Economy

Check Before You Head to Store on Thanksgiving

(Undated)  Think you can rush out on Thanksgiving Day for that can of cranberry sauce or the special rolls Uncle Larry loves?  You might be out of luck.  Many stores choose to close – and in fact, the Portland Press Herald reports Maine law prohibits stores larger than 5000 square feet from opening on Thanksgiving.  Call ahead if you must go out.

Free Thanksgiving Dinners

(Ellsworth)  The holidays for most mean get-togethers with food and family.  If you’re alone this Thanksgiving, it doesn’t mean you have to miss out!  In Ellsworth, the Conscious Cafe and Loaves and Fishes are teaming up to host a free Thanksgiving Dinner from 11 to 4.  Takeout or dine in.  The Ellsworth Elks Lodge is also cooking up a delicious free meal prepared for you to enjoy, beginning at 11 a.m. Thursday.  You just need to pre-order your meal by calling the lodge at 667-7987.  And a shout out to the Bowden family who owns Community Closet 207 on Water Street.  They spent Saturday handing out free turkeys and fixings to local families in need, while VFW Post 109 held their free Thanksgiving dinner for seniors and veterans on Saturday as well.   

Health

Walking – How to Get the Most Benefits

(WaPo)  The holidays are here, and so is winter.  For most of us, that means we eat more and become more sedentary – not the healthiest combination.  Health experts say it’s time to move, and walking is a great option. You don’t need a gym, a special time, or much else, except a good pair of shoes and a bit of motivation.  And here’s some good news for folks who find it hard to get out every day.  A new study suggests going on fewer but longer walks may have more health benefits than taking the same number of steps a day over multiple short walks.  The New York Times reports the analysis showed people who regularly walked longer than 15 minutes were 80 percent less likely to die from any cause and nearly 70 percent less likely to develop cardiovascular disease over a roughly 10-year period, compared with those who got most of their steps in walks of five minutes or less.  You can access much more about the study in the October 28th issue of a c p journals dot org.  

Maine Medical Association Issues Press Release on Vaccines

(Augusta)  The Maine Medical Association and multiple other health-related organizations in Maine on Friday released a statement saying the Health Care Community rejects vaccine misinformation and reaffirms evidence on vaccine safety.  The press release was in response to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated information that they say contains misinformation about vaccines and autism.  MMA President  Dr. James Jarvis said  misinformation about vaccines is not harmless, but has real consequences, adding, “We cannot allow false claims to jeopardize the progress Maine has made in safeguarding children’s health.”  Read the entire statement at maine physicians dot org. or on FB.

Infrastructure

City Hall Parking Spots Temporarily Closed

(Ellsworth)  The 20-minute parking spots in front of Ellsworth City Hall are closed today, but for a tree-mendous reason!  Crews spent Monday putting up the City Christmas Tree and will continue today stringing lights and adding holiday magic to get ready for the December 6th tree lighting.  The City says the parking spots will reopen tomorrow morning.

Human Interest

Family Puzzle Tournament

(Ellsworth)  Put the pieces together and you could walk home with a $50 gift card from Zeppa’s Pizza in Ellsworth!  We’re talking about the family puzzle tournament, this Friday at the Ellsworth Public Library.  The event begins at 2 p.m. in  the Riverview Room – they ask that you register ahead through the library.  Be sure to follow the Ellsworth Public Library on social media – because there’s always a lot going on that you don’t want to miss!

Talking Turkey

(Undated)  More people are turning to plant-based diets, as evidence of health benefits mounts.  Whether or not your table contains the traditional turkey centerpiece, Mercy for Animals shares these amazing facts about the birds. They say turkeys enjoy hearing music and will sometimes chirp along.  The birds can run up to 25 mph and fly as fast as 55 mph.  Highly social and affectionate, they create lasting friendships with each other and have unique voices; which is how turkeys recognize each other.  And if you find you had trouble hunting them this year, it may be because turkeys have great geography skills and can learn the precise details for an area up to one thousand acres – so we’re guessing they know all the good hiding spots.  

Wreaths Across America Looks for Sponsors

(Columbia Falls)  Wreaths Across America delivers wreaths across the country to lay on veterans’ headstones, generally in early December, including at more than 80 cemeteries in Maine.  WGME reports this year, the Columbia Falls-based organization is about 25,000 headstones short.  The caravan heads to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on December 13th this year.  If you’d like to sponsor a veteran’s headstone, you can reach out to WAA at wreaths across america dot org.  

Mano e Mano Does Outreach for Wreath Makers

(Milbridge)  Wreath season is here. Those beautiful creations depend on migrant workers who come to Maine specifically to help craft them.  Mano e Mano in Milbridge is a wonderful nonprofit that helps support workers who come for this and who also arrive during blueberry harvest season to help pick the crops that are shipped nationwide.  The past few weeks, mano e mano staff has been sharing food, warm clothing, and helping folks get connected as they settle into the area.  Learn more at mano maine dot org.

Spirit’s Place

(St. Albans)  Our news sponsor today is Spirit’s Place in St. Albans, Maine.  The rescue was founded in 2016 to address the harsh realities of feral, stray, and community cats.  Set on 15 acres, the rescue is a state-licensed, nonprofit shelter that is currently home to more than 200 felines that come from all types of situations – neglect, abandonment, abuse.  Spirit’s Place focuses on helping the hardest-to-place cats, those for whom the rescue is their only chance of survival.  It’s named after an abandoned kitten found clinging to a screen door in Corinna, asking for help, in spite of the eight dogs barking inside and the homeowner who sprayed her with water. Today, she’s a permanent resident at the shelter, where she is happiest (she’s been adopted out twice and cried until she was returned!). Learn more about Spirit’s story, Spirit’s Place, and how you can help at spirits place dot org. 

News Break

(Sullivan)  Downeast Digest News will be taking a break this Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Our news is 100% “sponsored” by non-profit organizations.  We promote them, but we don’t charge them a penny.  You can check out past newscasts and sponsors we highlighted at downeast digest dot news.  While on break, we’ll keep you updated on important stories on our social media pages; and we’ll be back sharing with you at 6 a.m. Monday morning on nice and easy radio dot com, where you’ll find music that will bring back memories through the songs you love – we’ve even thrown in some Christmas favorites.  Have a wonderful, safe, holiday from all of us at downeast digest and nice and easy radio.  

National News

Ukrainian Peace Talks

(AP)  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky faces a crucial week of diplomacy – a test of whether he can stand his ground while demonstrating to the US his willingness to compromise.  The Associated Press reports Ukraine and its European Allies have been trying to buy time since a draft of a US-Russia brokered peace plan was leaked to the press last Thursday.  The draft reportedly triggered alarms, as it appears to favor Russian demands and goals, including limiting the size of Ukraine’s army and handing over territory Russia has occupied.  Sources say it also excludes any possibility of Russia being held accountable for the invasion and thousands of alleged war crimes.  US and Ukrainian delegations met in Geneva on Sunday in an attempt to add terms more favorable to Kyiv.

Mamdani Stands by Criticism of Trump

(AP)  New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has accused President Donald Trump of acting like a despot and a fascist.  And he’s not backing down, even after a friendly White House meeting between the two.  Mamdani told Meet the Press this week, “Everything I’ve said in the past, I continue to believe.”  The two spent months trading insults in the months leading up to the November 4th election, but both called Friday’s meeting “productive”.  Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, said he didn’t come into the Oval Office to make a point or a stand, but to deliver for New Yorkers.

Pentagon Says It’s Investigating Senator Mark Kelly for Video

(AP)  The Pentagon yesterday said it is investigating Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, after Kelly and other Democratic Congresspersons with military and national security backgrounds called for U.S. troops to refuse unlawful and illegal orders. Kelly served as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Navy, later becoming an astronaut and ultimately retiring after achieving the rank of Captain. It’s a rare move for the Pentagon, which generally has remained apolitical.  President Trump responded to the video on his Truth Social platform, writing that each person in the video should be “arrested and put on trial”, calling the message “seditious behavior from traitors” and saying such behavior was “punishable by death”.  

Judge Dismisses Cases Against James Comey and Letitia James

(AP)  A federal judge on Monday dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, concluding the prosecutor who brought the charges at President Trump’s urging was illegally appointed by the Justice Department.  Prosecutor Lindsey Halligan, a former White House aide with no prior prosecutorial experience, but a Trump loyalist, was appointed to the job in September.  The Associated Press called Monday’s ruling a stunning rebuke to the Trump Administration’s efforts to target political opponents.  Comey oversaw an investigation into whether Trump conspired with Russia to sway the outcome of the 2016 Presidential race. James won a staggering judgment against the Trump Organization in a lawsuit alleging he defrauded banks by overstating the value of his real estate holdings on financial statements.  

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