April 2015 Munjoy Hill Observer

InsIde thIs Issue: MHNO News 2 • AARP News, Aging in Place 3 • Capital & City, Money Prof 4 • MHNO Bulletin Board 5 • MHNO Bus Sponsors, Pet Essay 6 • Parenting Tips, Crossword 8

• Bus Focus: Circa Home and Vintage 9 • Abyssinian Meeting House 9 • Events Listings 10-11 •

1MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER April 2015

See page 9, Portland ComPany ComPlex

By Matthew Kennedy

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

In last month’s Observer we summa-rized the proposed redevelopment of the 58 Fore Street site by the develop-ers CPB2 LLC, with a focus on the first step in the multi-step process of review and approval before the city, the own-ers’ application to rezone the property. In this month’s article we will focus on the next step in the process, the consid-eration of a petition that the property be designated an historic district.

The historic significance of the Portland Company complex has long been recog-nized; the Maine Historic Preservation Commission noted the site’s eligibility for the National Reg-ister of Historic Places in 1976. Following the developers’ application for rezoning in August 2014, Greater Portland Landmarks requested that the site be desig-nated an historic dis-trict. Planning Board staff subsequently rec-ommended that con-sideration of this issue be postponed until dis-cussion of rezoning had concluded. However, as a result of the February 23rd submis-sion of a formal petition for designation by two members of the Historic Preser-vation Board, these two issues are now being addressed concurrently.

A number of recent and lengthy reports

address matters salient to the proposed designation; all of the reports discussed here are available on the city’s website for download and review. “The Port-land Company: Historic Significance and Integrity” was commissioned by the city “to research, document and analyze the historic and architectural significance of the Portland Company complex.” The report details the site’s historical significance on local, state and national levels, with particular em-phasis on the site’s status as the nation’s first complex built specifically for the manufacture of railroad locomotives and related goods, as well as its status as the only such complex to survive from before the Civil War. The report also identifies a number of buildings for their architectural significance, as

substantially unaltered industrial struc-tures displaying the styles, materials and engineering techniques prevalent during the time of their construction.

The study did not address the current structural condition of the buildings;

this aspect has been treated in two ad-ditional reports, the first commissioned by the developers, the second solicited by the city. These reports come to simi-lar conclusions regarding the current condition of the individual buildings, which the second of these reports char-acterizes as variously “between good and poor.” Three buildings are called out as being in particularly degraded condition.

The process of historic district designa-tion is multi-stepped and lengthy, with embedded timelines to compel progress. As with the rezoning process (and, for that matter, the larger redevelopment process as a whole), there exist numer-ous opportunities for comment and re-view. The process typically begins with

a workshop (currently sched-uled for 1 April) and a public hearing before the Historic Preservation Board, after which that Board will make a recommendation regarding whether or not the proposed district meets the criteria for designation. While the His-toric Preservation Board’s criteria for recommendation are largely historical in na-ture, it must also consider whether the buildings’ physi-cal condition justifies their

preservation or restoration. The mat-ter then moves to the Planning Board, which may hold a public workshop on the matter, and which also must con-vene a public hearing. The Planning Board then makes its own determina-

Balancing Past and Present:

Historic Preservation at 58 Fore street

april stools day & community

cleanup Saturday, april 25th 9 am to NooN

Hosted by Friends of the Eastern Promenade & the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization

As the white stuff meltsAnd the spring rain pelts

Your presence is desiredOr perhaps, even required

What we specifically request isTo remove stool presents uncontested

And if the best friend is not four-pawedHelp pick up rubbish after snow’s thawed.

SPring iS Coming, and so is the 23rd Annual April Stools Day and Community Cleanup! Please join your community in helping clean up the neighborhood of rubbish and refuse.

MEET at the Hill House (92 Congress Street) at or before 9:00 am April 25th for coffee, tea and goodies, or stop by any of our hub stations along Eastern Promenade (Cleeves Monu-ment, Cutter Street, East End Beach and more) between 9:00-NOON. We will have supplies for you, like gloves, bags, poop-er picker-uppers, and a free coffee token for Coffee By Design.

$25 GIFT CERTIFICATES awarded to those who find one of the 8 famous “Golden Turds;” thanks so much to our sponsors of the annual program, both Fish & Bone and Pet Life!

AARP In the spirit of spring cleanup inside AND outside the home, AARP is providing a document shredding truck for the day, which will be parked at East End Community School on North Street from 1pm – 3pm. Have you been holding on to old paperwork, tax documents, or other documents with private information on them? Now is the time to easily and securely rid your home of them, courtesy of AARP (see details on page 7 of this issue).

VISIT Friends of Eastern Promenade’s website for other par-ticipating locations (like South Portland - Hinckley Park, Mill Creek Park, and Willard Beach, among others).

THANK YOU to the City of Portland for providing supplies and taking away collected bags of trash.

RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP includes picking up what your dog puts down! We live in a shared community and so it is our doo-ty to keep the parks and neighborhoods free from our pet’s waste.

We hope to see our neighbors, pet parents, and children out for this year’s 23rd Annual April Stools Day! Scoopy Doo will be on site and eager to take pictures with kids and adults alike.

If you’re interested in volunteering as a team captain for one of our hub stations or to get acquainted with either of our organi-zations, please email: [email protected] or [email protected]

RAIN DATE Sunday, April 26th 9- 12pm

For more information, visit the Friends of the Eastern Promenade easternpromenade.org or Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organiza-tion www.munjoyhill.org.

Above, snow flies around the bandstand on the Eastern Promenade in late March. Winter lingers on in the spring of 2015. Photo © Bill KennyFor information about the photographer, please see box on page 2.

58 Fore Street rezoning StatuS

the proposed rezoning of 58 Fore Street was read before the City Council for the first time on March 16. the Council scheduled a workshop on the issue for March 30 (after this issue had gone

to print), with a public hearing scheduled for april 6, 2015

For more detail on the proposed rezoning see the cover article in the March issue of the Observer, available online

at munjoyhill.org

...SPRING IS COMING!

Non Profit OrgUS Postage

PAIDPortland, ME

Permit No. 824 Munjoy Hill

OBSERVER1979 – 2015

FREE • Published by the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization • Vol. 35, N 3 • April 2015

http://www.easternpromenade.org

http://www.munjoyhill.org

2 April 2015 MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

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

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

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

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

4) EMERGENCiES: 9-1-1

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

(MHNO) 92 Congress Street

Portland, Maine [email protected]

207-775-3050

EdiTOR: Lisa Peñ[email protected]

(207) 272-5962 munjoyhill.org

OBSERVER COMMiTTEEAndrea Myhaver, Tamera Edison, Ross Fields, Deborah Stevenson,

Lisa Peñalver

AdVERTiSiNGRoss Fields

[email protected] (207) 233-4327

Tamera Edison [email protected]

(207) 939-7998

Deborah [email protected]

(207) 807-0396

Lisa Peñalver, Layout & Design [email protected]

(207) 272-5962

3,000 Circulation 8,000+ Readership

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

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

MHNO Board 2014-15Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization

Andrea Myhaver, President [email protected]

Matthew Kennedy, Treasurer [email protected]

Sean Turley, Secretary [email protected]

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

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

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

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

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

MHNO MissionIncorporated as a nonprofit organization

in January 1979, our purpose is to be a

broad-based, representative organization

committed to improving the quality

of life for the residents of Munjoy Hill

and the East End, by strengthening the

sense of community, maintaining the

current diversity of social and economic

groups, encouraging self-sufficiency, and

enriching the lives of all residents.

Clip and save these numbers!

Please send Your essaYs, letters and Hill news to [email protected]

Editor, Lisa Peñalver

ANONYMOUS CRiMES TiPS PROGRAM: Phone Tip—dial 874-8584 | Online: tipsubmit.comText-A-Tip: Text “GOTCHA” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES)

MHNO President, Andrea Myhaver

LIKE MANY CHILDREN OF the seventies, I grew up watching The Brady Bunch, first as a prime-time TV show on Friday nights, and then, when it went into syndi-cation, after school on most days. I watched it so much that many of the episodes are indelibly etched in my brain. So I guess it should be no surprise that for the past few weeks, as this column has been percolat-ing in my mind, the song from the episode when Peter went through puberty has been stuck in my head: “When it’s time to cha-a-ange”. (For those of you not familiar with the show or the tune, you can find it on YouTube https://youtu.be/MKEQm10-n84).

The next few months will be a period of change both for me per-sonally, and for the organization, as I transition from President and Board member, to regular MHNO

member. Last June, I told the then Board that if I was elected for an-other term as President at the an-nual meeting, it would be my last. The original by-laws of the organi-zation limited the number of terms that one person could consecutively serve as President to two, so when I was elected in 2011, I did not intend to serve in the role beyond June, 2013. However, the by-laws were updated in 2013, and the clause limiting the number of con-secutive presidential terms was re-moved (the term is still for one year, though). At the time, there was not anyone else interested in running for President, and we were in the midst of several initiatives that I played a large role in. It made sense for me to stay on, and so I did, en-thusiastically, for two more terms. However, the time is now right for me to move on and allow others to

take on the charge of running the organization, as I reclaim some of my precious and limited free time. At the end of June, my final term as President will be over, and I will also step down from the Board.

It was five years ago this month that I walked into my first MHNO Board meeting. I had no idea what to expect then, and I certainly had no idea at the time that the MHNO would become such an important and pivotal part of my life. So, I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a bit stymied now when I picture what life will be like for me once I leave the Board. One thing I know for sure though is that I will be okay, and so will the organiza-tion. I have no doubt that as the MHNO transitions to a new leader, it will be with renewed energy and with new ideas that will serve to benefit its members. In the mean-

time, I will continue to serve with the same dedication and passion that I always have, and I’m grateful for two more months to write this column, as I think “At the Helm” is one of the things I’m going to miss most, come July.

MHNO is a valuable resourceThe Munjoy Hill community is ex-periencing the pressures of change these days. The heat is on, and just like bubbles in a pot of water on the stove, small local groups are bub-bling up to voice their concerns and interests, and to advocate for mod-eration and inclusion in the deci-sions being made which are poised to change the face of Munjoy Hill.

This is not the first time the neigh-borhood has faced challenges; not the first time residents have been alarmed enough to become ac-tive. I would like to suggest that these group avail themselves of the structure that exists with Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization.

By becoming involved with the MHNO, groups can amplify their message, and be more effective in approaching the City.

The MHNO was born out of a time of turmoil for the community. Res-idents were the ones who, back in the late 1970s, came together to re-store the sense of place that was on the verge of being lost. They came together because they cared deeply for their neighborhood. over 35 year later, this organization is still going strong.

So, with such a resource available to the community, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. This organiza-

tion is YOUR organization. If you have concerns, it would make sense to bring them to the organization.

But don’t expect people to do the job FOR you. The Board is a group of working people, just like all of you. What the MHNO brings to the table is a structure, connections, and the credibility of having served the community for almost 40 years. When the MHNO speaks, the City listens. Because the organiza-tion weighs its messages carefully and offers a balanced perspective, it opens doors. And the Board mem-bers can offer guidance on how community activists can use their time and energy most effectively.

So what I am saying is, if your RE-ALLY want to have an impact, get involved in your neighborhood or-ganization; come to meetings (only once a month!); join a committee— or form a committee!! What the community wants, the community can get, but only if everyone works together.

From the front page, about tHe PHotograPHerBill Kenny Jr., a.k.a., “Alphaholik” (because he uses Sony Alpha Camera Equipment). Kenny has been shooting “ full-time” since 2009. He explains, “It’s more of a hobby for me, though some people like my work enough to purchase prints, or hire me for weddings, class reunions, band shoots, senior class portraits, pet photography, etc.” A Munjoy Hill resident, he can be reached at [email protected]. His Flickr account link is https://www.flickr.com/photos/alphaholik/ .

We have always held to the hope, the belief, the

conviction that there is a better life, a better world,

beyond the horizon.—Franklin D. Roosevelt

At the Helm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alphaholik/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alphaholik/


The Space Between By Kathleen M. KerrOur beliefs shape our filters; our filters form our

thoughts; our thoughts drive our feelings; our feelings spur our actions; our actions become

our habits; our habits reinforce our beliefs

Please Help Protect Vital Programs for at-risk MainersBy Japhet Els, AARP Maine Outreach Director

While AARP MAine is tAck-ling many issues this legislative session, one of our real concerns in the state budget discussions is the proposal to cut the Medicare Savings and Drugs for the Elderly Programs. Many low-income Mainers are really struggling to make ends meet and it is important to protect these pro-grams that help them stay healthy.

AARP has created a petition about this issue and already hundreds of

Mainers have signed on, but we need everyone to get involved.

The Medicare Savings Program or MSP covers premiums for doctor visits, preventive care, ambulance services and outpatient care. It also covers Medicare Part D prescrip-tion drug costs and co-payments. Under the current proposal, tens of thousands of seniors and adults with disabilities will be cut from the pro-gram. These cuts will be devastating to the state’s most at-risk resident if they go through.

The Drugs for the Elderly Program or DEL helps pay for prescription drugs for Mainers whose monthly income falls below approximately $1,600 for an individual and $2,200 for a couple. It is important to re-member that this income has to cover heating costs, rent/mortgage, food and other necessities. Current DEL beneficiaries are on the cusp of Medicare eligibility - between the ages of 62 and 64½. They have nowhere else to turn. These are the poorest of the poor in Maine, count-ing the days to Medicare eligibility.

What some in Augusta don’t seem to understand is that older Mainers and residents with disabilities sim-ply cannot absorb these costs. They will stop going to their doctors and taking their medications. They will use the emergency room for their primary care and only as a last re-sort. We cannot express enough the importance of protecting these vital programs.

We hope that Maine residents will go to our website at www.aarp.org/me or find us on Facebook at aarp-

maine to sign the petition. Anyone can sign it right online. For those without internet access, we can mail a paper version of the petition if you call our office. Just call 1-866-554-5380. Even if you will not be di-rectly affected by cuts to the MSP and DEL, chances are you know someone who will be.

Let’s work together to protect our most vulnerable friends and neigh-bors.

MAny PeoPle stRuggle With chAnge, whether they are respond-ing to events in their personal lives or working to make a difference in their organizations and communities. In this article, I focus on what it takes to shift out of resistance, when confronted with change, into a habit of welcoming it. In this rapid world of constant change, we no longer have the luxury of sitting on it until we come to terms with its ending, our loss, or even our acceptance of it. If we are to succeed in creating sustainable change, we have to plan for its arrival and strategize our responses before it shows up and catches us in our very natural hu-man reaction to it - resistance.

By identifying the barriers and empha-sizing coping strategies, we will be able to pave the way to making sustainable change. While there are many effective change management tactics, here are a vital few to help get you on your way.

Barriers: 1. We rely on “so-called” experts rather

than trusting ourselves. This stifles creative thinking and leaves the re-

sponsibility of success with the ex-perts, letting us off the hook.

2. We bite off more than we can chew. Overwhelm sets in, and we begin to feel out of control. This produces stress, and change suddenly becomes a disliked chore.

3. Is the carrot we are chasing even reachable? Have we considered if the current environment can support our desired outcome? If the outcome we desire is not achievable, we are doomed.

4. The change belongs to others. Change is personal, even when we are work-ing on behalf of others. If we have not connected with it and made it our own, how committed can we be?

strategies

1. Make the change meaningful to you. Define how you want the future to look. Spend time thinking about it, envisioning it, and answering the im-portant “what’s in it for me” question. The more defined you can envision the outcome, the easier it is to mani-fest it.

2. Plan the change; break it into smaller chunks and work towards achieving bite-size success. This fuels your mo-tivation and brings the change back into your control. We feel energized when we have control.

3. Trust yourself; see where your strengths contribute and seek out the strengths others have that can help. Everyone matters. Take pride in what you do offer and contribute, no matter how small; each effort contributes to the creation. Own the change.

4. Develop the habit of a beginner’s mind. Give yourself permission to try it differently, be curious for alter-natives, and start again. This keeps you from reverting to old habits and routines.

Kathleen Kerr is a professional transition coach supporting clients as they explore the space between endings and beginnings to dauntlessly create beginnings that support them reaching their goals with optimism, courage, and joy.

as We groW older and Wiser...

What do We Want?By Elaine Mullin

As descRibed in lAst month’s article, At Home on Munjoy Hill (AHOM) is ex-cited to see that Portland is now a member of the national ini-tiative of age-Friendly Communities. The assessment of community needs

is the next step and includes a survey of the population, details below. As noted, all are welcome to participate re-gardless of age. Please take the survey and let AHOM and the city know your thoughts, choices and opinions!

The City of Portland, in collaboration with AARP and the Muskie School of Public Service, is conducting an anonymous research survey of Portland residents aged 50 and above to find out how “livable” our community is to people as they age. The survey focuses on housing, trans-portation/streets, outdoor spaces, health and wellness, so-cial participation, community services, information, and civic engagement.

Portland is the first city in Maine to sign on as a member of AARP’s Age-Friendly Communities; a national initia-tive aimed at creating great places to live for people of all ages. For more information about this initiative visit www.aarp/livable.org.

Our target audience is Portland residents aged 50 years and above; how-ever, the survey is open to any person liv-ing in the Portland area, aged 18 years and above.

Which services and amenities are most important to you? What do you like about living here? What do you find most challenging? How might your pri-orities change as you age? Let us know what you think.

V i s i t h t t p s : // s n a p s u r v e y.u s m . m a i n e . e d u /s n a p w e b h o s t /s .asp?k=142564144911 to take the survey now.

Choosing wisely: Making better Health Care Choices for You & Your Family

a Community Forum:Join “at Home on munjoy Hill” (aHom) & maine Quality Counts

Sunday, aPr 12, 2-4 Pm • Bayview Heights• 158 north St, Portland Bring a friend, bring your family, and join us for an engaging discussion!

tHe u.S. SPendS more on HealtH Care than any other developed country—and gets worse re-sults. At the same time, we know that, as pa-tients, we sometimes ask for tests and treat-ments that are not always in our best interest. Doctors may order tests and treatments, at times even when they know they shouldn’t. In fact, the U.S. Congressional Budget Office says that up to 30% of U.S. health care is unneces-sary.

The problem has become so serious that the ABIM Foundation and more than 20 profes-sional medical societies have joined forces in a project called Choosing Wisely®, an effort in which doctors have come together to identify tests or treatments that they themselves say are done too often.

The goal of Choosing Wisely® is to help physi-cians and patients - all of us! – think more, and talk together about the overuse of health care resources. The campaign is part of the ABIM Foundation’s goal of promoting wise choices by clinicians in order to improve health care outcomes, provide patient-centered care that avoids unnecessary and even harmful inter-

ventions, and reduce the rapidly-expanding costs of the health care system.

If you or your family member has ever had a medical test, proce-dure, or treatment that you won-dered if you should question, join us to learn more and be part of a thought- provoking discussion. Or just come and listen – it might just come in handy the next time you or your doctor are thinking about ordering that next test!

~ Sponsored by At Home on Mun-joy Hill, a program of the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization whose mission is to empower older residents to remain in their homes as they age and Maine Quality Counts, a non-profit regional health improvement collaborative working to improve health and health care in Maine.~

For more information about the AtHome senior program on Munjoy Hill, contact [email protected] or Elaine Mullin at 207-671-6132.

https://snapsurvey.usm.maine.edu/snapwebhost/s.asp?k=142564144911

https://snapsurvey.usm.maine.edu/snapwebhost/s.asp?k=142564144911


justinalfond.com

Homelessness in MaineFalling through the cracks

tHe golden sHovel award By Markos Miller

tHe tHird weekend oF marCH we dodged another snow storm. The warm sun of March, climbing higher in the sky, melted down the snow banks. Our harsh winter begins to fade into memories. It is now time to reclaim our sidewalks and fully enjoy our walkable neighbor-hood. We win!

It is now time to get out there and clean up the archeo-logical findings left behind by the melted snowbanks & glaciers. I know I sometimes feel some resentful about the trash I find on the streets; “This isn’t my trash”, “I don’t even have a dog!” But I know that we get through the winters here with the help of others, and by helping others out. What each of us invests in making our neigh-borhood reflect our aspirations, pays off in pride, beauty, and community.

The Golden Shovel hopes to encourage everyone to do their part. Each month we will present the Golden Shovel Award to a Munjoy Hill resident or property owner who has been exemplary in maintaining a walkable sidewalk. We hope that others are inspired to do the same.

This month’s Golden Shovel recipient embod-ies the spirit of pitching in to help his neighbors. Phil simon of 56 lafayette was nominated by his neighbor K.E. Smith. Not only does Phil do an exemplary job of keeping his own family’s side-walk clear, but he usually clears K.E.’s sidewalk at the corner of Lafayette St. and Quebec St., as well as the house next to theirs on Quebec Street. K.E., her husband, and the other neighbor are all in their 70s, and while they do get out there to do some shoveling, but they are very grateful for Phil’s snow-blowing.

As we move into spring, let’s continue to help our neighbors out, learn from past challenges, and work for the betterment of our community. Happy Spring!

You can send nominations to [email protected]

the City of Portland has resources for Your spring Clean-up!Starting April 4th, Hazardous Household waste* will be is accepted at the Riverside Recycling Facility. Hazardous waste is accepted the first saturday of each month, April through November. Hazardous waste includes such things as oven cleaners, pool chemicals, automotive batter-ies, herbicides, paint thinners, photo chemicals, gasoline, and oil based paints. e-Card holders are allowed up to 10 gallons hazardous waste at no charge. Other residents are charged $6.50 per gallon, or $3.50 per pound for solid waste. For more detail: The Riverside Recycling Facility at 797-6200 or http://riversiderecycles.com/hazardous-waste .* Latex paint is NOT considered a hazardous waste item. The recommend-ed way to dispose of latex paint is to dry the can out. You can use kitty litter, a speed-dry product, or sand. Once the can is dry and non- pourable, you can put it in your regular city trash bag. (Do not exceed 30 pounds in weight in any Portland set out.)

Portland’s ‘tag it’ Bulky item Program runs April thru November. “Tagged” household items weighing less than 30 pounds will be picked up FOR FREE on your regular trash day. Items must be tagged. Apply for the free tag on the city web site at http://riversiderecycles.com/ecard. At this application site you will answer questions to verify eligibil-ity. All Portland residents are eligible. Eligible items do not fit in a trash bag. Kitchen chairs, rolled up carpets, lawn equipment, and large toys are examples of eligible items. http://portlandmaine.gov/508/Bulky-Item-CollectionLarge item Tags are $40.00 each and are applied for at the same city web site. Large item examples include couches and mattresses. Items required by law to be RECYCLED will not be accepted by ei-ther Bulky Item or Tag It program. This includes: televisions, micro-waves, refrigerators, computers, air conditioners, humidifiers and printers. These items contain hazardous materials. These items must be properly recycled to keep their hazardous metals and chemicals out of our water, soil and air. Free Community electronic waste recycling day: Saturday april 25th, 9 a.m. - 1p.m. This yearly event co-sponsored by the City of Portland is a real bargain for participants. Appliances with freon such as a refrigerants and air conditioners are accepted as well electronics. This event is open to all. Drop off your items at USM Woodbury Campus Parking Lot located at 45 Bedford Street. All will be properly recycled. For more info contact Steve Sweeney 780-4658.

on a Cold and rainy novem-Ber morning, I arrived at the Ox-ford Street Shelter in Portland. It was 6:15a.m., and the more than 150 people who slept at the shelter the night before were starting their day--understandably sour about the weather outside. I, along with other volunteers, were at the shelter for the 100,000 Homes Portland Cam-paign.

I stood outside, talking to one home-less person after another about their health status, their housing needs and their overall vulnerability. I spoke to a dozen homeless people and found out that nearly every person who is a part of the Oxford Street Shelter community suffered from mental illness, substance abuse, or both. Every single one of them wanted a permanent home and to find a way to contribute and be a part of our community. Most were severely depressed and did not feel much hope.

After speaking with us, each person scrambled to find trash bags and any sort of cover from the rain, to head out into weather with all of their be-longings.

The fact is, no one chooses this. No one chooses to be homeless. Our shelters serve as the last line of de-

fense for the neediest among us. Shelters like Oxford Street provide the most basic and fundamental needs for those who have virtually nothing left.

There are some, however, who don’t see shelters the same way.

In recent weeks, some in state gov-ernment have tried to use homeless shelters and those who rely on their safety, as political footballs in their attempt to undermine Maine’s social safety net.

While it’s easy to mislead the public about who uses shelters and why, it is much harder to face the truth.

Recently, the City of Portland stud-

ied 30 of the so-called “long-stayers” at the shelters. Every single one of them had serious and persistent men-tal health issues—often untreated.

They are not staying at homeless shelters to save money—they are staying there because they believe staying at a shelter is the best option available to them.

Mental illness is not easy to under-stand. But it is something that we all need to take a closer look at. We can’t be afraid of it. And most of all, we can’t play the blame-game that serves no purpose other than to dis-tract and delay from a meaningful solutions-based dialogue.

So, while some try to cut spending and vilify those who need to use shelters, many of us are working to strengthen and stabilize our system. I have introduced a bill, LD 443, to provide more adequate and reliable funding to the 42 homeless shelters across the state. I will be sure to keep you informed of how it goes.

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments. Please feel free to email me at [email protected].

Ask tHe Money ProfTaking care of catastrophic financial eventsBy Joel I. Gold

Webster’s Dictionary defines the word catastrophic as “bringing about ruin or misfortune.” Mur-phy’s Law states that “If anything can go wrong, it will.” So, how do we, as prudent leaders of our families, go about reducing risk and prevent catastrophic financial events? A basic approach is to steer clear of risky situations.

For example, think twice before driving during dangerous weather conditions; do not walk down dark and empty streets alone (there is safety in numbers); or be careful of climbing high mountains with-out any experience. This all makes sense, but there are risky events that one cannot expect or control.

This is where transferring the risk to an insurance company can be the best alternative. Carrying in-surance can be vitally important when it comes to events that can be frequent, but, more important-ly, severe, catastrophic. We all are not happy about paying premiums and one should be careful about

purchasing the right type of insur-ance, the right amount of insur-ance, and dealing with the right insurance company.

Let’s take life insurance. Low cost life insurance can protect a fam-ily’s income and assets. Health in-surance is another vital risk man-agement product. Family property such as homes, autos, etc., can be protected with an adequate hom-eowner’s policy. Liability coverage is covered with the homeowner’s policy which can be the most im-portant part of the policy, given the legal system today.

Also consider an umbrella li-ability policy, which is relatively inexpensive and has high limits. Some families should consider a personal disability income policy which covers injuries incurred off the job. Looking further out, long-term care insurance can come in very handy if assisted care or nursing home care is warranted. Buying insurance is all based on probability of occurring events. Risk takers might not be receptive to insurance, but for most of us, taking a chance of incurring large losses, even with low probabilities, is worth the premium cost.

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


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 cir-cumstances. If you are unable to pay the suggested minimum amount, please pay what you can. If you are able to contribute more, we encourage you to do so. We thank you for your

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

PLease senD this ForM, aLong with your CheCk, to:

mHno, 92 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101

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

04/2015

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

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

Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization Committees

Get involved! Join the fun!

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

Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization Committees

Get involved! Join the fun!

Recycle AND help fund the MHNO Heat Assistance Program: Donate recyclables thru

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

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

Keep those cans & bottles coming!

Image from Peacebridge.org

seeKing volunteers to

attend City Planning meetings

and report on projects impacting

Munjoy Hill Please email info@

munjoyhill.org to participate.

tHe MunjoY Hill neigHborHood organization

Ope n M eetings!!

The MHNO Board

meets at 7 pm every

second Monday of

the month at the

“Hill House”

—92 Congress St.

everyone is Welcome!


ON A SATURDAY MORNING last spring, Victor arrived at our boat for a routine check-up and a rabies vaccine. Nancy, Victor’s owner, filled me in on how he lives life on the island. She shared that he is not a cat with a lot of personality. He is not one of the flamboyant types who march into a room with their tails straight up in the air, as-suming always they are in the limelight. No, Vic does not want to be the center of attention. Nor is he big on playing and nonsense. He does not suffer fools. He lives his life as a solitary nocturnal hunter, fulfilling the true nature of the cat.

Victor is not going to exit the pet carrier willingly. If the top can’t be re-moved, the “dump method” will be necessary. The box is upended and we use gravity and gentle plying to dislodge him. Once he’s on the exam table, he glares about the cabin with eyes that say, “So what, you got me out of the box.” You know just by looking at him that he has a threshold of poking and prodding that would be wise not to

cross. Thermometer up the butt is definitely out. The Clint Eastwood of cats stares me down. And he has my respect.

His eyes betray his age. The irises have lost their luster and appear a little moth eaten. What these eyes have seen in his 14 years.

The only remarkable thing about Vic’s health is he has developed an increased appetite and lost weight. Here is where with effort we avoid tunnel vision and continue with our history, exam and the routine tests for a se-nior cat.. But Amy and I both feel Victor likely

has hyperthyroidism or Graves Disease, named after Dr Graves who described the disorder in people 160 years ago. As part of the exam I gently run my fingers down the front of the windpipe searching for the thyroid glands that are normal-ly not felt. Victor’s left gland is palpable, it slides under my finger and pops out the side.

The labs are sent to test for elevated thyroid hormone and a couple of dozen other parameters. Results, next week…

A year later; Victor’s signs subsided on their own. He did not have Graves Dis-ease. He was died later that year, an ac-cident. He was a remarkable cat.

Please send veterinary questions to John Flood DVM • [email protected] . John practices with Island Veterinary Service and House Calls on the Mainland www.islandvet-service.com. Blog; Cascobaymaine.com

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 Members’. 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 Matthew Kennedy at [email protected] or call 207-370-1446.

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.

CITY OF PORTLANDBAG FEE / POLYSTYRENE

FOAM BANLast summer the Portland City Council enacted ordinances that place a fee on disposable shopping bags and a ban on polystyrene foam containers.

Why? Most packaging materials are used one time and are then discarded, which is a waste of natural resources. Too often, these items end up as unsightly litter that tangles in trees, clogs catch basins and fouls the environment. Foam products and plastic bags are not recyclable in Portland’s curbside program.

What does this mean for you?Bag Fee: Beginning April 15, 2015 stores will begin charging 5 cents for each shopping bag used at the point of sale. This includes paper and plastic. You can avoid this fee by bringing your own bag when you shop. Doing so will save you money and reduce your environmental footprint.

Polystyrene Foam Ban: On the same date, restaurants and other food vendors will no longer be able to package prepared food in polystyrene foam containers. Coffee, take-out orders, and leftovers will need to be in paper or acceptable plastic containers. You can reduce packaging waste by bringing your own mug when you grab a coffee and recycling your other packaging.

Thanks for doing your part to keep Portland green!For more information:

http://portlandmaine.gov/1451/Green-Packaging

an outstanding Feline: Victor the catBy John Flood DVM

http://portlandpaddle.net


Join us for a free shredding event.

Fight fraud—shred instead!

Don’t let the next victim be you. Rifling through trash cans for personal information is a common tactic of identity thieves. Shredding sensitive and personal documents can minimize your risk.

Saturday, April 25, 20151:00 to 3:00 p.m.East End School 195 North Street in Portland (Munjoy Hill)

Limited to boxes or bags of personal or household documents. (Please note: No need to remove staples or paperclips, but the following will not be accepted at this event: Electronics, plastic of any kind, binder clips or plastic binders).

For more information, call Jane at 1-866-554-5380 or email [email protected].

15 years ago on April Stoolʼs Day, we opened as a store called Fetch on Munjoy Hill. Weʼre still the same seriously playful pet supply store with the same original ownership, but weʼve grown! Visit us in the Old Port, on Newbury Street in Boston, and on our web store!

Dispensing Healthy Pet Food & Advice Since 2000

BOSTON A-LIST 2014

Tours now offered. Experience the amazing sense of space and light created by 10-foot ceilings, 8-foot doors and 7-foot windows. All corner units. One-level living. 2-3 bedrooms plus den. Private decks. Indoor parking, mud rooms, storage, a shared workshop and even a dog wash! Every design and construction detail has been carefully considered by the developers (They’re residents too!) Move in begins in April.


CROSSwORd Solution on Page 10

aCroSS1 Snakelike fish4 Assist in crime8 Particle12 Imitate13 Fruit14 Pulsate16 Bad time for

Julius17 Border18 Wipe out19 Laconic21 Sediment23 Additional to or

different from24 Attempt25 Slightly open27 Cut down29 Form of transport30 Vitality31 Fuss34 Study of plants37 Bill of fare

38 Napkin39 Quartz used in

cameos40 Used to control a

horse41 As well42 High mountain43 Fraud45 Each47 Cereal grass

seeds48 Paddle49 Aromatic herb50 Fitting51 Champion52 Droop55 Tablet58 Aspersion60 Languish62 Residence64 In the middle66 Halo67 Defamation68 Shade of blue

69 Pack tightly70 Medieval land

worker71 Hinge joint72 Conifer

down1 Type of duck2 Mineral used as

an abrasive3 Not as great4 Simian5 Pandemonium6 Avid7 Woody plant8 Consumed9 Tossed10 Unwritten exam11 Flowerless plant12 Glove15 Insect20 Yield22 Tibia26 Crested bird

28 Flightless bird29 Charge30 Animal doctor, in

short31 Fit32 Saucer33 Woodwind instru-

ment34 Male hog35 Merely36 Variety37 Coalesce40 Saloon41 Be unwell43 Jump44 Annual grass

seeds45 Melody46 Gambit49 Infer50 Tree with conelike

fruit51 Person52 Fry quickly in fat

53 Pointer54 Chew55 Buddy56 Wading bird57 Part of the ear59 Long and thin61 Facile63 Mischievous

fairy65 Staining sub-

stance

It’s aboutrelationships

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

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

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

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

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

My Companion and I need a New HomeMy name is Finn. I am a 25 pound terrier who was rescued from the shelter by my lovely senior citizen person. We are looking for a new home in this area because my person has lived here for 10 years. She is very independent -- after all she shoveled our car out of many huge snow drifts all winter. I tried to help

We are looking for a:1 bedroom apartment on the 1st floor with off street parking.but

SEEKING SIBLINGPOSSIBLY BORN in 1937 TO

LORENA G., THEN ADOPTED Please CALL 207-854-3103

THRIVING … through nature. Connecting You and Your Child with Nature, and THRIVING(Part 2 of a 4 part series)

when i was a kiD there was nothing better than being with my buddies exploring the woods, scavenging wood for the building of forts, riding bikes, catching crawdads in the creek, flying kites, playing a game of baseball or spending the entire day out in the snow. The main thing was that we were outside, feeling alive, feeling free - thriving. But since those times a lot has changed. It’s like we have out-lawed nature for fear that something bad will happen to our kid, or we will be sued, or both.

Either way, the thought of “playing in the woods” is quickly disappearing and no one explains this bet-ter than Richard Louv. In his book, Last Child in the Woods - Saving Our Children From Nature Defi-cit Disorder, Richard explores the increasing divide between the young and the natural world, and the environmental, social, psychological, and spiritual implications of that change. He clearly explains how contact with nature is essential in the development of healthy children - and adults.

In today’s “plugged-in” world, kids seem to prefer

to stay inside and view “nature” on their devices as if they are actually afraid of venturing out-of-doors, alone. So how do you begin to change this?

Go on an adventure - together!

“Adventure”, you ask? “What kind of adventure?”

Something that gets you outside, makes your kid think you are a bit crazy, but has them intrigued as well. You will definitely need to be creative and you might have to work at it a bit. Top priority is for it to be fun and not like work.

Try this - “Hey, I would like for us to go on an adven-ture together, this week. You interested? Before you say ‘yes’ or ‘no’, let me tell you what I have in mind. We pack a lunch and some snacks and just head out. Start walking and see how far away from home we can get. Just keep walking until we either don’t want to go any further or are just too tired to continue. Do whatever we feel like doing as it presents itself. Then we’ll call mom (or dad) to get a ride home. We can use our cell phones to record our adventure as we go. How far do you think we could actually walk? Three miles? Five miles? Ten miles? Are you in? Are you ready to head out into the great unknown with me?”

Okay, I personally enjoy walking and exploring the unknown, so this would be fun for me (Kathleen and I did backpack 500 miles across northern Spain in 2012). Like I said, you may have to call upon your creativity to come up with something that will be in-

viting and fun for all.

Believe it or not, your child wants to feel con-nected to you, to have a good relationship, and to feel good about who they are. I can think of no better way of creating that strong connection than doing something together that neither one of you have ever done before. In this way you both are a leader and a follower, a teacher and a stu-dent, thriving together.

Stayed tuned for Part 3, Thriving . . . and food.

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

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

Hands-in-the-Dirt Funfor Kids Ages 4 to 14!

To Register Call :

Our Summer Day Camp offers fun, hands-on activities so your child can learn about organic gardening, farm

animals, and forest and pond habitats.

Turkey Hill Farm in Cape Elizabeth

Open June 29 - Aug. 21st

Call 518-1779

The Morris Farm in Wiscasset

Open July 6 - Aug. 21st

Call 518-3427

Part-time (MWF or T/TH) and Full-timePrograms available: 9am to 3pm with

additional aftercare until 5pm

Asseenon PBS

Two Locations:

Turkey Hill Farm in Cape

Elizabeth and The Morris

Farm in Wiscasset

PROGRAM FOR OLDER KIDS: Farm Trek! at Turkey Hill

Adventure program for ages 10-14 • 3 full week sessions: July 13, July 20, Aug.10

Register your child today at www.farmcampkids.com or call 518-1779

Now accepting applications for Junior Counselors ages 13-16

Our Summer Day Camp at the Morris Farm in Wiscasset offersfun, hands-on activities so your child can learn about organic

gardening, farm animals, and forest and pond habitats.

Turkey Hill Farmin Cape Elizabeth

Open June 29 - Aug 21Call 518-1779

Part-time (MWF or T/TH) and Full-timePrograms available: 9am to 3pm with

additional aftercare until 5pm

Asseen

on PBS

Two Locations:

Turkey Hill Farm in

Cape Elizabeth and

The Morris Farm in

Wiscasset

Our Summer Day Camp offers fun, hands-on activities so your child canlearn about organic gardening, farm animals, and forest and pond habitats.PROGRAM FOR OLDER KIDS: Farm Trek! at Turkey Hill

Adventure program for ages 10-14 • 3 full week sessions: July 13, July 20, Aug.10Register your child today at www.farmcampkids.com or call 518-1779Now accepting applications for Junior Counselors ages 13-16

Hands-in-the-Dirt Funfor Kids Ages 4 to 11!

The Morris Farmin Wiscasset

Open July 6 – Aug 21Call 518-3427


tion, taking into account not only historical considerations but also, per the city ordinance, “the effect such designation on other aspects of the comprehensive plan of the city.” Deliberations then move to the City Council for final de-termination, again taking into account both historical and non-historical factors. The buildings in question are protected from any alteration or destruction dur-ing this entire process.

Historic preservation is a delicate balancing act. Apply it with too light a touch and the city risks los-ing valuable historical resources to market and other pressures; err in the opposite direction and we restrict opportunities for adap-tive reuse (and therefore an eco-nomic basis for restoration and preservation), while potentially impeding other sorts of urbanis-

tic benefits and goals as set forth in the comprehensive plan. CPB2 managers have acknowledged the historic importance of this com-plex, and describe maintenance of an historic core of buildings as “a key component of our vision.” Similarly, Greater Portland Land-marks’ Hilary Bassett notes that her organization does not seek to prevent the site’s redevelopment, but wants to ensure that its his-toric character and integrity are maintained. It remains to be seen the degree to which these appar-ently kindred sentiments reflect similar visions, but they provide grounds for optimism that the de-liberative process outlined above will yield a balanced and comple-mentary solution addressing both the shared, and the distinct, inter-ests of the owners, the neighbor-hood, and the city as a whole.

Portland Company Complex continued from front page

Springtime Crime Prevention Tips

abyssinian Meetinghouse in 2015By Jeanne BullThankfully, spring is finally spread-ing its much-needed warmth and as the snow-pack recedes, we are able to emerge and look anew at our sur-roundings. I recently enjoyed a new look at a local neighborhood when I attended a talk on the “Story of India Street,” given at the Jewish Museum. This was a presentation of a paper prepared by TTL Architects for the city’s Historic Preservation office. Though much of the built landscape of that area has been lost by fire and development, there are several buildings still standing from Portland’s earliest years, most nota-bly the Abyssinian Church on New-bury Street.

For newcomers to the East End, the Abyssinian community was organized in 1826, and the church itself was built in 1828 by a group of African American Portland residents. These individuals were determined to have their own place to worship, educate their children, and use as a center for involvement in the social issues of the day especially the abolitionist and Un-derground Railroad movements. The Abyssinian is one of the three oldest African American houses of worship in the United States.

It is also one of the few wood-frame buildings that survived the Portland fire of 1866. I knew those facts, but what I did not know is that there are other buildings in the neighborhood known to have survived the fire, in-cluding the home of Rueben Ruby at 81 Newbury. According to the re-search, Ruby owned the entire block where his home was located; he sold the adjacent lot to the Abyssinian Society for the construction of its meetinghouse. Ruby also sold a lot to Abraham Niles, who built his home at 77 Newbury, and another to John Parris, who built at 16 Fed-eral Street. All three of these build-ings, along with the Abyssinian, are still standing, though much has changed, including street names; Newbury was originally Sumner Street. Niles and Parris both listed their occupations as mariners; with Ruby, they were founding members of the Abyssinian and most likely very involved in its activities. The

Abyssinian was at the center of the African-American and abolition-ist communities in Portland. The building provided a place for speak-ers and was a known station on the underground railroad, harboring an untold number of fugitive slaves, one of whom was Josiah Henson, said to be the inspiration for Har-riet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom in her famous book. Mrs. Stowe wrote her book right up the road in Bruns-wick, and I wonder how she heard about his story … did she attend lec-tures at the Abyssinian?

Oh, if those walls could talk! Well, the Committee to Restore the Ab-yssinian is attempting to do just that. After all the uses and abuses the building has gone thru since its beginnings, it is a wonder it is still standing at all. It is really the determination of a small group of 21st-century visionaries that have dedicated their efforts to see that this building not only doesn’t disap-pear, but that it is brought back to its prominence as a landmark of our city’s history. But progress can be slow, restoration is never a straight path, and money is always an issue.

I recently spoke with David Paul, longtime volunteer with the project, who told me they are in the process of finishing the archeological work in the basement, and completing the basement level, to provide a building they can actually work out of.

It is still very much a work-in-prog-ress and not at all ready for regular visitors until that work is done. He was enthusiastic about a recent meet-ing at Key Bank with Mayor Bren-nan, Superintendent Caulk, and members of the Red Claws, among others, hoping these connections will lead to growing exposure and sup-port. Their immediate need is to raise $150K to finish the basement work, and they’re working with a fundrais-er toward that goal. This is a project we all should support.

For more information I urge you to take a look at their website at www.abyme.org and spread the word!

East End Business Focus

ciRcA hoMe and Vintage by Lisa Peñalver At a time when technological ad-vances are outpacing most peo-ple’s ability to keep track of what’s new, there is a growing apprecia-tion for the styles and fine work-manship of the past. Tools and household items made of wood and iron, worn smooth from wear, offer a tangible connection to a time when life was much sim-pler and things were made to last. The word “vintage” has come to apply to those things “classic” or made a long time ago.

Enter the shop Circa Home and Vintage at 247B Congress St., tucked into one of the cozy shop spaces with the high ceilings and brick walls that line the foot of Munjoy Hill, and you will see “vintage” all around you.

Owner Tonya Sattin artfully ar-ranges her wares in a setting that is both intriguing and welcoming. In-terspersed among an eclectic collec-tion of New England–made goods are scattered mid-century pieces, furniture, books, toys and more.

The shop opened on Congress Street two and half years ago. I asked Tonya where all these in-teresting things came from. Some of the items and furniture are an-tiques, while many of the home goods are new (many handmade and organic items).

“I opened with a lot of mid-cen-tury items (1950s), that I’d been collecting. I’ve always loved high-quality rustic pieces; I started collecting vintage furniture, long before I knew what I was going to do with it, but I knew it was not all going to fit in my home.”

“I grew up in Freeport. I briefly considered opening the shop there, but I was not finding the sort of cute space that I found here. I had never run a shop be-fore either; it was a radical leap of faith”

Along with the vintage furniture (tables, shelves, lamps, chairs) there is a line of complementary items which are new: books, greeting cards, linens, toys, and kitchen items, the list goes on. With a few exceptions, these are made almost entirely by small New England businesses.

In the short time she has been on Munjoy Hill, Tonya has picked up the torch to champion the East End business community. She has become the point-person for the East End Holiday Stroll that is organized around Christmas time each year. “I‘ll make sure it happens,” She said, “but it existed before me, and it’s really a group-led effort. It’s become a well-loved community event, drawing shop-pers from all over, and is a real showcase for our neighborhood. I worked with a local design agency to upgrade the artwork last year and we hope to have a website to go along with it for 2015’s Stroll. We’ll be ahead of the game.”

Meanwhile, right now is a good time to stop in at Circa Home and Vintage, before the summer crowds arrive. Maybe you can even make a dent in next year’s gift shopping! (Be sure you tell her the Observer sent you!!)

Circa Home and Vintage is located 247B Congress St.. Be sure to check the Facebook page for shop hours, or call (207) 899-0198 http://CircaHo-meAndVintage. You can follow Tonya on Instagram for a more balanced look into the life of a shop-owner.

By Janine Kaserman, Munjoy Hill Community Policing

As the warmer weather ap-proaches, the Portland Police Department wants to remind you of some tips to keep your-self and your home safe during the spring months.

Keep your home or apart-ment doors locked at all times.

Even if you are around your home, keep all your doors in-cluding the garage door (if you have one) closed and locked.

Always lock your doors when you leave, even if you only plan to be gone for a few minutes.

During the spring weather, many people open windows or sliding glass doors while they are at home. Always remember

to close and lock your windows and sliding doors when you go to bed or leave the house.

Install motion-activated lights in your front and back yards, so when someone ap-proaches your home, the lights automatically come on, illumi-nating that person.

Put all ladders and other tools back into a secure stor-age area after you use them. Ladders and other tools can be used by criminals to access your home. Always lock any storage unit or shed you have on your property.

Always remember to roll up your car windows and lock your car doors.

Do not leave anything of value in your car.

Lock your doors every time you exit your vehicle, even if your vehicle is parked in your driveway.

Be aware of suspicious people in the area.

If you witness any suspi-cious activity please call 911 or the police non-emergency number, 874-8575.

Being a good neighbor can be one of the best crime prevention tools. Watchful, attentive neigh-bors can spot criminals and alert the police and the community to their presence. Get involved in your community, and help us keep your spring happy and safe.

B•i•c•Y•c•l•e spells respect!This year the Bicycle Coalition of Maine is introducing a “vulnerable user” law that includes pedestrians, wheel-chair users, bicyclists, construction workers, farm workers, and motorcyclists. The bill also clarifies law enforce-ment’s ability to ticket bicyclists engaging in unsafe behavior, and upgrades the “yield to pedestrians in sidewalk” law to a stop instead of a yield. You can add your name to a list of supporters here, get fact sheets, and get instruc-tions on how to contact your legislators. http://www.bikemaine.org/

http://www.abyme.org/

http://www.abyme.org/

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women’s Stories told on Screen at uneAt the University of New England on Thursday, April 2 at 7 pm, as the Women and Gender Stud-ies program, along with the Maine Women Writers Collection, present The BesT of The Blue-sTocking film series. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place simultane-ously at both the Portland and Biddeford campuses of University of New England. In Portland, it will be held in the WCHP Lecture Hall in Parker Pavilion at 716 Stevens Avenue, and in Biddeford in the Alfond Center, Room 205 at 11 Hills Beach Road., please visit http://bluestockingfilms.com.

29th annual Chocolate lovers’ Fling sunday, April 12th, 1-4 p.m., Holiday Inn by the Bay. Tickets for this all seated event will still be only $50, and are available now! A benefit for SARSSM (Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine) • Hotline: 1.800.313.9900, http://www.chocolateloversfling.org/index.htm

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

PhoPa gallery 132 Washington Ave | photographs and works on paper. march 11 - April 18, 2015 , Salt, Silver, and Sun:, Historic Processes by Photographers Today, Guest-Curated by Brenton Hamilton, , http://www.phopagallery.com/

mayo Street arts Performances & Classes 10 Mayo Street, mayostreetarts. org —Times vary. Classes: Tango, Belly Dancing, Kids Yoga, Juggling, Zumba and Pilates. Artist Studios, theater, poetry, music and more. Contact 615-3609, or [email protected].

earth day 2015, april 22

Calling all munjoy Hill gardeners!Do you know of an interesting garden, precious window nook, porch planters, or sidewalk landscapes on the Hill? Friends of the Eastern Promenade seeks gardens for the Hidden Gardens of Munjoy Hill 2014 tour! Email [email protected] Return of the Hidden Gardens Touris scheduled for Sunday, July 12

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Our Hill-gal Diane Russell, District 39 - Portland , Maine State Rep-resentative, is quoted in the introduction of a Washington Post article by Katrina vanden Heuvel on March 24 :

“I had a college degree, a decade of experience, and the only job I could get was making $8 an hour at the local con-venience store in my neighborhood,” Maine state Rep. Di-ane Russell (D) said in January, recalling her unlikely path to public office. “I have no business being in politics. I was not groomed for this. But thanks to public financing, I have a voice. And thanks to public financing, a gal who takes cash for the convenience store for selling sandwiches can actually talk about the stories that she’s learned from be-hind the counter.” Russell was speaking at an event on the fifth anniversary of the Citizens United ruling that set off an avalanche of money in politics. After her state’s “clean elections” system propelled Russell into office in 2008, she quickly became a force in Maine politics. Her progressive record of defending voting rights and workers, for example, led the Nation to recognize her as its “Most Valuable State Representative” in 2011.”

The article, Tell the election success stories, too, can be read in its entirety at http://www.wash-ingtonpost.com/opinions/tell-the-election-success-stories-too/2015/03/24/22a4b7ee-d18f-11e4-a62f-ee745911a4ff_story.html

CroSSword-puzzle on page 8

Quoted in the Washington Post

nonprofit spotlight: Maine audubonMAINE AUDUBON IS THE STATE’s largest wildlife conservation organization. They work to protect all Maine wildlife and habitat through advocacy efforts in Augusta, educational programs for youth and adults, and conservation programs such as the Piping Plover Recovery Project. They have a unique focus on citizen science programs that engage youth and adults in understanding how climate change is impacting Maine wildlife and habitats. From counting frogs in the spring and loons in the summer, to fishing for brook trout and identifying birds in your backyard, the 172-year old organization is committed to engaging Mainers in hands on conservation work to increase environmental literacy in the state.

For those of us in Portland, we are fortu-nate that Maine Audubon’s headquarters at

Gilsland Farm in Falmouth is a five minute drive away. The 63-acre wildlife sanctuary and Environmental Center offers a month-ly speaker series and naturalist’s forum, weekly bird walks, special events (be sure to check out their annual Peony Bloom Ice Cream Social on June 16) and camps and preschool programs for kids.

They have an upcoming Bird walk on the Eastern Promenade on tueSday, aPril 14 from 7:00 – 9:00 am. Join Doug Hitch-cox, Maine Audubon’s staff naturalist, for a walk around the promenade to identify ducks, gulls, songbirds and hopefully some early returning southern migrants.

Visit maineaudubon.org for more informa-tion or call (207) 781-2330.

http://bluestockingfilms.com

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HAPPY DAYSARE HERE AGAINSTREISAND’S 60’s SONGBOOK

SAINT PAUL’S ANGLICAN CHURCHLOCUST & CONGRESS ST ◆ 207.828.2012 ◆ STPAULSPORTLAND.ORG

JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN TODAYALLELUIA

The people of Saint Paul’s Church invite you to celebrate with us the saving passion and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ.

WORSHIP WITH OUR ANCIENT AND BEAUTIFUL SERVICE OF THANKS GIVING

Maundy Thursday- Mass At 5:30 pm

Good Friday- Seven Words At Noon, Mass At 3 pm

EASTER DAY- Masses At 8 And 10:30 am

By His death we are all able to start our lives anew

2015


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great maine Bike Swapsunday April 26 in Portland: Hosted by the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. Buy or sell. The Portland Swap will be held from 10am-1pm on Sunday, April 26th, USM Sullivan Sports Complex, with bike drop-off on Saturday, April 25th. Admission to the event is $3; and$ 3 bicycle listing fee. http://www.bikemaine.org/coalition-news/find-a-sweet-ride-at-the-great-maine-bike-swaps-in-orono-and-portland-mainetoday-com

easter egg Hunt and egg dayApril 5 - Easter egg hunt, other activities, at Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, 142 Free Street, Portland, 207-828-1234. Fax: 207-828-5726. Email: [email protected]. phoTos with the easter Bunny: Special Bunny Photo Packages will be available at the Maine Mall where the Easter bunny will be hanging out for several days and evenings during the month of March and April.

http://www.bikemaine.org/coalition-news/find-a-sweet-ride-at-the-great-maine-bike-swaps-in-orono-and-portland-mainetoday-com




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Documents

April 2015 Munjoy Hill Observer