Some Maine school districts will require masks, others won’t
BANGOR, Maine (AP) — School districts in Maine are taking varied approaches to mask mandates for the coming school year. Bangor schools Superintendent James Tager said Monday the district felt the wise move was to follow U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for universal indoor masking as the coronavirus pandemic stretches into another school year. The school district in Portland, which is the largest in Maine, plans to follow a similar protocol. But the School Committee in Lewiston, another of Maine’s large, urban school districts, recently rejected a motion to require masks and chose instead to make mask use optional.
COLD CASE-MURDER
Police in Maine serve warrant in 10-year-old killing
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Police in Maine say a man has been arrested in a decade-old killing in Portland. The warrant stemmed from the 2011 death of 41-year-old Allen MacLean, of South Portland, who was shot and killed in the city. Police said Monday they recently presented evidence in the case to the Maine attorney general’s office and a grand jury. Police served the arrest warrant Friday to Abdi Awad, who is in custody at Maine State Prison in Warren. They said he will remain in custody until he is arraigned.
FATAL FIRE-MAINE
Accidental house fire kills Maine man, 57
LISBON, Maine (AP) — Police in Maine say an accidental house fire in Lisbon killed a 57-year-old man over the weekend. The Maine Department of Public Safety says Michael Dagneau, who lived at the residence, died in the fire. The department says the blaze happened in the early morning hours of Saturday and drew responders from three fire departments. Firefighters found Dagneau’s body after extinguishing the fire. The department said Dagneau was transported to a local funeral home to be examined by the state medical examiner’s office. Police have described the fire as accidental but have not provided other details.
AMERICAN FLOWERS
Maine pols wants government to use only US-grown flowers
BRUNSWICK, Maine (AP) — Maine’s independent senator is joining a push to call on the federal government to only procure flowers grown in the United States. Sen. Angus King said the “American Grown Act” would require the office of the president as well as the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of State to only procure cut flowers and cut greens grown in America. King said the “vast majority” of flowers currently purchased by the government are foreign grown. Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine is also a supporter of the proposal.
GAS PRICES
Gas prices rise in 3 northern New England states
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Gas prices have risen in all three northern New England states over the past week. GasBuddy’s daily survey of 1,228 gas stations in Maine found that prices rose about a penny to $3.11 per gallon on Monday. Prices in Vermont went up about 2 cents to $3.07 per gallon and prices in New Hampshire increased about a penny to $2.99 per gallon.