Oct. 20, 1993

Three small tumors on the brain were responsible for his symptoms that were diagnosed at first as a minor stroke, Westbrook Mayor Fred Wescott said Monday. The tumors are to be shrunk with medicine and radiation that can eliminate them, and he intends to stay in the race for re-election Nov. 2. The tumors have come from a small tumor on his right lung, which also is to be treated with radiation. There was never a stroke, he said. Wescott, 61, was taken ill Wednesday while attending a Maine Municipal Association conference in Portland. He has been an elected official in Westbrook 20 years, longest of anyone other than Bill Clarke.

The Westbrook School Committee took the advice of Hugh MacMahon, its lawyer, and began Wednesday to vote twice on purchases over $1,000. Lionel Dumond, the Westbrook alderman who pressed for the change to two votes, was present for the meeting and said it was “the most enjoyable I’ve been to in several months.”

About 39 students walked away from Westbrook High School Friday morning after failing to convince school authorities to hold a pep rally during school hours instead of Friday night for Saturday’s homecoming football game. They will suffer “the penalty for multiple class cuts,” said Peter Curran, director of athletics and activities, adding that the rally and bonfire could be bigger and better after dark. “They were offered a chance to come back in and refused,” he said.

More than 20,000 books will be on sale Friday and Saturday in the Robie Gym in Gorham, the fourth annual book sale of the Gorham Lions Club. The club is still looking for donation of books for the sale.

Leon Carpenter, 151 South St., Gorham turned 81 on Sept. 14 and shares his birthday with his grandson, Ryan Carpenter, son of Leon and K.C. Carpenter, 11 Weeks Road. Ryan was 5 on the 14th. They were feted at a joint party.

Cool Congin School got its heat back Monday after its third-, fourth- and fifth-graders got Thursday and Friday off when the furnace failed. A new heating system was installed Saturday and Sunday. Congin students will be the only ones in Westbrook in school on two days coming up that are in the school calendar as teachers’ workshop days. That will make up for the lost days and meet the state-required 175 school days.

Oct. 22, 2003

While it snowed up north Tuesday, the meteorologist for the Cumberland County Emergency Management Agency believes there is an “equal chance” of a normal winter here. And if winter weren’t enough to think about, Marc Mailhot of Westbrook says that the region is overdue for a big hurricane. Mailhot, specializing in tracking tropical storms, said the last major hurricane to hit Maine was prior to 1900. As for winter, he said at this time there is neither El Nino (warming of waters) nor La Nina (cooling of waters), outside influences that impact weather here. The season for winter storms runs from Nov. 1 through April 15.

Rodney Quinn has written a book about his beloved hometown entitled “Gorham During the Great Depression,” with all proceeds going to the town’s Baxter Memorial Library. Quinn, 80, said he wrote the book completely from memory. He described the book as a “picture painted from memories.” The book gives deference to the many adults in town who never gave up on the young Quinn even when he was causing trouble. Quinn is a former Maine secretary of state who served for 10 years, a Democratic state representative from Gorham and a Gorham town councilor. He was a pilot in World War II, earned a graduate degree from Stanford University and also taught for several years.

Westbrook High School senior Luke Laviolet is the only student at the school this year who qualified as a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist. Laviolet plays soccer and tennis and works at Hannaford. He belongs to several school clubs and the National Honor Society. He’s also involved with his church and has volunteered time to Habitat for Humanity. While he’s undecided about where he wants to attend college, he’s hoping to pursue a career in math or physics.

Now that Gorham sixth-graders have moved out of Little Falls School and into the new middle school, officials are trying to figure out what to do with the building. Superintendent Michael Moore has suggested to Town Manager David Cole that the School Committee and Town Council form an ad hoc panel to study future uses for Little Falls.

Gorham High School sports teams are starting playoff season. The boys soccer team enters the Class B playoffs at No. 3 and will host Yarmouth Saturday. The Gorham boys have won three straight since on Oct. 8 loss at home to Greely. Gorham’s talented volleyball team, after one of its most successful regular seasons in recent years, enters the playoffs seeded No. 3. They take on sixth-seed Calais at home Saturday.

This 837-843 Main St. building once stood on Main Street between TD Bank and Bank of America. When the photo was take, Maurice Gleckman was the manager of Westbrook Hardware Store, 837 Main St., and Riverside Apartments was on the second floor; Stephen Boothby was manager of Westbrook Community Federal Credit Union, 841 Main St.; Parker’s Dress Shop was at 843 Main St., and Gary Bowles was the manager of WJAB radio station on the second floor. The building was demolished during Urban Renewal and a parking lot now occupies the site. 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.