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
November 5, 2020

With pre-election polls so far off, so often, should we pay any attention to them?

Pollsters and election experts say there are just too many, done to varying degrees of thoroughness, to provide any real value to voters.
Published
November 1, 2020

Pandemic-driven anxiety hits new heights as election nears

Health officials say the U.S. is in the midst of a mental health crisis, as the weight of the upcoming election, the pandemic and social unrest wreak havoc on people’s sense of well-being and shatter many of their daily structures.
Published
November 1, 2020

Collaborative online exhibit puts Osher library on the map

The USM institution is among 10 top map libraries in the country featured in a digital project called ‘Mapping A World of Cities.’
Published
October 26, 2020

Never fear, there’s still plenty of Halloween events happening this year

Halloween this year is on a Saturday night, so even during a pandemic, there’ll be scary-good things to do in Maine.
Published
October 26, 2020

Why does Portland have a John Ford statue?

The Oscar-winning director from Hollywood’s Golden Age grew up in Portland, but it took a friend of Ford’s from Louisiana to get his hometown to formally recognize his achievements.
Published
October 20, 2020

Pandemic means trick-or-treating will be trickier this Halloween

State and local officials say the tradition of giving out candy carries a risk of spreading COVID-19, leading some people to look for creative alternatives to celebrate Halloween.
Published
October 19, 2020

Work your way through these Maine corn mazes

Maine farms are running socially-distanced corn mazes this year, and many are still open into late October.
Published
October 12, 2020

Enjoy these outdoor entertainment options further into fall

In this pandemic year, drive-ins and comedy shows are happening later in the fall than usual, with events scheduled into November.
Published
October 12, 2020

Maine musicians find ways to get by but worry about winter

They’ve turned their homes into concert venues, rented themselves out for shows, played for tips online and dipped into savings to keep their careers alive during the pandemic.
Published
October 8, 2020

Nickelodeon Cinemas closes temporarily, citing lack of films

The movie house in downtown Portland opened in August but a lack of new films led management to close again Sept. 30, with the hope of reopening again in November.