🌱 Patch AM: Why a famed novelist now calls the Portland area home

Cheers Portland! We're back, helping you stay up to date with what's happening. Let's take on the day together! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• Why a famed novelist now calls the Portland area home
• Scarborough family's life upended after father seized at ICE check-in
• Why nurses are rallying against Palantir in Portland this week

Also on today's calendar: Learn The Truth About Getting Rid Of Your Stuff and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: What did the wall say to the other wall. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Wednesday: Partly sunny and pleasant, with a high of 76 and low of 61 degrees.
• Thursday: More humid in the afternoon, temps: high: 76, low: 64.
• Friday: Humid with a stray t-storm, with a high of 76 and low of 60 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• PBS News Hour Richard Russo visits places left behind in 'Under the Falls' (pbs.org) — Pulitzer-winning novelist Richard Russo now lives and works along the Maine coast near Portland, where one daughter co-owns a local bookstore carrying his family's books. In a PBS NewsHour interview filed from Portland, he talks about his new thriller "Under the Falls," his enduring focus on struggling towns, and why storytelling matters in hard times.
   

• Scarborough family devastated after ICE detains father for the 2nd time (pressherald.com) — A Scarborough family is reeling after ICE detained father Jonas Manywa during a routine check-in at the Scarborough facility, separating him from his three young children. The longtime Maine resident, once photographed in Portland in 2025, now faces a court fight over whether his arrest followed regulations and fears possible deportation to a country where he says he'd be in danger.
   

• NNU nurses to participate in nationwide protests against Palantir (nationalnursesunited.org) — Nurses with National Nurses United are planning an Aug. 27 protest in Portland urging hospitals and officials to cut ties with AI firm Palantir. Organizers argue Palantir's technology fuels immigration enforcement abuses and undermines hospital staffing and patient care, and they're targeting health systems like MaineHealth that have not fully disclosed how they use the company's tools.
   

📸 Around Portland

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Portland

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★ Featured events ★

Tuesday September 1
• Learn The Truth About Getting Rid Of Your Stuff →
  The Clarion Hotel, 1230 Congress St, Portland
  10:00 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Wednesday August 26
• Early Release / Staff PD Students Released at 1:10
  Ocean Avenue Portland, ME 04103
  5:15 pm
• BACK TO SCHOOL POPSICLE PARTY
  Riverton School Portland, ME 04103
  8:00 pm
• OAES Open House and Watermelon Welcome
  Ocean Avenue Portland, ME 04103
  8:00 pm
Thursday August 27
• Popsicle Party with Rowe Families
  Amanda C Rowe School Portland, ME 04102
  4:30 pm
• Popsicle Party
  Amanda C Rowe School Portland, ME 04102
  4:30 pm
• Good Together; Akwaaba Table Beer Dinner →
  The Cellars at Allagash Brewing Company, 100 Industrial Wy, Portland
  6:00 pm
Monday August 31
• First Day of School - Grades 1 through 5
  Ocean Avenue Portland, ME 04103
• First Day of School for Grades 1-12
  Howard C Reiche Community Sch Portland, ME 04102
Tuesday September 1
• First Day of School - Grades Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten
  Ocean Avenue Portland, ME 04103
Saturday September 5
• Ghostland Beer Release and Merch Pop-Up, feat. Ghost of Paul Revere →
  Allagash Brewing Company, 50 Industrial Wy, Portland
  1:00 pm
Saturday September 12
• Gimme Gimme Disco →
  Aura 121 Center Street Portland, ME 04101
  9:00 pm

📣 Portland Shout Outs!

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:

• Insurcomm Restoration — (866) 708-5357

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Hi Everyone, My name is Ben Shalvey, I'm a Portland resident and I am the owner and operator of Shalvey Plumbing.
  I know how important it is to have plumbing you can count on—whether it's at home or at your business. I'm fully licensed and insured, with years of… (Nextdoor Oakdale / USM)
• SWINGIN' THE BLUES is back with new shows and new hours on Peaks Island radio .
  You can stream the show on www peaksislandradio.com. Tuesday night at 7:00 Wednesday at noon and 7:30pm Sunday morning at 8:00 Vintage blues and jazz… (Nextdoor Peaks Island)

• Towne Park, LLC posted a job opening for Part Time Porter ($16.75 - $25) UPP Enforcement Maine in Portland. Apply here.
• UniFirst Corporation posted a job opening for Production Team Partner - Garment Sorter andamp; Shipper - UniFirst in Portland. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Portland here.

🗞 Nearby News

South Portland

• 2 York County teens charged in Lebanon drive-by shooting (pressherald.com)
• Carnegie Mellon to lead national study on AI, arts education (triblive.com)
• Solo Fisherman Reels In Behemoth 529-Pound Swordfish Off Saco Bay, Maine And Nabs State Record (brobible.com)

Westbrook

• Senate candidates poorly informed on Medicare for All (pressherald.com)
• Newsworthy people and performances for Aug. 24, 2026 (mainebiz.biz)
• Fall high school sports season is right around the corner (observer-me.com)

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: Meet me at the corner. (Thank you Earlene M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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