WHEREAS, thousands of adults in Maine are in need of assistance in order to qualify for better-paying or more fulfilling jobs, to achieve a post-secondary education, or to improve their English language skills; and

WHEREAS, success in these endeavors leads to these adults becoming more effective family members, citizens, and workers; and

WHEREAS, forecast confidence continues to increase that Hurricane Lee will make landfall on or near Maine’s coast; and

WHEREAS, there is a threat of widespread or severe damage, injury, loss of life and property resulting from this storm; and

WHEREAS, sustained high winds, pounding surf, and heavy rains could result in dangerous conditions, coastal storm warnings, flooding and other potential hazards which pose an imminent threat to public safety as well as damage to public and private property; and 

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

At the time of this recording, the National Weather Service is reporting that Maine will very likely experience impacts from a hurricane that is currently off the East Coast, and that we’ll feel those impacts Friday night into Saturday.

My Administration, led by the Maine Emergency Management Agency, or MEMA, has closely monitored the path of Hurricane Lee. State public safety and transportation officials, Federal and local emergency management officials, and Maine’s utilities have been working together to prepare for this storm.

To make sure that we can respond to this storm with all state resources as quickly as possible, I have proclaimed a State of Emergency. I have also requested that President Biden issue a State of Emergency declaration to give our state access to federal resources and personnel. At the time of this recording, that request is pending, but I have spoken directly with the Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator, Deanne Criswell, and I have been assured that the Biden Administration is ready to deploy federal resources to help us weather this storm as quickly as possible.

So, we are doing all we can to prepare for this storm, but there are things that your family can do too to prepare for this storm or future storms as we enter into the hurricane season.

Before any significant storm:

• Check that your emergency kit includes supplies you need for several days without power, including food and water. Check that you have an adequate supply of any medications, pet food, or other necessities that your family needs.
• Get the latest emergency alerts on your smartphone by downloading the free FEMA app – that’s F-E-M-A app – or National Weather Service app.
• Speaking of your cell phone, charge your cell phone or other electronic devices. Have battery powered flashlights and alternative power sources to meet your needs if the power goes out – things like a portable charger or power bank.
• Bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans and anything else that is not tied down.
• And make sure that any generators you own are properly installed, fueled, and in good working order. Remember, never use a generator indoors.

If you need help on these steps, you can visit the Maine Emergency Agency’s website at Maine.gov/mema. That’s Maine.gov/mema. Look for the section at the top of the website called “Maine Prepares.”

Now let’s talk about what to do during a storm itself.

For instance, Hurricane Lee is predicted to slowly weaken as it makes landfall, but we may still see significant flooding and strong winds.

If you lose power during the storm, keep your freezer and refrigerator closed. A closed refrigerator will keep food cold for four hours without electricity. A full freezer without power will keep the temperature for about 48 hours.

And remember, driving through puddles and flooded roads is very dangerous – be aware, and don’t drive into waters that you don’t know how deep they are.

And please, if you’re outdoors, watch out for downed power lines. Do not go near them.

Trees are going to fall, and the utilities, I’m sure, will be out there as soon as possible, restoring power where there are serious outages.

And after power is restored, you might be wondering what to do with storm damaged trees. Look online at Maine Forest Service, where they will offer helpful tips and guidance for those faced with questions about downed trees, limbs, and branches.

My Administration will keep track of the path of Hurricane Lee and coordinate with federal and local partners to prepare for its arrival and to respond to its impact here in Maine, just as we will during future storms this hurricane season.

As always, please be careful and take common-sense steps to ensure you have all you need to stay safe during and after this storm.

And reassure the children that storms do pass, and they will be safe. We will do all we can to keep you and your family, friends, neighbors, and loved ones safe.

This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

WHEREAS, first responders include firefighters, police officers, nurses, paramedics, emergency medical services personnel, 911 dispatchers, search and rescue teams, and members of other organizations in the public safety sector; and

WHEREAS, for 50 years, Maine Media Workshops + College has consistently demonstrated its dedication to education by offering a diverse range of public programs, workshops, technical courses, and degree programs that empower individuals to further their artistic ambitions and develop their skills in various media disciplines; and

WHEREAS, in the State of Maine, many children reside in formal and informal kinship care; and

WHEREAS, the children of Maine are key to the state's future success, prosperity, and quality of life; and

WHEREAS, the State of Maine believes the health and safety of all children are of utmost importance; and

WHEREAS, kinship caregivers can provide the safety and stability that children need to reach their full and most positive potential; and

WHEREAS, up to 35 percent of all food produced in Maine is thrown away rather than eaten; and

WHEREAS, safe and nutritious food that is currently thrown away could instead help feed the 1 in 7 Maine children and 1 in 10 Maine adults who go hungry; and

WHEREAS, Maine can help our farmers and build our food system by recycling inedible food waste and returning the nutrients and energy to the soil as compost instead of trash; and

Each year, it’s my honor to recognize and pay tribute to Maine companies that are leading the way and investing in their employees, their communities, and our state through the Governor’s Award for Business Excellence.

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

The Governor’s Award for Business Excellence was first dedicated to Maine businesses by former Governor Jock McKernan more than thirty years ago. For decades, governors from both parties have kept this important tradition alive, paying tribute to the Maine companies that both excel in the business world and invest directly in their employees, their communities, and our state.

For this year’s Governor’s Award, I will be celebrating those businesses that strive for excellence even during global challenges.

I will be recognizing businesses in the following categories:

The Innovation Award, which celebrates and recognizes business excellence through entrepreneurship and innovation.

The Rural Revitalization Award, which recognizes contributions to the revitalization and growth of Maine’s rural regions.

The Heritage Industry Award, which recognizes business excellence in the agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, or marine sectors.

And fourthly, the Climate Leader Award. That one recognizes business leadership, innovation, or excellence in mitigating climate risks or developing new technologies to combat climate change.

You can submit an application for the Governor’s Awards for Business Excellence now through Friday, October 13 on our new online portal on the Department of Economic and Community Development’s website at Maine.gov/decd. That’s Maine.gov/decd.

In 2022, I celebrated Atlantic Sea Farms and MedRhythms, Central Maine Motors and Dirigo Solar as models for economic success at a ceremony at the Blaine House in Augusta.

This year, I am proud to continue the decades-long tradition of recognizing those exceptional Maine businesses, entrepreneurs, and employees who are working to make our state the best place to work, live, and raise a family.

If you are a business owner or you work for a business, I encourage you to apply for the 2023 Governor’s Award for Business Excellence by Friday, October 13th. Again, submit your application online at Maine.gov/decd.

You deserve credit for the work that you are doing to strengthen our economy and strengthen our state.

This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

Earlier this week, my Administration recognized International Overdose Awareness Day.

We rededicated ourselves to preventing overdoses from claiming the lives of more people in Maine.

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

More than 5,000 overdoses have been reported in Maine this year through the end of June. Three hundred of those overdoses were deadly. As very troubling and unacceptable as that number is, the number is also a slight decrease from the same time period last year.

But these tragic deaths are driven by the ever-increasing prevalence of fentanyl, the highly lethal, highly addictive synthetic opioid, that is often present in other drugs consumed by unknowing users. In Maine, as in the rest of the nation, fentanyl is not only the leading cause of overdoses, it is responsible for 80 percent of all drug deaths.

Alarmingly, six percent of fentanyl overdose deaths in Maine last year included xylazine as well — that’s an animal tranquilizer that can cause horrible, painful wounds on your skin and even amputations of limbs of your body. The number of fentanyl overdose deaths with xylazine has increased, and unlike fentanyl, there is no reversal medication for xylazine. It is a killer.

The abundance of fentanyl and other drugs like xylazine is stealing away the futures of people across our state, including children and young adults.

These new drugs new have changed the epidemic of substance use disorder. But as a result, our work to stop it has changed too.

Using $260 million in funding for behavioral health and substance use services in the state budget, we’re focusing on stopping deadly drugs from getting into Maine in the first place; on preventing drug overdoses and reversing drug overdoses to save the lives of Maine people; on expanding treatment and recovery programs, especially in rural areas; and on preventing people from using drugs in the first place.

How are we saving lives?

• Well, we’ve trained hundreds of recovery coaches and we’ve opened more than a dozen recovery centers in rural and urban communities across Maine.
• We’re hiring more peer outreach workers, who have already done more than 200 trainings to communities across the state. They’ve distributed hundreds of naloxone kits, which saves lives. They’ve served nearly 600 people, including transporting people to detox, treatment, or sober living facilities.

Our goal is to prevent overdoses, but we’re also making sure bystanders can reverse overdoses to save a person’s life, so we can help put that person back on the path to a productive life again.

• So, we’ve increased our distribution of Naloxone, the lifesaving drug, by 25 percent, 25,000 doses actually, statewide. And since 2019, we’ve reversed more than 8,000 near deadly overdoses in this state.
• We enacted a new Good Samaritan law to encourage bystanders to call for help when someone is overdosing while still preserving law enforcement’s ability to arrest drug traffickers and violent offenders.
• And we’re buying and distributing xylazine test strips to people who need them. People need to know before they consume the most deadly drug out there.

My Administration will continue to do all we can to save lives because we know that recovery from substance use disorder is possible. Maine needs every person in our state to reach their full potential.

If you’d like to get involved with our response to the opioid epidemic in Maine, or if you need resources for yourself or your loved ones, please visit www.KnowYourOptions.ME.

This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

WHEREAS 1,578 Americans are still missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, as well as 7,492 from the Korean War, 126 from the Cold War, and 72,187 from World War II, though thousands from World War II are assessed as unrecoverable deep-sea losses; and

WHEREAS, the families and friends of unaccounted for Vietnam War Veterans, as well as countless fellow Veterans and other Americans, still await recovery and identification of their remains or clarity regarding their fates; and