Bangor, Maine News Update: July 8, 2021

Two Auburn McDonald’s employees are facing drug charges after a mother complained that her son found Suboxone in his Happy Meal box. An investigation by Auburn Police revealed that one of the restaurant’s employees had the substance, typically used to treat opioid addiction, in his pocket and it fell into the box when he bent to pick something up. Police determined the employee illegally obtained the drugs from a coworker.

Abbott Labs, which manufactures COVID-19 testing kits, plans to lay off approximately 400 full-time employees at its facilities in Westbrook and Scarborough. Company officials say it’s because of a rapid decline in demand for the tests. Laid-off employees will receive severance packages and offers for openings within the company.

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The Maine Department of Education reports to the Associated Press that enrollment in public schools dropped by 4.4% (about 8,000 students) since the 2019-2020 school year. The decrease is being attributed to an increase in homeschooling, due to pandemic safety concerns and child care challenges. Education officials say they expect most students to return to the classroom in the fall.

A new challenge faces the developers of the New England Clean Energy Corridor, which would provide Canadian hydropower to the New England energy grid. The AP reports a group of five Canadian tribes, totally about 7,000 people, are challenging the project, saying more than a third of the electricity for the project will be produced on land they never ceded to the Canadian government.

Registration is open for the Orrington Recreation Wiffle Ball Tournament, which will be held July 24th at Center Drive School. Teams of 3 to 5 people, age 10 and over, can take part in the tournament. Proceeds from the day will benefit a local boy who’s battling cancer. Find more information on the Orrington Old Home Week Facebook page.

There are still openings for this Saturday’s Wicked Muddy Mainer in Orrington, where participants run, crawl, and climb through a mud-covered obstacle course. Folks can sign up for the family friendly event as a team or as an individual.

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Stacker took the guesswork out of 50 random events to determine just how likely they are to actually happen. They sourced their information from government statistics, scientific articles, and other primary documents. Keep reading to find out why expectant parents shouldn't count on due dates -- and why you should be more worried about dying on your birthday than living to 100 years old.

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To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.

Filed Under: Bangor, Brewer, Coronavirus

Categories: Articles, Local News, Maine, News, Public Service