Items by Westbrook Diarist

• Favorite Posts of 2009: February

  —Westbrook Diarist

  The Works (February 4)
  My deep thought about Italian sandwiches.
  
  How Real Men Sleep (February 5)
  Unfortunately, this post is becoming more relevant by the day.
  
  Broadening Horizons: Clam Digging (February 10)
  A short profile of two Maine clammers.
  
  The Sportswriter: Thoughts [...]
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  Posted: December 18, 2009, 5:37am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• New Middle School May Not Open on Time

  —Westbrook Diarist

  AJ:
  Uncompleted work at the new Westbrook Middle School
  has postponed a dedication ceremony and called into question whether the school
  would be ready for students on Jan. 4. The school department was supposed to
  receive its certificate of occupancy Tuesday, but the city's code enforcement
  officer, fire inspector [...]
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  Posted: December 18, 2009, 5:32am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Reuse Plans for Old Junior High Taking Shape

  —Westbrook Diarist

  AJ:
  The city is solidifying plans for reusing the
  soon-to-be-vacant junior high school, including relocating City Hall from Main
  Street. The Wescott Junior High School Reuse Committee has voted to recommend
  moving forward with a plan to move the recreation department, social services
  agencies and City Hall offices into [...]
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  Posted: December 18, 2009, 5:26am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Favorite Posts of 2009: January

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Quote of the Day--So Far (January 5)
  A Westbrook resident eloquently explains her opposition to a state law that would prohibit Mainers from texting while driving.
  
  Paper City Streets: Rochester Street (January 5)
  A look at why Rochester Street is, well, Rochester Street.
  
  Broadening Horizons: [...]
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  Posted: December 17, 2009, 5:35am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Six Degrees of John Lackey

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  The newly-acquired Red Sox pitcher's father-in-law, Nielson Clark, is a Westbrook native.
  
  - John C.L. Morgan [...]
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  Posted: December 17, 2009, 5:10am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Metro to Offer Free Rides on Friday and Saturday

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  PPH:
  The METRO and South Portland public bus services
  will be free Friday and Saturday. The METRO, operated by the Greater Portland
  Transit District, provides bus service to Portland, Westbrook, Falmouth and the
  Maine Mall area of South Portland.The schedule for the Westbrook line is here.
  
  - [...]
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  Posted: December 15, 2009, 4:32pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Sappi and the Paper Industry

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Mainebiz:
  To succeed in this new era of innovation and marketing,
  producers must constantly seek new markets, says Donna Cassese,
  managing director for the Sappi mill in Westbrook. Sappi is the
  world’s leading supplier of “release paper,” which is used in the
  creation of fashionable leather jackets, polyurethane car [...]
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  Posted: December 14, 2009, 2:15pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• School Chief Eyes Outstanding Workers' Comp Cases

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  AJ:
  The Westbrook School Department has put pressure on
  its insurance administrator to close more than half of its 19 open worker's
  compensation claims, some dating back to the 1990s. Superintendent Reza Namin,
  who started taking a close look at the department's budget this year, said he
  was surprised' [...]
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  Posted: December 11, 2009, 10:00am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• The Brothers

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  James and Andre Tranchemontagne, the co-owners of The Frog and Turtle and The French Press Eatery, talk to the Portland Food Heads about their establishments and their preferred last meals.
  
  - John C.L. Morgan [...]
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  Posted: December 11, 2009, 6:00am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Idexx Introduces H1N1 Test for Cats and Dogs

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Veterinary Practice News:
  Idexx Laboratories of Westbrook, Maine, reported
  Dec. 8 that it has introduced a canine and feline H1N1 Influenza Virus RealPCR
  Test. The test, which is in response to concern about the spread of the virus,
  is designed to help veterinarians diagnose and manage patients with suspected
  [...]
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  Posted: December 11, 2009, 5:55am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• 04092 on 207

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  The folks at "207" compare the Paper City to Brooklyn and document the Dana Warp Mill's contributions to the culture and economy of Westbrook.
  
  - John C.L. Morgan
  
  Related: Westbrook Arts in Spotlight (December 7, 2009)
  Related: Paper City Minute: Saccarappa Falls (August 4, 2008)[...]
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  Posted: December 10, 2009, 4:00pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Football: An Encyclopedia of Popular Culture

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  
  [...]
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  Posted: December 10, 2009, 6:01am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• The Sportswriter: Seven Questions for Edward Rielly

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  (Editor's Note: Edward Rielly, a St. Joseph's College professor of English and a Westbrook resident, recently authored the book Football: An Encyclopedia of Popular Culture. Below are his answers to the seven questions I e-mailed to him.)
  
  1. Besides this book, you've also written Baseball: An Encyclopedia' [...]
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  Posted: December 10, 2009, 6:00am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Storey's Garden Center Faces Make It or Break It Season

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Portland Daily Sun:
  This month, Elliot Storey will know whether he can
  keep his garden-center business afloat without access to a key Christmas tree
  lot that his family has used for 20 years. For the first time in two decades,
  Storey’s Garden Center is not selling Christmas trees at [...]
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  Posted: December 10, 2009, 5:50am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Fired

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  PPH:
  A Westbrook firefighter was fired last week after a
  disciplinary hearing to address allegations of sexual harassment made by two
  female firefighters who sued the department and the city. Matthew Lamontagne was
  dismissed Friday from the Westbrook Fire and Rescue Department for allegedly
  violating the city's harassment policy, [...]
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  Posted: December 09, 2009, 1:21pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• TechMaine to Host Annual Technology Conference

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  PPH:
  
  Wind power turbines, iPhone applications and the
  future of news will all be part of the discussion Thursday at the annual
  TechMaine conference. For the 17th year, Maine's technology trade association
  will bring together state officials, entrepreneurs, academics and more to
  discuss the future of the state's' [...]
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  Posted: December 09, 2009, 11:30am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Storm Remedy

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  The Bollard's John Myers might have just the tonic you're looking for to cure that onset of winter blues.
  
  - John C.L. Morgan' [...]
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  Posted: December 09, 2009, 10:12am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Consultant: Fire Department Needs More Training

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  PPH:
  The city's Fire and Rescue Department needs stronger leadership and significant
  training in communication skills, says a consultant hired to address issues of
  gender bias and allegations of sexual harassment raised in a lawsuit by two
  female firefighters. The consultant, the Center for the Prevention of Hate
  Violence, [...]
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  Posted: December 09, 2009, 10:09am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Consultants: Fire Department Needs More Training

  —Westbrook Diarist

  PPH:
  The city's Fire and Rescue Department needs stronger leadership and significant training in communication skills, says a consultant hired to address issues of gender bias and allegations of sexual harassment raised in a lawsuit by two female firefighters. The consultant, the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence, [...]
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  Posted: December 08, 2009, 2:30pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Wrasslers Today, Servicemen Tomorrow

  —Westbrook Diarist

  PPH:
  Andrew Drouin and Harrison Strondak are extremely passionate about wrestling. And both have strong feelings about their country, too. It comes as little surprise to anyone who knows them what their plans are following graduation in June from Westbrook High. Drouin will become a U.S. Marine and Strondak [...]
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  Posted: December 08, 2009, 2:15pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Wrasslers Today, Servicemen Tomorrow

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  PPH:
  Andrew Drouin and Harrison Strondak are extremely passionate about wrestling.
  And both have strong feelings about their country, too. It comes as little
  surprise to anyone who knows them what their plans are following graduation in
  June from Westbrook High. Drouin will become a U.S. Marine and Strondak [...]
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  Posted: December 08, 2009, 2:14pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Westbrook-Based Tech Association Awarded Grant

  —Westbrook Diarist

  MHT:
  The Maine Technology Institute reports it has given out three grants worth a total of $140,000 to Pine Tree State organizations. The MTI gave the grants under its Cluster Initiative Program, which is intended to provide funding for feasibility and planning collaborative projects in the state’s technology clusters, [...]
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  Posted: December 08, 2009, 2:10pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Westbrook-Based Tech Association Wins Grant

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  MHT:
  The Maine Technology Institute reports it has given out three grants worth a
  total of $140,000 to Pine Tree State organizations. The MTI gave the grants
  under its Cluster Initiative Program, which is intended to provide funding for
  feasibility and planning collaborative projects in the state’s technology
  [...]
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  Posted: December 08, 2009, 2:10pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Calpine Among Consumers of Carbon Credits

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 2
  MPBN:
  Maine has earned another $1.7 million from the
  greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program known as RGGI, state environmental
  officials say. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is aimed at regulating
  emissions that contribute to global warming by forcing dirty power plants to buy
  emissions allowances from cleaner ones. Ten northeast [...]
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  Posted: December 08, 2009, 6:00am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Westbrook Businesswoman on Mainebiz Sunday

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  (Editor's Note: This segment originally aired in the fall, but WCSH broadcast it again Sunday morning.)
  
  

  - John C.L. Morgan

  Related: CCB Inc. President a 'Woman to Watch' (October 13, 2009)

  [...]
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  Posted: December 08, 2009, 5:55am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• On Maine Christmas Trees

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  PPH:
  Some people grab a tree, twirl it around, and if
  they don't see a massive bald spot, buy it. Others will tap the trunk on the
  ground and if only a few needles fall, they'll buy it. Other folks wait for the
  kids to say something cute like [...]
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  Posted: December 07, 2009, 3:00pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Brown Street, Circa 1966

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  

  - John C.L. Morgan

  [...]
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  Posted: December 07, 2009, 6:02am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Westbrook Arts in Spotlight

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  PPH:
  Over the next week, Westbrook will get a chance to
  prove how far it has come in its effort to become a destination for the arts.
  Several arts groups and creative enterprises that are based in the Dana Warp
  Mill will host events and open houses to call [...]
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  Posted: December 07, 2009, 6:00am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• City Eyes Regulations for Medicinal Pot Dispensaries

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  AJ:
  [Charlie] Wynott’s plans--and the potential for
  others--have gotten city officials talking about how they can regulate the
  number and location of marijuana dispensaries in the city. One of Wynott’s
  neighbors, who operates a day care next door, has taken issue with what he’s
  doing now and doesn’t want [...]
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  Posted: December 07, 2009, 5:59am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Westbrook Native Reminisces

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  ProJo:
  I especially liked the stories about that four-lane
  bowling alley in Westbrook, Maine, the town where you were born and spent your
  early childhood. Four lanes and a pool table. It must seem a long, long way from
  that sleek automated 60-lane bowling palace in East Providence, especially [...]
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  Posted: December 07, 2009, 5:55am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Haven's Candies Fundraiser

  —Westbrook Diarist

  

  - John C.L. Morgan

  [...]
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  Posted: December 07, 2009, 5:00am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• The Sportswriter: Weekend Surfing

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Eyes around the globe were focused on Cape Town, South Africa earlier this afternoon for the 2010 World Cup Final Draw, an event in which the thirty-two qualified teams--America included--found out who and when they will be playing when the world's largest sporting event kicks off in June [...]
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  Posted: December 04, 2009, 2:44pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• WHS Boys' Basketball Team One to Watch

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  PPH:
  The Blue Blazes have the tallest starting lineup in
  the SMAA and maybe the most talented, as well, with two first-team
  all-conference players in Dominic Borelli at 6-foot-7 and Nich Jobin at 6-6.
  Borelli averaged 16 points per game, while Jobin added 14 per game. Sean Murphy,
  a [...]
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  Posted: December 04, 2009, 2:27pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• The Holidays Start in Westbrook

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Or so says this promo.
  
  According to Keith Luke, Westbrook's Director of Economic & Community Development, the promo will be soon be re-cut with some different images and phrases and was paid for by WPXT's Tax Increment Financing (TIF) deal.
  
  - John C.L. Morgan
  
  Related: [...]
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  Posted: December 04, 2009, 6:37am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Westbrook's Christmas Tree Will Be Lit Sunday

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 1
  The Westbrook Community Chamber will be hosting its annual tree lighting ceremony Sunday, December 6.
  
  Taking place in Riverbank Park at 5:30p 5p, the ceremony will include caroling, hot chocolate, and a visit from Santa.
  
  - John C.L. Morgan
  
  Related: 2008 v. 2004 (December 16, [...]
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  Posted: December 02, 2009, 4:25am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Acorn to Showcase Best Short Plays

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Acorn Productions will be staging its Best of Fest: Volume 1 show over the next couple weeks.
  
  Consisting of six of the best short plays featured in the theater group's annual Maine Playwrights Festival since 2005, the shows will take place in the Dana Warp Mill Thursday, [...]
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  Posted: December 02, 2009, 4:10am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Westbrook Grad Will Vie for Miss America Title

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Westbrook High School graduate Susie Stauble will be representing Maine in the 2010 Miss America pageant next month.
  
  Stauble, who made some headlines earlier this fall for being the victim of a unique theft, says she will use the platform to raise awareness for India's poor.
  [...]
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  Posted: December 02, 2009, 3:41am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Santa Claus is Coming to (Down)town

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 1
  The Jolly One will be at The Frog and Turtle Saturday, December 5 and Saturday, December 12.
  
  The event, which will take place from 10a-1p both weekends, is a fundraiser for the Mission Possible Teen Center, so exchange a $10 donation or a child's gift for a [...]
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  Posted: December 01, 2009, 6:00am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Westbrook Hosts Maine Premiere of Boondock Sequel

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 1
  WCSH:
  
  "Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day" made its Maine
  premiere on Monday night at the Westbrook Cinemagic. Hundreds of Boondock
  fans turned out to see the McManus brothers exact a little revenge on the Boston
  Mafia after the mob killed the brothers' priest. On hand for the' [...]
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  Posted: December 01, 2009, 5:59am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• City, School Department Talk About Sharing Finance Director

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  AJ:
  The city administrator and superintendent of
  schools have been working together on a proposal to hire a shared chief
  financial planner--a new position that would replace the school department's
  business manager and the city's finance director. The shared position fits into
  Superintendent Reza Namin's plan to restructure the' [...]
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  Posted: November 30, 2009, 3:00pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Quote of the Day

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  "The Amish were the solution that we were looking for--that we could never have dreamed up."
  
  - Unity, Maine resident and college professor Doug Fox on how the Amish families moving into Unity and elsewhere in Maine are exactly the type of neighbors residents of the town [...]
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  Posted: November 30, 2009, 6:02am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Fundraising Underway for Merrill Graduation

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  PPH:
  The community is rallying to raise money so seniors
  at Westbrook High School can have their graduation ceremony at Portland's
  Merrill Auditorium. The Westbrook School Department cut the estimated $4,000 to
  rent the venue, anticipating the completion of a new performing arts center at
  Westbrook Middle School. But' [...]
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  Posted: November 30, 2009, 6:01am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Gartley Mulling Congressional Run Against Pingree

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 1
  BDN:
  “I’m thinking about it,” said Mark Gartley of
  Westbrook, a former Democrat who ran for Congress in the 2nd District in 1974
  and ’78, losing to William Cohen and later Olympia Snowe. “I’m really
  disappointed in the direction of what’s going on in Washington these days,”
  added Gartley, [...]
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  Posted: November 30, 2009, 6:00am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Happy (Early) Turkey Day

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  

  
  
  The fam and I are heading up to Rangeley for the rest of the week, so we wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving--on the day before Thanksgiving.

  - John C.L. Morgan
  
  P.S. I'm in a meta-kind-of-mood, so I'd be foolish if I didn't beg remind you to' [...]

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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 7:21am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Cinemagic to Host Early Screening of Bob Marley Film

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Cinemagic will host an exclusive screening of Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, the sequel to the cult film Boondock Saints, Monday night at 7p.
  
  Maine comedian Bob Marley continues his role as Detective Greenly in the movie, which opens nationwide Friday, December 4.
  
  - [...]
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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 6:36pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• City Council Pushes Back Pike Meeting

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Via e-mail, City Council President Brendan Rielly (D-Ward 1) confirmed the City Council will fulfill Pike Industries' request that the upcoming December 7 meeting devoted the re-zoning of their Spring Street quarry be re-scheduled for February 1, 2010.
  
  Citing the original December 7 meeting date as "premature,"' [...]
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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 10:39am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Skepticism Squared

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 7
  Though I did not hesitate to vote for the new Westbrook middle school in May 2007, I was one of the 36% of Westbrook residents who cast a vote against the new performing arts center that was expected to cost the City $4.1 million dollars over twenty years, including an [...]
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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 8:53am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Online Art Auction

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 1
  Westbrook Housing is auctioning off Westbrook elementary students' artwork to benefit the Westbrook Food Pantry and the Animal Refuge League.
  
  - John C.L. Morgan' [...]
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  Posted: November 23, 2009, 6:00pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Could This Work in Westbrook?

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 3
  PPH:
  It takes a number of inputs to make a large data processing center function
  well, and it might surprise you to know that Maine is especially well
  positioned to host that industry if--and it's a big "if"--we are able to invest
  in some missing infrastructure.- John C.L. Morgan[...]
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  Posted: November 23, 2009, 5:52pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Even Arkansas is Laughing

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  KARK-TV:
  It was easy for Westbrook, Maine police to track
  down a suspect in a store theft. That's because he left his name and address on
  a job application. Store surveillance video at a Dunkin' Donuts reportedly
  showed the man filling out an application, then putting a jar collecting [...]
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  Posted: November 19, 2009, 8:27pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Judge Sides with Pike on Question of Shutdown Order

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 1
  PPH:
  A Cumberland County Superior Court justice
  Wednesday granted Pike Industries' request to stay a "cease and desist" order
  and allow quarrying operations to continue at Pike's Spring Street quarry in
  Westbrook. The decision by Justice Thomas Humphrey allows Pike to crush rock,
  and to excavate and remove previously' [...]
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  Posted: November 19, 2009, 6:18am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Nightmare Scenario

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  In these National Geographic videos, Portland is the victim of a dirty bomb attack:
  
  
  
  
  
  MPBN has information on the making of this show, and the PPH published an op-ed last Friday about how the federal government would respond to such an occurence.
  
  [...]
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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 5:59am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• High School Teachers Gettin' Jiggy Wit It

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  AJ:
  [Brian] Flynn and [Cynthia] DosAnjos are one of 13
  pairs of faculty members competing this year in a fundraiser for the high
  school's senior class, based on the popular television show, "Dancing with the
  Stars." Each couple was allowed take up to three ballroom dance lessons in
  preparation' [...]
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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 5:38am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Quote of the Day

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  "When you watch the movie Bambi, you are looking into the Maine Woods."
  
  - Dick Day, quoted in a great Down East piece about how his father, Jake Day, played an instrumental role in ensuring the New England white-tail deer and other Maine wildlife and scenery were featured [...]
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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 5:25am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Planning Board Approves Change in Zoning in Pike Case

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 1
  PPH:
  
  The city's Planning Board sent a message to Pike Industries on Tuesday night,
  voting 5-1 to support new zoning that would restrict Pike's operations in the
  Five Star Industrial Park and rule out its plan to build an asphalt plant. After
  the vote, Pike officials charged the [...]
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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 5:13am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Don's Lunch Extends Friday Hours

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 1
  Kicking it old school, Don's Lunch will be extending their Friday night hours to 2a, starting November 20.
  
  I'll have to keep this in mind when scheduling the next Paper City Pub Crawl.
  
  - John C.L. Morgan
  
  Related: Why I Live in the Paper City,' [...]
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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 5:51am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Olympia Sports May Vacate Downtown Portland

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  PPH:
  "We suspect they [Olympia Sports] will leave
  as well," said [FFD Trust trustee Marc] Foster. "I would say that it is likely--
  that is why we're marketing it." Bean and Olympia have separate leases, said
  Foster, but Bean is the anchor that Olympia relies on. Olympia's president,
  Richard' [...]
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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 5:43am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Parking Ban Reminder

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  One more sign winter's on its way: The City of Westbrook's parking ban is now in effect, so don't park your car on the street from 12:01a-6:00a.
  
  Consider the repeal of this ban one reason to look forward to April 15.
  
  - John C.L. Morgan
  
  [...]
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  Posted: November 16, 2009, 3:00pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Charles Lawton: 'The Ball is Clearly in the Court of Local Government'

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  PPH:
  The other fact that this most recent election has
  revealed is that the focus of public initiative has changed from state
  government to local government, from Augusta to Town Hall. Whether it is to
  resist change or initiate change, the center of action over the next few years
  [...]
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  Posted: November 16, 2009, 6:00am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Westbrook Native Followed Father's Footsteps into Military

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  PPH:
  ''He was always my hero,'' Chris [Smith] said
  of his father [Donald Smith]. ''He didn't always know that. He definitely is.''
  Chris Smith followed in his father's military footsteps, although Chris served
  in the Army rather than the Marine Corps.- John C.L. Morgan [...]
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  Posted: November 11, 2009, 12:00pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• City, Pike Present Arguments in Court

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 13
  PPH:
  Lawyers for Pike Industries and the city of
  Westbrook offered conflicting testimony Tuesday in a court hearing on Pike's
  request to operate a quarry on Spring Street while it appeals the city's
  decision to revoke its permit. Chief Justice Thomas Humphrey made no rulings in
  the 90-minute hearing [...]
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  Posted: November 11, 2009, 8:54am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• "The Way We Get By"

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  

  MPBN is airing this 90-minute documentary tonight at 9p. FMI.

  - John C.L. Morgan

  [...]
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  Posted: November 11, 2009, 6:00am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Surf the Web Like It's 1999

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 1
  The Internet Archive has what it calls the Wayback Machine, a mind-blowing feature that allows one to see what a Web site looked like in past years.
  
  Check out, for example, what the City of Westbrook's Web site looked like on, say, January 25, 1999.' [...]
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  Posted: November 10, 2009, 5:29am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Westbrook Students Greet Troop Greeters

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  BDN:
  Nine students, some from Westbrook High School and others from Fred C. Wescott
  Junior High School in Westbrook, traveled to the [Bangor
  International] airport Monday to interview members of the Maine Troop
  Greeters group for the students' Veterans Day project. Four teachers, including
  Hermon native Natalie Bell, accompanied' [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2009, 10:08pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Westbrook Businessmen Profiled

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Jim Ratner and John Reichenbach, co-owners of the Premier Rental-Purchase franchise on Main Street, were profiled in the online publication of the Rent-to-Own Industry News. For those interested, you can get a good rundown on the rent-to-own market in Westbrook during the 12-minute interviews of each of the men.
  [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2009, 1:00pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Promo

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 1
  

  - John C.L. Morgan

  Related: It Starts in Westbrook (February 7, 2009)

  [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2009, 6:00am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Weekend Reading

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Check out Lawrence Sargent Hall's "The Ledge," an award-winning short story about a Maine fisherman's Christmas Day duck-hunting trip with his son and nephew.
  
  I challenge you to read it (or better yet, listen to it) without getting choked up.
  
  - John C.L. Morgan
  
  [...]
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  Posted: November 06, 2009, 3:00pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• The Paper City Foodie's Guide to Westbrook

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  According to the PPH food writer, Meredith Goad, Westbrook is now a destination spot for growling stomachs.
  Below is a collection of all the accessible reviews of Westbrook establishments, from 2008 to the present:
  
  Acropolis
  April 23, 2008
  
  Baker's Bench
  May 8, 2008
  [...]
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  Posted: November 06, 2009, 2:00pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• City: Pike is Violating Shutdown Order

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 6
  PPH:
  Pike Industries is hauling crushed stone from its
  quarry on Spring Street in Westbrook, which the city says violates a shutdown
  order it issued to the company in July. Pike says the city doesn't have the
  authority to stop its operations unless it gets a court order. The' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 06, 2009, 12:00pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Frog and Turtle Owner to Open New Westbrook Eatery

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 4
  James Tranchemontagne, the owner/chef of The Frog and Turtle, is planning a November 16 opening of an additional eating establishment in Westbrook, The French Press Eatery.
  
  Located on Main Street in the space formerly occupied by Riverwalk Cafe and The Freaky Bean, The French Press Eatery will be [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 5:59pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Two Firefighters Formally File Lawsuit Against City

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  AJ:
  
  Explosive charges about obscene and discriminatory
  behavior in the Westbrook Fire Department have been made public for the first
  time in a lawsuit filed last week against the city by two female firefighters. A
  lawsuit and request for a jury trial, filed in Cumberland County Superior Court,
  [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 4:38pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• School Board Candidate-To-Be Wins Gaggie

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 1
  Al Diamon:
  Candidates often have a lot on their minds and
  can’t pay attention to every little detail about running for office. Take, for
  example, Martha Henderson, who was seeking a Westbrook school board seat as a
  Democrat. According to the American Journal, Henderson’s candidacy was derailed
  after city [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 4:33pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Superintendent Looking to Save $500,000

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  AJ:
  Effective July 1, [Dr. Reza] Namin is eliminating
  the director of student services, held by Tim Walker; the gifted and talented
  coordinator, held by Kathy Legett; and the curriculum facilitator, held by
  Cynthia Martin, as well as the assistant superintendent, Jan Breton. The
  salaries for those positions total [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 4:21pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• On Question 1

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  In a post published Tuesday morning, Down East political blogger (and newly registered Westbrook voter) Mike Tipping wrote that "there's still the uncertainty and expectation of election day. We don't yet know how we'll think of our state tomorrow."
  
  In an effort to follow up at the' [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 3:55pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: Westbrook's Referenda Results

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  The Bangor Daily News has posted the results from Westbrook on the five referenda questions, the bond issue, and the proposed constitutional amendment.
  
  - John C.L. Morgan [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 6:14am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: Voters Choose Hilton for Mayor, Dems for Council

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 7
  PPH:
  As of 10 p.m., unofficial results showed Hilton won 95 more votes than Bruce
  Chuluda, who has held the city's top post for six years. Hilton received 3,431
  votes to Chuluda's 3,336. Hilton held a celebration gathering with supporters
  Tuesday night at Mr. Bagel on Main Street, where [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 4:55am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Go to Photo-A-Go-Go

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  From the November/December 2009 issue of maine. (pages 57-63 in its digital magazine):
  
  Despite the early winter storm that slammed into southern Maine, the crowds made
  their along slippery roads to Westbrook on the obligatory white-knuckle
  pilgrimmage. They searched for parking on residential side streets, slogged
  through slush, [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 4:00pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• The Frog and Turtle to Host Gubernatorial Hopeful

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 3
  Gubernatorial candidate Les Otten will be at The Frog and Turtle tonight from 5:30-7p for a greet-and-meet with Westbrook voters.
  
  - John C.L. Morgan [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 3:00pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: Westbrook Voters' Guide

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Voting Locations
  Ward 1- Fred C. Wescott Junior High School, 426 Bridge Street (sample ballot)
  Ward 2- Westbrook Armory, 120 Stroudwater Street (sample ballot)
  Ward 3- Westbrook Armory, 120 Stroudwater Street (sample ballot)
  Ward 4- Westbrook Armory, 120 Stroudwater Street (sample ballot)
  Ward 5- Fred C. [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 6:00am EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Weekend Viewing: Inja (2001)

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  
  
  The 2010 FIFA World Cup doesn't kick off another 220 or so days, but I've already begun gobbling up everything South Africa-related.
  
  Whether it's reading E.J. Hoyt's excellent 1987 profile on Helen Suzman, adding Tsotsi to my Netflix queue, or watching this seventeen-minute short [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 30, 2009, 5:00pm EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: Colleen Hilton on the Issues

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Colleen Hilton is the Democratic Party's nominee for Mayor.
  
  What are your three legislative goals if you are elected?
  My top priority would be to assess functions of City Hall. We need to get our house in order, which is evident from the many prolonged and protracted issues that' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 30, 2009, 4:30pm EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Eeny Meeny Miny Mo

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 1
  The PPH on the, ahem, highlight of the 2008 Halloween party at The Frog and Turtle:
  Last year, [Chef James] Tranchemontagne's costume
  was a whiskey barrel, which he dropped halfway through the night to reveal he
  was wearing nothing but a green thong.On one hand, my heart is' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 30, 2009, 4:19pm EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: Referenda

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Your one-stop source for nearly anything you should know about the various referenda questions on Tuesday's ballot.
  
  Question 1: Repeal of same-sex marriage
  Yes on 1 Web site
  No on 1 Web site
  MPBN radio debate and call-in show (59 minutes, 21 seconds)
  MPBN' [...]
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  Posted: October 30, 2009, 4:00pm EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: Another Look at the Mayoral Race

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  To view the electoral boundaries, registered voter breakdown, and the historical election results for the Mayor's Office, click here.
  
  - John C.L. Morgan' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 30, 2009, 5:31am EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: Bruce Chuluda on the Issues

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 6
  Bruce Chuluda is the Republican Party's nominee for Mayor.
  
  What are your three legislative goals if you are elected?
  Keep taxes reasonable, continue to promote good economic development, and maintain open and transparent government.
  
  How do you plan to implement those three legislative goals?
  I plan to' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 30, 2009, 5:30am EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: Ward 5 Polling Place Has Been Changed

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Citing unforeseen circumstances, City Clerk Lynda Adams has announced in a press release that the polling place for Ward 5 voters has been relocated from 33 Elmwood Avenue to the Fred C. Wescott Middle School on Bridge Street.
  
  If you have any questions, call the City Clerk's Office at [...]
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  Posted: October 29, 2009, 6:40pm EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Homer in the White House

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Art critic James Gardner on the Obamas' selection of Winslow Homer's painting Sunset as one of the pieces of art adorning the White House's walls (slide 5 of 9):
  This is more like it. We elect our presidents to
  hang Winslow Homers on the walls of the White' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 29, 2009, 3:26pm EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: Candidate Profiles

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  The American Journal published profiles of the candidates for the various City Council seats last Thursday. And the Portland Press Herald published their own profiles of the candidates today, focusing almost exclusively on the candidates' thoughts about the Pike Industries re-zoning issue.
  
  As for the battle for' [...]
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  Posted: October 29, 2009, 2:30pm EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: Another Look at the At-Large Race

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  To view the electoral boundaries, registered voter breakdown, and the historical election results for the At-Large City Council seat, click here.
  
  - John C.L. Morgan [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 29, 2009, 6:01am EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: Michael Foley on the Issues

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 2
  Michael Foley is one of the Democratic Party's two nominees for the At-Large City Council seat.
  
  What are your three legislative goals if you are elected?
  N/A
  
  How do you plan to implement those three legislative goals?
  N/A
  
  Which city services do you think should be maintained [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 29, 2009, 6:00am EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Westbrook Man Advocates for the Passage of Question 5

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  FOX 23:
  Charles Whynott of Westbrook grows marijuana plants
  in his home, saying he needs to smoke in order to stop the nausea caused by his
  HIV medication. Whynott is a legal medical marijuana user asking people to vote
  yes on Question Five, which would also loosen the regulations [...]
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  Posted: October 29, 2009, 5:28am EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• City, Bar Owners Seek Resolution

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 4
  PPH:
  The mayor and the council voted unanimously Monday
  night to table action that would have put the fate of the Skybox Bar and Grill
  in the hands of the Maine State Liquor Commission. They plan to meet with the
  bar's owners soon. The decision was the latest development [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 28, 2009, 9:26pm EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: A Downtown Streetscape Rebuttal

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 5
  (Editor's Note: City Councilor Drew Gattine represents Ward 2 on the Westbrook City Council.)
  
  I've read some recent postings on this Web site that refer to the City's proposed Downtown Streetscape Planning Study, and I'm particularly concerned about some of the characterizations of that plan by James Tranchemontagne.
  [...]
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  Posted: October 27, 2009, 5:25pm EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: Another Look at Ward 4

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 3
  To view the electoral boundaries, registered voter breakdown, and the historical election results for the Ward 4 City Council seat, click here.
  
  - John C.L. Morgan [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 27, 2009, 6:03am EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: Introducing Dotty Aube

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Dotty Aube is the Democratic Party's nominee for the Ward 4 City Council seat.
  
  Birthdate
  November 23, 1962
  
  Hometown
  Westbrook, Maine
  
  Family
  I am the oldest of 4. I have 2 brothers and 1 sister who live in Westbrook.
  
  Religion
  Catholic
  
  Occupation
  Supervising RN on [...]
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  Posted: October 27, 2009, 6:02am EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: Dotty Aube on the Issues

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Dotty Aube is the Democratic Party's nominee for the Ward 4 City Council seat.
  
  What are your three legislative goals if you are elected?
  Implement the Downtown Streetscape Plan; consider, review, and revise the Comprehensive Plan; and keep the pressure on the state government to allow local control of [...]
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  Posted: October 27, 2009, 6:01am EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: James Tranchemontagne on the Issues

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  James Tranchemontagne is the Republican Party's nominee for the Ward 4 City Council seat.
  
  What are your three legislative goals if you are elected?
  Fewer tax dollars wasted on legal fees from poor City Council decisions, controlled development, and a farmers' market in Riverbank Park.
  
  How do you' [...]
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  Posted: October 27, 2009, 6:00am EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• On the Second Maine

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 1
  TIME magazine recently profiled the Second Maine Militia, of which the novelist Carolyn Chute and her husband is heavily involved:
  
  The purpose of the annual meeting, the same as
  it has been since the militia started in 1995, was to bring together the
  politics of left and [...]
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  Posted: October 26, 2009, 2:30pm EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: Another Look at Ward 2

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  To view the electoral boundaries, registered voter breakdown, and the historical election results for the Ward 2 City Council seat, click here.
  
  - John C.L. Morgan [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 26, 2009, 6:02am EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Election '09: Victor Chau on the Issues

  —Westbrook Diarist

  Number of comments: 0
  Victor Chau is the Democratic Party's nominee for the Ward 2 City Council seat.
  
  What are your three legislative goals if you are elected?
  Balance the budget, figure out new ways to get additional revenue, and make residents happy.
  
  How do you plan to implement those three legislative' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 26, 2009, 6:01am EDT
  by Westbrook Diarist