SOUTH PORTLAND – Stephen Thurston has received two letters in his life that most children would rather not get. One was from his mother, who was a drug user and dealer, he said. She left the note in their Portland apartment before she fled the cops and the state when he was 8 years old. […]

PORTLAND — It was an extraordinary moment in an already extraordinary life. Yuri Shepard-Kegl stood before the audience in Merrill Auditorium earlier this month and, with the rest of the graduates in Portland High School’s class of 2010, sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” in American Sign Language. “I was proud that I was able to put […]

WINDHAM – At age 13, Desirea Limanni experienced something that would overwhelm many adults. Her mother, Amy Limanni, died unexpectedly at their home in Westbrook, leaving Desirea and her three younger siblings in the care of their father, Scott Limanni. As the oldest child, Desirea felt that she had to hold it together for everyone […]

PORTLAND — Elicia Fortier did more during her four years at Deering High School than many people accomplish in a lifetime. This fall, Fortier’s list of achievements will grow when she becomes the first person in her family to go to college. Propelled by her desire to be a doctor, Fortier took every science class […]

The GOP gubernatorial winner isn’t afraid to speak his mind, most say, but his blunt style could be a handicap, say critics.

Jill Barkley made gay marriage a key issue against a Somali immigrant who favored traditional marriage.