Randy Billings is a government watchdog and political reporter who has been covering Portland City Hall for the Press Herald since 2012. His beat touches on a wide range of topics, including immigration, homelessness, education, tourism, real estate development and the economy in Maine’s largest city. He has been a Portland-based journalist since 2005. A life-long Mainer who loves the outdoors, Randy is also a bassist who brews his own beer at his North Yarmouth home, where he lives with his wife and two children.
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PublishedNovember 6, 2017
Portland council OKs 3-year police contracts that clear way for body cameras
City officials still need to draft a policy on how and when officers will use the technology.
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PublishedNovember 5, 2017
In small California community, rent control’s a mixed bag
While it’s helped many tenants remain in the units they’ve long called home, landlords say it hurts the overall market, with apartments becoming condos.
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PublishedOctober 22, 2017
On Peaks, horse farm caught in crossfire as newcomers buck long-held local views
A simmering feud between island neighbors has led the city of Portland to issue citations over zoning – and has put the equine refuge on alert.
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PublishedOctober 16, 2017
Portland would add Wi-Fi to lampposts as part of $8.5 million project to upgrade lighting
Switching to LED bulbs and other ‘smart cities’ technologies that allow monitoring and control of the fixtures will save the city money in the long run.
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PublishedOctober 12, 2017
Portland rally attacks rent stabilization ballot question
More than 100 people attend the event, at which landlords, real estate agents and developers highlight potential problems with the ballot question aimed at curbing rising rents.
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PublishedOctober 8, 2017
The asylee: He fled the Congo after being tortured and threatened with death
What is asylum?About the Congo His pregnant wife had already fled the Democratic Republic of the Congo when six armed men caught up to Marcel Kabongo Mafuku. They beat him and tortured him using a screwdriver, leaving Mafuku with internal injuries that would go untreated for months. They stopped torturing him long enough for one […]
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PublishedOctober 8, 2017
The undocumented immigrant: This man came here on a tourist visa 15 years ago and never left
Who is undocumented?About El Salvador He has been living and working in southern Maine for more than a decade. He pays taxes. He goes to church. But he has no legal immigration status – no citizenship, no valid visa, no green card. And that means he is constantly at risk of being discovered and removed. […]
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PublishedSeptember 18, 2017
Portland bans the display of wild and exotic animals
The City Council votes unanimously to reject the use of big cats, elephants and a wide range of other animals in circus acts.
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PublishedSeptember 18, 2017
Portland designates 2nd Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day
The City Council, joining other Maine cities and towns, votes to no longer observe Columbus Day despite opposition from Italian-Americans.
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PublishedSeptember 18, 2017
Portland joins nationwide lawsuit against opioid manufacturers
The move the City Council ensures that the city would be entitled to a portion of any settlement stemming from the legal action against the makers of prescription painkillers.
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