Emily Allen

Staff Writer

Emily Allen covers courts for the Portland Press Herald. It's her favorite beat so far — before moving to Maine in 2022, she reported on a wide range of topics for public radio in West Virginia and was the City Hall reporter for the Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota. Emily is not a fan of the cold, but she puts up with Maine's challenging winters because she loves the state's beautiful hiking options ... once the snow has cleared.

Community, Cops & Courts, Maine, News

Here’s how new DNA testing led to an arrest in 1993 Kittery cold case

by Emily Allen 6 hours agoJuly 2, 2026

Daniel Jolly, 59, has been charged with murder in the death of 73-year-old Maxine Bitomski. His bail hearing on Thursday offered more insight into the state’s decades-long investigation.

Community, Maine, News, Schools and Education

Court rejects Calvary Chapel appeal in Belfast Hutchinson Center dispute

by Emily Allen July 1, 2026July 1, 2026

The church’s lawsuit against the University of Maine System will resume after the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s decision.

Cops & Courts, Maine, News

Maine fights DOJ subpoena for records on transgender inmate

by Emily Allen July 1, 2026July 1, 2026

The state says the federal government’s request for records from the Maine Correctional Center in Windham violates state privacy laws.

Cops & Courts, Health, Maine, News

Feds say criminal group has stolen more than $100K in Maine using cloned EBT cards

by Emily Allen July 1, 2026July 2, 2026

Prosecutors have charged 1 man, who they allege obtained funds using cloned cards.

Cops & Courts, Maine, News

Cumberland County prosecutors drop charge against Yarmouth doctor

by Emily Allen June 30, 2026June 30, 2026

Peter O’Donnell, 69, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of engaging a prostitute, a Class E charge, under a deferred disposition agreement.

Nation & World, Politics

Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship

by MARK SHERMAN Associated Press June 30, 2026June 30, 2026

Justices rejected President Donald Trump’s executive order declaring that children born to people in the US illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.