The following are excerpts from the Southportlander.com, a blog updated daily by Current reporter Linda Hersey:

Posted Sunday, June 15

SoPo Coast Guard aids in plane crash search, recovery

UPDATE: The passengers who perished Sunday when their small plane crashed have been identified as Edward and Maryann Mainardi. The couple were traveling from Millinocket to their New Jersey home, when the Cessna plane went down about 18 miles east of Portland. Edward Mainardi was an experienced pilot. The crash is under investigation.

A press conference is being held tonight at the U.S. Coast Guard Station in South Portland after the remains of a small plane and the bodies of two passengers were found off the Cape Elizabeth coast.

The Cessna plane, traveling from Millinocket, apparently went down about 1:30 today, according to media reports

An oily sheen and debris were spotted after Boston air traffic controllers reported losing contact with the aircraft.

A Falcon jet crew from the Coast Guard station in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, was sent to the scene and found the fuel sheen and debris.

A U.S. Coast Guard vessel from South Portland and local fishermen had combed the area for the plane and possible survivors.

Posted Friday, June 13

DOG calls on members to organize

The active South Portland Dog Owners Group (DOG) has made an online call to members to turn out for Monday night’s City Council meeting, describing it as “crucial,” as city leaders discuss proposed limits for pets at Willard Beach.

Also posted on the group’s Yahoo message board was a long letter from DOG president Crystal Goodrich, criticizing efforts by Councilors Maxine Beecher and Linda Boudreau to ban or place new limits on dogs at the beach this summer. Goodrich particularly was critical of Boudreau. Here is an excerpt from her letter to DOG members:

“Linda Boudreau made some very interesting points on Monday 6/9 at the Workshop – that dog owners say they won’t elect city councilors who don’t vote the way dog owners want them to on ordinances. What a surprise. Usually people who vote cast their ballot for the individuals who they agree with in policy. If a councilor supports policy I don’t agree with of course I’m not going to vote for them.

Of special interest to me was the negativity Linda Boudreau shared with the public. Her attitude toward any efforts in the past is that it has all been completely useless. When dog owners lost off-leash access to the Greenbelt in a committee that all but consumed 2 dog owner group members that wasn’t good enough for Ms. Boudreau, even though at the time she helped pass the recommendations that were made. Short memory?”

Posted Thursday, June 12

Another new hiking trail for the Maine Mall area

The new Red Brook hiking trail is several steps closer to completion, after volunteers cleared brush and paths last weekend.

City Councilor Tom Blake, a founder of the South Portland Land Trust, said that about 14 people turned out for National Trails Day, June 7, to help clear an urban hiking path near the Maine Mall.

The trail is on land where Sappi Paper is located, and its employees have pledged to become volunteer stewards for the wooded hiking path that runs for about two-thirds of a mile.

As volunteer stewards, the employees will maintain the trail, making sure litter and brush is cleared from it.

The employee volunteers will get a guided tour of the trail on June 23. The group will then complete the trail-clearing that was started on National Trails Day. Blake said that about half the trail is now cleared, with the employee group expected to work throughout the summer to finish the job.

The Maine Conservation Corps then will build wood steps, bridges, railings and whatever else is needed to complete the path.

The pathway itself is really two finger trails that extend from the year-old Clark’s Pond Trail that starts at Home Depot. The Clark’s Pond Trail runs around the body of fresh water, shown above, located across the street from Pape Chevrolet.

Since the Clark’s Pond Trail was complete last fall, it has become popular with joggers and walkers who live and work in the west end of South Portland.

The eventual goal for the Red Brook trail is to extend it from Home Depot to the Hampton Inn. The land trust is working to get easements from private property owners to allow for public access to the land.

Posted Wednesday, June 11

Public safety chiefs at Ferry Village meeting

The Ferry Village Neighborhood Conservation Association welcomes Police Chief Ed Googins and Fire Chief Kevin Guimond at its meeting Thursday, at 7 p.m., at the Betsy Ross House. The city’s top public safety officials will discuss recent incidents, safety and prevention. They also will answer questions about their departments.

Posted Tuesday, June 10

Larry Bliss emerges as Democratic winner

Larry Bliss, the state rep from SoPo, handily defeated Edward Kelleher, a former state rep from Scarborough, to win the Democratic primary Tuesday for Senate District 7.

Bliss and Republican John Ridge of South Portland will square off in the general election for the seat that has been held by Democrat Lynn Bromley, who is termed out.

The unofficial results showed Bliss won the majority of votes in South Portland – 1,628 to 637 – and Cape Elizabeth – 634 to 475.

Kelleher won Scarborough, 239 to 93.

Kelleher is a retiree who worked as a public information officer for the Maine Judicial Branch.

Bliss is a career services and professional life development director at the University of Southern Maine.

In the District 1 race for the U.S. House, Democrat Chellie Pingree won the crowded primary race in South Portland and across Maine.

Pingree, a former state Senate Majority leader, won in SoPo with 255 votes. The runnerup in South Portland was Michael Brennan, with 116 votes. Statewide, Brennan, a former state lawmaker, came in third behind war veteran Adam Cote.

The winner faces GOP candidate Charlie Summers of Scarborough.

Is public kept ‘out of the loop’ as beach group forms?

South Portland resident Jeff Inglis – who is active in the South Portland Dog Owners Group – has lodged concerns with city officials about an apparent behind-the-scenes process for organizing the new Willard Beach task force, which will review pet access laws to the popular beach.

Here is a copy of the letter he sent to City Manager Jim Gailey and the City Council. Inglis said he is awaiting an answer:

Good evening, Mr. Mayor, Mr. City Manager, and Councilors –

This is a Freedom of Access request under all applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Following tonight’s workshop, I have learned that the task force proposed by Mayor Soule to address the issue of access to public spaces for people and dogs apparently has been created, and that the city is in the process of appointing people to that task force.

Despite assertions by City Manager Gailey and Mayor Soule that all citizens would be kept in the loop, and despite my specific requests to be informed and to be a member of the board (which I made to both City Manager Gailey and Councilor Morgan on May 5) – I have not been notified of any progress on this matter, have seen nothing in the local media, and find myself surprised and disappointed by this information.

As a result, I am requesting access to all documents in the custody of you or any other city official or citizen member of a city board/commission/task force, relating to the following issues:

1) Dogs on Willard Beach;

2) Dogs in any public spaces in South Portland;

3) Public access to public land in South Portland;

4) The proposal of the idea for a task force relating to the above issues, or any commentary thereon, or any discussion thereof, including but not limited to discussion of people to include, requests for people to participate, draft or final membership lists, meeting schedules, and all other related documents; and

5) Any correspondence among members of the task force, or between them and any city officials (whether elected or appointed), or between them and any members of the public.

This request includes all correspondence among any of those people to or from each other, to or from members of the public, and to or from city employees or officials.

This request includes e-mail messages to, from, or stored on all accounts any councilor or citizen board member uses for city business, whether a personal account or provided by the city.

This request is to cover messages, notes, documents, or other items sent, received, created, or otherwise handled from January 1, 2008, to the present.

Please let me know when I may come to the city offices to inspect these records. I will note that I am not at this time requesting copies, so there should be no charge relating to this request. Thank you very much.

Jeff Inglis

SoPo business sponsors pet CPR course

A local business that links travelers and their pets with hotels has partnered with the Red Cross to offer a pet CPR course at the First Congregational Church. Here is the announcement:

TRIPSwithPETS.com of South Portland has teamed up with the American Red Cross to offer Pet First Aid & CPR training.

The goal of pet first aid & CPR training is to protect pets from further harm, injury, or suffering during emergencies, by teaching prompt, effective actions and care that will safeguard the life of an injured or ailing pet.

The Pet First Aid & CPR course helps prepare for any pet disaster. The course teaches not only how to identify problems but how to solve them. Among the lessons taught in this class are, understanding how to find pet’s vital signs and behaviors that are normal to a pet, identifying signals of sudden illness, including poisoning, seizures, and heat & cold emergencies. The course also instructs participants in how and when to move an injured pet and what makes a good pet friendly first aid kit.

Because there is no pet ‘911’ to call it is even more important to be skilled in pet first aid and pet CPR. After this course you can feel confident in your ability to help your pet in an emergency situation.

The three hour course will be held for two sessions, June 25th and July 9th, from 6pm-9pm. Class size is limited and participants must pre-register. The cost is $40. For more information or to register visit www.tripswithpets.com.