Maine is blessed with pristine vistas where souls can find their quiet repose and reflection. The soothing sounds of nature, while rejuvenating, prove to us that in the silence of the forest it is nearly impossible, even in the whisper of the wind and the chirp of the chickadee, to find complete silence. And yet, Rep. Jared Golden has managed to achieve the impossible.

While this global pandemic has already consumed many of our nation’s largest cities, as the recent Bangor Daily News OpEd “Coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating a rural access crisis” highlights, what has been overlooked is the profound and potentially irreversible effect of this crisis on rural communities around the nation.

The teaming frustrations aired by protesters demanding removal of restrictions to our daily lives due to the highly contagious COVID-19 virus is frightening. Why one would even consider endangering my life and yours by not following simple directions from our elected officials to promote safety?

This letter is in regards to a situation years ago when I first met then Cpl. Paul Davis of the Maine State Police, and now running for re-election in Senate District 4, Piscataquis County.

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.

With all the uncertainty and safety concerns surrounding the coronavirus outbreak, would you consider voting by mail in the July 14 primary election, using an absentee ballot? Imagine the satisfaction of having time to consider the issues, ask and research questions and vote from home.

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.

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.