Today is Friday. Temperatures will be in the low 30s to low 40s from north to south with partly sunny skies in the south and cloudy skies in the north. Here’s what we’re talking about in Maine today.
Here’s the latest on the coronavirus in Maine
Another 406 cases were reported in Maine on Thursday, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. There are now 4,221 active confirmed and “probable” cases in the state. The death toll stands at 246. Check out our COVID-19 Tracker for more information.
Maine days away from 1st coronavirus vaccinations, but the process will take months
There are many moving parts to vaccine distribution. Health care providers will focus first on vaccinating first responders before the general population is vaccinated and the entire process will take months. Misinformation can muddy the water. Life will not return to normal immediately after vaccination. Here is what Mainers need to know.
It’s less and less clear how Mainers are catching COVID-19
The difficulty of closely tracking how people caught the coronavirus is yet another sign of how much more it is circulating in Maine now, even compared to just a few weeks ago, and beginning to overwhelm various parts of the state’s response.
Investigators so far have attributed a fifth of November’s 5,311 confirmed cases, or 1,155, to known outbreaks, and an even smaller slice of December’s, although the numbers for both months could grow as new links are found.
52 people say they have ‘no confidence’ in Maine mental health agency’s leader
Fifty-two former employees, board members, current and past volunteers and community members sent a letter to the NAMI Maine board of directors last week to express their strong disapproval of the nonprofit’s leader, mounting pressure for the board to address allegations that Jenna Mehnert’s “abusive” management style has caused rampant turnover at the agency.
Voting for Maine’s greatest high school football coach of all time contest moves into Round of 16
What began as a reader-initiated list of 32 nominees has been pared to 16. Voting continues Friday and will run through midnight, setting up the much-anticipated quarterfinal matchups on Saturday.
This trail cam otter will brighten your day. And the buck’s pretty cool, too.
Sometimes all it takes is a photo (or two) from the natural world to make everything else seem a little bit simpler, and better.
Men convicted of running Down East pot farm seek compassionate release due to ill health
Attorneys for Malcolm French, 59, of Enfield and Rodney Russell, 57, of South Thomaston, who have been free since April 1 on $5,000 unsecured bail, are arguing that the men are too sick to return to prison and at greater risk for COVID-19 than other inmates.
In Holden, police aim to surprise with 25 Days of Kindness
Each day until Christmas, Holden police officers deliver surprises to some of the town’s less privileged residents, hoping to lift their spirits and help them out during the holiday season.
In other Maine news…
New film about Acadia made by Maine cyclists to premiere on PBS
Rockland could change property rules to add more affordable rental units
Chellie Pingree: Investigate suspicious loan to mystery farm
New Maine jobless claims hit 5-month high as extended benefits end
Portland elementary school goes remote amid COVID-related staff shortage
Pedestrian killed in Bar Harbor crash