FALMOUTH — The School Department is requesting immediate, voluntary financial support from parents of students who participate in sports and co-curricular activities – an expense that costs the schools about $700,000 per year – to help offset a $702,000 cut in state education funding. The reduction is about $40,000 more than the district expected, interim Superintendent Barbara […]

FREEPORT — The Field Use Committee has reached a tentative agreement with Seacoast United soccer club to develop additional sports fields at the town-owned Pownal Road property. The preliminary agreement includes selling the lower portion of the Pownal Road Recreation Facility to Seacoast, which would construct an indoor soccer arena and outdoor turf fields. Seacoast will […]

PORTLAND — The School Committee may have to consider implementing all $3.4 million in cuts identified by the superintendent of schools to cope with the mid-budget curtailment of state education funds. On Friday, Nov. 20, Gov. John Baldacci issued an executive order to cut $63 million from the state budget, nearly $38.1 million of which […]

PORTLAND — The city claims the owner of a Washington Avenue building at the center of a religious rights dispute is not keeping her end of a temporary court agreement. Now, the city is asking the U.S. District Court to allow it to proceed with enforcement to bring unapproved property alterations into compliance with code. […]

PORTLAND — School officials got a sobering reminder last week that they must study and improve security measures, the School Committee chairman said, when a teaching assistant brought a handgun to Riverton Elementary School last week. The teacher’s aide is licensed to carry a concealed weapon and did not intentionally bring the gun into the […]

PORTLAND — The city’s holiday season kicks off Friday, with the annual tree lighting and horse and train rides. The lights on the city’s Christmas tree will be turned on at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 27 in Monument Square. The annual event will feature performances by members of the Portland Conservatory of Music and the Maine […]

PORTLAND — Facing increased pressure from parents and administrators at Portland High School, the city’s Public Services Department has agreed to install two flashing yellow lights on Cumberland Avenue. The lights will indicate to drivers that they are about to enter a 15-mph school zone, Public Services Director Michael Bobinsky said. Although the locations are […]

PORTLAND — The Charter Commission is moving closer to recommending the city have a more powerful, popularly elected mayor. Commissioners considered a rough draft Nov. 19 that highlights some of the key points the group has discussed and reached consensus on since the panel was elected in June. The draft, referred to as a “straw-man” […]

Members of the Interact Club at Yarmouth High School sort and pack toys on Nov. 17 in the high school cafeteria for Operation Christmas Child, a project that sends gifts to needy children around world.