Margery Niblock

A Few Odd Things—All of Them Dumb!

Excuse me . . .

These are twin parking meters located on Myrtle Street, right outside City Hall near the entrance to the Merrill Auditorium.

This is a pole that had one of these parking meters attached to its top. The meters are missing.

Police had received a call about two men tampering with those meters. By an odd coincidence, when they were driving around the area in response to that call, they happened upon two 33-year-old Portland men, who had the meters in their possession.

They were strolling down a street a couple of blocks away, with the evidence handily apparent. Since they didn't have a good reason to be carrying these double parking meters at 1:30 in the morning (or any other time), they were arrested for theft, criminal mischief, receiving stolen property, and possession of burglary tools.

Hey, It's Moldy in Here!

Gardening is a wonderful pastime. That's an accepted fact. It isn't too often that it can get someone placed into police custody either.

A 26-year-old whose thinking cap wasn't properly adjusted, called his landlord to complain about mold in the house he was renting. He would later realize the full implications of that phone call.

The landlord showed up at the property with a roofing contractor, in order to find the mold problem's cause. When they reached the basement they came upon the reason: 123 marijuana plants being cultivated with grow lights.

[Example of Indoor Grow]

Police were called and the man was arrested. Two and a quarter pounds of processed marijuana were also found in the dwelling. The indoor farmer was charged with unlawful trafficking in drugs and his indoor grow was confiscated as evidence.

Illiterate Criminal Mischief Maker

The message on the window of my car (the FlameMobile) was discovered upon exiting a restaurant after a delicious Thai dinner. The car had been dubbed with that delightful name by Ed King, the editor of The West End NEWS. There was a period of time when the FlameMobile helped Ed on his newspaper delivery rounds. That was a couple of years ago, before I began writing the "police-beat" articles. So you might say I've worked my way up in the organization.

I sent the photo to a few friends. One wrote back with a possible explanation, which was "Maybe he/she thought you were in HR, and had initiated a round of layoffs." Nice try, Kate!

It was written with some sort of white grease pencil, which comes off very easily. And it reminded me of the first time I'd taken this car to fill up the gas tank. The young man at the service station said "I really like the fire flames on your car." He knew nothing about redundancy, obviously.

And speaking about service stations and filling up . . .

. . . It's My First Time!

I was horrified to see this sign in the station where I normally go to fill up my gas tank. That's because I had never put the gas in myself, nor had I ever planned to. I'd pulled in, seen the sign, and pulled right out. I had to let my mind become accustomed to the idea that this was going to represent a major change in my lifestyle.

I went to the supermarket, which had been my destination, and after purchasing my groceries decided to return to the gas station and attempt to get my own gas.

I read the directions carefully and slowly. Then I thought I'd done what I was told to do. But I hadn't lifted the lever up. So I began pumping "nothing" into my gas tank. I watched the numbers, which did not move. A woman came out of the building and told me what the problem was.

I pumped $15 worth of gas and then made sure I put the pump back the way it was. Whew! I figured it would be easier the next time. Of course anyone reading this has probably been doing this routine since teenage years, so it must seem quite ridiculous. But when you start to do something at age 70, it can be a big deal, especially if you're fearful of the process to begin with.

That evening I was out to dinner with a friend and we were discussing the issue of self-service gas stations. She was not a proponent of the do-it-yourself method either. As we chatted, I said "I wonder if I put the cap back on my gas tank." She thought that I must have, since that would be one of the last things you'd see before replacing the pump. But I just had a feeling that I hadn't.

When I was dropped off a short time later, I headed right for the rear of my car. And this is what I saw.

Thank goodness the cap was attached! Hopefully, I'll remember this final step of replacing the cap and closing the little trap door next time I go for gas.

Clowning Around

A performance artist who had been working in the downtown area called police to say that someone had just stolen his red clown nose and his rainbow-colored socks.

He gave a good description of the would-be clown, and police searched the immediate area looking for a match. They discovered someone walking nearby who fit the suspect's particulars; the man was then stopped and searched.

And guess what they found in his possession?

I don't know which style of rainbow-colored socks they found, but I'm partial to the ones with those wonderful toes. The man had a red clown nose and rainbow-colored socks.

So our street performer was able to get his paraphernalia back, and the wannabe clown was charged with theft.

Tragedy for Portland Police Department

The mood was somber as Chief Tim Burton and Westbrook’s Chief William Baker conducted a joint press conference at 11 AM, May 6, at Police Headquarters to announce that Sergeant Robert Johnsey, 37, a member of the Portland Police Department since August 1999, died last night at Maine Medical Center, as the result of an "accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound" to the leg. The gun involved was the officer’s Smith & Wesson semiautomatic service weapon. Baker called this type of event "the ultimate tragedy."

Burton said there is "extended trauma at the Portland Police Department. We all share a common bond and a common goal. When struck by these tragedies, we all feel it." He praised Johnsey as being a "kindhearted, solid family man who took his job seriously. He was a good man." Burton stated "On a personal note, this is a very tragic moment for us. We have lost a valued colleague and a good friend."

Johnsey was deployed to the Middle East in 1990 with the 143rd Military Police Company as part of his Army National Guard service, returning from active duty in April of 1991. He had extensive employment in the field of law enforcement before joining the Portland Police Department, having worked for the Connecticut Department of Corrections, the United States Department of Corrections, and as a Deputy with the Collier County Sheriff's Office in Florida.

Johnsey received numerous commendations, recognition, and letters of appreciation from the public during his service in Portland. He was an Honor Guard member, a Crisis Intervention Specialist, and a certified K-9 handler, named as supervisor of the K-9 Unit in December 2007. He was assigned to the Evening Directed Patrol Unit.

Detective Sergeant Robert Martin worked closely with Johnsey and mentioned his affinity for military history and battlefields, stating, "If they went to Pennsylvania for a vacation, they went to Gettysburg." Martin said "He was a good guy."

The officer’s wife Carol called 911 and officers from Westbrook’s police department responded to the crisis at the family's home. Chief Baker stated "The impact is significant for officers in Westbrook." Those officers "made a valiant effort" to save Johnsey by applying a tourniquet.

Johnsey had two children, a daughter, Rachel, who is twelve and an eleven-year-old son. It was reported that after learning of his dad’s death, his son Alexander Joseph, said "I guess I’m the man of the house now."

The flag at Police Headquarters has been lowered to half-mast and will remain that way until the day after Sergeant Johnsey's funeral.

The Latest Addiction: Cell-Phone Mania

Officer Kent Porter received a call last fall, late in the afternoon, about two teenagers who had stolen DVDs at Guitar Grave, in Portland's downtown area. Porter was met by the store’s owner who said he’d chased one of the thieves down Elm Street and then lost him near Portland High School.

During the chase the youth dropped his cell phone, which was turned over to the officer.

After Porter saw a number for "Mom," he dialed it, got her name and address, and was told her son wasn’t home yet. Now that's making good use of a cell phone. I approve of that!

Police were waiting to arrest the teenage thief upon his arrival. And speaking of Officer Kent Porter, what a name! Whenever I hear it, I always think he should go to Hollywood with that moniker.

What! You Don't Have a Cell Phone?

And now to get back to cell phones, lest I get too distracted. I may be the only person in Portland without a cell phone, and that would include most high school students. I don't need one! I don't have to be available to people every minute of the day. That's the purpose of an answering machine, which I do have.

How about those folks at the supermarket gabbing on their cells? What are they talking about? Whether to purchase Wonder Bread or focaccia?

And then there are all of those people supposedly walking along together; but in so many instances, one of them is blabbing into a mouthpiece.

 

I see people on cell phones walking with their children; people on cell phones walking dogs;   people on cell phones walking alone; people supposedly driving cars who are yakking on cell phones.

I do understand that cell phones have an important function today. They are certainly necessary for people who have professions where they may be called for emergencies. But I've also read that some women carrying cell phones will place themselves into potentially risky situations because they believe the phone carries such an element of safety. That isn't a good thing.

A Carnegie Mellon University study just released has shown that merely listening to a cell phone while driving impairs drivers. The study will be appear in an upcoming edition of Brain Research.

Cell phones are just everywhere. You can't escape them. There are too many cell-phone users who are also inconsiderate of everyone else around them. Restaurants are not places where you should hear ringtones going off every few minutes. There are probably a million different ringtones available, so that everyone with a cell phone can be truly unique. There should be a ban on their use in these establishments.

I'm sure you've come across people who have their hands free while walking down the street and talking on a phone. When you first approach them you get the impression that they're talking to themselves. But they aren't. They're probably speaking to some other nincompoop who's walking down another street spouting gibberish into a phone.

Perhaps cell phones will be given to children at birth. Then they can fit into our manic telephone society as soon as they begin walking and talking.

"Hello Nana!"

Cell Phones and the Hereafter

And would you believe that some people are desirous of being buried with their cell phones?

I'm not really interested in putting profanity on this site, but when someone sent me this road sign, how could I resist? It just sums it all up so well, and so succinctly.

Amen!

Winter Events

The Portland Police Department held its third annual Recognition Ceremony at a breakfast event held at the Holiday Inn by the Bay.

Officer of the Year

Officer Robert Bickford was proclaimed Officer of the Year. Bob has been a member of the force since 1987. He's assigned to the Traffic Unit and has received numerous commendations during his years of service. He's also a very nice guy, and a credit to this community.

Congratulations, Bob!

Citizen Award

The young man in the center is John Lough, a nineteen-year-old Portland resident, who was given a citizen award for coming to the aid of a man who had been stabbed.

Tom Kane, (a former Mayor of our fair city) along with his wife Maureen and son Jimmy, were also in attendance, since John Lough is their neighbor. That's Jimmy seated to the left of John Lough.

Commissioned Painting Unveiled

Detective Sergeant Bruce Coffin unveiled a large painting he was commissioned to do by the Police Unions, depicting a roll call from the 1940s. It will be installed at Headquarters on Middle Street.

That's Chief Tim Burton on the left and Bruce Coffin on the right. If you'd like to see more of Bruce's paintings, read my article "Bruce Coffin: No Shortage of Talent."

Snow, Snow, and Yet More Snow

It seems as though it has snowed every second or third day this winter. It's quite beautiful, although it does make getting around somewhat difficult. We've already used up the money allotted for snow removal this year, as have most of the other Maine communities.

Beautiful Winter Sunset

A phone call from my friend (and neighbor) Dave Brackett, alerted me to the lovely color of the sunset behind the snowy treetops.

It's great to have people that are willing to take the time to let you know that something special is happening outside. Dave was also the person who alerted me to the presence of the barred owl around the corner.

An Odd Coincidence

[David Howe's roof creations]

My friend David Howe lent me this book, which he highly recommended. Titled American Ground: Unbuilding the World Trade Center, by William Langewiesche, it describes the daunting task of removing the 1.5 million tons of ruins from an incredibly dangerous site. And the author was there for six months, usually seven days a week; traversing the site day and night with those in charge of the massive cleanup (he refers to it as the "deconstruction"); attending meetings with the engineers. He became, in effect, part of the crew, and was privy to all of the problem solving that went on, and the many disagreements that came into play during the process.

Langewiesche states in the afterword that his aim was "to maintain the narrative's detachment," which he has done admirably well.

As an artist, I was very drawn to the cover illustration by Lynn Buckley. I kept looking at it from differing points of view; its vantage point and perspective; the drawn shapes; and the eeriness of the color. I found it fascinating.

That afternoon I received a handwritten card from Annette Dragon, a dear friend and talented photographer, who moved from Maine to Rochester several years ago. Her card had a reproduction of a Grant Wood painting on its cover.

I was startled when I saw the color of the fields in this painting. They were the same as those on the cover of the book I'd just gotten a few hours earlier. I placed the two objects side by side and just kept looking at them. These aren't colors that you'd normally run into placed next to one another, and especially in one day's time.

I e-mailed the two photos to my friend Kate O'Halloran, associated with the WMPG Thursday evening show "Big Talk," and this was her comment: "Interesting, too, how they're similar in color and tone, but different in texture—one all smooth and sinuous, the other uneven and crystalline."

Kate definitely has a way with words. I had been so focused on the color similarity that I hadn't even looked further.

House Portraits

My friend Nini, who lives around the corner, commissioned me to do a scratchboard portrait of her home. I had a great time working on this project and I hope to do more of them.

She got the original scratchboard and plans to have note cards done with this image. She said she may also want to use it on letterheads.

What's New? Snow!

Those tracks were not made by a cat. I think Mr. TinyToes (the skunk) has been venturing out in the snow. Poor thing! What's out there to eat these days? I wish I could help him get some nutrients. I'm quite fond of him and I miss seeing him, and those wonderful photo sessions we had last summer.

I'm starting a new scratchboard of him and I'll show you the finished product when I'm done.

Bruce Coffin: No Shortage of Talent

On Saturday, January 12, 2008, Detective Sergeant Bruce Coffin unveiled a large painting he was commissioned to do by the Police Unions, depicting a roll call from the 1940s. The event occurred at the third annual Portland Police Department's Recognition Ceremony, held at the Holiday Inn by the Bay.

It will be installed at Headquarters on Middle Street.

Doesn't it make you feel as though you're in an old detective movie?

That's Chief Tim Burton on the left and the very talented artist Bruce Coffin on the right.

Bruce Coffin is a tall, elegant man with the voice of a TV or radio announcer. He has been interested in art his entire life. As a youngster, he drew all the time. As is common with many children who have a talent for drawing, he was treated specially because of this artistic gift. Coffin has had no formal training, but his wife Karen encouraged him to pursue his love of art after Coffin’s mother showed her some of the things he’d created during his youth. Karen bought him lots of art supplies and signed him up for a short period of art lessons as a surprise. Coffins says "I picked it up quickly; I read and tried to do things on my own."

Coffin enjoys working with watercolors and oils, and especially likes the effects he can achieve using glazes on oil paintings. He has an affinity for the outdoors and enjoys painting landscapes.

He also likes to do portraits and has done many of deceased relatives of the people who commission him to do such paintings. "You get drawn into portrait work. I try to capture what those people appeared to be at their best; the way you’d want them remembered." Pet portraits are another area where Coffin excels, and he’s done numerous commissions of animals. Coffin also has a Web site featuring many fine examples of his work.

Coffin hit it off and became friendly with a local artist, Suran (Sam) Kaklegian, who had been in art his entire life. Kaklegian became his mentor and was "a huge influence. He gave me critiques that were really helpful. After Sam died I did a pencil drawing of him for his wife Suzanne."

All of the Wyeths are favorites of Coffin, particularly N. C. Wyeth, whose work he was fascinated with when reading books in childhood illustrated by him. Norman Rockwell is another artist that Coffin admires. "His portraits tell a story," says Coffin.

At the present time, Bruce Coffin’s art is a second career. He’s a Detective Sergeant working for the Portland Police Department, where he’s been on loan since 2004 to the Joint Terrorism Task Force. Coffin’s law enforcement career spans a 23-year period. He started out working a foot beat and has been in many different units, including patrol and traffic, where he investigated fatal accidents. Coffin joined the Detective Bureau in 1997 was promoted to Sergeant in 1998, rejoining the Detective Bureau as a Detective Sergeant in 1999, and holding that rank since then.

Coffin says that he has become more of an extrovert because of his art, and he enjoys combining his art and his law enforcement career. In 2006 Coffin did a portrait of Sergeant Michael J. Wallace, who was a beloved member of the Portland Police Department and had mentored many of the young officers. An award had just been named in Wallace’s honor and Coffin presented his painting at the department’s Recognition Ceremony, in 2007. The painting was very warmly received and now hangs in Headquarters.

Coffin shows his work in Portland’s summertime Sidewalk Art Festival and will be having an exhibit in August at The Gallery of Casco Bay Frames.

This painting of a sunrise over Portland's skyline was done from a view along Back Cove, where Coffin often jogs.

After retirement, he plans to work on his art full time, quipping, "I won’t be a starving artist because I’ll have a pension."

I hope you’ll mark down his opening date on your calendar.

Ending a Year, Starting a Year

Who Are Your Favorite People?

My friend Kate O'Halloran gave me this delightful little gift on the way to the party that is the next subject.

It's just too precious to hang in my car, so I placed it on a wall in my kitchen. What a perfect item for the "police-beat" reporter for The West End NEWS!

I felt I had to share it with some of the police personnel that I deal with on a regular basis, and sent the photo off to a few of them. Detective Sergeant Robert Martin, a highly-decorated officer with many commendations and citations, who also possesses a finely-honed wit, responded with the following e-mail.

"That is funny. It probably won't get you out of a ticket but it might get your window broken."

It was excellent cautionary advice from one who knows what he's talking about.

Here's the back of the air freshener; it's a little badge.

Glitter Party

I was invited to a solstice party on December 22, hosted by Hannah Holmes and John Dorvee, which happened to be—you got it—the solstice! Everyone attending was supposed to wear something that glittered. The sequined "butterfly" above is the blouse I wore. It was a good choice. I was the "glitteriest" person there. I thought I might be.

One of the men there, who admired my shiny blouse, after hearing me make mention of my leopard-skin tuxedo jacket, said he'd like to come to my home and see my wardrobe closet. That jacket was purchased for my "dinosaur" party, a terrific event, with a magician, and of course lots of good food and great company.

[rear view of tuxedo jacket]

Several of my parties wound up with titles as a way of distinguishing them: There was the dinosaur party, held at the Ethical Society of Philadelphia; the bumblebee party; the dog- fight party; the gun-that-went-off party. I'll just mention that it was a tavern owner whose gun went off while showing it to someone in my kitchen. Scary! Unknown to me, he was holstered up with three weapons; one across his chest (.45); one at his waist (.38); and one on his ankle (.22). There were three unarmed off-duty officers (two of them a married couple) in attendance at that one, one of whom left immediately. The others remained and the rest of the people at the party thought that a firecracker had gone off in the kitchen. The gun-toting friend was removed from my party list after that event.

I just went to check my e-mail and one had come in a couple of minutes ago from the detective whose wife (now ex-wife) whisked him out of my house right after the gun went off. The bullet landed in the kitchen door jamb and I never removed it, as a reminder of how very lucky I was that night.

These guys must know that I'm writing about them. I checked my e-mail once again, and had one from the officer whose wife (also a police officer) did not drag him out the front door of my home.

Memories, memories, now back to the solstice event. Then the man who was interested in my clothing, proposed to me. I'd be happy to have him come over and look into my closet, but as far as marriage, "been there; done that"; x 2! That was enough for me. Some people just aren't marriage material, and I think I'm one of those. I love men, I just don't love being married to any of them.

More Glitter—on Flowers

Folks, do you see those shiny spots on the flowers that look like sequins? It's glitter! This is almost as bad as those donut peaches I wrote about many months ago. Why would anyone need to put glitter on flowers?

Old Port Fight

Three young suburban men in their twenties, no doubt buoyed by high levels of alcohol and testosterone, were engaging in fisticuffs in the middle of the street, a quarter after the hour of the closing of the local drinking establishments.

A Portland Police Department sergeant on routine patrol, after viewing the scene, brought his vehicle to a halt and ordered the combatants to cease and desist. One of the men heeded the command but the other two, somewhat in lack of good sense, were bent on finishing what they had started.

The pummeler on top was arrested and charged with assault and the pummelee was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

One can only hope they were pleased with their accommodations at the Cumberland County Jail, whereby they would be able to contemplate the result of their foolishness in quiet reverie, and possibly forge some worthwhile New Year’s resolutions based on the evening’s events.

Safe Sex Isn't Free

On New Year's Day at three o'clock in the afternoon, a twenty-four-year-old person of the male persuasion, catering to his libidinous urges, entered a Rite Aid drugstore in search of condoms. He is to be commended for his desire to have safe sex; however, he either didn't want to pay the price of the aforementioned items, or couldn't afford to. Whatever.

He was seen stealing condoms, police were called, and the guy was arrested for theft. We can only hope that his detainment didn't last long enough to prevent him from purchasing those same items and having a better start to the new year.

And He Had . . . What?

A guy goes into a Big Apple at 11:30 in the evening. He's wearing a ski mask (but after all, it is Maine) and after being aggressive toward the staff, refuses to leave the premises.

An employee promptly called for the help of the men in blue and upon their arrival the prominent feature pertaining to this 45-year-old man was a wooden handle protruding from his left jacket pocket.

Guess what? Upon the removal of the wood from the pocket, it was discovered to have a steak knife attached to it. The gentleman was relieved of said item before being transported to jail and charged with carrying a concealed weapon and criminal trespass.

Owl Takes Up Residence in Neighborhood

A magnificent barred owl took up residence around the corner in a giant fir tree for several days. I was hoping it might be a more permanent move, that I might be able to visit it and take photos on a daily basis.

Barred owls and spotted owls are very similar in appearance. Barred owls live in the eastern portion of the country and spotted owls' habitats are in the western parts of the United States.

He's gone! I'm going to keep checking out that tree though, hoping to see him once again. It certainly was a winter treat.

Reckless Conduct, Snow, and Ice: A Bad Combination

We've had a lot of snow and ice in Portland, more than the usual amount. People here usually don't turn the snow and ice into weapons.

But that's what occurred when police responded to a call after being notified that a man was throwing large chunks of ice and snow into the street directly in front of passing vehicles, causing them to either swerve or slam on their brakes.

When Officer Kent Porter arrived at the scene at three in the afternoon he saw pieces of ice in the street that were so large they could have caused serious bodily injury or damage to property.

Officer Porter, a gentleman with a pleasant demeanor, explained the reason he was asking the 53-year-old Portland man to stop this particular activity. The guy's response was "Get a life!" And then he threw a large shovelful of ice and snow at the policeman.

The officer, who has a very nice life, part of which is protecting the public from jackasses such as this, decided it was time for this man to take a short ride to the jail. He was charged with reckless conduct and disorderly conduct.

'Tis the Season

My Latest Toy

I'm a child at heart. I love toys. I think that's one of the best things about being grown up, that I can buy anything I want for myself.

This little felt "monster" came from the Filament Gallery on Congress Street, run by Jill Dalton and Ernest Paterno. I've bought quite a few things there since they opened several years ago.

This is an argon sculpture created by Ernie, who does marvelous things with glass. It's a wonderful addition to my home, hanging on a wall in the living room.

And this delightful clock was also created by him.

A Beautiful Dog

This is Loki, an Akita. In Norse legend, Loki is the trickster god. A young man who lives around the corner owns Loki, and I met them in the park at the top of North Street.

Crushed Mail

This is a mail slot; a big one.

It's on the outside of the front door. It is eleven inches wide. I had it put in when I first bought this house (which I no longer own, although I still live here). I put in a large mail slot because transcripts were coming to me from a court stenographer in Philadelphia several times a week. I'd proofread them as soon as they arrived, make corrections, and drive them down to the post office so that the turnaround time would be fast.

There were also mailboxes on the front of the building, and the mailman was so clever he knew not to try and stuff a large envelope into a small mailbox. He really had an understanding of size and visual perspective. It helps in that line of work.

This is what the mail slot looks like on the inside of the door. It's still eleven inches wide!

The mail carrier who delivers to our building normally places the mail on a chair inside the hallway. I then sort it out for the three apartments and place the mail on the appropriate steps for floor 2 and floor 3. It works very well. The mailboxes outside are a little too small, especially when folks are dealing with Netflix.

I can always tell when we have a substitute delivering our mail. This is what the mail looks like on those occasions. This is my mailbox. Nicely done, isn't it?

This is what confronted me the other day when I stepped outside because I realized the mail hadn't been left on the chair. The young man who lives on the third floor was going out at the same time and when he saw my mailbox he said "What is wrong with this person?"

There was more than just cramming wrong with that person. I don't get Netflix; that was for James, who had just commented on my mailbox's appearance. So what was wrong was that the person either didn't know how to read or just didn't bother. And sometimes it's windy on the hill. Things might blow out of a mailbox loaded up like this. But who cares? Not that particular mail carrier, evidently. C'est la vie.

"Everybody Knows Marge" Birthday Mouse Pad

This was a most clever gift from my friend Kate. She got the idea after I'd told her about the handsome young man I'd been chatting with at the crazy carrots stand, which I'd written about a few weeks ago. He knew who I was and I didn't know who he was. When I'd asked how he knew me he said "Everybody knows Marge."

Kate thought that was pretty funny (and so did I), and she made this mouse pad to commemorate that statement. The flames are like the ones on my FlameMobile. It's all connected in one big circle.

Lots of December Snow

This was our first snowfall this December. It brought eight inches of whiteness and our first parking ban of the season. A few days later we got another four inches, and yesterday we got about a foot. That's a lot of snow for December. It's snowing again today and we may get another six to ten inches. It certainly seems as though we will have a white Christmas, which most people in Maine yearn for.

It's quite lovely to look at; driving is another thing entirely. And walking is quite another matter.

Seasonal Sweater

My son and daughter-in-law (Marc and Maria) got me this sweater a few years ago. I always look forward to wearing it. It is really warm. I've worn it when the temperature was only in the teens, as it was the other day, and it's fine. I get many compliments whenever I wear this. People stop me and say how much they like the sweater. And that's not just women. Many men make comments also. It's a garment that makes people smile, which is a very good thing.

Last year I decided that I could wear the sweater as long as there was snow on the ground. It's a winter sweater, not just one for Christmas. I think there's also a dreidel in one of those gift boxes.

Christmas at Police Headquarters

This is Deputy Chief Joe Loughlin with his boxer, PT. Joe (coauthor of Finding Amy) says the dog is "brave, trustworthy, loyal, helpful, courteous, and kind." He looks quite regal also. I would say that Joe has the same qualities. They're well paired.

Cheery Sun

Nance Parker, of the Shoestring Theater, had an exhibit of her paintings and some craft items this past weekend. I went for this papier-mâché sun in a big way and had to bring it home with me.

I've hung it on the outside of the bathroom door. I can see it when I'm working at the kitchen table and I'm really enjoying its bright personality.

Merry Christmas!

Cops and Robbers (with Car Chase)

A very small branch of the TD Banknorth was robbed on Friday, November 16, around one o'clock in the afternoon.

The robber had some nice portrait shots taken of him by the surveillance cameras. The quality of the photographs is amazing. You might think it would stop people from robbing banks and convenience stores.

The photos from the bank's cameras were sent to me late on the afternoon of the robbery, accompanying a press release issued by Lieutenant Anthony Ward of the Portland Police Department.

The press release stated: "A lone male entered the bank handing a teller a note demanding money. The perpetrator displayed no weapon and fled on foot after being given an undisclosed amount of cash. No one was injured in the robbery." A description was then given and a phone number for contacting police detectives was included.

Four days later, on November 20, my friend and neighbor Dave Brackett went out for dinner by himself. Dave does home remodeling and building, and does wonderful work. This trailer is his shop on wheels; he hauls it to the job site with his van, and then he has everything necessary to complete his work.

He went to Uncle Billy's for an early dinner, arriving around five, when it opened. He'd driven the van and parked on Congress Street, across and down a bit from the restaurant. His wife and children had gone to visit both sets of their parents in Massachusetts for Thanksgiving, and he was going to join them the next evening. He thought he'd have a pre-birthday celebration dinner at one of his favorite restaurants.

Dave had noticed some blue lights flashing outside while eating, and thought no more about it. This was downtown and it was rush hour, so he figured something was going on requiring police action. He was correct in his thinking.

When he reached his van after finishing dinner, he noticed that it was not in the same condition as it had been when he entered the restaurant.

When Dave had gone into Uncle Billy's for dinner, his van had a brake light and taillight. Those were now missing, but he saw the remnants of the objects in the street.

On that same evening, I attended a Neighborhood Watch meeting of the Bayside Neighbors Association. I arrived the same time as Karl Geib, an officer who patrols the downtown area on a bicycle, often riding with Dan Knight, another police pedaler. Dan also attended the meeting that evening.

These two officers are very visible and they provide a personal face to our police force. People recognize them and like seeing them; they've been in the same area for a long time and they do an excellent job.

Karl is pictured here, and that's Dan Knight's hat, taken at an award ceremony last year. They had just been mentioned in "The Dumpster" column of The West End NEWS, which said "Recent torrential rains didn't stop city's bike cops from their rounds."

Karl said "I have a 'scoop' for you! We just arrested the robber from the TD Banknorth holdup. There was a car chase and we got him." Even though "scoop" is not a word that has much meaning to me, given the paper's schedule, it's always nice to be in the "know." Just a few days prior, I'd used the word "scoop" in a conversation I'd had with Detective Sergeant Robert Martin. He'd said "The word 'scoop' shouldn't even be part of your vocabulary, with the biweekly format of your paper." How right he is! That was the only opportunity I'd had for a real scoop and the printer was delayed two days in coming out with that issue. Darn!

I got home from the meeting around 8:15 and there was a message from Dave Brackett on my answering machine. He said his van had been involved in a hit-and-run incident while he'd been having dinner. He didn't know anything else about it, but thought I might have some information to give him.

I called him back immediately and was able to tell him about the car chase downtown. I said it must have had something to do with that. And it did. The car had been a rental car from Enterprise.

The driver of the car was not the alleged bank robber, although he was in that car. Two women were also in the vehicle being chased. The car finally halted and the robber ran toward the Holiday Inn; he was caught close to that hotel. The car's driver was arrested and charged with trying to elude a police officer and leaving the scene of an accident.

The bank robber was charged with robbery. Good job!

And luckily Dave has an extra light that he can tack onto his van, which he needs for a big job that he's starting.

Hopefully the insurance companies won't take too long to sort everything out and assign damages to the proper agencies, which should not be Dave's insurance company. But I heard that Enterprise is saying they are not liable, so this may end up being a real mess and a hardship for poor Dave, who was an innocent bystander

Here's the van with the temporary hookup—which got Dave down to his family's Thanksgiving dinner.

The van is now in the shop, being repaired. I haven't found out the estimated cost yet, but you know it will be well over a thousand dollars. The sliding door on the damaged side is inoperable also, which will add to the cost.

Whenever I hear about things like this where there's a disagreement between insurance companies, it always brings me back to the days when I was a court reporter and I visualize deposition transcript captions in my mind.

The way I see this one now is:

                  DAVID BRACKETT T/A BRACKETT RENOVATIONS LLC

                                               vs. 

                              ENTERPRISE RENT-A-CAR, et al.

I hope things work out well for Dave, and that it doesn't become a prolonged battle. We shall see . . .

                                          

   

Turn Up the Heat

A gentleman of the transient variety found the evening temperatures of November in Maine to be a bit nippy, and a nap also seemed to be in order. He pondered his options for increasing the level of his warmth and having a good snooze, fixating on the Key Bank at Monument Square, one of downtown Portland's tallest edifices. It seemed as though they might have some suitable accommodations that would meet his desires of the moment.

The hour was approaching eleven, so he decided to go into the ATM vestibule to get some sleep.

How he gained entry is a mystery, since the door is always locked. The rule is that only one person at a time is supposed be inside that area. It was empty, so no rules were broken here. After going inside, he proceeded to try and sleep but the temperature wasn't conducive to slumber (evidently).

In order to warm things up a bit, he started a fire. Fires have a tendency to create warmth. The materials used to start the fire were paper bags and newspapers. Hopefully, he didn't burn up any copies of The West End NEWS during this process, even though it was suggested by a much-decorated police sergeant that this may have been the case; that the newspaper I write "police beat" articles for may have provided some of the materials used in the conflagration. They're really on top of everything in this town, I must say.

But wait a minute! Was I being taunted? Maybe that's what my editor meant when he said the other day "You think they're your friends; don't you?" Yes, I do. Aren't they?

No doubt the man lacking a mailing address neglected to read this important sign on the vestibule's outer door. And after all, fires do have a tendency to create smoke. But it was dark, and possibly the sign wasn't legible at that hour.

The resulting fire caused quite a stir in the area, which was basically empty at that time. A security guard was alerted, the fire department and the police department responded; lots of lights and sirens rushed to the scene. Sprinklers were activated, dousing the poor guy who just wanted some quiet time and warmth. The security guard tried to help him, but he resisted those attempts.

Our cold wanderer spent the rest of that night at the Cumberland County Jail, a facility possessing both warmth and dryness. Hopefully, after getting into a nice dry jumpsuit at the jail, the man was able to accomplish what he'd set out to do; get some sleep.

The results of this nocturnal escapade caused damages amounting to several thousand dollars, and arrest charges of criminal mischief, criminal trespass, and arson.

Give Me Your Money—and Some Cigarettes!

 

Two robbers, who were also smokers, went on an early-morning crime spree on October 12. At 6:29 A.M. a man with one of his hands inside a paper bag demanded money at the Big Apple at 754 Congress Street, stating he had a firearm. What was gained from this heist has not been divulged. The manager of the store said "We've been robbed eight times in the last two years."

At 8:39 A.M. of the same morning, Colucci's Market at Congress and North Streets was robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash and cigarettes after a man whose hand was in a paper bag said he had a handgun.

Dick Colucci, the store's owner, was at the register. Instead of handing money to the man, Colucci placed the cash drawer on the counter. When his daughter entered the store as the robbery was in progress, he called out to her, "Katrina, leave!"

She realized what was happening when she saw the cash drawer, exited the store, and immediately called 911 from her car.

Colucci went outside after the robbery and saw the suspect get into a van parked halfway down Congress Street. At this point his daughter turned the corner in her car, her dad got in, and they followed the vehicle, providing police dispatch with the van's location. They were about four or five cars behind. After passing Veranda Street, they were able to get close enough to provide police dispatch with a full description of the vehicle, including its license number.

"I wasn't trying to catch him, or do anything dangerous. I just wanted to see where he was going. I've had this store for 18 years and this is the first time anything like this has happened," Colucci said.

Before reaching Ocean Avenue they were told by the dispatcher to pull over to the side and stop their car. A police car then passed them and several more were visible up ahead, surrounding the getaway car. The driver and passenger were taken into custody at that time.

Subsequent investigation led to the arrest of two Portland residents, one 31 and the other 39, who were each charged with two counts of class B robbery. They are being held without bail at the Cumberland County Jail in Portland.

These are the two brands that were demanded by the gun-in-the-bag holdup man. We don't know which guy smokes which brand. Perhaps that will come out during their trial. I also wonder whether either of them smoked a cigarette while attempting their getaway. Of course the cigarette packs would now be in the Evidence Room of Police Headquarters. I will try to find out if there are 19 or 20 cigarettes in each pack. It's just one of those weird little things that arouses my curiosity. I had to ask Dick Colucci what brand of cigarettes were chosen. Oh, those details. They need answers.

The two Coluccis did a great job and the Portland Police Department was fantastic, starting with the dispatcher, and culminating in their smooth convergence and capture of the two suspects.