When the Portland City Council voted 2 weeks ago to divest in companies doing business in Israel, some in the city’s Jewish community said they felt blindsided because they only learned about it hours before.
Grace Benninghoff
Staff Writer
Grace covers city hall and Greater Portland for the Press Herald. She previously covered reproductive health for Texas Monthly and served as the local host of All Things Considered at Vermont Public. Before moving to Maine, Grace attended Columbia Journalism School in New York City and spent many years in Colorado and Oregon working in the non-profit sector. When she isn't reporting you can find her trail-running with her dog Loma, practicing her Spanish, surfing, or making pottery.
Posted inMaine, News
Portland Water District’s general manager steps down
Seth Garrison was appointed to the role nearly 2 years ago. He took a leave of absence in the spring before resigning on Aug. 26.
advertisement
Posted inMaine, News
Portland City Council OKs $1 million loan for child care expansion, affordable housing project
Youth and Family Outreach plans to double the number of its child care slots to 110 and build 48 affordable and 12 market-rate apartments. The proposal, which received the council’s unanimous support, also calls for tearing down a 175-year-old chapel.
Posted inHealth, Maine, News
Portland’s public health director resigns for job at UNE
Alfredo Vergara’s last day as the city’s director of public health was Aug. 30, almost 2 years exactly from when he first started the job.
Posted inMaine
Portland considers changes to needle exchange program after growing complaints
Mayor Mark Dion wants to limit the number of needles the city gives out. But the public health department is exploring less drastic measures, like a potential syringe buy-back program.
Posted inMaine, News
Portland City Hall is becoming a wedding destination
The number of city hall weddings in Portland has gone up nearly 500% since 2020 as a growing number of people look to opt out of traditional ceremonies.
Posted inMaine, News
Life After Artie: Lewiston shooting victim’s father finds purpose in gun reform
Before his son was killed in the massacre last fall, Arthur Barnard hadn’t voted in decades, flown on a plane or met with U.S. senators. All of that has changed.
Posted inMaine, News
Portland City Council votes to divest from companies doing business in Israel
The resolution brought forth by Councilor April Fournier drew a large and emotional crowd to City Hall. The divestment list includes Chevron, Volvo, Boeing and 82 other companies.
Posted inMaine, Schools and Education
Freshman year at Deering High off to a fun start for new students
The more than 200 ninth grade students had a few hours to themselves at the school Tuesday morning, playing games and exploring the campus before the upperclassmen arrived.
Posted inMaine, News
Asylum seekers are still coming to Portland – and the city now has more options
In the 2 years since an influx of asylum seekers left the city unable to house everyone who needed it, Portland has new systems in place that make the steady flow of people manageable.