Westbrook Rep. Proposes $100M Transportation Bond

PPH:

The bill, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Ann Peoples, would allocate $65 million to road and bridge repairs, $20 million to improve rail lines, $10 million for public transportation and $5 million for pedestrian trails. It is too early in the process to determine the specific projects that would receive funding.

- John C.L. Morgan

Maine Hindus Look Forward to Opening of Westbrook Temple

PPH:

Having a temple in Maine has been a hope of Hindus here for decades, said Deven Bhatt, president of Maine Hindu Temple, the nonprofit organization that orchestrated the purchase of the former Unitarian Universalist Church on Westbrook's Main Street.

- John C.L. Morgan

Kennebec Smeltin'

maine.:

We’re driving through the Kennebec River towns north of Merrymeeting Bay, looking for fishing camps. Catching a bucket of smelt is our goal. But the frozen surfaces are thinner than usual this year, where there’s ice at all...[t]hin, silvery-pink fish often not much longer than an outstretched hand, rainbow smelt are known to live primarily in saltwater bays, but spawn in fresh water--famously, under the ice of the Kennebec River.

 John C.L. Morgan

Related: Ice Breaker (March 23, 2009)

First Winter Festival Receives Positive Reviews

AJ:

Whether bundled in heavy jackets, wetsuits or running gear, everyone was wearing a smile at last weekend’s first Westbrook Winter West Fest. The festival, which officials estimate drew a few thousand people, included events such as dog sled races, hockey tournaments, kayaking on the Presumpscot River, a 5K run, snow sculpturing and even a few impromptu snowball fights.

- John C.L. Morgan

City Looks to Expand Recreational Access to Presumpscot

PPH:

On Monday, the City Council will vote on whether to spend as much as $25,000 for the ramps and docks, which Baker is proposing to install near the end of Ash Street, near Cottage Place and in the northwest corner of Riverbank Park, where he also wants the city to rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards.

- John C.L. Morgan

State to Reduce Funding to Westbrook Schools

AJ:

According to information released by the state Department of Education, the $12.6 million in state aid to the Westbrook School Department will be reduced by slightly less than $205,000, a cut of 0.7 percent. The cut is a small percentage of the $30.9 million 2012-2013 school budget passed by voters in June.

- John C.L. Morgan

Full disclosure: I am an employee of the Westbrook School Department.

Casella Opens Trash Transfer Station Today

PPH:

Now, much of the waste from the region will be dumped in Westbrook, then consolidated in larger trucks and hauled away for disposal.

[snip]

The facility in Westbrook is expected to take in about 123,000 tons of trash annually from 14 communities in southern Maine, including Sanford, Old Orchard Beach, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, and any waste from companies that need its hauling services, said Casella officials.

- John C.L. Morgan

Local Entrepreneur Looks to Develop Water Park on Presumpscot

PPH:

Rob Mitchell's commute has taken him over the
Presumpscot River in Westbrook for the past 15 years. But when he took up
kayaking about 10 years ago, the river started to look different to him.In it,
Mitchell saw the potential for a recreational water park -- a project he thought
he'd take on once his kids graduate from high school.

- John C.L. Morgan

Group Promoting Lower Taxes Forms in City

AJ:

An organized group of Westbrook residents is
looking over the shoulders of city and school officials throughout this year’s
budget season.Westbrook Taxpayers United, boasting about 30 members, has been a
vocal presence during the budget process.

- John C.L. Morgan

City's Surplus Could Offset School Department's Deficits

PPH:

The school department ended fiscal 2011 more than
$760,000 in debt. But because the city finished the fiscal year ending last June
with a $9 million surplus the school department could get a bailout. The city
administration is recommending that the City Council use some of that surplus to
erase the school department's debt, which has accumulated over a couple years,
said City Administrator Jerre Bryant.

- John C.L. Morgan

High School to Host Community Forum on Drug Use Prevention

AJ:

The forum will feature a panel made up of
[Westbrook High School's substance abuse counselor Bruce] Dyer, Westbrook Public
Safety Director Mike Pardue, District Court Judge Keith Powers, representatives
from the Westbrook schools and Westbrook High School graduate Kyle Shangraw, a
member of the class of 2005, who will be sharing his story about his struggles
with substance abuse.

- John C.L. Morgan

Idexx Posts Strong First Quarter, Wins State Award

PPH:

The revenue growth was driven by higher sales of
laboratory diagnostic and consulting services in the companion animal-- or pet--
group, which contributes most of Idexx's sales. Idexx said it added customers
with a geographical expansion.

PPH:

Six Maine businesses, including two in Greater
Portland, have won Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence.The seven-year
old program is administered by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
The awards were presented on Thursday by Gov. LePage and Maine DEP Commissioner
Patricia Aho in a ceremony at Jotul North America’s headquarters in
Gorham.

- John C.L. Morgan

PPH: Dancing Elephant 'Like Heaven on Earth'

Overcoming her prejudice against Westbrook,* Press Herald food reviewer Shonna Milliken Humphrey has good things to say about Dancing Elephant:

And that's when the magic happened. Ganesh-like,
all obstacles were removed to reveal a cup of spicy-sweet chai tea, steeped and
lovely, and somehow in the space of wondering where to look and what to focus
on, I was served some of the finest Indian food in my history of eating Indian
food

- John C.L. Morgan

* Exhibit A: "When an Indian restaurant opens in Westbrook, it is equal parts hopeful and wistful."

* Exhibit B: "[T]he 'I love Indian food!' enthusiasm tangles with 'But it's Westbrook' suspicion, and the result is confusion."

Next Stop for School Budget: City Council

AJ:

The council is scheduled to hold its first
discussion and a preliminary vote on the combined city and school budget at a
meeting in Westbrook High School’s room 114 on May 7 at 7 p.m. If the budget
passes the preliminary vote, the council will hold a final budget vote on May
14.

- John C.L. Morgan

Public Comment Kerfuffle Leads to Critical Ad, Review of Policy

AJ:

The debate started at an April 2 City Council meeting, when James
Tranchemontagne, who owns The Frog and Turtle and is a member of the group
Westbrook Taxpayers United, attempted to give a speech during the first of two
public comment periods on the council’s agenda on his frustration with the
city’s tax burden on home and business owners. Tranchemontagne initially spoke
for six minutes, twice the allotted time allowed for residents to speak during
the open comment period, before City Council President Brendan Rielly
interrupted him to remind him about the time limit (which is announced before
each public comment period at council meetings) and asked him to wrap up his
comments.

Video footage from the April 2 City Council meeting can be seen here. Tranchemontagne begins his comments at the 10:35 mark, and the testy exchange between he and Rielly described in the article begins at the 15:35 mark.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Gets Food Coma'd

A reporter from the University of Southern Maine's Free Press tagged along and chronicled the crew's visit to the Paper City.

- John C.L. Morgan

News Fit to Post: April 12

City Council to take another look at home fire sprinkler ordinance. (April 12)

City celebrates completed renovations to the exterior of Walker Memorial Library. (April 12)

School Board and City agree to a revamped policy regarding school resource officers. (April 12)

- John C.L. Morgan

School Board Restores Some Positions in School Budget

PPH:

Westbrook school officials have put nine positions
back into the department's 2012-13 budget, which initially called for a net
reduction of 21 full- and part-time jobs. Three high school teachers, a school
resource officer and a guidance counselor are among the positions that are no
longer targeted for cuts in the $31 million budget, which the School Committee
unanimously supported Wednesday night. The committee will take its final vote
April 11 on the budget, which now calls for the elimination of 26 positions,
including 10 full-time teachers, and the addition of 14 positions, including two
assistant principals.

- John C.L. Morgan

Full disclosure: I teach at Westbrook High School.

Casella Closure in Biddeford Could Impact Westbrook

AJ:

A newly revealed plan to finally close the
controversial Maine Energy Recovery Co. trash incinerator in Biddeford could
have big repercussions in Westbrook--construction of a long-delayed transfer
facility on land owned by Casella Waste Systems.

- John C.L. Morgan

Idexx Breaks Ground on New Headquarters

PPH:

The 108,000-square-foot administrative building,
which will hold offices for 300 employees, is the first half of a planned $60
million expansion, announced in July.The timing of the second phase, a
100,000-square-foot building for 400 employees, will depend on the continued
growth of the company, said facilities manager Dick Daigle."If we continue to
grow at the rate we're growing now, it's going to be fairly quickly," he
said.

- John C.L. Morgan