VERMONT
A Vermont-wide program that distributes free restaurant-made meals for people in need during the pandemic and helps eateries stay afloat is being extended through Sept. 20 with help of almost $4.3 million in emergency funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The statewide Everyone Eats program offers restaurants financial support to cook healthy meals for the community.
Steve Geller, of Southeastern Vermont Community Action, tells the Rutland Herald that while the state of emergency Gov. Phil Scott declared in March 2020 has ended, some working people are still struggling to buy food.
The paper reports that under the new agreement with FEMA, the program will be phased out, offering 80% of its baseline in July, 60% in August, and 50% in September.
Sue Minter, of Capstone Community Action, says The Everyone Eats program has proven itself as a benefit to community members as the Central Vermont hub that between the end of January and the end of June distributed over 108,000 meals in Washington, Lamoille, and Orange Counties.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Fans attending NASCAR races at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend also have the chance to get vaccinated.
Ambetter from NH Healthy Families, a health insurance plan, is partnering with the race to offer the vaccine.
Before the 2021 racing season kicked off, the speedway was transformed into a vaccine super site for New Hampshire on four occasions in an effort to help the state battle the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 30,000 New Hampshire residents were fully vaccinated during the campaign.
MAINE
The UMaine System is planning required COVID-19 arrival testing for all unvaccinated students and employees returning to campus this fall.
The system said in a news release Friday that unvaccinated students and staff also will be required to quarantine while awaiting their test results and wear face coverings while inside university buildings.
The system said effective July 26, it will align with changes in state of Maine practices and no longer require students and staff who have verified their vaccination to wear masks inside buildings.
More than 5,000 UMaine community members have already registered their status by using a voluntary tracking portal to upload an image of their vaccination card, the system said.
It anticipates requiring the vaccine once any that have been issued under emergency use authorization receive regular Food and Drug Administration approval, the system said.
MASSACHUSETTS
Worcester officials are going to hear more about plans to spend the city’s $111 million share of COVID-19 relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. will outline his plan to the City Council on Tuesday, the Telegram & Gazette reported.
Augustus said in a report that $28 million would go toward the Worcester Housing Authority, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, lead remediation efforts, business grants and marketing funding, creative economy initiatives, and food security programs such as the proposed Food Hub.
Augustus said $13 million would go toward upgrades the DCU Center Arena to ensure it can be remobilized as a field hospital if another public health emergency hit the area; air quality upgrades and touchless entry upgrades for city buildings; and water-sewer improvements.