Dec. 8, 1982

Westbrook should go back to Grades 1-8 in neighborhood schools,

the special citizens School Study Committee has recommended unanimously to the school committee. Chairman of the committee is Dale Van Gilder, principal of Westbrook Junior High. “The hardest thing about this, to me,” he said, “is that I came from Atlantic City nine years ago to open the new junior high. Now I’m recommending the end of it. Changes in experts’ perceptions of adolescence are a principal reason to turn back the clock and drop the junior high concept,” he said. “They are saying now that developing kids need more stability, and get it from the ‘family atmosphere’ of a K-8 school.”

With Alderman-at-large Philip Spiller changing his vote, the

Westbrook City Council decided Monday to leave the Public Safety

Commission in on the choice of future fire and police chiefs.

Maine lags behind North Carolina in its success rate at attracting

new industry, and should move quickly to improve its business climate, said Carroll J. Halva, plant manager of Data General in Westbrook, speaking to the Area Development Council in Portland last week.

Aldermen voted in committee last week to put up a

yield-for-pedestrians sign in Westbrook’s Vallee Square. They were

assured that an all-red walk signal for the square is already being

prepared.

In their basketball season opener on Friday night, the Gorham Rams breezed past Freeport, 77-27. Senior co-captain Tom Moore led the Rams with 14 points. Matt Laverty added 12 points and John Cole chipped in 11. Gorham had 10 players in the scoring column.

From the Gorham police log: A red Chevy Nova with Connecticut plates got $20 worth of gas at the Lido station and took off without paying. Westbrook Rescue took a woman to the hospital for treatment of an overdose. Three windows of quarter-inch plate glass were broken with rocks at the Gorham Service Station, routes 202 and 25. Gorham police discovered the damage at 1 a.m.

The newest project of the Gorham Chamber of Commerce will be a

financial boost from a community calendar soon to be available. The calendar features old pictures of Gorham loaned to the chamber by the Baxter Museum and some chamber members.

Joseph A. Wolfberg of Gorham was 37. He owned a jewelry and gift

shop in Portland at the time, and was married with two children. Then came the death of one of his children and divorce, events that

precipitated a change in his thinking. “I became aware there was more to life than just the jewelry business,” he said. “I started to think about aging. What would I do at 65?” His search for answers led to the founding of Elder Circle, a private agency that aims to enrich the lives of the area’s elders through further elucidation, discussion of the aging process and other common concerns, and entertainment.

Dec. 9, 1992

An irate parent, Frank Pecoraro, father of Gorham High School

sophomore Michael Pecoraro, called a “bozo” by Gorham High School Principal Gunnar Hagstrom – after the youth was hurt at a French Club fundraiser – blasted the school chief last week in a terse letter. The father said he was “displeased and disappointed with the events that have occurred over the last two weeks, beginning with the French Club Lock-in.” At that event on Nov. 14, the student fell through a first-floor cafeteria window during the all-night gathering. The mishap knocked him unconscious and required 28 stitches to close wounds to his knee, hip and ankle. “Unfortunately, a student was injured during the lock-in. That student was my son, Michael Pecoraro,” the father wrote to Hagstrom. “He is not a ‘bozo’! He is a bright, articulate, gregarious, caring and sensitive person. Neither Michael nor I appreciate that the principal of the school refers to my son as a ‘bozo’ in the local newspaper. “What I was referring to was to his behavior,” Hagstrom explained. “I guess I’ve learned my media-relations lesson. I’m really sorry about the language I used. I should have known better.”

Republican Gerald Hillock has been seated as state representative from District 35, parts of Westbrook, Gorham and Windham, but a recount of ballots in his close race with Democrat Elden McKeen continues. The outcome appeared headed to a floor vote in the House. McKeen was challenging particularly the ballots from Westbrook, where he was the election night leader, 580-427.

Reversing an earlier 4-2 vote in favor, the Westbrook City Council

void 6-1 against joining the Coalition for Equitable School Funding.

Only Ward 1 Alderman Lionel Dumond voted to join. He said later that he feels Westbrook should be exerting its influence on the direction the coalition takes.

The Westbrook City Council has voted to buy $10,619 worth of clothing, lights, radios and other items for the fire department from seven companies whose bids were accepted by a “mutual aid” group of area fire departments. Two of the eight sets of coats, pants and boots being bought are for the Rescue Unit.