One of the things I love about South Portland is our blue-collar roots – we have a history of residents and businesses working together to make this a great place to live. Residents appreciated that many of these businesses offered well-paying engineering and mechanical-type jobs. And the businesses were funded and headed up by people […]

Last week we talked about using air source heat pumps to efficiently heat and cool South Portland homes. In addition to air source heat pumps, which heat and cool your living space, there are also hot water heat pump systems, which can provide your home with reliable, affordable hot water. This week, we are focusing […]

The city of South Portland and the state of Maine offer a number of tax relief and tax exemption programs. We would like to ensure our residents are taking advantage of these programs and help you understand how to access them. One of the programs offered by the state is the Property Tax Fairness Credit, […]

In Maine, we are learning about an invisible substance that threatens our land, food and water. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, are water- and oil-resistant chemicals that contaminate the soil and water. Typically, these chemicals coat adhesives, cooking surfaces, electrical wire insulation, firefighting foam and furniture. Once these items are discarded or […]

One of our seemingly never-ending projects at the historical society is to document the lives of the many sea captains who made South Portland their home. We take a look this week at Capt. Horace F. Davis, who lived with his family at 131 Ocean St. in Knightville. Horace F. Davis was born circa 1840 […]

Last week, we discussed the importance of beneficial electrification, which is the transition from fossil fuel-based home appliances to more efficient electric equivalents. Today we are discussing a key component of beneficial electrification: heat pumps. Modern heat pumps provide homes with reliable and renewable heating, cooling and dehumidifying. Heat pumps use approximately 50 percent less […]

Let’s take a look at the John P. Lovell Company in Ferry Village. In last week’s column, we left off in the fall of 1895. The company had just acquired the idle factory building that had first been built as a plush mill. Workers were inside setting up equipment and making tools that would be […]

The last couple of weeks, we focused on the benefits of solar on both a residential and municipal level. This week, the South Portland Sustainability Office has beneficial electrification on the brain. Beneficial electrification – including sola r– helps us achieve our climate action goals while also ensuring home comfort, affordability and efficiency. One Climate […]

Last week we talked about Isaac C. Atkinson’s plush mill that was constructed in 1892, then opened and subsequently failed in 1893. We continue our look at that old factory complex that used to exist off of Mussey Street, in the area that is now home to RiverPlace Apartments. When the plush mill opened, the […]

Last week, we talked about the history and benefits of South Portland’s municipal solar projects. In addition to projects owned or administered by the city, there are many other types of solar projects, including solar that residents can participate in. With the state legislation passed in 2019 that encourages the development of renewable energy projects […]