Today is Monday. Temperatures will be in the high 50s to low 60s with sunny skies throughout the state. Here’s what we’re talking about in Maine today. Another Mainer died and an additional 172 coronavirus cases were reported across the state on Sunday, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The statewide death toll now stands at 729. Check out our COVID-19 Tracker for more information. In the latest move to relax coronavirus pandemic restrictions, the Mills administration said Friday that lodging guests staying in Maine no longer need reservations. Forest Weston receives the first shot given at a newly opened COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Wednesday, March 17, 2021, in Auburn, Maine. Credit: Robert F. Bukaty / AP Citing unfilled appointments, the state said Mainers age 16 and older will be eligible for coronavirus vaccines on April 19, moving up the state’s timeline by roughly two weeks and opening up doses to 483,000 more people on that day alone. PLUS: At least two of the five tribal clinics in Maine are outpacing the state now and their effort could be a preview of Maine’s move to universal eligibility planned for April 19. AND: Despite the clamor to speed up the U.S. vaccination drive against COVID-19 and get the country back to normal, the first three months of the rollout suggest faster is not necessarily better. Rapid expansion of eligibility caused a surge in demand too big for some states to handle and led to serious disarray. In this Feb. 24, 2021, file photo, a man wearing a mask walks by a drugstore on Congress Street in Portland. Credit: Troy R. Bennett / BDN The seven-day average of new cases here has increased nearly 50 percent over the past month. This undated file photo provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a blacklegged tick, also known as a deer tick, a carrier of Lyme disease. Credit: CDC via AP In the early spring, adult deer ticks start to crawl around and seek a host to feed upon. The Hatch family gravemarker at Mount Hope Cemetery in Bangor. Credit: Courtesy of Maggie Allen Abigail Hatch was simply getting what was rightfully hers. Geaghan’s co-owner Andrew Geaghan in 2017. Credit: Gabor Degre / BDN Geaghan’s has considered expanding parking, adding outdoor seating and consolidating its brewing operation on this side of the river. In this May 2020 file photo, the Umphrey family from Old Town sits around the picnic table at their campsite at Megunticook Campground by the Sea in Rockport. Credit: Linda Coan O'Kresik / BDN The 2021 campground season is shaping up to be similar to last year. But if it’s been a bit since you last camped, you’ll likely notice a few changes. Fort Fairfield Town Councilor Mark Babin asks Aroostook County Sheriff Shawn Gillen about a law enforcement proposal during the council meeting. Aroostook County is down 21 town police officers, Sheriff Shawn Gillen said during a Fort Fairfield Town Council meeting. Trooper John Darcy. Unless Trooper John Darcy is disciplined, the outcome of the investigation won’t be made public. A deer rises up onto its hind legs in this trail camera photo. Credit: Courtesy of Pete Lahr Does sometimes joust like this in order to establish a pecking order. In other Maine news… 2 Massachusetts hikers die after apparent fall on icy Acadia cliff Bangor man rescued after being pinned under rocks Maine’s baby eel fishermen hope for normalcy in 2021 Maple celebrations return in some states, with precautions Once a novelty, high school sports livestreaming becoming a staple for fans Laser tag and adventure park is moving from Brewer to the Bangor Mall |