December 15, 2016
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE Your Community Paper PAID GORHAM, ME PERMIT NO. 10 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 24 DECEMBER 15, 2016 In order to allow our staff and volunteers time to enjoy the holidays, we will be taking a short break. The next edition of the Gorham Times will be dated January 12. Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year! Cummings Two Fires in Two Days Installed as SHERI FABER Staff Writer USM President The Gorham Fire Department han- dled two multiple alarm fires during a two-day period earlier this month. An early morning fire destroyed a historic home on College Ave while a home on Spruce Lane was badly damaged by fire the following day. A passerby noticed smoke at 8 College Ave. just before 3 a.m. on December 5 and called 911. Duane Dreger, owner of the property, was tak- ing advantage of late night Christmas shopping at L.L. Bean in Freeport when Photo courtesy of Gorham Fire Department his house caught fire. A fire on College Avenue spread quickly during the early morning hours of December 5. Photo credit Danielle Vayenas, USM Office of Public Affairs The historic house built in 1803 may be a total loss as the fire started in the PATRICK & CINDY O’SHEA basement and went through to the attic. into contact with discarded steel wool ing a car which was a total loss. James Contributing Writers Due to the age of the house, there were that was also in the bag. The steel wool Vollkommer told the Fire Department no fire stops between the walls and heated up and ignited paper or other that he had finished using his snow The formal installation of Dr. because of the type of construction, it combustibles in the trash. blower, returned it to the garage Glenn Cummings was held on was a particularly difficult fire to fight. Gorham Fire Chief Robert Lefebvre and covered it. The cover caught fire Friday, December 2, at the Costello When firefighters arrived, flames were suggests that if batteries are being put and spread to the garage, car and the Sports Complex on the Gorham coming out of the second floor window into the trash, they should have a piece house. Vollkommer was treated for Campus. Cummings becomes the 13th and shooting past the roof. of tape placed over the end to avoid the minor injuries. President of University of Southern The Fire Department was able to fol- possibility of the battery igniting some- Maine. In a sense, Cummings was low the burn pattern to determine the thing else in the trash. returning home as he began his teach- area of origin of the fire. Dreger had On December 6, a house fire at 6 Gorham Family ing career at Gorham High School. thrown some batteries in the trash and Spruce Lane, owned by James and An installation ceremony is the left the trash bag at the top of the cellar Marie Vollkommer, caused an esti- traditional method for conferring steps. The batteries most likely came mated $60,000 in damages, includ- Critically Injured the rights and responsibilities to the incoming president. Cummings had announced before the ceremony in Accident that this one would be less typical SHERI FABER than most, as it would focus on stu- A Soaring Achievement than most, as it would focus on stu- Staff Writer ARTICLE CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 GORHAM TIMES STAFF G T S Five or more inches of snow fell in On October 6, Theodore “Teddy” Gorham in the early morning hours of Elias Wilder Lockman passed his Eagle December 12, leaving local roads snow White Rock Scout board of review to become an covered as the plows began work to Eagle Scout. Troop 73 of Gorham held clear them. At approximately 10:15 a.m., a Court of Honor on December 3 at the Yvonne Piawlock, 39, of Gorham, who Tree Lighting Great Falls School to promote Lockman was driving a Jeep SUV southbound Tree Lighting to the rank of Eagle Scout. Following on Narragansett St. in the vicinity of the presentation, Senator Amy Volk and Harding Road, lost control of her vehicle Representative Andrew McLean pre- due to the road conditions and slid into sented Teddy with a State Flag and an a dump truck traveling northbound official sentiment from the combined operated by Daniel Aceto, 54, of Gray. Maine Legislature. Photo credit Kimberly Rosa Aceto was not injured. Lockman, the son of James and All five occupants of the vehicle Rori Lockman of Gorham, is a senior U.S. Marine Corp representative Larry had to be extricated by Gorham at Falmouth High School where he is Chretian (right) presented Teddy Lockman firefighters. Joseph Piawlock, 45, earning a STEM diploma. He is also a with a Citizenship Award at his Eagle Scout was pronounced dead at the scene. member of FIRST Team 172 Northern Court of Honor. Rescue units from Gorham, Buxton, Force in Gorham and Falmouth, and Standish and Scarborough assisted is an alum and mentor of FLL team All cially fond of Pinewood Derby, and with transporting the mother and Photo credit Kathy Corbett SySTEMS Go! in Gorham. was honored one year with the Good three children to the hospital. Yvonne He began as a Tiger Cub in the first Sportsman award, which is the highest Piawlock suffered severe internal On November 27, nearly one hundred On November 27, nearly one hundred grade in Pack 85 and advanced through injuries that weren’t initially apparent neighbors from the White Rock area of the ranks in Cub Scouts. He was espe- ARTICLE CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 and was in serious condition. Three Gorham gathered together for the annual girls, who were sitting in the rear of holiday tree lighting sponsored by the White the vehicle, were listed in critical con- Rock Friendship Club. A six member brass dition at press time. The accident is band led by John Stevens entertained with insidetheTimes being investigated by the Gorham PD Christmas carols before everyone joined with assistance from the Maine State 18 Blotter 19 Classified 4 Living 8 School with assistance from the Maine State Santa Claus for refreshments in the White Police Commercial Division and the Rock Community Club building. 19 Calendar 14 Community 5 Municipal 10 Sports Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. NEWS FROM AUGUSTA Policy on News from Augusta: The Gorham Times asked our three state legislators from Senate District 30, House District 26 and House District 27 to provide us with “News from Augusta.” We publish their articles on a rotating basis. The submissions are devoted to updates of legislative and administrative news, BRINGING THE NEWS TO ALL of GORHAM proposed and passed bills and laws, and developments and events that are of interest and have an impact to Gorham residents. The Gorham Times reserves PO Box 401, 77 South Street the right to edit the submissions and it further reserves the right to reject any submission, in its sole discretion. Gorham, Maine 04038 Phone and Fax: (207) 839-8390 [email protected] My Privilege and Honor to Serve www.gorhamtimes.com The Gorham Times is a free volunteer-run community newspaper distributed every other care as a human right, not just a maximize success. There is no doubt REP. LINDA SANBORN Thursday to more than 100 pick-up sites privilege for some. I believe it is our that this legislation will save the state throughout Gorham. It is with many mixed emotions moral responsibility to ensure that our money and lives, and it is being used —— that I retire from the Maine State elderly and disabled are housed and as a model around the country. News [email protected] Legislature after serving with pleasure fed and that we attend to their basic The biggest failure during my ten- Sports [email protected] for the past eight years. I am truly health care needs. I have fought hard ure was in not succeeding in overrid- Features [email protected] humbled and honored by the good to secure budgets that reflect these ing the governor’s vetoes to accept Of Interest [email protected] folks of Gorham and Buxton who priorities. federal dollars to cover 70,000 low- Calendar item [email protected] elected me to four terms. Thank you Much has been written about our income Mainers with health insurance Advertising gorhamtimesadvertising@ so much for giving me this amazing current substance use epidemic and as allowed under the Affordable Care gmail.com or 839-8390 opportunity. the need to turn this crisis around. Act. The result is that many working School News [email protected] —— This opportunity came at a point I would submit that we will never people are now caught in a “gap” and SUBSCRIPTIONS in my life when I had the time, the make adequate progress unless we unable to afford health insurance or $18/year in Gorham; $23/year elsewhere passion and the commitment to try treat this epidemic as the chronic qualify for Medicaid. This bill would $13/year for college subscription to improve the lives of Maine people. medical illness that it is, emphasizing have been the greatest “jobs” bill —— I hope that I have accomplished that long-term treatment and above all, Maine has seen, employing more than General Manager Sue Dunn goal to some extent, not just by intro- prevention. That prevention must start 3,500 Mainers in good-paying health Editor Leslie Dupuis ducing important new legislation, but prenatally and continue to address care jobs and bringing millions of dol- Business Manager Stacy Sallinen also by defending worthy policies that all the adverse childhood experiences lars into Maine’s economy annually.