Central Maine news, sports & weather from Augusta to Waterville| The Morning Sentinel, Waterville, ME and Kennebec Journal, Augusta, ME

MAINE CONFRONTS PANDEMIC

Two more Mainers die of coronavirus, including 1 at Scarborough veterans home

The Maine CDC says 30 more people statewide have been infected with COVID-19, among them six staff members and three residents of the Scarborough facility.

Local & State

Funeral homes adapting during coronavirus pandemic

Meeting with families by video platforms to plan funerals, postponing services until later in the spring or summer and wearing extra protective gear while working with the deceased are among the ways funeral directors have adapted during the pandemic.
Local & State

More central Maine schools to close, go fully online until end of the school year

After a Tuesday recommendation from the Department of Education commissioner, many schools decided Friday to close their doors and continue remote learning through the rest of this year's academic calendar.

Local & State

Birthing centers around central Maine adjusting to deliveries during pandemic

As more information becomes available, doctors assure patients that they will continue to work within CDC guidelines and keep their patients and staff as safe as possible.
Local & State

Maine small businesses to receive $1.5 billion in paycheck protection funds

Approximately 8,400 small businesses have been approved for federal funds that are meant to keep workers employed during the coronavirus outbreak.
Local & State

Vassalboro family organizing virtual Easter ‘egg’ hunt for kids

Lisa and Donald Breton and their daughter, Jessica, have collected baskets full of treats to give out as prizes, and they have donated an equal number themselves.
Local & State

Mills eases restrictions on needle exchange programs amid coronavirus

Maine's governor announces an executive order that allows people to return used needles and get clean ones on an as-needed basis, rather than the traditional one-to-one exchange.
Schools and Education

Police distribute laptops to Fairfield area elementary school students

Officers from Clinton, Fairfield, Kennebec County Sheriff's Office and MSAD 49's resource officer, Jeremy Day, distributed around 400 laptops to elementary school students April 2 and 3 to use during the coronavirus pandemic.
Local & State

Augusta ponders budgeting despite coronavirus pandemic

Officials hope to approve a budget before start of fiscal year, but the coronavirus could have impact beyond health.
Local & State

Maine Acts of Kindness: Craft beer becomes hospital-grade hand sanitizer

Breweries and distillers are working with the University of Maine to meet the need of the state's hospitals.
Local & State

Read all of our coverage on how coronavirus is affecting Maine
Local & State

Track Maine’s coronavirus cases by county

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports the status of cases daily.

Central Mainers still dealing with no power

Sam and Alan Sanborn, of Canaan, and Joan Phillips-Sandy, of Waterville, found creative ways to make do, as by Saturday afternoon, they had been without power since Thursday night.

Local & State

Tens of thousands of Maine households still without power

Central Maine Power, the state's leading utility, says the vast majority of customers will have service by Sunday night.

Central Maine customers await return of cable service

While power outages also mean cable outages, some people lost cable services while the lights stayed on in the recent spring snowstorm.

Local & State

Spring storm pummels central Maine with heavy snow, cuts power to thousands

The April storm that began Thursday and continued overnight into Friday cuts power to about 200,000 customers of Central Maine Power, including at least 81,000 in the central Maine region.

News

‘He’s a hero’: Larry Lord welcomed home to Jay

Farmington explosion victim returned to Maine in an ambulance on Friday escorted by first responders and cheered by hundreds of spectators.

Local & State

Gov. Janet Mills declares Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy to be essential

In a directive released by Governor Janet Mills Saturday, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy have been officially authorized to move about the the state—so long as they maintain the six foot rule.