Feb. 16, 1994

Fred Porell will face Kenneth Lefebvre and Philip Spiller in a contest for mayor of Westbrook on June 14. Porell is an announced independent candidate. Lefebvre, acting mayor, won the Democratic caucus’ nomination Feb. 13, downing Paul LeConte, 187-116. Hours later, Spiller won the Republican nomination with 51 votes to Rob Smith’s 14 and Lionel Dumond’s 11. The official turnout of 305 voters was one of the biggest ever for a Democratic caucus, even though the caucus competed with nasty driving conditions and the opening events of the Olympics on TV.

Three Gorham men are vying for the two open Town Council seats that will be decided on March 8. They are incumbent Calvin Hamblin, 62, a Gorham native and certified public accountant; Matt DeRienzo, 18, a home-schooled high school grad and the Scarborough reporter for the American Journal; and John G. Alden, 41, a Gorham native employed by NYNEX as a telephone lineman. All three will participate in the Candidates Night Feb. 27 on Gorham Public Cable.

Gorham has its first lodging place – at least its first in recent years. Pine Crest Bed & Breakfast at 91 South St., one of Gorham’s most historic houses, opened Jan. 15. The owners are Jane and Joe Carlozzi and daughter Linda. Jane Carlozzi is a Gorham native and the daughter of Dr. Stanley Rowe, a physician with a Gorham practice for 50 years, so she was quite familiar with the home. “Never would I have guessed when I was a young girl that I would someday own this house,” she said. There are five guest rooms, each with private baths.

Feb. 18, 2004

Norman Allan Martin Jr., 80, a well-known Gorham farmer who also served the town in many capacities, died Saturday after a recurrence of the cancer he fought six years ago. Martin was eighth-generation Gorham born and a direct descendant of the town’s first settler, Capt. John Phinney. He was president of the Gorham High School class of 1941. In 1953 Martin bought his grandfather’s 250-acre farm on Fort Hill Road, where he raised registered Holsteins and sold their milk to Oakhurst Dairy. His son Norman Allan III took over the farm a few years ago, and two years ago most of the dairy herd was sold off.

Saunders Bros. applied last week for a zone change that would allow a super Wal-Mart to be built on the company’s 26-acre property in Westbrook. The zone change will come before the Planning Board Feb. 24. Currently zoned for industrial use, Saunders Bros. has applied to be included in the gateway commercial district – a new zoning district created in the land-use ordinance passed last week by the City Council. David Cutler, Saunders Bros. CEO, said at a neighborhood meeting last week that the company had signed an agreement to work exclusively with Wal-Mart to develop the sight. Residents, however, are concerned about the impact of the development. “There’s concern that when it comes down to it, our voice won’t be listened to,” said David Drake, a neighbor.

Mr. and Mrs. Clayton L. Parker of Huston Road in Gorham had a 50th anniversary celebration Jan. 31. Family and friends surprised them with a party at the Village Café in Portland. They were married on Jan. 30, 1954, and have four sons. Among the guests at the anniversary fete was their best man, Ralph Widger of Windham.

A Gorham couple is keeping sheep because they love the animals and also they want to preserve rural life in a town they see changing into suburbia. Ron and Karen Dyer, of Burnham Road, have a flock of about 20 at their Twin Acres Farm.

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