The city is soliciting input from the community on how best to use more than $30 million in federal funding Portland received to recover from a pandemic that appears far from over.
Randy Billings
Staff Writer
Randy Billings is a government watchdog and political reporter who has been the State House bureau chief since 2021. He was named the Maine Press Association’s Journalist of the Year in 2020. He joined the Press Herald in 2012 as the Portland City Hall reporter, where his beat touched on a wide range of topics, including municipal government, immigration, homelessness, housing and social services. Prior to that, he worked at various weeklies as well as business and arts publications. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine, Orono. He lives in North Yarmouth with his wife and two children and enjoys the outdoors and playing his upright bass.
Posted inMaine, News
Doubts about plan for Maine’s first local mask mandate lead Portland council to delay vote
Businesses opposed the proposal and some councilors questioned whether a mandate would work without regional or state buy-in.
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Posted inMaine, News
Portland Planning Board to vote on proposed 200-bed homeless shelter
Final approval could allow the city to avoid a citizen referendum meant to derail it – opponents say they will evaluate their legal options.
Posted inMaine, News
Portland seeks input on pandemic relief funding
Mayor Kate Snyder says Monday’s forum will help the City Council set priorities for about $14 million of the $46 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding the city expects to receive.
Posted inMaine, News
Portland City Manager Jon Jennings could leave post early
Jennings, who has been city manager since 2015, would start his new job in Clearwater, Florida, on Nov. 8 at an annual salary of $230,000.
Posted inBusiness, Maine, News, Schools and Education
Developer plans apartments in Portland building where college considered dorms
The Maine College of Art & Design dropped plans for a dorm on Forest Avenue after the city decided to move its social services and public health offices, including its health clinic, next door.
Posted inBusiness, Maine, News
Portland reclaims lot once part of the ‘midtown’ project using eminent domain
The city plans to pay 3 limited liability companies just $10 each for the property in Bayside, since a city appraisal determined it has a negative fair market value.
Posted inMaine, News
Portland council supports mask mandate, but pushes vote back until next week
At a workshop Wednesday, councilors expressed support for requiring everyone 2 and older to wear masks in all public indoor settings.
Posted inMaine, News
Portland health officials recommend that city restore indoor mask mandate
Portland would become Maine’s first municipality to revive a requirement that people wear masks in public indoor spaces regardless of vaccination status.
Posted inMaine
Portland plans to seize midtown lot using eminent domain
The city, which is embroiled in a lawsuit with the developers of the failed project, is proposing to pay just $30 for the land, citing an appraisal that claims the property has a negative fair market value.