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Hey Portland, hope your week’s off to a good start!

In today’s wallet-friendly edition: A new emergency alert system, ALDI’s first Maine store, and a mixed-media monster workshop + lots of fun things to do for free.

Today’s sponsor, American Hartford Gold, is helping folks around Portland protect their savings as gold and silver continue to gain momentum. Their free guide explains what’s driving the surge… and what to know before adding precious metals to your portfolio. Grab your free copy here.

📰 In the news

Important public safety change: Cumberland County switched from CodeRed to Rave Alert, powered by Smart911, on February 20. To keep getting emergency notifications, Portland area residents must sign up for the new system — see how to sign up.

Puppetry innovator’s mixed-media vision: Lewiston’s LA Arts Gallery hosts Making Friends with Monsters by Portland artist Bridget McAlonan, on view through April 4, with an interactive workshop ahead on April 4, noon to 4pm — see dates and workshop info.

Discount grocer expands footprint: ALDI will open its first Maine store in Portland on March 26, with a ribbon cutting at 1100 Brighton Ave and a $10,000 gift to Good Shepherd Food Bank — see what shoppers can expect.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.

Highlights this week:

• Learn Fission Knitting reversible marled colorwork
• Celebrate St. Patrick’s with West End walk
• Celebrate South Portland Food Cupboard grand opening

🫶 We got your back

Big sandwich energy: When lunchtime hits, Po’ Boys & Pickles serves oversized po’ boys and hearty Cajun staples that make errands feel like mini celebrations. Fast, unfussy, and reliably good, from classics to clever specials, you can tell yourself it’s meal prep. Either way, lunch wins.

That harbor-view stroll: Between the two-mile trail along Eastern Promenade, East End Beach access, and those head-clearing Casco Bay views, weekdays get an easy upgrade. Walk, bike, toss a frisbee, or just park it and watch the fog roll in… instant mood boost.

Little-kid magic, unlocked: Whether you need a birthday save or an excuse to indulge your inner eight-year-old, Treehouse Toys packs playful shelves with puzzles, books, games, and plush. Grab a small delight, smile, and get on with your day; the wonder is real, and the errand run just got fun.

Why your last diet didn’t work: Sustained weight loss is nearly impossible with diet alone. Your body literally fights back by making you hungrier the moment you start restricting calories. That’s why more doctors are recommending GLP-1s. The best part? Getting them has never been easier. We compared three programs to help you find the right fit. See which ones stood out →

Your data is for sale right now: There are over 400 websites selling your info to marketers, political campaigns, and scammers. They’ve got your phone number, home address, relatives’ names… you name it. That’s how robocallers seem to know everything about you before you pick up. You can remove your info one site at a time, or pay a service to do it for you. Here’s what we recommend →

📆 Free events worth checking out

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

⚾ Fenway Punk @ SPACE | Tuesday (3/10) at 7:00 PM – Chris Wrenn is unpacking how a scrappy punk label rode three words, Yankees Suck, to six-figure summers outside Fenway, naturally, and launched Bridge Nine. GA is $5, limited free tickets if you’re quick, $35 gets the book, and a nostalgia hit.

🎶 Jared Vigue @ Crewe Center for the Arts, 111 Bedford St, Portland, 04103 | Tuesday (3/10) at 7:30 PM – At the Osher School of Music, catch Jared Vigue’s senior voice recital, the kind where a student trained by Scott Wheatley and Mary Letellier makes you rethink your shower aria. It’s free, it’s local, it’s legit. Parking still believes in capitalism, so reserve ahead.

🍎 Fresh Food Event @ South Portland Public Library (482 Broadway, South Portland, ME) | Thursday (3/12) at 3:30 PM – Second Thursdays at the Main Library mean one thing, the Locker Project rolls in with crates of local produce, pantry staples, and nourishing goods, free for anyone who wanders by. Swing through, grab dinner fixings, then act like you planned farmers market chic all along.

❓ Thursday Trivia @ Market St, Scarborough, ME 04074, United States | Thursday (3/12) at 6:00 PM – Thursday nights call for a pint and a little friendly brain flexing at the Allagash Bungalow. Free trivia in a one-hour showdown with question, photo, and music rounds, so assemble up to six ringers. Prizes for the top three, bragging rights for the group text.

🇮 Irish Flag-Raising @ Portland Observatory | Saturday (3/14) at 10:30 AM – Whether your great-granddad shipped out from Cobh or you just know your way around a proper pint, come watch the Irish flag rise over the Portland Observatory, with bagpipes, neighbors, and a bracing Munjoy Hill breeze. Short, proud, and wonderfully loud.

♿ Walk & Roll! @ High and Congress Streets, Portland, ME, United States, Maine 04101 | Sunday (3/15) at 1:00 PM – Grab your comfy shoes and join the neighborhood’s new Sunday Walk & Roll, an easy roam where we pick a route, chat, and loop back to the park. All abilities, strollers, and questionable sneakers welcome. It’s social hour with steps, not a race.

📖 Echoes Through Time and Story @ Portland Conservatory of Music | Sunday (3/15) at 3:00 PM – Think the flute only whispers? From Bach’s elegance to Nino Rota’s cinematic sway to Ibert’s playful sparkle, guest Nicole Rabata leads a chamber set that proves it tells stories, not just scales, with piano and violin in tow; free tickets here: https://porttix.com/whats-on/echoes-through-time-and-story/, space limited.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Portland report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 63°F – Low: 37°F – Precip: 1%

Sunny. High near 63, with temperatures falling to around 57 in the afternoon. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Later: Patchy fog between 8pm and 4am, then patchy fog and a slight chance of rain between 4am and 5am, then a chance of rain and patchy fog. Mostly cloudy. Low around 37, with temperatures rising to around 43 overnight. Northwest wind 0 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.

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Tomorrow – High: 39°F – Low: 37°F – Precip: 57%

Rain likely and patchy fog. Cloudy, with a high near 39. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Later: Rain likely and patchy fog. Cloudy, with a low around 37. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Are you quietly overpaying for car insurance? 🚗

Premiums have been climbing across Maine but most folks won’t notice until they’re hit with a higher bill when it’s time to renew.

That’s exactly what happened to me. I had the same policy for half a decade. Autopay was on, it was out of sight and out of mind. Turns out I was blindly paying way more than everyone else I knew.

If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too – here’s the comparison tool I used.

This house is wild

Atop Munjoy Hill, 58 Cumberland is a boutique East End build with 2-3 bed, 2-bath layouts spanning 1,000 to 1,500 SF. Marvin windows, ceilings, and hickory floors impress. Unit 1 adds a private balcony. Custom Cabico cherry kitchens with Vadara Quartz pair with Mitsubishi heat pumps, ERV, and heated garage parking with EV charging near Washington Ave and Eastern Prom.

Take a peek inside →