YARMOUTH — Four months ago, operators of Bartlett Circle asked residents for help raising money to repair dilapidated housing units. Now, thanks to continuing fundraising efforts and lower-than-expected contractor costs, construction has started. The 28-unit, low-income housing complex established in 1975 will get the repairs necessary for tenant safety and security. In March, Executive Director Sandra […]

FREEPORT — Residents of Freeport, Pownal and Durham go to the polls Thursday, June 25, to either approve or reject a $23.5 million school budget for Regional School Unit 5. This is the first RSU 5 budget validation referendum, although residents from the three towns approved the budget’s 18 warrant articles at a public meeting last […]

YARMOUTH – After many years in the collection at the Yarmouth Historical Society, a book containing financial records from 1735 through 1799 has been returned to North Yarmouth, completing the town’s records dating back to 1680. “The book is falling apart and is brittle,” North Yarmouth Town Clerk Deborah Allen Grover said. “We are keeping it […]

PORTLAND — Changes to fees and acceptable items at the city transfer station go into effect July 1, and at least one city councilor says the new rules are upsetting her constituents. As of July 1, residents will no longer be able to use their e-cards to dispose of remodeling waste and loose materials. The […]

PORTLAND — Members of the new Charter Commission elected leaders June 18. But they say they know nothing about Web-based social networking sites that are using the commission to attract followers and promote causes. A Facebook page, a Twitter account and a Google Group, all called “Portland Charter,” were launched in the past week. The […]

PORTLAND — The School Committee on Wednesday will be asked to commit to the state’s efforts to put laptop computers into the hands of every high school student. But school officials have said that it will be extremely difficult – if not impossible – to come up with the implementation costs in their fiscal 2010 budget, […]

CUMBERLAND — When 10-year-old Hannah Ryder was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2006, she didn’t let it prevent her from being an ordinary kid. Life isn’t much different than it was before the diagnosis, she said, except that she now wears an insulin pump, checks her blood sugar six times a day, and avoids […]

PORTLAND — Parkside residents, landowners and businesses are launching a neighborhood watch program. The initiative comes at the start of summer, when crime typically spike throughout the city, and as Portland welcomes a new police chief, James Craig, who has described community policing as a linchpin of his law enforcement philosophy.   Parkside Neighborhood Association President […]

PORTLAND — Nomination papers for the Nov. 3 city elections will be available Monday, June 29. Voters this fall will elect three city councilors, three School Committee members and two Peaks Island Council members. There will also be a one-year term available on the Portland Water District because Trustee Matt Sinclair moved out of town, […]

SOUTH PORTLAND — Federal officials said it could take months to determine what caused the plane crash that killed a 50-year-old South Portland pilot. Stephen D. Cardelli Jr. was killed when his single-engine Cessna 177 crashed shortly after take-off from New Hampshire’s Laconia Airport on June 13, en route to Portland. A funeral was held […]