Nov. 22, 1995

Ann Rita Dancoes of Westbrook, her brother Tom and two college friends bicycled from Seattle to Westbrook this summer. They returned home on July 23 after biking 4,120 miles. “There are so many genuinely generous people across this country. Our experience helped reaffirm my belief that there are more wonderful people in this world than jerks,” wrote Ann in a lengthy story about the trip in the American Journal.

Gorham may get a Mister Bagel shop and a Pratt-Abbott laundry at the corner of New Portland Road and Mechanic Street. Property owner Harland Banks of Gorham, owner of Dodge Oil, has proposed the project. He will need Minor Site Plan Review Committee approval.

Thomas Ellsworth, 36, of Kennebunk, has been hired as part time president for the Gorham Economic Development Corp. He’ll be responsible for handling all inquiries from businesses interested in coming to Gorham and will help developers “weed their way through guidelines and regulations of the planning process,” said Town Manager David Cole.

Oswyn “Ozzie” Hammond of Westbrook won five medals in the recent Maine Senior Games. For several years he ran road races but in recent years has opted for swimming instead. This is the fifth year he has participated in the Senior Olympics, winning 21 medals in swimming events.

Nov. 22, 2005

One Riverfront Plaza, the office building at the center of Westbrook’s downtown revitalization, is being sold by owner/developer Tim Flannery to a group of investors based in Hackensack, New Jersey. A national real estate website listed an asking price of $23.5 million. Flannery still owns the Dana Warp Mill and he has an agreement with the city to invest $1 million downtown over the next five years. He said he’s not sure how he is going to fulfill the agreement.

Myspace.com is an online phenomenon that is growing in popularity with teenagers locally and nationwide. Some say MySpace is opening teens to the dangers posed by internet predators. Teens say the site is sleek, hip and a great way to keep in touch with friends. Westbrook Officer Brian Dell Isola, school resource officer at Wescott Junior High School, recently attended a national conference of school resource officers. After discussing the issue there, he decided to create a lesson to teach local kids about internet safety.

The town of Gorham will light its Christmas tree Nov. 27 on the lawn at the gazebo area at the Municipal Center on Main Street. Santa will arrive at 5 p.m. aboard a fire truck. Activities will include caroling and music, plus hot chocolate and snacks.

Buxton resident Ed Newell, who spearheaded a fundraising drive to “keep the heat on,” said it raised more than $3,000 to assist needy people in paying for the rising costs of staying warm this winter. Newell, a retired educator, said he’d like the program to continue.