Penelope Overton

Staff Writer

Penelope Overton writes about the lobster and marijuana industries in Maine, a mix of the iconic and the emerging, the economic powerhouse and the mysterious darkhorse. Just the right mix of old and new for a Maine transplant. Penny joined the Press Herald in 2016. She has covered politics and government, the environment and Indian Country in Florida, Connecticut, Arizona and Washington, D.C. Her favorite stories are when she gets to dive into a world where readers seldom venture. When she’s not newspapering, Penny and her young daughter like to hike, body surf, travel and explore new books, places, poems and people. She is plovertonpph on both Instagram and Snapchat.

Latest

Published
July 31, 2023

Lawmakers tour Maine before negotiating next federal farm bill

Maine needs federal policy to be flexible enough to support small specialty farmers, keep food banks full and provide relief to farmers struggling with PFAS contamination, lawmakers are told at a U.S. Congress agricultural field hearing.
Published
July 24, 2023

Fishermen question the data behind offshore wind siting process

Fishermen at a meeting with federal officials Monday trashed the maps used to show areas that are lightly fished, saying they are relying on old data.
Published
July 22, 2023

Clam session: Yarmouth festival draws big, hungry crowds

The annual event raises money for local nonprofit organizations, such as school booster groups, civic groups and churches.
Published
July 21, 2023

Maine pledges to install 175,000 more heat pumps by 2027

Maine met its goal to install 100,000 heat pumps two years ahead of schedule. So Gov. Janet Mills is raising the bar, hoping that general state and federal incentives will help Maine lower heating bills and meet its climate goals.
Published
July 20, 2023

Environmentalists petition state to adopt stronger clean vehicle standards

The proposed regulations would require vehicle manufacturers to increase sales of new electric vehicles in Maine.
Published
July 19, 2023

Mills signs bill expanding abortion access in Maine

The new law, signed during a ceremony at the State House Wednesday, allows abortions later in pregnancy and is one of the least restrictive state laws in the nation.
Published
July 14, 2023

Fluorescent lightbulbs, which contain mercury, are on their way out in Maine

Starting in 2026, sales of new fluorescent bulbs will be banned – though many stores already have removed the ones that used to be in wide household use. The replacements are LEDs, which are more efficient and don’t contain mercury.
Published
July 12, 2023

State adopts $70 million plan to help farmers deal with PFAS contamination

The fund will dedicate $30.3 million in grants to get farmers back on their feet, $21.5 million in compensation for contaminated land, $7.3 million for medical needs and $11.2 million for scientific research.
Published
July 8, 2023

Budget approved by Democrats won’t go into effect until fall

Upset over being shut out of negotiations, Republicans vote against the state budget. It still passes, but without their votes, the newly added $800 million can’t be spent until October.
Published
July 6, 2023

Maine Legislature finally wraps up session, sends abortion bill to governor

Lawmakers voted out the last of the pending bills late Thursday, including a hard-fought bill to expand abortion access that Gov. Janet Mills is all but certain to sign into law soon.