Randy Billings is a government watchdog and political reporter who has been covering Portland City Hall for the Press Herald since 2012. His beat touches on a wide range of topics, including immigration, homelessness, education, tourism, real estate development and the economy in Maine’s largest city. He has been a Portland-based journalist since 2005. A life-long Mainer who loves the outdoors, Randy is also a bassist who brews his own beer at his North Yarmouth home, where he lives with his wife and two children.
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PublishedDecember 4, 2021
Big hats, high spirits: Christmas Prelude returns for 40th year
Throngs of people – both masked and unmasked – crowd sidewalks, Kennebunkport’s village square and local businesses Saturday. The event is marked by s’mores, campfires, live music in bars and may other festivities.
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PublishedDecember 2, 2021
Eliminating single-family zoning among ways to increase housing opportunity, state commission says
Recommendations from the Commission to Increase Housing Opportunities in Maine by Studying Zoning and Land Use Restrictions include allowing in-law apartments as a matter of right and removing municipal growth caps.
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PublishedDecember 1, 2021
Sara Gideon donates $3.5 million in leftover campaign cash to help low-income families
The money, from her unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate, will go to the nonprofit Maine Equal Justice, which provides financial assistance to low-income parents earning degrees and professional certifications.
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PublishedNovember 24, 2021
State will use federal funds to give bonuses to direct care workers
The federal government has approved Maine’s request to use $126 million in American Recovery Act funding to give bonuses to new and existing workers providing home- and community-based health services.
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PublishedNovember 23, 2021
Economic growth, federal funds drive increase in state revenues
Gov. Mills says she will propose using some of the added revenue to help Mainers struggling with increased costs of electricity, home heating fuels, gas at the pump, and other necessities.
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PublishedNovember 13, 2021
Maine reports 799 new COVID-19 cases, 10 more deaths
Since the pandemic began, there have been 111,145 confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 in Maine and 1,230 people have died with the virus.
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PublishedNovember 11, 2021
Portland soon could join move to ban flavored tobacco products
Portland would follow Bangor, which last month became the first Maine community to enact such a ban.
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PublishedNovember 4, 2021
Brandon Mazer wins Portland at-large council seat in drawing of lots
Roberto Rodriguez, the losing candidate, immediately said he would ask for a vote recount.
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PublishedOctober 10, 2021
Toxic politics taking its toll on Portland’s public servants
The tension that has been building in recent years between an energized, aggressive progressive movement and more moderate city officials seems to have spiked in the last week.
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PublishedOctober 4, 2021
Portland council decides not to require masks in public settings to fight COVID-19
Instead, city councilors decide to reinforce public education and outreach, encouraging everyone in the city to take steps to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
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