Staff Writer

Penelope Overton Press Herald

Penelope Overton writes about the lobster and marijuana industries in Maine, a mix of the iconic and the emerging, the economic powerhouse and the mysterious darkhorse. Just the right mix of old and new for a Maine transplant. Penny joined the Press Herald in 2016. She has covered politics and government, the environment and Indian Country in Florida, Connecticut, Arizona and Washington, D.C. Her favorite stories are when she gets to dive into a world where readers seldom venture. When she’s not newspapering, Penny and her young daughter like to hike, body surf, travel and explore new books, places, poems and people. She is plovertonpph on both Instagram and Snapchat.

Latest

Published
September 9, 2020

Feds to pay Maine lobstermen $50 million to offset trade war losses

Maine lobstermen are eligible for up to $250,000 each as part of a $527 million fishing industry bailout to help offset the impact of China’s retaliatory tariffs.
Published
September 8, 2020

Maine approves adult-use cannabis stores in South Portland, Northport

The approvals were among 6 recreational cannabis licenses the state awarded Tuesday for retailers, growers and testing labs, but consumer sales won’t begin until Oct. 9.
Published
September 3, 2020

Maine hits snag in effort to distribute pandemic aid to seafood industry

Individual fishermen, fishing charters and seafood dealers must demonstrate revenue losses before receiving checks, probably in November.
Published
September 2, 2020

Portland Fish Exchange looks to shore up its future with aquaculture

A waterfront institution partners with an oyster grower to diversify its operation and offer support to the growing aquaculture industry.
Published
August 28, 2020

Maine secretary of state appeals judge’s ruling on ranked-choice voting

The decision this week allows a referendum this November on use of the voting method in presidential elections.
Published
August 27, 2020

Former CDC director says time is not right to play close-contact sports

Dr. Dora Anne Mills says adding such sports at the same time the state is reopening schools and entering flu season is like adding fuel to a fire – “we could get burned.”
Published
August 26, 2020

Man accused of fatal shooting in Lewiston arrested in Mississippi

Jaquile Coleman, 26, will be returned to Maine to face a murder charge in the death of 19-year-old Natasha Morgan.
Published
August 26, 2020

Maine approves double-digit rate cuts for Affordable Care Act insurance

Insurance providers cited the revival of Maine’s reinsurance program as a reason they can decrease average rates for individual plans in 2021.
Published
August 25, 2020

Lobster industry cheers trade deal that would lift EU tariffs

Maine lobster dealers predict an immediate boost in European sales, which will grow when air travel and restaurants bounce back from the pandemic.
Published
August 21, 2020

European Union drops tariffs on U.S. lobster

The decision will put the U.S. on equal footing with Canada in what had traditionally been a huge export market for American lobster.