COVID-19 vaccine mandates / 8th grade basketball star / MDI swim

COVID-19 vaccine mandates / 8th grade basketball star / MDI swim

Today is Tuesday. Temperatures will be in the high 70s to low 80s from north to south, with sunny skies across the state. Here’s what we’re talking about in Maine today.

The latest on the coronavirus

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention will report the latest coronavirus cases and deaths from the weekend by 9:30 a.m. today. Check out our COVID-19 Tracker for more information.

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer declined to hear a preemptive lawsuit from Orrington’s Calvary Chapel targeting state COVID-19 restrictions without even asking the other side to respond or asking his colleagues to get involved.

Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah said that the state is reassessing mask recommendation guidelines to avoid “whipsaw” messaging.

Shah also called on Mainers to set aside their anger and fear over the virus’ resurgence and even suggested ways they might sway unvaccinated neighbors to get the jab.

Poll: Nearly two-thirds of Mainers support mandating COVID-19 vaccine

The survey found that nearly 66 percent of Maine respondents would “somewhat” or “strongly” back a government mandate for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Northern Light will require COVID-19 vaccine at its 10 hospitals

With few exceptions, vaccination will be required within six weeks of full FDA approval, and will be a condition of employment.

Hospitals see more vaccinated Mainers with COVID-19, but cases are rare

Unvaccinated people are still more than five times as likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 in Maine right now compared with vaccinated people.

A 6-foot-7 Newport basketball star has a college scholarship offer. He just finished 8th grade.

Cooper Flagg is entering high school as one of the most acclaimed Maine players ever at his level.

Bangor’s largest commercial properties lose millions of dollars in value

The city’s most valuable commercial property, Hollywood Casino, has dropped in value by $6 million from a year ago.

DHHS ordered to share records on Maddox Williams and his siblings

Maine’s child welfare system was thrust back into the spotlight this summer following the deaths of Maddox Williams and three other children under the age of 4.

Bar Harbor woman to make 2nd attempt to swim around Mount Desert Island

Puranjot Kaur, 41, plans to set out Tuesday evening from Hadley Point in Bar Harbor and to swim clockwise around the island over roughly 24 hours.

Northern Maine is still abnormally dry after a wet July

While Maine saw a marked increase in rain, much of it was due to fast-moving heavy rain storms that tend to not be absorbed well into the ground.

This Maine wild cat made the best birthday present of all

It’s likely the cat climbed to a safe place for a nap and the warming rays of early sun.

In other Maine news

The Madawaska McDonald’s is blocking the government’s new border facility

Man accused of killing kitten with a frying pan sentenced to 2 years in prison

Maine regulator rebuffs lawmakers’ complaints around corridor tree-cutting

Bangor State Fair will host vaccination clinic amid delta variant spread

Portland has rainiest July in more than 100 years

2 Portland restaurants now require COVID-19 vaccination to dine-in

Newly retired Fort Kent police chief to oversee almost 4 million acres of North Maine Woods

UMaine men’s team turns to junior hockey ‘guru’ to fill assistant coaching job