Attorney General Aaron Frey released a report Friday estimating there were 376 drug overdose deaths in Maine last year.
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 doesnโt 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 itโs 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 โ 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.
โTime for our state to recoverโ: Mills signs order to combat opioid crisis
The governor orders the purchase of 35,000 doses of overdose-reversing naloxone; integration of medication-assisted treatment into the criminal justice system; and creation of a statewide network of 250 recovery coaches.
Gov. Mills shifts the tone in tackling Maine’s opioid crisis
The Democratic governor has made addressing the epidemic one of her top priorities. Her ideas are likely to be vastly different from her predecessor’s.
Mills picks longtime lobbyist for doctors to lead Maine’s response to opioid crisis
Gordon Smith, executive vice president of the Maine Medical Association since 1993, will coordinate state efforts to combat an epidemic that persists in communities across the state.
Sea-level rise hurting Maine’s waterfront real estate values
A study released this week show Maine lost about $70 million in appreciated waterfront property values from 2005 to 2017.
After acquittal, Camden boat captain hopes to chart a new course
Rick Smith wants to rebuild his life and try to shake the feeling of notoriety even after a judge dismissed a criminal case in the 2015 death of a crew member.
Somerset County woman killed in highway crash in Carmel
Kathryn Hallett, 66, of Cambridge was a passenger in a truck driven by her husband that skidded out of control in snowy conditions on Interstate 95, Maine State Police say.
Sen. King resumes treatment for prostate cancer but won’t slow down
The independent senator says he’s expected to recover fully and his schedule won’t be affected.
Weekend storm could bury Maine in snow
Much of the state will get 12 to 18 inches of snow but with a holiday on Monday for most, the timing could be worse.
Jesuits’ list of 50 priests accused of sexual abuse includes 7 who worked at Cheverus High
Two of the men named by the regional governing body of the Catholic order were accused of abuse that occurred during their time at the high school in Portland.