Portland Press Herald Audio

If you enjoyed our Like a Boss series, please join us for Open Door. Open Door features personal reflections from local leaders about their careers, management styles and lessons they've learned along the way. Steve Mills, CEO of Maine Beer Company sat down with Maine Trust for Local News Managing Director Stefanie Manning for a conversation at the Roux Institute at Northeastern University on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. About Steve: Steve Mills has taken on many leadership roles throughout his over thirty years in the craft beer industry. As CEO of Maine Beer Company, Mills expands on the company's purpose of “doing good through great beer” which the company was founded on in 2009. His priorities are to take care of the company's employees, give to environmental and local nonprofits, and make exceptional beer. Under his leadership, Maine Beer Company has outpaced most peers as far as growth. It is now in the top 100 of the more than 9,500 US breweries. Mills is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps where he spent most of his active duty as a member of the honor guard in Washington D.C. He enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, barbequing with friends, and boating in Casco Bay.

The city says it can't pick up the slack if an executive order slashes federal funding for refugee services and the state follows through with plans to cut back its share of General Assistance. by Grace Benninghoff Portland Press Herald Story: https://www.pressherald.com/2025/02/18/portland-leaders-frustrated-over-potential-funding-changes-for-immigrants/

During the Jim Crow era, Black tourists to Maine found recreational spaces where they were welcomed, not shunned. by Gillian GrahamPortland Press Herald Megan GrayPortland Press Herald Story: https://www.pressherald.com/2025/02/15/for-generations-black-mainers-made-sure-vacationland-was-open-to-all/ Press Herald News Stories podcasts feed: https://podcasts.apple.com/ru/podcast/portland-press-herald-news-stories/id1734255268?l=en-GB

By Rachel Ohm, Portland Press Herald Rep. Randall Hall, R-Wilton, was indicted by an Oxford County grand jury on 12 charges Wednesday. Story: https://www.pressherald.com/2025/02/13/maine-lawmaker-accused-of-forging-signatures-on-campaign-finance-forms/ Stories Audio Feed: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/portland-press-herald-news-stories/id1734255268

Watch: Maine Voices Live with Craig Grossi, author and Marine Corps veteran Portland Press Herald staff writer Ray Routhier sat down with author and Marine Corps veteran Craig Grossi for a conversation and book signing during a live event in Portland.  About Craig Craig and Fred Raised in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC, Craig Grossi is a Marine Corps veteran, author and recipient of the Purple Heart. After getting out of the Marines in 2011, Grossi worked for the federal Defense Intelligence Agency, enrolled at Georgetown University and got a degree in international affairs. Grossi is the author of “Craig & Fred: A Marine, a Stray Dog and How They Rescued Each Other,” an uplifting true story about the stray dog he met on an Afghan battlefield, and how they saved each other and traveled America together, and “Second Chances,” which details his experience working closely with prison inmates in Maine who raise and train puppies to become service dogs. Learn more about Craig's story and his books in this article by Ray Routhier. Grossi and his dog Fred appeared on the Today show and Rachael Ray, and in schools, bookstores, and military bases across America as they told the uplifting story of how Craig found Fred while serving in Afghanistan—and brought him home. During their travels, Craig was invited to speak at Maine State Prison. While there, he met a group of very special inmates, participants in a program run by the nonprofit America's Vet Dogs. Fred died of cancer at his and Grossi's home on Nov. 22, 2023. He was 14. Grossi credits Fred with “saving” him by getting him to open up to others and ask for help. Read about Fred in this article by Ray Routhier. When not writing or speaking, Grossi enjoys life in the great outdoors and devotes his time to advocating for issues close to his heart like prison reform, animal welfare and mental health awareness. He now lives in mid-coast Maine with his wife Nora and their dogs, Ruby and a recently rescued pup named Bingo.

Talking media startups, news deserts and the future of the Fourth Estate This conversation took place on Tuesday, October 15 at the Roux Institute at Northeastern University. Authors Dan Kennedy and Ellen Clegg sat down for a conversation about their book What Works in Community News: Media Startups, News Deserts, and the Future of the Fourth Estate (Beacon Press) at the Roux Institute at Northeastern University on Tuesday, October 15. Local news is essential to democracy. Meaningful participation in civic life is impossible without it. However, local news is in crisis. According to one widely cited study, some 2,500 newspapers have closed over the last generation. And it is often marginalized communities of color who have been left without the day-to-day journalism they need to govern themselves in a democracy. In this book, journalists Ellen Clegg and Dan Kennedy cut through the pessimism surrounding this issue, showing readers that new, innovative journalism models are popping up across the country to fill news deserts and empower communities. Through a blend of on-the-ground reporting and interviews, Clegg and Kennedy show how these operations found seed money and support, and how they hired staff, forged their missions, and navigated challenges from the pandemic to police intimidation to stand as the last bastion of collective truth—and keep local news in local hands.   Dan Kennedy Dan Kennedy is a professor of journalism in the College of Arts, Media and Design and a nationally known media commentator. Professor Kennedy teaches news reporting, opinion writing, media ethics, and other journalism courses with an emphasis on how technology is changing the business of news. He has also been published in The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Nieman Lab, Nieman Reports, Poynter Online, and other venues. Ellen Clegg Ellen Clegg spent more than 3 decades at The Boston Globe and retired in 2018 after 4 years of running the opinion pages. In between stints at the Globe, she was deputy director of communications at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. She is a member of the steering committee for the Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship at the International Women's Media Foundation. Ellen is co-founder and co-chair of Brookline.News, a nonprofit startup news organization in Brookline, Massachusetts.

About Safa Zaki Copyright Jessica Scranton Safa R. Zaki is the sixteenth president of Bowdoin College, a renowned psychologist and cognitive scientist, and the first woman to lead the College since its founding in 1794. Safa's research focuses on how people divide the world into categories, using computational approaches to model cognitive processes in order to enrich our understanding of the human mind.

In preparation for the November election, Press Herald reporters Rachel Ohm and Randy Billings discuss the referendum questions on the ballot, what a yes or no vote will mean, before diving into an in-depth discussion about the updated design for the Maine state flag with vexillologist David Martucci.

Portland Press Herald staff writer Ray Routhier sat down with actor and author John Hodgman for a conversation during a live event at One Longfellow Square on Tuesday, September 17. About John John Hodgman is a writer, comedian, and actor. He is the author of The Areas of My Expertise, More Information Than You Require, That Is All, and Vacationland. His writing has also appeared in The Paris Review, This American Life, The New Yorker, and Mad Magazine. After an appearance to promote his books on “The Daily Show,” he was invited to return as a contributor, serving as the show's Resident Expert. This led to a career before the camera, becoming the “Personal Computer” in a series of commercials for Apple, and more recently playing recurring roles in FX's Married, HBO's Bored to Death, Cinemax's The Knick. His comedy special Ragnarok premiered in 2013 on Netflix. He is the host of the popular Judge John Hodgman podcast and also contributes a weekly column under the same name for The New York Times Magazine.

Portland Press Herald staff writer Ray Routhier sat down with author Jonathan Lethem for a conversation during a live event at One Longfellow Square on Tuesday, August 13. Jonathan Lethem is the author of thirteen novels including The Arrest and Brooklyn Crime Novel. His stories and essay have been collected in seven volumes, and his writing has been translated into over thirty languages. He lives in Los Angeles and Maine. His novel Motherless Brooklyn was named Novel of the Year by Esquire magazine and won the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Salon Book Award, as well as the Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger. Lethem received a MacArthur Fellowship in 2005. He teaches classes in creative writing and contemporary fiction at Pomona College in Claremont, California.

Ever wonder where reporters get their ideas? Press Herald Managing Editor Nita Lelyveld sat down with Press Herald reporter Eric Russell, Morning Sentinel reporter Dylan Tusinski and Sun Journal photojournalist Andree Kehn for a conversation on Zoom to discuss how journalists find their stories. This event took place on Thursday, June 27.

In 2023, Marilou Ranta, of The Quarry Restaurant in remote Monson, Maine, bested thousands of restaurants across America to win an award for Outstanding Hospitality from the prestigious New-York-based James Beard Foundation. Ranta grew up as the youngest of 12 children in an impoverished family on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. She finished school at 16 and spent time as a maid, a factory worker and a home health aide before graduating from culinary school at age 50 and fulfilling a long-time dream to run her own fine-dining restaurant. Her delicious food and warm hospitality at The Quarry have brought her much praise and many fans. Read more about Marilou in this article by Peggy Grodinsky.

On Wednesday, March 6, Portland Press Herald CEO and Publisher Lisa DeSisto interviewed Tate's Bakeshop CEO, Esi Seng at The Roux Institute at Northeastern University. About Esi Seng Esi Seng is a proven, inspirational global leader with more than two decades of accelerating business growth and building high-performing CPG businesses and teams across the globe including Switzerland, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brazil and the United States. Currently she is the Chief Executive Officer of Tate's Bakeshop, the iconic cookie brand that disrupted the category and continues to be one of the fastest growing cookies in the aisle. Before taking on the cookie kingdom, Esi was all about toothpaste as the General Manager for Tom's of Maine. Here she focused on elevating the Purpose to Purchase model. Under her leadership, Tom's of Maine, a BCorp, developed the first-of-its-kind recyclable tube toothpaste, which was recognized as one of The Best Inventions of 2020 by TIME Magazine and launched a 100% plastic free deodorant line. Esi, a Nicaraguan Chinese Immigrant is a proponent of diversity, equity and inclusion and passionate about community-building; She is currently on the board of the United Way of Southern Maine.

Portland Press Herald food editor Peggy Grodinsky sat down for a conversation with chef Sam Hayward about his career during a live event on Tuesday, Feb. 27. Award-winning chef Sam Hayward co-founded Fore Street restaurant in Portland in 1996, making fresh produce and farmer relationships his top priority. Hayward previously served on MOFGA's board of directors for over a decade and has worked closely with Maine farmers, foragers and fisherpeople for over 30 years. As many more restaurateurs and farmers forge relationships, Hayward's knowledge of both worlds is of great value to chefs, producers and food lovers.

Dale Everett Arnold was a New England sportscaster who hosted the Boston Bruins broadcasts on NESN and co-hosted talk radio shows on WEEI until his retirement from radio in March of 2021. He was the Bruins' play-by-play announcer on NESN and has called Boston College Eagles football. He is the only person to have done play-by-play broadcasts for all five of the Boston area's major professional sports franchises. A Bowdoin College alumnus, Arnold began calling games for the school teams while a student there in the mid-1970s. In 1979, he succeeded Mike Emrick as the voice of the Maine Mariners. He joined the New Jersey Devils with Doc Emrick as their radio announcer in 1986, before returning to New England two years later. Arnold called New England Patriots games from 1988–90 and provided play-by-play coverage for Bruins home games from 1995–2007. In July 2007, he was replaced by former ESPN sportscaster Jack Edwards as the Bruins' play-by-play telecaster. Arnold is formerly of Bellingham, Massachusetts and now lives in Brunswick with his wife, Susan. They have three children: Taylor, Alysha, and Brianna. Arnold grew up in Maine and Minnesota prior to attending Bowdoin College. His son, Taylor Arnold, is a professor at the University of Richmond.  

Paul Doiron is the best-selling author of the Mike Bowditch series of crime novels set in the Maine woods. His first book, The Poacher's Son, won the Barry Award and the Strand Critics Award and was nominated for an Edgar for Best First Novel. His second, Trespasser, won the 2012 Maine Literary Award. His novelette “Rabid” was a finalist for the 2019 Edgar in the Best Short Story category. Paul's twelfth book, Dead by Dawn won the New England Society's 2022 Book Award for Fiction, as well as his second Maine Literary Award. It was also a finalist for the Barry Award. His books have been translated into 11 languages. Paul is the former chair of the Maine Humanities Council, Editor Emeritus of Down East: The Magazine of Maine, and a Registered Maine Guide specializing in fly fishing.

Matthew grew up in the rural lakes region of Western Maine and now resides in Bridgton with his wife Emily and two young kiddos, daughter Rowan (6) and son Leo (3).  Matt has played many roles in his life, Banker, Actor, Photographer and his recent favorite- Dad. Matthew's film credits include the George Clooney-directed drama “The Tender Bar,” the comedy “Daddy's Home 2” starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg and the Maine-made movies “Hangdog” and “Downeast.” He was also in the Maine-set romantic comedy “Tumbledown,” starring Jason Sudeikis.  On TV he's appeared in episodes of “Chicago P.D.” on NBC, “Castle Rock” on Hulu and he will be featured on season 2 of “Julia” on Max. Video of this event is available on youTube or at pressherald.com

Portland Press Herald staff writer Aimsel Ponti sat down with Spose to chat about his career during a live event on Tuesday, October 17 at One Longfellow Square. Ryan Peters was born in Portland and grew up in Wells, Maine. He began rapping in eighth grade. Peters graduated from Wells High School in 2004 then attended University of New Hampshire as an English major and later transferred to Suffolk University. By then his music career was taking off and he was offered a record deal when he was two classes away from graduating. Adopting the moniker Spose, he self-released his first album, Preposterously Dank in 2007 while continuing to work selling lobster at the Barnacle Billy's restaurant in Ogunquit. Spose released the We Smoked It All mixtape with rapper Cam Groves in 2009 and in January 2010, the single, “I'm Awesome” received airplay on several Maine radio stations. A month later, after the song caught on in other parts of the US, Spose signed a record deal with Universal Republic Records and announced that he would begin working on a music video. Although he didn't end up releasing music with Universal, Spose has released a total of 10 albums since 2008, including his most recent Get Rich or Die Ryan in October of 2021.

Welcome to the first episode of "In the Arena." "In the Arena" is a podcast for Mainers interested in a deeper understanding of the political issues facing our state. Featuring former TV anchor/reporter Pat Callaghan, former Republican state Senator Phil Harriman and former Democratic Portland mayor Ethan Strimling This week, on the first episode of “In The Arena," Pat, Phil and Ethan discuss Maine Rep. Jared Golden's Republican opponent Austin Theriault, the political implications of Hamas' attack on Israel and the Portland mayoral race. In their lightning round, the three debate what's 'newsworthy' and 'snooze worthy,' including Republicans filing an ethics complaint against Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, Gov. Mills' opposition to the Pine Tree Power referendum, opponents of CMP being paid to campaign for the company, Mills' puzzling social media post and whether former Gov. Paul LePage might be gunning for Maine Sen. Angus King's seat. Finally, Pat recounts a fun story from former Sen. George Mitchell about his longtime mentor and former U.S. Secretary of State Ed Muskie. Copy this link into your podcast aggregator to subscribe to "In the Arena" https://feeds.libsyn.com/489851/rss

Portland mayoral hopefuls debate homelessness, climate change Much of the debate between Pious Ali, Justin Costa, Mark Dion, Dylan Pugh and Andrew Zarro focused on the homeless encampments that the city has struggled to manage. Five candidates vying to become Portland's next mayor sparred Tuesday, October 3 over the city's top challenges, including homeless encampments, housing, immigration and climate change, during a 90-minute debated hosted by the Portland Press Herald and the University of New England. Much of the focus on the debate, which drew about 260 people to UNE's Innovation Hall, was on the efforts to deal with homeless encampments throughout the city. The debate was moderated by Press Herald reporters Grace Benninghoff and Rachel Ohm.

Portland Press Herald staff writer Ray Routhier sat down with Pat Callaghan and Cindy Williams to chat about their careers during a live event on Tuesday, August 22 at One Longfellow Square. About our guests Pat Callaghan began his broadcast journalism career in 1978 at New Hampshire Public Television. Beginning in 1979, he spent 43 years as a news anchor and reporter for NEWS CENTER Maine (WCSH6 in Portland and WLBZ2 in Bangor). Notable stories along the way included being on the air live when the Challenger space shuttle exploded in 1986, and reporting from Belfast, Northern Ireland when former Maine Sen. George Mitchell chaired the talks that culminated in the Good Friday Agreement. Pat spent much of his time covering politics and government, with extensive reporting from Washington, DC and Augusta, as well as covering Maine's delegations at numerous national political conventions. He produced documentaries on notable Maine figures including Ed Muskie, Bill Cohen, Olympia Snowe and George Mitchell. Pat holds a BA in History from the University of New Hampshire. He is a member of the Maine Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the New England Emmy Awards “Silver Circle.” He and his wife Karen are the parents of two grown children. Cindy Williams is a former news anchor for WCSH 6 News Center Maine where she worked for 32 years from 1989 until 2021. Williams has won several awards from the Associated Press and the Maine Association of Broadcasters for her anchoring and reporting. She graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1985 with a degree in Radio, Television and Film. Cindy was also the anchor of News Seven and the 10 o'clock news on the NBC affiliate in Laurel and Hattiesburg, Mississippi of WDAM-TV.  

Portland Press Herald Food and Books Editor Peggy Grodinsky sat down with Chelsea Conaboy to chat about her newest book, that draws on the latest neuroscience and social psychology and weaves it together with new reporting to tell a powerful new narrative of parenthood. Conaboy talks about the myth of maternal instinct, how parenthood changes the brain for the long haul, and what it all means for our social policies, our understanding of caregiving broadly and our sense of ourselves during a live "Maine Voices Live" at the Portland Museum of Art. Chelsea Conaboy is a health and science journalist. She was part of the Boston Globe's Pulitzer Prize–winning team for coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing, and she was features editor at the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram for three years. Her work has been published by The New York Times, The Guardian, Mother Jones, Politico, the Boston Globe Magazine, WBUR, The Philadelphia Inquirer and others. Her first book, Mother Brain: How Neuroscience Is Rewriting the Story of Parenthood, has been called “a game-changer” and is set to be published in 20 countries.

Rachel Ohm, the lead reporter covering Portland's influx of asylum seekers for the Press Herald, led this Newsroom Live virtual event on Tuesday, May 30. Read the Press Herald series “Long Way Home” at pressherald.com/longwayhome. On the panel: Mufalo Chitam, Executive Director, Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition Kristen Dow, Director of Health & Human Services, City of Portland Ninette Irabaruta, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, United Way of Southern Maine

Many Maine-based companies have footprints beyond the state border, even when “the Maine brand” is a big part of their corporate identities. How do these companies keep their cultural or physical roots in the state, especially if they're adding locations outside of it? What tools and strategies are they using to elevate their brand and leverage their Maine ties? Join our panel conversation to start thinking of affinities that go beyond traditional markets. Business Editor Will Hall sat down with Scott MacLeod from The VIA Agency, Jenny Kordick from Maine Outdoor Brands and Colleen Croteau from Maine Beer Company to discuss their strategies on Thursday, April 20 for a panel discussion at University of New England's Innovation Hall on Stevens Avenue in Portland.

President of The Boulos Company, Jessica Estes sat down with Portland Press Herald CEO Lisa DeSisto for a conversation at The Roux Institute at Northeastern University on Tuesday, April 4.   More information at pressherald.com

President and CEO of Central Maine Power, Joe Purington sat down with Portland Press Herald CEO Lisa DeSisto for a conversation at The Roux Institute on Wednesday, March 1. About Joe Purington Joe Purington was appointed President and CEO of Central Maine Power (CMP) in September 2021. CMP serves approximately 646,000 electricity customers in an 11,000 square-mile service area in central and southern Maine. The appointment brings Purington home to Maine and to CMP where he began his career in utility operations.

Ryan Adams is a Portland Maine artist, born and raised, where he lives with his artist and designer wife and their two daughters. His background in traditional graffiti led him to creating large-scale mural work as well as hand lettered design and signage. His signature ‘gem' style of work is a geometric breakdown of letterforms with shadows and highlights incorporated in order to create depth and movement. His work often including statements within them that addresses introspective or cultural issues. Currently, Ryan owns and operates a mural and signage company along with exploring and exhibiting his ‘gem' style work in exterior and interior spaces. More information (and video) at https://www.pressherald.com/2022/12/07/maine-voices-live-with-ryan-adams/

A panel of journalists from The Portland Press Herald, the Sun Journal, the Kennebec Journal and the Morning Sentinel share memories of covering the epic Ice Storm of 1998, of the people they met and stories they found. Panelists include Judy Meyer, executive editor of the Sun Journal, Kennebec Journal and the Morning Sentinel, retired Press Herald columnist Bill Nemitz, Morning Sentinel reporter and columnist Amy Calder and Press Herald photographer Greg Rec. Press Herald staff writer Kelley Bouchard  moderates the discussion.    

Portland Press Herald staff writer Eric Russell talks with Morgan Talty about his new book, Night of the Living Rez during a virtual conversation on Tuesday, December 6. Morgan Talty is a citizen of the Penobscot Indian Nation where he grew up. He is the author of the story collection Night of the Living Rez from Tin House Books, and his work has appeared in Granta, The Georgia Review, Shenandoah, TriQuarterly, Narrative Magazine, LitHub, and elsewhere.

Should social media even be in your advertising budget in 2023? From navigating targeting capabilities to tracking brand safety on turbulent platforms, it takes insight to design an effective strategy. Join moderator Carol Coultas and social media experts Dan Reed of SCORE, Izzy Siedman of flyte new media and Nathan O'Leary of Mainely SEO to learn how to create a successful campaign that's worth your time.

Portland Press Herald food writer Peggy Grodinsky talks with Tara Jensen about her new book, Flour Power. About Tara Tara Jensen is the author of A Baker's Year and the just published Flour Power. She grew up in Naples, Maine, attended Lake Region High School and graduated from College of the Atlantic. Jensen has baked professionally for over 20 years, including at Red Hen Baking in Vermont; and Farm & Sparrow and Carolina Ground, both in North Carolina. She also ran her own tiny, wood-fired bakery, Smoke Signals in North Carolina. Her gorgeous breads and pies have been featured in publications such as Food & Wine and Bon Appétit and her beautiful Instagram account, @bakerhands, has more than 100,000 followers. Today, Jensen teaches baking workshops in Virginia, where she lives with her husband and toddler daughter. Her approach to baking marries the technical with the intuitive.

President of Baxter Brewing, Jenn Lever joined Portland Press Herald CEO Lisa DeSisto for a conversation at The Roux Institute. Jenn is an Auburn, Maine native who graduated from Edward Little High School in 2004, and then attended Hobart and William Smith Colleges, earning a BA in Economics and Sociology. In 2008, Lever ignited her career in the Food & Beverage Industry when she accepted a Warehouse Supervisor role with Pepsi Co. Her upward trajectory included successive leadership positions that took her from New York to Virginia, before returning to Maine in 2014, where she worked for three years in fresh cut vegetable processing with the Curran Company, later Growers Express. She left the role as President to take on a Director of Operations position with Baxter Brewing in 2017 and in September of 2019 she was promoted to President of Baxter Brewing. In her very first year as President, she led Baxter Brewing through the COVID-19 pandemic, launching a successful rebrand and expanding distribution while keeping the health and safety of her staff at the fore.

Question A, proposed by a group of short-term rental operators, seeks to limit corporate owners from registering short-term rentals. Question B, one of the questions proposed by the Maine chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, would reduce the number of short-term rentals. Both groups oppose the other's proposal and a third group, Enough Is Enough, opposes both – and every other question on the ballot. How much of an effect do short-term rentals have on Portland's rental market? How important are short-term rentals to our local economy? Join us for answers to these questions and many more.

Video of this event is available here: https://www.pressherald.com/2022/04/30/maine-voices-live-with-bill-nemitz/ Bill Nemitz Bill Nemitz has worked as a journalist in Maine since 1977, when he became a reporter for the Morning Sentinel in Waterville after graduating from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He moved to Portland in 1983, working first as a reporter for the Evening Express and later as a city editor and assistant managing editor/sports for the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram. He began writing his column in 1995. While focusing on Maine people and issues, his work has taken him three times to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan, where he was embedded with members of the Maine Army National Guard and the Army Reserve; to Belfast, Northern Ireland, for the 1998 referendum on the Good Friday Peace Accord; to Manhattan for the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks; to the Gulf Coast for the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina; and to Haiti following the 2010 earthquake. Nemitz is a past president of the Maine Press Association and for many years taught journalism part-time at St. Joseph's College of Maine in Standish. He also served for eight years, including three as chairman, on the board of trustees for the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies in Portland. In 2004, the Maine Press Association named Nemitz Maine Journalist of the Year for his reporting on the Maine Army National Guard's 133rd Engineer Battalion in Iraq. In 2007, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the New England Newspaper Association. In 2015, Nemitz was inducted into the Maine Press Association Hall of Fame.

Like a Boss conversation between Lisa DeSisto, Publisher of the Portland Press Herald and CEO of Masthead Maine and Andrew Mueller, CEO of MaineHealth on Friday, April 29, 2022

Brian Ross–or Chef Brian, as he's known around Hampden, where he lives–started the Facebook group Quarantine Kitchen in March 2020 so people could share pantry recipes during the lockdown phase of the pandemic. His network of foodie friends around Maine signed on as charter members. Two weeks later, the group had 8,000 members. Now with 11,000 members from 75 countries, Ross's Quarantine Kitchen sustains itself with a steady supply of home cooking photos and kind words for each other's efforts. Portland Press Herald food and dining reporter Tim Cebula talks with Ross about the feel-good stories coming out of the Quarantine Kitchen.

From tips on how to identify native Maine species to the best locations in Maine to find the most exciting birds, Maine Audubon Naturalist and Press Herald nature columnist Doug Hitchcox shares his vast knowledge in a lively discussion with outdoors reporter Deirdre Fleming.

About the partnership No news organization is more invested in the health of the Gulf of Maine and the region's residents than the Portland Press Herald and The Boston Globe. So, as the gulf's warming waters pose an increasingly existential threat to Maine's signature industry, lobster, we joined forces to take a hard look at the climate crisis unfolding on our shores. We descended on the island of Vinalhaven, one of Maine's busiest fishing villages, and turned loose reporters, photographers and videographers from both news organizations to learn firsthand the challenges, stresses, and fears of those facing this uniquely perilous time for lobstering. The problems posed by the warming waters were sometimes subtle — the slow migration of whales and lobsters, the gradual rise in sea levels. The tensions and stakes were glaring. Climate change gravely threatens the nation's richest fishery and the communities that depend on it. The result is The Lobster Trap, presented here today. It is a story of a group of Mainers struggling to preserve their way of life in a rapidly changing world. It is also a snapshot of life on the front lines of a monumental crisis, no less than last summer's western wildfires or the rise of extreme flooding events. This collaboration was made possible by support from Participant, the company that co-produced the movie “Spotlight” and funds the Globe's Spotlight Fellowship program. We are grateful for the continued support and hope that you, our readers, find this work illuminating. Portland Press Herald Managing Editor Steve Greenlee and Boston Globe Editor Brian McGrory

After 33 years at the Portland Press Herald, reporter Meredith Goad is retiring and moving back to her childhood home of Tennessee. She talked with food editor Peggy Grodinsky about how the food and drinks scene in Portland, and Maine, has exploded over the 15 + years she has chronicled it, from Sam Hayward's 2004 James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef Northeast (the first such award for Maine) to the growing farm-to-table movement, through the trials and tribulations for Maine's restaurants and other food establishments  during the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out what she'll miss – and won't – about eating in Maine, and just see what happens if you ask her about her favorite restaurant.

Since Robert Indiana's death in 2018, Portland Press Herald arts reporter Bob Keyes has been covering the complicated saga surrounding the “LOVE” artist's life and legacy. But there were more notes and conversations than what made it into print. During the pandemic, Bob spent much of his downtime putting the vast knowledge he's amassed into his first book, “The Isolation Artist,” released Sept. 7. 

An evening of live conversation with Cynthia McFadden, the senior legal and investigative correspondent for NBC News. She is a Lewiston native who graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Bowdoin College. McFadden was interviewed by Portland Press Herald reporter Kelley Bouchard.

Sam Sifton is the assistant managing editor of The New York Times, overseeing culture and lifestyle coverage. He is the founding editor of NYT Cooking and writes a food column for The New York Times Magazine. Based in New York City, Sifton has spent time in Maine every year of his life. His love of the state and its food heritage frequently shows up in his popular NYT Cooking email newsletter. Formerly the newspaper’s national news editor, culture editor and chief restaurant critic, Sifton is the author of the forthcoming “The New York Times Cooking No-Recipe Recipes,” as well as “See You on Sunday: A Cookbook for Family and Friends” and “Thanksgiving: How to Cook It Well.” Portland Press Herald restaurant critic Andrew Ross leads the conversation with sign language interpretation by MJ Grant.

Abdi Nor Iftin is a reporter and the author of “Call Me American,” a memoir of his immigration to the United States. Growing up in Mogadishu, Somalia, Iftin learned English by watching action movies. When U.S. Marines landed in the 1990s to get involved in the civil conflict, Iftin felt it was an arrival of real-life action heroes and grew fascinated with American culture. Sporting hip-hop clothes and dance moves, he became known as “Abdi American.” In 2006, as conflict again emerged in Somalia, Iftin risked his life posting secret dispatches to NPR. He eventually fled to Nairobi, Kenya as he became a target. In an eventual stroke of luck, he won entrance to the U.S. in the annual visa lottery, though his route to America—which was documented on the radio show This American Life—did not come easily. Iftin is now a US citizen. His naturalization ceremony took place in Portland on Jan. 17, 2019. He lives in Yarmouth and writes a regular column for the Forecaster. He is also working on a documentary about his life story. Iftin was interviewed by Portland Press Herald reporter Eric Russell.

Daniel and Marcia Minter are a Portland power couple in the arts, advertising, culture and history scenes. In 2019 they co-founded the Indigo Arts Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to the creative cultivation of artists of African descent. Daniel Minter is an internationally exhibited artist, visual storyteller and illustrator. His artwork reflects abiding themes of displacement and diaspora, ordinary and extraordinary blackness, spirituality in the Afro-Atlantic world, and the creation and recreation of meanings of home. He has illustrated over a dozen children’s books, was twice commissioned to create stamps for the U.S. Postal Service and co-founded the Portland Freedom Trail. He teaches at the Maine College of Art. Marcia Minter is a seasoned creative professional who has spent her career as an executive creative director for some of the world’s most iconic brands, including an extended time as Vice President Creative Director with L.L. Bean. Marcia is a dedicated arts advocate and community leader, deeply committed to social and cultural activism. Currently she serves on the Maine Arts Commission, the Board of Directors for Maine Media Workshops and College and Portland Ovations and is a Trustee of the Portland Museum of Art.   Video of this conversation is available at: https://youtu.be/41-jsuE7CoY

Meir lived in space for 205 days on the International Space Station. She conducted three spacewalks with crewmate Christina Koch of NASA, for a total of 21 hours and 44 minutes outside of the ISS. Meir has a Ph.D. in marine biology. She contributed to hundreds of experiments in biology, Earth science, human research, physical sciences and technology development while onboard the orbiting laboratory. This interview was recorded in June 2020.  Video is available at: https://youtu.be/swiDaA2jy1w

Timothy Simons grew up in Readfield and attended University of Maine in Orono, where he discovered his love of acting. He then worked in the Chicago theater scene before moving to Los Angeles. In just a few years, he landed his breakout role on HBO’s “Veep,” starring as the lovingly hated Jonah Ryan alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tony Hale. Now, Simons has amassed nearly two dozen film and television credits, including the limited series “Looking for Alaska” on Hulu, “The Hustle” opposite Rebel Wilson and Anne Hathaway and voicing characters for “Robot Chicken,” “Big Hero 6: The Series” and “Ralph Breaks the Internet.” He is currently developing his own comedy for HBO, about a man who runs an assisted suicide business.

Like A Boss is a live Q&A business event where you can hear insightful, first-hand accounts of the realities of running a business. Portland Press Herald CEO and Publisher Lisa DeSisto interviews local CEOs and business leaders for a behind the scenes look at their career paths, the ups and downs of running their businesses and the trends shaping them. About Liz Cotter Schlax Liz assumed leadership of United Way of Greater Portland in January 2015. As President & CEO, she guides United Way’s strategies that achieve community change in the areas of education, financial stability, and health to improve people’s lives.

A live panel discussion with our Sunday columnists – Greg Kesich, Bill Nemitz, Victoria Hugo-Vidal and Jim Fossel – for their views on what will happen on Election Day. Conversation starts at 7:00 p.m. Bill Nemitz is the award-winning metro columnist for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. He has been writing about Maine news and Maine people for more than 40 years. Jim Fossel is a conservative activist and political observer who lives in Gardiner. He has been writing his column about Maine and the nation in the Telegram since 2017. Victoria Hugo-Vidal, The Maine Millennial, adds her unique voice and observations of life as a young adult making her way in the nation’s oldest state. Her columns appear each Sunday in the Telegram. Greg Kesich has been the editorial page editor for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram since 2011. He weighs in each week under his own byline with “The View From Here” column.

  Congrats to small businesses on making it this far. Now join us on Oct. 21 to learn what tax, accounting and operational issues you should consider before year’s end. How about a primer on the more than a dozen grants and programs that could help your business now? Or a checklist to assess your financial health, especially if you’re considering big moves like deciding whether to close temporarily? On the panel: Dan Gayer, Baker Newman Noyes Steve Veazey, SCORE Mark Delisle, Maine Small Business Development Centers Sarah Guerette, Director and Senior Business Adviser, Coastal Enterprises Inc. Discussion was moderated by Business Projects Editor Carol Coultas. More info: https://www.pressherald.com/2020/09/30/making-it-work-how-small-businesses-can-close-the-books-on-2020/

Like A Boss is a live Q&A business event where you can hear insightful, first-hand accounts of the realities of running a business. Our CEO and Publisher Lisa DeSisto interviews local CEOs and business leaders for a behind the scenes look at their career paths, the ups and downs of running their businesses and the trends shaping them. About Clayton Rose Clayton S. Rose, who was inaugurated as Bowdoin’s fifteenth president on October 17, 2015, has consistently underscored the value and essential importance of a liberal arts education for living lives of meaning, for thoughtful engagement in civic life, and for satisfaction and success in work.

Over his 47 years in broadcasting, Bill Green became a household name in Maine, starting as a sportscaster in Bangor to hosting 19 seasons of his own Saturday magazine show, the last episode of which aired last fall, when he retired. This interview was online live on September 15, 2020.