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

Who were those masked women putting in signs below First Congregational Church of Wiscasset’s sign at the bottom of the common, next to Route 1 April 14?

Residents Beth Maxwell, in a face mask she made, and Terry Heller, in a bandana-face mask, pounded in the plywood signs Maxwell made by painting “Bells ring, light shines, love prevails” onto the backs of Garden Club of Wiscasset signs. Maxwell is the club’s president and is in the church’s Ladies Organ Society, where the idea for…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 17, an additional two COVID-19 deaths in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 29. 

Both individuals were from Waldo County and females. One was in her 70s and one was in her 80s. 

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

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 17, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 827 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 352 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 29 people have passed. The number of hospitalizations across the state stands at 133.  

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

AUGUSTA — Governor Janet Mills announced steps April 16 to keep Maine people in their homes and Maine businesses in their storefronts as COVID-19 continues to create financial hardships across the state, according to a news release. 

The Governor …

With so many Mainers unable to work during these difficult and uncertain times, many Maine families are experiencing food insecurity. The need has never been greater. Recognizing this great need and wanting to help, Paul Coulombe initiated a matching fund campaign drive with members of Boothbay Harbor Country Club.

The response was incredible! In less than two weeks $50,000 was raised and on Wednesday, April 15, Coulombe provided a $50,000 matching donation. At the time of this…

There are 93 long-term care facilities in Maine, most of which are either nursing homes or assisted living facilities for seniors. About a dozen of these are in Lincoln County.

This past weekend, after a handful of patients and workers tested positive for COVID-19 at an Augusta facility, the Maine CDC tested all staff and residents there and found that 55 of them were positive, including nearly two-thirds of the residents. There are now four of these facilities in Maine experiencing…

In 2012, Massachusetts native Erica Berman and husband, Frenchman Alain Ollier, left Paris, France and arrived in Midcoast Maine searching for a “more meaningful life.” The couple made Newcastle home, and began planning on creating a non-profit organic farm providing food-insecure families with access to fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers.

In 2019, the couple began Veggies to Table, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit in Newcastle. In the inaugural…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 16, an additional three COVID-19 deaths in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 27. 

The individuals were a woman in her 70s from Waldo County, a woman in her 80s from York County and a man in his 70s from York 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 16, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 796 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 333 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 27 people have passed. The number of hospitalizations across the state stands at 130.  

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

Communication on everyone’s part is the most important piece to remote learning, administrators and Wiscasset school committee members said April 14 in the committee’s Zoom debut. The panel unanimously passed a remote learning plan officials said will get school days to count with the state. And participants praised staff and families’ efforts and voiced concern for all, amid the changes the pandemic has brought.

Wiscasset Middle High School Principal Charles Lomonte said some…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 15, an additional four COVID-19 deaths in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 24. 

The 24 deaths is an increase from 20 cases previously announced. 

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Working with the Treasury Department, the Internal Revenue Service unveiled April 15 the new “Get My Payment” with features to let taxpayers check on their Economic Impact Payment date and update direct deposit information.

With an initial round of more than 80 million Economic Impact Payments starting to hit bank accounts over the weekend and throughout this week, this new tool will help address key common questions, a press release noted.

“Get My Payment…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 15, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 770 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 305 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 24 people have passed. The number of hospitalizations across the state stands at 126.  

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

AUGUSTA — As the State of Maine continues to respond to COVID-19, Governor Janet Mills signed April 14 a proclamation extending Maine’s state of civil emergency for another 30 days through May 15.

The original state of civil emergency was scheduled to expire Wednesday, April 15.

A state of…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 14, an additional COVID-19 death in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 20. 

The individual was a resident of York County, a woman in her 70s. 

In addition to announcing the state’s 20th COVID-19 death, the Maine CDC announced the one individual’s death was previously attributed by the Maine CDC to the wrong county. 

Upon further investigation, the individual recently attributed to Sagadahoc County should…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 14, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 734 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 292 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 20 people have passed. The number of hospitalizations across the state stands at 124.  

In an April 9 press briefing, Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah noted there are more than 11,000 negative cases. “Because of the number of outside labs that…

PORTLAND, Maine – Maine Medical Center has joined a pair of clinical trials designed to examine the efficacy of the drug Remdesivir for treatment of moderate and severe COVID-19. The trials’ Principal Investigator is David Seder, M.D., MMC’s chief of critical care, and was organized under the Maine Medical Center Research Institute (MMCRI).

MMC enrolled its first patient in the study of treatment for severe disease on April 9 and now has three patients enrolled in that study. MMC has…

Only a month ago, we thought that Coronavirus (COVID-19) was something that happened to other people in other places. We are now facing the reality that the virus could be anywhere, and see that it is spreading and coming to almost everywhere.

We all watch the reports from the Center for Disease Control in Augusta and very much rely on the impressive professionalism of Dr. Shah and his excellent communication skills. Good information on the spread of this virus is hard to come by but…

Maine-ly Elderberry owner Daisy Cunningham of Wiscasset has given the town’s police, fire and emergency services some teas and diffusers and about a case and a half of syrup.

The donated products probably totaled about $300-$350, but Cunningham wasn’t thinking about that. She just gave them what she had. “I figured, they keep us safe,” she said about the responders. “Every little bit helps. They’re out there facing even more challenges right now.” In an interview, Cunningham was…

With Lincoln County having among the eldest population in the eldest state, the fears of COVID-19’s potential for rapid and rampant disaster are very real. LincolnHealth infectious disease expert Dr. Catherine Cavanaugh, DO, one of many Lincoln County health professionals on the front lines of the pandemic, spoke to the issue in a phone interview with the Boothbay Register.

While age is not a factor in how the virus spreads, it is one of many factors with the fatality rate, and is a…

AUGUSTA — Governor Mills and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew announced April 13 a series of actions to ensure that Maine people affected by Substance Use Disorder can access critical treatment and resources in the face of COVID-19, including facilitating access to medication and counseling, promoting harm reduction strategies, and accelerating financial relief for providers, according to a news release. 

“While physical distancing is our…

Edgecomb Eddy School had a couple days’ head start on distance learning prior to Gov. Janet Mills’ emergency declaration. On March 13, Principal Ira Michaud believed it was only a matter of time before the coronavirus would result in Maine closing public schools. So he directed the school’s pre-kindergarten to grade six staff to help students pack up books, laptops and other materials for an extended school break. On March 15, Mills ordered public schools closed until the end of April. …

Despite their fitness and membership facilities being closed, the YMCAs across Maine continue to provide essential services in their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, including childcare, emergency food distribution, online wellness classes, and check-ins on seniors.

Across Maine:

• 9 YMCAs are providing childcare for essential workers, serving an average of more than 200 children per day;
• 10 YMCAs are providing food assistance, distributing an average of…

Although schools and libraries are closed, the Merry Barn Writers’ Retreat wants to encourage kids to continue reading, writing and creating. We are lending books to children in the Midcoast area. We’ll curate a collection based on kids’ wishes, use gloves and wipes to sanitize, and leave the books on the porch by the side entrance of the barn. Return when you’ve finished so we can share with others. Request a new supply anytime. Send a request from the Contact page of our website…

What a difference a month makes. In February one of our biggest challenges was finding enough parking spaces for our Senior College classes due to a muddy field that could not be used. When March arrived, the world had changed. Lincoln Home’s COVID-19 Task Force had begun meeting and implementing plans to keep our staff and residents healthy and safe. We continue to meet almost daily.

Gratefully, to date all the residents and staff continue to be well at Lincoln Home and Harbor View…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 13, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 698 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 273 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 19 people have passed. The number of hospitalizations across the state stands at 124.  

In an April 9 press briefing, Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah noted there are more than 11,000 negative cases. “Because of the number of outside labs that…

AUGUSTA — Governor Janet Mills signed April 10 an Executive Order moving Maine’s primary election from Tuesday, June 9 to Tuesday, July 14.

The Order, which is effective immediately, allows applications for absentee ballots to be made in writing or in person, without specifying a reason, up to and including the day of the election, according to a news release. 

It also extends the deadline for qualifying contributions under the Maine Clean Election Act to May 19.

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 12, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 633 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 266 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 19 people have passed. The number of hospitalizations across the state stands at 120.  

In an April 9 press briefing, Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah noted there are more than 11,000 negative cases. “Because of the number of outside labs that…

With a 3D printer he built last year and materials he bought with money he earned doing lawn care, Wiscasset’s Sullivan “Sully” Joyce, 14, is making healthcare workers more comfortable in their surgical masks.

Parents Sarah and Brendan Joyce and Sully’s gifted and talented teacher of three years, Rachel Sugarman, are proud but not surprised he would help during the COVID-19 pandemic while continuing his eighth grade year at Wiscasset Middle High School, like everyone else, remotely.…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 11, two additional COVID-19 deaths in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 19. 

The individuals were a male in his 80s from York County and a male in his 70s from Cumberland County, according to WGME. 

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

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 11, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 616 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 256 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 19 people have passed. The number of hospitalizations across the state stands at 114.  

In an April 9 press briefing, Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah noted there are more than 11,000 negative cases. “Because of the number of outside labs that…

This letter from Wiscasset Superintendent of Schools Dr. Terry Wood to families was posted at wiscassetschools.org Saturday:

Due to the recent press release from Maine’s Commissioner of Education, encouraging schools to begin to plan for emergency remote learning for the remainder of the school year, it has been clarified that the intent of that message was to effectively close all schools to classroom/group instruction through the end of the academic year.

Therefore, I am…

AUGUSTA — Central Maine Power has been clearing debris and downed wires across its service territory this morning, April 10, and is working to restore more than 200,000 customer outages, a midday news release said.

Coordinating with state, county and local emergency management officials, CMP has focused on ensuring all hospitals and critical care facilities have power, the release noted.

The company is advising that given the extensive scale of outages, customers should be…

So far, 5,334 small businesses in Maine have been approved for more than $1 billion in forgivable loans through the Paycheck Protection Program, according to a news release from the office of Sen. Susan Collins.

Dozens of Maine lending institutions are currently participating in the program.  

Paycheck Protection Program loans were created by the …

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 10, an additional COVID-19 death in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 17. 

The individual was a female in her 80s and a resident of Sagadahoc 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 10, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 586 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 246 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 17 people have passed. The number of hospitalizations across the state stands at 111.  

In an April 9 press briefing, Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah noted there are more than 11,000 negative cases. “Because of the number of outside labs that…

Maine Authors Publishing is partnering with local bookstores to do their part in sustaining the local and independent literary community through Maine Authors Bookstore Direct, where they will ship the bookstore to your door.

“We are honored to be able to donate our labor to the limited-time Bookstore Direct program to increase sales to bookstores (instead of online) and to assist with shipping,” said Jane Karker, president of Maine Authors Publishing.

If a reader wants to…

During a pandemic, what is a workshop-based, interaction-focused school to do?

The Center for Learning (CTL) in Edgecomb has long prided itself on being a school that relies on authentic instruction, connection, and collaboration between students and teachers through face-to-face mentoring in the classroom. CTL students use technology when needed, but the school makes an effort to keep screen time low and to de-emphasize computer use in school. Third grade students learn basic…

As part of their distance learning during the week of March 31 through April 4, Damariscotta Montessori students sent letters, cards and drawings to Lincoln County nursing home residents. Residents at local facilities such as Harborview Cottage, Lincoln Home, and Cove’s Edge are in need, because they cannot receive visits from family members and friends during the statewide “Safe at Home” to slow the spread of Covid-19.

Public service and global…

Wiscasset resident and college student Gabby Chapman is one of many out of work due to the pandemic. “Prior to the chaos, I was working at Portland Pie Company in Brunswick as a server. After being laid off due to the pandemic, I filed for unemployment. While it doesn’t bring in nearly as much income, every little bit helps. I encourage everyone that is able to file for unemployment do so because it’s money that your employer and you have accounted for in the…

Portland, Maine – Noting that none of its employees have been laid off or seen their pay and benefits diminished, MaineHealth today released details on how it is redeploying staff amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

“In an effort to provide financial security and assurance to our employees at a time when so much is being demanded of them, we have decided that all MaineHealth employees who are sent home for any COVID-19- related reason will receive their regular pay and benefits and will not…

AUGUSTA — The Maine Principals’ Association announced April 9 it is canceling the upcoming spring sports season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

The decision comes less than 48 hours after Governor Janet Mills and Maine Department of Education Commissioner Pender Makin recommended educators begin to make plans for school campuses to remain closed for the remainder of the academic year. 

The decision also comes earlier than anticipated as it had previously been indicated…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 9, two additional COVID-19 deaths in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 16.  

One individual was a male from Cumberland County in his 80’s while one individual was a female in her 90’s from Waldo County, according to WABI. …

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 9, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 560 cases confirmed across the state. 

Across the state, 202 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 16 people have passed. The number of hospitalizations across the state stands at 105.  

In an April 9 press briefing, Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah noted there are more than 11,000 negative cases. “Because of the number of outside labs that…

Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency wants to help those people in Lincoln County affected by Governor Mills’ recent Executive Order requiring anyone recently returning to the state of Maine to self-quarantine for 14 days.

There are resources available, including grocery delivery, that will allow you to stay in quarantine. If you need groceries delivered, please call Main Street Grocery in Damariscotta at (207)563-3507 or place an online order at…

As you may know, US CDC guidance recommends an eight to 20-week timeframe for avoiding large group/in-person instruction once there is evidence of community transmission of COVID-19. Therefore, I am recommending, with the support of the Governor, that you begin to plan to replace classroom/group instruction with remote/distance learning for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.

It is difficult to make such a recommendation, recognizing the profound challenge of reinventing…

The Lincoln County Historical Association (LCHA) Education Outreach Program offers nine Lesson Resources for students and educators. These lessons are geared to American Colonial and early 19th century history. The topics, which offer an interdisciplinary approach to sharing history, cover the subject areas of Art, English, Math, and Social Studies.

Background information and work sheets that make up each lesson can be adapted for grades three and up. The PDF files are free upon…

U.S. Senator Angus King, I-Maine, joined a group of 19 senators seeking to support local journalism and media in any future coronavirus relief package, according to an April 8 news release. In a letter to Senate leadership and appropriators, the senators stress that the widespread impact of the pandemic – including plummeting advertising revenue – could decimate regional and local news outlets even as communities have become increasingly reliant on their reporting amidst the public health…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 8, two additional COVID-19 deaths in the state, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 14. 

A female in her 80s from Waldo County and a male in his 80s from Cumberland County were announced April 8 as the state’s newest COVID-19 related deaths. 

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

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 8, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 537 cases confirmed across the state. 

One hundred eighty-seven people in Maine have recovered from COVID-19, while 14 people have passed. One hundred one people have been hospitalized across the state. 

In a March 30 press briefing, Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah noted there are more than 6,000 negative cases. “Because of the number of outside…

Lincoln County Dental delivered boxes of personal protective equipment April 7 to Lincoln County Courthouse in Wiscasset for local first responders. LCD President Jim Olson and Executive Director Holly Stover collected equipment from four dental offices throughout the region and pooled their own equipment and resources for much needed relief on the front lines of the COVID-19…

A sign of the times is people working together to bring calm during a crisis. And that is exactly the case in Lincoln County, according to Emergency Management Agency Director Casey Stevens. With the state under a stay at home order from Gov. Janet Mills, Stevens told county commissioners April 7 that public response to the crisis is “phenomenal.” He described community efforts especially in food distribution as the best example of people coming together.

Another example is two…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has announced, April 7, two additional COVID-19 deaths in the state. 

Both individuals were from Cumberland County. One individual was a man in his 50s, while the other was a female in her 80’s. 

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

On Tuesday, Mainers facing the threat of eviction, landlords, and housing advocates called on Gov. Janet Mills to take executive action to place a moratorium on all residential and commercial evictions and foreclosures, with rent forgiveness, until the public health emergency created by COVID-19 is over. Advocates electronically delivered over 1,800 messages to Governor Mills from Mainers across the state urging action.

"Our landlord has given us an extension for April, but we still…

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list, April 7, of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Maine.

Today, there are 519 cases confirmed across the state. 

One hundred seventy-six people in Maine have recovered from COVID-19, while 12 people have passed. Ninety-nine people have been hospitalized across the state. 

In a March 30 press briefing, Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah noted there are more than 6,000 negative cases. “Because of the number of outside labs…