April 21, 2016
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NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID GORHAM, ME PERMIT NO. 10 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 8 APRIL 21, 2016 SINCE 1995—A FREE, VOLUNTEER-RUN, BIWEEKLY COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER Suspicious Planning Board Discussions Continue “Fort” Near on Railroad Ave. Property Public Trails SHERI FABER Staff Writer Investigated The Planning Board held a spe- cial workshop on April 4 to discuss potential changes to Railroad Avenue. Jon and Cindy Smith, owners of Great Falls Construction, Inc., pre- sented their proposal for a five-story building with 30 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, a bowling alley and possible other retail ten- ants on 2.93 acres of property they own at 17 Railroad Ave. The building that now houses My Fit 24 and the Gorham School of Music will remain but the derelict storage building on the property will be torn down and overflow parking on part of the property, currently used by Sebago Brewing, will be eliminated. The Smiths are seeking a contract Photo/drawing courtesy of Town of Gorham zone for the project as the maximum Jon and Cindy Smith’s proposal for the Railroad Ave. property includes a bowling alley, height for a building in the urban apartments and multiple parking areas. commercial zone is 35 feet. Building plans have not yet been finalized but the current proposal calls for pates there will be more demand. He on the property (19 of those covered four full stories and a smaller fifth does not expect to seek out college spaces) as well as a total of 30 spaces floor that is integrated into the roof. students as tenants. in the section between the new Smith told the Board that he believes Town codes require two parking building and the My Fit 24 building. the building will be about 60 feet tall. spaces per apartment. Plans call for Smith already has a waiting list for 29 angled spaces on Railroad Ave., 10 some of the apartments and antici- angled spaces on Elm St., 46 spaces CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 Boy Scouts’ Highest Achievement Photo credit Rob Lavoie COMPILED BY last home game while balancing a passion for both Passersby found a suspicious fort dug into GORHAM TIMES STAFF of the Gorham football and baseball, which is very the ground near the Weeks Rd. public trails. Grizzlies. challenging. In Troop 817, we know Gorham resident Timothy O’Brien, According to that Scouting is not our boys only son of Tim and Stacy O'Brien, attained Trevor Jones, interest, and we give them the flex- SHERI FABER Boy Scouts’ highest rank of Eagle Scout one of O’Brien’s ibility to work around their other Staff Writer on April 7. O’Brien belongs to Troop Scout leaders, activities. We’d like to think this a In a recent issue of the Gorham 817 in Gorham. He began as a Tiger “only about five major reason why Tim is the third Times’ Police Blotter, an entry dat- Cub Scout in Pack 74 as a first-grader percent of boys Eagle Scout from our small troop in ing back to December 6 noted that at Narragansett School and has been a who enter the less than a year and a half.” a person walking along the trails Scout for eight years. scouting pro- Photo credit Stacy O’Brien When asked about reaching the rank off of Weeks Road contacted the For his Eagle Scout project, gram achieve of Eagle, O’Brien remarked, “It’s an Gorham Police Department after O’Brien led and completed several the rank of Timothy O’Brien amazing accomplishment to reach the seeing what the caller described improvements to the athletic field at Eagle Scout. recently earned his high honor of Eagle Scout. Thanks to as a fort in the woods. The caller Narragansett School. The project Reaching scout- Eagle Scout rank after my leaders for teaching me to instill the found it suspicious but officers included scraping and painting the ing’s highest years of hard work Scout Law and Oath into my everyday who came out to check the struc- football goal posts and player bench- rank requires and dedication. life. I owe a big thanks to my parents, ture reported it as a “project of es. His project also included installing sustained effort scout leaders and troop for their sup- some sort or kids being very cre- a 25-foot flag pole and a sign on the over several port, to the local businesses that donat- ative.” There was no trash or dam- field’s scoreboard. He selected this proj- years, and most of the time other ed towards my project, and to my foot- age to property and the structure ect because he wanted to give back to interests take over for boys long ball teammates for all their hard work!” did not appear to be anything that the Gorham Youth Football program before they reach Eagle. What’s most O’Brien is in the eighth grade at St. would or could be used to harm after playing football for six years. His remarkable about Tim is that he’s Brigid School in Portland and plans to others according to police. project was completed in time for the remained involved in the program attend Cheverus in the fall. Residents of the area use the trails for recreational activity and FARMER'S MARKET & DELI after word spread about the struc- insidetheTimes OPEN FOR BUSINESS 15 Blotter 15 Classified 6 Municipal 11 Sports Article on page 3 CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 15 Calendar 13 Community 7 School NEWS FROM AUGUSTA The Gorham Times asked our three state legislators from Senate District Six, 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, pro- BRINGING THE NEWS TO ALL OF GORHAM posed and passed bills and laws, and developments and events that are of interest and have an impact to Gorham residents. The Gorham Times PO Box 401, 77 South Street reserves 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] www.gorhamtimes.com The Gorham Times is a free volunteer-run Retirement Planning for All Ages community newspaper distributed every other Thursday to more than 100 pick-up sites throughout Gorham. SEN. AMY VOLK to retirement. As your career moves to have taken care of before you —— forward, be sure to take advantage actually retire. Knowing your Social News [email protected] Last week, April 11th to the 15th, if your employer offers a 401K plan, Security benefits can also help you to Sports [email protected] was National Retirement Planning and keep an eye on its progress. gauge your savings and how you are Features [email protected] Of Interest [email protected] Week. To that end, I wanted to share Once people have arrived at their looking on your goal. Calendar item [email protected] some information from the week thirties and forties, families, a house, As we all know, life throws us Advertising gorhamtimesadvertising@ that was shared with me as part of and at least one car, have often curveballs and we hit speed bumps gmail.com or 839-8390 that awareness campaign. People of entered the picture. With that, bills along the way that can affect even School News [email protected] all ages can benefit from retirement continue to grow even though your the most carefully planned lives and —— planning; it’s not just an issue for paycheck might also have increased. bank accounts. However, even tak- SUBSCRIPTIONS older, wealthier adults to deal with. However, as in your twenties, saving ing small steps as you can to save for $18/year in Gorham; $23/year elsewhere $13/year for college subscription From students to grandparents, there what you are able to is of the utmost your retirement can make a big dif- —— are steps you can take to help your importance. The National Retirement ference. General Manager Sue Dunn financial future. Planning Coalition recommends this A website that I’d recommend Editor Leslie Dupuis If you’re raising children, you can time of your life as the point at which visiting for information about retire- Business Manager Stacy Sallinen even help them get started saving setting a retirement savings goal and ment planning, no matter your age, Advertiser Coordinator Stacy Sallinen for later in life with steps as simple enlisting a financial planning profes- is www.retireonyourterms.org. Here, Design/Production Shirley Douglas as putting loose change in a jar. Not sional can be of great benefit you and you can find information and tools Police Beat Sheri Faber Staff Writers Jacob Adams, Kathy Corbett, only will they pick up a habit for the your family. about how to get started with saving, John Curley, Bailey O’Brien rest of their lives, they’ll have a nice By your 50s, the National or do some calculations about your Features Chris Crawford little pot of money to start their sav- Retirement Planning Coalition recom- current savings and where they are Photographers Amanda Landry, Stacie Leavitt, ings with. And, once they are teenag- mends that you start thinking about, headed. Roger Marchand, Rich Obrey ers and able to start working, they and hopefully are able to pin down, No matter where you are in life, Public Service Jackie Francis will have an understanding of what it an age at which you will retire.