The following are excerpts from The Southporlander, a daily blog by South Portland reporter Linda Hersey. Find it at southportlander.com:

Hybrid Boat on Display at South Portland Marine

(posted Monday, July 21)

A hybrid boat that runs on electricity or a conventional gas engine is on display at South Portland Marine. The skiff is manufactured by Scout Boats of South Carolina and has been shown at several sites and trade shows in the Northeast. It retails for about $17,000.

“The company said the boat is being well-received by buyers and the marine industry’s trade press, although its sales goals are modest… Scout will make only 12 to 24 vessels this year with electric motors,” reports the online news site, Charleston.net.

Web Site Records Police Activity on Casco Bay Bridge

(posted Monday, July 21)

The Web site Strange Maine offers a posting with a series of photos that appear to be authorities apprehending a person on the Casco Bay Bridge in South Portland Sunday night.

Michelle Souliere – the writer/photographer – reports that she followed several police, fire and rescue vehicles to the bridge, where a woman in a pink jacked apparently had climbed over a railing and was perched on the edge.

“Just past the control booth at the halfway point on the bridge, we saw a woman in a hot pink jogging suit jacket on the opposite side of the walkway than one expects to see people,” Souliere writes. “She was hanging onto the wall with one arm as we drove past, and officers were approaching her on foot from their cars.”

The writer was unsure whether the woman had climbed over the railing to elude authorities or if police were called to the scene after she was spotted there.

Car Wash Fundraiser to Benefit Land Trust

(Posted Saturday, July 19)

Middle-school campers are raising money for the South Portland Land Trust with a car wash on Tuesday, July 29, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

The South Portland Land Trust sent out the following press release with details of the event:

The South Portland Parks and Recreation Dept. and students attending the City’s Middle School Summer Camp will sponsor a car wash to benefit the South Portland Land Trust at the South Portland Community Center parking lot. Donations in any amount will be accepted.

The car wash – which is from 11-2 on July 29 – is part of the camp’s annual community service fundraiser and supports the new partnership between the Parks and Recreation Dept. and the Land Trust.

The partnership gives students at the City’s Summer Camp the opportunity for environmental education and stewardship as well as recreation within the SPLT’s trail system.

For more information, contact Lisa Bingham of the Parks and Rec. Dept. at: 767-7650. or by e-mail at [email protected] or Richard Rottkov, SPLT President, at: 799-5686 or [email protected].

The South Portland Recreation Department’s Middle School Summer Camp is open to all 6th, 7th and 8th graders residing in South Portland and attracts 125-150 kids annually.

The South Portland Land Trust is a private, nonprofit land trust dedicated to the conservation of open space and expansion of trail networks.

2 Republicans Replaced After Exiting State Races

(Posted Wednesday, July 16)

The state of Maine has issued a list of candidates for the Maine Legislature who have withdrawn from their respective races. Following are the SoPo candidates who left, and replacements who have stepped forward to run.

District 122 – Melinda Clark (R-South Portland) 410 Broadway, Apt. 2, South Portland 04106 (Withdrew; replaced by Brian Durham (R-South Portland) 28 Grand Street, South Portland 04106).

District 124 – Eric W. French (R-South Portland) 42 Fellows Street, South Portland 04106 (Withdrew; replaced by Kevin J. Glynn (R-South Portland) 109 Huntress Avenue, South Portland 04106).