A new rule calls for households with no children to reveal their bank balances and non-cash assets such as snowmobiles. Critics say the policy discourages savings and self-sufficiency.
Noel K. Gallagher
Noel Gallagher covers K-12 and higher education issues statewide. Her stories are a mix of breaking news and trend stories. In recent years, they’ve ranged from why college costs so much, the launch of the state’s first charter schools, how a school welcomed a transgender student and why Maine schools have a hard time finding teachers. She’s enough of a news nerd to enjoy sitting through legislative education committee meetings and hours-long school board meetings so you don’t have to.
The Maine Press Association has honored Noel’s work, but she says she writes for the readers, in the firm belief that an informed citizenry is key to a healthy democracy.
Noel is a California native who has worked at wire services, online websites and newspapers across the country. She was in Washington D.C. during the early Clinton years, covering AIDS activism in 1990s San Francisco, documenting the business of wine in Sonoma County and riding out the boom and bust cycle of the early Internet era in early 2000s Silicon Valley. She arrived in Maine at the beginning of the recession and wrote quite a bit about the downturn here.
In her free time, Noel writes the occasional cookbook review, spends an inordinate amount of time at the Portland Public Library and hangs out with her three fabulous kids and wonderful husband. She is not a former member of the band Oasis.
Federal ‘college scorecard’ gives students, parents new tools
The recently launched website contains detailed information about schools, including graduates’ earnings and loan debt.
Owner of Portland restaurant accuses Yelp of manipulating reviews
Vinland was downgraded after he declined to buy ads, David Levi says, but the online service vigorously denies changing rankings based on advertising.
Fall enrollment in UMaine System down overall, but out-of-state numbers up
Higher-tuition students now make up 30 percent of the student body at the flagship campus.
Tougher standardized test gives one-time look at Maine students’ performance
The Maine Department of Education releases the results of the Smarter Balanced standardized test, but says comparisons to other years can’t be drawn because the test won’t be used again.
New standardized test results for Maine public schools are in, but they reveal little
Scores were down last year, but because the Smarter Balanced test was only used once, comparisons with results from other years are largely meaningless.
Bishop calls on lawmakers to defund Planned Parenthood
Maine Bishop Robert Deeley cites recent undercover videos released by an anti-abortion group.
Southern Maine Health Care reorganizes, moves overnight care from Sanford to Biddeford
The changes will eliminate about 13 jobs, but the CEO says ‘many’ of the affected workers will be offered other positions.
U.S. News & World Report ranks Bowdoin No. 4 among liberal arts colleges
Bates and Colby also crack the top 25 in the annual ranking.
Youth engagement specialist in Portland nominated for education grant
Pious Ali is Maine’s finalist for the $100,000 award from a foundation, with the winner chosen in an online poll.