Kevin Kraft, who has served as interim director of the department since April, has been nominated to serve as the new director.
Grace Benninghoff
Staff Writer
Grace covers city hall and Greater Portland for the Press Herald. She previously covered reproductive health for Texas Monthly and served as the local host of All Things Considered at Vermont Public. Before moving to Maine, Grace attended Columbia Journalism School in New York City and spent many years in Colorado and Oregon working in the non-profit sector. When she isn't reporting you can find her trail-running with her dog Loma, practicing her Spanish, surfing, or making pottery.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State
Portland tenants union established by former mayor files new complaints against landlord
The Trelawny Tenants Union says their landlord, Geoffrey Rice, raised rents last year even when he was out of compliance with the city’s rent control ordinance.
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Posted inLocal & State
Portland’s diversity director leaves after just over one year on the job
Umaru Balde said he can’t say why he left as director of the newly-formed Department of Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Jury rules landlord can’t evict former Portland Mayor Strimling
After deliberating 90 minutes, the jury finds that Geoffrey Rice was illegally retaliating for Ethan Strimling’s involvement in forming a tenants union in 2021.
Posted inElection 2024, Local & State, News, Politics
Clean Elections Board considers if Portland council candidate violated program rules
The board decided that Brandon Mazer, accused of accepting a gift of polling data, may receive clean elections funds – but it won’t issue a final decision until July.
Posted inLocal & State
Attorney for Ethan Strimling zeroes in on timeline of eviction, union complaints
The former mayor’s attorney is alleging that his landlord, Geoffrey Rice, only ramped up efforts to evict Strimling after the tenants union he founded began filing complaints with the city.
Posted inCops & Courts, Local & State, News
Portland landlord says tenant Ethan Strimling, a former mayor, was ‘dominating’ over rent issues
In the second day of the former mayor’s eviction trial, his landlord took the stand, giving Ethan Strimling’s attorney a chance to ask him about his history of rent control violations with the city.
Posted inLocal & State
Portland City Councilor Anna Trevorrow announces she won’t seek reelection
The District 1 councilor announced on Tuesday that she would not seek another term on the council.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Eviction trial of former Portland Mayor Ethan Strimling kicks off after 3-year delay
Strimling’s landlord has been trying to evict him from his apartment on Congress Street since 2021 after a series of disputes over rent increases and violations.
Posted inLocal & State, News
The price of Portland’s purple trash bags is going up – again. Residents aren’t happy
The cost of a roll of 10 regular-sized bags will soon increase $1.50 to $19. The city relies on the fees to pay for trash removal services.