5 years ago Trump approves federal disaster declaration for Maine President Trump has approved a federal disaster declaration for Maine due to the coronavirus, Gov. Janet Mills said Saturday. The "major" disaster declaration will unlock federal funding assistance for the state and municipalities throughout Maine.
5 years ago What you can and cannot do under the stay-at-home order With the order set to last through April 30, here’s what you can (and can’t) do while that is in place.
5 years ago Janet Mills orders Mainers to stay home through April Warning that “more people will die,” Gov. Janet Mills on Tuesday ordered Mainers to stay home except to shop for necessities or to go to jobs deemed essential through April, putting Maine among a majority of states to take similar action to fight the coronavirus.
5 years ago Grocery shopping and delivery service helps people stay home One additional new program available to people in the region who are self-isolating at home or anyone who is having trouble doing grocery shopping due to concerns about risk, illness or disability is called Community Pulling Together. This is a program funded partly with a small grant from The New England Grassroots Environment Fund COVID-19 response program awarded to The Commons Energy Collaborative.
5 years ago Fighting coronavirus won’t help struggling Maine hospitals pay the bills Hospitals across Maine are steeling themselves for a possible spike in patients with the coronavirus by stocking up on equipment and freeing up beds and workers. But while those efforts are critical from a public health perspective, they could make it harder in the long run for rural hospitals to sustain their current operations when many of them are already struggling to pay the bills.
5 years ago Maine courts again limit hours to curb spread of coronavirus State courts in Maine will again cut back the hours they are open to the public Monday to help limit the community transmission of COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus.
5 years ago Maine Catholics must worship online during Holy Week due to virus outbreak The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland announced March 27 that Holy Week and Easter services will be online and not open to the public due to the regulations currently in place in Maine as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
5 years ago Maine motor vehicle-related expirations extended Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap announced Friday, March 27 that many credentials issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles that expire within the current state emergency period will be extended.
5 years ago Gov. Mills extends state income tax payment deadline to July 15 Gov. Janet Mills and Commissioner of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services Commissioner Kirsten Figueroa announced that the state will extend the deadline for Maine income tax payments from April 15 to July 15. The change aligns with the federal government’s recent extension of the federal tax filing deadline to July 15.
5 years ago Northern Light Health appoints chief operating officer as new CEO As hospitals across the country enter a period of turbulence because of the novel coronavirus, the Brewer-based health care system that includes Northern Light Mayo Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft and Northern Light C.A. Dean Hospital in Greenville has appointed its chief operating officer to serve as the system’s next head.
5 years ago Mild winter reduces springtime flood risk in Maine A mild winter is giving emergency management officials one less thing to worry about: The spring flooding risk is reduced in New England.
5 years ago Gov. Mills orders many nonessential businesses to close to fight coronavirus Under the authority granted to her during a State of Civil Emergency, Gov. Janet Mills on Tuesday issued an executive order mandating that all non-essential businesses and operations in Maine close their physical locations that are public facing, meaning those that allow customer, vendor or other in-person contact. The order also closes non-essential business sites that require more than 10 workers to convene in a space where physical distancing is not possible. Non-essential businesses and operations may continue activities that do not involve these types of in-person contact and convenings, and should facilitate the maximum number of employees working remotely.
5 years ago Area schools extend closures until late April All five school districts in the region and most across the state have extended closures for at least another month. Closures initially slated to last for two weeks until the end of March will now last through the normally scheduled week of April vacation.
5 years ago If you run out of toilet paper, here’s what you can use instead With the novel coronavirus reaching pandemic levels, everyone has been stockpiling for the Centers for Disease Control’s recommended social distancing, self-isolation and self-quarantine, which could last for several weeks. That’s led to stores running out of products like hand sanitizer, hand soap and toilet paper.
5 years ago Maine courts cut back public hours to limit spread of coronavirus State and federal courts in Maine are reducing operations to help reduce community transmission of the coronavirus and to protect employees who interact with the public. Courthouses will remain open and sufficiently staffed to ensure access for those who request protection from personal violence and whose liberty interests are at stake, according to a statement issued Sunday by the judicial branch.
5 years ago Area students come together to promote positivity For the second year in a row students from across the region wanting to make a difference in their schools and communities came together to share what they are doing and brainstorm ideas to carry forward at the Positive Action Team Summit on March 6 at Dexter Regional High School. The day-long event featured about 100 pupils from student-led teams representing high schools and/or middle schools in Dexter, Greenville, Guilford and Milo.
5 years ago Puritan Medical Products is one of the world’s top two makers of COVID-19 testing swabs Puritan Medical Products Co., which is a part of a Guilford manufacturing business with about 550 employees, is one of the top two makers of the specialized testing swabs that are desperately needed in areas hit by the virus, according to Kaiser Health News.
5 years ago Schools in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties extend closures for a month Schools in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties will remain closed for at least another month, through the normally scheduled week of April vacation.