THE DUMPSTER

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

Portland West’s Tom Pearson out on Park Street with the graffiti-removal team…Local reporter claims she has never pumped her own gas and doesn’t know how…Sue Pastore playing Grandma on Congress Street…Will King in town for the White Stripes concert…Green Party whirlwind Martin Shepherd heading home to Tennessee after a sendoff at Brian Boru…Some predicting Spencer Cohen will follow Dad’s footsteps to the Portland City Council someday…PMA staff enthusiastically welcoming artists displaying in front of the world-class Congress Square museum…Marc & Maria Niblock visiting Mom on Munjoy Hill…A Who’s Who of Portland at the reception for Portland Through the Lens at Domaine Gallery on Commercial Street…Didn’t know that Paul’s Market has a branch at 100 State Street…Ginger and Ken Swanberg spending a lot of time lounging around CBD on Congress Street… Former City Councilor Peter O’Donnell new co-chair of Mayor’s Health and Wellness Task Force…Former PHS sports star Skippy Edwards is 21!… Wendy Cherubini getting a whole new wardrobe for upcoming Alaskan cruise…Luke Flagg back in town for a visit from Baghdad… Dem Congressional hopeful Mike Brennan is at just about every public event in the city…Airline pilot and crew stopped at St. Lawrence to get a tour and buy a roof slate before fastening their seat belts and taking off again…Guy called the WEN two weeks after the last paper came out to tell us he found a typo (Was he looking for it all that time?!)…They’ll be lining up at the spectacular new Local 188 on Congress Street, scheduled to open August 1st…

DUSON TAKING NEXT STEPS TO ENTER PRIMARY
Portland City Councilor Jill Duson has taken several steps towards entering the 2008 race for the US Congress representing District 1 in Washington. The Duson campaign has rented an office at 401 Cumberland Avenue, hired a campaign manager, and set up a campaign website.

Duson has been attending numerous parades, fairs, festivals, and other public gatherings. She has also begun raising seed money for the campaign.

Duson plans to leave her position as Director of the Maine Bureau of Rehabilitation Services and officially file with the Federal Elections Commission in late October.

Duson is also expected to run for re-election to her at-large seat on the Portland City Council in November.

Party Chair Dudley Moving On
Maine Democratic Party Chair Ben Dudley has announced that he will be leaving the position after 16 months, and is taking a new job in the private sector.

A new chair will be elected soon, according to a Party announcement. In the meantime, Dudley and Vice-chair Marianne Stevens will continue to lead the Party.

Dudley was named Party Chair in 2006, after being term-limited from the Maine State Legislature. He had represented the Munjoy Hill/Downtown district in the legislature.

Dems Hiring Field Directors
Four new field directors will be hired by the State Democratic Party in the next month. The hirings will allow the current field staff to focus on fewer counties.

Anyone interested in one of the positions, should contact Monte Jarvis at monte@grassrootssolutions.com.

Grassroots Solutions is managing the field operations for the Maine Democratic Party for 2008.

Reiche Pool Being Renovated
Renovations have begun at the Reiche Community Center pool. The men’s and women’s locker rooms are closed, the hallways are being painted, and shower and ceiling tiles are being replaced. New lighting has been installed, and accessibility issues are also being addressed.

West End Neighborhood Association members Jo Coyne and Ed Bryan met with Assistant City Manager Anita LaChance regarding the $65,000 in CIP monies that will be used in the renovations. The pool will be closed for two weeks in November for repainting.

The current renovations are dealing with immediate issues at the pool that needed to be addressed. A Community Design Workshop held last fall identified a broader scope of work that would be done as other funds become available in the future.

2002 renovations to the Riverton pool and locker rooms were jointly funded by the School Department ($802,084) and by the City (CIP - $37,500 for locker rooms and $12,200 for pool repairs). Additional renovations to Riverton Community Center are currently underway as part of Riverton School improvements.

The West End NEWS
PO Box 5234, Portland, ME 04101-0934
(207) 828-1403 TheWestEndNews@yahoo.com
TheWestEndNews.blogspot.com
Volume 7, Number 11
July 27- August 8, 2007

IRS Questions WENA’s Non-Profit Application
The Internal Revenue Service has requested additional information in order to process the West End Neighborhood Association’s 501(c)3 (non-profit) application. There is some concern that the wording of WENA’s articles of incorporation and/or by-laws indicate that WENA may be a political organization.

WENA President Leana Goode-Simpson feels that the group needs to be sure their documents make clear that while WENA does advocate for neighborhood interests, the Association strives to present both sides of controversial issues. Simpson met with neighborhood activist Christina Feller to work on making the application acceptable to the IRS.

WENA is also arranging a meeting of members interested in working out the detailed budget for 2008 and 5-year projections that the IRS has requested.

West Ender Brings All-Night Burlary Spree to A Halt
On the morning of July 23rd, Craig Miller, 27, was arrested near Percy Cycles at Bramhall Square and charged with attempted burglary. A neighborhood resident saw Miller tampering with the lock on the door to the store, using a Swiss army knife, at around 8:30 AM. Miller had been acting suspiciously, looking over his shoulder while fiddling with the lock, and there were wood shavings on the ground. The resident approached him and asked whether he knew the hours of the store. Miller said he was trying to help Percy fix the lock. An employee of the store approached at this point, and he and the resident went into the store and called police.

Police say that Percy Cycles was not Miller’s first stop of the day. At around 3 AM of that same morning, the janitor at Bleachers sports pub on Preble Street arrived to clean. He turned on the TV, and then Miller entered the room, coming from the back area of Bleachers. He told the janitor that he was looking for the owner’s son - that he was supposed to meet him there.

Miller sat and watched TV and chatted with the janitor for about an hour, then asked for directions, saying he didn’t want to wait any longer, and left.

The janitor noticed that Miller had left a plastic bag behind containing two bottles of alcohol, and determined something was amiss; the back window was open, and items had been moved around. He realized that a burglary had occurred and notified police, giving a good description of Miller. The video camera at Bleachers had also captured Miller taking things, according to police.

The description of the man at Percy’s matched the Bleachers description and Miller was also charged with the Bleachers burglary. Miller’s backpack contained certain items that are still under investigation, including a credit card and loose cash. Marge Niblock

Sex Offender Caught Furnishing Alcohol to Minors

Gaston P. Ossou was arrested around 6:00 PM on June 18th at North Street on Munjoy Hill, and charged with furnishing alcohol to minors.

A neighbor alerted police after witnessing Ossou passing around a bottle in a paper bag to a group of teenagers, with some of them taking swigs. A 10-year-old boy was with this group. When Ossou saw the approaching police car, he threw the bag into the bushes of the house next door. The bag, which contained malt liquor, was retrieved.

On July 6, Ossou pleaded guilty to the crime. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and ordered to pay a fine of $500.

On July 13th, police went door-to-door notifying residents in the area of Quebec and North Streets about Ossou, a 38-year-old man living at 75 Quebec Street. Police say he moved to Portland two years ago from New York, where he had been convicted of second degree sodomy of a child, and is a registered sexual offender.
MargeNiblock

BUY LOCAL! ADVERTISE LOCAL!

the West End NEWS
P.O. Box 5234, Portland, Maine 04101-0934

(207) 828-1403 thewestendnews@cs.com
thewestendnews.blogspot.com

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5,000 Copies of the West End NEWS
Published Every Other Wednesday and Distributed

Throughout the Portland Peninsula.

THE DUMPSTER
WHERE WE THROW ALL THE STUFF

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH

Munjoy Hillers practically fighting each other over treasures at Christina Feller’s July 4th yard sale on Morning Street… New mosaic on CBD storefront a real crown jewel in the Arts District…A flurry of local politicians and reporters conducting interviews at Arabica on Free Street…Former Portland Police Chief Bill McClaran and WEN Astrologist Liz McMahon big hits in their appearances at Festival of Creative Youth on SMCC campus…Why are drivers on Danforth Street in such a hurry at 8AM?!...No, Chip Martin’s not leaving the West End – just cleaning out the garage with recent yard sale…City’s HCD Program Manager Amy Grommes Pulaski and hubby looking at houses in the West End… Local architect Alan Holt saving energy by walking from his West End home to his State Street office every morning…A steady stream of visitors at St. Lawrence on July 4th for Bobby Lipps’ Deluxe Holiday Tour… Ari Meil’s Warren Machine Company has just published Portland Through the Lens, a photographic look at the city…Bob Bregeron has published the final issue of the Portland Banner…West End City Councilor Dave Marshall had to give security guy at PMA lesson in street artists’ First Amendment rights…Fab fotog Doug Emerson hitting the streets with his fab ‘Angel’ series…We’re going to sit down for coffee with West End State Rep Jon Hinck real soon… Local handymen getting all excited about new hardware store on Congress Street…Danny Louten of N’East mag and the new Corduroy surf boutique on Market Street claims new evidence suggests the surfing craze actually started in New England over a century ago…St. Luke’s spectacular art festival coming in August…Former Planning Board member John Anton putting together a power team for his run for Portland City Council…Happy Birthday Dean Rossman!...
When we last left DeliveryMan and PaperBoy, they were driving the WestEndNewsMobile around SOPO, trying to recruit future reporters, cartoonists, astrologists, columnists, ad sellers, editors and delivery artists to carry the WEN tradition into the mid-21st Century. The boys want to make sure there are capable hands to take the wheel of the NewsMobile on that inevitable day when they decide to abandon the press room for an extended lounge at Crescent Beach. That’s where they were, in fact, when a couple of local seagulls decided that the exterior of the delivery wagon was as good a place as any to splatter their droppings, which they did. Luckily, the windows were closed, but now the boys are now trying to get a couple of aspiring newskids to kick off their journalistic careers with titles like CleanUpMan and ScrubBoy. It could be a tough sell…

Colliding Councilors Photo by Marge Niblock

“Hey, brother, can you spare a spare?!..."

Peninsula City Councilors Kevin Donoghue and David Marshall (pictured above), in the interests of embracing a healthier lifestyle, have taken to late-night bicycle jaunts. Their ride of July 6th ended with each needing a new tire after their rear wheels locked together.

They met the next morning at CycleMania to get new wheels, and were dismayed to learn that there was only one in stock. A coin toss solved the problem, with Marshall riding away, and Donoghue carrying his broken wheel, heading to another bike shop…

LIZ LOOKS AT THE STARS
July 11 - July 25

***We like you because… ***

ARIES (March 21 - April 19)
Look for clues to the meaning of life in the secrets of others. Something unexpected will be revealed from a friend or acquaintance. Interpret it in the largest sense.
Your most likeable trait: You’re always up for anything!

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20)
Expect positive feedback from your efforts at work. Things you’ve been putting off will need to be addressed. Bring together, meld or fuse your creative ventures with your daily obligations.
Your most likeable trait: Dependability.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
Your quest in this lifetime is to gather together as much information about the world as possible. Your fluid dynamic with a counterpart whose destiny is interwoven in yours will soon become a more solid connection. Cook or bake a special dish under the Cancer New Moon, and starry-eyed allegiance will follow.
Your most likeable trait: Whimsy.

CANCER (June 21 - July 22)
The New Moon in Cancer on July 14th will create an atmosphere of self-indulgence. You’ll notice people around you acting more emotional and preoccupied with pleasure- seeking. Are you in a predicament where you’ve planned out a project and told everyone about it, but now you don’t have the energy to actually do it? Try meditating positively on your plan, with the belief that once you’ve made an honest commitment to do it, the universe will support you.
Your most likeable trait: Compassion.

LEO (July 23 - August 22)
Puerto Rico Constitution Day on July 24th commemorates the anniversary of Puerto Rico’s constitution. A ceremony and parade are held in San Juan. I’d like to give a shout out to my Aunt Rhea and Uncle Jack in Rincon, Puerto Rico! Fire signs are dominating the sky on July 24th, so whatever you have planned, it’ll be packed with power. When the majestic lion saunters in, everyone will feel the charged air!
Your most likeable trait: Playfulness

VIRGO (August 23 - September 22)
Give extra affection to pets on July 17th. Virgo governs small animals, and the Virgo Moon on the 17th and 18th enhances your quality of detail-oriented kindness and gentleness.
Also, your dry wit will come in handy cheering someone up.
Your most likeable trait: Industriousness

LIBRA (September 23 - October 22)
If you have to pee in a dream you’re having, it probably means that you really have to pee. Dreams can be whack, but try using the old adage “sometimes a cigar is just a cigar”. You can employ Occam’s Razor to your dream, and interpret it in the simplest way possible. Myself, I like to put a positive spin on my subconscious offerings. For example, in your dream you are fired from your job and are devastated. When you awake, you suddenly realize how much your job means to you, and begin the day with a newfound tolerance for the petty annoyances at work.
Your most likeable traits: Sweetness, and maintaining a good set of values that you use as you try to relate to those around you with peace and justice.

SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21)
The New Moon on the 14th may evoke fearful feelings about safety. Keep them under control by writing down what you’re anxious about, and then become objective about the likelihood of those things happening. Beware of becoming so attached to past disappointments and fears that you allow them to shape your personality. The New Cancer Moon, on a positive note, will be a constructive time for you to gain new insights.
Your most likeable trait: Depth.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21)
The week of July 14th will provide opportunities for you to express your desires. You may find it a struggle to articulate them, but don’t give up and retreat. Keep trying, and what you want will manifest itself.
Your most likeable trait: Noble principles and high-mindedness.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19)
July focuses on relationships, and the power imbalance that happens from time to time. You may be irritated with vague communications that have devolved into a stalemate. If it seems bewildering to you, just wait it out. Another few weeks and the dynamic will shift on its own. One tip: don’t argue with someone in an authority position.
Your most likeable trait: Leadership.

AQUARIUS (January 20- February 18)
You’re an air sign, so get ready for a breeze at your heels! The New Moon is on the 14th in Cancer. Projects launched during the New Moon have the greatest chance for results. Your popularity is increasing, with affection and generosity from other gatherers growing also. Friends are impressed with your ingenuity.
Your most likeable trait: You’re full of surprises; a true nonconformist.

PISCES (February 19 - March 20)
Fabulous news, Pisces! Your uncanny ability to respond instinctively to situations will pay off soon. Trust in your first impressions, and make sure your fears aren’t holding you back.
Your most likeable trait: Creativity.

Alive at Five- Every Thursday
July 12- August 16th from 5-7:30 pm.

Monument Square. Free outdoor music by national and regional headliners. For those over 21, enjoy a cold beverage in the beer garden sponsored by Sam Adams.

July 19 The Cat Empire (Ska / Reggae) With Dominic and the Lucid

Friday, July 20
Eastern Cemetery to Host Tour
On Friday, July 20th, at 5:30pm, Spirits Alive will host a tour led by history Professor Bill Jordan, Jr. The tour, “Stroll the Silent City on the Hill,” takes place on the 34th Anniversary of the Eastern Cemetery’s listing with the National Register for Historic Places.

As Portland’s first burial ground, the Eastern Cemetery has been recognized for its’ historic and cultural importance as the ancient burial of the earliest settlers and its role as the area’s most historic landscape. Historian Jordan has spent 50 years advocating for, writing about, and educating the public about the Eastern Cemetery. He is considered the expert on this site and has an encyclopedic knowledge of its history and importance.

The tour will leave from the Congress Street gates. Light refreshments will be served.
As this event is going to be videotaped, all participants will be required to sign a release.
As the number of participants joining the tour will be limited, reservations are strongly encouraged. Tickets are $15.00 each and can be purchased by calling 846.7753 or emailing christina@spiritsalive.org. Cash, check, money order only.

“Grrim” Tale of Graffiti

On June 27, Yasin M. Al-Alwi, 19, of North Yarmouth, was arrested for criminal mischief. He allegedly defaced the street in front of 28 Vermont Avenue by spray painting it with his graffiti tag of “Grrim,” covering a large area in the center of the street. A string of small designs was also stenciled onto the sidewalk.

In the middle of the night, some noise was heard by a neighborhood resident who saw the vandalism occurring and called police. Police caught Al-Alwi, whose hands were covered with paint.

Al-Alwi may also be called on by the Yarmouth police to explain how his tag got into a Mobil station there. When Sergeant Robert Martin of Portland’s Criminal Investigations Division was in Yarmouth taking his son to a baseball game, he saw the same “Grrim” tag. Yarmouth police have been notified.

-Marge Niblock

King Student Raising Funds for Leaders’ Conference

Katelyn Hartzell, a 13-year-old. 7th grader at King Middle School, is trying to raise $1500 so she can attend the National Young Leaders’ State Conference, which will be held in Cambridge, Massachusetts in December.

Katelyn, who lives with her dad on Brackett Street, has already raised over $900 of the cost, and hopes to raise the rest by the July 30th deadline for applications. Her dad opened a bank account called Hooray for Katelyn for the fundraiser.

Katelyn was nominated for the conference by a teacher at her school because of her outstanding scholastic achievements, and because she has demonstrated leadership potential, responsibility and respect.

If you would like to help, contributions can be made to Katelyn Hartzell, c/o True Choice Credit Union, P.O Box 10659, Portland Maine, 04104

Man Cited After I-295 Crash

On June 23, approximately 3:40 AM, Joshua Scott Davis, 22, of Portland crashed his car on I-295 near Exit 5 (Congress Street). He then drove the car to Douglass Street, left it, and went on foot to Frederic Street, according to Portland police, where he contacted his ex-girlfriend. She went to his car and then called police.

Davis had a blood alcohol content of 1.7. He was given a ticket for imprudent speed, and one for driving to endanger. He wasn’t charged with OUI because too much time had elapsed.

Terrorizing on Exchange Street

A resident of 88½ Exchange Street called police on June 23, at 3:50 AM, reporting that his neighbor, Jonathan Lowell Pease, 40, was intoxicated and banging loudly in the hallway. He was shouting at the victim, telling him to come out, and accusing him of being the devil and a devil worshipper.

Before the police arrived, he was also allegedly spitting on the peephole and urinating on the door.

Pease told police at the scene that he didn’t like the victim, rambled about the man’s dogs, and said he’d continue to “f—k” with him. The caller told police there had been a prior incident involving his dogs.

Pease was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and terrorizing.


Police Officer Punched

Officer John Curran was called to 132 Spring Street on June 25, a little after 1 PM, regarding a drunk man bothering people. When he arrived, he offered to drive Adam Dill, 37, of Acton, to the shelter so he could sleep. Acton’s response was to punch Curran in the chest.

The first offer was withdrawn, and Dill was charged with assault and driven to jail.

Opposition Forming Against New Parking Lot

Residents of the area around High and Danforth Street are organizing to oppose the development of the green space at the corner of High and Danforth Streets into paved parking for USM students. A petition being circulated in the neighborhood has garnered more than 100 signatures.

Coyne's Laundromat on Danforth Street (across from the green space) hasagreed to have petitions at their counter space for residents to sign.

The issue will be dealt with at the next Portland Planning Board meeting on Tuesday, July 24. The Planning Board will make recommendations to the Portland City Council. West End City Councilor David Marshall has expressed opposition to the parking lot, which would accommodate 14 cars.

July 13-25, 2007
Volume 7, Number 10 Portland, ME

COPS LINK GANG TO LOCAL GRAFFITI

Portland police are investigating a possible connection between graffiti that has been showing up across the city and a gang known as the Latin Kings.

The graffiti letters spelling the word "DUKE" were scrawled on the statue in Longfellow Square recently. According to police, the word stands for Disciples Use Knowledge Every Day, and it has a supposed connection to the gang. There are some members of the group in Portland, including one member who is now in jail serving a sentence for murder.

Police spokesman Sergeant Robert Martin said that the Gay/Lesbian Alliance has complained to the police because they think they're being targeted, and that the letters stand for "DYKE." But Martin says that's not the case. Detective Mary Sauschuck is the Portland detective working on the case.

Meanwhile, the City has contracted a restoration expert to remove the latest graffiti from the Longfellow statue. That work was scheduled to be performed on July 11th. The Portland Downtown District has removed graffiti from the statue twice in the last several weeks, but does not have the expertise to perform the work without causing possible damage to the landmark structure.

Opportunity Maine Enacted

The state legislature has voted overwhelmingly to pass the "Opportunity Maine" initiative as a bill. The Maine House passed the initiative unanimously, 142-0, and the Senate passed it 27-8. Now, students who stay in Maine after they graduate will be able to receive up to $32,000 towards payment of their college debt.

Opportunity Maine will also help workers who have lost their jobs and need re-education for Maine's rapidly shifting industrial and employment climate. Moreover, businesses will also have the option of claiming the tax credit for employees they hire who are themselves eligible for the tax credit.

Portland’s League of Young Voters spearheaded a grassroots effort that gathered 73,000 signatures to put the initiative on the ballot. Then, the legislature passed the measure as a bill, with support from all over the political map. It's only the sixth time in Maine's history that lawmakers have enacted a citizens’ initiative.

Mercy Hospital Knife Fight
Michael Martin was arrested on June 8th after he was involved in a fight at Mercy Hospital. Martin, a 19-year-old Portland resident, pulled a knife during the fight, then fled. Police apprehended him down the street, and he was charged with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, and trafficking of dangerous knives. The last charge applies to the knife displayed. Gravity-fed and spring-fed knives are strictly prohibited.

Dog Bites Man on State Street
Police received a call regarding an animal bite on June 10th, a little after noon. A woman pet-sitting a dog for a friend took the dog and went to visit a male friend at 144 State Street. When the man attempted to pet the dog, he was bitten, causing him to go to Mercy Hospital for treatment.

Assault and Grow Lights
Steven Baker, 48, was arrested at his Rackleff Street apartment after an argument with a female roommate regarding rent money. The roommate claimed Baker grabbed her on the biceps, causing an assault charge to be placed against him.
He was also charged with marijuana cultivation because police arriving at the scene saw several plants with grow lights in the apartment.

BUY LOCAL MARKS 1ST ANNIVERSARY

The Portland Independent Business & Community Alliance (PIBCA), the non-profit, volunteer group behind the Portland Buy Local campaign, is marking its first anniversary with a weeklong celebration.

July 4th marks one year since PIBCA began educating consumers about the benefits of supporting locally -owned, independent businesses. Over 200 local businesses have participated in the campaign so far, and a survey conducted six months ago showed that the effort is already having a positive effect on consumers’ buying habits.

The celebration began on Wednesday, June 27, at the Farmers’ Market in Monument Square, from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Local farmers were wearing Buy Local name tags and discussing why it’s important to buy fresh, local produce from Maine’s independent, family-owned farms. Members of the Buy Local campaign were on hand with t-shirts, Buy Local tote bags, bumper stickers and educational information.