Word puzzle fans from around the country will be heading to Maine in 2014, as well as puzzle celebrities like Will Shortz of The New York Times.
Ray Routhier
Staff Writer
Ray Routhier has written about pop culture, movies, TV, music and lifestyle trends for the Portland Press Herald since 1993. He is continually fascinated with stories that show the unique character of Maine’s people and places. He’s written about why so many businesses use the made-up word “Mainely” in their names, how you can trace Portland’s history through its various smells and why Mainers lament the loss of Portland-made B&M baked beans. He’s interviewed a wide variety of filmmakers, actors, musicians and authors, including Patrick Dempsey, Tony Shalhoub, Richard Russo, Tess Gerritsen, Tony Bennett, Anna Kendrick, and Stephen King. His passions, besides writing, include baseball history, old movies and “Jeopardy!” A native of Manchester, New Hampshire, he graduated with a degree in political science from the University of New Hampshire. He lives in South Portland with his wife and two children.
Author Q & A: More, ‘Peas’
Jennifer Wixson is out with ‘Peas, Beans & Corn,’ the second in her series of novels set in a small, fictional Maine town.
Blues out of a clear sky leads performer to Rockland festival
Corey Harris didn’t intend a career in music. This weekend he’s at the North Atlantic Blues Festival with Mavis Staples, the Holmes Brothers and many others.
Off Beat: In the om stretch at Maine YogaFest
The event in Portland this weekend offers two whole days of workshops and lectures on a variety of yoga styles – and that’s not all.
Maine chain moving on from ‘Marden’s Lady’
Karmo Sanders, who has portrayed slightly crazy Maine shopper Birdie Googins in Marden’s ads for five years, says the Maine chain has decided to no longer use her.
Ricky Skaggs plays Stone Mountain on Saturday
The rootsy musician has won a slew of awards, including 14 Grammys, and has had a dozen No. 1 country singles.
Off Beat: Vaudeville lives! And Dark Follies takes it to the streets of Portland
If you think vaudeville is a dead art, think again. And if you think vaudeville acts only perform around Portland in theaters and nightclubs, think one more time. The Dark Follies vaudeville troupe, which has been performing around Portland since 2008, is bringing its show outdoors this week. “We’ll have the full troupe: About 17 […]
A signer of the times: Falmouth woman’s rap hands go viral
A deft American Sign Language interpreter at concerts and music festivals has many fans of her own.
Film recounts 16th Maine Regiment’s heroic stand
The half-hour documentary features ‘one of those untold stories’ from Gettysburg.
Off Beat: Postcards from the cutting edge
Artists will leap from their comfort zones into sometimes uncharted territory in the second PortFringe.