From the moment that it was announced that Portland, Maine was receiving a USL club, Dirigo Union co-chair Donald Thibodeau knew he wanted to play a part in a supporters’ group.
Thibodeau’s passion for soccer has gone through its ebbs and flows. After playing in high school, his love for the game dissipated but after a trip that saw him attend a Portland Timbers match, he fell in love with the atmosphere and the game.
Co-Chair Mitchell Ketchen has a more unique and dare I say American story. A fan of the Patriots, he owes his passion for soccer to the FIFA video games.
The group was actually started by Mario Moretto, John Morgan, and Colin Durrant. With Moretto and Durrant moving down to Washington D.C., Dirigo Union needed some helping hands and Thibodeau and Kitchen were more than glad to be involved.
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From the early days of Portland Hearts of Pine and Dirigo Union, the supporters’ group has had its voice heard by the club; including founder Gabe Hoffman-Johnson.
“It’s a beautiful thing, really,” Ketchen said of the communication with the club higher-ups. “They’re our family.”
Family will be felt throughout Portland and Dirigo Union. Thibodeau wants to create a second family for fans of the club by way of the supporters’ group.
“First and foremost, we want this to feel like a family, right? Like I said, during our town hall, if this is done, right, it’s gonna feel like a second family,” the co-chair said. “I’ve already met a ton of awesome people. You know, I didn’t know Mitchell before this. Now, he’s one of my favorite people. I like listening to him talk about soccer. He’s so passionate about Liverpool. Gameday wise, we want it to be a party. We want to be loud. We want to be excited. We want to bring the energy. You know, I love what LAFC does, I just want to do our own way though. I want it to be crazy loud. I want opposing teams when they come in, they don’t want to be there.”
Ketchen also believes that the supporters’ group will show what Maine is all about.
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“I think it’s important that we highlight what Maine really is all about,” he said. “We’re hard working, we’re gritty, we’re tough, we’re passionate. We have an extremely diverse community that that come from all walks of life like the groups of kids playing pickup soccer down at Kennedy Park, singing songs, bringing Portuguese flair. We have a really great Somali population in Lewiston, who made national news playing soccer together just a few years ago. So it’s really important for us to bring together this beautiful melting pot of soccer fans bring that energy and highlight what is beautiful about Maine in our own way.”
The group has already been involved in creating committees to give members of the Dirigo Union a voice.
“If you want to make a flag, you have every right to come in and share your idea. If you want to write a song, a chant and spread it with the masses come right in. If you want to give back to your community, we’re a nonprofit, a 501C7, finishing the application process there. So we’re totally community-driven, community run. Everything that we make goes back into our organization and it allows us to go out into the community and do a lot of work whether it’s picking up around the stadium on game days, supporting members with their own endeavors and things like that. We’re just really excited about all the possibility we’ve started and look forward to see what it becomes.”
But one day, possibility will turn into reality. Kits will be donned, a stadium will be filled and a whistle will be blown.
Ketchen can’t wait for that day to finally arrive.
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“I’m anticipating the night before our first match, I have a feeling it’s going to be all the giddy feeling before the first day of a season, but it’s a little bit sweeter where we have put this work in. We’re around 450 members strong right now. The side that we’re going to be sitting on has a capacity of 2,500, So, there’s plenty of work to do but once we see the Dirigo Union scarves, the Portland Hearts of Pine scarves, flags waving, smoke, drums marching into Fitzpatrick day one is something I’ve been thinking about for well over a year now.”
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine Democrat Graham Platner has picked up another high-profile endorsement in his bid to flip a key Senate seat blue, marking another sign of the oyster farmer and combat veteran’s political resiliency even as he continues to face controversy throughout his campaign.
Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego announced Monday that he was backing Platner, saying that the first-time candidate “reflects the grit and independence that defines Maine.”
“Graham Platner is the kind of fighter Maine hasn’t seen in a long time, someone who tells you exactly what he thinks, doesn’t owe anything to the special interests, and wakes up every day thinking about working families,” said Gallego, who won a Senate seat in Arizona in 2024 by more than 2 points while Trump carried the state by nearly 6 points.
Platner has previously been endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, and New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat.
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However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has endorsed Platner’s main opponent, Maine Gov. Janet Mills.
Both Platner, 41, and Mills, 78, are hoping to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins, 73, a five-term incumbent who announced last month that she was running for another term. A victory in Maine is crucial for Democrats’ efforts to take back control of the Senate. The Democratic Party needs to net four seats to retake the Senate majority, and they are aiming to do that in Maine, North Carolina, Alaska and Ohio.
READ MORE: Maine’s Graham Platner thinks voters will overlook his past to support a new type of candidate
Platner has gained traction with his anti-establishment image and economic equality message. He’s pressed forward despite controversies over old social media posts and a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which he recently had covered up.
Gallego is among the Democrats named as possible 2028 presidential contenders. Last fall, he stumped in New Jersey, Virginia and Florida, where he campaigned for Democrats who went on to win their elections.
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“I have an immense amount of respect for him and I’m looking forward to joining him as a fellow Marine and combat infantryman in the U.S. Senate,” Platner said in a statement.
Kruesi reported from Providence, Rhode Island.
A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy.
On March 2, Spurwink will join community partners for a special viewing of Building Hope: Ending Homelessness in Maine at the University of Southern Maine’s McGoldrick Hall.
Directed by Richard Kane and produced by Melody Lewis-Kane, the film shines a compassionate light on the realities of Maine’s homelessness crisis. Through deeply personal stories, Building Hope explores the challenges faced by unhoused individuals and families, while highlighting the hope that emerges when communities come together to create solutions. It’s been praised for its honesty, dignity, and inspiring message: change is possible when we work together.
Following the screening, a panel of local leaders and advocates will discuss the film and the ongoing effort in Maine to end homelessness. Panelists will include Katherine Rodney, Director of Spurwink’s Living Room Crisis Center; Cullen Ryan, Chief Strategic Officer at 3Rivers; Donna Wampole, Assistant Professor of Social Work at USM; and Preble Street staff. Catherine Ryder, Spurwink’s Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, will bring her expertise in trauma-informed care and community collaboration to the panel as the moderator.
Keon Johnson had 21 points and 10 rebounds as the Maine Celtics defeated the Windy City Bulls 122-87 in an NBA G League game on Sunday afternoon at the Portland Expo.
Hason Ward scored 16 points and Jalen Bridges 14 for Maine (13-15), which had seven players score in double digits. Bridges drained four 3-pointers for the Celtics, who shot 13 for 28 (46.4%) from beyond the arc.
Max Shulga dished out 11 assists and scored nine points.
Maine led 33-18 after one quarter 72-36 at halftime.
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Keyshawn Bryant scored a game-high 25 points for Windy City (12-12).
