december 2014 munjoy hill observer

1MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER December 2014

12:01am – 7:00am. For those areas with daytime park-ing restrictions, the times of restriction will change to 10am-2pm (instead of 8am-noon, which is currently in place on Munjoy Hill). FMI: http://www.portlandmaine.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/1152?fileID=4831

3. R-6ZoningChanges (from the City’s website): The Plan-ning & Urban Develop-

ment Department is crafting amendments to the dimen-sional requirements of the R-6 zone, consistent with the City Council Common Goals and Objectives for 2014 which include amending this por-tion of the zoning ordinance to allow for greater housing opportunities. The goal of the changes is: • to provide for greater hous-

ing opportunities

• to enable infill develop-ment on small parcels

• to have standards in place that make it possible for new construction to be con-sistent with the historic pat-tern of development preva-lent in the neighborhoods where R-6 is prevalent.

The Planning Board is holding a workshop on the draft amend-ments on Tuesday, Nov. 25, at

By Matthew KennedyThis seRies of aRTiCles was originally conceived as a steady march through the last thirty-five years of MHNO history. But his-tory doesn’t unfold in measured steps, and curiosity has also pulled me this way and that as the months have passed. Thus the first two ar-ticles actually treated events that preceded the organization’s found-ing (the 1978 Munjoy Hill Neigh-borhood Planning Project); another looked all the way back to the 1960s (the development of Munjoy South); a fourth focused on issues of gen-trification. I’ve reached what was to be the final article in the series, but with many years yet to cover. So we sprint.

The annotated timeline below sum-marizes a selection of significant MHNO and Munjoy Hill news items from the 1990s, as reported in the Observer. For those of you fortunate enough to be long-term Hill residents, much of the follow-ing will sound familiar; many of you were actively involved in these events. For the rest of us, this dash may provide some insight into our neighborhood’s recent history, and the MHNO’s part in that history.

1990March: The city debates the pos-sible reopening of Mirada Adams school (previously closed due to falling enrollment). The school re-opened in fall 1990; it closed again in 2006.

October: Munjoy Hill businesses

form the Munjoy Hill Business Cooperative to promote business growth and vitality on the Hill.

1991October: Residents of the Jewish Home for the Aged (founded in 1929) move to a new nondenomi-national campus on Ocean Avenue. The site would later be redeveloped as Bayview Heights.

1994February: A front-page article an-nounces Deirdre Nice’s purchase of the decaying St. Lawrence Church building. Numerous articles over the following years detail the extraordinary efforts to stabilize,

rehabilitate and creatively reuse this historic structure.

1995January: Community Policing comes to MHNO’s Hill House; a former garage at the rear of the building is renovated as office space to accommodate the coordinator and officers.

March: Continued coverage of an issue that first appeared in the Ob-server in 1994 – the surprisingly controversial proposal to establish a narrow-gauge railway along the Eastern Promenade waterfront.

Opinions remained sharply di-vided for years (as late as 1998, one writer described the railway as a “tacky narrow-gauge choo-choo spewing its noxious fumes”).

June: The Portland Observatory is to remain closed during the sum-mer season following the 1994 discovery of significant structural damage caused in part by beetle in-festation.

October: A cover article titled “A Streetscape Proposal for Munjoy Hill” outlines an ambitious plan forwarded by MHNO’s Growth and Revitalization Committee for improvements to the area around Congress Street. The focus of the proposal is a “Top of the Hill” oc-tagonal feature on Congress Street between Lafayette and St. Law-rence Streets.

1996March: Fundraising begins for the construction of Major Charles J. Loring Memorial Park at the cor-ner of Eastern Promenade and North Street. The park was com-pleted in 2000.

April: An Observer article publi-cizes the third-annual April Stools Day, organized to collect un-scooped dog poop from the Eastern Prom following the spring thaw. Conceived by Diane Davison, and now sponsored by the Friends of the Eastern Promenade (of which Di-ane is founder and Executive Direc-tor), April Stools Day is one of the

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Munjoy Hill and the MHNO: Snapshots from the 1990s

What Changes Are On the Horizon for Munjoy Hill?By Andrea Myhaver, MHNO President

poRTland, Maine seems to be a city on the move lately, or more accurately, a city in motion, with a mixture of zoning and policy changes, renovation of existing properties, and new develop-ment all happening at once, all of which have the potential to impact residents of Munjoy Hill. Keeping track of the various proj-ects and initiatives could almost be a full-time job, and attending every public hearing, meeting, and workshop that takes place could definitely fill a person’s cal-endar rather quickly. So, absent making it a second career, how DOES one easily find out what they need to know to make in-formed decisions, and participate in the process?

In October, the Observer began a new monthly column focused on providing a summary of the vari-ous projects that impact Munjoy Hill. It is our hope that this sum-mary article every month will provide a jumping-off place for our readers to learn some basics, and find out where to go to find more information. For the next issue, we’re working on a grid presentation that will list each project that is either currently underway, or planned for the fu-ture, with its status current at the time of publication, along with links to related information. In the meantime, here’s our round-

up for December:

1. stormwater fees: The City is planning to separate out stormwater charges from the traditional sewer bill, and charge a stormwater fee per property, based on square footage of impervious area. This proposed change faces final Finance Committee re-view on Thursday, November 20, and, if implemented, will begin in January 2016. FMI: http://www.portlandmaine.gov/1331/Stormwater-Ser-vice-Charge

2. Resident parking Chang-es: The City is planning to implement changes to resi-dent parking restrictions on the Peninsula. The changes will include reducing by 50% the number of times vehicles must be moved per side of the street in a month. In ad-dition, for those areas with current overnight parking restrictions, the time of re-striction will be modified from 11:30pm – 7:00am to

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OBSERVER1979 – 2014

FREE • Published by the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization • Vol. 34, No 11 • December 2014

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2 December 2014 MUNJOY HILL OBSERVER

WhoYoUGonnaCall?YoucanhelppRevenTcrimeonthehill!If you see a crime happening or see/hear anything suspicious in your neighborhood, please call the police!

1) 756-8135 Daytimes: Janine Kaserman with Community Policing

2)650-9005cell:11 am thru the night, Senior Lead Officer Jeff Druan

3) 874-8575/-8574: Dispatch/non-emergency events

4) eMeRGenCies:9-1-1

The Munjoy Hill Observer is published by the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization

(MHNO) 92 Congress Street

Portland, Maine [email protected]

207-775-3050

ediToR:Lisa Peñ[email protected]

(207)272-5962munjoyhill.org

obseRveRCoMMiTTeeAndrea Myhaver, Tamera Edison, Ross Fields, Deborah Stevenson,

Lisa Peñalver

adveRTisinGRoss Fields

[email protected](207)233-4327

Tamera Edison [email protected]

(207)939-7998

Lisa Peñalver, Layout & Design [email protected]

(207)272-5962

3,000 Circulation 8,000+ Readership

aboUToURpapeRThe Munjoy Hill Observer is published by the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization (MHNO) as a service to its members and to the community as a whole, to inform Portland’s East End residents of local issues and events, and of the services that can be found here. The Observer serves as a vehicle to connect and inform our neighbors, while enlisting community partners to help us help those who need it most.

The Munjoy Hill Observer was first published in May of 1979. Circulation is 3000, distributed free in Portland at over 100 locations. Nearly 300 copies are mailed to current and former members of the MHNO.

MHNO Board 2014-15Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization

Andrea Myhaver, President [email protected]

Matthew Kennedy, Treasurer [email protected]

Sean Turley, Secretary [email protected]

Sarah Graulty .............................................sarah.graulty@munjoyhill.org

Elise Loschiavo ............................................elise.loschiavo@munjoyhill.org

Elaine Mullin ..............................................elaine.mullin@munjoyhill.org

Lindsay Salvatore .......................................lindsay.salvatore@munjoyhill.org .........

Joan Sheedy ...............................................joaniesheedy@gmail.com

Megan Summers ........................................megan.summers@munjoyhill.org

MHNO MissionIncorporated as a nonprofit organization

in January 1979, our purpose is to be a

broad-based, representative organization

committed to improving the quality

of life for the residents of Munjoy Hill

and the East End, by strengthening the

sense of community, maintaining the

current diversity of social and economic

groups, encouraging self-sufficiency, and

enriching the lives of all residents.

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Please seNd your essays, leTTers aNd hill News To [email protected]

Editor, Lisa Peñalver

anonYMoUsCRiMesTipspRoGRaM:phoneTip—dial874-8584|online:tipsubmit.comText-a-Tip: Text “GOTCHA” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES)

MHNO President, Andrea Myhaveronce again, the Observer team is getting ready to take our annual break for the holidays. After this issue is sent to the printer on No-vember 19, we will take about 6 weeks off be-fore we begin planning the February issue (re-minder: we don’t publish in January). As much as I enjoy assisting with the publication of our humble little paper, I have come to very much appreciate our time away. Partly that is for self-ish reasons. As the holidays approach and my social calendar fills up, I find my limited free time to be even more limited, so I welcome the reduced workload. The other reason that I appreciate it though, is that it gives our hard working staff a much-needed break as well.

I know I’ve mentioned before how hard Lisa and our sales team, Tamera, Ross, and Deborah, work to make this paper happen every month, but I don’t think I can say it enough. Because we operate on such a small budget, the amount of coordination, follow-up, and just plain work that goes into producing each issue is enor-mous. Our writers are all volunteers, and that means when we don’t have enough people to cover all of the planned articles, Lisa jumps in to do it. We pay her to do layout, design, and editing, but in reality she also sells ads, and writes a huge amount of content, and she does it all for an extremely modest salary and with a smile on her face. Our Ad Sales Team works incredibly hard as well. Without the support of our advertisers, this paper could not happen

and it is through the tenacity and dedication of our Ad Sales Team that we manage to pull in the sales every month to cover our costs. The other team on our paid staff that works hard every month (and never really receives any recognition at all), is our Distribution Team, the Menards. They are the people responsible for getting our paper out to all of the locations throughout town. Like the Post Office, come rain or shine, they deliver.

Like me, do you love reading this paper every month? Do you want to show your apprecia-tion and support for our staff and volunteers who make it happen, and for the existence of a neighborhood produced publication that has been around for over 35 years, and is one of the last of its kind? Here are a few ways you can do that:

• Are you a business that would like to copies available at your establishment every month? Call us. We’ll add you to our distribution list!

• Are you a local business that isn’t adver-tising with us yet? Consider doing so. Your ad will reach a wide audience both in print and online, and you’ll be sup-porting your local neighborhood.

• Are you a regular reader of our news-paper who is not yet a subscriber? If so, how would you like to have the Observer delivered to your mailbox every month?

Did you know you can do that for just $20 a year? That works out to about $1.82 per issue (we publish 11 times per year). When you look at it that way, it seems like a bargain, doesn’t it?

• Of course, donations are always wel-come! The MHNO is a non-profit 501c3 organization, so your donation is tax de-ductible, and it will support not just the Observer, but the many other programs and services that the MHNO provides to the community, such as the Clynk Fuel Assistance Program and the AHOM program, which just sponsored its first community event on November 16.

Donations and subscriptions can be sent to: MHNO, 92 Congress St Portland, ME 04101, Or online at munjoyhill.org.

One of the perks of working for the MHNO as editor of this newspaper is that I get to meet people in the community from all walks of life, people I would not otherwise know. Mind you, I am pretty outgoing and it’s not unusual for me to start chatting with complete strangers, but I do have SOME sense of decorum!

Writing for the Observer, how-ever, lets me get REALLY nosy! And I am endlessly sur-prised and delighted by what I learn. It’s such a gift!

Take, for instance, this month. I learned that the folks who started and who still run Hub Fur-niture Co., the Novicks, have lived for generations on Munjoy Hill. This lo-cal family also has a long history of supporting ser-vice organizations around town. And their family histories have ties to near-ly every major event in Portland since the 1800s. Who knew?! (Not me.) And, they are just the sweetest people – funny, kind, and full of stories.

I also learned more about Hour Exchange Portland, and how it creates a network of people by pooling their skills, talents and expertise. I could paint a mu-ral for someone in exchange for housecleaning or a massage! There is something akin to recy-cling in this enterprise that re-ally appeals to me. Another gift! It’s inspiring to see what can be accomplished when diverse people join together; everyone

has something to offer.

The idea of time takes on new meaning. There are a number of time-related sayings: “there is no gift like time,” and “no time like the present,” and one of my favorites (I imagine Winnie the Pooh saying it), “Today is a gift; that’s why it’s called the pres-ent.”

This Holiday season can get hectic and make anyone feel

overwhelmed and short of time. But if you can get your-self to slow down and see the good all around you —friends, the community, the local color,

yes, our little shops and restaurants — you will find that the magic of this time seeps in to renew your spirit. Here’s hoping you may feel the gift of the Pres-ent, now and in the new year. Best wishes to all our readers for abun-dance — for health, friendship and joy. Thank you all for mak-ing this such a won-derful community in which to live!

Local Time

At left, a chart showing an example of how the Hour Exchange program can work See article at right (page 3) for more info about Hour Exchange Portland.

At the Helm


Hour Exchange Portland (HEP) is our lo-cal nonprofit Time Bank, a network of people from the community who have signed up to offer a wide range of services, not for money, but instead, in exchange for other services.

As Christie VanKanegan , the coordinator of the Portland office, explains, “Everyone has something to offer. It could be com-puter expertise, design work, editing, massage, yoga, gardening, medical advice, almost anything you can think of.”

The best way to get in-volved – or just to learn more about it—is to at-tend one of the orienta-tions; sessions are held on the 3rd Monday of each month, 5:30-6:30 pm. The next one will be held on Dec 15th.

Once you’ve signed up, you will:

1) Go online to set up your own Member Profile defining your services (you get to pick from a long list). Then your services are listed online.

2) You can call or email to request servic-es you need or find out if someone has asked for your services

3) There is an announcement page emailed to you once a week, posting ‘Help Needed’

4) Once you have completed a service, you log in to record your own time for your account balance— this becomes your currency and can be spent on services for your own benefit. Hun-dreds of services are available.

Our local Hour Ex-change was featured in the 2011 documenta-ry Fixing The Future , available on iTunes and through select On Demand outlets. See http://fixingthefuture.org/

The HEP office is locat-ed at 516 Congress, in the same building as the CTN offices, nextdoor to MeCA, open on Thursdays, 11-6pm. The HEP website offers a wealth of information, including many video testimonials by participants. Learn more at hourexchangeportland.org and http://www.hourexchangeportland.org/missionandcorevalues.php

To:Editor, Munjoy Hill Observer

The poRTland planninG Board is considering changes to the R6 zone, which covers most peninsula neighborhoods. These changes would increase density in our neighborhood, chiefly by removing the off-street parking requirement for houses and apartments under four units. Lot sizes could be smaller, and under the pro-posed rules, I would be able to add three units to my two-unit house, and all the cars for those new units would park on the street. Many of my neighbors could do the same, creating a substantial parking problem on our block.

The current parking require-ment exists because the Munjoy

Hill Neighborhood Organiza-tion asked the city for a parking ordinance after many Parkside homes and apartments were subdivided in the ’70s, creat-ing the parking crunch in that neighborhood that persists to-day. We should not give up our parking standards easily.

Other proposed changes would allow new construction to have as much as 40% of the street frontage of a building be garage doors and to eliminate the front yard set back. Sidewalks on the Hill are already narrow and dif-ficult to negotiate in the winter, especially for schoolchildren, and eliminating space for snow-banks while encouraging garage doors to open directly on the sidewalk doesn’t promise to im-prove pedestrian safety.

There is more, but I encourage every Hill resident to read the proposed changes on the city’s website and decide for yourself at http://www.portlandmaine.gov/1260/Amendments-to-the-R-6-Zone

Several Hill residents have be-gun to discuss the changes and we hope to speak at the Planning Board meeting on November 25. We have invited residents from other neighborhoods to join us and created a Facebook page to help everyone stay informed— ‘Like’ us at Portland’s Peninsula Neighborhoods Zoning Amend-ments, have your say, and join us at the Planning Board.

Submitted by Munjoy Hill Resident, Nini McManamy

ViewPointTo the Editor, Re: City R6 Zoning Change Proposal

oN The hillOh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!By Ross Fields, MH Sales Rep and former MHNO VP

asakidGRoWinG up in St. Louis and attending church with my family, I always enjoyed the festiveness of Christmas. And, as probably most kids do, I at-tempted to sort it all out. You have baby Jesus, Santa Claus, the Christmas tree, a Yule log – what’s a Yule log? – Santa’s elves, Mrs. Claus, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and the hope for a white Christmas. Phew, that’s a lot of crazy things all packed into December 25th. But I think my biggest question was always – how did December 25th be-come associated with the birth of Jesus?

The explanation that makes the most sense for me involves Win-ter Solstice.

As the Romans moved into Brit-on, they brought with them the mid-winter Saturnalia festival, honoring the Roman sun god Saturn, which took place be-tween December 17th and 23rd.

At the same time, the Druids inhabiting Briton were basically having their own Winter Sol-stice observance, December 21st or 22nd. To them, this signified the end of winter. As part of the preparation for Winter Solstice, it was a pagan practice to bring pine bows into dwellings in or-der to preserve nature’s spirit for the coming spring. In some

parts of northern and western Europe, these evergreens would be adorned with symbolic orna-ments.

Okay, so the stage is set – cel-ebration and decorated greenery right around December 25th. . .

During the reign of Roman Em-peror Constantine the Great (306-337), Christianity became the official religion of Rome. So as goes Rome, so goes the em-pire, all the way to Briton.

In Briton, Roman Christian lead-ers saw an opportunity to bring their fellow pagan inhabitants into the fold by claiming that the birthday of Jesus was the same time as Saturnalia and the Win-ter Solstice festivals. By includ-ing the birth of Jesus into the already existing celebrations, it became easier to convert the lo-cals to Christianity. Let the party begin!

So that, my kiddies, is one an-swer to why on December 25th of each year we celebrate the birth of Jesus and decorate the tree that has been cut down and placed in the living room.

Whether it be Christmas, Ha-nukkah, Kwanzaa, St. Lucia Day, Saturnalia, or Winter Solstice that you celebrate at this time of year, I wish you love, health and prosperity. Happy Holidays!

Hour Exchange PortlandBy Lisa Peñalver

Spotlight on Non-Profits is a regular feature. To have your favorite non-profit profiled here, please contact [email protected].


Gardener’s DirtChoosing your Christmas Tree By Nini McManamy

soon, The TRaileRs loaded with Christmas trees will be speeding down the turnpike head-ed for the big city. Unfortunately, those early buyers are likely to be disappointed when their trees drop their needles before Christ-mas. Even the best cared-for trees will only last 2 or 3 weeks. If trees travel for several days on a truck from the West Coast (where Doug-las fir trees come from), the trees simply will not rehydrate, even with the addition of tree-preserv-ing liquids to their water.

In the spirit of Buying Local, I paid a visit to O’Donal’s Nursery in Gor-ham to talk with balsam fir grower Jeff O’Donal about how to buy holi-day greens that won’t dry out.

“Evergreen needles don’t go dor-mant until we have had three nights of sub-freezing tempera-tures,” says O’Donal. “And if they aren’t dormant, the tree will be-come so stressed when it comes in a warm house, it will drop its needles.”

Lesson #1: wait until we’ve had some cold weather, then buy a tree–or greens for decoration–that you know has been cut within the last day or so.

Lesson #2: pick a good one. You should know the height of tree you want before you shop. Buy local, of course, so it is fresh (O’Donal says there are plenty of growers within 20 miles of Portland, some of them offering cut-your-own trees). And check to make sure the tree is well-hydrated: feel the tips for pliability. Fragrant balsam will last two weeks before begin-ning to drop needles; Fraser firs (a southern variant of balsam) will last 3 weeks, possibly four, and some are locally grown. Douglas firs have probably been imported from the West Coast, and are not a good bet. Trees vary in density of

branches and shape according to species and pruning (a typical tree will be 7-10 years old by the time it hits the lot) so decide whether you want open branches to show off ornaments, or dense branching for loops of popcorn.

Lesson #3: A fresh cut helps the tree take up moisture. But O’Donal says the cut must be made within an hour of putting the tree in wa-ter. If you stop on the way home, take the time to make another cut before you insert the tree in the stand.

Lesson #4: treat your tree like the living plant it is. Strings of lights and central heat hasten the drying process, so keep it cool if you can. Keep the stand full of water at all times.

Finally, recycle the tree when you are done with it. Cut it up to mulch your perennials and shrubs, or stand it up near the bird feeder to provide shelter from predators. O’Donal points out that the tree grown as its replacement for next year is putting lots of oxygen in the air and sequestering lots of carbon, so don’t worry about using this one and then throwing away.

For decorative greens, Jeff rec-ommends ropes or wreaths made of Maine-grown pine, balsam, spruce, the many colored firs and cedar, which have been recently cut from mature trees. Holly and boxwood are likely to be imported. Unfortunately, there is no practi-cal way to keep cut greens hydrat-ed, but outdoor decorations will last the longest.

Writer Nini McManamy is a Master Gardener with a garden design and consultation business, Gardener’s

Dirt ([email protected])

City UpdatenoveMbeR 5 just marked my eighth District 1 Annual Meeting as your City Councilor. Many of you joined me and Mayor Bren-nan from the East End, Downtown, and Peaks Island and brought your questions, concerns, and sugges-tions about issues in your neigh-borhoods.

East Enders told of development pressure and visual impact from new condos and lost trees, practi-cal impact from utility and con-struction crews crowding local streets and parking spaces, and cumulative impact from a series of projects that demand some sort of regulatory context. Downtown residents warned against build-ing a consolidated day-and-night shelter in Bayside before following through on commitments to invest in public infrastructure and qual-ity housing. Peaks Island residents joined others in anxiety regarding the pending Stormwater Utility Fee. It was no wonder residents felt under pressure, our meeting fall-ing the day after Election Day, the results of which promise continued pressure on municipal budgets and on City Councilors.

Two new City Councilors, Jus-tin Costa of District 4 and David Brenerman of District 5, will join us as we debate critical issues, like updates to our residential and commercial zoning, includ-ing the R6 Urban ResidentialZone with governs much of East End, as well as West End. As lux-ury condos push the limits of the zoning and historic multi-families remain largely illegal, city officials are hard at work rebalancing this equation in favor of a diversity of housing types, and navigating the trade-offs associated with in-clusive community and aesthetic concerns. Increased activity in the B1 Neighborhood Business zone and B2 Community Business zone have also started updates to com-mercial zones in coordination with

transit and parking policy. Absorb-ing new residents and businesses, while protecting and enhancing what attracted them and the gen-erations of residents that preceded them, remains one of our greatest challenges, but one with which we will need to continue to contend if we are to continue to grow as a city. Managing success is not a bad problem to have, yet success re-mains elusive in some areas.

Whereas the East End grapples with unprecedented land valua-tions and gentrification, stagnation persists in areas around the De-partment of Public Services in the heart of Bayside. Following years working to relocate higher impact aspects of the department to Canco Road in order to redevelop much of the site into high-quality affordable housing for working families, some have now identified this site as an opportunity for a consolidated day-and-night shelter. There may be merit in consolidating Oxford Street Shelter and Preble Street Re-source Center into a single facility that leverages scarce local fund-ing amid threatened cuts to state funding, yet residents objected to allowing any such prospect to de-lay overdue investment in Bayside. The Housing and Community De-velopment Committee, of which I have served as chairman, has overseen the planned relocation

and has already prepared to put the property out to bid and realize positive return on investment and provide some stability to an area that has little. For sure, Downtown will continue to play a primary, if not exclusive, role in our shelter system, yet the neighborhood is owed a level of attention that is commensurate with its contribu-tions in hosting the separate day shelter, night shelters, and most other attendant social services.

We also heard many questions fol-lowing a brief presentation on the stormwaterUtility, which would shift bills for stormwater upgrades from sewer users to generators of stormwater. This would be a fairer way of spreading costs, essentially remaining neutral for homeowners and shifting costs away from high-er density properties and toward big boxes and parking lots. Still, some residents expressed confu-sion about how their bills would be calculated and about how credits could be granted for cutting storm-water runoff with rain barrels and roof gardens. Some Peaks Island property owners objected to being included in the scope of the user fee, because they do not pay for sewer now and that it would then be unfair to pay for stormwater. This objection highlighted both the injustice that sewer users pay for our stormwater system and that much more outreach is needed to inform the public of this pending policy proposal aimed at both ful-filling our clean water obligations and treating all of our city ratepay-ers justly.

It is tremendously valuable to hear regularly from residents from all parts of District 1, and to get to work on those local issues brought to our attention, sometimes for the first time. Indeed, much of what I have worked on over the last eight years began from these meetings. If you were unable to come No-vember 5, please drop me a line: [email protected]

Maine WinTeRs are tough. They are cold, bitter, raw, and snowy. We all know this. As Mainers, we also know that win-ter means another season of tough heating bills. What many people don’t realize is that there is both immediate and long term assistance available to help those with high heating costs.

One option is the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Pro-gram (LIHEAP), which helps both homeowners and renters with heating costs. To be eli-gible, your combined household income must be below 150% of the federal poverty level. How-ever, if there is someone in your household under two years old, over sixty years old, or has a health condition that puts him or her at risk for hypothermia, you can still qualify, even with a higher monthly income. Ad-ditional help is available if you

are at risk of running out of fuel within three days, or in danger of having your utilities discon-nected. Anyone interested in

applying can do so through The Opportunity Alliance. Make sure to bring proof of income, the social security number of every resident, proof of address, recent energy and utility bills, and know the type of fuel your heating system uses.

It’s important to note that if you’re eligible for LIHEAP, you may qualify for other assistance programs as well. For instance, if you receive residential electric service from an electric utility, and do not live in subsidized housing, you may be eligible for

assistance with your electric bill through the Low Income Assistance Plan (LIAP). If your home is not particularly energy

efficient, you may qualify for the Weatherization Program to help weatherize your home. Lastly, if your heating system is in need of repair or even replacement, you might be eli-

gible to receive up to $3,000 in assistance to do so.

Although these programs do not solve the heating hardships we face in Maine, they certainly help. For more information on any of these programs, please visit http://www.mainehousing.org/

For those of you interested in knocking off a portion of your heating bill each year, Effi-ciency Maine offers some great programs to assist with weath-erization and efficient heating systems. Efficiency Maine of-

fers home assessments to help identify where your home is least efficient. Common projects provide air sealing, insulation, high efficiency boilers, pellet stoves, and ductless heat pumps. Energy advisors can help you determine where to invest your money to receive the greatest return in savings down the road. They also offer loans at rela-tively low interest rates to help finance these projects. For more information about the types of projects that could help keep you warm this winter and save you money, visit http://www.ef-ficiencymaine.com/

Despite the challenges of the colder months, Maine winters are fun if you are ready for them! I hope these programs will help everyone take advantage of all winter has to offer, and at the very least, stay a little warmer this winter.

justinalfond.com

There’s help for staying warm this winter

Need Help witH HeatiNg?

looK iNto tHe low-iNcome Home eNergy assistaNce program

(LIHEAP) provides money to help low-income homeowners and rent-ers pay for heating costs.

The amount of assistance you may get from LIHEAP is based on your household size and income, energy costs, and other factors.

If your heat is included in your rent, you may still apply for LIHEAP. For mre information, call 800-452-4668 or (207) 626-4600 [email protected], and visit mainehous-ing.org

http://www.mainehousing.org/

http://www.mainehousing.org/


4:30 pm. We encourage all Munjoy Hill resi-dents to read the proposed amendments, and attend the workshop and any future public hearings, to understand the impact of the proposed changes, and provide feedback throughout the process. FMI: http://www.portlandmaine.gov/1260/Amendments-to-the-R-6-Zone

4. 58 fore st, Portland Company Com-plex: The City is considering a request for a zoning change to allow the site to be classified as “mixed use”. A Planning Board site walk-through and workshop took place on Tuesday,

November 18. Additionally the owners have reached out to the MHNO to garner feedback about their proposed development from Mun-joy Hill residents. We are in the process of ar-ranging for a neighborhood meeting to facili-tate this discussion.

The MuNjoy hill Neighborhood orgaNizaTioN

showyourneighborhoodpride!MUnjoYhillT-shiRTsareavailable:s-2Xl:$15.Teescomeinblue&gray.andgetthisbUMpeRsTiCkeRtoo!(measures6”x4”),just$3each.buyoneandsupportyourneighborhoodgroup.sendyourchecktoMhno,92Congressst,[email protected].

Join the Munjoy Hill

Neighborhood Organization

NEW MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL

Name(s) ____________________________________________________________

Street Address _______________________________________________________

City _______________________________________State ______ Zip __________

Email (for MHNO updates) ____________________________________________

Day Phone (____) _______________ Eve Phone (____) _____________________

Membership Levels

Individual: $20 Family: $35

Additional Donation

$25 $50 $75 $100 $250 $500 Other Amount: ($______) wish my gift to be anonymous

We want all members of our community to join the MHNO regardless of financial circumstances. If you are unable to pay the suggested minimum amount, please pay what you can. If you are able to contribute more, we encourage you to do so.

We thank you for your support, and we’re excited to have you on board!

PLeAse senD this forM, ALong with your check, to:

MHNO, 92 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101

Questions? Call (207) 775-3050, email [email protected] or visit munjoyhill.org Welcome to the MHNO!

12/2014

VoLunteer for a committee!We need your help to make Munjoy Hill an even better place to live! You can get involved by joining one or more of our committees:

Events Communications At Home on Munjoy Hill Safe & Livable Neighborhood Observer Membership & Fundraising

Communications Committee -‐ This committee oversees all methods by which the MHNO communicates information of relevance to the community we serve, including web, print, social media, email and direct mail. Meetings: 3rd Monday of the Month from 6:30-‐7:30 pm. Please contact Chair, Sarah Graulty: [email protected] for more information. Observer Committee – This committee publishes the MHNO’s monthly community newspaper, the Munjoy Hill Observer. Meetings: 1st Monday of the month from 6-‐7 pm. Please contact Chair, Andrea Myhaver: [email protected] for more information. Membership and Fundraising Committee – This committee champions the growth and involvement of our membership base and develops and implements initiatives to raise money to support MHNO programs and keep the organization sustainable. Please contact Chair, Matthew Kennedy: [email protected] for more information. At Home on Munjoy Hill Committee – This committee is developing a program whose mission is to help empower older residents to stay and live comfortably on Munjoy Hill. Meetings: 3rd Wed of the month from 5:30-‐7, locations vary. Please contact Chair, Elaine Mullin: [email protected], for more information. Events Committee – This committee coordinates and implements community events and activities that the MHNO sponsors or develops, such as our 3 full membership meetings/gatherings each year, our annual Community Clean-‐Up Day, festivals, and other fun social activities. Meetings: Ad hoc based on Event Schedule. Please contact Chair, Elise Loschiavo: [email protected] for more information. Please note that unless otherwise noted, all committee meetings take place at Hill House, 92 Congress St. Meetings days and times are subject to change, so please consult our online calendar at munjoyhill.org for the most current schedule. All are welcome to attend, so please, join us!

Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization Committees

Get involved! Join the fun!

Communications Committee -‐ This committee oversees all methods by which the MHNO communicates information of relevance to the community we serve, including web, print, social media, email and direct mail. Meetings: 3rd Monday of the Month from 6:30-‐7:30 pm. Please contact Chair, Sarah Graulty: [email protected] for more information. Observer Committee – This committee publishes the MHNO’s monthly community newspaper, the Munjoy Hill Observer. Meetings: 1st Monday of the month from 6-‐7 pm. Please contact Chair, Andrea Myhaver: [email protected] for more information. Membership and Fundraising Committee – This committee champions the growth and involvement of our membership base and develops and implements initiatives to raise money to support MHNO programs and keep the organization sustainable. Please contact Chair, Matthew Kennedy: [email protected] for more information. At Home on Munjoy Hill Committee – This committee is developing a program whose mission is to help empower older residents to stay and live comfortably on Munjoy Hill. Meetings: 3rd Wed of the month from 5:30-‐7, locations vary. Please contact Chair, Elaine Mullin: [email protected], for more information. Events Committee – This committee coordinates and implements community events and activities that the MHNO sponsors or develops, such as our 3 full membership meetings/gatherings each year, our annual Community Clean-‐Up Day, festivals, and other fun social activities. Meetings: Ad hoc based on Event Schedule. Please contact Chair, Elise Loschiavo: [email protected] for more information. Safe & Livable Neighborhood Committee -‐ This committee provides a forum to discuss and implement ways to improve life on the Hill for all its residents and to protect Munjoy Hill’s unique character. Meetings: 1th Monday of the month 7-‐8 pm. Please contact Chair, Sean Turley: [email protected] for more information. Please note that unless otherwise noted, all committee meetings take place at Hill House, 92 Congress St. Meetings days and times are subject to change, so please consult our online calendar at munjoyhill.org for the most current schedule. All are welcome to attend, so please, join us!

Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization Committees

Get involved! Join the fun!

seeKiNg VoluNTeers to attend City Planning meetings

and report on projects impacting Munjoy hill Please email info@

munjoyhill.org to participate.

RecycleANDhelpfundtheMhnoheatassistanceprogram:Donate your

recyclables thru CLYNK! at Hannafords...Funds raised support MHNO’s Fuel Assistance

“Warm Hearts, Warm Neighbors” program. Stop outside the Hill House at 92 Congress to pick up a free green bag. FMI: email Louise Little at louise.

[email protected]. Keep those cans & bottles coming!

Image from Peacebridge.org

Elder Care Resources—Clip-n-Save—

portlandareaCoalitionforelderservices(paCes)http://pacesseniors.comPACES members serve the senior community in greater Portland by providing high quality goods and services. Our monthly meetings focus on sharing best prac-tices, improving busi-ness relationships and educating our members about community ser-vices available to older adults. ConTaCT:

Lynne Maxfield-colePACES Membership Chairperson53 Waterford Rd.Harrison, ME [email protected]

Phoebe chandlerPACES [email protected] 712-6500

ThesouthernMaineagencyonaging(sMaa)http://smaaa.orgThe Southern Maine Agency on Aging offers a wide range of programs and services for older adults living in York and Cumberland counties. These programs and services are designed to foster independence, reduce the burden on family and caregivers, and promote an active and healthy lifestyle throughout the aging process. ConTaCT:southern Maine Agency on Aging136 U.S. Route OneScarborough, ME 04074Monday - Friday8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

207-396-6500 1-800-427-7411

Fax 207-883-8249Call 711 if you are deaf or hard of hearing and need relay [email protected]

On the Horizon, from front page

Ope n M eetings!! The MHNO Board meets at 7 pm

every second Monday of each month at the Hill House

at 92 Congress St. everyone is Welcome!

http://www.portlandmaine.gov/1260/Amendments-to-the-R-6-Zone




Welcoming the Stranger Among UsEssay By Elizabeth MillerWhenlisainviTedme to con-tribute to this holiday issue, my first reaction was, oh dear, no in-spiration. For several months, I’ve been glum about the upheavals on the Hill. The glut of expensive con-dos under construction has been making me feel that this was rap-idly becoming “not my neighbor-hood.” Proportion-wise and price-wise, the “new” Munjoy Hill feels all out of scale with the place I call home.

The results of the November elec-tion did little to assuage this feel-ing of being shoved aside by others who have some pretty strange ideas (according to me!) about creating government for the people. The campaign, with its anti-immigrant rhetoric, harkened back to the ugli-ness of the KKK era in Maine.

To top it off, Governor LePage’s comment on election night, “Home is where every person BORN IN MAINE (emphasis mine) should have the opportunity to carve out their piece of the American dream,” was the icing on the de-pression cake. Wait–don’t I deserve a piece of the American dream too? And if I do, then everybody does, no matter if they arrived yesterday or seven generations ago.

What’s a cynical girl to do? Step back and reflect on the season at hand, rich with rituals, religious and secular, designed to celebrate the turn of darkness into light.

My favorite part of the Christmas story involves the Three Magi. The image of three camel-riding seers setting off for destinations un-known, guided by a strange light,

carrying precious gifts to a baby in a stable, never fails to capture my imagination. I’m drawn to travel tales and to opportunities for cul-tural exchange. I enjoy learning about people’s journeys of discov-ery and reinvention. This one leg-end has it all.

How can the Wise Men story offer solace in these uncertain times? First, pick yourself up out of the rut of negativity and strike out for the light. Celebrate the blessings of your life, not just those given to you, but those you are able to ex-tend to others.

Have you ever wondered what the reaction of the small Munjoy com-munity of 125 years ago was when virtually every street was torn up for construction of looming three-story flats and duplexes? Hundreds of newcomers, most of them im-migrants from Ireland, Italy and Eastern Europe, settled into these new apartments. In the pattern that has made our country strong, they brought their gifts to their unfamiliar destination: courage, hope, and persistence. We have a tradition in our neighborhood of welcoming the strangers, the seekers and the innovators. Who knows what gifts these new strang-ers among us will bring? Let’s give them the gift of being welcomed.

*******A postscript: To Hilltop Su-perette - a delayed welcome, and thanks. The renovation got it just right: Friendly staff (regardless of customer age), good selection with reasonable prices at the deli, and a place that sells BOTH designer beer and PBR in a suitcase. Feels like home.

By Lisa PeñalverneaRThefooT of Munjoy Hill, just across Franklin Street on Fore Street, there stands a build-ing which has become a land-mark to generations of Portland-ers—Hub Furniture Co. This local, family-owned business is still thriving after over 100 years in business. It has stood witness to decades of changes seen on the East End. For those in Port-land, it’s just always been there.

The Hub was founded back in 1913 by two Eastern European immi-grants, peddlers from Munjoy Hill who “thought the city could use a good furniture store,” according to Sam Novick, grandson of one of the peddlers, and current owner of Hub Furniture. One of the early advertisements features a din-ing set with table and chairs for a mere $16!

The original showroom was located downtown at 440 Congress Street; the Hub soon expanded to a second location on Main Street in Westbrook (where Sam Novick’s 86-year-old mother contin-ues to work). The Hub build-ing on Fore Street, originally a gum factory (they made Chick-lets!), served as the warehouse for Hub Furniture for a number of years. In the late sixties, ahead of the trend, the Novicks decided to eliminate the downtown store and sell their furniture directly

out of the warehouse—less over-head, no fancy showrooms!

Today, the Hub is run by Sam and Bette Novick, with the help of their son, Andrew Novick, HUB operations manager. The 5-story building has 3 display floors, with the two upper floors holding in-

ventory: couches and chairs, desks, dining sets and bed-

room sets. The majority of the products at the Hub are American-made, coming from f u r n i t u r e - m a k e r s across the country. Hub professionals can also offer room-plan-

ning guidance.

The Hub building is full of turn-of-the-century charm

(much like the Architectural Salvage building down on Preble Street), with creaking floors, mas-sive beams and ancient fixtures. The need for furniture might be what gets you in the door, but the warm welcome, great service and prices, and the wonderful building

will keep you coming back.

Even in the face of the Great Depression and the more re-cent recession, the popularity of their business continued to grow. The lasting success of this business is intimately tied to its commitment to the community.

In June 2013, to celebrate its 100th anniversary, the store hosted a “Hub Benefit Bash” fundraiser, the proceeds

from which benefitted the Jew-ish Community Alliance, Preble Street, and United Way of Greater Portland. The party, a thank-you to the community, was a huge suc-cess, raising over $60,000. Giving back to the community has been a founding principle of this business since the very beginning.

To learn more about the rich his-tory of the business, go online to see a delightful video cre-ated by United Way’s Jessica Esch & Suzi Piker at http://www.unitedwaygp.org/project/small-business-big-impact/, or read the piece in the Portland Press Her-ald by Tom Bell (posted March 3. 2013) http://www.pressherald.com/2013/03/03/after-100-years-in-the-business-hub-furniture-still-giving-strong_2013-03-04/

Visit the Hub Furniture Co. at 291 Fore St, or call (207) 773-1789; online at http://www.hubfurnitureco.com/ and on Facebook.

East End Business Focus

Hub Furniture Co.– at the center of Portland history

Above Hub owners Sam and Bette Novick, with son Andrew Novick, operations manager, at right.

http://www.portlandsalvage.com/about.html

http://www.portlandsalvage.com/about.html

http://www.unitedwaygp.org/project/small-business-big-impact/



http://www.pressherald.com/2013/03/03/after-100-years-in-the-business-hub-furniture-still-giving-strong_2013-03-04/





Welcome New Business Sponsors!

FundraisingThe MHNO Membership and Fund-raising Committee has continued outreach efforts to the local business community as part of our businesssponsorship program. We antici-pate additional business sponsors in the weeks and months ahead! Thanks as always to our current sponsors –portland Maine Rentals, kellerWilliamsRealty–Coyne-piergrossiassociates,oceanGateRealty–edGardner,Coffeebydesign,and118onMunjoyhill– Portland living at its peak.

We encourage you to express your thanks as well, by patronizing our Business Sponsors. Look for the blue and white “MHNO Business Sponsor” sticker in the window of your favorite restaurant, coffee shop, store or office. You can also find a list of our Business Sponsors in each month’s Observer, on our new website, and in our occasional email communications.

The Committee is also pleased to an-nounce the successful completion of an anonymous challenge grant to the MHNO Board of Directors. 100% of the MHNO Board h a s r e s p o n d e d gen erously to this challenge, thus sat-isfying the terms of the matching grant. Our thanks to all who support-ed this targeted effort.

MembershipOur membership tracking and out-reach processes are now up and run-ning; provided you are on email, you should by now have heard from us if your membership is expired or is soon to lapse. For those not on email, letters and phone calls will take a bit longer – but we’ll get there! Thanks to the many of you who have responded already with renewals, and thanks of course to our new members as well. If you know that your membership renewal is due, no need to wait for us to track you down! Please renew your membership using the form on page 5. And if you are not yet a member – please join!

The MHNO is an organization staffed entirely by member-volunteers. With-out these volunteers we have no board; no committees; no events, programs, or services; no Observer. And in or-der to do everything we want to do we need more active members, people willing and able and eager to give just a few hours a month in the service of the community. With all of us working together, we really can do great things.

investinyourfuture—jointheMhnotoday.Cometoameeting.joinacommittee.Getinvolved.

Matthew Kennedy is the Trea-surer of the MHNO and Chair of the Membership & Fund-raising Committee. To join the MHNO please complete and return the membership form on page 5.

Invest in your future. Join the MHNO today.

interested in becoming a charter business sponsor? please contact matthew Kennedy at [email protected]

or call 207-370-1446.

COMe tO a MeetINg • JOIN a COMMIttee • get INvOlved

Ed GardnEr

Munjoy Hill level sponsor

observatory level sponsor

Hill House level sponsors

please join us in thanking our sponsors for generously supporting the munjoy hill community:

Below, a quote from the Call for New Members from the June 1980 issue of the Observer, words that are no less true today:

Your logo HERE

At left, the MHNO Business Sponsor window decal.

Photo by Corey temPleton

“We are not asking you to make a major commitment. If you’re like most of us, between work and family responsibilities, you can’t. But if a lot of us give a few hours a month to serve on a committee, help with an event, sign up new members, or work

on a specific project, we can get things done.”

TrEvor CoynE, rEaLTor JoE PiErGrossi, rEaLTor


Portland Pottery & Metalsmithing Studio118-122 Washington Ave. Portland, ME 04101

207-772-4334 • www.portlandpottery.com

cafep

portland pottery 122 washington ave portland me

207-772-4334 www.portlandpottery.comHours: mon-thur 8am-7pm fri-sat 8am-5pm

***daily seasonal specialscoffee tea cappuccino

housemade pastries and dessertsbreakfast all day

fresh homemade soupsvegetarian vegan & gluten-free options

Enjoy a meal in our cafe and browse the pottery in our gallery

We Warmly Invite You to the 23rd Annual Holiday Show & Sale

Over 70 Local Artists • Unique Pottery • Jewelry

December 13th-15th

FRI 9-7 • SAT 9-5 • SUN 10-4

Artists, visit our website for show registration

2015 Classes Begin January 5th

Gift Certificates Available

Look for schedule and route updates to begin January 11, 2015.

MHNO spONsOred Ad


phot

o by

Jay

Yor

k

195 Commercial Street, Portland | 207.773.5450217 Newbury Street, Boston | 857.753.4176 | TheFishandBone.com

Once upon a time there was a store called Fetch on Munjoy Hill,with a pug named Zip snoring behind the counter.We moved to Commercial Street, changed our name,

and opened a Boston store. But we’re still the same seriously playful pet supply store. And Zip still snores behind the counter. Visit us in the Old Port or on Newbury Street!

and

rea

Myh

aver

, MHNO President, Medical Inform

ation Techn

olo

gy Professional, North St.

August saw the rise of 118 condos across from D

onatelli’s. photo by Lisa Peñalver

GEARS ILLuSTRATIOn: THInKSTOCK

Elai

ne M

ullin,AHOM Committee, Aging in

Place, Beckett St.

Mat

thew

Ken

ned

y, T

re

asurer, Fundraising & M

embersh

ip, B

eckett St.

Lin

dsa

y Sa

lvato

re

Sean

Turley Secretary, Teacher, Vesper St.

Elise Loschiavo

Joan

She

edy, Retired Home health Aide, N

orth St

Meet the Board of the MhNoKeePiNg your Neighborhood orgaNizaTioN MoViNg forward


Sarah GraultyMHNO BOaRd

Sarah joined the MHNO board in June of 2013 and brings a background in architectural/landscape history and historic preservation planning. She loves biking, travel, and the ocean, and is particularly interested in the ways in which a community accommodates contemporary needs while respect-ing historic character. Sarah moved to Munjoy Hill in 2012 from Burlington, Vermont, and is grateful to have landed in such a welcoming and dynamic community. She enjoys visiting the lively local businesses and getting to know her neighbors on the Hill. She lives on Waterville St.

Lisa PeñalverEditor of the Observer

Ross Fields Ad Sales Rep

Deborah Stevenson Ad Sales Rep

Tamera Edison, Ad Sales Rep

Meg

an Summers, Teacher


The Space Between

“Our beliefs shape our filters; our filters form our thoughts; our thoughts drive our feelings; our feelings spur our actions; our actions become our habits; our

habits reinforce our beliefs.”

GrowinGToGeTherT I P S O N P A R E N T I N g & R E L A T I O N S H I P S

By Ross Fields, CPE & Kathleen Fields, CPE

Parenting in the Ever-Expanding CybEr

WOrldhavinG insTanT communication access to each other is definitely a convenience that, until a short time ago, was merely science fiction. As with any new inven-tion, it’s difficult to truly understand how it’ll impact our lives. Atomic energy was supposed to produce electricity that was too cheap to even bother metering.

I call your attention to texting and the potential for relationship and dating “dra-ma”. Parents have the “new” responsibil-ity to understand the complexities of their teens’ communications, specifically with their dating partners.

TextinganditseffectsondatingRelationships

We cannot assume that because our rela-tionship with our partner is healthy and respectful, that our kids will automati-cally know what’s healthy and respectful when it comes to using technology. When we were dating we didn’t text back and forth like kids do today.

Today there are a whole new set of dating “rules” because of technology. Bringing yourself up to speed on these issues has got to be priority. Then teach your chil-dren, hopefully before they’re dating, how to set limits, and clearly define what they want in a dating relationship (what they want, not you), and how important it is for them to pay attention to how they’re feel-ing when they get texts, and other com-munication, from their dating partner.

Here’s a video from huffington Post that we found enlighten-ing and well worth the 20 minutes. Scan the QR code or type in the short code (the online Observer is clickable. Turn down your volume.).

Short URL: http://goo.gl/BCKs8A

Of course, one of the most important things you can do is to have an ongoing conversation with you children as how best to use their devices, and how to take care of themselves. The conversation should encourage a two-way dialogue, meaning you need to use your best listen-ing skills, allowing your children to talk. When you are listening, you are learning, and you want to learn as much as you can about what is going on in your child’s life, especially his or her cyber-life.

We encourage you to visit The Date Safe Project and learn about the “red flags” in Break the Cycle.

The Date Safe Project // Break the Cyclewww.datesafeproject.org and www.breakthecycle.org/warning-signs

As parents, our job is to teach our chil-dren—as early on as possible—how to establish clear boundaries, take care of themselves, identify what they want (and practice asking for it), model a strong, re-spectful and loving relationship with our partner, while strengthening the parent-child relationship. This will go a long way toward teaching your child how to suc-cessfully navigate this new age of cyber-dating in a healthy and respectful way.

In helping you get up to speed so that you can effectively teach your kids, we will be revisiting/continuing this topic in the next issue of Growing Together.

And as always . . . with patience, educa-tion, and practice, you will become a more confident and effective parent.

It’s ALL about the relationship.

Ross & Kathleen Fields are Certified Parenting Educators (CPE) and, co-founders of Results Parenting, LLC, www.resultsparenting.com.

By Kathleen M. Kerr

ilookfoRWaRd to this time all year, specifically because of the Merrill Audito-rium and its wonderful events such as The Nutcracker and The Magic of Christmas. My 12-year-old daughter and I have been patrons of one or the other performance for eight years running. It is our holiday tradition to go out afterwards for hot co-coa and dessert. For years, we went to the Top of the East, a wonderfully quaint res-taurant atop the Eastland Hotel, perfect for viewing the city’s Christmas lights and enjoying a sweet treat. Then the renova-tions began and there it was – an uninvited change – thrust upon us without warning.

This change hit me particularly hard be-cause I had taken great care to create new family traditions after my divorce, and this was one of my favorites. We definitely re-sisted the new reality, and now laugh as we remember that first year actually walk-ing the entire block around the building looking for a way in, despite seeing all the “Closed for Renovations” signs. With reno-vations complete the following year, our excited anticipation was dashed again as the venue’s atmosphere was no longer suit-ed for hot cocoa and sweet treats. Not will-ing to succumb to negative beliefs, we soon were able to see possibilities. The search for a new venue could be delicious! Suddenly, finding just the right new venue turned into our new favorite game. I have a feeling this might be a great holiday season!

Traditions are important to families be-cause they add meaning to our lives. We create strong bonds by sharing meaningful experiences and repeating them, year after year, building continuity and strengthening our shared identity and sense of belonging. We all require a certain amount of predict-ability in our lives, and celebrating tradi-tions is a wonderful way to create certainty.

What about when traditions collide? This often happens when families, equally at-tached to their own traditions, merge. Shifting or changing how we honor our traditions can feel like sacrifice or even a threat to the family identity and bonds. Having tools to navigate these changes can mean the difference between a stress-FULL and stress-FREE holiday season.

The secret to managing change lies within our choices. New perspectives generate ideas and possibilities. These, in turn, mo-tivate us and propel us into action. Each successful step reinforces progress and en-courages us to continue. These are the true gifts this holiday season. From my family to yours, I wish you peace and joy! Email me at [email protected] to share your changes in your holiday traditions.

Kathleen Kerr is a professional transition coach supporting clients as they explore the

space between endings and beginnings to dauntlessly create beginnings that support them reaching their goals with optimism,

courage, and joy.

Weaving Together Different Holiday Traditionslongest-running and most successful com-

munity engagement events on Munjoy Hill.

June: Groundbreaking for Phase I of the Eastern Promenade Trail from Commercial Street to Cutter Street.

October: Hillary Clinton) visits Munjoy Hill.

1997February: Effort begins to preserve and re-store the Abyssinian Meeting House, the third oldest African-American meeting house in the United States.

October: The “Top of the Hill” octagon is fin-ished; MHNO sponsors the “October on the Octagon” neighborhood party to celebrate.

1998March: the Whole Grocer natural food store is leaving 118 Congress Street for larger quarters on Marginal Way. The site was pre-viously occupied by a Li’l Peach convenience store and a Standard Oil gas station; it is now the site of the 118 on Munjoy Hill condomin-ium, currently under construction.

October: In August Janine Kasserman is named Community Policing Coordinator on Munjoy Hill, a position she occupies to

this day!

November: MHNO celebrates its 20th anni-versary at the second annual “October on the Octagon” event. Present at the event are five of the MHNO’s original nine incorporators and seven past MHNO Presidents. As part of the festivities, MHNO donates $5,000 to the Friends of Saint Lawrence Church.

1999January: In December 1998 restoration work began on the Portland Observatory, closed since 1994.

February: Nini McManamy wins the MHNO’s neighborhood slogan contest; her “Munjoy Hill . . . Portland’s First Neighborhood” bests 69 other proposals. This slogan would long grace the Observer cover.

April: North Street Community Garden to open; initial rental rate is $15 for a 10 x 15 foot plot.

December: with the closing of Bath Iron Works Portland facility, plans for new ter-minals and other developments for the sixty-acre site at the foot of Munjoy Hill begin to take shape.

MHNO Snapshots, from front page

http://goo.gl/BCKs8A


Taking on the matters that matter to you and your family in Maine.

You’re working hard to realize the American dream, and AARP Maine is here to help you achieve your goals. AARP takes on the issues that are most important to you and your family, from affordable healthcare and re-tirement security to caregiving and community improve-ments. You want your voice to be heard, and AARP is listening. Find out more about us and how you can get involved by calling 1-866-554-5380, emailing us at [email protected], or visiting our website at www.aarp.org/me.

At Home on Munjoy Hill Wisdom with Age: not just an Art but a Science!Compiled by Elaine Mullin

An article from the March 13, 2014 New York Times, “The Sci-ence of Older and Wiser,” writ-ten by Phyllis Korkki, describes the scientific basis for what we all know: as we get older, the vast trove of experiences we have does, in fact make us wiser.

Below are excerpts from the ar-ticle. I highly recommend read-ing the full story: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/13/busi-ness/retirementspecial/the-science-of-older-and-wiser.html?_r=0

“Since ancient times, the elu-sive concept of wisdom has figured prominently in philo-sophical and religious texts. The question remains com-pelling: What is wisdom, and how does it play out in individ-ual lives? Most psychologists agree that if you define wis-dom as maintaining positive well-being and kindness in the face of challenges, it is one of the most important qualities

one can possess to age success-fully — and to face physical de-cline and death.”

“ … Unfortunately, research shows that cognitive function-ing slows as people age. But speed isn’t everything. A re-cent study in Topics in Cogni-tive Science pointed out that older people have much more information in their brains than younger ones, so retriev-ing it naturally takes longer. And the quality of the infor-

mation in the older brain is more nuanced. While younger people were faster in tests of cognitive performance, older people showed “greater sen-sitivity to fine-grained differ-ences,” the study found.”

Monika Ardelt, an associate sociology professor at the Uni-versity of Florida in Gainesville has found that wisdom, “… is the ace in the hole that can help even severely impaired people find meaning, content-ment and acceptance in later life.”

Vivian Clayton, a geriatric neuropsychologist in Orin-da, California, says, “there’s a point in life when a funda-mental shift occurs, and peo-ple start thinking about how much time they have left rath-er than how long they have lived. Reflecting on the mean-ing and structure of their lives, she said, can help people thrive after the balance shifts and there is much less time left than has gone before.”

For more information about the AtHome senior program on Munjoy Hill, contact [email protected] or Elaine Mullin at 207-671-6132. See page 5 for a list of resources.

N ot es from the tower

Appreciating the Sounds of the SeasonBy Jeanne Bull

One Of the Great jOys of the Christmas season for my family has always been the music. I don’t mean the sometimes silly tunes played endlessly on the radio and in the stores, but the special, non-commercialized music that is only available for a brief time each year. We on the Hill have the opportunity to experience these true sen-timents of the season in the settings they were written for. Lessons and Carols is a traditional Christmas service begun in 1880 by the Bishop of Truro in Cornwall, UK. It consists of a series of short Bible readings on the story of humanity interspersed with hymns and choral music. Legend has it the Bishop began this as a way to keep the men out of the pubs on Christmas Eve!

Whatever its origins, the practice is now used by church-es all over the world with the most famous being King’s College, Cambridge, UK, on Christmas Eve. Closer to home, Lessons and Carols are being offered at two of our beautiful historic churches. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, (1869), Cumberland Ave., will be having their program on Friday, December 12, at 7 pm. St Paul’s Church, (1868), 279 Congress, will be doing theirs Christmas Eve, December 24, at 10 pm. Both of these churches are on the National Register of Historic Places and both are architectural jewels. So if you have never experienced these spaces, this is a good time to visit; programs run around 30 to 45 minutes and there is no admission fee. This year, feast your eyes and ears on a true Christmas treat!

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/13/business/retirementspecial/the-science-of-older-and-wiser.html?_r=0






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Ask tHe Money ProfChoosing gifts for our kids–Here’s one that makes sense!By Joel I. Gold TheYeaRsCoMe and go, and for a brief while, the clothing, games and toys we buy our young kids are accepted with joy. However, it’s only a matter of time until the items end up in their closets and eventually, no longer used, are donated or discarded. We all like these gifts, but there is another type of gift that has much longer-lasting benefits.

Opening a brokerage account for the kids can be very educa-tional and financially rewarding. There are two types of taxable accounts that can be established. One is a guardian account, whereby a parent is the guard-ian and has control over the ac-count. Any income and capital gains are taxed at the parent’s tax rate. The other is a custodial account, which would either be an UGMA (Unified Gift for Mi-nors Act) or an UTMA (Unified

Transfers to Minors Act), where the child owns the account. The first $950 of earned income from investments in a UGMA/UTMA is generally tax-exempt. The subsequent income up to $950 is generally taxed at the child’s rate. Any income earned over $1,900 is generally taxed at the parent’s rate. Keep in mind that these accounts are considered ir-revocable gifts.

The custodian (parent, usually) manages the assets while the child is a minor. The biggest dif-ference between the UGMA and UTMA is that the age of matu-rity in an UGMA is generally 18 (depends on the state) and an UTMA can be as high as 25. This is a critical point in terms of con-trol of the account . The UTMA can also house broader types of investments than the UGMA, which usually is funded with se-curities, insurance or annuities.

Once the account is opened, the parent and child can work to-gether to decide the type of in-vestments that should be housed in the account. The use of com-puters can enhance the learning

and enjoyment of this gift. Par-ents, themselves, can learn from this experience, but certainly it offers the child a glimpse into the importance of building wealth.

The child will understand that the account, while being a “fun” activity, also has an important purpose of funding future costs. This in itself can be a major influ-ence, as the child becoming more serious about studies and career choices, activities which will en-able more investing. The most common funding sources for a youth (other than a bank savings account) are mutual funds, ex-change traded funds, and stocks bought directly. IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts) can also be opened for children who have earned income.

College professor and financial adviser Joel I. Gold is the owner of the Gold Company, located off of India Street, 145 Newbury Street, 3rd flr, (207) 650-7884, where he works as a Fee-Only Financial Planner. He’s been in Portland since 1995.

Winterizing your PetCare and safety during the

winter monthsBy John Flood, DVM

For this article I reviewed a number of sites that address this topic. Among the many I visited were these icons of the pet industry: ASPCA, AKC, AVMA*, AAHA* , APTD*and PetMD. Although they all address the same basics, the organizations have unique slants. ASPCA reminds me of an over-protective parent, ie. don’t let your dog off leash in the snow. The APDT has an important section on winter training tips. AAHA rec-ommends a special trip to the vet to get the “pre-winter” check up……. hmmm, what can I say? AVMA gives lots of what I con-sidered good sound advice. In any case, here is my take on a handful of topics that are common to most everyone’s list of cold weather concerns for your pet.

ToleRanCe To Cold: Understand your pet’s tolerance to cold weather. This will vary considerably among pets. Our 17 year old chihuahua goes out only a few minutes in the cold weather and wears a sweater. If you own a Malamute, chances are you’ll be cold before your dog.

GRooMinGandde-iCinG.We keep an old “pet” towel hanging by the door to dry off wet pets coming in from outside. Periodically check paws for ice ball formation between toes. If this is a problem, causing skin irritation or lameness, trim the long hair between toes and coat the same area with a thin layer of Vaseline. Rock salt used by municipalities on roads and sidewalks may also irritate your pet’s paws. Rinse the paws with a spray bottle of water followed by drying. Baby wipes with aloe are a good way to clean any skin on your pets.. On your own sidewalk, spread a de-icer that is salt and chloride free. You can find this at most pet or hardware stores for between 1 -$5/lb.. At home we use Safe Pet Ice Melt by Milazzo In-dustries.

danGeRoUs sUbsTanCes: Antifreeze for en-gines, and some windshield cleaners, contain eth-ylene glycol. This is a brutal poison that, unfortu-nately, tastes good. A teaspoon will kill a cat; a shot glass will kill a small dog. The poisoning must be discovered and treated early for a pet to have a de-cent chance of recovery (cat: 3 hrs, dog: 5 hrs). The hard fact is that about three quarters of pets pre-sented with this poisoning die. The take home? Don’t let your dog or cat hang around where anti-freeze is used, and if you use it at home, be meticu-

lous in cleaning spills and storing it safely.

WinTeRfeedinG:Adjust your pets’ calorie intake to fit win-ter activity. If they spend a considerable time outside in cold weather, they will burn more calories and will need a bit more food. If they are more sedentary, rarely venturing out, give them less food. If you are like us, you may have one pet who refuses to go out when the others do, seeing this as a perfect opportunity to do the rounds and clean up all the left overs. Our culprit is affectionately known as “Fat Cat”. A pot lid over the other dishes will preserve the meal for its rightful owner.

doGs on Thin iCe: One of the most dangerous situations (one I have seen a couple of times), is dogs going through thin ice. A serious complication occurs when the rescuer experienc-es the same. When around questionable ice, a leash is a good idea. A good rule of thumb? When it’s safe for you, it’s safe for your dog. If not, keep your distance.

A few additional hazards as the holidays approach: the Christ-mas tree ornaments, (tinsel, glass and edible,) the tree itself (never leave in reach of your goats--personal experience,) electrical cords, and holi-day plants (holly, mistletoe, poinsettia). And, of course, don’t forget, NO chocolate! Happy Winter~John.

Feel free to send you pet-related questions to me at [email protected]

John Flood runs the Island Veterinary Service, serving Casco Bay and House Calls on the Main-land serving greater Portland. • AVMA Ameri-can Veterinary Medical Association • AAHA American Animal Hospital Association • APTD Association of Professional Dog Trainers. Pet Blog at http://cascobaymaine.com/

Photos at left: Nova the winter-dog; center: Gus the chihuahua; and below: artwork created for Island Vet John Flood.

Highest Praise Award for EECS Teacher!

Submitterd by Boyd Marley, Assistant Principal at East End Community School

ConGRaTUlaTions To MaRGe QUeen (East End Community School PE teacher) for her most recent distinguished recognition by her colleagues and peers in the state of Maine at the MAHPERD Confer-ence that was held earlier this week. MaRGeReCeivedThehiGh-esTpRaiseaWaRd, which recognizes those who are passionate about health and physical education and have made significant contributions through “giving back” to the community.

Only twelve educators have ever received this award and we are so proud that Marge has earned this award for her many years of dedication and commitment to students across all levels both during school and after school. Marge had been a strong advocate for creating opportunities for all students to have access and we have seen this legacy in her work to build our Rise and Shine program, the Reach for the Stars Scholarship program and her mentorship for students to seek out sports opportunities that will help them to gain greater skills whether it is through recreation programs or camps. She has even transported students to camps and made sure they had lunches

Marge has a quiet, remarkable strength in her advocacy and she sees possibilities and talents in our students that may not be evident in their academics. Marge has previously been honored as the Physical Education Teacher of the Year and as a Distinguished Leader.

http://cascobaymaine.com/


volUnTeeRsneeded for Snow Shoveling

Joan Sheedy needs a few MORE volunteer shovelers this winter, for the...

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snowstorm, to help seniors in our area by clearing their walkways Community Service hours will be given. pleaseCalljoanaT774-7616, for more info

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104 Washington Avenue • Portland, Maine 04101 • (207) [email protected]

Congratulations to all of tonights Award Winners!104 Washington Avenue • Portland, ME 04101 • 207.773.8198

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Out & About

PHOTO by KATIE bROwn

Sea holiday art fair Art on the Hill! Dec 2,3,4 at the East End Commu-nity School on North St. (see hours p.8 this issue) SEApaortland.org

St. lawrence arts Your neigh-borhood arts center! Creating an afford-able and accessible venue for a diverse offerings of arts including but not limited to theater, dance, music, film, and work-shops; http://www.stlawrencearts.org/

Maine Jewish Museum 267 Congress St, Phone (207) 773-2339 The Jewish Museum is hosting Merrill St artist Lin Lisberger’s exhibit, “Vessels: Sculpture and Prints”, until August 29. Email; [email protected] Website; http://mainejewishmuseum.org.

PhoPa Gallery, 132 Washington Ave | photographs and works on paper. Currently showing: CURIOSITIES, photo-graphs by Tonee Harbert, Oct. 29 - Dec 6, Artist Talk | Sun, Nov 9, 3pm, http://www.phopagallery.com/

Mayo Street arts Performances & Classes 10 Mayo Street, mayostreetarts. org —Times vary. Classes: Tango, Belly Dancing, Kids Yoga, Juggling, Zumba and Pilates. Artist Studios, theater, poetry, mu-sic and more. Contact 615-3609, or [email protected].

farmers Markets SATURDAYS Dec 6 - April 18 at 200 Anderson Street, 9am-1pm

Port Veritas Spoken WordPoetry Readings, every Tuesday 7-10 pm, @ Bull Feeney’s 375 Fore St. - 7:30-10pm / All Ages, FMI: Gil Helmick, 400-7543. Our Monday Venue: Mama’s CrowBar is located at 189 Congress St.. Formerly Awful Annie’s which was formally George’s Tavern which was formally some fisher-men getting wicked hammered in a tent. Mama’s features American Craft Beers as well as nightly musical and poetry events.

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annual Christmas tree Sale on the Prom with Friends of the Eastern Promenade and Hall’s Tree Farm , deC13-14&20-21 9am - 5pm Cutter St. Lot on the Prom, Fresh, Maine Wreaths, Greens, Decorating Supplies & More! A portion of proceeds to benefit Friends of the Eastern Promenade.

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A portion of proceeds to benefit Friends of the Eastern Promenade

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December 13-14 & 20-21

9am – 5pm Cutter St. Lot – on the Prom

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2nd Annual Christmas Tree

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december 2014 munjoy hill observer

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