APRIL 2021.VOL. 21, NO. 04. PORTLAND, MAINE.
PORTLAND’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER. FREE!
Metro Proposes to Replace Route 8 New Circulator Goes Around West End By Tony Zeli
The Greater Portland Metro is updating its bus routes and proposing a new bi-directional circulator route for the Portland peninsula. The goal is faster service and greater frequency, but the new route eliminates stops in the West End neighborhood. As such, Metro and the West End Neighborhood Association (WENA) are coordinating to hold a West End listening session. The proposed new Portland peninsula circulator would replace the current Routes 1 and 8. It travels a loop around the peninsula instead of through it. Additionally, Metro staff have recommended more minor route changes for the 2, 4, 5, 7, and the Husky Line. This includes routing the #5 bus (covering the mall and jetport) to also cover Munjoy Hill, offsetting the loss of Route 1.
West End residents will be the most impacted by the route changes in that they will lose the most stops. Aging and disabled residents of the neighborhood’s assisted living facilities will lose door to door service from their homes to where they buy their groceries, receive medical care, and enjoy the city’s cultural and civic life.
ROUTE 8
come and senior housing, including large residences at 75 and 100 State Street. The problem with Route 8, if there is one, is that it runs in one direction, according to Kim Sutton, WENA President. When Metro asked West End residents what they wanted to improve about the #8, the answer was to increase frequency and make the route bi-directional. “For example, from 77 Pine to Hannaford takes 45 minutes, but from Hannaford back to Pine is fast - about 15 minutes,” noted Sutton in an email to The West End News.
Metro Route 8 draws a circuitous route from downtown and the Metro Pulse through the heart of the West End. It travels to the waterfront and Casco Bay Lines, and then to the East End. Route PROPOSED CIRCULATOR 8 makes a direct stop at the Back Cove Metro describes the proposed route Hannaford. It also travels along Congress as an “urban circulator.” It would loop Street passing Reny’s, the public library, in both directions around the Portland CVS, and Portland City Hall. In addition, peninsula, instead of through it, to proRoute 8 makes its way directly to low-in-
Maps of current Route 8 and proposed Portland Circulator on Back Page. Above: This bus stop at the corner of Carleton and West Streets could be eliminated along with the rest -Photo by Tony Zeli of Route 8. vide faster service with more frequency. The goal is to provide a bus every fifteen minutes and to connect everything from the Ocean Gateway to the transportation center.
Cont'd on Pg. 4
WEST END PEOPLE
The Rise and Fall of the Pine Street Theatre
By Harlan Baker
Theatre was in the Peoples Building on In the spring of 1988 the building on Bracket Street. the corner of Pine and Brackett Streets, Into the midst of all this creative acwhich is now Bonobo Pizza, almost betivity stepped Mark Manette, a native of came a theatre. Windham, Maine. The 1980s saw a growth in small professional or semi-professional theatre companies in Portland. In 1983 the Portland Stage Company moved out of the A Prolific Actor Enters Temple Street parking garage and into the Odd Fellows Hall on Forest Avenue. It was the Theatre Scene converted to a 290-seat theatre with reManette was fresh from the theatre hearsal and studio space. program at Bridgeport College. In 1986 he
Mark Manette:
In 1986 The Mad Horse Theatre Company was founded by local actors performing in the Theatre of Fantasy on Danforth Street. The Shoestring Puppet
In addition to producing and directing he was an actor. He appeared with the Children’s’ Theater of Maine, the Oceanside Player’s summer productions of “Romeo and Juliet,” and Eugene Lonesco’s Shakespearean spoof “Macbett” staged outdoors at Fort Williams park.
Manette’s acting was so prolific that he was appearing in two productions at the same time. In the afternoon he was Tybalt in “Romeo and Juliet.” His character was killed off in Act 3 Scene 1. A body double under a shroud replaced him for moved to Portland and founded a video the final scene. Meanwhile he drove to production company called Port Star Pro- Raymond, changing costume in the car, to ductions. But Manette wanted to produce appear in a Hank Beebe musical, arriving live theater. just in time for the curtain.
He staged his play “Yalata” as the initial theatrical offering for Port Star Productions in the Theatre of Fantasy on Danforth Street. But he wanted his own space.
Genesis of the Pine Street Theatre “I was getting a business loan together for Port Star,” said Manette. “At that point I was looking for studio space that was larger.” In the fall of 1987, he leased space in the former Dudley Weed drug store on the corner of Pine and Brackett Streets and turned it into a rehearsal studio.
Cont'd on Pg. 13
Page 14
Healthy beverages according to Oren Gersten, MD
Pages 16-17
Layne’s Wine Gig dives into two celebrity wines
Page 18
Page 3
Free soil tests for gardeners in high lead risk neighborhoods
Page 6
Zoom conversations on ME’s Climate Action Plan all April
Page 8
Kasandra Thach on ending youth incarceration
Nancy Dorrans takes us to the Azores
2
THE WEST END NEWS | APRIL 2021
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BUS ROUTES FRONT & CENTER A lot of the April edition is dedicated to the Metro’s proposal to eliminate Route 8 and create a peninsula circulator route. From the feature on the Front Page to maps on the back page and more in-between,WEN takes a deep dive into what it will mean for riders in the neighborhood. Look for letters and commentary about the proposed route changes on Page 5. Final decisions have not been made and it is important that readers know there will be another opportunity to offer feedback, but the deadline is approaching. Metro should hear from riders if there are needs that are left unmet. Consider taking the West End Neighborhood Association’s bus survey at http://wenamaine. org/bus-survey. The updating of bus routes is also an excellent opportunity for the community to discuss its public transportation goals. From time to time, we need to ask ourselves, both as a city and region, what do we want from our transit system? Who do we want it to serve and how should we fund it?
INSIDE THIS EDITION Broader Picture.....................................13-14 Climate Justice.............................................12 Commentary...................................................5 Crossword....................................................15 Dumpster......................................................19 Events...............................................................6 Food & Drink.........................................16-17 Health & Wellness.........................................7 La Vida Local...................................................5 Layne's Wine Gig...................................16-17 Letters to the Editor.....................................5 Map Page.................................................10-11 Neighborhood News................................3-4 PelotonPosts...................................................8 Poetry............................................................19 Portland Buy Local........................................9 Puzzles...........................................................15 Travel..............................................................18 What's Going On..........................................6
THE WEST END NEWS Published by Zeli Enterprises, LLC 795 Congress Street Portland, Maine 04102 www.thewestendnews.com thewestendnews@gmail.com Tony Zeli, Publisher & Editor Rick Ness, Sales VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTORS
Harlan Baker, West End People Nancy Dorrans, Travel & Adventure Look for continuing coverage in the Dr. Oren Gersten, Health Commentary Rosanne Graef, La Vida Local months ahead. The new routes will take Pamela Shaw, Harbor View Park Updates effect in late 2022. Layne Witherell, Layne's Wine Gig Thank you for reading, Tony Zeli, Publisher & Editor thewestendnews@gmail.com
Thank you for contributions from Dr. Christopher Kleeman, Northern Light Jane Ceraso, Citizens' Climate Lobby Ben Taylor, Best Worst Trivia Liz Trice, PelotonLabs & Portland Climate Action Team Printed in Maine by Lincoln County Publishing Co.
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SUBMISSIONS WEN is a community newspaper and we need your voice! Share your submissions with thewestendnews@gmail.com or send to: The West End News Attn: Editor 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. Deadline for publication is the fourth Friday of every month. Our column space is very limited, publication is not guaranteed, and submissions may be edited for length and content. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in our pages belong solely to the authors and not necessarily to the publication. Thank you for reading!
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Lead in Portland’s Soils
3 Compassionate & Innovative Memory Care THE WEST END NEWS | APRIL 2021
Free soil tests for gardeners in Bayside, East Bayside, Parkside, and West End By Tony Zeli Soil testing on Portland’s peninsula has shown levels of lead as high as 25,000 ppm. While a small amount of lead occurs naturally, up to 50ppm, anything above 100ppm is unsafe and requires gardeners to take steps to mitigate the risk. This year, Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District is providing free soil tests to gardeners in the downtown neighborhoods of Bayside, East Bayside, Parkside, and the West End. The free testing in high-risk areas is paid for through a grant from the EPA. Last year, the conservation district program collected 80 soil samples and 14 plant tissue samples from Portland residents. Analysis of these samples found 36% of samples contained high levels of lead (greater than 400ppm), 31% indicated what are called minor, but still unsafe, levels (100-400ppm), and 32% indicated normal background levels.
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Soil test box. -Courtesy of Cumberland County Soil and Water District
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root plants and leafy vegetables. Examples include turnips, onions, beets, potatoes, yams, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, spinach, and kale.
Everyone should test their soil if they have not done so. And even those who have tested in the past are encouraged to get another soil test to detect any changes If a soil test indicates high lead levels, in the lead levels due to soil erosion from know that it can still be safe to garden. wind and water or from buildup of conFirst, get a soil contamination test to find taminated leaf litter. the specific levels at your site. Based on If you live in a targeted neighborhood these findings, the conservation district (Bayside, East Bayside, Parkside, and West will provide detailed recommendations to End), please sign up for the free soil test each gardener on safe gardening practices, at https://tinyurl.com/FREESoilTest. best crops to grow, and what to avoid. Consider testing your soil even if you For instance, gardeners can start live outside the targeted neighborhoods, by growing in raised beds or containers. especially if you live in a city or village Also, consider selecting plants that take center. Tests are available for a fee via the up less lead. These include cucumbers, toMaine Soil Testing Service (https://umaine. matoes, peppers, corn, pumpkin, squash, edu/soiltestinglab). eggplant, berries, and apples. Conversely some plants will more readily take up Tony Zeli is publisher and editor. Reach lead from the soil. These plants tend to be him at thewestendnews@gmail.com.
Harbor View Park Gets Ready for the Summer By Pamela Shaw Last year was a mostly fallow year for Harbor View. We lost much of the peach crop to a fungus on the leaves. We kept work groups to a minimum, just to keep up with maintenance on the plots. Nonetheless, 2020 brought particularly good news for the park in August, in the form of a Caring Community Grant from Maine Medical Center to the West End Neighborhood Association and Portland Parks to support several projects at Harbor View. The money will be spent in several areas. First, a good piece of it went straight to the Portland Parks Department, which this spring will replace one dilapidated bench and put in a new one near the West York Street entrance. We will also get another picnic table.
Early blooms of the Amelanchier, also known as shadbush. -Photo by Heather
McCargo,Wild Seed Project
welcome guest that don’t play nicely with other plants in the park. As more areas are clear of invasive species, we will be able to plant more native plants. This summer, working with the Wild Seed Project, we will put in baby trees, shadbush, and redbud, that we hope will grow into a “Tiny Forest” by the Northwest entrance to the Park. In the fall we will plant wood asters there as groundcover under the trees.
Another project already under way is addressing the invasive plants that have been making themselves at home in the park for the past decade and crowding out other plants. Last summer and this summer you will see work on hillsides, Pamela Shaw lives in the West End, taking out black swallowwort, bittersweet where she volunteers on various projvines, Japanese knotweed, and other un- ects with other neighbors.
Trees ◊ Shrubs ◊ Evergreens Annuals ◊ Succulents ◊ Air Plants Perennials ◊ Herbs ◊ Roses Pottery ◊ Vegetable Seedlings
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NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
THE WEST END NEWS | APRIL 2021
METRO
Cont'd from Pg. 1
“It’s a bit unclear to me why this is walk to the new stops.” going on,” said James Fereira, a Route 8 rider and former contributor to The West “In an ideal world, we would have End News. “It wasn’t broken in my mind in both the circulator and the #8, and not the first place.” have an either-or situation,” wrote Sutton. Semi-retired, Fereira uses Route 8 priSo, how did this all come about? marily for food shopping. Every few weeks Fereira will walk down to Hannaford at THE PROCESS Back Cove and get his staple goods. Once In fall 2019, Metro held public meetdone, arms full of groceries, he’ll grab the ings to gather feedback on current bus #8, which stops directly at Hannaford. Ten routes. Despite having reached record minutes or so later, the bus drops him off a numbers, with riders taking over 2.1 milhalf block from home on West Street. lion trips that year, Metro saw room for “Right now, the bus stops right at improvement. the store,” Fereira said. “The new route is To summarize the feedback, riders moved to the periphery where people will wanted buses to run more often, for lonhave to haul their bags.” And he noted, by ger hours, with more direct routes. Mettraveling around the peninsula along West ro’s response was to propose the PortCommercial Street, the circulator no lonland Circulator, eliminate Routes 1 and 8, ger goes where people live. and make tweaks to other routes. “I wonder if by moving it to the peAfter creating the proposed circulariphery they aren’t making it more appealtor, Metro went to the public. They held ing to visitors of the city rather than local two Zoom meetings on the proposed people who live here,” said Fereira. route changes, one in the morning and The circulator would also cut out one in the evening of Tuesday, December senior and disabled housing, including 75 8th, 2020. Given the impact on residents State Street, 100 State Street, and 77 Pine at 75 and 100 State Street, Metro held Street. These residents will now have an a Zoom listening session specifically for them on March 3rd, 2021. uphill climb to the bus stop. WENA President Kim Sutton noted that the circulator won’t solve the issue of faster service, especially for certain popular trips like going to the supermarket, because “although it is more frequent (every 15 minutes instead of every 30 minutes) riders would have an extra 15-minute
Senior and disabled residents are concerned about navigating to new bus stops, especially during winter. -WEN file photo to try to navigate in the streets for so many stretches of often un-shoveled sidewalks,” said Williams. “There was also considerable distress about the route no longer going down Congress Street, so losing access to the pharmacy and library there, and of course the bus no longer going into the Hannaford lot and stopping at their door.”
Greater Portland Metro General Manager Greg Jordan described a robust Gwynne Williams, a WENA board public outreach effort in an email remember, attended the meeting by phone sponse to the News. because the Zoom link did not work. “Metro has held numerous public and “People were quite upset and almost destakeholder meetings on this topic since spairing at the prospect of the loss of their December, most recently with residents stops, and the unmanageable distance they of 100 State Street and 77 Pine Street. would have to traverse including the need Overall attendance at all our public/group meetings totals nearly 300 and we’ve documented extensive comments. We’ve distributed information to 700 individuals and groups. We’ve received 125 responses to our survey effort. Metro’s outreach on this project has been extensive and, based on the feedback received, we have a good understanding of where the core concerns are,” Jordan wrote.
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OPPORTUNITY FOR FEEDBACK
Another concern, the proposed circulator would not go to the Metro Pulse. -WEN file photo
date(s) or venues set up for this yet,” Jordan wrote. In late April and May there will be another round of public review with a goal of presenting a final set of route proposals to GP Metro Board of Directors. The directors include public officials and stakeholder representatives from the towns covered by Metro. If approved and funded, these service changes would launch in late 2022.
WENA is working with Metro to arrange additional opportunity for West End residents to share their concerns. Tony Zeli is publisher and editor. Reach This will be the last chance for feedback him at thewestendnews@gmail.com. from riders and other stakeholders. The West End News is an independent “We will be coordinating with the community newspaper and is not affilWest End Neighborhood Association on iated with the West End Neighborhood this, though we do not yet have a firm Association.
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COMMENTARY
THE WEST END NEWS | APRIL 2021
5
La Vida Local Irregular Notes on West End Life
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
By Rosanne Graef
WENA Urges Neigh- If You Use Metro, bors to Weigh In on Bus Voice Your Concerns Route Proposal The 30 year ‘Transit Tomorrow’ plan
Save the 8!
The WENA Board is writing today to alert our West End neighbors and other members of the public who may be unaware of the proposed elimination of the Metro Bus Routes 8 & 1 to be replaced by a “Circulator” route. The current proposal will eliminate stops throughout the West End neighborhood, as well as substantial changes to the remainder of the route. You may see a map of this proposal at wenamaine.org/bus-route.
Bus riders who travel the peninsula are undoubtedly familiar with Metro’s Route 8, a.k.a. the Peninsula Loop. The 8 has many pros, but also a mighty big con. It’s only one-way. Anyone who’s ever taken the 8 from Harbor Terrace to Maine Medical Center via Monument Square, Casco Bay Lines and Hannaford knows well the frustration of having to make that grand tour to reach a destination that would take 5-7 minutes if the bus went in both directions. In part to address that issue Metro kicked off the Peninsula Loop Reboot (PLR) in Summer 2019. This began with public outreach, consisting of surveys, events, focus groups, stakeholder groups and Metro staff. I went to a well-attended public session held at the Portland Public Library that fall. I was impressed with the effort Metro staff was making and their recognition of the importance of Route 8 as a lifeline for many residents. The probability of a two-way loop seemed to be near the top of the list and attendees were definitely on board. On November 7th, 2019, the Metro PLR Task Force heard Metro staff’s report on their summer outreach. Rerouting ideas developed over the ensuing year. By the time the reboot was ready to be presented to the public in December 2020, any possibility of in-person meetings had fallen victim to Covid-19. Despite having to rely on virtual public meetings, Metro soldiered on with their plan to finalize recommended route changes by the end of the first quarter of this year. They scheduled two Zoom meetings on December 8th to present the rerouting. The plan includes combining Routes 1 and 8 into a two-way loop; however, it took the 8 out of the interior of the West End and removed it from Downtown Congress Street. Those changes would be devastating for many West Enders who depend on Metro for all their transportation needs. Metro followed those December meetings with an online survey to gather reactions and comments and held an additional Zoom listening session in early March for renters living in two large West End residential facilities. Metro should reexamine their timeline for this project. Given the economic, social, and political turmoil, as well as pandemic concerns that have dominated residents’ lives for the past year, many people
Above: Metro’s Route 8 as of March 2021. Below: A map of the proposed circulator route from GP Metro. Turn to the Back Page for larger color versions of both maps.
The #8 serves hundreds of people in the West End who have no alternative to the bus for a variety of reasons: disability, financial circumstances, age, environmental concerns, etc. Our neighborhood has elderly and disabled housing, apartment buildings large and small, group homes, sober houses, even single family homes with people who don’t/won’t/can’t drive and who depend on Metro getting them where they need to go. Loss of bus access for these folks is loss of access to necessities including groceries and medications.
were and remain unaware of the reboot proposal. Until very recently, there’s been next to nothing in the traditional media about the Peninsula Loop Reboot. Not being able to socialize in the usual ways, residents have been unable to discuss among The Metro was planning to finalthemselves or weigh in on these plans to ize these route changes within the next help Metro reach a better outcome. couple of weeks and launch the changes At the March 18th meeting of the in the second half of 2022. However, at a Metro Ridership Committee, Greg Jordan, meeting of Metro’s Ridership Committee Metro’s General Manager, said revisions on March 18th, members and staff agreed to the proposed rerouting will be made to revisit their proposals for several “hot and presented via Zoom at meetings to be spots” including 77 Pine, 100 State, and scheduled in April and May. Hannaford, and to hold more public sessions in April and May to present and disWe have a little breathing space for cuss changes. the public to get engaged and to act. Check the websites below, talk with anyDue to the pandemic, sessions will be one you can about this and please show online via Zoom. We recognize the diffiup for the Zoom meetings. culties this presents for many in being able to participate and we will post any meetings we are aware of to our website, FB Get the Dates! and NextDoor. https://gpmetro.org We urge all neighbors to weigh in by Scroll down to “Events & Meetings.” emailing info@gpmetro.org or taking our Find the meeting schedule, as well as ac- survey at wenamaine.org/bus-route. cess to Zoom links and agendas. Safe streets, cleared sidewalks, engaged neighborhoods, and convenient achttp://wenamaine.org cess to medical care and other necessities Become informed and involved via make urban life safer and healthier for the West End Neighborhood Association. everyone. Please stay informed and parRerouting the 8 will have a major impact ticipate as much as you are able. on our neighborhood. Let’s ensure that -Kim Sutton, WENA President impact is a positive one! Rosanne Graef lives in the West End and is a regular volunteer contributor. Email: lavidalocalwen@gmail. com.
for public transportation in greater Portland, described in the March 25 Press Herald, is commendable. I wish the planners who came up with the proposed Metro bus routes shared the same vision. By detouring the #8 bus route away from West End housing, Congress St., and Hannaford Forest Ave. they are definitely not making “public transportation easier to use, more convenient, accessible and reliable...” If you use Metro, I urge you to look up your route at: https://gpmetro.org/DocumentCenter/ View/700/REV---Proposed-Route-Changes-REV-11242020?bidId= and voice your concerns. -Barbara DeSerres, West End
SUBMIT YOUR OPINION Share your opinion with the editor. Email thewestendnews@gmail.com or mail to: The West End News Attn: Editor 795 Congress Street Portland, Maine 04102. Letters to the editor should be no more than 300 words. Include your name, neighborhood/town, and phone or email for confirmation. Op-eds should be no more than 700 words. Deadline for publication is the fourth Friday of every month. Our column space is very limited, publication is not guaranteed, and submissions may be edited for length and content.
Proposed Circulator Route
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WHAT'S GOING ON
THE WEST END NEWS | APRIL 2021
Maine Climate Planet Talks Drop in to one or all of these Zoom conversations! Beginning on April 5th, the Planeteers of Southern Maine (a grassroots environmental organization in Kennebunk) and the Kennebunk Free Library are collaborating on a series of weekly Zoom events framed around the State of Maine’s Climate Action Plan. The following are description of these events: Mon. April 5th, 6:00 - 7:15 PM
Tues. April 20th, 6:00 - 7:15 PM Energy and Carbon: Considerations about accelerating the expansion of clean energy resources and technologies as necessary developments in countering the Climate Crisis and as an opportunity for economic growth in Maine. Included in this evening’s event will also be information regarding carbon sequestration and curbing carbon emissions. Presenters will include: Dr. Ivan Fernandez, from Maine Climate Council and University of Maine School of Forest Resources and Climate Change Institute; Michele Putko, former professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UMass Lowell; Offer expires 4/30/21. Valid only for pickup at Portland location. and more.
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
Screening for Colon Cancer procedure for detecting polyps and cancers. Finding cancer at an early stage, before it spreads, can be lifesaving. The procedure is done after taking a bowel cleanse and usually performed under sedation. For more information about this important test, please contact Northern Light Mercy Gastroenterology at 207-
By Christopher Kleeman, MD Colon cancer remains the 3rd most common and 3rd most deadly cancer in the U.S., with over 140,000 people diagnosed each year and over 50,000 dying from the disease. In 2017, for example, there were over 600 colon cancer deaths in Maine. Fortunately, it is highly preventable with routine screening. This is because most colon cancers arise from a polyp, which is a growth on the lining of the colon. These polyps can be removed by undergoing a safe outpatient procedure called a colonoscopy.
Who should get screened? Currently, anyone over the age of 50 should be screened, even if they have no symptoms. A repeat colonoscopy may be recommended up until the age of 75 to 80. The vast majority (over 90%) of colon cancer occurs in people over 50. However, there has been a rising number of colon cancers in young people for unclear reasons, possibly related to diet. For this reason, the government is considering changing the starting age for screening to 45. Several medical organizations already recommend this.
535-1100. matory conditions that increase their risk. It is critical that you talk to your primary care doctor about your personal risk factors and get screened.
What type of screening tests are available? The best test is the one that gets done, so don’t delay. Colonoscopy is widely regarded as the most effective screening test because it allows the doctor to find and remove polyps before they become cancer.
Dr. Kleeman is a gastroenterologist If you are unable to do a colonoscopy, with Northern Light Mercy Gastrothere are several alternatives, including an enterology. annual stool test looking for microscopic blood (called a FIT test). Second tier tests include a CT scan of the colon (CT colo- Content Provided By nography) every 5 years, sigmoidoscopy every 5-10 years, or stool DNA testing Northern Light Mercy Hospital, a nonThere are also several groups who (known as Cologuard) every 3 years. profit community hospital sponsored by should be screened earlier, especially Afthe Sisters of Mercy, has been providing rican Americans (age 45), people with What do I need to know care to greater Portland since 1918. a family history of colon cancer (age 40 about colonoscopy? or 10 years before the relative was diagNorthern Light Mercy Hospital is a nosed), and people with genetic or inflamColonoscopy is a safe and accurate paid advertiser.
THE WEST END NEWS | APRIL 2021
7
Northern Light Mercy Hospital Updates Visitor Policy While visitation remains limited, visitors are allowed under the exceptions listed below if they are age 18 years or older, not exhibiting symptoms of an illness, and always wear a face covering while in a facility. Hospital inpatient areas: Pediatrics: Two parents/guardians allowed in all areas, provided space is sufficient to achieve compliance with social distancing. Obstetrics: One spouse/coach. All other inpatient areas, including critical care: One individual can visit per day between the hours of 3-6 p.m. Exceptions may be made at the time of unit admission or for care plan discussions. Patients on palliative care/comfort measures: Two visitors daily, once per day, at times to be managed by the care team. End of life in any inpatient area: Up to four family members at times to be managed by the care team. Patients in isolation for COVID-19 infection or being evaluated for COVID-19 infection: No visitors except for end of life. Emergency department: One person is permitted to accompany a patient, provided space is sufficient to achieve compliance with social distancing. Pediatric patients may be accompanied by two parents/guardians. All visitors are subject to screening for Covid-19 and anyone exhibiting symptoms will not be allowed to enter.
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THE WEST END NEWS | APRIL 2021
BUSINESS & COMMUNITY to carry myself. Waynflete was always really understanding with my situation and even allowed me to stay as late as 10 p.m. after school to study. Thanks to their commitment and trust, I was able to find my calling.
Kasandra Thach: Ending youth
incarceration and making sure that everyone knows that they have leadership skills and power within them Every Month PelotonLabs founder Liz Trice interviews a community member for The West End News. This month Liz caught up with Kasandra Thach, a core leader for Maine Youth Justice and the founder of the Butterfly Project, which works with the unhoused community.
Maine Youth Justice says their goal is to end youth incarceration, shut down the Long Creek Detention center, and reinvest the $18.6 million dollars currently being spent to lock up Maine’s youth. What’s broken about youth incarceration and how do we fix it? The most important thing to realize is that our country has normalized the idea of jails which furthers the notion that once someone has done something bad, they need to go to jail and pay for the consequences. Maine Youth Justice and I do not believe that jails are true justice.What we need is to reinvest into our community and bring resources to the people who need support. As of now, there are about 20 children in Long Creek, most of which are in for petty crimes. Our goal is to start guiding those youth back into communities and create a new perspective of a world without prisons. Oftentimes, people are really struggling and see no path for themselves; throwing kids in jail and looking away does not help deescalate anything. If anything, doing this is placing more harm and trauma onto the individual and leaving the community to deal with the aftermath.
all angles. He is clearly at risk of catching Covid, and probably has no access to shelter and/or healthcare. Portland shelters have struggled with providing through the pandemic, especially with social distancing. It’s important for people to know that the youth are the ones advocating for certain issues like these during this chaotic time. We understand the importance of supporting the community through education and activism, and demonizing does not fall into that. How did you get into this work? I recently graduated from Waynflete and am now a current student at Clark University. Thanks to Sue Stein, a beloved Waynflete teacher, I was able to find my passion for social justice. I emceed for the New England Youth Identity Summit all four years of my high school career and was able to make a lot of connections there, including Ali Ali from Maine Youth Justice (MYJ). A couple years later he asked me to join MYJ which eventually led me to a platform for my own mission: the Portland Butterfly Project. This is where I work with the youth and seek to aid the homeless during the pandemic. This all came about when one of my coworkers posted on her social media asking for donations to help people at the current encampment. I decided I would do the same thing. My uncle was the first to donate $100, and I took that opportunity to show others what I could do with that much money! Eventually, my posts went viral leading me to a large amount of donations from all around America! This is when my project ignited.
I am half Asian, and I work with the homeless community, so it was important that my take on the recent attack was heard. What happened last week was awful, and my heart goes out to those who were severely impacted by the attacks, but I will not sit here and blame the man who is filled with anger and confusion, because hurting and punishing will only insinuate more harm. No one will grow from this incident if we just look away after pun- How much money have you raised ishing. There are other underlying issues through the Butterfly Project, and that influenced that man to act the way he how do you distribute it? did. This does not justify his actions, but In almost one week, I made over it is important that we look at this from
$1,000 in donations! Every dollar I have raised has gone directly to the unhoused community. At the encampment, I followed the Portland Housing Coalition’s Instagram to see the lists of what was needed each day. My job was to use the donations to get what was on the list. Eventually, I reached out to Milestone to distribute my projects packages, because I knew they could do it better than I could alone. It was full-time for a while, but now I mostly help spread information through social media and flyers, and it’s just me, my mom, and one friend. Nonetheless, we still continue to make our small packages of essentials to hand out to people in the unhoused community. These include things like snacks, socks, undergarments, masks, drinks, hygiene projects, and butterfly shaped messages of hope. I’m curious about your personal story. Did you face challenges in your own life before starting this work to help others? Going to Waynflete was an extreme privilege for me, and I did not realize that when I was younger. Despite the obstacles I faced when I was a child, Sue Stein, Lisa Libby, and Hannah Chappel were incredible teachers whose support always helped me persevere. Nonetheless, the transition from my old school to Waynflete was extremely difficult, and many of the kids I grew up with did not understand that. They all assumed I had changed and that I had it all. When in reality, it was really hard for me - feeling like I didn’t belong in such a prestigious and put-together environment. In middle school, I was often very angry and that really was a trauma response to everything that was going on, but those teachers saw right through me. It took me a while to trust them, but over time, I found my way and eventually learned how
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I want to embody what these teachers did for me, for my community. I believe that if the kids I grew up with had the same community and care I got at Waynflete, their lives would be completely different. This kind of support should not be a privilege. No child asks for the life that they are given.They cannot control where they live, the trauma that is inflicted on them, or when their next meal will be. All of these issues are just some of the many that lead to mental health issues, pervasive homelessness, and incarceration. My goal is to make sure that every human knows that they can create a new story for themselves regardless of what life has given them. How can readers help make the changes they want to see in our world? The first thing you should do is ask yourself this one question: What privilege do I have and how can I use that to help others? If you care about an issue, start supporting organizations like Maine Youth Justice and the Butterfly Project. Donate through our Instagram page, @portlandbutterflyproject. Reach out to city councilors and legislators. I even provide email templates on my platform for my followers to use! Your voice is really important. My biggest advice is to always say what you think, no matter what others think. If you believe it, speak it! Curiosity and knowledge are power. https://www.instagram.com/kkthach https://www.instagram.com/portlandbutterflyproject/?hl=en https://www.maineyouthjustice.org 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.
Content Provided By PelotonPosts is created by PelotonLabs and WEN provides column space without charge. PelotonLabs has been a paid advertiser. WEN publisher and editor Tony Zeli is a PelotonLabs member.
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Bigger Isn’t Always Better
9
The success of the independent pharmacy By Tony Zeli It’s an American mantra: Bigger is better. Anti-trust law in America has privileged the idea of economies of scale, justifying anti-competitive mergers because bigger is better. The problem is, it’s not true. Take the example of Covid-19 vaccination distribution and the success of the independent pharmacy. In January, as the national chain Walgreens lagged in holding vaccination clinics at long-term care facilities in Maine, the state chose to shift more vaccine doses Washington Post: to independent pharmacies. Maine’s CDC ndependent pharmacies had nothing but kind words for the indeachieve superior results not pendent pharmacies that used personal despite being small, but because they connections and knowledge of their comare small. It’s their local ownership that munities to get the right number of doses makes the difference. Their decisions are administered efficiently. guided not by the prerogatives of Wall Street but by the healthcare needs of This isn’t only true in Maine. Indetheir neighbors. Lacking top-heavy bupendents are beating the big chains at reaucracy and rich with local knowledge delivering vaccines in West Virginia and and relationships, independent pharmaNorth Dakota, too. These two states are cies possess what you might call econoat the top of the list when it comes to mies of small scale. That helps explain efficiently vaccinating their residents. How why, in the places where they’ve been have these states managed to outperform tapped to provide vaccinations at nursthe rest of the country? Like Maine, they ing homes, they’ve been able to quickly turned to independent, locally owned map out a plan and efficiently execute it.” pharmacies.
“I
So, what’s going on here? As independent business advocate and Portland Buy Local founder Stacy Mitchell wrote in The
-Stacy Mitchell, “Small pharmacies beat big chains at delivering vaccines. Don’t look so shocked,” The Washington Post, 2/5/2021.
As Mitchell pointed out, the truth is that independent pharmacies have been doing better than the big chains all along. According to research by Consumer Reports, local pharmacies offer lower prices than the chains, with average prices at independents beating out Walgreens, Rite Aid and CVS. Also, Consumer Reports found that independent pharmacies have shorter wait times and more one-on-one And as local businesses struggled, they consultations. listed as their top concern not lost reveThis is the success of the independent nues but the health of the community. pharmacy: smaller is better. And it’s not It is time to put the old saying, bigger just the pharmacies. Since the pandemic began, we’ve seen local businesses quickly is better to rest.The small pharmacies and adapt to serve our needs. Small communi- other independents have shown during ty banks outperformed huge competitors the worst of times that smaller is better. to get PPP funds and small business loans into the community. Local farmers and Tony Zeli is publisher and editor. The food markets innovated to better reach West End News is a Portland Buy Local customers during stay-at-home orders. member and media partner.
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CLIMATE JUSTICE
We’re All in This Together Climate Solutions Beyond Your Backyard
President Biden’s Climate Plan By Jane Ceraso
Many environmentalists were pleased to see a strong plan to address climate change emerging in the first weeks of the Biden administration. Biden appointed John Kerry as International Climate Envoy and Gina McCarthy as National Climate Advisor. McCarthy and Kerry will lead a new National Climate Task Force to coordinate climate policy across the administration and to integrate climate concerns into domestic and international policy. Some of the first executive actions taken by the Biden Administration, such as re-joining the Paris Agreement, extracting our nation from oil and gas projects like the Keystone XL Pipeline in favor of more renewable sources of energy, and convening a World Climate Leaders Summit this April, portend a more collaborative, science-based approach to climate change. Biden’s “Plan for a Clean Energy Revolution and Environmental Justice” aims for a 100% clean energy economy by 2035. Biden has committed $2 trillion to combat climate change, with a call for 40-percent of spending to go to disadvantaged communities for an array of environmental projects. Biden’s plan proposes sweeping reforms in transportation, with plans to virtually eliminate air pollution from our transportation sources. This move will be aided by the automobile industry, which appears to have seen the writing on the
wall. General Motors has pledged to fully transition to electric vehicles over the next 14 years. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and White House Council of Economic Advisers Senior Economist Noah Kaufman believe that effective carbon pricing is critical to solving our climate crisis. Biden has said that his climate plan will include an “enforcement mechanism” requiring polluters to bear the full cost of their carbon pollution. Biden recently announced plans to boost the figure used to assess the damage that greenhouse gas pollution inflicts on society to $51 per ton of carbon dioxide - more than seven times higher than that used by the Trump administration. This number, known as the “social cost of carbon,” is likely to rise even further once the administration conducts a more thorough analysis, paving the way for stronger carbon emissions controls.
Ecosystems to Nourish Us This month, we look at One Climate Future’s fifth Big Move – our ecosystems. One Climate Future wants to protect and nourish ecosystem health, economic health, and community health in tandem. Natural resources are our biggest asset in facing climate change. Some of the elements considered: •
OPEN SPACE PLANNING
Make better use of what we have and sequester carbon, absorb stormwater, and cool air temperatures -- among other things, such as improve soil health, preserve and/or expand forests and wetlands, plant more trees, and facilitate species survival by connecting patches of habitat. •
It remains unclear what Biden’s “enforcement mechanism” will entail. While Yellen, Kaufman, Kerry, and McCarthy all say a carbon tax is on the table, any such plan is likely to face a tough battle in the Senate. Biden is likely planning to announce more details at his April Climate Leaders Summit.
COOLING CAPACITY
The cumulative effect of asphalt, concrete, and brick causes urban areas to be warmer than natural, living areas. “Cooling capacity” can be augmented by protecting and expanding green spaces as well as improving the design of living spaces. Tree canopy can be expanded. Parks can be better distributed and designed with places to splash and cool-off. Improved insuJane Ceraso, a CCL volunteer, is a re- lation, air source heat pumps, and shading tired environmental scientist and at- south-facing windows of interior spaces torney who has recently moved to can be incentivized. Portland. • FOOD SYSTEMS Although many of our residents work in the food industry, 90% of our food comes from out of state. To ensure reliable food supplies, local food production must be encouraged. Among other things, we need to expand the network of community gardens and provide more opportunities (markets) for farmers and fishers to sell their products. •
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
Property owners could work together to achieve climate resilience through projects that improve stormwater infiltration. Consider rain-scaping installations such as rain gardens, downspout planters, and de-paving projects. •
SOIL HEALTH
As critical support for ecosystems, good soils buffer and purify pollutants, and have enormous potential for sequestering carbon while supporting plant growth. OCF emphasizes this with its “100 Resilient Lawns” proposal to use healthy soil to transform homescapes.
BRIGHT IDEA(S): Follow the Sierra Club’s Path to CarbonPositive Landscaping 1. Use the free carbon calculator at climatepositivedesign.com/pathfinder to conduct an audit. 2. Opt for a permeable paving system that holds gravel in place (truegridpaver.com). 3. Rethink the high maintenance lawn by using stepables.com. 4. Plant trees. The bigger, the better. Check out design.itreetools.org. 5. Research native flora at plantnative. org. 6. Skip commercial fertilizers in favor of slow-release compost.
7. Make a sweeping change by ditching A method for managing stormwathe noisy, energy-eating leaf blower ter at its source using plants and smallfor a heavy-duty garden and garage scale systems to treat water such as rain broom. gardens, street trees, green roofs, gravel wetlands, and infiltration trenches. Green (Thanks to Sierra magazine March/April 2021) infrastructure helps to restore the natural hydrology by allowing water to soak into Access the full draft of the OCF plan at the ground. www.oneclimatefuture.org under “Reports.” Managing excess amounts of stormwater can be a major problem. With 32% of city land covered with impervious Bright Ideas is brought to you by Portland surfaces (buildings, parking lots, streets, Climate Action Team which, during the driveways, alleys, and sidewalks), run-off is pandemic, meets online the 4th Thursday of a challenge in big storms, contributing to the month, 6-7:30 PM. All are welcome to join localized flooding and water pollution. in. FMI: portlandclimateaction@gmail.com.
THE BROADER PICTURE
Pine Street Theatre
THE WEST END NEWS | APRIL 2021
13
Cont'd from Page 1
After shooting a short film in the Zoning Issues & Neighborhood space, he started thinking about turning Concerns the first floor into a small eighty seat theManette began planning a season for atre. There was also a basement, which the new theater, after being told by the gave him an idea. “I wanted to have a trap door for zoning enforcement inspector that the use in a theatre,” said Manette. “I was in space’s use as a theater conformed to the the space and there were a bunch of guys zoning. standing around.” He pointed to a spot on the floor and said, “I’d like to have a hole right here.” As if right on cue one of the guys took an ax to the floor.
But he received a letter from Warren Turner, the zoning enforcement inspector, stating otherwise. The letter also stated, “…due to the proximity of your business to the Reiche School, we must be certain that the proposed use is as you describe ‘Quality theatre’ and would not alter the character of the neighborhood.”
“It was splintered,” said Manette. “It looked like the floor exploded. After that the landlord came by, saw the floor that Manette wrote an appeal to the zonway, and freaked out. But we cleaned it ing board that included a floor plan of up.” the proposed theatre. The plan showed The first major event staged in the the entrance to the theater at the corner space was a Haunted House for Hallow- door on Brackett and Pine streets, a box The corner of Pine and Brackett Streets in the 1970s. -Photo by John Duncan een, complete with the trap door that was office, lighting booth, performance space, used for the entrance to “Hell.” A red light the trap door, and green room. He moved away from Portland in into a porn theater,” said Manette. was placed in the basement with actor The hearing on his appeal was held on 1993. At that time both the State Theatre Seth Berner as the Devil. March 24th, 1988. Today he is a professor and director and Fine Arts Cinema were X-rated movManette planned to name the space Manette collected letters of support. ie theatres. And two X-rated bookstores of theater at Newman University in WichThe Pine Street Theatre. He became the There were 160 signatures on a petition ita, Kansas, where he has directed Shakewere close by. executive director and Craig Foley, a re- supporting use of the space as a theater. The zoning board voted 6-0 to deny speare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream.” cent graduate of USM’s Theatre program But some neighbors were not conHe would love to come back to Port Star Productions a variance. became the artistic director. vinced it was a good idea. Maine. “I’m a New England guy,” he said. The floor plan drawn by Andre Krup“But this is where the job is.” “A bunch of the neighbors didn’t’ like Moving on... pa included a box office, lighting booth the idea of us putting a theater there,” said Manette and his artistic director seats, green room, and performance area Manette. Craig Foley were extremely disappoint- Thanks and a tip of my hat to the which included the trap door. Off street parking was a concern, but ed. They had to leave the space because zoning staff of the City of Portland The first theatre performance was Port Star Productions couldn’t afford the for providing me with a 33-year-old a staged reading of David Mamet’s play not the only concern. One woman who $1000 per month rent. To make matters document. about unscrupulous real estate agents, opposed the theater asked Manette point worse his video equipment was stolen “Glengarry Glen Ross.” The cast included blank, “What kind of plays will be perfrom the Pine Street location. formed there?” Manette answered her Tony Owen, Randy Armando, and David with one word, “Shakespeare.” After an Manette moved to a location near the LaGraffe. They performed on a Monday Harlan Baker is an adjunct lecturer night, the traditional dark night for the- awkward silence, the meeting continued. Maine Mall and continued to work on vid- at USM and an actor. “People were concerned that if we eos, after receiving insurance money for aters, so actors appearing in other plays didn’t make a go of it, it would be turned the stolen equipment. could attend.
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THE BROADER PICTURE
Kefir? Kombucha? Perhaps some water?
Top 5 Healthiest Beverages digestive health. There are millions of probiotics in each sip of kombucha so you may not need a lot.
By Dr. Oren Gersten We’re taking a break from Covid news this month (in this column at least) to talk about something a little lighter. I’ll be listing what I believe are the top 5 healthiest beverages. This is more opinion than science, though there will be some science interspersed.
5. Kefir Kefir is another type of probiotic drink. It is very similar to yogurt. For people sensitive to dairy, it may not be the best choice. It is a popular drink throughout parts of the middle east.
1. High Quality H20, i.e., water Everyone knows the bulk of our bod- Good news for coffee lovers. Its antiies are made up of water. All our cells are oxidant properties may lower the risk bathed in it and our nervous system sig- of prostate cancer. -WEN file photo nals could not happen without it. Water helps our kidneys flush toxins out of the coffee. Black coffee or just a hint of cream body. Despite its importance many peo- or sugar would be the way to go. ple are chronically dehydrated. Carrying a bottle filled with tap water or even spar- 3. Green Tea kling water can be a great way to avoid Tea leaves have natural compounds getting behind on your daily water needs. which are known to help boost energy and curb hunger. Green tea has been used 2. Coffee across different cultures for centuries. Just Good news for all the coffee lovers a touch of honey can make green tea a out there. Coffee may have some potential delicious treat. Avoid bottled or canned health benefits. A recent study in the Brit- teas as they tend to contain a lot of added ish Medical Journal found an association sugar. between increasing coffee consumption and lower risks of prostate cancer.1 We 4. Kombucha are still not exactly sure why this would Kombucha is a fermented tea drink be the case, but it is thought that the an- which contains probiotics. There are all tioxidant properties of coffee may play a different types of kombucha with a variety part.A word of caution -- cream, sugar, and of flavors. This drink does contain small flavoring in coffee can lead to obesity and amounts of alcohol, which is a byproduct diabetes which would easily outweigh any of the natural fermentation process. Proother potential health benefits of drinking biotic foods may help some people with
No matter which of these healthy drinks you choose, remember that the foundation of a healthy diet should be wholesome food. 1Xiaonan Chen, Yiqiao Zhao, Zijia Tao. Coffee consumption and risk of prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open, 2021 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038902
Oren Gersten, MD is a boardcertified family doctor who brings his passion for connecting and caring for people to his private practice, Portland Direct Primary Care in South Portland. Reach him at (207) 618-9792 or visit PortlandDirectCare.com.
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PUZZLE PAGE many words can you make from the Words In How letters in the phrase below? Words must have at least 4 letters. Plurals don’t count, nor do proper Words nouns, abbreviations, or foreign words not comBy Rosanne Graef
monly used in English.
“Long time the manxome foe he sought” -from Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll GOLD = 150 words | SILVER = 125 words | BRONZE = 100 words
BONUS= How many words with an “x” can you make? March’s bonus: Words with a double “f ” in “When fishes flew and forests walked.”Some examples: sniffle, waffle, whiff, raffle, toffee.
THE WEST END NEWS | APRIL 2021
15
Honeybee Trivia 1. Bees have been a common feature in French heraldy, including the flag Napoleon had made for what first island to which he was exiled?
2. The right of common people to forage wild honey was secured in England by what 13th century document signed at Runnymede? 3. The European honey bee was brought to America by what religious sect that has only two remaining members, both at the Sabbathday Lake community in New Gloucester, ME?
Mondays @ Lazzari Find out more on Facebook and Instagram: @bestworsttrivia
4. Bees do have jointed legs, but contrary to the cliche, none of those joints could be correctly described as what kind of body part? Find the answers online at thewestendnews.com/puzzle-solutions!
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FOOD & DRINK
LAYNE'S WINE GIG PRESENTS
CELEBRITY WINES
M
ASSTIGE: Mass produced, relatively inexpensive goods that are marketed as luxurious or prestigious. By Layne V. Witherell
There are several reasons why I drink wine. First, I like to enjoy a glass or two with a meal. There is nothing quite like a perfect pairing. Second, of course, there is the relaxing buzz. This article is about nothing like that.
The 19 Crimes series refers to offences committed in England in the late 1800’s to mid-1900’s that got offenders shipped to the wild penal colony of Australia. Each of the labels with their accompanying varietals are of an infamous character. Snoop Dogg personifies the modern rogue version of the characters depicted on their labels, webpage bios, and talking apps. FYI: Snoop Dogg’s estimated net worth is a cool $150 million. Lots of rappin’, lots of swag.
Pick up your smart phone and google up “celebrity wines.” There are several things that you will notice beginning with the fact that wine is shamelessly, stupidly popular. There is a celebrity wine out there for you. It has you written all over it. The masstige people have already thought of that.
The wine is interesting: Not that I do not like it, but it fits into a taste category that I conjured up years ago: “gummy bear, California.” It is a familiar Lodi blend of Petite Syrah for roundness and alcohol, Zinfandel for a “background of candied fruit,” add some toasted oak chips and a dollop of Mega Purple to round it all out. Now we will take a deep dive into Perfect- in its own way. Beginner soft and two celebrity wines that may become semi-sweet. wildly popular but are vastly different in He has a new Rose coming out that their message and origin. could take everyone by surprise. A combo Cali Red Snoop Dogg, 19 of Grenache and Zinfandel from California, the classic Snoop gangsta’ look on a Crimes, California, Treasury bottle of well-made Rose just might be a Wine Estates, $12.00 hit. Rose is still everyone’s darling, espeFirst, there is the label. To paraphrase cially at twelve bucks a bottle. my favorite writer, Tom Wolfe, “His eyes looked like two poached eggs engraved with a roadmap of West Virginia.” There will probably never be a more stone-looking wine label portrait than this. It is a classic in their continuing masstige wine saga: the 19 Crimes.
Treasury Wine Estates is a multinational wine empire based in Australia and Napa, California.Their brands include: Penfolds, Wolf Blass, Beaulieu Vineyard, Sterling, Beringer, and Chateau St. Jean. Iconic stuff to say the least. They are a publicly traded company and live in a world where
A close-up of Snoop’s portrait on the label of his Cali Red.
their stock price is everything. There was a theory proposed ages ago by wine industry professionals referred to as “trading up.” In other words, you start with the cheap stuff and as your wallet and taste buds matured you worked your way up to the great, expensive stuff. With Snoop Dogg’s followers there might be an exciting upward path. I imagine a Beringer Snoop Dogg Reserve Cabernet with him poised atop the hood of a vintage Rolls Royce taking the game up a serious notch. Just sayin’.
Master Knight of the Vine Layne Witherell takes a deep dive into celebrity wine offerings from Cameron Diaz and Snoop Dogg. -Photos by L.Witherell
Avaline Rose Wine, “Clean Wine,” Vin de France, $20.00 bottle by Cameron Diaz In 28 years of wine writing this is the only wine that I not only haven’t tried for an article but do not intend to. I grew up immersed in a world of celebrity hype, raised in Los Angeles. The reviews of Cameron Diaz’s wines are brutal, with the best quote coming from the San Francisco Chronicle, “the one great clean thing about it is, it is sure to clean out your wallet.”
Cont'd on Pg. 17
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THE WEST END NEWS | APRIL 2021
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CELEBRITY WINES Cont'd from Pg.16
There are several other problems as well, such as meeting none of the natural wine specification standards. Let us look at what she calls “clean wine.” Created by Diaz and her business partner, fashion entrepreneur and owner of Versed Skincare, Katherine Powe, it is organic, supposedly free of any additives, and created for “discerning drinkers (and friends) in mind, who embrace the pleasures of a whole life and a relaxed approach to wellbeing.” Cameron, you did not purchase a vineyard or shell out a ton of money building a winery. All you did was stick your name on an existing winery, go on talk shows, and hype an idea to your eager, craving audience. Great work.
sun and the company of your best friend.” Sadly, you and your best friend have just gotten taken for about $15.00 a bottle in hype. At least you could have said to have it with a “Salad Niçoise” while doing yoga. Carbs: not listed. Sugar: 0. Sulfur: not listed. Alcohol by volume: 13.00%. Usually wines in the so-called “fitness category” run 8.5-9.5%. Supposedly Diaz and her business partner traipsed all over, tasting hundreds of wines daily, to find the right producer, who is ironically not mentioned on the label. The duo hopes the clean wine will bring “lightness and positivity” to those who drink it.
It is labeled with the most generic of Alongside the Rose, her White Wine French regions “Vin de France.” Couldn’t at $20.00-$24.00 a bottle bills itself as, we just get a decent Provence Rose in- “An everyday, easy drinking white wine.” stead of the bottom of the bistro barrel for our money? “I drink it as a spritzer; the white wine over ice cubes, topped off with sparkling It is always informative and fun to water. A true refreshment,” says Cameron look at the tech sheet. Most wineries post Diaz. one online. Hers is on the front label, announcing a form of mystical purity. If you Now, are the ice cubes sent direct to think you have a sulfur allergy this could Los Angeles from a pristine microclimate be a problem. Vegan friendly. What does in the arctic and is the sparkling water that mean? Although they claim so. If you from the same source? And, what in God’s must play to the whole audience, it is wise name are you doing making an adorable to say so, especially on the tech sheet. little spritzer out of a $20.00-$24.00 botIf you repeat it often enough on talk tle of wine? I do not begrudge people, shows, and the internet, people believe it namely celebrities, just recently getting into wine, but this is paper thin stuff in a is true. world of terrific wines made by lifelong “Pairs well with the warmth of the committed generations of winemakers.
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Front and back label of Diaz's Avaline Rose, a so-called "clean wine." There are a zillion high-quality vegan or organic producers who sell their wines at a fraction of the price. I would rather spend my $20.00-$24.00 on a quest for great wines. Or I could just wait around for a while until Snoop Dogg and Treasury Wine Estates do their Beringer Reserve Napa Gangsta Rapper Cabernet Sauvignon with a miniature Rolls Royce key chain necker on the bottle. That is worth waiting for and it does not even need a pristine little piece of polar ice cube to cool it down. Wine has always been a complicated subject. But when you reduce it down to #ZoomNights, #Keto, #Yoga, and #TooMuchTime on their hands, wine just becomes another adorable celebrity play toy.
Layne V. Witherell has been a professional in the wine business for many decades as a teacher, importer, writer, competition judge, and winery CEO. He was awarded the Master Knight of the Vine for his pioneering work in the Oregon wine industry. He can be reached at lvwitherell@ gmail.com. His website is http:// winemaniacs.wordpress.com.
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THE WEST END NEWS | APRIL 2021
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
The AZORES: An outdoor adventure lover’s dream By Nancy Dorrans So close to New England, the Azores are an outdoor adventure lover’s dream. Why did it take me so long to visit this magical place? In early June of 2019 after our Portuguese Women, Walking, and Wine small group adventure, a few of us decided to stopover in the Azores. Why not? Our return flight from Lisbon was stopping there anyway. When planning this postlude, we had to decide if we would stay two or four nights? It had to do with the flight schedules. We decided on the latter and were so glad. As we explored two of the nine Azores Islands, San Miguel and Terceira, each day was more stunning, different, and spectacular than the day before.
A fantastical and ancient tree at the Jardin Antonio Borges botanical garden in São Miguel. -Photos courtesy of Nancy Dorrans
tropical greenhouses. Then, after a delicious lunch we took a walk through the town botanical garden, Jardin Antonio Borges. There is no charge for this garWe began with a two-hour flight de- den that features a large variety of plants, lay from Lisbon and then no hot water at caves, and ponds, and an ancient tree, our booked hotel in Punta Delgada. This straight out of a fairy tale. small glitch didn’t make much of a dent Day three the fog lifted, the sun came as we spent the delay drinking wine and out and we soaked in the geo-thermal hot exploring the cobblestone streets of the springs and gawked at the amazing flora Azores’ largest city. After several hours at Terra Nostra Park. Our amazing trawe ended up rebooked at a lovely alterna- ditional Cozido lunch was prepared and tive, the Pestana Bahia Praia, a nature and buried under piles of lava at Furnas Lake beach resort about twenty minutes out- and cooked by the heat of the earth. After side of town. lunch, we continued to the viewpoint of
On our last day in São Miguel, we were treated to a tour of Punta Delgada with Rafael of Hungry Whales Cultural and Food Tours. Many people go to the Azores just for the food as there are so many amazing choices of seafood, locally grown produce, beef, and least two dozen different varieties of cheeses. Oh, and wine, delicious wine! True to Adventure Marketplace style, we couldn’t just go back to the resort and relax. We had one last afternoon to explore and there were so many choices.We could go canoeing or kayaking on Lake Furnas inside an extinct volcanic crater, a haven for migratory birds, or go mountain biking, canyoning, and hiking into one of several waterfalls, or take a whale and dolphin cruise.
Three of us opted for a bumpy whale watch with Picos de Aventurea. We spotted sperm whales feeding alongside bottlenose dolphins. Now happy, hungry, and tired, we took in an early supper at A TasPico do Ferro, to peer into the archipel- ca a delicious local Tapas Bar & Restaurant São Miguel ago’s oldest crater. On our way back to and then had time for relaxing evening and beach walk at our resort. The following morning our guide met our resort, we stopped for a tour and tea us with a big smile! He chatted about his tasting at Porto Formosa, a tea plantation Terceira love for San Miguel as we rode along a fog- on the north coast of the island. What do you do with a flight schedgy lush, forested way to Lagoa das Sete ule change resulting in an eight-hour layCidades. These twin lakes are situated in over on the island of Terceira? Instead of the crater of a dormant volcano and are hanging around the airport, Erika of Quest one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Portugal. Travel Adventures arranged a local day According to legend, the two lakes were tour. We visited NESCO World Heritage formed from the tears of a shepherd and Angra do Heroismo and spent some time a princess who shared a forbidden love. along the rocky shore and lava caves. Sao Miguel is referred to as Ilha Verde, Our guide was very sweet, young, and ‘the green island’ and it could compete Lauren Goodrich, Ann Pinnette, and energetic. He knew we had just been on with Ireland for shades of green! Next Anne Galehouse enjoying tea at Porto San Miguel and wanted to outdo them stop, Arruda Pineapple Plantation, where Formosa tea plantation. with hospitality and humor. He said the Europe’s only pineapples are grown in
Madei nMai ne,ourRogueWal l eti s s haped t o per f ec t l yf i tt he f r ont poc ketofyourf avor i t ej eans .Hol ds c as handupt o1 2c ar ds .Cr af t edf r om dur abl e and s us t ai nabl ys our c ed moos el eat her . And t hi s hol i day, domes t i cs hi ppi ngi sonus .
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Nancy Dorrans at Jardin Antonio Borges botanical garden. Nancy is currently working as a Dedicated (in school) Substitute Teacher at Deering High School. She figured she could do something meaningful while we wait for travel to be safe again. people of Terceira were more fun, less stressed out, and they had more festivals! “Terceira is the best of all the islands in the Azores.” He dropped us off at a small diner across from the airport in time for the local lunch special. For about six euros we had a choice of coffee or wine, fish or chicken, salad, rice, beans, and a dessert. A marvelous way to end our adventure! We did a lot with our five days, but I really want to go back when it is safe to do so. I’m truly looking forward to one day soon when we can travel together again, to the Azores and beyond! And I’ll be here and happy to help you navigate your next adventure!
THE WEST END NEWS
THE WEST END NEWS | APRIL 2021
19
POETRY CORNER
THE DUMPSTER… WHERE WE PUT EVERYTHING WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH…
In the spirit of spring in Maine, Rosemont Market closes early one evening in March for socially distanced ice skating with staff… Burundi Star Coffee celebrated its first anniversary in business on St. John Street… In a sign of the times, Portland business Xpress Copy offers free lamination for your Covid-19 vaccination cards… From the schools, volunteers create and install bright, fabric flowers along the fence surrounding the East End Community School’s playground… Casco Bay High School Math Cup annual competition between high schoolers and Portland businesses goes virtual via Zoom… Portland schools is first Maine school district to be a Grand Prize winner in the national Magna Awards for equity work thanks to a college readiness program for multilingual students… In politics, Maine Democratic Party announces support for DC statehood… Portland Citizens’ Climate Lobby volunteer Tom Berry presents on Carbon Cash Back 4 ME at the April 20th Zoom Planet Talks… In unnecessary list news, with March being Women’s History Month personal finance website WalletHub released its report on 2021’s Best & Worst States for Women and Maine was #2 thanks in part to relatively low unemployment and high voter participation… Ashlee McLaughlin’s @thebeermama makes Hop Culture’s 50 Best Beer Instagram Accounts… .................
Paper Doll Garden of Eden I wish I were a paper doll for surely then I could have it all Leather jackets and fancy clothes Hats and scarves and panty hose I’d be dressed up so cute all decked out in a pretty suit My hair would never be a mess I’d put on a party dress All my clothes would be so neat Shiny shoes upon my feet I would have a pretty face Ribbons, curls and fancy lace
The garden of Eden is located in Maine I’ve seen it time and time again Out in the country where the breezes blow It’s a piece of heaven that much I know The beauty is seen in a field of clover And beautiful flowers that grow all over Poems by Elaine Carver 77 Pine St., West End
Submit your poem: Send to thewestendnews@ gmail.com. Deadline for publication is the 4th Friday of every month. Our column space is very limited, publication is not guaranteed.
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THE WEST END NEWS
Metro Proposes New Downtown Bus Route
APRIL EDITION 2021
Current Route 8
The Peninsula Loop Reboot could replace current routes #1 and #8 with a new peninsula circulator. The goal is faster service, but it cuts out the West End neighborhood. Read more in our feature on Page 1 and commentary on Page 5.
Source: http://wenamaine.org/bus-survey
Proposed Circulator
Above: The current Route 8 takes a two block jog from Spring Street south down State Street to Danforth Street. This takes Route 8 past 100 State Street (see arrow) and 75 State Street, two of the city’s largest residences for senior and assisted living.
Source: Greater Portland Metro "Proposed Route Changes 2021 Fact Sheet"
Left: The proposed peninsula circulator opts for a route that stays on Spring Street all the way to Center Street and the Old Port. It then turns onto Commercial Street to service the waterfront.
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