PORTLAND — Operators of the Amtrak Downeaster must look elsewhere for $20 million to fund projects associated with its northbound expansion to Brunswick. The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority applied in October for federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grants to help fund three projects, totalling $25 million. But when the grants were announced […]

PORTLAND — The group that has state approval to open a medical marijuana dispensary in the city has set a tentative opening date. If all goes according to plan, the dispensary at 685 Congress St. will open on Jan. 29, 2012. The group that will run the Portland dispensary and three others in Maine has […]

PORTLAND — OccupyMaine on Monday morning sued the city in Cumberland County Superior Court to keep its encampment at Lincoln Park. The lawsuit claims the 24-hour occupation is necessary for the group to send its message and compel those in power to address what the group considers “grave economic, political and social injustices.” The lawsuit […]

Part of a continuing series by the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting on Maine’s bail system. AUGUSTA — The study rests on a shelf deep in the documents room at the state library. It has been sitting there since September 2006, most of its recommendations going the way of the hundreds of government blue-ribbon […]

PORTLAND — Six Maine counties are hoping the state’s highest court will overturn a lower court decision that sided with a Cumberland company seeking registry of deeds documents at a lower cost than the counties want to charge. MacImage of Maine, joined by the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine and the Maine Freedom of Information […]

PORTLAND — The School Board is beginning the process of finding a new superintendent of schools for Maine’s largest school district. “We’re hiring a consultant to help us with the process,” said School Board member Ed Bryan, who is part of a subcommittee charged with choosing a consulting company. Superintendent James C. Morse Sr. on […]

Friends of the Eastern Promenade sing Christmas carols in Colucci’s Hilltop Market on Congress Street in Portland on Saturday, Dec. 17. The carolers started at Fort Allen Park and then meandered their way around the Munjoy Hill neighborhood.

PORTLAND — Husson University is looking to expand and move its southern Maine campus. The university has a building and nearly seven acres of land at 1945 Congress St. under contract to buy from the Portland Elks for $2.05 million. Provost Lynne Coy-Ogan said the university would like to tear down the Elks lodge and […]

PORTLAND — After the School Department officially hands over the Nathan Clifford Elementary School building at 180 Falmouth St. to the city in January, school officials hope to begin a discussion about selling the building to help pay for other elementary school renovations and relocation of the district’s central office. The Clifford school was abandoned […]

PORTLAND — New full-body scanners will be added to security checkpoints at Portland International Jetport next month. Jetport Director Paul Bradbury said the new scanners do not raise the same privacy questions as earlier versions. The federal Transportation Security Administration began using walk-through, full-body scanners in 2007. They have since become an integral tool in […]