Portland Mayor Mark Dion discussed the city’s funding battle with the state of Maine, highlighting a new rule from DHHS that could cut state revenue for emergency shelters by almost half. Dion emphasized that 63% of shelter residents come from other Maine communities, 20% from out of state, and only 14% from Portland. He criticized the state’s lack of responsibility for homelessness and proposed restructuring the shelter system. Dion also mentioned a proposal to establish a moratorium on parking for commercial venues, a potential minimum wage increase, and the importance of outdoor spaces post-COVID. He reiterated his focus on local issues and his commitment to serving as Portland’s mayor.
Tropical Storms Karina and Lowell formed Thursday in the Pacific Ocean, both of which were expected to become hurricanes in the next few days, the National Hurricane Center said.
A new study suggests that El Ninos — the natural climatic chaos agent that pops up periodically and spikes global temperatures — are getting stronger because of human-caused climate change.
Two unvaccinated Pennsylvania residents have died after being infected with measles, the first U.S. deaths this year related to the contagious virus. State health officials announced the deaths Tuesday. They did not reveal any details about the people who died, other than that they lived in Lancaster County, west of Philadelphia.
