News in Portland

Letter: If you can't win, change the rules

I read Edgar Allen Beem's column on ranked-choice voting, and it came as no surprise. If you read his column carefully, here is the reason for RCV: the Democrats lost last time, so they need to change the rules. The rest of the article is just spin. This is no surprise coming from the liberal sid...

• Opinion •

Monday, February 11, 2013 at 8:10 am

Letter: Beem is right for the wrong reasons

Edgar Allen Beem occasionally supports a position with which I agree, most recently that the winner of a multi-candidate election should be chosen from the top three vote-getters in a run-off election when no one gets over half the vote. His primary reason for this position is that he doesn't lik...

• Opinion •

Monday, February 11, 2013 at 8:10 am

SMCC frustrated by rival CMCC

SMCC's Katryna Gilson has her shot rejected by a CMCC defender during Thursday night's showdown. The Seawolves lost to the top-ranked Mustangs, 61-52, despite 10 points from Gilson and 14 from Alicia Hoyt. SMCC was coming off a 62-52 victory at NHTI. Hoyt had 13 points in that one. The Seawolves ...

Sports •

Saturday, February 9, 2013 at 6:00 pm

Interstate 295 reopens in Cumberland after 19-car pileup causes 4-hour shutdown

CUMBERLAND — It took almost four hours to clean up a 19-car pileup on Interstate 295 Friday morning as snow began to coat the roadway. Maine Public Safety Department spokesman Steve McCausland said the chain-reaction crash started when a car spun out in the southbound lane, just nort...

• News •

Friday, February 8, 2013 at 11:40 am

Anti-bias effort promised after Greely High girls post offensive photo, remarks

CUMBERLAND — Maybe the photo was staged and posted on the Internet without any thought. But its impact has been thought-provoking. The image of two members of the Greely High School girls' basketball team giving a Nazi salute while a third sits cross-legged on the floor flashi...

Alex Lear • News •

Friday, February 8, 2013 at 11:20 am

Kayatta judicial nomination bound for Senate floor vote

CAPE ELIZABETH — The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday endorsed the nomination of attorney William Kayatta to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit, according to a press release from U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine. Kayatta, a civil litigation specialist ...

News •

Thursday, February 7, 2013 at 11:20 am

Downeaster construction debris likely to remain until summer

FREEPORT — Although the majority of the track upgrades for Amtrak's expanded Downeaster passenger service were completed at the end of last summer, the 30-mile rail corridor is still littered with thousands of unused ties, twisted pieces of metal and chunks of broken concrete. ...

Will Graff • News •

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Mercy hospital suitor takes on additional debt

PORTLAND — The hospital network trying to acquire Mercy Health System last week doubled its long-term debt in order to finance a major expansion of its flagship hospital – but says that doesn't change the network's plans for Mercy. On Jan. 30, Eastern Maine Healthca...

William Hall • News •

Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at 12:30 pm

Maine public information change would shield email addresses, allow higher fees

FALMOUTH — A bill introduced by state Rep. Mary Nelson, D-Falmouth, would limit public access to information that is currently part of the public record and allow municipalities to charge more for information they do provide. If approved by the Legislature,

Amber Cronin • News •

Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at 12:30 pm

Deal would sell, raze Portland church

PORTLAND — St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church on outer Congress Street is a step closer to being sold to the owner of neighboring Westgate Shopping Center. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland has signed an agreement to sell the church to Charter Realty & Development Corp....

William Hall • News •

Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at 11:30 am