Randy Billings is a government watchdog and political reporter who has been covering Portland City Hall for the Press Herald since 2012. His beat touches on a wide range of topics, including immigration, homelessness, education, tourism, real estate development and the economy in Maine’s largest city. He has been a Portland-based journalist since 2005. A life-long Mainer who loves the outdoors, Randy is also a bassist who brews his own beer at his North Yarmouth home, where he lives with his wife and two children.
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PublishedAugust 2, 2020
Scott Smith: Being with friends helps with the stress of being homeless
“The scary thing about this is it’s warm now, but it’s not going to be much longer.’
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PublishedJuly 29, 2020
Portland mayor listens to protesters’ stories of homelessness
The testimony of several individuals who struggle with homelessness had an impact on Mayor Kate Snyder, who sat with the city’s fire chief and several city councilors to listen to the protesters.
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PublishedJuly 28, 2020
Portland mayor will meet with City Hall campers who have a host of demands
Portland Mayor Kate Snyder wants to listen, but protesters want action, and they say they plan to stay in the plaza until their demands are met.
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PublishedJuly 27, 2020
City Hall campers vow to stay until demands are met
Portland closed the building Monday, and discussed the encampment during a workshop Monday night.
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PublishedJuly 21, 2020
Wave of evictions expected as courts reopen, assistance and protections expire
Thousands of evictions could be filed when hearings resume Aug. 3, and the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition is building a database to help inform policymakers.
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PublishedJuly 15, 2020
Portland voters overwhelmingly approve creating charter commission
The vote could pave the way for big changes to local government, including to police oversight, the budgeting process and the city manager and elected mayor positions.
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PublishedJuly 14, 2020
Partial vote count favors review of Portland’s city charter
Portland would form a commission to consider structural changes to city government, including to the mayor and city manager positions, for the second time in 12 years.
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PublishedJuly 13, 2020
Portland council votes to form committee to address systemic racism
Mayor Kate Snyder’s proposal for a Racial Equity Steering Committee was criticized by members of the public, and councilors narrowed the scope of its work to focus on police policies.
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PublishedJuly 12, 2020
For thousands of unemployed Mainers, the system isn’t working
A historic wave of unemployment claims and a flood of fraudulent filings conspired with technology problems and staffing woes to create delays and headaches for people seeking benefits.
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PublishedJuly 12, 2020
Unemployment snafus leave three lives in limbo
Three personal tales reveal serious flaws in Maine’s system for filing and paying claims.
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