Morning Edition

The pandemic has taken a significant toll on arts venues and on creators. But some artists also recognize the positives that have come from the forced changes in their lives — in particular, three artists whose work appears in an exhibition at the Portland Museum of Art’s current show, “Untitled, 2020: Art from Maine in a _____ Time.”

If there’s a silver lining to the COVID-19 cloud that has hovered over Maine’s economy, it may be the state’s newfound attractiveness to people from other states.

The pandemic has shined a bright light on Maine government, both on its successes and failures.

As part of Maine Public Deep Dive: Coronavirus, looking at Maine’s first year of the pandemic, Morning Edition host Irwin Gratz spoke with Maine Gov. Janet Mills.

It was a year ago this week that the impact of the pandemic reached Maine as Gov. Janet Mills issued her first executive orders.

A bill that would ban the aerial spraying of glyphosate and other toxic herbicides used by the forest products industry is getting strong support from environmental and health groups, organic farmers and guides familiar with the North Woods.

In a public hearing Tuesday night, conservationists and fishermen alike roundly criticized federal regulators’ proposed changes in fishing rules to protect endangered whales from fishing gear.

Recently, Kennebec County commissioners voted unanimously to remove a controversial statue of Supreme Court Chief Justice Melville Fuller from county property in front of the Kennebec County Courthouse.

The Androscoggin County Commissioners have firmly rejected an anti-masking resolution pushed by one member. But Wednesday night’s meeting also turned into a free-for-all debate over individual rights, civic responsibilities in a pandemic and public access to government.

The tight-knit communities of Down East Maine can feel isolated during the winter, even when there’s no pandemic.

Amara Ifeji of Bangor was recently named a National Geographic Young Explorer. It’s a highly competitive, international environmental award for two-dozen young people who are working to find solutions to the most pressing problems in their communities.

One-hundred years ago Sunday, Maine got its second new governor in a month.