Frontline workers / Illegal short-term rentals / Maine campaign fundraising

Today is Wednesday. Temperatures will be in the low teens to high 30s from north to south, with a bitter windchill making the air feel much colder. There’s also a chance for light snow across the state. Here’s what we’re talking about in Maine today.

The latest on the coronavirus in Maine

Another 538 coronavirus cases have been reported across the state, according to the Maine Center of Disease Control and Prevention. No new deaths were reported, leaving the statewide death toll at 1,658. The count was markedly lower than recent Tuesdays because only a few Maine CDC staff were processing cases Monday due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. Check out our tracker for more information.

A new federal website to request free COVID-19 rapid test kits launches Wednesday, with the first shipments going out to Americans by the end of the month.

‘You’ve got nothing left’: A Maine nurse’s view from the pandemic frontlines

As the pandemic grinds on into its third year, with no clear end in sight, the stress on nurses and frontline health care workers is unprecedented.

Study finds 87 illegal short-term rentals around downtown Bangor

Bangor is one of a number of Maine communities grappling with short-term rentals as it tries to encourage tourism and affordable housing.

Brewer’s highest-crash intersection will get safety upgrades

The intersection at North Main and State streets has seen 34 crashes since 2019.

Maine lobstermen can’t find gear to comply with new federal regulations

So far, the federal government has approved two companies’ weakened ropes. But one company’s rope hasn’t historically been used in the Maine fishery, while the other is waiting on federal approval for certain colors required for use in Maine.

Janet Mills keeps head start over Paul LePage in early fundraising

Her fundraising totals surpass what she had raised at this point in 2018.

PLUS: In Maine, national groups could help boost candidates’ fundraising efforts but will likely surpass candidate spending with independent expenditures.

Maine vows to fix hiccups found in 1st year of health care marketplace rollout

Common problems included slow response times to technical issues and call-center employees who were not fully educated in solving more complex questions.