September 2011

By Carol McCracken (Post # 893)

One of the challenges of American colleges and universities is to find students who can pay the full tuition rather than the reduced rate that in-state students pay. That’s why admissions counselors are looking to Chinese students to fill that revenue gap. With a booming economy and because Chinese famililes often band together to pool their resources in support of one college bound student, American admissions counselors are looking to China to fill that revenue gap, said Kevin Ferrone, Manager, Program Development for the Council on International Educational Exchange (“CIEE”), whose world headquarters is located at 300 Fore Street, Portland. That’s were we chatted.

However, US institutions do not have the resources to place recruiters overseas for careful screening. Consequently, fraud and other surprises may happen by the time the Chinese student arrives in the US. Ferrone, who until earlier this year had lived in China for five years, has initiated a program for the non-profit CIEE that garners more information about each student with overseas interviews to assure that admissions’ officers have no surprises when Chinese students arrive on campus in the US. CIEE sees this as an opportunity to continue its mission to encourage educational exchanges and one that Chinese students are willing to pay for. It’s not an inexpensive service for students to pay, but they typically pay between $5,000. and $40,000 in costs associated with entry into US colleges. However, Ferrone would not reveal CIEE’s charge to the students for this specialized service. A second similar program is in the pipeline for next year.

“I’ve lived in 9 different cities in 4 countries and of all those, I felt safest living in China,” said Ferrone, 28 years old. “It was also the friendliest. It’s the best place I’ve lived. Education is globalizing. We should engage the Chinese.” MHN.com had arrived armed for the interview with an article in the September issue of “The Atlantic” magazine detailing China’s crack-down of on-line use by its citizens. It’s press like this that creates a culture of “fear”, much like the Cold War between the US and Russia, said Ferrone disapprovingly of the article.

Ferrone lives on the Hill with his Chinese wife and twin sons Luke and Brin. His wife, Amy, (Wang Weijia) and sons arrived in the US in mid-August and a week later she began teaching Chinese at Waynflet School. Their sons, l l/2 years old, attend day care on the Hill; they were born in upstate New York where Ferrone is from. Ferrone, a graduate of Brown University, is working on his Master’s Degree – on-line.

“Portland is a lovely city in which to raise children,” Ferrone said.

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Chef/owner Jay Villiani, Local 188 and Sonny's Today at Work By Carol McCracken (Post # 892)

The news that Northeast Patients Group has finally signed a lease for its long awaited medical marijuana dispensary at 685 Congress Street, Portland, came as no surprise to its closest neighbor – popular Restaurant Local 188.

Northeast Patients Group has been looking for the right location in which to install the city’s first and only dispensary for medical marijuana. Rumors had circulated for a time that a former bank building located on outer Congress Street was the company’s first choice, although the deal never materialized. The site finally settled on is at 685 Congress Street, directly behind Local 188 and in the same building, but with a separate entrance. The location has been vacant for a few years and formerly housed an alarm and fire protection company.

Jay Villiani, chef/owner of Local 188 and Sonny’s said early this afternoon that his landlord told him several months ago that he was talking with the Group about renting the property for the dispensary. “I have no moral problem with this at all,” Villiani said at his restaurant. “I am concerned about public perception though. I would like to think we live in a progressive society.”

Villiani said he expects to go to planning board meetings to hear and digest the details. The State also needs to give its approval.

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By Carol McCracken (Post # 891)

The Thompson’s Point Development Co. requested a follow-up meeting with members of the Planning Board this afternoon to update changes to its master plan for the $10 million development of Thompson’s Point on land bordered by the Fore River and the International Jetport in what was called Libbytown. The anticipated “Green Campus” includes a sports center to house the Maine Red Claws, a concert hall, office building, sports medicine facility and parking garage which is expected to be the first building to be built.

A representative of the three managing partners of the development, said early on during his comprehehensive presentation to the planning board that the location of the parking garage has been moved closer to the Transportation Hub at the entrance of the property. This will cause less traffic congestion and make parking more accessible to the other forms of transportation therein. One of the stated goals of the Development Co. is to reduce the single occupancy of automobiles by 20%. Chris Thompson, one of the managing partners in the development told the Board that they live in the area and so it is important to them personally that this traffic plan work efficiently.

Another change in the plan is the implementation of a three lane highway for use in access and egress of vehicles from the facility. The middle lane would be reversible and used as appropriate. Developers stated that this would provide ample access to highways in the area that taking patrons to other than local neighborhoods. Board member David Silk expressed concern that egress from the facility could be a “problem that would spill over into adjoining neighborhoods.” In addition to the 718 parking spaces in the parking garage, there will be space for another 682 surface parking spaces throughout the property. The challenge here is to accommodate the egress needs for vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians, said Thomas A. Errico, P.E. of TylinInternational. “They have a lot of work left to do,” he said following the workshop.

Steve Landry, of Maine Department of Transportation, Augusta attended the meeting and said: “This is the right type of development because of all the transportation opportunties here. Some off-site parking may be necessary though,” he said. MDOT must approve the plan.

A walking tour of Thompson’s Point is scheduled for Tuesday, October 11th by the planning board. Participants will meet at Thompson’s Point at 3:30 pm.

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By Carol McCracken (Post # 890)

Almost 400 – 395 to be exact – ran/walked to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation this morning. The race that began and ended on Cutter Street on the Hill was dedicated to the memory of Aaron T. Sterling, who died last month at 30 years old, of the genetic disease.

Kim Anania started the event last year in honor of her best friend, Liz Shuman, 35, who continues to live an active life with cystic fibrosis. Shuman said today that because of the medications that are now available, she is alive unlike some of her relatives who have gone before her. The funds raised today will go toward purchasing medications for those in need of it in Maine.

The name of the race, 65 Roses 5K Race, is derived from the fact that cystic fibrosis is often hard for chidren to say and it to some it sounds like 65 Roses.

In todays race/walk, were former Hill residents, Mary Didonato Cummings and her family – husband and daughter, Tina. Winning first place in the 70 + women’s category was Polly Kenniston, who is preparing for the New York City Marathon. She’s almost 75 years old! (See above right photo.)

Anani owns her own Human Resouces Consulting business. For more information, please see www.kmaconsultingllc.com

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