Westbrook Diarist

• City, School Department Talk About Sharing Finance Director

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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?

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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'

  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

  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

  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"

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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' [...]
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  Posted: November 06, 2009, 12:00pm EST
  by Westbrook Diarist

• Frog and Turtle Owner to Open New Westbrook Eatery

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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