The following are excerpts from The South Portlander, a daily blog by Linda Hersey, the Current’s South Portland reporter. Find it at www.southportlander.com:

(Posted Sept. 26)

Developer Andrew Ingalls’ new office building looks just about finished on Waterman Drive, and there is a clear view of the four-story structure as you drive across Casco Bay Bridge. Ever wonder what it must look like from the inside? Commerical photographer Kevin Brusie posted a photo on his blog.

I had an e-mail exchange with Brusie today about his thoughts on the project after photographing it.

“I was hired to photograph the building for Ingalls Commercial… I think the space is extraordinary. It will be a perfect location for an upscale office. I think once occupied it will bring some daytime more foot traffic to the area. All in all a plus. They have also gone all out with little features like security systems & LED exterior lights,” Brusie wrote. “Now if only the economy was a bit more robust&ellipsis;”

Ingalls hopes to sell most of the building space as office condos, with the top floor the most desirable space. With the stalled economy and the future uncertain, it is unclear what is in store for the waterfront district’s two new commercial developments: the Waterman Drive offices and Mill Cove Landing town homes/retail space, across from the Bridgeway Restaurant.

(Posted Sept. 29)

Fairpoint donates fitness equipment to high school

Here is a press release from Fair Point Communications about its donation of $20,000 in fitness equipment to South Portland High School:

FairPoint Communications has made a donation of fitness equipment to South Portland High School. Through the course of the summer, two separate donations from FairPoint Communications arrived and were installed in the weight and cardio rooms at the high school.

School officials estimate the value of the equipment donation at approximately $20,000. The equipment is now being used by both physical education classes and athletic teams at the high school.

South Portland school officials joined with FairPoint Communications officials at an event to showcase the donated equipment, Tuesday morning.

Solar power tour this weekend

The Salt Water Grille Restaurant is featured on a tour this Saturday of homes and businesses that tap solar power for energy. The waterfront restaurant, at 231 Front St., recently installed a solar water heater and pump station for hot water the restaurant uses for hand washing, dish washing and cooking.

The restaurant estimates the new solar-powered hot water heater and storage tank will reduce its need for propane by 600 gallons a year. This restaurant uses an average of 2.4 gallons of hot water per meal.

Seventy homes and buildings are stops on the annual Maine Solar Tour, which runs all day. Salt Water Grille is the only SoPo building among them. Although the Maine Solar Energy Association has been conducting tours for nearly two decades, there is avid interest by the public in 2008.

(Posted Sept. 25)

School Board challengers campaign on the Web

The two School Board challengers, Kendall Fassett and Jay T. Allen, are using the Internet to get their message to SoPo voters. The newcomers, both parents, have set up interactive Web sites.

Residents can sign up for newsletters on Fassett’s Web site, which includes photos of his family and asks residents to submit ideas for making the school department run better.

Allen is offering videotaped blog entries on his Web site.

The newcomers are running as reformers. They are vying against a pair of incumbents, Ralph Baxter Jr. and Karen Callaghan, seeking re-election.

The top two vote-getters will win the at-large seats. Neither of the incumbents so far has announced Web sites.

Ingalls office building near completion