Rachel Ohm

Press Herald

Rachel covers state government and politics for the Portland Press Herald. It’s her third beat at the paper after stints covering City Hall and education. Prior to her arrival at the Press Herald in the summer of 2019, Rachel worked at the Morning Sentinel in Waterville, covering Franklin and Somerset counties, and the Knoxville News Sentinel in Knoxville, Tennessee, covering higher education. She has a master’s degree in journalism from New York University and when she’s not writing and reporting enjoys running, cooking and traveling to new places.

Latest

Published
February 16, 2021

Proposed law would require Maine schools to teach African American history

The measure, which would also require schools to teach about the history of genocide, comes as states across the U.S. are examining how they’re teaching about racial and social injustice.
Published
February 12, 2021

UMaine System campuses plan virtual graduation ceremonies this spring

Some students are criticizing the plan to forgo in-person graduations this spring because of uncertainty about the pandemic and the safety of large gatherings.
Published
February 12, 2021

Maine clears all counties for in-person learning as COVID-19 cases continue to decline

The Maine Department of Education announced all counties are now designated ‘green,’ meaning in-person learning can be offered as long as health and safety requirements are followed.
Published
February 7, 2021

USM grows scholarship program for disadvantaged and first-generation students

A Scarborough couple’s effort to help a handful of Portland-area students pay for college has grown to an endowed scholarship fund that aims to help 100 Maine students at a time graduate debt-free.
Published
February 6, 2021

Maine delegation presses federal agency to protect rural forest economy

A proposed change in federal guidance threatens conservation efforts and forestry in rural Maine, particularly on land owned and managed by the Appalachian Mountain Club, the four delegation members say.
Published
February 6, 2021

Maine CDC reports 265 new cases of COVID-19, two more deaths

Although the state is seeing positive downward trends in new cases and hospitalizations, public health officials are warning against large gatherings this weekend for the Super Bowl.
Published
January 29, 2021

Pace of vaccinations accelerates in Maine as more groups get shots

The state reported Friday that 8,827 doses of vaccine were administered the previous day, the highest daily total yet.
Published
January 28, 2021

Mills rolls back early closing time for businesses as COVID-19 infection rates decline

The change in requirements for businesses comes as Maine sees improving health metrics, including a decrease in the positivity rate and new case rate.
Published
January 27, 2021

School funding projections give Maine districts a mix of good and bad news

The state has adjusted its funding formula to help preserve staffing levels in light of temporary enrollment declines caused by COVID-19.
Published
January 24, 2021

In-person learning suffers as COVID-19 quarantines deplete Maine school staffs

As more teachers and staff are forced into quarantine due to coronavirus exposure, schools are increasingly switching to remote learning because of staffing shortages.