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.

The people of Maine now have an opportunity to try to resolve the bear debate by ending Maine’s bear feeding program. Since 2004, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has falsely claimed that bears must be fed in order to kill them to control their population.

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.

Why are so many people turned-off by voting? Do they think government doesn’t affect their lives, isn’t responsive to the needs of their community or just isn’t worth the time and trouble? 

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.

Some of our Legislative leaders have finally asked to reconvene so they can reconsider the emergency powers of the Governor. My hope is that those "stay at home" orders are rescinded. This statewide shut down of business is not the measure we need to prevent the spread of this virus.

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.  

Regarding the quarantine, let us remove it, with an understanding that businesses, their staff and clients, incorporate protocols that we know mitigate spread of the virus.

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.

Due to the coronavirus, many details concerning this year's 2020 Congressional primary election have yet to be determined. What we do know is that the election date has been set as July 14.

Even in the most rural of regions, the people chosen to represent us to the state prove just how much they deserve the job in times of public crisis. Clearly, this pandemic is such a time for us, and it is sadly obvious that Reps. Stearns, Foster and Higgins and Sen. Davis have no primary interest in their most important job --- keeping their constituents safe. If they did, they never would have published their joint letter "We Need to Open the Penquis Region Today."

The Maine people recently voted as a large majority to keep the law regarding vaccinations intact. By doing so, they showed that the majority of Maine citizens believe that protecting the public’s health overrides the individual’s right to refuse vaccinations. Likewise, protecting oneself from getting infected by the covid virus protects the public’s health.

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.