NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID Your Community Paper GORHAM, ME PERMIT NO. 10 Volume 24 Number 17 | September 6, 2018 A FREE, Non-profit, Biweekly Community Newspaper since 1995 South Street USM Considers Possible Name Change KATHY CORBETT Paving Update Staff Writer LESLIE DUPUIS USM President Glenn Cummings Editor has set in motion a process that could change the name of the South Street (Route 114) pav- University of Southern Maine and ing between Weeks Road and Main more closely identify it with Portland. Street continues this week after a Although the university was created short break leading up to Labor by a 1970 merger between Gorham Day weekend. The work will be State College and the University of done overnight. While there is an Maine at Portland, it has retained a additional cost for doing work at regional identity with campuses in night, according to Ted Talbot of the Portland, Gorham, and Lewiston. Maine Department of Transportation Gorham has been a college town (MDOT), limitations were listed in since the Gorham Normal School the contract when the project was was founded in 1878. When the state bid so these were anticipated costs teacher’s college became part of and included within the original con- the Maine University System it was tract price. Those restrictions do not known locally as Pogo. After its name allow lane closures between 7 a.m. was changed to the University of to 7 p.m. from Main Street to Robie Southern Maine in 1978, the campus Street based on traffic volumes. at the center of town continued to Photo credit Leslie Dupuis Commuters do have the option to expand with new buildings, dorms, utilize the bypass to avoid that section and athletic facilities. “While I don’t know how the could reflect our growing ties to the of town, and the MDOT encourages Not surprisingly, some Gorham res- name change process will play out,” city of Portland.” The university just people to take alternate routes to idents have expressed concern about President Cummings said, “I do received a $1 million gift to design prevent delays, however, Talbot said the impact a name change would have know that USM’s commitment to a new Center for the Arts on the most of the traffic on South Street is on the town and on the university. our Gorham campus is steadfast and Portland campus. either coming from Fort Hill Road, Gary Johnson, a USM faculty mem- unwavering.” He emphasized that the The administration has hired pub- Main Street East or is heading to Main ber and Gorham resident, said, “I new Master Plan “includes exciting lic relations and marketing research Street from the South to conduct busi- cringe at President Cummings sugges- initiatives to build new housing on firms to survey perceptions of USM ness in town. This traffic would not be tion because it effectively erases the the Gorham campus, improve existing to determine if a name change would using the bypass anyway. Gorham and Lewiston campuses from buildings there, and develop a new increase interest in attending the uni- Some residents have questioned the university’s public image.” and transformational campus heart.” versity, particularly among potential the quality of the overlay from the State Representative Andrew Robert Stein, USM Executive out-of-state students. They will also bypass on South Street to Weeks MacLean, however, sees this process Director of Public Affairs, told the survey the university community and Road which was completed mid- as “an opportunity to reimagine not Portland Press Herald that there has alumni. Any potential change would August. Talbot confirmed that the only the name and brand, but the been a positive reaction to the pro- involve approval from both the first pavement lift is just a shim institution’s role in shaping Maine’s posed “University of Maine Portland” University of Maine System trustees course to address any deficiencies in economic future.” name and that “a name change and the Maine State Legislature. the existing roadway. This will be fol- lowed by a final lift of surface pave- ment. The section that has not yet Gorham been paved will also receive a shim Buxton Man Killed in course prior to the final lift. Bypass Accident Sightings SHERI FABER Bressette either fell asleep or was Staff Writer distracted. Neither alcohol nor speed appear to have been factors. Chief On August 28, at about 5:30 a.m., Jones noted there was nothing the Jason Bressette, 38, of Buxton, was truck driver could have done to avoid on his way to work. While on the the accident. bypass, between Rts. 202 and 114, The bypass was closed for nine about half a mile from the round- hours after the accident as minor about on South Street, Bressette fluid leaks from the engines of both crossed the center line and went vehicles had to be cleaned up. In onto the shoulder on the opposite addition, the fuel had to be removed side of the road. He corrected his from the tractor trailer prior to mov- direction but wound up turning his ing it. DEP was on site to ensure the Ford Explorer in front of a tractor safe transfer of fuel from the dam- trailer carrying fuel. aged tractor trailer to another vehicle. Check Out Bressette was killed in the acci- The accident is under investiga- dent. The driver of the tractor trailer tion and being reconstructed by Photo credit Chris Crawford did not suffer any injuries. Police the Gorham Police Department and Our Back to Chief Dan Jones speculated that Maine State Police. Do you know where in Gorham this photo was taken? Join our visual trivia discussion by entering your best guess on our Face- School Photos insidetheTimes book page at www.facebook.com/gorham- times or email us at gorhamtimes@gmail. 4 Living 14 Community 10 Sports 15 Classified com. The photo in the August 23 issue is on Page 8 5 Municipal 7 School 15 Calendar 15 Blotter the bird feeder at 22 Green St. 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 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 Lowering Health Care Costs —— The Gorham Times is a free volunteer-run community newspaper distributed every other SEN. AMY VOLK Believe it or not, information is one and procedures before scheduling them Thursday to more than 100 pick-up sites of the best ways to lower health care so they have the information needed to throughout Gorham. Over the last few months, I have costs. For example, it is frequently make the best financial, as well as medi- —— heard many people express concerns cheaper to pay for prescription drugs cal, choice. News [email protected] Sports [email protected] regarding the ever-increasing cost of out-of-pocket than it is to use insurance. Legislation which I sponsored, “An Features [email protected] medical care and how those costs are The public rarely learns this secret due Act to Improve Access to Cost-Effective Of Interest [email protected] cutting into many family budgets. In to “gag clauses” between insurance Health Care Services” was folded into Calendar item [email protected] 2008, Forbes identified medical expens- companies and pharmacies. These the “Right to Shop” bill and allows out- Advertising gorhamtimesadvertising@ es as the number one reason that communication contracts prevent phar- of-network provider costs to be applied gmail.com or 839-8390 School News [email protected] Americans file for bankruptcy. macists from letting consumers know toward a deductible as long as they are —— Surprisingly, they found that 78 per- when a prescription is priced lower less than or equal to state average. This SUBSCRIPTIONS cent of medical bankruptcy filers were than their co-pay. As a result, we unwit- gives you more options on where to $18/year in Gorham; $23/year elsewhere actually insured, debunking the myth tingly pay more for prescription medica- receive care. $13/year for college subscription that medical bills only financially cripple tions nearly a quarter of the time (23%). Pricing transparency injects much- Subscriptions and renewals are available online on our website. those who lack insurance. Paying more than necessary for pre- needed competition into the health care —— In 2011, Maine passed health insur- scription drugs is troubling for many marketplace. Studies have revealed great General Manager: Bruce Hepler ance reform that became Public Law 90. reasons, particularly since it should discrepancies in billing rates between Editor: Leslie Dupuis Unfortunately, the new law was only be the job of the insurance company’s facilities in Maine that are geographically Business Manager: Stacy Sallinen in effect for 18 months before being pharmacy benefits manager to nego- close to each other with no correlation Advertiser Coordinator: Stacy Sallinen Design/Production: Shirley Douglas superseded by the ACA. However, in tiate the best price for medications. between higher pricing and the quality Staff Writers: Jacob Adams, Kathy Corbett, that time Anthem sought to increase However, the White House Council of of service.