Penelope Overton

Press Herald

Penelope Overton writes about the lobster and marijuana industries in Maine, a mix of the iconic and the emerging, the economic powerhouse and the mysterious darkhorse. Just the right mix of old and new for a Maine transplant. Penny joined the Press Herald in 2016. She has covered politics and government, the environment and Indian Country in Florida, Connecticut, Arizona and Washington, D.C. Her favorite stories are when she gets to dive into a world where readers seldom venture. When she’s not newspapering, Penny and her young daughter like to hike, body surf, travel and explore new books, places, poems and people. She is plovertonpph on both Instagram and Snapchat.

Latest

Published
June 6, 2022

Democrats tout Gov. Mills’ record on LGBTQ rights

The party slams Republican Paul LePage over his 2018 veto of a bill to ban gay conversion therapy, as well as GOP attacks on LGBTQ rights in many states.
Published
May 31, 2022

Court orders state police to reveal more details about misconduct by troopers

Maine State Police officials were wrong to redact non-medical parts of trooper disciplinary records and must conduct a new search for missing disciplinary records requested by newspapers.
Published
May 29, 2022

Maine policy supports incorporating LGBTQ lessons, but lacking guidance, most schools aren’t doing it

The state encourages but does not require or give specific instruction for teaching about sexual orientation and gender diversity, topics many experts believe should be addressed at an early age.
Published
May 20, 2022

Teacher defends LGBT kindergarten lesson featured in anti-Mills ad

The kindergarten teacher is disappointed that Gov. Mills and the state Department of Education responded to criticism by removing her video lesson from the state’s website.
Published
May 18, 2022

Maine DOE removes LGBT lesson plan at heart of anti-Mills TV ad

The state Department of Education determined the online video lesson was inappropriate for kindergarteners.
Published
May 17, 2022

Ad wars begin in Maine governor’s race

The Maine Republican Party’s first TV ad criticizes Gov. Janet Mills’ administration for its approach to LGBTQ issues in kindergarten classrooms.
Published
May 10, 2022

Susan Collins calls police after abortion-rights message is written on sidewalk

The red-white-and-blue chalk message found outside her home Saturday night urged Collins to vote in favor of the Women’s Health Protection Act on Wednesday to protect a woman’s right to abortion.
Published
May 9, 2022

Economy tops Maine voters’ list of concerns

Economic concerns have overtaken COVID-19 as the most important issue facing Maine for first time since the outbreak.
Published
May 8, 2022

Maine’s complicated history with abortion sets the stage for the next battle

Maine was a solidly anti-abortion state for most of its history, including when the Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade.
Published
May 4, 2022

Sen. Collins under fire over draft abortion ruling

Maine’s senior senator has been berated by late-night comedians and national political columnists for her role in confirming the conservative Supreme Court justices who appear poised to vote to overturn Roe v. Wade.