Visit our websites, thecounty.me, fiddleheadfocus.com and bangordailynews.com, for continually updated information about coronavirus in The County and in Maine.
Blood Drive in Houlton: A Red Cross blood drive is planned from 12 to 5 p.m. on Friday, June 19, at the Houlton Armory. Additional COVID-19 safety precautions include temperature checks, social distancing and face coverings for donors and staff. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive and are required to wear a face covering or mask. Donation appointments can be made by downloading the free Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Red Cross blood donations — Beginning June 15 and for a limited time, the American Red Cross is testing all blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies, providing donors insight into whether they have been exposed to this coronavirus. At the same time, there continues to be an urgent need for blood donations as hospitals resume surgeries and treatments that require blood products.
License/registration renewals — Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap is encouraging Mainers to renew their licenses and State IDs ahead of the grace period deadline, to avoid long waits and renewal delays. The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles will soon resume sending out notices to those with expired licenses and upcoming renewals, encouraging them to renew now rather than wait until the renewal grace period ends, which is currently Aug. 9. The online license renewal service is available at https://www10.informe.org/online/bmv/dlr/. Vision test requirements are waived at the present. For more assistance call 624-9000 Ext. 52114 or your local BMV office.
Avoiding crowded trails — Even without health concerns related to COVID-19, overcrowding can make recreation experiences less enjoyable and negatively impact ecology. The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife offer some tips. seek out lesser-known, less heavily visited destinations. Visit on the traditionally less busy days: Monday through Thursday. Make a back-up plan in case your first choice of location or activity is crowded or full. Look for public boat launches or local ATV trails. For more help, check out Maine Trail Finder and Adventure Local Maine.
