News

Council sinks pier deal, floats arts TIF

City beat
Three pieces of big news came out of Monday's Portland City Council meeting. Make sure you stay in the loop.

By: DEIRDRE FULTON | November 19, 2008

UMaine feels the economic pinch

Tuition pressure
The University of Maine system is being asked by the state to describe how it would cut $10.6 million from its budget — the equivalent of 5.3 percent of the state money it gets — on top of the $19.1 million in cuts imposed earlier this year.

By: DEIRDRE FULTON | November 19, 2008

PPH almost sold. Now what?

Press Releases
The long-floundering Portland Press Herald is about to have a new owner. At least, all signs suggest that the money necessary to seal the deal will come through by the end of the year.

By: JEFF INGLIS | November 19, 2008

Democratics scuttle for Maine seats

Politics and other mistakes
I'm not one of those people who assumes that just because somebody casually mentions they're thinking about running for governor of Maine in 2010, that they should be restrained, subjected to electro-shock therapy, and deported to someplace where they can't do any harm.

By: AL DIAMON | November 19, 2008

Scorn rising already for Obama

Diverse city
While I’m still celebrating the election results — and don’t plan to stop until just before Thanksgiving — there is one sobering thing.

By: SHAY STEWART-BOULEY | November 12, 2008

Maine voters contradict themselves

Politics and other mistakes
Why did Maine voters give overwhelming approval to a tax-repeal referendum on Nov. 4, while simultaneously returning to office even more of the Democratic legislators who passed the unpopular tax in the first place?

By: AL DIAMON | November 12, 2008

Task force investigates offshore drilling in Maine

Energy in the drink
A new Ocean Energy Task Force, created by Governor John Baldacci last week, is charged in part with investigating the realities of drilling for oil and gas off the coast of Maine.

By: DEIRDRE FULTON | November 12, 2008

Bridging the bi-partisan gap

Could an Obama administration mean an end to the red-state/blue-state divide?
It's worth reminding ourselves that when the Republicans are out of power, they go apeshit.

By: MIKE MILIARD | November 14, 2008

Letters to the Portland Editor, November 14, 2008

Time to respect all people
Employees of our prisons and jails deserve better wages and in-depth training.

By: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | November 12, 2008

Make Net Neutraility a reality

What's the fuss over the Fairness Doctrine really about?
These are scary times for far-right conservatives.

By: ADAM REILLY | November 17, 2008

GOP loses its gusto

The GOP relied on talk radio to carry its water, but votes are worth more than ratings
Things do indeed look bad for their Grand Old Party. Actually, it's even worse than they think.

By: BY STEVEN STARK | November 14, 2008

Gay rights: Time is on our side

Equal marriage rights suffers a setback, but there is hope. Plus, young voters.
The politics of division as practiced by lame-duck president George W. Bush at the connivance of his onetime Svengali Karl Rove are not dead.

By: EDITORIAL | November 17, 2008

Maine prison guards outnumbered

Mistreatment of Maine prison guards lands heavily on inmates
Critics of the state Department of Corrections say the hostage-taking last June at the Maine State Prison dramatically illustrates that the concrete, high-tech lockup in Warren is showing cracks from stress on the prison guards.

By: LANCE TAPLEY | November 05, 2008

Scattered after-thoughts

Post-Election
With the Phoenix going to press on Tuesday evening (before most election results came in), I struggled to come up with ways to be relevant on the morning after.

By: DEIRDRE FULTON | November 05, 2008

What will we obsess about now?

The time for obsessive-compulsive election monitoring has come to an end. Cupcakes, anyone?
I have an election hangover.

By: SARA FAITH ALTERMAN | November 05, 2008

Obama's work just started

Barack Obama's election has sparked international wonder. His task, however, is great.
Barack Obama's election has sparked international wonder. His task, however, is great.

By: EDITORIAL | November 06, 2008

Maine's abusive prison system exposed

The Portland Phoenix' s prison scoops keep piling up
For the past three years, Portland Phoenix contributing writer Lance Tapley has been the only reporter in Maine to pay attention to the appalling conditions suffered by inmates in the Maine State Prison

By: PORTLAND PHOENIX STAFF | November 05, 2008