Ray Routhier

Press Herald

Ray Routhier writes about pop culture, entertainment, music, TV and lifestyle issues. In more than 23 years at the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, he has been continually fascinated with stories that show the unique character of Maine’s people and places. The word he uses most for stories he’s drawn to is “quirky.” He’s written about the changing cable TV and Internet landscapes, and what those changes mean for the future of information and entertainment. He’s dug clams, raked blueberries and rode on the back of a garbage truck, all in pursuit of stories about real Mainers. He’s had a ball interviewing a range of celebrities from Anna Kendrick and Patrick Dempsey to Billy Joel and Tony Bennett. His passions, besides writing, include baseball history, old movies and “Jeopardy!” A native of Manchester, N.H., he graduated with a degree in political science from the University of New Hampshire. He lives in South Portland with his wife and two daughters.

Latest

Published
May 30, 2022

Fatal crash closes Route 9 in Washington County on Memorial Day

Route 9 – also known as Airline Road – connects Bangor and Calais, and is a major route for people traveling to New Brunswick and Canada’s Maritime provinces from Maine.
Published
May 30, 2022

Suspect sought in hit-and-run fatal in remote Washington County

The driver of a motorcycle was struck and killed Sunday afternoon near Danforth, Maine State Police say.
Published
May 30, 2022

Desert of Maine’s new owners bring the arts, education and mini golf to the Freeport attraction

They’ve added new play areas and exhibits, luxury cabins and educational and arts programming to the 96-year-old tourist spot. A theater piece called ‘Caravan of Dreams’ opens on the dunes Saturday.
Published
May 26, 2022

South Portland actor who took off in original ‘Top Gun’ has left Hollywood behind

Whip Hubley played a hotshot fighter pilot in the 1986 movie but is in no hurry to see the sequel, which opens Friday. These days, he acts with southern Maine theater groups and works at a construction firm.
Published
May 22, 2022

Vinalhaven shines, again, in Chris Van Dusen’s latest children’s book

When this Maine author gave island mishap a much closer look, he turned a true story about neighbors into a picture book.
Published
May 21, 2022

Three people shot, including a young child, in Wells

One person is in custody, and Maine State Police are investigating the incident, which occurred Saturday afternoon in the York County town.
Published
May 15, 2022

Bleachers’ bandmate plays hometown show and other summer concert highlights

Ghost of Paul Revere says goodbye, and Aerosmith comes to Bangor.
Published
May 8, 2022

After years of decline, Maine sees uptick in births

Some parents say the pandemic accelerated their plans to have children, contributing to a 4 percent increase in births from 2020 to 2021.
Published
May 1, 2022

Maine Jewish Museum hopes to attract a wider audience, first with an Anne Frank opera

The Portland museum plans to collaborate with other cultural organizations to put on more events and programs, including the first production of Opera in the Pines.
Published
April 25, 2022

So you wanna be a birder? With these events and tips, you won’t have to wing it

The popularity of birding seems to be soaring, and there are plenty of places to do it around southern Maine, including at weekly events and annual festivals.