Joe Lawlor

Press Herald

Joe Lawlor writes about health and human services for the Press Herald. A 24-year newspaper veteran, Lawlor has worked in Ohio, Michigan and Virginia before relocating to Maine in 2013 to join the Press Herald. He is still considered “from away” but since then, he has learned what a “dooryard” is, eaten “whoopie pies” drank Moxie and boiled some “lobstahs.” The stories he enjoys most are when he learns something and meeting inspiring people. He lives in South Portland - aka “SoPo” - with his wife, Melanie, and two school-age children.

Latest

Published
May 16, 2023

Backers of paid family leave in Maine have high hopes for new bill’s prospects

Details of the legislation were released Tuesday and a public hearing is slated for May 25.
Published
May 15, 2023

Prescription drug bill would tie Maine drug prices to Medicare rates

The bill is opposed by the insurance industry, drug manufacturers and the Maine Bureau of Insurance.
Published
May 14, 2023

PFAS exposure leaves Maine people wondering: What is it doing to us?

As more than 500 private wells exceed state standards for safe drinking water, residents who have been consuming it for years want answers about the chemicals’ effects.
Published
May 14, 2023

Q&A: How do you know if you’ve been exposed to PFAS?

Exposure to the chemicals, often through contaminated drinking water, has been connected to high cholesterol, cancer and other health problems.
Published
May 13, 2023

Browntail moth caterpillars, which cause an itchy rash, are starting to emerge from nests

University of Maine scientists, meanwhile, are researching longterm solutions to the pesky invasive species.
Published
May 11, 2023

Patients, advocates clash with hospitals over bill to restrict facility fees in medical bills

The fees are often included to cover operating costs and pay for uncompensated services, hospital officials say, but they can leave patients on the hook for hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Published
May 5, 2023

With COVID-19 public health emergency ending, Maine CDC website to stop updating vaccination numbers

The state will still update COVID-19 case counts, hospitalizations and deaths.
Published
May 5, 2023

Maine child tests positive for measles – state’s 1st case since 2019

The state is working to notify anyone who might have come into contact with the unidentified child.
Published
May 1, 2023

Ticks reemerging in Maine after slow start to the season

Experts are urging caution after a record number of Lyme disease cases were reported in 2022.
Published
April 28, 2023

Maine Legislature may restrict ‘facility fees’ charged by hospitals

The legislation was drafted after a Press Herald investigation revealed that some health care providers add the fees without disclosure or explanation.