June 1981

Carole Gray, Westbrook High School sophomore, won her 18th straight softball victory, 504 over Brewer in nine innings for the state softball champions.

Scott Paper Co. has settled a strike threat at the S. D. Warren mill in Westbrook by agreeing to pay and benefits increases that the union says will cost about $5 million in the next two years. Average pay will go up 9 percent the first year and 8 percent the second year.

Maine’s 1st District U. S. Representative David Emery spoke at the annual meeting of the Westbrook Chamber of Commerce. About 25 turned out.

Gorham’s 57-year-old Charlotte A. Millett School will close for good June 17. Those grades, K-3, will attend the new school next to the Municipal Center next fall.

Fire started by a painter’s torch damaged the offices of Henry Gagnon, Westbrook realtor, on Main Street.

The South Portland Board of Education has named Ralph Howard chairman.

Gorham will charge 18 percent, up from 13.5 percent, interest on unpaid taxes.

Edmund S. Muskie, former U. S. Senator and Secretary of State, was Windham High School’s commencement speaker. He emphasized the need for population stabilization and resource conservation.

Despite strong citizen opposition, Windham’s Zoning Appeals Board approved plans for the Lake Region Family Park.

Gorham’s girls repeated as Class B state track champions. Alison Kent was first in the 100- and 220-yard dashes. Jean Pike was first in the shot put. Gorham also won the mile relay – Darcy Shiers, Katie Stevens and Colleen Gorman.

Heather Carll, 7, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Van Carll of Gorham, sent a sympathy card to President Reagan after he was shot. She has received a nice note of thanks from the president.

Sugar is $1.39 for five pounds at the Gorham IGA Foodliner.

June 1991

For the past decade, Jack Critchley has manned the cameras in bringing Gorham public meetings, events, interviews and special programs to the town’s public cable channel as an unpaid service. No more. He has filed suit, citing criticism from the town’s “educational mafia.” Town Manager Paul Weston has hired Richard Portwine at $9 an hour to take Critchley’s place. Weston said Critchley “had a definite anti-education bias.”

South Portland City Manager Jerre Bryant said he has hired a retired chief of the New Hampshire State Police for advice after a number of complaints that South Portland police officers used excessive force.

Gorham’s Planning Board voted 6-1 to reject a proposed Hannaford Brothers shopping center on Narragansett Street, finding that it presented too many traffic problems.

Standish Police Patrolman Tim Condon escaped with a strained ankle when his cruiser hit a pine tree on Route 35 ending pursuit of a speeder.

Former mayor Elmer Currier will be marshal for the big parade on Westbrook Together Days Saturday.

Westbrook School Superintendent Edward F. Connolly is 58 years old and doesn’t expect to stay in the job past 60, he said.

The Westbrook Seals swim team, a non-profit organization for boys and girls of Westbrook and its neighbors, is looking for new swimmers. Dennis Connolly is the coach.

South Portland City Manager Jerre Bryant has given the City Council a seven-year program of capital improvements costing $31.8 million. Projects include sewage treatment upgrade, Skillin School expansion, Public Works equipment, better sewers, new roofs for Mahoney Middle School and the high school, closing the landfill, adding parks and athletic fields, fixing tennis courts. Two fire stations, two fire pumpers, two rescue vehicles, and two public buses.

Candidates for two seats on the Windham School committee are Patricia Collins, W. Paul Gribbin Jr., John Lawrence, Jane Shaw and Susan Taylor. Candidates for the Town Council are Tom Bartell and David Tobin. Rita Bernier seeks reelection as town clerk.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection will hold a public hearing Monday on plans of Regional Waste Systems for a landfill at Mosher’s Corner, Gorham.

Volunteers will assemble playground equipment at Standish’s Edna Libby School this weekend.

Windham’s School Committee voted to cut 18 positions and to reduce the hours of 16 others, to conform to budget cuts ordered by the Town Council.

Mr. and Mrs. Wyvern Jaques of Westbrook are home from a 24-day camper trip. This time, it was to Oklahoma and Florida. They have traveled to all 50 states.

George H. Ayers, School Street, Gorham, has been named associate professor emeritus of geosciences at USM. He is a former director of the university’s Southworth Planetarium, and developed a series of courses in astronomy for USM students.

Truman and Marjorie Johnson, Evergreen Lane, Windham, were honored on their 50th wedding anniversary May 19.

Margaret White, Running Hill Road, Scarborough, hosted a bon voyage party for Kitty Christensen, Portland, president of the Overseas Wives Club, who will make her first visit back to her beloved England since her World War II marriage.