The South Portland Police Department has more than just vehicles to worry about on the Casco Bay Bridge. Portland police had to deal with a 34-year-old woman who on Nov. 22 threatened to jump into the Fore River on the Portland side of the bridge. Fortunately, the woman was saved by Lt. Jim Sweatt and Sgt. John Nueslein, who restrained her on a catwalk. South Portland Police stood by to play a supporting role and traffic was diverted for about 90 minutes while the bridge was closed in both directions. The same woman had tried to jump off the bridge the previous night but Portland officer Joshua Wiseman grabbed her arm and both were saved from falling over the side by Sgt. Julie Grabofsky and Officer Jeff Druan, who held on to Wiseman’s gun belt. The woman was admitted to Maine Medical Center for a psychological evaluation and released the following day. She returned to the bridge for her second suicide attempt in two days. The South Portland Police Department had four calls for service involving this same woman this year, according to Lt. Todd Bernard. The department has received seven reports of possible jumpers on the bridge this year. All were resolved without deaths or injuries.<< MORE >>

Aaron McKenney is a young man with a lot on his mind these days. A first lieutenant and army infantry platoon leader currently serving in Iraq, McKenney spends much of his time trying to protect himself and his soldiers from enemy attacks. McKenney, 24, also worries about the fate of Iraqi school children and is trying to gather supplies for 1,500 students and three schools in his area. A 2003 graduate of Cape Elizabeth High School, McKenney recruited the South Portland/Cape Elizabeth Rotary Club in early November to help with his project. “Everybody wants to support the young men and women that are over there serving our country,” said Rotary member Bob Flynn. “It’s an extremely beneficial project because it does send such a positive message. It’s not always about bombs and bullets. Sometimes it’s about books.” << MORE >>

A state senator and a staff writer for the Sentry are among six former University of Southern Maine employees who claim they are victims of age discrimination in a university hiring process. Sen. Larry Bliss, D-South Portland, 62; Rick Wright, 55, a Sentry staff writer; and Louise Nesbit, 62, are South Portland residents who have said they were denied jobs in a reconfigured student services office because of their age and despite extensive experience as student advisors. The three were joined in filing complaints with the USM Office of Equity and Compliance by Falmouth resident Darlene Merrill, 59; Margaret Park, 65, of New Gloucester; and Mary Ann Benson, 57, of Portland.<< MORE >>

South Portland Schools Superintendent Suzanne Godin is determined to spare her students and staff from serious consequences despite a massive funding reduction recently announced by Gov. John Baldacci. “It’s going to have a tremendous impact,” Godin said. “The recommendations we put forward will minimize the impact on students and we anticipate not having to do layoffs in this round of curtailments.” Under the governor’s curtailment order, General Purpose Aid funding for K-12 schools in Maine will be reduced by $38.1 million for the 2009-2010 academic year. South Portland’s share of the cut is $1,230,208, the second largest in the state. This is a 25 percent reduction in the city’s original state appropriation of $4,819,552.78.<< MORE >>

The first time Sgt. Maj. Peter Kelley went to Iraq, he shared a tent with four other soldiers as they fought in Operation Desert Storm. The second time Kelley went to Iraq, he was with the 133rd Engineer Battalion of the Maine Army National Guard, deployed in 2004 for what became a 14-month tour of duty. Kelley, who lives in Scarborough with his wife, Kim, and their two children, will return to Iraq sometime next spring as the 133rd is again called to duty on a mission Kelley said will involve construction work. Memories of his last deployment are still vivid, Kelley said. “If you have ever been in an accident and know that feeling of adrenaline three seconds before it, it’s like living that way for the whole time,” he said.<< MORE >>

State shuts down South Portland man’s investment business << MORE >>

Warren Peavey, 32, of South Portland, was arrested early Wednesday after police said he robbed the 7-Eleven store on Main Street.
 Police say a man entered the store and flashed a fake, but realistic-looking gun in the waistband of his pants at a clerk.
The suspect than took a sum of cash from the register and ran from the convenience store.  A witness watched the suspect run into a nearby apartment building, where police arrested Peavey on a robbery charge.
Police said Seavey has a long history of criminal mischief and is being held at the Cumberland County Jail on $25,000 cash bail.

South Portland has accepted approximately $750,000 from the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund to go toward construction of a new $3.8 million Long Creek pump station.
Before the Nov. 4 election, the city was unable to collect the funds because the city charter required that the proposal go out to bid before accepting the money. New wording on the charter was passed, allowing the city to collect the funds.
The Clean Water Revolving Loan is set up by the Environmental Protection Agency, which awarded money to10 projects in the state to help with environmental ventures.
The Long Creek pump station was number 11 on the list, and now South Portland is receiving the left over funds from the other 10 other projects.
South Portland will receive $540,000 in a loan paid back with zero percent interest over 20 years, while the other $210,000 will be paid in a forgivable loan, essentially a grant.

South Portland’s Armory will be rezoned to allow for a sound stage to be built at the property.
The Armory, located on Broadway, will now be in a conditional armory zone instead of a residential A zone, after the city council unanimously voted to approve the change in zoning text and maps during Monday’s council meeting.
The new zone will include the adjacent property owned by Central Maine Power Co., which is needed because some larger vehicles dropping off equipment to the Armory may need to turn around on the CMP-owned property.
The buffer between the residential areas next to the Armory has been upgraded to 40 feet from 20 feet to keep noise from the sound stage from disturbing people in nearby residential areas.

So many South Portland voters turned out Tuesday that the city ran out of ballots. << MORE >>