Local Coronavirus COVID-19 Resource Center: Alerts, Closings, Cancellations

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 30, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 1,095 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 631 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 53 people have passed. The number of people hospitalized, at some point during their illness, across the state stands at 170.

Looking at hospital COVID-19 data, there are currently 35 hospitalized, including 18 in critical care and eight…

Following her announcement Tuesday that she would extend Maine’s stay-at-home order, Governor Janet Mills today issued a “Stay Safer at Home” Executive Order, according to a news release.

The new order continues to have Maine people stay at home with the same established exceptions for  permitted activities…

ROCKLAND — It is with great sadness that Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors has cancelled its 2020 Maine Boat & Home Show in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, said the magazine, in an April 29 statement.

Held every summer on the Rockland waterfront since 2003, the show is hosted by Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors magazine. The largest in-the-water boat show north of Boston, the three-day event draws thousands of people to Rockland over the second weekend in August,…

The 58th Windjammer Days Festival set for June 21-29 was canceled Wednesday, April 29.

According to Capt. Pete Ripley, board member of Friends of Windjammer Days, the decision was made after Gov. Janet Mills announced her four-part plan to reopen the state.

“There’s no way we can keep crowds down to less than 50 people,” Ripley said. “Here’s looking toward 2021.”

Ripley said there was a possibility the Blessing of the Fleet could still happen. It was added to the WJD…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 29, an additional COVID-19 death in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 52. 

The individual, a female in her 70s, was a resident of Cumberland County. 

Below is a table of all the COVID-19 cases in Maine resulting in deaths. Some information has not been provided by the Maine CDC. 

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 29, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 1,056 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 615 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 52 people have passed. The number of people hospitalized, at some point during their illness, across the state stands at 166.

Looking at hospital COVID-19 data, there are currently 32 hospitalized, including 17 in critical care and seven on a…

Be disappointed it hasn’t been a normal spring for getting around to your favorite places to eat, shop and recreate, from Wiscasset Community Center and Boothbay Region YMCA, to the made-over Wiscasset downtown ready to really be tried out, and everything that is always spectacular about a day spent in Boothbay Harbor.

And how many of us on and off the peninsula were saddened but not surprised last week at word Maine State Music Theater will be dark this summer? Also last week, much…

“Stay home. Wash your hands. Practice social distancing. Be safe.” We have all heard this advice over and over and over again from our national and state political leaders and health care experts. We have watched as Dr. Tony Fauci and others explain why we need to do this until big pharma and other big science folks invent a vaccine to protect us from this plague.

We watch as the TV news shows us the worst-case scenarios from Gotham City, where it seems to be a war zone as…

Students from pre-school through 8th grade at Damariscotta Montessori School decorated grocery bags to brighten up deliveries from Main Street Grocery in Damariscotta. The students used art supplies on hand at home to turn plain brown bags into masterpieces as part of their community service projects for the week of April 13. DMS students will do a simple and meaningful service project for the community each week while distance learning is in place.

The bags are used to hold grocery…

Amid concerns and news about COVID-19, there also came news reports of a tiger in a New York zoo and three cats and two dogs in China, France and Belgium all testing positive for the virus after being exposed to it by humans.

Fortunately, dogs and pet owners are still loving and caring for their beloved furbabies, according to Mary Sundeen, president of Midcoast Humane in Brunswick and Edgecomb and Dr. Dean Domeyer of Boothbay Animal Hospital.

Domeyer said there have been…

AUGUSTA — Governor Janet Mills presented her Administration’s plan to gradually and safely restart Maine’s economy April 28.

The plan, which comes as the State appears to be successfully flattening the curve, establishes four gradual stages of reopening, the first of which begins May 1.

The stages focus not on essential versus non-essential designations like those used to originally limit business operations and activities, but on the ability of a business to operate or an…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 28, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 1,040 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 585 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 51 people have passed. The number of people hospitalized, at some point during their illness, across the state stands at 163.

Looking at hospital COVID-19 data, there are currently 33 hospitalized, including 17 in critical care and seven on a…

The 2020 United States Census is happening at the same time as a global pandemic, shelter-in-place orders, and government stimulus payments. With so much going on at once, scammers are using the unique circumstances to create confusion. Their goal is to get their hands on your personal information, which they then use to steal your identity.

How the Scam Works

You receive an unsolicited message via text, email, or a social media messenger. The message…

The Boothbay Region Health Center in the Meadow Mall at 185 Townsend Ave now has access to one of the most advanced COVID-19 antibody tests currently available. Vibrant America has been a lab we have used for tick-borne disease testing and we've been pleased with their accuracy. The company has developed a COVID-19 antibody test that will test four (4) antigens and three (3) antibodies each, resulting in 12 different measures for past exposure or current exposure to COVID-19…

After spending nearly a month providing an additional layer of support on LincolnHealth’s Miles campus during the COVID-19 pandemic, the team from Lincoln Medical Partners’ Family Medicine in Wiscasset has returned to its office on 49 Hooper Street. The Wiscasset team is able to make this move because LincolnHealth’s preparedness for a potential surge in patients is complete.

“We appreciate the flexibility of all of our teams during this unprecedented time,’’ said Timothy Fox,…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 27, an additional COVID-19 death in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 51. 

The individual, a male in his 70s, was a resident of Kennebec County. 

Below is a table of all the COVID-19 cases in Maine resulting in deaths. Some information has not been provided by the Maine CDC. 

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 27, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 1,023 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 549 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 51 people have died. The number of people hospitalized, at some point during their illness, across the state stands at 161.

Looking at hospital COVID-19 data, there are currently 39 hospitalized, including 16 in critical care and seven on a…

Chloe Maxmin will host a virtual town hall on Thursday, April 30 from 6-7 p.m. Log on to Facebook.com/ChloeForSenate to tune in and ask questions.

Maxmin, currently the State Representative for District 88, is challenging Sen. Dana Dow for the District 13 State Senate seat this year.

The Town Hall will serve as a space to answer questions and talk about the work that has been happening during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is an opportunity to connect around a new kind of politics…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 26, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 1,015 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 532 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 50 people have passed. The number of people hospitalized, at some point during their illness, across the state stands at 159.

Looking at hospital COVID-19 data, there are currently 39 hospitalized, including 17 in critical care and seven on a…

“We realize that contractors have been thrown for a loop, like we all have, with the pandemic,” Alna Second Selectman Doug Baston said via Zoom Friday afternoon, as the board unanimously pushed snowplowing bids’ due date from April 26 to June 3.

“Sounds good to me,” Third Selectman Greg Shute said.

“We’re just giving people more time to figure out their business options,” Baston said. 

No bids had come in yet, but they tend to come in last minute, First Selectman…

On April 2, Gov. Janet Mills put a Maine stay-at-home order into effect, joining in the third wave of states issuing those orders to limit the spread of COVID-19.

States began acting when New Jersey made the order on March 21. The states sought to keep ahead of the spread, after trying to avoid limiting the freedom of movement valued by most people as a right.

Mills’ order recognized the right of each state to protect public health and safety within its borders, especially…

Five thousand Maine children and adults with intellectual disabilities, rely on and look forward to the 75 events offered by Special Olympics Maine each year. The athletes train hard and get excited about all of the opportunities they usually have, to be seen for their abilities and not their disabilities. For many of them, the state events are like their state championship. They also look forward to seeing old friends, spending time with their team mates, traveling to other towns for…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 25, an additional three COVID-19 deaths in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 50. 

The individuals were residents of Waldo, Androscoggin and Franklin counties. Each of the individuals were females and were in their 80s, according to WGME. 

Below is a table of all the…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 25, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine. Additionally, a new interactive data feature has been released by the Maine CDC, which is embedded at the end of this story. 

Today, there are 990 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 519 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 50 people have passed. The number of people hospitalized, at some point during their illness, across the state stands at 156.…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 24, an additional three COVID-19 deaths in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 47. 

One was a man in his 60s from York County, one was a woman in her 90s from Kennebec County and one was a man in his 70s from Cumberland County. 

Below is a table of all the COVID-19 cases in Maine resulting in deaths. Some information has not been provided by the Maine CDC. 

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 24, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 965 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 499 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 47 people have passed. The number of people hospitalized, at some point during their illness, across the state stands at 152.

Looking at hospital COVID-19 data, there are currently 39 hospitalized, including 17 in critical care and seven on…

According to selectmen, with a pandemic on, Alna’s July tax commitment puts the town in a tougher spot than some are for getting in a town meeting. The meeting could be held as late as the end of June and still get taxes committed in July, First Selectman Melissa Spinney said in the board’s Zoom meeting April 22.

Some towns commit taxes in September, Spinney said. Alna’s fiscal year starts Feb. 1. An abbreviated town meeting was held March 21 with social distancing in the fire…

AUGUSTA – Initial claims for unemployment compensation totaled 11,560 in the week ending April 18, according to the Maine Dept. of Labor.

This is the lowest number of initial claims in the last five weeks, but the level remains historically high.

Continued claims for the week totaled 66,470, the highest number on record and more than twice the peak number in early 2009…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 23, an additional five COVID-19 deaths in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 44. 

Each of the men were residents of Cumberland County and passed at the Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough. The men were in their 50s, 70s (two) and 90s (two). 

Below is a table of all the COVID-19 cases in Maine resulting in deaths. Some information has not been provided by the Maine CDC. 

Lincoln Home and Harbor View Cottage employees are grateful to have members of the community offer their creativity and support by making and donating cloth masks. These masks are for employees to wear for their home and essential shopping use. We extend our thanks to Sara Sandberg, Yvonne Lamoreaux, Erica St. Peter and Cathy Lane, the Lincoln County coordinator for “Sewing Masks for Maine.”

“Sewing Masks for Maine.” is a statewide network of volunteers who make and donate cloth…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 23, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 937 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 485 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 44 people have passed. The number of people hospitalized, at some point during their illness, across the state stands at 150.

Looking at hospital COVID-19 data, there are currently 42 hospitalized, including 18 in critical care and 11 on a…

An Alna resident who works as a responder is quarantining after being exposed to COVID-19, selectmen said April 22. And they said they and other donors including members of the new group Alna Cares have given a combined total of about $200 to get the person gift certificates good at any Hannaford supermarket.

The board talked about possibly adding to the community’s gift with some money also recently donated to Alna’s food pantry. “Personally, I wouldn’t feel it was inappropriate,”…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 22, an additional three COVID-19 deaths in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 39. 

One was a female in her 70s from Cumberland County, one was a man in his 80s from Waldo County and one was a woman in her 70s from Waldo County. 

Two of the individuals were residents of Waldo County and one was a resident of Cumberland County.

Below is a table of all the COVID-19 cases in Maine resulting in deaths. Some…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 22, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 907 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 455 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 39 people have passed. The number of people hospitalized, at some point during their illness, across the state stands at 144.

Looking at hospital COVID-19 data, there are currently 42 hospitalized, including 18 in critical care and 10 on a…

Maine Farmland Trust (MFT) and the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) are introducing new Maine Farm Emergency Grants to assist farmers impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. A recent survey conducted by the Beginning Farmer Resource Network of Maine indicates farmers and food producers are experiencing significant market disruption. This collaborative effort will provide support to farmers who need assistance mitigating the economic impact of COVID-19, and will help them…

AUGUSTA — In order to provide more opportunity for both youth and adult turkey hunters and abide by current executive orders, Commissioner Judy Camuso with the support of Governor Janet Mills, will open the turkey season early, providing hunters with additional days to hunt this spring season, and will also suspend the requirement to register your harvested turkey, according to a news release. 

“The extra days will provide…

United Way of Mid Coast Maine announced that it has made grants totaling $47,370 to 16 agencies that are working to meet the increased needs of people in Lincoln and Sagadahoc Counties, Brunswick and Harpswell, during the pandemic.

“Our United Way made the first round of COVID-19 Urgent Needs Fund grants for: food, shelter, the ability to provide these basic needs safely in the pandemic, and for outreach to especially vulnerable people, including elders, people with disabilities, and…

Last week’s storm decimated the trees in our yard, exposing raw tissue where limbs severed. Branches, graced by buds that will never open, lay scattered on the killing snow.

Taking in the scene, I felt more grief than shock. Wreckage from erratic weather is one inevitable consequence of an atmosphere turbocharged by excess greenhouse gases.

With coronavirus, as with climate upheaval, our species is confronting realities that are horrifying but should come as no surprise.…

Answer: Beef stew, soup, vegetarian red bean gumbo, microgreen salads, ciabatta bread.

Question: Name what’s been on the menu of the Loving Local Meals Initiative, distributed at select local food pantries.

That’s exactly what’s been happening for clients of food pantries in Boothbay Harbor, Wiscasset and Somerville (pop-up version) the past two weeks, with Jefferson being added this week.

The Initiative is the brainchild of Rising Tide Co-op, in partnership with…

As the days grow longer, birds are flocking back to Maine, and many local species have begun their search for the perfect home. For a lucky few, BRLT is helping out with some prime nesting real estate with stunning water views!

Early this spring, Boothbay Region Land Trust (BRLT) volunteer and enthusiastic birder, Stan Wakefield, was busy preparing for the return of our winged residents. Wakefield has long enjoyed birding both here and in his native Florida where, prior to relocating…

Gardening has long been a hobby for green thumbs, but as social distancing continues, many are turning to growing fruits and vegetables to cut back on grocery runs. Boothbay Region Greenhouses’ Bob Boyd has been in the green industry over 50 years and said the demand for seeds, soil and other growing materials has been staggering.

Many people are either return customers or…

A New Jersey man connected to the Edgecomb Fire Department died April 19 due to complications derived from the coronavirus. Fire Chief Roy Potter announced the death of Capt. Steve Fenton who served as a volunteer fireman when he lived in Edgecomb as a seasonal resident. Potter reported the fire station’s flags would fly at half-mast in Fenton’s honor. “The protocol is to fly them at half-mast until the funeral, but there aren't any due to the coronavirus. So I need to find out how long the…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 21, an additional COVID-19 death in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 36. 

The individual was a resident of Cumberland County, a man in his 80s. 

Below is a table of all the COVID-19 cases in Maine resulting in deaths. Some information has not been provided by the Maine CDC. 

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 21, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 888 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 443 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 36 people have passed. The number of people hospitalized, at some point during their illness, across the state stands at 139.  

Looking at hospital COVID-19 data, there are currently 46 hospitalized, including 18 in critical care and nine on…

With the emergence of COVID-19 some of the federal and state rules regarding who qualifies for Meals on Wheels have been temporarily changed, and now, anyone over the age of 60 who is practicing social distancing can receive meals throughout Spectrum Generations’ service territory. Disabled adults living with someone receiving meals are also eligible temporarily.  

Meals typically would go to older adults who struggle physically to obtain and prepare their own food, people who have…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 20, an additional COVID-19 death in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 35. 

The individual was a female in her 70s from Waldo County. 

Below is a table of all the COVID-19 cases in Maine resulting in deaths. Some information has not been provided by the Maine CDC. 

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 20, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 875 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 414 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 35 people have passed. The number of hospitalizations across the state stands at 138.  

The Maine CDC reports 14,076 negative cases, as of April 15. “Maine CDC will publish negative results once a week on Wednesdays. Because of the number of…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 19, an additional two COVID-19 deaths in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 34. 

Both individuals were males, in their 60s and 80s, from Cumberland County. 

Below is a table of all the COVID-19 cases in Maine resulting in deaths. 

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 19, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 867 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 393 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 34 people have passed. The number of hospitalizations across the state stands at 136.  

The Maine CDC reports 14,076 negative cases, as of April 15. “Maine CDC will publish negative results once a week on Wednesdays. Because of the number of…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 18, an additional three COVID-19 deaths in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 32. 

Two of the individuals were from Waldo County and one was from Kennebec County. Further information was not available at publishing time. 

Below is a table of all the COVID-19 cases in Maine resulting in deaths. 

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 18, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 847 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 382 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 32 people have passed. The number of hospitalizations across the state stands at 136.  

The Maine CDC reports 14,076 negative cases, as of April 15. “Maine CDC will publish negative results once a week on Wednesdays. Because of the number of…