Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: What’s really at stake in Portland’s high-profile music hall lawsuit?

Spotted on the Portland calendar: Dr. Steve Taubman's Mind Magic: A Night of Laughter and Astonishment

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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:

  • What's really at stake in Portland's high-profile music hall lawsuit?
  • Where serious Portland home cooks secretly shop for hard-to-find ingredients
  • Could Snow be the energetic cuddlebug your Portland family's missing?

Also on today's calendar: Dr. Steve Taubman's Mind Magic: A Night of Laughter and Astonishment and 11 more events.

Today's riddle: Why did the girl pig break up with the boy pig? 🤔 (Answer below!)

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Weather forecast:

  • Friday: An afternoon shower or two, with a high of 75 and low of 54 degrees.
  • Saturday: Less humid with plenty of sun, temps: high: 68, low: 47.
  • Sunday: Times of clouds and sun, with a high of 61 and low of 52 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. In lawsuit over failed Portland music hall project, judge hears initial arguments (mainebiz.biz subscription) — Portland residents are watching closely as a federal judge hears early arguments in a lawsuit over the city's buffer zone ordinance that halted a proposed 3,300-seat music venue downtown. Developers claim Portland officials targeted their project with a retroactive moratorium and expanded 750-foot buffer, while the city argues a smaller venue is still allowed at the Cumberland Avenue site.
   

2. Best Specialty Food Stores in Portland, Maine for Home Cooks (wcyy.com) — If you love cooking at home in Portland, this guide rounds up some of the city's best specialty food shops, from cheese and pantry staples on Washington Avenue to Asian ingredients tucked behind Congress Street. You'll find tips on where to grab great beans, tinned fish, curry roux, condiments, and even pizza-adjacent gourmet goods to elevate weeknight meals and holiday gifts.
   

3. Meet Snow, our Adoptable Pet of the Week (wmtw.com) — Portland-area pet lovers can meet Snow, a playful 2-year-old mixed-breed dog available for adoption through the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland in Westbrook. The shelter operates first-come, first-served, with early sign-in starting at 9 a.m. on open days, and requires meet-and-greets with existing dogs before adoptions are finalized.
   

4. South Portland and Windham girls soccer battle to draw (pressherald.com) — A strong performance by the South Portland girls soccer team kept their breakout season rolling, as they battled powerhouse Windham to a 1-1 draw Thursday night. With standout saves from goalie Maizie Savage and a tying goal by sophomore Sasha Neff, the young Red Riots showed they can compete with top Class A South programs close to Portland.
   

5. Head of EPA visits Maine company developing technology to eliminate PFAS chemicals (newscentermaine.com) — A Portland-based engineering firm, Onterris, just hosted EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to showcase its technology for stripping PFAS "forever chemicals" from drinking water and wastewater. The visit highlighted how Maine-grown solutions could help smaller utilities nationwide meet federal standards, even as the Trump administration considers delaying and rolling back some PFAS drinking-water limits.
   

📸 Around Portland

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Portland

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Has anyone seen my neighbors cat?
    Been MIA for the past three days. Here's description - Tortoise Shell Black and Gold Color- 12yrs, approx 6 lbs, female Name: Spice Lost on 9/27,… (Nextdoor Lower North Deering)
  • I know people have been seeing parakeets around Portland recently.
    Just saw this one near 58 Woodmont St. First on the ground and then it flew into a tree. (Nextdoor Oakdale / USM)
  • Dollar Tree posted a job opening for Assistant Manager I in Portland. Apply here.
  • Maine Medical Center posted a job opening for Nursing Unit Secretary - Nursing Medical R4 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: "Why did the girl pig break up with the boy pig?" — Because he was such a boar! (Thank you Theresa H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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