Westbrook Native's Book Has Been Published

The Viking Press has published the late Westbrook native Beverly Jensen's novel, The Sisters from Hardscrabble Bay.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Stephen King Praises Beverly Jensen's Forthcoming Book (February 18, 2010)
Related: Beverly Jensen's Web Site is Up, Book to be Published June 28 (January 21, 2010)
Related: Wet Wool, Warm Whiskey, and a Cold Church (January 2, 2010)

Presumpscot Alewives

h/t: Tispaquin's Revenge.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook One of a Few Maine Cities to Collect Data Related to Racial Profiling

MPBN:

"There are statistics that are being gathered in some of the cities in Maine
already," [Maine State Police Chief] Col. Fleming says. "The city of Westbrook
is looking at that, I believe Lewiston, Auburn, Portland. In trying to make
those determinations, that's part of what our process is going to be, is looking
at some of the data that's been collected and seeing what we can glean from
that."

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Chief Baker: Racial Profiling Has No Place in Law Enforcement (June 25, 2010)

Westbrook Woman Sets Record in Swim Across the Strait of Gibraltar

Fifty-nine-year-old Pat Charette-Gallant swam from Tarifa, Spain to the coast of Morocco on June 16 in 3:28, thus becoming the fastest American woman to swim the Strait of Gibraltar.

According to the Asociacon Cruce A Nado Del Estrecho De Gibralter, Charette-Gallant is the 258th person to swim the world's second-busiest shipping lane since 1928, and her time is the third-fastest for a woman in the world.

A slideshow depicting Charette-Gallant's feat can be seen here, and a video of the world record-holder (Australian Penny Palfrey) swimming alongside pilot whales can be seen here.

(Update: The PPH has published a profile of Charette-Gallant)

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: A Model of Persistence (February 24, 2010)
Related: Quote, Unquote (August 7, 2008)

On Vintage Base Ball

PPH:

The players of the Dirigo Vintage Base Ball Club of Augusta -- or ballists, as
they were called in the 1860s--hefted long, narrow bats and waited their turn to
strike. "I love baseball and I love history," said Rohman, a Civil War
re-enactor. He organized the Dirigo side five years ago after researching
everything from the rules of the period, the uniforms and the terminology.

Anyone who hasn't seen the old Conan O'Brien skit on old-time ballists can check it out here.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: The Presumpscots of Cumberland Mills (April 9, 2009)
Related: Prince of the Poor Man's Media: Or, This Week's Episode in Shameless Promotion (April 6, 2009)
Related: The Sportswriter: Boston Red Sox (July 29, 2008)

Dept. of Unfortunate Signage

Overheard in Portland has ventured into the 'burbs to find a faux pas on a Westbrook business's sign.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Dept. of Unfortunate Sloganeering (June 2, 2010)

Westbrook Politics: June 28- July 2, 2010

Monday, June 28
City Council meeting
Westbrook High School, Room 114
7p
FMI

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Almanac: June 20- June 26, 2010

Week-to-Date:
High: 86F (June 24)
Low: 56F (June 22)
Precipitation: 0.43 inches
Snowfall: 0.00 inches
Previous Sunrise: 5:02a
Previous Sunset: 8:27p

Month-to-Date:
High: 87F (June 19)
Low: 45F (June 9)
Precipitation: 2.92 inches
Snowfall: 0.00 inches

Year-to-Date:
High: 91F (May 26)
Low: -1F (January 10)
Precipitation: 26.52 inches
Snowfall: 24.8 inches

Source: National Weather Service

- John C.L. Morgan

Blaine House

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Did You Know? (April 8, 2009)

Cops and Robbers--And Pharmacists, Too

Portland Daily Sun:

Hoodies, hats and sunglasses are considered common garb for robbers and
shoplifters, so Westbrook police are partnering with businesses, agreeing to
respond to calls from these businesses when a customer refuses to remove
targeted items that might conceal a person's identity. The new initiative,
unveiled Thursday, was deemed a "proactive stance," "empowering the business
community to call the police when customers come in with their identity
obscured." Police said customers would not be arrested for wearing the
identified items, but would have to leave the premises.

[snip]

A public relations campaign is anticipated to promote the initiative. "Police in
Westbrook are actively looking for the manufacturer of life-size cardboard photo
cut outs and are hoping to have a picture of a Westbrook officer with his or her
arm around a customer wearing what has been referred to on the street as a
'Westbrook Tuxedo' in many of the business lobbies around the city," the press
release stated. "The message is, if you come in looking like this we are going
to get to know you."

Any casual viewer of The Wire knows nothing good ever comes of the hoodie, a garment whose rank on the list of the anti-social attire is just above that of the "Whale Tail."

- John C.L. Morgan

(Update: More on the city's war on the Westbrook Tuxedo can be seen here.)

Walker Board of Regents Opposes a Move to Former Warren Library

AJ:

A proposal has yet to come before the Westbrook City Council, but the board of
the Walker Memorial Library is already recommending against the city's buying
the vacant Warren Memorial Library building to relocate the Walker library
there. Mike Miles, chairman of the Walker library's Board of Regents, has
released a report by the board concluding that the Warren building is too small
to adequately serve patrons-- even if the city were to open a new branch library
at the Westbrook Community Center, an idea that has had some discussion by city
officials. Also, the report contends that a move would cost taxpayers more in
the long run. Although the Warren building is in better condition than the
Walker library, which needs costly repairs, it would need expensive renovations
and have higher operating costs, the report says.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Walker to Warren? (March 18, 2010)

Chief Baker: Racial Profiling Has No Place in Law Enforcement

PPH:

It's not every day that the Maine Civil Liberties Union and law enforcement
co-author a commentary piece. We do, however, share a common commitment to the
Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We also share the belief that no one should
be discriminated against based on their race, ethnicity, nationality or
religion. That's why we agree that racial profiling--the practice of stopping,
searching or questioning a person solely because of their race--is wrong and
should be illegal.

According to Amnesty International USA, Maine is one of twenty-six states that have not banned racial profiling.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Chief Bakers Signs Up for Immigration Reform (January 15, 2010)

State Board Blames Unitil for Punctured Gas Line

AJ:

The Maine Public Utilities Commission is blaming Unitil for the gas line
ruptured in downtown Westbrook Monday during highway reconstruction. "The
line had not been marked by the utility," said Evelyn deFrees, a spokeswoman for
the commission. "It's a pretty clear-cut case." A natural gas supplier, Unitil
was once known locally as Northern Utilities. Investigation of the incident is
continuing and penalties range can from $500 to $5,000 per violation, according
to deFrees. No one from Unitil could be reached for comment by American Journal
deadline Wednesday.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Construction Crew Strikes Gas Line on William Clarke Drive (June 21, 2010)

City Officials, Anti-Harassment Trainer Claim a Changed Culture at Fire Department

AJ:

A female firefighter on leave after charging the Westbrook Fire Department with
sexual harassment returned this week to a very different work environment,
according to city officials and a consultant who provided harassment prevention
training to the department. Lisa Theberge and another female firefighter, Kathy
Rogers, went on paid administrative leave in September 2008 due to what they
said was a hostile work environment. The two women also have a lawsuit pending
against the city. Rogers has not returned to the job. However, Theberge's first
day back at work was Monday, said the new fire chief, Michael Pardue. "She is
back in a very professional culture...and a very professional environment," said
Pardue, who has led the department since March. "This is an organization working
very hard to change whatever the image was previously."

- John C.L. Morgan

Snyder Proposes Arena, Convention Center to Complement Mall Plans

PPH:

A developer has proposed building an 8,000-seat sports and entertainment arena
on one of two sites he owns near the Maine Turnpike in Portland and Westbrook.
Jason Snyder wants to build the arena in conjunction with his proposed
Stroudwater Place, a $300 million, 1.6 million-square-foot retail and commercial
development in Westbrook. He has also proposed to convert the Cumberland County
Civic Center in Portland into a convention center, and asked the Portland
Pirates to be the flagship tenant of the new arena.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Stroudwater Place Faces Delays (June 9, 2009)
Related: A Look at the Stroudwater Place Contract Zone (October 22, 2008)
Related: Kaboom! (February 26, 2008)

Construction Crew Strikes Gas Line on William Clarke Drive

AJ:

A gas line rupture at the William Clarke Drive reconstruction site Monday
afternoon in Westbrook closed the highway and evacuated 13 downtown buildings.
Westbrook Fire Chief Mike Pardue said Grondin, contractor for the construction
project, struck a gas service line into the former Sebago Moc building at the
corner of Mechanic Street and William Clarke Drive. "The main 6-inch line is
spewing gas, it's a high pressure main," Pardue said at the scene. According to
Westbrook dispatch, utility workers stopped the gas leak at 2:01 p.m. about one
hour after the rupture was reported at 1:07 p.m. No injuries were reported and
the highway reopened.

- John C.L. Morgan

Foolish Pleasure

h/t: tibbets2345

- John C.L. Morgan

Televised Lobster Boat Races?

WBZ:

There are 10 lobster boat races this season, in Boothbay Harbor, Rockland,
Jonesport-Beals Island, Searsport, Stonington, Friendship, Harpswell, Winter
Harbor, Pemaquid and Portland. Last week, the racing association announced it
had signed an agreement with a Portland marketing company, Aura360, to produce a
television series based on the races. The company had two video crews on hand in
Rockland to record footage that it intends to turn into a pilot that it can
pitch to television networks, said Aura360 spokeswoman Lauren St. Clair. The
idea is to create a series similar to the hit cable TV show "Deadliest Catch,"
which focuses on fishermen aboard Alaska's crab-fishing boats, she said.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Politics: June 21- June 25, 2010

There are no events scheduled for this week.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Almanac: June 13- June 19, 2010

Week-to-Date:
High: 87F (June 18)
Low: 49F (June 16)
Precipitation: 0.21 inches
Snowfall: 0.00 inches
Previous Sunrise: 5:00a
Previous Sunset: 8:26p

Month-to-Date:
High: 87F (June 19)
Low: 45F (June 9)
Precipitation: 2.49 inches
Snowfall: 0.00 inches

Year-to-Date:
High: 91F (May 26)
Low: -1F (January 10)
Precipitation: 26.09 inches
Snowfall: 24.8 inches

Source: National Weather Service

- John C.L. Morgan

Upta Camp

Caution: Salty language. The rest of the routine can also be heard on YouTube.

- John C.L. Morgan

City Councilor Suffers Heart Attack, Credits Firefighters for Treatment

AJ:

"I want to thank them and also acknowledge the fine job they did," Emery said
Tuesday, nearly a week after the June 9 incident, in which he suffered a heart
attack while waiting in line for sandwiches at the store at 120 Main St. "Who
knows? They may have saved my life by doing their job instead of listening to
the patient."

- John C.L. Morgan

Where Are They Now?

In the wake of the Westbrook High School baseball team's loss in the Western Class A finals earlier this week, Press Herald sports columnist Steve Solloway gives an update on the whereabouts of the players who played on the city's Little League World Series team in 2005:

Six of the 12 are on the Westbrook varsity. Zach and Jake Gardiner played
shortstop and third base Tuesday night. Zach Collett was at second and Tom Lemay
was catching. Sean Murphy pitched this season until a sore shoulder shut him
down. Mitchell Chipman has a role, if not a steady position.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: 2005 Little Leaguers One of Decade's Most Remarkable Stories (January 4, 2010)

Westbrook Man Takes Part in Historic Kidney Donor Swap

Jeffrey Wood, a Westbrook resident who participated in what is being called the "biggest kidney donor swap" of its kind last week (the CBS Morning Show's segment on the event can be seen here), wrote an e-mail to me last week from Washington, D.C., where he was recuperating from his surgery:

The visionary behind this exchange is Dr. Keith
Melancon, a surgeon who I connected with following a similar exchange that he
and his team performed last December, which was reported on MSNBC. After an
initial phone interview, I traveled to DC for an extensive physical &
psychological screening this past February, followed by months of follow-up
blood testing and patient waiting. Dr. Melancon totally gets the community
thing, going around bureaucratic restrictions to weave together a group of peeps
that not only exchange organs, but also come to meet and know one another. He
also allowed my friend and professional photographer, Connie Reider, to
accompany me throughout this journey, including the operating room where she
snapped hundreds of still shots which I have not yet had the inkling to look at
(pain still much too fresh and present).

Video of Wood's pre-operation interview with Dr. Melancon can be seen here.

(Update: ABC News also has a story on the event.)

- John C.L. Morgan

Subcommitee Approves Bookmobile for Walker Library

(Update: The City Council rejected the funding of a bookmobile in a 5-0 vote at their June 28 meeting.)

PPH:

A City Council subcommittee approved a request Monday night for the Walker
Memorial Library to buy a bookmobile. The Facilities and Streets Committee voted
2-1 to send the item to the council for approval. Councilor John O'Hara Cast the
dissenting vote. Councilor Brendan Rielly left the meeting before the vote.
Karen Valley, the library director, asked the committee for approval to spend
$5,000 to buy a bookmobile. She said the bookmobile could be used by residents
who live in remote areas of the city and used at the community center, the
senior center or special community events.

Councilors Paul Emery and Victor Chau are also on the Facilities and Streets Committee.

- John C.L. Morgan

Booknotes: Longfellow's Provincial Bloodlines

(Editor's Note: I recently bought a copy of Ronald Banks's Maine Becomes a State: The Movement to Separate Maine from Massachusetts, 1785-1820, so I figured I'd kick off a new feature of the blog that will include thoughts on Maine-themed books I'm currently reading.)

Though Mainers' drive for statehood did not culminate until the Missouri Compromise of 1820, the genesis of the movement can be traced to the September 17 and October 1, 1785 editions of the Falmouth Gazette, when notices calling for a public meeting "to discuss the advisability of taking steps leading to a separation" were published. Interestingly, of the thirty men from Cumberland, Lincoln, and York counties who attended this initial meeting that took place 22 years before Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1807 birth, a couple of them figure prominently in renowned poet's family tree:

As near as it is possible to determine, most of those present were
representatives of the "more substantial" separationist element, who evinced
little interest in stay laws or the emission of paper money. It was no surprise,
therefore, that two men, William Gorham and Stephen Longfellow, Jr., both of
whom belonged to this element, were chosen president and recording secretary
respectively. The only significant result of this first meeting was the
appointment of a seven-man committee headed by Peleg Wadsworth.

Stephen Longfellow, Jr., was the poet's paternal grandfather, and Gen. Peleg Wadsworth was the poet's maternal grandfather. The former is described in Charles C. Calhoun's Longfellow: A Rediscovered Life as one of the "acknowledged leaders of Cumberland County," whereas the latter was a merchant in Portland who went on to establish the town of Hiram.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Booknotes: The More Things Change... (May 27, 2010)
Related: Booknotes: Thank You, New Hampshire (May 24, 2010)

Deal Between Pike, City Needed to Avert a Lawsuit

AJ:

The City Council on Monday unanimously approved a zoning change that makes Pike
Industries' quarrying operation on Spring Street illegal--at least for now.
However, both city officials and Pike said they remain hopeful about forging an
agreement that would enable the company to resume operating on the site with
some restrictions. Pike opposed the ordinance change that rezoned the Five Star
Industrial Park and land around it from industrial to manufacturing. The
ordinance outlaws quarrying in the area, where Pike's property is located. In
fact, company officials on Monday threatened city councilors before they passed
the ordinance that Pike would file a lawsuit to oppose the rezoning in court.

- John C.L. Morgan

WHS Class of 2010 Celebrates Graduation

AJ:

Graduation ceremonies for the Westbrook High School Class of 2010 took place
Wednesday evening, June 9, at Merrill Auditorium in Portland. Receiving diplomas
were 185 students with plans to go to higher education, join the military or
enter the workforce. The ceremony was student-centered, with no outside
speakers. Students who spoke urged the class to be bold and live life fully, to
persevere and also to help others.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Politics: June 14- June 18, 2010

Monday, June 14
Facilities and Streets Committee meeting
Westbrook High School, Room 114
6:30p
FMI

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Almanac: June 6- June 12, 2010

Week-to-Date:
High: 72F (June 7)
Low: 45F (June 9)
Precipitation: 1.34 inches
Snowfall: 0.00 inches
Previous Sunrise: 4:59a
Previous Sunset: 8:23p

Month-to-Date:
High: 79F (June 5)
Low: 45F (June 9)
Precipitation: 2.28 inches
Snowfall: 0.00 inches

Year-to-Date:
High: 91F (May 26)
Low: -1F (January 10)
Precipitation: 25.88 inches
Snowfall: 24.8 inches

Source: National Weather Service

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Soccer to Host World Cup Viewing Party

The Westbrook Soccer League (WSL) is hosting a World Cup viewing party tomorrow afternoon at the Stockhouse Restaurant and Sports Pub.

The event will take place at 2:30p, when the U.S. kicks off its tournament against England, so join the 25-50 people expected to attend for some fun and a raffle drawing for New England Revolution and Boston Red Sox tickets at halftime.

You can RSVP and/or invite friends to the event here.

- John C.L. Morgan

Full disclosure: I'm the secretary of the WSL's board of directors.

Westbrook Schools Given Award for Energy Efficiency

PPH:

Gov. John Baldacci presented the award to [Superintendent of Schools Dr. Reza]
Namin. In a statement, Baldacci said the school department has made
extraordinary efforts to increase the energy efficiency of its buildings and
incorporate the work into the curriculum. Last year, the school department
allocated $600,000 of stimulus funds to improve the energy use in its buildings
across the district. The City Council unanimously supported the board’s request.

- John C.L. Morgan

City Council Rezones Five Star Industrial Park

PPH:

The City Council voted Monday night to rezone the Five Star Industrial Park to a
manufacturing district, which will restrict Pike Industries’ quarrying operation
in the park. Meanwhile, city officials are working to forge an agreement that
includes limiting Pike’s hours of operation, as well as the frequency and
intensity of its blasting. Pike officials say that if they cannot come to an
agreement with the city within 30 days, they will sue to challenge the new
zoning.

- John C.L. Morgan

Election '10: Charter Commission Narrowly Approved; School Budget, Budget Process Pass Easily

Westbrook voters very narrowly approved the formation of a City Charter Commission and let out a loud "ayuh" to both the FY 2010-2011 school budget and the annual budget approval process. The results are below:

City Charter Commission
Yes: 1,349 (50.1%)
No: 1,343 (49.9%)

FY 2010-2011 School Budget
Yes: 1,985 (71%)
No: 809 (29%)

Annual Referendum Vote to Approve School Budget
Yes: 2,255 (80%)
No: 561 (20%)

- John C.L. Morgan

Election '10: LePage, Rowe Win Westbrook

(Update: The City Clerk's office has since announced its official election tallies, and there are a couple changes to report: Elizabeth Mitchell--not Steven Rowe--won Westbrook in the Democratic Gubernatorial primary. The official results have Mitchell winning with 450 votes, instead of the 350 originally reported. According to a June 17 American Journal article on the revised results, the unofficial tallies that were reported here were wrong due to a recording error in the City Clerk's office. Moreover, the tallies of the other races were changed a bit, but not in such a way to alter the outcomes of any of the primary elections or referenda.)

Republican Paul LePage and Democrat Steven Rowe each won their respective party's gubernatorial primary in Westbrook today, with the former securing 35% of the Republican vote and the latter winning 29% of the Democratic vote. The totals for each race are below:

Democratic Party
Rowe, 371 (29%)
Scarcelli, 354 (27%)
Mitchell, 350 (27%)
McGowen, 214 (16%)
Richardson, 21 (1%)

Republican Party
LePage, 384 (35%)
Otten, 234 (21%)
Abbott, 212 (19%)
Mills, 134 (12%)
Poliquin, 61 (5%)
Beardsley, 44 (4%)
Jacobson, 33 (3%)

- John C.L. Morgan

Election '10: 'Yes' Carries the Day in Westbrook

Westbrook voters voted 'Yes' on each of the five referenda questions today. Results are below:

Question 1
Yes: 1,957 (63%)
No: 1,152 (37%)

Question 2
Yes: 1,899 (61%)
No: 1,200 (39%)

Question 3
Yes: 1,821 (59%)
No: 1,269 (41%)

Question 4
Yes: 1,675 (53%)
No: 1,508 (47%)

Question 5
Yes: 1,830 (59%)
No: 1,263 (41%)

- John C.L. Morgan

More on French Press Eatery's Donuts

In honor of National Donut Day last week, PortlandTown captured the donut-making process at The French Press Eatery.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: On The French Press Eatery's Donuts (March 31, 2010)

Formation of City Charter Commission on Tomorrow's Ballot

AJ:

The question of creating a commission to review Westbrook's charter generated
intense debate among the city's Municipal's Officers last year. Even their vote
last fall to place the question on the ballot this month was a divided decision.
Some officials argued a commission is necessary to review the way the city's
strong mayor form of government works, and others contended the system isn't
broken and doesn't need fixing.But now that Westbrook residents are about to go
to the polls on Tuesday to decide on whether to form such a commission, debate
on the issue seems to have died down.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Politics: June 7- June 11, 2010

Monday, June 7
City Council meeting
Westbrook High School, Room 114
7p
FMI

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Almanac: June 1- June 5, 2010

Week-to-Date:
High: 79F (June 5)
Low: 52 (June 4)
Precipitation: 0.94 inches
Snowfall: 0.00 inches
Previous Sunrise: 5:01a
Previous Sunset: 8:19p

Month-to-Date:
High: 79F (June 5)
Low: 52F (June 4)
Precipitation: 0.94 inches
Snowfall: 0.00 inches

Year-to-Date:
High: 91F (May 26)
Low: -1F (January 10)
Precipitation: 24.54 inches
Snowfall: 24.8 inches

Source: National Weather Service

- John C.L. Morgan

Oldtime William Clarke Drive

Courtesy of YouTuber oldtimefreedom.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: William Clarke Drive to Undergo Makeover (May 28, 2010)

Shameless Plug

The Westbrook Soccer League (WSL), a group with which I'm involved, will have a booth at Westbrook Together Days this weekend.

And though I am biased, I think we'll have the best prizes to give away. To wit:

1. Boston Sports Getaway raffle
For just $1/ticket or $5 for an arm's length of raffle tickets, you can be entered into a contest to win our Boston Sports Getaway raffle. The package includes 2 tickets to the Seattle Sounders vs. New England Revolution soccer game at Gillette Stadium on Saturday, September 4 (7:30p) and 2 tickets to the Chicago White Sox vs. Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park on Sunday, September 5 (1:35p).

2. Radar Shot
Starting Saturday morning, we'll measure contestants' soccer kicks with a radar gun and give anyone who correctly predicts their shot's speed a free WSL t-shirt. One buck for three shots.

3. Mystery Game
I won't get too specific about our third fundraiser, lest the idea gets stolen at the eleventh hour. But let's just say this game of chance includes pieces from a well-known board game and an ever-growing pot of cash.

And finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't let ya'll know about the WSL's 2010 FIFA World Cup viewing party on Saturday, June 12. The party takes place at Stockhouse Restaurant and Sports Pub during the U.S. vs. England game at 2:30p, and I encourage you to come down and take in the greatest sporting event in the world with fellow 'Brookies. You can RSVP or invite friends to the event here.

- John C.L. Morgan

Dept. of Unfortunate Sloganeering

As seen on the scattered signs of Westbrook-based roofing company The Roofa: "If you gotta leak, I'll take a peak."

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Overheard (June 25, 2008)

Polls and Predictions

Down East political blogger Mike Tipping has a post about polling in the gubernatorial primaries and requests for predictions for the June 8 results here.

For what it's worth, here are my predictions:

Democratic gubernatorial primary:
Steven Rowe, 44%
Rosa Scarcelli, 27%
Libby Mitchell, 19%
Pat McGowan, 10%

Republican gubernatorial primary:
Steve Abbott, 22%
Les Otten, 19%
Paul LePage, 17%
Peter Mills, 14%
Matt Jacobson, 12%
Bruce Poliquin, 9%
Bill Beardsley, 7%

Question 1:
Yes, 45%
No, 55%

Question 2:
Yes, 63%
No, 37%

Question 3:
Yes, 70%
No, 30%

Question 4:
Yes, 68%
No, 32%

Question 5:
Yes, 61%
No, 39%

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Are Too Many Candidates a Bad Thing? (January 12, 2010)

Westbrook's Slice of Americana

Portland Daily Sun:

For Andrew Tevanian, the dusty clearing off Route 302 in Westbrook is not just
the family owned and operated drive-in he grew up in, but a piece of living
history. From the towering movie screen to the conduit boxes that once powered
car-mounted speakers and heaters, the Pac-Man console to the 4,000-watt xenon
bulb of the projector, Tevanian said the drive-in is more than just an
affordable alternative to the ubiquitous cineplex, it's an experience. "It's
nostalgic, it's Americana, ” said Tevanian. “It's something you've got to
experience once or twice."

- John C.L. Morgan