It’s been a crazy, hectic and somewhat emotional week.
On the work front, I was dealing with back-to-back significant news stories that took up a lot of my energy and time.
And — Laura chipped a tooth while eating a salad (Exhibit 104 of why you should avoid salads). The ensuing emergency dental visit put a nice little ding on the bank account.
We struggled with getting the camper ready for the season, and could not figure out why the battery was not charging. It’s fixed now. Also, the work week was evenly framed by two Saturdays of rain. Nice. I am already way behind on my outdoor chores.
And then there is always the plentiful criticism, the wailing and gnashing of teeth from people who are upset about me being one of the admins on the Biddeford + Saco Community Facebook page. What else is new?
My friend Liz Gothelf, publisher of Saco Bay News, was also there to cover the story, but I doubt that she experienced any of the emotional baggage that I felt walking back into that building for – presumably – the last time.
I would not be who I am today if I didn’t shit my pants in the first-grade.
You see, I was a first and second-grade student at JFK, just before my parents bought their home in Saco.
Liz and I left the press event at the same time. On our way out, we spotted a large canvass hanging in the hallway. Apparently, it was used to take pictures of the students. The banner read: “Be Awesome Today! We Are So Proud of You.”
We simply could not just walk past that photo opportunity. We took pictures of each other under the banner before exchanging goodbyes in the parking lot.
I quickly walked back to my truck, trying to hold back the tears welling up inside of me. I didn’t want anyone to see me crying.
All I could think about in that moment was a little six-year-old boy so afraid of his surroundings and the teacher that he literally shit his pants instead of asking the teacher to use the bathroom.
It might be okay if that was an isolated incident. Accidents happen, more literally: shit happens. But this was just a symptom and sort of encapsulated how I continued living my life.
For as long as I can remember, I have always been afraid. Always.
I was afraid of the other kids. I was shy, terrified of gym classes with Mr. Stanley at Young School in Saco. I was terrified of storms, I believed my parents were intentionally trying to poison me.
This carried on into high school. I was a shy basket case. I went through the motions, almost completely disconnected from my classmates. In fact, you cannot find a photo of me in our senior yearbook.
It’s as if I was invisible, and that’s how I liked it.
The fear thing continued into my very brief stint in the Air Force and followed me to college and later as I rather aimlessly shifted about the country. In and out of psychiatric facilities in Arizona, Tennessee and Oregon.
Things didn’t really change until the late 1990s when I was hired by the Biddeford-Saco Courier. All of a sudden, I had both a purpose and a personality. A couple of years later, I met Laura.
Today, I am not afraid of public restrooms. I’m not afraid of the teachers or even the principal.
Almost 55 years later, I was telling the teachers and staffers where to stand and how to pose for the photo. People listen to me — and for reasons I do not understand – they seem to respect me.
I wish I could go back in time and tell that terrified, little boy that he doesn’t have to be afraid; that very good things are coming his way. I wish I could tell him, ““Be Awesome Today! We Are So Proud of You.”
But you know what?
I would not be who I am today if I didn’t shit my pants in the first-grade.
Randy Seaver is a cranky, nearly insufferable malcontent living in Biddeford. He may be contacted by email: randy@randyseaver.com
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Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman and members of the city council set aside some time at the beginning of Tuesday’s council meeting to remember and honor one of the city’s most iconic Irish residents.
Patrick “Vincent” Keely, a former city councilor and the owner of the Wonderbar, died on April 8 this year. He was 90.
According to his obituary, Keely was born on August 20, 1934, in Galway, Ireland, to John and Delia (Walsh) Keely. He moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 1960 and later to Biddeford in the early 1970s, according to his son, Brian.
Grohman described Keely as a bridge builder and community leader who had a special talent for bringing people together to resolve their differences. “He also could pour a perfect pint of Guiness,” Grohman fondly recalled, describing the downtown Wonderbar as a popular gathering spot for people of all backgrounds.
Members of Vincent Keely’s family pose with Mayor Marty Grohman (far right) and members of the Biddeford City Council to honor a man who has left a lasting legacy of respect and cordiality (Seaver photo)
Brian Keely told the council that his father “fell in love with Biddeford,” recalling how his father moved his family to Biddeford more than 50 years ago.
“It was a big change from Boston,” the younger Keely recalled. “There was no mass transit and we all kind of wondered why we were here, but we quickly fell in love with this community, too. My father made us see what Biddeford could become.”
My father made us see what Biddeford could become.”
— Brian Keely
Brian Keely told the council that his father knew everyone who came into the Wonderbar by name, and everyone — regardless of their political differences — was treated the same by the smiling man behind the bar.
“We could all learn a lot from my father,” Brian told the council. “About being kind to one another, about treating everyone with respect.”
Brian told the council that his father always envisioned Biddeford as a “gem in the rough.” He would be proud of what the city has become today, the younger Keely said.
Keely was also known for doggedly ensuring the annual raising of the Irish flag at City Hall to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day each year.
Patrick Vincent Keely
Grohman asked the council and members of the public to stand for a moment of silence to honor Keely’s legacy of community service in Biddeford.
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Lots of people asked me today what I am doing to celebrate my birthday. The following is not made up or me trying to be funny, in fact just the opposite.
I made brunch this morning for Laura and myself. We took a quick drive along a small part of southern Maine’s coastline. Got home. Started a load of laundry.
Tonight, I will have the pleasure of enjoying a bucket of KFC chicken (my favorite) while watching a cheesy 1970s Japanese movie about Godzilla curled up on the couch with my beautiful wife. I predict I will be in bed by 10 and snoring 20 minutes later.
Each week, I read through all the obituaries. And every week, there are death notices for people younger than me. And that is a real and rather brutal wake-up call.
We all have an expiration date. Most of us have no idea when we will take our last breath. Every day is a gift, cherish each of them.
Laura is in the kitchen making me a cake. Screw the diet. I’m having two pieces. Celebrate every day as if it’s your last . . . because one day it will be.
Thank you so much to all who reached out to wish me a happy birthday! I begin my next trek around the sun with confidence and optimism.
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I understand that tensions are high, and that feelings are raw on the national political stage, but I still think we can engage in robust discussion and debate without marginalizing millions of Americans who suffer daily with varying degrees of mental illness.
Reading some of the social media commentary regarding the U.S. Senate confirmation hearings for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., yesterday I was struck by the sheer delight that so many people were showing in joking about Kennedy’s rather obvious illness and his past behavior that can only be described as somewhat bizarre.
I also found it strange and somewhat sad that the majority of these pejorative comments were coming from those who generally hang out on the left side of the political aisle.
Generally speaking, Democrats will typically trip over themselves to use words like ‘diversity’ and “inclusion” at every given opportunity, eagerly patting themselves on the back for their moral leadership, always sensitive to use the right pronouns and to advance the cause of those marginalized by society for a variety of reasons.
Make no mistake, the progressive left is not wrong in its ongoing push to break down barriers and advance the cause of civil rights for all Americans. But it seems there is still a lot of work to do.
Photo: Pittsburg Post-Gazette
We should all – Democrats, Republicans, Independents — be striving to treat one another with respect and dignity, regardless of political affiliation.
In just my lifetime, our nation has made incredible strides to break down barriers and to advance opportunities for all Americans, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or religion.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a watershed moment, yet more than 60 years later racism remains pervasive in our culture. And, consider this, it was only 30 years ago when we adopted a policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Clearly, we are making tremendous progress, and there is no doubt that Democrats are generally the ones leading that charge, continually pushing and reminding us that there are still barriers and challenges we must face when it comes to inclusion, equity and respect.
However, it is apparently still okay to make jokes about those who struggle with mental illness.
It is apparently still okay to make jokes about those who struggle with mental illness.
I am in no way advocating for the confirmation of Mr. Kennedy. I am convinced – beyond a shadow of a doubt – that he is not qualified for the position.
But — as someone who lives day in and day out with a rather pronounced and significant mental illness, I cringe every time I hear terms such as “nutjob,” “whacko,” “psycho” and “Looney Tunes.”
Even Hollywood elites still – today — refer to psychiatrists as “shrinks.”
We fly rainbow flags — and for good reason — but yet we casually gloss over the stigma and shame that is still a very big fact of life for those battling an often-hidden illness that is no different than any other illness.
From a political party that gleefully accepts a mantra of “F%ck Your Feelings,” I have learned to almost accept and expect their callous disregard for minorities. I cringe. I shake my head and let out a deep sigh.
But when that same discrimination comes from the political party that is all about ending discrimination, I wonder if I will live long enough to see an end to mental illness stigma. I wonder if we will ever get to a place where mental illness is treated with parity in both treatment and insurance reimbursement in the United States.
If I told you that I developed brain cancer, your reaction would likely be one filled with immediate empathy and support.
Many times, when I do work up the courage to tell someone that I am struggling, people will tell me to try being more positive and to stop feeling sorry for myself.
Really? Do you not realize that my brain does not work properly?
A few months ago, a veteran journalist who I greatly respect told me I should stop writing blog posts about my struggles with mental illness. “Nobody really cares about that,” he said.
Maybe he’s right. Maybe nobody does care. But I am going to keep writing about it, because I have heard from scores of people who are grateful that I am willing to talk publicly about depression, anxiety and yes—even my bouts with schizophrenia.
My writing about it, apparently helps these people feel safe and not so alone in the world. Many people have family members suffering from varying forms of mental illness. If I can help just one person by talking about it; well then, I’m going to keep talking and writing about it.
Am I being overly sensitive? Just feeling sorry for myself?
Everybody gets depressed sometimes, it’s natural. Shake it off, people say.
Allow me to give you a few examples to point out why clinical depression and anxiety are very different than normal grief and worry.
I am relatively well known in my small hometown of Biddeford. Some people see me as someone who is connected to the community’s power structure, as someone who is outspoken, brash and sarcastic – – a thick-skinned egomaniac in love with the sound of his own voice and always happy to bloviate and share his opinion about local news.
I am also one of the admins for a community Facebook page of more than 18,000 members, and a few of them somehow believe that I control all communication in the city of Biddeford, and that I am nothing more than a happy-go-lucky Biddeford sycophant.
Sure, okay. Some of that may be true. I do tend to be a snarky loudmouth. But I am not connected to any “power structure.” Most mornings, I have a hard time finding my slippers. I struggle with math and puzzles, so I’m not that bright.
Writing is what I hold onto. I enjoy it, and it helps me relax and stay focused.
But there is also a dark side of my life that I rarely show to anyone, including friends and family.
Just a few weeks ago, while Laura was still at work, I went down to the basement of my home and huddled while crying because I was absolutely convinced that the “government” was trying to covertly beam information into my brain, and I wanted to be surrounded by concrete.
If someone doesn’t immediately return my call or text, I start to spiral, becoming paranoid and will often assume that person must now hate me and is now talking about me behind my back.
I generally live in almost constant fear. It has been that way since I can remember. I was a shy kid with few friends and lived in a pretend world of fantasy of my own creation, but I was always scared. Always scared.
I was scared of other kids, scared that an airplane would crash into my home. Terrified about changes in weather.
Today, as an adult, if something breaks – the toilet flapper, a leaky faucet or broken light switch, I panic.
I refuse to use my CPAP for treating my sleep apnea, because sometimes (not always) I become somewhat concerned about what information is being transmitted while I sleep. Is this the way the CIA plants messages in my brain?
I generally live in almost constant fear. It has been that way since I can remember.
If I have to drive more than 10 miles, I start to feel anxious. Someone is probably going to cross the center line and kill me. What will I do when my dog dies? While driving, I keep my racing thoughts in check by continually calculating the distance and time I have yet to travel.
It’s friggin’ exhausting.
I am almost always afraid. Fear consumes almost every single day.
So, how do I cope? How do I force myself out of bed each day? Well for starters, I take five different medications. They help me function but they also affect everything from my libido to my weight.
With the meds, I can pretend to be normal, funny, outspoken. When I’m taking my meds, I shower every day and brush my teeth. I see a psychiatrist and a therapist, although sometimes it feels like I’m a dog chasing its tail.
Can you imagine how hard it is to live with me? I honestly don’t know how Laura does it. I don’t know what she sees in me. Almost every day, I ask her if she is upset with me and whether she is thinking of filing for divorce.
My rock and salvation
I am only alive today because I was too stupid to figure out how to properly load the cheap Lorcin .380 handgun I bought on impulse on an especially dark night in October 1993. I put that gun in my mouth and pulled the trigger.
Nothing happened. I sat in the middle of the floor and cried uncontrollably before calling 911. Yep, back to the hospital again.
I have been hospitalized more than 20 times – voluntarily and involuntarily — since being honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force back in 1982.
I was last hospitalized in 2016. This is the longest stretch of my adult life outside of a psychiatric unit.
I am lucky. I have good health insurance. I have an amazing and supportive spouse. I am not facing food nor housing insecurity. Surprisingly, despite my terrible diet and complete lack of exercise, I am relatively healthy.
I also have several really good friends. I rely on them. Heavily.
With all those things, I can work, function and be a contributing member of society. More often than not, mental illness is an invisible illness.
If you ever wonder why more people don’t seek treatment or get help, just look at some of those Facebook comments that were made about Mr. Kennedy this week.
It’s 2025, and stigma is still a thing. Let’s all try to do better.
Thank you.
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There’s no denying it. This is not your father’s news industry anymore. That’s good news, but it’s also very bad news.
I’m writing this because there were three significant local changes in the news industry that happened in just the last two weeks.
More about that in just a moment.
Traditional, legacy media outlets are no longer the sole guardians of truth and justice, and that fact — like it or not – will impact you — and it might even hurt you.
For centuries, newspapers, (and then later) radio and television news operations kept an immeasurable amount of gravitas in their pants’ pocket, like so many nickels and dimes. The publishers, editors (and oftentimes the reporters) took your trust in them for granted.
Nearly 300 years ago, Edmund Burke, a member of British Parliament, reportedly coined the term “Fourth Estate” to describe the press, pointing out its obligations as a check in government oversight and its responsibility to frame political issues as well as to be an advocate for the general public.
Pretty big responsibility, eh?
The industry that was once the trusted and almost sole gatekeeper of vital public news and information is now scrambling, desperately trying to find a way to remain relevant or at least financially solvent.
So, what are the threats and challenges facing both you as a news consumer and traditional media outlets?
First and foremost, social media platforms are taking over the distribution of news and information. There are no more paperboys and even newsrooms are shifting away from brick-and-mortar structures.
In survey after survey; in poll after poll, one fact becomes abundantly clear. Consumers want their news on their schedule (on demand). Readers also try to skirt paywalls, no longer seeing the value of paid news subscriptions.
Readers today gravitate toward click-bait headlines and “news” websites that match their own political ideology.
Photo: The Death of the Newspaper Industry | John W. Hayes)
Never-ending competition, a 24-7 news cycle and the disturbing rise of AI (artificial intelligence) all remain as threats to established and not-so-established news outlets.
And to top it off, reader trust in traditional news outlets is plummeting faster than shares of K-Mart stock.
In his Nov. 29, 2022 opinion column, Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby pointed to a recent Gallup report, which revealed that just one out of three Americans claimed to have a “great deal” or a “fair amount” of confidence in the media.
We could talk all day about the national news scene and the spiraling demise of legacy media, but let’s take a deeper look at the news on a local level, right here where it hurts the most.
Today, almost everyone is a journalist – or so they believe. All you need is a keyboard and an internet connection and it’s off to the races.
While I love certain aspects of “citizen journalism” it does sort of invite a Wild, Wild West approach in reporting news.
While I love certain aspects of “citizen journalism” it does sort of invite a Wild, Wild West approach in reporting news.
These citizens journalists typically do not have editors or the resources of an editorial board. They have no professional training. Ethics and objectivity are now electives, no longer requirements.
In other ways, however, these pesky citizen journalists and their social media followers do keep some much needed pressure on those Fourth Estate guys, the traditional legacy media outlets.
We’re not in Kansas anymore
Speaking of legacy, traditional media, the Bangor Daily News (BDN) – Maine’s preeminent source of political news – decided last week to shut down its editorial board. The paper will no longer have an Op-Ed (Opinion-Editorial) section.
I found that news strange. It struck me as counter-intuitive, especially since so many people are saying that readers are flocking toward opinion and away from objective news reporting.
In a Jan. 24 column, the BDN described the move as “the end of an era.”
Susan Young, the paper’s opinion editor, said the news was “bittersweet.”
“Far too few people read opinion content, so we have to try different things,” Young told me during an online conversation, saying the decision was influenced by the paper’s digital analytics.
The BDN’s decision will also mean the end of rigorous and highly regarded opinion columns from people like Amy Fried on the political left to Matt Gagnon on the political right.
Still closer to home, the publishers of the Biddeford-Saco Courier announced on Wednesday that they will now offer their subscribers a digital weekly update via email.
That “announcement” dropped exactly two weeks after I formally launched the Biddeford Gazette, a free digital newspaper dedicated to covering Biddeford news, opinion and events.
For more than 30 years, the Courier has relied upon free delivery of its print publication at newsstands or tossed into the driveways of private homes.
The Courier was founded and locally owned by David and Carolyn Flood. A few years ago, the paper was then sold to the owners of the Portland Press Herald who also own a number of weekly and daily publications.
Courier reporter Sydney Richelieu announced the “inaugural edition” of “Biddeford-Saco | Now” in an email sent to subscribers. The move, she said, is designed to offer readers another option in finding out what is happening in their community.
I have some unsolicited advice for Sydney and the Courier’s editors, please stop printing press releases and then labeling them with a byline of “Staff Reports.”
Otherwise, I am quite pleased that you guys finally want to step up your game in covering local news.
To be honest, I have a bit of an advantage over the other guys. I’m a Biddeford native and resident, and I have been covering Biddeford for nearly three decades. I have a stockpile of sources and lots of time on my hands.
Just a few days ago, a close friend of mine remarked that other local publications are now starting to pay more attention (deservedly so) to the city of Biddeford, since I launched the Gazette.
That’s actually really good news, especially for the people of Biddeford.
The other guys may not like the fact that I am now in the mix, but they should remember the folks at the Journal Tribune were none too happy when the Courier was launched in 1989; and the folks at the Courier were none too happy that Saco Bay News came along in 2019 and showed off the nimble advantages of being a digital publication.
Increased competition does not help the Courier, Saco Bay News or the Biddeford Gazette, but it does keep a fire lit under our asses; and that is good news for readers.
The people of Biddeford should not have to rely upon just one reporter for the news that matters to them.
Competition keeps reporters motivated, but more importantly – it keeps them in check.
The Biddeford Gazette is not trying to put anyone else out of business. In fact, the opposite is true.
The Biddeford Gazette uses its own social media pages on Facebook, BlueSky and X to round up and share local news stories from other media companies. No one else does that.
You read that right. We take the time to share news from the other guys on our social media pages. And when you click to read those stories, you are not directed to our website, instead all the postings will link automatically to whatever source produced the news, whether it’s Saco Bay News, the Courier or WGME-TV.
Please visit our new Facebook page and follow us to experience a new level of local news coverage.
Whenever or wherever news about Biddeford is published, we will be there to make sure you know about it.
That’s my mission. That’s my passion.
I value your trust.
I will not stop.
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Once again, I have some good news and some bad news. Let’s start with the good news.
Roughly 24 hours ago, Laura told me it was time for me to get a bit more serious about the Biddeford Gazette, an online multi-media news source focused on the city of Biddeford.
Instead of trying to run the Gazette as a subpage here — on my personal blog site — I went ahead and purchased a new domain so that the Gazette could stand on its own without all the clutter and distraction of my blog, Lessons in Mediocrity.
Going forward, as time and funding allows, I will be making enhancements to the Biddeford Gazette site to improve its functionality and design.
My goal is to give you an alternative and comprehensive overview of what is happening in the Biddeford area.
Now the bad news.
As I continue working to build the Biddeford Gazette, I am going to need your help. Mainly, I’m hoping you will subscribe (for free) and follow us on social media.
By subscribing, you will get an email update every time a new story is published. Your email address will NOT be shared with anyone else. Go here to subscribe.
I hate to be a pain in the ass, but if you are already a subscriber of my blog, you will need to subscribe separately to the Biddeford Gazette. It’s free and it’s worth it.
Throughout all of this, I will continue my blog on a more personal scale. To learn more about the Biddeford Gazette go here.
With the 132nd Legislature now officially underway and facing a state budget shortfall, members of Biddeford’s legislative delegation are preparing for what is expected to be a battle of spending priorities.
Members of Biddeford’s delegation are all Democrats, the party that holds a solid majority in both the House and Senate; as well as the Blaine House where Gov. Janet Mills is now serving the final two years of her second term in office.
Last week, Mills presented lawmakers with a proposed two-year budget that is roughly 10 percent higher than the current $10.5 billion budget.
Mills has also cautioned lawmakers that the state will need to be especially prudent with its spending because of a potential $450 million deficit.
State Sen. Henry Ingwersen (D-Arundel) represents Biddeford in the 35-member state senate. During a telephone interview on Sunday, Ingwersen said he is still going through the details of Mills’ proposed budget, which was released on Friday.
Sen. Henry Ingwersen
“I haven’t yet gone through all the fine print, but there is no question that we have our work cut out for us,” Ingwersen said.
Adding to his workload, Ingwersen has also been named as senate chair of the Health & Human Services Committee, which has the biggest impact on the state budget in terms of spending, especially for the growing MaineCare program.
The MaineCare program provides free and low-cost health insurance to residents who meet certain income guidelines
“Maine people have clearly shown support for the expansion of MaineCare, but we also have a tighter budget and facing increasing demand for services,” Ingwersen said. “It’s going to be a challenge for all of us.”
State Rep. Marc Malon (D-Biddeford) agreed with Ingwersen about the daunting budget process.
“We have to be willing to examine everything, but it’s also important to note that some of our past spending increases have provided Maine people with really good outcomes,” Malon said, pointing to the state’s relatively new commitment to provide 55 percent of local education costs in the General-Purpose Aid (GPA) for education budget.
It’s going to be a balancing act, but it will not be impossible.”
— State Rep. Marc Malon
Like Ingwersen, Malon is also beginning his second, two-year term in the Legislature. Malon will again serve on the Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee and was appointed this year to serve on the Housing Committee.
Rep, Marc Malon
“Despite some of the challenges we’re facing, I firmly believe that we will be able to deliver a balanced budget without tapping into our ‘rainy day’ fund,” Malon said. “It’s going to be a balancing act, but it will not be impossible.”
Malon said he has submitted nine bills for consideration, including one that will likely breeze through the legislative approval process.
Malon is the primary sponsor of a bill that would allow the cities of Biddeford and Saco to rename the bridge at the bottom of York Hill in honor of the late Gen. Wallace Nutting, a Saco native who became Biddeford’s mayor after an extraordinary military career.
That bill, LD 79, has already been referred to the Joint Transportation Committee and is being co-sponsored by every member of the Biddeford-Saco delegation, including Ingwersen; Sen. Donna Bailey of Saco; Reps. Marshall Archer and Lynn Copeland of Saco and Reps. Ryan Fecteau and Traci Gere of Biddeford.
Malon has also submitted bills intended to improve state review of proposed housing projects, new regulations related to medical cannabis sales and a bill that could place some limits on local real estate taxes by assessing only a parcel’s land value.
Although the budget will consume much of the conversation, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say housing issues will be a top priority for the Legislature.
“Housing really affects so many other things,” Malon said. “Businesses need workers, but those workers need homes in proximity to their workplace. We need affordable housing, but we also need to increase our supply of modest starter homes that allow young families the opportunity to start building equity.”
To address the housing crisis, Malon says state and local leaders will need to look at and reconsider certain zoning restrictions and find ways to cut red tape for builders and developers.
“It’s not going to be an easy two years,’ Malon said. “But it’s not going to be the end of the world either. Maine has faced tough budgets before. We will get through this, keep our commitments to Maine people by working together and being creative.”
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If all goes as planned, the city of Biddeford could gain 60 new affordable housing units that would be built near Rotary Park and within walking distance of Biddeford High School.
On Tuesday, the Biddeford City Council heard a presentation from Nathan Bateman, vice president of Bateman Partners, about the Forest Green project.
The proposal would include construction of two three-story buildings near some existing housing on outer Main Street. The two buildings would share a “central atrium space” so that one elevator could service both buildings.
George Gervais, the city’s economic and development director, told the council that he is excited about the proposal and pointed out that it would help meet the city’s goal to create more affordable housing opportunities.
Because the developers are hoping to use state and federal tax credits for construction of the units, the rental costs of the one and two-bedroom apartments would need to meet state guidelines issued by the Maine Housing Authority for those earning at or below 60 percent of the area’s median income.
But the project is still facing some significant hurdles, most notably from the Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC), which has oversight on any development within proximity of the river.
More than 50 years ago, in 1974, the then newly created Saco River Commission designated the land as part of a 100-year flood plain, preventing any further development of affordable housing on the parcel.
Bateman told the city council that technology has improved exponentially since 1974. Today it is documented that the parcel where the development would be located is actually well outside the 100-year flood zone.
According to Bateman, the Saco River Corridor Commission is willing to consider the project but only if the city first approved a “resolution” to change the current zoning designation, from “limited residential” to “general development.”
The council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a resolution of support for the project, which will be presented at the next Saco River Corridor Commission meeting on January 22.
Bateman told the council that his firm has conducted significant research, including the use of GIS technology and low-level drones to record and analyze the area and its viewshed. “It’s a very appropriate location for an expansion of the project that’s already there,” he said.
Following the council’s decision, Bateman told the Biddeford Gazette that timing of the project is “critical” because there are limited opportunities for the state and federal tax credits that are administered by the Maine State Housing Authority (MSHA). Each year, affordable housing developers are forced to compete for limited funding.
Bateman acknowledged Tuesday that there is a long road ahead.
If the Saco River Corridor Commission approves the project, the developer will still need to go through the city’s planning board review process, a regulatory review by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection as well as funding from the Maine State Housing Authority in September.
“We certainly have a long path ahead, but we are excited about this project,” Bateman said. “If all goes as planned, we could begin construction in June 2026.”
Today – almost 44 years later – I still enjoy telling the story about the first time something that I wrote was published.
It was 1981. I was 16 and a high school junior. We were required to do a one-week work-study project, exploring a career field that seemed of interest.
I thought I wanted to be a newspaper reporter. So, I called the Journal Tribune —then this region’s daily newspaper – to make an inquiry. The editor (Eric Reiss) agreed to let me shadow a couple of reporters and work in the newsroom.
Back then smoking was allowed in newsrooms. So was coffee, profanity, screaming matches and the constant hum from a chorus of IBM Selectric II typewriters.
A typical newsroom in the 1970s (Chicago Tribune)
It was a marvelous time, especially for an enthusiastic high school kid with dreams of grandeur about becoming the next Bob Woodward.
Near the end of the week, I was allowed to occupy an empty desk that was closest to the cranky city editor, Bob Melville – a man who wore his glasses perched low on his nose.
Mr. Melville would later become a well-known real estate agent and was repeatedly elected to serve on the Biddeford School Board after his retirement. In real-life, Bob had a great sense of humor and was well-regarded as a hard-working, respectable man of intellect and integrity.
But for me, a skinny 16-year-old kid with stubborn acne, Mr. Melville was like the Wizard of Oz, and I was a combination of the Cowardly Lion and The Scarecrow. I had neither brains nor courage.
I was just sitting there at that desk, wondering what I should do. Phones were ringing all around me, but I was not allowed to answer them.
Our deadline was looming. If you have ever worked in a newsroom, you know that editors become increasingly grumpy with each passing second closer to deadline.
Melville, clutching his phone, suddenly turned to me, staring at me over the glasses that remain still perched on the end of his nose.
Mr. Melville was like the Wizard of Oz, and I was a combination of the Cowardly Lion and The Scarecrow. I had neither brains nor courage.
“Kid!” he barked. “Line Two.”
I was shocked, excited and terrified. The city editor was giving me a story. Finally! Something I could actually write! I was on my way now!
Oh, the places you will go
Turns out that the guy on ‘Line 2’ was a local funeral director. He was calling to give me a last-minute obituary for that afternoon’s newspaper.
I took copious notes on a legal pad. I do not remember the name of the gentleman I was writing about. I only remember that he belonged to about every social club you could imagine: The Elks, The Eagles, The Lions, Rotary . . . the list seemed endless.
The deceased also had roughly 250,000 nieces, nephews, cousins and grandchildren.
I hung up the phone and loaded a fresh sheet of paper into my typewriter. I had never written an obituary before, but Mr. Melville gave me a stack of some recent obits as a guide.
I put my very best effort into writing that obituary. I pained over each word, doing my best to avoid split infinitives and ending any sentence with a preposition.
Melville kept glancing at me and then the clock on the wall. I could tell he was becoming impatient.
I tore the copy from my typewriter and proudly placed it in a wire basket on Melville’s desk before returning to my chair.
I watched as he began to read my masterpiece. His brow furrowed and his posture stiffened. He grabbed a red pen and was waving it across my piece with an almost gleeful abandon.
After several painstaking seconds of anticipation, he finally turned to me and asked: “Where do you go to high school?”
Actually, that year I was attending Rumford High School, but I blurted out “Thornton Academy.”
“Well, don’t they teach English at Thornton Academy?” he huffed.
I was humiliated but could barely wait until the first run of that day’s paper was completed. I anxiously turned to the obituaries page but found nothing that remotely resembled my masterpiece.
In the end, the only two things I got right was the man’s name and age. Basically, everything else had been rewritten. No matter, I was proud.
My mother was proud, too. She cut out that obituary and posted that poor bastard’s obituary on our refrigerator – I was now part of an elite clan: a newspaper reporter who had published something in a real newspaper.
In the mood
More than four decades later, and I am now a semi-retired newspaper editor and reporter.
A few weeks ago, I launched a new endeavor, The Biddeford Gazette. The Gazette is a free, online news outlet that focuses on Biddeford news and events.
A lot has changed in the newspaper business over the last 40 years. For example, you can no longer smoke in a newsroom, but profanity among your coworkers is still strongly encouraged.
For better or worse, more and more people are turning to social media for their news and information. Thanks to technology, today’s news consumers can now custom tailor their news feed almost in the same way you create a music playlist on Spotify or YouTube.
Some of the changes are good, but many of the changes – especially AI (Artificial Intelligence) – are not so good.
Launching my own media source was never intended to become a source of income. It’s basically a hobby, a tool to help provide some handrails on the road of life.
Yes, I still do a little political consulting and some public relations work for clients throughout New England, but none in the Biddeford or Saco area.
The Biddeford Gazette allows me to report news on my terms, when I want and how I want. I’m not here to compete with any other traditional publication, including Saco Bay News, the Biddeford-Saco Courier or the Portland Press Herald.
Up until last year, my website was called Randy Seaver Consulting and provided an overview of the services I offered as a public relations consultant.
My lingering mental health issues, however, played a part in me stepping away from the full-time, stress-packed world of political consulting.
Then, as I began shifting my professional career, I renamed the site, Lessons in Mediocrity so that I could basically do whatever I want: serious journalism, political satire, fiction, local news and a diary of coping tools against schizophrenia, anxiety and depression.
Well, how did I get here?
Today is the first day of 2025.
I am no longer that skinny kid with pimples too afraid to look a girl in the eye. I am once again going to rebrand this website as the Biddeford Gazette.
Up until today, the Biddeford Gazette was a sub-page on my blog. Rest assured, my personal blog will continue – but now as a subpage to the Gazette.
Since launching the Biddeford Gazette just six weeks ago, I have been able to break some significant news stories and also have a bit of fun at the expense of local politicians. (Someone needs to keep them on their toes)
And I am pleased to announce that beginning January 6, 2025, the Biddeford Gazette will publish local obituaries that are supplied by local funeral homes.
Traditional media outlets charge significant fees to publish an obituary. The Biddeford Gazette will publish them for free with the help of some social media partners in the Biddeford and Saco area.
Imagine that, 44 years later, and I am going right back to where I started, doing my best to honor and remember those who are no longer with us.
This change just feels right.
Happy New Year!
P.S. This website is currently being reconfigured.
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Bateman Partners, a Portland-based real estate developer, announced Friday that they will soon begin redevelopment of the Summer Street Block, located at the corner of Summer and Alfred streets, near Pizza by Alex.
The $4.7 million project will “significantly improve” and update all 32 of the existing elderly and affordable housing units in the Summer Street Block, according to a project spokesperson.
The company says their goal is to completely “rehabilitate an important workforce housing project” that was originally built in 1880.
According to a press release, planning for launch of the renovations was complex, and construction is expected to be completed by the close of 2025.
The Summer Street Block (Courtesy photo)
“It was an arduous, six-year process to figure out what needs to be done, and put the financial building blocks in place to make this possible,” said David Bateman, president of Bateman Partners. “But we invest in Maine communities for the long-term, and the city of Biddeford is committed to expanding housing options that older folks and working families can afford. When we wrap this up, almost the entire building will be brand new.”
According to Bateman, the project will include new roofs for each of the buildings, as well as new windows, siding, doors hardware, decking and hand rails.
A new elevator will be installed and a “community room” will be added with flooring, kitchen, ceilings, furniture, computer with internet access. The project will also include life safety improvements and upgrades to existing sprinkler system.
The parking lot and all walkways will be resurfaced and striped, and current drainage problems will be repaired to address moisture rot in the complex.
Each of the individual units will include new kitchen cabinets, countertops and appliances; bathroom updates and energy-efficient lighting improvements.
Over the last 45 years, Bateman Partners has developed and built commercial and residential projects worth more than $380 million in Maine and New Hampshire.
The company is also well-known for developing some of Maine’s most iconic properties, such as the Portland Harbor Hotel and The Inn at Diamond Cove.
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LESSONS IN MEDIOCRITY 