The West End NEWS Vol 14 No 4

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Volume 14 Number 4 Portland, Maine October 3 - October 16, 2014

City Hopes to Put Affordable Housing on Lot Next to Fresh Approach Market The City of Portland is seeking proposals from qualified developers for the purchase of the property at 157 Brackett Street for the development of affordable housing. The 8,640 square foot lot is located next to the Fresh Approach Market, across the street from the Reiche School.

According to the City’s Request for Proposals, the development should not be an island unto itself, but rather blend into and enhance the surrounding community. The City also wants the design to be reflective of the surrounding traditional neighborhood, and create infill development that reflects and respects the existing pattern, streetscape, density, scale, massing, exterior materials and design elements of the neighborhood.

The site and buildings will be required to meet the City’s Green Building Code.

Heights will be less than or equal to the average of structures in a two-block radius. Universal Design principles will also be incorporated wherever feasible, to ensure that the design is physically accessible to the greatest range of users.

Development is expected to provide affordable rental or home ownership units.

Mixed income projects serving households that are very low, low to moderate, and middle income are eligible, as well as projects with mixed unit types including efficiencies, one, two and three or four bedroom units. The minimum term of affordability is 90 years, to be secured by a land use restriction covenant in the deed.

NO MORE HALLOWEEN PARADE?

The West End Halloween Parade has been cancelled. Above photo from a Halloween Parade past can be found at ShoestringTheater.org.

In a letter to neighbors the Shoestring Theater announced that it can no longer present the Annual West End Halloween Parade. “After over 30 years directing the event the theater feels it can no long fulfill the safety conditions the city requires,” said Nance Parker of the Shoestring Theater.

For last year’s parade the city required organizers to hire two police officers at $300 each to lead and trail the parade.

They also required 15 volunteers to stand with bright vests at intersections along the parade route. “It’s dark, there are costumes, kids are involved, and we don’t want any accidents,” said City Communications Director Jessica Grondin.

The parade has grown to include participants from all over the city and surrounding areas, growing to a size that

Portland Police Dog and Trainer Win Patrol Dog Competition Portland Police Officer Christian Stickney and his partner K-9 Blaze took first place in a police patrol dog course competition held on September 26th in New York State. The event was sponsored by the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department and K9Robbyfarm. The course tested all the skills required of a police K-9.

The local pair competed against 22 teams from all over the Northeast.

This crime fighting duo have been training and working together for the past six months, with K-9 Blaze completing all requirements and certifications to work the streets beginning on August 1, 2014.

After taking first place in the patrol dog competition, the team completed an exam for narcotics detection certified through the Eastern Police Canine Association.

They completed the course with a perfect score. The team was rated as excellent and K9 Blaze was also awarded the title of Police Narcotic Dog. Officer Stickney has trained and worked with three K-9s and is certified to train other K-9 teams.

Shoestring could no longer safely manage. The Shoestring Theater is a puppet theater based on Brackett Street. Over the years, they directed the Halloween parade as a volunteer celebration with help from many other neighborhood partners including: Learning Works, Youth in Action, The Fresh Approach, Neighborhood Policing, and Americore.

Shoestring Theater asked other neighborhood groups to assist or take over the event, but there were no takers. Grondin says she has heard from West End residents that might be willing to take the parade organizing over, if they can raise the $600 needed to hire officers and find enough volunteers.

You can read the letter from Nancy Parker in the Our Readers section located on Page 2.

Grant Street to be Closed to Traffic and Parking for Overnight Re-Paving The City’s Department of Public Works is scheduled to pave Grant Street in the Parkside neighborhood from Deering Avenue to High Street on Wednesday, October 8th. Grant Street will be posted for no parking from 6 AM to 8 PM. If an area is completed and parking is allowed sooner, signs will be removed. The paving work is weather dependent and will be rescheduled if it rains.

City Officials to Address Pedestrian Issues at WENA Meeting A number of City officials will be at the West End Neighborhood Association meeting on Wednesday, October 8th at 6:30 PM to discuss a number of traffic and pedestrian safety issues impacting the neighborhood.

Among those attending the meeting will be the City’s Pedestrian and City Bicycle Safety Coordinators, officials from the School Department, School Committee Member Holly Seeliger, and City Councilor David Marshall. They will be there to discuss plans for pedestrian safety improvements near Reiche Community School. A proposed affordable housing project on the lot next to Fresh Approach will also be discussed at the meeting.

Feedback from the meeting will be used to finalize plans for funding applications.

Community Development Block Grant Funds and Capital Improvement Program funds will be applied for to fund the pedestrian safety project.

SCHOOLS TO SERVE MORE LOCAL FOOD This September Portland Public Schools Food Services Department began Farm Fresh Fridays to increase the amount of local food served in Portland public schools.

On Farm Fresh Fridays the school lunch menu features a local entrée and local fruits and vegetables.

Farm Fresh Fridays are part of a push to increase the amount of local food served in Portland schools from over 128,000 pounds last school year, to 225,000 pounds this school year. The school district hopes that more local food will support student health and learning. “Local food is fresher food and fresher food is healthier food,” said Food Services Director Ron Adams.

West End School Board member Holly Seeliger pointed out the program’s economic advantages. “Local food is affordable because it saves on transportation and supports the economy of our state,” said Seeliger, who would like to see the program expand to include more days of the week than just Friday. The district does serve local milk every day.

According to Adams food costs have remained stable even with local purchases.

Farm Fresh Fridays will continue every Friday throughout the school year.

ALWAYS MORE NEWS @

Portland Police Officer Christian Stickney and his partner K-9 Blaze.

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Vol. 14 No. 4 Oct 3-16, 2014

Former Congress Street Ice Cream NAMED ONE OF AMERICA’S GREAT Factory Gets Facelift STREETS A former ice cream factory is one of

MY STORY

OUR READERS CONGRESS ST Letter on Halloween Parade Cancellation Dear Neighbors, It is with both sadness and relief that I write to announce that the Shoestring Theater will no longer present the Annual West End Halloween Parade. After over 30 years directing the event the theater feels it can no longer fullfil the safety conditions the city requires.

We have always done this annual event as a volunteer neighborhood celebration.

And as it has now grown to include participants from all over the city and surrounding areas we cannot provide the security and structure needed for such a large event.

While we have hoped and asked other neighborhood groups to assist or take over the event this has not happened. So we regret to say: No more halloween parade.

We would like to acknowledge all those who have helped over the years especially Learning Works , Youth In Action. The Fresh Approach, Neighborhood Policing, Americore and all our faithful puppeteers from the West End.

Nance Parker West End Resident

Cruise Ships Continue to Buy Maine Lobster Cruise ships are continuing to buy thousands of pounds of live Maine lobster when they visit Maine, according to Congresswoman Chellie Pingree. Celebrity Cruises ordered 1,600 pound lobsters for delivery to the 2,000-passenger Celebrity Summit on October 3rd. That is in addition to 640 lobsters that were purchased in September, and another 1,600 more that will be delivered when that ship returns to Portland later this month.

In 2012, when Pingree learned that cruise ships visiting Maine were not purchasing Maine lobster while in port, she wrote to the CEO’s of several major cruise ship companies urging them to buy local.

Both Celebrity and Norwegian responded and began purchasing locally.

“It’s really just common sense for these cruise ships to stock up on Maine lobster when they are in port, but it wasn’t happening until we brought it to the attention of the people who run these companies,” Pingree said.

The West End NEWS A Publication of Zeli Enterprises, LLC

795 Congress Street Portland, Maine 04102 TheWestEndNEWS@gmail.com 207-518-8271 Anthony Zeli, Publisher and Editor Ed King, Online Editor Chris Shorr, Staff Writer Adam Marletta, Political Commentator Leo Knighton Tallarico, Astrologer

Congress Street has been named by the American Planning Association as one of the Ten Great Streets for 2014. Each October, during National Community Planning Month, APA’s Great Places in America program names 30 exemplary streets, neighborhoods and public spaces that add value to communities and foster economic growth and jobs.

Mayor Michael Brennan called Congress Street “the heart and soul of Portland’s downtown.”

Congress Street serves as the city’s primary east-west commercial and transportation axis. Dating back to the Revolutionary War, Congress Street features a mix of historical architectural styles, from 18th century Colonial, 19th century Federal to 20th century International and 21st century Post Modern, with examples of nearly every significant style of residential, commercial and civic architecture in between. Home to numerous art galleries, theaters, museums and schools, Congress Street benefited from federal urban renewal money in the 1970s that led to the rehabilitation of many of the street’s buildings over the next few decades–including The State Theater, Portland Museum of Art and The Children’s Museum of Maine.

More recently, Community Development Block Grant funds totaling $90,000 were allotted to façade improvements for three buildings along Congress Street, which property owners matched.

APA’s Great Streets, Great Neighborhoods and Great Public Spaces feature unique and authentic characteristics that have evolved from years of thoughtful and deliberate planning by residents, community leaders and planners. Since Great Places in America was launched in 2007, APA has designated 230 neighborhoods, streets and public spaces.

WE’RE HIRING

SALESPERSON NEEDED The West End NEWS seeks a part-time salesperson. Commission-only salary, flexible schedule. Work from home or from our offices in the West End. We seek to create a fun and exciting work environment.

PREVIOUS SALES EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. Send cover letter and resume to thewestendnews@gmail.com.

three buildings and six storefronts on Congress Street that have been, or are in the process of getting a facelift, thanks in part to the City of Portland’s Façade Improvement Program. The government funding which helps to leverage private investment comes from the City’s Community Development Block Grant, through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. When the second round of the program has been completed, the public investment will total about $185,000.

The grants provide an incentive for building and business owners to invest in rehabilitating their storefronts, and replacing deteriorated signs and awnings.

A new striped awning and a new sign will soon complete the storefront project at 486 Congress Street, a three-story brick building near Monument Square which was built in 1877 and now houses Salon Paragon, but was once the home of a candy store and an ice cream factory. New doors, panels and moldings were installed, replacing some that were deteriorated and others that were incompatible with this historic building. There is also a fresh coat of paint and a new tile threshold. Once the project is finished, the grant provided for this renovation will be about $11,000, matched in private investment dollars by the building’s owner, Donna Barthe.

The Strand Building at 565 Congress Street has four newly-renovated storefronts. The extensive work on the building involved new storefront systems, new siding to match the previously rehabbed Salt Institute section of the building, a new entrance canopy, new signs and a cleaned granite band just above the storefronts.

The Façade Program provided a maximum $20,000 incentive grant for this project. It leveraged a substantial investment from the property owner which far exceeded the public funding portion.

At the Mechanics Hall at 519 Congress Street, restoration and repair has just begun to the storefront level and main entrance area with upgrades to masonry, wood, tile and metal. A $20,000 grant is helping to make this project possible.

A column devoted to immigrant lives in Portland. These are English-language learners from Portland Adult Education sharing their story in their words. We welcome them to Portland.

Abdi Omar, Somalia -Couresty Photo My name is Abdi Omar. I am from Somalia. Right now in United States I am a citizen. I live in Portland. I have four children (three sons and one daughter) and no wife. I have a big family. I have five brothers and two sisters. My brothers have nine children, and my sister has three sons and two daughters. My father and mother have died. All of my brothers live in Kenya.

I come to America 2007, first to New York. American people say, “Welcome to United States!” In my country, the weather is good, not cold. I like American food, very nice. My favorite food is rice and chicken. I drink milk, water and soda. My favorite color is black. My friend’s name is Hassan Mahamed.

I want to drive a car and also need a new house. I have my job.

I like English class. For me, in childhood was different because I first started school in Portland.

English is very hard.

Vol. 14 No. 3 Oct 2 - 16, 2014

thewestendNEWS.com

THE DUMPSTER WHERE WE THROW ALL THE STUFF WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH

Meeting October 8, at 6:30 p.m. at Reiche Community Room Agenda includes 157 Brackett St., Fall Clean-up, Neighborhood Watch & more - All Welcome!

Check out the Book Nook upstairs at Reiche Open 8-10 a.m. Monday-Thursday (closed 10/13) Books for everyone - adults and kids - no library card needed!

The West End NEWS encountered employees of VIA Agency participating in Park(ing) Day outside of their offices in the former Baxter Library on Congress Street. Park(ing) Day, held on September 19th, is an annual, worldwide event where artists and designers transform metered parking spots into temporary public parks.

-West End NEWS Photo Will King selling his ‘64 Caddy...Maryann DeSanto joining the WEN staff at Brian Boru...Eric Obery of West Side Graphics reuniting with old colleague from the original Biz (now MaineBiz)... Susan Doran meeting a lot of celebrities in San Francisco...

Lots of hula hoopers outside Gritty’s for First Friday...Doug Johnson of Grandview Window Cleaning picking up dinner at Fresh Approach...Jack Reckitt of Maine Sign thinks Knightville needs its own cartoon map...David Kauffman giving his parents a tour of the Old Port...Lyse Bigirmana now a superstar at Portland Adult Ed...Bob Witkowski still waiting for Derek Jeter to make an appearance at Rivalries...WEN pictures starting to flow in from around the world... Chris White and Barb Truex stocking up for the winter at the Farmer’s Market in Monument Square….UhaulCarShare cracking down on untidy members…WMPG Fall Begathon falls short of $50,000 goal…

Peter Monro from May Street in the West End on the ramparts of St. Jean Pied-de-Port, France, at the foot of the pier. Monro was at the start of a two-month walk on the Camino Santiago de Compostela across northern Spain.

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COMMUNITY EVENTS Wednesday, October 8th

Tuesday, October 14th

60’s Activist John Sinclair at CTN

PORTLAND FOOD CO-OP TO HOLD JOB FAIR

The Meg Perry Center presents 60’s writer, activist and icon John Sinclair. The event will be held on Wednesday, October 8th, at 7 p.m., at the Community Television Network, 516 Congress Street. John will provide commentary and engage questions and discussion following the viewing of a documentary of John’s life. He will also share some of his poetry.

John Sinclair went from small-town rock-n-roll fanatic and teenage disc jockey in Michigan, to cultural revolutionary, pioneer of marijuana activism, radical leader and political prisoner by the end of the 1960s.

In 1966-67 the jazz poet, downbeat correspondent, founder of the Detroit Artists Workshop and underground journalist joined the front ranks of the hippie revolution, managing the ‘avant-rock’ MC5 and organizing countless free concerts in the parks, rallies and radical benefits with the anti-rascist, white political group the White Panthers.

Sinclair’s antagonistic rhetoric coupled with the incendiary performances of the MC5 inflamed ever-growing crowds of rebellious youth throughout Michigan

John Sinclair will present at CTN. and the Midwest. In 1970 the FBI referred to the White Panthers as “potentially the largest and most dangerous of revolutionary organizations in the United States.” By this time Sinclair had been arrested and imprisoned on a 9½ to ten year sentence for giving away two joints to an undercover policewoman.

Sinclair was released from Jackson Prison when the twenty nine month campaign to gain his freedom climaxed in the mammoth “John Sinclair Freedom Rally” at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan on December 10, 1971, where John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Stevie Wonder, Allen Ginsberg, Phil Ochs, Bobby Seale and others performed and spoke at the eight-hour long event in front of 15,000 people. Lennon wrote and performed his song, “John Sinclair,” later released on his Some Time in New York City album.

Three days after the concert, the Michigan Supreme Court released Sinclair, and later overturned his conviction.

The Portland Food Co-op has announced a job fair on Tuesday, October 14th, from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., at 56 Hampshire Street in the East End. We will be hiring 13 new staff, including cashiers, stockers, deli help, and department-specific staff for our grocery, produce, and wellness departments. There are both full- and part-time positions. To read more about the positions, see the Employment Opportunities section at: www.portlandfood.coop.

Those interested in attending should bring a resume and three professional references.

Construction continues at the soon to open new location of the Portland Food Co-Op at 290 Congress Street.

-West End NEWS Photo

Wednesday, October 22nd

Indie Biz Awards Event, Voting Has Begun Portland Buy Local has launched voting for its 7th annual Indie Biz Awards. Voting will continue until Friday, October 10th, at 5 p.m. Voters can go to portlandbuylocal. org to pick their favorites.

Fifty local businesses were nominated by the community in ten different categories. Categories include: Flavor of Portland; Artistic Leader; Environmental Hero; Portland’s Best Kept Secret; Community Hero; Out of Sight, Not Out of Mind; Global Hero; Best New Business; and Portland Icon. Nominees do not have to be members of Buy Local, but they must be located in Portland, locally-owned and independent.

In addition, Buy Local has introduced a new award this year: the Buy Local Beacon. This award honors an individual who exemplifies the buy local spirit. Nominations for the Buy Local Beacon award were picked by members of the public, but the winner will be chosen by a panel of judges.

The award event will be held on Wednesday, October 22nd, from 5 - 9 p.m., at Space Gallery on Congress Street. The event is free for Buy Local members, and it is open to the public with a suggested donation of $5 for non-members.