Uncategorized

"Heart survivor" Christine Coutu at City Hall Press Conference

“Really listen to your body and learn from what it’s telling you,” said Christine Coutu, 29, this mornng on the steps of Portland city hall. February is American Heart Month and to raise awareness of heart disease and how to help prevent it, city hall will be illuminated in red for the month – the ninth consecutive year.

Coutu spoke artfully about living with heart trouble – diagnosed with “Transposition of the Great Arteries” shortly following her birth in 1983. She was born with two circulatory systems and her body wasn’t getting enough oxygenated blood. At birth, she had blue lips, finger tips and toes.

At five months, she suffered a stroke at Boston Children’s Hospital while awaiting surgery to repair her heart. Multiple seizures followed. Health problems continued to plague her. Since 2003, life has become normal for her with the help of medications. the last few years of her life have been greatly improved. “I also graduated college, married my high school sweetheart in 2008, earned my Masters degree, and now work as a school counselor in a local middle school….I recently started training for my first ever 5K in May…”

“When my heart speaks, I listen. I have to,” Coutu said.

Share on Facebook

Repair Work Underway on Munjoy Street

This morning a sewer line collapsed on Munjoy Street between Moody Street and Wilson Street, according to city spokesperson Nicole Clegg. This section of the street will be closed to all traffic until the repairs are complete which could come by mid week next week. Commuters should seek allternate routes to avoid traffic or delays.

Share on Facebook

Occupier Rob Schreiber Votes on a Proposal[/caption]

The City of Portland notified OccupyMaine yesterday in a news release that it will receive a notice to vacate Lincoln Park today, February 2nd within 48 hours – Saturday morning occupiers need to be gone from their encampment. This is a result of Judge Thomas Warren’s denial of the group’s request to remain in Lincoln Park to express its First Amendment rights against economic inequality in this country.

The General Assembly, which is the governing body of the OccupyMaine movement, following a long discussion, voted last night to instruct its pro bono attorney, John Branson, to ask city officials to allow occupiers to remain in the Park for eleven more days in order to give the occupiers adequate time to clean-up the Park and leave the premises. This proposal came from occupier John Schreiber. In the meantime, the city will provide a dumpster starting today to begin the clean-up process. Branson is expected to have a conference call with city officials this morning at 9 am in which this request will be discussed. “I have no idea if the city is willing to negotiate on this,” he said during a break in the GA.

A second proposal passed concerning the disposal of property in the Park belonging to the occupiers. Any food that may be left in the kichen area will be donated to the Preble Street Food Pantry. Books located in the Library will be packed into boxes and John Schreiber agreed to store them in his home for the immediate future. About 30 occupiers attended the meeting.

A third proposal by Evan McVeigh was put on hold until the spring. “We have not been the best stewards of the Park,” he said. He proposed planting the Park so it could be used as a food source. The proposal was tabled.

The issue of civil disobedience was discussed and decided it was an individual matter. Harry Brown, Jr., one of the plaintiffs in the just lost case, said he plans on not leaving the Park and plans on being arrested. Several others expressed similar plans.

Please see previous post for more background information.

Share on Facebook

By Carol McCracken (Post # 1,073)

In a decision dated today, January 31, Judge Thomas D. Warren, found for the City of Portland – thereby denying a Motion for Preliminary Injunction filed by OccupyMaine’s legal Counsel, John Branson and argued in Superior Court last week. Mark Dunlap, of Norman, Hansen and DeTroy, is the city’s out-side attorney in the case.

While he denied the Motion, Judge Warren did state in his 24 page decision there is no doubt that the Occupiers are “sincere in their desire to communicate their message and to engage in First Amendment activity.” However, he also said that the City is not obliged to agree to such an occupation of Lincoln Park because that might “conflict with the rights of others who might wish to use the park for their own First Amendment activities or for other purposes.”

The occupiers are expected to discuss their next step at a General Assembly tonight at 6 pm at Lincoln Park.

So far, the city has issued no response to the Court’s decision; such as when the occupiers need to vacate Lincoln Park.

Please see Post # 1,067, dated January 24, here for more background information.

Share on Facebook