Aug. 15, 1990

A group of Westbrook business owners and managers gathered in Walker Memorial Library Monday to discuss forming a local association to promote business. Those present, about 20, voted nearly unanimously to go forward and they will hold another meeting Sept. 27. The meeting was co-chaired by Lionel Dumond of ShowMe Video and Marty Pizzo of Marty’s Variety. Dan Jacques, president of the Westbrook Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber could meet a lot of the merchants’ concerns. Ron Flagg of Flagg’s Tavern and Sam Novick of Hub Furniture expressed dissatisfaction with the chamber. Dumond, who is one of the directors of the Westbrook chamber but is also working toward this new group, said if the group is formed, he is sure it could work with the chamber in addressing of the issues the merchants are concerned with.

Tuesday morning, for the third time in 12 years, Peter Blanchette returned to the Westbrook Police Department after a departure. “I enjoy police work and I’m looking forward to coming back,” said Blanchette, 30, from his home in West Buxton. Per a July 18 Maine Supreme Court ruling, which upheld a decision that Blanchette was unjustly fired from the department, Blanchette will be reinstated to his previous rank of patrolman and will be paid for work missed minus any money earned during his 15 months away from the department.

Kevin Cox, director of community services in Gorham for the past four years, resigned Monday following concerns expressed by town councilors that his program was “out of control.” Cox, 34, said no one asked him to resign and he is leaving “with no hard feelings.” According to Cox, the concerns were raised during a meeting between him and Acting Town Manager Bob Libby. “He told me the Town Council was not happy with the way the program was going, that they’d like to see more control on my part,” said Cox.

The Gorham Town Council will continue this week to interview prospective candidates for town manager, a position vacated in May by John Marcarelli after six months on the job. The council interviewed two applicants Thursday and three were interviewed last night. The interviews are conducted in executive session in the town manager’s office.

The Warren Memorial Library in Westbrook will conclude its summer reading program, “Books Are Bear-y Special,” with a Teddy Bear picnic on Aug. 20. Children are invited to bring a stuffed bear (or other stuffed animal) in costume to the picnic and receive a special gift. Entertainment will be provided by the Merriconeag Puppets of Freeport.

Aug. 16, 2000

Westbrook Mayor Don Esty is working on a letter to be sent probably later this week to anybody the city can think of who participated in the discussions before the big Prides Corner zone change, announcing that the city plans a series of neighborhood meetings on topics of concern – including at least one meeting on the proposed plan of the Shops at Prides Corner retail development – before it goes to the Planning Board. “We anticipate an open process,” said City Planner Mat Eddy. He said the meeting topics also would be on such matters as stormwater management, transportation and pedestrian safety.

The Westbrook factory of Remstar International, maker of automated storage and retrieval systems, may be much bigger soon. The company has a site plan review application before the Planning Board seeking permission to build a 100-by-250- foot warehouse addition to the present plant at 41 Eisenhower Drive. Both the main building and the proposed addition are steel buildings. The new addition will be 24 feet high.

A trial run on the bus for Westbrook’s kindergarten students and their parents will be held Tuesday, Aug. 29. Assistant Superintendent Michael Kane said the trial is not only helpful for young students, but also helps drivers to recognize students’ parents.

The Westbrook School Committee set Superintendent Stan Sawyer’s salary at $89,950 for the 2000-2001 school year. The figure includes cash instead of benefits (his choice). Last year he made $86,500.

The state wants to put a salt shed of 1,260 square feet at its highway maintenance center at 315 Libby Ave., Gorham. Anyone who wants to comment or ask for a special meeting on the proposal must get in touch with the town planner, Deborah F. Fossum, by Aug. 25. The site is in a Suburban Residential zone.

The Gorham Family Fair 2000 is Saturday, Aug. 19 at Narragansett School. The schedule includes a road race, parade, music, square dancing demonstrations, wrestling demonstrations, chicken barbecue dinner, cloggers, magic show, rock show and street dance and fireworks.

The original St. Hyacinth Church was built in 1878-79 on Brown Street, diagonally across from the present-day St. Hyacinth Church. The first masses were celebrated on Aug. 22, 1879, and the church served the parish until the congregation outgrew the building. In 1941, construction was started on a much larger church building across the street. The last Mass in the old church was celebrated on Oct. 18, 1942 , and the first masses in the new church were celebrated on Oct. 25, 1942. The old church was demolished several years later. To see more historical photos and artifacts, visit the Westbrook Historical Society at the Fred C. Wescott Building, 426 Bridge St. It is open Tuesdays and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-noon, and the first Wednesday of each month at 1:30 p.m., September-June. Inquiries can be emailed to westhistorical@myfairpoint.net. The website is www.westbrookhistoricalsociety.org.Photo and research courtesy of Mike Sanphy