PORTLAND — With a measles outbreak creating alarm around the country, Maine lawmakers are proposing legislation that would either eliminate philosophical exemptions for childhood vaccinations, or require parents to consult doctors before receiving non-medical exemptions for their children. Vaccination opponents, meanwhile, claim the medicines can harm children. They are pressing for additional protections for parents who […]
Portland Forecaster
City-wide news from The Forecaster.
Posted inNorthern Forecaster, Portland Forecaster, The Forecaster
Maine Audubon seeks return of stolen wildlife exhibits
FALMOUTH — Display cases housing snowshoe hare and pond turtle exhibits and a red fox pelt were stolen from a locked pickup truck, and Maine Audubon wants them back. The items were part of a collection maintained for scientific and educational purposes, Maine Audubon Education Director Eric Toppers said last week. “To take these items […]
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Posted inCoastal Journal, Northern Forecaster, Portland Forecaster, Southern Forecaster, The Forecaster
Heroin in greater Portland: Growing trend worries police, health officials
FALMOUTH — Police Lt. John Kilbride has seen a change in his town’s crime and public health landscape. “If you asked me a year ago … I would have said we are not dealing a lot with heroin,” Kilbride said Jan. 30. But after three overdose calls last year, including one death, and a Jan. […]
Posted inPortland Forecaster, The Forecaster
Portland fire task force ready to report; tenants' group wants more input
PORTLAND — As the task force created to evaluate fire safety and building codes issues prepares its report for the City Council, a fledgling coalition of city tenants remains unhappy it was not included in discussions. The Fire Safety Task Force established by acting City Manager Sheila Hill-Christian discussed its recommendations last week at a […]
Posted inPortland Forecaster, The Forecaster
Portland sees more than nutritional benefit in school lunches
PORTLAND — The School Department kicked off a campaign to help raise awareness and participation in the school lunch program, and enlisted some help to do so. Mayor Michael Brennan came to Lyseth Elementary School for Farm Fresh Friday on Jan. 30 to promote the “Choose School Lunch” campaign and have lunch with a handful […]
Posted inNorthern Forecaster, Portland Forecaster, Southern Forecaster, The Forecaster
Falmouth panel: Human trafficking, prostitution, aren't victimless
FALMOUTH — Human trafficking is a problem most would think has very little if anything to do with Maine. But a panel discussion held by the National Council of Jewish Women Southern Maine Section set its sights on changing that perception. Hosted on Jan. 29 at the Portland Country Club on 11 Foreside Road, a panel […]
Posted inPortland Forecaster, The Forecaster
Portland forum lays foundation for school budget talks
PORTLAND — A few members of the public turned out Jan. 29 to offer input on the development of the next School Department budget. School Board Chairwoman Sarah Thompson said the forum in the Lyman Moore Middle School library was attended mostly by “a variation of staff who were also either parents or community members,” […]
Posted inCoastal Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Northern Forecaster, Portland Forecaster, Southern Forecaster, The Forecaster
Intentionally Unreasonable: Anyone can write, only a few are Columnists
First my confession: I’m not a real newspaper columnist. Not even close. I’m a hack who can’t even spell the word punctuation without spell check, I determine colon and semicolon placement by coin flip, and it’s an utter mystery to me if my words here will have any “affect” or “effect.” And, if not for […]
Posted inForecaster Obituaries, Portland Forecaster, The Forecaster
Geraldine Ham, 83
PORTLAND – Geraldine Ham, 83, passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 25, 2015. The daughter of Earl and Shirley (Sawyer, King) Weymouth, she was born in Portland, on April 16, 1931. She married Chester Arthur Ham Sr. and they settled down in Portland to raise their four sons. They were both members of […]
Posted inPortland Forecaster, The Forecaster
Portland Meetings: Feb. 4-10
Wed. 2/4 10 a.m. Disabilities Committee CH Wed. 2/4 5 p.m. Historic Preservation Board CH Wed. 2/4 6 p.m. Hall School Public Forum Hall School Thur. 2/5 noon CDBG Allocation Committee CH Fri. 2/6 9 a.m. Health Equity Work Group CH Fri. 2/6 10 a.m. Mayor’s Initiative/Food Security Work Group CH Mon. 2/9 3 p.m. […]