Walking Man sign take next step toward historic designation

WESTBROOK – The Maine Historic Preservation Commission has officially moved forward a request for the Walking Man sign to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places last week.

“The commissioners unanimously approved forwarding the nomination to the Keeper of the National Register at the Park Service,” said Michael Goebel-Bain, Maine Historic Preservation Commission’s National Register and Survey coordinator.

The 13-foot-high, moving sign was constructed in 1962 by the late musician Al Hawkes to drive business to his nearby television sales and service business. 

The Maine Historic Preservation Commission has stated the sign “is a good example of large, mechanized and illuminated roadside advertising designed to be visible to the faster moving increasing automobile traffic of its day.” The movement, lights, size and uniqueness of the sign, according to the commission, “drew drivers’ attention and increased sales as intended. The sign became a destination in its own right as a piece of pop art drawing visitors interested in the unusual, large scale, illuminated signboard and animated serviceman.”

Goebel-Bain said he expects to hear back from the National Park Service in July.

If listed, The Walking Man sign, would be the eighth place in Westbrook listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Gorham Police Department
to recycle unwanted guns 

GORHAM — The town’s Police Department is one of nine in southern Maine accepting unwanted guns as part of the Guns to Garden Tools program.  

Chief Daniel Jones said residents can take guns and ammunition to the Police Department, 270 Main St., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 11. 

“The guns will be checked to see if they are stolen or have been used in a crime, then dismantled and melted down to be turned into gardening tools. The tools will then be distributed to community/school gardens or similar programs,” Jones said.

Donors do not have to identify themselves,” he said.

He said this program has “created quite a bit of controversy in some circles. This is not the government coming after people’s guns.”

Jones said law enforcement agencies in the United States regularly provide the service.

“No one claims police are anti-prescription medications when we host the Drug Give Back program, but people are claiming the police are trying to take people’s guns with this program,” Jones said. “The key to this is that the guns are unwanted and people don’t want the hassle of selling or don’t want to be responsible for where the guns end up.”

Pika Energy sold
to Wisconsin company

WESTBROOK — Pika Energy, a Westbrook-based manufacturer of energy products, has been purchased by a Wisconsin company.

Terms of the deal between Generac Holdings and Pika were not disclosed. The sale closed April 27 and was announced Monday.

Pika, which was founded in 2010, focuses on electronics, software and controls for smart energy storage and management and are designed to allow users to capture, store and use solar energy to reduce costs and minimize grid disruptions.

“Pika’s integrated battery storage solutions are a crucial component in developing a comprehensive system to store and consume clean energy,” Aaron Jagdfeld, Generac’s president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.

Generac manufactures a wide range of portable, residential, commercial and industrial generators.

Ben Polito, Pika Energy’s CEO and co-founder, said Pika will benefit from Generac’s distribution and sales strength.

The third floor of this multi-family house at 181 Brown St., in Westbrook was damaged by fire Tuesday morning. Westbrook Deputy Chief Stephen Sloan said those at home at the time got out safely. The fire appeared to start between the floor of the third floor and the ceiling of the second floor, but the cause has not yet been determined, he said.

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