June 13, 1990

Joseph Sabatino Jr., still awaiting trial on federal charges of causing, aiding and abetting prostitution from a massage and escort operation based on Warren Avenue in Westbrook, has opened a new massage parlor on Main Street in the Thornton Heights neighborhood of South Portland. It operates under the name To Your Health Corp. since receiving an occupancy certificate from the building inspector in February. The business has been running ads offering suntanning, male and female exotic dancers and entertainment, besides massages.

William Dodge, of the Bill Dodge auto dealership in Brunswick and Classic autos of Falmouth, plans a dealership in Westbrook for a new General Motors car, the Saturn. The Westbrook Planning Board was to take up last night the site plans for the 14,978-square-foot building at the Westbrook Arterial and Saunders Way, in the recently approved Saunders business park.

The disk drive division of Data General’s Westbrook plant, now down to 73 workers from a base of 200 last fall, will let 55 people go at the end of June and drop to a skeleton crew of 20 to complete the phase-out of the plant.

Gorham Animal Control Officer Phil Cote has been the man to turn to for domestic and wild animal problems for the past five years, whether the neighbor’s cows are disrupting traffic on Flaggy Meadow Road or your daughter’s kitten is up a tree and can’t get down. Cote has a finger of what is happening in the animal world. “There is a multitude of woodchucks this year,” he said, “and plenty of skunks, too, and they do more damage than any other animal.” When Cote encounters young or injured wild animals, he often delivers them to David Sparks, Cote’s counterpart in Westbrook. Sparks is licensed through the state and federal governments as a rehabilitationist for injured animals.

The Gorham High School class of 1940 held its 50-year reunion Saturday. They were the first class to graduate from the then-new Gorham High School, today known as Shaw Junior High School, and they marked the occasion by touring their old school then meeting at Vallee’s restaurant in Portland for a social hour and dinner. Forty-three students graduated from Gorham High in 1940; 23 of those graduates, plus two former teachers, were in attendance Saturday.

June 14, 2000

Friendly Discount has opened its doors at 922 Main St., Westbrook, under the ownership of husband and wife Abbas and Maryanne Alhamdany, Gorham. It features bargain prices on a wide range of products. Almost everything in the store sells for 99 cents and there are some items that are two for 99 cents. Abbas, 29, worked as much as 90 hours a week at jobs in fish processing and at Allen Screen Printing to save money to start the store, Maryanne, 27, also works, as the guest services manager at the Holiday Inn West, Exit 8.

Members of the Gorham High School basketball team are helping out at Robie Park, where 300 Norway spruce are being planted around the perimeter. The boys are earning money for their trip to Europe in July, where they will play basketball in France and go sightseeing. Most of the tree planting was done by the public works department and Cindy Hazelton, recreation director, with help from Jeff O’Donal. Mature trees in the park were destroyed by the 1998 ice storm and a tornado-like microburst in August 1998.

Daniel A. Joseph, a Westbrook High School social studies teacher who graduated with a master’s in educational administration last month, is joining the Windham School Department as assistant principal at Windham High School.

Lacey Plummer is on the Cornell University dean’s list as she prepares to enter her senior year this fall. A 1997 graduate of Gorham High School, she is majoring in animal science with the intention of working in reproduction research. She is the daughter of William and Coleen Plummer and is working this summer on the Wagner (her mother’s family) farm.

Portland Water District trustees voted at the end of May to give the city of Westbrook an option to buy unused district land at Prides Corner, where they heard a possible development was coming. The district land is a sizable tract, with a long entrance road off Route 302 and a paved lot. James Bennett, administrative assistant, said he couldn’t make an announcement about “any of the half-dozen projects we’re working on.”

Bands, floats and marching units highlighted this year’s Westbrook Together Day parade on Saturday, June 10. It was the 21st year the event, which includea music, games, food, an auction and vendor booths, has been held.

John H. May Jr. operated a shoe repair business at 410 Main St. for many years. The business closed around 1975 and the space remained vacant for a couple of years. Olde Mill Crafts, operated by Allene Bowler, was the next tenant, and when this business closed the space was converted to an apartment. To see more historical photos and artifacts, visit the Westbrook Historical Society at the Fred C. Wescott Building, 426 Bridge St. It is open Tuesdays and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-noon, and the first Wednesday of each month at 1:30 p.m., September-June. Inquiries can be emailed to westhistorical@myfairpoint.net. The website is www.westbrookhistoricalsociety.org.Photo and research courtesy of Mike Sanphy

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