Apartment City

Downtown business owners and residents told the Portland City Council on Wednesday night that problems caused by aggressive panhandlers , mentally ill people and individuals under the influence of drugs or alcohol have reached crisis proportions , and that steps must be taken quickly to preserve the vibrant atmosphere that has made Maine’s largest city a popular destination for tourists and new businesses. Councilors said that although mental illness , substance abuse and homelessness have been problems in Portland since the state began closing mental health institutions in the 1980s – putting people with severe mental health issues on the streets – the city will need help from the community and the state to ensure that members of society’s most vulnerable population get the help and services they need. Many of those people come to Portland, which has developed a reputation for providing shelter and services to those in need. “We’ve heard some very powerful testimony tonight ,” s...

See more of the story One of Lucy Elliott’s life mottos is “Make Do,” a phrase her parents often used and one that sums up her years-in-the-making effort to create a children’s activity center in south Minneapolis. The retired educator has collected old materials for crafts and projects, as well as books and toys she’s used in her jobs and raising her own family, and set them up in a renovated auto garage at E. 34th Street and 42nd Avenue S. She’s calling it Belle’s Tool Box, an homage to her mother. Once Belle’s opens in September, Elliott said she hopes parents will bring their kids there and engage with them in different crafts and activities. She’ll encourage a phone-free policy in hopes that parents will follow their kids’ leads and focus on whatever book, toy or project catches their eye. Elliott said her family’s basement, garage and backyard were formative spaces as a child, where she was always working on a project and learning new skills. She said she hopes that Belle’s can ...