One says at a news conference Wednesday that his family is ‘teetering on the edge of losing everything’ because of PFAS contamination.
Penelope Overton
Staff Writer
Penny Overton is excited to be the Portland Press Herald’s first climate reporter. Since joining the paper in 2016, she has written about Maine’s lobster and cannabis industries, covered state politics and spent a fellowship year exploring the impact of climate change on the lobster fishery with the Boston Globe’s Spotlight team. Before moving to Maine, she has covered politics, environment, casino gambling and tribal issues in Florida, Connecticut, and Arizona. Her favorite assignments allow her to introduce readers to unusual people, cultures, or subjects. When off the clock, Penny is usually getting lost in a new book at a local coffeehouse, watching foreign crime shows or planning her family’s next adventure.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Politics
Senate vote falls 1 short of threshold to send equal rights amendment to voters
Senators voted 22-12 in support Wednesday, just shy of the two-thirds majority that would be needed in upcoming votes to put the question on a statewide ballot.
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Posted inLocal & State, News, Politics
House approves climate science training funds for Maine teachers
The $3 million state grant program would encourage school districts to partner with community nonprofits to build climate science training plans for teachers.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Politics
Lawmakers want more oversight of child protective services
A bill would require the Office of Child and Family Services to report to the Legislature’s Government Oversight Committee.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Politics
Equal rights amendment to Maine Constitution hits Republican opposition in House
The 80-57 vote in favor of the proposal falls short of the two-thirds majority required to put the issue to voters, with another vote coming later in this session.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Maine’s child welfare system failed 3-year-old who died, grandmother tells lawmakers
The grandmother of Maddox Williams, whose mother is charged with murder in his death, gave emotional testimony to a legislative committee that’s investigating Maine’s child welfare system.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, News, Politics
Rep. Pingree’s bill aims to help Maine hemp growers
Maine’s struggling hemp industry would benefit from relaxed rules on potency limits.
Posted inLocal & State
Committee backs pay raises for state psychiatric hospital workers in Augusta and Bangor
The panel voted 8-4 along party lines, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Politics, Schools and Education
Panel endorses bill to train teachers in climate science despite Republican opposition
Opponents worried that the bill, which has huge support among Maine science teachers, would give environmental groups too much influence.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, News
Maine predicts a steep price to fight forever chemicals
Soil and water testing, bottled water and filtration systems at farms, factories and landfills where PFAS chemicals have tainted the well water could cost up to $20 million a year, says DEP Commissioner Melanie Loyzim.