February 2009

Contributed Anonymously

that Munjoy Hill was named for a wealthy and educated man named George Munjoy? He moved his family to the Hill from Massachusetts in 1659. Since there were still unfriendly Indians in the area, he built a fortified garrison house in 1660 at the corner of Fore and Mountfort Streets at the base of the Hill. He purchased the property from his father-in-law who’d purchased it from from George Cleeves. Unfortunately, his son died in the 1675 Indian raid which destroyed the Hill settlement. In 1676 Munjoy returned to Massachusetts, but the Hill still bears his name.

George Cleeves was a founder of Portland in 1633. At the intersection of Congress Street and the Eastern Prom., there is a monument to Cleeves and his partner Richard Tucker. The partners and their families lived near what became Fore and Hancock Streets at the foot of the Hill.

By Carol McCracken

The robbery charge against Hill resident and prominent landscape photographer, Don Verger, was dismissed by the Portland Superior Court earlier this month. The Eastern Promenade resident was arrested on December 31 for robbery of the Studio One Hair Salon on Middle Street in the Old Port. The arraignment would have taken place today, had it not been dismissed on February 6th. Peter DeTroy was his attorney.

Verger’s stunning photography has been shown in numerous galleries and shows in the area. He was formerly with the Massachusetts Audubon Society in Massachusetts where he was responsible for educational programs. (MHN wrote the original story hereon January 3, 2009.)

Meanwhile, Verger has scheduled an exhibition of his photography at the North Star Cafe beginning Sunday, March 1st until the end of the month. One hundred percent of the sales from this show will benefit The Innocence Project Benefit. The Project is a New York City based non-profit legal clinic dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted people through DNA testing and reforming the criminal justice system to prevent future injustices. Please visit www.innocenceproject.org for more information.

By Carol McCracken

Residents of Peaks Island may be getting closer in their effort to have wind measuring instruments installed on the Island. The effort is being led by the Peaks Environmental Action Team (“PEAT”). However, a large part of the effort so far has been an educational one for residents of the Island. PEAT emphasizes that it wants full community support for the project in order to keep moving forward – with the end result of locating a wind turbine on the Island.

Last night two Island residents Sam Saltonstall of PEAT and Michael Langella, a member of the Peaks Island Council met with members of Portland’s Energy and Environmental Sustainability Committee at City Hall. Saltonstall, a spokesperson for PEAT, spoke to the Committee and answered their questions. The Committee is composed of Mayor Jill Duson and Councilor Dory Waxman. The chair is Councilor David Marshall.

Currently PEAT supports placing the wind measuring instruments on an existing 80-foot tall former U. S. Navy tower. Near the top of the tower there are brackets which could support the necessary pole on which to mount the wind measuring instruments. “This would be a much better location than the previously considered Trott-Littlejohn Park,” said Saltonstall in a telephone conversation earlier today. “It’s already higher up with the tower there and it would not require a zoning change.” It would, however, require a change of use permit for the tower, said Saltonstall.

The necessary equipment to conduct the wind tests would be provided by Unity College for free. Professor Mick Wormsley who heads up the College’s loan program visited Peaks Island recently and toured the possible site. If Portland approves the change of use permit for the installation on the tower, work could begin as early as this spring – as soon as the weather improves. The project would have to be approved by the Island’s Conservation group since the tower is on conservation property.

Both Saltonstall and Langella emphasize that it’s necessary to have full support of the Peaks Island residents – not only the year-round residents, but the summer residents as well.

By Carol McCracken

Here we go again! Mamma Mia!

For the last several weeks neighbors on Washington Avenue have noticed increased activity around the former “3Gs building” on Washington Avenue. The building which has been vacant for some years now has fallen into even more severe disrepair than it was when the former car repair shop was there. Employees of Peter Adams have been cleaning out the filthy interior of the building with the expectation that the Parole Office will be moving its downtown Congress Street office into this location sometime this spring – maybe as early as March.

Peter Adams, Portland, whose local “building” business is doing the desperately needed rehab for A&M Partners on the former garage said when the currently super grungy building is completed “it will look brand new.” He also told MHN that he prefers that the name A&M Partners be used because when his name is used OSHA comes knocking on his door “with big fines for safety violations.” He refused to say why that happens. (A&M Partners on Exchange Street own the building.) A&M Partners did not return a phone call placed to them on the subject.l

The issue of the State’s moving its downtown Parole Office to Munjoy Hill was a controversial issue for some residents of the Hill in the recent past; some favored the move and others did not.

Mamma Mia! Here we go again!