AUGUSTA A 17-year-old boy charged in the deaths of his parents in Maine could face up to life in prison if prosecutors succeed in charging him as an adult. The Kennebec Journal reports a judge ruled details of the double slaying will remain sealed for at least two more months. Andrew Balcer (BAHL’- sur) is […]

LEWISTON Somali residents of Lewiston say they’ve been harassed in a supermarket, at a polling place and on a city street since the presidential election. Abdikadir Negeye, co-founder of Maine Immigration and Refugee Services, said one woman was nearly run down by an angry driver who yelled at her for being Somali, NECN reported. Another […]

CONCORD, N.H. The long-running drought in much of the Northeastern United States is expected to persist through the winter. The U.S. Drought Monitor map released Thursday shows dry conditions continuing through February throughout New England and the only relief coming in parts of upstate New York, where some drought-stricken areas could see improving conditions. The […]

PRESQUE ISLE (AP) — Out with the old, in with the tubers. The Maine Potato Board says a new variety of potato will be available to consumers at the upcoming Maine Harvest Festival in Bangor. The new potato is called the Caribou Russet and it was first announced last spring. The potato board says the […]

AUGUSTA (AP) — A Maine man has pleaded not guilty in federal court to charges that he threatened to kill President Barack Obama and U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree. The Kennebec Journal reports 66-year-old Peter M. Hamilton of Augusta was ordered held in federal custody after his arraignment on Thursday in Bangor. A six-count indictment says […]

AUGUSTA (AP) — A former Augusta jail inmate is suing the jail, its health care providers, the sheriff, and others saying she was sexually and physically assaulted by a nurse and multiple staff members. The Kennebec Journal reports an attorney for the inmate filed the lawsuit last week in federal court against the Kennebec County […]

SALEM, Mass. Boots aren’t just made for walking. On the contrary, footwear has captivated hearts and minds worldwide for centuries. Whether a pair of crystalline embellished slippers, or thigh-high boots with platform heels, shoes show our personalities, moods and social status. That’s the premise behind “ Shoes: Pleasure and Pain,” an exhibition opening Saturday at […]

BOSTON Former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi will be released from prison early as he battles health problems. Judge Mark Wolf on Thursday agreed with prison officials and federal prosecutors who argued that DiMasi’s health issues make it difficult for him to function normally in prison. DiMasi, 71, has served five years of an eight-year […]