANTED Cont'd from Pg. 12 wines, levels, tests, etc., amount to a fouryear college slog, one glass at a time, and signify little in the way of an actual accredited degree. There are several close relatives: The Court of Master Sommeliers and Master of Wine. The hallowed land for you is that the company is so thrilled with your Sauvignon Blanc sales enthusiasm that they offer to pay for all $700,000 worth of wines and course fees.

SALES REP / GIGANTIC DISTRIBUTOR Usually, several job openings This gig requires and demands total obedience as the company and their wineries are both huge and tuned to military precision. As part of the company culture, it is wise during the interview to memorize all of Phil Mickelson’s major tournament golf wins over the past several decades. A real door opener. Remember, the gigantic wineries will never be satisfied with your sales performance.

SALES MANAGEMENT / MEDIUM DISTRIBUTOR Several usually listed “Years of experience on the street.” The key interview elements are your ability to try to keep cool when: First, that hysterical convenience store clerk calls and demands that the wines be stocked from the floor NOW. Second, your best rep – that you have shelled out the 750 big ones for their WSET classes – decides to call

it quits and move to Florida. Please, not Florida! Third: one of your favorite medium sized wineries has just been acquired for 300 million bucks and they are on a conference call howling that you up the game and get displays everywhere (even that convenience store). Fourth: you are starving for lunch and the only thing you have the time to do is a Wendy’s drive thru while eating in your car. This is why they pay the big bucks.

driver was rough? This and a myriad of other out of state positions are listed on winebusiness.com.

There you have it. A little capsule of life just behind the help wanted sign. As a sage once said, “The wine business is filled with SECURITY SPECIALIST / CA millions of little bliss In California there are countless po- moments.” sitions, but one absolutely stood out as Find your bliss the epitome of corporate culture in this and please don’t haera: Security Specialist for a major group rangue the help. of wineries. I have edited the 400-word job description: Monitors arrival and departure of guests. Helicopter observer occasionally to prevent potential intruders. Can make citizen’s arrest of intruders. Removal of dangerous animals (inc. feral pigs). Provides transportation of family and guests. Assists with logistics and vehicle maintenance. Attends firearms training and other company mandated sessions. Assists with the care of family pets as needed [I am not making this up]. Handles guest luggage. Able to work all shifts, morning, swing, and graveyard. All shifts and holidays in all weather conditions. Bi-lingual in Spanish highly desired. High school diploma. Ability to walk in rough terrain.

Layne 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. He can be reached at: lvwitherell@gmail.com.

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TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

THE WEST END NEWS | OCTOBER 2021

‘Trail folks are the nicest people I think you can meet…’ By Nancy Dorrans

ular in every direction.

Recently a friend from New Hampshire shared a post from Representative Timothy Lang from Belknap, New Hampshire, about factual versus fake information regarding Covid hospitalization numbers in all the New England states. This was a few weeks ago and I don’t know where he got his numbers, so I won’t share them. But he ended his rant on a few positive facts that I can share:

“G

o outside, actually talk to your neighbors, if you really want to meet nice people go for a hike, trail folks are the nicest people I think you can meet. The world is not ending, the sky is not falling, and your neighbors are not monsters who don’t care about you….” -Rep. Timothy Lang (R), NH

While resting and having lunch on top of Middle Moat I met a lovely couple from Pennsylvania. Two years ago, they quit their day jobs, traded their house in the suburbs for a dually pickup and a fifth wheel camper, and are now migrant workers of sort. We hiked back down together and listened to their adventurous tales… Since April they have been campground hosts at Saco River Camping Area in North Conway. They find their jobs online through Workamper News. In October they’re heading to the town of Ruth, Michigan, a rural area in the thumb. For the second year in a row they’ll help with the sugar beet harvest. She works in the scale house, and he drives a loader.

I concur. I’ve met some of the nicest people while hiking. This past month I’ve run across several of these nice “Trail Folk”.

Sugar Beet Harvest Pays Great A few weeks ago, my friend Kate and I headed over to hike “The Moats” just outside of North Conway, New Hampshire. The Moat Mountain Traverse is usually hiked from south to north. Follow the Moat Mountain Trail for 9.7 miles, beginning at the South Moat Mountain Trailhead and ending at the Diana’s Baths Trailhead on West Side Road, near Cathedral Ledge. We didn’t have two vehicles, so we opted for an out/back from South to Middle. The total hike was about 6.5 miles with 2800 feet of elevation gain. It was a bluebird day, and the views were spectac-

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of America’s sugar comes from a sugar beet not from sugar cane… Five to seven pounds of beets equals one pound of sugar… Michigan Sugar founded in 1906 produced 4.4 million tons of sugar last year… The Red River Valley of Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota are the big business sugar states where American Sugar and Crystal Sugar harvest ten times that.”

MOAC hikers on Old Speck Mtn. (L-R) Atticus Ford, Elaine Vadeboncoeur, Nancy Dorrans, Kate O'Rourke, and Vanessa Davy. -All photos courtesy of Nancy Dorrans

passed several thru hikers on their way to Baxter Peak. Two of them, calling themThey meet a lot of folks from all of selves the “Wandering Dames” were walks of life during the harvest. Not all in more than happy to stop and share a few campers. Some are living in vans, convert- tales with us. ed ambulances, and schoolies (converted They started in Georgia in February. school buses). “It is an interesting meltThe White Mountains were humbling and ing pot, and the sugar beet harvest pays the trail in Pennsylvania is “just rocks, no great!” dirt!” Due to slight injuries on said rocks, Their plans are to head south to the they had to take some time “off trail” and Florida panhandle after the holidays and admitted they were running a bit behind. Colorado next spring through the sum- Their plan is to get off the trail before the mer. Such a sweet tale from these active 100-mile wilderness, shuttle to Baxter and interesting trail folks! State Park, summit Katahdin first, and then head south to finish where they left off. What? That’s a lot of sugar!!

Wandering Dames Full of Moxie

I have no doubt these wandering trail dames will make it! These two are advenThe following weekend I returned to turous trail folks full of courage, grit, and Old Speck Mountain in Grafton Notch Moxie! with a group of hiker friends from the So, Rep. Lang is right. If you want to Maine Outdoor Adventure Club. Dependmeet some nice people, take a hike! If you ing on the device, we either hiked 7.6 or don’t know which way to go, I’ll be happy 8.7 miles! to point you in the right direction, share Sugar beet RVers, Shella and Mike from The way up Old Speck is quite chalthe trail with you and the other trail folk! PA, chatting on the trail with Kate lenging and is also part the Appalachian O'Rourke. Trail. At the summit there is an old fire tower with a round (straight up) wrung Nancy Dorrans is currently working They shared so many sweet facts ladder. Unless you’re afraid of heights, as a Dedicated (in school) Substitute about sugar: I recommend the climb for the best Teacher at Deering High School. She figured she could do something mean360° views and photo opts! ingful while we wait for travel to be “Sugar beets grow from a softball size to a small football size… Sixty percent We followed the white blazes and safe again.

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Monster Movie Trivia 1. Considered the first of the Universal Pictures monster films, a 1925 silent movie adapted what Gaston Leroux novel that later received the Andrew Lloyd Webber treatment? 2. The Wolf Man first showed up in 1941, played by what actor that Warren Zevon saw walking with the queen? 3. During the first reboot era of the 90s and 2000s, Hugh Jackman took a turn as what famous Dracula character who finally got his own movie?

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4. In the 1960s, writers for Rocky and Bullwinkle pitched Universal on what sitcom about a monster-filled family with a hot rod? Find the answers online at thewestendnews.com/puzzle-solutions!

many words can you make from the Words In How letters in the phrase below? Words must have at least 3 letters. Plurals don’t count, nor do proper nouns, Words abbreviations, or foreign words not commonly used By Rosanne Graef

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La Vida Local: Irregular Notes on West End Life

The Pause That Refreshes By Rosanne Graef

Last month I made a promise that I must go back on. I’d intended to continue my “Can Portland Be Saved” lamentation on how our fair city is going to hell in a hand basket. However, the total exhaustion wrought by the disasters of late August/early September caused me to rethink and take a hiatus from that plan. Instead, this month’s La Vida Local brings you some humorous moments of West End life.

Are You Granny? One evening my husband and I were walking on Brackett Street and saw a young man about four years old trying to toss a stuffed animal up to another child standing at an open second-floor window. Gravity got the better of his attempts, but he swiftly turned away from any sense of failure.

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Of course, I immediately shared this hilarity with my friend, Marsha, but totally missed the fact that autofill put in the email address of Alex Marshall, the Director of Portland Parks Department. Luckily Alex got some laughs, and you can, too, at thewestendnews.com/la-vidalocal-videos.

Blessing Box Bustier For about a year we have had a “blessing box” in our driveway. People give and take food, toiletries, etc. It works well. Some have left items such as the plaque in the photo and $2 rolled up with an EBT card number.

Running to the end of his driveway, he called out, “Are you granny?” Perfect husband guffawed. I held up a lock of my mostly white hair and called back, “I know what gives you that idea!” The boy flashed a grin, burst into laughter, and disappeared from sight. He’ll go far in life, I’m sure.

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periodically e-mails jokes to the Class of ’74. Recently he sent three short videos along the lines of the Darwin awards, except no one gets hurt.

September 1st marked the 80th birthday of a friend. A couple of us deftly arranged a small surprise potluck picnic at Harbor View Park. We were defter at the surprise than practical in our organization of the food and ended up with a well-rounded menu of three dozen deviled eggs, a basket of plums, and a scrumptious maple-pecan cake. Bon appétit!

Like the Darwin Awards The fellow in Wisconsin who arranges my husband’s high school reunions

I went out one morning and found a small brown paper shopping bag set on the ground beside the box. I was not surprised and looked inside to find... a brandnew black satin bustier with nipple openings. A little taken aback, I took it in the house to contemplate what to do with it. Late the next morning, the doorbell rang. My husband went out and met an embarrassed young woman who anxiously inquired about a bag containing a gift of a nursing bra. She had left it at the wrong house for her friend who just had a baby. He came back in, told me her tale, and said, “I’m not going out there again, you take it to her.” If you are that young woman, don’t worry. Without your mask and your hat, we’ll never recognize you!

Rosanne Graef lives in the West End and is a regular volunteer contributor. Email her at lavidalocalwen@gmail.com. WEN archival cartoon excerpt from 'Dance Party' by Ed King (2017) and blessing box photo is courtesy of Rosanne Graef.

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THE WEST END NEWS | OCTOBER 2021

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Window Dressers community build at Maine Irish Heritage Center, Nov. 8 - 12 For the fourth year in a row, the Maine Window Dressers Build at Energy AmeriCorps Program (MEAP) will Maine Irish Heritage Center help reduce energy costs for Maine resThere will be a idents by providing free insulating winWindow Dressers dow inserts in partnership with Window build at Maine Irish Dressers and Efficiency Maine. Heritage Center, 34 Window inserts are a simple and ef- Gray Street, Portland, fective way to weatherize your home. And from November 8th to MEAP is offering up to ten free window 12th. inserts per household for those eligible If you are interestin each partnered community, including ed in receiving window Portland. Most households eligible for inserts or in volunLIHEAP or other public assistance proteering at the window grams will qualify for free inserts. build, please contact Window inserts If you are interested in this program Sydney Barletta at placed at Maine but do not qualify for free inserts, you can s y d n e y. b a r l e t t a @ Irish Heritage Center (2017) purchase them for a low price. maine.edu.

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THE WEST END NEWS | OCTOBER 2021

CLIMATE JUSTICE

We’re All in This Together: Climate Solutions Beyond Your Backyard

Legalizing weed more popular than stopping climate change? By Jason Wentworth I generally don’t give much credence to predicting the future; but when it comes to climate change, I’m pretty confident that we’re screwed. I know that’s a broad claim that any cynic could make from the comfort of a barstool, but I’ve got a real-world observation to back it up. Americans care more about legal weed than stopping climate change! My forms of recreation are more oriented towards sports than pot. So, I didn’t pay much attention to this emerging industry until recently. I was in Colorado, where marijuana has been legal for over a decade, on a camping trip. I passed through towns that were so small you’d never know they existed, except for the road sign and one or two dispensaries. Amazingly, it was far easier to find THC infused lemon drops than a gas station.

years climate activists have been trying to get the world to listen, with limited success. Then along comes some well-organized stoners and in a decade, they take weed from an illegal “gateway drug” that got you tossed in jail for, to pot salves for grandma’s bunions at the friendly neighborhood dispensary. Seemingly overnight, they managed to move marijuana from the backstreets to main street.And it won’t be long before it’s on Wall Street. Even Congress is likely to legalize pot at the federal level well before it votes on a much-needed fee on fossil fuel companies’ carbon emissions. (Please take a few seconds to send a message of support to our lawmakers at cclusa.org/white-house and cclusa.org/senate.)

I’m not surprised that every green thumb with an eye on the future is going all in for cannabis. It’s where the money is. But we need smart, motivated, doers Then I came back to Maine and took on the front lines of the climate crisis, not a trip from Portland to Bethel. Same thing. experimenting with grow-light filters. And Pot shops sprouting up faster than Dunkin we need all lawmakers, who are arguing over tax rates and labeling regulations for Donuts. pot, to spend more time on climate policy. I’ve got nothing against marijuana or Then again, maybe I just need to acthe people who like to recreate with it. It’s cept the reality. Most people would rather good for lots of health conditions, though face the impending climate disaster with some of the claims seem a bit exaggerata dozen pot brownies than a solar panel. ed. But I’m miffed. My frustration comes from the fact that climate science is clear on the coming catastrophe and for more than forty

Many of us are reduced to half measures or, at best, slow walking when we f the emissions have realize the true magnitude of the clito stop, then we must mate crisis. We talk about alternatives, stop the emissions. To me that but there is no substitute more effective than keeping fossil fuels in the ground. Yet, is black or white. There are no we may still find some wisdom in small, gray areas when it comes to slow-stepped approaches. For example, survival. Either we go on as a a recent article in the New York Times civilization or we don’t. We have extolled the virtues of merely turning off to change.” our refrigerators for one hour a day to save power grids. Such a measure could -Greta Thunberg put money back into our pockets while helping us get through the worst climate challenges. war-like effort from both the public and There is no way to candy-coat the private sectors.

“I

problem before us. Global carbon emissions have risen by well over 40% and continue to rise. Average temperatures are on track to rise by four times that amount by the end of the century. The last time there was this much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, humans didn’t exist.

Now is the time to reframe everything we do to bring it in line with what needs to be done. Part of the package is regenerative infrastructure to help clean our air, filter water, protect coasts, provide food, and stabilize climate. Such a reset would include thickening forests along The planet will not be lost, but life on waterways, leaving leaf litter and decay for native pollinators, and mingling solar panthe planet could be. els and wind turbines with meadows. We Greta Thunberg puts it succinctly: need a climate responsive landscape.

“If the emissions have to stop, then we must stop the emissions. To me that Jason Wentworth is a volunteer with is black or white. There are no gray areas the Portland ME Chapter of Citizens’ when it comes to survival. Either we go on as a civilization or we don’t. We have Climate Lobby. to change.”

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Moreover, the public needs to be able to consider the trade-offs and transitions ahead. Communities must be engaged in codesigning a climate-conscious world. It’s time to integrate distributed energy systems and public transportation, like those in the One Climate Future plan, into our A vibrant, fair, and regenerative future cities. Community engagement, a key to is still possible if enough of us change our the process, would be accomplished with minds and do something. It would not reparticipatory, educative, and fun measures. quire thousands of people doing climate activism perfectly, but millions doing the It takes just 3-5% of a population getbest they can. According to the Inter- ting active – voting, donating, taking to the governmental Panel on Climate Change streets, talking to their neighbors – for a (IPCC), we need “rapid, far-reaching and campaign to win. unprecedented changes in all aspects of society.” We need a whole new way of Together we can. Together we must. thinking. The success of the Green New Deal and, by extension, President Biden’s infrastructure package, requires us to reroute political and economic power away from the 1% and to the 99%. To become an economy that serves people and the planet, everyone must be empowered with a centralized common strategy and the relentless pursuit of shared goals – an all-out

Special thanks to Naomi Klein, Rhiana GunnWright, and Kate Orff for their articles in “All We Can Save,” which guided us this month. Bright Ideas is brought to you by Portland Climate Action Team which meets the fourth Thursday of the month, 6-7:30 p.m. All are welcome to join. FMI: portlandclimateaction@gmail.com.

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THE DUMPSTER

SINCE 2001 WHERE WE SQUEEZE IN ALL THAT'S LEFT TO PRINT…

After 18 years of leadership Kathy Ramsell retires from Friends of Casco Bay and Will Everitt steps up as interim director… Portland City Clerk Katherine Jones awarded Clerk of the Year by the Maine Town and City Clerk’s Association… Good Shepherd Food Bank named one of the Best Places to Work in Maine for the eighth year in a row… NYU study shows misinformation on Facebook got six times more clicks than factual news during the 2020 election… Rep. Chellie Pingree sneaks in recognition for Maine wild blueberries into the house resolution on National Blueberry Month… Portland Food Coop has new bright blue baskets… Wallethub calls Maine the 20th Happiest State in America largely due to overall safety and number of positive Covid-19 tests per capita… And the ice cream truck was a hit with kids young and old at New friends and old the Annual WENA gathered for the 2021 WENA Picnc in HarPicnic in Harbor bor View Park. View Park… -Photos by Pam Shelton

THE WEST END NEWS | OCTOBER 2021

POETRY CORNER SUBMITTED BY OUR READERS

Fauci’s Gull Sitting on a harbor rock while on a pandemic walk eating bagel, salami, and cheese, I refrain from picking up the plastic bag in the trail in this era of hand sanitizers. What, me worry? A gull lands and persistently picks away, freeing not one but two and a half slices of bread, systematically tossing them over its head, then hopping over to its picnic spread, pretending not to eye or judge me, maskless. Misgauging its last shot put, the launched lunch lands within the social distance arc and we both stay still, pondering. Signaling my healthiness, I resume eating slowly and the gull hazards a foray for the dessert slice, grabs and goes before flying into the water for an after-dining drink, making sure to wash its wings.

Peace Lily How wonderful Spathifillum Is blooming for Christmas It spent the summer on the deck Now it sits peacefully before a North window A gift from a close friend After my husband died I'm happy to see it healthy and happy After two years under my care It gets a quarter turn every morning When I raise the blind To greet a new day Would that someone Gave me a quarter turn every morning To face the future With the calm and peace Of my Spathifillum

-Michael A. Bell, Portland

An Amateur Poet Sometimes my meter is a little off I choke on the words and then I cough I swallow the words that I can’t print Then write my poems for the fun of it I may not go down in history I’m an amateur poet that’s plain to see I’ll end this poem on a friendly note Cause inspiration has got my goat! -Elaine Carver, Portland

We Publish Poetry Please keep sending your poetry submissions. The WEN Poetry Corner publishes reader submissions when space permits. Please send to thewestendnews@gmail.com or write to:The West End News, 795 Congress St., Portland, ME 04102.

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THE WEST END NEWS

OCTOBER EDITION 2021

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The West End News - Portland Election Edition October 2021 - Vol. 21 No. 10