SCARBOROUGH — With less than two weeks until budget approval is expected, residents expressed discontent about the spending plan in a May 1 Town Council public hearing. The criticism came after the $70 million school and municipal budget proposed for fiscal year 2020 by Town Manager Tom Hall and Superintendent of Schools Julie Kukenberger was reduced […]
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Posted inSouthern Forecaster, The Forecaster
Scarborough, ecomaine urge recycling awareness
SCARBOROUGH — Town officials and representatives from ecomaine say residents must be re-educated about changing their recycling habits. They held a workshop May 1 to further develop a comprehensive public outreach program about what can and can’t be recycled. The group discussed several educational methods, including sending letters to residents, regularly posting to Facebook, creating brief educational […]
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Posted inCoastal Journal, The Forecaster
Bath budget may boost taxes 1%; City Council trashes bag fee
BATH — A $16.6 million city budget for fiscal year 2020, reflecting a 4.7 percent increase in spending, is scheduled for a public hearing May 15. The spending plan made a brief appearance at a regular City Council meeting Wednesday. The panel on May 1 also unanimously approved a five-year contract with Pine Tree Waste, […]
Posted inSouthern Forecaster, The Forecaster
South Portland’s Lamp Repair Shop shines, despite Knightville parking change
SOUTH PORTLAND — The owner of The Lamp Repair Shop in Knightville said his business has managed to succeed, despite taking a hit from parking changes on Ocean Street. “We instantly saw a 40 percent drop in business and I don’t think we’re alone down here,” owner Brian Allen said. “We used to have 19 (on-street) parking spots, […]
Posted inSouthern Forecaster, The Forecaster
South Portland under pressure to upgrade bus fare technology
SOUTH PORTLAND — Fares for some city bus riders who transfer to or from METRO buses could double, unless the South Portland Bus Service makes fare technology updates compatible with changes planned by the Greater Portland Transit District. If left unaddressed, the increase for cash-paying senior citizens and riders with disabilities would also be a violation of federal […]
Posted inCoastal Journal, The Forecaster
Rising cost threatens Brunswick recycling program
BRUNSWICK — There’s a tough financial reality for recycling programs across the country: earning less on the sale of materials and paying more to process what residents put in their recycling bins. Brunswick isn’t immune to the national trend. Town Manager John Eldridge’s municipal budget proposal would change the way the town’s recyclables are processed and save […]
Posted inSouthern Forecaster, The Forecaster
Zoning board slows proposed Cape Elizabeth lumber business
CAPE ELIZABETH — A business that hoped to open soon in the town center is running into zoning roadblocks. Mike Friedland, who has a contract to buy the former Cumberland Farms gas station and convenience store property at 287 Ocean House Road, was denied an appeal by the Zoning Board of Appeals April 23. Friedland had asked […]
Posted inPortland Forecaster, Southern Forecaster, The Forecaster
Hospice conference to highlight resilience at end of life
SCARBOROUGH — During end-of-life care, some families and individuals grapple with resentments and regrets about what could have been and what will never be. Hospice of Southern Maine wants to bring people together to navigate life’s final chapter through the lens of resilience and community support. The 9th annual Anne L. Hunter Memorial Thresholds Conference, […]
Posted inCoastal Journal, The Forecaster
Aquaculture licensing process headlines Harpswell meeting
HARPSWELL — The public will soon get a chance to learn more about aquaculture and the lease application process. Jon Lewis, Aquaculture Program director for the Maine Department of Marine Resources, will discuss how the application process works, and the role the DMR and municipal officials, in a meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, at Harpswell […]
Posted inSouthern Forecaster, The Forecaster
Extra, extra: South Portland students team up for ‘Newsies’
SOUTH PORTLAND — After rehearsing two hours a day for almost two months, more than 100 students in grades 7-12 are using their newfound skills to perform the 1992 Disney musical “Newsies.” “This performance gives them a real education in how to work together, and how to use music and drama and dance to create […]