Pike Begins Blasting Amid Letters of Protest

PPH:

Pike Industries set off its first blast Thursday for the construction of an
access road at its Spring Street quarry, despite a last-minute demand from
neighboring businesses that the city halt the activity. A letter from Artel Inc.
was hand-delivered Thursday morning to Westbrook Code Enforcement Officer Rick
Gouzie asking him not to allow the scheduled blasting to proceed. Smiling Hill
Farm and television stations WPXT/WPME also sent letters to Gouzie opposing the
blasting.

- John C.L. Morgan

Council Gives Final Approval to Budgets

AJ:

The municipal expense budget is now finalized at $24,292,628, an increase of
$19,675 over the 2010-2011 budget. To make up for revenue losses, the city will
have to raise a total of $477,106 more from taxpayers next year. That translates
into a 26-cent increase in the tax rate for 2012, or a $49.01 annual increase on
a $190,000 home, according to Chief Financial Officer Dawn Ouellette. The
council’s vote also approves the school budget, which now goes to a public
referendum on June 7. If approved by voters, the 2011-2012 budget will be
$30,855,304, which is about $2.4 million smaller than the current 2010-2011
budget. If approved by voters, 42 positions will be lost throughout the
district, including teachers, staff, and administration personnel.

- John C.L. Morgan

Plans Afoot to Reopen Daycare

PPH:

A new plan has emerged for reopening a day-care facility in Westbrook that
closed abruptly in February, leaving parents scrambling to find child care. Less
than a day after Lollipop Lane Educare shut down Feb. 11, the state issued a
temporary license to Norma Wolf, the parent of a boy at the center. Wolf wanted
to reopen the facility immediately, but said Wednesday that the plan "didn't
move forward." She declined to comment further. Now Mindy Brigham, a single
mother with a background in education, has applied to the state for a license to
operate a child care center at 18 Patrick Drive in one of the two buildings
previously occupied by Lollipop Lane.

- John C.L. Morgan

City Extends Trespass Order Against Former Finance Chief

PPH:

The city's former finance director has been banned from City Hall for another
year. Westbrook police served Susan Rossignol with a trespass notice Saturday at
the request of Mayor Colleen Hilton and City Administrator Jerre Bryant, said
police Capt. Tom Roth. Rossignol, who was Westbrook's finance director for 32
years, was served a one-year trespass notice in March 2010, two months after
Hilton announced at her inauguration that she was not reappointing Rossignol.

- John C.L. Morgan

Walker Memorial Library Participating in 'Food Not Fines Week'

Beginning today and ending Saturday, May 14, the Walker Memorial Library is participating in the "Food Not Fines Week" initiative organized by the Maine State Library. As a result, library patrons can have their late fees wiped clean this week, as long as they return an overdue item and donate a non-perishable food item to the library.

The donated food will be re-distributed to the Westbrook Food Pantry.

- John C.L. Morgan

City Approves Pike's Plans

PPH:

Pike Industries' plan to build an access road and buffers at its quarry in
Westbrook, as ordered by a judge in November, was approved by the city Thursday.
When it finishes the construction, Pike will be able to resume blasting rock at
its quarry off Spring Street. Work at the quarry has been on hold as Pike's
neighbors, including Idexx Laboratories, have challenged the company's right to
blast rock there. After years of debate before local boards and in court, a
Maine Business Court justice in November approved a consent agreement among
Pike, Idexx and the city that allows Pike to blast with certain conditions,
including the new access road and buffers.

- John C.L. Morgan

Public Safety Overtime Costs Aggravate Councilors

AJ:

Tempers ran high at the city’s Finance Committee meeting on April 25, as the
committee, made up of city councilors, voted to slash overtime for fire and
police officers by 10 percent. The move came after some councilors grilled
Pardue, over a total overtime budget of about $350,000. "I’ve been here for 12
years, and I’ve been hammering on this issue," said Councilor John O’Hara,
jabbing his forefinger at Pardue for emphasis. "The hemorrhaging is just
incredible."

- John C.L. Morgan

Pulse Hosts 7th Annual WMPG Fashion Show

The Spring Street dance studio hosted the event last Saturday (April 30).

- John C.L. Morgan

WHS Alums Stars for Keene State Lacrosse

PPH:

From the moment Lauren Sawyer first picked up a
lacrosse stick, she knew she found her athletic calling. "I just felt
comfortable from the minute I tried it," she said, of her freshman year at
Westbrook High. Eight years later, it's obvious that Sawyer was meant to play
lacrosse. A senior at Keene (N.H.) State, she will lead the second-ranked Owls
into the Little East Conference semifinals today against the University of
Southern Maine. Sawyer is the school's all-time leading scorer, with 102 goals
and a record 193 assists, giving her a total of 295 points.

- John C.L. Morgan

City Council Gives Initial Approval to Budgets

PPH:

The Westbrook City Council gave initial approval Monday to the operating budgets
of the city and the school department, totaling $55.1 million. Next Monday, the
council will hold a public hearing and a final vote on the budgets. Together,
the 2011-12 budgets would raise property taxes by 4.2 percent, which is the same
as 70 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value or $132 for the owner of
$190,000 home. Residents will vote June 14 on the school budget, which is
slightly less than $30.9 million and accounts for 44 cents of the tax rate
increase.

- John C.L. Morgan

City Council Replenishes Pool Funding, Though Pool Personnel Remains Unclear

AJ:

In a close decision, the City Council Finance Committee voted 4-3 Monday night
to restore funds saved by laying off Lisa Wohl, the former manager of the Davan
Pool at the Fred C. Wescott Building--but whether this leads to Wohl’s
reinstatement remains to be seen. Mayor Colleen Hilton has the ultimate
authority to hire or fire employees, regardless of the committee’s vote. After
the decision by the committee, which is made up of the entire City Council, she
said she stood by the layoff, but that she would re-examine the situation in
light of testimony from the public supporting Wohl and other details that
emerged during discussion of the issue.

- John C.L. Morgan

City: Messrs. Elowitch, Tear Down Those Walls

PPH:

Westbrook received a $125,000 Community Development Block Grant last week to
help pay for demolishing the blighted 27,000-square-foot building, which has
been used for storage since Maine Rubber moved out in the late 1990s. The
building's owners, brothers David and Jim Elowitch, are meeting with city
officials next week to discuss what to do with the property, which is bordered
by Main Street, Saco Street and William Clarke Drive. The city will only use the
grant money if the Elowitches cover the rest of the cost of the
demolition--roughly another $50,000.

- John C.L. Morgan

Owner of Pizza Time Looks to Expand Charitable Giving

AJ:

Called "Piece of the Pie," the program happens at [owner Steve] Orr’s shop on
the last Thursday of the month, which this month will be April 28. The shop will
donate 10 percent of all pizzas sold on the last Thursday of the month to a
specific charity. "We want it to get to the point where people are looking for
it every month," he said.

- John C.L. Morgan

Mass. Man Wanted in Stabbing Death

PPH:

Police are seeking a Massachusetts man in connection with a fatal stabbing
Thursday night that may have been drug-related. Police identified Tareek S.
Hendricks, 30, of Worcester, Mass., from photographs found on a cellphone that
he left behind when he fled 73 Central St. after the stabbing, said Maine State
Police Lt. Brian McDonough. The state Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Friday
afternoon that Robert Stubbs, 40, died of multiple stab wounds he sustained at
his home about 10:30 p.m. Thursday, McDonough said.

- John C.L. Morgan

'Half-Pint' Scouts Clean Riverbank Park

WCSH:

The Westbrook Daisy Troop #574 descended on Riverbank Park Friday in full force.
Their mission: to clean it up all in the name of Earth Day. Daisy scouts are
pre-Brownies... which are pre-Girl Scouts. But don't let their half-pint
appearance fool you. When it comes to Earth Day, these girls are smart cookies.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Parents Participate in International Diaper Changing Challenge

WLBZ:

The Great Cloth Diaper Change happened in Westbrook, Camden, Bangor, and four
hundred other locations in twenty- three different countries. The goal is to set
a Guiness World Record for the most babies changed into cloth diapers at the
same time. Cloth diaper advocates hope the event raises awareness about the
benefits of cloth diapers.

- John C.L. Morgan

WPAC to Host Earth Day Showing of 'Earth'

The Westbrook Performing Arts Center (WPAC) will be hosting a screening of Earth (see above) this Friday, April 22 to commemorate Earth Day.

The screening begins at 6:30p, and a discussion on what can be done to make Westbrook a more environmentally-conscious city will follow. Admission is free, though donations are welcome.

- John C.L. Morgan

Federal Funds to Save Some School Jobs

PPH:

The Westbrook School Department learned this week it will receive nearly
$600,000 in federal stimulus money, allowing the department to save 17 jobs that
had been targeted for elimination. Interim Superintendent Marc Gousse
recommended using the money to retain positions including four elementary school
teachers, four middle school teachers and a math and science teacher at the high
school. There are still 47 full- and part-time school employees who stand to
lose their jobs, Gousse said Thursday.

- John C.L. Morgan

The Full Circuit Clouters Return

After a one-year break, the guys at The Full Circuit Clout have returned to their typewriters to document the 2011 edition of the Boston Red Sox. Even better than their clever writing is their ability to almost always unearth a perfectly apropos vintage image (see: April 3, 2011).

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Printing Press Driving Force for Maine Poetry

PPH:

Alice Persons tied a pretty purple bow around the book of poetry and dropped it
in the mail. She assumed the chapbook would end up among a stack of others that
Garrison Keillor receives and never reads. Lo and behold, not only did Keillor
pay attention to the book, he read one of the poems as part of his syndicated
radio and online program, "The Writers Almanac." Ever since, Keillor has
returned again and again to the poems published by Persons and her tiny
Westbrook-based Moon Pie Press. In recent years, he's read 24 poems published by
Moon Pie on his radio show, and included four Moon Pie poems in his third
published anthology, "Good Poems, American Places," which came out last week.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Baseball 'Team to Watch'

PPH:

The Blue Blazes have seven returning starters from a team that was Western Class
A runner-up. The team is led by last season's Telegram League MVP, Scott Heath,
a pitcher-outfielder, and all-league second baseman Zach Collett. If Sean
Murphy's right shoulder is healthy, the team will have a very deep pitching
staff. Murphy and Matt Weimer, both right-handers, are capable of beating any
team. Murphy also was the second-team DH on the league's all-star team.

The team also has three players to watch, not to mention the focus of the PPH's pre-season feature, the twin brothers Jake and Zach Gardiner.

- John C.L. Morgan

Weekday Update

Technical difficulties with Blogger have prevented me from posting with my usual format, so here's a less reader-friendly update of the current news: The Westbrook School Committee's finance committee held a public hearing on the FY 2011-2012 budget and the proposed personnel and non-personnel spending cuts (a list of which is here). The Animal Refuge League has organized a 'Taste of Westbrook' fundraiser through April 2 ( a list of the twelve participating eateries is here). And a former physical education teacher at Westbrook High School has published a guide to all of the public golf courses in Maine.

Census: Westbrook Has Added 1,352 Residents Since 2000

PPH:

Merrill said the Portland suburbs of Gorham and
Windham had strong growth during the decade, gaining 2,240 and 2,097 residents,
respectively. Those towns were followed by Scarborough, with 1,949 more
residents; South Portland, with 1,678; and Westbrook, which gained 1,352
residents. "Portland used to be the hot spot. These figures may be an indication
that these towns have developed their own unique town centers and aren't just
bedroom communities anymore," Merrill said.

The U.S. Census Bureau pegged Westbrook's population at 16,142 in 2000, so this news means Westbrook's population has broken the 17,000 mark.

- John C.L. Morgan

School Department Could Shed Up to 73 Jobs

AJ:

The Westbrook School District could cut up to 73
faculty and staff positions in order to fill a $3.6 million budget gap for the
2011-2012 school year. Those numbers are the latest worst case scenario figures
coming from the Westbrook School Committee, which met Saturday to finish an
initial examination of the proposed $33.7 million budget. The committee has
scheduled a meeting for Wednesday, March 30, at 7 p.m. at the Westbrook Middle
School Performing Arts Center, where it will begin deciding what must be cut
from the budget.

(The PPH's story on the school budget caps the number of jobs cut at 53, but notes all middle school and frosh sports are on the chopping block.)

- John C.L. Morgan

Community Center to Be Re-Named After Fred C. Wescott

AJ:

Wednesday afternoon, [Annette] Wescott said, she,
along with two of her children, Susan Blais and Wayne Wescott, met with City
Manager Jerre Bryant. She said Bryant told the family the community center would
be re-named the Fred C. Wescott Building. Bryant, who confirmed the change, said
it was Mayor Colleen Hilton’s decision to restore the Wescott name to the
building.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Fred C. Wescott's Widow Laments Name Change (March 2, 2011)

WPD Uses Facebook as Crime-Fighting Tool

AJ:

When Mike Nugent signs in to Facebook, he does the same thing as most users:
posts some pictures, lets people know what he’s been up to and what’s going on
around him. The only difference is that his posts detail police arrests of the
past week and his photos are mug shots of criminals.

As I note in this post, I don't object to the WPD's use of Facebook per se. I just think it would be beneficial for other City entities--i.e., City Hall, Westbrook High School, Westbrook Community Center, etc.--to create their own Facebook pages in order to balance the inherent negativity that comes along with the City's crime-fighters acting as its de facto PR arm.

That way we Facebookers are not only informed of the latest arrests and reminded of the sex offenders living in our midst, but also learn about the newest business in town, the latest homegrown award-winners in the high school drama festival, or the relatively inexpensive programming taking place at the WCC.

- John C.L. Morgan

Former WHS Principal Eager to Tackle Challenges as Superintendent

AJ:

After outgoing Superintendent Dr. Reza Namin
announced he had accepted a similar post in Massachusetts, the School Committee
voted March 9 to appoint [Marc] Gousse as interim superintendent through June
30, 2012. "It hasn’t sunk in yet," Gousse said on Friday. "It’s surreal
and has been nonstop--in a healthy way."

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Student Wins Food Writing Contest

PPH:

Zoe Popovic, a fourth grader at Congin School in Westbrook, won the grand prize
in the Grades 3 to 5 category by writing about how she can tell the seasons by
what shows up in her lunchbox every day. Her family has been a member of a CSA
since she first started walking. The 9-year-old's mother, Paula Sobierajski,
loads up her daughter's lunch box every day with local foods they buy from Wolf
Pine Farm in Alfred.

Popovic's essay can be read here.

- John C.L. Morgan

Namin to Vacate Superintendent Position Immediately

AJ:

The Westbrook School Committee has asked School District Superintendent Dr. Reza
Namin to relinquish authority after he accepted a similar job in Massachusetts.

[snip]

School Committee Chairman Ed Symbol said Tuesday the committee would be entering
an executive session Wednesday to discuss the situation. He said that, based on
discussions he has had with Namin, the committee is likely going to appoint an
interim superintendent immediately.

- John C.L. Morgan

(Update: The School Committee has named Marc Gousse, the principal of Westbrook High School, as the interim superintendent through June 2012.)

Full disclosure: I teach at Westbrook High School.

Former WHS Basketball Standout Caps Stellar Coaching Debut

PPH:

Bri Fecteau, the pride of Westbrook High girls'
basketball some 15 years ago, finished up her rookie season as head coach at
Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J., by winning the Empire 8
championship before losing to Colby in the NCAA Division III regional
tournament, 58-48. Stevens ended the season with a 19-9 record. Fecteau starred
at Bentley before serving seven years as an assistant at Harvard.

- John C.L. Morgan

Namin Takes New Job, Will Depart Westbrook in July

AJ:

Westbrook School District Superintendent Dr. Reza Namin will step down this
summer after accepting an offer to take a similar position in Massachusetts.
Namin acknowledged in an e-mail he is joining the Spencer East Brookfield
Regional School District located in Spencer, Mass. The announcement comes just
weeks after the two-year anniversary of Westbrook's decision to hire Namin.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Mass. School District Offers Superintendent Job to Namin (March 5, 2011)

School Budget May or May Not Contain Job Cuts

PPH:

Westbrook Superintendent Reza Namin won't discuss
the potential for layoffs before school officials unveil a budget proposal
Saturday. "It may or may not include staffing reductions," said Namin, who's
working with a $33 million budget this year. "Everything's on the table because
this is going to impact the entire community. This community has never faced a
financial challenge this big, and we want to be very careful how we handle
it."

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Chef Cooks Food for Charity

PPH:

James Tranchemontagne, the chef/owner of The Frog
and Turtle in Westbrook, was looking weary as he ladled batter onto a griddle
for his version of "pork in the hole," a variation of pigs in blankets. The chef
left work at 1 a.m. Friday and got up again at 5 a.m. in order to be at Sea Dog
on time. But Tranchemontagne wanted to participate because "Preble Street is a
really good charity." "We usually only do stuff for charity," he said. "If it’s
tied to a charity, and a charity we like, we’ll get up early."

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Westbrook Restaurateurs Cook Well, Do Good (November 8, 2010)

Mass. School District Offers Superintendent Job to Namin

Worcester Telegram and Gazzette:

The Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School Committee last night offered the
district’s superintendent position to a school superintendent from Maine. Reza
Namin, superintendent of the Westbrook, Maine, school system, was offered the
job last night pending successful contract negotiations, according to Peter M.
Rock, School Committee chairman.

- John C.L. Morgan

Full disclosure: I work at Westbrook High School.

Westbrook Football to Adopt Class 'B' Schedule

PPH:

Westbrook High and Marshwood High of South Berwick will inform SMAA officials
today they intend to play football where they have been classified by the Maine
Principals' Association -- in Class B--and leave the Class A conference. Todd
Sampson, the athletic director at Westbrook, and Rich Buzzell, the athletic
director at Marshwood, then will apply for admission to the Western Class B
Campbell Conference when that league holds a meeting on March 10. "I know I'm
going to miss the SMAA, I'll miss the coaches," said Westbrook Coach Jeff
Guerette. "It's a great football conference.

- John C.L. Morgan

City of Westbrook Receives Favorable Bond Rating, Low Interest Rate

AJ:

Despite a six-month delay in selling bonds due to the rejection of its 2009
audit, Westbrook received some refreshingly good financial news when it finally
sold the bonds this week. Westbrook received high scores from bond rating
agencies, helping it receive an excellent interest rate for borrowing, City
Administrator Jerre Bryant said. "We received four bids (Tuesday) morning with
the low bid submitted by Bank of America Merrill Lynch at an interest rate of
3.13 percent--we are thrilled with the rate," Bryant said.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Schools Satisfy Math Requirements, Fall Short in Reading

AJ:

The Westbrook School District made annual yearly progress in math this year, but
continues to lag behind in reading. Superintendent Dr. Reza Namin said the
district was recently informed of its Adequate Yearly Progress status for the
2010-11 school year. He said he is proud of the student body’s "great
accomplishment" of meeting the target for math, noting the district was in
"monitor" status in past years.

- John C.L. Morgan

Full disclosure: I teach at Westbrook High School.

Fred C. Wescott's Widow Laments Name Change

AJ:

The wife of Fred Wescott, the two-term Westbrook mayor who was the only one to
die in office, has taken the name change at 426 Bridge St. personally. It was
known as the Fred C. Wescott Junior High for nearly 17 years. But it became the
Westbrook Community Center after the new Westbrook Middle School opened on
Stroudwater Street last year.

- John C.L. Morgan

Gov. LePage to Host Town Hall Meeting in WPAC

AJ:

He will be at the Performing Arts Center at
Westbrook Middle School on Stroudwater Street from 6-7:30 p.m. Friday for a town
hall-style meeting. The public is invited to attend to ask questions of LePage.

- John C.L. Morgan

Audit of City Finances 'Not a Good Report Card'

AJ:

An independent audit of Westbrook's finances
for the previous fiscal year has uncovered many key deficiencies that officials
say left the door open for malfeasance. Audit problems also caused a delay in
the city’s ability to borrow for several high-profile capital projects,
including the Walker Memorial Library and community center repairs.

- John C.L. Morgan

Remember the Maine...By Drinking a Remember the Maine

Frontier Psychologist has the recipe for the drink that reminds us of the consequential sinking of the USS Maine in Havana harbor on this date in 1898.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: 'Czar' Reed and the Spanish-American War (April 28, 2010)

Westbrook Business Owner Likes Gov. LePage's Tax Proposal

BDN:

Duane Gushee, president of D&G Machine Products
in Westbrook, said the [reduction of the top income tax bracket from 8.5% to
7.95%] would encourage investments by companies like his. "This initiative
makes it more affordable to do business in Maine and allows us to be more
competitive," he said.

- John C.L. Morgan

Closing of Lollipop Lane Captivates Local Media

Owner Ann-Marie Hebert's announcement on Thursday that her child-care center, Lollipop Lane Educare, would be closing yesterday attracted the attention of most of the local media:

AJ: Here

PPH: Here

WCSH: Here, here

WMTW: Here

WGME: Here

With news of a possible new owner of the business swirling around, we might be hearing more about Lollipop Lane in the coming days.

(Update: The quick turnaround of the prospective new owner's application for licensing has some competitors crying foul.)

- John C.L. Morgan

'Westbrook Idol' Auditions to be Held Today

AJ:

That means the competition begins with open
auditions, set for Saturday, Feb. 12 at 10 a.m. at the Performing Arts Center at
Westbrook Middle School. Ray said local channel 2 is filming the auditions,
which are open to anyone age 12 and up. Everyone from kids to adults who live or
work in Westbrook is welcome to give it a shot, he said.

- John C.L. Morgan

Snowmobiles Killed the Skiing Star

AP:

Suzy Anderson recalls the days when everyone skied
in Aroostook County. She and her friends skied to school. They wore their ski
boots in class, and skied after school. They competed in winter carnivals and
raced each other on weekends. Then Anderson left northern Maine to go to
college. When she returned in 1974, the skis had disappeared. They'd been
replaced by gas-powered snowmobiles. "None of the kids were skiing. There was no
skiing whatsoever. It was because of the snowmobiles," Anderson recalled.
"Skiing was essentially over."

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Student En Route to MIT

AJ:

[Massachusetts Insitutue of Technology] admissions had informed early applicants
the exact date and time decisions would be available online: Dec. 16 at 9 p.m.
That night, I was very nervous and fully expecting to see a deferral letter on
the screen. When at 9:01 I pulled up the screen and read the words, "it is my
pleasure to offer you admission" I was completely in shock. I had to read it
several times before I told my parents. Once it actually sank in, I was beyond
excited and definitely relieved. Still, there are times, even now, when I have
to convince myself that I actually got in.

- John C.L. Morgan

A Look at Paul's Shoe Repair

PPH:

Rowland's job is all about the small details that make a shoe or boot or handbag
look like new. Many of those details, like tiny threads on a narrow band of
material at the bottom of a shoe, are not really noticeable to us non-cobblers.
But to Rowland, who has been doing it for 25 years, getting the details right is
a big part of his job satisfaction.

- John C.L. Morgan

A Family Tradition of Reffing

AJ:

It’s not often that history is made at a middle school basketball game. But that
is exactly what happened last week when Katelyn Benson of Westbrook stepped on
the court to officiate a Westbrook Middle School basketball home game. It was
the 18-year-old’s first official game, making her the youngest female basketball
referee in Maine history, a moment she shared closely with the game’s other two
refs: her father Bob Benson Sr., and her brother, Robert Jr.

- John C.L. Morgan

A Look at Haven's Past, Present, and Future

PPH:

A dedication to what works, even if it's old-fashioned, has helped the [Haven's
Candies] deliver profits nearly 100 years after it was founded, according to
owner Andy Charles. "What I love about Haven's is that we are 96 years old, and
although we have expanded our size and scope, and adopted some technology, we
still make candy by hand," Charles said. "We are sticking to our roots. That's
the soul of the company."

- John C.L. Morgan

Chief Baker, Police Department Look Forward

AJ:

[Bill] Baker’s new post is a full-time job [with the FBI], so he is not truly
"retiring," though he is stepping away from full-time law enforcement after a
36-year career. "It’s a pretty significant change. It’s a new phase, and maybe
the final phase, of my career," he said.

AJ:

Those within the Westbrook Police Department say it will be business as usual
come Monday, despite the absence of Chief Bill Baker. Baker announced his
retirement the first week of January. Since then, the city has announced fire
Chief Mike Pardue would step in on an interim basis to lead both police and fire
departments.

- John C.L. Morgan

More on WHS School for Success

PPH:

Last week, Alex Howe got a perfect score on his mid-term math exam. Last year,
he might have skipped school and missed the exam. "I got the highest grade in
the class," Howe said proudly. Howe is succeeding in a new program at Westbrook
High School that supports freshmen who are at risk of dropping out. He's one of
16 students in the School for Success, a program that school officials hope to
expand to include sophomores next year.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Westbrook High Provides Support for Struggling Students (January 14, 2011)

Roof Repairs at Community Center Trickier Than Expected

AJ:

The roof at the Westbrook Community Center is proving to be a pesky problem for
construction crews. Replacing the 35-year-old roof at the former Wescott Junior
High was initially expected to be a $750,000 endeavor. But City Administrator
Jerre Bryant said recently the project would cost more and run longer than hoped
due to a leaky skylight that is proving more problematic than originally
thought. There is no estimate of cost overruns yet.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Warren Foundation Gift to Help Fund Renovation of Community Center (October 18, 2010)

School Board Wrestles with Laptop Costs

AJ:

Jeff Mao, the state’s learning technology policy
director, said a warranty and a buffer pool cover the state-provided laptops.
The buffer pool provides a limited number of replacements per district for
certain types of damage. "It's not an endless well of computers," Mao said.

- John C.L. Morgan

On "Re:turn"

PPH:

[Artist Aaron] Stephan's project required nine months of hard labor. He grew a
tree in the atrium of the Westbrook Middle School. It's a gorgeous, leafless,
canopied representation of a tree from an old-growth forest. Stephan used lumber
reclaimed from the bowels of Moosehead Lake to make his tree, which measures
about 25 feet high and 16 feet wide, branch to branch.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Creator of Middle School's Public Art Among Maine's 'Most Exciting Artists' (July 26, 2010)

Westbrook Almanac: January 23- January 29, 2011

Week-to-Date:
High: 34F (January 27, 28, 29)
Low: -13F (January 24)
Precipitation: 0.26 inches
Snowfall: 2.9 inches
Previous Sunrise: 7:02a
Previous Sunset: 4:47p

Month-to-Date:
High: 50F (January 1)
Low: -13F (January 24)
Precipitation: 2.39 inches
Snowfall: 29.1 inches

Year-to-Date:
High: 50F (January 1)
Low: -13F (January 24)
Precipitation: 2.39 inches
Snowfall: 29.1 inches

Source: National Weather Service

- John C.L. Morgan

Maine is...Candlepin Country

Is the fact that a roller with the name Morgan bowled in the candlepin national championships the year I was born mere coincidence?

Well, if you asked those who saw me bowl an average of 71 yesterday at the first night of the Paper City Junto (PCJ) candlepin bowling league, the answer would probably be a resounding, Yes!

Anyway, the league's still accepting two teams of 3 players to join our current crop of four, 3-player teams through February 10. See the PCJ Web site for more details and feel free to e-mail me at owner@papercityjunto.org.

- John C.L. Morgan

Snowmobilers May Lose Trails Due to Railroad Construction

AJ:

All the snow in recent weeks should be a dream come true for local snowmobilers.
Instead, they find themselves in a nightmarish battle with the state over the
preservation of their trail running from Westbrook to Windham.

- John C.L. Morgan

Charter Commission May Address Partisan Elections

AJ:

But does it even matter what party local officials
are affiliated with? Now that the charter commission is reviewing all aspects of
city government, said [Republican School Board Chairman Ed] Symbol, why not ask
them to look closely at the issue? "I don’t think party matters anymore," Symbol
said Tuesday. "The more I was on the City Council and the school board, the more
I realized it didn’t matter and I got labeled a lot."

- John C.L. Morgan

Maine Tunes

Check out Maine.FM, an Internet-based radio station that plays Maine music all the time.

- John C.L. Morgan

h/t: Fellow native 'Brookie Evan Carroll.

New Deli Opens on Bridge Street

AJ:

A new restaurant has opened in a spot that has been
empty for two years. Doughboy’s Café on Bridge Street, across from the Dana Warp
Mill, was opened Jan. 4 by Tina Dougherty and her husband Chris. They are
Westbrook residents who moved their business from Portland’s Ocean Avenue, where
it was known as the Back Cove Deli for a decade, she said.

- John C.L. Morgan

Olympia Sports Continues to Grow

PPH:

[F]or Olympia Sports, a 185-store chain based in Westbrook, [small towns]
are keys to success. Olympia, which was founded by Portland resident Edward
Manganello 35 years ago, has expanded across New England and grown into a major
player in the retail sports industry, thanks in part to a strategy of selling
family sports equipment in towns lacking a large retail presence. "We went to
smaller, remote markets that have little or no competition. There is quite a
need there," Olympia President Dick Coffey said Tuesday in his Westbrook office.

A profile of Coffey can be read here.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Almanac: January 16- January 22, 2010

Week-to-Date:
High: 40F (January 19)
Low: 0F (January 22)
Precipitation: 1.32 inches
Snowfall: 13.10 inches
Previous Sunrise: 7:06a
Previous Sunset: 4:40p

Month-to-Date:
High: 50F (January 1)
Low: -1F (January 15)
Precipitation: 2.13 inches
Snowfall: 26.2 inches

Year-to-Date:
High: 50F (January 1)
Low: -1F (January 15)
Precipitation: 2.13 inches
Snowfall: 26.2 inches

Source: National Weather Service

- John C.L. Morgan

Police Department Could Face Excessive Force Lawsuit

AJ:

The city of Westbrook has taken the first steps to deal with a potential lawsuit
from a local man injured in an encounter with a police department parking
enforcement and animal control officer in 2009. According to a notice of claim
filed with the city, Daniel Casale, 49, of Mechanic Street, is seeking $1.4
million in damages from an Aug. 12, 2009, incident on West Pleasant Street.

- John C.L. Morgan

French Press to Adopt New Name, New Concept

AJ:

The Westbrook restaurant has been closed this week
with plastic over the windows obscuring the transformation going on inside. On
Tuesday, a sign hung outside the restaurant proclaiming its new name is
"Tranchemontagne's," named for its owners, brothers James and Andre
Tranchemontagne. The sign describes it as "BBQ, Cajun and comfort mixed with a
fun time," with food, a bar and delivery serving lunch and dinner Tuesdays
through Sundays.

- John C.L. Morgan

Haven's Candies Donates $5,000 to Dream Factory

PPH:

Haven's Candies factory store in Westbrook donated $5,085 to the Dream Factory
of Maine. The store sold 600 tickets for people to make hand-rolled candy canes
for the holidays. The Dream Factory also raffled off several items donated by
local merchants during the event.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Almanac: January 9- January 15, 2010

Week-to-Date:
High: 37F (January 10)
Low: -1F (January 15)
Precipitation: 0.74 inches
Snowfall: 13.10 inches
Previous Sunrise: 7:12a
Previous Sunset: 4:29p

Month-to-Date:
High: 50F (January 1)
Low: 10F (January 7)
Precipitation: 0.81 inches
Snowfall: 13.10 inches

Year-to-Date:
High: 50F (January 1)
Low: -10F (January 15)
Precipitation: 0.81 inches
Snowfall: 13.10 inches

Source: National Weather Service

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook High Provides Support for Struggling Students

AJ:

The students all have their own struggles to
overcome, but, [Principal Marc] Gousse said, ensuring they persevere and earn diplomas is the
common goal. Helping the kids through freshman year is the first step. "There’s
a subset of kids that have a series of challenges where they don’t have services
identified. Those are the kids that potentially can fall through the cracks,"
Gousse said. "Freshman year is probably the most critical year. It really
defines where a kid goes and doesn’t go."

- John C.L. Morgan

Full disclosure: I teach in the School for Success pilot program described by this article.

Mayor Hilton Reflects on First Year in Office

AJ:

"This first year, the foundation is solid. I made the changes I think we needed
to make. We have the structure in place. We have the expertise. I think next
year is going to be quite a bit different," she said. "We should be able to
really just focus on growth and that’s what I hope will happen."

- John C.L. Morgan

City Hall Looking to Restructure Public Safety

AJ:

At a press conference Monday, Mayor Colleen Hilton
announced the creation of a director of public safety position, which will
oversee police, fire and rescue operations and services. Fire Chief Michael
Pardue will serve in that role on an interim basis beginning Feb. 4, the date
[Police Chief Bill] Baker officially retires from full-time law enforcement.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Almanac: January 2- January 8, 2010

Week-to-Date:
High: 44F (January 2)
Low: 10F (January 7)
Precipitation: 0.07 inches
Snowfall: 0.00 inches
Previous Sunrise: 7:13a
Previous Sunset: 4:09p

Month-to-Date:
High: 50F (January 1)
Low: 10F (January 7)
Precipitation: 0.07 inches
Snowfall: 0.00 inches

Year-to-Date:
High: 95F (July 6)
Low: -1F (January 10)
Precipitation: 52.39 inches
Snowfall: 26.2 inches

Source: National Weather Service

- John C.L. Morgan

Chief Baker to Resign

PPH:

[Bill] Baker, who became chief in 2007, said he regrets leaving the position but he
looks forward to the challenges of a new venture dedicated to keeping police
officers safe on the job. "Westbrook has been a fun place to work, so it's a
tough situation to walk away from," Baker said Friday. "But police leadership is
getting to be a younger man's job and it's getting tougher to keep such a
frenetic pace." Baker's last day as chief will be Feb. 4. He will start his new
job Feb. 7.

Though it's too soon for the crime statistics for 2010, Chief Baker initially saw a spike in the city's crime rate after he was first hired in August 2007--46.5% in 2008 compared to 36.3%% in 2007--but he presided over a dip in the 2009 figures (40.59%). Moreover, Chief Baker led the WPD to a steadying rise in the number of clearances, or cases resulting in charges. In 2007, the department's clearance rate was 33.2%, but it was 37.6% in 2008 and 46.4% in 2009.

These and other crime statistics can be found here.

- John C.L. Morgan

Artisans' Condos to be Done by Early February

AJ:

Downtown Westbrook’s retail community could soon receive an artistic shot in the
arm with the completion of the artisans’ condominiums on Main Street. Located
across the street from China Villa and Guidi’s Diner, the condos at 917 Main St.
could be complete and ready for tenants later this month or in early February,
according to John Gallagher, the executive director of Westbrook Housing, the
organization in charge of the project.

- John C.L. Morgan

Thatcher's to Return to Westbrook

AJ:

Thatcher’s Restaurant and Sports Pub could open in Westbrook later this month.
Owner Cynthia Boulay has plans to open the restaurant at the former Mill Side
Tavern location at 10-12 Cumberland St.

- John C.L. Morgan

A New Year's Resolution for the City of Westbrook

Lord knows we dwellers of the Paper City could (and do) spend hours and hours picking apart Westbrook and identifying problems that plague this city and brainstorming remedies for its improvement. However, in keeping with the author Jonah Lehrer's wise advice that we limit our New Year's Resolutions to one at a time, I'll suggest only one resolution for now: We need to reduce the energetic self-promotion of our city's warts.

The greatest problem with Westbrook's dreadful public image, from my perspective, is that our police department currently doubles as the city government's de facto PR arm. Hear a story about Westbrook on the evening news, or read a similar story in the paper? Chances are it's crime-related, and Chief Bill Baker is being interviewed. Got a Facebook update about the goings-on in Westbrook from the city's government? I can almost guarantee it was the WPD's latest list of arrests or the department's updates of sex offenders lurking in our neighborhoods.

Now, I completely understand the usefulness of the WPD's Facebook page as a tool for broadening public awareness. Moreover, I appreciate the law enforcement strategy behind announcements of drug busts and captured outlaws. The problem as I see it, though, is a question of balance and quantity.

The scale measuring public awareness on one side and negative public perception on the other has, in my view, tipped toward the latter. Instead of serving as reassurances for the city's citizens and warnings for its dirtbags, I'm concerned the WPD's steady stream of press releases and talking head interviews depresses civic morale and might scare off possible new residents, business or otherwise.

Some might argue that the challenges and controversies we face here in Westbrook would lead to an inevitable negative public perception of the Paper City. Such critics would have a point, though I'd be interested in their answers to the following question: Which city had a higher crime rate in 2009, Westbrook or South Portland? I suspect they--and most residents living in the Greater Westbrook media market--would quickly guess Westbrook, even though they'd be wrong.

Why do I think most people would guess Westbrook as the more crime-ridden of the two? It might have something to do with the fact that nobody knows what South Portland's police chief looks like, and that city's landscape wasn't, say, plastered all over a recent news story about rampant statewide drug addiction.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Mullets and Tracksuits and Cuffs, Oh My (Wednesday, November 24, 2010)

Jeffrey Wood One of Region's 'Unsung Heroes'

AJ:

Those in Westbrook who have never met Jeffrey Wood might know him as the dog
walker. After all, Wood makes a five-and-a-half-mile trek with his dog every
day. But he would prefer if his fellow community members knew him on a
first-name basis. And he is doing everything he can to make it so. Wood is the
founder of the eHope Foundation, a nonprofit that facilitates care-giving
communities to provide support for sufferers of life-threatening illness and
their families.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Westbrook Man Takes Part in Historic Kidney Donor Swap (June 15, 2010)

Mike Sanphy to Become New City Councilor

AJ:

After 40 years of working for the city of Westbrook, former police Sgt. Mike
Sanphy thought his days of service were over when he retired in 2008. Now, the
longtime Westbrook resident, police officer and historian is bringing his vast
knowledge and experience to the City Council. The city’s Democrats have
nominated Sanphy to fill the City Council seat Suzanne Joyce vacated in
November.

- John C.L. Morgan

Toronto Paper Sings Praises for 'Hardscrabble Sisters'

Globe and Mail:

Many of Jensen's strengths are evident in Gone, the stunning opener to The
Sisters from Hardscrabble Bay, a novel in stories. Thanks to [author
Beverly Jensen's] background in theatre, the dialogue--raw, witty--sings
rather than reads.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Another Sparkling Review for 'Hardscrabble Sisters' (August 2, 2010)

METRO to Change Westbrook Bus Routes

The Forecaster:

METRO will change its schedules and bus routes starting Jan. 10 so it can begin
a daily service to businesses in the Five Star Industrial Park in
Westbrook. Some service along Washington Avenue to West Falmouth will also
be eliminated. Marketing director Denise Beck said in a press release that Route
4 will provide direct service to Idexx and surrounding businesses on Eisenhower
Driver in Westbrook 10 times a day.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Politics: December 27- December 31, 2010

There are no events scheduled for this week.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Almanac: December 19- December 25, 2010

Week-to-Date:
High: 37F (December 23)
Low: 10F (December 25)
Precipitation: 0.66 inches
Snowfall: 0.70 inches
Previous Sunrise: 7:13a
Previous Sunset: 4:09p

Month-to-Date:
High: 54F (December 13)
Low: 10F (December 10, December 25)
Precipitation: 3.83 inches
Snowfall: 1.00 inch

Year-to-Date:
High: 95F (July 6)
Low: -1F (January 10)
Precipitation: 52.32 inches
Snowfall: 26.2 inches

Source: National Weather Service

- John C.L. Morgan

Portland Legislator: Commuter Rail Connecting Portland to Exurbs Should Happen

Portland Daily Sun:

Want to jump on a train in the summer in Portland and ride out to Sebago Lake
for a weekend camping excursion? Or how about skipping the traffic on Route 302
and commuting by rail from a suburb to your job in the Port City? These
scenarios and others make newly elected Rep. Ben Chipman (I-Portland) think
there's more to rail than Portland-to-Boston junkets on Amtrak.

Such a plan would naturally include Westbrook.

- John C.L. Morgan

Local Businessman Mourned, Celebrated

AJ:

"[Tim White] understood the value of, 'you put
back into the community what you get,'" said his brother, Mike White, from his
office at White Brothers on Warren Avenue, the family business that was sold to
Lane Construction earlier this year.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Source of Comedic Fodder for Bob Marley

PPH:

[Comedian Bob Marley] doesn't want to give too much away, but he said
recent Maine news events--like the contentious governor's race and a
controversial new strip club in Westbrook-- gave him lots of fodder for new
material. "A strip club in Westbrook? That's just too good to ignore. I'm all
over that one," said Marley, 43.

- John C.L. Morgan

Rudy Vallee Headlines New Benefit CD

MPBN on the compilation of Maine musicians, past and present.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Rudy Vallee's "Maine Stein Song" (May 21, 2010)

D&G Machine: Manufacturers Still Need Skilled Workers

WMTW:

D&G Machine Parts managers said Monday they are
in dire need of skilled workers in Westbrook. The popular misconception that
manufacturing is all going overseas is making it hard for companies like D&G
to build a skilled labor force, Charlie Tarling, vice president of operations
for D&G, said. Tarling said this is the main reason why there is a need to
convince students that skilled manufacturing jobs are still good career choices.

- John C.L. Morgan

Appeal Filed in Pike Ruling

AJ:

Pike Industries may want to hold off blasting at its Spring Street quarry--two
interveners in the company’s lawsuit with Westbrook filed appeals of a judge’s
decision to accept the settlement between Pike and the city. Artel Inc. and
Smiling Hill Farm, two businesses located near Pike’s Spring Street quarry,
filed their notices of appeal with the Maine Business and Consumer Court this
week.

-John C.L. Morgan

PPH Profiles IDEXX, CEO

PPH:

It's good to be a dog, even when you get dragged to the vet. Many veterinarians
today have sophisticated blood-testing equipment. In minutes, pets can be
screened for a host of nasty diseases, like heartworm and Lyme disease. That's
also good for Idexx Laboratories, the Westbrook-based firm that makes testing
equipment found in many veterinarians' offices.

PPH:

Jonathan Ayers shuffles excitedly through the high-school-like hallways of Idexx
Laboratories, a firm that makes animal disease testing equipment in
Westbrook."Come here, I want to show you this," says Ayers, Idexx president and
CEO. He is dressed in khaki pants, a white collared shirt, an "Idexx" emblazoned
red vest.

- John C.L. Morgan

(Full Disclosure: My works works at IDEXX.)

Westbrook Almanac: December 12- December 18, 2010

Week-to-Date:
High: 54F (December 13)
Low: 13F (December 16, December 18)
Precipitation: 2.16 inches
Snowfall: 0.00 inches
Previous Sunrise: 7:09a
Previous Sunset: 4:06p

Month-to-Date:
High: 54F (December 13)
Low: 10F (December 10)
Precipitation: 3.17 inches
Snowfall: 0.30 inches

Year-to-Date:
High: 95F (July 6)
Low: -1F (January 10)
Precipitation: 51.66 inches
Snowfall: 25.5 inches

Source: National Weather Service

- John C.L. Morgan

Jason Snyder's Proposal for Civic Center May Still Be Alive

AJ:

A local developer's vision for a new arena off the Maine Turnpike may still have
some legs after all. The Cumberland County Budget Advisory Committee, by a vote
of 3-2, decided Dec. 8 to recommend spending up to $100,000 from the county's
upcoming capital budget on a feasibility study examining the conversion of the
Cumberland County Civic Center into a convention center. The money would come
out of $200,000 placed in the budget originally as a placeholder to fund studies
of civic center renovations.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Toddler's Death Sparks Regional Health Warning

PPH:

The death last week of a 2-year-old Westbrook girl from what appears to be
meningitis prompted a statewide health alert and notices this week to parents of
schoolchildren in the area. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention
issued a high-priority alert Friday evening to health care providers and school
officials, citing a "bacterial blood infection in Cumberland County."

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Historian Garners Postive Book Review

PPH:

Andrea M.P. Vasquez, who grew up in South Portland and graduated from Bowdoin
and the Stonecoast MFA Program, is a skilled journalist, writer and not a bad
researcher. Furthermore, she has chosen a reasonably good format in "American
Chronicles: A History Press Series," which has more text and less space than
other prefab titles.

-John C.L. Morgan

Related: Another Sparkling Review for 'Sisters from Hardscrabble Bay' (August 2, 2010)

Introducing the Paper City Junto

The Web site for the Paper City Junto, a social club with a civic bent that I (and others) have toyed with organizing for a couple years now, is up and running.

My ever-dwindling capacity for high-minded prose was exhausted by the "About Us" section of the Web site, so I'll have to wait a little bit before I do my best impersonation of a very poor man's Robert Putnam.

In the meantime, I highly recommend you get a group of four of your friends and neighbors together, dream up a ironic team nickname and/or outfit, and sign up for our Candlepin Bowling League.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Almanac: December 5- December 11, 2010

Week-to-Date:
High: 41F (December 11)
Low: 10F (December 10)
Precipitation: 1.01 inches
Snowfall: 0.30 inches
Previous Sunrise: 7:04a
Previous Sunset: 4:04p

Month-to-Date:
High: 41F (December 11)
Low: 10F (December 10)
Precipitation: 1.01 inches
Snowfall: 0.30 inches

Year-to-Date:
High: 95F (July 6)
Low: -1F (January 10)
Precipitation: 49.50 inches
Snowfall: 25.2 inches

Source: National Weather Service

- John C.L. Morgan

Visionaries Wanted, Take Two

AJ:

The task force reviewing Westbrook’s comprehensive plan wants to hear from you
on Saturday. The Westbrook Comprehensive Plan Task Force is in the midst of
reviewing the city’s comprehensive plan. State law requires this process occur
every 10 years, according to Molly Just, city planner. The task force has
already held numerous public meetings, and Saturday’s "Visioning Day" represents
another opportunity for the public to have a say in the direction of the city
for the next decade.

This event is the culminating experience for the first phase of the Comprehensive Plan Task Force's job, and it is a great opportunity for Westbrook folk to get together to discuss how the direction of the city over the next ten years. It begins at 10a and will include neighborhood-based discussions, topic-based discussions, and (free!) lunch for participants. It'll take place in the Westbrook Middle School cafeteria.

- John C.L. Morgan

(Full disclosure: I'm a member of the task force.)

Three Members Added to Charter Panel

AJ:

The charter commission has all its members after the Westbrook Municipal
Officers announced their picks at their meeting Monday night. The municipal
officers, made up of the city councilors and the mayor, unanimously supported
appointing Michael Mullett, Gary Reardon and James Violette to the charter
commission.

- John C.L. Morgan

More Dreamers Drama

PPH:

The owner of a strip club in Westbrook that is closed because of code violations
apparently has workers putting in late hours to make repairs. At 1 a.m. Sunday,
police were checking commercial buildings along Warren Avenue when they "came
upon activity that appeared to indicate that Dreamers Cabaret was open for
business," the city said in a news release, even though the club's occupancy
permit had been revoked in September. Inside, a few women were serving coffee
while the music system blared, a disco ball spun overhead and lights flashed,
Westbrook police say.

In a separate AJ article, Westbrook Police Chief Bill Baker responded to the criticism expressed by the strip club owner's lawyer, Thomas Hallett:

Baker responded harshly Thursday, saying in an e-mail, "As Police Chief in this
community I am responsible for the safety and well being of our citizens. I find
Mr. Hallett's assertion that the City is being ‘childish,' or that the police
are being ‘overvigilant' rather silly." Later in his press release, Baker seemed
to insinuate that the people at the club in the early morning hours of Dec. 5
had criminal backgrounds. "It's our job to be vigilant in the presence of people
with histories of bank robbery, kidnapping, extortion, narcotics trafficking,
prostitution, aggravated assault, assault and battery with dangerous weapons,
terrorizing, burglary in the night time, assault and battery on police officers,
etc.," he wrote, adding, "This of course is not a direct reflection on Mr.
Hallett's client (Dreamers owner Larry Ferrante) who has no such history."

- John C.L. Morgan

On Mill-ieu 2

- John C.L. Morgan

Al Hawkes Doc to Be Aired by MPBN

The schedule of the television station's showings of the documentary about the Westbrook musician can be seen here.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: The Story Behind the Hawkes Doc (October 18, 2010)

Festival of Trees Celebrates 10th Anniversary

AJ:

It has been 10 years since 18 decorated trees represented the humble beginnings
of what would grow into a local phenomenon. A decade later, there will be 47
festively adorned evergreens at Westbrook’s 10th annual Festival of Trees. The
event kicks off Saturday at Westbrook-Warren Congregational Church at 810 Main
St.

- John C.L. Morgan

Board of Appeals Rejects Strip Club

PPH:

The owner of a Westbrook strip club plans to appeal the Westbrook Zoning Board
of Appeals’ denial of an occupancy permit for a Warren Avenue strip club. The
appeals board voted unanimously Wednesday not to allow Dreamers Cabaret to
reopen. The club was shut down in September, the day after it opened, by city
inspectors for building code violations, including inadequate sprinklers and
construction permits. Owner Larry Ferrante appealed the decision and sued
Westbrook and fire inspector Charles Jarrett, claiming the shutdown violated his
right to freedom of expression.

- John C.L. Morgan