1MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER October 2015

By Matthew Kennedy, MHNO

[This article is part of a series on the proposed redevelopment of 58 Fore Street (the Portland Company complex)]

In the Observer’s April, 2015 issue we provided an overview of the historic preservation designation process as it pertains to the proposed redevelopment of 58 Fore street. On June 24, following two site visits, review and consideration of three substantive reports, lengthy delib-eration, and public comment, the historic Preservation board voted unanimously to recommend estab-lishment of an historic district of approximately 4.3 acres encompass-ing the historic core of the Portland Company site. Of the 15 buildings located within this zone, the histor-ic Preservation board proposed that 8 be designated as “contributing”

to the district, which would place them under additional protection and oversight. Among these eight buildings is building 1, also known as the erecting shop, a designation opposed by the property owners.

On september 8 the Planning board was poised to debate the his-toric Preservation board’s recom-mendation and to forward its own recommendation to the City Coun-cil. At the eleventh hour, however, the issue was tabled at the request of the property owners, who appealed for more time to perform additional structural and code analyses on building 1. Given this unexpected pause, it seems fitting that we take a closer look at this structure, as the debates surrounding the erect-ing shop throw into high relief the many tensions inherent in the his-toric preservation process.

As noted in April, “historic preser-vation is a delicate balancing act. Apply it with too light a touch and the city risks losing valuable histori-cal resources to market and other pressures; err in the opposite direc-tion and we restrict opportunities for adaptive reuse (and therefore an economic basis for restoration and preservation), while potentially im-peding other sorts of urbanistic ben-efits and goals.” This balancing act involves the weighting of values – historical, architectural, economic, urbanistic – that may be mutually reinforcing or conflicting depend-ing on the specific circumstances. At building 1 the weighting of these values is particularly fraught, and the relationship between them par-ticularly complex.

regarding historical value, build-ing 1 is almost 100 years old (it was erected in 1918), and it forms a major component of the distinc-tive “linear manufacturing path”

that characterizes the complex; it is where locomotives and other large complex products underwent final assembly. On the other hand, the building replaces an earlier, 19th century building, and it postdates by some decades the original core of the complex. Architecturally the erecting shop typifies industrial/manufacturing building practices common in the early 20th century, but now rarely preserved. however, the building has undergone substan-tial modification, most notably to its primary façade, and the building’s removal would reveal the aestheti-cally superior façade of the oldest building in the complex (building 2, the Machine shop, c. 1847). eco-nomically, building 1 may present opportunities for adaptive reuse. but as two reports on structural condi-tion make clear, the building is in badly degraded condition and any such reuse would require significant renovation at significant expense.

Finally there is the matter of ur-banistic values. In recent weeks

the property owners have released a number of conceptual renderings depicting one possible approach to the redevelopment of the Portland Company’s open entrance yard and adjacent property. building 1 is absent from these renderings, its footprint subsumed into a broad, stepped pedestrian plaza connecting Fore street to the waterfront, and framed by earlier Portland Com-pany façades. Development of such a plaza would satisfy many of the tenets of the Master Plan for the re-development of the eastern Water-front – improved pedestrian circula-tion, access to the waterfront, and so on. Of course, historic preservation and adaptive reuse are also tenets of the Master Plan. In addition, for now these conceptual renderings are just that.

how, then, does one weight these competing values to forge a compro-mise satisfactory to all stakeholders? Working our way backward, let’s

See page 15, Portland ComPany

See page 11, food truCk trend

Inside ••• PAGE 2: MHNO Contact Info, At the Helm, Jay Norris ••• PAGE 3: From the Editor, Lisa Peñalver, MHNO Bulletin Board ••• PAGE 4: Meet the Board/ Bios ••• PAGE 5: Non-Profit Spirits Alive, Letters to the Editor, Halloween Tale, Police Contacts ••• PAGE 6: Ranked-Choice Voting, Stormwater Credit

••• PAGE 7: MoneyProf, Portland Playback Theater ••• PAGE 10: CAPITAL & CITy: Justin Alfond on Childhood Hunger, AARP Open House, Mama’s CrowBar-Essay ••• PAGE 11: Food Truck Trend, EE Wastewater Treatment Facility Upgrade, At Home on Munjoy Hill, Living with Peace ••• PAGE 12-14: Events Listings, Crossword Puzzle

••• PAGE 13: Eastern Cemetery Juneteenth Event, Sudoku ••• PAGE 14: EECS School News, Growing Together, MHNO Sponsor recognition ••• PAGE 15: Friends of the Eastern Promenade Annual Meeting Info.

Non Profit OrgUS Postage

PAIDPortland, ME

Permit No. 824

PROACTIVE. ACCOUNTABLE. RESPONSIVE.LIVES AND WORKS IN DISTRICT 1

BrandonElect

City CouncilMazer

PAID FOR AND AUTHORIZED BY BRANDON MAZER, 45 EASTERN PROM., UNIT 3F, PORTLAND, ME.Bran

donM

azer.com

Balancing Past and Present, Part 2:

the Portland company’s “Building 1”

MHNO General Membership Meeting and Candidates Meet & GreetThe Munjoy hill neighborhood Organization is hosting a general membership meeting and candidates’ night, 7:00 pm., on tuesday, October 20, 2015, at the east end Community school, north street on Munjoy hill. Join the MhnO and get to know the Candidates for the District 1 City Council seat Join the MhnO as we hear from Candidates for the District 1 City Council seat left vacant by Kevin Donoghue, who is stepping down.

By Sasha R. Salzberg, Co-Founder, bild ARCHITECTUREPortland’s neighborhood organizations are invited to take part in a free community forum at UsM’s Portland campus on Sat-urday, October 3rd, 2015. the event, The Challenge of Change: Are We Loving Portland to Death? is hosted by Creative Portland, the Portland society for architec-ture and Growsmart Maine. the goal of this one-day community forum is to gain new perspectives, learn new approaches, and participate in community discussions about growth and change in Portland. Please join

your colleagues, neighbors and friends to share your love for Portland. Keynote speaker: Mayor Esther Manheimer of asheville, north Carolina. Event will in-clude a panel discussion, and afternoon breakout sessions to cover more focused is-sues. End the day with a candidates forum and a reception of cider and donuts! FMI:www.facebook.com/events/936835393043025/. register for the free event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-challenge-of-change-tick-ets-18398008940.

OCT 3: The Challenge Of Change: are We lOving POrTland TO deaTh?

At left, Fishin’ Ships food truck owners, Arvid Brown (left) and Sam Gorelick talk with Jesse Duepree while parked along the Eastern Promenade. Deupree is a Munjoy Hill resident and regular customer of the fish and chips truck.

Portland’s growing Food truck trend Keeps on rollingthanks to east end support By Jay Norris

It’s stIll tOO eArly to tell if Portland’s growing number of food trucks is here to stay, but operators of the city’s most popular mobile food providers say, if the summer of 2015 is any indicator, their future’s as bright as pickled relish and a fresh wax-job.

Working to navigate their way through a business model still new to the region and through city restrictions on where and how they operate, many owners of the city’s mobile eateries say Munjoy hill and the surrounding east end has embraced the trend, which has proven successful from seattle, Washington to the cramped grid of Manhattan streets. While Portland is

There’s still time to tour the Portland Observatory! It’s open daily until Oct. 12, 2015: 10 am – 5 pm. http://portlandlandmarks.org/observatory/

Munjoy Hill

OBSERVER1979 – 2015

FREE • Published by the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization • Vol. 35, No. 9 • October 2015

2 October 2015 MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

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

(MHNO) 92 Congress Street

Portland, Maine 04101info@munjoyhill.org

Editor: Lisa PeñalverobsErvEr@munjoyhill.org

(207) 272-5962

obsErvEr CommittEEJay Norris, Tamera Edison, Ross Fields,

Lisa Peñalver

advErtisingRoss Fields

ross.Fields@munjoyhill.org (207) 233-4327

Tamera Edison tamera.edison@munjoyhill.org

(207) 939-7998

Lisa Peñalver, Layout & Design observer@munjoyhill.org

(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 2015-16Munjoy Hill neighborhood organization

Jay Norris, President .................... jay.norris@munjoyhill.org

Sean Turley, Vice President .................. sean.turley@munjoyhill.org

Colin Apse .......... colin.apse@munjoyhill.org

Linda Bancroft ..............linda.bancroft@munjoyhill.org

Ned Chester ..................ned.chester@munjoyhill.org

Doug Fillmore ...............doug.fillmore@munjoyhill.org

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

Matthew Kennedy ........ matthew.kennedy@munjoyhill.org

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

Molly McCarthy ............ molly.mccarthy@munjoyhill.org

Nini McManamy ........... nini.mcmanamy@munjoyhill.org

Lindsay Rowe ............... Lindsay.rowe@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.

MHNO President, Jay NorrisAt the helm

WIth A bOArD comprised primarily of new members, new leadership, and a growing membership, I’m happy and proud to say we’ve been addressing many of the fundamental is-sues essential to keeping the MhnO moving forward. With a change in leadership comes op-portunities to reassess and improve, to set new priorities and to tackle lingering challenges. In doing so, we’ve begun to address many ques-tions that face us, both new and longstanding. some of those questions were fairly easy while others more complex and rife with conflicts be-tween what the heart wants, and what is best to maintain a near 40-year old organization in desperate need of transition and a more trans-parent relationship with its community.

In the coming weeks, our board will continue to address even tougher issues; issues such as how effective we are at engaging our com-munity, what programs we need to initiate to better serve our neighborhood and advocate for on its behalf, and taking another look at our mission and purpose statements to de-termine if our core efforts are in line with a community that has grown and changed dra-matically, just in the past four years.

One of those decisions has been perhaps the toughest, the nearest and dearest to our col-lective heart: The Munjoy Hill Observer. We love it. It is the voice not only of our orga-nization, but also of our neighborhood and the surrounding community. It is a living, breathing piece of the fabric of Munjoy hill. The dedication of the people who work to produce it, to deliver it, to pay its bills, sell its ads and make decisions on its operation rep-resent the very best of what community effort is all about. I’m proud to be a part of it all.

Despite our love of the Observer however, there comes the inevitable time to assess its

success, its place in both our organization and in the community. For some time now, we’ve realized that the paper has transitioned from the original labor of love it was, into a bona fide business. That business requires em-ployees, volunteer effort and, at times, a coor-dination that feels like that of the normandy landing. It takes work, and a lot of it. so much work and time in fact that it impacts our abil-ity to serve the neighborhood by taking away much of the Organization’s ability to focus on other aspects of our mission. And despite all that work, and the support we receive from our advertisers and business partners through sponsorship, the amount of money required to publish in its current state far exceeds that which it generates. We’re a poor organization, and the Observer has been the major portion of our financial lifeblood. but the annual loss to the organization, both in focus and in money, dictates that we must now make the tough decision to decide how to make it work better, run more smoothly, and speak to and on behalf of a changing community.

In the coming weeks, we’ll begin the pro-cess of taking a break from publication of the Munjoy Hill Observer. This decision was a difficult one, but it should not be interpret-ed as retiring the paper. Quite the opposite. Over the last several weeks we have formed a small committee to look at how the paper is currently managed, how it’s viewed, the costs it requires and the difficulties we have each month to pay its bills. The outcome of those discussions is what leads us to make this decision.

but, it doesn’t end there, and thAt’s the exciting part!

Over the next few months, the Observer vision & transition Committee will begin to discuss

what our community newspaper should look like and how it should grow; who its readers are and what medium is best suited for its pub-lication. What should the content be and how best to manage its pro-

duction, how we get a bigger bang for our ad-vertisers’ buck in order to support their effort while supporting our mission. We’ll discuss, and decide on what it looks like, how it feels and, most importantly, when it will awaken from its nap into something new, better and that serves all of us.

The decision to tackle this challenge was a big one and not entirely unanimous within our Observer production team, but the tough deci-sions are never easy, and will always hurt feel-ings and bruise hearts. Changing times, new neighbors, and a greater focus on those who have been here the longest have helped us real-ize that change begins not just in words, but also in action.

In the coming days we will be reaching out to many of our advertisers personally to notify them of our schedule and to let them know the break does not mean we’re going away entirely. We’ll also be updating our membership more directly and engaging them through updates and calls for input as the process of creating ‘Observer 2.0’ gets underway.

We love our neighbors and our community and we wouldn’t be here without your support and that of our Observer advertisers. That’s why we wanted you to know early, transparently and in the spirit of community and partnership. We’re looking forward to the challenge ahead and making the Munjoy hill neighborhood Organization even stronger.

Warmly,Jay Norris, President

Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization

An important message to our members, neighbors and business partners of the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood

Organization & Munjoy Hill Observer newspaper: It’s been A very exCItInG time for the Munjoy hill neighborhood Organization these last few months.

the sIGns are everywhere, lit-erally. More than a full month before Portland voters head back to the polls, this time to choose a small slate of elected officials, in-cluding City Council members and Mayor, our boulevards and green spaces are a sea of political advertisements, blasting the names of one candidate or another. I no-tice few indicate exactly why we’re to choose one over the other, only the names appear. More times than not, the prospective voter re-ferred to the candidate’s website by Urls centered neatly below those names. long gone are the sidewalk soapboxes and street-corner poli-ticking where voters could shout questions in hopes of unfiltered answers; just the signs, thank you very much. And the favored color scheme this year? A safe blue-and-white. I’ve noticed that too.

In recent weeks I’ve had the plea-

sure of having Mayor Michael brennan visit our home, spending nearly two hours with us, talking-up his agenda, accomplishments, hopes and dreams for a second term. Obviously a brilliant, re-spected man whose heart beats for all things Portland. sadly, it was my first and only visit with him, and I fear the last since the ears of elected officials are as fleeting as the campaign cycles that summon them. And that bothers me, it al-ways has.

In the weeks to come, we’ll be blinded by campaign signs, fol-lowed by brief bursts of sidewalk waving and newspapers ads, which will soon graduate into television commercials during the evening dinner hours. The words will be promising and, no doubt, well in-tended. but what I’ll be looking for, in between the lines, are the candidates who show promise be-

yond the season of voting. Our neighbors who’ve tossed their hats into the ring, not for what-ever perks local elected office brings, but to participate in real change, and who’ll not forget to wave to the same people and walk the same side streets dur-ing the coming three years that they do now. I need someone pres-ent to represent me. I insist on it.

When I walk our streets and side-walks now, I think about the May-oral and City Council candidates who in recent years have made the trek up, down and across Munjoy hill, and I wonder why I’ve not seen them doing so since. Perhaps they have and I’ve simply missed it, but I’ve not received a visit or phone call from a City Coun-cilor in over two years time, and I wonder where they’ve been and why they’re so quiet, as our streets worsen, our fees and taxes become

higher, our sidewalks become more hazardous and, in many spots, downright embarrassing.

In the coming weeks, we’ll have plenty of time to vet the ones who wish to take on the challenges at City hall, and a few there already who wish to stay. Finding them now is the easy part. but before we vote, figuring out who among them will vaporize come mid-no-vember, and who will be present in the years to come may be the big-gest decision of all.

3MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER October 2015

As FAll DesCenDs, the east end will be seeing a bevy of new faces on the streets. Most of the condos and renovated homes that we have been watching evolve over the past few years are now completed and many new neighbors have moved in. to you, new neighbor, I want to extend a warm welcome!

One of the many things I have discovered through the process of producing this paper for the MhnO is how many caring and wonderful people inhabit this place. My job has put me out there, and given me an excuse to walk up to people and ask questions. even our ad reps have got-ten into the act, because in the course of looking for businesses to participate in the newspaper, they tap into the neighborhood grapevine, and they are often the first ones to hear about emerging issues on the hill.

Munjoy hill has a rich history and a diverse population – this is part of what makes it so special. Of course, we have this amazing location, but it’s the people who put us over-the-top. It’s all about relationships.

It takes time to appreciate the complexities and eccentricities of this place. In many ways, it is like one of those dot-pictures, where at first all you see is a riot of color and

chaos. but if you sit with it for a while, relax and observe, a scene will emerge.

With newcomers who love their new neighborhood, there can be a tendency to immediately want to jump in and “improve things”. I have seen this hap-pen in every small community in which I’ve ever lived. There’s always a risk that such well-intentioned efforts might not sit well with longer-term residents. There’s no harm in taking a bit of time to get to know the place, your neigh-bors, and the personality of the commu-nity. you’ll find it’s well worth the wait.

Editor, Lisa Peñalver

Join the Munjoy Hill

Neighborhood Organization

neW MeMbershIP reneWAl

name(s)

street Address _____________________________________________________

City _____________________________________ state ______ Zip _________

email (for MhnO updates) __________________________________________

Day Phone (____) _______________ eve Phone (____) ____________________

Membership Levels

Individual: $20 Family: $35

Additional Donation

$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 circumstances. 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!

PLeAse senD this forM, ALong with your check, to:

mHno, 92 Congress street, Portland, Me 04101

Questions? email info@munjoyhill.org or visit munjoyhill.org

Welcome to the MHNO!Oct. 2015

VoLunteer for a committee!

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

New Neighbors, Welcome to Munjoy Hill!

so now What?You’re Here, Everyone’s on Munjoy Hill for a reason. Maybe you grew up on these quiet streets and never wanted to leave. Maybe you went away, only to have the Hill call you home again, or maybe you’re a newcomer who realized a good thing when you saw it. It’s a great place to live!

That’s why the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization needs YOU!We’re looking for a few good men and women for a few very important committees, driving some incredibly important projects. Take a look at what we’re doing, reach out, and help make a great place to live even better!

Safe & livable Committee – Helping to advocate for the neighborhood, identifying the issues that keep us safe and make the East End a more livable, healthy and happy place to live. From working with city leaders to advising the Board of Directors to identifying future community needs, this committee is what drives our founding principals and it needs you, now!

eventS Committee – Coordinating and implementing community events and activities that the MHNO sponsors or develops—big, fun events like our annual & quarterly membership meetings, fundraisers, com-munity cleanup days and more. There’s no way this committee isn’t interesting, and it can benefit from what and who you know! If you like planning events, or ever wanted to, jump on in and join the fun!

atHome on munjoy Hill – Who doesn’t have the heart to help some of our most vulnerable and in-need neighbors? From assisting the great senior community on the Hill, to helping with light errands, such as stopping at the market for an elderly neighbor, or helping with dog walking. This is what community is all about. We could use a hand, and yours would be perfect!

Winter WarriorS – Not yet its own committee, but a start-up effort to continue to good work of an awesome neighbor. We’re a group of guys and gals who’ll respond to those icy, wintry emergencies facing some of our most vulnerable neighbors. Shoveling the walkway or steps for the elderly or infirm, keeping an eye out for those who may need friendly phone calls or short visits during the long winter months, and providing an easy, helping hand and a sunny smile on a gloomy day. Don’t just love thy neighbor, help shovel them out from time to time! Please join us!

To get involved in any of these great, worthy endeavors, or if you’d like to contribute in other ways, Please let us know!

email uS at info@munjoyHill.org

pho

to ©

Co

rey

tem

plet

on

the munjoy hill neighborhood organization

Get 1 Month FREEUse promo code: TRY430

For a limited time

* New customer activations only. $50 activation fee applies , refundable if Redzone broadband equipment is returned within the free trial period.

Try Redzone risk-free today!Visit redzonewireless.com/specialmjo or call 207-596-5700 to take advantage of this great offer.

High-Speed Internet

Better.Faster. Cheaper.

Better local Maine customer service. Faster than DSL.

Cheaper than cable Internet.

}Find Crossword puzzle on page 12

4 October 2015 MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

2015-2016 Meet the MHNO Board:

Find MHNO Bioard contact information in the masthead on page 2.

Jay Norris, President Jay relocated to Portland in the summer of 2013 with his partner, doug

where he worked both on Wall street as a banking technology consultant and

as a senior project manager and practice director for new York University’s

global campus network. Jay is a former vice president with Bankone/Chase

Manhattan and has served on previous boards including the louisiana Junior

Chamber of Commerce, acadiana C.a.r.E.s. HIV relief organization and aIds

Foundation Houston, among others.

Jay is a graduate of the University of Missouri, Columbia, holds multiple

professional certifications across technology practices and platforms and is

a senior risk and Business advisory Consultant in the Portland based firm

Baker, newman & noyes.

Elected as MHno President in May of 2015, Jay has made renewing

MHno’s mission and the community’s faith in the organization his primary

goals for the coming year. His focus on doing that will be strengthening com-

munity outreach, the kickoff of a capital campaign and increasing the overall

visibility of MHno though increased membership, direct dialogue with City

Hall and community services based on neighborhood needs.

Doug Filmore, Treasurer originally from Connecti-cut, doug has lived on Munjoy Hill with his partner since 2013. He has an academic background in russian studies and information systems. a former linguist for the U.s. navy, doug currently works as a content engineer for lexisnexis. In his free time he enjoys studying languages and learning to play the piano.

Linda Bancroftlinda is a fourth-generation Portland native who grew up on Munjoy Hill.

she lived here through the mid-’60 into the ’90s, returning in 2008. she

has a background in Business Continuity and Emergency Preparedness.

she started a property management company in 2008, President and Coo,

aquarius Property Management. she renovated a two-family home on the

Hill 2013-2015, where she lives and shares the property with her daughter,

son-in-law, and two grandchildren. she serves on the development Com-

mittee of Hospice of southern Maine, and GMrI. she says, “Fostering com-

munity on Munjoy Hill is my reason for joining MHno.”

Sarah LeVaun Graultysarah brings a background in architectural/landscape history and historic

preservation planning, and is particularly interested in the ways in which a

community accommodates contemporary needs while respecting historic

character. she moved to Munjoy Hill from Vermont in 2013, and is grateful to

have landed in such a welcoming and dynamic community.

Elise LoschiavoElise has lived on the Hill for over 10 years and is an associate Broker with

Vitalius real Estate Group. she and her wife, Morgan, purchased a 3-family

home on north street a couple years ago, putting down roots and solidifying

their commitment to our all-time favorite neighborhood. Elise previously

worked for Portland’s downtown district marketing and producing events for

the old Port and arts district. In the remainder of her “free” time, she serves

on the boards of Portland Buy local and 2 degrees Portland. she has a Bs in

the Music Industry from northeastern University, and once toured the West

Coast with Jewel (yes, the pop star!).

Nini MacManamynini has lived on Munjoy Hill for 3 decades. she is retired from her work with

the teachers’ Union and in horticulture. a Master Gardener, she volunteers

for local gardening projects and for the long Creek Youth development

Center. nini loves to play outdoors and, over the past 20 years, has served

on the Board of the MHno in a variety of roles—as president, secretary,

treasurer and member. she sees City services and the coming revaluation, as

well as gentrification, to be top concerns for the Hill. she is up to her ears in

the Yes on #2 campaign to preserve the Hill’s view of the working waterfront

and harbor.

Joan SheedyJoan has been a Board member for over 9 years; she is a retired Home

Health aide, and has lived on Munjoy Hill for almost fif teen years. Joan sees

the Munjoy Hill community as one big family whose members are all willing

to help each other and to work together in pursuit of common goals. In

addition to participating in the MHno, Joan is also keeps current with many

other activities across Portland, such as City Hall affairs. Independently, Joan

set up the senior Free snow shoveling Program, connecting volunteers in the

community with low-income seniors and the disabled so that their sidewalks

could be kept safe, and so that they would not incur costly City fines for

failing to clear the walkways in front of their homes she has coordinated this

free service for the past 9 years.

Sean Turley, Vice PresidentI first came to Maine to visit colleges and almost immediately realized that I had found my home. I grew up outside Chicago and always dreamed of living near the ocean. Waking up on the hill each morning to walk the dog and to see the breathtaking prom is truly a blessing. I joined the board in early 2014 because I wanted to contribute a voice towards keeping the hill economically accessible for years to come. I work locally as a high school history teacher.

Colin ApseColin has lived on the Hill for 6 years and - with his partner rachelle - is raising

two young kids that he hopes will grow up benefitting from a safe and vibrant

Munjoy Hill culture. He was attracted to the neighborhood by the great mix of

outdoor access, quiet streets, and access to wonderful restaurants and other

public venues. Colin supports conservation and sustainable development efforts

in Kenya, tanzania, Zambia and Gabon through his position as african Freshwa-

ter Conservation director at the nature Conservancy. Colin hopes that MHno

can help keep the Hill an attractive place to raise a family, while maintaining its

amenities for all age groups.

Ned Chesterned Chester has resided with his family on Munjoy Hill, and practiced law with his

spouse, Barbara Vestal on Congress street since 1977. ned’s practice has focused

on representing juvenile defendants. ned’s community work has included service

on state-wide and national boards, including Maine’s Juvenile Justice advisory

Group, the Federal advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice, and the national Co-

alition for Juvenile Justice. ned was a co-founder of Kids’ legal aid. ned was one

of the founders and the first elected president of the MHno. He will advocate for

the MHno to address the needs of the children who live and attend school in the

neighborhood.

Matthew KennedyMatthew and his wife, lori Parham, moved to Munjoy Hill in January 2012; he be-

came a board member in 2013. Matthew and lori enjoy Munjoy Hill’s vibrant and

distinct local culture, which brings the feeling of a small town to the edge of the

larger city. Matthew has a background in architectural history and urbanism and

welcomes the opportunity to help sustain and fortify this culture as the neighbor-

hood continues to evolve and grow.

Lindsay Rowe lindsay rowe is a Portland native who currently works at Unum. lindsay brings

to the board a creative spirit, a passion for protecting Munjoy Hill’s neighborhood

atmosphere, preserving its cultural identity and history, and ensuring that Portland

is a place where young people can find jobs and housing.

Molly McCarthy, Molly McCarthy, works at CIEE (Council on International Education Exchange) as

an account Manager. Molly is currently serving as secretary and chairwoman of

the events committee on the MHno board. Molly has lived on the Hill for over 8

years and is passionate about community engagement. she is hoping to encour-

age young professionals and new families living on the East End to get involved

MHno activities.

Megan SummersMegan summers has lived in Portland for about 9 years, first up on north st, and

now on Cumberland ave. she grew up In Chatham Ma, although she’s also lived

in newburyport Ma, redstone, and Breckenridge Co. Megan has worked with

children in some capacity ever since she entered the working world. Megan cur-

rently works with toddlers and preschoolers at the Falmouth Elementary school

Childcare. “I love Portland and am so glad I made the move here. I am very ac-

tive; love to hike, snowshoe, walk, and play field hockey. I spend as much time as

I can outside. I also love to read.

Sarah LeVaun Graulty

5MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER October 2015

THE BLACK DOG OF HARKNESS (A halloween tale)

By Lynn Cullen, Storyteller by Day, Spirit Guide by Night!

there Is A MAss GrAve on the eastern Promenade, at the bot-tom of Quebec street. engraved onto a plaque are the names of the 21 American soldiers, prisoners of the british during the War of 1812, who died of disease and were buried there. If not for the black Dog, it might have been 22.The british warship hMs regulus had anchored in Casco bay under a flag of truce in order to offload 24 of the sickest prisoners. Dr. Angus Cof-fin was in charge of transporting the men to the hospital. As the last man was being carried off, he grasped Coffin’s hand. “help me,” he said. “We will do all we can,” said Coffin.The man gasped, “My name is rich-ard harkness. Beware the Black Dog!” The doctor dismissed his words as fe-ver ravings, and the man was borne away. but when Coffin turned to-ward the ship, he saw a large black shape leap ashore, and lope away. That night, as the doctor walked among the beds, he heard mournful howls outside. he looked out, and there stood a monstrous black dog. steaming saliva drooled from its mouth. Its glowing red eyes looked directly into his, and Coffin shud-dered. The next morning, one man was dead. harkness called to the Doc-tor.“ Did you see the black Dog?” “your pet?” said Coffin.

“no, God help me. Promise me you’ll send my body back to my fa-ther in virginia.”“I cannot promise anything.”“Please! If you do not, all of these men will die.”every night the black dog howled outside the window. every morning, another man was dead. At last only 4 men still lived. One of them was harkness.“tell me what to do,” said Coffin.“The dog is part of an ancient fam-ily curse. A great-uncle dealt in the dark arts and invited unspeakable evil into our lives. When my grand-father left england for virginia, the black Dog followed him. When I die, you must ship my body to my father. Only then will the black Dog depart.”“And if I don’t?”“Then it will come for you. Do you

promise?”“yes,” said Coffin.harkness died in the morning. Though it was highly irregular, Cof-fin had harkness’ body packed into a barrel filled with brine, and put aboard the next ship to virginia.For a while, Coffin lived in fear. There was a war on. What if the ship sank? he waited to hear from harkness’ father. he watched for the black Dog. but he never heard from either.years later, Doctor Coffin lay dying at the age of 92. Only then did he conclude that the keg of harkness and brine must have reached its final destination.

~~~The enD~~~

Contact Storyteller Lynne Cullen at thetwacorbies@yahoo.com or 253-0288, she lives right on Munjoy Hill. www.lyn-necullen.com

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 Policing2) 650-9005 cell: 11 am thru the night, Senior Lead Officer3) 874-8575/-8574: Dispatch/non-emergency events4) EmErgEnCiEs: 9-1-1

Clip and save these numbers!

anonymous CrimEs tips program:phone tip—dial 874-8584 | online: tipsubmit.comtext-a-tip: Text “GOTCHA” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES)

http://en.seeclickfix.com/appshttp://seeclickfix.com/portland_2

the nOn-PrOFIt GrOUP spirits Alive will again be offer-ing their popular “Walk Among the shadows” (WAts) event this October in eastern Cemetery. This year’s theme is, “The bombardment of Falmouth, 1775.” Actors from Acorn Productions will portray some of Portland’s 1775 citizens who experienced the bombardment and are now buried there. The per-formance is based on actual events. “The bombardment of Falmouth” by lynne Cullen and Michael levine seeks to engage the audience in a more interactive way that pres-ents the story in the form of a play in 4 scenes , and a monologue.

Audience members familiar with the WAts format will continue their experience of being led through the eastern Cemetery by “spectres”, en-countering each scene at a different location within the graveyard. vol-unteer audience members will be cast in roles in the play that involve speaking a line or two.

Acorn Productions and spirits Alive offer this immersion in the narrative as a way of presenting history in a more dynamic fashion than in years past.

The event occurs at eastern Ceme-tery October 22, 23, 24, 28, 29 and 30, from 6:30 to 7:30. There will be a special twilight performance on sunday, Oct. 25 from 5:30 to 6:30. Audience groups are escorted through the cemetery by “spectres” and leave from the Congress street gate every 20 minutes during the event time on a first-come, first-served basis. Admission is $10 ($5 for under 12).

each Walk Among the shadows performance lasts about 50 minutes. The audience is cautioned to dress for outdoor weather. spirits Alive is a non-profit organization formed in 2006 dedicated to the preservation of eastern Cemetery. “Walk Among the shadows” is their largest fund-raiser. The eastern Cemetery, 224

Congress street, is Portland’s old-est graveyard, founded in 1668, and is on the list of national historic landmarks. half of all proceeds from this event go to spirits Alive to help accomplish their twin mission of education and preservation. half goes to Acorn Productions, a non-profit performing arts group.

Generous event sponsors include: Norway Savings Bank, Carlson & Turner Bookstore, Coffee By Design, Ferdinand’s, Otto Pizza, Maine Me-morial and Ocean Gate Realty. Walk Among the Shadows, “The Bombard-ment of Falmouth, 1775.” October 22-24 & 28-30, 2015 from 6:30PM to 7:30PM. Sunday, October 25, 2015 from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. Eastern Cemetery at 224 Congress Street, Port-land, Maine. $10 adults, $5 children under 12 years.

OPiniOn letterS to tHe editor

editor, friends and neighbors:

A yes on Question 2 will protect the last public panorama of our working harbor and provide very reasonable requirements for new developers. Don’t be taken in by the slick ads and smooth talk to the contrary.

The Question 2 referendum was carefully crafted to do three things: it creates a process to protect highly distinctive public viewpoints in the City; it protects the last public view of the working harbor from upper Fore street; and it requires anyone who applies for a zone change to provide a concept plan showing what will be done if the request is granted.

you have probably seen pretty drawings of a small portion of the site. Those drawings are nothing more than that. The City did not require the developer to submit a plan, so the developer is not bound by the pretty drawings. They are like the shiny objects a magician dangles before you to distract from what he is really trying to do.

And remember that this developer has every right to sell this prop-erty to some other developer who also could take advantage of the City’s wide-open zoning. like putting up a gated community, or building big box stores (yes, Wal-Mart is allowed).

The opponents spin out misinformation about absurdly dire conse-quences, ignoring the fact that the view preservation portion of the referendum affects less than 10% of the site. Protecting that view along Fore street is consistent with the commitment the City made to Munjoy hill residents in 2004. The referendum does not prevent responsible development. It has nothing to do with the construction of affordable housing or historic preservation. In fact, it is the devel-oper who has steadfastly refused to agree to the recommendations of the historic preservation experts.

send a message to the City that we are for responsible development, not development at any cost. We want the City to honor the com-mitment it made to its residents in 2004 to maintain the public’s panoramic view of the harbor, and to do a better job managing development proposals so that they will benefit city r residents.

—Ned Chester, Munjoy Hill Resident

Officer les smith has been with the Port-land Police Department since March of 1998. Prior to Portland, Officer

smith was with the south Portland Police Department for 10 years and served as a K9 officer for both departments.

some facts about Officer smith are:

• Crisis negotiation team 2003.• Island Officer at Peaks Island.• volunteer at the barbara bush Cancer Unit at Maine Medical

Center.• volunteer at the special Olympics.• Officer of the Month for April 2001.• volunteer for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.• self Defense Instructor for the Portland Police Department.• Multiple Awards and recognition letters throughout his career.

During Officer smith’s free time, he enjoys biking, hiking, working out, and spending time with his family. he has been a volunteer with the annual “shop with a Cop,” Christmas event. As reported by the Portland Press Herald: elementary school kids enter an essay contest “to have a police officer in a cruiser come to their neighborhood to pick them up for an outing — to their friends’ amazement.” “The department’s... focus on youths is to create positive interactions that pay off in good relationships later.” http://www.pressherald.com/2010/12/18/shop_2010-12-18/

Meet Munjoy Hill’s Senior Lead Officer, Les Smith

PAID FOR BY PORTLAND'S FUTURE. GEORGE CAMPBELL, TREASURER.

P.O. BOX 11117, PORTLAND, ME 04104.

VOTE NO ON Portland’s Question 2 ON NOVEMBER 3.

QUESTION 2 goes too far, preventing $200 million in economic development for Portland.

QUESTION 2 is so poorly written it will block the construction of more a�ordable housing across our city.

QUESTION 2 creates unfair hurdles that will stop the preservation of historic buildings across our city.

QUESTION 2 makes it harder to create good-paying jobs and an even stronger Portland.

QUESTION 2

YESNO

6 October 2015 MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

ranked choice Voting (rcV)–it’s about Voting Your Hopes, not Your Fears!By Dianne Russell, Maine House of Representatives and Munjoy Hill resident

thIs nOveMber, Portland will be voting for mayor using ranked Choice vot-ing (rCv), also known as Instant runoff voting (Irv). Unlike the current system where we can only choose one candidate, rCv allows voters to rank their candidates in order of preference. If there is no majority winner after the first round of counting,

the candidate with the least number of votes is eliminated. Their ballots are then cast for the voters’ second choice candidate. The process con-tinues until one candidate receives a majority.

The process sounds complicated, but I like to think of it in terms of ice cream. If I go up to the window with my heart set on Moose tracks, but they’re out, am I really going to give up on having a cone? Of course not! I might decide to have black raspberry or plain vanilla in-stead. In the voting booth, it’s super simple - just rank your candidates in order of preference.

While we are surrounded by choic-es in all areas of life, Maine’s cur-rent electoral system is designed to limit those choices to just one. In a two-party only system, that works well. however, Maine is noth-ing if not fiercely independent. In addition to the Green Party, the libertarian Party is attempting to form. Further, we have strong inde-pendent candidates who choose not to join any party, preferring instead to trust their own instincts, experi-ence and judgment.

limiting choice to just two can-didates may work well for the two major parties in power (including mine, the Democrats!). however, it severely limits our marketplace of ideas. Democracy works best when more ideas are brought to the table, debated rigorously and then voted on. rCv allows us to do that, without spoiling the election. It’s a clean way to ensure our elected offi-cials have the confidence - and vote - of a majority of their constituents.

Our current system of winner-takes-all allows a minority can-didate to win when competing against two similar candidates. We saw this happen in 2010, as well as 2014, and I respectfully sug-gest that hasn’t worked well for the broader interests of Maine people.

long before I’d even heard of the former mayor from Waterville, I’ve been working to advance this re-form because it just makes sense. last fall, former state senator Dick Woodbury (I-yarmouth) and I launched a citizen’s initiative to bring the idea before the people of Maine for a vote. The response was breathtaking. People imme-

diately “got it” and stepped up to help. In one week, we covered more than 100 polls and on election Day collected about 40,000 signatures. This Fall, we will be turning in our signatures and anticipate being on the statewide ballot in november 2016. We have a full campaign staff hosting fundraisers and education-al events in the farthest reaches of the state. to volunteer, go to www.rCvMaine.org or email me at di-anerussell207@gmail.com

At its core, this campaign isn’t about electoral systems, though. It’s about the heartbeat of democracy. If we win, Maine voters will be able to vote for their hopes instead of against their fears. From that phi-losophy, we can build a predictable, engaged, and responsive govern-ment that truly is of, for and by the people of Maine.

Want a stormwater service charge credit? apply now!new stormwater ordinance goes into effect january 1st, 2016

In adVanCE of the new stormwater service charge ordinance, which goes into effect on January 1, 2016, citizens can now start requesting stormwater credits via an application process. the City is beginning a soft launch of reviewing and accepting the credits in order to provide a seamless transition. the new stormwater service charge will value stormwa-ter in a more equitable way to achieve greater fairness in paying for sewer and stormwater costs. Instituting this new charge requires a change to the way that stormwater is billed and collected. Currently, stormwater is billed through the sewer fee and shows on the wa-ter bill sent by the Portland Water district (PWd), and remitted to the City monthly. With the initiation of the stormwater service charge, the City will bill and collect for stormwater services directly, while PWd will continue to bill for water and wastewater services. all properties with rooftops and paved areas are subject to the stormwater service charge, including government properties. Both residential and commercial properties pay the same rate, $6.00 per month per 1,200 square feet of impervious area. there will be a corresponding reduction in the sewer rate of approximately $1.50 per HCF that custom-ers will notice on their PWd bill. Citizens can calculate their stormwater service charge through the City’s online rate calculator.

What is a credit?

a stormwater credit is a conditional reduction in the amount of the stormwater service charge to developed land based on the implementation and on-going maintenance of effective stormwater management controls that reduce the impact of the property’s im-pervious area and thus the cost of providing service. the credit is applied only to the portion of a site’s treated impervious area.

How do you earn a credit?

staff in the Water resources division is available to provide guidance. Citizens should call 207-874-8462 to talk with a staff person and/or make an appointment to meet with an engineer. the credit program is focused on structural controls that reduce the impact of development on the stormwater drainage system. two broad categories of controls are recognized: water quality controls and flood controls. Credits are available for residential properties and non-residential properties. to get a credit, a structural control needs to be built and a credit needs to be applied for with the City of Portland department of Public services.

For more information about credits available to residents and businesses, see the storm-water Credit Manual. all stormwater credit application forms and a thorough explanation of the credit application process for residents and commercial applicants can be found on the City’s Water resources website.

Portland’s sewer system includes 87 miles of sanitary sewer and 136 miles of combined sewer with 6,120 sewer manholes and 26 wastewater pump stations. Working together, we can help keep Portland’s water clean.

7MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER October 2015

Ask the Money Prof By Joel I. Gold

Portland Playback theatre celebrates ten Years By Marcia Pitcher, Miunjoy Hill Resident and Business Owner

With Low Interest Rates, How Do I Build a Suitable Retirement Income Portfolio?WhAt A ChAllenGInG time this has been for retirees that are seeking good retirement income streams. The last time the 10-year treasury bond hit 5% was in January 2003. It is currently in the area of 2.7%. rates are expected to increase which would make long-term bond prices risky to invest in.

Conservative investors like treasuries because they do not have any default risk and interest on these bonds is secure. The problem is low yields resulting in low interest payments. so, what are the alternatives for generating adequate income yields?

to begin with, investors must determine their risk tolerance, income needs and overall returns. It is very important that investors consider risk-adjusted performance, looking at downside risk along with future returns. successful investors diversify their portfolios to reduce portfolio risk. Alternative investment examples in the financial markets that provide income include the following:

• short- and Intermediate-term investment-grade corporate bonds (funds)

• short and Intermediate term high yield bonds (funds)

• short and intermediate term government bond (funds)

• short and intermediate term municipal bond (funds)

• Preferred stock (funds)

• high dividend equity stock funds (domestic and global)

• equity option funds

• high dividend yielding common stock

• Convertible bond funds

• real estate investment trusts (reIts)

Make sure you speak to your investment professional about the risks of each, and how to weight the portfolio and best income withdrawal strategies.

College professor and financial adviser Joel I. Gold is the owner of the Gold Com-pany, 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.

IF yOU hAven’t experienced Portland Playback Theatre, you’re missing out on a rich experience. The cast invites the audience to share stories around a particular theme. A conductor helps the teller by asking significant questions that help to shape the story for the actors. The five actors then improvise the “playback” of the story spontaneously without prior discussion or planning. This can be hilarious or poignant depending on the story shared.

At the core of Playback theater is community. They are the 21st century version of the campfire. A great performance is a perfect marriage of teller and ac-tor. A fundamental premise of all playback theater is to honor the teller by truthfully representing his or her story. Actors rehearse and practice different theatrical “forms”, one of which is selected by the conductor for the particular story that is told. PPt started when Artistic Director, David lagraffe had the opportunity to see another Playback Theater

Performance. he quickly fell in love with it and started the company that has been around for the past ten years. Portland Playback Theater has given performances for a bunch of different audiences in-cluding “The Center for Grieving Children, Unity Church, seeds of Peace and many more. They also have a regular performance on First Fridays at the Ctn5 studio.

The tenth Anniversary performance, aptly named, “ten, ten” will take place on October 10 at the rhines Auditorium in the Portland Public library at 7 PM. tickets are (you guessed it) $10. you can purchase tickets from any company member or fol-low this link to brown Paper tickets. http://port-landplayback.brownpapertickets.com seating is limited, so act soon. visit: http://portlandplayback.com/

10 October 2015 MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

A Loss in the Munjoy hiLL FAMiLy:

Mama’s CrowBar

Hundreds Attend AARP Maine Open House in Portland

By Jane Margesson, AARP Maine Communications DirectorOn September 3rd, AARP Maine celebrated the recent relocation of our office to downtown Portland with an open house at 53 Baxter Blvd. at-tended by over 300 guests including AARP Maine staff and volunteers, state legislators, Mayor Michael Brennan, and representatives from state agencies and Congressional of-fices. In addition to enjoying the opportunity to meet new staff and volunteers, guests were invited to share their ideas concerning the next legislative session and 2016 elections.

The open house served as the perfect occasion for AARP Maine to hear from members, their families, state representatives and many community leaders regarding issues of concern as we head into the next election cycle. The fact that so many of our neigh-bors and friends were in attendance shows how important it is for us to

continue to work together toward commonsense solutions for Mainers 50+ and their families.

After a long, challenging legislative session, AARP Maine is proud of many successful results which will have a positive impact for Mainers in 2015 and in the years to come. One highlight is the passage of the CARE Act which was sponsored by Repre-sentative Drew Gattine (D-West-brook), a featured speaker at the open house. The CARE Act goes into ef-fect on October 15th and supports family caregivers both when loved ones are admitted to a hospital and following their hospital discharge.

As Representative Gattine noted, the vast majority of older Americans want to live independently at home. According to AARP’s latest “Valu-ing the Invaluable” report, there are more than 178,000 family caregivers in Maine who help their loved ones to live independently – keeping them

out of costly institutions. Gattine stated that he is “proud to have spon-sored such important legislation to support Maine’s caregivers.”

A second law that AARP Maine in-troduced which will go into effect on October 15th is the Security Freeze, sponsored by Senator Rodney Whit-temore (R-Skowhegan). The Secu-rity Freeze will help Mainers pro-tect themselves from identity theft through the ability to place a freeze on their credit reports at no cost. Da-vid Leach, Principal Examiner at the Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection, spoke about the new law: “Placing a freeze on your credit report prevents consumer reporting agencies from releasing your information to a third party. This is one of the most effective ways to keep your sensi-tive information safe from identity thieves.”

We have also been working with lo-cal cities and towns to join the AARP

Network of Age-Friendly Communi-ties program. The Network is a tool that can be used by AARP staff and others to help local leaders prepare and ultimately change their com-munities to become great places for everyone to live regardless of age. Portland was the first city in Maine to join the Network, which Mayor Michael Brennan noted during his speech at the open house:

“I’m delighted to welcome AARP Maine back to downtown Portland with their new location on Baxter Boulevard,” said Mayor Michael Brennan. “I’m proud that Port-land was the first city in Maine to sign on as a participant in AARP’s Age-Friendly Communities Initia-tive. This is a 5-year program that is examining cities and towns across the country to determine how user-friendly and livable the city is to peo-ple as they age. I look forward to con-tinuing our work with AARP Maine

to ensure that Portland is an attrac-tive city for residents as they age.”

By all accounts, the event was a great success and we thank all our guests for joining us to both celebrate this work and to share with us their con-cerns and ideas as we turn our atten-tion to 2016.

For more information about AARP’s work in Maine, our volunteer op-portunities and legislative initiatives please visit www.aarp.org/me or call 1-866-554-5380.

By Matthew Kennedy

MAMA’S CROWBAR closed for the last time on September 7th. The bar opened a few hours early that day and stayed busy; reporters and photographers came and went. The place always had a distinct collective spirit, but on this last day one felt even a bit more connection among strangers, a tacit acknowledgement of shared experience coming to an end; a celebratory sadness. Or maybe that’s just how I imagined it, or how I want to remember it; it’s been a few days now. Unusual for Mama’s CrowBar, few if any patrons were reading, or writing. Instead, conversations returned over and over to the bar itself, hosting its own wake that night.

I’m no expert on Mama’s CrowBar. I missed the early years completely, and weeks or months often passed between visits – cause for regret now. I was asked “have you been here be-fore?” by the bartenders more often than I can remember (more on that below), and I had the pleasure of chatting with Tricia precisely three times. Certainly no regular would have considered me a regular.

That said, I loved the place.

“Have you been here before?” It wasn’t a challenge; it was just the sim-plest check that the basic commercial rules – beer only, cash only – were known and acknowledged. The “beer only” model was important I think; the absence of hard liquor likely made a third “rule” of sorts less of a con-

straint, and easier to enforce. I’m not sure this third “rule” – maybe “norm” is a better term – was ever codified; I never saw it posted in the bar, or heard it spoken. But it seemed to be understood. It was sublime and sim-ple and was, more or less, “don’t be obnoxious.”

“Don’t be obnoxious.” Simple, right?

But a lot flowed from that. Sure, the space was welcoming – cozy but nev-er claustrophobic. The beer was excel-lent, and affordable. Local artists of all sorts were given opportunities to display or perform their work. But for many of us, it was foremost a place to share a beer with good neighbors and good people, secure in the knowledge

that the latent boorish-ness and aggression and chaos of so many bars just didn’t exist there; or, if it somehow got lost on the way to Wharf Street, it wouldn’t be tolerated for long.

I hope the sign from over the door finds a good home – it’s prob-ably too much to hope that it’ll hang over some other door on the Hill

one day. I wonder who ended up with the KISS candle holder that sat on a shelf behind the bar, and the great “crows drinking” painted banner from the back wall, and the piano. I’m glad I left a dollar on the karmic beer board because, well, karma I guess. And I wish Mama’s CrowBar was still part of the neighborhood.

Goal: End childhood hunger in MaineIT’S FALL, and Portland Public Schools have welcomed students back to the classroom. The start of the school year is an exciting time for every community, a

time many of us look upon fondly. But while most students are ready to learn and do their best, some are facing a monumental challenge: hunger.

The Maine Department of Education reported that 86,473 of all K-12 public school students in our state – roughly 47 percent – were food insecure, meaning that the child goes without one meal every day. These children are eligible to receive free or reduced-priced meals at school.

In the 2014-2015 school year, nearly 60 percent of Portland stu-dents were eligible for free or reduced lunch. Most schools have more than half of all students eligible for assistance, including more than 75 percent of students eligible at East End, Reiche,

Riverton and Presumpscot Schools.

Food insecurity is disastrous for children. Learning, concentra-tion and discipline all suffer when a student hasn’t had enough to eat. Research has shown that children who experience hunger are more likely to struggle in school.

Childhood hunger is a quiet crisis that’s affecting all of Maine, but it is a problem we have the ability to solve. The first step is to enroll every eligible child in the USDA school meals program. Registration is critical for these students, and enrollment is hap-pening right now at every school through Oct. 15.

One of the many forms a parent gets at the beginning of a school year is a Meal Benefit Application, which determines a child’s eligibility for free and reduced-price food provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Eligible students can receive school breakfast, lunch and after-school snacks every day school is in session.

But this year, many students won’t even apply. Educators I’ve spoken with know that students in their classrooms qualify for help, which would ensure proper nutrition that may otherwise be unavailable. But year after year, they see these kids go without

because they didn’t fill out the Meal Benefit Application.

The real obstacle is the stigma associated with receiving free or reduced-price meals. Mainers are proud and independent people. Asking for help is not easy, and it’s never our first instinct.

This school year, the Portland Rotary and a local nonprofit called the Locker Project are trying new things to increase student par-ticipation. One small example is having school food staff and guidance counselors calling parents directly to see if they can work with the parents to fill out the application.

This experiment is important because we know registration is the make-or-break moment for a child in need of food at school. When a child isn’t signed up, not only does it mean they will be one of those hungry students that most likely will struggle in school, but it also means Maine forgoes $50 million in federal funding set aside to feed our children.

I urge everyone to learn more about childhood hunger in Port-land. Next, call your local parent-teacher organization and see if child hunger is something they are working on, and volunteer to help if you can. Finally, let’s come together and help break the stigma of accepting free and reduced-price meals.

There is no shame in accepting help if you need it. Together, we can make sure no Portland student goes hungry at school.

justinalfond.com

Above, from left to right, Photo 1: Jessica Costantino, AARP Maine Amy Gallant, AARP Maine State Representative Karen Vachon; Photo 2: Gordon Smith, Maine Medical Association Mike Brennan, Mayor of Portland Photo 3: AARP Maine State Director Lori Parham and Volunteer State President Rich Livingston officially open the office; Photo 4: AARP Maine Volunteer State President Rich Livingston State Representative Drew Gattine.

8 October 2015 MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

9MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER October 2015

Announcing the GSB Express Branch with ITM Technology.

Gorham Savings Bank’s new Interactive Teller Machine (ITM) is the latest advance in banking technology. Use it as an ATM or simply touch the screen and a Gorham Savings Bank teller will be ready to assist you via video link.

• Cash a check • Make a deposit or withdrawal • Pay a loan • Get answers and more

gorhamsavingsbank.com

A New Way to Bank — Now Available on Munjoy Hill

We’re pleased to be part of this vibrant neighborhood. Stop by to experience convenient ITM Banking at 118 Congress Street - a few steps from the Portland Observatory.

Visit us online to open an account or at any one of our convenient locations.

11MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER October 2015

living With Peace is a dynamic local grassroots community support organization investing in the future of our immigrants by providing information, resources, and training to newcomers to the community and culture.

living With Peace creates Women’s Business awareness initiative By Christina Feller, Executive Director, Living With Peace USA

Village Model 101Local volunteers are working to create a support network for seniors aging in place on Munjoy HillBy Elaine MullinFor the past several years at home on Munjoy hill, or ahoM, has been working towards establishing a “village” for the community on Munjoy hill. ahoM is a program of the board of the Munjoy hill Neighborhood organiza-tion, based on the national Village-to-Village Network. ahoM is a Village-to-Village member in development. (see VtVnetwork.org) over the past 10 years, the Vil-lage model has emerged as a leading model to support aging in the community. the movement has expanded across the nation with 40 states being home to at least one Village. Built on a set of guiding principles, Villages are membership-based, service-focused, nonprofit orga-nizations. they connect older adults, ranging from age 55 to 100+, to service supports, health care, neighbors, wellness programs and social enrichment to assist them in aging in their own homes. Villages facilitate access to community services, ongoing civic engagement opportu-nities and navigation support for the current network of aging and health care services as membership benefits.

the Village model is a pioneering, community- based ap-proach that leverages existing assets and builds stronger ties within the community. early evaluation has yielded positive and potentially substantial impacts, including reduced social isolation, increased knowledge and use of local aging services as well as social capital for the community.

Village Guiding Principles • self-governing, self-supporting, grassroots member-

ship-based organization • Goal to consolidate and coordinate services • Creates strategic partnerships to leverage community

resources • Is member- and consumer-driven • promotes volunteerism, civic engagement and inter-

generational connections

are you looking for a great volunteer opportunity? Do you love Munjoy hill and want to call it your home for

a long, time? please join us as we enter the next phase

and make ahoM a reality! Contact Elaine Mullin at ahom@munjoyhill.org, or 207-671-6132.

elIse MAlOnGI is the Out-reach Coordinator and Project Manager for the Immigrant Wom-en’s business Awareness Initiative (WbAI), funded by norway sav-ings bank and the People of Color Fund of Maine Community Foun-dation. elise is pulling together a Project team that now includes the Portland Public library’s so-nya Durney, Maine Association of new American’s President Fran-cine ngabu, rwandese Commu-nity Chairman Damas rugaba, Congolese Community Chairman Patrick Kambu, Djibouti Com-munity Chair Omar Guedi-ha-dad, and Iraqi Community Chair raed Aldoury. “This is the single most potent group of collaborators to come together to help establish more immigrant businesses in Maine than has ever been assem-bled,” says elise.

sano Masua, learning Coordina-tor for the Immigrant enrichment Center for entrepreneurship, Arts, and sciences that his company, student enrichment services, is establishing at the lWP headquar-ters location at 500 Forest Avenue, says, “I am a Portland Micro and I my business was funded as part of the CDbG grant from the City of Portland. I am now giving back to living With Peace by help-ing them establish this new and much needed enrichment Center. While my chief focus is youth en-

richment, it is my great honor to work with elise and the rest of the Project team to create a place that is safe, friendly, supportive, and healthy to the Immigrant Wom-an’s experience. I think we can do this with the public’s support. We are build-ing a gofundme account to raise needed funds for this.”

nima barkad, Out-reach Coordinator and Office Manager for living With Peace currently on maternity leave, has established a new non-profit or-ganization to improve health care for women in the Greater Portland area who suffer from the physical effects of FGM. As many in Port-land know, nima is a professional midwife from Djibouti and has cared for and counselled women from all over the horn of Africa on this very delicate and personal topic. her organization is called Women’s hope for a better life. I am sure we will be hearing a lot more about this organization’s work in the coming years.

Notes of Congratulations

Three lewiston non-profits have received tax-exempt Determi-nation letters from the Internal revenue service. New Mainers Public Health Initiative, headed

by executive Director Abdulker-im said, is located at 276 lisbon street and has become the leading organization in the state to advo-cate on behalf of the good health of the people of lewiston and Au-

burn, Maine. Djima Ainan is the effervescent and ever

cheerful President of the Djibouti Community and Volunteer Services organization in lewis-

ton where more than 40 Djiboutian families reside.

she takes care of getting people to work, apply for jobs, get assis-tance, mentor students and youth, helps the women and does so many things for the community that it is hard to keep track. you go girl! Third is the amazing organization called Sustainable Livelihoods Relief Organization (SLRO) managed by lewiston leader Jama Aden Mohamed well known to residents as an elected member of the school board. Jama is organiz-ing a team to completely rebuild a whole portion of south Central somalia in the Jubba valley com-prised of 42 villages surrounding sakoow. In Maine, slrO is work-ing very closely with Jonah Fer-tig of Cooperative Development Institute to acquire ownership of enough good land to start a pro-ducer cooperative.

still new to the mobile food concept, truck owners say nowhere has the reception been more positive than Munjoy hill.

“This summer is definitely better, no doubt about it,” said Arvid brown, co-owner of Fishin’ ships, selling a variety of fresh battered fish, fries and sides, and a mainstay along the eastern Promenade. “last year was tough because there was a bit of a learning curve. It wasn’t only a new business for us, but it’s a new type of business in Portland. now we’ve hit a groove with our schedule where we go out less often but do much better when we’re out. “

In less than two years, the offerings of mobile cuisine have skyrocketed in the area. On any given day, city dwellers have choices that range from specialty cupcakes to gourmet mini-doughnuts, made-to-order Japanese yakisoba, battered fish, taqueria style tacos, fresh made sha-warma and more, all from the win-dow of mobile kitchens that range from the colorful to the quirky and whimsical. It’s a menu list that keeps on growing and all it seems to take is a quick look at Facebook, a glance of a twitter feed or finding one of the city’s many parks or breweries. More times than not, those spots are on and around Munjoy hill, thanks both to the eastern Promenade and welcoming neighborhood residents.

Along the Promenade, neighbors once wary of the number of trucks, with their steady stream of custom-ers and loud humming generators have seemed more embracing of the concept, especially since truck own-ers have begun upgrading their on-board power systems to more mod-ern and quiet generators.

“They’re a big plus and I don’t find them to be a disturbance one bit. Dinner doesn’t get much easier re-ally.” said Munjoy hill resident Jesse Deupree, who relocated to the neighborhood from the city’s West end five years ago. “I just say they should keep parked a certain dis-tance from the restaurants because I understand the objections of prop-erty tax restaurants. That’s fine, but there’s nothing comparable to hav-ing these trucks.”

The requirement that mobile food vendors keep a certain distance from brick-and-mortar restaurants is the chief concern of truck operators, ac-cording to owners like brown and Clay norris, who owns and oper-

ates Cn shawarma with his wife Jenna Friedman. The city regulates that trucks must park a minimum of sixty feet from any building con-taining a licensed restaurant. That, according to norris, puts the entire Old Port out of play and prevents the trucks from capitalizing on the area’s heavy foot traffic and tourist population. but where ordinances have prohibited operation, brown says the Munjoy hill neighbor-hood has embraced and made up for much of that loss in revenue. On clear days, brown and his busi-ness partner, sam Gorelick, may see 50-plus customers along the Prom, but as many as 100 at neighborhood events such as the concert series or-ganized by Friends of the eastern Promenade.

“People have really come to know us mostly thanks to the concerts” Gorelick said. “They were no doubt the single best events we did this summer. They were organized per-fectly and they (Friends organizers) were so good about communicating with us on everything.”

The support provided by near-by breweries, the Promenade and the concerts has raised norris’ hopes as well. The traditional winter mi-gration to sugarloaf Mountain of the Portland food truck scene will be skipped this year by norris and Friedman. They instead will make a trial run at a Portland winter to see how things go, and the east end will be at the top of their schedule.

“The Prom is really the only place to public park that’s worth our while,” norris said, while serving an increas-ing number of hungry customers at the corner of Congress street and eastern Promenade on a late Thurs-day afternoon. “The community has loved us. The Friends (of the eastern Promenade) and the breweries have been beyond amazing to us. so we want to stick around a while longer.”

Although exactly what that winter schedule may look like, and its suc-cess for trucks, remain to be seen, the proprietors of fresh, mobile food only see things growing. Much de-pends on the rate and success of that growth, truck owners say. but the neighborhood verdict seems clear. In the coming months and years, Munjoy hill and east end residents will have a buffet of choices for lunch and dinner to go along with the dynamic neighborhood and the sweeping views of Casco bay.

groWing food truCk trend, from front page

Above: CN Shawarma owner, Clay Norris takes dinner order from a customer while parked along the Eastern Promenade.

east end Wastewater treatment Facility set for Upgrade$11.4 million modernization project to improve operational performance at the EEWWtF

over the summer, the Portland Water district Board of trust-ees approved an $11.4 million dollar project to upgrade the East End Wastewater treatment Facility’s 36-year old aeration system. aeration is a critical biological component to wastewa-ter treatment. Construction is expected to begin this fall and continue into 2018.

the aeration system, which has reached the end of its useful life, will be updated to increase operational performance and maintain compliance with permit conditions. the project will replace mechanical surface aerators with a modern process that diffuses air more efficiently through the bottom of the tanks. Efficiency Maine has recognized the project’s energy efficiency with a $200,000 grant.

Engineering services are being provided by Hazen and sawyer, and Penta Corporation will be the general contractor. the project has been approved for low interest financing from the Maine Clean Water state revolving Fund, which is expected to save $1.9 million in interest expenses over 20 years.

the Board approved $11.35 million for the project. the construction contract is $8.45 million with Penta and $1.6 with Hazen and sawyer. $562,500 has already been spent on design and there is $750,000 in contingency funding.

there are three aeration basins. the project is expected to be complete by october 2017: First train online, Fall 2016; second train online, Winter 2017; third train online, summer 2017; Project Closeout, october 2017.

Below, a drained aeration tank. Courtesy photo, PWD.

12 October 2015 MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

Crossword • Solution on p 2

We treat all petemergencies 24/7,

year round includingweekends & holidays.

Maine VeterinaryMedical Center

in Scarborough

1500 Technology WayEnterpise Business ParkOff Route 1 • mvmc.vet

207.885.1290

Phonics for the Struggling Readers in the Classroom: Why? When? How? Will this work? is the topic for reading Matters to Maine’s sixth annual Conversation about reading. this free, public forum will take place on monday, oct. 19, 2015, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the University of southern Maine, Portland Campus, talbot lecture Hall #103 at luther Bonney Hall, 85 Bedford street. Key-note speaker dr. Eileen Harris will introduce the rationale for direct, systematic phonics instruction for tier 2 struggling readers and

then present sample activities that effectively address specific student deficits in the alpha-betic code. dr. alexis Kiburis will then present the compelling student progress data from the UsM sMart learning lab on the Gorham campus that provides direct systematic phonics instruction to K-5 struggling students. Contact hours are available for teachers. Co-sponsored by southern Maine area resource team (sMart) for schools at UsM and UsM’s literacy, language and Culture Program.

Phonics for the Struggling reader

ACross1. australian marsupial (8)

3. oviparous creatures pro-duce them (4)

7. Membrane connecting the toes of some aquatic birds and mammals (3)

9. Group of lions (5)

10. relating to crows (7)

11. abominable snowman (4)

14. long-legged aquatic birds (6)

15. Hound dog (6)

18. Young sheep (4)

20. Mixed breed of dog (7)

23. rodent (5)

24. snakelike fish (3)

25. Cob or pen (4)

26. Viverrine mammal, preys on snakes and rodents (8)

DoWN1. Flightless bird of new

Zealand (4)

2. Burrowing mammal of africa,feeds on termites (8)

4. small compact aquatic bird, buildsfloating nests (5)

5. Pilchards (8)

6. Hog (3)

8. Clutch of small animals (5)

9. small horse (4)

12. small long-winged song-birds (8)

13. Mammal covered in hair and protective spines (8)

16. Web-footed migratory aquatic birds (5)

17. Emblem of peace (4)

19. arboreal snake of central and couthern africa (5)

21. small breed of dog with wrinkled muzzle (3)

22. largest mammal, ___ whale (4)

Puzzle by http://www.puzzlechoice.com/pc/Puzzle_Choicex.html

WCross r D

observatory toweropen daily until October 12, 2015: 10 am – 5 pm. all tours are guided; last tour begins at 4:30 pm. Please allow 45 minutes for your tour. http://portlandlandmarks.org/observatory/ 138 Congress street on Munjoy Hill, (207) 774-5561.

St. lawrence arts Your neighborhood arts center! Creating an affordable and accessible venue for a diverse offerings of arts including but not limited to theater, dance, music, film, and work-shops; http://www.stlawrencearts.org/

Port veritas Spoken WordPoetry readings, Second Tuesdays 7-10 pm, @ Bull Feeney’s 375 Fore st. - 7:30-10pm / all ages, FMI: Gil Helmick, 400-7543. portveritas.com

Spirits alive Cemetery toursWalk Among the Shadows, “the Bombardment of Falmouth, 1775.” Oct. 22-24 & 28-30, 2015 from 6:30PM to 7:30PM. Sunday, Oct. 25 from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. Eastern Cemetery at 224 Congress street, Portland, Maine. $10 adults, $5 children under 12 years. FMI: sa@spiritsalive.org.

Historical Walking tours https://www.mainehistory.org/ Maine Historical society offers historical walking tours of Portland. Walk to the waterfront and be guided through Portland’s evolution. tours leave from MHs located at 489 Congress st. near Monument square in Portland. Tours are daily at 1:30 pm and are approximately 60-75 minutes long. admission: $10 walking tour only; $15 walking tour and longfel-low House tour. Free for children six years old and younger. recommended for ages 12 and older.

Watch the birds JoIn in guided wildlife tours with the nauralists of the Maine audubon society:Just off rt 1 at 20 Gilsland Farm road, Falmouth, ME 04105 – (207) 781-2330 Maineaudubon.org.

maine jewish museum 267 Congress st, Phone (207) 773-2339 the Jewish Museum is hosting Welcoming the stranger; Building Understanding through Community-Based art. until October 26. the exhibit highlights the treatment of immi-grants in Portland during the 1920’s with their treatment today. artist Jo Israelson, a Munjoy

Hill native, has spent 2 years researching the history of the House Island Quarantine and Immigration station and how the city “welcomed” those who arrived there.http://mainejewishmuseum.org.

mayo Street arts Performances & Classes 10 Mayo street, mayostree-tarts. org —times vary. Classes: tango, Belly danc-ing, Kids Yoga, Juggling, Zumba and Pilates. artist studios, theater, poetry, music and more. Contact 615-3609, or info@mayostreetarts.org.

farmers markets saturdays in deer-ing oaks Park, 7 am to 1 pm and Wednesdays on Monument square, 7 am to 1 pm. Find Maine-grown vegies, live plants, baked goods and crafts!

maine Senior farmShare do you know a low-income senior (relative, friend or neighbor) who could benefit from $50 of fresh, unprocessed, locally grown produce? Please contact a local farmer directly to sign up. Contact your lo-cal area agency on aging by calling the EldErs-1 toll-free number: 1-877-353-3771, see http://www.maine.gov/dacf/ard/senior_farm_share.shtml.

PhoPa gallery 132 Washington Cheryle st. onge, natUral FIndInGs, October 14 - November 7, opening reception | Wednesday, october 14, 5-7pm, artist talk | sunday, october 25, 2pm, http://www.phopagallery.com/

Cancer WalkMaking strides of Greater Portland: sunday, October 18, 2015, 10 a.m., Fort Williams Park. You can help finish the fight against breast cancer by raising funds for, and walking with, american Cancer society Making strides of Greater Portland. Join more than one million people each year who are helping to end breast cancer.

longfellow’s “Haunted House” Friday, october 23 – saturday, october 31, 2015don’t miss this unique evening tour of the longfellow House in the week leading up to Halloween! Based on longfellow’s poem, “Haunted Houses” -- “all houses wherein men have lived and died / are haunted houses” -- the 90-minute tour is written and led by longtime guide James Horrigan. It evokes the various family members that died in the Wadsworth-longfellow House over its long history. the tour is followed by beer and snacks in the ell of the house. there are eight tour evenings: october 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31, from 6-7:30 PM. rsVPs are required and each tour is limited to 12. Cost: $15 MHs members; $20 general admission. register online. More History tours at https://www.mainehistory.org/programs_events.shtml

13MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER October 2015

“Serving Greater Portland Since 1980”

104 Washington Avenue • Portland, Maine 04101 • (207) 773-8198mikerand@maine.rr.com

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

It’s aboutrelationships

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

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.

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

Volunteer with your neighborhood org.

—the MHNO!You can make a difference!

the MHno has a number of active committees. We welcome new

members. Please come by, or attend a monthy meeting at the Hill

House at 92 Congress street to find out more, and to get involved!

Visit our website for most current meeting schedule: munjoyhill.org

“JUneteentH “remembered at eastern cemeteryBy Martin Arrowsmith

the 150th AnnIversAry of “Juneteenth” was celebrated at Portland’s ancient eastern Ceme-tery this past June, with honors for Maine African-American veterans from three 19th Century wars, and extra honors for young lives lost in Ferguson, Mo., and other tragic losses in the 21st Century.

“Juneteenth”, or “Freedom Day”, is a traditional holiday in the Ameri-can south celebrating black free-dom at the end of the Civil War.

“On June 19, 1865—150 years ago—Us Cavalry brought news of the end of of the Civil War and the emancipation Proclamation to the last Confederate stronghold of Galveston, texas,” said former state rep. herb Adams, who orga-nized the event.

“Many historians consider it the actual end of the Civil War, and the beginning of the struggle for civil rights for all .” Graves of black Maine veterans of the revolution, the War of 1812, and the Quasi-War with France, were decorated with flowers and flags in the “Col-ored Ground” of the eastern Cem-etery. Additional flowers were pre-

sented in memory of young black lives lost in recent police actions across the country by leonard Cummings, founder of the Com-mittee to restore the Abyssinian Meeting house.

The event was sponsored by Port-land’s 1828 Abyssinian Meeting house, the third-oldest African-American church still standing in the U.s. Pam Cummings, Director of education for the Abyssinian, acted as M.C rev. Jeff McIlwain., pastor for the Cumberland County Jail, provided the benediction. Most of the grave sites in the “Colored Ground”—at the corner of Con-gress street and Mountfort st.—are unmarked, and the exact locations of the patriot’s graves are lost.

“but these graves, and the Abyssin-ian, are symbols of the long road Maine has traveled in Civil rights, and how far it still has to go,” said Cummings. “These black veterans are one of Maine’s, and America’s, most remarkable but unremem-bered stories.” said Adams. “It is a multi-layered, symbolic story, one worth learning. “

An open house at the Abyssinian Meeting house on newbury street followed the ceremonies. Other Portland events for the 150th anni-versary of the end of the Civil War are planned for the coming year.

portland public library hosts

teen Comics Workshop with liz prince, sat, oct. 17, noon to 1 pmPPl Meeting room#5: learn to draw autobiographical comics with award-winning comic creator liz Prince! liz has been active in the comic/zine scene for over 15 years, in that time she has self-published over 20 books, had 3 comic collections published by top shelf Productions, and worked on comics for the popular Cartoon network shows adventure time, regular show, and steven Universe. Her newest book is a memoir about childhood and gender stereotypes for teens called tomboy. In this workshop, liz will give a slideshow about the evolution of her career, how she discovered her own drawing style, and demonstrate how to make your own comic books. the attendees will draw a 6-panel biography of their life, and discover the empowerment that comes with writing about yourself! “We are so excited to host comics creator and artist liz Prince for an entire saturday here at PPl,” said Kelley Blue, teen librarian, “liz will start the day with a special workshop just for teens, followed by a presentation about her amazing book tomboy open to all!”. see www.portlandlibrary.com for ongoing teen events.

“You can’t do everything but you can do something!”

— Jeff Dixon

14 October 2015 MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

Invest in your future. Join the MHNO today. COMe tO a MeetINg • JOIN a COMMIttee • get INvOlved

Ed GardnEr

Munjoy Hill level sponsor

observatory level sponsor

Hill House level sponsors

Fort suMner level sponsors

Please join us in thanking our Sponsors for generously supporting the Munjoy Hill community:

Message at left is a quote from the June 1980 Observer, in the ‘Call for New Mem-bers’. These words are no less true today.

Your logo HERE

“We are not asking you to make a major commitment. If you’re like most of us, between work and family responsibilities, you can’t. But if a lot of us give a few hours a month to serve on a committee, help with an event, sign up new members, or work on a

specific project, we can get things done.”

intereSted in becoMing a cHarter buSineSS SPonSor? please contact jay norris at jay.norris@munjoyhill.org or call 646-469-5999.

portlandpaddle.net.portland paddle

TrEvor CoynE, rEaLTor JoE PiErGrossi, rEaLTor

MHNO is grateful for the support of our Business Sponsors!

invest in your future—join the MHno today. Come to a meeting. join a committee. Get involved.To join the MHNO please complete and return the membership form on page 5.

As always, with patience, education and practice, you will become a more confident and effective parent.

Ross & Kathleen Fields are Certified Parenting Educators (CPE) and, co-founders of Results Parenting, LLC, www.resultsparenting.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

so, what will you do?Fostering effective decision-making skills in your childthe bAsIC UnDerlyInG goal of parents everywhere is to prepare their children for life’s challenges. however, when you feel like you are “flying by the seat of your pants” every day, this can feel like a very daunting task. so, what will you do? how do you prepare your child for adulthood? This question alone can bring up all types of issues and concerns about what to explain to your child and when. The key is to keep things simple and consistent. All parents want to see their child be successful and handle themselves

well in the world. so how do you begin to teach decision-making? When do you start? you teach it by asking your child to come up with their own solution the very first time they ask you for one.

FIrst: Validate any feelings that are involved.your six-year-old comes home from school very upset. you immediately ask, “What’s wrong?” he’s sad and frustrated because the kids at school won’t play with him. you answer with, “I can see why you are upset. I would be too,” validating his feel-ings.

seCOnD: Ask, in a genuine-ly concerned way, “So, what will you do?”The most important thing is to show that you care, you are available and

that you know they have what it takes to solve their own problems. This is not about just leaving them on their own at first. When you ask, “so, what will you do?”, you may just get a questioned look or “I don’t know.” Then you could ask, “Well, how do you want it to turn out?” you may have to go back and forth several times. stay with probing questions as much as possible.

At first you may have to assist with some suggestions while at the same time encouraging your child to come up with their own solution. In the scenario here, you might ask, “Why do you think they don’t want to play with you?” to initiate a deep-er thought process. you may have to revisit the same issue several times before arriving at a decision that ac-tually works. resist the temptation to offer your solution. Instead, look at it as an opportunity for practice. you can also use phrases like “how will you handle that?” or “so, how will you fix it?”.

thIrD: Listen, give feedback and coach.Once your child starts the dialogue, your job is to listen, ask probing questions and help him stay focused on what he will do. your challenge is to stay away from coming up with the answer. Continue using respons-es such as, “tell me more”, or “I see”, or “I don’t understand. tell me again”, or “so, what you are saying is...”. When a decision is reached, you may have to help with some coaching on how to follow through. In the example I’ve used above, if he decided that he needed to be better at sharing his toys, you could coach him in how to do that.

teaching effective decision-making skills does not have to be hard. Make it a game. encourage flipping roles with your child to have her ask you, “so, what will you do?” Of course, make sure it is age-appropri-ate. It could be as simple as, “I don’t know what to prepare for dinner.”

Practicing these three steps now will just make those later life challenges easier to handle. like when you hear for the first time, “I am so sorry! I crushed the fender on the car!” you will be practiced enough to first ask if they are OK, following with, “so, how will you handle it?”

With patience, education, and prac-tice, you will learn how to better handle feelings, be more encourag-ing, and strengthen the relationship with your child.

Keep asking yourself, “If I ap-proached my parenting as seriously as I do my profession, what would I be doing to improve my skill, and get better results?”

It’s all about the relationship.

Ross Fields & Kathleen Fields are Cer-tified Parenting Educators (CPE) and co-founders of Results Parenting, LLC, www.resultsparenting.com

Sch

oo

l N

ew

S east end community School Parent Teacher organization: For more infor-mation about the EECS PTO and upcoming events, go to http://eecs.portlandpto.org/ or contact board@eecs.portlandpto.org.

New Faces at east end community School

By Markos MillerA new school year brings some changes to our school community. long-time lead secretary Mrs. Deb Wiley retired at the end of last year. she will be missed and all wish her the happiest of retire-ments. This fall, eeCs also sees a new classroom teacher, the return of a beloved classroom veteran,

and new additions to the school’s support staff.

Bill Sumner is the new lead secretary in the Main Office, filling the ‘big shoes’ left by long-time sec-retary, Mrs. Deb Wiley, who retired over the sum-mer. This is a major change for eeCs, as secretaries often provide the “glue” that holds organizations together, especially schools. bill says the transition has been pretty smooth so far, but recognizes that there is still a lot for him to learn. bill recognizes he has a strong experienced administrative team around him and is learning a lot from them.

This is bill’s first position in the public school set-ting. he spent the last twenty years working in the Development and Fundraising departments of a number of non-profits ranging from the Whitney

Museum of American Art in nyC, to excellent lo-cal organizations like Maine Medical Center, Girl scouts of Maine, and most recently, Preble street. bill and his wife, who teaches music at eeCs, have a 3-year-old daughter, and loves restoring his Port-land home, writing fiction, and playing drums in some local acts.

Rebecca Cummings is eeCs’s new school nurse. she returned to Maine with her husband after working in schools in texas. she likes the size of eeCs and is looking forward to getting to know the school community.

Kelly Thornhill is a new first grade teacher at eeCs.

Cathy Jurgelevich is returning to eeCs after a

year at lyseth elem school. A Portland teacher for 23 years, Cathy says she values much about the east end community. The diversity of the school was at the top of her list; she loves the international make up of east end families. Professionally, she feels both challenged and supported at the school, and values her colleagues. Cathy has taught all grades, K-5, and is teaching 1st grade this year. eeCs Principal, Marcia Gendron, who also worked with Cathy at reiche school, described her as one of the most outstanding teachers in the district. In addition to teaching, Cathy enjoys running, biking, reading, and spending time with family. We are fortunate to have Cathy return!

Best wishes to all in the new school year!

• Tanning Beds & Booths• Clothing & Jewelry

• Sunless Spray Tan• Tuxedo Rentals

When the Beach is Out of Reach ...

Portland 775-3318 Windham 893-0903www.tanoramame.com

Come See Us before the Prom for Your Tuxedo Rental!

PROM SPRAY TAN SPECIAL

$17

15MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER October 2015

Portland Pottery 118-122 Washington Ave. Portland, ME 04101

www.portlandpottery.com • 207-772-4334

New Classes Beginning Week of October 12th

Pottery Wheel Throwing & Handbuilding Jewelry & Metalsmithing

Fall Sidewalk Sale - Sept. 8th - Oct. 10th

Portland Pottery CafeHomemade Baked Good • Sunday Blackboard Brunch

Observer Ad Sept 15.indd 1 9/1/2015 10:46:43 AM

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

As h

uman

bein

gs, o

ur jo

b in

life

is to

help

peo

ple r

ealiz

e how

rare

and

va

luab

le ea

ch on

e of u

s rea

lly is

.~

Fred

Rog

ers (

Mr.

Roge

rs)

Friends of the eastern Promenade:

Members and “Friends” are invited to attend the

Friends of the Easter Promenade 7th Annual Meeting

on tuesday, oct. 6, 2015, 6 - 8 pm —1 Diamond street—

see what’s next at Fort Allen Park, Cousins Memorial & eastend beach. election of board Members, meet City Manager Jon Jennings. Featuring vena’s Fizz house Cash bar, light snacks, Coffee by Design,

FMI easternpromenade.org

pose a hypothetical. First, could the city take steps to en-sure that, absent building 1, this bold urbanistic stroke – a plaza linking Fore street to the waterfront – moves from concept to reality? According to Planning and Urban De-velopment Director Jeff levine, tools that could encourage or compel development of such a plaza do exist, though their use, of course, is ultimately the decision of the City Council. The city could, for example, apply a “no build” zoning overlay to the area; alternatively – and perhaps pref-erably, because less procedurally cumbersome and more flexible – the city and the land owner could enter into some sort of restrictive easement or other arrangement concern-ing this area of the site.

such an approach addresses urbanistic and economic con-cerns; but could architectural and historical values also be acknowledged? Perhaps this plaza could function as an open-air museum of sorts, enlivened by interpretive exhib-its on the history of the Portland Company and, even, ac-tual examples of products manufactured during the firm’s

heyday. building 1 could receive special emphasis, both in the exhibits and in the design of the plaza itself, where con-trasting paving could indicate where the walls and piers of the erecting shop once stood. A segment of the tracks that currently run down the center of building 1, and on which completed locomotives were moved from the Port-land Company site to the Grand trunk rail yard, could be preserved in place.

Of course, this represents but one hypothetical path to compromise; and certainly, for some, a compromise that posits the removal of building 1 is no suitable compromise at all. That’s the tricky thing when values are weighted against values.

Formal consideration of the proposed historic district des-ignation of the Portland Company complex, including debate over building 1, returns to the historic Preserva-tion board on October 7, and to the Planning board on October 27.

Portland ComPany from front page

The Hill neighborhood of the past included mostly families; it was

made up of cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents. Lots of children,

variety stores on every other corner, five schools, many churches, a

playground and a pool. Community just came naturally.—Linda Bancroft, MHNO Board member and lifelong Munjoy Hill resident

16 October 2015 MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

3.307% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is effective 9/16/2015 and is available for home purchase transactions on 15-year (180 month) fi xed-rate conventional mortgages. Offer applies to primary, single family properties (other rates and terms available for other transaction and property types). The monthly principal and interest payment for 180 months per $1,000 borrowed would be $7.03. Example: a $150,000 loan with a 15-year term and 0 points would have a monthly principal and interest payment of $1054.00 for 180 months. Payments do not include amounts for taxes and insurance; therefore actual monthly payment will be higher. Title, appraisal and other fees may apply. Other rates and terms available. Special Closing Costs offer applies to new mortgages and excludes expenses for unusual legal, appraisal or title issues. Maximum amount covered by this offer is $750. If loan does not close, borrower(s) is/are responsible for all closing costs incurred prior to withdrawal of loan. Offer is subject to change or withdrawal without notice.

Claire Owens, Bill Onorato, Kyle Hodgkins, Sherrie Maietta, and Kaleigh Deering

Let’s Make It Happen: 1.888.725.2207 www.norwaysavingsbank.com

The Right Rate. The Right Team.

15-YEAR MORTGAGE

3.307 APR%

Save up to $750 on Closing Costs

MEMBER FDIC

COMMUNITY OWNED MARKET

PRIMARY LOGO & IDENTITY GUIDELINES

AUGUST, 2015

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 7 DAYS A WEEK, 8AM–8PM

portlandfood.coop290 Congress Street, Portland, Maine

207.805.1599

ALL ARE WELCOME

PH

OT

O:

GR

ETA

RY

BU

S