PORTLAND — City resident Timothy Schneider was nominated Monday by Gov. Paul LePage to serve as the state’s public advocate, according to a press release. He replaces Richard Davies, whose term expired in February. The public advocate represents the interests of ratepayers in proceedings before the Maine Public Utilities Commission, handling legal issues related to […]
Forecaster News
Posted inPortland Forecaster, The Forecaster
Portland spending plan, 'modest' tax hike, assume LePage budget won't fly
PORTLAND — City Manager Mark Rees is proposing a $216 million municipal budget for the 2014 fiscal year, an increase of $10 million, or 4.8 percent, from the current year. But the budget doesn’t anticipate what will happen if Portland loses more than $10 million in state funds, as Gov. Paul LePage has proposed. On […]
advertisement
Posted inPortland Forecaster, The Forecaster
Portland city councilors balk at study's call for 40 new firefighters
PORTLAND — The City Council took its first look Monday at a long-awaited audit of the Fire Department, but the 523-page report seemed to raise more questions than provide answers. Public Safety Solutions, a Maryland-based consultant, began reviewing the department’s staffing and operations in early January. The consultant released its findings and recommendations to the […]
Posted inNorthern Forecaster, The Forecaster
Annual skating show returns to Falmouth
FALMOUTH — The North Atlantic Figure Skating Club’s 15th annual Ice Show will take the ice at Family Ice Center this weekend. Saturday and Sunday shows both begin at 7 p.m. and feature 100 skaters from Maine and New Hampshire. The shows will also feature performances by four synchronized skating teams and two internationally ranked figure […]
Posted inPortland Forecaster, The Forecaster
Peaks Island homeowners warm up to weatherization program
PORTLAND — While memories of this winter are receding, Peaks Island residents are gearing up for the next one through a program that may create warmer, more energy-efficient homes for 20 percent of island households. As many as 100 of the island’s 500 year-round homes and cottages will be expertly weatherized at low cost, thanks […]
Posted inNorthern Forecaster, The Forecaster
Fire damages Falmouth home
FALMOUTH — The state fire marshall’s office is investigating the cause of a Monday afternoon fire that did significant damage to a home at 18 Birkdale Road. Firefighters from Falmouth, Portland and Cumberland arrived around 4 p.m. after a passerby reported smoke coming from the roof of the home at the Falmouth Country Club. When […]
Posted inNorthern Forecaster, Portland Forecaster, The Forecaster
Freeport teacher to head Portland charter school
PORTLAND — The embattled Baxter Academy for Technology and Science is moving forward with the appointment of school leadership in the wake of the termination of its executive director, a lawsuit against the school, and a call for a state investigation into its authorization to operate. Last week, the charter school’s board announced that it has […]
Posted inNorthern Forecaster, The Forecaster
North Yarmouth likely to vote in June on proposed charter revision
NORTH YARMOUTH — With a revised Town Charter likely to go to a vote in June, residents weighed in March 27 with comments and concerns about the proposed document. Among key recommendations of the Charter Commission, which has been reviewing the charter since last August, are replacing the administrative assistant with a town manager, and […]
Posted inNorthern Forecaster, The Forecaster
Councilors defend divider proposed for Route 1 in Falmouth
FALMOUTH — Town councilors heard from the public for the third time about Route 1 infrastructure and zoning changes at a special meeting March 27. Members of the Community Development Committee updated residents on changes to the Route 1 infrastructure and zoning plans, which include the installation of underground power lines. Councilor Teresa Pierce presented […]
Posted inPortland Forecaster, The Forecaster
Portland lays groundwork for federal grant allocations
PORTLAND — As the City Council considers feedback on proposed allocations of federal community development funds, the city is also promoting the use of those funds to make previous improvements in Portland. The council heard public comment last week on a plan for using nearly $4 million in requested fiscal-year-2014 funds from the U.S. Department […]