Author: Edward Tomic

The State of Maine is hiring a former professional casino gambling cheat to train the state’s casino inspectors, table game supervisors and other casino staff. The Maine Department of Public Safety, which oversees the Maine Gambling Control Unit, will be paying casino table game protection consultant and ex-cheat Richard Marcus $12,000 for a four-day training, according to a state contract. “Mr. Marcus was a prior casino cheat who developed many highly effective cheating techniques and is widely considered to have been the best professional cheat [in] casino gaming history,” department staff wrote in the contract. “He has trained and offered…

The Rockland Police Department and U.S. Border Patrol were involved in a raid at an Asian massage parlor in Rockland on Thursday. Photos of the raid obtained by the Maine Wire show a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Border Patrol vehicle parked outside of the 193 Park St. Asian Massage location. [RELATED: NY Man Accused of Sex Trafficking at Portland Massage Parlor, Threatening Elderly Woman with Gun, Received $20K PPP Loan, Recruited Victims Online…] Rockland Police Chief Timothy Carroll confirmed to the Maine Wire on Thursday that the operation at the massage parlor was part of an active investigation…

South Portland Police have identified two suspects they are searching for in relation to a Wednesday afternoon shooting that stemmed from an altercation in the parking lot of a steakhouse near the Maine Mall. [RELATED: Vehicle Struck by Gunfire After Altercation at South Portland Steakhouse…] Shots were fired and hit a vehicle at the intersection of Gorham Road and Western Avenue in connection to an argument that started at Kobe Steakhouse, though no one was injured in the shooting. South Portland Police said Thursday that they have probable cause to charge the following two individuals and are asking for the…

U.S. Senator from Maine Susan Collins (R) this week met with Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in his upcoming second administration, discussing topics including organized crime, illegal drugs and human trafficking going on in Maine and across the U.S. [RELATED: DEA Administrator Briefs Susan Collins on Illegal Chinese Marijuana Grows, Increased Opioid and Meth Use in Maine…] Kash Patel, who Trump nominated in November to succeed outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray, is a former federal prosecutor and worked as a top level advisor to the secretary of defense and director of…

Maine Gov. Janet Mills has named Tarlan Ahmadov, a former refugee coordinator with Catholic Charities Maine, as the first director of the state’s taxpayer-funded migrant resettlement office: the “Office of New Americans” (ONA). [RELATED: What to Know About Maine’s “Office of New Americans”…] Gov. Mills announced the appointment in a Wednesday press release, saying that Ahmadov’s “deep experience helping new Mainers adjust, step into jobs, and contribute to our state has prepared him well to lead the Office of New Americans.” “Tarlan’s leadership will ensure that our workforce and economy can fully benefit from the valuable skills, knowledge, and work…

The South Portland Police Department is investigating a shooting incident that occurred late Wednesday afternoon in the parking lot of a steakhouse near the Maine Mall. Officers responded to the parking lot of Kobe Steakhouse, located at 380 Gorham Rd., shortly after 5 p.m. on Wednesday after receiving a 911 call about a possible shooting. Upon arrival at the scene, officers learned that an altercation had broken out between two sets of individuals within the restuarant. Police said that altercation then moved outside of the restaurant to the parking lot, where a suspect from one group displayed and threatened individuals…

An Augusta man pleaded guilty Tuesday in a federal court in Bangor to distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material, following a tip from an online anonymous chat platform. Federal law enforcement, alongside the Augusta Police Department, began investigating 35-year-old Nathaniel Gagne of Augusta in April 2023, after a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit indicated that Gagne had uploaded child sexual abuse material to Omegle, according to court records. Omegle is an online anonymous chat site where users are randomly matched and can communicate by text or video.…

The City of Portland’s lobbyist the to Maine Legislature admitted during a Tuesday meeting with the city’s elected officials that the state revenue forecast — which projected a nearly $1 billion shortfall for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 — will mean less funding for new projects and broad cuts to state agencies. [RELATED: Maine Faces $949.2 Million Budget Shortfall for 2026-2027…] Kate Knox, a longtime lobbyist with Bernstein Shur and Portland’s contracted lobbying counsel, made the remarks during a meeting of the city’s Legislative and Nominating Committee on Tuesday. “I think, big picture, many of you have sort of seen…

Update: The Lewiston Police Department released the following Facebook post, including images of the alleged suspects, after this story was published. A Tuesday afternoon shooting in Lewiston left one man who had fled the scene of the incident in critical condition from a gunshot wound. [RELATED: Somali-American Maine Rep Says Immigrants’ ‘lives at stake’ in 2024 Election, Claims Lewiston was ‘dead town’ Before Immigrants Made it ‘booming city’…] Lewiston Police say they responded to the intersection of Walnut and Pierce Street for a report of numerous shots fired just before 3 p.m. on Tuesday. Officers in the area also heard the…

A total of 30 inmates at Cumberland County Jail have booking records that indicate that they were either arrested by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or are subject to a federal hold by ICE, indicating that the agency suspects the inmate of being an illegal alien. Three out of those 30 inmates are also facing state charges for domestic violence assault, terrorizing, criminal trespass and assault on a police officer, among other charges. [RELATED: Maine ACLU Lawyer Likens ICE to Nazi Germany, Urges State to Block Illegal Immigrant Deportations…] President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office next month…

At Monday evening’s meeting of the Portland City Council, Board of Public Education Chair Sarah Lentz presented the annual State of the Schools address, highlighting the district’s diverse demographics and high percentage of students learning the English language. [RELATED: Member of Portland Schools’ Redistricting Committee Suggests Minimizing School Choice to Increase Diversity…] Similar to her address to the City Council last year, Lentz began her presentation with a mix of a guided meditation and land acknowledgment. “Take a few deep breaths,” Lentz said. “Roll your shoulders back, wiggle your toes, and push your feet into the floor, a floor that…

The Auburn Police Department is investigating a shots fired incident involving a group of teenagers that occurred Saturday night in the Main Street area of the city. [RELATED: Auburn Teen Accused of 3 Hit-and-Runs in October Now Facing Drug Trafficking, OUI Charges…] Police say that officers responded to the area of Main Street at about 8:30 p.m. on Saturday for a weapons complaint. It was reported to police that group of teenagers had a firearm and shots had been fired. [RELATED: Lewiston PD Chief, DA Cite Lack of Funding for Spate of Unsolved Youth-Involved Shootings: 27 Shootings This Year…] At the…

The former president of a Vermont labor union that represents federal employees has pleaded guilty to a charge of wire fraud for embezzling approximately $36,000 in union funds to pay for personal expenses, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced last week. Leticia Russi-Shareno, 60, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Dec. 10, in U.S. District Court in Burlington, Vt. She was released on conditions pending her sentencing, which is scheduled for May 22, 2025. Between August 2019 and December 2020, Russi-Shareno was the president of Local 2076 of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), a labor union…

A federal indictment was unsealed Wednesday charging five individuals for allegedly conspiring to fraudulently apply for more than 1,000 driver’s licenses in Massachusetts and New York to give to illegal aliens. [RELATED: Maine Cops Warn BMV Issuing Driver’s Licenses to Individuals with Bogus Social Security Numbers…] The five defendants were each charged with one count of conspiracy to unlawfully produce and possess with intent to transfer identification documents, two counts of possession with intent to use or transfer unlawfully identification documents and one count of furnishing a false passport to another for use. Three of the defendants, Gabriel Nascimento De…

Maine Governor Janet Mills’ Office of Policy Innovation and the Future (GOPIF) is paying $12,500 to a California-based nonprofit that will advise state agencies on how to transition all Maine K-12 public schools to zero carbon emissions in order to address the “changing climate.” [RELATED: Mills Admin Discloses Payments to Press Herald for Publishing Positive Articles on Maine Public Schools, DOE Spending…] Passed and signed into law during the 131st Maine Legislature, LD 1606 directed the Maine Department of Education (Maine DOE) and GOPIF to “assist public elementary and secondary schools in the State with achieving energy efficiency and maximizing the…

The Maine Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous & Tribal Populations (PCRITP) has released an interactive map that shows where minority populations live in the state, with additional overlays indicating various other data, such as the distribution critical infrastructure, hospitals, schools and environmental hazards. [RELATED: Maine Racial Equity Board Sponsors Educational Walking Tours to Dispel Myth that State is ‘too old and too white’…] The project, entitled “Mapping Maine Communities,” is a prototype based on publicly available data from the American Community Survey, an ongoing yearly survey done by the U.S. Census Bureau. In the Commission’s budgetary documents,…

A Maine man currently serving a 10-year state prison sentence for the sexual abuse of children has pleaded guilty to federal child exploitation charges after investigators found his stash of child pornography hidden under a kayak at his former place of work in Brunswick. Henry Eichman, 64, of Topsham, pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Portland to four counts of sexually exploiting a child. According to court records, in August 2022, a worker at a Brunswick landscaping company found two laptops and several external hard drives hidden under a kayak on the company’s property. The employee reportedly opened…

A 19-year-old from Auburn who allegedly caused three car crashes in a single night this September while under the influence is in custody again — this time for alleged drug trafficking and other additional charges. [RELATED: Restorative Justice: Homeless Man, Previously Charged with Portland Machete and Knife Attacks, Arrested Again for Assault, Burglary…] Jimmy Kasongo Kikuni, 19, of Auburn, was arrested just after midnight on Oct. 1 after he allegedly led Lewiston Police and Androscoggin County deputies on a chase for his reported involvement in three hit-and-run car crashes. Lewiston Police Chief Derrick St. Laurent told NEWS CENTER Maine in…

An illegal alien who was charged with assault for the second time in a span of four months after being released by a court in Massachusetts has been taken into custody by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency announced Tuesday. ICE says that Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston arrested Anderson De Sousa Almedia, 43, a Brazilian national living in the U.S. illegally, on Nov. 30. ICE-ERO Boston arrested 43-year-old Brazilian national Anderson De Sousa Almedia | Source: ICE According to ICE, De Sousa was arrested by the Everett, Mass. Police Department on July 6 of this year…

In a unanimous decision, the Maine Legislative Council on Tuesday voted to approve a pay raise for Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who entered the national spotlight last year for her controversial attempt to disqualify President-Elect Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 Republican primary ballot. [RELATED: Democrats Stick with Bellows, Frey as Legislature Appoints Constitutional Officers…] Bellows, a Democrat, served her first two-year term as Secretary of State starting on Jan. 4, 2021, and was reelected last week by the State Legislature at the unicameral meeting of the Senate and House used to confirm Constitutional Officers. Nearly a year ago,…

After holding its inaugural meeting last week, the Portland City Council on Monday held a workshop to discuss and identify the city’s goals and policy priorities for the coming year. The common goals decided upon by the Council serve as a framework for the Council Committee’s work plans over the course of the year, and generally determine what policy initiatives are prioritized. [RELATED: Portland Elects Second Democratic Socialist to City Council…] The nine-member Council inaugurated three new members last week, following the departure of Councilors Victoria Pelletier, Anna Trevorrow and Roberto Rodriguez. Those new members are Benjamin Grant (At-Large), Sarah…

An man formerly of Presque Isle, Maine, was sentenced to six years in prison this week for the possession of child pornography, following an investigation that was launched after a tip from the online messaging platform Discord. Andrew Ladich-McGrew, 28, of Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor on Monday to 72 months in federal prison, to be followed by six years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $28,000 in restitution. Maine State Police and federal authorities launched their investigation into Ladich-McGrew in June 2020, when he was renting an apartment in Presque Isle. Law…

The City of Portland has issued a request for grant applications in order to find partner organizations to launch a “Day Space” pilot program for homeless individuals, and to open an on-peninsula methadone treatment program. Funding for the two initiatives comes from a nationwide class action lawsuit against opioid manufacturers. The City of Portland joined that lawsuit in 2016, and has received approximately $1.38 million from the settlement as of September 2024. [RELATED: Portland City Council Rejects Reform to Syringe Exchange, Votes for Needle ‘buyback’ Program Instead…] Earlier this fall, the City Council voted to allocate those opioid settlement funds…

The man who was arrested last week in connection to a late November murder in Portland has a lengthy criminal history in multiple states going back several decades, including an assault with a sword, domestic violence convictions and the illegal possession of a firearm. [RELATED: Portland Police Make Arrest in Marshall Street Homicide Investigation…] Domingus Nobrega, 48, was arrested by Portland Police on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at the Scarborough Walmart. Nobrega was charged with murder for the death of 43-year-old Matthew Merrick, who was found dead inside of his apartment on Marshall Street on Saturday, Nov. 30. Nobrega was taken…

Lisa DeSisto, CEO and publisher of the Maine Trust for Local News, has stepped down — marking the second resignation of a top executive at the news organization since it was acquired by the nonprofit trust last summer. The Maine Trust for Local News, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Local News, is the nonprofit trust that last summer acquired several of Maine’s oldest news brands and daily newspapers, including the Portland Press Herald, Lewiston Sun Journal, and Kennebec Journal. [RELATED: Five Months Later, “National Trust” Won’t Say Who Funded Takeover of Maine Newspapers…] DeSisto joined what was then MaineToday Media in…

The State of Maine’s Office of Tourism has awarded a $165,000 grant to a black travel influencer as part of a marketing campaign aimed at attracting more “diverse visitors” and “Black travelers” to Maine. The contract, dated Nov. 25, indicates that the $165,000 will go to Black Travel Maine, Inc., with a goal of “[Enhancing] Maine’s appeal to Black travelers through itinerary development, influencer engagement, communications and media relations.” [RELATED: Maine Racial Equity Board Sponsors Educational Walking Tours to Dispel Myth that State is ‘too old and too white’…] “This work will leverage targeted media relations and strategic partnerships to…

A Wednesday stabbing at Portland’s Munjoy South Apartments left a 56-year-old man in critical condition, police announced on Thursday. Portland Police say that they responded to a report of a stabbing at 11:35 p.m. on Wednesday at 137 Munjoy South St., a townhouse in the Munjoy South complex. [RELATED: Portland Police Make Arrest in Marshall Street Homicide Investigation…] Upon arrival at the apartment, police found a 56-year-old male from Portland suffering from an apparent stab wound. The man was transported to Maine Medical Center where he is in critical condition, police said. [RELATED: Longtime Bayside Resident Says She was Victim of…

An illegal alien who has been deported from the United States at least seven times and who has five felony convictions was again deported in November by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after being found attempting to cross the northern border into Vermont. [RELATED: Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry, Faces Deportation After Being Found by Border Patrol in Farmington…] ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston removed 41-year-old Honduran national Julio Cesar Hernandez Funez (aka Rodas, Flores Najera) to his home country on Nov. 18. ICE says that Hernandez was previously deported to Honduras in 2006, 2013, 2014,…

A 21-year-old driving without a license led Portland Police on a high-speed chase Wednesday before being apprehended and found in possession of a handgun and significant quantities of illegal drugs. [RELATED: ‘They’re playing Grand Theft Auto, for real’: New Details Emerge Related to Southern Maine Teenage Drug Trafficking Network…] Police say that shortly after 4 a.m. on Wednesday, an officer observed a vehicle with a diver asleep behind the wheel in the middle of the road near the Walton Street train tracks. The driver fled from police after a brief conversation and drove away at a high rate of speed,…

A Westbrook man who had an eight-hour standoff with police after they responded to his residence over a report of domestic violence was sentenced this week to just over five years in federal prison for the illegal possession of a firearm. Corey Faulkner, 39, was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Portland to 64 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In October 2023, officers from the Westbrook Police Department responded to Faulkner’s residence over a 911 call reporting an alleged domestic violence incident. The victim, after fleeing from the residence and calling…

A Mexican national who was previously deported from the United States again faces deportation after being sentenced for illegal reentry in a Bangor federal court last week. [RELATED: No Hablo Inglés: Maine Sheriff Busts Illegal Alien with Over 100 grams of Fentanyl, Crack Cocaine During Traffic Stop…] On Monday, Nov. 25, 20-year-old Juan Manuel Castro Loja pleaded guilty and was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor to time served for entering the country after a prior removal. Castro Loja, a Mexican national, will be deported following his incarceration. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Castro Loja had been incarcerated…

Portland Police announced on Wednesday that they have arrested a suspect for murder in connection to an ongoing investigation into a late November homicide on Marshall Street. [RELATED: Single Portland Neighborhood Accounted for Nearly a Third of City’s Arrests, 40% of Overdoses This Year…] Police say that officers responded to 24 Marshall St. shortly after 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30, for a report of a deceased individual in an apartment. Upon arrival, police found the body of 43-year-old Matthew Merrick of Portland inside the apartment. The Maine Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta ruled Merrick’s death a…

Maine’s state racial equity commission has entered into a taxpayer-funded $7,000 contract with a Waterville-based company to sponsor educational walking tours about the “historical struggles and contributions of Black individuals” and to dispel the myth that the state is “too old and too white.” [RELATED: Maine Speaker’s Racial Equity Board Gave Her Sister’s Nonprofit $12,000 for Black History Month…] The Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous & Tribal Populations (PCRITP) is an independent state agency established by the Legislature in 2019 as a result of a bill sponsored by House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland). PCRITP revised their conflict…

U.S. Senator from Maine Susan Collins (R) is calling for an investigation into reports of widespread political bias in how the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administers disaster relief, following revelations that an agency supervisor advised relief workers in Florida to avoid homes displaying pro-Trump signs in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. In a Monday letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General Joseph Cuffari, Sen. Collins expressed concerns over recent reports that the case in Florida may not be an isolated incident, and that FEMA may have engaged in a broader policy of discrimination based on political affiliation.…

The Mills administration has made a $50,000 taxpayer-funded purchase of larger size nursing bras that they say will help support both breastfeeding and “chestfeeding” for participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) federal welfare program. [RELATED: CDC Says Trans People Can ‘Chestfeed’ Children, Accused of Not Considering Potential Health Risks…] “Chestfeeding” is a term used by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that refers to transgender and nonbinary-gendered individuals feeding an infant from their chest, often through the off-label use of hormonal treatments to mimic the lactation of biological women. The Maine CDC…

An Auburn man who was the subject of the months-long in investigation into suspecting drug dealing activities was arrested Wednesday after police found him in possession of cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine during a traffic stop. Auburn Police say that their Proactive Community Enforcement (PACE) Unit had been investigating 38-year-old Jason Boston of Auburn for several months over suspecting drug dealing. On Wednesday, Auburn Police officers with the PACE Unit conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Boston. As a result of the stop, police seized approximately 39 grams of cocaine, 27 grams of cocaine base (crack cocaine), two…

Just a week before Thanksgiving, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) demanded that a longtime Somerset County poultry farmer destroy over 300 turkeys for allegedly running afoul of labeling regulations, and required that the farmer “interact congenially” with state officials or pay a nearly $30,000 penalty, according to a settlement agreement obtained by the Maine Wire. Scott Greaney, co-owner with his wife Tracy of Greaney’s Turkey Farm in Mercer, told the Maine Wire that despite his farm previously not having any issues with DACF in their 43 years of operation, state inspectors from DACF began making visits…

A Maine Republican lawmaker who a week before election day turned himself in to police over an alleged aggravated assault incident has won reelection by a single vote after a Thursday recount. [RELATED: Maine Republican Representative Up for Re-Election Arrested on Aggravated Assault Charges…] State Rep. Lucas Lanigan (R-Sanford) received 2,478 votes, while his Democratic challenger, Patricia Kidder, received 2,477, according to the recount conducted by the Maine Secretary of State’s Office. Officials said 434 ballots were deemed blank following the recount. The recount came after the race for House District 141, which represents Newfield, Shapleigh, and parts of Sanford…

At a Tuesday meeting of the Portland Board of Public Education, at-large member and Board Chair Sarah Lentz claimed that immigrants and refugees have “come under attack” after the election of Donald Trump, and said that the district is preparing for potential mass deportations of immigrants by the incoming Trump administration. WATCH: Lentz, who during the Tuesday meeting was unanimously nominated to her third term as board chair, opened her remarks regarding the recent general election by saying the results had “created a lot of feelings.” “Since out last meeting, the nation has learned the outcome of the most recent…

The Maine Department of Economic and Community Development has awarded $260,000 to a coalition of Maine-based defense contractors and educational institutions as part of a workforce development initiative launched earlier this year. In March, Gov. Janet Mills, alongside members of Maine’s congressional delegation Sens. Susan Collins (R), Angus King (I), and Rep. Chellie Pingree (D), announced the formation of the Maine Defense Industry Alliance (MDIA) at the York County Community College Instructional Site in Sanford. [RELATED: Angus King Denies Ukrainians Are Embezzling Any U.S. Tax Dollars, Claims Putin Will Invade Poland…] MDIA, a non-profit coalition of Maine defense companies, state…

Socialist Portland City Councilor Kate Sykes’ proposal for a task force to study how city might utilize a new “social housing” model to combat the city’s housing crisis was met this week with pushback from her fellow councilors and city officials, and was ultimately postponed until the start of next year. WATCH: District Five Councilor Kate Sykes, former co-chair of the Maine Democratic Socialists of America (Maine DSA), brought her proposal to the Council’s Housing and Economic Development Committee meeting Tuesday evening, after the other Councilors on the Committee expressed interest in her idea for social housing in September. Sykes’…

The Mills administration has allocated funds to extend pediatric behavioral health programs run by MaineHealth for an additional year that the state says comes amid high suicide rates and mental health issues among Maine’s youth stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. [RELATED: Janet Mills, Champion of Pandemic Lockdowns, to Join US Surgeon General for Panel on Dangers of ‘loneliness and isolation’…] According to a contract document published Tuesday, the Children’s Behavioral Health Services (CBHS), a division of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (Maine DHHS), will be awarding nearly $400,000 through a non-competitive grant to Maine Medical Center in…

A Portland man who was previously convicted for the possession of child pornography has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for enticing a minor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine announced Wednesday. U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced 36-year-old Joshua Decker to 144 months in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Joshua Decker, 36, of Portland | Source: Maine Sex Offender Registry Decker previously pleaded guilty to the charges of enticing a minor and possessing child sexual abuse material on July 3, 2024. According to court records, Decker encountered the…

Five additional suspects have been arrested by Portland Police in recent days in connection to a July shooting on Forest Avenue that left a 54-year-old Gray woman dead. One New Hampshire man who authorities believe is associated with the Outlaws Motorcycle Club remains at large and is considered dangerous and may be armed, police said Wednesday. The July 30 shooting, which occurred at about 8:45 p.m. near Morrill’s Corner on Forest Avenue, left three people injured and 52-year-old Susan McHugh of Gray dead. McHugh’s death was ruled a homicide by the Maine Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and on…

At the start of this year, Democratic Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) signed onto a letter urging the Biden administration to send Ukraine the long-range tactical missile systems now being used to strike targets inside Russia for the first time. Ukraine reportedly hit a Russian weapons arsenal with U.S. made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) in Russia’s Bryansk region last night, marking the first time the longer-range American weapons have been used by Ukraine to strike targets deep inside Russia. https://twitter.com/TheMaineWire/status/1858855234308579548 [RELATED: Jared Golden Signs Letter Urging Biden Admin to Send More Weapons to Ukraine…] The move came after President Joe…

The illegal alien who in April caused a fatal car crash on I-95 in April, leaving an Albion woman dead and her husband in critical condition, was speeding and attempted a passing maneuver in the median side breakdown lane, according to the Maine State Police crash report. [RELATED: Man Involved in Four-Car Crash That Left Maine Woman Dead Entered U.S. Illegally in January: Oguzhan Cildir…] The multi-vehicle accident occurred at about 8:45 a.m. on Friday, April 26, near Exit 19 on I-95 in Wells. At the time of the crash, the weather was clear and the road surface was dry.…

A longtime resident of Portland’s Bayside neighborhood who says she was the victim of a brutal mugging is warning women not to walk through the area alone without an escort, according to a post shared publicly to her social media profile on Sunday. [RELATED: Portland City Officials Respond to Disturbing Video Showing Drug Abuse, Fights, Crime in Bayside Neighborhood…] The woman, who says she has lived in Bayside for 22 years, said that about three weeks ago she was “mugged,” “jumped,” or “attacked,” adding she didn’t know how best to describe the assault. “I got blindsided, I don’t remember much…

Sanford City Clerk Sue Cote told the City Council during their meeting last Tuesday that the Nov. 5 election, the first to occur after the city reduced its three polling locations to a single location at a high school gym, was a “smooth operation.” Cote defended the elections process despite long lines at the singular polling place at some points in the day. [RELATED: Voter Suppression: Sanford City Council Limits Voting Sites Ahead of Presidential Election…] In August, the Sanford City Council voted to consolidate the city’s three polling locations, making the Sanford High School gymnasium the only place Sanford…

The York County Sheriff’s Office is looking for the owner of an 8-foot Boa constrictor a deputy found on the side of the road in Shapleigh on Friday. The Sheriff’s Office said Friday evening that earlier that day Deputy Jonathan Marshall responded to Shapleigh Corner Road in Shapleigh for an animal complaint When Deputy Marshall arrived at the scene, he found an 8-foot Boa constrictor. York County Sheriff’s Deputy Jonathan Marshall holding the 8-foot Boa constrictor | Source: York County Sheriff’s Office The Boa constrictor is a non-venomous snake native to tropical South America, that is frequently bred in captivity…

A Scarborough man who was found passed out in his car at a Portland gas station was arrested after the police discovered he was in possession of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and a handgun, Portland Police announced Monday. Portland Police responded to the Rusty Lantern convenience store and gas station at 2282 Congress St. shortly after 8 p.m. on Saturday, for a report of a man passed out in his vehicle as the gas pumps. Police say that upon arrival, officers discovered 33-year-old James Selberg Stross of Scarborough passed out in the driver’s seat of a running vehicle, with a…

A traffic stop Wednesday afternoon in Topsham led to the arrest of a an illegal alien on felony drug trafficking charges and the seizure of over 100 grams of fentanyl and crack cocaine, the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday. According to the Sheriff’s Office, at about 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, deputies conducted a traffic stop in Topsham near the intersection of Main Street and Old Augusta Road. While the initial cause for the traffic stop was the driver allegedly using a handheld device, deputies became suspicious when the male driver “claimed not to understand English but responded to every…

A Maine man who allegedly confronted and shot at Cumberland County Sheriff’s deputies with a firearm outside of a residence in Harrison was shot and left with serious injuries, the Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday. According to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to Hawk Ridge Road in Harrison shortly after 1 p.m. on Wednesday, due to a report of an armed man who threatened to harm himself. Cumberland County deputies responded to the residence, where the male subject, later identified as 57-year-old Arthur Lefebvre, was uncooperative and fired multiple rounds at law enforcement, the Sheriff’s Office said. Law enforcement…

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has granted nearly half a million dollars to a Lewiston-based nonprofit in order to fund support services for refugees, immigrants and asylum-seeking migrants who are victims of domestic or sexual violence. According to a no-bid contract document published by the Mills administration Tuesday, the Maine DHHS will be granting about $462,000 to the Immigrant Resource Center of Maine — formerly known as United Somali Women of Maine — for the specialized victim resources. “The purpose of this agreement is to provide victims who are a part of immigrant, refugee and/or asylum…

The Bayside neighborhood in Portland has accounted for nearly a third of the city’s arrests and about 40 percent of all overdoses citywide, according to Portland Police Chief Mark Dubois. After a disturbing video showing open drug abuse, violence and public indecency in the Bayside neighborhood went viral earlier this year, the Portland City Council’s Health and Human Services and Public Safety Committee began receiving regular updates on crime statistics and police activity in the neighborhood from Chief Dubois. [RELATED: Portland City Officials Respond to Disturbing Video Showing Drug Abuse, Fights, Crime in Bayside Neighborhood…] Speaking to the Committee on Tuesday,…

Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey announced on Tuesday that a Portland woman has been found guilty of charge of theft by deception in connection to a million-dollar investment fraud scheme. Jody Flynn Dalvet of Portland was found guilty by a County jury on Nov. 4, 2024, after prosecutors presented evidence that Dalvet orchestrated a years-long scheme to mislead five local Maine investors into paying her company, Icy Gulch Resources, more than one million dollars. According to the Maine Attorney General’s Office, from November 2011 to April 2014, Dalvet induced the investors to pay her company by promising large returns and…

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin (R) to serve in his cabinet as the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Zeldin served four terms as a Republican in the U.S. House representing Long Island, and narrowly lost a race for governor of New York against incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2022. “It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator,” Zeldin wrote in a post to X Monday afternoon shortly after the news of Trump’s choice broke. “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back…

In a statement issued following former President Donald Trump’s resounding victory over Vice President Kamala Harris last week, the executive director of the Maine American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said the nonprofit is “prepared to act” to resist the “dangers” posed by Trump’s return to the presidency. [RELATED: Maine ACLU Demands Portland Stop ‘Criminalizing Homelessness’, Calls Encampment Sweeps ‘Inherently Racist’…] “For 105 years nationwide and 56 years in Maine, the ACLU has consistently and fearlessly defended all people’s constitutional freedoms and fought politicians’ abuses of power – and we are not stopping now,” ACLU of Maine Executive Director Molly Curren…

Four suspects were arrested on drug charges last week after the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office found approximately $40,000 in methamphetamine, fentanyl and crack cocaine during their second search of a Solon residence in just under two months. At about 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Division executed a search warrant at the Solon residence of Cory Miller, as the result of a monthlong investigation into alleged drug trafficking taking place at the house. Miller’s Solon residence was previously raided by law enforcement on Sept. 13, 2024, after which he was charged with two counts…

A Maine doctor has been arrested and charged with sex trafficking after being accused of running an illicit massage business as a front for prostitution. Peter O’Donnell, 68, of Yarmouth, was taken into custody by police Thursday morning after police searched both his doctor’s office on Forest Falls Drive in Yarmouth, and a Freeport massage parlor police say was serving as a front for prostitution. [RELATED: NY Man Accused of Sex Trafficking at Portland Massage Parlor, Threatening Elderly Woman with Gun, Received $20K PPP Loan, Recruited Victims Online…] According to police, O’Donnell recruited and employed at least two alleged victims…

On the heels of a disappointing election Tuesday for Maine Republicans, in which they failed to obtain a majority in the State House of Representatives, Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor) successfully defended his position as the House Republican Leader for Maine’s 132nd Legislature. Faulkingham, who faced competition for the top House GOP spot, emerged from the leadership elections in Augusta Friday morning as the caucus’s choice to continue guiding them through the upcoming term. State House sources told the Maine Wire that in the running for House Republican Leader was Rep. Mike Soboleski (R-Phillips) and former Assistant Republican House Leader…

Wes Pelletier, a longtime member of the Maine Democratic Socialists of America (Maine DSA) was elected to the Portland City Council on Tuesday, making him the second democratic socialist who will be serving on the city’s nine-member policymaking body. [RELATED: ‘They’re not gonna jump up and bite ya’: Socialist Portland City Councilor Claims ‘no public health risk’ Caused by Used Heroin Needles…] Pelletier’s win in Portland’s 2nd District came after a ranked-choice runoff against second-place Nancy English. Having received a plurality of the votes in the first round of voting, Pelletier eventually clinched the tabulation over English with 53.1 percent,…

Two Portland City Councilors are seeking to put a 180-day prohibition on the approval of new hotel projects in the city in order to prevent what they call the “serious public harm” posed by continued hotel development. The proposed order, sponsored by Councilors Kate Sykes and Pious Ali, would place a 180-day moratorium on new hotel projects and expansions in Portland. [RELATED: Maine’s Unprecedented Housing Crisis Is Worse Than You Think…] In an Oct. 28 memo to Portland Mayor Mark Dion and the rest of the City Council, Sykes and Ali wrote that the pause in hotel development would give…

The Sudanese refugee who in July was arrested for allegedly threatening to shoot up a fried chicken restaurant in Portland reportedly told customers that he was “going to have a mass shooting in here,” court records indicate. [RELATED: Portland Police Arrest Man Accused of Threatening to Shoot Up Fried Chicken Restaurant, Seize Fully Automatic Rifle, Drugs…] Portland Police announced on July 9, 2024, that they had arrested 25-year-old Anthony Lobor of Portland on charges of criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, threatening display of or possession of a concealed weapon and violation of conditions of release. Court records indicate that…

Kiernan Majerus-Collins, a former member of the Maine Democratic Party State Committee for Androscoggin County, called Republican voters the “most privileged people on Earth” and said that the differences between the Taliban and the GOP are “hard to find” in a social media post this week. Majerus-Collins, a former school committee member for Lewiston Public Schools, made the comment on a Sunday Facebook post from Rob Korobkin, who describes himself on his website as an “independent journalist.” “The MAGA guys out here even drive around with pickup trucks with flags blowing over the bed and assault rifles inside,” Korobkin wrote…

The owner of a Boston-based pizzeria chain with locations throughout Massachusetts was sentenced last week to more than eight years in federal prison for the forced labor of undocumented foreign nationals, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced on Monday. Stavros Papantoniadis, aka “Steve Papantoniadis,” 49, of Westwood, Mass., owner of Stash’s Pizza, was sentenced on Friday, Oct. 25, to 102 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $35,000 fine. Papantoniadis was convicted of three counts of forced labor and three counts of attempted forced…

An arrest has been made in connection to Monday afternoon shooting in Portland’s Bayside neighborhood that left one man dead, Portland Police announced Tuesday. [RELATED: Portland City Officials Respond to Disturbing Video Showing Drug Abuse, Fights, Crime in Bayside Neighborhood…] Police say they responded to the area of Portland and Alder Streets at about 5:30 p.m. on Monday for a report of a shooting. Upon arrival at the scene, officers found Edgar Cando, a 31-year-old man from Portland who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Cando was transported to Maine Medical Center, where a succumbed to his injuries. According to police,…

Last month the Maine Department of Education (Maine DOE) launched a first-in-the-nation project aimed at bringing collections of children’s picture books about race, diversity and immigration into all public schools across the state. [RELATED: Maine Education Chief: “Academic Learning” Takes Backseat to Social-Emotional, Gender, and Race…] The initiative, called The Pine Project’s Welcoming Libraries, is a collaboration between the Maine DOE and the Portland-based nonprofit I’m Your Neighbor Books. “I’m Your Neighbor Books cultivates welcoming behaviors and builds a sense of belonging in all our communities by increasing access to and engagement with Immigrant and New Generation children’s literature,” the nonprofit…

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on Tuesday will hold the first competitive auction for roughly 850,000 acres in the Gulf of Maine designated by the Biden-Harris administration for offshore wind energy development. [RELATED: Biden Celebrates Offshore Wind ‘Progress’ Despite Industry’s Major Struggles, Cancellations…] The eight areas up for lease sale lie on the Outer Continental Shelf off of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, and if fully developed have the potential to provide approximately 13 gigawatts of offshore wind energy — enough to power 4.5 million homes, according to BOEM. Under President Joe Biden, the federal government has approved…

Two men, including one Chinese national, were arrested in Farmington on Monday after police discovered 115 pounds of marijuana in the back of a van after the pair was pulled over for speeding on Fairbanks Road. [RELATED: Triad Weed: How Chinese Marijuana Grows Took Over Rural Maine…] The Monday afternoon traffic stop was made by Farmington Police Sgt. Jonathan Parker, who stopped the van on Fairbanks Road for speeding, Deputy Police Chief Shane Cote told the Lewiston Sun Journal. Police called in a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) patrol to assist in the traffic stop. When a border patrol…

A Lewiston man known as “Biggie” was arrested on Wednesday and is now facing federal drug and firearm charges after investigators found more than 300 grams of cocaine and ten firearms at his residence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine announced on Thursday. According to federal prosecutors, police searched the Lewiston residence of 24-year-old Nasir Kenya-Malik White, aka Biggie, on Wednesday evening. Nasir Kenya-Malik White, 24, of Lewiston | Source: Maine Department of Corrections Investigators recovered more than 300 grams of suspected cocaine, as well as ten firearms, including several “assault-style rifles,” during the search, prosecutors said.…

The Maine Commission on Public Defense Services, formerly known as the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services, is seeking to hire immigration law consultants to assist the state’s public defenders in their representation of noncitizen defendants. According to a Request for Proposals (RFP) document posted by the Mills administration on Thursday, the state is seeking proposals from attorneys and law firms that would provide immigration law consultation to public defenders who are representing indigent noncitizen clients in criminal and juvenile cases. “The successful Bidder will provide prompt immigration law consultation and advice to attorneys representing indigent non-citizens in criminal and…

Four people were arrested on drug trafficking charges after authorities found over $200,000 worth of fentanyl and methamphetamine inside of a home in Aroostook County on Tuesday, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency announced. The search and subsequent arrests came as the result of a months-long investigation into suspected drug trafficking at the home at 1057 Van Buren Rd. in Caswell. Caswell is a small town north of Caribou that sits on Aroostook County’s border with New Brunswick, Canada. According to the MDEA, agents found over two pounds of fentanyl, over a pound of methamphetamine, and over $19,000 cash in suspected…

The number of apprehensions of migrants entering the U.S. illegally across the northern border in Maine’s Houlton Sector reached a new high in fiscal year 2024 (FY24), representing a six-fold increase over the number of apprehensions in 2021, according to data published this week by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Throughout FY24, from October 2023 through September 2024, CBP reported a total of 344 encounters with migrants at the U.S.-Canada border in Maine — up from 300 in FY23, and just over six times the amount of migrant apprehensions in 2021. Border encounter data includes the apprehension and processing…

Portland Mayor Mark Dion on Monday offered an apology to the city’s Jewish community for his vote last month in support of a resolution that called for a divestment of the city’s funds from a long list of entities allegedly “complicit in the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.” [RELATED: Portland City Council Unanimously Passes Israel Divestment Resolution…] Mayor Dion called his vote a “serious mistake in judgment,” saying foreign policy falls outside of his responsibility as mayor, and that passage of the resolution only served to marginalize the city’s Jewish community. WATCH: “Upon personal reflection, and following many private conversations I…

The Portland City Council on Monday rejected a resolution proposed by Mayor Mark Dion that was aimed at reducing the number of hypodermic needles littered throughout the city by reimplementing a 1:1 ratio at the city’s syringe exchange program. [RELATED: Maine Is Handing Out Free “Boofing” Kits to Help Fentanyl Addicts Squirt Drugs Up Their Butts…] Portland’s Syringe Services Program (SSP), commonly referred to as “The Exchange,” is part of a statewide “harm reduction” program overseen by the Maine CDC that distributes hypodermic needles to people who inject drugs. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Maine CDC had rules in place that required SPP…

Two people are dead and several others were hospitalized from carbon monoxide poisoning at a home in Freedom that was previously identified as an illegal marijuana grow operation. [RELATED: Maine Law Enforcement Raids Waldo County House Linked to Chinese Drug Trafficking Network…] Authorities were called to the home on Belfast Road at around 6 a.m. on Tuesday after a report of a propane leak, but responders discovered that the actual source was carbon monoxide, stemming from a severed heat exhaust pipe, the Freedom Fire Chief told WABI. The exact cause of the incident is being investigated alongside the Waldo County…

A man previously convicted of felonies in multiple states was arrested on drug trafficking and firearm charges on Friday after police found a large quantity of illegal drugs and a handgun during a search of two properties in Auburn. [RELATED: Auburn Drug Bust Results in Arrest, Seizure of Large Quantity of Counterfeit Pills Containing Fentanyl…] According to Auburn Police, on Friday, Oct. 18, members of the department’s Proactive Community Enforcement (PACE) Unit, alongside member of their patrol division, executed a search warrant at 124 Goff St. and 21 Swett Ave. in Auburn. The searches resulted in the discovery of 217…

A political action committee (PAC) affiliated with the progressive Maine People’s Alliance has made a large independent expenditure in support of their employee, Penobscot State Senator Mike Tipping (D), who is running for reelection in Senate District 8. [RELATED: Maine Planned Parenthood PAC Drops $90k on Online Advertising for State House Candidates…] Sen. Tipping is a longtime employee of the MPA — according to his most recent personal financial disclosure with the Maine Ethics Commission, Tipping works as a research director for both the MPA and their 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm, the Maine People’s Resource Center (MPRC). Source: Maine Ethics Commission…

A Portland man was arrested Sunday evening after allegedly threatening someone with a firearm and shooting into the ground, Portland Police announced on Monday. Shortly after 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, Portland Police responded to a report of a male threatening someone with a gun in the area of Forest Avenue and Bedford Street. Police say that they were able to track down the suspect on Fessenden Street within minutes based on a description. Matthew Litka, 28, of Portland, was arrested and charged with criminal threatening and reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon. According to police, Litka was found in possession…

During their meeting on Monday, the Portland City Council will be considering a resolution that would call upon the City Manager to reduce the exchange ratio at the city-operated Syringe Services Program (SSP) to 1:1 due to concerns from residents over the improper disposal of used needles. Portland’s SSP, commonly referred to as “The Exchange,” is part of a statewide “harm reduction” program overseen by the Maine CDC that distributes hypodermic needles to people who inject drugs. [RELATED: Maine Is Handing Out Free “Boofing” Kits to Help Fentanyl Addicts Squirt Drugs Up Their Butts…] Current Maine CDC guidelines allow for the syringe exchanges…

Planned Parenthood of Northern New England’s Maine-based Political Action Committee (PAC) this week spent $90,000 on online advertising spread across 38 different candidates running for the Maine House of Representatives this November. [RELATED: New England’s Top Taxpayer-Funded Abortion Clinic Operator Projects $8.6 Million Deficit Over Next Three Years…] According to filings with the Maine Ethics Commission, on Wednesday, Oct. 16, the Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund PAC made a $90,000 independent expenditure to GMMB, Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based Democratic political consulting and advertising firm. The total $90,000 expenditure was spread evenly across a total of 38 candidates, with roughly $2,400 being…

U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on Thursday that the agency has successfully apprehended and deported a Salvadoran fugitive who was “hiding out” in Virginia to avoid facing terrorism and homicide charges in his home country. [RELATED: Previously Deported Dominican National Reentered US to ‘peddle poison,’ Arrested for Carjacking, Drug Trafficking: ICE…] ICE said that deportation officers with Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C. removed 38-year-old William Alexander Albanez-Herrera on Oct. 4, and turned him over to Salvadoran authorities. According to ICE, Albanez-Herrera is a documented member of the international criminal gang MS-13, who was wanted by authorities…

A Hermon resident was arrested on Wednesday after allegedly fleeing the scene of an accident and leading police on a high-speed chase along I-95, Bangor Police said in a press release. Bangor Police responded to a call at the Best Buy parking lot on Bangor Mall Blvd., where witnesses reported that a man had backed into another vehicle and attempted to leave without providing information. Upon arrival, officers found the man, later identified at 64-year-old Everett Buzzell of Hermon, still inside his vehicle. When questioned, Buzzell reportedly denied involvement in the accident. Police say that as officers attempted to complete…

An investigation into suspected drug activity at a residence in Auburn led to the seizure of a significant amount of illegal drugs and the arrest of a man with previous convictions, Auburn Police announced Wednesday. Auburn Police say that their Proactive Community Enforcement (PACE) Unit, assisted by the patrol division, executed a search warrant at 134 South Main St. in Auburn on Tuesday, after investigating reports of ongoing suspected drug activity occurring at the residence. During a search of the residence police found approximately 14 grams of cocaine base (crack cocaine), two grams of cocaine, 133 fentanyl pills pressed to…

Ann Cook, a Maine public school teacher who in 2022 was recorded going on a bizarre racially-charged political rant in front of a middle school student, has now allegedly been caught on video absconding with a Trump campaign sign from a Yarmouth intersection, according to video obtained by the Maine Wire. [RELATED: Secret audio reveals Maine teacher ranting about politics, mocking Trump-supporting parents…] The video footage of the incident, captured on a game camera placed near the intersection by the sign owner, appears to show a woman removing the sign from the public right-of-way and bringing it to her vehicle…

A former Portland educator has been sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material, following an investigation that began with a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen on Tuesday sentenced Travis McCutcheon, 54, to 42 months in prison, to be followed by eight years of supervised release. McCutcheon previously pleaded guilty to the possession of child sexual abuse material on May 15, 2024. “Although the evidence discovered does not reflect that Mr. McCutcheon possessed materials involving any of his students, his conduct…

Portland Police announced on Wednesday that they have arrested a 19-year-old man in connection to an early Tuesday morning shooting at an apartment building that left a juvenile victim with life-threatening injuries. [RELATED: Juvenile in Stable Condition After Being Shot at Portland Apartment Building…] Less than a day after the shooting, police arrested Dominic Moncada-Sanchez, 19, of Portland, and charged him with aggravated attempted murder, elevated aggravated assault and violating conditions of release. 19-year-old Dominic Moncada-Sanchez | Source: Cumberland County Jail Police say they took Moncada-Sanchez into custody at about 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday in South Portland, with the assistance…

A Dominican national who earlier this year was deported after being convicted of dealing fentanyl was arrested by federal immigration authorities in August following his illegal reentry into the U.S. and arraignment on charges of carjacking, assault and drug trafficking. U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said in a Tuesday press release that they arrested 33-year-old Dominican national Luis Esmeraldo Rodriguez in Roxbury, Mass., on Aug. 12. The ICE arrest came after Rodriguez was arraigned in Roxbury District Court on June 10 on charges of assault and battery of a household member, destruction of property, indecent exposure, carjacking, two counts…

Two brothers are facing drug trafficking charges after police raided their apartment in Lewiston, discovering a cocaine, fentanyl, guns and a large amount of cash suspected to be the brothers’ proceeds from selling drugs. On Tuesday, Oct. 15, Lewiston Police executed a search warrant at 108 Pierce St., Apartment No. 3. During a search of the residence, police found 12 grams of cocaine base (crack cocaine), 10 grams of fentanyl, one shotgun, one handgun that police say was previously reported stolen by its owner, and over $15,000 cash in suspected drug proceeds. Items seized during the search of the Haji…

The principal of a public high school in South Paris forwarded a recruitment email from the Maine Democratic Party to his students seeking to enroll them as volunteers for political canvassing and phone banking on behalf of the Kamala Harris presidential campaign. Paul Bickford, Principal at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School (OHCHS), forwarded a Sept. 28 email from a Maine Democratic Party field organizer to his freshmen students, with the subject line “[Attention Freshmen] FWD: Looking for Volunteers for Maine Democrats.” “Hi all, I am forwarding a volunteer opportunity that was sent to me for anyone interested,” the public high…

The Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous & Tribal Populations (PCRITP), Maine’s taxpayer-funded racial equity board, has hired a new operations director who previously received media attention due to formerly living in the Minneapolis neighborhood where George Floyd died. The Permanent Commission was established by the Legislature in 2019 as a result of a bill sponsored by House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland). Speaker Talbot Ross and Penobscot Nation Ambassador Maulian Bryant co-chair the Commission, which is tasked with a mission of “ending structural racism” in Maine. [RELATED: Rachel Talbot Ross Has Not Been to a Meeting of…

The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (MIRC), a Portland-based immigrant advocacy nonprofit organization, is looking to target recently naturalized “New Mainers” with voter registration and turnout efforts. [Exclusive: Records Show Votes Cast Under Names of Non-Citizens in Multiple Maine Elections Since 2016…] In a Monday email, MIRC Executive Director Mufalo Chitam shared a flyer that contained information on key voter registration and absentee ballot request deadlines, as well as demographic data on the number of recently naturalized U.S. citizens in Maine. “MIRC is committed to supporting Maine’s immigrant communities to vote and make their voices heard!” the email reads. Flyer shared…

A juvenile is in stable condition after being shot early Tuesday morning at an apartment building on Forest Avenue in Portland, police stated in a press release. [RELATED: Police Investigating Shots Fired on Eleanor Street in Portland…] According to Portland Police, at 2:21 a.m. on Tuesday, officers responded to 1390 Forest Ave. for a report of shots fired. Located at 1390 Forest Ave is the Meadowbrook affordable apartment building, which according to the Portland Housing Authority is part of a project-based voucher program for elderly and disabled residents, and families with dependents. Upon arrival at the apartment building, officers discovered…

Portland Police responded late Sunday night to reports of gunfire on Eleanor Street. At about 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 13, Portland Police officers arrived at 12 Eleanor St. to find the front of a duplex peppered with bullet holes. Police say that officers could smell gas due to a gas line being struck by the gunfire. The Portland Fire Department responded to the scene and turned off the gas line, and notified the utility company Unitil. Authorities are continuing their investigation and have not yet announced any suspects. Police are urging anyone with information to come forward by contacting…

At a workshop on Tuesday the South Portland City Council will discuss a proposed ordinance that would eventually prohibit the use of certain gas-fueled lawn equipment powered by two-stroke engines, a move city officials say will help reduce carbon emissions and air pollution. [RELATED: South Portland Approves Spending Nearly $15,000 to Lease Three New Electric Vehicles…] The ordinance, initially proposed for a workshop by the city’s Sustainability Department in March 2023, would place a citywide ban on the use of gas-powered two-stroke leaf blowers starting one year from its passage. A prohibition on a wide array of other two-stroke engine…

A search of a Lewiston apartment by police and agents with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) last week resulted in two arrests the seizure of fentanyl, psilocybin mushrooms, methamphetamine and a firearm. On Thursday, Oct. 10, officers from the Lewiston Police Department and MDEA agents executed a search warrant at 251 Blake St., apartment #39 in Lewiston. During a search of the apartment, investigators seized 142 grams of fentanyl, five grams of psilocybin mushrooms (commonly known as “magic mushrooms”), two grams of methamphetamine and a pistol. Other evidence of drug trafficking was also discovered in the residence. Items seized…

Just one day after the Maine Wire dropped a bombshell report on whistleblower records indicating multiple noncitizens have illegally voted in elections in Maine, a progressive nonprofit took to a left-wing media outlet to brag about handing out voter guides to noncitizen immigrants in the run-up to the 2024 election. [Exclusive: Records Show Votes Cast Under Names of Non-Citizens in Multiple Maine Elections Since 2016…] The League of Women Voters of Maine (LWVME) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit lobbying organization that is the Maine chapter of the National League of Women Voters of the U.S. Although describing itself as a “nonpartisan” organization,…

A Cornville man will serve two years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of sexual assault, following an investigation that began in 2021, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office announced on Friday. In April 2021, Somerset County Sheriff’s Office Detective Jeremy Leal launched an investigation into a report of sexual assaults against an adult female that had allegedly occurred over the course of three years, beginning in 2016. Upon completion of the investigation, Detective Leal submitted the case to the Somerset County District Attorney’s Office for review and potential charges. In July 2023, a Somerset County grand jury indicted…

A Guatemalan national living illegally in the U.S. since at least 2011 has been arrested by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after being charged in June with forcibly raping a Massachusetts child. [RELATED: ‘We work very well with ICE’: Cumberland County Sheriff Defends Decision Not to Honor Immigration Detainers…] Deportation officers with ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston were able to track down and apprehend the illegal alien in Lowell, Mass. in late September, after he was released from custody by a local court that refused to honor an immigration detainer. According to ICE, 38-year-old Guatemalan national Maynor…

At their meeting next Tuesday, the Sanford City Council will consider adopting a resolution seeking to reform the city’s state-licensed syringe distribution program. For more than a year, city officials and residents have said that the taxpayer-funded needle distribution program—which is supposed to promote public health—is, in fact, causing a public health crisis due to contaminated needles littering public areas. [RELATED: Sanford Officials: Maine CDC No Help in Dirty Needle Crackdown…] The Maine CDC authorizes Syringe Service Programs (SSPs) as a “harm reduction” initiative aimed at reducing the spread of blood-borne pathogens such as HIV and hepatitis by providing active…