May 3, 1995

Gorham developer Susan Duchaine is about to create 18 new farms, ranging from 2 to 10 acres. Irish Farm Estates, off Route 25, will subdivide a 100-acre farm into 18 home lots. An unfulfilled market niche exists in the Portland area for homes with full suburban amenities but with country surroundings, she said. “Animals are welcome and we have protective covenants to allow for horses and gentleman farmers,” Duchaine said. The Gorham Planning Board has given the project its final OK.

Blue Rock Industries will put into production soon a new asphalt plant erected during recent months at its headquarters at 58 Main St., Westbrook. It will mix crushed stone, sand and asphalt for hot paving mix. The plant represents an investment of more than $1.5 million.

Saunders Bros., the Westbrook dowel maker, won quick approval from the Planning Board last week for a $300,000 warehouse to service its L.L.Bean business. Saunders will be a drop-shipper for certain items in the Bean catalog. Sleds are among the items — Saunders bought the sled-making business of Paris Manufacturing Co. Other Bean catalog products made of wood include toboggans, coat racks and youth rocking chairs.

Cops on bikes will be back on Westbrook streets soon. Inger Johnson, who was among the officers who rode bikes last summer, went to Lewiston last week for a look at how that city uses six bicycle patrolmen in season. Chief Steven Roberts said he aims to take advantage of that city’s experience in shaping Westbrook’s strategy.

May 4, 2005

Heavy rains and a larger-than-normal winter runoff caused the Presumpscot River to swell over its banks Thursday, causing flooding but no serious damage. The river crested at 21.5 feet, about 6 feet over the flood stage of 15 feet. Flooding was heavy around the area of Lincoln Street just beyond the Dana Warp Mill. As the waters receded, Jim Cashner stood on the deck of his Lincoln Street home and surveyed the muddy lawn it left in its wake. But he was lucky. “We just missed it going into the house by 3 inches,” he said.

Nearly 40 parents asked the Gorham School Committee last week to form a panel to review administrative operations at the middle school. It comes on the heels of the news that Dennis Duquette, middle school principal, was close to resigning to take a similar job in Cape Elizabeth. David Daigler, who served on the search committee that brought Duquette to Gorham, said, “The news that Dennis would consider leaving put fear in our hearts. It served as a wake-up call that there are still changes that need to be made and there is a lot of work to be done. And clearly Dennis needs our support.”

Westbrook residents David Good and his son, Zachary, a high school freshman, returned recently from San Pedro Sula in Honduras, where they spent 10 days helping to renovate one-room school buildings. They had arranged to be hosted by a Honduran family that had four teenage children. Each day, they were bused several miles into the village to work on their project. When they arrived on site, they were greeted by large groups of youngsters begging for attention, food or money. The Goods’ mission was to reroof one school and paint another.

Marianne Sensale-Guerin of Gorham has been named National Small Business Person of the Year. She is owner and president of Gorham-based Guerin Associates, which specializes in replacing, cleaning and outfitting fuel storage tanks. In four years the business has grown from four employees to 10, with a second location in Presque Isle.