Category: NEWSLETTER

NEWSLETTER: Summer In the City

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

Hopefully, you are all enjoying the beautiful weather this week! I am on semi-vacation, pinging back and forth between our campsite at Rangeley Lake and Biddeford.

No matter where you find yourself, this is a good week to be living in Maine.

This is also a very good week for those of us who closely follow local politics.

WELCOME TO BIDDEFORD POLITICS

Every two years, Biddeford voters select a mayor, city councilors and school committee members.

If you’re considering running for one of these positions, you first need to take out nomination papers and get the required number of signatures to place your name on the November ballot.

You should also read this piece I published last week regarding the pitfalls and benefits of public service.

This will be the Biddeford Gazette’s first election season, but I have been watching and reporting on this city’s local elections for nearly 30 years, and I can guarantee you the Gazette will be providing comprehensive coverage and the latest daily updates.

We are already running down information, including all the latest developments: reports of former councilors seeking a return; new faces considering a run, and incumbents who may or may not seek reelection.

There are already two candidates vying to be the city’s next mayor: Incumbent Marty Grohman and Councilor Norman Belanger. I would not be surprised to see some other people toss their hats into the ring. Stay tuned, and we’ll have some fun!

Nomination papers will be available beginning Thursday (July 24) at the City Clerk’s office.

A BIG MILESTONE

When Laura and I decided to formally start the Biddeford Gazette in January, we told ourselves we would not invest too much money into the venture and would wait six months before committing more time or resources.

Last week, the Gazette hit that six-month marker, and I am very proud of what we have accomplished so far.

The Gazette is not about me. The Gazette is about Biddeford, and our mission has not changed. We believe the city of Biddeford and its people deserve a dedicated, community-driven news source, something that has been missing for a few years now.

Over the last six months, the Biddeford Gazette has published 81 news stories, many of which were exclusive and most were reported days and even weeks before other media outlets filed reports.

We have also published 14 feature stories and seven “Community Voices” stories, which are written or submitted to us by other community members. That’s the part we’re really hoping to grow as we move forward.

WHAT’S NEXT?

We have started a new business section, a rudimentary community calendar — and beginning this week we will launch our newest feature, FLUFF PIECES – a project we are doing in partnership with the Animal Welfare Society to feature a different pet available for adoption each week.

We received hundreds of clever and funny suggestions from the community about the naming of this new section. Thank you to all who offered so many very cool suggestions!

I am especially pleased to announce that we are also now in the process of putting together a seven-member community advisory board.

If the Gazette is going to truly serve the community, it must have the pulse of the people who live, work and play here. We need and want constructive feedback from the community. We want to hear a diversity of new ideas and suggestions.

I think that’s more than enough for one newsletter. Get out there and enjoy Maine’s beaches, lakes and public parks. Be safe and have fun!

As always, thank you for reading!

—Randy Seaver, editor

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NEWSLETTER: A big week for the Biddeford Gazette

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

A lot can happen in just a few days, and that’s especially true when you’re in the news business.

Over just the past few days, we added a new staff member to the Gazette team, got a huge compliment from one of Maine’s most respected journalists and stumbled across a significant story that is still in development.

Hint: I’ve got a funny feeling we have not heard the last from our former city manager, Jim Bennett

This week, we also first broke the story about Biddeford’s new city manager, provided in-depth coverage about a site walk at the University of New England and were able to reminisce with others about the final closure of the JFK Memorial School.

A new face at the Gazette:

I am excited to announce that Gail Toussaint of Biddeford has decided to join our team as a much-needed copy editor.

Gail told us that she really enjoys reading the Biddeford Gazette but noticed occasional typos and grammatical errors. When you’re basically running a one-man operation on a deadline, little mistakes can be expected, but they are never acceptable.

Gail Toussaint joins the Gazette (Facebook photo)

We strive to give you a quality, trustworthy product that is accurate, relevant and timely (ART). Gail actually volunteered to help us meet that mission. I was blown away by her offer to help us without any type of compensation.

“I love what the Gazette is doing,” Gail told us. “I think it’s an important part of our community, and I’m happy to help.”

It’s important to note that Gail will not be able to edit all of our stories, so if you see a typo, blame us, not her. Actually, we really do encourage our readers to contact us if they spot an error, have a complaint or a suggestion about a possible story.

A huge compliment:

Who doesn’t like being recognized for their efforts? A few days ago, I received an email from A Jay Higgins, one of Maine’s best known and respected journalists.

For more than 40 years, AJ has worked as a reporter and editor at the Bangor Daily News, at the Portland Press Herald’s former parent company (Blethen) and most recently at Maine Public Radio before retiring.

“I admire your tenacity as you undertake this project,” Higgins wrote. “I just don’t get it. People really do want local news: the council meetings, the school board meetings, the sewer district meetings, baked bean suppers, school sports, Elks Lodge, births, deaths etc.

A Jay Higgins (photo: Maine Public Radio)

“But they apparently don’t want to pay for it. “Just a thought, keep up the good work.”

When you get a compliment from a colleague, it reminds you that your work is worth the effort.

That said, I would also like to thank all the others who pass along well wishes and compliments on an almost daily basis.

For example, last week I took my truck for an oil change at Jiffy Lube in Biddeford. The man working at the counter asked, “are you Randy Seaver?”

Cautiously, I affirmed his query. “Cool,” he responded. “I really like what you’re doing with the Gazette.”

And there are so many others, former city councilors, teachers and former classmates. I cherish all of it. Thank you so much for your continued support!

New city manager

A lot of people have asked me what I think about the woman who will likely become Biddeford’s next city manager. I have yet to meet Truc Dever in person, but I am feeling quite optimistic about her taking over the helm at City Hall.

Biddeford City Manager Truc Dever

In my opinion, she is well-qualified for the position — both on paper and hands-on experience. But the biggest thing she offers Biddeford is a fresh set of eyes and a breath of fresh air. She has no allegiances to anyone or any institution. She has not been influenced by Biddeford’s culture, history or the often-negative narrative about our community.

In short, I am looking forward to seeing what she can do to help Biddeford achieve all the success we deserve.

What’s on the horizon?

I have a lot of stories in development. So, stay tuned. We are also approaching our six-month anniversary, when Laura and I plan to make some significant decisions about the Gazette’s future.

Later today, you can expect to read my exclusive feature story about Gen. Marquis de Lafeyette and the celebration of his visit to Biddeford 200 years ago.

In the meantime, stay safe, have fun and enjoy your summer!

Remember what Shakespeare said: “Summer’s lease hath all too short a date.”

***’

On a more personal note, you may want to check out my recent blog post about my time as a student at the JFK School in Biddeford: Fear and Loathing in Biddeford

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be contacted by email: randy@randyseaver.com

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NEWSLETTER: Things are looking good, real good

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

It’s been a while since my last newsletter, but I am feeling good about the Biddeford Gazette’s trajectory and its future.

From time to time, I have to keep reminding myself that this publication is only four months old. We have come quite a way in just the last few weeks.

We also have some pretty big – and interesting – stories on the immediate horizon, but I am quite glad to be taking a bit of a breather during this holiday weekend. This last week, especially, has been a whirlwind.

Speaking of the holiday, I want to take this opportunity to thank all of the local volunteers, veterans, city officials and non-profit organizations who work so hard every year to pay a somber and meaningful tribute to all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.

Although the major sewer/road project is preventing a parade this weekend, there will be a very special ceremony held at Waterhouse Field, complete with marching bands and everything else you would see in a parade. As Marshall Archer – Commander of Biddeford AMVETS Post No. 1 – said, ‘It will be just like a parade without all the walking.”

You can find more information about this year’s ceremony by clicking this link

I am also quite proud of what the Gazette has been able to accomplish, and I really appreciate all the great feedback I have been receiving.

Striving to be part of the community

Two things stand out to me: our publication of weekly obituaries and the Community Voices section of our web site.

Unlike other media sites, we publish local obituaries from area funeral homes every Sunday at no charge to the families or the public. People seem to appreciate the service, and according to our analytical indicators it remains as one of the Gazette’s most popular features.

With the help of our social media partners, we have access to more than 35,000 people in the Biddeford-Saco area.

People also seem to enjoy our Community Voices page, where we feature things written and submitted to us from other people. Over the past few weeks, we have published stories from others about a project to preserve dune grass at local beaches, the accomplishments of Biddeford students. — including the undefeated Biddeford Middle School math teams — and the perspective of a volunteer at the Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Resource Center.

We plan to be expanding this section in the coming weeks, including coverage of legislative issues that are being shaped in Augusta.

A unique approach to sharing news

There is also one thing we do that is pretty unique in the competitive world of gathering and sharing news.

We actually highlight stories about Biddeford from other media sites. We use our social media page to share stories about Biddeford from other journalists and publications, including Saco Bay News, the Portland Press Herald, Maine Biz, Spectrum News, WGME-TV and WMTW-TV.

We help direct more traffic directly to their websites or social media pages.

Why do we do this? We do it for you so that you can have all of the latest news and information about Biddeford, all gathered and easy to find in one place.

To the best of my knowledge, no other news site does this.

Lots happening in Biddeford

As I said near the top, we have some pretty exciting news stories on the horizon, including the fact that Biddeford is close to hiring a new city manager and my suspicion is that we have yet to hear the last from former City Manager James Bennett who was ousted from his office in February.

Over the past several days, we have been averaging one new – and often exclusive – news story per day.

For example, this week we continued our ongoing coverage of a massive sewer/road project that will be continuing until November. (Please try to support downtown merchants. Many of them are hurting because people are avoiding the area)

We also continue to lead in our comprehensive coverage about the University of New England’s controversial pier proposal. We also reported as the community paid a final farewell to a former city councilor and an iconic member of the city’s Irish community. Among our other exclusive stories, we reported on a lawsuit being filed against the city in Superior Court, a new program to give unhoused residents employment opportunities and the opening of an aquarium in downtown Biddeford.

I think that about covers it. As always, thank you for reading! And if you haven’t yet, please join hundreds of others and subscribe to our site. Also, please like and follow us on Facebook. Tell your friends and family, too!

Enjoy your weekend, and let’s all hope that we can enjoy a few sunny days this summer.

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be contacted by email: randy@randyseaver.com

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NEWSLETER: Feb. 23, 2025

~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

Just when you think things are going to slow down and become more manageable, some big stories come from out of nowhere and demand your immediate attention.

Such was the case last week, with two stories that were both exclusive to the Biddeford Gazette. First, the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the city of Biddeford, voluntarily withdrew their suit just weeks before the matter was to be heard at the Maine Supreme Court.

That lawsuit challenged the decisions of a lower court’s ruling and the decision by the Biddeford Planning Board regarding a housing development and land swap near Clifford Park.

James Bennett

Before the ink had even dried on that story, we learned that Biddeford City Manager Jim Bennett would not be returning to his office after a brief vacation. City officials are being tight-lipped about the matter, but the surprise announcement seemed strange, especially since Bennett had said he would stay at his post until mid-April when he announced his resignation back in October.

As always, we were also happy to share some photos and news from this year’s Winterfest celebration. We even caught video of Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman busting a move along with several others during an exercise class.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/R8aeV2y39Js

We were also happy to share an intriguing story about inspiring students at Biddeford High School,

Things are moving along even better than I could have imagined just two months ago. We now have hundreds of subscribers and — apparently — we’re now an international publication with a handful of subscribers from foreign countries, including six from Canada; two from Portugal and one from each Italy and New Zealand.

Pretty cool, eh?

On a more somber note, I am still happy to provide updated local obituaries each week at no charge to families. However, doing this does give you a moment of pause, especially when the obituaries are for people younger than you. Also, being part of the community, also means knowing or being connected to several of the deceased.

It’s a good reminder to live your life to the fullest, and never take anything for granted.

In closing, I apologize for being a day late in publishing this newsletter. Laura and I took a much-needed break and spent the weekend with some close friends in central Maine.

Maine is a big, beautiful and diverse state. On Saturday, we went from watching and listening to the roar of two-stroke snowmobiles in the annual Unity Pond snowmobile races and then over to Belfast to enjoy that community’s ice sculpture festival. It was pretty amazing to watch the ice sculptors work,

Now, I’m back, rested up and ready to finish the third installment of our three-part series regarding Biddeford’s housing crisis..

Drop me a line if you have a story idea, a complaint or a suggestion. As always, thank you so much for reading!

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NEWSLETTER: From Me to You

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

Hard to believe it’s been two weeks since our last newsletter. A big thank you to all of you who have decided to join us on this journey by subscribing and/or following and liking us on Facebook.

A quick review:

Things at the Biddeford Gazette have been moving quickly and there are exciting changes on the horizon, but let’s take a quick look back:

In the last two weeks, we have posted nine stories, including six exclusive news stories, a contributed column from State Rep. Marc Malon, and a somewhat fun opinion piece about Biddeford’s quirky penchant for creating an ever-growing list of municipal committees, boards and commissions.

Winterfest returns to Biddeford today! (Devin Wright photo)

But there are two stories that really stick out for me this week, including the first installment of our three-part series regarding Biddeford’s housing crisis. I had to do three installments because there are just so many moving pieces to this complex puzzle, and I want to explore all of the angles.

If housing is a concern of yours, the Biddeford City Council will host a special workshop meeting at City Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 11, beginning at 5:30 p.m. There will be an opportunity for public comment. You can choose to watch the meeting online. Click here for more info about that meeting

The other story was much tougher to write. Our community came together this week to honor and support the family of a Biddeford police officer who was killed in a traffic accident in December.

I have been doing this work off and on for decades. The hardest part of the job is interviewing people when they are grappling with crippling grief and loss.

My colleague Liz Gotthelf and I respectfully remained in a corner while we waited for Police Chief JoAnne Fisk to ask Sgt. Jacob Wolterbeek’s parents if they would be willing to speak with the media.

Even with their permission – and gratitude – it is still the hardest part of the job, and you want to do your very best to capture the story with precision, empathy and respect.

Many officers of the Biddeford Police Department are wearing wrist bands that honor the memory of Sgt. Jacob Wolterbeek (Seaver photo)

Community Feedback:

We have received some very good feedback, suggestions and guidance from the community. Not a day goes by when I don’t hear encouraging and supportive words from my neighbors, friends and others who care deeply about Biddeford.

One person suggested that we should change and darken the font on our site to make it more readable. Done. Another person suggested that we should add an events calendar to our site. We are working on that and hope to launch a dedicated page for community events by the end of the month.

Another person who I greatly respect, told me she is enjoying reading the Gazette but advised me to slow down a bit. She said I should consider taking a day off once in a while.

Another person suggested that we try to shorten some of our stories to make them more readable. I have now imposed a 750-word limit on myself.

However, the most popular part of the Biddeford Gazette is our weekly publishing of obituaries that are updated on our website daily. Unlike other publications, we provide this service at no charge to the families or funeral homes. We consider it a public service. With the combined resources of our social media partners, we have access to more than 35,000 readers.

One former local politician asked me why I showcase other media outlets on the Biddeford Gazette’s Facebook page.

It’s part of our mission, I explained. We are here to promote Biddeford news, regardless of where it comes from. We simply post a link to the other guys so that when you click on their stories, our Facebook page takes you directly to their site, not our site.

No other media outlet does that: promoting news stories from other media outlets. We do it to make it easier for you to stay on top of what’s happening from a wide variety of sources.

In just the last week, I have shared stories from Saco Bay News, the Biddeford-Saco Courier, WGME-TV and WMTW-TV. Make sure to like and follow the Biddeford Gazette on Facebook so that you stay completely up to date.

What’s ahead?

We have a lot of things in the works. After all, it’s been less than 30 days since we officially launched this site.

Don’t forget that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. In addition to chocolates and greeting cards, maybe you could throw a little love our way by subscribing to our site, and following us on Facebook.

Enjoy Winterfest this weekend!

As always, thank you so much for reading!

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NEWSLETTER: Where are we going?

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

Wow! Just wow. When I started the Biddeford Gazette, I had no idea how well it would be received by the community.

It’s a new year; we have a new president, and I now have a new project that will keep me occupied for the foreseeable future. Thus, welcome to my first newsletter!

WHERE WE ARE:

I did a soft launch of the Biddeford Gazette back in November. But a couple of weeks ago, we decided to make it official and bought a website domain that is exclusive for the Biddeford Gazette.

Within just the first two hours of our mid-January launch, more than 175 people subscribed to the Gazette. 175 people in less than two hours? Holy Cow! The subscriptions continue to climb beyond my expectations.

If you would like to subscribe, go here.

WHAT HAVE WE DONE?

In just the last two weeks, we have:

Traditional print publications charge families hundreds of dollars to publish an obituary. We do it for free and consider it a community service. With our social media partners, we have access to more than 35,000 readers in the Biddeford-Saco area.

  • Created a social media page to share and promote Biddeford news from other media outlets in southern Maine, including Saco Bay News, the Biddeford-Saco Courier, MaineBiz and Portland television stations.  All part of our mission to keep our readers informed about what is happening in the community.

WHERE ARE WE GOING?

The future certainly looks bright. Down the road, we hope to expand our operation.

Additional reporting: We have already been contacted by a few former journalists who are interested in freelance work and helping us with our mission of local news coverage;

High School Sports coverage: We are working to develop an internship for high school students interested about a career in journalism;

Improvements: We hope to improve our website design and functionality as we continue moving forward.;

Expanding community voices: We hope to provide an ongoing diversity of perspectives and experience on our pages. If you are interested in writing a column or submitting a press release, please contact us.

In-depth reporting: Next week will begin a three-part series that focuses on the issues of housing in the Biddeford area. This comprehensive project will include interviews with real estate agents, developers, local and state officials and homeless advocates and many others.

Creating an Advisory Council: We are looking for a few people who would be interested in providing guidance and ideas about our news coverage.

Thank you for the support, and please keep reading! With your support and input, we will continue our mission of reporting news and information about the city of Biddeford and its people.

Cheers!

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