The West End News - April Edition 2023 - Vol. 23 No. 04

Never Again, Never Again A Portlander’s Story of Survival, Life & Genocide

By Colin Monahan

A lifetime of accomplishments spread across the table in front of us: an award from the General Assembly of Connecticut; a certifcate from the Mayor of Akron, Ohio; dozens of newspaper clippings of interviews; a plaque of Maine’s Forty Under Forty; a letter from Congresswoman Pingree.

El-Fadel Arbab shuffes a stack of paintings produced by students from Falmouth High School depicting moments of his life feeing the Darfur Genocide in Western Sudan. “The Janjaweed and Sudanese military would pour fuel on our homes and set them on fre. I was hiding between the house and a tree. I was trying to escape. You would be in fear when you would see people getting bullets, shot and fall, blood, fre, smoke, people on horses and camels, running with guns and machetes,” explained Arbab.

This past February marks the twentieth anniversary of the Genocide in Darfur. However, the confict dates back to decades of ethno-religious civil war throughout Sudan. The confict in Western Sudanese Darfur region arose with rebel groups demanding from the government in Khartoum more rights and political recognition of non-Arab ethnic and tribal groups in Western Sudan, particularly the Fur,

Masalit, and Zaghawa ethnic groups. The Sudanese government in Khartoum outftted Arab militias, known as the Janjaweed, to persecute and terrorize non-Arab citizens in Western Sudan. The United Nations estimates that over 300,000 people have been killed and nearly 2,000,000 have been displaced.

April is observed as Genocide

Awareness and Prevention month recognizing many signifcant dates related to identity-based violence: April 7th, 1994, the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda; April 19th, 1943, the beginning of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising during the Holocaust; April 24th, 1915, the beginning of the Armenian Genocide.

“After seeing these things happen, we never know. [War and Genocide] could happen any second, minute or day. We have to keep our eyes and mind open and learn about genocide. Education is the power because when we learn, we will know more about it,” said Arbab. Prior to Covid-19, Arbab engaged in over two hundred speaking engagements with students across the United States from Presque Isle to Monument, Colorado. He shares his experiences as a genocide survivor and of his immigration to Portland.

“Neveragain, never again. I was a child born far away from here, but I’m not far. I’m here, I’m next door, I’m your neighbor.”

Arbab’s story is haunting, but one of hope and survival.

“One night, everybody was sleeping… the kids, the elders… even the animals. Suddenly, the Janjaweed came in their cars, surrounded the village and started attacking and taking everything.

“[The Janjaweed said] the elders and the kids were weak and would never fght them, so the Janjaweed took the elders and the kids, put

April is Genocide Awareness Month

APRIL 7 - Anniversary of the Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda

APRIL 17 - Anniversary of the Fall of Phnom Penh

APRIL 17-18- Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)

APRIL 24 - Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day

Page 13

El-Fadel Arbab with a painting depicting a scene from his life. Arbab shares his experiences escaping genocide in Darfur and coming to Maine. -Photo by Colin Monahan

Donate an hour to get the West End ready for spring!

Page 9

Avery Yale Kamila on protecting Portland from pesticides

Recipe for Horiatiki Salata (Greek Village Salad)

*Content Warning: This interview contains graphic descriptions of genocide and violence. Please be aware, some readers may fnd this content disturbing.*

INSIDE THIS

Tony Zeli, Publisher & Editor Rick Ness, Sales Erin Zeli, Sales FREELANCE CONTRIBUTORS

Colin Monahan, Featured Writer VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTORS

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, 795 Congress Street, Portland, Maine 04102.

• Letters to the editor should be no more than 200 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. Publication is not guaranteed and submissions may be edited for length and content.

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

Jade Christensen, Bright Ideas Nancy Dorrans, Travel & Adventure Billy Doukas, The Recipe Box Rosanne Graef, La Vida Local David Kunhardt, We're in this Together Stephanie Miller, Book Short Ben Taylor, Best Worst Trivia Liz Trice, PelotonPosts Layne V. Witherell, Layne's Wine Gig

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

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200+ Bed Homeless Shelter Opens on Riverside St.

New emergency shelter will provide critical comprehensive services all on-site

The City of Portland opened its new Homeless Services Center (HSC) located at 654 Riverside Street. The HSC provides 208 emergency shelter beds in a modern facility that was specifcally designed to serve as an emergency shelter. The City of Portland is currently sheltering roughly 1,000 people on a nightly basis between the Oxford Street Shelter for single adults, the Family Shelter, and overfow spaces.

Anyone who is new or has not stayed in a City of Portland shelter in the last 90 days must frst go to the City’s Prevention and Diversion Program at 39 Forest Avenue, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. There is also a 24/7 number to reach the HSC. Prevention and Diversion staff will discuss individual situations and help with a housing plan. The HSC shuttle service provides transportation throughout Portland from the Riverside Campus, as well as between offces at 39 Forest Avenue. The Prevention & Diversion Program works to prevent people from needing emergency shelter services and divert them to other resources whenever possible.

“While I am glad that we now have a better way in which to serve our most vulnerable populations, in a space that was specifcally designed to meet their needs, it is not lost on me that the homelessness crisis is complex, multifaceted, and dynamic,” said Mayor Kate Snyder. “We know that piecemeal, siloed responses by individual communities does not work. And we know that these 208 beds will not serve everyone who is in need. We are at a critical juncture in which real, workable, systemic solutions are needed. Portland elected offcials and City staff continue to seek assistance from our regional, state, and federal partners in order to address the homelessness crisis in our state.”

The City is partnering with several local service providers to provide critical wrap-around services on-site at the new HSC, as well as access to private and public transportation to other key services. These ser vice partners include: Preble Street, Amistad, The Opportunity Alliance, and Greater Portland Health, as well as others.

Absentee Voting Information for June 13 Municipal Election

Voters can now request their absentee ballots for the June 13th, 2023 municipal election. Absentee ballots can be requested online through the City’s website. Ballots will be sent out once they are ready in May.

Voters should know that this is a municipal election only and as such the State of Maine’s absentee ballot request form cannot be used to request an absentee ballot.Voters need to use the City’s online request form for this election.

To learn more about other ways to request your ballot, please visit https:// www.portlandmaine.gov/173/Absentee-Voting-Information.

The new facility provides a host of comprehensive services. This includes meals, a full health clinic, adequate day space, workforce training, housing counseling services, mental health and substance use services.

The new building’s design considers that many people seeking shelter and services have likely experienced signifcant trauma in their lives and need an environment that mitigates trauma-response behavior and promotes feelings of security, dignity, and safety. The large site allows for opportunities to create purposeful connections to nature and bring indoor and outdoor spaces together. Inside the building there are clear sightlines, high ceilings with natural light, minimal barriers, space that is easy to navigate and accessible, as well as designated areas that provide a sense of privacy.

Also, the City formed a Neighborhood Advisory Committee to address community concerns regarding the operation and impact of the HSC.

The new HSC replaces the City’s emergency shelter at Oxford Street, which the City leased and was not designed to serve in this capacity. That space could only serve clients with mats on the foor. The HSC broke ground in March 2022, and cost $24 million to construct. The City paid $6.5 million up front and the remaining amount will be fnanced via a 25-year lease. The City Council approved using $3.5 million in City allocated ARPA funds to help cover the upfront payment. The remaining $3 million was awarded to the City from Cumberland County’s ARPA allocation.

The HSC was approved by the City Council on June 17th, 2019, calling for the creation of a modern homeless services center with emergency shelter access and complete wrap-around services to be located at 654 Riverside Street on vacant, City-owned property. City staff issued an RFP in February 2021. The City Council selected Developers Collaborative in June 2021. Developers Collaborative will now lease the facility back to the City.

Portland PD Warns Public of Vehicle Sales Scam

The Portland Police Department is advising residents to be aware of recent scams taking place involving the sale of motor vehicles. Perpetrators have been purchasing cars through Facebook Marketplace and other online websites by presenting fake bank checks to the owner and false or no identifcation. Following the sale, the purchaser quickly sells the vehicle for cash before the previous owner realizes they received a fraudulent check.

Por tland Police say that cash is the safest form of payment. If the buyer offers a bank check, you should contact the bank to confrm the legitimacy of the check prior to completing the sale. You are also advised to take a photo of their ID and make sure it matches the bill of sale and check.

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DIMENSIONS IN JAZZ

CO

APR 14: The Josh Espinosa Trio FreeJazzWorkshop-4pm

Step into another dimension and experience the best contemporary jazz in Maine

APR 21: Stephen Crump, Solo Bass FreeJazzWorkshop-4pm

MAY 5: Neil Pearlman, Solo Piano AlbumReleaseShow

MAY 26: F.A.R. Trio

To learn more, visit portlandconservatoryofmusic.org/dimensions-in-jazz

• Private Lessons (25+ Instruments)

• Group Classes & Ensembles

• Free and ticketed concerts and events

• Early Childhood Music

• Jazz, Classical, & more!

presented by the

COMMUNITY EVENTS ARPIL 2023

Africa to Maine Photo Exhibit

Apr. 7th / 5 – 7p / Portland Public Library

Join the Immigrant Welcome Center (IWC) on April 7th, 5 to 7 p.m., at Portland Public Library for a reception and showcase of the ongoing “Africa to Maine” photo exhibition. There will be live music, free snacks and beverages, and presentations from those who are sharing their photos. This exhibition was put in place through IWC in partnership with the Portland Public Library, the Portland Museum of Art, and sponsored by Town & Country credit union. The event is free and open to all!

PPS Student Art Show

Running through Apr. 21st / Lewis Gallery, Portland Public Library

An exhibit of student artwork from all four Portland Public Schools high schools will be on display March 31st through April 21st at the Portland Public Library’s Lewis Gallery. The “Art Class” exhibit not only features student work but also was curated by a Portland High School student as part of that school’s extended learning opportunity (ELO) internship program.

Art Class features artwork from Portland High School, Deering High School, Casco Bay High School, and Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS). All art students attending these schools were en-

couraged to submit work to be displayed in the show with the optional theme of “identity.” Portland High senior Hannah Caron curated the show as part of her ELO internship at the library.

CPR Class with Portland Fire Dept.

Thu, Apr. 20th / 6:30p / Reiche Community Rm. (Clark St.)

West End Neighborhood Association (WENA) is sponsoring a CPR class with Sean Donaghue, Division Chief of Emergency Medical Services and Training, Portland Fire Department. Free. All are welcome.

West End Spring CleanUp

Sat, Apr. 22nd / 10a – 12p / Reiche Community Ctr. (Clark St.)

This year’s West End Spring Clean-Up just happens to be on Earth Day. What a wonderful way for West Enders to participate!

Just come by the Reiche Community Center entrance on Clark Street between 10 a.m. and noon. Have a cup of coffee, pick up a bag and gloves, be assigned a street,

EARTH DAY EVENTS

and fnd out the collection points. Read more about it on Page. 6, “La Vida Local.”

South Portland Land Trust Earth Day Clean Up

Sat, Apr. 22nd / 9a / Mill Creek Park, So. Portland

Join South Portland Land Trust (SPLT) for their Annual Earth Day Clean Up, happening on Saturday, April 22nd (rain date on Sunday, April 23rd). This year there will be two check-in sites: Mill Creek Park (across from Hannaford) and South Branch Trail (across from JC Penney). Check in begins at 9 a.m.

Sierra Club Maine Community Clean-Up

Fri, Apr. 21st / 2p / Back Cove and East End Beach

Sierra Club Maine will be getting people outside and giving back to the planet by hosting trash clean ups including in Portland neighborhoods. Join them on Friday, April 21st at 2 p.m. at Back Cove and East End Beach in Portland.

www.TheWestEndNews.com

MUSIC + EVENTS

ROSE ALLEY (JERRY GARCIA BAND TRIBUTE) AT BAYSIDE BOWL (ALL-AGES)

APR 22, 2023 - 8:30 PM – 11:30 PM

VAPORS OF MORPHINE (FT. DANA COLLEY OF MORPHINE) W/ JOHNNY CREMAINS

APR 28, 2023 - 8:00 PM – 11:30 PM

GINA & THE RED EYE FLIGHT CREW (CINCO DE MAY THROW DOWN / ALL-AGES)

MAY 5, 2023 - 8:30 PM – 11:30 PM

BUMPIN UGLIES

JUL 29, 2023 - 8:00 PM – 11:30 PM

JAMES MONTGOMERY

Maine Outdoor Film Fest & Maine Audubon Present

Fri, April 21st / 6 – 9p / Maine Audubon at Gilsland Farm, Falmouth / 21+

Maine Outdoor Film Festival presents a selection of short independent flms featuring the outdoors and the environment and viewed in the outdoors. Dress accordingly. (21+)

Children’s Museum

Celebrates Earth Day

Sat, Apr. 22nd/ 9a – 4p / Children’s Museum (250 Thompson’s Point Rd.)

The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine will offer programs and activities dedicated to the scientifc exploration of Maine’s ecosystems, migratory species, and more. Visitors will be invited to make a recycled art creation in the Makerspace, learn about our region’s watershed in “From the Mountains to the Sea,” and explore the wonderful world of worms and how they help create compost.

ECOMAINE’S ECOFEST

Sat. Apr. 22nd / 9a – 1p / Wescustogo Hall (N.Yarmouth)

Ecofest is a celebration of sustainability in recycling and waste management hosted by ecomaine at Wescustogo Hall & Community Center, 120 Memorial Highway, North Yarmouth (a solar-powered facility!). The community-oriented event will include activities, giveaways, food, music, and more.

OLS & NORTH ATLANTIC BLUES FESTIVAL PRESENT: JONTAVIOUS WILLIS

USM STUDENT JAZZ COMBO NIGHT

18TH ANNUAL WMPG BLUEGRASS SPECTACULAR W/ THE WORLD FAMOUS GRASSHOLES, BREAKIN' STRINGS, PEJEPSCOT STATION + MORE

ALI MCGUIRK (SOLO)

Donate an Hour to Get the West End Ready for Spring

By Rosanne Graef

As I write, Daylight Savings Time is a week old and astronomical spring is just fve hours away. When this edition of The West End News appears, we’ll be a third of the way through meteorological spring. Whichever way you look at it, the time has come for a new season which means getting boots, gloves, hats, and other winter garb out of sight for at least six months; removing draft stoppers, window quilts and inserts; washing and opening windows—that’s right, spring cleaning!

Bryan van Dussen, treasurer of the West End Neighborhood Association (WENA), has organized the neighborhood’s spring clean-up for a while. Asked why, he said, “I joined WENA when my wife and I moved here about nine years ago. Pretty much every place I’ve lived I’ve been involved in the local neighborhood association. I think they’re a good way to fnd community, give back and keep in touch with what’s going on around me. I think my interest in picking up litter goes all the way back to my grade school days. It just seems like such a common sense and relatively simple act to pick up trash. It’s an intuitive way for me to give back and contribute to my community.”

For van Dussen, the type of litter that’s most concerning and bothersome is “plastic, plastic, and plastic, and Styrofoam and cigarette butts, too. This stuff will be around for a very, very long time and has a high likelihood of ending up in our harbor.”

In the Shadow of the Banyan

Review by Stephanie Miller

A child’s world is shattered by civil war in Cambodia. One by one the people she loves are blown up, gone missing, stolen away in chains, tortured, starved, killed or, perhaps even worse, must continue to suffer as slaves alongside her.

West End Spring Clean-Up is on Earth Day, Apr. 22

This year’s Spring Clean-Up is Saturday, April 22nd, which just happens to be Earth Day. What a wonderful way for West Enders to participate! Just come by the Reiche Community Center entrance on Clark Street between 10 a.m. and noon. Have a cup of coffee, pick up a bag and gloves, be assigned a street, and fnd out the collection points. Alternatively, use your own gloves and bag to pick up on your street or blocks and add to your regular purple city bag on trash day.

“In the Shadow of the Banyan” by Vaddey Ratner is a shocking, semi-autobiographical tale of survival during massive political upheaval. In April of 1975, the civil war between the US-backed government and the Khmer Rouge insurgency reached a climax. Five-year-old polio survivor Raami wears a leg brace and worries she will never be beautiful and graceful like her mother. She is captivated by the magical world of the ancient stories she was told on her sickbed, and her daydreams are buoyed by the breathtaking beauty of her parents’ privileged lives as minor royals in Phnom Penh.

An astute, sensitive child, she senses the adults are worried about something she can’t understand. Suddenly, everyone must join a mass, forced evacuation from the cities. The Khmer Rouge has decided to “equalize” all citizens by moving them into rural, communal farms.

The child’s experiences are horrible. Basing the book on her own life during the insurrection, Ratner spares us nothing. Despite this unfinching narrative, the book is essentially a love song to her homeland and full of hope.

Before he is taken away, Raami’s father tells her, “I told you stories to give you wings, so that you would never be trapped by anything - your name, your title, the limits of your body, this world’s suffering.” Her heart is broken by his removal, but her spirit is sustained by the stories she has learned to interpret as his love for her.

Time and time again the Khmer Rouge force her and her dwindling family to move on. She makes a connection, and it is severed without notice. She fnds a scrap of comfort and it evaporates due to the cruelty, ignorance, and ineptitude of those in charge.

Raami survives forced labor and near starvation by simply refusing to forget her former happiness. At the end, she realizes that keeping her father’s memory alive is the way he stays present in the world.

I didn’t know much about Cambodia or this time in history when I picked up the book at Sherman’s. Raami is inspiring in her ability to retain her curiosity and love of beauty, despite the unceasing hardship her life has become.

Trash is a huge and growing problem that won’t easily be solved. Most reasons for this are beyond our individual control, but that doesn’t give any of us an excuse to do nothing. The spring clean-up is just one day, but van Dussen suggests that all year round West End residents can “make a mental note of where trash bins are located throughout the neighborhood. As you’re out for walks, runs, bicycle rides, etc., pick up litter and deposit it in one of these receptacles. Also, consider the difference we can make if once a week we all step outside our front door and check around our homes.”

He does offer a word of caution: “If you see a needle or lots of trash in one spot, use See-Click-Fix to notify the City. We discourage picking up needles.”

Stephanie Miller is a voracious reader who spends a lot of time lost in the stacks of bookstores and libraries. Find her online @StephanieSAM.

A collection site near Harbor View Park for a West End neighborhood clean-up in 2017. -WEN fle photo by Tony Zeli

A thumbs up to Ruski's for having the pail for cigarette butts and to their customers for using it!

-Photo by Rosanne Graef

CDC: Tick-borne babesiosis disease reaches endemic levels in Maine

Years of data show an increase in babesiosis cases across Northeastern states

A CDC study highlighted the spread of babesiosis in new geographic areas from 2011 to 2019. Babesiosis is a disease spread by ticks that can cause mild-to-severe illness. Symptoms include fever, chills, and muscle pain.Those with compromised immune systems are at particular risk.

Over 16,000 babesiosis cases were reported to the CDC by 37 states, with New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut reporting the largest number of cases. During 2011–2019, U.S. babesiosis incidence signifcantly increased in northeastern states.

Three states (Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont) that were not considered to have endemic babesiosis saw a signifcant increase in incidences. Reported case counts in these states were now similar to or higher than those in the seven states with previously known endemic transmission. In fact, Maine saw an increase of over ten times the reported cases from only 9 to 138 cases over the eight-year reporting period.

As Maine’s winters become milder, deer tick season lengthens, and many tickborne diseases, including Lyme disease and others, are becoming more prevalent.

Meals on Wheels & Community Leaders March for Meals

Southern Maine Agency on Aging welcomed more than forty community leaders from York and Cumberland Counties in late March to volunteer at the eight Meals on Wheels sites across Southern Maine. The event was held in recognition of the 2023 March for Meals Community Champions Week. Community leaders including town offcials, police offcers, frefghters, and Agency partners delivered meals and raised awareness of the importance of programs like Meals on Wheels in increasing food security and social connectedness among older adults and adults with disabilities.

The annual March for Meals commemorates the historic day in March 1972 when President Nixon signed into law a measure that amended the Older Americans Act of 1965 and established a national nutrition program for adults sixty years and older. This March, Meals on Wheels programs from across the country joined forces to celebrate more than ffty years of success and garner the support needed to ensure these critical programs can continue to address food insecurity and malnutrition, combat social isolation, enable independence, and improve health for years to come.

For more information about how you can volunteer, or if you or a family member might beneft from Meals on Wheels, please visit smaaa.org.

Southern Maine Agency on Aging to assist older adults with vaccinations

The Maine Area Agencies on Aging will conduct vaccination clinics, outreach, and education events. In addition, they can provide education materials to over 10,000 older and disabled individuals statewide. Beginning this summer, the grant will support efforts taking place through April 2024. This includes the fu season and the Medicare Open Enrollment period - when older adults are encouraged to get up to date on vaccinations.

“This funding will enable us to offer an additional level of outreach to communities that are underserved,” said Megan Walton, CEO of Southern Maine Agency

on Aging. “We’re not only educating, but actually hosting clinics, helping to provide in-home vaccinations when necessary, and generally overcoming a lot of the barriers that older adults and adults with disabilities face in accessing the resources they need to stay healthy.”

To learn more about these efforts, join The Exchange: Southern Maine Alliance for Older Adults. The Exchange is a quarterly networking opportunity for organizations and businesses working on behalf of older adults and adults with disabilities.To learn more about The Exchange, visit www.smaaa.org/TheExchange.html.

Interim City Manager: Use CARES Act Funds for Social Services

Second of two public hearings and fnal vote on CDBG funding is on April 10th

Interim City Manager Danielle West released recommendations to the City Council for Fiscal Year 2024 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding.

The City Council held its frst public meeting on CDBG funding on March 20th. It will hold the second public hearing with a fnal vote on Monday, April 10th.

As in past years, the City received a wide variety of competitive social service applications. Due to the signifcant needs identifed, in addition to the annual CDBG allocation for social services, the Interim City Manager recommended that Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) funding be re-programmed to fund some of the remaining CDBG applications.

Workshop, Survey: Expanding High-Speed Internet to Underserved Communities

There is currently $106,531 remaining. Of this total, $79,743 is currently allocated to additional public restrooms.West is recommending that the restrooms be funded with ARPA funding, and the CARES Act funding be moved to fund eligible social service applications. The ARPA funding would be made available by reducing the recent housing program/Housing Trust Fund allocation by $79,743.

Additionally, West recommended that the $150,000 necessary to fund Community Policing be moved from CDBG to the General Fund, allowing this money to be allocated toward other social services. In this case, West recommended that Catholic Charities, ILAP, and Catherine Morrill Day Nursery Childcare vouchers be fully funded.

Expanding broadband access is the goal of a new, federally funded Regional and Tribal Broadband Partners Program, which the Maine Connectivity Authority administers. The program will support community-driven planning efforts to develop solutions for expanding broadband infrastructure and assuring everyone has access. The Greater Portland Council of Governments is leading the initiative in Cumberland County.

Community listening workshops were held in March at public libraries in Brunswick, Gorham, and Bridgton to inform the public about this work and assess broadband needs. A Por tland workshop will be held on April 4th, noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Portland Public Library, Rines Auditorium.

In addition, Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission is holding a community listening workshop that will

set the stage for future state and federal investments in broadband infrastructure across the state. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 4th, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at York County Community College.

Also, the Maine Connectivity Authority is asking residents to take a survey to help the state understand what infrastructure investments are important to residents. Residents can fnd the survey at GPCOG.org

Over the next fve years, the state will spend as much as $250 million in infrastructure investment and approximately $125 million in digital equity and inclusion strategies to expand access to high-speed internet throughout the state. This planning work on the regional level will lay the groundwork for that effort.

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Avery Yale Kamila: Protecting Portland from

Pesticides

Every month PelotonLabs co-founder Liz Trice interviews a local community member. This month, Liz caught up with Avery Yale Kamila, who is the co-founder of Portland Protectors, a grassroots group working to protect and enhance the natural environment in the city.

Portland Protectors started to reduce pesticide use, right?

Yes. In 2015 Maggie Knowles and I, both parents, had reached a breaking point with seeing kids exposed to synthetic pesticides. The city used to have a Roundup sidewalk spray program. A citizens group formed in 2000 and was able to get the city to cut use by 50%.

But in 2003, I watched the City spray the perimeter of the Reiche school. And in 2013, when I was pregnant and on my walk to work, I passed a playground where a city contractor was spraying the perimeter of the playground. The worker was not wearing gloves or other protective gear, and within minutes of the spray, dozens of kids came to wait for the school bus and kids sat on the wet Roundup. I was foored! I, a pregnant woman, was exposed, the worker was exposed, and all the children were exposed! The city promised not to do it again, but I felt that it had gone too far.

We started contacting people we knew who were working on the issue, including people in Ogunquit who had already passed an ordinance. Pretty quickly we realized that Maine is one of only six states that have home rule when it comes to pesticide use, so citizens here still have the right to control their exposure to pesticides.

We set about creating an ordinance. The process was so long and drawn out, and so boring, and so stressful, but also so important - because this is about our kids, our water, our health, and these landscaping pesticides are used for purely cosmetic reasons! I’ve never met anyone who wants to poison their children or dogs or kill birds or bees… they’re just trying to get a job done.

Even though Portland has gotten this very successful ordinance in place – one of the strongest in the nation – it still doesn’t ban the sale of pesticides. Locally, we have

Lowe’s and Home Depot in town that sell pesticides, but Maine Hardware and Eldridge Hardware have taken the steps of voluntarily removing the pesticides from their shelves to align themselves with the ordinance.

There are thirty communities in Maine now that have ordinances on the books - most apply to public land, but some towns, Portland, South Portland, Ogunquit, and Blue Hill, ban pesticide use town-wide, and Blue Hill bans the sale. Some of the towns near forestry plantations ban aerial spraying, and some ordinances are about protecting particular watersheds. Falmouth and Yarmouth have tried and failed. Cape Elizabeth and Hallowell are both taking it up this month.

What’s so bad about pesticide use?

Each pesticide has different risks. But generally, pesticides can cause cancer, respiratory or brain developmental issues, immune system issues, impact water quality, and hurt wildlife. Some pesticides will injure aquatic animals, especially sensitive ones, like baby lobsters. Harpswell’s ordinance is to protect lobsters. If your house is on a fve-acre lot, if your neighbor uses Roundup, it might bother you a little. But in dense urban environments, everyone is affected.

Organic pesticides can also be acutely toxic; the major difference is that synthetic pesticides are manufactured from petroleum and other chemicals that don’t break down easily. Organic pesticides quickly dissipate in the environment.

One of the things that people in real estate don’t like to talk about, is that if you’re in rural Maine, especially if it was a farm – apple orchards are notorious – you have to test the soil for pesticide residue. It can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to clean up the soil. Many pesticides have PFAS, even though there’s a law banning PFAS… It’s diffcult!

My son, Alden Hill, took this photo of me next to the Certifed Wildlife Habitat sign outside my fence in downtown Portland. Behind me are cedar trees, which provided nesting sites, shelter from predators, protection from winter storms, and relief from the intense summertime heat for numerous species of urban wildlife, including chickadees and cardinals.

We don’t even know what might be the health impacts of so many of these “forever” chemicals. We already have so many of these chemicals in our blood, and Maine has one of the highest cancer rates in the country.

What’s next?

We had the ordinance passed unanimously in 2018, even though there was so much lobbying by out-of-town corporations. The ordinance gave the city three years to transfer its athletic felds. It doesn’t take much to manage your back yard organically, but high-performance, intensive-use felds take more effort to manage with organic methods.

I helped get a $10,000 grant from Stonyfeld and Hannaford for [Portland] Parks and Rec to do a demonstration project on Fox Street, and they learned management techniques from a national consultant, and it worked great. The city’s Parks and Recreation Department has embraced the ordinance and done an excellent job converting all its athletic turf felds to organic management. The felds and parks have never looked better.

In addition, I’ve heard from new residents who say the organic ordinance played a role in their choosing to move to Portland because of the increased quality of life and peace of mind it provides. Residents have also reported seeing more native pollinators since the ordinance

passed. Nationally, Portland is seen as a leader, and many communities in Maine are interested. Our major campaign has been successful, and now we have a good network of people interested in environmental issues.

The next level people are talking about is No Mow May, how to turn your lawn into a garden, and thinking about how to make your little space inviting to wildlife. We are also interested in expanding the tree canopy in Portland. There’s so much data about how benefcial tree canopy is to our mental and physical health.

There’s so many steps we can take: acting on the interconnectivity of sewer engineering, trees, walkability, equity, and visioning a new world. We’re living in the world the colonizers created, and people are starting to see the faws in that system. How do we create a better future and not just slow the negatives?

People have had to survive some really negative things, so I can survive a bunch of boring bureaucratic meetings and boring ordinances. That’s nothing compared to what other people have struggled through.

Portland has a lot to be proud of in the passage of its toughest in the nation organic land care law in 2018, which has recently been expanded to include a ban on synthetic fertilizer. The ordinance has given the city positive national publicity and raised the quality of life for all residents.

How can people learn more, contribute, or get involved?

• Portland protectors Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/portlandprotectors.

• Leave the leaves on your lawn! That’s where the eggs for the pollinators are - that’s food for wildlife. Leaves flter the pollutants out of rainwater and enrich the soil.

• Email Avery to join the email list or learn how to contribute: avery.kamila@gmail.com.

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.

PelotonPosts is produced by PelotonLabs and WEN provides free column space. Publisher-editor Tony Zeli is a coworking memeber at PelotonLabs.

Tuesday - Friday: 10-4 Saturday: 9-4 (w/ special brunch menu)

Layne's Wine Gig Presents LITTLE LOVELIES

By Layne V. Witherell

First, let me give a heartfelt thanks to The New York Times for letting us all feel both hip and sake-empowered.Their “little lovely” of Feb. 27th, 2023, “Sake is booming in America,” was - as usual - Brooklyn centric and New York aspirational.

The article introduced us to new rarities like IWA 5 (for a mere $200.00 a bottle) with a “blending process that challenges the boundaries of sake.” It is the creation of Richard Geoffrey, the former blender of Dom Perignon. Need I say more? It is so refreshing to see both you and your wallet tumbling down the ol’ beverage adventure (wine, craft beer, rare bourbon) rabbit hole that is marketing and social media. Oh, and don’t forget the social media infuencers.

My ”little lovely” article on sake was in The West End News June 2021 print edition, “Rethinking Food and Wine: Starting with Unusual Sake Pairings.” It was a piece that investigated new sake and food pairings. Find it online at thewestendnews. com. After long thought and deliberation afterward: there are two ways that you can go with sake.

First is what I call the “sake somm obsessed.” That involves getting to know all thousand plus breweries in Japan as well as the hundreds emerging soon in Bushwick, Brooklyn. And don’t forget Oregon (the largest sake market in America). Sor-

ry, the Times article forgot Oregon. With this mindset, it is important to learn every style, sweetness level, and producer. The second idea is very different. Start by going to...

BAR FUTO, 425 Fore St., Portland

Small, deliriously good plates: scallop crudo, charred Hamachi, uni (the delicious innards of the sea urchin) over potato mochi. Much love to the skewers of duck breast and scallops with miso. All carefully accompanied with some very well thought out sake pairings.

• Dassai Junmai Daiginjo Nigori (coarse fltration and cloudy), $14.00 a glass. Delicate and elegant with the scallops.

• Dance of the Demon, $18.00 glass. Moving on up in favor and complexity with the uni. Judy’s favorite. A full, nutty, earthy sake.

• Taru Cedar Sake, $14.00 glass. You drink it from a little wooden box. Like oak? Like cedar? Like drinking from a little wooden box? This is it.

• Hanahoto Kajoshu Junmai (8 years old), $18.00 a glass. Looks like an ancient Spanish sherry and is the greatest accompaniment to duck breast and prune sauce on a skewer imaginable. Thanks to Chet at the bar. I never would have found that one.

Our Portland market is open!

262 Commercial St, Portland

Tues – Sat: 10 am – 5 pm

Closed: Sunday-Monday

If great food and wine pairings are your thing, alongside décor, service, and ambiance... This is your place.

Frankly, I think that the only thing that you need to look for on a sake label, as the kanji (Japanese script) will drive you crazy, is the word Diagingo. This is the quality level of rice milled to 50% of its outer layers polished away. Rare, captivating, and delicious. Have it cold with any food. Problem solved.

You may not be an expert, but you now have confdence to roll up to your local “sake somm” and throw down a statement. And you will be getting the fnest sake for your money.

SOPO SEAFOOD, 171 Ocean St., South Portland

A “little lovely” close to home. After spending a week in New Orleans staring at wine lists that featured and extolled $14,000 bottles of Domaine Romanee Conti and $22,000 bottles of Chateau Petrus, it is beyond refreshing to revisit one of our favorite “little lovely” wine lists.

It has changed since our last visit in February of last year. Changed in a more complete, affordable, and utterly delightful way. They are a model for small wine lists. They won’t win a Wine Spectator Grand

Sake at Bar Futo. Layne has a suggestion if you want to look like you know your sake without becoming a "sake somm obsessed." -All photos courtesy of Layne & Judy Witherell

Award (no Master Somm, no Opus One at $780.00 a bottle). Just consistency, value, and a wine that will pair with each of their delightful dishes. This visit: lobster bisque , a great selection of Maine oysters, and a crab sandwich to dip in your bisque.

Our guide to all things SoPo Seafood was Lucas Myers, Director of Operations and seer of all dishes and beverages. Here are highlights from their twenty well-chosen wines:

• TURBULLENT, Gamay Sparkling Rose, France, $12.00 glass/$35.00 bottle. Gamay Rose steps the game up from sparkling Provence and Italian Prosecco. More blackberries than strawberries in favor with moderate fruitiness. A nice ride. A different ride.

• LUBANZI, Chenin Blanc, South Africa, $8.00 glass /$25.00 bottle. For this food and its surroundings, the Chenin Blanc is perfect. A touch of sweetness and enough body to go with all the dishes. If you don’t know South African wines, it is time to start. And this is a great place to start.

Poor misunderstood South African wines. First: their lovely Chenin Blanc grape was called Steen. Confusing? Yes.

Few recognized the name. Then the best vines, the oldest in the world, were used to make a ho-hum Brandy or stuck unceremoniously into a bag in a box to be sold in the “cheap and cheerful” world in England. A shame. The real shame is that the tourists who visited the picture-perfect wineries were told that THE grape of South Africa was the Pinotage, a noisy red grafting of Pinot Noir and Cinsault. At its best it is bold. At its worst it tastes of road tar. You decide.

• GUARDIAN’S, Rkatsiteli, Republic of Georgia, $10.00 glass/$30.00 bottle. Gloriously dry with high acidity to cut through the oysters and lobster bisque. A perfect shellfsh pairing. There is always a hint of minerals and pepper in “Rkats,” as it is affectionally called.

There are lots of legends like the frst vine planted by Noah after the food. But we do know it is an ancient Georgian grape. I frst saw the grapes in the 1970’s on a visit to the Concannon Winery in Livermore, California. They imported Sauvignon Blanc in the early part of the 20th century from France along with Petite Syrah, a little-known blending grape from the south of France. Enter “Rkats” as their little grape adventure in the 1960’s.

Because of its ability to withstand extreme cold, Dr. Konstantin Frank of New York State (“it gets so cold here that your spit freezes before it hits the ground”) and Dennis Horton of Barboursville, Virginia,

The Recipe Box Horiatiki Salata (Greek Village Salad)

both have tried their luck. Both wines are worth searching out. The grapes are familiar with the cold, much like those raw oysters on your plate. Great call, Luke.

By Billy Doukas

Years ago, when my mother Rita was operating the Longfellow Café in Portland, she began to serve a few Greek dishes. We had an informal partnership, and I couldn’t help but ask one day when I saw a Greek salad with no lettuce, “Where’s the greens!?” I exclaimed with a know-itall attitude, “Did we run out of lettuce?”

Turbullent Gamay, Rkatsiteli from Georgia, and Lubanzi Chenin Blanc from South Africa may be new fnds to you, but the one wine that belongs on every list (sorry, Prosecco and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc) is Pinot Gris from Oregon.

• ROOTS, Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon, $8.00 glass/$25.00 bottle. Everyone should have a Pinot Gris on their list. It is vastly better than cheesy Pinot Grigio. I have said that before.

There are three sakes on their list. I was contemplating asking, but Luke was into a deep dive caviar dialog with a customer. It was so illuminating - his animated take accompanied by the raft of customers’ questions - that I forgot to ask.

Take that to New York. We have our own “little lovelies”!

Rita smirked then smiled, “No, Billy boy, that’s a Horiatiki (HOR-ree-ah-TEEkee) salad. No lettuce: it doesn’t grow in the villages; rocky soil.” At the time I didn’t believe her. But it’s true; such a “village” salad exists. Here’s it is:

Layne has been a professional in the wine business for many decades and was awarded the Master Knight of the Vine for his pioneering work in Oregon. He can be reached at lvwitherell@gmail.com.

Total Time: 30 mins. Serves 6.

4 medium fresh ripe tomatoes, cored, cut into 6 wedges and then cut in half

2 Tablespoons Sea salt, divided

4 small cucumbers, peeled, cut into ½” thick discs and then quartered

1 medium red onion, sliced and quartered into ¼” wide strips

1 cup kalamata olives, pitted

3 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 Teaspoon black pepper

½lb block of Greek feta cheese, sliced into ¼” thick small triangles (I use French Feta)

2 Teaspoons dried oregano

Place cut tomatoes in colander, sprinkle 1 Tablespoon Sea salt, and allow tomatoes to drain for 15 minutes. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, and 1 Tablespoon of salt in a bowl. Combine cucumbers, onions, olives, and tomatoes in larger bowl, and toss with prepared dressing. After servings are placed in individual dishes, set several feta triangles on top of each and sprinkle with oregano.

William “Billy” Doukas is a longtime Portland resident. With his mother Rita Panagakos-Doukas, he co-owned and operated Longfellow Cafe.

By Nancy Dorrans

The frst Earth Day was held on April 22nd, 1970. I remember that cloudy cool day. I was almost ten years old. My Girl Scout troop planted trees at my elementary school. My step-grandfather, Fred, helped me dig the hole! Over ffty years later, Earth Day is celebrated globally by over one billion people in more than 193 countries.

This year the offcial theme of Earth Day is “Invest in Our Planet.” What will you do to celebrate?

I feel quite blessed that as an independent business owner, travel advisor, and small group coordinator, I can combine my love of nature with my group adventures and tours. My favorite adventures are those that include mountains, trails, paths, tracks, and wending ways less discovered by tourists. I consider myself an ambassador for the Earth, a daughter of Mother Nature.

Jane Goodall is one of my heroes! She was born with “a sense of awe and wonder.” She loves our planet and its animals, especially chimpanzees. Jane has dedicated her life to studying and protecting our environment…

“Ithink I was born loving animals… Out in the rainforest you learn how everything is interconnected and each little species, even though it may seem insignifcant, has a role to play in this tapestry of life. What better day than Earth Day to really make a determined effort to live lives in better harmony with nature. Every single individual matters, every single individual makes

some impact on the planet every single day and we have a choice as to what kind of difference we are going to make.”

-Jane Goodall

Jane is one of several of the world’s leading tourism and conservation visionaries that share their experiences and visions in the flm “The Last Tourist,” produced by Bruce Poon, founder of GAdventures. Filmed in over sixteen countries, “The Last Tourist” reveals “the real conditions and consequences the travel industry has worldwide through the forgotten voices of those working in its shadow. Over-tourism has magnifed its impact on the environment, wildlife, and vulnerable communities around the globe.”

Adventure Marketplace embraces the words of Jane and others. We are heading off the beaten path. Our next global “out of the ordinary” adventures will focus on sustainability and strive to educate our travelers on how to invest in our planet and become good, responsible travelers. “Sustainable tourism done correctly must look at how innovation in tourism can have a positive, lasting impact on our world by following the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).” Travel can be a force for good!

As an example, the Catalunya Tourism offce (out of Catalonia, Spain) is de-

veloping adventures that pull travelers off the popular and overcrowded Camino de Santiago and showcase Catalonia, a less visited region of Spain that is “extensive, green, mountainous, snow-covered, and sun-drenched. Where you can do what most pleases you: leisure or adventure, observation or physical activity…”

In September of 2019, I was invited by the Catalunya tourism offce to explore this region of Catalonia. We hiked part of El Cinquè Llac (The Fifth Lake), a circular walking route in the foothills of the Pyrenees. We took it slow and hiked on uncrowded trails between quiet villages. Staying in small boutique inns, we enjoyed amazing meals and relaxed picnics. We drank wine with the locals and enjoyed the most amazing views. We also took a unique journey on the historical train, Tren dels Llacs!

I decided I wanted to go back with a small group and share this unique destination. And so, I organized a Catalonian “Women, Walking & Wine” adventure for September of 2020. Unfortunately, the pandemic put a stop to that adventure,

but we have restarted now!

I’m working on re-organizing that tour and others that help, not hurt the planet! Stay tuned for adventures that are good for us and our planet at www.adventure-marketplace.com.

There are so many ways to invest in our planet and become good, responsible travelers. Let’s celebrate Earth Day and be like Jane and “…make a determined effort to live lives in better harmony with nature!”

Earth Day Events

After over 50 years, Earth Day is still cool! I’ve dug up some great local ways to celebrate Earth Day in the greater Portland area “Can You Dig It?” Read all about these events on Page 5 of this edition of The West End News.

Nancy Dorrans... Girl Scout since 1967... Travel Advisor since 1981... Founder of Adventure Marketplace... Navigating travelers on authentic, nurturing, global and local adventures since 2014.

Left: Bruce Poon at screening of ‘The Last Tourist’ at ATTA event in April 2022.

Above: Nancy Dorrans in Catalonia with Tren dels Llacs conductors. Right: Which way to go along El Cinque Llac?

-Photos courtesy of Nancy Dorrans

Classic Literature Trivia

1. The original title by Mary Shelley was “Frankenstein; or, The Modern BLANK”, where the blank is what Greek titan and god who stole fire and gave it to humans?

2. What incredibly well-known Spanish book about chivalry, finished in 1615, is often called the first modern novel?

3. Francis Ford Coppola and his co-writers based their 1978 epic war film Apocalypse Now on what 1899 book that’s originally set in Congo?

4. Every October, a festival is held in Dublin to celebrate what Irishman who wrote Dracula in 1897?

Mondays at Foulmouthed Brewing, Lazzari

Tuesdays at Ri Ra, Brookside F+D

Wednesdays at Wilson County BBQ, Elsmore BBQ in SoPo

Thursdays at Arcadia, Locally Sauced, Goodfire online @bestworsttrivia

Find the answers online at thewestendnews.com/puzzle-solutions!

SOLUTIONS ON PG. 16

We’re All in This Together Permitting Reform Needed to Advance Clean Energy

By David Kunhardt

Fossil fuel promoters and renewable energy developers agree: we need to remove existing obstacles to approving projects that will produce cleaner energy, shortening the current four-plus year approval gauntlet before the frst shovel is turned. Environmental reviews are important—especially when needed to defend the rights of communities heavily impacted by air and water pollution. But we can speed the permitting and still defend local communities, the environment, and healthy air.

Nationally, we are already cleaning the energy supply. For example, renewable energy surpassed coal use in 2021:

AT&T Helps Mainers Plan for Future with New Climate Tool, ClimRR

which heat and cool without fossil fuel for less money. Clean energy will keep those dollars and jobs in state but will require service upgrades and “growing the grid” – more electrical transmission and distribution lines.

Reforming the clean energy permitting process is one of the best ways to meet the clean energy goals of the Infation Reduction Act and the bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. Not to mention to meet the Governor’s goal of having 80% of Maine’s electricity produced by renewables.

Action on these fronts needs to take place nationally. Fortunately, legislators in both parties are taking this up. Some of the seventy-two Republicans who belong to the Conservative Climate Caucus have focused on removing red tape—to be sure, in support of all energy. With the engagement of the Senators already active on this, we foresee permit reforms that foster faster growth of renewable energy and still hold the line on environmental and health protections.

By Owen Smith and Jessica Filante Farrington

Across the nation, communities consistently look for ways to ensure that their infrastructure withstands the test of time. But as state and municipal leaders gaze into the future, climate change presents real, catastrophic risk.

As part of AT&T’s work to address climate change, we teamed up with the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory to develop the Climate Risk and Resilience Portal (ClimRR).

ClimRR serves as a free, publicly accessible portal, providing localized data projections.The tool can empower policymakers, city planners, emergency managers, and community leaders to better understand future climate threats, examine infrastructure vulnerabilities, fortify critical facilities, and develop adaptation plans.

impact on transportation and building projects; and much more.

For Maine, ClimRR data shows significant effects of climate changes, including temperatures in Portland warming across all seasons. Maximum and minimum temperatures in that city are projected to increase across all seasons, with the average summer temperature projected to increase nearly fve degrees by midcentury. Total annual precipitation in Portland is projected to increase more than four inches by midcentury while the number of consecutive days without precipitation will go down, suggesting more frequent rainfall.

Increases in both temperature and precipitation, as seen in ClimRR’s outlook for Portland, signal critical shifts in infrastructure and policy needs – from water management policies and storm water management, to heat advisory usage and combating heat-related illnesses.

Use of natural gas (a fossil fuel) also increased, in part because the process to permit gas pipelines is easier than for the electrical transmission lines needed to transmit renewable solar and wind energy. To promote the use of renewables we need to level the playing feld and streamline the steps for approval of electrical lines.

Sixty percent of Maine homes use oil, so we send more and more money out of state to keep us warm. The Infation Reduction Act’s subsidies go a long way to help folks switch to heat pumps,

How can you help? Contact your US Senators and Representative and let them know you support streamlined, effective permitting of renewable energy projects. Join Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a bipartisan organization with local chapters in Maine that advocates for effective solutions to the climate crisis. For more information: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/our-climate-solutions/clean-energy-permitting-reform.

David Kunhardt is a retired solar energy developer who lives in Scarborough and has been a volunteer with CCL since 2013.

We’re All in this Together is provided by the Portland chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

ClimRR’s interactive maps allow users to see projected local climate conditions thirty years into the future, which is crucial for long-range planning and preparing each community for their “new normal.”

For example, if a city’s annual rainfall is projected to signifcantly increase, leaders can help mitigate impacts by upgrading storm drain systems and food control plans. Even more critical for equity considerations, the tool identifes areas where climate hazards are posing risk to specific populations, enabling municipalities to better protect vulnerable residents.

Use case examples could include extreme heat analysis layered with community data, enabling equitable plans for cooling centers and community center hours; seasonal businesses making changes to their operating seasons; coastal cities anticipating fooding and sea-level rise’s

AT&T assesses climate factors in its own operations. Risks like fooding, wildfre, drought, and wind are integrated into network resilience efforts and infrastructure planning processes. We have accumulated years of experience interpreting the data, which has helped inform the creation of ClimRR to ensure the climate projections are actionable for local communities.

ClimRR is one piece of a larger puzzle, and we encourage Maine’s state and municipal leaders to check it out, share stories of its use and participate in one of our upcoming virtual training sessions.

To view the ClimRR climate analysis tool, please visit: https://disgeoportal.egs. anl.gov/ClimRR.

Owen Smith is President of AT&T Maine. He can be reached at: os5414@att.com.

Jessica Filante Farrington is Director of Global Environmental Sustainability at AT&T.

US Energy Generation by Source from Rhodium Group, EIA. -Provided by Portland CCL

Sagamore Village Rain Garden Construction to Begin

Green Infrastructure Project Seeks to Manage Stormwater Runoff in Sustainable Way and Improve Water Quality in Capisic Brook

A stormwater project in Sagamore Village will be the frst of its kind, of this scale, for Portland. Spearheaded by the City’s Public Works Water Resources team, this green infrastructure project seeks to manage stormwater runoff in a creative, sustainable way while improving water quality in Capisic Brook.

The $1.8 million project will install thirty-two rain gardens in Sagamore Village. The natural structures will absorb and treat stormwater runoff for nearly seventeen acres of watershed. Normally this runoff would drain from the streets into Capisic Brook, but soon, as a result of these rain gardens, pollutants will be removed from the water through passive soil fltration. Meanwhile, nutrients present in the stormwater, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, will help plantings thrive.

Work on this project is anticipated to begin in early April 2023 and conclude by October 31st, 2023. The overall goal of this project is to improve water quality in Capisic Brook which is classifed as an Urban Impaired stream by the Maine DEP.

Along with fltering of the stormwater, the rain gardens will provide aesthetic appeal and neighborhood beautifcation. The project also aims to provide minor

No Mow May Saves the Bees

By Jade Christensen

Spring is here, which means fowers are blooming and it’s time to get our gardens ready for the year. Before you get started, let’s dig deeper into the reasons behind the No Mow May and Leave the Leaves initiatives and how they relate to saving the bees.

traffc calming by reducing overall street widths at several locations.

The City’s water resources staff developed this project to comply with the City’s Capisic Brook Watershed Management Plan, which was adopted by the City of Portland in 2012. Completion of this project is a permit requirement as part of the City’s stormwater MS4 permit being administered by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The permit requires that the project be completed by July 1st, 2025.

Learn more about the Sagamore Village Green Infrastructure Project at https://www.portlandmaine.gov/1362/Sagamore-Village-Green-Infrastructure-Pr.

We are constantly hearing “save the bees”; well, this is your chance to do so. Important native bees and insects live under that leaf litter through the winter. This litter creates an insulating layer to protect them from the snow, wind, and rain. Not raking your leaves in the fall creates this vital habitat to a variety of our native solitary bees, bumble bees, beetles, and butterfies. This includes some of our favorite butterfies and moths, like the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Question Mark, Mourning Cloaks, and Hummingbird Clearwing which is a sphinx moth species.

In the springtime, while we enjoy the scattered 50-degree temperatures, pollinators are still tucked away safe. Most of these creatures won’t start emerging until it’s been above 50 degrees consistently, and even then, they may still need the leaf litter as the temperatures fuctuate. Removing the leaf litter early will remove that protective layer.

Leaf litter is what keeps pollinators safe in the winter, and tall grass can be used as protection for small mammals as they search for food in the spring. Lawns are also home to fowers like dandelions, crocuses, snowdrops, violets, and more. These fowers can be a key staple for pollinators as they are emerging for the year. Since we have fewer fowering plants early in the year (April, May), we need to leave as many options for them as possible. Increasing their food source will increase their chance of survival.

So, let’s leave the leaves and not mow in May, to help us save the bees and butterfies this year. Wait until the end of May, or consistent warm temperatures, before doing a spring cleanup in the garden.

Take this spring to relax before the summer picks up, and let your gardens do the same.

Sources

-PennState. (2021). Insect Life Under the Leaves. Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Entomology.

-Wheeler, J. (2017). For Pollinators’ Sake, Don’t Spring Into Garden Cleanup Too Soon!. Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Bright Ideas is brought to you by PCAT, which meets the third Tuesday of the month, 6 - 7:30 p.m. All are welcome! FMI: portlandclimateaction@gmail.com.

2. Visit our advertisers.

3. Tell them you saw their ad.

Thank you for reading!

-Photos by Jade Christensen, PCAT

A crossing at Capisic Pond Park, downstream from the project and along Portland Trails system. -WEN fle photo

Never Again, Never Again Cont'd

*Content Warning: This interview contains graphic descriptions of genocide and violence. Please be aware that some readers may fnd this content disturbing.*

them in a house, locked the door from the outside with a piece of rope, set the houses on fre and burned them alive. They burned the people… the elders and the children.

“They said they would save the bullets for the ones who were strong, who wanted to fght them or the ones who wanted to run to escape. When kids tried to escape, the military that had surrounded the village took their guns and machetes and chopped their heads off… For the pregnant moms, they chased after them thinking the baby will be a boy and when he will be born and raised, he will learn the history of Darfur and be against the military in the future. For that reason, they cut the babies from the mom’s bodies with a knife or machete…

“That’s the way they killed the people of Darfur… We lost so many people in Darfur… women, the elders, and the kids… just so many kids.”

Alone at the age of 14, Arbab fed the violence in his village of Tamar to Khartoum, Sudan’s capital almost nine hundred miles east. Arbab spent fve and a half years internally displaced throughout Sudan surviving off food scraps found in the trash, dirty water, odd jobs, a little luck, and the kindness of others. In Khartoum, Arbab had met an offcial that was in con-

tact with several of his brothers that had fed to Egypt, along with a refugee camp back in Darfur where it was rumored that his mother resided.

After three and a half years on the run, Arbab decided to return to Darfur to fnd his mother. “Why are you going back to Darfur? People are trying to come from there, and even the aid organizations cannot return to Darfur to fnish their missions,” the offcial asked.

A willful and inexorable Arbab returned nine hundred miles west into a confict zone, searching every refugee camp along the way, to reunite with his mother and siblings. The Arbab family spent several years in Khartoum then traveled to Egypt in 2000. With the help of Catholic Charities of Maine, Arbab and his mother were relocated to Portland in 2004, where he has been living and working since.

There are approximately six thousand Sudanese immigrants living throughout New Hampshire and Maine. “What I would like to see is that anyone who is running for their life, the United States government should receive them. These people are very hard-working people. We pay our taxes, we work hard, we go to school, we study and learn English because language is the key for our success,”

from Pg. 1 City Proclamation on Genocide Awareness & Prevention Month

explains Arbab.

“We will integrate and become a better American citizen and build a better American society. Because at the end of the day when I became an American citizen, I am an American citizen! We are all Americans, there is no difference. If you are coming from a different country or you are born here, the bullets don’t know which one is an American citizen born here or not.” El-Fadel Arbab was naturalized on September 30th, 2009.

“Never again, never again. I was a child born far away from here, but I’m not far. I’m here, I’m next door, I’m your neighbor.”

El-Fadel Arbab is available to lecture at your school or community center. You can contact El-Fadel Arbab at elfadelfcr@ gmail.com to learn more about Sudanese history and culture or book him for a speaking engagement.

Colin Monahan is a community organizer, server, and journalist. His previous work has focused on social movements in Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Georgia. Colin believes in accessible, independent, local journalism.

At their March 20th meeting, the Portland City Council approved a proclamation offcially recognizing April 2023 as Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month in the City of Portland. The proclamation reads in part:

"WHEREAS, the month of April is designated as Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month in recognition of the many genocides which have occurred or begun in the month of April, so that all members of the human family may preserve the memory of victims, honor survivors, and stand together in opposition to the possibility of future genocide by fostering peaceful coexistence between diverse communities;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Kate Snyder, Mayor of the City of Portland, Maine and members of the City Council do hereby recognize April 2023 as Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month in the city of Portland, Maine and invite the residents of Portland to commemorate this solemn observance, and recognize how much more we must do in the struggle against these unthinkable crimes against humanity.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of March, 2023

Kate Snyder, Mayor City of Portland."

DIVE INTO THE DUMPSTER!!!

WHERE WE IRREVERENTLY TOSS ALL THE STUFF THAT DIDN’T FIT…

Early Is The Beauty

The WMPG studio visitor DJ Bat-athon was peacefully released back into the wild in time to encourage everyone to support the community radio station’s annual Begathon… From school news… An anonymous parent gave a quarter million dollars to Portland Public Schools to enrich music and the arts… Casco Bay High School Spanish teacher Annemarie Orth was named Language Teacher of the Year by Educators for a Multilingual Maine… Portland High hires Sean Green from Cape Elizabeth as its new head football coach… In business news… Maine SBA names Selina Chan’s Tealight Studio of Portland the Maine Minority Owned Small Business of the Year… The Inn at Diamon Cove wins a listing in the Historic Hotels of America thanks to its rich history dating back to 1891 and the Spanish-American War… Chipotle agrees to $240k settlement with Maine workers who allege unionbusting tactics at the Augusta store which shut down when they were organizing… Legendary progressive publication

The Texas Observer shuts down after 68 years of publication… And congrats to Portland’s Team Kroot who were honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 34th Jimmy Fund Walk

https://www.instagram.com/wmpgfm

The glowing sun over my shoulder is only symbolic of a beautiful Spring for its sharp as nails breeze that reminds us that northern New England has its own defnition of Spring. A scolding crow circles, a sentry for its own murder no doubt, with its own version of passover while the Crocuses and Daffodils break through the bare ground with an almost recalcitrance, announcing their own resurrection. A nearby pond with its water still sequestered by a soft ice, seemingly stares with jealousy. A morning scene that evokes thoughts of balmy temps and voraciously feeding trout, is proof that inside heads of troubling thought we can still fnd a place for Springtime.

-Submitted by Wayne O’Brien

Learning to Play Playing to Learn

It’s Never Too Late

Make Music

Wednesdays

Beginner Band 3:15, Concert Band 4:15 St. Ansgar Lutheran Church 515 Woodford St. Spring Session begins Apr. 19 Attend our concert at St. Ansgar April. 16, 2023 @ 2pm

SouthernMaineNew HorizonsBand.org

Affiliated with New Horizons International Music Assoc

SUBMISSIONS

Share your submissions with thewestendnews@gmail.com or send to: The West End News, 795 Congress Street, Portland, Maine 04102.

Letters to the editor should be no more than 200 words. Include your name and town or neighborhood. We also accept poetry, cartoons, and photo submissions. Deadline for publication is the fourth Friday of every month. Publication is not guaranteed and submissions may be edited for length and content.

Team Kroot. -Courtesy photo

-Courtesy photo

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Happy Hour Specials

Tuesday - Thursday 3 - 6 pm

Taco Tuesday: All a-la-carte tacos..........$3.00 ea.

Burrito Thursday: All burritos...............$10.95 ea.

Delicious Authentic Mexican Food from the Heart

Prepared Fresh Daily to Order

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with El Corazon! Dine In or Take Out

190 State Street, Portland Across from Longfellow Square

Salud!

Our famous House Margarita Mix is available for take-out NOW with alcohol!*

*Please drink responsibly.

Full menu available for take out Including ICE-COLD Mexican beers

Dos Equis, Modelo, Sol, Tecate...

Tacos – Burritos – Quesadillas – Enchiladas –Sopes – Pozole – Goat Birria – Fajitas –Cocteles de Marisco – Chile Rellenos – Carne Asada –Lamb Shanks in Adobo & much more!

“To know how to eat is to know enough”

Open Tues-Thurs 11am-9pm Fri-Sat 11am-10pm (207) 536-1354

Casita Corazon*

158 Benjamin W Pickett St, South Portland

Open Tues-Sat 11am-8pm (207) 808-8317

*Reservations are not available at South Portland location.

www.elcorazonportland.com