South Portland police don’t believe the death of James Gudinas, 47, is the result of any crime.
Eric Russell
Staff Writer
Eric Russell has been a general assignment reporter at the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram since 2012 and has been a journalist in Maine since 2004. Because he doesn’t have a specific geographic or topical area to cover, Eric often is free to roam the state in pursuit of the most interesting stories, whether it’s tackling the big topic of the day or chasing ideas that fall just outside the boundaries of everyday news. His favorite assignments are ones where he can leave the office and meet with people in their homes or their workplaces to talk about their struggles and challenges – and sometimes their triumphs. Or to try and answer complicated questions. Eric grew up in Southern Maine, went to college at the University of Maine and worked in Bangor for eight years before joining the Press Herald. He lives in Brunswick with his wife, a school teacher, and two daughters.
Family wants world to know about young Maine woman’s overdose death
The brutally honest obituary puts heroin deaths in a very public eye in hopes of averting future tragedy.
How Maine became a haven for heroin
The crackdown on OxyContin boosted the demand for heroin, sending prices to levels big-city suppliers can’t pass up.
Police charge Portland man with attacking neighbor with a knife
The man broke into the woman’s home while she was watching television and tried to assault her before she fled, police say.
Portland police charge brothers, allege racially motivated attack
Two New Gloucester men are accused of assaulting the only black person in a group that had gathered after the brothers got involved in a fight.
LePage administration pulls ‘business friendly’ status from South Portland
The action comes because the city passed an ordinance last year to block the export of tar sands oil from its harbor.
Parents urge Maine lawmakers to allow medical marijuana in schools
Mothers whose children suffer seizures speak in support of a bill that would have schools treat marijuana like other prescription drugs, but federal law is seen as an obstacle.
Maine’s marijuana inspectors turning up few problems so far
But a group representing caregivers says they want to have input in the DHHS compliance program.
Boothbay Harbor Shipyard to make historic schooner seaworthy again
Massachusetts’ state ship, the Ernestina-Morrissey, will get an overhaul that will last for the next three years.
Maine sets a record for drug needle exchanges
The total hit 564,847 last year, up 238 percent since 2010, as heroin use surged and clinics like Portland’s worked to prevent cases of HIV and hepatitis C.