The student-run Green Ladle restaurant is so popular that no one complains about it, not even newspaper bloggers.

Lewiston Regional Technical Center Director Don Cannan told the School Committee this week that there’s a lot of excitement about the new $1.3 million building under construction near Lewiston High School.

When the Green Ladle opens this spring, it will house an expanded culinary arts school and restaurant with 80 students instead of the current 52. Between 40 and 50 potential students were turned away this year because of lack of room.

The new restaurant it is expected, won’t need any marketing, said culinary arts instructor Don Caron.

“Not to toot my own horn, but we refuse more people than we serve,” Caron said. “The same with catering.”

– Bonnie Washuk
MPG challenge

Car dealer Adam Lee is calling on Congress to force the American automotive industry to build more fuel-efficient cars.

That, he said, would help save America’s struggling automotive industry, reduce the country’s reliance on oil from the Middle East and help the environment.

It would also prevent car dealers like him from being stuck with lots full of gas-guzzling vehicles that consumers aren’t buying.

Lee is featured on the Web site, “35mpgby2020,” along with others in the industry. The site invites people to sign their names to a petition to send to Congress to pass tougher fuel-efficiency standards. U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, both Maine Republicans, have pushed for better standards, but have been throttled by the automobile industry and others opposed to increasing fuel standards.

To see the Web site to go: http://www.35mpgby2020.com/

– Bonnie Washuk
System worked in sex case

Since Park Avenue Elementary music teacher Jim Raymond was arrested Oct. 30 on a charge of unlawful sexual touching of a student, it’s been a difficult time, Auburn School Committee Chairman David Das said this week.

“We’ve all received questions and comments,” Das said. “Yet all we know is what Police Chief (Phil) Crowell said at a press conference and parent meeting.”

He said he wanted to make the policy clear that whenever allegations of sexual contact or reasonable suspicion of abuse is reported, the Auburn School Department has a legal obligation to immediately inform the police and Department of Health and Human Services.

That happened in this case, Das said.

Additionally, all students are taught how to protect themselves and report anything that makes them feel uncomfortable, in or out of school, Das said. “That seems to have been one of the elements that got that young student to report the incident, the education the student had received.”

The allegation against the former teacher is the first in recent memory, Das said. “Clearly, it’s one too many, but as awkward as this may sound, the system does work, both in prevention and response.”

– Bonnie Washuk