Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: Why a famed novelist now calls the Portland area home
Be sure to catch Learn The Truth About Getting Rid Of Your Stuff on the Portland Patch calendar
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!)
- 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
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Portland
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Learn The Truth About Getting Rid Of Your Stuff →
The Clarion Hotel, 1230 Congress St, Portland
10:00 am
Tuesday September 1
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- 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 - 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 - 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 - First Day of School - Grades Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten
Ocean Avenue Portland, ME 04103 - Ghostland Beer Release and Merch Pop-Up, feat. Ghost of Paul Revere →
Allagash Brewing Company, 50 Industrial Wy, Portland
1:00 pm - Gimme Gimme Disco →
Aura 121 Center Street Portland, ME 04101
9:00 pm
Wednesday August 26
Thursday August 27
Monday August 31
Tuesday September 1
Saturday September 5
Saturday September 12
📣 Portland Shout Outs!
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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
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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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