Alex Haskell

Portland

Morning Reporter at WCSH-TV (Portland, ME)

Morning Reporter at WLBZ-TV (Bangor, ME)

Reporter for Maine's @NBC affiliate | @NEWSCENTERmaine [email protected]

Featured in: Favicon

newscentermaine.com Favicon

lexology.com Favicon

kiiitv.com Favicon

thv11.com + 7 more

Articles

Maine businesses brace for drop in Canadian tourists ahead of summer season

1 day ago | newscentermaine.com | Alex Haskell

OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Maine — With Memorial Day weekend around the corner, Maine’s tourism economy is shifting into high gear. Hotels, restaurants, and retail shops are preparing for the annual summer surge, but there's concern that fewer Canadians will join the crowd this year. According to Gov. Janet Mills, Canadian travelers comprised 5% of Maine’s visitors in 2024.
Old Port Square: Developer plans to construct tallest building in Maine

2 days ago | newscentermaine.com | Alex Haskell

PORTLAND, Maine — A major transformation is in the works in the heart of downtown Portland, and it includes what could become the tallest building in Maine. The project, called Old Port Square, is led by Tim Soley, president of the Portland-based development firm East Brown Cow, along with Safdie Architects. It centers around a four-acre block bordered by Exchange, Union, Fore, and Middle Streets, an area currently dominated by office buildings.
Maine nonprofits scramble to fill food insecurity gap after federal funding cut

6 days ago | newscentermaine.com | Alex Haskell

PORTLAND, Maine — Organizations across Maine dedicated to fighting food insecurity are facing a major setback after a sudden cut to a federal program that helped deliver fresh, locally grown food to needy families. The Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) provided critical funding to groups like the Cultivating Community in Portland and the Somali Bantu Community Association in Lewiston.
From tragedy to transformation: Lewiston shooting site becomes a place of hope

1 week ago | newscentermaine.com | Alex Haskell

LEWISTON, Maine — A site once scarred by tragedy is finding new purpose and promise. Following the Lewiston mass shootings, Kaydenz Kitchen, a local nonprofit, has transformed the former Schemengees Bar & Grille, where eight people were killed in October 2023, into a symbol of healing and community support. This past winter, the organization operated Lewiston’s emergency warming center from the space, offering shelter and safety to more than 350 people between the ages of 18 and 70.
Public media leaders question Trump’s funding halt

1 week ago | newscentermaine.com | Alex Haskell

MAINE, USA — President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to halt federal funding for NPR and PBS. The executive order, signed Thursday, directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to stop funneling federal dollars to national public media outlets. However, public media leaders question whether the order has any real authority. "It’s very unclear whether this executive order has any legal standing at all," said Rick Schneider, CEO of Maine Public.
Public media leaders contest legality of Trump's order

1 week ago | newscentermaine.com | Alex Haskell

MAINE, USA — President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to halt federal funding for NPR and PBS. The executive order, signed Thursday, directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to stop funneling federal dollars to national public media outlets. However, public media leaders question whether the order has any real authority. "It’s very unclear whether this executive order has any legal standing at all," said Rick Schneider, CEO of Maine Public.
Waterville teacher's Facebook post attracts attention of US Secret Service

1 week ago | newscentermaine.com | Alex Haskell

WATERVILLE, Maine — A Waterville High School teacher is under scrutiny after a Facebook post she made about Trump supporters caught the attention of the U.S. Secret Service and local law enforcement. JoAnna St. Germain, an English teacher at the school, shared a post Tuesday that has since been widely circulated online. In the post, she appears to call for the Secret Service and military to act against supporters of former President Donald Trump. "Coordinate.
Portland business owners urge action as safety concerns grow in Monument Square

2 weeks ago | newscentermaine.com | Alex Haskell

PORTLAND, Maine — Some Portland business owners are raising alarms over growing safety concerns in Monument Square. They say the area has become increasingly unsafe due to disruptive behavior, particularly involving unhoused individuals. Ari Gersen, owner of Longfellow Books, has operated his shop in Monument Square for ten years. He said while the area has always felt like a "magical space," the atmosphere in the square has changed in recent years.
Portland City Council Delays Vote on Large Venue Moratorium

2 weeks ago | newscentermaine.com | Alex Haskell

PORTLAND, Maine — The Portland City Council has decided to delay a vote on a moratorium that could impact the future of entertainment development in the city. The proposed moratorium would temporarily ban the construction of theaters and performance venues with more than 2,000 seats. At a Monday night meeting, councilors referred the proposal to the city’s Sustainability and Transportation Committee for further review.
USDA cancels grant for Freeport farm, but a new opportunity may be on the horizon

2 weeks ago | newscentermaine.com | Alex Haskell

FREEPORT, Maine — A farm in Freeport that had been working to support climate-friendly practices at hundreds of farms nationwide is regrouping after losing its federal grant funding. Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment had secured a $35 million grant through the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program — an initiative launched under the Biden administration — but that funding has now been canceled.