I am the daughter of a Maine public school teacher, so I know firsthand how important the work of Maine teachers is and the many challenges they have to overcome every day. Right now, our teachers and students are rising to meet an even greater challenge - adapting to distance learning amid this dangerous COVID-19 pandemic.

Mainers have always sought comfort in the great outdoors. We are a community of weekend warriors -- coastal explorers, peak baggers, backcountry hunters, and island-hopping sea kayakers. Our outdoor pursuits often define us, and they help to give shape and meaning to our lives.

Just a year ago, the BDN ran a pair of OpEds where I sketched three big resilience challenges facing Maine woods tourism: changing climate, changing markets and changing general economic conditions. The second piece highlighted farsighted initiatives by the Maine Woods Consortium and Northern Outdoors, anticipating and adapting to shocks and uncertainties.

Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled her vision for the next round of congressional action to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is a vision of mountains of cash. Pelosi's plan would spend $3 trillion, which would make it far and away the largest coronavirus relief spending package to date from Congress. For context, federal receipts in the 2019 fiscal year were $3.46 trillion.

As Maine begins to navigate how to loosen restrictions on activities in the shadow of COVID-19 and develop a plan for recovery, a new 10-state poll gives insights on voters’ priorities.

I believe that the strongest case for exercising one’s right to vote draws along the dual lines of history and pragmatism.

The rural reopening plan in Maine will gradually lift some limitations on certain businesses in counties where virus community transmission does not exist. Those counties with limitations being lifted are Aroostook, Piscataquis, Washington, Hancock, Somerset, Franklin, Oxford, Kennebec, Waldo, Knox, Lincoln and Sagadahoc.

All Northern Light Health hospitals, care centers and campuses have implemented universal masking, including face coverings for patients and visitors. We have embraced this at Northern Light Mayo and CA Dean Hospitals. While we are aware that there is only one confirmed case reported in Piscataquis County, we know that the virus is here.  We have seen and treated patients with COVID-19 at Mayo. The social measures we have taken thus far are proving to be effective at decreasing community transmission of the virus, but they are not going to eliminate it. There is no time to become complacent as the virus knows no county lines and does not discriminate against rural or urban areas.

It has all the makings of a good scandal. A powerful governor on a private conference call that was not open to the public. A surreptitious recording of the call by a participant, leaked to the media. An admission that actions being taken by that governor will make something worse. And, of course, the subject of the call being COVID-19.

Even as time and days blur together during the COVID-19 pandemic, public opinion can still move quickly. Or maybe not. So far, there have been two large protests in Augusta concerning the gradual changes to physical distancing regulations implemented by Gov. Janet Mills to protect public health during the pandemic.

National School Nurse Day, May 6, is a time to celebrate the specialty practice of school nursing. In 1972, the National Association of School Nurses created National School Nurse Day to recognize and celebrate their role in the educational setting.

For those getting bored at home, I know it is challenging in this time of COVID-19 to socially distance, wear a facial covering, avoid careless passers-by, and keep six feet from the refrigerator. But there are positives. In Zoom meetings, new to me, I have come to appreciate seeing everyone’s faces, although some are taking the extra precaution of creating a kind of digital mask by showing only their foreheads and ceiling.  

Readers of this column know that I am a historian as well as a genealogist. Today’s column is about current events that are making history and will be part of future genealogists’ research.  

This is not respecting the constitutional role of the legislative branch. It is acting as if the Governor is the sole source of authority in state government.

To be perfectly frank and honest, in the early and middle stages of the state's response to COVID-19, I had very little to say in the way of criticism of Mills. However, I began to grow rather uncomfortable with that silence when more time passed. 

Gov. Janet Mills on Tuesday outlined a four-stage plan for Maine to gradually reopen businesses in the state. While her plan is to extend the current stay-at-home order through May 31, certain businesses and activities will be allowed to open beginning May 1 if they follow safety protocols developed by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.

Surely there is now ample evidence that the Penquis region has proven it can adhere to the appropriate guidelines without the need for a full closure of our community enterprises. 

Nearly 130 years later, Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center stands on that foundation. Our promise remains strong as our physicians, nurses, first responders and other frontline caregivers face the unprecedented challenges and uncertainty presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.