By: Abby Nelson, Staff Writer On September 18, USM was officially accepted into the University of the Arctic. UArctic is an association of over 200 colleges, universities, research institutes and other non-profits from the North Arctic region with a mission to “empower the people of the Circumpolar North by providing unique educational and research opportunities…
By: Kate Rogers, News Editor Maine congressman, Jared Golden, proposed a billion-dollar effort to remove lead paint everywhere in the country. The act is called Golden’s Lead-Free Future. Lead poisoning is preventable, yet it is one of the major environmental health threats for children in Maine. Robert Long, the Communications Director for the Maine Center…
By: Paige Riddell, Staff Writer A significant change in Maine’s Vaccination laws has people in an uproar. On May 24, 2019, Governor Janet Mills signed LD 798 that ended parents’ ability to refuse vaccines for their children for religious or philosophical reasons. Though the new bill does not go into effect until September 2021, a…
By: Amelia Bodge, Staff Writer Last weekend, the underground fire main going through Woodbury Student Center burst, shutting down the center for approximately two weeks. Some areas of the building experienced up to 6 inches of flooding. It was responded to immediately by campus staff and the Portland Fire Department. Engineers were brought in to…
By: Alyson Peabody, Editor-in-Chief 150 countries held Youth Climate Strikes over the last two weeks. One young woman’s name has been leading the headlines: Greta Thunberg. She is a 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist who seeks to hold politicians accountable for their lack of action on the climate crisis. She is organizing global #FridaysForFuture, inviting everyone…
By: Kate Rogers, News Editor In the last several weeks, there have been eight deaths caused by a lung disease that doctors have tied to vaping. According to a USM nurse practitioner, Malinda Scannell, there is no consensus on what this disease is and what specifically is causing it. However, every patient had used some…
By: Connor Blake, Staff Writer Emily Baker, captain of the Women’s soccer team and senior exercise science major from Brunswick, Maine has played a crucial role on and off the field this season. On the field she has earned Little East Conference (LEC) Defensive Player of the Week for the week of September 9th. Her…
By: Cullen McIntyre, Sports Editor The University of Maine field hockey team had finished the first half of overtime against Temple University, a game that was being played at Kent State University in Ohio. Both teams were informed by Kent State officials that the game could no longer continue, as the field was needed for…
By: Alyson Peabody, Editor-in-Chief 1,100 yellow sunflowers are spread along the hill behind Corthell Hall. Each flower is constructed from recyclable material and were “planted” by 10 USM Psychology Club students in honor of National Suicide Prevention Awareness month. The flowers commemorate 1,100 students who die annually by suicide. The idea for “Garden of Hope”…
By: Ryan Farrell, Staff Writer The Goldfinch is a slow paced tragic character study. It portrays grief through the decades and how it shapes people. While the generational transitions feel repetitive, the time periods are distinguished effectively. This is further enhanced by a capable and consistent cast. Anyone looking for a unique cinematic character study…
By: Max Lorber, Staff Writer No one is quite sure how the momentous fire started in Portland on July 4, 1866. The weather conditions in the summer of 1866 made Portland particularly susceptible to the spread of fire. It was particularly dry and hot, creating conditions that turned most of the structures into tinder bundles….
By Ryan Farrell, Staff Writer A lifelong passion for the arts bears many facets. Autumn Damron uses a variety of mediums to craft what she dreams of. Though her pieces usually portray themes of nature and botany, Damron uses her art as a vehicle for representation. In a previous drawing class, Damron chose to center…
By: Jenasa Staples, Staff Writer In early September, the Government Accountability Office (GOA) reported only 1% of 54,000 people who applied to the Temporary Expanded Personal Service Loan Forgiveness (TEPSLF) program were accepted. This program is temporarily available to help people who have applied and were denied by the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program….
By: Abby Nelson, Staff Writer Historic Fort Gorges, located at the entrance of Casco Bay on Hog Island Edge, is in need of restoration. Greater Portland Landmarks gave Fort Gorges the top spot on its “Places in Peril” list in 2013. In February, Floridian contractor, Mike Dugay, pitched an idea to the Friends of Fort…
By: Alyson Peabody, Editor-in-Chief Stop keeping up with the Kardashians. Nothing makes my blood boil more than the sexist notion of pitting women against each other for dramatic attention. There are enough mixed messages presented in the media for how women should look and act. The last thing women need is to be portrayed (and…
By: Cullen McIntyre, Sports Editor It was a successful home opener for the women’s soccer team, as they held the UMaine Farmington Beavers to a shutout in a 3-0 victory at Hannaford Field. The Huskies came into the match with two away wins to kick off the season, a 4-0 win over Thomas College and…
By: Zoe Bernardi, Community Editor How did USM student spend their summer break? Here are four students who shared what they did to fill their time. Over the summer, USM student Alexis Riordan worked at Yogibo in Kittery. Riordan, a sophomore from South Berwick, is studying history education and psychology. She spent her days allowing…
By: Ryan Farrell, Staff Writer Last weekend, the long-awaited sequel to It (2017) debuted in theatres. After bringing in record numbers for the genre, the previous film set a new standard for modern horror. It: Chapter 2 continues the story in an effective and captivating manner, which the cast only heightens. The adaptation explores aspects…
By: Max Lorber, Staff Writer Stories of the Jewish community in Maine fostered throughout the generations continues to be preserved at the Jewish Museum. The Maine Jewish Museum, located within the Etz Chaim synagogue, celebrates Jewish art, history and culture. “We do everything we can to make sure that people won’t forget that we are…
By: Gus Pignatello, Staff Writer USM has implemented two new parking policies. A new ticketing system requires Portland citizens to pay two dollars an hour to park in the garage, with a max of $20 a day. In previous years, the garage was free to the public. Richard Freund, Director of Auxiliary Services, said the…
By: Kate Rogers, News Editor Due to an increased focus on Living Learning Communities (LLC) over occupancy, several spaces in Anderson Hall were left open for a small period of time after the semester began. President Cummings stated that this year’s orientation week was the best organized and most successful he had ever seen in…
By: Alyson Peabody, Editor-in-Chief Last weekend I went to the Saco Drive-In theater to watch a double feature of It by Stephen King. The movie is a remake adaptation of King’s classic horror novel. Those that found Tim Curry’s depiction of Pennywise to be a little campy, shook in their boots at Bill Skarsgard’s disturbing…
The question of if it’s possible to break Gorilla Glass is as old as the iPhone itself. Gorilla Glass is the brand name that the Corning Corporation gave to its tempered glass. You might be familiar with some of their other products, like Corningware. That’s the white cookware with glass lids your mom loves to…
If dorm life isn’t for you, then keeping your car in peak condition is key to a successful college career. Though it may not seem like it has an impact, the cleanliness of your vehicle (or lack thereof) can begin to affect the way the car performs and lead to a variety of expensive problems…