From Town of Gorham

GORHAM – The Gorham Town Council recently approved a decision to apply for Community Development Block Grant money to allow the town to work with Windham on a master plan for Little Falls and South Windham village. 

The town council intends for the master planning process to create a unified vision for the future of the village with the intention of improving the livability and economic vibrancy, and enhancing the character of the area.

The preliminary goals are to examine current conditions including the previous study area; determine what may still have value or relevance for implementation from the previous plan; assess the attributes that contribute to the walkable village “feel” such as streetscape, sidewalks, pedestrian scale lighting, transportation, business/employment, recreation, parks, trails, historic resources, architecture, and housing.

The town council hopes to conduct focus groups that include local residents, to update the land use regulations, to determine coordinated land use strategies, to review parking requirements, and to determine historic building numbers with assessment from the Main Historic Preservation Commission. 

All of this will need to be finalized in a working document between the two towns, which would be created after Gorham receives the grant. 

Out and About

By Rachel Morin

Our first snowstorm of winter started Saturday afternoon, Dec. 5, with big snowflakes melting immediately upon hitting the ground.

I watched diligently between checking off items on my To Do List. We had periodic TV announcements of an anticipated snow drop of 10 inches.

As the afternoon wore on, a wind picked up and snow started accumulating. Towards 8 p.m. or so, we lost power. Looking out my backyard window, with the aid of a flashlight, I could make out my tall scarlet flowered rhododendron bush swaying back and forth under a strong wind.

The wind increased and I went to bed and was lulled to sleep by the wind whipping around. I slept all night. Waking the next morning, I looked out the window to check on the rhododendron. Yes, it was there standing, tall and straight, as usual. And a beautiful thick carpet of white snow covered the back yard and draped the beautiful trees in the thick woods beyond.

The accumulation did fall short of the 10 inch prediction, but I don’t know the actual amount that fell.

Seeing the neighbors walking by later, they advised me that the power came on at 1 am. And I thought of the dedicated CMP workers, always there in times like these, working on the lines to restore power to as many customers as possible, in numbing cold weather.

I am a Mainer and love the four seasons of Maine. My least favorite season is Winter. It starts the year in January and ends the year in December. It seems to be the longest season! My favorite season is Autumn. The fall flowers last in my garden through mid- November many times.

When December comes, I think of my favorite winter poem by Oliver Herford—

I heard a bird sing

In the dark of December.

We are nearer to spring

Than we were in September!

I like the beauty of the first snowfall and appreciate the finality of the last snowfall.

The very next day after our storm, I dressed appropriately and toured the grounds of Schooner Estates Retirement Community, camera in hand, to enjoy the beauty of the grounds, and the quietness and solitude everywhere. No one was about. The Maintenance Crew had long completed clearing away the snow from the roads and were busy inside the buildings on other chores.

A lone shoveler, Bob Lindahl, was touching up the parking lot and walkways at the Memory Care Building. He was the only person about that morning and said he took care of what needed to be done at The Memory Care Building.

I took a few more days to take more pictures and was pleased to notice the return of the wild turkeys in back of the buildings. We hadn’t seen them around in ever so long. It was like seeing old friends as they paraded out back next to the thick woods. I think you will like seeing their pictures.

I also returned at night to capture a few night scenes and the Christmas lights on campus.

By Nathan Tsukroff

GORHAM – “We’re bringing a restaurant experience to your home and your table.”

That’s how Karen Nason describes her new Ghost Karen’s Kitchens that will be offering gourmet-style foods from six different menus for delivery or pickup in the Gorham area.

Touted as “Six amazing menus under one roof”, the ghost kitchen at 29 School Street was Nason’s response to having her other venue, Grand Central Wine Bar at 7 Railroad Avenue, shut down for nearly seven months under Maine’s COVID-19 restrictions.

Nason said ghost kitchens is “a trend going across the country right now. It began in Boston, New York City and San Francisco.”

 “The good thing about ghost kitchens is that nobody’s coming in. No one’s going to complain about the wait staff. Nobody’s complaining about the parking. No one’s complaining about the décor . . . because you’re not coming in here, only to pick up. And we’re going to deliver to you.” 

According to Wikipedia, A ghost kitchen is a professional food preparation and cooking facility set up for the preparation of delivery-only meals.

Ghost Karen’s Kitchens prepares food for Brooklyn Benny’s, with pizza and submarine sandwiches; Bliss Bowl, offering gyoza, which are similar to dumplings with a thinner dumpling wrapper and more finely chopped stuffing; Soup Dogg & Salad, featuring a variety of soups and salads; Mykonos Mediterranean, that has Mediterranean styled meals and sandwiches; Backyard Burger, with a variety of burgers with toppings from countries around the world; and My Thai, with Pad Thai, Coconut Curry Bowl, and a Spicy Beef Rice Bowl on its menu.

“So your daughter wants pizza. You’ve decided you want My Thai food (it’s called My Thai!), and your wife would like our Bliss Bowl,” Nason said. “Well, there are six menus here. So consider it six different restaurants with 10 chefs.”

Chefs at the ghost kitchen have been furloughed or are out of work because of the pandemic. “So all these chefs that are out of work are coming here . . . these amazing chefs . . . and we’re creating this experience. It’s not takeout food that you’re used to,” Nason said.

“So all of these wonderful menus and desserts can be delivered to your home, with your wine choices and your beer, and you don’t have to move!” she said. Housed in a former bar/restaurant space, the kitchen is stocked with a selection of wines and craft beers curated by Nason. The handsome wood bar itself is no longer used for guests, but for lining up orders for delivery.

 Nason said the ghost kitchens are important because the COVID-19 pandemic “has already changed how you’re going out now. A lot of people aren’t going out at all.” 

The ghost kitchen is really a concept introduced by Domino’s Pizza decades ago. “You never went to Domino’s to sit down. You just wanted Domino’s to deliver,” she said. “They were  really the official first ghost kitchen, and they’re one of the few people that  have successfully done well” during the pandemic.

 “It’s like having Thanksgiving dinner” each night, because each person can have their choice of special food, Nason said.  So with “COVID stopping the restaurant experience, we’re going to bring it to you.”

Nason sees a positive side to the pandemic restrictions with families spending more time together. “I think we’ve learned to like eating at home with each other, which has been lacking for a very long time. Kind of our social graces kind of got lost along the way. You know, it’s nice to sit around the table and have dinner.”

Nason’s Grand Central Station Wine Bar is considered to be a lounge, not a restaurant, she said, and it offers a limited menu. Now, guests will be able to order a variety of meals to be delivered right to the wine bar for them to enjoy.

Nason graduated from Gorham High School in 1982, and moved from Gorham to New York City when she was 21 to pursue her singing dreams. She eventually owned a jazz bar and plant shop in New York City and a café in Hoboken. She returned to Maine with her attorney husband Frank DeGrim and calls Gorham home again.

David Robinson, one of the co-chefs in the ghost kitchen, is a fellow Gorham classmate and graduate. He was found in the kitchen recently creating the dough for the New York style pizzas found on the Brooklyn Benny’s menu. The pizza dough takes three days to get it ready for the oven, he said. Pizzas are baked in a brick-lined oven at about  600 degrees. The result is a thin, crunchy crust that enhances the flavor of the pizza toppings.

Just a block or two from the campus of the University of Southern Maine campus in Gorham, Ghost Karen’s Kitchens offers the students remaining on campus a variety of meals that are not found in the school’s food services.

Delivery of meals to the college will be by e-bike, Nason said. The bike has huge tires for a safe ride in inclement weather, and the built-in electric motor powers it at up to 20 mph. About 100 students remain on campus.

Other deliveries will be made by drivers working for the kitchen, or through outside services that include GrubHub and DoorDash.

Pickup of ordered meals can be made right in the lobby, using a special temperature controlled locker system with individual compartments. The kitchen will send a passcode to the customer to be used to open the compartment door with their meal or meals inside.

Bottles of wine are $24 each. Menus may be found at Ghostkitchensmaine.com. Consumers may place orders online or by calling (207) 222-2121

From The Bookworm

GORHAM – The Bookworm at 42 Main St, Gorham, is continuing its tradition of donating books for area children during the holiday season.

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the store will be providing wrapped books for parents to pick up at the Gorham Food Pantry for their children.

Donation’s of $2 per book should be made directly at The Bookworm, and each donation goes toward an age-appropriate book for a child.

From Baxter Library

GORHAM – December events at Baxter Memorial Library:

Thursday, Dec 10, 9:30 a.m. – Toddler Discovery Time. Join Ms. Dani for a Virtual Discovery Time on Facebook.  She will read a story and present an extension activity related to the book.  So much fun for this age group!  (18 months-3 yrs)

Tuesday, Dec. 15, 9:30-10 a.m. – Preschool Discovery Time. If you love picture books watch Ms Heidi on Facebook as she reads a new book each week. (ages 3-5) 

Wednesday, Dec. 16 – 10 a.m. – STEAM More than a Box. Join Ms. Deb on Facebook for a virtual STEAM activity. Activities are geared toward K-5 learners and require minimal supplies that you’ll likely have right on-hand at home. This time, rethink everyday objects around your house to build something fabulous! To kickstart your imagination, come to BML before or after you watch the video and pick up a Mystery Bag Building Kit. (Limited amount of kits available.) Participants are encouraged to take a photo of their creation and submit it to baxterlibvideos@gmail.com (by 12/31/20) to be included in our gallery of awesomeness.

6 p.m. – Polar Express. The story of the Polar Express goes virtual at Baxter Memorial Library.  Join us Live on Facebook as Conductor Jeff reads The Polar Express from the North Pole.  To enhance your program experience we’ve prepared take-away packs to be picked up any time in December.  Each child receives: a packet of cocoa, a candy cane, a ticket, and a bell.   Hope to see you there!   

 Thursday, Dec. 17, 9:30 a.m. – Toddler Discovery Time. Join Ms. Dani for a Virtual Discovery Time on Facebook.  She will read a story and present an extension activity related to the book.  So much fun for this age group!  (18 months-3 yrs)

Holiday Hours –

Dec. 24 – 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Dec. 25 – Closed

Dec. 31 – 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Jan. 1 – Closed

From Josh Hrehovcik

KENNEBUNK – Kennebunk resident Josh Hrehovcik recently published his second photo book, “Retro Roadtrip: Winter in Maine (and a bit of New England)”.

The 70-page, 8-1/2” x 11” soft cover book features full color original views of winter in Southern Maine and selected New England locations.

A perennial traveler throughout this picturesque area, Hrehovcik finds inspiration in recognizable subjects, like snow-covered boats, cars and lobster traps, sparkling oceans and glowing sunsets, as well as barns, shops and street scenes. Each photo has Hrehovcik’s refreshing observation and invites viewer to see often overlooked scenes with a new perspective.  

Geraldine Aikman, who curated the images and designed this book, said, “Josh has a knack for taking everyday things and familiar places and making them shine. This collection of photos may make you see winter in southern Maine (and a bit of New Hampshire) in a different light. It also may encourage you to get out there after the first snowfall and take some pictures of your own.”

While professional photography is a new career move for Hrehovcik, his innovative style has attracted attention. He has made several media appearances, including an upcoming interview on the Channel 6 program “207” hosted by Rob Caldwell.

Hrehovcik said, “I’m fortunate to live in a place that has inspiring views wherever you look. I always take my camera with me so, on every trip, I keep my eye open for the next photo opportunity. It’s a lot of fun, too.”

The new winter Retro Roadtrip is available on Amazon and select bookstores and retail locations and make an ideal gift for the holidays. Price is $24.00. Individual prints are also available on Hrehovcik’s website. www.retroroadtripper.com.

For more information call: 207-289-5100.

New Beginnings provides outreach and support

By Nathan Tsukroff

LEWISTON – While there is not a specific reason youth in Maine are homeless, a survey in late 2017 indicated that some 40% of homeless youth are LGBTG+, compared to just 15% of their in-school peers.

Although sexual orientation may be a factor in leaving their homes for some of the homeless youth, others may be trying to escape a dangerous or abusive family situation, according to Kris Pitts, Community Services Director for New Beginnings, an agency based in Lewiston that serves adolescents and young adults from across Maine at its program sites in Androscoggin, Kennebec and Franklin counties. The decision to leave a home is often not due to a single factor, she said, but is usually the result of a combination of factors.

New Beginnings began with an emergency shelter in Greene, ME, in 1980, which was moved its current location in Lewiston in 1986. The agency began its street outreach program in 1990, and connected with just over 4,500 youth in 2019, the latest year for which it has statistics.

Some 758 youth were helped at the Lewiston drop-in center in 2019, and 911 youth and families were served by New Beginnings that year.

Being homeless leads to higher levels of interpersonal violence, suicide and trauma for adolescents and young adults, compared to their in-school peers, New Beginnings learned in its 2017 survey. Some 46% of the homeless survey respondents reported three or more adverse childhood experiences while living in their homes, which is twice as much as reported by their in-school peers and more than four times the national average of 10%.

Nearly 1 in 5 homeless youth reported being physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend the previous year, with 30% reporting they were physically forced to have sexual intercourse again their will, compared to 8.4% of high school seniors. Overall, Maine ranks in the lower third of states, with some 4% of males and 10.4% of females reporting forced intercourse at some point in their lives, according to a national survey, also from 2017.

New Beginnings helps youth who don’t have stable family support by providing a safety net of food, clothing, shelter, housing and referrals.

Besides the drop-in center at 134 College Street in Lewiston, adolescents and young adults can be guided to an emergency shelter and to a transitional living program run by the agency. The Lewiston facility provides help with finding housing, emergency food and hygiene supplies, and meals. More than 11,000 meals were served at New Beginnings’ shelter and drop-in center in 2019.

The emergency shelter serves as a safe place for youth to stay temporarily if they need to escape a dangerous situation at home, Pitts said. Other youth may be asked to leave or are locked out of their home by a caregiver. “We obviously want to work for reunification if we can, for young people,” Pitts said. About 80% of youth served by the agency in 2019 reunified with family or acquired safe housing.

New Beginnings has transitional living programs in Lewiston, Augusta and Farmington that provide housing for up to 18 months as youth are taught the skills they need to live on their own. Services include case management, independent living skills instruction, referrals, and follow-up support. More than 8,980 nights of housing were provided by the agency in 2019.

The need for help for homeless youth “is much larger than I think a lot of people would either anticipate, or are comfortable recognizing sometimes,” Pitts said.

More information about New Beginnings and its programs may be found at:  newbeginmaine.org

From Scarborough Downs

SCARBOROUGH – Scarborough Downs hosted its final live harness racing card last Saturday after 70 years of operation.

Located on Payne Rd, Scarborough Downs opened as a thoroughbred racetrack in 1950. Both thoroughbred and harness racing cards were hosted from 1969 through 1971, with harness racing taking over entirely from 1972 onward.

Reasons for the closure include decreases in revenues as a result of opening of the Oxford Casino in 2012; ongoing development of track property following its sale in 2018; operational and financial challenges faced through Covid-19 protocols this season; and the desire of the harness racing industry to transition toward a more modern facility, a desire which the Downs cannot accommodate at this point in time.

Scarborough Downs will remain open for simulcast wagering through the remainder of the year, and has been granted a license by the Maine Harness Racing Commission to begin operations as an Off Track Betting facility beginning in January.

From Maine DHHS

AUGUSTA— The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently announced that additional Walgreens pharmacy locations will offer free drive-through rapid COVID-19 antigen testing to people in Maine experiencing symptoms of the virus.

Walgreens will open 52 testing sites across Maine to the public, using Abbott’s BinaxNOW rapid antigen point-of-care test. These sites join the 10 previously announced locations that opened in early November. An additional three sites in southern Maine came online with BinaxNOW last week, bringing the total to 65 locations. Appointments at all locations can be made now by following the steps on Walgreens.com/COVID19Testing.

Through an agreement with DHHS, testing is available through Walgreens at no cost to people in Maine who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. As a result of increased demand for testing in recent days, appointment availability may vary by location.

“The expansion of free rapid antigen testing through Walgreens allows people experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 to quickly rule out this disease,” said DHHS Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew. “The BinaxNOW tests offer one more layer of protection, but continuing to wear a face covering, avoiding large gatherings, and keeping our distance has never been more important.”

Rapid antigen COVID-19 testing is available at Walgreens by appointment to adults and children age 3 and older who meet screening criteria to receive a test. Walgreens patrons self-collect a sample with a nasal swab under the supervision of Walgreens staff and submit the sample through the drive-through window, with results available in as little as an hour.

People who test positive for COVID-19 through the BinaxNOW rapid test should immediately quarantine and seek a second standard PCR test to confirm the results.

This testing is available through DHHS’ partnership with Walgreens to distribute approximately 300,000 Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 antigen tests. The BinaxNOW test has been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for testing symptomatic individuals for COVID-19 within the first 7 days of symptoms.

“Walgreens is pleased to further increase access to COVID-19 testing, and to serve as the first retail pharmacy to administer BinaxNOW COVID-19 tests in the country,” said Rick Gates, senior vice president of pharmacy, Walgreens. “The essential role pharmacists and patient care teams play in the health care delivery system has never been more clear. Walgreens has a long history of stepping up to support our customers and communities in times of need, and we’re pleased to be working in collaboration with Maine health officials and stand ready to work with additional states on their efforts to expand access to COVID-19 testing.”

In total, Maine is receiving 400,000 BinaxNOW tests from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at no charge. DHHS is separately allocating 100,000 tests through an application process and has already distributed more than 35,000 of those tests to federally qualified health centers, shelters, schools, and other settings. Since demand may exceed the available supply, DHHS will prioritize facilities that serve high-risk populations, high risk settings, and other settings where access to testing is otherwise limited.

While the BinaxNOW rapid antigen test is best used for people experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, other types of testing is available in Maine to people who think they need a test, regardless of symptoms and without the need for a referral from a health provider. This testing is available at more than two dozen “swab and send” testing locations that offer molecular testing at no charge under separate agreements with DHHS. Results from swab and send locations are provided by the State Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory within 48 hours of receipt at the lab (the time from the sample collection to the delivery of the result to the patient may take longer). For more information, visit the Keep Maine Healthy website.

Although demand for testing increased with the Thanksgiving holiday, Maine’s testing capacity is among the best in the nation. This capacity is the result of an agreement Governor Mills reached with Maine-based IDEXX Laboratories five months ago. That agreement, as well as partnerships with Maine health care organizations and exceptional work by the State’s Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory, allowed Maine to become one of the first states in the nation to eliminate its testing prioritization system and issue a standing order allowing anyone in Maine who thinks they need a test to get one.

Walgreens BinaxNOW COVID-19 Testing Locations in Maine include

Auburn: 61 Union St.

Auburn: 698 Minot Ave.

Falmouth: 33 Depot Road

Gorham: 120 Main St.

Gray: 62 West Gray Road

Lewiston: 430 Sabattus St.

Portland: 616 Forest Avenue

Saco: 461 Main St.

Sanford: 868 Main Street

Scarborough: 233 US Route 1

Scarborough: 600 U.S. Route 1

South Portland: 279 Main Street

Westbrook: 465 Main St.

Windham: 741 Roosevelt Trail

From Town of Gorham

GORHAM – Winter sand that is mixed with road salt is now available at Gorham Public Works, and is located beside the silver bullet recycling units on the left as you enter through the front entrance. Each resident is allowed two, 5-gallon buckets per winter event, and residents must bring their own buckets and shovels.