Man dies in collision with logging truck in rural Maine
CRAWFORD, Maine (AP) — Police in Maine say a man died in a crash with a tractor-trailer in the Washington County town of Crawford.
Police say the crash killed 63-year-old Bruce Pierce of Calais. They said Pierce was driving a vehicle that was traveling west when it collided head-on with a tractor-trailer carrying a load of logs Wednesday morning. Police say Pierce’s vehicle crossed into the westbound lane, into the path of the tractor-trailer. They said the tractor-trailer driver, 59-year-old Kenneth Stairs of Greenbush, was transported to a Calais hospital for minor injuries.
$2M for training, jobs in Maine locales hit by opioid crisis
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The federal government is hoping to help Maine create jobs in parts of the state that have been hit hard by the opioid use disorder epidemic. The state is on pace to potentially surpass the record number of drug overdose deaths that occurred in 2020. There were more than 500 overdose deaths in Maine last year. The U.S. Department of Labor said Wednesday that it is awarding the Maine Department of Labor more than $2 million to create jobs and provide employment services to residents in nine counties that have been significantly affected by the crisis.
Maine church seeks preemptive ban on COVD-19 restrictions
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A Maine church that previously sued over coronavirus restrictions is delivering a preemptive lawsuit against possible new restrictions associated with a variant of the virus that’s spreading across the country. Calvary Chapel church in Orrington is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to stop Democratic Gov. Mills from enforcing or reinstating any pandemic-related restrictions due to the virus’ delta variant. The request for an injunction described Mills’ restrictions as a 14-month “reign of terror” and claimed any restrictions would violate religious liberties. The injunction request was filed on July 23, pending a Supreme Court decision on whether to hear the case.
Maine is going to support free coronavirus vaccine clinics in schools and promote education about vaccines as part of a push to protect schools from the virus.
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services and Maine Department of Education said Wednesday they’re working on the effort in the wake of new guidance from the federal government. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended universal masking in schools.
Maine officials said the Maine CDC will connect schools with hospitals, doctors and others to support the vaccine clinics. Officials said the state will also send letters with information about the virus and the vaccine to school administrators, parents and community health providers.
The Maine health department said the state will also begin collecting school staff vaccination rates starting Sept. 1 and posting them publicly by the middle of the month.
The department said it will also begin posting vaccination rates of people age 19 and younger by school administrative unit every two weeks starting in the middle of August.
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