As the coronavirus alters life in Maine, staying informed of the latest news and information is critically important as we all navigate the uncertainties that come with this pandemic. Maine has some tremendous journalists working tirelessly to keep the public informed. Here’s a collection of the most recent stories from our statewide media partners. Subscribe to our newsletter for daily updates.

 

Thursday, April 30, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Maine CDC reports 39 additional cases, 1 more death from COVID-19 (By Kevin Miller of the Portland Press Herald)
• New jobless claims decline for third week, but still surpass those seen in Great Recession (By Christopher Burns of the Bangor Daily News)
• Eight workers at Portland’s Tyson Foods plant test positive; state says all 400 should be tested (By Penelope Overton of the Portland Press Herald)
• A firm that employs doctors at 2 bankrupt Maine hospitals may seek bankruptcy itself (By Charles Eichacker of the Bangor Daily News)
• Businesses first in line under Mills’ recovery plan approach reopening with caution (By Edward D. Murphy of the Portland Press Herald)
• ‘A work in progress’ – how will Maine’s phased reopening work? (By Steve Mistler of Maine Public)
• Governor’s order will require everyone to wear face masks in public places, starting Friday (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• State challenged to gauge spread of virus, beyond confirmed cases (By Eric Russell of the Portland Press Herald)
• Experimental drug tested at Maine Med proves effective against coronavirus in study (From the Portland Press Herald)
• Thousands of Mainers turning to program that helps renters and landlords (By Randy Billings of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine CDC rejects Chinese-made masks for poor quality (By Jordan Bailey of the Portland Phoenix)
• Amtrak’s Downeaster Maine-to-Boston service suspended through end of May (From the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Maine’s most popular parks and beaches to remain closed until at least June 1 (By Scott Thistle of the Portland Press Herald)
• After conflicting messages, dentists can only treat emergencies in 1st stage of restart (By Eesha Pendharkar of the Bangor Daily News)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• Maine tourism industry worries quarantine rule will cancel its summer (By Peter McGuire of the Portland Press Herald)
• Tourism industry rails against quarantine mandate in Janet Mills’ plan to reopen economy (By Lori Valigra of the Bangor Daily News)
• Business leaders grapple with Maine’s restrictions while balancing ‘lives and livelihood’ (By Kathryn Skelton of the Sun Journal)
• Answers to some of the many questions prompted by the reopening plan (From the Portland Press Herald)
• Arrival of migrant workers in limbo (By Johanna S. Billings and Kate Cough of the Ellsworth American)
• Funtown Splashtown amusement park reportedly pulls plug on summer operations (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)
• Rockland mulls closing downtown Main Street to vehicle traffic during June (By Stephen Betts of the Courier-Gazette)
• Despite local restrictions, some Portland businesses will be allowed to open Friday (By Megan Gray of the Portland Press Herald)
• Knox County unsure it will receive $18 million federal airport bailout grant (By Stephen Betts of The Courier-Gazette)
• Mainers want haircuts and stylists want work, but salons aren’t all opening as restrictions lift (By Nick Schroeder of the Bangor Daily News)
• Stage 1 reopenings of businesses, services in Central Maine will be cautious (By Amy Calder of the Morning Sentinel)
• Lewiston-Auburn officials look for ways to help local businesses (By Andrew Rice of the Sun Journal)
• Downeast banks flooded with loan applications (By Mike Mandell of the Ellsworth American)
• COVID-19 threatens recreational season in the Oxford Hills (By Nicole Carter of the Advertiser Democrat)
• USM dorm, student center construction project delayed by outbreak (By Rachel Ohm of the Portland Press Herald)
• Relief and excitement abound as golf gets go-ahead to resume (By Drew Bonifant of the Kennebec Journal)
• Tourism association and Poland Spring launch tourism relief fund (From the Camden Herald)
• Grim Reaper links ‘death’ of Maine economy to Mills’ recent declaration (By Bill Pearson of the Boothbay Register)

HEALTHCARE

• Healthcare services to resume, but some patients will need patience (By Joe Lawlor of the Portland Press Herald)
• More staff and resident test positive for virus at John F. Murphy Homes in Auburn (By Christopher Williams of the Sun Journal)
• State rents 115 hotel rooms to create social distancing for homeless Mainers (By Randy Billings of the Portland Press Herald)
• Start of Central Aroostook Ambulance service postponed amid supply issues (By David Marino Jr. of the Aroostook Republican)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Edward Little seniors to graduate in a ‘drive-in’ ceremony (By Karen Kreworuka of the Sun Journal)
• Guidance departments use virtual technology to aid students in college admissions process (By Matthew Daigle of the Sun Journal)
• Catholic churches in Maine will hold drive-in Masses (By Gillian Graham of the Portland Press Herald)
• Cape Elizabeth to reopen Fort Williams Park (By Sean Murphy of the Forecaster)
• Windjammer Days 2020 canceled (From the Wiscasset Newspaper)
• Organizers announce cancellation of Machias Wild Blueberry Festival (By Sarah Craighead Dedmon of the Machias Valley News Observer)
• Rockland’s Maine Boat and Home Show, scheduled for August, canceled (From the Wiscasset Newspaper)
• Old Hallowell Day could be canceled after committee vote Saturday (By Sam Shepherd of the Kennebec Journal)
• Falmouth parks and trails remain closed, Audubon and land trust trails open (By Chance Viles of the American Journal)
• COVID-19 a boon for pet adoptions (By Nicole Carter of the Advertiser Democrat)
• Maine pandemic helpers and heroes get a huge, anonymous thank you card (By Troy R. Bennett of the Bangor Daily News)
• Brunswick nursing home residents get parade of visitors (By Darcie Moore of the Times Record)
• ‘A moment of appreciation:’ Yard signs thank health-care workers amid pandemic (By Colin Ellis of the Portland Phoenix)

 

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

TOP STORIES

• CDC reports another death and 16 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 (By Christopher Burns of the Bangor Daily News)
• 2 bankrupt Maine hospitals warn they could close in June if they don’t receive stimulus funds (By Charles Eichacker of the Bangor Daily News)
• Mills says virus reopening plan will rely on case data, but specifics are unclear (By Eric Russell of the Portland Press Herald)
• Medical experts say more testing, contact tracing needed as Maine begins to reopen (From the Portland Press Herald)
• Judge rules in favor of Maine tribe in blocking stimulus funds for tribal corporations (By Caitlin Andrews of the Bangor Daily News)
• Officials cancel 2020 Beach to Beacon 10K road race (By Mike Lowe of the Portland Press Herald)
• Rockland’s Maine Lobster Festival cancels 2020 event (By Stephen Betts of the Camden Herald)
• North Atlantic Blues Festival canceled amid pandemic (From the Boothbay Register)
• Here’s a list of the Maine parades, festivals and concerts that have been scrapped for 2020 (From Emily Burnham of the Bangor Daily News)
• Feds must step up to protect Maine lobster fishery, lawmakers say (From the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine schools expect almost $44 million in federal aid to offset costs of pandemic (By Rachel Ohm of the Portland Press Herald)
• How did a small coastal airport in Owls Head get an $18 million federal bailout? (By Peter McGuire of the Portland Press Herald)
• Law enforcement agencies say some beachgoers are violating stay-at-home order (By Taylor Cairns of WGME)
• Some Republicans are calling Janet Mills a dictator (By Steve Collins of the Sun Journal)
• Auburn mayor asks Gov. Mills to lift stay-at-home order (By Andrew Rice of the Sun Journal)

HEALTHCARE

• Maine hospitals and the state prepared for a much more intense COVID-19 pandemic (By Eesha Pendharkar of the Bangor Daily News)
• Lewiston’s Flowers Bakeries worker sick with COVID-19, asks others to self-quarantine (By Kathryn Skelton of the Sun Journal)
• First responders wear more equipment on every call, but still worry they could catch COVID-19 (By Caitlin Andrews of the Bangor Daily News)
• Federal aid increased for Maine hospitals, healthcare providers (By J. Craig Anderson of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine DHHS issues emergency rule to protect health of nursing home residents, staff (From the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Lincoln County has no new COVID-19 cases for two weeks (By Evan Houk of the Lincoln County News)
• The Virus Diaries: Richmond woman battles cancer, worries for daughter’s safety (By Kevin Thomas of the Portland Press Herald)
• Older Mainers strive to stay fit and healthy during the pandemic (By Kelley Bouchard of the Portland Press Herald)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• Most unemployed Mainers don’t receive benefits. Virus highlighted their plight. (By Jessica Piper and Nick Schroeder of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine to launch expansion of unemployment benefits Friday (By Peter McGuire of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine business leaders split on governor’s plan for reopening (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)
• Small businesses in Maine struggle to make PPP loans work (By Jordan Bailey of the Portland Phoenix)
• Maine golf courses can reopen Friday (By Steve Craig of the Portland Press Herald)
• Blueberry industry grapples with pandemic challenges (By Nancy Beal of the Machias Valley News Observer)
• Oxford County restaurants get creative to survive the shutdown (By Jon Bolduc of the Sun Journal)
• Some medical marijuana stores report boost in sales under virus (By Darcie Moore of the Times Record)
• Allagash runs out of beer on second day of its beer-filled ‘thank you’ week (By Gabrielle Mannino of News Center Maine)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Stores may reopen in June, but will shoppers return? (By Edward D. Murphy of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine gun sales continue to rise during pandemic (By Daryn Slover of the Sun Journal)
• Portland farmers’ market opens in Deering Oaks as ‘essential service’ during pandemic (By Colin Ellis of the Portland Phoenix)
• Dover-Foxcroft grocery shopping program provides safety for seniors amid virus concerns (By Ernie Clark of the Bangor Daily News)
• Portland gets overwhelming response to program to deliver food to seniors (By Lexi Grose of the Portland Press Herald)
• Midcoast Meals on Wheels loosens criteria due to virus, sees over 40% jump in need (By Kathleen O’Brien of the Times Record)
• More donations sustain Lincoln County food pantries through spike in demand (By Evan Houk of the Lincoln County News)
• Senior FarmShare available in Livermore Falls for eligible seniors (By Pam Harnden of the Livermore Falls Advertiser)
• Westbrook Together Days falls victim to social distancing (By Chance Viles of the American Journal)
• Lewiston-Auburn festival organizers still haven’t decided if their events will happen this summer (By Matthew Daigle of the Sun Journal)
• Brunswick council loosens restrictions for non-essential retail, allows contactless pickup and delivery (By Hannah LaClaire of the Times Record)
• Penobscot County extends government office closures through May 15 (By Judy Harrison of the Bangor Daily News)
• York leaders ponder how to open town pending state direction (By Erin Hayes of the York Weekly)
• Chelsea officials begin drafting town office reopening plan (By Sam Shepherd of the Kennebec Journal)
• Windsor selectmen still prefer to meet in person (By Keith Edwards of the Kennebec Journal)
• Westbrook couple builds mini library for neighbors during coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic (By Sebastian Bennage of News Center Maine)
• Online tai chi class helps Aroostook’s elderly connect, exercise in time of social isolation (By Alexander MacDougall of the Aroostook Republican)

 

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Some businesses closed by coronavirus may reopen Friday under Mills plan to restart economy (By Kevin Miller of the Portland Press Herald)
• Read the timeline for reopening Maine’s economy (By Lindsay Putnam of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine CDC reports 17 additional coronavirus cases but no new deaths (By Christopher Barnes of the Bangor Daily News)
• Situation dire at Belfast facility that’s become an epicenter for coronavirus (By Abigail Curtis of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine falling short on virus testing but outperforming most of New England (By Penelope Overton of the Portland Press Herald)
• Janet Mills’ spending freeze could free $250M to balance pandemic-ravaged budget (By Caitlin Andrews of the Bangor Daily News)
• Some taxpayers get shut out of stimulus, prompting challenge to federal law (By Randy Billings of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine now the only New England state that won’t release COVID-19 cases by town (By Colin Woodard of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine press, freedom of information groups urge public access to COVID-19 data (By Sarah Craig Dedmon of the Machias Valley News Observer)
• Dept. of Labor to accept unemployment applications for self-employed individuals starting on May 1 (From the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Federal loan program changes rules to benefit seasonal businesses (By J. Craig Anderson of the Portland Press Herald)
• COVID-19 has already cost Bates College up to $2 million (By Steve Collins of the Sun Journal)
• Portland schools weighing pandemic’s financial impact (By Rachel Ohm of the Portland Press Herald)
• Calls to poison control are up during the pandemic, but not because Mainers are ingesting Lysol (By Bill Trotter of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine may struggle to claim federal pandemic funding for elections (By Scott Thistle of the Portland Press Herald)
• Better Business Bureau Scam Alert: U.S. Census scam preys on stimulus confusion (From the Boothbay Register)

HEALTHCARE

• Calais hospital eliminating 10 percent of staff as it faces bankruptcy and pandemic (By Erin Rhoda of the Bangor Daily News)
• For ‘hidden heroes’ in home care, pandemic’s front lines extend into kitchens and bedrooms (By Kevin Miller of the Portland Press Herald)
• SOS mailer sent to 6,000 midcoast mailboxes with resources for domestic violence victims (From the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Medical practices try to keep up with crucial childhood vaccinations during pandemic (By Joe Lawlor of the Portland Press Herald)
• Belfast’s Harbor Hill nursing home holds its own against COVID-19 (By Fran Gonzalez of the Village Soup)
• Portland votes to extend stay-at-home order, require masks for some workers (By Megan Gray of the Portland Press Herald)
• Scarborough firm expands with COVID-19 home-monitoring system (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Municipalities still functioning as city, town offices remain closed to public (By Amy Calder, Taylor Abbott & Molly Shelly of the Morning Sentinel)
• With town meetings off the docket due to COVID-19, Maine’s small communities seek workarounds (By Irwin Gratz of Maine Public)
• Richmond officials delay town meeting, change format this year (By Jessica Lowell of the Kennebec Journal)
• Wheels of central Maine justice system moving slowly due to COVID-19 (By Keith Edwards of the Kennebec Journal)
• Foodservice shutdown leaves County potato industry struggling (By David Marino Jr. of the Aroostook Republican)
• New TV show on Maine Public aims to help remote learners (By Ray Routhier of the Portland Press Herald)
• Former Presque Isle resident donates $138,000 to Aroostook House of Comfort (By Melissa Lizotte of the Aroostook Republican)
• The Virus Diaries: No stranger to isolation in an era of deadly disease (By Deirdre Fleming of the Portland Press Herald)
• Mechanics advise driving vehicles regularly to maintain good operation (By Nathan Fournier of the Sun Journal)
• Auburn maskmaker can’t sew fast enough to meet demand (By Daryn Slover of the Sun Journal)
• Fort Fairfield cancels Maine Potato Blossom Festival (By David Marino of the Aroostook Republican)
• Acadia School of Traditional Music and Dance ends its run: Festival changed lives, careers (By Liz Graves of the Mount Desert Islander)
• Maine artists worry about the future of public installations as pandemic threatens funding (By Willis Ryder Arnold of Maine Public)

Monday, April 27, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Mills teases loosening of virus restrictions, but tells Maine to ‘stay the course’ (By Michael Shepherd & Jessica Piper of the Bangor Daily News)
• State budget crisis looms in Maine as pandemic rages (By Scott Thistle of the Portland Press Herald)
• 8 confirmed cases of COVID-19 added in Maine, one new death (By Patty Wight of Maine Public)
• Rush of new applications hobbles federal small business loan system (By Lori Valigra of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine nonprofits assess the costs of coronavirus response (By Megan Gray of the Portland Press Herald)
• Bowdoin College expects to lose more than $8 million by the end of the semester (By Hannah LaClaire of the Times Record)
• Maine prepares for possible second wave of coronavirus cases this fall (From WGME)
• Man robs Shaw’s supermarket in Portland wearing face mask (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)

HEALTHCARE

• Portland City Council considers amendment that would require workers to cover their faces (By Ed Morin of Maine Public)
• Giving birth in midst of pandemic: surreal, stressful and joyful (By Gillian Graham of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine VA healthcare professionals deploy to New York City (By Steve Craig of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine CDC building closed after vendor tests positive for COVID-19 (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• Coronavirus ends daredevil life of double-lung transplant survivor (From the Bangor Daily News)
• Bangor city bus service will require passengers to cover their faces if they want a ride (By Jennifer Mitchell of Maine Public)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• UMaine library to document pandemic life through community archive project (By Nina Mahaleris of the Penobscot Times)
• City of Belfast officials deliver donations to Tall Pines and Harbor Hill amid pandemic (From the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Maine’s craft brewers face bigger sales drop as virus restrictions threaten summer tourism (By Lori Valigra of the Bangor Daily News)
• Shopping in central Maine has changed in the time of coronavirus (By Jessica Lowell of the Kennebec Journal)
• Hallowell candy shop closing to focus on online, mobile sales (By Sam Shepherd of the Kennebec Journal)
• In-person graduations being rescheduled at central Maine colleges (By Taylor Abbott of the Morning Sentinel)
• As the weather warms, land trusts struggle with crowds (By Deirdre Fleming of the Portland Press Herald)
• The show can’t go on for some local Maine theaters amidst COVID-19 (By Chloe Teboe of News Center Maine)
• Aroostook Art and Historical Museum gives virtual tour for viewers at home (By Alexander MacDougall of the Aroostook Republican)

 

Sunday, April 26, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Maine’s economic fallout from coronavirus could be nation’s worst (By Peter McGuire of the Portland Press Herald)
• Total coronavirus cases top 1,000 in Maine, no new deaths reported Sunday (By WMTW)
• More than 400,000 Mainers got stimulus checks. Here’s what to do if you haven’t. (By Jessica Piper of the Bangor Daily News)
• King, Golden call for congress to allow remote voting, meetings (By Mal Leary of Maine Public)
• Lack of clarity about mask-wearing causing a face-off (By Ray Routhier of the Portland Press Herald)
• Feeling a bit grim? Here’s some good news from around the state. (By Emily Burnham of the Bangor Daily News)
• SBA to resume accepting Paycheck Protection Program applications on Monday (From the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Lawmakers want Maine labor chief to explain delay in unemployment benefits (By Caitlin Andrews of the Bangor Daily News)
• As coronavirus upends political campaigns, it also emerges as an issue (By Rachel Ohm of the Portland Press Herald)
• College of the Atlantic summer plans: residential programs canceled, others TBD (By Liz Graves of the Mount Desert Islander)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Central Maine technical schools try to make best of bad situation (By Dave Dyer of the Kennebec Journal/Morning Sentinel)
• Portland Farmers’ market brings new changes (From WGME)
• Maine Acts of Kindness: Dedicated volunteer keeps up with demand at food pantry (By Steve Craig of the Portland Press Herald)
• Local band playing for people waiting in line (by WGME)

 

Saturday, April 25, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Maine CDC director on the future of coronavirus testing in the state (By Steve Mistler of Maine Public)
• Maine reports 3 more COVID-19 deaths as the state sees 25 more cases (By Caitlin Andrews of the Bangor Daily News)
• As cases near 1,000, trends emerge about Maine’s infected (By Kevin Miller of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine CDC grappling with how to best help Maine’s nursing homes get through the pandemic (By Patty Wight of Maine Public)
• Maine healthcare providers ask Mills for legal immunity during coronavirus emergency (By Caitlin Andrews of the Bangor Daily News)
• More than half of Maine’s coronavirus deaths have been nursing home residents (By Matthew Stone of the Bangor Daily News)
• World War II veteran and longtime physician dies from COVID-19 (By Gillian Graham of the Portland Press Herald)
• Second Bangor homeless person tests positive for COVID-19 (By Callie Ferguson of the Bangor Daily News)
• Social distancing around Lewiston-Auburn not always obeyed or enforced (By Steve Collins of the Sun Journal)
• Army and Air National Guard training in order to train healthcare workers (By Emily Tadlock of WABI)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• Decisions on thousands of unemployment claims fast-tracked by labor department (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)
• Pandemic has Mainers buying more liquor, but there’s no trickle-down effect for brewers (By Randy Billings of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine insurance bureau warns of coronavirus scams (By J. Craig Anderson of the Portland Press Herald)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Plasma donation important as ever during coronavirus pandemic (By Wil Kramlich of the Sun Journal)
• Area golf pros share drills and exercises for self-isolation (By Nathan Fournier of the Sun Journal)
• The Virus Diaries: Soon-to-be grad stressed by hectic schedule (By Kevin Thomas of the Portland Press Herald)
• Couples struggling with infertility see treatments stop due to coronavirus outbreak (By Meghan Torjussen of WMTW)
• Special Olympics Maine keeps going during COVID-19 pandemic (By Jackie Mundry of News Center Maine)

 

Friday, April 24, 2020

TOP STORIES

• 3 new deaths and 28 more confirmed cases of coronavirus in Maine (By Eric Russell of the Portland Press Herald)
• As more states release COVID-19 cases by town, Maine says it could take 6 months (By Caitlin Andrews of Bangor Daily News)
• Pandemic hospitalizations in Maine continue to flatten and decline (By Colin Woodard of the Portland Press Herald)
• Governor avoids specifics in outline for reopening economy (By Eric Russell of the Portland Press Herald)
• Sen. King touts absentee ballots as safe, fair option for November election (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)
• Former Augusta firefighter Charlie Hopper dies of COVID-19 at 78 (By Sam Shepherd of the Kennebec Journal)
• Collins: Scammers Are Targeting Paycheck Protection Loan Program (From Maine Public)

EDUCATION

• UMaine System offers in-state tuition to students displaced by COVID-19 (By Rachel Ohm of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine’s college seniors face uncertainty after graduation (By Robbie Feinberg of Maine Public)
• UMaine nursing students graduating early to help fight COVID-19 (By Sean Stackhouse of News Center Maine)
• Midcoast nursing students worry about completing training (By Darcie Moore of the Times Record)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• Maine fishermen seek relief, new markets to navigate ‘economic disaster’ (By Penelope Overton of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine lags as most states expand unemployment to self-employed workers (By Jessica Piper of the Bangor Daily News)
• Docks quiet for now, Maine marinas make plans to stay afloat (By Tux Turkel of the Portland Press Herald)
• Frustration continues for Mainers dealing with overwhelmed unemployment system (By Jim Keithley of WMTW)
• Portland city councilor wants workers in contact with public to wear face masks (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• Lewiston gets $85,000 from feds for coronavirus safety (By Christopher Williams of the Sun Journal)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• How Mainers are preparing to say ‘I do’ during the COVID-19 pandemic (By Morgan Mitchell of the Bangor Daily News)
• Rising to the occasion: In quarantine, some find baking is exactly what they knead (By Hannah LaClaire of the Times Record)
• MOFGA, Maine Farmland Trust launch grants for farmers disrupted by coronavirus (By Molly Shelly of the Morning Sentinel)
• Maine doctors share their experiences fighting COVID-19 (By Taylor Cairns of WGME)
• These Mainers are delivering Ramadan supplies to Muslim families so they can stay at home (By Irwin Gratz of Maine Public)
• With so many hotels closed, how does CMP find rooms for 1,500 line and tree workers? (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)
• BIW 3D prints face shields for health care workers facing virus (By Kathleen O’Brien of the Times Record)
• Long-term health care residents stay connected to loved ones through donated iPads (By Ernie Clark of the Bangor Daily News)
• Mainers are taking part in a new pandemic pastime: Teddy bear hunting (By Nina Mahaleris of The Penobscot Times)
• Augusta landfill no longer taking recyclables due to COVID-19 (By Keith Edwards of the Kennebec Journal)
• Camp Mechuwana’s meal sharing grows beyond Monmouth in pandemic (By Rob Montana of the Kennebec Journal)
• Bath businesses mourn revenue lost by Heritage Days cancelation (By Kathleen O’Brien of the Times Record)
• Maine State Music Theatre cancels summer season (By Hannah LaClaire of the Times Record)

 

Thursday, April 23, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Five new deaths from coronavirus in Maine; deadliest single day so far (By Eric Russell of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine hospital system has more critical care beds and ventilators free now than before pandemic (By Erin Rhoda of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine unemployment claims surpass 100,000 since pandemic began (By Peter McGuire of the Portland Press Herald)
• St. Joe’s furloughs 100 workers as coronavirus takes financial toll on Bangor hospital (By Charles Eichacker of the Bangor Daily News)
• Latest federal relief bill could ramp up testing capacity in Maine (By Steve Mistler of Maine Public)
• Maine foundation gives $1 million to Good Shepherd Food Bank (By Megan Gray of the Portland Press Herald)
• A model says Maine can ease coronavirus restrictions by mid-May, but CDC isn’t using it (By Eesha Pendharkar of the Bangor Daily News)
• Many Mainers making more under expanded unemployment system than they did at work (By Jessica Piper of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine candidates forced to use different campaign methods during pandemic (By Mal Leary of Maine Public)
• Open Letter to Gov. Mills: Washington County Commissioners would like to open up the county ASAP (From Machias Valley News Observer)
• Wells and Ogunquit postpone elections, begin charting paths to reopen (By Ed Pierce of the York County Coast Star)
• Caribou considering nearly $40,000 stimulus to help municipal employees and businesses (By Chris Bouchard of The County)
• On any day, 40 percent of Mainers aren’t leaving their homes (By Jessica Piper of the Bangor Daily News)
• Homicide trials backlogged as virus delays Maine courts indefinitely (By Judy Harrison of the Bangor Daily News)

HEALTHCARE

• Fear of virus exposure keeping many Mainers from going to doctors and hospitals (By Joe Lawlor of the Portland Press Herald)
• Overdose risk during pandemic is tragic reality for some families (By Eric Russell of the Portland Press Herald)
• Belfast’s Tall Pines records new COVID-19 case, two new deaths (By George Harvey of the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Often cited in the past, problems continue for Lewiston nursing home (By Lindsay Tice of the Sun Journal)
• Northern Light official says warmer weather doesn’t mean virus will be killed (By Molly Shelly of the Morning Sentinel)
• Emergency shelter at Lewiston Armory is ready to house up to 60 (By Andrew Rice of the Sun Journal)
• Jackson Labs is saving mouse strains to protect future discoveries (By Liz Graves of the Mount Desert Islander)
• Maine’s stressed healthcare workers find support from peers online (By Patty Wight of Maine Public)
• During the pandemic, this Bangor bus driver is encouraged to see empty buses (By Charles Eichacker of the Bangor Daily News)
• A look at the 1918 Spanish flu that devastated Aroostook County (By David Marino Jr. of The County)

EDUCATION

• 2020: A Class Dismissed. How Maine’s seniors are handling the loss of their last year of high school (By Bailey Beltramo of Pine Tree Watch)
• UMaine-Farmington to hold commencement celebration in August (From the Sun Journal)
• Auburn School Committee approves graduation policy (By Karen Kreworuka of the Sun Journal)
• Boothbay Region High School working to celebrate its graduating seniors (By Kevin Burnham of the Boothbay Register)
• Students push for representation on Bates’ COVID-19 response committees on fall planning and finance (By Madeline Polkinghorn of The Bates Student)
• Economic uncertainty of Bates amidst COVID-19 (Georgina Scoville and Eleanor Boyle of The Bates Student)
• Maine mental health group launches teen peer support text line (From the Courier-Gazette)
• Educare distributes necessities for kids 0 to 5 at school parking lot (From the Morning Sentinel)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• The growing crisis in the Maine newspaper industry (By Darren Fishell of Pine Tree Watch)
• Already in an unpredictable business, farmers face more uncertainties than ever (By Peggy Grodinsky of the Portland Press Herald)
• Two Maine organizations collaborate to launch emergency grants for Maine farms (From the Boothbay Register)
• Labor officials: Self-employed Mainers should start preparing forms for expanded unemployment (By Fred Bever of Maine Public)
• Deepwater lobstermen stay afloat with direct sales (By Kendra Caruso of the Republican Journal)
• Child care centers and essential workers with kids get federal help during pandemic (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)
• Portland-area transit agencies get federal help with costs of pandemic (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• Lisbon’s small businesses, on cusp of revival, await COVID-19 aid (By Darcie Moore of the Times Record)
• Maine real estate sales have cooled, but agents say the market is still competitive (By Ed Morin of Maine Public)
• Westbrook company to triple workforce to produce PPE (By Chance Viles of the American Journal)
• Bike shops are busy as riders excitedly await warmer weather (By Larry Mahoney of the Bangor Daily News)
• Franklin County businesses make adjustments, accommodations in light of COVID-19 (By Annie Twitchell of The Original Irregular)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• ‘The Ramadan spirit’: Maine’s Muslim community prepares for holy month in quarantine (By Megan Gray of the Portland Press Herald)
• The Virus Diaries: Chaplain’s duties go on during the pandemic (By Kevin Thomas of the Portland Press Herald)
• In Maine or in the Bronx … food shortages being met without stimulus money (By Nicole Carter of The Advertiser Democrat)
• Waldoboro Holds First Weekly Drive-Thru Food Pantry (By Alexander Violo of the Lincoln County News)
• Benefit for food pantry draws line of customers to downtown Rockland (By Stephen Betts of the Courier-Gazette)
• Gardening for food, therapy: Suppliers scramble to meet demand (By Jordan Bailey of the Portland Phoenix)
• Acadia pushes opening dates (By Dick Broom of the Ellsworth American)
• Oxford Plains Speedway, New Oxford Dragway in wait-and-see mode (By Wil Kramlich of the Sun Journal)
• Maine golfers want governor to allow courses to open in May (By Larry Mahoney of the Bangor Daily News)

 

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Three more coronavirus deaths reported in Maine, bringing total to 39 (By Eric Russell of the Portland Press Herald)
• Coronavirus hospitalizations in Maine are declining. It doesn’t mean the outbreak is over. (By Jessica Piper of the Bangor Daily News)
• New relief bill would bring funds to Maine for testing, help with unemployment (By Mal Leary of Maine Public)
• State probes possible coronavirus outbreak at John F. Murphy Homes in Auburn (By Christopher Williams of the Sun Journal)
• As nursing homes grapple with the coronavirus, how much they tell families has varied (By Eesha Pendarkar of the Bangor Daily News)
• Protective gear wasn’t allocated to states based on population, despite claims (By Colin Woodard of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine tourism workers may be scarce this season as pandemic keeps foreign laborers away (By Bill Trotter of the Bangor Daily News)
• St. Mary’s Health System in Lewiston to furlough 77 staff members (By Lindsay Tice of the Sun Journal)
• Two Bridges Regional Jail inmate count down 30-40% (By Darcie Moore of the Times Record)
• Lewiston to receive additional grant funds for pandemic relief (By Andrew Rice of the Sun Journal)
• How the coronavirus has changed campaigning for these Maine candidates (By Jessica Piper of the Bangor Daily News)
• Westbrook police charging repeat violators of stay-at-home order (By Chance Viles of the American Journal)
• How a Belfast woman born during the 1918 flu pandemic celebrated her 102nd birthday (By Abigail Curtis of the Bangor Daily News)

HEALTHCARE

• Virus fears bring isolation, added health problems to long-term care residents (By Kelley Bouchard of the Portland Press Herald)
• Medical students returning to Maine offer help in times of COVID-19 crisis (By Alexander MacDougall of the Aroostook Republican)
• Virtual simulation replaces clinical training for nursing students (By Steve Sherlock of the Sun Journal)
• Portland Adult Ed grads working front lines of coronavirus response (By Michael Kelley of the Forecaster)
• Lewiston ‘wellness’ shelter to open today (By Andrew Rice of the Sun Journal)
• Greater Portland Metro requiring all bus passengers to wear face coverings (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• Saco company helps in COVID-19 fight by testing the tests (By Edward D. Murphy of the Portland Press Herald)
• Edgecomb summer resident dies from coronavirus complications (By Bill Pearson of the Boothbay Register)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• These Mainers got married on Facebook Live so their families could be there — sort of (By Troy R. Bennett of the Bangor Daily News)
• Surprise turns Topsham couple’s missed wedding date into memorable one (By Wil Kramlich of the Sun Journal)
• For split parents, there’s no blueprint for co-raising kids during this pandemic (By Abigail Curtis of the Bangor Daily News)
• The Virus Diaries: Out of work, but bigger picture is clearing up (By Kevin Thomas of the Portland Press Herald)
• Lewiston Farmers & Emergency Food Providers React to COVID-19 (By Amelia Keleher of The Bates Student)
• Skowhegan artisan spreads message of hope during pandemic (By Taylor Abbott of the Morning Sentinel)
• To keep workers safe, tie a ribbon ’round that old … Clynk bag? (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)
• Hallowell City Council OKs amendments to emergency operations plan (By Sam Shepherd of the Kennebec Journal)
• Opportunity Knox launches to support small businesses on the Midcoast (From the Village Soup)
• Maine State Music Theatre cancels season for the first time (By Bob Keyes of the Portland Press Herald)
• Beach to Beacon officials to decide soon on status of 2020 race (By Mike Lowe of the Portland Press Herald)
• Milo company building barriers for coronavirus protection (By Ernie Clark of the Bangor Daily News)
• Whitefield Manufacturer Proknee Swaps Knee Pads for Face Shields (By Evan Houk of the Lincoln County News)
• My Dad’s Place reopens to give away 454 pizzas to boost community morale after Jay explosion (By Pam Harnden of the Livermore Falls Advertiser)

 

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Another Mainer dies from coronavirus as cases rise to 888 statewide (From Christopher Burns of the Bangor Daily News)
• Republicans urge governor to share coronavirus information, ease some business restrictions (By Scott Thistle of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine universities plan to reopen campus this fall — but student life likely won’t be the same (By Eesha Pendharkar of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine likely has two more weeks until deaths begin to fall, according to new model (By Erin Rhoda of the Bangor Daily News)
• Which students are still in school? Engagement with remote learning varies in Maine (By Rachel Ohm of the Portland Press Herald)
• Mills administration says White House wrong on Maine’s testing capacity (By Eric Russell of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine released dozens of prisoners to prevent COVID-19 spread. But advocates say more should be done (By Susan Sharon of Maine Public)
• Landlords frustrated about executive order preventing eviction of tenants during COVID-19 (By Shannon Moss of News Center Maine)
• When protesters gathered in Augusta, one candidate stayed home with her sign (By Steve Collins of the Sun Journal)
• Portland won’t enforce restrictions on nonessential businesses (By Megan Gray of the Portland Press Herald)
• Massive turnout as Pineland Farms gives out food in Presque Isle (By David Marino Jr. of the Aroostook Republican)
• TD Bank among institutions criticized for poor response to emergency loan requests (By Edward D. Murphy of the Portland Press Herald)

HEALTHCARE

• Rural Maine prays death will wait as pandemic upends tradition and civic life (By Erin Rhoda of the Bangor Daily News)
• Portland disaster-preparedness firm partners up for COVID-19 medical shelters (By J. Craig Anderson of the Portland Press Herald)
• South Berwick family on the road to recovery from COVID-19 (From WGME)
• BIW uses 3D printers to create face-shield holders for use in battle against COVID-19 coronavirus (By Beth Brogan of News Center Maine)
• Idexx to be second company in Maine producing COVID-19 test kits (By J. Craig Anderson of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine boards of licensure overseeing doctors issues guidance prescribing COVID-19 meds for prophylactic use (From the Pen Bay Pilot)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Maine Acts of Kindness: Peer support groups provide an online ‘lifeline’ to members (By Mike Lowe of the Portland Press Herald)
• Meeting of Owls Head selectmen hijacked by man playing loud music (By Stephen Betts of Village Soup)
• Coronavirus spurs ‘revolution’ in Portland-area real estate industry (By Michael Kelley of The Forecaster)
• Class credit policy amended for Lewiston seniors (By Karen Kreworuka of the Sun Journal)
• School counselors reassure frustrated York families amid coronavirus shutdown (By Deborah McDermott of York Weekly)
• Ceremony or no ceremony, Veazie school finds creative ways to celebrate graduates (By Nina Mahaleris of the Bangor Daily News)
• The Virus Diaries: ‘I never thought I’d say this, I actually miss school’ (By Steve Craig of the Portland Press Herald)
• Camp Ellis residents concerned with open beach (From WGME)
• Corona Freedom Bucks coming to Shiretown to help stimulate economy (By Joseph Cyr of the Aroostook Republican)
• With wedding season approaching, Maine couples and venues alter plans (By Bob Keyes of the Portland Press Herald)
• Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens pivots to online programming while preparing for late season (By Kathleen O’Brien of the Times Record)
• Temporary program provides rent assistance to County residents during pandemic (By Melissa Lizotte of the Aroostook Republican)
• Portland shelter takes pandemic approach to finding pets homes (By Michael Kelley of The Forecaster)
• Two years after tragedy, Corporal Cole Day postponed due to COVID-19 coronavirus (By Zach Blanchard of News Center Maine)
• Cape Elizabeth garden tour postponed until 2021 (By Gillian Graham of the Portland Press Herald)
• May town meeting postponed in Mount Desert (By Dick Broom of the Mount Desert Islander)
• Pop-Up Pantry Distributes Food to 40 Families in Somerville (By Alexander Violo of the Lincoln County News)
• Boothbay Region Elementary School fourth-graders share words of comfort (From Boothbay Register)
• Houlton siblings complete marathon to foster hope during virus (By Joseph Cyr of The County)
• University of Maine System seeking to provide financial support for students (By Leela Stockley of the Maine Campus)
• Take a look at the scene of the coronavirus restrictions protest in Augusta (From the Bangor Daily News)

 

Monday, April 20, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Hundreds protest Mills’ restrictions aimed at slowing coronavirus (By Jessica Piper of the Bangor Daily News)
• Collins says she is hopeful a deal can be reached on pandemic relief funding (By Mal Leary of Maine Public)
• Maine CDC reports additional coronavirus death, slight uptick in cases (By Kevin Miller of the Portland Press Herald)
• ‘Weeks, not months:’ Self-employed Mainers still cannot get unemployment benefits (By Zach Blanchard of News Center Maine)
• How can I pay rent? Is my husband immune? And other coronavirus queries (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)
• Calls grow to expand small-biz loans after 15,000 Maine firms get $1.9B (By Renee Cordes of Maine Biz)
• Charitable food pantries battle to keep pace with demand (By Ernie Clark of the Bangor Daily News)
• Augusta Civic Center could be $700,000 in the hole by September (By Keith Edwards of the Kennebec Journal)
• Paul LePage wants to help Maine cope with COVID-19 (By Steve Collins of the Sun Journal)
• Bath offering loans for small businesses struggling amid pandemic (By Kathleen O’Brien of the Times Record)
• Portland to clarify rules for nonessential businesses in meeting this evening (From WGME)
• This traveling nurse fought coronavirus in Lewiston. Her next stop scares her more. (By Nick Schroeder of the Bangor Daily News)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• Maine’s clean-energy progress stopped cold by coronavirus (By Tux Turkel of the Portland Press Herald)
• Puritan Medical Products reportedly ordered to make more swabs under Defense Production Act (By Maureen Milliken of Mainebiz)
• Maine Labor Department holds line on teen work hours during pandemic (By Scott Thistle of the Portland Press Herald)
• Animal lab Idexx to produce COVID-19 test kits for people (By J. Craig Anderson of the Portland Press Herald)
• 42 Maine nonprofits awarded $100K in Machias Savings grants (By Renee Cordes of Mainebiz)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Main Street Bath cancels annual Bath Heritage Days festival (By Kathleen O’Brien of the Times Record)
• Thomas College students donate programs to local teachers during school closures (By Molly Shelly of the Morning Sentinel)
• The Virus Diaries: ‘I have begun turning lemons into lemonade’ (By Kevin Thomas of the Portland Press Herald)
• Central Maine summer entertainment season on hold? (By Jessica Lowell of the Kennebec Journal)
• ‘Quarantine Karaoke’ raises money for Bangor Area Homeless Shelter (By Chloe Teboe of News Center Maine)
• Oxford restaurant giving out free meals during coronavirus crisis (By Roslyn Flaherty of News Center Maine)
• ‘I think it’s doable by then,’ Maine’s golf courses hoping to be open by May 1st after coronavirus pandemic (By Sam Rogers of News Center Maine)
• Maine healthcare provider asks for help supplying patients with masks (By Cristina Frank of WMTW)
• The solace of nature in a time of troubles (From the Portland Press Herald)

 

Sunday, April 19, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Billions on the line: Vacationland threatened by coronavirus pandemic (By Peter McGuire of the Portland Press Herald)
• Trump calls Angus King ‘worse than any Democrat’ after senator’s criticism of virus response (By Michael Shepherd of the Bangor Daily News)
• 2 more Mainers die as coronavirus cases rise to 867 in all 16 counties (By Rosemary Lausier of the Bangor Daily News)
• Pandemic will delay Lewiston’s downtown ‘transformation plan’ (By Andrew Rice of the Sun Journal)
• Advocates: Numbers may not show the real toll COVID-19 is taking on domestic violence victims (By Christopher Williams of the Sun Journal)
• Mainers on the front lines (By Matt Byrne, Kelley Bouchard and Joe Lawlor of the Portland Press Herald)
• Pingree urges USDA to make sure coronavirus aid reaches Maine farmers (By Peter McGuire of the Portland Press Herald)
• South Berwick man cleared to go home after battling COVID-19 (By WGME)
• Mainers having trouble getting vacation rental refunds due to COVID-19 coronavirus (By Roslyn Flaherty of News Center Maine)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Class of 2020 tries to navigate a job market in chaos (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)
• Supporting children with autism in challenging times (By Kate Cough of the Ellsworth American)
• Take a tip from Mainers who lived in isolation long before coronavirus (By Ray Routhier of the Portland Press Herald)
• Athletics offered key lessons to healthcare workers on the front line (By Mike Lowe of the Portland Press Herald)
• Earth Day takes on added significance on its 50th anniversary (By Deirdre Fleming of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine International Film Festival still scheduled for July, organizers considering adjustments (By Molly Shelly of the Morning Sentinel)
• Birthday in quarantine: Family surprises 93-year-old with parade, new car (By Sam Shepherd of the Kennebec Journal)
• Hard times get a layer of frosting at Jorgensen’s Café in Waterville (By Rich Abrahamson of the Morning Sentinel)
• Working from home: Supporting others a common theme (By Daryn Slover of the Sun Journal)
• Auto racing: Maine drivers taking to iRacing with tracks shut down (By Wil Kramlich of the Sun Journal)
• Community theaters in upheaval over COVID-19 pandemic (By Jon Bolduc of the Sun Journal)
• The New England Arab American organization collects food and supplies for Maine communities (From WGME)
• Bowdoin College archiving this moment in history (From WGME)
• Neighbors helping neighbors in Lake Region during coronavirus, COVID-19 outbreak (By Hannah Yechivi of News Center Maine)
• Restaurant owners serve up Sunday sandwiches and soups to seniors (By Morgan Mitchell of the Fiddlehead Focus)
• In photos, Midcoast Maine establishes new normal with a sense of grace (From the Pen Bay Pilot)

 

Saturday, April 18, 2020

TOP STORIES

• On call with Pence, Sen. King calls administration’s failure to expand testing a ‘dereliction of duty’ (By Matt Byrne and Gillian Graham of the Portland Press Herald)
• 847 coronavirus cases confirmed as death toll rises to 32 (By Nick Sambides Jr. of Bangor Daily News)
• Portland retirement community reports cluster of COVID-19 cases (By Fred Bever of Maine Public)
• Number of virus patients in Maine hospitals flattened or decreased in the past week (By Colin Woodard of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine plans to double its coronavirus tracking staff (By Penelope Overton of the Portland Press Herald)
• State employees’ union hits Maine for excluding state workers from federal paid leave law (By Jessica Piper of Bangor Daily News)
• Family of deceased resident of Belfast nursing home raises alarm over patient care (By Randy Billings of the Portland Press Herald)
• ‘It won’t be one size fits all’ – Maine CDC cautious about Trump admin’s new guidelines (By Patty Wight of Maine Public)
• Maine lawmaker organizes protest of governor’s coronavirus restrictions (By Scott Thistle of the Portland Press Herald)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• Maine fishermen say they missed out on pandemic relief program (By Fred Bever of Maine Public)
• Portland eases new restrictions on ‘non-essential’ businesses (By Rachel Ohm of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine could lose $1B by next year due to coronavirus (By Caitlin Andrews and Jessica Piper of Bangor Daily News)
• ‘Virtual halls’ have replaced city halls for much of Maine (By Lauren Abbate of Bangor Daily News)
• Self-employed Mainers struggling, still unable to access unemployment benefits (By Marissa Bodnar of WGME)
• Child protection workers caring for their own kids can’t get paid leave (By Eric Russell of the Portland Press Herald)
• New virtual farmers market in Lisbon (By Kathryn Skelton of the Sun Journal)
• Consumers should expect a very different farmers market landscape this summer (By Julia Bayly of Bangor Daily News)
• Maine dairy farmers worry coronavirus outbreak will put them out of business (By Phil Hirschkorn of WMTW)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Maine inmates produce protective equipment, as DOC adjusts practices to prevent COVID-19 outbreak (By Susan Sharon of Maine Public)
• Acadia National Park extends coronavirus shutdown another month (By Nick Sambides Jr. of Bangor Daily News)
• The Virus Diaries: Couple seek clues in tests for antibodies (By Kevin Thomas of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine air has become noticeably cleaner during pandemic, experts say (By Aislinn Sarnacki of Bangor Daily News)
• With traffic down in Maine, wildlife hospitals seeing decline in injured animals (By Deirdre Fleming of the Portland Press Herald)
• Bowdoin incurs $6.8 million in virus-related costs, receives $1.12 million in federal aid (By Ian Ward and Kate Lusignan of The Bowdoin Orient)
• Wiscasset teen making mask extenders to help health care workers (From WGME)
• Maine authors find an eager audience with virtual events (By Bob Keyes of the Portland Press Herald)
• Want a free beer? Donate essential goods to Allagash (By J. Craig Anderson of the Portland Press Herald)
• Birthday parades replace parties in time of pandemic (By Christopher Williams of the Sun Journal)
• Celebration Barn announces cancellation of 2020 season (By Jon Bolduc of the Sun Journal)
• ‘Just despair’: amid economic uncertainty, seniors continue job hunt (By Emily Cohen of The Bowdoin Orient)
• Science courses adapt to challenges of remote learning (By Jaret Skonieczny of The Bowdoin Orient)
• Students voice concern over fall semester in open letters, petitions (By Maia Coleman of The Bowdoin Orient)
• Bowdoin Minecraft Club builds virtual community (By Julia Jennings of The Bowdoin Orient)
• NCAA allows Division III spring athletes additional season of eligibility (By Dylan Sloan of The Bowdoin Orient)

 

Friday, April 17, 2020

TOP STORIES

• How a lack of tests has hamstrung Maine’s efforts to curb COVID-19 and reopen the economy (By Steve Mistler of Maine Public)
• Another 2 Mainers die as coronavirus cases hit 827 statewide (By Christopher Burns of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine gets $625M to cover pandemic costs, but it’s unclear who decides how to spend it (By Caitlin Andrews of the Bangor Daily News)
• Mills administration held secret meetings on pandemic with state lawmakers (By Scott Thistle of the Press Herald)
• Maine astronaut Jessica Meir returns to a changed Earth after historic mission in space (By Christopher Burns of the Bangor Daily News)
• In closed-off Maine nursing homes, separation from family takes its toll (By Charles Eichacker of the Bangor Daily News)
• Augusta plans to continue educating students without grading them (By Keith Edwards of the Kennebec Journal)
• Bates College considers possible changes for its fall semester (By Steve Collins of the Sun Journal)
• Feeling pandemic pressure, Kennebunk to revisit proposed budget on Saturday (By Shawn Sullivan of the York County Coast Star)

HEALTHCARE

• Pandemic intensifies daily emergencies for Bangor’s homeless (By Callie Ferguson of the Bangor Daily News)
• Hope House opens temporary homeless shelter amid debate about how many beds Bangor needs (By Callie Ferguson of the Bangor Daily News)
• ‘I’m in limbo,’ says Mass. man who continues to test positive while quarantined in Somerset County (By Scott Monroe of the Kennebec Journal)
• Mid Coast Hospital has treated 17 cases of COVID-19 overall, with three currently in hospital (By Hannah LaClaire of the Times Record)
• Former Bates lacrosse star leaves hospital after monthlong battle with coronavirus (By Pete Warner of the Bangor Daily News)
• Alternate care site at Cross Center not yet needed (From WFVX)
• Wiscasset Ambulance will buy CPR device to limit exposure to virus (By Jessica Clifford of the Lincoln County News)
• Maine Acts of Kindness: Gorham woman’s handmade masks aid hospice workers (By Steve Craig of the Portland Press Herald)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• When can Maine reopen? The answer’s complicated (By Joe Lawlor of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine Labor Commissioner on the changing unemployment eligibility rules (By Nora Flaherty of Maine Public)
• Krispy Kreme closes Auburn & Saco stores (By Kathryn Skelton of the Sun Journal)
• ‘Not the year to start a new venture:’ Pierrette’s C’est si Bon Cafe in Auburn to close (By Mark LaFlamme of the Sun Journal)
• Augusta, Gardiner downtown organizations offer fast help to eligible businesses (By Jessica Lowell of the Kennbec Journal)
• Maine Arts Commission gets $426,800 in pandemic relief (By Bob Keyes of the Portland Press Herald)
• Boothbay Register, Wiscasset Newspaper produce combined issue to save money (From Kevin Burnham of the Wiscasset Newspaper)
• Bangor-area restaurants creatively adjusting to takeout and delivery business (By John Wagoner of WFVX)
• Workers describe life on the front lines as ‘essential’ (By Christine Simmonds of the Courier Gazette)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• This Mainer is recreating iconic images in her own ‘locked-down’ artist residency (By Troy R. Bennett of the Bangor Daily News)
• What life is like in Maine’s only county with no known COVID-19 cases (By Irwin Gratz of Maine Public)
• Maine DOT, MTA continue road projects amid coronavirus pandemic (From Sean Stackhouse of News Center Maine)
• It’s a grassroots fight against COVID-19 hardships in Oxford County (By Nicole Carter of the Advertiser Democrat)
• One family, five children: the ups and downs of remote schooling (By Anne Berleant of Island Ad-Vantages)
• Edward Little graduation policy passes first reading (By Karen Kreworuka of the Sun Journal)
• RSU 40 in Union board approves continuity of learning plan (By Christine Simmonds of the Village Soup)
• SNAP recipients eligible to replace food lost in power outage (From Sun Journal)
• Waldo Community Action Partners announces food distribution schedule (From the Village Soup)
• Camden Rotary mobilizes to address pandemic, support graduating seniors (From the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Ogunquit creates program to help vulnerable residents (From WMTW)
• Boothbay Harbor Country Club members raise $101,415 for Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine (From the Boothbay Register)
• CMP donates $100,000 to support school meals (By Rachel Ohm of the Portland Press Herald)
• United Midcoast Charities launches rapid response fund (From the Village Soup)
• Pineland Farms offers virtual story time for children (By WGME)
• Rockland Public Library hosts online mushrooming presentation (From the Village Soup)
• Portland’s Memorial Day Parade canceled due to coronavirus outbreak (By WGME)
• Maine moose lottery in June will be held online only (By Deirdre Fleming of the Portland Press Herald)
• Friends of Boothbay’s Windjammer Days discuss options (By Lisa Kristoff of the Boothbay Register)
• New pro golf tournament at Falmouth Country Club canceled (By Steve Craig of the Portland Press Herald)
• Expat Mainers in virus ‘hotspots’ abroad are grappling with far more restrictions (By Emily Burnham of the Bangor Daily News)
• Bottle redemption centers see less material but more efficient service (By Nathan Fournier of the Sun Journal)
• The Virus Diaries: Teen offers a ‘list of instructions for not giving up’ (By Steve Craig of the Portland Press Herald)
• Waterville city councilor back in U.S. after stranded in Cape Verde Islands (By Amy Calder of the Morning Sentinel)

 

Thursday, April 16, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Maine sees 3 more coronavirus deaths, 26 new confirmed cases (By Eric Russell of the Portland Press Herald)
• Mills pauses some evictions as pandemic makes it harder for tenants to pay rent (By Caitlin Andrews of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine jobless claims decline significantly from 30,000-plus last week to 13,421 this week (By Lori Valigra of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine’s jobless could see federal unemployment funds next week, but some will have to wait longer (By Noah Flaherty of Maine Public)
• Wex — whose CEO bought and sold thousands of company shares 2 days before prices dropped — announces layoffs, furloughs affecting 5% of workforce (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)
• Belfast’s Tall Pines Retirement and Healthcare Community records 25th COVID-19 case (By George Harvey of Pen Bay Pilot)
• Coronavirus swept through 4 Maine senior homes, even those with high Medicare scores (By Charles Eichacker of the Bangor Daily News)
• Susan Collins, Angus King join presidential task force to reopen economy (By Jessica Piper of the Bangor Daily News)
• Union, Bath Iron Works agree to extend contract (From Maine Public)
• Maine nursing schools graduate students early so they can fight the pandemic (By Caitlin Andrews of the Bangor Daily News)
• Rural counties with many seasonal homes see more coronavirus, study says (By Erin Rhoda of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine licensing boards caution doctors against prescribing unproven COVID-19 drugs (By Eric Russell of the Portland Press Herald)
• Portland schools plan to hold in-person high school graduation in August (By Joe Lawlor of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine Supreme Court suspends oral arguments (By Mal Leary of Maine Public)
• Maine banks recovering after stimulus checks create online traffic jams (By Renee Cordes of Mainebiz)
• Windham business owners offered coronavirus impact loans (By Emily Bader of the Lakes Region Weekly)

HEALTHCARE

• Inside the tent with a doctor who can’t stand on the sidelines (By Barbara Walsh of Pine Tree Watch)
• Front-line workers in Maine plead for more protective equipment (By Edward Murphy of the Portland Press Herald)
• As Maine responds to a pandemic, a key public health workforce remains understaffed (By Caitlin Andrews of the Bangor Daily News)
• Corrections chief briefs lawmakers about pandemic response, but public is shut out (By Megan Gray of the Portland Press Herald)
• Chebeague Island ferry will carry suspected COVID-19 patients after all (By Colin Woodard of the Portland Press Herald)
• Child abuse and neglect calls down 30% in Maine, likely unreported during pandemic (By John Chrisos of WGME)
• Worry, stress take toll on those struggling with mental health in Maine (By Jenny Ibsen of the Portland Phoenix)
• The Virus Diaries: Losing sense of smell was only clue she had COVID-19 (By Mike Lowe of the Portland Press Herald)
• Waterville fire department seeks funding for part-time medical director (By Amy Calder of the Morning Sentinel)
• Camden Area Food Pantry appreciates volunteers, offers curbside pickup (By Susan Mustapitch of the Courier Gazette)
• Recognizing dispatchers for National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (By Chloe Teboe of News Center Maine)
• USM students engineering designs for mass-produced face shield (By Michael Kelley of the Forecaster)
• Food assistance resources for Oxford Hills residents (By Nicole Carter of the Advertiser Democrat)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• With schools closed, parents of kids with disabilities struggle to keep them on track (By Robbie Feinberg of Maine Public)
• What are Maine families without internet connection supposed to do for the rest of the school year? (By Kay Stephens of the Pen Bay Pilot)
• ‘Building the plane as we fly it’: Wiscasset administration talks remote learning (By Susan Johns of the Wiscasset Newspaper)
• Augusta to consider delaying June election due to coronavirus concerns (By Keith Edwards of the Kennebec Journal)
• South Portland says dogs must be leashed in public spaces (By Rachel Ohm of the Portland Press Herald)
• Pandemic reshapes Lewiston City Council’s early goals (By Andrew Rice of the Sun Journal)
• Mechanic Falls taxpayers get 60-day extension to file taxes (By Steve Sherlock of the Sun Journal)
• From pro golf to college classes, crisis could affect Maine’s summer plans (By William Hall of Mainebiz)
• Portland’s Old Port Half Marathon & 5K canceled (By Steve Craig of the Portland Press Herald)
• Bath-area school district pauses food service during April vacation (By Darcie Moore of the Times Record)
• Westbrook teen center steps up, but needs help (By Chance Viles of American Journal)
• Aroostook airports receive federal funding to aid costs during virus (By Melissa Lizotte of The County)

 

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Coronavirus claims four more Maine lives as confirmed cases climb to 770 (By Kevin Miller of the Portland Press Herald)
• Court appoints watchdog to oversee Calais hospital’s patient care after state raises alarm (By Christopher Burns of the Bangor Daily News)
• Confusion arises over Maine CDC’s testing protocols for group homes (By Randy Billings of the Portland Press Herald)
• Stay-at-home order threatens to derail independent Senate candidates (By Susan Cover of Pine Tree Watch)
• Gov. Mills seeks to help Maine’s struggling hunger relief charities (By Steve Collins of the Sun Journal)
• How social distance, quarantining function in one Maine prison (By Susan Sharon of Maine Public)
• Baxter State Park is closed until further notice as a result of coronavirus, COVID-19 (From Griffin Stockford of News Center Maine)
• Maine small businesses receive $2.1 billion in paycheck protection loans (From the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Maine unemployment office to extend call-in hours starting Monday (By J. Craig Anderson of the Portland Press Herald)
• Feds hunting for medical supply hoarders, price gougers in Maine (By Penelope Overton of the Portland Press Herald)
• Belfast city council approves COVID-19 relief fund (By Kendra Caruso of the Village Soup)

HEALTHCARE

• Why didn’t Maine get any ventilators from the federal stockpile? (From Colin Woodard of the Portland Press Herald)
• Coronavirus begins to hit Maine workers compensation system (By Scott Thistle of the Portland Press Herald)
• Mainers fear hydroxychloroquine shortage; state issues new guidance (By Marissa Bodnar of WGME)
• Coronavirus crisis: Maine CDC shows confidence in Chinese masks (By Jordan Bailey of the Portland Phoenix)
• Five Hancock County coronavirus cases reported (By Kate Cough of the Ellsworth American)
• Lincoln County has two new COVID-19 cases (By Evan Houk of the Lincoln County News)
• Lewiston nonprofit developing temporary ‘wellness’ shelter at armory (By Andrew Rice of the Sun Journal)
• She learned her mother has coronavirus at the Augusta rehab center, and her questions began (By Erin Rhoda of the Bangor Daily News)
• Coronavirus testing capacity at Mount Desert Island Hospital gets a boost (By Liz Graves of the Mount Desert Islander)
• Former Bates College lacrosse star remains in coma with coronavirus (By Pete Warner of the Bangor Daily News)
• Patchwork of businesses, crafters lend skills to Mainers who need masks (By Nora Flaherty of Maine Public)
• Central Maine ingenuity helping meet the need for face shields (By Jessica Lowell of the Kennebec Journal)
• Damariscotta woman gives $30K in virus aid (By Evan Houk of the Lincoln County News)

EDUCATION

• Maine colleges plan for how coronavirus could affect fall semester (By Rachel Ohm of the Portland Press Herald)
• UMaine to honor extra year of eligibility for spring athletes but with no extra scholarship money (By Larry Mahoney of the Bangor Daily News)
• St. John in Winslow, St. Michael in Augusta to continue distance learning until year end (By Molly Shelly of the Morning Sentinel)
• RSU 13 in Rockland to end school year on May 29 (By Stephen Betts of the Courier Gazette)
• No return to classrooms this school year for Camden-Rockport students (By Susan Mustapich of the Courier Gazette)
• RSU 73 in Jay to finish year remotely, making tentative plans for year-end activities (By Pam Harnden of the Livermore Falls Advertiser)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Grocery stores & their Maine employees find themselves on the front line (By Colin Ellis of the Portland Phoenix)
• The Virus Diaries: Anchored and isolated on a sailboat (By Kevin Thomas of the Portland Press Herald)
• Area libraries see growing audience for online programming (By Steve Sherlock of the Sun Journal)
• Lighter traffic in Maine expected to make road work faster, safer (By Edward D. Murphy of the Portland Press Herald)
• Portland imposes temporary leash restrictions for dogs (By Megan Gray of the Portland Press Herald)
• Tough time for Lewiston animal shelter (By Lindsay Tice of the Sun Journal)
• As coronavirus stalls bookings, Portland Airbnb hosts weigh shift to long-term rentals (By Nick Schroeder of the Bangor Daily News)
• Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce postpones events (By Joseph Cyr of The County)
• Hancock County Jail staff trying to keep things “business as usual” during outbreak (By Jennifer Osborn of the Ellsworth American)
• Lincoln County seeks volunteers to shop for people in quarantine (From the Lincoln County News)
• Waldoboro moves town meeting to July (By Alexander Violo of the Lincoln County News)
• Whoopie pies may save Fort Kent diner during virus crisis (By Jessica Potila of the Fiddlehead Focus)
• Eager to make debut, new high school sports varsity coaches now must wait (By Travis Lazarczyk of the Morning Sentinel)
• Renys kicks off curbside pickup shopping amid coronavirus pandemic (From Chelsea Bard of News Center Maine)

 

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Maine CDC reports another death, as Mills extends civil emergency proclamation (By Kevin Miller of the Portland Press Herald)
• Coronavirus makes a ‘limited pool’ of nursing home workers even smaller (By Charles Eichacker of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine lags New England states in reporting data on pandemic (By Colin Woodard of the Portland Press Herald)
• Belfast long-term care facility with COVID-19 outbreak has a history of health violations (By Randy Billings of the Portland Press Herald)
• BIW says it will stay open despite plea from 72 lawmakers (By Kathleen O’Brien of the Times Record)
• Maine, N.H. Delegation urge DOD to reinstate paid leave policy at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (By Gabrielle Mannino of News Center Maine)
• Maine doctors prescribing drugs unproven against COVID-19 (By Eric Russell of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine colleges and universities receive $41 million in federal coronavirus aid (By Eric Russell of the Portland Press Herald)
• Skowhegan hospital closes rehab unit after ‘small cluster’ tests positive for COVID-19 (By Taylor Abbott of the Morning Sentinel)
• Already isolated by pandemic, Mainers cope with power outages from 2 storms (By Abigail Curtis of the Bangor Daily News)
• Here’s how to help in your community during the pandemic (By Megan Gray of the Portland Press Herald)

HEALTHCARE

• Maine Med joins clinical trials for potential COVID-19 drug (By Joe Lawlor of the Portland Press Herald)
• Daughter of Augusta rehab patient who tested negative for COVID-19 struggles with what to do (By Eesha Pendharkar of the Bangor Daily News)
• After rash of COVID-19 cases in Maine care facilities, a call for universal testing (By Patty Wight of Maine Public)
• Presque Isle nursing home powers through difficult COVID-19 regulations (By David Marino Jr. of The County)
• LincolnHealth infectious disease expert Dr. Cate Cavanaugh talks COVID-19 (By Joseph Charpenteir of the Boothbay Register)
• First responders salute Inland healthcare workers in Waterville (From the Morning Sentinel)
• State gives final approval to Central Maine Healthcare’s proposed $38 million cancer center (By Matthew Daigle of the Sun Journal)
• State announces support for people with substance use disorder amid COVID-19 (From the Boothbay Register)
• Franklin Memorial Health COVID-19 preparations: An update for the community (From the Original Irregular)
• Maine sex therapist answers COVID-19 intimacy questions (By Georgina Scoville of The Bates Student)
• New effort provides, delivers free meals to Mainers in need (From WMTW)
• 100 years ago, Rockland’s Narragansett Hotel was an emergency hospital during influenza pandemic (By Kay Stephens of the Pen Bay Pilot)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• Still no date in sight for expansion of Maine unemployment benefits (By Peter McGuire of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine restaurant owner: paycheck protection loans well intended but falling short (By Irwin Gratz of Maine Public)
• Sam Adams to give $1,000 grants to unemployed bar and restaurant workers in Maine (From WGME)
• With showrooms shut down, Maine auto dealers focus on service and remote sales (By Tux Turkel of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine’s many summer camps hope they can open this year (By Steve Collins of the Sun Journal)
• Rockland restaurateur enters third week of providing free meals (By George Harvey of the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Boston Brands of Maine starts bottling hand sanitizer (By Kathryn Skelton of the Sun Journal)
• York distillery turns sugar into sanitizer for area hospitals (By Dan Bancroft of the York County Coast Star)

EDUCATION

• Schools tailor ‘remote learning’ to students’ needs (By Karen Kreworuka of the Sun Journal)
• Maine education chief: Teaching your kids at home is tough – we’re all finding our way (From the Portland Press Herald)
• Midcoast school boards to vote on continuing distance learning until school year ends (From the Boothbay Register)
• ‘Do you ever get homesick?’ — school kids pose questions to Maine astronauts aboard ISS (By Ed Morin of Maine Public)
• UMaine Library continues to support students virtually with remote learning (By Bhavana Scalia-Bruce of the Maine Campus)
• A valuable resource for USM students during COVID-19 outbreak (By Asha Tompkins of the USM Free Press)
• How to keep calm and carry on during a pandemic (By Christina Perrone of the Bates Student)
• Old Town High School celebrates spirit week remotely with ‘virtual spring fling’ (By Nina Mahaleris of the Penobscot Times)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• The Virus Diaries: Sisters mourn alone, without memorial service for mom (By Deirdre Fleming of the Portland Press Herald)
• Rockland questions spring, summer outdoor festivals, cruise ship visits as pandemic continues (By Sarah Thompson of the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Pineland Farms Potato Company to give away 5,000 food boxes across Aroostook County (By David Marino Jr. of the County)
• Grow knowledge from home with Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (By Amy Holt of the Wiscasset Newspaper)
• Bristol woman celebrates 100th birthday, with physical distancing (By Jessica Clifford of the Lincoln County News)
• Trek Across Maine bike ride will be a virtual event (By Steve Craig of the Portland Press Herald)
• Gray dance studio moves its 400 students online (By Kathryn Skelton of the Sun Journal)
• Local performance organizations make difficult decisions for upcoming seasons (By Hannah LaClaire of the Times Record)
• Cumberland church launches face mask challenge in wake of pandemic (By Alex Lear of the Forecaster)

 

Monday, April 13, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Maine sees largest single-day spike as confirmed coronavirus cases hit 698 statewide (By Christopher Burns of the Bangor Daily News)
• Asking Maine’s largest employers: What’s your COVID-19 sick leave policy? (By Kathryn Skelton & Christopher Williams of the Sun Journal)
• Janet Mills went from a good-times governor to a crisis leader. The worst may be ahead. (By Jessica Piper of the Bangor Daily News)
• Federal loan program a Catch-22 for some Maine small businesses (By Peter McGuire of the Portland Press Herald)
• Some worry about a darker edge to Maine’s attitude toward outsiders during pandemic (By Abigail Curtis of the Bangor Daily News)
• Bucksport providing financial aid to citizens, businesses (By Jennifer Osborne of the Ellsworth American)
• Friends honor Mainer, veteran who died of coronavirus (From WABI)
• Poll: Mainers trust state government more than feds on coronavirus response (By Jessica Piper of the Bangor Daily News)
• Coronavirus puts hundreds of Maine court cases on hold (By Mal Leary of Maine Public)
• Bath weighs public access in wake of Zoom-bombing (By Kathleen O’Brien of the Times Record)
• Two workers at Sappi’s Westbrook mill test positive for COVID-19 (By J. Craig Anderson of the Portland Press Herald)
• See which Maine state parks and beaches are closed due to coronavirus (By Natalie Williams of the Bangor Daily News)

HEALTHCARE

• Older Mainers grapple with fear, isolation and medical care during coronavirus outbreak (From the Bangor Daily News)
• Hospitals usually give this Portland group medical supplies. Now, they want some back. (By Caitlin Andrews of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine CDC records 3rd death of York County resident with coronavirus (By Steve Porter of the York County Coast Star)
• Front line view: What’s it like to be a central Maine healthcare worker during a pandemic? (By Amy Calder of the Morning Sentinel)
• The Virus Diaries: Husband, wife on the mend after ‘scary’ encounter with COVID-19 (By Kevin Thomas of the Portland Press Herald)
• How Maine’s midwives are adjusting in the age of coronavirus (By Sam Schipani of the Bangor Daily News)
• Central Maine rural mail carriers take precautions during pandemic (By Sam Shepherd of the Kennebec Journal)
• Maine hotel offers free place to stay for medical workers (From WMGE)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Garbage on the rise in Maine during pandemic, but recycling remains vital (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)
• Program aims to meet challenges of distance learning for visually impaired (By Michael Kelley of the Forecaster)
• Two Maine schools find an out-of-state option to feed students (By Nina Mahaleris of the Penobscot Times)
• Brunswick’s asylum seekers healthy amid pandemic, but impact on immigration process is unknown (By Hannah LaClaire of the Times Record)
• Westbrook furloughs 21 city employees because of coronavirus financial impact (By Chance Viles of the American Journal)
• Unfortunate timing, virus waylay new Bath restaurant’s plans (By Kathleen O’Brien of the Times Record)
• Grief in the age of COVID-19 (By Johanna S. Billings of the Ellsworth American)
• As birding events are shut down, online options abound (By Deirdre Fleming of the Portland Press Herald)
• Bowdoin International Music Festival cancels summer season (By Bob Keyes of the Portland Press Herald)
• Staying connected without internet connection (By Becky Pritchard of the Mount Desert Islander)
• Amid shutdown, kindness continues at Birch Bay in Bar Harbor (By Faith DeAmbrose of the Mount Desert Islander)
• Gardening season in full bloom, as Mainers get creative during COVID-19 (By Chloe Teboe of News Center Maine)
• Ready for take off: paper planes can give kids a lift during this pandemic (By Nick Sambides Jr. of the Bangor Daily News)
• Bangor Floral spreading smiles through balloons (From WABI)

 

Sunday, April 12, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Confirmed coronavirus cases reach 633 in Maine; two more died Saturday (By Rob Wolfe of the Portland Press Herald)
• It’s been a month since Maine reported its first coronavirus case. Here’s what happened since. (By Natalie Williams of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine Congressional leaders have mixed views on infrastructure bill (By Mal Leary of Maine Public)
• How a Rockland synagogue is keeping its Easter tradition going amid pandemic constraints (By Lauren Abbate of the Bangor Daily News)
• Isolation, disruption of routine hard on children and adolescents (By Eric Russell of the Portland Press Herald)
• Cautious but vigilant, Janet Mills navigates a time of crisis (By Kevin Miller of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine relaxes needle exchange and methadone rules during coronavirus pandemic (By Eesha Pendharker of the Bangor Daily News)
• Downeaster to suspend service temporarily starting Monday (By Mike Lowe of the Portland Press Herald)
• Portland assisted living facility resident tests positive for COVID-19 (By Lauren Abbate of the Bangor Daily News)
• Guilford company adds workers to meet demand for coronavirus test swabs (By Molly Shelly of the Morning Sentinel)
• She works long days as a key cog in Maine’s virus fight. The hard part is getting groceries. (By Nick Schroeder of the Bangor Daily News)
• Mainers grapple with faith amid the coronavirus pandemic (By Kelley Bouchard of the Portland Press Herald)

 

Saturday, April 11, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Two more Mainers die from coronavirus, 616 cases statewide (By Eesha Pendharker of the Bangor Daily News)
• BIW union president says after company’s response to virus, ‘I’d be shocked if there’s not a strike.’ (By Beth Brogan of News Center Maine)
• Mills signs executive order to postpone primary election until July (By Andrew Catalina of Maine Public)
• Falmouth retirement community now has 11 coronavirus cases (By Matthew Stone of Bangor Daily News)
• More COVID-19 outbreaks identified at Maine long-term care facilities (By Patty Wight of Maine Public)
• Mainers have questions. Statewide help line aims to give them answers (By Megan Gray of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine Acts of Kindness: Craft beer becomes hospital-grade hand sanitizer (By Steve Craig of the Portland Press Herald)

HEALTHCARE

• Crowding at Portland shelter still a concern despite new space at USM gym (By Randy Billings of the Portland Press Herald)
• Northern Light hospitals can now process tests for COVID-19 (By Molly Shelly of the Morning Sentinel)
• ‘I’m just hoping I see him again’: Virus outbreaks in Maine elder communities cause alarm (By Charles Eichacker of Bangor Daily News)

THE BUSINESS OF FOOD

• Pandemic compounds challenges for restaurants that are just getting cooking (By Peggy Grodinsky of the Portland Press Herald)
• Buyer beware! Find the fees when using delivery service (By Will Kramlich of the Sun Journal)
• SeniorsPlus meeting the demand for thousands of meals (By Nathan Fournier of the Sun Journal)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• Pandemic puts launch of Maine’s recreational marijuana market on hold (By Penelope Overton of the Portland Press Herald)
• Emergency loans to Maine small businesses exceed $1 billion (By J. Craig Anderson of the Portland Press Herald)
• Augusta ponders budgeting despite coronavirus pandemic (By Keith Edwards of the Kennebec Journal)
• Sea Dogs plan to pay workers, even if no games are played (By Kevin Thomas of the Portland Press Herald)
• Essential workers balancing business with safety (By Marissa Bodnar of WGME)
• Coronavirus pandemic slows, but doesn’t stop, local boatbuilders (By Stephen Rappaport of the Mount Desert Islander)
• Oxford’s home retailers resistant to coronavirus (By Nicole Carter of the Advertiser Democrat)
• Lewiston delaying rental registration fines due to COVID-19 (By Andrew Rice of the Sun Journal)

EDUCATION

• ‘It’s just heartbreaking’: Spring sports season canceled (By Michael Hoffer of The Forecaster)
• With schools closed, parents must juggle educating their kids and keeping food on the table (By Robbie Feinberg of Maine Public)
• Police distribute laptops to Fairfield area elementary school students (By Molly Shelly of the Morning Sentinel)
• Coronavirus crisis: Portland finds remote teaching, learning harder than expected (By Jordan Bailey of the Portland Phoenix)
• George Stevens Academy continues caring for stranded international students (By Jennifer Osborn of The Ellsworth American)
• More central Maine schools to close, go fully online until end of the school year (By Sam Shepherd of the Kennebec Journal)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Maine astronauts reflect on global crisis from space station (By Gillian Graham of the Portland Press Herald)
• ‘We’re More Together Now’ – A Navy veteran living in Lewiston on life during the pandemic (By Susan Sharon of Maine Public)
• The Virus Diaries: ‘I am no stranger to being alone’ (By Deirdre Fleming of the Portland Press Herald)
• Vassalboro family organizing virtual Easter ‘egg’ hunt for kids (By Amy Calder of the Morning Sentinel)
• Sewing Masks for Maine donates 600 masks for St. Mary’s (By Matthew Daigle of the Sun Journal)
• Before you cut your bangs in quarantine, read this (By Sam Schipani of the Bangor Daily News)
• Yarmouth chamber cancels popular Clam Festival (By Meredith Goad of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine’s Bicentennial Parade in L-A rescheduled for August; same weekend as the Balloon Festival (By Steve Collins of the Sun Journal)
• Less traffic on Maine roads gives crews more flexibility for repairs (By Bill Trotter of the Bangor Daily News)

 

Friday, April 10, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Virus outbreak grows at Belfast retirement community, new one found at Augusta facility (By Charles Eichacker of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine CDC reports one more death, 26 new coronavirus cases (By Kevin Miller & Joe Lawlor of the Portland Press Herald)
• The Maine counties most likely to see sustained spread of the coronavirus (By Erin Rhoda of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine’s largest hunger relief charity is struggling to keep up (By Steve Collins of the Sun Journal)
• Maine CDC says traveling salesperson has been linked to cluster of Maine COVID-19 cases (By Steve Mistler of Maine Public)
• Maine hospitals to receive nearly $146 million in federal aid (By J. Craig Anderson of the Portland Press Herald)
• ‘Keep this out of your home’: Falmouth family hit hard by the coronavirus (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• 17 nonresidents have tested positive for the coronavirus in Maine (By Christopher Burns of The Bangor Daily News)
• To date, Paycheck Protection Program approves forgivable loans for 5,334 Maine small businesses (From the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Seeds of Peace cancels summer camps in Maine (By Steve Collins of the Sun Journal)
• Lewiston police to enforce state stay-at-home order (By Mark LaFlamme of the Sun Journal)

HEALTHCARE

• ‘The adult in the room’: CDC director is the face of Maine’s coronavirus response (By Eric Russell of the Portland Press Herald)
• Mainers who’ve recovered from COVID-19 have lingering questions — and frustrations (By Patty Wight of Maine Public)
• Manchester asks law enforcement to not enter the fire station over coronavirus concerns (By Rob Montana of the Kennebec Journal)
• Northern Light Health offers voluntary furloughs, but will not lay off workers (By Amy Calder of the Morning Sentinel)
• Should we disinfect our groceries? York Hospital answers your coronavirus questions (From York County Weekly)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• Some Maine businesses worry the Payroll Protection Program could leave them behind (By Fred Bever of Maine Public)
• Treasury, IRS launch tool to help non-filers register for COVID-19 payments (From the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Shortage in materials used for PPE has companies turning to paper mills (By Morgan Mitchell of the Fiddlehead Focus)
• Local Midcoast owners showing leniency on rent as businesses wonder how to get through (By Darcie Moore of the Times Record)
• Coronavirus may force Androscoggin County to hold off issuing bond (By Steve Sherlock of the Sun Journal)
• Maine chocolatiers see record-breaking holiday sales, but long-term uncertainty looms (By Lori Valigra of the Bangor Daily News)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• High school students use culinary talents to take meals to Mainers in need (By Susan Sharon of Maine Public)
• Augusta students’ grades could be based on pre-pandemic classwork (By Keith Edwards of the Kennebec Journal)
• High school seniors cope with loss after school closes for rest of the year (By Rachel Ohm of the Portland Press Herald)
• Many central Maine school buildings to remain closed for rest of school year (By Jessica Lowell of the Kennebec Journal)
• Lincoln County school districts take different approaches to distance learning (By Jessica Clifford of the Lincoln County News)
• UMPI professor maps COVID-19 stats daily to help inform public (By David Marino Jr. of The County)
• With campuses closed, Maine colleges turn to virtual tours to woo students (By Eesha Pendharker of the Bangor Daily News)
• Virtual commencement in store at Unity College (By Fran Gonzalez of the Village Soup)
• We love them, we love them not. Stonington has a dilemma about seasonal residents (By Leslie Landrigan of Island Ad-Vantages)
• Maine Christians prepare to share Easter services from a distance (By Gillian Graham of the Portland Press Herald)
• Churches adapt to crisis, cultivate hope and comfort (By Liz Graves of the Mount Desert Islander)
• Health crisis inspires eco-friendly food delivery in Norway (By Nicole Carter of the Advertiser Democrat)
• Shoppers flocking to local farm markets in face of coronavirus (By Robert Lowell of the American Journal)
• Midcoast festivals still on for summer 2020 (By Stephen Betts of the Courier Gazette)
• Caribou’s Bread of Life Kitchen sees influx of community support (By Chris Bouchard of the Houlton Pioneer Times)
• Ship the bookstore to your door with Maine Authors Bookstore Direct (From the Boothbay Register)
• The Virus Diaries: Moving gets complicated during a pandemic (By Steve Craig of the Portland Press Herald)

 

Thursday, April 9, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Maine sees 3rd straight week of record-high jobless claims as virus roils economy (By Lori Valigra of the Bangor Daily News)
• 10 residents, 3 staff members test positive for COVID-19 at Belfast retirement community (By Abigail Curtis of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine CDC updates public on coronavirus cases, including 2 additional deaths (By Joe Lawlor of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine’s immigrant population facing unique challenges during COVID-19 pandemic (By Blair Best of WGME)
• School districts following state recommendation to keep classrooms closed (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• Transition to remote learning exposes lack of internet access in parts of Maine (By Robbie Feinberg of Maine Public)
• Portland schools remain closed through end of school year (By Michael Kelley of the Forecaster)
• Brunswick, Bath-area school buildings to remain closed for remainder of school year (By Kathleen O’Brien of the Times Record)
• Bangor’s temporary treatment site wouldn’t treat coronavirus patients (By Caitlin Andrews of the Bangor Daily News)
• Rep. Golden questions shipbuilding deadlines, wants more coronavirus aid for rural communities (By Phil Hirschkorn of WMTW)

HEALTHCARE

• ‘Back to the drawing board’ – Maine receives a fraction of its order for COVID-19 tests (By Steve Mistler of Maine Public)
• Northern Light offers voluntary furloughs to employees, but wants to keep them working (By Charles Eichacker of the Bangor Daily News)
• MaineHealth confirms reduction of work hours for some of its staff (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• Retired nurse Beverly Collins dies from complications of coronavirus (By Melanie Creamer of the Portland Press Herald)
• Central Maine hospital systems continue coronavirus screenings, report patient numbers (By Scott Monroe of the Kennebec Journal)
• Maine nurse sends son to live with grandparents 300 miles away to keep him safe (By Jessica Potila of the Bangor Daily News)
• State asks Mainers to stop tossing gloves on the ground after use (From the Portland Press Herald)
• Lincoln County EMA seeks volunteers, provides resource information (From the Boothbay Register)
• Hallowell health board recommends wearing masks in public, but not enforcing use (By Sam Shepherd of the Kennbec Journal)
• Lyman-Morse designs protection for local healthcare workers (From the Village Soup)
• Mechanic Falls man prints straps that make wearing face masks more comfortable (By Tony Blasi of the Sun Journal)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• 1 in 10 Maine workers filed for unemployment in 3 weeks, with hospitality industry hardest hit (By Jessica Piper of the Bangor Daily News)
• Idexx cutting workers’ pay by 10% as business wanes during outbreak (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)
• Brunswick-based SaviLinx hires 500 temporary workers, 150 in Maine, to assist during pandemic (By Hannah LaClaire of the Times Record)
• Sen. Angus King pushes to support local journalism amid Coronavirus pandemic (From the Wiscasset Newspaper)
• She opened the vegan restaurant of her dreams. Then the coronavirus hit Maine. (By Nick Schroeder of the Bangor Daily News)
• Lewiston landlords, tenants navigating financial strain from COVID-19 (By Andrew Rice of the Sun Journal)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• As Maine teachers grieve loss of traditions, one small school deepens the conversation (By Erin Rhoda of the Bangor Daily News)
• Smartphone, traffic data reveal sharp reduction in Mainers’ mobility (By Peter McGuire of the Portland Press Herald)
• Auto insurers giving discounts as Mainers drive – and crash – less (By Edward D. Murphy of the Portland Press Herald)
• Caribou approves emergency employee leave policy (By Chris Bouchard of The County)
• Large landowners close primitive campgrounds in northern Maine due to COVID-19 (By John Holyoke of the Bangor Daily News)
• High school athletes, coaches react as spring sports season nears cancellation (By Drew Bonifant of the Kennebec Journal)
• Gyms are closed, but some members are still paying (By Randy Billings of the Portland Press Herald)
• The Virus Diaries: ‘I had to join the 21st century’ to adapt (By Deirdre Fleming of the Portland Press Herald)
• Ten years ago, Lois Lowry wrote a book depicting Portland in a pandemic. (By Bob Keyes of the Portland Press Herald)
• Coronavirus impact fund for Westbrook’s artists moves forward (By Chance Viles of the American Journal)
• Virus concerns cancel Bath’s annual student exchange program (By Kathleen O’Brien of the Times Record)

 

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Two more Maine residents die as coronavirus cases hit 537 statewide (By Joe Lawlor of the Portland Press Herald)
• Union president calls for Kittery naval shipyard to shut down after worker’s death (By Christopher Burns of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine doesn’t know how many COVID-19 patients are hospitalized (By Colin Woodard of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine says schools should plan to keep classrooms closed for rest of academic year (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• With social distancing their only tool, Maine health officials prepare for range of grim outcomes (By Steve Mistler of Maine Public)
• Shortages of some grocery list staples could last for months (By Peter McGuire of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine receives far fewer Abbott rapid coronavirus tests than expected (By Lori Valigra of the Bangor Daily News)
• Central Maine healthcare to furlough about 300 staff (By Patty Wight of Maine Public)
• System crash could delay Maine unemployment payments (By Mal Leary of Maine Public)
• Maine’s June primary likely to be pushed to July because of coronavirus (By Scott Thistle of the Portland Press Herald)
• Angus King calls for investigation of Navy captain’s removal (By Steve Collins of the Sun Journal)
• Bar Harbor cancels all cruise ship visits until July 1 (By Bill Trotter of the Bangor Daily News)
• Resident, employee test positive for COVID-19 at Belfast’s Tall Pines Retirement Community (From the Pen Bay Pilot)

HEALTHCARE

• State prepares arenas in Portland & Bangor for next wave of coronavirus patients (By Samantha Hogan of Pine Tree Watch)
• This Maine woman is her husband’s caretaker. She says every day brings isolation and fear (By Susan Sharon of Maine Public)
• Portland faces difficulties safeguarding homeless during pandemic (By Michael Kelley of the Forecaster)
• As healthcare shifts, so do healthcare employees (By Lindsay Tice of the Sun Journal)
• Kittery asks state to share addresses of coronavirus patients (By Gillian Graham of the Portland Press Herald)
• Lincoln County sees just one new COVID-19 case, but prepares for surge (By Evan Houk of the Lincoln County News)
• Former Portland police chief, James Craig, infected with coronavirus (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• Lewiston schools’ COVID-19 sick leave policy passes first reading (By Karen Kreworuka of the Sun Journal)
• UMaine’s planetarium has been turned into a ‘supercomputer’ to assist in virus research (By Emily Burnham of the Bangor Daily News)
• Bowdoin College 3D printing face shields for healthcare workers on front lines of pandemic (By Hannah LaClaire of the Times Record)
• Oasis clinic: pandemic could have disproportionate impact on those who can least afford it (By Hannah LaClaire of the Times Record)
• Feeding programs fill the need for hungry Augusta residents (By Sam Shepherd of the Kennebec Journal)
• York coordinates effort to check in on isolated residents (By Erin Hayes of the York Weekly)
• Lincoln County Dental, local dentists donate much needed PPE to first responders (By Joseph Charpentier of the Boothbay Register)
• Ocean State Job Lot providing free COVID-19 mask fabric (From the Pen Bay Pilot)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• Small businesses seek rent and eviction freezes as crisis costs mount (By Tux Turkel of the Portland Press Herald)
• Forgiveness provisions in coronavirus loan program may fall short for some small businesses (By Lori Valigra of the Bangor Daily News)
• Coronavirus pandemic slows, but doesn’t stop, local boatbuilders (By Stephen Rappaport of the Ellsworth American)
• Madawaska selectmen approve $11,500 stimulus project for businesses (By Morgan Mitchell of the Fiddlehead Focus)
• Biddeford manufacturer pivots to produce personal protection equipment (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Where to get take-out Easter dinner during a pandemic (By Meredith Goad of the Portland Press Herald)
• Safety net programs facing surge of applicants in Maine during pandemic (By Joe Lawlor of the Portland Press Herald)
• Bangor turns to fundraising so all students can have internet access (By Eesha Pendharker of the Bangor Daily News)
• Lewiston City Council postpones meeting after livestream fails (By Andrew Rice of the Sun Journal)
• South Portland says it will close 3 popular places if people don’t spread out (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine to make farmers markets more accessible to SNAP users (From the Bangor Daily News)
• Bangor caps passengers to 10 at a time on city buses (By Judy Harrison of the Bangor Daily News)
• North Yarmouth postpones Town Meeting, FY 2021 budget vote (By Alex Lear of the Forecaster)
• Portland-area nonprofits, neighborhood groups step up during shutdown (By Jordan Bailey of the Portland Phoenix)
• Across state, disappointment settles in as governor’s order halts golf season (By Drew Bonifant of the Kennebec Journal)
• Maine Acts of Kindness: Effort to aid community casts a wide net (By Steve Craig of the Portland Press Herald)
• Dover-Foxcroft theater renting out its marquee to keep community connected (By Ernie Clark of the Bangor Daily News)
• Hair-raising time: Stylists, barbers, customers hope stay-at-home order is trimmed (By Matthew Daigle of the Sun Journal)
• Virus closures move Midcoast museums online (By Kathleen O’Brien of the Brunswick Times Record)
• The show goes on, virtually, for central Maine music teachers (By Sam Shepherd of the Kennebec Journal)
• Elmo dancer hails from Belfast, lifts people’s spirits (By Fran Gonzalez of the Village Soup)

 

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

TOP STORIES

• State prepares arenas in Portland & Bangor for next wave of coronavirus patients (By Samantha Hogan of Pine Tree Watch)
• 519 coronavirus cases confirmed in Maine as death toll rises to 12 (By Rosemary Lausier of the Bangor Daily News)
• Modeling shows wide range of possible coronavirus outcomes in Maine (By Kevin Miller of the Portland Press Herald)
• Union accuses Mills administration of putting state workers at risk (By Scott Thistle of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine corrections, mental health workers get hazard pay bump (By Ed Morin of Maine Public)
• Coronavirus claims worker at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)

HEALTHCARE

• Lewiston hospital revises coronavirus sick leave policy under pressure from employees (By Joe Lawlor of the Portland Press Herald)
• Northern Light Health officials in Bangor say mood at hospital is concerned (By Emily Tadlock of WABI)
• Member of Maine State Police tests positive for coronavirus (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• Sheriffs brace for possibility of infected inmates, try to stock up on gear (By Christopher Williams of the Sun Journal)
• ‘I don’t know exactly what I’m going into’ — Maine surgeon lends hand in New York’s COVID-19 efforts (By Susan Sharon of Maine Public)
• Maine lab genetically modifies mice for COVID-19 research (By Hannah Dineen of New Center Maine)
• Piscataquis is the lone Maine county without a positive coronavirus case (By Matthew Stone of the Bangor Daily News)
• Lack of COVID-19 testing concerns Rockland councilor (By Stephen Betts of the Village Soup)
• Maine biologists will stop handling bats due to coronavirus (By Aislinn Sarnacki of the Bangor Daily News)
• Free meal for unemployed food service workers (By Meredith Goad of the Portland Press Herald)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• Maine lenders buried in applications as small businesses seek federal aid (By Tux Turkel of the Portland Press Herald)
• Spectrum hiring 100 workers, giving across-the-board raises in Portland (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)
• Several Maine businesses ramp up production, hire workers in fight against COVID-19 (By Zach Blanchard of News Center Maine)
• Maine regulator predicts outbreak of virus-related scams (By Edward D. Murphy of the Portland Press Herald)
• Prices in Maine’s lucrative baby eel fishery sink to 10-year low (By Bill Trotter of the Bangor Daily News)
• Auto insurer to give back $1.3 million in Mainers’ premiums (By Patty Wight of Maine Public)
• Hannaford donates $750,000 to coronavirus relief efforts (From WMTW)
• Foreign workers are in a holding pattern as state navigates new normal (By Liz Graves of the Mount Desert Islander)

EDUCATION

• ‘Distance learning’ a work in progress for Waterville (By Amy Calder of the Morning Sentinel)
• Bangor schools shift to pass-fail grades after school buildings close (By Eesha Pendharker of the Bangor Daily News)
• Lewiston High School graduation plan requires fewer credits (By Karen Kreworuka of the Sun Journal)
• Lewiston schools serve 56,000 meals in 11 days (By Karen Kreworuka of the Sun Journal)
• Educate Maine launches challenge to provide books to students amid pandemic (By George Harvey of the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Gardiner educators outline plans for continued school closure (By Jessica Lowell of the Kennebec Journal)
• Bates College cancels its traditional commencement this year (By Steve Collins of the Sun Journal)
• UMaine planning on hosting in-person commencement in fall (By Leela Stockley of the Maine Campus)
• UMaine professors discuss challenges of remote learning (By Maria Maxsimic of the Maine Campus)
• University organizations adapt to the obstacles of COVID-19 outbreak (By Sierra Semmel of the Maine Campus)
• Physical Education teachers adjust to remote instruction during COVID-19 (By George Harvey of the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Wiscasset school staff sing for students on YouTube: ‘Gonna be alright’ (By Susan Johns of the Wiscasset Newspaper)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Pandemic crimps Maine’s construction industry at start of busy season (By Susan Sharon of Maine Public)
• As trolls hijack remote meetings, officials rethink public access (By Randy Billings of the Portland Press Herald)
• Pandemic poses challenges for campaigns (By Susan Mustapich of the Camden Herald)
• Communities separated by international border spread positivity through light (By Jessica Potila of the Fiddlehead Focus)
• Franklin County board tables dispatch shelter-in-place plan (By Donna Perry of the Sun Journal)
• Redzone shows 43% increase in data use in Maine (From Mainebiz)
• Portland closes parking lots adjacent to Back Cove Trail to reduce use (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• Virtual work sessions coming for joint climate action plan (By Michael Kelley of the Forecaster)
• UMPI to turn gym into temporary homeless shelter (By Robbie Feinberg of Maine Public)
• The Virus Diaries: ‘This coronavirus thing feels like wartime’ (By Steve Craig of the Portland Press Herald)
• New website wants Mainers to pledge to stay home (By Irwin Gratz of Maine Public)
• Heart of it all: Maine company makes flags to support restaurants and healthcare workers (By Christina Frank of WMTW)
• Local photographer captures the raw emotion of the people behind the shuttered businesses (From Meghan Torjussenn of WMTW)

 

Monday, April 6, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Maine COVID-19 cases rise to 499; no new loss of life reported (By Steve Mistler & Patty Wight of Maine Public)
• Maine establishes alphabetical system to deal with flood of unemployment claims (By Jennifer Michell of Maine Public)
• As crisis deepens, Maine food banks scramble to keep up (By Kevin Miller of the Portland Press Herald)
• Portland businesses call for rent freeze after some landlords refuse to budge (By Nick Schroeder of the Bangor Daily News)
• Hospitality industry plagued with uncertainty after order to suspend most lodgings (By Abigail Curtis of the Bangor Daily News)
• Dr. Dora Anne Mills: What it will take to return to ‘normal’ (From the Kennebec Journal)
• DHHS closes Rockland office after employee tests positive for COVID-19 (By Ed Morin of Maine Public)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• Over 1,000 small businesses in Maine qualify for payroll protection loans (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• Freeport retailers brace for potential long-term impacts of pandemic (By Hannah LaClaire of the Times Record)
• Self-employed workers languish as Maine awaits federal guidance on unemployment program (By Jessica Piper of the Bangor Daily News)
• Seafood dealers license renewal deadline extended (From the Village Soup)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Home internet use surges in Maine as families shelter in place (By Edward D. Murphy of the Portland Press Herald)
• Photos: Desolate spaces in familiar Maine places (From the Portland Press Herald)
• The Virus Diaries: Feeling a little ‘trapped’ but ‘insulated’ (By Kevin Thomas of the Portland Press Herald)
• Self isolation spells troubled waters for Auburn bait shop, but there is optimism (By Jon Bolduc of the Sun Journal)
• New Hope for Women an important resource during isolation (By Joseph Charpentier of the Wiscasset Newspaper)
• Auburn volunteers getting meals out to those in need (By Andrew Rice of the Sun Journal)
• Augusta’s hearts and Manchester’s lights help brighten lives (By Keith Edwards of the Kennbec Journal)

 

Sunday, April 5, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Confirmed coronavirus cases hit 470 as disaster declaration arrives (By Rob Wolfe of the Portland Press Herald)
• Pandemic sparks concerns about child abuse in Maine (By Penelope Overton of the Portland Press Herald)
• For thousands of students without home internet access, remote learning is an extra challenge (By Rachel Ohm of the Portland Press Herald)
• Trump approves federal disaster declaration for Maine (By Meredith Goad of the Portland Press Herald)
• Why buying a share in a local farm’s season might be a very good investment this year (By Julia Bayly of the Bangor Dailly News)

DATA DASHBOARD & TIMELINE

• Coronavirus in Maine: The Pine Tree Watch sortable data dashboard (By Darren Fishell of Pine Tree Watch)
• Coronavirus in Maine: The Pine Tree Watch COVID-19 timeline (From Pine Tree Watch)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Fear of outsiders creates tensions in Maine’s tourist spots (By Gillian Graham and Megan Gray of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine hotels and inns scramble to respond to lodging suspension (By Meredith Goad of the Portland Press Herald)
• With gatherings discouraged, Jewish families figure out how to celebrate Passover (By Peggy Grodinsky of the Portland Press Herald)
• Love — and logistics — in the time of coronavirus (By Jon Bolduc of the Sun Journal)
• Online list to find your favorite local breweries during coronavirus pandemic (From WGME)
• Maine food resources and retail adjustments during the coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic (By Jeffrey Schools of News Center Maine)
• The Virus Diaries: ‘An opportunity to do greater kindness’ (By Deirdre Fleming of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine law enforcement officers spread positivity, read to children online (From WMTW)
• Gray neighbors hold social distancing block party (From WMTW)
• Amtrak further limits Downeaster service in response to COVID-19 (By Rob Wolfe of the Portland Press Herald)
• Dairy Farms across the state are facing hard time (From WABI)

 

Saturday, April 4, 2020

TOP STORIES

• At Lewiston hospital, quarantined staff must use own sick time (By Joe Lawlor of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine rural hospitals cut pay, hours while preparing for surge of patients (By Randy Billings of the Portland Press Herald)
• 10 deaths, 456 coronavirus cases confirmed in Maine (By Charles Eichacker of the Bangor Daily News)
• Governor orders travelers to self-quarantine, suspends all lodging businesses (By Ray Routhier of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine CDC won’t reveal virus projections it’s relying on to prepare for outbreak (By Rachel Ohm of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine’s marine economies face rough waters as pandemic continues (By Fred Bever of Maine Public)
• Growing numbers of Maine virus cases, jobless claims define week of bad news (By Abigail Curtis of the Bangor Daily News)
• Overwhelmed Maine unemployment office announces hirings, new rules for applicants (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine Democrats cancel May convention (By Ray Routhier of the Portland Press Herald)
• USM students petition for tuition reimbursement (By Max Lorber of the USM Free Press)
• From a distance, Maine’s congressional delegation continues to work (By Scott Thistle of the Portland Press Herald)
• Small businesses can apply for ‘forgivable loans’ (By Vivien Leigh of News Center Maine)
• Scam targets small business owners seeking payroll relief (By Jennifer Mitchell of Maine Public)
• Augusta councilors rescind manager’s order closing nonessential businesses (By Keith Edwards of the Kennebec Journal)
• Shoppers wait outside as Maine stores restrict how many can go inside (From WMTW)
• Liquor sales in Maine spike during coronavirus pandemic (By Roslyn Flaherty of News Center Maine)

HEALTHCARE

• ‘12 days of the worst illness I have ever experienced’ – A COVID-19 survivor’s story (By Donna M. Perry & Mark LaFlamme of the Sun Journal)
• Preble Street opens new ‘wellness’ shelter at USM gym to ease overcrowding (By Matt Byrne of the Portland Press Herald)
• Uncertainty is the worst part, explains Mainer diagnosed with virus but without proper test (By Troy R. Bennett of the Bangor Daily News)
• Second COVID-19 case at BIW triggers more calls to close the shipyard (By Peter McGuire of the Portland Press Herald)
• Chebeague Island ferry won’t transport suspected COVID-19 patients (By Colin Woodard of the Portland Press Herald)
• Bates professor leads effort to print coronavirus protective gear (By Steve Collins of the Sun Journal)
• Presque Isle approves purchase of two new ambulances in first digital city council meeting (By David Marino Jr. of The County)
• Milford Fire and Rescue asks public for donations of personal protective equipment (By Nina Mahaleris of the Penobscot Times)
• York blood drive booked solid as donors step up (By Dan Bancroft of the York Weekly)

DATA DASHBOARD & TIMELINE

• Coronavirus in Maine: The Pine Tree Watch sortable data dashboard (By Darren Fishell of Pine Tree Watch)
• Coronavirus in Maine: The Pine Tree Watch COVID-19 timeline (From Pine Tree Watch)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• Parents with joint custody struggle in uncertain time (By Christopher Williams of the Sun Journal)
• For teachers, connecting with kids during the pandemic takes priority over academics (By Eesha Pendharker of the Bangor Daily News)
• As more Mainers look into growing their own food, seed suppliers struggle to meet demand (By Jennifer Mitchell of Maine Public)
• Hallowell officials preparing for reduction in revenue due to virus outbreak (By Sam Shepherd of the Kennebec Journal)
• County strong: How Aroostook residents are navigating the pandemic (By Paula Brewer of the Fiddlehead Focus)
• Summer Games postponement puts Mainers’ Olympic dreams on hold (By Lee Goldberg of News Center Maine)
• How Maine outdoor educators are embracing video to continue their work during the pandemic (By Aislinn Sarnacki of the Bangor Daily News)
• Add Maine outdoor education to your kid’s home education with these 5 videos (By Aislinn Sarnacki of the Bangor Daily News)
• Waterville credit union gets ‘creative’ to serve members during pandemic (By Amy Calder of the Morning Sentinel)
• The Virus Diaries: ‘My business had been going very well. Then this happened’ (By Deirdre Fleming of the Portland Press Herald)
• With no practices to attend, high school athletes work on their own (By Drew Bonifant of the Kennebec Journal)
• Norway shops local to support its small businesses (By Nicole Carter of the Advertiser Democrat)
• Aroostook County churches drawing in big digital crowds (By David Marino Jr. of The County)
• Damariscotta Police Chief Sees Stay-at-Home Order as ‘Educational Opportunity’ (By Evan Houk of the Lincoln County News)

 

Friday, April 3, 2020

TOP STORIES

• 56 new cases is largest single-day jump in Maine yet, 2 new deaths in Cumberland County (By Lindsay Putman of the Bangor Daily News)
• Lapses in hospitals’ reporting left Maine CDC lacking key data (By Colin Woodard of the Portland Press Herald)
• Without staff, Maine people with disabilities during the pandemic ‘will die’ (By Erin Rhoda of the Bangor Daily News)
• Second positive COVID-19 case reported at BIW; shipyard remains open (By Kathleen O’Brien of the Times Record)
• Angus King blasts federal government, Trump for leaving Maine ill-prepared for coronavirus pandemic (By Beth Brogan of News Center Maine)
• Susan Collins on coronavirus, Trump and what Congress might do next (By Jessica Piper of the Bangor Daily News)
• Maine veteran dies as result of COVID-19, Togus reports (By Susan Sharon of Maine Public)
• Maine increases leave for state employees under new federal virus response law (By Jessica Piper of the Bangor Daily News)
• Winthrop couple home after being stuck at sea on cruise (By Keith Edwards of the Kennebec Journal)
• Lewiston’s City Cab Co. closes after 88 years (By Kathryn Skelton of the Sun Journal)

HEALTHCARE

• Maine hospitals are trying to find more respiratory therapists (By Patty Wight of Maine Public)
• Houlton Regional Hospital announces its first confirmed case of coronavirus (By Alexander MacDougall of the County)
• Millinocket Regional Hospital reports its first case of COVID-19 (From WABI)
• Maine doctors taking a DIY approach to make up for shortage of protective gear (By Charles Eichacker of the Bangor Daily News)
• Bangor-based clinic network furloughs 75 workers as it puts off appointments (By Erin Rhoda of the Bangor Daily News)
• Hospice care workers using baby monitors to take care of patients remotely (By Taylor Cairns of WGME)
• Southern Maine communities call for out-of-state visitors to quarantine for 2 weeks (By Kelley Bouchard of the Portland Press Herald)
• Emergency travel advisory in effect in Kennebunkport due to coronavirus concerns (From WGME)
• Old Orchard Beach issues emergency order that discourages visitors through April (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• Ellsworth restricts hotel and Airbnb stays during pandemic (From Bill Trotter of the Bangor Daily News)
• Mount Desert tells outsiders to stay away; manager cites “moral authority” (From Dick Bloom of the Mount Desert Islander)
• Country singer Kalie Shorr, who grew up in Portland, recovering from COVID-19 (By Ray Routhier of the Portland Press Herald)
• Man refurbishing windows accused of stealing N95 masks from Bangor City Hall (By Judy Harrison of the Bangor Daily News)
• Massachusetts man who tested positive for coronavirus while in Maine counts himself lucky (By Scott Monroe of the Kennebec Journal)
• The Virus Diaries: ‘I don’t want to come in contact with people’ (By Deirdre Fleming of the Portland Press Herald)
• Anthem is now waving cost share for COVID-19 treatment (From WABI)
• Bowdoin College staff and faculty producing face shields for local hospitals amid COVID-19 (By Griffin Stockford of News Center Maine)
• New Balance factory in Norridgewock looks to help produce face masks (By Taylor Abbott of the Morning Sentinel)
• Bates Virologist Lori Banks Addresses Common COVID-19 Misconceptions (By Elizabeth LaCroix of The Bates Student)

DATA DASHBOARD & TIMELINE

• Coronavirus in Maine: The Pine Tree Watch sortable data dashboard (By Darren Fishell of Pine Tree Watch)
• Coronavirus in Maine: The Pine Tree Watch COVID-19 timeline (From Pine Tree Watch)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• Crowded field of Maine businesses expected in race for $349B in small biz loans (By Renee Cordes of Mainebiz)
• Free webinar on Tuesday aims to inform Maine business owners about COVID-19 relief (From WABI)
• Maine biotech companies stepping up, and hiring, in COVID-19 fight (By Maureen Milliken of Mainebiz)
• UMaine system to continue paying employees, maintain benefits, as coronavirus impacts grow (By Irwin Gratz of Maine Public)
• Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association creates online resource for fishermen to protect themselves, businesses (From the Boothbay Register)
• COVID-19 closes hot spot for campaigning, but politicians remember (By Steve Collins of the Sun Journal)
• Maine golf courses still coming to grips with being a non-essential business (By Nathan Fournier of the Sun Journal)
• Bath shipyard keeps local eateries afloat during virus outbreak (By Kathleen O’Brien of the Times Record)
• More Maine cruise visits canceled amid coronavirus concerns (By Bill Trotter of the Bangor Daily News)
• Aroma Joe’s serves 7,000 cups of joe to Maine health care workers (By Kathryn Skelton of the Sun Journal)
• College halts hiring as it begins considering long-term budget changes (By Ian Ward of The Bowdoin Orient)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• County jail population drops 24 percent in 2 weeks to control coronavirus’ spread (By Judy Harrison of the Bangor Daily News)
• Bath City Council’s first online meeting cut short by pornographic images (By Kathleen O’Brien of the Times Record)
• Some worry online learning may leave some Augusta students behind (By Keith Edwards of the Kennebec Journal)
• Edward Little High School principal offers plan for seniors to earn credits (By Karen Kreworuka of the Sun Journal)
• ‘Quite the operation’: York County schools step up food distribution during shutdown (By Shawn Sullivan of the York County Coast Star)
• Coronavirus fears extinguish open burns in parts of central Maine (By Jessica Lowell of the Kennebec Journal)
• Traffic patterns on Maine’s major highway changing as coronavirus spreads (By Irwin Gratz of Maine Public)
• Broadband demand surges in Maine during coronavirus outbreak (From WABI)
• Maine churches announce plans to celebrate Easter during coronavirus outbreak (From WMTW)
• Portland charity donates $500,000 to house, feed Mainers during outbreak (By Matt Byrne of the Portland Press Herald)
• Machias Savings Bank to give $100,000 in Rapid Response grants to Maine nonprofits (From the Bangor Daily News)
• State nonprofit agency distributes Hannaford gift cards to 3,000 students, families (From the Village Soup)
• Go fishing, Maine wildlife officials say, but stay ‘a rod length’ apart (By Jennifer Mitchell of Maine Public)
• Pleasant Mountain trails closed to hikers (By Deirdre Fleming of the Portland Press Herald)
• Rockland’s Strand presents Virtual Cinema screenings (From the Village Soup)
• Stuck in self-isolation, a Maine photographer is turning her camera on herself (By Troy Bennett of the Bangor Daily News)
• Students petition for tuition reimbursement (By Max Lorber of the USM Free Press)
• The senator upstairs: Four students move into Brunswick Inn (By Aura Carlson of The Bowdoin Orient)
• Bowdoin Quarantine Matches crafts pairs and connects students (By Emma Sorkin of The Bowdoin Orient)
• Fall semester return to be decided by June, Rose says (By Andrew Bastone of The Bowdoin Orient)

 

Thursday, April 2, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Maine jobless claims surge to new record as coronavirus stresses economy (By Lori Valigra of the Bangor Daily News)
• Phones back up at Maine labor department after outages as unemployment filings spike (By Caitlin Andrews of the Bangor Daily News)
• 376 coronavirus cases confirmed in Maine (By Christopher Burns of the Bangor Daily News)
• Mills seeks disaster declaration as coronavirus infections, deaths rise (By Kevin Miller of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine scrounges for medical supplies, but little more is expected from feds (By Colin Woodard of the Portland Press Herald)
• Local & state police plan education, measured enforcement of statewide stay-at-home order (By Matt Byrne of the Portland Press Herald)

DATA DASHBOARD & TIMELINE

• Coronavirus in Maine: The Pine Tree Watch sortable data dashboard (By Darren Fishell of Pine Tree Watch)
• Coronavirus in Maine: The Pine Tree Watch COVID-19 timeline (From Pine Tree Watch)

HEALTHCARE

• Maine’s rural hospitals preparing for surge in coronavirus cases (By Joe Lawlor of the Portland Press Herald)
• DHHS worries whether Calais hospital can handle coronavirus after doctor can’t intubate patient (By Charles Eichacker of the Bangor Daily News)
• Portland quarantines dozens at Expo as 2nd illness confirmed at city homeless shelter (By Kelley Bouchard of the Portland Press Herald)
• Westbrook resident dies of COVID-19 (By Chance Viles of the American Journal)
• Augusta tenants fear homelessness after threat of eviction on a week’s notice (By Keith Edwards of the Kennebec Journal)
• Visiting nurse, in Midcoast since December and with out-of-state plates, reports harassment (By Lynda Clancy of the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Pandemic raises fears for pregnant Mainers as more explore home births (By Nina Mahaleris and Nick Schroeder of the Bangor Daily News)
• Blue Hill hospital patient tests positive for COVID-19 (By Leslie Landrigan of the Castine Patriot)
• As more COVID-19 testing becomes available, will Maine test asymptomatic people? (By Steve Mistler of Maine Public)
• A conversation with recovered COVID-19 patients from Cumberland (By Hannah Dineen of News Center Maine)
• Maine DHHS office in Lewiston closing again after 2nd confirmed coronavirus case (By Mark LaFlamme of the Sun Journal)
• Poland farmer and surgeon called to duty during pandemic (By Christopher Williams of the Sun Journal)
• New drive-through test site for COVID-19 to open in South Portland (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine-based company seeks partnership to test ability of compound found in lobster to fight COVID-19 (By Krista Nadeau of News Center Maine)
• BIW donates more than 3,000 protective masks to health workers in Maine (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• Maine’s essential workers can’t always limit contact with other people, and they’re feeling anxious (From Robbie Feinberg of Maine Public)
• Maine retailers deemed essential prepare to follow new state mandates (By Peter McGuire of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine town proposes help for local businesses and residents reeling from impacts of coronavirus (By Irwin Gratz of Maine Public)
• Frosty’s permanently closes Gardiner, Freeport locations (By Jessica Lowell of the Kennebec Journal)
• Bitter business for maple syrup makers amid coronavirus outbreak (From WGME)
• Maine attorney general fielding dozens of price-gouging complaints during crisis (By Randy Billings of the Portland Press Herald)
• Donors looking to support Hallowell’s bar and restaurant workers through coronavirus closures (By Sam Shepherd of the Kennbec Journal)
• Employees at central Maine markets lauded by bosses during outbreak (By Sam Shepherd of the Kennbec Journal)
• DuPont plant will continue to operate during COVID-19 outbreak (By Stephen Betts of Village Soup)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• A new normal: A reflection on the ways in which the coronavirus has altered daily life (By Barbara Walsh of Pine Tree Watch)
• Pollution has slowed around the world. Scientists wonder how that will affect Maine (By Fred Bever of Maine Public)
• Even in the otherwise timeless Amish community, the pandemic has brought changes (By Abigail Curtis of the Bangor Daily News)
• Video: Lewiston officials offer assurances city government still working during crisis (From the Sun Journal)
• State ‘Stay Healthy at Home’ directive: What does it change Downeast? (By Sarah Craighead Dedmon of the Machias Valley News Observer)
• Looking ahead, arts groups cancel long-running summer traditions (By Bob Keyes of the Portland Press Herald)
• Cape Elizabeth shuts down Fort Williams Park and Portland Head Light (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• Kennebunkport keeps beach open despite nearby closures (By Shawn Sullivan of the York County Coast Star)
• Lake George park closes, Waterville walkways, trails to remain open (By Molly Shelly of the Morning Sentinel)
• Fishing, other outdoor activities still allowed under stay-at-home order (From WGME)
• Coastal towns grapple with new reality (By Johanna S. Billings of the Ellsworth American)
• Far from home, international students find solace amid pandemic threat (By Ernie Clark of the Bangor Daily News)
• MPA allowing high school coaches to communicate with spring athletes during hiatus (By Larry Mahoney of the Bangor Daily News)
• Rippleffect announces scholarships for those affected by COVID-19 (By Sharon Rose Vaznis and Chelsea Bard of News Center Maine)
• SAD 17 navigates a crash course in distance learning (By Nicole Carter of the Advertiser Democrat)
• Despite isolation, senior centers help residents connect (By Sean Murphy of the Forecaster)

 

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

TOP STORIES

• Another 2 Maine residents die as coronavirus cases hit 344 (By Kevin Miller of the Portland Press Herald)
• Answers to questions about the governor’s stay-at-home order (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)
• ‘Lockdown,’ ‘shelter in place,’ ‘essential’ business — A glossary for Mainers in the coronavirus era (By Nora Flaherty of Maine Public)
• Maine could lose 3 times more jobs by June than it did in the Great Recession (By Caitlin Andrews of the Bangor Daily News)
• Prominent Naples man is Maine’s first publicly identified coronavirus victim (By Eric Russell of the Portland Press Herald)
• Gun shops are now among the businesses Maine considers essential (By Dennis Hoey of the Portland Press Herald)

HEALTHCARE & WELL-BEING

• Anxiety rises as healthcare workers risk exposure to fight coronavirus (By Scott Thistle of the Portland Press Herald)
• ‘It’s what you signed up for’: LincolnHealth Nurses Upbeat Amid Pandemic Prep (By Jessica Clifford of the Lincoln County News)
• COVID-19 could peak in late April in Maine — but health officials stress the models are imprecise (By Steve Mistler of Maine Public)
• Patient tests positive for coronavirus at Blue Hill hospital (By Nick Sambides Jr. of the Bangor Daily News)
• Homeless shelter’s first coronavirus case adds urgency to reduce crowding (By Kelley Bouchard of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine corrections employee tests positive for coronavirus (By Megan Gray of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine family hopes new medication can help father fight COVID-19 (From WGME)
• Spectrum house calls spark health concerns for worker (By Peter McGuire of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine DEP offices closed for one day after worker tests positive for COVID-19 (By Fred Bever of Maine Public)
• Lobster blood could help treat coronavirus, Maine scientist says (By Bill Trotter of the Bangor Daily News)
• Harvard Pilgrim waives cost-sharing for coronavirus treatment (By Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald)
• Coronavirus crisis: Maine CDC earns points during pandemic (By Douglass Rooks of the Portland Phoenix)
• Northern Light Health sets up COVID-19 screening hotline (From WABI)
• Bath closes city buildings to protect employees, public from virus (By Kathleen O’Brien of the Times Record)
• Toilet paper shortages pose troubles for Maine sewage systems (By Lexi Grose of the Portland Press Herald)
• Waterville council votes to suspend plastic bag ordinance (By Amy Calder of the Morning Sentinel)
• Drop-off locations announced for in-kind donations to LincolnHealth, Pen Bay Medical Center, Waldo County Hospital (From the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Dental practices throughout Maine donate personal protective equipment (From the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Anah Shrine hosting series of blood drives in April (From WABI)

BUSINESS & UNEMPLOYMENT

• Coronavirus outbreak restrictions torpedo travel in Maine (By Phil Hirschkorn of WMTW)
• Maine Turnpike traffic volume hits record lows as economy slows (By Steve Collins of the Sun Journal)
• Bucksport could buy food vouchers for laid-off residents and pay businesses (By Nick Sambides Jr. of the Bangor Daily News)
• Biddeford to offer financial relief for residents amid coronavirus outbreak (From WGME)
• Portland Water District suspends late fees, disconnections (By Lexie Grose of the Portland Press Herald)
• LeRoux Kitchen closes stores, Solo Cucina Market opens (By Meredith Goad of the Portland Press Herald)
• Wells announces restrictions on short-term rentals, hotel lodging in response to coronavirus (By Gillian Graham of the Portland Press Herald)
• Maine bat company eyes new markets as MLB shuts down due to coronavirus (By Ernie Clark of the Bangor Daily News)

HOW MAINE IS COPING

• How the pandemic is impacting Lewiston’s homeless (By Andrew Rice of the Sun Journal)
• Vinalhaven, other islands say they’re not equipped for visitors hoping to hunker down during coronavirus (By Beth Brogan of News Center Maine)
• Maine Acts of Kindness: Farmer’s market yields food donations (By Steve Craig of the Portland Press Herald)
• How Portland restaurants are trying to adapt to empty dining rooms (By Willis Ryder Arnold of Maine Public)
• Pandemic having minimal impact on state wildlife research (By John Holyoke of the Bangor Daily News)
• Decades-long Maine neighbors host ‘quarantine block parties’ to help stave off isolation (By Beth McEvoy of News Center Maine)
• UMaine Extension opens new ask-an-expert agriculture page (From the Pen Bay Pilot)
• Maine Maritime Academy commencement canceled (By Cindi Wood of the Ellsworth American)
• Cumberland, North Yarmouth offer grocery services amid pandemic (By Alex Lear of the Forecaster)
• Maine’s First Ship postpones launch of Virginia to October (By Alex Lear of the Forecaster)