Mainers who want the state to begin lifting COVID-19 restrictions are planning a noontime rally today Monday near the governor's residence in Augusta. Plans are to have a motorcade and a sidewalk rally. Participants are being advised to maintain social distancing guidelines.
Larry Dunphy, a former unenrolled member of the Maine House of Representatives, is a spokesman for the event. He says some business owners are worried that unless the state reopens soon they might not survive.
"No one expected to get back to normal overnight, but there at least needs to be a plan to get things rolling in that direction," Dunphy says, "and there seems to be a reluctancy from Governor [Janet] Mills to do that."
Dunphy says it doesn't make sense to treat all parts of Maine equally when some areas have high concentrations of COVID-19 cases and others have very few.
In a press release Friday, Gov. Mills said there will be a phased-in reopening tailored to demographics and various economic sectors of the state, with details to be released in the near future.
