During its daily update on Tuesday, March 17, Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the state now has 23 confirmed cases if the 2019 novel coronavirus, and nine presumptive positives, bringing the likely known total to 32. Maine discovered its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on Thursday, March 12.

Tests for 1,303 people have come back negative.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

On Maine’s 200th birthday, Sunday, March 15, Governor Janet Mills held a press conference to address the spread of COVID-19 in Maine and said she has declared a civil state of emergency to “unlock access to critical federal funds that will support [Maine’s] efforts.”

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

After 16 days in isolation, Ben and Allison Edwards were relieved to learn they tested negative for COVID-19. The couple, who manage Schoppee Farm in Machias, returned from a trip to Europe last month and were advised to self-quarantine for two weeks.

The Machias Valley News Observer will be regularly updating this page with information relating to coronavirus in Washington County, including closures, cancellations, and postponements. If you have any updates to include here, please email them to [email protected].

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

An alleged horse trailer business operating under the name Equine Station LLC lists its United States Inventory address as 36 Broadway, Machias, and responds to customer inquiries stating it ships from Machias zip code 04654. However, there is no such address, and the state of Maine has no record of a business by that name.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

The sequence of events that shut down Elm Street in Machias for 24 hours this week began much earlier, when Hurricane Dorian laid waste to the Bahamas on September 1.

Regarded as the worst natural disaster in the history of the island nation, Dorian hit with winds topping 185 miles per hour, killing more than 60 and leveling a home built there by Clay Thomas of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 

 The University of Maine at Machias and the Downeast Salmon Federation (DSF) signed a memorandum of understanding Oct. 2 that formalized the growing partnership between the two organizations.

“Partnering with DSF both broadens and strengthens the STEM programs that the university can offer students,” said Daniel Qualls, head of campus at UMM. “We can get our students out in the field doing real science.”

The Maine State Police have released the following statement.

The State Fire Marshal's Office says an 18-month-old Calais boy was seriously burned Wednesday, June 12,  when a flammable liquid was poured on a campfire.   Wyatt Chandler is being treated for burns to 60% of his body at Mass General in Boston.

In accordance with a directive from the President, Governor Janet Mills directed that the United States and State of Maine flags be flown at half-staff statewide immediately until sunset on Tuesday, June 4, in honor of the victims of a Friday shooting in Virginia Beach, Virginia and issued the following statement: "Maine grieves with Virginia for the lives lost Friday in a devastating, senseless act of violence," said Governor Mills.

 The following two stories were released today from the US Attorney's Office and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.

On Thursday, May 2, more than thirty Maine Drug Enforcement Agency Task Force Agents joined law enforcement partners from county, state and federal agencies in Washington and Hancock Counties to arrest a number of individuals who are now charged with criminal drug offenses either in state or federal court.