From RTT

WINDHAM – Pat Niboli, a volunteer with Riding To The Top Therapeutic Riding Center in Windham, was recently named the 2021 Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International Volunteer of the Year.

PATH Intl. is an international voice in the equine-assisted services (EAS) industry, annually celebrates individuals who symbolize the celebration of ability, optimism, diversity and a shared love of equines. Nominations are called for to recognize reliable volunteers who to commit their time and talents and are “essential to the success of therapeutic horsemanship centers.” 

Janis Childs, a fellow volunteer and RTT Board member, said, “Pat and I both began volunteering in 2011. Over the years, I have marveled at Pat’s work ethic, her dedication and passion in supporting the Center. I am sure that there is not anything she has not done at the farm! She mucks, she feeds, she invents, she is a horse leader in lessons, and she is the ‘driving’ force behind the carriage driving team! Those are just a few of her gifts that she o?ers on a weekly basis!”

From Rock Row

WESTBROOK – Award-winning chef, restaurateur, TV personality and cookbook author Akhtar Nawab and his New York based firm, Hospitality HQ (HHQ), has been chosen to manage and operate the Food Hall that is coming to Rock Row in Westbrook.

With Greater Portland widely recognized as an international destination for culinary excellence, the Rock Row Food Hall will be the only destination of its kind in the area, honoring the progressive and authentic ‘comfort based’ dining palette of the region along with Maine’s artisan craft-brew culture.

The hall will feature 15 offerings and 7 spirit tasting rooms, mixing artisan dishes with live music, onsite brews and events to delight every taste.

Chef Nawab and his company, Hospitality HQ, will oversee all management and operations of the Rock Row Food Hall, from design and culinary development to day-to-day logistics and guest services. Thoughtful consideration will be given to menu planning in order to showcase the area’s strong tradition of independently-minded, locally-owned, chef-driven flavors, cuisines and experiences.

From Baxter Museum

The Baxter Museum at 67 South Street in Gorham, the boyhood home of James Phinney Baxter, is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. during July and August, or by appointment.

Admission is free but donations are accepted. 

Notable features include a bedroom furnished with Baxter family items, articles and artifacts relating to Gorham history, Civil War artifacts, portraits and paintings and Annie Louise Cary memorabilia highlighting her career in opera. 

For more information, contact 207-839-3878.

From ALSANNE

CONCORD, NH – In August and September, the ALS community in Northern New England will come together to participate in a Walk To Defeat ALS, in Bangor and Portland.

 The ALS Association of Northern New England chapter provides services throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is an always-fatal neurodegenerative disease in which a person’s brain loses connection with muscles in the body. People with ALS lose their ability to walk, talk, eat, and eventually breathe. There is no cure yet for ALS.

Thursday, Aug. 26 through Saturday, Aug. 28, the ALS community will come together to participate in the 2021 Bangor Walk to Defeat ALS.

By Nathan Tsukroff

GORHAM – Goodwill of Northern New England is more than just stores where used items are sold.

Goodwill NNE has multiple programs to help people and families in Maine, New Hampshire and northern Vermont to achieve better or more stable lives.

With a motto of, “A hand up, not a hand out”, Goodwill sees part of its mission as teaching people the skills to achieve personal stability, which includes skills like job preparedness and career training.

Headquartered in an industrial park area on Hutcherson Drive in Gorham, Goodwill NNE has additional offices in central Maine and New Hampshire, with retail stores sprinkled throughout the three states.

The stores are an important fundraising tool that support the work of Goodwill, including neuro-rehab services, cleaning services, and other workforce and healthcare services.

In Maine, Goodwill manages 23 residential homes throughout the central and southern part of the state, for adults with an acquired brain injury, an intellectual disability or other barrier to independence that requires the support of Goodwill staff. 

Plus, HEAL Program is underway

From Town of Gorham

GORHAM – Water main construction began this week on Route 202/Narragansett Street and is expected to last for about two months.

Gorham Sand and Gravel has begun a water line replacement project for the Portland Water District. Work will take place from 7 a.m..-7 p.m. on weekdays.

During construction, westbound motorists on Route 202 will be detoured westbound on Route 25/State Street to the Bernard P. Rines Bypass and back to Route 202.

Eastbound motorists will be able to continue along Narragansett Street/ Route 202 through the construction zone.

Local residential traffic will be required to seek alternate routes as needed.

Narragansett Street will be opened to two-way traffic after 7 p.m. on weekdays.

Tax Assistance

Senior Property Tax Assistance Program Applications are available in the Town Clerk’s Office at the Gorham Municipal Center and online on the Town of Gorham’s website as a downloadable form.

Find the form at http://bitly.ws/fAbI

Completed applications must be submitted to the Town Clerk by Aug. 1.

For questions and/or assistance with completing an application, residents can email seniorrebate@gorham.me.us or call 222-1671.

HEAL Program

Baxter Memorial Library’s Healthy Eating, Active Living Summer Reading and Discovery Program is well underway.

Participants can view the online Library calendar at http://bitly.ws/fAbV for upcoming events geared toward enjoying the great outdoors and still pick up children and adult reading logs at the Library to record reading and earn fun prizes.

To learn more, visit the Library at 71 South Street during normal business hours, Monday through Saturday or online at https://baxterlibrary.org/youth-services/.

From Children’s CTR

AUGUSTA – Chil­dren’s Center, an early childhood intervention and family support services organization for children with special needs, has an­nounced a $250,000 gift toward the center’s plans to expand its Augusta facility.

Peter and Sandra Prescott, and TEAM EJP in Gardiner, made the gift in part to help more fami­lies in Central Maine ac­cess vital services for their children.

“Giving back to our community and lending a hand when it’s needed is an essential part of the cul­ture of EJP,” said Prescott. “We have seen the effects of the work done at the Children’s Center, and it is critical for kids with spe­cial needs. Knowing that there is a waiting list of about 100 kids just in the Greater Augusta Area is heartbreaking. We know we can help eliminate that waiting list by helping to fund this expansion, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

“The Children’s Cen­ter literally changes lives,” Sandra Prescott added. “Children who aren’t ex­pected to walk learn to do so; non-verbal children learn to communicate; children who need a lit­tle extra help to discover themselves and develop the abilities needed to achieve independence get that help at the Children’s Center. Making these kids a priority says a lot about who we are as a communi­ty and I believe we’re the kind of community these children deserve.”

Guest Column

By Grammar Guy

Beelzebub. Mammon. Legion. These are demon names. But today we’re talking about demonyms, which are different from demon names.

The devil is in the details, I suppose.

Demonyms are the words we use for groups of people from different places. We get the word “demonym” from the Greek words “demos” (people, citizens, tribespeople) and “nym” (name). Think about the words “democracy” and “demographic,” for example. These words both have to do with people in a certain region or group. For example, we call people from Greece (referred to as “the birthplace of democracy”) “Greeks.” That’s a demonym.

Let’s start global. By global, I mean planetary. People from Earth are called Earthlings. If sentient life existed on Mars, those beings would be called Martians. I suppose an alien from Neptune would be referred to as a Neptunian. I don’t want to get started about aliens, or my friend Byron will chime in and send me all his wild conspiracy theories. Editor, feel free to omit this paragraph altogether. Actually, go ahead and selectively black it out like a CIA document. That would drive Byron crazy.

Seniors Not Acting Their Age

By Ron Chase

My childhood friend, Bob Rowe, and I had been discussing sea kayaking options for several days. When another longtime friend, Carolyn Welch, announced that she and Teena Patten would be exploring Middle Bay on what was predicted to be a beautiful sunny day, we seized the opportunity to join them.

Middle Bay is located between Harpswell Neck on the east and Merepoint on the west. The southern end of Brunswick forms the northern border and the bay connects with Casco Bay on the south. Carolyn chose to depart from Simpson Point Landing, a hand carry boat launch and popular swimming area situated on the northern sector of the bay in Brunswick.

Launching from Simpson Point requires some planning as extensive mud flats at low tide make departing or returning an unpleasant ordeal. We began our trip a couple of hours after low tide allowing ample time for exploration. Ours was a decidedly senior group. My informal calculation was that our average age was a youthful 74.

Carolyn had selected a superb day for a paddle. The skies were clear and winds light. Traveling south, our initial goal was a narrow channel between substantial White Island and tiny Scrag Island.

From Portland C of C

PORTLAND – The Maine Supreme Judicial Court handed down its decision last week in the case challenging the emergency wage in Portland.

The Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce had filed an appeal of a previous ruling supporting the emergency wage, and the Court agreed with the Chamber’s position that the emergency wage provision does not take effect until January 2022.

The ordinance sets a date of Jan. 1, 2022, for a raise in the minimum wage for businesses operating in the City of Portland, and sets an “emergency wage” of 1.5 times that rate. That wage would be paid when an emergency is declared, similar to the recent COVID-19 emergency.

Workers had contended the ordinance should provide immediate payments of the emergency wage, while the Supreme Judicial Court determined that the section setting the emergency wage had specifically referenced the text with the January 2022 date, so that would be the earliest date the emergency wage could be required.