The span, which is visible from Interstate 295, has been eyed by both trail and rail advocates but has fallen into ‘critical’ condition after being damaged by fire in 1984, according to the state.
Randy Billings
Staff Writer
Randy Billings is a government watchdog and political reporter who has been the State House bureau chief since 2021. He was named the Maine Press Association’s Journalist of the Year in 2020. He joined the Press Herald in 2012 as the Portland City Hall reporter, where his beat touched on a wide range of topics, including municipal government, immigration, homelessness, housing and social services. Prior to that, he worked at various weeklies as well as business and arts publications. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine, Orono. He lives in North Yarmouth with his wife and two children and enjoys the outdoors and playing his upright bass.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, News, Politics
Sixty small-business owners oppose Portland minimum wage initiative
The group includes some who support a gradual increase to $15 an hour but oppose a hazard pay provision that could give Portland the highest minimum wage in the country.
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Posted inLocal & State
Portland voters asked to strengthen facial surveillance ban
Question B on the city ballot would add enforcement provisions – including a private right of action for people to sue the city – to an existing prohibition on city employees using facial recognition technology.
Posted inLocal & State
What’s that structure going up next to Back Cove?
It’s not a hotel or condominium. It’s a temporary part of a project that will reduce the amount of raw sewage and polluted stormwater runoff being discharged into the cove.
Posted inLocal & State, Politics
How to win an election during a pandemic: Candidates for local offices get creative
Many of the honored traditions of handshakes, door-knocking and group events carry a risk of transmitting coronavirus.
Posted inLocal & State
Protesters gather to condemn racism, police violence: ‘I need to be able to tell my children I did something’
The threat of violence by detractors leads Black Lives Matter Maine to postpone its demonstration in downtown Portland, but more than 100 people turn out Saturday, issuing a fiery call for change.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State
Lawsuit challenges access to prized piece of Portland’s working waterfront
Attorney Glenn Israel, who represents Soley Wharf, says the aim is to allow the owners to enforce parking and gear storage rules.
Posted inLocal & State
New proposal could be Portland’s tallest building and add 260 apartments downtown
Rents for most units are projected to range from $1,200 to $2,000, while 27 would be deed-restricted as workforce housing with rents affordable to median income tenants.
Posted inLocal & State, News
City Hall encampment ends, but some homeless still have nowhere to go
Portland is still searching for ways to provide basic needs to unsheltered homeless people after a 2-week protest at City Hall disbanded.
Posted inLocal & State
Debate heats up over public health versus police spending in Portland
Over the past decade, spending on police has increased by nearly 40%, while the public health budget has dropped by more than 50%. But city officials say those numbers don’t reflect additional investments in social services.