PORTLAND — Elected school officials in seven greater Portland communities are banding together to seek regional cost savings while calling on state officials to implement a revised school funding formula. In the coming weeks, school boards in Portland, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Westbrook, South Portland, Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth will consider sending a formal resolution to the […]

PORTLAND — Voters are likely to be asked in November if they want to elect a mayor using ranked-choice voting. The Charter Commission endorsed ranked-choice voting in a Jan. 28 meeting. The voting method, also known as instant run-off voting, allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference and is intended to eliminate pluralities. […]

CUMBERLAND — The Legislature is considering limiting access to public documents, which could prevent a local entrepreneur from offering a commercial, one-stop Web site for statewide land records. John Simpson’s MacImage of Maine now provides Hancock County records online at registryofdeeds.com. He wants to add deeds, liens and mortgage records from all Maine counties. MacImage gained access […]

FALMOUTH — The Maine Department of Transportation will conduct a public meeting this month to discuss replacement beginning in 2012 of the Martin Point Bridge, which carries Route 1 traffic over the Presumpscot River between Portland and Falmouth. Built in 1943, the 1,400-foot bridge has been determined to be in poor condition since at least […]

PORTLAND — A new report on special education in city schools says the district could save $2.5 million a year through programming changes, staff reductions and reorganizing the administration.  The report, released on Jan. 28, is also critical of the “site-based” management of the special education program, where building administrators set their own policies, rather than […]

PORTLAND — School Department and city officials are reviewing how they respond to threats after two Portland schools were locked down on three occasions last week. Lyman Moore Middle School was first locked down on Jan. 4, then twice last week on Jan. 25 and 26. The following day, Portland High School was locked down. […]

PORTLAND — After last week’s receipt of a $35 million federal grant brightened the prospects for extending Amtrak Downeaster service from Portland to Brunswick within three years, state and federal officials are now trying ensure that the passenger service has the money to keep running. Maintaining the passenger rail’s $8 million operating subsidy will require […]

FREEPORT — Town Manager Dale Olmstead and Finance Director Abbe Yacoben presented the Town Council with a preliminary overview of the 2011 municipal budget last week. On Jan. 26, Olmstead told the council that town departments have been doing more work with fewer employees. In Town Hall, more than 100 hours and nearly three full-time positions […]

PORTLAND — The city is looking for ideas from the public about how best to pay tribute to slain civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Meanwhile, a group that has been working for six years to erect a monument to honor Portland’s fishing heritage is gaining momentum. The Martin Luther King […]

FALMOUTH — Though the Super Bowl may keep some folks away, a concert for Haiti disaster relief on Sunday, Feb. 7, promises to be a super entertainment alternative. While The Who may be the Super Bowl halftime show, the who’s who list at Sunday’s concert includes three Maine performing groups: Zemya, The Maine Squeeze and […]