The 380 drug-related deaths in the first nine months of last year matches the total for all of 2019 and puts Maine on pace to surpass the previous high of 417, in 2017.
Eric Russell
Staff Writer
Eric Russell has been a general assignment reporter at the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram since 2012 and has been a journalist in Maine since 2004. Because he doesn’t have a specific geographic or topical area to cover, Eric often is free to roam the state in pursuit of the most interesting stories, whether it’s tackling the big topic of the day or chasing ideas that fall just outside the boundaries of everyday news. His favorite assignments are ones where he can leave the office and meet with people in their homes or their workplaces to talk about their struggles and challenges – and sometimes their triumphs. Or to try and answer complicated questions.
Eric grew up in Southern Maine, went to college at the University of Maine and worked in Bangor for eight years before joining the Press Herald. He lives in Brunswick with his wife, a school teacher, and two daughters.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Maine reports grim new records: 41 more deaths and 782 cases
Six of the deaths occurred in the previous 48 hours, while the rest happened in December and were linked to COVID-19 by the Maine CDC in follow-up investigations.
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Posted inLocal & State, News, Uncategorized
Collins’ Senate staffers watch as a normal day descends into chaos
Brenna Kent and Darci Greenacre, both Maine natives, were in the senator’s office on lockdown when a pro-Trump mob stormed and breached the Capitol.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Maine historians see unprecedented event in storming of U.S. Capitol
The breach of the Capitol building by pro-Trump extremists is more in line with coups that have occurred in other, less stable countries.
Posted inHealth, Local & State
Lawsuit faults Maine DHHS for use of powerful medications on foster children
The federal government raised concerns about the use of psychotropic medications on Maine foster children in 2018.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Former psychologist at Bangor hospital files sex discrimination lawsuit
Dr. Clare Mundell, who worked for two years at Acadia Hospital, alleges she was paid slightly more than half of what her male counterparts earned.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Uncategorized
Maine shatters another COVID-19 record, reports 748 new cases
The Maine CDC recorded 8 more deaths, but noted that many of the new cases were from a test results backlog that the agency has begun to process and enter into the case reporting system.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Uncategorized
State employees union files complaint over COVID-19 information sharing
The Maine Service Employees Union, which represents thousands of state government workers, says it has been requesting the information from the Mills administration since the summer.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Unparalleled volume near holiday adds long delays to shipping
U.S. Postal Service officials say carriers are working well into the night on most days to deliver an unprecedented volume of packages before Christmas.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Uncategorized
ACLU of Maine: Prioritize prisons, jails in vaccine distribution
The organization sent a letter to state officials urging them to consider vaccinating residents of prisons, where several major COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred.