Lovell’s Historic House Tour

Schools lost track of homeless kids during pandemic. Many face steep path to recovery

Homeless kids often fell through the cracks during the tumult of the COVID pandemic, when many schools struggled to keep track of families with unstable housing.

Alcohol to go is here to stay

The once-temporary measure to help restaurants and bars during the pandemic became law on Monday, and now includes beer and wine by the glass as well as cocktails.

Uptake of bivalent COVID-19 boosters low in Maine, but still higher than most of the country

Nearly a third of all Mainers ages 5 years and older have received the omicron-targeting bivalent booster shot compared to less than 18% of individuals nationwide. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that individuals who have received the bivalent booster are at significantly lower risk of hospitalization and death compared to unvaccinated individuals.

New COVID origins data point to raccoon dogs in China market

The findings aren't definitive, but data shows that some of the COVID-positive samples collected from a stall contained raccoon dog genes, which indicates the animals could have been infected by the virus.

Androscoggin County gets high marks for handling federal pandemic funds

A representative assisting the county for a national accounting firm said Androscoggin County was "the best" that he has seen.

At UMaine, back on campus but still online for many classes

Some learners chafe at lost in-class experiences; others appreciate remote flexibility. For now, the university system doesn't seem ready to reverse its pandemic-era shift.

To-go alcoholic drinks may be here to stay

Despite objections from public health advocates, a legislative committee voted Wednesday in favor of permanently legalizing the pandemic-era practice of to-go cocktails, wine, and beer.

Local restaurants forge new paths in a post-pandemic market

Forced by labor and supply shortages to adapt their business models, some restaurant owners and chefs are making concept changes to stay viable and eventually thrive.

COVID-related hospitalizations remain steady as new subvariant dominates

The omicron subvariant, XBB, now accounts for about 70% of all COVID-19 cases in the Northeast. While it is more contagious than previous subvariants, local hospital officials say they are not seeing a spike in hospitalizations.