Mayor Mark Dion discussed the uncertainties surrounding Portland’s budget due to potential supplemental funding from Augusta, which could impact city planning until July. He highlighted the school department’s ballot proposal in June and the rising costs of education. Dion mentioned a new railroad station on St. John Street, which could cost around $50 million, aiming to enhance public transportation and reduce car usage. He also addressed a lawsuit against Maine DHHS over a 50% cut in shelter funding, arguing for legislative oversight. Dion emphasized the need for law enforcement to address criminal conduct among the homeless and noted progress in reducing police vacancies from mid-20s to the mid-20s.
They gathered at the Washington National Cathedral on Thursday — former presidents, vice presidents, sworn political foes and newfound friends — in a show of respect and remembrance for Dick Cheney, the consequential and polarizing vice president who became an acidic scold of President Donald Trump.
Melania Trump and Usha Vance took their first trip together, spending time in North Carolina on Wednesday with service members and their families to show appreciation for their service and sacrifice as the holidays approach.
Members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma must pay billions of dollars to settle a flood of lawsuits over the harms of opioids, in a new deal formally approved by a federal bankruptcy judge on Tuesday.
The House voted overwhelmingly in favor of a bill Tuesday to force the Justice Department to publicly release its files on the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a remarkable display of approval for an effort that had struggled for months to overcome opposition from President Donald Trump and Republican leadership.
