Better Know a Rep: Bruce Chuluda

And now, Mayor Bruce Chuluda's 'Proust Questionnaire':

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Having what I need to get by and taking care of my family.

What is your current state of mind?
Generally at peace with myself and my circumstances.

Which living person do you most admire?
My daughter and her ability to raise my granddaughter as the great mother I knew she would be.

What is your greatest fear?
Something bad happening to my family.

What is your most marked characteristic?
My empathy for people.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
My lack of patience.

Which living person do you most despise?
I don't like the idea of despising anyone, but since you asked, Osama bin Laden.

What is your greatest extravagance?
Going out to eat.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Lack of patience.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
I don't think any virtue can be considered overrated.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?
You'd have to tell me since I try to avoid looking at myself.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I'd lose some weight.

What is the quality you most like in a man?
Integrity.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Integrity.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
I'd say folks 'cause I'm a down-to-Earth kind of guy.

Which talent would you most like to have?
I'd like to solve everyone's problems, but I'm satisfied to solve just one.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My late wife, Vickie. She will always be my greatest love.

When and where were you happiest?
When I married my wife in 1975 in Norwood, Massachusetts.

Where would you like to live?
Right where I live now. I never want to leave.

What is your most treasured possession?
My family.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
The loss of a loved one.

What is your favorite occupation?
Truthfully, I love being the Mayor of this great city.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
Indiana Jones quickly comes to mind.

Who are your heroes in real life?
Bill Russell because he was a winner. And my late father because he worked hard to support his family.

What do you most value in your friends?
Being there for me when I need someone to prop me up.

What is it that you most dislike?
People who like to denigrate others in an effort to make themselves look good.

What is your motto?
Do the very best for the most.

- John C.L. Morgan

P.S. Read City Councilors Rielly's and Gattine's "Proust Questionnaire."

PPH: Throw Sex Offenders in Jail Longer

The Press Herald has an editorial regarding an anonymous sex offender's lawsuit against the City of Westbrook over the constitutionality of the city's sex offender ordinance. And without delving too deeply into John Doe VI's case against Westbrook, the opinion piece expresses skepticism about the effectiveness of "exclusionary zones" and points to longer jail terms for the offenders as an effective alternative.

- John C.L. Morgan

Did You Know?

Did you know Westbrook paper mills imported Egyptian mummies and used their linen wrappings to make paper in the nineteenth century?

Seriously.

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook's Northside Italians

On Location: Westbrook's Northside Italians

You know it's nearly summer in Maine when tourists are picking at their lobsters, while we natives are content with pushing the Maine Italian sandwich down our gullets. So without further ado, a brief synopsis of the offerings of Westbrook's Northside Italian-makers:

(Note on Methodology: Considering my waist is burgeoning, and my wallet is becoming more slender--certainly two trends that are universally desired to be inverse--I ordered a small variation of each sandwich with salt, pepper, and oil. And the accompanying prices are for a small and large, respectively.)

Corsetti's Variety
125 Bridgton Road
797-0614
$3.25, $4.35 (plus tax)

Balanced presentation, though it could've used more black olives. Third-best among the crop, in this modest reviewer's opinion.

Graham's Variety
186 Bridge Street
854-8991
$3.50, $4.25 (plus tax)

Too many black olives! Nevertheless, it was the fullest sandwich even when considered sans olives. Kudos also for the long slivers of sour pickle. Second-best, as it contained the second-greatest amount of zest--once I scaped away the mound of palette-dulling olives.

Olivia's
206 Brown Street
854-5555
TBA

If you're into quartered pickles that are more appropriate for McDonald hamburgers than Italians, this sandwich is for you. That, and if you like a less than ho-hum sample of this Mainer delicacy. Fifth-best.

Rivers Edge Deli
57 Bridge Street
854-1113
$2.50, $3.39 (tax included)

Slightly better than Olivia's fare. Personally not a big fan of chopped pickles. So fourth-best.

Severino's Variety
300 Cumberland Street
854-9675
$2.15, $3.25 (plus tax)

My favorite of the bunch: Kudos for the kalamata olives and the dark, strong-bodied ham, which set it apart from the competition in which there is little room for variation (i.e., a strict adherence to the ingredients of this Maine classic calls for only American cheese, ham, tomato, pickle, green pepper, onion, salt, pepper, and oil.)

A review of Westbrook's Southside Italian-makers will be forthcoming once I've gotten over engulfing about five small Italian sandwiches in less than an hour.

- John C.L. Morgan

Hey, Wha' Happened?

When I went to the Stroudwater Place website last night to check in on the status of the project, I was greeted with a stark statement that the "Domain (stroudwaterplace.com) Has Been Disabled."

Now, there are numerous mundane reasons for the virtual disability. (Speculation alert:) But I'm curious to find out if the apparent Internet-related shutdown has anything to do with the naming conflict between the project and the long-standing Stroudwater Place street that will eventually have to be addressed.

In the meantime, I'll try to find out wha' happened.

- John C.L. Morgan

Sex Offender Suing Westbrook, Take Two

The Press Herald's Ann Kim takes a deeper look into a sex offender's lawsuit against the City of Westbrook.

- John C.L. Morgan

Song of the Week

The song of the week is Joshua Madore's "20 Something Nothing."

- John C.L. Morgan

Westbrook Almanac: June 8-June 14, 2008

Week-to-Date:
High: 87F (June 9)
Low: 49F (June 13)
Precipitation: 0.16 inches
Previous Sunrise: 4:59a
Previous Sunset: 8:24p

Month-to-Date:
High: 87F (June 9)
Low: 49F (June 3, June 9)
Precipitation: 0.58 inches

Year-to-Date:
High: 87F (June 9)
Low: -5F (January 4)
Precipitation: 22.95 inches

Source: National Weather Service

- John C.L. Morgan

Top 10 Local CDs: June 2-June 8, 2008

Here are the Top 10 Local CDs for the week of June 2-June 8 (the album's spot in last week's Top 10 is in parentheses, much like this fyi note), courtesy of the Portland Phoenix:

1. Dead Season, "When Everything's Lost..." (1)
2. Dead Season, "Rise" (3)
3. Various Artists, "Greetings from Area Code 207, Vol. 7" (4)
4. Rustic Overtones, "Long Division" (5)
5. As Fast As, "Destroy the Plastique Man" (9)
6. Gypsy Tailwind, "Halo Sessions" (6)
7. Cambiata, "To Heal" (7)
8. Dead Season, "Down Again" (EP) (10)
9. Civil Disturbance, "The Battle Within" (8)
10. Spose, "Preposterously Dank" (-)

The list was compiled from Bull Moose Music.

- John C.L. Morgan

Flag Day

Flag Day Explained

Eight people attended this evening's Flag Day ceremony at Riverbank Park:

1. Invocation (Bob Barton, American Legion Post #62)
2. Proclamation (Bruce Chuluda, Mayor of Westbrook)
3. Pledge of Allegiance (All)
4. "Star-Spangled Banner" (Junie Dugas)
5. Howard Schnauber's "I Am the Flag" (Ed Senechal, American Legion Post #62)
6. Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Duty" (Ed Senechal, American Legion Post #62)
7. "God Bless America" (Junie Dugas)
8. Benediction (Bob Barton, American Legion Post #62)

The event was organized by the American Legion Stephen W. Manchester Post #62.

- John C.L. Morgan

P.S. The U.S. Flag Code.

Quote of the Day

"Ellen, Oprah, who cares? Just send us money."

- Westbrook Housing resident Charlie Kendall on the organization's attempt to lure Ellen DeGeneres's support in a fundraiser to buy a new bus.

Hopefully, Degeneres doesn't get that part of the memo.

- John C.L. Morgan

American Journal One-Liners

Portland police officer who is a resident of Westbrook pleaded not guilty for two Class C crimes and three Class D crimes.

'Cat Girl' talks about, well, cats.

Westbrook man arrested for having a loaded gun in his car for the second time this year.

Westbrook-based 133rd Engineering Combat Battalion could be deployed to Iraq in 2010.

Sex offender sues City of Westbrook.

Westbrook Housing to ban smoking in all its units.

Westbrook folk enjoy Westbrook Together Days.

Congin School cut the ribbon for new green space at the school.

Westbrook Housing petititions Ellen DeGeneres to help with fundraiser.

- John C.L. Morgan

Tom's of Maine

Primary Results

The complete, ward-by-ward results from Tuesday's primaries are on the City of Westbrook's website.

- John C.L. Morgan

Sex Offender Suing Westbrook

According to this Press Herald brief, a sex offender living in Westbrook is suing the city over an ordinance last September that prohibited sex offenders from living within 2,500 feet of day care centers, recreation areas, and schools.

(Update: Another article regarding the lawsuit can be read here.)

- John C.L. Morgan

Yeah, We Have the Largest Shagbark Hickory (Sort Of)

According to my 2008 edition of the Maine Forest Service's Forest Trees of Maine, Westbrook possesses the largest shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) in the state. With a circumference of 133", a height of 72', and a crown spread of 58', the Paper City's shagbark hickory is actually tied with a similar tree in Falmouth.

Anyway, a complimentary breakfast at Guidi's Diner to the person who knows where the aforementioned shagbark hickory (typing it is almost as fun as saying it) is located.

- John C.L. Morgan

Just Do It

Hop on the Metro's Number 4 whenever you go into Portland.

Never has the small grammaticial difference between $4 and #4 been so greater. So just do it.

- John C.L. Morgan

P.S. Speaking of commutes, check out this essay about the soul of the commuter, which I discovered just the other day while browsing through the WML's bin of free stuff.

The Ellen Project

Question: What do you get when you cross Flo Rida with video footage of two Westbrook octogenarians attempting to pull a bus with their motorized scooters?

Answer: The Westbrook Housing Authority's cinematic plea for Ellen DeGeneres to participate in their September 12 charity golf tournament. Duh.

- John C.L. Morgan

Hat Tip: Warren Memorial Library's Wendy Hysko, who continues to feed me intel, despite my absence from the last two book club meetings. Guess I'll just have to read Stern Men for the next meeting on Wednesday, July 9 at 6:30p.

Hint, hint.