PORTLAND — City budgets moved forward on three fronts Monday when city councilors voted on school, municipal and grant spending. In two meetings lasting almost six hours, councilors unanimously approved the $102.8 million fiscal year 2016 school budget; the $4.28 million Consolidated Housing and Community Development Annual Action Plan, encompassing a variety of federal grants […]
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Posted inCoastal Journal, The Forecaster
Topsham fighter to battle cancer in Boston ring
TOPSHAM — Brandon Shankle is among those boxing in a cancer research charity event in Boston next week. Shankle, who has trained four months for the occasion, will join 29 other boxers in the fifth “Haymakers for Hope Rock ‘n Rumble” at the House of Blues on Thursday, May 14, at 6:30 p.m. Haymakers for […]
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Posted inNorthern Forecaster, The Forecaster
New rules to govern Falmouth school field trips
FALMOUTH — The School Board’s policy committee Monday took a step toward clarifying rules for school-endorsed field trips. Under the previous policy language, field trips and excursions were either “sanctioned” or “non-sanctioned.” The board had previously expressed interest in changing that language to be “school-sponsored” or “non-school sponsored.” “Sanction didn’t seem like a neutral word,” […]
Posted inPortland Forecaster, The Forecaster
Portland Council approves making a 'folly' of Federal Street
PORTLAND — Let the follies begin. A 100-foot-long block of Federal Street between Market and Exchange streets will be closed to vehicle traffic from July 3 to Oct. 12 after City Councilors on Monday approved a permit for the so-called Federal Street Folly outside the new Press Hotel. The approval came a week after councilors […]
Posted inCoastal Journal, The Forecaster
Bath-area School Board OKs $27M budget
BATH — The proposed Regional School Unit 1 budget is now in the hands of voters. The RSU 1 Board of Directors on Monday unanimously approved the $27.3 million spending plan, which voters will first consider in a district-wide meeting at Bath Middle School at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 26. The budget will then go […]
Posted inPortland Forecaster, The Forecaster
Portland school budget goes to referendum
PORTLAND — The proposed $102.8 million school budget is now up to city voters. The budget, which constitutes a 1.2 percent spending increase, sailed through each step of the approval process, with little push back from School Board members or city councilors. It was unanimously moved to a May 12 referendum by the City Council on […]
Posted inPortland Forecaster, The Forecaster
Independent Portland land trust seeks partners, pockets
PORTLAND — Armed with a new name, members of a fledgling land trust are continuing their efforts to develop affordable housing. The Greater Portland Community Land Trust, now in its second year, is a group of volunteers who want to see more affordable housing options for Portland residents. Formerly the Machigonne Community Land Trust, the […]
Posted inPortland Forecaster, The Forecaster
New Portland school times seem set, for now
PORTLAND — The School Board on Tuesday was expected to finalize new school-day start and end times for the 2015-2016 year, but will continue to study and possibly revise the daily schedule. School Board Chairwoman Sarah Thompson on Monday said she expected the board to approve the latest iteration of the schedule, but that it […]
Posted inCoastal Journal, Northern Forecaster, The Forecaster
Yarmouth lobsterman to be sentenced June 5 for murder at bee farm
PORTLAND — A 72-year-old lobster fisherman found guilty in April of murdering a Georgetown man at a North Yarmouth bee farm will be sentenced on June 5 in Maine Superior Court. Merrill Kimball of Yarmouth faces 25 years to life in prison for the October 2013 murder of 63-year-old Leon Kelley at the bee farm […]
Posted inNorthern Forecaster, The Forecaster
SAD 51 board OKs budget; voters now get 2 chances
CUMBERLAND — The fiscal 2016 School Administrative District 51 budget, approved 7-1 by the School Board April 27, now goes to two public votes. The proposed $33.8 million budget is a 3.6 percent increase over current spending. With school, town and county assessments combined, Cumberland would see a tax increase of $75 for each $100,000 […]