Rep. Arata's News from the Legislature

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Town of New Gloucester

385 Intervale Road, New Gloucester, ME 04260

(207) 926-4126 (phone) / (207) 926-4136 (fax)

Town of Poland

1231 Maine Street, Poland, ME 04274

(207) 998-4601 (phone) / (207) 998-2002 (fax)

Poland

Canadian Border Now Opened to Vaccinated Americans

It was March 21, 2020 when the U.S./Canada border was officially shut down to all non-essential travel.  Those restrictions have been extended on a monthly basis ever since.

If you are a U.S. citizen planning to cross the border into Canada, you need a proof of vaccination.  Your vaccine card has to be both submitted online and brought along when traveling or flying by air.  Canada is accepting people who were vaccinated by the Pfizer, Moderna, Astra-Zeneca, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.  Before traveling, you must submit proof of your vaccination status and negative COVID-19 test (this applies even if you are vaccinated) through the ArriveCAN travel document portal, either online or on your phone.  You might need to take another COVID-19 test once in Canada. 

The United States will not allow Canadian travelers to drive into the U.S. until August 21.  However, anyone currently in Canada is still able to fly to the United States with proof of a negative COVID-19 test.

More information can be found by clicking here.

 

Maine Any-Deer Permit Deadline Approaching

You will be able to enter into the Maine Any-Deer Permit Lottery using this online service.  From the list of Lottery applicants, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIF&W) will administer a chance drawing to select winners for a Maine any-deer hunting permit.  To hunt any deer in Maine, hunters must have one of these special any-deer hunting permits.

Please note, you may only supply the MDIF&W with one application for the Lottery per year.  If it is found that an applicant has applied more than one time in a year, that applicant will be disqualified.

Applications must be completed by 11:59 pm (ET) on August 17, 2021.  A chance drawing will be held on September 10, 2021.

Who can use this service?

  • You are eligible to apply if you have a current valid Maine big game hunting license (complimentary and lifetime licenses are acceptable). Note -- landowners planning to hunt on their own land without a license can apply online without a hunting license.

and

  • You are a resident of the United States or Canada (foreign residents must contact the MDIF&W for help in applying for an any-deer permit).

What will I need?

To complete the application you will need:

  • current big game hunting license (or complimentary or lifetime license). Note -- landowners planning to hunt on their own land without a license can apply online without a hunting license;
  • districts wishing to hunt in;
  • personal information (name, address, age, etc.); and
  • landowner information (if applicable -- including acres and town).

Fees

There are no fees to apply for the Any-Deer Permit Lottery.

 

Maine Secretary of State Announces Question Order for November Referendum Election Ballot

Maine’s Secretary of State recently announced the order of the three questions to appear on the November 2, 2021 referendum election ballot.  The order of the questions was determined according to Maine statute.

The questions are:

Do you want to ban the construction of high-impact electric transmission lines in the Upper Kennebec Region and to require the Legislature to approve all other such projects anywhere in Maine, both retroactively to 2020, and to require the Legislature, retroactively to 2014, to approve by a two-thirds vote such projects using public land?”;

Do you favor a $100,000,000 bond issue to build or improve roads, bridges, railroads, airports, transit facilities and ports and make other transportation investments, to be used to leverage an estimated $253,000,000 in federal and other funds?”; and

Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to declare that all individuals have a natural, inherent and unalienable right to grow, raise, harvest, produce and consume the food of their own choosing for their own nourishment, sustenance, bodily health and well-being?”.

Visit the “Upcoming Elections” Web page for additional information. The “Absentee Ballot Request Service” for this election is live, allowing registered voters to easily request their ballots via mail.  Voters can also request their ballot from their municipal clerk directly or vote in person on Election Day.

Maine citizens who need to register to vote can access the “Maine Voter Registration Application” online and submit your completed form via mail to their municipal clerk.

 

Maine Agricultural Fairs

Skowhegan State Fair

August 12 – 21

Web site:  https://skowheganstatefair.com/

 

Union Fair

August 21 - 28

Web site:  https:/www.unionfair.org/

 

Washington County Fair

August 21 - 22

Web site:  https://www.facebook.com/WashingtonCountyMaineFair/