Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: Former Portland code officer jailed after assault during Brighton Avenue fire response.
Also check out Dr. Steve Taubman's Mind Magic: A Night of Laughter and Astonishment on the Portland Patch calendar

What's up Portland! Let's start this morning right by getting caught up on what's going on around town. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- Former Portland code officer jailed after assault during Brighton Avenue fire response.
- How will the I-295 repaving project affect your Portland commute?
- State investigators review deadly Portland police shooting after suspect's death.
Also on today's calendar: Dr. Steve Taubman's Mind Magic: A Night of Laughter and Astonishment and 11 more events.
Today's riddle: What has a cap but no head? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Saturday: Mostly sunny and cooler, with a high of 67 and low of 46 degrees.
- Sunday: Times of clouds and sun, temps: high: 61, low: 52.
- Monday: A shower; breezy in the p.m., with a high of 66 and low of 44 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Portland code enforcement officer assaulted woman on the job, newly released reports show (pressherald.com) — Portland readers are learning that a former city code enforcement officer and fire inspector is serving a 90-day jail sentence after pleading guilty to assaulting a woman during a 2024 fire response on Brighton Avenue. Newly released police reports detail the investigation, DNA evidence, and plea deal, while also listing statewide resources for sexual assault and mental health support.
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2. 44 miles of I-295 will be repaved (pressherald.com) — Drivers in Portland should expect major changes ahead on I-295, as nearly 44 miles between Portland and Topsham will be fully resurfaced using a $27.8 million federal INFRA grant. Crews will strip old asphalt, repair the base, add new layers and reflective markings, upgrade drainage and guardrails, and replace traffic-count and weigh-in-motion systems, though the state has not yet released a project timeline or traffic impact details.
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3. Man who was shot by Portland Police during fatal assault dies (newscentermaine.com) — Portland residents are learning that the man shot by Portland police during a reported assault on Colonial Road has died at Maine Medical Center, while the victim he was allegedly attacking died at the scene. The officers involved are on standard administrative leave, and the Maine Attorney General is investigating the use of deadly force.
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4. Maine turns October into a festival season of pumpkin boats, coastal food and peak foliage (travelprnews.com) — Portland's Harvest on the Harbor food festival returns October 15–17, spotlighting local chefs, lobsters, and oysters along the city's working waterfront. The broader fall calendar also features Damariscotta's PumpkinFest, Bar Harbor ghost tours with Wabanaki storytelling, western Maine foliage drives, and November events like Ellsworth's cider-and-cheese festival and Boothbay's Gardens Aglow light display.
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5. Maine's candidates for governor talk pocketbook issues and spar over one another's records (newscentermaine.com) — Portland residents heard Maine's three gubernatorial candidates lay out sharply different plans on housing costs, taxes, energy prices, and homelessness during a debate held in the city. Hannah Pingree, Bobby Charles, and Rick Bennett clashed over budget cuts, regulations, and harm-reduction strategies, while each pitched specific ideas they say would make living and working in Maine more affordable for families and businesses.
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📸 Around Portland
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Portland
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Dr. Steve Taubman's Mind Magic: A Night of Laughter and Astonishment →
The Hill Arts, 76 Congress St, Portland
7:00 pm - First Annual End of Summer Arts & Crafts show →
Westbrook Community Center, 426 Bridge St, Westbrook
9:00 am
Thursday October 8
Saturday October 10
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Live Music - Alive In The Root →
Orange Bike Brewing, 31 Diamond Street, Portland
5:00 pm - Author & Supporter Reception →
First Parish Church, 425 Congress Street, Portland
5:15 pm - An Evening with Min Jin Lee →
First Parish Church, 425 Congress Street, Portland
7:00 pm - Equal Measure Arts Emerging Artist Showcase feat. Jaylen White, Jennifer Talon, & Hazel Mae →
One Longfellow Square, 181 State Street, Portland
7:00 pm - Horse Lords with An Anderson and Grace Bedwell →
SPACE, Portland
8:00 pm - Additional Date! Batson River Drag Brunch: DOLLY, DARLIN'! →
Batson River Brewing & Distilling -- Portland, 82 Hanover Street, Portland - Maine Marathon, Half Marathon, and Relay →
Pedro Field, 55 Baxter Boulevard, Portland
7:45 am - Open for Tours →
Victoria Mansion, 109 Danforth Street, Portland
10:00 am - Makers Sale Featuring Works by Donna Flynn Hezlep and Susan Spear Ingram →
Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization, 92 Congress Street, Portland
10:00 am - Queer Makers' Market →
Congress Square Park, Portland
11:00 am - Join Veggies to Table at the Maine Marathon! →
Pedro Field, Preble Street, Portland
11:00 am - PMA Films: The History of Concrete →
Bernard Osher Foundation Auditorium, 7 Congress Square, Portland
12:00 pm
Saturday October 3
Sunday October 4
📣 Portland Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Portland PatchAM possible:
- Insurcomm Restoration — (866) 708-5357
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Spinnaker Trust Celebrates 25 Years of Growth and Community Impact —Linda Varrell Read on Patch
- He's super friendly and we miss him very much!
Please reach out if you've seen him in the neighborhood! (Nextdoor Holm Ave) - I'm looking for someone to wash and wax a travel trailer.
No skills necessary except the ability to climb a short ladder to reach the top. You'll get some explicit instructions on how things need to be done… (Nextdoor North Back Cove)
- Floor & Decor Holdings posted a job opening for Inventory Control Specialist in Portland. Apply here.
- Portland Glass Company posted a job opening for Glass Shop Foreman in Portland. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Portland here.
Ok Portland! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "What has a cap but no head?" — A bottle (Thank you Glo M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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