Aug. 10, 1994

James Rulman wants Westbrook to change the names of 35 streets. They sound too much like other street names when people call for fire, police or rescue, he said. Rulman, Westbrook’s longtime fire chief, made the request as Westbrook’s 911 coordinator. He has set up the new system of dialing for emergency services. The City Council referred his request to the Highways Committee, chaired by Arnold Gaudet.

From the Westbrook Police Log: Dave Sparks, Westbrook’s animal control officer, had a busy morning. He relocated a skunk from 61 High St., took a cat from a Lincoln Street home to the Animal Refuge League, warned the owner of a barking dog on Brown Street, picked up a dead duck on Stroudwater Street and picked up a sick cat on Pennell Street. This cat destroyed his cat-catching net.

Over 120 Gorham residents attended the Aug. 3 Town Council meeting to voice their opinions, most in opposition, on a proposed moratorium to curb the development of single-family homes in Gorham. Following the public hearing, the council voted unanimously to defeat the measure. But the council also decided to refer the issue of controlled residential growth to the Ordinance Committee for study, inviting contractors, developers and other interested parties to provide input.

The Westbrook Little League “Small Stars” won the first-ever state tournament for 9- and 10-year-olds in Rockland on July 29. Westbrook got to the tournament by winning the District 6 tournament held in Buxton a week earlier. John Lister, who pitched and won both the district and state finals, shut down Brewer on four hits to lead Westbrook to a 6-4 victory in the final game of the tournament.

Anne Larrivee of Gorham, along with a friend, spent a week vacationing in Branson, Missouri. They had a great time. One of the highlights was Fuji Tabuchi, a Japanese musician and one of the hottest attractions in country music. The weather was terrifically hot and traffic was unbelievable, she said.

Aug. 11, 2004

Faced with a declining number of priests and reduced finances, the Portland Roman Catholic Diocese may merge the three Catholic parishes in Westbrook – St. Edmond, St. Mary and St. Hyacinth – into one new parish under a different name. The Rev. Joseph Manship has been the sole pastor of all three churches since July, a situation called unsustainable by the Rev. John Skehan, director of the diocese’s office of parish planning. Facing the impending consolidation has been hard for some parishioners. “I hate to see our church go,” said Conrad Hill, 81, a lifelong member of St. Mary’s.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is giving a computer to the North Gorham Library. The computer will help the library in its technology update. It’s one of 60 libraries to receive Gates Foundation computers in Maine.

The front portion of Saccarappa Park should be developed and the rear portion should be kept a park, the Westbrook Downtown Development Committee has recommended. The group has been studying the best use of the park since March. The issue of park redevelopment became controversial last year, when some residents were angered when the city began to clear the park for use as a staging area for new boardwalk construction. The outcry subsequently contributed to the demise of a development project proposed by former Mayor Kenneth Lefebvre and a group of investors.

Organizers have announced the schedule of events for the Gorham Family Fair 2004, which takes place Aug. 21. For the first time, free, tethered hot-air balloon rides will be offered, thanks to the sponsorship of ReMax Real Estate. Also new this year is a demonstration by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. They’ll be bringing their portable road course and “fatal vision goggles” for people to try out. This simulation course lets people experience the effects are of driving impaired. There will be a cardboard car cut-out contest, the Gorham Trails Land Trust 5K road race and a parade that steps off at 10 a.m. Entertainment is planned for most of the day. Fireworks round out the festivities at 9 p.m.

Kohl’s Department Store has announced it will hire about 300 local residents for its two new stores scheduled to open in October, one in Westbrook and one in Biddeford. The Westbrook store is at Westbrook Crossing, 41 Main St.

Shirley Down of Main Street, Westbrook, celebrated her 93rd birthday Aug. 2 with a luncheon at DiMillo’s in Portland. Her brother, daughters, sons-in-law and other family members celebrated with her. The following day, Shirley went to Wells, where she joined her grandson, Michael, and his wife, Tami, and great-grandson, Zachary Gower, to see “Cats” at the Ogunquit Playhouse.

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