“We Print the NEWS So You Don’t Have To!”
Volume 14 Number 3 Portland, Maine September 19 - October 2, 2014
Paving of Deering Oaks Pond Delayed
The City’s Transportation, Sustainability and Energy Committee will delay a project to replace the bottom of Deering Oaks Pond with gravel and concrete to learn more about green options to improve the pond. The 3.5 acre pond near State Street in Deering Oaks Park was created around 1880 from damming tidal flats during a sewer installation on what is now State Street. In recent years the City has worked to improve the pond’s water quality and aesthetics. The primary issues are from fecal coliform, algae blooms and stagnation. At the Committee’s September 17th meeting, the Public Services department recommended that the City use an EPA grant and $500,000 of local funding, on a $1 million project to replace the pond bottom with a combination of gravel and precast concrete blocks. ”We are essentially paving over a wetland,” said Amanda Martin, an Environmental Studies student at USM. Martin became interested in the City’s plans while researching a project on Deering Oaks Pond as a wetland, where birds and other wildlife find food and shelter. The existing pond bottom is too soft to allow city crews to clean it with excavators and other large equipment. In 2010, after years of accumulation, city crews removed 4000 cubic yards of trash, leaves,
“Maybe It Won’t Snow this Winter” Portland’s Director of Public Services Mike Bobinsky answered a barrage of questions at the monthly West End Neighborhood Association meeting on September 10th, some of them having to do with the City’s plans for removing snow from over 120 miles of streets and sidewalks in the city this coming winter. Bobinsky talked about the City’s revised Parking Ban policy which allows car owners to park on some streets while City crews are still clearing other streets. The policy change opened up a number of parking spaces during storms when it was first instituted last winter. More details on the Parking Ban policy can be found on the City’s website. (www.portlandmaine. gov/429/Winter-Operations) Bobinsky also discussed the City’s sidewalk-clearing policies. Property owners are required to clear the sidewalk in front of their properties, providing a 4-foot wide, ice-free path for pedestrians. The City imposes stiff penalties for repeated violators (‘frequent fliers’, Bobinsky calls them) of this policy. “Maybe it won’t snow this winter,” Bobinsky suggested hopefully at the end of the Q&A.
-Ed King
sediment and debris from the pond. In 2013 City crews got an excavator trapped in the pond’s muck. Martin pointed out that if the pond was under Maine DEP jurisdiction that they would require looking at green options, such as vegetation that can soak up metals and pollutants, along with gray options, such as paving. “We haven’t even considered the alternatives and that is what bothers me about this,” said Martin. Friends of Deering Oaks Park supports the project because they think it will improve the algae problem in the pond, but Martin pointed out that some of what is called algae is actually water lentils, or duckweed, an important source of food for the ducks that call the pond home. “I’d like to be assured that we’ve examined other ways to improve the natural ecosystem there,” said Councilor Jon Hinck, a member of the Committee. The committee requested more information on green options to explore if introducing wetland plantings rather than replacing the pond’s bottom will better enhance pond water quality. The question remains, is the pond a fountain or a wetland?
Seagulls near Deering Oaks Pond.
-West End NEWS Photo
USM CUTS WILL BE DECIDED IN FORT KENT
Leaf Blowers Driving West Enders “Crazy” Citing concerns from noise and dust, to clogged sewers and air pollution, some West End residents are asking for a citywide ban on leaf blowers. At the September 10th meeting of the West End Neighborhood Association, residents complained to city staff about leaf blowers and sidewalk sweepers creating a nuisance in their neighborhood. Complaints mostly centered around noise levels. “It’s enough to drive you crazy,” said West Ender Jennifer DeFilipp about early morning leaf blowing. Other concerns included clogged sewers and messy streets caused by the debris that is blown off private property into the public way. Public Services Director Mike Bobinsky suggested that the City’s current regulations on noise and decibel levels might help manage nuisance leaf blowers through a complaint-driven process. West End resident Peter Hall said that if the City is unable or unwilling to regulate leaf blowers, then residents will do so themselves. “If we have to we’ll get signatures and put a petition on the November ballot,” Hall said. According to the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, a national nonprofit, dozens of communities across the country have instituted regulations on leaf blowers. Regulations span from all out bans to partial bans of gasoline-powered blowers. In Cambridge, Massachusetts, a city ordinance limits the use of leaf blowers to the Spring and Fall seasons between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
-Tony Zeli
Students and faculty held a press conference at USM to urge trustees to meet in Portland before cutting programs. -West End NEWS Photo The University of Maine system will hold an important board of trustees meeting on December 22nd, in Fort Kent. On the agenda at the meeting are program cuts to the University of Southern Maine that include eliminating staff and programs in American and New England Studies, the Arts and Humanities at the Lewiston campus, and Geosciences. Students for USM Future, a group of students and faculty who are fighting the cuts, held a press conference on September 12th, to urge University officials to hold the trustee meeting at USM, where it was originally scheduled. “Students and faculty have a a right to speak,” said Meaghan LaSala, a member of USM Future.
The meeting was originally scheduled to be held in Portland, but in June of this year it was moved to Fort Kent. Dan Demeritt, the director of public affairs for the University, and former director of communications for Gov. LePage, said the meeting was moved for weather considerations. “The decision has been made, and the meeting is going to happen [in Fort Kent],” Demeritt said. “The change was made after students and faculty left for the summer,” noted LaSala. It is more than a five-hour drive to Fort Kent from Portland, but organizers are working to secure a free bus. Search #USMFuture for more information.
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Portland Police: Get in Shape if You Want to be a Cop
Donors Overwhelm Successful 9/11 Blood Drive
The Portland Police Department is currently hiring for the January 2015 Maine Criminal Justice Academy Class, and they are warning prospective cops that they will need to shape up if they hope to have a chance to be hired. The department currently employs 163 sworn officers and 59 civilian employees, and is the largest municipal law enforcement agency in the state of Maine. The department uses an extensive hiring process aimed at selecting the best candidates to serve as police officers in the city. The process is highly competitive and standards are high, according to the department. To improve candidates’ chances of making the cut, police urged them to familiarize themselves with the hiring process, and to take particular care to understand the physical fitness requirements. According to the PPD, many candidates are eliminated from the hiring process because they are unable to meet the required standards. All candidates must be U.S. citizens, high school graduates or equivalent, and have either two years of post-high school employment or three years of post- high school education, or a combination of education and employment totaling three years. Applicants must possess a valid motor vehicle driver’s license, be in good health with normal vision and hearing, and meet all requirements of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. The Portland Police Department’s hiring process is covered by a Civil Service Ordinance which is administered by the Civil Service Commission.
Organizers were unable to accommodate all the potential donors who showed up for the 2nd “Roll Up Your Sleeves and Remember” blood drive at the blood donor center on Forest Avenue on September 11th. The Portland Fire Department, in conjunction with the American Red Cross, collected 108 units of blood, 28 units over the initial goal of 80. One donor traveled from Bethel, Maine to donate after seeing coverage of the blood drive on TV. Others waited, sometimes for hours, to donate blood. Although donors were encouraged to make appointments, a large number of people showed up, walked in, and waited for their turn to “be someone’s hero”. Still, some people left the facility before they were able to donate due to the huge response. The 2015 blood drive will be moved to another location to accommodate the anticipated outpouring of support. The “Roll Up Your Sleeve and Remember” Blood Drive was created to memorialize those who lost their lives or family members in the attacks of 9/11. This year the department cooked a pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., and provided donors with a commemorative T-shirt and water bottle as thanks for their donation. Donors were also entered into a raffle allowing six people to eat a meal cooked by the crews at Central Fire Station in Portland. Slugger the Seadog and Crusher, the Portland Red Claws Mascot, also appeared at the event.
NIGHTTIME PAVING BEGINS IN EAST BAYSIDE Maine Department of Transportation crews began paving nightly in Portland on Sunday, September 14th, starting near the Whole Foods Market in East Bayside. The work will be done on Franklin Street from the Fox and Somerset Street intersection to Middle Street, a distance of about one half mile. All work will be performed between 7PM and 7AM. Flaggers will assist with one lane closure, and two lanes of traffic will still be accessible. Motorists are advised to seek an alternate route due to extended delays that are expected. It is anticipated that all work will be completed by Thursday, September 25th on the $600,000 milling and paving project, which will be performed by Shaw Brothers Construction of Gorham.
The West End NEWS A Publication of Zeli Enterprises, LLC
795 Congress Street, Portland, Maine 04102 Anthony Zeli, Publisher and Editor Ed King, Online Editor Chris Shorr, Staff Writer Leo Knighton Tallarico, Astrologer Adam Marletta, Political Commentator
Vol. 14 No. 3 Sept 19 - Oct 2, 2014
PFD Chief Lamoria gets support from Central’s crew giving blood.
MY STORY
Local Principal Nominated for $100,000 Award Casco Bay High School Principal Derek Pierce has been nominated for the Nellie Mae Education Foundation’s 3rd Annual Larry O’Toole Award. If selected, Pierce will receive a $100,000 grant for his school. The award is bestowed each year on a school leader or organization exhibiting great leadership through innovation in moving student-centered learning approaches forward in New England. There is one nominee from each New England state; no Maine school or organization has ever won the award. For the first time in award history, the winner will be selected by online popular vote. Voting opened September 9th. The website will accept votes through noon on September 30th. One vote will be allowed for each valid email address. A link to the voting website can be found at: http:// www.nmefoundation.org/grants/larry-otoole-award.aspx Pierce said he was honored and humbled by the nomination. After receiving word of his nomination, he was asked to submit a spending plan for the $100,000 grant if it were to be awarded. In Pierce’s plan, grant funds would be allocated for: • student scholarships to take part in annual learning expeditions • supplies and activities to expand a “Makers Lab” at the school • micro-grants to students for projects that address local needs • student-centered learning workshops for visiting educators.
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Lyse Bigirimana, a recent immigrant from Burundi. -Courtesy Photo I’m Lyse Bigirimana. I am a citizen of the Republic of Burundi. I now reside in Portland. I entered the United States in 2013 through JFK in New York. I was born in Bujumbura, Burundi. I hold a diploma in the degree of the General Humanities in the section of modern letters at the Lycée of Jabe, and another degree in computer science at the technical school CSTE. In Burundi, I worked at a bank, and also at a radio station. When I came here, I began studying English at Portland Adult Education, and
this summer I studied English at Portland English also. I joined the YMCA, and I go there to play basketball. I like to play basketball and to watch TV. I like the shows Shark Tank, The Ellen Show, and Jimmy Kimmel. I do workfare through General Assistance. My workfare is cleaning at the shelter. I would like to study nursing and begin to work taking care of elderly people.
-Lyse Bigirimana
Vol. 14 No. 3 Sept 19 - Oct 2, 2014
City Committee to Investigate Reduced Pesticides/Herbicides
CANDIDATES BIKE FROM PORTLAND TO COMMON GROUND FAIR Candidates from the Maine Green Independent Party lead a “Climate Ride to Common Ground” to raise support for solutions to climate change. The ride left Portland on Wednesday, September 17th, led by state senate candidates Asher Platts, District 27 in Portland (West End, East End, East Deering and North Deering) and Fred Horch, District 24, which includes Brunswick and several other towns. The three day, one hundred mile bicycle ride to the Common Ground Fair had cheduled stops in Brunswick, Topsham, Gardiner, Hallowell and Augusta, arriving in Unity on Friday, September 19th. The candidates were forgoing fossil fuel for three days to travel a “century”, 100 miles by bicycle, and invited others who want solutions to climate change to join them. “A gorgeous bike ride, a fun thing to do, and Common Ground is awesome,” said Platts.
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WEN rode along with Asher Platts from Port City Bike in Bayside to City Hall. From City Hall Platts left for a 100 mile bike ride to Common Ground Fair to raise awareness around the climate crisis. -West End NEWS Photo
The Transportation, Sustainability and Energy Committee will create a proposal to bring to City Council to reduce the use of pesticides and herbicides used by residents in the city. At the Committee’s September 17th meeting City staff highlighted the work they have done to reduce use of weed and pest killing chemicals including implementing low-mow areas to reintroduce natural habitats (such as in Deering Oaks Park), and reducing the amount of Roundup like chemicals on curbs, sidewalks and the golf course. Committee Chair David Marshall said he has heard complaints from residents that chemicals from neighbors’ yards blow onto their property, and they are seeking help from the City in addressing the issue.
Mainers Bike and Bus to NYC Climate March On Wednesday, September 17th, a group of bicyclists calling themselves the “350 Climate Riders”, began a 350 mile trek from South Portland to New York City in support of the People’s Climate March on Sunday, September 21st. Bicyclists included Bob Klotz of 350 Maine and Dave Oakes of the Center for Ecological Living and Learning (CELL). The Sierra Club of Maine had scheduled twelve buses to leave Maine for the Climate March on September 21st.
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CITY BIKE CORRAL PILOT PROJECT The City of Portland installed its first bike corral at 9 Commercial Street this morning between Crema Coffee Company and Rosemont Market and Bakery. The corral is part of a pilot project to assess bike corrals and the role they might play in the City’s transportation system to address the increasing need for bicycle parking. The space is now available for public bike parking, and can hold up to 10 bicycles securely in the space of one motor vehicle. A bike corral is on-street bicycle parking consisting of a collection of bicycle racks and other safety components including high visibility bollards and parking curbs. Decorative aspects such as potted plants can also be added for visual interest and customization. For the purposes of this pilot program, the corral will be located in a loading zone. The corral will be removed ahead of the winter season to ensure access for snow removal. “The space in front of Crema Coffee Company and Rosemont Market provides the City an excellent opportunity to demonstrate a bike corral in a highly visible location in front of businesses with a customer base that bicycles a lot but lack bicycle parking,” said Bruce Hyman, the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Coordinator. “The businesses have agreed to take ownership of the maintenance of the corrals as well during the demonstration, a key aspect of the program and in selection of this location.”
While the City continues to install bike hitches that can hold two bikes, bikes are still consistently locked to street lights, benches, street trees, parking meters, and fences sometimes constraining passing widths for pedestrians and persons with disabilities. The pilot bike corral program is intended to transform underutilized street space to more functional uses in business districts that currently lack enough bike parking. The City has partnered with local businesses Crema Coffee Company and Rosemont Market & Bakery to make this installation possible. After winter removal, City staff will evaluate the outcomes of the pilot program and determine if the corral will be installed again in the same location in the spring. Another corral was temporarily placed at Speckled Ax at 567 Congress Street as part of a one-day event called Park(ing) Day on September 19, 2014. If the outcome of both demonstrations is favorable, City staff will consult with the City Council’s Transportation, Sustainability and Energy Committee to develop a formal Bike Corral Program in 2015, and hopes to partner with other interested businesses to expand bike corrals to additional parts of the City.
Temporary bike corral on Commercial Street.
-West End NEWS Photo
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Vol. 14 No. 3 Sept 19 - Oct 2, 2014
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e Get som for nitrous oter that sco man.
I’m the crazy lady in her pajamas that chased your DUMP TRUCK down DOW Street. g So what’s the bi w ho deal?! This is . I DANCE
It saves the rainforest.
I promis e I’ll call you bef I join a ore cult. A BUCK ET of ice crea m for $7? Tha t’s AWESO ME!
You fight for possession to get what you want.
Where did you come up with this concept that you’re supposed to be in one place only?!
There’s spray paint everywhere!
I don’t like elves either! flat Everything is snows…so and it never es bikes! everyone rid
Waaaaa
h!!
I’m sorry! We can’t be out in this!
Those aren’t handmade! Those are from a MACHINE!
I AM awake. ing And I AM mak e. sens
Hey LOVERS! Enjoy the Cutest damn love song ever! It’s devast ating! Don’t you feel devastated !
I think I may be headed up to the strange this weekend...
Vol. 14 No. 3 Sept 19 - Oct 2, 2014
This is an opportunity to make bold decisions.
Seagulls are opportunists.
When all else fails- try the on/off b utton!
I think I’ve been marginali zed
My
!
READING FACE? I don’t even know what that is.
Bring the meeting back!
This is SUPER DOABLE!
It’s too important to leave in the hands of politicians!
I think ins have chk mun a shorter life span!
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I have to go back to work or I’d hang out and flirt with you!
Can the kid breath? He’s like the bubble boy!
Not everybody can take 3 days off to ride a bike.
This is very exciting! This is VERY EXCITING!!! You can put that in your cartoon map!
Keep Portland salty!
in My job is a pain r he the ass. Not job, cause they ng. don’t do anythi
Ya buddy!
There are 500 kids standing in the middle of the aisle at Market Basket. I want to run them down with my shopping cart.
We don’t need a masterpiece. We just need a conversation piece.
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Vol. 14 No. 3 Sept 19 - Oct 2, 2014
PERSPECTIVES FROM THE SKY by Leo Knighton Tallarico
An Astrological Guide for worldview and personal transformation during these changing times on Planet Earth October 2014
As we wrote about last month, our human family is at a major crossroads on the way to an Age of Aquarius. The ‘60s and ‘90s eras each gave us some of the flavor of what that Age is like. Uranus conjunct Pluto in the mid ‘60s brought us powerful revolutionary voices for change. Uranus conjunct Neptune in the mid ‘90s brought us the beginnings of a “wired” internet and electronic revolution. Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are the transformational planets, helping to bring us out of the old paradigm that fosters inequality, dog-eat-dog competition; power abuse; greed; and meaninglessness. These planets, discovered relatively recently in 1781, 1846, and 1930 respectively, represent the ability of our human species to evolve enough to be able to stop history from repeating itself. Our past belief systems and collective consciousness has brought us a world where lack of trust and feelings of separation from all who are not considered “our family” has been the rule. An economic system based on greed and privilege; and weapons of mass destruction that threaten us all are the result of that con-
sciousness. The abuse of our Earth, of the animal creatures and of each other also result from those belief systems. This “wired” world, mass transportation, global communication, and world wide commerce have brought us all close together in every way but in our hearts and souls. Now as Uranus squares Pluto from 2012-2016, we are at a major crossroads on the way to an Age of Aquarius, by my estimation in the 2020’s. As we look at the Middle East, where quite arguably our first major civilizations were built in Mesopotamia/Sumeria/Babylonia and Egypt, and where our major religions were birthed; we can see that area of the Earth as the place where much of the power of the transition between ages is playing out. Islamic State, Hamas/Israel, Syria, and Iraq are issues that have been importantly broken open this year. There was a most important Cardinal Grand Cross of planets that formed earlier this year right in the cross-hairs of the USA natal chart from July 4, 1776. That formation promises much change in the USA over the next few years, change that will bring the USA out of Superpower Empire status and into a more equal position in the world.
That humbling is aligned with the New World we are moving into: one of Equality and Diversity in Unity. Autumn 2014 brings us another round of strong and important planetary alignments, alignments that again impact the USA natal chart, the greater world, and our personal lives as well. More important world events will erupt in our world. Many personal lives will be shaken up as well. There are two eclipses and another exact Uranus square Pluto aspect that will form a Cardinal T-Square this autumn. These aspects tend to bring breakdowns of that which is no longer viable, and breakthroughs into new ways of thinking and being. Old beliefs and patterns of behavior that are suffering from “Groundhog Day” syndrome are most susceptible to change. Autumn 2014 starts with the Autumn Equinox on Monday, September 22nd. The Autumn Equinox is a time when the light and dark minutes of the day are equal. It is the beginning of Sun in Libra time of year, when the scales are balanced between yin and yang. This year, however, is not meant to be as peaceful as the usual Autumn Equinox or Autumn season, as Pluto the planet mythologically known as the Guardian of the Underworld is going from Retrograde to Direct motion. That means that what it represents is in the spotlight. Pluto as the Guardian of the Underworld rules power at the core of things. The atom bomb interestingly has Plutonium as an ingredient as well as Uranium, a derivative of another powerful transformational planet Uranus. Pluto is explosive power, primal force and the deep power of transformation. Its focal presence at the Equinox suggests a most powerful Autumn season. On October 8 there will be a Full Moon Total Lunar Eclipse in Aries. This Lunar Eclipse will form with Uranus and Pluto to make a Cardinal T-Square, a very strong combination for shaking things up and creating change. That eclipse will be at 6:51 a.m. People who have their Suns or other planets in cardinal square Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn will be the most affected. Leo Knighton Tallarico is an astrological and spiritual guide and counselor. His
specialty is counseling for those in the process of change, transformation, transition, and crisis. He also specializes in couples’ counseling for any and all kinds of relationship. He has been a Full Time professional for 30 years. Leo co-directs the Spiritual Renaissance Center in South Portland with his life mate Deborah Knighton Tallarico: www.spiritualrenaissance.com. Leo also writes a weekly astrological forecast: www.spiritualtherapy.wordpress.com.
Former West End NEWS publisher Ed King at London’s beautiful and historic St. Pancras Station in December 2012. The railway station, built in 1868, recently underwent renovations, making it a modern world class terminal. -West End NEWS Photo
You can contact him to make comments or to set up a consultation at: soulus@aol.com.
The last eclipse this autumn will be on October 23 at 5:57 p.m. It is a New Moon Solar Eclipse in Scorpio. Scorpio is a deep, intense, passionate sign. Pluto is its ruling planet. A New Moon means new beginnings and as this New Moon is also a Solar Eclipse and in Scorpio it will be very intense, and emotionally passionate. Be careful not to have your buttons pushed too much for anger, jealousy and the like. People who are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, or Aquarius are the most affected byy this eclipse. This New Moon Solar Eclipse in Scorpio leads us into the Elections, and will be a turning point for the voters. Events at this time could significantly sway opinions. One more curve ball sent by the Universe this Autumn: Mercury goes Retrograde on October 4th. Mercury governs mind and communication. When it is retrograde there is a shift in mental perceptions. We start to perceive things differently. Left brain logic and analysis often do not work as usual. Intuitive function and imagination work better. Sometimes electronic communication has breakdowns. Often people from the past come back into our lives, as do old memories. It is generally not a good time to make important decisions or sign important contracts, as our thinking may be off even if we do not recognize it. Mercury stays retrograde until October 25th, so added to the Eclipses there could be some confusion and chaos to contend with in October. The first winds of this “Eclipse Season” with Mercury Retrograde could blow in the week of September 22nd--at or just after the Autumn Equinox. That means that important world events or personal life shifts could possibly begin then. All in all October will be an important month in an Autumn that promises shifting tides of change and much intensity. From now until next Autumn 2015 there could be much shifting of what we now consider “normal reality”. See you next month,
Leo
Vol. 14 No. 3 Sept 19 - Oct 2, 2014
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COMMUNITY EVENTS
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, September 12 - 28
Wednesday, September 17 Tuesday, September 23
AGATHA WMPG FALL CHRISTIE’S “THE BEGATHON MOUSETRAP” WMPG, Southern Maine’s community It’s murder. It’s mystery. It began captivating audiences since 1952 and has been running continuously since then, making it by far the longest initial run of any play in history, with its 25,000th performance taking place on 18 November 2012. Hmmmm… that would make it the longest running show (of any type) of the entire modern era. What makes The Mousetrap so captivating? Maybe it’s the unforgettably eccentric and mysterious guests who appear at the Inn. Or maybe it’s the idea of the abject creepiness of being snowbound with absolute strangers. Or maybe it’s the unique ending (which the audience is traditionally asked not to reveal after leaving the theatre.) Or maybe you should just come and find out for yourself why Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap has been heralded a modern masterpiece. Be part of history! Witness the mystery. September 12th through 28th. Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m., and Sunday 5 p.m., at the Schoolhouse Arts Center, 16 Richville Road, Standish.
radio station, has begun its Fall Begathon. WMPG will use matching funds created by volunteers to challenge listeners to make a donation. All pledges from 4:15 to 4:45 p.m. will be doubled by our volunteers! Call 207-874-3000 or vist wmpg.org to donate. In-person donations are accepted as well, at 92 Bedford Street.
Thursday, September 25 Saturday, September 27
King of Crows: The Return of the King The King of Crows is a short play festival based upon the winning plays of each month’s Crowbait Club, which meets the first Wednesday of every month to provide a fun and creative atmosphere for playwrights and actors to let loose and show their stuff. The play will be performed on Thrusday, Friday and Saturday, September 25th to 27th, 7:30 p.m., at Mayo Street Arts in East Bayside. Tickets are $15 and are available at: www.mayostreetarts.org, or at the door.
MORE NEWS DEP TO TRAIN SALT SPREADERS The Maine Department of Environmental Protection is offering a number of courses across the state for a wide range of topics, including the spreading of winter salt on Maine roads. The variety of topics and how they are presented are based on feedback the department has received from its customers. For those business owners, snowplow contractors and property managers who are interested in increasing performance and saving money when applying winter salt, the center is again offering three halfday programs on salt management. These will be held in the Portland, Lewiston and Brewer areas. The DEP Nonpoint Source Training Center has trained over 760 contractors, engineers, consultants and municipal officials in the 2014 winter/spring season. This fall, the center is building on its previous classes and offering classes in-person, online or through webinar. The center will also hold three sessions for builders and contractors on Permitting Requirements. The half-day course, entitled “Permitting 101,” is designed to provide information on what activities require permits under various environmental laws, such as the Natural Resources Protection Act, (NRPA) the Stormwater Law, the Site Location of Development Law and others. To learn more about any of the trainings or register for one visit www.maine.gov/dep/ training.
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Road to Recovery Needs Volunteer Coordinator The American Cancer Society’s Cumberland County unit is looking for a volunteer coordinator to oversee the Society’s free transportation program, Road to Recovery. Responsibilities include: receiving requests from The American Cancer Society for local cancer patients needing transportation, contacting and assigning volunteer drivers to fulfill those requests, and maintaining accurate records for volunteer drivers. Society staff will serve as a resource to the Road to Recovery Coordinator. The schedule for the Road to Recovery Coordinator is flexible. The coordinator will work from home. The coordinator must be committed to the program, respectful and sensitive to cancer patients, and possess good organization, email capabilities and time management skills. To find out more about this important volunteer opportunity, please contact Elisa Madore, Mission Delivery Specialist at (207) 462-6307 or elisa. madore@cancer.org
THE DUMPSTER WHERE WE THROW ALL THE STUFF WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH
Portland Public Library planning a ‘banned book’ program…Andy Versoza honored by City Council before leaving town…Muse Paint Bar artists painting pet portraits this week…Sheila Hill-Christian is City’s Acting City Manager…Route of Maine Marathon changed again after City and State officials couldn’t come to agreement… Reiche Book Nook eliminating evening hours…City Council to consider proposal that would relieve residents from having to move their parked cars so often…Some West Enders having trouble with seagulls feasting on their weekly trash…Harlan Baker looking to get back into West End People mode…Looking forward to seeing Jenny Anastasoff on the red carpet for Sui Generis…East Enders Steve and Gemma think they can bottle some of this fall weather and sell it in January…Valet parking guys in front of Zapoteca giving out free doggie treats…Yankee fans at Rivalries rooting for the Red Sox to help them in their playoff drive…Big birthday party in Pleasant Street Park…Sandy McLeod dogwalking on Spring Street…Deena Weinstein getting books autographed by local author…Goodbye Pepper Club and Good Egg…Nancy Lawrence working Sundays at Portmanteau...Judy and Lane Witherell brunching in the Old Port...Crystal Cron and Tom McMillan have landed on Munjoy Hill... When we last left DeliveryMan and PaperBoy, DeliveryMan was sitting in front of the WestEndNews International Headquarters somewhere in the West End in the WestEndNewsMobile, waiting for PaperBoy to crawl out of bed for their bi-weekly race around the peninsula. PaperBoy had a lot more energy before the boys took their recent two-year vacation, and he’s having a hard time trying to readjust to working for a living. DeliveryMan, on the other hand, was so tired of sitting around the beach in his Speedo – he would deliver every other newspaper in the city if he could fit them in the back of the WestEndNewsMobile…
We don’t think that was Ruth Riddick arriving in town recently aboard the ‘Wild Irish Rose.’ -West End NEWS Photo
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THE DUMPSTER ARCHIVE @ thewestendNEWS.com
the west end NEWS Volume 14 Number 3 September 19 - October 2, 2014
Beer & Coffee by Chris Shorr, WEN Staff Writer Hi folks, some of you may already know me from my column with The Portland Sun, my blog for the Bangor Daily News, my (failed) City Council run last year, or just my general hijinx around town for the past 30+ years. To those of you still saying, “Nope, I don’t know this dude,” allow me to introduce myself. My name is Chris, I’m a thirty-one-year-old lifelong Portlander, and I’m really pumped about this new column. Things are changing for this newspaper, and the other people on board--from top to bottom--are all very excited about the opportunity to be a part of The West End News rebirth. Beer and Coffee will be a Q/A column with a focus on cool Portlanders doing cool things, which should make my task of finding subjects very easy, because there are a lot of awesome people in this city doing amazing things for our community. For my first column, I’ll be interviewing an old friend of mine named Shahin Khojastehzad, a 2003 graduate of Deering High, and co-owner of local favorite (and world renowned) Novare Res Bier Cafe. He’s piloting an online campaign to get none other than comedian/actor/legend Bill Murray to Portland for Maine Beer Week in November. He’s rounded up all his local brewing buddies, and got them all to commit to creating their own unique Bill Murray inspired beers. He’s created waves in the local media with his efforts, and given the campaign its own hashtag: #billmurraybeerweekme. I caught up with Shahin at Novare Res earlier this week, here’s what he had to say about the whole thing: CS- How did you come up with this idea? SK- Wanted to shake up Portland Beer Week and make this social experiment happen! This unifies our scene and to be honest, Bill Murray is f*#@-ing awesome! Months ago a bunch of Novare employees we’re hanging out after work and started the debate, “If Bill Murray was a beer what would he be?” We came up with some gems: Gosebusters, Pils Murray, Zissou Oyster Stout, Buffalo Roam Rauch, Rush-
more Red, Darjeeling Jasmine IPA... !! We mainly want this to be a Gonzo campaign of weirdos who love beer and Bill! CS- Are you surprised by all the support and excitement this idea has seen in the local media and community at large? SK- Yes, very surprised and grateful to see the support for Maine’s beer scene. It’s nice to see all these brewers [and] bars come together, and this campaign is a catalyst for Portland Beer Week. CS- You said all proceeds will go towards a charity of Murray’s choice, where do the proceeds come from? SK- The proceeds come from the sale of Bill Beers. CS- Can people make donations? SK- Bill hasn’t responded yet so we don’t know what charity he would like to donate to. CS- And what happens to the proceeds if Murray doesn’t show? SK- If he doesn’t show and doesn’t choose a charity, then we operate as usual. CS- You’ve been able to get a lot of support from other local breweries, do you think that has to do with the togetherness of the regional brewing community? Or is it because Murray is just such a rad dude? SK- I think it’s both, there’s a lot of camaraderie amongst Maine brewers and these guys are getting excited by others people’s beer names and that motivates them to make an even more bad ass beer concept. CS- What’s you favorite Bill Murray movie, character, and one-liner? SK- Ghostbusters, Venkman, “Viggy…Viggy…Viggy, you have been a bad monkey.” CS- You’re known around town as a pretty
Shahin Khojastehzad, co-owner of Novare Res Bier Cafe, located on Exchange Street, interviews with WEN. -Courtesy Photo rad dude yourself, what do you think you’d say to Murray if you got to serve him a Bill Murray beer? SK- I would say that’ll be 5 bucks! Just kidding, I’d probably just shit my pants or simply give him a high five! CS- So, do you think he’ll show up? SK- I hope so. If not, it will be fun drinking world class beers with good friends. We’ll all still love and respect Bill Murray! Fire in the hole, Bill, the ball’s in your court.
-Chris Shorr, WEN Staff Writer thewestendNEWS.com
Welcome aboard new STAFF writer Chris Shorr!