August 29, 2010

Sean Mencher & His Rhythm Kings on the Hill Today

Sean Mencher & His Rhythm Kings put on a delightful rockabilly concert for the enjoyment of an audience in the garden at 92 Congress Street this afternoon. A spontaneous concert, Mencher said that if conditions are right, it might become a traditional Sunday @ noontime garden event.

Three members of the five member group played for over an hour early this afternoon. They played such favorites as: Bye Bye Blues, Ramblin Man, Folsom Prison, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, Flatland Saturday Night and many others.

Matt Young played the harmonica, Sean the guitar and Derek Moniz, the bass. Sean did most of the solo vocals. Last night the group performed at the new Bayside Bowl. This Friday night, the group will perform at Geno’s at 9 pm.

In the meantime, if conditions are right, perhaps there will be a Sean Mencher Et Al concert next week in the garden at 92 Congress Street – the office of the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization.

Check it out!

Share on Facebook

Michelle Cole, Jake, & Iman Ali

It’s been a long journey from Kenya to Portland for Iman, but clearly he’s thriving in his home in Kennedy Park. MHN.com had an opportunity to visit with him one day recently when he was on duty with Michelle Cole and her bomb sniffer dog, Jake. The three were riding in a police car on the waterfront on a steamy day.

Iman, 18, is employed this summer in the Portland Police Cadet program. He and another Cadet employee, Ater Ater, have spent a large part of the summer patroling the streets of the Old Port reminding businesses that if there are any problems to contact the police department. Iman graduated from Portland High School in June. Next month he’ll attend the Southern Maine Community College for two years before transferring to a four year college. Iman wants to study medicine to become a doctor; either at the University of New England or University of Southern Maine, Portland.

With Iman is Michelle Cole, and her 7 year old chocolate lab who is hard to ignore! Friendly Jake was trained at 3 years old to be a bomb sniffing dog at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, Vassalboro. Cole, who has had Jake since he was a puppy, will be retired soon. Cole says he doesn’t get paid for his hard work; but his food and vet bills are paid, and she gets a little more in her pay check. Since January, the two have been on 13 bomb sniffing calls within the State.

Iman’s salary is paid from a US grant received this spring.

Share on Facebook

Customer Amy Putnam Poses with Woodworker Marc McCabe at the Picnic

By Carol McCracken (Post # 563)

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=747057346&ref=name#!/event.php?eid=174940919185016

Yesterday was perfrect for the 3rd annual Picnic (Arts & Musical Festival) on the grounds of Lincoln Park in downtown Portland. Young familes and the older crowd moved from booth to booth under bright blue skies admiring a myriad of hand-mades appropriate for gift giving or better yet for keeping.

One happy picnicker, among many, was Marc McCabe, a 28 year old resident of the Greater Munjoy Hill area. McCabe, a woodworker, offered a variety of wooden spoons and cutting boards from under his white tent. Every spoon was different, there were no two alike; all made from a variety of woods he has found in the woods. It takes McCabe about 1 to 3 hours to hand-craft each spoon. He begins with a chunk of wood on which he draws circles of different sizes in a bunch of places. This produces a good symmetry that would otherwise be difficult to produce. From there he uses a band saw and them moves on to a series of Stanley tools. Then comes lots of sanding and applying the finish coat – three times. He says: “It’s great to take a chunk of wood and turn it into a work of beauty.”

This is the first show McCabe’s ever been in and he plans on returning next year. It’s a hobby and he plans on keeping it that way. His items are fairly priced. “I need to get new prescription glasses and an eye exam. I have more than enough for that now,” he said grinning. Originally from Ohio, McCabe studied eco-tourism there. He found a job online at the Chewonki Foundation, Wiscasset, where he worked in the boatshop for five years. A friend there taught him to make the wooden spoons and he’s been making them ever since. McCabe works for Thompson Johnson Woodworks, based on Peaks Island.

Diane Toepfer, one of the organizers of the Picnic and owner of the popular Ferdinand shop on the Hill, said this was the best Picnic yet. 101 vendors participated and 100 had to be turned away. Toepfer said the Picnic is getting more competitive every year. She was already talking about where the Picnic could be expanded in Lincoln Park to accommodate more vendors next year. The group is making plans for the holiday counterpart.

Share on Facebook