PORTLAND — After falling in love with the city, an Australian businessman and his son have purchased an iconic building in Portland’s West End. The Williston West Church, 32 Thomas St., was sold for $657,900 in December to Majella Global Technology, which is based in Brisbane, Australia.  The company is owned and run by Frank […]

PORTLAND — After 14 years, the Udder Place on Brighton Avenue is closing. “It’s a bittersweet thing,” owner Sam Lambert said. Several years ago, after his wife gave birth to triplets, Lambert said he decided it was time to change careers. He got his real estate license and has been working for RE/MAX in Topsham. […]

AUGUSTA — A proposal to create an enrollment window for students interested in charter schools has been scrapped. The rules governing the way charter schools are run are making their way through the Legislature’s education committee. A proposal by the state Department of Education in November would have limited enrollment in charter schools to three […]

PORTLAND — A landlord is appealing the Historic Preservation Board’s denial of his application to install a door on his Exchange Street building. Joseph Soley, who owns 10 Exchange St., applied last fall to install a door that would allow customers to walk directly from Exchange Street into the store that had been rented by […]

PORTLAND — Engineers and architects designing projects owned or financed by the city may soon be able to choose which “green” building standards their work meets. The City Council will review a proposed ordinance amendment Wednesday night that would replace the existing requirement that any new construction paid for or financed by the city be […]

PORTLAND — Green Independent Party steering committee member and West End resident Tom MacMillan announced his candidacy for the House District 118 seat being vacated by Rep. Jon Hinck, D-Portland. Hinck is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine. MacMillan, 25, said Maine needs good jobs and a “common-sense health-care solution.” […]

BRUNSWICK — Kestrel Aircraft has picked Superior, Wis., as the future home of its airplane manufacturing plant and 600 jobs. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker was in Superior Monday morning to make the announcement. “I am pleased with the aggressive package we have put forth in conjunction with strong local support to make this major job […]

Emily Parkhurst, right, of The Forecaster appeared on WMTW Channel 8 Sunday morning to discuss her story about the restoration and transfer to the new Ocean Avenue Elementary School of two Depression-era murals that were in the Nathan Clifford Elementary School building in Portland. The murals, commissioned by the Works Progress Administration, were painted in […]

BRUNSWICK — A cracked toilet bowl apparently extinguished a fire in a Perryman Drive apartment on Wednesday night, the Fire Department said, preventing the blaze from spreading throughout the building. The four residents of the apartment where the fire started, however, were displaced from their home. According to Deputy Chief Don Koslosky, the family members […]

BATH — A 21-year-old man has been charged with 15 counts of sexual abuse of a minor and one count of criminal restraint. Andrew T. Mank was summonsed on Jan. 11 by the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office for offenses that allegedly took place from March through November 2011 in West Bath and Topsham. The November […]