Seth Koenig
Portland Bureau Chief
Seth Koenig, formerly of the Brunswick Times Record, covers the Greater Portland area for the Bangor Daily News. He has been named both New England Journalist of the Year and Maine Journalist of the year.
Federal funding award delays closure of Portland homeless clinic — but for how long?
PORTLAND, Maine — A federal agency has agreed to offer Portland’s clinic for homeless patients additional funding to keep the facility open after April. But how much longer after April remains to be seen, said Douglas Gardner, head of the city’s Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the …
‘We get to write all the badness out of our systems’: Maine crime writers explain why the state is so thrilling
PORTLAND, Maine — During the upcoming Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance “Crime Wave” conference on April 19 in Portland, some of the state’s most accomplished crime writers will talk about their work and the field. Authors and conference participants Paul Doiron, Kate Flora and Kathy Lynn Emerson answered a series …
Maine is a low-crime state with a lot of crime novelists; upcoming conference delves into genre
PORTLAND, Maine — Maine is regularly found to have one of America’s lowest crime rates. So why are so many aspiring and accomplished crime novelists in the state? “I think it’s easy for Maine to be used by not only novelists, but screenwriters and movie producers as a great place …
SETH AND THE CITY (blog)
Portland area food truck’s lobster roll named one of America’s best sandwiches
on March 10, 2014, at 5:49 p.m.
Last spring, I wrote about New York City’s upcoming Lobster Roll Rumble, an event organized every year by the trendsetting foodie news distributor Tasting Table. The Rumble perennially attracts the country’s best lobster roll makers, and Maine restaurants predictably have strong showings every year. These are lobster rolls we’re talking …
Cumberland County sheriff details latest case of inmates breaching maximum security for sex
PORTLAND, Maine — Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce on Monday said jail officials are lucky two inmates who were able to breach security over the weekend in the facility’s most fortified section only wanted to meet up for sex. In an afternoon news conference, Joyce told reporters the maximum security …
Details released on how Cumberland County Jail inmates breached security for sex
Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce on Monday held a news conference to explain how two inmates in the county jail’s maximum security area on Saturday were able to breach security and meet up for sex.
Canadian government’s pipeline ruling ‘brings tar sands oil to New England’s doorstep,’ environmentalists say
PORTLAND, Maine — State environmental groups decried a decision by the Canadian government late Thursday afternoon to allow the reversal and expansion of a pipeline leading to east Montreal, where they say controversial tar sands oil can now be pumped almost to the New England border. The Natural Resources Council …
#MAINE (blog)
UFO researchers say Maine is an extra-terrestrial hotspot
on March 06, 2014, at 11:03 a.m.
Not long ago, the publication Business Insider ranked Portland, Maine, one of the 14 top places to visit in 2014 — conspicuously finishing ahead of outer space, which finished as a somewhat tongue-in-cheek honorable mention. Well, if some newly released maps by the nonprofit alien investigation group MUFON (Mutual Unidentified …
Portland Pirates shuffle leadership roles after lease battle with civic center; former player returns as team executive
PORTLAND, Maine — The Portland Pirates professional hockey team late last week announced a series of leadership moves, consolidating authority under new majority owner Ron Cain and bringing back one of the team’s former greats to oversee day-to-day operations of the club. Under the restructuring, Cain moves into the team’s …
Portland ordinance spurred by Congress Square Park sale put to citywide vote
PORTLAND, Maine — The voters of Portland will decide on June 10 whether they want the chance to decide — through a second vote — if part of the publicly owned Congress Square Park should be sold to a private hotel developer. In a largely procedural move, the City Council …
Portland considers spending nearly $3 million to buy building, consolidate departments
PORTLAND, Maine — The city of Portland is considering a plan to consolidate divisions of its public services, fire and recreation departments under one roof in a building to be purchased for nearly $3 million on Canco Road. The plan was given first reading by the City Council at its …
Portland mayor pushes to block access across city land to controversial new DHHS site
PORTLAND, Maine — An unexpected game of brinksmanship broke out Monday night between Portland Mayor Michael Brennan and stakeholders seeking to build a new home for state labor and human services offices in South Portland. The decision last fall by the state Bureau of General Services to move its local …
Maine health advocates applaud new vehicle emissions standards; dealers group waits to assess costs
PORTLAND, Maine — Lung health advocates in Maine on Monday touted newly announced federal motor vehicle and gasoline emissions standards as potential lifesavers for thousands of people with respiratory ailments. President Barack Obama’s administration’s so-called Tier 3 Motor Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Standards will force car manufacturers to reduce certain …
VIDEO
‘The best voices in the world’: Grammy-nominated African Children’s Choir visits Portland school
PORTLAND, Maine — After two performances at Merrill Auditorium, the Grammy Award-nominated African Children’s Choir rode their tour bus to the East End Community School for a pizza party with the resident glee club Monday afternoon. Local students handed out whoopie pies, skipped rope and danced with the globetrotting African …
#MAINE (blog)
Move over Gotham and Metropolis. The fate of the superhero world will be determined in… Maine?
on March 03, 2014, at 12:17 p.m.
Hollywood’s got another banner year laid out for superhero movies, with Marvel’s Captain America, Spider-man, X-men and even the lesser known Guardians of the Galaxy due for big screen features in 2014. Marvel’s biggest rival, DC, will hit back in the next few years with another Superman flick, this time …
VIDEO
Spurred by new reality show, arm wrestling in Maine explodes in popularity
SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — There were faces red with exertion, yelling and hollering, tight shirts, big arms, body art and a bar slinging drinks less than 20 yards away. But there was also so much more Saturday at the 2014 Maine State Armwrestling Championship at Thatcher’s Restaurant on Foden Road. …
National labor board breaks new ground by recognizing complaints against Maine marijuana grower
PORTLAND, Maine — The National Labor Relations Board has entered uncharted territory by validating allegations of worker retaliation and union-busting practices by the Wellness Connection of Maine, which grows medical marijuana for distribution in the state. But while the country’s top food workers’ union hailed the board recognition as a …
Portland schools hire new transportation, adult education directors
PORTLAND, Maine — The Portland school department announced Wednesday afternoon that the district has hired new directors for its adult education and transportation departments, both of which have been in the news in recent years for significant capital changes. Kevin Whittemore has been named the next transportation director, and is …
Federal government pledges nearly $33 million to aid Maine, northeastern groundfishermen
PORTLAND, Maine — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has allocated $32.8 million to help Maine and other northeastern U.S. groundfishermen struggling in an industry that for 2013 was declared a federal disaster. Additionally, U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker is expected to waive a 25 percent match required to trigger …
POLL QUESTION
‘It tastes slightly of the ocean’: Portland school students test seaweed pizza
PORTLAND, Maine — Pepperoni had better watch its back — that is, assuming pepperoni has a back. The pizza topping rapidly gaining popularity among Portland’s East End Community School students is seaweed. “This is the first week I’ve ever put seaweed on anything, but it’s been a wonderful addition,” said …
Bangor man charged in connection with crash that cut power to 1,200 in Hancock County
$7.8 million energy-efficiency plan will mean more layoffs at Lincoln paper mill
Local lobsterman survives wreck at Dyer Cove in Cape Elizabeth, tourists take pictures instead of helping
Does Shenna Bellows want ‘War Jobs’?
Let’s ensure Mainers don’t become an endangered species
‘Failure is not an option’ — Maine Winter Sports Center fighting for financial stability
UMaine men’s basketball coaching job attracts 100-plus applicants
Lewiston lefty Emerson outduels Hampden ace Martin in baseball opener
Lackey shines, NY’s Pineda ejected, Red Sox win
Beware of online printer, computer scam