Italy is the epicenter in Europe of the COVID-19 epidemic. They are doing everything possible to strangle the spread of the virus, including closure of everything except essential services. You are not allowed to go next door to visit your neighbor. You cannot travel by car or train without a very good reason. In spite of the difficulties, my Italian friends say everyone is cooperating. Everyone is pulling together, as Americans will also do.

Piscataquis County Democrats gathered for party caucuses in 15 communities throughout the region on March 8.  Close to 100 individuals rallied to Rise and Organize! in four locations including Greenville, Guilford, Dover-Foxcroft and Milo.

To our friends and supporters of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sangerville and Dover-Foxcroft Food Cupboard and SoupsStock 2020 we regret to inform you that SoupStock 2020 as we know it has become a casualty of COVID.19. The supper planned for Saturday, April 4 is now postponed. Instead, baring an enforced lockdown, all the beautifully handcrafted bowls will be on display at the church from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 4.

SeDoMoCha Middle School grade 6 social studies teacher Chris Miller received a $1,000 grant from Maine Agriculture in the Classroom. The grant is to purchase a portable aquaponics system for elementary classrooms and to upgrade the current system.

One thing in this life is certain: if you are currently living through one of those, the other will come eventually. If an economic boom is happening, there will be an eventual slowdown and recession. If you are in the middle of economic calamity, there will come days when economic expansion happens again.

Earlier this week, the firm where I work presented a webinar in collaboration with the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce. The two-hour presentation was intended to provide some practical advice for companies that are trying to deal with the spread of the coronavirus and COVID-19. The webinar is free and you can watch it at: https://www.portlandregion.com.

Due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19 the town of Dover-Foxcroft has made the following changes to its operations effective immediately: 

Camden National Bank announced it will be implementing new precautionary measures to support public health efforts to manage the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) while continuing to provide full banking services to its customers. Starting March 18, Camden National Bank will be offering drive-up only service at the majority of its banking center locations, with in-person visits by appointment only at those locations. For locations without a drive-up window, the bank will be limiting the number of customers inside at any given time.

Preseason training camp for the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl all-star football game will return to Foxcroft Academy in Dover-Foxcroft for the next five years under a new agreement reached recently between the school and the game’s board of directors.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced stricter limits on public gatherings on Wednesday, ordering restaurants and bars to stop dine-in service effective that day, banning social gatherings of more than 10 people and urging many private businesses to close.