Alex Haskell

3 days ago | newscentermaine.com | Alex Haskell

MAINE, USA — State lawmakers are considering a bill that would make Maine the sixth state in the U.S. to ban legacy admissions in higher education. The bill introduced by Sen. Michael Tipping, D-Penobscot, aims to eliminate admissions advantages for applicants with family connections to the schools. "It should be based on merit, not based on who your parents are or how much money they have," Tipping said.

6 days ago | newscentermaine.com | Alex Haskell

PORTLAND, Maine — After spending more than a decade behind bars, convicted murderer Joel Hayden returned to a courtroom in Portland in an attempt to overturn his sentence. Hayden is serving two life sentences for killing Renee Sandora, the mother of his four children, and Trevor Mills, his longtime friend. Sandora and Mills were fatally shot outside Sandora’s home in New Gloucester back in 2011.

1 week ago | newscentermaine.com | Alex Haskell

KENNEBUNK, Maine — With statewide drug overdose deaths trending downward, Kennebunk officials say now is the time to go "upstream"—focusing on preventing substance misuse before it starts. To make that happen, the Kennebunk Police Department is partnering with the Maine National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. Their goal: to boost drug prevention efforts that target young people and extend the time before potential exposure to substance misuse.

1 week ago | newscentermaine.com | Alex Haskell

FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — A controversial newspaper ad is sparking outrage in Aroostook County and beyond. The Fort Fairfield Journal, a small-town publication in northern Maine, recently ran an advertisement promoting book-burning in June, Pride Month. The ad has drawn sharp criticism not only for its message, but for its origins. The man behind the ad is Ryan Murdough, a New Hampshire resident identified by the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center as a white supremacist.

2 weeks ago | newscentermaine.com | Alex Haskell

AUGUSTA, Maine — Advocates in Maine are speaking up after the U.S. Department of Justice announced it will be pulling specific federal grants from the Maine Department of Corrections. The decision stems from a political clash over prison housing policies, but groups focused on addiction recovery and prisoner support say the real impact will be felt by people trying to rebuild their lives—both inside and outside prison walls.