Maine

Ronald Russell to challenge Rep. Pingree in Maine’s 1st District

Published

2 years ago

June 12, 2024

Ronald Russell to challenge Rep. Pingree in Maine’s 1st District

MAINE (WMTW) -Military veteran Ronald Russell will face Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree for Southern Maine’s Congressional District 1 seat this November.

Russell, a political newcomer, won Tuesday’s GOP primary for Southern Maine’s Congressional District 1, defeating Andrew Piantidosi.

The race was called by the Associated Press at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Russell grew up on his family’s potato farm in Northern Maine.

“It was hard work, but rewarding work,” he said. “I think you see the fruits of your labor on a farm.”

Russell returned to Maine recently to run for office.

“I thought running for office was the way to have an impact,” he said. “I knew I was always coming back to Maine.”

Russell attended West Point before serving in the Army as an Airborne Ranger and Special Forces Green Beret. He believes his time in the military will aid him in his service as a congressman.

“In the past, people have talked about candidates being wishy-washy,” he said. “In the military, when we analyze a mission, we use several factors. When those factors change, the course of action you are pursuing should change accordingly.”

Russell says he has core conservative principles, but he is open to other thoughts and ideas for how to best serve the people of Maine.

“I think that’s the same here,” he said. “I’m going to hear some Democratic opinions that I had not considered up to this point, and that’s going to cause me to change how I think about things.”

After completing his service in the military, Russell went on to live in the South, running a small business. He says this experience taught him how the government can impact businesses.

“I started a business basically doing operations and intelligence work like I had been doing in the military,” he said. “I got to see as a businessman how important those tax cuts were. I really did not have an appreciation for it until I ran the books for our business.”

If elected, Russell hopes to tackle immigration. Although he supports legal immigration, he believes illegal immigrants are burdening communities.

“First thing is the border has to be closed,” he said. “We need to stop illegal immigration before we can address our legal immigration system.

He also believes illegal immigrants are entering the United States due to the promise of resources.

“The way to stop it is to stop the incentives for illegal immigration,” he said. “The amount of money that we are providing housing, free housing for them until they get on their feet, which is a couple of years here in Maine, salaries, for all intents and purposes, money to help them subsist, those are all incentives to have them break the law and come across illegally. Those need to go away as well.”

Another issue Russell hopes to address is education. This is something he values, referencing several family members who work in education.

“My mother was a teacher,” he said. “Two of my sisters are teachers. My daughter’s a teacher, and I have several nieces and nephews right here in the great state of Maine who are teachers.”

He says the U.S. is falling behind, and the problem lies with time used on social issues, instead of core classes.

“We talk about diversity, equity and inclusion. I spent 30 years in the Army working as a team, and candidly, the color of someone’s skin didn’t make a lick towards the difference,” he said. “It seems like promoting diversity, equity and inclusion works against all the things that we worked so hard to achieve in the military. In my 30 years, I don’t believe we have a systemic racism problem in our military. I don’t believe we have a white supremacy problem in our military.”

Russell says he supports the Second Amendment, but there needs to be some changes as to who is allowed to buy a gun.

He believes the current background check system is inadequate, and he thinks mental health records should be part of background checks so firearms don’t get into the hands of those who are in the midst of a crisis.

“It’s not adequate because we know that people have purchased weapons legally going through that system that had some mental issues that should have been addressed. They should not have been allowed to purchase firearms,” he said. “That system does not have access to information that would tell you ‘this man is a nut job, and he’s trying to get this weapon because he has talked about going out and attacking a high school.’ That guy should not, the guy or gal, should not be getting a weapon.”

Russell believes boosting the economy is how to address the housing crisis in Southern Maine, and he wants to work for affordable housing for those in need.

“Inflation has had a tremendous impact on rental properties and their cost,” he said. “I notice here in southern Maine, affordable housing has a negative connotation to it. Folks think that we’re housing illegal immigrants only in affordable housing or folks that will tend to be a problem. I think people just need a place to live and provide a good place to live at an affordable price.”

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Maine

Maine Lottery results: See winning numbers for Mega Millions, Pick 3 on Dec. 12, 2025

Published

12 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

The Maine Lottery offers several games for those aiming to win big.

You can pick from national lottery games, like the Powerball and Mega Millions, or a variety of local and regional games, like the Pick 3, Pick 4 and Gimme 5.

While your odds of winning a big jackpot in the Powerball or Mega Millions are generally pretty slim (here’s how they compare to being struck by lightning or dealt a royal flush), other games offer better odds to win cash, albeit with lower prize amounts.

Here’s a look at Friday, Dec. 12, 2025 results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Dec. 12 drawing

10-50-55-58-59, Mega Ball: 05

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 12 drawing

Day: 7-8-7

Evening: 2-2-6

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 12 drawing

Day: 4-2-5-7

Evening: 7-7-0-7

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 12 drawing

06-20-23-30-36, Lucky Ball: 11

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Gimme 5 numbers from Dec. 12 drawing

09-11-12-30-37

Check Gimme 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Maine Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3, 4: 1:10 p.m. (Day) and 6:50 p.m. (Evening) ET daily.
Lucky For Life: 10:38 p.m. ET daily.
Lotto America: 10:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Gimme 5: 6:59 p.m. ET on Monday through Friday.
Cash Pop: 8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. & 11:30 p.m. ET daily.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Maine

Citizen’s initiative wants to roll back recreational cannabis use in Maine

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Citizen’s initiative wants to roll back recreational cannabis use in Maine

A new citizen’s initiative is looking to roll back recreational cannabis use in Maine. Maine has allowed for prescribing and limited possession of medical marijuana since 1999, and a successful 2009 referendum established licensed and regulated medical dispensaries. Then, in 2016, Maine voters approved recreational use, retail sale and taxation of cannabis, which the state […]

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Maine

Maine Commission releases first recommendations to combat growing deed fraud threat

Published

2 days ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Maine Commission releases first recommendations to combat growing deed fraud threat

PORTLAND (WGME) — Maine has spent the past two years grappling with a rise in deed fraud schemes.

The CBS13 I-Team first began investigating after an elderly man didn’t receive his tax bill and learned someone had transferred his property without his knowledge.

Since then, multiple landowners have come forward saying something similar almost happened to them. Our reporting has uncovered for-sale signs posted on land, fake driver’s licenses and signed agreements to transfer deeds; all tied to scam attempts.

Maine has spent the past two years grappling with a rise in deed fraud schemes. (The Nathanson family)

The growing pattern prompted a state commission to issue new recommendations aimed at stopping the fraud.

Landowners say scam nearly cost them their property

Two summers ago, Cheryl and Ralph Nathanson learned their land on Little Sebago Lake had been put up for sale online.

“We could have lost our property,” Cheryl Nathanson said.

The Nathansons, who live in Connecticut, were stunned when they discovered a fraudulent listing for their Maine plot.

“We notified the police and they said they can take a report on it but that there’s nothing they could really do,” Ralph Nathanson said.

Police told them it was a classic case of deed fraud: scammers posing as property owners, listing land they don’t own and disappearing with the cash.

The couple was advised to sign up for property alerts through the Cumberland County Registry of Deeds, but quickly learned those alerts offered little protection.

“You can register for the deed fraud but it only informs you, by email, after the deed has been transferred. So it’s basically worthless,” Ralph Nathanson said.

A realtor lists their property…. Again

The following summer, the Nathansons discovered a real estate sign had been placed on their land.

“I was notified by a neighbor that there was a for-sale sign, a realtor for-sale sign, on our land,” Ralph Nathanson said.

A realtor from Old Orchard Beach had unknowingly entered into an agreement with someone impersonating the couple.

“Some of the information was correct, some of it wasn’t. You can get anything off of Google,” Cheryl Nathanson said.

Ralph Nathanson remembers confronting the agent.

“You are selling my property and I’m not selling the property,” Ralph Nathanson said. “The phone went silent.”

Despite the ordeal, the couple believes they were lucky to have seen the sign, knowing how bad these schemes can get.

State commission concludes work on deed fraud

“Currently, you all might be landowners and your land might be at risk, and you might not know right now that somebody has sold your land,” Jane Towle with the Real Estate Commission said, during the final meeting of the Deed Fraud Commission.

This fall, a state commission of stakeholders convened to examine ways to prevent deed fraud in Maine.

The Nathansons urged the commission to go beyond awareness campaigns.

CBS13 I-Team Reporter Stephanie Grindley: “You think the state should act beyond just awareness?”

Cheryl Nathanson: “100%.”

Ralph Nathanson: “Absolutely. I think the state of Maine has a responsibility to protect landowners.

But not everyone in the meeting agreed on the scope of the problem.

Attorney General calls deed fraud a low-priority scam

In the final meeting, Attorney General Aaron Frey remained staunch in his skepticism, saying complaints of deed fraud are still relatively rare.

“What we’re seeing for people getting hurt and losing money, this would probably not be the thing I want to highlight over other scams that are happening right now that are actually costing people their retirement savings,” Frey said.

Sen. Henry Ingwersen of York, who spearheaded the commission, sat down with the I-Team following the final meeting.

Grindley: “During the meeting, I did hear the Attorney General essentially call this a non-issue. His office isn’t getting complaints. He doesn’t see a bunch of consumers loosing money to this. Has that changed your stance?”

Ingwersen: “We’ve had three that have really been highlighted just in southern Maine. We haven’t heard a lot from around the rest of the state, but there has been some, so I think that even though it’s rare, we really need to address it.”

“I was pleased that we did come up with a couple of recommendations that we’re going to put in the report,” Ingwersen said.

Key Recommendation: Verify the seller’s identity

The first area of agreement among most, not all, stakeholders would legally require listing agents to verify a seller’s identity.

“The way it is now, it’s best practice. And a lot of professionals are doing best practice,” Ingwersen said. “The red flags in deed fraud are cash sale, land only, a quick sale at below-market value If we had realtors really paying attention to those red flags but also a policy that would require them to check the identity of the fraudulent seller, or of the seller, thoroughly, I think it would prevent, even if it prevented one instance of deed fraud, I think it would be very helpful.”

The commission did not outline exactly how identification should be verified.

“We didn’t really specify what that identification process was going to be. We’re leaving that up to rule making,” Ingwersen said.

Second Recommendation: Easier path to undo a fraudulent deed

Currently, the only way to reverse a fraudulent deed in Maine is to go to court.

The commission proposes allowing an attorney to file an affidavit with the registry.

“Allow an attorney to file an affidavit with the deed recorder that would allow the deed to be, the fraudulent deed, to be nullified in a way that is a little bit quicker than we currently have,” Ingwersen said.

The recommendations will now head to the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee. Any legislative change likely wouldn’t take effect until 2027, if the proposals make it into a bill and then survive a vote.

“I think we made some good progress, but I don’t think this is going to go away. I think this will continue,” Ingwersen said.

Landowners fear fraud will try until it succeeds

“We were thinking, do we take a loan out on it just to secure it?” Ralph Nathanson said.

As the legislative process begins, the Nathansons say Maine cannot wait. They fear it’s only a matter of time before a sale of their land goes through.

“To lose land like this or to find out that their land is now gone, I just can’t imagine that,” Ralph Nathanson said.

Ideas Left on the Table: Title Freeze and National Guidance

Several proposals failed to gain traction, including a “title freeze.” a concept similar to a credit freeze that would allow a landowner to lock their deed from unauthorized transfers. Maine could have been the first state to pilot it, but members said they lacked enough information.

Instead, they pointed to national group studying deed fraud. The Uniform Law Commission is drafting model legislation that states, including Maine, could adopt to better protect landowners.

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