Penelope Overton

Press Herald

Penelope Overton writes about the lobster and marijuana industries in Maine, a mix of the iconic and the emerging, the economic powerhouse and the mysterious darkhorse. Just the right mix of old and new for a Maine transplant. Penny joined the Press Herald in 2016. She has covered politics and government, the environment and Indian Country in Florida, Connecticut, Arizona and Washington, D.C. Her favorite stories are when she gets to dive into a world where readers seldom venture. When she’s not newspapering, Penny and her young daughter like to hike, body surf, travel and explore new books, places, poems and people. She is plovertonpph on both Instagram and Snapchat.

Latest

Published
November 4, 2019

Maine finally ready to take applications for marijuana businesses

The Office of Marijuana Policy announced it will begin accepting applications for growing, manufacturing and retailing on Dec. 5, one of the few remaining steps before the recreational market opens in March.
Published
November 3, 2019

Lobster industry braces for right whale changes amid turbulent times

The state will hold industry meetings this week on its proposal to protect endangered right whales before submitting a final plan to federal fishing regulators in mid-November.
Published
October 29, 2019

New federal hemp program expected to help growing Maine industry

Approved farmers will be eligible for key federal agriculture assistance, including farm loans and insurance, in 2020.
Published
October 28, 2019

Maine lobster landings ‘are way off,’ down 40% from last year

Fishermen had landed less than 50 million pounds by the end of September, a 38% decline from the 5-year average. The state’s top fishing regulator says ‘that doesn’t mean the sky is falling.’
Published
October 24, 2019

Former Portland deputy chief now in charge of Maine’s cannabis compliance

Vern Malloch, who served 35 years in the Portland Police Department, is the first director of compliance in Maine’s newly created Office of Marijuana Policy.
Published
October 24, 2019

Out-of-state hemp now allowed in Maine CBD market

For one month, Maine hemp farmers had the state’s CBD-infused food market to themselves, but a law change has reopened it to out-of-state growers.
Published
October 22, 2019

Hopes for hemp farm in Whitefield wilt as bank and insurer cut farmers loose

Farming hemp is legal under state and federal law, but many in the banking and insurance industries still consider it too hot to handle.
Published
October 20, 2019

Slow rollout in marijuana sales cost Maine revenue and jobs

Three years after legalizing adult-use marijuana, the state’s still waiting for retail shops. Consultants say the economy paid the price as dollars and expertise went elsewhere.
Published
October 16, 2019

State floats whale protection plan that would affect a fraction of state’s lobster fleet

Only 1,200 of Maine’s 5,000 licensed lobstermen have permits to fish in federal waters, where the state’s proposal would require them to add traps on each buoy line to help right whales avoid entanglement.
Published
October 16, 2019

Portland wants to score marijuana store applicants

A proposed scoring system for the city’s 20 licenses would favor women- and minority-owned businesses, Maine residents, those willing to share profits with the city and those with a business track record.