JANUARY 2021.VOL. 21, NO. 01. PORTLAND, MAINE.
PORTLAND’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER. FREE!
WEST END PLACES FEATURE
Western Cemetery in Need of Love & Attention One could consider the Western Cemetery the poor relation of the public cemeteries in Portland By Harlan Baker One recent afternoon walking through the Western Cemetery, I spotted a man snapping pictures of the gravestones. He was visibly upset at the condition of the many broken and upended headstones. He continued photographing a family plot commenting on the intricate designs on the stone, wishing something could be done to preserve the stones. One could consider the Western Cemetery the poor relative of the public cemeteries in Portland. The Eastern Cemetery is cared for by Sprits Alive, a nonprofit, which does restoration work and sponsors a “Walk Among the Shadows” tour every October drawing hundreds of people. The Evergreen Cemetery is well maintained and plays host to the annual Memorial Day ceremonies in the Deering neighborhood. But while the Western Cemetery is periodically maintained by City staff, many of the aging gravestones are in need of repair.
From Portland’s Primary Cemetery to Official Dog Park The City of Portland established the cemetery in 1829. It was expanded to its current size of 12 acres in 1841. It was Portland’s primary cemetery until the Evergreen Cemetery was established in 1852. It ceased being an active cemetery in 1910. Then over time it fell into a state of neglect. It was reported that between July 1988 to August 1989 a total of 1,942 tombs were desecrated.
PORTLAND WINTER STORM SERVICES
All the Info You Need to Survive City Life During Winter Heading into the winter storm season, the City of Portland would like to update residents on winter storm service information and regulations. SIDEWALK SNOW REMOVAL
Potentially thousands of gravestones are in disrepair and the historic Portland cemetery is in need of attention. -Photos by Harlan Baker ters between strangers.” The city council made it official policy for dogs to run free 2004 to care for and maintain the cemethrough the cemetery in 1993. tery’s twelve acres. In a 2012 video made While dog walkers loved the use of through public access television, Former the space, many people felt it was an insult mayor Ann Pringle and president of the to the memory of those buried there. It Stewards, Linda Graffam, unveiled a plaque was particularly offensive to the Ancient on a new entrance to the cemetery in recOrder of Hibernians, where a section of ognition of its historic significance. In the the cemetery known as “The Catholic video Graffam states: Ground” contains the graves of many Irish e have repaired and refugees who fled the potato famine in have all new granite curb the 1840s. stones, we have removed trees, cleaned In a blog post dated June 23rd, 2000, up paths, new pathways have gone Paul O’Neill, president of the Division 1 through are really nice because they had Ancient Order of Hibernians, wrote that, been totally decimated over the years. “The cemetery has not been simply ne We’d love to have enough money glected, it is being deliberately, actively, to restore some graves.You see so many systematically, and ruthlessly desecrated stones that have been broken over the with the city’s blessing.” years. Some have been actually been After much indecision, the city counstolen and taken from the cemetery. cil voted 9-0 to ban dogs from the cemeThere are still many that are lying on the tery in 2001. ground.”
“W
Restoration of the Western
The cemetery became an unofficial Cemetery Begins … Then dog park in the 1980s. According to the Ends January 1st Religious News service blog, “Before the dogs arrived, the neglectRestoration projects were begun by ed 12-acre plot was notorious for drug the Stewards of the Western Cemetery, deals, vandalism, and homosexual encoun- a nonprofit organization incorporated in
The new fence that was erected on the Vaughn Street side of the cemetery cost $30,000. The entire coast was raised through private donations by the organization.
CONT'D ON PG. 3
The City’s sidewalk snow removal ordinance requires residential owners to clear snow and ice abutting their property 18 hours -Photo by Tony Zeli after the end of a storm or when City crews finish their snow removal operations, whichever is later. Business owners must clear sidewalks by 12 hours following the storm. The City may fine residential owners $75 for the first offense, $125 for the second offense in the same winter season, and $250 for any subsequent offense in the same winter season. The fines are greater for business owners. Additionally, should the City have to remove the snow and ice or arrange for its removal, they will charge the property owner for the cost of removal plus 10% for administration.
SNOW REMOVAL HELP Elderly and disabled residents who need help with removing snow from sidewalks should contact the City’s Elder Services Department at 207-541-6620. They are also looking for volunteers willing to shovel snow for an elderly neighbor this winter.
CONT'D ON PG. 3
20th Anniversary
Page 2 WEN celebrates 20 years of community news publication
Page 4 Children’s Museum begins installing exhibits
Page 7 City clears invasive trees along Western Prom
Page 11 Nancy Dorrans reminds us that winter can be fun!
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THE WEST END NEWS | JANUARY 2021
THEWESTENDNEWS.COM FROM THE EDITOR
INSIDE THIS EDITION
Celebrating 20 Years of Community News
Best Worst Trivia.........................................14 Beyond 7 Minutes w/ Dr. Gersten..........10 Broader Picture...........................................10 Climate Justice...............................................7 Crossword....................................................14 Dumpster, The.............................................15 Events...............................................................4 Food & Drink.........................................12-13 Health & Wellness.........................................5 La Vida Local.................................................10 Layne's Wine Gig...................................12-13 Map Page.....................................................8-9 Neighborhood News...................................3 Poetry............................................................15 Portland Buy Local........................................6 Sudoku...........................................................14 Travel..............................................................11
In 2001, longtime publisher and editor Ed King began The West End News as a free community newspaper. King wrote, edited, and distributed the paper until 2013. He covered city news and events that larger papers buried or cut. He published his own political cartoons and always kept the paper original and fun to read. In 2014, I took over the newspaper and kept running it as a free community resource. I promise to continue the tradition of covering neighborhood news, useful city information, and local lifestyle content. As we publish throughout the year, expect special content celebrating WEN history. And look for our 20th Anniversary Edition in March.
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 Nancy Dorrans, Travel & Adventure Dr. Oren Gersten, Healthy Living Rosanne Graef, La Vida Local Layne Witherell, Layne's Wine Gig
I want to thank all the team including volunteer contributors, distributors, printers, and our sales representative Rick Ness. Thank you to everyone who plays a role in creating and circulating 12,000 cop- Thank you for contributions from ies of The West End News every month. Mary Alice Scott, Portland Buy Local It is your hard work and passion for the Ben Taylor, Best Worst Trivia City of Portland that makes The West End Northern Light Mercy Hospital News a unique and beloved publication. Portland Citizens' Climate Lobby Thank you for reading and taking & Portland Climate Action Team an interest in the West End! Feel free to contact me at Printed in Maine by thewestendLincoln County Publishing Co. news@gmail. com. Sincerely, Tony Zeli Publisher & Editor
20th Anniversary
ALL SALES INQUIRIES Contact Rick Ness 207-577-7025 rickthewestendnews@gmail.com
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
WESTERN CEMETERY CONT'D FROM PG. 1
Today one will find that the grounds are periodically well maintained. But, since the cemetery is inactive, it does not receive perpetual care. According to city staff, the association which had been responsible for improvements to the cemetery “has been defunct for a number of years.”
The Western Cemetery could host a program that would complement Spirits Alive in the Eastern Cemetery. It could be an outdoor theater performance of Edgar Lee Master’s “Spoon River Anthology.” This oft performed anthology, first published in 1915, is a collection of free verse poems. It contains short descriptions of the deceased in a small Midwestern town telling their stories. The cemetery would make a perfect setting for this. It could be performed in the late spring on the pathways in the cemetery, perhaps in the late afternoon daylight. Lightning would not be needed. The set is the cemetery and donations to the performance could be used to help maintain the cemetery and restore the gravestones.
For information please contact Fallbrook Woods 60 Merrymeeting Drive Portland, Maine 04103 -Photo by Harlan Baker
It would be nice to see a reactivated organization continue the work begun in 2003. Local historian Herb Adams has observed, “The western cemetery needs what the Eastern Cemetery has, lots of T.L.C., and a watchdog ‘Friends’ group to keep an eye on it. So many of Portland’s greats rest there in the Western. They made our city what it is, and we owe it to them—and to ourselves, to show some self–respect there.”
Harlan Baker has been active in Portland’s theatre community for over 45 years as an actor and director. Harlan teaches classes in Public Speaking at USM and is a former writer for The West End News.
WINTER SERVICES Property owners must clear all sidewalks and sidewalk access ramps from snow and treat them for ice with a path of at least four feet wide. Do not push or dump snow from driveways and parking lots onto public access sidewalks and access ramps.
CONT'D FROM PG. 1
ing ban hotline at 207-879-0300. During a parking ban, the City of Portland allows overnight parking in designated snow ban parking lots, a list of which can be found on Portland’s website. An important note to West End residents, the Reiche School parking lot on Clark Street is not available for snow ban parking. Illegal parking in the Reiche lot interrupts operations at the Reiche pool, and cars parked there during snow bans will be towed.
The Portland Fire Department asks for help from the community to keep the city’s 1,460 fire hydrants clear of snow and ice. The City currently has 1,460 public hydrants. Also, Portland Public Works encourages residents to help by clearing catch basins and storm drains in front of ON-STREET PARKING their homes to prevent flooding on their If parking your car on the street, streets and in their driveways. please park as close to the snowbank/curb as possible. Often people park several feet SAND & SALT PILE away from the curb to allow passengers to The City’s residential sand and salt move in and out of the car easily. Parking pile is located at the Little League parking the car in this manner shortens the width lot at Payson Park.This sand and salt pile is of the street by several feet, making it diffor residential use only. Residents can take ficult for Portland snowplows to clear the two 5-gallon pails at a time. street safely and emergency vehicles to PARKING BANS respond as quickly as possible to a fire or All vehicles left on the street during medical emergency. If the street is impassa snow parking ban will be towed at the able for an emergency vehicle, the vehicle owner’s expense. Only cash, VISA, Mas- blocking the street will be towed. terCard, or Discover Card are accepted. Please remember to observe the No checks. The snow impound lot can be posted bi-monthly street maintenance reached at 207-774-3025. signs, as those restrictions allow for cleanResidents and visitors can view park- up operations following snowstorms. ing ban alerts on the City’s website at www.portlandmaine.gov or sign up to receive email, text, and phone notices via the Stay Connected feature. The City can call a city-wide parking ban, a peninsula ban that covers the entire peninsula, or a yellow zone ban that covers the downtown district.
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Will the organization be reactivated? There is no reason that the Western Cemetery should not receive the attention it deserves. This is especially timely given the planned restoration work on the Western Promenade.
Calling for a New Life for the Western Cemetery
THE WEST END NEWS | JANUARY 2021
Finally, be on the lookout for any emergency no parking signs that city crews may post following major snowstorms. These signs are only required to be posted 12 hours in advance.
CITY SERVICE PHONE #'S
For customer service related to winPeople can also receive parking ban ter operations, please call 207-874-8493. updates by following City news on Twitter For sidewalk plowing concerns, please call or Facebook. Motorists can call the park- 207-874-8793.
207-878-0788
FALLBROOKWOODS.COM
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THE WEST END NEWS | JANUARY 2021
WHAT'S GOING ON
Children’s Museum Installs Exhibits at New Location Whether you were out walking the Western Prom on Christmas Eve morning to catch some views or dashing down I-295 to finish up holiday errands, you might have noticed a tall crane at work on Thompson’s Point. That crane was making an exciting delivery! As Board members and executive director of the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, we are excited to share that, with construction nearing completion, we have passed a huge milestone.
We hope you are as excited as we are about this move from the Arts District to Thompson’s Point. The Museum & Theatre’s relocation further develops the former railroad site into a cultural hub and popular destination. Our exhibits, theatre performances, and events will join an already growing cluster of businesses and event venues there. The facility’s design carefully takes its cue from the proportions of the historic industrial buildings and yet communicates the devotion to children with playful and colorful metal December 24th marked the begin- shingles. ning of exhibit installations at the new facility with the raising of our rare camera obscura onto the roof! When we open this spring and families visit the third-floor science center, they will be able to enter the Illuminate exhibit that is devoted to playing with color and light. The camera obscura offers panoramic views of the Fore River and the city of Portland skyline, as well as Amtrak Downeaster, Portland International Jetport, Concord Bus Lines, and Interstate 295 traffic. Visitors will be able to turn and focus the large camera in any direction. Also, on the third floor, families will be able to explore how Maine’s waterways – from mountain lakes to the sea – are all connected and vibrant with exciting creatures. Children will be able to “meet” frogs, turtles, sharks, horseshoe crabs, and many more species native to Maine. They will also be able to explore gravity through ball and water play exhibits.
Our children, our grandchildren, and our visitors will have a 100-seat stateof-the-art theater; a 10,000-square-foot science center; an entire floor devoted to arts, culture, and community; and a halfacre outdoor play area with a giant climber at their fingertips. All of this will be just a short drive down the road.
Workers begin installing exhibits at the Children's Museum & Theatre's new location at Thompson's Point. Formerly located next to the Portland Museum of Art in the Arts District, the museum says the new location means more space for exhibits and greater access for the public. -Photos courtesy of Children's Museum & Theatre We’ve been lucky and grateful to count many West End residents as supporters. If you would like to learn more about this exciting project or get involved through volunteering, partnering, or donating, please feel free to reach out to any of us or to email Julie at julie@kitetails. org. You can also read more at www.kitetails.org.
Submitted by: Patti Butler, Board Member Kate Malin, Board Member Marci Murphy, Board Member Julie Butcher Pezzino, Exec. Director Kristin Valdmanis, Board President
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
THE WEST END NEWS | JANUARY 2021
WE HAVE YOUR BACK. PLEASE HAVE OURS. To our fellow Mainers: We are frontline healthcare workers. We are caring, hard-working professionals with families and loved ones we go home to everyday. We are your neighbors, community volunteers, coaches, and friends. We need your help so we can continue caring for all patients in need. Without your help, healthcare in Maine will be unnecessarily stressed. You have the power to help slow the spread, reduce hospitalizations, and prevent more deaths from COVID-19.
HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW: • Wearing masks slows the spread of COVID-19. • Washing our hands stops its transmission. • Staying six feet apart from those we don’t live with makes it harder for the disease to spread.
WE UNDERSTAND We’re all tired. COVID-19 has been an unwelcome guest for too long. In Maine, we have been fortunate to avoid what we have seen in other states, but COVID-19 is still here and strong. With cooler weather and activities moving inside, with the holidays upon us, our response to the pandemic is more important than ever. We all need to do our part. COVID-19 testing sites are busy, results are not immediate, and a negative test result is not a guarantee of safety. We need to stay alert and take the steps above to stay safe. We’re not giving up on you, and we need you to join the fight. Please work to protect yourself, the people you love, and your community. Know that we are here, giving this everything we’ve got. Working together we can protect the people of Maine.
#MaskForME
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BUY LOCAL
THE WEST END NEWS | JANUARY 2021
Find your post-holiday bliss with a local business!
Mary Alice Scott is Portland Buy Local (PBL) Executive Director, and WEN publisher and editor Tony Zeli is president of the board of directors and WEN is a PBL media partner.
Do good and feel good. Try virtual yoga with a local studio safely and warmly from your own home. Lila East End Yoga (pictured above from times before Covid) is a Portland studio offering live Zoom classes. -Photo courtesy of Portland Buy Local
So, what now?
By Mary Alice Scott
In a typical year, January represents a Well, some of the businesses who welcome feeling of quiet, a chance to slow have faced the toughest losses are those down, and a respite from the busy social who rely on in-person interaction. But events of the holiday season. many of those businesses have created the opportunity to utilize their services Instead, this year, it’s more of the virtually. same. End-of-year traditions have been upended and social distancing will remain For instance, why not try a local yoga a necessary safety measure for the fore- studio from the comfort of your own seeable future. home? Yoga and meditation are probably
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For most local businesses, January marks the beginning of a months-long slow season. The winter months can be a difficult and unpredictable time to operate a small business in Maine. But in most years, the revenues from months prior to the winter slowdown helped to pay the bills. We often try to encourage community members to venture out and support local businesses during the slow months. But it’s clear that a) community and customer support is not enough to save every local business and b) it’s not fair to ask them to, especially when many community members have suffered losses themselves. Local businesses need additional support. We applaud the most recent Covid relief bill, but it is not enough. Once again, Congress provided a short-term solution for a crisis that may end up being eighteen months long.
something we could all use a little more of these days, and this month is the perfect opportunity to try it. This year, we may not need the month of January to take a break from social gatherings, but we can still use this time to change our cadence from the past few months. Mary Alice Scott is Portland Buy Local (PBL) Executive Director. The West End News (WEN) and PBL are media partners, and WEN publisher and editor Tony Zeli is PBL president.
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CLIMATE JUSTICE
THE WEST END NEWS | JANUARY 2021
Removal of Invasive Trees on the Western Prom Called Clear Cutting By Tony Zeli The removal of an invasive species of tree on the Western Promenade caused concern among neighbors who worried it was a clear cutting. Beginning on Monday morning, December 14th, the Portland Parks, Recreation, and Facilities Department began work removing Norway Maples on the Western Promenade. Forestry crews removed only Norway Maple trees from two areas, the southern viewshed across from the Western Cemetery and the Valley Street playground, community garden, and dog park edges, technically part of the Western Promenade. The clearing on the southern view area revealed historic views of the Fore River. The invasive Norway Maples had obscured these public views for decades. West End residents have seen many other large tree removals on private property in recent years: 75 State Street, Precious Blood Monastery, Western Commercial Street, Dermot Court, Elm Terrace, Danforth Heights… Their desire to save urban trees led to the adoption of a Heritage Tree Ordinance earlier this year. The ordinance protects large trees on private property in the historic district. It is no surprise neighbors were concerned when they saw Portland crews cutting down large trees along the Western Promenade on December 14th. That morning a West Street resident described
the scene as a clear cutting and said they were outraged by it. They did not know it was the planned removal of a non-native species. In fact, the City of Portland is following Master Plan guidelines and recommendations. The Western Prom Master Plan calls for reducing Norway Maple populations whenever possible. The City says that the clearing on the southern Western Promenade is all Norway Maple removal. They have left native Red Oak and Black Cherry to thrive. Work on Valley Street will improve the woodland edge, giving more clearance for future green space for play and community gardens. Why in December? Turns out, the early winter is an excellent time to conduct this work. What’s next? Parks crews will follow up with improvements as conditions allow. This will include the planting of new native trees and landscaping in spring and summer 2021. Also, the City will pursue strategic stump removal with the native replanting in the spring and summer. For now, all the stumps are still in place to provide slope stabilization. In addition, Public Works wants residents to know they will focus on stormwater and erosion control. A rain garden project is slated for bid in spring 2021.
MORE EFFICIENT TRANSIT REDUCES NEED FOR FOSSIL FUELS
“The use and sustainability of transportation cannot be separated from how and where people live, work, and play; two major influences going forward will be the design of the urban environment and reduction of excess consumption.” –excerpt from “Drawdown” by Paul Hawken Transportation accounts for 31% of Portland’s greenhouse gas emissions. The One Climate Future (OCF) Transportation and Land Use strategies flow from a “vision for a connected, carbon neutral transportation sector that is nothing short of transformational.” Strategies include expanding our use of public transit, active transportation (walking and biking), and using electric vehicles when we need to drive. Ideally, we’ll create connected neighborhoods where it is “easy to push a stroller to the park, roll a wheelchair to the grocery store, ride your bike to school, and take the bus to a new job opportunity.” To do this, we’ll employ safer street designs, build out our network of bikeways, and radically expand public transit to make it more accessible and seamless. Also, houses and businesses will be clustered nearer to transit. By 2035, 26% Tony Zeli is publisher and editor. Reach of trips in the cities will use public transit him at thewestendnews@gmail.com. or active transportation, and conveniently located housing stock will be increased to meet workforce demand. We’re All in This Together Since preserving our climate requires that we dramatically reduce greenhouse Climate Solutions Beyond Your Backyard gases, we need to wean ourselves off fossil fuels. Due to tight timelines, we are likely to see some early results quickly. By Tom Berry Have you been wondering what you Those who have been following cli- could do (besides making phone calls to mate change and the efforts to come to political offices and writing letters-to-edgrips with it will be familiar with the con- itors) to nudge our leaders into action? cept of carbon pricing. Yes? Then Carbon Cash Back 4 ME This idea of obliging fossil fuel corpo- is an opportunity for you! This volunteer rations to pay a price for the carbon pol- group has outlined steps people can take lution caused by the use of their products to give our representatives in Washington has been studied by thousands of econ- the little push they might need to speak omists, academics, and business leaders. up. The consensus is that putting a price on • Step-1: Provide information to our carbon is the fairest and quickest way to communities, especially our local wean our nation from its dependence on town leaders, regarding the needs for, fossil fuels. and benefits of, carbon pricing. Over 45 countries and 28 sub-nation• Step-2: Get warrant articles put on al jurisdictions have implemented carbon Maine town meeting agendas so that pricing in some form, and more are exour friends and neighbors can vote pected to follow suit.The U.S. is an outlier directly on putting a price on carbon. among developed western nations as the The list of towns and cities that offionly one without an operational national cially endorse this idea will be shared plan on this matter. If we are to have real with our elected officials - letting progress reducing the carbon emissions of them know the importance their our country, uniform policy at the federal constituents place on this issue. level is absolutely necessary. Anyone who’d like to get a glimpse There are ten bills in Congress that of what inspiring leadership on Climate include carbon pricing, with variations on Change looks and sounds like should view how the collected fees would be directed the clip of New Zealand’s Prime Minister back to consumers or otherwise utilized. Ardern speaking before Parliament last The largest being the bipartisan Energy year on YouTube. Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, HR Want to see our Representatives 763 with 84 co-sponsors. This bill would and Senators take a stand like this? Visit apply a gradually increasing fee on carbon https://www.carboncashback4me.org and emissions and return that money to citi- see how you can help them! zens as a dividend check or “carbon cash If your town is already on board (as back.” are Portland, South Portland, and Cape But, in Congress, the pace of progress Elizabeth), spread the word to your outis slow. Politicians are cautious and it is of-town family and friends! the rare one who will speak out decisively in favor of a proposed policy, unless they Tom Berry is a semi-retired educator have some clear assurance that their con- in Kennebunk and volunteer with Citizens’ Climate Lobby. stituents already support it.
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Look for:
• Better coordinated, more accessible public transit (e.g., the Smart Corridor from Morrill’s Corner to Bug Light Park). • Roadway designs employing dedicated lanes, prioritized signals, and upgraded stops. • Transit-oriented development: clusters of housing and facilities along efficient transit lines. • Complete Neighborhoods: mixes of housing with other uses that reduce the need for transportation. • Improved opportunities for cycling and walking. • Expanded availability of housing to live in town (2,557 new housing units by 2030). • Development by “filling-in” rather than “spreading-out” to preserve forests, wetlands, and heathy soils (thereby sequestering and storing carbon). • Electrification of all transit modes. BRIGHT IDEA: Start walking, biking, or using public transit to get around. Use your actions to promote the plan. By working together, we can increase mobility, equity, and economic opportunity while reducing carbon emissions. Access the full draft of the OCF plan at www. oneclimatefutuire.org under “Reports.” Bright Ideas is brought to you by Portland Climate Action Team which, during the pandemic, meets on-line the fourth Thursday of the month, 6 to 7:30 p.m. All are welcome to join in: portlandclimateaction@gmail.com.
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THE WEST END NEWS | JANUARY 2021
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OVERHEARD IN PORTLAND, MAINE Dialog overheard on the slopes, at virtual holiday parties, seen on the streets ... and shared by readers!
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I don't remembe any discussion of this in the NEWS!
END NEWS
THE WEST END NEWS | JANUARY 2021
EAST END REDEMPTION
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THE WEST END NEWS | JANUARY 2021
BROADER PICTURE
What Covid can teach us about global health and infectious disease By Dr. Oren Gersten
Fortunately, the future of the world without Covid looks promising. All indications are that within the next 12 months Covid disease burden will be greatly reduced, if not eradicated. This is due to an incredible amount of time, energy, and money which have been dedicated to combating a deadly virus.
Infectious disease is at the forefront of people’s minds across the world. Specifically, Covid-19 is an unprecedented global pandemic that is taking lives and causing suffering on a massive scale. As of this month there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel. Not only do we have a vaccine that may stop the spread of disease, but Unfortunately, the picture for mawe have a better handle on therapeutics laria and HIV is not as rosy. History has that can decrease mortality. shown that we can continue to expect millions of lives to be lost, mostly children Infectious disease has been plaguing and people in the prime of their lives. But humans since the beginning of civiliza- this does not have to be the future of our tion. Up until relatively recently infectious world. Covid has demonstrated that we diseases were the major cause of death can leverage resources to combat infecacross the world. With the advent of an- tious disease. Most Americans have now tibiotics and sanitation measures, devel- felt the pain of losing a friend, neighbor, oped countries no longer live with the or family member to an unseen but evdaily fear of infection. er-present threat. It remains to be seen if That is not necessarily true across this experience will change how we view the world. This year malaria killed over similar situations in the rest of the world. one million people, mostly kids under five, In the case of HIV and malaria, years mostly in impoverished nations in sub-Sa- of research have already uncovered lifeharan Africa. Similarly, this year, HIV relat- saving treatments and vaccines could be ed illnesses killed more than 600,000 peo- on the way. Science is not the limiting facple worldwide.These are mostly people in tor in saving lives from these diseases. Retheir younger years. Cumulatively this rep- sources and public imperative are. Covid resents 1.6 million deaths from treatable is proof of concept that we do have the and preventable infectious disease. resources and technology to put a dent in
LA VIDA LOCAL: IRREGULAR NOTES ON WEST END LIFE
’Twas the Season By Rosanne Graef With string lights and electric candles appearing in windows in early October, I realized that 2020’s fourth quarter found me hopelessly mired in one of my greatest failings: Procrastination. I’ve confessed this tendency before in these pages, as well as shared my annual resolve to shape up and “not leave until tomorrow something you can do today.”
Baking Woes – Haven’t we come a long way since the ‘40s Alas, I have not improved. Howev- and ‘50s?
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Now for the revised course of action. This next challenge cannot easily be vanquished once and for all like the decorating dilemma, but I believe I have found an approach to which I shall strictly adhere (note the defiant determination).
Decorating Dilemma – Why We now switch to the topic of bakleave for tomorrow something ing, specifically any foods associated with you already did last year? the period between the fourth Thursday
Remember the Covid-19-lockdown-physically-distanced-induced paper Easter egg hunt? You may still pass by my house and view my eggs on the door window. Fourth of July? Likewise. Next to the eggs, the colors of my paper Compare this to the disease bur- infectious disease burden, but do we have Bee-Patriotic flag-waving den of Covid-19. As of December 2020, the will? insects are slowly fading. approximately the same number of lives Multi-colored LED have been lost. Covid disproportionately Oren Gersten, M.D. is a boardstring lights have always been our permakills older folks, mostly over 65. There are certified doctor in private practice nent night-lights in the kitchen, but after also race and socioeconomic factors. Peo- in South Portland at Portland Direct redecorating a large schefflera upstairs ple of color and low-income families are Primary Care. Visit online: Portlandwith Halloween paper chains for ThanksDirectCare.com. disproportionately dying from Covid-19. giving, we added a string of green lights to it as well.
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snowman, and hallucination-inducing fiber optic tree and placed them in the window. Here’s my rationalization: All holiday decorating is now complete and will remain for all of 2021 and years to come! Yellow, purple, orange, black, blue, white, red, green; stars, hearts, cats, flags, pumpkins, candles—all bases covered.
of November and New Year’s Day. This becomes entangled with my sorry tale of putting things off mainly because I consult cookbooks that belonged to my mother or mother-in-law in the ‘40s and ‘50s. Food photography has certainly come a long way, but there’s something mesmerizing in beholding those fanciful Jell-o architectural creations with their quivering suspensions of Veg-All. To say nothing of admiring the party displays of sculpted vegetables impaled by toothpicks onto Styrofoam wreaths, balls, and trees. No wonder they both got outside jobs.
After this year’s protracted task of selection and execution of several recipes, I have finally faced the sad fact that I really don’t like baking. Cooking and canning, By that time, the responsibility of holfine. But baking is going to be a thing of iday correspondence was bearing down the past for me. Next December’s treats? with the arrival of the first cards from Pickled beets and popcorn balls! friends who moved to Florida years ago yet seem to get prematurely and enthuHere’s to better days to come in siastically nostalgic for our snow-covered 2021! sidewalks. Shortly before the solstice, we rum- Rosanne Graef lives in the West End maged the closet, dragged out the Scan- and is a regular volunteer contributor. dinavian candelabra, illuminated plastic Email: lavidalocalwen@gmail.com.
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THE WEST END NEWS | JANUARY 2021
The mountains are calling… By Nancy Dorrans 'Tis the season to embrace winter, especially if you live in Maine. I grew up in Northeast Ohio. I always embraced winter. I learned at an early age that when it started snowing after dinner, it was possible that a magical snow day was imminent. I would go to bed hoping and then wake up early, listen to the radio, and wait for the snow day call. After the call, the fun would begin. I grew up next to a family of nine siblings. Once a snow day was confirmed, I would call their house to say, “Come out and play!” We built giant snowmen with the big brothers, skated in a homemade rink our fathers built, and made hot chocolate with milk, poured it in a thermos, and took it to the sledding hill in the Virginia Kendal Park – now part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The first time I went skiing I was a sophomore in high school. One afternoon, there was an announcement about the ski club over the loudspeaker. I went home and told my father that I wanted to join. He said, “That sounds like fun. Why don’t you ask a friend to join you?”
The next day I surveyed my friends. Two seasons later, I was hired as a During the last period of choir, I asked my ski instructor too! I recall my friend Dian fried Jenny. She said “sure” and that was exclaiming after they hired me, “Nancy, that! We joined Ski Club together! you’ve really come a long way since you first started skiing… We couldn’t believe Boston Mills Ski Resort, in Peninsula, when they hired you…” Thanks, Dian! Ohio was in “The Valley,” the Cuyahoga Valley which was part of our school disI knew what she meant. I had come trict. From our high school, we could take a long way, but I still had a lot to learn. a different school bus on ski day to the re- There’s always room for improvement. I sort and have our parents pick us up later. taught the beginners and kept learning.
Nancy Dorrans 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.
I remember my first day on skis. I was timid and excited at the same time. The small ski area was packed with new students and there wasn’t a lot of room to practice. My first run I ran into a ditch and a snow fence. Jenny and I laughed. The next year a friend sold me her old skis, boots, and poles. Eventually I got the hang of it and I was hooked.
Since then, almost forty years later, downhill skiing has become part of who I am. The first time I skied in the mountains was during a travel agent familiarization -Photos courtesy of Nancy Dorrans tour of Sugarbush, Vermont. Since then, I’ve skied in the mountains of Colorado, Utah, Austria, Nevada, Montana, Maine, New Hampshire, Wyoming, Quebec, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Michigan, and Vermont!
A few years later I had just completed a degree program in Travel and Tourism with a minor in Accounting. While I was trying to find a job in a travel agency, I applied for a seasonal position at Boston Mills. I was hired to work the day shift for the ski school director. I made announcements over the loudspeaker, took reservations, doled out lessons to the instructors, and handled payroll. Little did I know that this silly “fill in” job would change my life.
I’ve continued to teach skiing and coach students with disabilities, both cognitive and physical in Maine and New Hampshire for New England Disabled Sports. This season I’ll be coaching at Loon Mountain in New Hampshire. With all the uncertainty of this year, I’m hopeful that teaching skiing will bring back a bit of normality.
The instructors that taught night ski school invited me to come and ski with them. How exciting to be part of that crowd. Some of them were also on the University of Akron Ski Team and had access to better equipment. Soon, I had new gear and was being farmed out as a “mock student” during their training sessions.
Lucky for us, Nancy's first day on skis was captured for all time.
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The Mountains keep calling me and I always pick up.
Nancy skis the powder in Montana.
All the best to you and yours for a safe and healthy New Year in 2021! One day or day ONE, we will travel and ski together again!
Nancy (front row, center) with the ski instructor crew at Boston Mills, 1986.
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THE WEST END NEWS | JANUARY 2021
FOOD & DRINK PBR’s just down the street. Added to that, they have included a handy repertoire of provisions such as toilet paper and groceries to go.
LAYNE'S WINE GIG PRESENTS
FLYING UNDER THE RADAR By Layne V. Witherell
Our oddest Sunday brunch experience ever (and we go out almost weekly) occurred a few years ago when we decided at the last minute to try to book a table at Piccolo – usually an impossibility on short notice, as it was one of Portland’s finest dining experiences. We not only got the hallowed window seat, but the place was hauntingly empty for such a great local restaurant.The three of us, me, my wife Judy, and our waitperson, looked down Middle Street and there was a block long wait for the hot little hipster place of the moment. There are days when I think that there are a small group of restaurant reviewers who land here for a few days and make nice-nice with about five establishments and head back to their “big cities,” feeling content with having bestowed their blessing. Today, we will do a little flying under the radar and see what they have missed in our fair “little city.” Sadly, the deliciously great Piccolo is no more. We gladly would have waited in a long line.
CBG 617 Congress St., Portland In the day… The problem is when you hear the phrase, “in the day,” that it harkens to a place that favored the participation of a small group of older males in their worn Carhartt’s, sitting at the bar,
nursing their lukewarm PBR’s for hours on end, while mumbling to themselves. Another problem is that the Congress Bar and Grill has turned into a virtually indiscernible acronym. CBG is the brainchild of the team which brought us the Roma Café and Bramhall Pub, bestow- CBG's eggs benedict with Plungerhead, ing on it a much-needed breath of new life. a wallop of raspberries and roses in a In addition to transporting their swanky glass. -Photos by Layne Witherell lounge chairs to the sidewalk of Congress Street and creating a comfy vibe, they have panied with the perfect Sunday morning added delicious food, welcoming service, beverage: a glass of their well-chosen and a coolness way beyond lukewarm Cotes du Rhone. Or try the eggs benePBR’s. dict with a little 15% alcohol, fourth-genThe food menu is updated frequently, eration hipster Sebastiani family, Lodi old featuring satisfying familiar favorites with vine zinfandel Plungerhead for a wallop of a fresh twist. The extensive drink menu is raspberries and roses in a glass. a cornucopia of classic and modern cockTo end your meal, ask Michael to sugtails as well as thoughtful beer and wine gest a tasty Amaro, you will not be disapselections. pointed in his expertise. Outside, nothing beats a lounge chair, Their brunch menu is up and running their mushroom risotto, a glass of their alongside the big screen T.V. featuring mutunexpectantly lovely little German saued classics like Airplane with a soundtrack vignon blanc, and getting to be a witness chosen by Pandora herself, a little Bob to the ongoing pageantry that is Congress Dylan, or a jam band. Call ahead for days Street. and hours as things change, but currently Inside, the repurposed décor of your 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily. grandparent’s basement den combined with an iconic mural from “The Great LOCAL 188 Lebowski” lend a sense of rustic elegance 685 Congress St., Portland to contemplate over several of their cocktails. Then you can proceed to genuflect Yeah, I know, they have been serving over their Duck Hash with root vegeta- up fine Spanish victuals longer than the bles, duck confit, and potato rosti, accom- Carhartt people were sucking up their
You must admit that their Gazpacho is authentic and is perfect when paired with the Allagash 16 Counties Ale at a comforting 7.5% alcohol. Their main event is the paella, a dish perfected by them for decades. Try a bottle of Torii Mor pinot noir from Oregon to round out the lusciousness of it all. This brings me to the real reason that I am writing this. Unfortunately, when Portland was dubbed “the loveliest small city in the foodie universe,” it not only paved the way for a small group of die-hard aficionados to anoint and pass judgment on their chosen few, but also prevented them from looking around to discover a world of arts and music that exist here as well. Local 188 is ground zero for the beginning of such a quest. This place is loaded with the work of Pat Corrigan, a satiric and brilliant local artist, commissioned by the owner Jay Villani. There are no Instagram lighthouse or paella photos (you can find those elsewhere). These two of Pat’s pieces below, from our collection of local art, pretty much sum up the brilliance of what is in store for you if you just care to look past your plate. Welcome to Portland.
CONT'D ON PG. 13
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LAYNE'S WINE GIG
THE WEST END NEWS | JANUARY 2021
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CONT'D FROM PAGE 12
FLYING UNDER THE RADAR WINE AWARD The Flying Under the Radar wine champion for 2021 goes to Pampaneo Airen, Castilla, La Mancha, 2018, $13.99 retail. A white wine that is unrefined, unfiltered, spontaneously fermented, and strange beyond belief. This is a “natural” winemaker’s dream come true. The airen grape is planted in the vast Pampaneo, the Flying Under the Radar La Mancha region (500,000 acres of it, wine champ. -Photo by L.ayne Witherell this is not a typo) because it has found a comfortable home being transformed as a miraculous metamorphosis. Time to into local brandy. The Spaniards love their hit the books. The magic wine making word was reductive. It just needed some brandy. air to come alive and come alive it did. It is not at all strange that this totally We immediately ran out, got some undistinguished grape is made into a “natoysters, pulled out the engraved glasses ural” wine. Land is cheap, the grape plenand enjoyed. You never know. It isn’t over tiful in yield, and there is an audience for till the fat lady sings. a reasonably priced wine that is “natural” because the audience is there for advenBLUE VIRTUAL EVENT ture not uniformity. The real reason that I was intrigued We well be returning on Friday, January and gave it the flying under the radar sta- 8th, at 7:00 p.m. for a Zoom and Facebook tus is how it tasted initially. It was God live event winetasting to support Blue. awful. I decided to take the opened bottle You can reach them at portcityblue.com, and stick it in the fridge for a few days 207-774-411, or their Facebook page. The wines will be available at Blue by special before dumping it down the drain. order. All proceeds from this event go to Then, a miracle happened. It emerged Blue. Donate, and donate generously.
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Layne has been a professional in the wine business for many decades as a teacher, importer, writer, competition judge, and winery CEO. He was awarded the Master Knight of the Vine for his pioneering work in the Oregon wine industry. Visit http://winemaniacs.wordpress.com/blog.
WineManiacs By Layne V. Witherell
Updated 2020 Edition
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THE WEST END NEWS | JANUARY 2021
PUZZLE PAGE
Public Domain Trivia 1. Entering public domain on January 1, 2021, is what Long Island-based novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald?
2. Joining it is the musical Tiptoes, by what brothers who wrote Porgy and Bess? 3. The 1925 film Go West is now up for grabs, starring what silent film actor famous for his comedy and stunts? 4. Lastly, the book The Secret of Chimneys was well-reviewed despite not featuring Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot, two of what author’s most famous characters?
Mondays @ Lazzari Find out more on Facebook and Instagram: @bestworsttrivia
Find the answers online at thewestendnews.com/puzzle-solutions!
many words can you make from the Words In How letters in the phrase below? Words must have at least 4 letters. Plurals don’t count, nor do proper Words nouns, abbreviations, or foreign words not comBy Rosanne Graef
monly used in English.
“A cold white, waste of snow-drifts lies” -from Speak of the North by Charlotte Brontë GOLD = 150 words | SILVER = 125 words | BRONZE = 100 words
BONUS= How many words starting with “w” can you make? December’s bonus: Words having to do with “winter” or “night” in “The darkest evening of the year.” Some examples: starry, eventide, darkening, drift, skating, shiver…
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THE WEST END NEWS | JANUARY 2021
THE DUMPSTER… WHERE WE THROW ALL THE STUFF THAT WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH…
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Your Birthday’s Coming Up I’ve grown tired of writing your Name down on a page:
Rep. Sean Paulhus (D-Bath) reintroduces legislation to adopt Maine’s original 1901 All the things you used to say. How the air smells of small fires flag as the state’s official flag once again… When I know I’ll see you at night. For those looking for ways to spend their stimulus checks… According to iSeeCars.com, How your form, however present, gives off body heat January is the best time of year to buy a used As if you really were on my left side. car… In business news… Rwanda Bean, the local coffee company that gives 50% of profits to farmers in Rwanda, Continue to ask myself if I’m seeing ghosts. moves next door to Bissell Brothers Brewing on Thompson’s Point… Or maybe you’re a manifestation of guilt Uncommon Paws wins the annual Portland Downtown Holiday Window leeching off of me as a payment for all the years I didn’t reach out. Display contest… Half of all Your birthday’s coming up participants in a June 2020 Pew For the second time. survey say local news sources I’ll listen to songs you might like, were more accurate than New ones you haven’t heard yet. all news media in general... I’ve grieved, In lists that no one asked I’m still grieving. for… Personal finance site I haven’t had silence WalletHub looks at the largsince you went to sleep. est 100 cities and figures that America’s Most Caring City must be Boston, Mass… Expanding to look at 180 cities, WalletHub decides that -By Christopher Palmer, West End Portland is 2020’s 8th Best City for Singles thanks in large part to Submit your poem: our high number of restaurants per capita… And surprisingly no Maine Send to thewestendnews@gmail.com. for publication is the 4th Friday breweries are named in magazine Hop Culture’s list of 12 Best Craft Deadline of every month. Our column space is very Breweries of 2020…................................................................................................ limited, publication is not guaranteed.
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JANUARY EDITION 2021
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