NEWS & UPDATES
Task force: Big investments in homeless programs, facilities could save Greater Portland $3 million per year down the road
PORTLAND, Maine – A task force that studied homelessness in Portland over the past year is urging local stakeholders to summon the political will to fund the construction of 105 more specialized housing units for the homeless, according to its draft report. By implementing the major steps recommended in the report, which include a renewed
Grim picture of Maine's economy
Most Mainers don’t need a fresh set of statistics to tell them that the economy has languished for years. But data being released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau paints a particularly grim picture. From 2007 through 2011, the state’s median household income dropped by 7.7 percent, the number of unemployed people increased by 43
The Universal Notebook: Eat, drink and feel guilty
When I go to the supermarket these days (and that’s most days), I often find myself thinking, "How in the world can young families afford to put food on the table?" It seems to me that a typical trip to the market used to cost me $20 to $30. Now I’m spending about $50 a
Homeless veterans shouldn't be abandoned
President Abraham Lincoln vowed in his second inaugural address that it was the obligation of the United States "… to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan." But that commitment appears to have an expiration date, at least as it applies to a position established last
The hunger season
STATE – For many, summer means good eating – gardens and farmers markets overflow with fresh produce and the aroma of backyard grilling fills the air. It’s hard to believe that people are going hungry. But advocates say that for many food insecure families, particularly those with school-age children, summer is a lean time. According
Words to live by: Protect the vote
Talk about timing. The Republican-inspired Commission to Study the Conduct of Elections in Maine last week held the first of eight public hearings aimed at ferreting out fraud in Maine’s election system. At the same time, Maine’s GOP continued waging war with itself over charges of fraud in the election of the state’s delegates to
Death of homeless woman poses hard questions
When did we stop caring about Toina Hanson? It had to have been long before Aug. 4, when her skeleton was found by a berry picker in the woods by the Stroudwater neighborhood. We say she was 31 but she probably died before her last birthday, since police say her body may have been lying
Homeless students getting younger
BRUNSWICK – The numbers of youth taking advantage of the Merrymeeting Project have remained stable over the past several years, but the age of homeless students taking advantage has dropped in recent years. “For my project, we serve school-age students, predominantly high school students that are couch surfing,” said Donna Verhoeven, director of the Merrymeeting
Can Maine end homelessness?
There are important steps communities and the state and federal government can take to help prevent Mainers from having to live in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, on sidewalks and in emergency shelters. They include developing enough supportive housing, providing clear access to available services, following up with people over time and expanding prevention efforts. Homelessness
Panhandling, a way of life for some, but not a concern for local law enforcement
DOVER —On a recent cloudy afternoon, a man dressed in jean shorts and a blue graphic tee carried a cardboard sign. He was walking back and forth across Route 108 near Chili’s at Weeks Crossing, then toward the intersection which heads to Route 16. He said he is homeless in Rochester, and identified himself only
Clients' medical needs challenge Portland homeless shelters
PORTLAND – About a year ago, Rob Parritt began keeping a three-ring binder in his office at the Oxford Street Shelter to hold the growing stack of doctors’ notes asking the homeless shelter to provide special accommodations for clients with medical issues. The binder covers now strain to contain the 3 inches of papers that
Maine homeless shelters stretched to the max
PORTLAND, Maine – The mayor of the city of Portland said the city’s homeless shelters are over capacity on a nightly basis. Mayor Michael Brennan said the problem is so bad people are sleeping in chairs or are being turned away from shelters. "We even have an overflow shelter for our overflow shelter, and we’re
