Pamela Stone, a bus driver with School Administrative District 51, hands out food bags to students outside the Mabel I. Wilson School on Monday. About 35 were handed out or delivered to homes that day. Alex Lear / The Forecaster
FALMOUTH — Two residents of Oceanview at Falmouth have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19 – the respiratory disease caused by a coronavirus – according to a news release sent by the retirement community on Sunday.
Meanwhile, schools, libraries and other public facilities north of Portland were closing Monday for at least two weeks, as the communities aimed to stymy the spread of the illness.
One person at Oceanview is under their doctor’s care at Maine Medical Center, while the other is recuperating at Oceanview, the release said.
“As it pertains to the community as a whole, at the (Maine Center for Disease Control and Protection’s) direction we’ve identified all staff and residents who would have come in contact with these residents,” the statement reads. “We are confident we’ve identified everyone since we have documentation protocols to ensure we have a record of campus activities.”
The news comes after Gov. Janet Mills declared a civil state of emergency due to the pandemic, with 23 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and nine likely cases as of Tuesday.
“To limit any further spread we’ve requested that all residents self-quarantine for the next 14 days, increased the frequency of cleaning of all common areas, restricted visitors to the campus, and limited access to our main buildings to essential staff only,” Oceanview stated. “As a community comprised of a high-risk population, the safety and well-being of our residents and staff is our highest priority. Consequently, our expertise and experience makes our community an ideal place for our residents to remain in this situation.”
Blueberry Lane, which leads into Oceanview, has been closed to all traffic except for residents, caregivers, approved vendors, and Oceanview staff.
Cumberland-North Yarmouth
All School Administrative District 51 schools are closed through at least Friday, March 27. Administrators were due early this week to plan at-home learning activities for students during that time.
Starting Monday, the district’s School Nutrition Program operated a bagged meal program for all children 18 and younger, free of charge. Meals are packaged to take home and are being distributed at the Mabel I. Wilson School bus loop between 10 a.m.-noon Monday-Friday, with a table located outside the building and meals given to parents in their cars. Children each receive a breakfast and a lunch.
Those unable to drop by can reach Food Service Director Jon Carlson at jcarlson@msad51.org or 829-4824 to coordinate a drop off.
Cumberland Town Hall, and the police and fire departments, are closed to public access, and residents are encouraged to access online services at cumberlandmaine.com, or call to schedule appointments with staff members as needed.
All non-essential town meetings and library, recreation and community programs have been canceled. The Community Recreation Aftercare program has been suspended until school resumes. Town parks remain open.
Prince Memorial Library is closed to the public, but is taking email and phone requests (829-2215) to check out books from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.
Councilor Tom Gruber, a member of Cumberland’s Aging in Place initiative, said it is continuing its senior transportation program. The town’s food pantry is offering drive-by service on Fridays, and can be open other days for those in need; Gruber can be reached at 781-4613 for that service.
North Yarmouth Town Hall was open Monday, but staff were scheduled to meet that morning to determine whether to close. Programs at the town’s Wescustogo Hall & Community Center have been postponed until further notice.
Falmouth
The Falmouth Food Pantry is closed until further notice. Clients who experience a food emergency can call 632-2687 and 781-2996.
The Falmouth Public Library is closed, as are the Before/After School Care and Falmouth Co-op Pre-school, both located at the Mason-Motz Activity Center.
The Wastewater Treatment plant on Clearwater Drive is closed to the public. Restricted public access is available at Central Station on Bucknam Road, the Police Station on Marshall Drive, and Town Landing buildings. Town Hall and Public Works, both on Wood Road, were closing Monday “to allow staff to put procedures in place for continuing public services while practicing social distancing,” according to the town. Most services can be completed online at falmouthme.org.
Falmouth schools are closed at least through Friday, March 27.
All town meetings, events and forums are canceled through April 1, except the March 23 Town Council meeting, and March 25 and April 1 budget meetings. All Community Program events are cancelled.
Freeport
The Freeport Community Library is closed until further notice. Public access to Town Hall, the Public Safety Building and the Public Works Garage are restricted to transactions that can’t be completed remotely. A list of transactions that can be made online is posted at freeportmaine.com/online-payments.
Those needing assistance with a town function or service unavailable online can reach Town Hall at 865-4743, Public Safety at 865-4800, and Public Works at 865-4461.
Public board and committee meetings are canceled or postponed this week, except for the Tuesday, March 17, Town Council meeting. That gathering is being broadcast live on cable channel 3 and at fctv3.freeportmaine.com.
All non-essential programs and social events at town facilities are canceled or postponed at least through April 1.
Regional School Unit 5, of which Freeport, Durham and Pownal are members, has closed its schools, with plans to reopen Monday, March 30. Remote learning is to begin Wednesday, through which teachers will provide lessons to students or parents. Meal programming will also begin Wednesday, with more information to come later this week at rsu5.org.
“We know remote learning will not fully replace the classroom settings that students experience each day,” Superintendent Becky Foley wrote in a letter to parents. “We also know this will be ‘messy’ at times – especially in the first few days – but we are determined to continue to provide learning opportunities for all students, and we ask for your patience and flexibility as we work through what will likely be many kinks in this process.”
Freeport Community Services is keeping its essential programs running, and will be deciding this week on any changes. Out of caution, the organization has canceled its Third Friday Community Lunch (March 20) and the Fourth Fridays Just Desserts Concert (March 27).
Yarmouth
Town Hall is closed for in-person visits through March 27; business can still be conducted by calling the office at 846-9036 and visiting yarmouth.me.us.
Merrill Memorial Library is closed until further notice, and Yarmouth schools are due to be closed until at least Friday, March 27.
Yarmouth Community Services is providing breakfast and lunch to students while school is not in session from 10:30 a.m.-noon Monday-Friday. Free bagged lunches are offered to all youths ages 2-18, and Friday bags include meals for the weekend. Pickups are available at Yarmouth Pointe Apartments, 1 Juniper Dr., Yarmouth Community Services can be reached at 846-2406 for more information.
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