As of Monday, masks are no longer required in most settings in Maine.
It's the first time in a little more than a year that face coverings aren't broadly mandated, though it's still recommended that people who aren't vaccinated against COVID-19 wear them indoors.
That means most businesses can now decide independently whether to continue to require masks — and policies vary from place to place.
At the Blue Lobster gift shop in Freeport, owner Khaled Habash was grinning ear-to-ear Monday morning — the first time in about a year that customers could actually see his smile.
"I'm happy to not be wearing a mask today," he says.