Author: Edward Tomic

The Portland public schools are aiming to ensure that all students have equal outcomes and equal experiences, according to a revealing presentation delivered at a meeting of a Portland Board of Public Education committee on Thursday. Portland’s “Attendance Boundaries Advisory Committee” has begun its work to evaluate and make recommendations for redrawing the school district’s attendance boundaries in order to address “demographic disparities.” The goal of the new equity-based boundaries will be, according to the committee, to eliminate all differences in outcomes and experiences across the student population. In June, the Board voted to adopt a resolution establishing the community…

Maine’s Democratic members of Congress, Jared Golden and Chellie Pingree, supported a $500,000 taxpayer-funded “environmental justice” grant for a left-wing activist group — the same group that’s now offering to pay $21 per hour for left-wing activists to canvass Maine’s Second Congressional District from now until the Nov. 5 elections. On Oct. 25, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a tranche of $3.5 million in grants that were awarded to six projects in Maine geared towards advancing “environmental justice.” The funding for the grants came from President Joe Biden’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act — which authorized nearly $400…

Two county jails in Maine have been designated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as being in “limited cooperation” with the agency by releasing illegal aliens from custody without providing notification to ICE, according to ICE’s June 2024 Detainer Acceptance Report. ICE works with local law enforcement agencies to lodge immigration detainers against unlawfully present noncitizens that have been arrested on criminal charges and who the agency has probable cause to believe are deportable from the U.S. The detainers are a request from ICE to the law enforcement agencies to hold the illegal aliens in custody and to notify…

A man who led police on multiple chases through the Portland area late last year has pleaded guilty to the illegal possession of a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions. Mohamud Abdullahi, 31, who entered his guilty plea in U.S. District Court in Portland on Monday, was the subject of two police chases involving the South Portland and Portland Police Departments in November and December of 2023. Mohamud Abdullahi, 31 | Source: Cumberland County Jail On Nov 22., 2023, Abdullahi was suspected of firing several rounds from a firearm in the area of 262 Commercial St. in Portland. According to…

A Brazilian national who entered the U.S. illegally in 2021 has been taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officers after he was charged in Massachusetts with attempted murder, stalking and kidnapping. According to ICE, 33-year-old Brazilian national Evandro Ribeiro-Rosa illegally crossed the southern border from Mexico into Arizona in September 2021, at which time he was released from Border Patrol custody with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge. On July 16, 2024, Ribeiro-Rosa was arrested in Worcester, Mass., on charges of attempted murder, stalking, intimidation, kidnapping and two counts of vandalizing…

The Independent Commission to Investigate the Facts of the Tragedy in Lewiston on Tuesday released its final report on the Oct. 25, 2023, shootings that claimed 18 lives and injured 13 others. [RELATED: Maine Gov Calls for “Independent” Commission to Review Police, Army Failures and Botched Investigation Around Robert Card’s Lewiston Murder Spree…] The 215-page report is the result of over 16 public hearings, several private meetings and the review of a large quantity of documents and records undertaken by the Independent Commission since it was established by executive order by Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) in November 2023. On…

Starting on Monday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USICS) began accepting parole applications for an estimated 550,000 noncitizen spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens as part of the Biden administration’s implementation of their “Keeping Families Together” program. The application for the so-called “parole in place” program was unveiled by the Department of Homeland Security in a Federal Register notice published on Monday. Under the program, noncitizen spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens who are currently living in the country without admission or parole, and who have been continuously present in the country since at least June 17, 2014, will be…

A 38-year-old Auburn man who is the subject of a long-term drug trafficking investigation related to the sale of marijuana to juveniles has been arrested for allegedly robbing and assaulting a 15-year-old, according to the Auburn Police Department. Police say that as a result of a long-term investigation into a suspected drug trafficking operation at 93 Fifth St. in Auburn, investigators learned that 38-year-old Ryan Jolicoeur was selling marijuana to a customer base that included local juveniles. 38-year-old Ryan Jolicoeur | Source: Auburn Police Department On Sunday, police received a report from a 15-year-old male who said he was walking…

A juvenile male was injured in a drive-by shooting that occurred early Monday morning near the intersection of Pine and Jefferson Street in Lewiston, according to the Lewiston Police Department. [RELATED: Lewiston Police Investigate Shots Fired Incident at Public Housing Complex Where Teen was Found Dead Last Week…] Monday’s shooting comes just weeks after a 17-year-old male was found dead at the scene of a shooting at a public housing complex of Lewiston — one of a series of shots fired incidents police have responded to in the city this summer. According to Lewiston Police, at about 1 a.m. on…

A man is facing multiple assault charges after being arrested in connection to a baseball attack outside Portland’s Homeless Services Center that left two injured, one with life-threatening injuries. [RELATED: Portland’s Homeless Services Center Reports High Number of “Out-of-State” Intakes…] 44-year-old Ramon Nunez-Rosario | Source: Cumberland County Jail Portland Police announced on Monday that they arrested 44-year-old Ramon Nunez-Rosario in connection to the assault. According to police, shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, officers were dispatched to the wooded area behind the Homeless Services Center at 654 Riverside Street for a report of a male suspect who was assaulting people.…

At a Sanford City Council meeting last week, during which it was decided that the city’s three polling locations would be reduced to a single location, Mayor Becky Brink told a Christian pastor whose school gym previously served as a voting location that a “conflict of interest” was a cause for concern and a motivation behind the decision to remove the facility as a polling place. Last Tuesday, the Sanford City Council voted 5-2 to consolidate the city’s three voting ward locations to one, making the Sanford High School gym the city’s sole voting site for this November’s election and…

An illegal alien wanted for attempted murder in Brazil was deported last month by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after federal authorities located the fugitive hiding in Massachusetts, according to a Monday press release by ICE. Felipe Augusto De Oliveira, a 23-year-old Brazilian national illegally crossed into the U.S. near Lukeville, Ariz., in March of 2023, ICE said. De Oliveira, who was wanted by Brazilian authorities for the charge of attempted homicide, was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol officials, but was issued a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge and released into the U.S. on…

The City of Portland is expected to reopen discussion of implementing a Payment-in-Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program in order to extract revenue from tax exempt property owners, such as hospitals, universities, nonprofit organizations and churches. [RELATED: Maine City Exploring Universal Basic Income Program, $20/Hour Minimum Wage…] The Portland City Council’s Finance Committee will discuss the development of a PILOT policy at their meeting this Tuesday, though will not take any action on implementing the policy at the meeting. PILOT refers to payments made to governments in the place of property taxes meant to pull revenue from tax exempt organizations. The…

After more than a week of investigating without an arrest, Portland Police announced on Friday that they have arrested a 47-year-old man from Naples in connection to the fatal July 30 shooting near Morrill’s Corner on Forest Avenue. Police say a warrant was issued on Thursday for the arrest of Aaron Karp, 47, of Naples, for the charge of murdering 52-year-old Susan McHugh of Gray. Karp surrendered after learning of the arrest warrant and was taken into custody at the Portland Police Station that evening, police say. He is being held at the Cumberland County Jail with no bail. Aaron…

A registrant in the Maine Sex Offender Registry was arrested on Thursday after a juvenile victim and witnesses came forward with allegations against the sex offender for dozens of sexual assaults against a female minor since the spring of 2023, according to the Rumford Police Department. [RELATED: Nearly Half of Maine Sex Offenders Released Between 2005 and 2019 Offended Again: USM Report…] Rumford Police say they arrested Christopher Lee Sheldon, 39, of Rumford, on two counts of gross sexual assault and one count of failure to comply with registration requirements of the sex offender registry program — both felony-level offenses.…

A man found guilty of committing a stabbing attack in a Westbrook parking lot this January has been received a suspended prison sentence of nine years, the Westbrook Police Department announced on Thursday. On Jan. 30, 2023 police responded to a reported stabbing in a parking lot on Main Street in Westbrook. The victim of the stabbing attack was transported to the hospital and survived, police said. The suspected assailant, 38-year-old Damian Green of Westbrook, was located and arrested the day after the attack by police. Green was charged with aggravated attempted murder, terrorizing, assault on an officer, refusing to…

Just 90 days away from the presidential election this November, the City of Sanford is moving forward with a proposal to reduce the city’s three polling locations to a single location at a high school gym for all future elections. Proponents of the change believe that the consolidation will make it easier and cheaper to staff and provide police presence at the singular polling place. Critics say the move will cause confusion and make it harder to vote in-person on election day. The Sanford City Council held a public hearing and a vote on the proposed consolidation at a meeting…

The University of New England (UNE) announced on Wednesday that it is launching four new online courses this fall for certificate programs related to the cannabis industry. The online certificate programs, a collaboration with California-based education platform Green Flower, cover topics in cannabis healthcare and medicine, agriculture and horticulture, business, product development and design, and compliance and risk management. Each program consists of eight-week online courses and costs $2,950 to enroll. “The cannabis industry is one of the fastest growing market opportunities here in Maine and across the country,” said Beth Taylor-Nolan, Ed.D., dean of UNE Online. “As an institution committed to providing…

A man wanted for a felony domestic violence charge was found on Tuesday by Auburn Police in possession of a handgun and a significant quantity of illegal drugs, the agency announced on Wednesday. Omar M. Omar, 29 | Source: Auburn PD According to Auburn Police, at about 3 p.m. on Tuesday officers responded to 21 Spring St. in Auburn in an attempt to locate 29-year-old Omar M. Omar, who was wanted on an outstanding warrant for felony domestic violence. Police say Omar was located at the address, and a search warrant was drafted and executed for the residence. During the…

Maine’s Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) is looking to spend an estimated $2.7 million in grants on efforts to attract “racial, ethnic, and linguistic minorities” into the state’s workforce, according to a Request for Applications (RFA) document published by the Mills administration last week. [RELATED: Mills Admin, Nonprofits, and Big Biz Back New Migrant Resettlement Agency for Maine…] The Mills administration is seeking applications for up to twelve projects which will “broaden the talent pool of key industries by improving equitable workforce participation of racial, ethnic, and linguistic minorities at Maine employers,” the document states. The funding of these…

While no arrests have yet been made, Portland Police announced on Tuesday that the investigation into last week’s fatal shooting near Morrill’s Corner on Forest Avenue is ongoing. At around 8:45 p.m. on July 30, police responded to the area of 1155 Forest Avenue for reports of a shooting. Four people were hospitalized as a result of the shooting, three males and one female. The woman, 54-year-old Susan McHugh of Gray, died from a gunshot wound. Her death was ruled a homicide by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner. The three male victims were identified by police on Tuesday as a…

A Portland man was struck and killed by a train near Morrill’s Corner on Tuesday evening, according to the Portland Police Department. Police say they responded to the area of Morrill’s Corner for a report of a train striking a pedestrian shortly after 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Brett Staples, 34, of Portland, was identified by police as the pedestrian who was struck by the train. Staples was transported to Maine Medical Center where he later died from his injuries, police said. The Portland Police Department and Amtrak Railroad Police are investigating the accident. Police said on Wednesday that no charges…

Migrants detained in facilities operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will no longer receive over eight hours of taxpayer-funded cell phone minutes per month, a move the agency says will save over $10 million. ICE, the agency that oversees the nation’s civil immigration detention system, says that they implemented the phone minutes program during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to ensure migrants could contact their families and legal counsel. Typically, ICE takes noncitizen migrants into custody that are considered flight risks, national security threats, pose a substantial risk to public safety, or are subject to mandatory detention and…

Nearly 100 migrants on the terrorist watchlist were released in the United States after illegally crossing the southern border under the Biden-Harris administration, according to a report released Monday by the House Judiciary Committee. [RELATED: Former FBI Officials Warn Congressional Leaders of National Security Threats Posed by Southern Border ‘Invasion’…] According to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) data provided to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee, between 2021 and 2023, of the more than 250 illegal aliens on the Terrorist Screening Dataset (TSDS) — also known as the “watchlist” — that were encountered by Border Patrol at the southwest border, 99…

An investigation launched early last year into a fraudulent vehicle purchasing scheme that targeted online sellers has concluded with the conviction of a 20-year-old from Portland, the Westbrook Police Department announced Monday. In early 2023, Westbrook Police began investigating a criminal scheme in which a suspect would purchase a vehicle being sold online with a fraudulent check. Westbrook Police detectives initiated an undercover operation in March of last year that culminated in the arrests of an adult and juvenile male. The two suspects attempted to flee the scene but were apprehended following a foot pursuit, police said. Law enforcement seized…

Lewiston City Council President Scott Harriman last week weighed in on a debate surrounding the installing of public toilets in the city with a bizarre admission — that he he has publicly urinated in Lewiston parking garages and alleys “several times.” Harriman made the shocking statement in the comments of a Facebook post by the Lewiston Sun Journal regarding the installation of public bathrooms around the city. Many of the comments on the Facebook post expressed concerns over how the public bathrooms would be cleaned and if they would encourage drug use by the city’s homeless population. “I would hate…

A Sedgwick man is facing up to 60 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to producing and sharing child pornography, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine announced on Friday. Travis Bessey, 29, pleaded guilty on Friday in U.S. District Court in Bangor to two counts of producing child sexual abuse material. In court records, federal prosecutors alleged that in May 2021, Bessey participated in a chat room on the application Kik dedicated to the sharing of child pornography. A Department of Homeland Security Investigations (DHS-HSI) special agent monitoring the Kik chat room observed a user, who…

After reports of a biological man using the women’s locker room at a Missouri Life Time Fitness, the state’s Attorney General Andrew Bailey (R) announced on Friday that he will be investigating the commercial gym chain for “putting Missouri’s women and girls in harm’s way.” According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the controversy stems from a 52-year-old biological man named Eris Montano who on Monday was confronted by a female gym-goer at an Ellisville, Mo. Life Time Fitness for using the women’s locker room. [RELATED: Maine AG Aaron Frey Backs Taxpayer Funded Castrations for West Virginians…] In a Facebook post…

A man’s attempt to hide illegal drugs from law enforcement by flushing them down the toilet of a Waterville residence was thwarted after the baggies of crack cocaine and fentanyl clogged the toilet, leading to the man’s arrest, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) announced Thursday. Omar Sims Marquez, 21, who the MDEA says recently moved to Waterville from Connecticut, was arrested on Thursday on charges of unlawful aggravated trafficking in schedule drugs (fentanyl), unlawful trafficking in schedule drugs (cocaine base) and falsifying physical evidence. According to MDEA, the arrest comes after a three-month investigation into illegal drug trafficking occurring…

An anonymous local hero was able to get a Portland city employee a parking ticket after reminding the city’s parking control officer that Maine is, in fact, “not a communist state.” On Thursday, a disgruntled Portland resident posted to the city’s 311 SeeClickFix portal, an online tool for residents to report quality of life issues, such as discarded hypodermic needles, trash, homeless camps and parking violations. The anonymous user shared a picture of a Nissan Rogue — that they claimed belongs to a Portland city employee — parked illegally in a “no parking any time” zone on Oak Street. “I…

Over three months since an illegal alien caused a car crash on I-95 in Wells that left a Maine woman dead and her husband in critical condition, authorities remain silent on the investigation and on whether the migrant will ever be charged with a crime. [RELATED: Man Involved in Four-Car Crash That Left Maine Woman Dead Entered U.S. Illegally in January: Oguzhan Cildir…] On the morning of Friday, April 26, police and emergency vehicles responded to a four-car pileup near Exit 20 on I-95 in Wells. According to a Maine Department of Public Safety (DPS) statement at the time, an…

Last month border agents in Arizona intercepted a shipment of approximately four million fentanyl pills in the largest seizure of the narcotic in the history of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the agency announced on Thursday. According to CBP, on July 1, officers at the Lukeville, Ariz., port of entry stopped a pickup truck hauling an SUV on a utility trailer driven by a 20-year-old U.S. citizen for an inspection. With assistance from a CBP canine team, officers discovered “anomalies” in the frame of the trailer and found 234 packages of drugs concealed within the frame of the trailer,…

One of the four victims that was hospitalized after a Tuesday evening shooting on Forest Avenue in Portland has died from a gunshot wound, and her death was ruled a homicide by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), Portland Police announced Wednesday. Susan McHugh, 54, of Gray, was identified by police as one of the four people that were injured in the shooting that occurred at about 8:45 p.m. on Tuesday near Morrill’s Corner. [RELATED: Four Hospitalized After Shooting in Portland…] According to Portland Police, McHugh was transported from the scene to Maine Medical Center following the shooting, where she…

A Kentucky woman who founded a charitable nonprofit organization meant to host Ukrainian orphans in the U.S. was sentenced on Wednesday in a Maine federal court for visa fraud and spending over $120,000 of donations on personal expenses, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. Colleen Holt-Thompson, 58, founder of the Kentucky-based nonprofit “Host Ukraine,” was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland to three years of probation and ordered to pay $172,158 in restitution. Holt-Thompson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit visa fraud and tax evasion in January. According to court records, Holt-Thompson founded Host…

The man accused of stealing a 54-year-old Maryland woman’s car in broad daylight over the weekend in Virginia on Sunday, and then running her over and killing her, is a Salvadoran national who is living the U.S. illegally as a “gotaway,” according to local and federal law enforcement. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office released the identity of the suspected carjacker, 21-year-old Jose Aguilar-Martinez, on Tuesday. The Sheriff’s Office stated that Aguilar-Martinez had no fixed address but had been most recently residing in Sterling, Va. Loudoun Sherriff’s deputies responded to the fatal carjacking at about 11:40 a.m. on Sunday in Sterling.…

In a Tuesday hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), U.S. Senator from Maine Angus King (I) invoked 13th century Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan to push for increased Defense Department spending on new weapons technology. [RELATED: Angus King Wants American Military Using “Off the Shelf” Gear While Biden Admin Sends Ukraine Billions…] Chair of the National Defense Commission Jane Harman appeared before the Senate Committee on Wednesday to discuss a report published by the Commission on the United States’ defense strategy, weapon procurement, nuclear deterrence and other threats to national security. In an exchange with Harman, Sen. King questioned…

The Portland Police Department is investigating an apparent shooting that occurred near Morrill’s Corner Tuesday evening that resulted in four people being hospitalized. Police and emergency vehicles responded to the scene of a reported shots fired at about 8:45 p.m. on Tuesday at Morrill’s Corner. Portland Police issued a traffic alert on X at 9:20 p.m. closing traffic from Bell Street to Morrill’s Corner, and urging the public to avoid the area “for a major incident.” At around 11 p.m., Portland Police stated that they were on the scene of the 1100 block of Forest Avenue, from where four victims…

A former basketball coach at a Massachusetts high school is facing federal charges for allegedly transporting a former student across state lines to engage in unlawful sexual conduct, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire Jane Young announced on Monday. Jesus Moore, 35, the former men’s basketball coach at Lawrence High School, is charged with one count of transportation to engage in unlawful sexual conduct. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Moore surrendered to authorities and appeared in federal court on Monday. He was released on conditions. Federal prosecutors allege that on or about March 7, 2022, Moore transported…

On Monday, South Portland Police released the identities of one of the two male teens who escaped from South Portland’s Long Creek Youth Development Center on Friday and allegedly fled in a stolen car. [RELATED: Law Enforcement Still Searching for Unidentified Youths who Escaped Long Creek, Fled in Stolen Car…] Davyn Flynn, 18, of Portland, was the older of the two youths who are accused of escaping from the juvenile detention center and then stealing a car from a nearby parking lot before fleeing. Police released a photo of Flynn from a recent booking at Cumberland County Jail. Davyn Flynn, 18,…

A Westbrook man pleaded guilty in federal court in Portland on Monday to robbing a bank in South Portland in January, during which he allegedly threatened a teller with setting off a bomb, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. Jason Arsenault, 41, who police described at the time as a “transient male,” was arrested in February on robbery, theft and terrorizing charges in connection to the robbery of Key Bank in South Portland on Jan. 26. After his arrest, Arsenault confessed and led investigators to the location of nearly all of the $30,000 that was…

A Portland man is facing a charge of attempted murder after allegedly shooting a woman in the arm early Monday morning, according to the Portland Police Department. Shortly after 2:40 a.m. on Monday, police responded to a report of a shooting at 5 Portland St. Upon arrival, officers discovered a 42-year-old female who had an apparent gunshot wound to her arm. Police said the woman was transported to Maine Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. Randy Aron, 47, of Portland | Source: Cumberland County Jail The suspected shooter, 47-year-old Randy Aron of Portland, was located by police less than an…

A crowd of pedestrians leaving an event at Portland’s Merrill Auditorium narrowly avoided being struck by a habitual offender driving under the influence who collided with three vehicles, including a police cruiser, before being apprehended, according to a Monday press release from the Portland Police Department. The incident occurred at about 5:40 p.m. on Sunday, when a Portland Police officer driving on Cumberland Avenue noticed a silver van at the intersection of Cumberland Avenue and Pear Street collide with a parked car, and then proceed to crash into another parked vehicle. According to Portland Police, the officer used his cruiser…

Law enforcement are still searching for two minors who escaped from South Portland’s Long Creek Youth Development Center on Friday and allegedly fled in a stolen car, the Maine Department of Corrections (Maine DOC) announced on Saturday. The Maine DOC launched a manhunt with its Fugitive Investigation Apprehension Team, alongside federal, state and local law enforcement, after the two male youths escaped from the juvenile detention center at about 7:30 p.m. on Friday. [RELATED: Maine Department of Corrections Looks to Spend Nearly $400k on Juvenile ‘Restorative Justice’ Program…] Immediately after the two minors escaped, the South Portland Police Department responded to…

A Venezuelan national living in the United States illegally shot a Texas police officer multiple times during a domestic violence call early Sunday morning, according to the San Antonio Police Department and a report from Fox News. According to San Antonio Police Chief William McManus, three officers responded to an apartment for a report of a domestic violence incident at about 3:15 a.m. on Sunday. Upon arrival, police learned that a female victim had been assaulted by her boyfriend, Chief McManus said. When police found the suspected male assailant lying in bed with a rifle by his side, he began…

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) on Thursday sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas revealing new whistleblower allegations that the Secret Service turned down offers to use drones to secure the July 13 Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where the former president was nearly assassinated. [RELATED: Secret Service Spox Calls Criticisms of Agency’s Commitment to DEI ‘disgusting’…] In his letter, the Missouri Republican demanded that the DHS, the agency which oversees the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), turns over all records concerning the availability or use of drones at the Butler rally. “According to one whistleblower, the…

The Rowe Auto Group will be holding a memorial golf tournament in September to benefit the children of a couple that was tragically shot and killed in Westbrook last June. [RELATED: Westbrook Murder Suspect Shot Couple in Front of Their Two Kids: Maine State Police…] In the evening of Monday, June 19, 2023, 41-year-old Michael Hayter and 37-year-old Brittany Cockrell, a couple that had relocated to Maine from Texas just months prior, were brutally murdered in their car near the intersection of Main Street and Bridge Street in Westbrook, while their two young children were in the backseat, according to the…

The Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine (HHRC Maine), a nonprofit organization that describes itself as an “educational resource center dedicated to Holocaust and human rights education,” has stated that they have “no comment” on Wednesday’s anti-Israel protests in Portland and Augusta. “The HHRC has no comment on the pro-Palestine rallies in Portland and Augusta.” Sara Lennon, The Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine Pro-Palestine activists — many of them brandishing pro-Hamas slogans — flocked to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress, which was boycotted by both Maine Sen. Angus…

U.S. Senator from Maine Angus King (I) on Monday joined four of his colleagues on a letter pressing OpenAI for answers about its safety and employment practices after a group of whistleblowers filed a complaint alleging the company illegally prohibited its employees from warning regulators about the risks of its artificial intelligence (AI) technology. [RELATED: ‘traumatic online content’: Angus King says Minimum Age for Social Media Should Be 13…] In their letter addressed to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the group of Senators requested information on what steps the company is taking to “meet its public commitments on safety,” its cybersecurity…

Democratic Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) was one of six Democrats to side with House Republicans to pass a resolution on Thursday condemning Vice President Kamala Harris for her failure as the Biden administration’s “Border Czar.” The House Resolution, sponsored by GOP Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, was approved by 220-196 vote and comes as Republicans turn their attention towards Harris as the Democratic Party’s expected presidential nominee, after President Biden withdrew from the race this past weekend. [RELATED: Kamala Harris Was Biden’s “Border Czar” — But Axios and DC Media Want to Rewrite History to Benefit Democrats…]…

Five people were arrested after police raided a Lewiston drug house for the third time in eight months, Lewiston Police announced on Wednesday. As part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation, police executed a search warrant at the home, located at 149 College St. in Lewiston, at about 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Police previously conducted raids on the home in December and February, during which 13 people were arrested and a large amount of fentanyl was seized. During the Tuesday night search, Lewiston Police, alongside agents from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA), found a total of 14 people inside…

A pediatric anesthesiologist at Boston Children’s Hospital was arrested and charged last week with the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced on Friday. Christopher Sheerer, 35, was arrested after a search of his Boston residence resulted in the discovery of multiple chats containing pictures and videos of child pornography were discovered on Sheerer’s phone, prosecutors said. Several other devices, including a tablet and computers were also seized by federal investigators and are pending forensic analysis. The federal investigation into Sheerer stems from his previous job as a fellow…

While correctional facilities across the State of Maine are providing Medical Assisted Treatment (MAT) aimed at reducing recidivism of inmates addicted to opioids, jails are struggling to prevent drugs from being smuggled to inmates, the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office said in a Monday press release. The Sheriff’s Office said that there is an “alarming” amount of dangerous drugs being smuggled into Maine’s correctional facilities, despite most jails having full-body scanning machines to help prevent contraband. “Correctional facilities across the state experience the same challenges. How would someone get drugs into a jail? Visitors, vendors, and mail have been some of…

The Maine Department of Corrections (DOC) will be launching a prison rehabilitation program specifically tailored for Muslim inmates, aimed at minimizing the risk of the inmates being drawn to Islamist and extremist worldviews. The program, called Prison-Based Interventions for Muslim Offenders (PRIMO), will be funded by a taxpayer-funded grant of $22,900 from the State of Maine to Cardiff University (U.K.). [RELATED: Maine DOC to Buy ‘state-of-the-art’ Laser Tattoo Removal Machine to Help Inmates Reintegrate into Society…] Cardiff University ran an initial pilot of PRIMO in the U.K. last year, and are now “looking to expand their program to the United…

A New Jersey man pleaded guilty in federal court in Portland on Tuesday to his role in burglarizing several Maine post offices and robbing two U.S. Postal Service (USPS) letter carriers at knifepoint. Winston McLeod, 31, of Orange, N.J., alongside his coconspirator, 30-year-old Lance Funderburk of Brooklyn, N.Y., were charged in March with counts of burglary, conspiracy to commit robbery and theft, for a week-long “crime spree” that spanned Paris, Monmouth and Lewiston. [RELATED: Two NYC-Area Men Charged With Burglarizing Maine Post Offices, Robbing Letter Carriers at Knife Point…] According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine,…

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will travel to Maine this Saturday to hold rallies in Portland and Bangor “to organize and energize working class voters around an aggressive progressive agenda.” Sen. Sanders, a two-time candidate for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 2016 and 2020, will speak at the State Theatre in Portland at 11 a.m. on Saturday. The 82-year-old senior Senator from Vermont will then travel to Bangor for a rally at the Cross Insurance Center, where doors open at 3 p.m. In a Monday appearance on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, Sanders said he “believe[s] Kamala Harris is going…

Mobile tracking data linked to the home and work addresses of the gunman who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump show devices that also visited Washington, D.C., Plymouth, Mass., and a Pennsylvania gun shop where the shooter bought ammunition. The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project obtained mobile ad tracking data in order to analyze the location data of at least nine devices that regularly visited would-be Trump assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks’ home and work in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, within the past year. Analysis of the mobile ad location data, according to the Oversight Project, shows that someone who regularly visited…

Director of the U.S. Secret Service Kimberly Cheatle appeared before the House Oversight Committee on Monday to provide testimony about the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania last week. [RELATED: “Resignation or Full Explanation”: GOP Lawmakers Confront Head of Secret Service at RNC…] In her opening statement to the Committee, Director Cheatle acknowledged that the agency “failed” in their mission to protect the former president, and that she takes “full responsibility for any security lapse.” However, Cheatle, who appeared at the hearing under subpoena just nine days since Trump was nearly killed, doubled down…

A Border Patrol K-9 helped agents assigned to a California border station intercept over $1 million in cocaine from being smuggled into the U.S. from Mexico, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced Friday. On Monday, July 15, a white SUV containing two U.S. citizens approached the Indio, Calif. immigration checkpoint. During a primary inspection of the SUV, the Border Patrol K-9 team alerted agents to the presence of concealed people or drugs in the vehicle. A Border Patrol K-9 helped agents find 92 pounds of cocaine | Source: CBP A subsequent search resulted in the discovery of 34 packages…

Lewiston Police are investigating the second shooting incident in less than a week at the same public housing complex where a 17-year-old was found dead from gunshot wounds last week. [RELATED: 17-year-old Dead at Public Housing Complex in One of Three Weekend Shootings in Lewiston…] According to Lewiston Police, at about 9:40 p.m. on Friday, officers in the area of Sabattus Street reported hearing gunshots coming from the area of the Hillview public housing complex and Rideout Street. Several witnesses on Rideout Street also reported hearing gunshots coming from the housing complex, police said. Upon arrival, officers found at least…

The Mills administration is set to spend $130,000 on a taxpayer-funded public service announcement (PSA) campaign pushing Maine parents to get their children vaccinated, while falsely claiming that COVID-19 vaccines prevent infection. [RELATED: New Maine CDC Director Recommends Masks and Latest COVID Booster for Everybody Ages 6 months and Older…] In a request to waive competitive bidding issued on Thursday, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and Center for Disease Control outlined their plan to pay the Maine Association of Broadcasters $130,000 to broadcast PSAs on television and radio through June 2026 about the “importance of receiving vaccines on…

A man has been arrested after firing a gun during an altercation at a house in Portland Friday morning, police announced Friday. According to Portland Police, at about 7:17 am. on Friday officers responded to 355 Woodford Street in Portland for a report of shots fired. Following an investigation, police learned that 44-year-old Chi Ho had discharged a firearm at the location after an altercation. Ho was arrested and charged with reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon. Portland Police investigators are urging anyone who has any information, including those who may have heard the gun discharge, to call them at…

After over a year of proceedings, a Russian court has sentenced Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in a high-security penal colony for espionage. The 32-year-old Bowdoin College graduate has been in prison since he was arrested in March of 2023 by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) while reporting in Yekaterinburg. He was the first American journalist to be arrested on espionage charges in Russia since the Cold War. [RELATED: Trump Says Evan Gershkovich Would be Freed From Russian Prison ‘Immediately’ After his Election…] According to the Wall Street Journal, Russian prosecutors accused Gershkovich of gathering information…

The largest shelter provider for unaccompanied migrant children in the U.S. is being sued by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for “severe and pervasive” sexual abuse and harassment of children in their shelters. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday against Texas-based nonprofit Southwest Key Programs Inc., alleges that from 2015 through at least 2023, multiple employees of the migrant shelter network subjected unaccompanied minors in their care to “sexual contact and inappropriate touching, solicitation of sex acts, solicitation of nude photos, entreaties for inappropriate relationships and sexual comments.” The DOJ further alleged that Southwest Key failed to take sufficient action to prevent…

A spokesperson for the U.S. Secret Service is pushing back on wave of criticism against the agency spurred on by speculation that underqualified agents who were only hired because of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies are to blame for the assassination attempt on former President Donald trump last weekend. The criticism has been prompted, in part, by viral images of female Secret Service agents cowering for safety and struggling to properly holster their firearms as male agents rushed to protect and evacuate former President Donald Trump after he was shot in the head. [RELATED: DEI-Obsessed Secret Service Chief Kim…

A nationwide search of prospective candidates who might turnaround the struggling Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has instead landed on former Deputy Commissioner Sara Gagné-Holmes. Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) announced Thursday that she will nominate Gagné-Holmes to serve as the next commissioner of DHHS, a sprawling government bureaucracy tasked with managing child welfare services and Maine’s bloated welfare rolls. Gagné-Holmes has been serving as the department’s acting commissioner since the start of June, following the resignation of previous DHHS Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew in May. [RELATED: Lambrew Out at Maine DHHS…] She served as deputy commissioner of…

World War II veteran William Pekrul took the stage at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, receiving raucous applause when he declared that he would re-enlist in the U.S. military if Donald Trump is elected president this November. WATCH: The 98-year-old Wisconsonite, father to 11 children, said that if President Trump was back as commander-in-chief, he “would go back to re-enlist today” — a statement that was met with a standing ovation from the crowd of Republicans. “And I would storm whatever beach my country needs me to,” Pekrul added. “Some call us the greatest generation,” he said. “That’s an…

Three people were arrested on drug charges on Tuesday after police found a large quantity of fentanyl, methamphetamine and a loaded handgun in an East Millinocket home. [RELATED: Good Boy! East Millinocket Police K-9 Sniffs Out Meth and Fentanyl During Traffic Stops…] According to East Millinocket Police, at about 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, an officer observed a vehicle in the driveway of a residence on Granite Street in Millinocket, and recognized the occupant of the vehicle as 47-year-old Lisa Lamson of East Millinocket. Police said that Lamson, who the officer learned was at the Granite Street residence to pick up…

Democratic U.S. Rep Jared Golden (ME-02) has recently taken thousands of dollars from corporate Political Action Committees (PACs) and other fundraising vehicles aligned with corporate interests, according to his most recent campaign finance filings. The influx of corporate PAC dollars runs contrary to Rep. Golden’s much-publicized philosophy in previous campaigns, where the Democratic incumbent has boasted of relying on Maine-based donors rather than money from interest groups. Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings from the Committee to Elect Jared Golden, Golden’s primary campaign fundraising committee, show that between May 23 and June 30, Golden accepted well over $15,000 from corporate PACs.…

Two people were arrested over the past week after an East Millinocket Police K-9 was able to alert officers to the presence of illegal drugs in vehicles during traffic stops, police announced on Tuesday. Shortly before p.m. on Thursday, July 11, East Millinocket Police Sgt. Mallory Clayton conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on Main Street in East Millinocket for multiple motor vehicle violations. East Millinocket Police K-9 Derby was deployed during the roadside investigation for a drug sniff of the vehicle, and alerted Sgt. Clayton to the presence of illicit substances in the vehicle. Upon searching the vehicle,…

Several towns in Southern Maine have “donated” a total of nearly $200,000 in support of a project to build a 200-unit “campus style” housing complex for migrants spearheaded by the Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG). The project, called “Safe in Maine,” is aiming to raise a total of $2 million for the migrant housing complex, and has so far received $212,000 in donations — almost all of which has come from taxpayer-funded grants from town governments. [RELATED: Mills Admin, Nonprofits, and Big Biz Back New Migrant Resettlement Agency for Maine…] On the Safe in Maine Facebook page, the organization boasts…

In her first interview following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on Saturday, the head of the Secret Service revealed that the shooter was identified as a “potential person of suspicion,” but that police were unable to locate him before he opened fire at the Pennsylvania rally. [RELATED: U.S. Secret Service’s Failure, Sluggish Response to Trump Assassination Attempt Raise Concerns…] U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle made the revelation in an interview with ABC News on Monday, after reports came out earlier that day that local law enforcement had spotted the would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks “in or just-outside”…

A Maine man pleaded guilty on Monday in U.S. District Court in Portland to filing fraudulent applications for over $215,000 COVID-19 relief loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine announced. [RELATED: South Portland Habitual Offender Who Obtained a $20k PPP Loan for his ‘Courier’ Business While on Probation Arrested for Drug Trafficking… ] In court records, federal prosecutors alleged that 49-year-old Frederick Avery of North Berwick submitted two fraudulent applications for PPP loans between April 2020 and September 2021. On the loan applications, Avery claimed to be the owner of a travel…

The Portland Development Corporation (PDC), a division of the city’s Housing and Economic Development Department that is in charge of approving commercial loans, this week will consider a proposal to allow borrowers to apply for interest-free loans. A memo dated July 12 to the PDC board members from Nancy Martin, the city’s Business Programs Manager, outlines the proposed “Inclusive loan policies.” “The City of Portland is increasingly diverse, and features many business owners frominternational backgrounds,” the memo reads. “Their contributions to the local economy are numerous.” In order to “increase financial access” to the business owners from “international backgrounds,” Martin…

A 17-year-old male was found dead at the scene of a shooting in Lewiston on Sunday, one of three shooting incidents that occurred over this past weekend, according to Lewiston Police. The first shooting occurred at about 10:30 p.m., when Lewiston Police received a 911 call for shots fired at 77 Rideout Avenue. At the scene officers found a deceased male in the road. The victim was identified by police as 17-year-old Sahal Muridi of Lewiston. [Note: The Maine State Police initially issued an incorrect spelling of the victim’s last name (Murdi), and later issued a correction to Muridi.] The…

A South Thomaston man was arrested for aggravated assault in Rockland on Sunday after reportedly kicking a victim repeatedly in the face, according to Rockland Police. Rockland Police officers responded to a reported assault in progress just after midnight on Sunday. [RELATED: Rockland Police Issue PSA Asking Witnesses to Break-Ins and Vandalism to Come Forward…] Witnesses told police that they had seen the victim on their hands and knees being repeatedly kicked in the face. Officers observed blood at the scene and located the victim nearby. The victim was transported to Pen Bay Medical Center with significant injuries to their…

Following his brush with death Saturday evening at a Pennsylvania campaign rally, a grateful Donald Trump described the assassination attempt as a “very surreal experience” and acknowledged the miraculous nature of his survival. “I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” Trump told the New York Post aboard his private plane on Sunday en route to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. “I’m supposed to be dead.” “The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle,” Trump said, adding that if he had not turned his head slightly to…

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is planning to spend $26,000 on an online English language learning platform to assist the state’s adult education programs that are seeing an increase in “multilingual learners.” [RELATED: Mills Admin, Nonprofits, and Big Biz Back New Migrant Resettlement Agency for Maine…] The Maine DOE submitted a request to waive competitive bidding on Thursday, seeking to pay a total of $26,250 to the EnGen English language learning platform to reserve 250 seats in their adult education programs. According to Maine DOE, “multilingual learners” (MLs) account for over 50 percent of all adult education students statewide. [RELATED: Democrats…

The Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce released a statement on Friday slamming two minimum wage-related ballot question proposals sponsored by City Councilor Kate Sykes, former co-chair of the Maine Democratic Socialists of America (Maine DSA). [RELATED: Maine City Exploring Universal Basic Income Program, $20/Hour Minimum Wage…] Sykes was a key organizer in several previous Maine DSA-led ballot initiatives in Portland, including one that raised the city’s minimum wage to $15 per hour, “Green New Deal” building ordinances, and rent control. Now, Sykes has sponsored two referendum questions that the City Council will consider putting before Portland voters on the ballot…

Four fishermen from Maine and one from New Hampshire were sentenced in federal court in Portland this week for their involvement in a scheme to sell unreported Atlantic herring, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine announced Thursday. A total of eight Mainers and one New Hampshire man have now been sentenced, including the owner, captains and crew of a commercial fishing vessel, “The Western Sea,” as well as the owners of local Maine fisheries accused of purchasing the unreported Atlantic herring. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sets quotas and catch limits for commercial fishing vessels…

In response to several incidents of break-ins, vandalism and a recent arson incident, the Rockland Police Department has issued a public service announcement requesting that the public call law enforcement to come forward as witnesses. According to Rockland Police, during their recent investigations, several witnesses who either saw or heard something did not call law enforcement. “While each [witness] had their own reasons, we found that often witnesses are under the false assumption that ‘someone else will see or hear this and call it in’ or ‘I don’t want to be a bother to the officers,'” Rockland Police stated in…

Portland City Manager Danielle West has nominated a member of an international humanitarian non-governmental organization (NGO) to serve as the next director of the city’s Health and Human Services (HHS) department. [RELATED: Portland Nearly Triples Social Services Staff Within Three Years, Outpacing Police, Publics Works, Parks Divisions…] The city’s HHS Director position has been vacant since the resignation of Kristen Dow in December. The City Council is slated to vote on the appointment of Maggie McLoughlin, director of programs for the NGO Mercy Corps in Abuja, Nigeria, at their next meeting on Monday, July 15. McLoughlin has held senior management…

Portland Police Chief Mark Dubois on Tuesday provided an update regarding police presence in the city’s Bayside neighborhood, a crime hotspot, to the City Council’s Health and Human Services and Public Safety. In April, Portland Police increased officer presence in the neighborhood in response to a disturbing video published by a Bayside landlord showing open drug use, violence and public indecency outside of his building. [RELATED: Portland City Officials Respond to Disturbing Video Showing Drug Abuse, Fights, Crime in Bayside Neighborhood…] Following the video and after complaints from residents, Chief Dubois doubled the dedicated Bayside patrol detail to include four…

The Portland Police Department is seeking approval from the Portland City Council to purchase a $39,000 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), or drone, for use in search and rescue operations, accident reconstructions, and during the execution of high-risk warrants. Portland Police Chief Mark Dubois presented the department’s proposal to the Portland City Council’s Health and Human Services and Public Safety Committee on Tuesday. According to Chief Dubois, the request comes due to the Portland Police Department being “significantly understaffed.” “In order to maintain public safety in an efficient manner, it is imperative that we utilizetechnology to the fullest extent,” Dubois wrote…

Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) on Tuesday signed an executive order aimed at preventing noncitizens from registering to vote before this November’s elections. The order, entitled the Only Citizens Will Vote Act, directs Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane to immediately take “all necessary steps” to ensure that noncitizens are prevented from registering to vote and from participating in the state’s elections. [RELATED: Mills, Bellows Cozy with Progressive Group ‘Studying’ Noncitizen Voting in Maine…] “Idaho already has the most secure elections in the nation, and we’re going to keep it that way. My executive order – the ONLY CITIZENS WILL…

Three people have been arrested on drug trafficking charges and for child endangerment after a raid on a Lewiston apartment containing a 9-year-old child resulted in the seizure of a large amount of fentanyl a firearm, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) announced Tuesday. At about 7 a.m. on Tuesday, MDEA agents, alongside officers from the Lewiston Police Department, executed a search warrant at an apartment at 229 Blake Street in Lewiston. The search warrant was the result of a month-long investigation into the trafficking of fentanyl and methamphetamine at the apartment, MDEA said. Inside the apartment, law enforcement located…

A 30-year-old woman is facing multiple charges in connection to a theft Monday night at the Rockland Public Landing, and the vandalism of several cars in the city’s South End discovered Tuesday morning, Rockland Police announced Tuesday. According to a press release from the Rockland Police Department, officers responded to a call around 10:30 pm on Monday for reports of property damage and a stolen canoe near the Rockland Public Landing. Officers located 30-year-old Sierra McDonald in the stolen canoe just off the shore. While attempting to speak with her, McDonald reportedly entered the water, undressed completely, and then boarded…

Portland Police announced Tuesday that a 25-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly displaying a handgun and threatening to shoot customers inside a fried chicken restaurant. According to police, at about 1:50 a.m. on Saturday, the Portland Regional Communications Center received a 911 call for a report of a male threatening customers with a handgun at 408 Forest Avenue, Crown Fried Chicken. [RELATED: Portland Police Investigating Armed Robbery at Fried Chicken Restaurant…] Police say that by the time officers arrived at the restaurant, the suspect had fled. Witnesses told police that the suspect had displayed a handgun that was in…

Maine’s Democratic Governor and Secretary of State attended an event last year hosted by a progressive lobbying organization that was looking to “study” allowing noncitizens to vote in local and state elections. Both Gov. Janet Mills and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows attended the League of Women Voters of Maine’s (LWVME) biennial convention in June 2023, which took place at the Holocaust & Human Rights Center on the University of Maine at Augusta campus. LWVME is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit lobbying organization that is the Maine chapter of the National League of Women Voters of the U.S. Although describing itself as…

Two teenagers from Yarmouth are facing drug trafficking charges after being found in possession of a large amount of cocaine during a traffic stop in Portland, police announced Monday. [RELATED: Multiple Teenagers Arrested as Portland PD Seizes 400 Grams of Cocaine, 6 Handguns, and $44,000 Following Drive-by Shooting…] According to Portland Police, the traffic stop occurred just after midnight on Monday, when the vehicle in question made an illegal U-turn. During the stop, police found that one of the occupants of the vehicle, 18-year-old Cole Swan of Yarmouth, was violating bail conditions. 18-year-old Cole Swan of Yarmouth | Source: Cumberland County…

A man has been charged with manslaughter and operating under the influence after a fatal head-on collision in Gray on Saturday, according to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. The crash occurred at about 11:30 p.m. on Saturday on Portland Road near the intersection with Sugar Maple Road. Jean Claude Nshimiyimana, 43, charged with manslaughter and OUI | Source: Cumberland County Jail Jean Claude Nshimiyimana, 43, is accused of driving drunk in a 2022 Jeep Gladiator and crashing head-on into a 2019 Chevrolet Suburban that was traveling in the opposite direction. Nshimiyimana, who according to arrest records has an address at…

The Sanford City Council on Tuesday discussed a request from a City Councilor for the yellow Gadsden Flag to be flown in front of Sanford City Hall on the Fourth of July, but ultimately did not move forward with a vote on the request. The Gadsden Flag is one of the most popular symbols of the American Revolution, featuring a coiled rattlesnake with the words “Don’t Tread on Me.” The flag, which in recent decades has become a popular political symbol among libertarians, is named after Christopher Gadsden, a South Carolina delegate to the Continental Congress who designed the flag…

Portland Adult Education (PAE), the adult student component of Portland Public Schools, is seeking to leverage $200,000 in property taxes to continue funding a workforce training program that last year taught almost exclusively immigrant students. The PAE workforce training program first launched in fiscal year (FY) 2020 as a pilot program, funded with $100,000 from the Downtown Portland Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district. In TIF districts, municipalities freeze property taxes at an original assessed value in a specific area, and then derive revenue from increased property assessments within the district over time. The city then approves development programs to authorize…

A Dominican national facing felony drug trafficking charges after his arrest last month in Prospect, Maine, is an illegal alien with a pending case for his deportation from the U.S., according to arrest records obtained by the Maine Wire. Darvin Ruiz, a 21-year-old man from the Dominican Republic with an address in Lawrence, Mass., was arrested on June 22 in Prospect by Maine State Police. Ruiz was charged with aggravated trafficking of fentanyl and unlawful trafficking of schedule W drugs, both felony level offenses. 21-year-old Dominican national Darvin Ruiz | Source: Twin Bridges Regional Jail Booking records from Twin Bridges…

The Mills Administration is seeking to pay $485,000 in taxpayer funds to a nonprofit in order to pilot a “Progressive Employment” model in Maine geared toward bringing addicts and recovery and “justice involved individuals” into the state’s work force. [RELATED: Mills Admin, Nonprofits, and Big Biz Back New Migrant Resettlement Agency for Maine…] According to a request to waive competitive bidding filed last week by the Maine Department of Labor (DOL), the Mills Administration wants to direct $485,000 to the Bangor-based Eastern Maine Development Corporation (EDMC) to coordinate the “Progressive Employment” program. “Progressive Employment is a model that helps job seekers…

Natasha Irving has been serving as District Attorney of Maine’s Sixth Prosecutorial District, which covers Sagadahoc, Knox, Lincoln and Waldo counties, since getting elected for the first time in 2018. Irving, a Democrat and self-described progressive, ran on a platform focused on restorative justice policies, which include providing people convicted of crimes with alternatives to incarceration, such as treatment or rehabilitation programs, and to take into account the “collateral consequences” that may result from a criminal conviction. The Maine Wire obtained several policy and procedure memos through public records requests from District Attorneys in other states across the country that…

A Portland man is facing terrorizing and criminal use of explosive charges after allegedly threatening his former domestic and constructing a bomb in a Brighton Corner apartment, according to the Portland Police Department. The incident in question occurred at about 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 29, when the Portland Police Special Reaction Team, crisis negotiators and Hazardous Device Unit (Bomb Squad), alongside the Maine State Police Tactical Team, executed a high-risk search warrant at 22 Runnels St. in Portland. Earlier on Saturday, Portland Police were alerted that 39-year-old Daryl Walsh of Portland had made threats to his former domestic partner…

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced on Friday that the Biden administration will be allowing up to 309,000 Haitian migrants currently living in the U.S. to seek Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which will prevent them from being deported from the U.S. According to the DHS, the redesignation and extension of TPS for the Haitian migrants is due to “humanitarian challenges” on the island nation, including an ongoing gang violence crisis that led to the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry in April, following a massive jailbreak. [RELATED: DeSantis Deploys National Guard to Stop Potential Haitian Migrant…

Despite a disastrous performance by President Joe Biden at the first presidential debate versus former President Donald Trump that sent Democratic pundits into an immediate panic, Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) reaffirmed her support for the 81-year-old presumptive nominee at a Thursday evening debate watch party in South Portland. Gov. Mills, speaking to a crowd of roughly 50 attendees at the watch party, said that she is supporting President Biden because he “has done the most to help the state of Maine.” [RELATED: Our View: We Agree With Janet Mills. For the Good of Democracy, Biden Must Stay in the…

A fatal single-vehicle crash involving a Tesla on Thursday in Naples, Maine, resulted in a significant firefighter response due to fires caused by a debris field of batteries from the electric vehicle, according to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office . The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene of the crash at 752 Harrison Road in Naples, alongside firefighters from Naples, Casco, Sebago, and Bridgton. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection also responded to the scene. Photo courtesy of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office “The crash presented significant hazards to first responders and area residents due to the vehicle…

The Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention (Maine CDC) is looking to spend $200,000 on a marketing campaign focused on encouraging Mainers to get updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines. [RELATED: Maine DHHS Looks to Spend $200k on COVID-19 ‘Vaccine Equity’ Program…] According to a request to waive competitive bidding document published Tuesday, Maine CDC plans to hire the Westbrook-based marketing firm Ethos Marketing and Design in order to carry out the campaign. “The goals of the campaign are to increase awareness that about [sic] eligibility for updates vaccinations against COVID-19 and the flu and encourage Maine people to get…