May 1, 1991

Steve Kennie of Westbrook caught four trout at Saccarappa Falls on the Presumpscot River in downtown Westbrook. Three were brown trout, two at 12 inches long and one at 11 inches, and one was a 9-inch brook trout. He was fishing with his brother, Rick Churchill, who had caught and released a couple, and with Tim Sloat.

The Gorham School Committee voted Wednesday to settle the lawsuit brought by the town in 1988 that sought damages for repairs that led to leaks in the high school roof. Settled out of court, terms include a payment to the town of $30,000 up front, plus $11,960 a year for five years – a total of $89,900, according to school Superintendent Tim McCormack. The suit targeted four defendants: Harvey Sawyer, Gorham, president of Allied Architects and Engineers; Allied Architects and Engineers; M.B. Bourne and Son, a South Portland roofing company; and Celotex, a Delaware company that manufactures roofing materials. As part of the settlement, “no one admits liability in this case,” said McCormack.

The first scholarship awards given by the city of Westbrook honoring the memory of Westbrook’s first permanent police chief, Pierre Harnois, were awarded at a ceremony at Southern Maine Technical College in South Portland last week. Harnois was killed in the line of duty in 1959 after he responded to a home in Limerick where Gordon Hamlin shot his wife. Hamlin shot Harnois as the chief charged the house, intending to shoot tear gas into it. The first Chief Pierre Harnois-Westbrook Police Professionalism Award went to Paul D. Gaspar, a senior in the school’s law enforcement course. Four Chief Pierre Harnois scholarships went to Jennifer L. Wheeler, Jon Rozeff, Michael DiFillipo and Mark McHugh.

Westbrook schools will close at 11 a.m. May 1 so teachers who knew him can attend the funeral of Harold W. Hickey, superintendent of Westbrook schools from 1971-1978. Hickey died Sunday at his Westbrook home after a long illness. He served as assistant superintendent for six years before being named superintendent, and worked for 15 years with now-Superintendent Edward Connolly. “He was one of the three closest friends I ever had,” said Connolly.

Arthur Aleshire, a spokesman for Hannaford Bros., said Friday he is “pretty pessimistic” about the chances of the $15 million Gorham shopping center “being well received by either the Planning Board or the Town Council.” The tentative May 20 appearance of Hannaford officials at the Planning Board would mark the resumption of monthly meetings that had broken off Feb. 25 when the planned shopping center ran into traffic problems.

May 2, 2001

Shaw Brothers Construction Inc. wants Planning Board permission to expand its gravel pit off Route 237 in Gorham. A the same time, it is offering Gorham 9 acres with a beach on the Presumpscot River for swimming, picnic and ball games, with parking. The gift of the park presents a value up to $650,000, said Dan Shaw. The state hopes the town says yes to the park, because it wants to use the parking for its planned $1 million walking trail along the Mountain Division railroad right of way. The land is at the start of a path from Gambo Bridge over the Presumpscot to Standish.

Tim Crellin, a member of the Westbrook School Committee, has reported that the Police Committee is considering the ramifications of using drug-sniffing dogs in the schools. “We are looking into … what could be searched, what couldn’t be searched. We will be attempting, I assume, to write a general policy to deal with drugs in the schools, and at the same time develop a guideline and standards that would allow it to be implemented.” Crellin said a policy would take shape in the next 45 days.

The Parent Teacher Student Association at Westbrook’s Wescott Junior High School raised $1,050 for after-school activities, selling stationery and gift wrap. They celebrated Monday during School Spirit Week at the school.

Westbrook is moving the farmers market that has operated Fridays alongside William Clarke Drive for over 15 years to a new spot, the parking lot next to the Dunn Street American Legion Hall, and expanding it also to Saturday mornings and to Wednesday evenings on days the city has concerts in nearby Riverside Park. Official opening is May 18, but the first sellers may set up there this Friday. The city plans to market the new location heavily. The Legion Hall location was chosen for its nearness to the riverfront, which the city has plans to fancy up with a new walkway and footbridge across to High Street on the Frenchtown side of the river.

By a vote of its members, Gorham’s School Street United Methodist Church will change its name to the Cressey Road United Methodist Church next year. Construction of a new church building on Cressey Road and Route 25 will start next spring, it is hoped. The School Street church, built in 1880, still has not sold, though it has been on the market more than a year.

Taken in the early 1950s, this photo shows Cardamone’s Restaurant at 920 Main St. The small, one-story section of the building was a variety store listed as 918a Main St. When the variety store went out of business, Laureat Gagne opened the Main Street Barber Shop there. In 1962, Peter Profenno purchased the building with restaurant from Michael and Maryanne Cardamone and opened Profenno’s Restaurant. When the barber shop closed, Profenno took the space to enlarge his restaurant. But in 2004, fire swept through this building and it was later demolished. Profenno purchased the former Hebert’s Market building at 934 Main St., and reopened Profenno’s Restaurant. To see more historical photos and artifacts, visit the Westbrook Historical Society at the Fred C. Wescott Building, 426 Bridge St. It is open Tuesdays and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-noon, and the first Wednesday of each month at 1:30 p.m., September-June. Inquiries can be emailed to [email protected]. The website is www.westbrookhistoricalsociety.org. Photo and research courtesy of Mike Sanphy