Paul Zimmerman and Martha Ward already had planned an improvement project for the Red Maple Inn in Guilford again this year. They’ve invested in their Piscataquis County restaurant and lounge annually since moving the business across the street in 2013 to its current location -- the former Braeburn Hotel annex on North Main Street. Little did Zimmerman and Ward know how much free time they’d have for renovation this year after the Red Maple Inn and other restaurants around the state were closed to dine-in customers as of March 18 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. Janet Mills said Tuesday she will extend her civil state of emergency proclamation for another month, giving her additional time to access federal funding and use certain powers in the state’s effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Maine Department of Corrections client Clinton Freeman Rhoades has been brought back to DOC supervision. On Tuesday an alert for the whereabouts of Rhoades was issued after he failed to report to his probation officer, as required.

Now that everyone is being directed to practice social distancing and to stay at home, what does this mean for victim/survivors (adults and children) of domestic abuse? 

Take a moment to think of the things, activities and people who bring meaning to your life. Got them? Chances are that one or more of them have been threatened or lost during this pandemic.

Two overdue canoeists paddling the Kennebec River were located alive and well on Monday afternoon at the Family Dollar Store in Madison when they were able to recharge their cell phone and notify family members. Jake Cyr, 22 of Guilford, and Tyson Bell, 31 of Dixfield, began their canoe trip on the Kennebec River Saturday evening in Bingham. Cyr and Bell camped Saturday and Sunday night on the river, portaging both the Solon Dam and the first of two Madison dams.

To the constantly growing list of events that won't be staged this year, add this: Trout Unlimited's national meeting, which was to have been held in Bangor in August, will instead be staged in the Queen City in 2021. The meeting had been scheduled for Aug. 19-23 and would have drawn hundreds of volunteers to Bangor for a variety of meetings and recreational events.

If you have never hunted wild turkeys, you are missing a wonderful opportunity, not only to  enjoy the spring woods in Maine before bug season, but to hunt a very plentiful game bird.

Thanks to Herring Brothers Meats, Mount Kineo Lodge #109 of Guilford and Gordon Construction, 160 hams were delivered to SAD 4 families for Easter.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, pews across Maine were empty during live-streamed Masses at parishes across the state for Holy Week and Easter Sunday (April 12). That was not the case at Holy Family Church in Greenville, thanks to the inspired creativity of parish staff looking to offer support to Fr. Aaron Damboise, pastor of the parish as well as St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Jackman.