April 1980

In high school girls’ basketball, Westbrook, in Class A, and Gorham, in Class B, finished the season with amazing identical records – three years undefeated and state champions.

Westbrook Republicans will honor William L. Clarke for his 26 years as city clerk at a dinner May 1 in the Dunn Street Legion Hall. Lyle Cramer is chairman.

Alderman Louis P. Blanchette of Westbrook has sold 50 acres of the south side of the County Road next to Portland Glass Co. to the Atbro Corp., Portland, an affiliate of J. B. Brown Co. The land was bought more than 50 years ago by John Woronecki, who passed it to his daughter Stella, wife of Blanchette, and has been used for hay and pasture.

“Special education” costs are climbing. Students who have physical, emotional or intellectual handicaps are sent to private outside classes. With 44 such students, South Portland budgeted $150,000, is spending $212,000 and expects to spend $254,000 next year.

Workers are demolishing, piece by piece, the wooden buildings of the Dana Warp Mills on “Yudy’s Island” at Saccarappa Falls on the Presumpscot River in downtown Westbrook. Long idle, they are considered a fire hazard.

Westbrook Assessor Robert Libby is “factoring up” land values 30 percent and building values 60 percent.

Over the past seven months, a group of students of the University of Southern Maine has tutored 23 inmates of the Maine Correctional Center in reading.

Sugar provides 18 percent of the calories in U. S. food, and for some people it’s 33 percent, says a new study.

The York-Cumberland Housing Development Corporation wants to use a federal loan to build apartments to rent to low-income elderly people on 12.5 acres of Gorham’s Chick property, 60 acres on Main Street where the Municipal Center is located and a school is planned.

An 18-year-old male is charged with breaking into Gerrity Building Center, Gorham, and stealing tools and supplies, many of which were found in woods near Gerrity.

John M. Kerry, 36, of Old Orchard Beach, is seeking the Democratic nomination for the state Senate.

North Scarborough Grange gave its annual Community Citizen award to Scarborough Police Chief John Flaherty.

April 1990

William Loring and Frank Donahue voted in the Westbrook City Council to uphold Mayor Fred Wescott’s vote of accepting 11.2 acres on Mill Brook offered to the city by Woodbury Estates. As a result, the developers of housing along the brook now must take their plans to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection for approval.

South Portland City Council members Robert Fickett and Kevin Glynn are protesting the council’s practice of making budget decisions in unrecorded votes during closed-door meetings. Mayor Ralph Howard says city lawyer Steven Fletcher and others say it’s legal.

Dana Childs is a candidate for reelection as Cumberland County judge of probate. He and his wife Jean live in Westbrook. He was appointed by Gov. Kenneth Curtis 17 years ago and has been elected four times since. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II; was elected to the Maine House of Representatives from Portland five times; and was speaker of the House. He is a lawyer and a Democrat.

Maine’s Odd Fellows have bought a sugar maple tree that will be planted on Westbrook city land at Austin and Pride Streets in honor of Harold Wescott, who died March 23. Wescott developed many of the houses in that area of the city.

CuPuFu – it’s Clean Up, Paint Up, Fix Up time again.

Will Johnston is resigning after a year as Gorham town planner. He has notified Town Manager John Marcarelli.

Hannaford Brothers Company plans Gorham’s first department store along with Hannaford’s planned 63,000-square-foot supermarket on 73 acres on Narragansett Street.

Westbrook High School’s $6.5 million science wing is almost ready for use.

A French toast breakfast Saturday will raise money for Scarborough’s Boy Scout Troop 47.

Dr. James Paras, podiatrist, is moving his office from Westbrook to Biddeford.

Mizpah Chapter, Eastern Star, is celebrating its 100th year. It was the third chapter in Maine. Maude Robie, who was 100 Dec. 1, was honored as oldest member.

Martin Pizzo has been appointed to the Westbrook Planning Board by Mayor Fred Wescott.

Tim Harrigan has resigned as Windham’s director of Recreation and Adult Education. His part-time assistants are being moved to full time by Town Manager Glenn Fratto – Mark Robinson, for parks and recreation, and Julie Scammel for adult education.