NEW! This paddling community tourism experience is a fantastic way to explore the City of Westbrook from a new perspective and enjoy the natural beauty and serenity of the Presumpscot River.
Plan your paddling adventure today and experience Westbrook, Maine, like never before!
BOOK HERE: https://mainstreetmaine.org/paddle-on-the-presumpscot/
#westbrookmaine #visitmaine #paddlemaine #ecotourism #maineoutdoors #mainelife
I had so much fun spinning spooky tunes and chilling with some cool cats (and humans) at #MEowLounge in #WestbrookMaine tonight. Here is my setlist.
1. You, the Night and Music - #TonesOnTail
2. Through This Collapse - #Zanias
3. Hidden Hand - #VoidVision
4. Here and Now - #AndroidLust
5. Too late, all gone - #HowToDestroyAngels (with #TrentReznor)
6. Haunted Symbols - #ForeverGrey
7. Wax and Wane - #CocteauTwins
8. Control - #PleasureSymbols
9. Going Backwards - #DepecheMode
10. Witches - #SwitchbladeSymphony
11. A Failure - #Lycia
12. Face the Fire - #BoyHarsher
13. Spellbound - #Siouxsie & The Banshees
14. Medusa - #ClanOfXymox
15. Is Everything Real? - #TheFrozenAutumn
16. If Love Is Just a Word - #BleibModern
17. Come Feel - #AllYourSisters
18. Sleep - #SecondStill
19. The Last Thing - #LebanonHanover
Link to Spotify version:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5FBwxEQi3DakJqq95b8WRz?si=92503680f9144461
#CatLounge #GothPetACat #MaineGoths #SpookySeason #CatsOMastodon #VoidCats #GothMusic #FridayNightMusic #Darkwave #Gothember
Meow Lounge is a safe, comfortable space where people cat spend time with adoptable cats. Each week there are different activities, including Trivia, Game and Movie Nights. There is also a cat related gift shop, focusing on Maine Made items.
#ScarboroughMaine Town Council rescinds support for #GorhamConnector
The 6-1 vote on the resolution follows increasing opposition among town residents to the controversial $331 million, 5-mile highway, which would affect 35 property owners in town.
by Drew Johnson
10/2/2024
"The vote was not unexpected; a majority of councilors had voiced support for the resolution at a meeting last month.
"Myles Smith, a member of the #MainersForSmarterTransportation group that organized a rally outside Town Hall Wednesday night, commended the council for taking up the resolution.
"'We’ve heard a lot of people say, ‘There’s nothing we can do about this project,’ ‘It’s a done deal,’ or ‘It’s decided by the state,’ ' Smith said. 'But that’s not true. When people come together and stand up for what they believe in, and our elected leaders listen to their concerns, we can make changes that people want to see in their community.'
"The resolution rescinds the council’s support for the connector, citing the failure of the #MaineTurnpikeAuthority to fulfill the terms of its agreement with Scarborough and three other communities, as well as town residents’ widespread opposition to the project.
"The resolution is not binding on future councils and leaves open the possibility of collaborating with state and regional transportation groups to resolve traffic issues should such efforts garner significant public support.
"The Maine Turnpike Authority, Scarborough, Gorham, South Portland and Westbrook signed an agreement in May 2022 pledging support for the project. While those other communities have not officially considered withdrawing their support, officials in the other municipalities have been watching the Scarborough council’s deliberations closely as public opposition to the project mounts.
"The project, estimated to cost at least $331 million, was proposed by the turnpike authority to alleviate traffic congestion through the Gorham area and has been contentious from the outset.
"The four-lane, 5-mile connector would stretch from Route 114 at the Gorham Bypass into Scarborough with interchanges at County and Running Hill roads before linking up with Interstate 95 at Exit 45 in South Portland. It’s designed to alleviate traffic in other parts of those communities, such as on Route 114 and Route 22, which provide connections to the highway.
"According to a turnpike authority presentation to the Scarborough council in February, about 50 landowners would be impacted by the project via easements, 35 of them in Scarborough. The connector also would weave through #wetlands in the northern portion of town, sparking #environmental concerns.
"The preferred path also is set to cut through a portion of #SmilingHillFarm in #WestbrookMaine, a family-owned farm on 500 acres that has been in the Knight family for 13 generations, which spurred widespread opposition to the project.
"'I’m hoping today that the Town Council members decide to put a pause on this and to talk to the MTA about finding alternate routes or scrapping this project altogether,' Ben Wallace, a 12th-generation farmer at Smiling Hill Farm, said ahead of the vote."
Original article:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/10/02/scarborough-town-council-votes-to-rescind-support-for-gorham-connector-project/
Archived version:
https://archive.md/dkvkB#selection-2485.0-2541.254
#Maine #MaineNews #SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamBypass #SaveSmilingHill #GorhamSpur
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl #SaveRedBrook #ProtectTheWetlands #BrookTrout
Workshop in #ScarboroughMaine Wednesday, September 18th
Community group opposing #GorhamConnector discusses alternatives
A coalition run by volunteers, #MainersForSmarterTransportation , held a community forum about the Gorham Connector, with all present opposing it.
"Offering alternatives to the connector, Gorham resident Tina Ruel talked about traveling this summer in Switzerland and France and riding aboard electric trams on tracks and buses. 'Building more roads and widening roads is no longer the answer,' Ruel said in a printed statement to the American Journal."
by Robert Lowell, September 12, 2024
"Opponents of the proposed #MaineTurnpike toll connector to Gorham spoke out last week in a community forum held in Westbrook.
"A grassroots coalition, Mainers for Smarter Transportation, organized the meeting. It has more than 11,000 signatures on a petition to halt the connector, according to its website m4st.org.
"#SmarterTransportation volunteer Myles Smith of Portland said the connector could cost upward of $400 to $500 million and quality of life suffers when new roads are constructed. '#Highways often lead to #sprawl, Smith said.
"Two ways to solve transportation problems, Paul Drinan, who is a member of Westbrook Recreation and #Conservation Commission, said, are #RapidTransit and active transportation such as #bicycling and #ElectricScooters.
The proposed 4.8-mile connector would link the Bernard Rines Bypass in Gorham to Turnpike Exit 45 in South Portland. It is aimed at easing bumper-to-bumper, rush-hour congestion in the routes 22 and 114 commuter corridor through #GorhamMaine, #ScarboroughMaine and #WestbrookMaine. The connector alignment would cut a 50-acre swath through historic #SmilingHillFarm.
"Retired Gorham tax assessor Mike D’Arcangelo said Maine is a tourist mecca and the state’s beauty needs protection. 'Are we going to put in a forever, four-lane highway?' he said.
"The Scarborough Town Council will discuss the Gorham connector in a workshop scheduled for 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, at the Scarborough Municipal Building, 259 Route 1."
Original article:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/09/12/community-group-opposing-gorham-connector-discusses-alternatives/
Archive:
https://archive.md/CrtWs
#InducedDemand #Sprawl #SaveRedBrook #SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #GorhamBypass
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #SaveTheForest #Wildlife #LightRail #HuskyLine #RapidBusTransit #BikeLanes #MainersForSmarterTransportation #MaineTurnpikeAuthority
Grassroots group’s report sharply criticizes #GorhamConnector proposal
#MainersForSmarterTransportation recommends alternatives to the project as #ScarboroughMaine town councilors consider calling for changes to address growing public concerns.
September 5, 2024
by Kelley Bouchard
“Tyson and others say the connector proposal is based on stale #commuter data and obsolete #highway design goals in an attempt to shave an average of 4 minutes off morning and evening drive times. They question the design, cost, safety and need for the project, as well as its impact on the #environment, regional economy and overall quality of life in #SouthPortland, Scarborough, #WestbrookMaine, #GorhamMaine and beyond.
"#M4ST is a coalition of individuals, nonprofits and other groups seeking alternatives to highway expansion in #GreaterPortland. So far, over 12,000 Mainers have signed the group’s petition calling for a halt to planning the Gorham Connector.
"Coalition members include #GrowSmartMaine, #TroutUnlimited, #SierraClubMaine Chapter, #SmilingHillFarm, #MovingMaineNetwork, #PortlandBikePed Advisory Committee and Westbrook #SafeMobility and Access Committee.“
Original article:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/09/05/gorham-connector-target-of-grassroots-groups-report/
Archive:
https://archive.md/axABu
#SaveRedBrook #SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #GorhamBypass
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #SaveTheForest #Wildlife #LightRail #HuskyLine #RapidBusTransit #BikeLanes #MainersForSmarterTransportation #MaineTurnpikeAuthority
Upcoming meeting! Find out about alternatives to the #GorhamConnector in Southern #Maine! #LessCars, #MorePublicTransportation!
Gorham Notes: Aug. 29, 2024
by Robert Lowell
"Gorham connector forum
#MainersForSmarterTransportation have a community forum planned from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, at the #WestbrookMaine Community Center on the proposed Gorham Connector to the #MaineTurnpike.
"The #MaineTurnpikeAuthority is proposing a 5-mile, four-lane connector from the roundabout on Gorham’s South Street to Exit 45 in South Portland.
The plan calls for the connector to slice through #SmilingHillFarm and has generated an extensive public outcry. The connector is aimed at easing the heavy commuter traffic in the routes 22 and 114 corridor through #GorhamMaine, #ScarboroughMaine and Westbrook."
Original article [may be behind paywall]:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/08/29/gorham-notes-aug-29/
Archive:
https://archive.md/qDpDR#selection-2399.0-2413.250
#SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #GorhamBypass #SaveSmilingHill #GorhamSpur
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl #SaveRedBrook
Gorham connector forum Mainers for Smarter Transportation have a community forum planned from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, at the Westbrook Community Center on the proposed Gorham Connector to the Maine Turnpike. The Maine Turnpike Authority is proposing a 5-mile, four-lane connector from the roundabout on Gorham’s South Street to Exit 45 in […]
How #NoisePollution from humans is wreaking havoc on U.S. #wildlife
Nation Jul 18, 2017 2:20 PM EDT
"As transportation networks expand and urban areas grow, noise from sources such as vehicle engines is spreading into remote places. Human-caused noise has consequences for wildlife, entire #ecosystems and people. It reduces the ability to hear natural sounds, which can mean the difference between life and death for many animals, and degrade the calming effect that we feel when we spend time in wild places."
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/noise-pollution-humans-wreaking-havoc-u-s-wildlife
#biodiversity #GorhamConnector #SaveSmilingHillFarm #SaveRedBrook #SaveTheForest #WorkingFarms #MaineTurnpikeAuthority #Sprawl #InducedDevelopment #GorhamSpur #Wetlands #Meadows #EnvironmentalImpact
#SaveTheWoods #Maine #GorhamMaine #ScarboroughMaine #WestbrookMaine #AnthropogenicNoise
Understanding Wildlife Behavioral Responses to Traffic Noise and Light to Improve Mitigation Planning
Product Type: Policy Brief
Publication Date: June 09, 2020
"As roads and other developed land uses proliferate, the resulting habitat fragmentation and loss of wildlife connectivity hinder animals’ ability to forage, establish new territories, and maintain genetic diversity. Wildlife crossing structures such as culverts and bridges theoretically can reduce these impacts by allowing species to effectively cross highways. However, previous research has shown that traffic presence and density can disrupt wildlife use of highway crossing structures, and that noise and light from human activities can affect animal behavior. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, Road Ecology Center measured traffic noise and light levels and placed motion- and heat-triggered cameras at 26 bridges and culverts along four interstate highways, 11 state highways and one major county road across California. The presence and behavior of animals at these highway crossing structures were compared to those detected at sites unaffected by roads to understand the effects of noise and light from a highway on wildlife behavior. This policy brief summarizes findings from that research and provides policy implications.
"Traffic moving on transportation corridors affects wildlife connectivity. Many wildlife species move across road surfaces, or through culverts and bridges, with varying levels of success depending on species, infrastructure and traffic levels. As roads and other developed land uses proliferate, the resulting habitat fragmentation and loss of wildlife connectivity hinder animals’ ability to forage, establish new territories, and maintain genetic diversity. Wildlife crossing structures such as culverts and bridges theoretically can reduce these impacts by allowing species to effectively cross highways. However, the physical roadway barrier may not be the only deterrent. Previous research has shown that traffic presence and density can disrupt wildlife use of highway crossing structures, and that noise and light from human activities can affect animal behavior."
#GorhamConnector #SaveSmilingHillFarm #SaveRedBrook #SaveTheForest #WorkingFarms #MaineTurnpikeAuthority #Sprawl #InducedDevelopment #GorhamSpur #Wetlands #Meadows #EnvironmentalImpact
#SaveTheWoods #Maine #GorhamMaine #ScarboroughMaine #WestbrookMaine #RapidTransit
This policy brief summarizes findings from research that examined the presence and behavior of animals at highway crossing structures to understand the effects of noise and light from a highway on wildlife behavior.
I'm planning on submitting a summary of these studies as part of my arguments against the #GorhamConnector. I grew up near a 4-lane highway, and the vibrations and noise pollution were constant -- I hadn't realized how bad it was until I went back home a few years ago and camped in my old backyard -- and felt every speeding tractor trailer truck going by.
Evidence of the impact of noise pollution on biodiversity: a systematic map
By Romain Sordello, Ophélie Ratel, Frédérique Flamerie De Lachapelle, Clément Leger, Alexis Dambry & Sylvie Vanpeene
Environmental Evidence volume 9, Article number: 20 (2020)
"Ecological research now deals increasingly with the effects of #NoisePollution on #biodiversity. Indeed, many studies have shown the impacts of #AnthropogenicNoise and concluded that it is potentially a threat to the persistence of many species. The present work is a systematic map of the evidence of the impacts of all anthropogenic noises (industrial, urban, transportation, etc.) on biodiversity. This report describes the mapping process and the evidence base with summary figures and tables presenting the characteristics of the selected articles."
https://environmentalevidencejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13750-020-00202-y
#SaveSmilingHillFarm #SaveRedBrook #SaveTheForest #WorkingFarms #MaineTurnpikeAuthority #Sprawl #InducedDevelopment #GorhamSpur
#Wetlands #Meadows #EnvironmentalImpact
#SaveTheWoods #Maine #GorhamMaine #ScarboroughMaine #WestbrookMaine #RapidTransit
Background Ecological research now deals increasingly with the effects of noise pollution on biodiversity. Indeed, many studies have shown the impacts of anthropogenic noise and concluded that it is potentially a threat to the persistence of many species. The present work is a systematic map of the evidence of the impacts of all anthropogenic noises (industrial, urban, transportation, etc.) on biodiversity. This report describes the mapping process and the evidence base with summary figures and tables presenting the characteristics of the selected articles. Methods The method used was published in an a priori protocol. Searches included peer-reviewed and grey literature published in English and French. Two online databases were searched using English terms and search consistency was assessed with a test list. Supplementary searches were also performed (using search engines, a call for literature and searching relevant reviews). Articles were screened through three stages (titles, abstracts, full-texts). No geographical restrictions were applied. The subject population included all wild species (plants and animals excluding humans) and ecosystems. Exposures comprised all types of man-made sounds in terrestrial and aquatic media, including all contexts and sound origins (spontaneous or recorded sounds, in situ or laboratory studies, etc.). All relevant outcomes were considered (space use, reproduction, communication, etc.). Then, for each article selected after full-text screening, metadata were extracted on key variables of interest (species, types of sound, outcomes, etc.). Review findings Our main result is a database that includes all retrieved literature on the impacts of anthropogenic noise on species and ecosystems, coded with several markers (sources of noise, species concerned, types of impacts, etc.). Our search produced more than 29,000 articles and 1794 were selected after the three screening stages (1340 studies (i.e. primary research), 379 reviews, 16 meta-analyses). Some articles (n = 19) are written in French and all others are in English. This database is available as an additional file of this report. It provides an overview of the current state of knowledge. It can be used for primary research by identifying knowledge gaps or in view of further analysis, such as systematic reviews. It can also be helpful for scientists and researchers as well as for practitioners, such as managers of transportation infrastructure. Conclusion The systematic map reveals that the impacts of anthropogenic noises on species and ecosystems have been researched for many years. In particular, some taxonomic groups (mammals, birds, fishes), types of noise (transportation, industrial, abstract) and outcomes (behavioural, biophysiological, communication) have been studied more than others. Conversely, less knowledge is available on certain species (amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates), noises (recreational, military, urban) and impacts (space use, reproduction, ecosystems). The map does not assess the impacts of anthropogenic noise, but it can be the starting point for more thorough synthesis of evidence. After a critical appraisal, the included reviews and meta-analyses could be exploited, if reliable, to transfer the already synthesized knowledge into operational decisions to reduce noise pollution and protect biodiversity.
MAIN STREET MAINE
ShadowPlay
DoomsdaysCW
