Two city councilors are drafting a proposal to require third-party food delivery services to have a formal agreement with the restaurants before offering delivery.
Randy Billings
Staff Writer
Randy Billings is a government watchdog and political reporter who has been the State House bureau chief since 2021. He was named the Maine Press Association’s Journalist of the Year in 2020. He joined the Press Herald in 2012 as the Portland City Hall reporter, where his beat touched on a wide range of topics, including municipal government, immigration, homelessness, housing and social services. Prior to that, he worked at various weeklies as well as business and arts publications. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine, Orono. He lives in North Yarmouth with his wife and two children and enjoys the outdoors and playing his upright bass.
Posted inArts & Entertainment, Local & State
Portland public art gets a fresh look through social justice lens
The city’s public art collection will be reviewed to make sure it reflects cultural and racial diversity and social justice, a process known as decolonizing.
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Posted inLocal & State, News
New plan rekindles effort to create park on Portland’s harborfront
The city is receiving pro bono assistance from a team of community leaders who share the vision for public open space on the eastern waterfront.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Universities to study racial disparity in arrests in Portland, South Portland
USM’s Cutler Institute and Northeastern’s Institute on Race and Justice will study data from each city to determine whether either police department’s law enforcement has been biased against people of color.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, News
Portland activists, tenants want to join lawsuit and defend rent control
People First Portland and the Foreside Tenant’s Union want to intervene in a lawsuit by the Southern Maine Landlord Association seeking to block implementation of a citizen initiative approved by voters in November.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Advocates urge Portland to reconsider needle exchange policy
The city allows clients to receive only the same number of clean needles as the used needles they turn in, unless they qualify for an exemption.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Uncategorized
Portland committee recommends new department to promote racial equity
Mayor Kate Snyder and councilors appointed the commission following a series of Black Lives Matter demonstrations over the summer and will present an interim report to councilors on Monday.
Posted inLocal & State, Local Elections, News, Politics
Advocates ask high court to force Portland to hold vote on clean elections
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments Thursday, after a lower court dismissed the lawsuit brought by Fair Elections Portland, which wants to create the state’s first public financing option for municipal candidates.
Posted inLocal & State
More renters seek help as relief program struggles to keep up
The state reports there are 2,000 rent relief applications filed before Dec. 31 still being processed, and renters say they are running out of savings.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Portland’s needle exchange program stands alone in keeping strict rules
With overdose deaths on record pace during the pandemic, city officials are urged to take advantage of state waivers intended to ensure that drug users have access to clean needles and overdose reversal drugs.