Issue of July 24, 2008
Sen. John McCain’s support for the Iraq war and for offshore oil drilling convinced Sam Logan of Waldoboro to back the Republican candidate’s bid for president.
“I’m a true believer,” Logan said Monday during the Arizona senator’s public appearance at the Maine Military Museum in South Portland. “I’ve been sending contributions to McCain’s campaign since last September.”
Logan’s emphatic support of McCain was shared by many supporters, who waited for two hours or more to hear the candidate speak at an outdoor stage, near the tiny museum in Mill Creek Park.
Charles Todorich of South Portland described McCain as a “patriot” because of the candidate’s position on staying the course in Iraq.
“The nation is in a war against terrorism, which is the most significant threat in our history,” said Todorich, holding a copy of McCain’s memoirs, “Faith of My Fathers.” “John McCain is a patriot, and we need a patriot at the highest level of office.”
About 500 people turned out to see McCain in his first Maine visit since clinching the GOP nomination. The candidate and an entourage of Maine political leaders arrived at the museum grounds Monday afternoon aboard a sleek blue bus emblazoned with the message: “Straight Talk Express.”
McCain arrived at the event like a rock star. The luxury bus he rode
in was flanked by black SUVs with tinted windows and police cruisers with blue lights flashing and sirens blaring.
Country-rock music from speakers set up outside the museum set a lively tone. The crowd was implored to turn off cell phones, as the bus pulled into the tiny driveway leading to the museum and drove up behind the stage.
McCain’s appearance seemed carefully orchestrated and controlled by the large number of security personnel. Security staff, including the Secret Service, fanned out into the woods behind the museum as the candidate prepared to exit the bus. The bicycle and jogging path behind the museum that runs through the park already had been closed off.
McCain could be seen exiting the bus with other political leaders and some members of the press corps. People stood on tiptoe and craned their heads to see him
Police say they have no suspects and no leads two weeks after athletic facilities at Scarborough High School were significantly vandalized.
The vandalism was discovered and reported at about 8:52 a.m. Monday, July 7, by a town employee, police said, just days before the town was scheduled to celebrate its 350th anniversary with a weekend-long festival that attracted thousands.
All traces of the vandalism, which police say occured over the weekend of July 5-6, had been removed by town employees by the time the celebration opened with an all-class reunion at Scarborough High School on July 11.
Police said the vandal or vandals targeted the outdoor sports facilities and made mention of the class of 2009 and the initials “JLC.”
A welcome sign to the sports complex was spray-painted over with the words “free admission” in gold spray paint, police said. On another sign, which read “This is a tobacco-free zone,” the word “free” was covered over with paint. Spray paint on a soccer goal read, “Soccer sux.”
South Portland police report that about half of a dozen house burglaries in the Pleasantdale neighborhood since April have been solved. But they are seeking residents’ help in cracking the remaining cases.
Detective Eric Jesseman said this week that juveniles who live in the area were arrested in several burglaries of both homes and vehicles reported since late spring. The youth were ordered to do community service and pay restitution.
But at least six of the crimes remain unsolved and include cases where residents were asleep at home when the incidents allegedly occurred. The residents did not realize their homes were burglarized until the next day, when they discovered doors pried open, screen cuts and items missing.
In one case, a house off Anthoine Street was burglarized twice.
On Wednesday, South Portland police were scheduled to meet at the community center with residents who live in the Pleasantdale neighborhood, which covers Ocean Street to Evans Street. Many of the burglaries took place off Anthoine Street, where the police station is located.
Police wanted to update residents on their progress in solving cases and offer tips on preventing crimes. They also sought to encourage people to form neighborhood watch groups to look out for each other and stay informed of suspicious incidents.
The unsolved home burglaries have included break-ins and “unforced entries,” where intruders gained access through an unlocked door.
Bryan White’s home on Shelby Lane, not far from the police station, was burglarized in early June. Taken were his camera and lenses, his children’s Wii video games and a bottle of vodka.
Aside from losing the items, White said, his sense of security was violated and that it has been difficult for his young family to feel safe at home.
Although his two children were away at the time of burglary, White believes the intruder or intruders may have slipped in while he was at home. He said that a sliding glass door was unlocked.
Since the thefts, White has installed new locks on his doors and a burglar alarm system. He locks the downstairs windows at night. He keeps entry doors to his home locked at all times.
“I never expected that we would have to live like this,” he said.
Police will not file charges against the 20-year-old motorist who struck a young Belarusian woman as she was bicycling home from work on July 3, causing the injuries that claimed her life six days later.
Sviatlana Auseichyk, 18, died July 9 at Maine Medical Center from complications from injuries sustained in the crash.
Greg Boulos of Cape Elizabeth has been elected president of the board of directors of the Maine Center for Creativity, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting the growth of the arts and creative industries in Maine.
Alan Atkins, also of Cape Elizabeth, was elected board clerk. Other officers are Meg Weston, vice president, Yarmouth; and Paula Lundgren, treasurer.
Among board of directors recently appointed are Charles Dibner and Tom MacDonald of Scarborough. Tom Dobbins of Scarborough serves as an honorary board director.
A plan to re-zone a portion of Running Hill Road near the South Portland line has some residents upset about what they see as micromanaging by town officials that infringes on their property rights and could make development cost-prohibitive.
The Town Council is in the process of updating nearly all the zoning in Scarborough to bring it into accordance with the town’s comprehensive plan. In an area of about 300 acres along Running Hill Road, town officials hope to encourage a smooth transition between large commercial buildings in South Portland and relatively residential and rural areas in Scarborough by encouraging the development of smaller, office-type buildings and multi-family homes.
U.S. Sen. and presidential candidate John McCain greets a supporter after he addressed a crowd during his visit to the Maine Military Museum in South Portland in this file photo from July 24, 2008.Send questions/comments to the editors.
