Today is Wednesday. Temperatures will be in the 70s with sunny skies throughout the state. Here's what we're talking about in Maine today.

‘Did they have to have their wedding?’: Katahdin region comes to grips with virus outbreak


 

• On Tuesday, the day after state health officials confirmed a coronavirus outbreak of at least two dozen cases connected to an Aug. 7 wedding reception in Millinocket, some residents of the Katahdin region were shocked that their area had been hit by such a large virus outbreak while others believed it was simply a matter of time before the virus hit. The neighboring towns of Millinocket, East Millinocket and Medway had seen little coronavirus activity all summer.
  
  “We don’t have 28 people to lose. Even one is too bad,” Linda Cram of East Millinocket said on Tuesday outside the Dunkin’ store in Millinocket. “People still don’t believe it’s here. They think it’s out there in the cities and we’re not going to get it. Now everybody’s at risk.”

   

As Maine confronts spending cuts, advocates hope for federal aid to spare Medicaid


 

• Health care advocates in Maine are waiting to see if a deadlocked Congress will boost a federal Medicaid funding match provision as the state prepares across-the-board spending cuts due to the coronavirus pandemic. The number of Mainers on Medicaid has increased dramatically during the pandemic as people have lost medical insurance through employers.

• Maine will join several other states to sue the U.S. Postal Service over recent policy changes that have led to reports of mail delays and concerns about the reliability of the system ahead of the November election.
  
  The news came shortly before President Donald Trump’s new postmaster general announced he is halting some operational changes to mail delivery that critics blamed for widespread delays and warned could disrupt the election.

Whether to paint 2 crosswalks in rainbow colors is a controversy in Ellsworth

• A student group's request to paint the two downtown crosswalks in rainbow colors to show support for local LGBTQ residents failed to gain enough City Council support, as some councilors wondered whether the rainbow crosswalks would pose a safety hazard and whether allowing the colors would invite requests from several competing groups.

How to make your outdoor space comfortable in cold weather

• Whether you are enjoying a socially distant hangout with friends or just soaking in the sunshine, having an outdoor space in your home is great right now. The weather is cooling down, though, and time outside might be a bit uncomfortable if your toes are frostbitten.

In other Maine news...

• Versant Power says it has a plan to limit magnitude of outages in Orono area
   
• Bangor to consider extending its downtown street closure and limiting sidewalk chalking
   
• Join us as we examine how climate change is affecting Maine