‘Forever chemical’ waste / Vacant lobster pounds / Dannel Malloy

Today is Friday. Temperatures will be in the low to mid-70s from north to south, with rain throughout the state. See what weather is in store for the rest of the day here. Here’s the latest on gas prices in Maine. Here’s what we’re talking about in Maine today.

The latest on the coronavirus in Maine

Two more Mainers have died and another 249 coronavirus cases were reported across the state, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. That brings the statewide death toll to 2,408. Check out our tracker for more information.

As of Thursday, there were 137 Mainers infected with the virus in hospitals across the state. Of those, 17 are in critical care and five on ventilators, state data show.

A federal loophole has left Maine in the dark on manufacturers’ PFAS waste

When the feds eventually release details about manufacturers’ PFAS waste, it could be too little too late.

Maine looks at tightening PFAS standards after feds say almost no level is safe

The EPA advisory neither puts a legally enforceable standard into place nor comes with money to help states enforce it.

Maine farmers heartbroken after EPA admits that almost no amount of PFAS is safe

Farmers worry the EPA could just be deflecting a larger problem, because it only specifies two forever chemicals.

The home of a Maine founding father was bought by a Massachusetts couple

William King’s Bath house, with its well-manicured lawn and distinct Gothic Revival architecture, recently sold for nearly $1 million.

Higher mortgage rates could be good news for homebuyers in Maine

Mortgage interest rates are expected to rise further following an aggressive rate hike by the Federal Reserve on Wednesday, but there is a possible silver lining for prospective homebuyers in Maine.

Read our ongoing coverage of Maine’s housing market here.

Climate change has nearly killed off Maine’s lobster pounds

Though some lobster pounds still do continue to run, many pounds are now vacant or only used for brief stints throughout the year.

PLUS: A fisherman found an unusual catch in his traps Wednesday afternoon: A female lobster with a nearly full-grown third claw. That’s just the beginning of the endless parade of strange lobsters lurking off Maine’s coast.

The man who kept Bangor courts running during COVID will lead Legislature’s oversight arm

Peter Schleck arranged the court system’s first socially distanced murder trial and helped the court adopt new technology to conduct more business remotely.

Teens are pushing Bangor’s schools to adopt a plan to better support LGBTQ students

They see it as a crucial support for a population of students who are at an elevated risk for anxiety, depression, suicide and dropping out of school.

Brewer conservation group wants to recruit younger members to continue its mission

The Penobscot County Conservation Association has been a fixture in eastern Maine since 1938.

A faked will couldn’t save this Irish convict from the gallows in Maine

When John O’Neil produced the victim’s freshly written will, granting him the dead man’s farm, livestock and cash, authorities became suspicious.

3 men sue Maine Catholic bishop over alleged sex abuse decades ago following law change

The assaults that form the basis for the complaints occurred in a variety of venues, including at churches, spanning from 1961 to the 2000s, according a lawyer.

UMaine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy’s contract extended into July

The University of Maine System’s trustees will decide his long-term fate at their next meeting, scheduled for July 11.

ALSO: UMaine System chancellor tells lawmakers ‘mistakes were made’ in UMA search

Top CMP critic leaves Maine Legislature to help run consumer-owned utility campaign

Seth Berry is most well known for activism against the major utilities, arguing their foreign ownership disincentivizes them from providing quality service to Mainers.