When Tess Gerritsen writes one of her wildly popular ‘Rizzoli & Isles’ mysteries — her latest, ‘Last to Die,’ is out now — she has a very specific modus operandi.
Ray Routhier
Staff Writer
Ray Routhier has written about pop culture, movies, TV, music and lifestyle trends for the Portland Press Herald since 1993. He is continually fascinated with stories that show the unique character of Maine’s people and places. He’s written about why so many businesses use the made-up word “Mainely” in their names, how you can trace Portland’s history through its various smells and why Mainers lament the loss of Portland-made B&M baked beans. He’s interviewed a wide variety of filmmakers, actors, musicians and authors, including Patrick Dempsey, Tony Shalhoub, Richard Russo, Tess Gerritsen, Tony Bennett, Anna Kendrick, and Stephen King. His passions, besides writing, include baseball history, old movies and “Jeopardy!” A native of Manchester, New Hampshire, he graduated with a degree in political science from the University of New Hampshire. He lives in South Portland with his wife and two children.
Southern Maine radio station to stop airing classical music
Heard in Portland on 104.7 FM, WBQW will go off the air next week.
Off Beat: Kite tale at Ogunquit’s Capriccio Festival
Ogunquit’s annual celebration of wind-powered flight happens Saturday as part of Capriccio.
For Skynyrd’s lead vocalist, it’s about legacy.
Johnny Van Zant stepped into his late brother’s role when the band reunited in 1987.
Maine artist’s birdhouses stand out from the rest of the flock
A Portland artist recycles wood and hardware to create avian abodes that shelter birds and delight humans.
Maine activists criticize new skinny Minnie Mouse
Lydia Belden doesn’t want a skinny Minnie. The Cape Elizabeth senior wants the round little mouse from her childhood who was cute and funny and made her feel good about herself . . .
Off Beat: Crowds at skillet tosses a sign of serious fun
One story is that women began tossing skillets competitively during the days of the pioneers as a way to kill time when man were off roping steers and whatnot. Another story goes that women’s skillet tossing contests grew out of the fact that a woman who could throw a skillet with accuracy had a certain […]
The Rush is on
A trio of hot-hot-hot concerts – Big Time Rush, Keith Urban and Jason Aldean – goes off in Bangor this weekend, with the boy band BTR leading things off.
Off Beat: Car Wars turns racing into a contact sport
As many as 3,000 people turn out at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway to watch races where bumping and crashing are encouraged.
In the pumpkin patch: Aiming for greatness
Now more than midway through his quest to grow a giant pumpkin, 16-year-old Lucas Dion of Waterboro hand-germinates the plant and drenches his most promising specimens with gallons of water.