Dec. 23, 1987

A terrible encounter with a snowblower Wednesday sent a Gorham woman to Osteopathic Hospital with part of the snowblower still attached to her hand. Gorham rescue, fire and police personnel all responded to the South Street home where Victoria Smith got her left hand caught in the blades of the snowblower after she reached in while the machine was running to clear it of clogged snow. Rescue workers tried for an hour to dismantle the snowblower and extricate her hand, but when they were unable to, they chose to cut off the part of the machine that was attached to her hand and send it to the hospital with her. Smith came home Monday after a six-day stay in the hospital. Doctors were able to reattach the damaged tendons and nerves and say they expect her hand to be all right. In a telephone interview Monday from her hospital bed, she seemed cheerful and spirited, and was anxious to tell her story, hoping to prevent anyone else from doing the same thing.

Westbrook Mayor Philip Spiller said he would be meeting this week with developers who are negotiating for land owned by Charles Thomas at the end of Austin Street and who plan to use it for a housing development. Among changes that would be needed is a larger sewer line, the mayor said. Spiller said Richard Sullivan, city staff lawyer, would be present also. Spiller said a sizable piece of city-owned land adjoins the site that is under consideration. He said he is firmly against selling the city land.

Westbrook’s mayor and aldermen tabled the request of Flagg’s Tavern for 1988 beer, wine, liquor and amusement licenses earlier this month, but approved the licenses this week after a second report from Police Chief Ronald Allanach. In his first report, he gave details of police calls to the tavern at 920 Main St. In his second report, he said, “Many calls are possibly generated by the park (at Saccarappa Falls), a now closed pub next door (Jack’s Spa, which was owned by Portland City Councilor Joseph Casale) and a nearby apartment building.” He said his new findings were based on undercover observation and a review of past checks.

Westbrook is shifting from a full-time to a part-time dog officer, David Sparks, and at the same time is cracking down harder on unlicensed dogs. Sparks has been helping Westbrook police with varied animal problems as a volunteer. The campaign he is launching against unlicensed dogs is for the animals’ own good, as well as for the good of the community, said Police Chief Ronald Allanach. Sparks’ 25-hour work week is on a floating schedule, which means that no one can be sure that he won’t show up when unlicensed Fido is outside. Owners of unlicensed dogs will be summonsed to court, the chief promised. Westbrook’s former animal control officer, Ed Gagne, has been promoted to patrolman, filling one of the department’s vacancies.

Mrs. Joanne Burrows went to Los Angeles, Calif., riding with her son Peter in the big van box truck. They spent Thanksgiving at her daughter Penny’s apartment, along with another son and family, Mr. and Mrs. Perry Burrows and Dustin. Mrs. Burrows returned to Wichita, Kan., riding with Peter in his truck, then flew home from there.

Dec. 24, 1997

Developers of the $250 million-$300 million, gas-fueled electric generating plant in Westbrook don’t have the money and don’t know where they’ll put the plant yet, but the City Council gave a first vote of approval 5-0 Monday to enter into an exclusive contract with them. Developers have promised to have the money lined up by next Monday, when the second and final vote is scheduled.

In Gorham, American National Power is apparently close to filing its application with the town planning office to construct a $400 million power plant on Route 25. ANP will file the application for a 900-megawatt, air-cooled, gas-fired electricity producing plant on land owned by Regional Waste Systems. Four Gorham Planning Board members went to Milford, Mass., Friday checking the company’s five-year-old power plant there. “It gave us a sense of scale,” said Town Planner Deborah Fossum, even though the Milford facility is only a 160-watt plant. ANP has formed a subsidiary called Gorham Energy Limited Partnership, to oversee the day-to-day operations of the proposed plant.

Westbrook aldermen voted the first loans Monday from a $1 million business loan fund they set up a month ago. The big one, $350,000, went to CCK Realty Trust, Dana Warp Mill. Final action will be taken next week. The two other loads were $85,000 to Artel, 25 Bradley Drive, maker of medical test equipment; and $45,000 to Patina Industries The Coatings Lab, 4 Warren Ave. Roger and Tim Flannery bought the Dana Warp building for $450,000 earlier this year.

Bradlees is closing six of its 109 stores in February, but this does not affect its only Maine store in Westbrook, a company spokesman said. The company is keeping the Westbrook store, said Bill Roberts.

Santa Claus drove a rebuilt 1995 Plymouth Voyager van into the parking lot at Gorham Town Hall last week. The van was a gift from Moody’s Body Shop in Gorham to the town’s DARE program. This is the second van Moody’s has donated to the Gorham Police Department.

Gorham’s site plan review committee will be deciding whether to approve two projects in January. A farm stand is proposed at 281 Ossipee Trail to sell fresh fruits, vegetables bakery products and crafts. The site is in a rural district. A barn was used previously by Roger Libby for the same purposes. He has sold the property to Paul and Cindy Webber of Gorham, the applicants. The University of Southern Maine proposes to build an 18-by-20-foot storage and press box building at the softball field in the urban residential zone.

Westbrook Police Chief Steven Roberts is able to add a “Citizen’s Police Academy” to his department thanks to a federal Cops Fast grant that enables him to hire two additional policemen. He also plans to introduce a “Cops Card” program to strengthen ties between plice officers and young people.

The fireplace in the old Westbrook Police Station on Warren Avenue (later renamed Harnois Avenue in honor of slain Police Chief Pierre Harnois) is decorated for the holidays. The building was originally built as a parish hall for the Warren Congregational Church. When the police department moved in, it was one of only a few in Maine with a working fireplace. To see more historical photos and artifacts, visit the Westbrook Historical Society at the Fred C. Wescott Building, 426 Bridge St. Inquiries can be emailed to westhistorical@myfairpoint.net. The website is www.westbrookhistoricalsociety.org.