PORTLAND — Jon St. Laurent has not been far from a kitchen for 40 years, and no matter what he serves up, barbecue is his legacy. “If Jon St. Laurent opened a restaurant and it wasn’t grilled or smoked,” he said Aug. 23, “they’d demand it was.” Now, after several years away from the smoke and […]

PORTLAND — As the city continues to struggle with its role as a service center and what that means, a play is set to open later this month that purports to tell the “100 percent true tale” of the attempt to ban panhandling on median strips. The story played out over the course of 2012-14 and […]

PORTLAND — School custodians work behind-the-scenes and their efforts can often go unnoticed. But that’s not the case for Avalinda Lindsay, the head custodian at Hall Elementary School. Lindsay was honored by the School Board at its Aug. 15 meeting for going above and beyond in getting the school ready for students to return this […]

PORTLAND — Hoping to educate students about the health and environmental benefits of choosing tap water, Ocean Avenue Elementary and the Portland Water District have teamed up to provide the school with a water bottle filling station. In addition, at last week’s back-to-school social, the water district provided Ocean Avenue with 450 reusable water bottles, […]

PORTLAND — A two-year grant totaling $100,000 will help city officials promote colorectal health to the city’s immigrant populations. The grant from the Maine Cancer Foundation was announced in a Sept. 1 press release. The money will go to the city’s Public Health Division’s Minority Health Program. The program, in partnership with Maine Medical Partners-Portland Family […]

PORTLAND — A 22-year-old Westbrook man was shot Sunday afternoon outside the ScrubaDub Car Wash at 1185 Forest Ave. Abdul R. Timbo, 23, of 13983 Oleaner Court, Woodbridge, Virginia, was arrested shortly after the Sept. 3 incident, according to intake logs from the Cumberland County Jail. He is charged with attempted murder and reckless conduct with […]

PORTLAND — William Conley was getting thirsty as noon approached last Friday on Commercial Street. “I like to have a cold one,” he said as he sat near Bill’s Pizza. Several feet away, another man slept on the sidewalk. Two days earlier, Conley’s enjoyment of “cold ones” – actually his alcoholism and mental illness – brought his sister, Sue […]

PORTLAND — Contested City Council races will take center stage in this year’s local elections. The deadline was Monday for candidates to submit nomination papers to the city clerk’s office. School Board races in the city will be uncontested affairs, and only one candidate filed for one of two seats on the Peaks Island Council. Candidates […]

PORTLAND — School leaders say it’s just as important to look forward as it is back as Cheverus High School celebrates its 100th anniversary. “Jesuit education is about being challenged to do more and be more, thinking of people and problems beyond yourself, and trying to be part of the solution toward a more just world,” […]