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
July 13, 2018

Biddeford rapper offers free tickets to fellow rapper’s movie debut in Portland

Rory Ferreira, who raps under the name of Milo, hopes to fill all 129 seats of a matinee Saturday of Boots Riley’s ‘Sorry to Bother You.’
Published
July 12, 2018

Fishing groups divided over proposed update to fisheries management law

An amendment could reduce fees and wait times for lobster sales to Europe.
Published
July 9, 2018

Lawmakers endorse sweeping medical marijuana reforms

By a wide margin, legislators override a veto by Gov. Paul LePage to push forward changes in the state’s medical marijuana industry.
Published
July 6, 2018

Gov. LePage vetoes bill that would ease access to medical marijuana, listing 11 objections

About 42,000 Maine patients could benefit from legislation that revamps the caregiver system and removes some conditions for obtaining medical cards.
Published
June 28, 2018

Legislature maps the landscape for legal marijuana growers, sellers in Maine

The measures governing adult recreational use and medical marijuana, if they become law, also would change how people manufacture and consume all forms of cannabis.
Published
June 26, 2018

Maine House and Senate approve sweeping reform of medical marijuana bill

The legislation, which must be enacted by both chambers before going to the governor, would overhaul the caregiver system, letting those operations expand their businesses in exchange for more state oversight.
Published
June 26, 2018

Environmental group plans lawsuit calling for ban on lines used by lobstermen

It says vertical lines kill or harm endangered right whales and other species, and accuses a Maine agency and lobstermen’s association of violating federal law.
Published
June 25, 2018

Maine cities, towns may gain control over all retail marijuana sales

An amendment to a medical pot reform bill – like one added to the adult-use cannabis plan – also means some existing caregiver shops may be forced to close.
Published
June 20, 2018

Rabid fox attacks woman in Brunswick

In addition, a rabid skunk attacked two dogs recently, according to a Facebook post by the town’s animal control officer.
Published
June 19, 2018

China’s threatened tariff on lobster from U.S. has Maine’s industry on edge

It could put lobstermen at a price disadvantage of as much as 45% in their biggest overseas market, threatening a drop-off in sales that would ripple across the state’s economy.