March 2015 Munjoy Hill Observer

Friends of the Eastern Promenade WintEr UPdatEFriends oF the eastern Promenade’s Board and Committees have been using this time to refresh and renew administrative operations as we con-tinue to grow into a stage two orga-nization. Programs we’re planned for the year ahead include:

• AprilStoolsDayandCommunityCleanUp

• ReturnofourSummerConcertSeriestoFortAllenPark

• ReturnoftheHiddenGardensofMunjoyHillTouronSunday,July12

Do you have a unique way of green-ing up your space? Do you know a Hill neighbor whose summer ’scapes brighten your life? Let us know. We’d love to consider your space for the garden tour. This year’s tour promises to Bee an excit-ing event! Curious? Stay tuned at easternpromenade.org

“A Taste of Spring!” Portland Flower Show March 4-8. Enjoy free admission by volunteering at the FoEP booth. Contact [email protected]

Above, one of the historic buildings of the Portland Company Complex, looking up Fore Street, toward the Eastern Promenade. Photo by Lisa Peñalver

1MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER March 2015

also be deemed appropriate per any historic preservation designation.

Each of these steps involves oppor-tunity for public comment and city oversight. And at all stages decisions will be made with an eye to relevant sections of the City’s Comprehensive Plan.

Issues of ConcernMembers of the community have raised a number of concerns regard-ing this proposed development; some key issues are summarized be-low. These and others are treated in more detail on the website of Keep the Soul of Portland in the Port-land Company (“SOP”),

a group advocating “the most thoughtful development possible” at the Portland Company complex (www.soulofportland.org).

• Zoning– To date, much of the debate surrounding the pro-posed development has centered on CPB2’s application for a zon-ing change prior to releasing de-tailed plans for the development; and also the appropriateness of the specific change requested (WSUZ to B-6/EWPZ). CPB2 has argued that it cannot reason-ably commit the time and ex-pense that detailed plans would require until it has clarity on

see page 6, Portland ComPany ComPlex

Volunteers needed: Writers needed for regular features, and to attend City Planning meetings; report on projects impacting Munjoy Hill

Please email [email protected] to participate.

Joinus for a Member Mixer on Sunday, March 1 from 4-6 pm at Maine Mead Works at the bottom of the Hill. The event will feature refreshments, a 50/50 raffle, a chance to get to know the MHNO Board of Directors, and time to socialize with other mem-bers of the organization. Not a member of the MHNO? Here’s your chance find out what we’re all about, and join!

tHe Golden sHoVel AWArd By Markos Miller member-mixerMunjoy Hill Neighborhood Organizationsunday, marCh 1, 4-6 Pm at maine mead Works

By Matthew Kennedy

IntroductionIt is by now a commonplace: Mun-joy Hill is “hot.” New residential developments are rising north and south; others are in planning. Across the Hill renovations are underway; we wake to the beat of hammers and the howl of circular saws. Residents are certainly not indifferent to this change, but we are growing accus-tomed to the reality of it. And to date all of these projects, even when highly visible, are somewhat limited in their urbanistic impact.

The planned redevelopment of the Portland Company complex at 58 Fore Street is a project of a differ-ent order — this ambitious proposal stands to fundamentally transform some ten acres of currently under-utilized waterfront property at the very foot of Munjoy Hill, including the south side of Fore Street clear to Atlantic Street. Stakeholders seem in general agreement that redevelop-ment of some kind is appropriate. There exist disagreements, however, regarding the legal process cho-sen by the developers to advance their proposal, as well as significant questions concerning just what the completed project might actually comprise. This article seeks to sum-marize some of these key issues.

The ProposalThere are more than a dozen build-ings within the Portland Company

complex; the earliest date to the company’s establishment on the site is 1847. Property owners CPB2 LLC (CPB2) envision a mix of commer-cial, residential and office uses that would retain the “historic core” of the complex while demolishing oth-er buildings to make room either for new construction or for open space. In numerous articles, presentations, and public meetings, over the past few months representatives of CPB2 have offered their vision of what the development could include – a mar-ket akin to Boston’s Faneuil Hall in the cavernous machine shop build-ing; a public plaza opening the site to the water and providing space for concerts or festivals; some 400 resi-dential units in the form of town-houses, apartments or condomini-ums; spaces for small non-profits or independent artisans; an expanded and upgraded marina; possibly a hotel. CPB2 has developed a set of conceptual renderings to give visual form to these possibilities, but they have not generated a detailed plan for the development. This is a func-tion of the process that CPB2 has elected to pursue in its discussions with the city as well as the econom-ics and practicalities of large-scale, multi-phase development.

The ProcessCPB2’s first official action was an August 2014 application to rezone the property from its current Water-front Special Use Zone (WSUZ) to a combination of B-6 Eastern Water-

front Mixed Zone (B-6) and East-ern Waterfront Port Zone (EWPZ), with assorted text amendments, in order to accommodate the mix of uses envisioned in the redevelop-ment. This application was debated during a neighborhood meeting, a site visit, three Planning Board workshops and, on February 24th, a Planning Board public hearing. At the culmination of this hearing the Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend to the City Counsel that this zoning change be approved.

Though the rezoning seems likely to move forward, the city has a number of opportunities to exercise addition-al oversight on the developers and to impose additional constraints. The first such opportunity is consider-ation of a petition that the city desig-nate the Portland Company complex an historic district. This matter is to be taken up by the Historic Preserva-tion Board on March 18th.

It is anticipated that the developers will then seek approval of a Master Development Plan, a process (per the city’s application document) “appropriate to large-scale mixed-use projects that are intended to be developed in phases.” Per the same document, such a plan will set forth “land uses, functional activities, and major design elements such as buildings, roads, utilities, drainage systems and open space.” Finally the city will have to approve detailed site plans – which must conform to the Master Development Plan, and must

What Does the Future Hold for the The Portland Company Complex?

We love our Walkable neighbor-hood. However, winter snow and ice make it challenging to get out and enjoy the Maine winter. Keeping our sidewalks clear, safe, and pass-able throughout the year is a shared responsibility. Property owners have a legal responsibility, and all of us have a shared role in helping to keep all of our sidewalks clear of snow and ice. It only takes a small stretch of an un-shoveled sidewalk, breaking the sidewalk network, to force pedes-trians into the street. They are our sidewalks, and we have a shared responsibility to keep them walk-able year round.

The Golden Shovel hopes to encourage everyone to do their part. Each month we will pres-ent the Golden Shovel Award to a Munjoy Hill resident or prop-erty owner who has been exem-plary in their duty of maintain-ing a walkable sidewalk. We hope that others are inspired to do the same.

Pleas send nominations to [email protected].

(The City of Portland has a Hotline you can call to report uncleared sidewalks: 874-8793)

Since the January column, we have had a ridiculous amount of snow (40+ inches), and more is falling at the time of this writing. Keeping our sidewalks passable has been a challenge for even the most diligent.

February’s Golden Shovel Award goes to the owners of 65 Quebec St., at the corner of Merrill St. This property, like last months’ winner,

sits on a corner, giving it twice the sidewalk frontage of most lots.

65 Quebec had both lengths cleared. The photo at left shows the shoveler’s efforts to clear the brick sidewalk, no mean feat under these conditions.

Their efforts, and those of every-one else who is working hard to keep our neighborhood walkable through these brutal winter months are appreciated.

We encourage our readers to do their part this winter; get out and help your neighbors, and exercise your ownership of the sidewalks.

Non Profit OrgUS Postage

PAIDPortland, ME

Permit No. 824 Munjoy Hill

OBSERVER1979 – 2015

FREE • Published by the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization • Vol. 35, No 2 • March 2015

2 March 2015 MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

WHO YOU GOnna CaLL? You can help PrEvEnt crime on the Hill!If you see a crime happening or see/hear anything suspicious in your neighborhood, please call the police!

1) 756-8135 Daytimes: Janine Kaserman with Community Policing

2) 650-9005 cell: 11 am thru the night, Senior Lead Officer Jeff Druan

3) 874-8575/-8574: Dispatch/non-emergency events

4) EmErGEnCiEs: 9-1-1

The Munjoy Hill Observer is published by the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization

(MHNO) 92 Congress Street

Portland, Maine [email protected]

207-775-3050

EditOr: Lisa Peñ[email protected]

(207) 272-5962 munjoyhill.org

ObsErvEr COmmittEEAndrea Myhaver, Tamera Edison, Ross Fields, Deborah Stevenson,

Lisa Peñalver

advErtisinGRoss Fields

[email protected] (207) 233-4327

Tamera Edison [email protected]

(207) 939-7998

Deborah [email protected]

(207) 807-0396

Lisa Peñalver, Layout & Design [email protected]

(207) 272-5962

3,000 Circulation 8,000+ Readership

abOUt OUr PaPErThe Munjoy Hill Observer is published by the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization (MHNO) as a service to its members and to the community as a whole, to inform Portland’s East End residents of local issues and events, and of the services that can be found here. The Observer serves as a vehicle to connect and inform our neighbors, while enlisting community partners to help us help those who need it most.

The Munjoy Hill Observer was first published in May of 1979. Circulation is 3000, distributed free in Portland at over 100 locations. Nearly 300 copies are mailed to current and former members of the MHNO.

MHNO Board 2014-15Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization

Andrea Myhaver, President [email protected]

Matthew Kennedy, Treasurer [email protected]

Sean Turley, Secretary [email protected]

Sarah Graulty .............................................sarah.graulty@munjoyhill.org

Elise Loschiavo ............................................elise.loschiavo@munjoyhill.org

Elaine Mullin ..............................................elaine.mullin@munjoyhill.org

Lindsay Salvatore .......................................lindsay.salvatore@munjoyhill.org .........

Joan Sheedy ...............................................joaniesheedy@gmail.com

Megan Summers ........................................megan.summers@munjoyhill.org

MHNO MissionIncorporated as a nonprofit organization

in January 1979, our purpose is to be a

broad-based, representative organization

committed to improving the quality

of life for the residents of Munjoy Hill

and the East End, by strengthening the

sense of community, maintaining the

current diversity of social and economic

groups, encouraging self-sufficiency, and

enriching the lives of all residents.

Clip and save these numbers!

PleAse send Your essAYs, letters And Hill neWs to [email protected]

Editor, Lisa Peñalver

anOnYmOUs CrimEs tiPs PrOGram: Phone tip—dial 874-8584 | Online: tipsubmit.comtext-a-tip: Text “GOTCHA” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES)

MHNO President, Andrea Myhaverremember in my last Column, how I mentioned that January and February are months when I tend to hibernate, but as March approaches, I begin to get Cabin Fever? Yeah, well, I think my fever has reached peak temperature, and I think I am not alone. This has been a February of re-lentless snow, and I suspect even the heartiest winter enthusiasts among us may be tiring of it. I’m ready to stop washing slush off my floors and scraping ice from my windshield. I want the sun in my face and my toes in the sand, but we’re still months from that, so what to do?

One way I’m coping is to bring bits of spring into my surroundings wherever I can. That’s why I re-cently spent my lunch break at Trader Joe’s, pick-ing out tulips and a gardenia plant with which to decorate my workspace. I’ll tell you what; my once drab cubicle has suddenly become a source of respite!

The other way I’m dealing with this seem-ingly endless winter is to remember that it re-ally WILL end. It may be hard to picture green grass and bright flowers under all that white stuff out there right now, but spring IS coming, and there are little signs of it popping up all over. For

example: The Annual Portland Flower show (appropriately named “A Taste of Spring”) is just around the corner, beginning on March 4, with their opening gala. I can’t wait! Also, the Friends of the Eastern Promenade have started planning the comeback (after a 1 year hiatus while they concentrated on the Fort Allen Rehab project) of the HiddenGardensofMunjoyHill tour. Save the date – July 12, 2015!

At the MHNO, we’re beating the winter blues by having a Member Mixer on sunday,March 1 (2-4 pm at Maine Mead Company). While we can’t promise you warm weather for that day, we CAN promise you warm greetings, good food, and good cheer. Please join us!

We’ve also begun planning our annual Com-munity Clean-up Day on the Hill. We will once again be teaming up with the Friends of the Eastern Prom to hold the event in conjunc-tion with April stools Day (April 25 – watch more for details soon!). Lastly, our Safe & Liv-able Neighborhood Committee is organizing a neighborhood walking audit to take place in early May.

Look for more informa-tion about all of these activities in the April issue of the Observer. See? APRIL already!

Think Spring!

Community is as community doesWhen i First sat doWn to write my monthly essay, my body was aching from shoveling snow, and there was another blizzard in the forecast. The only thing that came to mind was a desire to rant about cabin fever and how my cat was trying to knock the keyboard off the desk.

But, as the articles began coming in for the March Observer, I realized that this forced stag-nation was an opportunity to reflect on our com-munity and what actually defines it.

The coming changes to the Portland Company have many people both intrigued and concerned about how it may impact life on the East End. Development at that site has the potential to be an enriching transformation for Munjoy Hill, or it could divide and diminish the community, if not undertaken with care and thought for the surrounding neighborhood.

We sincerely hope no one would consider build-ing Rio de Janeiro-style high-rises along the edge of Casco Bay, but we also recognize the strong pull of profit. There is one tall building there al-ready.

Reading the article by Matthew Kennedy on the Portland Company development, I take comfort in knowing that the public will have numerous opportunities to have a say in the outcome. Elec-tronic media has made the communication pro-cess more immediate than ever before.

While most people are pretty clear about what they DON’T want, they also need to consider what they DO want. There is a call for some por-tion of the development to include affordable housing, which the City Council can ensure.

Going forward, it is important that as many peo-ple as possible offer their thoughts and partici-pate. The community is a living, growing, thing, and it needs to be tended.

The following characteristics of a healthy com-munity have been selected from a number of sources as a starting point for identifying the qualities your community possesses that will help it to thrive. (Source: website of the On-tario Healthy Communities Coalition, Canada. Sources listed on that site: http://www.ohcc-ccso.ca/en/courses/community-development-for-health-promoters/module-one-concepts-values-and-princi-ples/tool-ch )

“Read the following list and determine if it applies to your community. Ask other community members for their opinions and compare them. Are there com-mon perceptions?Does your community...1. Have broad consensus on a vision of a healthy

community?2. Have a community strategic plan in place to

achieve that vision?

3. Provide op-portunities for life-long learn-ing and skill development?

4. E n c o u r a g e members to take on leader-ship roles?

5. Have a high degree of cooperation and col-laboration among its organizations and institu-tions?

6. Have a high level of civic pride?7. Consider in their planning the well-being of the

rural areas surrounding the municipality?8. Ensure all residents are able to meet their ba-

sic needs?9. Encourage youth to take an active role?10 Plan to protect and enhance all forms of capi-

tal; natural, financial, physical infrastructure, human and social?

11 Have a thriving arts community?12 Have an effective communications network, in-

cluding media, public consultations and access to information?

13 Welcome newcomers?14 Invest in economic development and business

retention programs to promote a diverse and vital economy?

15 Treat each other with respect regardless of dif-ferences?

16 Celebrate its accomplishments?17 Have workplaces that are supportive of indi-

vidual and family well-being?18 A high level of safety perceived by its resi-

dents?19 Work diligently and creatively towards environ-

mental sustainability?20 A strong cultural and spiritual life?To rephrase Forrest Gump, “Community is what community does.”

“Too much sun after a

[Portland*] winter does strange

things to your head, makes you

feel strong, even if you aren’t.”

—Laurie Halse Anderson, Speak, (in original phrasing, the city is Syracuse)

At the Helm


Join the Munjoy Hill

Neighborhood Organization

NEW MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL

Name(s) __________________________________________________________

Street Address _____________________________________________________

City _____________________________________ State ______ Zip _________

Email (for MHNO updates) __________________________________________

Day Phone (____) _______________ Eve Phone (____) ____________________

MembershipLevels

Individual: $20 Family: $35

AdditionalDonation

$25 $50 $75 $100 $250 $500 Other Amount: ($______) wish my gift to be anonymous

We want all members of our community to join the MHNO regardless of financial cir-cumstances. If you are unable to pay the suggested minimum amount, please pay what you can. If you are able to contribute more, we encourage you to do so. We thank you for your

support, and we’re excited to have you on board!

PLeAsesenDtHisForM,ALonGwitHyourCHeCk,to:

mhno, 92 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101

Questions? Call (207) 775-3050, email [email protected] or visit munjoy-hill.org Welcome to the MHNO!

03/2015

VoLunteerforaCommittee!

We need your help to make Munjoy Hill an even better place to live! You can get involved by joining one or more of our committees:

Events Communications At Home on Munjoy Hill Safe & Livable Neighborhood Observer Membership & Fundraising

Communications Committee -‐ This committee oversees all methods by which the MHNO communicates information of relevance to the community we serve, including web, print, social media, email and direct mail. Meetings: 3rd Monday of the Month from 6:30-‐7:30 pm. Please contact Chair, Sarah Graulty: [email protected] for more information. Observer Committee – This committee publishes the MHNO’s monthly community newspaper, the Munjoy Hill Observer. Meetings: 1st Monday of the month from 6:30-‐7:30 pm. Please contact Chair, Andrea Myhaver: [email protected] for more information. Membership and Fundraising Committee – This committee champions the growth and involvement of our membership base, and develops and implements initiatives to raise money to support MHNO programs and keep the organization sustainable. Please contact Chair, Matthew Kennedy: [email protected] for more information. At Home on Munjoy Hill Committee – This committee is developing a program whose mission is to help empower older residents to stay and live comfortably on Munjoy Hill. Meetings: 3rd Wed of the month from 5:30-‐7, locations vary. Please contact Chair, Elaine Mullin: [email protected], for more information. Events Committee – This committee coordinates and implements community events and activities that the MHNO sponsors or develops, such as our 3 full membership meetings/gatherings each year, our annual Community Clean-‐Up Day, festivals, and other fun social activities. Meetings: Ad hoc based on Event Schedule. Please contact Chair, Elise Loschiavo: [email protected] for more information. Safe & Livable Neighborhood Committee -‐ This committee provides a forum to discuss and implement ways to improve life on the Hill for all its residents and to preserve Munjoy Hill’s unique character. Please contact Chair, Sean Turley: [email protected] for more information and meeting dates and times. Please note that unless otherwise noted, all committee meetings take place at Hill House, 92 Congress St. Meetings days and times are subject to change, so please consult our online calendar at munjoyhill.org for the most current schedule. All are welcome to attend, so please, join us!

Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization Committees

Get involved! Join the fun!

Communications Committee -‐ This committee oversees all methods by which the MHNO communicates information of relevance to the community we serve, including web, print, social media, email and direct mail. Meetings: 3rd Monday of the Month from 6:30-‐7:30 pm. Please contact Chair, Sarah Graulty: [email protected] for more information. Observer Committee – This committee publishes the MHNO’s monthly community newspaper, the Munjoy Hill Observer. Meetings: 1st Monday of the month from 6-‐7 pm. Please contact Chair, Andrea Myhaver: [email protected] for more information. Membership and Fundraising Committee – This committee champions the growth and involvement of our membership base and develops and implements initiatives to raise money to support MHNO programs and keep the organization sustainable. Please contact Chair, Matthew Kennedy: [email protected] for more information. At Home on Munjoy Hill Committee – This committee is developing a program whose mission is to help empower older residents to stay and live comfortably on Munjoy Hill. Meetings: 3rd Wed of the month from 5:30-‐7, locations vary. Please contact Chair, Elaine Mullin: [email protected], for more information. Events Committee – This committee coordinates and implements community events and activities that the MHNO sponsors or develops, such as our 3 full membership meetings/gatherings each year, our annual Community Clean-‐Up Day, festivals, and other fun social activities. Meetings: Ad hoc based on Event Schedule. Please contact Chair, Elise Loschiavo: [email protected] for more information. Safe & Livable Neighborhood Committee -‐ This committee provides a forum to discuss and implement ways to improve life on the Hill for all its residents and to protect Munjoy Hill’s unique character. Meetings: 1th Monday of the month 7-‐8 pm. Please contact Chair, Sean Turley: [email protected] for more information. Please note that unless otherwise noted, all committee meetings take place at Hill House, 92 Congress St. Meetings days and times are subject to change, so please consult our online calendar at munjoyhill.org for the most current schedule. All are welcome to attend, so please, join us!

Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization Committees

Get involved! Join the fun!

recycle AND help fund the mHnO Heat assistance Program: Donate recyclables thru

CLYNK! at Hannafords ... Funds raised support MHNO’s Fuel Assistance “Warm Hearts, Warm

Neighbors” program. Pick up the green bag from the fence box outside the Hill House/92 Congress. FMI: email Louise Little at [email protected].

Keep those cans & bottles coming!

Image from Peacebridge.org

seeKinG Volunteers to

attend City Planning meetings

and report on projects impacting

Munjoy Hill Please email info@

munjoyhill.org to participate.

tHe MunjoY Hill neiGHborHood orGAnizAtion

Ope n M eetings!!

The MHNO Board

meets at 7 pm every

second Monday of

the month at the

“Hill House”

—92 Congress St.

everyone is Welcome!


And it’s not just individuals; communities, towns, and cities are looking at the larger picture to determine if they are places where “friendly aging” can occur. Saco, Cumber-land, Yarmouth, Kennebunk, Kennebunk-port and Arundel are actively planning and developing infrastructure, transportation and in some cases Villages (see below) to support their citizens. They are looking at housing, transportation, centralization of those vital services like grocery stores, banks, post office, etc. Can they be reached easily if one is no longer driving, is there an alternate personal transportation support system? Are there sidewalks once they get to their des-tination, or even in their neighborhood for getting out and staying active? What social events are nearby? What as-sistance is avail-able for people who need a hand with a few things around the house? Can someone check in on a regular basis with a person liv-ing alone?

A special interest group on Villages and Ag-ing in Place is meeting at the Osher Lifelong Learn-ing Institute (OLLI) at USM. It is an offshoot of a workshop held there in the fall which drew larger than anticipated numbers of at-tendees. For more informa-tion regarding this group, contact [email protected]

AARP has a Network of Age-Friendly Communi-ties across the US. They are actively engaging commu-nities here in Maine who make the commitment to become age-friendly, with support in multiple areas.

Portland is one of the communities that has signed on, and as part of the first phase will be conducting a community assessment from now through May, 2015. Find more in-formation about age friendly communities at www.aarp.org/livable.

The Southern Maine Agency on Aging (SMAA) has been working with smaller groups interested in developing local ag-ing supports in their York and Cumberland county areas, and is looking at developing a more formal support for the same as part of their assistance and programing.

At Home on Munjoy Hill (AHOM) has been working with our small group of volun-teer planners on developing a village in our neighborhood. We are members of the Vil-lage to Village Network (vtvnetwork.org). It’s been a longer process than anticipated, but the passion and determination to con-tinue through to implementation remain. As we get down to the final phase we have an urgent need for people with grant writing,

program development and fundraising experi-ence, with time to give to a starting program. Is that you? Please come join us! Contact us at [email protected].

It’s happening, the mo-mentum is growing, the tide is rising and our boat will be lifted with it!For more information about the AtHome senior program on Munjoy Hill, contact [email protected] or Elaine Mullin at 207-671-6132.

The Rising Tide for Aging in PlaceBy Elaine Mullin

there’s a Whole lot oF aCtivity going on in greater Portland, as more people have become interested in having a say and actively planning what the later years of their lives will look life. Those of us interested in staying in our homes, our neighbor-hoods and our communities are coming together and planning for Aging in Place.

The Space Between By Kathleen M. Kerr

Years ago, I met a woman through a leader-ship program I attended who shared a story about how she lived with gut-wrenching guilt, every day, for giving up, for adoption, the daughter she birthed when she was in her late teens. She let this guilt and world-view rule her life up until that program.

One morning before the third day’s session started, we were talking. From somewhere, I was compelled to ask her how it would feel if she could see that experience through the lens of it being her purpose. I had no idea where the question came from, and frankly, I was simply trying to show some empathy with small talk. Hearing her story the day before had touched my heart so much that I ached for her many wasted years of guilt and avoid-ance of anyone or any situation with children involved that I simply needed to connect with her and let her know that, despite the judgment she levied on herself, she was/is still loved, and that there was a greater purpose in that experience.

I was suddenly filled with such assuredness that this was true, that I repeated myself to make sure she heard what I was saying. If she could truly embrace the essence that she mattered and that she makes a difference, she might be able to see that one of her purposes in this life may have been to provide life to that little girl, and a daughter to a woman

who might not otherwise experience moth-erhood. It was when she shifted her perspec-tive and embraced the possibility of another truth that she was able to see that experience through new eyes.

I witnessed a transformation in this amazing woman. Three months later, I saw her again. She sought me out to share that this new per-spective created the opening of her actually meeting her birth daughter. And that they were in relationship. By accepting the past and letting it go, she was able to embrace the experience as a gift rather than a burdensome mistake, and the facts hadn’t changed one iota. She had still gotten pregnant as a teen; she had still given up the baby for adoption; and the daughter still grew up knowing that she was adopted. And yet, the energy was completely different. This woman was able to meet her birth daughter, which wasn’t easy for either of them or the woman who raised the girl. Yet, the meeting and the relationship that formed was founded on the principle that everyone matters – we are each here for a purpose and that we do, indeed, matter.

Kathleen Kerr is a professional transition coach supporting clients as they explore the space

between endings and beginnings to dauntlessly create beginnings that support them reaching their goals with optimism, courage, and joy.

“Our beliefs shape our filters; our filters form our thoughts; our thoughts drive our feelings; our

feelings spur our actions; our actions become our habits; our habits reinforce our beliefs.”

An UndeniAble Win-Win: Free expert Tax Preparation *And* a Step Against Fraud!

By Jane Margesson, AARP Maine Com-munications Director

We all knoW that it’s that time oF year again – time to locate receipts and official documents and file our taxes. Getting ones taxes done can seem quite burdensome, even stressful, but AArPFoundationtax-Aideoffers a free service that can help. Through this program, IRS-certified volunteer income tax preparers are available in 2015 to help Maine residents in filing both their federal and state of Maine income tax returns. Now in its 48th year, this is the nation’s largest free tax preparation ser-vice. While AARP Foundation Tax-Aide de-votes special attention to low-income and older residents, you do not need to be a member of AARP or a retiree to use this service.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide has grown tre-mendously since its inaugural team of just four volunteers in 1968. In 2014, 35,000 vol-unteers at more than 5,000 sites nationwide provided 2.6 million people with free tax help. Taxpayers who used AARP Founda-tion Tax-Aide received $1.3 billion in income tax refunds and more than $257 million in Earned Income Tax Credits (EITCs). Here in Maine, more than 20,000 residents benefit each year from this remarkable free service.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers are well-versed in federal and state tax rules, and focus on helping taxpayers identify all the tax credits and deductions for which they may qualify, includ-ing the Property Tax Fairness Credit.

To use the service, taxpayers must gather and bring all information, including documents that apply to their 2014 income taxes, to the meeting. If married, both spouses should be present during the tax counseling session. Please bring:

• Proof of identity (picture or other docu-mentation).

• All income statements that apply to the taxpayers.

• Social Security number (Social Security card or Benefit Statement-Form SSA-1099) for taxpayer and all dependents.

• Copy of last year’s federal and state tax returns.

• Personal check if direct depositing tax refund, with bank checking account and routing numbers.

Volunteers are available by appointment at the Portland Public Library on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but it’s easy to find other locations in the area at the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide site (www.aarp.org/findtaxaide) or by calling 1-888-OUR-AARP (1-888-687-2277).

Due to the surge in identity theft cases around tax season, AARP recommends fil-ing as early as possible. In a typical identity theft scheme, scammers electronically file a tax return under someone else’s name to col-lect their tax refund. To do this, all scam-mers need is a birthdate and Social Security number—items that many taxpayers make all too accessible by mailing sensitive documents from unlocked mailboxes, leaving personal items in their car, or failing to properly shred personal information before discarding it.

Many taxpayers unwittingly put themselves at great risk of tax identity theft through these and other actions, according to a national study conducted last fall by the AARP Fraud Watch Network (www.aarp.org/fraudwatch-network). Keep your documents safe and, if you file early, you can beat scammers to the punch. For more information about ways to combat fraud in Maine, or if you would like to volunteer as an AARP Maine Fraud fighter, please contact me at (207) 776-6301 or send an email to [email protected].

This year, completing taxes early can offer double peace of mind! Not only will your tax-es be expertly filed, but you’ll leave potential scammers out in the cold.

It’s aboutrelationships

3 Business Parkway, Suite 3, Brunswick Industrial ParkBrunswick, Maine 04011(207) 504-8200 • (800) 356-8850www.alliance-press.com • [email protected]

F U L L S E R V I C E P R I N T I N G

Relationships are builton trust, and that’ssomething our sales representatives never lose sight of.

You want to feel that you are in capable hands, and that we understand your expectations.

From print to the packing and shipping details, you’ll feel as if you’ve entered into a partnership that fits; our clients tell us they like that.


justinalfond.com

We can end childhood hunger in Maine

City Update: METRO 2015—All Aboard!

[email protected]

Childhood hunger is something that is easily overlooked, or even forgot-ten. But right now in Maine, there are 86,473 children who are hungry, and 3,712 are here in Portland.

Children who are food insecure live in all sixteen of our counties. Hunger doesn’t discriminate be-tween northern Maine and southern Maine or between rural and urban. Each day there are thousands of children who go to bed hungry and wake up even hungrier– we are let-ting Maine children down until we solve this problem.

But childhood hunger isn’t just a family problem or just a school prob-lem. We can’t just look to schools and families to have the solution.

After months of working with ex-

perts, those people who are out in the field working day in and day out on ending childhood hunger, the Task Force to End Student Hunger, presented our plan to solve child-hood hunger in Maine within five years. It’s an ambitious goal, but it’s one that we think we can achieve. As John Woods from Full Plates Full Potential says, “solving child-hood hunger is complex, but feeding a child is easy.”

Our plan and our ideas don’t require much state money, but it’s a plan that needs total buy-in from all who care about our state. We need state government to be a leader in col-laborating with the private sector, non-profits and volunteers so that we can finally end childhood hun-ger in Maine.

It shouldn’t take much convincing that childhood hunger is an issue worth tackling. We know that hav-ing access to enough food, and the

right food, plays a huge role in the health and academic success for our children – and consequently, their

future success.

We know that food makes a differ-ence in academic performance. For example, every time our students take a test like the SATs or the NE-CAP, food is provided. Why? Be-cause we don’t want our test-takers to be distracted by a growling belly. We want them to be at the top of their game so that they are focused on performing well.

And so with Maine ranking first in New England and third in the na-tion for food insecurity, I accept the challenge from Amy Gallant of Pre-ble Street’s Maine Hunger Initiative:

“Let’s challenge ourselves to be the first state in the nation to end child-hood hunger.”

We have three action items that can make a difference. First, we must activate public-private partnerships like those between schools, farms, the private sector, food distribu-tors, and the state. Second, we must increase participation in the child nutrition programs in and outside of Maine’s schools. Third, we abso-lutely must capture the nearly $50

million dollars in unused federal funding that is already earmarked for Maine nutrition programs.

By doing these three things, we can ensure that our children have the nutritional building blocks for suc-cess in school and out on the play-ground.

As always, I’d love to hear from you on this and other topics. Please feel free to email me at [email protected].

it is my Pleasure to an-nounCe that your bus service has just gotten significantly better. From Munjoy Hill, METRO will now deliver you directly to the Portland Transportation Center and

finally become a viable option for many of you to reach the Portland International Jetport. 2015 also promises to unleash several further major improvements to ser-vice for District One. I hope you will enjoy these new transportation choices and those yet to come this New Year!

Metro#1

The METRO #1 runs from Mun-joy Hill and, until recently, ended at Mercy at the Fore. By extending the line to the terminal that serves the Amtrak Downeaster and Concord Coach Lines, Munjoy Hill residents wish-ing to continue to Boston and beyond would have had to transfer or walk 15 minutes (with bags) from the peak of Munjoy Hill to the bus hub at Monument Square. Besides the convenience added by direct service, trip times are also reduced by five minutes. Because we have now also fixed previously irregular frequencies to thirty minute headways, we have eliminated the need to refer to schedules, departing from the bus stop at the corner of North Street and Congress Street every 15 and 45 minutes past the hour, from 6:15 am to 8:15 pm, with lower frequency at night.

With the expansion of the St. Lawrence, these frequen-cies will extend to as late as 11:15 pm, providing more transportation choice, not only to its patrons, but to all resident of Munjoy Hill.

Metro#5

The METRO #5 runs from Monument Square and, un-til recently, bypassed the Jetport in favor of a detour to the rail and bus hub on Thompson’s Point on its way to the Maine Mall. With the extension of the METRO #1, the METRO #5 can now easily serve airline passengers and clients of the new consolidated offices of the Depart-ment of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Veterans Affairs now open on Jetport Road. Whereas the former location of the DHHS was just a 10 minute walk from Monument Square, and its new location would have previously tak-

en 40 minutes by bus, it is now just 20 minutes. Maine Mall service will remain the same, but routing and schedule changes will ensure that it runs on time.

MoretoCome!

The next generation of improvements to the transit net-work are expected this summer, the most promising of which is the linking together of the current METRO #3 and METRO #6 to create a new looping service running in both directions at fixed frequencies of 30 minutes. This line would directly serve all public high schools and connect disparate parts of Portland. By staggering its schedule with the METRO #1, which also runs at a fre-quency of 30 minutes, we would also enjoy frequencies of 15 minutes on Congress Street west of Washington Avenue. Other improvements pending for this summer include a new commuter service to Freeport.

Please let me know how you’re enjoying the new METRO at [email protected]


Portland Company Complex continued from front page

the rezoning issue; and also that the proposed B-6/EWPZ re-zoning – including various text amendments – is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. As noted above, the Planning Board has agreed with this position.

• Building Heightsand Views – The development is pro-posed to rise above Fore Street, with new buildings fac-ing the street on its south side. The precise impact of such new construction on views to and from the harbor is not clear, not least because no detailed plans of the development currently exist. SOP and others have questioned the appropriateness of such con-struction, and also the technical method by which permissible building height will be deter-mined. CPB2 has committed that, regardless of the maximum height permitted by zoning, no building will rise more than 35 feet above the grade of Fore Street within 100 feet of Fore Street.

• Appropriate uses – Area resi-dents have questioned whether certain uses permitted under B6, in particular bars and brew pubs, are appropriate immedi-ately adjacent to an established residential neighborhood. CPB2 has proposed text amendments prohibiting such establishments

that have an entrance on Fore Street east of Waterville Street. Other amendments would re-strict the hours of operation of

restaurants on Fore Street east of Waterville Street.

• Per me a bi l i t yand Access – Mem-bers of the commu-nity have expressed

concerns about pub-lic access within and

through the site and contin-ued access to the Eastern Prom trail. Neighbors have called for a development that is outward facing and compatible with the adjacent neighborhood, and that maintains and improves shore access from Munjoy Hill. CPB2 has entered into discussions with Portland Trails regarding the continued use of the Eastern Prom trail and its possible reloca-tion toward the water’s edge; the developers have also proposed site plan text amendments ad-dressing the issue of massing and site permeability.

• socio-economic Diversity – The proposed development is likely to include a significant residential component. Mem-bers of the community have asked that the developers include some amount of affordable hous-ing within this residential stock. This issue is beyond the purview of the Planning Board and as such has not yet been formally addressed.

CPB2: We live and work in this community, and have built our business and reputations around creating spaces that serve com-munity interests.

As the proud owners and managers of this unique property, the most important thing we want to convey to our neighbors is that our vision for redevelopment of the Portland Company is entirely in keeping with both the content and spirit of the community’s vision, as expressed in the city’s Eastern Waterfront Master Plan.

At this time, we are at only the first of many required stages of public review: zoning. In the Eastern Waterfront Mas-ter Plan, the community was clear in that they wanted to see a vibrant mix of uses on the site: residential, commercial, and

waterfront uses. Current zoning on the property is essentially limited to just in-dustrial marine uses. That’s why a zoning change (identical to the one that already occurred on the adjacent properties to the west of the Portland Company) is necessary. The zoning will also inform us of the height dimensions our future plan-ning must fit within. When the public vi-sion for a mixed use zone is implemented by the city, we’ll then have the baseline information we need to conduct the ap-propriate planning. These plans, in turn, will be subject to rigorous and thorough public review.

Before anyone puts a shovel in the ground, there remain important stages of public process. These include possible consideration of historic designation of existing structures (this stage alone re-

quires levels of review before three city panels) and review of site plans for each structure we propose to build or restore. At each stage of review there are exten-sive guidelines – developed by the public – against which any plans will be judged: (a) the Eastern Waterfront Master Plan (which set a community vision for the whole eastern waterfront), (b) a height study (which places height controls and which we ourselves requested be even more restrictive than they are currently) and (c) design standards (which place qualitative control on what future devel-opment must look like.)

We believe in this public process; it is the best way to ensure the interests of the entire community are reflected in the growth of a city we all love and call home.

Barbara Vestal:The group Keep the Soul of Portland in the Portland Company encourages peo-ple to make their individual voices known in the discussion as the City tries to bal-ance what the developer wants, what the City wants, and what is in the interest of various stakeholders, including the neighborhood residents. Our general ap-proach has not been to try to stop the de-velopment. We agree that there should be new, mixed uses on that site. But we want to make sure that the development is sensitive to its surroundings and en-hances the City as a whole.

I think we were able to make some modest progress on how the development relates

to the neighborhood. After listening to neighborhood concerns, the applicant agreed to limit buildings within 100 feet of Fore Street to 35 feet in height (rather than the original proposal of within 35 feet of Fore Street). It agreed to a modest 50 foot setback for bars and brewpubs, and a stipulation that restaurants within 50 feet of Fore Street will close by 11:00 p.m. And it introduced the idea of permeability into the site plan standards.

I think we made a very good argument that the master plan is based upon an assumption that heights will be mea-sured from flood plain. That would have significantly have reduced the presence of buildings facing onto Fore Street. The Planning Board did not agree. It has for-

warded the rezoning recommendation to the City Council which includes the provi-sion that heights be measured from aver-age grade. That doesn’t make any differ-ence on the flat, filled land. But it does make a difference right along Fore Street if buildings take advantage of the slopes stepping up to Fore Street. But even then the applicant has agreed to limit all build-ings within 100 feet of Fore Street not to exceed the adjacent grade of Fore Street by more than 35 feet. That is a cap. Other factors may require the buildings to be shorter than that. The final decision will be made by the City Council, probably in April at the earliest.

Statements As part of the research for this article we reached out for statements from CPB2, the owners and managers of the property, and Barbara Vestal, a long-time Munjoy Hill resident who has been closely involved with the activities of SOP.


ASSIST TO SUCCEEDDental Assisting School

www.assisttosucceed.com

OPEN HOUSESaturday, March 7th, 5:00 pm

94 Washington AvenuePortland

Questions? Call Clinical DirectorDoris Thuotte at (207) 303-8510

or [email protected]

Become a Dental Assistant in just 10 weeks!Dr. David Vocal and his instructors offer over 70 years of experience and knowledge to Assist to Succeed students. Students will receive resume skills and personalized interview coaching by Dr. Vocal. Small class sizes allow students to work closely with the instructor!

Forbes March 16th: Dental Assistant “top of the list of the 15 best jobs for young people.”

Saturday classes, 8 am – 5 pm Work your current job while you train for your dream job!

• X-ray training• CPR certification • On-site training in working with actual patients• Observations at oral surgeon and specialty offices• All books and materials included in tuition costs

Door Prizes • Give-aways • on-site financinG!

PORTLAND FLOWER SHOW 2015

Opening night Gala & Awards Ceremony

Wednesday, March 4 • 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Thursday, March 5 • 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.Friday, March 6 • 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.Saturday, March 7 • 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.Sunday, March 8 • 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

www.portlandcompany.com/flower Facebook “Portland-Flower-Show”

Advance tickets available online, on facebook, and at participating retailers see website or call for more information.

Portland Company Complex58 Fore Street Portland, ME

207.775.4403

Showtimes


Thoughts on handling your pet’s end-of-live questionsBy Dr. John Flood, DVM

This winter, we put down our beloved 17-year old Chihuahua, Gus. Over a period of about 3 months, we talked about him, watched him, and kidded ourselves, taking hope from smaller and smaller signs that he was doing OK. A array of physical ail-ments had piled up. We treated the easy ones with palliative care: his cough, itchy skin and arthritis. We deferred on treating the complicated issues; at 17 he had a large benign tumor on his leg, now impeding the use of that limb, and probable Cushings dis-ease, which caused him to drink excessively.

We made accommodations for his frail condition as he slipped from ‘independent’ to ‘assisted living’. Meals were enhanced with something enticing. On bad arthritic mornings, he was carried outside. Food and water were kept close during the night. And the stairs to our bed, built several years ago when he could no longer

make the jump, were lit with a night-light to help him find his way in the dark. Gus’s life had deteriorated to the point where he was cashing in on very little of what had made him a happy dog: food, the yard, guarding the pe-rimeter of the bed, and his tyrannical presence in the neighborhood. It seemed there was too much now that made his life a burden. And so, we made the deci-sion.

Here are a few thoughts I had going through this process. There is

no quality of life meter. You have to figure it out yourself. My wife and I discussed euthanasia, at times including other family members and a close friend, also a vet. A word on the timing; when we decided to euthanize Gus there was no crisis. The day was not extraordinary. But it was a day he was not going to have much fun, and the days ahead of him promised to be worse. Within this context it was an arbitrary decision. The exact tim-ing was of little consequence to Gus. The important thing is we gave him a peaceful exit before there was a crisis. Arriving slowly at the decision made less room for second-guessing or regret about doing things too soon.

It was therapeutic to be involved in the whole process. Early that morning I dug the grave and filled the bottom with a bed of oak leaves. Later, we gathered around Gus on the couch. I had not planned to be the one with my thumb on the syringe, but in the end, it seemed OK. At the grave site, we all said a short goodbye. I guess it was his eulogy. We filled the grave, then covered it with cantaloupe sized rocks and left. When it was over, our daily routine changed, the day filled with sad reminders that Gus was gone. But there was also relief that it was behind us.

During this time, your most impor-tant resource is your veterinarian. Having seen many cases of failing pets, she has the experience to coach you. With particular ailments she can tell you what to expect down the road. She will help you with timing. It is good to start the discussion before the situation is compelling. The aim should be to make this experience as relaxed and stress free as possible for you and your pet. If it can be arranged, a house call is by far the best way to do this. A pet’s favorite place in your house or in the yard is a good place to set up. Be warned if this is a couch, pets sometime pee at the end. A tarp under your pet’s blanket will take care of this and provide a stretcher to move the body. Create a comfort-able spot and provide lighting and room for both you and your

vet to be next to your pet. It is best if the vet attending to this is your regular vet or at least one that has been briefed by your regular DVM and has an understanding of your pet’s condition.

When, for whatever reason, a house call is not possible, a visit to the clinic will be necessary. Frequently there is a quiet, private area where owners, pets and the vet can be together. Protocols among vets vary. Some vets use sedatives before hand. Some place IV catheters. Discuss the details with your vet so you un-derstand what is to take place. Some pet owners find they cannot be present with their pets when they are euthanized. This I can understand as well. A final pragmatic note--figure out before-hand how you are going to handle your pet’s remains, burial or cremation.

Now, I have a two-year-old Brittany with whom I’ve become rather tight. My hope is we will both die in our sleep on the same night. I have no doubt my wife will miss us, but she will live on happily for decades.

Please send veterinary questions to John Flood DVM • [email protected]

John practices with Island Veterinary Service and House Calls on the Mainland www.island-vetservice.com. Blog; Cascobaymaine.com

GrowinGToGeTherT i p s o n p a r e n T i n g & r e l a T i o n s h i p s

By Ross Fields, CPE & Kathleen Fields, CPE

THRIVING… how life is meant to be lived! (Part 1 of a 4-part series)Say the word THRIVING. How does it make you feel? Joyous? Ex-cited? Alive? Free? Confident? Con-nected? Now picture your child thriving. How does that feel? Sat-isfying? Complete? Proud? On top of the world? I would guess that it brings a big smile to your face. How could it not?

Now say the word SURVIVING. How does that make you feel? Stuck? Tired? Hopeless? Numb? Frustrated? Discouraged? Now pic-ture your child just surviving in the world. How does that make you feel? Sad? How could any parent want their child to live their life by just getting by, by just surviving? I would venture to guess you would rather see them THRIVING – feel-ing good and embracing life at its fullest.

When you feel good about any-thing, it’s your emotional guidance system letting you know you are headed in the right direction. In other words, thriving. It also lets you know when you stray from your desired path because, that’s right, you don’t feel so good. Sounds so simple, and yet we humans seem to allow ourselves to be distracted, veering off our “feeling good” path, with things we don’t really need to be concerned about.

Attempting to “control” your child’s life is a great example of being dis-tracted from actually teaching them how to follow their own emotional

guidance system, and thriving on their own.

Being in a better feeling place means you’re fully present, connected with your true self, and focused on what it is you truly want. This is when you make the best decisions, encounter the right people at the right time, have plenty of energy and yes, par-ent more effectively, because you’re coming from a place of thriving. This doesn’t mean there won’t be any parenting challenges to face, it just means that by tuning in to how you feel, you’ll know when it is best to engage and when it’s best back away and refocus.

So, stay tuned in to that Emotional Guidance System of yours and teach your child to do the same, so you can THRIVE together. Don’t settle for anything less.

“The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but rather that it is too

low and we reach it.”—Michelangelo

THRIVING, Part 2: How connect-ing with nature and going on an adventure with your kid will add to feeling good and THRIVING.

As always . . . with patience, educa-tion, and practice, you will become a more confident and effective It’s ALL about the relationship.

Ross & Kathleen Fields are Certi-fied Parenting Educators (CPE) and, co-founders of Results Par-enting, LLC, www.resultspar-enting.com.

tHe lAst round-uP for Gus, tHe doG

By Christina Feller, Executive Direc-tor, LWP USA

living With PeaCe, the foremost multi-ethnic community-based organization in Maine specializing in immigrant en-trepreneurship, has opened an Incubator for start-up enterprises at its new offices at 500 Forest Avenue, suites 6-8, in the heart of this burgeoning business corri-dor in Portland.

Roger Ruganzu, Chairman of the Board of Living With Peace USA, has an-nounced the election of Directors for 2015-2016 and the appointment of staff for the Portland operation. Directors in the USA operation include: Roger Ru-ganzu, Rodents Biacho, Mia Ntahobari, Maurice Namwira, Djeloul Fourar, Go-defroy Watchiba, and Muhidin Libah. Mr. Ruganzu stated, “We are proud of our accomplishments over the years and we are looking for more diversity in our Board of Directors. We have three open spots and we are actively recruiting.”

Christina Feller, co-founder and former Vice Chair of the Board, has been ap-pointed Executive Director, and Nima Barkad, former Board member, has been named Office Manager and Outreach Coordina-tor for USA Operations. Mrs. Feller “immigrated” to Portland from serv-ing in Russia, where she worked as American Di-rector of the Agency for In-ternational Development’s Business Support Center of St. Petersburg, Rus-sia. Mrs. Feller provided critical support to micro, small, and medium sized businesses across the Russian Northwest in the areas of business development and management, accounting, marketing, re-search, equity and debt financing, lobby-ing, networking, and ethics. Mrs. Feller is a 1982 graduate of Harvard Business School and prior to that worked in the Executive Office of the President of the U.S.; her specialty was national security and energy affairs. Nima Barkad is a pro-

fessional midwife and expert counselor on pre and post natal care of women who experience difficulties as a result of the ef-fects of FGM (female genital mutilation).

The Portland, Maine, office is located at 500 Forest Avenue, Suites 6 and 8.

Suite 6 is the reception, meeting, and training room while Suite 6A and Suite 8 are headquarters offices of five immigrant-owned enterprises. Liv-ing With Peace offers these enterprise owners shared space and ac-cess to shared resources. The Initiative, known as the Portland Micro’s, is funded by a CDBG grant

from the City of Portland, by a wide ar-ray of “well-wishers”, and by the Family Funds of Maine Community Founda-tion, including the Moon Family Fund, the William and Norinne Stoloski Fund, and the Ann Schroth Dietz Fund.

Living With Peace Kenya has been reg-istered with the Kenya NGO Coordina-tion Board and is awaiting the approved Certificate of Legal Status. Directors in

the Kenya operations include: Christina Feller, Nyamai (Chris) Wambua, Muia (Paul) Muasya, Kenneth Kinyua Nyaga, Wilfred Njeru Njagi, Mohamed Abdi-rahman Bare, and Abdullahi Dagana Muhumed. Mr. Wambua, as Secretary

of the Board of Directors, is managing the Living With Peace Kenya office in the heart of downtown Nairobi. Living With Peace Kenya, like its American counterpart, focuses on entrepreneur-ship and building linkages across bor-ders to develop competitive products and deepen and strengthen market pen-etration. The NGO is working directly with the Governors of ten counties to stimulate trade exchanges with the New England states.

Chairman Feller notes, “We are develop-ing an exchange initiative between Ke-nya and the United States that will bring up to fifty entrepreneurs and five to ten Governors to New England in 2016. We encourage interested companies and state and local governmental units to get in touch with us to participate in this historic exchange. Please call the office at 207-536-0093 or email [email protected].”

Living With Peace Opens Offices in Portland, Nairobi

Above, members of the Board of Directors, Living With Peace Kenya, from L to R: Christina Feller, Muhamed Abdirahman Bare, Paul Muasya, and Chris Wambua. At right, members of the Board of Directors of Living With Peace Kenya, L to R: Paul Muasya, Chris Wambua, and Wilfred Njagi meeting at the Art Café in the YaYa Centre, Nairobi. Below left, Nima Barkad, Office Manager and Outreach Coordinator, Living With Peace USA. Courtesy photos.

What a Winter We have had in Maine! Last winter, we thought the snow/wind would never stop, but this year has been even more remarkable. Portland aver-ages around 60” of snow annually. This year (as of February 18) we have had 83.5” of snow. (Don’t feel bad; Caribou averages 116” annually.) So, what does all this mean, relative to your finances? The answer: …it depends.

One of the benefits of being an em-ployee (and not an owner) is that, gen-erally, if the office closes down due to a snow day, your benefits remain. As an owner, it can become a double-wham-my. Most employers will not dock pay, but at the same time, customers may not come in, and revenues are there-fore reduced. There are folks that de-rive income from tips or product com-missions, which are reduced.

The direct cost of snow removal and re-pairs to property due to snow damage, are also concerns that accompany heavy snow storms. These are emergency situ-ations that require cash management planning.

Families should have a rainy day fund or an emergency reserves account (these are liquid assets that can be converted to cash immediately with no loss of principal). Those who plan travel, or are traveling, can experience higher costs as well. A key to reducing financial and mental stress is being pre-pared. Keeping a good supply of water and food, having gas in your car, and heating fuel in your homes in anticipa-tion of inclement weather, can reduce stress. If you can, keep cash on hand to weather the storm.

This year’s snow storms in Maine have caused numerous problems for all sorts of delivery. Roads have been inaccessi-ble, and the inability to store snow effec-tively and remove it, has made it almost impossible to obtain needed services and products. One example is heating fuel. Many families ran out of heating fuel, resulting in frozen pipes and finan-cial hardship.

Maine is truly a wonderful place to live, but a little bit of planning for emergen-cies goes a long way.

College professor and financial adviser Joel I. Gold is the owner of the Gold Company, located off of India Street, 145 Newbury Street, 3rd flr, (207) 650-7884, where he works as a Fee-Only Financial Planner. He’s been in Portland since 1995.

Ask tHe Money Prof Is Spring really right around the corner? By Joel I. Gold


N ot es froM tHe toWer

Get out and wear some GREEN!By Jeanne Bull

We’ve made it to March, and there’s relief in that, but the snow is still up to my kitchen window; probably the only greens I’ll be seeing this month are St. Patrick’s Day decorations!

Maybe that’s why March 17 is such a grand holiday in this town, or maybe it’s because the Irish have such deep roots here. Portland has always been an immigration cen-ter, and the Irish were a dominant force in its devel-opment. The first known Irishman in Portland was Thaddeus Clark who was here in the 1660s. He was but the beginning of a steady flow , which turned into a torrent, of the children of Erin who made their way “across the Pond” to create new lives for themselves of this side of the Atlantic. The numbers of Irish immigrants were low in the early years of the new republic, but grew steadily during the 19th century, as living condi-tions worsened in Ireland, and the Irish already settled in America were able to assist newcomers.

Maine was a magnet for the Irish for a number of reasons. Trans-atlantic fares to Canada were half the cost of fares to the US and many landed in the Mari-times and then continued their journey south into Maine, where employment and family or cul-tural groups were already in place. Portland was a natural settlement, with its proximity to work, trans-portation, and social support net-works. The earliest concentration of Irish in Portland was in the west end, clustered around what would become the St. Dominic’s community in the 1820s. Gor-ham’s Corner, nestled between the waterfront and the church, was a business and residential cen-ter for the community.

As the city spread out, so did the Irish, with many families finding

their way up the Hill. Portland’s other favorite son, John Ford, grew up as John Martin Feeney on Sheridan Street, in the midst of an Irish immigrant commu-nity. His mother never learned to read or write English, and his father operated a pub in Gorham’s Corner, near where the statue of

John now stands.

There were many Irish organizations in Portland during the immigration years: social, po-litical, religious, and benevolent,

that provided a strong support net-

work for newcomers and residents alike as anti-

immigration sentiment grew and seethed in Portland.

In 1923, the City of Portland passed a referendum measure to change Portland’s mayoral sys-tem to a city manager form. This was so that the mayor would be appointed by a small group, City

Council, rather than elected by a large immigrant (mostly Irish) population. This was only recent-ly reversed, with our first elected mayor since that time, Michael Brennan. What would the City fathers have thought of that!

After WWII, there was a sharp decline in the clubs and groups of previous years, but they say ‘what the 2nd generation forgets, the 3rd generation remembers’, an adage proven with the emergence of the Irish Heritage Society in the St. Dominic’s space. They have a great website: maineirish.com, with a wide range of listings for March and beyond. All are wel-come – member or not, and don’t forget the great music available to us all year long at Brian Boru, Bull Feeney’s, and Ri Ra’s. It’s said ev-eryone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, but here in Portland that’s prob-ably not far from the truth.

Scams target taxpayers as filing season gets underwayPRESS RELEASE ax season may just be getting started, but tax scammers have been hard at work already. The Maine Attorney Gen-eral’s Office and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have gotten thousands of complaints about one kind of scammer in particular — IRS imposters.

Here’s how they work: Scammers posing as IRS officials call and say you owe taxes. They threaten to ar-rest you, or deport you, or revoke your license, or even shut down your business if you don’t pay right away. They may know your Social Securi-ty number — or at least the last four digits of it — making you think it really is the IRS calling. They also can rig caller ID to make it look like the call is coming from Washing-ton, DC.

You are the instructed to put the money on a prepaid debit card and tell them the number — something no government agency would ask you to do. Once you do it, you find out it was a scam, and the money is gone.

“This scam has become one of the most commonly reported phone scams that our Office has received. No governmental agency or legiti-mate business will call you up and demand an immediate payment by pre-paid debit card,” said Attorney General Janet T. Mills. “If you re-ceive one of these calls, do not an-swer any of their questions. Hang up the phone immediately.”

If you owe — or think you owe — federal taxes, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 or go to irs.gov. IRS workers can help you with your pay-ment questions. The IRS doesn’t ask people to pay with prepaid debit cards or wire transfers, and doesn’t ask for credit card numbers over the phone. When the IRS contacts peo-ple about unpaid taxes, they usually do it by mail, not by phone.

Report IRS imposter scams to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) online or at 800-366-4484, and to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.

“Last year we also heard about a number of Mainers who when they

filed with the IRS, discovered some-one had fraudulently claimed their tax return already,” said Attorney General Mills. “People should file early, always take steps to protect their private information and review their credit report yearly to see if there has been any unusual activity.”

One Maine resident recently record-ed his interaction with a scammer claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service. The call illus-trates several tactics used by phone scammers. They claimed to be from an entity that the target is familiar with and who he has the potential to owe money to. When challenged about his authenticity, the scammer tried to reassure the target by giving a badge number in order to sound official. And finally, the payment could only be made by “Green Dot Money Pak,” available at places like WalMart or drug store chains, and not by other means. The scammers are also not easily dissuaded; differ-ent people called repeatedly making the same claims in order to make him think they were legitimate.

Tax identity theft happens when someone files a phony tax return using your personal information — like your Social Security number — to get a tax refund from the IRS. It also can happen when someone uses your Social Security number to get a job or claims your child as a depen-dent on a tax return. Tax identity theft is the most common form of identity theft reported to the FTC.

Tax identity theft victims typically find out about the crime when they get a letter from the IRS saying that more than one tax return was filed in their name, or IRS records show they received wages from an em-ployer they don’t know. If you get a letter like this, don’t panic. Contact the IRS Identity Protection Spe-cialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490. Learn more at ftc.gov/taxidtheft.

If you have questions about these or other consumer matters, please con-tact the Consumer Protection Di-vision of the Maine Attorney Gen-eral’s Office at 1(800) 436-2131 or [email protected] .

free eYeGlAsses HelP PPs students leArnPortland PubliC sChools’ nurses have teamed up with the Essilor Vi-sion Foundation to provide free eyeglasses for about 100 Portland students. The students picked up their new glasses on Feb. 26, at Riverton Elementary School. Helping students with their vision can improve learning and behavior.

“I can’t overstate the importance of getting glasses for students who need them,” said Tina Veilleux, school nurse coordinator for the Portland Public Schools. “We see improvements in schoolwork as well as behavior. A student can’t learn if he can’t see.” This is the fourth year that the Essilor Vision Foun-dation has provided free eyeglasses to Portland students. School nurses also have been working with local optometrists and opticians to provide free or reduced-cost eye exams and eyeglasses for students.

The nurses hold two events each year with Essilor. One is usually at Riverton in January, but the event was rescheduled to Feb. 26 this year due to snow days. TheotherisinMarchatPortlandHighschool. Both are open to all students in the district. Nurses organize the events; parents do not need at-tend, Veilleux said.FMI, contact Tess Nacelewicz Communications Coordinator Portland Public Schools 207-874-8173 [email protected]


THE BODY ARCHITECTPERSONAL TRAINING EXPERIENCE

34 Romasco Lane, Portland, ME 04101207.774.2196

www.thebodyarchitect.com

$7930 DAYS 4 Small Group

Training Sessions

& much more!

Unlimited classesOpen gym access

Comparison Puzzle—by OutherebyGeorge.com. See if you can find the six differences.

We are more than just copies …

… and more,including cutting, scoring, folding, multiple types of binding, hole punching, dry mounting, and laminating!

PROGRAMSBROCHURES

PRINTIN

G

and

and

and

Conveniently located at100 Fore Street in Portland (next to Hamilton Marine on your

way to the Eastern Prom)with plenty of free parking

207.775.2444 • www.xcopy.com

Like us on /facebook.com/XPressCopy

maine Jewish museum 267CongressSt,Phone(207)773-2339Email;[email protected];http://mainejew-ishmuseum.org.

maine restaurant Week mar 1 - 14 tendaysofdiningtocelebrateoneofthefinestrestaurantcommunitiesintheUShttp://www.mainerestaurantweek.com/events

maine Flower show, march 5-9See ad at top of p 7.

maine Jewish Film Festival, march 14-21www.mjff.org/

maine boatbuilders show, march 14-16See ad at top of p 11.

daylight saving time sunday, march 8 st. lawrence arts Yourneiborhoodartscenter!Creatinganaffordableandaccessiblevenueforadiverseofferingsofartsincludingbutnotlimitedtotheater,dance,music,film,andworkshops;http://www.stlaw-rencearts.org/

PhoPa gallery 132WashingtonAve|photographsandworksonpaper. March 11 - April 18, 2015,Salt,Silver,andSun:,HistoricProcessesbyPhotographersToday,Guest-CuratedbyBrentonHamilton,,http://www.phopagallery.com/

mayo street arts Perfor-mances&Classes10MayoStreet,mayostreetarts.org—Timesvary.Classes:Tango,BellyDancing,KidsYoga,Juggling,ZumbaandPilates.ArtistStudios,theater,poetry,musicandmore.Contact615-3609,[email protected].

Winter Farmers markets through aPril 18at200AndersonStreet,9am-1pm

st. Patrick’s day Parade, march 15, noon TheparadebeginsattheFishPieratNoonandproceedseastonCommercialStreet,endingatBellbuoyPark(betweenRiRá&theMaineStatePier).Participantsshouldarriveat11:00A.M.FMI:[email protected].

rí rá Portland Plunge, tues, march 17StPaddy’sDayAnnualRíRáPortlandPlungebenefitingFirefightersChil-dren’sBurnsFoundation.

Elevenyearsrunning,RíRáPortland,joinedwithfaithfulanddedicatedsouls,jumpintotheAtlanticOceanattheEastEndBeachat5:30amonMarch17thforSt.Patrick’sDay.ThebodiesarequicklywarmedwithGuin-ness,asthepubopensat6ameveryyearwithIrishBreakfastandanauctiontokickadayfilledwithIrishcelebra-tions.

maine maple sunday, march 22MaineMapleSundayisalwaysthefourthSundayinMarchalthoughsomesugarhousesareofferingeventsforbothSaturdayandSunday.Pleasebesuretoreadthedescriptionofeachsugarhousetoknowwhattimestheywillbeopenandtheactivitiestheyof-fer.http://www.mainemapleproducers.com/maine-maple-sunday-map.html

Forhistorylovers—

Portland docents Class starts in marchForthe20thconsecutiveyear,Portlandareahistoryloverswillhaveauniqueopportunitytodosomethingfunforthemselvesandgoodfortheircommu-nity.StartingMarch5,thePortlandHis-toryCollaborativewillhostaprogram

of9classesonlocalhistory,art,andarchitecture,aswellasguidingtech-niquesandpublicspeaking.

TheprogramiscalledthePortland History Docents,andit’sdesignedtoproducevolunteerguidesforsevenareahistoricsitesincludingtheLongfel-lowHouse,thePortlandObservatory,MaineNarrowGaugeRailroad,EasternCemetery,andseveralothers.“Portlandisreallyuniqueformakingthisgreatprogramavailabletopeopleinterestedinhistory”,MarjorieGetz,theprogram’smanager,commented.

“TheHistoryDocentshasbeenrecog-nizedthroughoutNewEnglandforthequalityofitstraining,nottomen-tionjustforitsamazingdurabilityandpopularity”,Getzadded.“inthepast19yearswe’vegradu-atedover700peoplefromthecourse.Youcangetinvolved,meetinterestingpeople,andlearnalotabouttheregioninwhichwelive,whileyouvolunteerwithsomeofthelocalmuseums”.

Graduatesoftheprogramareaskedtodonateaboutsixhoursamonthasguidesatoneofthehistoricsitessponsor-ingthetraining.ThePortlandHistoryDo-centsclassesrunonThursdaymornings,9AMtonoon,begin-ningattheMaineHistoricalSocietyinPortlandonMarch5andconcludingonApril30.Thecostis$30whichcoverstheentireprogram($20withvalidstudentI.D.).MoreinformationisavailableatGreaterPortlandLandmarks,774-5561,extension120.

St epping

The MaineBoaTBuilders show

“The Rite of Spring”

58 FORE STREET • PORTLAND, MAINE 0410110 – 6 FRIDAY AND SATURDAY & 10 – 4 ON SUNDAY

March 20, 21 & 22, 2015

presented by: Portland Yacht ServiceS 207–774–1067

Bill Sisson, Soundings magazine—

“Not a Tupperware party by any means.”

—Located on the Portland Waterfront off of Commercial Street—Look for the shuttle busses along Commercial Street.

For more information and sign-up for show updates at: www.portlandcompany.com

Buy tickets on Facebook

or at

PortlandCompany.com

TICKETS:885-5883

March 4 ~ 29

- NY Daily News

- Variety

Wed/Thu 7:00, Fri 7:30, Sat 3:00/7:30, Sun 2:00Directed by Brian. P. Allen

by Sharr White

“haunting drama,cleverly constructed...”

“White’s...a crack craftsman whoknows how to hook an audience.”

need HelP WitH HeAtinG bills tHis Winter?looK into tHe loW-inCoMe HoMe enerGY AssistAnCe ProGrAM (LIHEAP) provides money to help low-income homeowners and renters pay for heating costs. If your heat is included in your rent, you may still apply for LIHEAP. For more information, call 800-452-4668 or (207) 626-4600 [email protected], and visit mainehousing.org. • need helP Paying For eleCtriCity? Contact the Community Action Program Agency, or call Betsy Mansir at 207-626-4603.


“Serving Greater Portland Since 1980”

104 Washington Avenue • Portland, Maine 04101 • (207) [email protected]

Congratulations to all of tonights Award Winners!104 Washington Avenue • Portland, ME 04101 • 207.773.8198

www.dalerandprinting.com

observer ad.indd 1 9/18/2009 8:37:35 AM

CHESTER & VESTAL, P.A.ATTORNEYS AT LAW

Over 30 years of service to Munjoy HillREAL ESTATE • SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY

JUVENILE DEFENSE • PROBATE, WILLS AND ESTATES

107 CONGRESS STREET • PORTLAND, MAINE 04101

(207) 772-7426 | www.chesterandvestal.com

Documents

March 2015 Munjoy Hill Observer