Ray Routhier

Press Herald

Ray Routhier writes about pop culture, entertainment, music, TV and lifestyle issues. In more than 23 years at the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, he has been continually fascinated with stories that show the unique character of Maine’s people and places. The word he uses most for stories he’s drawn to is “quirky.” He’s written about the changing cable TV and Internet landscapes, and what those changes mean for the future of information and entertainment. He’s dug clams, raked blueberries and rode on the back of a garbage truck, all in pursuit of stories about real Mainers. He’s had a ball interviewing a range of celebrities from Anna Kendrick and Patrick Dempsey to Billy Joel and Tony Bennett. His passions, besides writing, include baseball history, old movies and “Jeopardy!” A native of Manchester, N.H., he graduated with a degree in political science from the University of New Hampshire. He lives in South Portland with his wife and two daughters.

Latest

Published
March 18, 2023

Novel set in Damariscotta could become basis for Hulu series

‘The Midcoast’ author Adam White, who grew up in Damariscotta, said the series is being developed for the streaming service but has not gotten final approval.
Published
March 15, 2023

Mainer moves writing conference from New York City back home

Shanna McNair is bringing The Writers Hotel conference to Boothbay Harbor after years in New York City. Maine writers scheduled to lead sessions include Tess Gerritsen, Cathie Pelletier and Lily King.
Published
March 14, 2023

Mainer who won Oscar recovering from urgent surgery after ceremony

Eric Saindon left a Los Angeles hospital Sunday, fighting pain, to attend the Academy Awards and pick up his first Oscar, for visual effects in the movie ‘Avatar: The Way of Water.’
Published
March 11, 2023

$3 million in federal funds will help preserve Maine Irish Heritage Center’s history

The center inside the old St. Dominic’s church building in Portland’s West End, a key piece of the area’s rich Irish identity, will get long-needed updates to the roof and brickwork.
Published
March 10, 2023

Maine native up for visual effects Oscar

Eric Saindon, who grew up in Gorham, has been nominated twice before. This year, he’s nominated for his work on ‘Avatar: The Way of Water.’
Published
March 6, 2023

Celebrate Maine’s birthday with tours, talks and more

Here are some ways you might mark Maine’s 203rd birthday – the anniversary of statehood – on March 15.
Published
February 25, 2023

Durham man’s big-name musician friends turn up for benefit concert

After spending years on the road with the Grateful Dead and Blues Traveler, Greg Martens now organizes annual benefit concerts to fight hunger in Maine, featuring musician friends he met along the way.
Published
February 12, 2023

Office romance in work-from-home era? It’s not as remote as you think

Maybe it’s isolation fatigue, but surveys and psychologists suggest workplace relationships could be on the rise and are definitely here to stay.
Published
February 12, 2023

Maine author Cathie Pelletier seeks the cold, hard truth

After 12 novels, the Allagash-based author has developed a passion for narrative nonfiction and the research that goes with it. Her latest book, ‘Northeaster,’ follows the stories of a dozen or so people impacted by a huge Maine storm in 1952.
Published
February 3, 2023

These musical Mainers up for Grammys are heading down the red carpet

Singer-songwriters Amy Allen and Dave Gutter and engineers Adam Ayan and Bob Ludwig all have a chance of winning a Grammy at the ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday.