Gab with the Gazette2008-05-22T20:16:50Zhttp://blog.inthegazette.com/atom.aspxQuick BlogSAD 6 voters accept $40M school budget (May 16, 2008)tag:blog.inthegazette.com,2008-05-16:880faab3-bf6d-4511-bdb4-887c9d9099feGazette Editor2008-05-16T11:01:52Z2008-05-16T11:00:00ZStaff Writer

Nearly 1,200 residents in Buxton, Hollis, Limington, Standish and Frye Island traveled to their respective polling places Tuesday to vote on a proposed school budget totaling more than $40 million. Voters gave their final approval of the school budget that was discussed by more than 300 residents in a district-wide voter participation meeting just last week.
“I’d like to say it was a positive experience,” MSAD 6 Board of Directors Chairman Cindy Hazelton said. “Bringing five towns together is challenging. I am concerned that on the way to saving money, we’re spending more.”
The accepted school budget proposal includes a $1.4 million, or 3.58 percent increase in spending from last year. The increase is the second lowest in 10 years, with 2003-2004 at zero percent. Combined with close to a $400,000 decrease in state aid, the  increase means taxpayers will shoulder close to $1.7 million in additional local contributions.
The school budget will provide nearly $24.5 million for instruction – 60 percent of the total funds – for an anticipated total enrollment of roughly 4,000 students, which is par with state averages. About $2.5 million for instructional support, roughly $3 million for administration costs, almost $5.5 million for facility maintenance and repairs and a little more than $3 million for transportation are also included.
Frye Island taxpayers will see the largest increase in their contributions to the district, as the budget requires an additional $200,000 from the town, which is almost 22 percent more than what they paid last year. Standish will pay about $684,000 more than last year, a 9 percent increase, Limington will pay $148,000, an 8 percent increase, Buxton will pay approximately $288,000, a 5 percent increase and Hollis will pay $76,000, a 2 percent increase from last year.
Had the budget been voted down in the public referendum, school and city officials would have gone “back to square one” to create a newly revised school budget to the public, per the new state imposed school consolidation law, Hazelton said.
“We’re very pleased with the result,” MSAD 6 Superintendent Suzanne Lukas said.
Lukas said she had hoped more residents would have participated in the referendum, but was hopeful more people would be involved in the future as the new school budget process gains public awareness.
“It worked out very well,” she said. 


]]>Nearly 1,200 residents in Buxton, Hollis, Limington, Standish and Frye Island traveled to their respective polling places Tuesday to vote on a proposed school budget totaling more than $40 million. Voters gave their final approval of the school budget that was discussed by more than 300 residents in a district-wide voter participation meeting just last week. “I’d like to say it was a positive experience,” MSAD 6 Board of Directors Chairman Cindy Hazelton said. “Bringing five towns together is challenging. I am concerned that on the way to saving money, we’re spending more.”Broken Feather to perform, raise funds for MS Society (May 16, 2008)tag:blog.inthegazette.com,2008-05-16:b1ee4a10-71ae-4acc-89a9-7d692635b5e8Gazette Editor2008-05-16T10:59:56Z2008-05-16T10:58:00ZStaff Writer


Standish resident Patti Libby is inviting the community to hear the voices of those living with multiple sclerosis during a special concert at her home May 25.
Libby participates in an online MS support group “chat room” where she met the members of Broken Feather, a duo who have been producing music online for three years, yet have never met one another. Boston resident Debbie Kelson and Utah native Rick Bone will meet and perform together for the first time during a concert at Libby’s home.
“How they’ve made this music together over the miles, I have no idea, but it’s gorgeous,” Libby said.
Bone plays guitar, bass and keyboard and Kelson is a singer and songwriter. Bone said their songs relate to having MS.  Libby, Kelson and Bone all have MS.
According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (www.nationalmssociety.org), MS is a chronic disease that attacks the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs, or severe, such as paralysis or loss of vision.
Kelson said they have produced 20 songs together. She said Bone records the music and gives her a vocal backtrack of how he wants the lyrics arranged. She then sends it back to him and he puts it together.
Kelson called Bone her best friend and said she’s very excited to meet in person.
“We keep each other company and keep each other’s spirits up,” she said.
For Bone, the feeling is mutual. He said meeting Kelson will be like meeting his best friend for the first time.
“It seems that we’ve always known each other,” he said.
Bone said they first met on a MS support group on Myspace.com.
“I was looking through Myspace and saw that someone [Kelson] was having a bad day. I just emailed her and said, ‘Hey, smile,’” he said.
Their creative relationship began when Bone noticed Kelson’s artwork and asked her to create an album cover for him. It wasn’t until later he knew she could sing.
“She actually auditioned over the phone. She started singing and I said, ‘Wow, that girl can sing,’” Bone said, adding that it was the “bluesy style” in her voice that impressed him.
Bone said the chat room where he met Libby, “MS and Friends,” generally has about 20 people chatting every night.
“We talk about MS when people have a question, but for the most part we talk about our every day lives. It’s a way to escape how we’re feeling,” he said.
Libby has been chatting on the site for 12 years. She has often hosted get togethers for members at her home and has traveled throughout the country and to Canada to meet fellow members.
“We all know each other well – we know house routines, we know what time they take the dog out. We talk about everything,” Libby said.
She said participants don’t have to have MS to be welcomed into the group, but said most do have the disease.
Libby was diagnosed in the 1970s at a time she said little was known about the disease.
“It was a disease that nobody saw,” she said, adding that as a young woman, people would notice her gait was off and assume she was intoxicated.
“There are a lot of things that are worse. I’ve seen people who have had it [MS] for a week and can’t even get out of bed. I count my blessings,” she said.
Libby said it’s easy for some people with the disease to feel bad for themselves, but said she “never has and never will.”
She spoke of others in the chat room and what a “strange disease” it is that affects them.
She said one woman lost her vision for six months and got it back only to lose it again. One man got up and walked for the first time in five years, Libby said.
“It hits everyone different,” she said.
Kelson was diagnosed with MS in 2004 and said she had a difficult time handling it. She said it was challenging because she had to wait a year before she had health insurance.
When she was diagnosed, she was told over the phone, which she said was inappropriate.
Kelson has primary progressive MS, which doesn’t “turn on and off,” like other types.
She is Native American and while living in Arizona friends gave her the name, “Dancing Feather.” When she was diagnosed with MS she became “Broken Feather.”
Bone, now retired, was diagnosed in 1999 and said he too had a difficult time handling the diagnosis.
“I was devastated. I didn’t understand what MS was at all. I thought I was dying, to be honest with you,” he said.
While devastation and confusion seemed to mark Bone, Kelson and Libby’s initial experience with MS, all said reaching out to others has been rewarding.
To find MS and Friends type “multiple sclerosis self help chat” in a search engine such as Google.
Bone and Kelson will sell two CDs, for $10 each, at the 2 p.m. show and get together at Libby’s house Sunday, May 25 .
Libby welcomes the entire community to bring lawn chairs, snacks and family members to the free event. Her address is 25 Chadborne Road in Sebago Lake Village.
For more information, call 642-2562.
]]>Standish resident Patti Libby is inviting the community to hear the voices of those living with multiple sclerosis during a special concert at her home May 25.Providing for neighbors in need: Project G.R.A.C.E. (May 16, 2008)tag:blog.inthegazette.com,2008-05-16:3bc591c7-4642-4c50-92b9-9fb6ccecf9d1Gazette Editor2008-05-16T10:57:42Z2008-05-16T10:56:00ZStaff Writer


After 10 years of operation, Project G.R.A.C.E. founder Karen Packhem calls its growth “phenomenal,” but knows there are more people in Scarborough, Gorham, Westbrook, Portland, Cape Elizabeth and South Portland who could benefit from their help.
A non-profit organization, Project G.R.A.C.E. (Granting Resources and Assistance through Community Effort) works to provide basic needs to struggling families and individuals.
Project G.R.A.C.E. receives referrals from social workers, guidance counselors, nurses, general assistance offices and neighbors and works with 60 social service agencies to provide help.
The organization has two paid positions, but has remained successful by a core group of 25 volunteers along with others who donate time and money. Interim Executive Director Mary Rollo said last year volunteers logged 3,000 hours.
The organization has helped 1,200 families since they started. Last year they aided 220 families and since July have helped 214, so they expect to exceed last year’s record, Rollo said.
Packhem said some people need things as simple as mousetraps. Others need help with paying rent, utilities, oil, clothing or food. Many of the families they help have children in school but recently the organization contacted the Southern Maine Agency on Aging to help area seniors.
Treasurer Jane VanDan said up to this point this year, 71 percent of the families they have helped are Scarborough residents.
Packhem said when someone calls Project G.R.A.C.E., volunteers assess their situation to find out how they can best help. The most common reason people need help is because they were out of work due to illness.
There are some things Project G.R.A.C.E. cannot help families with including, car payments and providing a full house of furniture.
Longtime volunteer Barbara Martin said 99 percent of the time volunteers make decisions about aid immediately.
Packhem said they don’t generally help the same family several times.
“We don’t want to be in the position of enabling them,” she said.
Packhem said they also offer eyeglasses and reconditioned hearing aids to recipients. She said often, families on welfare are only allowed one pair of glasses a year, which Packhem said isn’t realistic when taking accidents into consideration.
Aid recipients don’t need to reach a certain yearly income as is the case with general assistance offices. Packhem said with general assistance the average family can’t make more than $22,000 or they won’t receive help, a number she called “ridiculously low.”
New volunteer Maura Canny-Carbin said it was “scary” to learn how many families in the community need help, especially those with children in school, as she has two daughters who attend Scarborough schools.
Packhem said donations come from local businesses, but most comes from individuals in the community.
“When someone writes a check the vast majority goes to the recipient,” she said, adding their office is donated and St. Maximilian Kolbe in Scarborough covers overhead expenses.
Several civic groups and churches also raise funds for the organization, she said. Local business owner Eddie Woodin donated $5,000 to a heating assistance fund, challenging Project G.R.A.C.E. to raise $25,000 more. While temperatures are getting warmer, Packhem said it’s important to raise funds for heating assistance because come fall, people wouldn’t have been able to catch up from the prior winter.
In total, Packhem said the organization paid out, $155,000 assistance last year, they have currently paid $137,000 in assistance so far this year.
She said the organization does not struggle to raise funds and attributed high community response to the fact that donations go to neighbors.
Rollo used the word “karma” to describe their success.
“If there’s a need, the money will come. The more good work we do, it spreads,” she said, adding, “The care that’s taken with each recipient allows us to serve more.”
Packhem noted that economic stimulus checks can be donated to Project G.R.A.C.E.
She also encourages those who need aid, or know someone who needs it, to contact them. Packhem said sometimes when people are reluctant to ask for help, a friend or neighbor will contact Project G.R.A.C.E. and anonymously ask the organization to help that person.
Packhem stressed all volunteers are trained to keep recipients anonymous. She said each volunteer signs a confidentiality agreement and to further protect families, each is given a code name to refer by.
“We all come to the table with different talents and different gifts,” Rollo said, adding they are always looking to broaden their core group of volunteers.
To volunteer, donate to Project G.R.A.C.E., or to receive assistance, call 883-5111 or visit www.projectgracemaine.org.
]]>After 10 years of operation, Project G.R.A.C.E. founder Karen Packhem calls its growth “phenomenal,” but knows there are more people in Scarborough, Gorham, Westbrook, Portland, Cape Elizabeth and South Portland who could benefit from their help.On the road again: Bicyclists take to the streets (May 16, 2008)tag:blog.inthegazette.com,2008-05-16:6649f26f-be9a-4ade-8506-c5135d7730c8Gazette Editor2008-05-16T10:56:21Z2008-05-16T10:55:00ZStaff Writer


With warm weather encouraging people to take their fitness regimen outside, the Kennebunkport-based Maine Coast Cycling Club (MC3) invites new riders to strap on their helmets.
MC3 President Tom Decker said while some cycling clubs are intimidating to new riders because participants seem to be racing, MC3 offers different speeds and different routes to accommodate the needs and abilities of riders.
MC3 began in 2002, when Decker, who trained for biathlons, had to quit racing competitively because of knee injuries. He first joined the Saco Bay Cycling Club, which later merged with a riding club in Gorham.
“I used to ride with some fast people,” Decker said. “They would have to send people back for me. I was chasing them and I beat myself up trying to keep up.”
He said he was exhausted after the rides, but still wanted to participate – at a slower pace.
Decker chose a different route that intersected with the riders, enabling him to interact with them throughout the ride, but allowing him a slower pace.
“They were the ‘A’ ride and I was the ‘B’ ride,” Decker said.
Decker’s idea caught on and he added the “A-, B, B+ and C” rides.
“A” rides are what he called a “free for all.”
“They ride about 40 miles at speeds of more than 20 miles per hour,” Decker said.
“A-” rides are somewhat slower and offer four different routes, including a coast route, The Estes Lake/Pig Farm loop in South Sanford and the Saco River Ride.
The “B” ride along Goose Rocks Beach and Walker’s Point in Kennebunkport is 25 to 30 miles in length at an average speed of about 14 to 15 miles per hour. The “B+” ride follows the same basic route as the “B” ride with a couple of extra loops, adding about two miles to the ride. The speed is between 16 and 17 miles per hour.
The “C” ride is intended for people new to group rides or those that would like to start out at a slower pace. The ride is based on the needs of the riders for that day.
Most rides depart from Cape Able Bike Shop in Kennebunkport, including the “big ride” on Sunday mornings, which draws up to 70 cyclists in June and July and ends with a muffin and coffee.
A Wednesday night ride leaves from Sanford Airport and includes two routes. One loop takes riders to North Berwick and back through Wells, while the other route goes around Estes Lake and through West Kennebunk.
Decker said the advantage to the “A” through “C” rides is it allows riders to experience joining up with other riders at an intersecting point along the routes.
“They can try the faster ride and then if they don’t like it, they can drop back to the slower group,” Decker said.
He said nobody is ever left behind.
“I don’t care what need people have, I’ll take care of them,” Decker said.
Before each ride, the group gathers to discuss safety, cycling etiquette and planned stops along the route.
Kennebunk resident Dave Garriepy said he’s been riding with the club for about five years. He said the Sunday morning rides help him unwind from his third shift job at the Kennebunk Fire Department.
On Mother’s Day, John Land and his wife Amy Phalon of York joined MC3 for the first time.
Land, who raced in the Sturbridge Road Race and Sunapee Road Race last year, said he needed the extra motivation of riding with others.
He began riding about three years ago after Phalon, a life-long bicyclist, encouraged him to try it.
“I love it,” Phalon said. “It’s a good way to say in shape, meet people and it’s easy on the knees.”
Decker said most people in the group ride a road bike. He said a few people ride a “hybrid” bicycle, which has straight handlebars and narrower tires than a mountain bike.
“It’s also lighter than a mountain bike and it’s good for on and off road, but the best is a road bike,” Decker said.
Bob Osthues joined the group on Mother’s Day as well after spending the winter in Greenville, S.C.
“I’m up for the summer and it’s good to be back,” he said.
He said he rides regularly in South Carolina.
“One of the nice things (about MC3) is the various rides,” Osthues said.
Kennebunk resident Frank Wertheim said he started with the slow group and worked his way up to the faster rides.  He also turned in his old bicycle for a sleeker road bike.
Now he rides his bike from Kennebunk to his office in Springvale about once a week.
The club follows strict safety guidelines and Decker hosts first time group rider safety courses. He said riders are cautioned to watch for potholes and other hazards in the roadway, as well as cars coming up from behind.
“There is a lot to know about riding in a group and with moving traffic,” he said, adding the club will host an introduction to group riding on May 31.
The club also hosts special events such as holiday breakfast rides on Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day, during which the group stops for breakfast at a local restaurant. They also host a club barbecue in the summer and a 100-mile ride in September.
The primary purpose of the rides is exercise, but slower rides are the social rides, Decker said.
“You can ride and talk on the slower rides,” he said. “You’d be surprised what you can learn about someone from riding next to them.”
Decker said the 80-member club welcomes new riders of any age and any ability.
“We have some high school students participate in the rides, as well as people up to 60 years old,” he said. “We cover the whole gamut. What makes us different is we’re not a racing club,” Decker said. “We bring people together for riding.”
For more information, visit www.mainecoastcycling.com.
]]>With warm weather encouraging people to take their fitness regimen outside, the Kennebunkport-based Maine Coast Cycling Club (MC3) invites new riders to strap on their helmets.Birdwatching, burritos and bang for the buck in South Portland (May 16, 2008)tag:blog.inthegazette.com,2008-05-16:ee19c3e3-ba0f-426b-80b0-77f8c2572659Gazette Editor2008-05-16T10:53:40Z2008-05-16T10:52:00ZStaff writer


6:30 a.m. – I roll out of bed to the sound of rain on the deck of my boat, fog horns blaring around Portland Harbor and a very hungry cat. I try to disguise the sound of keys, gum wrappers and loose change rattling around in my wife’s pocketbook as I rummage through it in search of a $20 bill. Sure enough I discover a crumpled and frayed Andrew Jackson smiling up from the mess. Undeterred by the dismal morning weather, I find a spot for the bill inside my raincoat and we hit the road.

7 a.m. – May is the month of warblers, and all this month the York County Audubon Society hosts a number of bird spotting walks throughout York and Cumberland county, including Hinckley Park right off Highland Avenue in South Portland. Having never been bird watching, I am astounded at the knowledge warbler connoisseur and Audubon volunteer Bob Cash shares with me while we wait for other bird watchers in the damp Hinckley Park entrance. Despite the morning drizzle, three other Audubon enthusiasts join us in a walk through fields, over streams, next to ponds and beneath power lines with binoculars and bird books at the ready. I spot what looks to be a large white tuft of feathers in a large Elm tree, and sure enough Cash identifies the large bird as a Black-crowned Night Heron, one of the rarer species we spy before returning to the parking lot, now steamy in the brightening mid-morning.
Total spent at this activity: $0.00
Total spent for the day: $0.00
Money left: $20.00

10 a.m. – While spying birds takes skill and knowledge, it can be rather cumbersome, and the increasingly warm sunlight beginning to spill through the trees makes me want to fall asleep in the driver’s seat. I need coffee and food. Fast. Weaving my car through traffic headed out of South Portland’s downtown, I spot a café just as their neon ‘OPEN’ sign lights up in the middle of the waterfront market area. I park my car by the post office and stumble into Emma D’s on Ocean Street, where the coffee is self-serve and their breakfast burrito is hot and spicy. I take a seat at one of their outside tables and search the calendar of the Sentry for what to do next. The cook, waitress and part-owner of Emma D’s recommends I visit Bug Light or Two Lights park, maybe even head to the mall, when she brings out my burrito. I make a mental note about the different parks, and we agree the mall probably isn’t the best place to try and stretch $20.
Total spent at this activity: $6.40
Total spent for the day: $6.40
Money left: $13.60

11 a.m. – It’s no longer warm, but downright hot; I regret not leaving the sunroof open as a blast of muggy air wafts out of my car. With a belly full of breakfast burrito and morning blend coffee, I have enough energy to once again move away from downtown in search of cheap stuff to do. Although I’ve lived in South Portland for nearly three years, I find myself on roads I have not been on before, passing a variety of convenience stores, furniture outlets, barbershops and art galleries. My eye catches the open door of Artascope studios on Cottage Street. Although their art lessons start at $35, Studio Manager Suzane Kiertianis sells me a copper beaded earring kit for $10.50 and directs me to a workbench in the back of the studio where I can put it all together. Using several pairs of needle nose pliers and the expert advise of Kiertianis I assemble five pairs of earrings which helped bail me out of having to buy a Mother’s Day gift and diffuse an argument with my wife once she figures out where her $20 went.
Total spent at this activity: $10.50
Total spent for the day: $16.90
Money left: $3.10

12:30 p.m. – The sunshine sears the skin on my face and neck, the temperatures must be reaching near 75 degrees; I have the windows down and the earrings in my passenger seat as I work my way farther south. With the small nerd inside me cheering, I walk through the front door of Game Geeks new location on Main Street in South Portland. Part-owner Rob Wheeler introduces me to two of his lifelong friends and I watch an epic, but miniature battle waged with dice, tape measures and a multitude of words I don’t understand unfolding on a large table. After the battle is over, I find myself engrossed in a three-player round of a “Magic: The Gathering” card game, which Wheeler meticulously walks me through to victory. Although the small “booster-pack” of cards costs $3.99 for veterans, Wheeler says he often offers new players a pack “on-the-house” and invites me to a rematch at a later date.
Total spent at this activity: A little self-esteem
Total spent for the day: $16.90
Money left: $3.10

2 p.m. – Skyrocketing temperatures and clear skies have me bound for the coast. I have seen Cape Elizabeth’s Portland Head Light from the water on more than one occasion – I’m a sailing fanatic – but I am surprised by how much larger it looks on land. Although the museum is closed this time of year, bands of foreign tourists are congregating around the base of the lighthouse, children are flying kites in the nearby fields at Fort Williams Park and a large group of teenagers are tossing a Frisbee back and forth. I notice a sailboat coming from the south and take a closer look via one of the pedestal viewers. I wonder how many times someone took the time to inspect my sailboat from this same point?
Total spent at this activity: $0.25
Total spent for the day: $17.15
Money left: $2.85

3 p.m. Inspired by the kites at the park and a warm southerly breeze, I make my way down Route 77 to Jordan’s Lawn and Garden center in search of the world’s cheapest kite, only to find they haven’t come into season yet. I realize I haven’t eaten anything in a while and spin into Rudy’s, where I grab a bag of chips and the largest can of iced tea I have ever seen. By the time I reach Crescent Beach State Park, the chips and half of the iced tea are gone. There is only one other car at the entrance to the park, which is only open to pedestrians, and I wave to a woman laying in the grass with her dog before taking a trek through the forest. I can hear the surf beyond the trees, and on the other side of a large field I come upon a rocky, seaweed-covered beach. I have the large, rocky, reddish sand beach all to myself, and pass through an eerily empty parking lot on my way back to my car. I can only imagine the tremendous amount of people who will descend on the now desolate spot in just a few weeks.
Total spent at this activity: $2.28
Total spent for the day: $19.43
Money left: $0.57

5 p.m. – Sunburned and tired I am back onboard at home. If I wasn’t in dire need of aloe and a nap, I could go on to do even more with jaust a few extra dollars, including attending a Cape Elizabeth lacrosse game later on that evening, any of several art gallery exhibits or grabbing another bite to eat at a different diner and I never did get around to visiting Bug Light Park.
I drift off to sleep with a feeling of accomplishment after having entertained myself for more than 10 hours with only $20.


]]>These are lean times in Maine. Economic recession, high municipal taxes and gas prices have combined to batter our paychecks and lay siege on a person’s ability to go out and spend a day on the town. With that in mind, the staff at Mainely Media has created this six part series where our intrepid reporters head into our towns armed with only a $20 bill and a fierce desire to get the most bang for our bucks. We’ve found with a little planning and some knowledge of the local scene, $20 can buy a whole lot more fun than people may imagine. Last week, Molly Lovell took us on a tour of the town of Scarborough. This week Nate Jones spends a sunny Thursday checking out the happenings in South Portland and Cape Elizabeth. Weekly Interview: Emily Rines (May 16, 2008)tag:blog.inthegazette.com,2008-05-16:15d1c37f-e7e0-48dd-a8b9-b1e7260696a5Gazette Editor2008-05-16T10:52:01Z2008-05-16T10:50:00ZStaff Writer


Though some people may not be familiar with the name Maine Coastal Healthy Community Coalition, it is likely they are familiar with its programs encouraging people to quit smoking, eat healthy and exercise more. The coalition serves nine communities in York County; Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Buxton, Hollis, Dayton and Arundel.
Director Emily Rines has been with the coalition since its inception in 2001. The Gardiner native moved back to Maine to accept the position after living in South Carolina following her college graduation. She said the goal of the coalition is to promote education about chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and asthma and encourage substance abuse prevention and healthy activities in the communities it serves.
The program is funded with federal tobacco settlement money in addition to grants. There are 30 healthy community sites in the state, each one tailored to the community it serves, Rines said. The Maine Tobacco Helpline also receives funding from the more than $25 million in annual tobacco settlement funds received by the state, she said. There are two other healthy community sites in York County, one at Goodall Hospital in Sanford and the other at York Hospital. Rines said a county-wide health assessment was completed recently.
“We feel strongly we need to talk to the people in the county and see what they need to be healthy,” she said. 
Rines said the coalition is focused on preventing underage drinking and more recently, prescription drug abuse. She said federal funding is directed at underage drinking, but said she has discretion to allocate funding where it is needed the most.
“In our assessment, we found prescription drug use is increasing rapidly. We chose to add that because it was clearly an issue that was coming up,” she said.
She said they try to get parents involved with their children and plan to host additional forums like the recent discussion in Old Orchard Beach that featured guest speaker Attorney General Steven Rowe to educate parents and children about underage drinking. A video about underage drinking is currently being edited and will be shown on local cable access channels, Rines said. 
“This is a revolutionary idea, the Healthy Maine Partnerships,” she said.
Much of the coalition’s work is with community schools, Rines said. There is currently one school health coordinator for the area, Jackie Tselikis, who is based in the Old Orchard Beach schools.
“She works with schools on nutrition policies and outdoor exercises,” Rines said. “We are fighting to get another one here.”
In Saco, Old Orchard Beach and Biddeford schools, students participate in “5210 goes to school.” The 5210 program began a year ago and encourages students to eat five fruits and vegetables per day, limit screen time on the computer, playing video games or watching television to two hours per day, get one hour of physical activity per day and indulge in zero sugar sweetened drinks, Rines said.
“Maybe we can introduce them to five fruits per day or milk instead of Pepsi,” she said. “It’s a menu of options, not a prescription to do all four every day.”
The coalition is overseen by an advisory board comprised of community members who meet once a month. Rines said she would like to see additional advisory members from the newer communities volunteer, and said anyone interested in being a part of the coalition’s efforts would be accommodated. More than 400 people attend the annual meeting, she said.
“It’s an opportunity to engage them and share what we’re doing,” Rines said.
A new project has the coalition working with WIC (Women, Infants and Children) to establish places for mothers who wish to breastfeed their babies or pump milk while working.
“Largely, it’s because we know many women who breastfeed and pump are going back to work,” Rines said.
Studies have shown breastfeeding is better for the mother and the baby and current laws allow women to breastfeed in public, she said.
“Now, we’re working with businesses to share why it is important to let employees breastfeed,” Rines said.
Another workplace effort revolves around vending machines, Rines said. The coalition is attempting to make 40 percent of vending machine choices healthy alternatives and encouraging employers to make baskets of fruit available to employees at a minimal cost, she said.
In the community, Rines said they are educating landlords about smoke-free housing. Smoking, she said, is not only a health risk, but a fire danger as well.
“The number one cause of fire is cigarettes,” she said. “But it’s not about the person, it’s about the behavior.”
Rines said the line is blurred when it comes to outdoor public spaces and smoking. She cited campground and miniature golf courses as places frequented by children where smoking is still allowed.
“If you’re within 20 feet of a smoker outside, there is measurable exposure to second-hand smoke,” she said. “We know it’s a cancer causing agent, like asbestos. People would have a problem with a burning pile of asbestos outside.”
Tobacco costs the state more than $6 million per year in health related costs, Rines said. One of the major pushes this year is working with physicians to talk to their patients about tobacco use.
“Research shows a one to five minute counseling session helps people quit,” she said.
Often, physicians don’t know what to recommend to assist their patients to quit smoking, Rines said, adding there are people who are taking tobacco education courses to help physicians. On a regular basis, tobacco cessation information is provided to businesses, she said.
The influx of information to the communities helps support a consistent message, Rines said.
“It’s supporting that healthy living option,” she said. “A lot of people say, ‘I want to exercise but I can’t afford to join a gym,” but there are opportunities,” Rines said.
In schools, doctors offices and businesses, a “Physical Activity Guide for the Kennebunks, Old Orchard Beach and Saco” is accompanied by 5210 cookbook featuring “healthy, easy and cheap” recipes put together by a former food service director. Rines said people often complain they don’t know how to prepare healthy meals so the cookbook was made available with the activity guides.
To help encourage physical activity, the coalition has an event titled “Walk 100 Miles in 100 Days.”
“It helps get people in action and to support people who are already in action,” Rines said. “Walking is free, it’s relatively easy to do and you can do it with your family.”
She said the idea behind Walk 100 Miles in 100 Days is to get people in the habit of being active.
“A mile a day is a lot for some people,” she said. “But with a little bit of increase in activity, they can get the health benefits.”
This year marks the eighth year of the walking effort, which is unique to Coastal Healthy Communities, Rines said.
“It’s the concentric circles. The farther out you go, the bigger impact you can have,” she said.
Prior to becoming the director of Coastal Healthy Communities, Rines lived and worked in South Carolina, educating children about tobacco prevention.
“It’s nice to come back [to Maine] and be able to make a difference,” she said.


]]>Eat healthy, quit smoking and exercise more – goals of Maine Coastal Healthy Community CoalitionLetter: CLYNK: Too much information for me (May 16, 2008)tag:blog.inthegazette.com,2008-05-16:f5a52c4f-7429-4c5f-a2e9-02672c82a328Gazette Editor2008-05-16T10:50:03Z2008-05-16T10:48:00ZIt’s been a while since I’ve returned bottles to the Standish Hannaford. The last time I did, I loaded my bottles into the machine and grabbed my slip. I then took my glass bottles to the counter and rang the bell. I had a nice conversion with the young clerk about spring training, grabbed my slip and started shopping.
At no time did the clerk ask me for my name, address and phone number. He didn’t ask me for my mother’s maiden name, my email address or the name of the high school I attended. Those days are over thanks to CLYNK and the people that now run the bottle room at many Hannaford locations.
I was told on Saturday that I would now have to fill out an application to return bottles. The application requests all of that information in order to return more than 50 pieces. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. When I questioned the CLYNK clerk, I was told that CLYNK, “wasn’t for everyone.”
I called Hannaford to speak to them and they directed me to the CLYNK headquarters in Scarborough. I spoke to a very nice rep who told me all about CLYNK’s history and philosophy. He talked to me about less bottles and cans in the landfill and the convenience of not waiting in line.
I told him that an anonymous process that everyone was involved with has suddenly turned into a club that is not for everyone. Let’s face it, Hannaford and some other companies have been clumsy keeping information secure. In the last two years, I’ve had my debit cards and credit cards changed twice.
Why then would I be willing to join this new club and put more of my personal information out there? Waiting in line is what we do in supermarkets. We wait in line at the checkout don’t we? We try and go at times when it’s not so busy and if that is unavoidable, we tolerate it. The bottle lines were sometimes long but we dealt with it. It’s not worth giving up personal information and joining a club for this convenience. What is Hannaford’s next move? Will the supermarket itself be an exclusive club accessible only by members like a BJ’s or Sam’s Club?
If you feel as strongly as I do, please voice your concerns to CLYNK and to Hannaford and to this paper. If you feel I’m making way too much of this, please send me your name, address, phone number, mother’s maiden name and the name of your high school.
In the meantime, I’ll be at my local family run redemption center – no mother’s maiden name required.
Chris Clark
Standish
]]>I was told on Saturday that I would now have to fill out an application to return bottles. The application requests all of that information in order to return more than 50 pieces. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. When I questioned the CLYNK clerk, I was told that CLYNK, “wasn’t for everyone.”Poland Spring seeks permit for wastewater (May 9, 2008)tag:blog.inthegazette.com,2008-05-09:0d0c39fa-0c15-47fd-af29-41eae66ff691Gazette Editor2008-05-09T11:29:38Z2008-05-09T11:28:00ZBy Stephanie Grinnell

Staff Writer

The Poland Spring Bottling Company in Hollis has applied to the town and with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to amend its conditional use permit to allow disposal of wastewater through spray irrigation on their Killick Pond Road property. 

According to the application filed with the planning board in Hollis, the proposal will reduce tanker truck transportation of the wastewater by more than 1,400 tanker loads during the peak season of mid-May through late September. The application states 26 acres have been designated for wastewater irrigation. 

Wastewater not used for irrigation will continue being trucked to Old Orchard Beach for disposal. The company has had a contract with Old Orchard Beach since 2001 that allows it to truck wastewater to the town’s treatment plant for disposal. Poland Spring pays 6 cents per 1,000 gallon of wastewater, or $39 per 6,500 gallon tanker truck, Old Orchard Beach Wastewater Superintendent Christopher White said. He said the wastewater is mostly rinse water that may contain some cleaners. 

There are between 14 and 16 trucks per day arriving during the summer, White said. 

“The big thing is the trucks, the traffic and the noise, and they do come 24/7,” he said. 

He said he is not sure what the impact to Old Orchard Beach will be with fewer tankers of wastewater being treated.

“There are still a lot of details that need to be worked out,” he said. 

Hollis Code Enforcement Officer Peter Gordon said he reviewed the application before sending it to the planning board, which will have the final say about the application. The Hollis Planning Board is expected to address the application at the May 27 meeting, he said.

Gordon said the company provides a chemical breakdown of the minerals in the wastewater as well as a list of what crops can absorb the minerals. Poland Spring Natural Resource Manager Mark Dubois said the company has worked with the DEP to choose a grass that will absorb the minerals from the processed water. The grass will be removed at the end of the growing season to prevent the minerals from going back into the groundwater supply, Dubois said.

“The benefit (to Poland Spring) is in terms of economics,” he said. “This will offset trucking, around 10 trucks per day.”

Dubois said a total of 1,400 trucks would not have to make trips to Old Orchard Beach during the summer months, saving on costs of diesel. He noted the wastewater being sprayed on the field will not be sewage, he said it will be water used for cooling the plant and rinsing.

The water sprayed on the fields will not be drawn back into the plant because there are different aquifers in the area, Dubois said. 

He said there is an additional application to increase the amount of water drawn from the four utility wells on the site. Currently, Poland Spring is permitted to withdraw 16 million gallons of water per year from the wells. Dubois said the company shuts down the wells for six months of the year, once the 16 million gallon limit has been reached, and trucks in water from the Biddeford Saco Water District and the Auburn Water District. The water from the wells is used for sinks, toilets and cooling. Dubois said the application seeks to increase the permitted amount of water to 50 million gallons per year, which would save the company an additional 1,000 truck trips per year. 

“They are two separate applications but we are hoping to see them reviewed at the same time,” he said. 

Dubois said more water is needed to cool the plant in the warmer months and compared the inside of the plant to a car’s radiator.

“The plant uses water like a car radiator, if it’s hot, it evaporates faster,” he said. 

Dubois said an acre of land in Maine typically collects 1 million gallons of water per year and said the water the company is asking to withdraw would be the equivalent of 50 acre’s worth of rainfall.

Poland Spring Bottling Company has an 840,000 square foot bottling facility on the 1,500 acre property in Hollis, where water is processed, bottles are molded and product is warehoused in addition to offices.

According to the amended application, there are 20 acres of pavement on the site.  

Gordon said there will be a public hearing and site walk before the application is approved or denied by the planning board.    

]]>The Poland Spring Bottling Company in Hollis has applied to the town and with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to amend its conditional use permit to allow disposal of wastewater through spray irrigation on their Killick Pond Road property. ‘Genealogy junkies’ find links to the past (May 9, 2008)tag:blog.inthegazette.com,2008-05-09:4ba242bd-f876-4c47-b29b-dad09710a897Gazette Editor2008-05-09T11:28:05Z2008-05-09T11:27:00Z

By Nate Jones

Staff Writer 

 Do you have one of those common last names that leave you wondering if you might be related to a neighbor or co-worker? Most likely you are, said 81-year-old “genealogy junky” Sumner Thompson of Scarborough. 

“Once you get involved with this genealogy business you suddenly find a lot of relatives,” he said.

Thompson is the treasurer for the “low key, homespun” non-profit Ancient Landmarks Society of Parsonsfield (ALSOP), an organization which has maintained family and town records and traced the genes of residents from Maine and surrounding states for nearly 60 years. 

Currently the group is rallying for a May 18 meeting to boost interest and membership, which has declined over the years. 

“We have lost several of our older members,” 62-year-old ALSOP President Beatrice Fortin of Standish said. “We would like to see more people here.”

“When you get to be our age you know a lot of widows,” Thompson said. 

Fortin said she has had an interest in family genealogy ever since her older brother began researching their family lineage when they were children.

“He would tell our mother things about our family history,” she said. “He went as far back to trace our family to medieval times.”

Fortin said her interest in family histories “just took off” after her brother gave her the research he had done. He discovered family ties to the Whitney family of Gorham, who descended from British royalty. 

“There used to be a Whitney Castle on the Wye River in England,” Fortin said. “Of course now it’s ruins.”

Through continuing her brother’s work, Fortin said she has traced her family tree on her mother’s side as far back as you can go. 

“My mother’s side has ties to Adam and Eve,” she said. 

Researching and learning about the medieval era is thrilling for Fortin, who said she remembers her brother’s stories “bringing her way back” in time. Sharing these stories is a large part of the ALSOP meetings, she said.

“It’s just a fun thing to do,” she said. “We’re like one big family.” 

Although the group meets in Parsonsfield, Fortin said they encourage residents from near or far to stop in, and odds are, meet some extended family members.

“Almost everyone that comes there I find out we’re related,” she said.

Thompson, who has been involved with ALSOP for the past three years, said he has had an interest in his family history all his life. He said his extended relative Margorie Thompson Allen of Kennebunk, now 90 years old, first referred him to the group after they worked together to preserve the Thompson family legacy in the Kennebunk area.

“She used to clean up the cemeteries around town, and needed younger guys to lift the heavier stones,” he said. “She and I and a few other guys restored the Thompson Cemetery and tried to nail down a few of the smaller ones in Arundel too.”

Thompson said he has relied on historical societies in York County and ALSOP records going back more than 400 years to bring together 13 generations of family members for “cousin’s day” family reunions at his home.

“We called it ‘cousin’s day’ but anybody could come,” he said. “Last year we had 60 people, which was pretty good. If everybody came we’d have to move into a huge place.”

Thompson and his wife, Ruth, make a point of attending ALSOP meetings, where the group raises funds through book sales in addition to sharing stories and collecting records from other members to add to their library.

“There are a lot of research books there, I just wish more people would use them,” he said. 

Fortin said the library is open to the public during meetings, although the books have to be returned by the end of the meeting as some of them are very old and fragile and need to be kept safe. 

“Some books are older than others,” she said. “We have histories of cemeteries, towns and families in the area.”

The next meeting of the Ancient Landmarks Society of Parsonsfield is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 18 at the old Parsonsfield Seminary, located on Route 160 in Parsonsfield. 

Coffee will be provided and attendants are encouraged to bring a lunch. 

For more information about ALSOP call 838-5492, email sthompson6@maine.rr.com or visit their Web site home.psouth.net/~willy/mb.htm. 

]]> Do you have one of those common last names that leave you wondering if you might be related to a neighbor or co-worker? Most likely you are, said 81-year-old “genealogy junky” Sumner Thompson of Scarborough. A graduation to remember (Printed May 9, 2008)tag:blog.inthegazette.com,2008-05-09:5e4a059d-dda6-4184-bce5-869b10ec4492Gazette Editor2008-05-09T11:26:58Z2008-05-09T11:25:00Z

By Stephanie Grinnell

Staff Writer


Biddeford resident Kate Quinn Gartland will experience a unique graduation Saturday when she graduates from Saint Joseph’s College in Standish with her master’s degree in nursing at the same time four of her former students will receive their bachelor’s degrees in nursing. 

Gartland taught the students at Biddeford’s Center of Technology (COT), the regional vocational center, when, as high school students, they were enrolled in the medical sciences program. She said three students, Lisa Earnhardt, Brooke Perry and Nicole Lehoux were all exceptional students in high school and she did not expect anything less during their college years.

“I’ve been really impressed with them. And to know I was there with them the first time they gave patient care makes it even more special,” she said.

On a professional level, Gartland said she is glad to see three competent nurses ready to take their place in the health care profession, which she said is understaffed.

“I’m very aware of the big picture and how desperate we are for nurses,” she said.

To that end, Gartland plans to teach nursing students with her freshly minted master’s degree, which took her about three years to earn through distance learning courses at Saint Joseph’s.  

Gartland first realized she would graduate with her former students a few months ago. She had been keeping in touch with Earnhardt through email and knew all three girls were attending Saint Joseph’s.  

“I think it’s very exciting,” Gartland said of graduating with her former students. “It makes me proud to know I had a part in getting them started.”

Perry, 21, of Waterboro, said she has not seen Gartland in a few years and looks forward to sharing the landmark graduation with her teacher.

“I’m so excited she’s graduating with us,” Perry said. “We just loved Ms. Quinn [Gartland]. She was just the best.”

Perry took Gartland’s medical sciences class during her senior year at Biddeford High School. She said she became interested in nursing at a young age.

“I saw my memere go through lung cancer and saw how much the nurses did for her,” Perry said. “It made me really want to help people when they’re sick.” 

She said she also considered elementary education, but after her course at COT, she chose nursing as her future career. At the end of the COT program, Perry took a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) test and maintained her certification through her college years. She was the only one of the three to do so. 

“It was definitely a love of nursing,” she said. 

Perry plans to work with cardiac patients after her graduation. 

Earnhardt said she has been interested in nursing her entire life. She joked her mother always told her she would be involved in the medical field because she was born in a ambulance on the way to the hospital. She credits Gartland with starting her on the path to becoming a nurse. 

“She got me started in the CNA program,” she said. 

Earnhardt said she kept in touch with Gartland after she graduated from COT because Gartland “is an outstanding person.”

“She’s just one of those people you want to be near,” Earnhardt said. 

She plans to pursue a career in geriatrics, working with older patients, based on experiences she had during high school and college clinical rotations at various hospitals and nursing homes. 

Lehoux said she became interested in nursing through watching numerous family members coping with cancer.

“I saw a lot of the suffering and chemo and medical interventions,” she said. “I was always intrigued.”

Lehoux said she plans to take care of patients after they have knee surgery or gastrointestinal procedures, a field called med-surg.

Lehoux said she only found out Gartland would be graduating at the same time a couple of weeks ago. 

“Kate [Gartland] helped me get into nursing. It’s definitely a special thing,” she said.

Earnhardt said she is “very excited” to be graduating at the same time as Gartland.

“It’s like an honor, she taught me everything I know,” Earnhardt said. “Not only that, she’s graduating too, which is exciting for her and us.”

Gartland said there is a planned pinning ceremony the night before graduation that will be more intimate than the graduation ceremony the following day. She said she is looking forward to seeing all three of her former students and congratulating them.  

Perry, Earnhardt and Lehue credit the COT program with giving them a firm foundation to begin with during their college years. 

“Every day there was something different to do, from anatomy and physiology to labs to clinicals,” Perry said. “We did a little bit of everything.” 

Lehoux said she felt she was farther ahead of her college classmates because of the program at COT, which covered much of the freshman year material.

“I felt like I was ahead of people. I had an extra sense of confidence,” she said.

Gartland said the COT medical sciences program draws students from other school districts and is always filled to capacity. She taught the clinical portion of the program for a total of six years.

“I kept in touch with several students over the years and they always say A and P [anatomy and physiology] taught there helped in college,” Gartland said. 

She said a number of the students who take the medical sciences program at COT go on to pursue nursing in college.

“It’s a really great program,” she said. “It’s the program that brings other students in, from Biddeford, Kennebunk, Old Orchard Beach, Thornton Academy and Massabesic.”

Lehoux said it was also helpful to have friends in the program and in college taking the same courses and said it helped all of them build stronger relationships. 

“I think it helped because we all went together, we knew people in the program,” she said. “After all, nursing is about a constant learning process.”

A fourth student, Melissa Gionest, who took the medical sciences program taught by Gartland a year prior to Earnhardt, Perry and Lehoux will graduate Saturday as well. 

]]>Biddeford resident Kate Quinn Gartland will experience a unique graduation Saturday when she graduates from Saint Joseph’s College in Standish with her master’s degree in nursing at the same time four of her former students will receive their bachelor’s degrees in nursing. Gorham Police Notes for May 9, 2008tag:blog.inthegazette.com,2008-05-09:4cdce9a8-6bab-4a5b-920c-828eceec8778Gazette Editor2008-05-09T11:25:24Z2008-05-09T11:23:00Z

YOU’VE GOT (UNWANTED) MAIL – A Johnson Road resident called police to report receiving an obscene email on their computer. 


FREE, FREE FALLIN’ – Police took a report that a bag of money had fallen off a vehicle and was picked up by an oil truck driver on Gray Road. 


CLYNKING AROUND – A person called police to report a suspicious person walking on the side of Dingley Spring Road. Police said the person was picking up bottles. 


THAT’S NOT GOING TO WORK – Police received a report that a person was trying to pump gas after the gas station was closed. 


OLD SCHOOL ‘FUN’ – A Gray Road resident called police to report being harassed by kids who live close by. The caller said the juveniles would ring the doorbell and then take off running. 


WOOD WORRIES – A person called police to report someone was taking scrap wood from a road construction site on Brackett Road. Police checked with the job foreman, who had not given permission for any materials to be removed. 


A PRICKLY SITUATION – Police removed a porcupine, which was creating a traffic hazard, from Fort Hill Road.


HANDLING A HANDGUN – A Mosher Road caller requested police retrieve an antique handgun from a residence. 


DON’T ANSWER – A person called police to report receiving a call from Florida requesting credit card information. When police called the number provided, they found the number had been disconnected. 


AN EARLY HALLOWEEN? – Police received reports that a Gateway Commons Drive home and a Hidden Pines Drive home had been hit with eggs during the night. 

]]>FREE, FREE FALLIN’ – Police took a report that a bag of money had fallen off a vehicle and was picked up by an oil truck driver on Gray Road. Skipping around Scarborough – kicking and swinging into spring (May 9, 2008)tag:blog.inthegazette.com,2008-05-09:bedac682-8c74-411e-be52-513826de51fcGazette Editor2008-05-09T11:23:37Z2008-05-09T11:19:00Z
Story and photographs by Molly Lovell
Staff writer.

9 a.m. – With the sun shining and a $20 bill in my purse, I set out last Friday to explore Scarborough with the intent to have a funfilled day. My first stop was breakfast at the Food Guy on Pleasant Hill Road. Kerri Munson took my order of two eggs, homefries and toast along with a Pepsi (I needed a jolt of caffeine to propel me into my day). Owner Willy Ledoux said he gets a lot of regulars from Prout’s Neck and Higgins Beachin the restaurant. A long time Scarborough resident, Ledoux has owned the Food Guy for 11 years. Out back he also owns an aqua golf range. Interesting, I thought, I’ve never hit a golf ball in my life, but maybe I’ll come back later and try something new. He also might be putting batting cages out back soon. The Food Guy is open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily and on Thursdays and Fridays it’s open for happy hour from 5 to 8 p.m.

Total spent at this activity: $7.15

Total spent for the day: $7.15

Money left: $12.85


10 a.m. – Breakfast was the fuel I needed for my next activity, a beginners martial arts class with Shawn Withers at Natural Motion Martial Arts. I arrived in workout gear and was greeted by Withers, who couldn’t have been friendlier. He told me he works with both disabled and non-disabled students on Broken Wing Kenpo, which incorporates traditional values with progressive thinking. He works with students 16-years-old up to 70 or older and does a lot of one-on-one work. Joining and encouraging me for my first martial arts class was Amanda Burnham of Saco and Johanna Gwynn of Naples. Withers noted everything one can gain from martial arts including a good cardiovascular workout, improved focus and concentration and reflexes and strength. He also said there’s always something new to learn or work on. Out of respect, he told me, it’s customary to bow before entering and leaving the workout area, after which we started warming up. After some stretching it was time to get down to business and practice moves with our hands. It was evident I had never done this before. Withers had to teach me how to make a proper fist. We moved on to do some kicks and punches – my favorite part. I was really feeling the workout and it was a good way to get rid of extra energy. We practiced more kicking and also worked on balance, something I’m apparently not that good at because I think I looked a little foolish trying to hit targets while jumping on one foot. I say I probably looked foolish, but that’s one thing I noticed about Withers and the others in my class, I was never made to feel uncomfortable and after everything I tried, someone was always quick to offer up a “Good job.” Time flew by and soon my hour was up. It was refreshing to try something new and I am considering making this a regular routine. Anyone can try out classes free for a week. Natural Motion Martial Arts is located at 15 Holly Street. To learn more visit www.naturalmotionmartialarts.com or call 883-6924.

Total spent at this activity: $0.00

Total spent for the day: $7.15

Money left: $12.85


12:30 p.m. – I have never swung a golf club in my life, but thought I’d be adventurous and go back to the aqua golf range on Pleasant Hill Road. $5 got me a bucket of 45 golf balls that I (mostly) successfully launched into the pond behind the Food Guy. I called my fiancé for a few tips first. I was told to keep my eye on the ball and keep my arms straight during my swing. “It’s all in the swing,” he said. I have very little athletic ability, but I did hit the golf balls hard enough to make that cool “swooshing” sound and the sound of the ball plunking in the water definitely made me feel a sense of accomplishment. It took about 20 minutes to hit them all and I left feeling pretty proud of myself for trying yet another new activity.

Total spent at this activity: $5

Total spent for the day: $12.15

Money left: $7.85


2 p.m. – Scarborough is popular for their trails and other natural activities and since I had never stepped foot on one, I decided to check out the Scarborough River Wildlife Sanctuary on Pine Point Road. There are 1.5 miles of walking trails that offer a view of the Scarborough Marsh with 52 acres of land. It was relaxing to get back to nature and I promised myself I would try to take advantage of what Maine has to offer outdoors on a fairly regular basis.

Total spent at this activity: $0

Total spent for the day: $12.15

Money left: $7.85


2:45 p.m. – After all that activity I definitely had a rumble in my stomach so I stopped off at Chicago Dogs, my first visit to the restaurant. Todd Kerbrat was behind the counter and said business was getting busier with the better weather now upon us. He said the most popular items on the menu are cheese steaks and the Chicago dog combo – the Chicago dog combo it was, then, with tomatoes, pickles, mustard, peppers, celery salt and the most neon green relish I’ve ever seen. I accompanied the dog with hand cut fries and a Mountain Dew to keep me going. Smothered in vinegar, ketchup, salt and pepper, I dug in. As I ate I noticed that Chicago Dogs will deliver lunch or dinner by calling 799-DINE or visiting www.2dinein.com.

style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 7.2px; font: 9.0px New Century Schoolbook">Total spent at this activity: $6.46

Total spent for the day: $18.61

Money left: $1.39

3:30 p.m. – Feeling pretty exhausted but satisfied, I headed down the Black Point Road to Ferry Beach. I spied a few, very large snowy egrets on my way. It was getting a little cold and my energy level was starting to dwindle, but I took a short walk on the beach, taking in the scenery and sitting for a while until the chill got to me.

Total spent at this activity: $0.00

Total spent for the day: $18.61

Money left: $1.39


4 p.m. – I drove around for a little while, looking for a farm stand to spend the rest of my money, but I think it’s too early in the season. Once the weather gets warmer, I think there will be more outdoor activities, more church dinners and community fairs to take advantage of. One thing I also wanted to do but didn’t have the chance to was play bingo with the seniors at Hillcrest Community Center. Every Friday they have bingo at 11:30 a.m. for only $2. 

]]>These are lean times in Maine. Economic recession, high municipal taxes and gas prices have combined to batter our paychecks and lay siege on a person’s ability to go out and spend a day on the town. With that in mind, the staff at Mainely Media has created this six part series where our intrepid reporters head into our towns armed with only a $20 bill and a fierce desire to get the most bang for our bucks. We’ve found with a little planning and some knowledge of the local scene, $20 can buy a whole lot more fun than people may imagine. Last week, Renee Worthing took us on a tour of the Sanford-Springvale region. This week Molly Lovell spends a sunny Friday checking out the happenings in Scarborough. Gorham man dies in crash (May 2, 2008)tag:blog.inthegazette.com,2008-05-01:a5fb766a-b35d-432b-bdf8-2e74d7e033cfGazette Editor2008-05-01T11:31:21Z2008-05-01T11:30:00ZTwo area residents were killed Monday night after the car they were traveling in was struck by a SUV traveling in the wrong direction on the Maine Turnpike in Ogunquit, police said. 

At press time Wednesday, no charges had been filed against the SUV’s driver, 38-year-old Donna Bartlett of Wells, who sustained a broken ankle, in the crash.

The car’s driver, James McLaughlin, 65, of Gorham and 15-year-old Cooper Cambell, of Scarborough were found dead at the scene, state police said. The boy’s father, Steven Campbell, 48, was injured and taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland with non-life threatening injuries. 

State police said McLaughlin was driving a 2001 Lincoln Town Car owned by Maine Limousine Services of Portland and had picked up Steven and Cooper Campbell at Logan Airport in Boston and was driving them home.  

A decision on charges will be made after the investigation has been completed and the York County District Attorney’s Office has been consulted. 

]]>Top honors for Buxton resident (May 2, 2008)tag:blog.inthegazette.com,2008-05-01:5784f488-b219-42b1-a7d7-879deece7b5eGazette Editor2008-05-01T11:30:18Z2008-05-01T11:29:00Z

By Molly Lovell

Staff Writer

Scarborough’s finest were honored during a public safety awards night this past Saturday where police and fire personnel came together with friends and family to receive much deserved recognition and appreciation.

The evening kicked off with a slide show of serious, silly and notable public safety moments of 2007 while songs like “Welcome to the jungle,” “Shiftwork” and “Taking care of business” filled the auditorium at Scarborough High School.

Fire Chief Michael Thurlow began by commending the police and fire departments for working together so cohesively, a relationship he called “unique” compared to units he’s observed elsewhere. 

“We truly do work together side by side every day. It’s something you should all be proud of, I know I am,” he said.

Police Chief Robert Moulton also recognized the strong relationship between the two departments and thanked the town council and Town Manager Ron Owens for support they’ve received.

“For a guy from away, you done good,” Moulton said with a laugh before welcoming a soon to be retiring Owens to the stage.

Owens called both departments the finest he’s ever seen.

“It’s rare to find that kind of cooperation, that kind of comraderie and that kind of working relationship,” he said.

Owens touched on the commitment each employee must give to his or her job. In addition he recognized that commitment often means time away from family.

“Yes, we pay you, but we don’t begin to compensate for the risk and the time spent away from your family or if you are not married, away from the other things that occupy your life – you do it for reasons that go beyond just money. These days it’s getting harder to find individuals who are willing to take time out of their busy lives to do something for their community. A lot of people talk about wanting to do things for their community but, like the Nike slogan: you just do it,” Owens said. 

He quoted writer Leo Rosten, “The purpose of life is not to be happy – but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you have lived at all.”

“Every police officer, firefighter, paramedic and EMT make a difference and that is no better envisioned than when you recognized earlier this evening those who have answered the last alarm or call. They all made a difference,” Owens said.

The night continued with a presentation of awards. Firefighter Clayton Skillin and Captain Bruce Bell both received the Eldred Harmon Award for 50 years of service and Moulton received an award for 30 years of service.

Firefighter and paramedic Jeff Grinnell of Buxton was honored with the department’s Paramedic of the Year award. Grinnell is  Gazette staff writer Stephanie Grinnell’s husband.

“Honestly, I didn’t think I heard it right,” Grinnell laughed. 

“It felt good, kind of humbling. I’ve never received an award like that, it was a weird feeling. I was really shocked,” he said.

Thurlow said one reason Grinnell was being honored with the award was because he’s always a willing teacher and motivator within the department.

“It’s fun mentoring the younger kids out of school,” Grinnell said.

Grinnell said he enjoys taking their book knowledge and combining it with his “street” knowledge to help make them successful, adding that it’s a necessary step in this field because every situation a new firefighter or paramedic experiences is going to be different.

“It’s part of a growth process,” he said.

In recognizing Grinnell, Thurlow also mentioned his positive attitude.

“Honestly, it’s fun to come to work. We do serious stuff, but a good attitude makes the bad calls easier to deal with,” Grinnell said.

These “bad calls,” are what Grinnell said is the most difficult part of his job. 

“When you have a fatality it weighs on your mind, it really does,” he said.

Everyone has their own coping systems, he said, along with the support of the department. When something particularly emotional happens the department conducts a critical stress debriefing where personnel gather at a remote location to be with peers, Grinnell said.

“If you know someone is doing bad you give them a call or show up to check on them. When a fatality happens, you need that support system and need them telling you ‘You did all you could.’ It’s nice to hear,” he said.

On the flip side, Grinnell said the most satisfying part of his job is knowing he’s making a difference.

As an example, Grinnell pointed to a chimney fire he responded to Saturday after the awards ceremony.

“They were just so happy we could show up and help them out. It’s so nice to know you affected someone’s life in some way whether it’s a big deal or a little deal,” he said, adding that pride runs through the entire department.

“We try to treat them like customers,” he said of residents. 

For example, during the chimney fire, Grinnell and those who responded to the call made sure to lay down “salvage covers” to protect the resident’s carpet from soot and mud. They also try to explain to the resident exactly what they planned to do, Grinnell said.

Grinnell said if he could ask the public anything in return, he would like them to understand the amount of training every member must complete to serve the public. He would also ask the public to be considerate of emergency vehicles.

“More firefighters are killed in traffic accidents every year than anything else. Pull to the right and stop, it’s the one thing I wish people would do. Think of it this way, if it was your emergency, you would want people to get out of the way,” he said.

To be successful and happy in this field Grinnell said, “You have to be a person who can deal with people, you need to be level headed and have to be committed.”

He also said one needs to be very intelligent as the amount of schooling and training required to be in the field has increased since he entered roughly 20 years ago. Grinnell has been with the Scarborough Fire Department since 2006, before that, he was the fire chief in Buxton.

One thing that keeps this profession fresh, he said, is that there is no such thing as an average day.

“An average day for us is someone else’s bizzaro day. Sometimes you come back from a call and say, ‘What was that?’ As long as no one was hurt, it’s funny sometimes,” he laughed.

In addition, Grinnell said one needs a strong support system at home.

“It has to be a family thing because you’re away from home so much,” he said.

Grinnell came from a fire service family and compared it to “following in the family business.”

He first stepped into the profession in 1988 as a volunteer and eventually became the first “full timer” in his family. He said the number of people willing to enter the profession either full time, as a call service member or volunteer is dwindling and suspects a couple different reasons for the decrease in people joining the field.

“Family units are not as large as they use to be, not allowing more interest in the field,” he said.

Grinnell also suspects the average family’s way of life is keeping some from entering the field. More often now, he said, both parents work and children are involved in so many activities that by the end of the day, people don’t have time to volunteer for their local fire or police departments.

“I’ve never heard anyone say they hated it or couldn’t stand it, they just don’t have the time or energy,” he said.

What the future holds for those in the field isn’t something Grinnell said can be predicted.

“You can never, ever say you know everything. Change is going to happen. You have to accept it and move ahead,” he said.

]]>Scarborough’s finest were honored during a public safety awards night this past Saturday where police and fire personnel came together with friends and family to receive much deserved recognition and appreciation.Lyme disease on the uptick (May 2, 2008)tag:blog.inthegazette.com,2008-05-01:c0a2bf39-4f5f-4309-8dea-76300538641bGazette Editor2008-05-01T11:29:15Z2008-05-01T11:27:00ZBy Stephanie Grinnell

Staff Writer

Spring and early summer are the times Mainers need to be most vigilant about blacklegged ticks, more commonly known as deer ticks, which carry Lyme disease. 

Maine State Epidemiologist Kathleen Gensheimer said the best thing people can do to avoid being bitten by any type of tick is to wear long sleeved, light colored clothing in addition to using an insect repellent as directed by the manufacturer. Southern Maine Medical Center Vice President of Affairs Frank Lavoie said light-colored clothing makes the ticks easier to spot, decreasing the need for excessive clothing during summer months. Insect repellant with DEET is most effective and may be sprayed on clothing, particularly socks and shoes, Lavoie said. 

York and Cumberland counties used to be areas most affected by Lyme disease, Gensheimer said. Now, the insects and the disease can be found nearly everywhere in the state. 

“We’ve really seen a dramatic increase in the reports of Lyme disease in the state. We had over 500 last year,” she said. “It is spreading throughout the state.”

Lavoie said SMMC has also noticed an increase during the past several years.

“Lyme disease became more prevalent in Maine several years ago as the infected deer tick moved north from southern New England, particularly along the eastern side of I-95,” he said.

Deer tick nymphs, which are the size of a poppy seed, are partial to wooded areas, Gensheimer said. The nymphs attach to humans and feed on blood but not all deer ticks carry Lyme disease. Gensheimer said a nymph infected with Lyme disease must be attached to a human host for 36 to 72 hours to transmit Lyme disease. She said even an engorged deer tick can be difficult to spot.

Gensheimer said larger dog ticks, also common in southern Maine, do not carry Lyme disease. Dog ticks are brown and about the size of an apple seed and can swell to the size of a marble when engorged. 

Often, people don’t notice they have nymphs attached because they are located in an area on the body people don’t normally check or see easily, like the lower backside, Gensheimer said.

If the tick nymph isn’t spotted while still attached, the first sign of Lyme disease in 70 percent of cases is an expanding skin rash, she said. 

Other symptoms of Lyme disease, such as headache, fatigue or flu-like symptoms, can be easily confused with other more common ailments, Gensheimer said. 

Treatment of Lyme disease involves a 10-day to two-week course of antibiotics, Gensheimer said. People who suspect they have been bitten by a deer tick and show symptoms of a rash should see their doctor, who can determine the need for antibiotic treatment, she said.

Gensheimer said antibiotics are not given to people who have been bitten by ticks but are not showing symptoms.

 Lyme disease is named after Lyme, Conn., where a cluster of pediatric arthritis was discovered in 1975, and previously known as Lyme arthritis, according to Maine’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention Web site.

Lyme disease, if left untreated, can lead to neurological and cardiac problems as well as severe fatigue.

Outdoor pets are offered some protection through prevention measures such a flea and tick deterrents. 

Currently, there is no human vaccine for the disease and people may be repeatedly infected if prevention steps are not taken. Gensheimer said the disease is easily treatable but the best thing is prevention. 

“Lyme disease is not chronic, however, if left untreated, it can be difficult to treat with oral antibiotics and can lead to chronic conditions, such as chronic arthritis or chronic fatigue syndrome,” Lavoie said.

The state’s Department of Health and Human services Web site says there have been no known deaths from Lyme disease in the state, however, according to published reports, the family of Stephen Pallotta, 36, of Scarborough, has claimed Lyme disease, in part, was the cause of his April 13 death. 

For more information about Lyme disease, visit the Maine CDC Web site at www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/ddc/lyme_history.htm.  

]]>Spring and early summer are the times Mainers need to be most vigilant about blacklegged ticks, more commonly known as deer ticks, which carry Lyme disease. Public buckles up after state officials tighten seat belt laws (May 2, 2008)tag:blog.inthegazette.com,2008-05-01:e262aeab-7660-44e7-a32c-8780d882924cGazette Editor2008-05-01T11:26:51Z2008-05-01T11:25:00Z

By Molly Lovell

Staff Writer

By now, most people are aware Maine has tightened the seat belt law to make failing to buckle up a reason to get pulled over. 

Lauren Stewart, Maine Bureau of Highway Safety director, said for a number of years the seatbelt law was considered a secondary violation, meaning law enforcement officials had to pull a motorist over for something else in order to cite them for a seatbelt violation. 

Last September the Legislature passed the primary seatbelt law and as of April 1, it became legal for local law enforcement officials to ticket those who don’t click it. 

Lt. Nick Higgins of the Kennebunk Police Department said it’s too early to notice any trends or track statistics regarding the new law. For the first six months of the law the state instituted a  grace period in which law enforcement officials could only warn violators if pulled over. The April 1 deadline allowed officers to ticket drivers not wearing their seatbelts, but Higgins said in most cases, officers are hoping to enforce voluntary compliance by issuing warnings. Whether or not they ticket a person depends on several factors, including prior history, he said.

“It’s certainly a safety priority,” he said of the law. “In any given officers’ years of experience, we’ve certainly seen accidents where there was serious injury when seatbelts weren’t worn. We’ve also seen accidents that appear very bad and the occupants walked away with little or minor injuries because they did wear a seatbelt.”

Scarborough Police Chief Robert Moulton said the department hasn’t gathered firm numbers in terms of violations before and after the law, but said the public seems to be taking it seriously.

“I’ve heard a number of folks comment about it and the fact that they’re trying to be more diligent,” he said.

In terms of people who might not have regularly worn their seat belts before, Moulton attributed that to bad habit.

“It’s something that wasn’t really pressed as an issue years ago and people I think maybe grew up not using them all the time,” he said.

Moulton said the department hasn’t conducted any special seat belt details, calling the law, “another tool in the toolbox.”

When asked how easy it is for an officer to determine whether a motorist is wearing their seatbelt or not, Moulton compared it to spying an expired tag on a license plate.

“It’s one of those things you become accustomed to, you do it almost unconsciously,” he said.

Lt. Tim DeLuca of the Old Orchard Beach Police Department said from Jan. 1 to March 31, the department logged 722 traffic stops, 31 of which were seatbelt violations. From April 1 to April 22, officers conducted 289 stops with 92 seatbelt violations.

“As a department, we felt very strongly that motorists should be wearing seatbelts. With tourist season and the onset of April 1, we decided to take strong enforcement to seatbelt violations,” DeLuca said, adding that the department has conducted several traffic details designed especially for seatbelt violators.

“The general public has been very receptive to the enforcement details. They understand the importance of wearing a seatbelt. When we’ve stopped them and confronted them with a violation they’ve been understanding and appreciative of our efforts,” he said.

Deluca said officers have been confronted with a couple of angry motorists, but they were in the minority.

DeLuca said officers have developed some tricks to help them identify an un-belted driver, tricks he’s not willing to give away.

“I won’t say it’s difficult, but it can be challenging. We’ve figured out ways around it, though, and we’ve been successful,” he said.

DeLuca wanted to remind motorists that a seatbelt needs to be worn properly to be in accordance with the law, adding that tucking the belt underneath the arm is a chargeable offense. 

He also wanted to warn sneaky drivers who after being pulled over, try to inconspicuously slide on their seatbelt.

“When approached, they confess,” DeLuca laughed.

Biddeford Police Chief Roger Beaupre said seatbelt compliance was near 90 percent at the beginning of the month but is disappointed because as of April 23, 335 seatbelt citations have been issued. Of those, he said 66 were two time violators and 33 were three time violators.

Beaupre said Biddeford has always had a history of dealing with seatbelt violators “aggressively.” In the 12 months proceeding April 1 the department logged, on average, 147 seatbelt violations each month.

“I’ve been reading in the daily logs and noticed a greater compliance with Biddeford residents than non-residents – the greater majority of them are from elsewhere,” he said.

Beaupre said the average person is understanding of the law but some have been more vocal in protesting it. He wanted to remind the public that all stops are videotaped and recorded.

“Every one of our cruisers is equipped with that ability. When the blue lights come on, the recorder starts,” he said, and added, “When people see themselves in behavior they’ve displayed, all of a sudden they become very humbled.”

He said it’s important to note those who medically can’t wear a seatbelt need to carry a prescription from their doctor on them at all times. Beaupre also said the fine for the first violation is $50 then increases to $125 and $250; these fines also come with surcharges, making the amount slightly higher once processed.

Saco Police Chief Brad Paul said the number of seatbelt violations was up slightly during a recent weekend.

“It’s almost a given when citations start being issued and money begins to be the issue, compliance will increase,” he said.

Paul said he was driving through town recently in an unmarked cruiser and spied a carload of teens who once they saw him, started “frantically” belting up. 

“I wasn’t in uniform or I would have stopped them,” he said.

Paul said he was pleased to learn of the new seatbelt law.

“My preference is, if it’s against the law, please make it a traffic violation. I’m not a huge fan of a secondary violation status. If it’s wrong, it’s wrong. If you should be belted up, I should need no more reason than that to pull you over,” he said.

Buxton Police Chief Jody Thomas said the department still sees a lot of “die hards” who don’t wear seatbelts.

“We are going to be running details during the month of May to specifically target and enforce the seatbelt laws,” she said, adding a $2,000 grant from the state is allowing the department to do that.

She said officers have mostly been giving warnings since April 1.

“We prefer to have voluntary compliance,” she said.

Thomas said it surprises her and other officers when they still see children who are not belted.

South Portland Police Chief Ed Googins said the law was long overdue.

“I think it was appropriate and I like the fact the public appears to be complying,” he said.

According to Stewart of the Bureau of Highway Safety, 50 percent of traffic fatalities in Maine each year are attributed to motorists failing to wear their seatbelts. She went on to say there are two groups of people less likely than others to wear their seatbelts. The first is males 18 to 34-years-old, especially those who drive pickup trucks, she said. 

“We don’t know why exactly, but what we suspect is that sometimes the guys that drive the pickup trucks are willing to take more risks,” Stewart said.

The second group is those 65 and older.

“It’s because they haven’t grown up with seatbelts. When they started driving, cars didn’t have them,” she said.

Stewart also said one would think new drivers would be diligent about wearing their seatbelts because they grew up using booster seats but it’s not the case. 

“What we’re finding is teens getting their license and they stop wearing their seatbelts,” she said, adding the department wants to start an educational campaign toward that age group.

The Bureau of Highway Safety, along with 80 local police departments will kick off a two-week, high-visibility education and seatbelt enforcement program May 19 through June 1. Stewart expects to gather statistics regarding the law at that time.

]]>By now, most people are aware Maine has tightened the seat belt law to make failing to buckle up a reason to get pulled over. Milling about Sanford and Springvale