March 16, 1994

Superintendent Edward Connolly has repaid the Westbrook School Department for the school money his daughter received for writing for a giveaway newspaper, Westbrook School Committee Chairman Martha Day said Monday. Connolly paid Jennifer Huston $636 without the knowledge of the committee, which so far has had not a word to say about Connolly’s payment to his daughter. Day said she doesn’t know whether it will.

A broken water main sent enough of Sebago Lake into Elmer Welch’s cellar in Westbrook Saturday to fill it 3½ feet deep. Welch is chairman of the Westbrook council’s Finance Committee, but a broken water main is no respecter of persons. To make matters worse, nobody was willing Monday to pay for the “thousands of dollars” of damage the water did. The Portland Water District, which owns and maintains and fixed the pipe, was calling it an act of God. Welch’s insurance company was saying it was an underground water problem not covered by the policy.

The Gorham Town Council was expected to elect a new council chairman last night at a special organizational meeting. Thad Moody is stepping down from the council after serving for six yeas, most recently as chairman. Newly elected councilor John G. Alden was to take his oath of office. Also in last week’s election, voters defeated a referendum that would have given the Town Council line item control over the School Department’s budget.

March 17, 2004

A uniformed security agent at Logan International Airport could not keep Mary Anderson from her son. As soon as he came into view, the mother from Gorham bolted past the agent and into the arms of her son, Pvt. First Class Chris Anderson, 24, who was returning home Saturday after a year’s military service in Iraq. In addition to his mother and father, Wayne Anderson, several other family members were on hand to greet Chris, who arrived tanned and dressed in civvies. “He looks great,” said his mother.

While the loss of the Sebago shoe plant has been a blow to Westbrook, the news that the building has been sold to a local developer with plans to bring new businesses and offices into the building may soften it. Joyce Talbot, of T&T Development of South Portland, said that T&T has a purchase and sale agreement with Wolverine World Wide to purchase the building. The deal also includes the parking lots across the street. She expects a closing around July 1. The building may not be vacant for long after the sale is complete. “There is a potential client looking at it now,” said Talbot.

For the second year in a row, students at Saccarappa School are doing what they can to help raise money to fight hunger. The students will be taking part in the Empty Bowl Project, a national program to fight hunger. Students have been making and painting soup bowls in Karen Maxell’s art class. On March 22, the public can come in and for a donation, have a bowl of soup and bread, and take the bowl home with them.

Jerrold Bradley of Gorham is a 2004 Jefferson Award winner. He won the award in the health, human and social services category. Bradley provides peer support to people with mental illness who come into the emergency room at Maine Medical Center. He oversees the program, which started in December 2002. He was nominated by his sister, Judy Brockett.

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