Morning Portland! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Art & Storytime for Elementary and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: What did the Buffalo say when his son left? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Portland tells Maine Public it is once again not tax exempt (newenglandnewspress.com) — Portland's Assessor's Office has again denied Maine Public's request for tax-exempt status on its new downtown headquarters, leaving the nonprofit with an annual tax bill of about $197,000. The decision comes amid broader scrutiny of how Portland taxes nonprofits, with several arts and cultural organizations also losing exemptions and scrambling to cover new costs.
2. Man accused of sex trafficking several women in Maine faces federal judge (wmtw.com) — A man from California has been brought before a federal judge in Portland, accused of trafficking several adult women for commercial sex in Maine over multiple years. Prosecutors say he also ran an online fraud scheme by posing as a cancer patient. If convicted, he faces at least 15 years in prison and potentially a life sentence, with federal investigators still seeking information from the public.
3. Friends and family remember Juju Nadeau, who died from a stabbing in Portland (newscentermaine.com) — A young woman who spent her final months in Portland is being remembered by loved ones after she was fatally stabbed near Tukey's Bridge and Back Cove. Friends and family are honoring her life with memorials under the bridge and plans for a future LGBTQ-focused bar named in her memory, while also urging each other to celebrate life as she did.
4. Maine woman redistributing 'Raising Readers' to next generation (wmtw.com) — A Portland-based literacy effort is giving retired Raising Readers books a second life by redistributing them to Maine kids through food pantries, including Wayside Food Programs in Portland. Organizer Pam Leo is setting up drop-off sites and seeking more local partners, from businesses to libraries. She's also looking for volunteer drivers to move donated books into communities, especially in rural areas.
5. I Use the Music to Use Me: The Visual Improvisation of M P Landis (freejazzblog.org) — Portland's Apohadion Theater is the setting for an unusual collaboration where painter M P Landis creates large abstract works live onstage alongside drummer Michael Sarin. A recent June 2026 performance continued their evolving Paint & Drums project, blending free improvisation in sound and image. The piece explores how their Portland shows capture creative risk, uncertainty, and the physical act of making art in real time.
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Portland PatchAM possible:
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
Ok Portland! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Bison! (Thank you Judy M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Portland Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.