As school districts across Maine develop and implement COVID safety plans, they will receive millions of dollars in financial aid from the state through the federal coronavirus relief package.

The owners of the recently shuttered Hampden waste plant are blaming many of its financial problems on a contractor that staffed and ran the facility, arguing in court documents that the contractor hired and then poorly supervised unqualified workers at the plant.

DEXTER — The Dexter Town Council gave its approval to a $6,061,501 municipal budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year during a July 16 meeting.

The committee charged with recommending urgent measures to stabilize and support Maine’s economy amid the coronavirus pandemic recommended the state provide $1.

The state is now opening 18 new drive-up coronavirus testing sites in places as far abreast as South Portland and Presque Isle as part of a previously announced expansion to the state’s overall ability to detect the disease.

DOVER-FOXCROFT Shall the town appropriate revenues anticipated  in the amount of $2,133,808 and  appropriate additional funds including  funds from surplus in the amount of $260,000,  for a total amount of $2,393,808  to be used to reduce amounts  to be raised from the property tax commitment  to fund appropriations in subsequent articles,  and; authorize the board of selectmen  to appropriate an additional amount  from surplus to reduce the property tax commitment? Yes No 791 167   Shall the town raise and appropriate  the sum of $4,651,635, for town operations?  (Revenue and surplus to be used  to reduce the amount to be raised  to fund this article is $2,279,508,  net amount to be raised is $2,372,127) Yes No 871 195   Shall the town raise and appropriate the sum  of $205,500 to capital reserve to fund capital equipment?  (Revenue and surplus to be used to reduce the amount  to be raised to fund this article is $18,600, net amount  to be raised is $186,900);  and authorize the board of selectmen to expend funds) Yes No 813 214   Shall the town raise and appropriate the sum  of $72,500 to capital reserve to fund  capital improvements to town buildings and facilities?  (Revenue to be used to reduce the amount to be raised to fund  this article is $5,700, net amount to be raised is $66,800);  and authorize the board of selectmen to expend funds) Yes No 766 219   Shall the town appropriate all money received  from the the state (anticipated in the amount of $90,000)  for capital improvements and maintenance of town roads  and bridges and raise and appropriate $310,000  for capital improvements and maintenance for town roads?  Total expenditure = $400,000.

An incumbent Republican state senator barely held off a challenge from an incendiary lawmaker in one of three Tuesday legislative primaries won by candidates backed by Senate Republicans over those preferred by former Gov.

Maine voters on Tuesday, July 14  overwhelmingly backed $120 million in bonds for transportation and broadband systems that have been stressed by the coronavirus pandemic.

A $6 million bond issue to fund upgrades to equipment on towers that relay signals between emergency responders and the Penobscot County Communications Center was approved by voters Tuesday, July 14 according to county officials.

DEXTER — A $15,389,287 SAD 46 budget for the 2020-21 academic year was approved across the four SAD 46 district communities during the July 14 referendum via a combined count of 617-301.

Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger is pleased to announce that its month-long $100,000 Challenge raised over $227,000 to support Good Shepherd Food Bank’s COVID-19 response and community food pantries across the state.

For years, the common question among hunters has been, “Got your deer yet?” Thanks to a pilot program aimed at helping management efforts, this summer’s refrain might change to “Seen any deer yet?”   Nathan Bieber, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s deer biologist, explained that the agency is trying to gather more data by asking Mainers to take part in the Maine Deer Spy project.

The Bangor and Brewer school departments, like many others in the state, are putting together three separate plans for reopening public schools in fall, including a full return to in-person schooling, a combination of in-person and online learning and a fully online semester.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Golfers, you have waited long enough.

MACHIAS — The National Digital Equity Center is pleased to announce that it is now offering digital literacy and computer skills classes online statewide.

DEXTER — A proposed $15,389,287 SAD 46 budget for the 2020-21 academic year was approved at the annual district meeting on July 9 at the Ridge View Community School.

AUGUSTA — Maine Community Foundation (MaineCF) is partnering with the Maine Department of Education (DOE) to ensure that adult learners have the technology they need to continue their studies.

AUGUSTA — The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) is reminding the public about the risk of spreading tree-killing invasive species while moving firewood.