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Seven state public health and emergency workers report COVID-19 symptoms

The employees work at the Maine Emergency Management Agency offices where daily media briefings are held, but the Maine CDC said Gov. Janet Mills and other top state officials have not had close contact with the affected workers.

Business

Fraud contributed to record 37,000 jobless claims, Maine officials say

Having 24,500 Mainers file claims – the other 12,500 are duplicates – is a 'sharp and suspicious' increase from recent trends, the state Labor Department said.
Schools and Education 47 seconds ago

Portland schools prepare for year’s end with plan to address learning gaps

The last two weeks of the school year will look different for Portland Public Schools as the district shifts its focus to students who have fallen behind or need more support.
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- Maine schools cautiously plan for what a return to classes will look like in the fall

Arts & Entertainment

While others wait and see, Footlights Theatre forges ahead with July reopening

The theater in Falmouth plans to return with a comedy, as Portland Stage announces its season but no timeframe for it.
- Maine arts and entertainment venues look ahead to raising the curtain, very slowly
Business

Indoor recreation businesses proceed cautiously toward reopening

How Maine can have groups of people socialize safely under the same roof is a question without an agreed-upon answer.
- Here’s the latest on what’s open, what’s closed and what’s next
Local & State

Key legislative committees coming back to State House to take up pandemic response

State House leaders announced a series of meetings for 5 key committees as the Legislature looks to broaden its role in the fight to address coronavirus pandemic in Maine.
- State finance commissioner to update lawmakers on pandemic’s impact
Nation & World

The Latest: UN chief warns world leaders pandemic may cause historic famine
Local & State

The Virus Diaries: Even with 26 years of sobriety, the loss of AA meetings is a worry

A longtime member of Alcoholics Anonymous misses the intimacy of in-person meetings that have been forced to go virtual because of the pandemic.
- The Virus Diaries: Read Mainers’ stories of how the pandemic is affecting them
Local & State

Acadia’s Park Loop Road and several coastal state parks will reopen Monday

Parks with beaches, including Popham Beach State Park in Phippsburg and Crescent Beach State Park in Cape Elizabeth, have been closed since March.
- Acadia National Park shutting down amid coronavirus outbreak
- Maine closing 10 state parks and beaches to stem tide of coronavirus

How is the coronavirus affecting you?
Are you suddenly out of work? How is your child’s remote education going? Are you struggling with isolation? Has getting a home repair become a challenge? Are you having trouble buying essentials? We want to hear how Mainers are coping. Email us at [email protected]. Please include your name, town and phone number so a reporter can contact you.