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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PublishedFebruary 19, 2020
Portland council endorses solar initiative with 8-0 vote
The city estimates it could save $500,000 a year by joining the state’s first renewable energy consortium, which was made possible by legislation that allows municipalities and businesses to receive cash credits for using solar energy.
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PublishedFebruary 18, 2020
Cost estimate rises by $660,000 for planned Portland roundabout
Portland’s City Council will consider additional funding for construction of the roundabout near the University of Southern Maine campus.
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PublishedFebruary 18, 2020
Portland council will vote on plan to move public comment back to the end of meetings
The proposal, which would undo a change made by former Mayor Ethan Strimling to take comments prior to council meetings, would also prohibit people from addressing items pending before a council subcommittee.
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PublishedFebruary 17, 2020
Solar collective could provide Portland with cheaper, cleaner electricity
A city official estimates that joining a consortium with other large-scale electricity users, such as L.L. Bean and Nestle Waters, could save the city roughly $500,000 a year.
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PublishedFebruary 17, 2020
Portland voters asked to expand ranked-choice voting
If approved, the method that has been used in Portland’s mayoral elections since 2011 would be expanded to all City Council and school board races.
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PublishedFebruary 13, 2020
Portland councilors likely to reject plan to ban rental application fees
A public hearing will be held in April, but two of the three councilors on the Housing Committee oppose the proposal.
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PublishedFebruary 12, 2020
Portland councilors consider banning rental fees to ease burden on home hunters
Advocates say Portland would be the first city in Maine to bar landlords from charging application fees, which can add hundreds of dollars to an apartment search.
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PublishedFebruary 11, 2020
Maine lawmakers seek to change law that lets police conceal use of high-tech surveillance
Two Democrats push for transparency after the Maine Sunday Telegram reports that Maine State Police will neither confirm nor deny the use facial recognition scans and other tools.
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PublishedFebruary 10, 2020
Identity of Valentine’s Day Phantom is Portland’s most beloved mystery
Those who know won’t say, and those who don’t know want to keep it that way.
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PublishedFebruary 9, 2020
Maine State Police may be spying on you
Privacy advocates worry that law enforcement monitors innocent residents, and Maine is one of only two states that won’t reveal whether it’s using this advanced technology.
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