Nov. 9, 1988

The renovated Prides Corner Elementary School was dedicated at a ceremony Friday with more than 100 parents, friends and city officials on hand. The project included the addition of 10,200 feet of office, storage and classroom space, a new boiler and oil tank, redesign of the building site and renovation of some of the existing building. The additional space will provide the school with 10 more classrooms and office space for guidance counselors, social workers and secretaries. Steve Harnois is the school’s principal and served as master of ceremonies for the event.

Two men suffered burns after a mishap at the Big Apple on Main Street in Westbrook at about 7 p.m. Monday. According to a clerk, a gasoline attendant was showing another employee how to operate the pumps. In doing so, the attendant got gasoline down the front of his shirt. The two then went into the back room of the story to fill out a bank deposit. The attendant then lit a cigar, which ignited the gasoline. Both men were taken to the hospital for treatment.

Westbrook Housing Authority will welcome the public at an open house Nov. 10 to show its new unsubsidized apartments for persons age 55 and older, at Larrabee Woods off Main Street.

In an atmosphere of keen sensitivity about the issue of gravel pits in town, the Gorham administration is now drafting a new ordinance regulating gravel pit operation. The ordinance has been circulating for several months. Ken Clegg, a Might Street resident and attorney who has represented various neighborhood groups opposing pit operations, has offered revisions on the original town draft, which was obtained by residents concerned about pit operations. Clegg’s draft tightens the rules for new pits, and also adds regulations for abandoned pits not contained in the original draft. Town Manager Donald Gerrish said Monday the ordinance is still being reviewed by town staff and would probably be given to the Town Council’s ordinance committee within the next few weeks.

Karen Dyer and her husband Ron, who operate Twin Acres sheep farm on Burnham Road in Gorham, have won the Bartlett Yards Award for the fleece that comes closest to the mill’s standard, given at this year’s Blue Hill Fair. There are 28 sheep in their flock.

Rosanna Morelli, country vocalist and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Morelli, 38 Hillside Road, Westbrook, won four awards at the Oct. 30 Down East Country Music Association’s awards show in Waterville. She won the Horizon Award, which recognizes the up-and-coming star of Maine; the Best Dressed Female Award; the Female Vocalist Award; and Entertainer of he Year, the highest award given out. She will represent Maine at the New England Regionals. She is a graduate of Westbrook High School.

Nov. 11, 1998

C.N. Brown is looking to redevelop its station at the corner of Main Street and Mechanic Street in Gorham to house a McDonald’s and a convenience store with gas pumps. At the site now also is Show Me Video. Town Planner Deborah Fossum said her office has been informally approached about the project. “It is at a very early exploratory stage right now,” she said. The redevelopment would take both buildings down to accommodate the store and restaurant. The gas pumps would be rebuilt for the new convenience store.

The approval of the Baxter Memorial Library referendum by Gorham voters Nov. 3 has some supporters forseeing an optimistic fundraising effort. The referendum asked for the town to match funds, not to exceed $500,000, with a fundraising campaign for the renovation and expansion of the library. “Not only did it pass, but it passed by a huge margin. I think the overwhelming support of the referendum will bode well for the fundraising effort,” said Pamela Turner, library firector.

Father and son, there has been a Byron Rogers in the Westbrook Fire Department 75 years. Byron Jr. has decided to bring that record to an end Feb. 1 and retire after six years as acting fire chief and then fire chief, and 41 years in the department. The Rogers family tradition is wide. Byron Jr.’s brothers Wallace, Gerald and Clifton all served many years, and three sons of Byron Jr. are also in the department – James is a full-time captain, Christopher serves in the ladder company and Jeffrey is in Scarborough’s Engine 7 company. The chief will be 66 in January and said he and his wife Phyllis are ready to step back from his responsibilities and taste the treasures of retirement.

Westbrook should be “very conservative” with its spending, said Mayor Don Esty, until it has a clearer idea bout the outcome of a $100 million property valuation dispute with Sappi or it has some other major new source of property tax revenue. If Sappi has its way with pending abatement requests form 1996 and 1997 and an expected request for 1998, the city would have to raise taxes, raise revenue or cut spending in order to come up with the more that $6 million it would owe the South Africa-based company.

Inger Johnson, a nine-year veteran with the Westbrook Police Department, has been named to a new position devoted entirely to policing the public schools. Johnson, 33, will work primarily out of Westbrook High School and Wescott Junior High School. “It should provide a safer school,” said Wescott Principal Randall Zito, who expects the new school officer to be dealing with the everyday problems of bullies, cigarettes, parking lot speeders and the more rare instances of assaults, weapons and drugs and alcohol possession.

Westbrook voters last week overwhelmingly supported changing the city charter to gender-neutral language. The term alderman will now change to city councilor. James Bennett, assistant to the mayor, said the nameplates were already ordered.

A CLOSER LOOK

The Westbrook American reported on Nov. 6, 1963, that Edwin Shepard of Elm Street in Gorham was expected to arrive in New York City on Nov. 8 from Turkey, where he managed the good will appearance of a track team.

The Rev. David Smith, pastor of three churches in Buxton, was to leave on Nov. 28 for a new position in Massachusetts.

Warren Furniture Co. occupied this building on Main Street at Bridge Street for many years, but before that, F.W. Woolworth Co. had its store there. This building was constructed in 1890 by Lewis W. Edwards to replace a large wooden building where he had a store and a meeting Hall. The hall, located on the Bridge Street side of the building, was known as Small’s Hall and at one time the Baptists and Episcopalians held services there. Edwards operated his store in this building for several years. The Westbrook Telephone Exchange was located in the second floor front of this building from 1907 to 1917. Warren Furniture closed and Portland Pie Co. is located on the site. 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.